DAMASCUS, THE PEARL OF THE DESERT 



79 



The local tradition says that after the 

 execution of the Messiah's forerunner 

 his head was sent to Damascus, then the 

 capital of the district over which Herod 

 had jurisdiction, so that his superior offi- 

 cer might see that the deed had really 

 been done and one supposed inciter to 

 rebellion disposed of. When the Saracen 

 conqueror Khalid captured Damascus 

 and was searching the church for treas- 

 ure, he came across this revered relic 

 and caused it to be interred and covered 

 by a fine structure, which has been care- 

 fully preserved ever since. The dome of 

 this monument is covered with green, the 

 religious color of the Mohammedans, 

 surmounted with the star and crescent. 

 The sides, which are cagelike in appear- 

 ance, are of brass rods and filagree-work 

 of very exquisite design. The fact of 

 this shrine being in the mosque accounts 

 for the laxity regarding the entrance of 

 Christians as compared with mosques in 

 other Mohammedan cities. 



In the south wall of the building are 

 two exquisite pieces of modern mosaic- 

 work of which the Damascenes are justly 

 proud. 



These form prayer niches toward 

 which the faithful turn when engaging 

 in their devotions, as they face toward 

 Mecca, their holy city. The niches, which 

 are about 10 feet high, are made up of 

 hundreds of tiny pieces of colored mar- 

 ble, glass, granite, and other stones gath- 

 ered from all parts of Europe and Asia, 

 and are the work of men resident in the 

 city. Every one of the tiny columns 

 seen in the work is delicately carved and 

 must have required infinite patience and 

 ingenuity. 



Both niches are the gifts of rich Mos- 

 lems as thank-offerings to God for a safe 

 return from the long and trying pilgrim- 

 age to Mecca, some 800 miles distant 

 across the Arabian desert. 



West of these modern mosaics is 

 another fine piece of work in the shape 

 of a massive pulpit worked and carved 

 entirely in white marble, brought from 

 the quarries of Italy but worked in Da- 

 mascus. 



From this pulpit the weekly sermon 



is preached to the crowds who have 

 gathered for the Friday service, that day 

 being equivalent to the Western Sunday. 

 This delicately wrought piece of filagree- 

 work in marble is also a gift to the 

 mosque in return for blessings received. 



A visit to the mosque is usually con- 

 cluded by ascending the minaret on the 

 southwest side of the building, the only 

 one that survived the fire already re- 

 ferred to. The minaret is of pure Ara- 

 bian workmanship and is a wonder of 

 skill and design. In shape it is octago- 

 nal, and has three galleries, one above the 

 other, tapering toward the top and end- 

 ing with a ball surmounted with the 

 crescent. Unlike the other two minarets, 

 this one is built of different-colored 

 stones, which from a distance give it a 

 very pleasing appearance. 



From the gallery a magnificent view 

 of the city is to be had. The main ba- 

 zaars and streets are prominent because 

 of the semicircular roofs over them ; the 

 many tiny domes with glass windows 

 locate the numerous Turkish baths of 

 the city, which are well patronized by 

 the inhabitants ; the well-preserved Cru- 

 sading castle in the center of Damascus 

 denotes the military headquarters of the 

 troops, while the spots of green inter- 

 spersed about the city tell of many a 

 shady courtyard, fragrant with flowers 

 and trees, continually watered from the 

 fountain that plays in its midst. 



Beyond the city may be seen barren- 

 ness, fertility, mountain, and plain, while 

 the many-miled circle of green that en- 

 compasses the town is a sight never to be 

 forgotten. It is not to be wandered at 

 that the Damascenes are proud of their 

 city and think there is no other like it, 

 and well they may, for its equal has yet 

 to be found. 



Damascus is a city of sacred shrines, 

 for many worthy and brave men have 

 been interred there. From a military 

 point of view the tomb of Saladin, the 

 great hero of the Saracens, is the most 

 important in the city. It is to be found 

 in a small mausoleum attached to the 

 great mosque. A glass case at the head 

 of the marble sarcophagus contains a 



