The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-14
A BRITISH CONSUL. AMONG THE
CANNIBALS OF AFRICA. IS

the Blgnt OF biaffa, has sent to the foFtISu
Office the following narrative Of bis interview
with the King OF the Okfika country, in July,
with view to terminate war between that
country and New Calabar. The people whom
be visited are espnibals. OF their chief town
he says:
'NOp Okrika, the chief town, is built on dry
ridge, part of which is adorned with magnificent
trees. A stockade, through which peep some
guns, defends the water front of the town, which
seemed longer than Grand Benny. Dense
masses of people crowded the beach at the pub
lie landing place. The Bonny Chiefs Prince
George, Banieo and calendusi, landed, but we
remained in the boats until they bad seen the
king. In fifteen minutes they returned and
beckoned US to land. The stencil was terrible
All the stinks at the outskirts of all the African
Villages l ever entered, though mixed and
shaken together, would be weak compared to
this. After passing through the crowd, We
met some fellows who tried to stop US 1T vas
contrary to juju for white men to enter the
town. The Benny chiefs scoded, and we
pushed on, but soon met mob of hundreds,
and further progress was impossible. In vain
did Banigo and Calendusi scod and push, and
even koock some down.; the others pressed
closer together, shouting, barking and gesticu-
lating frautically. Z. 80
"After looking at the performance until we
got tired of it, we returned TO the boats. A
canoe came of with two messengers from the
King, inviting US to come ashore. Guards
armed with long sticks stood at the corners of
the streets, and the town was quiet. We were
conducted to the Kings audience chamber,
which had no liz ht except what came in by the
door. Chairs were brought, and the chiefs and
others crowded in A beating of drums an-
nounced that the King had gone to the juju-
house to consult the spirits before proceeding to
business. ln half an hour King Fibia appeared,
strongly built man Of forty FIVE, with a round,
and sat down On low stool in the corner
Apologizug for the rude reception his people
had given US, he asked US to remain till the
following day, as some of his chiefs had not yet
arrived from their villages. A table of native
manufacture was brought in, the Queen spread
tablecloth over il, and sto:nbo' (unintoxicating
palm wine) was presented.
"Permlsslon to see the town was given, and
We paid visit to the clubhouse noisy crowd
attempted to lush In after US, but vigorous APP
pcation Of the long sticks of the guards drove
them back. Masses of human skulls hang from
the walls, and numerous rows of skulls cover the
root OF sort OF altar. In from: of this altar sat
the juju man, having footstool of human skulls
The Okrika bad eaten the victims whose skulls
decorate the house. An ole man who &C
companied US spoke with evident gusto of the
different cannbal feasts he had partaken of,
and mentioned the parts of the human body
which he considered the sweetest 1t is the
first time have seen canribas in Africa.
owe bad glimpse of the Okrika funeral
ceremony. Three young men, facing the same
way, had the corpse Of boy done up in mat
ting on their shoulders. They twisted and tug
ged, ADD appeared as if struggling with unseen
spirits who wished to drag the body to shall
low open grave by the side Of house. At
| times the young men had the advantage, and
brought the body back from the grave; then the
spirits prevailed, and dragged them forward y
man kept beating a drum. The Okrika are
well clothed, most Of the cloth being made from
the palm leaf. They are acquainted with sew
eral vegetable dyes; two-a yellow and a blue
are used to paint their persons. We slept in
Ogobome, a large village which has an oil mar
ket, and about two miles from the capital A
good dinner was provided and We were offered
a choice of sleeping apartments, close inner
rooms, or the open verandah; my companions
preferred the latter. | was conducted to
peighbo,ing house, and found the people very
kind. My bed, small boxes of unequal height
unluckily, was in the best room, 10 which
found good fire, thirty kegs of powder, ano
considerable quantity of cloth and gin.
managed to sleep tolerably we'll, but my com
panions were badly bitten by the sand flies.
ga Kings messenger came for US at sunrise
and shortly after We were seated with tn,
King and his chiefs. King Fibia ren,arkc.
that in Ronny the King and chiefs could set,
public affairs, but in Okrika the people Away
wanted to be present. He thought it would b.
better to have the interview in a public place
so that bis people could hear all that was said
and not have to poster him with questions ATTIC
We were gone. We accordingly adjourned +
the street. There some disturbance at first
but nothing ike that of an excited poltica
gathering in civilized country. King Fibi
requested them to be silent, and listen to wha
was said. Hi. prime minister and orator. hav
ing before bin specimens of two kinds of drie,
fish, fish trap and piece of net, commenced b.
remarking that they we're glad to see me
"They did not understand the customs of tn
white men; no white mau had ever been in IL,
them if they proceeded in their own way II
then picked up the dried fish, the trap and DC,
and handed them to me, saying, sBonny an
Calabar have ships to trade with, but DIRK
has nothing but fish. It is on fish we live. it
with hsh We buy the oil we have to sell, an
this has been ever since Okrika became
} country 1t was in tho creeks saw in COMM
: that they caught their fish, AID Calabar me-
, came into these creeks and stole their fish ou
= Of the ne IS. and also robbed their canoes
''Nevsr before in Africa have seen sue
5 powerful-looking men as the Okrka. | coul
not but admire their physical strength. A
they sat before me, chewing bits of chop stick
to clean their teeth, and gazing earnestly at me