Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo, Volume 2Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
History
Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo, Volume 2
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Congo River -- Description and travel; Ethnology -- Africa, West
add to our traditions about the "Jumart." And the tale of the
elephant-hunters deceiving the animals by anointing themselves
with their droppings deserves investigation. Wounds of poisoned
arrows are healed by that which produced them. A woman's milk
cures the venomous foam which cobras spit into the eyes. A snake
as big as a beam kills and consumes men with its look. An "ill
liver," reprimanded by his father for vicious inclinations, fires
a pistol at him; the rebound of the bullet from the paternal
forehead, which remains whole, severely wounds the would-be
parricide: the ablest surgeons cannot heal the hurt, and the
flesh ever continues to be sore and raw upon the forehead, acting
like the brand of Cain.
It is said that two of a trade never agree, and accordingly we
find the hottest wrath of the missioners vented upon their rival
brethren, the Ngangas or medicine-men in Africa, and the Pages or
Tupi doctors in South America. The priestly presence deprives an
idol of all its powers, the sacerdotal power annihilates all
charms and devices, "thereby showing that the performances of
Christ's ministers are always above those of the devil's." These
"Scinghili," or "Gods of the Earth" (magicians), can sink boats,
be ferried over rivers by crocodiles, and "converse with tigers,
serpents, lions and other wild animals." The "great ugly wizards"
are "sent martyrs to the devil" on all possible occasions. One
father soundly belabours one of these "wicked Magi" with the cord
of his order, invoking all the while the aid of Saint Michael and
the rest of the saints: he enters the "hellish tabernacle, arming
himself frequently with the sign of the cross," but he retreats
for fear of a mischief from the "poor deluded pagans,"--showing
that he is, after all, but an "unbelieving Thomas." On the other
hand, the wizards solidly revenged themselves by killing and
eating Father Philip da Salesia. And the deluded ones must have
found some difficulty in discovering the superiority of exotic
over indigenous superstitions. When there is a calm at sea the
sailors stick their patron against the mast, and kneeling before
him say, "Saint Antony, our countryman, you shall be pleased to
stand there, till you have given us a fair wind to continue our
voyage!" A certain bishop of Congo makes the sign of the cross
upon a "banyan-tree," whereupon it immediately died, like the
fig-tree cursed by our-Saviour. A ship is "sunk in a trice" for
not having a chaplain on board her. The missioners strongly
recommend medals, relics, Agni-Dei, and palm-leaves consecrated
on Palm Sundays. They rage furiously against and they flog those
who wear "wizards' mats," against magic cords fastened round
young children as amulets, and against the teeth and bones of
animals, and cloth made from the rind of certain trees carried as
preservatives from disease and supernatural influences: even
banners in burial-places are "superstitious and blamable." They
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