It is often seen to rain on these hills when not a drop falls at Tette.

Our first season was one of drought.
Thrice had the women planted their gardens in vain, the seed, after just vegetating, was killed by the intense dry heat.

A fourth planting shared the same hard fate, and then some of the knowing ones discovered the cause of the clouds being frightened away: our unlucky rain-gauge in the garden.

We got a bad name through that same rain-gauge, and were regarded by many as a species of evil omen.

The Makololo in turn blamed the people of Tette for drought: "A number of witches live here, who won't let it rain." Africans in general are sufficiently superstitious, but those of Tette are in this particular pre-eminent above their fellows.