After This She Is Taken To The Residence Of Her Husband,
Where She Has A Hut For Herself, And Becomes One Of Several Wives,
For Polygamy Is General.
Dancing, feasting, and drinking on such occasions
are prolonged for several days.
In case of separation,
the woman returns to her father's family, and the husband receives back
what he gave for her. In nearly all cases a man gives a price for the wife,
and in cases of mulattoes, as much as 60 Pounds is often given
to the parents of the bride. This is one of the evils the bishop was trying
to remedy.
In cases of death the body is kept several days, and there is a grand
concourse of both sexes, with beating of drums, dances, and debauchery,
kept up with feasting, etc., according to the means of the relatives.
The great ambition of many of the blacks of Angola is to give their friends
an expensive funeral. Often, when one is asked to sell a pig,
he replies, "I am keeping it in case of the death of any of my friends."
A pig is usually slaughtered and eaten on the last day of the ceremonies,
and its head thrown into the nearest stream or river.
A native will sometimes appear intoxicated on these occasions,
and, if blamed for his intemperance, will reply, "Why! my mother is dead!"
as if he thought it a sufficient justification. The expenses of funerals
are so heavy that often years elapse before they can defray them.
These people are said to be very litigious and obstinate:
constant disputes are taking place respecting their lands.
A case came before the weekly court of the commandant involving property
in a palm-tree worth twopence. The judge advised the pursuer
to withdraw the case, as the mere expenses of entering it
would be much more than the cost of the tree. "Oh no," said he;
"I have a piece of calico with me for the clerk, and money for yourself.
It's my right; I will not forego it." The calico itself
cost three or four shillings. They rejoice if they can say of an enemy,
"I took him before the court."
My friend Mr. Canto, the commandant, being seized with fever in a severe form,
it afforded me much pleasure to attend HIM in his sickness,
who had been so kind to ME in mine. He was for some time
in a state of insensibility, and I, having the charge of his establishment,
had thus an opportunity of observing the workings of slavery.
When a master is ill, the slaves run riot among the eatables.
I did not know this until I observed that every time the sugar-basin
came to the table it was empty. On visiting my patient by night,
I passed along a corridor, and unexpectedly came upon the washerwoman
eating pine-apples and sugar. All the sweetmeats were devoured,
and it was difficult for me to get even bread and butter until I took
the precaution of locking the pantry door.
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