th the natives here had led me to believe that the women were held in
so much estimation that the men would not dare to get rid of them thus.
But the explanation I received was this. The slightest imputation makes
them eagerly desire the test; they are conscious of being innocent, and
have the fullest faith in the muavi detecting the guilty alone; hence
they go willingly, and even eagerly, to drink it. When in Angola, a
half-caste was pointed out to me who is one of the most successful
merchants in that country; and the mother of this gentleman, who was
perfectly free, went, of her own accord, all the way from Ambaca to
Cassange, to be killed by the ordeal, her rich son making no objection.
The same custom prevails among the Barotse, Bashubia, and Batoka, but
with slight variations. The Barotse, for instance, pour the medicine
down the throat of a cock or of a dog, and judge of the innocence or
guilt of the person accused according to the vomiting or purging of the
animal. I happened to mention to my own men the water-test for witches
formerly in use in Scotland: the supposed witch, being bound hand and
foot, was thrown into a pond; if she floated, she was considered
guilty, taken out, and burned; but if she sank and was drowned, she was
pronounced innocent. The wisdom of my ancestors excited as much wonder
in their minds as their custom did in mine.

The person whom Nyakoba appointed to be our guide, having informed us
of the decision, came and bargained that his services should be rewarded
with a hoe. I had no objection to give it, and showed him the article;
he was delighted with it, and went off to show it to his wife. He soon
afterward returned, and said that, though he was perfectly willing to
go, his wife would not let him. I said, "Then bring back the hoe;" but
he replied, "I want it." "Well, go with us, and you shall have it." "But
my wife won't let me." I remarked to my men, "Did you ever hear such a
fool?" They answered, "Oh, that is the custom of these parts; the wives
are the masters." And Sekwebu informed me that he had gone to this man's
house, and heard him saying to his wife, "Do you think that I would ever
leave you?" then, turning to Sekwebu, he asked, "Do you think I would
leave this pretty woman? Is she not pretty?" Sekwebu had been making
inquiries among the people, and had found that the women indeed
possessed a great deal of influence. We questioned the guide whom we
finally got from Nyakoba, an i