The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-11-16

fenSe, he declares himself willing to
take poison to prove his innocence.
The poison, which Is derived from
the bark Of native tree, is usually
ground fine and mixed to q thick
paste, from which are made five small
loaxes and these are administered one
after the other to the defendant Dur.
ing the next fifteen minutes, if it is a
case of witchcraft, the bystanders
call on Moloki (the evil principle)
to come out.
The poison usually acts very quick
ly: it may kill the accused or cause
purging or vomiting. The last-named
effect alone is regarded as a proof
Of innocence. In the second case the
prisoner is compelled to dig hole.
Hb Is then given a fowl to eat and
enough palm-wine to make him quite
intoxicated. After this he is laid in the
hole, or possibly goes and lays HIM
self down, and is then buried alive
in order to prevent Moloki escaping
with his last breath. A large fire
is kept alight on the grave for two
days, and then the body is exhumed
aid eaten.
An innocent man Is carried around
tie village, decorated with beads, and
hts accuser pays a pig as compensa-
ton for the false charge.
Decorated With Scars.
In color the Bambala are very dark
brown, the hair is absolutely black,
aud the eye greenish black with
yellow cornea. The face is not of the
ordinary negro type, but much more
refined; thick lips. for example, are
/! quite exceptional, and only a small
F.; proportion have fiat noses.
| Tattooing is not common, but both
raen and women decorate" them
selves with ornamental scars. They
rise above the surface of the skin
| sometimes more than an inch.
The ordinary food consists Of manioc
-four made into a paste with water
and boiled. The leaves Of the plant
are also eaten prepared with palm
oil and pepper. Animal food Is not
limited to goats, pigs, and other do
nestle small fry, for. frogs excepted.
everything helps to make stew. from
ants and grasshoppers up to man.
Human flesh Is, Of course, a special
dalicacy, and its use Is forbidden to
women. though they do not disdair
to indulge secretly. Other titbits art
a thick white worm found in palm.
trees, locusts rats, and blood boiled
with cassava flour. Human flesh il
not the only food forbidden to women}
they may not eat goats flesh, hawks
vultures, small birds, snakes. animals
hunted with weapons. crows. or par
rots. To the rule against flesh killed
with weapons there are two excep-
tions-the antelope and small rat.
Rich people. who indulge in luxuries,
eat kola nuts in great numbers. A
kind of native pepper is known, and
oil is obtained from the palm-nut. But
the chief cOndiment is salt, which Is
made of the ashes Of water plants
There is, however. strong preference
| for the imported salt, which is in
| CRYSTALLINE form as a rule, the crys-
tails being perforated and strung on
a string, which is dipped into the
food-pot. On a journey salt is eaten
as a stimulant and salt water is
also drunk.
AS regards animal food, If there is
abundance it is simply boiled and eat
en- with the fingers. 1t must be re-
membered that meat for the Bambala
Is simply a bonbon, much US choco-
lates are for us. Once when a white
traveller killed an elephant. which the
natives were at liberty to consume
blood, skin. and bones. If they pleased.
after they had eaten as much as they
wanted they went to him and asked
| for their dinner.
Cannibalism is an everyday occur
renee, and. according to the natives
themselves, who display no reticence
except in the presence Of state officials.
It Is based on q sincere liking eok
human flesh. y