Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-08-07

region out HUE huOWH W
Americans. Each season scores
of "trippers' get as far as
Damascus, touch at s%corching Aden's
sandswept coast, or scurry by train
across upper India or the beaten path
around the world" They swarm
into Constantinople, too, and overflow
down the shores of the Mediterranean,
seeking the levantine delights of
Smyrna, Beirut and holy Jerusalem.
But Bagdad, Babylon and historic
Ninevah-in fact the whole of Turkish
Arabia and most of Persia-is still
terra incognita to even the most hard
ened globe-trotters. Few travellers.
indeed, aside from those who are
forced by duty to make the arduous
trip, ever penetrate this isolate though
interesting region.
Shut off from the outside world by
burning deserts and the hostile Per
sian gulf the middle East-the birth
place of nations-refiects to this day
the simple, primitive life of centuries
ago, uninfiuenced by modern men.
About Bagdad the desert Arabs live
as in Abraham's nomad age, observ-
ing the same rites and customs de-
scribed in the Old Testament.
Now the average American knows
In a general way that Mesopotamia-
Persia and Afghanistan are some
where off in the scrambled geography
of southern Asia. But let him be sud
denly told to proceed, say to Bagdad,
Heheran or Kabul-and he probably
wouldn't know just which way to
start. 1t was so with me-when ]
was ordered to Bagdad, writes Fred.
erick Simpich in Los Angeles Times
On the Map.
It took the tourist agency almost a
week to route" me. The ticket ven
der at the desk-so often an omnis.
cient person goaded to sullen silence
by myriads of fatuous questions, hon
estly admitted his ignorance when
named my destination.
"Ehere is Bagdad?" he pleaded, in
a voice that spoke his shame.
/ proudly showed him, on the map
but / did moi tell him how. long / had
hunted for it myself-locked in my
room with an atlas of the world! Be
tween us we discovered that freight
for Bagdad and Persia is sent through
the Suez-mostly via Bombay-and
then across the Persian gulf and uI
the winding Tigris.
So 1t was my ticket read via Ma
pies, Alden, Colombo, Bombay, Maskat
Bassorah, etc. But to the very last
the agent was dubious. He was loatt
to admit that Bagdad was really 6
town, and o a cigarette, a dead hero
or a strange disease. His last words
were, IF you aver get there, let me
know!"
At Naples the company's agent ex
changed my ticket for another-biggel
than the flrst-a sort of poster effecI
printed in four languages, and or
which Bagdad was spelled with an n
In the middle. And by the time the
Lutzow had slipped through the Suez
and over Pharaoh's bones in the Rex
Bea and down past "Old Alden, bumped
above" I was a marked man on board
I was known as that man who Il
going to Bagdad."
At Colombo a Portuguese sailor go
a glimpse of my trunk, with "Bagdad'
painted on its end. He crossed himsel
nervously, and hurried into a drink
ing place run by a Malay. Later, a
the Gale Face hotel, a Singalese mai
CARRIED In woman's clothes, selling In
dian sapphires made in Paris, told m,
his brother had saved rupees II year.
that he might visit Bagdad. He hat
changed his mind at last, however
and bought a moving picture show.
Here in Colombo, Bagdad seemet
fully as far away as 1t had in New
York. But | owned a ticket-whicl
said | might ride all the way-an,
three days out OF Colombo l landed il
reeking, mildewed Bombay, the mar
~ket-place Of the East.
| was glad when the red-face,
seIark'' Of the British-india Steamship
eompany's office cautiously admitted
with frugal use OF words, that a steam
sr would sail up the gulf" next morn
ing. From the reluctant way he lie
The information slip, | felt that l mus
he robbing the firm of an importan
secret. The clerk was not sure q
what hour the Kola would sail;
kould find out at the dock-"Really
kou know, you Americans are deuce'
houisitive!" Finally I coaxed him +
he counter and induced him to sci
ne q ticket.
ON the Kola's unsecured dack