The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-02-02
ishment in these cases-the ordeal by

lie ~! s.
AS the brief twilight of the following
evening faded into night, was sum-
noned to attend the witch-doctor's cere-
monies. / found the village assembled
IN the open space by Nkula's hut. In
the center was blazing large wood fire,
|aby the side of which the medicine-man
squatted. He was a thin, meager and
hungry-looking individual, clothed from
head TO foot IN u fantastic robe of twisted
grasses dyed in patches. His hair was
abnormally long, and stuck out round
his head like a bunch of crimpled black
wire. In his hand he held quantity
fashioned stringed instrument, made of a
hollow wooden box with thin strips of
root-fiber struined tightly across it. At
calabash containing the poison to
be administered to the culprit, and
which l afterward found to be a
strong infusion of the bark of a
particular tree, and very rapid and deadly
in its effects. In the center of her people
stood Nkula, looking very calm and
stately. When the whole village was
force of her rude language. She detailed
the tragic deaths Of. her children, and
then, in loud and determined tones, an
nounced the punishment of the accused
wretch who had bewitched them.
/ L could with difficulty follow her
speech, so measured and yet so rapidly
delivered were the periods; but the inn
preston Of outraged dignity and in
tolerant pride that animated her voice.;
the profound and bitter threats of ven
geance against the offender, whom, high
or low, male or female, it was her reiter-
ated determination to punish to the bitter
end; the female fervor with which she
explained how her weird creed enforced
the rigid law of vengeance, awed and
St ON infn
thing of the same spirit that held spell
bound the hushed and awe-struck crowd
! around me. A low murmur of approba-
ton greeted her as she closed her speech
and resumed her seat-her eyes sparkling
| with excitement, her lips firmly COM
pressed with invincible determination.
During the whole of the harangue the
women around her beat their breasts with
both hands quickly and unremittingly;
and the light, regular sound echoing
along the line had a curious effect on the
listeners. II was strange, restless, pull
sating accompaniment to the words that
harmonized with the whole scene.
Then the weird and interesting cere-
mony commenced. Fuel was heaped
upon the fire until its lurid flames played
fiercely upon the set features of those
around 1t, sending red shafts of light
high up amidst the surrounding trees.
The witch-doctor seated himself on his
launches and began Il solemn monoto-
nous incantation, accompanying him.
self with running series of tones from
his stringed instrument, which, without
pretense of harmony, rang out, now
sharp and clear, now falling TO low vi
bration, as the cadences of his song were
fierce or sad. The music was savage in
the extreme. There was nothing of the
tender or the vague, the expression of the
whole conincided with the rude denun-
.il Sr,-in ion of ha lfar Ia
DEGREES of a stern fate depicted in the
song. AT its close band of women with
their bodies daubed with red and white
paint, their heads hideously decked with
feathers, marched round and round the
fire, each holding a fowl in her hand
| plucking it as she walked and throwing
the feathers in the flames. AT first their
steps were slow land majestic; then, as
the chant gathered volume they, became
quicker and quicker till nothing could be
distinguished but a maze OF whirling
black figures, over whose bodies the
leaping flames flashed. When the last
feather was plucked the fowls were
thrown on one side and each seized a
small strlnged instrument and twanged
it loudly to new chant. Faster and
faster round the fire they danced, twirl-
ling round the circle till one became giddy
with looking at them. Crash after crash
OF wild music, mingled with screams and
hooking cries, growing shriller and
sharper at each repetition, accompanied
them as they trod their mad bacchana-
liam measure, twisting their bodies into
| namelesS contortions and still whirling
nadiy round and round, until exhausted
nature gave way beneath the strain of
this maddening excitement, and one of
| them fell to the ground in a tit of violent
Mysteries.
Instantly the musicc eased and a dead
Si fol 0,1x ln
cracking and roaring of the flames. On
each face was set a look of fearful, heart
rending anxiety. Slowly the medicine
man rose, and, lifting the painting figure
from the ground, supported it in his
arms. With the wild gestures of a maniac
she seized his arm and dragged him for
ward, giving vent to a shrek
tensity that my blood ran cold.
Dragging him along with super
human force, she flung herself violently
on the ground at the feet Of Nkula and
was seized with a second horrible fit of
hysteria.
perceptible shiver went around the
assembly. Expressions. OF agonized sur
prise and fearful doubt fitted across their
features, The die was cast. The be-
witcher of Nkula's babes was Nkula her.
self! She who had been SO uncompro-
missing in her. denunciation of the culprt,
so VIndlctlve III her amnesty and so full
of threatening vengeance was singled out
by a fiat that admitted of no appeal, as
the victim of her own dread Sentence.
Who can tell what hands pulled the
strings which worked the puppets who
performed this tragedy?
The fantastic scene was dramatic in the
extreme. My eyes were riveted on
Nkula's countenance, and never shall
forget the fleeing expressions of anger,
agony, doubt, fear and despair as they
swiftly passed over her features so that
one could read as in book the tragic
course of these ineXpressible emotions.
But her native nobility asserted itself.
One moment, and no more, OF hesitation,
and she rose to her feet. Even then, be-
fore her frightened and awe-struck people
she might have flung aside the letters of
relentless fate her own tanaticism had
forged. She spoke not, and her eyes
seemed to stare duly before her as She
stretched her hand to the calabash Of
poison destined for the victim Of her
vengeance. One swift glance round on
her silent subjects, one swift culver of
the mobile features, and she raised the
bowl without trembling to her lips. Ere
one could have staid the action she was
quivering in the dust in a frightful death
agony.
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