The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-11-27
The Dancing Deryishes &.

The Dancing Deryishes.
Madame Ida Pieifer, in her Journal of travels
to the Holy Land gives the following sketch
THE DANCING DESvIsHEs.
arrived at Constantinope on Tuesday, aud
Immediately inquired what was worth seeing
| was advired to 90 and see the dancing der',hes,
as this was the day on which they held their re-
lisious exercises in Peru
| had only stood few moments, when the. Sui
tan appeared on horseback, surrounded by his
/ train, He rode alone into the court yard; the
Others all dismounted at the gate. and went on
foot. The horse on which the Sultan rode WAS of
rare beauty, and, as they told me, Of the true
Arabian breed the sddle.c cloth was richly EN-
bfoidered with gold and the stlrrups, Of the same
precious metal were in the form OF shoes, covered
with the finest chased work
The Sultan is a slender, slim-looking youth Of
nineteen years Of age, and looks pale, angGid and
b!ase HIS features are agreeable, and his eyes
fine. II he had not Abandoned himself at go early
an age to all the pleasures of She senses lie would
no doubt, have been asalwart man. lie wore
long cape of dark blue cloth aud high fes cap,
with a heron's plume, aud diamond clasp, deck
ed bis head The greeting OF the people and the
Sultan's manner of acknowledging it, is exactly
/ pie at intervals raise low cry o! welcome
/ As soon the Sultan entered the temple, The
people all focked IN. The men and the Franks
(the latter without distinction Of SEX sit or stand
IN the body of the temple. The Turkish woman
sit IN tie galleries. behind such close ire graf ngs
that they are completely hidden The temple, OF
more properly the hall is of inconsiderable size,
aud the spectators are only separated from the
priest. by low railing.
At two o'clock the dervi.he. appeared clad in
long petticoats with innumerabe folds which
reached their heels. Their heads were covered
with hgh pointed hats Of white felt They spread
out carpets and skins OF beasts, and begin their
ceremonies with great bowing and kissing Of the
ground At length the music struck up, but
do not remember ever TO have beard perform
ance so utterly horrible The instruments were
a chilis drum shepherds pipe and miserable
fiddle, Several ,oicrs set up sqaeaking and
whining accompaniments with all utler disregard
oftime and tune.
Twelve deryshes now began their dance-if
indeed turning round in circle with full dresses
spread round them like a large wheel, can be
called by such name, They display much ad
dress in avoiding each other. aud never come in
contact, though the stage is very small | did
not notice any "couvul,ions' Of which had read
IN many descriptions.
THE H0wIIyG prRvIsnEs.
At two O'Clock We entered the temple, niser-
able wooden Lu.lIlng Every Mu-sulman may
take part in thi. gious ceremony; Ills not rr.
quis,e tha, he should have attained to The rank
and dignity Of dcrvi.h Even child Of eight or
lnine stood up in row outside the circle Of nsn
To galnan early proficiency III these holy sxer
cises.
The commencement ofthe ceremony is the same
as Nttl tla 4 H. e., ant
car?ets and skins Of beasts, and are Sovng AMI
kissing the grunnd Now they stand up and
form circle together with the lAymcn. when the
chief begin, ina yelling voice to reci's prayers
from the Koran. by degrees tbpso forming tue
circle jun in and scream in concert. For the hr.t
> hour come degree uf order is still preserved
the performers res, frequently To husband their
strength, which will be sxert.d to the utmost al
the close of the ceremony. But then the sight
h-come a. horrible a. one can well imagine any
thing. They vie with one another 10 yelling aud
bowling and torture their faces, heads and hndle.
into Hn infinite variety Of iataStlc attitudes The
roaring, which resembles tlIat of Wild beasts, and
the horrible spasmnlic contortous uf The actors
coIntcnanccs, render this religious ceremony a
horrible AMI revolving spectacle.
The men stamp with their feet on the ground
jerk their heads backwards and forwards, and
certainly throw themselves into worse contortlrn,
than those who are described as having been in
old times "vexed with a deviL' Daring the eI'
8 ercise thew snatch the covering from their head
and gradually take off all their clothes slth the
exception of shirt and trOAsers. The two high
priests who stand within the circle receive the
garments one after another. kiss them, and leave
, them in a heap together The priests beat time
> with their hands, and after the garments have
been laid aside the dance becomes faster. Heavy
drops Of prrspra,ion stand on every brow; some
are even ioamlny at the mouth. The bowling
and roaring a, length reach such a dreadful pItcl
: that the spectator feel. stunned and bewiIdered
II Suddenly one Of these msniacs fell lfeless Il
the ground. The priests and a few from the clrelI
hurried towards him, stretched hun out fiat
) crossed his hand. and feet and covered him viii
cloth
The Ioc. or and were both considerably alarm
y ed, for we thought the poor man had been seize,
u with appoplexv. To our surprise and JOY, how
? ever, We saw him about SIX or eight minutes af
u erwards suddenly thrown oil The cloth, Jump up
and once more take his place in the circle to how
like a mnnisCe
At three o'clock the ceremony concluded,
would not advise any person afflicted with wei!
. nevcs To witness it, for he certainly could not On
~ dure the sight could have fancied mysel
among ravng lunatCs and men possessed q
;, devils rather than amidst reasonable beings. |
" was long before | could recover my composuIe
, and realize the idea that the infaua,ion Of MAJ
! could attain such pitch was informed tha
, before III. ceremony they swallow opium, to IN
, crease The wildness OF their excitement,~
4 -
*rhey receive n dollar from the landlord 70
: every guest whom they bring TO his house