The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-04-02

I
ne Tricks Enploysd ~ : nspalsivs
Looking Female Exorelser.
Major General Bisset gives the fol-
lowing account Of an African WITCH
doctor, and the secpet of her art. A
rich Kafir residing at British Kaffraria
believed himself bewitched. He was in
great pain all over his body, but partic-
ularly between the shoulders. Several
native doctors treated him in vain, and
the English physician went to see him.
and pronounced his affection acute
rheumatism. But the man would be
treated by no one except celebrated
witch-doctor from the interior, for he
said he was devoured- by animals and
reptiles internally. She was sent for.
This witch was most repulsive-lOOking
creature. Her eyes were snake-like, her
hair q tangled mass of close clotted
wool, with fishes bladders and the in
sides of reptiles tied here and there.
This hag first commenced to ''smell
OUT the bewitching matter. This she
| did in variety of ways, crawling
round the hut inside and out. burning
charms, by gesticulatiOns and exOrcisms
demanded ten head of cattle, five to be
paid ae once, and the others when the
cure was effected. We were invited to
witness the, strange proceedings. and
see her remove the living things which
she said were in the man. First, the
patient had to be- ''ovcrhauled' by this
fearful specimen of humanity. Hewas
in great pain, but she was merciless;
his arms and legs were pulled. his body
pinched and squeezed, he bowling win
pain. At last, she found the tenderest
pOint-at the extremity of his right Shout
der blade; then she began to make fantas-
tic gyrations, and declared that the rep
tiles were there. Then she hOwled, and
again crawlcd round the hut, and re-
turned with corn cob, with which she
approached the sick man an rubbed his
shOulder-blade. She then applied her
mouth to the spot, and sucked till q
stream of blood followed. She then ran
from the house to little rivulet close
by. but soon returned and again applied
her mouth to the open wound, and
brought forth renewed stream of
blood She now desired every one to
search her. and assure YOU she had
very little clothing on in which she could
hide any thing; but she made us look
into her mouth, and even into her ears.
She then re-applled her mouth to the
sick mans wound, and spat out a
grasshopper!
'sThere," said she, ''is the mOnsterl
but there are mOre!'
And she again proceeded to suck the
wound, and this time spat out black
beetle! She again acted the vampire"
and out came a lizard, long, narrow.
crawling reptile! The sick man was ex-
cited, and declared he felt better. Again
applying her mouth to the wound, she
spat out matted clOt of hair. This she
said was the bcwitching matter. Here
was mystery which we determined to
unravel. We offered the hag five
pounds to tell us how her trick was
done. She refused. Then we convert
ed it to silver. and again tempted her,
but to no avail. Next we turned it to
copper, and though this seemed like un-
told wealth to her, she was still OBJ
durate.. But when we turned it to
beads. knickknacks, loOking-glasses,
ETC., it was too much. After making us
promise solemn secrecy, she told us.
She had collected the reptiles in a
calabash. When she ran down to the
water, she gorged herself with fluid. and
then swallowed the creatures we saw
her produce; and she had the unusual
power. by an effort of nature. to bring
these living creatures back into her
mouth. The Katir was cured by the
cOunter-irritatiOn and by his imagin-
alton, and he and his benighted breth-
rem still believe that the living creatures
were taken from his body.-YoGth's
Companion.