The Witch Doctor and other Rhodesian Studies   By: Frank Worthington (1874-)

THE WITCH DOCTOR AND OTHER RHODESIAN STUDIES.

BY

FRANK WORTHINGTON, C.B.E.

( Lately Secretary for Native Affairs, Northern Rhodesia ).

LONDON: THE FIELD PRESS LTD., Windsor House, Bream's Buildings, E.C.4

To MY WIFE.

CONTENTS.

THE MIND OF THE NATIVE. PAGE The Witch Doctor 3 The Riddle of Life and Death 25 Flattery 28 Lizizi 35 Mironda a Woman 46

MAN AND BEAST.

Protective Colouring 57 Darwin a Bird 59 The Lion's Skin 67 The Reverend Mr. Bumpus 74 The Salvation Army Captain 81 The Sport of Kings 86 The Lions of Makululumi 94

WHITE MEN AND BLACK

White Men at Play 105 On the Building of Bridges 115 The Compleat Angler 120 The Song of the Great Occasion 125 The Descent of Man 132 The Railway Contractor 138 The Licensed Victualler 149 The Johnnie come Lately 154 The Lost Rubies 160 The Cattle King 170 Partners 177 The Letter Home 194 The Doctor 214

THE MIND OF THE NATIVE.

THE WITCH DOCTOR.

I.

The Native Commissioner's Court had, with a very brief interval for luncheon, sat throughout the day. The weather was very hot and thundery, for the breaking of the rains was imminent. A number of cases had been disposed of, and the last was now drawing to a close. Having listened to the arguments of both sides, the Commissioner summed up, gave judgment, and dismissed the litigants, whereupon the native clerk began to collect the papers and put things away.

The official lighted a cigarette, put on his hat, and walked towards the door. He was met by his head messenger.

"Another case, Morena,"[1] said the messenger, pointing to a middle aged native squatting in the courtyard softly clapping his hands. The hard worked white man paused; he had thoughts of tea awaiting him in his bungalow a hundred yards away.

[1] Morena signifies Chief .

"Tell the man to come to morrow," he said, and walked off in the direction of his house.

The head messenger turned to the man sitting in the yard and said: "The Morena won't hear you to day; you must sleep in the compound for to night; to morrow he will listen."

"But my case is a big one," replied the stranger. "The father of his people will surely hear my case."

The messenger pointed to the compound: "All cases are heavy in the hands of those who bring them; the compound is there."

The man was evidently distressed. Raising his voice in the hope that the Commissioner would hear him, he shouted shrilly: "Ma we! Ma we! But mine is a big case, it is one of killing of killing of people; the father of his people must hear me. Oh! Morena, I have a case, a big case, a case of killing."

But the Native Commissioner had reached his house and was out of sight, the native clerk had locked the office door and, heedless of the man's wailing, walked away. If he thought at all, it was that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof; evil meaning work to him.

"Come, father," said the head messenger, "I go now to the compound, and you with me; to morrow the Morena will hear your case before any other. I, Mokorongo, will see to it."