Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1909-09-21

a wall OF perpendicular rocks
varying from four hundred to sew
en- hundred feet in height, which
often overhang to such a degree
that, without their absolutely
meeting, the sky is intercepted
scarcely leaving more light thar
ls in a cavern, for a hundred yard
together. The side of this roman
tic cbasm, from which severa.
small streamlets issue, are clothed
with the tamarisk, the wild fig.
the oleander, and the caper plant
which sometimes hang down fr m
the cliffs and crevices in beautiful
festoons, or grow about the pith
with a luxuriance that almost OBJ
structs the passage. Near the
entrance of the pass bold arch is
thrown across it at a great height.
Whether this was the fragment OF
al aqueduct, or part OF road for
merl y connecting the opposite
cliff, the travellers had no oppor-
5unity of examining; but it's ap-
pearance, as they passed under it,
was terrific; hanging over their
heads between two ragged masses
apparently inaccessible. With
out changing much its general di-
rect:on. this natural defle pre-
sents so many windings in its
curse, that the eye sometimes
cannot penetrate beyond a few pa
ces forward, and is often puzzled
to distinguish in what direction
the passage will open. For nearly
two miles its sides continue to in
crease the height as the path des-
cauds. The solitude is disturbed
by the incessant screaming of
eaglts, hawks, owls and ravens
soaring above in considerable
numbers, apparently amazed at
strangers invading their lonely
habitation. At every step the
scenery discovers new and more
remarkable features; stronger
light begius to break though the
somi re perspective, until at length
the ruins of the city burst on, the
view of the astouishGd TRAVELLED IL
their full grandeur, shut in on
every side by barren, craggy preci-
pices, from which numerous recess
ses and narrow valleys branch cut
in all d!rac ions.
The entire face of the cliffs and
sides of the mountains are cover
ed with an endless variety of eX-
cavated tomhs, private dwellings
and public buildings; presenting
altogether a spectacle to which
nothing perhaps is analogous in
any other part of the world 'It
is impossible" " says traveller,
"to give the reader an idea of the
singular effects Of rocks tlated
with the most extraordinary hues,
whose SUBMITS present nature III
her most savage and romantic
form; While their bases are work
ed out in all the symmetry and
regularity Of art, with colon
nades and pedlments and raUges
of corridors adherlng to the per-
peudicular surface. The inner
and wid-r extremity Of the clroui-
tous defIe by which the city is a T.
preached, is sculpture and exca-
waited in singular manner; and
these become more frequent on
both sides, until at last it has the
appearance Of continued street
Of tombs.
About half way through there
is a single spot, abrupt and pre-
cipitous, whore the area of tEls
natural chasm spreads little and
sweeps into al Irregular circle.
This had been chosen for the site
of the most elaborate, if not the
most extensive, of all these archj-
tnctural monuments. The natives
gave it, the name of Kazr Faraouli, i,
the castle or palace Of Pharaoh.
though it resem bled more the Sc
pulchre than the residence Of q
prince. On its summit is placed
large vase. once furnished ap-
parently with handles of metal,
and supposed by the Arabs, to be
filled with coins; hence they do
nominated this mysterious urn
the treasury of Pharaoh. lis
height and position have m5st
probably hsllled every approach of
avarice or curiosity from above it
;ponLnrod aa ainancnssihla hv thn