, 1884-09-02
DANCING DERYTSHES.
a Singular sect in the Moorish
Quarters IN Algiers.
Al spent 1u Their Company
Some Of Thefr Rites and Per-
formsnceN-some Terri
bio Ordeals.


na-ta8 Transcript
One eli -uhig last February, during our
stay ia Algior.. nt we're Informed that tho
dancing ,isrNi-ies, or aissaoui, as they are
rallied. s-r' 90 give "A performance Ac-
roniingl5 that evening, having procured a
guide. W. proceeded To the place where the
performance wn-Jp be given, driving through
10 ontoaw -;reets connecting the French
Will iho Moorish quarter Of The town, until
thot b.. ame 30 narrow and winding that it
Wa, ini- --ihie % go farther. Here We left
the n -s see- in a small square, where four
nat fronf, Iinhedded in the ground marked
the -isf where prisoners were formerly H.
Ieua-i. nLd walked On through the narrow,
uhnlytlehted street. aud on arriving AZ our
destination Were ushefed into "a large old
Moorish Luuse with il central open court,
~gall.fir-, and communicating rooms. On tWu
side e this c,lrt, which wns lightedby flick
srius candles. are benches for spectator,
ahiIc teloso them perhaps fifty Arabs IN their
picturesque costumes were sitting ere
legged. smoking and drink ing coffee. In TIN
enter Of the court was 2 large s1uare carpet.
upon which wa a bmher Of burning char
nal, and behind IL was a lighted candlsahout
three feet ia height. Behind this candle six
musicians were seated, Ia the center Of whom
WAS fha master OF ceremonies or high. priest
lf the order, an ntelllgent-appearing Arabot
peria~ 40 years Of age. In the gallsry i'm
iuediately above us, partially concealed D..
screens of rugs and shawls, were mans
Moorish women, and when the exercise ho
came exciting one could occasionally catch l.
glimpse Of a pretty face.
A. a given signal the music commenced.
The Instruments were immense tainbourines,
perhaps two and q half feet in diameter,
which they tuned to the right musical pitch
by occasionally heating them over the char
coal fire, The noise produced b. the=' ia
struments was deafening and monotoncus,
They continued pounding steadily for per-
haps twenty minutes with no result, when all
nj ouce a young man rushed into the center
OF the circle witt a scream and commcaeli
to dance and cesticulate wildly. He was
Immediately seized by the attendants, who
Invested him OF his outer garments and oru-
aments, He then, with a vacant, staring OK
preston, began 10 dance wildly before the
tall candle. 1t could hardly be called a
dance, as his feet were stationary.
He simply threw his head and body back
ward and forward, all his muscles being com
pletely relaxed, his head almost touching tho
lame Of the cnndle as 1t swung forward
His face soon became rcd and he began TO froth
at the mouth. He was soon Joined by two
others. An attendant kept them In line, not
allowing them 10 get toonoar the candle, and
occasionally joining their hands. Soon a
wild looking, emaciated old man sprang into
the center of the circle with q scream.
After he lad been Invested OF his outer GAR
ments he lid not dance, but commenced
pointing, with wild SCREAMS, at different per-
son- in the room. He then placed his heel In
tic center Of the burning charcoal until tie
ssaai. end odor Of burning flesh filed the
Ia.rl. Tie performance WIS rendered moro
effective by his continual screams and by the
uacrthly noise ~ the tambourines
He then withdrew his foot, and a red-hot
shovel having been handed to him, he rapidly
struck it with his open hand and then drew
his finger slowly across 1t, producing, proba-
bly,, a slight blister. A heavy, sharp-polnted
instrument was then handed 10 him, which
the old man placed against his abdomen and
proceeded to pound against the other end
with n heavy brick, which he broke into sew
eral fragments. He then, with apparently
great effort, pretended 10 withdraw 1t, but rs
its withdrawal vas not followed by blood,
and as he Immediately covered up the spot
with his clothing we concluded that the in
strument had not penetrated the flesh at ali
He then kissed the priest and ran into an nd
joining apartment, where he placed his foot
In winter and afterward resumed his scat
with tho others. Meanwhile the three
dancers, who had continued bobbing wildly
up and down, and fallen TO the floor Ia an
exhausted condition and had been assisted
ont OF the room by the attendants.
An Arab who sat near me spoke 10 me in
French, saying; Watch that old mnn. D..
is the best performer OF tho party Tic nm
in question was u fire looking old Arab
richly dressed. wearing spectacles, who Nsis
stroklng his long gray beard and smiling
serenely. Near him was another old man,
watching the proceedings. The chief evil
dently did everything in his power to excite
him. At stated intervals tho musicians
would beat the tambourines fast and furi-
ously. At such times the old man would
sway backward aud forward, and look
wildly about, muttering 10 himself. He even,
at one time, unbuttoned his outer garments,
evidently preparing for his approaching fit
He would then subside again, md finally but
toned up his coat, and did not perform durins
the evening.
Soon. however, the other old man, without
warning, suddenly fell forward into the cir
Gle. He was raised by the attendants, who,
as Ia the previous cases. took of his watch
and outer garments He then commenced 70
rcIea, Va IA loud voice certain Arabic sen
tencos a tamhorine was then passed about
the audience, containing perhaps ten stones,
varying in size from one-fourth 10 three
fourths Of an inch in diameter, and a rusty
nail One OF theso stones was then passed u
the Old man, who, holding it between his
thumb and forehngsr, placed it In his mouth
and swallowed it. He then swallowed all tn.
stones, finishing with the rusty nail Their
was no opportunity for deception, as his arm
were bare. and he invariably opened hi
mouth, showing tho stone, aud after
ward opening his mouth 10 show that it wiz
empty. Il Is said that a member Of the order
has recently died from the effect Of swallow
ing nails After he had finished his per.
formance he resumed his seat. adjusted hi
garments, receiving many congratulations
from his friends.
The music then became more furious and
deafening, and the uproar was increased by
shrill screams Of encouragement FROM the
women above. and shlrtly three new men
rushed into the circle-two l~lght-complex.
Toned Arabs and a negro dancing anu
screaming. Three red-hot ahovels wer
handed them, which they struck as the Grsi
performer had done, while one Of the number
took the rcd-hot shovel between H. teeth.
and held It there until there was a distinct
odor OF burning flesh. They then took tn
red Goals from the brazier, ohewed AMI swal.
lowed them, while the black troth ran from
their mouths Two large PORTIONS Of
prickly cactus, covered with long,
sharp needles, were thcn L4ndei
TO them. These they sciz,d iously
struggling for the largest portion ,hici
they chewel and swallowed-meaANhl
frothlng Ind foamins at the mouth. Eighty
scorpions were then placed ia n tamborins