Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-11-26
BEaoUr, Assyria,) eth August, 1915.

promised to write you Immediately atter should
have visited Damascus. Though visited tina,
place soon after our arrival here, yet have not
\ found convenient opportunity OF writing you
sooner.-lou will excuse the delay.
The road from Bcrout to Damascus passes over
Mt Lebanon. here n bout two miles iii hci ght wild,
rough. and precipitous. After riding ono day
alone, the brink of many appalling precipices.
where. had my horse stumbled no would havo fall
! lon hafa mic, found myself in the plain between
Lebanon and Anti Lebanon, called the Bukaa-
tho Caelo-S yria of tho ancients This place IS
from twelve fifteen miicS in width and forty in
length, levol, extremely fertile, and under tho
ha nds of American agriculturists might be made
an Eden. Oaly small part of II is now cultlva-
ted. After crossing this valley, tho road ontors
defo and passes through the first chain of Anti
Libanus aud cmcrges into another noble plain,
several miles III breadth, with rich soil and wo
wacrcd, but not 4 dwelling nor 4 human bong to
be seen-nothing to break tho dreary solitude but
the harsh cacklihg Of tho wild partridge Beyond
this plain tho road again cntcrs dcfc, called
Wady SCUBA, or the black passage. This passage
is about ten miles in length, and is scarcely wido
enough for loaded muo to mako his way along
tho channel of small rivulet, that winds its
down between those ''evcrlasting hills Along
tho whole length Of this .'Wady' tho naked rocks
piled up 10 the very clouds, This IS much
tho hi CHEST chain Of Anti Lebanon, and it appears
to have been rent asunder from its summit TO its
base to form this detile Tho imagination cannot
picture q wilder scene. Leaving this, tho road
passes over high, barron plains and amongst pre-
cipitous chalky cliffs. naked tho primordcal
word before tho command Of Omnipoienco clothed
it with vegetable Iifc. After tho traveller, passes
through than twenty weary miles of such
country-a countrywide looks as if it had boon
withcred and burnt up by son1o fearful curse of
the Almghty-on turning abruptly around
cmincncc, tho whole plain of Damascus, perfect
Of tho deepest grecn, extending as far as the
H. -, al ,1-,l
minarcts-its villages and gardons-al burst sud-
denly upon his sight, forming tho most striking
contrast with tho desolatlon around and behind
him that IS possible to conceive.
Damascus is situated tho riyors Barrda and
Fcheo, the ALBANIA and Pharpar of which Naaman.
the lepor, boosted. Sec Kings 5: -. They
would not be called rivers in our country-thoy
arc much less than tho Little, Miami On enter
ing the city all tho poetic feeling inspired by u
distant view is rapidly dssipated. Tho streets
are not moro than ten feet in width, and piiod up
with tho accumulated filth of years. Nothing is
over removed from thcm-ihe putrid carcasses
Of cats, dogs. and donkoys objects that ovory
whero meet you. Tho walls of the houses
built of mud and unshapen stone up TO tho top of
the first story. above that of mud and poles of the
populus angula.a, resembling our Western cotton
wood-Ihore no windows next tho streets,
which consequently appear moro like the avenues
of a largo prison than the thoroughfaros of po-
puIous city.--Go through tho whole town, except
tho bazaars all is alIke--thc same monotonous
mud walls and filthy s1roo's is all you Rnt
the contrast between tho strocts and the interior
of the houses is great Us that between the sml /
ing vordure Of the plain and the arid dcsolation
OF Mt. Libanus. You enter through rough |
gate along dark. narrow and filthy passage, and |
are usiured into the court and from thence into
tho rooms. All YOU have read in the Arabian !
Nights of enchanted castles and palaces is
than realized. Tho houses worry large, many
If fhor, of mi IN
aero of ground. In the confer of all tho houses
is an open court from 90 to 100 or moro feet
square ,curousy paved with marble of many col
ors, and in this fountain or marble basin three
feet in depth and from ten to thirty feet square,
with Jets playing in the most fantastic manner,
keeping tho basin full of pure, fresh water. in
" hich hundreds of goldfish Of various sizes are
seen sporting. In the courts are spaces left for
trees between tho slabs of tho marble pavement,
and oranges, lemons. ci,rons and vines are grow
ing uxuriantly, and when | was there tho three /
former were bending with fruit, Roses, iassamines
oIeanders and other flowers of every hue and fra +
pranco were blooming in all parts of the houses
4 nd courts. The interior Of the rooms corresponds
with the external magnifcencc. The coling is
from thirty to sixty feet high. laid into diamond
forms, ana painted and gilded give the
whole the rich and varid colorng of the peacocks
,lumes The sides Of the room arc formed of the
most beautiful marble, inlaid with pearl and
narrow slips of mirrored gass-the entire walls
:uriousy gilded and ornamented from bottom to
cd. The floors of the are divided into two
PARTS, the raised 4 foot and hall above the
,.hor. The lower is of marble, of the Same rich
nd variegated coIors as the sides Of the rooms.
n the center of this, is marble basin, three or
our feet in diameter, with jet d'ean in the mid t
lie. constantly playing. producing in the apart c
nents, the most delightful and refreshing GOODNESS.
Che moro elevated floor Is made of cedar wood, t
overed with rush mats, over which spread 2
he richest Persian carpets. Around three sides I: