CEREMONIES. 
183 
middle to regulate their movements, they performed a dance, clapping 
their hands in the best possible time. The maitre de ballet all this 
time sang in recitative, to which the dancers joined at different inter- 
vals with loud shouts and reiterated clapping of their pieces of wood. 
The processions were succeeded by the tragedians. Hossein came 
forwards, followed by his wives, sisters, and relatives. They performed 
many long and tedious acts; but as our distance from the stage was too 
great to hear the many affecting things which no doubt they said to 
each other, we will proceed at once to where the unfortunate Hossein 
lay extended on the ground, ready to receive the death-stroke from a 
ruffian dressed in armour, who acted the part of executioner. At this 
moment a burst of lamentation issued from the multitude, and heavy 
sobs and real tears came from almost every one of those who were near 
enough to come under our inspection. The indignation of the popu¬ 
lace wanted some object upon which to vent itself, and it fell upon 
those of the actors who had performed the parts of Yezid’s soldiers. 
No sooner was Hossein killed, than they were driven off the ground by 
a volley of stones, followed by shouts of abuse. We were informed 
that it is so difficult to procure performers to fill these characters, that 
on the present occasion a party of Russian prisoners were pressed into 
the army of Yezid, and they made as speedy an exit after the catas¬ 
trophe, as it was in their power. 
The scene terminated by the burning of Kerbelah. Several reed 
huts had been constructed behind the enclosure before mentioned, which 
of a sudden were set on fire. The tomb of Hossein was seen covered 
with black cloth, and upon it sat a figure disguised in a tiger s skin, 
which was intended to represent the miraculous lion, recorded to have 
kept watch over his remains after he had been buried. The most ex¬ 
traordinary part of the whole exhibition was the representation of the 
dead bodies of the martyrs; who having been decapitated, were all 
placed in a row, each body with a head close to it. To effect this, se¬ 
veral Persians buried themselves alive, leaving the head out just above 
ground; whilst others put their heads under ground, leaving out the 
body. The heads and bodies were placed in such relative positions to 
