The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-21

mael, the brother or Isaac, who was
sent out into the desert on account
of the jealousy of Sarah, and settled
upon this mighty rock, founding a
nation that was to awe it's contem-
porarles in later times. Hagar, his
mother, had inspired her son with
hatred of all men, for she had been
treated most cruelty. sent out into the
desert with her little boy, and jar
of water and loaf of bread. She
had no love for mankind in her
breast. and her son was noted as n
mighty hunter among men.
IT was to his uncle, Ishmael, that
Esau. the rough and wild brother OF
Jacob, fed when his mother, Rebecca,
made * unpleasant for him at home.
after the fight Of her favorite, Jacob,
who had deceived his brother and his
father, and it is no wonder that Jacob
was afraid, when. after spending
twenty years with his maternal uncle,
Laban. he returned to face the hosts
Of his fierce brother.
But Esau surprised him by his
brotherly feeling, and all went we'll
SO far as he was concerned.
IL was quite otherwise with the car
avans which passed between Egypt
and Assyria, whose main route lay
near the city Of Sela. From its
mighty fortreSSes the hordes came
down in haste and fell upon the treas
ures being transported from one
country to the other, never hesitating
to Stay II they must. and bearing to
their homes the gold, the silk and
wool, the ebony carvings, all that the
merchants might be carrying, or that
sovereigns might be sending from
Egypt to Assyria, and vice versa.
1t Is known from the Tel Amarna
tablets, written in Assyrinn, but dis
covered in Egypt, that the relations
between these great countries were
most intimate. intermarriages be-
tween princes and princesses of both
lands being entered into to preserve
the peace, and many expeditions
passing near the rock-fortress during
each year.
1t was in this way that the Naba-
teams built up nm enormous wealth.
gathering around them the widest,
and ut the same time, the most adj
venturous spirits OF their day, and
preying upon the richest commerce
of their age.
1t is recorded In the Bible as one Of
the great victories Of Amaziah, King
of Jerusalem. in the ninth century
B. c., that he succeeded in conquer
ing the Edomites, captured Sela, the
capital, and cast from 1.-The steep of
the rock" ten thousand captives who
were dashed into pieces on the rocks
below. He gave new name to Sela
at this time, as was the custom, and
it was then known as Jechteel, but
Is not again mentioned by that name
il history.
The reputed wealth stored in Sela
was SO great that 1t attracted the at
tention Of Ambiguous, the Syrian mon
arch, and he sent his general.
Athenes, to take 1t captive 1912 B. C5
There was only one way in which
he could capture this fortress stand
ing as it did hundreds of feet above
the plain, and accessible only by
steep defiles through the rocks, and
that was to watch until the men
were away. This he did, but no
sooner had he taken possession than
the men returned, and, aided by their
better knowledge Of the place, he in
turn was surprised and his entire
force massacred. The Nabateans then
sent magnificent presents to the mon
arch, begging that they be allowed to
continue their commerce and agree
ing to pay heavy tax.
The son of Antigonus, Demetrius
tried, too, to capture Petra, as it was
now called, but he failed miserably,
the tax was no longer paid, and
mighty kingdom was formed once
more under the headship Of the
Nabateans, with Petra as the capital.
1t included all Of what is known as
Arabia Felix and the Hauran, that
part Of Palestine lying east Of the
River Jordan.
The first king of this great power
was Aretas l., who is mentioned in
the book of II. Maccabees, and was
succeeded by three kings Of the same
name, and by other monarchs up to
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