DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4996#0190
DIFFEESNI CLASSES OF PILGRIMS.
157
the opposite direction. Many were the questions put to Komeh,
who, to my renewed surprise, seemed here as well as everywhere else,
to know almost everybody ; and many were the salutations addressed
to myself,—though all, it was evident, did not regard me with quite
so favourable an eye, their welcome varying probably according to
the laxity or rigour of their Mussulman fanaticism. In this mixed
host, as in the Crusades of old, many and various were the shades
of character and motive impelling to the performance of a pilgrimage ;
and there would have been little difficulty in grouping the host
according to the indications afforded by their respective appear-
ance. The comfortable, nay, luxurious style of many showed forth
rather the man of rank or wealthy merchant, with whom the formal
sense of the fulfilment of a pious duty, which adds further con-
sideration to that of wealth, or the dissipation of ennui, or an eye to
profitable traffic, were motives largely qualifying the religious
fanaticism, which was strongly stamped on the scowling visages of
many of the more poorly provided. Some of these, from their green
turbans, had evidently gone on the pilgrimage before, and their general
mien bore out the well-known Eastern saying, which proportions to
the number of these pious journeys he has performed, the mingled
amount of rascality and fanaticism acquired by the pilgrim. Sallow-
faced dervishes abounded : these, says Burckhardt, " of every sect
and order in the Turkish empire, are found among the pilgrims ;
many of them madmen, or at least assuming the appearance of in-
sanity, which causes them to be much respected by the hadjys, and
fills their pockets with money. The behaviour of some of them is
30 violent, and at the same time so cunning, that even the least
charitably disposed hadjys gave willingly something to escape from
them."
The Mahmal, (seen in the centre of our view,) borne on the back
of a fine camel, selected for the purpose, and exempted for the rest
of its life from ordinary labour, consists of a square wooden frame,
terminating in a pyramidal form, covered with dark brocade, and
highly ornamented with gilt fringes and tassals. Mr. Lane states
that in every cover he has seen, was worked a view of the Temple of
157
the opposite direction. Many were the questions put to Komeh,
who, to my renewed surprise, seemed here as well as everywhere else,
to know almost everybody ; and many were the salutations addressed
to myself,—though all, it was evident, did not regard me with quite
so favourable an eye, their welcome varying probably according to
the laxity or rigour of their Mussulman fanaticism. In this mixed
host, as in the Crusades of old, many and various were the shades
of character and motive impelling to the performance of a pilgrimage ;
and there would have been little difficulty in grouping the host
according to the indications afforded by their respective appear-
ance. The comfortable, nay, luxurious style of many showed forth
rather the man of rank or wealthy merchant, with whom the formal
sense of the fulfilment of a pious duty, which adds further con-
sideration to that of wealth, or the dissipation of ennui, or an eye to
profitable traffic, were motives largely qualifying the religious
fanaticism, which was strongly stamped on the scowling visages of
many of the more poorly provided. Some of these, from their green
turbans, had evidently gone on the pilgrimage before, and their general
mien bore out the well-known Eastern saying, which proportions to
the number of these pious journeys he has performed, the mingled
amount of rascality and fanaticism acquired by the pilgrim. Sallow-
faced dervishes abounded : these, says Burckhardt, " of every sect
and order in the Turkish empire, are found among the pilgrims ;
many of them madmen, or at least assuming the appearance of in-
sanity, which causes them to be much respected by the hadjys, and
fills their pockets with money. The behaviour of some of them is
30 violent, and at the same time so cunning, that even the least
charitably disposed hadjys gave willingly something to escape from
them."
The Mahmal, (seen in the centre of our view,) borne on the back
of a fine camel, selected for the purpose, and exempted for the rest
of its life from ordinary labour, consists of a square wooden frame,
terminating in a pyramidal form, covered with dark brocade, and
highly ornamented with gilt fringes and tassals. Mr. Lane states
that in every cover he has seen, was worked a view of the Temple of