Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/47

41 with scratched necks in Moslem markets, especially in the interior of the Ottoman empire, where the actual scratch-necks has been so freely going on by the order of "the most gracious father of the empire," and before the eyes of his great allies.

2. Fasting During' the Month of Ramazan (lunar calendar). During the twenty-nine days of this month all the adult Moslems must fast from dawn to sunset, after which they are let loose to eat and drink and smoke and do all kinds of carnal deeds all the night. The sick and the travelers are allowed to omit this duty upon the condition that they perform it at another convenient time. Any man who fails to keep the fast is disgraced and punished publicly, occasionally by being seized and put on a donkey seated backwards and the tail in his hand for the bridle, and carried all over the market places, followed by a shouting multitude. Sometimes as an additional attraction to this religio-maniacal parade the face of the person is dyed black.

In this sacred month of prayer and humiliation their religious feelings—namely, their carnal desires, their laziness and their enmity and brutality against Giaours—reach to the highest pitch. Poor Christians suffer more in this single month than in the other eleven months. Every Christian must be very cautious not to excite the "long-faced" Moslem by demanding his debt, or by eating or smoking in his presence, or by disturbing his ear with songs or church bells.