}0nf78 {e THE ROPE MAN OF ISUINGU {e A SOLUTION?! { a By Metal / Destiny {aThis is a continuation of the mystery story "{eRope Man of Isuingu{a". If you haven't read that then you are wasting you're time by reading this! The author of the book, {cValentine Dyall{a, gives what he believes to be an explanation to the mystery, and in this case its pretty believable... {f --- {aMost ju-ju cults include in their rites the worship of idols fashioned from wood or straw and hideously painted. Some of these oversized "dolls" are remarkably life-like, judging by specimens I have inspected in various museums. One of the world's oldest forms of entertainment, found in the ancient cultures of widely separated races, is the puppet-theatre. There is, of course, no evidence that Nigerian tribes ever practised this art, but it seems a simple step from fashioning dolls to making them move about by pulling strings. Mr Hives saw the "apparition" by moonlight. At first it was a vague shape, apparently crawling along in the shadows. Later it appeared to drag itself upright and climb into the rafters. It was never exposed to powerful light and Mr Hives could not bring himself to touch it. Let us consider the description - the face "mottled with pockmarks" ... "jaw sagging" ... "dead eyes that did not move". It seems to me a pretty fair picture of a huge doll made of cloth, hide and possibly wood pulp. "The head was bald, the top of it being a dirty white" - surely an unusual colour for an Isuorgu witch doctor's cranium! The thing "dragged behind it" a long piece of rope, plaited in the native style. Could he be certain, taking account the lighting conditions and the shock he was suffering, that the rope was not dragging the thing?? - or at least connecting it in some way with the rafters? My chief suspect is Benjamin Oku. though outwardly educated and civilised, he clung secretly to the barbaric beliefs of his forefathers. A man of such contrasts could have organised an elaborate trick to avenge the "insult" of the destroyed idols and the forced building of the resthouse on "sacred ground". he would find plenty of willing accomplices among the leaders of the banned secret society, and probably among the local chiefs. Benjamin, we surmise, had visited one of the twins, and chanced to see a puppet show. This experience gives him the basic idea for the "haunting": a lifesized doll controlled by thin ropes or wires from the resthouse's rafters - or even from the outside of the roof above the verandah, through narrow slits or holes between the logs or sections of matting. To increase the chances of success he finds some way of frightening Hives' cook and gun-bearer into co-operating with the Isuorgu. Native herbs are added to the white man's food to induce a slight fever, sweating, sleeplessness, nervousness and "abnormal coldness". With a fine sense of drama, Benjamin sets the stage by throwing a scare into the porters, and planting large quantities of decaying meat in the hollow to provide a "corpsey" smell. Then he builds up tension gradually - by overthrowing the verandah furniture with hooks lowered on lines from the rafters! By the time the "ghost-doll" is introduced Hives is in a confused, nervous condition, befuddled through lack of sleep after days on the march - the ideal victim. Thoroughly shaken, he makes no effort to tackle the intruder, but merely blazes away at it with his revolver - an action which must have delighted Benjamin! In the morning it only remains for Benjamin to concoct a yarn about the ju-ju priest's suicide, and his aim is achieved: the resthouse is burnt down and the Isuorgu tribe's honour is restored. in my view the Rope-Man of Isuingu was more rope than man! --- E n d --- Hmmm, interesting?!? Article taken from the book "Unsolved Mysteries" by Valentine Dyall. Published by Hutchinson & Co in 1954. {m Why not contact me (Metal of Destiny) for any reason at all! {c Disk/letter/junk trading at : {e 25 Spencer Road, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN1 2PW. {eCheers! {aSee ya next issue!