1856.] The Stvord-Blades of Damascus, 157 



lift up the hive, and pour a half pint down through the combs, turning 

 the hive gently about, that it may adhere to the comb's surface, and sides 

 of the hive. If you have no honey, make as above, a sirup of sugar in 

 the same way. It will be good healthful food; and, what is remarkable, 

 can be elaborated into comb at the same time that other portions are 



deposited in the cells in the form — as our honey-makers would say 



of ''pure homy ''—as we say, of sugar and icater ; very pleasant, indeed, 

 if the sugar has been clarified, and the water pure. 



But our article has swelled already beyond the limit intended ; we 

 will add more anon, and would be pleased to answer any proper 

 questions that may be propounded on this subject. 



THE SWORD-BLiVDES OF QXMASC\jS 



Perhaps the most famous of all the manufactures for which the city 

 of Damascus has in every age been so renowned, were the sword-blades 

 and sabres which were produced there in the early centuries of the 

 Christian era, and which became celebrated throughout the world for 

 their beauty, the hardness and keenness of their edge, and i\iQ very 

 extraordinary strength and elasticity of their temper. A Damascene 

 blade became, in fact, a proverbial expression. The praises of these 

 weapons were sung by bards, celebrated by princes and warriors, and 

 were immortalized in history. In the romantic accounts given in those 

 days, of the deeds of knights and crusaders, most extraordinary tales 

 were told of the feats performed with these magical blades, of the cut- 

 ting off of heads and limbs, and the cleaving down of skulls, and even 

 of the sundering of bars of iron. They could be bent into a circle and 

 retained in that position at pleasure, and then, on being released, they 

 would restore themselves, by their elasticity, to perfect "straightness as 

 before. They would stand the roughest usage, moreover, without being 

 blunted, or indented, or otherwise in any way marred. The art of man- 

 ufacturing this famous steel was supposed to be lost from Damascus 

 when Tamerlane carried the captive artisans away with him to the East ; 

 and though the fabrication of swords was afterward continued there, and 

 IS carried on still, the modern weapons do not at all enjoy the fame 

 which tradition assigns to those of ancient manufacture. The most 

 extravagant value was attached to the possession of one of these ancient 

 swords by the soldiers of the Middle Ages. They were sometimes sold at 

 a price nearly equal to a thousand dollars of our currency. 



