hich is part of the ceremony of magic
purification for those who have slain, lest, as is well known, the ghost
of the dead wreak their wrath upon their slayers.

The affairs of the tribe were in a parlous state. The netting of the tabu
had been tangled by the death of the King-God, Kawa Kendi, and the
unprecedented act of the overthrow of the idol. Kawa Kendi's body, which
had not been recovered so that the doctors could release his unhappy soul,
might be used to make more magic against the tribe.

For three weeks there had been much discussion among the doctors, the
chiefs, and the people. Opinions were at variance; no two men could agree.
Lesser wizards, who before had been content with the perquisites of the
smaller offices, were now made drunken by the insecurity of Bakahenzie's
position. Each of the doctors, seeing a chance to prove his superior merit
and win Bakahenzie's post as chief doctor, had busily made magic to
destroy the usurper, and each and every one provided a different reason
for the failure thereof. Every day came news of the doings of the white
god with eyes upon his hands, of shootings and floggings, of the burning
of the village including the idol, the temple, and the sacred tombs of
MFunya MPopo, of MKoffo, of MZrakombinyana, and other kings before them.

The council of the craft could not even decide whether Zalu Zako was to be
King-God or not. Bakahenzie, whose interest lay in supporting the dynasty
of the present royal family, maintained that he should be anointed
forthwith. But with the downfall of the idol and his own impotence to make
successful magic, Bakahenzie's prestige had been badly shaken; no longer
dared he issue dicta autocratically. As ever, political ambition tore
patriotism to shreds.

Marufa, former close ally of Bakahenzie, but lacking his active principle,
continued to mutter incantations most impressively by himself, waiting
cautiously to see which side of the river the arrow fell. Bakahenzie
became seriously alarmed at the growth of Yabolo's faction and the
indifference of Marufa. He knew well that submission would entail the loss
of his post as well as his worldly goods; and he was aware that all men
knew that his most potent and strenuous magic had failed as utterly as
that of the youngest novice in the craft. His only chance to retrieve a
portion of his lost reputation was to invent a more plausible excuse for
failure than any other doctor had done. He did.

Although