106 
WESTERN AFRICA 
the purrow, he looks down with contempt 
upon those who do not belong to the society. 
A negro who helped navigate our boat a 
number of trips, became a member of this 
society while in our employ, and the change 
in his conduct toward myself and others 
was so marked, that all noticed it, and we 
often spoke of it at the time. 
Women are not allowed to belong to the 
society, or to be on the ground where it 
meets ; and when they walk out of the town 
during the society's meetings, they are re- 
quired to clap their hands together, so as to 
make a noise, that they may be warned by 
the sentinel on guard, not to go farther in 
the direction leading to the place of meeting. 
Had a woman done what I did at the 
cc purrow-bush-house," near the falls of Jong 
river ( taken into her hands a round stone 
which lay in the house ), she would have 
lost her life 3 and for the same offence one 
of their own men 5 who is not a member of 
the society, would have been sold into 
slavery. 
Mr. Brooks, who has an excellent faculty 
for the investigation of such matters, being 
