Customs of the Lower Congo People. 197
markets, and so on ; — and teach them the names of the articles about the house and town and their uses. A heavy punishment is laid on those who in a careless, for- getful moment show that they know anything, or any one, not brought to their notice by the nganga. Sometimes the punishment is a beating, and at other times the fine of a fowl, or a goat, or a pig, and even death is threatened and, I believe, has been actually inflicted on those who by negligence divulge the secrets of ndembo.
The ndembo folk are, for a time, generally accompanied by a nganga. They demand gifts of people they meet, want anything they see, act like children or lunatics, and try to seize the thing they desire, and, if it is refused, they will attempt to beat, or even kill, the person who refuses them. If the nganga is with them, he will stop them at once, not allowing them to go to extremes, for he is respon- sible for their actions while with them. If the nganga is not with them, the person attacked may defend himself with any weapon he has about him. These ndembo folk are supposed to be children just " resurrected," and not know- ing any better. They are irresponsible, and not account- able for their actions. So well do they play their part that food has to be masticated for them, and they have to be fed like babies. This pretended irresponsibility opens the door to many abuses. Two or three of these ndembo folk may meet an unarmed, uninitiated person and rob him, giving a part of the proceeds of their robbery to the nganga for vanishing at the convenient moment. This morning I was speaking to a man who was thus attacked near San Salvador by two ndembo folk, but was able to beat them off. The nganga demanded a fine from him for beating them, but he refused to pay it, and put in a counter-claim against the nganga because he was drinking in the town instead of looking after his people. He did not receive compensation, but neither did he hear anymore about the fine.
