416 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



branch of a tree. The reception of the spirit depends upon the 

 •condition of the hfe spent. The spirits of the rich, the brave, the 

 well-formed, the healthy and wholesome, are welcomed with 

 -dancing, and led over the bridge across the chasm into everlasting 

 life with the blest. The spirits of the poor, the emaciated through 

 long sickness, of those who have suffered from scrofulous sores, 

 are led by the dancers on to the bridge, which then turns into a 

 snake, and by its wriggling precipitates the so-called bad spirits 

 into a deep gulch, where they remain for ever and ever. The 

 -question of character or conduct does not determine the abode of the 

 spirits, only that sorcerers who have so much power over life and 

 •death on the earth are requested to live in a special community of 

 their own. 



The following story is given in proof of the fact that Bwebweso 

 is the land of spirits : — 



Legend. — There was a man from Budiana whose wife died, leav- 

 ing one child. This child cried so much after the mother that the man 

 determined to go on a journey to Bwebweso with the child. First 

 of all he went through numerous incantations, and was then able 

 to travel. As he approached Bwebweso he met the spirits who 

 were gathered together on a fishing expedition. The man inquired 

 ior his wife, but found her not, so went on and at last entered spirit- 

 land and soon saw his wife, who was occupied in making a mat, for 

 the spirits carry on the same occupations that they were wont to 

 do in this life. When the child saw its mother it began to cry to 

 be taken and nursed. The man said to the woman : " The child 

 was crying so much for you to give it suck that I have brought it 

 to you." "Am I," she answered, "a human being to give milk to 

 a child ? I am a spirit. Take up the child and come with me to 

 see the nature of the water that we drink here." 



The woman then went outside and sat in the water, which 

 soaked into her, and showing her husband how the water was 

 bubbling up in her body explained to him that she could no longer 

 nurse the child. She then stood up and the water ran out of her, 

 for she was like a sponge. She then said, " Do not give me the 

 child, I cannot carry it. Let us go into the village." 



" Now," said she, " see how we cook our food." In the mean- 

 time the fishing party had returned, and the man saw the yams being 

 cooked away till there was nothing but froth left, but they gave 

 him special yams to roast apart. The fish too were boiled into 

 froth. The spirits say they are strong and light and happy because 

 they have no heaviness of solid food in them to keep them down. 

 By this time it was night, and the woman said, " You must see what 

 we do in the night, and in the morning you may go." Mats were 

 brought for the man and child to sleep on, but the spirits flew up 

 into the roofs of the houses and held on like flying foxes. In the 

 morning the spirits came down, and the man, being convinced that 

 he had seen everything, went home. 



