PART I
In a number of Lucifer
magazine (of November 15th, 1890), which I first saw lately, there
is a paper on “African Magic” by Tau-Triadelta (Blavatsky) (see link).
The writer treats the readers of “Lucifer”
to some curious information on the subject of ‘Occult schools’ —especially
African ones— which does not much tend to the elucidation of that somewhat
obscure subject. It is an interesting fact that within the last few months the
attention of the public has been repeatedly drawn to more than one of those
queer cults; but, as the writers have for the most part treated the subject
from a purely exoteric point of view, it is not surprising that their readers
should, for instance, consider, as they see suggested, that Voodoo and Obeah
are one and the same, etc., nor perhaps is such confusion a matter of great
moment, except to the student of occultism, who may be led astray by it for a
time; yet, as there lie hid under the barbarous names and fantastic mummeries
of these cults, modes of using many of the tremendous secrets and powers of the
universal occultism (gupta-vidya)
which in themselves are as powerful for evil as good, I count it part of my
duty to other students to describe them as well as I can, in the same sense as
it is the duty of every ship-master to report for the general behoof? all
uncharted reefs and currents he may encounter.
For example, in the Scientific American of the 1st of August last, Dr.
Eug. Murray-Aaron delivered himself of an article on “Obeah Poisons,” — a
subject which, if properly handled, would be of great value alike to chemists,
physicians, and occultists. He describes Obeah as “the worship and propitiation
of the eternal serpent as an emblem of evil, long ago degenerated into a series
of obscene orgies among its West Indian followers.” This, as far as it applies
to anything, is a vague description of Voodoo.
As to Obeah poisons, he makes a long list of what he says are Obeah
poisons, one of which, the yellow Savannah flower (Echitis Sub-erecta) from which Mr. Bowery, F.C.S., of Jamaica, has
prepared “Urichitine” — is a real cumulative Obeah poison. The learned doctor
had apparently not pursued his investigations far enough into Obeah and its
poisons to be aware, that every narcotic or poison made use of by Obeahmen or Voodoos
has its specific antidote, or if he was aware of the fact that the infusion of
Nhandirbu (Fevilea Cordifolia) seed
is the antidote to that particular one, he showed but small regard for his
fellow-creatures in not saying so.
From my acquaintance with those cults, I have no hesitation in saying
that their principal narcotic and tonic drugs still remain unknown to esoteric
science, and if its knowledge of them is to result in the publication of modes
of using dangerous, and almost undetectable poisons, without the safe-guard of
advertising at the same time the means of combating them, the less it learns
about them the better.
Even leaving aside poisonous drugs, there is in use among the votaries
of one of these cults an anaesthetic of wonderful power; it is a composition as
tasteless and limpid as water, is cumulative in its effects, and can be so used
that at the expiry of a certain number of days, hours, or weeks, the victim
goes off into a fainting fit, which soon deepens into a death-like trance or
coma, the duration of which can be regulated to a few minutes by the doses, or
if necessary, the victim can be recovered almost instantaneously by a very
simple procedure. This is at present used for stealing people for human sacrifice,
etc.; but it is also used for more occult purposes. I can only hope that when
official science discovers the composition of this drug, that the publication
of it will be attended with all due precaution.
Another and more innocent public reference to these cults was made at
the recent folk-lore congress; when a paper by Miss Owen (of St. Joseph’s
Missouri) on “Voodoo Magic” was read. The small amount of “Magic” in the
amusing account of her “initiation,” is distinctly of the Obeah type, — another
instance, of Obeah and Voodoo being taken one for the other. Miss Owen refers
to “the rare and precious black kidney-shaped ‘Conjir stone,’ conferring
knowledge and power on him who held it.” Kanji is the Koromantyn word,
equivalent to talisman, and usually applied to black or white kidney or
egg-shaped stones*, to which elementals are supposed to be ‘attached’; but
however much power the possession of such a stone may imply, it by no means
guarantees knowledge.
(*It is said that if a real Kanji stone be soaked for 5 to 10 minutes in
alcohol, that the latter becomes tasteless and uninflamable. I have so tested
several of these (reputed) stones without the alcohol being affected in the
least.)
Perhaps the most interesting fact in connection with Miss Owen’s paper
was the statement of Mr. Tcheraz, that the word Voodoo is probably derived from
the Armenian word Voohook meaning a
sorcerer, or the Turkish word Booyoo
meaning sorcery. Be that as it may, the Aradas call their cult “changa,” and
their sacred green poisonous snake Vidú,
whence Voodoo is an easy transition.
In addition to the above, in America the public have been interested in
some experiments to cause rainfall, which do not seem to have been attended by
any very distinct success. It may not be amiss, therefore —as the subject is of
very great importance in many parts of the world— to recite some examples of
African ‘Magical’ rain-production that go to show at any rate, that the
production of rain when required is not an impossibility, even when no dynamite
or gunpowder are to be had. It was no doubt with that laudable intention that
the London “ Graphic” recently presented its subscribers with a picture of that
rara avis the “Hindoo Fakir” being
swung by his heels as a penance to produce rain!
However, before going on with our rain-making, it may be well to clear
up a little of the obscurity which envelopes African magical cults or systems. Tau-Triadelta
writing on this subject in Lucifer, a
journal like this, more or less devoted to occult subjects, is ipso facto more to be blamed for his
additions to that obscurity, than the ‘outsiders’ above referred to. Hear him
on occultism generally, and African magic in particular!
“There are several schools of Magism, all proceeding and operating on
entirely different lines. The principal of these, and on whose philosophy all
others are founded, are the Hindu, the Tibetan, the Egyptian (including the
Arab), and the Obeah or Voodoo. The last named is entirely and fundamentally
opposed to the other three, it having its root and foundation in necromancy or
“Black magic,” while the others all operate either by what is known to experts
as “white-magic,” or in other cases by “psychologizing” the spectator.
The difference between those schools and that of the Obeah or Voodoo is
very great, because in them there is a deception or w ant of reality, in the
performance. The spectator does not really see w hat he fancies he sees; his
mind is simply impressed by the operator and the effect is produced. But in
African magic, on the contrary, there is no will-impression, the observer does
really and actually see what is taking place. The force employed by the African
necromancers is not psychological action, but demonosophy.” As he gives us to
understand that his examples happened on the West Coast of Africa, we shall
mainly refer to West African cults. The principal of these may be defined as
follows:
1) The Egyptian, or Atlantico-Egyptian school, which is the reputed
progenitor of the modern East African cult of the Kaffir races; to which belong
the interesting rain-making and other examples adduced by Tau-Triadelta.
2) The Arab or Semetic school, which in the Egypt of to-day has totally
overleaped and eclipsed the Atlantico-Egyptian, and having incorporated portions
thereof has followed the crescent all over Africa as far as the north bank of
the Congo.
3) The Voodoo, Voudou, or T’changa school, which is the tribal system of
the Arada or Rada tribe (the Yaruba and Dahoman tribes, also to a certain
extent) and which has for its totem the
Y id u or green poisonous snake (which is probably the snake otherwise known as
the 4 Green Mamba one of the African cobras, Dendraspis). That is one West African system.
4) The Obeah or Wanga school,
which is the tribal system of the Koromantyn, Popo, Ebor, and other tribes. A
second West African system, which in its West Indian development, is more or
less mixed with and kept alive by the second or Semetic school.
The last, then, are practically all that have to do with West Africa,
and their geographical and tribal limits on the West are nearly as follow:
The Semetic, includes Arabs, Moors, Fullahs, Mandingoes, etc., who are
all now more or less Mussalmans. The western boundary of its territory runs
down to a point about 200 miles north-east of Sierra Leone, from whence it runs
south-east to the Sakatu states, and thence south-east towards the Congo.
The Obeah or Wanga, is the system of nearly all the coast, and many of
the inland tribes, from about Whydale to a point south of St. Paul de Loanda.
(See Bryan Edwards’ book “History of the West Indies”, 1801)
Note: Wanga, means (a) a spell or charm, and (b) a mysterious or
poisonous drug.
The Voodoo or T’changa, is the system of the Arada tribe, whose country
is inland north-east of Lagos, between the Dahoman and Yuruba countries. It is
this vile cult which is at the bottom alike of the blood-thirsty “Customs” of
the Dahoman tribes, and the “goat without horns;” sacrifices, and cannibalism
of Haiti. The Aradas and Yurubas in the West Indies have been nick-named “black
Jew s,” both from their habits and appearance, — and perhaps from certain parts
of their cult which have some resemblance to the bloody and burnt sacrifice
part of the service of the tribal deity Jehovah.
None of these systems can be said to be “founded on necromancy,” though
doubtless, the knowledge of it, and of “Demonosophy” forms a part of them as of
all systems. ‘Psychologizing’ or the use of glamour, is common to each and all,
as may be gathered from my former notes on Obeah, and from the East African
Kaffir practice, as shown below; while even the T’changa, vile as it is, has a
white side as well as a black one.
That these systems should have some distinctive points of difference is
not surprising, and I now ask the reader to note the difference between the
rain-making of the East African Kaffir system, and that of the West African
Obeah system, which will be found considerable, and of itself ample evidence of
variety of procedure and system.
It is evident that both these rain-makings, however produced are,
judging by the purposes and results, neither Black-magic, nor yet of
necromantic origin.
« Tau-Triadelta begins his “rain-making” scene, by the description of a
Kaffir Kraal in a dry season. “For weeks and weeks there had been no rain,
although it was the rainy season. The mealies were all dying for want of water,
the cattle were being slaughtered in all directions; women and children had
died by scores,” etc., etc. (Where on the West Coast could such a description
apply? What West Coast tribe lives on mealies, and has herds of cattle?).
The king announced the arrival of two celebrated rain-makers, who would
forthwith proceed to relieve the prevailing distress *
* * a large ring
* * being formed by the squatting black men ...
the king being in the centre, and the rain-makers in front of him, they
commenced their incantations. The zenith and the horizon were eagerly examined
from time to time, but not a vestige of a cloud appeared. Presently the older
man rolled on the ground in convulsions, apparently epileptic, and his comrade
started to his feet, pointing with both hands to the copper-colored sky. All eyes
followed his gesture, and looked at the spot to which his hands pointed, but
nothing was visible.
Motionless as a stone statue, he stood with gaze riveted on the sky. In
about the space of a minute a darker shade was observable in the copper tint,
and in another minute it grew darker and darker, and in a few more seconds
developed into a black cloud, which soon overspread the heavens. In a moment a
vivid flash was seen, and the deluge that fell from that cloud, which had now
spread completely overhead, was something to be remembered. The king dismissed
the rain-makers with presents of cattle, etc. »
That is East African Kaffir rain-making. Let readers who are interested
in the point, compare with this the magnificent thunder and lightning duel
between two Zulu rain-makers in Eider Haggard’s “Allan’s Wife.” In which volume
too, will be found a Zulu rain-maker using glamour and various other phases of
occultism for beneficent purposes. There is a book on Kaffir or Zulu magic or
witchcraft in the British Museum, which to those on the spot, will doubtless
afford further illustrations.
Here is a West African Obeah rain-making scene:
« A priest from Toulouse called Père Fraisse, had brought from the Kingdom
of Juda, in Guinea, to Martinique (West Indies) a little black child of 9 or 10
years of age. Some months after the child arrived, he heard the fathers
complaining of the dryness of the weather which was affecting their garden, and
heard them wishing for rain. The child, who had begun to speak French, asked
them whether they wanted a heavy or slight shower, assuring them that he could
make a shower fall on their garden.
This proposal much astonished the fathers, but after consulting
together, they consented (because the child was not yet baptized!) to his
causing a slight shower.
The child immediately gathered three oranges, which he placed on the
ground at a little distance from each other. He prostrated himself before each
orange with a fervency and devotion which surprised the fathers. He then
gathered three little orange twigs which, after repeated prostrations, he
placed against each orange. He then prostrated himself for the third time, and
said some words with much respect and attention; then, lifting one of the
little orange twigs in his hand, he looked all round the horizon till he
perceived a very small cloud at a very great distance, lie then extended the
twigs towards it, which instantly produced a smart shower, lasting nearly an
hour. He then took the oranges and twigs and buried them.
The fathers were much surprised, particularly as not a drop fell outside
their garden , but later, they failed in getting the child to tell them the
words he used: (which probably would not have been the result had they been
Jesuits !) “the witnesses of this scene were Fathers Temple, Rosie, Bournot,
and Fraisse, of our (Dominican) order. »
(Pere Labat, “Nouveaux Voyages aux iles d’Amérique”, 1724)
It is evident that both these rain-makings, however produced are,
judging by the purposes and results, neither Black-magic, nor yet of
necromantic origin.
Comparing these two examples, we see that the East African Kaffir
produces his rain without the use of any visible or audible ceremony, simply
and directly through intense will-concentration, his capacity for which
effectually distinguishes his race, were all other points of difference
wanting, from most of the West African races. There is no recorded case within
my knowledge of the Kaffir rain-maker making use of other procedure for the
production of rain, thunder, etc.
The West African Obeahman using apian more suited to his incapacity of
intense concentration, makes use of distinct ceremonial, the active instrument
being a spell (mantra) which might be used either to produce rain directly by
vibration, or indirectly by utilization of water elementals; — in the instance
before us, probably in the latter method, when the boy’s command over the
quantity to be produced is taken into account. The Obeahman, therefore,
producing rain through indirect concentration of will, by aid of ceremonial
magic (van mantra vidya).
This comparison shows us among other things, that the feats themselves,
e. g., rain-making, etc., are common to both systems, that where the systematic
differences occur is in the modes and details of production: and that,
therefore, the difference between the various schools, as far as the philosophy
is concerned in regard to such matters, is practically nil.
Tau-Triadelta appears to be under the impression, not only that Voodoo
and Obeah are one and the same, but that (a) glamour (or, as he calls it,
psychologizing the spectator) is ipso facto white magic, and (b) that African
magic having “its root and foundation in necromancy or black magic is therefore
incapable of the use of either white magic” or glamour.
However, by another illustration drawn from his paper, — premising that
I understand from the same that he was an eye-witness of the scenes he
describes, — I shall now show that the East African Kaffir wizards do use
glamour, and further that they seem to have used it to some purpose on
Tau-Triadelta himself.
« Tau-Triadelta was with the rain-makers in their hut, and they had been
giving him some examples of their skill, when they gave him this “very
interesting exhibition. By the old man s directions we arranged ourselves round
the tire at the three points of an imaginary triangle.
The men waved their hands over the fire in rhythm with their chant, when
dozens of tic polangas, the most deadly serpents in Africa (sic) slowly crawled
out of the burning embers and, interlacing themselves together, whirled in a
mad dance on their tails round the fire; making all the while a continuous
hissing. At the word of command they all sprang into the fire and disappeared.
The young man then came round to me, and kneeling down, opened his
mouth, out of which the head of a tic polanga was quickly protruded. He
snatched it out, pulling a serpent nearly three feet long out of his throat,
and threw it also into the fire. In rapid succession he drew seven serpents
from his throat and consigned them all to the same fiery end. »
Now for the demonstration!
(a) “Tic-Polanga” is the Telugu (?) name of the Baboia Russellu” known
to Anglo-Indians also as the “Cowrie snake,” from its markings: which the best
authorities say only inhabits , a
limited area in Asia. (v. Fayrers “Thanotophidia of India.”)
(b) There are no known snakes or serpents whose structure permits them
to “dance on their tails.”
Therefore (1) either the wizards using the “demonosophy” Tau-Triadelta
credits them with, 'compelled’ certain demons (? Elementals) into the forms of
those snakes, or they caused him to see “mayavic,” or glamour forms of
tic-Polangas dancing “on their tails.”
And (2) In any case, they “psychologized” him into the belief that the
snakes he saw were real, that they were tic-Polongas in Africa, and that they
are known to the public as “the most deadly serpents in Africa.” It is to be
hoped that the “puff-adders” who have fair claims to that title, won’t be
jealous!
From this my readers will perceive that African wizards have some rotion
of glamour and its use, and that, according to Tau-Triadelta’s showing, their
magic is therefore not always “Black.” Indeed on the whole no occultist can
read his article without recognizing that glamour was the chief phase of
occultism made use of by his friends, the wizards, in the majority of the
examples narrated by him, and that it apparently had no little effect on
himself.
In Mr. J.D. Bell’s book about Obeah, which contains a variety of
miscellaneous West India ‘gup’, there is related an interesting case of
unconscious, or “mediumistic” rain-making, which is just the requisite
complement of the above conscious cases. I am not aware if there are any
similar séance-room cases on record.
« This, Mr. Bell states “happened a few years ago in St. Lucia, in
connection with a little girl, who possessed the undesirable power of causing
rain to fall wherever she might be. The first shower came on quite suddenly,
and one day the mother of the child was astounded on being told that rain was
falling in the bed-room at that moment occupied by the little girl. Hushing
upstairs, at once, the lady did actually find a smart shower of water falling
from the ceiling and soaking into the floor.
Umbrellas had to be called into immediate requisition in order to
investigate the mystery. It could only however be “constate” that, although
perfectly fine and dry outside, rain was undoubtedly falling in broad
day-light, in the room occupied by the little girl. The child was taken into
another room with the immediate effect of producing another equally smart
shower, whereas the room she had just vacated became quite dry again.
The unfortunate little girl was hurried from one room to another, upstairs
and down again, only with the same invariable effect. She was ultimately taken
into the garden in the hope that she might water some beds of vegetables which
sadly needed irrigation, but unfortunately this watering little girl obtained
no effect outside, and was found to cause showers in undesirable places, such
as bed-rooms and kitchens. The news soon spread abroad, and numbers came to see
this young phenomenon,......but happily this attack of waterworks only lasted a
few days........-
All joking apart, this wonderful incident did really occur as numbers of
residents in St. Lucia can testify, nor is the case a solitary one. »
(“Obeah”, London, 1889)
The veriest tyro in occult study knows that whatever can be done
negatively, or unconsciously by a Medium, or in the aura of one can be done
positively and consciously by the possession of a trained will as, in all
probability, in the West African rain-making, and in this latter negative case,
the actual rain-making was done by “Water Elementals.”
It would add greatly to the comprehension of these and like phenomena if
some learned brother would give us accounts of the water, air, and earth
elementals from the Indian point of view, like those which Col. Olcott gave ns
of the Fire Elementals, at p.266 et seq. of the last volume of the Theosophist.
The most valuable example of Obeah related by Mr. Bell, is made more
interesting by its going to illustrate the fact that the ‘high-grade’ fiats of
Mr. Congo Brown, —alluded to in my former notes— have not become quite obsolete.
I refer particularly to the alleged flying away of his bf other and his
mysterious removal of the hogsheads of sugar. It is this:
A Roman Catholic priest relates:
« Some years ago I was in Trinidad, and the Archbishop sent me to take
charge of a parish far in the interior of the island, at that time very little
known and developed. There being no presbytery, I had to make shift, until I
could build one, with part of a small wooden house, of which one room was
occupied by an old colored woman, who lived with a little girl.
This woman was looked on with a good deal of dread by the people, being
supposed to possess a knowledge of a good many unholy tricks, and it was
confidently hoped that my near neighborhood would do her good, and at all
events induce her to be seen now and then at church, which is here a great sign
of respectability. When taking possession of my part of the house, I was shown
her room, and noticed particularly that it contained some very handsome pieces
of the massive furniture so much esteemed by the Creoles.
A tremendous family four-poster with very heavy, handsomely turned
pillars, stood in one corner near a ponderous mahogony wardrobe, and various
other bits of heavy furniture pretty well filled the little room. The door of
her apartment opened into my room, which she had to pass through every time she
went out of the house .................... The night after my taking
possession, I heard a monotonous sound through the partition, as of some one
crooning a sing-song tune.
This continued for over an hour, and more than once I felt inclined to
rap at the partition, and beg the old dame to stop her incantations, but it
finally acted as a lullaby; and I soon dropped asleep. Next morning, having got
up and dressed, I noticed that all was perfectly silent next door, and on
listening attentively failed to hear a sound; I feared something had gone
wrong, but noticed that the door leading outside had not been opened, as a
chair I had placed against it was in precisely the same position as I had left
it.
I then knocked at her door several times, but obtained no answer;
fearing an accident had happened, I opened the door, and as it swung back on
its hinges, I was astounded to see the room perfectly empty, and evidently
swept (clean. On examining the room carefully, I found it only had two small
windows, besides the door leading into my room. From that day to this, neither
I nor any one living in that district has ever seen or beard anything of that
woman or her little girl.
How she moved all her heavy furniture out of that little room, has ever
remained, an inexplicable mystery. I would have defied any one to move the
wardrobe alone, and even if the old woman had had strength to move the
furniture away, she could never have dragged it through my room without waking
me! »
Query: Did the near approach of the ‘odor of sanctity’ cause the ‘vile
sorceress’ to flee? Or did the old woman consider the same as a defilement?
In the above we have a broad hint as to what process Mr. Congo Brown’s
brother used when he flew away, and as to how Mr. Brown himself got those
hogsheads of sugar transported from the sugar-works to the beach. When did the
Wanga-Obeah men learn mantra-vidya?
It was assuredly never evolved from the brain of any West African black
man in the state he has been in during the 400-odd years, the European has been
in more or less close contact with him. There is nothing to show that the Arab
or Semetic system introduced it, because the contact between the two have been but
local in Africa, where communication is difficult; and in the West Indies only
occasional, and comparatively recent. This will ultimately in all probability
resolve itself into a question of races, such as — Is the West African black man,
a Lemurian remnant, a remnant of some escaped black Atlanteans, or what?
PART II
In the Trinidad Public Opinion, of July 12th, 1890, there was an
editorial on “The reported arrest of a witch,” which arrest however turned out
to be only a report; but that paper’s description of the supposed witch —which
follows— is a very good description of the popular belief in the West Indies as
to the powers and capabilities of those Obeah-practitioners know n in the
French-speaking Islands of the W.I. as “Souquiants,” and in the
English-speaking ones as “Hags.”
These term s, as will be seen later on, refer to persons who have the
power of projecting and going about in their astral bodies at will.
« This witch, in common with others of her class, was said to have passed
in through key-holes, practiced her death-dealing arts on the unfortunate inmates
of the houses into which she had entered, and by uttering certain incantations,
had caused ruin to follow upon those connected with the unfortunate families.
She was not only able to shorten the period of existence of those whom
it might please her to destroy, but she could prolong life, and when the humor favored
her she could bespeak for these health, wealth and prosperity. Not only was
she, it was stated, able to affect others, but she had also supernatural power
over her own body. She could, it was said, change her skin, and transform her
shriveled form into a ball of fire.
These were some of the sayings amongst the crowd, and from the manner in
which they expressed themselves it is to be feared that, even in this
enlightened age, the lower orders amongst us believe in witchcraft, and that
they particularly believed all that had been said of this mysterious witch. »
From this it will be seen that the Obeah-witch differs in some respects
from the European ones, as already set forth in my “Obeah” notes.
There remain one or two remarkable phases of “African Magic” to be
referred to, and I cannot do better than quote Père Labat, whose most
interesting book I have already mentioned. He had evidently made a study of
Obeah, inclusive of its toxicology; but while never doubting its reality, like
most of his co-religionists he unhesitatingly put it down to direct intercourse
with his Satanic Majesty. Here is his dictum
on the subject:
« I know that there are people who look upon the reports of the can trips
of sorcerers and their pacts with the devil as purely effects of imagination or
as ridiculous stories. I even entertained these sentiments myself for a long
time. I know others who exaggerate often in their accounts of such matters, but
I believe that it may be considered that all they say is not entirely false,
although perhaps it may not be entirely true.
However, I was persuaded that there are some absolutely true facts
(under such stories), and some of these following I have been eye-witness of,
while of the others I have all the certitude one could desire to be assured of
the verity of a fact. »
The Père was a man of intellect, and of the highest culture of his time,
but as he clearly states, when “Les black
men sorciers” fell into his hands, he spared nothing to ensure the victory
of the crucifix over the author of evil and his emissaries. Here is a curious
sample.
« In 1698, one of our black women had been ill for a long time of a malady
unknown to our surgeons, and as I suspected slow poison, I forbade her to
receive any medicine from any one except our own surgeon.
One evening, I was told that there was a black man in her hut giving her
medicine, (as had been forbidden). I immediately took steps to chastise and
drive him away. As I approached the door of the hut, I stopped, and looked
through the wattle work of which the hut was built, at what was going on. I saw
the sick woman extended on the ground on a mat, a little figure of earthenware
was on a little altar in the middle of the hut: the black man ‘doctor’ was on
his knees before the figure, and seemed to pray with much attention.
After a little, he took a ‘cony’ (a half calabash) in which he had some
fire, put some gum (resin of Bursera
Balsamifera) on it and incensed the idol. At last, after several incensings
and prostrations, lie approached it, and asked it whether the black woman would
recover or not. I heard the question, but not the answer. The black woman, who
was the most interested person, and several black men who were nearer than I,
heard it, and began immediately to weep and cry. At this moment I threw open
the door, and entered with five or six others.
I caused the sorcerer, and also some of the spectators who did not
belong to our village, to be seized. I took the figure, the censer, the
medicine bag and all the pharaphernalia: and I asked the black woman why she
cried, she answered me that the devil had told her she would die in four days,
and that she had heard his voice come out of the little figure. The other black
men (spectators) affirmed the same.
To undeceive them, I said that it was the black man ‘Doctor’ who had
spoken in a counterfeit voice, and, that if the devil had been there to reply
to him, he would also have warned him of my presence, and intention of catching
him. Then I had the ‘Doctor’ ‘seized up,’ and given about 300 lashes of the
cat. He yelled like mad, and our black men
begged me to let him off; but I told them sorcerers did not feel pain, and that
he only yelled to mock me.
Then I had a seat brought, set the figure upon it, and told the ‘Doctor’
to pray the devil to deliver him out of my hands, or to carry away the figure;
and, that if he did not do one or the other, I would give him some more of the
cat. The black men who were all now assembled, trembled, and told me the devil
would kill me, and they were so convinced of this stupidity, that nothing I
could say would persuade them otherwise.
At last, to shew them I feared neither the devil nor sorcerers, I kicked
the figure in pieces, and smashing up all the sorcerer’s equipage, I put all into
a fire; and having burnt them, threw the ashes into the river. It seemed to me
that this slightly reassured the black men.
But the annoying part of this adventure was that the black woman actually
died on the fourth day, may be her imagination had been struck by the reply of
the devil, or perhaps she felt that her illness ought to carry her off about
that time. Anyhow, I took care to
confess her and had the
consolation of seeing her die a good Christian. (!!) »
The following history of a black man sorcerer who was burnt alive at St.
Thomas, in 1701, was communicated to me by Monseigneur Vanbel, Chief of the
Danish factory there:
« A black man convicted of being a sorcerer, and of having caused a little
figure of earthenware to speak, was condemned by the judge of the island to be
burned alive. Monseigneur Vanbel, meeting him on the road as lie was being
carried to execution, said to him:
- “Well, thou canst not make thy little figure speak again, it is broken!”
The black man replied:
- “If you like, Sir, I’ll make the cane you hold in your hand speak!”
This proposal filled every one with astonishment! Monseigneur Vanbel
asked the judge who was present, to delay the execution for a little, to sec if
the black man could do as he said, which was allowed. He gave the cane to the black
man, who, having planted it in the ground, and made several ceremonies before
it, asked Monseigneur Vanbel what it was he wished to know.
The latter replied that he would like to know, with regard to a vessel
which they expected, whether it had started, when it would arrive, who were on
board, and what had happened to them on the voyage. The black man recommenced
his ceremonies, after which, drawing back, he asked Monseigneur Vanbel to
approach his cane, and he would hear what he wanted to know. On approaching, Monseigneur
Vanbel heard a small, but clear and distinct voice, which said to him:
The vessel thou expects left Elsinore on such and such a day, so and
so is in command of her, and he has such and such passengers with him, thou
wilt be content with her cargo, although a squall in passing the Tropic broke
her foretopmast, and carried away her flying jib. She will arrive here within
three days.’
The black man was executed, and three days after, the vessel arrived,
and verified to the letter the entire prediction. »
What did the “powers” used by the black men in these two feats amount
to?
Perhaps only a rather low class mixture of clairvoyance, glamour and
ventriloquism. But does it not seem equally probable that Theopaea (the “art of endowing with temporary
life and intelligence, statues and blocks of inert matter”) was the means made
use of?
If so, it is proof positive that the Obeah-wanga of to-day is not the
decrepit descendant of a barbarous tribal system, but on the contrary is the
remnant of some ancient and civilized learning.
I will conclude these “elegant extracts” with one of the most
extraordinary recitals of black magical feats which it has been my fate to meet
with in a fairly authenticated state. Rudyard Kipling’s gruesome tale about the
“silver man,” was weird enough, but was in nowise authenticated, nor did it
suggest anything like the range of diabolically used powers so prominent in
this narrative.
« Monseigneur le Comte de Gennes, commanding a squadron of the King’s
ships, having taken the Fort of Corée (West Coast of Africa), in 1690, loaded
two of his vessels with black men whom he found in the captured English
Factory, and sent them off to the French W.I. Islands.
One of these vessels had some black men onboard who were highly skilled
in the sciences diaboliques: who, to escape the voyage, so effectually delayed
the vessel, that with a fair wind she was unable to accomplish in seven weeks,
the distance she usually covered under a like condition in forty-eight hours such an extraordinary event frightened the officers and crew, who were unable to
discover the cause of this mysterious delay, or to devise a remely for it.
Water and provisions began to run short, the mortality among the black men
increased to such an extent, that they had to throw a part of them overboard.
Some of them complained while dying, of a certain black woman, who they said
was the cause of their death, because, since she had threatened to eat their
hearts, they had been driven to despair by severe pains. The captain of the
vessel caused some of those black men to be opened, when they found their
hearts and livers dry, and full of air-filled bladders, while the rest of their
organs were in the ordinary state.
After some consideration, the captain had the accused black woman made
fast to a gun, and severely flogged, to make her confess the crimes she was
charged with. As she did not appear to feel the blows, the surgeon of the
vessel believing that the Prevot did not apply the cat properly; took it
himself, and struck several blows with all his strength.
The black woman still showed no signs of feeling any pain, and asked the
surgeon why lie ill-treated her so, without reason or right: and said she would
make him repent it, and would eat his heart. About three days afterwards the
surgeon died in great agony, and on holding a post mortem examination, they
found his parties nobles as dry as parchment.
When this happened, the captain did not know what to do. He could have
strangled the black woman, or thrown her overboard, but he feared she was not
alone, and that by doing so the rest would be driven to the last extremities.
He concluded to treat her well, and made her the finest promises in the world,
provided she would cause her devilments to cease. They negotiated, and agreed,
that if he would put her ashore with two or three others whom she named, she
would make the vessels go: and to shew the officer a little more of what she
could do, she asked him if he had any fruit.
He told her they had some water-melons. ‘Show them to me,’ said she, and
without my touching or even approaching them, be sure that I will eat them
within forty-eight hours.’
He accepted the offer, and showed her the water-melons at a distance,
and immediately locked them up in a coffer, the key of which he put into his
pocket not trusting it to any of his people. The second morning thereafter, the
black woman asked him where his melons were. He opened the coffer in which he
had locked them, and had much pleasure in seeing them quite en tire: but the
pleasure was short, and soon changed into vast astonishment, when he lifted
them to show them round: they were empty, nothing remaining but the sheer skin,
extended like a bladder and as dry as parchment.
They were obliged to return to land (Africa) to revitual and take in water,
there they landed the sorceress and her company, after which the vessel started
again and made a fortunate voyage.
The officers, and those of the English Factory who were prisoners in
this vessel, signed a procés verbal of these incidents, the original of which
is in the hands of Madame la Comtesse de Gennes, who gave me a copy. »
(Labat, March, 1701)
I cordially recommend this story to Psychical Researchers.
(Theosophist, 1892, February p.296-305, October p.20-24)