The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-02
TTREET SGEhl
By H. c. Ostrander

Though old as history itself,
Thou art fresh as the breath OF spring,
Blooming as thine own rosebuds,
Fragrant as thine own orange flowers,
Q Damascus. pearl of the East.
HUS the ancient Arab poet. sang
the praises OF Damascus, the
lovely capital OF Syria, and tho
Oldest city IN the world.
It is said that when the Prophet
Mofarlnled stood upon the heights and
looked down upon this ancient city,
glowing white like a veritable pearl
amid its enchanted gardens, he sadly
turned away and refused to enter its
gates, saying:
Man is destined to enjoy but one
paradise, and I will look FOR. mine in
heaven
Our FIRST view Of Damascus as one
comes down from the mountains OF
Lebanon is one OF marvellous beauty:
the giitteriDg white OF arble minarets
oomes, towers and palaces showing
through the wide spreading miles OF
verdure, making II, as the Syrian peo-
pie say, "a pearl set among efnera Ids"
The great plain II Damascus lies a,
sea Of living green, threaded by the Sill
Yer waters of the river ALBANIA and
other less historic streams AT ones
feet is the Romantic city of Sa1adin and
Hsroun Al Raschid, the paradise OF
Oriental writers, surroanded by the
famed gardens OF Damascus. which
stretch for miles in all CORRECTIONS
around the city.
Upon the lovely slopes of Lebanon
pstris rchsl. shepherds tend their fioeks.
and far away. beyond the ancient city
gates. long lines OF heavily laden
camels pass over the old caravan road
which leads from Damascus down to
Egypt
1t is a dazzling picture-the ancient
city cleaning amid her bowers OF
green, with her fountains OF FLASHING
waters and her wonderfu al orchards OF
Oriental 1uxuriance;cs With orange,
citron and-3lepon trees sladen with
golden fruit, and a wilderness sof riot
Gus rose vines in full bloom. filling the
air with their4delicieds perfume. sszss-s
For four .thousa nd years this lovely
spot has been asgarden filled with the
songs OF innumer ablex. birds and the
fragrance or plants and flowers, and
throughout this enchanted Fcity1r ays be
heard the mqsrmur of hidden streams
and the music of falling water = -
Though .aol8 as history itself" as the
Arab poet sang. she Is still fresh as
the breath of spring. and the secret OF
her eternal youth. is stlle river 5Abana.
AS Egypt was the gift of the Nile"
so Damascus is the gift OF the ALBANIA.
Oldest City in the World
Damascus is the oldest city in the
world, possessing q continuous history
dating back for more than four thou
sand years. II was an old city. when
visited. by the patriarch Abraham, and
was an old city when Babylon and
Ninevch weresyoung. According tostiae
Jewish historian Josephus. Damascus
was founded By tlrz. sthe great grandson
OF Noah. Eorya thousand years she was
in bondage6tor Assyria and then pa ssed
under the Yoke sf Persia . Spassing
eventually uuderrthe dominion ofvRome
and becoming Under the later Caesars
one Of the chief Byzantine CITIES. Here
the Byzantine cnlperors built a msgni-
hcent church 10 contain sthe head of
John the -Rsp tist, and tsthis STRUCTURE
still stands Transform med into . Afeham-
medsn MOSQUE. The head. oflsst. John is
still prcserve ed in this mosque. inciosed
in splendid tomb and -feyered By the
followers Of Islam as a most sacred
relic. te
Damascus is the typical Oriental city.
possessing fewer points 1of absorbing
Interest. II Is true. thanreither Cairo or
Constantinople, but more truly Oriental
than efther OF those Moslem capitals;
for. psrados5cal as il may seem, there
hLG Ii4pIG NI+rtf4S lldA 4QIkt III Con-
stantinopie, while ia Cairo fully one
fourth OF The reputation areAEuropeans
or Arabs. dressed IN European .clotlles-
In Dsnaascts VIC are truly in the East
and the pictutcsque garb Of the Orient
- supreme.
The cEcr5 day aife OF an Oriental city
is ia itseif q fascination. Customs do
not change in' the lands or the golden
East. Labor is cheap and modern ma
chincry is practically unknown. The
pstriarchal life OF the time of sAbra-
ham is repeated 20 this day in the
tents OF the BedouiBs outside the walls
and in the streets and gardens OF this
old. old city.
The streets of Damascus, like those
OF most Oriental cities. are exceedingly
narrow and crooked. The most famous
OF these is the street called Straight,
mentioned. in the Acts OF the Apostles.
Coffee roonls, kitchens and workshops
arc all open .to the street and present
many interesting sights. Multitudes OF
rurravfoae 1,e q Y-rte6 Tnna IN