New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12

about Mr.. Hadji Khan. but not con-
cerned with his personality that OF his COL
laborater-the book is the thing. and it does, in
truth, enable the reader to enter IN a remarkable
degree into the spirit and the form Of the sa-
cred Journey"
Every earnest son of Islam regards that jour
ney to the holy places OF his religion as a pas
sionatefy desired sacrament, for which he Is
willing to make great sacrifices to that or
his life. Various conditions, the author tells
u.s. In theory though not necessarily in practice,
limit the number of pilgrims. One forbids a
man to undertake the journey unless the money
for his expenses has been gained in a lawful
manner; he must start, moreover, with an abso-
lutely clean conscience; he must leave no debts
behind him; he must be strong enough to en-
dure the fattgues Of the journey. He enters
upon it knowing that it viii make him OBJ
Ject Of respect throughout his country. Il have
seen people kissing the footsteps of such pill
GRIM" says Vambery, embracing and petting
him, and what struck most was the scene
where Kirghts or Turkoman nomads cried like
children on seeing one of these Hajees, and
when they began to quarrel. nay, to fight. for
the opportunity to bestow hospitality on a re-
turning Hajee, be he even Uzbeg or a Talk,
whom they otherwise dislike" 1t Is a signih-
cant fact that in the court which contains the
sacred Ka'bah are the four stations or pulpits of
the four different sects of the Prophets follow
ers; there they worship in perfect harmony
without interfering with each other The ia
nous Ka'bah of Mecca incloses the spot on which
Adam is believed to have first worshipped his
Creator after the expulsion from Eden. The
legend runs that q tent sent down from
heaven for the purpose, and that Adams son
Setn built on the site a structure of clay and
stone-the first OF the many shrines which have
been erected and restored hare. Since the death
OF Mahomet who planned the building as 1t
now appears. it has been destroyed and re-
stored twelve times. It has rich and beautiful
decorations, contributed by the faithful: and In
laid In the southern wall is the Black Stone.
which every pilgrim yearns to behold and touch
Here Is the HadjPs account of it:
Now. when Adam fen ana was cast out Of Para
disc there fell with him certain Stone, which has
since become the most cherished possession in the
Muhamnadan world The legend runs that it was
Il WIS brought back to the earth by Gabriel and
given to Abraham, who set It In the southeastern
built There 10 remained TN the Karmatans
bore 1t away In triumph to their capftaI having
first polluted its sacred precincts by bury1n. there
three Thousand dead bodies by tearing the golden
selves the veil of the temple itself The citizens
OF Mecca sought to redeem the Stone by Offering
but the ransom was seornfuliY rejected by the Sec
tartes, who hoped by keeping It IN their Possession
to draw the pilgrims from the Holy City TO their
own capital. Some twenty two years later, how
ever, having failed to achieve the purpose they had
at heart they sent back the Stone or their own Tree
will. covering Their discontinue by declaring 1t to
aiayed when they dseoFernd tat "a TO- yu VIZ
gwim on water. that being Tia pecufiax quality q