The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-02-05
sketches Of Eastern Travel

Dr. j. r. hENNEDY, OF Lauderdale COGn- |
ty, has been furnishing to the Mobile Mer- |
curry. a series Of articles under the above
head The last we have seen is a descrip-
ton Of Damascus:
Beautiful Damascus thou first and fair
est Of Moslem paradises, thou pearl with
the emerald surroundings, and boast Of
Arabian poets how shall |, an unin-
spircd mortal, presume to reveal to finite
beings thy holy charms, since even the
prophet himself dared not enter thy bliss
full shades? 1t is related that when the
poor. unknown Camel-driver came. after a
toilsome day s march. to the brow Of Leb-
anon. and looked down upon the fair city
he turned reluctantly away, and pitched
his tent in the desert. saving. MAN can
have but one paradise, and my paradise
shall not be of this world" a ruined
mosque now marks the spot where these
memorable words were uttered and So
dear reader, taking our stand beneath its
crumbling arches, let US. before entering.
examine the elements that go to make up
this earthly paradise of the true believer.
In front there spreads away, far as the eve
can reach on the road to Bagdad and Pal
mvra. the barren, lifeless Plain of Damas-
Gus At your feet flows the Barada, a
| wild mountain stream. which, bursting
| through the rocky fetters, leaps suddenly
| and rs if by magic upon the sterile waste,
| and like a sportive Undine, goes scatter
| ing from her layishing fingers, on the right
/ and on the left, throughout a circle of
| thirty miles, the richest verdue, the fair
! est flowers and the most luxuriant fruit
trees. And out from this spot so teeming
| with life, and JOY, and greenness, in the
I midst of the dead, waste desert, arises its
white minarets and glittering mosque
! domeS. peering above the tree tops, "the
Holy, the Blessed City" Of Fl Sham
Such it is as you look down upon it from
the heights of Lebanon; such it was to Ma.
homet's eyes; and when to this added q
framework of snow-clad mountains. that
loom up grandly in the west. and around
it is thrown the associations of four thou
sand years, nothing is wanted to complete
the interest or sublimity of the picture
But the interior of Damascus, like tha
of the Eastern cities, is sadly in contras
with the charms Of the surrounding seen
cry. Quitting its beautiful suburbs O
gardens and sparkling streams, YOU cnte
q city of narrow winding, gloomy streets
Ranked by houses, the mean exterior o
I WHICH. dllOiNlN but lllllf lnulCaIlOn OF tn
splendor and luxury within. 1t has, witt
much truth, been said of the maCniticenc
of this fartamed city, that, like the beau
ty of the Eastern women, it is hidden III
. der a mean exterior garh, and the CITY ha
: been aptly described as place of hidde
palaces, of copses and gardens. fountain
and bubbllng streams When, howeve,
one of these houses is entered, the seen
l completely changes, and you find YOU
self transported as it were, into tile mid.
r OF the iairylilSo splendor of which "
{ read in Arabian story.
In the way of antiquities. the city col
5 tains but little to interest the traveller
Though the oldest city in the world-olt
er indeed than many ruins-it contain
not monument or other vcStige of al
/ tlquity; conquest in its destructive mare
n has swept away all, nevertheless it CLAIM
o to be the most oriental. the most thorougl
:. ly interesting of all the Eastern cite
! and is Just the place IN which to stud
7 and see unfolded in all its mystery, al
y great panorama of Eastern life IndeC
the spirit of Arabian Nights has not "
o deserted these, its native streets. and eve
r to this day you not only hear them to
to rapt audiences in the cofiee-houscS, bl
N't AhfAi ltpulAN lllllttl lil AAN -
n scenes. Shut out from the sea by the L
banon range, Europe with her improv
Ie mcntS has made no innovations on the o
N time customs of these descendants
$ Shem. As they were 1000 years ago
le they are to day, and you may walk Il
d streets for hours without seeing hat
ID bonnet, or other Curtgraceless Europe5
es production.
ts The Damascans are proud Of their cit
V, and boast that out of its red clay the tr
s. man. Adam. was polished They say TO
,e that it was founded bv Shem on the pr
m else spot where Cain killed Abel, and Il
Id great fertility of the soil they attribute
r. the fact of its having been imbued WI
SIS righteous blood.
IL The city contains population Of lU
RI 600 of the most fanatical Moslems IN u
is East. In fact, until within few yea
he n christian, in n christian costume, q
ld not dare show himself in the streets, al
n even now n Mosque is to be entered on
AT the peril of your life. The women
he Damascus have worldwide reputati
'es for beauty. In consequence OF the vel
nv was not permitted to see great deal
NC il but what little did sec was certain
of the killing kind. In the use of I
Nc- veil however, they are not so scrupulC
pi. as formerly. At one time they were {
a posed to lay it aside altogether, when [
an Pasha issued orders to the effect that
las erv women seen in the streets withou
he veil should have her nose cut of; sill
at which they are more sparing of th
7ill charms. But how tantalizing are th
ar wells; what mystery and charm II
m throw around beauty, and how YOU |,
m, to tear them aside and gaze and gaze
til your soul is satisfied, upon the peer
ian beauty which you are prone to persu
yourself they conceall Alas: thev c
1t ceal a. well the most hideous uglin
n"- and that fact, to us poor men, is the o
consoling fact connected with their use
to The bazaars are also justly celebra
ION and often those of Constantinople are
has finest in the world. Around them gh'
all that is most interesting and romSl rom !
de- of Eastern life. and the whole gay y
the YOU NAV stroll through them admirlne ing
was rich and glitterinS wares eveTyWnore T.N" :,
re: hibited for sale. in shops not oiggsr U y
the a sidsboard. The merchant WIZ % =
and "a On ! sort Of eountar, hom which .