RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY. 
327 
country to the eastward. Unlike the Ibu people, they 
pay little attention to the arming of canoes, their general 
employment being more on land than on water. 
Mazamba, a Mallam, officiates as minister of war. 
The whole of the religious power is confided to the 
Mallams or priests, who are all unlettered Mahomme- 
dans, but who have had the advantage of travelling in 
other parts of Africa, where, in addition to a few sen- 
tences of the Koran, and an imperfect knowledge of the 
great Prophet’s doctrines, they have picked up a good 
idea of business, which they combine with the duties of 
their office. 
They also monopolize the medical branch, in which 
they are as ignorant as their more sacred one. Another 
of their most lucrative sources is the sale of amulets, or 
charms against the visitation of sickness and the agency of 
evil spirits ; they are made up of any written paper 
which may come in their way, and usually enclosed in 
neatly plaited strips of leather to be suspended from the 
neck. 
A certain Israelitish operation — performed by the 
Mallams, — is here generally, but not universally 
adopted; this, with a rude and painful method of 
scarifying and cupping is the only attempt made at 
surgery. 
The Mallams were Initiated by Dr. McWilliam and 
the other medical officers, into the practice of vaccina- 
tion, and as it would add to their importance and 
