400 woman's rights. 



faith in the muavi detecting the guilty alone: hence they 

 go willingly, and even eagerly, to drink it. When in An- 

 gola, a half-caste was pointed out to me who is one of the 

 most successful merchants in that country; and the mother 

 of this gentleman, who was perfectly free, went, of her 

 own accord, all the way from Ambaca to Cassange, to be 

 killed by the ordeal, her rich son making no objection. 

 The same custom prevails among the Barotse, Bashubia, 

 and Batoka, but with slight variations. The Barotse, for 

 instance, pour the medicine down the throat of a cock or 

 of a dog, and judge of the innocence or guilt of the person 

 accused according to the vomiting or purging of the 

 animal. I happened to mention to my own men the water- 

 test for witches formerly in use in Scotland : the supposed 

 witch, being bound hand and foot, was thrown into a pond: 

 if she floated, she was considered guilty, taken out, and 

 burned; but if she sank and was drowned, she was pro- 

 nounced innocent. The wisdom of my ancestors excited 

 as much wonder in their minds as their custom did in 

 mine. 



The person whom Nyakoba appointed to be our guide, 

 having informed us of the decision, came and bargained 

 that his services should be rewarded with a hoe. I had 

 no objection to give it, and showed him the article : he 

 was delighted with it, and went off to show it to his wife. 

 He soon afterward returned, and said that, though he waa 

 perfectly willing to go, his wife would not let him. I said, 

 "Then bring back the hoe;" but he replied, "I want it." 

 " Well, go with us, and you shall have it." " But my wife 

 won't let me." I remarked to my men, " Did you ever 

 hear such a fool ?" They answered, " Oh, that is the cus- 

 tom of these parts : the wives are the masters." And 

 Sekwebu informed me that he had gone to this man's 

 house, and heard him saying to his wife, "Do you think 

 that I would ever leave you ?" then, turning to Sekwebu, 

 he asked, " Do you think I would leave this pretty 

 woman ? Is she not pretty?" Sekwebu had been making 



