Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-14

they kiss the floor, a ceremony which they
perform quite frequently during the nrst
hour; and every one who presumes 10
tread within that holy preclnct removes
his Overshoes, II he is wearing any, Othei
wise be enters in his stockings. Az J
O'clock the excitement begins; oO OF AZ
men are ranged around one end Ol the
room, bowling themselves about most VIZ
lently and keeping time TO the move
ments OF their bodies with shouts OF
'Allahp 'Allahp and then branching OH
into a bowling chorus of Mussulman sup
plications. that, unintelligible as tney
are to the infidel ear, are not altogether
devoid of melody in the expression, tns
Turkish language Astounding In words IN
which there is world OF righteousness
A dancing deryish, who has been patient
ly awaiting at the inner gate. now re"
ceves a nod of permission from the
priest, and, after laying aside an outer
garment, waitzes nimblY into the room,
ard straightway begins spinning round
like a ballet dancer in Italian opera, his
arms extended, his long shirt forming
complete circle around him as he re-
wolves, ard mis- eyes fixed with a deter
mined gaze into vacancy. Among the
hOwlers is a negro, who is feet at
least, not in his socks, but in the finest
pair of undershOes in the room, and wheth-
floor, knocking foreheads against the
same, kissing the haHd of the priest, or in
the bowling and bodily cOntortlons, this
son OF Ham performs his part with grace
that brings him cOnspicuously to the fore
in this respect. But as the eOntOrtions
gradually become more violent, and the
cry OF Allah akbarl' Allah haiv degen-
crates into violent grunts OF 'h-o-o-o-o-a-
hoO-hoo,' the half-exhaustsd devotees
oil artvfh h1rf n W
and the perspiration fairly streams OF
them, from such violent exercise in the
not weather and close atmosphere OF the
small room. The exercises make rapid
inrOads upon the tall Negroes powers OF
endurance, and he steps to one side and
takes breathing-spell OF five minutes,
after which he resumes his place again,
and in spite of the ever-increasing vio-
lence Of both lung and muscular exercise
and the extra eXertion imposed by his
great height, he keeps it up heOrically to
the end.
'FOr % minutes by my Waterbury the
one lone dancing deryish-whO appears
to be visitor merely. but is accorded the
brotherly privilege of whirling round in
silence whilst the others hOwl-spins
round and round like a tireless top, max
Ing not the slightest sound spinning in
long, persevering, continuous whirl, as
tlAOtSu NCbCA llllttSu W JAOfC ulAlSGAA AOAANA
than the hOwleTs, by spinning longer than
they can keep up their hOwllng-a fair
test OF fanatical endurance, so to speak.
One cannot help admlring the religious
| terVOT and determination of purpose that
mpels this lone figure silently around on
his axis tor % minutes, at speed that
would upset the equilibrium of anybody
but a dancing derYish in 80 seconds; and
there is something really heroic IN the
| in hn do ,l.r
stops, and, without uttering a sound or
betraying any sense OF dizziness whatev-
er from the exercise, puts on his coat
again and departs in silence, conscious,
no doubt, OF being hOlier person than all
the hOwlers put together, even though they
are still keeping it up. As uumistakable
signals OF distress are inYolutntarily
hoisted by the violently exercising de.
voices, and the weaker ones quietly fall
out OF line, and military precision OF the
twists of body and bObbing a1d Jerking OF
head begins to lose something of it's reg
ularity, the six 'encOuragers,' ranged on
sheep-skins before the line of bowling
men, like nOncommissiOned officers before
! a squad of new recruits, increase their
encouraging cries OF Allah! AlIaa akbarp
as though fearful that the din might sub
side on account of the several already ex-
| hausted organs of articulation unless
swell the volume. Little children now
come trOoping in, soaking with eager an
| ticipation the happy privilege of being
ranged along the floor like sardines in tin
box, and having the priest walk along
their bodies, stepping from one to the 9th.
| er along the row, and returning the same
way, whilst two assistants steady him by
holding his hands. In the case of the
smaller children, the priest CONSIDERABLY
steps on their thighs, to avoid throwing
theirinternal apparatus out OF gear; but
If the recipient OF his holy attentions is,
in his estimation, strong enough to run the
risk. he steps square on their backs. The
little things jump up as sprightly as may
| be. kiss the priests hands fervently, and
| 20 trOOping out of the door, apparently
well pleased with the novel performance.
| Finally human nature can endure il no
| longer, anu the performance terminates
IN a long, despairing wall of Allah! AL.
Ian! Allahv The exhausted devOtees,
soaked wet with perspiration. step for
ward, and receive what | take to be rather
an inadequate reward for what they have
| been suhiecting themselves to, viz, the
privilege OF kissing the priests already
much-kissed hand, and at 5:45 the per-
fOrmance is over. / take my departure in
time to catch the O'Clock boat for Galata,
well satisfied with the finest show l ever
saw for a cheTik.