The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-01-18

Is ioIHeu Of tnree stones, but Is un-
sculptured. The whole surface of the
ground in the citadel is covered with
tiles and pieces of pottery, and, as
had an opportunity of remarking in the
case of ditch which a peasant dug,
debris of this kind was found even to a
depth of eighteen feet. Therefore there
can be ne doubt of he fact that ancient
ly all the Acropolis was inhabited, and
from its imposing and extensive posi-
tion we must conclude that it contained
the palace of the family of Atreus.
AGAMEMNON's TOMB.
then turned to the treasury of Aga
memnon, commonly called the "Tomb
OF Agamemnon," which lies about three
quarters of mile from the citidel. 1t is
dug in the side of little hill, facing a
deep ravine. A passage, 147 feet long
and about 80 wide, formed of two par
allel walls, each 80 feet high and built
OF hewn stones of about 3 feet by 2,
leads to the grand entrance, which is
IL feet high, and, at the top, 6 wide,
but its width e. adually increases, and
it is feet at the base. This gate is
covered with one block of of beautifully
hewn stone, 27 feet long and hign,
above which there is a triangular open
ing of II feet high and the same width
at the base. Curiosity having made
me climb this gate found in the trian-
gular opening some traces which con-
vinced me that statues or little columns
were placed there. There was former
ly on each side of the great gate col
umn with base and capital, and en-
riched with elegant sculptured orna-
ments, which, according to Leake, had
no resemblance to any other sculptures
of ancient Greece, but which approach
ed the style of carvings at Persepolis
In the great entry the marks of the
bolts and hinges of the doors are visi-
BILE, and ON the same line with these
marks series of little round holes of
about an inch and half diameter and
half an inch deep, and at the bottoms
of these two little holes which evidently
held nails of bronze. The treasury con-
tains two chambers, the first of which
is shaped like cone, of so feet diam
eter and about the same height. It
communicates by door with an inte-
rior chamber of quadrangular shape,
which is only twenty-one feet in length
and width, and is roughly dug into the
rock.
A VIEW OF THE INSIDE.
This last was entirely dark, and, un-
fortunately, had brought no matches
with me. I told the boy who had come
with me from Charvati to 60 and get
some, but he assured me there was not
such thing in the village. Being con-
vinced that even in the houses of the
Peloponnesus there must be some
matches, I told him I would give him a
half drachma eight cents) for three
matches. The boy stood stupefied and
aghast at such liberality, but could not
bring himself to believe it at first
Three times over he asked me if would
truly give him I" fifty lefta'' if he would
seek some matches; twice | gave him a
simple affirmative answer, but the third
time swore on the ashes of Agamem-
non and Clytemnestra. Scarce had |
calculated this oath than the youngster
made off at full speed toward Charvati,
though more than mile distant from
the treasury of Agamemnon, and came
back in hot haste with bundle of
brambles in one hand and ten matches
in the other. I asked him why he
had brought three times the number of
matches l had told him to. First he
gave me evasive answers; but being
pressed on the point, at last admitted
that he was afraid that some of the
matches would be bad, and that he had
brought ten instead of three in order to
guarantee himself against all chances
and to carry off the promised recon-
pense when he arrived. He soon kim
died fine fire in the chamber, making
light enough to scare the thousands of
bats which had established their dwell
lings there, and which made loud
noise in their endeavor to escape. But,
blinded by the brightness of the blaze,
they failed to find the door,
and flew restlessly from side to
side of the room, annoying
US much, flying in our faces and hang
ing to our clothes. The great hall or
dome is built of hewn stone of from 13
to 80 inches long and II to 25 thick,
laid on each other without cement. In
each of these stones there are two little
holes containing the remains of bronze
nails, which have been set in there,
snd, even yet, some entire bronze nails
may be seen in the upper stones of this
dome. The nails can oaly have served
to support lining which extended over
the whole interior of the edifice,
for, while we might admit
that those below, say to a
height of twelve feet, served to suspend
arms and other objects, it is utterly out
of the question that those which we see
in the stones at the top of the dome
could have been employed for the same
purpose. Bt sides the construction OF