Telegram-herald., 1888-03-17

Holy Ns2dteaots ~ Fetsi&-Le@th<szss
B~xxsrs sf Indi4 ~ad GAtsA


The uoss Interesting cizsof nendaosnts IN
Persia and probably IA ths = Lole ,Sorld. s1s
tas aerylshes- Tbess weird sneInbsrs 81 tie
uaea3leaut fraternity sTs rles witb al ever
PsgsiA. on tie roads. In the villages zE1 ths
cites. Their usa&l dress Is he SIN of soas
~iid aniElzi. preferably tiger ssin, tAro@a
earelessas about tae.r shoulders, and par
u pllss eotsoa paBt&lsltsS. II t1s aeTvssh
eennot obtain tiger skln. ns VII, Is tie
next best eLsics. ssears the skin Of leopard
Or panther. or esen the hide u de<r on all
tslope. la adiltioa 20 this striking nsske up
he carries huge spiked club or snail baItas
az AID an aims holder made from al obiong
gourd shea OF tie outer skell of 9 oooo4naL
Thus fantastlcsliy aEd even foEocloasly Ar
rsyed, the deryish stalks through ths thro0ged
bazzrs VI . Persian city, Shouting cat, haks,
yah hakki" snd thrusting bic aims holder
right and left auons the people
Ihe dervlstes are Regarded "a holy naendl-
eaats by tie common people, sad spesd the
greater portion of their hives IN wandering
abop. frOsa one d4stAnt Central Asian city 10
another. Whey might, perhaps, sPtly DO
compared 10 the wandering frisrs Of Eng
land and Europe 500 years ago. Everybody
regards il Gs lucky, as vel as meritoriogs, 10
give aims 10 the deryishes. The average
Persian gives a tenth part Of bis Income
away ia aims 20 beggars, the greater part Of
which goes 60 able bodied men and dersishes
who arc well able 10 work for their own
living.
In India begging is discouraged ss far as
possible by the British authorities, aud meas
urcs Of relief similar 10 those in vogue among
western nations have been introduced
Among a teenling population OF 10000, 900
Orientals, however, any sweeping change in
such u time honored profession as ne1dicancy
Is question Of time, aud not 10 10 easily ef
fected Beggary IS far from being 50 COM
mon as IL Is either IN Turkey or Persia There
is a recognized mendicant caste in India,
known as faquirs. The faquirs are regarded
rs eminsntly holy, and subsist upon the char
ity of the people. Like the Persian der
wishes, they wander about all over the coun-
try, spending most of their lives making
long pilgrimages 10 various holy Shrines. The
Indian faauir is loathsome looking Great
ure. with long black hair matted about his
head and shoulders with an accumulation of
filth. and he generally plastcrs his body with
mud His sole raiment is n calico waist
clout, and his face is Enthusiastically streaked
with red paint.
AS might be expected, the most abominable
specimens OF the mend.cant fraternity are TO
be found in China. The loathsome appear
ance OF the Chinese professional beggar is
beyond the powers Of description. All sorts
Of horrible deformities are voluntarily en-
dured TO work upon the sympathy Of the
people Eyes are blinded, faces mutilated,
and limbs twisted. All that is done in the
way of mutilation by the authorities Of Per-
sia in the punishment Of criminals is inflicted
by Chinese mendicants upon their own off
spring as tricks Of their profession. Horribly
misshaped victims Of this atrocious custom
are encountered at the gates of Chinese cities
and in the streets.-Thomas Stevens In Inter
Ocean.