Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitionsNassau, Robert Hamill
Philosophy
Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Nassau, Robert Hamill
Ethnology -- Africa, West; Fetishism -- Africa, West
So they opened their liquor, drank a little themselves, and gave to him.
After he had drunk he became talkative, and began conversation again: "Oh,
yes, you asked me if I lived alone. But not quite alone. There is a young
man here." The thieves were glad to hear him talk, and gave him more
liquor. He drank; they asked more questions, "You said there was another
man with you; where is he?" Then the old man repeated the whole story of
the coming of the brothers, to the death of one of them; and added, "A few
days ago one of them came to tell me he was going to bury his brother; but
I do not know when or how he died." So they asked the old man, "You know
where he was buried?" "No." "But where is that living brother?" "Oh, he
has just left me, and is gone to his new place not very far away. I have
not been there, but you can easily find it."
They consulted among themselves. "As this other man may hear of what we
are about, we will go away to-day, disguise ourselves, and to-morrow seek
for his place." So they all left.
Next day two or three came disguised, and found Ogula's new house in the
afternoon. He did not recognize their faces. He welcomed them as strangers
and treated them politely. They asked, "Is this your house? Do you live
alone?" He answered straightly, but did not mention his brother. But they
felt they had enough proof of who he was, and left. But before they left
they had observed the number and location of the rooms and the shape of
the house. In the house was a large public reception and sitting room, and
from it were doors leading to the servant's room and to a little entry
opening into Ogula's room.
The next day Ogula and his servant were doing their work of refining the
gum-copal they had gathered for trade; it was being boiled in an enormous
kettle. When this copal was melted, the kettle was set, with its
boiling-hot pitchy contents, in that little entry. In the afternoon came
the whole company of thieves, all disguised. They said, "We have come to
make your acquaintance, and to relieve your loneliness by an evening's
amusement." Ogula began to prepare them food. They sat at the food, eating
and drinking; had conversation, and spent the evening laughing and
playing. At night most of them pretended to be drunk and sleepy, and
stretched themselves on the floor of the large room as if in sleep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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