The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-12-06

~ NESRY DAY, ESQ, OF THE NEW YORK BAR.
ircat interest centres in Damascus, the
14st ancient city, and Baalbcck, one of the
I|assi ruins in the world will speak Of
one in this letter, aud the other in my
H1<t A magnificent road leads from Bey-
<I'It over the Lebanon, across the plains Of
.Ikaa, and over anti Lebanon to Damas-
wy which lies at its base, cmbosomcd in
sites and gardeus This drive of eighty
i''ilcs is made in fourteen hours by dill
3Niicc aud six horses. The horses arc
e'.Angcd about every hour, There is no
atige in tho world, excepting the Corniche
f1ed, more magnificent The road is
spiendidly built. 1t is owned and the SER
|1ire performed by II French company. The
<i<Fs as you leave Beyrout in the dusk Of
I|,e morning, and begin the ascent Of
eAanon amid the olive and mulberry
Hfqves and terrace gardens filled with
ifaerant flowers, are very fine. As you
Hlad your way up, the east begins to red
dfn oyer the mountain crest, while below
Ieu the valley is wrapped in mist At
IAsi as you rise TO the crown of Lebanon,
f'orious sight bursts upon you. To the
>>st, over the heights of anti Lebanon, the
>Hn begins to tingc the horizon and noun
iai1, tops with its dawning light, while to
tIS zoutheast the snowy crest of Hermon
" alfeady brilliant with crimson glow
10 thc west the Mediterranean glows like
d sl|<er mirror in the distance; and at your
zeet {, 900 feet below, the towers of Bey-
<oHt and the adjacent villages begin to
<nier3e from the rising mist. Far up on
<he focky peaks and mountain sides nestle
<Ie >illages of the Druzcs and Maronites,
i1oking like eagles nests among the rocks
H0sl magnificent is the prospect crossing
f.6btnon at sunrise. The top of Lebanon
u Itffectly barren and dcsolatc. Huge
c,p2ey peaks tower above you. You look
II vain in all your journey for the cedars
oi lebanon. Not one is to be found, and
{hare is scarcely cedar on all the range,
ex<tpt a few in one clump back of Tripoli,
11opt thirty miles above Beyrout. Here
tfz few of the old heroes of the time of
Itbhham still living. After crossing the
k4banon range We descend by this broad,
S<sooth road into the plain of Bakaa, as it
now called, and Coclo Syria as it was
1sfmerly called. This remarkable plain,
Nhich has been the highway of nations and
aEmics, is about eight miles broad, and ex-
tends north aud south nearly one hundred
II1i|cs, from the IIcrmon to the Taurus
NouDtains, between the ranges of Lebanon
mad anti Lebanon. Ii lies about half way
IE1m Beyrout to Damascus, almost level,
and well watered by streams from both
l1nees, and is exceedingly fertile. It is
covered in spring with wild flowers and
9faszcs of every description. Yet this
erlendid valley lies waste, with only fields,
h8feand there, near the mountain villages,
eultiyated. Scarcely village is seen in
aIl the plain. The towns, for protection
and defence, are built ON the adjoining
s|opes Of Lebanon and anti-Lebanon. All
cQ|tisated fields in the plain are exposed
v We ravagcs of the rowing Bedouins,
Who ecmc up from beyond the head waters
q he Jordan. Most of the mountain
xl||4ees are Christian-that is, either Ro-
1aiu catholic or Greek Christians, and they
atoxa remarkable degree of enterprise
a9d thrift, Us compared with other parts
of lho Fast.
baalbeck lies up this valley about TWEEN
t-Ilyo miles north Of the Damascus road,
q <he foot of anti-Lebanon. To visit it
you must leave the diligence at Sthorer, a
z<ntion half way to Damascus, and take
horses up the valley The road passes near
xachla, fine town on Lebanon, where the
z'fesbyterian Board have missionary sta
13on The ruins at Baalbcck are finer than
apT have seen, excepting in Upper Egypt
and ihe chaste and beautiful ornamental
tIot even surpasses that of Karnak. Moth
1nt ID history or in the ruins Indicate who
Was the builder. This magnificent ruin
stands upon the plain--a monument of the
sklll of an unknown people, who wor-
sRjpped the sun as their God The archi-
<Fcture is all Grecian and much of it Of
<Ae Corinthian order, and most exquisite
q rs ornament. 1t is supposed that it
zlfes its origin to the munificencc of some
q The Roman emperors. The principal
zains Of Baalbeck consist of the remains
q three temples, two Of which, the Great
Iemple and tho Temple Of the Sun, adjoin,
nd are erected on an artificial platform
4pout twenty-five feet high, to which the
escent was made by flights of marble
stairs. These two temples cover an area
If about three acres.
There arc stones in the foundation which
[orms the raised area sixty-fre feet long
snd thirteen feet thick. Rows of most
4agnifccnt columns, with cxquisitely
Nfought capitals, supporting immense ar
<hitrves, are still standing Nothing eau
20 more perfect than the doorway to the
}emple Of tho Sun, with a most highly
kfought Intel, on which is most exquisite
cut an eagle bearing flying scroll in
1's ialous, the ends Of which arc borne up
"a Genii. 1t is exactly the same ornament
Is found in the ruins at Palmyra. The
exterior walls Of the Temple Of the Sun