412 MARRIAGES AND FUNERALS. Chap. XXI. 



the Portuguese possess. The militia are of no value as soldiers, 

 but cost the country nothing, being supported by their wives. 

 Their duties are chiefly to guard the residences of commandants, 

 and to act as police. 



The chief recreations of the natives of Angola are marriages 

 and funerals. When a young woman is about to be married, she 

 is placed in a hut alone and anointed with various unguents, and 

 many incantations are employed, in order to secure good fortune 

 and fruitfulness. Here, as almost everywhere in the south, the 

 height of good fortune is to bear sons. They often leave a hus- 

 band 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 un- 

 common 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 relatives can either 

 lend or borrow. She is then placed hi 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 hus- 

 band, 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 hus- 

 band 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 601. 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, according to the 

 means of the relatives. 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 slaugh- 

 tered 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 in- 

 temperance, will reply, " Why ! my mother is dead !" as if he 





