Among The
Calabar Tribes The Ordeal Drink Is Of Two Kinds:
One made from the
Calabar bean, the other, the great ju-ju drink Mbiam, which is used
also in taking oaths.
In both the sass-wood and Calabar bean drink the only chance for the
accused lies in squaring the witch-doctor, so that in the case of
the sass-wood drink it is allowed to settle before administration,
and in the bean that you get a very heavy dose, both arrangements
tending to produce the immediate emetic effect indicative of
innocence. If this effect does not come on quickly you die a
miserable death from the effects of the poison interrupted by the
means taken to kill you as soon as it is decided from the absence of
violent sickness that you are guilty.
The Mbiam is not poisonous, nor is its use confined, as the use of
the bean is, entirely to witch palaver; but it is the most respected
and dreaded of all oaths, and from its decision there is but one
appeal, the appeal open to all condemned persons, but rarely made -
the appeal to Long ju-ju. This Long ju-ju means almost certain
death, and before it a severe frightening that is worse to a negro
mind than mere physical torture.
The Mbiam oath formula I was able to secure in the upper districts
of the Calabar. One form of it runs thus, and it is recited before
swallowing the drink made of filth and blood:
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