146 APPENDIX. [sect. 



Makololo, Barotse, Makalala, and other tribes residing on 

 the northern banks of the Zambesi. The only approach to 

 it among the Makololo is a custom they have of praying to 

 the new moon for success, protection, destruction of enemies, 

 &c. This partakes more of the character of pure Sabeism, 

 than of real idolatry, or the worship of idols made with 

 hands. 



He for the first time saw idols in Londa. Here their 

 names, kinds, and numbers, are legion. He observes that 

 the greater superstition of these people does not lead them 

 to a better practice of the virtues. 



In their gloomy primeval forests — fitting places wherein 

 to nurse morbid fears, doleful doubts, crude surmisings, and 

 baseless visions, with reference to the great unknown be- 

 yond the grave — you find idols of some shape or kind near 

 to every path. Here marks or faces cut on the bark of 

 trees: there little pots of medicine, or miniature huts, stud- 

 ding the tufted sod. On the one hand hideous human 

 heads carved on blocks of wood ; and by its side perhaps 

 a miserable crooked stick in all its bare deformity exalted 

 into an idol ; all having red-ochre and pipe-clay charms 

 blotched over them. On the other hand, near the villages, 

 stand ugly idols, meant to personify lions, or alligators, or 

 anything you please ; as well as great heaps of sticks piled 

 cairn-fashion, inviting the devotion of the passer-by. 



Among the Balonda, their idols are objects of fear, not 

 of adoration. Like some persons in Christian lands, they 

 only go to their God when in perplexity or danger; giving 

 it more an oracular, than any other power. 



A belief in witchcraft is common all over the whole 

 southern half of the continent. This subject, with that of 

 the ordeal, has been already treated of by Professor Sedg- 

 wick 1 . These are often employed for purposes of knavery. 



Charms and incantations are generally used. Amid 

 1 Prefatory Letter, pp. xviii — xx. 



