Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-08-31
Letter From LovejOy.
Under the Equator.
GABooS, AFRICA. June 81, 1871.

away to the North and as low down
as in April and September, so that we
have very pleasant summer weather.
This is our winter, and the sun is OBJ
scured nearly all the time by clouds,
and yet it never rains, although it of
ten thunders and looks very much like
it. Indeed, l think the rain does start
from the clouds, but is all taken up
by the air before it reaches the ground.
This is the leopard. season and the
people here are living in great fear of
these animals. They never go out af-
ter dark without light and a gun.
Nearly every morning we hear of the
"Njaga" having taken calf or dog,
or tried to get into house. Last Fri
day morning boy about eight years
old was siezed in the street not more
than two or three steps from the door
of his home, and carried off and eaten
up. would not believe it until I saw
the remains of the ferocious animals
bloody feast. The lower half of the
body was untouched, but from the
middle up was entirely gone, except
the skull and few of the back bones,
and bones of the hands, and these
bore the marks of his powerful teeth.
The body was cut in two parts, near
ly as smooth as with knife, and many
of the superstitious natives said it was
a man tiger, that is, the spirit of a muir
dered man dwelling in the tiger 9th
ers said it was man who had painted
his body like a leopard to hide his
murderous designs; yet they were all
SO afraid, that when the child cried re-
peatedly for assistance, as it was being
carried away, instead of running out
and shooting the beast, they all ran
away and shut themselves in their
houses.
The town is built along the bank of
ravine which is a dense jungle, so
that the animal had only to go a few
rods to be perfectly safe, and it was
not more than a hundred yards where
they found the kody, after they had
collected large force armed with
guns.
But for their heathenish superstitions
the people here would be quite civil
lied. In intelligence, wealth, and man
ly independence, they are far in adj
vance of the common class of colored
people at heme But their foolish no
tons about witches and spirits make
them, call their life time subject to
!. bondage through fear of DEATH"
Y This place has been for many years
the great trading place for this part Of
the coast, and we find traders here
from all parts of Europe and America
with their ships and articles of com
merce. AS 1 raise my eyes now and
g look off toward the ocean, count six
teen vessels laying at anchor. Still
: at Old Calihar, they are taking mucI
i of the interier trade from this river
and the trade at that place now exceed:
this.
This is beautiful place. We havt
the sea breeze and the land breeze I'm
, obstructed, as we are on a promonto
ry, with the ocean on one side, and
broad river fifteen miles wide, on tn,
:. other.
ot The Mangrove swamps are few, anC
not anything like as bad as at Bonn,
and Old Calibar. The beach is, il
many places, naked rock, and all alons
n sandy shore; while all down tn
coast we found lagoons and swamp,
low lands, the undisturbed abode O
big Lizards. was surprised to fin
the country here so impenetrable. Th
widest blackberry region would b
faint comparison to the woody ra
vines here. And in the open field th
!. tall swamp grass is like q rye field
which, besides being the residence Q
poisonous reptiles of various kinds
has several kinds of vines and thorn
growing here and there, which max
ag it impossible to proceed without open
m ing the way with a stick or a larg
re knife like corn cutter. You can o.
:. ten hear the growl of the leopard 8
he skulks off at your approach. I'll
only roads, except those near the pl'
teau, which the French have made, al
simply paths, where the natives g
along in single file, from one town I
another. 1t is simply impossible, e.
cept, where there is sometimes 10y
thick grass growing, to get off
these paths. The great thoreughfar,
are the river and the beach. Here
. the railroad and turnpike, and nj,
road it is, perfectly smooth, and whs
the tide is out, it is often hundrc
yards wide. Their towns being alor
the river, this is public highway b
tween them.
They have plenty of cattle, ghee
goats, and few horses, owned |
. Europeans; but the natives have L
skill in using the animals for labo
and they are only kept for food.
These people have an uncontrolab
passion for trading, and just as gre
an aversion to every kind of Iabc
They will not carry jug of water
Daddle their own canoe bIIt hire K ro