Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-25
THE EYE OF THE EAST
WONDERFUL CITY OF DAMASCUS AND
THE SIGHTS IT OFFERS.
Abana and Pharpar--Romance and Reali-
y-.Mohammedanism no
ran-The Bazaars. Rugs. and
Damasccnc Blades.

York Mai Approached from whatever
direction Won please II bursts upon the eye
as vision OF charming beauty, and 1t ~
nv no stretch Of the imagination that il IL
called the Eve Of the East and the Pearl
of the Desert The best view Is had
from the barren hill kasiun az tho
north. where Alohammcd, when he was
. camcl.driver, exclaimed as he looked
down npon the plain: MAN can have but
one paradise. and mine is fixed above" A
cirdlc Of green fields and gardens surround
The city like a frame of emerald. while a
profusion Of poplar. pomegranatc, walnut.
palm. fg. and other trees mingle with the
white walls and mitarets. But the hills
and uplands. hcmming IN the plain, are as
plrchod and sterile as the desert. And to
fhc weary traveller OF Bedouin the OASIS Of
fresh and luXuuant verdurc presents itself
as the best earthly reflection of the hea-
venly paradise.
The explanation Of this secluded Ter
tilitv Is the Barada river. whose waters,
clear and fresh from their mountain
source. arc conducted into hundreds OF
psrderS This ~ the ancient ALBANIA, ana IL
IS no surprise to one who has seen the
muddy water, OF the Jord0n as they pass
into the Dead Sea that the syrian captain,
Naamau. should have exclaimed 90 the
prophcts: Are not ALBANIA and Pharpar,
rivers of Damascus. better than all the
waters of Israel; MAY ! not wash IN them
and ho Cleany" After running through the
entire length of tho city, the Baradc con-
Times iu an oastCTly course and loses itself
II marshes.
Damascus Is perhaps
THH MOST ANCIENT CITY on THE EARTH.
Nineyeh aud the other cities mentioned
before n I'm Genesis are destroyed. Ahra-
ham. whose steward was Elizer of Damas-
cns. " may have stopped there on his way 10
Canaan. though the Bible Is silent about il.
The Koran speaks Of such a visit. The
population of 10000 makes 1t still the
''hcad of SYRIA" as ~ was IN lsaiah's time.
II Is one of the prcdestnatcd capitals. ~
Iamartinp saws. and has survived as many
couquo~ts and plllagcs rs any other city OF
history. The present level of the streets ~
iu some places sixty feet above the original
soil. one city having been built upon the
runs aud d'briS Of IT'S predecessors. Tins
can bee easily understood bv one who has
visited the East and seen how all the dTt
and rubbish are thrown into the streets
and left there, and buildings when they are
burned or fall down are left and become
tue foundation for Lew structures.
An acquaintance with the interior OF
Damascus Is greatly Disseminating. We
Are accustomed 90 associate splendor with
ts palaces and costumes 10 think of
Arabian Nights Entertainments" of silks
ana NNll NlQ gems NAtu w tHluh VI 81,
But It's glory Is IN the descriptions. and
fades away with the view from he hills. l
saw 10 buildings that looked like palaces.
TaU aud ugly walls Of large blocks Of
dried mud conGnA the gardens and build
ings. which. at best, have the appearance
az faded elegance. The wood work Is I'M
painted and the plaSterng * falling of.
The people look poor, and none too careful
If cleanliness There IS no system Of
sewerage. and the dogs, as IN CONSTANT
NOBLE. are the only scavengers, and
make the night sleepless 10y thelr wild
Orchostrati0n The streets. which with
one exception. are narrow and crooked, are
the reccptaeic~ for all the refuse and gar
Lace. The Mohommedans are noted for let
ting everything g 10 decay and never
making repairs. Modern civilization has
had little influence except IN the introduce
ton of few woe-begoue hacks, which look
Is II thcv had been battered about every
city of Europe before finding there way to
Damascus. and two respectable hotels.
There are about forty European residents,
engaged in missionary or mercantile enter
prlscs. il Damascus be Oriental splendOr,
WHAT MUST BAGDAJ BIZ,
and Mecca. where Mohommedanism has
fun SWAY. without the few rays Of hight
that come from the western world to the
SYRIAN metropolis;
Islam has had SWAY m Damascus for 200
wears and the mueZZin has called ont daily
from the mluarets the five calls 10 prayer.
God is most great. Prayer u better than
Sleep IL Is regarded as the most holy
city Of the world after Mecca, Medina, and
Jerusalem. and affords "A favorable Oppor-
tuu,ty fOstudv the influence of the false
prophet. One trip o. the East ought 90 be
enough TO cure any one of the malady OF
being cuamorci of tine Koran rs a system
of ethics and civilization. Where the
religion of Mohammcd prevails to-
day there Is utter intellectual stag
nation. NO schools are provided and
no ambition for learning Is oncou-
ragged If any exist. Woman ~ regarded
and treated as q slave She has no rights
of her own, and. veiled closely with thick
veil which couceal~ the very contour of the
face. she hurnes through the streets OF Da-
lnaScuS as though She were an uncledn
thing The girls are married at eleven and
twelve. and grow up IN the confinement of
the hlrem, behind clOselv-lattced WIN
dowe, without higher impulses and in utter
want of intellectual training. Mrs Phil
lips. wife of the Irish Presbyterian mis-
sionary. spoke 10 me of visits the lady
made to one harcm of rich man
among others. They were wear apart,
and IN that time the women had not
crossed the threshold. The cOnveTsa-
ton BEGAN with some questions about
the children of the visitor and was con-
Guided by the display Of the wardrobes
and Jewels Of the hosts But after this
there was nothing else TO talk about. The
women are never taught to read, and spend
an inane existence. A remote corner Is set
apart to them IN the mosques, where they
are rarely seen. The woman's life Is ac-
tuallv subject to her husband, who may
divorce her or put her 10 death at Will. In
tanticidc is practiced. such thing as
e.. Il. hon
doubt moral degradation exists in Chris
tiau lands as low as IN Mohammedau lands,
hut there IL IS peryasive and unaccom-
panied with high standard and example
of living or uplifting ideal.
The city. famous from remote date Tor
" multitude of the wares of Der making"
still excites expectation by the reputation
of her silks and carpets.
HER sILvER-TILLIGREE WORK,
her beaten brassware and wooden furni-
ture. inlaid with mother OF pearl. The
baZaars are extensive. There IS the silver
smiths bazaar. the shOemaker's bazaar. the
spice bazaar. etc, all of which claim some
attention. The merchant. with red fcz
and long beard, sits on the floor OF his lit
tie shop smoking the narghlleh, waiting
with composure and resignation till Allah
sends him customer When customers
present themselves he is fulsome in cOurte-
sizes. and oilers them coffee IN dainty cups.
Hethenpraises ms goods, andwill spend the
whole day in talking If there remains any
hope of getting the first price. Delicate
silks may bc gotten III Damascus at reason
able prices. Rugs viii be found TO cost rs
much or more by the time YOU bring them
O. New York as they do here. but YOU have
the satisfaction of knowing they come
from the eastern market. The famous
armorers were carried away 10y Hmour
the Tartar in 1899, and the art of manufac-
turing Damascus blades and armor intro
duced at Sanarcand and kOrassan. The
art IS no longer produced on its original
heath, but articles of beaten brass may Toe
had. In the bazaars goods Of English
manufacture such as bingham and calicoes
are displayed IN large quantities and are
cTOwding out the native fabrics.
The streets Of Damascus are crowded
from morning TO night. ike town on cir
Gus day, and are a scene of hubbub aud
bewildering cOnfusion-men dogs, horses.
camels. and dOnkeys jolting against each
other in careless commOtiOn. Here you
see the white Bagdad donkcys. which are
famous breed and distinguished by the
unusual length Of their ears Their tur-
baned and bearded riders have the bearing
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