40 
SPîLSBURY's voyage to AFRICA. 
hide themselves, it is in the bush! If to perforin the tender 
oiiice of examining each other's heads, it is done in the ^ush 1 
if wanting niedscines, they take them in the bush ! To a^ni up 
the whole of their character ; that they are jealous is true, and 
that left to themselves they are a most hospitable^ good-nktured, 
liarmless set of beiiigs. As to converting them to Ciinslianity, 
that I believe is a task not easily performed ; for they are not to 
be divested of the snperstitious rites in whicîi they are brought 
wp ; one of the principal of which is, their belief in the magical 
effects of the red water ; which 1 will illustrate by an anecdote. 
A poor girl in her native town, was suspected of witchcraft, 
which is here puni^^hed in the same manner as poisoning. If 
they plead not guilty, they are to drink a certain quantity of red 
water, the* composition of which Î could not learn. If they do 
îîot swell soon after, they are considered inn6cent ; o\i the con- 
trary, if tisey do, they are siu'e to die, and their relations are sold 
for slaves. This girl made her escape to Freetown ; in conse- 
quence of which she was converted, iind became free. Notwith- 
standing this, she frequently wished to return, and to undergo the 
trial of the red water ; so strong was her former way of life im- 
pressed on her niind, which might perhaps be strengthened by a 
wish of being with her friends and countrymen. 
1 am extremèlv sorrv to find the natives do not now, as hereto- 
fore, send their childrea to the Sierra Leone schools : tliis ob- 
ject might be promoted by allowing them to retoni when edu* 
catevL 
îf a king or any otîier person goes to a factory, or slave-ship, 
and procures articles which he is not at that time able to pay for, 
he sends his v.ife, sister, or clnld, as a pawn, putting a taliy 
round their necks ; the child *tlf.en runs among the slaves until ex- 
changed ; and it is aii invariable custom never to take these 
pawns away ; but should ariy accident occur, as with thé I'rio, 
they immeiliateiy send the pawns on shore. The captain of the 
Trio had a female pawn on board, when the French squadron 
appeared., and he sent her on shore to her friends. As he be- 
haved with such honour, he can again return ; but had he not, 
no Englishînan would have been again allowed to trade. Should 
any other vessel come from that place, they will deliver to him 
the s ave for the pawn, if a^vessel takes off any slaves without 
paying for lliem, they will detain the captahi of the next vessel 
which arrives, until the full debt is paid. At Tasso Island, i saw 
a great nundjer of pawns with their tallies, fn the. annexed 
Plate. tl'.e king in full court dress, followed by his wives, has a 
boy with this article round his neck, going to be pawned. 
The slave-trade has, by numbers who have not considered the 
