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First, branches of the saul Iree, marked with tlie names of all 

 the females in the village, whether married or unmarried, who 

 have attained the age of twelve years, are planted in the water 

 in the morning, for the space of four hours and a half; and 

 the withering of any of these branches is proof" of witchcraft 

 against the person whose name is annexed to it. Secondly, 

 small portions of rice enveloped in cloths, marked as above, are 

 placed in a nest of white ants; the consumption of the rice in any 

 of the bags, establishes sorcery against the woman whose name it 

 bears. Thirdly, lamps are lighted at night; water is placed in cups 

 made of leaves, and mustard-seed oil is poured, drop by drop, into 

 the water, whilst the Dame of each woman in the village is pro- 

 nounced; the appearance of the shadow of any woman on the water 

 during this ceremony, proves her a witch. 



" Such arc the general rules for ascertaining those who prac- 

 tise witchcraft. In the instance which I have quoted, the wit- 

 nesses swore, and probably believed, that all the proofs against the 

 unfortunate women had been duly verified. They assert in evi- 

 dence, that the branches marked with the names of the five wo- 

 men accused, were withered; that the rice in the bags, having their 

 specific names, was devoured by the white ants, whilst that in 

 the other bags remained untouched; that their shadows appeared 

 on the water on the oil being poured upon it whilst their names were 

 pronounced; and further that they were seen dancing at midnight, 

 naked, by the light of a lamp, near the house of the sick person. 

 It is difficult to conceive that this coincidence of proof could have 

 been made plausible to the grossest ignorance, if experience did not 

 shew that prepossession will supersede the evidence of the senses." 



