Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-05-20

cures " the oheiN.
Much has been written on the sub
Ject of the astounding things that are
done by deryishes and the apparent IN
senslb.ity to paiI, and injury that their
1anatcism gives them, but the vivid
account given by d writer III Black
wood s. of some Of these facts WIT
messed by himself cannot fail to prove
81 interest
In Constantinople you may see at
any time bowling dervishes, who howl
professionally Ia their worship, and Ia
Konia Hh.rling dervishes, who simi-
ury whlrl instead Of howl And upon
the road and ia villages and country
towns Of the Turkish empire are to be
met deryishes IF the meudicant orders
wild eyed, auatere men carrying bowl
and battle AK, who wander afoot to
places where most aims may be found.
But those deryizhes who lacerate them
selves as the aim Of their ecstasy are
not. I think. 10 be found in any dis
trict near the coast or easy Of access.
IN ouly ono small town. a 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 deryishcs and stood before
the sbeik. On them the preparation
bad done its work and they were ready
10 begin laeeraton. The sheik licked
the blades Of two thin daggern Ike
knives with his tongue and handed
them 10 the dey0tees. Each immedi-
ateig pressed the knife through his
own checks. 1t went in at one side
ald the point came out at the other.
Meanwhile tho swordsmen leaped and
the >emicircie roared and swayed with
r-doubled energy.
Again the shclk licked two knives
and handed them 10 the men, and
again they pushed them through their
checks. this time in the opposite dIrec-
ton No blood flowed. and the opera
t!on looked as harmless. once you had
seen 1t done. as stabbiug a Dutch
cheese Tie shelk drew out the knives,
wet the bail Of his thumb upon his
tongue. clapped It on the holes, and no
holes could bee seen. but merely white
scass.
fNow, one who has not seen these
or similar things done may think that
some sleieht Of hand took place. or,
failing that possibility, that | imagIn-
eel these sights. being under strong In
iueuce SO To do. ! can only offer the
evidence of my senses. / was within
distance of two or three yards when
The checks We're pierced. looked at
them from two feet with the knives
SIN in position. and at the same dis
tanee looked at the white scars that a
few seconds before had been palpable
holes. II ! was hypnotized 50 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 shcik and play be
gau The lower point was placed In
the open palm of one hand. the upper
point was capped 10y the open palm Of
the other and then by n slight circular
movement of the upper hand the bail
WAS rotated violently. As 1t did so
short lengths Of chain attached to the
circumference spread out and acted
as q iywheei With the balls spinning
In jhs fashion the men began to leap.
throwing them into the air. catching
them with the point on mn open palm
and always keeping up the spinning.
"lt WAS clever ia lis way but no
more and was thinking it Il simple
trick when one man dashed the spiked
point forcjbly mto his head The other
fcilow Immediately followed by thrust
ing his into his neck. Both balls fen
over and hung suspended with the
point remaining in the flesh. These
wounds Immediately drew blood Blood
drawing however was not In the
game. Ii showed something amiss in
sufficient faith or preparation or both
aud the shei6 hasteued 70 stanch it.
HIS thumb went first to his iutalihle
tongue ana then to the wounds. The
flow ceased under the application, and
othr men took up the balls Some
times they drew blood and sometimes
NOT uut mil the wound; made were I'M
medialcly closed by the shcik and left
only white sears. And these. like the
other Syars. whether you believe it or
net presently faded cut Of sight
Ii was nearing midnight when all
wits over In the bazaar the next
morning I recognized one OF those who
had used the spiked balls on the preyi-
u0s evening. lie now appeared as an
open faced youngStcr az eighteen or
niuotocn, with smile that he could
not suppress. He said be worked In
the iron bazaar hard by. making rough
htn-cs and other Irouwork. And while
bee s.pod there smiling aud ingenious,
IL needed an effort of mind to think ot
him MS "a fauatical derylsh Of the previ-
Gus nights scene"