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Show BONES OF ALLEGED WITCH AREBURNEO Destruction of Hag's Home Brings Sentences PAPRKTK. Tahiti, Jan. I. DraM treatment for witchcraft recently applied ap-plied Jn the Island of Ralvavae led to a charge of arson. The government resident resi-dent then sentenced the natives concerned con-cerned tn hard labor on the roads In the neighboring Island of Tubuai. Kaivavas is one of the islands of the Austral group of the south of Tahiti In the South Heas. Recently there died In that Island an old woman who, during her lifetime (on account of her alleged powers of magic ! a nd vindictive temper) had held the islanders and particularly those of her fwmily connection In a state of fear. To offend her. according to the native story meant a speedy visitation of misfortune, sickness and even death upon those who had aroused her displeasure. For sometime before her death her wrath had been directed against some ut her nearer relative a and, conscious that her end wag near, she warned them that her passing would fail to relieve re-lieve them from her vengeance, but that even from the shades her powers would prevail acuinut them. Curiously enough, the native story run, no sooner had the old beldame been gathered to her fathers than things began to happen: sickness broke out among those laid under her curse; pigs and fowl diedfrom no apparent cause; the atmosphere about the dwellings dwel-lings seemed charged with menacing influences. With fear In their hearts the natives under affliction consulted an ancient warloxlWlloadJacdJhat the only way of escape would be to disinter the bones of the witch, beat them to powder pow-der and burn them in the house in which she died. This they did. With much ceremmony and many Incantations In-cantations by the old warlock the bones were unearthed and transported to the house and the house Itself burned down to the ground, to make assurance doubly sure. All supernatural manifestations, the natives declare, then ceaaed. Hut misfortune grievous and dire descended de-scended from another quarter. The government resident hearing of the affair af-fair summoned all who were connected connect-ed with It to his presence and on the charge of arson sentenced them to various terms of hard labor on the roads of Tubuai. |