The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-03-10
THE SACRED CARPET"
It Covers the Tomb of Mahomet,
tho Prophet.
A Fabric OF Fabulous Cost Is Made Each
Year for This Purposc--The In
tcreotinG Ceremonial of
Laying.

Laying.
Cairo has.been on are gular ''tear" fol-
week, says a 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 new one is made every
year for this service, of which will
tell you Expensive? Well, rather.
1t takes whole year to make it, and
when tits finished it stands out a 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. This
new carpet is taken to Mecca, where is
the tomb of Mahomet, the prophet, and
spread over his grave, where it re-
mains for two months, and is then
brought to Cairo again, where all this
hubbub is kicked up.
l 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 it has since
been divided among the priests and a
few favored Arabs was favored with
seat among the foreign consuls, close
by the side of the great priest who re-
ceived the carpet on it's return, and,
therefore, had a fine view of the whole
proceedings. When arrived at the
citadel the carpet had not arrived, but
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 a 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
dred thousand Arabs.
Great Scott, what performance they
did have! The carpet came in on a
camel and was put up in the shape of q
pyramid, only one side left open. Then
came the priests who accompanied it
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
'oyal salute of twenty-one guns, was
ired, the lancers dismounted, the |
soldiers ''fell in" and din commenced |
'uch as l had never heard. Cannons |
iring. bands playing and three hundred
thousand Arabs crazy as could be |
made something of row. All this in
lonor of the prophet The Arabs
ushed like mad to get to touch the
acred piece of silver and gold and
'recious stones, firmly believing if they
ould but touch it they were not only
ure OF Heaven, but had received
overeign cure for every ill and trouble.
'ot only this, but they believe if they
an only touch the priests robe it is a
ure cure for all ills. 1t is really pitiful
0 see these Arabs when once they get
touch the carpet. They at once
over their faces with their hands,
trike the chest and kiss time and again
ne hand that touched the carpet. They
an be seen all along the streets along
'hich the carpet passes, going through
MS performance. If one is so fortunate
5 to receive but a small thread, he at
nee incloses it in small leather bag,
les it around his neck, and from that
me on he is not only satisfied that he
ill have all he may desire, but is sure
everlasting life in the world to come.
got the chief janissary to the
merican consul to get me piece of
lis carpet. He is Mohammedan, but
is long association with American
,nsuls has made him somewhat
hristianized. 1t was only, however,
tier repeated promises on my part
lat would never use it as a matter of
dicule, that he consented to give it to
%. He bears the name of Solomon
ahomet, and is kind fellow indeed,
specially to Americans in Cairo.