The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-16

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or of correcting mistakes.)
Enthusiastically too, Damascus is full
of interest to the Christian student
Elijah and Elisha were probably as famil-
lar with it as with Jerusalem During
the time of the rival kingdoms of Israel
and Judah the Damascenes made frequent
invasions and profted by the Discussions
of those who should have presented a
united front to the oppressor. But 1
need not say that nothing connected with
the ecclesiastical history of Damascus so
fills the mind and heart of the traveller
from our country as he approaches this
city, as the visit of ST. Paul, and his mirac-
ulous conversion-an event second to
none in Importance in its influence on the
Church and the world since the beginning
of the Christian era. To-day I have
walked from end to end through the
street which is still called Straight" I
think it was Mohammed himself of whom
it is related that when he first assembled
the mountain from which Damascus and
all the verdant plain about it bursts on
the view, he exclaimed. that he was not
worthy to enter such paradise on earth
and then another paradise in the skies.
L can well understand how one familiar
only with the arid sands of Arabia would
be transported by the vision of Damascus
with its emerald groves and blooming
gardens, gay with innumerable flowers;
and | can comprehend too the feeling of
Naaman the Syrian, when he cried out,
ARE not ALBANIA and Pharpar, rivers of
Damascus better than all the waters of
Israel? ?" The Jordan, with its turbid
flood, does indeed suffer by contrast with
the clear, swift ALBANIA, one of the most
beautiful rivers of the East and as
Egypt is the gift of the Nile, so Damas-
Gus, in certain sense is the product of
the ALBANIA, for it is owing to its refresh
ing and fertihzing waters, divided near
the city into six different streams, and
thus diffused over the plain on which the
city stands, that Damascus owes its chief
attractions. Without these life-giying
waters. Damascus would stand in plain
of yellow sand provided it could exist at
alD instead of rejoicing in its present sur
roundings Of luxuriant groves of richest
green, and gardens where flowers of every
hue delight the eye and fill the air with
their fragrance One of the favorite pas
times of the inhabitants is to sit in the
shade of these gardens on. the banks of
the ALBANIA smoking the 9aargtLeb and
drinking endless cups of coffee. made
little experiment in this direction my
self, and can testify to the excellence of
both Of these Damascene refreshments.
My friend, Mahloof, also obtained adj
mittance for me into two or three of the
private houses of the city, that I might
have the opportunity of studying an
oriental interior. Nothing can be in
stronger contrast than the bleak, dismal
exterior of a private house in Damascus,
and the luxury and comfort of all of the
arrangements within. The plan of all of
these residences is essentially the same
an open court paved with marble,
and always graced with fountain, and
on the four sides of the court the apart
ments of the family, the largest of which
is the reception-room, in which is a di-
van running around three Sides against
the wall,-with ottomans and cushions
scattered about The ceilings of these
rooms are often very highly ornamented
with carvings and the walls covered
with various fanciful designs. Coffee is
invariably offered to the guest, and
uSublly 'GlS udi zen Ut cigarettes. In one
of these visits my host surprised me by
introducing to me his daug hter, a very
rare honor in an oriental house-a bloom
ing girl, with roses in her cheeks as well
as in her hair, and sort of ruby glow
in her fine eyes. The women of Damas-
Gus, and those of Syria generally, are
far superior in face and form to those of
Egypt, some of them being exceedingly
handsome. But the toilet of an ordinary
Mohammedan woman must be very
simple and convenient affair. When she
gets up in the morning she has only to
put calico window curtain over her
face, sheet around her shoulders, and
then don pair Of loose cotton trowsers,
tied close at the ankles, and she is dressed
for the day.
I wish 1 had time and room to tell you
of the endless variety Of the bazaars; Of
the poetical street cries of the vendors
of snow-water, fruits and sweet-meats
Of the picturesque costumes of the men
of rank Of the Mosques, the greatest of
which was once a heather temple, then
a Christian church, and is now a Moham-
medan place of worship, but with a
Greek inscription on one of the walls,
"Thy Kingdom, o Christ, is an 6yer-
lasting Kingdom; and Thy dominion
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