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examples:--

Dapper, in his description of Africa, p. 621, tells us: 'Some
of them wear round the neck, roots, which they find far
inland, in rivers, and being on a journey they light them in
a fire or chew them, if they must sleep the night out in the
field. They believe that these roots keep off the wild
animals. The roots they chew are spit out around the spot
where they encamp for the night; and in a similar way, if
they set the roots alight, they blow the smoke and ashes
about, believing that the smell will keep the wild animals
off.

'I had often occasion to observe the practice of these
superstitious ceremonies, especially when we were in a part
of the country where we heard the roaring of the lions, or
had the day previously met with the footprints of the king of
the beasts.

'The Korannas also have these roots as safeguards with them.
If a Commando (a warlike expedition) goes out, every man will
put such roots in his pockets and in the pouch where he keeps
his bullets, believing that the arrows or bullets of the
enemy have no effect, but that his own bullets will surely
kill the enemy. And also before they lie down to sleep, they
set these roots alight, and murmur: "My grandfather's root,
bring sleep on the eyes of the lion and leopard and the
hyena. Make them blind, that they cannot find us, and cover
their noses, that they cannot smell us out." Also, if they
have carried off large booty, or stolen cattle of the enemy,
they light these roots and say: "We thank thee, our
grandfather's root, that thou hast given us cattle to eat.
Let the enemy sleep, and lead him on the wrong track, that he
may not follow us until we have safely escaped."

'Another sort of shrub is called _abib_. Herdsmen,
especially, carry pieces of its wood as charms, and if cattle
or sheep have gone astray, they burn a piece of it in the
fire, that the wild animals may not destroy them. And they
believe that the cattle remain safe until they can be found
the next morning.'[165]

Schweinfurth found the same belief in magic herbs and roots among the
Bongoes and Niam Niams in 'The Heart of Africa.' The Bongoes believe,
like the Homeric Greeks, that 'certain roots ward off the evil
influences of spirits.' Like the German amateurs of the mandrake, they
assert that 'there is no other resource f