The times., 1898-12-18
THE MODERN DAMASCUS
Its Fascinating Streets and
Picturesque Bazaars.
HOW A DAMASCENE SHOPS
An Absence of Some of the Marvel
scribed by Byron and Moore and
That Are Related In the 'Arabian
NfEhts.n

Cross-legged, upon red velvet couch,
the citizens of Damascus smokes his Gig
arctic or nargilleh, sips his coffee or
araki-a strong drink favored with AM
scotland looks dreamily out upon the
world, says the London Standard. In
the heat of the day his favofite resort is
the shadow of orange or mub berry tree
on the banks of those rivers which Naa-
man preferred to "aiI the wstsrs of Is
rael.' The ripping Baroda is Il fiut >
note in the lazy droHe of conversation.
When the dark blue shadows have crept
down the mountains. the Damas cene
seeks the crowded street or square. and
his long robes and turban are added to
the bright lines that extend in front OF
the cafes. There he sits for hours with
the thin. acrid smoke OF the hubble-b b. p.
Die. Thus the sober citizen takes his
pleasure. If he is "a young man ibout
town" he may plunge recklessly into the
oxcitements of the cafe chantant and.
still with coffee and nargileh befo- e
him, listen to adaptations of western
songs and sketches" sung and pIays d
by Greeks or Dalmatians. Women NAV
not share these pubic amusements and
rot even progressive county councillor
could rind fault with the performance. 1t
is blamelessly dull The rich Damascene ne
can order his entertainment.
The bazaars of Damascus are famous
in the East. Their Importance has become
less since the opening of traffic in the Red
Sea and the Persian Gulf. yet their pic-
turesque interest is still great. They form
a labyrinth of courts and arcades. open
to the sky or under lofty-vaulted roof
arcades long, st-aight and broad. with
modern shops; arcaGes narrow, win!in.
and ancient with da,k rect sses. Hhe 9 iip
ures in turbans ard long robes squat
among merchandise tsGn.bIns the kho-un
or reciting Prayers. As in Western Eu-
rope when trades Were guilds each SET of
merchants has its own quarter tn ueh tha
tendency Is 10 remove these laninar;.s
There is fer example, tie silk bazaar.
where. Unless you -au t1gsle over pe,ri,s
you are Ike II pay dear foc c.nbrcider
les and delicate Issues cr Damascus and
-Aeppo The go.dsmith's Lazaar is disap-
painting. 1t is gloomy court with a
bcSeariE array Of oairs and '.artiquasr' I'm
iochea c''seS. ! he sound OF The hammer
leidS ore TO Tie capper.niihs who max .
these enormous trays with which thr
ielsants ard Bedsl in measure he r reign
fors hospitality. Nsfrcw strips ii per
sian carpet 'DamGscu" " ,,,:gdes forged ri
So'.ngen- crimson, Ies her s'ipDers en-
ifoideied with silv1t thread. saufy sad las
;'.-i brides. catch the ye a. enc sauutsrs
through arcade Ef er arcade
Hpt Il il the people-noI tho rnerchan
"1se-thdt bri,is the stranger again ard
IA. lHrsr
an hour before sunset there s,,r-es
'1f1u2h these dim vaults 4 noisy. bright
c"!prcH stream. Women in whit = rnhas
q. gc"i,S Of amber and black lit like
isfhtoiaS from shop to shop hagrlinp
over the price of a r!..ce If silk teIlin@
.at piastres for small iJhiai3 OF .ase c.l
Tor henna with which 10 stain their nails
Or Tor That black pigment which is to
aud 10 the luster Of their dar, eve. C.hiI
dren dart hither and thither in loose
GOWNS of violet and gold and crimson
aHd blue. Small Bedouin women with
shy. tattoGed faces. and gowns of dark
DIE cotton. look wouderinsly on all this
wealth Sleek Effendis. in turban or fsz
mounted on gorgeously caparisoned horse
or ass press through the throne; car
.taseS hurry along with snrill cries of
Daifak' Your back. oh. sir,'' Your
back. oh, bcy!' Vendors Of rasin water
and add 10 the din with shouts Of ..berrid
ria ka!bak refresh Thy heart, o thirsty
one Bilious-looking cakes displayed on
large wooden tray are loudly commend
ed as "akel s-snunu''-"food for swaI-
lows"
The Greek trader pounces on the hest
taiing customer. while his Arab rival
puns away at his nargieh and reflects
that Allah, the giver of sustenance, will
hi
The barber lets blood and shaves head or
beard, as he did in the days of Harun
Al Raschid, while the scribe at the corner
oil the street writes down with wooden
pen the mysterious condolences of the
Neiied lady who sits on nothing by the
side of his desk. And above all the tu
multi rises the melancholy note of the
Muezzin, who, stepping across the thresh
OLD OF his mosque and making speaking
trumpet Of his hands, calls the people 10
midday prayer.
when the spectator wearies of thesa
sights and sounds he may find refuge in
one OF the innumerable Turkish baths
ana may realize how much better wa do
these things in London, or he may drink
coifee In one of the great khans. The ba
Del OF tongues, the cries of itinerant VEN
dors, the barking of dogs and the laugh
Ter of children do not penetrate the vast
silence of these caravansaries on whose
massive walls are written the rise and
1all of the commercial supremacy of Da-
mascus. They are more like cathedraIs
than warehouses and inns. A vault-like
passage gives access to the court, which
Is divided into squares by lofty arches.
from which spring domes enriched with
arabesQues and pierced with windows. In
the center Is huge fountain, with plat
form and prayer mat, so that nothing
may De wanting to the pious Traveller
The walls are of alternate courses Of
white and black stone. and a row of dark
recesses forms gallery round the first
noor Here some wholesale business is
done. but ruined arches, time-stained
walls and neglected fountains speak of
decay. Many years have gone by since
the courtyard was packed with the treas