ACCOUNT OF THE MANIiîNGOS. 
41 
kilid of petticoat ; while the other negligently covers their bosom 
ûnd shoulders. 
Their habitations like those of all ihe other negroes, are small 
iiud inconvenient hiitSi A mud wall about four feet bigh, over 
Vv'hich is a conical onenurj; made of bamboos and straw, serves 
for the residence of the rich man, as w eil as of the homblest slave. 
The furniture is equally uncouth i their beds are made of a bun- 
dle of reeds placed on pickets two feet high, and covered with a 
mat or an ox's skin ; a jar for water, a few earthen vessels for 
boiling their meat, with some wooden bowls, calabashes, and one 
or two stools, form the whole of their household goods. 
All the Mandiogos in a free state have several women ; but 
they cannot marry two sisters. These women have each a hut ; 
while all the hovels belonging to one master are surrounded by 
a lattice-work of bamboo made with much art : an assemblage 
of this kind is called Sirk, or Souj-k. Several of these enclo- 
sures, separated by narrow paths, compose a town ; but the huts 
are placed with much irregularity, and according to the caprice 
of the person to whom they belong. The only point to which 
they attend is to have the door in a south-westerly direction, that 
it may admit the sea-breezes. 
In each town a spot is set apart for the assemblies of the old 
men ; it is enclosed by interlaced reeds, and generally covered by 
trees which protect it from the sun. Here they discuss public 
affairs and try causes ; the idle and proiiigate also resort hither 
to smoke their pipes and hear the news. 
în several parts they have inissou rates or mosques^ where they 
meet to say the prayers prescribed by the Koran. 
The population of the free Madingos forms at the utmost, 
about one fourth of the inhabitants of the country which they 
occupy. The remaining three fourths are born in slavery, and 
have no hope of escaping from it : they are employed in all ser- 
vile labours; but the free Mandingo has no right to take the 
life of his slave, nor to sell hini to a foreigner, miless he has been 
publicly tried, and decreed to deserve such a punishment. The 
prisoners of war, those imprisoned for crimes or debt, and those 
who are taken from tlie centre of Africa and brought to the coast 
for sale, have no riglit to appeal, as their masters may treat and 
dispose of them according to their fancy. 
Another part of the population of the kingdom of Barra, is 
composed of the descendants of the Portuguese families who 
remain in the country, and of whom we have already spoken. 
Such persons, or rather those who take the title of Portuguese 
(for all the Mulattos, and even men who are almost black, call 
themselves Portuguese, and to doubt their origin is an aftVoist 
they do not pardon), profess the catholic religion, and have 
DURAND.] F 
