RELIGION WITCHCRAFT SUPERSTITIONS. 219 



its peculiar rites and superstitions. These, moreover, are 

 derived from the mother, and not from the father. If a man 

 of the Ovakueyuba marries a woman of the Ovakuenombura, 

 their offspring adopt the notions, &c., peculiar to the latter, 

 and vice-versa. They can not account for this division of 

 castes; they merely say it is derived from the "vv^ind." 

 Some religious notions, no doubt, lie at the bottom of this. 



Though the Damaras do not profess absolutely to believe 

 in a life hereafter, they have a confused notion of a future 

 state. Thus they not unfrequently bring provisions to the 

 grave of a deceased friend or relation, requesting him to eat 

 and make merry. In return, they invoke his blessing, and 

 pray for success against their enemies, an abundance of cattle, 

 numerous wives, and prosperity in their undertakings. 



The spirits of deceased persons are believed to appear after 

 death, but are then seldom seen in their natural form. They 

 usually assume on such occasions the shape of a dog, having, 

 not unfrequently, the foot of an ostrich. Any individual 

 to whom such an apparition (Otjruru) might appear, es- 

 pecially if it should follow and accost him, is supposed to die 

 soon after. 



The Damaras have great faith in witchcraft. Individuals 

 versed in the black art are called Omundu-Onganga, or 

 Omundu-Ondyai, and are much sought after. Any person 

 falling sick is immediately attended by one of these impostors, 

 whose panacea is to besmear the mouth and the forehead of 

 the patient with the ordure of the hyaena, which is supposed 

 to possess particularly healing virtues. The sorcerer, more- 

 over, makes signs and conjurations. 



Some very singular superstitions about meat exist among 

 the Damaras. Thus a man will perhaps not eat the flesh of 

 ;m ox which may happen to be marked with black, white, or 

 red spots. Others refuse to partake of a sheep should it 

 have no horns ; while some would not touch the meat of 

 draft-oxen, according to the rule of the "eanda" to whicl; 



