MYSTERIES OF INDIAN MAGIC.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10574, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

MYSTERIES OF INDIAN MAGIC.

In his exhaustive review of "Malay Magic," Mr VV. W. Skeat, of the civil service of the Federated States, gives an interesting account of the regalia of Selangore. Among them is a trumpet, which no one must touch except the reigning Sultan and the heir apparent, or he will be struck with illness. Mr Skeat was anxious to examine these things, of course, and one day the Rajah Mudah allowed him to take the sacred trumpet into his hands. "1 thought nothing* more of the matter, but, by what was really a very curious coincidence, within a few days I was seized with a sharp attack of malarial influenza, which obliged me to leave the district. The report of my indisposition appears to have made a profound impression, and a Malay, who probably thought himself indebted to me for some assistance, vowed to offer sacrifice at the shrine of a local saint for my recovery" ; and Mr Skeat had to attend a banquet at the saint's tomb m gratitude for his merciful intervention. The Milanau tribe of Sarawak have a practice of depositing a large leaf, peculiarly folded, at the spot where an accident has happened to conciliate the powers of evil. A man hurt himself m the Rajah's garden, and some Milanaus employed there hastened to perform the ceremony of propitiation. The present Rajah, Sir Charles Brooke, tells what followed on his "Ten Years m Sarawak." He disliked to see this litter on thd path, and told them to remove it.' But the Milanaus said that the arm of anyone touching the leaf would swell. So the Rajah throw it away himself — and two days afterwards he had a painful swelling m his arm, which lasted a fortnight. So General Maclntyre records m "Hindoo Koh" how the mountaineers assured him that something disagreeable would happen to anyone who killed the rare albma goohal. He shot one, nevertheless, and the same day his gun burst, putting an end to the general's sport for many a day. In the Journal' of the Indian Archipelago is a narrative of Mr Jonathan Kigg's ascent of Gumung Danka, m Java, quoted by Mr Tylor, of anthropological renown. The top of that mountain is supposed to be the site of Paradise, and the Javanese believe that if the local Rajah permit any stranger to climb it a tiger would devour him. A day or two after Mr Rigg's feat a tiger killed two of the Rajah's children. Readers of the late Captain Welby's " 'Twixt Sirhad and Menelek," only need a hint to recall his singular description of a race m Africa possessed by devils, according to their neighbors' report. They think that these people transfer a sufficient number of their superfluous demons to the body of any stranger they come across, looking out for an opportunity when he is so incautious to to eat m their presence. Captain Welby laught at the tale. But on the day of arrival m the Walamo country one of his Somalis ran mad, assumed "the look of a wild man, talked utter nonsense ana raved, calling oh the Walamos, and shaking from head to foot." Presently he rushed about the camp with a knife, seeking victims. To calm the fears of his people, Captain Welby breakfasted m the open air, among Walamos, who saw him eat. Next morning he woke very ill, "as if sea sick," and suffered violent internal pains all day. As a prudent man, Captain Welby resumed his travels with speed not waiting to see the explanation of these remarkable incidents. Many Indian villages are haunted by a ghost, often that of some ancient landowner who makes himself disagreeable to new tenants. So leases, are granted m the old gentleman's name, and then ho is content usually ; but sometimes neither this or any other device will propitiate him. In such cases the spot is deserted. A piece of fine land m the valley of the Nerbudda had -fallen into this state. The ghost claiming it was especially active and malignant ; and the native revenue officers flatly refused to survey it. At length the magistrate of the district, Mr Lindsay, resolved to undertake the business himself, and got a brand new cord for the purpose. The people warned him, but he set to work— and his new cord snapped m the first field ! On the very same day he took cholera and died. Colonel Sleeman, whose "Rambles and Recollections" delighted our grandfathers— and still delight the few who know them — visited the scene a few years later. Natives who were present told him that' they saw the rope fly m ten thousand pieces, and heard demonaic bursts of laughter. But of Indian coincidences like this there is no end. Legends of tho fulfilment of a curse upon reckless Englishmen abound m print ; unfortunately they seldom have the guarantee of a responsible person, which 1 exact. But tho name of Colonel Warburton suffices. In "Thirteen Years of the Khyber," he relates how Captain Anderson, Lieutenant, Wilson, and Dr. Palmer built a house m a tope of trees at Naushedra, on the Cabul river, m 1869. A zirat (tomb of a Moslem saint) stood on the land; the guardian of it cursed them for the sacrilege. Captain Anderson was killed at polo, Lieutenant Wiliamson broke his neck while hawking. Dr. Palmer was drowned m the Ganges. Just aferwards a flood swept away their house.