usual, and then moved forward, laughing and chattering, toward the great mosque, selected places which seemed most convenient, spread their rugs, matting, blankets and sheets upon the ground, sat in long rows facing Mecca, and gossiped cheerfully together until the great high priest, surrounded by mullahs or lower priests, appeared in front of the Midrab, the place in every mosque from which the Koran is read, and shouted for attention.

Ram Zon, one of our “bearers,” who is a Mohammedan, disappeared without permission or notice early in the morning, and did not report for duty that day.  His piety was greater than his sense of obligation to his employers, and I saw him in the crowd earnestly going through the violent exercise which attends the worship of Islam.

[Illustration:  Mohammedans at prayer]

When the hour for commencing the ceremony drew near the entire courtyard, several acres in extent, was covered with worshipers arranged in rows about eight feet apart from north to south, all facing the west, with their eyes toward Mecca in expectant attitudes.  The sheikh has a powerful voice, and by long experience has acquired the faculty of throwing it a long distance, and, as he intoned the service, mullahs were stationed at different points to repeat his words so that everybody could hear.  The first sound was a long wailing cry like the call of the muezzeins from the minarets at the hour of prayer.  It was for the purpose of concentrating the attention of the vast audience which arose to its feet and stood motionless with hands clasped across their breasts.  Then, as the reading proceeded, the great crowd, in perfect unison, as if it had practiced daily for months, performed the same motions one after the other.  It was a remarkable exhibition of precision.  No army of well drilled troops could have done better.

The following were the motions, each in response to the intonation of a prayer by the high priest: 

1.  Both hands to forehead, palms and fingers together, in the attitude of prayer.

2.  Bend body forward at right angles, three times in succession, keeping hands in the same position.

3.  Return to upright position, with hands lowered to the breast.

4.  Bow head three times to the ground.

5.  Rise and stand motionless with hands at sides.

6.  Hands lifted to ears and returned to side, motions three times repeated.

7.  Body at right angles again, with hands clasped at forehead.

8.  Body erect, kneel and bow forward, touching the forehead three times to the earth.

9.  Fall back upon knees and with folded hands.

10.  Rise, stand at attention with clasped hands until the cry of the mullah announced that the ceremony was over; whereupon everybody turned to embrace his family and friends in a most affectionate manner, again and again.  Some were crying, some were laughing, and all seemed to be in a state of suppressed excitement.  Their emotions had been deeply stirred, and long fasting is apt to produce hysteria.