{170} These four Ajumba had been engaged, through the
instrumentality of M. Jacot, to accompany me to the Rembwe River.
The Ajumba are one of the noble tribes and are the parent stem of
the M'pongwe; their district is the western side of Lake Ayzingo.
{181} As this river is not mentioned on maps, and as I was the first
white traveller on it, I give my own phonetic spelling; but I expect
it would be spelt by modern geographers "Kakola."
{185} A common African sensation among natives when alarmed,
somewhat akin to our feeling some one walk over our graves.
{189} Since my return I think the French gentleman may have been M.
F. Tenaille d'Estais, who is down on the latest map (French) as
having visited a lake in this region in 1882, which is set down as
Lac Ebouko. He seems to have come from and returned to Lake
Ayzingo - on map Lac Azingo - but on the other hand "Ebouko" was not
known on the lake, Ajumba and Fans alike calling it Ncovi.
{200} Diospyros and Copaifua mopane.
{205} Vipera nasicornis; M'pongwe, Ompenle.
{208} I have no hesitation in saying that the gorilla is the most
horrible wild animal I have seen. I have seen at close quarters
specimens of the most important big game of Central Africa, and,
with the exception of snakes, I have run away from all of them; but
although elephants, leopards, and pythons give you a feeling of
alarm, they do not give that feeling of horrible disgust that an old
gorilla gives on account of its hideousness of appearance.
{223} An European coat or its equivalent value is one of the
constant quantities in an ivory bundle.
{241} Specimen placed in Herbarium at Kew.
{286} It is held by some authorities to come from gru-gru, a
Mandingo word for charm, but I respectfully question whether gru-gru
has not come from ju-ju, the native approximation to the French
joujou.
{295} The proper way to spell this name is booby, i.e. silly, but as
Bubi is the accepted spelling, I bow to authority.
{301} This article has different names in different tribes; thus it
is called a bian among the Fan, a tarwiz, gree-gree, etc., on other
parts of the Coast.
{306} Care must be taken not to confuse with sacrifices
(propitiations of spirits) the killing of men and animals as
offerings to the souls of deceased persons.
{324} Pronounced Tchwee.
{329} Among the Fjort the body cannot be buried until all the
deceased's debts are paid.
{338} In speaking of native ideas I should prefer to use the good
Yorkshire term of "overthrowing" in place of "superstition," but as
the latter is the accepted word for such matters I feel bound to
employ it.
{363} "Tshi-speaking People," Colonel Sir H. B. Ellis.
