Chapter 8
(Page
171) A few days after my return to Mosul from the Tiyari mountains, a
priest of the Yezidis, or, as they are commonly called, "Worshipers of the Devil,"
was sent by Sheikh Nasr, the religious chief of that remarkable sect,
to invite Mr. Rassam and myself to their great periodical feast. The
vice-consul was unable to accept the invitation; but I seized with
eagerness the opportunity of being present at ceremonies not before
witnessed by an European.
The origin of my invitation proves that the
Yezidis may lay claim to a virtue which is, unfortunately, not of
frequent occurrence in the East, - I mean gratitude. When Keritli
Oglu, Mohammed Pashaw, first came to Mosul, this sect was among the
objects of his cupidity and tyranny. He seized by treachery, as he
supposed, their high-priest; but Sheikh Nasr had time to escape the
plot against him, and to substitute in his place the second in
authority, who was carried a prisoner to the town. Such is the
attachment shown by the Yezidis to their chief, that the deceit was
not revealed, and the substitute bore with resignation the tortures
and imprisonment inflicted upon him. Mr. Rassam having been applied
to, obtained his release (Page
172) from the pashaw, on the advance of a considerable sum of money,
which the inhabitants of the district of Sheikhan undertook to
repay, in course of time, out of the produce of their fields. They
punctually fulfilled the engagement thus entered into, and looked to
the British vice-consul as their protector.
Owing to the disturbed state of the country, and the misconduct of the late pashaws,
some years had elapsed since the
Yezidis had assembled at Sheikh Adi.
The short rule of Ismail Pashaw, and the
conciliatory measures of the new governor,
had so far restored confidence among persons of
all sects,
that the Worshipers of the Devil
had determined to celebrate their great festival with more than
ordinary solemnity and rejoicings.
I quitted Mosul, accompanied by Hodja Toma (the
dragoman of the vice-consulate), and the cawal, or priest, sent by
Sheikh Nasr. We were joined on the road by several Yezidis, who were,
like ourselves, on their way to the place of meeting. We passed the
night in a small hamlet near Khorsabad, and reached Baadri early next
day. This village, the residence of Hussein Bey, the political chief
of the Yezidis, is built at the foot of the line of hills crossed in
my previous journey to the Chaldean Mountains, and about five miles
to the north of Ain Sifni. We traveled over the same dreary plain,
leaving the mound of Jerrahiyah to our right.
On approaching the village I was met by Hussein
Bey, followed by the priests and principal inhabitants on foot. The
chief was about eighteen years of age, and one of the handsomest young men I ever saw. His features were regular and delicate, his eye
lustrous, and the long curls, which fell from under his variegated
turban, of the deepest black. An ample white cloak of fine texture
was thrown over his rich jacket and robes. I dismounted as he drew
near, and he endeavored to kiss my hand; but to this ceremony I
decidedly objected; and we compromised matters by embracing each
other after the fashion of the country. He then insisted upon leading
my horse, which he wished me to remount, and it was with difficulty
that I at length prevailed
(Page 173) upon him to walk
with me into the village. He led me to his salamlik, or reception
room, in which carpets and cushions had been spread. Through the
center ran a stream of fresh water, derived from a neighboring
spring. The people of the place stood at the lower end of the room,
and listened in respectful silence to the conversation between their
chief and myself.
Breakfast was brought to us from the harem of
Hussein Bey; and the crowd having retired after we had eaten, I was
left during the heat of the day to enjoy the cool temperature of the
salamlik.
I was awakened in the afternoon by that
shrill cry of the women, which
generally announces some happy event. The youthful chief entered soon
afterward, followed by a long retinue. It was evident, from the smile
upon his features, that, he had joyful news to communicate. He seated
himself on my carpet, and thus addressed me:-
"O Bey, your presence has brought happiness on
our house. At your hands we receive nothing but good. We are all your
servants; and, praise be to the Highest, in this house another
servant has been born to you. The child is yours: he is our
first-born, and he will grow up under your shadow. Let him receive
his name from you, and be hereafter under your protection." The
assembly joined in the request, and protested that this event, so
interesting to all the tribe, was solely to be attributed to my
fortunate visit. I was not quite aware of the nature of the ceremony,
if any, in which I might be expected to join on naming the new-born
chief. Notwithstanding my respect and esteem for the Yezidis,
I could not but admit that there were some
doubts as to the propriety of their
tenets and form of worship; and I was
naturally anxious to ascertain the amount of responsibility which I
might incur, in standing godfather to a devil-worshiping baby.
However, as I was assured that no other form was necessary than the
mere selection of a name
(the rite of baptism being reserved for a future
day, when the child could be carried to
the tomb of Sheikh Adi, and could bear immersion in its sacred
waters),
I thus answered Hussein Bey:- "O Bey, I rejoice
in (Page 174) this happy event,
for which we must return thanks to God. May this son be but the first
of many who will preserve, as their forefathers have done, the fame
and honor of your house.
As you ask of me a name for this
child, I could give you many, which, in my language and country, are
well sounding and honorable; but your
tongue could not utter them, and they would moreover be without
meaning.
Were it usual I would call him after his
father, whose virtues he will no doubt imitate; but such is not the
custom. I have not forgotten the name of his grandfather, - a name
which is dear to the Yezidis, and still brings to their memory the
days of their prosperity and happiness. Let him therefore be known as
Ali Bey;
and may he live to see the Yezidis as they were in the time of him
after whom he is called." This oration, which was accompanied by a
few gold coins to be sewn to the cap of the infant, was received with
great applause; and the name of Ali Bey was unanimously adopted; one
of the chief's relations hastening to the harem, to communicate it to
the ladies. He returned with a carpet and some embroidery, as
presents from the mother, and with an invitation to the harem to see
the females of the family. I found there the chief's mother and his
second wife; for he had already taken two. They assured me that the
lady, who had just brought joy to the house, was even more thankful
than her husband; and that her gratitude to me, as the author of her
happiness, was unbounded.
They brought me honey and strings of dried figs from
the Sinjar, and entertained me with domestic histories until I
thought it time to return to the salamlik.
The Yezidis were some years ago a very powerful tribe. Their principal strongholds were in the district which
I was now visiting, and in the Jebel Sinjar, a solitary mountain rising
in the center of the Mesopotamian desert to the west of Mosul. The
last independent chief of the Yezidis of Sheikhan was Ali Bey, the
father of Hussein Bey. He was beloved by his tribe,
and sufficiently brave and skillful
in war to defend them, for many years, against the attacks of the
Kurds and Mussulmans (Page 175)
of the plain.
The powerful Bey of Rowandiz, who had united
most of the Kurdish tribes of the surrounding mountains under his banner,
and long defied both Turks and Persians, resolved to crush the hateful sect of the
Yezidis. Ali Bey's forces were greatly inferior in numbers to
those of his persecutor. He was defeated, and fell into the hands of
the Rowandiz chief, who put him to death. The inhabitants of Sheikan
fled to Mosul. It was spring; the river had overflowed its banks, and
the bridge of boats had been removed. A few succeeded in crossing the
stream; but a vast crowd of men, women, and children were left upon
the opposite side, and congregated on the great mound of Kouyunjik.
The Bey of Rowandiz followed them. An indiscriminate slaughter
ensued; and the people of Mosul beheld, from their terraces, the
murder of these unfortunate
fugitives, who cried to them in vain
for help - for both Christians and Mussulmans rejoiced in the
extermination of an odious and infidel sect, and no arm was lifted in
their defense. Hussein Bey, having been carried by his mother to the
mountains, escaped the general slaughter. He was carefully brought up
by the Yezidis, and from his infancy had been regarded as their
chief.
The inhabitants of the Sinjar were soon after
subdued by Mehemet Reshid Pashaw, and a second time by Hafiz Pashaw.
On both occasions there was a massacre, and the population was
reduced by three fourths. The Yezidis took refuge in caves, where
they were either suffocated by fires lighted at the mouth, or
destroyed by discharges of cannon.
It will be remembered that Mohammedans, in
their dealings with men of other creeds,
make a distinction between such as
are believers in the sacred books, and such as have no recognized
inspired works.
To the first category belong Christians of all
denominations, as receiving the two testaments; and the Jews, as
followers of the old. With Christians and Jews, therefore, they may
treat, make peace, and live; but with such as are included in the
second class, the good Mussulman can have no intercourse.
No treaty nor oath, when they are
(Page 176) concerned, is
binding. They have the choice between conversion and the
sword, and it is unlawful even to take tribute from them. The
Yezidis, not being looked upon as "Masters of a Book," have been
exposed for centuries to the persecution of the Mohammedans. The
harems of the south of Turkey have been recruited from them. Yearly
expeditions have been made by the governors of provinces into their
districts; and while the men and women were slaughtered without
mercy, the children of both sexes were carried off, and exposed for
sale in the principal towns. These annual hunts were one of the
sources of revenue of Beder Khan Bey; and it was the custom of the
Pashaws of Baghdad and Mosul to let loose the irregular troops upon the ill fated
Yezidis, as an easy method of satisfying their demands for arrears of
pay. This system was still practiced to a certain extent within a
very few months of my visit; and gave rise to atrocities scarcely
equaled in the better known slave-trade.
It was not unnatural that the Yezidis should
revenge themselves, whenever an opportunity might offer, upon their
oppressors. They formed themselves into bands, and were long the
terror of the country. No Mussulman that fell into their hands was
spared. Caravans were plundered, and merchants murdered without
mercy. Christians, however, were not molested; for the Yezidis looked
upon them as fellow-sufferers for religion's sake.
These acts of retaliation furnished an excuse
for the invasion of the Sinjar by Mehemet Reshid and Hafiz Pashaws.
Since the great massacres which then took place, the Yezidis have
been completely subdued, and have patiently suffered under their
misfortunes. Their devotion to their religion is no less remark able
than that of the Jews; and I remember no instance of a person of full
age renouncing his faith. They invariably prefer death, and submit
with resignation to the tortures inflicted upon them.
Sheikh Nasr, the chief priest of the sect, had
already left Baadri, and was preparing for the religious ceremonies
at the (Page 177) tomb of
Sheikh Adi. I visited his wife, and was gratified by the unaffected
hospitality of my reception, and by the cleanliness of the house and
its scanty furniture. All the dwellings which I entered appeared
equally neat, and well built. Some stood in small gardens filled with
flowers, and near them were streams of running water, brought from
the abundant springs which issue from the hill above the
village.
Next morning at dawn, Hussein Bey issued from
his harem, armed and dressed in his gayest robes,
ready to proceed to the
tomb of the saint. The principal people of the village were soon
collected, and we all started together, forming a long procession,
preceded
by musicians with the tamborine and
pipe.
The women were busily employed in
loading their donkeys with carpets and domestic utensils. They were to follow
leisurely.
Hussein Bey and I rode together, and as long as
the ground permitted, the horsemen and footmen who accompanied us,
engaged in mimic fight, discharging their
fire-arms into the air, and singing
their war-cry.
We soon reached the foot of a very precipitous
ascent, up which ran a steep and difficult pathway. The horsemen now
rode on in single file, and we were frequently compelled to dismount
and drag our horses over the rocks. We gained the summit of the pass
in about an hour, and looked down into the richly wooded valley of
Sheikh Adi. As soon as the white spire of the tomb appeared above the
trees, all our party discharged their guns. The echoes had scarcely
died away, when our signal was answered by similar discharges from
below. As we descended through the thick wood of oaks, we passed many
pilgrims on their way, like ourselves. to the tomb; the women seated
under the trees, relieving themselves awhile from their infant
burdens; the men readjusting the loads which the rapid descent had
displaced. As each new body of travelers caught sight of the object
of their journey, they fired their guns, and shouted the cry of the
tribe to those below.
At some distance from the tomb we were met by
Sheikh Nasr and a crowd of priests and armed men. The sheikh was
dressed in the purest white linen, as were the principal members
(Page 178) of the
priesthood.
His age could scarcely have exceeded forty; his
manners were most mild and pleasing; he welcomed me with warmth; and it was
evident that my visit had made a very favorable impression upon all
present. After I had embraced the chief, and exchanged salutations
with his followers, we walked together toward the sacred precincts.
The outer
court, as well as the avenue which led
to it, was filled with people; but they made way for us as we
approached, and every one eagerly endeavored to kiss my hand.
The Yezidis always enter the inner court of the tomb bare-footed. I followed the custom, and leaving my shoes at the
entrance, seated myself, with Sheikh Nasr and Hussein Bey, upon
carpets spread under an arbor, formed by a wide spreading vine.
The sheikhs and
cawals,
two of the principal orders of the priesthood, alone entered with us,
and squatted around the yard against the
walls. The trees, which grew among and
around the buildings, threw an agreeable shade over the whole
assembly.
The tomb of Sheikh Adi is in a narrow valley,
or rather ravine, which has only one outlet, as the rocks rise
precipitously on all sides, except where a small stream forces its
way into a larger valley beyond. It stands in a court-yard, and is
surrounded by a few buildings, inhabited by the guardians and
servants of the sanctuary.
The interior is divided into a
large hall partitioned in the center by a row of columns and arches,
and having at the upper end a reservoir filled by an abundant spring
issuing from the rock; and two smaller apartments, in which are the
tombs of the saint, and of some inferior personage. The water of the
reservoir is regarded with peculiar veneration, and is believed to be
derived from the holy well of Zemzem. In
it children are baptized, and it is
used for other sacred purposes. The tomb is covered by a large square
case, made of clay and plastered, over which is thrown an embroidered
green cloth. It is in the inner room, which is dimly lighted by a
small lamp. On it is written the chapter of the Koran, called the
Ayat el Courci. It is thus made to resemble
(Page 179) as nearly as
possible the tomb of a Mussulman saint, to preserve it from
profanation by the Kurds.
In the principal hall a few lamps are generally
burning, and at sunset lights are placed in niches scattered over the
walls.
Two white spires, rising above the building, form a pleasing contrast
with the rich foliage by which they are surrounded. They are topped
by gilt ornaments, and their sides are fashioned into many angles,
causing an agreeable variety of light and shade. On the wall near the
doorway are rudely carved a lion, a snake, a hatchet, a man, and a
comb.
The snake,
painted black, is particularly conspicuous. Although it might be
suspected that these figures were emblematical, I could obtain no
other explanation from Sheikh Nasr, than that they had been cut by
the Christian mason who repaired the tomb some years ago, as
ornaments suggested by his mere fancy. I observed the hatchet, comb,
and a hooked stick, such as is generally carried in the country,
carved on many stones in the building, but was assured that they were
only marks placed upon them at the request of those who had furnished
money toward the restoration of the building, or had assisted in the
work.
In the center of the inner court, and under the
vine, is a
square plaster case, in which is a small recess filled with balls of
clay taken from the tomb of the saint. These are sold or distributed
to pilgrims, and regarded as very sacred relics - useful against
diseases and evil spirits, and to be buried with the dead. Certain
members of the priesthood and their families alone inhabit the
surrounding buildings. They are chosen to watch over the sacred
precincts, and are supported and supplied with provisions by the
tribe.
The outer court is inclosed by low buildings,
with recesses similar to those in an Eastern bazar. They are intended
for the accommodation of pilgrims, and for the stalls of pedlers,
during the celebration of the festival. Several gigantic trees throw
their shade over the open space, and streams of fresh water are led
round the buildings.
Around the tomb, and beneath the trees which
grow on the (Page 180) sides of
the mountain, are numerous rudely constructed edifices, each
belonging to a Yezidi district or tribe. The pilgrims, according to
the place from which they come, reside in them during the time of the
feast; so that each portion of the valley is known by the name of the
country, or tribe, of those who resort there.
I sat till nearly mid-day with the assembly, at
the door of the tomb. Sheikh Nasr then rose, and I followed him into
the outer court, which was filled by a busy crowd of pilgrims.
In the recesses and on the ground
were spread the stores of the pedlers, who, on such
occasions, repair to the valley.
Many-colored handkerchiefs, and cotton stuffs,
hung from the branches of the trees; dried figs from the Sinjar,
raisins from Amadiyah, dates from Busrah, and walnuts from the
mountains, were displayed in heaps upon the pavement.
Around these tempting treasures were gathered
groups of boys and young
girls.
Men and women were engaged on all sides in
animated conversation, and the hum of human voices was heard through
the valley. All respectfully saluted the sheikh, and made way for us
as we approached. We issued from the precincts of the principal
building, and seated ourselves on the edge of a fountain built by the
road side, and at the end of the avenue of trees leading to the
tombs. The slabs surrounding the basin are to some extent looked upon
as sacred; and at this time only Hussein Bey, Sheikh Nasr, and myself
were permitted to place ourselves upon them. Even on other occasions
the Yezidis are unwilling to see them polluted by Mussulmans, who
usually choose this spot, well adapted for repose, to spread their
carpets. The water of the fountain is carefully preserved from
impurities, and is drank by those who congregate in the valley.
Women were now hastening to and fro with their
pitchers, and making merry as they waited their turn to dip them into
the reservoir.
The principal sheikhs and
cawals sat
in a circle round the spring,
and listened to the music of pipes and tamborines.
I never beheld a more picturesque or animated
scene. Long (Page 181) lines of
pilgrims toiled up the avenue. There was the swarthy inhabitant of
the Sinjar, with his long black locks, his piercing eye and regular
features - his white robe floating in the wind, and his unwieldy
matchlock thrown over his shoulder. Then followed the more wealthy
families of the Kochers, - the wandering tribes who live in tents in
the plains, and among the hills of ancient Adiabene; the men in gay
jackets and variegated turbans, with fantastic arms in their girdles;
the women richly clad in silk antaris; their hair, braided in many
tresses, falling down their backs, and adorned with wild flowers;
their foreheads almost concealed by gold and silver coins; and huge
strings of glass beads, coins, and engraved stones hanging round
their necks. Next would appear a poverty-stricken family from a
village of the Mosul district; the women clad in white, pale and
care-worn, bending under the weight of their children; the men urging
on the heavily-laden donkey. Similar groups descended from the hills.
Repeated discharges of fire arms, and a well known signal, announced
to those below the arrival of every new party.
All turned to the fountain before proceeding to
their allotted stations, and laying their arms on the ground, kissed
the hands of Hussein Bey, Sheikh Nasr, and myself. After saluting the
assembled priests they continued their way up the sides of the
mountains, and chose a wide spreading oak, or the roof of a building,
for a resting-place during their sojourn in the valley. They then
spread their carpets, and, lighting fires with dry branches and
twigs, busied themselves in preparing their food. Such groups were
scattered in every direction. There was scarcely a tree without its
colony.
All, before entering the sacred valley, washed
themselves and their clothes in the stream issuing from it. They came
thus purified to the feast. I never before saw so much assembled
cleanliness in the East. Their garments, generally white, were
spotless.
During the afternoon, dances were performed
before the bey and myself. They resembled the Arab Debke, and the
Kurdish (Page 182) Tchopee. As
many young men as could crowd into the small open space in front of
the fountain joined in them.
Others sang in chorus with the
music.
Every place, from which a sight could be
obtained of the dancers, was occupied by curious spectators.
Even the branches above our heads were bending
under the clusters of boys who had discovered that, from them, they
could get a full view of what was going on below.
The manoeuvers of one of these urchins gave
rise to a somewhat amusing incident, which illustrates the singular
superstitions of this sect. He had forced himself to the very end of
a weak bough, which was immediately above me, and threatened every
moment to break under the weight. As I looked up I saw the impending
danger, and made an effort, by an appeal to the chief, to avert it.
"If that young Sheit - "I exclaimed, about to use an epithet generally given
in the East to such adventurous youths:[8.1] I checked myself immediately; but it was already too
late; half the dreaded word had escaped.
The effect was instantaneous: a look of horror
seized those who were near enough to overhear me; it was quickly
communicated to those beyond. The pleasant smile, which usually
played upon the fine features of the young bey, gave way to a serious
and angry expression. I lamented that I had thus unwillingly wounded
the feelings of my hosts, and was at a loss to know how I could make
atonement for my indiscretion - doubting whether an apology to the
Evil principle or to the chief was expected. I endeavored, however,
to make them understand, without venturing upon any observations
which might have brought me into greater difficulties, that I
regretted what had passed; but it was some time ere the group resumed
their composure, and indulged in their previous merriment.
My carpets had been spread on the roof of a
building of some size, belonging to the people of Semil. Around me,
but at a convenient distance, were scattered groups of
pilgrims
from that district. Men, women, and children were
(Page 183) congregated round
their caldrons, preparing their evening meal; or were stretched upon
their coarse carpets, resting after the long march of the day. Near
me was the chief, whose mud castle crowns the mound of the village of
Semil. He was a stern-looking man, gayly dressed, and well armed. He
received me with every demonstration of civility, and I sat for some
time with him and his wives; one of whom was young and pretty, and
had been recently selected from the Kochers, or wanderers. Her hair
was profusely adorned with flowers and gold coins.
They had sacrificed a sheep, and all (including
the chief, whose arms, bare to the shoulder,
were reeking with blood)
gathered round the carcass;
and, tearing the
limbs, distributed morsels to the poor
who had been collected to receive them.
At some distance from the people of Semil were
the wife and family of Sheikh Nasr, who had also slain a sheep. The
sheikh himself resided in the sacred
building, and was occupied during the
day in receiving the pilgrims, and performing various duties imposed
upon him on the occasion. I visited his harem; his wife spread fruit
and honey before me, and entertained me with a long account of her
domestic employments.
Below the cluster of buildings assigned to the
people of Semil is a small white spire, springing from a low edifice,
neatly constructed, and, like all the sacred places of the Yezidis,
kept as pure as repeated coats of whitewash can make it. It is called
the sanctuary of Sheikh Shems, or the Sun; and is so placed, that the
first rays of that luminary should as frequently as possible fall
upon it. Near the door an invocation to Sheikh Shems is carved on a
slab; and one or two votive tablets, raised by the father of Hussein
Bey, and other chiefs of the Yezidis, are built into the walls. The
interior, which is a very holy place, is lighted by a few small
lamps. At sunset, as I sat in the alcove in front of the entrance, a
herdsman led into a pen, attached to the building, a drove of white
oxen. I asked a cawal, who was near me, to whom the beasts belonged.
(Page 184) "They are
dedicated," he said, "to Sheikh Shems, and are never slain except on
great festivals, when their flesh is distributed among the
poor."[8.2] This unexpected answer gave rise to an agreeable
musing, and I sat, almost unconscious of the scene around me, until
darkness stole over the valley.
As the twilight faded, the fakirs, or lower order of priests,
dressed in brown garments of coarse cloth, closely fitting to their
bodies, and wearing black turbans on their heads, issued from the
tomb, each bearing a light in one hand, and a pot of oil, with a
bundle of cotton wicks, in the other. They filled and trimmed lamps
placed in niches in the walls of the courtyard, and scattered over
the buildings on the sides of the valley, and even on isolated rocks
and in the hollow trunks of trees. Innumerable stars appeared to
glitter on the black sides of the mountain, and in the dark recesses
of the forest. As the priests made their way through the crowd, to
perform their task, men and women passed their right hands through
the flame, and then devoutly carried them to their lips, after
rubbing the right eyebrow with the part which had been purified by
the sacred element. Some, who bore children in their arms, anointed
them in like manner, while others held out their hands to be touched
by those who, less fortunate than themselves, could not reach the
flame.
The lamps are votive offerings
from pilgrims, or from those who have appealed to Sheikh Adi in times
of danger or disease, and a yearly sum is given to the guardians of
the tomb for oil, and for the support of the priests. They are
lighted every evening as long as the supplies last. In the daytime
the smoked walls mark where they are placed; and I have observed the
Yezidis devoutly kissing the blackened stones.
About an hour after sunset the fakirs, who are
the servants of the tomb, appeared with platters of boiled rice, roast meat, and
fruit. They had been sent to me from the kitchen of the
(Page 185) holy edifice. The
wife of Sheikh Nasr also contributed some dishes toward the
repast.
As night advanced, those who had assembled -
they must now have amounted to nearly
five thousand person -
lighted torches, which they carried
with them as they wandered through the forest.
The effect was magical; the varied groups could
be faintly distinguished through the darkness;
men hurrying to and fro; women, with their
children, seated on the house-tops;
and crowds gathering round the pedlers who
exposed their wares for sale in the court-yard.
Thousands of lights were reflected in the
fountains and streams, glimmered among the foliage of the trees, and
danced in the distance.
As I was gazing on this extraordinary scene,
the hum of human voices was suddenly hushed, and a strain, solemn and melancholy, arose from the valley. It resembled some
majestic chant which years before I had
listened to in the cathedral of a
distant land.
Music so pathetic and so sweet I had never
before heard in the East. The voices of men and women were
blended in harmony with the soft notes
of many flutes.
At measured intervals the song was
broken by the loud clash of cymbals and
tamborines;
and those who were without the precincts of
the tomb then joined in the melody.
I hastened to the sanctuary, and found
Sheikh
Nasr, surrounded by the priests, seated in the
inner court. The place was illuminated by torches and lamps, which
threw a soft light over the white-walls of the tomb and green foliage
of the arbor. The sheikhs, in their white turbans and robes, all
venerable men with long gray beards, were ranged on one side; on the
opposite, seated on the stones, were about
thirty cawals in their motley dresses of black and white -
each performing on a tamborine or a
flute.
Around stood the fakirs in their dark garments,
and the women of the orders of the priesthood arrayed in pure white.
No others were admitted within
the walls of the court.
The same slow and solemn strain, occasionally
varied in the melody, lasted for nearly an hour; a part of it was
called (Page 186)
"Makam Azerat Esau," or the song of
the Lord Jesus.
It was sung by the sheikhs, the
cawals,
and the women;
and occasionally by those without.
I could not catch the words; nor could I
prevail upon any of those present to repeat them to me. They were in
Arabic;
and as few of the Yezidis can speak
or pronounce that language,
they were not intelligible, even to the
experienced ear of Hodja Toma, who accompanied me:
The tamborines only interrupted at
intervals the song of the priests.
As the time quickened they broke in more
frequently.
The chant gradually gave way to a lively
melody, which, increasing in measure, was finally lost in a confusion
of sounds.
The tamborines were beaten with extraordinary
energy; the flutes poured forth a rapid flood of notes; the voices
were raised to their highest pitch;
the men outside joined in the cry;
while the women made the rocks resound with the
shrill tahlehl.
The musicians,
giving way to the excitement, threw their instruments into the
air,
and strained their limbs into every
contortion, until they fell exhausted to the ground.
I never heard a more frightful yell than that
which rose in the valley.
It was midnight. The time and place were well
suited to the occasion; and I gazed with wonder upon the
extraordinary scene around me. I did not marvel that such
wild ceremonies had given rise to those stories of unhallowed rites, and
obscene mysteries,
which have rendered the name of
Yezidi an
abomination in the East.
Notwithstanding the uncontrollable excitement
which appeared to prevail among all present, there were no indecent
gestures nor unseemly ceremonies.
When the musicians and singers were exhausted,
the noise suddenly died away; the various groups resumed their
previous cheerfulness, and again wandered through the valley, or
seated themselves under the trees.
Some ceremony took place before I joined the
assembly at the tomb, at which no r can
be present, nor could I learn its
nature from the cawals. Sheikh Nasr gave me to understand that their
holy symbol, the Melek
Taous, was then exhibited to the
priests, and he declared that, as far as he was
(Page 187) concerned, he had no
objection to my witnessing the whole of their rites; but that many of
the sheikhs were averse to it, and he did not wish to create any
ill-feeling in the tribe. Indeed, I found him frank and communicative
on all subjects.
After the ceremonies in the inner yard had
ceased, I returned with the sheikh and
Hussein Bey to the fountain in the avenue. Around it were grouped men
and women with torches, which flung their red gleams upon the water.
Several of the cawals accompanied us to
the spot,
and sang and played on their
flutes and
tamborines
until nearly dawn.
Daylight had begun to appear before the
pilgrims sought repose. Silence reigned through the valley until
mid-day, when new parties of travelers reached the tomb and again
awakened the echoes by their cries and the discharge of fire arms.
Toward the evening about seven thousand persons
must have assembled. The festival was more numerously attended than
it had been for many years, and Sheikh Nasr rejoiced in the prospect
of times of prosperity for his people.
At night the ceremonies of the
previous evening were repeated. New melodies were introduced;
but the singing ended in the same rapid measure and violent
excitement that I have described. During the three days
I remained at Sheikh Adi, I wandered over the
valley and surrounding mountains; visiting the various groups of
pilgrims, talking with them of their dwelling-place, and listening to
their tales of oppression and bloodshed. From all I received the same
simple courtesy and kindness; nor had I any cause to change the good
opinion I had already formed of the Yezidis. There were no
Mohammedans present, not any Christians, except those who were with
me, and a poor woman who had lived long with the sect, and was a
privileged guest at their festivals.
Unrestrained by the presence of strangers, the
women forgot their usual timidity, and roved unvailed over the
mountains. As I sat beneath the trees,
laughing girls gathered round me, examined my dress, or asked me
questions. Some, more bold than the rest, would bring me the strings
of beads and engraved stones hanging round their necks, and permit
(Page 188) me to examine the
Assyrian relics thus collected together; while others, more fearful,
though not ignorant of the impression which their charms would
create, stood at a distance, and weaved wild flowers into their
hair.
The men assembled in groups round the fountains
and about the tomb. They talked and made merry; but no dissension or
angry words disturbed the general good-humor. The sound of music and of song rose from all sides above
the hum of voices. The priests and
sheikhs walked among the people, or sat with the families assembled
under nearly every tree.
The Yezidis recognize one Supreme Being; but, as far
as I could learn, they do not offer up any direct prayer or sacrifice
to him. Sheikh Nasr endeavored to evade my questions on this subject;
and appeared to shun, with superstitious awe, every topic connected
with the existence and attributes of the Deity. The common Mohammedan
forms of expression - half oath, half ejaculation - are nevertheless
frequently in the mouths of the people, but probably from mere habit.
The name of the Evil spirit is, however, never mentioned; and any
allusion to it by others so vexes and irritates them, that it is said
they have put to death persons who have wantonly outraged their
feelings by its use. So far is their dread of offending the Evil
principle carried, that they carefully avoid every expression which
may resemble in sound the name of Satan, or the Arabic word for
"accursed."
When they speak of the Devil, they do so with
reverence, as Melek el
Kout, the mighty angel.
Sheikh Nasr distinct]y admitted
that they possessed a bronze or copper figure of a bird,
which, however, he was careful in explaining was only looked upon as
a symbol, and not as an idol.
There are several of these figures - one always
remains with the great sheikh, and is carried with him wherever he
may journey. When deputies are sent to any distance to collect money
for the support of the tomb and the priests, they are furnished with
one of these images, which is shown to those among whom they go, as
an authority for their mission.
This
(Page 189) symbol is called the
Melek Taous, and is held in great reverence. Much doubt has
prevailed among travelers as to its existence; but Sheikh Nasr, when
I had an opportunity of speaking to him in private, so frankly
admitted it, that I consider the question as completely set at rest.
The admission of the sheikh is moreover confirmed, by the answer of
the guardian of the tomb, to a question which I put to him on my first visit,
when he was completely off his guard.[8.3]
They believe Satan to be the chief of the
Angelic host, now suffering punishment
for his rebellion against the divine will; but still all-powerful,
and to be restored hereafter to his high estate in the celestial
hierarchy.
He must be conciliated and reverenced, they say; for as he now has the means of doing evil to
mankind, so will he hereafter have the power of rewarding
them.
Next to Satan, but inferior to him in might and
wisdom, are seven archangels
[8.4] who exercise a great influence over the world;
they are Gabrail, Michail, Raphail,
Azrail, Dedrail, Azrapheel, and Shemkeel.
Christ,
according to them, was also a great angel, who had taken the form of
man. He did not die on the cross, but ascended to heaven.
They hold the Old Testament in great reverence,
and believe in the cosmogony of Genesis, the Deluge, and other events
recorded in the Bible. They do not reject the New Testament, nor the
Koran; but consider them less entitled to their veneration. Still
they always select passages from the latter for their tombs, and holy
places. Mohammed they look upon as a prophet; as they do Abraham, and
the patriarchs.
They expect the second coming of Christ, as
well as the (Page 190)
reappearance of Imaum Mehdi, giving credence to the Mussulman fables
relating to him.
Sheikh Adi is their great saint; but I could
not learn any particulars relating to him; indeed the epoch of his
existence seemed doubtful; and on one occasion Sheikh Nasr asserted
that he lived before Mohammed.
As to the origin of their name, it is well
known that the Mussulmans trace it to the celebrated Ommiade caliph,
Yezid, who
figures as the persecutor of the family of Ali in their own religious
history; but there is reason to believe that it must be sought for
elsewhere, as it was used long before the introduction of
Mohammedanism,
and is not without connection with
the early Persian appellation of the Supreme Being.[8.5]
It is difficult to trace their ceremonies to
any particular source. They baptize in
water, like the Christians; if
possible, within seven days after birth. They circumcise at the same age, and
in the same manner as the Mohammedans; and reverence the
sun, and
have many customs in common with the Sabaeans. All these
ceremonies and observances may indeed have had a common origin, or
may have been grafted at different times on their original creed.
They may have adopted circumcision to avoid detection by their
Mussulman oppressors; and may have selected passages from the Koran,
to carve upon their tombs and sacred places, because, as suggested to
me by Sheikh Nasr, they corresponded with their opinions, and were
best suited to a country in which Arabic was the spoken language.
They have more in common with the Sabaeans than with any other sect.
I have already alluded to their reverence for
the sun,
and have described the temple and the oxen dedicated to that
luminary.[8.6] They are accustomed to kiss the object on
(Page 191) which its first
beams fall; and I have frequently when traveling in their company at
sunrise, observed them perform this ceremony. For fire, as symbolical, they
have nearly the same reverence; they never spit into it, but
frequently pass their hands through the flame, kiss them, and rub
them over their right eyebrow, or sometimes over the whole
face.[8.7] The color blue, to them, as to the Sabaeans, is an
abomination; and never to be worn in dress, or to be used in their
houses.
Their Kubleh, or the place to
which they look while performing their holy ceremonies, is that part
of the heavens in which the sun
rises, and toward it they turn the
faces of their dead.[8.8] In their fondness for white linen, in their cleanliness
of habits, and in their frequent ablutions, they also resemble the
Sabaeans.
The lettuce, the bamiyah,[8.9] and some other vegetables, are never eaten by them.
Pork is unlawful; but not wine, which is drunk by all. Although they
assert that meat should not be eaten, unless the animal has been
slain according to the Mosaic and Mohammedan law, they do not object
to partake of the food of Christians.
I could not learn that there were any religious
observances on marriage. I was informed by the cawals that the men
and women merely presented themselves to a sheikh, who ascertains
that there is mutual consent. A ring is then given to the bride, or
sometimes money instead. A day is fixed for rejoicings, on which they
drink sherbet, and dance, but have no
(Page 192) religious
ceremonies. The number of wives is limited to one, but the chief has
the power to transgress the law.
Their year begins with that of the Eastern
Christians, whom they follow also in the order and names of their
months. Some fast three days at the commencement of the year; but
this is not considered necessary. They do not observe the Mohammedan
Ramazan. Wednesday is their holyday, and although some always fast on
that day, yet they do not abstain from work on it, as the Christians
do on the Sabbath.
Sheikh Nasr informed me that they had a date of
their own, and that he believed we were then, according to their
account, in the year 1550. This suggested some connection with
Manes; but
neither by direct nor indirect questions could I ascertain that they
were acquainted with his name, or recognized him in anywise as the
originator of their peculiar doctrines with regard to the Evil
principle.
Their names, both male and female, are
generally those used by Mohammedans and Christians or such as are
common among the Kurds, and not strictly of Mussulman origin. The
name of Goorgis (George) is, however, objectionable; and is never, I
believe, given to a Yezidi.
They have four orders of priesthood, the
Pirs, the
Sheikhs,
the Cawals, and the Fakirs; and, what is very
remarkable, and, I believe, unexampled in the East, these offices are
hereditary, and descend to females, who, when enjoying them, are
treated with the same respect and consideration as the men.
The Pirs, [8.10] or saints, are most reverenced after the great sheikh,
or religious head of the sect. They are believed to have the power,
not only of interceding for the people, but of curing disease and
insanity. They are expected to lead a life of great sanctity and
honesty; and are looked up to with great reverence. They are not
confined, I believe, to any particular fashion of dress. The only
pir I knew
was one Sino, who was recognized as the deputy of Sheikh Nasr, and
had suffered imprisonment in his stead.
(Page
193) The Sheikhs are next in rank.
They are acquainted with the hymns,
........... and are expected to know something of Arabic,
........... the language in which the hymns are written.
Their dress should be entirely white, except
the skull-cap beneath the turban, which is black. As servants of
Sheikh Adi, they are the guardians of his tomb, keep up the holy
fires, and bring provisions and fuel to those who dwell within its
precincts, and to pilgrims of distinction. They always wear round
their bodies a band of red and black, or red and orange plaid, as the
mark of their office; with it they bind together the wood, and other
supplies which they bring to the sacred edifice. The women carry the
same badge, and are employed in the same services. There are always
several sheikhs residing in the valley of Sheikh Adi. They watch over
the tomb, and receive pilgrims; taking charge in rotation of the
offerings that may be brought, or selling the clay balls and other
relics.
The Cawals, or
preachers,
appear to be the most active members of the priesthood.
They are sent by Hussein Bey and
Sheikh Nasr on missions, going from village to village with the
symbol of the bird as teachers of the doctrines
of the sect.
They alone are the performers
on the flute and tamborine; both
instruments being looked upon, to a certain extent, as
sacred.
I observed that before, and after, using the
tamborine
they frequently kissed it, and then held it to those near them, to be
similarly saluted.
They are taught singing at a very early age,
are skillful musicians, and dance occasionally at festivals.
They usually know a little
Arabic, but barely more than necessary to get through their chants
and hymns.
Their robes are generally white, although
colored stuffs are not forbidden; but their turbans, unlike those of
the sheikhs, are black, as are also their skull-caps.
The Fakirs are the lowest
in the priesthood. They wear coarse dresses of black, or dark brown
cloth, or canvas, descending to the knee and fitting tightly to the
person; and a black turban, across which is generally tied a red
kerchief. (Page 194) They
perform all menial offices connected with the tomb, trim and light
the votive lamps, and keep clean the sacred buildings.
While each tribe and district of Yezidis has
its own chief, and Hussein Bey is really both political and religious
head of the whole sect, Sheikh Nasr is looked up to as the
high-priest, and is treated with great reverence and respect. His
office is hereditary; but the Yezidis frequently chose, without
reference to priority of claim, the one among the descendants of the
last sheikh most qualified, by his knowledge and character, to
succeed him. The father of Sheikh Nasr held the office for some
years; and no one better suited to it than the son could have been
chosen to fill his place.
The language in general use among all the
Yezidis is
a Kurdish
dialect, and very few, except the sheikhs and cawals, are acquainted
with Arabic.
The chants and hymns, - the only form of
prayer, which, as far as I could ascertain, they possess,
- are, as I have already stated, in
Arabic.
They have, I believe, a sacred volume,
containing their traditions, their hymns, directions for the
performance of their rites, and other matters connected with their
religion.
It is preserved either at Baazini or
Baasheikha, and is regarded with so much superstitious reverence that
I failed in every endeavor to obtain a copy, or even to see it. This
I much regretted, as its contents would probably throw new light upon
the origin and history of this remarkable sect, and would clear up
many doubts which still hang over their tenets. It is considered
unlawful to know how to read and write. There are only one or two
persons among the Yezidis who can do either: even Sheikh Nasr is
unacquainted with the alphabet. Those who know how to read have only
been taught in order that they may preserve the sacred book, and may
refer to it for the doctrines and ceremonies of the sect.
The Yezidis have a tradition that they
originally came from Busrah, and from the country watered by the
lower part of the Euphrates; and that, after their emigration, they
first settled in Syria, and subsequently took possession of the
Sinjar hill, and (Page 195) the
districts they now inhabit in Kurdistan. This tradition,
with the peculiar nature of their tenets and ceremonies, points to a
Sabaean or Chaldean origin.
With the scanty materials which we possess
regarding their history, and owing to the ignorance prevailing among
the people themselves, - for I believe that even the priests,
including Sheikh Nasr, have but a very vague idea of what they
profess, and of the meaning of their religious forms, - it is
difficult to come to any conclusion as to the source of their
peculiar opinions and observances. There is in them a strange mixture
of Sabaeanism, Christianity, and Mohammedanism, with a tincture of
the doctrines of the Gnostics and Manicheans. Sabaeanism, however,
appears to be the prevailing feature; and it is not improbable that
the sect may be a remnant of the ancient Chaldees, who have, at
various times, outwardly adopted the forms and tenets of the ruling
people, to save themselves from persecution and oppression: and have
gradually, through ignorance, confounded them with their own belief
and mode of worship. Such has been the case with a no less remarkable
sect than the Sabaeans or Mendai (the Christians of St. John, as they
are commonly called), who still inhabit the banks of the Euphrates,
and the districts of ancient Susiana.
The Yezidis are known among themselves by the
name of the district or tribe to which they respectively belong.
Those who inhabit the country near the foot of the Kurdish Hills, are
called Dasni or Daseni, most probably from the ancient name of a
province.[8.11] Tribes of Yezidis are found in the north of Syria, in
Northern Kurdistan, Georgia (where they have migrated), Gebel Tour,
Bohtan, Sheikhan, and Missouri. In the plains, their principal
settlements are in the villages of Baazani, Baasheikha, and
Semil.
Having spent three days at Sheikh Adi, and
witnessed all the ceremonies at which a stranger could be present, I
prepared to return to Mosul. Hussein Bey, Sheikh Nasr, and the
principal (Page 196) sheikhs
and cawals, insisted upon accompanying me about three miles down the
valley; as I preferred this road to the precipitous pathway over the
mountains. After parting with me, the chiefs returned to the tomb to
finish their festival. I made my way to the village of Ain Sifni, and
reached Mosul early in the afternoon.
Tahyar Pashaw had for some time been planning
an expedition to the Sinjar, not with any hostile intention, but for
the purpose of examining the state of the country; which had been
ruined by the vexatious extortions, and cruelty of the late governor
of Mosul. He had previously sent an agent to inquire into the
condition of the villages; and a deputation of the inhabitants had
returned with him to petition for a diminution of taxes, which, from
the destitute state of the district, they were unable to pay.
His excellency had invited me to accompany him
on this expedition, the arrangements for which, after numerous
delays, were completed on the 8th of October. Three o'clock of that
day was declared to be the fortunate hour for leaving the town. The
principal inhabitants, with the cadi and mufti at their head, were
collected in the large square opposite the palace and without the
walls, ready to accompany the pashaw, as a mark of respect, some
distance from the gates. It was with difficulty that I made my way to
the apartments of the governor, through the crowd of irregular
troops, and servants which thronged the court-yard of the serai. The
attendants of his Excellency were hurrying to and fro, laden with
every variety of utensil and instrument; some carrying gigantic
telescopes, or huge bowls in leathern cases; others laboring under
bundles of pipe sticks, or bending under the weight of calico bags
crammed with state documents. The gray headed kiayah had inserted his
boots into a pair of capacious boots, leaving room enough for almost
any number of intruders. Round his fez, and the lower part of his
face, were wound endless folds of white linen, which gave him the
appearance of a patient emerging from a hospital; and he carried furs
and cloaks enough to keep out the
(Page 197) cold of the frigid
zone. The Divan Effendesi, although a man of the pen, strutted about
with sword and spurs, followed by clerks and inkstand bearers.
At the door of the harem waited a bevy of
aghas; among them the lord of the towel, the lord of the
washing-basin, the lord of the cloak, the chief of the coffee-makers,
and the chief of the pipe-bearers, the treasurer, and the seal
bearer.[8.12] At length the pashaw approached; the cawasses forced
the crowd out of the way;
and his excellency placed his foot
in the stirrup, the trumpet sounded as a
signal for the procession to move onward. First came a regiment of
infantry, followed by a company of artillerymen with their guns.
The trumpeters, and the
pashaw's own standard, a mass of green silk drapery, embroided with
gold, with verses from the Koran, succeeded; behind were six led Arab
horses, richly caparisoned in colored saddle-cloths, glittering with
gold embroidery. The pashaw himself then appeared, surrounded by the
chiefs of the town and the officers of his household. The procession
was finished by the irregular cavalry, divided into companies, each
headed by its respective commander, and by the wild Suiters, with
their small kettle-drums fastened in front of their saddles.
I was accompanied by my cawass and my own
servants, and rode as it best suited, and amused me, in different
parts of the procession. We reached Hamaydat, a ruined village on the
banks of the Tigris, three caravan hours from Mosul, about sunset.
Here we had the first proofs of the commissariat arrangements; for
there was neither food for ourselves nor the horses, and we all went
supperless to bed.
On the following day, after a ride of six hours
through a barren and uninhabited plain, bounded to the east and west
by ranges of low limestone hills, we reached a ruined village, built
on the summit of an ancient artificial mound, called Abou Maria. The
Aneyza Arabs were known to be out on this side of the Euphrates, and
during our march we observed several
(Page 198) of their scouts
watching our movements. The irregular cavalry frequently rushed off
in pursuit; but the Arabs, turning their fleet mares toward the
desert, were soon lost in the distance.
We passed the ruins of three villages. The
plain, once thickly inhabited, is now deserted; and the wells,
formerly abundant, are filled up. In spring, the Arab tribe of Jehesh
frequently encamp near the pools of water supplied by the rains. The
remains of buildings, and the traces of former cultivation, prove
that at some period, not very remote, others than the roving Bedouins
dwelt on these lands; while the artificial mounds, scattered over the
face of the country, show that long ere the Mussulman invasion, this
was one of the flourishing districts of ancient Assyria.
A most abundant spring issues from the foot of
the mound of Abou Maria. The water is collected in large, well-built
reservoirs. Near them is a mill, now in ruins, but formerly turned by
the stream, within a few yards of its source. Such an ample supply of
water, although brackish to the taste, must always have attracted a
population in a country where it is scarce. The village, which was
deserted during the oppressive government of Mohammed Pashaw,
belonged to the Jehesh.
Three hours' ride, still over the desert,
brought us to Tel Afer, which we reached suddenly on emerging from a
range of low hills. The place had a much more important and
flourishing appearance than I could have expected. A very
considerable eminence, partly artificial, is crowned by a castle,
whose walls are flanked by numerous towers of various shapes. The
town, containing some well-built houses, lies at the foot of the
mound, and is partly surrounded by gardens wooded with olive, fig,
and other fruit trees; beyond this cultivated plot is the broad
expanse of the desert. A spring, as abundant as that of Abou Maria,
gushes out of a rock beneath the castle, supplies the inhabitants
with water, irrigates their gardens, and turns their mills.
Tel Afer was once a town of some importance; it
is (Page 199) mentioned by the
early Arab geographers, and may perhaps be identified with the
Telassar of Isaiah, referred to, as it is, in connection with Gozan
and Haran.[8.13] It has been three times besieged, within a few years,
by Ali Pashaw of Baghdad, Hafiz Pashaw, and Injeh Bairakdar Mohammed
Pashaw. On each occasion the inhabitants offered a vigorous
resistance. Mohammed Pashaw took the place by assault. More than two
thirds of the inhabitants were put to the sword, and the property of
the (Page 200) remainder was
confiscated. Great wealth is said to have been discovered in the
place, on its pillage by Mohammed Pashaw, who took all the gold and
silver, and distributed the remainder of the spoil among his
soldiers.
The inhabitants of Tel Afer are of Turcoman
origin, and speak the Turkish language. They occasionally intermarry,
however, with the Arabs, and generally understand Arabic.
Toward evening I ascended the mound, and
visited the castle, in which was quartered a small body of irregular
troops. The houses, formerly inhabited by families whose habitations
are now built at the foot of the artificial hill, are in ruins,
except that occupied by the commander of the garrison. From the walls
I had an uninterrupted view over a vast plain, stretching westward
toward the Euphrates, and losing itself in the hazy distance. The
ruins of ancient towns and villages rose on all sides; and,
as the sun went down, I counted above one hundred mounds, throwing their
dark and lengthening shadows across the plain. These were the remains
of Assyrian civilization and prosperity. Centuries have elapsed since
a settled population dwelt in this district of Mesopotamia. Now, not
even the tent of the Bedouin could be seen. The whole was a barren,
deserted waste.
We remained two days at Tel Afer. The
commissariat was replenished, as far as possible, from the scanty
stores of the inhabitants. The pashaw recommended forbearance and
justice; but his advice was not followed; nor were his orders obeyed.
The houses were broken into, and a general pillage ensued. At length,
on the 13th, we resumed our march.
The Sinjar is about thirty miles distant from
Tel Afer. A very low range of hills diverges from its southern spur,
and unites with that behind the town. The pashaw, with his troops,
took the road across the plain.
We passed the first night on the banks of a
small salt stream, near the ruins of a village, called, by the people
of the Sinjar and Tel Afer, Zabardok; and by the Arabs simply Kharba,
or the ruins. We had seen, during the day, several other ruins,
(Page 201) and water courses.
The second day we encamped in the plain, near the southern end of the
Sinjar mountain, and under the village of Mirkan, the white houses of
which, rising one above the other on the declivity, were visible from
below. Here the pashaw was met by all the chiefs of the mountain,
except those of the small district in which we had halted.
Mirkan is one of the principal Yezidi
settlements in the Sinjar. Its inhabitants had been exposed to great
extortions, and many were put to death by Mohammed Pashaw. They
expected similar treatment at our hands. No promises could remove
their fears, and they declared their intention of resolutely
defending their village. The pashaw sent up an officer of his
household, with a few irregular troops, to reassure them, and to
restore obedience. I accompanied him. As we entered the village we
were received by a general discharge of fire arms. Two horsemen, who
had accidentally, - and as I thought at the time somewhat
disrespectfully, - pushed forward before the officer and myself, fell
dead at our feet, and several of our party were wounded. The pashaw,
exasperated at this unprovoked and wanton attack, ordered an advance
of the hytas and Arab irregulars; who, long thirsting for plunder,
hastened toward the village. The Yezidis had already deserted it, and
had taken refuge in a narrow gorge; abounding in caverns and isolated
rocks, - their usual place of refuge on such occasions.
The village was soon occupied; the houses were
entered, and plundered of the little property that had been left
behind. A few aged women and decrepit old men, too infirm to leave
with the rest, and found hiding in the small dark rooms, were
murdered, and their heads severed from their bodies. Blazing fires
were made in the neat dwellings, and the whole village was delivered
to the flames. Even the old pashaw, with his gray hair and tottering
step, hurried to and fro among the smoking ruins, and helped to add
the torch where the fire was not doing its work.
The old Turkish spirit of murder and plunder
was roused; (Page 202) the
houses were soon burnt to the ground; but the inhabitants were still
safe. When the irregulars had secured all the property they could
discover, they rushed toward the gorge, scarcely believing that the
Yezidis would venture to oppose them. But they were received by a
steady and well directed fire. The foremost fell, almost to a man.
The caverns were high up among the rocks, and all attempts to reach
them completely failed. The contest was carried on till night; when
the troops, dispirited and beaten, were called back to their
tents.
In the evening the heads of the miserable old
men and women, taken in the village, were paraded about the camp; and
those who were fortunate enough to possess such trophies wandered
from tent to tent, claiming a present as a reward for their prowess.
I appealed to the pashaw, who had been persuaded that every head
brought to him was that of a powerful chief, and after some
difficulty prevailed upon him to have them buried; but the troops
were not willing to obey his orders, and it was late in the night
before they were induced to resign their bloody spoil, which they had
arranged in grim array, and lighted up with torches.
On the following morning the contest was
renewed; but the Yezidis defended themselves with undiminished
courage. The loss of the hytas was very considerable; not a cavern
had been carried; nor a Yezidis, as far as the assailants could tell,
killed, or even wounded.
The next day the pashaw ordered a fresh attack.
To encourage his men he advanced himself into the gorge, and directed
his carpet to be spread on a rock. Here he sat, with the greatest
apathy, smoking his pipe, and carrying on a frivolous conversation
with me, although he was the object of the aim of the Yezidis;
several persons within a few feet of us falling dead, and the balls
frequently throwing up the dirt into our faces. Coffee was brought to
him occasionally as usual, and his pipe was filled when the tobacco
was exhausted; yet he was not a soldier, but what is termed "a man of
the pen." I have (Page 203)
frequently seen similar instances of calm indifference in the midst
of danger among Turks, when such displays were scarcely called for,
and would be very unwillingly made by an European. Notwithstanding
the example set by his excellency, and the encouragement which his
presence gave to the troops, they were not more successful in their
attempts to dislodge the Yezidis than they had been the day before.
One after another, the men were carried out of the ravine, dead or
dying. The wounded were brought to the pashaw, who gave them water,
money, or words of encouragement. The "Ordou cadesi," or cadi of the
camp, reminded them that it was against the infidels they were
fighting; that every one who fell by the enemies of the prophet was
rewarded with instant translation to Paradise; while those who killed
an unbeliever were entitled to the same inestimable privilege. The
dying were comforted, and the combatants animated by the promises and
exhortations of the cadi; who, however, kept himself well out of the
way of danger behind a rock.
Attempts were made during the day to induce the
Yezidis to surrender, and there was some chance of success. However,
night drew near, and hostilities still continued. The regular and
irregular troops were then posted at all the known places of access
to the gorge. The morning came, and the attack was recommenced. No
signs of defense issued from the valley. The hytas rushed in, but
were no longer met by the steady fire of the previous day. They
paused, fearing some trick or ambuscade; they advanced cautiously,
but still unnoticed. They reached the mouths of the caves; - no one
opposed them. It was some time, however, before they ventured to look
into them. They were empty. The Yezidis had fled during the night,
and had left the ravine by some pathway known only to themselves, and
which had escaped the watchfulness of the Turkish soldiery.
While attempts were being made to discover the
retreat of the fugitives, the Turkish camp remained near the village
of Mirkan. I took this opportunity of visiting other parts of the
(Page 204) Sinjar. The
residence of the governor of the district is in the village built
among the ruins of the old city - the Singara of the Romans, and the
"Belled Sinjar" of the Arabs. A small mud fort, raised a few years
ago, stands on a hill in the midst of the remains of walls and
foundations; but the principal part of the ancient city appears to
have occupied the plain below. Around this fort, at the time of my
visit, were congregated about two hundred families. The Yezidi
inhabitants of the village, unlike those of the other districts, are
mixed with Mussulmans. The latter, however, are so lax in their
religious observances, and in dress so like the Yezidis, that it is
difficult to distinguish them from the unbelievers. I was continually
falling into mistakes, and eliciting a very indignant exclamation of
"God forbid!"
It would be difficult to point out, with any
degree of certainty, ruins at Belled Sinjar more ancient than the
Mohammedan conquest. It became a place of some importance in the
early ages of Islam, and had its own semi-independent rulers. There
are the remains of several fine buildings; and the lower part of a
minaret, constructed, like that of the great mosque of Mosul, of
colored tiles and bricks, is a conspicuous object from all parts of
the plain. There are very abundant springs within the circuit of the
old walls; the air is declared to be salubrious, and the soil rich
and productive.
All the villages of the Sinjar are built upon
one plan. The houses rise on the hill sides, and are surrounded by
terraces, formed of rough stones piled one above the other as walls,
to confine the scanty earth. These terraces are planted with olive
and fig-trees; a few vineyards are found near some villages. The
houses, which are flat-roofed, are exceedingly clean and neat, and
frequently contain several apartments. The walls of the interior are
full of small recesses, like pigeon holes, which are partly
ornamental, and partly used to keep the domestic utensils and
property of the owner. They give a very singular and original
appearance to the rooms; and the
(Page 205) oddity of the effect
is considerably increased by masses of red and black paint daubed in
patches on the white wall.
The principal, and indeed now the only, trade
carried on by the inhabitants of the Sinjar, is in dried figs, which
are celebrated in this part of Turkey, and supply all the markets in
the neighboring provinces. The soil is fertile, and, as the means of
irrigation are abundant, corn and various useful articles of produce
might be raised in great plenty from the extensive tracts of arable
land belonging to the villages. But the people have been almost
ruined by misgovernment; they can now scarcely cultivate corn enough
for their own immediate wants.
The pashaw still lingered at Mirkan; and as I
was anxious to return to Mosul, to renew the excavations, I took my
leave of him, and rode through the desert to Tel Afer. I was
accompanied by a small body of irregular cavalry, - a necessary
escort, as the Aneyza Arabs were hanging about the camp, and
plundering stragglers and caravans of supplies. As evening
approached, we saw, congregated near a small stream, what appeared to
be a large company of dismounted Arabs, their horses standing by
them. As we were already near them, and could not have escaped the
watchful eye of the Bedouin, we prepared for an encounter. I placed
the baggage in the center of my small party, and spread out the
horsemen as widely as possible to exaggerate our numbers. We
approached cautiously, and were surprised to see that the horses
still remained without their riders: we drew still nearer, when they
all galloped off toward the desert. They were wild asses. We
attempted to follow them. After running a little distance they
stopped to gaze at us, and I got sufficiently near to see them well;
but as soon as they found that we were in pursuit, they hastened
their speed, and were soon lost in the distance.[8.14]
(Page
206) I reached Mosul in two days, taking the road by Kessi Kupri, and
avoiding the desert beyond Abou-Maria, which we had crossed on our
march to the Sinjar.
[8.1] The
term Sheitan (equivalent to Satan) is usually applied
in the East to a clever, cunning, or
daring fellow.
[8.2] The
dedication of the bull to the
sun, so generally recognized in the
religious systems of the ancients, probably originated in Assyria,
and the Yezidis may have unconsciously preserved a myth of their
ancestors.
See
the bull representing the Egyptian triad and the bull.
[8.3] I
had afterward an opportunity of seeing the Melek Taous. It is the
fanciful image of a bird supported by a stand resembling a candlestick, the whole
being of bronze
[8.4] It
will be remembered that in the book of
Tobit (12:15) Raphael is made to
say: "I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the
prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of
the Holy One." "The seven spirits before the throne of God" are
mentioned in Revelations 1:4; 4:5. This number seven, in the
hierarchy of the Celestial Host, and in many sacred things, appears
to have been connected with Chaldean traditions, and celestial
observations.
[8.5]
Theophanes (Chronographia, p. 492 ed. Bon), mentions a settlement of
Iesdem, on the lesser Zab, near which the Emperor Heracleus encamped
- (GREEK) kai Hpilkeusen eis tous oikous
tou Issdem. They may have been Yezidis,
and of the ancestors of the present sect. Major Rawlinson has pointed
out the name as occurring in Adiabene.
[8.6] I
must observe that although the inscriptions, in the sanctuary
described were all addressed to Sheikh Shems, and that both Sheikh
Nasr and the cawals assured me that it was dedicated to the sun, it
is just possible that under the title of Sheikh Shems, some other object
than the sun or some particular person is designated, and that my
informants were unwilling to enter into any explanation.
[8.7] Some
travelers have asserted that they will
not blow out a candle; but such is not
the case; nor is it an insult to spit in their presence.
[8.8] All
Eastern sects appear to have had some Kubleh, or holy point, to which
the face was to be turned during prayer. The Jews, it will be
remembered, looked toward Jerusalem. The Sabaeans, according to some,
to the north star, or, according to others, toward that part of the
heavens in which the sun rises. The early Christians chose the East;
Mohammed who recognized the general custom, and found it necessary to
adhere to it appointed the holy Kaaba of Mecca to be the Kubleh of
his disciples.
[8.9]
Hibiscus Esculentus.
[8.10]
This is a Kurdish (Persian) title, - it means, literally, an old
man.
[8.11]
There is a tribe of Kurds of this name, living in the mountains near
Suleimaniyah.
[8.12]
These are all offices in the household of a Turkish pashaw.
[8.13]
Isaiah 37:12. The name does not occur elsewhere in the Bible; and we
have consequently no means of determining its locality.
[8.14]
The reader will remember that Xenophon mentions these beautiful
animals which he must have seen during his march in these very
plains. He faithfully describes the country, and the animals and
birds which inhabit it, as they are to this day, except that the
ostrich is not now to be found so far north. "The country," says he,
"was a plain throughout, as even as the sea, and full of wormwood; if
any other kinds of shrubs or reeds grew there, they had all an
aromatic smell; but no trees appeared. Of wild creatures, the most
numerous were wild asses, and not a few ostriches, besides bustards
and roe deer (gazelles), which our horsemen sometimes chased. The
asses, when they were pursued, having gained ground of the horses,
stood still (for they exceeded them much in speed); and when these
came up with them, they did the same thing again; so that our
horsemen could take them by no other means but by dividing themselves
into relays, and succeeding one another in the chase. The flesh of
those that were taken was like that of red deer, but more tender."
(Anab. lib. i. c. 5.) In fleetness they equal the gazelle: and to
overtake them is a feat which only one or two of the most celebrated
mares have been known to accomplish. The Arabs sometimes catch the
foals during the spring, and bring them up with milk in their tents.
I endeavored in vain to rear a pair. They are of a light fawn-color -
almost pink. The Arabs still eat their flesh. The "wild asses of the
desert" are mentioned in Job 34:5, 39:5.
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