FUNERAL CEREMONY. 
341 
they may eat them secretly. The young lads carried on 
their heads baskets of yams^ to give them to the men whose 
business it is to plant them. When they had done work, I 
observed that Baba paid his labourers in kind. On leaving 
me, each of the poor Bambaras gave me a yam. 
A cold north wind had prevailed since the end of De- 
cember. I could very well bear my woollen wrapper, and 
was glad, during the day, to seek the genial warmth of the 
sun. The negroes, who are naturally chilly, covered them- 
selves with the woollen wrappers which they buy at Jenne ; 
and in the month of December, they kindled larger fires than 
usual in their huts. I perceived that at this season the trees 
lose their leaves, and the negroes burn the dry herbs which 
surround their habitations. The eve of our departure was a 
grand festival. A young Mandingo negro was celebrating 
the funeral of his mother, who had been dead about a fort- 
night. On the very day of her death, I had been attracted 
to the neighbourhood by the sound of the music. I saw in 
the court-yard, two large drums, made like ours, and some 
persons were beating them, and clashing cymbals. These 
cymbals consist of two pieces of iron, about five inches long, 
and two and a half wide. The two negroes who were beat- 
ing the drums, held these cymbals in their left hands. Eacli 
of the pieces of iron has a ring, one is passed over the 
thumb, and the other over the fore finger, and by a move- 
ment of the hand they are struck together in regular time. 
The women of the neighbourhood brought little presents, by 
way of shewing respect to the deceased. A large circular 
basket was placed exactly in the centre of the yard to 
receive the offerings. The women, having deposited their 
presents, assumed a grave look, and, ranging themselves in a 
file, marched along, keeping time to the music, and making 
motions with their hands and heads, expressive of sorrow. 
Sometimes they beat time, by clapping their hands, while 
they sang a melancholy song. This scene continued the 
whole of the day. I inquired whether the presents which 
