e practice known as smelling out, or any practices of
witchcraft."

Not unfrequently the representatives of Great Britain, in concluding
peace with heathen nations, have, as in the case of the Zulus, to
respect the superstitious notions of the people they have to deal
with, so as to make the agreement more binding in the minds of the
heathen contracting parties.

On one occasion the Ashantees put up a fetish to stop the advance of
the British army. It consisted of a kid transfixed through the throat
and heart, and staked to the ground; six cooking-pots, inverted, were
stuck on stakes round the kid, and, a few feet from it, another kid
was found buried: this, according to Ashantee custom, had been buried
alive. A similar fetish had been put up at a river near Moinsey to
stop the British troops. The advancing army found almost every turn of
the road to Coomassie strewn with fetish documents. Near Fommanah
nearly every tree had a white rag fastened to it as a charm. On the
King hearing of the British victory, he went to pour libation to the
spirits of his ancestors, and to ask their assistance against the
enemies of his country.

The Shah of Persia has numerous talismans, exceeding two hundred in
number. We give details of four of them. One is a gold star, supposed
to have been possessed by the legendary Rustem. It is called Merzoum,
and has the reputation of making conspirators immediately confess.
When the Shah's brother was accused of treason some time since, the
star was shown him, and, terrified and overcome by remorse, he avowed
his iniquities. His confession was, of course, attributed to its
efficacy. He was banished. The next important talisman is a cube of
amber, which, we are told, fell from heaven in Mohammed's time. It is
supposed to render the Shah invulnerable, and he wears it about his
neck. Another is a little box of gold, set in emeralds, and blessed by
the Prophet. It renders the Royal Family invisible as long as they are
celibates. Another is a diamond set in one of the Shah's scimitars,
which renders its possessor invincible; and there is also a dagger
with the same property, but it is ordained that those who use it shall
perish by it. It is therefore carefully kept shut up in a sandal-wood
box, on which is engraved a verse of the Koran.

As of old, superstition prevails all over India. Semi-religious
ceremonies are gone through in seasons of drought, to procure rain. At
other times means are taken