180 



SUPERSTITIONS. 



Matthews were occasioned by similar feelings, or by those of a 

 devotional nature, I cannot pretend to say. 



The natives whom I carried to England often amused us by 

 their superstitious ideas, which showed, nevertheless, that their 

 ideas were not limited by the visible world. If any thing was 

 said or done that was wrong, in their opinion it was certain to 

 cause bad weather. Even shooting young birds, before they 

 were able to fly, was thought a heinous offence. I remember 

 York Minster saying one day to Mr. Bynoe, when he had shot 

 some young ducks with the old bird — ' Oh, Mr. Bynoe, very 

 bad to shoot little duck — come wind — come rain — blow — very 

 much blow." 



A great black man is supposed to be always wandering about 

 the woods and mountains, who is certain of knowing every word 

 and every action ; who cannot be escaped, and who influences 

 the weather according to men's conduct. York related a curi- 

 ous story of his own brother, who had committed a murder. 

 " In woods of my country,'' said he, " some men go about 

 alone ; very wild men — have no belly (meaning probably that 

 they were very thin), live by stealing from other men." He 

 then went on to say, that his brother had been getting birds 

 out of a cliff*, and, on coming down, hid them among some long 

 rushes, and went away. Soon afterwards he returned, and, see- 

 ing feathers blown away by the wind from the spot, suspected 

 what was going on ; so taking a large stone in his hand, he 

 crept stealthily towards the place, and there saw one of these 

 wild men plucking a bird which he had got out of the cliff". 

 Without saying a word, he dashed the stone at the wild man's 

 head, and killed him on the spot. Afterwards York's bro- 

 ther was very sorry for what he had done, particularly when 

 it began to blow very hard. York said, in telling the story, 

 " rain come down — snow come down — hail come down — wind 

 blow — blow — very much blow. Very bad to kill man. Big man 

 in woods no like it, he very angry." At the word ' blow,' 

 York imitated the sound of a strong wind ; and he told the 

 whole story in a very low tone of voice, and with a mysterious 

 manner; considering it an extremely serious affair. 



