^48 MANNERS OF THE MANDINGOES. 
never with their husbands. At the age of ten the male 
children take their meals with the father. When the repast 
is finished, the women come and collect their household 
utensils. 
A custom which I observed to prevail generally among 
the negroes appeared to me very singular. At the end of 
every meal they thank each other reciprocally, and after- 
wards run through the village, repeating their thanks to 
every one they meet, which is equivalent to saying that they 
have dined or supped. It is easy to judge of the quality of 
the repast of which they have partaken, according to the ex- 
pression of greater or less satisfaction with which the word 
signifying thanks is pronounced. Some of them came to the 
door of my hut also to ejaculate their thanks. 
The Bambaras, who are all pagans, marry as many 
wives as they are able to maintain ; but the Mandingoes have 
never more than four : they do not, however, marry them 
all at once, but at different periods, sometimes after in- 
tervals of three or four years. Every new wife occasions a 
considerable expense, which they cannot defray, unless suc- 
cess in trade has enabled them to accumulate some profits. 
They must purchase slaves to present to the parents of their 
mistress ; for otherwise no wife is to be had. This kind of 
dowry varies in amount, according to circumstances. If the 
female be of a good family, if she be handsome, or if her 
possession of superior qualities be generally acknowledged, 
the parents require three or four slaves, or the value of that 
number in merchandise. These unfortunate beings become 
henceforth the property of the mother. When the girl to be 
married is neither of a distinguished family nor handsome, 
then only two slaves are given. Throughout the whole of this 
country I met with no instance of a young woman living in 
a state of celibacy ) pretty, or plain, they all get married. 
These wives are, however, only so many servants, whom the 
men secure to themselves, and of whose running away they 
