The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-07
THE Ruins or IrHLIE
A Visa 20 the Last rostAsia sfths CyusaA.
ers In Palestine.

| hAIFA, Palestine, NOV. U.-Ino more you
examine the countries most freQuented by
tourists the moro you are perplexed TO COM
prehend the reasons which decide them to
| confne themselves to certain specified routes.
arranged apparently by guides and drago-
mans. with Wow Of concealing from them the
principal objects OF interest. There 10 certain
| ly not one tourist In hundred who visits the
Holy Land who has evor heard Of Athlit much
less been there. and yet know OF no finer
ruins to tho west OF the Jordan. To the cast
tho magnificent remains Of Jerash. Amman.
| and Arak el Emir. arc incomparably more In
teresting. and these Of course are also almost
ignored by tourists; hut that may be accounted
for BY the fact that tradition still exists that
the visitor runs some risk In getting to them
Practically this 10 not the case. II takes long
time To remove an Impression Of this kind and
II In the interest OF large class OF persons
who live on blackmail to keep II M. But In
the case Of Athlit there Ia no drawback Of this
kind Probably the neglect with which 1t is
treated Is due largely to the fact that no scrip
tursl association attaches TO the locality. and
people would rather 60 to Nazareth than OK
anime the majestic remains Of Roman civill-
cation. or tho ruder superstructures OF cru
sailing warfare.
The easiest way to roach Athllt Is 10 60 to It
from Carmel. As the monastery there Ia most
| modern structure. about nifty years old. tour
lists often get as far a. that. because the guide
takes them there; but they know nothing OF
the mysteries OF this sacred mountain. second
| only to Sinai In the estimation OF the modern
Jew In the sanctty Of its reputation. and they
turn back when. BY riding u few miles down
the coast they would follow route full OF in
terost The road traverses a plain about two
miles In width. On the left. tho rugged limo
stone slopes OF tho mountain are perforated
with caves-in the earliest ages Of Christianity.
The Csrmsitss s%bseauenty arose. Here ira.
ms King 81: Louis 81 France: Va; shipwreckE;;
be be seem cen the io1ndaiions 81 The rst n1onassry
near ccplous spring Of clearest water; where
ss1uentiy TO establish themselves upon the
bra,ed. Along this line OF coast there is an un-
ore or the in
Ss s o S t. H. . ssn ss .
trdmdnr,s, and the M.rer t,uncu.s the prickly
n ar yrsn pur sHe' Tha s
Obtained ~, NE precious dye from vessel in the
instead t th co.ey the line of coast
/ kept near the base 81 the Carmel range. reach
ing In about two hours from Carmel the village
sadnK forrsss ASST the hue massive wall. Of S which
have been utilized for religion purposes by ths
upon the inhabitants who are the mos, notorl.
Gus thieve: and turbulent rogues in the Whole
their taste Tor Violence with ' comrarativ" I'm,
punity, MS they, can always, square 1t with the
rse SH Ss If %
to the sea. is nearly Nil owned by them. In
decd. their evil reputation keers, other would
begins to slope backward from the sea. 80 IA to
prevent the water from tn. mountains from
In DC nrishborhood Of Tireh arc arse rock
been hewn into chambe r. Who the earliest
inhabitants OF these may have been We have no
Tor .rs poss s Of isn
REGULAR sentry boxes from which the sentinel
%s4s sss ri the ss . E NJ .S
the aperture. and e1ectually conceal himself
From N Tireh who're the inhabitants trented
me with great civillty. crossed tho pIain. and
IN an hour more reached AN insign fcant ruin
sea This ve.y remarkable formation extends
ridge and v"ryins from 40 t" 10 feet in height
and completely cutting. on tho sea beach from
split by assures. through which ths winter ,or-
rent. lind their way 70 the sea, skirtins this
ting. Just wide enough to allow the passage Of
chariot At the enlrnnoe holes wero cut into
Client times for closing and barring u passage
way Tho cutting through tho rock was from
|
wars distinctly visible. Here and there on the
shs 'h as n" s"Gn c1 Leading to tho ridge
Passing through ths cutting. we debouch
uron, sandy plain and reedy marsh in
which my companion had the year befor. killed
"nce Of a majestic ruin. Immadiately faeins
high and a,y Yards long. This had oncs been ssI
nbou; ton feat thick. but j, had bsen partially
b Blocks. and Ind furnished quarry to the in,
habltan's for some centuries. The wall had
proinontory upon which the ancient fortress
and town were built. Passing UP rocky pas
dS" and %hs s M
means Of mn.sive wooden doors. we enter the
rncen'e. and immediately on our right find u
w mad" n Would s ""ns
that the whole promontory was nnd"rlaid with
was admirably built but was unable to deter:
nine its exact Dimensions by the simple aid Of
| was now on the inside OF the high wall, and
It becnme evident that he building OF which it
illlei with debris The .Mprer roof q the one
Of s n"a or %n' .Dns 81 hs s i,
Indicate that it had existed. while male and
%"h in t'rHh ,Sn, ma Hd an
hisSiy dcenratod ' and tIss the Who'll: building ding
rro.any served y, h =. e%n. The Whole
vide The promontorE dupb n,.n which sr.c, al
was washed on, three sides BY the
sea. II rose above II PROBATIONARY to q height
OF about nifty feet. The area was occupied by a
miserable population OF possibly a hundred
sIuad half-clad Arabs. whose huts were built
among the ruins thus preventing nny cffectual
oXnmnntio OF them. 1t would he difficult to
conreive .:rentsr contrast taen Is rresrnted
habitntions with tho spiendor IT the sditocs
na sd The %ih . and
We see fragment Of . granite column. while.
when we roach tho brink OF tho elm which
form. the sen face OF the rromontory we are
again surprised At tho ,Stnpandous scale q
ont upon n ledge OF rocks. Exposed to the hll
fury uf the waves and still standing to height
OF forty or nifty fect
To the right OF the promontory. wall the
base oi which Is washed by the waves is per.
forated by three arches. It presents n most
picturesque appearance. Tho southern face
Is, however, the most perfect. Here there were
level and one uron tho face Of the olifI, De-
ascending into the space between these / per-
ali IN. ~ th., ND