274 JOURNEY THROUGH ISHOGO-LANT). Chap. XIV. 



the ground, and painted white. The twins were now 

 six years old, and the poor woman was released from 

 her six years' imprisonment on the day of my arrival. 

 During the day two women were stationed at the 

 door of the house with their faces and legs painted 

 white — one was the doctor, the other the mother. 

 The festivities commenced by their marching down 

 the street, one beating a drum with a slow measured 

 beat, and the other singing. The dancing, singing, 

 and drinking of all the villagers then set in for the 

 night. After the ceremony the twins were allowed 

 to go about like other children. In consequence of 

 all this trouble and restriction of liberty, the bringing 

 forth of twins is considered, and no wonder, by the 

 women as a great calamity. Nothing irritates or 

 annoys an expectant mother in these countries so 

 much as to point to her and tell her that she is sure 

 to have twins. 



The tribes here are far milder than those found 

 near Lagos, or in East Africa, where, as Burton men- 

 tions, twins are always killed immediately on their 

 being born. 



June 15th. I awoke this morning rather unwell 

 from having had so disturbed a night ; and when the 

 king came to shake hands with me — a custom I had 

 taught him to adopt — I refused his proffered hand, 

 saying that I was angry, and annoyed at the dis- 

 turbances of the past night. Whereupon the mild- 

 tempered chief promised that the next night tliey 

 should sing a long way from my resting-place. We 

 then became better friends than ever. 



In the evening I gave him his present. He came 



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