foot. Thus arrayed, she is seated upon a mat in the middle of the
floor, and the old women place themselves in a circle round her.
They then give her a series of instructions, and point out, with
great propriety, what ought to be her future conduct in life. This
scene of instruction, however, is frequently interrupted by girls,
who amuse the company with songs and dances, which are rather more
remarkable for their gaiety than delicacy. While the bride remains
within the hut with the women the bridegroom devotes his attention
to the guests of both sexes, who assemble without doors, and by
distributing among them small presents of kolla-nuts, and seeing
that every one partakes of the good cheer which is provided, he
contributes much to the general hilarity of the evening. When
supper is ended, the company spend the remainder of the night in
singing and dancing, and seldom separate until daybreak. About
midnight the bride is privately conducted by the women into the hut
which is to be her future residence, and the bridegroom, upon a
signal given, retires from his company.

The negroes, as hath been frequently observed, whether Mohammedan or
pagan, allow a plurality of wives. The Mohammedans alone are by
their religion confined to four, and as the husband commonly pays a
great price for each, he requires from all of them the utmost
deference and submission, and treats them more like hired servants
than companions. They have. however, the management of domestic
affairs, and each in rotation is mistress of the household, and has
the care of dressing the victuals, overlooking the female slaves,
etc. But though the African husbands are possessed of great
authority over their wives I did not observe that in general they
treat them with cruelty, neither did I perceive that mean jealousy
in their dispositions which is so prevalent among the Moors. They