12S DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 
river, his horror was much greater, when he found 
paganism reigning in full dominion. One of the 
first objects which met his eye, was the adminis- 
tering of an oath, which, to render it more bind- 
ing, was taken in presence of their idol. This 
object of adoration, he compares to a mounte- 
bank's merry-andrew, " having a divers coloured 
" vest on, a red cap on its head, and standing on 
" a little table." Almost all the houses had such 
idols, five or six feet high, in front of them. At 
the time of new moon, they fell on their knees, 
calling out to that luminary, " So may I renew 
my life as thou art renewed." Passing one day 
in the fields, our author saw the natives busily 
employed in invoking evil spirits. The place was 
a wretched hut, built on a small rising ground, 
and upon one side of which hung two dirty aprons. 
In the midst of the hut was a mud wall, two feet 
high, behind which stood the wizard, " to pro- 
" nounce the fallacious oracles of the prince of 
*^ darkness." The missionary having armed him- 
self with the sign of the cross, was preparing to 
enter, but heard so loud a murmur among the 
crowd at this attempt to intrude into their " hell- 
" ish tabernacle," that he deemed it prudent to 
retire. 
The houses are built of reeds, and are such mi- 
serable huts, that they appeared to our author only 
fit to receive the insects with which the country 
