Chap. IV. THE DOCTOR OUNE-JIOU-E-NIARfi. 75 



maxim of the tribe, and the settlement of the compen- 

 sation generally requires a formal palaver like the 

 present one. 



As regards runaway wives the laws are very severe. 

 Any wife refusing to remain with her husband, or 

 running away, is condemned to have her ears and 

 nose cut off. Any man debauching his neighbour's 

 wife has to give a slave to the injured husband ; and, 

 if he cannot pay this fine, he must have his ears and 

 nose cut off. 



They have no laws to punish robbery. 



At length, on the 10th of October, I left the place 

 alone and proceeded to the olako where the road to 

 Aniambie commences. Here Olenga-Yombi followed 

 three days afterwards and had the impudence to tell 

 me his slaves had all run away and that I could not 

 have any, as they were all afraid to come with me. 

 I left in disgust, and in company with Quengueza 

 proceeded on my voyage. 



We stopped for the night at a small Commi 

 village, where lived a renowned Doctor named Oune- 

 jiou-e-niare (head of a bullock). This was a most 

 singular old man, possessed of much natural acuteness 

 and at the same time a good deal of kindly humour. 

 He was about seventy years of age, short of stature, 

 very thin, and with a remarkably prominent chin, and 

 piercing, deep-sunken eyes. He had the reputation 

 of being a great prophet, and all the Commi people 

 had great faith in what he said. My men asked 

 him whether our journey would be prosperous. He 

 replied that we should go very far, and that a chief 

 would ask Ohaillie to marry his daughter, and then 



