WITCHCRAFT.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12720, 16 February 1910, Page 4

WITCHCRAFT.

CURIOUS SURVIVALS AMONG 1 ' SAVAGES. . Throughout the savage and semiciyilised world to-day some form of witchcraft is a dominant factor in ttie life of the people. These . people are as firm believers t in witchcraft as were our own ancestors a few generations ago, and are no more and no less deluded than thejr were. - . " In the opinion of scientists, the belief iii witches and to activity of devils lingers to an eriocrmous extent among civilised people. The extent to which men. are free from these superstitious ideas measures their progress in true civilisation. This fact makes the practices of savages very important to us as well as an object of curiosity. Witchcraft is highly developed among the American Indians. The exerciser of magic, usually termed a medicine man, brings rain or tine weather, an abundance of game or whatever may- be particularly desired by the Indians, provided they pay ■him-" liberally.. If they do riot dothis then? he puts curses and "death thoughts" on. them. Tho superstitious- rites oi- tlio Indians in Alaska, British Columbia and along the Pacific Coast are made (remarkable by the curiously painted masks worn by the leading practitioners. These are quite terrifying and to a considerable degree artistic. The wizard,. priest, or medicine man of the savages is nearly always bent on extracting money or property from his victims. Among the Solomon Js-v landers a magician called the "duk duk" goes among the people and indicates those wlio havo been chosen to contribute heavily to the priests. If they fail to comply, trees fall on them and other accidents attributed to magic happen to them, Hypnotism is an important element in the more sucessful forms of . magic practised among savages. A child-Ilk© ' belief in tho supernatural and the presence or devils everywhere starts the hypnotic condition, and the grotesque costumes of the magicians and various tricks employed by them help to complete the process. Apparently all primitive savages be-' lieve that there is no natural death, | but "that death is always the work of a devil, So their lives are largely passed inpropitiating devils, who are represented by the" magicians, : Throughout the Middle Ages a profound fear of witchcraft prevailed. When an unfortunate girl fell into a j trance or cateleptio condition every- j body believed that she was bewitched i and in more than one case such a victim was burnt at tho stake in order to drive the devil out of her.