New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-09-22

But, except the pkzaAIb, tne khaho ~"
lsths, of which there are several most luxurious
establishments, the city itself is neither so r,ea
nor 80 purely Saracenic in its architecture as oa
M. The streets are narrow and dirty, ahc INC
houses, which are never more tnan '~o ~"
mes IN hight are built Of sun-dr'eo oncks' eoa'ed
18th master. miss the solid piles OF stone, the
$780,, doorxays. and above all, the exquisite
go. balconies of carved wood, which meet one
!. A.. old streets of Cairo. Damascus 10 the rep
,e.en,atiye of all that is gay, brilliant and PFC
s,,esoue in Oriental life, but for stately magnih-
e.pes. Cairo, and, / suspect, Bagded, is its gu
perior.
We visited the other day the houses OF some oil
tbe niche ST Jews and Christians. Old Abou-ibra-
him. the Jewish servant Of the hotel, accompanied
and introduced US. 1t is customary for travellers
Ia make these visits, and the families, far from De-
ng annoyed, are Hattered by it. The e1tenor' OF
the houses are mean. but after threading nAfio"
massage. we emerged into court nvallog III pro-
x..;on n armament and rich contrast OF cOl''''
one's ea,y idea Of the Palace oil hiauoia'
So md fountains are all of marble mosaic ene
.,.hs. ot the Iiwan glitter with colo, ana INC
IN. L.,,;lds, the eve with the intncacy OF ther
.,...,...ts. In the first house, we we're received
A. On. family in room of precious marbles, WIN
.;.h., IN the walls, resembling grottoes OF silver
stalactites. The cushions OF the divan "ero VI
the richest silk, and chandelier oil bohemian
cYvstal hung from the ceiling. Silver narghlehS
weye brought TO us and coffee was served Id
sssvv silver zerfs. The lady Of the house was
rather eorpulent dame of about thirty,hVe' ano
vor. q European robe OF embroidered SIX
and lace with full trowsers gathered at the ankles
md yellow Slippers Her black hair was BRAIDED
and fastened at the end with golden ornaments,
and the light scarf twisted around her head bazed
with diamonds. The lids Of her large eyes were
stained with kohl, and her eyebrows were pluckeo
mt and shaved away 80 as to leave only thln
arehed line, as il drawn with pencil, above each
eve. Her daughter, girl Of fifteen, who bore the
sspoine Hebrew name Of Rachel, had even bigger
and blacker ewes than her mother, but her fore
head was low, her mouth large, and the express
sion of her face exceedingly stupid. The iather
Of the family was a middle. aged man, with we'll
bred air. and talked with an Oriental pollteness
which was very refreshing An English aoY, "no
was Of our party, said 10 him, through me, that u
she nossessed such house che should he willing
10 remain in Damascus. "Why does she leave
them" he Immediately answered; this IS her
house. and everything that is in it." Speaking oil
= visiting Jerusalem, he asked me whether II was
NOT more beautiful city than Damascus ut IL
not more beautiful" said, but it is moro holy
expression which the whole company received
with great satisfaction.
fed
and richer than tn FIRST, but had air Of neglect
and decay. The slabs of rich marble we're loose
and broken, about the edges of the fountains the
rich painting Of the wood work was beginning to
kde, and the balustrades leading to the upper
chambers were broken OF in places. We were
a,hsred into a room, the walls and ceilings OF
which we're composed entirely OF gilded arabesque
frame work set with small mirrors. When new,
il must have had gorgeous effect, but the gold
10 now tarnished, and the glasses dim. The mis-
tress Of the house was seated on the cushions
dividing her time between her pipe and her needle
work. She merely made slight inclination OF
her head as we entered, and went on with her &C.
supstIon. Presently her two daugh ers and an
Abyssiuian slave appeared, and took their places
on the cushions at her feet, the whole forming
artist friends at home could not see. The mis-.
tress was so exceedingly dgniGed, that she be-
slowed but few words on us. She seemed TO re-
sent our admiration Of the slave, who was a most
graceful creature yet her jealousy, it afterwards
appeared, had reference to her own husband, for
we had scarcely left, when servant followed to
infoim the English lady that if she was willing 30
buy the Abyssinian the mistress would sell her at
once for two thousand piastres. The last visit
we paid Was to the house OF Marmite, the rich
est Christian in Damascus. The house resem-
bed those we had already seen, except that,
having been recently built il was in better condi-
zion, and exhibited better taste in the ornaments.
No one but the lady was allowed to enter the e.
male apsi tments, the rest of us being entertained
by the proprietor, man Of fifty, aud without ex-
esption the handsomest and most digniied
person Of that age have ever seen. lie was a
hing without a throne, and fascinated me CON-
plstcly by the noble elegance of has manner. In
any country but the Orient, should have pro-
nounccd him incapable Of an unworthy thought,
here, he may be exactly the reverse.
Although Damsscusis considered the Oldest city
10 the world, the date of its foundation going be.
You'd tradition, there are very few relics Of anti
guilty in or near It. In the bazaar ara three large
pillars, supporting half the pediment, which are
said to have belonged to the Christian church Of
81. John, but if so, that church must have been
originally Roman temple. Part OF the Roman
walls and one Of the city gates remain, and We saw
Me spot. where, according to tradition Saul was
bet down from the wall in basket. There are
two localities pointed out as the scene Of his con-
version, which, from his own account, occurred
near the city. ! visited suhteuanean chapel
claimed by the Latin monks to be the cellar Of the
house Of Ananiss, in which the Apostle was con.
seLed. The cellar is undoubtedly Of great An.
squity, but as the whole quarter WAS for many
centuries inhabited wholly by Turks, it would De
curious 10 know how the monks ascertained which
-. IL A.. L.