The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-05-13
Visits Prophet
DonieI's Tomb
Continued from Page y

be a charm to ward off, Cod only
knows what. Constantly after you
with the well-known, "Buksheesh
johnny" We arrived at the local
garrison, where the Iranian soldiers,
all six of them, were drawn up III
proud array TO welcome us to Shu-
shan.
1t must have been a gala event to
them because the captain had on
his best trousers with only one
patch ON them. Then mutual ad-
miration act to the accompaniment
of a lot of grinning went on be-
tween our officer and him. They
were rapidly getting nowhere un-
til we found a Persian who could
speak French and one of our group
that was from New Orleans. So
between these two, all the arrange
.. ments were made for visit TO the
tomb of the Prophet Daniel.
While all this byplay was gong
on, our eyes were arrested by quite
an interesting sight on the other
| side of the street, which was
dead body draped over a garbage
dump. Naturally, we all gawkedi
at it. and wondered How Come
We were later told. that it was
the body of a thief that they had
caught stealing sheep and they have
the quaint habit here of leaving it
around for an object lesson to the
local hoodlums. The thought ran
across my mind instead, that they
were like old Pussy who brings
home a rat once in while to show
he is doing something beside visit
ing his Gal friend.
After these amenities were dis
posed of we went down a ratty
looking alley that had its usual lit
ter of filth and were abruptly at
the entrance to the small mosque
that is over the grave of the pro-
phet There of course was some
more haranguing, but we soon went
in and walked down corridor I'M
til we came TO a trap-door IN the
floor, which opened on staircase
very narrow, leading down to the
tomb. This was just an ordinary
White-Washed crypt with what
looked like an artistic packing box
covered by skinny velvet cloth
Win slS-poHltGQ Sldio III y. liz
were two tapers burning and they
gave quite an eerle light. There
wasn't much to see. The only thing
that entered my mind was just the
thought. Here I am in the presence
Of one of the greatest minds ane
prophets the world has ever known
In the book of Daniel, he relates
| how he dreamt he was here a
| Shushan and the Angel Gabrie
gave him his vision of the coming
| Messiah. In which he wrote tina
| he would be called Wonderful
Counceler, The Mighty God TIL
Prince Of Peacel'
| We then went up stairs, Wher'
we wanted to go in and see tn
mosque. They wanted US to tax
| off our shoes before we entered
| but passing around a little 'Buk
sheeshn took away some OF theI
| scruples and we went IN. IN
mosque consists of small room eli
rectlv under the dome Of the tomb
It consisted of an altar, with som,
lamps, enclosed by brass grill
On the floor were some beautiful
examples of Persian prayer rugs.
| In the foyer we noticed streak
| ell over the wall that looked hk
they were made by bloody fingers
| We asked about them. Here IS tn
| story. Pregnant women come her
| to pray for sons, and they buy sal
II from, make a paste with water am
/ make streaks with three fingers o.
| the wall to the accompaniment Q
| prayers that Allah and incidental.
| Allah will give them son.
II We then went outside 10 tax
| pictures, which have not yet bee
| developed. We then walked over !,
] the site Of the old city and ascend
ed steep hill to visit the museum