New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-09-03
An Ane,ent ,san,.aoth ship.

Hero was great and magnificent in all things in
building palaces, arsenals and temples. He caused
an infinite number Of ships Of all burdens TO be
built for the expectation of corna traffic in which
almost the whole wealth of the island consisted
We are told of galley built by his order, under
the direction of Arehimedes, which was reckoned
one OF the most famous structures of antiquity
It was whole year in building. Hero passed
whole days among his workmeH 20 animate them
by his presence. This ship had twenty benches Of
oars. The enormous pile was fastened together
on all sides with huge nails Of copper which
weighed ten pounds and upwards.
The inside had in it three galleries or corridors,
the lowest Of which led to the hold by q flight OF
stairs, the second to apartments, and the first
TO soldiers lodgings On the right and left side Of
the middle gallery there were apartments TO the
number Of thirty, in each of which were four beds
| for men The apartment for the officers and sea-
men had fifteen beds, and three great rooms for
eating; the last of which, that was at the sterH,
served for kitchen. All the floors of these apart
ments were inlaid with small stones of different
coors, representing stories taken from the Had OF
Homer. The ceilings, windows, and all the osher
parts were finished with wonderful art, and embel
lished with all kinds of ornamental.
In the uppermost gallery there was gymnasium
or place OF exercise, and walks proportionate 10
| tina magnitude Of the ship. In them were gardens
and plants of all kinds, disposed in wonderful order
Pipes some of hardened clay and others Of lead,
conveyed water all around to refresh them. There
were also arbors Of ivy and vines that had their
roots in great vessels filled with EARTH. These res
| sells were watered in the same manner az the
/
| After these came the apartment OF Venus With
three beds. This was foored with agates and other
precious stones, the finest that could be found IN
| the island. The walls and roof were of cypress
wood. The windows were adorned with ivory,
| paintings and small statues In another apartment
was library, at the top of which, the outside,
was fixed sun-diai. There was also an apartment
with three beds, for bath, in which were three
| brazen coppers and bathing vessel made oil a
| single stone Of various coIora. This vessel con-
tanned two hundred and fifty quarts. At the ships
| head was great reservoir of water, which held
| hundred thousand quarts.
! All round the ship, on the outside, were Aliases
of six cubits or nine feet in height which support
ed the sides of the ship. These Aliases were at
/ equal distances from each other. The ship was
adorned On all sides with paintings, and had eight
4 towers proportional to its size-tw0 at the head,
two at the stern, and four in the middle Of eqHai
dimensions. Upon these towers were parapes5
| from which stones might be discharged on the ship
| of an enemy that should approach too near. Each
tower was guarded BY four young men completely
armed, and two archers. The inside of them was
filled with stones and arrows.
| Upon the side of the vessel, well strengthened
with planks, was kind of rampant, on which was
an engine TO discharge stones, made by Arehi
medes. 1t threw stone Of three hundred weight,
and arrow Of twelve cubits, eighteen feet} the
/ distance OF q stradium, or hundred and twenty
five PAGES from It. The ship had three masts, At
each of which were two machines 70 discharge
stones. There also were the hooks and masses OF
lead to throw upon such as approached.
The whole ship was surrounded with arampart
of iron to keep off those who should attempt to
board it. All around were graphing irons, (coroD
which, being thrown by machines, grappled the
| vessels of the enemy and drew them close to the
ship, from whence it was easy to destroy them.
1 On each of the sides there were sixty young men
completely armed, and as many about the niasts
and at the machines for throwing stones. Though
the hold of the ship was extremely deep, one man
suffced for clearing it Of all water with machine
made in the nature OF screw, invented by Ar
chimedes Hero having found that there was no
port in Sicily capable of containing this vessel, ex
cept some where it could not lie at anchor With
out danger, resolved to make present Of Ii 10
King Ptolemy, and sent it to Alexandria
Rollins History of Syracuse.