The term most nearly approaching to it is _umkake_, and its correlatives _umkako_ and _umkami_, which means his _she_ or _female_. The man owns his wives as truly, according to native law, as he does his spear or his goat, and he speaks of them accordingly." The owner of the woman says, "I have paid so many cattle for you; therefore you are _my slave_, my dog, and your proper place is under my feet." One of these poor slaves, when seen standing by a load far too great for her strength, was asked if she could carry it. She stood up and ingenuously remarked, "If I were a man I could not, but I am a woman." There is no slavery in the world more sad or deplorable than that to which the poor women of the Zulu nation are subjected.[12] [Sidenote: _Religion of the Zulus._] Spiritualism is the religion of the Zulu, and witchcraft is the machinery by means of which it is practised. Only a very vague idea exists about a Supreme Being, and the definite national faith embraces only a belief in the influence of the spirits of deceased ancestors. The ghosts of departed chiefs and warriors are specially respected and feared. It is to these spirits that they attribute all the power given by Christians to God, and the witch-doctors are the mediums or priests of the worship. A knowledge of subtle and powerful vegetable poisons exists, and so common is the practice of secret poisoning that universal safeguards are used against it. Every one who gives food to another takes a part himself, in proof that it contains no poison. Besides deadly drugs, there is what is styled the "ubuti," or bewitching matter, which is supposed to be deposited in some secret place, and to be made the instrument of evil by means of supernatural agency. The "isanusi," or witch-doctors, are the go-betweens, whose duty it is to discover and to avert evil. These men fill the threefold office of doctors, priests, and soothsayers. They heal diseases, offer sacrifices, and exercise the art of divination. As they are assumed to have full power over the invisible world, their influence is enormous, and is readily taken advantage of by chiefs and powerful men, for the purpose of destroying enemies and promoting schemes of war and plunder. A youth who aspires to be enrolled among the isanusi gives early signs of being destined for the office. He dreams of the spirits of the departed chiefs of his people, sees visions, falls into fits of frenzy; he catches snakes and twists them round his person, seeks out medicinal roots, and goes for instruction to experienced isanusi. At last what is called a "change in the moon" takes place within him; he becomes a medium fitted to hold converse with spirits, and is able to communicate with them. One of the greatest authorities who has ever lived with and studied the Kafir races—Mr. Warner—says, "It is impossible to suppose that these priests are not, to a considerable extent, self-deceived, as well as the deceivers of others; and there is no difficulty, to