66 Seven Years in Central Africa. [March, 
to carry my bundles. Mr. Westbeech, who had remained till 
my arrival, was soon in my hut, and in a few hours the king 
himself came to see me. He seemed a bright, happy sort of 
man, always smiling. The hut they put me into I found had 
been built specially for the occasion, but unfortunately it was 
very damp, and firewood being difficult to procure in this marshy 
country, my outlook was rather a gloomy one. Often nothing 
seemed dry but my fevered tongue. Still httle by little the fever 
left me; it was, however, succeeded by much pain and pros- 
tration. On the way to this place I had seen a little of the 
wickedness and superstition of these people ; but on the third 
morning after my arrival at Lealui I saw more than I desired. 
THE BOILING-POT ORDEAL. 
A small company gathered in front of my hut, and began an 
animated discussion, which grew hotter and hotter, and shortly a 
large fire was kindled, and a pot of water set on it. I was told 
that this was a trial for witchcraft, and that the two persons charged 
had to wash their hands in the water, and if, after twenty-four 
hours, the skin came off, the victims were to be burned alive. 
First one, then the other, dipped his hands in the fiercely-boiling 
water, lifting some up and pouring it over the wrist. Twenty- 
four hours told its tale, and I saw the poor fellows marched off 
to be burned before a howling, cursing crowd. Such scenes, I 
afterwards found, were almost of daily occurrence. 
BREAK IN THE DIARY — A TRYING TIME. 
March i<,th, 1883. — Sorry I have not been able to make daily 
notes. It is only within the last few weeks that I have felt my 
strength returning in any measure. The first hut the king gave 
me is now in ruins from the flood. He then gave me another 
in the centre of the town, but it was dry for one day only. One 
night of frightfully heavy rains flooded hut- and yard, and sadly 
wetted my small stock of goods. The rain continued for days. 
The king could give me no dry hut, so I just had to "lie to," 
day after day, in that filthy round hut, scarcely wide enough for 
me at full length, with my goods rotting by my side, and a perfect 
swarm of rats devouring everything, and running over me at 
night. There for ten long days I sat on my stool in semi-darkness 
