The Opelousas courier., 1885-09-12
Persian DerVisiles.

AAS ~ NSA ~ $AS 'N'E
"dervish" is religious mendicant. In
Persia, dervishes are certainly mendi,
cants; but their religion does not go
much beyond pious CALCULATIONS and the
cursing of the infidel. Their hair and
boards are always worn long, unkempt,
and flowing in the wind. A striking APP
pcarance is affected and obtained by
startling costumes or by the strange
| weapons which Only q dcrvish carries.
Every large town has a shop in which
are exhibited the paraphernalia of the
d~ervish-tall hatskof cloth or felt, in
| shape and size 1Aembling a sugar loaf
| ION these hats "a embroidered pious
a., calculations or tR7ts from the Koran;
the calabash fgf 7c1aIly an deliberately
| carved vessel m.R from Il single Indian
nut that will he q several pints) which
hangs from the ;hbrvish's girdle by brass
chains-it is hisliRallet, drinking-vcssel,
and aims box az combined. At these
strange shops ITO may be seen carved
beads in stringts each bead an inch or
! more in diametah these necklcts serve to
/ add to the weiIee temperance Of the der
wish. 1t is iA his arms that the
real dervish's flecy takes most scope.
Bludgeons witlsTbortentous projections;
| clubs bristling eyith spikes or knife
blades, steel tkes, single headed or
double headcdH at times beautifully
damasccned wit silver or gold; maccs
| of steel or iron44-with one or other of
these curious Iacapons the dervish is
sure to be provided. The harvest of the
dervish is at theYncw year. At this fes-
- ~ -..4I r,;o;,m NV all
Persians. the dErvish has good tune;
every passer be gives him a tritle for
luck.
/ At every rich or great mans door a
! dervish now encamps-literally encamps.
He pitches a tiny tent, composed of q
yard Of canvas which he pegs against
the wal. of the victims doorway; he
makes in front of the tent a sort of glo-
ritied mud pie, and calls it his garden;
he decorates the pie with oranges or
sprigs of shrubs, and he shouts ''Hakk-
Hakk-H a- IA akkm day and night, per
haps for a month, till at last he is dis
missed with a present. AS there is II
certain glory-is it not o visible sign of
wealth and dignity2-in having a derv,
| ish at ones gate at New Years time, the
dervish generally remains at least
a week. When he becomes impa
tient, real tortures~ commence. In adj
dition to this unending "Hakk!" the
dervish blows upon a buffalo horn. The
horn is blown suddenly, %viciously, at
dead of night, and at irregular intervals,
by an irritated dcrvish with sound lungs.
The expected gratuity does not long re-
main ungiven when he takes these noc-
turnal solos. The dervish is permitted
by custom to enter any assemblagc, to
seat himself at every board-a humble,
unlimited, but still welcome guest. He
is often a fortune teller, at times a mes
merist or conjurer. He does, not, as q
rule, mutilate himself or undergo penance
of any kind. save at the month of mourn
ING, the Mohurrirl, when, in honor of
the saints and martyrs Elassan and Iious-
sein, he will chop his forehead with a
sword till streams of blood flow over the
white shroud in which he dresses him,
self on this occasion. And in the same
solemn month strings Of dervishes may
be seen who scourge their OWL bare
backs with heavy iron chains until they
bleed, while with their left hands they
beat their naked and bruised CHESTS,
shouting a. each stroke, ,'Hassan, Hous-
scin!' in dismal chorus.