The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-31
HOWLING DERVISHES
Some Strange Religious Rites
in Turkey.
A Three-Year-OId Child a Fren-
zied Participant.

rites of the Rcfaee, or the HowIng
Dervishes. These, he says, are but
one of the numerous orders of Dervishes
who WELD an irresistible influence over
the public mind in Turkey. Their no
table Take is a low. weather. beaten old
building, standing on the edge of the
great cypress shaded Turkish cemetery
that crowns the heights of Sentorie and
is almost as diIapidated as most of the
monuments and gravestones that sur
round The space allotted to the
"howIers" was wclI-fIIed, yet good
many both of young and old, were
still coming, and after going
forward to where the high priest sat,
they reverentIy bowed to the dust, then
taking the priests hand, gently kissed
it and retired. Directly behind the
priest was small aIcove, painted a
bright green and filled with a variety
Of antique small arms, swords, daggers,
battle axes, etc. On the walls were
many notices or sentences in frames,
and some prayer rugs. A small brazen
censor containing burning frankincense
and spices, filled the room with aromatic
fragrance.
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 gentlemen and sol
diers. Beneath these galleries was still
another, elevated a step or two above
the main floor and separated from it by
a 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
patriarchs in appearance, while two
groups of lit lie children were ranged
behind them. Seated close to the low
railing were rows of men clothed in the
flowing Dervish mantle and tan -colored
''galuph," 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 during the
service tenderly pressed to the lips. At
other times the eyes were carefully wiped
with these mourning badges.
Conspicuous before the high priest
stood 1.-THE figure with pale, cadaver
Gus countenance, but keen, penetrat-
ing eye, who was slowly manipulating a
long, white scarf. He first threw it
around his shoulders, thus symbolizing
the all embracing love Of Allah; then
binding it tightly about his waist, he
began tying and untying it, each knot
having q particular significance ce. His
whispered words will bear this inter-
probation: 81 tie up greed; I unite
charity. tie up hate; I unite love.
I tie up pride; I unite humility" And
so on through long list. Then began
monotonous chant that soon swellcd
to tremendous howl. All rose to
their feet and kept time with swaying
body and jerking head in frantic
manner. The old and feeble
among them gradually dropped out
of the circle and took seats on
rugs near the centre Of the
room, besides the rows of standing
children. At length the eyes of the
spectators became rivited upon the
face and figure of 3-ycar-o baby,
who stood for two long hours swaying
its frail body in perfect unison with the
dervishes and with his rosy cherub-
mouth uttering the same indescribably
impressive cry of Allah! When the
rude throng had at length worked them
selves up to a state of religious frenzy
the little boy also rolled his bright
eyes about as if beholding a heavenly
vision.
To my mind nothing was so impress
sive as the power of endurance shown
by the infants on exhibition. | shud-
| der when l think of the torture they
must have been subjected to in the pri-
vate drill necessary to prepare them for
such a performance in public. Some Of
the children seemed free to pass in and
out at will, but the tiny boy spoken ot
! above and a little girl "a hunchback)
never left their posts a minute, mol
ceased to sway their bodies and shout
until the performance was concluded,
by louder clapping and howling, more
violent jerking of the head and wilder
I tumult than before. Then a sudden
hush. when, without a signal or look
from any one, this lovely little baby de-
murely marched up to the high priest t.
receive his blessing, then laid hin
down, his face to the ground before
the venerable man. An other, wht
appeared to be a high chief o
the order. now took the stalwart prizes
by the hand while he placed both fee
on the body of this frail infant ane
stood with his face turned upward
while he muttered what appeared to b.
prayer. Then other children followed
First came the little uuchback, thel
three or four at a time, finally ten o
twelve laid down, forming a human