182 
CEREMONIES. 
After a short pause, a body of fierce-looking men, with only a loose 
white sheet thrown over their naked bodies, marched forwards. They 
were all begrimmed with blood; and each brandishing a sword, they sang 
a sort of hymn, the tones of which were very wild. These represented 
the sixty-two relations, or the martyrs as the Persians call them, who 
accompanied Hossein, and were slain in defending him. Close after 
them was led a white horse, covered with artificial wounds, with ar¬ 
rows stuck all about him, and caparisoned in black, representing the 
horse upon which Hossein was mounted when he was killed. A band 
of about fifty men, striking two pieces of wood together in their hands, 
completed the procession. They arranged themselves in i-ows be¬ 
fore the King, and marshalled by a maitre de ballet^ who stood in the 
