The Warwickshire Herald. — 1891-05-14 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SEALE WORSHIP IN DAHOMEY.  The most powerful fetish is Danh-gbwe, the tutelary saint of Whydah, and which is personified by the harmless snake so named. Its worship was introduced into Dahomey when the kingdom of Whydah was conquered and annexed. In Whydah, hidden from eyes profane by a thick grove of figt trees, is the famed Danh-hweh, or fetish snake. house. It is, according to Mr. Skertchly, nothing more than a circular swish hut—the very model of the Perim inkstand to be seen 112 every toy-shop. From the roof depended pieces of cotton yarn, and on the floor, which, in common with the walls, was whitewashed, were several pots of water. The pythons, to the number of 22, were coiled on the top of the wall, or twined around the rafters. &II these hideous reptiles are sacred. To slay one, seen by accident—for to do so purposely wauld not be dreamt of—used to entail instant sacrifice to the gods, and confiscation of all the offender's property to the fetish priests. Nowadays his punishment is not to severe, but still exemplary enough. The nffender, after a meeting of all the fetishers of the neighbourhood is convened, is seated within a hut A stick, thatched with dry grass, and built in the enclosure in front of the snake-house. His clothes and body are well daubed with j alm-oil, mixed with the fat of the murdered snake-god. At a given signal the hut is fired, and, the materials being like tinder, the unfortunate offender against the majesty of the fetish is enveloped in flames. In excruciating torttire he rushes out of the flames —his clothes on Ere—to the nearest water, pursued ay the infuriated priests, who belabour him with sticks, stones, and all sorts of rubbish. If he teaches the water he is free, and, if he is fortunate o live, has expiated his crime. But few are able to run the gauntlet, and expire before reaching the tooling water, clubbed to death by the fetishmen. —the Dank-yhice-no, or snake-mothers, as they are tailed. As the door of the snake-temple is always will, the snakes frequently wander out after night. 'all. If any person meets one, he must prostrate 'fiinself btnere it,carrying it tenderly in his arms to the temple. when his humanity to the snake-god is rewarded by his being fined for meeting the snake; and if he cannot or will not pay, is imprisoned until the uttei fleet cowry is extracted from him. Ordinary snakes may be killed with impunity-, but woe to him who injures the Mobebwe !—Cassell's Peoples of the World.  The mail bag that was stolen a few days ago from the post-office at Etchingham was found sunk by means of stones in the river near the railway line at Etchingham Station, Sussex. The practice at that village in respect to fetters is, says a correspondent, quite unique in its way, as the mailman on reaching the post-office, places the mail bag in a room in which a dog is kept, the occupants of the house being all on an upper floor. The mailman closes the window, which remains unlatched until the bag is opened for the delivery in the morning. When the bag was found it contained two or three newspapers, but it is thought that notes and orders to the value of £2OO to £3OO have been stolen..  "Biding," contributed to by the Duke or Beaufort, Mr. A. T. Watson, the Earl of Suffolk, :he Earl of Onslow. Mr. W. R. Weir, and Mr. J. Moray Brown, will be published in "The Badminton Library" next month.  Decay of Vital Power. A free remedy. Results of early errors removed. Cause, treatment and Cure of Physical Debility, Nervoueness, &c., with particulars for simple self treatment. Address— W. H. Brown, Esq., 19, Walpole Terrace, Hemp Town, Brighton, Sussex.  irs.J. aPsatteet, Boin.lloTELtreeteet, for Travelling Cloaks s  I