The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-31
WORSHIPING THE DEVIL.
Visit To The Temples Of the Kara
bash In Sheik Adj.


the Blackheads - Solemn Initia-
ton at Which the "Kak" or
Fakir Saint ORoiates-The Cere-
mony Takes Place at Night-An-
gel Peacock Procession Marches
To the Sanctuary, Which Is In a
Cave-Weird Rites.
From the London Telegraph
A few hours ride from Ba'adri, north
east of Mosul, is picturesque glen or
gorge in the Highland district of ANA
diyah, known far and wide throughout
Asiatic Turkey as the Valley of Sheik
Adj 1t is an idyllic retreat, shut in from
the outer world by the mountains that
! completely surround it. But the valley
/ has an uncanny reputation. Christian,
! Moslem and Jew all shun it, for it is the
Mazar or pilgrim resort of the hated
/ Karabash or Blackheads, as the natives
! of the country style the Yezidis or devil
worshipers of Mesopotamia. Conspicu-
Gus in the middle of the glen is a fair
sized white edifice with a double spire
and spacious outbuildings, the tomb of
Sheik Adj, the founder of the strange
sect whose object of reverence is
satan. Higher up the valley is a
| much smaller building-a simple, OBJ
long erection, low pitched, and of
| the plainest possible construction. 1t is
| windowleSs, has single spire, and is daz-
| Zlingly white. The front faces the rising
sun. and tine slender point rising from the
| roof catches the last lingering rays of the
westering orb. AT the back of the edifce
| is a series of sheltered alcove-like pens,
in which are stabbed seven white kline,
carefully tended by white-robed
| 'tshavish." These animals are sacred,
| dedicated torShick Shems-that is, to the
sun; and the building to which they are
| attached is the Sanctuary of the White
Cow the temple of the devil worshipers.
Here, annually, usually in mid-August, a
| solemn initiation is celebrated, at which
the ''Kak," or fakir saint of the DEVILS
! Order, from Alespo, is present, and this
high function of the Yezidi Church had,
thanks to the favor of the holy man, the
privilege of Witnessing among the black
| rObed attendants that form his encourage.
The valley is full of Yezidi pilgrims,
| who have spread their tents under
spreading oak trees on the hillsides, or
! constructed rude tabernacles of beams
and greenery on the fat roofs of stray
| buildings there. The ceremony takes
place at night and as the shadows begin
| to lengthen ahd the sun settles on the
hill crests in the west the devil worship
sanctuary of the White Kline. The men
are dressed in spotless white robes and
wear white turbans, above which
rise the tops of the black caps, from
which they derive their popular designa-
ton, "Karabash" or Blackheads. Here
| and there are seen the flaming orange
robe and headgear of "pir,' or priest,
and more conspicuous still, by reason of
| its contrast to the rest, the somber black
| "mashlan ane the head covering of the
fakirs of the fraternity. All, however,
wear the peculiar vests of white cotton and
the twisted black cord round the neck
| which marks the true Yezidi, the devil
worshiper born and bred. The sectaries
use no form of prayer, and have no writ
ten liturgy; indeed, they cannot, any of
them, read or write, these accomplish
ments Oeing prohibited to ALL whether
layman or cleric, with the solitary excep-
ton of a single family to which is in
trusted as hereditary charge the read
ing of the Yezidi Bible-the "JalOo''-
which, with the 'Mashaf Rash" consti
! tutes their BLACK Book" When the sun
begins to dip below the hilltops the
| worshipers rise and hold out their hands
so as to catch the last rays. They cover
their faces with their hands and kiss
them, and finally, as the luminary sinks,
they, with one accord, fall upon their
| knees, bend their heads to the ground,
| toIch the earth with their finger tips and
| gently tap their foreheads above the eye
brows
.. ANGEL PEACOCK PROCESSION.
AS soon as it is dark a wiHte-robed
| "tshavish," who has charge of the sane
tuary, energies from the pen in the rear
of the building, carrying in his hands
half dozen small lamps, ready lighted,
which he fixes in tiny inches prepared for
| them in front. This is the signal for the
commencement of the celebration, and, in
an instant almost, answering lights flash
| from every corner of the valley. They
CLEAN star-like, suspended from trees,
dangling upon poles, or placed in hooks
| and crannies Of the rocky hillsides. The
fires OF those encamped in the glen are
piled afresh and stirred until the flames
leap high into the air, and the rudy
glare is reflected the length and breadth
of the valley. Scarcely are the lamps
| placed in the inches about the temple,
when the sound of music is heard in the
distance and the lights of a procession
are seen approaching from the tomb of
! Sheik Adj. IL is the procession of the
''Malak Taus," or angel peacock, the
sacred symbol of the devil worshipers.
The Yezidis part right and left as
the bearers of the holy Sanjak come
nearer, to allow them to pass on to
the sanctuary. In front march a score of
"koshaks, - or servitors of the temple, in
!
| hind them followed five "kawals," or
musicians. in the orthodox white NANTES
and black headgear playing Justify upon
reeded flutes and tambourines then a
! ''pir," or priest, in flaming yellow. rear
ing aloft the covered emblem of the
| Satan cultus, and in the rear dozen
swarthy, black-robed fakirs. The party
make straight for the small temple in
front, go round, and pass in by low door
! in the rear, where the sacred white kline
! are stabbed in charge of their "tshavish."
| Instructed by the "farash," l join the
| faxirs and follow. Entering the door
| way, we proceed not forward but down
ward, by steps cut in the earth and lead
| ing underground. The music ceases, but
we march on, the "koshkasn with their
| haring torches lighting the way, for the
descent is in perfect darkness. We go
farther on. through a gloomy passage
| with a slight slope, and, after sharp
| turn to the right, reach the Holy Of
| HOLES of the Yezidis, the underground
temple of the devil worshipers.
SANCTUARY IN A CAVE.
The sanctuary is huge subterranean
vault, originally, no doubt, natural
cave. It is in semi-darkness when we
enter, and it is not easy to determine its
exact proportions, but it appears to be