Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/592

 before carrying off the bride. Religious ceremonies are now in fact reduced to the simple custom of assembling at night to smoke hemp in common. It is a weird sight to behold all these tattooed and naked people, after inhaling the fumes of the "weed" from a large calabash, coughing spasmodically, yelling, throwing themselves into paroxysms of frenzy, uttering forebodings, or else plunged into a state of stupor under the influence of the narcotic.

The riamba, which unites all in a common brotherhood, may, however, also punish the guilty. Nearly all the old penalties, and especially the ordeal by poison, have been replaced by the administration of hemp, the fumes of which have to be inhaled by the criminal until he falls senseless to the ground. But on his recovery he is marked with white clay on breast and forehead, in order to assure him of pardon and admit him again to the assembly of friends. To meet the

enormous consumption extensive tracts of land round about the Bena-Riamba villages are set apart for the cultivation of hemp. But this universal use of the narcotic in their religious practices is not free from evil consequences, diseases of the chest as well as insanity having become very common since its introduction.

It is deplorable that the Ba-Luba are subject to this cause of deterioration, for amongst all nations of Africa they are distinguished by their intelligent curiosity and their thoughtful turn of mind. Wissmann goes the length of calling them "The interrogative "why?" which is so rarely heard in its serious sense amongst the African peoples, comes natural to their lips; nor are a "nation of thinkers." they to be put off with an evasive answer. Their great personal courage, and surprising skill in following up the scent of the quarry, would make them excellent scouts in the service of Europeans. They despise routine, and at their feasts are always inventing something original and unforeseen. Their chief ceremonies are