Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-29
THE DANCING OERWSHES.

Near our hotel are the danciu" der
WISHES. | suppose there are ample
description, of these dcI'ViShe- and their
mummcriys, but have not read them.
| rive what | saw. The dancing sect
whr around gently on their toes. Their
arms are extended and eyes sleepy or
dreamy. They keep their places like
stars i'm their orbit, ~ they move
arol nj, while a solemn brothe',
with arnls folded, 9nl i'll
PRAYER. moves between the revolving
url,~. Their robes lly out a. though they
would makra cheese, aS the children
used to say. They have sweet chant.
Their closed eyes and whirl indicate that
they oer the invisible Allah wherever
they turn.
Thee lo not howl. For that we want
To = itarl. There i convent Of them
there. We slipped hchiud the curtain
and went up into the gallery, looking
down into court. There WAS a. altar
and u group of vuriou>ly-drcSIcd der
wishes. some were ~ ldicr>, some boys,
some little girls in tiu~ccd dresses, SOME
were black IL ebony, some tall, some
small, some thin, some handsome, some
hidcouS, and all joined in the prayers
and chants. y few kneelcd ON SheepSkln,
while others formed Il hollow square and
began ~WaYin% and singing while the
tum-tum of the tambOrinc and clash OF
cymhals gave out the pleasing concord
al q Neutrality-suspicious.. When the
agony WAS sufficient aud the steam was
on with full head, the swaying and
howlmg and barking, and Swapping and
Jerking of head and body, and the
irothing and hard breathing ami general
diaboli~m began The song was rCpctit-
ions, and not unmu>iCal 1T intervals
where u tuc-likr melody, instrumental,
came i'm ~ a prelude to additional howl
ing. We stood this I0r'an hour. One
man. OfrNrellcmt appearance, with long,
glossy auburn hair and Il rich voice, rs
it sounded ont, ".Allah" and Mai
mould" seemed Ia be III" chief, and
ruled them with Il look. He gave Il
| glance al one, and of would 90 4 coat,
| or Il turltu, OF their high white sugar
! loaf hat, and on would 20 Il white night
| cap. One African of the worst ) Dect |
! over SAW ON u human face ii, indeed, 1t
| w;~ II I a visor hiding the huplan face,
/ seemed to bv ~ 1.-the and loath~Omv a.
! a snake. He WAS six feet and more, AMI
in his bare feet. His tongue would fell
cut. and his body would comfort, until
YOU could hardly sec what form it had.
! The negro MINISTRIES, when they mimic
the rXrr--t.~ III the negroes south at their
rryival~. are hut faint copies ofthc wild
Hes or this Nubiau beast, H. he twisted,
snapped. clllrked, harkul, and howled.
W.. went out for fresh air, t. return to
~C,. Thu ~traugv~t Of ceremonies. Their
rhirf and some of his >uboriinatc~ We're
sitting cru~o-leggrd and making sacred
knots i'm white napkins when we
r,cntcrrd Then prone on their faces
We're arrtyrd 4 dozen children, from >
months old up IL l.; and this derviSh
walked over and on their bodies. Yes,
on them. each and ALL would not have
believed il had not Scen il. Not once,
but four times, these PROSTATE lines of
children were formed, and he trOd on
them carhiInd all. Nhcrcupon they
,lro~, >allctIticd and cleared of disease;
for that is the theory. In came soldier
and lay Hat. He had the rheumatism.
Along with him lin" was formed some
of the little ones going fiat again. over
the lot the chief travelled. The soldier
pnt M and kissed the derviSh'S hand.
He took care to place his foot on tn"
lDp.r parl of the thigh behind. Any
surgeon may tell YOU whether this Is a
vulnerable spot. Not child whimPcr-
ed: moi a soul smiled. could neither
enjoy nor cease to wonder.
What is the solution Of this seeming
physical paradox? That question AK
ed ola gentleman learned in the customs
here. He said: Did YOU observe two
priests in loose robes on each side OF aut
line, holding the chiefs arms"
Tes, but i'd not see that they could