286 
MISSIONARY LIFE 
ing among the natives, have fearfully degraded, 
yea, well-nigh destroyed, the people of western 
Africa. 
Shengay, West Africa, January 21, 1880. 
FUNERALS IN AFRICA. 
I want the people of America to know what 
a mournful sight a heathen funeral is, that they 
may the better sympathize with these poor peo- 
ple. Surely no people ever needed the gospel 
and the prayers of Christians more than these 
people. I am just from the town of Shengay, 
where they are having a mammoth ‘^funeral cry.’^ 
About two weeks ago there was brought to Shen- 
gay, from a village awaj^ up one of the rivers, a 
woman who was very sick. Brothers Flickinger 
and Wilberforce and myself called on her one 
night, but she was past speaking. Brother Wil- 
berforce asked if ‘ she had ever prayed. They 
replied that she was not able. That night she 
died, and at once the ^^cry’’ began. Loud cries, 
sobs, yells, and bitter moans are neard, and drums 
and other musical instruments are brought into 
use. All relatives and friends, and even strangers, 
are expected to join in the cry. On entering the 
hut where the corpse is, the criers kneel or pros- 
trate themselves on the ground, sometimes em- 
bracing the corpse, at the same time weeping, 
sobbing, and uttering the most bitter cries. Per- 
