The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-10-03
VISIT TO DAMASCUS AND TYRE.

From correspondent Of the IN. W Observer, in
the Mediterranean, dated Mahon, Isle Of Mi
norci,) February 10.
AgA=e close of my last letter, we left
the D,laware at Beyroo,, and it may, per-
haps, b. well here 70 speak of the visit
made y her officers to Damascus. l
need--rs. say that this city is one Of great
inlores from the fact, that it is the oldest
crstid he world, and also from the prom
incnt ace which it holds both in sacred
and a cane history. 1t was built soon
after tha deluge, and was taken by Da-
vid, az / afterwards by Ajax, who de-
stroyed i. From this calamity, however,
it s,on ecovered, and since that time has
formed solitary exception to the decay
cities b We been subject. Though held
success yely by the Grecans. the Ro-
MACS, Id Saracens, and besieged by the
Crusad rs-though its healhen temples
have een concerted into Christian
church,i, and these again into Mahome-
tan mo, 1ues, yet Damascus still exists, Il
noble rsiIc Of the oden time. rhere Is
the sire II which is called Straight, of
which Paul speaks and there too the
fountain il pointed out whence the water
was taken with which he was baptized
| the house of Annanias--the places in
the road 90 Jerusalem where the apostle
was converted, and even the window IN
the wall, through which he was let down,
wheu, to save his life, he fled from the
city by nght.
The party from the Delaware, about
twenty in number, left Beyroot, mounted
on horses and donkeys They first pass
ed Mont Lebanon, a distance in ascend
ing and descending of about q miles,
Next to ;tii was the plain of Coelo-Syria,
which is twelve miles wide. They then
crossed the mountains of AntiLebanon,
or Anli-Lbanus, a distance of "a miles.
| This brought them the fertile and beautiful!
plain of Damascus, which is styled by the
orientals @'The Early Paradise" IL is
enclosed Top mountains, and river which
comes faglA rom them is divided and car
ried thro,sh all the streets of the city,
formir. ssaightful fountains, aad in other
~Pron14 4s,ngNhe pleasure and haalths
!. - n inhabAx. II i only &c il has
been held br Nbrahim paeha, that Dam
ascus cOuid DC visited by Chrlstians, un-
less they assumed the Turkish dress, and
our officers were looked upon with many
dark aad angry irown. They had come
in Christian dress, and wearing arms,
to one of the oldest and most splendid
strong holds Of Mahometan bigotry and
lpride, and The followers of the Prophet
could III brook this intrusion of inddels
Iupon the sacred abode Of the true belize
Iver.
| will not here describe the thousand
| wonders met with in this little Drlenta!
world, because we hope to visit the same
region during the coming summer, and
NAV thus be able to describe, more cor
rectly and wildly then at present, the
scenes winch are then presented to the
|eye. Suffice it to say, then, that though
| the road to Beyroot to Damascus Is ex-
tremely rough and often quite precipltous,
yet, by hard riding, it was passed over in
1.-TWO days, though four DAYS are commonly
allowed the journey. The party return
cd by the way of Balbec, and more at
leisure. The English Consul at Damas-
Gus is much attached to our missionary,
the Rev Eli Smith, and is anxious that
he should make tina: city the seat OF his
future labors.
Tyre was found to be larger, and more
hourlshng, than was expected. lhe
predictions of Ezekiel, as TO its total ruin,
strictly apply to the city on the main
Hand This has indeed been as was
loretold like the top Of rock, p ace
to sprcad nets upon, and which should be
buill no more. The city, both on the
island and the main land were DESTROYED
bv the Chadeans, 513 years before
Christ. All the inhabitants were put to
the sword, or led into captivity the walls
were raZed to the ground, and 1t was
made terror and deso!atlon. lnsular
Tyre was afterwards rebuilt, and was ta-
ken by Alexander the Great. Ii has
since been held by various nations, aud
passed through numerous changes. In
I794. il was n miserable village lts en-
norris were a lev sacks of corn and cotton,
and Greek, who was the only merchant
there, could hardly gain livcllhood.-
Daring the last thirty years, however, 1t
has begun to revive, aud now has about
200 inhabitants, and our own flag, aud
those of most OF the commercial nations
of Europe-ways over the houses of the
respective consuls.
4 Il
There is newspaper published at the
Island of Honolulu, which is entitled,
"Ke kumu Hawai-" The iollwiug l,'ihc