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along-spotted deer in the glades, now and again a sambhur or ghond breaking from cover, or the more frequent pig or hog-deer, or a porcupine, to say nothing of those animals for which we more particularly looked, the tiger, panther, and bear. And birds were there that were peculiar to the Terai, the white bird of paradise; the night-jar, rising from and settling upon the ground always; the bronzed-winged pigeon, darting in and out amidst the trees like a flying gem; the golden oriel, piping its chaste and Wagnerian recitative up in the treetop; and another member of the feathered choir (whose name I wot not of) that whistled very correctly one-half of a music-hall refrain, and always forgot the remainder; and there were the more generally known pea-fowl, jungle-fowl, black partridge, and florikan, that were perhaps more admired when they came up to the

table in a stewpan than in their natural

condition.

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position, and were not only recognized
as a serious fact, but were to be spoken
of if, indeed, it was advisable to
speak of them at all to strangers — with
fitting reverence. Even the more edu-
cated were not above a lurking belief
in their existence; while for the ordi-
nary negro, that there were Duppies
around him was as undoubted a truth
as the clear sunlight in which he lived.
Now it is the general idea of English
people, even of those that have lived
all their lives in the West Indies, that
a Duppy is simply the negro equivalent
for our 66
ghost; "but after many and
patient inquiries from the negroes
themselves, this I found to be a mis-
take.

To be exact, a true "Duppy," although an apparition, is not the spirit or soul, but only the shadow of the departed. The soul being perfectly distinct from its Duppy, and going to heaven or hell as the case may be, leav

We should be glad to go on indulging in free quotation. But, cutting the story short, we must be content to say that the Thirty Years of Shikaring its shadow or Duppy to linger beought to take its place among the most attractive and instructive books on Indian wild sports. For ourselves, we shall give it an honorable place on the shelf with "The Old Forest Ranger," "The Highlands of Central India," "Tent-life in Tigerland," and " Hindu

Koh."

From The National Review.
CONCERNING "DUPPIES."

BY ALICE SPINNER,
AUTHOR OF "A STUDY IN COLOR."

hind on earth, where, unless exorcised by certain ceremonies, it may work mischief, or at best, cause annoyance to the living. For instance, the soul of a notorious evil-doer, a noted Obeah man, for example, is supposed by them, naturally enough, to go straight to hell for his crimes, but his Duppy will remain behind him; only, being the shadow of a bad man, it will partake of his vicious qualities, and probably become transformed into a "Rolling Calf," that bugbear of all negroes. A "Rolling Calf" is a very terrible creature that haunts the hillsides and lonely places to the terror of travellers. It has fiery eyes, and is accompanied by the sound as of heavy clanking chains. Apart from this, it is shaped much like an ordinary cow, and to be caught by one is death, with the additional horror of being forced afterwards to become a Rolling Calf oneself. One chance of escape, however, remains to the unfortunate victim. The Rolling Calf cannot run up hill, and It was a surprise, therefore, to find therefore if a slope can be reached so that in the daily life of the negro popu- that one is above, instead of on a level lation Duppies occupied a very or below, this terrible pursuer, safety considerable and, indeed, dignified is ensured. Possibly some dim re

WHEN I first came to Jamaica the surroundings of that lovely tropical island seemed to my unsophisticated eyes to forbid the conventional ghost. The tiny wooden boxes, bright with creepers and gay with green and white paint, that for the most part did duty for houses, offered surely neither space nor attraction to a properly constituted apparition.

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LIVING AGE.

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VOL. VII. 323

membrance of the African buffalo and | selves, although jealously guarded its habits lies at the root of this strange from any white person's eye.

tradition, for I believe a buffalo cannot charge up-hill.

I doubt, indeed, if white people have ever assisted at such a ceremony, which I beleive is much as follows, although probably it varies in detail with the locality. Burials take place immediately after death for very necessary sanitary reasons, and (presumably for this cause) the actual funeral does not take the important place it assumes with us in England.

A cow is a popular shape for even an ordinary and well-disposed Duppy to assume, and any one who has walked along a West Indian lane in the bright moonlight can well imagine how often the sudden appearance of a harmless 66 moo-cow' between the tall cactus hedges has struck terror into the hearts of weary wayfarers, for nothing can be On the third night after the death, more weird than the strange forms however, all the neighbors and friends that the tangled creeper and fantastic of the deceased person assemble, and cacti assume under such light. The hold a kind of "wake," when they whole face of the country appears sing and wail, eat and drink, to their transformed. A multitude of flowers heart's content, the whole night that only blossom at night-time now through. Hardly a week passed that open to the moonlight. Here a tall such singing could not be heard from tree trunk is white with the huge some little shanty close by, for the flowers of the sweet night-blooming whole country-side where we were cereus; there a gigantic frail white then living was densely populated. circle shows where the moonflower I was told by the servants that the hangs from some tall brauch overhead. long-drawn chants that thrilled through The very leaves assume new shapes, the night air with an indescribably for many tropical trees really sleep at melancholy effect were hymns, but the night, and with evening their foliage airs were very savage and doleful, and, folds up or doubles into unfamiliar as all negroes invariably sing their forms. Insects, quiet enough during loudest, the sounds penetrated far and the day, now wake up and begin a wide. strange and never-ending concert. There is a constant sound of whirring and chirping, squeaking, whistling, and humming in the air. The cicadas "chirr" incessantly; the bull-frogs croak; the fireflies, and their still more brilliant cousins, the Eucaya beetles, flash and sparkle everywhere.

One night, however, I heard myself more than this.

In a tiny brown hut but a hundred yards or so from my verandah a negro lad had died.

I heard of it, but without attaching much importance to it at the time. Three nights afterwards the doleful chanting and wailing began. It was so close by, that sleeping was an impossibility. Suddenly, about two or three o'clock in the morning, there was a sudden lull a silence that was almost startling in its contrast to the din that had preceded it. Then out of the silence a wild shriek of many voices arose, and I heard distinctly the

Small wonder, therefore, that the superstitious negroes, with such natural marvels around them, should add some gratuitous and grotesque inventions of their own. Journeys by the natives, on account of the heat in the daytime, are oftenest undertaken by night, and this fact has doubtless assisted in manufacturing new Duppy stories, and keeping up the old fears. words "Turn him out! Oh! turn But although to avoid "Duppies" is him out! There he is, I see him ! difficult, their appearances may be in Go 'way! Oh! turn him out!" endsome measure prevented by due re- ing in a confused babel of yells, but gard to certain rites at death-rites apparently a few moments had settled which are in consequence observed the intruder, for soon all was once with great care by the negroes them- more calm, and the singing was then

resumed and continued without inter- | which he died, it will belong to him mission until dawn. The next morn- forever, and the house will be haunted ing I naturally enquired into the cause to the great distress of the living inof the disturbance, but all the servants habitants. It is in order to prevent contented themselves with looking such a thing occurring that the followvery wise and grave and saying noth- ing ceremony is gone through : ing. At last one old negress, our washerwoman, broke the ice when I told her the words I had heard. Half hesitatingly she spoke, and in a cooking, washing, etc., is carried on. low voice.

"We no mean to tell you, missus, but 'cos you no laugh at us, an' since you hyar already dat, I tell you what it was. Dat was de young man's Duppy dat come back, and dey driving him 'way 'gain, an' dat's what de missus hyar."

Various kinds of food are placed outside in the little "yard" which every negro hut possesses, and where the

In some cases even a white cock or a goat is slaughtered for the same purpose. This is evidently an African tradition, but generally ordinary food suffices.

"Dey bery fond ob rice, drink plenty water too. Some put yams au' coffee, but I myself no tink dey care for coffee, I did not laugh, and so was rewarded although I hyar different fram oders. on this occasion by a lengthy explana- 'Spose Duppies like different tings tion as to the difference between a same as people. Anyhow, missus, it "soul" and a "Duppy," an explana- always gane by marning, so I 'spose de tion in which gradually various other Duppy like it an' eat it up," was the colored and black members of the opinion of one of the maids. household joined and helped to enlighten me.

All this done, the nearest friends and relations enter the room where the

It is from this information that I dead man died. The bed, if bed there gathered the following:

The dead person is always buried in his best clothes. His Sunday clothes if a man, but if it should be a young married woman she would probably be buried in her bridal attire, which means a white dress and a veil as in Europe, only, and, mark you, this is important, in each case all the pockets must be cut out. This is imperative, as otherwise the Duppy would utilize the pockets to carry stones with which it would pelt the living, and also the doors and windows of the house, for to throw stones and gravel is one of the favorite Duppy methods of attracting attention.

The dead person is supposed to "resurrect," as they term it, on the third night after death, when his soul goes in quest of heaven or hell as the case may be, and it is for this reason that the third night is chosen for the "wake" for on that night the "Duppy" returns to his home in hopes of finding an abode there. If he succeeds in taking possession of the house, and more especially the bed on

be, must be carefully made, with clean white sheets and pillows, so as to look as comfortable and enticing as possible, or the Duppy is not so likely to appear. The friends must then all stand round the room, holding the edges of a clean white sheet, and singing various hymns to protect them from any evil influence. The houses, by the way, are so small that a good-sized sheet would nearly or quite fill the room.

There is thus no chance of the Duppy returning unobserved,

They all stand and wait, and what with the singing and the intense strain of watching I was not surprised to hear that they feel "drefful 'fraid " at such times, although they declare that if they pray hard and sing loudly no harm can happen to them. At the exact hour of the night that the death took place, the "Duppy" will enter the house and strive to take possession of his bed. This is the crucial moment, for if once he attains his object he is safe, and it will be impossible ever afterwards to eject him. All, therefore, on seeing him must shake and

beat the white sheet, calling out to him all the water in it is poisoned at once to go away, for this rough reception and must be thrown away. The reason will startle and terrify him so much that he will be glad to slink off.

given being that "Death" cools his "sting" after destroying life in the To my mind there is something ex- first water he finds; and as no one can quisitely humorous in thus turning the tell-death being invisible — what jar tables and frightening a "bogie." he may choose, it is safest to throw it This is, however, the proper process of all away. Careful people, to save "Duppy Eviction," and one that is trouble, even carry all water out of the always observed in well-regulated ne-house immediately before a death is gro families. There is no thought of expected. cruelty or unkindness to their departed A mulatto girl told me of one woman friend, for the reason I have given, who was brave or curious enough to that the Duppy, although in the very stoop down over a water-jar immedishape and likeness of the deceased, is ately after a death had occurred. She only a shadow." The real soul of the was rewarded by hearing a curious dead is so distinctly apart from his noise, but although she knew it must Duppy that he is apparently not even be Death she dared not look up. She conscious of what may befall this described it as the faint fluttering of a "shadow Duppy" on earth. This is," bat," which it probably was — a possibly, the most curious part of the whole belief.

66

The Duppy on this solemn occasion invariably appears in the form that it wore during life, wearing the same clothes and in every detail resembling the deceased, although at other times they can take various shapes, making themselves larger or smaller as the case may be. A dog, a cat, or a small puppy are, besides the cow, already mentioned, favorite transformations.

On the ninth night the Duppy, if not sufficiently frightened already, or if particularly bold, may return again, for it is only on the ninth night that the fate of the "resurrected" soul is eternally decided. The process, therefore, has to be gone through once more, but although the ninth night is also spent in watching and singing, I was told that nothing more as a rule is seen.

On the third night, however, I have little doubt myself, that what between excitement, suspense, and terror, they actually contrive to work themselves up to such a pitch that they do believe in all good faith that they see the dreaded Duppy. The long watching, the darkness, made still more ghastly by the flickering candles, the waving white sheet, all lend themselves to the

illusion.

There is another curious superstition, that if a death occurs in the house

"bat" meaning in Jamaica any flying creature that is not a bird. Very possibly it was a huge moth, but if of the kind known as the "Black Witch," the sight would only have increased the woman's fear to have a "Black Witch " flying about the room is a sign of death. It may be mentioned by the way that there is a similar superstition to this last in many parts of France about the humming-bird hawk moth.

It is customary to remove the pillow from the dying person, so that they may die lying quite flat. For what reason the negroes do this I know not, but I am told it is always done by them. I have heard that the same thing is done in some country districts in England under the belief that it makes "dying easier." has assisted to help some unfortunates out of the world in the West Indies, for I have heard that the pillow is in many cases positively snatched away.

It probably

Although generally harmless, Duppies are not devoid of malice. In particular they hate young puppies, and will strangle any they can find unless they are protected by a red collar.

I myself saw a large family of infant puppies decorated in this way with old red rags strung round their necks, and very odd they looked, as they were hardly past the blind stage. Big dogs can, however, protect themselves, and,

indeed, Duppies are much afraid of such animals. A white chalk cross may often be seen on the door of the negro huts. This is to prevent a stray Duppy's entrance, for no Duppy can cross a threshold so protected, although the cross is of no avail if he is already in possession.

The coolies are supposed to be almost as wise as the Obeah men in Duppy lore, and are, therefore, often consulted by those in dread of such shadows. This is a curious anomaly, for otherwise there is remarkably little intercourse between the two races the industrious coolies greatly despisMost negroes wear charms against ing the negroes, and the negroes, while Duppies; indeed, many colored people, perfectly acknowledging the superiority if the truth were known. A little bag of the Eastern race, disliking them tied round the neck is no great trouble, heartily none the less. There is a and it will effectually prevent their great scarcity of women among the harming the wearer. A silver penny imported coolies, yet inter-marriages or "quattie" is in the bag, and a piece between them and the black women of garlic. "Yes, missus, an' a grain of are almost unknown, but over this one corn an' somefing else, but what that subject of Duppies they make friends. somefing else is I do not know," I was "Missus," said a chocolate-colored told by a brown girl. Perhaps the young lady one day to me, "de coolies "someting" was assafoetida, for an so clebber, dey know even more about English nurse in the hospital assured Duppies dan de Obeah men, so we me that little bags containing that evil often go to them." And then she prosmelling drug are often found on the ceeded to inform me that coolies are patients, and the reason for their use is strongly of opinion that no sweet scent always the same. "Duppies." The or perfumed hair-oil should be used if smell is, I suppose, obnoxious to them, the slightest suspicion that a Duppy is for they are supposed to be much "hanging around" is entertained, for addicted to strong sweet scents, "es-Duppies have keen noses, and smell it sences," as the negro servants call such perfumes, and will follow aud pursue those persons who make use of such.

a long way off, so that those who use such essences are more easily found by them. To judge by the strength and quantity of the cheap scents used at Sunday church, on that day at least their fear of Duppies must be kept in abeyance. Possibly Duppies are not a church-going community.

Many Duppies are themselves so highly scented with such essences that they may be plainly traced as they walk along, although otherwise invisible. This is universally believed, and, oddly enough, has some foundation, for Coolies also advise, if such a catasoften myself, when I have been out trophe as having a "Duppy put ou walking in the early morning, I have you" occurs, for the sufferer to cross been puzzled by meeting a sudden the sea. Duppies can cross even runwhiff of strange, sweet scent, appar-ning water, but the sea is beyond their ently from nowhere. It lasted an in-powers, and doubtless many negroes stant, and was gone; but the curious cross the sea and settle in other islands sensation it gave me made one under- for this reason alone, and vice versâ. stand how it strengthened the popular belief, and then I remembered how easily, in this country of sudden currents and gusts of wind, a strong breeze loaded with the scent of some far-off blossom, may chance to come your way. A sudden hot gust of wind also betokens a Duppy's presence; for they are not like our chilly northern ghosts, but, on the contrary, give out a great heat.

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"Putting Duppy on a person is a dire threat. My nurse had a gruesome tale of two families that lived near her home who perished and died of mutual fear of each other by this means, although a little "Obeah" was probably mixed up with it, and “ Obeah" in a country where vegetable poisons of unknown virulence abound is no laughing matter.

Naturally, with all these beliefs, it

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