The Dickinson press., 1888-06-09
THE HOWLING DERVISITES,
EXCITING CEREMONIES WITNESSED
BY A CORRESPONDENT.

luencc in Turkcy-A Frenzied Child of
3 Ycars-A Human Corduroy Road.
Trying to Nerves.
We set out after an carly lunch to witness
some of the religious rites of the Rctace, or
the bowling dervisllcs. These are but one
of the numerous orders of dervishes who
WELD an irresistible influence over the public
mind in Turkey. Their notable Take is a
low. weather beaten old building, standing
on the edge of the great cypress shaded Turk
ish cemetery that crowns the heights of Sen.
toric, and is almost us d%ilapidated us most Of
the monuments and gravestones that sur
round it. When we entered we found the
best seats for observation nearly all uppro-
priat@i by a large party of American tourists
with guide books in hand, fully determined
to take it all H."
The space allotted to the "howlers" was
also well filled, yet Il good many, both of
young and old, We're still coming, and after
going forward to where the high priest sat,
they rcvcrentially bowed to the dust. then
taking the priests hand, gently kissed it and
retired. Directly behind the priest was Il
mall %alcove, painted Il bright green, and
filled with Il variety of antique small arms,
swords, daggers. battle axes, etc. On the
walls were many notices OF sentences in
frames, and some prayer rug A small
brazen censor containing burning franklin
censc and spices, filled the room with aro-
matte fragrance.
ROWS OF SPECTATORS.
Around three sides of the low room were
galleries, some closely latticed and occupied
by Turkish women others open and filled
with curious spectators like ourselves. The
best location was reserved for Turkish gem
tlemen and soldiers. Beneath these galleries
was still another, elevated n step or two
above the main floor, and separated from it
by Il low railing, and furnished with seats
for spectators. On the main floor were
spread many rugs of Angora goatskin, on
which were seated old men. regular patri-
arclls i'll appearance, while two groups of
little children We're ranged behind them.
Seated close to the low railing were rows of
men clothed i'll the flowing Dervish mantle
and tan colorcd 'galuph,' a tall, brimless
felt hat, strongly resembling an inverted
flower pot, bound round the head by a long
black scarf, with ends left flowing. These
ends were at intervals in the course of tho
service tenderly pressed to the lips. AT
other times the eyes We're carefully wiped
with these mourning badges.
Conspicuous before the high priest stood a
1.-the figure, with a pale, cadaverous counte-
nance, but a keen, penetrating eye. who was
slowly manipulating II long, white scarf. He
first threw it around his shoulders, thus
s.ymbolizing the all embracing love of Allah;
then, binding it tightly about his waist, he
began tying and untying it, each knot hav-
ing Il particular significance. His whispered
words will bear this Interpretation: 81 tie
up greed; l unite charity. tic up hate; l
unite love. l tie up pride; l unite humility"
And so OIL through u long list. Then began
II monotonous chant that soon swellcd to q
tremendous howl. All rose to their feet and
kept time with swaying body and jerking
head in u frantic manner
The old and feeble among them gradually
dropped out of the circle and took seats on
the rugs near the center of the room, beside
the rows of standing children. AT length
the eyes of the spectators became riveted
upon the face and figure of a little 3-year-old
baby, who stood for two long hours swaying
its frail body in perfect unison with the der
wishes. and with his rosy, cherub mouth ut.
tering the same indescribably impressive
cry of Allah! When the rude throng had
ut length worked themselves up to n state of
religious frenzy the little boy also rolled his
SJGo ttUUuU io IL DeuOlulllS IL heavenly
vision.
ENDURANCE OF FAN
can compare this worship to nothing 1
have ever witnessed, except it be the intense
excitement exhibited at meetings among the
''colored brethren on u southern plantation
i'll the old ''slave times in our own country.
One who has seen those impressionable peo-
pie jumping, shouting and falling DOWN with
kkfla npIynrS pon iu,nripa cp,,,tlt,, 90 +l,,
narrowing spectacle before us today.
To my mind nothing was so impressive as
the power of endurance shown by the infants
Oh exhibition. l shudder when / think of the
torture they must have been subjected to in
the private drill necessary to prepare them
for such u performance in public. Some of
the children seemed free to pass i'll and out
at will, but the tiny boy spoken of above and
n little girl IA immediately never left their
posts a minute nor ceased to sway their
bodies and shout until the performance
was concluded by Il louder clapping
and bowling, more violent Jerking of
the head and wilder tumult than
before. Then a sudden hush, when, without
q signal or look from any one, this lovely
little baby demurely marched up to the high
priest to receive his blessing, then laid him
down, his face to the ground before the
venerable man. Another, who appeared to
be Il high chief Of the order. now took the
stalwart priest by the hand while he placed
both feet on the body of this frail infant and
stood with his face turned upward, while he
muttered what appeared to be a prayer.
Then other children followed. First came
the little hunchback, then three or four at q
time, finally ten or twelve laid down, form
ing a human corduroy road'' for the high
priest to walk over, until at least twenty
children had thus received his blessing and
had the evil spirit driven out Of them. This
ceremony is supposed to be a panacea, and
there are always invalids brought to
the Take during services to be cured of real
or imaginary ills. One aged man laid down
to be walked upon today, and one little boy,
who was brought in by his devout md de
voted father, refused utterly to be comforted
in this manner, and was carried out most
boisterously victorious.
If you are u novice You leave this scene
with nerves. so strained and brain so confused
that you are ready to question Your OWL
identity. and are almost persuaded you have
been witnessing the demoniacal lamentations
OF wizards, instead of reasonable beings wor-
shiilalg their crcator.-J. A. Ledyard in San
Francisco Chronicle.
In the Sick Room.