some "enemies' dust", and materials for a "luck-ball" for Mr. Leland, and a "hand of love", which last insures marital felicity. He drank a good deal of whiskey, sang songs, told rabbit, bird, and ghost stories, assured me I was strong enough in the head to make a good Voodoo, boasted extravagantly of his power over the fair sex. "I've allus been a pet," he said, showing his fiery red gums; bare of teeth except for a few discoloured snags, and rolling his great black lips in an awful grin. "All I haf ter do is to say 'lubly lady, yo' obfustercate my wits, my thoughts follow yo' ez de shedder follers de tree'."
As he took leave he promised to send me a teacher.
Instead of a man coming, as I expected, an old black woman walked up to me in a butcher-shop, and, taking me on one side under pretence of asking for work, told me of the initiation of leaves. She would have gone out without mentioning her name, had I not asked it. This was Aunt Dorcas.
A week later my sister-in-law sent me word that John Palmer wished to see me He had been to her house. We called on him the next day, and wasted several hours listening to him tell how pious he was, and what visions of heaven he had had. When we were entirely out of patience, and ready to depart, he whispered he was talking for the benefit of the neighbours, but would meet us and would talk "sho 'nuff" the day following.
At that meeting he told us of the circle's meeting late at night in the church, and laughed with most unholy glee as he explained that the sexton was one of their number. He explained the great powers of "Cunjer John", or "Indian Turnip", and taught me to make a "Jack" of equal parts of alum, sulphur, salt, and "Cunjer John". A bad trick, he explained, was made with the red seeds of the turnip and the other ingredients, the "lucky Jack" with the white root. He also gave me a great deal of information about the medicinal virtues of plants, explained about luck-stones, and the curative powers of snakes and black dogs. He then offered to conduct me to the meetings of the circle. I asked him about the mysterious cases of poisoning among the negroes. He knew nothing of them, but said it was told that 'twas obeah stuff brought up from the south.
"By Alexander?"
"Gord, missey! I ain't namin' no names." That was all I could get.
