EXPEDITION TO 



SURINAM. 



the time I refided in the colony, of one of them vio- chap. 

 lating his oath. v^J"lw 



The folemnity made ufe of on this day, confifted in 

 each party's letting a few drops of blood witli a lancet or 

 penknife from the arm, into a callibafli or cup of clear 

 fpring water, in which were alfo mixed a few particles of 

 dry earth, and of this all prefent were obliged to drink, 

 without exception, which they call drinking each other's 

 blood, having firft flied a few drops upon the ground by 

 way of libation; when their gadoman or prieft, with 

 up-caft eyes and out-flretched arms, took heaven and 

 earth to witnefs, and v/ith a moft audible voice and in a 

 moft awful manner, invoked the curfe of the Almighty 

 on thofe who fhould firft break through this facred 

 treaty made between them, from that moment forward 

 to all eternity. To this folemn imprecation the multi- 

 tude anfwered Da fo ! which fignifies in their language 

 Amen 



" Then loudly thus, before th' attentive bands, 

 " He calls the gods, and fpreads his lifted hands; 

 " O firft and greateft Power, whom all obeyj 

 ** Who high on Ida'^ holy mountain fway j 

 ** Eternal Jove ! and yon bright orb, that roll 

 *• From eaft to weft, and view from pole to pok I 

 " Thou mother Earth ! and all ye living Floods ! 

 " Infernal FurkSf and Tartarean gods, 

 " Who rule the dead, and horrid woes prepare 

 " For perjur'd kings, and all who falfely fwe*r I 

 ** Hear and be witnefs." — — 



* This hSt is noticed by the Abbe Raynal, ^ - 



Voi. L K «' From 



