(366 THE ORDEAL MUAVI. 



or a hyaena. This abundance of carnivora made us lose all hope 

 of Monahin. We saw footprints of many black rhinoceroses, buf- 

 faloes, and zebras. 



After a few hours we reached the village of Nyakoba. Two 

 men, who accompanied us from Monina to Nyakoba's, would not 

 believe us when we said that we had no beads. It is very try- 

 ing to have one's veracity doubted, but, on opening the boxes, 

 and showing them that all I had was perfectly useless to them, 

 they consented to receive some beads off Sekwebu's waist, and I 

 promised to send four yards of calico from Tete. As we came 

 away from Monina's village, a witch-doctor, who had been sent 

 for, arrived, and all Monina's wives went forth into the fields 

 that morning fasting. There they would be compelled to drink 

 an infusion of a plant named "goho," which is used as an ordeal. 

 This ceremony is called "muavi," and is performed in this way. 

 When a man suspects that any of his wives has bewitched him, 

 he sends for the witch-doctor, and all the wives go forth into the 

 field, and remain fasting till that person has made an infusion 

 of the plant. They all drink it, each one holding up her hand 

 to heaven in attestation of her innocency. Those who vomit it 

 are considered innocent, while those whom it purges are pro- 

 nounced guilty, and put to death by burning. The innocent 

 return to their homes, and slaughter a cock as a thank-offering 

 to their guardian spirits. The practice of ordeal is common 

 among all the negro nations north of the Zambesi. This sum- 

 mary procedure excited my surprise, for my intercourse with the 

 natives here had led me to believe that the women were held in 

 so much estimation that the men would not dare to get rid of 

 them thus. But the explanation I received was this. The 

 slightest imputation makes them eagerly desire the test ; they 

 are conscious of being innocent, and have the fullest faith in the 

 muavi detecting the guilty alone ; hence they go willingly, and 

 even eagerly, to drink it. When in Angola, 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 Am- 

 baca 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 



