358 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



of stealing their cloth, so they summoned two witch doctors 

 to try him. The trial was conducted as follows. The judges 

 knelt opposite each other in front of the " boy," supporting 

 a bamboo cane between their breast bones. They then 

 watched his face and presently the cane, which, of course, 

 was controlled by their breathing, bent slowly towards the 

 culprit, who at once acknowledged the theft. These witch 

 doctors are held in great awe by the natives, and the victim 

 invariably confesses long before their magic begins to work. 

 I went from Maifoni to Kukawa, and, arriving there 

 opportunely, found our old friend the Shehu, who came to 

 my rescue with a very fine lot of fifty oxen. We went at 

 once with these into Kaddai camp, where we arrived on 

 February 11. The fine appearance of the beasts rejoiced 

 the heart of Gosling, who was beginning to get uneasy at 

 my lengthened absence. 



END OF VOL. I 



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