Observations Upon the Windward Coast of Africa Part 3

The river of Sierra Leone abounds in fish, and the spermaceti whale has been occasionally found, the shark, the porpoise, eels, mackarel, mullet, snappers, yellow tails, cavillos, tenpounders, &c. with the _mannittee_, a singular ma.s.s of shapeless flesh, having much the taste of beef, which the natives greatly esteem, and consider the highest offering they can make.

Oysters are found in great abundance, attached to the interwoven twigs and branches of the mangrove tree, to which they closely cling; and of the zoophytes, there is the common sponge to be found upon the sandy beaches, on the Boolum sh.o.r.e, and would, no doubt, bring a high price in England.

The domestic animals of the adjoining countries are, cattle, sheep, goats, hogs, ducks, turkeys, and fowls, very inferior, however, to those in Europe. The beasts of prey are, lions, leopards, hyaenas, wild hogs in abundance, squirrels, monkies, antelopes, &c. with the civet and zibeth cats, and a most extraordinary animal, which is found in the mountains of Sierra Leone and the adjacent countries, a species of the ourang outang, called by the natives, j.a.panzee, or chimpanzee, but approaching nearer to the anatomy of the human frame than the former animal. Some of them, when full grown, are nearly 5 feet, and are covered with black hair, long on the back, but thin and short upon the belly and breast; the face is quite bare, and the hands and feet resemble those of man; its countenance is remarkably grave, similar to that of an old black man, but its ears are straight; it will imitate a human being in walking, sleeping, eating, and drinking, and is certainly a most singular production of nature. Surgeon Burrowes, whom I have before mentioned, had a perfect skeleton of this animal, which, he a.s.sured me, differed in nothing from the human, but in the spine, it being curved. This skeleton, I believe, now forms a part of the collection of Surgeon-General Keate.

There are, of amphibious animals, green turtles, hawk's bills, and loggerheads, which grow to a great size, some of them weighing several hundred pounds, land turtles, fresh water turtles, alligators, extremely voracious, and from 12 to 15 feet in length; they will swallow a man, and at Bance Island Negro boys have been frequently s.n.a.t.c.hed up by them from the sh.o.r.e. There are also a variety of the lizard species, with the guava, and camelion.

Snakes abound; some of them haunt the houses in the night, and prowl about for poultry, of which they are fond; some have been found to measure above 18 feet; and I have the skin of one in my possession, killed when young, above 10 feet in length; it is that species which swallows its prey entire; several animals were found in their perfect state when the one I allude to was cut open.

There is also an immense animal of this species, which I have heard the natives of this part of the coast describe, often exceeding 30 feet in length, and of an enormous size; it is variegated with spots, and the head is covered with scales; the tongue is fleshy and forked, but its bite is not poisonous; it is to be found in the recesses of caves and thickets, from whence it suddenly darts upon its victim, whether man or beast: it frequently chooses a tree, from which it reconnoitres the pa.s.sing objects, supporting itself by the tail, which it twists round the trunk or branches: when it seizes animals, especially those of the larger kind, such as lions, tigers, &c. it dexterously, and almost instantaneously twists itself round their bodies in several folds, and by its powerful muscular force, breaks the bones, and bruises it in all its parts; when this is done it covers the animal with a viscous cohesive saliva, by licking its body with its tongue, which facilitates the power of swallowing it entire; this process is tedious, and it gradually sucks in the body, which, if large, renders it incapable of moving for some time, until it digests; and this is the period which the hunters watch to destroy it: it makes a hissing noise like a serpent, and has recourse to a variety of expedients to conceal itself; it is called by the natives _Tinnui_, and is what I apprehend naturalists term the species of _Boa constrictor_: it is most commonly found in the sultry climates of Africa, and I believe is also an inhabitant of Asia and America.

Insects are extremely numerous, of a nondescript species, and exceedingly beautiful: the most singular are termites, destructive to houses and fences built of wood; ants, causing ruin to provisions; c.o.c.kroaches and crickets, destroying leather, linen, and clothes; musquitos, sand-flies, centipedes, scorpions; and wild bees, which are very productive of honey. The vermis and large barnacles abound, which are so destructive to shipping without copper bottoms.

Esculent vegetables are various: Rice, which forms the chief part of the African's sustenance. The rice-fields or _lugars_ are prepared during the dry season, and the seed is sown in the tornado season, requiring about four or five months growth to bring it to perfection.

Yams, a nutritious substance, known in the West Indies.

_Ca.s.sada_ or _ca.s.sava_, a root, of a pleasant taste when roasted or boiled, and makes an excellent cake, superior in whiteness to flour.

Papaw, of a deep green in its growth, but yellqw when ripe, and is an excellent dish when boiled; its leaves are frequently used by the natives for soap; ropes are made of the bark.

Oranges and limes are in great abundance, and of superior quality, throughout the year; but lemons degenerate much in their growth, and in a few years are scarcely to be distinguished from the latter. Guavas, pumpkins, or pumpions, squash water mellons, musk mellons, and cuc.u.mbers, grow in the greatest perfection. The pumpkins grow in wild exuberance throughout the year, and make a good pudding or pie.

Indian corn, or maize, may be reaped several times throughout the year, only requiring about three months growth.

Millet, with a multiplicity too tedious to enumerate.

Sugar canes are not very abundant, but are of a good quality, which, under careful management and industry, would, no doubt, yield productive returns.

Coffee trees, of different nondescript species, only requiring the same interference.

Dyes, of infinite variety and superior texture: yellow is procured from the b.u.t.ter and tallow tree, producing a juice resembling gamboge, but more cohesive, and of a darker colour; the wood of this tree is firm, and adapted to a variety of purposes; its fruit is about the size of a tennis ball, nearly oval, thick in the rind, and of a pleasant acid taste, containing several seeds about the size of a walnut, and yielding a viscous substance used by the natives in their food. Red and black are procured from a variety of other trees and plants; and indigo growing in wild exuberance, particularly in the rivers more to the northward.

Cotton, in great varieties, requiring only cultivation to raise it to perfection and amount. The natives manufacture from it a narrow cloth, which is made from thread, spun in a manner similar to the distaff.

A species of silk cotton, or ether down, is produced on a large tree, called the pullam tree. The quant.i.ty which the usual size bears may be computed at about 4 cwt. in pods of 6 to 9 inches long, 4-1/2 in circ.u.mference, and about 1-1/2 inch in diameter, which, upon being exposed to the heat of the sun, is distended to an incredible bulk. It is much superior to down for the couch, and, from its elasticity, might be of great utility in the manufacture of hats. This tree is in great estimation among the Africans, and is frequently regarded by them as their _Fetish_. Every town almost has a tree of this species towering over its huts, which its chief tells the traveller with exultation he or his father planted.

Tobacco is uncertain, but I entertain very little doubt that it might be raised upon the more luxuriant soils.

Pepper, more particularly near Cape Mount, of several sorts, Mab.o.o.bo, Ma.s.saaba, Ma.s.sa, Amquona, Tosan, &c.; the three first are of a weaker flavour, and are oblong and angular in their seeds; but the last excels in pungency, and is the native Malaguetta pepper of Africa.

The bread-fruit tree, is similar in appearance to the apple tree, and grows in the low sandy situations of the Boolum sh.o.r.e, producing a fruit exceedingly nutritious, and larger than an apple.

Tamarinds in great variety and plenty: the velvet tamarind abounds in the Bananas, also the white and brown; but the latter are most in esteem, and are very fine.

Okras, the fruit of a small tree, resembling the English mallows, which put into soup gives it a gelatine quality, highly alimental; the leaves make a good spinage.

The palm tree, producing the oil so denominated, is one of the most useful trees to the African, yielding him meat, drink, and raiment. Where it grows, it is an indication of a good soil. It is remarkably tall, without branches, having regular and gradual protuberances, from the bottom towards the top, ending in five or six cl.u.s.ters of nuts, shaded by large deciduous leaves. The nuts, which are about the size of a hazle nut, have a hard kernel, encompa.s.sed by a clammy unctuous substance, covered by a thin skin, and the oil is produced from them by being exposed to the sun, which, by its influence, opens the juices; subsequent to this exposure, the nuts are put into a boiler full of water, and a liquid, in the process of boiling, flows upon the top, which when skimmed off, soon hardens and turns rancid; the kernel of the nut, after this process, is taken out of the boiler, beat in a paloon, and put into clear water, the sh.e.l.l of the nut sinks, and its contents float upon the surface, which, when skimmed as before, is finally put into a pot, fried, and carefully poured off, producing another kind of oil, used as b.u.t.ter, and having in a great degree its quality.

The wine is extracted from the tree by forming an incision at the bottom of every cl.u.s.ter of nuts, from each of which flows about a gallon of wine per day, for a week, when they are closed until the ensuing season. The liquid, when newly taken from the tree, resembles whey, and in that state has a sweetish agreeable taste, but it soon ferments and grows sour, changing to a strong vinegar of a disagreeable smell: in its fermented state it is most esteemed by the natives, and is productive of inebriety.

A substance overtops the cl.u.s.ters about 10 or 12 inches in diameter, and 3 or 4 feet in height, in a full grown tree, from whence proceeds a stalk, about 4 inches in length, which, on being boiled in water, makes an excellent vegetable resembling cabbage, or rather, in taste, the cauliflower; the leaves of the tree are converted by the natives into baskets, fishing nets, and cloth.

MEDICINAL PLANTS. _Colla_ is highly esteemed by the natives, and they attribute to it the virtues of Peruvian bark; the Portuguese, ascribe the same quality to it, and dispatch from their factories small vessels to collect all they can procure.

_Castor Oil Rhinum_.-The bush which produces the bud from which this oil and valuable medicine is extracted, grows in great exuberance upon the Windward Coast, and its vicinity. A species of bark is in great abundance also, and is said to be equal in virtue to the Peruvian.

The foregoing enumeration of natural productions, is the result of unscientific enquiry only; but unquestionably, industrious and professional research, would discover infinitely more to philosophic and commercial contemplation, and develope the arcana of nature, dormant here through ignorance and barbarism.

On the 10th of May, I set out from Bance Island, with the view of exploring the two branches of the Sierra Leone river, the Roch.e.l.le, and the Port Logo. After rowing a few hours I arrived at the factory of Miffare, formerly occupied by a Mr. Berauld, a Frenchman, but now attached to Bance Island.

Mr. Hodgkin, with his people, then in possession of the factory, accompanied me up the Port Logo branch the following morning, taking a number of towns in our way, and visiting the chiefs. The course of this branch of the river is extremely serpentine, and is navigable for light vessels to a little way from the town of Port Logo which is now the residence of Alimami, a Mandingo chief, who a.s.sumes the t.i.tle of emperor.

The banks are overgrown with the mangrove tree, interwoven together, so as to form an almost impenetrable thicket, excluding the air, which, with the extreme heat of the sun, and the noxious insects which are extracted by its rays from the swamps and woods, renders this navigation intolerably oppressive. The chief part of its trade is in slaves, camwood, and ivory, the latter, however, being small, although Port Logo commands a very extensive back country. When we came near the town of Port Logo, which is extremely difficult of approach at low water, we announced our visit by saluting in the manner of this country, which is what they call bush firing, or in other words is a continued irregular firing of musquetry.

It was soon discovered who we were, and crowds of natives flocked down from the upper town, which is situated on the declivity of a hill, to give us service, or to pay their respects. Our first visit was to _Marriba_, one of Alimami's head men, and a resident of what they consider the lower town.

Upon our arrival at Marriba's house, we found him at his devotions in the palaver-house, a shed under which the natives daily a.s.semble to pray, or discuss public affairs. He received us with every demonstration of regard, and immediately offered his services to conduct us to Alimami. The old chief preceded us, with his long gold-headed cane, and our rear was brought up by a number of armed men, who had a.s.sembled to give us a favourable reception. Our salute had pleased Alimami, and being before known to him, he was determined to shew us every respect. The heat of the sun was almost intolerable, and before we arrived at the top of the hill where the imperial palace stood, I was nearly exhausted. The entrance to this large square of irregular mud buildings, is through a narrow pa.s.sage or gate, forming an oblong square of mud, covered with thatch, and facing Alimami's house: we were ushered through this by one of his head men, and proceeded in the order we set out to Alimami, who was seated at the top of the square, surrounded by his chiefs, upon a mat spread upon a raised bank of mud, dressed in a turban, after the Turkish fashion, and a loose manding, robe, or shirt.

Several pleaders were haranguing two of his judges, who were seated at a distance, in palaver, or council, to take cognizance of a dispute relative to some slaves; and although our arrival had excited the-curiosity of every inhabitant of the town, yet we pa.s.sed the tribunal without interruption, their attention being absorbed on the subject of their sitting. The whole compa.s.s of the square was scarcely equal to contain their oratory, their voices being so extremely loud as to be heard distinctly, without the walls, accompanied by menacing att.i.tudes. Pa.s.sing this declamatory a.s.sembly, we paid our obeisance to Alimami, who was graciously pleased to receive us in the manner of his country, with great civilities, and immediately spread mats for us with his own hands, near himself. It was impossible, although accustomed to these people, to contemplate the surrounding objects without interest. I had previously been acquainted with this chief at Bance Island, where he was in a high degree restrained by European manners; but here, every thing was native and original. All came to give us service, which is performed as I have mentioned. A goat and a couple of fowls were next presented for our dinners, for which an offering more valuable was expected, and of course complied with. This mutual interchange of civilities being fulfilled, our attention was excited by the orators, who by this time were extremely clamorous; one of them, with an aspect the most furious, ran up to where I was seated, and addressing Alimami, said, "that as proof his palaver be good, white man come to give him service while he address him on the subject of his demand;" attaching to that circ.u.mstance, the superst.i.tious idea that he was right, and that I was his _fetish_ to establish that right.

I then enquired of Alimami the nature of the trial; he replied, "these men tell their story, I appoint two judges to hear them, who are to report to me what they say, and their opinions of the matter, but I hear all that already and they cannot tell me wrong: I then give judgment," Or in other words more expressive of his meaning; these men make their complaint to my head men, or the judges I have appointed to hear it; it is their business to make me a true report, and give me their opinion on the merits of the case; and although I am not now supposed to hear it, yet I am so situated as to hear the whole, and can thereby check any corrupt practices in the judges.

I had now leisure to examine the interior of Alimami's residence; it consisted of a square of irregular buildings, thatched with bamboo, and covered with roofs, supported by pillars of wood, at about 6 feet distance, projecting about the same number of feet beyond the skeleton of the fabric, and forming a kind of palisado, which serves as a shade for retirement from the heat of the sun, and under which, the inhabitants indulge in repose, or sit in familiar intercourse.

During my conversation with Alimami, his brother, a fat jolly fellow, was reposing himself upon his mat, reading his Arabic prayer book, which, upon examination, I found executed in a neat character, and from his interpretation, was a record of fabulous anecdotes of his family, and containing confused extracts from the Koran.

The Mandingos are professed Mahomedans, whose influence is spreading with so much rapidity on this part of the coast, that several of the other tribes have submitted to their authority; so strong an impression has their superior attainments and book-knowledge imprinted on their minds. In no instance can their growing influence appear more conspicuous than in that of Alimami being vested with authority over the Port Logo, of which he is not a native, and over a people originally infidels. Formerly this tribe of Mandingos were itinerant _fetish_ makers and priests, but now they are numerous to the northward of Sierra Leone, from whence a wide district receives their rulers and chieftains.

After an audience of considerable length, Alimami retired with several of his chiefs, and soon after I had a message that he wished to see me in another part of his dwelling. I had previously noticed to him that I intended shortly to embark for my country. When conducted to his presence, he very emphatically enquired "if what I tell him be true?" I replied "it was; but that I go to do him and his countrymen good; that he know this was the second time I look them, but never forget them." "We all know that," he replied, "but white man that come among us, never stay long time; you be good man, and we wish you live among us--How many moon you be gone from us?"--"About ten moon; how would you like to go with me, Alimami?"--"I like that much, but black man not be head enough to do what white man does;" and putting his hand to his bosom, he took from it a piece of gold in the form of a heart; and said, "take that for me." To have refused it would have been an insult; I therefore accepted it; adding, "that I would tie it to fine riband, and wear it when I look my country, to let Englishmen see what fine present he make me." He was quite pleased with the idea, and expressed his satisfaction with great fervency.

Soon after, I offered to take my leave, and was accompanied by him and his chiefs to the gate, where I bade him adieu, and pa.s.sed through the town, paying my respects to its inhabitants, and among others, to the schoolmaster, whose venerable appearance, and superior intelligence, excited my respect and esteem.

Upon our return to Marriba's house, we were happy to partake of a country mess of rice, boiled with fowls, palm oil, and other compounds. The chief could not be prevailed to eat with us, but attended us with great a.s.siduity during our meal. The imperial guard accompanied us to our canoe, and we returned to Miffare without accident.

The following morning we proceeded to the branch of the Roch.e.l.l, which we found more diversified and picturesque than the Port Logo, and its borders better inhabited.

Proceeding up this branch, and visiting the chiefs in our way, and the inhabitants of a number of villages, we arrived at Billy Manshu's Town, a little chief of very considerable intelligence, and who treated us with great hospitality: here we slept.

We arose early, and pursued our course up the branch, pa.s.sing one of the most regular built towns I have observed in Africa, now Morrey Samba's, but formerly Morrey Bunda's Town. Morrey Bunda was originally a Manding, and _fetish_ maker to Smart, the chief who commands an extensive country on that side of the Roch.e.l.l branch towards the Sherbro, and rose into notice and influence: he is now dead. The town is surrounded by a mud wall, and at the entrance, and upon each angle of the oblong square which encloses it, there are towers erected for the purposes of defence. The wall, with the towers, completely obscures the buildings which form the town, and serve as a guard against any depredations of enemies, while it shelters the inhabitants from the effects of their arrows or musquetry. Morrey Bunda has displayed in his plans of fortifications, considerable ingenuity, considering the circ.u.mstances he had to provide against, and the predatory nature of African wars, which are uniformly to surprise the inhabitants of a village or town while asleep, or in any other unguarded state, seldom or ever coming to a general engagement in the open country, but acting under the protection of some ambush, or other place of security, which, while it is calculated to conceal their numbers, serves as a retreat from their successful opponents.

Leaving Morrey Samba's we pa.s.sed by a number of other villages, until we arrived at one of Smart's trading towns, called Mahera, situated upon an eminence, and commanding a most delightful prospect of the meandering course of the river, interspersed with islands, displaying a great diversity of appearance.

Smart has very wisely chosen this spot, as it is not only a charming situation, healthy, and delightful, but well situated to command a very extensive internal trade in camwood and ivory, besides being contiguous to the Sherbro, from whence a great portion of the camwood is procured, and situated on the princ.i.p.al branch of the Sierra Leone. In addition to these local advantages, he has recently opened a path with the interior, communicating with the Foolah country, which is entirely under his influence, and which he can open and shut at pleasure. It would be of incalculable advantage to any operation to secure the friendship of this chief: he possesses a very superior mind, and, from his connection with Bance Island, has acquired a knowledge of European ideas and manners seldom to be met with among any of the chiefs on this part of the coast. From the various opportunities I have had to consult Smart on his general sentiments relative to his country, and the freedom of intercourse I have had with him, I am well persuaded that he would be a powerful and intelligent auxiliary in promoting the civilization of his country, upon a liberal principle, calculated to its condition, and having a tendency to eradicate its barbarism; but he is one, of many more upon this quarter of the coast, who have no reliance upon the attempts that have been made, and deplores, with regret, that through the want of a correct knowledge of the dispositions of his countrymen, an ignorance of the nature of the evil to be removed, and the invidious principles which const.i.tuted the establishments that have been formed to promote this beneficent undertaking, his country is still excluded from the light of truth, and the refined arts of civilized life.

From Mahera we proceeded to Roch.e.l.l, another of Mr. Smart's towns, more insular, where I expected to have met him, in conformity with an arrangement previously made, to visit him at his towns, and see, as he observed, his country fashion. Upon our reaching this point of our expedition, we were saluted by a numerous a.s.semblage of chiefs and natives, going to join my friend Smart in one of his wars with his opposite neighbours and rivals, the Cammarancies, inhabiting the country towards the Port Logo. The cause of quarrel was, that these people had seized upon the rafts and canoes which brought the camwood over the falls higher up the river, and had demolished several storehouses belonging to Smart and his people, engaged in that trade. Smart, with a part of his forces, had crossed the river only an hour before, and another division were embarking to join him at a place of rendezvous upon the enemy's territory, with the intention of cautiously approaching during the night to some of their towns, and surprising them before they had arisen from sleep. Nothing could exceed the novelty of this sight; the chiefs and their followers were armed with their bows and arrows, and other rude implements of war, and completely in their native character; in addition to their native weapons, some had musquets, procured from Europeans in trade, swords, and various other manufacture, supplied by traders, exhibiting an appearance, of which no idea can be formed, without a personal knowledge of this barbarous people. The chiefs, in particular, were covered with _gris-gris_ and _fetishes_, a mixture of feathers and other preposterous materials, calculated to obliterate any trace of human appearance, and possessing the virtue, as they conceived, of shielding them from danger. Solemn _palaver_ is always held upon these occasions, and their _gris-gris_ makers, _fetish_ men, and priests, exorcise their absurd decorations, which, in their estimation, operate as guardian angels in the hour of difficulty and peril.

Having occasion to visit a gentleman resident at some distance, we left our canoes at Roch.e.l.l, and proceeded on foot. _Cabba_, one of the chiefs, accompanied us with a guard, being apprehensive, as he observed, that "bad might happen us, as war live in the country." We pa.s.sed through a remarkably fertile country, presenting an infinite variety of natural productions. Our path was frequently lined with pine-apples, in all the luxuriance of nature; but amidst this animating landscape, we beheld deserted villages, ravaged by the ferocious hand of man; and all the traces of barbarous devastation. We fell in with several armed parties, with whom I conversed upon the subject of the war, which appeared to be of a predatory nature, and the consequence of insatiate avarice and barbarous habits.