IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
183 
exclusively, and the Bundoo and Yassa of women. 
The Toomah and Yassa are of recent origin. 
Rev. B. Root, an educated native of that coun- 
try, stated to the writer the following in regard to 
the Furrow Society : 
It exerts a wonderful influence over the civil 
and religious institutions of that country. The 
three particular things it teaches are, resolution, 
reticence, and endurance ; and it is composed mostly 
of freemen, and the better or smarter members of 
society. The chiefs are generally Furrow-men, 
and the society controls them and indicates the 
policy they must pursue in most matters of impor- 
tance. There are but three degrees, two of which 
are not regarded as very important, but the third 
V 
is all-important and binding. When the Furrow 
decides a matter, it is as though the Supreme 
Court did so in our country. It is the highest 
authority known ; and woe to the man who goes 
contrary to its requirements. 
^‘This society impresses the uninitiated and lower 
classes with a fear which is remarkable, and makes 
them easy victims to any oppression or injustice 
which it may impose upon them ; and yet it often 
conserves the -peace and purity of society, and es- 
pecially of its own members. There are times 
when to use an impure word is a punishable of- 
fense, and those who do it are made to feel the 
