The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean., 1916-05-25
Dervishes of the Orient and Their
Curious Practices
SEEM INsENsIBLE TO PAIN.

messed by himself cannot fail to prove
of interest
'In Constantinople you may see at
any time bowling dervishes, who howl
professionally in their worship, and in
Konia whirling dervishes, who simi-
larly whirl instead of howl. And upon
the road and in villages and country
towns of the Turkish empire are to be
met dervishes Of the mendicant orders
wild eyed, austere men carrying bowl
and battle az, who wander afoot to
places where most aims may be found
But those dervishes who lacerate them
selves us the aim of their ecstasy are
not, think, to be found in any dis
trict near the coast or easy Of access.
In only one small town, long way in
the interior Of Asia Minor, did l ever
see one Of their performances, and then
it was In the way Of a favor"
After describing the long processes
Of preparation by which the necessary
atmosphere" is obtained. the writer
goes on:
presently two men left the semi
circle Of dervishes and stood before
the sheik. On them the preparation
had done its work and they were ready
to begin laceration. The sheik licked
the blades Of two thin dagger-like
knives with his tongue and handed
them to the devotees. Each immedi-
ately pressed the knife through his
own cheeks. It went in at one side
and the point came out at the other.
Meanwhile the swordsmen leaped and
the semicircle roared and swayed with
redoubled energy.
"Again the sheik licked two knives
and handed them to the men, and
again they pushed them through their
cheeks. this time in the opposite direc-
ton. No blood flowed, and the opera
tion looked as harmless, once you had
seen it done, as stabbing a Dutch
cheese. The sheik drew out the knives,
wet the ball Of his thumb upon his
tongue, clapped it on the holes, and no
holes could be seen, but merely white
scars.
"Now, one who has not seen these
or similar things done may think that
some sleight of hand took place, or,
failing that possibility, that I imagin-
ed these sights, being under strong in
fuence so to do. can only offer the
Fevidence of my senses. was within
a distance Of two or three yards when
the cheeks were pierced, looked at
them from two feet with the knives
still In position, and at the same dis
tance looked at the white scars that a
few seconds before had been palpable
holes. II I was hypnotized so were all
Of us, for we saw alike.
when the display with knives was
over two other men came forward as
candidates for the spiked balls. The
upper and lower points Of the spikes
were licked by the sheik and play be
gan. The lower point was placed in
the open palm of one hand, the upper
point was capped by the open palm OF
the other, and then by a slight circular
movement of the upper hand the bal
was rotated violently. AS it did sc
short lengths Of chain attached to the
circumference spread out and acted
as a fywheel. With the balls spinning
in this fashion the men began to leap
throwing them into the air, catching
them with the point on an open palm
and always keeping up the spinning.
ut was clever in its way, but NJ
more, and was thinking it simple
trick when one man dashed the spiked
, ipoint forcibly into his head. The othel
fellow Immediately followed by thrust
ing his into his neck. Both balls fel
over and hung suspended with tn,
point remaining in the deh. Thes,
wounds Immediately drew blood Bloc,
drawing, however, was not in tn
game. It showed something amiss-in
sufficient faith or preparation or both
and the sheik hastened to stanch II
His thumb went first to his infallibl
tongue and then to the wounds. Tn
flow ceased under the application, an,
other men took up the balls. Some
times they drew blood and sometime
mot, but all the wounds made were i'm
mediately closed by the sheik and lei
only white scars. And these like sth
other scars, whether you believe It Q
mot, presently faded out Of sisllt. s. b,
ut was nearing midnight when a
was over. In the bazaar the ne1
morning / recognized one OF tlpse VIII
had used the spiked balls on thk, prev
GUS evening. He now appeared as a
spen faced youngster Of eighteen Z
nineteen, with smile that he coul
not suppress. He said he worked
the iron bazaar hard by, making roug
hinges and other ironwork. And whi
he stood there. smiling and ingenuou
It needed an effort of mind to think (
him as a fanatical dervish Of the prev
GUS nights scene"
When Women Rule.
"Wh0 is that lady?"
"Our peerless leader. Mrs. Cinci
IL nafio CUnmh0f ColloI rit,ht Fvov1s ri