IN THE SHADOW
phytes she took him by the hand and led him trembling to the circle; as he entered she handed him fetishes, bones, hair, feathers tied in little bundles, some of which articles she swung about his neck. Striking him lightly with her baton of bone she began a weird, monotonous chant to the time of the drum which had never ceased its even beat, and suddenly the entire assemblage caught up a wild inspiring chorus.
The effect upon the youth was startling; his first frenzied leap carried him from the circle, into which the mama-loi turned him. The song continued; the rapid motions of the man increased in time, became more extravagant, wilder, less coordinate, and at last convulsive. With a startled scream he pitched suddenly upon his face and lay writhing.
His place was taken by another of the neophytes, this time a girl; the same phenomena resulted, while moans, sobs, stifled cries seemed wrenched from the savage audience.
Against the shoulder of Dessalines, La Fouchère stirred restlessly; he heard the gasps of her rapid breathing. The dancers were now in twos and threes—groups of whirling, gyrating figures, many of whom were falling from exhaustion and were dragged by others into the jungle. Soon the neophytes had disappeared; others from the edge of the amphitheater took their places. All, as they danced, drank great draughts of the mixture in the caldron; the women tore the clothes from their bodies.
Dessalines, from the depths of his lair, had watched silently. At first the sinister scene had excited him, stirred his wild fancies, half frightened him. This sen-
240
