The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-01-28

IHE TOWER OF BADEL.-A cores
pondent of the Boston Traveller, writ
ing from Beirut describes the discovery
of what is suppo,ed to be the Tower of
Babel The discovery was made by Mr..
Place, the French Consul OF Mosul, who
has already been distinguished for his
oriental researches The following ex-
tracts are from the letter:
The village Of Arbela, so famous in
history for the decisive battle fought
near it by Darius and Alexander, is on
ly few days journey from Mosul, to
which Mr.. Place, wearied with the
monotonous wonders of Ninevah, set off
with his accustomed enthusiasm 10 search
of new discoveries. in a region celebrated
in classical history.
Passing on. Mr.. Place and his party
at length discovered what they believed
to be nothing less than the veritable re.
mains of the Iocer of Babet-the won.
der of wonders, and the grandest spec
taclo which the eyes of men can contem.
plate in this age of the world. This
proud tower, which was built in defiance
of Heaven, aud aimed to pierce the very
skies, has lost in the course of agos its
cloud reaching elevation. Six of its
eight stories have fallen and crumbled
into dust but the two which remain are
so high that they may be seen far .Gty
or si1ty miles around. The base of
the tower is quadrangular and each side
about blk hundred feet long The tow
er is made of bricks of the purost clay
and of white color, which is shaded
with yellow tint. Under a cear sun,
and as a whole, this ancient monument
of human skill and daring presents a
fine blending Of colors which sets the
painters pallet at defiance. Before be.
ing baked, the bricks had been covered
with characters traced with tho accura-
cy of the hand Of a writing.master Near
the top Of the letters the straight strokes
were adorned with Aourishos resembling
the heads Of nails All was neat. regu.
lar and severe and indeed, those who
saw these specimens of ancient calligra-
| ply affirm that the fathers of the hu-
man race wrote a better baLd than their
children.
Among the interesting discoveries of
MIR. Place were certain inscriptions on
fillets of gold silver an2 copper, and al
so upon metal now unknown, and
which has somewhat the appear anco of
ivory. II has been submitted to the
experiments of an intelligent metallur-
gist, and its qualities will soon be ascer
| tanned.
Some very curious photographs. taken
by tho expedition, completed their la
bors, one OF which was of the ruins of
tho palace of the fomous Queon Semi
ramis. This ancient monument, situa-
ted on the height of a mountain raised
by the hands of men, overlooks the aw-
fal soitudes which surround Lake Van
"a body of water six or seven times
larger than Lake Geneva,
1t is not strange that a gentleman
who had seen and handled some of the
articles brought from the tower of Ba
bel by Mr.. Place. should bo excited as
he says be vas Iu relation to archno
logical news | take the liberty to inform
yon that l have just seen the 0lIeSt
thugs OF the OIL world Indeed, | dc
not know that should be more surpris
ed by seeing the fragments of the ark
itself. Fancy to yourself that | have
just touched and held in my hand, auC
turned ard turned again in every way, q
httIe n,orceou Of tie toacer Of Bab4
This triuket Of moulded clay. illustrated
and baked by the sons Of Noah, la!
passed from the plains Of Shinar to the
chapel Of ST Mesmin, and is the fruit
Of the strokes Of the hammer in til,
hand Of Mr. Place. our learned aud en-
terptis;ng Consul to whom am indebt
ed for sight of this precious little rel
ic, about which cluster SO many grand
souvenirs