Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-04-24
First Glimnse of KairMan.

I'll recently remained impenetrable. Ne
infdel sullied it by making his dwelling
there; few only passed through it. and
these nat without peril. Yet how rich
a mine it offers to the observer! Ii is
to-day, with the exception of Mecca. the
only city where one finds the character
istic type of the Arab, the traditionary
lore of the racee and epics of its origin
intact as in the paimitive days of Islam,
ism. These Arabs who, at the height Of
their power, were the pragressists of
Europe, and had, if not advanced, at
least saved science from the darkness
and the barbarism Of the Middle Ages,
have to-day no sciences except that
which they call their science of God, 20
physicians, 10 lawyers, no bankers but
priests everywhere, under the varied
forms Of imams, muftis, koodjas, and
marabouts, whose lives are passed in
writing dull commentaries on the Ku-
ran, and in seeking new interpretations
of obscure texts. These casuists are the
same here that they are everywhere, and
in order to diminish the moral effect
produced by the fall of Karwin into In
tidel hands, tney have managed to find
the French invasion predicted in a pas
sage of the sacred book!
These MoOrs of Kairwau, today in
their decadence, have, nevertheless,
glorious title to the interest and recog
milton of the world. Was it not they
who, led by Tarik, Kairwan general,
made the conquest of Spain, and reared
there that marvellous Hispano- Meresque
civilization of which Seville, Granada,
Cordova, still attest the splendUr? 1t
was the khalifs, descendants of Ibrahim-
Ibu- Aghlab, who mastered southern
Italy, Sardinia, Corsica. and Crete. The
African metropolis of Islam, remaining
Uoor, has not equalled the splendur of
of her richer colonies, but the parantage
is everywhere visible, and here and
there panel of ar besque, or aD airy
colonnade. reminds one of the Alham
herself her children driven from Eu-
rope, and to-day has for governor de-
scendant of the AlmOravides who, in
PALMER days, reigned over Spain. The
city lies in an immense plain. partly of
sandy soil, slightly undulating toward
the sea; it is bordered on the north by
the high ridge of Zaghonan (4432 feet),
and on the west by the chain of the Sc
faya.
In spring time the approach to it is
charming. The ground is covered with
barley, wheat, and tiny tufts of alta, of
beautiful dull green, already yellowed
and scoIched by the sun, almost disap-
peariDg amidst dazzling multitude of
flowers with their Haunting colors.
Here and there the lower lands, cover
ed with water, glisten in the sunlight.
The plain spreads out in monotonuus
uniformity, and the eye seeks in vain
a tree, a rock, on which to rest. Dark
specks, sometimes light columns of
smoke, indicate the dOuars-the Arab
villages. Caravans pass slowly in the
distance. The silence is broken only by
the plaintive and curiously modulated
Arab songs taken up. one by one, by the
camel driver. The simple calm of the
landscape, the primitive costumes of
the nomads, bring to mind familiar BIZ
BILE scenes.
From the top of knoll faint white
line appears in the distance; it is the
Holy City. Following the accidents of
the ground, one loses sight of it for some
moments to find it presently the more
visible. In the crystalline air the en-
battled walls are clearly defined against
the mountains. Toward the northern
end of the lofty minaret of the Grand
Mosque stands out clear-cut and isola-
ted; presently, little by little, as one ap-
proaches, the wall seems to be crowned
with kObbas, green or white, and with
minarets. Scarcely eXpressible, but
giving TO the picture halo of enchant-
ment, are the transparency of the at
mOspher6, the clear-cut silhOuetteS, the
fineneSs of color of the mountains in the
background, their silver gray pearled
with all lovely shades of rose and blue
of an infinite sweetness and deicacy.
Arriving at sunset,t the hour of prayer,
a sad and contenplative mood steals
over one; the harsh voice of the mueZ-
Zlns from lofty minarets, calling the
faithful ones to prayer, alone breaks the
stiffness nf the plain, aglow in the set
ting sun; one half fancies these may be
other Jeremiahs lamenting over the
ruins of their country. A ruin indeed,
and desolate ruin, is this Kair-
wan, which has Just presented herself
to US from afar in all the subtle charm
of her Eastern adornments.-A. F.
Jscassy. in Harper's Magazine for May.