The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-22
MAGAZINE SECTION.

Athens, May IS, '06.-Before writing
OF the Holy Land, 1 shall devote an
article to the week which we spent
among the LebanOns. While the trip
from Beyrout to Baalbek and Damas-
Gus is included in the advertisement of
Palestine tours, the places visited are
not so intimately connected with Bible
history as those of Judea and Galilee
Beyrout, the seaport for this section
of Syria, has the best harbor to be
found on the east coast of the Mediter-
ranean, and the city is naturally a
place of considerable size and impor-
lance. The population is estimated at
about 10000. and the residence pOr-
ton covers the foothills of the Leb-
anon range. The principal industry is
the production of raw silk, the null
berry groves extending as far as the
eye can reach.
The road from BeyroQt to Baalbek
climbs over the Lebanon range, reach
ing in one place an altitude of about
5000 feet. The view is one of rare
beauty-the winding shore Of the Med
iterranean, the terraced mountain
sides and the snow-clad peaks combine
to form an impressive picture. The
far-famed cedars of Lebanon, some six
teen feet in diameter, still crown the
higher SUBMITS but few of them are
visible from the train. A well-bullt car
riage road follows the same general
course as the railroad, but the latter
now monopoliZes the traffic. The main
line of the railroad runs to Dalnas-
Gus, but in the Beka as the valley or
the Leontes is called at this point,
branch has been built to Raalbek,
where a wonderful temple once stood.
The city was founded so long ago that
hietr lnnc mo- hQ0lnnl1O
Arab tradition peoples this district
with the earliest of the Bible charac-
tiers.
The tower of Babel has been located
at Baalbek by one tradition. While an
other has Cain building fortress
there as a refuge. 1t is certain Indt
the city ranks among the oldest known
10 history, the location being probably
determined by the presence Of a very
large spring whose waters would sup
ply a great population. The name or
the city (but a few thousand inhabit-
ants are TO be found there now midi
Gates that it was the center Of Baal,
or sun, Worship. 1t is believed by
those who have made research that
an ancient temple, built by he Egyp-
tians or PhOenicians, occupied the
ground now covered by the ruins Of
a later temple built by the Romans
II is this latter temple which has
drawn tourists from all over the
world It was begun during the first
century of the Christian era. and the
work upon it continued for more than
goo years II was dedicated 10 Jupiter
and the Sun, the worship or these TWO
deties being combined. The Romans
even adopted the Greek name HeliOp-
oils. for the city, but the Arabic des-
Iosnafion R9alhek has survived
This great temple was laid out upon
an immense scale. First hill was
built. filed with subterranean cham
bers. and upon the massive walls
which separated these chambers the
superstructure was reared. The tent
pie was approached by staircase LOO
feet wide and entered through a hex
agonal court 200 feet in diameter. Next
came the great court, nearly 400 feet
souare with an altar in the center.
Both of these courts were open, but
had broad colonnades around the sides
sIrpOrted by granite pillars brought
from the upper Nile. These colonnades
were ornamented with carvings and
contained two rows of inches, $50 alto
sether formerly occupied by images.
our guide. Mr. About. whose pamphlet
or BaaIbek gives the results of his If
teen years study of the ruins, insists
that the great court was really )an-
theon and contained all of the gods at
that time Worshiped by the conquerors
and by the native population.
The temple of Jupiter must have
been most impressive building. II
stood twenty-six feet above the courts,
and therefore about fifty feet above the
natural level of the ground around. II
measured 80 feet in length, and lOt
in breadth. Its outer wall supported
fifty-four columns Of Corinthian style
each column being seventy feet II