Haifa; or, Life in modern Palestine — Story, Setting & Ideas

Archaeology and the Resident Observer

Oliphant positions himself as a resident rather than a passing pilgrim, claiming that “the impressions of a resident and those of a visitor are apt to differ widely.” He acknowledges his debt to the Palestine Exploration Fund and Captain Conder's Tent Work in Palestine, but his method is opportunistic: he popularizes technical findings for a general audience. The chapter on the rock-hewn cemetery of Sheik Abreik exemplifies this approach, blending firsthand observation with scholarly reference. Yet Oliphant is candid about his limitations, noting that he could not “define as exactly as I should have liked” the sources he used while “grubbing about.” This honesty underscores the tension between rigorous archaeology and the informal letter format.

Colonial Experiments and Sectarian Dynamics

Several chapters document nascent Jewish colonies and the German Temple Society settlements. Oliphant reports on “a Jewish Colony in its Infancy” and the “Temple Colonies in Palestine,” treating them as subjects of practical and political interest rather than theological significance. He notes the native population's excitement over government news in “Local Politics and Progress,” indicating a layered social landscape. The Temple Society, a German Protestant sect, receives particular attention, suggesting Oliphant's fascination with intentional communities. His reporting is observational, avoiding overt advocacy, but the very selection of these topics reflects a preoccupation with modernization and European influence in the region.

The Jordan Valley Canal: Prophecy and Engineering

One of the most striking passages details a proposal to cut a canal from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea, submerging the Jordan Valley under an inland sea. Oliphant presents competing cost estimates—from £8 million to over £225 million—and weighs political obstacles: French protection of Latin monasteries, Russian ambitions in Jerusalem, and the potential ruin of the Suez Canal. He notes that the scheme is “keenly supported by one set of religionists” who cite Ezekiel 47:8–10, while opponents argue the prophecy would be negated by the submergence of En-gedi. Oliphant concludes that the project is likely impracticable but leaves the question open, acknowledging that “who can say in these days what science may not accomplish.” This section epitomizes the book's blend of biblical literalism, geopolitical calculation, and speculative engineering.

Readers should approach Haifa as a document of its time—a record of how a well-connected Victorian traveler processed Palestine through overlapping lenses of archaeology, colonial settlement, and prophecy. Oliphant's voice is that of a participant-observer who is simultaneously enchanted by ancient ruins and engaged with contemporary schemes. The letters reward selective reading: those interested in 19th-century exploration will find detailed site descriptions, while students of political history will note the early articulation of Zionist and imperialist projects. The work's value lies less in its conclusions than in the tensions it preserves.

I found myself thinking of my grandfather’s old photographs of Haifa, how the olive trees seemed older than the prophecies around them. That same stillness returned while leafing through American Scenery, Vol. 2 (of 2) or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic nature — Reading Companion—a sense that every landscape outlasts the plans drawn upon it, waiting patiently for our restless minds to settle.