Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1856-09-06
ion. visited the AFmenii ,p convent in which
Bouaparte is said to have POISONED his sick

After a delay Of fttyo days, with no little
difficulty we o6tained horses to carry MS to
Jerusalem. For setsfal miles tie road Ia4.
through rich and extensive gardens, groves Of
orapges, tie golden fruit hanging in clusters
from the trees, and protected ty immense
hedges of pfickly pear. As we advance We
enter the plain of Sharon. stretching to the
monn:ains Of Jutsa a. d Samaria, and extend
ing from ount gssrialel on the n3rtl, to Ifaza
on the sonth. Tt65feilay reminded me of pDr-
tions OF the Nile valley. The soil is light and
loan,c, and extremely f-rtiie. Everywhere
VEG ge:aiiun was tilriaasancea, veFdsnt meadows
covered &ith wiltl flowers of every variety of
color, intersperscd 3l n tie bread fields teeyl-
ing with rich crops tnpartetl to the whole
plain the appeara:iee q brilliant carpet frs sh-
jy woven bY the If nature. We were
constantly passing airough groves of olives
and near an ancient vel, about half was be-
tween J,ifI.. and Ranslel, / saw onegliieh tI;i-
dilion states was pItllfed by ihe Crusaders pl-
der Godfrey de BouEson,
Before reaching tao yillage of Eamleh,
where we intendetst5 pass sc night, turned
If to the right g, theFower of the For
-mlijis-11 s tssssIs ut Tie northern ex.
ire'nlty OF the Tlafs. Il Is square tower,
bu;it Of LuNu sioHe, "a l.e ss575csnlc style of
architecture, abOu: one hundred ana thirty
feet in hei9I: and pierced with many windows
OF itntastc'shapas IL is rf solid masonry,
wita the exec ltion OF a small winding stair
case in tie ceutre, which cX ends to the top.
Over the lower doorway, upon marble slab,
WAS 4 long Arabic inscription, from which my
dFagom:u learned ,iai the tower had been
erected some eight hlHdred years ago. | as
ceAdcd 10 the top aud eojoycd the iue pros
p4ct winch II affords Ine tower is SURF I'M
dcd hE iAa r,llus ot It ,rge fuadralgIlar build
ing, beneath winch were immense vau ted
chai"hers, There aeelia to exist much uucer.
taiu.y IL regard 10 tnE origin and object OF
tine whole s,:ucture. lbaye no dou6l, hower
cr, that thc towt: was u mimlret OF some dies
iroyod mosque, &ud ths runs those Of Khan,
c>p ci~!y "s they arc stu!.ed on the great
avau rou,e from DGIujscls 10 Mecca.
Upon arriving al the hous' oF our Consu-
lar agent, who had cone out to meet II, we
weIe received in truly Oric,ta style by the
whole houset old. Entering rLe narrow door
way, we assembled b, a.ligntof stone steps to
Il large square court a pund wh:h the apart
meals were situated. This singular style Of
architecture, living rs It were upon The tops
ot the houses, is peculiar to SYRIA, and was
probably aiuptad Iyr III. purpose Of protection
against the sudden attacks otrobbars vino for
1ncs y iu.vs.-a TINS urGry. From the eXterl-
or nothing Is to he seen but strong walls, the
only cNgf""r. being IIliogg';i llw DOORWAY,
+, pass which one Is obliged, to stoop; tray
every minis house is his caste.
We were W.hurct INTO large room with 81
c cu!Ar yu!,ed ceiling, where, seated upou
oy U,y0us, We received the welcome Of the
u.3;u ,,lTiiUu 0i the uu,r rhoi for the tlfiS