The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-07-24
A Famous Monument.

On the top of one of the mountains
near Hammam B Ihra is plainly visible
the wonderful structure called the
''Tombean de la ere tienne." This
immense monument, which can be seen
for hundreds of miles around, here pre-
sented the appearance of a mighty
dome; its base is two hundred feet in
diameter, and the circular cone rises to
the height of one hundred and tn rty
feet. ! hose who have had a nearer
view, tell us of finely cut columns, and
winding passages leading to Ta2 ted
chambers which are lined with beauti-
full carvings in stone. The wonder is
how this vast monument came into ex-
istence, with the name that has always
{ lung to it. They tell us there is no
doubt that-the daughter of Antony and
Cleopat a was bur ed there. This
tomb has been but slightly explored,
aud during the centuries IT has with
stood many efforts to batter it down by
means of artillery. The brothers Bar
baross, the famous pira es, tried to de-
stroy it with the hope of finding hidden
treasures, but poisonous black wasps is
sued from beneath the stones as the
workmen attempted to lift them. whose
sting caused instant death. Thus ira
diti0n In this Mohammedan country
has rendered sacred the restng-place
of the despied and prosecuted Chris
tians. An Arab legend tells US that
| one of their race was a long time ago
condemned to slavery in a foreign
land; he was lamenting his hard fate,
when venerable looking man APP
peared before him and assked b M if he
desired to be restored to his native
country. He replied: "Name thy con-
ditions, o hristian. and, if not con-
trary to the words of Allah, / will joy
fully comply W tn them" The oil man
said: I'm return for thy ransom, 4 only
ask that you take this scroll and burn
1t at the entrance of the tomb of the
| Christians. The Arab gladly made the
re Iuired promise, and when he reached
| the tomb the mysterious scroll had
scarcely toue he'd the flames, when
thousands of gold and silver coin flew
from every part of the monument, and
darted in a direct line to the country
of the Christians. The Arab threw his
| burnous in the air to bring down some
of the precious coin, but as soon as they
had touched the ground the golden
stream ceased. After this miracle the
pasha sent Iaborers to demolish the
tomb, in order to obtain the riches it
contained, when not only the appear
ance of phantom woman terrified the
WOrNmen, but swarms of enormous
gnats drove them from the spot. Tho
tomb is supposed to have been built by
the Kaby es, which theory strengthens
the idea that this interesting tribe have
absorbed the remnant of the early
n orth African Church. We know that
at one tine this people were represent
ed by eighty Christian kabyle b shops,
and the facts that they now observe tho
Christian and not the MOhammedan
Sabb tn, and hold to one wife who Of
ten wears the sign of a cross cut in her
forehead, also tend to this BELIEF. The
character of their institutions, their
hospitality, and industrious habits,
prove their claim to superiority; and il
is certain that they are much more
ready to receive the benefits of ciyiIiza-
| than the surrounding Arabs. -Aigier5
Cor. Hartford Times.