Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-03-31

more strength this afternoon. walked out with
Mr.. King to visit some Of the suffering families
lodged principally in caves and dens in the en-
virons Of The city. Went into one of these
subleiranean habitations, in which we found SIX
families living together, without partition
This cave is about 40 feet in diameter, lee:
| high in the centre, declining each way toward
the outward edges, where i, is abouI one yard
in height, with natural aperture on the west
side fifteen feet in width, and three and hall
feet high. A small FIRE on the ground near the
centre served the whole, having no way to es.
cape but through the aperture, added much TO
render this abode unc comfortable. No bed, no
furniture Of any kind.
"The men belonging 10 these families are
now employed by the President, CaPo DIstria,
in carrying stone, making mortar, Sc for the
building Of the Orphan Retreat, and receive
daily for their labor two small loaves of coarse
bread. The women and ,ucn children as can
labor, spin and weave little cottoa in their
burrows. Two small looms, with pieces in
them are in this cave.
| This may serve for a description Of many o.
Their Of those caves, with the exception OF one
Of larger dimensions, now containing Twelve
families, and others which are TOO small to con.
tain more than Ole or two families.
Among other OF these wretched fellow crea-
lures, cannot omit mentioning one woman,
nearly 10 years OF age, who exhibits one ofthe
most interesting and yet melancholy spectacles
ofhuman misery-the waste Of time with which
she has so long struggled, has rendered her
perfectly blind, deaf, and ioothless-yet she re-
| tains much animal vigour and speaks with a
loud, shr;ll voice, her lungs & power Of speech
appear but little impaired-she is REFUGEE
from Livadia, the native city Of PIutarch.
" In the course Of this ramble, we passed ov-
er acres Of ancient tombs cut in rock, Of diffe-
rent forms, width and deplh-the ground is
nearly level, the rock forms a superstratum OF
three 10 four feet 10 depth. Beneath this, is a
light coarse gravel, easily excavaled. In these
subterranean sbodrs immense numbers of the
ancient dead were deposited. No man capable
OF reflection can pass over these receptacles Of
mortal remains with indifference. Take for a
datum that Egina has been inhabited but three
thousand years. that the average population
has been six thousand, (though in tie most
fourishing times Of the Greek empire it was
more than twice that amount --admit thar with
in this period ninetv generations have passed
away, the number sepulchered here amount TO
five hundred and forty thou sand-a vast assem-
bly,!
Son returning to our lodgings, stopped and
took second view Of the Orphan Asylum or
retreat. This noble edihce is placed on an airy
and commanding ground near the centre OF the
city. 1t is an oblong square, $50 by 500 feet,
(French,) and 10 feet high, rooted with tiles;
large square court in the cen,re-the whole
in the modern stile Of building colleges in
France, and is calculated to accommodate six
hundred children, 10 be fed, educated and cloth
ed at the expense Of the Greek Government
pii il :ssessd RY aid ell Rs,siaa Jeaa ard is
tect. Hundreds Of poor women, with many
men, and such orphan children as can perform
any labour, are employed in this work, by the
president, in carrying stone, timber, lime, &c.
on their shoulders, for they Rave neither oxen,
carts. nor any kind of wheel carriages here:
the women receive one loaf, and the children
half loaf coarse bread daily for their labon-
This pittance is their only support.
" Most Of the stones used about the doors X
windows are taken from the ruins of the ancient
temples, tombs, and other dilapidated buildings
in the vicinity Thus it is pleasing 10 See the
wealth and pride of the ancien, inhabitants con-
tri5u,ing to the necessities and comfort oflheir
impoverished and degraded posterity"
Our friend Judge Woodrnf does not mean
TO express his qualification at the removal OF
| any Of those relics of former days, which are
really precious, as monuments of antiquity, to
the scholar, antiquarian, and man Of taste He
would be the las, man TO wish the solitary CO.
lumn which remains Of this temple, broken up
for the purposes OF the ordinary builder, or pull
led 10 pieces to CRAFTY the unhalowed and On :
classical vanity Of an Elgin. The stones he
speaks Of are dug from the sub,erranean vault.
| Sill we hope that some person OF sufhchn.
knowledge will preserve The proportions and
note the apparent peculiar'ies Of these lower
chambers. A plan of this extensive structure,
may be seen at this office.