The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-07-12
Persian Fanatlcism.
A Miniature Hell upon Earth--A Festival
of Death.


A Constantinople correspondent of
the New York Tribune, writing of the
defeat of Omar Pasha in Crete, and
the scenes incident thereto, says:
Washington living, in his book on
the successors of Maholnet, remarks
upon Persian religious festival in
honor of Hussien The son of All, and it
has long been known that extraordin-
airy practices were kept up in Persia
on this holy day. But although l
have lived many years in Constantine
pie, | had never dreamed of such
scenes Transporting in Europe rs l saw
the other night in the very heart of
Stampool.
Under the protection of Persian
merchant went to n vast caravanser-
al called Nalide Khan, on the last night
of this second festival, which continues
for ten days Tho ceremony COM
menced about eight so'clock in the
evening and continued until midnight
No pen can describe the impression
which 1t made on me. l feel now, as
though l had stood for those hours at
the open gates of hell itself
The whole inclosure, containing
some 10000 persons mostly Persians,
was lighted by torches and hung
around with black cloth richly orna-
mented. At the commencement of
the ceremony there were perhaps TO-
600 persons with breasts and heads
bare bearing candle in the left hand,
and with their right bearing their
breasts, and heads as they marched
slowly around, crying out in tones OF
anguish Oh, Hussien Oh, Hussien
/ O, All Q, wretched men that we
are There were also in this process
sion richly caparisoned horses, without
riders, but having two drawn swords
/ crossed over the saddle and two white
but blood marked pigeons fastened
there. As the evening went on, the
passions of those worshipers were
wroughtupb 10y imprisoned descriptions
Of the death of Hul sien, the guilt and
treachery of the murderers, etc At
last the beating upon their breasts
sounded like the roar of thunder.
Their cries of agonies and yclls of rage
became frightful Their distorted
faces, their frantic movements and
their singular dresses seen in the torch
light, made one tremble in spite of
himself But the worst was TO come.
When it appeared as though the fan
ticism and madness of these thousands
could not be increased to a higher
point, / suddenly heard new and
more frightful chorus of yells, and APP
pearel u sedan borne on the shoulders
of men clad in ancient armor, contain
ing four children, to represent the
wives of Hussien, who were weeping
and crying,
Following this there rushed in the
square 200 TO 800 men-each with a
drawn sword in his hand and with no
other clothing than a white shirt
These men crying out like the others,
cut their heads and faces with their
swords until their white shirts were
soaked in blood and their heads Il
mass of wounds.
Their arrival seemed to rouse the
passions of all, to the highest pitch,
and the scene which followed was one
which once seen, could never be for
gotten.
For half an hour the thousands
mourning for Hussien looked and act
ed like demons. | never saw before
such expressions on the human face,
of mingled rage and sorrow have
never before heard such sounds COM
ing from human lips.
Once those words dripping with
blood turned upon the crowd, and it
seemed for moment as though there
was no escape from an inylisciminate
slaughter, but fortunately these mad
Moslems had no idea that they might
have found few Giaours in the crowd.
The act was only intended to increase
the excitement Of the faithful.
AT last we got out from the crowd
into the silent streets II seemed i'm
possible that | had actually seen such
/ sight as this IN Consiantin0plo but
it is only what may b. seen here every
year as thu IS ruund 1t
/ is proof tina. 49,. flcisn has
not yet died ont These v Wound-
ed fanatics are often sse. mnuths
and often die 81 their aonnds. but
they believe that their blood haas saved
their souls, that Hussien wall to sure
savior.
CoURTsHIp IL MILwAUKEE.-A rather