The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-22 00:00:00

T 1 K SUN, LONIMN, TcESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1810.

~XPULSION OF A DEVIL FitoM

A WIDOW'S LEG.

BmY
Court,.
A trial took place recently in the Su-
premeso singular in its details, and presenting
E A
,uch a characteristic illustration of the lights and sha- 1
(lows of Indian life—of simplicity and superstition
credulity on the one part, of craft end deliberate
knavery on the other—that it deserves to be placed on
record.
The following are the facts proved in evidence :
A pour widow, named Tukkee, who earnei her live
lihood by selling greens in the market, was living in a
small hut with her daughter-in-law. Having been at-
tacked with some complaint in the knee, she applied for '
medicine to a market-gardener, named Dhondeebs, who
appears to have had come knowledge of simples, in
more senses than one. Dhondeeba, after applying
some remedies without any effect, at last told
her that she was bewitched by the art magic of
some malicious person, and that her only hope of
remedy was in resorting to the counter-charms of some
other sorcerer, adding that he knew a friend of his who
' was very skilful in these matters, who would do her bu-
siness effectually. Ike accordingly introduced her to one
Daood, the keeper of a betel leaf shop, who promised
to undertake her cure. Daood and his partner, one
Dhoolajee, repaired next day to the widow's house and
held a consultation on her case. After a full examina-
tion of her leg, they withdrew to a little distance, and,
sitting down upon the ground, held a long dialogue, of
which the patient was allowed to hear the following sig-
nificant portion :
First Conjuror—This is not a natural ailment—some
enemy has done it.
Second Conjuror—Clearly. She is enchanted.
First Conjuror—She has got a devil in her leg.
Second Conjuror—She is very full of devil.
First Conjuror—The detil Mahar has got into her.
Second Conjuror—He is a bad devil, that.
Having come to this satisfactory conclusion, and
communicated it to the bewitched widow, they sent her
daughter-in-law for some limes, flowers, and leaves, a
little incense and some molasses ; on getting which they
went through some ceremonies and applied a charm to
the suffering limb ; then mixing up a food-offering to
the gods of the molasses, they made her and her daugh-
ter-in-law partake of it and went away. The next
morning, on visiting her patient, they found the charm
had wrought no effect ; from which they adduced con-
vincing proof to the widow that the devil in her leg was
of a peculiarly malignant nature. They accordingly
told her it would take seven days to combat him, and
on the eight day they would cast him out. Pursuant to
this plan, they continued their magical operations for
seven days ; and on the morning of the €3ll day informed
the widow that in the evening they would bring two other
strong conjurors, and with their aid would expel the
devil. At the hour appointed the four conjurors
arrived, and having sent the daughter-in-law for the
limes, flowers, incense, and molasses, two of the party
sat at the door as tilers, to prevent the ingress of
strangers, as the devil would not brook their approach.
" Procul, o procul, este profani—en daemon accessit l"
The other two disposed the flowers and limes accord-
ing to rule on a board, and burning some incense, and
going through some mummery, prepared another food-
offering to the gods of the molasses, and giving it to the
two women to eat, withdrew, and sat down near the
tilers. Shortly after they had swallowed it, the widow
fell down and became senseless ; her daughter-in-law
also felt giddy, but retained sufficient consciousness to
perceive, and be alarmed at the state of her mother-
in-law, she went therefore to where the four magi-
cians were sitting in the dark, and said to them,
What is the matter with my mother-in-law ?" They
replied, " Don't be alarmed, nothing is the matter ,
only the devil is coming out ; you will hear him
speck presently ;" not satisfied with this, the girl
turned the conjurers out, and, begging a female
neighbour to sit at the door, got another to lead
her by the hand to her uncle's home, as her head reeler',
and she was unable to walk alone. As soon as she
had gone the conjurors came back to the house and
frightened the female neighbour away, telling her that
they were casting the devil out of the widow's leg, and
that if she approached he would enter into her. Having
thus cleared the field, they proceeded to ease the widow
—not of the devil, but of a gold nose-ring and neck-
lace, and then departed. When the girl returned with
her uncle they found the woman lying like a corpse, and
sopped of her ornaments, and shortly afterwards the
dose administered in the food-offering, which in all pro-
bability was stramonium, began to take eff,.ct on the
girl, and she also fell senseless ; towards morning they
both recovered, but only partially, as it appears they
cast off their clothes and went about naked to the
houses of their neighbours, who brought them back and
administered soma medicines ; after another day aid
night, being now perfectly recovered, they went to the
betel leaf shop of Dacca and Dhoolajee, and the wi-
dow asked why they did not come the two last days to
follow up the charm ? Daood replied, ‘. What is the
use of our cordng alone?—the other two conjurors are
our masters in magic—we , are only disciples, and it
would be useless to come without them." The widow
then stated that she had been robbed of her jewels, on
which the disciples observed it must have been the
1 other two master magicians that had done it., adding,
1 If you will give us 25 rupees and a horse to ride after

them, we will pursue and seize them." She replied,
" I am a poor widow ; where am I to get 25 rupees
and a horse P Tile authorities will decide between
us ;" and fcn thwith she had thein both tiken up by
the police.
The two tilers, 43 well as Dliondeeb,i, have ab-
sconded ; but the two principal actors in the scene of
imposture and robbN-y, D.iood and Dhoolajec, wera
brought to tried, and being convicted, were sentenced to
seven years' transportation to Singapore.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

LLOYDS.

VE,SELS SPCKEN WITH -111 C St. Andrew, 25th ult.,
let.inst.,
n st. It.
4;104n3. 42
ion.; 284 e j Asmt.i n Mart, from
Liverpool m Liverpool,
Ptiilad6e'lll
-
7th, by the John Colvin, Abercrombie, arrived in
Hlu3lrlisttool to Quebec, 7th, 50,
Quebec, 2i inst., lat. 47,
tine Downs )*v;nsai;:AFrnpßh.itte,
Head,
lon. 22 ; William Parker, Liverpool to Montreal, lat. 50,
lon. 22 ; Matthew Johnson, Liverpool to Marseilles, 11th,
lat. 49, lon. 9, by the Sophia, Peock, arrived in the
Downs; NlagniticelJ. Liverpool to St. John's, New Bruns-
lwaideekl,ps-b
itah, ui1t3:1,1,at1.44t.94,
517 10n.02n6. ;39W;altAeirb,
rLeciv, t,rifiovoelrptoooll'htit-,
Boston, 15tb, lat. 46, lon. 52 ; Eagle
,Liverpool to Bes-
to,i, 231, lat. —, lon. 61; Ca tle Eden, Marseilles to
Quebec, 12th ult., lot. 46, lan, 55 ,
; Belfait to
Quebec, 2Stb, lat. 52, lon. 26, by the Mariner, arrive-I at
Sunflerland ; Wellington, Chadwick, London to New
Yerk, 2d inst., lat. 40, lon 71 ; o,ccola, Bangor to Boa-
ton, tit, lat. 42.
D 58,3,
niSstboauntin,ocn
lyodfe It;.oenßnaeybactihk,.l6eu' br:
1123tt1i4,41a' ti.e151.15, 41o; John
ii. 22, by the President, arrived at Liver-
pool.