A Voyage Round the World, Vol. I (of ?) by James Holman

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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.
_Anne_, 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:--

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