POLITICAL HEADS CHIEFS, KINGS, ETC 727 



much repute as a magician. Hence the power possessed by Langaliba- 

 lele, who, as Bishop Colenso says, " knows well the composition of that 

 intelezi [used for controlling the weather] ; and he knows well, too, the 

 war-medicine, i. e., its component parts, being himself a doctor." Still 

 better is seen the governmental influence thus acquired in the case of 

 the kino- of Obbo, who in time of drought calls his subjects together and 

 explains to them " how much he regrets that their conduct has com- 

 pelled him to afflict them with unfavorable weather, but that it is their 

 own fault. ... He must have goats and corn. ' No goats, no rain ; 

 that's our contract, my friends,' says Katchiba. . . . Should his peo- 

 ple complain of too much rain, he threatens to pour storms and light- 

 ning upon them for ever, unless they bring him so many hundred bas- 

 kets of corn, etc. . . . His subjects have the most thorough confidence 

 in his power," And the king is similarly supposed to have power over 

 the weather among the people of Loango. 



A like connection is traceable in the records of various extinct 

 peoples in both hemispheres. Of Huitzilopochtli, the founder of the 

 Mexican power, we read that "a great wizard he had been, and a 

 sorcerer " ; and every Mexican king on ascending the throne had to 

 swear " to make the sun go his course, to make the clouds pour down 

 rain, to make the rivers run, and all fruits to ripen." Reproaching 

 his subjects for want of obedience, a Chibcha ruler told them they 

 knew that " it was in his power to afflict them with pestilence, small- 

 pox, rheumatism, and fever, and to make to grow as much grass, vege- 

 tables, and plants as they wanted." Ancient Egyptian records yield 

 indications of a similar early belief. Thothmes III, after being deified, 

 " was considered as the luck-bringing god of the country, and a pre- 

 server against the evil influence of wicked spirits and magicians." 

 And it was thus with the Jews : " Rabbinical writers are never weary 

 of enlarging upon the magical power and knowledge of Solomon. He 

 was represented as not only king of the whole earth, but also as reign- 

 ing over devils and evil spirits, and having the power of expelling 

 them from the bodies of men and animals, and also of delivering peo- 

 ple to them." The traditions of European peoples furnish kindred 

 evidence. As before shown, stories in the " Heims-kringla Saga" 

 imply that the Scandinavian ruler, Odin, was a medicine-man ; as 

 were also Niot and Frey, his successors. And after recalling the 

 supernatural weapons and supernatural achievements of early he- 

 roic kings, we can scarcely doubt that with them were in some cases 

 associated the supposed magical powers whence have descended the 

 supposed powers of kings to cure diseases by touching or other- 

 wise. We shall the less doubt this on finding that like powers were 

 ascribed to subordinate rulers of early origin. There were certain 

 ancient Breton nobles whose spittle and touch had curative proper- 

 ties. 



One important factor, then, in the genesis of political headship, 



