on the south some forty miles below the Monsembe district. It is very fluffy, and of a deep scarlet colour. Two ngangas prepared equal portions of the nka. There was about a dessertspoonful in each portion. The accused had first choice, after which each doctor with the portion of nka in the palm of his hand took up his position by the side of his client, and at a given signal the portions of nka were simultaneously held to the mouths of the two opponents, and at the same moment they began to chew the drug. After chewing for a few moments each washed it down with gulps of sugar-cane wine.

After taking the ordeal, the men are allowed neither to sit down nor to lean against anything, nor even to touch anything with their hands. The nka given in the above quantity blurs the vision, distorting and enlarging all objects, makes the legs tremble, the head giddy, and gives a choking sensation in the throat and chest. In fact it gives all the symptoms of intoxication and a few more besides. The one who first becomes intoxicated and falls down is the loser, and the one who resists the effects of the drug and controls himself the longest is the winner.

About five minutes after they had taken the ordeal, a native doctor stepped into the centre with a plantain stalk in his hand, about two feet six inches long and three inches to four inches diameter. He flourished this stalk about a little, and then placed it in front of the plaintiff for him to step over. He went forward boldly, stepped over it, and returned to his place. This was repeated six times without his feet once touching the stalk. The defendant had then to go through the same test, which he did laughingly, throwing his arms and legs about in all directions. This was done occasionally for the next thirty minutes, and the plaintiff (the accuser) began to show signs of intoxication. His steps faltered, his eyes brightened and glared, and it was with difficulty that he raised his feet over the stalk. Then the "doctor" began to mock him, pretending to put the stalk close to his feet and tantalizingly drawing it back. Forty minutes after taking the nka the climax came. The "doctor" threw the stalk to the defendant (the accused),

firmly fixing his feet on the ground, he stooped forward and placed the stalk with both his hands in a straight line, then raising himself he went back to his place. The plaintiff then went to pick it up, but no sooner did he lean forward than a spasm of pain seized him, and he would have fallen had not a man, who for the last twenty minutes had followed him closely, caught him in his arms and quickly carried him to his house.

No sooner did the crowd of neutrals see the fall of one of the opponents than with a bound they jumped to their feet; and with spears and knives raised in the air they danced, shouted, and sang around the winner. Some rubbed dirt, others ashes, and others red-camwood powder on the fellow's facea sign that he had won the case. They then hoisted him on the back of a friend and carried him home. He distributed four hundred brass rods among the crowd of his admirers, who said they had helped him to win his cause. He sat outside his hut all the rest of the day with his face smeared, so that all could see he had won, and could congratulate him. The plaintiff had to pay him two slaves and a canoe as damages.

The next day both accused and accuser were walking about the town, and seemed none the worse for drinking so powerful and dangerous a narcotic. They apparently had no enmity towards each other, but chatted freely and laughingly over the events of the previous day.

When one remembers the amount of corruption and bribery among these people; that the most familiar words on their lips are "lie," "liar," and that the most frequent question is, "Is it true?" and the answer, "It is true or cut my throat,"-the wonder is that they can settle a palaver in any way.

To drink the ordeal and be either right or wrong according to its action settles the affair once for all, ends all possible deadly feuds and bloodshed, and saves many a man from what is worse than death, viz. an ever-present anxious fear of what his enemy or enemies may do to him. If a man accuses another o giving him a disease, or of causing the death of his wife by witchcraft, how can the accused disprove such a charge? Not by talking, no matter how much he may swear that he is

the verdict will be given in favour of the one who pays the most; if he runs away he will soon be captured by some other town, and probably sold to furnish a cannibal feast; if he runs to a friendly town he will lose caste, he will be treated with contempt as a coward, and his life be rendered miserable. So he boldly steps forth and takes the nka, and the affair is settled. Is the ordeal in his favour? Then he claims and gets heavy damages. Does the ordeal go against him? Then he pays the damages, if wealthy enough; or, if poor, sells himself; or, if a slave, his master pays for him. But whatever be the result, that palaver is decided once for all.

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No stigma attaches to a man who is found guilty, for one can have witchcraft without knowing it." Moreover, no one lightly brings a charge of witchcraft against another, for, if the ordeal test goes against the accuser, the damages are so very heavy as to deter frivolous accusations.

Congo Free State.

J. H. WEEKS.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE PROGRESS OF FOLKLORE STUDY IN FINLAND.

(Ante, p. 2.)

In the current session at Helsingfors University an extensioncourse has been commenced for students of folklore. There are ninety adherents, half of whom are subsidised by the State. My brother Ilwari Krohn, Doctor of Music, teaches them music on a new system, and my lectures deal with the collection and sifting of folklore materials.

During the summer I travelled in Scandinavia, Germany, and Bohemia, and saw many good MS. collections, especially at Copenhagen and Mecklenburg. A Folklore Federation is proposed, to facilitate the exchange of copies from other collections.

During the course of the present year we have received all the songs, proverbs, riddles, and notes relating to superstitions, from the collections of the late Esthonian pastor, Dr. Jacob Hurt, which have been copied out for us. The tales from the same source have not yet reached us; nevertheless, our collections have been nearly doubled, and will supply scientific materials for generations.

Dr. Niemi is printing variants of the Kalevala from Russian Karelia, and it is hoped that the first volume will shortly be published.

The first part of a Danish translation of the Kalevala, by Adjutant F. Obst, with a historical analysis, will shortly appear in Denmark.

KAARLE KROHN.

THE SOCIOLOGY OF THE ARRANDA AND CHINGALEE TRIBES (NORTHERN TERRITORY AUSTRALIA).

The following Table gives the names of sixteen persons, or eight married couples, personally known to one of my most competent correspondents in the Arranda (or Arunta) country, (which reaches from about Macumba River to Alice Springs and the Upper Finke River), together with the section (or class) names of the husband, the wife, and their issue; also the sections of their fathers. The Arranda, as is well known, is one of the "eight-class" Australian tribes.

The Chingalee tribe, about Powell's Creek and Daly waters,