The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-21
LIFE IN OLD BAGDAD.
DR.. J. {. Sundberg Writes .
Letter to Seattle Friends
m OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TOWN.


BaepAp, May Is, 1893.
10 ~ Seattle Frseads: I suppose ron
would like to learn something Of my Jour
ney from California to Aesoposamia. We
left San Francisco November Is. and after
an unusually stormy passage across
the Pacific. arrived at Yokohama
December % Japan 10 beautiful.
With high mountains and green
hills. houses like chicken coops
but scrupulonsly clean: people also very
clean they bathe i've timsa dayl We
took = long jinricksha ride. We remained
In Yokohama three days. and on Deem
Der 10 reached Hongkong. where We ne
manned three weeka We took Q trip to
Canton. one of the most wonder
full Of Asiatic cities; dirty, ILL
smelling. crowded like an ant hill;
narrow (dve-foot) crooked streets devoid
Of sunshine; . river population OF 90, 900
dwelling in boats. II was common 10 SEQ
woman sailing . boat with . baby tied
on her back. the head of the latter sway.
Ing to and fro with every motion Of the
mother. Here industry and poverty are
hrmly welded. We we're in Singapore
OF time in Penang. Both are very hot
places. where one can purchase excellent
tropical fruits. On January Is We reached
Calcutta, where. owing to tie ill-heaith of
my wife. had to stay five weeks. l had
now completed my tour around the world
IN little less than fourteen years. The
voyage from Bombay MP the Persian gulf
consumed two weeks We touched at
Bunder- Abbassee, near the historic isles
OF Hormuz and Kishma: Similar and
Bushire. whence comes the finest altar OF
roses in the world. The road between
Bushire and Shiras is saturated with per-
tune, though other odors than that of
roses also greet ones nose in
Bushire, a. well - in other parts Of Persia.
On March 5 We entered the Shat-el-A Arab
(Euphrates) and anchored the next day at
Mohammerah, At the mouth of the Khabur
biblical Chebare On the sth we left
Bassorah (ths venics Of Asiah whence
come the finest dates. and at midnight
passed through the garden of Eden Cat the
junction Of the Euphratss and Tigris).
and four hours later by Exra's tomb. Nov
We were well in the desert. though the
banks are lined vita villages Of Bedouin
tents. We stopped at Amara, where dwell
the 6abeans or disciples Of st. John the
Baptist On March 7 Ne passed Ctesiphon,
the most wonderful arch in the world
(CaIuch or Canuch Of the B,ble), and
Selucia. and the next day at sunrise
reached the city Of the caliphs, the
first sight Of which. with it, lofty
minarets and domes and beautiful
palm groves, bathed in the golden rays Of
the rising sun. might b called painters
dream, just ~ the narrow. crooked. incon-
ceivably filthy streets might b called .
sanitarian's nightmare. The houses Of
the rich are, however. large and fairly
clean and furnished in barbaric splendor.
The people are good-natured, kind-hearted,
emotional, always talking and laughing
dressing rgeously-sparkling from head
to ankles with diamonds, rubies, pearls
and gold. One day admired beautiful
bracelet Of gold Get with genuine pearls
from Bshrain, forty-eight in number. The
wearer ct once took IL of and begged me
to present it to my wife, When refused
to accept such . costly gift she pouted.
She was . girl Of only l5years; it was only
. common weekday, and she wore more
than 500 large diamonds, half dozen
rubies a. large ~ haselnuts and perhaps
1000 pearls.
My home u on the eastern bank Of the
Tigris, below the bridge Of boats, and ad-
joining . large mosque. have mag
nificent view Of the river and the opposite
shore. There arc many poor here, as
everywhere in the Orient, but none Of that
Bringing servility We zee In India The
Kurds. who do most Of the hard labor
here, arc giants and easily carry half ton
on their backs.
/ wish Prof. johnson could have been
with me on the ship up the Persian gulf
He would have considered himself in par
adise-so many bugs and other creeping
things. from cockroaches to pedicu!i: the
former devoured my Frencn-Arabic die
tionary for me, and would have eaten my
spectacles but for timely rescue.
treat from sixty to eighty INDECENT
poor every day. free. and preach the Cos
pei Of soap and water from morning till
night should like DR.. Weed. Dr. Mary
Brown WinsIow, Mr.. Blaine and Mr..
Meany to be greeted from me IL they care
to read this. Some day soon will try to
write more, but am fearfully busy aud
have much correspondence.
The time will come when all this region
win once more be thickiy populated and
the rich soil brought under cultivation.
Wouldn't you like slice Of Turkey when
the carving comes off? / shall then ex-
pect 20 see Guy Phinney booming corner
lots in Babylon. BY the way. mentioning
Babylon recalls TO my mind 10 tell you
that there are several shops here where
Babyionlan antiquities are made, and 0
profitable trade it Is.
Every house hero 10 . fort. with iron
barred windows and gates on which .
cannon ball would not make any impress
sion. The houses are built around .
court and garden. In summer We sleep
on the roof and spend the day in the cell
lar. To learn anything Of the country and
the people. il 10 necessary 90 20 like
Haroun-al-Raschid. IN disguise. No con-
sui here goes out Of the house without
being preceded by an armed body guard
OF II least three, and then. Of course. every
one puts on q special face and special
prices on things as we pass by. When
making my ofYicial visit to the governor
and the commander OF the army long
lines Of soldiers were drawn up on either
side, presenting arms ss passed. and all
such humbug. l have already broken the
rule, and walk the streets quite alone ex-
cent when I make oficiai visits-a thing
unheard of before. The only bodyguard l
shall need are Baedad's poor. The Brit
ish consul never goes out With less than
six armed men.
rhs only relic have found Ct Haroun-
al-Raschid II . minaret Of . mosque in bis
palace and an old house In which be 10
said 10 have lived IT times. ! am ply
stefan 70 tho harem Of the Nakib. the most
,~sr~~,s.t ur.r hers = hereditaPv saint