[Albinos.][241]
There be certain persons called Dunda [ndundu], which are born by negro parents, and yet are, by some unknown cause, white. They are very rare, and when such happen to be born, they are brought to the king, and become great witches: they are his councillors, and advise him of lucky and unlucky days for execution of his enterprises. When the king goes any whither the Dundas go with him, and beat the ground round about with certain exorcisms before the king sits down, and then sit down by him. They will take anything in the market, none daring to contradict them.
[The Gumbiri Fetish.]
Kenga is the landing-place of Loanga. They have there an idol called Gumbiri, and a holy house called Munsa Gumbiri,[242] kept and inhabited by an old woman, where once a year is a solemn feast, which they celebrate with drums, dances, and palm-wines; and then, they say, he speaketh under the ground. The people call him Mokisso Cola,[243] or a strong Mokisso, and say, that he comes to stay with Chekoke, the idol of the banza. That Chekoke is a negro image, made sitting on a stool; a little house is then made him. They anoint him with Toccola [tacula],[244] which is a red colour made of a certain wood, ground on a stone, and mixed with water, wherewith they daily paint themselves, from the waist upwards, esteeming it a great beauty; otherwise they account not themselves ready. It is for like purposes carried from hence to Angola.
[Possessed of the Fetish.]
Sometimes it falls out that some man or boy is taken with some sudden enthusiasm, or ravishment, becoming mad, and making a whooping and great clamours.
They call them Mokisso-Moquat[245] that is, taken of the Mokisso. They clothe them very handsomely, and whatever they bid in that fit (for it lasteth not very long), they execute as the Mokisso’s charge.
[The Maramba Fetish.][246]
Morumba[247] is thirty leagues northwards from hence, in the Mani Loango’s dominions, where he [Battell] lived nine months. There is a house, and in it a great basket, proportioned like to a hive, wherein is an image called Morumba, whose religion extendeth far. They are sworn to this religion at ten or twelve years old; but, for probation are first put in a house, where they have hard diet, and must be mute for nine or ten days, any provocation to speak notwithstanding. Then do they bring him before Morumba, and prescribe him his Kin [kina], or perpetual abstinence from some certain meat. They make a cut in his shoulder like to a half moon, and sprinkle the blood at Morumba’s feet, and swear him to that religion. In the wound they put a certain white powder in token of his late admission; which, so long as it continueth, doth privilege him to take his meat and drink with whomsoever he pleaseth, none denying him the same, at free cost.
They also have their fatal trials before this image, where the accused party, kneeling down and clasping the hive, saith: “Mene quesa cabamba Morumba,” signifying that he comes thither to make trial of his innocence;[248] and if he be guilty he falls down dead; being free he is free’d.