IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
73 
Thus many annually, because of the superstitions 
and cruelties of heathenism, fall victims to an in- 
describably painful death. 
When a noted head-man dies the chief men of 
the town keep it a secret until they select a person 
to take his place, and, if possible, embezzle a part 
of his property. After this, they make the ‘^cry’^ 
for him, which continues sometimes for months. 
If he has relatives who live at a distance, they 
keep the knowledge of his death fronl them as 
long as they can. This is done to save the ex- 
pense of feeding them, — for all relatives coming to 
the ^^cry’’ must be fed at the expense of the 
deceased during their stay to mourn for him, — and 
to have the better opportunity to cheat them out 
of their portion of the inheritance. And that the 
reader may not have too exalted an opinion of the 
value of the estates of head-men, we will say here 
that, leaving out their wives, under the most favor- 
ble circumstances a few country cloths, and mats, 
with a crop of rice, make up the amount. 
On the occasion of the death of a head-man, but 
not until after his interment, the people of his 
town go to the neighboring towns to solicit aid to 
defray the burial expenses ; that is, to buy rum 
and powder to make merry the season allotted for 
mourning. 
Where they have muskets and powder — as is 
