The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-19
TIE HOLY CARPET.
The Curious story Of the Embroidered Oker.
Ing tic w omen send 70 Mecca.


A telegram from Cairo few days ago
said that In all likelihood tho sacred caravan
now on Its way to Mecca would DO obliged TO
return to Cairo as an accident had happened to
the Holy Carpet and the Mnhm'l through
striking telegraph wire. AS such mishap
seems to furnish a ridiculously inadequate
reason for tho retrOgradc movement OF some
10000 pilgrims with their 10000 camels. q
description OF the Mahml and an account OF
REASONS for the sacred caravans return will DO
found interesting.
The Koran promises full dissolution for past
sins. and very great comp Stations In the world
to come. to those OF the faithful who make the
pilgrimage to the holy shrine Of the Prophet Mt
Mecca and those OF them who die on their way
to or from the holy city or during their stay
there are promised everlasting youth and vigor
on the Mountain Of PLAT where forty beautiful
hours will evor attend to their wants. Believ-
ing that they have prospects In storc. thousands
OF Mosloms flock annually to Mecca. especially
those who have passed the primo OF life. The
international quarantine established by tho
European powers to stop the spread OF dis
eases such AS cholera. typhus. and the plague
which as IL rule generate at Mecca during tho
Bairnm. publish statistics. Of tho worshippers,
6ese snGy Tmksy
China, India. RUSSIA, Tripoll zanzibar. and
the building Of the suez Canal the grand car
avan. rs It Is called, was enormous. and a.
pilgrims 30 by sea to Jcddah, the nearest point
to Mech On the Arablan sidS OF the Red Sea-
been Tor rrof v"mlcr s and Cart Burton Who Ds
visited tho. city disguised Ms l,nams. or Turkish
have been known Of tho Mecsan proceedings
prohibited from approaching the shrine OF tie
Prophet nndor tho penalty of being stoned TO
bs % nsr abs ey hrys hGsn %a
now taken which rendn r such a. calamity i'm
possible. Ono woman. however. did cnter-the
hownver. disguised ns she was accom- panied
by 10000 warriors, determined to force her way.
had not the Grand Shcrccf opened tho gates for
Since then the Holy Mahm'l or litter in which
holy city and back every year. as representing
the female population. who, being forbidden to
MShn IN nersTnh send rd the MsT as their
of the original material of which it was made
and besides being studded with precious stones
OF immense value. Is covered With gold and ,
attach to it MS offerings. II has been in the
keeping of the family named Shcich- eel Camel
eye" i since , itS first Journey The rcnrGson,atye
from the, pilgrimage, but actually accompanies
il year after year on its drcary VOYAGE through
the desert. The Sheirh -cl- Gamels have always
given signs OF insanity and are for this reason
esteemed saints by Mohammedans. Anybody
passinGa week in Cairo is sure to meet ut least
The holy litter now instead of containing
woman carries the Holy Garnet, which is sent
tinop,r and on II 5 arrival IS received with great
honors Il is taken to the Alabastcr Mosque OF
the Citadel. and there embroidered i'll gold by
the women. who consider this equivalent to
visiting Mecca, as the tomb Of Nlohammcd will
ono is sent. While this embroidcring is going
on. no man is allowed within, the mosque. Or
even within the citadel, AS the women work
with uncovered lnces. whereas on other occa-
siions they nrc always hidden in veil Upon
is sent to the Cairo palace of the khedive,
and he iii!s it with treasure as an Offering
reality as an annual subsidy to the Grand
Shereef and clergy OF Mecca. Having filled
the carpet. the Khrrdiyc aiiixcs his great seal
the value OF which he Keeps secret. The car
pct thus loaded and scaled. is handed to the
livery into the hands OF tho Grand Shcreef. In
the present case. the seals of the Holy Carpet
tho camel. its keeper knowing what kind OF
reicer ai he would NEE, I'm il he presented
CARPET containing unknown treasure with
broken seals. has deemed It prudent to return
to Cairo and have new seals applied to his
chargs after its contents have been verified by
All accidents to the grand caravan are con-
sidcrcd a. forcrunners of ill-luck. but when an
accident happens to the Holy Carpet and to the
Mahml itself. the faithful believe that a great
calamity is in store for them In this case
matters become moro serious through the
great delay. which may prevent the pilgrims
from reaching Mecca before the fete day. On
the % of June. 1861. the holy procession start
ed from Cairo with all the customary honors.
and two months later news reached the palace
that tho Bedouins mad attnon,-,. lie caravan in
:t;c Desert. and nftern desperate fight in which
they killed thousands OF pilgrims and camels,
CAPTURED the ANNA! carrying the Malm,,! and
Holy Garnet. and ripping open tho latter disap;,
nenred with It's contents; leaving the sacred
fabric behind them The Sheich -el Camel hnr-
miles. to report the calamity; bringing the mu-
tilatei carpet and the Mahm'l with him
as evidence. The news spread like wild.
fire oil over Islam, prayers were said
in the mosques night and day. and the
Sultan himself was preparing for hasty pill
grimage to the shrine at Mecca to intercede
with the Prophet to save his people from an
impending unknown calamity. The Niceroy Of
Egypt. Said Pasha. however. saved the stua-
ton. He first sent word to the pilgrims left in
the desert to proceed to Mecca and to camp
outside the walls. and then wait for him in
person or his representative. He then had the
carpet repaired rciillcd. and sealed. and. see
Ing that il could never reach Mecca in time IL
sent by the ordinary route. sent 1t by train to
Suez. thence By special steamer to Ycddah
whence il could reach Mecca in twelve hours.
Although no time was lost either at Cairo, Suez.
or ied,ah he Holy Mahm reached Mecca one
day only before the fote of the kourban Bairam.