“SMELLING OUT” THE CRIMINAL

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1928, Page 7

“SMELLING OUT” THE CRIMINAL

(By C. I. SEMPILL, Late Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, Kenya. Colony). A time there was in Eastern Africa when a “smelling out” was the popular method for pinning on the criminal his guilt. It was a formal affair, of grim black magic. There was much preparing of potent and evil mixture; much bedecking of sinister-looking witch-doctors; much furtive preliminary coming and going around certain huts.

Later, in a great , uneasy circle, gathered the tribe; silent; many a black face glistening with the thin sweat of inward fear for certain private thoughts; every black face intent the circle straining forward, expectant tense.

Then—the smelling out! A nasty business, that, lor some!—a loathsome draught, tortured writhings, or more subtle, a Spell—the queer grit) of a mind upon a mind—and swift confession of some wrong deed done, or perhaps only imagined. There were other, deeper forms of magic too; a blight laid upon some trembling wretch or a doom ordained. And there were some strange results achieved; perhaps not for a week or a month or a year—but achieved nevertheless. *'*** * * MAVef claim to have put a stop to all that. And we have, in a sense. To deal with the thief the policeman haa come. “Smelling out” and the brewing of bad black mixtures is almost a matter of memory now. Civilisation is spread alround, and black detectives seek for black criminals by the most approved modem method®. To trouble the mind of the erring African there should he only the magic of Western inventions.

Yet in the African mind strange memories seem To survive—Tears of ancient beliefs thought dead ; vague apprehensions of unspeakable tilings. So here and there you may find an ordinary-looking black man of harmless demeanour; he is neither A headman nor a chief; none need come and go at his bidding; and he leads a quiet and seemingly virtuous life. But he is approached with a peculiar respect, his word has mysterious authority and the shadow of fear lies about him. 3 do not know what his power is; an hereditary thing, maybe, handed on from generations of witch-doctors long gone;" or, maybe, only the belief that others have in him. But he has a power. Eacfecl with his ultimatum there are men who will turn green beneath their black skins, whose tongues will become loosened, and who will do many things they would not otherwise do. And from him there will occasionally come a man to some hospital on the veldt' and say, “Bwana, nalcufa!” (Master, I die) And lie wastes and dies. He believes in his doom. A pretty case for the police this! So that though “Darkest Africa.” they say is dark no more, though law and good order prevail in the land and' ill practices are put down with a firm, swift hand, you may sometimes see even to-day, that yesterday is not so far off after all.