43° 



building enclofed on all fides, forming a fingle 

 room, into which light and air were only ad- 

 mitted at the door-way. Upon inquiry we 

 learned that this was devoted to the ufe of the 

 fick — not as an hofpital, but as a temple of 

 incantation, for the purpofe of expelling dif- 

 eafe. Their fuperftition attributes ficknefs to 

 witchcraft, or the vifitation of fome evil fpirit 

 like the Obeah of the Africans — and having 

 faith in fpells, they make little decorated in- 

 flruments, of tender rufhes about a foot long, 

 which the phyficians, or priefts called Pyeis, 

 employ, together with other magical imple- 

 ments, as wands to drive out thefe demons of 

 ill, which they term Yowaboos. The Pyei is 

 thought to poffefs a peculiar influence over 

 the Yowahoo — and bv means of diffimulation, 

 and fuperftitious forms, the fick and his friends 

 are made to believe that he holds an intercourfe 

 with him, previous to removing the efFecT: of 

 his malign vifitation from his patients. The 

 building would feem better calculated for their 

 more natural remedy, the hot or vapour bath, 

 which they contrive by throwing water upon 

 a large heated ftone, and enveloping the fick 

 perfon in the (learn. 



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