Blandford Weekly News. — 1886-10-30 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SICKENING SPECTACLE.  A correspondent sends to the Weise a descrintion of the Mob urrum at Constantinople, which lie declares to be the most ghastly ceremonial it has ever been his lot to witness. The Mohurrum is a Permian festival, which is held once a year, in two or three places in the world, to celebrate the anniversary of the murder of Hassan and Hussein, the sons of All. The orgies took place at about half-pant 6 in the evening in a square in Stamboul. They began with a procession of children, dressed in black gowns, singing hymns in praise of Hassan and Hussein to the sound of weird music. The square wan guarded all round by Turkish soldiers, who kept a clear spac's in the centre; • the crowd storxl behind, and the windows of the square were filled with spectators. The placed was all draped in black, thousands of lanterns were hung about, and burning braziers were stationed at intervals of a few yards. In about 10 minutes a fearful din of tom-turns arose, and a number of men entered the square, those in the foremost ranks carrying braziers, while those in the centre supported a large canopy, formed of Persian flags and ensigns. Two white horses were next led in. These carried howdahs with a child tied on each, to represent the two brothers. Then came other horses, decked out with embroidery stained with blood, and dead bodies lying across their backs. A procession of priests and people then entered, chanting songs of mourning, and these wore followed by men, with their bodies bare to their waists, beating themselves with great chains, which they swung over their heads, first on their backs and then on their chests, all sobbing and singing the while, the clang of the chains as they all swung together againit the flesh being something horrible to hear. Then came the awful part of the whole thing. bout 100 men entered the square with their heads shaved, and dressed entirely in white ; these formed a huge circle arm in arm, all with their faces to the centre of the ring, those on one side shouting " Hassan,' those on the other "Hussein." They gradually worked themselves up into a screaming frenzy, and then, brandishing the huge sabres they carried they commenced hacking at their bodies and beads, till the blood poured down them, and pieces of flesh came off the poor wretches, who, as they became inure excited, inflicted ghastly scalp n muds on each other. They went twice round the square, shouting, screaming, and brandishing their sabres, after which such of them as were still able to walk retired from the scone, and the men with chains took their places, with their chests and backs black and bleeding. These marched twice round the square, followed by children singing and chanting. A few prayers were now offered up by the priests, more shouts of " Hawn " and "Hussein," and then. there was a pause, and the people looked -as if they were about to disperse. " Sickened and horrified," says the writer, " by the scene we had witnessed, my friend and I quitted our window seat, and began a rapid walk to our .hotel ; but suddenly there were loud shouts from the people, and we saw the entire throng retuning. We were the unwilling spectators of a renewal of this fearful carnage, which was only terminated by the death of many of the actors in it, while those who yet lived sank exhausted to the ground, their features in many instances undistinguisl:a!slc, their white dresses soaked with blood, and yet ev:s3 in their dying agonies sustained by s mysteriergs fanaticism which teaches them that through. these self-inflicted tortures they go straight into heaven."  A rocent church offertory at Portsmouth in aid of the Gordon BOVef Home a gutd ring was contributed, and the donor him now expreesed the wish that it may be given as a reward to the boy now in the home who brat Performs s conspicuous act of bravery.