OBEAB AT SIERRA LEONE. 141 



Obeoli and poisoning go hand in liand. Arriving home one 

 niolit, he said, with two friends, he heard hideous screams 

 from the house of a Portuguese Xegro, a known Obeah-nian. 

 Fearing that murder was being done, they burst open his 

 door, and found that he had tied up his wife hand and foot, 

 and was flogging her horribly. They cut the poor creature 

 down, and placed her in safety. 



A day or two after, the Missionary's servant came in at 

 sunrise with a mysterious air. 



" You no go out just now, massa." 



There was something in the road : but what, he would not 

 tell. My friend went out, of course, in spite of the faithful 

 fellow's entreaties ; and found, as he expected, a bottle con- 

 taining the usual charms, and round it sight of horror to 

 all ISTeofros of the old school three white cocks' heads an 

 old remnant, it is said, of a worship " de quo sileat musa " 

 pointing their beaks, one to his door, one to the door of each 

 of his friends. He picked them up, laaghing, and threw them 

 away, to the horror of his servant. 



But the Obeah-man was not so easily beaten. In a few 

 days the servant came in again with a wise visage. 



" You no drink a milk to-day, massa." 



"Why not?" 



" Oh, perhaps something bad in it. You give it a cat." 



" But I don't want to poison the cat ? " 



