Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-08-03
MIRACLES IN AFRICA.
R1suLTs OF A FETCH DocToR,s
WONDER WORKINGS.

II
custs-Saved . Steamboat.
There are plenty of black persons
among the barbarous tribes Of Africa
who make living by their wits. Some
OF these bright fellows are fetch doc
tors, curing disease by their incanta-
tons, selling charms that bring to pass
all manner Of things desired by their
customers, and for a large considera.
ton, insuring copious rainfall when
the crops are thirsty, or victory In the
war to which the young fighters are
marching. Great is their renown when
the charms are efficacious. But fetch
doctors are not a bit embarrassed
when the medicine fails to work, for
they have plenty Of plausible excuses
to relieve them from all responsibility.
An old native Of Karonga, on the
northwest coast Of Lake Nyassa, has
enjoyed for some years a great repu-
tation as a miracle worker. He has a
great deal Of shrewdness and undoubt-
edly more knowledge than the people
around him. Even the white men open
their eyes in surprise at the apparent
Il
his fame has spread throughout the
region between Lakes Nyassa and Tan
ganyiki. One of his miracles a while
| ago was of considerable advantage to
the whites, and this Is how 1t happens
that Captain Boileau, who crossed the
| Nyassa Tanganyika as a member Of
the Anglo-German Boundary Commits
sion and is civil engineer by profess
sion, thought it worth while to tell
something about the black wonder
| worker
His first attempt at working a mira
Gle was a great success and made him
famous in day. Some six years ago
| the people far and wide around the
| north end Of Lake Nyassa were af
ficted with plague of locusts which
were eating up the crops. Famine
stared the country In the face. The
old man gave notice one day that the
spirits were going to use him to de-
stroy the insect pests and save the
crops and after ne had retired from
public view Tor few days he would
be able to tell the people what to do
to save their growing food supplies. 1t
was necessary first for him to climb
the Virauli Hill and pray there for
long time. So he set out for this emf
hence, which rises about 3,700 feet
above the sea. fifteen miles west Of the
large lake. He was not seen again for
several days, and when he reappeared
at the village he produced large
amount Of powder which he distribut-
ed among the natives, telling them to
mix 1t with water and sprinkle it over
their fields. His instructions were
carefully fulfilled, and the next thing
that occurred was very gratifying. The
locusts began to die by hundreds Of
thousands. In few days they all dis
appeared, and they have not since been
seen in that region in sufficient num-
bers to do any damage.
Captain Boileau does not suggest
what seems plausible, that the old man
may have discovered that his powder
would kill the locusts, and, to make n
name for himself, astonished the ma
tives by adding a supernatural ele-
ment, which was the fraudulent part
of his proceeding. The Captain seems
to think that the miracle worker was
merely favored by the appearance
among the insects of disease at the
very time his jugglery was going on.
Whatever II was, the result was all
right The plague was abated and the
miracle worker had the credit of bring
ing this blessing to pass.
The white men at the north end of
the lake were the beneficiaries of the
second miracle, and some of them were
considerably impressed by it. One day
the steamer Domira ran ashore in n
fog, and before she was floated again
her crew had given her up as lost. For
five days, with the assistance Of hun
dreds of natives, they tugged ard
hauled, but could not bulge the vessel
an inch. They were at their wits end,
and work for the time was suspended
while the white men held council on
the shore and tried to form some new
plan of rescue. They talked the mat
ter over for an hour or so without
reaching any definite idea as to the
next proceeding. Just then the old
worker Of miracles came sauntering
down to the beach and said he had
something to tell the white man.
He went on that If they would let
him try he was sure he could save the
steamboat. He declined to tell what
he would do, but said he would not
harm the vessel in any way, as the
whites would see, for they might look
on while he was engaged in the work
of salvation. The white men laughing
ly told him to go ahead If he thought
he could do any good, and he ct once
stepped brislSly about his business. He
had to. IL the miracle was to be per-
formed by daylight, for the sun was
only an hour high and there is no twi-
light in that tropical region.
Up to the village he FASTENED and
soon reappeared with white hen I'M
der his arm.> At his request boat took
him and his hen out to the stranded
vessel, and he clambered up the side
to the deck. Then he held the hen
afoft, recited few prayers and tossed
the fowl into the lake, where she was
drowned. The proceedings essential to
save the vessel had been completed.
Darkness was falling as the olu man
reached the shore. He told the white
men the problem had been solved.
They need try no new plan. All they
need to do was to give another pull