The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-03
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$WALK THROUGH FIRE.
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A well-knOwn traveller who had
spent some years in iourneying round
the world was asked on his return
what he regarded as the most impress
sive sight he had seen. Without the
least hesitation he replied. The fire
walkers OF Tahiti" Hundreds of Eu-
ropeans have since witnessed this
mysterious .pagan festival, not only in
Tahiti, but in Fiji. and also in Japan,
and more recently in Honolulu. This
strange firewalking ceremony has
puzzled experienced scientists. who
have beheld it. and no satisfactory So
luton has yet been discovered.
Lord Stanmore, when governor OF
Fiji once witnessed the weird festival
on the Island of Benga. Before the
priests commenced their curious rites
they We're examined by tn, governors
physician and again after their per-
formance on the heated stones. In
this instance the Fijians traversed
bed of white-hot stones several times,
swaying their bodies to and fro, and
chanting as they did SO. The heat
from the stones was SO great that
handkerchiefs thrown upon them i'm
mediately caught alight, yet the dried
fern leaves on many of the priests
ankles We're not even singed, neither
were their feet in any way damaged
by the terrific heat. The head priest
assured the governor there was no.!
trick, and the astonished onlookers
could only echo the words OF Lord
Stanmore: ''Wonderful.' "Mysteri-
ous, ''lneXplicable!
This curious heather ceremony has
hot been performed So frequently OF
late in the South Sea Islands, the last |
performance of this nature being that |
given by Papa lta, in Honolulu, in the |
presence OF several hundred persons. |
lta is the last of long line OF Tahi- |
tians, who have for many generations |
been immuned from heat and fire. and
a few facts cbout this extraordinary !
indiyitual's feat will net be without !
interest
A large square space was first dug |
DIP. Into this pit was thrown ten or |
twelve cords of. wood. Upon this wood !
was placed eight or ten tons of broken
lava. For six hours before the cere. |
mory fierce flames leaped upward [
through the stones. curling around |
them, and gradually turning them red,
and finally white hot. The venerable
Tahitian superintended the feeding of
the flames. When the wood was re. !.
duced to live Goals. the stones We're
poked together as much as possible to
make them stationary under the
weight of the tre-waker, All this
time the excitement of the spectators
was increasing in intensity.
When all was ready. Papa tia re-
moved his shoes, and placing wreath
Of tai leaves about his brow. and hold
ng a wand made Of the shrub in his
right hand high above his head. ap-
a furnace, grooming in a low,
musical tone most melancholy and
weird incarnation.
The gaping crowd held it's breath as
he man app. ached the bed of heated
stones. Without fear CT hesitation the
lged man. dressed in the fantastic
,arb of the fire-wallers. stepped upon
he rocks and passed across the fur
lace as deliberately as though it We're
carpet upon which his bare feet
ested. For fully half a minute the
Ian's feet We're upon the heated |
ccks. All this time he crooned the
weird d'rge Of the FIR goddess and
;ept his wanC of tai leaves always in
notion. ,...... --, ...
When he reached the other side and
topped off, physician came forward
nd asked to see his feet. The Tahi-
ian Immediately granted the request.
hey We're unharmed, and there was
~ trace of any secret preparation or >
hemicais which it was at once sup :