The common prayer is used as an introduction to all other Marrabout
prayers, or to any religious discourse.
The story of Joseph differs so much from the Hebrew version, that I
have thought it worth relating, in nearly the words of my friend Dongo
Kary. The transformation bffcBenjamin into a sister, the royalty of
Joseph, the father’s recognition of him by his garments,. &c.,-have all
formed it into a romantic history, which is ended in the true African
style, that of the running away of,Josep h s brethren into ihegbush, and
there turning into wild men.
I have also a manuscript history of the kingdom of Kay.or, but it is so
deficient of interest, being a list q f names and.places, and. the number
of moons that the kings “ sat down,” (reigned).that.I.did not: venture on
its publication.
The Pagan story of the monkeys is common on the leeward coast, and
in the Bight of Benin, and I have ho doubt has lost .much in the translation,
for the natives of those countries have infinite humour, and having
often watched them secretly, when they have been sitting in a circle, on
the ramparts of the fortress, I can imagine that they personate the
scolding and afterwards repentant wife, and hen-pecked husband, to the
life. On one occasion I had planted myself behind a cannon close to
them, when they were telling a ghost stofcy; and qn seeing, by the light
of the moon, that horror and alarm had seized the audience, it struck,me,
that as I was clothed in white, I might act, the ghost. I,,accordingly
threw my scarf over my head, and mounted on the gun-carriage^ and as
I slowly appeared, they uttered one yell, and in an instant I had the
rampart to myself, nor could any. persuasion tempt them to assemble on
that spot again.
THE CREATION/
Before all things, God made himself a splendid dwelling in the heavens.
-He made the sacred books, Tanrat or Moses, Yandjal or Job, Foorkan or
Mohammed, and Saboor or David, and the pen with which he wrote them
was called “ Moonwelkalami.
TR A NSLATIONS, &c. 371
He made the angels, and four of them were to command over the rest.
First: Gabriel,. who helped to make the earth and sea; Michael, who
rules over the rain, and keeps it in his. charge; Assarafiloo, who takes
cafe of the :solils, and Osarailcf, who is to sound the trumpet at the day
of judgment,'whep all will rise. f : ¡ ..........................
lie also made these prophets, Adam, Abraham, Moses, Mohammed,
Jesus Christ; and Ababakoor; but Mohammed was created directly after
Gabriel, upon which God rested/for 3Q0 years without making any thing,
and Gabriel: thought he. w as,the oulyibeing besides the -Creator, but he
happened to meet Mohammed, and exclaimed, ‘!;I am disappointed, I
thought to rule oyer everything, but now I-see this.being, I must inquire
of God which he made first; if mé, then I shall still rule.” He went to
God with this salutation, “ I, think God'is master of every thing. King,
my master, you are every where.” , Upon which God said, “ Why have
you quitted th e spot -I put you in?” Gabriel then asked the above
question, and.God remained silent, and Gabriel stood in expectation 300
years,: saying,-“ Oh, thou father, Qh, thou father. ” i Then God said,
“ Silence you, you know well that I have not yet made the world, and I
could not make it as I intend, unless I had made Mohammed first;
neither,heaven, nor the fire, nor the devil, nor sea, nor moon, nor stars,
nor beasts.” God created seven heavens, and seven fires. The first
heaven is for God himself; where at the judgment-day will be admitted,
Mohammed, Jesus Christ; Abraham, and Moses, with the ahgel EytoOf,
who serves God alone, and is the only angel not commanded by Gabriel-
All these heavens are lighted brightly by the1 radiance from the above
prophets, who receive it from God. The first hell or fife, called Djanama,
is. destined to those Marrabouts, who, having learned ,to read, and been
qualified to knowGod, afterwards fail in their duty, or commit evil.
God is said to have created Adam of sand, without any soul, and
Ybleess, or the great devil, having been made previously, found him
lying down, and despised him, saying, “ This is mere sand, shall it presume
to be a companion for m e!” And he spate upon Adam. God
hearing this, instantly gave Adam a soul, who rose, and being angry,
tried to throw a ball of sand at Ybleess, and said, “ I will not serve
him.” For doing all this, God turned Ybleess out of heaven, but took