The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-02-09

uellclOuS. lie then sang Yankee
Doodle and one verse of America, and
gave him backshesh. He did not
ask for it, but like Patti, sang solely
for our amusement. This little boy
offered to go to his village and get
us some water. / shall remember
his childish, musical voice a long
time. He will one day become a
camel driver or a donkey boy-noth-
ing higher. l asked the young man
who went with the camel, If he owned
it. "Oh, no." he said, 'if / owned
a camel l would soon become rich. "
The camel was worth about fifty dol
lars. Riches is only relative term;
j. p Morgan is rich, so is a man who
owns two camels. have just learned
that Morgan had bought q slice of
the Great Sahara desert, and expects
to grow dollars on it.
The greatest event in the Egyptian
calendar is the display of the Holy
Carpet, or canopy, | should call it.
1t is the starting or rallying point
of pilgrims to Mecca. Thirteen thous-
and went from Egypt this year, and
started Wednesday of last week. The
canopy is a most beautiful work of
art, partly made in Constantinople.
1t is then brought here and COM
pleted. 1t seemed to be covered with
golden embroidery. On the thirty
first of December the Kismet, or
holy symbols were transferred to the
Emir of the Mecca pilgrimage and
on Thursday the rest of the ceremony
was performed with Oriental pictur-
esqueness and splendor.
The high priests of Islam came to
the mosque of the citadel with all
the dignitaries of state, with a Won
derfull display Of gold lace. These
dignitaries were preceded by run
ners in bare feet, wearing loose flow
ing robes. The Khedive had twelve
of these runners, while others had
two.
Preceding the canopy were the viii
layers who were going on this pill
grimage of something over two thous-
nd miles. These were miserably
dressed and were headed by the
water-carriers with great goat-sllin
bottles. The bands played their wierd
squeaking music, accompanied with
tom toms, while the water-carriers
acted as drum majors.
Three camels, bearing most gor-
geous palanQuins, came by. Child
rem rode in these palanquins, but L
imagine they are to be used as an
ambulance on this long pilgrimage.
Every pilgrim who gets back alive
is called Hadya, wears green tur-
ban and is always higher esteemed
Finally the carpet" borne on an
elegant camel, came by, and the police
and soldiers ran their hands over
their sacred folds and wiped their
foreheads. This canopy is to cover
the tomb of the Prophet for one
year The old one is cut up into fine
pieces and distributed to the faithful.
Yesterday we visited the tombs of
the Mamalukes. This country is
everywhere a city of the dead, as
was undoubtedly with the valley OF
the Euphrates, the cradle of the race.
Everyone knows that the pyramids
were sepulchers of monarchs who
lived about four thousand years ago,
while the Mamalukes ruled over
Egypt a little before Columbus start
ed as the first Italian emigrant to
America.
On our way we encountered about
five hundred Arabs having good
time in their own way. We ap-
preached one group with children in
side rug and grown people outside.
1t was a snake-charmer's group. AT
our approach the charmer put big
snake around little boys neck and
sent him with a hat out to us to take
up collection. We made tall tracks
for the Mamalukes. AS the Mama
lukes were originally slaves and are
not now in favor, their tombs are
not kept in repair; but they were
evidently beautiful five hundred
years ago.
One of the wonders Americans en-
Arab can do with his primative tools.
In going through the crooked streets
of the Arab quarter | saw a carpen-
ter working hand lathe. He furn-
ished the motion with a long bow
which he worked with his right hand
while he handled the turning chisel
with his toes. Very good looking
spindles came out. Certain side
streets, off from the Mouski, are given
over to workers of one craft. There
are gold and silversmiths' street,
where workmen will convert a gold
coin into a beautiful ring while you
look on. There is street for work
ers in brass and a street occupied
wholly by shoemakers.
Today we visited the great Univer-
sity of Islam, where six thousand
students, from little boys to gray
haired, old men, were seated on mats
around their teachers. They all
talked aloud. Myra talked to sever
al groups in Turkish and the stud
ents were very much pleased. Their
work was mostly from the Koran.
The professors receive no salary and
the students pay no tuition. This is
truly the simple life in education. The
opposite extreme Is Chicago Univer-
sity, which although literally en-
dowed, charges $40 a quarter to its
poorest students.