XXIV.] MGANGA, OR MEDICINE -MAN. 315. 



lar to that of a number of cracked slieep-bells, and, looking out, November, 

 I saw a niganga, or medicine-man, ambling round the village, i^'^^- 

 followed by his train. He was dressed in a large kilt of grass- 

 cloth, and suspended round his neck was a huge necklace com- 

 posed of pieces of gourd, skulls of birds, and imitations of them 

 roughly carved in wood. His head-dress was a broad band of 

 party-colored beads surmounted by a large plume of feathers ; 

 and his face, arms, and legs were whitened with pipe-clay. On 

 his back he carried a large bunch of rough, conical iron bells, 

 which jingled as he paraded the village with jigging and pran- 

 cing steps. He was followed by a woman carrying his idol in a 

 large gourd, another with a mat for him to sit upon, and two 

 small boys who bore his miscellaneous properties. When he 

 appeared, all the women turned out of their dwellings, and 

 many collected around the village devil-hut, and appeared to go 

 through some devotions, bending down, clapping their hands, 

 and making curious inarticulate moanings. 



Other Waganga soon followed, until five, similarly dressed 

 and attended, were assembled together. They then performed 

 a general walk -round, and, selecting an open space in the vil- 

 lage, seated themselves in a row, spread their mats, and brought 

 out their idols and other instruments of imposture. 



The principal mganga, observing me sitting on my chair as a 

 spectator, evidently thought that his dignity was compi-omised, 

 and resolved that he also would have a high seat of honor ; so, 

 sending for a mortar used for pounding corn, he placed it on 

 the ground upside down, and seated himself thereon. But it 

 proved very rickety, and after two or three tumbles he pre- 

 ferred safety to dignity, and again squatted on the ground. 



The consultation was opened by the chief's wife, who gave 

 them half a dozen fowls as an offering. She soon went away 

 quite happy, the chief mganga having honored her by spitting 

 in her face, and giving her a ball of beastliness as a charm. 

 This she hastened to place in safety in her hut. 



The Waganga were now open to hear and answer questions 

 put by the public, some of which were quickly disposed of, 

 while others evidently raised knotty points, resulting iil much 

 gesticulation and oratory. 



When the Waganga pretended they could not find an an- 



9.''. 



