118 
MARRIAGE CONTRACTS. 
il Kru or Grebu Venus. The average number in family 
could not be ascertained. 
When a person is desirous of obtaining a wife, he visits 
the father of the girl, who, if agreeable to the match, or 
rather purchase, receives gifts from the proposing party, 
or his parent. These are generally a piece of blue 
cotton cloth, a brass kettle, some bars of iron, and two 
or more cows, as also country money — long cylindrical 
beads — much the same as those found in the Egyptian 
tombs. These preliminaries having been arranged, or in 
fact the wife paid for, she is brought to the husband’s 
house, where a rude entertainment is provided. Drinking, 
dancing, and firing of muskets conclude the festivity. A 
small ‘‘ dash” or present is usually given by the mother 
of the man as a propitiatory offering to the Buhs or 
Gregres, to ensure a prolific union. 
On the death of any individual, the body is kept for 
two or three days ; during which they offer up prayers 
incessantly to their gods in behalf of the deceased, that he 
be not persecuted by evil spirits, and that he may enjoy 
the new existence on which he is supposed to enter : a 
sort of Irish wake is then kept up in Kru fashion.” All 
this time the wives remain concealed from public view. 
While the burial is going on, the Dhrrhiu, or Gregre 
priest, makes “ palaver,” throwing various herbs over the 
body, which is always covered with English or native 
cloths, according to the wealth of the deceased. A bottle 
of rum, together with some cooked eatables, are generally 
placed on the grave over the head, together with such 
