EELiaiOUS FESTIVAL. 
201 
Tlie prill cipal religious festival of the year is just 
before the planting of the yam, at which season each 
village makes up a large hunting party, for the pur- 
pose of capturing deer, monkeys, ground rats, and 
bulFaloes ; the latter are reported to be wild, scarce, 
and only procurable at a considerable elevation ; they 
call it Bush beef, or En-c6-pil ; the colour of skin is 
said to be mostly black above, and white beneath. 
All the products of the chase are devoted to this 
feast or offering to the — alas ! awful truth — unknown 
God, RilpI ; portions of the meat are first presented to 
this great spirit, through the mediation of the Mohs, 
or idols, after which the assembled multitude, partake 
to repletion of the animal food, combining with it 
abundant libations of palm-wine, or topi. They 
believe by this, the deities are conciliated and a good 
yam season ensured. 
On the death of any member of a tribe, lamentation 
is made for seven suns, or one week. The body of the 
deceased is first shaved, then covered all over with 
white clay, and buried the day of his demise. A hole 
is dug, just large enough to receive the body placed on 
the side, with the legs doubled up in a sitting jiosture ; 
and the head laid towards the high mountain called 
Clarence Peak. 
Tlie whole term of mourning is a month, or 
twenty-eight suns, during which the relatives assemble 
together in one place, where they eat and drink, but 
as they then use the topi in a more fermented state, 
