their husbands when enceinte and they continue this for about three
years afterwards, or until the child is weaned, which usually happens
about the third year. I was told, on most respectable authority, that
many fine young native men marry one wife and live happily with her
till this period; nothing will then induce her to continue to cohabit
with him, and, as the separation is to continue for three years, the
man is almost compelled to take up with another wife: this was
mentioned to me as one of the great evils of society. The same
absurdity prevails on the West Coast, and there it is said that the
men acquiesce from ideas of purity.

It is curious that trade-rum should form so important an article of
import on the West Coast while it is almost unknown on the East Coast,
for the same people began the commerce in both instances. If we look
north of Cape Delgado, we might imagine that the religious convictions
of the Arabs had something to do with the matter, but the Portuguese
south of Cape Delgado have no scruples in the matter, and would sell
their grandfathers as well as the rum if they could make money by the
transaction, they have even erected distilleries to furnish a vile
spirit from the fruit of the cashew and other fruits and grain, but
the trade does not succeed. They give their slaves also rewards of
spirit, or "maata bicho" ("kill the creature," or "craving within"),
and you may meet a man who, having had much intercourse with
Portuguese, may beg spirits, but the trade does not pay. The natives
will drink it if furnished gratis. The indispensable "dash" of rum on
the West Coast in every political transaction with independent chiefs
is, however, quite unknown. The Moslems would certainly not abstain
from trading in spirits were the trade profitable. They often asked
for brandy from me in a sly way--as medicine; and when reminded that
their religion forbade it, would say, "Oh, but we can drink it in