Pueblo chieftain., 1922-03-12

on the "Mespot'' railway for Bal glad
The compn rtment car contained two
leather covered long seats md two
other leather beds that arc let down
for sleeping and being on hinges can
be raised up out of the way In daytime.
Tho car also had electric fans. electric
lights and n dressing room in which
was n bath tub. besides washing and
toilet convenience NOT bad for n
Desert land.
This road was bull, as war mea-
sure. We covered tho s55 miles from
Rusrah TO Bagdad In 90 hours. stop
ping a long timc Mt stations. Is Il
seemed TO mo TO let tho Mohammcda MS
pray.
wc stopped at anc!cn. Ur for break
fast. II Is on n desert plain. but n
mound ahou: 4 miles to tho north wcs,
showed some burned brick walls.
on tho steamer and on tho Same car.
but IN another compartment. wo had
an Indian near Prince next in sue
cession) whose rctinue was 90 people.
beside tho goats for milk and tho sheep
for slaughter. He was "A huge man
who waddl.d as he walked, wore pur-
pie. fine linen and ombroidcrics. and
In lieu OF shaving had his whiskcrs
pulled out with twcczcrs. n special
man for the job. He had four wives
and wo were not allowed to even look
ricd I'm palauquins from auto to cabin
and cabin TO auto and all four in n
twc-bcrth cabin while he slept in his
own royal bcdstcad on deck. bu. on
tho train he. his four covered wives.
four or fivc other women. three chill
drcn. enough bedding, pots. pans. jars
and other traps to load van besides
his hugo bcdstcad. all camo out of his
compartment. lIo was on his pilgrim
age TO kcrbclla, one Of the mos. sacred
shrines
CITY OF ARABIAN NIGHTS
We arrived In BaEdad I'm the early
morning and in an awful dust storm.
The most prominent object thru the
twilight and dust was Iocbaids Tomb
she of tho Arabian Nights. We
crossed tho Maudc bridge OF % steel
boats. anchored TO buoys in the stream.
which is opened twice day for river
traffic. The banks at present are
about forty feet high. nearly pcrpcn-
dicular and only partially protected.
The river craft are tho Railum. the
Mahclah and tho kufa. and tho stream
is alive with them even in tho early
morning
And now 7 nm in tho magic dream
city and must avoid All Baba and the
forty thieves and try to find Aladdin's
Lamp. I was n bit disappointed when
tho carriage turned into fairly wide
street. busy with autos. auto trucks.
wagons and phaetons with here and
there a camel and few donkcys and
mon with awful loads OF lumber. poles.
brush and all manner OF furniture
and furnishings. This Is New Street.
made by tho Turks at tho beginning Of
the war I, was cut thru buildings.
many of which show the bare walls
as left still standing. 1t is almost
parallel to the river tho not straight.
| knew this was not Bagdad of Zoe
bald. nor of my dreams. so I went ex-
ploring aud soon found II the covered
way OF tho bazsars the piles of goods
and wares. the silver and gold smiths.
tho shoe fnat~r, the tailor, the saddlcr,
the copper and brass worker. the piles
OF carpets and crowding, pushing.
wrigglng. bad smelling professions
going and coming in one sardine like
mass-and this was rnv RagdHd.
PROHIBITION NOT POPULAR
The city has about 10000 people.
one third of whom are said to be Jews.
but I did not meet many of them. but
met Abdul Mohammed Mullnh every
where, on the streets. in the lanes. ha-
saars coffee houses. on tho roadside.
sitting on the streets IN tho dirt. in
rags or dressed in choice gold and cm-
hruidcriCs. Ite seems To he ubiquitous