CALLING OUT THE VICTIMS.

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begun, I said I would make Quengueza punish them for the murders done in his absence. But alas! here they had outwitted me. On the day of Mpomo's death they had sent secretly to Quengueza to ask if they could kill the witches. He, poor man, sick himself, and always afraid of the power of sorcerers, and without me to advise him, at once sent back word to kill them all without mercy. So they almost laughed in my face.

Finding all my endeavors vain, and that the work of bloodshed was to be carried through to its dreadful end, I determined, at least, to see how all was conducted.

At a motion from the doctor, the people became at once quite still. This sudden silence lasted about a minute, when the loud, harsh voice of the doctor was heard:

"There is a very black woman, who lives in a house"-describing it fully, with its location-" she bewitched Mpomo."

Scarce had he ended when the crowd, roaring and screaming like so many hideous beasts, rushed frantically for the place indicated. They seized upon a poor girl named Okandaga, the sister of my good friend and guide Adouma. Waving their weapons over her head, they tore her away toward the water-side. Here she was quickly bound with cords, and then all rushed away to the doctor again.

As poor Okandaga passed in the hands of her murderers, she saw me, though I thought I had concealed myself from view. I turned my head away, and prayed she might not see me. I could not help her. But presently I heard her cry out, "Chally, Chally, do not let me die!"

It was a moment of terrible agony to me. For a minute I was minded to rush into the crowd and attempt the rescue of the poor victim. But it would have been of not the slightest use. The people were too frantic and crazed to even notice my presence. I should only have sacrificed my own life without helping her. So I turned away into a corner behind a tree, and-I may confess, I trust-shed bitter tears at my utter powerlessness.

Presently silence again fell upon the crowd. Then the harsh voice of the devilish doctor again rang over the town. It seemed to me like the hoarse croak of some death-foretelling raven:

"There is an old woman in a house"-describing it—" she also witched Mpomo."

Again the crowd rushed off. This time they seized a niece of

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RECITAL OF CHARGES.

King Quengueza, a noble-hearted and rather majestic old woman. As they crowded about her with flaming eyes and threats of death, she rose proudly from the ground, looked them in the face unflinchingly, and motioning them to keep their hands off, said, "I will drink the mboundou; but woe to my accusers if I do not die."

Then she, too, was escorted to the river, but without being bound. She submitted to all without a tear or a murmur for

mercy.

Again, a third time the dreadful silence fell upon the town, and the doctor's voice was heard:

"There is a woman with six children. She lives on a plantation toward the rising sun. She, too, witched Mpomo."

Again there was a furious shout, and in a few minutes they brought to the river one of Quengueza's slave-women, a good and much-respected woman, whom also I knew.

The

The doctor now approached with the crowd. In a loud voice he recited the crime of which these women were accused. first taken, Okandaga, had-so he said-some weeks before asked Mpomo for some salt, he being her relative. Salt was scarce, and he had refused her. She had said unpleasant words to him then, and had by sorcery taken his life.

She was barren, and Therefore she had be

Then Quengueza's niece was accused. Mpomo had children. She envied him. witched him. Quengueza's slave had asked Mpomo for a looking-glass. He had refused her. Therefore she had killed him with sorcery.

As each accusation was recited the people broke out into curses. Even the relatives of the poor victims were obliged to join in this. Every one rivaled his neighbor in cursing, each fearful lest lukewarmness in the ceremony should expose him to a like fate.

Next the victims were put into a large canoe with the executioners, the doctor, and a number of other people, all armed.

Then the tam-tams were beaten, and the proper persons prepared the mboundou. Quabi, Mpomo's eldest brother, held the poisoned cup. At sight of it poor Okandaga began again to cry, and even Quengueza's niece turned pale in the face-for even the negro face has at such times a pallor which is quite perceptible. Three other canoes now surrounded that in which the victims were. All were crowded with armed men.

DECAPITATION OF THE VICTIMS.

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Then a mug of mboundou was handed to the old slave-woman, next to the royal niece, and last to Okandaga. As they drank, the multitude shouted, "If they are witches, let the mboundou kill them; if they are innocent, let the mboundou go out."

It was the most exciting scene of my life. Though horror almost froze my blood, my eyes were riveted upon the spectacle. A dead silence now occurred. Suddenly the slave fell down. She had not touched the boat's bottom ere her head was hacked off by a dozen rude swords.

Next came Quengueza's niece. In an instant her head was off, and the blood was dying the waters of the river.

Meantime poor Okandaga staggered, and struggled, and cried, vainly resisting the working of the poison in her system. Last of all she fell too, and in an instant her head was hewed off.

Then all became confused. An almost random hacking ensued, and in an incredibly short space of time the bodies were cut in small pieces, which were cast into the river.

When this was done the crowd dispersed to their houses, and for the rest of the day the town was very silent. Some of these rude people felt that their number, in their already almost extinguished tribe, was becoming less, and the dread of death filled their hearts. In the evening poor Adouma came secretly to my house to unburden his sorrowing heart to me. He, too, had been compelled to take part in the dreadful scene. He dared not even refrain from joining in the curses heaped upon his poor sister. He dared not mourn publicly for her who was considered so great a criminal.

I comforted him as well as I could, and spoke to him of the true God, and of the wickedness of the conduct we had witnessed that day. He said at last, "Oh, Chally, when you go back to your far country, let them send men to us poor people to teach us from that which you call God's mouth," meaning the Bible. I promised Adouma to give the message, and I now do so.

I have often endeavored to get at the secret thoughts of the doctors or wonder-workers among these people. They lead the popular superstition in such manner that it is almost impossible to suppose they are themselves deceived, and yet it is certain that most of them have a kind of faith in it. Nevertheless, it is not likely that they are imposed upon to the same extent as the common people, and this because they are most barefaced impos