218

MODE OF OROUNGOU BURIAL.

The grove stands by the sea-shore. It is entirely cleared of underbrush, and, as the wind sighs through the dense foliage of the trees and whispers in the darkened, somewhat gloomy grove, it is an awful place, even to an impressible white man. Niamkala stood in silence by the strand while I entered the domains of the Oroungou dead.

They are not put below the surface. They lie about beneath the trees in huge wooden coffins, some of which, by their new look, betokened recent arrivals; but by far the greater number were crumbling away. Here was a coffin falling to pieces, and disclosing a grinning skeleton within. On the other side were skeletons, already without covers, which lay in dust beside them. Every where were bleached bones and mouldering remains. It was curious to see the brass anklets and bracelets in which some Oroungou maiden had been buried still surrounding her whitened bones, and to note the remains of goods which had been laid into the same coffin with some wealthy fellow, now mouldering to dust at his side. In some places there remained only little heaps of shapeless dust, from which some copper, or iron, or ivory ornament gleamed out to prove that here, too, once lay a corpse.

Passing in to a yet more sombre gloom, I came at last to the grave of old King Pass-all, the brother of the present majesty. The coffin lay on the ground, and was surrounded on every side with great chests, which contained the property of his deceased majesty. Among these chests and on top of them were piled huge earthenware jugs, glasses, mugs, plates, iron pots and bars, brass and copper rings, and other precious things which this old Passall had determined to carry at last to the grave with him. And, also, there lay around numerous skeletons of the poor slaves who were, to the number of one hundred, killed when the king died, that his ebony kingship might not pass into the other world without due attendance.

It was a grim sight, and one which filled me with a sadder awe than even the disgusting barracoons ground.

Between Fetich Point and the river lay formerly the village of the Cape Lopez people; but now the king and all his subjects have moved to Sangatanga, and this whole district is deserted, except in the fishing season.

The land-breeze blowing when I returned, we started for the sandy point of the cape. It is a curious beach, very low, and so

AN AFRICAN WATERING-PLACE.

219

covered with a short scrub which hides a part of the view, while the sand ahead is undistinguishable at a distance from the water, which it barely rises above, that I was repeatedly disappointed; thinking we had come to the end, when in fact we had still before us a long, narrow sand-spit. Finally we reached the extreme end, and landed in the smooth water on the inside of the spit in a kind of harbor.

The point gains continually upon the sea, and every year a little more sand appears above the water; while the line of short shrubs, which acts as a kind of dam or breakwater, is extended, and holds the new land against old Neptune's attacks.

Among these shrubs we built our camp; and here, for some days, we had a very lively time. The women were all day on the shore making salt; and the poor children had hard work too, for their share was to gather brushwood for the fires. Some of the men took fish in their nets; and others split them, cleaned, salted, dried, and smoked them, which done, they were put away in baskets. The salt, too, when made, was packed securely in baskets, and placed near the fire to keep it dry.

Others went out early in the morning to turn turtles. These animals come on the beach to lay their eggs in the sand, where the sun hatches them out. The negroes lie in wait for them in parties, and often turn twenty in a morning. Two or three men rush upon an unwieldly turtle, and, with one jerk, roll it over on its back, where it lies, vainly struggling to recover its legs, until the turning is done, when all hands begin to kill and clean. The meat is smoked.

As for myself, I had brought along an immense shark-hook and a stout rope, and amused myself by hooking up occasionally one of the vast numbers of sharks which swarm in the waters about the cape, and are often almost washed upon the beach by the waves. I never saw such immense numbers of sharks as are found here. The Chinese, who eat shark-fins, would find here enough to glut the Canton market for a season.

But there was hunting too. South of the cape was a dense forest, in which might be found all the animals which live in an African wood. We saw elephants on the beach, but shot none. I shot great numbers of sea-fowl, which fly about here in such flocks as almost darken the air. And returning one evening from the forest, whither Aboko, Niamkala, and I had been on a fruit

220

KILLING A LEOPARD.

less hunt, we fell in with larger game. Passing along the edge of the forest, we were suddenly startled by a deep growl, and, looking quickly about, perceived an immense male leopard couching for a spring into our party. Fortunately we were loaded with ball, and in a flash we all three fired into the beast. It was already upon the spring, and our shot met it as it rose. It fell, dead and quivering, within a foot of Aboko, who may be said to have had a very narrow escape. It was an immense animal; and its skin, which I preserved as a trophy, is most beautifully shaded and spotted. In fact, there is scarcely a more beautiful animal in the world than the African leopard.

On my return to Cape Lopez, I sailed back with my specimens to the Gaboon, whither I was glad to return once more to take a little civilized comfort. I remained several months near the Gaboon, exploring the course of that river and the country about its borders, and finally set off on my longest and most adventurous journey.

The "Camma Country."-Coast.—Surf.-Trade.-The Caroline.-A mixed Crew. -A dusky Bride.-A Squall.-On her Beam-ends.-Native Traders.-Ranpano. -Sangala Troubles.-Nearly a Fight.-The City of Washington.-Attempt at Assassination.-The Camma People.—Aniambia.-River Navigation. Men refuse to advance.-King Olenga-Yombi.-A Dance.-Fetich-houses.-Spirit Worship.-A mad Bull.-Cheating the King.-Live Gorilla brought in.-How caught. -Ferocity of the Animal.-Joe escapes.-Is recaptured.-Habits and Peculiarities of Joe.-Hippopotamus-shooting.-Night-hunting.-Hippopotamus Meat.Habits of the Animal.-Hide.-Use of the Tusks.-They capsize Boats.-Peaceable if not attacked.-Voice.-Combative.-Adventures with Hippopotami.

DURING a somewhat protracted stay at the Gaboon, I prepared myself thoroughly for my next and most important tour. I had long been anxious to explore thoroughly the tract known as the Camma country; a region, like those I had just visited, totally unknown to white men, but much more interesting and importantto judge it by its products-than the others, as it is also more extensive, and watered by larger streams.

The "Camma country" begins to the south of Cape Lopez in lat. 0° 40' S., and extends to the southward as far as the River Camma, in lat. 1° 50′ S., and to the east for about fifty miles from the coast. It is a well-watered region; the Mexias, and some minor branches of the great Ogobay River, running into the sea in its northern bounds, while the Fernand Vaz, the Camma, and the Setti have their mouths farther down, at various points of the Camma coast.

The coast-line is generally low and swampy; a heavy surf makes landing difficult, except at a few points protected by the shape of the land, and the shore, viewed from the sea, has so monotonous an aspect that seamen find it difficult to recognize their whereabouts, even after considerable experience of the coast. The mouths of the rivers, however, are readily recognized by the great streams of fresh water which they send with considerable force into the sea, discoloring it for some distance from shore, as also by the breakers on the bars which line these mouths.

The surf on the coast is much worse during the dry season, or

222

NATIVE SEAMANSHIP.

from June to September. During the rains landing is much easier; but even then one needs skillful natives and the best canoes. For this reason the trade along this part of the coast is not very brisk; vessels touch but seldom; and I found that I was even obliged to purchase a little vessel to carry me from the Gaboon to the scene of my first (intended) settlement. This was a cutter, open or undecked, of about seven tons burden. Her I intended to use in case it should be desirable to return at any time when no ship offered.

I knew by experience that I should meet with more than usual difficulties in my attempts to penetrate into the interior. The natives here had never heard of me; they had had so little intercourse with whites that they were even more jealous than those to the north; and I expected nothing less than to have, in the first place, to win their confidence and respect by living among them near the coast for a considerable time. For this reason I made preparations for an absence of from fourteen to twenty months from the Gaboon.

I loaded the Caroline, a schooner of forty-five tons, with two hogsheads of tobacco, several large bales of prints, a great quantity of plates, jugs, and other earthenware vessels; a hundred muskets, together with powder; beads, swords, brass kettles, neptunes, etc., and a considerable stock of provisions for myself.

When all was ready I went aboard—and should have been glad to have come immediately ashore again. My captain was a Portuguese negro, Cornillo by name. The crew, who numbered no less than seven, were Mpongwe, Mbinga, and Croomen, no more than two of whom could understand each other, and not a soul could understand the captain. To add a little more to this confusion of tongues, I brought aboard two Mpongwe men and their wives, who were to serve me as head-men, interpreters, and for other purposes in my new trading location.

We got aboard at daylight, and by dint of steady shouting and a great deal of standing around, with a little work now and then, got the anchor up just at dusk. The captain did not much like that we should leave port on Friday, but I told him I would take the responsibility. No sooner had we got out into the swell than every man (and woman) aboard except the captain got sea-sick. The cook was unable to make breakfast next morning, the men were lying about looking like dying fish, and in the canoe which