186 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
A doctor from a country called Ashira, of which I 
will speak to you hereafter, was leading the ceremonies. 
I find it here as we find it often at home, that the proph- 
et gains in repute the further he travels from home. In 
Goumbi, Quengueza’s village, a Bakalai doctor was held 
in high repute. In Biagano, a Goumbi doctor was chief of 
all the prophets. Here among the Bakalai, only an Ashira 
doctor was thought worthy of performing the ceremonies. 
The Ashira doctor of course was covered with all 
sorts of fetiches. He had painted his body in order to 
impress his audience with his great power, and every 
thing he did was done in a mysterious manner. 
They had three pieces, cut from the hind-quarters of 
the elephants, boiling in large pots. Around these they 
danced, while the Ashira doctor chanted praises and pe- 
titions to Mondo and Olombo. 
DANCING AROUND THE ELEPHANT MEAT, 
A piece was cut off and sent into the woods to ap- 
pease the hunger of these deities (or, more likely, of their 
