Idaho County free press., 1922-03-23

fleeing of pilgrims, and the CORR.
tion of the late Turkish governmaD,
The post Office at Mecca ma.
Turkish regime, was certainly unIor'
Sacks of letters were thrown ont iD,
the narrow street leading to the M.
office, and there sorted by tbe Dr|
grims themselves, who opened tb..
and took their letters and thoso n
their friends also. A similar svusr
prevailed at Medina, Yenbo and n
dab, King Husein of Heiaz hos
ever, has taken steps to join che luta,
national Postal Union, and has b,,|
stamps printed in Egypt bearing M
Inscription "Heiaz Post"
Foreigners Handle Its Commerc.
The commerce of Mecca is entIra,
In the hands of foreigners, mostly n
dians, who sell rosaries, carpets and
silk stuffs. One of the main occum.
tions of the silversmiths is the mann
facture of rings, which are supposs
to be constructed from silver thu
was once part of the sacred tenn,
doors, and are reputed to be an ers
tive remedy for certain ills. Most N
the natives, however, earn their lr
Ing as guides to the pilgrims and
grow wealthy during the season.
Sacred Mosque and Ka'aba
The sacred mosque, Mesjid Ell H.
ram with the Ka'aba as its center
is located in the middle of the cib.
Mecca lies in q hot, sandy valley, st |
solutely without verdure and surround
ed by rocky, barren hills, destitute d|
trees or even shrubs. The valley ID
about 300 feet wide, and 1900 fesI
long, and slopes toward the souAI
The Ka'aba, or House of God Bet|
Allah), is located in the bed of The
valley. All the streets slope toward ID |
and it stands, as it were, in the pit |
of a the; er.
The Ka aba proper stands in an Oh
long spa 250 PAGES long and s0
broasl, grounded by cOlOnnades
which are used as schools and as
general meeting place for pilgrims
The outer inclosure has 10 gates and
SIX minarets; within the inclOsure 4
The well of Zem Zem, the great pulpit
he staircase used to enter the Kaaa
ioor, which Is high above the ground
md two small mosques called E Kr
,attain. The remainder of the space
S occupied by pavements and gsv
i, where prayers are said by the fOui
orthodox sects, each having its own
llotted space.
In the southeast corner of the
la'aba, about five feet from the
round, is the famous Black Stone
he Oldest treasure of Mecca. line
tone is fragment resembling blaA
rock, sprinkled with reddish
rystals.
Arriving within a short distance o
Iecca, orthodox pilgrims, male ano
emale, put off their ordinary clonns
nd assume the. hiram, which conslss
f two pieces of white cloth, one
ed around the lOins and the olne'
lrown over the back. Sandals MA,
e worn, but not shoes, and the neau
lust be uncovered. After certain
buttons the pilgrim enters u' 4
osque, kisses the Black Stone, anu
ms around the .Ka'aba seven tlnles
fter special prayers he proceeus
e place of Abraham, then drinks HUI
e holy well, and once more klsse'
e Black Stone. After this follows
e race between the two hills, o"'
Id Mirwa.
Little books of ritual prayers 10
ed by the pilgrims are sold 10 e
yone, and there il great punctinou'
SIS in observing every detail corre,,
On the seventh day of the p
image there is sermon from ~
and pulpit. On the eighth day ,'' ~"
grim goes to Nina, three miles ",
ut from Mecca, and spends the nitA'
Ie next morning he leaves for As
/, another hill short distance liv~
,cca, and the following day Is =,
Eat day Of sacrifice, simultaneo,ass
served throughout the whole M ~.
n world. Early in the mornins
grims go TO Nina, where tney e
zee pillars, called the Great d.
, Middle Pillar, and the flrsl oJ
re each pilgrim filings seven ~, snd
s to show his hatred of Satan %
love of God. He then periV',
sacrifice of sheep, goat or ca'I ha
ordlng to his means, the victlin ~ ~
placed toward the Ka'aba anu ~
fe plunged into the animals '"r mi,
h the cry "Allahu Akbar' .aes
emony concludes the pllgliiDIhI, II,
per and the pilgrim then besln'
rney back home.