The Magic Island

by William B. Seabrook

Layout 2

THE MAGIC ISLAND

Books by

W. B. Seabrook

Adventures in Arabia

The Magic Island

See page 20 “Here are deep matters, not easily to be dismissed by crying blasphemy.”

The Magic Island

By W. B. Seabrook

Illustrated with drawings
by Alexander King
and photographs by the author

New York

The Literary Guild of America

1929

Copyright, 1929, by

Harcourt, Brace and Company, Inc.

I

 

The illustrations by Alexander King
reproduced by the Knudsen Process

Printed in the United States of America
by Quinn & Boden Company, Inc. Rahway, N. J.

To

Maman Célie

for reasons which

appear hereafter

Contents

FOREWORD

Part One

THE VOODOO RITES

I. SECRET FIRES 7

II. THE WAY IS OPENED AND CLOSED 16

III. THE PETRO SACRIFICE 28

IV. THE “OUANGA’’ CHARM 45

V. GOAT-CRY GIRL-CRY 54

VI. THE GOD INCARNATE 70

Part Two

BLACK SORCERY

I. THE ALTAR OF SKULLS 81

II. “. . . DEAD MEN WORKING IN THE CANE FIELDS ” 92

III. TOUSSEL’S PALE BRIDE 104

IV. CELESTINE WITH A SILVER DISH 115

Part Three

THE TRAGIC COMEDY

I. A BLIND MAN WALING ON EGGS 127

II. A NYMPH IN BRONZE 134 Page:W. B. Seabrook - The Magic Island (1929, The Literary Guild of America printing).pdf/14

List of Drawings by Alexander King

HERE ARE DEEP MATTERS, NOT EASILY TO BE DISMISSED BY CRYING BLASPHEMY	Frontispiece
LOUIS’ FACE GLOWED WITH A LIGHT THAT WAS NOT ALWAYS HEAVENLY	8
DORT DESSILES, WHO WAS A “PAPALOI”’	20
MAMAN CELIE, HIGH PRIESTESS OF THE MYSTERIES	27
THE “MAMALOI” IN A SCARLET ROBE	35
BLOOD-MADDENED, SEX-MADDENED, GOD-MADDENED . . . DANCED THEIR DARK SATURNALIA	42
BUT MARKED FOR DEATH BY THE VOODOO CURSE, THEY DIED	50
AT THE LEFT OF THE ALTAR WERE THE “RADA” DRUMS	59
AND AS SHE SANG, SHE WAS A DAUGHTER DOOMED TO DIE	67
THEY WERE STARING FIXEDLY AS ENTRANCED MEDIUMS STARE INTO CRYSTAL GLOBES	74
CROYANCE, LEADING THE NINE DEAD MEN AND WOMEN	82
STRANGE TALES ARE TOLD OF VOODOO IN THE BOUDOIR AND SALON	93
NO ONE DARED TO STOP THEM, FOR THEY WERE CORPSES WALKING IN THE SUNLIGHT	98
ANTOINE SIMONE, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, WAS ACTIVE IN BLACK SORCERY	112
FACE MAT GOLD LIKE A BYZANTINE POLYCHROME	154
HE HAD TO WHIP HER ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR	191
POLYNICE WAS SMARTER THAN ANYBODY	206
WHEN THE COMBAT BEGINS, THE TWO OWNERS REMAIN IN THE RING	215
SHE BEGAN A DANCE IN RHYTHM WITH HIS	246
DARK MOTHER OF MYSTERIES	277

The photographs are inserted at page 310.