Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1921-11-16
prepared by the National Geographic sc
clety. washington. y c.

tHrepared hN the National Geographic 10
ciety, Washington, u. c.
When France obtained the mandate
for Syria after the World war. she
fell heir To what i reputed to be- the
oldest "llving' city In the world
Damascus. Nearly 400 years ago the
writer of Genesis mentioned this old
city, and spoke of II as II place Of
note. II existed when the Pharaohs
ruled over Egypt; II probably saw
Babylon rise, and certainly II saw that
proud city fall. And II has lived rs
other world-famOus places about II
have passed into Oblivion or lost their
glory Memphis, Thebes, Nineveh
Sardis, Tyre, Sidon, Jerusalem, Susa,
Ephesus-a long procession of mighty
cities.
Situated nj the head OF Arabia. near
the east end of the Mediterranean and
on the land route between Egypt and
the rest Of Africa ON one hand. and
Asia and Europe on the other, bamns-
Gus occupied a position In which IL
could not avoid Importance. With the
establishment Of Mohammcdanism. 1t
assembling point for the final long
crossing of the desert sands tn holy
Mecca. And when IL is added that the
city s encompassed 10y fertile plain
through which flows an abundance of
water. It's early consequence, Its viril.
ity aud It's long life can easily be un-
derStood II is set In the oasis of
oases. grove more than 40 miles In
, circuit Of nut and fruit trees In
tcrspersed with gardens Of vegetables.
No wonder the Bedouins from the
sandy stretches Of Arabia and Syria
called Il "the pearl Of the desert :"
In recent times Damascus was the
second city in Turkey being surpassed
In size and importance only by Con
stnntinople. Now Aleppo, also In old
Turkish territory. and since the war,
part, too. Of French Syria, has about
ovcrtaken Damascus I'm size. But
Damascus hoary traditions will long
give It first place In the hearts of
the East
Fascination OF Its Streets.
Damascus Is the rendezvous of peo-
| pies from all parts Of the Moham-
mcdan world. One cannot be long on
! Its streets without being Interested
| IN the motley crowd of humanity that
swarm through them. and. In spite
| of creed and nationality. manage 10
/ keep sweet tempered The urban Da-
| mascene ruhs against the swarthy,
! sun-burnt son Of the desert without
! even word of Scurn or anger; the
/ Mohnmmednn shoulders the jew as II
| they were brothers In the faith; the
/ spotless visitor from the Occldent
| joslles the not-any-too-clean peasant
/ from the surrounding villages while
/ perslans Moors, Afghans, Indians,
| Egyptians. Sudanese, and others from
many purts Of the globe hurry along,
[ nil intent on something Of Importance
| that has brought them 10 this me.
| tropolls OF the Orient.
ON the streets are to lie seen ven
ders of almost everything under the
sun, especially IN the way of eatableS,
and. 20 those who are familiar with
the value of the goods offered for sale,
the words of the native visitor are
plain when he informs you that in
Damascus you can sup or breakfast
for nothing" because OF the little cost
of food.
On the same street within few
yards OF each other, may be seen the
vender Of cucumbers with his wares
fresh from the garden, exposed on a
donkey's back twhen the load was
sold In pre-war days. II brought be
tween 90 and 30 cents) the bread
seller with his warm cakes Of bread
on q tray resting on a stand ready to
supply the hungry with u good-sized
loaf for cent, and the vender Of
milk. who for another cent will give
you n large basin Of sweetened milk
In which to soak your loaf. At diver
ent seasons you may fare well at
little cost OF melons, grapes. april
cots. pluns. peaches, apples. oranges,
figs. etc. all the products OF the gar
dens and orchards around the city.
Al Due to the River 0arada.
But some will ask whence comes all
this abundance. for In no other part
Of Syria or Palestine II there such q
profusi0n Of fruit and vegetables At
such low prices. The cause ID the