, 1874-08-15
THE NIATAPANS.
An Incid*,us In tho 5Iaurlttus.

GOMo years since there G1tBtod In tho Mluri-
titus porfoot roign Of torror and disorder, Or
ganizcd mi, sustained BY tho Matnpans. But
who nre tho MatapanB2 Buch was precisely tho
frat question asked OF resident OF tho Island,
who oamo to sock mo at Port Louis, tho morning
aftsr my arrival from Franco, and WAS conduct
ing MO to hia plantation,
"Tho nlatapans," ropliod my companion. "aro
indians, who ovorrun the country In bands,
aftor ughtfalI, afrrightiug tho women and chill
dreu, and even tho mon themselves. Thoy rob
ayen rosorting to assassination, on necessity.
Tho superstitlous terror which thoy inspire
protects them, and, what Is as truo ~ 1t Ia
Htrango, wli!o you hoar you feel. as it wero,
around you their shouts. thoir howlings, terrific
naught fs visible to tho eyo. The disturbance s.
at your worry door. You almost imagine you can
sclZo its authors, and Stretch forth your hands
to graap-nothlng 3 but thin mir, whilat the din
which . moment boforo waa all around you
sco,ns to die away in tho distance, like tho sfpir-
Ing brcath Of q compost"
Although posaoasod Of a good share Of super
atition. ! could not credit my friends words.
Inc 1Matsphns, ! thought wero very ordinary
tho darknosB, to follow their nefarious calling
without risk Of interruption. 1rccallod tho mys-
tory which Ia made to surround the fantastic ex-
p!olta Of somo OF, our 8ecret societies, and was
disposed To class tho phenomanona Of which 1
had just heard, III tho sa1ne catogory. !,
Eyory ono had gone to bed when the cartiago
stopped. ut midnight, at my friends house. lily
hoss installed mo in q pavilion about 200 foot
distant from tho main building; then. after hnv.
grog, aud assured himself that nocdcd nothing
further, bado mo goodnight and wont to bod
!, felt no inclination to sleep. The novelty Of
the climate, and tho strangoness Of tho sur
rounding objects, exorciHod their influence upon
mo and kept mo wake. Beside, tho night was
warm, tho sky clear, aud my candle, which. I had
thoughtlessly left burning, had attracted an army
OF mosquitoes to my room, who swarned
VIII thar 50 t. M oSa
OF aleop was simply absurd. I resolved to ro-
main awake anu givo myself up to tho unre-
served enjoyment Of tho calm beauty Of tho
night. My glance, wandered across tho land-
plantation, tho huts, the atnbles scattered hore
and thero in tho 1noooight, casting great
breadtha OF shadow on tho ground; whilst tho
confused masses Of the treoa and tho Holds OF
the soft rays Of tho moon. III tho distance,
like the black walls OF fortroas, the noun
tain Of tho Dca1 Afamelles uproared itself,
breaking the horizon, az an enormous landmark
placed by Natures hand. Silence reiguod gu
preme.
Suddenly the ground began to tremb1e, as II
shaken by tile ungovornnbe rush of 4 troop Of
horses, who seemed to anniLilate space Ia their
wild career as they circled around tho dwellings,
while at tho Bamo time, as If impelled from
more than human force, Ono would have
thought that the voices Of all tho animals rho
live upon tho a,lrfaco Of the globo we're united
In horrible concert. 1t waa frightfu, torrify-
the yells Of man in tho fury and despair OF bat.
tlo. Nothing that tho mind Of man ever con-
ceived could oquai it.
AT At times TIE Earth CRACKED, and flames shot
heavily. I frankly admit, my Arm
neBs Of mind deserted mo; m inoxplieablo fas-
cination bound mo whore stood, an unwilling
witness oi tis scene Of tumnt where nan BY
soen. Ny aesh ogept, and an unspeakablo an
guish weighed upon mo.
1Iow shall describe what followed7 There.
under my window Chow came they there7) sud
denly appeared hen and hor chickens, flooding
and raising their hoads from timo to tn1e to LOOK
ut mo with mooklng and cruel oyes. In moving
about they kept up Httnuge cackliug, unlike
that OF an ordinary ohlollen 1t Was harsh aud
Step by stop they approached me,
with the snme cruel look, tho Bame harsh chirp
which seemed to become more and moro ne1iaoe
Ing each moment. Thon, and at tho instant, tue
to1npost Of Sounds rodoubled In violence. I OK
perionoed fooling OF horror amounting almost |
70 frenzy, and I sprang forward with out
birdb, whom q shower Of sparks passed between !
ny hands with the quick, dry sound Of q dig |
,harga Of electricity. remained for aoma time |
'tupeaed, and. when I finally recovered my |
presence OF mind, chiokons, tumult, all had van-
shed.
What waa tho moaning Of this illuslon7 Had
'ome ono wished to fri9hton INC, and with what
,b1ect? Such were tAs thoughts passing
trough my mInd after awakiug, toward morn
ng, from the aloop to nhioh had beon CON-
'ellod to sucoumb by excitement aud fatigue,
ghan the door Of my room opened, and my host
appeared. His countenanoe was terribly agi-
ated. Without bidding me good morning,
rithout giving me tinao to eddrosa. d word 10
lin, he exclaimed: - You heard tho MatapanB
jome and sooi''
lie dragged rather than led mo, walking with
rapid step toward Tue plantation. a group OF
hing which could not ut once Distinguish. The
aaster dispersed them with gesture.
"There, behold sample Of tho exploita Of
hese miserable wretohes." said le' atoopinng aud
il lying on mat on tho ground.
did not perceive At lrAt wlat he wished to
how me but suddenly uttered cry of horror,
nd recoi1ed voluntarily.
I say before mo naked woman. her feet cut
4 at the ankles, and lor hands torn of at tho
triats: a woman lid say7 II was 3 young
irl child OF IS yoars. Hor black hair, thick
nd silky, fell In disorder along tho whole
'ngth Of her figure, which was OF !! light copper
oof anu ,aan hsausuy nodded she Icy with
'rrlblo. ALI tho pity in our hearts WAS excited
tho eight Of her fragile and beautiful arms
or delicate limbs SO shookingly mutilated
ith groat, shreds Of tlosh hanging from tAom
3 Il cut With dull knife. Tho lobeB OF hcr cars
ore torn. and cots Of blood deponlod
ON them. gazed in stupor upon tho pitooua
gut.
It is IN Indian who has dono this" said nv
0at. "You are aatonished and cannot divine
le cause Of this frightful mutllation, Il was
got tho silycr bands that tho Child woro on'
ar ankles and wrists; to rob her Of her eur
ags. IN your country they would have sawn
the bracelets, md II thoy feared boiug de-
,uncea,, they would, with blow Of tho knifo,
.vo made away With tho victims. But " hat is
1man tlosh 70 tho Indian? Ho hews It ~ ho
'os wood. Sue the fearful oyoB Of tho poor
lid fixed on us. They did not think Of killing
r r, to o. end her snfforinRs; They only wislod to
10 her trlnkets, and when they had secured
e1n they pushed her Into cluanp Of oanes,
horo discovered hor after making my uHual
unds. Whether Blo liyca or dies, what mat I
~ Il to these rnau2 but how to fluid the cut-
it'll have but ono means which am going
apply, despite whntoycr ropuguauee l may a
we towardh uaing 1t, and although may be :
r hat In 1u1,o tuj11 r.. H. !