CONVERSATION ON RAIN-MAKING. I 5 



into smoke, and ascends towards the sky ; rain follows in 

 a day or two. The inference is obvious. Were we as 

 much harassed by droughts, the logic would be irresistible 

 in England in 1857. 



As the Bakwains believed that there must be some 

 connection between the presence of "God's Word " in 

 their town and these successive and distressing droughts, 

 they looked with no good will at the church-bell, but still 

 they invariably treated us with kindness and respect. 

 I am not aware of ever having had an enemy in the tribe. 

 The only avowed cause of dislike was expressed by a very 

 influential and sensible man, the uncle of Sechele. " We 

 like you as well as if you had been born among us ; you are 

 the only white man we can become familiar with (thoaela) ; 

 but we wish you to give up that everlasting preaching and 

 praying ; we cannot become familiar with that at all. You 

 see we never get rain, while those tribes who never pray 

 as we do obtain abundance." This was a fact ; and we 

 often saw it raining on the hills, ten miles off, while it 

 would not look at us " even with one eye." If the Prince 

 of the power of the air had no hand in scorching us up, 

 I fear I often gave him the credit of doing so. 



As for the rain-makers, they carried the sympathies of 

 the people along with them, and not without reason. 

 With the following arguments they were all acquainted, 

 and in order to understand their force we must place our- 

 selves in their position, and believe, as they do, that all 

 medicines act by a mysterious charm. The term for 

 cure may be translated " charm " (alaha). 



Medical Doctor. — Hail, friend ! How very many medi- 

 cines you have about you this morning ! Why, you have 

 every medicine in the country here. 



Rain Doctor. — Very true, my friend ; and I ought ; 

 for the whole country needs the rain which I am making. 



M. D. — So you really believe that you can command 

 the clouds ? I think that can be done by God alone. 



R. D. — We both believe the very same thing. It is 

 God that makes the rain, but I pray to Him by means of 

 these medicines, and, the rain coming, of course it is then 

 mine. It was I who made it for the Bakwains for many 

 years, when they were at Shokuane ; through my wisdom, 

 too, their women became fat and shining. Ask them ; 

 they will tell you the same as I do. 



M. D. — But we are distinctly told in the parting words 



