The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

Copyright, 1898. the S. S. Mcclure Coz
Haziddin, the ambassador, stood at
the door of his tent, and gazed down
UPON the famous city of Baalbek, see
2 1ng it now for the first time. The night
before he had encamped on the heights
to the south of BaaIbek, and had sent
forward to that city messengers to the
prince, carrying greetings and ac-
qCainting him with the fact that an
embassy from the governor of Damas-
Gus awaited permission to enter the
gates The sun had not yet risen, but
Inc splendor in the east lighting the
SKY with wonderful colorings Of gold
and crimson, and green, announced the
speedy coming of that god which many
OF the inhabitants Of Baalbek still Wor-
SHIPPED. The temples and palaces of the
city took their tints from the flaming
sky, and HaZiddin, the ambassador,
thought he had never seen anything so
beautiful Notwithstanding the euiogy
Mahomet himself had pronounced upon
his own metropolis of Damascus.
The great city lay in silence, but the
moment the rim of the sun appeared
above the horizon, the silence was
broken by a faint sound of chanting
from the ornate temple, seemingly of
c2rVen ivory, which had bestowed upon
Liz Nil9 rs AEICth HclllAC u 1ANAAOpOAAS.
The temple of the sun lowered above
all other buildings in the place, and,
as if the day gCd claimed his own, the
rising sun shot his first rays upon this
edifice, striking from 1t instantly all
color, leaving its rows of pillars daz-
zling white, as if they were fashioned
from the pure SHOWS Of distant LeDan
on. The sun seemed a handspring of
activity, as well as an object Of adora-
ton, for before il had been many min
utes above the horizon, the ambassador
saw emerging from the newly opened
gate the mounted convoy that was to
act as his escort into the city; so,
turning, he gave a quick command,
which speedily leveled the tents and
brought his retinue into line to receive
their hosts.
The officer seat by the prince of Baal-
bek to welcome the ambassador, and
conduct him into. the city greeted the
visitor with that deferential courtesy
so beloved of the eastern people, and
together they Journeyed down the hill
TO the gates, the followers of the one
mingling fraternally with the followers
of the other. As if the deities Of the
wonderful temples they were approach
ing, wished to show the futility of
mans foresight, thOughtless remark
made by one of the least in the ambas-
sadors retinue, made to one of the least
WHO lDIlOMeu lIlG IOddlDeA SGltl d,
wrought ruin to one empire, and saved
another from disaster.
A mule driver from Baalbek said to
one of his lowly profession from Da-
maScuS, that the animals of the north
ern city seemed OF superior breed TO
those OF the southern. Then the Da-
maScUs man, his civic pride disturbed
by the sighting remark, replied
haughtly that if the mules of Baalbek
had endured such hardships as those OF
Damascus, journeyinG for a month
without rest through a rugged noun
tain country, they would, perhaps, look
in no better condition than those the
speaker then drove.
Our mules were as sleek as yours a
month ago, when we left Damascus.
AS Baalbek is but 81 miles north of Da-
mascus, the muleteer OF the former
place marveled that so long a time had
been spent on the journey. and he ask
ed his fellow why they had wandered
among the mountains. The other could
but answer that so ii was, and he knew
no reason for it, and with this the man
of Baalbek had to content himself And
so the tale went from mouth to ear OF
the Baalbek men, until ii reached the
general himself. He thought little of it
for the moment, but turning to the am
bassador, said, having nothing else to
say:
How long has it taken you from
Damascus to Baalbek %
Then the ambassador answered:
I'VE have done the journey in three
days; it might have taken us but two,
or perhaps it could have been accom-
plished in one, but, there being no
necessity for speed, we Travelled leis-
urely."
Then the general, remaining silent,
said TO himself:
Which has lied-rumor or the am
bassador?"
He cast his eyes over the animals the |
ambassador had brought with him, and
saw that they indeed showed signs OF /
fatigue, and perhaps of irregular and |
improper food.
Prince Ismael himself received Ha- |
ziddin, ambassador OF Omar, governor |
of Damascus, at the gates Of Baalbek, |
and the pOmp and splendor OF that re- |
ception was worthy of him who gave /
it, but the general found opportunity |
to whisper in the ear of the prince:
THE ambassador says he was but |
three days coming, but q follower of his |
told follower of mine that they have |
been d month on the road, wandering /
the mountains"
Suspicion is ever latent in the east |
ern mind, and the prince was quick to |
see a possibl smeaning for this wan
deTing among the mountains. It might /
well be that the party was seeking a
route at once easy and unknown by |
which warriors from Damascus might /
fall upon Baalbek, yet, if this were the
case. why did not the explorers return
directly To Damascus rather than ven
rure within the walls of Baalbek? 1t
seemed to Prince Ismael that this
would have been the more crafty meth