New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-07
LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY IN ASIA.

Correspondepee Of The n. Y. Tribune.
CEsAREA, Friday, Sept. Is, 1854.
Permit me to address your readers word from this
ancient and once mighty city. Every voice from this
landh interest Just now even though say nothing OF
battles or treaties Situated are we cannot claim
10 write ness. We are far in the interior that we
have little knowledge of the great, noisy, busting
world We are rs far from Constantinople as London
is from New-York and Bangor from New-Orleans,
yet if measured in mes, it will be found below 5OO
Being so far from the active world, we are, by
necessity, world by ourselves. do not mean that
we are more secluded than are other cities in the in.
terror Of Asia Minor. Indeed We are not. Still, a
people living where the Lightning is post-boy, and
travel and commerce conducted by steam, cannot
well know what mighty distance five hundred miles
becomes when the mode Of conveyance is the DON
key. Many of the people in city as ignorant
Of the world lying beyond the horizon which bounds
their own vision, as was Rassilaus, Prince of Abys
sinia.
This city must not be COMPOUNDED with the Cesareas
of Palestine It is situated far from them and occu
pies more prominent place in history than they. 1t
is only because they are named in the New Tesla
ment that the minds Of many readers turn 10 Pales-
tine on seeing the name Casarea. This was once q
ROYAL city. Hero resided the Kings of CappadOeia.
Sixteen hundred years ago, when Sapov, King Of
Persia sacked the city, it is supposed to have con-
tanned 400 900 souls. II cow contains about rs, 00o
Csesarea as laid down on Kiepert map, Is situated
at $50 90 east longitude, and 3so i0 north latitude
II received its present name in honor Of Caesar Az
gustus Its more ancient name was Mazea. The
old city did not occupy the place OF the present one,
but its cite is marked by multtudes Of low walls, COW
erng an extent of many acres of gentle activity ex
tending to within hupdred rods Of the city. &C.
sarea is built at the southern extremity of long,
narrow plain. Immediately south oft, and bounding
the plain is Mount Ergish the Arg9ns Of the Creeks
Ibis is spur Of the Taurus Mountains and s far the
finest peak OF that mighty range. IL is $4,000 feet
high, Just twice the hight Of Mount Washington,
" IL ., and is always capped with snow. This noun
tain seems to be very the city but what appears
10 be but two or three miles swels to twelve or NJ
teen If We attempt to make the ascent OF the mum
tain This deception arises in part, If not wholly,
from the popularity Of the atmosphere, which causes
large objects at distance TO appear much nearer and
much smaller than they are. Strabo STAKES that IN
bis day it was reported that both the Mediterranean
and Black Seas are visible from the top Of the noun.
| tain However be doubted whether any one had
ever succeeded in climbing 10 the summit, 60 as 70
verify the assertion. After so many centuries the
same doubt may still be expressed. This mountain is
the great and sIabsorbing object in prospective.
lis appearance Is lonely and forbiding, but at the
sane tine it "a majestic, sublime. There are no trees,
no green pastures, ragged, beeting rocks, as we
see il from the northern side but ii ia ore vast bold
bsuer black rock, lifting tsef far, far heavenward
tl st last il takes beautiful robe Of milk white
snOw thus seeming to say that it is beyond the reach
of bsser things, and to urge man to aspire heaven
ward if he would be clothed ia robes effalgent and
pure and besk in the unclouded rays OF the sun o!
| rghieclsntss.
Near the city are several peaks rising to a consid-
cradle hight which present exactly the appearance oil
uuneated cone. These, al O former peri)d, were
undoubtedly volcanoes. They are now covered WIN
grass, except few vineyards near their base' Inc
land for some distance from the mountains N 'o'ne
places several miles is gently uneven: mere a-e
the vineyards which supply the city WITH i,ai' anu
afford most delightful retreat for the weaIny Pof'
ticn Of the inhabitants in the hot season lhese vne
yaIds a. the nsares. point are within mile Of the
city. Immediately about the city the appearance
pnil.e,esting in the extreme. The land - mos