CHAPTEK XXVI 
Medicinal qualities of native roots—Arrival of Stremboom’s wagons—Visit by 
king’s wives—Return visit to dinner—Instrument of torture—A Mongwato 
burns a boy to death—Kingly retribution—Slavery—Stremboom’s trade. 
Amongst the herbs used by the medicine men of the country, 
was a root the plant of which they refused to show me. This 
had qualities acting on the testes, like that described in 
Batokaland. For the consideration of a shirt, one of my sable 
colleagues brought me a man to inspect who had used the root 
for fourteen days. The organs were painless, but each one 
increased in size to the dimensions of an ostrich egg. The 
possessor of this ornament assured me that the vitality of the 
organs was much more active than usual, hut that he suffered 
no other inconvenience. In reply to inquiry as to what happened 
afterwards the medico informed me that, by abandoning the use 
of the root for a few weeks, the organs resumed their natural size 
and functions, without leaving any deleterious results whatever 
behind. I examined the objects carefully and convinced myself 
that it was a genuine case of hypertrophy of the substance of 
the organ, and no chance hydrocele or other pathological mal¬ 
formation. 
The medicine man also assured me that the use of this drug, 
given to women in need of it, abundantly increased the flow of 
milk, and also developed the breasts to greater proportions. 
I feel convinced that a thoroughly scientific investigation of 
the qualities of this drug, and several other well-known roots 
would repay the trouble of research by benefiting mankind 
largely. 
At last Stremboom’s long-expected wagons arrived from 
Mongwato in charge of a man called Steele. There was great 
