The San Francisco call., 1904-04-26
TwkiSh FldgeilantS.
Special Correspondent =.


Turkish friend, which procured for me
q privilege seldom accorded those who
are not followers OF the prophet, have
lust witnessed what are probably the
most grewsome and bloody exhibitions
of self-inhicted punishment and tor
tlsre. on a wholesale scale, tina. can be
seen anywhere within the confines of
civilization.
IF YOU think that your nerves can
stand it," said my friend to me, i will
show you something that I guarantee
You viii remember as long as you live
but warn you that it may cost you
one or two bad dreams"
So. by appointment a few days later
it chanced TO be Palm Sunday-we
net in Stamboul and wended our way
TO the Vallede Khan or mother
house. where live most OF the elect Of
the Persian residents Of the capital
The only entrance was through
vaulted passage, which was guarded
bv strong detachment of Turkish
troops. but my companion produced
document which their leader carefully
scrutinized, and at a word from him
the soldiers made way for us.
We found ourselves in a square, each
side Of which was about 200 yards long,
surrounded by houses Of two stories in
height. with wooden balconies project
ing in front Of some Of the windows.
Walls and windows were draped In
black In the center Of the square was
a mosque, decked in the same somber
fashion. Men of melancholy visage,
pale-faced. clad in black robes, moved
silently hither and thither.' Their sal
low complexiOns. delicately chiseled
and intellectual features indicated that
they We're Persians, most Of them, but
among them were some Turkish Mo
hammedans, men Of more robust and
physically vigorous type, and white
bearded priests.
Almost Immediately a black-garbed
individual. after inspecting something
like a ticket which my friend showed
him. gravely conducted us TO an upper
room in one Of the houses, and when
We had sQuatted on the floor, Turkish
fashion. before the iron-barred window
and pushed aside the black drapery
sufficiently to let Us see all that went
on my Turkish companion explained
what il all meant
know. unbeliever," he said. that
this is the Mouharrem Of the Persians,
The season when Persian Mohamme-
dams mourn the death Of Ali and his
two sons, Hassan and Hussein, true
successors Of the prophet. Misled and
deceived by the devil. they slew them
1920 years ago, and to-day, the ami
versary Of their assassination, having
prepared themselves for it by twenty
four hours Of fasting aid lamentation.
praying and weeping. they expiate the
terrible crime Of their ancestors by un-
dergoing self-inficted punishment and
torture"
At this moment stir among the
silent throng announced the arrival OF
the Persian ambassador and his suite,
who We're conducted to a kiosk at one
side Of the mosque. Then the square
was cleared and the priests gathered
on the steps Of the mosque.
The dirge-lilze wall Of funeral music
reaches US and relieves the tension Of
silence. Black-robed men appear
marching with slow and solemn steps
bearing on stats, surmounted by silver
hands, pointing heavenward, banners
OF purple, green and black silk, with
inscriptions upon them Of pious i'm
port. one Of the banners is white.
Then follows a band. II consists only
or a few aageOlets, drums and cymbals
and its music is restricted TO six bars,
repeated again and again, with monot-
onous insistency. but despite its lack
Of melody its effect is as mournful as
that Of the Dead March"
Following the band. in double rank.
hut with wide intervals between, some
fifty men. dressed in black save for the
left breast, which is bare. At the end
OF each bar Of music they strike their
left breasts with their right hands.
mournfully wailing the while, Has
SAM Hus-seini A-lii" Their form of
penitential atonement. though impress
sive. is a comparatively easy one. But
behind them follow a still larger num-
ber OF men, walking two and two. bare
shouldered. but for the rest clad in the
all-pervading black Each right hand
wields a short staff, to which punches
of steel chains are attached. AS they
march, with the pendulum-lilze regu-
lsrity Of some gymnastic exercise,
they smite themselves over each shoul-
der alternately. keeping time TO the
music, and uttering in chorus the
mournful refrain. "Has-sani Hus-
sein, AIR" each name being pune
tuated by a cruel blow.
Round and round the square they
march with what seems exasperating
slowness TO one who feels for the pain
they are enduring. voluntary though x
is Black weits soon give place to red
streaks and then the blood flows freely,
but for an hour they keep it up. show
ing no abatement in the fervor Of
their seif-inhicted penance, with each
repetition OF the sacred name shifting
their raw flesh and allowing no sign of
suffering to show itself on their set and
stoical faces.
II Is with I UGH relief one sees them
retire at last, leaving the square occu:
pied by elderly men, black garbed,
who rend the air with their loud lam
entations, the tears trickling down
their cheeks attesting the sincerity OF
their grief. But IL cannot be classed
as physical suffering and does not try