press mandate of God[1]. With an awful regard for such notions, which are the elements of their conversation, it is not surprizing that all the recreations of the newly-imported slaves, should have an immediate reference to religion. The first step they take is to form themselves into associations, or fraternities, which, at the same time that they unite them in the discharge of their religious duties, maintain the social relations of the respective communities, and enable them to participate generally in their recreations.
The principal casts of the negroes engaged in menial services in Lima, are ten, namely, the Terranovans, Lucumes, Mandinguans, Cambundians, Carabalies, Cangaes, Chalas, Huarochiries, Congoes, and Misanguans. These names are not all of them precisely derived from the country in which each cast originated, several of them, such as that of Huarochiries, being arbitrary, and others derived from the region where they were first disembarked, such as that of Terranovans.
All these casts are subject to two head corporals, chosen by the communities themselves, who remain in the enjoyment of this post until their death. The election is holden in the
- ↑ The Dutch writer, Bosman, in his Voyage to Guinea, sedlion lo, relates the fable from which the negroes derive their unfortunate destiny. They say that "God having created negroes and whites, proposed to them two gifts, either that of possessing gold, or of learning to read and write. As he gave to the negroes the first choice, they decided in favour of the gold, leaving to the whites the knowledge of letters, which was granted them. But being enraged at this cupidity for gold, displayed by the blacks, he resolved at the same time that they should be eternally governed by the whites, whom they should be obliged to serve in quality of slaves."
