196 SEKELETU'S LEPROSY. CHAP. VII. 



the case out of the hands of the female physician already 

 employed, it being bad policy to appear to undervalue 

 any of the profession ; and she, being anxious to go on 

 with her remedies, said " she had not given him up 

 yet, but would try for another month ; if he was not 

 cured by that time, then she would hand him over to the 

 white doctors." But we intended to leave the country 

 before a month was up ; so Mamire, with others, induced 

 the old lady to suspend her treatment for a little. She 

 remained, as the doctors stipulated, in the chief's establish- 

 ment, and on full pay. 



Sekeletu was told plainly that the disease was un- 

 known in our country, and was thought exceedingly 

 obstinate of cure; that we did not believe in his being 

 bewitched, and we were willing to do all we could to 

 help him. This was a case for disinterested benevolence ; 

 no pay was expected, but considerable risk incurred ; yet 

 we could not decline it, as we had the trading in horses. 

 Having, however, none of the medicines usually employed 

 in skin diseases with us, we tried the local application of 

 lunar caustic, and hydriodate of potash internally ; and 

 with such gratifying results, that Mamire wished the 

 patient to be smeared all over with a solution of lunar 

 caustic, which he believed to be of the same nature as the 

 blistering fluid formerly applied to his own knee by 

 Mr. Oswell. Its power he considered irresistible, and he 

 would fain have had anything like it tried on Sekeletu. 



It was a time of great scarcity and hunger, but Seke- 

 letu treated us hospitably, preparing tea for us at every 

 visit we paid him. With the tea we had excellent 

 American biscuit and preserved fruits, which had been 

 brought to him all the way from Benguela. The fruits 

 he most relished were those preserved in their own juices ; 

 plums, apples, pears, strawberries, and peaches, which we 

 have seen only among Portuguese and Spaniards. It 



