New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-27
Queer Peoples Described
BY Veteran Troyeue

before the British came and The Arso0i
chiefs could follow their own sweet viii
unmolested they would order whole VIZ
lagos or even districts % undergo the or
deal II any one offended them.
In these cases. however the people did
not actually drink the poison themselves:
each one took a fowl or dog and tied
il TO themselves with a string and theig
guilt or innocence was proved By whether
the Iuckless animal succumbed 70 the G.
fects OF the poison OF not. This poison
causes either sickness or death witain an
hour or two. Sickness. therefore, Is had
TO be the sign of Innocence.
Drinking mauve Is not the only croesl
resorted to 20 discover or test guilt ne
Rev IT, ROwley, OF the Universities MIS-
sion TO Central Africa. gives a vivid &C.
count Of a trial by divinat1u which ne
witnessed in an Anyanii v.aase t,e M
yanti are one OF the conquered tribes Nv
ing in Angonilandl.
some corn had been stolen from the EAR
den OF one OF the villagers. Tho owner
complained TO the chief Who called On
famous medicine man Hvins near. ne
people assembled round a large fs gree, ana
sticks about the size Of an ordinary l-oon
handle These. after ce~teir MYSTERIOUS
manipulations anG utterugS o' Uuinls4l-
gible gibberish he dcliverei vith mi''
ceremony to four youns Uer, tVo 9e.as
appointed % each STICK. Then itom '''
goatskin bag ba brought forte ze'r'
tail. which ne gave 20 another yor's H@A
and after that cala5ash SLED WITH peas
which he delivered to a boy.
The medicine man rolled himself o0ol,
in hideous fashion and chanted an ln-
earthly incarnation. Then came gre man
with the zebra TAIL followed p, the pos
with the caiabash. moving frst m at SLOW
IN round the men WIKI tfc Sticks. o''
presently qUickenns their steps and shaN.
ing the tail and calaba-h over t-" heals OF
the stick holders.
Ere long the spell worked. The men VIE
the sticks were subject 90 el1sn,oa'
twitchirss Of the arms am l-es l'e''
increased rapidly Till they were nearly y
commissions. They foamed at the mo-.n
and their ewes seemed stdrt-nS froN 'n'.
heads The men seemed scar.eiv a'le u
hold the sticks. which took rotary mo-
AT first and wht-led che holders round az
round IKE mad things ther
they dashed or INFO the bush. tarous
grass and thorny shrub. over e'-H
stlcle nothing stopped ,aem Iie' '''''
were torn and bleeding.
Round to the gaping assembly astl'
came went through few more r'i'''
tions. and then. rushing along lhe pN ~
a kilHng pace. halted not uI tA''
down. painting and exhausted % 70" 80
OF one Of the chiefs slave wives 80
woman happened 60 be ar home anu
sticks rolled 10 her very feet S'e'
ever. roundly denied her guilt. ana 10
she was innocent gave UauNe 20 -,,-
The bird did not die. and 50 tne "r
was acquitted. no one seeming h '-ret
disturbed that one ordeal should e"
tho other
The mauvo ordeal IS not rsa'' ,sy
pubuc trials only. tho women ar 49,
fond Of settling their utte d'nies'" LA
ences in Tins WAY. ami a ht,.r INV a-n
packet Of poison barN nrI-lt pay. -.,r,-
found in the thatch % nearly e''''
buka hut linz
4 sturdy Young negro Went one a.
with woe begoEo expression ~. ell
EImsllc for ar cmetic He AND p. I'D
had n difference of opinion anu "- 40
% drink mauve IN the morning '' ,s,sr.
was in the right Tho woman" .,.nsy
diI not play tine game ttir.> .'' 49,. ar,r.
insisted that her husband shoNl" ,r. Hd
as he had made the accHst' ~ the.
II. t.,t 49,. woman with mprecato"s
would nut In shame "A BilimssS' ~. III
refused ~ drink her share. ana ,at-
no a neishborlng village. ''aNN's .,.s ore
witted spouse 60 make PTS way, .,,s from
ieers OF his fellows. 90 see" '''
the English dOctor ,oer-
Vhe Nneonfs are simply steepeo n,en
SUI, su,''% reO ., s m them the natives
terribly afraid Of the photographs Ca. S,, ,as'
which they carried They had an I,. .t,' ,o.hi
,b ,. their picture Wa taken 'n, .s. lus
departed from thrm aud went l'. -, oou1
hon and that hence before ions 'N'
die.-John Foster Frazer