RAIN-MAKERS. 41 



now ran off to the man's kraal, where the woman 

 produced a hag of ubootie, or bewitching matter, 

 which appeared to have been hidden there in a pool 

 of water. " My fears," observed Mr. Shaw, " were 

 much excited for the man ; but I was relieved, by 

 the information that Pato had given no orders for the 

 seizure of his person or of his cattle ; the ceremonies 

 of this day being confined to those which are called 

 ' Ukumbulelo,' in which case, only the bewitching 

 matter is sought out, while the offender is not 

 formally announced. In the sequel I waited on the 

 Chief, and represented to him that, if this man should 

 suffer death, a heinous murder would be committed, 

 which would lie at his door ; — that, if such practices 

 continued to prevail, with his sanction, it would 

 prove how useless were all our exertions for the 

 benefit of the people, and that I should be under the 

 necessity of removing to some other tribe more de- 

 serving of our labours. The result was, that the 

 man in question was allowed to escape with life, 

 although nothing could prevent the confiscation of 

 his cattle." 



Another melancholy effect of superstition is ob- 

 servable in the credence so implicitly given by the 

 Caffers to the influence of persons denominated 

 " Igiaka-lumsulu," or Rain-makers. The country 

 being subject to frequent droughts, and a consequent 

 dearth of pasturage being severely felt by a people 

 whose hopes of support and wealth depend chiefly on 



