EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 263 



upon pain of the moft rigorous punifhment : yet it is CHAP, 

 often pradlifed in private places, and is very common JS^ij 

 amongft the Owca and Seramica negroes, where captains 

 Fredericy and Van Geurick told me they had feen it per- 

 formed. It is here called the winty-play, or the dance of 

 the mermaid, and has exifted from time immemorial ; as 

 even the claffic authors make frequent mention of this ex- 

 traordinary practice. Virgil, in his lixth book, makes Eneas 

 vilit the Sibyl of Cuma; and Ovid alfo mentions the fame 

 fubjecSt, lib. 14. where Eneas wiflies to vifit the ghoft of 

 his father. 



But what is flill more llrange, thefe unaccountable 

 women by their voice know how to charm the ammo- 

 dytes, * or papaw ferpent, down from the tree. This is 

 an abfolute fadt ; nor is this fnake ever killed or hurt by 

 the negroes, who, on the contrary, efteem it as their 

 friend and guardian, and are happy to fee it enter their 

 huts. When thefe fibyls have charmed or conjured down 

 the ammodytes ferpent from the tree, it is common to fee 

 this reptile twine and wreathe about their arms, neck 

 and breafl", as if the creature took delight in hearing her 

 voice, while the woman ftrokes and carelles it with her 

 hand. The facred writers fpeak of the charming of 

 adders and ferpents in many places, which I mention 



* This creature is from three to five liancy of its colours may be another 

 feet long, and perfeftly harmlefs ; it has inducement for the adoration of the 

 not the leaf? apprehenfion of being hurt negroes, 

 m« by man; while the unparalleled bril- 



oniy 



