Juju For Wind Socks

A Fleet Air Arm squadron temporarily established ashore in Africa recently had a strange embarrassment: no sooner had wind socks been hoisted over their flying field to show wind direction than they mysteriously disappeared. Watchers never succeeded in catching the thieves, who were black as the nights in which they operated. Finally the squadron commanding officer thought up a remedy, but the remedy cost money. Last week the following explanation, pinned to the squadron's expense account, had found its way to the Admiralty in London: "The attached correspondence concerning the purchase of a juju from a native witch doctor is submitted for information.

This claim has been met out of the Medical Comforts' Fund, as the juju was supplied by a member of the medical profession. It is not, however, considered that the qualifications of any of the R.N. or R.A.M.C. doctors serving in the district would have enabled them to produce the desired effect. The retention of a local practitioner is therefore considered justified.

"The juju consisted of a bunch of chicken feathers well soaked in chicken blood and held together by strips of snakeskin. The witch doctor buried the juju in the earth at the foot of the wind sock . . .

to enable the curse of the juju--a black snake--to emerge and attack any prospective thief. The commanding officer of the flight speaks very highly of the efficiency of the juju, and I concur with him, observing that before the installation of the juju no wind sock ever remained in situ for more than 48 hours, while after its application the wind sock was untouched.

"The cost--four shillings [80-c-] and two empty lemonade bottles--is not therefore considered excessive."

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