The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-23

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ing.outian expedition to discover IIiv.
ingstone, come time ego, sont ont an
expedition to rake over the ruins Of
Babylon. This,expedition recently re-.
turned TO London, having been singu.
latly sucoessfuI. The trophies cnnsiss
of about 400 tablets and cylinders Of
burnt oIsy. and cover variety OF iufor.
nation, throwing much light on the
geography. mythology aud history Of
Assyria as early IN TOO Is. G OF course.
these relics are defective, leaving often
perplexing ldcun0 which no pathological
learning can supply; but this really adds
to their value, since it 10 sure test of
their genuiueness. Several of these
tablets supply necessary links iu pre-.
viously discovered account OF the do
iuge, nnd give pretty succinct account
OF that great cataciynm The story dues
not altogether read like the Mosaic ac-
count, yet it is singularIy conhrmatory.
at least, it goes Ed far to pruve tle mn-
tiquity of the widely prevalent belief
that great houd Mt one time covered
! the earth, and that this Was brought
about by the direct interpretation of God
as punishment for the wickedness of
the world. This account represents
Hea (God) as warning Sisit. (the Nonh
OF Moses, and Sisuthros of Herodotns, J
of the coming flood; Hea directs the
building of q vessel, into which Slsit il
to take MIS- family rund relations, as we'll
as his slaves aud the "sous of the urmy, t"
together with the ''beasts Of the field :"
Here iS tue noteworthy d,fferencu he-
tween the Mosaic aud B4byIonish
stories-no preparation was made for
the untamed auimlis, while tue NUN her
OF the human race selected for preserva
tlon is larger, ii not altogether iudeti
mite. The scene Of Fl ,od is assumed by
Prof Risk 10 have been tho valleys or
those several rivers which enter the
Persian Gulf, and which he also as
sumes to have been the seut of Paradise.
Inter rtconuoissutces demonstrate that
this country has been the scene of a
great cntaciysn. siuco tho Eupllrales
has loft it's ancient bed. aud now fluids
its outle: through four channels, three
traversing the lower Eiym,is oi the
Greeks or H4vilah of the Pcnta.cuch.
AS Babylon was higher up the valleys
OF the Frat and Tigris, this account is
mylhically historical and indubitably Of
tho same basis as the Mosaic narrative.
Another tablet is interesting iu con.
ncction with Layard's discoveries, as it
contains an account of the origin of the
winged bulls This account makes them
OF celestial origin, but the WY the first
introduction WAS received shows that
there we're infidels then ns now. Tuere
seems to he an evidence of identity OF
origin ia the fact that the bull was un
object of reverence in Assyria, Egypt
aud Inlia; yet this identity has never
been very clearly established. though
lsocock has attempted 1t in regard to
India aud Greece. Another tablet is
valuable as showing the immediate
events preceding the amaigamution of
the Modes and Persians. This shows
tho names of those Medean princes who
pa'd tribute to Assy-ia, and tho consoli-
dalton under Drioces, (vidc Herodotus,)
IL thus proven to have been dictated by
policy OF resistance to Assyria. Sill
another tablet throws some light OH the
war mentioned in the twentieth chapter
o: Isaiah. II shows that Philistia, Ju-
dah, T. lom aud Moab joiued Yuvan,
King OF Ashdod, sgains, S.! !ria. bnt was
worsted in the atiuggle. Yavan h..d
INTO Egypt, but the reigu!ng Pharunh
of Egypt haseiy surr .ndrred him. (lnd
probably other refngars,) III order to
make peace with Assyriu, aud this az
oSoh'o w tuo atIOuB uouuuClHLl0uS
"gainst IL pit in I,ainh. Another tablet
contains bill of sale Of fem ,le slave,
showing conolusivoly that slavery WAS q
rocietary arrangement in Aseyria, rs it
was. indeed. throughout the East. An
other tablet contuins the report Of the
loyal Astronomer, who hnd been sent
to observe an eclipse OF tho moon; uud
this is interesting from the fact that tho
Astronomer interprets the event as por-
tentons to the Kings cpcmies-Pi &c IL
ola. Chalden, etc. This tablet confirms
the much-n,ooted existence ot Akda. \
city mentioned in Genesis. Still au-
other contains IN impress Of the ro,al
seal OF Assur-bln;-pul, the Sar,lanupu-
ms vi Greek history Altogether the
discoverieC nre coufrmatory of biblical
history. and will do much to strengthen
faith in the historical accuracy uf the
sacred volume
EXPENSIVE PLEASURE -Itis published
that ship is fitting out at Baltimore
for voyage to Cubn with military sup
plica and stores for tho insurgents; aud
as the authorities .rs thus notified, it is
to be hoped they will take care tl.at
therc shall be in this case no violation
of our laws in the sailing of the ship,
md also inform tbnmo.lUoo t;,,ropo,j,