ong the
Caffers of Southern Africa, and among the natives of Ceylon. The Caffer
chiefs, attended by their warriors, proceed with much ceremony, and laden
with presents, to the dwelling of the rain-doctor, where a grand feast is
held while certain charms are in process. The impostor at length
dismisses his guests with a variety of instructions, on the due
observance of which the success of their application is to depend. These
instructions are generally of the most trifling kind: they are to travel
home in perfect silence; or they are not to look back; or they are to
compel every one they meet to turn back and go home with them. Should
rain happen to fall, the credit is given to the rain-doctor; but should
the drought continue, the fault is laid upon the failure of the
applicants to fulfil these instructions with sufficient exactness.

Major Forbes gives an account of an old rain-doctor in Ceylon, who had
plied a lucrative trade for many years, and at length wished to retire
from business. But the people were highly incensed at the idea of losing
his services, especially as a most distressing drought was at that time
the scourge of the land. So persuaded were they of his powers, that they
all agreed, that when required to do so by a whole village, he should be
compelled to furnish rain in sufficient quantities; and that if he was
insensible to rewards, he should be tormented with thorns or beaten into
compliance. In vain did the poor old impostor at length declare the
truth, and assure the people that he had no power whatever to make it
rain. They treated his words with disdain, and dragged their victim from
village to village, inflicting stripes at every halt. Even the chief of
the district had determined on having rain by force, if fair means should
fail, and ordered the rain-doctor to be taken to the village where rain
was most required. On his way thither he was so fortunate as to meet
with Major Forbes, who took him under his protection, and probably saved
his life, though not without some difficulty, for it so happened that a
few slight showers fell near his own village, while all the rest of the
neighbourhood was suffering the extremity of drought.

Melancholy indeed is the condition of these poor people; in utter
ignorance of the source of all the providential mercies bestowed upon
them, and, therefore, made the dupes and credulous followers of knaves
and impostors of every kind!

In some cases, howev