These lawsuits afford much amusement to the freemen of African towns, who have little employment, and to whom time seems to be a matter of no importance.  Whether a journey occupies a week, a month, or a year, is of little moment, provided they can obtain victuals and find amusement in the place they visit.  African labourers are quite surprised at the bustle and impatience of Englishmen; and when urged to make haste in finishing a job, will innocently exclaim—­’No hurry, master:  there be plenty of time:  to-morrow, comes after to-day.’

We went to see the blacksmith and saddler of the town.  These are the only professional persons, and they are held in high esteem.  The blacksmith is a worker in all kinds of metal, and combines the avocations of goldsmith, silversmith, jeweller, nailer, and gunsmith.  In the interior, he also manufactures native iron by smelting the stone in furnaces with charcoal, which process converts it at once into steel:  but as this operation is rudely performed, it is attended with a great waste of metal, which is also very hard and difficult to be worked; so that English iron is used when it can be obtained, and bars of iron form a considerable article of commerce.  The blacksmith’s utensils consist of a hammer, anvil, forceps, and a pair of double bellows made of two goat-skins.  When we saw him he and his slaves were making stirrups, but the operation was very tedious.

The saddler tans and dresses leather, and can make a very beautiful and soft material by repeatedly rubbing and beating the hides.  The thick skins are converted into sandals; those of sheep and goats are dyed and made into sheaths of various kinds, purses for greegrees, covers for quivers and saddles, and a variety of ornaments, which are neatly sewn, as all negro lads can use the needle.  These arts, with those of weaving, working in rushes, soap-making, and a rude pottery, constitute the native crafts.  The Africans evidently understand the principles of many useful arts, and evince considerable ingenuity in the execution, considering the rudeness of their instruments, their want of capital, and the total absence of hired labour.

Suspended on a tree near the entrance of the town we saw the strange dress of bark called Mumbo Jumbo.  This is a device used by the men to keep their wives in awe when the husband’s authority is not sufficient to prevent family feuds and maintain proper subordination.  It may be called the pillory of Africa, and is thus employed:  Mumbo Jumbo announces his approach by loud cries in the woods, and at night enters the town and proceeds to the bentang, where all the inhabitants are obliged to assemble.  The ceremony begins with songs and dances, which last till midnight, by which time Mumbo Jumbo has fixed upon his unfortunate victim.  She is immediately seized, stripped, tied to a post, and scourged with Mumbo’s rod, amid the shouts and derision of the whole assembly.  No wonder that Mumbo Jumbo is held in great awe by the women!