The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-09

sight, to spot shut out from all save the
Omniscient eye, where no sound could
mingle with the voice of prayer, but the
ceaseless monotone of the resounding
sea. l was the more affected by this
mans devotion because l saw SO little
like it among the Mohammedans, either
In Africa or Asia. In Cairo, and in the
mosques along the banks of the Nile; in
Palestine, at Jerusalem, at Nablous, and
wherever Mohammedans abound, the
mauezz1aa at the appointed hours during
the day ascends the minaret and calls
the faithful to prayer, but we have been
as constantly surprised to see how few re-
sponded to the call. have asked those
who have long lived among the Moslems
for an explanation of this, and have been
told that there is great relaxation. In
their habits of devotion. What it portends
| do not know. 1t may be that like some
of the idolaters among the Pagans they
will grow weary of their religion and
thus the way be opened for the substitu-
ton of a better The quiet of our camp
life at Achzt6 was broken during the
night by thunder storm with high
wind and heavy rain. Our tents stood
1t well. So strongly staked and corded
had they been that they resisted the
wind, and having double roofs, they
were not penetrated by drop of rain.
We would not have been much more
comfortable in house, and then the
situation had its charm wind, lightning,
and rain without, but all snug within
the reverberations of the thunder ming
ling with the roar of theSsea beating the
shore only few yards from us.
The next night after another exhil-
arating ride along the beach, we en-
camped behind rampant between the
sea and the city of
Our tents were soon surrounded by a
rabble of women and children who
watched all our movements with the
greatest curiosity. We were much an
noyed by the Importantly of beggars
and the venders of antiques The latter
consisted chiefly of ancient Phenician
COINS, small earthen lamps, and Ldchry-
nadto7leS, (diminutive urns in which the
tears OF the bereaved were deposited in
the tombs of the dead relatives) such as
are constantly found among the ruins
where excavations are made. While
taking an evening walk we met a man
who stopped us and again and again re-
peated the only English word he knew
:" school, school" We thought that
there might be some English teacher to
whom he wished to conduct us, so we
followed him entirely through the town
to the suburbs on the other side, and
there we found the ruins of the great
Cathedral of Tyre, once the grandest in
all Ph@nicia, in which Eusebius made
the consecrating oration, yet extant. OF
the great pillars of which he speaks as
adorning the porticoes, four splendid ones
of rose granite yet remain. The Cathe-
dral is gone, only the grafton exists.
Letters outlive pyramids and temples.
We-were greatly interested in the mag
nltice ut ruins, and we at last surmised
what our guide meant by repeating the
word school. He thought it a syn
onym for church.
If any one would gain vivid idea
OF the wealth, power, and commercial
renown of ancient Tyre, let him read
the 9th chapter of Ezekiel, who lays
the geographical world under contribu-
tion to illustrate the extent of Tyrian
commerce and the wealth and luxury of
Tyrlan merchants. OF all its ancient
grandeur nothing now remains but a
shattered town of 500 inhabitants. No
princely Hiram dwells there now. If
another Shelmanesur were to attack it.,
he would not need FIVE years to conquer
observation-disclosures was thirteen years
In capturing it-now it could be done in
as many hours. l saw the fishermen
drying their nets on the rocks where
once was a harbor filled with the richest
fleets of the world, and squaIid huts now
occupy the site of opulent mansions and
splendid temples. Beneath the rubbish
OF 5000 years are columns, porticoes,
statues, and arches which attest the
magnihcence of the ancient city, and dig
where the excayator may, he will he re-
paid for his toll by the treasures of art
which he will disentomb. And what is
true of Tyre is true of the Phenician
coast. There was time when the whole
Phoenlclan shore was a continuous vii
lage. Now one may travel half a day
without finding single habitation on the
shore. The reason of this is obvious.
The old Phpnicians were a maritime peo-
pie and cared nothing for agriculture,
but now they have neither ships nor
sailors, and the inhabitants have re-
] IL II