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the negroes. The obi was a system of witchcraft religiously believed in by all the negroes. ⟨No⟩ wonder then that the heroic soul of Jack became ⟨a⟩ prey to this weakness. He confidently hoped ⟨that⟩ the possession of an obi would at once render ⟨him⟩ feared by his fellow slaves, and secure his ⟨vengeance⟩ on the Europeans. He therefore sought the ⟨most⟩ eminent professor of the art.
Amalkir, the obian practitioner, dwelt in a loathsome cave far removed from the inquiring eye ⟨of⟩ the suspicious whites in the Blue Mountains; ⟨he⟩ was old and shrivelled; a disorder had ⟨contracted⟩ all his nerves, and he could scarcely crawl. ⟨His⟩ cave was the dwelling-place or refuge of robbers; he encouraged them in their depredations, and ⟨gave⟩ them obi, that they might fearlessly rush ⟨where⟩ danger stood. This obi was supposed to make ⟨them⟩ invulnerable to the attacks of the white men, ⟨and⟩ they placed implicit belief in its virtues.
Jack approached his cave with a reverential awe; he sought his friendship, and Amalkir engaged ⟨to⟩ set all the slaves of every plantation in the island ⟨in⟩ dreadful commotion. Jack, charmed with the plan⟨,⟩ fervently wished its speedy execution; he now ⟨no⟩ longer groaned under the heavy burthens of ⟨the⟩ day; the sweat that chased his brows, or the ⟨cruel⟩ blows of his task-master, created no pain: he had ⟨at⟩ balm at heart, which made his daily toil the lighter⟨.⟩
Two summers had now elapsed since Jack ⟨arrived⟩ at Jamaica; and tho slaves who were excited ⟨to⟩ rebellion by Amalkir, were firmly attached to him⟨.⟩ They had, by stealth, provided themselves with arms and ammunition, which they concealed in ⟨the⟩ Blue Mountains. Nothing was now wanting, ⟨and⟩ they only waited the moment to set the ⟨plantations⟩ on fire, to plunge the dagger in the hearts of
