Washington telegraph., 1853-08-24
Ebe Magic of Music.

tlonaI lnteliigenccr, who is travelling thro'
SYRIA, and Mt last accounts had reached the
ancient city of Baalbeck or Heliopolis. gives
he following description of the effect which
his flute and the negro melody has upon the
inhabitants of Ishuael
In travelling through Syria, as in other
parts Of the world. I always carry nv fute
with me, TO relieve the lonely hours at night,
and excite social feeling among the ma,
tires. had fluted my way after the fash
ioa of Goldsmith, through many Difficult
ty: and now | was resolved to see what the
magic of music would do in removing the
prejudlces of the Arabs As soon IA it was
dark, we had good fire lit in the corner,
and pulling off ous shoes, as custom reolir
ed, we spread our mats close by, and
sat down costly to enjoy the cheerful fire
my friends Ghe Southerner and the English
captaln) smoking their chibouks, while |
brought forward my knapsack, and com
Ineneed putting the pieces of my flute to-
gether. The Arabs, who had begun to
crowd in, were greatly interested in the
strange instrument that | was getting under
way, and Yusef who waI rather proud of
his civilization sat by enjoying their re-
marks and giving US running interpreta-
ton. Some thought it was sort OF pistol,
with a large touch-hole; but the notion was
ridiculed by the more knowing ones, who
said it was plain to see that it was a new
fashioned pipe, and that they would soon see
me put the bowl to it, and begin to smoke.
At last l got the pieces adjusted, and
commanded silence by mysterious motion
of the hand commenced paying that clas-
sical air Of ''0id Zip Coon" which I dare
say was never heard before among the ruins
of B,albeck There was the most breath
less attention on all sides, interrupted only
by the suppressed exclamation of Tahib
Tahibli (Good, good y when / blew a very
shrill or false note and soon the women
and children from the neighboring houses
began to crowd III. and there was gradually
a large circle formed around the room and
the audience squatting down in rows till
there was scarcely space enough to breathe
/ blew away with all my might for not only
was | excited with the success of my expe-
riment, but rather inspired with the music
was making, which [ assure you was not
bad. The fiIuIliar airs of hume made me
sentimental and | merged into the doleful
air Give me back my heart again, which
was miserable failure; not damsel seem
cd disposed to listen to it. They commenc-
ed in the very middle of the most pathetic
strain to call for 'Old Zip Coon" When
had ended. there was no end Of the tahibs
Mr.. Coon was a decided hit
In order to vary the entertainment, 81
lcnce was commanded again, and Yusef was
desired 10 explain that there would be
song that it was the song of an old black
gentleman who lived in America who was
a pacha among the blacks; that he was called
Uncle Ned, because he was so venerable, and
being very DID, the hair all fell off his head.
and there was no hair at allin the place where
the hair ought to grow; that he hadn't any
eyes to see with, and consequently was as
blind as Il post or stone wall, or anything
else that is supposed to be deficient in
eyes; that lie neither had teeth to eat bread
with, and he had to let the bread alone and
eat something else; that his fingers were as
long as canes in the brake, which was an av-
erage of about sixteen feet; and eventually,
that one day when he was out in the field,
horrible monster called Grim Death, came
along and caught him by the heel and car
ried him away. and he was never heard Of
any more except in this song, which was
written in commemoration of these facts.
Thereupon, having excited the most pro-
found interest in the history of Uncle Ned,
launched forth into the song, keeping as
near the tune as possible, and going through
all the motions descriptive Of the badness
OF his head, the absence Of his teeth and the
length of his fingers. When Larrived at the
final catastrophe, where grim death seizes
the old gentleman by the heel, [ made sud-
den motion at the heel Of one worthy who
was sitting near by. completely upsetting
him with fright and causing ,augh from
the audience that seemed as if it would
never come to an end It was the best hit
of the evening, and completely removed all
constraint The women had gradually un-
covered their faces and the men were in
such good humor that they paid no atten-
ton to it; and we were all as jovial as pos
ible-showing that the people all over the
world are pretty much the same by nature;
and that there arc few races so barbarous.
as not to be moved by music and spirit of
sociability