The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-02
Celebrating MOhammed's Birthday.

NNlfSN W IuClI lltGlltlS nCIC, uS htll DIS
elsewhere, with great rejoicing. These
receptions are followed by the fete in
stituted in honor Of the anniversary of
the birthday of the prophet, when is
to be seen the most extraordinary of
Egyptian ceremonies-th miracle of the
day-the Doseh INSTITUTED 1 1000 years
ago, and performed by Shiek whose
prerogative and power have continued
to descend from father to son with more
regularity than the scepter of King or
Emperor.
The anniversary of Mohammed's birth
! day fell this year on yesterday, and at an
early hour more than the usual gather
ing of footmen and carriages were to be
seen inside the square and along the
principal entrance to it. Soon the vicin-
ity for acres and acres around is covered
with vehicles and human beings; they.
take possession of tents and carriages,
and upright poles; even the trees grow
men," as an Arab expressed it in my
hearing. Consuls, Judges and other of
ficials arrive with their families. Soon
other coupes, with their thinly-veiled
occupants, the wives of His Highness
the Khedive, arrive. Everything and
everybody gives way, and room is made
for them in the carriage line, and then
the Khedive himself is looked for
1t is now near one O'clock in the after
noon and the motley assemblage in
anxious expectation stretch their necks
! down the avenue. Here they come
rushing, with banners flying; and 300
or more Dervishes, heated, frenzied with
excitement, throw themselves at full
length upon the ground, side by side
and close, with heads together. By
ISLANDERS and Arab boys, in their faith or
ambition, vie for place. With faces
down, and upon the hands, we hear from
the fanatics only the mutterings of prayer,
prayer without intermission-"L La Ella
| ha Ella Allah" there is no God but God;)
but not motion of body or limb, save
when an individual charged with the ar
rangement of the line pulls body this
or the contrary way, in order that its
middle may, with that of other bodies,
form an unbroken line.
All is ready. The miracle performing
Shiek, who has passed the night and the
morning in fasting and prayer, is now
seen approaching, ushered also by ban
ners and more Dervishes, who dart to
the end, and also fling themselves along
the continuing line, even we'll into the
tent of the Shiek. Then follows the
most revolving scene which has greeted
the human eyes since the suppression of
the Indian car of Juggernaut, of which
most probably the Doseh" is an imita-
ton. This lonely man, past the
middle age, in the grand robes Of his
calling, and under a turban as sadly out
of proportion as a drum ma or's bear
skin, mounted upon a fine Arab gray
horse, with naked hoof, large and well
trimmed, nears the further end of the
line. The horse, less brutal than his
rider, hesitates; a Shiek leads him for
ward; he mounts the line of PROSTATE,
grinning forms; is steadied on either side
by one and two assistant men, who hold
to the Shiek. At good pace the horse
follows the Sejs, who has dropped the
rein, and now only guides; the other
three assistants keep their hold, and all
with horse and rider treading full on the
bodies, hands and shoulders, and legs
and ribs alike. Nothing is heard but
the continuing invocations, and the
multitude look on in silence and with
palpitating breasts. The Shiek, with
head fallen to the right, eyes seemingly
closed, affects a supernatural physiog-
nomy. He had no sooner passed than
men jumped up and ran off, but scores
and scores, with painful features, closed
eyes and almost silent prayer, were lifted
up, foaming with blood about the
mouths, and spirited away, evidently
seriously injured, the equable pace of the
horse carrying both fore and hind foot
upon.the bodies on which he trod.
Egyptians of all degrees inform me
that there is no hasheesh used by the
principal performers in this horrible
ceremony, although, apropos of this, il
may be stated that the drug is commonly
used by many of the lower order. While
waiting for the Shiek an Arab related tC
me that any other horse than the tradition.
al gray one may be used; that on formei
occasion, by suggestion, a European
horse was mounted, but would not put
foot upon the bodies until the Shiek had
dismounted and gone through certain in
carnations around the fractions animal
which then, unguided, strobe down the
line as if it were his daily work. Fur
ther, after the ceremony of yesterday, il
was not long until one could hear re-
peated through the Arab crowd a story
to the effect that the horse, in treadine
the human way, stopped suddenly and
still, just as he came to curiosity
seeking Captain whohad Struggled him
self into the line; and it was not until
the unbeliever was dragged out that the
horse would proceed. During the cere
mony | was in the tent of the Shiek, and
looked down the length of the line, but
having neither eaten nor smoked OF
hasheesh ] was unable to see what had
been so generally observed by the native
population. The peculiar dancing and
singing of the Dervishes after this was
kept up until their grand feast in the
evening, followed by fireworks, the
most brilliant of the week, and continued
until dawn, when tents fell and the
multitude disappeared as chaff before
the wind.-Cdtro (Egyp0 Cor. N. Y
Times b..