Here, as the queen revolved, with careful eyes,
The various textures and the various dyes,
She chose a veil that shone superior far,
And glow’d refulgent as the morning star.”[665]
Increasing in population and commerce to such a degree as to demand another city, the Sidonians passed down the coast and founded Tyre, which is called by Isaiah the “daughter of Zidon,”and which in after years divided with the parent city the empire of the seas.[666] Excelling all other nations of that period in art and science,her architects were employed by Solomon in building his magnificent temple.[667] According to early historians, the Sidonians were versed in astronomy, geometry,and philosophy, and the vastness of their commerce evinces their knowledge of navigation. But with them, as with all the other great nations of antiquity, the usual vices attended their prosperity, and the increase of luxury was counterbalanced by the decline of national virtue. Practicing the worst forms of idolatry, indulging in the grossest immoralities, and violating the most solemn treaties with God’s people, they drew down upon themselves the severe denunciations of Jehovah’s prophets. Sentenced by the Lord to the calamities of war, the prophetic judgments were executed by Shalmanezer in 720 B.C.; by Artaxerxes Ochus four centuries later; by Alexander the Great, who entered the gates of the city without a struggle; and subsequently it has been pillaged and destroyed as often as rebuilt, by the Ptolemies, the Syrian kings, the Romans, the Moslem invaders, the Crusaders, until at present its port is without a merchantman, and the town of Beirŭt, to the north, has become the successful rival of the once affluent and powerful Sidon.
The three great objects of interest connected with the modern town are the harbor, the citadel, and the tombs. The harbor is formed by a low ridge of rocks running parallel to the shore and extending out from the northern point of the peninsula. On the rocks stands an old castle, weather-beaten and much dilapidated, connected with the main land by a bridge of nine arches. On a commanding hill to the south of the city is the shattered tower of Louis IX., which is now the citadel of the town. On the plains and in the hill-sides to the east of Sidon is the cemetery of its ancient inhabitants, called Mûgharet Tubloon. The surface of the rock has been cut away to form a perfect level, and here are the mansions of the dead, arranged in the form of catacombs, from 10 to 30 feet below the surface of the ground. From a deep, broad avenue, doors open into lateral halls and rooms, in which are cut the receptacles for the dead. Descending to the depth of 20 feet, we entered a broad avenue 25 feet long, which had just been opened. Running at right angles with the former was a spacious passageway, in the sides of which are six niches, each five and a half feet deep, four wide, and ten long. In these niches are magnificent marble sarcophagi, their sides, ends, and lids being adorned with sculptured lion heads, horns of plenty, and garlands of flowers. On one, which I took to be the sarcophagusof a queen, is carved the bust of a female in relief, surrounded with a wreath of roses. Passing into another chamber, more elegant than the rest, and which is 20 feet deep, I traced the beautiful floral paintings on the sides and ceilings of the vault. Here, in the very centre of the floor, are three entire sarcophagi, of equal grandeur with the others, measuring eight feet long, three wide, and as many deep. The largest of the three, which had that day been uncovered for the first time, was filled with clear water, and on the bottom were human bones, and what appeared to be a fine sediment—perhaps the dust of the departed. How the water came there remains a mystery. Some suppose it had percolated through the rocks above; but this will hardly account for the equally remarkable fact that the other sarcophagi are dry. Neither inscription nor symbol had been discovered revealing the name and history of the dead, and I was left to the reflection that I was gazing upon the disorganized forms of those who had lived and died nearly 4000 years ago. Several sarcophagi have been removed to a museum of antiquities within the city. Male and female figures are sculptured on them, the faces of the former resembling the facial features of Nero, and of the latter those of Minerva. Among the relics is a leaden coffin beautifully moulded with beaded work, flowers, and leonine heads; and in the “Cabinet of Ancient Coins and Curiosities” are a Phœnician tear-bottle, gold rings, gold coins of the age of Alexander, a Crusader’s silver cross which was worn in battle, and many rare jewels of great intrinsic value.
CHAPTER XV.
Mountains of Lebanon.—Grand Scenery.—Sublime View.—Mountain Traveling.—Scriptural Allusions.—Cedars of Lebanon.—Their Number, Appearance, and symbolic Character.—Population of the Mountains.—Districts and Peculiarities of the Druzes and Maronites.—New Road.—Crossing the Mountains.—Plain of the Bukâ’a.—Leontes.—A swollen River.—Ancient Cities.—Imposing Cavalcade.—Wives of the Pasha of Damascus.—First View of Damascus.—Splendor and Enjoyments of the Interior of the City.—Great Plain of Damascus.—Abana and Pharpar.—Scene of St. Paul’s Conversion.—City without Ruins.—Antiquity and thrilling History of Damascus.—House of Judas.—Home of Ananias.—“Street called Straight.”—Naaman’s Palace.—Tombs of the Great.—Location of Damascus.—Walls and Gates.—Old Castle.—Great Mosque.—Gardens of Damascus.—Commerce of the City.—Curiosities in the Bazars.—Population.—Christian Citizens.—Origin of the Massacre of 1860.—Its Progress.—Terrible Scenes.—American Vice-Consul.—Ruins.—Sad Results.—Defense of the Christians by Abd-el-Kader.—Visit to the Chieftain of Algiers.—Our Reception.—Testimonials.—His Appearance.—Conclusion.—Political History of Palestine.—Its Condition under the Turks.—It is now in a Transition State.—Possessions of European Nations.—Future of the Holy Land.—Christian Missions.—Decline of Mohammedanism.—Religious Liberty.—Future Glory.
Branches of the ancient Taurus chain, the parallel mountain ranges of Lebanon and anti-Lebanon, extend from north to south through the whole length of the Land of Promise. Geologically they consist of a hard, calcareous, whitish stone, and are disposed in strata variously inclined. Varying in altitude from 3000 to 13,000 feet above the sea, and skirted with plains at different points, they continually change their form and appearance with their levels and situation. Their three highest summits are Hermon, Sunnîn, and Mukhmel. The first is 10,000 feet high, the second 11,000, the third 13,000. Their surface is generally smooth, bare, and rounded, but in sections it is broken and rugged, resembling huge piles of rocks, not unlike, in form, the ruins of towns and castles. They abound in springs, which, together with the melting snows covering their higher portions, form torrents, that descend to the plainson either side, refreshing the parched fields, and imparting an air of liveliness to the scene. Both their sides and summits are dotted with forests and groves of oak, fir, larch, box, laurel, myrtle, and cedar-trees; and, though the soil is scanty, the industrious peasants have planted vineyards on artificial terraces which yield the most delicious wines. In the region about the great Valley of Kadîsha are vast mulberry groves, the leaves of which serve as food for the silk-worm, and the villagers in that section are chiefly employed in the production of silk in its raw state.