The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-09-11
IN HONOR OF THE GODDESS DooRcA.
Terrible Totures Undergone by Natives OF
the Island of Mauritus.

Thousands of Indians had assembled
on the grounds when l arrived and
presented a. picturesque appearance
with their yellow, pink, or scarlet
robes, wrapped in graceful folds about
them, while the men wore massive gold
OF silver ear, toe, and finger rings,
anklets, etc. An old man, who seemed
to be acting as a priest, after going
through various incantations, was ap-
preached. by a well-dressed Indian.
The old fellow muttered something
and then they both set up shout
The priest uncoiled rope and began
lashing the Indian over the head and
face, bringing blood at every blow.
The victim, or ''happy man, as he was
called, never WINGED, but stood notion
less until the fiagellation was over. He
was then smeared with ashes and
scarlet paint, and was considered one
of the heroes of the day. My attention
being attracted by a crowd at the en-
trance, [ went to see the cause, and
found young man lying quite nude
upon the ground. On making inquiries
| discovered that he had been very
sick and had made vow that II he re-
covered he would roll around the tenn
pie, and he was about to fulfill his VOW.
As he rolled along his wife went before
him to clear away any chips or stones
that might hurt him. He appeared to
be in the last stages of consumption,
and when he had completed half the
distance he tainted. Buckets of water
were thrown on him and he revived
sufficiently to continue, the crowds en-
couraging him. He finished the circle
of the temple and then tainted again.
Four men removed him to the shade of
a tamarind tree, where the women
combed the dirt out of his long hair
and washed his body. He was speech
less when | left him, and it did not
seem as if he could long survive his
task. The religious rite which is
called running upon fire created good
deal of excitement among the Wor-
+ shippers. Piles of wood were burned
! which in about one hour became bed
of live embers. These embers were
distributed over a square of about
/ twenty-six feet. An excavation a foot
deep and six feet square was made
near the embers, which was filled with
water. When everything was declared
to be ready by the priest, who was the
master of ceremonies, music was heard
in the distance and procession moved
along the grassy plain, preceded by a
man bearing platform, upon which
/ was an image dressed in Indian cos
tune, loaded with jewelry. A similar
/ procession advanced from the opposite
! side and faced the first. At a given
signal an old man with only cloth
about his loins, bearing q child in his
arms, stepped into the square and
walked across the bed of embers with.
out fiinching. Three young men fol
lowed, and then dozen rushed in and
ran across, stopping for moment tc
cool their feet in the trench filled with
water. The contortions, screeching
and yelling of the latter were terrible
and would make the stoutest heart
quail. The Indians who walk over the
fire have to pay for the privilege of sc
d doing, and they claim that it is only
when they are sinful that the fire cal
hurt them. Another form of worship
OF rather torture, was to run wire:
through the body and then work then
back and forth When the blood rar
a certain powder was thrown upon the
body so it would not show plainly.
saw men and women with skewcr
thrust through their cheeks, tongues
and lips, and one poor wretch had
sharp wire, as thick as 4 large pin, in
serted in the forehead and passet
through the face downward, until i
came out at the chin. These men pait
: So each for the privilege of having ;
wire run through them, besides othe
fees to the gods and priests.-Brookly1
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