The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-11
ghiaas Abroaa
Correspondence Of the Ner York 0bssna
Caravans in the Desert.
BY n. s. DODGE.

The annual pilgrimage Of Mohamedans
to Mecca, about which we in our western
world know so little, is one Of the notice
able recurring events Of the world. From
five to seven great caravans arrive in the
Holy City every year. The Syrian cara
van, which crosses the desert from Damas-
Gus to Medina the Egyptian. which starts
from Cairo, plodding through sands for
many weeks; the Persian, pursuing its
weary way from Bagdad; the African,
from Morocco; and the Indian, from Ye-
men--compose the bands which unite the
followers of the false prophet from India
to Abyssiaia. 1t is safe to say that the
smallest of these caravans Is always COM
posed Of at least 1000 camels and 10000
pilgrims while the Syrian, which is the
largest, numbered, two years ago, more
than $1,000 camels and 10000 pilgrims.
Now, though this is great falling off
from the splendor Of the pilgrimage in A.
D. 1854 by the mother Of Moslem b Illah,
""'n i-V,Voo 'a''ie'' : ~ aIo'iieuar'eS anu
nearly 250, 900 persons made up the vast
crusade, yet even TINS Syrian caravan,
~ "' ""' "eio'' 'ie ueser' ior many
".ay "ees', some'hine #nich 'he
Western mind hardly comprehend
'p' '"e' ~ more impressive
'a .'a' u re''s'ous caravan NOV
s ~ 'a'' h'o'"'ns a'
~"'.i 'A.ue mum 'iic COASTS ol aieiers'
p',s anu "'focco 70 iimpuc'o IN 1000,
"u Deen ~ anu ou' y 'ne Urea. sanara
~ " i,Oni every part oi
s' :" '"e conhhes oi 'he
~ anu ~ '''c must rehlo'e villages,
r. rIs e ''o pee" moving in upon this
p o". u"'A !" numbered
~ nos', 'VasiS'ins on 'he one nand
~ es 's'en'a'iOus IN
nsn ,oneu "'sn'n'en'e' sleeping at ease
'" '' anu Su'rounueo WIN luxu-
' 'sm -, :" ''e uesei, ana on tne o'ner,
PD anu So,u'ers' servants ana
1l'''' '-O'''e's' '"enu,c''n's ana Juggiers'
w. ~ " y ''e s"s' NUMBER peing
As'l's)' ai"ou'i'ins 70 many
", "o n'oie picturesque scene ever
M o e"''aheeu 'i'an oiu TINS
-, "He n'"'s masses ~
"'s' anu s"'iS h'orning Danus
Aia' SINGERS ana nau'-poy players went
sp'Ps " 'ne sues ol 'ne procession.
"e'e ns"'eu as .ne uarkness came
~ ""1 N'P' burning al nlgn'- flows
'eyeu =, Deuouihs, VINO
u " uAy, preceaing .ne most by
- "O "nne ',ie aaikness ias'ed'
e' "e ions Irregular pia-
V"' y '"'s "as "ohuer'uiiy nne Dut
mHsn n'o'n,ns i'gn' began 70 streak the
..AI., "nD 'ne ven VI n'sn' slowly ht'ed
W ' =" ''e 'no.ing masses OF tur-
'a.eu p"siiuis ana hai'ered cameis, tents
"N op,e'' aoneu 'aiiners ana dlngy
'"' ehe0' as 'ney wound along
1"asnns sec'ions cannot pc described.
seen'' Posslpie .lat' az TINS
,A@ nay '"e commerce Oh tne East should
y s'" ea'r'eu on ~ |. was thousands OF
ses'' 'so' "neh 'ne brethren Of Joseph
''Au oa'' MN ih'o PIT, tney beheid a
'o,'pa', u ,snnael'es coming from 1ii-
eAI "i'n 'ie'r eame's bearing splcery,
anu Daia, anu myrrn' going TO carry 1t
uo"h 70 Egypt To-Day the caravans OF
~ 'A same 'nne' 'rasel tne same
''aa' oaiiy 'he same articles OF trade, and
'ne'' snarp-eyea leaders are as ready Tor
IAisA,n' ~he,ner N precious stone or a
S,a'e-oo'' oaa enough It IS too how
'neaP'y aeroSS-aeser' ire'gnt is done. A
ca'aei ,oaa y ABOUT .oo ios'' ayolrdupois,
anu u rs 'akeh from Dagdad to Aieppo, a
Instance Oh SIX hundred miles, Tor twenty
uo,,ais IN goio'
ihe,e are TWO k'nos OF commercial car
a'ans' neasy ana i'gn' composed both ef
'ame's' indeea' Du. as Inherent from each
uuner ~ as 'ne cray morse from the hunter.
Inc '0,mer 'ne neavy camel makes a
mean aaiy 'a,e oi eighteen miles the
ss''e'' ! y pushea' can surpass a hundred.
some !. o' 'nese ias', when In good condi-
''on anu iign'-~elgn'ed VIII take up a
nlne-'niies-ah-nour trot, and Keep 1t up
"nou' 'e''esnmen' 'or 'We've consecutive
nouls
lesser, 'ravels nave lost IN our day some
y 'ne'r noi!ols' "no'e caravans no long
= u, 0i 'nirs'' nor are the bones OF dead
:, ,amsl Dare.nard. says they were in
!, s "a 'ne on'y gu'de OF tne pilgrim