Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-06-26


nce-Abraham in the twentieth CEN
tury.
BY RAILWAY TO DAMASCUS.
We broke campat Irbld and at noon
were at EI-Muzerib, from which town
we went by railway, French line, to
Damascus The contrast is particu-
larly striking. side by side is tie an
cient Caravan route, the route Of the
Moslem pilgrims to Mecca and new
railway = three civilizations in close
touch. The railway traverses the
edge Of the "El Lejah," the "stony
country OF the Jews, a lava bed, in
which ancient people hid from raids
of lawless tribes and which appears
very tempest in stone. To the east
ward is the Druse mountain range
and northward Hermon with its
crown Of snow. Soon we pass the
Pharpar river, an Insignificant stream
and In Damascus find the larger
ALBANIA river in which Captain Naaman
preferred to bathe. They are clearer
and more attractive for laundry use
than the turbld Jordan even at its
best.
Damascus is situated on an oasis fed
by the Abana river andpraised in all
ages for its fertility To this beauti-
ful river which flows through the very
center of the city and is conducted by
canals into numerous fields and gar
Idens, Damascus owes its origin, its
long existence and its distinctive
charms. 1t is the Oldest city in the
world and in many ways the most
unique. The spirit Of the Arabian
Nights yet fingers ln its streets and 1t
Is even now a verltable city OF the
Caliphs. It's shops and bazars are
famous for attractlyeness and It's car
pets, silks and Damascus blades tempt
the traveller. We found it all that it
had been pictured and more. No city
is so thoroughly Oriental, SO charac-
teristic of the ancient life amid the
modern times. This "mother city Of
the worldn has been often invaded,
captured and sacked, its inhabitants
slain, but the city has never lost It's
beauty, power and influence. Rich
gardens are in and around it and its
streets are thronged with people
dressed in the quaint garb Of the
tribes from every section Of the east.
In Damascus 1t is the city itself and
It's people which attract and charm.
There are few reminders Of the
Scriptural story. One, however, sHg-
gests the most important event in all
the history of Damascus, the CONVEX
sion of Saul of Tarsus. 1.-THE street
which is called Straight'-it might
be much straighter, is yet to be seen,
running almost the entire length of
the town, with its Roman gate still
standing and few richly carved
columns along the sides Of the street
yet in their original position. The
great Mosque at Damascus, the start
ing point Of the Moslem pilgrim to
the sacred city Of Mecca, was formerly
a Christian Cathedral. Over a portal
of this Mohammedan Mosque we
found this significant, prophetic in
scription:
Orhy kingdom, o Christ, is an ever
lasting kingdom, and Thy dominion
endureth for all generations.
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS WESTWARD
From Damascus we turn our steps
homeward. There is railway line
from the city Of Beirut and upon this
we journeyed except for dusty detour
to Baalbec. The road runs over and
through the anti-Lebanon and Leba-
non mountains, with the famous cedar
groves, now few in number, but still
great in size Of Individual trees. Most
conspicuous among all the mountains
Of these northern ranges is Hermon.
This majestic peak is well worth a
chapter Of description, but what finer
poetic imagery could be employed than
that Of the author Of Cantlcles ''the
tower that looketh toward Damascus" /"
or, looking upon its clouds and snow
and rain, "the place for the gathering
OF the clouds,n "from whence the
rivers come thither they return to
go again. Whether the transfgura-
tion took place ona height Of Hermon
or on another mountain, certainly this
splendid mountain-peak has a place
among her most sacred mountains Of
the world. 1t stands at the northern
limit of Jesus earthly ministry. 1t is
the border landmark just outside the
Inheritance of Israel. Standing In all
its stateliness at the very head Of the
great cleft, between the mountain
ranges the noble contour of its gilt
tering dome may be seen from almost
every plain in eastern and in western
Palestine. The Holy Mount is more
than picture. 1t is a panorama in
itself.
BEIRUT - AND NOTES BY THE WAY,
The railroad skirts the foot hills
then climbs upward into the very
mountain tops, where rack-and-pistor
is needed to keep the car wheels NOV
ling. Among the uplands there are