en viewed from the distance, with its white domes and slender
minarets rising above the shrubbery and trees of its thirty thousand
gardens. Here in this old city; in this historic city; in this
beautiful city; in Damascus, I greet you and extend to you an
invitation to join me in my proposed trip through Gilead.

My party as yet consists of but two persons. My dragoman, William
Barakat, of Jerusalem, in response to a telegram sent from
Constantinople, met me several days ago at Beyrout. He is a native
Syrian, talks good English, dresses like an American, (save that he
wears a red fez,) and is a Christian in faith. Before reaching this
city he has already rendered me excellent service. He is intelligent,
having attended the American College at Beyrout. I can trust him.

My arrangements with my guide are simple. He is to take me over my
desired route by best possible methods of travel; to furnish the best
of fare and lodging obtainable; to guarantee me a safe escort; and he
is to do all this within a specified time and for a stipulated price. I
did not then know how little I was asking as to fare and lodging, but
when I knew that he was fulfilling his part of the agreement I had
little cause for just complaint.

By early dawn, on October thirtieth, we had breakfasted and had bidden
good-by to all the servants about the hotel, (many of whom I did not
know to exist, but who, somehow, had learned of me, and had risen thus
early to witness my departure and to ask a fee for services that I am
quite sure some of them had had no part in rendering,) and had ordered
the driver to lose no time in reaching the station of the
Damascus-Hauran Railroad, about two miles distant. But, notwithstanding
the early hour, the streets were already crowded with people, mules,
donkeys, dogs, and other things. It was only with great effort that we
could make any headway, and at times it seemed that the crowd, angered
at our persistence, would stop us entirely in our struggle to pass
through. We did the best we could, but we missed the train. Since there
were ONLY THREE TRAINS A WEEK on that road, it meant that I must go
back to that same hotel and spend two more days in Damascus at the rate
of ten dollars a day, and then, again, on leaving, must fee those same
servants for service that I did not want, and, generally speaking, did
not get. But, though the disappointment was great, it brought
additional opportunity to study the wonders and ways of