THEY HANKERED AFTER HIS GALL. 65 



him round a lady's neck and waist, and photographed her with 

 the python. 



A Sensation. 



This Python escaped one night, and I solemnly warned a 

 relative to keep the fact a dead secret. She confided the fact to a 

 neighbour, binding her to strict secrecy, but of course that secret 

 was known in a very short while over the whole neighbourhood. 

 Anyhow, for a month or two nobody would venture out of doors 

 in that suburb after dark. Whenever children were a little late 

 in coming home from school, their mothers were in horrible 

 suspense lest the Python had interviewed them en route. When- 

 ever any domestic animals were missing, of course the Python 

 got the blame. Why, they even blamed it for doing away with 



a man. It seems Mr. suddenly disappeared from his home, 



and no trace of him could be found, and the poor old Python 

 was blamed, but I knew that man had a shrew of a wife, with 

 a dreadful temper, who preferred gossip to looking after her 

 domestic affairs, so I guessed the real reason of his disappearance. 



They Hankered after his Gall. 



The Kafirs believe that the gall of a man who has killed a 

 Python will confer on the person who swallows it wonderful 

 vigour, courage and longevity. 



Prior to the advent of Europeans into South Africa, and the 

 introduction of their irksome laws, the Kafir who was known to 

 have killed a Python stood little or no chance of hving to an old 

 age. The Chief of the tribe coveted his gall. So did others, but 

 they lay low, for they well knew that to thwart the desires of the 

 Chief meant retahation, swift, sure, and cruel, upon themselves. 



Now, when any of the old-time powerful native chiefs coveted 

 anything, he got it by fair means or foul, if it were at all procurable. 

 Summoning the Witch-doctor he declared, with many groans, 

 exclamations, and lamentations that he felt ill, frightfully ill, and 

 raising his voice aloud, proclaimed that he had been bewitched. 



