Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-06-21
TRAVELS IN THE EAST.
Extract from the Weekly Review in the Newly,
...f ~ Anerican--[concluded.l
TIE TOMR OF AARON

Extract from the Weekly Review in the New-York
..o.r rfr American concluded.l
THE TOMB OF AARON,
t..t.. ON MOUNT HOR.
A man rising from tomb with all his
clothes on, does not require much time for
the arrangement of his toilet. In less than
half an hour we had breakfasted, and went
on our way. Forgetting all that had en-.
crossed my thoughts and feelings the day
before, | now fixed my eyes on the summit
of Mount Hor. The mountain was high,
towering above all the rest, bare and rug
ged to its very summit, without tree or
even bush growing on its steril side; and
our road lay directly along its base. The
Bedouns again began to show an unwill.
ingness TO allow my visit to the tomb and
the sheik himself told me that it would take
half the day, and perhaps be the means of
bringing upon me some of the hordes we
had escaped. | saw that they were dispo-
sed to prevent me accomplishing my OBJ
iect; and | felt sure that if we met any
strange Arabs, my purpose would certain
ly be defeated. | suspected them Of strata
gem, and began TO think of resorting to
stratagem myself. They remembered the
sheep, however, and told me that the sac
rifce could as we'll be performed at the
base as on the summit Of the mountain; but
this, of course, would not satisfy my con-
science.
With my eyes constantly fixed on the
top of the mountain, had thought for some
time that it would notb be impracticable to
ascend from the side on which was.-
Paul and examined the localities as care
fully as couple of engineers, seeking an
assailable place TO scale the wall of forti-
fled city; and afraid to wait till they had
matured some plan of opposing me, deter.
mined to take them by surprise; and throw
ing myself from my horse, and telling Paul
to say that we would climb the mountain
here and meet them on the other side, was
almost out Of hearing before they had re-
covered from their astonishment. Paul fol-
lowed me, and the sheik and his men stood
for some time without moving, irresolute
what to do; and it was not until we had adj.
vanced considerably on the mountain, that
we saw the caravan again slowly moving
along its base. None of them offered to &C
company us, though we should have been
| glad to have had one or two with us on our
expedition.
For some distance we found the ascent
sufficiently smooth and easy-much more
so than on Mount Sinai--and as far as we
could see before US, it was likely to contin.
NC so all the way up. We were railing al
the shiek for wanting TO carry us round to
the other side, and congratulatng ourselves
on having attempted it here, when we came
to yawnng and precipitous chasm, open
ing its horrid jaws almost to the very base
of the mountain. From the distance al
which we had marked our route, the inc
qualities Of surface could be distinguished
but here it was quite another thing. W.
stood on the brink of the chasm, and looked
at each other in blank amazement ; and al
a great distance as they wound along the
base of the mountain, thought / could see
quiet smile Of derision lighting up the grin
visages of my Bedouin companions. W.
stood upon the edge of the chasm looking
down into its deep abyss, like the spirits o
the departed lingering on the shores Of thu
Styx, vainly wishing for ferryman to car
nv us over, and our case seemed perfect.
hopeless without some such aid. But tn
days when genii and spirits lent their al,
: to the sons of men are gone; If man fall
into ditch he must get out OF It as wei! a
r he can, and so it is with us on the brink o
this chasm. Bad however as was on
prospect in looking forward, we had not ye
begun to look back and as soon as W
. found there was no possibility of getting Q
yer it, we begun to descend; and groplnl
. sliding, jumping, and holding on with on
i hands and feet we reached the bottom {
) the gully and, after another half hours to
{ were resting our wearied limbs on the or
! posite brink, at about the same elevation a
!. that of the place from which we have jus
: started.
J. This success encouraged us; and, with
out caring or thinking how We should com
down again, we only felt the spirit Of tn
seaman's cry to the trembling sailor DO.