Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
DANCING DERVISHES.
A Class of Mohammedans Similar to
Monks of Christian Countries.
THEY ARE NUMBERED BY MILLIONS
oliver Optic Tells Of an Interesting
Meeting in Constantinople.
HOW THEY PREPARE FOR PARADISE
WRITTEN FOR THE DIspArcH.l


ication with their fellow-beings. The word
means 'poor," which indicates the condition
in which they are to keep themselves in
working out state of sanctity. They are
something like monks in Christian countries
and appear to be actuated by the same mo-
tives. They are divided into orders or COM
munities, each working out their own saliva
tion in accordance with their own idea.
Some think they are to dance themselves
into paradise, which even some good Chris
tians would think was an agreeable way to
do it, and others expect to yell and howl
themselves into the kingdom, which may be
pleasant to the devotees, but not TO those
who have not been broken in.
Among the Arabs of various regions who
are Mohammedansis is class of the same kind.
called fakirs. 1t is said that there are about
5000, 900 of these, of various orders, some of
whom practice revolving rites and ceremo-
nies. Our guide, Dimetri, told me that the
dervishes of Constantinople formerly cut
themselves with knives and otherwise man
gled their persons, precisely as monks and
others practiced various austerities in the
belief that they were acceptable sacrifices to
the deity. The Sultan forbade the custom
in his dominions. But the life and devotion
of the dervishes win tine respect and reVer-
ence OF the people, and it is said that some
royal princes and even Sultans have been
members of the fraternity. Each body or
monastery is governed by sheik, or elder,
and he is always a venerable, old man.
These orders date back in their origin many
hundred years. The dervishes re-
nounce earthly joys, and devote them
selves in poverty and retirement to their re-
ligion, and the principle is the same as that
which actuates the nuns and sisters in our
own cities.
A CONVENIENT CUSTOM.
The principal monastery in Constantine
pie is in the Rue de Pera, though there are
others, and it stands little back from the
street in a courtyard. Dimetri produced
slippers enough to supply the party, and we
put them on ever our boots. The idea is
that the dirt from outside, or the sole of a
Christian foot must not come in contact
with any part of a holy place. But the true
believers have to take the same precautions,
and noticed in a Tartar city that gentle
men wore overshoes, apparently because they
could be conveniently slipped off when the
wearer went to church. A porter at the door
takes charge of the boots, shoes, canes and
umbrellas, and exacts a small fee for the
service, as is done in most Of the picture gal
leries, museums and theaters in Europe.
The main building of the monastery was
in the shape OF an octagon, and the audience
chamber would have made a capital circus.
A sort of fence inclosed all the space on the
ground floor except width of about ten
foot 10 fbo
apartment was gallery, supported by col
umns, for spectators, as well as the outside
space below. In the rear, upstairs, the
space was latticed off for women, who are
permitted to see, but not to be seen. The
front of the gallery was for the music and
reader, for one Can hardly imagine that
even deyotees would think of dancing with
out music. Visitors were required to seat
themselves Turkish fashion, and be as un-
comfortable as possible.
The dancing floor was smooth and clean,
and would have been creditable to any ball
room. Opposite the entrance a PRAYER car
pet was spread for the sheik, and he squatted
upon it looking as solemn as though he had
been about to deliver sermon in st. Sophie
instead of looking after dance. The der
wishes entered singly or in knots as suited
them. and seated themselves on the floor
until about 20 of them had gathered. They
were dressed in loose brown robes, reaching
down to their ankles, aud were all as solemn
as the leader in the long white beard. The
hat was OF the shape of an inverted flower
pot of the same color as the robe.
PECULIAR CEREMONIES.
The venerable sheik began to repeat in a |
low and mumbling tone some sentences from
the Koran. Then the dervish in the front
gallery read, or rather intoned, from book. |
Being no theologian, could not understand |
q WORD of it. The sheik then talked to him.
self awhile, apparently; and the dervishes, |
beaded by manager, marched several times |
around the circus, halting and bowling low |
to the venerable head at the prayer carpet. |
The bowling and saluting was somewhat lu- |
1icrous, and recalled the evolutions of |
country muster. Two of the devotees, with |
heir arms crossed on their breasts, bowed
facng each other. Then they wheeled in
good order and salpted the next couple, and
The process was repeated all along the line
When the last of the bowling had been |
completed the music struck up a monot-
onous tune, sounding like banjo and some
other instrument. The head of the column
Of dervishes edged out into the middle of
.he room and began to whirl, and he could
not have done any better if he had called it
The others followed his example
in good order and without haste until all of |
hem where whirling gracefully in two cir
lies around the Enclosure. As they entered
upon the exciting part of the proceedings
they divested themselves of the heavy
brown robes and came forth in white
'pencers and skirts, the latter reaching al
most to the floor and being dense enough for
1 Broadway belle. For half an hour they
Kept it up without any break or appear
snce of fatigue. There were no col
isions, not even of the skirts; though they
we're all spread out as in making cheeses.
The movement is quite as graceful as that
,f an accomplished waltzer, is in perfect /
lime, and there is no hurry or confusion Tor
IN instant. The devotees are barefoot.
They keep the left foot on the floor all the
ime, throwing the right foot over the instep
't the left. The arms are elevated little
Lbove the top of the head, with the palms
If the hands spread out. The whole thing
S rather poetic and very graceful. I have
10 idea what it all means, though I heard
ome one SAY it was an imitation of the
Movements of the heavenly bodies; but do
Tot believe it, for doubt if these devotees
ire we'll posted in astronomy.
THE HowLING DERvISHEs.
1t was not till Sunday, and very rainy
me, that we found an opportunity to see
he howling dervishes. We wandered
ong distance from Pera, and when we
cached the monastery Dimetri said he had
hosen this particular place to show off the
levotees of this order because their rites
we're less repulsive than those of some
thers. The building was no better than
n ordinary barn, and not half as good as
many we could find at home. The porter
Vas there to take care OF our things and
axe his fee, and he enlarged his occupation
" selling oriental confects, which would
10 A -. I |