The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-03-09
Eastern Ruins.


from portions of a journal, Published in the last
Missionary NcraiA" Of Mr. Perkins, a missiona.
~ among the Nestorians
! Ruins IF Niarrch-We crossed the Tigris and
visited the ruins supposed TO mark the site Of Nin.
evah These runs are j,.t opposite Mosu abo,i,
three fourths Of mile distant from the river the
intervening space being low ,.lluvlal but little
higher than the stream, This aluval space NAV
| probably hive been formed since the period of
Nneyai', and the Tigris may have passed very
near the ancient city. as i, now washes the, walls
Of the moderu Mosul
| The ruins consist Of ridges like old walls in.
closing au area perhaps four miles long and about
two miles broad. The nclosed area is mostly n
level cultivated space. On the western bound OF
this area, amp about in the middle longitudinally,
IS regularly shaped mound of quadrangular
form, perhaps nifty feet high and Us many rods
square. and nearly level on the top. This mound
has bold regular. external appearance, naturally
suggesting the idea Of castle and nclosed pali.
aces From the top Of this mound, excavation.
are now prosecuted for ancient, remains, and with
most interesting results. Only few men are
at present employed there, by Mr.. and Mrs Ras.
sam, Mr. Layard, who is devoted to this enter.
| prise, being absent on II visit TO England We
| examined those excavations with astonshmcnt
star case, formed by the excayators, sume twenty
or thirty feet, and then passing horizontally under
ground, we were suddenly ushered into ancient
marble palaces, the walls all beautifully .culptur-
ed We were filled with inexpressible wonder
AMI delight, by what our eyes 20 Unexpectedly
bche!d Rod after rod, in the same great halls.
We passed along BY slabs Of marble, nicely fitted
together, each slab about six feet high and eight
feet long, and seven or eight inches thick. all ey.
qulsitey carved with spirited representations Of
various scenes--of scenes of the chase, Of battle
scenes-the warriors armed with spears, bows
and arrows, siinga, and swords, and the yctors Of
ten holding two decapitated heady in one hand,
one by the beard and the other by the ,uft on the
skull, and brandishing weapon in the other hand
There were forts bcseiged. There were trains of
cameis, oorses and mules. In many cases there
were rivers flowing near the base Of the halls be.
meath the actors, tire streams being filed with
sporting fish There were also rural scenes ;
Peasants on the road, carrying sacks Of provisions
on their backs, &c The palm tree richly clothed
with foliage, was also n common object represen-
ted. Several slabs were inscribed with the cun.
form character.
Ruins Of Nirl-ooi--Wc visited the ruins of
Nlmrood. Hiring five post horses, !or Mr. Stock,
ing, myself Micah, Mar Yohannan and the Suri
zee, We started early intending to return to-day.
Micah accompanied US to afford us opportunity Of
conversation with him on the road in regard TO the
religious state of things at Mosul. Nimrood il
eighteen miles from Mosul, directly down the cas-
tern bank Of the Tigrs. On the way We passed
but three villages, which are small and very in.
different in appearance. They are inhabited By
Arabs, and We passed several large encampments
Of nomade Arabs on the road The great plain
below MOsul is but sparcely inhabited, and the
,fafyn : hp
level, and was now extensively clothed with rich
fields Of wheat alive with the Joyous haryes.ers,
many of whom were the lomadc Arats.
y
The most conspicuous object (at the ru,ns) was
lofty conical mound, at least seventy feet high.
which overooks the other shapeless masses. and
s savery striking beet at distance The TiCris
runs at least two miles from the mounds; but the
interval Is low alluyial soil, having every appear.
ance OF comparatively recent formation and there
Is hardly doubt that the tiver flowed under the
walls OF the ancient city, as have supposed in
the case of Nineveh, opposite Mosul
We ascended the ruins by foot path. few
rods south Of the high cone have mentioned, be.
attracted to tina. spot by the appearance Of exca
vauons and what our astonishmen. TO be su den.
iy introduced TO ancient halls the walls lined with
magnificent marble slabs most skilfully carved,
hii aH Htsui ViSIt anu perfect, rs thOusn they
had but yesterday felt the chisel of the artist
n v 4 \
Feeling my incompetence 10 record my impres.
sions, ns took up my pen, after my return a.
evening, aud ny eye falling at the moment on a
scrap from an English traveller, who had survey.
cd the sane scenes, inserted tbs. scrap among
my notes, and Will copy it in tins connection ~ a
more truthful picture than | can sketch The trav.
ele. reached Nmrpd o: twilight. lie descended
to the disturbed palace in the evening and passed
through labyrinth of halls, chambers and gale,
ries with has reliets painted flowers and inscrp
tions covering the walls lie saw these walls
covered with gorgeous phantoms Of the past, de.
pcted still in the oriental pomp of their richly
embroidered robes, still ut their audiences battles
s,eges, and hon hunts, rs when they We're might.
hunters warriors and statesmen, before the Lord
lie saw the portIy forms of kings and viziers, so
s1.ike, md carved in such fine relief that he
could almost imagine them stepping from the
walls To question the rash intruder on their priv.
acy Mingled with them, also, We're other mon
strons shapes, the Assyrian deities Of Old, with
human bodies long dropping wings, and the heads
and beakS of eagles; and he saw, still faithfully
guarding the portals Of halls, deserted and empty
for more than three thousand years the coosssl
forms of winged lions and bulls, with gigantic hu
man faces "All these figures he exclaimed.
the idols Of n religion long since dead and buried
Ike Themselves, seemed actually, in the twilight.
to be raising their deserted heads from the slee .
OF centuries"