Page:Famous Negro robber, and terror of Jamaica, or, The history and adventures of Jack Mansong.pdf/8

 the negroes. The obi was a system of witchcraft religiously believed in by all the negroes. wonder then that the heroic soul of Jack became prey to this weakness. He confidently hoped the possession of an obi would at once render  feared by his fellow slaves, and secure his  on the Europeans. He therefore sought the eminent professor of the art.

Amalkir, the obian practitioner, dwelt in a loathsome cave far removed from the inquiring eye the suspicious whites in the Blue Mountains;  was old and shrivelled; a disorder had  all his nerves, and he could scarcely crawl. cave was the dwelling-place or refuge of robbers; he encouraged them in their depredations, and them obi, that they might fearlessly rush  danger stood. This obi was supposed to make invulnerable to the attacks of the white men,  they placed implicit belief in its virtues.

Jack approached his cave with a reverential awe; he sought his friendship, and Amalkir engaged set all the slaves of every plantation in the island  dreadful commotion. Jack, charmed with the plan fervently wished its speedy execution; he now longer groaned under the heavy burthens of  day; the sweat that chased his brows, or the  blows of his task-master, created no pain: he had  balm at heart, which made his daily toil the lighter

Two summers had now elapsed since Jack at Jamaica; and thothe [sic] slaves who were excited  rebellion by Amalkir, were firmly attached to him They had, by stealth, provided themselves with arms and ammunition, which they concealed in  Blue Mountains. Nothing was now wanting, they only waited the moment to set the  on fire, to plunge the dagger in the hearts of