The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-11

/ none of these West African tribes praC
ticc infauticidc. On the contrary, II i
considered a misfortune not 10 have
| children. and this desire is the source OF
some very curious habits and customs
Among tho Bassas. a tribe further 10 th,
north. banana tree Is planted on ID,
day of marriage. and if on the day OF
its first producing fruit a child should
not have been born the contract is con.
sidcrcd void and the parties marry
again.
With the Kahna the bride and groom
Immediately after marriage arc locked
IN hut which must never have been
occupied before and are there kept close
prisoners for three months, except that
at every midnight the old men Of the
town take the groom and the old women
I the bride and escort them 10 the "totlch
man. 10 whom they appeal for children.
During this time. however, they ere well
supplied with both food and drink AZ
/ the end of the three months q great feast
is held. when the prisoners are released
and the hut where they have been con-
fined is burned and thus their honey
moon is brought To- an end.
HOW A WIFE Is GOT
The ceremony of marriage among
I these people is conducted by the different
/ tribes in manner that Is common 90
/ them ALL
When @ native wants wife. If there is
I none i'm his own town % suit him, he
sends o. some ntighboring chief asking
/ If there is girl i'm his town of Che age
/ desired. If the answer Is in the aiiirma-
I tive. De then presents his case 10 the old
men of his town. and after "a 'palaver, ~
or talk. at which there is The drinking of
/ much rum, they agree that he may bring
home as "a wife woman from another
town.
After securing this permission he. with
presents i'm his hands for the Precipitation
of tine spirit powers, visits the head
fetch man. and after listening % hi,
many prayers receives "a charm. lie is
then ready 90 seek his bride
I'm a. meantime the women az his
town-m9ids, wives and widows-haying
been advised of his intention and being
incensed bv his sighting them in select
ing q stranger, are prepared, as they are
allowed hy their laws 60 do, % prevent
his leaving until their charms have been
admitted anlthcir Indignation allaycd boy
many presents. This custom. despite
every Urccautiou of the man, often ends
u disnutes which are settled only by am
appeal 10 the "fetich man and "sussi-
wood
However. having overcome the diff
culUas Of ms donlrtuIc. hcauiyos go and
is received I'm his prospective brides
town Iy the old men If the place and lv
them conducted 90 tine "palaver house.
where thore j.. moro talk and more rum
The present. hc has brought having been
found acceptable. he J. then allowed go
know the parents If the girl hc Is seek
.nr. and from them Learns the sum in
beads. um. Ci0fl. etc.. he has % paw be-
fore ho can secure her This usually
represent. In yaluaab0ut $40. Thi5mat-
ter having been satisfactorily settled he
return. ID his town and forwards the
goods as agreed upon
At the setting of the sun on tlc day
appointed for the closing of the contract
me bride. naked except for bCmgpalnted
with different c0lorcd chalks, accom-
panied by her parents and friends. an.
siyes at the home az the groom. There
they are received with much rejoicing.
un firing. drum beating. dancing and
teastmr. This is continued until both
mau and woman are exhausted by their
orgies. when they are bundled into the
hut to remain for tine customary time.
Tho customs surrounding the bringing
DID of these Girls and their conduct after
having become wives are strange and
interesting. AN women. unless they are
slaves until thov are married or reach a
certain ace are under the care Of the Old
women. and are called "cutta dc om-
maro." or grigorv bush girls They can
be easily recognized, for. no matter what
may Doe their age. they are always en-
tirolv naked. with only "a small horn
haueinr from string fastened around
the neck They plaster thicklv their
..haven heads with CLAY at FREQUENT
intervals Tbis II /. "fetich" 10 remove
Up t0uch with water. and must be taken
oh only bv their husbands.
TIE sEDUCER THERE GETS HIS DUE.
For one of these girls % be forgetlui .
of her virtue is crime, but for which I
she is not called upon Opay the penalty. .
The nature of the punishment IS death, /
but how inflicted il has been impossible F.
for me % learn. IL being "ietlch' tOg any /
male % interfere in these matters. The /
OlI women have solo jurisdiction and /
most ieal0uslv GUARD the secrets of their /
c9lling. but BE- it as il NAV. the man. F
after bavino been accused. is never free /
from csuioDare until some dav be is
missed. when after q time he is found i'm .
a mutilated condition dead i'm his hut .
Contrary ~ what might be expected. SO .
strict are these people in the Observance (
of this custom that no sum Of money /
NJ ,-,,;t'' ,,,s,. IL M ,rotsction from tbcir
- nv ''
sc7, . ,,.,r,,,, bacoroos wife differ I
-..+ i.,'.. e. .l, n Convicted of nm 4
s-s.l.f.,i,.--- .i.,' =. ,,,1isSej accordino T.,
'.' i ,'-'' 49, Tbis ne aIS,lo
. '' ,;.i, i,- liz eoling her into
.i1vcrv a neculiar belief is their find T
,@, reason (or m. failure of any en- .
if5vor on undertaking thew may have i'm /
- e. .ft ,,-;,.,.' f,rl,.tf1lnae. of /