Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-29

Copyright. 1907. by Frank G. Carpenter

Copyright. 1907. by Frank 6. Carpenter
xAIRoUAN, Tunsia. Northern AZ
ric., is now la the throes OF Mo-
IN hammcdan revival From the
Atlantic 10 the Nile the people
are stirred up IN behalf OF their reli-
eion. ana there are whispers every
where favurlng the Inauguration Of a
holy war to drive out the Christians.
This movement rs strongest ia the least
civilized countries. II exists through
ont all parts of Morocco, and especially
in the western section OF the Desert o.
sahara. II rs rife IN Tunlsla and also
in Tripod hear muttcrngs Of it from
people who have come here from Egypt
ana the authorities everywhere are
alive to its dangers
EAIRoUAN THE HOLY.
The Feeling against Christians is es-
pecially strong IN this place where I
am writing Kalrouon Is the Mecca OF
North Africa, and one Of the holiest
cities Of the Mohommedan world It
Was founded by the famous general,
Sidi okba, ana FOR 1909 years # was
uncoutampnted hy Christians. a hslt
century since It would not have been.
safe ion foreigner 10 enter H. and IN
1880. when Sir Grenville Temple came
here, with an escort Of soldiers. by the
permission Of the boy Of Tunie he was
only allowed to 80 out after sunset,
and that in The disguise Of an Arab
Ii was not until It's conquest by the
French, abou; % years ago that Kair-
ouan was opened to Christians. and to-
day they are looked on with hatred
The town is now IN the charge OF
French soldiers. 1t has a French con-
troller to direct The shciks how to gov
ern: and II is through the card from
him that ] am able TO make my way
about and visit the mosques.
a PILGRIMAGE CITY.
Kairouau Is 10 sacred in the minds Of
the Mohammodans that they make pill
grlmages to It just rs they do 10 Mecca
and Medina. There are now pilgrims
scattered through the various mosques
and one may see them praying In the
desert NOT far away Many OF them
como for hundreds OK miles to worship
at the shrines here. They sleep I'm the
mosques, and during certain sea sons
they overflow the city. and their tents
are TO BIZ seen covering the country
outside the walls
The kalrouan of today has %
mosques ana many tombs Of Moham-
medap saints. In tho middle ages It
had 900 mosques, 900 baths and 500 ho-
tells where caravans could Stop. Its
population then numbered 100000. and
IT was celebrated all over the world as
seat of religion and learning. Today
f II has only 10000 inhabitants and some
of the greatest mosques are outside the
city.
The town is situated on a Hill, II Is
surrounded by walls as high as two
story house and IS entered by gates.
The town is OF Mohalnmedan architec-
ture. The houses are flat-roofed build
ings OF one or two Stories standing
along streets so narrow that few OF
them are accessible, except on foot, on
horseback, or ON donkeys The bust
Iess IL done In covered bazars. and the
people are dressed in the turbans and
gowns and strange female costumes
worn by the Arabs. The women are
closely yelled when they go ont on the
street, and II is not uncommon TO see
one 'draped In black from head to foot,
her face being so covered that not
even an eye can DO seen.
THE MOSQUE OF THE HOLY HAIRS
nave gone through the pflnclpa
mosques. one OF the most interesting
+ Is that of the barber of the Prophet
Nj ohammed, This sanity man is buried
here. and with him three hairs or the
prophets beard. which make the
mosque especially holy. These hairs
We're secured by the barber one day
after he had shaved Mohammed. and
he carried them about with him for
.he rest OF his life one he kept under
his tongue. another over his heart and
the third pasted ON his right arm Tho
Mohammedans revere anything that
comes from their prophet. and especial
~ the hairs of his beard. | remember
when | visited the mosque of Jamma
MusJid In Delhi, India. that the greatest
curiosity shown me was a hair from
Mohammed's moustache. II was kept
IN crystal box inside n safe. and /
WAS able to see II only by biibing the
officials. The hair WAS half an inch
long and it was bright red in color.
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