The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-06-17

| ING now and then, with an angry snarl
like dog, at some poor fellow, who
jumped back affrightened. One of the
old men endeavored to quiet him by pat
ting him on the head, but he was an
swered by bites and grewls. The mon
ster. for such he had grown, evidently
crayed something. Presently he was
handed little iron shovel, heated red
hot at the scoop.
| ROASTING HIS OWN FLESH.
This seemed to be what he wanted, for
he seized it fiercely, and jumping to his
feet hovled and roared, and danced, wild
er than before, meanwhile pounding the
Door shovel with his fists, and head, and
feet, in most savage manner; then, with
fearful yell Of exultation, he put it on
the ground and jumped on it; then stood
on it barefooted of course, until the air
grew foul with the sickening fumes OF
farming flesh, and he was almost envel-
oped in the smoke; then he grasped the
scoop, till almost red with heat, between
his teeth, and ran around the circle
thrusting the handle into the faces of the
others, seemingly defying them to take
hold fit. One of the old men finally
took it away, giving him instead light
ed 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 thrusting the flames in his
mouth and holding it there for fully a
minute, it being still lighted when he took
it out.
But still he was dissatisfied; still he
howled and roared. He was next hand
ed a large prickiy pear, or cactus leaf,
green with gall, and coated with needles
like pcrcupine. He ate half OF this
with great relish, the other half being
passed around among us. We secured a
small piece as a sample of Arab food.
Before the big Bedouin fell down from
exhaustion, which he afterward did,. he
was Joined, one by one. by others. all OF
whom prefaced their appearances by loud
shrieks and long jumps into the center OF
the court, always fully habited, the Mas
tiers of Ceremonies in each case relieving
them of their extra clothing.
One gray-headed, ne.looking old Sheik
varied his performance by the eating of a
goodIy supply of nails, broken glass and
stones l do not know where he put
them, but he ate far more than mouth
full, and did not spit them out again, but
danced afterward as violently as any o.
the others.
About this time occurred one OF thu
most disgusting scenes of the exhibition
which was the eating,by one of the Arabs
of live scorpion! The scorpion was tax
en- out of the little checkered box by ont
of the performers, who let it crawl ove1
his face and hands, muttering to it all thu
time, and then handed 1T to another Arab
who went through with much the same
performances; and finally, putting his fac
within two feet of mine, he took the heac
of the scorpion in one hand, holding thu
tail in the other, put the terrible reptile
in his mouth, body first, chewed it up ant
swallowed it.
Another fellow took a number Of iroI
skewers, and ran one through each cheek
one through his protruding tongue, on
; through his nose, one through each arm
and hand; and, while the blood wa
streaming from each wound, he executed
violent dance, and rushed from tn
courtyard.
Then negro, black as night,an youn|
and vigorous. who was one Of the first t
! begin the dance, and last TO cease. tool
iron spikes, and hammered them with
stone into his body, one being driven jus
; above the collar bone, one in the aldo
men, and one in the right leg, blood flow
: ing freely from ali the wounds. He final
l " tainted while dancing, perhaps NOR
5 from loss Of blood than fatigue.
Another one, who had very much tn
: appearance Of a blacksmith, took ba
: Of iron about two feet in length, small a
= one end and having wheel at the Other
r with handle in the centre of the bal
o through which the bar revolved. II
; worked the wheel up to very rapid re,
: olution, and then placed the sharp poin
!, Of the bar into the side Of his eye mex
Q to the nose, and gouged the eye out Of il
). socket; he took the eye in his hand an
Q held it ut least six inches from his face
i and after dancing and yelling for som
time be replaced the eye in the socket
Q He ended his performance by dancin
r around the court. butting his head 81
9 vcrely against each of the stone pillar
: and then tearing out his hair by hAns
= fuls.
y There were three ladies in our part,
: Up to this time, by hiding their faces
!, the worst part of the performances, the
b had managed to keep up; but two
them suddenly tainted. We carried the
out into the street. and they were soc
!. resuscitated, but no amount Of persu
!, sion could induce them to return.
- AH1ins 20 Yeuns meu.
n In 1865 young gentleman register,