and confer upon us an atrocious fragrance; it was not very slimy; and I

could not discover that we smelt really any worse than we have always

smelt since we have been in Palestine. It was only a different kind of

smell, but not conspicuous on that account, because we have a great deal

of variety in that respect. We didn't smell, there on the Jordan, the

same as we do in Jerusalem; and we don't smell in Jerusalem just as we

did in Nazareth, or Tiberias, or Cesarea Philippi, or any of those other

ruinous ancient towns in Galilee. No, we change all the time, and

generally for the worse. We do our own washing.

It was a funny bath. We could not sink. One could stretch himself at

full length on his back, with his arms on his breast, and all of his body

above a line drawn from the corner of his jaw past the middle of his

side, the middle of his leg and through his ancle bone, would remain out

of water. He could lift his head clear out, if he chose. No position

can be retained long; you lose your balance and whirl over, first on your

back and then on your face, and so on. You can lie comfortably, on your

back, with your head out, and your legs out from your knees down, by

steadying yourself with your hands. You can sit, with your knees drawn

up to your chin and your arms clasped around them, but you are bound to

turn over presently, because you are top-heavy in that position. You can

stand up straight in water that is over your head, and from the middle of

your breast upward you will not be wet. But you can not remain so. The

water will soon float your feet to the surface. You can not swim on your

back and make any progress of any consequence, because your feet stick

away above the surface, and there is nothing to propel yourself with but

678

The Innocents Abroad