The thrones and palaces of Babylon and Ninevah from sea to sea; a thousand miles on horseback .. . their curiosity in looking at the strangers, and to obtain,if possible, a backsheesh, which their modesty will neverallow them to decline. Yet their comino; was an advan-tage rather than an annoyance. From cliildhood theyhad been familiar with these ancient mounds, and knewevery spot of special interest. Taking the most intelli-gent one as a guide, we crossed the lower slopes of theembankment, and were soon among the ruins of the fa- BABYLON AND NINEVER. 139. HAJsGING GARDENS. mous Hanging Garden
The thrones and palaces of Babylon and Ninevah from sea to sea; a thousand miles on horseback .. . their curiosity in looking at the strangers, and to obtain,if possible, a backsheesh, which their modesty will neverallow them to decline. Yet their comino; was an advan-tage rather than an annoyance. From cliildhood theyhad been familiar with these ancient mounds, and knewevery spot of special interest. Taking the most intelli-gent one as a guide, we crossed the lower slopes of theembankment, and were soon among the ruins of the fa- BABYLON AND NINEVER. 139. HAJsGING GARDENS. mous Hanging Gardens. These gardens covered threeand a half acres, and were the work of Nebuchadnezzar,to delight his queen, Amytis, a native of Ecbatana, inthe mountain regions of Persia, and who, weary of themonotonous plains of Babylonia, longed for the mount-ain scenery of her native land. To realize her wishes,he caused to be built a structure of brick-work fourhundred feet high, which, when finished, resembled amountain covered with trees and adorned with whole consisted of a series of terraces, rising ingraceful gradations from the margin of the river to thesummit of the artificial mountain. The outer wall was 140 THRONES AND PALACES OF twenty-two feet thick, aud a thousand feet long on eachof its four sides. Each ten-ace was supported by arches,and the ascent from terrace to terrace was by marblesteps ten feet wide. On the top of the arches were laidlarge flat stones, sixteen feet long and four feet broad ;over these were layers of reeds, covered
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbabylon, bookyear1876
