The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-01-24
BUDGET FROM BEYRUT.
The Plague and Famine Go Hand in
Hand.
PILGRIMAGES TO MECCA CONTINUE
Revival of the Old IN stai Vessel T"
Controversy. With New Light
Upon the SubIect-Pharaoh's
Wife Was FastidIous.

Beyrut. Syria, Jan. %, lssI.-Disquiet-
iag rumors continue from plague
stricken India. and where the bu-
bonic terror fails In its mission OF depop-
ulation, starvation with all its attendant
awfulness succeeds. From Bombay, Po-
ena, Bundera and Karachi comes the
same story of death. and the end IL not
yet. Every available measure to prevent
the spread OF the plague to Europe Is be-
ing practiced: still the plgrimages TO
Mecca continue and cause the greatest
possible anxiety.
Through the persistent efforts of the
international Sanitary Council the prop
er authorities are now thoroughly alive
to the situation. The English have al
ready stopped the effiux from Beluchistan.
The czar has issued stringent orders rela-
tive to the Afshanlstan frontier. while
the Austrian government has done the
same with Bosine and Herzegovina. Pill
rrims leaving Egypt are compelled to re-
main six months i'm Hedjas. The Shah of
Persia has closed Teheran. but. as was
expected. the porte refuses to discourage
the pilgrimages, claiming that II would
trench on the essential part OF the Mo-
hammedan faith. This makes the port Of
Jeddah a possible danger point.
strangely enough discussions about the
plgrimages to Mecca have revived the
Metal Vessel controversy OF long ago.
Formerly this subject could only be dis
cussed by savants. but from Its recent
wide publicity almost every one Is ex-
pected to know something about it.
In the story. 1t will he remembered. that
"A shiek named Bakshish found a metal
vessel buried deeply In the sands OF the
desert near Kalaat en- Nakhl, which Is
west Of Akaba, on the pilgrimage route
from Egypt to Mecca. The vessel finally
found It's way to the Louvre, where IL re-
mained until the Commune.
II was during the latter part of 1871 that
the mob broke into this almost sacred
place and destroyed many relics OF an
tiquity among them the metal vessel.
The Venus de Milo was saved during this
siege by being hid away in cellar.
The early archaeologists were some
what at sea relative TO this vessel, and
many heated discussions occurred rela-
tive to it.
Belzonis description OF II would make Il
appear much like an ordinary stew kettle.
but he says II IL "of metal with soft
unctuous lining"
Savandorr. "A Russian scholar. claimed
great antiquity for the vessel maintain
ing. not without reason, that II was Ma
harlan, and that Duschratta. King of Ma
harina, introduced the art of metal work.
ing into Etruria. Others contended. how
ever. that " the vessel was Naharian It
should have been found near Kantara,
certainly not farther away than Bin Hell
eff. They also claimed that the vessel was
of comparatively recent origin, and that
Il had been carried to Kalaat en- Nakhl
by pilgrims to Mecca. This hypothesis
was completely dissipated. however. by
the chemist Dabrce. who found that the
soft unctuous lining OF Belzoni was no
other than Savon Vert, otherwise known
as Sapo Molls. The discovery of Dabree
coupled with the well-known cardinal
principle OF Mohammedanism Of antip-
athy toward Sapo Molls. or even Sapo
Durus. gave much color to the claim OF
Savandorff. which was further increased
by the finding OF the Rosetta Stone.
1t will be remembered that when this
slab of basalt unlocked the history Of
ancient Egypt. that scholars were agreed
upon the meaning of all the lierogyphics
save one, which represented "a bent or
sliding bar turned down at the right.
the left engaging "a drip cup. II was final
ly decided that the hieroglyphic repre-
sented the syllable Sotep, meaning ap-
proval. although there were those who
contended that It meant improved. Reia.
tive to this hleroglyphic 1t Is a curious
coincidence that 1t appears for the first
time In the cartoucbe of Rameses H., son
OF Seti I.
II also appears I'm the cartouche OF Hor-
ein-heb CHorus). which would seem TO In
dicate frequency. and later II appears IN
the names of all the Pharaohs. and was
even used by the Ptolemys. The origin of
this strange character undoubtedly car
ries us back to the XIX. dynasty, when
Egypt was ruled by the son of Princess
Tuaa.
At this time the hostilities long existing
between Egypt and Hittitesla were hap
PLY terminated by Rameses the Great.
who. after subduing the rebelious khe-
tens. carried away the beautiful Princess
Ma-at-iri-referu-ra to TO the land of Ptah,
where she remained wife of Pharaoh. of
the captivity. The stella OF Dakkeh pro-
claims Princess Ma-at-iri-referu-ra the
most dainty and fastidious woman Of her
time. and as the khetens discovered the
process of soap boiling II is not unlikely
that the Metal Vessel was handed
down to posterty through the careless
ness Of French maid who accompanied
Rameses and Ma-at-iri-rcferu-ra on their
wedding trip.
Reverting to the plague and the pill
grimages. the supposition is prevalent
here that II the sons of the prophet could
he persuaded TO use Gallogly's forty-cent
CASTLE Soap. that no harm would come
from their pilgrimages.