The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-04
THIS MAN HAS BEEN TO MECCA.

Mohammcdan month After that the pieces
Of the Kiswa, the sacred carpe; or cover
Ing for the Mecca sanctuary. como from
C0nstsntiuopie. the gift OF the sultan
They are put together IN Cairo, at tho
citadel. Also the Egyptian government.
as part Of It's annual tribute 20 Turkey.
contracts for silk OF certain quality out
OF which "A family IN whom that
honor Is hereditary makes COW
ering for the covering. wooden booth
with plnnaclss At It's four corners and COW
cred with the most costly stuns 10
used 20 transport the Kls.a On
Chawal % March rs there Is usually
combined lord mayors show and cir
Gus procession in Cairo-soidicrs Of tho
khedive as an escort cames laden
with orange branches and fruit, bands
playing Arabian music. and pilgrims
escortinE the booth containing the carpet
Immense throngs line the way and stfug-
gle with each other for a chance TO touch
the sacred conveyance. The pilgrims camp
IN great state ~ the Pilgrims lake. ten
miles east Of Cairo, but there the state
ceases. The booth. camels and all, is
laden on freight cars and choo-chooed 20
Suez, and there they are put on a Khe-
divial steamer No one pays fare on that
steamer SO that IL Is loaded TO the Pilm-
soil line with humanity. At Djedaah
the booth Is taken ashore ard for
the first time borne on SIS cameia.
These are always big beasts who never
work again long az they live in
Mecca they pass through a temporary
gate purp0aely built low - that tas
csmeIs viii knock on the top and enable
people 20 brag about their size. This re-
calls the '.neeaIe's-eye" gate mentioned
IN Scripture. and too literally translated
the eye Of a needle"
The covering OF the covering r.. after
Beiram. cut up into little pieces which the
pilgrims take home with them. They also
CARR bottles of water from the uuspeak-
ably flthy sacred well. which. not Inn
proved by seven or eight months ripcnlnx
on the way. r. eagerly drunk by the dear
ones az home in Europe. Asia and Africa.
And so the pilgrims straRxle home. Gro
BY one. laden with the most fashionable
diseases u the year. and with much brass
money.
Pilgrim money AZ the oufsst b gold
either aoveresgns or American eagles ~
double es giles which seep into the Red sea
- way % san Francisco and China. or ~
the Meifts rFanean. or French Sapoiaons--
sean ln a bet or gllrnms~i q n with bess-
xsx No pilgrim - sgppoeed 20 have
cent when NJ gets home II any money
ras escaped the leeehss on the way ne must
givo & 70 tae poor. 50. n ne has any r8ld
left fan ptErin haits a little way from
home and sentE for some nesasive 20 cone
sui vita handfuls % brass coin instead.
These ne throws away With great SECT
as hs Dears his door.
Even the door - ever after giorifed.
Tn a Mohammeaan community q man
who aas made the pilgrimage mas consif-
cradle social standing. and - That hs may
lose none % its advantages. ne repainfs
Ms house ~ s00u a. ~ gets home. over
80 dosr~taat Is II NJ a one u tao.s
Jess strict NOLAN ~ etane who Do rot
fhink + wicked - make pictures 81 AMI
u1a-s-he Ncrawls thf naost extraordinary
b4g drawings. a. rude and funny 80
t1rse-fuzsred men and box bodied horses
on a schD8f fsgsss slate. II he went -
raoaarm CONVEYANCE. there vii BE- pictures
q trains ~ ears and gorgeous red yellow
eu4 green Steamboats,. Or there vtB -
rarns.s and teusn in tae aessrt and noon
faced Hons % siat az the dangers which
ssne0uspazssd t1s way.
Eaich L. one 81 20 rsaSgFas why no
Eat s a naixa;y interesting part - ths
word. JOHN LASGL<JS HEATOS.