40 Mr Maxwell’s Observations 
simile, as most expressive of the meaning he attached to Desh- 
ay’s remark. 
As another example : — Having unbound a slave whom I had 
purchased ; he threw himself into an attitude of devotion, and 
casting his eyes upwards, ejaculated, “ Enzambi Empoongu, — 
Menou moontu accu E— -God Almighty,—-! am thy creature ! 
then looking cheerfully in my face, he took a pipe from his 
belt, and shewed me that it was empty. I gave him some 
tobacco and biscuits, with which he seemed highly gratified, 
and from that time he became a great favourite on board. 
These incidents shew, that important conclusions may be 
drawn from a careful observation of the common occurrences of 
life in an uncivilised state of society ; and that, amid a profu- 
sion of absurdities intermingled with their worship, the inhabi- 
tants of Congo have some elevated conceptions of a Deity, 
whom they worship under the name of Enzambi Empoongu, 
Notwithstanding the assertions of certain travellers and voya- 
gers to the contrary, I can scarcely think that there is, or ever 
was, a nation, however barbarous, altogether destitute of belief 
in the existence of a Supreme Being, and of a future state. 
Boonzie, whose mandates are obeyed, as though they were 
the decrees of fate, is held in peculiar veneration. When the 
whirlblast is seen sweeping alongst the plain, raising, in circular 
eddies, chaotic masses from the ground,— -they exclaim, — “ It 
is the spirit of Boonzie !” and fly from its course with terror. 
Fitishes . — Were it not our duty to bring the absurdities of 
the uncultivated savage mind, as well as the endowments of 
philosophy, under review, these evidences of mental degrada- 
tion would be undeserving of notice. Fitish is the appellation 
for an Idol of whatever kind ; and they are of endless variety in 
form, composition, and virtue. The most common are milk, 
eggs, and birds. Among the latter, the partridge is held so 
sacred, that if the foot of a dead one is known to have touched 
a dish of meat, however much esteemed, no one will taste of it, 
although ready to die of hunger. But they do not regard milk 
or eggs with equal veneration, or rather horror, for I have seen 
three or four parties at the cabin table devouring each others 
fitishes with the greatest harmony. 
Their portable fitishes consist of rude imitations of the hu- 
man form, and of animals, with a piece of looking-glass fixed 
