Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-12-26
TumiS Bazars.

The most Interesting places in 1uniS
aro the bazars. where nearly all the
business Of the city is transacted. To
through many dirty. winding streets.
and all nj once finds himself in the
midst bowling crowd buying and
selling by auction: on either side of
the narrow communicating lanes are
little sNl0 shops packed with goods.
This bazar is di, ,ided into ten sections;
over each OF these there is presiding
officer. to whom all disputes are re-
ferred. The Jews, with their superior
capacity for trade. have now almost en-
tirclv displaced the Moors. with the ex-
c"ptirn of the trade in carpets and per-
fumes. In one of the narrowest and
dirticst lanes was the jcwelry bazar.
Here the jewellers were working at
their little forge. making the rough.
heavy bracelets and anklcis which are
in vogue here. The stock in trade Of
each shop consisted of few pairs of
bracelets, arklrt' and earrings. Rings
appear to bat little worn here and they
are of very Ugly pattern. There ara
many diamonds. hnt they are badly cut
and wreichcLly set. Que buys jewelry
hy weight and then pays the extra
amount charged for the work. The
bcy's mark is then affixed to the orna-
mcnt by tho governor OF the section,
showing the quality OF the gold. The
penalty for chcatin. In this is said to
be the loss of hand by the guilty
party. Near here is the department
where the fees are made. They are
lrs, woven. then clipped and dyed with
vegetable earth, which is rubbed into
the tc turc The fcA which il made
here Is of di .erent shape from the
Turkish fc.. being If equal size at the
top and bottom. II heavier and much
more expensive, costing, with tho silk
tassel, which is sold by weight, from
five 10 ten dollars. The beautiful silk
boruolises. tlrhans, etc, are all woven
by hand on the most primitive looms.
In another department the grnsmiths
were still making the long guns with
the curious inlaid stocks. Many of the
locks were for flint and steel. and those
are said TO lie pre- ferred by the Bedouins
on account of the di liculty in procuring
the modern cartridges. The carpet
bazar is still in the hands of the Moors
They sit silently in front of their little
shops. dimly lighted by single swing
ing lamp. The valuable carpets are
piled together in the greatest confusion
aud covered with du,t.
In another department the tailors
were sitting cross-legged making the
magnificent Moorish costumes of lnanv
I'll erent colors, embroidered with gold
aud silver. They vary in price from
$50 To 81 900. the average price being
perhaps 500. The shoe department is
The largest in the bazar. all the slip
pers and shoes being sewed by hand.
None Of the merchants seem to make
the slightest endeavor 10 display their
goods or to attract customers. When
= cus,ome- enters shop the proprietor
tries 10 get him 10 sit down and drink
cup Of coffee. which is brought to him
be ore commencing business; he then
spreads out his goods. and when asked
the price. names an amount much
larger than he expects to get. We
found that one should oser them about
one third Of their first price. They all
seem to take the greatest pleasure in
bargaining. In ia t, the life in the ba-
zar. combined with numerous daily
prayers. seem, TO take the place of or
dinary amusements, as they have no
concerts. thcater, or books. 1t is said
that before tho French occupation many
rich Moors had shops and made pre-.
tence Of supporting themselves in this
way In order to escape the actions o.
the Bey's Prime Minister. Man. uf the
Moors are the descendants of the exiles
from Spain, driven out of that country
In the fifteenth century. Some Of them
have the keys of their houses and the
pisss Of their estates in Spain. and look
forward TO . second period of conquest
when they can again claim them
Tkgis Cor. Boston Transcript.