436 
make ufe of are put on with exquifite tafe. 
A large cravat round the neck, and a long 
robe flowing behind, from the middle, a 
foot or two on the ground, are the prin- 
cipal articles; the latter was formerly 
manufactured from ftraw, but fince the 
introduction of European commerce the 
rich fubftitute fine cotton, filk, and even 
velvet, in the room of their ftraw manu- 
faétures. They aré exceflively fond of 
red coral; this is the height of luxury, 
and they feek after it with the utmoft ar- 
dour. People of property wear a long 
filver chain, that goes eight or ten times 
round the body; but the moft character- 
iftic part of their finery is a cat-fkin, or- 
namented with little bells, which they 
wear about the middle, and confider as 
the badge of honour. Of this they are 
extremely jealous,and willexpofe themfelves 
to every danger rather than part with it. 
The Congoefe wear rings of brafs 
er iron, on their arms and legs; and fo 
great is their paffion for this fpecies of 
finery, that they fubmit with patience 
to have them faftened on their limbs with 
the blows of a hammer; the pain occa- 
fioned by the operation is cheerfully fub- 
mitted to for the fake of the appearance. 
The drefs of the women is lefs elegant ; 
they wear no bonnet, nor cat-fkin; and 
the robe, that in the men trails on the 
ground, in the females, reaches only to 
the knees: but they adorn themfelves 
with a prodigious quantity of glafs- beads 
of different colours, which, on their black 
fkin, produce a very pleafing effect. They 
cover their breafts with a {mall piece of 
cloth, and, as well as the men, they are 
very greedy after coral; this fubftance is 
to them of as high value as the diamond is 
among us. 
The Congoefe are in general cowardly, 
neverthelefs there are examples which 
prove that they are fufceptible of ac- 
quiring courage: in other refpetts they 
are mild and free, but avaricious, vain, 
and idle. Their indolence is probably 
owing to the want of a more extended 
commerce; they have no other motive to 
induce aétivity than the fale of flaves. 
Great induftry, therefore, would be in 
vain; they laboar only to fupport life; 
but they can occafionally exert themfcives, 
and fear no labour, provided a recom- 
pence in brandy, of which they are ex- 
ceffively fond, be promifed them. 
They are very vain, and nothing is 
more pleafant than to fee them ftrut about 
under a rich garment, or an embroidered 
robe, the old remains of finery which have 
een given them, and which they place 
Manners and Cuftoms of the Inhabitants of Congo. [June t, 
next the fkin without any fhirt. Like the 
apes which ftock their forefts, they are: 
much given to imitations ;—a difpofition 
which announces the firft fteps towards 
civilization. Every people who abandon 
their own cuftoms to adopt thofe of fo- 
reigners, manifeft the defire of becoming 
more perfect—a ftate of mind very dif- 
ferent from the Hottentot?s, whem no no- 
velty will pleafe, and who cannot be in- 
duced to renounce their filthy modes of 
life. 
The Blacks on the coat of Angola 
would at one time receive nothing in ex- 
change but uniforms andepaulets. They 
had feen fome French officers of the marine 
fent on an expedition to deftroy a Portu- 
guefe fort, and were fo much pleafed with 
their drefs, that commercial captains were 
afterwards obliged to carry out uniforms 
of different colours, which they received 
with tranfport, imagining that by them 
they acquired a high importance, becaufe 
they had feen great deference paid to per-. 
fons thus drefled. 
In confequence of this difpofition for 
imitation, they confer the title of captain 
on all thofe who are at the head of any 
employment or undertaking; therefore - 
every man who commands, whatever be 
the bufinefs, is captain. A chain-captain 
is one who canduéts prifoners chained to- 
gether. They have alfo their captains of 
wood, of water, of poultry, of fith, &c. 
each deriving his title from his employ- 
ment. The captain of the hunt is the 
moft refpected: the great confideration 
that he acquires, arifes from his courage. 
and intrepidity, qualities which never fail 
to command the admiration and refpect of 
the natives. 
We have already alluded to the avarice 
of the Congoefe, which is particularly: 
fhewn in their great defire of colle&ing 
European goods. ‘The following anecdote 
will give the reader an accurate idea of 
their character in this refpeét. 
M. Joly, a French Miifionary Prieft in 
this country, was affiduous in all the 
funétions belonging to his profeffion ; but 
his zeal was ineffetual. The picture 
which he drew of eternal life, however 
brilliant, could not attra&t the attention 
of thefe people. The happinefs of Hea- 
ven feemed to them fo much the more in- 
fipid, as it did not include the felicity of 
drinking brandy: of this they loudly 
complained ; declaring that they would 
prefer a voyage to France, whence 
this precious liquor was imported, rather 
than to the Cariitian’s Paradife. ‘The 
prieft could make no profelytes. At 
lengthy 
