STRANGE CUSTOMS OF SAVAGE RULERS. 283 



and stone, so that the eye can scarcely bear the rays that flash on 

 every side as he moves in the sunbeams. He then seats himself, 

 and makes a speech to the people. When it is finished, he rises, 

 while all the people crouch to the ground, stretches his hands over 

 them, and makes certain prescribed gestures, which are considered 

 as the royal benediction. A long series of banquets and revelry 

 ends the proceedings. 



At the present day, the Congo king and great men disfigure 

 themselves with European clothing, such as silk jackets, velvet 

 shoes, damask coats, and broad-brimmed hats. But, in the former 

 times, they dressed becomingly in native attire. A simple tunic 

 made of very fine grass cloth, and leaving the right arm bare, 

 covered the upper part of the body, while a sort of petticoat, made 

 of similar material, but dyed black, was tied round the waist, and 

 an apron, or "sporran," of leopard skin, was fastened to the girdle 

 and hung in front. On their heads they wore a sort of hood, and 

 sometimes preferred a square red and yellow cap. Sandals made 

 of the palm tree were the peculiar privilege of the king and nobles, 

 the common people being obliged to go bare- footed. 



WIVES WHO RECEIVE VIGOROUS ATTENTION. 



The wives in Congo are tolerably well off, except that they are 

 severely beaten with the heavy hippopotamus-hide whip. The 

 women do not resent this treatment, and indeed, unless a woman 

 is soundly flogged occasionally, she thinks that her husband is 

 neglecting her, and feels offended accordingly. The king has the 

 power of taking any woman for his wife, whether married or not, 

 and, when she goes to the royal harem, her husband is judiciously 

 executed. 



The people of Congo are — probably on account of the enervat- 

 ing climate — a very indolent and lethargic race, the women being 

 made to do all the work, while the men lie in the shade and smoke 

 their pipes and drink their palm-wine, which they make remarkably 

 well, though not so well as the Bube tribe of Fernando Po. Their 

 houses are merely huts of the simplest description ; a few posts with 

 a, roof over them, and twigs woven between them in wicker-work 



