RUSH RAMJI'S ADVICE. 



45 



ground, Thaumaturges extracted from the mat-bag two 

 thick goat's horns connected by a snake-skin, which 

 was decorated with bunches of curiously-shaped iron 

 bells; he held one in the left hand, and with the right 

 he caused the point of the other to perform sundry 

 gyrations, now directing it towards me, then towards 

 himself, then at the awe-struck bystanders, waving his 

 head, muttering, whispering, swaying his body to and 

 fro, and at times violently rattling the bells. When fully 

 primed with the spirit of prophecy, and connected by 

 ekstasis with the ghosts of the dead, he spake out pretty 

 much in the style of his brotherhood all the world 

 over. The journey was to be prosperous. There would 

 be much talking, but little killing. — Said bin Salim, in 

 chuckling state, confessed that he had heard the same 

 from a Mganga consulted at Zanzibar.— Before navi- 

 gating the sea of Ujiji a sheep or a parti-coloured hen 

 should be killed and thrown into the lake. — Successful 

 voyage. — Plenty of ivory and slaves. — Happy return 

 to wife and family. 



This good example of giving valuable advice was 

 not lost upon Mr. Rush Ramji. He insisted upon the 

 necessary precautions of making a strong kraal and of 

 posting sentinels every night; of wearing a kerchief 

 round the head after dark, and of avoiding the danger- 

 ous air of dawn ; of not eating strange food, and of 

 digging fresh wells, as the Wazaramo bewitch water for 

 travellers ; of tethering the asses, of mending their ropes, 

 and of giving them three lbs. of grain per diem. Like 

 the medical directions given to the French troops pro- 

 ceeding to China, the counsel was excellent, but im- 

 practicable. 



The evening concluded with a nautch. Yusuf, a 

 Baloch, produced a saringi — the Asiatic viol — and 



