The evening times., 1898-06-03

beneath the extended plain. and beyond
the Lebanon range of pinkish gray rock
mottled with patches of snow.
Returning to Mallake, we resumed our
journey on the narrow-gauge railway.
crossing the plain and then ascending the
Anti-Libanus on a serpentine mountain
road leading toward Damascus. For a
distance down the mountain we followed
the course of the Barrada, the Golden
Stream" of the Greeks-the "Arbana" of
scripture, which waters the plain and Is
lost in numberless pools about Damascus
Imagine an inhabitant of the newest
coming to the oldest city In the world
to the Shaun Shereef-the blessed"
Damascus-with rounded bright. white
domes and airy minarets-the city with
the better right to be called ETERNAL"
which might soliloquize thus: Before
Rome was. 1 am. / have witnessed the
proud rise of Baalbec. Thebes. and Ephe-
sus. have seen their power and desola-
ton. Eliezurs Naamans and Benhadods
walk my streets today with the preserved
dignity of 1900 years."
We hardly knew We had arrived at a
hotel. A low door opened in the sealed
wall of a mean street, and. presto! We
were in an oriental court with purling
fountain, laden orange trees and weight
ed rose vines. Our sleeping chamber was
most Saracenic, with twelve arched win
dows, six looking upon the court. and six
upon a street so narrow you could almost
shake hands across It; but the street win
dows were latticed. those opposite as well.
behind which saw female forms gliding
family.
Down in the court was dais with
careless comfort Of divans and rugs, but.
as I was the only woman in the hotel. I
seldom lounged there. A son of the sheik
of the great mosque sat next to me at
dinner, his head swathed in a white tur
ban. 1t was something to have ocular
and audible proof of the Turks gastro-
nomic powers. Of his unspeakableness
while eating, of his Industrious manipu-
lation of the toothpick. disregarding any
peculiar views a foreign woman might
hold in reference to these quilts Of offense.
Our dragoman quite claimed relationship,
for he had lived in Chicago and was a
clerk In a department store.
The old mosque recently was demolish-
ed by fire. forgot to ask what became
of John the Baptists head that was in
one of the chapels. The tomb Of the great
'Saladin has the conventional white dome
and stands In an embowered court. The
tomb of Mahomets daughter. Fatima, in
an ugly Mohammedan cemetery. Is much
cherished. It has caused strife and
wrangling among those who wished to
bury near It. Not far from this place
man Is buried who murdered grand
daughter of the prophet. All Moslems
passing cast q stone on the grave. When
II Is overburdened the stones are carted
away and the attack is renewed.
/ visited the house of a rich Jew. First
is the surprise Of a charming court open
ing out of filthy street. 1t was indeed
like "a chapter Of the Arabian Nights.
The house was grand. from an Oriental
point Of view, the salon adorned with
costly sculptured friexe. the ceiling in
famboyant colors. the dafs surrounded by
a prim row Of very stin chairs inlaid with
bits Of pearls. and an American carpet
on the floor OF the dais. Before his death
the owner had loaned all his money to
the Turkish government. which pald-a
large interest. Now the government will
restore to the heirs but q small Sortion.
That or none II their uIfimatum.
Considesing the sbsence Of factories,
Damascus might ~ Z quiet place. but the