The Bubis or Edeeyah of Fernando Po. 235 



(luce this unusual development of the lower extremities, which 

 is so striking a feature that the most careless observer can 

 scarcely fail to notice it. The hands and feet are, for the 

 most part, smaller than in other Africans. In many of the 

 females they are beautifully proportional ; and, indeed, the 

 general symmetry of some Edeeyah girls at Bassapoo was 

 perfect. The women have generally a soft and rather plea- 

 sing expression of countenance, which even the horrid prac- 

 tice of cutting strong lines across the face does not remove. 

 This is usually done when young ; and in both sexes, to come 

 up to the Bubi idea of beauty, the marks on cicatrisation 

 should be raised and corrugated. It must be, indeed, a pain- 

 ful operation ; but, like civilised nations, much must be sacri- 

 ficed to the prevailing taste or fashion. Palm oil is much 

 used about their persons, mixed either with clay or ferru- 

 ginous earth, with which they daub themselves in various 

 ways, so as to produce a savage and wild appearance, quite 

 inconsistent with their gentle and harmless disposition. 



They have several modes of arranging the hair, which is 

 done up into a greater or less number of knobs, with red 

 clay, and with which they sometimes unite small bones of 

 the dogs or monkeys. In some, the hair is made up into one 

 large mass with red clay, weighing many pounds, which one 

 would suppose to be a painful sacrifice to fashion ; but the 

 simple Edeeyah prides himself on his coifture, and willingly 

 submits to what will enhance his appearance. 



No tribe of Africans have such antipathy to European 

 clothing as this singular people. Notwithstanding the fre- 

 quent intercourse many of them have had with our settle- 

 ment at Clarence, no article of dress ha« been adopted. The 

 little bunch of grass suspended between the thighs, and the 

 flat or conical grass hat, are the only attempts at coverino* 

 they have ventured on. Their ornaments consist of little 

 chains of grass, neatly woven, the vertebrae of snakes, mon- 

 keys, and dogs, and, in the richer persons, a lump of suet, in- 

 closed in a portion of intestine, and suspended round the 

 neck, is a choice ornament, as well as a supposed charm. 

 Country money, a small species of limpit, made round, and 

 strung in long lines, is also a favourite addition, fostened 

 round the arms and legs ; so that one can judge of the wealth 



