HEART DISEASE. MENTAL MALADIES. POISON 49 
upstream from here, on a fishing expedition. These 
fishing days are not unlike the Old Testament harvest 
festivals, when the people “ rejoiced before Yahweh.” 
Old and young live together for a fortnight in “ booths ” 
made with branches of trees and eat at every meal 
fresh fish, boiled, baked, or stewed. Whatever is not 
consumed is dried and smoked, and if all goes well, a 
village may take home with it as many as ten thousand 
fish. As Joseph’s eyes nearly start from their sockets 
whenever the conversation turns on fish, I proposed 
to allow him to go out with his village for the first 
afternoon, and asked him to take a small tub in which 
to bring back a few fishes for the doctor. He showed, 
however, no enthusiasm at the prospect, and a few 
questions put me in possession of the reason. On 
the first day there is no fishing done, but the place 
is blessed. The “ elders ” pour rum and throw 
tobacco leaves into the water to put the evil spirits 
into a good humour, so that they may let the fish be 
caught in the nets and may injure no one. These 
ceremonies were once omitted several years ago, but 
the following year an old woman wrapped herself up 
in a net and let herself be drowned. “ But — why ? 
Most of you are Christians 1 ” I exclaimed; “you 
don’t believe in these things ! ’’ “ Certainly not,’’ he 
replied, “ but any one who spoke against them or even 
allowed himself to smile while the rum and tobacco 
were being offered, would assuredly be poisoned sooner 
or later. The medicine men never forgive, and they 
live among us without any one knowing who they are.’’ 
So he stayed at home the first day, but I allowed him 
to go some days later. 
