Liberia <♦- 



relatives (brothers, sisters, etc., of the girl) by presents, such 

 as a gun for a brother, a piece of cloth for a sister, a brass 

 kettle and a piece of cloth for the mother, besides two more 

 pieces of cloth for the girl herself After these presents have 

 been given the marriage negotiations have advanced another 

 stage, and the next point is to fix the actual price of the girl, 

 of which an average estimate may be given as one cow, two 

 slaves (or the current value of two slaves in goods), and twenty 

 pieces of kola nut. When the bridegroom has agreed to pay 

 this price, he sends the cow in advance, and the girl is then 

 taken to his house and the marriage is consummated in the 

 way already described — namely, during much feasting, dancing, 

 and playing of music. The remainder of the marriage price 

 is paid in instalments, which sometimes are protracted over a 

 considerable period. Of course if the man fails to complete 

 the marriage price, the girl may be taken back to her home by 

 her parents. 



On the death of a husband — amongst the Mandingo and 

 perhaps most other Liberian peoples — the wife or wives become 

 the property of his eldest brother. On the death of this 

 brother they would pass to the brother next in age, but if 

 there are no brothers of the original husband to take over his 

 wives, they become free women, widows in the strictest sense 

 of the word, and these widows play a somewhat important 

 part in Liberian village life.' They arc the licensed women 

 of pleasure, and public opinion permits them to dispense their 

 favours in return for an emolument. Sometimes these women 

 attain quite a local vogue, they lead the " smart set," so to 

 speak. When they decide to leave one man for another, their 



' Apparently amongst the Vai any male relative may propose to a widowed 

 woman. This is done by sending her a slip of the bark of the raphia palm 

 ("fara") about six inches long. If this is accepted, it indicates willingness to 

 marry ; if rejected, then a refusal of the proposal. 



1044 



