Chap. II. MANGOES -COFFEE— BAIN-MAKING. 47 



hands of one who has an evil eye, or is a witch, it should be 

 used as a charm to afflict him with headache. They believe, 

 too, that they will live after the death of the body, but do not 

 know anything of the state of the Barimo (gods, or departed 

 spirits). 



The mango-tree grows luxuriantly above Lupata, and 

 furnishes a grateful shade. Its delicious fruit is superior to 

 that on the coast. For weeks the natives who have charge 

 of the mangoes live entirely on the fruit, and, as some trees 

 bear in November and some in March, while the main crop 

 comes between, fruit in abundance may easily be obtained 

 during four months of the year ; but no native can be 

 induced to plant a mango. A wide-spread superstition has 

 become riveted in the native mind, that if any one plants 

 this tree he will soon die. The Makololo, like other natives, 

 were very fond of the fruit ; but when told to take up some 

 mango-stones, on their return, and plant them in their own 

 country — they too having become deeply imbued with the 

 belief that it was a suicidal act to do so — replied " they did 

 not wish to die too soon." There is also a superstition even 

 among the native Portuguese of Tette that if a man plants 

 coffee he will never afterwards be happy : they drink it, how- 

 ever, and seem the happier for it. 



During the drought of 1858 a neighbouring chief got 

 up a performance, with divers ceremonies and incantations, to 

 bring rain, but it would not come. The Goanese padre of 

 Tette, to satisfy his compatriots, appointed a procession and 

 prayers in honour of Saint Antonio for the same purpose. The 

 first attempt did not answer, but on the second occasion, 

 arranged to come off after the new-moon appeared, a grand 

 procession in the saint's honour ended in so much rain that 

 the roof of the Kesidencia gave way: Saint Antonio's 



