The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-05-02

LOCAL MATTERS.

evening last Rev Mr.. Cunning, pastor oil the frea-
,r,.r,.r church. on Church Hill, resumed his
able and IL structive lectures on the Hoy Laho ~
the Athenmum. Appropriate drawings Oh fcenery
and psrticuIar localities were introduced to Illus
,rats the remarks of the speaker. His subject
Tnesdav evening was Jerusalem. He first de.
scribed the approaches to Jerusalem, and Its ap.
raarancr at n distance, and then the view Of the
civ from the Mount Of Olives, posing to an ella.
borae description of the most striking features of
the city itself. One was The large mosque wherein
the followers of Mshomet worshipped. Adms.
sion to the section of the city in which it was 10
Gated was prohibited to the Jews and others on the
penalty of death.
The oldest building now standing in good preser.
walton was the tower of Hippicus, built in the time
OF Herod the Great. 1t was constructed with won.
derful solidity and strength. The larger portion
OF Mount Zion was now ploughed field. Few ci.
ties presented more imposing aspect, viewed from
the EXTERIOR than the holy city. The lecturer con
unued to recite, at length, many interesting de-
tails, but we have not room to present them.
On Friday evening the Rev. gentleman gave the
last lecture of his present course to a small but
highly respectable audience. He entered at once
upon the narration of three days excursion from
Jerusalem to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea.
From Beyrout to Jerusalem the travelling was COM
paratively safe, but from Jerusalem to Jericho it
was necessary to have a Eetinue of armed atten-
dants. On this latter route robberies and murders
were OF common occurrence For $50 pastres the
lecturer and friend secured the services of mo-
BILE hearted Arab Sheik, chief of one of the many
WI frib in, ,J,oL ol.-
nine of his followers, all fully armed These rob.
bers would strip man of every particle OF cloth
Ing except his hat. This guard of Arabs were
armed with yataghans and long guns, and were
dressed in very slevenly manner. The Sheik was
fine looking man, one of the noblest of his race
The Arabs were divided into two classes, the
townsmen and the Bedouins or dwellers in the will
derpess. From the nature of the country the lat
ter class lived the life of nomads or wandering
shepherds. They dwelt in tents, having two apart
ments-one being used by the women. 1t was their
business to levy taxes upon all who travel in their
country, and occasionally they made descents for
plumber upon the peaceful villagers. The physical
and mental characteristics of this race strong
ly marked, and some writers thought they fur.
nshed the prototype for the human species Their
physical structure was far more perfect than that
of Europeans.
They we're tall, finely proportional, robust
strong, agile and capable of undergoing great priva-
tons and fatigue. The lecturer had never seen
fat or short Arab. They lived chiefly on milk and
bread, using very little animal food. They cou d
recognize footsteps imperceptble to common scru
tiny They could tell the location of water at
great distance from it, and discover with ease those
things that would escape the eye the most obser
want European. They were governed by Sheks or
Chiefs, elected from the different tribes They en-.
tertained the warmest and most enduring affection
for their fleet and beautiful horses who could bear
in proportion much fatigue as their masters.
He was told of one horse who rode IS miles in 10
hours, rested II hours and returned home the same
distance in another IL hours without having eaten
particle of food, his only Erefreshment a small
quantity of water. At the Eastern side of the
Mount Of Olives lay Bethany, where once lived
Mary and Martha her sister and Lazarus The road
from thence toI Jericho was rugged and lonely
and full of accents and descents The Valley of the
Jordan, the lecturer said, was beautiful in the ex-
treme and abounded in the most charming scene.
The lectarer found the Dead Sea, surrounded
by a sandy soil, perfectly destitute of vegeta-
ton, of the most desolate and uninviiing appear.
ance The waters of the sea were very thick and
of sticky substance. They were strongly impreg.
mated with salt, alum and bitumen. The solitude
of death hurg over the No fish sported in its
waters; no vegetation bloomed upon its Shores
The waters moved slowly, drearily-and the King
of Terrors seemed to brood over the entire scene
n
miles wide, and was situated 40C0 feet blow the
level of Jerusalem. The lecturers companion
bathed in its waters but was compelled Immediately
after to go into the river Jordan to wash himself
Large quantities of asphaltum were found upon its
surface and in its vicinity. Sulphur and warm
springs also abounded in its neighborhood On this
accourt writers had said that the the result
of volcanic CONFUSION but the lecturer saw moth
ing, although he examined with great particularly
ia the vicinity that appeared to be of volcanic
origin. 1t. Lynch found on the Western side of
the lake pillar of salt 43 feet in height resting on
a pedestal. There was direct correspondence be.
tween the appearance of the country and the state
ment that where the Dead Sea was located once
stood the cities of the Plain. Notwithstanding the
sea was continually being supplied with large guam
outlet, it always presented the same height This
could be accounted for by the evaporation of the
water. A sad fatality attended all who had sought
to investigate the character of its waters, and hsre
the lecturer recited the names of several travellers
who while thus employed died or became ex
tremey i'll. In its vicinity was tree which bore
small golden fruit of the most inviting appearance
A trial of it would show that it was wrapped in
gittering skin easily broken and filed with core
and seed tha. crumbed beneath the fingers and
wore the appearance of ashes. These were the
Apples OF Sodom.
The Rev. gentleman then proceeded to describe
the attractive appearance of the river Jordan AID
the scenery which bordered it-giving also an &C.
count Of the immense professions of pilgrims often
several thousand in number, tina! yearly bathed in
its waters and who considered that act in the light
of passport to heaven.
The lecturer concluded his address with some
appropriate deductions, intoxicating the value ana
beneficial influence to the Christian OF personal
vistto, and examination of, the pecuarifies ana m