Litchfield enquirer., 1879-04-17

nean.-ED. ENQ.
 The northern shores of Africa are rich ir
 historical associations, but above all are they
 interesting for the remains of many great cit
 ies which lie half buried and almost forgotten among sand drifts that year after year are slowly covering their crumbling walls.
 Although the waves of the desert have done much to obliterate, yet, like the lava that en- tombed Pompeii and Herculaneum, their ef- feet has been rather to preserve than to de stroy. Recent investigations very imperfectly made, go far to support the belief that a more thorough and systematic exploration of the ancient African cities would develope great deal that is of interest to the archBologist and the historian.
 From Alexandria to Tunis the trace of Phenician, Greek and Roman cities are very
 numerous. Especially interesting is that DOT tion of Tripoli which lies between the gulfs of Syrtis Major, or Sidra, and Syrtis Minor or Gabes. The region was anciently called 1rt- polls, and derived it's name from three impor- tant cities within it's borders, viz:-Leptis Magma, Ga, and Sabratra.
 These cities, famous among the maritime ports of the Cart1ag inians, suffered similar fate after period of great prosperity during the supremacy of the Phenician founders, they fell under the dominion of the all powerful Romans, whose rule was one of oppression and debasement; later their declining fortunes were the prey of the conquering Vandals, at the time of the occupation of north Africa by that fierce race ;and final ruin was consunlmat- ed by the devastations of the Saracens
 In the remote ages of Punic prosperity, Leptis Magma ranked next to Carthage and Utica, as commercial city, On the occupa- tion of the Romans, it became the residence of the perfect Sergius After the Saracen con- quest it was wholly abandoned.
 To the traveller in thls part of the world, no fact is more striking than the blight which has tine Mussulman occupation. From the shores of the Black Sea to the strait of Gibralter, along the southern coast of the Med iterranean, in countries that were once pros porous, powerful and enlightened, the same sad evidence of neglect, decay and ruin, is everywhere found.
 The actual sites of the three cities are not even inhabited at the present day. The great ports that once afforded shelter to the fleets of Carthage and Rome, are blocked up with sand :; the moles and jetties heaps of ruins; and the country about them is either a barren waste, or half cultivated fields where the thrift less Arab gains scanty livelihood. It is ''the of desolation," and Tyre and Si- don have scarce suffered more blasting curse!
 The coast from Tripoli to Leptis Magma is low and sandy, with points of rock jutting in ly relieved by belts of fertile country, where the date palm grows, and fields are titled all else is sandy desert over which the sirocco blows like the blast from hot oven. In the oases are clusters of Arab huts, their bare stone walls affording common shelter for hu- man beings and brutes. The low white-wash- ed dome of mosque may always be seen in the village, however humble it may be, and near by is small minaret from which the calls the faithful ts prayers. A mark ed feature, also, in the landscape, often seen upon some lonely mound, is structure re- sembling mosque, commonly called maara6out. It is the tomb of saint. (The Arabic word properly means saint.) There are great many saints in the Mahometan calendar; zeal often leads them into insanity or fanati- csm, and they are generally fit subjects for the madhouse. These tombs are always guarded by some recluse, and. besides fostering the mem- ory of the departed, they supply need much felt in that region by furnishing shelter to travellers, being often the only apprach to any thing like an inn.
 At Tripoli, I saw young mara5out who prided himself upon the peculiar favor of Ali, and was held to be very holy, because he could eat nails and glass without in- jury to himself. 1 saw him eat several pieces of lamp chimney, and swallow four nails :; he would have eaten more, cut his flesh with a knife, and done know not what horrible things, had not the spectators prevented. AL though this man had been in the habit of per forming these feats for several years he ap- peared to be in good health. On the last tete day of the Prophet he particularly distinguish ed himself by swallowing tive and-a-half pounds of nails at one sitting besides quanti- ty of glass. These facts were vouched for by a European doctor who is making a study of this extraordinary case. The marabout desired to make money by his peculiar virtues and was anxious to be taken to the United States where he could exhibit himself. Among his accomplishments he professed to be able to eat live serpents.
 Near Leptis Magma, there is a tract of fer tile country extending some distance inland and occupied by the villages of Ligatah and and Lebida At the time of UT visit there were several vessels anchored in the offing, loading with d!fa, kind of grass largely ex- ported from Tripoli and Tunis to England and America for the manufacture of paper and papier naache. The villages are about two miles from the ruins Extending from Lebida in south -easterly direction is sand beach, beautifully white and curved, terminating in the ruins of the breakwater and castle which protected from seaward the cotton of Leptis.
 From distance, this vast and irregular pile has the appearance of natural formation of rock, but nearer view discloses great blocks of hewn stone, overturned and scattered in confused masses by the ceaseless action of the waves which have beat upon them fer centu- ries.~ Around this breakwater is the entrance to the cotton, and jetty projects from the other side of the post. Although nearly filled With sand, it is not difficult to picture the har-
 Dor as 1t was ln ancient times. The break
 waters propably extended much further into
 the sea, and were surmounted by lofty castles,
 ot which there are unquestisnable remains.
 The harbor, circular in form, extended inland
 for about half mile, dividing the city into
 two unequal portions waddy, ,or small river,
 empties into the head of the port, it's margin
 Skirta6 w ith afpxu scrroar b,,choc oDa popvr,,c