The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-11

Nv HEN In Damascus several years
w ago embraced an opportunity
of making a short trip across
fhe Syrian desert to the ruins of Palmyra,
or Tadmor. than which more curious
selics OF antiquity have as yet been un-
earthed and the great pity is that their
excavations have not been more extern
sively prosecuted
These mounds are most remarkable for
their extensive architectural remains and
their chief monument is the temple of
the sun with its impressive enclosure.
Their most striking feature to me, how
ever, was the long expanse of streets
with their double line of colonnades
spanned by triumphal arches. They are
unique for modern architecture knows
nothing Of so extensive scale. The
metropolis is also very large and its pc
culiar features are the innumerable
mausoleums constructed in the form of
immense towers. The practice of bury
ing one 80 or 50 feet in the air is surely
a novel one and a custom initiated no
where else.
Palmyra is said to have been built by
Solomon, but the Mussulmans accredit
its origin to Balkis queen of Sheba, whom
Solomon made his wife.
1 enjoyed my visit to the ruins of
Tadmor not only in regard to that which
] saw but as we'll for the strange his
torcal legends connected with the place
no matter whether the wisest man of
earth or the queen of Sheba was the
FOUNDER of the city
Those travellers who have been so fortu-
nate to visit the orient at the time
that the Holy Carpet makes Its pilgrim
age to Mecca and have witnessed the
great caravan will never forget the vision
and yet there are possibly few who are
familiar with the origin of the strange
ceremonies.
In the days of Solomon people believed
in Jinns, or afrits which were evil spir-
its, and over them this king had supreme
control. He possessed a magic sgnet
ring and whenever he pressed the seal of
the signet upon the neck of Jim, 1t
became his slave. He is said to have
subdued all but two of these evil spirits,
Sachr who kept himself in concealnent
upon an unknown island of the ocean, and
tile great Eblis who is no other than our
Satan. He did once succeed in capturing
sachr. but gave him freedom upon learn
ing from the spirit a secret AT that time
the great temple in Jerusalem was being
built and the workmen made such
noise that the citizens of the place were
unable to hear each other speak. Sachr
told Solomon how and where to procure
the strange worm called Schamir that
cuts stone In silence and when the
king had gotten them he gave the afrit
his liberty.
The king was once so fatigued from
making a journey to Damascus that he
ordered the Jinns to weave him an inn
mense carpet upon which he and his en-
tire suit might travel in the future. The
spirits obeyed and when finished this
was the first aeroplane that had ever
been fashioned All that he had to do
when he wished to travel was to step
on the carpet and order the winds to
blow. This they did and Solomon was
waited to wherever he wished TO go. On
it he made a Journey to Mecca and he
ordered all the Israelites to accompany
him upon the carpet and with them he
transported the camels and the oxen and
sheep intended for sacrifice. This was
the holy carpet.
lust here comes in a legend that.
accounts for the origin of glass tum-
hlcrs, goblets or drinking cups. Solo
men never trusted the Jinns out of his
siaht He bade them fly before the
carpet when he was making a flight
thereon and that he might keep his
eye constantly upon them even when
he was drinking. he had crystal COB
lets made for the purpose.
As the carpet flew quite high it was
Learer the sun so that the King, his
letinue and vast host became very
warm, but to shield them from the hot
suabeaps solomon ordered the birds to
fly over them and shield them COM
pletely with their wings. Upon the re-
turp journey the King NOTICED one ray
OF the sun which pierced the canopy
OF birds above him, thus proving that
cne bird was not in its place lie
unmoned the eagle to find out which
bird was playing truant and was told
that ii was Q little peewit. The cul-
pril was captured and brought before
solomon for an explanation of its dere
Jiction.
Solomon was so wise that he could
understand the language of all birds
a.a has left translation of some of
their cries. Want OF space prohibits
the giving. of many of them. but a
few are worthy of mention. The peewit
says, "lIe that hath not mercy will not
find mercy himself the swallow
screams, Do good and ye shall re-
| coive reward:'' the dove chants. "rhe
fashion OF the world passeth away. but
God remaineth eternal" aud the eagle
cries. "Howeyer long life may be, Yet
Its inevitable term is DEATH
When Solomon repriinanded the pee