"They wear necklaces of coral, &c. agreeably disposed; and their arms, wrists, fingers, and legs, are encompassed and ornamented with rings of amber, silver, and even gold, to a considerable value. The inferior ranks wear copper or iron. The men suffer the hair to remain in its natural form, except buckling it in two or three places, in order to affix a coral ornament to it; but the women arrange theirs more artificially, with long and small buckles, or ornaments, the hair divided on the crown of the head, and the ornaments placed with great uniformity. They have a bad practice of using an oil, which injures the glossy blackness of the hair, in time changing it to a colour approaching green or yellow, which they much admire; but it is very unpleasing to the eye of a stranger. "I have mentioned that the natives of Whidáh are idolaters. The object of their worship, you will be surprised to find, is a serpent; an animal to which men, in general, have an antipathy This Whidáh god is called the fetiche: it is a harmless, as well as beautiful animal, having an antipathy to venomous serpents, attacking them whenever it meets with them. The serpent has a large, round, beautiful head; a short, pointed tongue, resembling a dart; and a short but sharp tail; the whole adorned by the most beautiful colours, upon a light grey ground. In general its pace is slow and solemn, except when it seizes on its prey, in which case it is quick and rapid. They are perfectly tame and familiar, permitting themselves to be caressed and handled, which is frequently done by the natives and Europeans, without apprehension of danger. This deity has a temple to his honour, with priests, sacrifices, &c." With this account we will close our extracts from Irving's letters; and as they will give some idea of the people of the country which forms the principal scene of our narrative, it is hoped the digression will not be thought irrelevant. In the next chapter we resume the thread of our story, merely pausing to express our ardent hope, that good may spring out of evil; that even the slave-trade may be the medium of promulgating the gospel of peace; and that good may, in God's own time, overcome evil. O, 'tis a godlike privilege to save, And he that scorns it is himself a slave. Inform his mind, one flash of heav'nly day Would heal his heart, and melt his chains away: "Beauty for ashes," is a gift indeed; And slaves by truth enlarg'd are doubly freed. Cowper. CHAPTER III.