Though Samaria, in Palestine, is wedged in between Galilee and Judea, there is not a single Jew in Caesarea (or Kaisariyeh), its beautiful sea-port.

Caesarea is a prosperous town inhabited principally by wealthy Armenians and Pastromadjis (vendors of dried meat). Perhaps the Caesarean, whether he be Turk, Greek or Armenian, is the most travelled citizen of any city in Asia Minor that I have ever visited, and wherever he is found he is always proud of having come from Caesarea. I must add, however, that like the Scotsman, he seldom goes back to his native town. Many of the wealthiest Greeks and Armenians in Turkey come from Caesarea; and they are proud of the fact. Caesarea is also proud of the fact; but, once they leave her, Caesarea never sees any more of them.

Undoubtedly the Caesarean, whether he be Turk, Armenian, or Greek, is easily able to hold his own with the local merchants of any of the larger towns of Turkey.

There are, I repeat, no Jews in Caesarea. Probably that ancient city is too wide-awake even for the Jews. That, at all events, is the reason popularly given by the self-complacent citizens them selves.

These citizens also tell an amusing tale to explain this singular absence of the ubiquitous Israelite. Once upon a time long long ago, in the days of the Twelfth Imam, [1] venerated by all true Shiites, a Jew on his way from Angora and riding upon an ass, halted at the outskirts of Caesarea, and turned over and over in his mind the question of whether he should or should not settle in that rich though wretchedlooking town.

Finally he determined to stay where he was until one of the inhabitants came his way. A short talk with that inhabitant would enable him to gauge the general intelligence and business capacity of the community, and consequently to decide whether he would pitch his tent in Caesarea or push on further.

Chance soon brought towards him one of the young sons of Caesarea, a lad not yet in his teens. The Jew approached this boy and, in piteous tones, told him that he had come a long journey, that both he and his ass were much fatigued in truth they could not proceed any farther. He had nothing in the world but a ha'penny, which was not much, and yet both he and his ass were in dire need of food, drink, and some light amusement wherewith to while away the time pleasantly but inexpensively until the hour of their departure.

The Caesarean lad brightened up when he heard the Jew's hard luck story. "A ha'penny," quoth he, "Is a great deal or money, and, if you trust me with it, I shall procure for you all you require."

With tears in his eyes – tears of gratitude apparently – the Jew gave the ha'penny to the boy, who immediately rushed off with a fleetness that suggested to the Jew the painful thought that he would never come back.

The Caesareans are honest, however, though very thrifty, and the boy returned carrying on his back an enormous water melon which he gave to the Jew saying: "Behold I have brought food, drink and diversion for both you and your ass, and I assure you that I have only retained a just commission and meagre wage for carrying the melon all this way."

"This fruit will furnish you with both food and drink, and the rind will feed and quench the thirst of your ass. The numerous seeds of the melon will not only sustain you if you are still hungry, but will give you a pleasant pastime till the sun sets, cracking them for the kernel and throwing away the husks which your ass may perhaps care to eat up."

The Jew looked at the youth long and attentively, asked him his age, and then wondered mentally what the adult intelligence of Caesarea must be if this were an average specimen of its budding intellect. Finally he took the melon in silence, mournfully mounted his ass, and moved on.