herib. This was probably the
case with Alexander the Great, and was undoubtedly so with Napoleon. The
latter defeated the Turks at Gaza and again on the Plain of Esdraelon.
His objective was Syria, but he was foiled by the action of the British
in the siege of Acre. This distraction also prevented him from making
any attempt to reach Jerusalem.

Prior to the arrival of the British, it was seven centuries since a
Christian conqueror had set foot in Jerusalem. But there was now no
gloating of the Cross over the Crescent. On the contrary, guards of
Moslem troops from our Indian army were placed upon every building
sacred to Islam, while Christian guards were mounted over those sacred
to Christianity. Never before had Jerusalem fallen into the hands of
conquerors so zealous for the safety of its populace or so concerned for
the preservation of the city and all that it contained.

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 2: Much of the material in this Chapter is derived from
Milman's _History of the Jews_, W. Besant and E. H. Palmer's
_Jerusalem_, and George Adam Smith's _Historical Geography of the Holy
Land_, to which my acknowledgments are accordingly due.]

[Footnote 3: Milman.]

[Footnote 4: Milman.]

[Footnote 5: Milman.]

[Footnote 6: Besant & Palmer.]

[Footnote 7: Besant & Palmer.]

[Footnote 8: G. A. Smith.]

CHAPTER XII

JUNCTION STATION AND LUDD

An interesting task fell to my lot, in the reduction to order of the
chaos existing at Junction Station. This place had been an important
rest camp on the enemy's line of communications. That the Germans
thought they had come to stay was manifested by the style in which the
station and other buildings had been erected, as well as by the plans
which they had left behind them for intended future development. Most of
the buildings, including an up-to-date flour mill fitted with modern
machinery, had been substantially built with stone. The erection of many
additional houses was clearly contemplated, while the work had already
been put in hand of planting fruit orchards.

The disgusting state in which these premises were left was
indescribable. Rotting carcases of beasts lay all about the place, while
other filth almost surpassed them in stench. The buildings were infested
with flies by day and mosquitoes by night, while other forms of vermin
carried on the good work throughout the whole twenty-four hours.

A large amount of stores had been left be