The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-03-11

land, OF which one-hah was some centuries
old. with stone walls several feet thick. and
circular stone steps leading up into . mysteri-
Gus tower. which was supposed to DO haunted.
and in which IL was rumored that secret
chamber existed built into tho wall. and 70.
member perfectly that certain places seemed
TO sound hollow to blows Of q crowbar. which
as got older used to apply to suspected To-
calities. It IL more years than care to think
Of since those DAYS. but can trace resem-
bance to that childish feeling In the sensations
by which am animated when wander over
the gloomiest recesses OF Carmel alone In search
Of caverns.
It is called In some ancient Jewish record
tho mountain OF the thousand caves" and
has been inhabited from time immemorial
by hermits and religious devotees. inde-
pendently OF the Biblical record we have
historical traces OF Its holy character. Accord
Ing to the most ancient Persian traditions, sa-
cred fire burned at the extreme western point
Of Carmel suetonius speaks OF tho oracles OF
tho god OF Carmel and Alexander the Great re-
peats the saying. The Syrian city. Ecbatana.
alluded to by Pliny. was situated on this
mountain. Pythagoras lived here In retreat
for some time because 1t had reputation
for superior sanctlty. but Strabo mentions
the caves rs being haunts OF pirates. They
were doubtless used as places OF refuge
for bad characters. as we'll as OF seclu-
sion for pious ones. Others were used for
tombs others for Crusaders sentry boxes. and
now they arc tho retreat Of flocks and herds.
and In some instances storchouses for grain.
Those. however. thus utilized are compare
lively few In number; believe many to BIO
unknown even to the natives. while some are
invested by Thorn with mysterious character.
and their dimensions arc probably exagger-
ated. I have received accounts Of some. which
I hope some day to visit. which arc said to
extend beyond any known exploration. OF
others which bear traces OF carving and In
scriptions. but nothing can be more uncertain
or unsatisfactory than native accounts upon
all matters where definite information Is re-
auired. have tried exploring with guides
and exploring alone. and have been almost as
successful one way as the other.
Ono OF my first visits was to a ruin which 1had
observed browning summit OF tho range. but
which was only visible from certain points. so
shut In was 1t by tho intervening mountain tops
Istarted on horseback. determined to find my
way alono. and struck into valley where tho
narrow path followed a ledge Of limestone rock
often not more than two feet wide. soon
found myself diving into sombre gorge. the
preciptous sides Of which rose abruptly from
the bed Of the winter torrent. AS proceeded
1t became moro and moro uncanny: the path
was 80 narrow could no longer venture to
risk my horses footing. as a slip would
have involved fall Of at least two
hundred feet. My ruin disappeared. and
ny gorge seemed snH to trend away from it.
gloom of the solitary valley hemmed in on all
sides BY terraces of limestone. with here and
/ tried to turn, but the ledge was too mar
WrOnR direction. i began rather
to fear lest l should meet, some one. not
merely because passing would have been i'm
while ! always 90 about unarmed. ! hnd that
Without Carrying reVoysTs Tho aspect Of
ywild-loosing Arab. with gun slung behind
straight toward me. Was under rf these c Siq@
stances. not reassurlng Fortunately. at tho
Su@s rs sw h baa had spot YhSrs
to turn comfortably. and rotraced my steps s
mountain into which had beon sI pe metz i
BE- communicative and harmless individual.
who was on his way homo from a cave in which
s 81 ns he
hundred yards further. Beyond this. he said.
spending ledge upon the opposite. side Of the
cayerns. which entered. tho largest not more
showing no signs Of having BEEN cen Inhabited. an
huge rock detached from the mountain side.
and an, h9iiowsd into sort Of gallery is so cee
It's own. Just behind 1t we turned to scramble
almost straight up the mountain side covered
odoriferous. thyme. sage. marjoram, and ar.
butus. and then found we were 81 the foot Of
cireling the Founded hiil. upon the top on Of
which stood to, the erumbiing walls Of an old fort.
,Sese stoed % On
entrance 70 ., cavern, about thirty yards ds
kP soas
ssn SHHa s Ss sHnsi ef
the walls OF which. enclosing space OF about
sixty yHrSSs i lpnE 5 forty
portion Of the fortress had at 2 later period
its arches being in toerabie state Of nreserva.
ton The name Of this ruin is Rushmea, and
nation to which / have had access. it was used by
saladin h to wa5ch the progress of the siege OF
mountain was Inhabited BY anchorites some
character Of Elijah and Elisha For s oe sa tms
seven OF thcm seem tc have divided the claim
DotWccu tlCNl, dHu OHIO OF Incm Is reported to
have lived in cave at Rushmea which is said
to contain on ;, carving and inscrptions. It
but though l have visited the locality
three times, in all. twice with guides and
nave found some seven. or eight caves.
none OF them seemed OF sufficient Importance
to answer the traditional description. A mag.
Bay Of Acre, with the town in the distance and
the plain OF Kishon beneath and plainly visible
Saladin and Richard Cnur dc Lion fought. /
have visited this celebrated source, with its
centre OF which there is now n hourishing fiG
tree, During tho soge which Haifa then with
that tho .Crusading army had to remain; IN IN
tents. and here II was that tho lion hearted
h Ming caught that severe fever which
and which resulted In his remaining
for four weeks at IIaifa to recover his health.
That plain Is as unhealthy now as 1t was then
and the date groves. which are its most strik.
ing feature must have existed then, for thew
n ra moi In tI,nv H. ~