SUMIVIARY JUSTICE SUPERSTITION. 149 



the rogues, we could never ascertain any thing with certain- 

 ty. We were, however, strongly inclined to think they were 

 all killed, the more so as Kahichene himself told us that, in 

 case of their capture, they ought to be punished with death, 

 and coolly suggested hanging as the most eligible way of rid- 

 ding the world of such scoundrels. We, of course, took the 

 liberty to remonstrate with the chief upon the severity of 

 this measure, but with little or no effect. Indeed, one man 

 was" accidentally found at a distance from our camp in a 

 horribly mangled state, and, on being brought to us, he 

 stated that he himself, together with several of his friends, 

 were driving away the cattle, when they were overtaken by 

 Kahichene's men, who immediately attacked them with their 

 kieries, and only left them when they thought life was ex- 

 tinct. He had, however, partially recovered, but was com- 

 pletely naked, having, as is usual on similar occasions, been 

 stripped of every article of dress. The exterior of his body 

 was nearly covered with blood. The head was almost double 

 its natural size ; indeed, it resembled rather a lump of mashed 

 flesh ; no particular feature could be distinguished, and his 

 eyes were effectually hidden fi'om view. The sight alto- 

 gether was hideous. 



Instead of proceeding due north, as was originally pro- 

 posed, it was found necessary, in order to avoid Omugunde, 

 to make a considerable detour to the westward. As Kahi- 

 chene, with his tribe, was encamped in that direction, he in- 

 vited us to take his werft by the way, to which we cordially 

 assented. On the day of our departure from Kotjiamkombe, 

 the chief led the way. A branch of a particular kind of 

 wood (having a small, red, bitter berry, not unlike that of 

 the mountain-ash) was trailed before him — a superstitious 

 act, thought to be essential in insuring success during the 

 pending attack against his mortal enemy. 



Before reaching the chiefs kraal, we passed the foot of a 

 very conspicuous mountain called Ombotodthu. This eleva- 



