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ir. 



THE SIERRA. LEONE CAN^HBALS, WITH NOTES ON THEIE 

 HISTORY, RELIGION, AND CUSTOMS. 



By MAJOR R. G. BERRY, Army Service Corps. 



Plates I-III. 



Read April 10, 1911. Published May 4, 1912. 



In this paper no pretensions are made to first-hand knowledge of all the 

 customs dealt with ; but the description of every custom is obtained from 

 recorded instances, supplemented by the accounts of natives and the actual 

 experiences of Europeans long resident in various parts of West Africa. At 

 the same time, accounts which I have failed to verify from observation or from 

 two or more sources are omitted. 



Tliese notes intentionally deal only with some of the more obscure and 

 difficult aspects of African society, and there are many points that have 

 only just been touched upon. There is much we would like to know 

 regarding the lives and fast-disappearing customs of the West African natives ; 

 but so little has been done that I am compelled by necessity to leave my 

 descriptions vague, and this I have done with intention to show all I could 

 learn relating to that phase of life, in the hope that some other worker would 

 carry on the task and complete wliat I have begun. 



In the compilation of these notes I have to acknowledge the help given to 

 me by His Excellency the Governor of SierraLeone, Sir Leslie Probyn, K.C.M.G.; 

 his A.D.C., Captain Lukkach ; the Honourable G. B. Haddon-Smith, C.M.G., 

 Colonial Secretary. 



To the following I am especially indebted for reading these notes and 

 giving me the benefit of their experience during many years on the West 

 Coast, friendly criticisms, assistance, and information, which I have 

 acknowledged where it occurs : — His Honour Sir Philip Smyly, Chief 

 Justice, Sierra Leone ; Mr. J. Carmichael Smith, Postmaster-General, Sierra 

 Leone ; the Right Rev. Dr. O'Gorman, Roman Catholic Bishop of Sierra 

 Leone; Major Fairthlough, C.M.G., D.S.O., Member of the Legislative 

 Council, District Commissioner, Sierra Leone ; the Rev. A, E. Greensmith, 

 Methodist Mission ; Dr. Burrows, Principal Medical Officer, Sherbro ; 



li.l,^, PP.OC, VOL. XXX.., SECT. c. [3] 



