Volume 1 — CHAPTER IX.

Native Simplicity—Resources of the Blind—Royal Village—Gathering of Natives—Native Priests—Royal Feast—Inhospitable Treatment— Uncomfortable Quarters—Vocabulary of the Native Language—Beauty of the Female Character—Women of Fernando Po—Anecdotes—Aspect of the Country—Productions—Preparations for the Settlement—Discovery of a Theft—Mimic War Customs—Native Chiefs—Female on Board—Monkey for Dinner—Flogging a Prisoner—Accident to a Sailor—A Voyage of Survey round the Island—River named after the Author—Geographical and Meteorological Observations—Insubordination—A Man Overboard—Deserter taken—Death of the Interpreter—Method of Fishing—Visitors from St. Thomas—Ceremony of taking Possession of Fernando Po—Interview with a Native Chief—Celebration Dinner—Indirect Roguery—Chief and his Wife—Hospital near Point William—The Guana—Mistake at Sea— Suggestions on the Slave-Trade—Fishing Stakes—Schooner on a Mud-flat

Thursday, Nov. 15.—Soon after landing this morning, I fell in with a party of natives, with whom I shook hands, as usual, when a young female, whom I had frequently met in the market-place, with her parents, perceiving that I did not immediately recognize her as an old acquaintance, with the most natural simplicity, placed my hand on her bosom, in the presence of her relations and countrymen, who all laughed heartily, and appeared to enjoy my astonishment very much. If, however, any of us had ventured upon such a liberty of our own accord, the men would have been highly indignant, for they were extremely jealous of their women, and did not like us to shew them any marked attention, by purchasing their articles first, or making them a present in preference to themselves:—such a distinction, in contradiction to the usages of civilized society, being considered derogatory by these savage lords of the creation.

Matthew Elwood, the young man who had been sent into the interior, returned to-day, and I am afraid without having derived much advantage from his journey. I expect, however, an opportunity of adverting more fully to its results at a future time. A quantity of bricks were landed for the purpose of constructing a forge. The natives soon found out that they possessed the property of sharpening their knives, and began to shew a very eager desire to become possessed of them.

Friday, 16.—The natives have crowded upon us in such numbers, that we have taken up the stakes which enclosed the market, with the intention of holding it in future without the boundary line. Several unpleasant occurrences have taken place, partly the fault of our own people, who have been criminal enough to sell their tools, and partly of the natives, who have been eager to purchase them. The following are, perhaps, the average terms on which our barter has been conducted: an axe would purchase a sheep, or a goat; and three or four inches of iron hoop, from two to four fowls, from eight to twelve yams, or two or three calabashes of palm-wine, each containing about one gallon.

Saturday, 17.—The number and confidence of the natives continued to increase, as well as the annoyance we experience from their importunities;—it had been found necessary to protect the market by a guard of soldiers. On returning from the market to-day, near the border of Hay river, a party were daring enough to snatch the sentinel's bayonet from out of its scabbard, and throw it into the river. The soldier, however, succeeded in recovering it, and, to deter them from proceeding to greater lengths, fired his musket over their heads. This alarmed them so excessively, that away they scampered like a flock of sheep, without daring to cast a look behind; indeed, such is their terror of fire-arms, that it is only with the greatest difficulty that they can be persuaded to touch a musket.

Monday, Nov. 19.—The young man, named Matthew Elwood, who had so recently returned from his visit in the interior, where he had been sent by Capt. Owen, with a view of acquiring some knowledge of their language, volunteered to repeat it, accompanied by another young man, and they had now been two days at the same village a few miles distant from the settlement, where the King resided. Anxious to lose no opportunity of obtaining information respecting the manners and customs of this singular people, I determined on joining the party, and fixed upon the present day for my journey. I have ever, throughout life, but perhaps more particularly since the loss of my sight, felt an intense interest in entering into association with human nature, and observing human character in its more primitive forms: this propensity I have previously had opportunities of enjoying, in some of the countries most remote from European knowledge, amidst the wilds of Tartary and the deserts of Siberia; and I can refer to the indulgence of it many of my more pleasurable sensations. I know that the world declaims against the absurdity of an individual, circumstanced like myself, professing to derive either pleasure or information from such sources, and maintains that travelling by the fireside would better suit those circumstances, and convey an equally gratifying interest. I answer confidently that this is not the case, and that I believe the intensity of my enjoyments under the system I have adopted, equals, if not surpasses, what other travellers experience who journey with their eyes open. It is true, I ascertain nothing visibly; but, thank God! I possess most exquisitely the other senses, which it has pleased Providence to leave me endowed with; and I have reason to believe that my deficiency of sight is to a considerable degree compensated, by a greater abundance of the power of imagination which presents me with facility to form ideal pictures from the description of others, which, as far as my experience goes, I have reason to believe constitute fair and correct representations of the objects they were originally derived from. It must be recollected that I have formerly enjoyed the power of vision; and, although my colourings may occasionally be too weak or too vivid, it is fair to infer that the recollections of my former experience are sufficient to prevent me from running into gross inaccuracies or incongruities. Place me, as some have suggested, in the situation of the man in the farce, and carry me in a limited circle around the same point, under the assurance that I was travelling to distant and ever-changing scenes, and support the stratagem by every circumstance calculated to give it the fullest effect; it would never impose upon me: for the tact which nature and experience have given me, and the inconceivable acuteness of perception I derive from it, would immediately detect inconsistencies scarcely appreciable by others, and at once overturn and expose the deception which was being practised.

At 3 o'clock in the afternoon I left the Eden for King Cove, at which place we found a few natives, who assembled on our landing. Anderson, the interpreter, had been appointed to conduct me, but Mr. Jeffery kindly accompanied me for the first half mile, in expectation of leaving me in the care of a chief of our acquaintance. However, before we had proceeded far, the assemblage of natives had become so great, and their importunities to purchase palm-wine and other commodities so annoying, that I was glad when he returned, under the expectation that his separation from me would prove, as it did, a diversion which, by drawing off a considerable part of the natives, would permit me to continue my journey with less interruption. I now advanced with Anderson as fast as the paths would admit, being anxious to arrive at our point of destination that evening; my companion, however, was desirous of passing the night at the hut of a chief in the neighbourhood of the beach, and endeavoured to dissuade me from prosecuting our journey this evening. I have already spoken of the qualifications of this man as an interpreter, and have now to observe, that he possessed others, which made him a useful medium of communication with the natives: for instance, he was a good-tempered fellow, could laugh heartily whenever they laughed, eat and drink whatever was placed before him, however repugnant to an European stomach; and, being somewhat of their own colour, i.e. not many shades darker, they were inclined to be particularly partial to him.

Our path was at first tolerably good, and lay through a level country, but, when we had proceeded about half way, became hilly, rugged, and slippery, particularly after passing the second of two streams which intercepted our road. A number of the natives, principally women, continued to follow, passing evidently a variety of jokes upon us, and laughing heartily at every false step I happened to make. Before we reached the end of our journey, the number had increased to many hundreds, who shouted, and halloed incessantly at the novelty of our appearance, similar to a European rabble, when following any extraordinary sight. To relieve Anderson, who had the luggage, I took hold, for a short time, of the arm of a native, who conducted me well, until we became surrounded by a crowd of his countrymen, and then, whether he felt compelled to answer their queries, or was proud of his charge, or anxious to exhibit the high confidence reposed in him, I found him a very troublesome guide; for he was constantly turning his head over my shoulder, and speaking or hallooing to those who were behind him.

At length we arrived at the royal village, where Elwood and his companion came to receive us at the hut that His Majesty had appointed for our accommodation. It was so late, that my countrymen were surprised to see us; and, the King having retired, we were obliged to relinquish the honour of an interview until morning. I therefore took tea, and was happy in lying down for repose, after my fatiguing journey. It was not without much concern I learned from Elwood, that, during the present visit, neither he nor his companion had met with the hospitable treatment or attention which they had expected; on the contrary, they had been compelled, immediately after their arrival, to expose the contents of their bags, and actually obliged to surrender up to the King one-half of the little stock of iron with which they had provided themselves for the purpose of barter. The consequence was, that, after paying three pieces to the natives who had conveyed their luggage, another for a couple of fowls, and presenting a fifth to Canning, (a chief who had been Elwood's principal friend on his former visit, and to whom he had given this distinguished name,) to secure his good services,—they had only one remaining for their future resources; and it was by no means satisfactory to be thrown upon the casual generosity of the natives. It is true, they had with them some salt beef and biscuit, and it was understood, when they quitted the ship, that Captain Owen had engaged to compensate the King for their protection and entertainment.

Tuesday, 20.—At daybreak we were visited by Canning, and several other chiefs, who brought with them a large yam, and some palm-wine intended for our breakfast. We were from time to time, in reply to our inquiries, assured that the King was coming; we waited, however, two hours in vain expectation, and at length sent Anderson to inquire into the cause of delay, when we were informed that His Majesty was busily occupied at his toilet, or, in other words, having his head dressed, in order, as I suppose, to enable him to appear with more dignity on this important occasion. About 8 o'clock he made his entrée, accompanied by several of his chiefs. At first his manner was somewhat reserved, but, after a short conversation, which held out to him the prospect of receiving presents, confirmed by the actual gift of two large knives from myself, he became highly animated, loquacious, and agreeable. He now ordered a plentiful supply of palm-wine, which he caused to pass freely round; and, after staying with us about an hour, returned to his own residence, from whence he shortly after sent us half a dozen yams.

There was a native priest resident in our hut, probably placed there to observe our conduct, and who, for the whole morning, had been occupied in smearing himself with coloured clay. We noticed that this man, during our visit, performed every morning a few religious ceremonies, and repeated prayers, in which the natives appeared to join. After the King's departure, he began to exercise some of the more mysterious functions of his office. I know not what the occasion was, but the ceremony consisted in frequent repetitions of certain short sentences, in which the individual on whom he was operating occasionally joined; and, in the intervals between these sentences, he shook a bundle of rods over the head of the latter, making, at the same time, a noise which resembled the squeaking of a pig.

I am enabled to communicate but little respecting the religious sentiments of this people. The duties of the priests appear to be more surgical than clerical; of which opinion the following are illustrations: A female applied to one of the priests with an inflammatory tumour on the hand; after making an incision into the tumour, and squeezing it in a manner which made his patient grin with pain, he blew and spat upon the part. Upon another person, who had an abcess of the eye, with an accumulation of some white matter in it, he performed the following delicate operation: having first applied his mouth to the part, he began to suck it with great eagerness and perseverance, after which he ejected from his mouth a chalky-looking substance, which he appeared to have extracted from the diseased structure: this process he repeated several times, with a similar result. These were, at least, substantial duties.

Our priest had a sacred corner in the hut, with a particular seat which none else presumed to occupy; the former, a receptacle for dirt, the latter, formed of a large stone, with four smaller ones, which served for legs or supporters.

I endeavoured in vain to gain any satisfactory account of their funeral ceremonies; no indications of graves have been seen by our people, and the probability is, as is not unfrequently the custom in Africa, that they bury their dead under the earthen floor of their huts. I know not whether this opinion will be deemed as confirmed or not by the fact, that, in returning from a walk, this afternoon, we passed a closed hut, with five hats hanging in front of it, the owner of which, we were informed, had died shortly before our arrival.

Our friend Canning supplied us with a fowl for dinner, and, when it was dressed, appeared perfectly ready to assist us in disposing of it.

The following is, probably, the general mode which these people adopt of hunting or catching wild animals, of which we had the fortune this day to meet with a specimen: A goat, which was very wild, had been secured to a rail, when, taking fright at the approach of my companions, it contrived, by floundering, to break loose from its confinement. The King, and some of his chiefs, who were at hand, immediately ran for some long grass nets, rolled upon poles, and which were about four feet wide. These they expeditiously unfolded, and then encircling the goat, very skilfully and speedily recaptured him. They have, however, other methods of taking wild animals; on enclosing yam plantations with stakes seven feet high, they place traps at the sides of the fence.

Wednesday, 21.—We returned His Majesty's visit this morning at eight o'clock. He received us on the outside of his hut, and seated me on a stone at his right hand, but immediately after a few words had been exchanged, he made signs to us to return to our own residence; where on our arrival, we found he had sent a sheep, with a view of giving us a sumptuous feast. His Majesty, accompanied by his chiefs, soon after joined us, and they immediately proceeded to the operation of killing the sheep, which was conducted in the following manner: The animal having been first hung up by the hind legs, its throat was cut, care being taken, in effecting this, not to wound the windpipe. The blood, as it flowed, was caught in a calabash, and then given to the priest, probably to be reserved for some religious ceremony. The next process was to skin the animal, in doing which the operator commenced with a fore leg, then the corresponding hind one, then the other fore leg, and so on; he then proceeded to the abdomen, and afterwards completed the operation in the usual manner. The gall-bag and bladder were now extracted and thrown away; after which the whole of the remaining viscera were removed and placed aside for subsequent use. A large portion of the flesh from one of the shoulders was now presented to the King, who cut it into the form of a long string, beginning at the outside, and proceeding to the centre. This he wound round a stick, and held over a blazing fire, until half broiled; and, then dividing it into a number of small pieces, distributed them to the party around him, doing myself the honour of presenting me with the first piece. The remainder of the animal was, in the next place, taken within our hut, where the stomach and intestines, without any other preparation than imperfectly squeezing out their contents, were warmed over the fire, and then, in nearly a raw state, divided among the natives, who ate them with great relish, the King receiving his portion with the rest. His Majesty now presented our party with a leg, shoulder, breast, and small saddle, and afterwards divided what remained among his chiefs, reserving the head for himself, which, after being well scorched, he ordered to be taken to his hut.

A more curious part of this singular feast remains to be described. On opening the animal, it was found to be with young, when the uterus, containing two lambs, each about six inches long, was, as a particular mark of favour or respect, placed in my hands: but, not appreciating the gift so highly as probably had been expected, I immediately laid it aside. After the departure of the King, it was a second time brought to me, and I now contrived, by shaking my head, and other demonstrations, to make them comprehend that I did not intend to make use of it, and that it was entirely at their service. This was, without doubt, very agreeable intelligence; for, having pricked the sac, to allow the liquor to drain away, and laid it for a short time before the fire, the whole was divided into portions, and eaten up apparently with avidity and delight.

The above meal was purely carnivorous, for neither yams nor palm-wine were introduced as accompaniments; in the afternoon, however, his Majesty made us another short visit, and sent a quantity of wine. We offered the natives salt to their meat, but they refused it with every sign of disgust, and even wanted to throw away our little store of this, to us, so necessary a condiment. They also shewed an equal dislike to tobacco; and, when one of our party made preparations for smoking a cigar, the priest held out his rod as if in prohibition, while others endeavoured to prevent him from lighting it. Canning, indeed, who had witnessed more frequently the practice of smoking on board, shewed less aversion.

Though we were at a considerable distance from the settlement, we could hear the reports of the morning and evening gun; for the first two or three days, the natives appeared, or pretended to be, much alarmed at this, as they halloed for some time after. They would frequently come up to us, levelling a stick like a musket, and accompany the action with bang! bang! We had reason to consider them much afraid of every species of fire-arms, and I cannot but think it would be good policy to keep this apprehension alive, rather than to endeavour to remove it by attempts to explain the principles of their action, and to familiarise them with the effects. In this respect, I deem the general practice of our voyagers and travellers to be decidedly faulty, since the superior advantages which fire-arms give, may be said to constitute our chief compensation for deficiency of numbers, and thus enable us to preserve that vast pre-eminence which we possess over the uncivilised inhabitants of newly-discovered countries. If the policy of our Government requires an intercourse with savage nations, both prudence and humanity justify our retaining the means of commanding that intercourse, by the superiority of our modes of defence; for, in the event of hostile collision, the numbers of the savages, possessed as they are, individually, of physical strength and bodily activity, at least equal to our own, could scarcely fail to be overwhelming. This also agrees with Vaillant's opinion, for he remarks, that, "when you travel among savages, you ought never to employ your arms, or shew the use of them, except to render them a service, either by procuring them game, or destroying such ferocious animals as are obnoxious to them."—Vaillant, vol. ii. p. 127.

About ten o'clock this evening, a great noise from persons talking commenced in the village, accompanied, at times, by loud hallooing, and a clattering of a kind of rattle-boxes, which many of the natives wear around the neck, and which somewhat resembles the upper half of the leathern-case of a spirituous-liquor bottle, within which is appended a clapper made generally of a sheep's jawbone. This noise, the meaning of which I could not comprehend, continued, with little interruption, throughout the night.

Thursday, Nov. 22.—Soon after breakfast, the King sent for us to his hut, and regaled us with palm-wine, poured out by the fair hand of a young female, whom my companions pronounced the most beautiful they had seen in this island, and whom we supposed to be his Majesty's favourite wife. On this occasion, he took the opportunity of reminding us of the presents he expected to receive from Captain Owen, and directed some of his chiefs to shew us those which he intended to offer in return, consisting of sheep, fowls, &c. &c. We were then conducted to our hut, and given to understand, by signs, that it was his Majesty's pleasure we should forthwith pack up our luggage, and return to our settlement. We thought, however, it would be more pleasant to take an early dinner first, and with this intention commenced the preparation of a kind of Irish stew, consisting of mutton and yams: being defective in the latter article, we requested a further supply; but this did not please our hosts, and it was intimated that we should find plenty at the end of our journey. We still, however, urged our wishes, when, at length, they brought us a couple of pieces. We could not avoid expressing dissatisfaction at this scanty supply, when they began to assume a very savage and sulky appearance; even our friend Canning arose with a menacing countenance, and laying hold of his spears, threatened to compel our immediate departure. It would have been imprudent to continue to irritate them at this juncture, and at best have only exposed our own weakness: we therefore thought we should most preserve our dignity, and, at the same time, retain a just ground of complaint of their want of hospitality, by giving way to their wishes, yet not without evident signs of our high dissatisfaction. I believe they had, subsequently, reason to repent of their conduct, as Capt. Owen afterwards treated them with apparent coldness, and probably abridged his intended presents: not but that they were amply remunerated, although the measure of it fell short of their own expectations. We took our dinner deliberately, notwithstanding this urgency, and then commenced our journey, accompanied by Canning and another chief; besides an old man, who had resided in the hut with us, carrying our luggage. We were soon joined by the persons who carried the presents intended for Captain Owen. We also met the King, but he, instead of accompanying us, as we had expected, went off immediately to his own residence, bearing on his shoulders a quantity of wood, for the use, as we supposed, of the royal household; we shook hands with his Majesty on taking our final leave.

As on the journey up the country, we had, on our return, great numbers of idle people following us, either from motives of curiosity or interest, and teazing us to give them palm-wine, iron, &c. The road, in various places, was extremely rugged and narrow, with steep declivities from the sides to the centre, and very slippery from the rain that had fallen in the morning. We again crossed two streams, the chief of which, although broad and rapid, was not sufficiently deep to be dignified with the title of a river. Towards evening, we arrived at King Cove, where, proceeding to the beach, we washed the clay from our trowsers, and then went to our quarters for the night.

The hut in which we took up our residence, consisted of a wooden roof, thatched with palm-leaves, and supported on stancheons of wood; the leaves, on all sides, approaching within two or three feet of the ground, indeed so low, that it made it very inconvenient to get in or out; for, unless great caution was observed, there was considerable risk of getting wounded by the prickles on the leaves of the palm-tree. Previously to its becoming dark, we were invited to drink palm-wine on the outside of our hut; and, afterwards retiring within, our native companions employed themselves busily enough in roasting and eating their yams, while we enjoyed the refreshing beverage of tea. We then lay down for the night; but, alas! not to sleep; for, although our hut was not very large, it contained about twenty persons of different sexes and ages, who were, of course, pretty closely stowed: and from its not being closed at the sides, with much thunder and lightning taking place, accompanied by high wind and heavy rain, which continued throughout the greater part of the night, the latter beat in under the roof, and also drove the smoke of three fires towards us, until we were nearly suffocated. It will be conceived, that our situation was not the most enviable; those near the outside were exposed to the pitiless storm; while they who occupied the centre, where we had spread our hammocks, were necessarily oppressed with heat and smoke. About two o'clock, some of the natives, finding it impossible to sleep, got up and amused themselves until daylight in conversation, and roasting yams on the fire.

Friday, 23.—At day-break, the whole of the natives rose and commenced their yam feast, succeeded by plentiful supplies of palm-wine. As the heavy winds and rain shewed no appearance of abating, we began to doubt whether we should get on board to-day; however, about eight o'clock, it moderated, and before noon, the weather was sufficiently favourable to induce us to make the attempt. Having taken our seats in the canoes, together with the chiefs who accompanied us, a party of the natives urged them over the surf, and away we paddled for the ship, which we reached in less than a couple of hours. Before getting on board, however, we were treated with a specimen of eager covetousness and want of decorum in our late friends; for, instead of waiting to allow us to get up first, or offering to assist us, no sooner did the canoe touch the ship, which she happened to do under the main-chains, than away they all started with their presents, leaving us to bring the boat to the gangway, and get out as well as we could; they even gave up all care for the safety of the canoe; the consequence of which was, that they left us adrift in it, and the commanding officer was obliged to send a boat to bring her alongside again.

Saturday, 24.—Having now spent some days in what may be termed the domestic privacy of the island, it will be inferred that I have become more intimately acquainted with the character of its inhabitants, who may justly be considered as constituting one of the most extraordinary races of savages at this time in existence. I shall, therefore, avail myself of this opportunity of developing farther than has yet been done in the preceding pages, whatever occurred to me as being most interesting in their manners, habits, customs, and peculiarities. This I shall follow up with some details respecting the natural history and productions of the island; which, however imperfectly they may be treated, will probably be deemed worthy of attention as subjects of scientific research. In these descriptions, I must, however, plead strongly for the indulgence of my readers, as many serious obstacles have opposed themselves to the inquiry after satisfactory information; among which, none have been more uncompromising than those experienced in acquiring a knowledge of the language; for, although we have been in constant communication with the natives, at present so little progress has been made, that our attempts in this respect may be said to have almost entirely proved abortive. We have, indeed, some reason to believe that the natives are desirous of throwing impediments in our way, since, notwithstanding they evince much quickness in catching words of our language, repeating the orders issued by the officers, and are also possessed of considerable power of mimicry, they shew little inclination to communicate their own terms or names. It has not unfrequently happened, that when, according to the usual custom of persons who are not conversant with each other's language, we touched, significantly, any thing which we were desirous of knowing, they used different words in reply, as if with the intention of confusing us; and, again, when we believed that we had ascertained the right name from one source, on inquiring from others, a very different word was given; so that we eventually remained in doubt as to the proper one. The few small vocabularies we have succeeded in collecting, seem to prove that there are distinct dialects, or idioms, among the different tribes. This is particularly exemplified in the case of the numerals; for not only are different words used to express the same number, but peculiar modes of counting are made use of—for instance, one tribe, after counting five in the usual way, proceeds to ten and twenty; while another, after going on progressively to ten, starts at once to twenty. The language itself is, generally speaking, harmonious, most of the words terminating in vowels, as will be perceived from the subjoined vocabulary, which is as correct as circumstances would admit of our obtaining.

The mode Captain Owen adopted of gaining an insight into the Fernandian language was, perhaps, the best that could have been devised: viz. the sending a person to reside with the natives in the interior, as has been before stated; but the result proved very unsatisfactory; for he added little to what we had previously acquired. Another mode adopted was, the promise of a reward to that individual who might gain the earliest and best knowledge of the subject.

A VOCABULARY OF THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF FERNANDO PO.

Etwee, head.

Isilla, hair of the head.

Lotto, ear.

Booyah, mouth.

Nokko, eye.

Lopappo, eye-lashes.

Kokalako, chief, or head man.

Mohoonka, chief's wife.

Icancunee, little one.

Ebeo, boy.

Ternapo, mother.

Murugudu, eye-brows.

Vompo and Mompo, nose.

Bello and Wello, tooth.

Ezaddoo, beard.

Lobabbo, tongue.

Lobok, arm.

Dialla, hand.

Aboobooso, wrist.

Anné, finger.

Jpapo, thigh.

Eddo, and Etoko, knee.

Lopola, leg.

Inkakase, ancle.

Dekotto, foot.

Deballe, female bosom.

Babilla, belly.

Djakkee, navel.

Bopa.

Motto.

Djeecha.

Eppoo buttocks.

Elleboo, trinket of wood, in form of a bell.

Motoocko, belt of shells and pebbles.

Dpibbo, bracelet.

Longebo, armlet.

Touno, black shell bracelet.

Ebebbo, snake skin collar.

Loppollo, vertebrae of a snake.

Eboote, hat.

Mu-u, bulls, or cattle.

Me-he, sheep, or goats, or their flesh.

Kohoko, fowls, or their meat.

Tonatchetolo, tattoo, or marked.

Empoo, dog's jaw.

Tokko, round shell ornament like a button.

Epehaunah, purse, sheep's scrotum.

Looka, man.

Daka, woman.

Labole, ship.

Labolechee, or Epoode, boat.

Wattoo, canoe.

Ikahaddee, long reed, in the stern of canoes.

Kalsokoola, sail.

Nossapo, mast.

Inkappa, paddle.

Bonokee, fishing.

Itokka, sun.

Tolo, moon.

Bockao, eggs.

Boka, water.

Mooheelya, bar of iron.

Pooripoodee, cloves.

Sokolaee, Chili pepper.

Epeepee, tomatos.

Etoka, potatoe.

Saly, yams.

Beentok, or Lilo, cocoa tops.

Topy, or Nakko, palm-wine.

Loma, to drink.

Looba, or Bata, give.

Taleppa, take it away.

Omitta, to hold.

Vallee anger.

Atehee, done, no more, finish, end.

Anjoo, come here.

Sheerskalle, fine, pretty.

Boola, or Lilla, or Illee, one.

Epa, or Taba, two.

Buelly, or Twelly, three.

Betoh, or Totoh, five.

Beho, ten.

Bo, fifteen.

Eeckee, twenty.

Olaito, thirty.

It would be superfluous to repeat the descriptions which have already, on various occasions, been given of the persons, dress, and characters of the male inhabitants of this island. The reader will have inferred, that they are generally a harmless and inoffensive race of savages: it may be added, that they are probably the most dirty people existing under the face of the sun; for, with the exception of occasional immersions in the sea, when occupied in the affairs of business, we have never known them to wash themselves. The only systematic method they appear to adopt of cleansing, as well as of dress, is to give themselves a new coating of clay and palm-oil, whenever the previous one happens to be injured. Some few individuals, indeed, appear to renew this covering as a matter of fashion; particularly one dandy chief, who frequently changed the colour of his skin, and, in consequence, became familiarly known to us by the name of Chameleon; and what is singular, this man, like our European dandies, was in the habit of scenting himself.

The transition from the male to the female sex, through the intermediate species of Macaroni, is easy, if not natural; and I shall indulge my own particular feelings and partialities in entering upon that part of my observations which relates more exclusively to the fairer and softer portion of this aboriginal people. The infinite modifications of person, mind, and manners, exhibited by the sex in the different grades of society throughout the world, whether formed by the influences of climate, government, or education, present a most interesting subject to the speculative observer of human nature: and to one who, from early life, both by profession and inclination, a traveller, has wandered under every temperature of our eastern hemisphere, who has studied and admired the sex under every variety of character, no wonder that the contemplation of woman, as nature left her, inartificial, unsophisticated, simple, barbarous, and unadorned, should seem fraught with peculiar interest. Are there any who imagine that my loss of eye-sight must necessarily deny me the enjoyment of such contemplations? How much more do I pity the mental darkness which could give rise to such an error, than they can pity my personal calamity! The feelings and sympathies which pervade my breast, when in the presence of an amiable and interesting female, are such as never could have been suggested by viewing a mere surface of coloured clay, however shaped into beauty, or however animated by feeling and expression. The intelligence still allowed me by a beneficent Providence, is amply sufficient to apprise me of the existence of the more real—the diviner beauties of the soul; and herein are enjoyments in which I am proud to indulge. A soft and sweet voice, for instance, affords me a two-fold gratification;—it is a vehicle of delight, as operating on the appropriate nerves, and, at the same time, it suggests ideas of visible beauty, which, I admit, may, by force of imagination, be carried beyond reality. But, supposing I am deceived, are my feelings the less intense?—and, in what consists my existence, but in those feelings? Is it otherwise with those who see? If it be, I envy them not. But are those who think themselves happier, in this respect, than I am, sure, that the possession of a more exquisite sense than any they enjoy, does not, sometimes at least, compensate, or more than compensate, the curtailments to which the ordinary senses, and particularly the one of eye-sight, is liable?—and if they should think so, let them not, at least, deny me the resources I possess. I shall not, however, persist further in a description of that situation, those circumstances and those consolations, which the all-feeling comprehension of the poet hath so justly caught in one of its diviner moods of inspiration:—

And yet he neither drooped nor pined, Nor had a melancholy mind; For God took pity on the boy, And was his friend—and gave him joy Of which we nothing know.

The personal appearance of the females of Fernando Po, is by no means attractive, unless (de gustibus non est disputandum) a very ordinary face, with much of the contour of the baboon, be deemed so. Add to this the ornaments of scarification and tattooing, adopted by the sex to a greater extent than by the men: and the imagination will at once be sensible how much divinity attaches to Fernandian beauty. Like the men, the women plaster the body all over with clay and palm-oil, and also in a similar manner wear the hair long, and in curls or ringlets, well stiffened with the above composition. The children of both sexes, or those who have not obtained the age of puberty, have the hair cut short, and are not permitted to use any artificial covering to the body. One trait is, perhaps, peculiar to the women of this country, and may be regarded by some as an indication of their good sense—that they have no taste for baubles, or, at all events, do not appear to desire them more than the men. With respect to articles of clothing, they are equally exempt from such incumbrances as the other sex:—

Happy the climate where the beau Wears the same suit for use and show, And at a small expense your wife, If once well pink'd, is clothed for life.

Their lords and masters contrive to keep them in great subjection, and accustom them to carry their burdens; they evince also a considerable degree of jealousy, and shew evident marks of displeasure, whenever strangers pay attentions to them. As, however, this is equally the case whether the lady be young or old, it is not improbable that it may, in some measure, arise from their considering it too great a condescension on their parts to notice persons whom they deem so inferior. They rarely brought them to the ship, and for some time did not allow them to appear at market. If we are to credit our people, some of the young women are great jilts, and very expert in wheedling them out of iron and other property, under pretence of admitting them into their favour, and then running away, with a laugh at their credulity.

Mr. Jeffery witnessed the following ludicrous occurrence. He went one day, for the purpose of barter, to a part of the shore eastward of Hay river, where the surf was too great to allow his boat to remain on the beach, and he was, therefore, compelled to lie off in deep water; this, however, did not prevent the natives from carrying on their traffic. Some young women, in particular, came off to the boat, bringing a calabash of palm-wine in each hand, and treading the water so soon as they were out of their depth. These they contrived to deliver safe, without the wine becoming in the slightest degree impregnated with the briny wave. One of these females, having been taken into the boat, began to ingratiate herself into the favour of an honest tar, who, nothing loath, seated her near him, with his arm around her neck. At this juncture, the boat beginning to move, she made a sudden plunge over the side, and nearly carried the astonished seaman into the water; in short, he only escaped a good ducking by laying fast hold of the seat. The lady now, in an instant, dived under the boat, and, reappearing at some distance on the opposite side, swam, laughing, to the shore, evidently much amused at Jack's surprise and disappointment.

This was not the only instance Mr. Jeffery met with of the superior talents of the fair sex, in swimming and diving. On one occasion, having thrown into the sea a few small pieces of iron which had been rejected in barter, a number of natives of both sexes dashed after them, with a view to their recovery, when it was evident that the females were the more active and successful.

To elucidate more fully the character of the native women, I shall conclude my account of them with the details of an occurrence which possesses enough of the romantic to be capable of exciting, in the hands of a better painter than I am, an interest in the bosoms of such of my fair readers as may delight in tales of love and jealousy, with their sequel of rage and revenge. A female, about twenty-five years of age, who resided at a village in the neighbourhood of our settlement, had been guilty of an offence, probably infidelity to her husband, which subjected her to the dreadful penalty of having her hands cut off. Hoping to avert this punishment, she adopted the resolution, accompanied by her child, a fine and engaging boy of two years old, of entering our lines, and throwing herself on our protection. Captain Harrison received her favourably, and, for additional safety, sent her on board the Eden, where she remained several days before any inquiry was made respecting her. Although evidently of much firmness and decision of character, her personal appearance was by no means attractive, the face being greatly seamed with scars, and the abdomen tattooed all over. Captain Owen directed her to be placed under the care of our European females, who, either from envy or the force of habit, not approving the Eve-like dress in which she came on board, immediately clothed her in blue cotton garments. The poor child of nature, unused to such incumbrance, which probably, in her opinion, served only to irritate the skin, and prevent the contact of the refreshing atmosphere, felt any thing but easy, or gratified with this addition to her circumstances, and availed herself, at first, of every opportunity to lay it aside; but our unrelenting countrywomen were equally zealous in persisting to replace it. At length, she either became more accustomed to it, or aware of the necessity of compliance with the wishes of her new friends; this effort was, however, not unaccompanied by some ludicrous occurrences: for instance, whenever her tormentors were out of sight, she lost no time in tucking the grievance up round the waist, and dropping it below the shoulders from above, thus leaving her limbs, and the general surface, as free as nature intended them to be. On being taken on shore some days after, and placed under the protection of the wife of a seaman who had charge of the guns and ordnance stores, she had become sufficiently reconciled to her new dress to wear it with less apparent inconvenience; she was, indeed, once caught tripping, having one evening taken an opportunity of throwing it off, when finding herself light and free, like a bird on the wing, she ran into the jungle, where she frisked about and enjoyed herself for some time; after which she returned to the seaman's hut, and resumed her dress.

When this woman had been with us about a week, her husband came to Captain Harrison, bearing with him a present of two calabashes of palm-wine, and a couple of fowls, intimating his wish to have the child restored to him. With regard to his wife, he at this time shewed no anxiety to recover her; he afterwards, however, returned with a deputation of chiefs, and expressed his wish to have both of them restored to him. This being represented to Captain Owen, in order to convince them that she was under no restraint, he conducted her to the boundary line, and, pointing first to her countrymen, and then to our settlement, gave her to understand that she was at liberty to make her choice. One of the chiefs now advanced, and taking her by the hand, evinced his intention of leading her away, but Captain Owen would not permit this without her free consent; and, that his presence might be no restraint, left her to walk with her husband on the outside of the boundary line, attended by a sailor armed with a musket. They had not walked many paces, before five natives started from the bush and attempted to carry her off by force, when she immediately ran towards the sailor, and putting her hand on his musket, intimated her wish that he would fire at them. He did so, and they all immediately scampered away as fast as they could, leaving her to return with the sailor to his hut. Foiled in this attempt, the husband soon after came again and induced her to permit him to stay the night with her, and to take away the child in the morning, under the promise of bringing it back next day; a promise which he failed to perform, and which rendered the lady so indignant, that, although he afterwards came to visit her himself, bringing some fowls and palm-wine as a peace-offering, she persisted in rejecting all compromise. This produced a violent quarrel, which ended in their parting in high wrath, the husband threatening to return in the night and inflict some dreadful vengeance upon her for it, but he did not dare to carry his threats into execution.

I regret that my circumstances do not permit me to investigate the general aspect and natural history of this island, as it abounds with many interesting subjects which would well repay the trouble of inquiry. It is to be hoped that Government will ere long send out some intelligent naturalist for the purpose. The general appearance of the island is rocky and volcanic; on the north-eastern extremity, where our settlement is situated, one mountain, named Clarence Peak, rises to the elevation of 10,655 feet above the level of the sea, the easiest ascent to which is from its eastern side, being only interrupted by a few valleys of no great depth, while the western side exhibits a series of chasms and precipices, the sides of which from the sea appear almost perpendicular. The southern part of the island, although the least populous, is very picturesquely mountainous, being broken into several peaks, each supposed to be from one to three thousand feet in elevation, with numerous streams and beautiful cataracts descending in various parts and directions. In consequence of the hilly nature of the country admitting of no lodgment of water, we have reason to believe that few marshes exist throughout the island, a circumstance which must contribute greatly to its salubrity.

The soil of that part of the country with which we are best acquainted, is of a red argillaceous nature, generally forming a stratum of nine or ten feet in thickness, lying over one of sandstone, in which are imbedded fragments of lava; the latter stratum, at Point William, appears to decline to the east, at an angle of ten or twelve degrees.

The whole of the island is most luxuriantly wooded, even to within three or four hundred feet of its highest peaks, while some cleared spots, particularly in the north-east part, which is the most populous and cultivated, affords evidences of its great fertility. There is an immense variety of timber, comprising some of the finest trees in the world. I have already mentioned the Indian-rubber tree as indigenous here. The island also produces a species of black pepper, and we have reason to believe that cloves and nutmegs are to be met with. Yams are cultivated in abundance; they are remarkably fine and large, and constitute the principal food of the natives. Of this root they prepare a food called foo-foo, made by beating a quantity of well boiled ones together for a long time in a wooden mortar, which forms it into a highly tenacious mass, somewhat similar to bird-lime, but this mode of preparing them is not peculiar to Fernando Po, for it is commonly practised among the African nations. There is also a variety of other edible plants, particularly the eddoe, which is well known in the West Indies, and whose leaves, when young, form a good substitute for spinach. It is in general use when yams are out of season. A few plantains have also been brought to us. Wild fruits, not generally known, are found here; but there do not appear to be any oranges, lemons, limes, pine-apples, bananas, sour-sop, or sugar-canes, which are peculiar to such climates.

The following is the mode adopted for procuring the sap of the palm-tree, commonly known by the name of palm-wine: the lower branches of the tree having been cut off near the trunk, the sap exudes abundantly from the extremity of the divided part, and is received in calabashes appended thereto, which are secured from the aggressions of insects by enclosing the mouth of the vessel with the end of the branch, by leaves, and secured with wooden pins. The natives are remarkably expert in ascending the tree for the purpose of attaching and removing the calabashes; to assist them, they make use of a hoop sufficiently large to encircle the trunk, and allow, also, the body to move freely within it. This the individual moves upwards or downwards whenever he wants to change the position of his feet, according as he wishes to ascend or descend.

The juice, when procured, is, in the first instance, sweet, and not unlike cyder, but rapidly undergoes a process of fermentation, by which, in the course of two or three hours, it acquires a slightly vinous flavour: in both those states I found it a very pleasant beverage. If procured in the morning,^[31] by the afternoon it becomes slightly acid, and, on the following morning, perfectly sour: sufficient alcohol is, however, formed to produce considerable exhilarating effect, when taken in even moderate quantity; but, when drank inordinately, it stupefies and intoxicates. The natives, notwithstanding they are fond of it, much to their credit, rarely abuse this bountiful gift of nature, and, in this respect, are well deserving of imitation by more civilized people.

The preparation of the palm-oil is conducted an follows:—A circular and slightly concave hole, about a yard in diameter and a foot deep, is made in the ground and paved with small stones. In this hole the palm-nuts are beaten into a pulp, and the oil afterwards extracted. It is then preserved and brought to market in native boxes, each containing from a quart to a gallon.

The island abounds with monkeys, which are eaten by the natives, many are of considerable size, some having been killed above 50 lb. weight. Several species have been noticed, particularly one with long, shaggy, jet-black hair; another with short silver-grey hair; and a third auburn, inclining to gold, with the hair of an intermediate length; so that it might be said we have gold and silver monkeys. The Kroomen, who are very partial to their flesh, hunt them successfully with sticks and stones. If any one makes them a present of a monkey, after feasting on the carcase, they thankfully return the skin, well dried.

The only domestic animal on the island is a dog of a peculiar cur species, very diminutive, and of a red and white colour; these we have reason to believe the natives eat, and they use the under jaw for a clapper to their rattles.

There is a great variety of fish; and also two species of turtle: viz. the green, and hawksbill; the former good for eating, and the latter only desirable for its shell.

It is now time that I revert to the proceedings which had taken place at the settlement during my absence. The increased confidence of the natives, and even violent proceedings, subsequently to our purchase of land and establishment of a market, have already been noticed: the numbers, indeed, which crowded within our boundary line, were immense; and their conduct in wandering about the settlement, with a view of inducing our people to make purchases, contrary to regulation, together with the irregularities arising from the temptation to sell their tools, to procure the means of privately feasting and tippling among the bushes, became so obnoxious, that Captain Owen determined to remove the market beyond the boundary line. He, therefore, directed the stakes to be removed, and took measures for preventing any number of natives from entering, in future, within the works, giving them to understand that no barter could be made, excepting at the place appointed for that purpose. The spot selected for the new market, was a point to the eastward beyond Hay River. Although much pains were taken to convince the chiefs of the advantages of this arrangement, it did not appear to give them satisfaction; as, for several days, few natives were to be seen on shore, and no canoes came off to the ship. It is probable that the chiefs were holding a conference respecting the affair, a mode of proceeding which they appear to adopt when any thing of moment occurs.

Two days afterwards Capt. Owen, accompanied by Capt. Harrison and Mr. Jeffery, went to examine the shore to the eastward of Hay River, and observing two canoes making towards a small cove, followed them, until they landed at a village near the beach, the inhabitants of which received him with every demonstration of friendly feeling, pawing the gentlemen of the party with their clayey hands, and pressing upon them so close, that they were also rubbing their bodies against their clothes. At the same time, that they thus expressed their welcome, they did not forget to solicit for iron, knives, and other presents. The chief occupation of the people of this village was fishing; and as, contrary to all other assemblages of the natives we had yet witnessed, the larger proportion present consisted of women, it is probable that the men were, at the time, engaged in that employment. Captain Owen purchased a few articles from them, and expressed his intention of establishing a market at the place; after which, he returned to his boat, both parties appearing satisfied with each other.

Our market was for some days afterwards carried on at the above village with reciprocal satisfaction, the supply of the several articles being abundant. It was soon, however, evident, that the tribes who were excluded by this arrangement, were by no means contented: and, as Captain Owen was anxious to do justice to the whole, by giving each a fair opportunity of barter, and as the immediate neighbourhood of the settlement was more convenient for the greatest assemblage of persons from the different tribes, he ordered, after first having a clear understanding with the chiefs, a new market-place to be fenced in, near the boundary line, which, from its situation and circumstances, ought to be regarded as neutral ground. This establishment of a neutral ground, was a measure of great importance and advantage, as we had now discovered that the natives are not only divided into distinct tribes, but that each tribe possesses a distinct portion of territory, and is extremely jealous of admitting others within its boundaries. The new market having been completed to-day, and a pole erected for the purpose of hoisting a flag, during the appointed hours of barter, it was opened about noon, with some ceremony, in consequence of hoisting, for the first time on this island, an Union-jack, under the hearty cheers of a large assembly, composed, perhaps, of as great a variety of people as ever before witnessed the first display of the British flag in a foreign land; comprising, besides our own countrymen and the inhabitants of the island, natives of various parts of Africa. The ceremony concluded by drinking palm-wine.

Monday, Nov. 26.—A circumstance unfortunately occurred to-day to interrupt the good understanding so lately established. One of our black labourers, who was occupied by himself in cutting wood within our lines, had drunk some palm-wine, which had been offered to him, without his having the means of paying for it; the natives, in consequence, forcibly took from him the bill-hook he was using. The theft having been communicated to Capt. Harrison, he assembled the chiefs who were at the market, and explained the affair, when two of them, Chameleon and Cut-throat, formed their respective followers into lines, each being armed with his equipment of spears; a parley now took place between the chiefs, who addressed their respective parties, with a view, no doubt, of finding out the thieves. A man, having the appearance of a priest, next harangued the whole body: each party in succession sang a war-song, the chiefs going on one, and the men on both knees. Each party now marched three times round a space which described a circle; after which, those under Chameleon suddenly started off at full speed, and were immediately followed by Cut-throat and his party, to the boundary of Hay River. The stragglers of the former, in their flight, disencumbered themselves of their yams, and calabashes of palm-wine, which the others, on coming up, amused themselves with breaking to pieces. Thus ended this curious specimen of war-like movements, which might appropriately be called the Battle of the Calabashes; and is sufficient to prove that a system of organization exists among the people, and confirms our former opinions on this subject: for, on our first landing at Baracouta, we perceived they had guards regularly stationed to watch and follow our movements. This system, I have some reason to believe, extends itself into the heart of the country, for, during my visit in the interior, I was sensible the people were running about at all hours of the night, ready for action. This may probably be the result of necessity, as the different tribes, if we are to judge from the numerous large scars in various parts of the body, are evidently engaged in frequent warfare with each other.

Tuesday, 27.—Mr. Jeffery held a market to-day, at the village near the beach; but an old chief, who had been named Bottle-nose, was apparently, out of humour, probably in consequence of the affair at the border-market the day before.

Wednesday, 28.—At the conclusion of the market, which was held at the Bottle-nose village to-day, a party of chiefs came hallooing after Mr. Jeffery, at the moment of his leaving the shore, but he did not offer to return. They then followed along the beach in the direction of his boat, until they nearly reached Hay River. He now perceived they held something in their hands, which they gave him to understand, by signs, was intended for him. This induced him to pull for the shore again, when he found they had brought back the unfortunate bill-hook that had been carried away on the preceding Monday: the men who had stolen it, however, were not forthcoming. Mr. Jeffery conducted them to Clarence, where an interview took place between Captains Owen and Harrison, and some of the chiefs, at which the former directed a couple of iron hoops to be given as a reward for the recovery of the bill-hook. After this, several chiefs came on board, bringing with them a sheep as a peace-offering, which the Captain immediately ordered to be killed for their own entertainment. In this operation, they assisted very effectually; for one of them took his knife, and after skinning the head and neck, the animal being yet alive, cut its throat and extracted the windpipe, which was given to our friend Cut-throat, who first slapped it for some time about his shoulders, and afterwards, having merely warmed it on the fire, devoured it voraciously. The skin being removed, others of the natives tore off with their teeth, and ate the portions of raw flesh which remained attached to it; while some cut off portions from the animal, and disposed of them in the same manner. The remainder of the body was partially dressed on the coals, and dispatched by the party generally. Notwithstanding this demonstration of their high relish for raw meat, it is remarkable that two of the chiefs, Cut-throat and Good-tempered Jack, who were honoured with a second dinner at Captain Owen's table, when presented with meat supposed to be done to their taste, shewed a repugnance to it, and wished it to be put on the fire again. Cut-throat had shewn so much disinterested zeal in our favour, on various occasions, and particularly in the affair of the bill-hook, that Captain Owen took the opportunity of rewarding him for it, by presenting him with some iron, and a pair of shoes. It is singular, that he is the only native we have, as yet, been conversant with, who never begged for any thing.

Thursday, 29.—Our little establishment (considering the few hands, and the many irons we have in the fire,) is making a rapid progress. The greatest activity pervades every department. The whole of our people, whether ashore or afloat, live uncommonly well, having plenty of yams and palm-wine served out to them daily, with fowls and fish occasionally, which are extra provisions, supplied gratuitously; the former being purchased from the natives with iron hoop, the latter taken by our fishermen. We have also caught a few hawksbill, and green turtle, and occasionally dig turtles' eggs from the sand on the beach.

Saturday, Dec. 1.—Our establishment has hitherto been remarkably healthy; the sickness which has occurred, being almost entirely the result of accidental wounds, or the bites of musquitos and sand-flies; the latter, being irritated by rubbing, have produced, in some instances, very serious sores, which have baffled the greatest attention of our surgeons: one feature in these ulcers is, that frequent changes of applications are required, no individual remedy appearing to agree, at farthest, for more than five days; generally, but three or four; nor has any kindly disposition to heal shewn itself, until a degree of salivation has been produced, by giving the patient a grain of calomel, night and morning. Both my companions in the country are unfortunately on the sick list,—Elwood, with remittent fever, with which he was seized immediately after his return; the other, Debenham, in consequence of getting his legs bitten by insects. I have myself, thank God, escaped without illness or injury of any kind.

Sunday, 2.—Two chiefs, Cut-throat and Bottle-nose, with some other natives of consequence, dined with Captain Owen to-day, who was entertaining a party of the officers and other gentlemen attached to the establishment. The natives always appear particularly gratified in being allowed to dine on board, and Captain Owen, as a matter of policy, in tending to promote a friendly intercourse, frequently indulges them in this way; it is offering, however, no trifling sacrifice at the shrines of the gods of friendship and cleanliness, to sit down with them, for their bodies not unfrequently emitted a most offensive odour, particularly when much heated by exertion, and the influence of a tropical climate. Imagine the action of these upon a mixture of perspiration, rancid palm-oil, clay and dust, the whole producing an effluvium little inferior to that which Sir John Falstaff describes to have been generated in his ducking-basket, 'The rankest compound of villanous smells that ever offended nostrils.' Besides, as our guests were all dressed in buff, it was necessary to clean, after them, the chairs and other places on which they might happen to sit. Cut-throat, and one of his tribe, slept on board, on a sail placed between two guns.

Monday, 3.—After breakfast, our visitors took their leave, accompanied by Mr. Jeffery, who, in consequence of a previous arrangement, was going to spend a couple of days with them, at a village about eight miles in the country, and from which he returned at the expiration of the appointed time, well pleased with the attention and hospitality that had been shewn him. A remuneration of bar-iron was the price of these civilities.

Our fishing party have taken in their seine to-day, two flying-fish of the gurnet species, and a hawksbill turtle. A party of natives from King Cove, headed by a chief named Toby Limp, came on board with a native woman, who was far advanced in that happy teeming state which is peculiar to females in all parts of the world. This was, in fact, one of the few instances of any female coming on board: for, although old Bottle-nose had once brought two alongside the ship, he kept them concealed at the bottom of his canoe: we have some reason, however, to believe that his original intention was to have honoured us with a full introduction, but that he waived it in consequence of finding the chief of another tribe in close conference with Captain Owen. With respect to Mr. Toby Limp's lady, the general opinion, drawn from various signs and appearances, was, that she was intended as a sort of present, or peace-offering, to the Captain; and what amused us exceedingly, was the peculiar mode which Toby adopted of recommending her more fully to his good opinion, by frequently passing his hand over her abdomen, while, regarding Captain Owen with a most animated countenance, he seemed to express something like the following: 'Look here! surely this is worthy of your attention.' But, however powerful the native charms of this lady might have been, and in spite of the above felicitous mode of 'showing her off,' the speculation proved totally ineffectual. Another circumstance concurred in diminishing the effect of any impression that might have been made, namely, that three or four clay-coloured chiefs appeared to be co-partners with Mr. Toby in the affections of the lady. The whole party passed the night together on board, between two guns. So much for the delicacy of sentiment among savages.

The following is a specimen of the delicacy of this people in another respect. On the occasion of Captain Owen visiting the brother of the King of Baracouta, a calabash of palm-wine was produced, which, in consequence of some imperfection in the vessel, leaked out its contents; in order to cure this defect, the hospitable chief took off his hat, and, scraping with his thumb-nail a portion of the clay and grease from his head, effectually checked further leakage, with this veritable Fernando Po cement.

Tuesday, 4.—An increase in the number of the sick has been reported to-day, several of the men on board, and of the mechanics and labourers on shore being affected with ulcers of the hospital gangrene kind. One seaman of the Eden, has had his leg amputated above the knee, in consequence of the nature of the ulceration. Having gone on shore this morning, I had the pleasure of finding the works in rapid progress; the floor plates were being laid in one of the frame houses; the roof of a large saw-pit was also being put on; while a great part of the labourers were occupied in bringing up some frames of houses which had lately been landed from the transport. We were treated to-day with a monkey for dinner, cooked in the manner of an Irish stew, with yams as a substitute for potatoes: I must admit that I found it by no means a disagreeable food, which is not to be wondered at from its being a very clean animal, living on vegetable substances. Our fishermen have taken one green, and one hawksbill turtle; also a skate, weighing ninety pounds; and two buckets full of other fish of various descriptions, principally mullet.

Lieutenant Vidal brought a native on board, charged with the following crimes: namely, stealing a dinner knife from on board the steam-vessel; and an attempt, in conjunction with others, to plunder our forge, on Adelaide Island. Lieutenant Vidal, fortunately passing in that direction, observed a canoe lying on the beach. This he secured. The men belonging to it, however, contrived to make their escape in another canoe, but left behind them two of their hats. The prisoner had the audacity to venture on board the steam-vessel, in hopes of recovering the lost canoe; he was immediately attempted to be seized, but he contrived, in consequence of his greasy skin, to give our men the slip, and effect his escape. Yet he was not deterred from making a second attempt, having, as he imagined, sufficiently disguised himself with a different hat and head-dress; but he was immediately recognised, and, having been enticed into the cabin, effectually secured. Captain Owen ordered him to be put into irons, with the intention of keeping him under confinement for a week, and then dismissing him with some slight punishment.

Wednesday, 5.—A brig was observed in the offing which had the appearance of a slaver. The steam-vessel was immediately ordered in chase, and returned in the evening, reporting her to be an English brig, from Liverpool, bound for the Cameroons.

Thursday, 6.—Our tender, the Horatio, sailed this week for Sierra Leone. Among other supernumeraries sent in her, were a serjeant and two privates of the Royal African Corps. The conduct of these men was so notoriously bad, that Captain Owen apprehended their example would corrupt the black soldiers with whom they were associated. I cannot avoid again calling in question the policy of our Government in sending out condemned soldiers to the Colonial African Corps; for nothing tends more to degrade the general character of our country, in the opinion of the native Africans, who are too apt to form their estimate of our morality, from these specimens of their masters.

Friday, 7.—The unloading of the transport which came with us from England was completed to-day. Among other stores, she brought out the frames of a block-house; six large and ten small dwelling-houses; six long eighteen pounders, and two long nines.

Saturday, 8.—Lieutenant Caldwell, of the Royal Marines, died this morning, and was buried at four in the afternoon. He had never been in health since our departure from England, or even been on shore, excepting for an hour or two at Sierra Leone. He was to have returned by the first opportunity to England, and, with that view, had, previously to his death, been removed from the Eden to the steam-vessel.

Monday, 10.—Our fishing party took to-day no less than ten turtle in their seine. The native prisoner having now been confined six days out of the seven awarded him. Captain Owen thought it better to inflict his intended punishment of thirty-nine lashes to-day, in order that his immediate rage might have time to subside, before being set at liberty on the morrow. It was accordingly carried into effect; and, although he made a most lusty bellowing on the occasion, the whip-cord appeared to make very little impression on his thick skin. I believe he deemed himself peculiarly fortunate in coming off so well, as, judging from his signs, he expected, at least, to have had his throat cut. During his confinement, he roared and blubbered frequently, particularly whenever he was sensible of any canoe approaching the ship. His countrymen, however, appeared to care little about him; on the contrary, they frequently mimicked his noises, as if in ridicule. His father, indeed, and one or two other relatives, took some interest in his fate, and offered ransom for him.

Tuesday, Dec. 11.—Captain Owen, at an early hour, went on board the steam-vessel to commence his intended survey of the island, and did me the honour of inviting me to accompany him. At seven o'clock we left Maidstone Bay, and proceeded towards a place to the eastward of Point William, where Captain Owen intended to land his native prisoner, and from whence he was expecting to receive on board Cut-throat, Bottle-nose, and another chief, known by the name of Good-tempered Jack. The two latter only kept their promise, but, on coming on board, they were so impressed with fear and astonishment, particularly when the paddles began to move, that their hearts failed them, and they retreated to the boat with all possible celerity. The prisoner was allowed to accompany them; but no sooner did the boat approach the shore, than, doubting the reality of his freedom, until entirely out of our reach, he jumped overboard, and, alternately swimming and diving, as if to elude pursuit, he, at length, reached the shore. About a week afterwards, he ventured to make his appearance on the beach, accompanied by Bottle-nose, but was careful not to approach our party, until the officer on duty threw out a signal of encouragement, when he came forward, exchanged his palm-wine for iron hoop, and afterwards joined in the laugh with those around him.

Pursuing our voyage, about noon, a party of natives were observed on the beach, and Capt. Owen determined on paying them a visit, ordering a boat to be lowered for the purpose. Unfortunately, however, it being necessary, while in the act of lowering, to make a few retrograde strokes of the paddle, the boat was drawn into the vortex on the right hand, and nearly cut in two. By this accident, one of the seamen who were in it, was thrown within the paddle, but, miraculously, taken out unhurt; another made his escape on board the vessel; while two more were set adrift in the sea; they were, however, soon picked up by a second boat, which was instantly lowered, and which also succeeded in recovering the wreck of the first. On approaching the shore, the surf was found to be so strong, that Captain Owen was obliged to communicate with the natives from the boat.

A few yams were purchased for some pieces of iron-hoop, which the natives were so eager to become possessed of, that, daring the exchange, they trembled exceedingly from the intensity of their desire. A piece was intentionally thrown into the sea, with the view of giving them a scramble: they all immediately darted with the utmost eagerness into the water, and exerted themselves most strenuously, until one had the luck to find it; when the remainder left him in quiet possession, without evincing the slightest disposition to deprive him of his treasure.

A small island lay off the shore of this place, which Capt. Owen did not consider of sufficient importance to induce him to give it a name. We now continued our survey along the south-eastern side of the island, advancing at the rate of six or seven miles an hour, until half-past five in the evening, when we arrived a-breast of the south-eastern point (Cape Barrow): we then took our bearings, let the steam down, and stood off the land, under easy sail, for the night.

Wednesday, Dec. 12.—An hour after midnight we tacked, and stood towards the land; at daylight, got the steam on, and furled the sails, and at eight in the morning we were off the same point at which our survey of the previous evening had concluded, the current having, during the night, carried us to the south-west, at the rate of about a mile and a half per hour. The part of the island we were now coasting along, was possessed of a very considerable degree of sublimity, the shore being bold and rocky, with various picturesque cataracts descending from the mountains; and the whole face of the country having a wild appearance. During the forenoon, we had two high peaks in view, one of which Captain Owen named after Dr. Burn, the surgeon of the Eden, who first observed it. About half-past ten, we passed a snug little cove, where the natives were occupied in building canoes, and where we observed a considerable quantity of wood piled up, intended for making paddles. Soon afterwards, we passed the entrance of a river, which, out of compliment to myself, Captain Owen named Holman River. A remarkably large stone lay on the beach near its mouth. At noon, we were off a bluff cape, which received the name of Cape Eden. At this time our previously fine weather disappeared, and we had, throughout the remainder of the day, a very hazy atmosphere, with occasional rain.

About one o'clock, a rakish-looking schooner made her appearance, which, from her manoeuvres, such as frequently altering her course, as if she wished to avoid us, we suspected to be a slave-vessel; we, therefore, made full sail in chase, and at three o'clock, had approached near enough to fire a gun at her, when she immediately hoisted English colours, brought to, and proved to be the African, Captain John Smith, twenty-five days from Sierra Leone, and seven from Cape Coast Castle, laden with provisions for the colony, and having on board Hospital-Assistant Cowen, of the Medical Staff, who had volunteered to join the establishment. Captain Owen, having received his letters, ordered her to proceed to Maidstone Bay, while we stood in for George's Bay, on the western side of the island, where we came to anchor soon after four o'clock.

Thursday, Dec. 13.—Soon after breakfast, Dr. Burn landed with three men, and proceeded to a native village, about three miles from the beach, where he was kindly received by an elderly chief, who appeared well acquainted with our countrymen. He could pronounce 'King George,' and a few other English words, and wore as an ornament, suspended from his neck, a brass plate, which had belonged to the cap of a soldier of the Royal African Corps; he had also another brass plate with G.R. upon it. This chief, with his son, accompanied Dr. Burn on board, and was entertained by Captain Owen with fish, yams, and palm-wine; at length, he began to express much anxiety to be gone, and was sent on shore. During the morning, Captain Owen and Lieutenant Badgeley occupied themselves with surveying the bay: after this, we went ashore, when many of the natives assembled round us, and behaved themselves very civilly, although they were, as usual, importunate for iron; offering in exchange yams, palm-wine, fowls, &c. &c. Only one canoe came off to us at this place, containing twelve men, who had a few yams with them, which they appeared very indifferent about parting with; at least, they demanded very exorbitant prices, as a piece of iron for a single yam, for which, at Maidstone Bay, we could have purchased eight or ten. We caught here a large dog-fish, a species of ground shark.

Friday, Dec. 14.—At day-break we were again under weigh, and stood out of George's Bay, making a little to the southward of it, for the purpose of resuming our survey at the point where we left off on the preceding day, in order to give chase to the schooner; we then returned into the bay, running close along, and surveying its shores, leaving it at its northern extremity, and passing round Goat Island; we then stood for Maidstone Bay, where we anchored at one in the afternoon, having surveyed the intermediate coast, as well us the whole extent of the bay, from Cape Bullen to Point William, from whence we had commenced the survey. Thus we completed the circumnavigation of the island.

I shall conclude my account of this short voyage, by giving a few of the geographical and meteorological observations, which have been made since our arrival, with every due attention to accuracy.

Names of Places. N. lat. E. lon.

Cape Bullen 3° 47' 3" 8° 39' 4"

Point William, or Clarence Town 3° 45' 8" 8° 45' 0"

Cape Horatio 3° 46' 25" 8° 54' 4"

Cape Barrow 3° 11' 5" 8° 40' 4"

Point Charles (S.W. of St. George's Bay) 3° 26' 9" 8° 27' 7"

Goat Island (N.E. of St. George's Bay) 3° 26' 9" 8° 32' 8"

Cape Badgeley, or West Point 3° 19' 0" 8° 24' 7"

Cape Vidal, or East Point 3° 39' 3" 8° 56' 3"

Peak of Clarence Mountain 3° 34' 6" 8° 41' 5"

Peak of the Cameroon Mountain, on the Mainland of Africa 4° 13' 5" 9° 9' 5"

The Cameroon Mountain bears, from Clarence Peak, N. 32 deg. 30 min. E. at a distance of 48 miles; and from Clarence Town, N. 27 deg. E., the distance being 31½ miles; while the nearest point from the mainland is only about 20 miles. From the proximity of this island to the equinoctial, there is only 14 minutes difference between the longest and shortest day; and the temperature is so equable, that the thermometer, throughout the year, never varies more than 10 degrees in the 24 hours. The spring-tides have a rise and fall between seven and eight feet; and it is high water all round the island, at the full and change of the moon, at half after four o'clock. During our absence, the first house erected in the settlement, had been completed; and Mr. Glover, who was to inhabit it, had invited his friends to the house-warming on the day of our return. This house consisted of only one floor, twenty feet square, and built on piles, with a store-room beneath, the sides of which are constituted by the piles. Ten other houses, of similar form and dimensions, are in progress of construction, besides six larger ones, of forty feet square, and the block-house, which measures fifty by thirty; the whole consisting of single floors, with store-rooms underneath.

Saturday, Dec. 15.—The system of labour among the workmen is, to commence at six in the morning, and leave off at eleven for dinner, recommencing at one, and concluding at half-past five; after which, during the remainder of the day, they are allowed to amuse themselves. The labourers and mechanics have been formed into a militia corps, under the command of Capt. Harrison, with the rank of Major, and are occasionally taught to march en militaire, and exercised with the pike, which is, at present, their only weapon; the Eden, having but twenty muskets to spare, which have been distributed among the artificers who came out with us from England.

This afternoon, our transport, the Diadem, sailed for Cape Coast Castle. In the evening, the bugles at Clarence sounded an alarm, in consequence of the flames of some burning brush-wood accidentally communicating with one of the huts. It was fortunately soon extinguished, without any serious injury having been sustained.

Monday, Dec. 17.—The Diadem, which sailed on Saturday, was detained during the whole of yesterday within sight of the island; but, about noon to-day, a fresh wind springing up from the eastward, she was soon out of sight. A few days since, our gardener, while digging in Paradise, turned up a Spanish copper-coin of Charles III., dated 1774, probably a relic of some ship which had touched here for water.

Tuesday, Dec. 18.—Anderson, a black soldier of the Royal African Corps, whom I have previously mentioned as an interpreter on our arrival here, was to-day found sleeping on his post, and committed to the guard-house, from whence he contrived to escape into the woods, with a view of seeking protection from the natives. Another black soldier was punished this morning for having quitted his post, and lost his musket, a few days since, in the following manner. A party of Kroomen being employed in cutting down wood, some of the natives contrived to steal an axe and bill-hook. The theft, however, was immediately detected, and a scuffle ensued, during which this soldier, who was a sentinel near the spot, threw down his musket, and ran away. The musket was taken possession of by a native, but subsequently recovered by a Krooman, not, however, without his first receiving a severe cut on his hand by the knife of the native. After throwing a few spears, one of which slightly wounded the head Krooman, the natives got clear off with the bill-hook and axe. A spear was also thrown at Mr. Davis, the master's assistant, who was accidentally passing at the time, and whom one of the natives had even the audacity to attempt to make prisoner; a fate which he only escaped, from his shirt giving way under the grasp.

When this affair was made known to Captain Harrison, he immediately proceeded to the market-place, and finding some chiefs there, communicated to them what had happened. Cut-throat, who was present, instantly arose, and, after making a speech to his countrymen, formed them into line, each being armed with the usual number of spears. After singing a war-song, and making three circular tours, or evolutions, the whole started off in quest of the thieves, and, in less than an hour, returned with the axe and bill-hook. Some few days after this event, one of the natives, who had taken an active part in it, had the effrontery to enter our lines for the purpose of selling his palm-wine, when he was immediately secured by the Kroomen, and conducted a prisoner to Captain Harrison, who sent him on board the Eden, where he was put into irons; however, this man had committed a previous offence, namely, having struck Mr. Jeffery two severe blows with a stick, about a month since, which compelled him to give up the pursuit of a fellow, who had been endeavouring to impose two calabashes of water upon him, instead of palm-wine.

During the last week, we have had little communication with the natives, and our supplies of palm-wine, &c., have consequently run short. This circumstance, we are informed, is attributable to their being occupied in the yam-plantations. I am inclined to infer, that, if the necessity really exists for thus employing the whole of the inhabitants in the culture of this root, the population of the island is not so great as we have been led to consider it.

Wednesday, 19.—At half-past one this morning, a loud splash was heard in the water, succeeded by the cry of, 'A man overboard.' A boat was immediately sent, and from the phosphorescence of the water, some one was discovered swimming towards the shore. On approaching him, he turned round in the direction of the Eden; and, when within twenty yards of the ship, he all at once disappeared, and was not seen afterwards. On inquiry, it was found that the native prisoner who had been confined in irons on the forecastle, for his participation in the affray I have so lately described, had contrived to effect his escape. To accomplish this, he had put his hand down the scuttle over the coppers, and taken from thence the iron that turns the handles of the dischargers. With the point of this he had contrived to break off one of the sides of the padlock which secured his fetters, and thus setting himself at liberty, he crossed the deck to the gangway, opposite to where the sentry was placed, when he mounted the railings, and immediately plunged into the sea. It is singular, with respect to this prisoner, that his countrymen shewed very little solicitude about him: and we therefore had reason to think that he was no favourite with them. When they did inquire after him, it was to know whether we had not cut his throat. The King of Baracouta's brother once asked Captain Owen what he intended to do with him; and, on being informed that he meant to keep him for a time in irons, and then, after a gentle flagellation, dismiss him, expressed his astonishment at this lenity, and made signs that we ought to cut his throat. It is true we sometimes had, as might be expected, very different versions of the signs of these natives; but, in the present instance, they could not well be misunderstood.

Captain Owen, attended by a small party of marines, went on shore at an early hour, to hold a Court of Inquiry on twelve African soldiers, for refusing to attend the punishment of their comrade (an Ashantee) on the preceding day. They were found guilty, and sentenced to receive three hundred lashes each. After a part of this punishment had been inflicted, they were sent on board the Eden.

Thursday, 20.—Anderson, the African soldier, who escaped from confinement on Tuesday, was met in the woods this morning by a serjeant of his company, to whom he immediately surrendered himself, and who placed him under charge of another soldier. Apprehensive, however, of the consequences of his double offence, he shortly after contrived to give his guard the slip, and again effected his escape. The above mentioned serjeant also detected a labourer in the act of lowering a piece of iron from a cliff, with the intention of selling it to the natives, whose canoes were lying off the beach. Having first secured the offender, he then fired his musket at one of the canoes, without injuring, or intending to injure, the men whom it contained, and the aim was so unerring, that the ball penetrated through the bottom of the canoe, in such a manner that it immediately began to fill with water; this terrified the natives so much, that they all leaped overboard, and swimming to another canoe, left their own, with her cargo of sheep, fowls, &c. to its fate. This might truly be termed a good hit.

In the afternoon I went on shore at Adelaide Point, where, it is said, the Spaniards had a battery. Whether this be true or not, the spot is well adapted for one; it is now entirely covered over with remarkably thick brushwood, which Captain Owen has ordered to be cleared off, with the intention of forming a road, through the woods, to Longfield. Hospital-Assistant Cowen found to-day a silver Spanish coin, in Paradise, near the same spot where the copper one before mentioned was discovered, and which bears the same date.

Friday, 21.—This morning, Matthew Elwood died, after an illness of 25 days. His complaint was a remittent fever, taken on our short journey into the interior. On the third day after our return, he took to his bed, from which he never rose again, excepting on the day previous to his death, when, under a state of mental aberration, he secretly took off his shirt, and threw himself from out of the port-hole near his bed into the sea; he was soon taken up, but his delirium continued until he expired. At five this afternoon he was buried in Paradise. My other companion, John Debenham, has also been ill ever since our return, with an ulcerated leg, occasioned by the bites of insects, and which, at present, shews little disposition to heal.

Saturday, 22.—A sheep was killed this morning, one of whose hind quarters weighed four pounds and two ounces, and which, although not fat, was the largest native sheep we have yet met with. About a fortnight since five were slaughtered, which altogether weighed but sixty pounds, and, consequently, averaged only twelve pounds each.

Sunday, 23.—During the last week we have experienced much thunder and lightning. Our fishermen attribute their want of success to this cause; for the fishery has been unusually unproductive. Early this morning it began to rain, and for an hour continued to do so more heavily than any of us had before witnessed, after which; a smaller rain continued until eleven o'clock, when it cleared off, and the remainder of the day was fine. In the evening, a number of native fishing boats assembled between Point William, and the Eden, and as their proceedings on the occasion particularly attracted our attention, I shall take this opportunity of describing the peculiar method of fishing which they make use of.

A number of canoes, containing from three to twelve men, put out to sea, to look for a shoal of fish; when discovered, they surround it on all sides, shouting and splashing the water with their paddles in every direction, endeavouring to drive it towards a centre. This done, they commence fishing, using for the bait a small fish with which they are previously provided, and they occasionally throw a few of these into the midst of the shoal. The fish appear to take this bait very eagerly; but, as the hooks which the natives use, are made of bone or nails, and without barbs,^[32] not more than half the number struck in the first instance, are eventually secured. Two men paddle the canoe in the direction of the shoal, while the remainder are occupied in fishing. Captain Owen went in his boat, and pulled towards the party; we were much interested with their operations and success. At his invitation, after the fishing had concluded, one of the canoes brought us some very fine ones, a species of bream, weighing from two to three pounds each. This was the first time I ever knew fish caught, in deep water at sea, with a rod and line.

Monday, Dec. 24.—In the course of the day, a party of natives brought on board three black men, inhabitants of the Island of St. Thomas, who, six months before, had taken refuge in Fernando Po, under the following circumstances:—During the time they were engaged in fishing, a strong wind arose, which drove them out to sea. Unable to contend against the power of the gale, they deemed it prudent to keep the canoe before it, and even assist with their paddles, in hopes of sooner falling in with land, and thus escape starvation. In this manner they continued drifting for eight days without fresh water, or any kind of provisions, excepting the few fish they had caught before the gale arose, the greater part of which were thrown overboard, in consequence of their getting into a state of excessive putridity. At length they came in sight of Fernando Po. Some of the natives came off to them in their canoes, and took them ashore on the eastern part of the island. Here they had been compelled to remain, devoid of all hopes of returning, until they saw our steam-vessel making its late circumnavigation of the island. This opened to them a new and cheering prospect; and they determined to attempt reaching our settlement overland, by travelling at night, and secreting themselves during the day, in order that the natives might not interrupt their escape. Previously to the discovery of our steam-vessel, they had frequently heard the reports of our morning and evening gun: this had led them to the belief, that some Europeans were resident on the island, and now afforded them the proper line of direction for their march. After travelling for three nights, and at the time of their approaching our settlement, they were discovered by the natives, who, in the first instance, attempted to force them back to their former residence. The poor creatures, however, made so much noise and resistance, that, apprehending the fact would transpire and excite our displeasure, it was at length determined to conduct them to us. One of them was a Fantee, and had resided at the Dutch settlement of Elmina, where a black man of our party, who was no less a personage than a son of the King of Cape Coast, although now discharging the humble office of gun-room steward of the Eden, had frequently seen him.

At the time these men arrived on board, several natives were with us, and among the rest, our friend Cut-throat. No sooner did the Fantee fix his eyes upon him, than, to the astonishment of all present, they began to flash with indignation, while the countenance of Cut-throat assumed proportionably the expression of sheepishness. The cause of this proved to be, that, when they first landed on the island, our old friend had stolen a shirt from him; in other respects, however, I believe they had little reason to complain of the treatment they experienced: for they had not been compelled to work, excepting occasionally assisting in fishing, and they had been permitted to reside by themselves; it is true, on the other hand, that they had little hospitality to be grateful for, having been compelled to subsist on a scanty supply of yams and palm-wine.