The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-11-17

Of
DAMASCUS.
Of all the cities yet seen by US in !
the three quarters OF the SLOPE, La
masous is perhaps one OF the best sup
piled with water, there being fountain
In nearly every good house; it is, also,
perhaps, the filthiest, certainly so con-
sidering its facilities. Nevertheless,
next to j erusalem, Nazareth and Beth
lehem, it is, perhaps. for the Bible
reader, the most interesting and
almost beyond rivalry the most ancient,
unless Sidon may compete for this
honor. Damascus is first mentioned
in XIV chap. Of Genesis, 18th
verse, when Abraham is In pur-
suit Of the four Kings, con-
sequently over 1900 years 3. @.
It is often mentioned again through
out the Old Testament, especially
when speaking Of the case Of Naaman,
the leper, as given In II Kings, V
chap, nearly 900 years Il. O. In the
New Testament the prominent events
in the street called Straight, the house
Of Judas, and In another street that
of Ananias, with all the other strik-
ing incidents, as depicted in the TX
chapter of Acts, cannot fail to keep
up the interest.
From excavations made twenty feet
or more deep, or when laying the
foundation Of a Protestant church re-
Gently, it seems probable that the
Damascus Of Abraham's time may
have been at that depth and have
filed up to its present level By sue
cessive ruins and debris, as they
found an ancient cemetery and many
household utensils at these depths.
The present inhabitants undertake to
point out the house of Naaman, the
leper outside the walls; and In it we
were shocked by the first sight of
| lepers which we had ever had an OPP
portunity TO behold. The guides also
take travellers to the site of the house
of Ananias, where now a Roman
Catholic chapel has been built, and
we stood In the street called Straight
and before WHIT purported to be the
house of Judas. Afterward, outside
the walls, we gazed on the spot Sc.
lected as the one from which Saul
was let down IN a basket. The old
and thick walls still stand, some thir.
ty feet high, and near the spot
is the grave Of st. George, and
little further off the cemetery
in which were placed the remains o.
the talented author. THE History o.
Civilization" still lives, but its writer
Henry Thomas Buckle, fell {
victim to Syrian fever. Thu
are brought into juxtaposition three
localities, one dear to earlier anC
later christians; another revered b.
Catholics, who have light CONSTANT.
in the sepulchre of their Saint; tn
last cherished by the Skeptics as tn
tomb of one of their champions.
Picking our way through groups 0
dogs, more numerous than even STAN
boul could boast of, we assembled a de
serted minaret in the Christian quar-
ter, and had fine view of the Orien
laI, hat-roofed city of antiquity, look
ing for nearly half a mile west alonl
Straight street, then north to tn
green gardens, apricot and other frui
orchards, which extend to a village
at the foot of the mountains, theme
up to their gilded tops, as the sun ap
peared sinking in the Mediterranean
while eastward are discovered thu
winding course ofthe ALBANIA and Phar
par Rivers toward their lake outlet
whittier they meander under diferen
names from those used by Naaman
Turning to the south we strained GU
eyes and our imagination for O frs
view Of that Holy Land toward Whicl
our pilgrimage was tending.
THE PROTESTANT ARABIC CHURCH.
Furnished, by the kindness of DR.
Alexander Keith johnson, with
few lines to Rev. Mr.. Crawford, Mis-
/ sionary here, we were just In time {
accompany him and his family t.
church. The service was entirely il
Arabic, and the male congregation
seemed attentive and interested. TIL
females we could not see, as In confor
nifty with Syrian prejudices, a centra
curtain, rising about five feet abov
the pews, divided the church into tw
equal parts, and secured the de
sired seclusion, although Oh
women could readily sec th
speaker. The prayers and sernlol
, were given without book or note
except when reading texts Q
scripture sustaining his points, q
nearly as l could make out, withou
understanding the language; and MI
Crawford seemed fluent in his &C
: quired Arabic. An excellent schoC
l is connected with the mission, whic
: is a friendly union Of the United Pres
/. byterian Church of the United State
/ with the Irish Presbyterians. ReV
, Mr.. Wright, who represents thu latte
8 body, very kindly invited us to hi
house, and showed us on the wa
! where Mr.. Graham was killed durin
! the fearful massacre of 1860; also th
! locality In which a gentleman, no
3 Greek Consul, was saved by conceal
ing himself until he could send mes
/, sage to Abdel Kadir.
In passing along, we also saw tw
sides Of square, which must hav
; been at least a thousand feet o
each of its sides, enclosed by nj
merous ancient pillars now built int
the walls. The foundation of thee
has been traced many feet below th
general level.
THE DWELLING HOUSES AND BAZAAR
Several dwelling houses are fnishe
} of in oriental magnificence. II
f. general structure Of all is similar
! an imposing exterior large gate, hay
J, ing a small door, admits you into
: court yard, with fine fountain in th
!. center. The best interior courts ar
9 entirely laid with marble, and poi
q lions inlaid with mother of pear
s Entering the saloon, you find your
: self on level with the court and fat
y ing another fountain. while on one {
2 both sides of you the floor is raised /
3 dais, upon which ordinary fet
} must not tread without removing th
q shoes. The servants from below
: present coffee, &C., while the famil
is seated on the di7an. Even in goo
: families, the quilts and the like use
E for sleeping on, are placed during th
| dav after hainp fnldad in ranesse