136 I'llALLUS CULT AMONGST TITF. HAXTU. 



because of Satan's festivals."* 1 flatly refused, and. althDugli 

 late and already dark, I preferred to go home down the bad kloof, 

 but allowed my men and the ox to go on by the other patli. Early 

 next morning" a messenger arrived, saying: " The Chief is deejily 

 sorry for my turning back, and also that he could not accept an 

 ox given with averted head." lUit 1 still refused. A week 

 passed. Many Chiefs going u]) and returning passed m\- house. 

 At last a Christian Chief, whom T had baptised, also returned, 

 and gave me a message from Chief Kgolokoe, that, if I would 

 infc^rm him of the day and time of my coming, he would arrange 

 with the headman of the Koniu. to hide the boys in the long grass, 

 so that I may use my usual bridle jjath. The very next day I 

 went. I saw the /\'o/;u/-boys from afar lying down in the grass. 

 The Chief received me very kindly. I found my ox s'till alive. 

 and, after the cu.stomary inquiries into the sickness and death, 

 and expressions of my sorrow. I handed it over. In an-wer, T 

 had a beautiful Ijlack ox, w hich 1 ordered to be killed. The kraal 

 was under a low hill, on {op of which the Mpato of the Kama 

 was. We heard the continual singing of the boys. Knowing 

 that when a friendly Chief visits the Cai)ital, they often let these 

 boys have a quiet rest, I told the Chief to send word up. and let 

 them rest, .\fter a little while there was a loud shout, k'rkr-rrke 

 horoko, of thanks, and so they were allowed a rest. 



When, not very long ago. I visited ]\Ir. llaigh, at a store at 

 Sekukuni's kraal, at the bottom of the hill, on which the Mf-ato 

 was, Mr. ITaigh told me that his horse went astray, and tli^t it 

 was very likely somewhere half way up the hill. Upon my say- 

 ing: "Why don't you go and fetch it?" he said: "That would 

 be as much as my life is worth." 



Once, in 1888, I had the pleasure and honour to receive our 

 then Administrator, Sir Owen Lanyon, at my house. In our 

 talk we also touched upon the Koiiia, and the possibilitv or im- 

 jiossibility of the (jovernment having some supervision over these 

 secret proceedings, during which boys are often killed and nobody 

 allowed to talk of it. Neither then nor later_, up to the present 

 day even, could the Government in any way obtain any right to 

 interfere. I mention this only to show how secret this half cult 

 half custom is kept, being the very backbone of our Xatives' 

 national life. 



Synthetic Milk.— A factory is about to be established 

 in Liverpool for the manufacture of synthetic milk from soya 

 beans and other ingredients. The ground beans will be treated 

 Avith a small proportion of sodium phosphate, and just brought 

 to4he boil with water. After addition of sesame oil, milk sugar, 

 and salt, the milky liquor will be filtered and sold to dealers at 2d. 

 per quart. 



*I regard this /coma as the heathen haptism, ahhough Livinustnne 

 says that he found nothing to find fault with in it. 



