The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-04-27


| what grievous penance it must be to walk with
ones shoes full of peas, for crawling on cobble
stones is near akin To it. At the end OF chambers
was crevice in the rock, through which one or
two of US squeezed, and looking up, we thought
we had discovered old shaft, but on climbing
! thirty feet or more, we found that it natural
| hssure, and had no outlet above, as we had hoped.
| Oar disappointment was essened, however, upon
discovering that the sides Of the fssure were
cred with slaactites OF a rose color, and i'm
mediately ayaed ourselves of hammer, pro-
duced by one OF the party, to break off specimens,
with which we filled our pockets
But the most interesting portion was the ex.
treme end of the last chamber Here were blocks
OF stone but half quarried, and still attached by
one side to the rock. The work OF quarryng was
| apparently effected by instrument resembling
| a pickaxe, with broad chiseI- shaped end the
| spaces between the blocks were not more than
four inches wide, in which It would be impossible
| for work with chse and mallet. The
| spaces were many OF them four leet deep, and ten
leet in height and the distance between them was
| about four ieet. After being cut away at each
! side, and at the bottom, lever was probably in.
| serted and the combined force of three or four
men could easily pry the blocks away from the
rock behind the stone was extremely soft and
| pliabe, nearly white, and very easily worked, but
like the stone Of Malta and Paris. hardening
exposure. The marks of the cutting instrument
| plain and we'll defined as If The workman
had just ceased from his labor.
Having thoroughly observed every nook and
corner, we turned back towards the entrance, ex.
aminng the ground went. Near pillar
in about the centre, we found quantity of bones,
brought IN by the jackas, the smell of which had
first attracted the dog. We then looked along
the surface of the wall which closed the entrance,
but though the light streamed in at one or two
cracks, there other hole big enough to
admit dog, and satisfied that we had come
! in at the only possible entrance, after
other climbed up, and worked our way out.
The sun was ust setting, and, blazing full in
our faces, nearly blinded us; as soon as we could
see there was universal shout at the forlorn ap-
! pearance each and all Of presented. 1t was
impossible to tell the original color of hat cap,
! clothes, or hair, for we were covered from head
to foot with lime dust, and looked like company
of mers. We busted and brushed each other,
| but to purpose marked men, and our
merry party was greeted with many a stare by
! the staid old Turks, we marched through the
streets and bazaars.
Upon comparing subsequent measurement Of
our guiding line, and the time spent in returning
from the extreme end. we judged the length Of
the quarry 70 be rather more than quarter Of
mile, and its greatest breadth less than half that
! distance.
! There had been doubt expressed by one
or two of the party, who had made previous Wis
it, as to its being quarry; but we all agreed that
though it might originally have been grotto, it
! had been worked, and then the question arose.
"By whom % The answer was, King Solo,
mon,' and for this opinion there seemed to be
many reasons. The stone is the same that Of
the portions Of the temple wall still remaining, and
| referred to by DIR. Robinson 10 the period Of the
first building. The mouth Of the quarry but
little below the level Of the platform on which the
temple stood, making the transportation Of the
immense blocks of stone comparatively easy
task.
The heaps of clippings which lie about show
that the stone was dressed on the spot, which
| cords with the account of the building OF the tenn
! pie: {" And the house, when twas in building,
was built Of stone, made ready before it was
brought thlther; that there neither hammer,
nor axe. nor any tool Of iron heard in the house
while it was building" The extent of the quarry,
| The amount OF stone which must have been
worked out there, and the size Of some of the
blocks themselves; the extreme age of the part
which has been exposed to the elements, and
which dates back in legends and traditions to the
time Of Jeremiah the fact that there other
quarres of any great size near the city, and es
peciaIly the fact that during tine reign of Solomon,
this quarry in its whole extent was without the
limits of the city.
Whether the hole through which effected
an entrance will be closed again is hard TO say,
| but it probable that it will, the quarry
lies directly under the Mahommedan quarter Of
the city, and in case OF an insurrection of tho
Jews, 1t would be almost mpregnable if taken
possession of by insurgents and at the same time
they would have il in their power TO blow up all
that quarter of the city. hope, however, that it
may be thoroughly explored before the close Of
the season, and better account given Of it By
some more able pen than that OF q TYRo. ~
GROUND PEAs.-A gentleman residing near
this place, informs that he has dug and meas
ured suHcien. quantity OF ground peas TO as.
certain that they will average los bushels TO the
acre!' The land planted is ordinary pine land,
on which put little manure. The labor
bestowed was not more than would be necessary
| 10 plant and attend the same ground in cotton.
Tb nutritious qualities of the ground peas are
generally known. They are said by those who
have made the experiment, TO be superior to corn
Tor fattenihg hogs, and for that purpose they
raised and fed with less trouble than any other
crop. They need not be gathered, but remain
good in the ground until March or April During
six months from the first of October TO the frs; OF
| April, hogs as lat as though they had free access
! TO crib of corn. What farmer in Georgia will
hereafter buy Western pork ?'-Abany Patriot.
Cash helps along courlirg amazingly. Aston
| shiug what balls and suppers bracelets, love Of