FROM TALI TO TSEKOU 



an agreement made before witnesses, should one of the contract- 

 ing parties break a clause, the other may call upon him to 

 produce a " inoukd" and verify it in presence of witnesses. If 

 used as a letter, the messenger must repeat the meaning of each 

 notch. Here are two examples : — 



No. 1 " nioukc^" has reference to a Lissou custom. A thief has 

 been e.xpelled from a village ; a residence is assigned him under 

 the patronage of someone who will be answerable for him. 



'' Moiilu'" (i). 



The toussou has said . . 



if you have a [jatron . . ^ 



you may dwell in this phice . 



. . The toussou has warned nie off 

 . . and forliidden 



to dwell in this place 

 because I have robbed 

 he is always stealing mules and 

 horses. 



A and C are spaces on the board representing the arbitrator. 

 /> represents the patron. 



-iWoiikc" (2). 



169 



