Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-10-02

IN
NV world are Kerbea and Nedjef
Il y on the edge Of the great Ara.
bian desert, southwest from
Bagdad. Like Mecca, too, these famous
towns are seldom seen by men from
he Christian world outside. To these
ISOLATED holy places thousands Of pious
pilgrims of the Shia sect journey each
year, flocking through Bagdad from
Russia. Persia and India. BY donkey,
camel and Tigris river boats they
come, a motley Mohammedan horde,
bringing with them the salted and
dried bodies of hundreds OF their dead,
for burial within the shadow Of the
walls Of the sacred cities. Many die
themselves on the long journey. or.
robbed of their all, are left behind to
beg dates and bread In the crowded
streets OF these fanatical towns.
Crooks prey on the pilgrims who flock
20 these shrines of Islam, too, just as
crafty city thugs In our own land lie
In wait for the countryman who comes
to see the sights, writes Frederick
Simpich in Los Angeles Times.
Joins the "HaI."
l.ured by tales OF mystic Shla rites,
OF strange sights and adventures,
was led TO join the hal" or pilgrim
caravan. and go myself to Kerbela.
From Bagdad to Kerbela richer pill
srims travel by "arabana;" relays OF
mules drag these numbering vehicles
through In II hours. whereas the slow
moving mule and camel caravans take
three days to do the march For a
taste OF stage coaching in Arabia. | de.
c'dod 10 go by arabana for the first lap
of my Journey. Two o'clock one clear
s'arlit morning found me walking
across the rambling bridge of boats
which spans the Tigrls at Bagdad.
ready for the early start from the west
bank. Soon the crude. noisy arabana
vas In motion. the Arab driver cursing
the religion OF his four mules. and
plying his long whip OF rhinoccros
hide as we whirled through the still.
Empty streets. Through the outlying
cemetery we rolled past the queer
enrical tomb OF Iobeidah. past the
white tents Of sleeping Turkish troops.
through n gap In the ruined wall. and
1ut on the limitless desert. The mules
yalloped evenly on. the arabana wheels
hummed, and we seemed to fort in
'ea OF haze that lay over the desert,
bathed In starlight. Thus TIL dawn,
when we reached the FIRST relay post
= mud.walled stronghold called Khan
Mamoudleh."
! It the khan We got fresh mules. had
early breakfast Of tea. dates and Arab
bread, and were soon under way. driv.
ng southwest to strike the Euphrates
at Mussayeb. All along the desert
route we passed groups OF pilgrims.
the bells OF their lead mules tinkling
muslcally-thcir long.legged camels
cropping through the half.llght OF
Early day. Women rode In "nlahati," {"
boxes slung one on each side OF n
mule Camel litters carried pilgrims
u the better class. and hundreds
walked. driving n tiny donkey loaded
with their bedding and personal ef.
'ccts
Near noon the fringe OF date palms
marking the brink OF the Euphrates
lfted from the desert horizon, and I'm
an hoCr we rode into Mussayeb. This
busy Arab town makes its living from
passing pilgrims. While gruntIng
'hammels" (porters) bore my baggage
over the rough bridge OF boats.
walked through the narrow, dirty
streets Of the village. Lusty.lunged
boys sold Arab sweetmeats, yelled
women IN somber black trudged pns,
with urns OF water from the river
1eftly balancing the stone vessels on
.heir heads Donkeys struggled
through the muddle OF men with bags
of rice and bales OF llcorice root ON
their backs.
One hardly.human creature I saw
paralyzed from shoulders TO feet
moved by rolling over and over. pro
pelling himself by pushing the ground
with his head. Scraps OF bread
thrown TO him he ate from the earth
like n dog. Only his head was alive
I was glad when the driver cried
"zenl" tready) and we rode away.
Nearing the Goal.
Nearing Kerbela we passed NOR,
and more donkeys. laden with the OBJ