Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-10-05
THE ORDEAL.
STORY OF A FRENCH TRAVELLER IN ARABIA.
From Du Courets "Life in the Desert"

STORY OF A FRENCH TRAVELLER IN ARABIA.
From Du couret's "Life in the Desert"
While was dressing in my tent, in order
to make myself prssentable to the prince, the
reis came to me saying:
"Having bound myself to protect you,
Hadji, come to inform you that these ennis
saries of the Nagib of March are making in
quiries about you from the members of the
caravan, from whom, doubtless, they will
gather no favorable report"
But why should the Nagib trouble HIM
self about me ?" asked l.
Remember" answered the reis, "that
you stand now upon the soil of the enemies
Of European civilization yes, of all civilization
Sana, which we have left behind us, is the
last settlement of civilized Arabs here, we
are among the Independent tribes, whose
customs, whose laws have nothing in COM
mon with those of the Arabs of the vest
TO these customs and these laws, handed
down to them by tradition, from time imme-
mortal, they all hold, old and young, rich and
poor; and so fearful are they of being tempt
ed to change them by intercourse with other
nations, that no stranger is ever welcome
among them. They will put you through an
ordeal which it will require all your courage
to sustain. May you come out from it as
safely as you did from the claws of the devil
and of the dragon of Kassr-e Cheltanr'
Thanking the reis for his warning, went
forth from my tent, accompanied by Selim,
determined to act with prudence, but also
with firmness, should circumstances require
it. The deputies, who were waiting impa-
tiently for me, surrounded us, and proceeded
on foot to the palace of the Nagib.
The sovereign of March, whose dominions
extend over some fifty small villages and
hamlets, was called Seid- Add el- Rahman, and
protessed to be a lineal descendant of Abu-
Taleb, uncle of the Prophet, though not
through the same branch as Ali His palace
was square tower, situated at the north
eastern end of the town. This tower, called
Darel-Nassr, is very high, and of an impos-
ing appearance, built chiefly from the ruins
of Saba, as are many of the dwellings of the
modern city Of March, and consisting of a
ground floor, surmounted by four stories,
with battlemented terrace over ALL Beneath
the ground floor are vaulted chambers, some
of which are used as apartments during the
heat of the day, while others serve for state
prisons, dungeons, and dcns for fierce Wild
beasts. Walls run round the building in
closing kind of courtyard, in which are
the gardens and stables, the latter, according
to Arab custom, being in the open air.
The ground floors serve as barrack for
the guard, which numbers about forty.
In the first story are the state apartments
Of Scid-Abd el- Rahman, if that term can
properly be applied to two or three chambers
bristling with arms, which cover all the wssTs wsmTs
and stand in every corner-bucklers of iron
and Of shark-skin, helmets, battle-axes, coats
Of mail, cuirasses, scimitars, matchlocks, long
two-edged swords, and all manner of tran.
pings for horse and dromedary.
The second and third floors are occupied
by the slaves and the family. the rooms Of
the latter being decked with mother-o'-pearl.
the bright, changing hues of which are sup
posed to have cheering effect upon the wo
men condemned to the solitude Of the harem.
In the morning the Nagib occupies the
fourth story, with his divan, as he can COM
mand from thence view of the CITY and its
environs. In the afternoon he retires to his
harem, or to enjoy the siesta beneath the
vaults of the building; and, when night
comes, he reposes upon the terraced roof. un
der bowers of basil, and rosemaries, and vines.
and beans in blossom, which diffuse o de-
lightful perfume, converting the terrace into
one arbor.
The building is lighted by thirty windows,
those of the harem being grated. These win
dows, which do not admit much light, are so
constructed as to serve for loop-hoies in case
Of attack. A plain staircase of masonry,
supported by trunks of trees, leads from the
ground floor to the roof As far as the first
floor, this staircase is so wide, and of such
easy declevity, that three horses can safely
ascend or descend it abreast and it is at the
door OF his state apartments that the Nagib
mounts his horse when he he goes forth for
exercise, or On an expedition. Above the
first floor, the staircase contracts it's dimen-
sions gradually, dividing as it reaches the
second, one branch leading to the apartment
of the women, and the other to the fourth
story and the terrace.
The floors are formed Of rough raffers
which support a trells of inimosa and naback
branches, over which is spread-like asphalt
"a kind of cement called e55y found in the
beds of the rivers, which requires no further
preparations for use than three or four days'
exposure to the sun. There are no draperies
of any kind to be seen; no gilded cornices.