The Gareitganze Kingdom and People. 237 
defending this absurd theory, one man said it was not possible 
for a Luba and Lamba man to go out into the country together 
without one steaUng a march on his neighbour, getting out of 
sight, and returning again in the form of a Hon or leopard and 
devouring his travelling companion. Such things, they say, are of 
daily occurrence amongst them ; and this foolish superstition leads 
them not only to tolerate the wild animals around, but almost to 
hold them sacred. 
FETISH IN WARFARE. 
Though naturally brave and fearless of danger, these people 
have a superstitious horror of anything that appears to them 
to be sacrilege, and this has brought upon them the reproach 
of cowardice. For instance, when two chiefs meet in war, victory 
does not depend merely on strength and courage, as we should 
suppose, but on fetish medicines. If some men on the side 
of the more powerful chief fall, they at once retire and acknow- 
ledge that their medicines have failed, and they cannot be 
induced to renew the conflict on any consideration. When 
brought into actual contact with wild animals, however, they 
generally conduct themselves very bravely, and with great skill 
and self-possession. I knew a man who was attacked by a 
leopard, the animal springing at his head, and dragging him 
almost to the ground. He succeeded in catching the leopard by 
its fore legs, threw it down, put his knees on its chest, broke 
its ribs, and thus killed it. 
FETISH AGAINST WILD ANIMALS. 
Africans believe largely in preventive measures, and their fetish 
charms are chiefly of that order. In passing through a country 
where leopards and lions abound they carefully provide themselves 
with the claws, teeth, lips, and whiskers of those animals, and 
hang them round their necks, to secure themselves against being 
attacked. For the same purpose the point of an elephant's trunk 
is generally worn by elephant hunters. The bones from the legs of 
tortoises are much valued as anklets, in order to give the wearers 
endurance, reminding one of the fable of the tortoise. The 
lower jaw bone of the tortoise is worn by certain tribes as a 
preventive against toothache. The spine bones of serpents are 
strung together with a girdle as a cure for backache. 
