200 
CHAKMS OK AMULETS. 
The Edeejah always spits out the first mouthful of 
whatever he is drinking, for the use of the Mohs. 
Every one carries about the person sundry charms or 
amulets, supposed to protect from evil. Many of 
these are very curious, and may, in connexion with 
other circumstances, tend to throw some light on the 
early source of their religion. Some of the most 
valued of these are goats’ heads ; the fat of sheep or 
goats enclosed in a piece of intestine, and fastened 
round the neck ; the skin of a small species of wild 
cat, the Genetta Richardsonii, which being scarce and 
difficult to procure, is so much prized, that scarcely 
anything will induce them to part with one ; the 
specimen of this animal we sent to the British Museum, 
was skinned in the most dexterous manner from the 
mouth. It was only obtained by accident : the man 
in whose possession it was, being intoxicated, was per- 
suaded to part with it for a quantity of tobacco, which 
would have purchased half-a-puncheon of palm oil. 
Another very singular amulet we also got hold of with 
difficulty ; it was round the neck of a fisherman, and 
probably represented the uncertainty of life in his 
occupation, and dependence on the Mohs. It was a 
small model canoe, having inside of it some minute 
bones covered with clay ; it was suspended from the 
neck, and had connected with it some heads of dogs 
and monkeys, as also goat’s fat in pieces of intestine'^L 
* In another chapter we have drawn attention to many remarkable 
coincidences existing between the religious observances of the different 
tribes of Western Africa and the Ancient Egyptians. 
