Othersappeartobeharmless，andevenedibleOfthelattersortisthelargepython，metsepallah，ortariThelargestspecimensofthisareabout15or20feetinlengthTheyareperfectlyharmless，andliveonsmallanimals，chieflytherodentia；occasionallythesteinbuckandpallahfallvictims，andaresuckedintoitscomparativelysmallmouthinboa-constrictorfashionOneweshotwas11feet10incheslong，andasthickasaman’slegWhenshotthroughthespine，itwascapableofliftingitselfupaboutfivefeethigh，andopeneditsmouthinathreateningmanner，butthepoorthingwasmoreinclinedtocrawlawayThefleshismuchrelishedbytheBakalahariandBushmenTheycarryawayeachhisportion，likelogsofwood，overtheirshoulders。
　　*“Asthissnake，`BucephalusCapensis’，inouropinion，isnotprovidedwithapoisonousfluidtoinstillintowoundswhichthesefangsmayinflict，theymustconsequentlybeintendedforapurposedifferenttothosewhichexistinpoisonousreptilesTheiruseseemstobetoofferobstaclestotheretrogressionofanimals，suchasbirds，etc。，whiletheyareonlypartiallywithinthemouth；andfromthecircumstanceofthesefangsbeingdirectedbackward，andnotadmittingofbeingraisedsoastoformananglewiththeedgeofthejaw，theyarewellfittedtoactaspowerfulholderswhenoncetheypenetratetheskinandsoftpartsofthepreywhichtheirpossessorsmaybeintheactofswallowing。
　　Withoutsuchfangsescapeswouldbecommon；withsuchtheyarerare。
　　“ThenativesofSouthAfricaregardthe`BucephalusCapensis’aspoisonous；
　　butintheiropinionwecannotconcur，aswehavenotbeenabletodiscovertheexistenceofanyglandsmanifestlyorganizedforthesecretionofpoisonThefangsareinclosedinasoft，pulpysheath，theinnersurfaceofwhichiscommonlycoatedwithathinglairysecretion。
　　Thissecretionpossiblymayhavesomethingacridandirritatinginitsqualities，whichmay，whenitentersawound，causepainandevenswelling，butnothingofgreaterimportance。
　　“The`BucephalusCapensis’isgenerallyfoundontrees，towhichitresortsforthepurposeofcatchingbirds，uponwhichitdelightstofeed。
　　Thepresenceofaspecimeninatreeisgenerallysoondiscoveredbythebirdsoftheneighborhood，whocollectarounditandflytoandfro，utteringthemostpiercingcries，untilsomeone，moreterror-struckthantherest，actuallyscansitslips，and，almostwithoutresistance，becomesamealforitsenemyDuringsuchaproceedingthesnakeisgenerallyobservedwithitsheadraisedabouttenortwelveinchesabovethebranchroundwhichitsbodyandtailareentwined，withitsmouthopenanditsneckinflated，asifanxiouslyendeavoringtoincreasetheterrorwhichitwouldalmostappearitwasawarewouldsoonerorlaterbringwithinitsgraspsomeoneofthefeatheredgroup。
　　“Whatevermaybesaidinridiculeoffascination，itisneverthelesstruethatbirds，andevenquadrupeds，are，undercertaincircumstances，unabletoretirefromthepresenceofcertainoftheirenemies；
　　and，whatisevenmoreextraordinary，unabletoresistthepropensitytoadvancefromasituationofactualsafetyintooneofthemostimminentdangerThisIhaveoftenseenexemplifiedinthecaseofbirdsandsnakes；andIhaveheardofinstancesequallycurious，inwhichantelopesandotherquadrupedshavebeensobewilderedbythesuddenappearanceofcrocodiles，andbythegrimacesandcontortionstheypracticed，astobeunabletoflyorevenmovefromthespottowardwhichtheywereapproachingtoseizethem。”DrAndrewSmith’s“Reptilia“。
　　InadditiontotheseinterestingstatementsofthemostablenaturalistfromwhomIhavetakenthisnote，itmaybeaddedthatfireexercisesafascinatingeffectonsomekindsoftoadsTheymaybeseenrushingintoitintheeveningswithouteverstartingbackonfeelingpain。
　　Contactwiththehotembersratherincreasestheenergywithwhichtheystrivetogainthehottestparts，andtheyneverceasetheirstrugglesforthecentreevenwhentheirjuicesarecoagulatingandtheirlimbsstiffeningintheroastingheatVariousinsects，also，arethusfascinated；butthescorpionsmaybeseencomingawayfromthefireinfiercedisgust，andtheyaresoirritatedastoinflictatthattimetheirmostpainfulstings。
　　SomeoftheBayeiyewemetatSebituane’sFordpretendedtobeunaffectedbythebiteofserpents，andshowedthefeatoflaceratingtheirarmswiththeteethofsuchasareunfurnishedwiththepoison-fangs。
　　Theyalsoswallowthepoison，bywayofgainingnotoriety；
　　butDrAndrewSmithputthesincerityofsuchpersonstothetestbyofferingthemthefangsofareallypoisonousvariety，andfoundtheyshrankfromtheexperiment。
　　WhenwereachedtheBamangwato，thechief，Sekomi，wasparticularlyfriendly，collectedallhispeopletothereligiousservicesweheld，andexplainedhisreasonsforcompellingsomeEnglishmentopayhimahorse。
　　“Theywouldnotsellhimanypowder，thoughtheyhadplenty；
　　sohecompelledthemtogiveitandthehorsefornothingHewouldnotdenytheextortiontome；thatwouldbe`boherehere’swindling。”
　　HethusthoughtextortionbetterthanswindlingIcouldnotdetectanydifferenceinthemoralityofthetwotransactions，butSekomi’sideasofhonestyarethelowestIhavemetwithinanyBechuanachief，andthisinstanceismentionedastheonlyapproachtodemandingpaymentforleavetopassthatIhavemetwithinthesouth。
　　Inallothercasesthedifficultyhasbeentogetachieftogiveusmentoshowtheway，andthepaymenthasonlybeenforguides。
　　Englishmenhavealwaysveryproperlyavoidedgivingthatideatothenativemindwhichweshallhereafterfindprovetroublesome，thatpaymentoughttobemadeforpassagethroughacountry。
　　AlltheBechuanaandCaffretribessouthoftheZambesipracticecircumcision`boguera’，buttheritesobservedarecarefullyconcealedTheinitiatedalonecanapproach，butinthistownIwasonceaspectatorofthesecondpartoftheceremonyofthecircumcision，called“sechu“Justatthedawnofday，arowofboysofnearlyfourteenyearsofagestoodnakedinthekotla，eachhavingapairofsandalsasashieldonhishandsFacingthemstoodthemenofthetowninasimilarstateofnudity，allarmedwithlongthinwands，ofatough，strong，supplebushcalledmoretloa`Grewiaflava’，andengagedinadancenamed“koha“，inwhichquestionsareputtotheboys，as“Willyouguardthechiefwell？”“Willyouherdthecattlewell？”and，whilethelattergiveanaffirmativeresponse，themenrushforwardtothem，andeachaimsafull-weightblowatthebackofoneoftheboys。
　　Shieldinghimselfwiththesandalsabovehishead，hecausesthesupplewandtodescendandbendintohisback，andeverystrokeinflictedthusmakesthebloodsquirtoutofawoundafootoreighteenincheslong。
　　Attheendofthedance，theboys’backsareseamedwithwoundsandweals，thescarsofwhichremainthroughlifeThisisintendedtohardentheyoungsoldiers，andpreparethemfortherankofmen。
　　Afterthisceremony，andafterkillingarhinoceros，theymaymarryawife。
　　Inthe“koha“thesamerespectisshowntoageasinmanyotheroftheircustomsAyoungerman，rushingfromtherankstoexercisehiswandonthebacksoftheyouths，maybehimselftheobjectofchastisementbytheolder，and，ontheoccasionreferredto，Sekomireceivedaseverecutonthelegfromoneofhisgray-hairedpeople。
　　Onmyjokingwithsomeoftheyoungmenontheirwantofcourage，notwithstandingallthebeatingsofwhichtheyboremarks，andhintingthatoursoldierswerebravewithoutsufferingsomuch，oneroseupandsaid，“Askhimif，whenheandIwerecompelledbyaliontostopandmakeafire，Ididnotliedownandsleepaswellashimself。”
　　Inotherpartsachallengetotryaracewouldhavebeengiven，andyoumayfrequentlyseegrownmenadoptingthatmeansoftestingsuperiority，likesomanychildren。
　　ThesechuispracticedbythreetribesonlyBogueraisobservedbyalltheBechuanasandCaffres，butnotbythenegrotribesbeyond20DegsouthThe“boguera“isacivilratherthanareligiousrite。
　　Alltheboysofanagebetweentenandfourteenorfifteenareselectedtobethecompanionsforlifeofoneofthesonsofthechief。
　　Theyaretakenouttosomeretiredspotintheforest，andhutsareerectedfortheiraccommodation；theoldmengooutandteachthemtodance，initiatingthem，atthesametime，intoallthemysteriesofAfricanpoliticsandgovernment。
　　Eachoneisexpectedtocomposeanorationinpraiseofhimself，calleda“leina“orname，andtobeabletorepeatitwithsufficientfluencyAgooddealofbeatingisrequiredtobringthemuptotherequiredexcellencyindifferentmatters，sothat，whentheyreturnfromthecloseseclusioninwhichtheyarekept，theyhavegenerallyanumberofscarstoshowontheirbacksThesebandsorregiments，namedmepatointhepluralandmopatointhesingular，receiveparticularappellations；as，theMatsatsithesuns；
　　theMabusatherulers；equivalenttoourColdstreamsorEnniskillens；
　　and，thoughlivingindifferentpartsofthetown，theyturnoutatthecall，andactunderthechief’ssonastheircommanderTheyrecognizeasortofequalityandpartialcommunismeverafterward，andaddresseachotherbythetitleofmolekaneorcomradeIncasesofoffenceagainsttheirrules，aseatingalonewhenanyoftheircomradesarewithincall，orincasesofcowardiceorderelictionofduty，theymaystrikeoneanother，oranymemberofayoungermopato，butneveranyoneofanolderband；
　　andwhenthreeorfourcompanieshavebeenmade，theoldestnolongertakesthefieldintimeofwar，butremainsasaguardoverthewomenandchildrenWhenafugitivecomestoatribe，heisdirectedtothemopatoanalogoustothattowhichinhisowntribehebelongs，anddoesdutyasamemberNooneofthenativesknowshowoldheis。
　　Ifaskedhisage，heanswersbyputtinganotherquestion，“Doesamanrememberwhenhewasborn？”Ageisreckonedbythenumberofmepatotheyhaveseenpassthroughtheformulaeofadmission。
　　Whentheyseefourorfivemepatoyoungerthanthemselves，theyarenolongerobligedtobeararmsTheoldestindividualIevermetboastedhehadseenelevensetsofboyssubmittotheboguera。
　　Supposinghimtohavebeenfifteenwhenhesawhisown，andfreshbandswereaddedeverysixorsevenyears，hemusthavebeenaboutfortywhenhesawthefifth，andmayhaveattainedseventy-fiveoreightyyears，whichisnogreatage；butitseemedsotothem，forhehadnowdoubledtheageforsuperannuationamongthemItisaningeniousplanforattachingthemembersofthetribetothechief’sfamily，andforimpartingadisciplinewhichrendersthetribeeasyofcommand。
　　Ontheirreturntothetownfromattendanceontheceremoniesofinitiation，aprizeisgiventotheladwhocanrunfastest，thearticlebeingplacedwhereallmayseethewinnerrunuptosnatchitTheyarethenconsideredmenbanona，viri，andcansitamongtheeldersinthekotla。
　　Formerlytheywereonlyboysbasimane，pueriThefirstmissionariessettheirfacesagainsttheboguera，onaccountofitsconnectionwithheathenism，andthefactthattheyouthslearnedmuchevil，andbecamedisobedienttotheirparentsFromthegeneralsuccessofthesemen，itisperhapsbetterthatyoungermissionariesshouldtreadintheirfootsteps；forsomuchevilmayresultfrombreakingdowntheauthorityonwhich，tothosewhocannotread，thewholesystemofourinfluenceappearstorest，thatinnovatorsoughttobemadetoproposetheirnewmeasuresastheLocriansdidnewlaws
　　withropesaroundtheirnecks。
　　Probablythe“boguera“wasonlyasanitaryandpoliticalmeasure；
　　andtherebeingnocontinuouschainoftribespracticingtheritebetweentheArabsandtheBechuanas，orCaffres，andasitisnotareligiousceremony，itcanscarcelybetraced，asisoftendone，toaMohammedansource。
　　Asomewhatanalogousceremonyboyaletakesplaceforyoungwomen，andtheprotegeesappearabroaddrilledunderthesurveillanceofanoldladytothecarryingofwaterTheyarecladduringthewholetimeinadresscomposedofropesmadeofalternatepumpkin-seedsandbitsofreedstrungtogether，andwoundroundthebodyinafigure-of-eightfashion。
　　Theyareinuredinthiswaytobearfatigue，andcarrylargepotsofwaterundertheguidanceofthesternoldhagTheyhaveoftenscarsfrombitsofburningcharcoalhavingbeenappliedtotheforearm，whichmusthavebeendonetotesttheirpowerofbearingpain。
　　TheBamangwatohillsarepartoftherangecalledBakaaTheBakaatribe，however，removedtoKolobeng，andisnowjoinedtothatofSechele。
　　Therangestandsabout700or800feetabovetheplains，andiscomposedofgreatmassesofblackbasaltItisprobablypartofthelatestseriesofvolcanicrocksinSouthAfrica。