The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-12-28
Damascus.

1
as many suppose it TO be, Damascus is The
oldest place Of Importance now remaining
of which any mention is made in history
In the story Of Abraham, Damascus is spo
ken Of as the house Of birthplace of hit
steward Elezer. This was nearly fou
thousand years ago.
Damascus has ever been admired for its
remarkable natural beauty. 1t is called in
the highly poetical language of the East
ga pearl surrounded by emeralds." Moth
ing can be more beautiful than its position
whether approached from the side of Mount
Lebanon on the West, from the desert on
the east, or from the high road from Alep.
po on the north. For many miles the city
is girded by fertile 6esds, or gardens, as
they are called, and which being literally
watered by rivers and sparkling streams
winding in every direction through them,
preserve continually wonderful freshness
and beauty of verdure. The ALBANIA and
Pharphar are spoken of by Naaman, the
Syrian prince e Kings W as the pride and
glory oil Damascus.
The view of Damascus as you first come
upon il from the west over the dark range
of Anti Libanus, is one of the most pic
turesque and enchanting in the world The
mountains which embrace it on every side
are not bare and barren crags, like great
fortresses erected for its defence, bu. warm
sheltering walls clothed with perpetual
beauty; while the entire valley they enclose
is covered with the richest and most luxuri.
ant vegetation.
1t is said that an Arabian prince, on his
way 10 Damascus, when he beheld II from
the top of the mountain, refused TO go any
farther, but erected on the spot where its
towers first burst upon his view, a monu-
ment with this inscription; "I expect 10 en-.
ter one Paradse-but if enter this city
shall be so ravished with is beauties as to
loose sight of the Paradise which hope to
enter.
A recent traveller, describing the ap.
proach to the city says: "Looking down
from an elevation of thousand feet, upon
vast plain, bordered in the distance BY
blue mountains, and occupied by rich
lnxuriant forest of the walnut, the fig, the
promegrante, the plum, apricot, the citron
the locust, the pear, and the apple forming
waving grove of more than fifty miles il
, circuit, we saw, gradually rising in the dis
tance, the swelling leaden domes the gid
ed cresents, and marble miHsssts of Damas
Gus; while in the centre of all, winding to-
| wards the city, ran the main stream of the
river Barrada," which is the name now Civ
en- TO the two rivers after they become uni
ted. "
But, beautiful and romantic as are it.
ample surroundings, the interior of the city
does not correspond with The exquisite
beauty of its environs. In the Armenian
quarter, it is particularly disagreeable. The
houses are generally low, fat. filthy, ant
very miserably lighted. Those OF the prin
cipal merchants, though not inviting il
their exterior, are furnished With great ele
gance. The streets are generally very mar
row, so that one can almost step across oil
the tops of the houses. There is one fine
wide street, lined with palaces of the nobil
ity of the land, which are magnificent il
their internal arrangement ana ornaments
while presenting on the street side lon.
gray, dull walls, with very few windows
and single gateway, opening into courl
The shops, or bazaars, are many, an
filled with all the Injuries o. the East. L
the midst of the bazaars stands the gres
Kahu, or hotel, of Hassan Pasha the fines
establishment of the kind in the East.
was built about the beginning of the pres
ent century. Its immense cupola, who's
bold springing arch is only inferior 10 ths
of St. Peters at Rome, is supported on fin
granite columns, and is one OF the fine;
objects in the city. Not far from this is III
principal mosque, which you know, is
Mohammedan place of worship. 1t wa
formerly Christian church, consecrated t
St. John.
"The street which is called Straight,
[Acts TX ILL., in which Saul took lodging
at the house of Judas, when, as conve
to the faith he came TO prosecute, he ente
ed Damascus blind--is still shown TO tn
traveller. II is a mile in length, and take
its name from the fact that it leads diret
T from the gate TO the palace Of the Pasha.
What wonderful things this old city ha
! seen. How many remarkable men, fror
the days of Abraham all the way down tn
course of time, have been there. Ho'
} many important events, how many wal
} and desolatons has this one place witness
, ed. Hundreds of cities, larger and MOI
| magnificent than this ever was, have riser
} fourished, decayed and passed away sine
} Damascus was city of note; and she a
most alone of all the place of antiquity, re
mains-a city, capital, a mart of business
fourishing center of Eastern wealth an
enterprise.
The city was conquered by David, by th
Babylonians and the Persiaps, by Aexar
, der the Great, by the Se,eucide, by the RI
/ mans, by the Arabians, by the Phenician
by the Greek Christian Emperors, and b
the Saracens, under whom it became for
, time the capital of the whole Mussulma
Empire. 1t afterwards fell into the hane
| .g al. uuI $50, ,r,oJo x,oxx, e..