MY THREE SEA-COWS. 47 



"Yes" (coldly). 



" From a place in the south ? " 



" Yes " (very warmly). 



" He bought it from so and so's district ? " (naming it). 



" Yes " (coldly). 



" He bought it from another district?" (naming it). 



" Yes " (very warmly). 



" He bought it from so and so's kraal ? " (naming it). 



"Yes" (coldly). 



" He bought it from another kraal ? " (naming it). 



" Yes, yes, yes " (very warmly). 



The innyanga now appears to be plunged in thought 

 perhaps he does a divination to clarify his ideas 

 finally he addresses his client as follows : 



" My friend bought a black and white cow from so 

 and so's kraal (naming it). If my friend goes to that 

 kraal he will find the cow, for it has run back there ; and 

 now I will trouble my friend to hand over my fees." 



The client thinks at once, " Heavens, what a wonderful 

 man he is how did he know that I had bought a black and 

 white cow from so and so's kraal and that it has run back 

 there? " he pays his fees cheerfully and goes off in search of 

 the cow, probably finding it at the place indicated, and the 

 next day the country rings with the fame of the innyanga. 



The innyanga has a keen knowledge of human nature 

 and utilises it. One successful case obliterates the mem- 

 ory of many unsuccessful ones. 



When he fails in a divination he tells his client either 

 that he does not know how to inquire of him properly 

 or that the Amahlosi (Fates) are not propitious. This 

 excuse always goes down. The foregoing mode of 

 divination is employed in all sorts of cases, loss of goods 

 or cattle, causes of sickness, etc., etc. 



