Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-07

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AOoI 0AfRGD
II. rsses where shs ssvissr ssns shs EN-
npsssss ssss ne Herd q swise
A Haifs lister 70 the New York San
Saws: when We bad sufficiently salts
iied our curiosity in regard TO tho DOL
mems, which / described IN my last let
ter. the shcik who was our guide ois-
appeared suddenly over the edge Of the
plateau on which they stood down what
seemed to be precipicc Of black basals.
His reply TO our anxious inquiry as to
whether he was leading Us " TO very old
stones, with writing on them" was
talismanic utterarce which ct tnce
oyercame all hesitation. On such oc-
cssion there rises in the mind Of the
cold and weary and half-starved trav-
eIIer iand answered to this description
Al the moment) visions Of possible
Moabite stones, trilingual inscriptions,
and All the other prizes which reward
successful Palestine research. l felt,
therefore, ready to make any plunge
into unknown depths that be might
choose to suggest, but certainly
this was Z bad one. Some 1000
feet below us, distant not more than
seven miles, cleaned the still waters
Of the Sea Of Galilee. We stood
on the upper edge Of one Of the branches
Of the Wads Samak, which leads down
TO it. To our left, scarce a mile of,
we could see the old crusading ruin OF
the Kasr Berdawil, or Baldwin's cas-
tie, perched on promontory, the sides
of which are sheer precipices, thus Of
fering to the old warriors a position Of
magnificent strength. It is one Of the
least known Of the crusading strong
holds, but was assured by friend,
who, 80 far as l know, is the only
traveller who has visited 1t, that be-
yond few crumbling walls there was
absolutely nothing to be seen, so, as
/ had better game in prospect. |
did not turn aside to il, rs l had origi-
nally intended, but resolutely prepared
to risk my neck amid the basalt blocks
of the cliff down which the sheik was
now disappearing. Fortunately, though
It was bad descent, it was not long
one. I never could understand how
my horse managed it, for | had left
him to take care Of himself, finding my
own legs safer mode Of descent; but
in these lonely regions the instinct Of
not getting separated from the rest Of
the party is as strong with animals as
with men, and they may generally be
trusted to follow their companions.
After scrambling down about 500
feet we came to sort Of bench or mar
row plateau, on the flank of the ravine,
and on turning round huge rock Of
black basalt came suddenly upon one
Of the most delightful scenic surprises
which it was possible to imagine. Here
in this wild, inaccessible spot, in ages
long gone by, the ancients had evidently
contrived q secure and enchanting re-
treat, for it was provided with the first
requisite of beauty and Of pleasure
copious fountain Of water. 1t lay in
crystal purity in a still, oblong pool
beneath the perpendicular black rock.
Against the rock and projecting from it
were two large arches which had been
constructed ofsolid masonry, with blocks
of stone of immense size. One Of these
arches was almost destroyed, but the
other was still in perfect preservation.
1t measured % feet in breadth, l6 feet
in height, and feet 6 inches in depth,
this being therefore the width Of the
fountain, which was also % feet long
and about 2 feet deep. To my astonish-
ment it contained numbersof small fish,
which was the more surprising, as it
possessed 10 apparent outlet; but it
was too cold and fresh and sparklingto
be anything but a living stream, and
probably disappeared by subterranean
passage through large crevice which l
observed in the rock.
The wide-spreading branches Of
venerable oak which grew directly in
front Of the arch threw a delightful
shade over it, while delicate ferns
clothed the sides of the grotto, which
seemed to WOO US to repOse and indo-
lcnce which was, alas, under the circum-
stances, denied to US. On the key
stone Of the arch there was par
tally effaced inscription. Though
it was sixteen feet overhead, and,
therefore, inaccessible, | should not
have abandoned some attempt to de-
cipher it had not felt sure that even
if was close to it, it was too much de-
faced by the storms Of ages to be legi-
BILE. feel little doubt, however, about
its having been in the Greek character ;
while on . slab Of stone at the side OF
the spring I found carved the figure Of
lion, which was in good preserva-
ton, and Of which / made sketch.
The sheik was SO impatient to take
me somewhere else that he scarcely al
lowed me time to avail myself Of this
tempting spot to take the refreshment
Of which l stood much in need. He
told me the name Of the place was Umm
Ell Kanatar, or, being interpreted, " the
place Of arches," name evidently de-
rived from its most striking feature, and
he said there was ruin close by. This
turned out to be not hundred yards
distant, and consisted of walls still
standing to height Of about seven feet,
composed Of three courses Of stone,
the blocks averaging about 2 feet
one way by 2 feet s the other, but
being in some instances much larger.
The walls enclosed an area Of about sc
feet by 35, which was covered by q
mass Of ruins, which had been tossed
about in the widest confusion. Itwa
quite evident that it had been the work
Of an earthquake. Six columns, vary.
ing from 10 to IL feet in height, rose
from the tumble masses of building-stone
at every angle. 1t was impossible
without moving the hugo blocks
which incumbered their bases and hid
their pedestals and balanced them in
all sorts Of positions to tell whether
they were in sita or not. The huge
nodded stones which formed the sides
Of the entrance, though still one above
the other, had been shaken out Of posi-.
4 xio~ h,.< <bnw h~ro III A. .l.~t