296 
THE WESTERN COAST. 
ful. They believe that the fetiche, by the presid- 
ing intelligence that resides in it, sees, speaks, and 
narrowly inspects all their actions, punishing the 
vicious, and rewarding the virtuous. For this 
reason, they cover it carefully, or place it out of 
view, whenever they perform any improper action. 
This office of the fetiche is supposed by the ne- 
groes of Benin to be performed by the shadow of 
every man, which they believe to be a real being, 
that in another world shall give a true account of 
all his actions. These fetiches, when remarkably 
successful, become the tutelary guardians of families, 
and are transmitted to the descendants of their ori- 
ginal possessors, like the Lares and Penates of the 
Romans, and the Teraphim or household gods of 
the Aramceans, which they frequently resemble in 
form. At Elmina and Acra, they often consist of 
a piece of wood, on which is carved a human head, 
without body, arms, or limbs. Besides private 
fetiches appropriate to individuals, there are others 
of a more public nature, whose influence extends 
to particular cantons or districts. These are fre- 
quently remarkable mountains, rocks, trees, lakes, 
and rivers. The Acranese attributed the con- 
quest of their country by the Aquambrans, to the 
conversion of one of these sacred lakes into a salt- 
pit, by the Portuguese. Of this species seems to have 
been the Snake worship of the Whidanese, who be- 
lieved in one supreme God, though they worship- 
