made into a ; sacrificial repast, i which is nfceampapjed with
dances and other amusements. . A Negro also aajwaatty4#©?»
lemnizes the day on which he fifist shed the blood of a human
being-.”
Of the Order of Priests, their Offices and Powers.
Like all the nations of .antiquity the pagan Negroes
ascribe to a particular ©lass of men they office* of 'mediators
between mankind and the gods. The priests in Africaj as
elsewhere^are the only individuals who can ioffer acceptable
sacrifice do the divinity ; they alone aie interpreters ®f;thq
divine will. To-this function they join th at' bf divin®r$;r ©r
magicians, masters of, spells and amulets« Itris really wonderful
to discover so extensive an analogy in
men and of races separated from each other from dgamemQ'-
rial time, not only in the general principles of natural jcri-
gion which conscience and the internal feelings impress > upon
»the«understanding and belief; but in all itie varimm
and modifications of superstition, and in the -modes by which
crafty and designing men have availed themselves of the
weakness and credulity of th e people*,-
f‘ The priests and priestesses are the sacred persons upon
whom the divine service of the Negroes depend^ >and whor
as they suppose, have confidential intercourse w ith the gods,
and interpret their will. They alone understand tby what
means the wrath of the deity may he appeased. To themvjt
belongs, to present the offerings to the gods, and to be the
intercessors between them and the people. They convey the
questions of the people to th e gods, who reply by the months
of -the priests. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, that
they aare held in the n e a te s t esteem by the people, and exerciser
almost boundless authority over them. No Negro will
transgress the priest’s commands. Even after death, in the
performance - of sacred ceremonies at tb e burial of the body,
the assisfaneer of rthe priest is necessary, for he alone understands
how to prevent the evil spirit from getting th e soul
into his power.
“ At times ofsickness, warlike expeditions, and m other important
affairs, the. Negroes desire to- be assured of the issue
b y 'a divine answer. In such eases, the Amina bring
a sheep'either entïrëly wlïitë* or black to the* priest, who sa-
crifices it, and with its blood'sprinkles a: large vessel ; whereupon.
he receives âp answCPto th e question laid before liim.
If a Fida Negrdis’ sick,-'he' »causes the serpent to ’be inter-
rogated: through - the priest, whether his fffiseàsfe' proceeds
from Qod, or!frona enchantment. I ■ Together with the answer
which héiireeaiÈesga remedy is shown him, by -means of which
be may Tecower* But if theidisë'ysesÿS fatal, the
melanéfedyièatelligoeçe; that) his can>he«cured by nopossible
means, ^ In this case, the priest oripriestess takes mo reward
far their trouble^which is> requivêd*I -in ail -Other instances.
The •; ■gmhtiBnake. .unasked; ; reveals| impeiMingywars^to the
priestess, y^ho does not ifail to give intdHigfeaee>of it to the
kihgi Bhe tells hint-the -name of the çnenàÿ; ;appoints tfeé
time of the invasion and the tlwtutmfe ^
the affair* In ’the latfceec&se; sheïgfeies him‘the prudent advice,
to save him self by a speedy ffight.' -She alsovfcretels
to the-i kihg the>timewhen 'Ships will arrive. The, priests,*
Likewise, foratel dearth and sterility, a s thfe effect-'of the
an^^b£-thd<Ads^wh®i|:-hbwe^e%' may be- ap’peased -by pre-
SÉntS and sacrifiées. > Nothing is so concealed th a t the priests
cannot foretel itfaeven theTfate-of souls1 after death is known
tofbemy and friom them it can be learnpWhfether eaeh indi-
viduaf is-gorte to.Grod or torthicivibspirit.!
-:JM The priests of the Negroes are also the physicians, as
were the priests of Apollo and Esculapius. The notions which
the Negroes entertain of the causes of diseases are very different.
The Watje attribute them to evil spirits, whom they call
Dobbo. When these are wery numerous, they ask of their sacred
cotton-tree permission to hunt them out. Hereupon a chase
is .appointed, and they do;..nof>cea&e following the demons
with .arms and great cries, until they have chased them beyond
their! boundaries« This chase off the spirits
customary among ■ many ttstiuP ofiyfâuinedj who universally
believe tihat mapy diseases arise tfrom enchantment, and
others by the direction of the deity.” ?