The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-04
Casting Out Devils in India.

The Carnatic Qndia) Telegraph says:-
Casting out devils in India is extensively
practised by the tnatives; but there is as much
difficulty to get at the truth as it is to get the
spiritualists, the Dagenports, to declare them
Selves Consummate cheats. We were present
few weeks ago at an exercise OF eXorcism.
Ybe possessed was a young woman OF
bbout sixteen, hale and hearty in appearance,
bnd withal very good looking" as is
Fhe BeXpression applied to native women.
Bhe was much excited as she accompanied, or
Father preceded her eXorcst, and broke out
occasionally into singing and dancing with an
Energy and manner which showed that she had
no sel-control The party which went with
her stopped at a tree on the way when the eX-
prcisG desired her TO halt. His command in
ktantly brought her prostrate before him, and
the rolled on the ground II violent contortions.
But it was objected by her father to DIX the de-
mon to that tree; and accordingly the eXorcist
addressed his patient in tone of sternness to
Use and go on further She did so, and with
Running dance to the sound OF the t)mtom and
he Pujari's hand-drum, she rushed along SEEM
4ngly unconscious of ,all around her. They
0lalted then under a palmira tree, in desert
place, near the foot OF hillock, where the poor
agirl was desired, TO the music of the priests
band drum, to balance herself gracefully, and
%pproach the tree. She did so, and then en-
braced il with tremor the effect of compul-
ion rather than free will. The eSorcist went
through few strophes of incantatory singing;
hen taking a few locks of her hair, and knot
ling them together, he fastened the bunch to
he tree by nail and then se;zing live cock
% one hand over her head, with the other he cut
Is throat, and shed its blood freely over the
Htooping, stumbling girl. He then cut off
Ter hair, and thus freed her from her fastening
. the tree. The bloodstained bunch of hair thus
eft behind, it is said, detains the devil also and
q hat he or legion thus exercised will haunt that
zee till he or they shall choose to take posses
non of some other unfortunate. The airl
#eemed now weak and exhausted, and could
Iardly walk forward with a steady pace. She
MAS held by one of the male assistants of the
PRIEST, and conducted to a tank where she was
bathed, somewhat like our Baptist sisters in her
lothes and came out of her own accord hardly
~ ct in her right mind. But the scene was not
yer. The Puiara broke a cocoanut and after
lacmg it over the smoke of incense for a little
While, he lifted the smoking censer to her with
he usual incantatory music and singing. She
gain gradually lost her consciousness, and
waved to and fro with wild dishevelled locks
ier eXorcst demanded OF her to tell her demoni-
cal name. She sharply turned upon him, and
+ nth a scream uttered her name. He then in
ured how many devils h ad possessed her, TO
hich she replied five. Have they all taken their
departure, he asked Yes, was the reply, and
Z Immediately after she ran along dancing fran
cally, while the party ran after her to her
ouse, where, after other deyilish ceremonies,
he recovered consciousness, and the following
ay was married. We ought TO have remarked
bat the demoniacal possession took place on the
rst day of her nuptial rites. She is now right
gain, and lives happily enough with her young
husband