The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
L DEVIL-INFEsTED EDEN.
Strange Experiences OF Europeans with the
Spooks of Abyssinia.
From the London Timer.


From the London Timer.
Captain Welby who has recently returned
from expedition through Abyssinia. tells tho
following extraordinary story Of tho haunted
land Of Walano:
"Ono OF the most weird and remarkable scenes
ever witnessed was in Walamo. some fortnights
journey south Of Ads Abeba. The place had
an evil reputation. and had frequently heard
that any person venturing TO enter the coun-
try became the special prey OF demons in fact
became possessed by demons OF course, pooh
poohed tho idea but nevertheless il made me
moro determined than over TO 60 there Ny
Abyssnians did not even demur when told
them Of my resolve. but the fact really was that
they did not think should DO permitted to enter
the devil-lnfested zone. On reaching tho mys-
FERROUS place found IL TO be Of great beauty.
1t was a fertile country, with luxuriant vegetable
growth intersected with streams 1t was. more
over, very billy and well timbered. The inhabi-
tants found to DO most friendly although they
told me they had never seen a white man before
So far all had gone we'll. and was more certain
than ever that the evil reputation of tho place
only based on superstitious nonsense.
do not say that subsequent experience has
left any very clear idea in my mind, and can
in no way explain the ma rvellous phenomena
which witnessed only state the facts.
The first sign of anything wrong was when
one Of my Somali escort rushed into camp shouting
'Walamo.' 'Walsmo.' He was frightfully excited
he shook violently and kicked like a mailman,
and in the interval between his shrieks he told
me that he was possessed by devil. The
whole Of that night he was neither more nor less
than a maniac but the next day he was per
fecty we'll l had been previously told that once
a man had become 'Walamo' or devil possessed
he always liable TO a second attack and
as simple measure OF precaution tho man s
rifle was taken from him. While on tho march
he had another access Of this curious Madness
in the course Of which he drew knife and rush
ing about threatened to kill everybody. 1t took
several men to hold him down. II is supposed
10 be especially dangerous TO eat food in the pres
ence OF tho 'Walamo' people. and ON one occa-
sion one Of my Sudaneses saw Walamo gazing
intenuy upon him while he was having his meal
Nothing untoward occurred at the time, but tw o
days later this man became ravng lunatic
Tho latest victim who was my headman. had
always been peaoeabla orderly fellow. but
no professed TO know before the outbreak that
he had become possessed. Certain il is that
he. like the Somali kicked and yelled and OK
hibited similar symptoms 10 the other unfor
tunate. Without intermission he shouted Wa
lamo' at tho top OF his voice and in his madness
injured three men. Eventually he had to be
tied UP. but the next day he was perfectly we'll
Thinking I could perhaps do something to
explain these extraordinary occurrences l re-.
solved to eat solemnly a meal in the presence
Of the Walamo myself When all was prepared
l had something like hundred of these people
watching me. In due time the meal was over.
and thought no moro about IT, Here should
state that had not had a days illness during
the Journey and was in the best OF health