5^2 INFLUENCE OF THE WOMKN. 



mputation makes them eagerly desire the test ; they are 

 conscious of being innocent, and have the fullest faith in 

 the muavi detecting the guilty alone ; hence they go 

 willingly, and even eagerly, to drink it. When in Angola, 

 a half-caste was pointed out to me who is one of the most 

 successful merchants in that country ; and the mother of 

 this gentleman, who was perfectly free, went, of her own 

 accord, all the way from Ambaca to Cassange, to be 

 killed by the ordeal, her rich son making no objection. 

 The same custom prevails among the Barotse, Bashubia, 

 and Batoka, but with slight variations. The Barotse, 

 for instance, pour the medicine down the throat of a cock 

 or of a dog, and judge of the innocence or guilt of the 

 person accused, according to the vomiting or purging of 

 the animal. I happened to mention to my own men the 

 water-test for witches formerly in use in Scotland : the 

 supposed witch, being bound hand and foot, was thrown 

 into a pond ; if she floated, she was considered guilty, 

 taken out, and burned ; but if she sank and was drowned, 

 she was pronounced innocent. The wisdom of my ances- 

 tors excited as much wonder in their minds as their 

 custom did in mine. 



The person whom Nyakoba appointed to be our guide, 

 having informed us of the decision, came and bargained 

 that his services should be rewarded with a hoe. I had 

 no objection to give it, and showed him the article ; he 

 was delighted with it, and went off to show it to his wife. 

 He soon afterwards returned, and said that, though he 

 was perfectly willing to go, his wife would not let him. 

 I said, " Then bring back the hoe ; " but he replied, " I 

 want it." " Well, go with us, and you shall have it." 

 " But my wife won't let me." I remarked to my men, 

 " Did you ever hear such a fool ? " They answered, 

 " Oh, that is the custom of these parts ; the wives are the 

 masters. ' ' And Sekwebu informed me that he had gone to 

 this man's house, and heard him saying to his wife, " Do 

 you think that I would ever leave you ? " then, turning to 

 Sekwebu, he asked, " Do you think I would leave this 

 pretty woman ? Is she not pretty ? " Sekwebu had been 

 making inquiries among the people, and had found that 

 the women indeed possessed a great deal of influence. 

 We questioned the guide whom we finally got from Nya- 

 koba, an intelligent young man, who had much of the 

 Arab features, and found the statements confirmed. When 



