Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-07-29
LIE HETRlFlED CITY.
Explorers Have Failed to Find the Fabled
Town.


Explorers Have Failed to Find the Fabled
Town.
Among cities of fable the petrified
variety was interesting. We have
it in most parts of the world. Our
prosaio islands knew it, but as a
submarine curiosity In the days
when London enjoyed the presence
of an ambassador from Tripoli that
parsonage astonishcd the Royal So
ciety once at least. The famous tray
eler, DR.. Shaw, had mentioned the
story of petritied village near
Cyrene. Scientific people derided
it; scientific people upheld it In
short, q discussion arose. Some
members of the Royal society, reool-
lecting that there were grave and
responsible inhabitants OF Irlpoli
within reach, put the question be-
fore the ambassador He explained
with vengeance, One of his
friends, person, of course, whose
honor could not be impugned, was
well acquainted with the spot. Shaw
made great mistake in describing
it us a village. City was the proper
word. The walls Enclosed an exact
circle. numerous streets crossed al
right angles, with shops and ave
nues of trees, and noble castle
stood In the midst. In the shops
and streets were people variously
employed-the gentlemen noted in
especial a baker and his customers,
loaves in hand, "a woman sucking
her baby, etc. lie entered the castle
and found king, or somebody OF
rank, lying on gorgeous bed, With
guards about him. Animals abound
ed, such as donkeys, camels. oxen,
sheep, birds. But everything was
stone of peculiar blush tint, even
the money lying on shop counters
and in peoples hands. Witness
brought quantity away, and the
ambassador regretted that he could
not find some pieces presented 70
himself at the moment. 4 descrip-
ton was forthcoming, however.
The coins were as largo as English
shillings, with ~ horse head on one
side and writing in unknown char.
acters on the other a happy littlc
touch represented that many of the
figures had lost head OF limbs-pet
rifactions will not endure forever,
of course. The Royal society ex-
pressed warm gratitude for this
communication.
It is scarcely worth while to seek
the origin of fable which is sut1i-
ciently explained by the vagaries OF
imagination That it was localized
at Cyrene, among countless other
spots, may be due 90 tho existence
of a large and we'll preserved necrop-
oils there, with many statues erect
in Shaw's time If not now. He him
self made a long and perilous jour
ney to Harnam, in Numidia, where,
as the Arabs avouohed, Bedouin
encampment was on view, surround
ed by oxen and sheep, all turned to
stone. In this instance no shadow
of foundation for the legend could
be found. BUTT was 50 widely diff
fused in those days that rumors OF
the marvel reached the court of
France, and NJ. le Marie, consul at
Tripoli, received instructions to IN
quire. He employed some janiza-
ries, who undertook to bring away
a petrifed Bedouin, but they pointed
out, very reasonably, that a full
grown specimen would be too heavy.
The consul declared that a baby
would satisfy him, to begin with at
any rate. After many months, dur
ing which his interest was kept up
by frequent drafts for expenses, the
ianizaries returned, and. sure
enough, they had a stone baby-a
very pretty one, too, Tor 1t proved
afterward to be q little statue of
Cupid, found among tho ruins OF
Leptis. They had broken off the
wings and culver. Bruce also was
tempted to visit this spot, called
Rai-Sem, and Captain Smyth of her
majesty's ship Adventure won't in
search of 1t, but in another direc-
ton. The sultan of Fezzan told him
a story so much like the elnbassa-
doris that he Travelled, full of hope,
nine days through desert country.
In this case, however, there were
really buildings and bas-reliefs of
mon and animals, if not statues
London Standard.
The National Capital.