120 MUAVE OEDEAL. Chap. V. 



The superstitious ordeal, by drinking the poisonous 

 muave, obtains credit here ; and when a person is suspected of 

 crime, this ordeal is resorted to. If the stomach rejects the 

 poison, the accused is pronounced innocent ; but if it is 

 retained, guilt is believed to be demonstrated. Their faith is so 

 firm in its discriminating power, that the supposed criminal 

 offers of his own accord to drink it, and even Chiefs are not 

 exempted. Chibisa, relying on its efficacy, drank it several 

 times, in order to vindicate his character. When asserting that 

 all his wars had been just, it Avas hinted that, as every Chief had 

 the same tale of innocence to tell, we ought to suspend our judg- 

 ment. " If you doubt my word," said he, " give me the muave 

 to drink." A Chief at the foot of Mount Zomba successfully 

 went through the ordeal the day before we reached his village ; 

 and his people manifested their joy at his deliverance by drink- 

 ing beer, dancing, and drumming for two days and nights. It is 

 possible that the native doctor, who mixes the ingredients 

 of the poisoned bowl, may be able to save those whom he 

 considers innocent; but it is difficult to get the natives to 

 speak about the matter, and no one is willing to tell what 

 the muave poison consists of. We have been shown trees 

 said to be used, but had always reason to doubt the 

 accuracy of our informants. We once found a tree in a 

 village, with many pieces of the bark chipped off, closely 

 allied to the Tangena or Tanghina, the ordeal poison tree of 

 Madagascar ; but we could not ascertain any particulars about 

 it. Death is inflicted on those found guilty of witchcraft, by 

 the muave. 



The women wail for the dead two days. Seated on the 

 ground they chant a few plaintive words, and end each verse 

 with the prolonged sound of a — a, or o — o, or ea-ea-ea — a. 

 Whatever beer is in the house of the deceased, is poured 



