DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 119 
of trial, the word Mil had suggested it to the au- 
dience, who raised the hum in token of suppressed 
approbation. The Bolungo consists in causing the 
suspected person to drink the prepared juices of 
certain herbs, which, if he is guilty, produce faint- 
ing, convulsions, and death ; but if innocent, prove 
totally harmless. The missionary very probably 
conjectures, that the magicians modify the draught, 
according to their good or ill will towards the in- 
dividual. Merolla immediately hastened to the 
Count, and openly charged him with this inhuman 
and pagan proceeding. The Count did not harden 
himself in his iniquity, but " fell on his knees, weep- 
ing and lamenting like another David." He urg- 
ed, however, that the test had been applied, not in 
the usual mode, but according to an improved and 
much superior plan of his own invention. The 
persons suspected had been made to bend over a 
large vessel full of water ; when those who fell in 
had their heads struck off; while such as main- 
tained their equipoise, were declared innocent. 
The missionary, however, having treated this sys- 
tem with equal reprobation, it was renounced, and 
all the orders to administer it countermanded. 
Many other tests of this kind are, it seems, habi- 
tually employed by the magicians. One is afforded by 
passing a red hot iron across the leg of the accused 
person ; when, if it produced its natural effect of 
burning the part, he is concluded guilty. At 
