The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-22
WORSHIPIN APEMAMA
Continued from Page

smoke blew in my face, and the flames
streamed against and scorched my clothes.
He in the meanwhile addressed, or affected
TO address, the evil spirit, his lips moving
fast, but without sound; at the same time
he waved in the air and twice struck me
on the breast with his green spray. So
soon as the leaves were consumed the ashes
were buried. the green spray was imbed-
ded in the gravel, and the ceremony was at
an end.
4 reader of the arabian Nights" felt
quite at home. Here was the suflumiga-
ton; here was the muttering wizard; here
was the desert place to which Aladdin was
decoyed by the false uncle. But they man
age these things better in fiction. The eff
feet was marred by the levity OF the magi-
clan. entertaining his patient with small
talk like an affable dentist, and by the in
congruous presence of Mr.. Asbourne with
a camera. As for my cold, it was neither
better nor worse.
was now handed over to Temtak, the
leading practitioner or medical baronet of
Apemama. His place is on the lagoon
side of the island, hard by the palace. A
rail OF light wood, some two feet high, en-
closes an oblong piece of gravel, like the
kings Pray Place; in the midst is green
tree; below, stone table bears pair of
boxes covered with a fine mat and in front
of these an offering of food, a cocoanut.
piece of taro or fish is placed daily. On
two sides the enclosure is lined with mont
APPS; and Mr.. Strong (who had been there
to sketch) had remarked daily concourse
of people and an extraordinary number of
sick children; for this Is, in fact, the in
Urinary of Apemama. The doctor and
myself entered the sacred place alone; the
boxes and the mat were displaced, and
was enthroned in their stead upon the
stone facing once more to the east. For a
while the sorcerer remained unseen behind
me, making passesS in the air with branch
of palm. Then he struck lightly on the
brim of my straw hat, and this blow he
continued to repeat at intervals some
times brushing instead my arm and
shoulder. 1 have had people try to mes
meriZe me a dozen times, and never with
the least result. But at the first tap-on
quarter no more vital than my hat brim,
and from nothing more virtuous than
switch of palm welded by man | could
not even see-sleep rushed upon me like
an armed man. My sinews tainted, my
eyes closed, my brain hummed with
drowsness. / resisted; at first instincts
lively, then with certain furry of despair,
in the end successfully; If that were in
deed success which enabled me to scram-
bic to my feet, to stumble home somnam-
bulow, to cast myself at once upon my
bed, and sink at once into a dreamless
stupor. When | awoke my cold was gone.
So leave matter that | do not under
stand.
Meanwhile my appetite for curiosities
(not usually very keen) had been strangely
whetted by the sacred boxes. They were
OF pandanus wood, oblong in shape, with
an effect of pillaring along the sides like
straw work, lightly fringed with hair or
fibre, and standing on four legs. The out
side was neat as toy, the inside mys-
terry L was resolved to penetrate. But
there was a lion in the path. | might not
approach Temtak, since / had promised to
buy nothing in the island; dared not
have recourse to ethe king, for had al
ready received from him more gifts
than 1 knew how to repay. In
this dilemma 1.-THE schooner being at
last returned) we hit on a device. Captain
Reid came forward in my stead. professed
an unbridled passion tor the boxes, and
asked and obtained leave to bargain for
them with the wizard. That same after
noon the captain and I made haste to the
lntirmary, entered the Enclosure, raised
the mat, and had begun to examine the
boxes at our leisure when Temtak's wife
bounced out of one of the nigh houses, fell
upon us, swept up the treasures, and was
gone. There was never 3 more absolute
surprise. She came, she took, she van
lshed, we had not guess whittier; and we
remained. with foolish looks and laughter,
on the empty field. Such was the fit pro-
logue of our memorable beginning
Presently Temtak came, bringing Ia
matt along with him, both smiling; and
We four squatted without the rail. In the
three moniaps of the infirmary a certain
audience was gathered-the family OF a
sick child under treatment, the kings
sister playing cards, pretty girl who
swore l was the image of her father-in all