Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-09-18
THE BLACK SHADOW.
A VERY CURIOUS SUPERSTITION OF
THE TUPI INDIANS.

a
We have been listening to the stories
of an officer recently returned from SER
vice in the Philippines about the curl
GUS superstitions among the brown
races, when one of the party, who had
been several years resident of Brazil,
related an experience he had had
among the native Indians along the
Amazon river at the time of lunar
eclipse. He said: 81 noticed that for
several days every Indian employed in
my hosts sawmill, ten or twelve in
number, spent their entire noon hour
in making arrows and testing them by
shooting them at large tree not less
than 100 yards distant, which stood in
the clearing around the mill.
"Of course these men are familiar
with the use of firearms and use guns
in hunting. But for some reason, prob
ably tradition, superstition or proph-
ecy, stillEpreserved, it is part of near
ly every Indian boys education to
make and use bows and arrows, even
though residing in the cities. | was
astonished at the skill these men dis
played. They rarely missed the target
Or struck it so high that they could not
reach and withdraw the arrows. When
asked what so many arrows were made
for, their only answer was TO shoot
the black shadow which to me was
no explanation at all.
"Now, making these arrows is both
difficult and delicate work. Both shaft
and feathers must be carefully chosen,
while fashioning the points, which are
made of separate piece of harder wood
and charred and shaped in the fire, re-
quires both skill and patience. Only
the wing feathers of bird possess the
spiral twist necessary to give the arrow
rotary motion in flight.
''The night of the eclipse 1 went to
my hammock, as usual, not remember
ing that one was due. 1t occurred
about midnight. l was sleeping sound
ly when | was awakened by some one
gently shaking my hammock. Rous-
ing myself, / found the oldest man
employed in the mill bending over me.
The eclipse was on and the room was
so dark that l could not distinguish
his feature, but his voice was very
grave as he said in Portuguese, Par
don, senior, but do you not want the
moon to shine again?' 'Moon-what's
the matter with it?' l asked, only half
awake. 1T has gone out and will not
shine again until we shoot the black
shadow. Will the senior let me take
his gun to begin driving it away?'
81 gave him my double barrel gun
and half dozen cartridges, and he
went out. Greatly mystified, follow
ed him moment later. All the In
dians were assembled in the open space
before the house, and every one had his
bow and arrows, watching the moon,
which was now entirely obscured. 1
did not join them, fearing to disconcert
them, but watched the strange per-
formance from the door.
"First, the old man, after finding
good rest for his gun, took a long, care
full aim at the moon and fired, repeat
ing the shots as fast as he could reload.
When the cartridges were all used, the
bowmen drew up in line, and, taking
an equally careful aim, shot scores of
arrows at the offending black shadow.
Then they all sat down on the ground,
lighted their cigarettes and waited re-
suits. | left them watching and went
in and was again sleeping when the old
man awakened me by entering with
the gun. He was jubilant at the sue
cess of their assault on the black de-
mon and thanked me for my assistance
in the ponderously palite phrases char
actei istic of his race dewey Austin
Cobb in Los Angeles Times.