152 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
T'wo or three times a strange feeling of awe took hold 
of me, for I stood alone in the midst of this wild peo- 
ple, and what could be wilder than these superstitious 
scenes? It is not wonderful that these poor weak creat- 
ures, in sight of such idols as they have, are frightened 
even at themselves. 
The Mbuiti was set out in the middle of the street, 
and the people stood round her in the pitchy darkness. 
She is said to have bowed, walked about, and spoken to 
some one, expressing her pleasure at two gazelles that had 
been offered to her. She ate some of the meat—so I 
was assured—and left the rest for the people. 
ewes | they all believed the reports which I have just 
related to you. I felt very sorry that the mind of man 
could be so debased. What they asked of the idol I 
have never been able to find out; they were unwilling 
to tell me. At any rate, they were pleased, for they 
thought the idol had spoken, had nodded, and had eaten. 
Now let us come to Njambai. Njambai is a spirit, 
a very good spirit, who protects the women. All the 
tribes I have visited believe in him or her, though with 
all the name is not the same. All the women venerate 
Njambai. This worship of the women is a kind of 
mystery, no men being admitted to the ceremonies, which 
are carried on in a house very carefully closed. This 
house was covered with dry palm and banana leaves, 
and had not even a door open to the street. To 
make all close, so as to prevent the eyes of man from 
penetrating into it, it was set against two other houses, 
and the entrance was through one of these, so that com- 
plete darkness reigned in the house of Njambai. Mban- 
go and friend Quengueza warned me not to go to the 
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