Sometimes they mingle it with their food or the liquor they drink. There is more than one kind of this dreadful root, one of which I was shewn but have forgotten, there being two or three others resembling it. It is like many others, a perennial herb, and hath some resemblance to the long or tall thistle.
To return: When the subject or object discovers that she hath been thus dealt with, which they sometimes do a few weeks after, they may be restored for there is an antidote to it. But I have never known one instance of this, though a dozen of the others I have. Some handsome, fair complexioned, young females refusing the importunate sollicitations of an abandoned, vicious, revengeful wretch become the victim of [their] coyness. And two or three years after, I have positively not known them and could scarcely believe my eyes.
There is of another kind [of root] and which is very common, whose effect is an extraordinary vacuation of blood and [which] in a few days would occasion death.
[Used Against a Woman]
A half breed I lately had with me, the son of a man who many years ago was a servant of yours, being not of an extraordinary good moral character, finding his solicitations rejected with scorn, became jealous and very anxious to revenge himself. He applied to an old Indian, but in so cautious a manner that the Indian gave him of the root without suspecting and told him how to use it. He pulverised it, and mingled it with a little vermillion, and then watched his opportunity which occurred, I believe, the ensuing morning.
In our outposts we have no temples dedicated to Cloacinda. And, besides, the females here are ashamed to sacrifice at them. He therefore could not miss his opportunity. He watched, and after she entered, he went and soon found the place by the Smoke. Here he sprinkled some of this powder which he took in a quill, pronouncing, "Let me see blood issue from the same place this hath done. I want to see blood."
Scarcely five hours after, the woman who was married, and of course so much the less bashful, said, "What is the matter with me, I have been just now out and want to go again." You may suppose her astonishment seeing the time of the natural return was scarcely half elapsed. But how much more so, finding it issue far beyond anything she had ever known. This continued 'till very late in the day.
And the beast was watching to see if it would answer. He went in to the house on pretence of a friendly visit and remarked how pale she was. The mother told him, "My daughter has been bewitched, and could you not do something to ease her?"
He became extremely uneasy in his turn. He went out, and passing by the place she went to, he easily discovered, notwithstanding her precaution, of what dreadful consequences it would be if not timely attended to. He was afraid she would die before anything could be done. However, he went to the old Indian and speaking in a most sympathising strain asked him if he could not administer something to stop that extraordinary issue.
"Why!" replied the old fellow, "That root I gave you the other day is its own antidote. Give her the length of her middle finger to eat and it will stop quick enough."