INTRODUCTION. XVU 



is not to be confounded with its symbol,* which may be an image, a tree, or a stone. A charm or amulet 

 is thought to have much power, but it is not an orisa. It has no life and no intelligence as the ori^as 

 have. White men are generally much mistaken in regard to the religion and superstition of the negroes. 

 They suppose that the idols are looked upon as gods ; that the symbol is the idol ; and that a greegree, or 

 charm, is an object of worship — all of which is incorrect. 



It is usual among Europeans to call the idols of the natives " devils." The natives themselves speak of 

 only one devil, though they believe in the existence of various other evil spirits. In the Yoruba language 

 the devil is called E^u, the Ejected, from su, to cast out ; and Elegbara, the Mighty, on account of his great 

 influence over mankind. The name Ebilisi has been borrowed from the Pulohs, and by them from the 

 Arabs. The devil is not reckoned as one of the mediatorial orisas ; but the Yorubas worship him with 

 sacrifices, to conciliate his favor and prevent his doing them injury. 



Eguqgui), bones, and Oro, torment, are the executive or vindictive power of civil government deified 

 The latter is most usual among the Egbas, who term the punishment of criminals " giving them to Oro.' 

 On Oro day all women arc obliged to remain closely shut up in their houses. Egupguq, or the " Aku 

 Devil," makes his appearance in the person of a tall fellow, fantastically clad and masked, and is declared 

 to be a tenant of the grave. No one, not even the king, may dare to lay his hand on Egnqgug ; and if 

 any woman should say he is a man, she would be put to death. Even Mohammedans and Christians are 

 obliged to conceal their knowledge of the imposture under penalty of martyrdom. 



INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS. 



Most of the people of interior Africa are more advanced in civilization than those on the coast. The 

 deeper barbarism of the coast people is attributable to the dense forests in which they live, to the sparse- 

 ness of the population, and to the vicious and idle habits which have naturally resulted from the slave 

 trade. The degree of civilization which exists in the interior is probably very ancient. King Belo, 

 already quoted, may not be correct when he afiirms that the ancient Copts colonized Bornu ; but we have 

 independent evidence of an early, if not extensive, intercourse between Central Africa and Egypt. The 

 Popo beads which are dug from the earth in the south-eastern part of Yoruba, and in countries east of 

 the Niger, are identical in appearance with the beads found on the Egyptian mummies. Several of the 

 arts and customs of Yoruba and other interior countries are Egyptian in their character ; and the use of 

 cowries for money must have been introduced from the east, since none of these shells are found in the 

 Atlantic. 



The most important industrial pursuits of the Yorubas are agriculture, blacksraithing, and the 

 manufacture of clothing. 



Unoccupied land is common property, and free for any one to cultivate. But each man has an exclusive 

 right to his own farm, whether in actual cultivation or in fallow. When a farm is sold, the fruit-trees 

 remain the property of the former owner, unless they are specially mentioned in the contract. Except a 

 few hedges of Jatropha, Curcans, and Euphorbia, in the immediate vicinity of towns, there are no fences in 

 the country; because there are not many cattle, and these are always under the care of keepers. Disputes 

 concerning the boundaries of farms or fallow lands are generally settled at once by the neighbors. 



Although the Yorubas are an agricultural people, their implements are few and of a very simple 

 description. The usual tools of the farmer are, an axe, three inches in width, for felling trees ; a bill- 

 hook, or heavy pruning-knife, for cutting bushes; and an oval hoe, with a handle about two feet in length. 

 Ploughs and carts are entirely imknown. Their oxen, though large and strong, are never employed for 

 labor ; and the horses, which are usually small, though well formed, are used exclusively for the saddle. 



Yams are planted in large hills in January and February, and are matured in August and September. 

 The first crop of maize is planted between the middle of February and the first of April, and ripens in July 



• Some of these symbols, occasionally engraved on the temple doors of Obatala, deserve a more special notice. On 

 several distinct panels are seen a fish, a land tortoise, and a serpent. Another has a female figure with one hand and 

 one foot, probably a half Obatala, or the female principle of Nature. This figure is remarkable for having a queue of 

 very long hair (which no negro can have) with a ball or globe at the end. Opposite to this are the male and female 

 paries genitales in coitu. They are represented in the natural forms, and are never disguised by being formed into a 

 handled cross, for instance, as they were in Egypt. Phallic worship is practised, but, I believe, without impurity. 



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