When this prayer was ended,
he whispered a few sentences in the child's ear, and spit three times in
its face; after which he pronounced its name aloud, and returned the
infant to the mother. This part of the ceremony being ended, the father
of the child divided the _dega_ into a number of balls, one of which he
distributed to every person present. And inquiry was then made if any
person in the town was dangerously sick, it being usual in such cases to
send the party a large portion of the _dega_, which is thought to possess
great medical virtues.[16]
[16] Soon after baptism, the children are marked in different parts
of the skin, in a manner resembling what is called tattowing in the
South Sea Islands.
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.
