The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-04-25
A Living Death.

Living Death.
In the various works describing sav.
age life, and the harharihcs attending II,
which il has been our fortune 81 read IN
the course of the last few years, We have
met with nothing more truly horrible
than the following account of the fetish.
like cruelties pmcticed 10y the Kaiiirs
towards their own Rce and kindred.
The details are given by Capt King, Of
the British army. who took prominent
part in the late Kaflir war. After giving
several instances oi butchery towards
such of the soldiers IA were unfortunate
enough to fall into their hands, Capt.
King says; "When chief or great
man of tribe is sciEod with sickness,
the witch.doctor, with forms and IN
carnations, dooms some poor wretch 10
death, on pretencc of his having be-
witchcd the ailing man. His hocks and
herds are forfeited to the chief. and his
children left beggars and iatherless.
One instance may suffice 81 give al Idea
Of their savage ferocity, and spare the
repetition of outrages ON the poor set
tiers, or those unhappy enough 20 fall
into their hands. The son of chief
named Macomo having fallen sick, u
witch doctor was, according to custom,
consulted, 10 ascertain the individual
under whose evil influence he was suf-
iering: and, as usual, n man of property
WAS selected and condemned 10 forfeit
his life for his alleged crime. To pre-
vent his being told Of his fate by his
friends, a party II men left Macomo's
kraal early in the morning 10 secure the
recovery of the sick young chief 10y
numbering one of his fathers subjects.
The day selected for the sacrifice ap-
peAred 90 have been u sort of gala day
with the unconscious victlms he was IN
his kraAl, had Just slaughtered one of
his cattle, and was mcrrlly contemplat.
ing the cOnviyiallties of the day before
him, over which he was about 10 preside.
The arrival Of II party Of men from the
great place gave him no other concern
than AS 10 what part of the animal he
should offer them as his guests. In a
moment, however, the ruthless party
seized him in his kraal. When he found
himself secured with "a rheim around his
neck, he calmly said, II is my misfor
tune 20 be caught uuarmed, or il should
not be thus. He was then ordered 10
produce the matter with which he had
bewitched the son Of his chief He re-
piled, Il have no bewitching matter:
but destroy me quickly if my chief has
consented 10 my death. His execution
ers said they must torture him until he
produced il; 10 which he replied, Save
yourselves the trouble, for torture as
YOU will cannot produce what | have
not. He WAS then held down on the
ground, and several men proceeded 10
pierce his body all over with Kaflir
needles The miserable victim bore
this with extraordinary resoluuon-his
tormentors finally firing. and complain
ing Of the pain il gave their hands, and
Of the needles or skewers bending.
During this timea fire had been kindled,
in which large Hat stones were placed 10
heat. The man was then directed TO
rise, and they pointed ont to him the
fire, telling him il was for his future
torture. unless he produced the bewitch-
ing matter. He answered, | told you
the truth, when | told you b save your
self the trouble. As for the hot stones,
l can bear them, for l am innocent.
would pray 10 be strangled at once, but
that you would say fear your torture.
Here his wife, who had also been seized,
was cruelty beaten and ll-treated
before his eyes. The victim was
then led TO the fire. where he was
thrown on his back, stretched ont with
his arms and legs tied 10 strong pegs
driven into the ground, and the stones,
now red hot, were taken ont Of the fire
and placed on his naked bOdy-ou the
groin, stomach and chest, supported by
others on each side Of him, also heated
and pressed agains, his body. II is
to describe the awful effect
Of this barbarous process, the heated
stones slipping of the scorched and
broiling flesh, and being only kept in
their places by the sticks Of the fiendish
Through all this the
heroic fellow still remained perfectly
sensible. and when asked il he wished
10 be released 10 discover his hidden
charm, said, Release me They did
so, fully expecting they had vanquished
his resolution, when. 10 the astonish-
ment Of all. he stood mp a ghastly spec
tacle. broiled alive his smoking flesh
hanging in pieces from his body aud
asked his tormentors,
What do you wish me 10 do now 2
They repeated their demand, but he
asserted his innocence, and
begged them TO put him out of his mis-
cry; aud as they were now tired Of their
labor, they made running moose on the
= L L
the ground, and savagely dragged him
about on the sharp stones; then placing
their feet on the back Of his neck, they
drew the moose tight and strangled him.
His mangled corpse was taken into his
own hut, which was set on fire and
burnt TO ashes. His sufferings com
at ten a. NJ. and ended only at
sunset T.