XXIIL] A "MEDIUM." 305 



they scampered off to their canoes near at hand, and paddled November, 

 away. We followed them across a rotten piece of tingi-tingi ^^^^- 

 to the very edge of the lake, where their canoes had been 

 moored, slipping through holes in the treacherous vegetation 

 more than once, owing to our not knowing the right path. 

 But hailing the people, and holding up cloth and beads to en- 

 tice them to come to us, was of no avail, and I had reluctant- 

 ly to abandon all idea of making myself more intimately ac- 

 quainted with their manners and habits. 



Kilemba was again reached after two marches, the second be- 

 ing through pouring rain, which commenced ten minutes after 

 we started, and did not cease for a moment until after we ar- 

 rived. 



The previous night we camped at what had formerly been 

 the head-quarters of Bambarre, Kasongo's father. In the old 

 inclosure devoted to his harem his chief wife still lived, and 

 was not permitted to receive any visitors, except one of Kason- 

 go's magicians, who consulted her on all important occasions. 

 She was supposed to be a spiritualistic medium, holding com- 

 munication with her deceased husband, and, consequently, in- 

 spired with prophetic powers. Fowls and goats roamed un- 

 molested near her habitation, for he would indeed have been a 

 bold man among the Warua who dared to touch any thing sup- 

 posed to belong to her. The few people living near were slaves 

 of her late husband, who nightly placed provisions for her use, 

 and then retired. 



On the road we passed a peculiar little hut, very well built 

 and finished, and having sheets of grass-cloth hanging over the 

 roof to hide its contents from prying eyes. I was determined 

 to discover what this hut contained, as it was said to be a great 

 " medicine ;" so lifted the cloth and looked in, when a quantity 

 of skulls, decorated with beads and ranged in circles, met my 

 view. Afterward I heard that these skulls were those of broth- 

 ers and chiefs of Bambarre, who, having rebelled against him, 

 were conquered and killed. 



Kasongo was still away when I returned, and no one knew 

 his exact whereabouts ; so I asked Fume a Kenna for guides to 

 Kassali, a large lake on the Lualaba, and also to Kowamba, the 

 first of a chain of small lakes on the Kamorondo or true Luala- 



