AND INSTITUTIONS. 151 



yet there does not appear to be anything- approaching- 

 to chieftainship. There are a few elderly men, 

 however, in each tribe, who, having- acquired a 

 reputation for sag'acity and energy, exercise a cer- 

 tain degree of authority over the younger members, 

 and generally manage important matters in then- 

 own way. Yet very few of these principal men are 

 of the highest class, the manjerojelle, — the middle is 

 termed manjerawule, — and the lowest manhilget, 

 but I could not succeed in making out what privi- 

 leges, if any, are enjoyed by the superior classes. 

 The members of all tlu-ee appeared to be upon a 

 perfect equality. 



Polygamy, although one of their institutions, is 

 little practised, as few men have more than one wife 

 at a time. The betrothal of a female takes place in 

 infancy, and often even before birth. A few half-caste 

 children have been born, but they do not appear 

 to thrive, although this does not imply any ^\'ant o^ 

 attention on the part of the mothers. 



These natives are fond of social enjoyment. Their 

 evenings are passed away round the fires, with songs 

 generally of a low, plaintive, and not unpleasing 

 character, time being kept by beating one bone or 

 stick upon another. They have besides wh-at may 

 be called a musical instrument — the ibero — a piece 

 of bamboo, three feet in length, A\'hich, by blowing- 

 into it, is made to produce an interrupted, drumming-, 

 monotonous noise. In their dances I observed 

 nothing- peculiar. 



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