Through Uganda to Mount Elgon . stone for an anvil, and anotherfor a hammer, yet their work will certainlybear inspection. The houses are better than the houses ofUsoga, and indeed superior to the houses thathave, until this last year or two, satisfied thepeasant of Uganda. It is remarkable too that in Masaba the menhelp to cultivate; indeed, they are primarilyresponsible for the cultivation of all cerealswhilst the women are responsible for theplantain groves. There is a charming lightheartedness, breezygeniality, and kind good-nature about theMugishu that reminds one of Ireland; andwhen pros
Through Uganda to Mount Elgon . stone for an anvil, and anotherfor a hammer, yet their work will certainlybear inspection. The houses are better than the houses ofUsoga, and indeed superior to the houses thathave, until this last year or two, satisfied thepeasant of Uganda. It is remarkable too that in Masaba the menhelp to cultivate; indeed, they are primarilyresponsible for the cultivation of all cerealswhilst the women are responsible for theplantain groves. There is a charming lightheartedness, breezygeniality, and kind good-nature about theMugishu that reminds one of Ireland; andwhen prospects are darkest keep one hopeful. The crowds that came from far and near tolisten to the gramophone—or at other timesto see and play with the little white boysuntil the baby or his father would produce adoll, when off they would scamper with shrieksof wonder and fear real and feigned—werealways good-natured crowds, ready to do any-thing for the white babies or their mother. These visits enabled us to get a little insight. BAGISHU BLACKSMITHS. 343 The Power of Witchcraft 345 into their inmost thoughts, and showed ussomething of their terribly strong belief in thepower of witchcraft and the evil eye, for notonly were the visitors themselves sometimesfrightened by the childrens dolls or mechanicaltoys, but men have again and again come to askfor the loan of a doll with which they wishedto bewitch some opponent or other. This belief in witchcraft is one of the greatestand most dangerous powers in the land, and issometimes responsible for most terrible conse-quences. One such case came under my notice not longago. My wife and I were visiting a nativevillage and saw a young woman of fine physique,known to us, leaning listlessly against a grainstore. I suggested her doing some work, but heranswer was that she was seriously ill. I toldher she did not look ill, and that perhaps a littlework would put her right; but the chief andother people came near and assured me thatshe was ser
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