Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-01-12
MARRIAGE ON THE I CONGO.
STRANGE CUSTOMS OF A LITTLE
PORTUGUESE COLONY.

A Honeymoon Spent In . But-fmpovt.
ance and Power Of tho "Fctieh xsa."
II Costs go 20 Get n wifo from .
Ne'shboring Town.
Happier than some other races OF men,
none OF these West African tribes prac.
tice infanticide. On tho contrary, it is
considered n misfortune not TO havc
children, and this desire il tho source Of
some very curious habits and customs.
Among the Bassas, tribe further to tho
north, banana tree is planted on tho
day Of marriage, and IL on tho day Of
It's first producing fruit child should
not have been born tho contract Is con-
sidercd void and the parties marry
again.
with the Kabina the bride and groom
Immediately after marriage are locked
in hut which must never have been
occupied before, and arc there kept close
prisoners for three months, except that
at every midnight the old men OF the
town take the groom and tho old women
the bride and escort them TO the "fetich
man." TO whom they appeal for children.
During this time, however, they arc we'll
supplied with both food and drink. At
tho end Of tho three months great feast
Is held, when tho 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
these people is conducted by tho different
tribes In n manner that ID common to
them all.
When native wants wife, II therc is
mono in his own town to suit him, no
sends TO somo neighboring chief asking
II there Is girl in his town Of tho ago
desired. IL tho answer is I'm tho afflrma-
tive, he then presents his case to tho old
men Of his town, and after O "palaver,"
or talk, at which there Is the drinking Of
much rum, they agree that he may bring
home as wife q woman from another
town.
After securing this permission he, with
presents in his hands for the Precipitation
of tho spirit powers, visits the head
"fetich man." and after listening to his
many prayers receives a charm. He is
then ready to seek his bride.
In the meantime tho women of his
town--maids, wives and widows--having
been advised of his intention and being
incensed by his sighting them In select
ing stranger, arc prepared, as they arc
allowed by their laws to do, to prevent
his leaving until their charms have been
nu,n,.'eu anu. .aeir T ,nel5latloh aiiayed ~
every procaution of tho man, often ends
in disputes which are settled only by an
appeal to the "fetich man" and "sl,ssi-
wood"
However, having overcome the diff
culties of his departure, he arrives ut and
Is received in his prospective brides
town by tho old men of the place and by
.n, .nIn ..uo.eu .nl'''' =. W wy Pal'Ver house,
nm Mne,o ~ 1',eio - i',o'c taih unu Inore Iuin-
tno Lresell.s ~ ne IaS orouSht havlng peen
i iouiu % %hooep.auic' nS is .nen ailoweu 20
hilow .ie Earehts Oh the girl ne Is seek
ing, unu rom ihem learns the sum IN
peaus, rum, cio.i, etc;, ne nns 10 pay PC
,o.n no sui eeGuio neI. ahs usualy
tePrnesch.s IN value apout siV. Ims mat
e, na, h.B p.th ea.isiac.o'iiy settieu, nc
ol'nhs .o ms .oWh niSh iorwards tho
sott' .i us "s,suu upon.
,,o,,,ta5 .o 1e,.s &C.. .s % Sl ;ne sun on tne day
upP1ni;I1eu .IpPi1 10, .le ciosing Oh 'tno contract
.nu ny, oriuo, 1; iiakeo eHcep9 ior Deihg panied
M.n u'iicrIhC coIoreu chaKs, accom-
pinieu py ier parents ana iriends, ar
~ az ,v ',,o nii noniI y, ihe GROOM. inere
.muy CT n.i ie'e.aeu w., WI. nluch reJoiclng,
El,;., Eun T,i M ui!i oea.ing, u'thcmg anu
... ,s =. oon.,ueu un,h poth
i'.'i, aI; s'iu SniI'i aio eAia.s,eu py tneir
"nsn aley aio puil'iieu in.o the
hur W Ieniilh ior tho customary tinc.
ny s ,o Ius.ol;s LIS, s'lro"iiuihs tne pringing
" .hIse Bmls niiu .hcil conuuc1 atte.
;a.S oeeoi.1 WIVES aro strange anu
,in,,as, .,.i;, .i' i'll monen, uaiess .ney ure
cartai,, go NV o, ~ y'ao. .ha 80 VI =. iuaon S
.eiuaiii ~ "So nio uhuer .ie oaro VI ,he oiu
'ano mUm;; ); II ,.nu sno ia,liu ri Gu''t ae EN-
HaaSo! VI SnSJ,y push slis. tney can
49, T hn ,ha;n o ,,'' ,o' no no iiiti.oer ai wAa'
tircIv a 20 noLod I ;i VIII ',1 mnI ",e away anwnyS er.
' - WI. oS nliiil hoII
nanging IRON ON string fastened around
.ho, .,o nu.A ey yss uisp l'',ssr .nicHly their
;r'tau',a, eTT' TI' VIZ, ,.r5 o5 ~ Hequent
az ta,,"h ,''. ,,;,h ,,.oton nI - ~ leLioNe '
or .oLn -, VII M"tcii aiii iiius' po 'aAeh
oi MN, u,i,y ,r.,, py mn ,'S,,, nnus,a''us. us
Enr ona 90 thosn L ir;ri, LET ~ - ms sc,, poI1
20 ha, oiS nI;,,,' ~. 'h''o smn W 10 lorse.iuI
sha e' IT, W .u1 III - oi.iiic, put ior wnich
Tho M uo. stI,seu upon " Pay une Penaity.
i,'t ~ ,a.uio ~ aiio PuniS,'lnehe Is oeatn,
san 60. moW 'iea 1h =. ~ nus Deen h,PosslDie
,on ,a, nie ~ ;ts narn ~ De.is ieticn Ior an any
nIJ ,on,' ~ te,o ~ t ,ieso ;in; .;iats. ING
nm, ,s. ToIm ;onIomo, ,,aru s9'u Julisuic.ion aha
naII,,S S.'I I''t s!'u 'i;e eeoie's pt theli
oS ai nu', po " us ~ may, inc man,
s.o,, 'a,;, ,t,I;n, neen .;i uGuseu' 10 never Iree
,,;srad i,,,na Ct " 80 So uty n9 .s
% antiiotS Wneh od;t; a.Gr y .iiie a ne Is iouha m
T. nu.ia'eu opliei.ion eeau III ms nut.
>oheioy w 10 cAINtttu, bO
strict arc these people In the observance
OF TINS custom that no sum or money
VIII purchase immunity, ana even being
white man Is no protection from their
revenge.
After woman becomes wife differ