The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-03-21
Nineveh and its Remains;


With an Account of a Visit to the Chaldean
Christians of Knrdislan, and the Yezidis. IN
Devil -Worshipers; BY AUSTIN Henry Lar
ARD, ESQ, D. c. L. 2 vols Svo.
The reader of these volumes will ind in Mr..
Layard two~iold character, that of an eastern
traveller, picturesque, truthful, and brave; and
also OF successiufdiscoverer IN field OF an
tiqultles, rich.in the buried pomp and spIendor
oi one oi the most extraordinary cities OF the
ancient world. The narrative which he gives
us OF his travels, is at once fresh, vigorous. and
simple, abounding with incidents and adventures.
and descriptive Of manners and customs, as in
structiye and interesting as any who precede
hun IN the mysterious paths Of .the dim and
ancient East-the hoary cradle Of the world. -
We are thrilled with an interest intense and
continuous, as we follow him in Ills excursions
amid the wild tribes that people the vicinity Of
his labors, and behold the perfect Familiarity with
which he assumes the ease and cir of one at
home, as he fingers in the villages of the Mo-
hamedans, ranges the mountains of the Nesto.
rian Christians, or become welcome witness
of the fantastic rites of the Worshipers.
The excursions to which we alIude were
made by Mr.. Layard during the intervals of his
antiquarian researches, occasioned by the diff
BILE enterprise. The first led him among the
Kurdish clans OF whose manners our adyentu-
rous hero has given us rather an amnsng de-.
scrption. His second was to the mountains OF
Tiyari, which abound with scenes of great nat
urai beauty. and are inhabited by very remark
able people-the only remaining representatives
OF the great and Oriental church which was
peeled and scattered in consequence Of the per-
kr 81
TO the HISTORIAN schism. and the triumph OF Cy.
ril. The simple and primitive rites of this peo-
pie, known as the Chaldean or HISTORIAN Chris.
tians, were witnessed by Mr. Layard, and the
impression made upon bis mind by those pure
minced dwelers in the mountains seems to have
been very favorable indeed. He'gives US brief
account of their home and history, and the heart
Of his reader is won away 10 their beautiful
villages. embosofned in groves and orchards,
and to their slopng mountain sides, cultivated
in terraces, while the simplicity of their mans
uers, the industry and frugality OF their habits,
their Oriental poteness and unaffected devotion,
render it exceedingly delightfuIto linger in their
midst. But lo!- the tempest is gathering in the
wales, and is destined to sweep will, terrible de-
structon through the midst os these villages
and groves, and To drench in blood the hearth.
stones of these unfortunate children of an an
cipnt and prosecuted people. Beder Khan Beg,
ruthless chieftain OF the Kurdish tribes, who,
in l843 had massaered nearly 10000 persons.
again sweeps over their beautiful domain, and
death and carnage follow in lis train Their
villages were destroyed, their churches pulled
down, their women murdered In cold blood, and
their children plunged into miserable and dis
gracefnl servitude. The reader Will find in the
volumts o: Dir. layard lively sketch Of the
early history. as well as of the recent disasters
Of these unfortunate Christians.
We neat follow our author during an ezcur.
sion ameng people, the very name of whom
awakens in the MIND M INTENSE. desire 10 Know
something ai their origin. habits, and faitI and
of their religions rites and ceremonies-,the
Yez;dls, or Devil Worshipers. OF the ancient
history Of this singular race, and The primal
source Of 1hei. strange doctrines. but little has
| been satisfactorily ascer;ainsd. For ages ihey
have borne the hatred Of the Christians, and
suffered the most ruthless prosecutions from the
Mussulmen; still they exist their temples. groves
and tombs kept sacred and inviolate amid the fl
cry tempests that have beaten SO furiously upon
them. and despite the odious epithet :hey are
dootned TO bear, they are decidedly superior in
courtesy, hospitality, and kindEess, 10 most oI
the Asia,ic tribes by whicllthey are surrounded.
Their secret rites, though singulsrly fantastic,
and wholly nnIike the deep, hushed, and solemn
devoions Of the worshipers of the true God, are,
nevertheless by nn.means the infamous orgies,
tile midnight revelties, the gross and shameless
festivities we might suppose them to be. judging
| from tile ill-omened appellation by which they
are known. They reverence The Devil; but they
think him the chiei and prince of angels. in sui
fering for a time because of disobedience 10 the
will Of the Supreme One, bur ultimately TO be
restored TO pardon and the glory of his first es
tate. They pay their devotions to the sun, wor!
shipping toward the place of his rising and kiss
| ing the spot which glows first in the beams ol
his early splendors. They receive alike the
Gospel and the Koran; they regard the Saviour
as an angel and repudiate the doctrine OF his
sufferngs; they have frequent ablulions. observe
fast and holy days, are ceaBly 10 their habits
and sincere in their faith. This singular race
! is described by Mr.. Layard, and we think the
/ vaIue of his work is greatly enhanced by the
| notes which he has made Of his travels.
! The principal interest of these volumes. how
ever, is found in the recital of those wonderful
discoveries which Mr. LaVard has made in the
plains OF ancient Assyria. He informs us Of the
difficulties with which be had 10 contend in the
DTOsPCulftlt Dl iiS ~ " a. t'CS
essary to the success of his enterprise that be
should conciaiet the favor Of pachas and Sbeikhs,
Of Uiemas and Eadis; the tribes Of the emounians
and plains, The Arab and The Chaldean; and that
he should WELD The intractable Asialic to do bis
own bidding, in working cut the great results
which have becnme the wonder and admiration
| of the world And the remarkable ingenuity
and skill which he displayed on all occasions Of
opposition, difficulty, or danger, are scarcely less
wonderful and surprising. than the forms and
] images which be exhumed from the burial o.
ages.
We cannot give detailed account Of The dis
! coyeries of Mr. Layard. He alone shall con,
duct the reader through chamber and ball
through temple and paIaces and point QUITO hi
! eager gaze the images Of kings. The enblens o
royalty, the forms OF symbolic animals, th,
strange representations of cities beseiged, o
combats, and Of prieslly rites. OF the trophies o
/ victory, and the offerings of worship, whicl
NEE. The eye Ut the astonisIed beholder, As
with hhnuel's spear, he touches The mound owe
which The sons of-Asia have frtdden for ages
unconscious Of The buried splendor which 1t cen
ceals. and lo, from The depth of the unknown
the great cifysof three days journey" rises int
the light. There are the massey gates through
which may have passed The hosts of Minus ant
Semiramis, there stand the speechless warders
the gioaniic figures Of bulls ard lions, ruardinl