The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-01-29
FOREIGN TRAVEL.
n Tourney through Syria and
Palestine.

morning, but remained less than
two hours. The waters are less
than a mile wide at this point, and
it was not far above that Lord By
ron is said to have SWAN across the
Hellespont. The waters remain so
narrow below this place that the
shores of Europe and Asia were in
plain view for most of the day.
The Island of Patmos was passed
late in the night, and we came to
anchor in the harbor of Smyrna on
the second morning. A special
train was coon engaged for an ex-
cursion to Ephesus; for we wished
to return and proceed on our way
the same evening. Thirteen hours
spent upon the grounds which were
once occupied by the ancient city,
were attended with melancholy in
terest. But little remains to indi-
cate that a proud city once stood
here, except the massive arches that
supported the aqueduct by which
which water was supplied from the
neighboring mountain. The bro
ken tablets and monuments in the
old grave yards indicate that a vast
number have found their final rest.
ing place in these grounds. The
place where the Temple of Diana
stood is now deep pit of several
acres from which watermelons are
raised, of which we had the oppor-
tunity of partaking. The buildings
upon the Acropolis at Smyrna are
not to be compared with those of
Athens. The tomb of Polympia, a
martyr of the first century, was to
be seen from our ship deck.
A sail of little more than one
night brought us to Rhodes, where
we remained some four hours and
went on shore for a part of that
time. The street of the knights of
Templars, the Church of Saint j ohn
and some castle-like Notifications,
are all'that remain that is worthy of
note in this old city. Another
night upon the waters and we were
at Sarnaka, the chief part of the Is
land of Cyprus. The former popu-
lation of four millions which this
island once contained, has been re-
duced to one hundred and forty
thousand. Our view of this island
indicated capacity for great fertil-
ity, but the Turkish rule is not well
calculated to favor the development
of such qualities.
Still another nights sail and we
were at early dawn in sight of Bey-
rout and the mountains of Lebanon.
While upon this passage 1 had ar
ranged with Mr.. Alex. Howard
to accompany a party from Beyrout
by circuitous route through Syr-
ia and Palestine. And of this por-
ton of my iourneyings 1 will give
you some brief extracts from nv
| journal.
After remaining at Deyrout until
the following morning (Which time
was occupied between obtaining in
formation with regard to the Mis-
sion and the Syrian schools, and in
preparations for the Journey, when
we started on our long excursion
among the mountains of this inter-
esting country. Aside of our party
and attendants, our methods NAV
not be out of place. The number of
tourants was nineteen; the number
of attendants in every capacity was
twenty-seven; and the number of
animals employed in carrying the
passengers and the articles they re.
quired for the journey was SIXTY
four. The, tents, baggage, cooking
utensils, food and fuel must needs be
conveyed upon the backs of animals,
for this was the only possible meth
cd for their conveyance.
JOURNEY FROM BEYRoUr TO BAAL-
BEK.
Our first day was employed in
passing over the mountains of Leb-
anon, and during this day we were
favored by good turnpike road,
which leads from Beyrout to Da-
mascus. Tho first night was spent
at the foot of this range, after we
had descended to the plain upon
which are the ruins of Baalbek. A
place was pointed out the following
forenoon upon the side of the noun
tain "where Solomon built him an
house in the forests of Lebanon"
But the forests are gone, and the
house lie not to be seen. We stop
ped to lunch the second day at a lit
tie village in which a ruin is point
ed out, which is said to be the tomb
of Noah. The second night brought
us to Baalbek, and our tents were
pitched in the midst of the ruins of
it's old temple. The next day being
Sunday we rested in our camp and
were favored with a service by
member of our party. The history
of these ruins would be peculiarly
interesting if they could be reliably
written; but it is not probable that
this will ever be accomplished.
There must have been mechanics
and artisans of more than common
skill when this structure was erect
ed, in order to place those huge
blocks of stone, sixty-six feet long
and fourteen square, high up in its
walls. The reservoir and aqueduct,
which supplied the Inhabitants of
centuries ago, are still in use, and
furnishes sufficient water to run a
small mill in the little village. Tie
village is said to contain about three
hundred inhabitants, who live in
the meanest huts, which are built of
rough stone and of fragments of
statuary and sculptures which once
adorned the temple.
FORWARD TO DAMASCUS.
Although we had already crossed
the Lebanon mountains we had not
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