66

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THE STREET CALLED STRAIGHT."

nished with rude benches and stools. Here the wealthy and the voluptuous assemble in the afternoon, and sip their coffee and smoke their pipes, soothed by the incessant sound of the rushing waters. In the vicinity are groups of women, closely veiled, sitting on the margin of the stream, and gazing into the crystal floods, and near at hand parties of horsemen trying the mettle of their steeds and their own skill in throwing the djered, or flying spear. The coup d'œil is unique and inspiring.

There are no antiquities in this most ancient of inhabited cities. Nothing remains of Christian Damascus but the Cathedral of St. John; and the very few fine buildings that are seen, whether in good condition, as the principal khans, or in decay, as the castle and a vast palace of one of the caliphs, are of Saracenic architecture. "The street that is called Straight" is still there, but its houses, on which St. Paul opened his eyes when the scales fell from them, have long since perished, and with them the dwelling of Judas, in which Saul was converted.-(Acts, ix.) Not far distant is the reputed home of Ananias, who laid hands on St. Paul; but all that remains of it are two square rooms under ground, into which you descend by a flight of steps. One of them has been fitted up as a chapel, and the altar-piece exhibits Ananias standing by the side of Saul, who lies prostrate before him, clad in Roman

armour.

SCENE OF SAUL'S CONVERSION.

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CHAPTER VII.

DAMASCUS.

The Plain of Damascus.-Tradition of Paul's Escape by the Window.Scene of Saul's Conversion.-Security of Christian Travellers in Damascus.-Safety of all Europeans.-Sanctity of Damascus as a Moslem City. -Devotion.—Mr. Wood, the English Consul.-Table of Statistics.

WE mounted our horses to ride out of the city into the Ager Damascenus, where Saul of Tarsus was struck down by God. Passing through the gate of Jerusalem, I cast my eyes up to the top of the wall, and observed that houses were built upon it; and near one of them was a walled-up portal and window, through the latter of which Christian tradition says the apostle was let down in a basket when he escaped for his life (Acts); and according to Moslem tradition, the reign of Mohammedanism will cease whenever a Christian shall enter the city through the former. Hence it is strongly built up. A quarter of a mile from the gate, on the Jerusalem road, we came to a naked ridge of pudding stone, where the spot, is shown on which Saul "fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" It is as likely to be the true spot as any other, and Christians have long since consecrated it by the burial of their dead. Without the walls are seen groups of tents, with hundreds of camels standing near, or browsing in the vicinity. These are the fleets of Damascus, which bring her the goods of Persia, India, and Arabia, and take back, in return, the products of her own looms, and the manufactures of England and France.

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RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE IN DAMASCUS.

We traversed at will, sometimes on foot, sometimes on horseback, the streets of Damascus, one of the holy cities of the Moslems, and not only were not disturbed in any instance, but scarcely attracted the slightest attention. Ten years ago we should have been stopped at the gate, and made to dismount and walk, and even then have run the risk of being assaulted, perhaps beaten to death, if we had appeared in European dress. At that time the Christian nations had no consuls there; now they are not only represented, but the representatives are treated with the highest consideration; and all persons under their protection, or subjects of their respective sovereigns, are free from the laws of the country, exempt from taxation, and amenable only to their respective consulates. The servants of subjects of Christian powers have advantages and protection unknown to the native citizen. The head of a principal Turk may be struck off without cause, at any moment, at the command of the Pacha, while that of a black Indian street-porter is safe, because he is the subject of Queen Victoria. This great and sudden change with respect to Christians and their commerce was wrought by Mehemet Ali; and now that the five powers have driven him from Syria and restored it to the Porte, the Sultan is obliged to continue the same advantages to their subjects resident within the Empire. Thus the East is open to the enterprise, the principles, and the religion of the West.

I have already alluded to the sanctity of the city. In this respect it ranks next to Mecca and Medina, which must be owing to the beauty of its situation, and

* These remarks do not apply to native Christians of the Empire; yet their condition is improved, and the financial affairs of Turkey are chiefly in their hands. They are called rayahs.

1

EXEMPLARY DEVOTION OF THE TURKS.

69

the excellence of its climate and products, for Mohammed never beheld it, and it was not conquered until two years after his death. It contains the finest specimen of Moslem population in the world, both as it regards their personal appearance and their religious conduct. The people are of a beautiful olive complexion, somewhat lighter than the inhabitants of the south of France, of fine proportions, and noble bearing. Their dress is purely Oriental-the full, flowing robe of striped silk girded with rich sashes or shawls, the yellow shoes or boots, and the full turban. Their devotion is exemplary. You may often see them at noon performing religious duties in their shops in view of the crowded bazar; and on Friday, when the muezzins call from the minarets, God is great! they drop a curtain over their goods, and crowd to the mosques by thousands. The Frank experiences an impression of surprise and delight, not unmingled with religious emotion, when he first hears from three hundred lofty minarets the shrill voices of as many muezzins calling aloud, There is no God but God! to prayer: lo! God is great! partieularly in the dead of night, or at morning dawn, when the city is just awaking, and thus has its first thoughts directed towards God.

Having a letter from the Rev. Mr. Thompson, at Beyrout, to Mr. Wood, the English consul, I called on him, and was received in the saloon of his magnificent residence already described. He was dressed in truly Oriental style, and on each side of him sat some distinguished Damascenes. He received me with frankness. and courtesy, and after the departure of his visiters I had much interesting conversation with him concerning the population of the city and its religious sects. He kindly permitted me to copy the following table of sta

70

EXPLANATION OF THE OPPOSITE TABLE.

tistics which he had just completed for his government. It gives, from the most authentic sources, not only the statistics of Damascus, but of the Pachalic also. The population of the city is only 111,552, which is very much below the current estimates. "Roman" and "Catholic" in the table are used to express that portion of the Christian population which acknowledges the supremacy of the Pope, and are in communion with Rome; "orthodox," the remainder, except the "Syrians," who are of the Jacobite Church of Mesopotamia.