552 



THE WORLD'S \VONJ>ERS. 



made by the natives to drive the devil out of him. The pool 

 fellow could not survive the effects of the disease and noises 

 combined, and after a short illness he died. On such occasions 

 it is the custom of the dying man's head wife to throw herself 

 by him on the bed ; then, encircling his body with her arms, she 

 sings to him songs of love and pours a torrent of endearing 

 phrases into his ears, while the friends standing near utter wail- 

 ings of a very mournful character. Such a scene is always touch- 

 ing. After a husband dies the wives sit upon the ground throwing 



GROUP OF WOMEN AT THE GRAVE OF A DEAD HUSBAND. 



moistened ashes and dust over their bodies, and shave their heads 

 and rend their clothes. 



On the day Mpomo was buried proceedings were begun to dis- 

 cover the persons who had bewitched the poor fellow. A great 

 doctor was brought from up the river, and for two nights and 

 days the village was in an uproar of excitement. At last, on the 

 third morning, when the turmoil was at its height when old and 

 young, male and female, were frantic with the desire for revenge 

 on the sorcerers, the doctor assembled them about him in the 



