Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/293

Rh dervishes profess poverty, chastity, and obedience, but it is doubtful whether they practise these virtues; they are believed to be for the most part either fools, fanatics, or knaves: they are thought to be most usually the latter. There are two kinds of dervishes, the dancing and the howling ones; they both go through their exercises every Friday, between the hours of two and three p.m.; by a little management both may be seen the same day. On these occasions the dancing dervishes are habited in high Persian-looking caps of drab coloured felt; they wear tight-fitting white jackets, a sort of very full white petticoat is tied round their waist, and reaches nearly to their feet; its circumference at the bottom is greater than that of the largest crinoline worn in the days when that fashion was at its height.

About a dozen or more men dressed in this style assemble in a domed building set apart for this purpose; they dance in a round space in the centre, which is surrounded by a low railing. The dervishes commence by turning round slowly to the sound of music; they move as if they were fixed on a pivot; they keep their eyes closed, or nearly so, the whole time; and their countenances wear an expression of total abstraction. Their gyrating motion is always from right to left; they keep both arms outstretched; one hand is held out palm uppermost, whilst the fingers of the other hand point down- wards. One of their number remains stationary the whole time; he stands upon a small square carpet; he is dressed rather differently to the rest; all their movements are directed by him. At a given signal from this man the others suddenly cease whirling round; they form in single file, and march past him, as if for a general salute; each man keeps his arms crossed upon his breast in such a manner that the left hand rests upon the right shoulder, and the right hand on the left shoulder. All pass in turn before their leader; they bow low as they arrive opposite to him; and at a given signal all once more take up their appointed positions as at the commencement, and resume their singular dance.

The howling dervishes perform in a domed building some little distance from that used by those above described; they have no enclosed or railed-in space; they range themselves in a semi-circle; each man stands upon his own little mat, made of the skin of some