Chap. XY. INCREASE OF SUPERSTITION. 275 



had to be content with asserting, that mine was the real original 

 hair, such as theirs would have been, had it not been scorched 

 and frizzled by the sun. In proof of what the sun could do, I 

 compared my own bronzed face and hands, then about the same 

 in complexion as the lighter-coloured Makololo, with the white 

 skin of my chest. They readily believed that, as they go nearly 

 naked and fully exposed to that influence, we might be of common 

 origin after all. Here, as everywhere when heat and moisture 

 are combined, the people are very dark, but not quite black. 

 There is always a shade of brown in the most deeply coloured. 

 I showed my watch and pocket compass, which are considered 

 great curiosities ; but, though the lady was called on by her 

 husband to look, she would not be persuaded to approach near 

 enough. 



These people are more superstitious than any we had yet 

 encountered ; though still only building their village, they had 

 found time to erect two little sheds at the chief dwelling in it, in 

 which were placed two pots having charms in them. When 

 asked what medicine they contained, they replied, " Medicine 

 for the Barinio ;" but when I rose and looked into them, they 

 said they were medicine for the game. Here we saw the first 

 evidence of the existence of idolatry, in the remains of an old 

 idol at a deserted village. It was simply a human head carved 

 on a block of wood. Certain charms mixed with red ochre and 

 white pipe-clay are dotted over them, when they are in use ; and 

 a crooked stick is used in the same way for an idol, when they 

 have no professional carver. 



As the Leeba seemed still to come from the direction in which 

 we wished to go, I was desirous of proceeding farther up with 

 the canoes ; but Nyamoana was anxious that we should allow 

 her people to conduct us to her brother Shinte ; and when I 

 explained the advantage of water-carriage, she represented that 

 her brother did not live near the river, and, moreover, there was 

 a cataract in front, over which it would be difficult to convey the 

 canoes. She was afraid, too, that the Balobale, whose country 

 lies to the west of the river, not knowing the objects for which 

 we had come, would kill us. To my reply, that I had been so 

 often threatened with death if I visited a new tribe, that I was 

 now more afraid of killing any one than of being killed, she 



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