Wood soft, pithy, useless as timber, used for carving spoons, drum barrels, toys 

 and beehives. Good for fencing poles, sprouts if cut just before flowering and 

 forms a useful hedge owing to its thorns. An infusion of the bark is drunk by those 

 who suffer from the affliction of " calling out in the night ". (aCewa). Said to be 

 a host of the coffee borer. 



Ref. 14; 26. 



205. E. humei E. Mey. 



Gimutu (C), mkwingusu (N, Y), muale (N). 

 A shrub found in the hills. 

 An infusion of the root is used to cure dysentery and for stomach disorders. 



206. Erythrophleum guineense G. Don (Caesalp.) Ordeal Tree, Sassy Bark, 



Red water Tree. 

 Mwabvi (G), mivai (Y), cikoazozo (To). 



A much-branched tree up to 75 ft. tall with spreading cro^n, grey, rough, 

 fissured bark, leaves bipinnate, glossy, flowers in spikes yelloAvish- white, pods flat, 

 black woody 3-4 ins. long, remauiing half-open on the tree without scattering the 

 seeds. Found in southern Districts, mamly a river-bank species but under conditions 

 of high rainfall in Nkata Bay District is found m large numbers growing on raised 

 ground. 



The wood is said to be very durable and resistant to termites. In the past it 

 has been used locally for structures in which heavy beams are required, also for 

 felloes in wagon construction. Sleepers made of it are used on the Trans-Zambesia 

 Railway. The bark was used as an ordeal poison. The poisonous substance is 

 highly soluble in water and forms a red coloured decoction. 



Notes on mwabvi written in English by a Yao from Fort Johnston (1938). 



" A tree growing by the stream side, according to the native point of view, 

 there are the male and female trees all growing by the above place. The 

 bark of the tree which is much used for drinking in the trials of criminals such 

 as in witchcraft (very common), theft, adultery, etc., therefore the 

 difference is this, the bark of the male mwabvi is the only one that is used for 

 the trials," 



" If there is a continuation of deaths at a village and after trying lots there is 

 still doubt as to the cause of the deaths, the head of the family has to report to the 

 village headman, who also afterwards brings the man who is reported to the 

 principal headman, who after hearing his case gives his approval as to the taking of 

 the Ordeal poison. The head of the family goes out early or at night and also secretly 

 to a certain native doctor commonly known by the natives as fnapondera, one who 

 knows how to break off the bark from the tree and who knows according to the 

 position of how the bark falls from the tree, he can tell whether there will be death 

 of criminals or not. If the bark falls with the outer part first to the ground, it is an 

 omen that some criminal will die. If sideways first or with the inner fine part first, 

 it is a good omen, all who drink it are innocent. The doctor cuts some of the bark, 

 takes this and pounds it in a mortar and he keeps on murmuring some magical 

 songs and curses to give effect to the poison. After all this, he hands it over to the 

 man who pays some money or a goat or fowls." 



How to drink mwabvi : — 



"A path is hoed up in the bush and all the members to dr'mk take turns one at 

 a time. Each curses himself while mentioning the charge of the accusation and 

 after drinking, walks from one end of the path to the other end. All iimocent 

 vomit before reaching the other end and always the criminals die just before 

 they are halfway. Such who die are always supposed to be the cause of the deaths 

 or to be witches or wizards. 



56 



