THE MOHURRUM AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1445, 31 December 1886, Page 3

THE MOHURRUM AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

Globe. I went yesterday to see one of the most ghastly ceremonials it has ever been my lot to witness. If anyone had described it to me, 1 should have taken the liberty of di obtieg his word to a prrtty considerable extent. I could not have believed that so barbarous a cast m would hav- been tolerated in (his nineteenth century of outs. What I saw was the Persian festival, which is held once a year, in two or three places in the world, to celebrate the am Itremry of the murder cf Hasten and Hnsseinn, the *o> aof Ali. My friend and I, with two Jiamals in attendance, went over about half-past six in the evening to a square in Stamboul, and arrived just In time for the onnnn-'ncempnt of the orgies. They began with a procession of children, dressed in hlact gowns, singing hymns in praise of Hassan and Bnsseinn to the sound of weird music. The square was guarded ail round by Turkish soldiers, who kept a clear space in the centre ; the crowd stood behind, and the windows of the square were filled with spectators The place was all draped in black thousands of lanterns were hung about, and burning braziers were stationed at intervals of a few yards In about ten minutes after our arrival a fearful din of tomrtoms arose, and a number of men entered the square, those in the foremost ranks carrying braziers, while whose in the centre supporte ■ a large campy, firmed of Persian flags, and ensigns. Tw>> white h rses were next led in. These carried bowdahs with » chi d lied -it» each to represent the two brothers The -sms other horse*, d- ckod oat wi‘h embroidery stained with blood, and dead bodies tying across their fcsik* A precession of priests and people then entered, r chanting songs of mourning, and these were followed by men, with their bodies bare to their waists, beeting ih-modves w -h great chains, which they swung over their heads, first on tbe'r backs and thin on their chests, all Bobbin and singing the while, the clang of the chain* -a they a'l swung together against the 3 rsh being something horrible to ffear. Then erme the awful part of the whole thii g, which made one shudder, and turns my blood cold as I write it. About a hundred men entered the square with th-ur heads shaved and dressed entirely in white ; >hese formed a huge circle arm iu arm, all with their faces to the centre of the ring, those on one side shouting * H»*san,’ those on the other ‘ Hossrlnn.’ They gradually worked themselves up into a screaming frerzy, and then b-aodishlng the huge sabres 'hey can! d. they o~>mmenaed backing a- their bod es and heads till the • 'ood poured own them, and pieces of flesh came off the poor wre'ohe*. who as hey became more excited, irActed ghastly scalp wounca on each oth-r I never saw such an awfnl sight, and I n. yer wish to again They went twice round the square, shouting, screaming, nod brandi-hing their sabres, after which such of them ss werp still able to walk retired from t'>e scene, and the men wi'h chairs took their places, with their obesti backs black and bleeding These marched twice round the s tuur-, followed by children singing and chanting. A few praye's were now offered up by tbe priests more shonts of * Hassan ’ and * Efuaseinn 1 and then there was a pause, and the people looked as if they were about to disperse Sickened and horrified by the scene we had witnessed, my friend and 1 quitted our window sent, and began a rapid walk to onr hotel; but suddenly there were loud shouts from the people, ard we raw tne entire throng returning. We were the unwilling specUt >rs of a renewal of this fearful carnage, which was only terminated by the dearh of many of the actors in it, wh le those yet lived sank exhausted to the ground, their features Id many instances nndistingaishable, their white dresses soaked with blood, and yet e en in their dying agonies sustained by a mysterious fanaticism which teaches them that through these self h - flicted tortorrs they go straight into heaven. This recount nny seem to you exaggerated, but I can assure you it is impossible to convey to you In writing the ghastly realities of the scene I have f ast described.