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.
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