Mr. Baines has kindly sent me an account of one of these prophets, and the manner in which he performed his office. Besides the snakes, skins, feathers, and other strange ornaments with which a Kaffir prophet is wont to bedeck himself, he had hung round his neck a string of bones and skulls, an amulet of which he evidently was exceedingly proud. He was consulted by some of the soldiers about the result of the expedition, and straightway proceeded to work. Taking off the necklace he flung it on the ground, and then squatted down beside it, scanning carefully the attitude assumed by every bone, and drawing therefrom his conclusions. (See the engraving No. 2, on page 188.) At last he rose, and stated to his awe-struck clients that before the war was over many of them would eat dust, _i. e._ be killed. This announcement had a great effect upon the dark soldiers, and their spirits were sadly depressed by it. The commander, however, was a man who was independent of such actions, and did not intend to have his men disheartened by any prophet. So he sent for the seer in question, and very plainly told him that his business was to foretell success, and not failure; and that, if he did not alter his line of prophecy, he must be prepared to take the consequences. Both the seer and the spirits of departed chiefs took this rather strong hint, and after that intimation the omens invariably proved to be favorable, and the soldiers recovered their lost equanimity. CHAPTER XX. FUNERAL RITES. BURIAL OF THE DEAD -- LOCALITIES OF THE TOMBS -- THE CHIEF’S LAST RESTING-PLACE -- SACRIFICES AND LUSTRATION -- BODIES OF CRIMINALS -- REPUGNANCE TOWARD DEAD BODIES -- ORDINARY RITES -- FUNERAL OF A CHILD -- THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF MNANDE -- HER GENERAL CHARACTER, AND SUSPICIOUS NATURE OF HER ILLNESS -- TCHAKA’s BEHAVIOR -- ASSEMBLAGE OF THE PEOPLE AND TERRIBLE MASSACRE -- MNANDE’S COMPANIONS IN THE GRAVE -- THE YEAR OF WATCHING -- A STRANGE ORDINANCE -- HOW TCHAKA WENT OUT OF MOURNING -- A SUMMARY MODE OF SEPULTURE -- ABANDONMENT OF THE AGED SICK -- MR. GALTON’S STORY. Closely connected with the religion of any country is the mode in which the bodies of the dead are disposed of.