168 LENDING ROOFS OF HUTS. 



constantly, in order to give notice of the approach of great 

 people. When we had decided to remain for the night at 

 any village, the inhabitants lent us the roofs of their huts, 

 which in form resemble those of the Makololo, or a China- 

 man's hat, and can be taken off the walls at pleasure. 

 They lifted them off, and brought them to the spot we had 

 selected as our lodging, and, when my men had propped 

 them up with stakes, they were then safely housed for ihe 

 night. Every one who comes to salute either Manenko or 

 ourselves rubs the upper parts of the arms and chest with 

 ashes; those who wish to show profounder reverence put 

 some also on the face. 



We found that every village had its idols near it. This 

 is the case all through the country of the Balonda, so that, 

 when we came to an idol in the woods, we always knew 

 that we were within a quarter of an hour of human habi- 

 tations. One very ugly idol we passed rested on a hori- 

 zontal beam placed on two upright posts This beam was 

 furnished with two loops of cord, as of a chain, to suspend 

 offerings before it On remarking to my companions that 

 these idols had ears, but that they heard not, &c, I learned 

 that the Balonda, and even the Barotse, believe that divina- 

 tion may be performed by means of these blocks of wood 

 and clay j and, though the wood itself could not hear, the 

 owners had medicines by which it could be made to hear 

 and give responses, so that if an enemy were approaching 

 they would have full information. Manenko having brought 

 us to a stand on account of slight indisposition and a desire 

 to send forward notice of our approach to her uncle, 1 

 asked why it was necessary to send forward information 

 of our movements if Shinte had idols who could tell him 

 every thing. " She did it only,"* was the reply. It is 

 seldom of much use to show one who worships idols the 

 folly of idolatry without giving something else as an object 



* This is a curious African idiom, by which a person implies lie had no 

 particular reason for his act. 



