The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-10
MECCA BY STEALTH.
IT WAS THUS THAT A FRENCHMAN
SAW THE HOLY CITY.

M. Cervais CourteiIemont Made the Peril
ous Journey on . Mission For the Gov
ernor Of AIgiers-The Second Frenchman
TO Make the Trip and Return Alive.
N. Gervais Courtellemont told the
Geographical society In Paris of his visit
TO the holy city on mission intrusted TO
him by the governor general Of Algeria.
This gentleman Is the author Of n 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.
Last year" he said, "the governor
general OF Algeria intrusted me with
mission TO the grand sheriff of Mecca. i
succeeded In my difficult enterprise, and
owe my success to my companion Hadj
Akli, who has long been in the service OF
France, and has made 2l pilgrimages to
Mecca When we embarked at Suez, was
dressed In the garb Of poor Mussulman,
and / mingled as one Of them with my
brother pilgrims. There were merchants
from Medina, q devout company from
Aleppo, camel drivers from Ncdj, and even
slaves. I became very well acquainted
with many of my comrades during the
three days on the steamer before we reached
Jdda. Here debark every year tho innu-
merable pilgrims who come by the sea
route had hardly landed when I was
arrested by q Turkish policeman during
the momcntary absence Of my comrade.
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 was under suspicion. No
one invited me TO breakfast or dinner,
which is a very bad sign in Mohamme-
dan country.
"Finally one Of the residents, 81 All,
asked me TO dine with him, and nearly
spoiled everything by my awkwardness at
the table. Hadj 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 am your friend.
But do not try to 60 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
q good Mohammedan, and that X Allah
wished to destroy him in the desert IL was
his fate. The next day 81 Ali assisted him
in his religious exercises and expressed
himself as little satisfied with his manner
of recitine the morning prayer. He was
kind enough 10 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
exciting moro and more suspicion. He
did not pretend to be anything but new
convert, but even as n novice he was re-
garded as rather green. So he was glad to
get away from Jidda He made forced
mf>ch to Mecca, during which he suffered
intensely from the night cold, for he was
mounted half naked on donkey, and his
| head was shaven and bare. His best
| friends would not have recognized him
| His comrades on the journey, who had not
| thought IL 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 me and even OBJ
| structed my path, and trembled for fear
| of treading on them. This would be very
| grave offense, for they are held In the
highest venerntion by the people OF Mecca,
lost no time In repairing TO the great
mosque to make my first devotions. The
first ceremony, the Tuaf, is TO make seven
times tho circuit of the Caaba, or Bit
ALA, House OF God, reciting prayers In q
loud voice The Caaba is an edifice in the
form of n cube, each side about 40 feet
wide and 90 feet high. II Is covered with
a veil of black silk, with splendid golden
border about four feet wide running
around the top, on which are reproduced
verses from tho Koran.
after had made the seven circuits OF
the Caaba at a rapid pace was at liberty
to embrace the black stone. This stone IL
about the height of man, and Is set into
one Of the angles OF the Caaba When the
lips are touched to It, IL does not give the
cold sensation Of marble. For protection
the most OF it Is incased In solid silver,
and, according to usage, threw my arms
around this glistening covering while
kissed the sacred stone
"A moro arduous ceremonial, the sal,
was to follow was required TO travel
seven times at a very rapid pace over thu
road between the sacred porticocs Safa and
Merua, a total distance Of AZ miles, recit
ing prayers all the while in a high voice
|
Of Hagar when she sought in vain for wa
ter for her little son, who was perishing o.
thirst. The pilgrim is required TO make
this journey before he is permitted :,
drink OF the miraculous water of the wells
of Zem- -Zem, TO which the angel Gabrie
directed the dospairing Hagnr. "
Among the interesting things he saw
was the ruins Of n building erected no
long ago for the purpose OF disinfectin'
the clothing OF pilgrims rs they arrived In
the city. The idea was given up as i'm
practicable, and the building was tori
down.
"How could they expect, " asks M. Cour
tellemont, Ito disinfcct the clothing o
more than $4,000 pilgrims In littl
building that was only 85 by 40 fec
squarc9 And why did they erect such al
establishment In the city itself, when thei
sole purpose was to protect the city from
epidemicsY'
So Mecca continues 70 be one OF th