608 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



flows round three sides of it, the fourth having a background of hills, the 

 slopes of which are cultivated. Since crossing the Quilo River, we have 

 noticed that the natives are smaller in stature and of a lighter colour, this 

 being especially remarkable with the Tungwa people. Banza Macoota, the resi- 

 dence of the king, is a large manufacturing town lying in the valley to the 

 northward of the Tungwa ; it is noted for pottery, pipes, mats, and grass 

 cloths. The surrounding country is very fertile and well-cultivated, pro- 

 ducing sugar-cane, corn, ground-nuts, mandioca, yams, beans, etc ; poultry, 

 sheep, and goats, are also plentiful. 



The marriage customs of the inhabitants of some of the villages beyond 

 Congo are rather peculiar: — "As soon as a young man has built himself 

 a house, and can assure the parents of the girl that he has sufficient 

 money to keep a wife, he can marry. Girls are betrothed at their birth, and 

 the intended husband continues to make presents to the parents, and give 

 cloths to the girl, until she arrives at the age of puberty, when she is handed 

 over to him. In the event of a married man dying, if he has a younger 

 brother, his estate and wives are handed over to him. If there is no brother, 

 the wives go back to their parents, and the children are supported by the 

 deceased man's family, and his property sold. They keep no account of the 

 children's ages after they are two years old. A man is not allowed by ' fetish' 

 to cohabit with his wife after the birth of a child until it can walk alone. In 

 many villages there is what is called a young man's house. When a \>oj is 

 about eleven or twelve years old, he leaves his parents' house for this place 

 (only returning for his meals), where he lives with the other young men until 

 he marries." 



Baffled by the opposition of the native chiefs in carrying out his mission, 

 Lieutenant Grrandy was waiting on the Congo River for the recurrence of 

 the proper season for a renewed attempt, for which his arrangements were 

 completed, when he was informed of Dr. Livingstone's death ; and having 

 received a letter of recall from the Royal G-eographical Society, he at once 

 made preparations for returning to England, very much regretting the idea of 

 leaving his work when all seemed so full of promise. 



