Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-06-24

| affected and shed tears, and all family Joined
IN the strains at Intervals. The gesticulation
aud actions oil the ladies corresponded with
their expressions: at one instant the .pes,
was lifted slowly from the ground, and hand
led lightly; and at another It was fiourisled
over their heads with uncomfortable animation
and rapidIty. At the conclusion Of this sin.
! gular ceremony the assembled thousand,
quietly dispersed, and the singer. returned
in the order they had come, TO the palace nj
their sovereign. Mansolah shortly afterwards
came into my dwelling, and, expressing in
simple and natural terms his sorrow for M,
master death, questioned me pretty CLOSELY
as to the reasons for our visiting Soccatoo-
] returned the same answer as the King ri
kbiama had received from me a short time
before, which appeared to satisfy him, and
alter conference of two hours. he left me-
The monarch was richly dressed in scarlet
damask robe, ornameRted with coral heads
and short trousers of the same color, with 4
hight blus stripe, made of the country cloth:
bus legs, as far as the knees, were stained
red with hannah, and on bis feet he wore san
dsls of red leather
A cap OF blue damask thicklv studded with
handsome coral beads, was ON his head: and
iIis neck, arms and legs were decorated with
large silver rings. Before leaving me of
iered his sable majesty the horse | had pur-
chased IN kano. "a fine animal that had car
ried me nearly the whole OF the way from
that city, and regretted my inability to make
him mere valuable present, promising
however, that if he permitted two nessen
gers to accompany me from katsnea, /
would, ON my arrival at Badagry, send back
something more becoming his exalted station.
Mansoah accepted the beast with the usual
demonstrations OF gratitude, and in the eve.
acknowledged the favor by despatchng n
slave TO eur house with fine fat goat and a
quantity of vans,
The reason why Mansolah had so immense
number Of wives is easily accounted for by
the fact, that the husband of every female ia
his dominion who has daughter unfortunate
enough to be endowed with greater share
OF personal beauty than tha generality of he,
sex, is obliged, under the severest penalty.
TO present her TO his sovereign Before the
interview between the parties takes place. il
IS customary for the father TO procure a fatted
sheep and bowl rice, which are borne by
The girl ia has najcsty's dwelling MS a mar
rage portion; and, if il should so happen that
the man ia too poor to obtain this present, he
must on no account fail to send his daughter
although she Is taken no NOTICE OF till that be
sCcCLfhh % tuS w hen tins the
ease, the friends Of The young woman sub
| scribe amongst themselves sum of none '
sufficient to purchase the sheep and rice, on
tbs receipt of which she is instantly admitted
into the royal favour and protection, and the
greatest familiarity iiom that hour prevail.
between the prinee and his newly married
i bride.
After they have passed certain age, The
Kings wives are set at liberty, and permitted
to trade up and down the country in tho vari
Gus articles Of native produce and manuiae
ture, the. profits OF which are uniformly giver
TO the sovereign The younger ladies EN-
ploy their time iii the adornment of their DO
dies, and identifying their teeth aud lair, il
order TO make themselves tho more agreea
BILE and fascinating ia the eyes Of heir npe
rious master, to whom they sing, in kind o
reeitative, several times in the day. and whom
they fan TO sleep at night"
'Great or big white man. Cap CIappertcr
was generoiiy known in Africa rs Hsrps, and
GURRAMp nm Tittle