The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-18
The Largeau Expedition at the
Oasis City.
A Wonderful Place Whose Origin Antedates
Our Era.
THE GOVERNORS LEGEND.
The Turkish ARMY" the interior Govern
ment and Systems at Ghadames.

6HADAMES feD ~, 1910
prolonged visit 10 this most curious city gives rise
to much sclfquestionlng and speculation. 1t seems
like centre another and older world than ours.
II carries the mind back thousand ycars--ay,
ioihe days when Rome held sway amid the vast re-
gions of Equatorial Africa What Is the origin OF Chad
nntsg At what distant epoch did this oasis appear
amid the eternal sands of the deserts There both
legend history this point however imperfect.
As the legend, according the ancient Ghaiamdse,
The present Governor here, Si.Mohammed- bon Aicha
tells that "long before the coming Of our Prophet
our Lord Mohammed-may the bcnedictions OF Allah
be upon him, his family and companons--some people
belonging TO Sloua city ten days journey 10 the
west OF FL Macsr Cairol started the borders OF
rouat order TO make rad To reach this distant
country they passed the place where Ghadames now
stands resting here to have breakfast At this date
there neither stream palms here. After
breakfast these people drank from their bottles, then
continued thor journey The rext morning
when they desired to prepare the rouIna for their meal
they discovered that the plato out OF which they
Usually ate 1t missing. Having but this one plate
OF The returned and found 1t in the same
place where they had their previous meal He
Then down himself for few moments after
his long journey. As he about to start forward
again he observed that his faithful mare smelling
the ground, ut the same time paving the earth vlo
icnty with her hoor Immediately water spurted up
ma covered the feet OF the animal. Tho horscman
started forward and on rcjoning his companions
related what had occurred and where the water APP
pearci. ON returning from the Touat, where they
found abundant 'razza' among tho nocks and
herds belonging the inhabitants OF that rich region,
they returned to their country by the way they had
gone Reaching the spot where the man had seen the
water spring up they filled their bottles, naming 1t
AIn-eLFers the Mare Spring shortly after their
return Sioua divisions and trouble among tho
people OF the city The party to which travellers
belonged being defeated they determined to cxpatratc
themselves rs they seemed undecided what direction
they should take of them proposed to so to Ain
elFers Hithcr they came. planted palms and built
houses" Such according to legend, is
TAX ORIGIN OF GnADAMEs
II is beyond doubt that the presence OF the stream
led TO the founding of tho city. Now, ut what time
after the appearance Of this stream did the people OF
Sioua Others the oasis have been reading
at least attempting read this Tor myself the
shook" OF architectural ruins which to be found
within and without the city. In the city there are
several columns and capitals, among others Libyo-
Egyptian bas-reef by Mr.. Henri Duveyricr in
1860 which point to the ancient Egyptians the plant
of the first palms Plny, whose testimony is
nrmcd by this bias relief tells that at tho
ment OF the CHRISTIAN byoEgyptians lived in the
country where the Ghadamese are, that is to say,
LIbyans OF Egyptian origin. To the southwest OF the
OASIS some 800 yards from the city wall, upon the
plateau called the I'll Esnamcn-the idols-there
some ruins which speak of epoch postcror to tho
Egyptian and anterior to the Roman periods which
leave doubt TO the existence OF Ghadanies during
The Garamantc era, the period of black civilization
which has cf: numerous traces in the Sahara
Henri Duveyrer has called attention to tho
ymilarty of these with those of DJcrma,
hc ancient capital of Garamantis-the Garama OF the
Romans-thc ruins of which are now to be not
lar from Mourzouk, the capital OF Fezzan. These
iebris, to which the natives gave the OF idols
account of their construction by idoatrous peo
pie, consist OF lvo quadrangula piles in the form OF
obcsks, formed or very small gravel and sand stones
varying in height from sixteen feet to wcniysi feet
liked upon pedesals from ten feet to thirteen feet
square, which, at a short distance, TO be part
and parcel OF the monuments themselves Al the
Iummit OF ehch there is peculiar capital which 1t
would be difficult to reconstruct Like the
nnous pyramids Of Egypt the solid structures
SERVED As roMBs,
which indicated by small, low chambers vautod
and scm-circular which can be entered through deep
trough from the bases OF the pedesals. They built
two lines, some lfty feet apart Another ruin, Of
which but part OF tho pedestal can he above
ground looms up by the side of the other i've. Az
oring to tradition these antique evidences remote
utilization should be termed The tombs OF tho kings OF
his country. On all sides tie plateau Is with
mnd stones tho debris of other monuments, perhaps
Of antique ,ombs winch have become mixed up with
other aud recent additions tins immense
metropolis of the oasis Indeed. upon the whole ex
ten; OF this, tho southwest side OF the oasis are
numerous
ToNBsroxEs REPRESENTING AGES,
from the ante slamic epoch our own day. Some
500 yards from these "dosn there Is another ruin OF
the Origin. This is a tower, oval in FORM CON-
posed of small sand At the base there is low
chamber, now partly Allied with debris and above this
again kind OF vault, which archcd at some time,
inscrsccted by wide excavation having exactly the
form OF tomb. The archaologist also nnds another
aecropols immediately in front which contains
Der OF ancient sepulchrcs There exists too square
tower. analogous construction to the northwest
angle OF The rampant OF Gnadamos Tho common
origin OF these ruins and their great similarity those
Of picrma sufficiently demonstrate the existence OF
.he before IT'S occupation by the Romans Ac
:ordins 10 the recent historic OF Mr Ncy
II the Geographical Society, communicated 10 tho late
congress held IN Paris the Romans must have taken
possession OF Ghadames seventy years before the
commencement OF ono Roman inscription,
which appears TO have been piior dis.
covcry by Duvcyrcr, one OF The two doors which
.vc to the gardens, assigns long occupa-
s,n OF cydamc 10 the Romans, and which,
ioriing to the Interpretation OF NJ. Leon
grsnicr. Of tho Institute mus, have exceeded
70 years independently OF the natural TACT proves
nx, the extension OF the province OF Numila beyond
Tic zone OF the sands Of the Erg, and adding
material proof in support OF the unanimous opinion Of
Inc natives, who bring The present frontier Of the
OF Constantine 70 the very gates OF Ghadames
viii here remind the photographers that the limits OF
he souf extend TO about days Journey from
oasis aud that the region OF the hills absolutely
icqucncd except by the hunters OF the soul and
shosc Of tho Chaa'nba who, TO the number OF about
lvo the Ers annually during the winter IN order
10 trade Chadames with their WOODS and halks aud
soaks and at the gather the products the
lorm ni game THIS Inscription SHOWS, moreover, as
Drvcyrlcr justly observes, that
ROMANS,
al! their commercial relations with The Interior
$1,000 ~. ..i.,rl ,..r ~. l,,rln llnn.,nn.ln.A