Note. This paper is condensed from a dissertation submitted as partial requirement for the M.A. degree of the University of Chicago in 1929.

^{page 75 note 1} Johnston, , Sir , Harry: Liberia, vol. i, map opposite p. 12.Google Scholar

^{page 75 note 2} It must be borne in mind that: (a) the writer used only one informant; (b) he worked with him in the United States; (c) the writer has never seen the communities under discussion, and (d) that the informant died before the material could be thoroughly checked. Therefore the material should be used only as a guide to more exhaustive and exact research on these people.

^{page 75 note 3} Johnston, , Liberia, vol. ii, p. 932.Google Scholar

^{page 76 note 1} It appears that Matiye may once have been separate from the Grand Cess unit as it exists to-day. This village is the only one to have its fields in a different locality from the rest of the group. The fields of the other villages are all centred in one locality along with those of Grand Cess. Moreover, Matiye has its own beach for canoes, whereas Grand Cess and the other surrounding villages have a beach and harbour in common.

Likewise Matiye has its own sub-chieftain, low court and police force. Being farthest away from the head city and very difficult to fortify it has always been a source of worry. For some time an outlying village, Klotu, was maintained as a protection against a very troublesome neighbouring Kru group, the Wayglano. However, this outlier has since been abandoned, the police now being able to send soldiers from Grand Cess upon any signs of trouble.

^{page 78 note 1} None outside Grand Cess itself.

^{page 79 note 1} In the thick of battle a man may shoot some one of his own tribe for revenge on that particular person or on his gens. In individual cases it is a way of settling such offences as adultery when no satisfaction has been gained in the courts from lack of evidence. However, the murderer must immediately search out a close companion and confess what he has done, crying ‘adetapason’. They then go to the nearest stream, where the confessed murderer fills his gun-barrel with water and drinks the contents. By these acts does he absolve himself from the crime. If such were not carried out, the taboo power (kla) inherent in such a crime would be sufficient to cause the murderer's death. On return of the army to town, adetapason is announced. There is very strong taboo against murder, backed of course by strong laws against it in peace time. During wars only the supernatural power remains to be dealt with, and this is disposed of by the very convenient formula given above.

^{page 80 note 1} The reason given is that once some Kru people were chased by an enemy into the Tchiehpo quarter of Matiye. The members of this gens are reputed to have gone inside their houses and placidly allowed their fellow tribesmen to be slaughtered before their very doors. Ever after no Tchiehpo could be buried in any Grand Cess cemetery, and the people are called the ‘unlucky’. Most of them live at Tubweglo and Matiye. This burial-rule has been broken once only. Some time ago there was living in Tubweglo a very prominent and wealthy Tchiehpo, Tijuwli by name. In fact, during his lifetime that particular village was called ‘Juwligo’ in his honour. At the time of his death his mother, who belonged to the powerful Klepo gens, appealed to the low court through her own gens to have him buried in the regular cemetery. This gens had the necessary influence to gain permission, but only after a struggle.

^{page 83 note 1} However, the ceremonies for the sub-chieftain, and especially for the priesthood, are somewhat similar in general pattern. After the moin, or commission, return from the god, they bury outside the city the prescription given them by the foreign priest for three days at a place called kulo. It is just outside one of the city gates. On the fourth day the people assemble on the beach after having dug up this prescription, which is read to them by the high priest. The bobi, sub-chieftain, then gives his consent to the man thus named by ordering the high priest to anoint the king. The king-to-be mounts a bullock and makes a complete circuit of the city, going first to high court, then to low court, then through all the gens courts and up to each gate of the city. During this circuit the soldiers shoot off guns, and the women cry for the country to be prosperous under the rule of the new king. The high priest meanwhile cries out to the gods. While passing through both the low and high courts, the king is dedicated to God. After making the complete round, he is escorted back to low court. This time he publicly announces his deeds, and then the insignia of office is placed on his left ankle by the high priest. It consists of an iron ring on which is strung a large fruit pit (bobu). This ring is considered a gift from kiglopi, the Km god, and is called Klobawitye. It is similar to those worn by other high government officials, except that it is the largest. Only the king, bobi, and high priest have a fruit pit strung on the ring. All these rings were presents from the Kru god. Before the anointing, the bullock on which the king was riding is killed. The liver, heart, and some of the skin are burned in low court. The remaining ashes are mixed with palm-oil. This mixture is used to anoint the king's foot as the ring is placed on it. The bullock's head is set before the idols kept in the high court building. The blood is poured on the ground in low court, and the meat is eaten by the soldiers. The king is escorted through the high court to his official residence by the priest. Two or three months later he announces in low court his policies of state. The government council knows beforehand what the policies are to be. The people have to accept them. Actually the speech is merely ‘milk and honey’ for the people's benefit.

^{page 87 note 1} This god resides in the city of Kavali, and is called bleyepi. The priest there is called kantiye. Missions are sent to find the name of the new king or that of any new priest. They are also sent for any prophecy wanted by the government, and for prescriptions before a war, and before planting-time for the rice. The writer possesses fragmentary notes of the procedure.