, 1889-02-27

though originally they had Ueen under
the influence of the Niger peoples. In
deed, the arrangement OF their houses
differs markedly from that which prevails
i'm the Bantu country across the Cameroons
border. The Calabar houses are general
w built in the form of q square, the narrow
apartments enclosing q central patio or
yard, open to the sky, in the Middle OF
which a small tree, occasionally hung
with charms and "fetishes," IS planted
& The Calabarese exhibit q decidedly
aesthetic taste in their paintings and their
brass work. They obtain the brass from
European traders, and on it stamp by hand
fantastic designs by means OF a large
headed nail aud a stone used as a nam
mer. They also do pretty bead-Work, ana
weave elegant dyed.grasS mats, and make
fantastic masks and head-dresSes, which
are assumed in their plays and sports,
and also in time of war.
The natives of Old Calabar and the
lower Gross river belong to the Elk race.
In language, and no doubt III origin
they are allied to the hos of the Niger Del
I'd. They have scarcely been settled at Old
Calabar more than a century and a nail.
Originally they came from the IbibiO dis
trict on the Cross river, and drove out and
partly supplanted the Akpa tribe, who
originally inhabited Old Oalabar. The
Elk peoDlp are now much mixed in blood,
having imported many slaves from Came
rooms. They nave for more than nall a
century, been to a considerable extent
under British influeuce /; and OF course OF
late wears they have placed their country
entirely under our political control. In
deed, if you told a Calabar man be was
not a British subject, he would be greatly
offended. Nearly every man speaks "
little English, and not a few OF the women
can understand our language to a certain
extent, and a fair proportion OF the Gala
barese can read and write it. This ls the
result mainly Of the schools which nave
been est here for many years by
TIE United Presbyterian Mission and other
evangelising societies. Numbers of the
Young Calabar men go to England either
TO complete this education Or Just to see
the white mans wonderful country and
the result Of their abrupt contact with our
civilISation is often amusing. One young
fellow, who spent two years at an English
school. returned to Old Calabar quite an Z
Ang omaniac, and among other Innovations
attempted to form a cricket cluO among
his friends and relations. To this end he
wrote out in u beautiful neat text hand
an elaborate prospectus, which he clrcul-
atpd round the town to arouse interest ana
OBTAIN SuOSCtlptlOuS' III PClOlH'iVH IA
This document ran thus - The establish
ment of this cricket club will, | am con
WINGED. rebound to the greater glory OF
God and the benefit of our fellow man"
"English as she is spoke Or rather
whitehall Old Oalabar is a dialect full
of the uuaintest errors. One native gen
tleman wrote to our esteemed medical
officer, DR.. Altman, complaining that he
.tSuffered from involuntary emotions amt
reflex actions and a native matrOn of
great responsibility, educated at the mis-
sion, and somewhat over sensitive as to
the frailty of her reputation, addressed to
me the following complaint =" Sir.-l
approach your COnsulShip to bring q com
plant against Mr.. Blank for Definition of
nv Character" After detailing the impro-
per allegations which Mr.. Blank bad made,
She went OH to say, Now Sir, l am and
always have been, all my life, a very res
pectable married woman" which fact, L
haStened to- assure her, was so well known
to all the community, that it would be
better 10 pass over Mr.. Blanks lInatured
tattle IN silent contempt. And l am glad
to say she took my advice.
After all, though one may often good
naturally laugh at their amusing bIunderS,
there is something very remarkable III the
way in which these negroes spring to the
contact of civiliSation, and hasten to avail
themselves of every facility for acquiring
knowledoe which our missionaries and