Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-06-14

freaks has ever framed. The lofiiest por
tails ever raised by the hands of man, the
proudest monuments Of architectural skill
and daring sink into insignifcance by Tho
comparison. Ii is, perhaps, the most won
derful object in the world, except the ru
ins of the city to which il forms an entrance
Unfortunately, did not enter by this door
but by clambering over the mountains a
the other end and when stood upon the
summit of the mountain, though looked
down upon the vast area filled with ruined
buildings and heaps Of rubbish, and saw the
mountain side cut away so as to form 0
level surface, and presenting long ranges
OF doors in successive tiers or stories, the
dwelling and burial places of people long
since passed away, and though immediate.
ly before me was the excavated front of q
large and beautiful temple, | was dsappoin-
ted. had read the unpublished descrip-
ton of Captains lrby and Mangles.
| eral timos tho slick had told me. i'm the
most positive manner that there was no 9th.
er entrance and was moved to indigna.
ton at the marvellous and exaggerated, not
to say false representations, as thought,
of the only persons who had given any ac-
count of this wonderful entrance. was
disappointed too in another matter. Buck.
hardt had been accosted Immediately upon
his entry, by large party of Bcdouins, and
had been suffered to remain but short
time. Messrs. Leigh, Banks, Irby and Man.
| giles had been opposed by hundreds of Be-
douins, who swore shat they should never
enter their territory nor drink of their wa
ters," and "that they would shoot them like
dogs if they attempted it." And | expect
ed some immediate opposition from at least
the thirty or forty, fewer than whom the
shield had not told me, were never to be
found in Wady Moussa. / expected a
scene Of some kind /; but at the entrance of
the city, there was not creature 10 dis.
pute our passage; its portals were wide open,
and we passed along the stream down into
the area, andstill no man came to oppose us.
| We moved TO the extreme end of the area;
and, when in the act of dismounting at the
foot of the rock on which stood the temple
that had constantly faced us, we saw one
solitary Arab, Struggling along without
any apparent object, a mere wanderer,
among the ruins ard it is not an uninter.
esting fact, that this poor Bedouin was the
only living being we saw in the desolate eli.
ty ofPetra. After gazing at us for few
moments from distance, he came towards
us; and in few moments was sitting down
to pipes and coffee with my companions
| again asked the shell, for the other en-.
trance, and he again told me there was none;
but | could not believe him, and set out to
look for myself; and although in my search
had already seen enough abundanty to
repay me for all my difficulties in getting
there, could not be content without find.
ing this desired avenue.
In front of the great temple, the pride
and beauty of Petra, Of which more hereac.
ter, saw narrow opening in the rocks
exactly corresponding with my conception
Of the object for which was seeking. A
full stream ofwater was gushing through it
and filling up the whole mouth of the pas
sage. Mounted on the shoulders of one of
my Bedouins, | got him to carry me thro'
the swollen stream at the mouth of the OPEN
ing, and set me down on the dry place a
little above, whence began to pick my
way, occasionally taking to the shoulders of
my follower, and continued 10 advance
more than mile. was beyond all per-
adventure in the great entrance was seek
ing. There could not be two such and |
should have gone on to the extreme end OF
the ravine, but my Bedouin suddenly refu-
sed me the further use of his shoulders
he had been some time Directing and beg
gng me to return and now positively refu-
sed to 60 any further and in fact turned
about himself. | was anxious to proceed,
but did not like wading up to my knees in
the water, nor did feel very resolute to 90
where | might expose myself to danger as
he seemed TO initiate. While | was hcsi-
tating, another ofmy men came running up
the ravine, and shortly after him Paul and
the sheik, breathless with haste, and crying
in low gutturals, Gel Arab! Ell Arab!"--
The Arabs the Arabs This was Enough
for me. had heard so much of Ell Arab
that | had become nervous. 1t was like
the cry of Delilah in tbs ears of the sleep.
ing Samson. "The Philistines be upon
thee" AT the other end of the ravine was
an encampment of the Ell Albums and the
sheik having due regard TO my communica-
ton about money matters, had Stunned this
entrance, to avoid bringing upon me this
horde oftribute- gatherers for participation
in the spoils. Without any disposition to
explore farther, began to feel the power.
full and indelible impression that must be
produced on entering, through this noun.
famous passage, the excavated city of Pc.
ira.
| For about two miles between high and
precipitous ranges of rocks, from five hun
dred to a thousand feet In height, standing
as if torn asunder by some great convul
sion, and barely wide enough for two horse
men to pass abreast. A swelling stream
rushes between them; the SUBMITS are wilt
and broken; in some places overhangins
the opposite side, casting the darkness o
night upon the native defle then reccding
and forming an opening above, through
which strong ray of light is thrown down
and illuminates with the blaze of day thu
frightful chasm below. Wild fig trees, ole
anders and ivy were growing out of thu
rocky sides of the cliffs hundreds of fee
above our heads; the eagle was scream
ing above us; all along were the opel
doors of the tombs; forming the great Ne
, cropolis of the city and at the extrem,
, end was large open space, with power
ful body of light thrown down upon it, an,
, exhibiting, in one full view, the facade of
: beautiful temple hevn ont of the rock wit