The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25
A SACRIFICE TO BHOWANI.


dawn. He carried on his shoulder his rude
pillow. consisting of two strong poles. the
one forming the beam and the other. shOd
with iron at one end. serving at once as
the share and the single handle. He drove
his two little buIlocks, already yoked. be-
fore him. His wife Mana. and his sister
Rebi, shrlly wished him luck in his days
plowing and Ramachand his little nine
year-old boy. proudly bore Sitaram's great
bamboo bow and culver of arrows, for who
could tell what evil beast father might
find in the clearing which he had made in
the forest. not to speik of the chance OF
fine fat b ok coming MS way to provide
them with feast?
Arrived at the clearing, Sitaram firmly
dashed the beam of the pillow to the yoke.
slung the bow and culver at his back and
stuck the handle OF his littfe Santhal axe
in his girdle. Then. driving the ironshod
point of the plowshare into the ground and
cheering On the little bullocks with an in
Spiriting cry. the plowman began his work.
Back and forward the little bullocks plod
ded all the long morning. The sun rose
high in heaven and poured down its rays
pitiles5ly on the little clearing Of four or
five acres StaTam was himself ready
for the midday rest when little RamchaGd
appeared with a great armful of coarse
grass which he had cut The pillow was
stopped in the furrow. the grass thrown
down before the hungry builocks, Sitaram
lay down in a shady spot to sleep through
the heat Of the day. and the boy started
off to gather sticks for the Ere at home.
When the sun began to sink toward the
west Sitaram awoke. He had had dream
which disturbed his mind. He thought he
saw the great black image Of the goddess
Bhowani. with her necklace of grinning
white human skulls. standing before him
as he had seen it in the old temple that
stood, feared and reversnced by all his
tribe. far in the recesses of the bills. The
goddess said not a word. but she looked at
him with a frowning and terrible co Mt H.
ance and brandished before his "yes the
great sacrificial knife she held in one of
her hands.
Sitaram trembled in every limb. lie
dared not try TO guess what that awful
appaTition might pOrtend. The goddess
loved human sacrifices, and though the
Sahib Log. who we're lords OF the land, did
their best to prevent them. he knew that
children were sometimes offered But the
blowing must be finished. Tomorrow he
would have 10 begin sowing, In the mean
time he would try to forget his dream.
Again, with voice and goad, he urged the
hullocks to their work The last furrow
would soon be turned II was nearly dark
when the bullocks got TO the end of that
last furroW, and Sitaram stopped them.
He had scarcely let 90 the handle OF the
pillow when something that in the uncer-
tain Light looked Ike a grdyish pun of
smoke few out OF the darkness OF the
forest and alighted with a crash on one OF
the bullOcks.
Sitaram snatched at The strong bamboo
bow and fitted an arrow on the string for
he well knew that it was one of the pair
Of tigers that the shltaris Of all the coun-
try round haf been tracking for weeks
past The beast had killed the strong
young bullock that Mana's father had
given to her husband. Sitaran drew the
bow with all his force. holding in his hand
a second arrow in case the first should
miss its mark. The tiger lay on the body
Of the PROSTATE bullock. greedily drinking
the blood which flowed from wound in
the animals throat. The arrow flew true
to its aim, and buried half its length in the
great cats shoulder. But it had been shot
from behind. and Sitaram knew he had
given neither ii mortal nor a disabling
wound. The tiger snarled savageely, and
bounded into the darkness. followed by the
second arrow.
Sitaram sorrowfully released the surviv-
ing bullock from the yoke, and drove the
trembling animal home, leaving the pillow
and tackle behind The night closed in,
and should the tiger return to feed on the
carcass Of the dead bullock there would be
no chance of another shot SO family
council was held in the little hut. Mana
and Rebi. after the4fashion OF the Santhal
women, freely giving their opinions It
was decided that in the morning Sitaram
should go and seek counsel OF old Rajand a
Lal Bhai. the tribal priest who served
the temple Of the great goddess Bh3woni.
The wisdom and sanctity Of Rajandra
Eal were renowned throughout the coun-
try even the Sahibs at Birhhum. They.
indeed. vehemently suspected him of
keeping up the old Santhal custom of hui
man sacrifice, and made many enquiries
about the matter; but nothing could be
learned from the tribesmen beyond hints
darkly dropped at the market by Santhals
whose tongues had been loOsened by eX-
cessive drinking of toddy or rice whisky,
but the sight of a white face or a police
uniform was enough to reduce them 10
silence. and that pretence of stupidity in
which. when he chooses to assume it, the
native of India, whatever may he his tribe
or caste, has no equal
The holy man. sitting on his heels on a
tigerskin spread in the porch OF the tenn