266 MARRIAGES AND FUNERALS. 



bear sons. They often leave a husband altogether if they 

 have daughters only. In their dances, when any one may 

 wish to deride another, in the accompanying song a line is 

 introduced, " So and so has no children, and never will get 

 any." She feels the insult so keenly that it is not uncom- 

 mon for her to rush away and commit suicide. After some 

 days the bride elect is taken to another hut, and adorned 

 with all the richest clothing and ornaments that the rela- 

 tives can either lend or borrow. She is then placed in a 

 public situation, saluted as a lady, and presents made by 

 all her acquaintances are placed around her. After this 

 she is taken to the residence of her husband, where she 

 has a hut for herself, and becomes one of several wives, — for 

 polygamy is general. Dancing, feasting, and drinking on 

 such occasions are prolonged for several days. In case of 

 separation, the woman returns to her father's family, and 

 the husband receives back what he gave for her. In nearly 

 all cases a man gives a price for the wife, and in cases of 

 mulattoes as much as £60 is often given to the parents of 

 the bride. This is one of the evils the bishop was trying 

 to remedy. 



In cases of death the body is kept several days ; and there 

 is a grand concourse of both sexes, with beating of drums, 

 dances, and debauchery, kept up with feasting, &c, accord- 

 ing to the means of the relative. The great ambition of 

 many of the blacks of Angola is to give their friends an 

 expensive funeral. Often, when one is asked to sell a pig. 

 he replies, "I am keeping it in case of the death of any of 

 my friends." A pig is usually slaughtered and eaten on 

 the last day of the ceremonies, and its head thrown into 

 the nearest stream or river. A native will sometimes 

 appear intoxicated on these occasions, and, if blamed for 

 his intemperance, will reply, " Why, my mother is dead!" 

 as if he thought it a sufficient justification. The expenses 

 of funerals are so heavy that often years elapse before they 

 can defray them. 



These people are said to be very litigious and obstinate : 



