ThemountainsofMoabwerebeforeus，veryplainintheiroutline。
\"Moabismywash-pot，andoverEdomwillIcastoutmyshoe！\"Theretheywerebeforeus，veryvisibletotheeye，andwebegannaturallytoaskquestionsofeachother。WhywasMoabthewash-pot，andEdomthuscursedwithindignity？Whyhadtherightbankoftheriverbeenselectedforsuchgreatpurposes，whereastheleftwasthuscondemned？Wasthere，atthattime，anyspecialfertilityinthislandofpromisewhichhassincedepartedfromit？Wearetoldofabunchofgrapeswhichtooktwomentocarryit；butnowthereisnotavineinthewholecountryside。Now-a-daysthesandyplainroundJerichoisasdryandaridasareanyofthevalleysofMoab。TheJordanwasrunningbeneathourfeet，——theJordaninwhichtheleprouskinghadwashed，thoughthebrightriversofhisownDamascusweresomuchnearertohishand。Itwasbutahumblestreamtowhichhewassent；butthespotprobablywashigherup，abovetheSeaofGalilee，wheretheriverisnarrow。Butanotheralsohadcomedowntothisriver，perhapstothisveryspotonitsshores，andsubmittedHimselftoitswaters；——astowhom，perhaps，itwillbebetterthatIshouldnotspeakmuchinthislightstory。
TheDeadSeawasonourright，stillglitteringinthedistance，andbehinduslaytheplainsofJerichoandthewretchedcollectionofhutswhichstillbearsthenameoftheancientcity。Beyondthat，butstillseeminglywithineasydistanceofus，werethemountainsofthewilderness。Thewilderness！Intruth，thespotwasonewhichdidleadtomanythoughts。
Wetalkedofthesethings，astomanyofwhichIfoundthatmyfriendwasmuchmorefreeinhisdoubtsandquestioningsthanmyself；andthenourwordscamebacktoourselves，thenaturalcentreofallmen’s-thoughtsandwords。\"Fromwhatyousay，\"I
said，\"Igatherthatyouhavehadenoughofthisland？\"