Telegram-herald., 1890-02-24


LLysEFooE-. Jan. 25.-Dr. Talnage, ia
. r-csns isGseT - his mBIritndinOus
frisnd.. has d<.cFibed Ia MS Own peculiar
ssyls our ssraaxv and Inter esting expert
sncs - nfis shslssrsd from the inci-meacy
q Ehs ~s~thsr beas@th the roof u one of
Lhs Amy nnd houses that constitute the
Aznblsious b-douin settlement know as
'srhs Village u the sun SO exceeding
~ solicno1s Il tho reverend gentlemans
welfare ~ers tho t~o dusky wives Of our
ani.bls hos<. THAI their brixht eyes were
ooacins.ally sm Ployed watching his move
nnsnz from al opening ia the wall a: the
further e1d Of the hOyel. large enough 20
enable them 70 alternately poke their
heads into the room itself, until the
candles were eItinguished and the ensu-
lag darkness rendered futile further
efforts In that direction IL was our first
ten night it was.
Early dawn the next morning found
us In our saddles ready for the Journey
- Damascus, the most ancient city ON
the face Of the earth We were on the
most ancient Of all highways, once the
scene Of the pursuit by Abraham Of
Chedorlaomsr. and many centuries after
of Saul's memorable journey while on
his bloodthirsty mission 20 persecute and
extirpate the early Christians.
We ascended a shoulder OF Mount Her
mon, eight thousand feet above the Med
iterranean sea. and near the reputed site
OF the scene Of TRANSPORTATION. FROM
this great elevation We enjoyed the com
mand Of our best view OF Palestine.
The Jordan and the Dead sea were
plainly visible, while before US in the
distance lay Damascus, shaped like
spoon. and surrounded By those beau
tiful olive and orange groves which
give color and substance 70 the claim
that the garden Of Eden occupied that
very site. At our right Mount Hermon
continued TO rise five thousand feet
higher than the place on which we were
standing. \ large portion of the snow
crowning its summit finds its way daily
% Damascus, there TO be favored with
lemon and orange and pineapple and
daintiest OF dishes 10 the inmates Of in
Vulnerable harems. Nowhere in all Syria
are the inhabitants more intolerant than
in the villages that lie between Mount
HermOn and Damascus. or more devout
In their religious duties. The sight Of a
Christian Immediately results in all man
ner ot manifestations OF displeaSure and
contempt, and any expression rejecting
on AIohammedanism is sure to result in
Ar explosion OF wrath. Everywhere we
found Moslems engaged in prayer, and
so formalIstic are they in their devotions
that they keep a strict account of the
number of prayers offered, and should
for any reason or other there be an omis-
sion Of the numerous prayers required of
the faithful. at the very next devotional
exercise the service is repeated as often
"a may De necessary to make up for the
deficiency.
As it appeared quite evident that we
could not reach Damascus travelling at
the customary gait, we wired for a car
riage 10 come and meet us at Katana,
near which. the inhabitants insist, is the
site of Sauls marvellous vision and mirac-
ulOus conversion to Christianity. While
there may be some doubt as 10 the par
tlcular spot where that ever memorable
event took place. there can be no ques-
ton "a 70 les having occurred somewhere
IN thatimmediate neighborhoOd, no other
road leading from Jerusalem to Damas-
Gus. With the aid OF the carriage. which
came promptly as ordered. we were en-
abled 20 accomplish our object; and
while the setting sun was gliding the
housetops and minarets we rode along
the banks of the Abana. that divides Da-
mascUs its entire length
The first impression one gets Of Damas-
Gus il an exceedingly favorable one. and
the principal approach q it is perfectly
beautiful Even in December the luxu-
rance II the foliage OF the gardens along
which we passed to enter the city defies
description. and the deep glades with
their pretty houses. the roofs Of which
are below the level Of the well graded
road. which Is completely shaded By ma
iestic trees planted on either side, present
scene that An ADLER pen than mine may
shrink from describing. A Mohamme-
dan mosque stands at the very entrance
= this approach. and here daily are fed
the poor ~ the city at the expense Of the
church. To vas already quite dark when
We entered the city. aud within a few
minutes thereafter we found ourselves
comfortably housed in the finest hotel
Damascus can boast Of. And no mean
hotel 10 was. In fact. 1t vas the first ho-
tel since We landed 1T Joppa that had
comfortably warmed dining room. Az
ter a sumptuous dinner We fingered
a while no the table and engaged
with the host i1 most inter
estinE conversation. IN the course
of which he vehemently expatiated
on the intolerance of the Turks and
the innumeraole Obstacles they put
IN his wsv Among other things they
refused him the privilege 20 have win
lows facing the street unless they we're
closely iajticed and hence the front
rooms are almost entirely dark. Imme-
i'syeiv cT the dining room he showed
gs another about fifteen feet square.
whlrh was rendered absolutely useless
PSI ar order - the governor t0 wall up
rnr windows ~ the Turks dared to Do
- -he~ von.d rorea- he said. the mas
sacre ~ 1850 when over $500 Chris
tacs worr rl rIees'~ slain b~ mcrcilsss
hcrlcs. wee f-st seq frs 90 their hcusos
rl .cn bowed -aen Iown az they de8