Whenever Clapperton Saw The Affair Verging To Such An Issue, He Gave Orders To Stop, And After Seeing Six Parties Exhibit, He Paid The Hire, And Broke Up The Meeting.

The negroes here are excessively polite and ceremonious, especially to those advanced in years.

They salute one another by laying the hand on the breast, making a bow, and inquiring, Kona lafia? ki ka ky kee - Fo fo da rana: How do you do? I hope you are well. How have you passed the heat of the day? The last question corresponds in their climate to the circumstantiality, with what our country folks inquire about a good night's rest.

The unmarried girls, whether slaves or free, and likewise the young unmarried men, wear a long apron of blue and white check, with a notched edging of red woollen cloth. It is tied with two broad bands, ornamented in the same way, and hanging down behind to the very ankles. This is peculiar to Soudan, and forms the only distinction in dress from the people of Bornou.

Their marriages are not distinguished by any great form or ceremony. When a bride is first conducted to the house of the bridegroom, she is attended by a great number of friends and slaves, bearing presents of melted fat, honey, wheat, turkadees, and tobes as her dower. She whines all the way, "Wey kina! wey kina! wey lo!" O my head! My head! Oh! dear me. Notwithstanding this lamentation, the husband has commonly known his wife some time before marriage.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 466 of 1124
Words from 127050 to 127305 of 309561