The Bossier banner., 1883-08-02

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IN South India. A paltry dispute had
/ arisen between two men regardino =
sum of six annas (about sevenpence)
which had to be divided between them,
and T ended In pne of them going into
a. house and fetching q knife, with
which he inflicted, several stabs upon
his opponent, from the effects Of which
he died. On being taken up, the ac-
cused admitted having caused the death
Of smother man, but said he had done
| so In order to save himself, as the other
had threatened to turn himself into a
tiger and kill him. There is supersti-
ton among the hill-tribes to the effect
that such a. metamorphosis can be
made; and coupling this with the cir
eumstance that the crime was appar-
entity unprecedented, as the weapon
with which the wounds were inflicted
did not belong to the prisoner, the
Governors Agent did not consider the
case such as to call for the utmost Sc
verify of the law. The prisoner was
found guilty and ordered to be trans
ported for life. 50 Hi
The Mohammedans adopt another
device for taking away the life of an
enemy; they construct an image of
earth taken out of a grave, read a par
ticular chapter of the Koran over it.
and then repeat the prayers backwards,
every word spelled in the same way
that is, with the letters reversed. These
and other preliminaries being accom-
plished, the image is perforated with
wooden pegs in every part, and being
shrouded like a human corpse, is con-
veyed with funereal solemnity to the
cemetery of the place, and inferred in
the name of the person whose death is
desired, and who, it is believed, will
not long survive the performance of
these obsequies. This, happily, is not
very common occurrence now, as the
English law in India would scarcely
tolerate such proceedings; but there is
scarcely an Anglo-Indian who could
not testify to having come across in his
morning walk, especially where two
roads cross each other, the remains of
a most, incongruous collection of arti-
cles-a miniature human image in the
center, surrounded by earthen pots of
variegatedy colors, containing rice,
barley and grain of other kinds, in
terspersed here. and there by little oil
lamps, placed in such relatiye positions
to each other sas. it. is calculated will
have deep and mysterious consequences.
To. a stranger this would present a
spectacle which would be merely in
conprehensible, yeti is but the-simple
and ordinary device of credu1ous and
superstitious people to seek relief from
a dangerous or malignant malady from
which one near or dear to them is suf-
fering.
Charms and propitiatory offerings
are more relied on than medicines in
sickness and pestilence; and this offer
ing to the gods, accompanied with
many prayers and incantations, is
placed on the highway in the implicit
belief that the malady of the person in
whom they are interested will leave
him and take to another; generally
supposed to be the first person who
comes across this magic collection of
articles. Visitations OF cholera are at
tempted to be ayerted by professions of
village maidens carrying garlands of
flowers or other offerings to the god
presiding over their hamlet. Some
years ago, while cholera was virulently
raging in the Upper Provinces, curl
Gus case was brought before the magis-
trates, in which the inhabitants of two
neighboring villages were charged with
being concerned in a serious affray
The villagers of one hamlet made
cart, and placing an image,
as they supposed, of the cholera in it,
they dragged it to- the precincts of
neighboringy village, the inhabitants of
which, having been forewarned, foreibly
resisted the entrance Of the unwelcome
visitor. Had, however, the little chariot
got within. their boundaries in spite of
their wishes and efforts, they would not
have rested till they had dragged it to
another village, where probably
similar scene would have occurred.
1t may we'll be supposed that amid 50
superstitious people, loye-charms and
philters of various kinds are believed
to have wonderful efficacy, and some of
these compounds are of 50 deleterious a
nature that persons partaking of them
have been known to die from their
effects. Some employ amulets sfor. the
purpose of captivating hearts, these
talismans being constructed in variety
Of ways-one being a tablet, on which
is inscribed magic square. and set as
a ring or bracelet; others are written
on thin plates of metals, or upon paper
folded up and worn upon the person;
while a third consists of particular
roots, creepersa leaves, etc., gathered
with many eeremonials, and tied up in
small bags. a The efficacy of these
charms is based ON. the idea that GER
tain objects and certain rites and cere-
monies have an inherent or mysterious
power existing in themselves of pro-
1ueing wonderful results. In Guierat
here are six descriptions of charms
or 1auntras-the nsaruf1 muntra has |
he power, of taking away life; |
1'olsa's nau'atrd produces ocular or au-
'icular illusions; nabhNps guatfstra stops
What is in motion; 0tershup nauntra
'alls or makes present everything; (
nauntrG has the power of I
and oochdtl:u,s nsu,.trd of I
;ausing bodily injury short of death.
Perhaps it would be paying too great /
! compliment to even the most eniight- I
,ned natives of India to suppose that F
hey are wholly free FROM superstition +
hat attaches credit to the infiuonoa Of I