224 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



the roots of a plant, named " kula/' over them. If this is 

 not done and a woman who is unwell with her usual 

 sexual complaint visits the patch of ground-nuts, they 

 affirm that they will not be fruitful. If, after visiting such 

 a patch, the woman then goes to a plot of pumpkins, they 

 will also be rendered unfertile. 



Again, among the Achewa tribe, if a woman in pregnancy 

 should go into the growing maize fields, this will cause the 

 maize to wither, and they often do not wash until the crops 

 are gathered. The Achewa when the crops are growing 

 lead celibate lives ; but when they are safely gathered and 

 stored in the big bins, they resume their married state. 



Black races of mankind are wonderfully tenacious of all 

 wounds, and little children will often get severe cuts and 

 burns, which through bad and dirty treatment may 

 gradually develop into large ulcers, which may trouble them 

 for the remainder of their lives. The usual treatment for a 

 bad cut or burn is to plaster it with cow dung, or put 

 certain leaves and herbs on it, which instead of curing 

 makes the wound worse. 



Their commonest cure for sickness is to bleed a person, 

 using a piece of cow, or antelope horn, as a cup. The 

 small hole is sucked after placing the larger aperture on a 

 small incision made. 



They do not care to ask medicine or treatment from a 

 white man unless they know him well, and then only if 

 they know he has cured someone else of some injury or 

 malady. Being suspicious, and full of superstitions, they 

 are always ready to put down any natural event to some 

 occult influence. 



It is, therefore, a mistake for a white man to give 

 medicine to a man he has had a disagreement with in the 

 past. He may be close to death's door with some malig- 

 nant complaint, and the best Harley-street doctor would be 

 unable to save his life ; so if, out of the kindness of his 

 heart, a white man gave the sufferer a grain of opium to 

 soothe his pain, and he died, as die he must, the relatives 

 would all say that the white man had killed him. For this 



