The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-31
Mount Tabor.
by /. 7. HEADLN.

The design OF our author has been TO rem
der more lile-likc and familiar some Of the
scenes IF the Bible. He sees no sufficient
reason to doubt that Mount Tabor is the
Mount of TRANSPORTATION. Rcmarking how
good and evil, light and darkness, chase
each other over the world, he says:
Forty.seven years ago, form was seen
standing on Mount Tabor with which the
world has since become familiar. twas a
bright spring morning, and as he sat on his
steed in the clear sunlight, his eye rested on
a scene in the vale below, which was sub
lime and appalling enough to quicken the
pulsationS Of the caimest heart. That form
was Napoleon Bonaparte, and the scene be-
fore him the fierce and terrible "Baitle of
Mount Tabor"
From Nazareth where the Saviour once
trod, Kleber with 5000 French troops, took
the field against a''rurksh force of 1900
infantry and 1000 splendid cavalry. Again
and again did those splendid sQuadrons
wheel, reform and charge with deaieuing
shouts, while their upliitcd and flashing
scmitarS cleaned like a forest of steel thro'
the smoke of battle, but that same wasting
fire received Chem; till those squares seem
ed bound by Girdlc of flame, so rapid and
constant were the discharges. Before their
certain and deadly aim, as they stood fight
ing for existence. the charging Squadrons
fell so fast that a rampant of dead bodies was
soon formed around them. Behind this en-
bankment of dead men and horses this band
of warriors stood and fought for six dreadful
hours, and was still steadily thinning the
ranks of the enemy. when Napoleon de.
bouchcd with a single division on Mount
Tabor, and turned his eye below. He could
tell where his own brave troops were strug.
Cling, only by the steady Simultaneous vol.
leys which showed how discipline was con.
tending with the wild valor of ovcrpowerina
numbers.
As the sun went down over the plains Of
Palestine, and twilight she'd its dim ray over
the rent and trodden and dCad-covered field
a sulphurous cloud hung around the summit
of Mount Tabor. The smoke of battle had
settled there where once the cloud of glory
rested, while groans and Shreks and erie.
rent the air. Nazareth, Jordan and Noun
Tabor! what spots for battle-ticlds
Roll back twenty centuries and agar
view that hill. The dayis bright aud bean
titul rs then. and the same rich oriental land
Scape is smiling in the same sun. There il
Nazareth with It's busy populatlon--the SAINT
Nazareth from which klcber marched Iii
army; and there is Jordan rolling its brigh
waters along same Jordan along who's,
banks charged the glitterins squadrons o
Murat's cavalry and there is Mount Tabo
the same on which Bonapartc stood witt
his cannon and the same beautiful plaii
where rolled the smoke of battle. and strug
glcd thirty thousand men in mortal combat
| But how different is the scene that is paSSin.
| there. The Son Of God stands on tina
height and casts his eye over the quiet val
| ley through which Jordan winds its silvc
current. Three friends are beside him
they have walked together up the toilsom
way, and now the four stand. mere spcck
on the distant summit. Far away TO tn
northwest shines the blue Mediterranean
all around is the great plain of ESdrTon an
Galilee-eastward, the lake Of Tiberias dot
the landscape, while Mount Carmel lifts il
naked summit in the distance. But the Clio
rionS landscape at their feet is forgotten in
sublime scene that is passing before them
The son of Mary-th0 carpenter of Na2a
reth--thc wanderer with whom they hav
ate and drank and travelled on foot many
weary league. in all the intimacy of com
panions and friends, begins to change befor
their eyes. Over his Soled and coarse gal
mcnts is spreading strange light, steadil
frightening into in,ensor beauty, till tina
form CLOVIS with such Splendor that il seem
TO wavcr TO and fro and dissolve in the SIT
radiance.