DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11448#0439
CHAP. XIII.]
EASTERN JEW.
129
them, and profess their faith ; they understand Hebrew, though
their common language is the same as that of the other Arabs, by
whom they are surrounded; they possess the Pentateuch, Isaiah,
Kings, Samuel, and the lesser prophets; they amount to about
60,000 in number, dwell in tents, and " neither sow nor plant
vineyards." They inhabit the fertile Oases, whence they issue
forth to levy contributions on Moslem travellers. Should a cara-
van approach their haunts, a horseman of their tribe suddenly
presents himself, and demands tribute. Whether refused or not,
he disappears as suddenly as he came ; but, in the former case,
he returns with a storm of cavalry • in the latter, with a scribe,
who writes a passport, and gives a receipt for the tribute-money.
Mahomet defeated this tribe in several engagements, but made no
converts among them : one of his female captives was so beauti-
ful that he proposed to marry her; but it is said that—dreading
a worse fate, or emulous of the fame of Jael, who was of this
heroic tribe—the captive girl poisoned her " inspired" lover.
The Jews are spoken of in Revelations* as the " Kings of the
East:" if, indeed, the Afghans be of the Ten Tribes, this title
may not be deemed too lofty for a nation which has held the
thrones of Persia and Hindostan. Seldom, however, any well
authenticated Jews are found in the countries eastward of Pales-
tine, though Morison speaks of having found some ancient fami-
lies of them in China.
Although Jews are continually arriving to lay their bones in
the ancestral sepulchres, their number is not at present on the in-
crease. Riding one day in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, the
progress of the party was arrested by a Jewish caravan, weary,
wasted, and overpowered with fatigue and misery. They had no
eyes but for the City, whose towers rose before them in the dis-
tance ; while their hearts wandered over it, their feet stood still;
the fathers held up their little children to gaze upon that shrine
of Israel's faith, and tears flowed down their rugged chocks and
reverend beards. " Now," observed Bishop Alexander, " had an
English traveller met this party, he would have taken with him
the impression that the gathering together of the Children of Is>
*xvi. 21.
PART II.
10
EASTERN JEW.
129
them, and profess their faith ; they understand Hebrew, though
their common language is the same as that of the other Arabs, by
whom they are surrounded; they possess the Pentateuch, Isaiah,
Kings, Samuel, and the lesser prophets; they amount to about
60,000 in number, dwell in tents, and " neither sow nor plant
vineyards." They inhabit the fertile Oases, whence they issue
forth to levy contributions on Moslem travellers. Should a cara-
van approach their haunts, a horseman of their tribe suddenly
presents himself, and demands tribute. Whether refused or not,
he disappears as suddenly as he came ; but, in the former case,
he returns with a storm of cavalry • in the latter, with a scribe,
who writes a passport, and gives a receipt for the tribute-money.
Mahomet defeated this tribe in several engagements, but made no
converts among them : one of his female captives was so beauti-
ful that he proposed to marry her; but it is said that—dreading
a worse fate, or emulous of the fame of Jael, who was of this
heroic tribe—the captive girl poisoned her " inspired" lover.
The Jews are spoken of in Revelations* as the " Kings of the
East:" if, indeed, the Afghans be of the Ten Tribes, this title
may not be deemed too lofty for a nation which has held the
thrones of Persia and Hindostan. Seldom, however, any well
authenticated Jews are found in the countries eastward of Pales-
tine, though Morison speaks of having found some ancient fami-
lies of them in China.
Although Jews are continually arriving to lay their bones in
the ancestral sepulchres, their number is not at present on the in-
crease. Riding one day in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, the
progress of the party was arrested by a Jewish caravan, weary,
wasted, and overpowered with fatigue and misery. They had no
eyes but for the City, whose towers rose before them in the dis-
tance ; while their hearts wandered over it, their feet stood still;
the fathers held up their little children to gaze upon that shrine
of Israel's faith, and tears flowed down their rugged chocks and
reverend beards. " Now," observed Bishop Alexander, " had an
English traveller met this party, he would have taken with him
the impression that the gathering together of the Children of Is>
*xvi. 21.
PART II.
10