The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-05
A FIENDIsH CEREMONIAL.


"Now," said Smellie as he turned once
more to me. 1--WE shall probably be again
threatened on the temperance OF that
bloodthirsty villain. But whatever you
do, Hawkesley, maintain a bold front;
let him see no sign or trace whatever
OF weakness or discomposure in you. The
fellows thirst for blood is by this time
fully aroused. and every succeeding Vie
tim will be subjected TO greater refine
ment OF torture; all that diabolical
scoundrels fiendish ingenuity will now
be exercised TO devise for his victims in
creasingly atrocious and protracted ago
MES There is one, and only one hope
for u.s. which is that by a persistent re-
fusal to be terrorized by him. and
judiciously scornful demeanor. we may
at last exasperate him into infiicting
upon us the coup-de-grace at once ana
without any of the preliminary torments.
Here he comes again. Now for your own
sake dear lad, remember and act upon
my advice"
The first act OF the wretch was to dis
patch his four assistants into the forest,
whence they returned I'm a short time
with three long slender poles and a con-
siderable quantity OF creeper or monkey
rope With these, under the fetish-mans
superintendence, very tolerable set Of
light shears was speedily constructed,
which, when finished, was erected imme-
diately over the fire-now an immense
mass OF glowing smokeless cinders-in
front of the idol. The entire arrangement
was so unmstakably suggestive that /
could not restrain a violent shudder IL
occurred to me that II might possibly be
my fate to be subjected to the fiery tor
ment
All being ready. a dead silence once
more fell upon the assembly, and the
Ill Ill
once more looked keenly around him for
u victim.
AS In the first instance, so now again
was the wand pointed at Smellies breast,
and once more the cruel crafty bearer Of
II advanced on tiptoe with a stealthy cat
like tread toward us. lie approached
thus until he had reached 10 within about
ten feet OF the tree, when he once more
paused in front of us, gesticulating with
the wand and making as though about
TO strike with 1t the light blow which
seemed to be the stroke OF doom, keen
ly watching all the while for some sign
of trepdation on the part OF his victim.
Then, whilst the wretch was In the very
midst OF his fantastic genufections be-
fore us, Smellie turned TO me with
smile and observed:
Just picture TO yourself, Hawkesley,
the way I'm which that fellow would be
made TO jump If Tom Collins, the boat
swain's mate, could only approach him
from behind now and freshen his way
with just one touch OF his cat
There was perhaps not much in It; but
the picture thus suggested 10 my abnor-
mally excited imagination seemed so SUI
premely ridiculous that / incontinently
burst into a violent and uncomfortable
fit OF hysterical laughter the precise
effect which 1 afterward ascertained
Smellie was anxious To produce); so high
ly exasperating the fetish-man that,
with eyes fairly sparkling with rage. he
advanced and struck me a violent blow
on the mouth with his filthy hand, pass
ing on Immediately afterwards to seek
elsewhere for victim.
He had not far 10 seek: the miserable
wretch next me on my left was so para
lyzed with fear that he was deemed ht
and proper person to become the next
sacrifice, and almost unresistingly-untn
resistance was all too late--he was drag
ged forward into the inner circle thrown
fat upon his stomach and his hands and
feet bound securely together behind him.
Then. indeed, he seemed suddenly TO
awake TO a sense Of lHs horrid fate; and
his superhuman struggles for freedom
and ear-splittng yells were simply dread
full beyond all description 60 see and hear
The fetish-man and his assistants, con-
fident of the reliable character Of their
work. stood back and looked on quietly
ut the miserable wretch's unavailing
struggles they seemed To be regarded as
quite a part OF the entertainment, and
the unhappy creature was allowed TO
continue them unmolested until they
ceased from exhaustion.
Then, when he lay quite still, pant
ing and breathless with his eyes starting
from their sockets and the perspiration
streaming from every pore, the fetish
man approached him and deftly bending
on To his fettered limbs an end OF stout
monkey-rope, he was dragged along the
ground into the FIRE. and thence triced
IN an Instant up TO the shears, whence
NE hung suspended at the height of about
a foot Immediately over the glowing en-
bers.
The miserable sufferer bore the torment
as long as he could. and l shall never
forget the awful sight his distorted fea-
lures presented as. drawing back his head
ss fer as he could from the fierce heat, he