The Raymer enterprise., 1922-05-11

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{Prsparsd By the National Geographic %.
eissy. washington. .. CT
When France obtained the mandate
for Syria after the World war. she
fell heir to what u reputed to be the
Oldest Giving" city In the world
Damascus. Nearly 1000 years ago the
writer Of Genesis mentioned this old
city, and spoke Of It rs place Of
note. II existed when the Pharaohs
ruled over Egypt; It probably saw
Babylon rise. and certainly II saw that
proud city fall. And II has lived al
other world-famous places about Il
have passed into oblivion or lost theiq
glory: Memphis. Thebes, Ninevehl
Sardis Tyre, Eidon, jerusalem, Susa,
Ephesus-a long procession Of mighty
citles.
Situated at 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, Damas-
Gus occupied a position In which It
could not avoid importance. With the
establishment Of Mohammedanisn, II
took on increased importance as the
assembling point for the final long
crossing Of the desert sands to holy
Mecca. And when II is added that the
city Is encompassed by fertile plain
through which flows IN abundance Of
water. its early consequence, its viril.
ity and Its long life can easily be un-
derstood. 1t ID set in the oasis Of
oases, q grove more than 30 miles In
circuit Of nut and fruit trees in.
terspersed with gardens Of vegetables.
No wonder the Bsdouins, from the
sandy stretches Of Arabia and Syria
called It "the pearl Of the desert I"
In recent times Damascus was the
second city in Turkey. being surpassed
10 size and Importance only by Con-
stanttnople. Now Aleppo. also In old
Turkish territory, and since the war. a
part. too. Of French Syria. has about
overtaken Damascus in size. But
Damsscus' hoary traditions will long
give II hrst place In the hearts OF
the East.
Fascination ef IL Streets.
Damascus % the rendezvous Of peo-
Piles from all parts Of the Moham-
medan 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 to
keep sweet. tempered. The urban Da-
nlascene rubs against the swarthy,
sun-burnt son Of the desert without
even word Of scorn or anger; the
Mohammedan shoulders the Jew as II
they were brothers 10 the faith; the
spotless visitor from the Occldent
jcstles the not-any-too-clean peasant
from the surrounding villages. while
i'ersians, M0ors. Afghans, Indians,
Egyptians. Sudanese. and others from
,i.aiiy parts OF lhe globe hurry along.
all intent on something Of Importance
lint has brought them to this me-
trOpolis Of the Orient.
On the streets are to be seen ven-
ders Of almost everything under the
sun, especially In the way Of eatables,
ind, 70 illpse who are familiar with
the value Of the goods offered for sale,
he wards 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
u food.
On the same street, within q few
cards Of egch other. may be seen the
.eLJer Of cucumhers with his wares
fresh from the garden, exposed on a
lonkey's back (when the load was
old In. pre-war days. II brought be-
cen 20 and 50 cents) the bread
seller with his warm cakes Of bread
II tray resting on stand ready to
supply the hungry with good-sized
Ioaf for . cent. and the yender Of
..i'k. who for another cent will give
you Z large basin of swee.ened milk
u which tois0ak yogr loaf AT differ.
cnt seasons ,Dorf my fare well at
itiIe cost on melons, grapes, april
cots. plums, .peaches. apples, oranges.
figs, etc. all the products Of the gar-
dens and orchards around the city.
Al pus y The nivsr oarada.
But some win ask whence comes al
this abundance, for In no other part
of Syria or Palestine ID there such d
profuston Of fruit and vegetables d
such low prices. The cause y ~
-