Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-07-26
The HoVling DerYiSh.
Some of His Peculiar and Cruel
Anties-Babies Trampled bv an
Imam Horrible Turkish
SuperstitionS.
There Is No Danger of the World
Being Destroyed Because Of Its
treat Wisdom.

hsSlng hired calQus and two "srm-
Vouts," or Turkish bostmen, I crossed the
Bosphorus. which from Galata, one of the
suburbs OF Constan tino pie, to Scutari, on
the AsIatic shore, is scarcely more than
one mile broad, writes New York Mail
CORES pondenf. No European idea or
novelty has yet made its ray across this
narrow arm of the sea, and in Scntaci
everything reminds the stranger that
at last he tregds on the veritable soil of
Islam.
Near the landing place was seated very
strange looking parsonage wrapped in
loose robe of csmers skin, fastened with
a rope, MS head being enuircled by bit
of old rag twisted INTO the form of tur-
ban. This individual! might have passed
for revIvIdcatiOn of one of those pro
tessed fools or clowns, who IN olden times
formed part of the establishments of
the kings end queens. While mumbIipg
the Mohammedan htauy and rolling
rosary between his fingers, he constantly
wsgsed his head from side TO side, and
seemed to er joy the most perfect besti-
tude. The passing faithful reverentIy
bowed TO h'm, and some went so far as to
plou6ly embrace this Muss ulman saint,
for he was none othsr than one of the
SeSNSA NhOAl MpsiSmS hOlu IN
the greatest veneration. Wrapped in
profound abstraction he received their
semi alteration as psssively as Chinese
idol, and seemed to be pursuing vague
fancy, which cause6 him to wear vacant
and patient smile, checked only by some
occasional activity on the part of the
vermin which inhabits his percon, and
which he disposed of after the fashion of
% D.
dental moments of exception on the part
of this really disgusting object were re
garded by the faithful as token OF
divine gift and palPabIe evidence OF aci a ii
Inspiration.
THE ROWLING DEkyIsHEs.
Leaving this pitiful saint to his bliss
fui fate proceeded through the narrow
but clean streets of Scutari toward the
,Sekke or convent of the no wing dervishes,
situated a short distance from the spaci-
Gus and beautiful cemetery of She cyptes-
seS. Contrary to the custom of the Mos
lens, the dervishes allow Giaours or
Christians to witness their religious cere
monies. These dervishes, who originally
hail from Ipdia, wore long petticoat or
robe descending from the shoulders down
to The ankles, and head dress, which
cannot better compare a. to It's shape
thHn shallow flower pot inverted and
into which their heads are stuck. ThCir
seEke, or convent in Scutari is q large
building, with no other architectural
pretentiobs than modest dome and two
small sized minarets, crowned %ith giided
crsscents, the ubiq uitOu emblems Of tn
Mohammedan world. Upon the bare
walls Were suspended dozen or more of
enormous tambOrines and some tablets
inscribed with the verses of the Koran.
Seside the mirah (sanctuary,) and above
the carpets where the Imam" or the
boss dervish, and his acolytes take their
seats, the wall and ceiling presented u
fprCcIous sort of decoration, reminding
one of the chamber of torture. There
were darts, spikes, pincers and many va
rieties of al ms and instruments of the
most ha, barous appearance.
It Is with these Rtrocious things that
the ho3ilng dervishes scourge and wound
themselves when they attain the climax of
their religions delirium. In front of this
formidable array OF murderous weapons
were ranged the poor dervisheS IL a pos
ture of devotion chanting sort OF litany.
Having half r cited and half sung eRoug h
verses of the Koran, and made saJisfec
tory number Of genuflections and prostra-
t ons during which performances some of
the devotees among the Moslems in the
audience Quilted their places, Joined the
army of the dervishes and began to
balance themselves like bears in u cege).
TnGy presently all rose i'll body and each
one commences to turn upon his own
C inter- like a top. This rotary moveme ut
vas abruptly brought to stop by q
gigantic tamboUrine, which one of them
began to beat with the fury of a veritable
demon. Then all yelled out together
Allah! Allah! Hon! Hou! A CRY resem-
bling nothing earthly unless the vocifer
atoms or roars of some mammoth or
ma-todom buried amid the colossal herb
age age of an antediluyian marsh. Then
the floor began TO tremble beneath the
measured tramping of this frenzjed and
bowling band; the walls threateued to
tumble in ruins abOCt us, like those of
another Jericho at the loud resOunding of
the sacred trumpets. The drummer re-
doubled his exertiOns, and the exultation
of the hoSlers soon reach its climax. Ire
meudoua and prolonged howls succeeded
each other vii hout interruption. ri for
fully an hour after my tympanum and
auditory nerves continued to vibrate and
re-echoed with the terrific and deafeniD e
bowls of "Auah! Hour emitted by To
shrieking throets OF these Infatuated der
wishes.