Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-07-26

lighted in the furnace; their hands and
arms are thrust into the flames; one has
also seized "a bundle OF dry flax, has
lighted it, and to my horror ! see him
press the flaming mass to his bare chest
and into his open mouth. Soon he falls
exhausted and another takes his place.
This one seizes a red-hot iron from the
fire; it burns his hair, smoke arises.
see him draw his hands across it and
lay it on his foot with yells and bowls
of pain; the master carries him away,
and Immediately another rushes for
ward; | have had enough, and would
leave the terrible scene, but this last
fanatic fascinates me. He is young
and beautifully built. His white gan
doura" and blue and gold jacket seem
one garment as he whirls past me into
the court-hair, arms, clothing, one
dizzy whole. What will he dop-what
can he do more than the othersp There
is cactus plant growing in jar in
one corner of the court-a 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 beside the fire. Crouch
ing low before the altar, he places
his forehead on the ground, and
thus Inundated he ravenously de-
YOURS the thorny petals. AS if
this were not enough he springs
again to his feet, and, Selling
one of the pots of coal, he twirls it
about his head until the surface is
glowing red. The Makaddan kneels be-
side it. In second the cruel deed is
done, and we see the gray impression
of the boys naked foot upon the red
hot fire, while he is off and away with
a cry of fendish joy, and, unlike his
predecessor, he takes his place among
his fellows, apparently without pain.
1t is too dreadful, too uncanny to re-
count-the spiked iron thrust into the
flesh, the knotted cord, the jagged
sword-blade. One would have forced
out his eye, but Mohammed, by the
mouth of his servant Makaddan, for
bids the deed. Another threw himself
upon a sword, and gray-haired man
played with fire as if it were harmless
as earth. There came murmur among
the spectators, the first | had heard,
and the word " Scorpion!" fell upon my
ear. Truly had never expected to be-
hold that most terrible of reptiles,
whose sting is instant death and whose
touch is sure poison. But it was true.
They brought them in an earthern YES
sci, and must confess that American
curiosity got the better of American
manners, for "see them we would, and
see them we did. In color pale pink,
in form long and narrow, with many
legs and a squirming sidewise motion
like a crab. We shivered as the things
were carried past; but horror of hor-
rors was reached when fine tall fell
low seized one, fearlessly tore it tC
pieces, and devoured it before our eyes.
His motions were already so violent
that | was anxious to witness what
further effects the scorpion would pro-
duce, but in trying to investigate the
subject of scorpions we had pressed for
ward from our shadowy cover. Ala:
for us! in seeing we had been seen
The effect was instantaneous; but, il
{ respect to our self-esteem, | will say
we left with more haste than dignity
The truth" entrenous lis they LEI
these scorpions escape in our midst
and for days afterward each member o
that clandestine party of visitors to thu
, dance "Alssaoui imagined ever,
: passing sensation the warning throb o
| coming dissolution, and an imaginar,
, death from scorpion poison haunted III
: constantly. -AigierS Cor. NJ Y. Com
) naercial advertiser.