too 



MANDINGU£IROS. 



There was an old Creole negro residing in the 

 neighbourhood of Jaguaribe, whose disposition 

 led him to explore all the woods for miles 

 around in search of game ; he preferred this 

 manner of obtaining subsistence to that of daily 

 labour with the hoe or bill hook. He was ac- 

 quainted with the situations in which the best 

 timber was to be found ; and could, in many 

 instances, name the exact spot upon which some 

 particular tree stood, which was required for 

 any given purpose. This man often came to 

 Jaguaribe, and on these occasions I usually 

 called him into the house to hear his stories, 

 whilst I sat in my hammock smoking. He was 

 fond of tales of ghosts and Mandingueiros. The 

 latter are famous, among other feats, for handling 

 poisonous snakes, and can, according to his ac- 

 count and that of many other persons, by pecu- 

 liar noises or tunes, call these reptiles from their 

 holes, and make them assemble around them. 

 These sorcerers profess to render innoxious the 



some distance : the Valentam knelt down upon one knee, and 

 fired with the effect which he wished" for. He quietly walked 

 on along the same road, telling the whole story of his meet- 

 ing, at the first village through which he passed. This man 

 was at last taken, tried, and hanged at Bahia, through the 

 very great exertions of the brother of the person whom he 

 had murdered. He could not be executed at Pernambuco 

 because he was a white man. The transaction occurred at 

 a short distance from Jaguaribe, about fifteen years ago. 



