June 27, 1859.] ADDITIONAL NOTICES. 381 



appearance, productions, resources, inhabitants, having been fully described in 

 my despatch, 22nd May, 1855, which, with other communications, was read 

 before the Royal Geographical Society. I remained two days with the king, 

 and attended a great torchlight meeting on an adjacent island, given by the 

 king, chiefs, and natives, in honour of my visit to them. 



These are the people described by travellers as " theBissagos or Bijugas, tall, 

 resolute, robust — and adorn their houses with the scalps of their enemies. 

 Impatient of slavery, they murder themselves on receiving an affront ; intrepid 

 in war, they are believed to be sprung from the terrible Giagas or lagas." At 

 daylight next morijing, the 22nd November, we ran along the picturesque 

 shores of " Kanabac," steering in the direction of ** Orango." Great caution 

 was necessary, as this portion of the channel remains unsurveyed. Looking 

 at the charts it will be found that this part presents a blank ; and although a 

 few haphazard soundings are laid down near *' Orango," the way to it, the 

 depth of the channel, the shoals, the soundings are unknown, — in fact, an 

 American priviateer, quasi pirate, and a French schooner, quasi slaver, are the 

 only vessels stated to have approached the island, both anchoring at a safe and 

 civil distance from fear of the natives. The channel is surrounded by several 

 of the" Bijuga" island s,"Boulack" or" Bawack," "Islede Chiouga," "Chiouga 

 Endoulicq," " Houran," " Hune," on which no white man has as yet ventured 

 to land, nor would it be prudent to attempt it. Although the steamer was 

 conducted with the greatest circumspection, and at half sjjeed, the lead con- 

 stantly sounding, we grounded on a bank, the depth having varied from eleven 

 to one fathom. 



The tide falling, we saw nothing but extensive banks of thick blue slimy 

 mud, and the real channel not 100 feet from us. A large portion of the shores 

 and bluffs of " Orango " looming in the distance, I consulted with M. Orteau, 

 and I despatched him, my interpreter, two natives of " Rio Grande " that had 

 before been at " Orango," and two of my own crew, in a whale-boat, giving 

 them a small present for the king. After an absence of twenty-four hours 

 they returned bringing the king's head pilot, with a bullock and most friendly 

 message from his Majesty, and the steamer hove off and afloat in eleven 

 fathoms. We pushed on throu2;h a most tortuous channel to " Point Orango " 

 along the south-west coast, and towards evening anchored in a spacious harbour 

 opposite the landing place to the king's town, in 11° 12" north latitude, and 

 16° 08" west longitude, in three fathom^water with soft mud bottom. We 

 disembarked the following forenoon amidst an immense crowd of the natives, 

 tall, muscular, finely formed men, of handsome feature and jet black complexion, 

 their only clothing a clout of deer or goat skin, passing between the fork and 

 round the loins. A few were armed with rude spears having one, two, and 

 three blades, — the last like the ancient tridents ; the chiefs carried swords, the 

 blade Portuguese make, with the words engi-aved on it, " Draw me with honour, 

 and sheath me not in disgrace ;" but clumsy wooden handles studded with nails, 

 and coarse skin or leather scabbards, showed they had been for a long time in 

 the islanders' possession. 



We marched on surrounded by a wild, motley, but most orderly escort, 

 who seemed lost in amazement at our appearance. The ascent was gradual 

 along a broad path, passing through extensive prairies, rice and maize farms, 

 pasture lands, crowded, literally crowded, with herds of the finest, fattest, and 

 handsomest cattle I have seen in Africa. A numerous party of women in 

 Indian file, carrying baskets of rice and com towards the town, encountering 

 us, appeared paralyzed, but soon recovered and came dancing towards the white 

 females, who evidently engrossed their admiration and attention more than we 

 did ; they examined particularly my wife's hair and gloves, considering the 

 latter a second skin. After a walk of two miles the king's town was visible 

 on a comparatively lofty hill. Passing through a narrow path slightly fenced 



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