FL661467

what had caused such a burst of indignation & clamour
among the Blacks, and was highly amused
when I explained the nature of our offence.
Had this young couple not lived under
my protection & had the old men not been afraid
of the European police, I have no doubt their
lives would have been in danger. still after
a time the Blacks became more or less [reconciled?]
to this unlawful match *
But I must hasten to another subject lest
I weary you with the one on which I have enlarged
so much. I will give you then a statement
as far as I can of the [crossed out: custom] ceremony of
making young men & its probable origin
and aim. It is the age of about 14 or so,
from 13 to 15, or as you [indecipherable] may imagine
at the age of puberty every boy is subject
to a new rule, to great restrictions, and has
to pass through a certain ceremony to be initiated
in this his changed condition his head or hair also is dressed
[in margin: from this time in the usual fashion with a band around the same. The custom may remind one of the toga of manhood put on by the Romans also]
The ceremony is this:
As any serious voice is first heard resembling
somewhat the bellowing of cattle several
nights in succession at a convenient distance
from the camp. This is [crossed out: solemnly] gravely likened to by all &
explained by the old men to be the call
of Bubu, a mysterious being, he does summon
some [crossed out: young] boys to [crossed out: be made] attend