Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-04-04

0anUS, WHICH IS tuC EdtulIldu > ueCuOu VI
signalizing. The process of shampooing
which is here undergone is most peculiar,
and is that part of the bath which of all
others will be found least easy of adoption
into this country. 1t is in itself an art of
no mean attainment, and proves. as has been
we'll remarked, that animal magnetism has
been practised in the East for centuries,
and rendered so practically manageable as
to be fairly designated the handmaiden of
health.
"Mr Urquhart's description of the per-
formance, as it is given in his work. the
Pillars of Hercules, is as follows: Under
the dome there is an extensive platform of
marble slabs on this you get up the cloths
are taken from your head and shoulders
one is spread for you to lie on. the other is
rolled for your head you lie down on your
back the tellak (two, if the operation is
properly performed.) kneels at your side,
and bending over, grips and presses your
chest, arms and legs, passing from part to
part like bird shifting its place on perch;
he brings his whole weight on you with
jerk, .follows the line Of muscle with anato-
mcaI thumb, draws the open hand strongly
over the surface. particularly round the
shoulders, turning you half up in so doing;
stands with his feet on your thighs, and on
the chest, and slips down the ribs, then up
again three times and lastly, doubling your
arms one after the other on the chest, pushes
with both hands down, beginning at the cl-
bow, and then putting an arm under the
back. and applying his chest to your crossed
elbows, rolls on you across till you crack.
You are now turned on your face, and, in
addition to the operation above described.
he works his elbow round the edges of your
shoulder blades, and with the heel plies the
angle of your neck he concludes by haul
ing the body half up by each arm success
sively, while he stands with one foot on the
opposite thigh. You are then raised for a
moment to sitting posture, and a contor-
ton is given to the small of the back with
the knee, and jerk to the neck by the two
hands holding the temples
The reader must guard against the sup
position that all this cracking of the joints
and supple members. this kneading Of the
flesh. is attended with discomfort or pain.
When it is skillfully performed, the sensa-
tion is even pleasurable indeed this is
So tie Arabic word mass, which
means to handle delicately."
THE RUBBING.
Next comes the washing, or rather the
use Of the glove made Of camels or goats
hair. After remoistening the body. which
you do for yourself. with cup given you
for that purpose. you. in a sitting position,
bend toward the attendant, who bending
over you, rubs down the back, commencing
from the neck. The loosened scarf skin
peels off in little elongated rolls. and if COL
lected will form ball as big as hyacinth
root. it was for the removal of this dead Gu
tiele that the stigil was anciently used and
hew it has fallen into disuse would be a Gu
rious subject Of research. We may infer
from an epigram of Martiars that it was
originally an Eastern implement, for he
speaks of its coming from Pergamus. Au-
gustus borrowed his wooden reclining couch.
called dureta. from Spain, and Suetonius
expressly says that the word is Spanish
Many think that the word st,1;g1 is also Ibe-
rian; but stringere, to Craze lightly. to pull
or peel off, denotes its true derivation"
THE soApING.
"Following upon the glove comes the
soaping process. A bowl of water is brought
frothed with Cretan soap, which is sometimes
perfumed and the soft fbrous life of the
palm tree to rub the body with. With this
the body is washed, beginning at the head;
this operation is repeated twice. Then
comes the hot cloths. in which you are
wrapped and the final act of the bath is to
dash bowl Of water over the feet; very
important custom this, and one which opens
up very singular subject Of inquiry. though
we shall not at present touch upon it,"
COOLING OFF.
'You now return to the cooling room or
tr'gidarsune. There you recline upon a
couch with a sense of ease and tranquility
almost indescribable. The blood circulates
freely, the chest dilatcs. the fresh air comes
charged with vitality. The wretched find
life tolerable, and the aged cast off for
the burden of years. Savary, de-
scribing the sensation. says: 1t feels as
if one was just born. and began to live for
the first time. A lively sense of existence
spreads over the whole body; one yields to
the most pleasant imaginations. and the mind
is entertained with the most delightful reve.
ries. The fancy ransacks all nature and
inds in it nothing but the gayest pictures
and images of pure delight. If life,' he
runs on philosophizing after Locke, as was
the manner of his countrymen in that day!
If life is but the succession of ideas, the
rapidity with which the memory then traces
them, the vigor with which the spirit then
5raverses every link, would lead one to sup
pose that in the two hours of unbroken calm
which follow the bath many years have
elapsed" Every one who has experienced
;he process of the real Turkish bath in their
perfection bear witness to the same effect
The whole man wakes. and yet the whole
nan is in state Of repose. There is sense
If recondite energy coupled with the silent
serenity of absolute rest The air grows
4 e. r.. IL e