Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-10-01
The Wonderful Dervishes.
Ol1phant's Gland of Gilead. y

From Ohphant's Gland Of Gilead"
The sheik received US at the door of his
courtyard, which was already tolerably full
of native spectators and Of persons who
were to take part in the performances, while
many vailed women, who had apparently
gotten notice that the sheik was going to
exhibit mis- powers, crowded the surround
ing roofs. After the preliminary politeness
of pi oes, sherbert and coffee he went into
an inner room and reappeared with bun
die Of iron skewers. very much like those
used by cooks for trusting meat. Beckon-
ing to wild looking dervish stripped to
the waist, whose wondering eye had an evil
look in it, which the rest of his couptenance
did not beie--in fact it was only redeemed
from being villainous by sort of glare Of
insanity-he made him open his mouth,
and proceeded with the utmost GOODNESS to
pass skewer from the inside through each
cheek, so that the points could be seen
plainly protruding. He then performed a
like operation on a remarkably handsome
youth of sixteen, whom I afterward found
was his son, and whose large, clear, hazel
eye was calmly fixed on mine, while his
cheeks We're being pierced, nor did line
conscious of the slightest pain. Nota drop
of blood showed in either case. The two
victims stood before us with their mouths
pressed back and the projec Ting skewers
showing the points through their cheeks with
as much apparent comfort as if it were the
normal condition of their being. 4s h i
Leaving them in this attitude, the sheik
again disappeared into his room. This
time he returned with small. square box.
drawing back the sliding lid of which he
extracted scorpion Of unusual size, Its vi
cious tail curling and striking it's own back
as it writhed between his fingers. This he
handed to another dervish, clothed and
lookidg more in right mind than his skew
cred comrade, who instantly dropped the
lively reptile into his mouth, and crunched
it with apparent gusto. AS he was as large
as an ordinary land-crab, it was big
mouthful, and seemed to whip up into q !
sort of lather as he chewed it. His coun-
tenance, as he went on munching, was SO
impassive that could not judge whether
live scorpion is nice or not; probably it is
an acquired taste. Another dervish Joined
in the repast, and disposed of a smaller one
with equal equanimity. now suggested
that we were satisfied in regard to the skew
ers, and that the company generally would
feel more comfortable if they
were extracted. It is decidedly
unpleasant to have two men with
their cheeks trussed staring at you while
others are eating live scorpions. Their
mouths were SO pressed back that they
seemed to be grinning insanely; but should
think the effect of a real joke would have
been disagreeable. I longed to try and
make them laugh, to see whether it would
not hurt them, but there is probably no
such thing as axleryish with sense of hu-
NOR, and an Arabic joke was beyond me.
The sheik, too, would probably have been
offended, for he went through the whole
performance with the greatest solemnity.
taking long, deep inspirations as he mutt
tered nominations, in which the name of
Allah occurred frequently, before he
touched the skewers; then with dentist like
twist he jerked them out. The points we're
bloodless, and the outside of the cheek
showed only slight induration like that of
cicatrized wound; there was no redness
or inflammation.
A brazier burning of charcoal was brought
in and the charcoal famed into blaze.
The i Sheik then went through an invoca-
ton, and suddenly, with his bare feet.
jumped upon it and stood there for nearly
minute, the lurid fame curling round
them. The moment he got off the serpent
eaters rushed forward and filed their
mouths with red-hot charcoal, which was
again famed, the smell of burning flesh
becoming powerful and sickening as they
crunched the glowing morsels. Live Goals
are possibly the antidote to snakes after YOU
have eaten them; but the general effect of |
all this strange diet was beginning to have
a powerful influence upon the nerves Of
some of the lady spectators, who protested
that they were unable to witness further
horrors.