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to the spot, and their legs being tied, they are thrown 
on the ground. It is usual for the relations to 
present an ox or bull for each child ; but if the 
parents are poor, that is dispensed with. A profound 
silence is observed, and every person is at his post: 
the parents are occupied in preparing their children; 
the mothers sleeping with them the night before in the 
lapa, or church, which was built some time previous 
by the fathers and uncles of the children who are to 
be circumcised. Being all assembled, the circumciser 
makes a speech, usually to the following effect:— 
“ I respect thee, my God—I unite myself to thee by 
prayer. I ask thy pardon for my sins; thou hast 
created feet and hands; I prostrate myself before 
thee; I this day circumcise this child,” See. The 
children are then dressed up with beads and other 
trinkets, and a skein of cotton thread, which is used 
in the ceremony, is laid on its head. No food is 
taken on the morning of the festival by the parties 
concerned : and ten o’clock is the hour when every 
thing is in readiness. They are governed by the 
shadow of a man, who stands upright before the sun, 
to observe the critical minute for the execution of the 
rite. On these occasions they measure by feet, and 
the precise signal for the circumcision, is, when the 
shadow is nine feet long: then the drums begin 
beating, and the circumciser puts on his richest gar¬ 
ment. The fathers walk in procession across the 
lapa, or church, with their children under their arms, 
entering at the west, and going out at the east door : 
