Evening star., 1928-04-08

Four tattooed Undanoem warriors
and some women and children sat
about the sides of the room. Each
mans blow-pipe lay beside him; they
had not removed their poisoned dart
quivers and head-hunting knives from
about their waists. Two witch-doctors,
blackened with SCOT and barbaricaliy
marked with white chaiky substance.
sat behind two large drums the sweat
coursing in Streaks down their bodies
An Undanoem witch-doctor Is human
leopard, on intimate terms with the
devil.
An old woman lay in the center OF
the floor, absolutely unconscious. In
the fiickering torch light she had the
appearance of a diSinterred corpse; a
great ring Of white had been smeared
around her mouth, scarlet from the
juice Of the betel nut. Bits of polished
bone. pieces Of wood. and strips of fur
we're tied in her struggling hair-all
charms against the devil that was
within her The wrinkled skin about
her arms and legs clung TO the bones
like shrunken leather.
A FTER had assured them that the
medicine could take effect only after
the witch-doctor had driven off the
devils, one Of the doctors rose 10 his
feet. Strips of monkey fur hung from
his arms and waist, and leopard's teeth
swung outward from his ears. About
| his wrists string OF fishs jaws clicked
| His entire body was covered with blue
| tattooings. In the dim light / could
distinguish the Sign OF the Fire, the
Leeches, and the beautiful Dyak
Dragon. He Smote the drum with his
right hand. thrust II between his thighs
like a broomStick, and began dancing
up and down, slapping II with alternate
hands, and chattering the pulsating
rhythm OF "Ka-toem- -boeng -ka -ka- hoo
dahl"
Around the sick woman he pranced
wiggling from side To side, jangiing his
array OF bones and monkey fur over her
face; around and around, rocking stiff
legged like the pendulum of a clock
beating the drum and singing until he
could no longer stand, and sank ex~
hausted upon the floor. Immediately
the second witch-d0ctor sprang up and
continued the tireless orgy of healing.
IL would go on all night; IL would go ON.
until both doctors we're too exhausted
10 lay hand 10 the rawhide drum
Az the first doctor arose TO continue
the healing, ] crept over 10 the sick
! woman and laid my hand upon her
| forehead. There was not the slightest
/ warmth. touched her pulse, peered
| closer into her face, and drew away
| she had been dead for at least an
| hour,
TT was I who was In fear of their
superstition. ! realized that. as soon
as her death was discovered. | would
be blamed, !, as an agent Of the devil
had laid my hand upon her and killed
| her; only my death could atone for It
! told the men that was going outside
| for the medicine, and would return In
the morning. No one gave any sign
| OF having heard me.
Once outside the hut Joined the two
| Punans on the hill top, and we hasten.
I'd 10 the dug out and padded back 10
the biv0liac as swiftly as possible IT.
WAS for occasions such as this that the
soldiers were necessary. ! kept guard
that night. and, although the medicine
drums were beating when we left at
dawn, we padded swiftly and kept Il
keen watch behind,
All that morning as we padded up
The river, ! could hear The medieine
drums thrObbing. ! was amazed that
| they could he heard through so many
] miles ~ Jungle, and puzzled that they
should stiil be drumming. surely the