Note 122 — Chapter X

The power of fascination by the eyes, is believed and dreaded in those parts of Africa as mortal, whether exercised by the fetish priests against men, or by the cooroompun against animals. The idea prevailed in Pliny’s time, but it was ascribed to the voice. “In libro quodam Plinii naturalis historiæ legi esse quasdam in terrâ Africâ familias hominum voce atque linguâ effascinantium. Qui si impensiùs fortè laudaverint pulchras arbores, segetes lætiores, infantes amœniores, egregios equos, pecudes pastu, atque cultu optimas, emoriantur repentè hæc omnia.” A cooroompun will be found amongst the specimens for the British Museum.