Savage Africa. _ . 29 
sacrifices have been long followed. The slaughter of 
victims at Dahomey has been told, again and again, in 
the public prints ; while the customs which prevail in 
Ashantee, are, if possible, even more revolting. It is 
stated that on the death of a brother of the king of 
Ashantee, on one occasion, no fewer than four thousand 
victims were sacrificed in honour of the dead. It is also 
said, that the king of Dahomey recently caused over two 
hundred young girls to be slaughtered, in order to obtain 
their blood for the purpose of mixing with the mortar 
destined for the building of a new palace. 
In some cases, certain legends have been found existing 
among the different tribes of the interior, which, to all 
appearances, are relics of some ancient faith. But on in- 
quiring more particularly, it has been generally found that 
some communications have been made to the people of 
that tribe by white traders, or travellers, of the histories of 
the Bible. Still, there are cases on record, in which it will 
be found that no communication has been received from 
the white man, but that legends have actually come down 
through many generations of natives, referring, doubtless, to 
the early history of the world. Stanley tells us one very 
interesting legend, treating of the creation of man, which 
he heard from a priest. This legend calls the head of the 
human family Kintu. It describes how the human family 
grew, spread, and sinned, until Kintu, angry with his 
children, and sick at heart at the sight of their iniquities, 
left his family. Kintu had a son called Maanda, who 
looked constantly for his father in forest and mountain, 
until he received a message from Kintu that he would allow 
Maanda to meet him. Just then, however, Maanda killed 
his servant, and Kintu was so angry at the shedding of 
blood, that, it is said, he fled away for ever. The Kaffir 
