It has been imported, like the rest of the system, from Africa.

Travellers of late have told us enough--and too much for our comfort of mind--of that prevailing dread of poison as well as of magic which urges the African Negroes to deeds of horrible cruelty; and the fact that these African Negroes, up to the very latest importations, are the special practisers of Obeah, is notorious through the West Indies.

The existence of this trick of poisoning is denied, often enough.

Sometimes Europeans, willing to believe the best of their fellow-men--and who shall blame them ?-- simply disbelieve it because it is unpleasant to believe.

Sometimes, again, white West Indians will deny it, and the existence of Obeah beside, simply because they believe in it a little too much, and are afraid of the Negroes knowing that they believe in it.