When a person of consequence dies, the relations and neighbours meet together and manifest their sorrow by loud and dismal howlings.  A bullock or goat is killed for such persons as come to assist at the funeral, which generally takes place in the evening of the same day on which the party died.  The negroes have no appropriate burial-places, and frequently dig the grave in the floor of the deceased’s hut, or in the shade of a favourite tree.  The body is dressed in white cotton, and wrapped up in a mat.  It is carried to the grave in the dusk of the evening by the relations.  If the grave is without the walls of the town a number of prickly bushes are laid upon it to prevent the wolves from digging up the body; but I never observed that any stone was placed over the grave as a monument or memorial.

Of their music and dances some account has incidentally been given in different parts of my journal.  On the first of these heads I have now to add a list of their musical instruments, the principal of which are—­the koonting, a sort of guitar with three strings; the korro, a large harp with eighteen strings; the simbing, a small harp with seven strings; the balafou, an instrument composed of twenty pieces of hard wood of different lengths, with the shells of gourds hung underneath to increase the sound; the tangtang, a drum open at the lower end; and, lastly, the tabala, a large drum, commonly used to spread an alarm through the country.  Besides these, they make use of small flutes, bow-strings, elephants’ teeth and bells; and at all their dances and concerts clapping of hands appears to constitute a necessary part of the chorus.

With the love of music is naturally connected a taste for poetry; and fortunately for the poets of Africa they are in a great measure exempted from that neglect and indigence which in more polished countries commonly attend the votaries of the Muses.  They consist of two classes; the most numerous are the singing men, called jilli kea, mentioned in a former part of my narrative.  One or more of these may be found in every town.  They sing extempore songs in honour of their chief men, or any other persons who are willing to give “solid pudding for empty praise.”  But a nobler part of their office is to recite the historical events of their country; hence in war they accompany the soldiers to the field, in order, by reciting the great actions of their ancestors, to awaken in them a spirit of glorious emulation.  The other class are devotees of the Mohammedan faith, who travel about the country singing devout hymns and performing religious ceremonies, to conciliate the favour of the Almighty, either in averting calamity or insuring success to any enterprise.  Both descriptions of these itinerant bards are much employed and respected by the people, and very liberal contributions are made for them.