The inference is obvious. Were we as much
harassed by droughts, the logic would be irresistible in England in 1857.
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* The name arises from its being always voided on one spot,
in the manner practiced by others of the rhinocerontine family;
and, by the action of the sun, it becomes a black, pitchy substance.
-
As the Bakwains believed that there must be some connection
between the presence of "God's Word" in their town and these
successive and distressing droughts, they looked with no good will
at the church bell, but still they invariably treated us
with kindness and respect. I am not aware of ever having had an enemy
in the tribe. The only avowed cause of dislike was expressed
by a very influential and sensible man, the uncle of Sechele.
"We like you as well as if you had been born among us;
you are the only white man we can become familiar with (thoaela);
but we wish you to give up that everlasting preaching and praying;
we can not become familiar with that at all. You see we never get rain,
while those tribes who never pray as we do obtain abundance."
This was a fact; and we often saw it raining on the hills ten miles off,
while it would not look at us "even with one eye". If the Prince
of the power of the air had no hand in scorching us up,
I fear I often gave him the credit of doing so.
As for the rain-makers, they carried the sympathies of the people
along with them, and not without reason. With the following arguments
they were all acquainted, and in order to understand their force,
we must place ourselves in their position, and believe, as they do,
that all medicines act by a mysterious charm. The term for cure
may be translated "charm" (`alaha').
MEDICAL DOCTOR. Hail, friend! How very many medicines you have about you
this morning! Why, you have every medicine in the country here.
RAIN DOCTOR. Very true, my friend; and I ought; for the whole country
needs the rain which I am making.
M. D. So you really believe that you can command the clouds?
I think that can be done by God alone.
R. D. We both believe the very same thing. It is God that makes the rain,
but I pray to him by means of these medicines, and, the rain coming,
of course it is then mine. It was I who made it for the Bakwains
for many years, when they were at Shokuane; through my wisdom, too,
their women became fat and shining.
