the austerities of our holy order. I have many
disciples here, who wear the dress, and yet they are not as regular as
good dervishes should be; but there is a time for all things, and when
their appetite to do wrong fails them, they will (Inshallah, please
God), in all probability, become more holy and devout men. You are
accepted." And the old man held out his hand for the money, which he
clutched with eagerness, and hid away under his garment. "Ali," said he
to one of the dervishes who had stood at some distance during my
audience, "this young man--what is your name--Hudusi--is admitted into
our fraternity. Take him with thee, give him a dress of the order, and
let him be initiated into our mysteries, first demanding from him the
oath of secrecy. Murakhas, good Hudusi, you are dismissed."

I followed the dervish through a narrow passage, until we arrived at a
door, at which he knocked; it was opened, and I passed through a
courtyard, where I perceived several of the dervishes stretched on the
ground in various postures, breathing heavily and insensible.

"These," said my conductor, "are holy men who are favoured by Allah.
They are in a trance, and during that state are visited by the Prophet,
and are permitted to enter the eighth heaven, and see the glories
prepared for true believers." I made no reply to his assertion, but as
it was evident that they were all in a state of beastly intoxication, I
_very much doubted the fact_.

I received my dress, took an oath of secrecy, and was introduced to my
companions, whom I soon found to be a set of dissolute fellows,
indulging in every vice, and laughing at every virtue; living in
idleness, and by the contributions made to them by the people, who
firmly believed in their pretended sanctity. The old man, with the white
beard, who was their chief, was the only one who did not indulge in
debauchery. He had outlived his appetite for the vices of youth, and
fallen into the vice of age--a love for money, which was insatiable. I
must acknowledge that the company and mode of living were more to my
satisfaction than the vigils, hard fare, and constant prayer, with which
the old man had threatened me, when I proposed to enter the community,
and I soon became an adept in dissimulation and hypocrisy, and a great
favourite with my brethren.

I ought to have observed to your sublimity, that the sect of dervishes
of which I had become a member, were then designated by the name of
_howl