Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-21
BURROWS BIG RISK.
rue nrAp oRIshTALIsT's EvENTFUL
RIDE TO MeccHs TOMB
uow ,,. Daring Englishman Aecompa-
MED a sIu.suiman Caravan and Gazsd
upon the sanctuaries.

Stanley's career during the past decade.
Many of his achievements for daring and
logged perseverance were equal to
the more recent successes OF STAN
lev. His most noteworthy accom-
piishment Was his famous pilgrimage
to the holy cities of Medina and
Mecca. one of the most brilliant ro-
roances ever enacted. The expedition
was fraught with the deadllest peril, for
the Mohammedans consider nothing
more Decorating than the gaze OF III
fidel ewes upon the Holy kaaba at
Mecca and the grave of the Prophet
at Medina. Had Burton's true cha,
racter been discovered he would
have been subjected to instant death.
The attempt to mako the pilgrimage
had. been made four times since the SIX
teenth century by European travellers
but with scarcely any degree OF success
Burton went TO Cairo early IN 1893,
where great preparations were being
made for the annual pilgrimage. he was
of splendid physique, full OF tact ana
caution. He assumed the character ana
costume of a dervish, but after short
residence at Cairo he decided to give up
the dervish's gown, pantaloons, ana
shirt. and TO represent himself as an ln-
dian physician. His naturally. sWarthy
and full black beard assisted
him greatly in his disguise.
THE sUEz ROUTE.
OF the three routes from Cairo to
Mecca he chose the one by sea from
Suez, and having hired his dromedaries
and thoroughly equipped himself as one
of the faithful he took his place in the
caravan and set out. On his arrival at
Suez, together with hundreds OF other
pilgrims, he took passage down the sea
TO Yambu el Behr "Gate of the Holy
City y, the port nearest to Medina, the
first point of his desires. He was held IN
the greatest veneration by his fellow-tra-
vellers, who, with all their well-known
keenness, failed to penetrate his disguise.
One incident at the start proves how
strongly be had impressed his fellow
pilgrims. His body servant Moham-
medan boy, in overhsuling one OF Bur
tons chests, had discovered sextant OF
English make. This discovery he re-
vealed to some of the dignitaries OF the
Although usually 30 suspi-
cious, they refused to see any cause for
alarm, swore among themselves that the
light OF Ell Islam was on Burton's coun-
tenapce, and united in calling the boy n
pauper fakir, an owl, cutoff one.
stranger, a Wahabl, and sending him to
the devil in general.
The passage from Suez to Yambu was
eventful for a stop, which was made at
Moses's hot-baths, the place to which
the Mohammedans credit the miraculous
bringing of water from the rock. Here
Burton came near revealing himself. A
great boulder, with four large indenta-
tions. which the MohamInedans be-
Iieye are the marks of Moses's finger
nails. was surrounded by reverent
crowd OF the faithful. Burton un-
walked up to the rock and
examined it closely, passing his hands
over it. Instantly there was howl OF
rage and Indignation. Burton immedi-
ately understood that il was sacrilegious
TO touch the stone. Hastily picking up
a little green lizard that reposed in one
OF the crevices, he turned to the pilgrims
and, holding up the reptile before their
eyes, cried out in Arabic:
"Oh, sons of the Prophet and the
chosen Of Allah. could / stand by and
see this vile thing leave its trail on the
sacred stone that has been pressed by
the holy fingers Of our ancestor !"
His presence of mind saved him and
they applauded him with cries OF The
Prophet protect thee. Oh. son OF the
sun !"
GRAIN CARAVAN.
At Yambu Burton hired four camels
and after few days rest, during which
he changed his dress for that of an Arab.
he set out with grain caravan for the
Holy City.
The caravan consisted OF two hun
dred camels, travelling in Indian file
head tied to tail. Certain Of Burton
manners and modes of speech excited
first the curiosity and then the suspicion
OF his fellows, and hundred times his
immediate companions and servants
were on the point of denouncing him.
But he soon distinguished himself foi
bravery and generslship in the frequent
encounters with the Bedouin robbers OF
the desert, and it was not long before
his powers Of persuasion and his seem
ing reverence had overcome all then
suspicious. The pilgrimage had not
been out ten days before he was &C
corded position scarcely inferior to thai
OF the grand pasta of the caravan.
On one occasion he used very clever
strategy to ward off the rapacity of the
thieves. The caravan had just come &c
halt one morning, when the Bedouint
swept down upon the camp, completely
terrorizing it. AS their thieving work
was going on, without any opposition
their numbers being oyerpowering, the
Sheik Abdullah-the name by which
Burton was walked into then
midst and called out {:
90, We vile despoilers Of the desert
worms of the devil, We deserve not the
mercy of the God of the faithful. But
if We wish to win the intercession OF The
Prophet, take this pearl which will give
YOU, and, at the height of the sun. twenty
days hence, let it melt into one OF th'
springs OF the waste then battle ye II
that spring and the wrath of Allah vii
be appeased. Seize this chance |"
The superstitious Bedouins, awe
stricken, reverently took the pearl, gav'
up their plumber, and silently departed
THE HOLY CITY.
At last after journey of great diff
Guilty and danger, the party came within
view Of the white Mosques OF Medina
and feasting their eyes with gaze at tn,
Holy City. the whole caravan joined il
the prayer:
"Oh. Allah, bless the last of prophets
the seal OF prophecy, with blessings il
number as the stars of heaven and the
waves of the sea and the sands of the
wsste-bless him, o Lori OF might anC
majesty, as long as the corn-feld anC
date continue to feed mankind"
Sheik Abdullah, after performing thu
required additions and dressed in white
clothes, the favorite color Of the prophet
started on his holy errand at the mosque
Here his ignorance OF very small mat
.