MARRIAGE FEAST. 
231 
having among them a sherif on his way to Mecca^ which 
place they call Maka. 1 gave the chief a little cream of 
tartar, for Lamfia imformed him that I had some very good 
medicines. He sent us a supper, consisting of foigne boiled 
without being bruised, and a little milk. In the afternoon 
I observed that two sheep had been killed. I was astonished 
at this preparation for feasting, and asked the cause of it, 
I was told that it was to celebrate the marriage of the chief, 
which was to take place that evening. The chief was a man 
about fifty or fifty- five years of age, and this was his fourth 
wife. Several women of the neighbourhood kindled a large 
lire, for which the friends of the chief sent their slaves to 
collect wood. On this fire were placed two enormous 
earthen pots, eighteen or twenty niches in height, and twelve 
or fourteen in diameter ; in the one was boiled rice, and in 
the other a sheep. Several other women of the village, who 
came to assist their companions, kindled other fires for 
cooking a distinct supper for the female friends of the bride. 
The cooking was performed in the open air ; and the cooks 
were each provided with a large spatula with which they 
stirred the rice and meat, performing that office by turns. 
When the rice was sufficiently boiled, it was placed in 
calabashes of such enormous size, that there were at least 
a dozen women to each. They arranged the rice in the 
form of sugar-loaves, smoothing it with their hands, and 
slightly sprinkhng it with cold water. There were provisions 
enough for at least two hundred negroes, for almost all the 
inhabitants of the place were to attend the feast, which was 
to commence at night. The calabashes of rice were removed 
to a hut belonging to the chief. 
Among the Man dingoes, marriages are contracted 
without much ceremony. When a man sees a woman 
whom he wishes to marry, he gains the good graces of her 
parents by sending presents to them as well as to the 
daughter. The price which the bridegroom is to pay for 
