Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-08

his voluntary penance took biz departure and RETURNED
happy to his own c94ntry, To render the story
strictly credible the hoDDW was ppincd gut TO and
Eleas, who Chrisaan Of the Greek church. said his
prayers under the sbsdow Of the old CEDAR With other
strange histories ola similar kind the simple natives en-
tertained us Will we dswn under the matchmaking
trees, spread ou cloth upon the ground and refreshed
ourselves afteythe ride from Aheden.
As AZ we had finished repast we set out to
make thorough examination Of the ancient cedars
or the original twelve, in which the chief interest is
tered required great research to convince US Of
their great age which is srikngy apparent in their
gnared and tine-worn trunks. Many of the branches
hare become sapess and fast rottng away others
are broken on by the force of many tempests have
fallen OF their own accord from sheer old age new ones
nave sprung out and young shoots continue to supply
the ravages worked by time the trunks hre of vast cir
cumerence and are composed Of divers parts consolidate
ed some Of them perhaps the growth Of different ages
All the old trees and many the younger have large
pieces cut out OF their trunk upon which are carved the
names Of vsiters who from time to time have been at
racted to this remote region Among these noticed the
Of Lamarne said to have been carved by an Arab
while the great sentmentast going into ecstacies in
his comfortable quarters below There were several
American names but Of very recent dateonly two
within two years In the register which is kept on the
altar Of the chapel saw several English, French and
Oriental names. Some Of the remarks were curious
enough. One gentleman who probably imagined the
cedars to be red pink with blue tops like those in the
panoramas inscribed his name on the register with this
piece Of intelligence " Visited the Cedars of Lebanon
and greatly disappointed" Another traveller in
formed that he could much larger and finer trees
at home without trouble expense What any body ex-
poets to except the Cedars Of Lebanon am at loss
conceive One does not travel three days over bad
M ~bn
trees because they cedars but if understand it.
the is to the Cedars of Lebanon mentioned in
the Scriptures and there they without doubt They
be by any body who has eyes see 1t is true
they only cedars but they very wonderful as wen
from their great antiquity as from the Scrptura interest
attached to them.
Messrs Lansing and Burnett, American missionaries
at Damascus, visited this region last summer and care
fully counted the cedar both old and young They also
made of avery interesting character
The entire grove according their estimate consists Of
four hundred trees the average circumference of the
original twelve is about twenty-five feet and was
found to upwards of thirty The trunks Of the
ancient cedars do not rise any great height before
they branch out into enormous limbs, commencing or
fifteen feet from the ground perhaps twenty feet
The branches very crooked and tortuous partly de-
cayed before stated and gnared with the foss and
empess of ages 1t is said that other specimens Of
the kind found in any part of the world except such
have been ransplanted from this grove but Messrs
Lansing and Burnett ascertaned their entire satsae
ton that other cedars of the species do exist in the
mountains Of Syria The wood is white, and has plea
SAINT perfumes and to this edor reference is made in the
Scriptures II is not stronger however, than the scent
of the ordinary red cedar, perhaps less apparent
From the front Of the chapel there is very fine view
of the valley below extending entirely to the The
reefs opposite Ras Trpo distinctly visible clear
day Computed by the time required for the ascent the
distance must be about thirty miles from the town of T
poll From Beirut it requires three days, at the usual
rate of travel reach the cedars but it is not dcult
to accomplish the task in less To Baalbek across the
valley of Buka the other side of Mount Lebanon, is
another good days ride. Yours truly, J.. B,