Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1921-11-16

abundant water supply provided by
the ever flowing and lifc-producing rlv-
or Bnrnda. the ALBANIA Of the Bible.
Rising some miles northwest of the
city. the river Is conducted To all parts
uf Damascus through thousands of
channels. II Is also tapped to irri-
gate the gardens, orchards, and fields
outside the city that are constantly
under cultivation TO supply the needs
| Of the inhabitants.
There are many pleasant spots by
the rivers side, whittier the Da-
mnscenes resort after the work and
business of the day TO pass an hour
over the coffee cup or the ever-accept-
able water pipe as they talk over the
news of the day or the doings Of the
outer world ny revealed to them
| through the Arabic or Turkish papers.
Would you investigate closer some
OF the most primitive and interesting
dolngs of the Damasccne. turn aside
To the place where the famous Damas-
Gus curtains are made. and there In
semidarkness you viii lind dozens OF
lads and men engaged In weaving
these requisites of the home on the
most primitive Of looms and yet they
are able tu produce an article that
will compete with anything from tho
most complete and up-to-date factory
In Europe
! or. would you see how thousands
| Of bushels of lour and measures Of
oil are produced, you have only to turn
aside into one of the many mills TO
see that instead of steam the patient
camel is used to turn the mill whose
stones crush the grain or brulse the
berries or seeds from which different
oils are extracted. Some will say,
primitive, indeed; but the Dnmas.
Genes reply would be that II Is ef-
fective and inexpensive; and, where
time Is Of little object, these are i'm.
pOrtnnt Items.
Views From a Minaret
But the sights of Damascus are no2
all ON the streets. For good view
Of the city itself one must get the ia.
vor of II minnret keeper, ana have his
permission To climb to the gallery Of
the mnnret and from there look out
over the roofs, courts, towers, and
streets of the city below. BE II said
to the credit of the Damascene that.
although he Is II faithful follower Of
the dessert prophet the fanatlclsm
50 often exhibited 10y Mohnmmeduns
Is absent In him.
An interesting outlook of the cl'y Is
obtained from II minuret near the west
cud of the street called Straight"
From this position one Immediately
appreciates how well that nncien,
thUrouGhfare deserves It's name, tor
1t runs In u direct line across the
city from west Ia east for about one
and II half miles. This street, which
Is rooted In. stlll bears the same name
as In the days of the Apostle Paul.
The principal attraction of the city
is the great mosque, which Is located
In the heart of the busy capital and
can only be reached through one OF
It's many pOpulOus streets This spa.
clous resort for worship was rebuilt.
early In the Twentieth century. the
funds being contributed from all parts
of the MOslcm world, for In 1893 the
edlfce had been almost entirely de.
str)yed by fire.
The mosque has had varied ex.
perience, being at one time heather
temple, then "A Christian church, then
held Jointly by the MOhanmedans and
Christians ana used as church and
mosque AT the same time but since
the Eighth century the Mohammednns
have had the sole use of Il for their
own purposes.
In the mosque is the reputed tomb
OF John the Baptist's head, a shrine
respected alike by Mohammedans and
Christians. The local tradition snys
that after the execution OF the Mes.
siah's forerunner his head was sent
to Damascus, then the capital of the
district over which Herod had juris.
diction. so that his superior officer
might see that the deed had really
been done and one supposed lnciter to
rebellion disposed Of. When the Sar-
acen conqueror Khslid captured Da.
mascus and was searching the church
for treasure, he came across this
revered relic and caused II to be In.
TERED and covered by q fine structure.