The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-19
THE Rour OF THE DERvrsH.
Traits of the Far-Eastern Race.
Their Doctrine.
From the Baltimore American.


tanning in a novel and emotional way.
Among them were some Of another kind
of religious fanatic, the "Howling Der
vIsh." Now, we are made familiar with
the Fighting Dervish,p these three sorts
being part of a system OF seven different
species, all of great influence in their ma
tive population.
In that subtle and evasive country,
where the White Nile is joined by the
continent of the Blue, Nile. among the
sacred flowers of the lotus lily, in the
reaches of woolly grass and In the vicinity
of the white and mound builders, a great
war has been fought and a great victory
won by the British Egyptian soldiers, but
the dervish soldiers fought bravely, too
and the victors do not hesitate TO say
the bravery of the dervish attack can
not be overestimated." This, was in con-
nection with the charge of 1900 dervishes
at the final hostilities at KharUum. The
strength of the dervlsh army was 5000
and of these from 10000 to 5000 were kill
ed, but the number of wounded cannot be
estimated.
So much for the war qualities of the
Fighting Dervish' who need not be
pitied for his sufferings, as it is self-in-
vitsd when no end of conquest or defense
is TO be gained. According to the opinion
cago Times-Herald, a true dervish does
not feel pain, or IL he feels il. Tejoiees
in il. He believes in a self-centered stole
Ism that fortunes will not destroy, and
aside from any religious zeal those people
have the greatest faith in the dominant
will of their chief or sheikh, having serv-
ed a long apprenticeship before they De-
came dervishes.
This will power is akin to our science Of
hypnotism A traveller who investigated
the dervish system at Kerkoot, in he
province of Shehrazor saw number or
neophytes all under the spell OF their
sheikh. The visitor, after waiting some
time wished earnestly that he could see
the sheikh alone when, to his surprise,
that dgnitary turned TO him ard answered
his mental question by saying:
In a few moments, young man, your
wish will be granted, and YOU may COM
mune with me alone"
The shelkh did not speak again to any
of those present, but one by one they
withdrew. The traveller left alone with
him, felt himself impe.led TO draw near
and kneel at his feet, kissing The hand
extended 10 him After that he had long
and instructive interview He left firmly
believing the sheikh was a mind-reader
of occult power.
The meaning of the name dervish is
zone who asks nothing Of any living
creature" Their pride is said to be in
their poverty. They are faialists, social
lists aud believers in metempsychosis. Mys-
ticism is in all they do, and religious
zeal that is almost insanity. They are not
priests, but the laymen of their people.
In order TO become a derVish the appll-
cant musI pass through a long and Sc
we're initiation ordeal, consisting of a Sc
ries of performances each one more diff
ficult than the last The closing scene is
a test of personal bravery and endurance.
Hot bars of iron are handed TO them,
which they clasp with delight huggng
them in frenzy TO their flesh, tigntng
and struggling for them. While these
irons are red hot they bite them, lick them
caressinsly, and put them far into their
mouths, with joyful air of doing pleas
ant task. The sheikh signifies his approx
al of the manner in which they bear their
torture and applieso sefnei isalve to their
wounds. Now comes the wonderful story
of mystic SIN. Investigators dec are tnat
in twenty-fOur hours not a wound IS visi-
bic; all are healed Doubtless the per-
Torrance is conjurer s trick, and shows
a method in their madness.
To suffer and be strong is, however, the
dervish doctrine In the dispatches of the
war just closed this sentence occurs:
''The courage of the foe was never more
conspicuous the dervishes dehant.y plant
The "Howling Dcrylstes are the most
repulsive, and The noise they make is APP
palling. The Turning Dervishes." with
their little bands of musicians are more
interesting. When any of these are going
through their emotional performances,
whirl'ng, spinning. bowling or turning
feeble-minded and .nsane people are
brought into their presence and laid on the
floor The dervishes spin over them, Civ
ing them the help Of he "holy foot"
The dervishes who calm descent from
the Caliph Al pronounce the name Of
Allah very loud al their devotions. but
the followers of Abou-bekr mediate ia
silence upon his name. II is said hat each
dervish pronounce the name of Allan
100000 times in every twenty-four hours
from the seven points in the body from
which prayer may be made:
F-rst, at the right Of the heart, called
Sir.
Second, at the heart, kali.
Third, at the right of the liver, Roah
Fourth, at the right Of the breast, Feud
Fifth, on the breast
Sixth on the forehead, Ihfa
seventh, between the shoulder blndes
where the seal of the prophet is believed
to be, called Sir Sir III Farar
The theory IS asserted that the dervish
IS essentially following the example of the
Hebrew prophets, employing the same
emotional system and dramatic effects to
rouse religious feeling and compelling sub
mission by power of Will.
News of importance is carried from VIII
lage to village by the turning or spinning
dervishes who go whirl,ng through the
streets with a few eals announcing The
news, then. spinning off out on The plains.
they keep on to the next town II II IS i'm
POI tant./ like the earthquake of 1888. or
The disaster of the present war. men ,lrop
their work and cluster in groups to dis
3uss he matter and nothing more IS done
Dn that day. SO divert.ug is the spectacle
that the native people never look at il
with the indifference bred of custom
Besides, they deem these men holy. and
expect some good result from personal
contact. 1t is pity that the result of all
heir self-denial and endurance should be
merely a belief in their imperv,ousness
10 sin, and after their long years of re-
lunciation an indulgence in vice on the
ground that nothing can harm the elect Of
Allah. A quaint and singular brother
hood, If fakhs, they are most plctur-
'sque section Of their remnant. the khau-
'a's edherents, of whom II is written: