Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-03-03

From Capt Mig~an's Travels in Chaldes.
THE TOWER or BABEL.

Prom Cap, Migsans rraveis in Chslaes.
THE TOWER OF BABEL.
Al day light. r departed Cor tic
ruins, with = mind sbsor bell BY The oh
jects which Itad seen yesterday. An
hours walk, INDUCED in intense rcfiee-
tion. brought me TO the gnndest and
most gigantic northern mass. on the
eastern bank Of the Euphrates, and dis.
tart about -four. miles and half from
the Easiern suburb Of HiIlah. Ii Is
called by the natives ii Mujeilibah,
: the ov err termed soia. naroot and Ma
root, from . tradition handed down with
little deviation. from time iin,ne mortal,
that near the foot Of the ruin there is
we'll invisible tomortal-, in which those
rcbelIious angels were condemned to
be hing with shcirteels upw ards, un
iii the day OF judgment, as punish
ment for their Mickedncss. This solid
mound. which consider, from its 81
tuation and magnitude, tU be the re-
mains Of the tower Of Babel, an opinion,
likewise adopted by that venerable aud
highly distinguished geographev, Maj.
ReDnell. is y vast obIong square, com
posed III kiln burpt s. san dried bricks,
rising rregularly 10 the height Of one
hundred and thirty-ninc feet, at the
south west: whence IL slopes towards
! the north least to n depth OF one hun :
dred and ten feet. Its sides face the
four cardinal points. ] measured them
carefully; aud the following is the full
extent of each face THAT to the north,
along the visible face, is ga yards TO
the south, $50 yards; to the east o26
yards and to the west, 40 Yards. The
summit is even Fat, strewed with bro.
ken and uDbroken bricks. the perfect
ones measuring thirteen inches square
tby three thick. Many exhibited the
arrow headed character, which appear
ed remarkably fresh. Pottery, btu
men, vitrified and petrified brick. shells
and glass. Were equally abundant
The principal materials composing this
ruin are doubtless mud bricks baked
IN the san. and mixed up with straw.
! IL IS not difficult 10 trace brick NO, <
along each font, particularly nj the
snuth west angle, which Is faced by a
wall composed partly of kiin-burnt
brick, that in shape exactly resembles
a watch tower or small turret. On it's
summit there are considerable traces
Of erect building; at the western end
is-a circular mass Of solid brick work.
sioping towards the top and rising from
confused heap Of rubbish.
The chief material forming THE Ia
brio, appeared similar to that compos-
ing the ruin called AbercoaG--a mix
ture Of chopped straw, with slime used
as cement, and regular layers of unbro.
ken reeds between the horizontal corr
ses Of the bricks. The base is greatly
injured by time and the elements; par
tioularly to the south east. where il is
cloven IN n deep furrow from top 20
bottom. The sides of the ruin exhibit
hollows warn partly by the weather.
but more generally formed by the A
lrab<, who are necessarily digging fos
bricks and hunting for antiquities.
! Several Of these excavations entered,
and have NO reason TO suppose they are
inhabited By such ferocious animals as
the generality Of travellers assert, -
There certainly vas an offensive smell.
and tie caves were streucd with the
bones of sheep and goats. de,oured
most probably by The jackais that re.
sort thither in great numbers; aud
I thousands Of bats and owls have flied
many of these cavities. The natives
are very reluctant 10 follow the visiter
INTO these dens. and dislike remaining
near the ruins after sunset. rather fronl
the fear of demons and evil spirits.
than from any attack Of liens or other
Wild beasts. Indeed, bv %tbeir own
account. there are not half dozeD
lions within thirty miles round Babel ;
though about sixty miles oelow liIllah,
om the banks Of the river. IN consider.
able patch Of ooh, those animals
are very numerous. IL appears that
he only risk attendant on entering the
fcce-scs ia all the rounds. - the LA
billiy of being stung by venomous rep
lsles, which ave very nVmcT0us through
que the ruins. This circumstance Is
al apt illustration Of the prophecies sl
jeremiah -
"And Babylon sllsil become heaps. dwell
ling place lor dfsgons. sn ssion,.l,nsspi sRd
80 his.iag without az iBhsbilsHt DER. sh
d. y. p.
. The ckeroVman of n etllaVe Am Lie