The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-10-02
NOTES or TIL WEEK.

' SoRcERY,-How 1T Is DoxE.-Dropping into the
Police Court the other morning we found a poor,
forlorn, grey-headed, c~ringing, deaf old Hawaiian.
receiving sentence Of law to the amount Of n twenty
FIVE dollar fine and costs, for the practicing, as it
appeared, Of hoomdnamGna in the medical line. In
a white cloth on the table lay the implements of his
profession /; n suspicious looking medley Of cells, red
fish, dry sticks, and the inevitable ii. leaf. From
evidence courteously furnished by the Police Justice
We made cut the following story Of the medical prac-
tice Of this relic of heathendom. who, by the way,
sports the homogeneous name Of Rauihou-" Re-
newed Youth l!''-and halls from Kalihi. At the
first visit Of the priestly doctor to his patient,-who
was the child Of the witness.-a lot Of pebbles were
spread on the floor, covered with n kapa, and divided
secretly into four parcels. One was sacred to ana
ana, (the spirit Of praying to DEATH lone to aumd-
kua, Supernatural possession by an ancient god,)
one to the patient, and one to the priest himself.
Ten dollars were then demanded, for the auma-
kua." Some demurring on the part Of the witness
brought this down to six dollars, plus 90 cents for
ava. The money was paid, placed with the pebbles,
and prayed over in heather style. The pebbles were
then counted, and the largest heap denoted that the
patient was being prayed to death, but could be
cured. After ~pocketing the money, and bagging the
pebbles, the priest departed, leaving a prescription
for three chickens, severally black, white, and red.
The next day, by messenger, he ordered the red
chicken killed, and the gall broken upon the head of
the patient. The attendants failing to find the gall,
he came himself, and performed the ceremony with
the white chicken, placing the patient in the full
sunlight. ON her back. Two eggs were dropped on
the ground, their breaking being n good omen, and
the chicken eaten. For the third visit provision was
ordered, of an eel, q red fish, and two pigs Of speci-
fed color and sex. Three more patients were brought
by the priest. to share in the restorative ceremonies.
Twelve dollars were demanded, "for the altar"
but, as before, the fee was reduced, and this time to
two dollars. Ava was drank. The priest with three
others went into q closed apartment, built a fire of
akio, the yellow poisonous wood exhibited in the
white cloth. and Of which We have a specimen. and
all sat around in q circle. Now for a scene worthy
Of the witches in Macbeth. The teeth Of the red
fish were pulled out, and thrown into the FIRE also
some of the priests beard. The blaze prognosticated
recovery. The priest prayed while it lasted. A
vine was circled around the fame. n leaf laid over
the Goals, and n cloth over that, and the hands Of
the proup over all, and more nominations to cap the
whole. Everything was now to be thrown into 8
nei0bborinp stream to be carried of. Soto roee-
witness didn't see il. and privately saved the mess to
show in Court. It seems he was one of the circle
The priest then went of into q fainting fit. and was
restored by lonilomi. All then turned to and ate
the pigs, and drank the ava, the heads Of the former
being reserved for the priest to take home. This he
proceeded to do, when the parent insisted on his re-
manning to see that his patients were cared for. Out
of the difficulty that followed came the determination
of the witness to reveal the whole matter by way of
revenge, and so a story. otherwise difficult to obtain,
comes before the courts and the public Truly this
IA n snrout of the old root of heathenism it is to be
hoped rather a rare one. 1t reminds US however of
what may have happened among our own ancestors
.Thrice the brinded cat hath mewd.
Fire burn. and cauldron bubble.
Scale OF dragon, tooth Of wolf;
Witches mummy nav and gulf
OF the ravined sAlt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock, diggd = the dark
Gan Of goat. and sips OF yew, 4
Liver Of disappearing lew (
Wifehes' scene an Macbeth.
If any of our readers doubt the meaning Of the
word hoomanomana, the above may perhaps inform
them. -
(E His Ex. the Governor Of Oahu and wife took
passage for Hilo in the schooner Pauahi on Monday
last.