THE PLEASURES OF SURF BOATING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 79

THE PLEASURES OF SURF BOATING.

By A Baskeb

"Why is the land which for all time must be the central point of interest to the whole of Christendom permitted to remain tinder the effete, coriupt rule of the Turk? Why does not Europe deciee that that malefic power should no longer hover like a vampire over the sacred land of Palestine, ever retarding its progress, and, by perpetuating the discomforts of travellers, deterring multitudes from landing upon its sacred shores and visitmg those ever revered sites? In consequence of this obstructive policy, which forbids the construction of a proper harbour, the Holy Land is altogether inac-

cassiblp to tlia outer world, except *oy a lon - und t-cdioa: ride on horsebai-k, if, a-s jo frec.uen'Jy .uo csise, lie waves are ;co bc.dtorous I') poir.'.ic die surf boats — ;lie on v ii v Mns of ■ iiicbi:t, — t j i) 2 'I'ur.c'asd And it iiiiUi. be freely r.drunted .lia. this -.lodo of lauding cannot !>e 1 miibercd amangst the iflosl f.!ea?ajit a .ct jaost eshilsratir.s ikcid"nls o" a .ouriioy lo t!is Hoy Jjand The ves^o'. Having anchoied ai perhaps a mile or so fiont the shore, 11 soou fui: our.de 1 by a number o[ Ihs&e cuif boais. m-inaod by ■-ii"ie!ri.i'.; Ai.ib". which, oup r-ftpr t v c othei, cor.lo as ;iear to She step sajigvruy of the i essel they clttc \''t'.iout risk of cap^'zirf,. Now, <!•, the boat n c es on the crest of 3 wave, and for a me :nent is on a Icve' \, th itie gangway, the pss»en^ei sunclinc, "heicon is violently seize:! b»- ? ■ Aiab. ,wd makes a wiltl \<y\\} ovfi the sirgisg su'f be'v-een the ■--hip and Ilie boot i'iti 'tbs anus of other 'i'loutinj,, ionp-robcl Arnbs, who. a." the boat sinks do-.vii m the t"OURh of tiu- waves, deposit Inm o/i a "s.\ L . Fov,-, the lios: linvina: >is;Bia ri^eti on 'be waves, a oiout and uncommonly heavy Biitish mntio.i, liemblinjt from he:>cl to foot, it ancerenioniouslv =eizcd by a couple of biawny Aisb?, who Inul her, a1?a 1 ? though she were hut a feather bolster, into the arms of another fieiv "-avo^e ; or new an obstinate and nascible old individual, who refuse? h-ly sud i>; his fmy i.Lieati's the native? with his ur.'brella, nearly precipitates him^e^f 111*0 tlie boih>i£ or ■■in. At lengtli the beat is full. u;i i "1 'if a dozen muscular Arabs — who do not forget io importune 101 "'backshecsh" — rcnv for shore, cha boat now risiiife on the 1 th-3 billows, when ihe lovely, paim-bordei ,1 roa&tline is apparenc v in all its beauty, Mn3 now descending into the trough of the >v.i ~. the lofty wall of waters on cech side reminding the passengers ol the -Jsraalnejs' irtsage through the Red Sea. ~" *■" Eut now we arc safe at the mdc quay, and with a throbbing" heart pnd a I;.:n' of joy wo set foot 011 that racrerl ia.ii I hf°e holy fields were once trodden by t lt^ Dmns Redeemer, who, though, the Creator of the worlds, there endured privation, jenifj, slid hardship, finally shedding His lfe hkod on the bitter cross ia order thot vhoEcevor wiil might, in virtue of that "r;".. atcnerrvrt, obtain a certain inheritance m the glory land.