The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-08-02
ORDEAL BY BAMBOO RODS
An Extraordinary Indian Ceremony
for THE Catching.

An Extraordinary Indian Ceremony
for THE Catching.
The following extraordinary nara
ton of facts as they occurred, and
which, we are informed, We're witness
ed and can be testified to by the mem
bers of three households occupying a
large house in Bentinck street. Calcut-
ia, are so remarkable that it is worth
the while of any scientist to test them
personally, as this can be easily done
on the occasion of any theft by domes
tics in house. 1t may be added that
every servant in Calcutta is a lively
believer in its efficacy. and, If a thief.
at once cOnfesses. A Brahmin is the
worker of these marvels. He is well
known in Calcutta, and does not pro-
fess to work out his method of theft
detection for money, but leaves 1t to
those who employ him to reward him
If they think fit. 1t is said that this
is readily done. and that he makes a
good thing out of it. A cook in the
4 service of a family in the locality allud-
ed to intrusted his nephew with large
sum of money to keep in deposit The
nephew alleged that he placed the
money in an earthen pot, which he
buried. The location of the exact spot
was confided to a friend Shortly af
ter this the cook was informed by his
nephew that the pot and money had
disappeared. With the nephew's con-
sent Brahmin was summoned to dis
cover the thief, and the following is a
bare narration of the extraordinary
procedure he adopted, and usually
adopts. in all such cases. Accompanied
by an aid. he comes to the house, pro-
yided with two bamboo rods. about
sixteen feet long and an inch and half
in diameter. He also has with him a
number of fresh peepul leaves, a cocoa
nut. some rice and some vermilion and
cowries: a fresh earthen dish has to be
provided by the person who summons
him as well as a stool.
AS the servants in the house are sum
. moned. they are made to stand in a
half circle. and their names are written
J.. on each leaf, and these leaves with one
| painted with the vermiliOn are placed
on the stool. Two utter strangers are
then made to hold the bamboo rods
one in each hand, opposite each other
with their elbows far behind their hips
so that they can have little or no infiu
: ence in turning or bending the rods
Now comes the strange part Of the pro
hceedings. At the Brahmin's call OF
= each name the bamboo rods in the firsi
l instance rise together and form a semi
= circle above; they then bend and. form
ing semicircle below. gradually com,
together. pick up the leaf containing
the name called out and throw 1t ouf
of the dish. This strange process is re
peated till the name of the thief. as al
legged. is called. when they both seiz,
the leaf. lift it up. and only disengag,
II at the call of the Brahmin. who en-
treats the rods to let the leaf go. II
all appearance the two men who holC
the rods make no effort whatever. TIT
: thing is done in such an extraordinar.
+ fashion as to exceed belief. In fact,
!. reasonable human being cannot believi
4 it till he has witnessed it, and when h
has done so his amazement is all tn
greater. Here is, indeed. a marvel 70
: the scientist to puzzle over. The tw'
rods bend, come together and seiz