The New York herald., 1879-11-02
p ALE S T [ N e..
Discovery Of Colossal God of the
PhiliStineS at GAIA.
LAYARD IN THE HOLY LAND
His Sojourn in the "Credulous
Air OF Syria"
PAPAL RAILWAY TO JERUSALEM.

JAFFA. Oct. 0. 1879.
At Gsza, on the 9Th ult.. an Arab quarrying
stone at place about four and half miles distant
from the town. and unearthed marble figure Of
man. The following the dimensions given by
an Arab eyewitness. namely Three feet from top
Of head to end of beard; 27 inches from to ear
from top of forehead to mouth. l3H
inches from shoulder to shoulder. "a inches; from
crown of head waist 81 inches. and "a inches the
circumference of the neck the total height is Is
feet. The hair hangs in long ringlets down upon
the shoulders and the beard is long. indicating .
man Of venerable age. The right arm is broken in
half, while the left arm is crossed over the
breast to the right shoulder, where the
hand is hidden by the drapery of cloak
covering the shoulders" I presume the statue is
nude, though this fact is not stated. There is no
inscription either on the figure the pedestal
and the latter is huge block. carved in piece
with the god. 1t was found in recumbent position.
buried in the sand upon the top of hill near the
sea- evidently removed from it's original site which
unknown. It's estimated weight is - 600 pounds Tho
Pacha Of Jerusalem has ordered guard to watch
this interesting relic Of ancient art and prevent any
injury by the fanatics of GAIA. shall endeavor to
procure q photograph of this probable god Of the
Philistines and mail it to you lster and much re-
gret the foregoing description is meagre
in details. but it is translated from
brief account by an Arab who possesses
archaeological knowledge. Judging merely from
the "long hair and long beard" and the position Of
the left hand should be disposed to assume that it
is Assyrian monument commemorative Of their
invasion of Palestine But 1t is premature to con-
lecture until further and more precise particulars
can be had from GAIA.
HENRY LAYARDs VISIT TO PALESTINE.
"The credulous air of Syria favorable to the
great mystihcstion in which Lord Montacute was
an unconscious agent" Thus Lord BeaconsAeld
discourses in '"Tancred" of the land to which he
has sent Sir Henry Layard upon mysterious mis-
sion which has set Hebrew and Arab. Christian and
Moslem agog with intense curiosity to know the
why and the wherefore Of the great "Eshes"
movements. Sir Henry Lsyard arrived at Jafa on
the 18th ult and. after hurried visit Jerusalem
returned the 22d to the seaboard proceeded to
Beirut, touching at Mount Carmel for few hours.
Here he had an opportunity of ascending
this celebrated mount and meditasing upon
Elijah and the false prophets of Baal. or
upon the astounding assertion Of tho Prime
Minister some thirty-fve years ago, which is
apropos at this late date, OF the Turco-Greek
question and shows the Minister'S antpathy for the
Greek. II do not believe in national regeneration
in the shape OF foreign loan. Look at Greecei
And yet man might climb Mount Carmel and utter
three words which would bring the Arabs again to
Grenada ana perhaps further "-Tsncred. chapter TX
| guard Of honor from the we'll known Midhat
Pacha. and q crowd of Druses Maronites, Moslems.
Christians and EuroPesns were the witnesses Of Sir
| his visit to Mount Carmel. and he was welcomed by
Consul General Eldridge. who had been anxiously
weeks in advance Beirut is the flourish
| ing centre of commercial activity in Syria.
and the port of Damascus whose trade has declined
of late years owing to Meeem fanaticism, while
Christian Beirut flor it can be termed the Christians
pereS six reeling establishments have sprung up
about the environs OF the town. and overlook it from
the picturesque slopes of Mount Lebanon. Seventy
fve of these factories owned by Europeans and
as many II not greater number by natives.
In the times of ancient Rome's domina-
ton in Syria Beirut, then called Beryhs. was tho
seat of famous law schools and boasted population
of more than . million souls. Declining with the
Ashng village until the events Of ls4O4l and 1860
caused 1t to be visited by British and European
aeet:. and ,n suffering Christians ns NED to It as
cruelty. There are several banking establishments,
q fine diligence road, under French management.
here represented by Consuls General, VINO amuse
themselves with the petty squabbles of their native
Lebanon and Its intriguing and warlike inhabit-
ants, the Drusee, Maronites, Metualis and Angar-
yeh, all sworn foes each to the other.
SIR HENRY VISITS DAMASCUS.
But in this digression have forgotten Sir Henry
Lsyard. After the ofacial reception and visits OF
the consuls and Ottoman authorities he went by
special diligence to Damascus. where he was met
without the walls by the Governor and officials and
soec.Iisd pearl Of the East. The eyenins
was spent in the celebrated fruit gardens on
on ON divan under green trees and iuiied by the
sound of ever bubbling and flowing waters. Sir
%
music. Mohammed Said Pacha had the honor Of
entertaining the Ambassador at his magnificent
and truly Oriental residence. This house.
like those of other wealthy Damascones.
is built in the form OF a hollow square.
lower story all open into the square, which is paved
with Italian marble and planted here and there with
placed. In the centre of this court is large marble
| fountain and fish pool. There similar but
smaller fountains in several Of the rooms. which
tnesrly hsii) Of each room is raised three feet
| above the remainder. and upon this platform
seats placed near the WALL generally with
rich and heavy sken brocade for the of guests
| The servants and attendants seat themselves
or stand at the lower end of the apartments in
varisbly remove their shoes upon approaching tho
upper portion to wait upon those seated there. The
arrangement of bubbling fountainsin ones bedroom
| ia very pleasant in summer, but decidedly
chilling in winter. At the Damascus hotel
in November 1 remarked fountain in full play at
one end of the salon and an English stove at the
other end. Damascus is decidedly unsalubrious at
least for Europeans, who suffer from intermittent
and typhoid fevers, dysentery and summer
plaints not to mention opthalmia. &c. These com.
plants are caused by the bad drainage Of the place
people and municipality. The dogs appear TO be
the only scavcngers and these render night hideous
by their dismal bowling.
BAALBEC
From Damascus Sir Henry visited Baalbec, whose
ancient ruins were Of much interest to one whose
archaeological researches in ancient Nineveh's
mounds are well known; but time did not permit
him to nRer at this interesting place. and he hast
ened on tO Zachleh, Stoura and Aleih. At
Zachleh deputation of Hauran Druses
met him and displayed their horseman-
ship and agility In spear hurling. and ccmpanicd
him to the summer residence of Consul Eldridge at
Aleih. Here Rustcm Pacha, Governor General of
the Lebanon. welcomed Sir Henry and escorted him
with loo mounted Lebanon militia, who fred vol
leys OF musketry in his honor. With Rustcm Pacha
came the Druse and Maronite aristocracy, names
made famous by Lord Beaconsfeld in ''Tancred"
and by Colonel Churchill in his mMount Lebanon.n