The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-29
THE EARTHQUAKE IN PERSIA

The news of the destruction Of the Per-
sian city of Kuchan, in Persia, carries US
back TO the time when the Russians and
the English so nearly came to blows al the
gates Of Herat. kuchan is mountain
town in the northeastern corner of Persia,
Oh tho caravan route from Meshed TO the
Caspian. not many miles from the border
of Turkestan. Two or three days journey
from the town are the two Sarakhs, old
and new Sarakhs. which the. Russians &C.
cupied to menace Herat. At that time it
was understood that on the outbreak of
hoStilities Meshed and the whole Atrek
Valley would be seized by the Cossacks
Matters did not get so far, and the people
of the valley continued to raise their flocks
and herds and to weave the woods, in the
manufacture of which they are expert, in
peace and plenty ever since. Now, another
of those earthquakes which have so fire..
auently devastated northeastern Persia is
said 10 have destroyed Kuchan and TO have
rendered 10000 people homeless.
The mountain region which embraces
Meshed aud Kuchan is the northeastern
rise Of the great Persian basin. which used
TO be known as Parthia and is now called
Khorassan. The poet Moore warbled
painted it in paradisaical colors, whereas, in
part, 1t is salt swamp. in which both soil
and air are largely impregnated with sui
phur. In the old days it was inhabited
by nomad race, who drove their fiocks
and herds from oasis to oasis. They rode
horses of the true Arabian breed, and in
course of time they raised a cavalry which
was formidable. They overcame the sue
of A
Mithridates raised Parthia to the rank of
great power. But the law of the nomad
races is to succeed each other, as we notice
in the history of our aboriginal Indians the
Mongols wiped out the Parthians, de-
stroyed their cities and draughted the
fighting men and the horses of the van
quished into their own armies. Persia
regained some of its ancient strength after
the Hegira, but 1t was not Northern Per-
STA. but the Persia OF Darius and Xerxes,
whose capital was Persepolis. Meshed
owes its modern Importance to its charac-
Ter as a holy city. 1t contains the most
venerated shrine in Persia, and pilgrimages
thereto are as obligatory as pilgrimages to
Mecca. The wooden goods made at the
city which has just been destroyed by
earthquake are largely sold to the pilgrims.
Perhaps the most interesting feature OF
life in this region is the abiding faith OF
the people in the religion OF Mahommed
The MOslems of Persia and Arabia are
just as devout as they were when true
follower of Mahommed felt it to be his duty
to march through the world with a sword
in one hand and Koran in the other
liberation has become one of the doctrine:
of Buddhism. But the Moslem is as siub
born and as aggressive in his doctrine az
he ever was. One of the gIavest problems
which the British Government has to deal
with in India is how to prevent the Ma
hommedans from cutting the throats of the
Hindoos On their annual festivals. 1t i!
death without hope of pardon for an in
fdel to be found at the annual celebrations
at Mecca or Meshed. Lieutenant Burton
and two or three others did get into Mecca
at the time Of the pilgrimage, but they
knew that detection meant being torn IL
peces by the mob. For thousand year!
these Asiatic races have not abated ont
jot of their enthusiasm for their creed
they are so fiercely intolerant in thei
fanatcism that in countries where they
are minority they dominate the creed
which are in a majority by the ferocity o.
their faith.
In Moslem countries there is no suci
thing as proselytism. All through Asi;
Minor and Arabia there are small sect
which profess curious forms of Christian
ity or Judaism. and they, too. adhere t,
theT faith at any risk of life. But there 4
no example of their converting orth do
Mussulmans to their way of thinking,