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HOW TO DISCOVER A WITCH.

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each shoulder down to his hands was a white stripe, and one hand was painted quite white. To complete this horrible array, he wore a string of little bells around his body.

He sat on a box or stool, before which stood another box containing charms. On this stood a looking-glass, beside which lay a buffalo-horn containing some black powder, and said, in addition, to be the refuge of many spirits. He had a little basket of snake-bones, which he shook frequently during his incantations; as also several skins, to which little bells were attached. Near by stood a fellow beating a board with two sticks. All the people of the village gathered about this couple, who, after continuing their incantations for quite a while, at last came to the climax. Jombuai was told to call over the names of persons in the village, in order that the doctor might ascertain if any one of those named did the sorcery. As each name was called the old cheat looked in the glass to see the result.

During the whole operation I stood near him, which seemed to trouble him greatly. At last, after all the names were called, the doctor declared that he could not find any "witch-man," but that an evil spirit dwelt in the village, and many of the people would die if they continued there. I have a suspicion that this final judgment with which the incantations broke up was a piece of revenge upon me. I had no idea till next day how seriously the words of one of these (ouganga) doctors is taken.

The next morning all was excitement. The people were scared: they said their mbuiri was not willing to have them live longer here; that he would kill them, etc. Then began the removal of all kinds of property and the tearing down of houses; and by nightfall I was actually left alone in my house with my Mpongwe boy and my little Ogobay boy, Makondai, both of whom were anxious to be off.

Old Ranpano came to beg me not to be offended; that he dared not stay, but would build his house not too far away; that the mbuiri was now in town: he advised me as a friend to move also; but nobody wished me ill-only he must go, etc.

I did not like to abandon my houses, which had cost me money and trouble, and where I was more comfortably fixed than I had ever before been in Africa. So I called a meeting of the people, and tried to induce some of them to come over and live with me. Now, though they loved tobacco, though they worshiped trade,

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though they had every possible inducement to come and live near me, “their white man," as they called me, it was only with the greatest difficulty I could get some men who had already worked for me to come over and stay in my place. These began immediately to build themselves houses, and by October 8th the little village was built, of which I was now, to my great surprise, offered the sovereignty. I remembered how the new king was made in the Gaboon; and though it seemed romantic to be the chief of a negro town in Africa, the thought of the contumely which precedes the assumption of royalty deterred me. Finally the men determined to have me as the chief next to Ranpano, and with this my ambition was satisfied.

On the 1st of November I went in a canoe, with guns and provisions, up to Irende, a town about forty miles up the Fernand Vaz. Hereabouts there was likelihood of some good hunts; so I had been told. In fact we killed a number of wild red pigs, and some beautiful, but very shy red deer. It is a curious circumstance-which I think I ascertained to be a fact-that on this part of the Fernand Vaz the gorilla lives only near the left bank, and the chimpanzee only near the right bank of the stream, until one reaches the Rembo River.

On the 9th I started for the town of my old friend Makaga, where I was heartily received. We went out on a gorilla-hunt on the 10th, but took too many men, and probably made too much noise; for we saw none, and returned next day with our trouble for our pains. On the 13th I went out with only one hunter, and he took me to a part of the country full of the wild pine-apple. The gorilla is very fond of the leaves of this plant, of which it eats the white stems. We saw great quantities thus eaten away, therefore we hoped to find here the beasts themselves.

About noon, Mbele, my hunter, was some distance ahead, when suddenly I heard his gun fired. I ran up, and found he had shot and killed a female gorilla about half grown.

Coming back we heard the cry of the gorillas off at one side of our path. We approached, but were discerned, and came up only to see four young animals making off on their all-fours into the woods. I noticed that in their trot their hind legs seemed to play in between their arms; but they made very good speed.

Before we got to town again I shot a mboyo, a very shy ani

CAPTURE OF A YOUNG GORILLA.

287 mal of the wolf kind, with long yellowish hair and straight ears. I have often watched these beasts surrounding and chasing small game for themselves. The drove runs very well together; and as their policy is to run round and round, they soon bewilder, tire out, and capture any animal of moderate endurance.

I found this a great gorilla country; the animals even approached the town early in the morning, and I found that I need not make long journeys in order to reach the hunting-ground. But they are very difficult of approach; the slightest noise alarms them and sends them off. It is only once in a while that you can surprise an old male; and then he will fight you.

On the 25th I got a second young gorilla. This time I was accessory to its capture. We were walking along in silence, when I heard a cry, and presently saw before me a female gorilla, with a tiny baby-gorilla hanging to her breast and sucking. The mother was stroking the little one, and looking fondly down at it; and the scene was so pretty and touching that I held my fire, and considered-like a soft-hearted fellow-whether I had not better leave them in peace. Before I could make up my mind, however, my hunter fired and killed the mother, who fell without a struggle.

The mother fell, but the baby clung to her, and, with pitiful cries, endeavored to attract her attention. I came up, and when it saw me it hid its poor little head in its mother's breast. It could neither walk nor bite, so we could easily manage it; and I carried it, while the men bore the mother on a pole. When we got to the village another scene ensued. The men put the body down, and I set the little fellow near. As soon as he saw his mother he crawled to her and threw himself on her breast. He did not find his accustomed nourishment, and I saw that he perceived something was the matter with the old one. He crawled over her body, smelt at it, and gave utterance, from time to time, to a plaintive cry, "hoo, hoo, hoo," which touched my heart.

I could get no milk for this poor little fellow, who could not eat, and consequently died on the third day after he was caught. He seemed more docile than the other I had, for he already recognized my voice, and would try to hurry toward me when he saw me. I put the little body in alcohol, and sent it to Dr. Wyman, of Boston, for dissection. His remarks will be found in my chapter on the gorilla.

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