Among our hired labourers from the coast and elsewhere, we have often had in our gangs rascals making much fuss about their charms, and in consequence much feared by all their work-fellows. They were consulted by their mates in sickness, and demanded heavy pay for their advice. Then, because they were supposed to have such great powers for evil as well as for good, they would borrow money or goods, and no one dare refuse, or make them repay. They would need to be constantly propitiated, and thus one scoundrel would get eventually a large share of the wages of his mates. We could never get direct evidence or proof, and could not interfere; and as the payments would mostly be made after they had received their wages, and were beyond our reach, we had to know of the evil, but were powerless to check it. This, however, is more a coast type. Those nearest to ‘civilization’ are far more superstitious, or rather make more use of superstitions, than the natives of the interior. But everywhere the same principles work in a variety of forms. There are doubtless many simple folk who believe it all; many must, however, be consciously imposing on their fellows. To-day, even in England, there are people who would hesitate to take down the horseshoe which was put up over the doorway ‘for luck.’ Others still believe it unlucky to pass under a ladder. Dream-charms and fortune-telling have not yet disappeared from this Christian land. There is an infinite variety of nkixi in Congo, almost anything may go towards their composition. Dry leaves, snakes’ heads, hawks’ claws, feathers, elephant’s skin, stones, seeds, nuts, beans, the horns of the smaller antelopes, but with all a quantity of red ochre. Pipeclay also plays an important part. Images have been mentioned, not that they are idols, or more personal than bundles of mysteries; but just as children playing with clay would think first of making a little man, so Congos, often make little images, hideous, rudely carved, with perhaps a piece of looking-glass on the chest.