14-6 THE REGION OF THE BARUjfe 



been laid ? Whilst the uneasy villagers discussed 

 excitedly the disquieting news, and speculated as 

 to who would be the next victim to figure at 

 Dzango's unspeakable feasts, one Bofana, who had 

 been hunting round M'sunga, came in carrying a 

 small bundle, which on being opened displayed to 

 the dismayed spectators the head of the missing 

 corpse. His story was that, sitting down to rest 

 under the summit of M'sunga, he had seen some- 

 thing fall from the top, as though blown over by 

 a gust of wind, and picking it up he found to his 

 horror that it was the head of Shipapata's favourite 

 wife ; but though to some extent yielding to the 

 forces of nature, did they see the marvel of the 

 eyes ? Then to their amazement the people saw 

 that the eyes still lived, and seemed ceaselessly 

 to search among them for one who was not present. 

 Then they shouted, " It is the witch she seeks ; 

 bring Dzango." The old woman was speedily 

 found and dragged to the spot. The instant she 

 appeared the corpse's eyes assumed such a terrific 

 expression of menacing accusation that Dzango 

 then and there fell on her knees and begged for 

 mercy. She confessed that for years she had been 

 an eater of human flesh, and had exhumed the 

 body of Shipapata's wife, whom, owing to an un- 

 controllable longing to eat her, she had killed by 

 witchcraft. The body was taken by her in two 

 pieces to the top of M'sunga by a road she only 

 knew, and there devoured. So overwrought were 

 the horrified villagers by these appalling disclosures 

 that Dzango was at once taken forth and put to 

 death by being placed in the path of a procession 



