Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-03
VOUBOU W%OHsHIPERs.
Sample of the Ceremonies of Fetish
DeYotees.
A Woman TOrmented With
Strange Ailments Submits
70 the VOudou Practices.

New Orleans states.l
The credulity Of the negroes Of the
South is perhaps one of the most re-
markable traits OF character exhibited
By them. Those ~conversant with their
customs and history are not surprised
by strange stories Of the power of the
Fetish priests, or voudou doctors,
who exist among them and who WELD
their influence numerically whenever
they secure a victim.
But in these days Of enlightenment
it is certainly almost incredible to
state that one of the Caucasian race,
who is able to read or write, and who
has the advantages of associations with
intelligent beings, could be found in
this city, who fully believes in the
magical and supernatural powers
claimed by the imposters who pretend
to originate miracles by reason oftheir
familiarity with the god Of youdou-
ism
Yet if the person referred to were
asked. he would tell his questioper
that he had been convinced. by ocular
demonstration that in one remarkable
instance the charms ofthe vOudoudoc-
tor we're all potent where the very
best physicians and all the results OF
scientific investigation proved futile.
1t was a case Of woman, his wife.
For many months she suffered with an
ailmont which bafied all skill. Doc
tors studied the case in vain. The
pains endured by the patient
WE'RE BEYOND DESCRIPTION
and constantly increasing in severity.
She was afflicted with cramps, which
twisted her into knots at times ; again,
she was attacked with fearful 2angs
arising from rigidity of the limbs aud
the entire muscular system; another
phase Of her symptoms was a complete
loss of any control over herself, If
she attempted to walk in q direc-
ton she was sure to run away IN the
opposite. For instance, If she de
sired TO reach a front window and look
at a procession in a street she was GER
tain to bringupin a back yard aud real
ize that she was anxiously gazing at
her neighbours kitchen stairs, and
wondering why the procession and
music don't move that way. .
Her husband didn't mind the little
eccentricities on her part, and proba.
bly, would not have given any atten
ton to the Tumors that prevailed in
the neighborhood to the effect that
she was Youdoued. had he net returned
home one night frem lis daily labor
and learned that she had started to
reach the kitchen and prepare his
supper, when her malady suddenly
sliced her and she had gone off on
A SOLITARY MOONLIGHT EXCURSION.
He then credited the report and
sought a voudou doctor who examined
the sufferer and unhesitatingly, of
course, pronounced her the victim Of
the enmity of some one who had caus-
ed a baleiul charm to be thrown about
her.
The most vigorous measures we're
adopted at once. A careful diagnosis
Of the case had proven beyond a doubt
that the woman was suffering from
snakes. The reptiles were not Of the
ordinary kind. They were OF a much
more deadly character than the moe
casin, the rattle. the cobra. the hoop,
the black, the horn, or any of the
commonly feared species; they were
peculiarly voudouish in all their move.
ments and gradually prepared theil
unfortunate victim for the fate de-
signed by the enemy who had enlisted
the services of the cOnjurer.
The wise doctor explained that the
reptiles were administered to her BY
the enemy,
MIXED IN A BANANA,
an orange or an apple; that when onct
safely deposited in the stomach 0
their iHtendad victim, all tht
waters of the world or all the power
of the earth could not wash or draw
them away, until the youdou god ha(
been propitiatad By incantations anC
offerings commensurate with the gray
ity of the olleDse oil the victim in TIL
eyes Of the enemy.
In this instance, a liberal offer t
the doctor secured his opinion tina
the mysterious god would be sootheC
if a new wooden tub and bucket aDt
twoneW towels were purchased. TIL
tub and bucket must be painted green
and the towels have a red hot" col
ored border.
la addition, the patient must par
take Of a preparation Of herbs.
Accordingly, on the day when thI
wonderful operation was announces
as about to be performed.
MANY DEvoUT BELIEVERS
in Fetischism assembled at the resi-
idence Of the late convert, and she wa
made to sit on the bottom Of the up
turned bucket which was placed in th
center Of the tub, which stood on it
own bottom in the center Of the room
The towels we're stepped in a liquiI
and tied on the victims head and feel
The believers then formed a circl
about hor, and began to sing in a sub
dued but intensely doleful manner
and cut the most fantastic and eXtray
agant figures imaginable. The docto
writhed and twisted and squirmed an
made hideous faces, and each Of tn
participants assumed as much miser
as possible, in order to demonstrat
to their angry deity that they wer
willing 10 bear the su1erings OF th
object OF his wrath.
Their efforts succeeded. The pa
tient was in a profuse Precipitation an
violently excited. AT any rate snake
were found under the bucket in tn
tub, and the woman was entirely cureC
She is alive and perfectly happy, it
to be hoped to-day.
Nervous pains and weakness, mala
rial diseases, fever and dgue, positiyel