A. The Witch Doctors.
1. The Isanuse (Umgoma of the Zulus) is a witch doctor, who professes to have direct intercourse with the spirit world, and practices divination, or in his language, “Ukunuka” or “smelling out.” Their assistance and influence is employed in “smelling out” sorcerers or bewitchers, “Amagqira” or “Abatakati,” and although they are forbidden to practice in the [[31]]Cape Colony or Natal under heavy penalties if discovered, they practice secretly and do much harm; mysterious burnings of Kraals, etc., taking place after the departure of one of these gentry. Until recently they practiced unrestrained in Zululand and Pondoland, and exercised a truly awful power for evil; hundreds and even thousands having been “smelled out” and put to death within recent times.
Probably no more villainous and unmitigated fraud than the Kaffir “Isanuse” exists on the face of the earth. Pretending to possess the faculty of divination, he trains his memory and powers of observation to an extraordinary degree. Every little circumstance coming within his cognisance is hoarded up for future use. Nothing is too trivial, and by the assistance of spies he is kept informed of everything that goes on in his clan or tribe. Rich and influential men are, of course, the special objects of his keenest regard.
Nothing is unimportant, and such things as the pattern of a snuffbox, a dent in an assegai handle or blade, the number and etc., of shells worn in a necklet or charm, are noted for possible use against the owner, should it be advisable to convict him of Sorcery. [[32]]
Scully thus describes an hypothetical case.
Let us suppose that a child is ill, and the friends have decided to consult their Isanuse, and find out who has bewitched him, for, to the Kaffir, sickness is always due to witchcraft or “Umtagati.” A present of a goat or ox or something else is brought, depending on the wealth of the individual and the importance of the Isanuse. The friends sit down in front of the Isanuse’s hut, when he, being previously warned of their coming and its object, comes forth and tells them to “Vuma” or acknowledge what he says to be the truth. After a time of consideration he will say, “You have come to find out who has bewitched the child of ‘Sogolima.’” All clap their hands and shout “Vuma” “Siyavuma,” we acknowledge.
If a false statement is made, the clapping and shouting is involuntarily not so emphatic, when he will say, “No you lie, it is not so and so,” when loud shouts of “Siyavuma, Siyavuma mhloko! Siyavuma!!!” and clapping of hands will show how his hearers admire his wonderful powers.
The next stage is to say who has been the bewitcher. He points at the individual whom he has decided to incriminate saying, “you [[33]]took the assegai with the crack in the handle which you mended with a thong of goat hide in the spring last year, and digging in front of the hut of the sick person, buried something (previously and in secret placed there by the Isanuse), by which you bewitched the child.” This knowledge of details fills the spectators with dread and wonder at the powers of the “doctor” and convinces his friends, who know that he has an assegai, so mended, of his guilt. The subsequent finding of the buried charm drives away all further doubt from their minds.
The accused is then dealt with, by heavy fines or physical torture or even death.