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THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
TYKE; 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 PHOENICIA, PALESTINE 
 
 SYRIA, 
 
 to 
 
 .VXD THE FINAL 
 
 & CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL AND JITDAH, 
 
 R. B. BEMENT, 
 
 AUTHOR OP SEVERAL WOSK3 UPON ANCIENT HISTORY, PROPHESY, &C, 
 
 ALTO^S T , ILLINOIS : 
 
 ED BY PARKS & ENNIS, AT THE TELEGRAPH JOB OFFICE. 
 
 i s G s . : 
 
 ^^ 
 
TYSE; 
 
 PHCENICIA, PALESTINE 
 
 1 
 
 SYRIA, 
 
 AND TZS SIHAL 
 
 CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH, 
 
 BY R.- B. BEMENT, 
 
 4.TJTBOB OF SEVERAL WORKS UPON ANCIENT HISTORY, PBOPHBST, *0, 
 
 ALTOJST, ILLINOIS: 
 
 FBINTED BY PASKS & ENJNIS, TELEGRAPH BOOK AND JOB OFFICE. 
 
 1358. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THIS work is one of a series of small works, upon the history of 
 all the . nations referred to in the Sacred Scripture. 
 
 Having visited the places described, for the purpose of qualify- 
 ing myself for Public Lecturing, I have devoted most of my timo 
 to that employment, and could only devote the leisure moments to 
 writing. Knowing that the country, and not the author, was the 
 subject of interest to the reader, I have said but little of myself 
 my feelings, or the incidents by the way except when the same 
 would illustrate the subject of the history or the Bible. I have 
 aimed at accuracy, but, in some instances, writing from memory, 
 may have erred a trifle in figures and measurement. With what- 
 ever of good or ill it may possess, I trust it will be useful to the 
 reader; while it affords me time to prepare a larger and more 
 thorough work upon the history of those lands, so intimately 
 blended with the teachings of the Sacred Scriptures. 
 
 K. B. BEMENT. 
 
INVOCATION ^O CHEONOS. 
 
 Aged Father,, author of ril*fc$$&trial things, 
 
 Lay by thy Scythe and fcl'd'thjjr weary wings ; 
 
 To me relate the scenes that tfaou hast viewed in youth 
 
 Of man'a past history, relive the simple truth. 
 
 When from the Ark the nations spread abroad, 
 
 And some retained, and .some forsook, the worship of their God, 
 
 Who peopled this, and who that part of the laud? 
 
 Who, hating toil, continued iong^a roving band? 
 
 : Why reared they oft such stupendous piles, -, 
 On Indus', or Euphrates' ba ; nksor Moero's Isles? 
 Why Pyramids erected and Celestial observations took,. 
 And in their chambers reduced the heavens to book? 
 
 What wars, rapines, and bloody scenes of strife, 
 Where rival interest clashed, or-angry fueds were rift, 
 What Law, what error, around them did entwine; 
 Why did their customs crush-fche human race divine? 
 
 Thou answerest well, the truthidoth on me shine? 
 With one consent for their own, they left the law divitsj 
 'Tis truth from God, conducts as to the light, 
 He who regards it not must roam in eidtess nighfc. 
 
 With cheerful hope, then to'iny task I go; 
 Not for reward, nor honors here belowj 
 But trust, that as toothers I the truth impart, 
 God's truth will bless, and cheer iny weary heart 
 
EARLY HISTORY 
 
 OF THE DIFFERENT RACES OF HEN, WHO HAVE DWELT IN PALESTINE. 
 
 While Sidon, a grand son of Ham, was building the kingdom of 
 Sidonia, subsequently called Phoenicia, the other descendants of 
 Canaan, migrated lurther southward and spread over the country 
 called Palestine. 
 
 ; When Abraham entered that land the Canaanites were few in 
 number, and the country but thinly settled. He dwelt at Hebron; 
 formed an alliance with some of the natives; rose to be a king, 
 and abounded in wealth, in servants, cattle and munitions of war; 
 but after his death, we do not find that Isaac retained the kingdom, 
 or was pre-eminently rich. 
 
 The Philistines, who dwelt upon the south-west border of Israel, 
 were a distinct race of people from that of the Canaanites. They 
 originated from the shepherd stock, on the plains of the far east, 
 near India. Their religion was that of the east of Assyria. They 
 were ultimately exterminated by the descendants of Jacob. About 
 eighteen hundred years before Christ, the descendants of Abraham 
 were scattered abroad. Ishmael migrated to Arabia Petra. Esau 
 following him, married his daughter, and became merged in the 
 same stock, called Edomites. Abraham's six sons by his second 
 marriage, removed to the far East. Some writers suppose they 
 went to India, and were the ancestors of the Bramans; but it is 
 much more probable that the east to which they went, was on the 
 borders of the Gulf of Ormus, and the Persian Gulf in the eastern 
 part of modern Arabia, and that the inhabitants of the kingdom 
 of Muscat are their descendants. 
 
 Jacob and his children retired into Egypt for nearly four hun- 
 dred years. During that period the Canaanites largely increased 
 in numbers had made great progress in the knowledge of agricul- 
 ture and the arts, and had built many cities. They had formed a 
 number of loosely confederated States, called the tribes of Canaan- 
 ites, among which were the Amorites, descendants of the special 
 friends of Abraham, the Jebuzites, who dwelt at the hill, subsequent- 
 ly called Jerusalem, the Hivite and Hitites, the Gibebnites and 
 Girgashites, It is at this day impossible to define, with accuracy 
 the locality of all these tribes, 
 
The Girgashites dwelt on the east of the Jordon and the Galilee. 
 The splendid ruins of Girash, in Syria, are supposed to occupy the 
 site of one of their ancient cities. 
 
 EARLY HISTORY OP CANAAN. 
 
 About 1450 years B. C. Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jor- 
 dan, and began the couquest of the land of Canaan. While engaged in 
 the work of extermination and division of the land, which occupied 
 about four hundred years, they were ruled by Judges. Their form 
 of government vibrated between anarchy, mobocracy, democracy 
 and military despotism. 
 
 They were manifestly an ignorant people, conducting agricultural 
 pursuits in a very rude manner, and almost entirely unacquainted 
 with arts, manufactures and commerce, until the time of Solomon. 
 
 The most important cities of Israel and Judah, with their history 
 and present condition, are described in a separate article. 
 
 The Phoenicians had fallen into Idolatry. Their principal deity 
 was called by themselves Malcarth; by the Greeks, Hurculese; but 
 by the Israelites and Syrians, Baal. Who and what was the Tyrian 
 God? Idolatry seldom, if ever, springs up at once in all its deform- 
 ity. It begins with the adoration of some departed hero, some hu- 
 man passion, or some lofty thought. The idea embodied in an 
 image, is the symbol of thought. Ultimately the idea degenerates 
 with the multitude into blind, stupid, unmeaning worshipof the idol. 
 The Phoenicians were engaged in manufactures and commerce. 
 The spirit of these enterprises had made them weal'thy, intelligent 
 and brave. This was their Deity. Baal was the spirit of com- 
 mercial enterprise. Hurculese had wrought many wonders and 
 labors. This was the mythology of successful Phoenician adventure. 
 To this God they erected altars, and offered incense in groves, on 
 hills and in sacred places; but until the time of Solomon and Hiram 
 they had no temples. 
 
 Israel also worshiped in tabernacles, and in a building erected 
 over the same at Nob, called the house of the Lord. It was this 
 house, not the temple at Jerusalem, for whose destruction Isaiah 
 mourned. Isaiah, LXV: 11. 
 
 The arrangement between Solomon and Hiram to build the tem- 
 ple at Jerusalem was indeed a pious one. It was in accordance 
 with the Divine command, to build a house unto the Lord. But 
 
[7] 
 
 kXV>XX/-N^X/ 1 
 
 in addition to this, there Was another motive. Solomon was a good 
 man, and inspired, but not pre-eminently good. 
 
 His peculiarity was that ha was a wise man. The only true 
 method of studying the character of Solomon, is in the light o: 
 statesman and political economist. 
 
 When the Lord asked him to choose what he would have, he did 
 not select pre-eminent goodness, but he stated in substance that as 
 he was king over the people, he desired to know how as a statesman 
 he could best advance their interest. Here was his true character 
 and the proper place to study political economy is at the 
 Solomon, whose political principles were from heaven, 
 that in a narrow mountain district, his people, though they ffiigh 
 possibly maintain existence, could not by agriculture alone become 
 wealthy and powerful. His neighbors, the Phoenicians, on a na 
 rower strip of land, had become rich and prosperous, by manufac- 
 tures and commerce. 
 
 Israel must be initiated into all these departments of enterprise. 
 But as yet his people possessed not the requisite knowledge and 
 Skill Solomon's men and Hiram's men are now seen working 
 together on Mount Lebanon, hewing timber and removing it t 
 Tyre Israel was thus learning the art of working in wood, i 
 farming and building; they also quarried stone together. Israel 
 became entered apprentice masons to the Sidonians. 
 
 Next they unitedly build floats at the port of Tyre, and convey 
 the material to Joppa. Israel is being taught navigation, and the 
 art of ship building. Thus was the spirit of commerce infused 
 into Israel. 
 
 We soon after see them engaged in foreign enterprise. "And 
 kin g Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside 
 Eloth on the shore of the Eed Sea, in the land of Edom. And 
 Hiram sent in the navy his servants ship-men, that had knowledge 
 Of the sea, with the servants of Solomon." 1 Kings ix: 26, 27. 
 
 Of the structure of Solomon's temple, nothing definite is now 
 known, except what is recorded in the Sacred Scriptures. Solomon 
 was a courteous gentleman, and disposed to return favor for favor. 
 Having finished the holy temple and his own house, he assisted 
 Hiram of Tyre, to build a temple on the Island, in front of that 
 city, for the worship of the Tyrian God of commerce. He also 
 married the daughter of Hiram. 
 
[8] 
 
 In company with Phoenicians he desired to extend and protect 
 the caravan trade to the Euphrates and the Indus, if not to China. 
 This inland commerce embraced then just what we now call the 
 British East India trade, a trade that has made every nation rich 
 that controlled it. But from Phoenicia and Israel, the caravans 
 must pass through the Territory of the Syrians, whose capital was 
 Damascus. It became therefore necessary to interest that people 
 in these enterprises. One of their States lay between Lebanon and 
 Ante-Lebanon, then called Hamoth, but subsequently Coebosyria. 
 To facilitate and protect that, through that district the temple and 
 city of Baalbec were erected, of which a description is given on 
 another page. Under the protection of this Baal of commerce, the 
 caravans passed through the mountain district, and found their 
 way to the plains of Damascus. 
 
 Here they were met by the great Tyrian Desert, which they 
 must cross. In the center of that Desert was a fountain of water, 
 around which stood some stately palms. Here Solomon and his 
 confederates built the city of Tadmore or Palmyra, here the cara- 
 vans could find shelter, refreshment and repose, "For Solomon built 
 Baalath and Tadmore in the wilderness." 1 Kings, ix: 18. 
 
 Commerce next to the direct preaching of the gospel, is, and ever 
 has been, the great power to sheath the sword and prevent war, 
 and promote the peace, happiness and prosperty, of all parties in- 
 terested therein. The exchange of nations, is the wealth and 
 prosperity of nations. It may need regulating, but its moral 
 power can not well be dispensed with. When a nation manufac- 
 tures and produces all it needs, and has no exchange with others, 
 it must of necessity deteriorate, become foolish, conceited, stagnant 
 and ripe, to be destroyed. 
 
 Their isolation is the provocative cause of war, while exchange 
 promotes mutual interest and mutual good will. Solomon, by 
 Divine wisdom saw all this, and profited by it. What were the 
 results? First peace with all nations. The name of Solomon signifies 
 peace, and in his reign there was no war. 
 
 Not only the three confederates, Israel, Phoenicia and Syria, but 
 all the wide world, were lulled into profound tranquility. The 
 second result was prosperity. Wealth as a consequence of exchange, 
 poured into the lap of all these nations, for Solomon made gold and 
 silver abound in Jerusalem, like the stones of the streets. Phoenicia 
 was not less prosperous, and Damascus grew in treasure. Had not 
 
Solomon given an apparent sanction to idolatry, his temple build- 
 ing for the benefit of commerce might not have been censurable. 
 In the temple erected by Solomon, in Jerusalem, we are told he 
 caused to be wrought upon the pillars, Lilys, Pomegranates and 
 Net-work. 
 
 From Egypt, Palestine may be visited by three different routes. 
 The first, and by far the most fatiguing and most dangerous, with 
 Borne interesting advantage, is the one traversed by the Israelites 
 under Moses, by the Eed Sea, Mount Sinai, and Petra. By this 
 route we can enter Canaan, by way of Hebron, or, going further 
 east, come in by the Dead Sea and the Jordan. 
 
 The second route is by the short Desert of Suez, called in Scrip- 
 ture Shur. This is the route traveled unnumbered times by hostile 
 armies, invading or retreating from Egypt. 
 
 This leads us past the ruins of Eaphia, famous for the great bat- 
 tle between Ptolemy and Antiochus the great, which occurred 
 about 217 B. C. From the ruins of Eaphia we enter Palestine, at 
 Gaza, in the south-west. The third is the quickest, and by far the 
 least fatiguing route. 
 
 We can take a steamer at Alexandria, cross the great sea diagon- 
 ally, and land at Beyroot, in Syria, and thus enter Palestine from 
 the north. 
 
 This being the route of our travel, the scenery and history will 
 be described somewhat in the order of succession from this point. 
 
 Beyroot is now the most important sea-port on the eastern side 
 of the Mediterranean, as Smyrna is on the north-east. It is a town 
 of perhaps twenty-five thousand inhabitants; Syrians, Druzes, 
 Arabs, Christians, and Jews. It is the head-quarters of the Syrian 
 Mission. It is doing a thriving business in Syrian commerce, and 
 has absorbed almost entirely the trade that once flourished at Tyre, 
 Sidon, Cesarea, and other ports. The harbor at Beyroot is toler- 
 ably good, and the city presents a fine appearance from the sea. 
 Her police regulations are, in some respects, needlessly vexatious. 
 Although every human being on board the steamer La Bey was in 
 good health, there was a legal presumption, that as she had come 
 from a port in Egypt, her passengers might have the plague. 
 
 On this account a strict, and in most cases a useless, quarantine 
 2 
 
[10] 
 
 is maintained. All must go in a place of close confinement, not so 
 comfortable as the cells in the prison-houses of this country. Forty- 
 eight hours we were required to remain here upon a p'allet of straw; 
 our food being passed to us through a grated door. At the close of 
 this penance we were required to pay the rent of our involuntary 
 place of abode, with enormous charges for every item of comfort 
 we were permitted to enjoy, and a fee to the physician for not being 
 sick. There may be seasons when these sanitary measures are 
 needful, but ordinarily they are enforced for no other purpose 
 than to favor a few officials who subsist upon what they can extort 
 from travelers, and the government winks at this extortion. 
 
 The following description of Beyroot and its environs, is taken 
 from a missionary paper : 
 
 As you approach Beyroot in the steamer from the west, the 
 mountain range stretching far to the north and south, presents the 
 appearance only of immense, rugged masses of naked, whitish 
 rock, severed by deep, wild ravines, and running precipitously into 
 the very sea. It is this whitish appearance which gives to it its 
 name of Lebanon, which signifies, in the Hebrew, the White Motfn- 
 tain. Nor, when you have landed, do you perceive, except in the 
 confined plain of Beyroot, any more signs of cultivation or of in- 
 habitants; the steep, bare, rocky rampart, rises up before you as 
 far as the eye can reach, gaining a frequent elevation of ten thou- 
 sand feet, and sometimes piercing into the region of eternal snows. 
 When you start for the summit, however, you find, to your delight, 
 that it is not an uninterrupted ascent that you are obliged to make, 
 but you are meeting with a constant succession of valleys, higher 
 and still higher up, and mostly running parallel with the coast. 
 These valleys teem with villages; for in the east people do not live 
 in scattered houses, but ten, twenty, or more families cluster to- 
 gether and form a village or town. By means of terraces, con- 
 structed with great labor and covered with soil, almost every avail- 
 able foot of land is brought under a high state of cultivation. The 
 numerous population, as may well be supposed, is hardy, industri- 
 ous and brave. As this cultivation is carried on almost to the very 
 summit of the mountain, a great variety of productions, as well as 
 of climate, is found within the narrow range of thirty miles from 
 the coast. Figs, grapes, olives, the mulberry, flocks and herds 
 abound. During the greater part of the year, the mulberry tree 
 clothe the prospects in every direction with a most delightful ver- 
 
dure. The culture of silk, of which immense quantities are thus 
 raised, is one of the chief employments of the inhabitants. Bey- 
 root is pleasantly situated, on the western side of a large bay, in 
 33 49 north latitude. Its houses are built of mud, and of a soft 
 sandy crumbling stone; and are dark, damp and inconvenient. 
 The streets are narrow, gloomy, and laid with stones, which rather 
 serves as stepping-stones in wet weather, than answer for a pave- 
 ment. One-third of the population, which numbers not far from 
 twenty thousand, and is increasing, reside in the gardens and or- 
 chards which surround the city, and give to its environs an aspect 
 of great verdure and beauty. It is in these environs, on the hills 
 to the south of the city, that the houses of the missionaries are 
 situated. The prospects which they command is very grand. To 
 the north the eye takes the whole bay, to the point near Nahhar 
 Ibraheem. To the right the mighty wall of Lebanon rises in indes- 
 cribable majesty, with one of its loftiest summits, Jebel Sunnin, in 
 full view, lo is to the north of this summit, a distance of six or 
 eight hours, that is to say of fifteen or twenty miles, that the cele- 
 brated cedar grove of Lebanon is to be found. Abeih is about fif- 
 teen miles south from Beyroot. It is delightfully situated, in a 
 valley, about half way up one of the highest parts of Mount Leb- 
 anon. From a hill back of it, in the direction of Bhamboom, 
 higher up the same valley, twenty-one villages may be counted. 
 Sidon, at a short distance, has a noble appearance, standing out 
 boldly into the sea, on rather high ground, and embosomed in trees. 
 It contains not far from six thousand inhabitants. The houses on 
 the eastern side, which are distinguished for their size and height, 
 are built directly on the wall, so as to constitute a part of it. At 
 this point the mountains, which are of a much lower elevation than 
 further north, begin to recede from the coast, and leave a narrow 
 plain, which just before reaching Tyre, a distance of about thirty 
 miles, has become a mile in width. 
 
 A road not a broad carriage road like those in this country, but 
 a narrow, rocky path, along which often only a single line of don- 
 keys or horses can pick their way inclining slightly towards the 
 south, leads from Sidon to Hashbeiya. In passing along this road, 
 you leave Mount Lebanon; cross the Leontes, which flows through 
 a valley of great fertility and indescribable beauty, about ten miles 
 in width, and more than a hundred in length, lying between the 
 peaks of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon; pass over a narrow 
 
[12] 
 
 range of hills, which separates the valley of the Leontes from that 
 of the Jordan, and begin to ascend the southern extremity of 
 Mount Hermon. Here is Hashbeiya, overhanging a narrow glen, 
 which, coming down from the mountain, enters the valley just be- 
 low the point where a copious fountain pours forth one of the 
 streams of the Jordan. The city contains about six thousand in- 
 habitants, mostly mechanics and petty merchants. The inhabi- 
 tants of Mount Lebanon are more than 200.000, all of the Arab 
 race, and speaking a language which is used by 60,000,000 people. 
 
 From Beyroot our company moved southward on mules and 
 camels about five miles, and the sky being clear, we encamped in 
 the open air under a grove of mulberry, although at a short distance 
 was a khan where we might have found shelter. 
 
 The next day we pushed on toward Sidon. On our right rolled 
 the waves of the wide, wide sea, dashing furiously upon the sandy 
 beach. On our left were the spurs of Mount Lebanon, now ap- 
 proaching quite to the sea, compelling us to ride along the beach, 
 and at times in the water. 
 
 Now again the hills and mountains recede further from the shore, 
 the intervening space furnishing plains for the cultivation of grain. 
 Up the mountain slopes were to be seen, pastures, and flocks of 
 Syrian sheep ; vineyards, and orchards with various kinds of fruit. 
 
 Here and there, villages adorned the hillsides, which at a distance 
 appeared attractive, but a nearer approach diminished their beauty. 
 
 In the afternoon we entered the famous city of Sidon, and took 
 np our lodgings in the khan, which is said once to have been a 
 French factory. Like some large buildings in the East, it is in the 
 form of a hollow square, with a fountain in the center. It is about 
 a hundred. and fifty feet in extent on each side. This khan was 
 erected about a hundred and fifty years ago, by the famous Emir or 
 prince of the Druzes, Fakhr Ed Din who was a great patron of 
 European commerce. The modern town of Saida is not on the pre- 
 cise spot of the ancient city. It is upon elevated ground, and com- 
 mands a fine view of the sea. It contains about five thousand in- 
 habitants, who are industrious, and enjoying a moderate degree of 
 prosperity, but their agriculture and silk manufacturing is not 
 
[13] 
 
 conducted with either skill or economy. The harbor where once 
 the proud ships rode in safety, is so shallow from the sand washed 
 up by the sea, that only a few small crafts can come into port. Her 
 products are chiefly sent to the greater market at Beyroot. In the 
 rear of the site of the ancient city, are a number of ancient tombs, 
 but on the locality itself there are few objects of interest, except an 
 occasional broken piece of architecture, indicating its former exis- 
 tance. Dr. Eobinson thus accurately describes this place and its 
 vicinity. "The beauty of Saida consists in its gardens and its orch- 
 ards, of fruit trees which fill the plain and extend to the foot of the 
 mountains. 
 
 The city, and tract around it, are abundantly supplied with wa- 
 ter by aqueducts and channels, which conduct it from the Awly 
 and other small streams, as they issue from the mountains. 
 
 The environs exhibit everywhere a luxuriant verdure. The 
 fruits of Saida are esteemed the finest of the country, among them 
 are pomegranates, apricots, figs, almonds, oranges, lemons, and 
 plums, which grow in such abundance, as to furnish annually 
 several ship-loads for export." 
 
 Several important prophesies relate to Sidon, which its history 
 has verified. Isaiah says, of her future destiny, "Be thou ashamed 
 O Zidon, for the sea hath spoken, the strength of the sea saying, I 
 travail not, nor bring forth children." The absence of commerce 
 from her harbor, is a fair comment on this passage. 
 
 Ezekiel, in the xxvm chapter 22d and 23d verses, thus prophesies 
 against Sidon: "Thus, saith the Lord God, I am against thee, O 
 Zidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of thee for I will send 
 into her pestilence, and blood into her streets, and the wounded 
 shall be judged in the midst of her, by the sword upon every side." 
 
 Sidon, in common with all Phoenicia, and many other countries, 
 became tributary to Babylon, about 575 B. C., and in the fall of 
 that empire, passed under the dominion of the Persians in 538. 
 The Persian government, unstable at home, was often severe and 
 oppressive upon its dependencies. About 352, one Ochus, also 
 called Artaxerxes the third, sat on the throne. He was ambitious 
 to subdue a revolt that had been started in Egypt. Tired of the 
 arbitrary and uncertain administration of the Persian monarch, 
 the Phoenicians revolted, just as Ochus was about engaging in the 
 Egyptian expedition. The route of his army was directly through 
 Phoenicia. An alliance was formed between the Egyptians and the 
 Phoenicians to resist the Persians. 
 
[14] 
 
 Nectantebus wns at that time the king of Egypt. He had in his 
 service one Mentor, a distinguished general, a native of the Isle of 
 Ehodes, whom he sent with four thousand troops to Sidon. The 
 Phoenician and Egyptian army met those of Ochus, composed of 
 Syrian and Lician forces on the confines of Syria, and defeated the 
 royal troops, driving them entirely out of Phcenecia. 
 
 Persia was,*at the same time, engaged in a war with a revolted 
 province in Asia Minor. Just about the same time, the inhabitants 
 of the Isle of Cyprus, which had been tributary to Persia, rebelled, 
 thus throwing upon Ochus three wars at once. 
 
 Ochus now set out in person to conquer Egypt, expecting, of 
 course, that the first struggle would be in Phoenicia, where his gene- 
 rals had lately been defeated. He entered the land with an army 
 of 300,000 foot, and 30,000 horsemen. 
 
 Meritor was at Sidon with the Egyptian and Grecian allies, in all 
 only a few thousand men. Alarmed at the approach of so great an 
 army, he immediately planned to surrender treacherously the city 
 and people into the hands of the enemy. 
 
 Tennes, the then king of Sidon, engaged in the same treason, 
 having received a promise of great reward. The Sidonians, not 
 suspecting treachery, prepared for defense as Ochus approached. 
 They burned their own ships, the better to stimulate their men to 
 fight by cutting off all hope of retreat a device often practiced, 
 but never with good results. When in the midst of the struggle 
 the Sidonians found themselves betrayed, many of them shut them- 
 selves up in their houses, which were set on fire, and they were 
 burned with all their treasures. Forty thousand men, besides wo- 
 men and children perished in this way. 
 
 When Ochus had gained possession of Sidon, having no further 
 use for king Tennes, he put him to death, as he deserved. 
 
 Thus we see how little of honesty, or truth, remains in the 
 breast of the conqueror when his ends are accomplished. The king 
 of Sidon merited his fate, but not at the hand of the Persian. 
 
 At that time Sidon was very rich. The gold and silver being 
 melted, mingled^with the ashes of the desolate city. These cinders, 
 Ochus sold to purchasers, who sifted out the precious metals. All 
 Phoenicia terrified at the fate of Sidon, and the treachery of its king, 
 submitted to the Persians. 
 
 About twenty years after these events, Alexander the great passed 
 triumphantly along this coast. Sidon had partially regained her 
 
[15] 
 
 former glory. She opened her gates and received the Macedonian 
 hero, who treated her kindly at the time that his terrible wrath fell 
 so heav^y upon Tyre. About sixty -five years before the birth of 
 Christ, all Phoenicia and Syria became subject to the Eomans, under 
 whose favor, Sidon became again an opulent city, whose flourishing 
 trade continued until some centuries after the Christian era. It is 
 noted in the New Testament, for the visits of Jesus Christ and the 
 apostle Paul. 
 
 Centuries rolled on, when the Crusade wars raged between 
 Christians of the west and Saracens of the East. Sidon was alter- 
 nately in the possession of the opposite parties, each of whom strove 
 to desolate the city. From about fourteen hundred to seventeen 
 hundred it remained in ruins, and of litle note, until FakhrEd Din 
 revived its ancient commerce, committing its trade chiefly into the 
 hands of the French, and built for their benefit the khan already 
 described. In 1791, Pasha Jezzar expelled the French, since which 
 time the commerce of Sidon has been but the limited Caravan trade 
 of the Syrian Arabs. 
 
 TYRE. 
 
 Another days travel of twenty-five miles brought us across the 
 Leontes, on whose bank we encamped near the ruins of Tyre. The 
 modern town of Sur answers to Tyre, although not on the same 
 spot. It is a place of about one thousand inhabitants, who subsist 
 by agriculture, the cultivation and preservation of fruits, and by 
 fishing. 
 
 Their trade and commerce is gone. The ancient city'is desolate, 
 according to the word of the Lord, by Ezekiel. 
 
 A portion of the ruins of Tyre are submerged in the sea. Out 
 of the deep rise masses resembling castles, towers, and chimneys, 
 whose base have been inundated by the action' of the water. 
 
 Other portions of the once harbor are now filled with sand, lying 
 high and dry above the sea. A part of the ruins are upon dry 
 land, surrounded by the surf-beaten sands. In one place there re- 
 mains part of an arched-building, which, if restored, would make a 
 grand hall. This may have been the famous temple of Hercules, 
 reared by Solomon and Hiram for the worship of that deity, and 
 partially destroyed some seven hundred years afterward, by Alex- 
 ander the Great. Many fragments of the rich architecture lie 
 strown around; among others, caps, pillars, and cornices, with an 
 
[16] 
 f 
 
 occasional mutilated specimen of that peculiar and enigmatical 
 work, the Lily, the Pomegranate, and the Net- work. 
 
 THE FOUNTAINS. 
 
 Eas El Ain is a place worthy of notice. Far in the rear of Tyre, 
 in some unknown arcana, is a fountain of water which is conveyed 
 by invisible channels into this vicinity, and discharges into three 
 cisterns or reservoirs on the south of Tyre. One of these is about 
 three hundred yards from the sea, and the others a little further 
 distant. The one, first named, is of an octagonal form, and is sixty 
 feet in diameter. It is about twenty-seven feet above the ground. 
 The water within, is more than forty feet deep. The material of 
 this cistern is gravel and cement, so compact as to make it appear 
 like one entire vessel of rock. Into this cistern, as well as the 
 other two, so large a quantity of water pours, that the aqueduct 
 leading from them not only supplies the city, but also propels four 
 mills for grinding corn. This aqueduct leads northward about 
 three miles, then, near a small mount, on which stands a mosque, 
 turning westward it passes into the town. When, by whom, or in 
 what manner this mysterious aqueduct, with its secret supplies, 
 was constructed, is now unknown. Tradition refers them to Solo- 
 mon, king of Israel; but Maundrell thinks this can not be true. 
 
 He says that "they could not be built till since Alexander's time, 
 because the aqueduct which conveys the water hence to Tyre, is 
 carried over the neck of land by which Alexander, in his famous 
 siege of this place, joined the city to the continent. 
 
 And as the cisterns can not well be imagined to be more ancient 
 than the aqueduct, so we may be sure that the aqueduct can not be 
 older than the ground it stands upon." This argument is not en- 
 tirely conclusive; the cisterns and fountain, with their secret chan- 
 nel, may be older than the aqueduct, the water being conveyed 
 into the city by some other means. 
 
 Again, it is not absolutely certain that the point of the peninsula, 
 over which the aqueduct passes, is precisely the one constructed by 
 Alexander. By whomsoever constructed, such a secret supply of 
 water would have been of great utility in the long and terrible 
 seiges of Tyre, by Shallmanesser and Nebuchadnezer. 
 
 THE LADDER OF TYKE. 
 
 South of Tyre, a spur of mountains approach near the sea, form- 
 ing an abrupt elevation, called by the Romans, from its white chalky 
 
[17] 
 
 appearance, Promontorium Album. No natural road could have 
 passed this point, but, by the patient labor of man; broad steps 
 have been cut in the solid rock, leading up to the top of the emi- 
 nence. They are called the Ladder of Tyre, and are said to have 
 been constructed by the soldiers of Alexander while besieging this 
 city. This elevated point commands a fine view southward of the 
 lands of,Israel, and northward of the plains of Phoenicia, with the 
 mountains of Lebanon in the rear. 
 
 JEAN DE ACEE AND MOUNT CAEMEL. 
 
 Some thirty -five miles, or one and a half day's ride south of Tyre, 
 stands the town of Acre, on the north of the Bay Acre, called by 
 the natives Keifa. It is naturally well adapted to become a strong 
 fortress, which has been improved by art: It has ever been deemed 
 a place of great military importance, and a key to that part of Pal- 
 estine. A city was built here about 280 B. C. by the Sc!eneids3, 
 called Ptolemais, which name it retained until the Mohamedan 
 domain in Palestine. For a time the court of Syria resided in this 
 city. Here reigned the elder Syrian Cleopatra. Under Turkish 
 rule it has enjoyed a share of Syrian commerce, but has experienced 
 many of the misfortunes attendant upon war. In November, 1840, 
 the English, then at war with Mahomet Ali, blew up the town, 
 dashed to pieces mosques, houses, and walls, and almost instantane- 
 ously slew two thousand of the Pasha's soldiers. The city is in 
 process of repair, but still has a shattered appearance. Acre prob- 
 ably contains above 10,000 inhabitants, employed in mercantile 
 pursuits, manufacturing cotton, preparing oil, fishing and begging. 
 
 Passing around to the head of the bay to the east of the town, we 
 cross the river Belus, a small stream, perhaps fifty yards broad; then 
 moving southward along the coast, after some two hours' ride, we 
 crossed the river Kishon, near its outlet into the sea. This stream, 
 so distinguished in the song of Deborah, drains all the west part of 
 the valley of Esdrselon. At times it is a mighty flood, and sweeps 
 away every thing in its course at other times it is but an insigni- 
 ficant rill. It is called by the Arabs Nahor Morkato, or the stream 
 of blood, in allusion to the slaughter of the priests of Baal by Elijah 
 at this place. 
 3 
 
[18] 
 
 Immediately south of the Kishon, we meet a range of mountains, 
 which bound the great valley on the south, and terminates abruptly 
 at the sea coast by a premonitory called 
 
 MOUNT CARMEL. 
 
 Here Elijah bowed himself and prayed for rain, while his servant 
 went and looked towards the sea, until a cloud no bigger than a 
 man's hand appeared, and gave assurance of an abundance of rain. 
 At its base was the test between the prophets of Baal and the one 
 lone prophet of the God of Israel. This was not the Carmel of 
 David's adventure with Nabal and Abigal. Carmel is crowned with 
 a monastery said to have cost one hundred thousand dollars, where 
 a number of monks spend their time in cultivating grapes, in en- 
 tertaining travelers, and in devotion. It is claimed that the altar 
 of worship stands upon the exact spot where the prophet Elijah 
 knelt and prayed. The top of Carmel is barren, while the sides are 
 adorned with vineyards and olive trees. Toward the sea the moun- 
 tain terminates abruptly, giving a contour to the whole mountain 
 resembling a human head facing the sea; and thus by its barren 
 tops and bushy sides, verifying the name Carmel, or bald head. 
 
 Passing from the mountains and journeying along the coast south- 
 ward, about two days' journey, brought us to the ruins of 
 
 C^SAREA. 
 
 Along the rugged coast of Israel anciently stood a stronghold or 
 fortress, above it was a tower, said to have been built by one Strata, 
 hence sometimes called Strato's tower. This place fell in the terri- 
 tory of the tribe of Mannessah, and was the chief port of the king- 
 dom of Israel. Under Herod it received the name of Caesarea, in 
 honor of Augustus Caesar. To this place Paul was sent to escape 
 the Jews. Here he delivered his great speech before king Agrippa. 
 From this port he sailed a prisoner to Rome. Csesarea was deso- 
 lated in the time of the Crusade war, since which it has been a 
 place of little importance; large masses of ruins still remain, as 
 tombstones of the ancient city. Little of interest, except these 
 ruins, now remains at Csesarea. It is called by the Arabs Kairsar- 
 ich. 
 
[19] 
 
 JOPPA. (JAFFA.) 
 
 Another day's ride brought us to this renowned place, once the 
 port of Judea. In the Greek mythology Joppa was connected with 
 the fate of Andromedea. The Jews had a tradition that upon this 
 coast were found the bones of the great fish that swallowed Jonah. 
 The city is called Jaffa. It is situated upon an elevation command- 
 ing a view of the harbor and the sea. The slope of the hill descends 
 from the sea, and the whole city is surrounded by a wall. The in- 
 habitants, who are about six thousand in number, are engaged in 
 agriculture, the manufacture of olive oil, wine, and raisins. Great 
 quantities of oranges and melons are raised in this vicinity. For 
 several miles in the rear of Joppa the face of the country is level, 
 and abounds with groves of fruit trees and well cultivated fields. 
 Just at the foot of the hills is a narrow border of land, covered with 
 large, black boulders of rock. A tradition exists among the natives 
 to this effect; that in ancient times, the prophet Elijah caused a great 
 famine, and when the drouth was at the extremest severity he came 
 to Joppa. Here he begged of the inhabitants a watermelon to 
 quench his thirst; but they being offended at him for causing the 
 drouth, refused his request. For this inhospitality, he became en- 
 raged, cursed the whole field, and turned all their melons into 
 hardheads. 
 
 By the action of the sea, the harbor and the coast are filled with 
 sand, to such a degree that large vessels cannot approach it. For 
 this reason the commerce of Joppa is very limited, and its ancient 
 importance lost. 
 
 A missionary establishment purely for agricultural improvement 
 has been established at Jaffa, which is exerting a very beneficial in- 
 fluence upon the country. 
 
 Leaving Jaffa we rode along amid luxuriant groves and well 
 cultivated fields for several miles; at length passing Elijah's Water 
 Melons, we began to ascend the hills. 
 
 Traveling nearly east, alternately ascending and descending and 
 crossing several small rivulets, we encamped at Eamla, supposed by 
 some writers to be the Emaus of the Bible. Next morning we 
 passed the foot of the hill on whose side stands an old edifice which 
 is reputed to have been the tomb of Samuel. 
 
[20] 
 
 How exciting and peculiar are the emotions on beholding that city 
 whose varied history is so intimately blended with things sacred 
 and profane a place of piety, devotion and holy worship a place 
 of murders, treason and rebellion of the bloody wars of Jews, 
 Babylonians, Persians, Syrians, Egyptians, Eomans, Mahomedans 
 and Crusaders. But our emotions cannot be written, they must be 
 experienced to be known, and the greater our acquaintance with 
 the history of these events, the more lively are our emotions on be- 
 holding this sacred place. On approaching the city, we were in- 
 formed that before entering we must submit to a rigid quarantine 
 of five days; so for the time, we turned our attention to other objects 
 of interest, among which were the cities of Bethlehem and Hebron, 
 and the temple. We may safely infer that this secret passage from 
 the Temple to the country was known to the kings and high-priests 
 of Judah, although a secret to others, and that by this way Zedeki- 
 ah made his escape when the city was so closely beseiged by the 
 King of Babylon. 
 
 BETHLEHEM. 
 
 Journeying from Joppa toward Jerusalem, we passed quite to 
 the north of this place. On an elevation, our attention was directed 
 to a group of buildings seen in the distance, which we were told 
 was the city of David. Subsequently we visited this place and 
 Hebron. Passing along through a valley, shaded by two round- 
 topped hills, we came suddenly in view of Bethlehem, situated 
 upon the top of a hill in front of us. .The light of the declining 
 day shone directly upon the hill-side, giving it an attractive ap- 
 pearance. Toiling up the hill-side, we entered the city, and repos- 
 ed for the night. I was, for a time, absorbed in the solemn reflec- 
 tion, that from the hill-top went forth He that was the light of the 
 world, whose light is yet to enlighten the Gentiles to the end of 
 the earth. 
 
 At an early hour in the morning, I was up to view the landscape. 
 All around were hills and dales, forcibly reminding us of the Bible 
 appellation, the hill country of Judea. As the early light of the 
 morning, streaming from beyond the Dead Sea, and over the hills, 
 fell upon the town, it seemed to be shrouded in a mantle of glory, 
 

 [21] 
 
 while the vales beneath our feet were still wrapped in the shadows 
 of night. I felt more forcibly the impressions of the preceding 
 evening, that this was the city of light the light separating from 
 darkness, for the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness com- 
 prehendeth it not. On every hand are mountains, with iuterven- 
 ing fertile valleys, which" give to the surrounding country the 
 name Ephrata, signifying bread, equivalent to goodness. How 
 beautiful the variegated prospect; how expressive its name! Beth- 
 lehem, light of the Lord; Ephrata, goodness, Bread of Eternal 
 Life. Were not these names prophetic? From this hill, among 
 these valleys, was to proceed He that was the Light of Eternal 
 Wisdom, the Light of the World, and the goodness of the Lord in 
 giving us the Bread of Eternal Life. He was full of grace and 
 Truth. 
 
 Bethlehem is situated upon a hill, seven or eight miles, a little 
 west of south, from Jerusalem, and contains about four thousand 
 inhabitants, mostly Christians, Latins, Greeks, and Armenians. It 
 is, indeed, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid; but its elevated 
 position prevents it from having a natural supply of water. That 
 indispensable element of life is brought to Bethlehem, as well as 
 Jerusalem, by aqueducts from pools in the mountains south-east of 
 this place, on our route to Hebron. The principal objects of curi- 
 osity are the tomb of Eachel, probably genuine, and the alleged 
 convent of the nativity, probably a pious fraud. 
 
 The incidents in the history of Bethlehem, though few, are ex- 
 ceedingly interesting. Here the little lad Benjamin was born. 
 Here Rachel died, and was buried in the tomb still bearing her 
 name. In the partition of 'the country, this vicinity fell to the 
 tribe of Judah, and the cityj||ras called Bethlehem. To this place 
 returned ISTaomi with her faithful daughter Ruth, from Moab, where 
 she and her family had been driven by famine. Here dwelt Boaz 
 and Jesse. In the vale below David tended his little flock, while 
 his elder brethren were defending the country against the Philis- 
 tines. From these hill-sides came forth the lion and the bear to 
 devour his sheep. Here the valiant boy defended his charge, and 
 this nerved his arm and his mind for his future career, in govern- 
 ing, defending and instructing his people. It was in Bethlehem that 
 a certain Levite, of Mount Ephraim. went to recover his runaway 
 wife, with whom, on his return, he met with such rough treatment 
 
[22] 
 
 from the inhospitable Benjaminites, out of which grew a civil war, 
 which well nigh exterminated the offending tribe. 
 
 Here the Savior of the world made his first appearance. Here 
 the light of angels' wings shone out on that night, and the songs 
 of heaven broke through the arch above, and re-echoed among 
 these hills and vales: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
 peace and good will to men. Over this hill stood the star, that 
 guided the wise men of the east to the cradle of Him who was the 
 Wisdom of God. 
 
 Here, incited by jealousy, Herod caused the slaughter of the 
 babes, whose terrible fate is poetically described as disturbing the 
 slumbers of Eachel in her tomb; for in Eamah was there a voice 
 heard Eachel mourning for her children, and would not be com- 
 forted because they were not. 
 
 THE POOLS. 
 
 South-east of Bethlehem we come to a narrow, stony valley, 
 hemmed in between ragged, rocky hills. On the side of the hill 
 which overhangs the valley is a reservoir, or fountain of water, hid- 
 den in the bowels of the mountains. The water first issues through 
 an orifice, and, running a few yards, drops into a stone chamber 
 beautifully arched above. The chamber is forty-five feet long, and 
 twenty-four feet wide. Another singular room is in connection 
 with this. From these fountains the water pursues a subterranean 
 course about three hundred feet south-east to the first pool, from 
 thence connecting with the second and third. These pools are in 
 the hill-side, having natural rocky bottoms, and are built of ce- 
 ment of great strength and durability. There are steps for des- 
 cending into the pools. The first, or upper pool, is three hundred 
 and eighty feet long; at the east end, two hundred and thirty-six 
 feet; and at the west end, two hundred and twenty feet wide, and 
 twenty-five feet deep. Descending the hill irregularly, some two 
 hundred feet, we come to the second pool, which is four hundred 
 and ninety -three feet, at the east end two hundred and fifty, and 
 at the west one hundred and sixty feet wide, and thirty-nine feet 
 deep.* Some two hundred and forty feet further to the south-east, 
 
 *The tomb of Moses is unknown, but the traveler slakes his thirst 
 at the well of Jacob. The gorgeous palace of the wisest of mon- 
 
[23] 
 
 and a few feet lower, stands the third pool, which is five hundred 
 and eighty-two feet long, and at the east end two hundred and 
 seven feet, and at the west one hundred and forty-eight feet wide, 
 and fifty feet deep. These great reservoirs supply with water the 
 cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem although many miles distant. 
 Tradition refers their construction to King Solomon. I have 
 been unable to find any thing in the Bible to confirm that tra- 
 dition. 
 
 HEBRON. 
 
 This ancient city of the Israelites was situated about fifteen 
 miles south by south-west of Jerusalem, and about eight miles 
 south of Bethlehem. Leaving the city of David, the narrow road 
 leads us occasionally in sight of ruined towns and khans, and a few 
 modern villages. Alternately descending and ascending the hills, 
 we arrive at an elevation which furnishes an extensive prospect. 
 
 archs, with the cedar, and gold, and ivory, and even the Temple 
 of Jerusalem, hallowed by the visible glory of the Deity himself, 
 are gone; but Solomon's reservoirs are as perfect as ever. Of the 
 ancient architecture of the holy city, not one stone is left upon 
 another; but the pool of Bethesda commands the pilgrim's rever- 
 ence to the present day. The columns of Persepolis are mouldering 
 into the dust; but its cisterns and aquaducts remain to challenge 
 our admiration. The golden house of Nero is a mass of ruins, but 
 the Aqua Claudia still pours into Rome its limpid streams. The 
 temple of the Sun at Tadmor in the wilderness has fallen; but its 
 fountains sparkles as freely in his rays as when thousands of wor- 
 shippers thronge4 its lofty colonades. 
 
 It may be that London will share the fate of Babylon, and 
 nothing be left to mark its site, save the mounds of crumbling 
 brickwork; but the Thames will continue to flow as it does now. 
 -And if any work of art should still rise over the deep ocean of 
 time, we may well believe that it will be neither palace nor temple, 
 but some vast reservoir. And if the light of any should still flash 
 through the mist of antiquity, it will probably be that of the man 
 who, in his day, sought the happiness of his fellow men rather 
 than glory, and linked his memory to some great work of national 
 utility and benevolence. This is the glory which outlives all other, 
 and shines with undying lustre from generation to generation, im- 
 parting to its work something of its own immortality, and in some 
 degree rescuing therefrom the ordinary monuments of historical 
 tradition of more magnificence. Buffalo Christian Advocate. 
 
[24] 
 
 Far away to the west we behold the fertile plains of ancient Phil- 
 listia, and part of the famous valley of Sharon. Beyond this we 
 catch glimpses of the Great Sea. To the south of us rise the 
 mountains of Northern Arabia, the habitation of Esau and Ishmael. 
 Behind us, but not visible, are Bethlehem and Jerusalem. To the 
 east, rise the irregular mountains that separate us from the Dead 
 Sea. Here Abraham may have stood when he saw over these 
 peaks the column of smoke ascending like a furnace from the des- 
 truction of Sodom. Directly in front of us is a valley narrowing 
 towards the south. This is the Eschol of the time of Joshua, and 
 from this vicinity were borne grapes by the two faithful spies to 
 the camp of Israel, which could not have been far south of Hebron. 
 Down the steps we descend into the valley, still adorned with vine- 
 yards, which overhang the terraces along the sides. Here are also 
 cultivated many other kinds of fruit, such as olives, figs, pome- 
 grantes, apricots and quinces. Among the peculiar attractions -of 
 eastern thoroughfares, are the frequent artificial pools of water, to 
 quench the thirst of man and beast, as well as to supply aqueducts 
 which conduct the limpid stream to distant cities and villages. 
 
 Among other objects of interest on this route about two miles 
 from Hebron is a majestic oak, about twenty-two feet in diameter, 
 called by the Arabs, Sindian, by Jews and Monks, the tree of 
 Abraham. It must have been near this spot that Abraham sat in 
 his tent door when he beheld the approach of his three guests, but 
 it acquires great credulity to believe that the Patriarch ever saw 
 this tree. 
 
 Hebron is situated partly in and upon the sides of the valley. 
 The most important present objects of curiosity here, are the pools, 
 situated between the hills, serving for irrigation, as well as refresh- 
 ment; and the tomb of Abraham. This is at the highest part of 
 the city, and at the base of the hills that surround it. It is care- 
 fully guarded by Mahometan soldiersj^nd neither Jew nor Chris- 
 tian can examine it except at some yards distance. The eight 
 courses of stones adorned with pilasters, have a very ancient ap- 
 pearance, and this may indeed be the place where Isaac and 
 Ishmael buried their father Abraham. It would seem miraculous i 
 although quite possible, that the tomb of Abraham should have 
 remained unto this day, when we recollect how many wars and de- 
 solating armies, both ancient and modern, have revolutionized the 
 whole of Palestine. The history of Hebron is quite interesting. It 
 
 
 /* 
 
[25] 
 
 is probably the oldest city of the Israelites, and derived its name 
 from Eber, or the home of the Hebrews. From the Bible we learn 
 the following facts. At onetime it was called Kiijathbarba. "New 
 Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt." Numbers 
 xinth chapter, 23d verse. "Then Abraham removed his tent, and 
 came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and 
 built there an altar unto the Lord." Genesis, xinth chapter, 23d 
 verse. "Here Sarah died and was buried, and Abraham came to 
 weep for her." Genesis 23. Here Isaac and Eebeckah, Jacob and 
 Leah, were also buried. David reigned seven years in Hebron 
 before he reigned in Jerusalem. 1st Kings, nd chapter, 9th verse. 
 Since the time of the Christian era, Hebron and its vicinity has 
 been a place of some interest. During the Crusade wars in 1192, 
 a great battle was fought in the plain, not far from Hebron, between 
 Kichard Cceur de Leon, leader of the Crusaders, and Saladan 
 (Sahihsed Din,) Prince of the Saracens. Here, then, in this valley, 
 was the first permanent home of the great head and father of 
 the faithful. 
 
 JERUSALEM. 
 
 Of this renowned city, the capital of the chosen people, whose 
 various fortunes are so intimately blended with the history of the 
 world and the Bible, so many writers have spoken, that little re- 
 mains to be said that would not be mere repetition. The first 
 intimation of this locality is in the life of Abraham, who left Beer- 
 sheba, and by three days journey arrived at Mount Moriah, there 
 to offer up his son Isaac in obedience to the divine command. It 
 is supposed by many that Mount Moriah was the hill upon which 
 the temple was subsequently erected, but there are good reasons 
 for believing that the hill about seven miles west of Jerusalem, 
 near which stands the tomb of Samuel, was the Moriah of Abraham's 
 time. When Abraham was returning from the battle of the kings, 
 at this place, then called Salem, he met Melchisedec, king of Salem, 
 priest of the most high God. During the life of Isaac and Jacob, 
 no allusion is made to this place. When the Israelites returned 
 4 
 
[26] 
 
 from Egypt and entered the land of Canaan, this hill, and others in 
 its vicinity, were occupied by the Jehpites, and the place was called 
 Jehus, which was also the title of its king. Although Joshua de- 
 feated its king (Josh. 12th chap. v. 10th,) and the Judges again 
 obtained a victory over the inhabitants, and burned their city; 
 (Judges 1st, 8th, v.,) the Israelites did not gain possession of it 
 tin til the time of David and Joab, who slew the people and captured 
 the south-west part, and called it the hill of Sion and the city of 
 David, (II Samuel, 5th chap. 7th v.) The native inhabitants may 
 have been greatly reduced at that time, but it does not appear that 
 they were exterminated, or that the temple hill came into posses- 
 sion of Israel until some years subsequently. When the pestilence 
 was upon the city, by reason of David's sin in numbering the people, 
 he bought the hill of Aranna, the Jehusite, and built an alter there- 
 on, which is believed to be the identical spot where Solomon built 
 the temple, II Samuel, ch. 24th, v. 16th to 25th). The locality was 
 within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. The name of the 
 city is a combination of the Canaanitish word Jehus, war, or war- 
 rior, and the sweetly flowing Hebrew word, Salem, which signifies 
 peace. 
 
 It thus becomes prophetic, and a type that the war, quarrel, or 
 alienation between God and man shall terminate in peace through 
 the Prince of Peace, who brought in reconciliation. 
 
 Jerusalem stands embossed upon several hills, with valleys tra- 
 versing the interior as well as surrounding the city on three sides, 
 south-west, south and south-east. The hill on the east or north- 
 east part of the city, called temple mount, is crowned with the 
 Mosque of Omar, and, until quite recently, was inaccessible to any 
 but the followers of the false v prophet. Its elevation above the 
 level of the sea 2280 feet. Eastward it descends rapidly into the 
 valley of the Jehosaphat, somewhat abruptly westward into the 
 city. Southward more moderately toward the foot of Siloam, and 
 northward it extends gradually into a plain from which flows the 
 Hedron, rounding the north-east corner, thence southward on the 
 east of the city, between it and the Mount of Olives. 
 
 The hill of Zion on the south-west in a commanding position, is a 
 little higher. The valleys Geherii, called Tophet, are in the south- 
 west and south of the city, and join the Kedron at the south-east 
 angle. 
 
 
 
[27] 
 
 Jerusalem is surrounded on all sides with still higher mountains, 
 giving an imposing appearance to the scenery, and justifying the 
 language of David : "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, 
 so the Lord campeth around about his saints." The most conspi- 
 cuous of these is Mount Olivet. It is directly east of the city over 
 the Kedron rises abruptly to the height of two thousand five 
 hundred feet above the level of the sea. On the summit stands the 
 convent of the Ascension, where it is asserted Christ ascended to 
 heaven in the presence of his disciples. The tracks of his feet im- 
 pressed in the rock are shown in the Convent, but the careful 
 observer can easily detect the chiseling in the rock, revealing that 
 the miraculous impressions are among the pious frauds with which 
 the east abounds. 
 
 From the east side of Olivet the Dead Sea may be seen in tho 
 distance. Between Olivet and the Kedron are the remains of many 
 tombs, supposed by travelers to be those of the prophets, or other 
 distinguished persons of antiquity. In the north-west part ol the 
 city the famous Convent of the Cross and the Sepulchre, where 
 many ceremonies are daily performed, which to my apprehension 
 have nothing to do with the religion of the divine Redeemer, who 
 is said here to have expiated the sins of the world. Dr. Robinson 
 has given great attention to the question w T hether this be or be not 
 the very spot of the crucifixion ; and after reading carefully all the 
 evidence on the other side, I am convinced that the Dr. is correct 
 that it is not the locality of our Lord's suffering and death, and that 
 the place is now unknown. Jerusalem was captured and destroyed 
 by Nebuchadnezar about 588 years B. C., rebuilt by Nehemiah 
 about 400 B. C.,and again destroyed by the Romans 70 A. D., since 
 which time its various fortunes have been involved in those of 
 Pagans, Mahomedans, Christians, Crusaders, Turks and Infidels. 
 It is now under the control of the Turkish government. The 
 history of the city and country in the wars of Syria and Egypt for 
 the three centuries preceding the birth of Christ are fully given in 
 my history of the Kingdom of Brass. 
 
 Jerusalem contains about 20, 000 inhabitants, Christians, Jews and 
 Mahometans. Although there are ruins of many ancient unoccu- 
 pied buildings, there is probably little or nothing remaining which 
 existed in the time of Christ, except a few large hewn stones that 
 inclose a court of the Temple grounds, the pool of Siloam, and a 
 small portion of the western wall near the Jafier gate, where stand* 
 
[28] 
 
 the tower of Hippacus. The circumference of Jerusalem is about 
 two and a half miles. The cite of the city is difficult of access, and 
 in modern times would be a most unfavorable location, but in 
 ancient times the great object in selecting a locality was a point 
 among rocks and precipices, inaccessible and very easy of defense 
 against an invading foe. Now, safety and prosperity depends upon 
 treaty, civilization and the interests of commercial exchange, not 
 upon rocks and walls. This exhibits an evidence of moral and 
 social improvements tending to a universal fraternity in the family 
 of man. 
 
 Jerusalem that was, is in bondage with his children until this 
 day, but the Jerusalem that is from above, is peace with God 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ, and the children of that Jerusalem 
 are free. (Galatians, 4th ch. 25th, 26th verses.)* 
 
 The famous Mosque of Omar now occupies the site of the once 
 sacred Temple of Solomon. From its inclosure, until quite recent- 
 ly, both Christians and Jews were carefully excluded. Some years 
 ago, Mr. Catherwood succeeded in disguise in gaining access to this 
 sacred edifice. He explored the basement, which he found com- 
 posed of large stone, which he thinks constituted the basement of 
 the ancient temple. At one corner he discovered an arch, from 
 
 *The Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem, has been purchased by a 
 Madame Polack, the widow of a wealthy banker, of the Hebrew 
 persuasion, at Konigsberg, in Prussia. This lady intends to beauti- 
 fy the place and improve the whole place, at her sole expense. 
 The first thing she has done is to plant the Whole area with a grove 
 of oiive trees, and thus to restore it to the original state from which 
 it derives its name. The olive tree thrives well in that locality, 
 and though it takes many years before arriving at a state of matu- 
 rity, and sixteen years before bearing any fruit at all, it requires 
 but little or no tending, and will last for several hundred years. 
 
 At the recent annual meeting of the British Society, the chair- 
 man, Sir Culling E. Eardly, mentioned the fact that a railroad is 
 about to be established from the Mediterranean to Jerusalem, with 
 the sanction of the Turkish and British governments, and that it is 
 likely that the material of the line from Balaklava to Sebastopool 
 will be transferred for the purpose. 
 
which a dark subterraneous passage extended under the city. He 
 had not the facilities to explore this channel very far. Sometime 
 in the year 1853, a sportsmap, on the west of Jerusalem, shot a bird, 
 which, flying near the ground, disappeared ; the hunter's dog also 
 dropped out of sight; the hunter explored, and discovered a sub- 
 terranean passage, extending under the city- it was cut in the 
 solid rock, and the chips of the quarrying were still lying in the 
 sides of the passage. Subsequently to this, Meacie, a German, but 
 now a citizen of the United States, explored more extensively this 
 secret channel, and found it had many branches, leading to several 
 spacious apartments, in which he found many relics, among others 
 the bones of a camel. He thinks these excavations were made by 
 the Canaanites, but that they were unknown to the Israelites. 
 Still more recent research has traced these channels to the arch 
 beneath the Mosque of Omar. There can now be no doubt but that 
 these channels and vaults were known to Solomon, if, indeed, he 
 did not himself order their construction, and, perhaps, from this 
 source obtained materials for the walls of the city and the 
 temple. We may safely infer that this secret passage from 
 the Temple to the country was known to the kings and high-priests 
 of Judah, although a secret to others, and that by this way Zedeki- 
 ah made his escape when the city was so closely beseiged by the 
 King of Babylon. 
 
 NABLOUS. 
 
 From Jerusalem to Sebastee, the ancient Samaria is about thirty 
 miles northward. Leaving the north-west angle of Jerusalem, our 
 route led along a rugged, rocky, barren way, for a time, then de- 
 clined into a more fertile and better district. After about two 
 hours' ride, we halted upon the hill side west of the road to rest a 
 few moments. This is the supposed site of Gibeon. From this 
 place the Gibeonites came forth to Jericho and Ai, to make a treaty 
 craftily with Joshua. It was for this treaty of peace that the five 
 confederated tribes of Canaanites united in war against Gibeon. 
 Here came forth Joshua from Gilgal to defend his confederates. At 
 our feet and west of us, spreads out the Valley of Agalon, where 
 was fought the great battle of deliverance, and the wondrous mira- 
 cle was wrought in the sight of Israel, for the sun stood still upon 
 
[30] 
 
 Gibeon, and the moon in the Valley of Agalon. At that time this 
 hill top was crowned with a great city. It was here that the in- 
 hospitable inhabitants so roughly treated the Levite returning from 
 Bethlehem with his wife, out of which border -ruffian ism sprang a 
 war, that we 11 nigh exterminated the tribe of Benjamin, who were 
 so unwise and unjust as to wink at the atrocity of their brethren- 
 Here was the birth-place, residence and royal court of Saul, the 
 son of Kish. The opposite of this valley was probably the Mich- 
 mash where Jonathan and his armor-bearer went over and discom- 
 fit ted the Philistines, while his cowardly father remained in the 
 city. 
 
 On this hill side David hung seven of the descendants of Saul, to 
 pacify the Gibeonites. It was near the pool of this city where the 
 twelve servants of David, under pretence of play, caught and slew 
 the twelve servants of Ishbosheth, followed by the assassination of 
 Asahed and Abner. It was on this hill side that the Lord first 
 appeared to Solomon. This city stood in the northern extremity 
 of the tribe of Benjamin. 
 
 Leaving this locality, so full of interesting associations, we 
 hastened on, and passed the site of Bethhoron, the upper and the 
 lower. Through the valley of Ajalon, and near the pool of this 
 city, ran anciently the great thoroughfare from Jerusalem to the 
 sea, which, though more circuitous, here finds an easier path 
 through the mountains into the valley of the Sharon, and thus to 
 the sea coast. Pursuing our way we passed many little villages 
 and numerous ruins, filled with jackalls, and occasionally passing 
 barren, sterile regions, and yet at times faHing into green and 
 beautiful valleys, aboun ding in water-springs, we at length halted 
 at 
 
 THE WELL OF SAMARIA. 
 
 This is the parcel of ground said to be given by Jacob to his son 
 Joseph. The evidence of that gift seems to be but imperfectly 
 recorded ; the few facts seem to be these : here dwelt Shechera, son 
 of King Homer, who, with his father, his brethren and his people, 
 were slain in consequence of the affair with Dinah. Here came the 
 boy Joseph, to hunt for his brethren, who kept their sheep in this 
 vicinity. From- the city of Sychar, now Nablous, once came a 
 woman to draw water. Here she met the Divine Master. Here 
 He poured forth that water of eternal life, of which, if one drink> 
 he shall never thirst. 
 
[31] 
 
 Mount Ebal and Mount G-erizim lift their high heads in full view. 
 Upon the top of the latter stood the pagan temple, erected one 
 hundred years B. C. and dedicated to Antiochus Epiphanese. 
 
 Here the Samaritans assembled for worship, while the Jews say 
 that at Jerusalem alone ought men to worship God. 
 
 The Master now taught that the place is not on this mountain^ 
 nor at Jerusalem, but in spirit, for God is a Spirit, and they that 
 worship Him must worship Him, in spirit and in truth. 
 
 This well is inclosed with a broken wall, and surrounded with 
 shrubbery. It is nearly ten feet in diameter, and about an hundred 
 feet deep. Its mouth is partially covered with slabs of stone ; the 
 water is not now used. The hills in the vicinity abound in springs 
 and supplies of water. When, or by whom this well was dug, is 
 quite uncertain. Tradition refers it to Jacob, but the old Testa- 
 ment gives no evidence that he constructed it. It was probably 
 built within a city of Sechem, by the Amorites, before Jacob's day. 
 
 From Jacob's Well we moved westward along a gradually ascend- 
 ing valley, exceedingly rich and beautiful, adorned with a great 
 profusion of fields and gardens, while the lower sides of the hills 
 are crowned with groves of vines, pomegranites, mulberry and 
 olive. The fertility of this valley is probably unsurpassed in any 
 part of Palestine. The loveliness and attractiveness of the scene is 
 greatly heightened by contrast with the ragged, sterile mountain 
 tops that overhang this garden of paradise. Leaving Nablous, the 
 ancient city of Sychar, on our right; we continued to ascend the 
 valley, and encamped at the foot of Ebal. Directly in front of us, 
 on the east, by south, rose East Gerizim. These two mountains 
 rise to the height of one thousand feet above the valley, and two 
 thousand seven hundred feet above the level of the Mediterranean 
 Sea. 
 
 How exceedingly interesting the events that transpire here. In 
 this valley, led by Joshua, the whole host of Israel encamped. On 
 this spot an altar of stone was erected, and covered with plaster, 
 upon which was written the laws and commandments of Moses. 
 
 The tribes divide six of them ascend the sides of Girizim on the 
 south-east, emblem of the source of light, while the other six climb 
 the dizzy heights of Ebalin, the north-west, the token of darkness 
 and death. The law of Moses is read unto them. And as the 
 blessings upon the faithful are pronounced, the voice of the Eastern 
 tribes echo through the valley, and re-echo from Ebal's height, 
 
[32] 
 
 saying, ""We will serve the Lord all these things we will do." 
 Then the curses are read, and Ebal responds to Gerizim, "Even so 
 let it he. All these woes be ours if we keep not the law of our God." 
 For this reason one of these mountains has been called the Mount 
 of Blessings, and the other the Mount of Cursings. 
 
 How terribly has the obedience and its attendant blessings been 
 surpassed by the disobedience and calamities resulting therefrom, 
 which have fallen heavily upon the descendants of those who, upon 
 that day, stood on these mountain sides. 
 
 Upon the top of Mount Gerizim stood Gothem, when with a loud 
 voice, he hailed the men of Shechem, in this valle} T , and gave them 
 the parable of the trees, holding a consultation for the election of a 
 king. In this valley of Shechem before me, occurred the wars be- 
 tween Alimeleck and the men of Shechem. 
 
 Nablous is a town of about six thousand inhabitants. They are 
 the most robber-like and ungovernable people in all Palestine. "We 
 avoided the inhabitants and did not enter the town. Its name is 
 the Arabic of Neapolis, one of the titles of Yespatian, the father of 
 Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem in the year seventy. In a Samari- 
 tan synagogue is a copy of the pentateuch, which tradition asserts 
 to be as old as the day of Moses. As we did not see this manu- 
 script, I will give a description from another writer : 
 
 It proved to be a large roll, kept in a brass cover, and adorned 
 with various costly coverings of crimson silk, and embroidered in 
 letters of gold. We examined the manuscript with all the care we 
 could, and noticed, besides its antiquity, that it was written in 
 columns of about five, by fourteen inches, and three of these to 
 what may be termed a page. 
 
 We were permitted to touch the valuable manuscript, to look as 
 closely as we chose at the various peculiarities it possesses the 
 color of the ink, the size, shape, and character of the alphabet, the 
 arrangement of the words and sentences, &c., and, in short, to enter 
 upon any examination which our time or our wishes allowed us. 
 The old rabbi was very obliging in every way, and in answer to 
 our inquiries as to the probable age of the manuscript before us, 
 did not scruple to declare that it belonged to the period of Moses. 
 
 This was more than we could credit, though we entertained no 
 sort of doubt that the Samaritan Pentateuch is of an age that en- 
 titles it to the very great consideration of JBiblical questions. 
 
[33] 
 
 MOUNT TABOE. 
 
 The modern name of this mountain is Gibelet Tor. It stands on 
 the north side of the plain, and north-west of little Hermon. It 
 is in a conical form, and rises gracefully to the giddy height (un- 
 estimated by some) of three thousand feet. Its sides are adorned 
 with vegetation and groves of fruit trees, but the mountain now 
 is entirely uninhabited by human beings. The summit is crowned 
 with the remains of strong fortifications; for Tabor, in her time, 
 has been a great military fortress, and upon and arouud it has been 
 fought many a battle. 
 
 Now, no voice of trumpet, nor clash of arms, nor tread of hos- 
 tile force, breaks the solitude of this retired spot. From its sum- 
 mit we have perhaps the grandest prospect in the world. Before 
 us lay the far spreading valley of Gezrael, narrowing away to the 
 north-west. 
 
 On the opposite side, the broken ridges of Gilboa and the moun- 
 tains of Ephraim, almost to Jerusalem, could be seen. In the 
 north-west, we could distinctly discern the bald head of Carmel, 
 standing sentry at the sea. North of us, range upon range stretch- 
 ed away to the Lebanon, with its snow-capped peaks. Eastward 
 lay the Jordan and the little hills before us, and beyond it the 
 ranges of Gilead. In the north-east, distinctly visible, lay the sea 
 of Tiberius, and not far from us stood the little Hermon, famous for 
 its sweet and refreshing dews. 
 
 Each of the objects before us is the memento of thrilling histori- 
 cal events, and as we grasp them all from one point, the entire 
 history of the country, like the Kishon at our feet, seems to pass in 
 panoramic view before us; and Tabor, called by the natives Gebelet 
 Tor, is not the least important among them. Here Barak, encouraged 
 by the presence of the prophetess Deborah, smote the hosts of Galin^ 
 under the command of Sisara, overturned his nine hundred chariots 
 of iron, and scattered the hosts of his foes like the forest leaves before 
 the winter's blas. From this mountain side Sisara fled on foot, 
 and, being decoyed, was slain by the woman Gail, the wife of the 
 Kenite, for whose defeat and assassination Deborah and Barak sung 
 a song of triumph. Upon this Mount, of whose glory and beauty 
 David has sung, other scenes than these have transpired. 
 
 Somewhere upon this mountain-top our Lord and Master unfold- 
 ed the glory of His spiritual nature in the transfiguration, to tho 
 5 
 
amazement of the chosen three, when his garments became white 
 as no fuller on earth could white them, and his face shone with the 
 radiance of the sun. 
 
 The plain below us has been the battle field of all ages and races. 
 Here Saul and Jonathan contended with the Philistines. Here the 
 Jews, under Judas Macabus, strove against their persecutors. Here, 
 oft did the Eomans fight against both Jews and Syrians. Here, in 
 later times, the gallant Kleber and Napoleon defeated the vastly 
 superior forces of the great Turkish army. 
 
 Dr. Clark thus speaks of this great battle-field : 
 
 " It has been a chosen place for encampment in every contest 
 carried on in this country, from the days of Nebuchadnezzar, King 
 of Asyria, (in the history of whose war with Arphaxed it is men- 
 tioned as the great plain of Esdulom,) until the disastrous march of 
 Napoleon Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. 
 
 Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, Christian Crusaders, and Anti-Christian, 
 Frenchmen, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks and Arabs, war- 
 riors of every nation that is under heaven, have pitched their tents 
 upon the plain of Esdulom, and have beheld the various banners of 
 their nations wet with the dews of Tabor and Hermon." Well 
 might Armaggeddon become the representative of all future strifes, 
 and battle to the end of time. 
 
 GALILEE. 
 
 Bidding adieu to the vale of Gezrael, about twelve miles, or four 
 hours' ride over hills and dales, rich in associations of historical 
 events of the early conflicts and the Crusade wars, we issue out of 
 the mountains into the basin of the Galilee, and repaired to the 
 town of Tiberius, now Tuberich, on the shore of the sea. In 1837, 
 the town was nearly destroyed by an earthquake. It now contains 
 little of interest, except the recollection of what has anciently been 
 performed here and in the vicinity, so long the residence and so 
 often the visiting place of the Lord. 
 
 The sea of Galilee, also called Tiberius, is a sheet of water varying 
 from five to ten miles wide, and, perhaps, eighteen feet long, of 
 an irregular oval shape. It is supplied by the Jordan, which, rising 
 far in the mountains in the north, and passing through Lake 
 Merome, discharges into this sea, and, running directly through it, 
 issues out on the south, and continues its course to the Dead Sea. 
 The interval, or level land around this sea, is but a narrow strip, 
 
[35] 
 
 the mountains often projecting quite to the water's edge. The 
 cities that anciently adorned this region were, chiefly Capernaum, 
 Chorasin, Bethsaida, and Tiberius, while Nazareth was situated a 
 little in the rear among the mountains. 
 
 On the east of the sea, we behold a broken country, through 
 whose passes ran the caravan route, extending to Damascus, in 
 Syria. From thence came the mighty armies of Benhadad and 
 Hazael, and afterwards of Shallmenesser, Senacherib and Nebu- 
 ^hadnezzar, to invade and desolate Israel and Judah. 
 
 THE YALLEY OE THE JORDAN. 
 
 This is one of the most remarkable geological portions of the 
 earth. The general course of the river is directly southward, re- 
 ceiving small tributaries from the west, and occasionally larger ones 
 from the east. 
 
 At times the river flows gently along, spreads out wide, and is 
 fordable at least during a portion of the year ; at other places it is 
 at least from a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet wide, with a 
 deep, swift current, sweeping everything before it; occasionally 
 descending cataracts. 
 
 On the west are the mountains of Israel and Judah. On 
 the east are the ranges of Gilead, and the ruins of ancient 
 cities. Here was the scene of Absolem's death. Here was the 
 Eaimoth Gilead, at whose siege Ahab received his mortal 
 wound. Gilgal and the quarries are in this valley. Jericho and 
 Ai are in the south part of it, separated from Jerusalem by the 
 mountains of the wilderness, distinguished for being the haunt of 
 robbers, and thus appropriately furnishing the theme for our Lord's 
 parable of a man going from Jerusalem down to Jericho and falling 
 among thieves and robbers. According to the observation of Col. 
 Lynch, the Dead Sea lies 4000 feet below Jerusalem, and 1300 feet 
 below the Mediterranean, and is, consequently, the lowest spot on 
 the surface of the earth. The water contains sulphur and other salts, 
 held in solution. All the waters of the Jordan flowing into thia 
 sea are disposed of by evaporation, and return in the clouds to sup- 
 ply the springs and fountains. Had the Jordan continued its course 
 in the same direction, it would have terminated in the east arm of 
 the Eed Sea, and thus become connected with the ocean. But the 
 mountains of Edom are elevated between, and prevent the stream 
 from flowing further. 
 
[36] 
 
 There is a most remarkable valley called by the Arabs, Algor, 
 extending in a direct line from the Dead Sea to the Eed Sea, more 
 than two-thirds of the way. 
 
 From a short distance a small stream now runs northward into 
 the Dead Sea ; but Algor has unmistakable evidences of being the 
 deserted channel of a large stream, whose waters once flowed south- 
 ward. 
 
 The mountains of Bdom are evidently of a volcanic and eruptive 
 origin. Connecting these facts together, and associating them to- 
 gether with the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorah, 
 and the cities of the plain, I cannot resist the conclusion that the 
 Jordan once found its way through northern Arabia to the sea, and 
 that on the day when Lot went out of Sodom, while the Lord rained 
 fire and brimstone on the devoted cities, there was a great earth- 
 quake connected with a volcanic eruption, in which the earth typed, 
 the mountains of northern Arabia were heaped up to their present 
 elevation, carrying up the bed of the stream with them, while the 
 plains above descended to the level of the Dead Sea. This would 
 account for the ancient fertility and subsequent barrenness of 
 Arabia Petra. 
 
 SYRIA. 
 
 This country is believed to have been first peopled by the descend- 
 ants of Aram the fifth, and youngest son of Shem, but the original 
 occupants of the soil were removed and their places supplied by 
 Assyrians in the time of Shalmanaser. Syria proper lies between 
 the north part of the Mediterranian sea on the west and the Euphra- 
 tus, on the east, between the mountain. chain of Taums and Amanus 
 on the north, and Arabia Palestine and Prenicia on the south and 
 south-west. Its length from North to South was about three hun- 
 dred miles, and, from East to West, about a hundred and eighty 
 miles; in all not quite as large as the State of New York, but a 
 much more extensive country, all its borders were sometimes in- 
 
 NOTE. From a geographical necessity, all flowing streams must 
 terminate ultimately in water containing salt or other saline mat- 
 ter, whether it be the ocean or an island sea or lake. 
 
 NOTE 2. The Dead Sea is, in many respects, situated similarly 
 with that of Salt Lake, on this continent. Both are cut off from 
 communication with other waters; both have mountains on the 
 west, between them and the great sea, not far distant. 
 
[37] 
 
 eluded in the general name Syria. This country seems at times 
 to have been formed of four confederate States, Hobah, Hamoth, 
 Damascus and G-eshur, at other times all were blended into one 
 government until it was finally absorbed into the great Assyrian 
 Empire, about the same time that Samaria ceased to be a king- 
 dom. 
 
 The most important cities of Syria were Damascus, Antioc 
 Aphonia, Sebucia and Helbon. About the time of Solomon, king 
 of Israel, Syria must have shared largely in the commerce of that 
 day and abounded in riches. The most remarkable ruins in Syria 
 are Palmyra or Tadmore in the wilderness, and Balbeck between 
 Lebanon and ante Lebanon. 
 
 DAMASCUS EL SHAM. 
 
 After days of wearisome travel from Galilee and the Jordan in 
 a north-easterly direction, over an uneven route, diversified by 
 barren wastes, and fertile plains, variegated hills and fruitful 
 groves, through Syrian villages and Arab encampments, we ascend- 
 ed a little swell of ground, and halting in the shade of an orchard 
 of figs, our eyes were greeted with a view of Damascus, the city of 
 beauty, which we soon after entered by the south gate. What 
 solemn thoughts crowd upon one's mind as he approaches the cap- 
 ital of ancient Syria. It was to this city Saul was journeying, 
 when a light, far surpassing the brightness of the sun, surprised 
 him, and for a time arrested his progress, until the object of his 
 visit was changed from one of cruel persecution to a desire to be 
 restored to his sight, that he might preach Jesus whom before he 
 persecuted. It was from this city that afterwards he escaped 
 through a window by being let down the wall in a basket, the gate 
 being guarded to apprehend him. Damascus was a city in the days 
 of Abraham it had been subject to Talmmath, bat it became the 
 capital of a separate kingdom in the time of David. It was de- 
 molished in the time of Tiglathpillasser according to the prophesy 
 of Isaiah, but revived again under the Babylonian authority. It 
 
[38] 
 
 was at one time the store-house of the Persians. Their treasures, 
 with the city, were captured by Alexander of Macedon. Their 
 successors built Appanna and Antioch, and thus diminished some- 
 what of the prosperity of Damascus. Yet it is so favorably situ- 
 ated for the great caravan trade, that it has continued to flourish 
 and is still prosperous. 
 
 Below the city is still to be seen a part of the most ancient wall, 
 evincing that Damascus was once much larger than at present. 
 The modern wall does not enclose all of the inhabitants, but many 
 splendid buildings are without the enclosure. The streets of Da- 
 mascus are often narrow and muddy. The walls of the buildings, 
 though often lofty, are of unburnt brick and of a dirty and uninvit- 
 ing appearance. The doors are low and narrow, but within one 
 often finds splendid apartments, where every luxury ministers to 
 the sense, and intoxicates with excess of pleasure. 
 
 The Syrian name of this city is El Sham, but by the Arabs it is 
 called Demeesk, the terminating syllable being added by the western 
 natives. The following, from an unknown author, is substantially a 
 correct history and description of the ancient home of the Benha- 
 dads. "The city of Damascus we find mentioned in Gen., 15 chap., 
 2d verse, as the place of Abram's Steward, Elitha; and it must have 
 been, therefore, one of the earliest cities in the world, and is one of 
 the very few, that with the exception of a short period of Assyrian 
 domination, have maintained a flourishing existence in all ages. It is 
 situated in east longitude, 36 deg. 25 min., and north latitude 
 33 deg. 27 min.; on the north-west of an extensive and remarkably 
 level plain, which is open eastward beyond the reach of vision, 
 but is bounded in every other direction by mountains, the nearest 
 of which, those of Salekie to the north-west, are not quiet two 
 miles from the city. 
 
 These hills give rise to the River Banacly, and to various rivulets 
 which afford the city an abundant supply of water, and render 
 its district one of the most pleasant and fertile of western Asia. 
 The district within a circumference of from twenty to twenty -five 
 miles, is covered with well watered gardens and orchards, in the 
 midst of which stands the town itself." 
 
 It thus appears as a vast wood, and its almost innumerable pub- 
 lic buildings, including an extensive citadel and a vast number of 
 mosques, with their domes and minarets, give it a fine appearance, 
 as viewed from the neighboring hills; but on approaching over the 
 
[39] 
 
 level plain, the plantations by which it is environed, shade it entire- 
 ly from view. 
 
 Its finest building is a grand mosque of the Corinthian order, 
 said to have been built as a cathedral church by the emperor Tele- 
 machus. It was dedicated to St. John of Damascus, and is still 
 called the mosque of St. John the Baptist, by the Turks, who be- 
 lieve that in the latter days Jesus shall descend thereon, and from 
 its summit require the adhesion of all his followers to the Moslem 
 faith. The city is surrounded by an old wall of sun-dried brick ? 
 strengthened with towers; but this wall has fallen to decay, and 
 the town has so greatly extended beyond its limits, that the num- 
 ber of houses without the wall greatly exceeds that within. The 
 houses in the city have flat roofs, while those in the suburbs have 
 domes. Damascus is said to contain five hundred mansions, en- 
 titled to be called palaces, and the general splendor is much extoll- 
 ed in the east. 
 
 But little of this is visible in the streets, which, in general, pre- 
 sent walls of mud or sun-dried brick, which fill the narrow streets 
 with dust in dry weather, and render them perfect quagmires when 
 it rains. The houses themselves are built of the same materials, 
 although stone might be easily obtained from the adjoining moun- 
 tains. 
 
 These streets present scarcely any windows, and only low an^ 
 mean looking doors; but these often conduct to large interior courts^ 
 paved with marble, refreshed by gushing fountains, and surround- 
 ed by apartments ornamented and furnished in the best and rich- 
 est oriental taste. 
 
 The thirsty Arabs, from the desert, regard Damascus with rap- 
 ture, and are never tired of expatiating on the freshness and ver- 
 dure of its orchards, the variety of its fruits, and, more than all, its 
 numerous streams, and the clearness of its rills and fountains. 
 There is a tradition, that Mahomet, coming to the city, viewed it 
 with great admiration from the mountain Salhie, and then turned 
 away, refusing to approach, with the remark that there was but 
 one paradise designed for man, and he was determined that his 
 should not be in this world; but there is no historical foundation 
 for this story. Damascus is about six miles in circumference, and 
 its population is estimated, by Mr. Buckingham, at 143,000, of 
 which 90,000 are native Syrian Arabs, 10,000 Turks, 15,000 Jews, 
 and 25,000 Christians. But Mr. Kichardson does not estimate the 
 
[40] 
 
 Christian population at more than 12,000. Damascus is the rendez- 
 vous of many thousand pilgrims, who proceed to Mecca in one 
 great body every year, and many of whom make a considerable 
 stay before the caravan departs, and most of whom unite commer- 
 cial with religious objects, loading their beasts with the produce of 
 their own countries, which they dispose of on the road, bringing 
 back, in the same manner, the products of India, received from 
 Jeddo, the port of Mecca. This has contributed greatly to the pros- 
 perity of Damascus, which is, also, the emporium of an extensive 
 caravan trade with parts of the Mediterranean on the west, and 
 with Bagdad on the east. Damascus has obtained fame for some 
 of its manufactures. The fine temper of its sword-blades has long 
 been proverbial. This reputation has, however, of late years much 
 declined; but the Damascans still excel in the art of inlaying metals 
 with gold. The manufacture of the kind of silk called "Damask" 
 originated here. 
 
 It would seem from the 1st Kings, xi: 23d and 24th, that Damas- 
 cus first became in the time of David or Solomon, the capitol of an 
 independent kingdom, which afterwards, as the "kingdom of Syria," 
 was engaged in various wars with the Jews. 
 
 It was ultimately annexed to the empire of Assyria, and after- 
 wards with the rest of western Asia, passed to the Greeks, then to 
 the Eomans, and at last to the Arabians, under whom Damascus 
 became the capitol of the Caliphate, when Moamiyah, its governor, 
 assumed that office in opposition to Ali. It underwent many 
 changes during the disorder of the middle ages, and was finally 
 conquered, along with all Syria, by the Sultan Selim. In the late 
 war between the Porte and the Pacha of Egypt, Damascus was 
 taken by the troops of the latter, under his son Ibrahim Pacha, 
 and it still remains subject to his authority, having been ceded to 
 him by the treaty of peace, in 1833. 
 
 The inhabitants of Damascus have the reputation of being the 
 most haughty and intolerent people of Turkey; but the measures 
 of Mahomet Ali, have already tended greatly to subdue, or control, 
 their former spirit. 
 
 APPAMA AND SELETJCIA, 
 
 On the west coast of Syria, and north of Phoenicia, were built by 
 the Selucidso, between 250 and 150 B. C. 
 
[41] 
 
 HEBRON, 
 
 Famous for its wine and wool, is supposed to occupy the sit* of 
 the modern city of Aleppo. 
 
 ANTIOCH. 
 
 In the army of Alexander the Great, was a general by the name 
 of Antiochus. He had a son whose name was Seleucus, sometimes 
 called Nicator, the conqueror. In the army of the great Macedo- 
 nian, this Seleucus had the command of all the elephants. After 
 the death of his father, he rose to distinction, and, in the partition 
 of Alexander's empire, he became king of Syria. In honor of his 
 father he built a city, calling it, after his name, Antioch. Others 
 afterwards added something to the original city, until it became 
 for beauty and splendor, the third city of the world. The capitol 
 was removed from Damascus, by its founder, and established in this 
 city, where it remained many generations^ Of the several kings, 
 who reigned in this city, an account will be given in the history of 
 Alexander and his successors. Antioch was situated in the north- 
 west part of Syria, on the Orontes river, about twenty miles from 
 its mouth, and about five miles above the famous Daphne. It was 
 founded about 290 B. C. In 1735, A.D., it suffered severely from 
 the shock of an earthquake, and is now in a state of desolation. 
 Antioch was situated among the mountains, and the scenery is 
 grand in the extreme in the immediate vicinity of the city. Here 
 the disciples were first called Christians. 
 
 Daphne was a grove of cypress and bay trees, surrounding a 
 number of sparkling fountains. In and around this grove were 
 splendid edifices, and, among others, a temple of Apollo and Diana. 
 Daphne was the great pleasurable resort of the grandies of Syria, in 
 olden times. 
 
 The temple is now in ruins, and to these rural gods none are BO 
 poor as to do reverence. The worshipers are gone, the altars no 
 more smoke with incense, and their divinities are left alone in their 
 glory. 
 
[42] 
 
 BALBECK. 
 
 With elated spirits our little band of reserve bade adieu to Da- 
 mascus, the beautiful, and, facing westward, commenced our jour- 
 ney, while our thoughts, outstriping our speed, flew away to our far 
 home, beyond the rolling sea. We followed up the stream a short 
 distance, and then, bearing over to the left, made our way over a 
 hilly country, with intervening valleys and rivulets of cool, refresh- 
 ing water. 
 
 Occasionally we passed small villages, in the midst of gardens 
 and groves of fruit trees. At night, having traveled, as we suppos- 
 ed, about twenty-five miles, we halted, and made our encampment 
 near a small stream, and in sight of a village containing a mosque 
 and convent. 
 
 We were strongly tempted to visit the convent, and throw our- 
 selves upon its hospitality, where we should probably have been 
 kindly received, but finally 'con eluded to spend the night in our own 
 tent. The camels were soon secured, and with the broken limbs of 
 tihe bay-tree a fire was soon kindled, and our evening's repast pre- 
 pared. A number of men and boys, from the village, visited us, 
 whose friendly appearance gave us a sense of security. From them 
 we learned that the village was called El Dous. 
 
 A guard was stationed for the night, and soon most of us, stretch- 
 ed upon our blankets, were in a profound sleep. At an early hour 
 the next morning, we were under way, and that day crossed the 
 chain of Anti-Lebanon. Our route was almost entirely through 
 an uninhabited region, except that twice a traveling company of 
 Arabs crossed our path. In some places the mountains were rag- 
 ged, barren, bold and picturesque; large eagles were seen flying 
 from crag to crag, uttering their wild scream, which echoed through 
 the solitudes of those rough places of creation. The second night, 
 we encamped on the west of Anti-Lebanon, and in the plain of 
 Celo-Syria; and on the third day, bearing much more to the north, 
 we approached, late in the afternoon, a bluff or rising ground, and 
 again encamped by the side of a stream. Now we were in the 
 midst of an inhabited and cultivated district, but, having become 
 quite accustomed to bivouac, we, as usual, preferred the open air, as 
 the weather was calm and mild. The next morning, we ascended 
 a gentle elevation, and before us stood, in bold relief, 
 
[43] 
 
 THE ETJINS OF BALBECK. ? 
 
 On this plain once stood a city, called by the native inhabitants 
 Balbeck, which may signify the city of the Lord, (Baal,) or the city 
 of the Sun. By the Greeks it was called Tlehopolis, which also 
 signifies the city of the Sun. It is probable that, among others, 
 the sun was the principal deity worshiped here; hence the name 
 of the city and temple. There are no inhabitants on the exact 
 site of the ancient city, but in the immediate vicinity is a village; 
 here, also, is a mosque and a convent, where bigoted devotees per- 
 form their senseless devotions. 
 
 The remains of three temples are still to be seen among the ruins, 
 two of which are of Grecian architecture, and were undoubtedly 
 erected after the time of the Grecian invasion in the east. They 
 are far gone to decay. The mQst splendid ruin, at Balbeck, is the 
 old temple which .bears the name of the city. 
 
 The edifice was eight hundred feet long and five hundred feet 
 wide, and would accommodate many thousand worshipers at a 
 time. The roof was a large flat stone, reposing upon the walls, and 
 upon pillars in the interior. On this roof, in time of the crusade 
 wars, stood twenty thousand Turkish soldiers, and successfully re- 
 sisted the invading Christians below. This roof, and the beautiful 
 lintel over the east door, were broken and shattered by an earth- 
 quake in 1722. A wedge-form piece of the lintel still hangs sus- 
 pended over the door. Part of the wall of the temple is composed 
 of hard sand-stone, so perfectly polished and adjusted to each other 
 that it would be difficult to insert a fine-knife blade between tho 
 pieces. 
 
 A part of the old wall, that once surrounded the city, still re- 
 mains. Some writers suppose it was never completed. At a quar- 
 ry, not far distant, lies a huge stone lion, and, near it, another, in 
 an unfinished state. It is inferred that these images were intended 
 to be placed upon the corners of the walls of the city this, how- 
 ever, is only conjecture. In the wall now standing, are three of 
 the largest stone' ever known to have been used in building. They 
 repose indirectly one upon the other, and are severally ten feet in 
 horizontal diameter, fourteen feet in perpendicular height, and 
 sixty-eight feet in length. By what mighty power they were ever 
 placed in their present condition, is more than I can conjecture. 
 
 It was in the temple of Balbeck, that I studied to advantage the 
 atyle of architecture of the days of king Solomon for thera is 
 
[44] 
 
 no room to doubt that this temple was erected by order of that mon- 
 arch, and that Balbeck was Balwiatte of the Bible. 
 
 On the caps and pillars, in the adornings of cornices, and on lin 
 tels of doors, in the solid stone, are carved lilys, whose expanded 
 petals are often a foot or eighteen inches in length, wrought with 
 exquisite skill; the cap of the pillars, also, are wrought pomegran- 
 ates, similar to those noticed in Tadmore, and described in another 
 article. In-wrought and binding, the whole is a carved net-work. 
 
 These three elements of the work of Solomon the lily, the pome- 
 granate, and the net-work abound at Balbeck and Tadmore, and 
 are symbols, whose signification belongs to the great science of em- 
 blems. The lily signifies peace, purity, or freedom from war; the 
 pomegranate is the emblem of fruitfulness, of plenty; and the net- 
 work of unity or brotherly love. In these temples there are an 
 enigma, whose meaning must be found in the life and times of king 
 Solomon. The holy temple at Jerusalem, for the Israelites the 
 temple to Herculese, in Tyre, for the Phoenicians and the tem- 
 ples of Balbeck and Tadmore, for the Syrians were erected, not 
 only for religious worship, but to facilitate the commercial enter- 
 prise of those times. By the spirit of commerce and adventure, 
 Solomon and Hiram secured the co-operation of tjie Syrians, and 
 extended trade through the world. The first result of their enter- 
 prise was an universal peace; hence the Z%, in the temples of their 
 erecting. The second result was, that all nations were enriched by 
 this commerce; and "Solomon made gold and silver to abound in 
 the streets of Jerusalem," hence the pomegranate. To accomplish 
 these enterprises, the Israelites, under Solomon, the Phcenecians, 
 under Hiram, and the Syrians, under .Resin, were bound together 
 in one bundle of fraternal regard. The glory and beauty of Bal- 
 beck fully justify the descriptions given by the early authors. 
 Arabian writers speak of Balbeck as "the wonder of Syria." One 
 of them says: 
 
 "Balbeck is a city of three days' journey from Damascus, where 
 are wonderful structures and magnificent vestiges of antiquity, and 
 palaces with marble columns, such as in the whole world are no- 
 where else to be seen." 
 
 Every one who has seen the ruins, which here present themselves 
 to the travelers' eye, will not think the Arabian writer has used 
 much exaggeration in his language. On the south-west of the city, 
 is situated in a charming plain, on the west foot of Anti- 
 
[45] 
 
 Lebanon, lie the ruins of a very ancient temple, together with the 
 remains of some other edifices, and, among the rest, a truly mag- 
 nificent palace. These ancient structures have now been converted 
 into a castle or fort. Among these ruins is a rotunda, or pile of 
 buildings, surrounded with pillars of the Corinthian order, which 
 support a cornice that runs all around the structure the whole ex- 
 ecuted in a style of great elegance, but now in a very dilapidated 
 condition. It is for the most part of marble, and, though round on 
 the outside, is an octagon within. It is adorned with eight arches, 
 supported by eight Corinthian columns, each of one single piece. 
 But the Greeks, who now live here, and who use this rotunda as a 
 church, have spoiled the beauty of the inside, by daubing it over 
 with plaster. Leaving this, the visitor arrives at a large and very 
 lofty pile of buildings, which bear the appearance of having been 
 added in later times. Through this pile one passes into a noble 
 iarched walk, or portico, one hundred and fifty paces long, which 
 leads to the temple. 
 
 This building, which has resisted no less the corroding tooth of 
 time, than the destructive madness of superstitious man, is yet in 
 a good state of preservation. It is an oblong square its length, 
 on the outside, one hundred and ninety-two feet, and its breadth 
 ninety. The pronaos consisted of fifty-four feet, of the one hun- 
 dred and ninety-two, but is now tumbled down, and the pillars, 
 which supported it are crumbled to pieces. The whole body of this 
 temple, as it now stands, is surrounded by a noble portico, support- 
 ed by pillars, of the Corinthian order, six feet three inches in dia- 
 meter, and about fifty-four feet in height, and each of the three 
 stones a piece. 
 
 Their distance from each other, and from the walls of the tem- 
 ple, is nine feet. There are fourteen of them on each side of the 
 temple, and eight at each end, and containing the corner pillars in 
 each number. The architrave and cornice, which are supported all 
 around by these pillars, are exquisitely carved. 
 
[46] 
 
 HISTOKY OF PHOENICIA. 
 
 Now, let us rest awhile. Here we are on Mount Lebanon. We 
 will repose in this grove, and, like Omar, lean against a cedar, which 
 spreads its branches over our heads. Perhaps this is the grove, and 
 this the cedar, where the Hirams, king of Tyre, and the widow's son, 
 rested themselves, when wearied with giving directions to the work- 
 men, who were here preparing timber, to send to Jerusalem, for the 
 Temple. What a fine place to .slide the timber down the mountain! 
 What a noble bay spreads out before us to receive the floats, where 
 the placid waters are ready to bear them southward to Joppa, from 
 thence to be taken by land to Jerusalem, the city of Peace. How 
 blest was Solomon in having such a friend and ally, and such a for- 
 est in which to obtain building materials! How peaceful those 
 times, not like those that preceded, or that succeded, the three 
 great Master Masons. 
 
 Before us is spread out the whole of that far-famed land, ancient 
 Phosnicia. Its length from north to south is about 120 miles, and 
 its breadth about 20 miles. Phoenicia had four prominent cities. In 
 the extreme north on a little island, stood ARAB; about 18 miles south 
 was, and still is, TRIPOLIS; still farther south was BERYTUS (now 
 Beyroot;) and yet, still farther, SIDON; and at the extreme southern 
 point was TYRE, of great renown. Between these were other small 
 cities, so that the whole land was like one continuous city, filled 
 with active, bustling, living beings. Much of the early history of 
 this, like every other country, is involved in uncertainty and 
 fabulous traditions, so much so that it is rather a matter of curiosity 
 than useful knowledge; but out of this confusion, some facts of re- 
 liable history can be gathered. Along this rugged coast, now 
 spread out before us, the blessed Master once walked and preached 
 the word, to "City full and forest waste," when he retired from the 
 scoffing Jews. Matthew xv: 21. 
 
 The old patriarch Ham, the son of Noah, after the flood, with his 
 wife and sons, started from the foot of Mount Ararat (like mod- 
 ern emigrants going to Oregon) to seek their fortune. Cush went 
 to the land of Havila, and from him sprang the Chaldeans and the 
 Babylonians. Mizraim remained with his father; Ham settled on 
 the banks of the Nile, but, by some unknown track, found his way 
 to Ethiopia, to scorch his skull in the torrid zone; while Cjnaan 
 stopped here, at the foot of Mount Lebanon, to build factories, and 
 cities, and vessels. 
 
[4T] 
 
 It should seem that the wife of Ham was of the family of Cain, 
 and not Seth. The genealogies of the Phoenicians run back to t:ie 
 first man through that line, although they do hot mention the flood. 
 The oldest son of Canaan was Sidon, an enterprising lad, who, in 
 his youth, loved to play in the mud. He built several mud-houses, 
 and dug a trench around them, to protect himself from his neigh- 
 bors and the wild blasts. This, ultimately, grew into the famous 
 city of Sidon, on the sea side. After a time, Sidon sent out two 
 companies of emigrants, one of which planted Arad, on the north, 
 and the other T} T re, on the south. From these three, a colony 
 planted Tripolis, which signifies "from three cities." 
 
 Tyre soon outstripped the others, and became the great metro- 
 politan city of western Asia. This pre-emimence she maintained, 
 until the subjugation of all that land by Alexander the Great, about 
 three hundred and thirty years before the Christian era. 
 
 On account of power and glory the amount of her manufactor- 
 ies the multitude of her colonies the extent of her commerce 
 the bravery of her defence and the terribleress of her fall 
 Tyre deserves more than a passing notice on the page of history. 
 
 At the southern point of Phoenicia, the sea rounded up into the 
 land, forming a beautiful bay, about a mile and a half broad. In 
 the opening of this bay, toward the sea, was an island about half a 
 mile in diameter, and about the same distance from the main land 
 on each side, and a mile from the land directly toward the conti- 
 nent. Tyre was originally built upon the main land, with the no- 
 ble bay in front of it. It was surrounded by a high, strong wall. 
 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged this city, and after thir- 
 teen years of labor and toil he succeeded in taking the city, about 
 the year 580 B. C. During this long siege, the inhabitants were 
 occupied in building a wall and houses upon the island, to which 
 they removed with all the treasures. Nebuchadnezzar gained 
 nothing but vexation by all this great enterprise. (Consult Ezekiel 
 xxix: 18.) 
 
 It does not appear that the Tyrians ever submitted to the govern- 
 ment of the Babylonians, although they may have paid tribute for 
 the sake of peace.* All the rest of Phoenicia became part of the 
 empire of the east, and, with Babylon itself, passed into the Persian 
 empire, when Cyrus the Great came to the throne, about 536 B. C.; 
 
 *Tyre paid tribute to Babylon and Persia, from 580 B. C. to 510 
 B.C., under Darius, when she became again independent. 
 
[48] 
 
 in which condition they continued, either as dependent provinces 
 or confederate allies, until Alexander over-ran the whole land, 
 about 330 before the Christian era. 
 
 The history of Phoenicia may be divided into two parts. First, 
 that which preceeded second, that which succeeded -the siege of 
 Old Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar; or old Tyre and New Tyre. Both 
 parts are fall of interesting events. Phoenicia was a confederation 
 of States, very much like the United States, united for all foreign 
 purposes, but each prominent city an independent State for all in- 
 ternal regulations, governed usually by a king instead of a gover- 
 nor, who was, more or less, controlled by a Council coresponding 
 to a modern State Legislature. It was under this most happy 
 form of confederate government, that Phoenicia maintained her 
 unity and independence, and rose to so great prosperity. 
 
 The events worthy of particular comment in the early history of 
 Phoenicia, before the siege, are: 1. Sending letters and science into 
 Greece by Cadmus, about the time of Joshua in Israel. 2. The 
 reign of Hiram, the friend of David and Solomon, and the building 
 of the temple. 3. The reign of Ithobal, the father of Jezebel, wife- 
 of Ahab, in the time of Elijah,' the prophet. 4. The flight of Dido 
 to Africa, to plant Carthage. 5. The reign of Ithobal II, who was 
 killed at the siege of Old Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar. Each will be 
 taken up in order. 
 
 There was a king in Phoenicia, whose name was Agenor, and 
 who had many sons and daughters. His eldest son's name was 
 Phoenix, from whom came the name of the whole country of Europa. 
 The daughter of Agenor was stolen, and carried into Crete. From 
 her sprang the name of Europe, as applied by the Phoenicians to all 
 west of themselves. 
 
 Cadmus, brother of Europa, was sent to hunt for her, but, not 
 succeeding in finding her, he passed over into Greece, then a 
 barbarous country. Not "daring to return, he built a city in Greece, 
 calling it Cadmum, which was afterwards changed to Thebes. 
 Cadmus introduced the use of letters, and written language, among 
 the barbarians. From this arose all the classical science, the lite- 
 rature, and the philosophy of learned Greece; and for this Phoeni- 
 cian kindness the Greeks afterward repaid their instructors, by 
 over-running their land with armies, and desolating their cities, 
 often drenching their streets with human blood. Such is the jua- 
 tice of this world! 
 
[49] 
 
 The frequent intercourse of Cadmus with the Egyptians, had 
 rendered him familiar with the wisdom of that land of early sci- 
 ence. 
 
 Apolodorus gives this mythe as follows: 
 
 "Agenor and Belus were the sons of Neptune by Lybia, daugh- 
 ter of Epaphus. Belus remained in Egypt, and married the daugh- 
 ter of Nilus, who gave birth to Egyptus and Danaus. Agenor emi- 
 grated to Phoenicia, and' became the father of a numerous race ; 
 .he married Telephe, by whom he had Europa, Phoenicis, Cadmus, 
 Cilix, Electra,and Thasus. Agenor had also other wives and other 
 children. Europa was stolen by Jupiter, transformed into a bull, 
 and carried to Crete. Agenor, being extremely grieved at the loss 
 of his daughter, sent his son Cadmus, with a large sum of money 
 in quest of her, but as "he did not find her, and dared not return 
 without her, he resolved to go and settle elsewhere. With this de- 
 sign, having fitted out a small fleet, he put to sea, and landed in 
 Thrace, where he was so fortunate as to discover a gold mine on 
 Mount Pangesus. 
 
 "Being enriched with metal, and in a condition to pursue his en- 
 terprise, he was advised by the Oracle of Delphos to leave Thrace 
 and proceed to Bceotia. He obeyed the Oracle, and went thither 
 and founded a kingdom, and built a city called Cadmum after- 
 wards called Thebes." 
 
 This is a mixture of truth and fable. Let us try to separate the 
 true elements, and find out the facts. 
 
 Agenor was the king of Phoenicia, and Belus was Sesostris, the 
 king of Egypt. They are called sons of Neptune, because they 
 traveled by sea as well as by land. They were not brethren, ex- 
 cept in arms and deeds of war, but were related by marriage. 
 Telephe, the wife of Agenor, was the sister of that Pharaoh, who 
 was drowned in the Eed Sea, and to Sesostris, the Belus of the le- 
 gend. Egyptus and Danaus were not the sons, but the younger 
 brothers of Sesostris, and cousins of Cadmus. Agenor and Belus 
 are called the sons of Neptune by Lybia, because they, together, 
 went over the sea, to conquer that country which lies in the north 
 of Africa, and west of Egypt. This expedition was in progress at 
 the time that Moses was working miracles in Egypt, before Pharaoh, 
 the father of Sesostris. 
 
 On their return, each went to his own kingdom. 
 
 7 
 
[50] 
 
 Tempestous times those must have been when king Agenor 
 reigned in Phoenicia. Moses ha'd just left Egypt, with the twelve 
 tribes of Israel. The old Pharaoh was dead; his eldest son had 
 perished with the first born; and Sesostris, the second son, had re- 
 turned from Lybia. He committed the care of the home govern- 
 ment to his younger brothers, Egyptus and Danaus, and, with a 
 new army, commenced ravaging Asia. He subdued the Philistines, 
 depressed the Canaanites, and marched victoriously to Persia, and 
 perhaps, to the Indus. 
 
 At the same time, the Greeks, then uncivilized, with the inhabi- 
 tants of the islands between Europe and Asia, were roving about, 
 committing depredations upon their neighbors. Some of these law- 
 less free-booters, coming to Phoenicia to sell cattle and horses and 
 purchase a few Tyrian wares, beheld the beautiful daughter of king 
 Agenor. Mischief was at once on foot, as it always is when lawful 
 matrimony is restrained for lov<?, lawful or unlawful, seeks its 
 purpose. The strangers stole Europa, and carried her safely into 
 the isle of Crete, where she became the wife of a chieftain. The 
 story of her being transformed into a bull, has reference to her 
 new occupation, tending the herds of cattle with her new husband. 
 Some, however, understand only that Jupiter, who carried her off, 
 was transformed into the bull at the time of the theft, the better to 
 convey away the bride. If this is the meaning of the fable, it re- 
 fers to the boat, whose prow resembled the head of that animal, 
 and that in this boat Europa was carried to the isle of Crete. 
 
 It was to hunt this lost sister that Cadmus went forth, and final- 
 ly, landing in Greece, built Thebes. . "Whether or not he ever re- 
 turned, to report progress, does not appear; but very soon after we 
 find that his sisters came to him, and helped him plant, build and 
 people his city. Here they met their cousins, Egyptus and Danaus, 
 who had fled from Egypt. An account of their flight will be found 
 in the history of Sesostris. One of them left his name to his na- 
 tive land, and the other conferred his name upon the most impor- 
 tant river in south-eastern Europe, the Danube. The two brothers, 
 married the two sisters of Cadmus, their cousins, Isoea and Melia, 
 thus diffusing in the new colony the germs of Eg} T ptian as well as 
 Phoenician science. What great results arose from stealing one 
 woman! 
 
 Electra, another daughter, was, probably, a resident of Thebes, 
 as one of the gates bore her name; but whether she likewise found 
 
[51] 
 
 a husband, or remained watching at the gate in single blessedness, 
 W9 are not informed. Thassus, another brother, built Thassos, in 
 Thrace. Cilix settled in Cilicia, and gave name to his country; 
 while Phoenix remained at home, and succeeded his father in the 
 government, and gave name to all the country. He is said to have 
 discovered the art of making the scarlet-colored dye, called the 
 Tyrian dye, which also received his name, and from its resem- 
 blance to flame, arising from thrashes, arose the fabulous bird, the 
 Phoenix. 
 
 Poor old, unfortunate king Agenor. Somebody stole his dear 
 daughter Europa, carried her off, and married her; and because no 
 one would come to steal the others, they went themselves, without 
 being stolen, and. found their husbands. 
 
 Previous to this time, Phoenicia was esteemed a part of Canaan. 
 
 Little that would interest the common reader, is known from 
 the times of Phoenix, until the time of David, king of Israel, about 
 the year 1000 B. C. 
 
 Abial, king of Tyre, and probably of all Phoenicia, was counted 
 an enemy of David, but was succeeded by Hiram, who was the de- 
 voted friend of both David and Solomon.* Mutual presents passed 
 between them, until, at length, a regular treaty of national alliance 
 was formed upon the death of David, and the accession of Solomon 
 to the throne of Israel. This prince sent to Hiram, king of Tyre, 
 a letter of such diplomatic character, that it may interest the read- 
 er to have a copy of it, especially as it. is the oldest State paper on 
 record: 
 
 ''King Solomon to King Hiram, Greeting: Be it known to thee, 
 O, king, that my father David had it a long time in his mind to 
 erect a temple to Jehovah; but being perpetually in war, and under 
 the necessity of fighting his enemies, and making them all tribu- 
 taries, before he could attend to the great and glorious work, he 
 has left it to me, in time of peace, both to begin and finish it, ac- 
 cording to the prediction of Almighty God. Blessed be His name 
 for the present tranquility of my dominions, and by his gracious 
 
 *It is the opinion of many that Hiram was not the son of the 
 preceding king, but a foreigner that had gained the throne, per- 
 haps an Israelite. He was intimately acquainted with the Israel- 
 ites, their form of government and religion, and worshiped the true 
 G-od in connection with the idols of Phoenicia. 
 
[52] 
 
 assistance, I shall now dedicate the best improvement of this liberty 
 and leisure to his honor and worship. Wherefore I make my re- 
 quest that you will let some of your people go with some of my 
 servants to Mount Lebanon, to assist them in cutting down mate- 
 rials for this building, for the Sidonians understand it much better 
 than we do. As for the workmen's reward, or wages, whatever 
 you think reasonable shall be punctually paid to them." 
 
 To this Hiram returned the following answer: 
 
 "Nothing could be more welcome to me than to understand that 
 the government of your deceased father is devolved, in the provi- 
 dence of God, into the hands of so exalted, so wise, and so virtuous 
 a successor. His holy name be praised for it. That which you 
 write for shall be done with all care, and good will, for I will give 
 orders that there shall be exported such quantities of the fairest 
 cedars and cypress trees as you shall have occasion for. My peo- 
 ple shall bring them to the sea-side for you, and from there ship 
 them away to what port you please, where they may be ready for 
 your own men to transport them to Jerusalem. It would be a great 
 obligation, after all this, to allow us such a provision of corn in ex- 
 change, as may agree with your convenience, for that is the com- 
 modity which we Tyrians most need." 
 
 The kingdom of Tyre nourished exceedingly under the adminis- 
 tration of Hiram. The walls of the city were enlarged; the unity 
 of Phoenicia preserved; the commerce of the land greatly increas- 
 ed. Peace and prosperity poured in upon them, and the world at 
 large was blessed through them. This was the result of their libe- 
 ral policy towards the people of God. 
 
 It was about this time that so much, was done to facilitate travel, 
 by caravans, from Tyre and Jerusalem through Tadmore, in the 
 wilderness, to Babylon and the Indies. 
 
 THE DESEKT. 
 
 The cities of Phoenicia, Canaan, and Palestine, studded the west- 
 ern coast of Asia or capped the hill tops a little in the rear, that 
 
skirted the Eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea like a narrow 
 frill on the edge of a lady's dress. These cities were the cradle, 
 and the home of early manufactories. 
 
 Far in the East ran the great rivers Euphrates and Tigress, with 
 their tributaries. On their borders and far beyond them, reaching 
 to the Indus and the Southern Ocean, where many fertile plains 
 dotted with splendid cities teeming with human beings. These 
 lands abounded with valuable productions of the earth, both veget- 
 able and mineral. 
 
 A commerce between the East and the "West of Asia became 
 therefore exceedingly desirable. By it one would receive the raw 
 material, for the factories and the other utensils for farming and 
 mining, as well as articles of luxury, in exchange for grain, gums, 
 dyestuffs, and the precious metals. Between these two portions of 
 the East, the great pastures of Mesopotamia degenerated into the 
 barren plains of Southern Syria, where they met and wed those of 
 northern Arabia, forming a bleak, dreary wilderness of burning 
 sand, floating before the breath of poisonous winds that bore des- 
 truction and death on their wings. For many miles around no 
 flowing stream, nor waving grove, no cheerful verdure relieves the 
 gloom that hangs like the mantle of desolation over the wide spread 
 prospect. Here and there, at great distance apart, were once 
 stinted patches of verdant earth where cooling streams bubbled up, 
 ran a few miles and were again lost in the interminable sands. 
 Around these spots, like eyes in the body of the desert, stood sentry 
 a few palm trees, eye-lashes to guard the fountains. Under the 
 shadow of their foliage lurked ferocious beasts of prey. 
 
 Across this desert the trade between the East and the West was 
 carried by camels going from Dema^cus, in the South part of Syria, 
 to Babylon and Persepolis. The hardy adventurer in this enter- 
 prise was exposed to dangers which would appal any but the stout- 
 est heart. Out in this desert a little more than one hundred miles 
 from Damascus was originally a small fertile spot on which stood 
 the famous city Tadmor, in the wilderness, now a pile of ruins. 
 It was first built by Solomon King of Israel, after he had completed 
 the temple, his own house, and Baalbec, in Mount Lebanon. By 
 the protection afforded by this city the perils of the desert trade, 
 though still terrible, were greatly mitigated. Larger caravans 
 could go in company with confident expectation of reaching Tadmor 
 in a few days journey from Damascus. 
 
[54] 
 
 This trade brought the East and the West into a more intimate 
 acquaintance. I do not recollect that the Jews had any knowledge 
 of Assyria from the time of Abraham to the time that Solomon 
 built Tadmor in the wilderness. Commerce has often been the 
 great instrumentality for uniting the hostile tribes of earth in more 
 friendly relations. Commerce has prohibited the unsheathing of 
 the sword, when no ambitious king, no skillful diplomatist, no art- 
 ful politician, could have averted the horrors of war. "We owe more 
 to commerce, than to all other secular employments, for the present 
 peace, prosperity, and happiness of our country and the whole 
 world. It is to be accounted among the greatest glories of the reign 
 of Solomon and Hiram, that they aided in the protection and ex- 
 tension of commerce, even to building cities in the wilderness to fa- 
 cilitate trade, whereby all nations reposed under the green foliage of 
 universal peace. The commerce, manufactories, architecture and 
 diplomacy of the world owe their origin, to these grand masters. 
 
 They gave them birth. They rocked their cradle. They nursed 
 them in childhood, and now in their manhood they march round the 
 world sheathing the sword, and commanding all nations to live in 
 unity, to join in a universal fraternity in the family of man. The 
 terrible wars that afflicted the east, and the west of Asia, subsequent 
 to the time of Solomon, resulting in the subversion of Israel and 
 Judah, were not the offspring of the facilitated intercourse across 
 the desert, but the neglect of that commercial exchange which 
 caused each nation to prize the friendship of others. The dangers 
 of the desert trade, previous to the time of Solomon must have been 
 similar to those experienced by some of our immigrants on the 
 overland route to Colifornia, and are pathetically expressed in one 
 of Collins' poems, from which I make the following extract: 
 
 In silent horror o'er the boundless waste, 
 
 The driver Hassan with his camels past, 
 
 One cruse of water on his back he bore, 
 
 And his light scrip contained a scanty store; 
 
 A fan of painted feathers in his hand, 
 
 To guard his shaded face from the scorching sand. 
 
 The sultry sun had gained the middle sky, 
 
 And not a tree, and not a herb, was nigh. 
 
 The beasts, with pain, their dusty way pursue, 
 
 Shrill roared the wind, and dreary was the view. 
 
 With desperate sorrow wild, the freighted man, 
 
 Thrice sighed, thrice struck his breast, and thus began, 
 
 Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 
 
 When first from Shiraz's walls, I led my way. 
 
 
[55] 
 
 Ah! little thought I of the hlustering wind, 
 This thirst, or pinching hunger, that I find. 
 Bethink thee, Hassan, where shall thirst assuage; 
 When fails this cruse his unrelenting rage. 
 Soon shall this scrip its previous load resign, 
 Then what but tears and hunger shall be thine. 
 Cursed, be the gold and silver which persuade, 
 Weak men to follow far, fatiguing trade. 
 The lilly peace outshines the silver store, 
 And life is dearer than the golden ore, 
 
 All frantic as I go, 
 
 When thought creates unnumbered scenes of woe. 
 
 What if the Lion in his rage I meet; 
 
 Oft in the dust I view his printed feet. 
 
 And fearful when day's declning light, 
 
 Yields her pale empire to the sable night. 
 
 By hunger roused, he scours the groaning plain; 
 
 Gaunt Wolves, and sullen Tigers on his train. 
 
 At that dread hour, the silent Asp will creep, 
 
 If aught of rest I find upon my sleep. 
 
 Or some swolen serpent, twist his scales around, 
 
 And wake to anguish with a burning wound. 
 
 SEPARATION OF ISRAEL FROM JUDAH. 
 
 Solomon, the wise king, was succeeded on the throne by his son 
 Rehoboam, who was vastly below mediocrity for talent. Incapa- 
 ble of perceiving the best interest of his people, he called a court 
 to advise him. Let us put their language into a more modern 
 dress. Old men, what say you? 
 
 "What political course shall I adopt? How shall I govern this 
 people?" To this the old men, who had seen the good results of 
 commercial enterprise, replied: "You see how your father man- 
 aged. He only taxed the people lightly; he encouraged them to 
 engage in commercial enterprise, and by that means the country 
 became rich, united and happy; the king ruled in sufficient mag- 
 nificence, and the world was at peace. Follow, now, the footsteps 
 of your father; tax lightly, and leave the wealth of the nation in 
 
[56] 
 
 the hands of individuals, with which to continue the commercial 
 enterprises so auspiciously commenced in the preceding reign." 
 
 Eehoboam replied: "Very good advice; but here are the young 
 men brought up with me. I will hear what they have to say." 
 "Young men, what say you; what kind of politics shall I adopt?" 
 The young men consulted. "If the king gather great revenue of 
 money from the people, he will, of course, spend it again, and who 
 is so likely to have the handling of the money, and get pro- 
 fitable contracts, under the government, as ourselves, who have 
 been brought up with him." They, then, agree to say to 
 the king: "We advise your majesty to lay on a heavy tax, 
 thereby collect a great revenue, and thus make your govern- 
 ment magnificent, and yourself glorious." Eehoboam, like a fool- 
 ish simple boy, was pleased. He replied: "That these old men are 
 not wise; they are antiquated in their notions; they have fallen be- 
 hind the age. I like, and will pursue, the advice of the young 
 men." 9 
 
 The result is well known. The kingdom was rent in twain. Ten 
 tribes departed, and formed a separate kingdom, ever after known 
 as the kingdom of Israel, distinct from Judah. They, ultimately, 
 built a capitol, called Samaria in the tribe of Ephraim. Hence 
 they are all some times called Israel; some times Samaria; some 
 times Ephraim. tFudah and Benjamin alone remained, under the 
 government of Eehoboam, and were unitedly called Judah; their 
 capitol was Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. By this mal-ad- 
 ministration, the kingdom was rent in two; commerce was checked; 
 and the way prepared for the desolation, and final captivity, of both 
 nations. Eehoboam, like his father, built ships on the Eed Sea; 
 but they were broken, and did not sail, and those ports taken from 
 him by the Edomites. In every direction commerce began to de- 
 part from Israel and Judah. For a long time it lingered in the 
 hands of the Phoenicians and the Syrians, but ultimately departed 
 into the great valley of the Euphrates and Tigris, where we shall, 
 in a few years, find the power, wealth and glory of the world. 
 
[57J 
 
 JEZEBEL. 
 
 About one thousand years before the Christian era, died Eesin, 
 king of Syria, Solomon, king of Israel, and Hiram, king of Tyre, 
 after a long, peaceful and glorious reign, which conferred great 
 blessings upon their respective kingdoms, and, indeed, upon all the 
 nations of the earth. The times that succeeded them were tempes- 
 tuous in the extreme. For one hundred years the kingdoms of 
 Israel and Phoenicia were convulsed with treasons, murders, and 
 every possible exhibition of human depravity; the uniform con- 
 comitant of a departure from the worship of the living and the true 
 God. From the history of these times, we may learn wisdom. If 
 coming events cast their shadow before, may we not anticipate 
 trouble when so many of our rulers rule not in the fear of the 
 1/ord. After the death of Solomon his kingdom was divided into 
 two, ever after known as the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Jero- 
 boam was the first king of Israel, and early introduced idolatry, 
 by setting up two calves, one in Dan, the other in Beersheba, the 
 extremes of his kingdom. From ttiis time, to that of Ahab, the 
 history of Israel was filled with plots and counter- plots, until the 
 line of Jeroboam became extinct, and two rival generals aspired 
 to the throne. Omri was the successful candidate. He bought the 
 hill Shamar, and built the city of Samaria thereon, ever after the 
 capitol of Israel. Omri died, and his son Ahab took the throne, 
 about the year 925 B. C. 
 
 Astartus, grandson of Hiram, became king of Tyre, but was 
 soon murdered by his servants. Asterimus succeeded to the throne, 
 and was murdered by his brother Phelles, who reigned eight 
 months, and was murdered by his nephew, the son of Asterimus. 
 Ithobal, the son of Asterimus, was a priest of Baal. In his priest- 
 ly service he was assisted by his daughter Jezebel. Grieving for 
 the untimely death of his late regal father, Ithobal, with his daugh- 
 ter, while offering incense upon the altar of their god, made a 
 solemn vow, that if Baal would restore the throne to him, the right- 
 ful heir, they would consecrate all their powers to the advancement 
 of his worship. All who would not bow before Baal were to be 
 held their enemies. The vow being made, Jezebel prepared for 
 the execution of it. Born in these exciting times of treason and 
 violence, her soul seemed to drink in the full spirit of the age. To 
 shed blood, in the execution of her purpose, seemed but a pass- 
 time. By her stratagem the king was drawn in their power, and 
 8 
 
[58] 
 
 murdered in a retired chamber of the temple. This transferred 
 Ithobal and Jezebel from the altar to the regal palace the priest 
 ascended the throne of his uncle, so many of whose predecessors 
 had expired by the hand of assassins. This was about the time 
 that Ahab ascended the throne of Israel. Jezebel, with all the arts 
 of coquetry, drew on Ahab to form an alliance with Ithobal, which 
 was more firmly cemented by the marriage of this daughter, of this 
 priestly king of Tyre, with -the regal monarch of Israel. Then 
 came the fulfillment of the vow, made at the pagan altar. 
 Prophets and seers, priests and servants of God, were either butch- 
 ered or compelled to hide themselves in caves and dens in the 
 earth. Priests of Baal were every where multiplied. Groves were 
 consecrated to pagan worship, where altars constantly smoked with 
 sacrifices, and often reeked with human blood. To these times 
 Paul must have referred w T hen he said of a people, that they were 
 "without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." Even all the 
 children were required to be consecrated by fire to Baal. 
 
 At that time stood forth, to defend the truth, Elijah, the prophet 
 of God, who declared, by the King of Heaven, that there should 
 be no rain on this sinful land, but, by his word. Heaven frowned 
 upon the nation. The elements joined in the contest between Je- 
 hovah and the Phoenician idoL and were ready to avenge the 
 death of the servants of the Lord. The clouds refused to mingle 
 their waters with the blood of the martyrs. The heavens became 
 as brass overhead, and the earth as iron under foot. The air look- 
 ed fiery and revengeful; the birds of heaven fled away. The green 
 leaves became parched to a crisp; the channels of the streams be- 
 came dry and dusty; the beasts muttered their mournful protest 
 against the wickedness of man, and expired. Many of the human 
 family gave up the ghost, dying of hunger. The destroying angel 
 Spread his direful wings, not only over Israel, but also extended his 
 shadow all over Phoenicia, and far into Syria. The manufactories 
 of Tyre were suspended. A voice of wailing ascended from all the 
 land, and was re-echoed from the hill-tops, to the relentless skies. 
 
 Instead cf returning to the worship of the true God, and ceasing 
 from bloody persecutions, Jezebel, like Pharaoh, became more ob- 
 durate and cruel by these calamities. Nothing was heard in the 
 regal palace but curses upon the head of Elijah, the prophet of God. 
 But, where was he? Ahab had sent into every kingdom to hunt 
 for him, and had taken an oath of them that he was not there. I 
 
 
[69] 
 
 mistake not every kingdom! He had not inquired in the king- 
 dom of God Elijah was there, fed by the King, who sent a messen- 
 ger night and morning to feed the prophet with flesh and bread. 
 
 Oh, what evil one devilish woman can accomplish, when she 
 quarrels with a servant of God! What calamities she can bring 
 upon herself and her friends, and all- for the religious traditions of 
 her fathers! There are many Jezebels in modern times, who stir 
 up their husbands to do the devil's work in society. This subject 
 has a moral application, but I will not now stop to make it. At 
 some other time my pen shall describe the modern Jezebel. Let us 
 pause, and observe the finale of this wicked administration. 
 
 1st. The king, by being the mere servant of a deceitful woman, 
 became greatly degenerate in mental capacity. When woman is 
 in her proper sphere, she exalts man and ascends with him; when 
 she usurps authority over him, man sinks below the level of his 
 sex. 
 
 Ahab had desired to purchase a vineyard in Jezreel, which was 
 near to the royal palace, but because JSTaboth, the owner, declined 
 selling it, the king, like a foolish boy, cast himself upon his bed, 
 and indulged in a fit of crying. 1st Kings, xxi ch: 4th v. 
 
 Jezebel, however, after reproving him for his childishness, soon 
 disposed of Kaboth, and directed her effeminate lord to arise and 
 take possession. He obeyed, but had no sooner entered the vine- 
 yard than the prophet of the Lord met him; and the king, like a 
 guilty, trembling culprit, listened to the sentence of God upon him 
 and his family. 
 
 Jezebel had become so ferocious in her wickedness, that her name 
 ever after became a proverb, not only on earth, but also among the 
 angels in heaven. Eev. n. 
 
 2d. Woes unutterable rolled over Israel and Phoenicia, and the 
 throne and sceptre passed from both their families. The change 
 in the royal line of Tyre, shall be given in another article. I will 
 here continue the history of Israel, until the line of Ahab and 
 Jezebel become extinct. 
 
 3d. The end of that evil woman was a most fearful death. In- 
 gloriously, also, terminated the life of Ahab, who permitted his 
 wife to stir him up to all mischief. Ahab was not killed by the 
 people whom he had so much injured, but was permitted to fall into 
 a snare from another source. Jezebel had stirred him up to com- 
 
[60] 
 
 commence an aggressive war upon Syria, to capture JRamoth Gi- 
 lead. After imprisoning the prophet Micaiah, for giving him sol- 
 emn warning, he, with Johosaphat, king of Judah, went to battle. 
 
 Benhadad, the king of Syria, very humanely directed his cap- 
 tains to fight with none but Ahab, who, like a cowardly knave, 
 disguised himself, that he might escape the evils to which he was 
 willing to expose others. A bow, drawn at a venture, was dis. 
 charged at the host of Israel. Although aimed, by the archer, at no 
 particular object, the All-seeing eye took sight, glanced along the 
 string and rested on his vailed majesty. The arrow sped along the 
 line of the divine vision, and penetrated the body of Ahab. 
 
 The royal monarch sank back in his carriage, which was hastily 
 driven back to Samaria, and halted in the vineyard of Jezreel. 
 
 There the king died, and, owing to the confusion incident to the 
 defeat, his carcass for some time remained in the chariot, where 
 his blood, dripping through the same to the ground, was licked up 
 by the dogs even in the place where the blood of Naboth was 
 shed. "Surely with what measure ye meet, to you it shall be mea- 
 sured again." He died as a fool dieth. 
 
 After the tragical fate of Ahab, in exact accordance with the de- 
 claration of two prophets, we might have supposed that the family 
 would have learned wisdom, and ceased from persecuting the ser- 
 vants of God. But not so; evil seducers, and wicked persons wax 
 worse and worse continually. Ahaziah, son of Ahab and Jezebel, 
 ascended the throne, and dwelt in the palace of Jezreel, which over- 
 shadowed the vineyard of .Naboth. After a turbulent and inglori- 
 ous reign, marked by no peculiar event, but sending three com- 
 panies, of fifty soldiers each, to capture the prophet Elijah, two of 
 whom were destroyed by fire from heaven, the king fell through 
 a lattice, and tumbled off the rocks into the fatal vineyard. The 
 injury resulting from this fall caused his death. 
 
 In the meantime, interesting events were transpiring in Jerusalem. 
 Jehoram, son of Johosaphat, had married Athalia, the daughter of 
 Ahab and Jezebel, and ascended the throne of his deceased father. 
 He had introduced into Judah many of the pagan customs of his 
 mother-in-law. At his death he had left a great number of child- 
 ren, and grand-children. His throne was now occupied by his old- 
 est son, Ahaziah, also a grand-child of Ahab and Jezebel, and in- 
 cluded in the denunciation of Elijah. The Ahaziah, of Samaria, 
 being dead, his throne was occupied by his brother, also called 
 
 
[61] 
 
 Jehoram. It was about this time that Elijah, the prophet, after 
 having endured the persecution of two kings, by the instigation of 
 the Tyrian Jezebel, ascended miraculously to heaven. Jehoram 
 reigned about twelve years; he was continually engaged in unfor- 
 tunate wars with Edom. Moab and Syria, and, like his father, un- 
 dertook to besiege Roman Gilead. There he received serious 
 wounds, and returned to - Jezreel to be healed. Ahaziah, king of 
 Judah, hearing that his uncle had been sick, came down to Jezreel 
 to visit him. While the kings were enjoying this visit, a watch- 
 man, in the tower upon the hill, gave an outcry. He-oo! your ma- 
 jesty, I see horsemen, and the approach of an army in the distance! 
 An army! an army! cried the king; send a horseman and ascertain 
 who it is. That boy Jehu, who rode behind Ahab, when he went 
 to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, had now become a 
 man, and risen, to be a captain. He had command at Ramoth Gi- 
 lead, that very city where Ahab and Jehoram had been wounded. 
 Jehu was a rough, unpolished, ungentlemanly fellow, with great 
 energy and decision of charactrr; we some times say he belonged 
 to a secret society of one; he could keep his own council. At the 
 head of a small, but efficient force, leaving Ramoth Gilead, he 
 moved rapidly on towards Samaria. This was the host seen by 
 the watchman at Jezreel. The messenger from the king met this 
 band, and hailed something after this manner: "Ah! Oh! Captain 
 Jehu, is it you? Captain have you come up here for war or for 
 peace?" To these questions the captain gave no direct answer; 
 but, that the king of Israel might receive no tidings, he command- 
 ed "to put the man in the rear." The watchman at Jezreel saw 
 the movement, and cried out: "I saw the messenger come to them, 
 and he comes not back again, but the hosts advance this way." The 
 two kings became alarmed. Another messenger was sent with 
 speed, to go and return with tidings, who, and what, the strangers 
 are. He also met Jehu, who gave him the same reception as his 
 predecessor. The watchman again hailed: "I saw this second mes- 
 senger come quite to the army, and he returns not. The army still 
 advance; they come very rapidly, and the driving is like the driv- 
 ing of Jehu, for he always drives furiously. Jehu, captain Jehu, 
 that furious man! trouble ahead; there is treachery; O, Ahaziah! 
 call the guards get out the chariots of war prepare for battle!" 
 The two kings move cautiously out to meet their visitor. " 'Tis 
 Jehu, surely! Captain Jehu, have you come hither, with all this 
 
[62] 
 
 haste, for war or for peace?" Jehu indignantly replies: "War or 
 peace! What peace, so long as .your cursed old mother carries on 
 so like the devil?" Without further ceremony the battle began 
 Ahaziah turned and fled. Jehu, pushing hard after him, hurled a 
 javelin at him, which wounded him in his chariot. He escaped to 
 Meggido, where he died that night, and was carried to Jerusalem 
 to be buried. Jehu, also, in the beginning of the action, drew a 
 bow, with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms. 
 The arrow went out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot, 
 which was drawn simultaneously towards Jezreel. The captain, in 
 his pursuit of Ahaziah, had fallen in the rear of his men. At length 
 Jehu came up, where the dead body of the king lay, thrown from 
 his carriage. He paused, and wildly exclaimed: "I was a boy 
 when Ahab went down to take the vineyard at Naboth, and rode 
 behind him. I heard what the prophet said about this famity, on 
 account of that murder. Last night troubled dreams disturbed me; 
 all night the blood of that innocent man floated before me, calling 
 for vengeance, and to-day the vengeance has come. Take up the 
 carcass, and cast it into the vineyard." His men, obeying the 
 command, cast the royal corpse of this son of Ahab and Jezebel 
 into the bloody field. 
 
 But the blood of Naboth is not yet avenged. The queen mother, 
 the author-of all these woes yet lives. From the window of the 
 palace she saw the conflict in which her royal son expired. She 
 arrayed herself in her gayest apparel, and painted her face perhaps 
 hoping by her old and faded charms to captivate the young and 
 heroic Jehu, but to no purpose. As he approached she hailed him. 
 To her the blunt captain made no reply, but raising his eyes to the 
 window he cried out: "any body up there on my side? anybody? If 
 there is, heave her out." The servants responded. Down she 
 tumbled into the midst of the soldiery. RTev'er before did heaven 
 rain such a shower. ISTever did star fall from heaven more worthy 
 to set. Over her prostrate body strode the hosts of Jehu, horsemen, 
 chariots, footmen and all, mangling her flesh and bones beneath 
 them, in the same fatal vineyard drenched with the blood of her 
 husband and her son. That night was devoted by Jehu and his 
 companions to banqueting. But in the midst of the feast, suddenly 
 pausing, Jehu exclaims, "That Jezebel was an accursed old creature, 
 worthy of all this ill fate, and the judgment of Heaven was de- 
 
[63] 
 
 nounced against her yet she was the daughter of the king of Tyre. 
 Go give her a royal burial." 
 
 The dogs had anticipated Jehu's command, for when the servants 
 came for her body, nothing remained of Jezebel, which the dogs 
 had not devoured, save the skull, the feet, and the palms of the 
 hands. What had Elijah said should become of this woman? "Thus 
 saith the Lord, in the place where t ie dogs licked the blood of !N"a- 
 both, there shall they eat thy flesh, even thine, Jezebel." Ahab 
 had seven sons and seventy grand-sons, in the town of Samaria. 
 To the governor, Jehu sent a letter, inviting them to set up one of 
 them for king and fight for him. Alarmed at the terrible slaughter 
 of two kings, and the old queen, with their adherents, they dared 
 not contend with the heroic captain. They, therefore, slew all 
 these princes, cut off their heads, and sent and piled them up in 
 two heaps at the entrance to Jezreel. Soon after this, Jehu and 
 his companions rode out into the country, where they met forty- 
 two young men, descendants of Ahab and Jezebel, by their daugh- 
 ter Athalia, who had received no tidings of the events in Samaria. 
 He inquired of these young men: "Who are you?" To which they 
 replied: "We are the princes of Judah, going to visit our cousins, 
 the princes of Samaria." "Take them alive," said Jehu. These 
 were all captured, carried to Jezreel, and slain. 
 
 "How fearful and terrible are thy judgments, O, Lord God Al- 
 mighty. Surely there is a way which seemeth right unto men, but 
 the end thereof is death." Let modern Jezebels behold and learn 
 the fate of those ^vho quarrel with the servants of the Lord. Who 
 ever contended against God and prospered? Leaving, for a time, 
 the kingdom of Israel, which suffered so much by having a Phoeni- 
 cian queen, let us now return to Tyre, whose further history de- 
 mands our attention. 
 
 DIDO. 
 
 Ithobal, the father of Jezebel, died soon after her marriage 
 with Ahab. Tyre, and all Phoenicia, was the theatre of intrigue 
 
[64] 
 
 and commotion, set on foot by Jezebel, who was ever sowing dis- 
 cord among her own kindred. In the reign of Pj T gmalion events 
 transpired which affected the subsequent history of the world. 
 Sichaeus was the nephew of Jezebel and the uncle of Pygmalion. 
 He was high priest of Hercules, (Baal,) whose temple stood on 
 the island, in front of Tyre, and served both for commercial and 
 religious purposes. Tyre, then, engrossed nearly all the commerce 
 of the world. The king had a half-sister, much older than him- 
 self, whose name in Phrenicia was Eliza, but by the Greeks she is 
 called Dido. 
 
 Through the extent of commerce, and the vast amount of reve. 
 nue committed to his care, he had become very rich. Pygmalion 
 coveted his brother's treasures. To accomplish his nefarious pur- 
 pose, he invited the priest to leave the altar, and improve his health, 
 by taking a hunting excursion upon one of the spurs of Mount 
 Lebanon. While engaged in the pursuit of a wild boar, and drawn 
 away from his attendants, the king came suddenly upon the priest, 
 slew him with a spear, and rolled his body off the rocks; afterward 
 pretending that he had fallen by accident, and thus been killed. 
 Still the treasures could not easily be obtained. 
 
 They were in the temple, guarded by the widow. 
 
 Dido grieved for the fate of her husband. She knew the sordid 
 disposition of her brother, and suspected that Sichaeus had fallen 
 by his hands. She, however, artfully concealed all her suspicions, 
 and prepared to leave Tyre with all her treasures. She, therefore, 
 requested the king to grant her a number of vessels and men to 
 convey her and her effects to a brother, who was governor of a 
 small city rear Tyre, called Baca, that she might there spend her 
 widowhood in quiet. The king readily granted this request, sup- 
 posing that, by this means, he should discover the treasure, and 
 before they landed at Barca he intended to seize them. But, oh, 
 the cunning of a shrewd woman! The vessels are all loaded; the 
 men and treasures aboard; the Barcan brother and his family are 
 there. Dido takes her seat, and gives command the sails are 
 hoisted. Instead of sailing towards Barba, the fleet put directly 
 out to sea, and bid adieu forever to their native shores. The king 
 was enraged to see the treasures so easily escape from his hands. 
 He proposed to send another fleet in pursuit, but the priests of 
 Herculese, remembering their late brother slain, caused the oracles 
 to forbid the enterprise. His majesty was, therefore, powerless; 
 
[65] 
 
 none would help him or go to sea against the command of Hercu- 
 lese. The fleet of Dido sailed first to the island of Cyprus, which 
 was a Phoenician colony, where they obtained an ample supply of 
 young women, so needful for the enterprise in hand. From thence 
 they struck into the great Mediterranean sea, and landed first at 
 TJtica, on the north coast of Africa. Proceeding a few miles fur- 
 ther, they halted, and planted a new colony and city, calling it 
 Carthage. From this enterprise sprang the great and distinguish- 
 ed nation of the Carthegenians, which afterwards so manfully con- 
 tended for empire with the Romans. 
 
 Leaving Dido at Carthage, to figure on another page of history, 
 let us hasten back to Tyre. Pygmalion was the last monarch of 
 the family of Ithobal and Jezebel. All Phoenicia was the scene of 
 commotion, of treason, and of assassination, for a long period. 
 The unity of Phoenicia was broken. I apprehend there were some 
 modern nullifiers in those days, for we soon find the different 
 States arrayed on sides adverse to each other. At length Elul gain- 
 ed the throne of Tyre, about the year 756 B. C., but it is not proba- 
 ble that he reigned over the whole of Phoenicia. About this time 
 Hezekiah, king of Judea, being at war with the Philistines, had 
 gained great advantage over them. Elul availed himself of their 
 embarrassment, and gained the city of Gath. The Gittites ap- 
 plied to Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, whose capitol was Nineveh, 
 for aid. He accordingly marched a large army to their relief. In 
 doing so, he passed through Phoenicia, distracting still more their 
 already shattered state. But peace was restored, and the Assy- 
 rians returned. We never find Phoenicia again firmly knit to- 
 gether in one confederacy. Sidon and some other cities joined, 
 and made war upon Tyre. The occasion of this war does not 
 plainly appear. The most probable cause was the superior skill 
 and enterprise of the Tyrians, which provoked the jealousy and 
 rivalship of their neighbors. Dim stars cannot shine until brighter 
 ones set. Such efforts to hasten the descent of the brighter, to give 
 place to the more dim, were not unusual. Being unable to com- 
 pete with their rival, the confederate forces once more applied to 
 Shalmaneser, who again marched into Phoenicia, to humble the 
 proud city of commerce. But Tyre was found a match, and more 
 than a match, for all of them. The Assyrians attempted to attack 
 Tyre by water, but the Tyrian fleet of only twelve vessels over- 
 came the far superior force of the Assyrians, consisting of sixty 
 9 
 
[66] 
 
 vessels drove them from the sea with great slaughter, and captur- 
 ed five hundred rowers. From this time, the besiegers confined 
 themselves to land operations, such as building and using battering- 
 rams, scaling-ladders, and other engines to break down the walls. 
 Shalmaneser, after a time, returned to Nineveh, but directed the 
 continuance of the siege until proud Tyre should submit to his 
 yoke. The Assyrians, by stopping the aqueducts, greatly distress- 
 ed the Tyrians, for the want of fresh water. But, still, under the 
 vigorous policy of Elul, the city was enabled to sustain and defend 
 itself until Shalmaneser died, when the long siege was abandoned, 
 without any definite result, except to show the strength of Tyre, 
 and to alienate her forever from the neighboring cities of Phoeni- 
 cia. Elul proved himself worthy to reign over Tyre, by the en- 
 ergy displayed in sustaining a siege of five years against one of 
 the mightiest nations then on the globe. 
 
 But the end of old Tyre now approached, and the birth of new 
 Tyre, on the island, now drew nigh. It was, probably, about this 
 time the great prosperity of Tyre existed, which is so beautifully 
 described, and so minutely recapitulated, by the prophet Ezekiel. 
 
 Elul, after a reign of thirty-six years, died about the year 720 
 B.C. 
 
 FALL OP TYRE. 
 
 Not long after this time, the city of Nineveh was destroyed, the 
 Assyrian empire remodelled, and the royal sceptre transferred to 
 Babylon, which became the head of gold to all the other nations, 
 States and kingdoms of the world. Nabopolasser, father of Nebu- 
 chadnezzar, of Babylon, sat on the throne of the empire of the east, 
 about the year 625 B.C. Ambitious of power and glory, yet too in. 
 firm himself to endure the fatigue of war, he sent forth his heroic 
 son to conquer the world. Most of the nations of western Asia 
 were easily subdued by him, and it was the purpose of that general 
 to march directly into Egypt. But esteeming Tyre too strong, and 
 too rich an enemy, to be left in the rear, Nebuchadnezzar directed 
 all his forces to the task of reducing the city, which had so effectu- 
 ally resisted Shalmaneser. All the rest of Phoenicia joined with 
 the Babylonian army against their rival neighbor. For thirteen 
 long years did Nebuchadnezzar and his army labor, and toil, and 
 strive to subdue the city. Every head was made bald, and every 
 shoulder peeled in carrying stone and timber, and various mate- 
 
[67] 
 
 rials to construct engines for battering down the walls, and destroy- 
 ing the inhabitants. Dreadful, indeed, were the sufferings endur- 
 ed by the Babylonians, while the inclosed Tyrians were in com- 
 parative ease. The engines of the Babylonians drove portions of 
 the wall inward; the Tyrians gathered these fragments and floated 
 them to the island, and began to build a wall around it, which was 
 carried up with strength and firmness to a great height. They 
 also continued to erect houses on the island, within the new in- 
 closure. The Babylonians were not expert at sea, and, not exactly 
 comprehending the nature of these works, they failed to prevent 
 their progress at this time. Ithobal II. was king of Tyre, but pro- 
 bably not a descendant of the first of that name. He animated his 
 people to resist heroically their foreign invaders, and their envious 
 neighbors. At length, after incredible hardships, Nebuchadnezzar 
 was able to reduce the strong wall of the city, and his soldiers 
 were animated with the hope of soon entering, and repaying them- 
 selves with abundance of plunder for their long and painful la- 
 bors. It was evident to the Tyrians that the city must be given up 
 to the pillage of a foreign soldiery that old Tyre must go to 
 the grave; but they determined that the soul should survive 
 the body. In the still and silent night the treasures and valu- 
 able effects of the city were all removed to the island, and 
 there deposited in the temples of Jupiter and Herculese, 
 which had been erected long time before, by Hiram the friend 
 of Solomon. The next day a most desperate and bloody re- 
 sistance was opposed to the besiegers. In this struggle king 
 Ithobal fell, bravely defending his people and city. The day 
 wore away. The Babylonians, having gained some advantage, be- 
 gan to enter the city, and, at the same time, the Tyrians, moving 
 to the sound of solemn music, retreated with their wives and child- 
 ren to the new island-city, entering it from their boats. The gates 
 closed behind them, and they were safe from their invaders. How 
 mortified were the Babylonians to find nothing but old buildings, 
 half demolished, to satiate their rapacity! All their anticipated 
 treasures were now more difficult of access than when the siege 
 began. Nebuchadnezzar vexed at this failure, and loss of thirteen 
 years of time, did not renew the siege, but hastened on to Egypt, 
 where he took great spoils to compensate him for his late ill suc- 
 cess. 
 
 Thus ended the city of Tyre, about the year 580 B. C. Return- 
 ing from Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar completed the capture of Jeru- 
 
[68] 
 
 salem, and began to carry the Jews captive to Babylon. All Phoe- 
 nicia, except Tyre, and all Canaan, then became a part of the em- 
 pire of the east, and ever after shared in its destiny until the 
 Roman conquest. How terrible the sieges of war! How fading the 
 laurels of conquest! To this siege of Old Tyre the prophet Eze- 
 kiel refers, in the xxixth chap., and 18th ? 19th and 20th vs. 
 
 NEW TYRE. 
 
 There were several important events in the history of New Tyre, 
 after the siege of Nebuchadnezzar, but I shall, for the present, 
 omit all except the siege by Alexander the Great, which resulted in 
 the entire ruin of the city. 
 
 Imperial authority passed from the Babylonians to the Persians 
 in the year 538 B.C., and continued with them about 200 years. 
 The Greeks and the Macedonians, uniting under Alexander the 
 Great, marched over into Asia Minor, and advanced upon the north 
 part of Phoenicia. After a few successful battles, all the west of 
 Asia, except Tyre, xjnanged its allegiance from Darius, of Persia, 
 to the Macedonian conqueror. Tyre, also, sent ambassadors to the 
 camp of Alexander with presents, desiring peace and friendship, 
 but refusing to acknowledge him as their master. Alexander sent 
 them ambassadors to propose to them terms of peace. These the 
 Tyrians, very unwisely, and contrary to the laws of nations, mur- 
 dered, and threw their bodies from the walls into the sea. I find 
 no good apology for this deed, and the Tyrians, for so wanton a 
 violation of the usages of nations, might have expected the terri- 
 ble fate which we are about to record. 
 
 It was the design of Alexander to march into Egypt, and con- 
 quer the land of the Pharaohs, before -he proceeded to Persia; but 
 he deemed it contrary to sound policy to advance, leaving in the 
 rear so powerful an enemy as Tyre, which, having the command of 
 the sea, might aid the Persians and greatly annoy him. Governed 
 by the same policy that guided the king of Babylon on a former 
 occasion, he determined to besiege Island Tyre, with the hope of 
 better success than had attended the two eastern monarchs in the 
 same enterprise. In seven months he succeeded in taking and des- 
 troying the city, in the autumn of the year 332 B. C. It must be 
 remembered that Egypt was a dependent province of Persia, hav- 
 ing been subjugated by Cambyses and Ochus. This fact explains 
 the reason why Alexander, in a war with Persia, also included 
 Egypt among his enemies. It is remarkable that Tyre received no 
 
[69] 
 
 assistance from either Persia or Egypt, since the war was on their 
 account, and only indirectly in reference to Tyre. 
 
 Thus far I have related the history of Phoenicia, and of Tyre, in 
 my own language. I shall, perhaps, be excused if I give the siege 
 of Tyre chiefly in the language of another, and quote largely from 
 Hebbe, with remarks of my own . 
 
 SIEGE OP THE ISLAND CITY OF TYRE. 
 
 "The island city of Tyre, situated half a mile from the main 
 land, was surrounded by a strong wall, one hundred and fifty feet 
 high. It was stored with an abundance of provisions, and armed 
 with every species of warlike preparation. The Tyrians were, 
 besides, furnished with a considerable fleet, while Alexander had 
 none at all. The difficulties with which the Macedonian hero had 
 to contend in this enterprise, were, consequently, very great, and 
 would have induced many other great generals to desist from an 
 undertaking apparently so hopeless; but Alexander was too confi- 
 dent of his ability, and possessed too resolute a pride to abandon 
 an enterprise he had 'once resolved on. Under these circumstances 
 the first thing he did was to join the main land to the island by a 
 mole, or artificial isthmus. For this purpose he caused the sea to 
 be sounded, and found the greatest depth to be three fathoms. This 
 inspired him with confidence of success; and he became still more 
 confident, when informed that the bottom was a stiff clay, which 
 served instead of mortar, and held whatever was sunk into it more 
 firm than could have been effected by art. The ruins of old -Tyre 
 furnished materials for the proposed work, which was begun, and, 
 under the inspection of the king himself, executed with such aston- 
 ing rapidity, that it soon rose over the surface of the water, and 
 approached the city. At first the Tyrians had looked upon this 
 undertaking as a rash and desperate attempt, which could never be 
 crowned with success, and therefore, as we are -told, had scornfully 
 cried out from their ships to the king, asking him whether he con- 
 sidered himself greater than Neptune. But, on seeing the rapid 
 progress of the work, they changed their minds, and feared it 
 would succeed. Therefore from the walls of the city they not only 
 began to assail the workmen with all sorts of missive weapons, but 
 also sent armed vessels on each side of the mole to harrass them. 
 To cover the workmen from the enemy's arrows, Alexander caused 
 too large wooden towers to be raised, and covered them with raw 
 
[70] 
 
 hides, to prevent their being set on fire. The Tyrians resolved to 
 attempt the destruction of these towers, and, for that purpose, con- 
 trived a fire-ship, whose yards, instead of sails, were hung with 
 rows of baskets, filled with sulphurious matter, and whose hulk 
 was partly filled with dry twigs, over which was strewed all sorts 
 of combustible matter. As soon as they had made this ready, and 
 had got a favorable wind, they towed the hulk to the sea, and ran 
 her upon the mole, directly between the towers, and then set it on 
 fire. When the masts began to burn, the weight with which their 
 yards were charged caused them to break, plunging all the baskets 
 full in the fire, and greatly increased its fury, so that not only the 
 towers, but all the materials that were on the mole, were totally 
 consumed. 
 
 This loss is said to have greatly perplexed Alexander, and it is 
 also intimated that he began to regret that he had undertaken the 
 reduction of Tyre, and that he would have sent ambassadors to the 
 Tyrians with new terms of peace, but that he suspected they would 
 not hearken to any proposals whatever, and would treat his envoys 
 as inhumanly as they had those whom he had sent before the siege 
 to summon them to surrender, and whom they had thrown head- 
 long into the sea. He, however, resumed the work with seeming 
 cheerfulness, caused the foundation of a new mole, broader than 
 the former, to be laid, and consequently capable of holding more 
 towers, ordered new engines to be made, and took measures for 
 procuring a fleet, without which he saw clearly that he should be 
 unable to accomplish his purpose.* 
 
 Gerostratus, the father of Strato, and king of Arad, and Enylus, 
 king of Byblus, together with most of the Cyprian princes, and 
 also the Sidonion squadron, in all a hundred and twenty sail, ar- 
 rived at Sidon and offered him their services. As at the same time 
 about eighty sail arrived from Greece, Alexander had under his 
 command a fleet of about two hundred vessels, of which a part 
 remained under his immediate orders, and the remainder subjected 
 to those of Andromachus, the Cyprian. 
 
 *The city and island of Tyre were directly west of Old Tyre on 
 the continent. The arm of the sea where the mole was built, must 
 have been on the south of the city, and the mole connected it to a 
 projecting point of the main land, while the Sidon arm of the bay 
 was on the north side of the city. 
 
[71] 
 
 When the mole was brought almost to the city, ponderous engines 
 were put to work to batter down its wall, while the archers and 
 slingers incessantly harrassed those who defended it, for the pur- 
 pose of driving them from their posts. But the Tyrians became 
 not disheartened. By means of a new contrivance of wheels with 
 many spokes, which being whirled about with an engine, they shat- 
 tered in pieces the enemy's darts and arrows, and thus covered 
 themselves against their aggressors a great many of whom they 
 killed, without suffering any considerable loss on their side. Mean- 
 while, however, the wall began to yield to the violence of the rams, 
 that battered it night and day without interruption. Whereupon 
 the besieged, setting all hands to work, raised, in a very short 
 time, a new wall, ten cubits broad, and five cubits distant from the 
 former; and also filled up the empty space between the two walls 
 with earth and stones. By this means, they kept the Macedonians 
 for a long while employed, ere they could, with, all their engines, 
 make the least impression on this new piece of fortification. 
 
 The Tyrians, meanwhile, made an attack on the Cyprian squad- 
 ron, in the following manner: One part of Alexander's fleet was 
 posted at the mouth of the haven which fronts the Sidonian shore, 
 and across which the Tyrians are said to have spread sails, in order 
 to prevent the enemy from seeing that they manned their own ves- 
 sels. One day, about noon, five chosen quinqueremes, as many 
 quadriemes, and seven triremes, inured to the sea, slowly and noise- 
 lessly rowed out of the harbor, one by one, against the Cyprian 
 vessels. But, when advanced within sight of the enemy, they raised 
 a loud shout, and splashed with the oars, in encouragement of each 
 other, and then hastened boldly to attack the Cyprian fleet; whichj 
 when taken by surprise, and in part quite destitute of defenders, 
 suffered a great loss. Alexander, in the meantime, hearing of this 
 sudden attack of the Tyrians, immediately ordered as many ships 
 as he could spare, and as were well armed, to block up the mouth 
 of the other haven, and prevent the rest of the Tyrian fleet from 
 issuing forth; he then hastened himself with the quinqueremes he 
 had at hand, and five triremes, to sail to the other side of the island, 
 and attack the victorious vessels of the Tyrians. The besieged, 
 seeing this from the wall, and perceiving Alexander himself there, 
 endeavored, by loud cries, to recall the vessels that had overcame 
 the Cyprians. Finding their cries were not heard, they made several 
 signals for their countrymen to return, who, when they understood 
 
 

 [72] 
 
 that Alexander was approaching them, turned their sails, and hast- 
 ened towards the haven; but, as they perceived the signal too late, 
 few were able to save themselves by flight, for Alexander's ships 
 falling in suddenly among them, rendered some unfit for sailing, 
 and captured two of the Tyrians vessels at the very entrance of 
 the port. The Tyrians, however, lost not ^many men, because, as 
 soon as they perceived that it was impossible to save the ships, 
 they saved themselves by swimming. 
 
 "Alexander, after this victory, caused some of his ships to be 
 joined together, and a vast number of battering rams to be mount- 
 ed on them, in addition to those he had already placed on the mole. 
 After having failed in several attempts on some parts of the 
 wall, the ships were moored along its whole southern side, look- 
 ing towards Egypt; and the effect of the battering rams tried 
 the whole distance. At length the wall was* shaken, and after- 
 wards a breach, a hundred feet wide, was made. The Mace- 
 donians took instant advantage of this opportunity, and, by the 
 help of their ladders attempted to mount the breach and take the 
 city by storm; but though encouraged by the presence of Alex- 
 ander himself, they were forced by the Tyrians to give way, and 
 retire to their ships with great loss. Alexander intended to renew 
 the attack the next morning; but the breach having been re- 
 paired during the night, he found his object no further advanced 
 than when he first undertook to batter the walls. 
 
 Meanwhile, Alexander had caused several towers to be built 
 upon the mole, and raised to an equal heighth with the battle- 
 ments. These towers he had filled with the most courageous men 
 of his army, whom he had directed to form a bridge, with large 
 planks, resting one end on the towers, and the other on the top of 
 the ramparts. He then ordered them to endeavor, sword in hand, 
 to gain the wall; but this attempt had also failed, as the assailants 
 had been opposed by the Tyrians with the greatest bravery, and 
 with weapons with which the Macedonians were altogether unac- 
 quainted. But what most of all disheartened the assailants, and 
 forced them to desist from the attack, was a scorching sand which 
 the Tyrians, by a new contrivance, showered upon them. For this 
 sand, which was thrown in red-hot shields of iron or brass, getting 
 within their breast plates and coats of mail, caused them such 
 dreadful tortures, that many, in despair, threw themselves into the 
 sea; others dying in, the most excruciating agony, with their 
 
[73} 
 
 lamentations, struck the greatest dismay into all who heard them. 
 This occasioned the greatest confusion among the assailing Mace- 
 donians, and inspired new hope in the Tyrians, who no longer kept 
 themselves on the defensive, but began to act the part of aggres- 
 sors, by leaving the walls and charging the enemy hand to hand, 
 on his own bridges, with such resolution, that Alexander, seeing 
 his soldiers give way, thought it prudent to sound a retreat, and 
 by that means assume at least the appearance of having voluntar- 
 ily desisted from the attack. 
 
 Such attempts had several times been repeated, but always with 
 the same issue. This had the effect to make all the Macedonian 
 generals present, except Amyntas, desirous to abandon this haz- 
 ardous enterprise. 
 
 In order, therefore, to bring this long protracted siege to a close, 
 Alexander seized the first opportunity to storm the city by a gen- 
 eral assault, which was presented three days after the check the 
 Macedonians had received at the storming of the breach, when the 
 sea had become quite calm. Agreeably to this resolution, the king 
 hastened his preparations. First he ordered a line of hulks, on 
 which his battering engines were placed, to be towed as close as 
 possible to the wall, and there brought to anchor ; the engines were 
 immediately made to play upon the walls, and in a very short time 
 a very considerable breach was affected , Then he caused these 
 hulks to weigh anchor, and to be towed off, and other ships, hav- 
 ing scaling ladders on board, to replace them. Orders were 
 given to a detachment of light-armed troops, under the command 
 of Admetus to attack the city on one side, and to another corps of 
 auxilliary foot, headed by Coenus, to assail it on the other at the 
 same time; while Alexander at the head of the main force, held 
 himself ready to sustain both assailing parties. For the purpose 
 of dividing the attention of the Tyrians, and to lessen the vigor 
 of their defence, he also ordered a squadron of armed vessels to 
 sail continually around the city, and threaten first one point, and 
 then another, and, if opportunity should present itself, actually to 
 make an attack. This stratagem answered his purpose, because the 
 Tyrians became much distracted, and divided their forces, not know- 
 ing where to concentrate their greatest strength. Still they defend- 
 ed themselves very valiantly against Admetus and his Macedonians, 
 who first mounted the walls. This heroic officer was killed by a spear 
 almost as soon as he had set his foot on the wall; but the king himseli 
 10 
 
[74] 
 
 hastened with fresh troops to the aid of those who had first reached 
 the., heights, quickly drove back the Tyrians, and pursued them 
 with great slaughter to the royal palace. Meanwhile the king's 
 fleet broke into one of the havens, and began to sink and burn the 
 ships that were there; and the Cyprians also, on the other side, 
 soon forced their way into that haven which they had hitherto 
 blockaded, and encouraged by the success of the Macedonians, 
 attacked and entered the city from that side. 
 
 THE FALL OF JEEUSALEM. 
 
 Jehoaikim, whom Pharaoh Necho had elevated, was permitted 
 to remain on the throne of Judah, as a dependent upon Babylon, 
 but in GOG B.C. he rebelled. Nebuchadnezzar marched again to Jeru- 
 salem, captured a great number of the people, among others Daniel, 
 the prophet, and part of the holy vessels of the temple, which he 
 sent to Babylon. Hearing of his father's death, he hastened home, 
 received the crown, and returned again to continue the war in the 
 west. He permitted Jehoaikim to remain on the throne a few 
 years longer. Thus the first captivity commenced, 606 B. C. 
 
 Finding Jehoaikim treacherous, Nebuchadnezzar, in 598 B. C., 
 again marched against him, aided by bands of Syrians, Moabites 
 and Amonites. Jehoaikim was taken captive, and carried iji 
 ters to Babylon, where he soon after died. At this time, also, a 
 large number of the people, and a portion of the holy vessels, were 
 sent to Babylon. Jehoaikim, a lad of eighteen years, and son of 
 the preceding king, was placed on the throne, but in the end of the 
 year, or beginning of 598, he was also carried captive to Babylon, 
 with all his family, and a multitude of his people. A part of the 
 remaining holy vessels of the temple were taken at this time. A 
 few of the people were left, over whom Nebuchadnezzar placed 
 Zedekiah, the uncle of the last king, who reigned eleven years, if 
 so dependant a relation can be called reigning. In the ninth year 
 of his reign, that is in the year 589 or 590, Zedekiah rebelled 
 
[75] 
 
 against Babylon, and once more attempted to raise Judea into an 
 independent kingdom. Enraged at the treachery of all the kings 
 of Judah, and the stubborness of the people, Nebuchadnezzar 
 again besieged Jerusalem, and determined to finish the work. 
 
 "And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth 
 month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar, king 
 of Babylon, came, he and all his hosts, against Jerusalem, and 
 pitched against it, and built forts round about it. And the city 
 was besieged until the eleventh year of Zedekiah." 
 
 Now Jerusalem, the time of thy judgment is come. Thy cup of 
 iniquity is full. It overfloweth. Thy rebellion toward thy God, 
 and thy cruelty toward man, with the crimes of many generations, 
 call loudly for vengence! Hear thy destiny! 
 
 The seventh invasion is come. The seventh plague is upon thee. 
 The seventh seal is about to be broken, and the seventh trumpet 
 to sound forth thy sentence: thou that stonest the prophets, and 
 killest them that were sent unto thee. , 
 
 Stare, ye fathers! Wonder, ye mothers! Wail, ye daughters, 
 for there is no bread! Thy fruitful plains, now trampled by a for- 
 eign soldiery, no longer send up the husbandman, with his beast- 
 of-burden, laden with corn and wine and fruit, to supply thy mar- 
 kets. Thy gates are closely watched. Gaunt famine stalks through 
 the city of Salem, once the city of Peace. Thine enemy have 
 turned away the streams of sweetly flowing water, which the wise 
 son of David conducted of yore into thy pools and cisterns. Bag- 
 ing thirst is added to gnawing hunger. The people pine and die. 
 Where are thy brave men? Thy warriors bold, who often have tram- 
 pled o'er the foe? Ha! I see them, few in number, and coward- 
 like, issuing through a narrow gate, at the king's garden, and be- 
 tween two walls. Stealthily they pick their way out of the city, 
 while the shadows of the night conceal them. 
 
 Here comes king Zedekiah himself. The fugitives have aban- 
 doned the city, men, women and children to their fate, and make 
 their way over the hills; they descend into the plains of Jericho. 
 Swift is the flight, and swift is the pursuit. An army of the Chal- 
 deans overtake the king, secreted and alone, his attendants being 
 scattered away from him. 
 
 Zedekiah, his family, his nobles, and many of his people, are 
 captives and in chains. The whole party move quietly to Eiblah, in 
 the land of Hammoth. Here Nebuchadnezzar sits in solemn 
 
[76] 
 
 judgment upon his captives. Ketire, ye tender sensibilities. Ye 
 have no place in such a court as this. Let none but our blunter feel- 
 ings attend the trial. The sons of Zedekiah are slain before his 
 eyes. The king casts his last lingering look upon the dying agon- 
 ies of his children, and then, by order of the conqueror, his own 
 eyes are rendered sightless forever. Dark night has set in, ta 
 which there shall be no morrow. 
 
 Judah is subverted, and Jerusalem is dead. Let us away to the 
 funeral. One month after this terrible tragedy, " STebuzaradan, 
 Captain of the Guard, returned to Jerusalem, and burned both the 
 house of the Lord, and the king's house, and the houses of Jerusa- 
 lem, and every great house burned he with fire. And all the army 
 of the Chaldeans, that were with the Captain of the Guard, break 
 down the walls of Jerusalem round about." Part of the poor of 
 the people were left to till the land. A part voluntarily went over 
 to the Chaldeans, and the remnant were taken captive, with a 
 vast amount of treasure, of gold and silver, money, and precious 
 vessels and ornaments. All these were carried to Kiblah, where 
 another court is held. Among the newly arrived captives were 
 found sixty-six men, who had held office under Zedekiah. These 
 were slain. The remnant, with the king, in fetters of brass/ were 
 sent to Babylon, from whence few will ever return. 
 
 FALL OF JERUSALEM. 
 
 Fallen is thy throne, O, Israel! Silence is o'er thy plains; 
 Thy dwellings are all desolate thy children weep in chains. 
 Where are the dues that fed thee on Etham's barren shore? 
 Those fires from heaven that led thee, now light thy path no more. 
 
 Lord thou did'st love Jerusalem once she was all thine own: 
 Her love thy fairer heritage her power thy glory's throne. 
 'Till evening came, and blighted thy long loved Olive tree, 
 And Salenvs shrine was lighted for other Gods than thee. 
 
 Then sunk the star of Selymo then pass'd her glory's ray: 
 Like heath that in the wilderness the wild wind trails away. 
 Silent and waste her bowers, where once the mighty trod; 
 And sunk those guilded towers where Baal reigned as God. 
 
 Gol saith the Lord: Ye conquerors, steep in her blood your swords; 
 And raze to earth her battlements, for they are not the Lord's. 
 'Till Zion's mournful daughters o'er her dead bones shall bend: 
 And Hinneu's vale of slaughter shall hide but half her dead. 
 



 
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