The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-05-14


moments of supreme exhaustion, had fallen
from his grasp, and, after few raps upon
it, began rude chant, assisted by all the
other players. There was chorus in
which the whole audience Joined, and
which was accompanied by clapping of
hands.
This continued about as long as the other,
and, like the other grew faster and faster,
until the players grew frantic, and roared
and yelled like demons their eyes rolled
wilder than before, and their compilations,
naturally brown, became positively black
and hideous and the singing grew into a
wild, rapid, violent chant, interspersed with
yells and groans.
THE ANTICS OF THE GIANT BEDOUIN.
Opposite to us, sitting on the ground,
was a very large and powerful Bedouin,
heavily clad in coarse robes, and crowned
with a gay parti- colored turban. We had
noticed something very peculiar in his ac-
tions; he appeared to be very susceptible
to the Influences of passion, and seemed to
be more interested than the others in the
music and singing. Suddenly, in the midst
there arose a most deafening shout, and
this burly fellow leaped to his feet, dashed
into the open space in the centre, and be-
gan rude and very violent dance, one
movement being to jump straight up and
down, with his neck timber, leaving his
head, with its abundance of long black hair,
to fly about at random, beating in turn
hos cb ,,,l
old men, who seemed to officiate as masters
of ceremonies, approached him, and with
out attempting to hinder his movements,
gradually relieved him of his turban and
other superfiuous clothing. When the mu-
sic became the fastest, it seemed as if his
burly frame would fall to pieces, SO violent
were his motions. After a time the music
ceased suddenly and he fell or ,umbled on
bis hands and knees, his long hair falling
over his purpled face and neck, and COM
menced to crow like a cock and make all
sorts Of insane noises, in imitation of both
bird ano beast, jumping now and then,
with an angry snarl like dog, at some
poor fellow, who jumped back affrighted.
One of the old men endeavored to quiet
him by patting him on the head, but he
was answered by bites and growls. The
monster, for such he was grown. evidently
craved something. Presently he was hand
ed little iron shovel, heated REQ hot at
the scoop.
ROASTING HIS OWN FLESH.
This seemed to he what he wanted, for
he seized it fiercely, and jumping to his
feet, howled and roared, and danced, wild
er than before, meanwhile pounding the
poor shovel with his fists, ard head, and
feet, ia a most savage manner; then, with
fearful yell of exultation, he put it on the
ground and jumped on ir; then stood on
it, barefooted of course, until the air grew
foul with the sckeuing fumes of burning
flesh, and he was almost enveloped in the
smoke; then he grasped the scoop, still al
most red with heat, between his teeth, and
ran around the circle thrusting the handle
iuto the faces of the Others seemingly de-
flying them to take hold of it. One of the
old men finally took it away, giving him
instead a lighted torch, with a goodly
fame. This he held to his arms, and neck,
and cheeks, long enough to cook the flesh
brown, and ended by tlrust;ng the flames
in his mouth and holding it there for fully
a minute, it being still lighted when he
took it out,
But still lie was dissatisfied; still he
howled and roared. He was next handed
large prickly pear or cactus leaf, green
with gall, and coated with needles like
a porcupine. He ate half of this with
great relish, the other half being passed
around among us. We secured a small
piece as sample of Arab food.
Before the big Bedouin fell down from
exhaustion, which he afterward dio, he
was Joined, one by one, by others, all of
whom prefaced their appearance by loud
shrieks and long jumps into the centre of
the court always fully habited, the masters
of ceremonies in each case relieving them
of their extra clothing.
One gray-headed, fine-loking old Sheik
varied his performance by eating a goodly
supply of nails broken glass, and stones.
I do not know where he put them, but he
ate far more than a mouthful, and did not
spit them out again, but danced afterward
as violently as any of the others.
EATING A SCORPION.
About this time occurred one of the
most disgusting scenes of the exhibition,
which was the eating, by one Of the Arabs,
of live scorpion The scorpion was taken
out of the little checkered box by one of
the performers, who let it crawl over his
face and hands, muttering to it all the
time, and then handed it to another Arab,
who went through much the same perfor-
nance; and finally, putting his face within
two feet of mine, he took the head of the
scorpion in one hand, holding the tail in
the other, put the terrible reptile in his
mouth, body first, chewed it up, and swal-
lowed it.