FONDNESS FOR UTIGATION. 385 



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

 as much as £60 is often given to the parents of the bride. 

 Tin's 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 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 justifica- 

 tion. 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 : 

 constant disputes are taking place respecting their lands. 

 A case came before the weekly court of the Commandant, 

 involving property in a palm-tree worth twopence. The 

 judge advised the pursuer to withdraw the case, as the 

 mere expenses of entering it would be much more than 

 the cost of the tree. " O no," said he ; "I have a piece 

 of calico with me for the clerk, and money for yourself. 

 It's my right, I will not forego it." The calico itself cost 

 three or four shillings. They rejoice if they can say of an 

 enemy, " I took him before the court." 



My friend Mr. Canto, the Commandant, being seized with 

 fever in a severe form, it afforded me much pleasure to 

 attend him in his sickness, who had been so kind to me in 

 mine. He was for some time in a state of insensibility, 

 and I, having the charge of his establishment, had thus 

 an opportunity of observing the workings of slavery. 

 When a master is ill, the slaves run riot among the eatables. 

 I did not know this, until I observed that every time the 

 sugar-basin came to the table it was empty. On visiting 

 my patient by night, I passed along a corridor, and un- 

 expectedly came upon the washerwoman, eating pine- 

 apples and sugar. All the sweetmeats were devoured, and 

 it was difficult for me to get even bread and butter, until 

 I took the precaution of locking the pantry door. Probably 

 the slaves thought that, as both they and the luxuries 



2 c 



