The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-05-08

thing there is any demand for, principally
rum and fruits and sugar and poor kerosene
oil and salt meats. To their profits from
the sale of goods, which are often consid-
cradle, they add what they can make from
0beah business. If a servant wants some
thing to make his master appreciate him,
he goes to the Obeah man and buys some
nonsensical thing in which he has every
faith. 1t may be no more than few
white pebbles, wrapped up in a package
with some human hair; or it may be
harmless powder, to be scattered about the
masters sleeping room. Or perhaps silly
colored girl wants something to secure the
affections of her lover. They have to pay
well for these things. If they have no
money the Obeah man will take goods in
exchange; bananas will do, or cocoanuts, or
some jewlry-any of the little things that
negroes nearly always have. Sometimes
they have calls from offended or discharged
servants with grudge, for something that
will ''do the work good for the master; in
other words, kill him. But, although they
pay all the more for this they rarely get
anything worse than the white cocks heads,
or bottle of spiders and little toads.
When these fail TO work, as of course they
always do, the Obeah man advises patience,
and says they may take some time to accom-
plish their object. He is too shrewd to
put himself in danger for the sake of few
shillings. Visited one of these little shops
kept by an 0beah man some time ago
He had hanging up openly some of the pc
culiar beads that are used at Oheah dances
the same kind that years ago the mere
possession of was punishable with death.
The shop was not in village, as you might
imagine, but alongside of a frequented path
through the woods, with not another build
ing within two or three miles of it. And
/ can hardly call that building, for it was
little more than shanty, with thatched
roof. The proprietor Of it lived in small
room partitioned off at the back, and the
shop was in front. Why did he keep his
shop out in the woods, do you ask? That
was just as good for his business as if he
had been in the midst of town much
cheaper and more retired You must have
noticed all through the West In lies that
negro is never afraid of long walk. He
may be to lazy to do anything else, but he
will willingly undertake walk of five or
ten, or even twenty, miles if he has any
object to gain He will not hurry about it,
but he will go. should not ht state to
send a negro on an errapd that would take
him five or six miles, for he would rather
enjoy it. He would loiter along, pick up
a little fruit here and there, and have a
chance to talk with the friends he met on
the road So distance from his customers
is no drawback to one of these little shop
keepers. On the contrary, it is a decided
advantage. Negro servants on the planta-
tions can often get chance to go out into
the woods when they would not be allowed
to go into the town; and then no prying
eyes are about to see them going to consult
the Obeah man. The shop 1 was about
to tell you about was Of the poorest and
dirtiest description. There was hardly an
article in it that any white person would
have in the house. The sugar exposed to
view was the settings from molasses bar
rels, and, of course, black, wet, and unsav-
ory Everything else was of the same
kind.
Was it known to heauthorities that this
man was an Obeah nRn2'' I asked.
at was known that he pretended to be
one," he replied, "but like most of the
Others there was no proof against him. He
would not exhibit his pretended skill to a
white person, and none of his colored dupes
would dare to give evidence against him.
Their fingers and toes would drop off if
they did, and they would pine away and
die-so they think. You can judge how
strong this feeling is among them when |
tell YOU that there have been number of
instances in Trinidad where negroes who
were compelled to testify against an 0beah
man were SO sure of some hard fate
overtaking them that the worry actually
made them very i'll, and in some cases even
led to their death. In such cases of course
the other negroes believed the sickness and
death to have been brought about by the
Obeah man, But prosecutions of Obeah
men are rare now, because they are COM
paratively harmless, they are hardly ever
more than petty swindlers, They nearly
all profess to be healers of diseases, too.
Some of them make good incomes from
the sale of their medicines and grow rich.
Most of the negroes have much more faith
in these men than they have in the regular
physicians. | had negro servant girl
only few months ago, who was attacked
with slight fever. [ sent out and got her
some cooling medicines, but she did not
improve. On the contrary, she continued
to grow worse, and sent for physician.
He pronounced it case of malarial fever
and left her some medicines For more
than two weeks he continued to attend her
without any improvement in her condition
The case was so obstinate that he began to
suspect she was not taking his medicines
He spoke to me about it, and l set another
servant to attend her, one on whom / was
sure 1 could depend. She soon discovered
that the girl had not taken a drop of the
medicines procured for her, but had man
aged to conceal them, and had sent one Of
her friends to an 0beah man for advice ant
medicines, The 0beah man had sent hel
wide-mouthed bottle containing a iy,
lizard, with small hole in the cork to give
him air. This she was to keep under hel
pillow till she was cured; and she kept il
there till she was so reduced in strength
that after the discovery, when we threw
away the lizard and made her take he
medicines, it was hard matter to save hel
life. l tried to convince her of the folly o
such remedies; but | have no doubt tina
if she falls sick again she will put her faitl
once more in the power Of Obeah. Th'
girl is still going about with her head tiet
across, That is, not feeling well yet
She ties bandage around her head. Tha
is the first thing negro does when h
feels sick If black boy cuts his foot OIL
a broken bottle he Immediately ties up hi
head 1 think they did it originally be
cause it was an indication to their master
that they were sick and they still keep
up, though they no longer have any mas
ters.
i.There," said Mr.. Smith, drawing hi
L tEh1-