Far Off; Or, Asia and Australia Described: With Anecdotes and IllustrationsMortimer, Favell Lee
Religion
Far Off; Or, Asia and Australia Described: With Anecdotes and Illustrations
Mortimer, Favell Lee
Asia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Description and travel
I will now give an account of a visit a stranger paid to a rich man in
Damascus. He went through dull and narrow streets, with no windows
looking into the streets. He stopped before a low door, and was shown
into a large court behind the house. There was a fountain in the midst of
the court, and flower-pots all round. The visitor was then led into a
room with a marble floor, but with no furniture except scarlet cushions.
To refresh him after his journey, he was taken to the bath. There a man
covered him with a lather of soap and water, then dashed a quantity of
hot water over him, and then rubbed him till he was quite dry and warm.
When he came out of the bath, two servants brought him some sherbet. It
is a cooling drink made of lemon-juice and grape-juice mixed with water.
The master of the house received the stranger very politely: he not only
shook hands with him, but afterwards he kissed his own hand, as a mark of
respect to his guest. The servants often kissed the visitor's hand.
The dinner lasted a long while, for only one dish was brought up at a
time. Of course there were no ladies at the dinner, for in Mahomedan
countries they are always hidden. There were two lads there, who were
nephews to the master of the house; and the visitor was much surprised to
observe that they did not sit down to dinner with the company; but that
they stood near their uncle, directing the servants what to bring him;
and now and then presenting a cup of wine to him, or his guests. But it
is the custom in Syria for young people to wait upon their elders;
however, they may speak to the company while they are waiting upon them.
Damascus used to be famous for its swords: but now the principal things
made there, are stuffs embroidered with silver, and boxes of curious
woods, as well as red and yellow slippers. The Syrians always wear yellow
slippers, and when they walk out they put on red slippers over the
yellow. If you want to buy any of the curious works of Damascus, you must
go to the bazaars in the middle of the town; there the sellers sit as in
a market-place, and display their goods.
SCHOOLS.--It is not the custom in Syria for girls to learn to read. But a
few years ago, a good Syrian, named Assaad, opened a school for little
girls as well as for boys.
It was easy to get the little boys to come; but the mothers did not like
to send their little girls. They laughed, and said, "Who ever heard of a
girl going to school? Girls need not learn to read." The first girl who
attended Assaad's school was named Angoul, which means "Angel." Where is
the child that deserves such a name? Nowhere; for there is none
righteous, no, not one. Angoul belonged not to Mahomedan parents, but to
those called Christians; yet the Christians in Syria are almost as
ignorant as heathens.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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