MEDICINE NECKLACES. 261 



large beans. Each separate piece has its specialite; 

 one is to cure laziness, others the bites of snakes, others 

 diseases of cattle, and also to enable the wearer to escape 

 from the dangerous game which he may be hunting. 

 These pieces of wood were eaten by the Kaffirs whenever 

 they were ill or in danger ; it appeared as though a kind of 

 homoeopathic dose only was necessary, as but a very small 

 portion was taken as a remedy. I but once took of this 

 medicine, and I must bear witness to its efficacy in my 

 case. 



I suffered very much one day from the heat, and 

 feeling a great lassitude coming over me, I told Monyosi 

 that I could not go any further into the bush, giving him 

 my reason. He at once said that he had some medicine, 

 especially for this complaint, from which he very frequently 

 suffered. (I strongly suspect that his only complaint was 

 laziness.) He offered me a piece, which I accepted on con- 

 dition that he should also eat a bit. It tasted something 

 like rhubarb, but was also very bitter, and hot. In a few 

 minutes, strange to say, I felt quite recovered, and walked 

 many hours in the bush without distress. 



Inyovu's father, from what I could gather, must have 

 lived about three hours between the period of the bite and 

 his death ; this would not give a person much time to be 

 " shriven." I saw his body, and it did not seem to be 

 much swollen or altered. The number of poisonous snakes 

 in this district was a great drawback to the delight of the 

 sport ; for when walking through long grass one was never 

 certain that some horrid serpent was not ready to give a 

 bite that would speedily terminate one's career. Although 



