lar reservoir, the _tarmido_, or priest, standing by and pronouncing
over each the formula, "_Eshmo d'hai, Eshmo d'manda hai madhkar elakh_"
("The name of the living one, the name of the living word, be remembered
upon thee"). On emerging from the water, each one robes himself or herself
in the _rasta_, that is, the ceremonial white garments peculiar to the
Star-worshippers, consisting of a _sadro_, a long white shirt reaching to
the ground; a _nassifo_, or stole, round the neck falling to the knees; a
_hiniamo_, or girdle of woollen material; a _gabooa_, square head-piece
reaching to the eyebrows; a _shalooal_, or white overmantle and a
_kanzolo_, or turban, wound round the _gabooa_ head-piece, of which one
end is left hanging down over the shoulder. Peculiar sanctity attaches to
the _rasta_, for the garments composing it are those in which every
Star-worshipper is buried, and in which he believes he will appear for
judgment before Avather in the nether world _Materotho_. Each one, as soon
as he is thus attired, crosses to the open space in front of the door of
the tabernacle, and seats himself upon the ground there, saluting those
present with the customary _Sood Havilakh_, "Blessing be with thee," and
receiving in return the usual reply, _Assootah d'hai havilakh_, "Blessing
of the living one be with thee." The numbers increase as the hour of the
ceremonial comes nearer, and by midnight there are some twenty rows of
these white-robed figures, men and women, ranked in orderly array facing
the _Mishkna_, and waiting in silent expectation the coming of the
priests. A couple of _tarmidos_, lamp in hand, guard the entry to the
tabernacle, and keep their eyes fixed upon the pointers of the Great Bear
in the sky above. As soon as these attain the position indicating
midnight, the priests give a signal by waving the lamps they hold, and in
a few moments the clergy of the sect march down in procession. In front
are four of the _shkandos_, young deacons, attired in the _rasta_, with
the addition of a silk cap, or _tagha_, under the turban, to indicate
their rank. Following these come four _tarmidos_, ordained priests who
have undergone the baptism of the dead. Each wears a gold ring on the
little finger of the right hand, and carries a tau-shaped cross of olive
wood to show his standing. Behind the _tarmidos_ comes the spiritual head
of the sect, the _Ganzivro_, a priest elected by his colleagues, who has
made complete renunciatio