saddled up the Squadron waits for the advance to begin and to drop into its place in the line of march as the Brigade moves past.  Voices in the darkness, then shadowy forms, and, their horses’ hoofs muffled by the dust, Brigade Headquarters passes by.  Then the three regiments, one British and two Indian, each of the latter followed by crowds of donkeys looking ghostly white in the gloom.  At length it is our turn, and behind the last regiment we ‘walk march’ and once more get the clouds of dust for our portion.  Now, along the level for a time—­and then down again, down towards the valley, to many a valley of death!

“The impression we get, on leaving Talat-ed-Dumm, is rather different from that ascribed to tourists in the guide book to Palestine. ‘It is with regret,’ it says, ’that we drag ourselves away from a spot of such historic interest, where so many of the patriarchs have rested’.  God help ’em! we never wish to see it again.  No wonder to us, now, that Naaman the Syrian objected to go down to the Jordan and wash seven times in it![17]

“The horses slip and slide as they pick their way down the old Turkish road, and once more the moon looks over the hills and floods her silvery radiance over all—­the same moon that in two hours will rise upon the old homestead in Blighty.  But here are we, among great mountains, rugged and cleft, fantastic shapes in high relief, in the moonlight.  We might be in the moon itself!  Not a sign of life, not a bird nor an animal!

“By mid-night we have dropped 1,100 feet, and gradually the ground grows less rocky, the hills on the right swing away, and on the left, just ahead, is the square-topped El-Kuruntal, the so-called ‘Mountain of Temptation,’ and the gateway of the Jordan Valley.  Reaching the plain the pace grows faster, and clouds of dust arise worse than ever.  Our connecting files find great difficulty in keeping in touch, so that every now and then those in rear must gallop to keep up.  A small wadi to be crossed makes the pace still more uneven.  We cross the Wadi Nueiame and reach our camping ground.  Again the putting down of lines; again supperless and tired out to lie down on a blanket in the dust, in that unnatural hollow 1,250 feet below the SEA-LEVEL, THE PLACE OF SWELTERING SUN, SAND-SPOUTS, SCORPIONS, SNAKES, SPIDERS AND SEPTIC SORES; OF SCORCHING WIND AND SHADOWLESS WASTE; THAT HELLISH PLACE—­THE JORDAN VALLEY!”

FOOTNOTES: 

    [16] See St. John, chap. xi.

    [17] See II Kings v, 10.

INCIDENTS IN THE JORDAN VALLEY CAMPAIGN.