The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-10-03

building, which the worshippers face,
and SUDDENLY the p~laintive notes of the
flute and the tinkling of cymbals fall
ing upon the ear indicate the approach
of the sacred procession, which has
been forming inside. From the inter-
Tor of the white domed edifice energies
first four "Karabash," or Yezidi broth
ers, dervishes of the sect, attired in
deepest black from head to foot. They
carry lighted torches in their hands.
Then follow eight "Kawals," must
clans, attired wholly in white, four
playing the flute, four the cymbals,
and t~ambourine. To these succeed a
half-dozen young "Pirs''o r priests, in
long, yellow robes and black caps,
bearing torches, and then foul "Shei-
khs," or chiefs, in white garments, car
rying between them on their shoulders
a sort of square framework of wood,
above which is perched the "Malik
tan" or King bird; the peacock, which
is the sacred emblem of the devil wor-
shippers. The Yezidi tradition is that
Eve in paradise was tempted, not by
Satan in the form of a serpent but in
the form of a beautiful peacock.
tlilIu tHC L jill liz
twelve elder priestsof the sect. in
flame colored gowns, and attending
these twelce "Kawals" carrying fam
beaux. No laymGn ever takes part in
the professions of ceremonies of the
Iezidis. AS the procession passes
along the rise, PROSTATE themselves
upon the ground, raise their right
hand toward the bird" emblem, then
press it to their foreheads, and resume
their seats on the ground. The
priests march on up the glen, to the
notes of the flute. the rhythmic clash
ing of the cymbals and the beating of
the tambourine, until a turn in the
valley brings them to a low, white
building not unlike in style and char
acter, h tomb in the middle Of the
glen. There are at one end a number
of what appear to be stables, where
In are stalled seven white kline, which
are carefully tended and looked after.
Hence the ediice is known as the
"~Sanctuary of the White Cow These
cows are said, by their Yezidi, custo-
dians, to be sacred to "Shems'-that
is to say, the sun-clearly indicating
some connection with ancient sun
worship. The Sanctuary of the
White Cow" covers the concealed UNI
derground temple of the devil worship
pers, and it is here that access is gain
ed to the subterranean place of wor-
ship where the Yezidi rites are cele-
brated.
At one extremity Of the building is a
low door which is guarded by six
young 'pirs," or priests, holding light
ed torches in their hands. And at this
door the procession with the liking
bird" enters, l following. We descend
ten or a dozen steps and then reach a
passage only wide enough TO pass two
abreast, along which we make our
way. The flutes are silent and the
cyinbals and tambourine cease their
rhythmic beat. We keep steadily on
the passage, sloping gently for two
hundred yards, andeafterward turn
ing sharply to the right. We are in
almost perfect darkness, the torches
carried in front by the "karabash''
and thekawals giving no light what
ever in the confined space wherein we
are marching. On we go still for an
other two hundred yards, as neal as
can estimate, then we descend for a
short distance, when the procession
stops as W. neal Jul destination. At