Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-02-23
A DAY WITH SCORPION EATERS
Frank Edward Johnson Tells How He Witnessed Remarkable
fortunes Undergone by African Fanatics-Doings in
Northern Africa.

They swallow live scorpions and
choke not: they pierce themselves with
swords and bleed not; they press red
hot irons to their naked flesh and
burn not!
Such are some of the marvellous
feats performed by African fanatics
in the sacred city of Kairowan, near
Tunls, less than fifty miles from the
Mediterranean coast They may be
witnessed any Friday afternoon by
any one who Is hardy enough to jour-
ney through the hot sands of the des-
ert, for in Kairowan even infidels are
allowed to watch the sacred rites
kairowan has eighty-fve mosques
and ninety zao uias-praying places, or
Moslem schools, in which the fanat-
les go through their terrible ordeals
every Friday afternoon throughout the
year. What took place in the zaouia
Of Sidi Mohammed ben Aissa of Neck
Ees one afternoon recently is thus
described in the National Geographic
Magazine by Frank Edward johnson,
who was present:
The high priest, called a sheik; the
second high priest, called a moudadem,
and the third, called caliph. and the
elders Of the zaouia formed large
circle, sitting on the floor chanting
and beating their tom-toms, now fast,
then slow Several rows Of men and
youths had stood themselves in line,
bowling and swaying to the rhythm of
the music. Faster and faster beat the
tom TOMS faster and faster swayed
the lines of men.
After what seemed q long time a
young man jumped from the front line
and ran toward the chaouche or priest,
who had arisen and given him his
hand to kiss; whereupon he immedi-
ately stripped to the waist, keeping
on only al pair of white oriental trou-
sers.
"a wooden box full Of scorpions had
been brought over TO me to look at.
There were black, yellow, and white,
and knew from experience how dan
gerous they were. An under priest,
"bache chaouche," stood upon a sort
Of stool and held high above his head
a large scorpion by the tail. The ia
matte howled, snapped and jumped for
1t, the way a mad dog snaps at per
sons, and his eyes had an unnatural
stare and CLASSY look, and he foamed
and frothed at the mouth.
After a few seconds the bache
chaouche dropped the scorpion into
the fanatics open mouth. He gave
one snap and gulped 1t down alive,
to be followed in an instant by anoth-
er. BY this time about 20 men and
youths were stripped to the waist. all
swapping and frothing at the mouth.
The first fanatic came so near me that
I could feel his hot breath on my
face.
AN undtr-priest had brought up
two round swords the size of my little
finger and about one meter in length.
The ctaouche seized the flesh and
muscles Of the fanatics shoulder and
with a quick thrust, drove the florette
through SO that about fifteen inches
protruded on either side of the Shout
der. He then did the same with the
second sword to the other shoulder.
Two more florettes had been brought
UP by an under priest. All the swords
had handles of hard wood, shaped like
a large ball.
THE fanatic braced himself and the
chaouche, chanting a verse from the
Koran. drove the sword into one side
of the abdomen. The second sword
was done likewise on the other side
Of the abdomen; and with these four
swords sticking into him the fanatic
walked about and the bache chaouche
followed him and at every other step
hit with full force with kind Of
sledge hammer on the hard wooden
balls fastened as handles to the swords
driving them deeper at every blow.
THE leaves Of the prickly pear had
been brought in in large baskets, and
ether fanatics, instead of being thrust
through with swords, lay down and
rolled on bed Of prickly pear leaves
mot the Burbank variety without
horns), and men covered their body
with mere leaves. Tho chanting and
beating of the -tomns continued
meanwhile.
THE noise of the music and the
YOU yOu-yous CT approval from the
women hidden behind great lattice
screens, the close air and the odor of
incense, mingled with the smell of
sweat, mads me almost nauseated.
About seventy men-old, middle-aged
and young-underwen this terrible
ordeal.
The swords were pulled out by the
chaouche or moudadem, who placed
what looked like a large bandana
handkerchief about the sword and
over the wound and with great force
jerked out the sword. The fanatic
would throw his arms around the neck
of the moudadem and cling to him,
while he whispered a few words of
comfort into his ear Immediately his
eyes would lose their CLASSY stare and
his face relax and become normal.
During my j0uruneys through the
TroglOdyte country, in extreme south
ern Tunisia, L was frequently permit