The San Francisco call., 1896-08-09
Trans1aal
Witches
The Weird Feats
Of Di1ination
in Hfrica
One KaHffir Nagi Who
Saw Many Miles
and Read the
Future

A Calcutta correspondent sends the fol-
lowing interesting narrative illustrating
the clairvoyance of South African "witch
DOCTORS" the circumstances having oc-
Cured in the Transvaal:
Myself and friend were out on hunt
ing and prospecting trip with Boer, and
were travelling with a wagon and oxen,
with, of course, our saddle horses for long
distance work.
We had padded the hoof" for long
distance this particular day, and about 2
o'clock we had outspanned some little
distance from "sprint," or small stream
The boys had gone to the water with the
oxen, the game stew was in the three
legged iron pot over the fire and we had
thrown ourselves down under the wagon
to get smoke and rest in the shade.
Nearly on the point of uozing off to
sleep, l heard something moving in the
grass, and not knowing what it might be,
as we were far enough from civilization
for it to be almost anything, quietly got
upon my knee to look over the grass, at
the same time grasping my rifle ready for
any emergency. But there was no neces-
sity for that, as it was a Kaffir coming to
the wagon, and from his peculiar style of
dress l knew him to be witch doctor. :"
[ had often seen these fellows, and
had heard great deal about what they
could do in the way OF telling past, present
and future events, but, although the
Beers employ and believe in them, l must
say that up to this time 1 certainly had no
faith in their powers, but 1 was fated to
p ri Ior
than passing strange, and has made me
many times ask myself the question,
"What is itT'
The doctor had a belt of skins around
his loins, skin cap upon his head, with
two or three long feathers stuck in it, and
attached to his loinbelt were two or three
small bags made from kid or lambs skin,
Upon coming up to the wagon, he saluted
in Kaffir style and squatted upon his heels
without further addressing US. After a
while my friend asked: "Shall we get
him to throw his dol essen meaning
for him to throw out of one of the bags the
different articles il contained on to the
ground, and according as they laid, to read
things from them. These articles con-
sisted of pieces of glass, crockery, bone,
iron, stone, etc; in fact, an utterly worth
less medley, but from which they profess to
tell the past, present and future.
After asking him to throw them for US
he agreed to do so, but demanded that we
each give him sixpence, and loosening his
Dag he asked: "For which boss shall 1
throw frst2' Ny friend Bill was duly
elected premier. After throwing the 'ossen'
ont he Immediately began by saying that
1.-TWO or three years ago the big boss went
across the big waters to white mans coun-
try, and during the time he was there he
fell in love with young lady. He was
going to be married to her, but she died.
Now he is engaged to another young lady
in Pretoria, but although they are very
fond of each other they will never marry,
as her father will break the engagement
because he has not money enough to please
him."
During the time the doctor was saying
this he did not raise his eyes from the
"ossen.' 1t seemed as if he were really
reading something from them; and Bill
and l were looking at one another in as
tonishment, as it was perfectly true that
he was in Europe at the time mentioned,
and while touring on the Continent fell in
with a very nice, Jolly German family
travelling in the same direction, got very
intimate with them, and eventually fell
in love with the daughter and was engaged
TO be married to her IN the following
September when, to his great sorrow,
she fell i'll and died. Thus the past event
told was correct.
1t was also true that at the present time
he was engaged to a young lady in Pre-
toria. l was friend of both and am sat
isfed that they were very, very fond of
each other, and were looking forward to a
happy married existence, which they both
deserved. The present was true.
Now comes the most curious part of the
affair. About four months after this the
young lady's father really did break the
stating that he did not think
Bill vas in good enough position to keep
his daughter as she bad been in the habit
of living, and he would not sanction the
match. The future came true.
After having finished with Bill the doc
tor threw the 'ossen" for me. but imme-
diately picked them up and replaced them
in the bag, saying "they were too tired,
thev would not talk to him any more"
Of course we knew there was something
M. SO ordered him to throw them again,
which he did, but only to gather them up
as before. Upon using great deal of
pressure he at last said he did not want
to hurt my feelings. as what they had to say
was not pleasant news; but upon my
again commanding him to throw and read
them he did so, and you can easily i'm
aeine that under the circumstances our
curiosity was raised to great pressure to
xpow what was coming for me.
Upon looking at them for some minutes
he said: .sThe boss lives half an hour to
.oot. the other side of Proof Dorp. He is
, married man and has two little daugh-
,ers, and the youngest of them, about IS
months old, is SO very i'll that the medi-
,ine doctors say she can't live. and her
mother is walking about with her in her
arms in a very excited state, and is say
ng. she will die. and her father will
lot get home in time to see her again.
Well, you can imagine that after the
ruths he had told about Bill, and know
ng that what he was telling me about my |
oS;donoa ,,,;fa and family was also Der- /