107 



himself doubtfully as to the success of his in- 

 cantations. In this manner these diabolical 

 mountebanks become very frequently the cause 

 of horrible murders, as the relations of the sick, 

 supposing the accusation true, put to death 

 without pity those accused of these practices, 

 and sometimes involve in their revenge the whole 

 family, if tliey are not strong enough to resist 

 their violence. But these malicious fomenters 

 of discord are careful never to accuse the prin- 

 cipal families. The Machis, though not in- 

 vested with the sacerdotal character, like the 

 physicians of most other savage nations, greatly 

 resemble in their Impostures the Shamanis of 

 Kamschatka, the Mokises of Africa, and the 

 PiacJiis of thie Oronoque, whose tricks are ac- 

 curately described by the Abbe Gili, in his 

 history of the Oronokians. 



These physicians, notwithstanding the different 

 systems that they pursue, sometimes meet to sa- 

 tisfy the solicitude or the vanity of the relations 

 of the sick. But their consultations, which are 

 called Thauman, have generally the same issue 

 as those of the physicians of Europe. They 

 have, besides these two, other kinds of pro- 

 fessors of medicine. The first, who may be 

 styled surgeons, are skillful in replacing dislo- 

 cations, in repairing fractures, and in curing 

 wounds and ulcers. They are called Gutai^^e, 

 pojjsess real merit, and often perform wonderful 



