spectfully requested that the accused might be locked up
_for safety in my barracoon_, till the fatal liquid was prepared and
the hour for its administration arrived.

It will be readily understood that the saucy-wood beverage, like any
other, may be prepared in various degrees of strength, so that the
operator has entire control of its noxious qualities. If the accused
has friends, either to pay or tamper with the medicator, the draft is
commonly made weak enough to insure its harmless rejection from the
culprit's stomach; but when the victim is friendless, time is allowed
for the entire venom to exude, and the drinker dies ere he can drink
the second bowl.

Very soon after the offer of my _barracoon_ as a prison for the
accused, a Krooman was brought to it, accused of causing his nephew's
death by fatal incantations. The _juju_ had been consulted and
confirmed the suspicion; whereupon the luckless negro was seized,
ironed, and delivered to my custody.

Next day early the _juju-man_ ground his bark, mixed it with water,
and simmered the potion over a slow fire to extract the poison's
strength. As I had reason to believe that especial enmity was
entertained against the imprisoned uncle, I called at the _juju's_
hovel while the medication was proceeding, and, with the bribe of a
bottle, requested him to impart triple power to the noxious draught.
My own _juju_, I said, had nullified his by pronouncing the accused
innocent, and I was exceedingly anxious to test the relative truth of
our soothsayers.

The rascal promised implicit compliance, and I hastened back to the
_barracoon_ to await the fatal hour. Up to the very moment of the
draught's administration, I remained alone with the culprit, and
administering a double dose of tartar-emetic just before the gate was
opened, I led him forth loaded with irons. The daring negro, strong in
his truth, and confident of the white man's superior witchcraft,
swallowed the draught without a wink, and in less than a minute, the
rejected venom established his innocence, and covered the African
wizard with confusion.

This important trial and its results were of course noised abroad
throughout so superstitious and credulous a community. The released
Krooman told his companions of the "white-man-saucy-wood,"
administered by me in the _barracoon_; and, ever afterwards, the
accused were brought to my sanctuary where the conflicting charm of my
emetic soon conquered the native poison