Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/45

Rh The shepherd boys and people of all ages sang and repeated these verses till the offended Derwish complained to his co-fraternity, and the Khateeb had to pay two hundred rottles of rice and a hundred sacrifices, sheep or goats. After trying to get the sentence changed, and having given supper to the thirty Derwishes assembled, and breakfast the next morning, without obtaining pardon he left the assembly and did not appear again in the village for some time. The Derwishes carried away what he possessed. This was a great offence; smaller offences also are punished. Throwing down the turban of a Derwish may be atoned for by a single sacrifice, but never for less.

II. The Sheikh Ehmad el Erfa'i, as his name indicates, is the Viper-charmer, and therefore his Derwishes are expected to touch vipers and all poisonous things, without being hurt, by calling out to their Lord,  "Help! oh, Viper-charmer." His part in the world was the desert and desolate places. His Derwishes have also the white or parti-coloured cap. His standard is red and white; he is the most jealous of the four saints, and will not allow his Derwishes to leave his Order and join another. The Derwishes ought never to kill serpents for fear of them, but always invoke his name. His tomb is in Bosra, near the mouth of the Euphrates. His Derwishes, and even Christians of Palestine and Syria, told me about a pond near his Makam so full of poisonous serpents that the poison swims on the top of the water as yellow as sulphur or melted butter. As the spot is at a considerable distance from the Euphrates, all wild beasts assemble round it to drink, but are afraid of the poison. Every Friday an antelope,, karakand, comes there; all the beasts get up, and the antelope, gravely approaching, strikes the water with its horns, first in one way, then in the other, making the sign of the cross (this is the Christian version), when all poison becomes dissipated, and the beasts approach and drink, after which the poison again covers the face of the waters for a whole week, suboo'aa. A man who was offered £300 to bring a horn of this antelope was struck with awe, and would not when he saw it. Rubbed in oil, this horn is even as efficacious against serpent bites as the horn of the cerastes, and therefore is invaluable.

The Derwishes belonging to this Order generally carry about serpents in leather bags for show, and perform with them. The Egyptians have a better serpent for real plays; although very deadly, the Fi, the Haje', or Egyptian cobra (Naja Haje'), is found in the southern part of Palestine only. This serpent lifts up the fore part of its body, graciously swinging itself to the sound of the Neie,, but here the Derwishes keep the people in ignorance as to the danger of the different kinds whether they are venomous or not, and they know them well enough. A Derwish of the Erfa'i Order used to come to my house at Jaffa with snakes, the most