SURATTL 1750. 185 



Their religion is the reigning one, efpecially 

 that fe& which honors Omar. But Alt can- 

 not be without a great many followers here ; 

 for at a proceflion which was undertaken the 

 26th of November, in honour of the two lafl 

 Per/tan Imams, I think I faw at leaf!: two thou- 

 fand men. At this ceremony a great many 

 faquirs or begging friars were prefenc, drelT- 

 ed in white jackets, to which were fewed fe- 

 veral rags of different colors, and a cap refem- 

 bling a fugar loaf. The Dervifes generally 

 officiated in the mofques and on other occa- 

 fions. I obferved a certain Dervife who was 

 exceedingly well acquainted with the ceremo- 

 nial part, and who was ordered to undertake 

 a pilgrimage to the graves of the deceafed 

 Imams. He faunte'red all the way along, and 

 had befides his difciples feveral others about 

 him, who beat a fort Of drum, and fung la 

 allah, &c. along with it. I faw a Santon who 

 feemed to dderve a good thrashing for' his 

 fanctity. He did penance by going about 

 the ftreets (lark naked. He was by no means 

 fliunned; but oh the contrary had always a 

 reverend Mahometan with him, who received 

 the alms and kept them for him. 



Besides 



