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219 7 Divining Stones.

Of these there were five differing only in size. That used in war was the largest, that used in preventing sickness was next, then the one used for discovering things lost or stolen, then that used in hunting, and lastly the one for determining whether any one was to live to old age. This stone was chrystaline quartz, as transparent as the diamond. It has six sides, and in almost all respects, resembles the diamond, and was doubtless selected to supply the place of that stone. 
This stone is called U lu sata, which signifies light that shines through something as through a glass &c. Light simply is I ku kati.. But  U lu sa ta implies light coming through something. The name therefore is significant and implies that light or instruction comes through that stone to their understandings. This stone was peculiarly sacred, so much so that it was said to be death for any person to touch it, except such as had been set apart, sanctified and instructed for the purpose. On this account when a priest had no disciple to whom to bequeath his stone, on perceiving his own death to be drawing nigh, when to the woods and found a tree, in the side of which some bird had picked a hole, and put his stone in the hole, and stuffed it up. He did this because with no person authorized and prepared to take care of it, it would occasion the death of all in this house, this was more especially the case with that used in war. This stone was sometimes kept in a box for the purpose and sometimes, by means of a string, fastened on the breast of the priest, not in sight, but concealed by some covering. 

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This stone was used for various purposes  beside those mentioned above, for instance, suppose a man suspected his wife of incontinency, he would sometimes go to the priest and request him to determine whether she was guilty or not, and if she was, to take measures to take her away. The priest then setting his divining stone in a proper manner and place, prayed for information on the subject. He then looked at the stone, and if the woman was guilty, he saw in the stone two persons lying together. In that case , he took some dead flies, and held them in his hand, which he told the evil that was to come on the woman. When  opening his hand, one of the flies came to life, flew to the woman,  cut a hole into her belly, and worked about in her till the seventh day when he went directly to her heart and took away her life. It was said to be absolutely necessary for the priests after touching this sacred stone, to wash their hands before touching their own flesh with them, as the touch would corrode and eat the flesh wherever it occured.