The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-14
Horrible Sights in the Turk
ish Metropolis.
FOLLOWERS OF MoHAMHED.
The Celebration of an Annirersary-
The sickening Scenes Enacted
A Shower OF Blood.

naLlI
and religious. The occurrence OF The
Persian national religious fets. celebra,
ted on the 9th OF this month, so far sur
passed other religious denomination
that venture a brief description of ar
event that has so strangely impressed
itself upon my mind.
The Psrsians are believers in NOLAN.
med, but differ religiously from the
Turks by being the followers Of All, the
cousin and son-in-law of the prophet
and by rejecting the Soma, or book OF
commentaries. By the immediate sue
cessors OF Mohammed many precepts
and apologies which casually fell from
/ the lips of the prophet were collected
after his death from ear witnesses. and
transcribed in book called the Soma
or Oral Law-hence the origin of the
Sonnites, to whom the Turks belong,
and the opposition of the Schiites.
strongly represented by the Persians.
"Hostlities and prosecutions have oc-
casionally taken place between these
sects, says Irvine, almost as virul=nt
as those which, between Catholics and
Protestants, have disgraced Christian
lty." Among the grsndest characters
Of the Schiites was Hasein, the grand
son OF Mohammed By his daughter
Fatima, the wife of Ali. The manner
in which Hasein was induced 70 leave
Mecca and repair 10 Cufa, where. &C
cording 20 promise, he expected TO re-
ceiye the title Of Caliph, and his tragic
death al Kerbela, or Meshed Hasein,
are all prominent features in the his
tory Of his sect; and to-day his tomb at
kerbela is visited annually By hundreds
OF Persians who consider il an honor
and sanctity to bury the bones of de-
parted relatives or friends near the
tomb OF their patron saint. The ami
versary Of his mArtyrdom and the
solemnity with which il is kept, NAV De
inferred from the account relative BY
the sectaries OF Ali of the prodigies
which attended his death. The sun !
withdrew his light, the stars t1inkled at
noon day and FLASHED against each |
other ana the clouds rained showers of |
blood. A supernatural hight beamed |
from the head of the martyr, and a |
hock OF white birds lowered around Il. "
These miracles are declared false by the |
Sonnites, who hold Ali and his race an |
abomination.
On the 9th Of October the anniversary
OF Hasein's martyrdom was celebrated
with great demonstrations by the Per
slams OF Constantinople. At O'Clock in
the evening l repaired to STEAMBOAT. and
made my way through narrow alleys
and dismal thoroughfares TO the YaIids
Khan. Persian commercial house with
3 spacious couriIabout I5Ox2OO yards In
and vita q large foIntain
in the centre of the court. Around this
large parallelogram, middle way be
tween centre and sides, ropes were
stretched so as to secure an open space
Of about twenty-five feet for the process
non. On both sides Of this TEMPORARY
alley muititudes had congregatsd, and
the windows of the houses around were
illed and even the roofs covered by
squads OF yelled Turkish women. while
the European women mixed freely in ,
the promiscuOus crowds below. The I
sides of the buildings were Illuminated,
and the elegant glass and proclaim
vases, hanging lamps and chandeliers.
produced somewhat curious display of {
oriental grandeur. Prayer over, the (
procession led By the priests began its {
confused and irregular march. The
music dispensed BY flies, drums and
,ymbals, was more remarkable for its !
iegree Of quantity than for its quality
Ind was painfully monotonous. Fol-
owing the band came the horses {
licked with oriental cloths ornamented I
Iy shields, scimitars and other anciew
Implements OF war. On one of the l
lorses were perched a number OF white
,igeons n commemorarion Of the flock
II white birds which lowered around
he martyrs head at his death. Behind
he horses came in black costumes a
lumber OF small boys chantinga Persian {
lynn. Following these were ten men :
arrying scourges prepared for their
are backs entirely exposed beneath the Z
'laring torch-hghts. Each scourge 4
onsisted OF about fifteen chains the size 7
4 an ordinary watch chain, and c
ttached TO q handle large enough for q
be grip OF both hands. Last, and full | b
4 sensational attraction, came upward c
4 go Persians with heads shaved bare c
n top in Moslem style. and with sharp c
teel gloves, between the common b
utcher's knife and sword in length and d
bout the weight of the latter. Urged
n by the priests who walked between b
ne two single files, these terrible weep {
ms were brandished as shouts OF ven d
ence upon the murderers of Hasein {
ent the air in wild enthusiasm. The C
'earers of the swords were dressed in o
White robes. each person grasping his e
leighbor by the glrdle with his left b
land, as ne nourlShed II angry demo-
trations the sword of Allah with his
light. After marching thus twice
.round the court. the most horrid and
ickning scenes were enacted. The men ]
With scourges were inflicting violent .
ashes upon their backs. which il
eemed they would beat to jslley. and {
hose with gloves were striking their !
are heads with the keen edge of their !
igly weapons, causing the blood to :
purt and flow in streams down their {
aces and necks. covering their white
obes so as 10 give themselves more the !
appearance of slaughtered beasts thsn
Il human beings. Swinging backwards
md forwards in their sidelong move
nents. uttering in deep cultural tones
he names of Hasein and Hassan
brother Of Hasein) they would draw {
hese sharp instruments of barbarity :
cross their bare heads, and in exulting
exhibitions Of self-torture display the
blades 70 a morbidly curl
'us audience. Behind each of those
With swords was an attendant with a
10th wiping from time 20 time the
Hood out OF the eyes OF these self-pos-
ne victims OF fanaticism, aud at the
anne time this attendant carried q stick :