Fromhishighperch，oneseesbeforehimandbelowhim，awallofdrearymountains，shornofvegetation，glaringfiercelyinthesun;itfencesinaleveldesertofyellowsand，smoothasvelvetandthreadedfarawaywithfinelinesthatstandforroads，anddottedwithcreepingmitesweknowarecamel—trainsandjourneyingmen;rightinthemidstofthedesertisspreadabillowyexpanseofgreenfoliage;andnestlinginitsheartsitsthegreatwhitecity，likeanislandofpearlsandopalsgleamingoutofaseaofemeralds。Thisisthepictureyouseespreadfarbelowyou，withdistancetosoftenit，thesuntoglorifyit，strongcontraststoheightentheeffects，andoveritandaboutitadrowsingairofreposetospiritualizeitandmakeitseemratherabeautifulestrayfromthemysteriousworldswevisitindreamsthanasubstantialtenantofourcoarse，dullglobe。Andwhenyouthinkoftheleaguesofblighted，blasted，sandy，rocky，sun—burnt，ugly，dreary，infamouscountryyouhaveriddenovertogethere，youthinkitisthemostbeautiful，beautifulpicturethateverhumaneyesresteduponinallthebroaduniverse！IfIweretogotoDamascusagain，IwouldcamponMahomet\'shillaboutaweek，andthengoaway。Thereisnoneedtogoinsidethewalls。TheProphetwaswisewithoutknowingitwhenhedecidednottogodownintotheparadiseofDamascus。
ThereisanhonoredoldtraditionthattheimmensegardenwhichDamascusstandsinwastheGardenofEden，andmodernwritershavegatheredupmanychaptersofevidencetendingtoshowthatitreallywastheGardenofEden，andthattheriversPharparandAbanaarethe\"tworivers\"thatwateredAdam\'sParadise。Itmaybeso，butitisnotparadisenow，andonewouldbeashappyoutsideofitashewouldbelikelytobewithin。Itissocrookedandcrampedanddirtythatonecannotrealizethatheisinthesplendidcityhesawfromthehill—top。Thegardensarehiddenbyhighmud—walls，andtheparadiseisbecomeaverysinkofpollutionanduncomeliness。
Damascushasplentyofclear，purewaterinit，though，andthisisenough，ofitself，tomakeanArabthinkitbeautifulandblessed。WaterisscarceinblisteredSyria。WerunrailwaysbyourlargecitiesinAmerica;inSyriatheycurvetheroadssoastomakethemrunbythemeagrelittlepuddlestheycall\"fountains，\"andwhicharenotfoundofteneronajourneythaneveryfourhours。Butthe\"rivers\"ofPharparandAbanaofScripture（merecreeks，）runthroughDamascus，andsoeveryhouseandeverygardenhavetheirsparklingfountainsandrivuletsofwater。Withherforestoffoliageandherabundanceofwater，DamascusmustbeawonderofwonderstotheBedouinfromthedeserts。Damascusissimplyanoasis——thatiswhatitis。Forfourthousandyearsitswatershavenotgonedryoritsfertilityfailed。Nowwecanunderstandwhythecityhasexistedsolong。Itcouldnotdie。Solongasitswatersremaintoitawayoutthereinthemidstofthathowlingdesert，solongwillDamascuslivetoblessthesightofthetiredandthirstywayfarer。\"Thougholdashistoryitself，thouartfreshasthebreathofspring，bloomingasthineownrose—bud，andfragrantasthineownorangeflower，ODamascus，pearloftheEast！\"DamascusdatesbackanteriortothedaysofAbraham，andistheoldestcityintheworld。ItwasfoundedbyUz，thegrandsonofNoah。\"TheearlyhistoryofDamascusisshroudedinthemistsofahoaryantiquity。\"LeavethematterswrittenofinthefirstelevenchaptersoftheOldTestamentout，andnorecordedeventhasoccurredintheworldbutDamascuswasinexistencetoreceivethenewsofit。Gobackasfarasyouwillintothevaguepast，therewasalwaysaDamascus。Inthewritingsofeverycenturyformorethanfourthousandyears，itsnamehasbeenmentionedanditspraisessung。ToDamascus，yearsareonlymoments，decadesareonlyflittingtriflesoftime。Shemeasurestime，notbydaysandmonthsandyears，butbytheempiresshehasseenrise，andprosperandcrumbletoruin。Sheisatypeofimmortality。ShesawthefoundationsofBaalbec，andThebes，andEphesuslaid;shesawthesevillagesgrowintomightycities，andamazetheworldwiththeirgrandeur——andshehaslivedtoseethemdesolate，deserted，andgivenovertotheowlsandthebats。ShesawtheIsraelitishempireexalted，andshesawitannihilated。ShesawGreecerise，andflourishtwothousandyears，anddie。InheroldageshesawRomebuilt;shesawitovershadowtheworldwithitspower;shesawitperish。ThefewhundredsofyearsofGenoeseandVenetianmightandsplendorwere，tograveoldDamascus，onlyatriflingscintillationhardlyworthremembering。Damascushasseenallthathaseveroccurredonearth，andstillshelives。Shehaslookeduponthedrybonesofathousandempires，andwillseethetombsofathousandmorebeforeshedies。Thoughanotherclaimsthename，oldDamascusisbyrighttheEternalCity。
Wereachedthecitygatesjustatsundown。TheydosaythatonecangetintoanywalledcityofSyria，afternight，forbucksheesh，exceptDamascus。ButDamascus，withitsfourthousandyearsofrespectabilityintheworld，hasmanyoldfogynotions。Therearenostreetlampsthere，andthelawcompelsallwhogoabroadatnighttocarrylanterns，justaswasthecaseinolddays，whenheroesandheroinesoftheArabianNightswalkedthestreetsofDamascus，orflewawaytowardBagdadonenchantedcarpets。
Itwasfairlydarkafewminutesafterwegotwithinthewall，andwerodelongdistancesthroughwonderfullycrookedstreets，eighttotenfeetwide，andshutinoneitheraidebythehighmud—wallsofthegardens。