39<^ RANTU mi-:tii()1)s of divination. 



the hoof of an animal and its imprint on the ground is observed. 

 The hoof of the ox is cloven ; that of the horse is not. The 

 imprint of either corresponds in outline and in general character 

 to the hoof that formed it. If the hoof be maimed or broken, a 

 corresponding- trace of that injury will be observed in the 

 " spoor." Thus far. the conclusions of the savage are legitimate, 

 and strictly scientific. But when it is assumed that this rela- 

 tionship continues indcfinitehx a false premise is introduced, 

 and the subsequent argument is fallacious. 



This is precisely what is done in magic, for the laws of 

 magic assume that whatever has once formed part of a body, 

 or has been in contact with it, conti)uies to form part of it, or 

 to be en rapport with it.' 



A native tracker, believing in this extended relationship, 

 will point at the " spoof " with his thumb face downwards, in 

 order, as he says, " to hold the spoor down," and he believes 

 that by this action he retards the flight of his c(uarry. He will 

 even go further at times, and drive a peg into the footprint, in 

 the belief that by so doing the animal will be maimed."' 



The rules of magic go still further, for they assert that 

 this rapport may be induced between the representation of an 

 object in the form of an image or symbol and the object itself, 

 " Thus the North American Indians, we are told, believe that by 

 drawing the figiu'e of a person in sand, ashes or clay, or by 

 considering any object as his body, and then pricking it with 

 a sharp stick, or doing it any other injtiry, they inflict a corres- 

 ponding injury on the person represented."^ 



Sympathetic magic, therefore, gives us a key to the inter- 

 pretation of the Biantu witch-doctor's " bones " and other aids 

 to divination, for every bone, or other object, used as an " auto- 

 scope "'' is believed to be eti rapport with some person, place or 

 object, with which it was at one time in contact, or which it is 

 supposed to represent. The rules by which these objects are 

 chosen may be found in the study of TOTEMISM . 



Totemism may be broadly defined as a generic system of 

 classification foiuul in ])rimitive communities in manv parts of 

 the world, in whicli a class, famih', or tril)e is represented bv 

 an animal or otlier natural object The system may be de- 

 scribed as follows: Man is communal and gregarious by nature. 

 Me lives in commimities, and himts or makes war in organized 

 bands. Such a band will arrange a code oi signals 1)\- means of 

 which combined action may be possible at any given moment. 

 Among savage hunters, as a rule, such a signal will take the 

 form of an imitation of the cry of some wild animal or bird, 

 well-known in the neighbourhot.d, in order that it may not 

 arouse the suspicions of the ((uarry. This idea is still further 

 developed in warfare, and a tribal password is arranged, and, 



'^ Vide ■' Encvclop,-cdia Britannica,'' iitli edition, article ''Magic" 



'Cf. Frazer. "The Magic .Vrt." 1. _'oX-jt2. 



^ Frazer. "The Magic .\rt."' 1. 55. 



•'•Sir W. I*". I'arrctt. " Psvcliical Roscarcli." 28. 



