Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-11-16


Tense. he declares himself willing TO
take poison TO prove his innocence.
The poison. which Is derived from
the bark Of a native tee. Is usually
ground fine ami mixed 20 a thick
paste. from which are made five small
leaves and these are administered one
after the other TO the defendant. Dur
ing the next fifteen minutes. IL IL Is
case Of witchcraft, the bystanders
call on MolOki 1.-THE evil princlple)
10 come out.
The poison usually acts very quick
Is: it may kin 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 10 dig a hole.
lie Is then given a fowl 10 eat and
enough palm-wine 20 make him quite
intoxicated. After this he Is laid In the
hole. or possibly goes and lays him
self down. and i then buried alive
I'm order TO prevent MolOkl escaping
with his last breath. A large ire
Is kept alight ON the grave for two
days. and then the body IS exhumed
and eaten.
An innocent man is carried around
the village. decorated with beads, and
his accuser pays "A pig as cOmpensa-
ton for the false charge.
Decorated With Sears.
In color the Bambala are very dark
brown. the hair Is absolutely black
and the eye a greenish black with
yellow cornea. The face is not 81 the
ordinary negro type, but much more
refined: thick lips. for example, are
quite exceptional. end only a small
proportion have fat noses.
Tattooing is not common, but both
men and women decorate" them
selves with ornamental scars. They
re above the surface 81 the skin
sometimes more than an inch.
Tie ordinary food consists II 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 20 goats. pigs. and other do
nestle small fry. for. frogs excepted
everything helps 20 make a stew from
ants and grasshoppers up TO man.
Human flesh Is. OF course. a special
delIcacy, and its use Is forbidden 10
women. though they do not disdain
10 indulge secretly. other utbits are
4 thick white worm found in palm
trees. locusts. rats. and blood boiled
with cassava -four. Human flesh Is
not the only food forbidden TO women;
they may not eat goats flesh, hawks
vuItures. small birds. snakes. animals
hunted with weapons, crows. or par
ro-s To the rule against flesh killed
with weapons there are two eAoep-
tionS-the antelope and small rat
Rich people. who indulge In Injuries
eat kola nuts In great numbers
kind OF native pepper Is known anu
on Is obtained from the palm-nuL But
the chief cOndiment Is salt which i
made II the ashes OF water plants
There Is. however. a strong preference
for the imported salt, which Is IN
CRYSTALLINE form as a rule, the crys-
tails being perforated and strung on
4 string. which Is dipped into the
fooi-pot. on a journey salt Is eaten
as a stimulant and salt water -
also drunk.
As regards animal food, II there =
abundance il is simply boiled and eat
en- with the fingers. IL must be re-
membered that meat for the Bameaia
Is simply a bonbon. much as ehoS .
lateS are Tor us. once when white
traveller killed an elephant. which me
natives were at liberty TO consume
blood. skin. and bones. II they pleased
after they had eaten as much as the!
wanted they went 10 him and asked
for their dinner.
CannIbalIsm Is an everyday occur
renee. and. according TO the natives
themselves. who display no reilcenee
except In TIE presence Of state officials
n Is based on q sincere liking Tor