The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-06-15
The Ka1irs yVitch-Doctor.
A LIVING DEATH.


it has been our fortune to read in the
course of the last few years, we have me-
with nothing more truly horrible than the
following account of the fetish-like cruel
ties practiced by the Kafirs towards their
own race and kindred. The details arc
given by Captain King, of the British ar
my, who took prominent part in the
late Kaffir war. After giving several in
stances OF the butchery towards such OF
the soldiers as were unfortunate enough
to fall into their hands, Captain King says:
"When chief or great man of tribe
is seized with sickness, the "witch-doc
tor with forms and incantations, dooms
some poor wretch to death, on pretence OF
his having bewitched the ailing man. His
docks and heards are forfeited to the chief,
and his children left beggars and father
less. One instance may suffice to give an
idea>oftheir savage ferocity, and spare the
repetition of outrages on the poor settlers,
or those unhappy enough to fall into their
hands" "The son of chief named Ma
como having fallen sick, a 'witch-doctor'
was, according to custom, consulted, to
ascertain the individual under whose evil
influence he was suffering; AMI, as usual,
man of property was selected and con-
demed to forfeit his life for his alleged
crime. To prevent his being told of his
fate by his friends, a party of men left
Macomo's kraal early in the morning to
secure the recovery off the sick young chief
by msrdering enc of his fathers subjects.
The day selected for the sacrifice appear
ed to have been sort of gala day with the
unconscious victim; he was in his kraall,
had just slaughtered one of his cattle, and
was merrily contemplating the conviviali-
ties Of the day before him, over which he
was about to preside. The arrival of a
party ofmcn from the great place" gave
him no other oncern than as to whatpart
Of the animal he should offer them as his
guests. In moment however the ruth
less party seized him in his kraal. When
he found himself secured with rheim
around his neck, he calmly said-."It is
my misfortune to be caught unarmed, or
it should not be thus He was then Or
dered to produce the matter with which he
had beWitched the son of his chief. He
replied: Il have no bewitching matter;
but destroy me quickly if my chief has
consented to my DEATH His execution
ers said they must torture him until he
produced ito which he replied, ''Saye
yourselves the trouble, for torture as you
will l cannot produce what [ have not"
He was then held down on the ground,
and several men proceeded to pierce his
body all over with long Kafir needless.
The miserable victim bore this with ex-
traordinary fortitude-his tormentors fin
ally tiring, and complaining Of the pain it
gave their hands, and of the needless and
askewers bending. During this time a
fire had been kindled, in which large flat
stones were placed to heat. The man was
then directed to rise, and they pointed out
to him the fire, telling him it was for his
future torture, unless he produced the be-
witching matter. He answered-t'I told
you the truth, when I told you to save
yourselves the trouble. As for the hot
stones, l can bear them, for I am inno-
cent. I would pray to be strangled at
once, but that you would say fear your
torture" Here his wife, who had also
been seized, was stripped perfectly naked,
and cruelty beaten aud maltreated before
his eyes. The victim was then led to the
fire. where he was thrown on his back,
stretched out with his arms and legs tied
to strong pegs driven into the ground, and
the stones, now red hot, were taken out
Of the fire and placed on his naked body
on the groin, stomach and chest, sup
ported by others on each side of him, also
heated and pressed against his body. 1t
is impossible to describe the awful effect
of this barbarous process, the stones slip
ping off the schorched and broiling flesh,
and being only kept in the places by the
sticks of the fendish executors. Through
all this the heroic fellow still remained
perfectly sensible, and when asked if he
wished to be released to discover his hi d
den charm, said-E'Release me-" They
did SO, fully expecting they had vanquish
ed his resolution, when to the astonishmen
ofall, stood up ghastly spectacle, brole(
alive! his smoking flesh hanging in piece!
from his body! and composedly asked hi
tormentors-"What do you wish me to d.
now? They repeated their demand, bu
he resolutely asserted his innocence, ant
begged them to put him out OF his misery
but as they were now getting tired of thei
labor, they made a running moose on tn
rheim around his neck, jerked him to th
ground, and savagely dragged him abou
on the sharp stones; then placing their fee