This  bewilderment  is  apt  to  confuse  a  stranger,  so  that
his  first  impression  of  Damascus  is  not  one  of  enchant-
ment. But  after  a  day  or  two,  he  finds  something  fascinat-
ing in  the  musty  old  city,  where  even  darkness  and  dirt
are  relieved  by  glimpses  of  color  which  light  up  the  gloom
of  its  decay.  There  is  an  endless  pictiiresqueness  in  the
costumes  of  the  people,  in  their  snow}'  turbans  and  flowing
robes,  beside  which  an  American  in  his  sober  suit  of  black
looks  like  an  undertaker.  The  little  narrow  streets  are  full
of  life  and  activity.  The  sound  of  the  artificers  is  heard
under  the  long  arcades.  The  workers  in  brass  are  here,
whose  curiously-wrought  shields  or  trays  remind  me  of
those  of  Benares.  Travellers  of  a  military-  turn  may  grat-
ify their  tastes  with  Damascus  blades  or  suits  of  old  armor.
THE    BAZAAKS    OF    DAMASCUS.  197

Those  who  have  become  so  Oriental  in  their  habits  as  to
pass  much  of  Hfe  in  smokinp;',  will  find  richly-jewelled  pipes
with  amber  mouthpieces  ;  while  the  ladies  of  a  party  are
sure  to  be  attracted  by  the  many-colored  silks.     Altof^ether
the  bazaars  of  Damascus  are  as  fascinating  as  those  of
Cairo  or  Constantinople,  and  over  one  and  all  might  be
written  :  "Whoso   would   shun   temptation,   let   him   not
enter  here ! "     I  thought  I  showed  a  Koman  firmness  in
resisting  the  wiles  of  the  adversary  ;  but  when  I  was  lured
into  the  old  khans,  where  Persian  rugs  are  unrolled  to  the
eye  of  the  Western  barbarian,  my  resolution   gave  way.
