122 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



ecration against the " Friend of Light," which advocates 

 rational religion, and holds up the two others to ridicule. 



During my present residence, I heard that a German 

 girl was lying sick, and said to be possessed of a devil, 

 in " Little Germany." At first I would not believe 

 that any thing of the sort could occur in the present 

 day ; — but a young Oldenburgher, with whom I had be- 

 come acquainted, assured me by all that was holy, that 

 it was so, that he had seen it, and that having expressed 

 his opinion rather too freely, the bigoted people, Roman 

 Catholic Alsatians, fell upon him, and drove him out of 

 the house. 



I decided on witnessing the proceedings, and, in com- 

 pany with a friend, set off one evening to the house in 

 Little Germany. We had no difficulty in finding our 

 way to the " sick maiden," for the whole of that part 

 of the town was full of the extraordinary circumstance, 

 as they called it. It was dark when Ave entered a little 

 room in a frame house : a lamp on the chimney-piece 

 was nearly burnt out, the space was almost filled by 

 about thirty people all on their knees in silent prayer ; 

 not a word was spoken : the lamp flickered, flashed up 

 again, and went out. It remained perfectly dark, and 

 nothing was audible but the breathing of those who 

 were repeating their prayers ; then a low murmuring, 

 rustling sound struck the ear, and for some time I did 

 not know what to make of it. Suddenly a door opened, 

 light streamed into the room, and with it the murmurs 

 of numerous voices. People came through the door- 

 way, and those who had been praying on their knees 

 rose up, and moved towards the light : we followed the 

 stream. An extraordinary sight presented itself: we 



