SUPERSTITION THE EAIN-MAKER. 441 



lieve that, in making white people, he had improved on his 

 work. He tried his hand on Bushmen first, and he did not 

 like them, because they were so ugly, and their language 

 like that of frogs. He then tried his hand on the Hottentots; 

 but these did not please him either. He then exercised his 

 power and skill, and made the Bechuanas, which was a great 

 improvement; and at last he made the white people. There- 

 fore,' exulting with an air of triumph at the discovery, ' the 

 Avhite people are so much wiser than we are in making walk- 

 ing houses (wagons), teaching the oxen to draw them over 

 hill and dale, and instructing them also to plow the gardens, 

 instead of making their wives do it, like the Bechuanas.' " 



Dealers in the black art are numerous among the Bechua- 

 nas, who place the most implicit confidence in the sayings 

 and prescriptions of the wizards. This applies more especial- 

 ly to those persons who devote themselves to the study of 

 "rain-making." 



The rain-maker possesses an influence over the minds of 

 the people superior even to that of their king, who is like- 

 wise compelled to yield to the dictates of these " arch-oflfi- 

 cials." They are, in general, men of natural talent and in- 

 genuity. Indeed, it is probable that, in the full conscious- 

 ness of their superiority, they are emboldened to lay the 

 public mind prostrate before their mysteries. Being, more- 

 over, usually foreigners, they take good care to magnify pro- 

 digiously their feats abroad. Each tribe has one rain-maker, 

 and sometimes more. The wizards are also doctors ; and, at 

 times, they assume the office of sextons by superintending the 

 disposal of the dead, it being generally believed that the 

 ceremonies practiced by these impostors have some influence 

 over the watery treasures floating in the skies. It not un- 

 frequently happens that the rain-maker prohibits the usual 

 form of interment, and perhaps orders the dead to be dragged 

 to a distance to be devoured by beasts of prey. 



Mr. Moffat, in his "Missionary Labors and Scenes in 



T2 



