New Orleans, 1819. Notebook of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, with illustration of  string instrument played at Congo Square.  Latrobe says the instrument was brought from Africa, and was being played by an old man of some 80 or 90 years.
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Benjamin_Henry_Latrobe" class="extiw" title="w:en:Benjamin Henry Latrobe"><span title="British-American architect (1764–1820)">Benjamin Henry Latrobe</span></a>
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Benjamin Latrobe notebooks, via <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.crt.state.la.us/hp/laheritage/AfricanAmericanLife/B&amp;Wpart1.html">[1]</a>