New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-01

An English gentleman, who has made the
pilgrimage to Mecca, thus describes some Of the
scenes he witnessed on the journey:
There are evidently eight degrees of pilgrims
The lowest walk propped on heavy slaves these
are the itinerant cofee-makers, sherbet sellers
ald tobacconists, country folks driving focEs of
sheet and goats with infinite clamor and gesticu-
ations, negroes from distant Africa and crowds of
paupers some approaching the supreme hour, but
therefore yearning the more to breathe their last
in the Holy City. Then come tile humble ri3ers.
of laden camels. mules and asses, which the
Bedouin who clings baboon-like TO the hairy ramp
of his animal despses saving.
6 Honorable to the rider is the riding of the horse
| but the mule is a dishonor and donkey is q dis
| grace" Respectable men mount dromedaries or
bOod-camels known by their small size, their fine
limbs and their large deer-hke eyes, their saadles
| show crimson sheepskins between tall metal pom
mels and these are girthed over fne saddle bags.
whose long tassels of bright wossted hang almost
to the ground. Irregular soldiers have pic
| turesauely equipped ''Shends.h Here and there
rides some old Arab Shaykh, preceded by his var
lets performing awar-danee compared with which
the bears performance is graceful, firing their
duek-guns in the air. or blowing powder into the
naked legs of those before them, brandishing
their barred swords leapng frantically with parti
colored rags floating in the wind and tossing high
their long spears. Women, children and inyaids
of the poorer classes sit upon rugs or carpets
spread over the large boxes that form the camel's
load Those little better off use shibrivah or
short coat fastened Cross-wise.
| The richer prefer Shugduf panniers With an
awning like a miniature tent. Grandees have led
horses and gorgeously painted takhtrawan, litters
like the bangu6 of Brazil, borne betweea cames
or mules with scarlet and brass trappings.. The
vehicle mainly regulates the pilgrims expenses,
which may vary from five pounds to as aany thou
sands,
will not describe the marches in detail they
much resemble those between Yambu and Ell Me-
: dnah. We nighted at two villages-El Suwayr-
, kiyah and FL Suyayna which supplied few pro
| visions to n caravan of 1000 to 5000 SoulS. For
; the most part it is haggard land, 8 country OF
l wild beasts and wilder men region whose very
fountains murmur the warning words, g drink and
away" instead of 60 rest and be thankful In
other places it is desert, peopled only With
echoes an abode of death for what little theJe il
to die in it, waste where, to use an Arab phrase
4, La silva Hu-there is none but He. Gigantic
sand columns whirl over the plains, the horizon is
+ sea of mirage, and everywhere nature taWed ane
scalped discovers her skeleton to the gazer's eye
Few animals except ravens and yultures NEE
b. the eye. Once, however, we enjoyed grant
Y spectacle. 1t was large yellow lion, 9onaewha
. white about the ponts-a sign of age-seated il
statuesque pose, upon pedestal of precipitou
rock by the way side and gazing upon the passint
Y spectacle as if monarch of all he surveyed. Ih
i caravan respected the wild beast and no one mo
: Tested it. The Bedouin of Arabia has = curiou
= custom when he happens to fall in with lion; h
5, makes many profound saaam, says many CON
If plimentary things and begs his majesty not t
4 harm poor man with large family. II the brut
!, is not hungry, the wayfarer is allowed to pass c
" the latter, however, is careful when returning,
r. follow another path. "The father Of roaring b
t. remarks "has repented having missed meal