The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22

Babylon and Nineveh were younGi " Was
also on the road between the great east
and Tyre and Sidon. ~.
Damascis Ia. en- Oriental city and b still
innocent Of the why's OF the Western world.
its bazaars give n q glimpse Of life a. it
was before Europe and America wore
known 10 history. The Government b erect
Ing public buildings according to modern
plans, but the covered streets, lined With
little booths, the homes Of. the people, tho
dress. the toustoms and The habits are the
same that they were whom Saul OK Tarsus
wandered down the street Scaled Straight
In search OF the on who was to restore his
sight. CThis street, though straight 90 com
pared with the other streets, 10 hardly de-
sefvtng Of the name which IL still bears).
As In Cairo, tho different trades have
different sections. The dealers In sugar
occupy ono quarter: the sllversmlthe, the
candy manufacturers, the b~lacksmiths,
the carpenters-each c,ass has Ito cluster
OF shops. The Arabian horse being the
pride OF the Bedouin, we were not sufprised
TO find much attention paid to the manu-
facture Of saddles, saddle bags. brides
and trappings, only they we're for Id most
part made Of wool and cotton rather than
leather. Bright colors, tassels, frtnges.
shells and ostrich feathers are employed
In the ornamentation Of the horse, tho
donkey and the camel.
The candies Of Damascus afo very good
and very cheap, and nuts Of all kinds are TO
be found In abundance. an excellent variety
OF walnut being grown within the city
limits. Naturally this city 10 . market
for Persian rugs, and large stocks are kept
on hand. While the people make every
thing which enters into the daily life OF the
country, they are especially skilled In brass,
damaskeen ware and the inAying OF wood
with mother of4pearl. ''''
THE HOUSE OF ANANrAs.
Damascus 10 not especially noted for
places Of historical interest. The tour
list ia shown tine house Of Ananias and the
window through which Paul was let down
from the wall, but II Is doubtful whether
the identity OF those places has been really
established. A house. known as the house
Of Naaman the ieper, Ia now very eppro-
priately used for a lepers' home. There Ia
no uncertainty about the river ALBANIA, and
another river hear Damascus Is known ~
Pharpar. An ancient wall surrounds the
~Clty, dbu ObO vi bHo ioi Booe hiSoteoc -
the world occupies ground first dedicated
to q heather temple and afterward to the
Church of st. John the Baptist, erected by
Arcadius. the son Of T~heodosius.
The big tailed sheep described by Herod-
otns ia to be found on the streets Of Damas-
Gus. 1t Ia a peculiar breed. and the tail,
which is considered q great delicacy. Is
often 40 heavy az TO seem a burden to the
sheep. 1t is broad. covered with wool,
and sometimes ends in q curl. We also
saw here the long cared goats, as curious
looking in their way az the sheep.
And what shall we say of the Damascus
dogl He is to be found everywhere and
has no owner. We counted eighteen In
one group and 23S in ono forenoon's ride.
They live on charity and fight whenever an
opportunity offers. It seems to be against
the law Of the Sultan to kill dogs, as one
learns to his regret after he has heard them
barking at all hours OF the night 1t is
s%uperluous to add that the flea Is as som
mon as the dog, and as Indifferent also to the
peace OF the stranger.
A new railroad which u building from
Damascus to the south will soon make 1t