658 Report on Shoa [No. 140. 



merits of the case : a string of beads, if the husband be in fault, and a 

 pair of new breeches should the lady be found happing. A woman 

 supposed to be unfaithful to the conjugal, " alga," may be returned to 

 her friends with a portion of her property, but one caught in the act of 

 infidelity can be well beaten, and ejected stark naked from the house ; 

 these extremities are seldom indulged in, and mutual forbearance seems 

 to reign paramount in Shoa. 



111. But this universal loose style of living exercises a most bane- 

 ful influence on society in general ; the mind becomes degraded, whilst 

 the body is enervated by disease and indulgence ; jealousy is rife in 

 every house, and the children of each separate female on the establish- 

 ment are bandied against each other in all hatred and animosity, which 

 is by no means allayed on the death of the parent, or by the posthumous 

 intimation of his partial and unfair distribution of property. 



112. On all occasions of rejoicing and ceremony, whether on the 

 successful return of the king or of a private individual, on the sight of a 

 procession or on the discharge of fire arms, the women with their 

 characteristic love of noise, burst out into the most thrilling clamour 

 of welcome. Moving their tongue with more than ordinary volubi- 

 lity against the roof of the mouth, they produce continuous successions 

 of shrill notes, which are more agreeable to the listener than to the 

 performer. One watchful dame on the outskirts perceives the ap- 

 proaching cavalcade, and forthwith gives out the clamorous note of 

 warning ; in a moment the entire mountain side is covered with every 

 female in the location, yelling in full chorus ; the hillil — lil progresses 

 fast and furious, as they bend their bodies nearly double to assist in up- 

 raising the melody of the tone, the tears stream from their eyes in the 

 violence of the exertion, and the hills resound far and near with the 

 gathered volume of the shrill notes. 



113. One of the strangest of Shoan customs is the method of saluta- 

 tion ; the most earnest enquiries being invariably made regarding your 

 own health and that of your house, horse and children, as if the enquir- 

 ing party was really interested in the result. Even two old women 

 tottering on the very brink of the grave, and afflicted with every pain 

 and sorrow under the sun, meeting in the street, pull up and commence a 

 string of good wishes, which are reiterated as long as the breath will 

 come out of their old bodies. How are you ? How have you passed 



