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My informant is persuaded that the Balemba have brought it into the country, and that the Suto and even the Thonga have borrowed the custom from them. It is true, at anyrate, for the great Ba-Venda tribe. When Ramabulan, the grandfather of the present Venda chief, was living, he strongly objected to the ngoma being introduced amongst his people. But his son Makhatu got into a circumcision lodge, and was initiated. father said: He has become a Molemba, kill him. But the people had pity on him, and when he became chief the nation adopted the new rite. Amongst other Suto tribes of Zoutpansberg circumcision is much older, and, for instance, amongst the Kaha, old men absolutely deny that they owe it to the Balemba. In Spelonken it might be different. My old Shangaan, who was circumcised about fifty years ago near the Lebole Mountain, says that the Balemba had quite a special position in the ngoma. They used to be the surgeons trusted with the physical operation. They provided the special charms by which the circular fence of the lodge was doctored to protect it against malignant influences from outside. They used also to perform the last operation, viz. burning the lodge on the day of the liberation of the boys, as nobody else dared to do it. The newly initiated, as it is well known, must leave the lodge and run to a pool to bathe there; it is strongly prohibited to them to look backwards when the houses of the initiation are burned, as the sight of that fire might "pierce their eyes and make them blind." The Balemba, masters of the ngoma, do not fear that. All those facts show, that in the north of Zoutpansberg at least, there is a special relation between the adoption of the circumcision and the Balemba. But it is hardly possible to explain its presence in Zululand in the eighteenth centur Chaka days by the migration of

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wives, provided they first incorporate them to their tribe as Balemba. The ceremony of naturalisation was performed in the following curious way: The day they brought to their home the Suto bride for whom they had paid lobola, they used to make a hole in the back wall of one of their huts. The woman had to kneel outside and only introduce her head into the hut. Then they would shave her skull as completely as possible. She was then a Molemba.

The advent of European civilisation has been rather disastrous to the Balemba. European ware and wire are supplanting theirs, and the Kaffir trade has now passed from their hands into those of white storekeepers. When they become Christians, as is the case with some of them in our Spelonken stations, they at once lose their characteristics, which they consider as being their special form of heathenism. This is not difficult for them because, religiously speaking, the Balemba do not seem to have kept the slightest trace of faith in Allah,1 and they adore the spirits of their forefathers just as the other natives do.

Whatever may be the fate of the Balemba―and though they are likely to be soon dragged along with their Bantu fellows in the Christianisation of the native races of South Africa-the fact of their separate existence and of the retention of their Semitic habits for two centuries at least is full of meaning. It shows what a wonderful grasp Mahommedanism has on the native mind. Consider these people knowing nothing of Allah, having forgotten entirely all higher religious teaching, if they ever received any, and notwithstanding

1 The Rev. Mr. Schloemann says that they hold prayer-meetings more frequently than other natives, and that they conclude their prayers, addressed to their ancestors, by the word "amena," which he thinks to be identical with the Hebrew "Amen." He also states that the number 7 is sacred for them, or rather that they fear it, as some Europeans do the number 13.

this sticking for generations to some queer rites, the meaning of which they do not understand! This is the way Islam wins adepts, not in bringing to them light and spiritual principles, but in enslaving them by a number of external habits which it makes them adopt.

Nowadays the African soul is ready to part with its childish animistic representations. But it is solicited by two opposite influences-Mahommedanism and Christianity. Mahommedanism is making tremendous progress. The case of the Balemba shows that the fight between these two influences is bound to be very serious indeed, and that in the interest of the native tribes no effort must be spared to prevent the religion of the letter and of slavery from prevailing over the religion of the spirit and of liberty!

COLLECTANEA.

SPECIMENS OF MODERN MASCOTS AND ANCIENT AMULETS OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

WITH PLATES V. AND VI.

(Exhibited at the Society's Meeting, June 17, 1908.)

THERE appears to have been a great revival in this country, during the last few years, of the belief in luck and protective amulets. Such amulets have, of course, continued to be used by the illiterate from prehistoric times. Amongst the educated classes, while protection from the evil eye and from witchcraft is now rarely sought, "pocket pieces" have persisted for 'luck' and for the prevention and cure of rheumatism and certain other ailments, and these classes have also been the principal field for the huge sale of rheumatism rings, 'electropathic' belts, and other objects which appeal to the charm instinct while professing to have a scientific reason for their success. The revival and survival of amulets have been, however, mainly amongst bridge-players, actors, sportsmen, motorists, gamblers, burglars, and others engaged in risky occupations.

"For in these days when Wisdom's light

On everything is shining,

Our certainty of Reason's right

Is by degrees declining;

And in a year or two the man

Who seeks unworked-for riches

Will ask on Macbeth's noted plan
The help of witches!"

(A. W. B. in The Tribune.)

This belief in 'luck,' and in obtaining it by things said or done or worn, is relied on by numerous advertisers in various journals