of these fellows is known to have gone to a merchant, in whose arms was
sleeping a pretty female slave, and to have entered into conversation
with him, asking him how he was, &c. In the meanwhile the wizard cast
his eyes upon the pretty slave, and its heart withered. This power is
accordingly much dreaded. If, however, any one perceive the incantation
of the wizard, and say, "Begone, you son of a brach!" he immediately
flees, like a dog with his tail between his legs.

In parts of Bornou, also, extraordinary things sometimes happen. There
are men in those places who have the power of assuming the shapes of
wild animals. This they do mostly in the nights. Under the form of lions
and leopards, they go to the tents of strangers, and endeavour to lure
them forth by calling out their proper names with a perfect human voice.
If any one is so imprudent as to obey summons and issue forth, he is at
once devoured.

The Sfaxee pledges his word of honour that there was a female slave a
year ago in Mourzuk who killed five of her companions with her looks. On
this a council was held by the merchants and great people of Mourzuk, to
know what to do with her, and the decision come to was to send her back
to Bornou; a happy decision for the poor slave! Lucky for her that she
was not born in some parts of Europe, with her marvellous power. Even
our friend Gagliuffi has not escaped these superstitions of the people
among whom he lives. On my seeing his young turkeys for the first time,
in very considerable numbers, I exclaimed, "What a host of young turkeys
you have got!" On this he became quite alarmed, lest I had cast a malign
look upon them, and ejaculated a counter-exclamation, "Oh, God bless
them!"

The Sfaxee and Yusuf do not speak very favourably of some parts of