The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1892-03-08
THE SACRED CARPET"
1t Covers the Tomb of Mahomet,
the Prophet.
A Fabric of Fabulous Cost Is Made Each
Year for This Purpose-The In
teresting Ceremonial of
Laying.

Cairo has.been on are gular tear" for
week, says recent letter in the Los
Angeles Times. You see the holy car
pet has arrived from Mecca, and the
Arabs are simply crazy. This carpet is
a most interesting thing to contem-
plate, and the service every year has
grown to such enormous proportions
that it commands the attention OF the
whole civilized world. This carpet Is
not an old carpet, as is generally sup
posed, but a new one is made every
year for this service, OF which VIII
tell you. Expensive? Well, rather.
1t takes a whole year to make 1t, and
when it is finished it stands out mar
vel of fine silver and gold thread
worked into beautiful designs, and the
whole containing many beautiful
pearls, rubies and other precious
stones To be sure, these stones are
preserved from year to year and placed
on every new carpet, but the body OF
the carpet is new every year. Tnis
new carpet is taken to Mecca, where Is
the tomb of Mahomet, the prophet, and
spread over his grave, where 1t re-
mains for two months, and is then
brought to Cairo again, where all this
hubbub is kicked up.
I wish you might have seen these
Arabs the day this carpet arrived. They
woke me at six o'clock in the morning,
parading the streets in front OF my ho-
tel, and they kept that parade up all
day long and have hardly stopped since.
One brass band after another, followed
by one of the priests who accompanied
the carpet to Mecca and bowling null
titude, have kept the city in an uproar.
However, the carpet was finally taken
to the citadel Of Cairo, where 1t hns since
been divided among the priests and
few favored Arabs. / was favored with
a seat among the foreign consuls, close
by the side of the great priest who re-
ceived the carpet on its return, and,
therefore, had fine view of the whole
proceedings. When arrived at the
citadel the carpet had not arrived, but i
was not long kept waiting. Promptly
at nine o'clock the governor OF Cairo
and escort arrived at the building and
salute of ten guns was fred. Then came
the foreign consuls--American French,
British. etc.-and then the trouble be-
gan. There were one thousand Arab
soldiers drawn up in line, and fine,
manipulating set they were in their
white uniforms and red turbans. Then
there were one hundred lancers on
horseback, with their gorgeous-colored
flag, the artillery and about three hum
bred thousand Arabs.
Great Scott, what a performance they
did have! The carpet came in on
camel and was put up in the shape OF
pyramid, only one side left open. Then
came the priests who accompanied 1t
to Mecca and all Of their retainers,
each on camel. They were beating
drums, blowing some hideous wind
instruments, and to say that camels
and men were in gorgeous costumes
scarcely approaches the magnificent
truth. As soon as the carpet came a
royal salute of twenty-one guns was.
fred, the lancers dismounted, the
soldiers ssfell in" and din commenced
such as I had never heard. Cannons
firing, bands playing and three hundred
thousand Arabs crazy as could be
made something of row. All this In
honor of the prophet. The Arabs
rushed like mad to get to touch the
sacred piece of silver and gold and
precious stones, firmly believing II they
could but touch it they were not only
sure of Heaven, but had received q
sovereign cure for every i'll and trouble.
Not only this, but they believe If they
can only touch the priests robe 1t Is
sure cure for all ills. 1t is really pitiful
to see these Arabs when once they get
to touch the carpet. They at once
cover their faces with their hands,
strike the chest and kiss time and again
the hand that touched the carpet They
can be seen all along the streets along
which the carpet passes, going through
this performance. If one is so fortunate
as to receive but a small thread, he at
once incloses it in small leather bag,
ties it around his neck, and from that
time on he is not only satisfied that he
will have all he may desire, but Is sure
of everlasting life in the world to come.
l got the chief janissary to the
American consul to get me piece OF
this carpet. He is Mohammedan, but
his long association with American
oonsuls has made him somewhat
Christianized. It was only, however,
after repeated promises on my part
that would never use it as matter Of
ridicule, that he consented to give it to
me. He bears the name Of Solomon
Mahomet, and is kind fellow indeed,
especially to Americans in Cairo.