New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-25
TIE HOLY CARPET.
WHAT IT'S LOSS MEANS TO THE MOsLEMS
OF EGYPT.
,r &c MOTT RELIC But An OFFERING SENT
AXXrALLY TO THE SHRINE At MECCA.

lives in Egypt can realize the cohS''' ""'''"
which will nave been caused through"ut '"'
Land Of the Nile by the news that the Mamma
caravan has been attacked by the ARABS o"
IFS way to Mecca, and that the desert pd""''''
after killing a number of the Egyptian u"'P'
acting as escort to the pilgrimage led OH i'i''
cautivitv the Pacha in command ol the Mammal
and besides pundcrng the pilgrims "l al "'c
yaluablcs they possessed, secured p"sSeSS'"h VI
the large sums of money sent as offerings 10 inc
tomb Of the Prophet 10y the khedIVe' 10y 'he
members Of his family and 10y the Egyptian
Government Worst Of all, they carried OIL "''
sacred carpet The latter is not. as IS Gcher"'S
euproscd an ancient relic dating from the Univ
Of the founders Of the Mahomctan relsl"h' pu'
is a huge rug. or piece Of tapestry oil Ih"u''i
manufacture: indeed a new one IS mace '"''
,,or for diepatch To Mecca as an offering from
the Egyptian ruler and his people FROM '"e
time Of its arrival at Mecca it is hung against
the Kaabah or most sacred Sanctuar! III '"'
mosque. in which Mahomct lies buried.
The fact that this holy carpet. or kis"'h' as
If s called should have failed to reach In" prln-
cipal shrine Of the Mahomctan faith Will he
REGARDED by the followers Of the Prophet
tbroucbout Eg,pt as an indication that Allah
and the founder Of their religion are angered
apaiust them and refuse to receive their annual
trihute and that in consequence some great ma
tionaI misfortune or cataclysm is imminent as
an Indication Of divine wrath 1t Will readily Ice
Understood to what purpose this suprrstltl"us
belief Will be put 10y the Turkish and nationalist
Eeyptian agitators IN innaming the more ia
matte element Of the Egyptian people against
tho English and against the Christians IN gen
cral in the hope of provoking another anti
European instruction analogous to that OF
Arab Pacha in lNN2.
Strictly speaking the word Mammal" means
litter. and the annual official pilgrimage from
CAIRO TO Mecca is thus styled from the fact
that il was inaugUratcd 10y the Sultana Schaga-
rct-ed- Durr che pearl tree). who is the only
woman who ever ruled over Egypt She made
the pi grimage to Mecca in a magnificent inter
borne between camels and from that time forth
the rulers Of Egypt have annually sent a litter
to Mecca as a mark of their sovereign dignity.
the litter being nowadays empty. and hung with
colorcd cloth embroidered with texts from the
Koran The Sultana in question reigned wisely
yet dcspotically, at the beginning Of the rule
Of the Mamelukes six centuries ago. for period
Of several months after the death Of her hus-
band and thereupon married the Emr lzzed-
deem, and after hestowing the throne on him
withdrew once more into the retirement of the
harem.
THE START FOR MECCA.
The Kisweh after being manufactured at Con
stantinoplc. is lined and superbly embroidered
In the grand mosque of Husscn at Cairo and
the departure Of the caravan organized for its
conveyance to Mecca constitutes one of the
principal religious and national festivals of the
year, being attended 10y the Khedve. the foreign
Diplomatic Corps and all the ecclesiastical. mill
tary and civil authorities Of the country. a
pavilion is erected for the KhcGivc in the great
square below the citadel and as soon he has
taken up his position there the entire pilgrimage
passes in review before him, ruler dgnitarics
and People all considering it piece Of good
fortune If they can touch or kiss Il portion Of the
holy CARPET or one Of the hangings of the
Mammal TIE procession begins with soldiers
on foot, on horseback, and on dromedarlcs and
then whole herd Of baggage oamcls follows
bearing the necessary baggage Of the pilgrims
with water skins tents. etc. the beasts being
dcckod out with bells stained orange color with
hcnna. and adorned with palm branches Scv-
rra Of tho caIncls bear chests covered with red
rloth, containing the money offerings of the
KhcdiNe and Government for tho shrine at
Mecca. and likewise the funds for the expenses
Of the caravan, which are borne by the Gov
eminent
The Pacha in charge OF the caravan who
bears the title of prince Of the Pilgrimage"
rides, like the Sultaua. in litter swung between
two camcls harncssed one IN front of the other
Behind him come the imans. or professors of
theology. at the great FL HAIR University. at
Cairo. which is the headquarters Of Mahomctan
orthodoxy occupying much the same relation
toward the latter that oxford University does
to the Church Of England, and the Vatican to
Roman Catholicism DcrViShcs of various or