394 Wanderings in Eastern Africa. 
The mange having done his best to entertain me, 
asked me to show him some of my nick-nacks. The 
picture-book greatly delighted him. It was the 
Sunday-school picture-book, illustrative of scriptural 
subjects. The animals particularly pleased the chief 
The lion, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, crocodile, camel, 
ostrich, and serpent were greatly wondered at " How 
could such big brutes be put into so small a space 
Look at that fellow ! take hold of his tail ! " Some of 
them tried to do the latter, and were surprised that 
there was nothing to take hold of ! The other pictures 
in the book helped me often to a gospel theme ; and 
with this book I could get a hearing for the truth 
when a direct appeal would not have been listened to- 
The mange next asked for ''medicines,'' by which he 
meant charms. I explained that I was not a mganga 
(sorcerer), and denounced charms, incantations, and 
witchery of all sorts. The chief said that he knew all 
this, and only wanted a few drugs. Remembering what 
I had been told of his desire to obtain poison for the 
purposeof ridding himself of troublesome people, I gave 
him antibilious pills, rhubarb, sulphur, quinine, etc., but 
refused opium, antimony, and mercury. Expressing 
some fear that he would forget their uses, he replied 
coolly, Nay, I shall not do that, for I will write down 
their uses from your lips. Will you hand me a pen ? " 
He took the pen, and handled it with no little skill. 
He put his . mark upon each, surprising me with the 
readiness with which he did it, also with the distinct- 
ness and variety of the characters; for they were not 
mere marks, but good figures ! He then read them 
off with great ease and precision, and immediately 
sent the medicines away by one of his men. 
