ago, it was not difficult to get rid
of an obnoxious neighbour by a charge of witchcraft.

A poor man, robbed of his cattle and cruelly burnt by a chief who was
rich enough to pay the witch-doctor, came to the 'father' to declare his
innocence, and beg for redress. The knobbed stick, of course, came into
action, and from behind it the judgment went forth that the chief should
at once restore all the cattle taken from the injured man, with ten
extra in compensation for his sufferings, and another ten as a fine to
the English Government. East and west the news of the judgment was
carried, in native fashion, the watchman on each of the low hills taking
up and passing on the news of the 'father's' decision; so that, when the
chief took no notice of the order, his evil conduct was known far and
wide. Down came the cavalry upon the obstinate chief's territory; his
cattle were driven off, and a receipt for them handed to him, that the
whole affair might be thoroughly business-like and judicial. The
astonished Kaffir had no resource but to cast himself humbly before the
'father' and the knobbed stick; and he became thenceforward the
Governor's faithful friend and adherent.

The rain-makers were dealt with after another fashion. The Governor
gathered a party of the most famous professors, and, in the presence of
their clients and admirers, asked if they could really make rain as they
declared. The wizards evidently felt that a bad quarter of an hour was
coming. They hesitated; then, looking at the expectant faces of the
people, who had doubtless paid many an ox for a shower, or the promise
of one, they answered, as stoutly as they dared, that they possessed
such power. The Englishman went on to exhibit various articles of
English manufacture--his knife, his hat, his boots, and so on--asking,
'Can you make this?' And, as they all agreed in denying, he kindly
explained how such things were made, without magic, in his country.
Then, suddenly holding up a glass of water, he inquired--

'Is this like the water you cause to come?

'Yes,' agreed the chief doctor, cautiously.

'Very good.' Colonel Smith emptied the glass, and said amicably to the
Kaffirs, 'Now, fill it again; put your rain into this glass.'

The rain-makers sought in vain for escape.

'Put more rain into the glass,' demanded the 'father,' sternly.

'We cannot,' faltered the baffled magicians, knowing their reputation
gone for ever, while the Governor, addressin