324 ASHANGO-LAND Chap. XVI. 



and come and live among the Ashangos. My guides 

 were kind enongli to inform me tliat, if I wanted to 

 buy an Obongo, they would be happy to catch one 

 for me. 



July Atli. I find that palavers are common in the 

 Ashango country. A man of Niembouai had been 

 put in ncliogo by the men of another village, on 

 account of some palaver ; and the people of the 

 other village now came to Niembouai to see if the 

 palaver could not be settled, " For," said they, " you 

 men of Niembouai are rich, now tliat you have the 

 Spirit with you." Several elders spoke on each side, 

 each one trying to speak louder than the one who 

 had preceded' him. Finally, the chief of Niembouai 

 gave the complainant a string of the large beads I 

 had presented to him. 



Then another Ashango came, bringing a slave to 

 his father-in-law in Niembouai, in payment for the 

 daughter he had given him in marriage : the sj)eeches 

 on the occasion of the presentation of the slave lasted 

 about three hours. 



On another occasion, an Ishogo came to get a 

 slave in repayment of a Neptune he had trusted to a 

 friend at Niembouai,* and got into a furious rage, 

 on finding that no slave was forthcoming. He pro- 

 tested loudly that be was tired of being put off, and 

 that he was not going to be cheated of his Neptune. 



My astronomical observations at this place, un- 

 fortunately were not all noted down in my journal. 

 I see by my memoranda, that on the 1st and 4th of 



* A Nept-ime ia a brass dish worth 3s. Qd. to is. 



