West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-07-12
|ATONEMENT BY TORTURE.
a FANATICAL ARABIC RELIGIOUS
OBSERVANCE IN ALGIERS.
Sect Who DO Penance For Sins
BY Torturing Themselves with
Fire aud SNvord

lance AissOni, n secret religious cere-
mOny observed by sect of fanatic
AIahommedans. We quote from the
letter as follows: "Imagine an open
court paved in red tiles, an arcade ali
around, and above a balcony supported
by pillars. ON three sides there were
rooms opening from the court, on the
fourth flight of steps and benches ar.
ranged on either side along the wall by
he dim light in the surrounding rooms
We could perceive figures arraycd in
costly silks and white, gently swayiug
back aud forth as if unconscious Of any
thing but the scene before them These
were spectators and pilgrims. and some,
the guide told US, belonged TO noble
and wealthy families in Algiers. From
the balcony above peered anxious
women's faces, yelled to the eyes. These
women kept up continual low moan,
and occasionally joined in the most un.
earthly yell. But the main interest CEN
tered in the court below, where dozen
or more natives squatted on the ground
in circle, swaying, bowling, shouting
or laughing in tiendish manner as the
spirit moved them, beating with unceas.
ing sameness OF tune upon their tam
tams AN even, monotonous noise, per
formed with head, elbow and hand. In
the centre of the group was n small
arrangement of stones and tiles (perhaps
an altar, on either side OF which were
two chanfrets of red hot Goals. Attached
to the pillows on all four sides Of the
court were iiaring oil lamps which threw
a weird, uneven light upon the circle be-
low, but so arranged that our corner
beneath the balcony was entirely in
shadow and was quite unobserved by the
| excited participants in the fete. They
seemed unconscious oil our entrance, and
a great clay water Jug shielded US from
the view beyond. The scene was bar
barious in the extreme the deafenine
sound of the tam tams, the shouting OF
the men, the moaning of the women,
with now and then that terrible savage
scream which began in high note and
sank gradually away 10 a chatter such as
monkeys give as they lean their heads
against the bars of their cIges
After an interval one OF the players
was inspired by Aissa." With yell
Inc threw aside his tambour, rushed INTO
the centre of the ring, commencing n
frantic dance The Makaddan (head Of
the ORDER arose, and taking his burnous
from his shoulders endeavored 10 en-
fold the now contorted brother therein,
but with fearful violence the other
seized it, wound it about his person,
tossed it over his head and STAMPED il
under his feet. The noise of the drums
! grew louder as the subject became more
frantic. We chung to our seats in cold
terror as the voice of our guide came to
Us in a calm whisper: "No matter what
happens only keep cool they will not
harm youW Now another has become
| ttinanirnI - Tho
repeated again and again. There arc
two now throwing themselves in mani
neal ecstasy; the burnous is between
them; bunch of broom is thrown into
the ring; both struggle for it; between
them it is lighted in the furnace; their
hands and arms are thrust into the
flames; one has also seized bundle Of
| dry flax, has ignited it, and to my hor.
ror i see him press the flaming mass to
his bare chest and into his open mouth
| Soon he falls exhaust d and another
takes his place. This one seizes
red.hot iron from the fire; il
burns his hair; smoke arises; see him
draw his hands across it, and lay it on
his foot with yels and howls of pain (:
| the master carries him away, and inn.
mediate,y another rushes forward. /
have had enough and would leave the
terrible scene; but this last fanatic
fascinates me. He is young and beauti-
| fully built. His white ''gandourar and
blue and gold jacket seem one garment
rs he whirls past me into the court hair
arms, clothing, one dizzy whole. What
Will he dO-what can he do more than
the otherol There is a cactus plant
growing in a jar in one corner of the
court, species OF prickly-pear, with its
| tough leaves covered thickly with long
thorns This he seizes, as his wild
| dance brings him in its vicinity. The
| weird music swells and falls as the
victim throws himself on the ground be-
| side the fire. Crouching low before the
altar, he places his forehead on the
ground, and thus humilitated, he raven
ously devours the thorny petals. As If
this were not enough, he springs again
TO his feet, and, selling one Of the pots
! OF Goals, he twirls it about his head
until the surface is glowing red. The
Makaddau kneels beside it, In second
the cruel deed is done, and we see the
gray impression of tho boys naked foot
upon the red hot fire, while he is off and
away with cry Of fendish Joy, and,
unlike his predecessor, he takes his
place among his fellows, apparently
Wlthoul pam. 10 IS TOO dreadful, too
uncanny TO recount - the spiked
iron thrust in,o the flesh the
/ knotted cord, the Jagged sword B.
blade. One would have forced out his
eye, but Mohammed, by the mouth Of his
servant Makaddan, forb.ds the deed
Another threw himself upon q sword.
and gray haired man played with fire
os if it were harmless as earth. There
came % muimur among the spectators,
| the FIRST j had heard and The word
Scorpiou! fell upon my ear Truly ]
/ had never expected to behold that most
| terrible Of reptiles, whose sting is instant
I death and whose touch is sure poison.
But it was true. They brought them in
an earthcn vessel, aud ] must confess
/ that American curiosity rot the better
/ OF American manners for sec them"
we would, and sec them we did. In
/ color pale pink, in form long and mar
/ row, with many legs and u squirting
/ sideWisc motion Ike q crab We shiv-
I cred as the things were carried past but
/ horror Of horrors was reached when n
/ fine tall follow seized one. fearlessly tore
I 10 TO pieces and dcvourcd 10 before our
/ eyes. Ills motions were already so
violent that j was anxious to witness
| what further effects the scorpion would
I produce, but Boo trying TO investigate the
I ub Jet of scorpions VIC had pressed for
ward from our shadowV cover Alas for