298 
SUPBR3TITI0TJS NOTIONS. 
which the superstitious fears of the natives prevented 
their appropriating, although quite exposed. 
Nothing can exceed their absurd credulity in the 
magical powers of European medical men. They 
believe wdiite doctors can kill or cure almost with a 
look, and we have often observed them to turn away 
in apparent fright, if any of the medical ofi&cers looked 
steadfastly at them; sometimes covering their faces, 
they would jump overboard, calling out, “No make me 
white, no make me white, doc’or;” nor could all our 
reasoning shake this belief; subsequently when we 
found it difhcult to keep them from crowding the 
decks and loitering about instead of concluding their 
trade “ palavers,” it was only necessary to hint at the 
“ doc’or,” and they would disperse quickly enough. 
They are fond of music, and as well as the uoisy 
dance-provoking tom-tom, they have flutes made out 
of reeds, with three apertures; they blow into the 
upper one, and by pressing the thumb and fore-finger 
on the lower two with different degrees of firmness, 
they contrive to play some very sweet though simple 
airs. They have also a sort of harp, made in the 
shape of a bow, of light wood, tightly strung, with 
the hard fibre of some creeping plant ; this is placed 
inside of the teeth, and breathed on with more or 
less force, as with the common Jew’s harp, and by 
striking the chord with a light piece of stick, the sounds 
are produced. 
