Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-08-04
TRIED FOR SORCERY.
How the 2unis Punish Witchcraft
and Sorcery.
Frank Gushing, the Noted Explorer, De-
scribes His Experience at a Trial
by the Priesthood of the
Bow.

'''A h''
among the Zuni Indians, and as a mat
ter of course resemble those which in
past time have existed universally
among people Of that status.
myself was under suspicion on one
occasion. 1t was due to "A party exist
ing in the pueblo who we're DESTROYS Of
defeating a party which had formed
some Americans who were inimical to
me.
The American lived about twenty
miles of the pueblo. They mistook
my mission much more than | mistook
theirs, and they thought my conduct
IN living among these Indians, wear
ing their costume, eating their food,
practicing their ceremOnials and al
ways revering every thing that they
reverenced was in the highest degree
reprehensible and paganistic.
However, it happened on q certain
occasion that | went to Fort Wingate
and procured some turpentine and lin
seed oil with the dosi ion If nain,ino
red the door of my house, which faced
westward. whence come all the
storms.
Unfortunately, just at this time the
measles broke out in the pueblo and
the children were diving every dav, Il
is an extremely fatal disease with In.
dams. One daya woman, a clan sister
of mine. came 70 me and said tba, hon,
little child was extremely in of This
disonse She asked me II I had m.di.
cines that | copld ri We for tha, die.
case.
| said I had, and she asked me II |
would give the medicines TO her little
one.
yes. provided YOU will keen the
little girl in the northwest corner Of
your house, within a. line three steps
from one wall and three steps from the
other. Then | will 20 when the sun is
go high and when the sun is so low and
treat your child"
laid out his formula because for.
mule are supposed TO have quite as
much value among them as medicines,
and in the hope that it would appeal to
her more forcibly.
II she permitted the child 10 run
about the room and TO encounter cold
draughts it would inevitably die with
in four to eight days"
But the woma said, "Oh, | can't
promise to do that
'.Why?" said /.
because" she answered. 1.-THE little
one will cry to 90 OUT
.Let her cry. For if YOU let her 20
out, you and all your people will cry
when she is LOST
well" she said, at would not do,
though it were the last relation tina,
they should have
swell. then.nI said. lyon have nc
faith that | will cure the child, els,
you would, for the sake of its life, re.
strain It,"
In their estimation il is wrong I,
coerce a child since II NAV in som,
mysterious way, interfere with IN,
good development and fortunate life O
the child.
Unfortunately the child died With,
iour or five DAYS. Weeks nassad am
] heard nothing of it. but, one nigh,
after | had been asleep some time
there was a sound in the room.
woke up and pazed mistily around.
Standing near the door was the form
OF "A man. The embcrs were inst dyin,
out on my hearth in the opposite cor
ner, and | was living on the ground.
Gazing about me | realized that an
other man was moving nv foot to wax,
me up: It is their belief that n ma
mus, not be awakened except NV ,oucb
ing him at the leas, vulnerable min,
inasmuch as the soul is very loosel,
bound to the body DURING slcer
Therefore. the soul INNS, moi be rudol,
called hack for fear ,b,, lie corroc,;o,
NAV be severed. mention his (,