A LETTER FROM PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1918, Page 5

A LETTER FROM PALESTINE.

HISTORICAL PLACES DESCRIBED BY A UREMTJI BOY. From "somewhere near Jericho," dated June 20th, Trooper Tapp O'Neill, of Urenui, writes to Mr T. Buchanan:—Down in Fgypt racing is popular, there being metings every Saturday in Cairo and Alexandria, mostly Arab horses being raced. Since writing last we have been knocking about as usual, dust now we are in the trenches holding part of the line, doing the usual stunts, patrols and raids, etc., while both sides sling round their ironmongery. A while since some of our boys in no man's land picked up some propaganda, left by the Turks for our benefit, showing photos of "Ossies" in Turkey, sitting down drinking coffee in a restaurant. Looked very nice, but ive know differently, for our boys are napping stones on the roadside. ' I am enclosing a few views of what we leave for Jacko to pick up, showing scenes of Turks in the camp near Cairo. Also per parcel post 1 am sending you some of the famous barley of Palestine, which history says has great beer-making qualities. 1 got the lot from some Arabs who were harvesting a very decent looking crop not many miles from Jerusalem. It ought to reach you in the N.Z. spring and yon will be able to see how it turns out in X.Z. soil. Cliff Tate left us yesterday to go to a cadet school for a. six months' course of training, and at tile end of that time he will get his star. He deserves it as lie has done a lot of good work out here. Not long ago a party of twelve of us, with Father McDonald, did a day's sightseeing in old Jerusalem, and we visited all places of interest. Father Mac. made it more interesting', as he was able to explain all particular points and several times corrected our guide, who had a parrot-like form of explanation. The Church of the Holy Sepulchuro was of much interest to us. A large church covers the site of the Mount of Calvary and the Tomb. The outside view is not ornamental, but inside is very much so. It contains some most beautiful scriptural paintings by muster painters of the middle ages, costly and exquisite tapestries 'and splendid mosaic work. There are several churches or chapels inside the larger building. The two most prominent places are "The Tomb" and "The Altar." On t hleatter there are thousands of pounds worth of gems, diamonds, pearls rubies, etc. ,given by various Princes and various people from all parts of Christendom. It is only large enough for some half dozen people to stand up inside of. being about (! x 4 foot, hewn out of rock.

From the ground floor you climb probably about 150 feet to this Crucifixion spot. Here also the Altar, and particularly the cross overhead, glistens with thousands of pounds worth of jewels. These two sights are vividly impressed on one's memory and will never be forgotten. We also visited the Mosque of Omar. You take your boots oil' and go in your stockinged feet. This is a magnificent work of Moslem art. It is circular in structure with a large rock in the centre. Onthis rock Abraham of old almost sacrificed Isaac. David, Solomon and other Biblical characters prayed here, as also did Mahomet. This work is also of interest to the Masonic fraternity, who, so I am told, held a meeting here not. long ago. On the floor.are some costly Persian rugs, whilst the walls, both inside and out, are lined with Mosaic work, in which portions of the Koran are readable. On enemy Moslem Mosques or praying places, such as on the banks of the canals and rivers etc., there is a niche pointing to Mecca, as all Moslems pray facing Mecca. Another %pot that was very interesting to us was the .lews' "wailing place'' —just a part of the ancient city wall whore the Jews come and pray or read their Bibles. This custom, I believe, dates back to the time when the Jews returned to Jerusalem after its destruction 'by the Turks in the year 70 and they wept there when they saw the remains of their once fine city in ruins. Other places of interest were the temple grounds built by Solomon, the Via Dolorosa or Stations of the Cross and Tower of David. T-ho streets of Jerusalem are all cobbled and very narrow, just wide enough for four to walk abreast, with numerous arches overhead connecting the. houses. It lias been cleaned up a lot since the Turks left. Outside the rity walls is the Mount of Olives, with the garden of Gethsemane. Quite a modern town lies outside the old walls. [ am enclosing some flowers from the Mount of Olives, which no doubt will bo unique. Will send you some samples of Olive woodwork when I get nn opportunity. I would like to mention a very kind and much appreciated act by the good people of Eltham. Some short time ago we received the sum of about £IOO from those good folks for our 2nd squadron funds, and the boys decided to spend so much weekly through our quartermaster at the canteeu buying extra tea, milk, sugar, quaker oats, sage and candles,' all but the latter going to the .squadron cookhouse, thereby helping greatly to keep out "little marie" satisfied. Needless to say, the above is greatly appreciated by the boys,, as now we get a healthy cup of tea, and in it yoa can see some milk and also feel the eugar.