Travels Of Richard And John Lander Into The Interior Of Africa For The Discovery Of The Course And Termination Of The Niger By Robert Huish
- Page 706 of 1124 - First - Home
But The Governor's Ministers And Servants Wear Their Hair In
The Shape Of A Horse Shoe As A Mark Of Distinction.
It is confined to
the crown of the head by large daubs of indigo, and none of the
people presuming to imitate it, it answers the purpose of a livery.
The early part of the morning of April 10th, was obscured by a mist
or haze, which was as thick, and at least as unwholesome, as a London
fog in November, but between nine and ten o'clock it dispersed; and
the sun shone out with uncommon lustre. The hut which they occupied
was in a large square yard, and was the property of the late
governor's wife, whose story is rather romantic. Each of its sides
was formed by huts, which had all at one time been inhabited, but a
fire having broken out in one of them by some accident, the greater
part perished. A few huts were only then standing, together with
black, naked walls, and stakes, which supported the verandahs, the
latter reduced to charcoal. The tenantable buildings were inhabited
by the female slaves of the owner of the square, and the travellers
and their suite.
It is the custom in this place, when a governor dies, for two of his
favourite wives to quit the world on the same day, in order that he
may have a little, pleasant, social company in a future state; but
the late governor's devoted wives had neither ambition nor
inclination to follow their venerable husband to the grave, not
having had or got, according to their opinion, enough of the good
things of this world; they therefore went, and hid themselves before
the funeral ceremonies were performed, and had remained concealed
ever since with the remainder of their women.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 706 of 1124
Words from 193435 to 193734
of 309561