The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1922-03-29

abundant water supply provided by
er Barada, the ALBANIA Of the Bible.
Rising some miles northwest Of the
city. the river is conducted to all parts
of Damascus through thousands Of
channels. It is also tapped to irri-
gnte 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-
mascenes resort after the work and
business Of the day to pass an hour
over the coffee cup or the ever-accept-
able water pipe rs they talk over the
news Of the day or the doings Of the
outer world as revealed to them
through the Arabic or Turkish papers.
Would you investigate closer some
of the most primitive and interesting
doings of the Damascene, turn aside
to the place where the famous Dumas
Gus curtains are made. and there in
semidarkness you will dnd dozens Of
lads and men engaged In weaving
these requisites Of the home on the
most primitive Of looms. and yet they
are able to produce an article that
will compete with anything from the
most complete and up-to-date factory
In Europe.
Or. would you see how thousands
of bushels Of -four 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 bruise the
berries or seeds from which different
oils are extracted. Some will say,
primitive, indeed: but the Damas-
Genes reply would be that 1t Is eff
fective and inexpensive; and. where
time is Of little object, these are i'm
portant items.
Views From 4 Mlnarst.
But the sights Of Damascus are not
all on the streets. For a good view
of the city itself one must get the ia.
vor of a minaret keeper, and have his
permission to climb to the gallery Of
the minaret and from there look out
over the roofs, courts, towers, and
streets of the city below. Be IT. said
to the credit Of the Damascene that,
although ne is a faithful follower Of
the desert prophet" the fanaticism
SO often exhibited by Mohammedans
is absent In him.
An interesting outlook Of the city ia
obtained from minaret near the west
end OF "the street called Straight"
From this position one Immediately
appreciates how well that ancien.
thoroughfare deserves its name, for
1t runs In direct line across the
city from west to east for about one
is rooted in. still 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
Gun only be reached through one OF
its many populous streets. This spa.
cious resort for worship was rebuilt.
early in the Twentieth century, the
funds being contributed from all parts
of the Moslem world, for In 1898 the
edifice had been almost entirely de.
stroyed by fire.
The mosque has had a varied ex-
perience, being at one time heather
temple. then a Christian church, then
held Jointly by the Mohammedans and
Christians and used as church and
mosque at the same time; but since
the Eighth century the Mohammedans
have had the sole use of 1t for their
own purposes.
In the mosque Is the reputed tomb
of John the Baptist's head, shrine
respected alike by Mohammedans and
Christians. The local tradition says
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 jurls-
dlction. so that his superior officer
might see that the deed had really
been done and one supposed inciter to
rebellion disposed Of When the Sar-
aeon conqueror Khalid captured Da-
mascus and was searching the church
for treasure, he came across this
revered relic and caused 1t to be in
tered and covered by fine structure.