234 AD VENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. xxv 



i 

 marry a woman who is both old and ugly, and who, 



instead of frittering away her time in love-making, 

 will spend it wisely in preparing food and pombe for 

 me. After all, what else does a man want a wife 

 for?' 



Ere many weeks had elapsed, Malingum had 

 recovered all his old gaiety, and it was cheerful to 

 hear his wholesome laughter and light-hearted 

 chatter in the camp once more. 



In explanation of the above episode, let me state 

 that the idea is firmly imbedded in the mind of every 

 native hunter of these parts that, if an elephant or 

 buffalo charge him without provocation, or if his gun 

 hang fire in the chase, it is purely and simply because 

 his wife is proving unfaithful to him. Should such 

 an incident occur when he is hunting, he usually 

 returns at once to his village, calls the villagers 

 together, accuses his wives, and subjects them to 

 the poison ordeal, a description of which rite I have 

 given in another chapter. 



