Among The Negroes, Every Individual, Besides His Own Proper Name, Has
Likewise A _Kontong_, Or Surname, To Denote The Family Or Clan To Which
He Belongs.
Some of these families are very numerous and powerful.
It is
impossible to enumerate the various _kontongs_ which are found in
different parts of the country; though the knowledge of many of them is
of great service to the traveller; for as every Negro plumes himself upon
the importance, or the antiquity of his clan, he is much flattered when
he is addressed by his _kontong_.
Salutations among the Negroes to each other when they meet are always
observed; but those in most general use among the Kafirs are _Abbe
haeretto - E ning seni - Anawari, &c._, all of which have nearly the same
meaning, and signify _are you well?_ or to that effect. There are
likewise salutations which are used at different times of the day, as _E
ning somo_, good morning, &c. The general answer to all salutations is to
repeat the _kontong_ of the person who salutes, or else to repeat the
salutation itself, first pronouncing the word _marhaba_, my friend.
CHAPTER XXI.
_The account of the Mandingoes continued. - Their notions in respect of
the planetary bodies, and the figure of the earth. - Their religious
opinions, and belief in a future state. - Their diseases and methods of
treatment. - Their funeral ceremonies, amusements, occupations, diet,
arts, manufactures, &c._
The Mandingoes, and, I believe, the Negroes in general, have no
artificial method of dividing time. They calculate the years by the
number of _rainy seasons_. They portion the year into _moons_, and reckon
the days by so many _suns_. The day they divide into morning, mid-day,
and evening; and further subdivide it, when necessary, by pointing to the
sun's place in the Heavens. I frequently inquired of some of them what
became of the sun during the night, and whether we should see the same
sun, or a different one, in the morning? but I found that they considered
the question as very childish. The subject appeared to them as placed
beyond the reach of human investigation. They had never indulged a
conjecture, nor formed any hypothesis about the matter. The moon, by
varying her form, has more attracted their attention. On the first
appearance of the new moon, which they look upon to be newly created, the
Pagan natives, as well as Mahomedans, say a short prayer; and this seems
to be the only visible adoration which the Kafirs offer up to the Supreme
Being. This prayer is pronounced in a whisper, the party holding up his
hands before his face. Its purport (as I have been assured by many
different people) is to return thanks to God for his kindness through the
existence of the past moon, and to solicit a continuation of his favour
during that of the new one. At the conclusion, they spit, upon their
hands, and rub them over their faces. This seems to be nearly the same
ceremony which prevailed among the Heathens in the days of Job.[17]
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