The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-10-23
TELLS OF TORTURES
new DRUG INSPIRES
Gruesome Night Ritual in
Colombia Described.

New York.-No woman Is allowed to
participate In or even to witness the
ceremony Of caapi drinking, as prac-
ticed by the aborigines Of southeast
ern Colombia, the penalty for violat-
ing this tribal law since time tmme-
mortal having been death, said DR..
Henry H. Rusby, dean Of the Columbia
University School Of Pharmacy and
honorary curator of the economic col
lections of the New York Botanical
Garden, describing the manner Of US
ing the drug caapi and its effects.
Caapi is used by the aborigines Of
South America to cast out all fear and
to impart "the valor of a warrior" said
Dean Rusby Of the drug which he dis
covered in the jungles during his recent
explorations with the Milford expedi-
ton. A quantity of caapi brought
home by Doctor -Rusby is in the hands
of laboratory investigators, whose con-
illusions are being awaited with keen
interest by scientists.
The region in southeastern Colombia
where caapi drinking prevails is called
by a name which signifies in English
''The Land Of No Regrets" which sug-
gests the Land of the Lotus Eaters"
of ancient mythology.
'The use of caapi is based upon the
native belief that all tribal misfOrtunes
or impending dangers are the work OF
a personal devil and that these dangers
can be escaped and the injuries rem
edied only through the exercising of
this evil spirit" said Dean Rusby.
Users Submit to Torture.
This exercising, he said, they believe
can only be effected through coura-
geOusly facing danger and patiently
enduring suffering. The action, too,
must be entirely voluntary and it
usually takes the form of an ordeal
by torture. The caapi is drunk to i'm
part the courage and fortitude neceS-
sary to sustain the chief actor in the
drama.
The matter is first submitted to the
all-powerful medicineman, who de-
cideS whether or not a council meeting
shall be called. If his decision is ia
yorable, the inhabitants of the sur
rounding villages are summoned by the
great signal drum made by following
out an immense tree trunk, and the
tones of which can be distinctly heard
for several miles
The council meeting is preceded and
accompanied by dances and other elab-
crate ceremonies in which both men
and women participate. ~-..-',->.
I, "For this OCCASION said Dean Rus.
by, "the men of the tribe gather and
seat themselves in two rows, the indi-
viduals facing one another, but no
woman is allowed to participate Or
even to view the ceremony. The pen
atty for violating this law has always
BEEN death, although cannot say Of
my own certain knowledge whether
this extreme severity still persists to
this day.
"The caapi may be prepared by only
one individual in the tribe and only
certain specified officials are permitted
to offer it to the drinkers. Under it's
Influence the men develop a very war
like spirit, recounting their various ex-
PLOTS in battle or when subject to
other dangers. ,,sasaa-. -e-
& Ceremony in Forest at Night.
"As their courage increases, one
after another will volunteer to undergo
the ordeal. When sufficient number
have thus volunteered, they will retire
to some remote portion Of the forest.
where the torture is inflicted"
This ceremony usually takes place at
dead Of night. The dance which &C
cornpanied the ceremony was what is
known as the Dance Of the Owls and
Frogs.
The men, stripped for the occasion
are supplied with huge gourd-like mu'
steal instruments and produce as they
dance music which, II 1t is monotonous
as to tune, is full of rhythm, being de
scribed by the explorers as very &C
curate as to time, pitch and quality Of
notes.
The dance having continued for some
time, one of the participants will hand
to a companion a cruel whip made o,
the tough splints from q palm leaf
which infiicts an intensely painful
stroke. He then turns his back while
his companion lashes him.
It is required, said Dean Rusby, thai
he continue to play his instrumen,
without the loss Of a note or any varta
ton In time or tone, and without finch
tng or manifesting any other Sign d
suffering however dight Should b.
fail In this particular, Il II Q Sign tina
20 far az he 10 concerned the evil spif1
Kriumphs and the efforts 10 Uorc1sI
n VIII be Of no avail.
II he successfully enduSes ne Dcoufg
lns, he takes The whip from The hand o.
Nis companion, vAo IN turn must -
esave blows similar 20 th0ss which b,
has indicted Ths ceremeoy continue.
xos q considerable tima. until sves,
IMAM has ben t1peAtedly seoufged sna
sihs entire body covered With weits O
s1loody maria
;. n IN goes ven, and sns seougfnl
has been properly endured they re
turn to tho council and report nc
icesxful result