New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-05
FROM THE COAST OF AFRICA.
esponderce Of The n. Y. Tribune.

FEBRUARY 20, 1856.
The Mpouc,re people one Of the numerous tribes
that inhabit the western coast of Africa They occupy
the territory extending from the right sid OF the Va
boon river O. 30 north of the equator about lou mics
along the coast south of the line. This tribe reside only
on the sea-shore except on the banks oil the Gaoooh
river, where they wander distance OF ~ TO ~ miles
up the country Though the extent OF coast they occu
Nv s extensive their population is small and their VII
lagos are scattered here and there.
Each village il governed by petty chief, who takes
the pompous name of king though sometimes be has
nothing 70 receive his visitors in but small and dirty
bamboo house; some of these kings have not more
than so or 100 souls under their very limited power
Tie Mpongwe tribe are generally good looking; they
are Of middle size and superior the Congo people
who are &c nth Of them. The country which they In
habit is very warm and fertile, and is watered by sew
eral rivers rhe(Gaboon being one of them, which is
eight miles wide at its mouth. Their villages are gen.
orally built on the banks Of these rivers or on the sea-
shore places most convenient for vessels To anchof
or fl their trade with the interior. They are essen
italy trading people; they live for trade and think
only about trade Their manners and customs are very
singular, and excited my astonishment.
Polygamy is very common with them, but not more
than il is among the other tribes of Western Africa.
Among them, the vi u oSNsNNe " S"S
number of his wives and slaves; old men, whose hair
is white by age, have grea. number OF wives, some
of them being very young-not more than four or FIVE
years old but such man in his village is great man.
ard TO keep up his standing he must have plenty of
wives They marry also, with women OF other tribes
of the interior in order to make friends with those
tribes that it may be safe for them to go and trade
there. When they marry they must pay a certain
tofo ods IN tbe N bride. ami the
tribes of the interior are very much iattered when
Mpongwe man condescends to take enc of their girls
for his wife. The Mpongwe treat most of their wives
as slaves and have little consideration for their
1t would be great shame for @ to be seen work.
ing in his feds that is the work of lis wives and it
is done by them. They must provide the household
of their husband with fre-wood and food. The first
or head wife, and those who of rather high birth,
do not work much, as they have their own slaves.
With the white man their manners are most DISCO
Lutte, and the Mpongwe mans house, and all that is
within il, are at bis disposal.
During the few years have been among these peo-
pie have remarked with establishment the very fast
decrease of their population, and at such rate that
do not know if in half century much of the tribe
Will be SEEM or if they are, they will probably be
mixed with of the migrating tribes Of the Interior
and will conform themselves to the new language and
habits. asked the old MpOngwe people if they re-
menbered another tribe before theirs on the coast;
they answered that their fathers had told them there
was one, but it has now completely disappeared AS
far as can judge, everything in the habits and lives
of these people tends their rapid extinction First,
poygamy is a Of great evil to them, and il
Of the causes of their decrease. Many Of their wives
have no children, and Of those who have any, the
number is very small. The dirty houses in which they
live, but-above alRheir dirty habits, their constant
apathy, and their wretched rves all these combined
contribute, think, to their wasting away and must
te also Of TIE Of the decrease Of all the
different rlbts OF the Western Coast of Africa Some
tines when cone to think what will be the fate Of
the negro race, am inclined to believe that they will
waste away a. the American Indians have This opin-
ion confirmed By extensive observations during the
few years have been on the coast.
F'tiehsm is their religion, a compound Of nonsense
mixed with devil worship and il their ceremonies they
seem TO have some old Jewish customs: they have
so great faith in wi;chcrait. Their religion ju,n
he Of 70 many atsuIdities, that they do not
all understand it alike; each among them has his own
belief Some have idols, some have not; but all Of
them have gre'grees or charms, which they carry in
orderto be protected from evil spirits and misfortune
ard death. Every time they go on journey they
carry with them numerous greegrees 10 protect them
against evil Each village las an idol which il for the
community in common, and is placed in n special
house This idol is generally of grotesque form, and
so very hideous that the sight of it fills them with fear
and awe. They have the greatest dread of death.
never speaking Of it, and often, when one ofthem dies
they carry the corpse into the woods. and leave il there
uDbuned. They have great fear of evil spirits, and
are very srperstous that subject; usually. when
they are 'ick they think that an evil spirit is the cause
and that some one has bewitched them.
was IN one Of their villages and assisted at a mos,
curious ceremony. man was dangerously i'll. and
supposed, ofc0urse, the evil spirit was the cause of il;