The Valley of Ras-el-Nasir

The Valley of Ras-el-Nasir BY HAMILTON GARDNER When "Slats" Pendleton was graduated from Harvard, his father, a high official in Standard Oil, and correspondingly rich, gave him a million dollars in gilt-edge securities, and told him to go on a trip around the world. He made but one condition that — "Slats" take his sister Beth along. To this, of course, the son agreed, but knowing that would be but a miserable traveling pleasure without his oldchum, "Dutch" Schmidt, he college asked him to accompany them. The fact that "Dutch" was very fond of Beth may have had something to do with the invitation. Except for a harmless flirtation between "Slats" and some Japanese geisha girls, their trip across the Pacific and through the Orient was of the usual interesting but uneventful kind. It was not until they reached Jerusalem that the Fates placed them in the way of having an adventure. The possibility came when they selected Muli Hafid for their dragoman on an excursion to Jericho and the Dead Sea. Muli Hafid proved to be a most interesting person when the boys talked to him a few nights before the trip. He was a good entertainer and his extensive travels had given him an amazingknowledge of folk lore and folk superstitions. Indeed, being a Mohammedan, he was himself superstitious enough to believe many of the stories he was telling. It was in all earnestness, therefore, that he told the young Americans, in his quaintly accented but otherwise perfect English, this tale "Gentlemen, I have seen many dangerous and awful places in my life, but never one which frightened me so much as the valley of Ras-el-Nasir, east of the Jordan. It reaches deep down into the earth and is hotter than the desert at mid-day. But these are only obstacles which Allah has set there to keep men from reaching the bottom ; for there, in a cave, feared and avoided from ancient times, is the body of Lot's wife. It is accursed so that whatever man sets eyes upon it is immediately turned into salt." The boys could hold off no longer with shrieks of laughter ;

THE VALLEY OF RAS-EL-NASIR 335 they ridiculed the guide's story. But he insisted that what he said was the truth. Finally, to show the utter ridiculousness of the thing, "Slats" asked him if he had ever been there. "Allah has givenme too much wisdom that I should ever go into the valley, but I swear by my father's head that I have seen the entrance to it."

"Has any one else ever entered it?" queried "Dutch." "Many, but they have never returned," answered Muli. "But why should any sane man wish to go into such an awful place with the certainty of being turned into salt for his trouble?" laughingly asked "Slats." "The love of foolhardy adventure and the disregard of the unbelieving for the laws of Allah, have ever lured men to destruction." "Then," quickly responded "Slats," who had played a wonderful halfback on the 'Varsity and feared nothing, "I will see the thing through and determine whether there is any truth in the rumor of such a valley. Will you agree, Muli, to take us to this mysterious place on condition that if you fail you will charge nothing for your services?" Surprising as it seemed to the boys, the dragoman readily assented.

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After a -hot, dusty ride through the bare, sandy hills, the party reached Jericho. An invigorating bath in the salty waters of the Dead Sea, and an exploration of the excavations of the old town, occupied the remainder of the day. Early the Israelitish next morning the whole party set out on what the Americanconsidered a lark, and the guide, a dangerous adventure. They forded the swift, muddy Jordan, and headed for the mountains in the east. At noon, by continually prodding their ponies along the scarcely discernable paths which crossed the desolate region. they had reached a high range of hills. Muli, who from the beginning had been rehearsing blood-curdling stories about Rasel-Nasir, was already frightened. Indeed, if "Dutch" himself had told the truth, he would have confessed that his stock of courage was reaching a very low mark. "Slats," too, had ceased being so skeptical about the matter. As for Beth, she said never a word. Muli finally guided them almost to the top of the highest hill and told them that on the other side, in the face of the cliff

336 IMPROVEMENT ERA to be seen, there was a small, cave-like opening, which led into the mysterious valley. He refused to approach nearer to what he termed the "fiendish place." After a brief consultation, it was finally decided that Beth should remain with the dragoman, while the two men should proceed on foot. After investigating, they were to return and report. "Dutch" would have much preferred to remain behind, but did not dare show his disinclination before Beth. She, on the contrary, wished to go, too, but "Slats" persuaded her to wait until they had either definitely located the valley or proved it to be a myth. For now, the Americans, in spite of the ridicule they had heaped upon Muli, were prepared vo concede the possibility of the existence of Ras-el-Nasir. A rough climb brought the young men to the cliff. There, just as Muli had stated, was an opening in the face of the rock. They began to realize now that the matter was no joke. Here was the opening, and without doubt it led into the valley. Was that not sufficient? "Dutch" was for returning to Beth and reporting that the whole thing was a fake, but "Slats," knowing that such a course meant the complete abandonment of the incident, insisted that they go on — his football training simply would not allow him to quit at this stage of the game. So they continued. With the spirit of their contemplated joke conspicuously lacking, they entered the opening. They went only a short distance before they found themselves in the open air again. There, before them, lay the valley. It was small and round, like the crater of an extinct volcano, and the light did not reach far enough down to permit them to see the bottom. Not a sign of vegetation was visible, and even from their position the excessive heat was plainly felt. A narrow path led from the entrance down the steep sides, and this was the only visible way to reach the bottom. It required a great amount of persuasion and considerable lecturing before "Slats" induce "Dutch" to make the could descent. Even hiswas of the bravado kind, for his own talk self-confidence and courage were well nigh spent. They had not proceeded far before they learned the truth of Muli's statement about the heat. The sun's rays, beating down on the bare rocks, made the valley a veritable furnace. There was no circulation of the atmosphere and the men soon had great trouble in breathing the burning, hot air. But "Slats' " American football training

THE VALLEY OF RAS-EL-NASIR 337 would not give up; he kept his own resolution from completely failing by urging "Dutch" on. With chests heaving and panting and their strength almost exhausted, they forced their way down, until, after what seemed almost an eternity, they reached the bottom. Here the heat was still terrific, but it seemed cool after the seething furnace above. After a few moment's rest they began an exploration of their surroundings. They soon found a cave-like opening in the other side of the littlevalley. By this time both were completely frightened. So far Muli's story had proved true in every detail and now, after their recent exhausting experience, they were in a state of mind to see anything. Particularly was this true of "Dutch." It was, therefore, with hearts in their mouths that they entered the cave and turned on their pocket lamps. A brilliant and dazzling sight met their eyes. The ceiling, the walls, and the floor appeared to be set with millions of diamonds, which reflected the light in little points of dazzling, white flame. Closer examination showed the supposed jewels to be tiny salt crystals. But the weirdness of the cave increased rather than allayed the excitement in the minds of the explorers. They followed further in, continually wondering at the new beauties of iight and form which revealed themselves, and becoming more frightened every minute. At last the passage turned; the men entered a well-formed room. Some marks on the wall as though made by instruments drew their attention. In astonishment they gazed for a moment, then, by a common impulse, they flashed their lights toward the other side of the chamber.

"Dutch" started in horror at the sight which met his gaze there. He stood transfixed, his eyes staring at what seemed a human form. His hair rose on his head and cold sweat broke out on his face. He pointed a shaking finger at the object of his fright, and in a trembling voice said, "Can't you see her? She is staring right at me. I can't move. It is Lot's wife. I am getting cold. She — — turning me—into— is salt." Then, with a wild shriek, he fell senseless to the floor. "Slats" glanced hurriedly in the direction indicated. He gave a quick start. Did he see aright" Was that really a woman'? figure. Was not the face averted over the shoulder? And were not the eyes staring into his own ? Yes, lie could see the expression of awful terror on the face. He tried to turn his gaze from

338 IMPROVEMENT ERA those terrible eyes that were piercing his very soul. He could not. They held him by an irresistible power. A feeling of indescribable horror ran through him. He felt his limbs grow cold and stiff. He thought his very heart had ceased beating. His gaze transfixed, he slowly sank to the floor. That terrible look pursued him. It was forcing him into some awful, horrible state.

With those eyes burning into his soul, he gave up and knew no more.

Beth and Muli waited impatiently for the boys to return, Mtili pacifying his frightby reading aloud from the Koran,' and the girl perusing the autobiography of an old Roman traveler which she had picked up in an old library in Jerusalem and saved for just such an occasion. But when more than two hours had passed, and Beth's anxiety could no longer be quieted, she told the guide to go and find the missing ones. He refused outright. Not for all the American travelers and American gold in the world would he approach the accursed valley. Threats, bribery, — persuasion, tears all were in vain he would not go one step ;

nearer. Then suddenly Beth's face lighted up. Quickly she reached for her book, and hastily turned the leaves until she came to a certain page. She read long and thoughtfully, and then a smile spread over her face, "and she finally laughed outright. Seizing a canteen of water from her horse, she hurriedly began the ascent of the hill, leaving the bewildered Muli almost speechless with amazement.

Finding the entrance to the cliff, she followed the path down into the valley. The heat that was so hard on the men proved almost insufferable for her.Without the canteen she would have fainted more than once. When she reached the bottom, she was totally exhausted, and only after a long rest could she proceed. The sight of the cave caused the same mysterious smile to appear, and without a moment's hesitation, she entered. She observed the same beauties of the cave that had attracted the men, and in addition she took particular pains to examine the marks on the wall, and she also made note of some timbers piled together in the corner. She did receive a great shock, though, when she found her brother and her sweetheart lying unconscious on the floor. But her presence of mind did not desert her. Hastily

TTTE VALLEY OP RAS-EL-NASIR sprinkling some water on "Dutch's" face, she was overjoyed to see him move. But his first words frightened her, "Take that face away, take it away.'' Finally she succeeded in calming him. She was more than astonished, however, when "Slats," on being revived, said exactly the same thing. But she did not wait to question them there. Taking each by the hand she led them oui of the place, still dazed from their experience.

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They were sitting on the veranda of the hotel in Jerusalem. "Slats" was telling the story of the adventure in Ras-el-Nasir, and had just reached the point of their entrance into the cave, when Beth interrupted him. "When you had been gone a long time I suddenly remembered what Publius Antonius says about the old Roman salt mines in the hills east of Jordan. I decided that Ras-el-Nasir was such a salt mine, and thought perhaps you had found some interesting antiques or relics. I wished both to see these myself and be sure that nothing had happened to you, so I came down into the cave." "But were you not frightened by what Muli had said about Lot's wife?" asked "Dutch," with rather forced unconcern. "Certainly not," Beth answered, "Publius mentions the saimstory, and besides, it was easy to see how the superstitious Arabs could connect the story of Lot's wife with an abandoned Roman salt mine. This I knew it to be when I saw the marks on the walls. But I was more than frightened when I discovered you lying unconscious on the floor. Tell me how that happened." With a nudge and a wink to "Dutch," "Slats" answered. "Oh. it was the heat that caused that. Let's go into dinner."

"The Cities of the Sun," the second and enlarged edition, with twenty-three illustrations, and two additional stories, is just out of press. The author, Elizabeth Rachel Cannon, traveled twice to Mexico and excavated among the ruins there to gain information at first hand. In her work, we have seven stories of ancient America, founded on historical incidents in the Book of Mormon, and illustrated from paintings by George M. Ottinger. and photographs by the author. The stories are told in a style to attract and interest, and with a view to inspiring the reader to turn direct to the simple and beautiful language of the Book of Mormon itself. The book is recommended in the M. I. A. reading course, and the stories are of a character to interest believer and unbeliever, young and old. The "Deseret News" did the printing.