When a man is ill he puts down an offering to his deceased father or mother, saying, “I wish to give you a sacrifice; can you tell us what you want? and I will bring it you”. He first gives this offering himself. He may say, “I am very ill, I wish you to restore me; perhaps a witch wants to kill me, restrain this”. Then he looks for a good dream. An offering of flour is put at the side of his pillow to tempt the spirit to come. If the spirit come not, he tells the chief of his village, who may give an offering in like manner, or he may go at once to the sorcerer (mchisango) and say “We want to see the spirit that has been invoked”. After making inquiries, the sorcerer says the spirit wants such and such; then the required offering is given. If the sick man recover, the matter rests there. In cases that are more serious, the sorcerer will tell him that bad spirits (masoka) have got into his house, that some one has bewitched the house and all his usual places of resort, that he must have another house in the fields. There are other manifest advantages attending this retreat from the busy village. A house in the fields is built and prepared perhaps that very day. We have not known many cases where the invalid ever returned. Sometimes a poor consumptive patient, when removed to such a house, is drenched with rain, as the thatch is not so good as on the other house. REJOICING ON HIS RETURN. Great is the rejoicing on the invalid’s return to the village, if ever he return again. Much beer is brewed. The usual sacrifices are given to his god. The recovered patient says, “Now I am happy, I have health; drink you this beer”. Mats are spread out, he sits down upon one, and the physician (msing’anga) is called to his side. The physician pours beer on his patient, and after that, water, and then begins to shave his head. The physician does not present any offering to the village god; but he gives a thank-offering at his own home to his own gods. He returns thanks that “he found medicine for yonder sick man”. 20.—PUBLIC SUPPLICATION FOR RAIN. We have seen how the natives invoke the gods when they pray for a prosperous expedition (14) and for health (19). We shall now see what they do when they pray for a good crop—which generally means, in their country, praying for rain. When there is no rain at the proper season there ensues much distress. Famine is dreaded above all other evils. After private offerings have all failed the chief of the country calls a national meeting for supplication. Much beer is brewed and offered to the spirit. The chief addresses his own god; he calls on him to look at the sad state of matters for himself, and think of the evils that are impending. He requests him to hold a meeting with all the other gods that have an interest or influence in the matter. A council of the gods is believed to be held, and if any god act as an obstructive he is specially propitiated according to the direction of the prophetess.