Chap. I. 
CONVERSATION ON RAIN-MAKING. 
23 
in convulsions. Part of the same bulb is converted into smoke, 
and ascends towards the sky; rain follows in a day or two. The 
inference is obvious. Were we as much harassed by droughts, 
the logic would be irresistible in England in 1857. 
As the Bakwains believed that there must be some connection 
between the presence of “ God’s Word ” in their town and these 
successive and distressing droughts, they looked with no good will 
at the church-bell, but still they invariably treated us with kind¬ 
ness and respect. I am not aware of ever having had an enemy 
in the tribe. The only avowed cause of dislike was expressed by 
a very influential and sensible man, the uncle of Sechele. We 
like you as well as if you had been born among us; you are the 
only white man we can become familiar with (thoaela) ; but we 
wish you to give up that everlasting preacliing and praying; we 
cannot become familiar with that at all. You see we never get 
rain, while those tribes who never pray as we do obtain abund¬ 
ance.” This was a fact; and we often saw it raining on the lulls, 
ten miles off, while it would not look at us even with one eye.” 
If the Prince of the power of the air had no hand in scorching us 
up, I fear I often gave him the credit of doing so. 
As for the rain-makers, they carried the sympathies of the 
people along with them, and not without reason. With the 
following arguments they were all acquainted, and in order to 
understand their force we must place ourselves in their position, 
and believe, as they do, that all medicines act by a mysterious 
charm. The term for cure may be translated charm ” {alalia). 
Medical Doctor. —Had, friend! How very many medicines 
you have about you this morning 1 Why, you have every medi¬ 
cine in the country here. 
Rain Doctor .—Very true, my friend; and I ought; for the 
whole country needs the rain which I am making. 
M. i>.-—So you really believe that you can command the 
clouds ? I tliink that can be done by God alone. 
■ R. D.-—We both believe the very same thing. It is God that 
makes the rain, but I pray to him by means of these medicines, 
and, the rain coming, of course it is then mine. It was I who 
made it for the Bakwains for many years, when they were at 
Shokuane; through my wisdom, too, their women became fat 
and shining. Ask them; they will tell you the same as I do. 
