80 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



even qualified to lead his fellow negroes into the path of sal- 

 vation, as appeared from a diploma with which he was fur- 

 nished. This man and another of the Christians had been 

 taught to write their own names and that of Saint Antonio, 

 and could also read the Romish litany in Latin. All these 

 converts were loaded with crucifixes, and satchels containing 

 the pretended relics of saints, certainly of equal efficacy 

 with the monkey's bone of their pagan brethren ; of this we 

 had a convincing proof in each vociferating invocations to 

 their respective patrons, to send us a strong wind ; neither 

 the fetiche or Saint Antonio having condescended to hear 

 their prayers. The Christian priest was however somewhat 

 loose in his practical morality, having, as he assured us, one 

 wife and five concubines ; and added, that St. Peter, in con- 

 fining him to one wife, did not prohibit his solacing himself 

 with as many handmaids as he could manage. All our vi- 

 sitors, whether Christians or idolaters, had figures raised on 

 their skins, in cicatrices, and had also the two upper froijt 

 teeth filed away on the near sides, so as to form a large 

 opening, into which they stuck their pipes, and which is so 

 perfectly adapted to the purpose that I thought it expressly 

 formed for it ; until on enquiry I learned, that, as well as 

 the raised figures on the skin, it was merley ornamental, 

 and principally done with the idea of rendering themselves 



