30 THE PEOPLE OF NEW GEORGIA 



bewitched. A witch hunt is organised by the sorcerors, 

 and generally some unfortunate girl — very probably a 

 slave — is taken, and is charged with witchcraft. If she 

 confesses, which sometimes in sheer fright she does, the 

 poor wretch is put to death at once. If she will not con- 

 fess, she is hung up by the thumbs or wrists for several 

 days at a time, until a confession is exorted from her, when 

 death follows as a matter of course. 



Concerning the buildings, canoes, weapons, food, 

 etc., I have no time to speak in a paper like this. It would 

 require a book to say all or nearly all about these things. 

 I must, however, say a few Avords about the religious beliefs 

 of these people. They believe in a Great and Good Spirit, 

 whom they invest with the attributes of omnipotence and 

 omniscience. This great Being is responsible for all things 

 that exist. They believe that life is simply a road which 

 at death is divided in two — the one leading to a place of 

 happiness, and the other leading to " Sondo," the place 

 of departed evil spirits. At the parting of the ways stands 

 an old woman directing each to his place. They believe 

 that the Great Spirit is not to be approached by mortals 

 and hence they pray to the other spirits which control 

 the destinies of man. To jDropitiate these they go to the 

 sacred places and pray, and offer sacrifices — sometimes 

 of human flesh, and sometimes of food, ornaments, and other 

 things. Everything in the lives of these very superstitious 

 people is connected in some way and controlled in some 

 way by the spirits, hence the old sorcerers and witch 

 doctors are people of great importance, and make a x^rofit- 

 able thing out of the fears of the people. However, better 

 days are dawning for the people of the Western Solomons. 

 The iDower of the sorcerer is waning, and heading and 

 witch hanging is ending, and, with a wise paternal govern- 

 ment teaching the people agricultural pursuits and giving 

 them something to employ their time, teaching them to 

 work for themselves and thus better their condition, they 

 would be a happy and contented people. 



