Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-03-20
MARRIAGE on THE CONGO.
STRANGE CUSTOMS OF A LlTTLe
PORTUGUESE COLONY.

ouce and Power of the Fetch Man.
II Costs $40 tn Get Wife from a
Neighboring Town.
HAMMER than some other races of men,
ronn of these West African tribes prac-
flee infantlcide On the contrary, IL Is
considered Il misfortune not To nave
children. and this desire Is the source OF
some very curious habits and customs.
Among the Bassas, n tribe further TO the
north. a banana tree IL planted on the
div Of marriage, ana II on thc gay OF
its first producing fruit child should !
not Lovo been born the contract Is con- |
si1erpd void and the parties marry |
again. .,, ,s,
Immediately after marriage are locked
in , h1It which must never have been
occIpied before. and are there kept close
prisoners for three months, except that
1T every midnight the old men OF the
town take the groom and the ola women
tbe bride and escort them to the "fetich
man. to whom they appeal for children.
Durin1 this time. however. they are well
supplied with both food and drink. AT
the end of the three months great ieast
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.
now A WIFE IS GOT.
The ceremony of marriage among
tbese people is conducted by the different
tribes in a manner that is common to
them all. 49,
When native wants a wife, if there is
none in his own town to suit him, he
sends to some neighboring chief asking
| if there is a girl in his town of the age
! desired. If the answer is in the affirma-
five. he then presents his case to the old
men of his town, and after ''palaver,
or talk, at which there is the drinking of
much rum, they agree that he may bring
home as a wife a woman from another
town.
After securing this permission he, with
presents in his hands for the Precipitation
of the spirit powers, visits the head
"fetich man." and after listening to his
many prayers receives charm. lie Is
then ready to seek his bride.
In the meantime the women OF his
town-maids, wives and MISUNDERSTANDING
been advised of his intention and being
incensed by his sighting them in select
ing a stranger, are prepared, as they are
allowed by their laws to do, to prevent
his leaving until their charms have been
admitted and their Indignation allayed by
many presents. This custom, despite
every precaution of the man, often ends
in disputes which are settled only by an
appeal to the ''fetich man. and "sussi-
wood"
However, having overcome the diff
culties of his departure, he arrives at and
is received in his prospective brides
town by the old men of the place and by
them conducted to the "paiaver house,
whore there is more talk and more rum.
The presents he has brought having been
found acceptable. he is then allowed to
know the parents of the girl he is seek
ing, and from them learns the sum In
> beads, rum, cloth, etc, he has to pay be-
fore he can secure her. This usually
J represents in value about $40. This mat
ter having been satisfactorily settled, he
: returns to his town and forwards the
goods as agreed upon.
: At the setting of the sun on the day
appointed for the closing of the contract
the bride, naked except for being painted
0 with different colorcd chalks. accom-
e panied by her parents and friends, al
n rives at the home of the groom. There
they are received with much rejoicing
r, gun firing. drum beating, dancing anG
: Teasing. This is continued until botE
. man and woman are exhausted by theil
j orgies when they are bundled into the
e hut to remain for the customary time.
|, The customs surrounding the bringing
h up of these girls and their conduct after
n having become wives are strange anC
s interesting. All women, unless they art
4 slaves, until they are married or reach {
certain age are under the care of the ole
women, and are called "cutta de EN-
guago," or grigory bush girls. They cal
ba noci1-- rappOr,izo1 TOY l,
is may be their age, they are always en-
e tirely naked, with only small horn
st hanging from string fastened arounC
o the neck. They also plaster thickly thei
% shaven heads with clay at frequen
: intervals. This it is "fetich" to remov,
. or touch with water, and must be takel
Is off only by their husbands.
q THE SEDUCER THERE GETS HIS DUE.
is For one of these girls to be forgetfu
IL of her virtue is a crime, but for whicl
II she is not called upon to pay the penalty
4 The nature of the punishment is death
but how inflicted it has been impossibl
for me to learn, it being "fetich" for an,
!" male to interfere in these matters. TIL
5 old women have sole jurisdiction an
8 most jealousy guard the secrets of thei
n calling; but, be it as it may, the man
' after having been accused, is never FIRE
9 lIOll GSplC!ldDc ulllll SOME gay he
=, missed, when after a time he is found i
= a mutilated condition dead in his hut
! Contrary to what might be expected, s
strict are these people in the observanc
re of this custom that no sum Of none
IL will purchase immunity, and even bein
white man is no protection from thei
revenge.
After a woman becomes a wife diffel
ID ent laws affect her If convicted of III
IF faithfulness she is punished according
a her husbands pleasure. This, as rule
rs finds expression by his selling her int
,f slavery. a peculiar belief is their fine
ing reason for the failure of any el
y deavor or undertaking they may have i
IL hand in their wives forgetfulness {
T. their duties.
y A native chief, when about to start o
III journey, or go on a hunting or tradin
~ expedition, or to war, on the day befol
le his departure, calls together his man
wives and advises them of his intention
He then reminds them that the succe
or failure of his effort depends upc
- them, and asks if they have been guilt
g OF any fault of which they should
9r purged before starting on his iourne,
re This, of course, is answered in the neg
r tive. Satisfied with their denial,
II then instructs them as to their condu
-, during his absence, and then leaves
y proceed on his way.-Cor. New You
If Herald.
n. The ltabbins, who have a story f