DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10358#0160
134
PICTURESQUE PALESTINE.
beaten track anywhere. This desolation extends southwards for nearly five miles, relieved
only by occasional patches of poa bulbosa and marram grass, and thistles of many kinds, with
pink, blue, and yellow blossoms. Drifted sand-hills on the right shut out the view of the sea,
and another range on the left conceals the wooded hills of the plain of Sharon.
We pass some pools of stagnant water, partly overgrown with reeds and rushes, and notice
a few caves and several groups of rock-cut tombs in the sandstone ridge on our left. This
lonely way leads us to El Haram 'Aly Ibn 'Aleim (the sanctuary of 'Aly the son of 'Aleim),
which stands on the coast ridge about one hundred and ten feet above the sea-level. It consists
of a few substantial-looking houses clustering round an ancient mosque, said to have been built
by the Sultan Melek ed Daher Bibars in honour of the famous dervish 'Aly Ibn 'Aleim, about
the year 1270. .
I spent a few hours here one night when on a journey with my brother. We approached it,
however, on that occasion from the south, making our way along the seashore at time of sunset.
Sea-gulls were flapping their broad white wings above our heads, a multitude of crabs [cancer
volans) were running from their sandholes towards the sea, and oyster-catchers were flitting
about, busily seeking an evening meal. The cliffs on our right were high and steep, and
formed of a conglomerate of shells and sand. In some places the beach was very narrow and
rocky. The twilight deepened rapidly, and a thick mist rose from the ground, so that we
could only see the upper parts of the figures moving before us. We met a long string of
camels swinging themselves lazily along: they looked very strange and shadowy, partly
concealed and partly magnified as they were by the mist. Our kawass, who was riding a little
way in advance of us, appeared to be gliding along without support, for his grey horse was quite
invisible. Presently he guided us towards a curious winding fissure in the cliffs, an ancient
water-course which served as a road. A low rousfh wall of rock stood in the middle and divided
it into two natural causeways. The groom alighted and led the way, groping along the steep and
winding road with a large lantern in his hand. We soon reached the top of the cliff, far above
the sea mists, and found ourselves close to the precincts of the sanctuary. We were conducted
through several courtyards and passages, then up a steep uncovered stone staircase to a wide
terrace, where a number of Arabs were sitting round a little mountain of rice, and eating it
quickly and silently by star and lantern light. The sheikh of El Haram welcomed us with
great courtesy, and invited us to enter the spacious and lofty guest-chamber which opened on to
the terrace. Little red earthenware lamps of antique form were lighted and placed in niches
round the room, and then we could see that the roof was domed and fluted, and the walls
plastered and decorated with incised ornament of good design. In central positions there were
ornamental inscriptions in red and black, chiefly consisting of the names of prophets and saints,
and invocations to God. But the whole surface was blackened with smoke from the wood fires
which are always kept burning in the centre of the cemented floor in the winter. There was
nothing in this spacious apartment but a few old reed mats, spread in the slightly raised
recesses on three sides of it and in the corners. We had some of our tent furniture brought in,
PICTURESQUE PALESTINE.
beaten track anywhere. This desolation extends southwards for nearly five miles, relieved
only by occasional patches of poa bulbosa and marram grass, and thistles of many kinds, with
pink, blue, and yellow blossoms. Drifted sand-hills on the right shut out the view of the sea,
and another range on the left conceals the wooded hills of the plain of Sharon.
We pass some pools of stagnant water, partly overgrown with reeds and rushes, and notice
a few caves and several groups of rock-cut tombs in the sandstone ridge on our left. This
lonely way leads us to El Haram 'Aly Ibn 'Aleim (the sanctuary of 'Aly the son of 'Aleim),
which stands on the coast ridge about one hundred and ten feet above the sea-level. It consists
of a few substantial-looking houses clustering round an ancient mosque, said to have been built
by the Sultan Melek ed Daher Bibars in honour of the famous dervish 'Aly Ibn 'Aleim, about
the year 1270. .
I spent a few hours here one night when on a journey with my brother. We approached it,
however, on that occasion from the south, making our way along the seashore at time of sunset.
Sea-gulls were flapping their broad white wings above our heads, a multitude of crabs [cancer
volans) were running from their sandholes towards the sea, and oyster-catchers were flitting
about, busily seeking an evening meal. The cliffs on our right were high and steep, and
formed of a conglomerate of shells and sand. In some places the beach was very narrow and
rocky. The twilight deepened rapidly, and a thick mist rose from the ground, so that we
could only see the upper parts of the figures moving before us. We met a long string of
camels swinging themselves lazily along: they looked very strange and shadowy, partly
concealed and partly magnified as they were by the mist. Our kawass, who was riding a little
way in advance of us, appeared to be gliding along without support, for his grey horse was quite
invisible. Presently he guided us towards a curious winding fissure in the cliffs, an ancient
water-course which served as a road. A low rousfh wall of rock stood in the middle and divided
it into two natural causeways. The groom alighted and led the way, groping along the steep and
winding road with a large lantern in his hand. We soon reached the top of the cliff, far above
the sea mists, and found ourselves close to the precincts of the sanctuary. We were conducted
through several courtyards and passages, then up a steep uncovered stone staircase to a wide
terrace, where a number of Arabs were sitting round a little mountain of rice, and eating it
quickly and silently by star and lantern light. The sheikh of El Haram welcomed us with
great courtesy, and invited us to enter the spacious and lofty guest-chamber which opened on to
the terrace. Little red earthenware lamps of antique form were lighted and placed in niches
round the room, and then we could see that the roof was domed and fluted, and the walls
plastered and decorated with incised ornament of good design. In central positions there were
ornamental inscriptions in red and black, chiefly consisting of the names of prophets and saints,
and invocations to God. But the whole surface was blackened with smoke from the wood fires
which are always kept burning in the centre of the cemented floor in the winter. There was
nothing in this spacious apartment but a few old reed mats, spread in the slightly raised
recesses on three sides of it and in the corners. We had some of our tent furniture brought in,