New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-12
THE CENTENNIAL.

THE MOSAIC LON.
lrROM An OCCASIONAL CORRLsPoNDENrof Iit 1RiDCSEI
TVNIs. Jan. 12.-AmonG the foreign departments
at the American Centennial not the least important
will be that OF the Regency of Tunis. The TrmSian
department in tn, Vienna Exposition a very in
teresting one and His Hghness the Bey has deter
mined to make an equally cool display at Philad'l-
phla. Some time ago he requested the ulted States
Consul at Tuns to represent the Regency NJ the
Philadelphia Exhibition, AMI t. take entire charge
of all the material TO be sent from here Our Con-
sui, Mr. Heap, is exceedingly popular with the
Tunisian Government and the Beg, III extending tle
above invita- lion, coupled it with fattcrme COM
pliment e. the high character Of our representatives
OF course Mr. Heap coud not leave his post to repre-
sent Tunis at Philadelphia wihcut the consent of
The powers that he at Washington. The request ot
His HghneSs has been sent forward but up TO the
present no answer has been received.
The Tunisian exhibit will include specimens OF the
products and manufactures OF the country and VIII
form an interesting study for the many American
visitors who have never made a journey 10 Moham-
medan lands. there Will be a liberal supply OF the
silk and wooden shawls for which Iunis Is iainou'
and many of the articles IN tins department VIII
rouse o feeling of coyetouSness in the breasts ol
some of our fair ones. Then there Will be cloths of
all grades from the looms Of the country ana spcc-
mems of embroidery in gold and silver on cloth and
on leather there will bc cloths woven in gold and
silver ard there will lie liberal supply of highly or
namented shoes for ladies wear The Boy sends
several saddles from his personal collection, some OF
them maryels of wealth and Splendor. The high
backed saddle of Tunis presents a marked contrast
to the fiat pad of the English ace-courSe, and
will no doubt lie sneCIcd Mt by American
riders But the Tunsiaus excellent hoT'cmcn
30 that however much may dislike the appear
ance of their saddles he cannot join in the declara
ton heard recently made by an Engli5hman that
nobody could possibly ride in one of them There
will be a fine array Of Tunisan jewolry, tableware
aud other handiwOrk, and there will he several
aags of the Regency 10 decorate and designate the
department. | will not make tedious LIST, and
anticipate the official catalogue by detailing what
the Boy intends 20 send, but will briefly say that
the exhibit VIII be excellent and complete Selec-
ton of the products and manufactures OF ]ums.
There will be IN the Tunsian department some
hing OF very great interest to aniquarans. Care
ful students of ancient history are aware that the
ruips of Carthage are within sight of the City OF
Tunis and on the shore of the bay which hears the
aame of the Regency and its capital. Thirty years
AGO the Hill where stood the Byrsa or Citadel Of
Carthage was given by the Bcy to France. tor The
lite of chapel in memory of Saint Louis. The
ground was Immediately inclosed with high wall.
and neat chapel erected on the spot where Louis
k is supposed to have drawn his last breath. Frag
when the excavations were made for the walls most
Of these were sent to France and the rest have been
preserved in the chapel grounds. The archcd ana
vaulted Tomb of Esculapius is pointed ont between
the chanel and the wall which faces the sea- and tie
monk in charge of the premises assures yon that the
tradition establishing the identity of the tomb Is
well authenticated
The city was built around this bill and extended
over considerable space. The most complct' Te-
e.tstasB a in MINI
Der, and with many of their arches unbTokcn. Some
of tho csterns are full of water but the guido shook
his head when asked him If the liquid was antique
ike the walls which incosed il. Without the slight
est perception Of joke, he explained that the chs
terms were generally dry, but had been filled by the
recent heavy rains. Much of the aQucduct that wa
tered Carthage Is still standing, and portion OF II
is used for the supply of Tunis.
Excavations have been made at various places on
the site of Carthage and many interesting discoy-
cries have resulted. Or. \. DAVIS, author Of Car
thaCe and Der Remains" Ruined Cities etc. has FOR
some time conducted explorations III the interest OF
the British Museum, and room in that establish
ment is filled with the result Of his labcrs. French
explorers have also been here, the collection IN
the Louvre will attest and altogether Carthage has
yielded very fairly TO the collections in Varous Euro
pean museums. The natives living near Carthage
make occasional excavations, and whenever they
find anything of value they sell it to the first salts
factory customer The French Consul bought ia
this way the statue and other relics that were On
board the Magenta land fortunately saved at the
time that ship was burned in the harbOr of Toulon
several weeks ago. The English Consul Mr.. Rich
ard Wood bought quite recently mosaic represent
ing lion selling an antelope, and known among
the Swans of Tuns as the Mosaic Lion.' At the
request of Mr. Heap he has kindly consented to lis
exhibition at Philadelphia, ald the lion is now care
fully packed and ready Cor shipment. DIR. Davis has
furnished me with the following description OF the
work;
The Mosaic Lion found within the precincts of the
Byrsa OF Carthage and in close IiOXliiT 10 the sue 81
the temple of Asiarte, the Juno 81 Inc iWilcl1is IN
mis- vicinity there appears To- Lave been temple dcd!-
Gated Diana. am disposed to believe That TINS non
formed part Of the pavcmcn, - mat very temple ~
this opinion am confirmed y the fact that every otter
representation ia This vast pavement mad relation either
the chase to wild beasts doomed TO destruction by
Tie arbitrary sentence Of the Nimrodcan lar. Through
ignorance inability to raise thci every object was
hopeessly destroyed 10 TIC a'trnp ~ removal ana inc
lion is the only object which was successfully laSeh up
by one Of ms former "oiknen ~ tL2 lgfc~S "hich
have explained in " Carthage aud her Remains"
The bOldness of design and the exquisite execution OF
this work OF art assign % the most h'liSLhg period
OF Carthage. The coorins the att'nde ana ne Dcnu
and pOsifiOn OF ever limb exhibit the mastery SIKH OF
The artist indeed do not der inferior 10 any Of
The mosaics have found Carthage and now deposited
in the British Museum. and viii ID rave been PRONOUNCED
by the best judges 10 De The finest IN the word
If no accident happens to tie Mosaic Lion it viii
be found in the Tunisian collection at the opening
of the Philadelphia Exhibition. The mosaic is about
eight feet by tea and not a stone in the whole work
has been lost misplaced.
The Boy of Tuus has determined 10 have Car
thagnian Museum of his own, and has recently AZ
ranged with Dr. DAVIS 10 make excavations on be-
half and at the expense OF the REGENCY. Statues,
mosaics, and the like viii be preserved in this ml-
scum, and whenever duplicates are found they viii