y
little about a supply of useless garments, to load the presses and vex
the purse of her bridegroom.

As soon as the process of unveiling was over, and time had been
allowed the spectators to behold the damsel, her mother led her gently
to the fat ambassadress, who, with her companions, bore the girl to a
bath for ablution, anointment, and perfuming. While Coomba underwent
this ceremony at the hands of our matron, flocks of sable dames
entered the apartment; and, as they withdrew, shook hands with her
mother, in token of the maiden's purity, and with the groom in
compliment to his luck.

As soon as the bath and _oiling_ were over, six girls issued from the
hut, bearing the glistening bride on a snow-white sheet to the home of
her spouse. The transfer was soon completed, and the burden deposited
on the nuptial bed. The dwelling was then closed and put in charge of
sentinels; when the plump plenipotentiary approached the Anglo-Saxon,
and handing him the scant fragments of the bridal dress, pointed to
the door, and, in a loud voice, exclaimed: "White man, this authorizes
you to take possession of your wife!"

It may naturally be supposed that our radiant cockney was somewhat
embarrassed by so public a display of matrimonial happiness, at six
o'clock in the afternoon, on the thirtieth day of a sweltering June.
Joseph could not help looking at me with a blush and a laugh, as he
saw the eyes of the whole crowd fixed on his movements; but, nerving
himself like a man, he made a profound _salaam_ to the admiring
multitude, and shaking my hand with a convulsive grip, plunged into
the darkness of his abode. A long pole was forthwith planted before
the door, and a slender strip of white cotton, about the size of a
"_tontongee_," was hoisted in token of privacy, and floated from the
staff like a pennant, giving notice that the commodore is aboard.

No sooner were these rites over, than the house was surrounded by a
swarm of women from the adjacent villages, whose incessant songs,
screams, chatter, and _tom-tom_ beatings, drowned every mortal sound.
Meanwhile, the men of the party--whose merriment around an enormous
_bonfire_ was augmented by abundance of liquor and provisions--amused
themselves in dancing, shouting, yelling, and discharging muskets in
honor of the nuptials.

Such was the ceaseless serenade that drove peace from the lovers'
pillow during the whole of that memorable night. At dawn, the
corpulent matron again a