Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-11
A Bit of History
- Dio Va IIctUI1
Carter II. Harrison. in Chicago Mail

i Dill OF HISTORY.
! Carter 81. Harrison, in Chicago Mail
The sultan is small, slight man, very
thin, and waring a careworn, haggard
look. He is said to be terribly timid, and,
owing 10 some prophecy, is IN constant
| fear that be will be assassinated and by
stranger. I am told be regulates his very
action by the CON- unctions of the planets,
| keeps ambassadors frequently awaiting
an audience for weeks because of some
baleful crossing of star lines. I heard of
an amusing evidence of his nervous al
arm, when Lew Wallace was our minister,
and which the ambassador of course
could not tell. It was when the British
| fleet was occupying a threatening posi-
| ton of Alexandria. The sultan in alarm
asked Wallace TO get the United States to
propose a mediate and thus prevent
bloodshed. Wallace telegraphed to the
government st Washington, got its con-
sent, and then presented the matter to
Lord Duferin, the English ambassador,
who, of course, could not decline. But
the prevention of bloodshed was not
what England wanted. So the willy earl
quietly cabled the British admiral that he
would DO well to fire shot before his
government could hear of the proposed
mediation. The shot was fired, and
after midnight the Turkish ruler, hearing
Of 1t, hurried an officer off to bring our
minister post haste 70 the palace. Wal
lace rushed off, brushing his hair as he
rode, found the sultan in a state of fear
full trepidation. The pallid ruler inform
ed him of what happened and asked him
what he was to do. The blunt republican
scratched his head a moment and replied;
"There is but one thing to be done, and
that mr. shnr7Id -
The greatful Turk asked what it was.
Your majesty should place yourself at
the head of the army in person and pre-
oeed immediately to Egypt" The poor
monarch came very near swooning. Tell
Lew not to deny the good story, for he
will not have chance to get back to
STEAMBOAT any more, unless he turns deme
-no-mugwump
There are three regular Sundays in
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES for Mohamme-
dan, Saturday for the Jew, who keeps it
in most orthodox sacredness, and Sunday
for the Christian; of the latter the Greek
and Armenians are in greatest numbers.
L think over 100000. / cannot be certain
for, though / commenced this letter In
Turkey, lam really writing it in Buda
Pesth, in Hungary, and the beautiful
Danube is flowing in silver light under my
window, while the moon is inst sinking
at midnight behind the old palace of the
Megyars.
ROWLING DERyIsRERs.
Every traveller goes on Friday to see
the whistling and bowling Dervishes. The
latter is an English missioner. They are
q sect called Hearleurs, CT something to
that effect. One of their ceremonies ia
ritual by Hullah, responded to by the
worshiperS who, as they respond, sway
themselves while standing ia line from
one side to the other and Jerk the head.
AS their fervor increases the sideway
motion becomes more and more extended
and the head jerking more and more
rapid, until they appear TO be almost in
species of fit. This action is continued
for nearly an hour. The sweat pours
from their faces and their heads look as if
they would be jerked off. After this
ritual is served many of the faithful and
many children who are more or less such
lie prone upon the floor and the head
mullah or priest walks over them, tread
ing upon each, and then one by one blows
upon their faces, when they go off happy
if not cured. Babies in arms simply
blown upon and touched. The worship
ers seem most intense in their devotion
Guu oOioLuu III ltD 10
dancing or whirling dervishes, after pray
ing for, say, half an hour, with many
prostrations, then range themselves
around circle floor ia the center of
mosque and listen to the peculiar music
performed by a Part of their order and
to litany read by their high priest, all the
time marching in single file around the
outer circle, each bowling low when oppo
site and farthest from tho "Mecca" of the
mOfque-that is, the part corresponding
to the altar in a Christian church, and al
ways on the side of the building pointing
to the holy city of Mecca, and when on
the circle next TO the Mecca each one,
with peculiar step, turns and faces the
brother next following him, and each
bowling low one to the other; as this part
of the ceremony progresses the music be-
comes more fervid, when one by one the
dervishes will begin TO spin around as on
pivot, and at the same time circling
around the room. Each one spins more
or less rapidly, as he may choose, but all
GO around the room in the same period
ali extend their arms straight oEt as they
thus waltz. Their dress is high, CANT
cal cap and long full skirt coming to
tae feet and bound Ia at The waist. as
they spin the skirt extends in proportion
TO the speed of their motiOn-that Of
those moving very rapidly taking the
form of widely extended funnel. l count
ed the revolutions of one of the Worship
ere. It was iftyeight to the minute.
This motion he kept up for perhaps q
half-hour, and when stopping showed no
sign of dizziness. There we're thirty odd
on the floor at once, but only one moved
with great rapidity. Two of them were
young novitiates, somewhere from 10 to
II years Of aga. The whole thing pro-
ceeded with great solemnity and dccorum
and ali seemed fervid and earnest.