Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-10-15
MECCA.
The nehsmmedAa Pilgrimage.

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 the track taken by the ancient lsraeltes across the desert to Suez, and from thance across the great and terrible wilderness" of North Arabia to Akabs,
 at the head of the eastern branch of the
 Red Sea. Striking southward It pro ceads through the desolste and danger
 ous regions of West Arabia until at | length. after a journey of 1,OUO miles,
 tha sight of Mecca, "the inyiolable," pives the pilgrim hope of rest and safety.
 'fhe trials to which faith" is exposed in
 this journey are almost beyond endur-
 ance. Fatigue kills many. Thirst de- stroys many more Ablution and clean
 hness are impractlcable. The caravan,
 as it tolls it's slow length along scorched
 by the sun, suffocated by dust, and fol- | lowed by the famished vulture, IS a
 moving miasma- But the caravan, 1, while it parts with its living load, gets
 richer as it goes. The treasures Of the
 dead pilgrims swell the money-bags and
 distend the wallets of the survivors to
 an extent which enables the stronger
 members of the diminished host to de-
 vote larger funds to the service of aims,
 feasts and sacrifices in Mecca than i would in weaker hands have been re- |
 Syrian route is from Damascus, running
 in it's course along the range of mount | ains which form the eastern side or the
 Valley of the Jordan, and passing | through the old countries of Moab, Am
 mon and Midian. Leaving the trans | Jordanic regions 1t traverses Arabia,
 Provincia and the great central Desert | of Arabia proceeding 10 Oar Azzah and
 thence, after journey of l 300 miles, to | Mecca. This extraordinary journey,
 which for the greater part passes be- | tween sterile mountain ranges and over
 immense sandy wastes, IS not less peril
 ous or less fatal in character than that | which sadly distinguishes the Egyptian
 route The suffering and mortality Of the pilgrims exceed in degree those of
 the average calamIties of war, and are | only to be matched in records of famine and pestilence. The wearied caravan
 arrives at Mecca despoiled of much Of | its living freight, and of the victims who have survived numbers, weakened by disease, fail to obtain strength for the | due observance of the eIhausting cere-
 monies of the holy festival, which con-
 sists in rapid marches round the Caaba, runnings between Safa and Merwa, | throwing stones at evil spirits, ascents of Mount Ararat, and tumultuous sacri-
 fees ofsheep, goats, kline. or camels in | the Valley of Nina.
 The principal marine routes are those | followed in the voyages from the North | African ports of Morocco, Algeria, Tunis | and TrIpoh to Egypt, the voyages from | Constantinople, the ports of Turkey, ! and the voyages from India, Persia and Nsl. an ha | by these routes bsing mostly undertaken
 in sailing vessels i'll appointed and all of
 small capacity, re tedious, dangerous, | and in all resp, .s most unsatisfactory. | To remedy the evils which at present
 attend the pilgrimage to Mecca, and to | promote the good which 1t IS capable of effecting, are not only humane objects, but they are of much commercial value | and importance. The saving of human | lie IS the first instinct of civilization,
 and the promotion of it's well being IS
 successfully sought through the instru- mentality of commercial intercourse. | The pilgrims trade as they travel. Mo
 hsmmed says to them, Tt shall be no crime ID you to seek an income by trad | ing during your pilgrimage. It
 is true that comparatively little trade IS | considerable importance, leading as 1t does to an extension to the community | of nations and to a profitable exchange ' of their respective products. The sOlu- | tiOD of the difficulties which beset the
 pilgrimage will be found Tn an abolition of the great land routes, and in the main
 restriction of the passage to marine transit. The completion of the SueZ | | uniting the Mediterranean and the Red
 Sea and giving for the first time to the
 vas. midland populations of Mohamme-
 dan countries ready, healthful, and economic approach to Mecca. It IS as- | certalned that of about 100000 or more ! who annually contemplate making the | pilgrimage to Mecca, but half of whom - .--o yOaIHcy, AUOuI UUU,UpO sfl prepared to accept the advantages of direct sea route.
 The number of pilgrims who visit
 Mecca annually is estimated at not less
 than l50,0O0 to 1S0,0OO. The day of the
 "CourbsD Bairsm," or Great Feast. is
 the day on which the pilgrims must be |
 present in Mecca. On reaching the |
 Meccan coast the pilgrims debsrk at |
 fambo or at the tiourishing town of | Jeddah, the port of Mecca. Jeddah is | also the principal port of both sides of | the Red sea. Besides the extra steam
 ers which touch at 1t during the pil-
 grimage to Mecca season the steamer.
 of the British India, the Austrian
 Lloydo, the Russian Colossal the
 Turkish "Azizie," and the Egyptian khedive companies call regularly at Jeddah. The towns of SouakiIn, Hodei- da, Mocha, and Massowha flor Abyss inial, as well as the caravans for the ln- terio- of Arabia and those for the iute- rior of Abyssinis and Upper Egypt (Dongola, Darfour, Senaar, and Central Africal take their supplies of stock from Jeddah and bring their supplies of produce for sail to Jeddah. The ex- potts consist chiefly of Mocha coffe.-. hides and skins, wool, ivory, caneTs hair, wax, gums, tOrtolse-Ehell, mother { of pearl, ostrich feathers, sienna, gray amber, coral, aloes, spices, balsams. drugs. incense, myrrh, etc. The i'm ports are Manchester manufactures. gray shirttings, Turkey red yarn, American petroleum, tin plates, candles, biscuits, hardware, Il knives, razors, scissors, locks, bolts. Il hinges, screws, nails, white metal ( poons, petroleum lamps, leather travel. c ng bags, crockeryware, jewelry, chains, V watches, etc. The Sultan of Turkey is & considered the Supreme Chef of the b faith and the direct liv. r, ng representative of the Prophet, and c the numbers of the Faith n 1l" who seek the First Temple" never C all to pray for him and for the safety tl f the Ottoman Empire. None but cl hose of the Mohammedan religion are c flowed to pass the gates of Mecca, al- tl hough some three or four of other al reeds have succeeded in penetrating la ndetected within its precincts, but of W purse at the risk of their lives: ID fact,
 IS most dangerous for any Christian ' Jew to go far beyond the outskirts of eddah. .o About ten days after the "Courban aIram," or Great Feast, the pilgrims Al sgin to collect at Jeddah to take an eamer on thelr homevard journey, Te ld their authorization lasts generally so bout ten days. After that there IS e III for a short time until the arrival of lzs iOse pilgrims who shall have visited by edina hkewIse, and these are general Do
 ready to take steamer t0 Jeddnh bout seVenty-hve days after the ,,., Jourbsn Bairsm" and for about eight co,
 ten days. The rates of deck pas n,, ges are: From Jeddsh, 40 francs to x;,
 francs each for Penang and Sing s;, ore, and about 20 rupees for Bombay. Da, can be easily understood that the sDr eamers carrying these pilgrims are mi t the most preferable ones for ,or lropeans, especially ladies and srs ildren, to travel by. To old travellers ;no the Red Sea it is needless to point oI t the extra danger or risk and incon- St;, niences incurred on board of such or ssels, especially at the season when o,t dangers of epidemic disease or n-o -o