252 A SAD STORY OF DEGRADATION.

his magical powers were called into requisition, he produced the reptile, which bit him, causing his death.

One of the best of our Sanheit servants, who had been with us during both past winters, by name Dra, a most intelligent, faithful fellow of about thirty, who could both speak and write a little French, also left us before our departure for the coast. The priests told us a most horrible story about him, which we had never heard of before, and which illustrates the state of degradation in which the people live. It appears, that, a long time back, his father had stolen a cow ; the theft was traced to him, and he was ordered to pay it back at once, but having disposed of it, and being without money, he could not do so, and consequently, according to the law among his tribe, he was condemned to return two cows ; and this went on at a sort of compound-interest rate (he being still unable to pay the man back), until he owed one hundred cows. By the law of his tribe, he then became the slave of the man from whom he had stolen ; this slavery consisting, as far as he was concerned, in his being obliged to follow his master, should he go to fight against any neighbouring tribe, and in attending the ceremonies consequent on his marriage or death. The dreadful part of it, however, was, that his wife, and any daughters he might have, were forced to lead immoral lives ; and this extended to all his female descendants ; in consequence of which state of affairs, no respectable woman would marry Dra. Dra's sister had married a European, and he had hoped that by so doing she would be free ; but, her husband dying of small-pox, she was forced to become a public woman.

Dra's master was in prison when we were in Sanheit ; and the priests told us that nothing could be done towards freeing Dra, until he was liberated, which would be in a few weeks' time. When that event took place, they said his freedom could