Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-10-23
The Eternal Fires of Baku.


makia, at the foot of Mount Caucasus. on
the western shores Of the Caspian Sea. is
generally induced by the representations of
the natives, to visit those little known
Phlcgraesn Fields which eternally flame and
shoulder in the vicinity of Baku. Proba-
bly, no portion of the earth's surface is
more replete with natural wonders. The
SUBMITS and upper valleys of the Caucas-
us, in many parts as liule known as the
Mountains OF the Moon. are said at times.
to emit fame and smoke and to distil OLE
aginous substances, which. trickliDg down
through rocky veins and crevices, ooze out
of the earth at considerable distances, and
are designated by various names. AT the
foot OF the vast Paropamisan range. on
which the Arabs bestow the name OF Kaf.
and regard as the girdle of the earth.
small peninsula. about nine miles in
length by four and half in breadth, pro-
iects into the Caspian. aud is kno"n a
mong the natives by the name of Okesra.
On this stands the city of Baku. whose or
/ igin is lost in remote antiquity. a body
Of legends, which wonld fill a volume,
clings about the ruins of this antique dwell
I INK Vi tnC &htbtS. duh hotthtt NiCau-
lity and superstition. has worked its way
into the Islamitic mythology of Persia.
and been carried by Parsee pilgrims to the
shores of India. where it sparkles or
glooms about the heartbs of the TREVOR
shippers. many of whom. at the hazard of
their lives. have sought to obtain a glimpse
of the sacred flame, ever burning clear and
brigh. Oh the margin of The Caspian wave.
arounl which their ancestors once knelt
and worshipeJ in countless mnltitudes.
Along the neck Of the Penin>uls runs a
chain of mountain spurs. the valleys be-
tween which are fertile and carefully cul-
tivaie4; Lut as you advance soutbwarls,
the ground becomes barren. consisting in
some parts of shifting sand. in others. Of
dark mnd, while elsewhere the naked rock.
porous as pumice-stoDe, and almost entire
ly composed of the debris of sea-shells.
crops out Of the earth. Here and there are
small conical hills. crested sometimes with
the tombs of saints in ruins. nodding over
salt lakes. or crumbling away particle by
particle into the circun.jacent Marshes
On one side you behold cone of black
nspiha looking like mountain of pitch;
IN another. a hill of fuller earth. through
which. As through an artificial tube. ma
ture force. up the clay in enc huge
cylinder. which. when it attains certain
height in the air. bursts by lis own weight
and falls in a shower over the hill, the
Height of which is thus necessarily aug
mented.
Down Wonder, in a spacious depression
in the plain. you observe an expanse OF
whi'ish sand. inierspersed with heaps Of
grey ashes. and here and there tall bright
flames. like immense gas Jets. surging up
wards e,elasiingly. sometimes with low
c. ackling sound. but generally in profound
silence About these fires. men. more or
less in number. are congregated day and
night. some for secular purposes. others
with motives of devotion. The industrial
divisions of the crowd arc cooks ard lime
burners. the former repairing thiiher from
all the neighhoring villages to roast and
boil. and prepare pilaus for the wealthier
children OF FL Islam; while the latter stack
up over the flaming assures heaps of stone
which, when they have converted it into
!. lime. they bear down to coast. to be ship
ped for Russia. Daghestan. and the coun-
tIy Of the Usbek TaItars.
Near the la eest OF the salt lakes stan 6
village. which. like many OF the temples
and cities Of the ancient world. enjoys the
privilege of sanctuary. Formerly, they
say. while the caliis of the race Of Omar
reigned in Bsgdad. prince of rare sancti
ty. but who nteriaihed opinions some
what different from those of the Comman.
ders Of the Faithful. fed from persecution
and took refuge beyond Kaf in the burn.
> ing peninsula of Baku. Here. in castle
on the top of rock. and surrounded by
, .,is attached followers. he lived to extreme
old age: and when lie died. was inferred a
! mong the fsgs on the edge of the lake.
Presently. an arched tomb. like those il
which the traveller sits at night on tn,
brink Of the Uppes Nile. rose over his re-
mains. and by degrees village was buill
about the tomb. with wall. and moat, and
gates. Pu lie opinion attached the idei
OF sanrtity to this place. so that to pursue
any one who took refuge in it was deemed
I an incapable offence. Nothing was re
: quired of the fugitive but to stoop ane
kiss the threshold OF the gate. or to p,es'
III Ups against the tink> oi AL IRON cbait
which hung suspended from the archwa,
within reach. and in time was almost worr
away by the grasp and kisses of thu
: pious refugees, aided perhaps little hy th'
action of rust. Once within the walls h'
might ta>te Of the sweet waters. which
through respect for the holiness of th,
dead saint. Heaven had bestowed upon th'
: village. The good people of Okesra. little
E versed IN geography. could account no 9th
e erwise than by miracle for the existence o
well of fresh water in the midst of sal
: pools and springs. fountains OF naptha
4 black and white. rocks dripping with btu
men. and veins of fiery gssses bursting
6 forth on all sides through cracks in the
= soil.
Persons of cool northern temperament,
: find it difficult to comprehend the state o
mind which induces men to travel from
|, the plaiss OF Multsn or the fertile valley.
Of Guezerat. expending large sums ofmon
ey by the way, merely to sit down fol
= weeks and months by an opening in thu
rock. through which . clear white fame
fifteen to twenty feet in height. sscends in
: to the atmosphere. Here. however. thei
ancestors in the remotest ages did th'
same. taught. it is said. SO to act by tha