The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-28
ITO be continued.l
THE RCINS OF CARTILAGE.

Mr. w. + Robertson, Scottish gentleman,
having recently visited the site of this once
proud and famous city, gives account of
the present condition of its ruins, and TX presses
regret at the wholesale destruction of the few
but beautiful remaining monuments of it's de-
parted glory. Mr. Rober tson writes:
Landing at the little town of Goletta, which
is the pore of Tunis and distant from it about
ten miles, pnt up at the hotel there, kept by
an Italian. A wide but shalo " Ia COON stretches
out toward The modern clty on the lef6, with
which cOmmuui catinu il kept NJ by trains
which rnn at intervals during the day mile
or two out from the STATION, on d wide plateau,
we come upon the foundations of wall some
three feet in thickness. Following this for
three DileS we come to some p!Sugbed ground
covered with fragments of broken marble
columns, with here and there q heap of ruins
fast crumbling to decay. Seated among these,
We contemplate the history Cf q city which
was once tine rival of Rome, and to wards which
the eyes of the civilized world were turned.
Here Hannibal, when boy nine years of age,
was led to The altar by his father Hamilcar,
and there with his hands upon it, made to
swear eternal hostility to the Roman people
an oath which his afLer-iife proved bad not
been forgotten by him. o. This hillside, in
later years, the Roman ENJOYS stood and one
of them addressing the Cartnagenian Senate,
said, folding his toga OVER his arm, In this
fold carry peace or war choose you which
you will have" "Glve US which yOu will, is
the reply. Then take war" says tne Roman
envoy, letting his toRa fall loose; aud war,
fierce aud long continued, vas once more
waged between these hostile forces. The only
remains in any way complete are the reserv oiTs
and the aqnednoJ. The former are in u good
state of preservation, and are constructed on
8 scale of great magnifcence They are
calculated to hold large supply of water.
These have ali been arc ed over, but some
of the arches beginning to give way,
and have tumbled into the tanks. Round the
margin of these pool paths extend, paved with
small pieces of polished marble about inch
square All around may be picked up the
fragments of broken pottery, broken jars, etc,
which, doubtless, have been in use for the
| carrying of water by the maidens of the city
The lovely situation of the city, standing on
that prominent headland against which the
waves of the Mediterranean beat, as in days
when the Roman feet went down beneath
them, went far to capGivate those who ultima
tely became its cOnquerors. Thatit might not
be 30 access BILE to foreign invasion accounts
in all probability for the change of situation
in the more modern city of Tunis. Twas with
regre; touEd among the material collected for
building purposes at the town of Golettn parts
of marble columns with carved work of the
most magnificent description, all of which are
being broken up to erect some humble stead
ings. The Italians aud Spauiards of the Md
die Ages nave adorned their places with mar
bles from Carthage, and the Veuetians have
their friezas and columns which were once
the Admiration of Dido and Hannibal.