AFRICA. 27 
with this afpiilance alone we eafily cured our 
negroes. But this was of no avail here: Afri- 
ca did not produce any of thefe falntary 
plants ; or at leaft, if it did, I knew not in 
what place to fearch for them. I how^ever 
thought of a method whioJi, if it (hould not 
cure his evils, would at leaft fufpend them 
for a little. 
I began therefore by bidding thefe favages 
be perfectly eafy; affuring them that the dif- 
order was not infe£lious, and that it could 
not be communicated by coming into im- 
mediate contaft w^ith the dlfeafed perfon, 
much lefs by the air that furrounded him- 
To perfuade them the more to believe me, I 
confidently told them that I was well ac- 
quainted with the difeafe : for without this 
precaution the plan I had formed to relieve 
him would have been in great danger of 
mifcarrying; as an invincible prejudice made 
them all dread an epidemical diftemper. 
J told them, then, that it would be proper 
to anoint the whole body of the patient with 
mutton fat melted ; that this harmlefs re-r 
medy would reflore to his parched ikm a 
little of its fupplenefs, and would at leaft 
enable him him to move his lim.bs wdth 
eafe. 
