New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-18
THE TUYISIzE MINI8TENS AMUSEMENTS
Correapondenee London 0lobe.

Correspondence London Globe
To finish ND list Of Tunisian entertainments
will give little description OF an afternoon spent
at the country house of Ben Ismain the abOve-men-
toned Minister, which is situated at Manoubia.
some ten miles from Tunis. We were shown through
several passages INTO an immense nan OF pCIo VOL
of tho house. At one end was sort OF verandah or
balcony. with chair of State placed ready for the
Bey iwho was at that time the guest Of the Minis
teri at the other were tho latticed windows OF the
harem. There were assembled several hundreds Of
Mussulmans, the greater part of whom were mem.
beIs of the famous sect of the A1saWs or Society OF
Jesus and were assembled to perform their religions
exercises in tho presence of the Boy, ana Tor the
benefit and amusement Of the few Europeans who
were carefully hidden In snug little ante-cham-
ber which commanded an excellent view OF the hail.
The signal for the commencement Of the per
formance was tho entry or tho Bey: Inc vast
crowd gave way respectfully before slight figure
magnifcently clothed in Arab style and leaning on
the arm Of q Tunisinn general. The Bey disap-
peared In the house but shortly a1terWard was seen
seated in the chair of State the balcony. he n-
clined his head, and they began the overture
which consisted of hideous banging and changing
of drums and tambOuripes. Then tho Aissawa
the hall the musicians and lido not6ings"
formed a semi-circle IN front; two or three
stalw9rt men stood IN front r ot the acct li
dents arising from excessive religious excitement;
and then uprose the dismal, mOnotonous chant OF
the deYOtees, accompanied by strange. rhythmic
waggng Of the body, so fascinating. to the locker
OH that one found oneself unconsciously and me"
chnnically wagginR in unison. Holy, half naked
saints walked up and, down the long row, exciting
them to deeds of religious fcryOr. From time TO
time individuals maddened by their eXhOrtatiOnS,
tore from the ranks. fOamed at the mouth, pre-
tended to be camels, and 10 confirm the idea ate
large quantities Of "prickly pearl; Others-One
hOrrid blear-eyed creature CspeCially-assumed the
character of lions. The blear-eyed one by-the-by,
was really vicious He made such a spirited
charge toward us, champing his teeth and
Clawing in the air. that our guards were token by
surprise and had scarcely time to save us. He came
so near to me that-ugh!- The spatteFed the front Of
my coat with his fOan ] resolutely but firmly
placed stout Tunsian general in front Of me, re-
solved that he should bear the Orunt of the onset
To nv relief the lion was mastered by the guards
and led reluctantly roaring away, and rs he still
proved refractory they knocked him down, and ono
man sat ON his head md two three on his stomach
until he came out Of his par0Xysm and promised not
to do il again.
Lots OF other amusing and original tricks did we
see. Some cut themselves with kniyes-ycry GIN
gerly it seemed to me-Or stuck pins all over their
bodies like metallic pOrcupines Others ate scorp-
Ons-nlashed them in their mouths so that there
might be no mistake, or swallowed an unnecessary
quantity of nails and stood their heads much
longer than II IL generally convenient to do. After
about two hours of this sort OF thing we drank sooe
welcome coffee, went TO see a curious collection Of
some five or SIX dwarfs belonging to the Minister
dust as ono might look at u sinil exhibition Of
mOnkeys) took leave Of our kind bOst and returned
to Tuns in the cool Of lovely evening.