Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-08-07

region but little, known 10
Americans. Each season scores
Of "trippers" get a. far as
Damascus. touch at BcoTching Adens
coast, or scurry by train
across upper India on 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 of 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, uninfluenced 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 on 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 80 with me-when
was ordered to Bagdad, writes Fred
erick Simpich in Los Angeles Times.
On the Map.
It took the tourist agency almost
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.
"rhere is Bagdad?' he pleaded. in
voice that spoke his shame.
proudly showed him, on the map
but / did not 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-ant
then across the Persian gulf and VI
the winding Tigris.
So it was my ticket read via Ma
pies, Alden, Colombo, Bombay, Maskat
Bassorah, etc. But to the very las
the agent was dubious. He was loatl
to admit that Bagdad was really |
town, and not a cigarette, dead hero
or a strange disease. His last word
we're, III you ever get there. let NJ
know"
At Naples the company's agent "a
changed my ticket for another-bigge
than the flrst-a sort Of poster enoc
printed in four languages. and o.
which Bagdad was spelled with an n
In the middle. And by the time tn
Lutsox had slipped through the Suei
and over Pharaoh's bones in the Re
sea and down past "Old Alden. humpe
above" was . marked man on boart
I vas known a. that man who
going to Bagdad."
At Colombo q Portuguese sailor &
a glimpse of my trunk, with "Bagdad
PAINTED on its end. He crossed himse
, nervously, and hurried into drinl
Ing place run by Malay. Later, Z
. the Gale Face hotel, Singalese ma
|. Rarbed in woman's clothes, selling Il
I dian sapphires made in Paris, told N
his brother had saved rupees II year
that he might visit Bagdad. He ha
changed his mind at last, howeve
and bought a moving picture show.
Here in Colombo. Bagdad SCENE
T. fully a. far away as it had In Ne
York, But l owned q ticket-whic
|. said / might ride all the way-au
| three days out of Colombo l landed
I teeking, widowed Bombay, the ma
) ket-place OF the East.
was glad when the red.face
clark" of the British-India Steamsh
eompany's ONCE cautiously admitte
q with frugal use Of words. that stear
kr would sail up the gulf" next NOR
!" ing. From the reluctant way he /
, the information slip. felt that mu
4 Be robbing the firm of an importal
pecret The clerk was not sure
what hour the Kola would sail;
kould find out at the dock-"Reall
, tou know, you Americans are deuc,
huuisitive!" Finally | coaxed him
4 Me counter and induced him to u
= he ticket.