2 9 G HISTORY OF THE [book. iv. 
a term of African origin, signifying sorcery or 
witchcraft, the prevalence of which, among many 
of their countrymen, all the negroes most firmly 
and implicitly believe. We may conclude, there¬ 
fore, that their funeral songs and ceremonies are 
commonly nothing more than the dissonance of sa¬ 
vage barbarity and riot; as remote from the fond 
superstition to which they are ascribed, as from the 
sober dictates of a rational sorrow. 
Having mentioned the practice of Obeah, the 
influence of which has so powerful an effect on the 
negroes as to bias, in a considerable degree, their 
general conduct, dispositions, and manners, I shall 
conclude the present chapter, by presenting to my 
readers the following very curious account of this 
extraordinary superstition, and its effects: it was 
transmitted by the agent of Jamaica to the lords of 
the committee of privy council, and by them sub¬ 
joined to their report on the slave trade; and, if I 
mistake not, the public are chiefly indebted for it 
to the diligent researches, and accurate pen, of 
Mr. Long. 
fC The term Obeah , Obiah , or Obia , (for it is va¬ 
riously written), we conceive to be the adjective, 
and Obe or Obi the noun substantive; and that by 
the words Obia -men or women, are meant those 
who practise Obi. The origin of the term we 
should consider as of no importance in our answer 
to the questions proposed, if, in search of it, 
we were not led to disquisitions that are highly 
