, 1875-12-26

Before the aged darkey appeared, the buzz OF
general whisperings ascended to the loft,
upon the ecene no Que in tho place
spoke d word. His presence seemingly
awed OF terrified them INTO eilence- So lar %
the reporter could see from his perch. the heads
Of all we're bowed Is it in silent prayer. Sud
denly the high-priest. or boss Voudoo, slowly
erected himself, and taking from the inside OF
lis cloak \ short gnarled. and very snake-lke
looking stick walked with stately step to the
canldrou. His rising seemed to be the signal 1of
the rest OF the people to rise and Immediately
there was general fumb}ing By eacn OF tnem
about their clothes for something that it appear
ed they were expected to bring to the presid1nE
deiry. The child, before mentioned, suddenly
came into view from some place beyono the re-
porter's line Of vision, and stood behind the olo
man holding blazing torch, which IRON me
smell appeared to have been mAde OF
Pitch Following quickly after the appearance
OF tho little girl upon the scene, one aiter
another OF the Voudoos, with the e1cepnon
OF Jackson the guide, and the elders OF
the family in whose house tho ceremonies weIe
being held, walked quickly to the place where
the old man stood, and handing him piece OF
paper dashed something, which the reporter
could not see, into the cauldroa, and a. qulcky
refreshed. Every piece OF paper handea 20 me
solemn old darkey in the CLOAK Waa helo py nln
in the flames Of tho torch jnst over the canldron
so that the ashes might drop into It.. Al the
conclusion OF this ceremony the old darkey rook
from another receptacle In his cloak smal! vlal
and poured it's contents into the eauldron-
Then he bent his body over the edge OF the POI,
mumbled something, spat into it, and gave tne
contents vicious poke with his wEnd Ihen ne
and the r1rl passed round the cau1dron twice.
and at each turn they each epat into it. AFTER
the second turn they stopped IN the centre OF the
semi-ci1cle the rest Of the tondous formed IN
the caul6ron once more. Each Of the congrega-
ton. as be or she completed the circuit OF the
cauidron, spat into ii, and by the time the last
one had made his contribution OF saliva the
patriarch and tho .,nn child were He;eane e;1o5s
They all renamed standing. The old man say
acely snatched the torch from the hands OF the
child; struck wildly with it before, behind. 70
the right, and to the left OF him, and then
plunged it into the cauidron.
Wien he dashed tic torch into the cauldron,
the Voudoos $500
FLUNG TuExsELyEs UPON TIE FLOOR
with loud thumps, and the old fellow was the
only one left standing. simultaneously with the
descent Of tho torch into the cauldron, bright
flame rose up, burned briskly for moment,
aud expired. While the flames lasted the old
da,key necessarily mumhed. aud when they
went out he, too, cast himself upon the hoor,
and there they groveled for several minutes.
All this tlme not q word was spoken, and the sus-
pense was painful Presently one OF tas ne Prone ae
ones arose and silently passed out. The hfss
was soon followed by another. and another,
until tho child and the priest were left alone.
Then he arose, aud, taking OH his CLOAK, be told
cd and handed it to the child, and together they
nasged out, After about FIVE minutes there Was
4 rush through the door and Jackson came
breathless1y into the loft where the reporter was,
and almost dragged him down the ladder after
him. There was no time for talk, apparently,
and after Citing out Of the house JACKSON start
ed on q run in the direction Of the PLANK road.
Il is hardly necessary to add that be at one
time got out Of sight of the reporter, who ID
pretty good runner himself. IA.
There WAS plenty of time for conversation
after getting to North avenue, Jackson sad be-
tween jumps, and Us there was no means OF con-
yeyance into the city at that hons OF night-1:30
Jackson was about right Once fairly into the
city, Jackson's composure and loquacity re-
turned to him. Tho ceremonies that had been
such q mystery to the reporter were described
by his sable guide with word
When he cav that he was not understood he
seemed to hare contempt for his companion,
but he eventually condescended to ex-
plain. The feast that the reporter
had just witnessed was dedicated to
the Devil. Those of the Order who were
injured during the week brought into the meet
ing the name Of the person who injured them,
and it was burnt in flames from pitch. Then
they cast IS many pieces of paper, or old lluen,
into the cauldron a. they wanted afiicsions FOR
their enemies, and when the Fetish. or priest.
poured thb burning oI upon tne CONTENTS
aud burned them the charm was complete.
Jackson's only object in leading reporter to
the scene of the Fetish worship Was be said, that
he wanted to get sshct Of them. Heand Byron
ewao he says is at the head Of the Order. quar-
relied somo time ago, aud since that time Jackson
has lived in constant dread Of being houdahed."
He thinks that, il the white people ind ont
about these goin gs-on they will put stop to
them, and drive Lee ont Of the neighborhood
This, according to his belief, would insure his
safety, because, he says, II Lee has to live in
apother State thera will be rivers between, and
the superstition is that the charm, for good or
evil, will not cross running water.