Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-21
nryrpIr eruI.wrrKLY NEWs
A NARROW ESCAPE.

maps INC must llHuNHV'4 ilN - iHNhNA
upon as possessing supernatural pow
ers. and Is supposed TO stand high In
favor with the lncosl Pesulu (the Great
SPIRIT or lnkulukulu GOD, hut 10
Judge him by his appearance one would
conclude that he WIS chosen mlnion
Of his satanic majesty rather than nm
angel Of the gods He and his assist
ants arc Of course frauds, as they can
not possibly produce what they claim,
but rs they continue tho services until
rain comes they arc looked upon by the
ignorant sayages rs actually possessing
this power They demand many gifts
and cattle for their Influence" and
nrc mover refused. as refusal would,
a. Is supposed, bring dire results ON tho
guilty one. II rain is needed the chief
OF the kraal calls tho local mutt 10 him
and requests that they bring rain, nc.
companying his request by gift Of
several cattle. Tho incantations are at
once commenced and continued until
rain falls, for tho mutt mover give up,
and II asked why no rain has come nay
that tho amahiozi Spirits arc angry
with tho people and that more sacri.
fees must DO made. About this stage
OF the service the chief becomes un.
easy and sends for the mutt 1manzi OF
NIL tho tribes and makes known his
wants.
arrived ut the kraal (villngc) pre-.
sided over by Chief Matokwa, a very
Intelligent man and quite friendly to
tho whites. during drought, and
learned that tho chief mutt was 10 mr.
rive next day and bring tho long wished
for rain. l concluded 10 rumnin and
Sec the old rogue 30 through his magic
and sacrifices. AS the sun came up
next morning was awakened by ter
riblc din, and upon arising found that
tho chlef mutt aman,i had arrived.
Preparations wore carried ON all dry
for sacrifices that wcro 10 be offered
next day, and found that tho chief
mutt had expressed his opinion that
nothing short Of u human sacrifice
would put the gods in good humor and
cause them TO lot the rains fall went
10 Matokwa aud told him this was all
humbug and not to allow any OF his
people TO be sacrificed, and after long
ind hot argument he promised that
none OF his people should DO killed.
The mutt anand became very angry at
my interference and would not speak
10 inc, but cared nothing for this, as
had. US supposed, nothing TO fear
from him.
Tho next morning broke clear and
bright and not the least sign Of rain.
All assembled In cleared spot Just
outside the kraaI and formed a semi.
circle. Tho mutt soon appeared, fol.
lowed by twenty soryitorA lie was
painted In most demonlacal fashion;
his neck and arms were bodeckod with
snakes, lizards and other loathsoino
reptiles. and his hair was stuck full
with long crow feathcrs Fircs were
kindled and ten oxen were led In ono
by Que by the servitors and slaughtered
by the mutt, the sorvitors all tho tlmo
repeating some unintolllglblo iargon.
As tho long keen knife OF the mutt
was driven Into tho poor brutos the
blood would squirt out, which was
caught In vessels and scattered In the
air and TO the four winds, tho mutt
comforting his features and wallowing
In the blood which fell to the ground.
The poor brutes while yet alive, were
ripped open, their entrails torn out and
flung hot and smoking on the fires;
this to have tho smoke and smell OF
blood roach the angry gods and cause
them TO rclent and pour out tho rains.
The flesh OF the animals was then roast.
ell aud eAten by the people, the mutt
all the thno brandishing his knife and
chanting wild and unearthly song.
Still no rain, and | could SEQ that
something deyillsh was working through
the mind OF tho mutt. | called my two
servants TO mo and told them what
had occurred tho day before In refer.
ence 10 the human sacrifice, and they
said that II the chief said his people
would not DO sacrificed wo could look
out for the lot TO fall 10 ono OF us. |
babe thom stay near mo and have their
pistols ready, for We would fight IN
preference to being sacrificed, and had
barely finished my instructions whon II
was announced that no rain would
come until the spirits had smclled and
tasted human blood.
Tho chief nodded assent .nnd IN,
young men Of the tribe trcmbllngl,
formed a circle to be Inspected by tht
mutt to sec II any would answer Ms e
a sacrifice, Myself and two servant,
were inside tho circle near tho chief
AS the mutt passed along the line all
lect terror and misery woro depleted OF
the iaocs of the young men. lilo cam,
To the spot where | and my two incl
were hesltated a moment, but passet
on returning, however, the next mo
hleht and drawing his bloody knit
across my shoulder yelled out BIAS
@llal bassellaw C'the victlml tho vic
unFl, at the same timo cominnndin,
-FOUR young men who had held the o1el
iot ,he knife, to approach aud seize In
,''V'liee' that the Great Spirit Nigh
nave human blood 10 drink and breath
,no Fragrance OF the ascending smoke q
us roasted heart"
Not seeing tho matter in the sam
ilsht as the mutt, we prepared 10 d,
iohu ourselves, In the present state ,