Ghat. I. CONVERSATION ON RAIN-MAKING. 23 



in convulsions. Part of the same bulb is converted into smoke, 

 and ascends towards the sky ; rain follows in a day or two. The 

 inference is obvious. Were we as much harassed by droughts, 

 the looric would be irresistible in Ens-land in 1857. 



As the Bakwains believed that there must be some connection 

 between the presence of " God's Word " in their town and these 

 successive and distressing droughts, they looked with no good will 

 at the church-bell, but still they invariably treated us with kind- 

 ness and respect. I am not aware of ever having had an enemy 

 in the tribe. The only avowed cause of dislike was expressed by 

 a very influential and sensible man, the uncle of Sechele. " We 

 like you as well as if you had been born among us ; you are the 

 only white man we can become familiar with (thoaela) ; but we 

 wish you to give up that everlasting preaching and praying ; Ave 

 cannot become familiar with that at all. You see we never get 

 rain, while those tribes who never pray as we do obtain abund- 

 ance." Tliis was a fact ; and we often saw it raining on the hills, 

 ten miles off, while it would not look at us " even with one eye." 

 If the Prince of the power of the air had no hand in scorcliing us 

 up, I fear I often gave him the credit of doing so. 



As for the rain-makers, they carried the sympathies of the 

 people along with them, and not without reason. With the 

 following arguments they were all acquainted, and in order to 

 understand their force we must place ourselves in their position, 

 and believe, as they do, that all medicines act by a mysterious 

 charm. The term for cure may be translated " charm " {alalia). 



Medical Doctor. — Hail, friend! How very many medicines 

 you have about you this morning ! Why, you have every medi- 

 cine in the country here. 



Rain Doctor. — Very true, my friend ; and I ought ; for the 

 whole country needs the rain which I am making. 



M. D. — So you really believe that you can command the 

 clouds ? I think that can be done by God alone. 



R. D. — We both believe the very same tiring. It is God that 

 makes the rain, but I pray to him by means of these medicines, 

 and, the rain coming, of course it is then mine. It was I who 

 made it for the Bakwains for many years, when they were at 

 Shokuane ; tlnough my wisdom, too, their women became fat 

 and sinning. Ask them ; they will tell you the same as I do. 



