The Bossier banner., 1883-08-02
INDIAN WTTCHCRKFT.

ts* INDIAN WITCHCRAFT.
There is scarcely any age or country
in which superstitious belief in WITCH
cfaft.has not had powerful hold on
the minds of the people. In Europe,
till about the end of the last century.
the possession of magical powers and
the practice of the black art were i'm
plicitly believed In, and the minds of
learned diyines greatly exercised to
prove, by the aid of revelation, that the
practice of sorcery was hateful to God
and man. Stringent laws were there
fore framed for its suppression, and the
ecclesiastical authorities pursued with
unrelentng yigor their self-imposed
task OF furnishing and extirpating those
who were believed to have dealings
with the Eyl One. Itneed' not there
lore, be wondered that amongst large
portion of the inhabitants of India,
wltchcraft in various guises exercises a
Vast and potent influence. The relig-
aon OF the Hindus would naturally in
duce those who profess it to give Gre
dence to all kinds of marvels; but it
will be found, that even the followers
OF; the hohammedanf creed are very
nearly as much disposed to pin their
faith upon the grossest follies, and to
adopt every, idle invention which
springs from the fears OF the craft of
their associates. ds 81 ss ast (
The followers of these religions need
not go farther for their Justification
than their own scriptures The Vedas
cnJoin special reverence for the Brah-
minical soothsayeFs, whose 0suntras or
lamentations are declared as having ter
rible effects; while the Koran, in its
tWenty-first and stwenty-seFenth chap
ters, dilates upon the magic excellence
OF solomon and the power he possessed
over all created things, even the ele-
ments; and the thirteenth chapter
said to have been revealed to the
ProphetFofs Islam ON the occasion of his
having been bewftched by the daughters
of Jews still devoutly used as
charm against evil spirits and the spells
OF witches and sorcerers. The belief
OF Mohammedans in good and evil spir-
lts who may be compelled to perform
the bidding of a mortal is not only
manifested R.theiE tales and legends.
but forms also subject of grave re-
cord, and is mixed up with their relig-
lous creed. While, on the other hand,
they are taught to believe that there
exist good angels who ever attend upon
. man, and ever prompt shim to do his
duty to God and, his fellow-creatures:
on the other hand, they are warned
against evil spirits, who, with deadly
mailgnity, pursue their every step and
lead them into misery.
These spirits or genii constantly re-
SIDE IN the lowest of the seven firma-
ments, and are able to render them
selves visible at pleasure to the human
inhabitants of the earth. They are of
various denominations, some good and
some evil; some very powerful and lux
ufloras, and others reduced to such a
low estate as to be compelled to live
upon bones and air. And though these
spirits are represented as supe-
nor to the human race in wis
aom and power, it is. commonly
oeileved to be possible for mortals to
become allies of these intelligences. to
paTtake their powers and to assist their
. sFii designs. Even further, the Hindu
lakirs and sages, 10y the practice of
austerines and self-torture, are credited
win having attained such degree of
sahetity and power that they could con-
ilfols supernatural beings. 1t is no un-
summon thing at the present day for a
person to resort to fakir and obtain
from him charm for the purpose. of
.elnoVlng an illness, as q safeguard
a.nst accidents, or for the purpose of |
asoiiinag an impending disaster, oriit
aaaY pe with the view Of causing some |
ssh 10 happen to any Que with whom
e may may be on unfriendly terms.
= = mere are in India professed heart |
vaters and liver-eaters, who bv their |
speis and incantations pretend to steal
sl.ay ana deyour these vital organs, |
snersoy redaeing the Iuekless individ-
sais thus attacked to the greatest ex-
aemlty. These extraordinary feeders
s: a1e: u is said, able to communicates
,1sSH art BY giving those who desire to
.,'p','e 'gpselclse 1t piece of liver-cake to eat.
noy are dangerous people, efectine
= 80, much 9lsl mischief by their pretended
esMsr as It they were actually able to I
: ~an,s Ssaleye what they profess, since they
aGIA upon the fears and excite the i'm
natlon OF the unhappy individuals
;,as ae are subjected to their diabolicaI
xwso saenpe, producing upon the, victim~- +
arssnl n4e y rendered hypochondriae by the
s,;aai .-s;ua suggestions OF the enenay.an-
e1.sn, pisease, and finally death. a
r;as,a a recent Indian mail gave a very Gu
,as..s ar;ss instance of the fatal results which
t;na s.e sometimes from native supersti-
"' II was brought to light in the