ASSYRIAN ANTIQUITIES—INTERESTING | DISCOVERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 51, 8 May 1852, Page 4

ASSYRIAN ANTIQUITIES— INTERESTING | DISCOVERIES.

The "Athenseum" publishes a communication from Colonel Rawlinson relative to a discovery made by him — in an inscription upon an Assyrian Bull — of an account of the campaign between Sennacherib and Hezekiah. "I have succeeded," says Colonel Rawlinson, "in determinately identifying the Assyrian Kings of the Lover dynasty, whose palaces have, very recently beqn excavated in the vicinity of Mosul ; and I have obtained from the annals of those Kings contemporary notices of events which agree in the most remarkable way with the statements preserved in sacred and profane history. " The King who built the Palace of Khorsabad, excavated by the French, is named Sargina; but he also bears, in some of the inscriptions, the epithet of Shalmaneser, by which title he was better known to the Jews. In the first year of his reign he came up against the city of Samaria and the tribes of the country of Beth Homri (or Ornri, being the name of the founder of Samaria, 1 Kings, xviii. 16, sq. &c). He carried off into captivity in Assyria 27,280 families, and settled in their places colonists brought from Babylonia — appointing prefects to administer the country, and imposing the same tribute which had been paid to former Kings. The only tablet at Khorsabad which exhibits this conquest in any detail (plate 70) is. unfortunately much mutilated. " In the second yjar of Shalmaneser's reign he subjugated the Kings of Libnah (?) and Khazita (the Cadytis of Herodotus) who were dependent upon Egypt; and in the seventh year of his reign he received tribute direct from the King of that country, who is named Pirhu, probably for ' Pharaoh,' the title by which the Kings of Egypt \\ i-re known to the Jews and other Semelic nations. This punishment of the Egyptians by Sargon or Shalmaneser is alluded to in the 20th chapter of Isaiah.

" Among the other exploits of Shalmaneser found in his aanals, are — the conquest of Ashdod, also alluded to in Isaiah xx. 1, and his reduction of the neighbouring city of Jamnai, called Jabneh or Jamneh in the Bible, and Jarnnaon in Judith. % " In conformity with Menander's statement that Shalmatieser assisted the Cittasans against Sidon, we find a statue and inscription of this King Sargina, in the island of Cyprus, recording the event; and to complete the ch-un of evidence, the city, built by him and named after birr, the ruins of which are now called Khorsabad, retained among the Syrians the title of Sarghun as Lite as the Arab conquest.

" I am not sure how long Shalmaneser reigned, or whether he made a second expedition into Palestine. His annals at Khorsabad extend only to the loth year; and although the names are given of numerous cities which he captured in Cselo-Syria and on the Euphrates —such as Hamath, Bersea, Damascus, Bambyce, and Carchemish — I am unable to trace his steps into Judsea Proper. On a tablet, however, which he set up towards the close of his reign in the palace of the first Sardanaplus at NimrucJ, he styles himself ' conqueror of the remote Judrca :' and I rather think, therefore, that the expedition in which, after a three years' siege of Samaria, he -carried off the great body of the tribes of Israel, and which is commemorat'jd in the Bible as having been concluded in the sixth year of Hezekiah, must have taken place subsequently to the building of the palace of Khorsabad.

" Without this explanation, indeed, we shall be embarrassed without dates — for I shall presently show that we have a distinct notice of Sennacherib's attack upon Jerusalem in the third year of that king's reign, and we are thus able to determine an interval of eighteen years at l^ast to have elapsed between the, last named event and the Samaritan campaign ; whereas in tho Bible v,e find the great captivity to date from the sixth year of Hezekiah, and the invasion of Sennacherib from the fourteenth.

" I now go on to the annals of Sennacherib. This is the King who built the great Palace of Koyunjik, which Mr. Layardhas been recently excavating. He was the son of Sargina or Shalmaneser ; and his name, expressed entirely by monograms, may have been pronounced Sennachi-iiba. The events, at any rate, of his reign, place beyond the reach of dispute his historic identity. He commenced his career by subjugating the Babylonians under their King Merodach-Baladan, who had also been the antagonist of his father — two important points of agreement being thus obtained both with Scripture and with the account of Polyhistor. The annals of tho third year, however, of the reign of Sennacherib, which I have just deciphered after the copy of an inscription taken by Mr. Layard from one of the bulls at the grand entrance of the Koyunjik Palace, contain those striking points of coincidence which first attracted thy attention — and which being once recognised- -have naturally led-to -the complete j

unfolding of all this period of history. In his third year Sennacherib undertook, in the first instance, an expedition against Luliya, King of Sidon, in which he was completely successful. He was afterwards engaged in operations against some other cities of Syria, which I have not yet identified — and whilst so employed learnt of an insurrection in Palestine. The inhabitants, indeed, of that country had risen against their King Padiya, and the officers who had been placed in authority over them, on the part of the Assyrian monarch, and had driven them out of the province, obliging them to take refuge with Hezekiah, King of Jerusalem, the capital city of Judaea. The rebels then sent for assistance to the Kings of Egypt ; and a large army of horse and foot marched to their assistance under the command of the King of Pelusium (?). Sennacherib at once proceeded to meet this army ; and fighting an action with them in the vicinity of Allaku (?), completely defeated them. He made many prisoners also, whom he executed, or otherwise disposed of. Padiya then returned from Jerusalem, and was re-instated in his government. In the meantime, however, a quarrel arose between Sennacherib and Hezekiah, on the subject of tribute. Sennacherib ravaged the open country, taking • all the fenced cities of Judah,' — and at last threatened Jerusalem. Hezekiah then made submission, and tendered to the King of Assyria, as tribute, 30 talents of gold, 300 talents of silver, the ornaments of the Temple, slaves, boys, and girls, and men-servants, and maidservants, for the use of the palace. All these things Sennacherib received, after which he detached a portion of Hezekiah's villages, and placed them in dependence on the cities which had been faithful to him — such as Hebron, Ascalon, and Cadytis. He then retired to Assyria.

" Now this is evidently the campaign -which is alluded to in Scripture (2 Kings xviii. verses 13 to 17) ; and it is, perhaps, the same which is obscurely noticed by Herodotus, lib. ii. c. 1-11, and which is further described by Josephus. Antiq. lib. x. c. 1. The agreement, at any rate, between the record of the Sacred Historian and the contemporary chronicle of Sennacherib, which I have here copied, extends even to the number of the talents of gold and silver which were given as tribute.

" I have not yet examined with the care which it requires, the continuation of Sennacherib's chronicle, but I believe that most of the events attributed to that monarch by the historians Polyhistor and Abjdenus would be found in the annals.

" The only copy which has yet been found of Sennacherib's annals at Koyunjik is very imperfect, and extends only to the seventh year. The relic known as Colonel Taylor's qlinder dates from one year later, but I have never seen any account of the events of the latter portion of his reign. His reign, however, according to the Greeks, extended to 18 years, so that his second expedition to Palestine, and the miraculous destruction of his army, must have occurred fourteen or fifteen years later than the campaign above described. Pending the discovery of a complete set of annals, I would not of course set much store by the Greek dates ; but it may be remarked that Ilezekiah would have been still living at the period of the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib's army, even if, as I have thus conjectured, the second invasion of Judea had occurred fourteen or fifteen years later than the first; for the earlier campaign is fixed to the fourteenth year of his reign, and his entire reign extended to 29 years.

" I will only further mention that we have, upon a cylinder in the British Museum, a tolerably perfect copy of the annals of Esar-Haddon, the son of Sennacherib, in ■which we find a further deportation of Israelites from Palestine and a further settlement of Babylonian colonists in their place— an explanation being thus obtained of the passage of Ezra (chap. iv. 2) in which the Samaritans speak of Esar-Haddon as the King by whom they had been transplanted.

" One of the most interesting matters connected with this discovery of the identity of the Assyrian Kings is the prospect, amounting almost to a certainty, that we must have in the bas-reliefs of "Khorsabad and Koyunjik representations from the chisels of contemporary artists, not only of Samaria, but of that Jerusalem which contained the temple of Solomon. I have already identified the Samaritans among the groups of captives portrayed upon the marbles of Khorsabad ; and when I shall have accurately learned the locality of the different bas-reliefs that have been brought from Koyunjik, I do not doubt but that I shall be able to point out the bands of -Jewish maidens who were delivered to Sennacherib, aiid perhaps to distinguish the portraiture -of the humbled Hezekiah."

The English in Australia.— For ages Australia lay in its original condition, untrodden by the feet of white men. In 1770 Captain Cook, immortalized as a minister of civilisation, observed on the eastern coast a harbour whose shores were covered with a variety of beautiful plants. He called the place Botany Bay. To him it was endeared by associations of delight ; to us its name is repulsive, as attached to a sink of crime. After this voyage, accounts of the unknown southern land were circulated through Europe. It was at this unhappy period that the oligarchy of England, blinded by selfish passion, abandoned her interests and lost the brightest jewel in her empire. The American colonies, revolting under oppression, proclaimed their independence, and the mother-state, having cast from her bosom the quest child she had nurtured, went forth again to seek a new home for her offspring in the waste places of the world. An Australian settlement was projected for the reception of convicted criminals. An expedition was at once equipped. It consisted of two vessels of war, six transports, and three store-ships. On board were 506 male and 192 female convicts ; 160 marines with their officers, and the usual complement of crews. Provisions, tools, implements, and materials were provided. The expedition reached the shores of Australia 'in 1788. A sailor, named Jackson, discovered through a gap in the line of cliffs the magnificent harbour named in honour of its discoverer. The situation was preferred to that of Botany Bay — the boats were manned, and the people stepped out of them, literally under the shadow of a forest. All was wild and silent. The tents were pitched, an encampment was arranged, the axe and spade were set to work, and the English name and nation were for the first time established in Australasia. On that distant shore, then clothed with dreary woods, there now stands the capital of a great colony, a prosperous city, embellished with beauliiul structures, populous and rich, and stamped with the impress of civilisation. Scarcely sixty-two years, therefore, have elapsed since the birth of a colony now outrivalling, in the rapid growth of its importance, every other in the world. But New South Wales did not spring — it struggled into prosperity. The early years of its existence were full of trouble. The qualities of the soil were not understood — the crops were scanty — the convicts were idle and greedy — the military were insubordinate— supplies arrived at distant intervals, and the hopes of the settlers were depressed by the dread of fumins. Scarcity and disease made havoc among them, and ' before four months had passed, a gallows cast its ill-omened shadow, over the birth-place of Sydney. A youth, only seventeen years of age, stained the infant city with crime, and was cut off in the " land of promise" by the hands of the hangman. Another miserable creature, during a time of want, swallowed eight pounds of flour cakes at a meal, and died of surfeit. Others, sharing the ignorance of more educated classes in England, conceived the idea of escape by travelling overland to China. They started on their journey, and were never more heard of. Probably they were killed by the natives ; but possibly, also, some became domesticated among them, and relapsed into the savage state of life. Recently, it is well known, some sailors did so on the coast above Moreton Bay. The colony struggled for 'existence during many years. A settlement was formed at Norfolk Island, to relieve Sydney from some of its convict population ; but, in spite of every exertion, the century drew to a close while New South Wales was in the most unpromising condition. Deluded by dreams of sudden fortune, many spent their time in an unprofitable search for gold. One of the convicts, noticing the passion of his companions, resolved to profit by j it. With a guinea and brass buckle he manufactured a specimen of ore, and declared he found it near the hills. The fraud was detected — instead of the reward he looked for, the former received a flogging, and, afterwards committing a more serious offence, ended his life on the scaffold. A contrast between the condition of the colony during the first years of its establishment with its present date, displays a remarkable result. Four years after the landing at Port Jackson, the stock consisted of one aged stallion, two colts, sixteen cows, two calves, one ram, fifty ewes, six lambs, one boar, fourteen sows, and twenty-two pigs. At Paramatta, near Sydney, there were three hundred acres cultivated with Indian corn, forty-four with wheat, six -with barley, one with oats, four with vines, and eighty-six laid out in gardens, besides seventeen belonging to the soldiers. In all, therefore, there were one hundred and eighteen animals fed, and four hundred and fifty-eight acres tilled. Before 1835, about seventeen million pounds of wool had been shipped from New South' Wales, which now contains about seven million sheep, more than a hundred thousand horses, nearly a million and a half of cattle, and pigs beyond calculation. About 33,000 sheep and ten thousand cattle are

slaughtered annually, producing more than 20,000 cwt. of tallow. A hundred and eighty thousand acres are under cultivation. They produce nearly three million bushels of grain, and more than sixty thousand tons of potatoes, tobacco, and hay. From such small beginnings has New South Wales risea to this position. Sharpe's Magazine.

Secessions from Rome in Genoa.— The Church of Rome, whatever success it may have flattered itself to have obtained in other countries, has most undoubtedly suffered greatly by the events of the last few years in Italy. This place, once celebrated for the attachment of its population to the religion of the State, and for the exact and devout keeping of its ceremonies and forms, is now fully as remarkable for their slack observance. The greater portion of the inhabitants, I am sorry to say, seem to have lost the hereditary respect necessary for members of the Church of Rome, and to be undecided as to what course to pursue. The Protestant chapel is much frequented by Italians; the difference in the form of service, which is so very striking to a mind accustomed to the pomp of Popery, at first scarcely satisfies an Italian imagination; nevertheless, I am assured that secession from Romanism is very general. Confession is but little observed by the bulk of the Genoese ; the spirit of the population, which is at enmity with the priesthood, prevents them from submitting to the humiliation of the confessional, and severs, by that abstention alone, one of the strongest links that connect the people with the clergy. The late amendments made in the Ecclesiastical Titles Assumption Bill may be said to have dealt a most decided blow on the projects of the Papacy. A preacher here commenced his sermon by lamenting that now, indeed, all hope of salvation for Great Britain was at an end ! — Mormng Chronicle.

j Romanism in Glasgow.— The " Constitutional" publishes a singular epistle from a Catholic piiest to a brother in the faith, and which j has been handed to it by a gentleman to whom it had been sent by mistake. The writer of the letter signs himself F. O. ?tl'Ganu ; and the j following is the most intelligible portion of the document : — " My time is so limited, since my appointment to the ofiico of generul confessor, that I have no opportunity of meeting with my most esteemed old friends before 6 p.m. None coming to chapel to make confession after 3 I p.m. (my dinner hour), at 5 I visit the Ursuline, | where reside our Sisters of Mercy; but my lai hours there are veiy agreeable since the arrival of the venerable Miss Canini, the Superioress, Vtho keeps those pious girls in the best order. Not so, however, the Bridgeton Seminary. 1 am much vexed with them. Two of the last come ones, taking a longing to see their parents, who live in Armagh, made an attempt to escape ; but having been made aware of the wicked design through the confession of our most pious inmate, I caught them in the act, and now they are doing penance in separate cells below the chapel, until their future piety atones for their past wickedness." A Cheap Place to Live in.— The " Literary Gazette," in a notice of a work by Mr. Neale on Syria, says, — " People who love to live well and cheap at the same time should go to Antioch. Mr. Neale tried to be extravagant there, but found it to be impossible, ' houserent, servants, horses, board, washing, and wine included,' to spend more than £40 a year. Oh that Antioch were London! Fancy 1h lbs. of good mutton Is. ! fat fowls for 2d. a-piece ! 70 lbs. of fish for Is. ! and all possible fruits and vegetables sufficient for one's household for 2d. a- week !" Emigration from Ireland. — Still the hu- v man tide rolls outward, and the mania for emigration seems to pervade the entire rural population. The large remittances which are still arriving from Irish settlers in America, accompanied by glowing accounts of the prospects of the farmer, the artizan, and the labourer in that " land of promise," have spread amongst all classes an eager desire to make their way across the Atlantic. All, even household servants, are hoarding- their small savings to enable them: to emigntto. In the country towns the shopkeepers have taken the alarm at the rapid diminution of their customers. The Roman Catholic priests, too, are each day more painfully conscious of the fact that their flocks are on the decrease, and that their means of livelihood, and with it their means of doing good ! are becoming more precarious and uncertain. — Cork, Examiner.

A Large Steam-Ship.— A steam-ship of the largest size, with accommodation for 1000 passengers, is said to be builclieg- in New York. She is intended to run between Cincinnati and Galway.