AFRICAN IRREVERENCE. 



349 



Fetissism supplies an abundance of professionally 

 holy men. The " Mfumo ' 7 is translated by the Arabs 



Always anxious, — says Mr. J. Smith, the author, — to get any of them 

 (the Western Africans) to talk about God and religion, I said, "What have 

 you been doing King Pepple ? " 



" All the same as you do, — I tank God." 



" For what ? " 



" Every good ting God sends me." 

 " Have you seen God ? " 



" Chi ! no ; — suppose man see God, he must die one minute." (He would 

 die in a moment.) 



" When you die won't you see God ? " 



With great warmth, " I know no savvy. (I don't know.) How should I 

 know ? Never mind. I no want to hear more for that palaver." (I want 

 no more talk on that subject.) 



"What way?" (Why?) 



" It no be your business, you come here for trade palaver." 



I knew — resumes Mr. Smith — it would be of no use pursuing the 

 subject at that time, so I was silent, and it dropped for the moment. 



In speaking of him dying, I had touched a very tender and disagreeable 

 chord, for he looked very savage and sulky, and I saw by the rapid changes 

 in his countenance that he was the subject of some intense internal emotion. 

 At length he broke out, using most violent gesticulations, and exhibiting a 

 most inhuman expression of countenance, " Suppose God was here, I must 

 kill him, one minute ! " 



" You what ? you kill God ? " followed I, quite taken aback, and almost 

 breathless with the novel and diabolical notion ; " You kill God ? why, you 

 talk all some fool" (like a fool); "you cannot kill God; and suppose it 

 possible that God could die, everything would cease to exist. He is the 

 Spirit of the universe. But he can kill you." 



" I know I cannot kill him ; but suppose I could kill him, I would." 



" Where does God live ? " 



" For top." 



" How ? " He pointed to the zenith. 



" And suppose you could, why would you kill him ? " 



" Because he makes men to die." 



" Why, my friend," in a conciliatory manner, " you would not wish to live 

 for ever, would you ? " 



" Yes, I want to stand" (remain for ever). 



" But you will be old by and by, and if you live long enough, will 

 become very infirm, like that old man," pointing to a man very old for an 

 African and thin, and lame, and almost blind, who had come into the court 

 during the foregoing conversation, to ask for some favour (I wonder he had 

 not been destroyed), — " and like him you will become lame, and deaf, and 



