New-York tribune., 1910-07-17
The Horrid Rites Begin

The Horrid Rites Begin
X/HEN we were talking there came the
w loud boom boom of an extra large
tomtom out in the bush, signal that the
| ceremony of the ordeal was about to begin,
and instantly all of the small tOmtoms ceased
drumming, the dancing stopped, and every
| body crowded into the plaza, where they
seated themselves several rows deep round
an open space in the center. special Po-
sition of honor had been reserved tor MO
morundoo, Varney, Mamboura, myself, ana
other guests of honor Another boom-bOOm
from the bush and half dozen play devils
with white painted faces entered the plaza,
bearing bundles of fagots and flre torch,
and marched round the edge OF the seated
multitude singing some sort OF 1ncantat1on-
Twice round and then to the center, where
they built fire and piled up four stones on
which they balanced an iron pot and halt
filled it with boiling spring water brought
from the bush in an old kerosene can. The
songs now changed from their chanting drone
to a shout of eXultatiOn, accompanied by
wild dancing and gesticulations. sneenng
smile crept into Mamboura face.
What are they singing about? | asked.
"Now they are telling what a wonderful
devil doctor their master is and what mira
cles he performs.
And / knew that Mamboura's smile was
simply that of professional jealousy.
The water boiled furiously, play devil
ran into the bush, and there came thence a
chorus of boom-boom and wild singing. The
crowd stopped its chattering, and for a min
ute all was quiet on the plaza. With furl-
Gus outburst of tOmtOms, shouting, and sing
ing the devil doctor made his entrance, ac-
Companied by a band of play devils, eXeCut-
ing a grand march twice round the central
space and stopping before the boiling pot.
More chanting, more inCanting, more shout
ing singing and vigorous tOmtOmng, this
time taken up by the assembled natives and
all the little tomtoms. From one of the play
devils the devil doctor took red cone SINH
lar to the one | had received some months
before, and dropped it into the pot. In
moment in went another, and the play devils
danced close round the pot in circle.
Watch him c1osei" said Mamboura.
Then, as the music rose louder and the
dancing became wilder, the crafty old devil
doctor sly1y distracted from under his palm
grass skirt two additional red cones and
dropped them into the pot with a swift pass
of the hand.
Mamboura gasped in a whisper, "Ah!
Strong, strong, bad medicine"
1t was evident that the old rascal intended
to have no uncertainty about the workings
of his revenge on MomorundOO.
In my studies of the sassywood poison l
had learned that its viruence depended upon
an alkaloidal active principle which could be
only sparingly present in the devil doctors
medicine. From my experimental work and
what had been cleaned from native sources,
knew that the medicine would not be alb
sorbed or take effect for fully fifteen minutes.
| had directed Varney not to eat anything
until Just before the time for the ordeal, and
then to fill himself to the brim with boiled
rice, eaten dry, which food would delay the i
absorption of the poison and also afford
mechanical basis for the stomach to act
upon and more easily evacuate itself.
When it was evident that the time had {
arrived for the administration of the nedi- {
cine, | took from my vest pocket twodram
vial of distilled water and dropped into it T
six hypoderrnic tablets representing a total t
of half grain of apOmorphine, most pow f
erful and prompt enetic which can be ad-
by injection under the skin. This
action was concealed under large country /
cloth which | had thrown round me, and not Il