re place offerings at their graves, for the sake of
propitiating them, sometimes offering up a human sacrifice for the same
purpose--some unfortunate slave who is of little value to them. In our
village we saw a large idol in a house built expressly for the purpose.
It was a hideous, ill-constructed monster, and it seemed scarcely
possible, ignorant as the people were, that they could really worship
such an object, but they did so if they wanted to gain benefit, either
to obtain victory in war, or success in the chase. On such occasions we
saw them presenting food, and then dancing and singing before it. Many
of the people also had small family idols which they worshipped much in
the same manner; but if they did not obtain what they wanted from the
idol, they were very apt to send it away in disgrace. They have also a
belief in the power of certain doctors or medicine men, who exorcise
evil spirits, and concoct charms. In these charms they have more faith
than anything else. They are generally done up in the skins of animals,
and consist of bones, or feathers, or ashes, or the skins or bones of
snakes. The manufacture of these charms brings a large revenue to the
doctors, who constantly encourage their use, just as do the priests of
certain white nations, who make their dupes pay for the trumpery leaden
figures or images, which they persuade them to wear round their necks.

"On my word, I do not see much difference after all, between the belief
of the ignorant Russians, or Spaniards, or Portuguese, or other European
people, and these unhappy blacks," exclaimed Harry one day when we were
discussing the subject. The fearful curse of the country, however, is
the belief in witchcraft. When a person is seized with illness, he
always believes that some enemy has caused it, and is not satisfied
until the witch or wizard is discovered, who is immediately compelled to
swallow poison, or is barbarously put to death in some other way. I
prefer thus giving a short account of the superstitions of the people,
and the evil which results from them, to detailing the abominations and
horrors, which on various occasions we witnessed during our wanderings
through the country. That evening we came to the resolution of
endeavouring to make our escape as soon as we possibly could. We
believed that we could depend upon Aboh and his brother, and that they
would influence several of their tribe who had been captured, but were
allowed