New Britain herald., 1925-02-17
BAGDAD STILL IS
 CITY OF WONDERS
Situated in Picturesque Section
 Of the Old World

Washington. D. C., Feb. 17.-out of Bagdad a thousand years ago, came the Thousand and One Nights.
 Out of Bagdad via the American consulate, comes a report based on observations of Sir Arnold Wilson along the Oman and Persian Cuffs, These, says a bulletin from the Ma tional Geographic society, show that amid the dawn of oil concessions the color Is still there
 "The very names have the tlnkle bells-Oman and Bahrein, Maskat, Bandar and Bushire-and the places bear out the exotic promise" says ths bulletin.
 "Maskat. half way up the Oman coast, is one of the most picturesque harbors In all the world. The town lies crammed into a narrow valley at the foot of volcanic crags. The harbor is lake of deep blue, the houses stand on the very verge of the water, and ruined Portuguese forts crown the heights that com- mand 1t on either side. A gap in the rocks renders life insupportable during the appalling heat of the summer months, when the suns rays, reflected from the glowing rocks, scorch like an oven.
 An Arab Weather Report
 "And If you pick up an Arab Gravel writer's account of this heat you read:
 "'The heat was so intense that 1t burned the marrow in the bones; the sword in its scabbard melted like wax, and the gems which adorned the handles of the dagger were reduced to coal. In the plains the chase became matter Of per feet ease, for the desert was hlled with roasted gazelles.'
 Solomon's Second Coming
 "And if one asks an explanation of natural phenomenon he real izes that the imagination which con- oeiyed All Baba still lives in stories such as this:
 ".solomon was once in the Per dap gulf in a rowing-boat; he dap- bled his hand In the water, as lanos- men will, and dropped his signet ring. A. porpoise was at hand. "porpoise, find my ring salo Solomon. o,5 the purpoise, and commenceo '0 dive.
 After g time he came to the sur .,os "so,omon," he said, T cant find It."
 Look again" said Solomon.
 The porpoise dived atresh' anu again reported failure.
 "Look again" said Solomon.
 Again the porpoise came into the surface. ood "solomon," he said, "it Is no gooo' rcan't find it." Solomon was wrotn, !, "Go on looking till you ind It, he said, and now, whenever a DOT s.~A sees a boat, he approaches II"
 .ssantly because he thinks
 nav be on board. when
 boat in Slgnt He OooS
 the ring, because he IS lazy, nke a human being
 Gulf Displays F4reWorks
 GSJsture adds bizarre touches o- her own, The Persian gulf IS laiii- ous for displays of phosphorescence hv night. The writer tells Of a nlsn' when all round his vessel the sea g,owed with pale blue light; the rtpples thrown out on either sue D came diverging streams or laiilpons aomes. the crest of every "aEo gIowed as though the sea was allre' orosnd the bows porpoises, played Ill obesity brilliance; the wake sho"H with a, light that made the "o0N Is for sale. where "Rushire Is a port-a port "hele . large ship may have to anchor slN miles off shore unless the tldeS el .hIo if to ride to the inner anchoI- age, three miles nearer. The cl.y IS virtually an island, separated Iron, Nh. mainland by nine miles Of muo a.t. often impossible even OS .-EE rples. In the inner harpor' GIulHe st anchor. is the Persepolis' an an s,ent German cruiser, the sole rep D. ra.ertative of the Persian navy IL . flor sale. n.os
 sNear Bandar Abbas is OrlnuH ,nce the Bombay of South Persla, today almost deserted. It has no fresh water save what the frulIl u. s clouds weep over her. in sorro" t o. her desolation, late so populous put it gives the traveller pause TOT lhTti. T. ory of its high adventures. r+ tnt British and the Portuguese loue l-' there for mastery of the eastern seas: there the discoverer of Bahln 5 bay met death. ,. "'Master Baffin went on shore