DAMASCUS, THE PEARL OF THE DESERT 



81 



TYPICAL SACRED SHRINE 



Scores such as this may be seen In and around the city of Damascus. They are much 



revered by the natives 



golden wreath placed there by the pres- 

 ent Kaiser during his visit to the city. 

 Great and deep offense was given to the 

 Damascenes because worked into the 

 wreath was a cross. The Mohammedans 

 petitioned Constantinople for its removal, 

 but the late Sultan ordered it to remain, 

 as it was put in place by the German 

 Emperor. 



To the religiously inclined the tomb of 

 Fatima, the only child and daughter of 

 Mohammed, is the most important in the 

 city, and is to be found among the thou- 

 sands of graves at the north end of the 

 long Meidan. It is inclosed by an iron 

 cage, and is the constant care of scores 

 of women. 



Beibars and his son, both great heroes 

 of the Saracen period, have their tombs 

 in Damascus, and are visited by thou- 

 sands of men yearly. In many of the 

 mausoleums of these worthies are stored 

 heaps of valuable manuscripts which, if 

 searched and translated, might add valu- 

 able information to the history of the 

 Orient. 



Damascus as a center for trade is 

 probably unequaled in the Turkish Em- 

 pire. From its forges all kinds of iron- 

 work are carried into Central Arabia ; 

 from its many looms clothing and cur- 

 tains of silk and cotton are transported 

 to all parts of Asia and Europe; from 

 its bazaars saddles, brass-work, and con- 

 fectionery are taken to Constantinople, 

 Bagdad, and the large cities of the East. 

 Its apricots are parboiled and then ex- 

 ported by the thousands of cans to 

 France, and from its silk-winding ma- 

 chines thousands of skeins find their way 

 to all parts of the civilized world. 



To its many merchants and skilled 

 workmen come by steam and camel-train 

 the raw products of the world — mother- 

 of-pearl from the Persian Gulf ; ebony, 

 mahogany, and precious woods from 

 India; spices from Yemen and Persia; 

 rugs and carpets from Armenia and 

 Mesopotamia ; leather from Europe ; 

 iron, brass, and steel from England ; 

 paper, cloth, cotton goods, and sundries 

 from Germany, and petroleum for light- 



