Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-12-14

from buenos Ayres and st. Salvador in.
forms, that on the 10th Oct. a repor,
reached the latter place, that the Por,n.
guefe expedition had arrived at the mouth
of the river La Plate. He alto Gates.
that the Patriots at Buenos Ayres, were
preparing TO celebrate the 9th of Sept a.
the Anniversary of their National hide
pendencc.
CUSTOMS OF THE MooRs OF AFRICA.
1hs suedding cktbes of Mcori,b hdy.
are the accumulation of her whole life
Among the articles in the Princefs' war.
drobe, were two hundred pair If fhoe.
and one hundred pair Of rich embroider.
ed velvet boots, bar scans, ,rowiers. iileck,.
caps and other articles in the fame orc.
portion. Each fet of things was packed
feparately, conveyed with great pomo
and ceremony in long p,oceiIion out Of
one gate of the cattle into another, efcor.
ted BY guards, attendants, and a number
of finging women, hired for the purpofc
Of tingiDg the fettivc foug of Loo. ho.
winch commences when the procefion
leaves the brides fathers houle, and fin.
lines when it enters the 5ridegroom's
houfe. -.
Marriage elEons amone tie .Nooy,--
In general the bride is paraded round the
ftreets at the head of The procefIion, fhut
up in a fort Of cage, which is covered
with fine linen, aud placed on the back Of
horfe, mule, or ats, according TO the
circumstances !. of the parties and this
ftrangc cuitom prevails among all true
Munelmen, from the fhores of the Yellow
Sea TO thofe of the. Atlantic. g Ths pro-
cetlion ended, the bride received the Vi.
iitors fitting on an elevated feat with an
embroidered veil thrown over her, al
mott covered with gold and FLYER orna-
ments and having rings Of gold round
the ANGLES, Of four or Ave pounds weight.
Two faves attended to support the two
trefes of her hair behind, which were %
much adorned with jewels. and gold and
lilver ornaments, that If ihe had rifon.
from her feat fhe could not have iupport.
cd the immenie weight of them To
underitand the nature Of this MATS of hair.
it will be necefary 70 take peep into
Moorifh lady's drelIing room--there we
ihall 6nd her attended by number Of
black lAves, one to plat, ore to perfume
The hair; third to arrange tn. eyebrows;
2 fourth to paint the face, fifth to adj
juit the jewels, &c. The hair behind is
divided into two tresses, into which 4
quantity, of black elk is worked, prepared
with perfumes and scented waters Of Va.
rious kinds, after which a quarter of
pound Of cloves, reduced to the 6ueit
powder, is worked into them the fingers
are covered with rings, and, laitly,s 4
firing of gold and oliver beads are thrown
over her ihoulders, as charm aeainit
wischcraft, or an evil or unfriendIy eye.
Cg/qsns Of the Death sfa Msar--The
moment death happens in a family, the
a.arm is given BY the lhri!l fcreaming of
the words svouiiab wao, repeated incef-
family by the relations and every body in
the houie. lhele cries. heard :, a great
diltance. bring every female acquainted
with, or dependeat on, the family, to
fcream over the dead, and mourn with
the neareif relation Of the deceafed and
it Rrikes one with the greateft horror to
fee the afflicted widow or mother, half
dead with grief for her lois, obliged (ac.
cording to the cuitom of the country)to
receive the Wits Of no lefs than hun
dred different women, who CONC to
condole with her. They each take her
IN their arms, they lay her head on their
ihoulder, and fcream without intcrmifs
fion for feveral minutes, till the afflicted
object, itunned with the conitant howl
ing and repetition of her misfortune,
Inks fenfelefs from their arms on the
6oor ! 1Ley ikewife hire number Of
women, who make this horrid noiie
round the bier placed in the middle Of
the courtyard Of the manGon, over
which thele women icratch their faces to
luch a degree, that they appear to have
been b'ed with lancet at the temples;
alter the Ceremony is over, they lay on
tort OF white chalk to heal the wounds
and ttop the bloqk Thefe women are
hired indiffercntlv at burials. weddings.