kind of charms, consisting of some scrap of writing, which the Negroes believe capable of protecting them from all evil. The Moors sell scraps of the Koran for this purpose; and indeed any piece of writing may be sold as a saphie; but it would appear that the Negroes are disposed to place greater confidence in the saphies of a Christian than in those of a Moor.

When Mr Park was at Koolikorro, a considerable town near the Niger, and a great market for salt, his landlord, hearing that he was a Christian, immediately thought of procuring a saphie. For this purpose he brought out his walha, or writing board, assuring me (says our author) that he would dress me a supper of rice if I would write him a saphie to protect him from wicked men. The proposal was of too great consequence to me to be refused; I therefore wrote the board full, from top to bottom, on both sides; and my landlord, to be certain of having the whole force of the charm, washed the writing from the board into a calabash with a little water; and having said a few prayers over it, drank this powerful draught; after which, lest a single word should escape, he licked the board until it was quite dry. A saphie writer was a man of too great consequence to be long concealed: the important information was carried to the Dooty, who sent his son with half a sheet of writing-paper, desiring me to write him a napula saphie (a charm to procure wealth). He brought me as a present, some meal and milk; and when I had finished the saphie, and read it to him with an audible voice, he seemed highly satisfied with his bargain, and promised to bring me in the morning some milk for my breakfast.