and from the galleries, which are
supported by pillars, hung several square pieces of cloth or
pasteboard, painted black, and inscribed with passages from the Koran.

I left my shoes at the entrance; and on gaining the interior of the
edifice, found the service had commenced. As each dervish entered, he
saluted the chief priest; besides whom, there were five other priests,
seated in various situations close to the railing. One, on the right of
the entrance, held a book, from which he chanted certain verses in a
monotonous voice; while the others sat silent and motionless, with their
eyes fixed on the ground. When he stopped, a slow and solemn air was
played upon the flutes, accompanied by the drum, which had an effect by
no means unpleasing; but in a few moments the other instruments
commenced a species of tune between a waltz and march, and all the
dervishes jumping up, the whole assembly followed each other slowly
round the enclosed space, led by the high priest. On arriving opposite
the seat of their leader, they bowed thrice to the ground, with their
arms crossed upon the breast, and on passing close to it, they stepped
by, with a stride and a whirl, and then resumed their march. After the
third performance of these absurdities, the high priest sat down, and
the music, which had hitherto continued playing the march, presently
struck into an air resembling a sauteuse, accompanied by the chanting
of several voices. The dervishes, having thrown off their cloaks, again
folded their arms across their breasts, and bowing three times,
re-commenced walking before the high priest, bending low as they passed
his seat, and kissing his hands, which were joined together. The
whirling at length began in reality: at first with folded arms, then
with one arm extended, the other slightly bent, and held so as to form
an obtuse angle at the elbow. Thus, with closed eyes and erect body,
these singular people whirled round and round on one leg, making a
_pirouette_ with the other, and proceeding by degrees round every part
of the enclosure, accelerating or retarding their movements as the music
and the chant became more or less animated. By looking at a stop watch,
I ascertained that on an average they turned sixty-four times in a
minute. After spinning round for about five minutes, at a signal from
the high priest, both music and dancers suddenly stopped, but
re-commenced in a few seconds, bowing as before. The third time, they
kept i