(NO. 1.)
"Captain Cummins Sir please Let the Bearer have fifteen and the 13
Crew Cask to fill at Toby Creek.
"Duke Epbraim."
(NO. 2.)
"Captain Image Sir Please Give King Eyo Trust for 800 Crews of Oil be
down for it if his no pay I will pay.
"Duke Ephraim."
(NO. 3.)
"Dear my good friend Captain Halmaga Sir I have send you this letter
to let you know that I send you 1 Goat and I send my Dear John to send
me that Rum you promised me yeseday and I thank you to let me know
what Hour you want me to come down to take my Trust.
"I am your Best friend
"King Eyo Honesty at Old Creek Town."
(NO. 4.)
"Dear friend Captain Cummins Sir I have to thank you to send me 8
Empett Cask for to go for Market.
"I remain your friend Eyo Eyo Honesty."[37]
(NO. 5.)
"My friend Captain Commins if you please send me that Rum I been beg
you and thank you for lettle Beef too if you got any.
"Toby Tom Narrow."
(NO. 6.)
"Captain R. Commings Sir I mush obliged to you for please spear me
some nails for make door do my friend I remain Sir
"Tom Duke."
(NO. 7.)
"Captain Cummins Sir I let you know but I want to go to Market for me
self in I send you Book to give me 50 Iranba for 110 Crew Salt then
now I want 70 Crew Salt in them Bring me Book for 40 Crew Salt again
then now I thank you to Down hose head for my 2 small hatt I am your
Humble Servant
"Antega Ambo."
If the Christian Missionaries were to establish schools in the towns on
the banks of these rivers, they would be very likely to prove eminently
beneficial to the people, who are very desirous of, receiving every kind
of instruction, more particularly a knowledge of writing, which, at
present, the head men teach each other in an imperfect manner, of which
the above notes form an example. There is not one of them who ever read
English, or any other language in print; and I have heard the Duke
express great regret at not being able to read the newspapers, of the
contents of which, although he had seen many, he still remained
ignorant.
_Thursday, 13_.--The Eden's prize (a Spanish schooner taken last voyage
by the African) arrived this evening from Fernando Po, with Capt. Owen
on board, to whom Captain Smith and myself immediately went to pay our
respects.
_Friday, 14_.--Captain Owen visited the Spanish slave schooner, the ship
Agnes, the brig Kent, and mustered the crews of the two palm-oil
vessels, when he met with several volunteers for the Eden. In the
afternoon, he went on shore to see the Duke, who received him very
civilly, but suspiciously, for, notwithstanding their great professions
of friendship for the English in general, and their real regard for some
particular individuals, who are regular traders to the country, the
consideration of the profits they derive from the slave-trade, prompts
them to feel no little annoyance at our interference in their lucrative
commerce. They already perceive that our new settlement at Fernando Po,
is calculated to interfere with their proceedings, and they have clearly
expressed their sentiments upon the subject; not, however, without
clothing their observations so cunningly as to avoid giving offence.
"What for," said one, "white man come to live in black man's country?
What for can't white man stop in own country? Much better for white man,
than black man's country."
Mr. Cowan, the hospital assistant at Fernando Po, and myself,
accompanied King Eyo, this evening, in his large canoe, up the river, to
Creek Town, a distance of twelve miles, where his Majesty resides.
The town is built on the edge of a creek, a short distance from the
river. On our arrival, we found that King Eyo had a larger wooden framed
English house, than the King of the Old Calabar, but not in such good
repair: it was also sent from England by Mr. Bold, of Liverpool, to the
King's father. In the largest room there was an elevated seat, in humble
imitation of a throne, where the King sat to hear and give judgment in
cases of dispute, and other causes that required his interference. He
had a number of articles of English furniture, for instance, drawers,
sofas, chairs, &c. The principal articles in glass, were a chandelier,
suspended in the centre of the room, several mirrors, glass shades, for
lamps or candles; rummers, wine-glasses, &c.; but, like the Duke, his
Majesty does not sleep in his English house, preferring a native hut,
where he was surrounded by his wives and domestics; the latter, of
course, being his slaves. King Eyo is more moderate in his conjugal
establishment than the Duke, having only twenty wives, while Duke
Ephraim's number amounts to sixty.
The captain of an English vessel calling on the Duke one day, he
exclaimed, "Oh, my friend, you come very good time, I just send away
some of my wives, that I have had to entertain me!"--The captain
replying, that he regretted he had not come sooner, as he should have
liked to see them. The Duke answered, "Oh! no, my friend; you could not;
it is not Calabar fashion!" How many were there? questioned the
captain--"Oh!" replied the Duke, "only twenty-five!"
_Saturday, 15_.--There was so much noise in the town all night, that we
imagined it must proceed from drunkenness, or else some desperate
rencounter; indeed, it was impossible to think otherwise, for they were
screaming, hallooing, and blowing cows-horns, or conchs, which produced
so horrid a din, that there was no possibility of sleeping, and we
expected no less than that a party would rush into the house where we
were. The uproar, however, died away towards morning, and we learned
afterwards, that it was nothing more than the ordinary savage enjoyment
of the natives.
Captain Owen arrived this morning to pay King Eyo a visit; he remained a
couple of hours, and then returned to Old Calabar Town.
In the afternoon, we left Creek Town, with the King, in Tom Eyo's canoe,
to return to Old Calabar; we had been very hospitably entertained by his
Majesty, who gave us what is called Calabar chop, a dish consisting of
any sort of meat stewed in palm-oil, and highly seasoned with pepper.
The idea of palm-oil may be unpleasant to an English reader, but when it
is fresh, it is not unpalatable, and I must confess, that I greatly
relished a dish of fish and yams which was brought on board the Kent, as
a present to the captain: of course it was cooked in their best style. I
remember, at one time, having as much prejudice as any of my countrymen
against oil; but when I went to France, I partook of it insensibly,
until I began to like it; and, when in Italy, I fell into the custom of
using it with vegetables, as a substitute for melted butter: fresh oil,
in warm climates, being generally preferred to butter, even where both
are to be had, which is not always the case in southern latitudes.
There are very few good fish in the Old Calabar river; the best I met
with was a species of sole, but very thin, which, I suppose, is owing to
the muddiness of the river itself, and to the extensive mud-banks which
flank the channel. The water in the river is also so bad as to be unfit
for use, in consequence of the quantity of decayed animal and vegetable
matter that must constantly be mixed with it, in a climate where the
progress of putrefaction is so rapid; however, fortunately for the
shipping, there is a good spring on the bank of the river, about a mile
below the town, where it is usual to send for supplies.
King Eyo went on board the African, schooner, and remained with Captain
Smith to select goods, equal in value to twenty bullocks.
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[36] It is the custom here to bury their dead in their own houses.
[37] Brother to King Eyo.