IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
57 
CHAPTER XX. 
LAWS, GOVERNMENT. 
It may be said that they have laws. They have 
BO written laws, however, but rules and regula- 
tions, handed down by tradition from one genera- 
tion to another. 
There are, first, what may be termed general 
laws, which extend to people of different towns. 
The chiefs and head-men of a certain region of 
country embracing a number of towns meet to- 
gether and agree upon a code of laws by which 
to regulate the people in their intercourse with 
each other, especially for purposes of trade and 
commerce. All the people of the district rep- 
resented are required to keep these laws; and 
if the head-man or the people of any town 
violate them, those of the other towns have just 
cause for palaver with the offending party ; and as 
a general thing they require so much produce, or 
goods, as an indemnity, to cool their hearts,’^ as 
they say. 
