of the piety and self-sacrifice of the wearer who, while still living, has put on the garment of Death, the winding-sheet.
From the old man's huge woollen girdle hung a long "tasbeh" (rosary) of large beads, separated into groups to mark the number and rotation of the prayers. From under the girdle at the left appeared the ends of a curved knife and a pair of pistols whose barrels were concealed under a rich Aleppo mantle thrown carelessly over his shoulders. On his hoary head was a white turban with Arabic inscriptions embroidered upon it in golden silk. He was sitting cross-legged, with a glistening Damascus sword lying on his lap.
His appearance indicated that he was at the same time an ecclesiastic of high rank and a fearless soldier: a "Sheikh" and a general.
He was seated in the most prominent place in the tent, as a prince and patriarch. At his right and left stood, in respectful attitudes, several "aghas" with worn, old-fashioned weapons. Their apparent familiarity with the Sheikh showed them to be persons of importance. They were the chiefs of the mingled tribes who thronged the avenues and open spaces of the camp. The "aghas" were silent, except when addressed by the Sheikh.
The one who stood nearest the Sheikh held in his hand a "kashkoor"[1] filled with small paper packages, all of the same size and all folded triangularly. They resembled those talismans given by witches for different mysterious purposes. But they contained nothing except a short line from the Koran, which protects men from all kinds of evil.
The entrance of the tent was open. The waiting crowd out- side had formed into line, and entered one by one. At the threshold each paused; knelt down; bowed his head; and, approaching the Sheikh in this position, laid his sword at his feet and kissed his hand. The Sheikh, taking a paper from the "kashkoor," gave it to the worshipper, who, without rising or turning his back to the Sheikh, made his way out of the tent.
By this rite, each hero dedicated his sword to the Sheikh, and in return received a sacred paper which made his breast
- ↑ A sort of wooden pail used by the dervishes. (TR.)
