The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-01

whom, high or low. male or female, it was
her reiterated determination to punish 10
the bitter end ; the fanatic ferYor with whlcn
she explained how her weird cresd enforced
the rigid law of vengeance, awed and stirred
me and infected me with something OF the
same spirit that held spell-bound the hushed
and awe-struck crowd around us. low
murmur of appreciation greeted her as she
closed her speech and resumed her seal
her eyes sparkling with excitement, her lips
firmly compressed with invincible determi-
nation. 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.
1t was strange, restless, puisating accOni-
paniment-to the words that iiarmonized with
the whole scene.
Then the weird and interesting ceremony
commenced. Fuelwa heaped upon the ire
until its lurid flames played fieTcely on thu
set features of those around it, sending red
shafts Of light nigh up amidst the surround
ing trees. The witeh-dOctor seated himself
on his launches and began a solemn mOnoto-
nous incantatlon, ACCOMPANYING himself
with running series of tones from his
stringed instrument, which, without pre-
tense to harmony, rang out now sharp and
clear, now falling to
A LOW VIBRATION.
As the cadence of his song were fierce or
sad. The music was savage in the extreme.
1ltIe WAS QOIUlDS OIL the LeuueT NdSu6S
the expression conceded with the rude de-
nunciati0n and the description of the unal-
terable DEGREES of a stern fate depicted in
Ethe song. At its close band of women.
with their bodies daubed with red and
white paint, their heads hideously
and around the fire, each holding
fowl in her hand, plucking it as she
walked and throwing the feathers in the
names. At first their steps were slow and
thn hnr tHnr nhU VII
ume. they became quicker and quicker. till
nothing could be distinguished but maze
of Nhiriing 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 q small
stringed instrument and twaDged it loudly
TO a new chant. Faster and faster around
the fire they danced, twlrling round In
circle till one BECAME giddy looking at them.
Crash after crash of wild music, with
screams and hooking cries, growing shrilier
and sharper at each repetition, accompanied
them as they trod their mad bacchanalian
measure, twisting their bodies into name
less coniortions and still whirling madly
round and round, until exhausted nature
gave way beneath tie strain OF this madden
ing excitement, and one OF them fell to tho
ground in fit of violent Mysteries.
Instantly the music stopped and dead
silence followed broken only by the crack
ling and roaring CT the flames. On each face
was set look of fearful, heart-rending anx-
iety. Slowly the medicine man rose, and
lifting the painting figure from the ground,
supported it in his arms With the wild
gesture of a maniac she seized his arm and
dragged him forward. giving vent to a shrek
so wild and deSpairing in its Intensity thai
my blood ran cold. Dragging hun along
with superhuman force she flung herself
violently on the ground at the feet of Nkula
and was seized with second horrible fit of
hysteria.
A perceptible SILVER 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 uncompromiS-
ing in her denupcation of the culprit, so
vlndictiye in her luminosity and so full OF
threatening vengeance, was singled out by a
fat that admitted of no appeal, as the vic
tim of her own dread sentence. Who could
tell what hands pulled the strings which
worked the puppets who performed this
tragedy?
The fantastic scene was dramatic in the
extreme. Ny eyes were riveted on Nkulas
countenance, and never shall l forget the
heeting expressions of anger, agony, doubt,
fear and despair as they passed over her
features So that one could read as In book
the tragic course of those inexpreSslble
emotions.
But her native nobility asserted Itself
One moment, and no more, of hesitation,
and she rose to her feet Even then, before
her affrighIed and awe-struck people she
might have flung aside the letters OF relent-
less fate her own fanaticism had forged.
But her nature was of sterner stuff. She
Spoke not, and her eyes seemed TO stare
duly before her as she stretched her hand
to the calabaah 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 Quiyering in the dust IL a frightful
death agOpy.-Gentleman' Magazine.