Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-01-18

| 1t is an extremely difficult thing for a Euro
| pean to witness n devi-dance. As a rule he
must go disguised and he must be able to
| speak the language like native. before he is
likely to be admitted without suspicion into
the charmed circle of fascinated devotees
each eager to press near the possessed priest
to ask him questions about the future while
the divine afflatus is in its full force upon
| him.
| Let tIy " bring tlIe whole scenv ,l.idly
before the reader. Night starry and beauti-
full, with a broad, low moon seen through
palms. still, solemn night, with few sounds
to mar the silence save. the deep, muffled
boom Of breakers bursting on the coast full
eight miles distant. 4 lonely hut. a huge
banyan-tree, grim and gloomy All round
spread interminable sands. the only vegeta-
ton ON which is composed of lofty palmyran,
and few stunted thorn trees and wild figs
In the midst of this wilderness rises, spec
tre-like, that aged, enormous tree, the banyan.
haunted by most ruthless she-deviL
Cholera is abroad in the land. and the ma
tves know it is she who has sent them the
dreadful pestilence. The whole neighborhood
wakes to the determination that the malignant
power must be propitiated in the most effect
ual manner.
The appointed night arrives; ont of village
and hamlet and hut pours the wild crowd of
men and women and children. In vain the
Brahmns tinkle their bells at the neighboring
temple the people know what they want,
and the deity which they must reverence as
supreme Just now.
On flows the crowd in that gloomy island
in the star-lit waste-that wierd, hoary ban
yam. The circle is formed the fire is lit the
offerings are got ready-goats and fowls. and
rice and pulse and sugar, and ghee and hon
ey. and white chaplets of oleander blossoms
and iagrnina l.p1s Tho
more loudly and rapidly. the hum of rustic
converse is stilled, and deep hush of awe
struck expectancy holds the motley assem-
blage.
Now the rckety door of the hut is quickly
dashed open. The devil-dancer staggers out
Between the hut and the ebon shadow of the
sacred banyan lies strip of moon-lit sand;
and, as he passes this, the devotees can clear
ly see their priest.
He is tall, haggard, pensive man, with
deep-sunken eyes and matted hair. His fore
head is smeared with ashes, and there are
streaks of vermilion and saffron over his face.
He wears a high comical cap. white with
red tassel. A long white robe, or dRgi shrouds
him from neck to ankle. On it are worked.
in red silk, representations of the goddess of
small l-poX, murder and cholera Round his
ankles are massive silver bangles. In his
right hand he holds staff or spear, that jim
giles harshly every time the ground is struck
by it.
The same hand also holds bow, which,
when the strings are pulled or struck, emits a
dull booming sound, In his left hand the
devil priest carries his sacrifcial knife, shaped
like a sickle, with quaint devices engraved ON
its blade
The dancer. with uncertain, staggering mo-
tion, reels slowly into the centre of the crowd
and then seats himself The assembled peo-
pie show him the offerings they intend to pre-
sent but he appears wholly unconscious.
He eroons an Indian lay in low, dreamy
voice. with dropped eyelids and head sunken
on his breast He sways slowly to and fro,
from side to side.
Look You see his fingers twitch nervous
ly. His head begins to wag in strange un-
canny fashion. His sides heave and quiver,
and huge drops of perspiration exude from
his skin. The tom-toms are beaten faster,
the pipes and reeds wall out more loudly.
There is sudden yell, a singing stun
ming cry, an ear-piercing shrek, hide
ous, abominable gobble-gObble of hellish
laughter, and the devil-dancer has sprung to
his feet, with eyes protruding, mouth foam
ing, chest heaying, muscles quivering, and
outstretched arms swollen and straining as if
they Were crucifed.
Now, ever and anon, the quick, sharp words |
are jerked out of the saliva-choked mouth, Il |
am God l am the true Cod" Then all |
around him, since he and no idol is regarded |
as the present deity, reeks the blood of sacri- |
fee.
The devotees crowd round to offer oblations |
and to solicit answers to their questions
shall die of cholera during this visitation 2"
asks gray headed farmer of the neighbor-
hood. 20 God, bless this child and heal it !"
cries a poor mother from the adjoining ham
let, as she holds forth her diseased babe to-
ward the gyrating priest Shrieks, VOWS i'm
precautions, prayers, and ordinations of
thankful praise rise up, all blended together
in one internal hubbub.
Above all rise the CHASTITY cultural laughter
Of the devil-dancer, and his stentorian howls,
II am God l am the only true God !"
He cuts and hacks and hews himself, aud
not very unfrequently kills himself there and
then. His answers to the queries put to him
are generally incoherent.
Sometimes he is suiilenly silent, and some
times while the blood from his elf-inficted
wounds mingles freely with that of his sacri-