KAFFIR WITCHCRAFT. .273 
for his participation ; and he again, on his part, 
promises "to smell him out." 
Haying arranged these preliminaries, the 
chief generally sends the Kaffir out on some 
errand, and enticing his wives and children 
away from his hut, under some frivolous pre- 
tence, the doctor then enters it, and steals from 
it some two articles, both alike, and of the same 
kind ; as for instance, two pipes or two spoons. 
One of these he buries under the floor of the 
hut, covering the spot over with the matting, 
so as to prevent its being observed by the 
inmates on their return ; the other like article 
he takes away, and buries it in the same 
spot or part, within the chief's hut. Having 
done this, on the return of the Kaffir and his 
family, he administers a quantity of diluted 
vegetable poison to the chief's cattle, in the 
water which they drink ; he also mixes it with 
the milk and food of the chief, his wives and 
children, and awaits the result. Very fre- 
quently, having done thus much, he disappears 
from the "kraal" and goes off in the night to 
some neighbouring tribe — for the twofold pur- 
pose of disarming suspicion as to his having 
had anything to say to the matter, as well as 
to increase his own importance in the eyes of 
his tribe, by the confusion which he knows will 
be created by searching and sending for him. 
T 
