, 1874-12-13
THE CITIES OF THE el,uro
Houses That Are Threa m
sand Years Old,
and That Hare Been Without 0ttun,,.,
for Fire Hundred Years.

Much OF the toll OF mankind a.r.-
behind as record Of its Accomplishment AAash:
sweat OF the brow, the force of mnpc,. Ina
ingenuity Of the brain, all combine :, auu III
themselves on work tnat vanishea befo-a rs.a ~.
realize that lives were wrought into il 1sa
And thus, Of eome Of tho most p1orior, =,
OF the past. thore is nothing rema;ni,s .a0o's
others, broken column, fallen arch Ct
account as Gun be gathered from racor,. =. :. saca
in strange and mysterious characterz - ssea ss:
which We haYa no keyuote. sasa
Not SO Of the
GIANT CITIES OF BAsuAs
To past ago aud lost people they bslops. =,
their Streets and houses still stand na,s..: ~
their doors and window-shutters still h,ss
their hinges, a,-though for centuries ths< =.
been deserted; no human being dve1;1s IVA y
meath their roofs; 60 people passing 49,. ~
| their Tell-payed streets, saye now and i.
wandering band Of Arabs, who occasions!1eeI eIsus
ney over this desoiated province. ''os'
In the olden pays, among the paon,, =.
Canaan, flew strange rumors Of rsoe fhst ~ =
IN country lying east Of Palestine and rr,.s
Damascus, called Bakhan. j peopla ~ ,ss.aa sa13
ful for their height, powerful in Their st,..sss
that the mighty Jewish legions were hnts
"grnsshoppers" in comparison. s'
a few adventurous spirits. had gurrerad i.
borders, and, returning, brought back sneh M. a'
velous stories OF fortified cities, Those ~,
stone walls aud houses could defy al tn nos.l, .,
of warfare and assa,ling foas,-of the lu,nri.asts
garden-plaln IN which these citiea Az-thss.
wild enthusiasm spranc up among t6s now.
and desire, passionate and stroug. 6la5 tbst,,
hearts to descend upon this mysterious nror;as.
and capture its cities, and it's GRANTS too 49,.
arose. and tha years that followed Nara i,I.I
with hard-fought battles, long sissas, bloodshsiI
and death.
And the numbers OF the Giant peoua e,.,
1csB,-the raco finally becoming lost IN IL, -,
representatives, who we're the terror Of The Iss,
Finally only
oG, TUE KING OF BasHAy
remained to represent the Kaphaim; and H.,
whole people. from the Jordan to the desea
acknowledged the power OF this "Giant VII
rior." His verdant plains, and his eubatsnt,,
cities, and his forestrbllls, again tempt Tia jsTa
= This time, in the array aud strength. Of d.
termined conquerors, they descend mon Ii,
land Of Bashan. led BY Moses, one Of the e1sn4.
est warriors that ever trod On earth" 1 bshis
il fought, aud Og tho mighty Is fallen snd hit
army is routed,
The conquerors send home among their spq;l
the iron bedstead OF the Giant hing" ths
length thereof nine cubita (feet), and 1cst
oubits the breadth OF it,"-and RIorious -.
count Of their victories ''6ixty great dhea
fenced with high walls, gates, and bars, besidet
unwal1ed cities great many" bad they taken.
Within province 80 miles long and uot oTg
20 miles wide, these "sixsy great cties" lie.
IT Is THE LAND OF HAsHAs,-
rolling, lu1uriant plain whose loamy soil gi7es
growth to rank grasses and rch crops, sud
whose borders are akirted BIZ hills and 1aotu-
tains, over whose distance the clear Atmosphere
throws magic annihilation.
The frosted peak OF Hermon gIistens smaas
these mountains; and no1thxard from it 1uaa
the sno1-capped ridge OF Lebanon; vhila t.
wards the rlaing sun, lies the land Of Palestine
The hills are terraccd, and here still grovn
profusion and wildness the vines whoss tul
once filed to overdoWlng the wine-presses oi
this land Now tha grapes hang in their pGlk
richness, and there is no hand to pluck tier
aud the wine-presses are empty and Unused
Here, in this fair garden. are the mighty eidss
fit Tor tab1tation and the use OF men, yet girea
over to
SILENCE AND pEso1-A11os.
Here are the towns, with their mass7e VII
for protection their wcll-payed streets. VII
not stone iisp1aced; their long raases OF lohs
arched cisternE, magnificent temples 6oa7a!1
theatres, and n'lmberless houses Of stopa, Whoa
walls and Ceilings, perfect and unlpjured
when last viewed by their architects, stand u1'
marred by the hand Of destroying Time.
These houses are built Of blacE basalk hzrd
iron, and hewn in large slabs OF s4uan
blocks, which are laid one upon anosbat,-
no lime or cement being useL Ihe7 are ofiG
5 feet thick, and, in their massvenesa ta7t
stood firm for ages. The roofs are formed Ct
tha Same stone, in large slabs, regularly 400
closely jointad together; and, where the roo7
beneath is OF large proportions, an arca glses
helping support. These slabs oftsn measure
feot in length, IS inches in width. and 'ncaa
in thickness. Tho ends rest On plain ssoot
cornice, which projects about loot from M eae'
side~wall. The doors arc solid blocks CT sson9
/ feet wide. * high, and inches through, a2a
hang upon "piTots formed OF projecting parts q
the Slab, which work In sockets in the Intel ~
Threshold" Though they aro ponderous, tas'
open with ease, and can BIO fastened With es0as
bolts. H..
In these houses aro several roous; and oi!ea
passing from one to smother, 1lsht o1 s124
will lead you to one more lofty and srand N
proportions,-25 feet square anu .,,nsa.h, ~ n1sa
this room the doors are Of liner "ofknan5la
and even the window blinds, which eVer5Haa
arc fashioned like them, and swing open on ssa
k;nees, also, are graced with carvings 1Hs'
large apartments must have boen
pASQCET-HAl1s; ~.
and through their dooruaYs, many OF .u.s. u.
would easily admit camel, hafe pa7Ssa A''
colossal guests. ,,.,x thar.
What voices must have rung through tne.o
chambers, slaughter that would alm9s' III LII
made these strong Walls trembls' 1a9 4, as"
ings are only story high; and IN s9sa III T1 III
aro fountains and reservoirs. that might su!1 "s0
serve the purposes for which they we're na44'.
Arabian, Creek and Roman, and she eoo,.
nous Enin, have each in their tu1n ossa e. I -,
ter over these habitatious, and, depa1uus, s, nd
behind them characteristics OF their tas'77 ''@
art. ~. .7rr.
4 Roman temple rises by the sde o. tas a.. IN n.
ple but massive stone dwellings OF tne nts' ~
habitants, latter unalteted BY oeea', .'. II Il
former shattered, and, in its grand pe4a'!, ~. -
but fallen to earth. Tho Komaa ss,, r
er passing away, the Greek eota1s " {.
the land. and, dedicatipg the tempfs ~ ~
George. over q beautiful sculptnred oou""
caryes in stone the record Of that dee9. .;,., I,
Again. Islaim takes possession, ano Mhs,t S1hs 4
glowing letters on tho temples wal, tpr,nhs
no God but God, and Mohammea Is t''' ''
Of God" t.. a,t.t.u
Spacious Roman arches form tho Z. s'11Jbn. 1,bc:
through the solid walls reared b5 e1ao. a,t,.oa
and give unmolested access now, Wne.e
once WAS haughtily denied all ss1anee1s'
r1yE CENTURIES HAVE PASSED
since the last dwellers in these walled es;r< II
1shed, and. since that time, no hoaah na@ah j. tns&
made within them his home. IAfoufa 4e-,rdA -
ages, tho stony etreeta. the assGtn1t
houses, and the temples, have slept IL
and silence. ..+,ad
She that hath made the strength OF tovels h~
Weeps by her dead, supremely desoases o.td
Long streets. with vacant dwellngs ~ ~ *
side. and only tho shadows OF may ~ .ters
abiding in them. And silence over NJ .;itots
o,.o oc1,oad +bn MIGHTY footsteps NJ