THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16397, 17 December 1918, Page 7

THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

OPERATIONS EAST OF THE

JORDAN

(FBOil A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

PALESTINE, October 13. The real comic opera touch has been supplied. To-day has been wortny or a Gilbert and Sullivan burlesque, --is said in im* last letter, a force of some thousands of Turks was known to be in the neighbourhood of Kustal, about 12 miles south of Amman. They were dependent for water on a few cisterns which were rapidly going dry. We held all the water to the north. fco it was only a case of waiting for a few days for theui to surrender, and it was not worth while risking lues to fetch them. Stiil it was annojing to be kept waiting. On Sunday we sent them an ultimatum, and they soon put up the white flag. 'lhen the iun uegan. A largo number of wandering liedouins had followed them up, ana were waiting to loot thom tlieie would ]>iobiiL»xy nave been a bloody ma&saue, aud as tney had surrendeied to us \»e were in uonour buouU to ijixneot tneui, wuicu we uiu. . . . .Zi.Ai.it. liriituue was -suuaeuiy turned out, «uiu lAitci a coiu, wojiiisoiiie jugtit maiva, and arrived at uuwn and so were auie lo get nil priboners u.vay saleiy. lucre was a litue ioiig-i-aiiye sniping, out nothing very serious. JLne station was in tiie most indescribable mess and liltii, and strewn witu miscellaneous articles ot all sorts. £>o tar we Have between 4UUU and 5000 prisoners and 14 guus and two engines and rolling-stock, a quantity ot ammunition, lilies, etc., and a large number of machine-guns. Among tne prisoners were several hundred sicK, and arrangements tor getting them away took some time. liere, we are on the rolling down country east of the hills bounding tho Jordan Valiey, which have formed our horizon for so many mouths. The country seems to be very fertile, and would grow great quantities of grain, but owing to tho sparseness of population is only cultivated in small patches here and there. Tho day must come again when this country will again become one of the granaries of tho world as it was in time past. About a mile away is a large stonelined reservoir about the same size as the smaller one at Solomon's pools, apparently of similar construction and very probably of the same period. Like other things in Turkish hands, it has been allowed to fall into disrepair. Traces of ruined aqueducts may bo seen near it. It has apparently been patched up a bit to supply water for the railw. /. We got news that at Madeba, about eight or nine miles west, there was a force of some 30 Turks guarding a large store of grain. A.M.R. had a squadron out there on Monday, and on Tuesday, October 2nd, we sent a squadron over to take charge of their grain and bring in the prisoners. A three hours' ride got us there. Tho town stands up well on rising ground overlooking a big; expanse of country. On arriving wo found ■ Major-General Chaytor had just arrived in his car from Amman, and also that a largo force of the Shereefian army had occupied the town, so there was nothing for us to do but to bring the prisoners back. ... . . Madeba is almost entirely a Christian town, about one-quarter are of the Greek Orthodox Church, arid about one-lialf Roman Catholics, the remainder being Arab Moslems, but there seem to be representatives of a good many races there, as I came across a Cypriote and some people from Jerusalem. For this part of the world it is a remarkablv clean village, with a fairly wide-paved street through the centre. The most noteworthy thing in Madeba is a remarkable Mosiac consisting of a map of Palestine and part of Egypt; only a fragment is left now, and it is difficult to estimate how largo it was originally. The names of places are all in Greek characters It appears to be contemporary with the other mosaics recently discovered. Tins map has been of some "use in identifying the sites of some Biblical places in Palestine. The Modern Greek Catholic Church has been built over tho mosiac, and it is protected from further destruction. Great finds of ooins hare been mado at Madeba. Some of these were forthcoming, but as there is a good market) for these in Jerusalem a good prico was exacted. Among the silver coins wore some bearing the names of Alexander, Euergetes, and Ptolemy Soteer. A number of copper coins, chiefly of the Constantino period, were offered us also. There was a good supply of eggs at a fairly reasonable price, and these were a real treat after a long spell on mobile ration. ~ , _ Next day (October 3rd) we heard we were to be relieved by a regiment of Light Horse, and were to return to Jerusalem. We were unfeignedly .glad, to get away from Zezir, as the place was called; tho filth and stench was .awful. On our way back we passed' somo interesting ruins at Kustal and Jodude. Some* fine columns stcod up in bold relief amid the lifeless scene around. In fact you might call this a land of ruin: every liill-top seems to have a ruin on it. There, is an extraordinary absence of life. . As far as the eye can reach there is not a tree to be seen. There are very few birds, and no animals but -the occasional flocks of tho villagers. It was late when, we got to Kasir. and we were off early again noxt morning. Qur way lay through the outskirts of Amman, where we watered at tho beautiful clear spring which is one of the sources of the Jnbbok. Then on for some miles till we came to Wadi IDs Sir, of evil memory, for it was here we were so treacherously attacked by the Circassians in April. It looked peaceful enough now. and it was a really pretty picture looking down on the white houses and the tall green poplar trees and cultivated patches alongside the clear stream flowing at the bottom of tho deep valley. We rode down this stream, passing several nicturesquo old mills, then up and over the last hill, and the whole of the Jordan valiev burst into view, with the Dead Sea shining away to the south, and the tower on tho Mount of Olives on the western skyline. Then long descent began down to Nimrin, nearly 30C0 feet below. It grew hotter and more oppressive tho whole way, till at last, shortly before dark, we reached our camp on the edge of tho plain. Just at the foot of the hills we met the long line of some thousands of Turkish prsioners being marched down from Es Salt; they looked pretty weary and woebegone. Next morning we were off again to cross the Jordan and camp for two or three days near Jericho. Onooru r way a party visited'tjio graves of those who had been killed in front of Nimrin on April 30th'. Wo are to go to Jerusalem to refit and be issued with winter clothing. We want a spell, as the last month has been a pretty severe strain on all; the sudden change in altitude from 1000 ft below sea level to 3000 ft above is a bit severe. •

It lias been a bit of a disappointment not seeiacr Damascus, but we shall soon be fit again and ready to go wherever we are wanted.