Br.i.'KY^ — The Sierra Leone Canvilah. 4-3 



Human Lecrpard Society. — A person desirous of joining, the Human 

 Leopard society has first to find out who the king or priest is — a difficult 

 matter. Then he goes out and asks the king for Borfimor, who answers that 

 he would give it, but he is not the only owner, and he must consult others. 

 According to Major Fairthlough the word ' Borfimor ' is a contraction of two 

 Sherbro words, ' Boroh,' meaning ' a little bag,' and ' Fimah,' ' black ' — the 

 medicine being kept in a little black bag. Occasionally, when it was desired 

 to force a more or less prominent individual into the society, he was invited 

 to a friendly meal. Having partaken of the food, he was told that it contained 

 human flesh, and that it was necessary for him to join the society, which it 

 would appear he always did. 



Some days after, the aspirant was directed to meet the Borfimor on the 

 road. Proceeding along the road, he was met by some friends who introduced 

 him to others, who asked him if he had come for the medicine. Ha\'iiig 

 answered in the affirmative, he was asked what he wanted it for, and he 

 answered "to play jagay"-(or knucklebones, a game played with cowries). 

 Next he was asked if he would swear, and having signified his assent, the 

 party proceeded into the bush. 



The Borfimor was placed in a red box, a leopard-knife was put into the 

 right hand of the aspirant, who held it without putting his hand through the 

 handle. Knocking on the box with a leopard-knife, an oath was administered 

 to the effect that as " I come now to get this medicine, from these people, and 

 that afterwards if I revealed them, if I walk on the road big snake must bite 

 me, if I walk on the sea I must drown, if I walk on the road again lightning 

 must kill me." 



■ The aspii'ant then swore the three who swore him on the same medicine 

 and box. He was then asked to pay for the medicine, and gave four pieces 

 of cloth to one of the three, who passed the cloths to another, who in his turn 

 handed them to the " king " or headman to make medicine. The party then 

 separated. Three days later they went to seek a victim. There is reason to 

 believe that originally the victim had to be a girl, free-born, and over fourteen 

 years of age, so that the soul might be settled in the body. A first-born picin 

 was desirable. Each initiate to- the Leopard society had to produce as a 

 sacrifice a person of his own or his wife's blood. Now it appears that the 

 sacrifice may consist of a woman or a girl, a boy or a man. In earlier times 

 the victim was commonly a tribal enemy, the society being \ised to get rid of 

 an enemy who could not be killed otherwise. Before a victinr is killed the 

 Borfimor can be started by using portions of the remains of a first-born 

 -female picin (ehUd)- who. has died a natural death, together with other 

 ingredients to form the medicine; but medicine made in this way, or from au 

 enemy, would not be powerful medicine, 



