Indians Believed to Be Syrians

1896

Canon J. D. Good, of British Columbia, tells a San Francisco Call reporter that his long residence among the Columbian Indians warrants him in saying that the latter are of Syrian origin, and are, in fact, Syrians now, having the customs and language. "I was astonished at the richness of this language." he said, "and its wonderful capacity for accurate expression.

"I found many pure Syrian words in it, as, for instance, Eneas and Solomon-Chute, among proper names. The words of the language are historical and traditional, and observe the same laws as those of the Syrian language. I think the language of the Thompson River Indians is one of the Toranian tongues. There are direct Syrian words in it.

"Then there are other evidences that these Indians are the Syrian descendants. Their medicine man is the same as the Syrian seer. The burial customs are to this day the same. Besides this there is the character of the people, who are Syrians in thought, habits of life, and general customs.

"When I first went among the Indians they had their war chiefs as well as their civil chiefs — the same as the Greeks. All I saw in every way convinced me, and I have during the ensuing years been very fully confirmed in my conviction that these Indians are Syrians."

The Gigantic, Creaking, Groaning Water Wheels of Syria

1916

Creaking, Groaning Monsters That Liven a City in Syria

Hama, in Syria, says a writer in the Wide World Magazine, is famed for its huge water wheels, locally known as naura. There are four of them, and they are driven by the river Orontes, which flows through the town. Each of the wheels bears a distinguished name, and the visitor to the city is made aware of their presence long before be sees them by the creaking and groaning noise which greets his ear. At first it suggests a pipe organ and later a brass band practicing.

The wheels are built of a dark mahogany, which gives them at a distance the appearance of iron. The largest of them boasts of a diameter of seventy-five feet and is declared to be the biggest water wheel in existence. The naura are erected on what is known as the undershot principle — that is to say, they are driven by the water striking them at their base. They serve not only to supply the town with water, but also irrigate the adjacent gardens.

The wheels never stop, summer or winter, and day and night their creaking and groaning are heard. In the summer months small boys may always be seen bathing in the river in the neighborhood of the wheels, and for a small coin they will get in between the spokes of the wheels and allow themselves to be carried around many times or bang on the outside or the wheel and drop back into the water when halfway up.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, July 29, 1916, page 7.

The First Dolls, Beautifully Carved in Babylon

1920

First Dolls

The first dolls of which there is any knowledge were found among the treasures unearthed from the ruins of Babylon. They were small figures in terra cotta and ivory, beautifully carved and must have been fascinating playthings for little Assyrian children. The little girls of Syria had mechanical dolls. The dolls the classic children played with were made of wax and clay, decorated with bright colors. As these children married very young, they played with their dolls until just before their wedding day.


Artesian Wells

The Chinese have obtained water through means of artesian wells for over 1,000 years. One of the most famous wells in existence is that at Grenelle, in the outskirts of Paris, where the water is brought from a depth of 1,508 feet. It yields 516½ gallons of water a minute. Many years ago a well in Petsh was sunk to the depth of 3,100 feet.


Eliminated

Marie and Helen were playing house one day, when Ruth joined them. They were not particularly anxious to see her that day, and finally said, "Well, you can be the maid and this is your day out."—Nebraska Awgwan.

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1920, page 10.