FOUR WEEKS IN FIKA 275 



this medicine, everybody will love him. The blood 

 of his heart will change ; it will become white. If 

 a man does not like him, he can put some of the 

 medicine in his own hand and take the other's, and 

 he will like him." 



This medicine was made for us, and was put in a 

 little bit of hollowed maize-stalk. The "prayer" and 

 w^ater we should have to add, but as it is intended 

 for the overthrow of my own sex I shall not allow 

 its efficacy to be tested. 



These love-charms are not the only ones in use, 

 and medicines can be obtained for protection against 

 lion and similar dangers. Others give a certain meas- 

 ure of occult power, and that of second-sight is rec- 

 ognised in a story that dates from the end of the 

 sixteenth century. It is told of Gandauwu, heir to 

 the reigning chief. As a preliminary I must mention 

 that by the Fikan laws of inheritance a child only 

 succeeds his father when he is of man's estate ; till 

 then the brother is the inheritor. One day his father 

 and uncle were together when Gandauwu, as a small 

 child, began to cry out. His uncle asked the cause, 

 but the chief made answer, " If I tell vou what the 

 child is saying, your heart will not be good," — for he 

 was a wise man and knew the secrets of all hearts ; 

 but when his brother insisted, he answered, " The 

 child says that when I die he will be chief, and you 

 will be chief after him." Langwua was angry, and 

 went away, saying, " It is good ; now I will not come 

 to your house any more." The mother of Gandauwu 

 ran after him and pleaded with him, and said, " Why 

 are you vexed? If my piccan will be chief for plenty 

 years, and you will be chief after him, you will live 



