Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-01
THE SACRED CARPET.
interesting Facts ASaa. the Annual Pilgrim
age > f!csca.

age - 3ccca.
The rallr announced. a few ago.
that the camel l'"aiiug the sacred
"Mahnal' had m,; with an accident
10y coming in contact with I; telegraph
pole while on its way from Cairo to
Mecca, and that it was thought that
the caravan would in consequence of
the mishap he forced to retrace its
steps instead Of proceeding to the
holy city of Mecca To the uninitiat
ed this step will appear singular. but
those who have lived among Turks
and have studied their religion will
understand the necessity Of this ret
rograce movement. Ever since the
Saracrns occupied Egypt Cairo has
enjoyed the privilege of forwarding
the "Mahmal." or holy carpet, to the
tent of the Prophet. and although of
late years the Sultans of CONSTANT
nople have attempted to replace the
,icrroy OF Egypt in this respect, the
whole of the Mohanm"dan clergy
have strcnuously objected to the
usurpatiOn This event, which is one
of the most important amongst the
many ceremonies and observanccs of
the Moslem religion, occurred this
year under circumstances unusually
interesting and significant, as for the
first time III history has this process
sion been guarded aud escorted by
Christian troops The "Mahmal' is
Il carpet of fixed dimensions. manu-
featured during tn" year within the
Ottoman dominionS, and selected by
tine Sultan a. the bcs- of the year :
make. and is sent from Constantine
pie TO Egypt 10y special vessel. i'll
which also takes passage the Sultans
clerical delegate, who does not return
to his master without Il receipt, not
only from the khrdive. but from the
Grand Shcrcrf of Mecca also 1t is
of elaborate and beautiful workman
ship. and Is intended to be placed
over the Prophets shrine, called the
kiblch, at Mecca. This carpet, how
ever. is not sent to the Holy and
Shining. even as gold, City" as the
khcdivc fills it with presents of gold.
precious stones and money as an of
fcring to the Moslcm Jerusalem. and
in order that the treasure may not be
stol,n on disturbed. seals up the car
pet with his private seal, and as in
all probability the seals have bee n de-
ranged by the carpet striking
Il telegraph pole or wre. the
cl,r.cal delegate mentioned above
dare not present himself before the
Grand Shereef, as this exalted per
sonage would. no doubt accuse him
of having broken the seals and stolen
part of the contents of the carpet.
\ new carpet is sent to Mecca an
nually. the old one being returned to
Cairo and deposited in the Suliman-
ich Mosque, appropriated for this
particular honor. The sanctity of the
old covering on its return from Mecca
is undoubted. and the true believers
hold 1t in great veneratlon besides at
tachlnS many important virtues and
charms to it. Those who. through
sickness or age. are unable to jour
ney all the way to the Holy City, be
licvc that visit to the Mosque con
tanning the carpet which only last
year covered the tomb of the Prophet
will br equivalent to visit to Mecca
itself. and those who are in trouble
or sickness are supposed to be cured
by touching it. Should, however. one
of the faithful be SO i'll that he can
not 90 to where the carpet is, the
Imaan, or priest of the Sulimanich
Mosque will allow a relative or friend
of the sick person to pull one single
thread out of the carpet. which will
cure the patient on being tied on the
sufferer in Heaven. and that no medi
cal skill can save him or her, as the
case may be. Great respect is there
fore paid to the ceremony of its de
parture and also on its return by all
srcts of Moslems.
1t was formerly sent under strong
military escort, which accompanied
it all the way to Mecca. perpetually
fighting tribes of Brluoins, who, be
sides killing and robbing thousands
of the pil grlms, often decampcd with
the holy carpet itself; but of late.
terms have been made with the Bed
uoins, who for Il fixed sum of money.
not only do not attack the caravans.
but also act as guard to protect it
against hordcs of hungry kurds and
Iartars. who are ever roaming about
the desert like birds of prey a vast
number of persons always assembled
at Cairo from all parts of the East;
many coming to witness the depart
uro only, and others to take advan-
tage of the protection afforded them.
by the presence of the Bedouins ac-
campaigning the camel with its sacred
burden.
This concour,c goes under the
name of the Great Caravan, and often
numbered upwards of 10000 persons.
La tely, however. the dangers of the
pilgrimage to Mecca have been much
lcsscned by the establishment of Il
line of steamers belonging to the
Egyptian Government. which ply be-
tween Sucz and lcddah. the nearest
port to Mecca. Still, thousands of
the more enthusiastic, and especially
the uncducated. attracted probably.
by the romance of the thing, prefer
cncountrring the dangers and diff
iiculties of the old route. and al
though it is also by far the most OK
pensive. still accompany tn, Ma
hal" The Great Caravan is now,
however, fast declining. 1t is pass
ing away, and with it. probably, much
of the superstition which may be
considered the mainstay of Islamism.
Safer, more rapid and less expensive
means of transit have taken the place
of the perilous overland route.
A few days after the fall of Arab
Pasha and the occupation of Cairo
by Sir Garnet Wo!sc!ey. ii space of
ground of convenient size outside
the railway station was held by
British troops composed of battal
ion of the guards under Prince Ar
thur, one battalion of Grenadicr
Guards, some squadrols of cavalry
i'll rear of the latter, composed of the
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