New-York tribune., 1890-07-13
INCIDENTS OF RAMADAN.
FASTING BY DAY AND FEASTENG BY NIGHT,
IRON Az OCCASIONAL cORREsPOYDEyT OF THE rRIBuyR

it in. Every year the Fast begins few days
earlier than the year before, and even the con-
scicntious MOsem may now congratulate himself
that 1t is gradually going back into winter For
when it is the fierce sun of June that beats down
upon Il men who must rcther eat nor drink nor
smoke it is hard to wait till long after seven for
! the Sunsct-gun
How often during this past month. when have
taken my afternoon rides, has some one asked me
the time! always reply in the terms desired, as
" One hour TO sunset. or Two hours and third
10 sunset. As the sun nears the horizon it is in
/ terc5iing 10 Iidc through NoSlcm quarter and TO
w@tch the preparations for the evening meal
Special booths ont i'm the streets laden with
cakes, sweetmcats. refreshing drinks ice cream and
more substantial! food. Meals are prepared our In
the street sometimes An air of expectancy per-
Yades all. But there is no undignfcd eagerness.
II is a religious fast that they are to break with
the lannon's deliycnnce. Bang. To thousands Of
| lips the water jar is rased-that is the first thing
Thousands Of matches are struck-tobacco comes
reNt. believe that for many to 20 without snok-
! ing is harder than TO abstain from food
Night is turned into day The coffee houses arc
! brilliantly lighted Men, women and children
! throng the streets. There are especial entertain
mcnts of music, wrestlers acrobats Those who
sleep are awakened by men who at about eleven
patrol the streets with a dunn. chanting and call-
ing all 10 rise and pray. Two or three hours after
! midnight the fast begins agan, and some sleep Is
taken. The rich can stay in bed till noon or later
/ even. TIE brunt of the fast comes on the poor,
who must rise before dawn and work all day, faint
| and weary The other evening friend of mine
was returning in n small boat TO the shore having
been on board steamer. When the sunsct-gun
was fired a sailor dropped his oar and dipping up
! a handful Of sco-watcr raised it to his lips
| II is hard to tell how many keep the fast hon
! estly Al any rate, all pretend 10 keep it, II is
not respectable 10 he seen eating in Ramadan. as IL
would not be respectable in New-England openly
to violate Sunday. one day was riding near the
mouth Of Beirut River some miles from the town.
and came across a young Moslom alone under 4
tree. We fell into chat and asked him what
ne was doing alone There. Ilc shrugged his
! shoulders and said What am TO do must
| eat; % course I'm ashamed To eat in town, so
! have TO bring my food ont into the country and
| have a daily picnic. unsccn.7 lie added "All
/ the men eat except the old But " ! said il
! every one eats why not eat together in town?'
! That would never do. he replied, but we come
ont here together my friends have Just left me-
! But VIII you never fast?7 asked The Mosem
smiled cynically. and said, " | suppose when an
old and afraid Of death / shall fast like the rest
| of them
few days later I met n Moslem driving a puny
! little donkey that persisted in taking a ziszas
| course across the sands. He was a handsome
young fellow. tall and straight, with clear light
! brown eyes, finely carved lips, brown skin,
tinged with red on the cheeks, and a sweet, frank
smile told him of the cynic at Beirut River.
/ How he broke into curses against the mans ire
! lison' believed my donkcy-driyer genuine
! ttl In ba tl,a
though he seemed full Of energy and spirits
OF my friend the eoathcrd am quite SIre.
He is a youug Bcdou.n who follows herd Of goats
over tie cliffs Of Ras Beirut. and with whom
often have chat. On frs meeting him asked
his name. What do you want with my Names
be- asked with an independence | found charm.
ing. Next time we meet may exchange
salutations, and the next time We will get act
! quainted and then the next you can tell me yourl
! name and will tell yOu mine.7 Since then we have
! carried out the programme. and he has expressed
! great devotion. He has a wiry frame and sharp
! black eyes. but during these days of fasting his
walk is laneuid and his eyes dull and heavy.
lie does not need 10 tell me that he Is a conscien-
tiouS Mosem
During Ramadan the NIahometan feeling ID
very strong in the city. Repression by day and
liccn>. by ui-ht have their effect. The fast visi-
MY ulHtitNllttcS lp M>!Pil lIol the uil>tldiI.
Tie hostility between the TWO, always latent.
sometimes comes to the surface In the Prasslan
hospital today lie two Christians. victims II
| Moslem attack The first was stabbed within a
few rods OF the barracks Ills recovery is doubt
ml.
The second case is peculiarly interesting. The
! family of Bayhum j. one Of the most honOrcl IN
| Beirut. The family is Moslcm but has the
! spcct of all Sects The BaYhumS are rich and IN
hucntaL one of them speaks ENGLISH lie is
very friendly to the American college. often at
tending the conmcnccmcnts. where he sometimes
makes nprompu addresses, tul of praise Tor tie
institution. \ notable figure on the street is the
! black coachman OF the BayhumS. who, with an
! u-N ta,c as iupeneir2bc as i1tc sits on the box
! c,mrolng The wckedDcsS Of two rolhngeycd
black stations. This, ! believe, IS the especial
! driver OF the lHdcs OF the harcn, who take their
| airing in closely shut coupe.
lie l{INUG.IS have several coachmcn, one u
whom IS young Christian by the name OF RaShld.
/ Two or three EI-hts 40 as the latter was going
/ home abO.t midnight he WAS attacked Dy iNo
/ men, whose faces were covered all but the eyes,
| and W., stabbed iIsl below the ribs. They also
! med upon him. but with no elect, ana escaped
/ kashld WAS presently discovered amt carried back
! To- the BayLUm> There lie was founa the neat
day AZ noon by a native friend OF mine who went
| 10 Inquire.
While my friend was there the oldest Bayhun
| came in. lie went up To the bed. took the young
| coa"hman hy the hand bent and kissed him On
| both cheeks and called ont with emotion. God
| puniSl the luurdcrcI>" Presently there WIS stir
! near the door. and Mr. Bayhum SAID: Make way
! for the lady And IN came his wife. Inc
! stately NloS-,iI woman coming from the Harem 10
visit her wounded Christian servant! She, too.
! kissed the lad and spoke words ot comfort.
! When the surgeon came and would remove the sick
| man - the hoSpitol, Bay hum Eif"ndi sail; Let
! HIM stay mere and i! Won wish 10 visit him six
| times q day | will pay yoar fees. If they amount
| 10 900 pounds. tie Is no longer nay servant he
| j., my SON However. II was decided 10 remove
| the lad TO the hospital. where an gl1d 10 say
| his wound is doing very nicely
\ hos ptal doctor relates some amusing instances
| ot almost Puritan cou>ricntlouSncss. Mosem
woman came t. linn to have Ecr throat examined,
hut refused lei the doctor use the iron tongue
plcsscr on the ground that IN Rlmoi2n il i for
/ hidden - let anything pass ones lips SIC
Welded only when no had proved to her that lie