54 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Arademij, 



During the night the Taiauia people Heat a message tu tlieir Sherljio i'rieuds 

 to say that the Meudi war-boys were there. The Sherbro acted immediately 

 on the information, and coming down to Taiama slew all the Mendi war-boys 

 in their sleep. The Mendi people blamed the Taiama people for the slaughter, 

 but, not having any war -boys left, could not take revenge. In their strait 

 they besought the assistance of a big Murri-man named Maiwa. Maiwa gave 

 them a medicine called Borfimor, which, when in full force and efficacy, 

 brought plenty of trade, plenty of copper, and plenty of wives, but unless its 

 properties were renewed from time to time by rubbing it with the fatty parts 

 of a goat, lost its effect. In making this particular concoction, Maiwa 

 substituted the internal fatty parts of a human being for those of a goat. The 

 women of the Meudi tribe made friends with the people of Taiama, and, under 

 guise of seeking their protection, presented the Taiama people with the 

 Borfirmor, explaining how it would, if kept in full vigour, bring prosperity, 

 power, and much riches. But to keep it in full force it must be renewed 

 periodically by anointing it with the internal fat of a human being, who 

 must not be a slave, but must be some blood-connexion of the person 

 seeking help of the Borfimor. 



The Taiama people were grasping, selfish, and avaricious ; and the Mendi 

 people gained their revenge, for the cult of the Borfirmor took great hold 

 on the Taiama people. In order to keep the Borfimor alive and benefit by 

 its powers, the Taiama killed off the greater part of their tribe, and eventually 

 started to seek victims from amongst their neighbours. To do this without 

 attracting too much suspicion, they sought their victims in the bush, and 

 seized them by imitating the habits of the leopard. 



In time the worship of the Borfimor spread all over the country, and some 

 years ago a powerful chief in the Imperri country made up his mind to stamp 

 it out. For this purpose he summoned from the far north some powerful 

 magicians known as Tongo-players, who did their work so thoroughly that 

 for years there were no Leopard murders. According to Chief Bunting Williams 

 of Mattru, Paramount Chief of Jong, the word "Tongo " means to find out and 

 reprove secret deeds, such as cannibalism, alligator and human leopard murders, 

 and witchcraft. When a person has suffered trouble by any of these means, 

 or been killed by a Fangay charm, or been robbed, the relatives apply to the 

 paramount chief for permission to find out by means of the Tongo players who 

 caused the injury to their relative. In former days the ordeals imposed by 

 Tongo-playing were recognized by both Mendi and Sherbro laws. 



The gang that came from the upper country in answer to the chief's 

 summons were headed by a noted magician named Kpawamonepo and his 

 assistants Kakewa and Fuecheh. The three principal Tongo-players sent 



