Some threw themselves on their knees; others
shouted with all their strength:

"Oh! Messenger of God!" "Oh! Victorious!" "Oh! Merciful!" "Oh!
Gracious!" This continued until the Mahdi entered the pulpit. Then a
dead stillness fell while he raised his hands, placed his big fingers
to his ears, and for some time prayed.

The children did not stand far away, and could see him well. He was a
middle-aged man, prodigiously obese as though bloated, and almost
black. Stas, who had an unusually keen sight, perceived that his face
was tattooed. In one ear he wore a big ivory ring. He was dressed in a
white jubha and had a white cap on his head. His feet were bare, as on
mounting the platform he shook off red half-boots and left them on the
sheep's hide on which he was afterwards to pray. There was not the
least luxury in his clothing. Only at times the wind carried a strong
sandal* [* From sandal wood, from which in the East a fragrant oil is
derived.] scent which the faithful present inhaled eagerly through
their nostrils; at the same time they rolled their eyes from joy. On
the whole Stas had pictured differently this terrible prophet,
plunderer, and murderer of so many thousand people, and looking now at
the fat face with its mild look, with eyes suffused with tears, and
with a smile, as though grown to those lips, he could not overcome his
astonishment. He thought that such a man ought to bear on his shoulders
the head of a hyena or a crocodile, and instead he saw before him a
chubby-faced gourd, resembling drawings of a full moon.

But the prophet began his instruction. His deep and resonant voice
could be heard perfectly all over the place, so that his words reached
the ears of all the faithful. He first spoke of the punishments which
God meted out to those who disobey the commands of the Mahdi, and hide
booty, get intoxicated upon merissa, spare the enemy in battles, and
smoke tobacco. On account of these crimes Allah sends upon the sinners
famine and that disease which changes the face into a honey-comb
(small-pox). Temporal life is like a leaky leather bottle. Riches and
pleasure are absorbed in the sand which buries the dead. Only faith is
like a cow which gives sweet milk. But paradise will open only for the
victorious. Whoever vanquishes the enemy wins for himself salvation.
Whoever dies for the faith will rise from the dead for eternity. Happy,
a hundredfold more happy are those who already have fallen.

"We wan