Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-06
MECCA BY STEALTH.
IT WAS THUS THAT 4 FRENcHMAN
SAW THE HOLY CITY.
N. Gervais Courtellemont Made the PERIL
ous Journey ON 1rission For the Gov
ernor Of Algiers-The Second Frenchman
To Make the Trip and Return Alive.


to Make the Trip and Return Alive.
NJ. Geryais Courtellemont told the
Geographical society in Paris Of his visit
TO the holy city ON a mission intrusted to
him by the governor general OF Algeria
This gentleman Is the author Of series Of
illustrated works on Mussulman countries,
and he was very glad Of the opportunity
to become acquainted with the center OF
the Mohammedan world. Only one French
man before him has visited Mecca and re-
turned in safety.
"I.ast year" he said, "the governor
general Of Algeria intrusted me with a
mission to the grand sheriff OF Mecca.
succeeded in my difficult enterprise, and
awe my success to my companion, HadJ
Akli, who has long been in the service OF
France, and has made 81 pilgriInages to
Mecca When we embarked at Suez, was
dressed in the garb Of a poor Mussulman,
and l mingled as one Of them with my
brother pilgrims. There were merchants
from Medina, dcvout company from
Aleppo, camel drivers from Nedj, and even
slaves / became very well acquainted
with many of my comrades during the
three days on the steamer before we reached
.Jidda. Here debark every year the innu-
merable pilgrims who come by the sea
route. / had hardly landed when 1 was
arrested by Turkish policeman during
the momentary absence of my comradc.
He piled me with questions, which an
swered in good Arabic, and, as my pass
port was all right, he let me go. / found,
however, that 1 was under suspicion. No
one invited me to breakfast or dinner,
which is very bad sign in a Mohamme-
dan country.
"FinaIly one Of the residents, 81 Ali,
asked mo to dine with him, and nearly
spoiled everything by my awkwardness at
the table. Hacj Akli had little patience
with me. His remarks when he got me
alone were not encouraging.
"'You are scarcely intelligent, he said.
You do not know how to behave at the
table. You will not live to see Mecca
"My host, 81 Ali, was not more hopeful
in his remarks you have broken bread
with me, he said, and 1 am your friend.
But do not try to go to Mecca. The sands
Of the desert are white with the bones Of
those like you who have tried to reach our
holy city. You are throwing yourself into
the fire. Allah forbids suicide
The traveller said, however, that he was
wished to destroy him in the desert it was
his fate. The next day 81 Ali assisted him
in his religious exercises and expressed
himself as little satisfied with his manner
of reciting the morning prayer. He was
kind enough to assist for two days in the
novice's education, and then M. Courtel-
lemont set out for the holy city. His de-
parture was hurried by the fact that he was
nd inin 10
did not pretend to be anything but new
convert, but even as a novice he was re-
garded as rather green. So he was glad to
get away from Jidda He made forced
march to Mecca, during which he suffered
intensely from the night cold, for he was
mounted half naked on a donkey, and his
head was shaver and bare. His best
friends would not have recognized him.
His comrades on the journey, who had not
thought it necessary to manifest so much
religious zeal, were well wrapped in ample
clothing.
"At break of day." said the traveller, 81
entered the holy city Of Islam. A cloud
of pigeons flew around mo and even OBJ
structed my path, and I trembled for fear
of treading on them. This would be very
grave offcnse for they are held in the
highest vencratlon by the people of Mecca
I lost no timo In repairing to the great
mosque to make my first dcvotions. The
first ceremony, the Tuaf, Is to make seven
times tho circuit Of tho Caaba, or Bit
ALA, House Of God, reciting prayers in n
loud voice. The Caaba is an edifice in the
form Of n cube, each side about 40 feet
wide and so feet high. 1t is covered with
veil of black silk, with splendid golden
border about four feet wide running
around tho top on which are reproduced
verses from tho Koran.
after had made the seven circuits Of
the Caaba at rapid pace I was at liberty
to embrace the black stone. This stone is
about the height of a man, and is set into
one of the angles of tho Caaba. When the
lips arc touched to it, it does not give the
cold sensation of marble. For protection
the most of 1t is incased in solid silver,
and, according to usage, threw my arms
around this glistening covering whilo ]
kissed the sacred stone.
"A more alSiuous ceremonial, tho Sal,
was to follow. was required to travel
seven times at very rapid pace over the
road between the sacred porticoes Safa and
Merua, q total distance of Az miles, rccit
ing prayers all tho while in high voice
The ceremony is in memory Of the anguish
of Hagar whe.1 she sought in vain for wa
ter for her litts. SOB who was perishing of
thirst. Tho pilgrim Is required to make
this journey before he is permitted to
drink Of the miraculous water of the wells
of Zem-Zcm, to which tho angel Gabriel
directed the dcspairing Hagar. ~
Among the interesting things he saw
was the ruins of a building erected not
long ago for the purpose of disinfectin-
tho clothing Of pilgrims as they arrived in
the city. The idea was given up as i'm
practicable, and the building was torn
down.
"How could they expect, asks NJ. Cour-
tellemont, Ito disinfcct the clothing of
more than 100000 pilgrims in a little
building that was only 35 by 40 feet
squares And why did they erect such an
establishments in the city itself, when their
sole purpose was to protect the city from
epidemics?"
So Mecca continues to 30 one Of the
greatest Of centers from which the plague
Of cholera spreads in all directions.-Paris
Letter.
No one has ever spoken timely truth
without awakening some musical echoes