Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-26
VITCHCRAPT IN Ma URiTIUS.

A Port Louis (Mauritius) letter TO the
London Times says: II may seem strange |
that IN a colony like Mauritius hundreds OF |
witch doctors and pr0fessed soreerers !
should exist and thrive, and 1t will appear |
still more strange that thousands OF per
sons should implicitly believe in them-not !
among the ignorant only. Persons OF edI-
cation and social position, not few, are
among their best clients. This to my per-
sonal knowledge. Indeed. the fact is
too well known in the colony TO
render 1t necessary for me to 90 out
OF my way in order to substantia,e H.
The more educated classes believe in the
precepts contained in book known to the
initiated a. Petit Albert" and either psle-
iice the doctrine it . .c;,cSAs themselves cf
employ others to make incan&lions iol
them. Either way, the system i eqhN'ly
degrading. The professors OF TINS lhou-
Crn diablerie are OF the lowest order. gene
rally negroes. with sprinkling OF Indians
among them. and although they practice on
the lines laid down in Petit Albert not
one in twenty ever saw the book, or could
read il II laid before them. The precepIs
# contains are handed down by word oil
mouth. Bat among ignorant people other
teachings are mixed up with those OF " Pc
iii Albert" and crime Is sometimes re-
! sorted to in the preparation OF charms.
will now relate an incident that oc-
| Cured about three wears agO-an incident
! that shook the whole community. a noted
| soreerer. = black. named Picot, abducted
GIRL about six years OF age, and, after hay-
| ing feariully msltreated her, cut her III
pieees with the object, II was averred, OF
using human iesh for disbolcal purposes.
The crime was traced TO HIM; he was ar
rested, tried at the Assizes before our late
Chief Judge, Sir Adam Glib Ellis-now in
the West Indies-snd condemned 10 be
banged. SIR George F. Bowen was Gov
ernor al the time. and before signing the
desth.wzrrant the affair WAS discussed in
Executive Council, Sir A. q. Elhs, though
not q member, being present. After sentence
was passed upon him ficot declared that
he was beyond the power OF the Govern
ment; that the authorities could not hang
him; his sorcery placed hi, life out OF their
reach. And now mark what followed.
The chief Judge lived few miles out OF
town, aud no sooner had sentence been
passed than showers 81 stones fell upon his
house night sitter night. No sane person
free from superstition has ever doubted
that this was the work OF Picots accom-
plces and friends, who, armins themselves
with missiles, threw them upon the roof
, OF the house, and then made OF, BIT
the strangest part of the adsir consists
, IN the fact that the ss.silants could never
be discovered. Night after night s
volley OF stones was discharged. but no
trace could be obtained OF the persons who
threw them. What is OF more importance
I is the fact that the Judges lady was nearly
/. frightened 10 death, while the Judge him
self. who, in condemning Picot, alluded "a
the crime In the terms it deserved, pleaded
30 earnestly before the Executive Council
! for the mans lie that the sentence Of desti
. was reluctantly changed 10 one OF impris
onment for life. These sre simple facts
r ! From that time ''Picotism" has been 4,
! we'll defined term In Mauritiuv As Daco
itism is in Indis. Master Picot IL now wei
. aud hearty. aud his friends exultingly say
Q that he bears a charmed life, for did he mo-
T openly defy the Government 10 hang him
After this illustration Of what sorcer,
5 means in Eauritius, will proceed. As
l have stated, the most profitable part OF tn,
: business Is monopolised by the witch doc
! tors. These people profess to cure the siel
, by means OF charms and incantations
. They chiefly practice upon the superstI
ton OF the lower classes, aud, In this cit,
4 Of Port Louis. hundreds OF persons die an
= nually who have never been visited by an,
r other medical attendant. unless qualide,
practitioner IA occasionally called In at th
last moment. In order TO show how loose
ly these things are managed neel
!, only state circumstance that cam
8 under my notice few months ACC
4 i was in the consulting-room OF on
5 OF the leading doctors OF the town, whel
y the peon brought In printed paper fron
; the Office Of the Register General. II wa
medical certificate to be Oiled In by th