The Placer herald., 1868-12-12
VAU DOOIS N.
AFRICAN FErIsH WoRsHlp AMONG THE
MEMPHIS NEaRoEs.-REMARKABLE CASE

|
The word Hocdoo, or Vaudoo, is -ons o.
the uames used 10 the different African dia
lec,s for the practice Of the mystery Of tb'
Obi, Ian African word signifyipg a species
Of sorcery and wicbcraft, common among
the worshpers Of the fetish.) In the Wes
Indss the word "Obi" is universally used tt
designate the priests or practicers Of this art
who are called the Obi men and Obi women
In the southern portion Of the United States
Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, South Car
oiins and Georgia, where the same right.
are extensively practiced among the negroes
and where, under The manizing and chris
tianizing influence Of the blessed state o.
freedom and idleness ia which they now sx
ist and are encouraged in by the freedmen Z
bureau, the religion is rapidly spreading; it
goes under the name Of Vaudooism or Hoo
dooism. The practicers Of the art, who are
always native Africans, are called Hoodoo
men or women, and are held in great dread
by tho negroes, who apply to them for the
cure Of diseases, 10 obtain revenge for iDju-
ries, and TO discover and punish their eus-
mics. The mode Of operations is to prepare
a fetish, which, being placed near or in the
dwelling Of the person to be worked upon,
(under The door step, or in any snug portion
Of the furDture,) is supposed 10 produce the
IN ost dire and terrible effects upon the victim,
both physically and mentally. Among the
materials used for the fetir' are feathers of
various colors. dogs and cats. teeth, clay from
graves, egg shells, beads, and broken bits of
Z lass. The clay is made into ball with
bair and rags, bound with twine, with feah.
ers and human or s|Iigators', or dogs teeth,
SO arranged as to make the whole bear a
strong resemblance 10 an animal OF some
sort.
The person who Is 10 be hoodooed 10 gen.
erally made aware that the boodo 10 "sst"
for him, and the terror created 10 bis mind
by this kgowledge, is generally sofficient 10
cause him TO fall sick, and it is a curious
fact, almost always 10 die in a species of de-
cline. The intimate knowledge Of the Hoo
doos Of the insdous poisons that abound
in the swamps e The South enables them to
use these With great effect in most instances.
With the above as Introductory, our
readers will better understand the following,
which we vouch for as strictly true, in every
particular. Names and the exact locality
| (although We will say that it occurred within
a few miles Of this city, are withheld, at the
reques. Of The lady, whom we will call Mrs
| A.:
Some months since the only child, little
daughter Of Mrs. A., who bad been left
widow by the war, was taken i'll with what
vas then thought slow malarious fever.
The family physician called in and pre-
scribed for her, but in spite of bis attentions
she grew gradually worse, and seemed to be
slowly but surely sinking and wasting away.
Everything that medical skill could think Of
was done, but in vain.
One evening while Mrs. A. was watching
by the bedside Of the little sufferer, an old
negro woman, who had been many years in
the family. expressed her belief that the
child had been "boodooed." Mira. A. WAS
creole Of Louisiana, and having been from
her earliest infancy among the negroes, was
familiar with, and had imbibed not few Of
their peculiar superslitions. 10 despair of
deriving any benefit from the Doctor and
completely taffl,d and worn out with the
peculiar lingering nature Of her cbild's i'll
ness, the suggestion of the woman made
grea impression on her mind.
In the neighborbood were two negroes
who bore the reputation Of being boodoo
men. They were both Congos, and were
portion Of the cargo Of slaves that bad been
run into Mobile bay, 1860 or 1861. As
brethren these two hoodoos were deadly
enemies, and worked against each other in
every possible way. Each. had bis own
particular crowd Of adherents, who believed
him to be able 10 make the most powerful
grigits
One Of these hoodoos lived on or near
Mis-. AS. place, and although she was
ashamed of the superstition which led her
TO do 90, she sent for him Immediately to
come over and see her child. The messen.
ger returned and said that Finney (,hat was
the sorcsrer's name) would come, but that
Mrs. a. must first send him a chicken cock,
three conch shells, and a piece of money
with hole in it. She complied with his
demands, and he shortly afterwards appeared
with the cock under his arm. fancifuIly dec,
GRATED with strips Of yellow, red and blue
flannel, and the three conches trigged up in
pretty much the same manner Placing the
concbes on the floor 10 the shape of trian.
gle. be laid the cock down n the centre OF
them, on its side. lie then drew his hand
around it in the same direction three or four
times o. leaving it the cock lay quiet and
did not attempt to move. although it was
loose and apparently could have done so had
it.wished. rrff
After these prsliminaris., he examined the
sick child from head 10 foot, and after doing
SO, broke out into = loud laugh. mutteriug
words to himselfin an African dialect. Turn
ing to Mrs. A. who was all anxiety, he told
her that her child was hoodood, and it was
being done by bis rival, (who lived some
miles off, although considered in the same
nsighborhood,) and that be (Fiuney) intend.
ed to show him that be could not come into
bis district boodooing' without bis psrmis'
ion. Lie then called The servants, and every
one about the place up, and ordered them to
appear one by one before him. So great wss