Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/937

 1869.] J he Baths of Damascus. 761 ■which a large fountain was bubbling over, and rolling into a circular marble basin below. The scene on entering, to a novice, is very astonishing ; around the large circular hall were raised plat- forms or divans, covered with carpet, and beds in alcoves, inclosed by curtains. On the raised divans might be seen the most extraordinary grim figures imagin- able ; some, rolled up in towels and nap- kins, lie extended at full length, smoking ; others sat up sipping coffee. Some were divesting themselves of their gar- ments, assisted by a black slave, and others were in a complete state of nudit}' in the act of having a towel wound round their waists. We were allotted a raised recess covered with carpets, in which little couches were quickl}' pre- pared with cushions and linen sheets. Our little bundles of clothes being de- posited by the side, we commenced un- dressing. An attendant stood close at hand with towels, and as we were suc- cessively reduced to our last garment, he wound a towel round our waist. Being now completely stripped, a long towel was thrown over our shoulders, and another, wound in the shape of a turban, round our heads. As we suc- cessive^' descended the platforms, a pair of pattens, called Kab-kabs, about a foot high were placed for us to get into to protect our feet from the wet, cold, marble pavements. We accordingly, with our serving-men, entered into the first room, which was vaulted and paved with marble, and moderately warm, and then passed through rooms enveloped in mist, each succeeding room becoming- hotter and more dense with steam, in which might be seen strange unearthly objects; some lying extended on their backs upon the floor, while wild-looking men with bald heads were pounding and rolling them. Some stood up to their knees in large circular basins of hot water ; others were seated on their haunches, covered from head to foot with soap-suds, lathered over them with an implement like a horse's tail ; others were being almost scalded with hot water, which was poured over them from buckets, while others sat quietly smoking or sipping coffee on marble divans un- moved by the puffing, washing, and scrubbing around them ; while men with gray beards, and young boys without any, were all quietly in a state of nudity rocking about, appearing and then van- ishing again in the fog. " We sat down on a marble bench in the last room of all, the atmosphere of which was very hot and oppressive at first ; this, however, soon went off, when a profuse perspiration broke out and trickled down from every pore ; coffee and pipes were brought in and handed round to us. It is usual to rest about half an hour or longer, according to fancy, to allow a thorough perspiration to break out. After taking and sipping your coffee for some time the different attendants we had chosen came up, and made overtures to us to come and be scrubbed, which we successively yielded to, as our pipes were finished and our coffee drank ; and we were each of us conducted to some quarter of this or the adjoining room, under a cock of hot water, where takes place the following process. The attendant puts on a mo- hair glove and constantly dipping the glove into hot water and almost brings away the skin by the hardness of the rubbing. When he can get no more dirt off of your bod} r he draws a long breath, muttering an ejaculation of 'taieeb, taieeb!' (good, good,) expres- sion of satisfaction, and then pushes you down on your back, extending you at full length on the marble floor. He now pinches and squeezes your shoul- ders, arms, and all your limbs, then pull- 1 ing 3 r our fingers he makes the joints crack with a startling loudness ; he then applies himself to your arms and legs, moving the bone about in the socket in an alarming manner. Now raising your shoulders he pulls you up, and putting his knees into the small of your back, gives you a twist and a crack that