17B TRAVELS IN 
riority, I Inquired by what ads fhe had mani-* 
fefted her talents, and I difcovered her repu- 
tation to be founded only on ignorance, pre- 
judice, and ridiculous credulity. The only 
proof of her power they cited was, that her 
cattle were never attacked by the lions or 
tigers : but it is to be obferved, her cattle con- 
fifted of no more than fix fheep and three 
cows ; and as to thofe belonging to the horde, 
though very numerous, they were feldom at- 
tacked, becaufe they had feveral war-oxen to 
defend them, befide their keepers. Thus the 
real forcerers were the dupes of the forcerefs, 
fmce they were the only protestors of her few 
beafts. 
The human race, and particularly the igno- 
rant part of it, are ftruck with every thing extra- 
ordinary. I queftion not but the great renown 
of this female originated from her very follies, 
which appeared to the favages to have fome- 
thing in them fupernatural ; and neither Schoen- 
maker nor Klaas Bafter, who had often before 
mentioned to me the famous Kakoes and her 
wondrous feats, had the leaft doubt of her 
being a great magician. But what moft aflo- 
ni(hed me v/as, that fuch a woman fhould have 
taken 
