BELIEF IN GHOSTS 



upon the natives would retreat to the mountain. 

 In the wars of Gouveia (see Chapter VI.), they 

 were in the habit of doing the same thing, so that 

 in course of time villages in concealed portions of 

 the mountain plateau sprang up, and were used as 

 refuges as occasion arose. The many people who 

 died, whilst concealing themselves from the warring 

 elements below, were buried on a shoulder of 

 Kungu, so that their spirits would naturally 

 remain there. He told me that once in a lifetime, 

 seldom more than once, each person who could 

 claim connection with those whose remains rested 

 in the cemetery were wont to ascend the peak to 

 make offerings, pray, and solicit guidance in relation 

 to some contemplated project. There was only 

 one very old man who knew the way up, and no 

 European had ever found his way to the top. 



Among certain of the A-Nyanja people of the 

 Massingire Prazo the practice of disinterring the 

 bones of deceased persons some time after burial is 

 general. These are taken up and scattered in 

 various directions, the skull and larger bones being 

 broken for the purpose. This is not, so far as I am 

 aware, the custom among the Wa-Sena, nor is it 

 done by the natives nearer the coast. 



Belief in ghosts does not appear to be very 

 general, although I have discussed the matter with 

 Sena people who had heard of such things. The 

 spirit, when once it has left the body, is imagined 

 to be, and to remain, invisible. They believe firmly 

 in the existence of a Supreme Being called Mlungu, 

 who, they think, made everything ; but they do 

 not believe that intercession or prayer to him is 



