302 
THE WESTERN COAST. 
inents and the number of accidents to which they 
are exposed, resembles a game of hazard, ought 
to be more superstitious and addicted to charms 
than other men. This is what really happens ; 
and the negroes not only believe in charms, but 
days and periods are reckoned lucky and unlucky. 
They choose their fetiches according to their 
fancy ; one selects the teeth of a dog, tiger, or 
civet-cat^ an egg, or the bone of a bird ; while 
another pitches upon a piece of red or yellow 
wood, the branch of a thorn, the head of a goat, 
monkey, or parrot. From the fetiche thus chosen, 
they expect assistance on all occasions, and vow 
to perform some kind of worship to it. In honour 
of it, they deprive themselves of some pleasure, 
commonly abstaining from some particular kind 
of meat or drink ; so that one man eats no beef, 
goats' flesh or poultry, and another drinks no 
palm-wine or brandy. From the opposition of per- 
sonal interests results the opposition of charms or 
fetiches ; and the virtue of a fetiche is always de- 
termined by the success of its possessor. A negro 
who is unsuccessful, or who suffers any great mis- 
fortune, attributes it to the w^eakness of his fe- 
tiche, and has immediately recourse to another, or 
applies to ajetissero, or priest, to procure him one 
xnore powerful. They believe that the fetiche, 
by the presiding intelligence that resides in it, 
sees, speaks, and narrowly inspects all their ac- 
