mooxey] THE DERVISHES 951 



the Fatiha, Immediately afterwards the sheikh pronounces the words " La ilaha ill' 

 Allah !"' and repeats them incessantly ; to whirh the Dervishes repeat "Allah!" bal- 

 ancing themselves from side to side, and putting their hands over their faces, on 

 their breasts and their abdomens, and on their knee.-. 



The second scene is opened by the Hamdee Mobammedee, a hymn in honour of the 

 prophet, chanted by one of the elders placed on the right of the sheikh. During this 

 chant the Dervishes continue to repeat the. word "Allah !" moving, however, their 

 bodies forward and aft. A quarter of an hour later they all rise up, .approach each 

 other, and press their elbows against each other, balancing from right to left and 

 afterwards in a reverse motion, the right foot always linn, ami the left in a period- 

 ical movement, the reverse of that of the body, all observing great precision of meas- 

 ure and cadence. In the midst of this exercise they cry out the words " Va Allah !'' 

 followed by that of " Va lloo! " Some of the performers sigh, others sol>. some shed 

 tears, others perspire great drops, and all have their eyes closed, their laces pale, and 

 the eyes languishing. 



A pause of sonic minutes is followed by a third scene. It is performed in the mid- 

 dle of an Ilahee, chanted by the two elders on the right of the sheikh. The Ilahees, as 

 has already been said, are spiritual cantiques, composed almost exclusively iu Per- 

 sian by sheikhs deceased in the odor of sanctity. The Dervishes then hasten their 

 movements, and, to prevent any relaxation, one of the lirst among them puts himself 

 in their center, and excites them by his example. If in the assembly there lie any 

 strange Dervishes, which often happens, they give them, through politeness, this 

 place of honor; and all fill it successively, the one after the other, shaking them- 

 selves as aforesaid. The only exception made is in favor of the Mevevees; these 

 never perform any other dance than that peculiar to their own order, which consists 

 in turning round on each heel in succession. 



After a new pause commences the fourth scene. Now all the Dervishes take off 

 their turbans, form a circle, bear their arms and shoulders against each other, and 

 thus make the circuit of the hall at a measured pace, striking their feet at intervals 

 against the floor, and all springing up at once. This dance continues during the 

 Ilahees chanted alternately by the two elders to the left of the sheikh. In the midst 

 of this cbaut the cries of "Ya, Allah!'' are increased doubly, as also those of "Ya 

 Hoo!" with frightful bowlings, shrieked by the Dervishes together in the dame. 

 At the moment that they would seem to stop from sheer exhaustion the sheikh makes 

 a point of exerting them to new efforts by walking through their midst, making also 

 himself most violent movements. He is next replaced by the two elders, who double 

 the quickness of the step and the agitation of the body; they even straighten them- 

 selves up from time to time, and excite the envy or emulation of the others in their 

 astonishing efforts to continue the dance until their strength is entirely exhausted. 



The fourth scene leads to the last, which is the most frightful of all, the wholly 

 prostrated condition of the actors becoming converted into a species of ecstasy which 

 they call llalet. It is in the midst of this abandonment of self, or rather of religious 

 delirium, that they make use of red-hot irons. Several cutlasses and other instru- 

 ments of sharp-pointed iron are suspended in the niches of the hall, and upon a part 

 of the wall to the right of the sheikh. Near the close of the fourth scene two Der- 

 vishes take down eight or nine of these instruments, heat them red hot, and present 

 them to the sheikh. He, after reciting some prayers over them, and invoking the 

 founder of the order, Ahmed er Rufa'ee, breathes over them, and raising them 

 slightly to the mouth, gives them to the 1 (ervishes, who ask for them with the great- 

 est eagerness. Then it is that these fanatics, transported by frenzy, seize upon these 

 irons, gloat upon them tenderly, lick them, lute them, bold them between their teeth, 

 and end by cooling them iu their mouths. Those who are unable to procure any 

 seize upou the cutlasses banging on the wall with fury, and stick them into their 

 sides, arms, and legs. 



Thanks to the fur\ of their frenzy, anil to the amazing boldness which they deem 

 a merit in the eyes of the Divinity, all stoically bear up against the pain which they 



