Extracts from Dr. Winterbottom' 's Travels. 



Some dare not eat fowls which are white, others dare not 

 eat those which are black. But the most extraordinary 

 worship is perhaps that of the Jackall, which is reckoned 

 amongst their divinities, notwithstanding the number of 

 sheep and sometimes children which they carry off. 



At Ningo there is a temple dedicated to them and pro- 

 vided every evening with food, which these ravenous beasts 

 are of course eager to takeaway. The Soasoos imagine that 

 white is a very pleasing colour to the deity, they therefore 

 when they pray, hold a white fowl in their hand and some- 

 times a white sheet of paper. The ceremonies of their 

 funeral are accompanied by the most superstitious usages, 

 one of the late Kings, who resided near Sierra Leone, lately 

 died at the River Hunch, whither he had been removed for 

 his health; the body was removed to the town and placed 

 in the Palaver House, a message was sent to the Governor 

 to desire his company at the funeral, the body was carried 

 to the side of the grave, and a number of questions asked 

 from the dead person, by different persons who stooped 

 down to the coffin for that purpose. Pa-demba, a neigh- 

 bouring chief, expressed his great grief in having lost so 

 good a father, added, " that he and all the people wished 

 him to stay a little longer with them, but as he had thought 

 proper to leave them, they could not help it, but he and 

 all the people wished him well." The umbrella which 

 belonged to the deceased was put into the coffin, because 

 they said he liked to walk with it ; the pillow also which 

 he generally used, was put into the grave, and each of the 

 spectators threw in a handful of earth into the grave; as 

 soon as it was closed, the women began a dismal cry, which 

 lasted for a considerable time, until the Europeans had left 

 the town. 



