They represent the departed father or mother, and it is supposed that they are pleased with the offerings made to their representatives, but all deny that they pray to them.

Casembe has very many of these Nkisi; one with long hair, and named _Motombo_, is carried in front when he takes the field; names of dead chiefs are sometimes given to them.

I have not met with anyone intelligent enough to explain if prayers are ever made to anyone; the Arabs who know their language, say they have no prayers, and think that at death there is an end of the whole man, but other things lead me to believe this is erroneous.

Slaves laugh at their countrymen, in imitation of their masters, and will not reveal their real thoughts: one said that they believed in two Superior Beings--Reza above, who kills people, and Reza below, who carries them away after death.
_6th December, 1868._--Ten of Syde bin Habib's people came over, bringing a letter, the contents of which neither Mpamari nor Mohamad cares to reveal.

Some think, with great probability, that he asks, "Why did you begin a war if you wanted to leave so soon?
Did you not know that the country people would take advantage of your march, encumbered as you will be by women and slaves ?" Mohamad Bogharib called me to ask what advice I could give him, as all his own advice, and devices too, had been lost or were useless, and he did not know what to do.