MARK TWAIN

to that Bethsaida, from which Christ sent his disciples in
a boat, after the miracle of 5 loaves and 2 fishes per-
formed at the other Bethsaida, which is above the mouth
of the Jordan 2 miles and a little to the eastward, where
Andrew and several other disciples hailed from. One mile
from Bethsaida we descended to the Sea at Capurnaum,
Christ's dwelling-place, where he performed a great many
miracles. Some old crumbling ruins there, a ruined kahn
and a fig tree and fountain, Arabs and camels.

Near here was the marvelous draught of fishes.

Tried to get a boat, and didn't.

This is the brief note that Mark Twain en-
larged later in Chapter XLVII of The Innocents
Abroad. The pilgrims, he says, had been in a
semi-rhapsody ever since they had arrived near
the Sea of Galilee. The thought of actually sail-
ing on the waters that had borne the Saviour
and the Apostles almost overcame them. As to
the cost in money of this precious privilege it
was not even considered. Then they heard the
price and lost enthusiasm.

Something of the sort happened. As related, it
may be mixed with imagination a little, but at
any rate the pilgrims did not get the boat.

A brief note follows:

"Took a bath"—(to cool themselves off, per-
haps).

Crossed a long, rich, oleander plain along the sea to
Magdala, the birthplace of Mary Magdalene—the ratti-
est, rustiest, dirtiest little collection of mud hovels, tat-
tooed women and sore-eyed children in Palestine.

Thence along the edge of a mountain, to Tiberius,
another nasty mud-hovel village, full of Arabs, Jews and
Negroes.

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