Evening star., 1933-04-09

measure of modernity was this place
that Capt. Craige was surrounded by
every sort of mystery that ever came
out OF wiZardry. So certain were these
back country Haitians of the omnipres-
ence of malignant spirits that they took
precautions against them INCREASINGLY.
The captain himself on one occasion
was caught. laid low and bound in a
grass rope trap ingeniously laid to catch
evil spirits following a caravan on the
trail
So primitive ard SO destitute were the
people that the value of the average
dwelling vas SIPS. Tie :a1Aily DOS
sessed OF lie worth OK IS was accounted
rich. Down from the hills would come
the caravans OF women to the markes
towns. 1t was normal occurrence ~
see young woman pause by the road
size TO give birth to child and, after
an hours rest, proceed onward, carrying
the infant. 1t was a normal occurrence
70 see group of two or three about a
llre into which they would thrust their
nandS and seize live Goals In fire wor-
snip. 1t was normal to find disciples Of
Voodoo stretched stiff and moveless in
100000 enchantment In these frances
the spelibound would speak with tongues,
would propheSy and, in the mar rf the
doom.
Interesting Native Tales.
Capt. Craige tells the tale of one Ma
rine, Quaker by birth and breeding.
VINO believed in the brotherhood of man.
He sought to preach this doctrine to the
natives and, although at first skeptical.
q native chief finally was convinced
that this one Marine, at least, believed
In the doctrine of non-resistance. So
tney got him lost in the jungle, then
bound him, skinned him alive and ate
MIN. That was Mike Morris. who had
oengnted to play the mouth organ to
the simple natives. The native chief
was called Papillon, the Butterfly.
The bestiality of the native dances,
executed with religious frenzy, de-
scr1bed by Capt. Craige, and how they
often close with the ceremony of the
goat without horns-the sacrifice and
devouring Of human being. Yet it
was possible to find degrees of SIM
phclty even In so savage'a ceremony as
tne funeral OF a young Negro prince, in
the course Of which those who did not
mourn with sufficient abandon were
beaten by relatives until they did.
his residence on the terraces above
Port au Prince, his tracking of mur-
derers, his encounters with the local
politicoes and the half-castes, many of
"ioAA were cuuCdteQ at european capt-
tals and looked down on a white Marine
ofhcer as an inferior, all are told with
scholarly skill and literary grace. His
Investigations of voodooism, his amazing
encounters with the most grizzly crimes.
committed in the name of this religion.
how he was challenged to a duel by q
young Haitian hot blood are among the
things told.
| Books Of travel have been written
since the days of Herodotus, but 1t is
doubtful whether a more arresting one
than Black Bagdad" has been produced.
It's Keen scholarship may be explained
by the circumstance that, although
Capt. Craige has been q cowboy an
Alaskan gold prospector, a sailor, A
poker dealer at Goldfield, a prize fighter
mere and abroad, a newspaper reporter.
a soldier of fortune under many fiars
and both a combatant and staff officer
OF the Marine Corps, he also takes his
relaxation by reading in the ORIGINAL
Greek and Is as much at home with
Euripides and Vergil as with Robert
Service and the Five Star Final. In
BLACK Bagdad" he has brought back
the wealth of the Indies.