and the Mpongwe. 
75 
societies. Old travellers record a belief that, un¬ 
like all other Guinea races, the Mpongwe marries 
his mother, sister, or daughter; and they compare 
the practice with that of the polished Persians and 
the Peruvian Incas, who thus kept pure the solar 
and lunar blood. If this “breeding-in” ever ex¬ 
isted, no trace of it now remains ; on the contrary, 
every care is taken to avoid marriages of consan¬ 
guinity. Bowdich, indeed, assures us that a man 
may not look at nor converse with his mother-in- 
law, on pain of a heavy, perhaps a ruinous fine; 
“ this singular law is founded on the tradition of 
an incest.” 
Marriage amongst the Mpongwe is a purely 
civil contract, as in Africa generally, and so per¬ 
haps it will some day be in Europe, Asia, and 
America. Coelebs pays a certain sum for the bride, 
who, where “ marriage by capture” is unknown, has 
no voice in the matter. Many promises of future 
“ dash ” are made to the girl’s parents ; and drink¬ 
ing, drumming, and dancing form the ceremony. 
The following is, or rather I should say was, a fair 
list of articles paid for a virgin bride. One fine 
silk hat, one cap, one coat; five to twenty pieces of 
various cottons, plain and ornamental; two to 
twenty silk kerchiefs; three to thirty jars of rum ; 
twenty pounds of trade tobacco ; two hatchets ; two 
cutlasses; plates and dishes, mugs and glasses, 
five each ; six knives ; one kettle ; one brass pan ; 
