The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-01-11

I
sublerranean lake, extending under many
S,reois, and the FORMER has.an nrched rouL
supported by three hundred and ihirty.six
pillars Of solid marble. An English gen.
tlemsn, who was fortunate to obtain access
10 il, has supplied as with a very anims-
ted description Of its appearance. lie
says:-- '2 1tt
"Haying learned that there was Greek
reservoir III the cily, ii eood preservation,
and still partially full Of water. made
many inquiries respecting II, but all in
vain. Al length, meeting a friend whose
| long residence in Conslanlinople had
afforded him The means Of knowing more
than could do about il, asked him if
the arcounl Of the existence Of the reser-
yoir was correct.
Expressing an earnest wish to behold
il, be iuld me that. with a large bribe, he
thought, he would obtain me pertnission---
for he was acquainted with an old Turk
whose house was said To cover one of the
openings into it. / readily agreed 10 give
the required douceur, and lIe arranged 10
call the next morning, il successful. The
following morning, my friend came with
the news Of his success. Aiier passing
! through several streets, we reached the
upper part of The city, and entered an pld
looking house. We were received by an
aged Turk, with venerable beard, whose
dress beIokened neither very great wealth,
nor very great cleanliness. After being
invited to take coffee aud q pipe. which
we accepied-my friend serving as iuer-
prefer 10 llle few words ol conversation
that passed between us-our host inform
ed us be was ready 10 show us the way
to the subIerranean palace,
We proceeded 10 the court of the
house, and turning sharp 10 the right, were
Osbered inlo small room. the floor Of
which was few steps below the surIrce
oI The ground. Here The guide provided
Two torches. and putting one into my
hands, and carrying the other himsei,
proceeded Ia raise sorloG trap door, and
bidding us follow him, began To descend.
My friend Immediately stepped down al
ter him and ! brought up the rear. After
descending thirty steps or more, Of strong
stOne staircase, we fell sure, from the c I'D
dampness Of the air. Thai we were in the
immediate vicinity d wafer. Our surmi.
ses were soon verified by the Turk (who
was a step or Two lower than either OF us)
calling 10 my friend to take his torch,
while he unmoored light boat that was
fastened 10 The winding staircase. A step
or two lower, and amid innuInerable col
umns, rising on every hand, we dscerned
the water cleaning under the light ol orr
torches.
We were soon seated in the boat, and
The Turk cquipping himself with pair
Of sculls, showed US off. The splash OF
the chain that had mOored The boat, as II
Iell heavily into the water, echoeG through
out the vaulted cavern. shall never for.
get the feeling Of bewilderment that for
ihe first lew minutes crcpl over me. Rows
of marbled columns seemed 10 rise end
essly, while their polished surfaces glis
tened in the torch ligh. The eastern dress
Of our guide, the flowing beard, the dis.
NAL silence Of The strange place, uDbroken
save by the padding oI The boat, aud The
cleaning Of our unearlhly lights, made
me think Of the poets description of the
Slrgian ferry man. After time | began
to look round more aiten'ively. The col
umns are Of marble; many Of them with
Corrinhian capitals, though we saw some
Of the composite, and others Of the Duric
order. Some retained all the sharpness
Of their exquisite finish, while Others
seemedi 10 be undergoing dilapidalions from
the hand Of Time.
They appeared to be The spoils Of more
ihaa one temple appropriated BY imperial
builders 10 misuse. we luuked for an in. |
scription but could nowhere find one. The
roof seemed in excellent condition, and ap.
peared TO be fifteen or twenty feet above
the suface of The water. Unlike most
other guides, ours was BY no means COM
municstive. and only by dint Of question.
ing him, could we learn anything from
him. He said "lhe waller was unfath.
omable, and il was as II had always been" |
| am Of opinion llere was from twelve 10
fifteen feet depth Of wafer in The cisiern.
1t extended under several streets, and from
the darkness and gloom which envelopes
II, its area seems Of great extent Ilmay
well be called lake. Alier padding To
one extremity, which we found 10 consist
Of well faced with blocks Of marble, and
reaching nearly across it In the opposite
direction, our guide, in spite Of our en-.
treaty, determined To ascend. We could
learn nothing Of The mode by which the wat
er .snds enirance--mosl likely by some un
det,rocDd course, and Obtain egress in
similar manner We ailongth reached the
staircase. and, much against our will, were
compelled 10 leave this wonderful cstern
which we would glcdly sill further have
explored"
The reluctance Of tbs TLyks to allow
these underground reservoirs 10 b. 7explored
probably arises from the fact, that their
courses were known, they would disc, use
many entrances to the city, and so iacil-
tale The admission Of foe. Another rea.
son may be given. The Turks are ex.
cessiVely supersIilious. They believe in
ghosts, goblins. aud demons, and fancy
that the powers of darkness and deslruc,
iioa take up their abodein places like these
sublerranean retreats. The traditions Of
the cruellies prae,ised on The Greeks. in