330 



Its juice being expressed and allowed to ferment, 

 a small worm is generated, the substance of which 

 being received into the stomach is of a nature the 

 most pernicious. A small portion of this worm is 

 concealed under one of the thumb-nails, which are 

 suffered to grow long for this purpose ; then when 

 the negro has contrived to persuade his intended 

 victim to eat or drink with him, he takes an oppor- 

 tunity, while handing to him a dish or cup, to let 

 the worm fall, which never fails to destroy the 

 person who swallows it. Another means of de- 

 struction is to be found (as I am assured) in almost 

 every negro garden throughout the island : it is 

 the arsenic bean, neither useful for food nor orna- 

 mental in its appearance ; nor can the negroes, 

 when questioned, give any reason for affording it a 

 place in their gardens ; yet there it is always to be 

 seen. The alligator's liver also possesses deleteri- 

 ous properties ; and the gall is said to be still more 

 dangerous. 



February 3. 



On Friday I was made to observe, in the hos- 

 pital, a remarkably fine young negro, about twenty- 

 two years of age, stout and strong, and whom 

 every one praised for his numerous good qualities, 

 and particularly for his affection for his mother, 

 and the services which he rendered her. He com- 

 plained of a little fever, and a slight pain in his 

 side. On Saturday he left the hospital, and in- 



