Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-12-26

Letters of am ExilePrivate Life of the Musulmans.
Utterly deprived of any means of communicating
with the outer world, whether from books CONVEX
sation, the Asatic subjects of the Crescent know no.
tning OF what happens at few miles distance from
their own roof and hopelessly ignorant OF the
Isence of science. art. and industry. They have no
idea OF their inferiory TO other nations. and | was
more than asked if, in my country, we knew
how 10 plant corn, and gather hay When tried TO
show them some simple and appropriate way of
Iexecung their fatigning tasks, they wondered at my
interference, and smiled rather good naturally at me.
as if to say: 'you well meaning person, and we
are not vexed with You for your trouble, but be
sured. we know much better"
/ Nations progress in civilization as if they were
members of one single individual helping each other,
with each others strength and gifts, that the steps
once traced by have need of being repeated by
the other. But the Ottoman Empire has share in
THAT provdental partnership; what is discovered, tried
and perfected in the rest of the world, is unknown to
it, and to keep its place upon the platform with
its civilized neighbors it ought 10 possess in itself the
whole of talent, activity, wisdom and persever
ance which is distributed among the other inhabitants
Eo the world. That such is not the needs de-
monstration.
But the consequence of such utter ignorance is not
limited 10 the most absolute incapacity 10 proceed in
the path of civilization, ii has morbid and deleterous
effect upon the moral faculties of the Osmani A
stranger to art and industry unmoved by curios
ity since he is ignorant that there things worth
knowing, his lie is but the waking dream OF half
alive intelligence
Asia Minor is formed of many successive wilder
nesses, only enlivened Gf it be called enlvenng)
by here and there wretched abode containing SOL
ders that thevgilance of the Government des!ines
the security of travellers, by still more miser
able cabins in which whole families reside. In each
hut one dirty kennel is occupied by the women an
other still drter by the men. But of the wretched
of Turkish abodes will speak later; and, besides
what is the want of every material comfort, to the
S dreariness resulting from intellectual darkness?
These, of course, country families, and live up
on the fruits of the soil but such fruits scanty,
though easily obtained. Some Cruel and straw for
their horses and cows cruel, salad and melons
for themselves; two three hours work day during
four or five weeks every year sufficient 10 extract
all they require, from of the richest soils in the
world. The soldiers, dispersed through the valleys
and the mountains, are still more unoccupied. When
caravan passes or few solitary Travellers one two
or three of the Zappet'es start from their touches,
n light The matches of their carbines and escort the
travellers through that part of the road which is repor
: ted dangerous They get few piastres, and. going
back TO their barracks, assume the mournfu course
+ of their lives. Something heavy and desolae rests
IS upon my heart when | contemplate these strongly.
built and dark-comp eXioned men. the very image o.
D. corpereal strength and moral mness. seated upon The
T. ground, their legs bent under Them their eyes stupid
y fixed vacancy, their pipes their mouths, with
Is out uering word executing movement equally
~ destitute of thoughts Or feelings and when | think
that from their childhood 10 their old age, not day
Re has been will be better filled up than another
d Travellers, historians and philosophers, have sough
for explanation of the strange torpor of the Oren
tai mind in the narcotic influence of tobacco and OPT
nj UNI; but am rather inclined TO consider the effects
~ those plants mitigation 10 the utter tediuu
~ which such life must necessarily inspire IN tn
he least gifted of human creatures.
De The real, the only reason for the total nacton G
IN the Oriental people is the want of excitement; thu
$ The of tobacco, of opium, and perhaps of coffee
70 taking from them the consciousness of the slowly pass
A. ing time and OF the unvarying monoony of their eS
sence preserves them from The despair 10 which, bl
for this, they would be victims.
10 The observation of his relg duties is anothe
relief for the wearied MuSsulman. Five times da
n he stands upon his legs deposits his pipe in a corne
m washes his feet. his hands, his his face, nee
,le and head, previous 10 kneeng down. He turns h
al face toward Mecca, and repeats the sacred formula
They do not pray as we do, since their creed as
RI the predestnation of all human affairs prevents the
ali from entertaining any confidence in the effect of SUI
is pcatlons. Their prisons series of exclamation
AS concerning the Divine attributes, and the perfection
of the Prophet, accompanied by the repetition of SON
ire of the Koran, if they wished to let God
o His Prophet know that the immortal Book is not 70
al gotten by the faithful Nor is this all the Ramaza
M the Mahommedan Lent is cruel period in ever
He Mussulmans life, and at the end of it the alternate
mt faster with Zes to his ordinary far
~ and experience a delightful feeling of relief in Il
err coarse routine of his stupid existence During tn
IA cruel RamaZan Zone monthly every Mussulman fas
-
10, Ramazan happens to fall in the Summer, as it do
is now, not man. after his tenth year. let bin be
len good in bad health, working sedentary
&C. dares to eat single morse drink drop OF wal
during sixteen seventeen hours
to What they do 10 help themselves? Sleep d
BILE ring the whole day and so they do-getting up VIII
roe the is set, and filling their stomachs much
an they during The hours of night. know sever
individuals so afraid of enduring the terturing pan
&C. of sixteen hours continuous hunger that they
er satisfied with the precautions taken against thes
ch and long darkness endures go back and back
nv gain to their victuas, the beseged goes round
M Notifications to himself that they in go
order and well defended
1as AS soon, however as the has risen in the Fla
tho every faithful Mussulman ties his band round |
old waist and remains IN the most complete lmmooi'l
nat till 1t is night again, not daring to move or speak
fear OF awakening his sleeping appetite. Only th
the how the Inhabitants of the agricultural districts
ary compsh their daily and most necessary labors wb
the Ramazan happens TO fall in The reapng season.
ich gets dry upon its and falls upon the parch
he soil the sllkw perish for want of the win
of not pruned, everything goes to ruin and decay
the Sir Walter scott's Last Effort.
.. At an advanced period of life Sir Walter SEQ
my struck with misfortune, entered into engageme
Ma to liquidate by his literary exertOns, q debt
en- G128, 00O Scott staked his character and repu
se ton upon the fulflment of his last engagement.
ISL entered with characteristic ardor upon his task
an amid the pressure of increasing age and infrmi
ley never lost sight of his anticipated reward.
In seven years Scott had paid all but one sixth
. his enormous load of debt. The prize with
go neutrality-suspicious. seemed almost in his grasp
~ but he had overtasked his strength, and dsea
~ soon to be followed by death, came, like arm
90 man. and closed the superhuman struggle VIII