442 THE KAIN-MAKEK. 



« 



Southern Africa," has given at some length a very striking 

 account of one of these rain-makers, which amply illustrates 

 the immense influence exercised by them over the ignoramt 

 and superstitious mind, as also the craft and ingenuity of the 

 men themselves, in order to effect their purpose. It is in 

 substance as follows : 



Having for a number of years experienced severe droughts, 

 the Bechuanas at Kuruman held a council as to the best 

 measures for removing the evil. After some debate, a reso- 

 lution w^as passed to send for a rain-maker of great renown, 

 then staying among the Bahurutsi, two hundred miles N.E. 

 of the station. Accordingly, commissioners were dispatched, 

 with strict injunctions not to return without the man ; but 

 it was with some misgivings as to the success of their mission 

 that the men started. However, by large promises, they suc- 

 ceeded beyond their most sanguine expectations. 



During the absence of the embassadors the heavens had 

 been as brass, and scarcely a passing cloud obscured the sky, 

 which blazed with the dazzling rays of a vertical sun. But, 

 strange to relate, the very day that the approach of the rain- 

 maker was announced, the clouds began to gather thickly, 

 the lightning darted, and the thunder rolled in awful gran- 

 deur, accompanied by a few drops of rain. The deluded 

 multitude were wild with delight; they rent the sky with 

 their acclamations of joy, and the earth rang with their ex- 

 ulting and maddening shouts. Previously to entering the 

 town, the rain-maker sent a peremptory order to all the in- 

 habitants to wash their feet. Scarcely was the message de- 

 livered before every soul, young and old, noble and ignoble, 

 flew to the adjoining river to obey the command of the man 

 who they imagined was now collecting in the heavens all 

 his stores of rain. 



The impostor proclaimed aloud that this year the women 

 must cultivate gardens on the hills and not in the valleys, 

 for the latter would be deluged. The natives, in their enthu- 



