New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-21

I
shievhsh-s cHbcal pedestal supporting aa.ed csas
the syle Cf al lezedee saDctuagios The high mount
aims which surround the valley on all Sides except tho
entrance the east, were covered with shrub
bery and cool fountains bubbled by our patti We
forced our way up the terraces through crowds Of ami
uss "a the place designated r and sent our herscs
back 10 Baadri The stone bowels we're brushed o1s.
aud sat down upon mats within glad 70 e.
CAPE the piercing beams Of the sum- which penetrated
even the paradise Of the pilgrim bands. Tue dress ot
the people Piled together the terraces. neat
As cheap dress could be Spotess white togis hung
over white BOOmsrs; yBregated shaws wero weaaf
around their camels-hair fezes. and their broad
naked feet spread themselves al hbHHm. The married
females wore few ornaments their daughters laid Claim
10 al the gold and silver which either hammered Ia
60 large solid bracelets immense earrings, nose jewels
or ankle rings Or in the shape Ot cons hung round tho
neck and from the forehead 10 the chin oYerboth cheeks
While their red fezes skull caps were covered Win
COINS of gold Guns constantly hiring rs each NJ"
conner appeared in sight of the holy place, and the COZ
tnuuus humdrum Of the thousands of voices was oay
equaled by the deaening notes of the flies and tamoluf
ines hch soon after We arrived began to sound and 10
draw circle Of male worshiPpers into dancing order
Just in front and beneath the hat occupied The mul
berry trees were filed with men, women and boys, aud
every roof was transformed into dOmicI. The houses
Of Sheikh Adi-the name ct the place 40 well az the
santare tenantess except in the time OF the festivals
Every lezedee village has its separate stone building
then few akirs stay on the ground all the time TO
guard the sacred precincts from pollution. had Just
begun to admire the stately dance which was perpen-
doalar jump OF the whole circle squeezed shoulder TO
shoulder, when my attention called 20 the arrival
of our messenger from Oroomiah who brought me let
tiers from DR.. Perkins, DR. Wright, Mr. Stoddard and
MIR Rhea, and some documents from Col. Williams, IN
relation the recent disturbances in Caviar which vac
viii fnd detailed in The Missionary Herald The report
Of the death of DR. Ps beloved Judith by cholers, ten
heavily on as and ii poor place for me to wrss
words Of comfort But reply must to all my CORES
pOndens over the mountains, and 80 at i went The
noise almost bewidered me at first but soon grew ao-
customed 10 IT, What a health seeking retreat! hut
the air cool morning aud evening" comfort we had
not enjoy ed for many mOnhSthe scenery was grand and
beautitu-the water cold aud clear and the excitement
vas not ola hind TO weary Novelty relieved the tedlum
MIR Rassam amused the crowd by throwing quantities
Of nuts and confectionery among them. and frghtenea
some Kurd by ordering his servant TO unload their don
KEYS and scatter the fruit among the pilgrims Ofcourss
a few piasters calmed the rage OF the spectators
In the aternooa invited 90 visit Shekh Nssir
and hls family His three broad faced wives received
us Ia Yezedee, the chief one seating us on the door
by her side and sending for coffee and pipes The senior
wife has the priority in rank in this in Affections
and the others showed her special attentions They did
not da 10 smoke till she had finished, and appeared to
b, waiting maids rather than wives When the rss wife
dies the 10 order of marriage holds the rens In do
nestle matters IL is not considered reputable Tor
sheikhs to have more than four at time.
On returning to the booth OF the English Consul
found the Representatives Of Britain France the United
States and Stamb0 and noticed among tho Sultans sub
iect Kuds Turks Armenians Jews Chaldeans ~ rans.
JacObes HISTORIANS and leze dees. English, French.
Ielian Armenian Turkish, Arabic and Kurdish tongues
wereAll in motion ia the little circle aud thus the con-
fusion of the multitude was literally conloanded"
Ats p NJ. Sheikh Nasir called his people 60 the
temple None bu. his own people could enter the buid-
ing at that time A terrible gathering OF musical in
sumens with the shrll aheM Of the dancers gave Us
strange ideas Of religious worship. All acknowledged
they bad no prayers for the Good Principle, bat they
kept no their services % Mck IaOus till aitor mdnght
The fling of guns aud the hum OF human voices was
kept up all night
TUESDAY morning more than Eve thousand pilgrims had
arrived and al was meri Uncut Most Of them had passed
the night upon the ground in the open air. aud although
il was not very cold many we're coughing "a | passed
among them. I looked anXiOusly to see thom kissing
the first beams of the SUM- but saw mono thus engageds
though did see some of them kiss the smoked st0uss.
where the sacred fire from the temples had been laid By
the priests That they do reverence the sun have SUI
fcient proof; indeed woman to whom explained the
nature of snhat il has It's origin and seat In the h0art
md is not aggys 10 be known by the outward actsad
she should thenceiOh kiss the every morning lest
she should bum in hell" Whatever be the opinions OF
the Sheikhs il is evident that the people have no rei
gion but that of far and IL they originally yeneraed the
sun for his WessiagS they adore him they do tho
devil for supposed connection with the fires and suffer-
ings of the world TO come Many Of them, as Is tho
case with many Of the Christians IN this part OF the
earth have very material conceptions Of the golden
streets of Heaven and the "brimstone Of the regions
OF despair lhht every Hultf CRITICS tiv W mems W
he'll in his bosom is IN idea 600 abstruse for tneir
comprehension 49,
cannot give you an account Of all the Incidents Of my
stay, and win only notice Of the prominent Of
my observations, and more especially matters You will
not find in the books All that was ever known about
these people til very recently was gathered far from
their holy ground, and has needed confirmation That
they do not blow out q candle, il mlssatement That
they nhOspitable is far from true Layards account
Of them is generally reliable il Is far the best expose
they have received in English. Since returning from
Shcikh Adj questioned Hussen Bey when on visit to
my house in regard To number of assertions made in
that truthful mans book translang them into Arabic
| read, (the Yezedees all speak Kurdish, but
some Of their chiefs speak Arabic and Tarkish)
and far his knowledge went he said t a very
correct account Of em but admitted that he did not
know much about the opinions Of the Shekhs Priests.
He offered to bring some OF them with him when he
came again. and be was a man Of bis word You viii
no doubt be GLAD to learn that an Englshman can
write the truth about the deyworshppers, f they do
not always about Americans | was not able 10 verify
LayaTds assertion, that they believe Satan 10 be the
chefOf the angelic host, suffering from punishment
for bis rebellion against the Divine will but still all pow
erful and 10 be Tes0red herecfert0 his gh estate In the
celestial herarchy lie must be conciated and reyer-
enced they say for az he has the means Of doing
evil TO mankind wW he hre9fter hare he poeer Of re-
harding hsm"' But choose rather 70 commend
than criticise bis book
Sheikh Nssir has the only boOksbelOngng 10 the tribe
in his possession and have been offered the privilege
Of looking them over. II will be unfair and premature
for me TO give any judgment upon the merits Of the books
from beaTsay and lest in attempt 90 delineate all tbs
peculiarities Of the Yezedees commit errors like
Others prefer 10 wait till further investigation has
abled me to ascertain precisely what is their creed
do not despair of being able TO do that for often their
leading men are nv guests aud appear 20 have confidence