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
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On Wednesday June 2nd, The Threatening Appearance Of The Weather
Prevented The Mahommedans From Repairing To The Spot, Which They
Had
selected for the purposes of devotion, so early in the morning as
they, could have wished, but the clouds
Having dispersed, they had
all assembled there between the hours of nine and ten.
The worshippers arranged themselves in six lines or rows, the women
forming the last, and sat down on as many ridges of earth, which had
apparently been thrown up for the purpose. The chief mallam no sooner
began a prayer, than the talking and noise of the multitude ceased,
and the deepest attention seemed to be paid by every one, though the
substance of what he said could only be guessed at, because it was in
Arabic, which none of them understood a word of. The ceremony much
resembled that which was performed at Badagry; and the forms, which
are generally practised, it is supposed, on all public religious
meetings in mahommedan countries, such as ablution, prostration, &c.,
were observed on this occasion. The king, however, did not rise, as
he should have done, when the worshippers stood up, but satisfied
himself with uttering the name of Allah, and by simple prostration
only. When the usual form of prayer had been gone through, the chief
mallam placed himself on a hillock, and for about five minutes read
to the people a few loose pages of the Koran, which he held in his
hand. While thus engaged, two priests of inferior order knelt beside
him to hold the hem of his tobe, and a third, in the same position,
held the skirts from behind.
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