In case the test fails to establish the person as a witch, they set about to find the witch who caused the death of the deceased. To prove guilt or innocence a number of suspected persons are subjected to one of the native ordeals, the sassawood and palm oil ones being the most commonly employed. Somebody is usually convicted and suffers the disgrace and death of a witch. This is the most dreaded and dangerous class of witches. It is believed that they go about at night riding people and bringing upon them sickness, death, and all kinds of calamities.

The Vais have among them a man whom they call a berimo, beri meaning medicine, greegree or poison, and mo man. He is commonly called a medicine man. This was no doubt his original vocation, as indicated by the name, to administer medicine to the sick. But he has undergone an evolution and has considerably increased his functions and powers. He has been instrumental in spreading the belief that he is in communion with the invisible spirits and exercises some control over their conduct. So the Vais believe that they can secure medicine from the beri-mo that will bring evil upon an enemy. His services are secured to witch an adversary, and the last of his many added powers is to give medicine that will counteract the influence of witch-medicine prepared by another beri-mo.

There is another belief that witches in coming to your house, as they enter the door, the skin is taken off and laid aside in the house. It is said that when a person is taken out he is returned to his bed by the witch, and that the witch may be killed by sprinkling salt and pepper in certain portions of the room, which will prevent the witch from putting on his skin. Just before going to bed it is common to see some Vai people sprinkling salt and pepper about the room.

It is thought that witches take babies out at night and sacrifice them at witch-plays. Some say that the babies are cooked in the small country pots. Parents often go to the beri-mo and get medicine which is put on the outside of the door in a little horn; that is thought sufficient to keep the witch from entering the house and getting into his skin, supposed to be seen in the bed. They say the horn will

fight the witch at the door until daylight, when they can catch the witch. The person usually suspected is in the house in bed but they say that is only his skin, and cite instances when by this method they have caught witches. The alligator is sacred to the Vais. Along the rivers and the banks of the Peso Lake, they are frequent visitors of the native towns. To kill one, they say, is death. They have what are called alligator societies, the objects of which are to enrich the members, and make them through witchcraft able to destroy their enemies. It requires the strongest nerve to become a member of one of these societies, for if required to do so one must sacrifice the dearest of his relatives. In order to join one must pay the required fee and "dash" to a member who goes to consult the alligators. He returns and generally reports the sacrifice to be made of a mother, father, child, or some other loved relative, according to the designation of the alligators. If consent is given for the sacrifice, the person or candidate is cautioned to be brave hearted and fear nothing he may see or hear. The ceremony of initiation is most interesting but too long to be included here.

The people who deal with alligators for riches and evil designs say they have certain times to see the alligators at their houses. When the time arrives the husband instructs his wives to remain away from the house and allow no one to approach. As the Vais believe that the dead become animals and birds and vice versa, they say the alligators turn to beautiful maidens, and at their homes spend hours in the art of witchcraft. It is said that the alligator brings money in his mouth whenever they request it.

The Vais consider the owl the king of all witches. They say that some old king transformed himself into the owl and became the king of witchcraft. The owl is called húhu. Whenever the cry of this bird is heard they tremble with fear. And it is a common saying that when an owl sits upon a home at least one of its inmates is sure to die.

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, DEATHS AND DANCES

Among the Vais, as throughout all West Africa, all the ceremonies have a social phase, and to this extent are social functions. So that without a careful inquiry into the aim of these ceremonies and what constitutes their distinguishing feature it is very easy to conclude that they all are the same. Fundamentally it has seemed to the writer that the various ceremonies of the Vais and other West Africans naturally divide themselves into two general classes: one with the dominant note of social enjoyment, and the other in which the religious spirit of sacrifice prevails.

Unlike the Yoruba and Ewe-speaking peoples the Vais have no ceremonies at the birth of their children. In this respect they differ from some of the other tribes in Liberia. When a Vai child is born, after a few days, some one of the elder relatives takes it from the room of its birth and names it after some member of the family, an ancestor, insect, animal, person or object in nature. The name of the child depends almost entirely upon the impression made by its birth, appearance, conduct or general surrounding circumstances. The name of the inventor of the Vai alphabet is Búkere; bu means gun and kere war. The two words together mean a war with guns and was no doubt going on at Búkere's birth. Búrkere gave this interpretation to Reverend Koelle personally. The writer knows and recalls Vai men with the following names: Kari, serpent; Wonye, ant; Vombe, rat; Wuro, baboon; Tuna, flying dog; Tie, chicken; Surisuri, mosquito, etc., and many others might be given in illustration of this practice. Perhaps now the most common name to be found among the Vais is Mormora, meaning Muhammud, that is among those of the Islamic faith.

The Vais have more than one name. When the child is born it is given its surname. When it enters the "Greegree Bush" it is given another name something like our Christian one; and upon the acceptance of Muhammudanism another is added, the last being always placed first. This is the key to the understanding of Vai names. Many are to be found like the name of the Vai inventor, Mormora Doalu Búkere.

Those who have only two names the supposition is that they have not entered the beri or they have not accepted Muhammudanism.

Perhaps the first social ceremony in the life of the Vai individual is experienced on entering the sande and beri institutions. The boys receive on their backs the national mark and the second name, and are circumcised if they have not been when quite small, according to custom. The above is known as the beri-rite, in connection with which is prepared a large feast called the gbánu. Very often the dishes for this feast are prepared in town and not in the beri as formerly; so that you will more often hear this feast called the gbána-bo. Bo is a verb meaning to bring out, and is added to indicate the change in the place where the food is prepared. In both the beri and sande institutions they have a cleaned place in the forest known as fari, and in which all the beri and sande ceremonies are held. After the beri-rite and feast a great dance is held in the fari, accompanied by singing and the beating of drums.

The head of the sande is called Zo-sande, and of the beri, Zo-beri. When these institutions come to a close, for weeks the beri-moenu are the occasions of many social gatherings. Moenu is the plural of beri-mo and means one who has gone through the beri-rite. The first one begins when the Zo-ba brings them to the nearest town. All who have finished the beri and sande rites are held in the highest esteem, and many functions are given in their honor. They are dressed in the best attire their people can afford, and march through the streets of the town as though each one was walking for a prize. This is the great Vai commencement. To witness this brilliant and grand display people come in from all neighboring towns. Parents gather with their friends to see the evidences of what their children have learned.

Some come to eat, drink and be merry, while others yet to judge of the utility and efficiency of the greatest institutions of the tribe. Chickens, goats, bullocks, and African products combine for a large and sumptuous feast. After the dinner the dancing begins, and late at night one can hear the singing and the dull sound of drums keeping time for those still

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, DEATHS AND DANCES

Among the Vais, as throughout all West Africa, all the ceremonies have a social phase, and to this extent are social functions. So that without a careful inquiry into the aim of these ceremonies and what constitutes their distinguishing feature it is very easy to conclude that they all are the same. Fundamentally it has seemed to the writer that the various ceremonies of the Vais and other West Africans naturally divide themselves into two general classes: one with the dominant note of social enjoyment, and the other in which the religious spirit of sacrifice prevails.

Unlike the Yoruba and Ewe-speaking peoples the Vais have no ceremonies at the birth of their children. In this respect they differ from some of the other tribes in Liberia. When a Vai child is born, after a few days, some one of the elder relatives takes it from the room of its birth and names it after some member of the family, an ancestor, insect, animal, person or object in nature. The name of the child depends almost entirely upon the impression made by its birth, appearance, conduct or general surrounding circumstances. The name of the inventor of the Vai alphabet is Búkere; bu means gun and kere war. The two words together mean a war with guns and was no doubt going on at Búkere's birth. Búrkere gave this interpretation to Reverend Koelle personally. The writer knows and recalls Vai men with the following names: Kari, serpent; Wonye, ant; Vombe, rat; Wuro, baboon; Tuna, flying dog; Tie, chicken; Surisuri, mosquito, etc., and many others might be given in illustration of this practice. Perhaps now the most common name to be found among the Vais is Mormora, meaning Muhammud, that is among those of the Islamic faith.

The Vais have more than one name. When the child is born it is given its surname. When it enters the "Greegree Bush" it is given another name something like our Christian one; and upon the acceptance of Muhammudanism another is added, the last being always placed first. This is the key to the understanding of Vai names. Many are to be found like the name of the Vai inventor, Mormora Doalu Búkere.