Dervishes and Hadjis. 245 



selves with, repeating the formula in a natural tone of voice,, 

 and almost in measured time. The chief was lost in the 

 deepest thought, all eyes and ears were fixed upon him, and 

 every motion of his hand and every breath he drew was audible, 

 and encouraged his followers to utter wilder and louder ejacu- 

 lations. At last he seemed to awake from his sleep-like 

 reflections, and as soon as he raised his head all the dervishes 

 jumped up from their seats like possessed beings. The circle 

 was broken, and the different members began to dance in 

 undulating motions ; but hardly did the chief stand upon his 

 feet than the enthusiastic dancers became so terribly excited 

 that I, who had to imitate all their wild antics, became almost 

 frightened. They were flying about, constantly dancing, right 

 and left, hither and thither, some leaving the soft meadow and 

 getting upon the rough stones, constantly dancing, till the 

 blood began to run freely from their feet, still they kept on their 

 mad excitement, till most of them fell fainting to the ground. 



It is the same with dervishism as with all the other oriental 

 institutions, customs, and manners; the more we penetrate 

 towards the East, the greater is the purity with which they 

 have been preserved. In Persia the dervishes play a much 

 more important part than in Turkey; and in Central Asia, 

 isolated as it has been from the rest of the world for centuries, 

 this fraternity is still in full vigour, and exercises a great 

 influence upon society. In my Travels I have frequently 

 alluded to the position occupied by the Ischan, or secular 

 priests, in Central Asia. Their influence may be called a for- 

 tunate one contrasted with the fearful tyranny existing in those 

 countries. This is the reason why every one occupies himself 

 with religion ; every one tries to pass himself off as a worker 

 of miracles (Ehli Keramet), or if he falls in that, he endea- 

 vours to be recognized as a saint (Veli Ullah). Those who 

 make the interpretation of the sacred writings their business, 

 are great rivals of the Ischans, who by the mysticism by which 

 they surround themselves, enjoy a large share of popular 

 esteem. The native of Central Asia, like the wildest child of 

 Arabia, is more easily imposed upon by magic formulas and 

 similar hocus-pocus than by books. He may dispense with 

 the services of a Moll ah, but he cannot do without a Ischan, 

 whose blessing (fatika) or breath (hafesi) is required when he 

 sets out on one of his predatory expeditions, and upon which 

 he looks as a talismanic power, when moving about his herds, 

 his tent, or the wilds of the deserti 



After the Ischanes, the most interesting class are the men- 

 dicant dervishes (Kalenter*), which the Kirguese and Turko- 



* Kalentor is a corruption of the old Persian Kelantor, i. e., the more power- 

 ful. In Eastern Persia the title is still given to the judges of villages. 



