EEMARKS ON THE SLAVE TRADE. 
109 
tcrers, perform miracles ; in siiort, all the actions of the cre- 
dulous people are submitted to their influence. 
Amongst savage nations the practice of physic is generally 
added to that of divination or sorcery. In these countries, how- 
ever, it is otherwise; for the old women here cure diseases, and 
fultil their task with great zeal and astonishing success, particu- 
larly in cases of wounds : they employ simple herbs, which 
abound in the fields and w oods. 
The most common diseases are hydrocele and intermittent 
fevers: the latter they infallibly cure by simple lemedies; the 
former is supposed to arise from the excessive use of palm wine 
amongst the natives, whose constitution is particularly volup- 
tuous. Venereal diseases are also very conunon ; but they are 
never attended with those dreadful symptoms which appear in 
Europe. The natives will not believe that they can acquire this 
disease by a connection with an unclean individual : it is easily 
cured by simples and sudoriiics. The small-pox is endemic^ but 
is more rare on the coasts than in the country. 
Foreigners who come h.ere are subject to other diseases, the 
most fatal of which is dysentery. They have remedies for these 
attacks ; but the method of preventing them is^ to preserve a 
medium between excess and privation. 
I shall terminate this chapter with a reflection which Î con- 
ceive important. The French government has admitted the 
necessity of protecting the commierce of the western coast of 
Africa, of forming new establishments on points most favour- 
able for trade, and of sending expeditions to prociu'e accurate 
information. These measures are the more necessary, as the 
slave-trade has been renev»'ed on our part. The decree which 
suppressed it, and which precipitately gave liberty to all our 
JNiegro slaves^ was made in the delirium of tumultuous passions, 
and has caused the greatest misfortunes, which time and wis- 
dom alone can repair. 1 shall repeat here, what I have already 
said relative to the philantliropic principles of the English 
company; — that its success must depend upon the concurrence 
of all nations, and on a perfect understanding amongst them 
for the abolition of the trade. But if they flatter themselves 
with such an union, it is a question whether they will ever obtain 
it. It is at least doubtful, whether any government would 
authorise a convention which would proclaim at once the ruin 
and entire loss of the American colonies. I declare it with pain, 
that if the company above-mentioned do not give another di- 
rection to its views, it will have indulged in a tine dream, and 
, expended enormous sums to no purpose. 
