chap, hi.] WEST INDIES. 301 
“ The Obi is usually composed of a farrago of 
ec materials, most of which are enumerated in the 
« Jamaica law,* viz. blood, feathers, parrots beaks, 
“ dogs teeth, alligators teeth, broken bottles, grave 
fe dirt, rum, and egg-shells.” 
With a view to illustrate the description we 
have given of this practice, and its common ef¬ 
fects, we have subjoined a few examples out of 
the very great number which have occurred in Ja¬ 
maica; not that they are peculiar to that island on¬ 
ly, for we believe similar examples may be found 
in other West India colonies. Pere Labat , in his 
history of Martinico, has mentioned some which 
are very remarkable.f 
“ It may seem extraordinary, that a practice al¬ 
leged to be so frequent in Jamaica should not have 
received an earlier check from the legislature. The 
truth is, that the skill of some negroes', in the art 
of poisoning, has been noticed ever since the co¬ 
lonists became much acquainted with them. Sloane 
and Barham, who practised physic in Jamaica in 
the last century, have mentioned particular instan¬ 
ces of it. The secret and insidious manner in 
which this crime is generally perpetrated, makes 
* the legal proof of it extremely difficult Suspici¬ 
ons therefore have been frequent, but detections 
rare: these murderers have sometimes been brought 
* Passed 1760. 
f Tome ii. p, 59. 447. 499. 506 ., 
