318 W. F. Daniell, Esq , on the Natives of Old Callebar. 



length than those of Europeans ; but some half-a-dozen 

 measurements afforded little or no difference : tlie hands, 

 however, are of greater magnitude, and the fingers longer, 

 probably from climacteric agencies. Circumcision is prac- 

 tised in both sexes ; but not at an early period as elsewhere. 

 This rite is of Eboe origin, and more or less prevalent through- 

 out Western Africa. The old women of the family are the 

 operators, and the instrument employed is a sharp knife or 

 razor. The catamenia commence about the 10th year, but 

 are occasionally deferred to a later period. All women at 

 these periods are deemed unclean, and are not allowed to 

 touch articles of food or clothing, inasmuch as it is thought 

 to partake of the nature of a poison, and to produce serious 

 morbific effects. These views are partly in conformity with 

 the Mosaic law, mentioned in the 15th chapter of Leviticus. 



Boys and girls, until the adult age, are entirely destitute 

 of clothing, and a red or striped coloured zone of worsted is 

 occasionally worn as a gala dress by the younger females on 

 important occasions. The hair of the girls is invariably 

 shaved off, with the exception of a small tuft on the vertex 

 of the head, and is not suffered to grow until they have 

 arrived at the dignity of wives, when it is then twisted into 

 a number of plaits, decorated with beads. The hair of 

 the chiefs is kept closely cropped, and then shaved into a 

 series of beautiful arabesque patterns, which evince great 

 ingenuity and taste. Portions of the body, and in women, 

 particularly the face, are delicately tatooed in circular figures ; 

 and the anterior surface of the arm, in all classes of people, 

 is ornamented with round smooth cicatrices, about the size 

 of a shilling, from the effects either of vesication, or denu- 

 dation of the cuticle. On either side of the temple may be 

 noticed three small black spots ; these are the places where 

 the native process of cupping is performed, the dark marks 

 originating from the absorption of the black carbonaceous 

 matter with which they dress their wounds. 



The government of the Old Callebar towns is a monarch- 

 ical despotism, rather mild in its general character, although 

 sometimes severe and absolute in its details. The king 

 and chief inhabitants ordinarily constitute a court of justice, 



