The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-26
wORSHIPPERS OF SATAN.
MYSTIC RITES IN TALLBY or
MEsOPOTlMII,
TIE ssnstusry end Angel reseoek1 or
the Yeridis-Iuiuattne y Neophyts-Ths
Dead nnd the LivinE Side By Side.

From he Iordon Standard.
One Of the stranRest and most mysterious
OF the many religious sects OF the world ls that
OF the YezIdla. or Devil worshlppers. OF
MesopotamIa: called also Kara Bash or Black
| Heads. by their nelghbors who hate them.
| The chief shrine OF their faith is in tho valley
| OF Sheikh Adj. northeast OF Mosul. This ie an
! idyllic retreat. shut in from the outer world
| by the mountains that completely surround It.
The hillsldss and declivties are well wooded
there is an amplitude Of shade and shelter
| and dozen rlvulets leap from rocky nssures
and cleits. bubblinE and sparkling in the sum
shine until they find their way to the lower
Rrounds But the valley has an uncanny rep.
utatlon. Christian. Moslem. and Jew oil shun
It. for 1t is the Mazar or pilgrim resort OF those
detested Devil Worshippers.
Few outsiders have ever entered this mys-
FERROUS place. and fewer still have witnessed
the rites performed there. Among the few.
however, was this year a CORRESPONDENT Of tho
Standard Conspicuous In the middle OF the
glen is q falr-sized white ediilce with double
| spire and spacious outbuildings. the tomb Of
sheikh Adj. the founder OF the strange sect.
whose object OF reverence is satan. Higher up
the valley is q much smaller buildinR-a sim
pie obong erection, low pitched. and Of the
plalnest possible construction. 1t il win
dowless, has single sptre. and Is dazzlinRly
white. The front faces the rising sun and the
slender point rising from the roof catches the
last lingering rays OF the westerlng orb At
alcove-like pens. in which are stabbed seven
whit kline. carefully tended by u white-robed
tshsyish" These animals are sacred. dedi;
the building to which they are attached is tho
sanctuary OF the white cow" the temple OF
the Devil Worshippers. Here. annually. usually
in mld-August n solemn Initiation is cclc-
brnted. ut which tho "kah." or iakir saint OF
tN Th 1oy yae order s d 0m ASPR9 is who
have spread their tents under branching oak
trees on the hillsdes or constructed rude tab
ernncles OF beams and grCencry Oh the fiat
roofs Of stray buildings there. The cere-
mony takes place at night, and. rs the shad-
the hill crests in the west. the Devil Worship
pers gather hy hund,cds n front OF tho sane;
in spotless white robes. and wear white tur-
bans aboyo which rise tho tops ~ tho black
designation Kara. BASH or Black HeSds.
Here and there are seen the flaming orange
ro 6,s and neHdSe%s I'm or priest and
contrast to the rest. the sombre blacE
"mashlah' and head covering Of the fnklrs
peculiar vests of white cotton and the twisted
black cord round the neck which marks the
bred. The seciaries use no form OF prayer
and have no written liturgy: indeed. they cam
pishmonts being prohibited to ali. whether
layman or cleric, with tho solitary exception
Bi6ienthe % which. with III Tho the '| MS!
shah Rash" constitutes their e Black Book"
When the sun begins to dir below the hilltops
the worshippers rise and hold out their hands
so "a to catch its last rays They cover their
as the Iuminary sinks they fail upon tn hir
knees. bend their heads to the ground. touch
their foreheaJs above the eyebrows.
As soon as it 1. dark, a, white-robed
energies from the pen In tho rear OF the build
ing. carrying in his hands half dozen small
lamps. ready lighted: which he fixes in tiny
ntaha nd fa fhnt I'm hi 10
signal for commencement of the celebration.
and IN an instant almost. answering lights
CLEAN stsrlike suspended from trees. dang
ling upon poles. or placed IN hooks and cram
MES OF the rocky hillsides. The fires OF those
encamped in the glen are piled afrcsh. and
stirred until the names leap high in the air.
and ne rudy glare Il reelected the length and
lamps placed In the inches about tho
Adj 1t is the proc ession OF the "Malak Taus."
Devil Worshippers. The Yezdis part right and
left as the bearers OF the Holy SanIak come
ary In front march a score Of "koshaEs." or
seTvttors Of the temple IN dark garments. car
kaGo or in Re ort i%Sw w hfS
upon reeded flutes and GambouIines: then
aloft the covered emblem o. the Satan
cultus, and in rear a dozen swarthy, black
the small tenn lc in front. 60 round. and pass
In 10y II low door In the rear. whore the sacred
"tshavish." Entering the doorway. we pro-
ceed not forward. but downward. 10y steps cut
In the earth. and leading underGr9un!:, Tho
music ceases, hut we march on, the "ko~h-
kas" with their ilarlng torches lighting the
way. for the descent Is in perfect darkness.
with slight slope. and after a sharp turn to
the right roach the holy of holies, the under
ground temple OF the Devil WnrshippeTs.
The sanctuary Is huge suhttrrnncan vault.
originally. no doubt. u natural cave: 1t Ia in
easy TO determine its exact proportions but
II appears to DO about 10 feet long by 40 feet
broad, series OF reces C,e has been cut on
ing. white-robed figures standing silent and
impassive as only OinntalS can when deeply
communities scattered throughout the neigh
boring Pashaliks are ranged: on the right a
In the white vests. name-colorcd NANTES
and turbans OF the caste. On the left are
Ing the coarse black ''masHIah" and and T head
gear which are incumbent upon their or
rs though engaged In intruspectiun, and they
look like men under the influence OF hu~heesh
Or some such sem e-oyeImastering drug. AZ
the women OF the "Faikraya," or convent at
tnched to the, Tomb OF Adj: They are at tired
white garments and head-dressso,. and arc
only distinguished from the. men 10y II cord
dTSTi ~ t II .nes Robe: sTSGnd the wSs In
Lier. wearing a. white tuft in her head .dTess.
The end by which we entere Is occupied by
tho k2shaks." bearing the torches the flare
OF which sheds a fitful light over the assem-
bly, In the centre OF the sanctuary is a
square stone altar, and behind this stand
on one side. the spiritual head OF the Yeti
dis. on the other the lay head. or Emir OF
the community. Between both is the "kak"
or chief Of the fakir brotherhood who takes
precedence Of everybody. and whose person
and clothing are reckoned so holy that none
ever venture to touch them, Above the altar
hangs a single lamp the solitary iliuminAut 10
the underground temple, ana in front ot it.
stretched upon tho bare ground. lietwo human
nguTes. One is attired In sputiess white cerr-
ments, tho other CARRIED in the full black robes
OF the fakiT fraternity. ono II the cuTpse ur a
dead mendirant brother. tho other the uody ot
a living novice who Is To become his succe-scr
in the order. The faces Of both arc Ayu aud
drawn. and in the iltful gloom OF the sanctuary
u Is Impossible to distinguish the living AeziLi
from the dead fakir reside him.
1t is certainly a woiTd and impressive scene,
anu little eerle, presented by the interior ~
the Underground sanctuary in the seni-darL-
ness as the "piTs' and takirs OF tho "Ala.ta
IGus' procession reach their places ny the
side Of their brethren. Tn bearer uf tho
sacred emblem marches into the centre. AMI.
taking his stand beside tho kak." unycIl- the
Snnlak In sight Of the whole assembly. THO
covering removed, the emblem is clearly sren.
II 10 tho bronze image OF a peacork Tcr.htl