SIGNS AND WONDERS 365 



is dressed up in calico and beads, and at times most 

 extravagantly ornamented. The person utilising it 

 as a medium takes an offering and repairs to the 

 house of the witch doctor, who receives it and 

 pretends to interrogate the oracle somewhat as 

 follows. Calling the spirit by name, he asks, " So- 

 and-so, are you listening ? " If there is no answer, 

 he says it is because the offering is not large 

 enough ; but if the amount laid before him be 

 satisfactory, a squeak is given, apparently by the 

 gourd, to signify that the spirit of the defunct 

 is now in attendance. Many questions are now 

 asked, such as, " Who is the guilty person ? " 

 " Why did he murder you ? " " Where is he now ? " 

 " Will he deny it ? " and so on. The answers are 

 given either by means of ventriloquism, or else 

 mechanically, and consist always of a series of 

 squeaks, which the doctor professes to be able to 

 interpret. Finally some person is named, where- 

 upon he is promptly denounced and made to undergo 

 the ordeal. 



Good and bad signs are very numerous, and con- 

 sist, among others, of the following : 



To find a snake lying along the path signifies 

 success on the journey ; across it, or coiled in it, 

 failure and disaster. 



Bird songs of certain birds on the left hand 

 signify good luck, whilst on the right they presage 

 the contrary. 



Certain antelopes crossing the path ahead from 

 right to left are an excellent sign, but if in the 

 contrary direction, the native wiU abandon his 

 journey and go home. 



