The custom of burying the dead in the floor of dwelling-houses, is
prevalent on the Gold Coast of Africa, as far as that country is known
to Europeans. The ceremony is purely Pagan, and without any form,
except that of the females of the family of the deceased and their
friends making a mournful lamentation; and in some instances they work
their feelings up to such a degree of apparent sorrow, that their
conduct has every symptom of insanity. This scene of revelry is not a
little heightened by the profuse use of ardent spirits, which has so
powerful an attraction, that drummers, flute-players, bards, and
singing men come from great distances to partake of the libations; and
as the savage uproar lasts often for a week, it leads to every kind of
dissolute practice in both sexes. Another custom, or repetition of
this barbarous usage, frequently takes place seven years after the
demise of persons of consequence, which is still more expensive than
the former: as such are the baneful prejudices in favour of these
habits, that families have too frequently pawned their relatives to
raise money to defray the expense; they purchase cattle, sheep, goats,
and poultry, and with the assistance of what is brought by their
friends and acquaintances, they are enabled to keep up a scene of riot
for many days. The carcasses of animals sacrificed are not burned and
sown in the wind as in times of old, but the Fantees more wisely, eat
them, greater attention being paid to the flavour of the viands and
the fragrance of the strong liquor than to the manes of the dead.
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