St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-05-07

Arabia. to visit the tomb of Mahomet.
The pilgrims have just returned from
the last of these long and wearisome
Journeys. and this morning they entered
and passed through the city escorted by
thousands of soldiers and citizens.
We were spectators of the pageant.
First came five regiments of soldiers.
(infantry) in white canvas uniform and
with guns and glistening bayonets.
Each regiment was preceded by band
of trumpetcrs. After the infantry came
regiment of mounted cavalry, each
hearing "A long lance to which a small
green and red flag was attached. Then
robes and gay turbans. sheikhs, der
wishes. priests. some chanting. some
playing on clarionets. Then followed
a multitude of pilgrims, accompanied
10y citizens who had gone out to well
come them. In this part of the process
sion there was IA beautiful display of
silk banners in green, yellow. red, and
black colors with Arabic Inscriptions.
As the pilgrims passed us there was the
sound of cymbals. the heating of kettle
drums and the chanting OF praises.
Soldiers in red uniform, mounted on
fine Arabian horses now came along,
followed by officers in uniforms that
were brilliant with gold braid and tas-
sells Then more tOotmeu crowded the
street. after which. amid forest of
silken banners came the sacred camel.
followed by fifteen other camels. The
sacred animal was completely envcl-
oped in Il blanket of red velvet. richly
wrought with gold and silver braid, and
on his back rested II large canopy of
velvet surmounted by the star and
crescent.
The remaining camels were also
blanketed with red velvet. Upon one
rode the leader of the caravan. bare
headed, and stripped to the waist
Each camel had its load of men. boys
or baggage.
The sacred camel is greatly venera-
ted. He goes in the caravan to Mecca
once YEAR The rest of the time he is
kept at the citadel in Cairo. at til" pub
lie expense. As he advanced in the
procession through the streets the peo-
Pile opposite to him repeated their
prayers and touched their foreheads,
and people in the windows of the houses
sprimklrd rose water upon the sacred
beast. Following the camels was Il
company of mounted cavalry. and last
of all il motley crowd of citizens.
not less than ten thousand people. and
their Oriental dress and gay banners
and the richly covered camclS. made
the scene one OF great beauty.
But the >rcur outside of the process
sion was, of itself. ii rare spectacle.
Oar carriage stood in the midst of Il
mass Of living creatures. all strange tn
behold. Arabs. Turks. Europeans. men.
women. children. SOME black. some
brown. some white. camcls. dunkcNs.
dogs all were ont. aud apparently a.
eager rs we To see what was going on.
Tbs, streets were 50 narrow that two
cai riagrs could barely pass. We were
in u street opening into the one down
which the procession WAS passing, and
the iargon of the Arabs around us. At
times drowned the music of the trump
rtcrs. On either side of us we've the
baZaars. in which were Turkish mer-
chants, sitting cross legged. and >mok
ing their long pipes.
The second time the procession passed
It's we were on Il broad street. and still
the Arabs swarmcd about lis. and III
among them were men from almost
every nation under the sun.
II the Centennial exhibition at Phila
dclphia brings together as motley Il
company us this return of the pilgrims
from Mecca does, no American should
l lill ~ ISL II. ''llltl " i>t ltl llilll
to Cairo in April.
My sight seeing i'll this city is about
ended. 1t has included the great pyra-
mids. the pyramids of Sakkarah. tho
borders of the desert, the petrilied
forest. the museum OF Egyptian antiq-
uities. the palace. kiosque and grounds
of the KhediNe. where SAW IL fine dis
play of rare birds and animals. includ-
ing some american hens. snow white
peacock. five giratfes. an elephant and
African lions.
One of our party. Mr.. Halves. not
being well. returned home from Cairo II
few days since. The rest of us have
our dragoman engaged, and expect to
leave here the first of IeXt week fOl
Palestine, going 10y rail through the
land of Goshen to Ismailia. thence by
boat up the Suez canal to Port Said
thence by steamer to Jaifa and from
there onward during thirty days through
the Holy Land. Owing to the latcnes,
of the season. and the time which We
will require at Athens and Constantine
pie we omit Mount Sinai.
This land of Egypt. where Joseph
rose to honor, where Moses was Graded
and became Il man, where Pharaoh
ruled. and out of which the Israelites
were led by the hand of God. is an in
teresting land. Its past has been Won
derful. Its future may be-must be
greater than its present