ETHNOGRAPHY. 163 



formulas for its infliction; not one instruction for effecting a 

 harmless or benevolent purpose, amidst diagrams and directions 

 for gratifying the depraved passions, and encouraging the fiendish 

 designs of the author's dupes."" 



To seduce the affections of a female, to effect a separation 

 between a husband and wife, to possess with a devil, to afflict with 

 sickness, to procure the ruin or the death of an enemy — such 

 are the objects of Obeahism in Trinidad, as they are of sorcery 

 in Ceylon. The practices are not so vile and monstrous here as 

 in Ceylon; but they may be said to be highly foolish and absurd. 

 There are, unfortunately, many who actually believe in the effi- 

 cacy of the incantations performed. Such efficacy, as we must 

 suppose, results from natural, but most nefarious, practices. 

 Poison — in most instances vegetable — is administered to the 

 party whom they wish to get rid of. The health is destroyed, 

 and death may ensue. If the object is the ruin of an enemy, 

 poison is given to his fowls, to his cow, or donkey. Of cours 3 

 the poor man becomes nervous and discouraged at his loss, and 

 abandons his holding, or sells it at a loss. It is only natural 

 that practices of Obeah should inspire the most ignorant people 

 with dread ; and such dread will always act as an obstacle to 

 discovering and bringing to punishment the impostors. And 

 yet, though thus dreaded, they are held in contempt, and 

 shunned by the people generally. Some pretend to cure dis- 

 eases ; they invariably declare that such diseases are produced by 

 wicked practices, and, of course, can be cured only by the adminis- 

 tration of medicines aided by incantations ; and such incantations 

 are accordingly performed, with the accompaniment of cabalistic 

 words and signs. The medicines are prepared beforehand, and 

 administered in secret — sometimes in a dark room — when the 

 poor deluded victim will be made to cast up centipedes, scor- 

 pions, spiders, pins, &c, to the great amazement of those present, 

 and the entire satisfaction of the poor dupe. Some of those 

 quack doctors and Obeah practisers have a wide reputation, and 

 practise extensively ; they are generally negroes from Africa. 



The least that I can say of such people is this : they are im- 

 postors of the worst kind, having mainly one object in view — 

 obtaining money under false pretences. Some even will not 

 recoil from administering poisons to satisfy their hatred, or 

 with the view of proving their power, I contend that, in 

 general, the magistracy makes too light of Obeahism, 



