In a few minutes L'Tunga returned, and this time he carried a wand
tipped with feathers. He stood for a moment regarding us, and then
went to the side of the tent and drew up the flap, showing poor old
Sugden asleep but barely alive. Then L'Tunga motioned me to help him
move the cot out into the sunlight.
Carefully, for this savage was as gentle as a woman, we placed Sugden
with his head facing the sun, and then L'Tunga got busy. We stood back
to give him room, and he certainly needed it. He started to dance and
chant, circling the sick bed and waving his wand round and round. I
could not understand what he chanted, but it seemed to be something
about it being time for the "devil" to leave the sick white man, since
he, L'Tunga, had come.
This ceremony must have lasted fully fifteen minutes, and Sugden slept
through it all. I watched his breathing, for I was afraid that he
would not live. The show ended with the witch-doctor picking up a
handful of dust and holding it to Sugden's nostrils. After a moment he
threw the dust to the winds and then drew from his loin-cloth a small
package wrapped in skin. This he undid, and then asked for "emantzi,
emantzi," meaning water. Crespinell brought him a little mug full of
it, and he poured all but a few tablespoonfuls on the ground. Then he
took some of the contents of the little package and mixed it with the
water in the mug.
I had been thinking rapidly. He could not hurt Sugden, since the white
man was beyond all human aid, and was only living through sheer will
power. There was a faint chance that he might do him good, and I made
up my mind to let the witch-doctor alone.
A moment later L'Tunga had forced Sugden to drink the contents of the
mug. Immediately he dropped off to sleep, as though drugged. After
watching him a moment L'Tunga turned to me and said:
"At sunrise to-morrow I will come and give him more muti. In three or
four days he will be well!"
Then, with all the dignity of a great civilized specialist, he
shouldered his magic wand and withdrew.
Sebuza and the rest of us had watched his operations with great
interest, and the young prince left shortly after, his indunas
carrying the "jewelry" and gin.
We were all curious to see the effect of the witch-doctor's
prescription, and had quite an argument about it. I found that Tuys
was sure that it would cure Sugden, and both Crespinell and Rossman
were inclined to agree with him. I remained skeptical and sent for
Sibijaan to ask him what he thought. I knew that my old playmate was
in touch with many things that a white man could not know and I asked
him about the "muti" that L'Tunga had given Sugden.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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