Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-05-31
A FEAST OF BLOOD.
The Extraordinary Rites Conducted
by Coles Arabs.

ny Coles ARABS.
From the St. Louis Post-Dspatch.
Probably tie most extraordinary re-
Ggious rite ever performed IN this city
took place at the Fair Grounds yester
day morning at sunrise. The interes-
ted parties wers the Bedouin Arab
athletes, brought here last Friday for
w. w. Coles Circus, now showing at
Nineteenth and Pine streets. 1t was
noticed then that these sinewy sons of
the desert, who hsd thrown pieces of
gold into the sea at New York harbor,
after Offering up the necessary prayers,
still had further ceremony to 60
through in order 10 complete their
thanks offerings, and fully propitiate
Allah and his prophet Mohammed for
their safe deliverance in this country.
Nothing more than the mere state
ment of the intention could be obtain
ed, and indeed the Arabs hesitated in
giving any information whatever upon
the subject, even to any of the circus
attaches Mr.. Coles agents were anx-
ious that the feast, or whatever it might
be called, should take place in public,
that the show might thereby gain the
benefit of the advertising that would
follow such an event, but the Arabs
stubbornly refused to have the cere-
mony conducted in public, and would
say nothing about the matter to
anybody except Ernest Cook, the
slowr, i whose.ke ping theyi urneyt
to this country from the Holy Land
Nothing more was known or said about
the affair until Saturday night, when
the Arabs returned to the city from
Cape GiraIdeau. Then they told Mr..
Cook that, yesterday being the ninth
day after their arrival here, the cere-
mony should take place then, and the
old circus hea Quarters at the Fair
Grounds should be the scene of the
goings-on. The party went to the
ground Saturday night, taking along q
lamb, some figs, and sackful of the
material for their feast. At sunrise
yesterday morning they were all at the
edge of the lake in the Fair Grounds,
and, barring their heads to the rising
orb, they took water 10 the palms of
their hands and sprinkled their faces.
Sneik Abdallah Ben Said then led in
prayer, and after few minutes spent
standing at the edge of the lake, with
their faces turned to the sun and their
voices lifted in dirge-like chant, they
moved in procession to the hall devoted
to the exhibition OF machinery. Clos
ing and barring the doors, with no eau
casian save Cook near them, they went
through the final rites. On s. block
placed in position on the earthen floor
of the hall the little lamb with its legs
tied, was resting. Around the block,
sat eleven Arabs, barefooted and bare
headed. The Sheik stood beside the
temporary altar, and, barring a long
knife, pointed it to the east and made
prayer, then laid the knife at the
throat of the lamb, but did not cut At
this the eleven Arabs raised a shout as
of Joy, and the Sheik lifted
the knife from the victim.
Presenting the blade to him,
each sitting Arab kissed it, NUT
tering something after the salutati0n.
Last of all the Sheik kissed the knife,
and then drew it across the throat of
the lamb, and in a moment the red
blood was flowing. Taking some in his
hands, the Sheik sprihkled the Arabs
with the red fluid, and another shout OF
TO- no NtAt ilbiuS ttit ldbUD IN
his arms, the Sheik carried it to esch
Arab, and each, holding his Joined
palms under the stream, caught guam
tity of the blood, which was first slipped
and then dashed in the face. Every man
was served in this way, Me Sheik taking
the last drsught and receiving the last
CORY sprin&lng himself after depositing
the diving lamb on the block. A guam
titv of figs were next sprinllled with the
blood, and then, the block being re-
moved, fire was built ul the middle OF
the circle, and the figs placed therein
to roast. While the cooking process
was going forward, each Arab, with a
knife taken from his belt, dug hole in
the ground behind him. and, wrapping
gold dollar and 81 yer 10 cent pie e O.
gether in white cloth, placed these,
with a small green feather, in the earth
and covered them up as they sang. Tire
roasted figs were pa; taken Of with still
bloody faces, and the Sheik pronnunc-
ing final prayer the awful ceremony
was at an end. The Offering Of the
lambs blood was a grateful return for
the protection afforded them in life aud
limb during the great journey they had
made into strange land.
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