THE REGULATION OP NUMBERS 209 



territory, into which strangers might not intrude for pasture or 

 hunting, without the leave of the whole tribe ; each kraal had its 

 pasture lands distinct, over which the people of that section of 

 the tribe moved their mat huts, as the need of their herds, for 

 grass or water, rendered advisable. As each kraal had more or 

 less of a family constitution, it is difficult to say how far the 

 pasture lands were held in common, or as the property of the 

 individual occupant.' l Of the Ewe-speaking people, Ellis says 

 that among most tribes there is no private property in land but 

 that the family in occupation of any tract cannot be disturbed. 2 

 Of the Yoruba-speaking people the same author says that land, 

 belonging to the community collectively, is vested in the chief, 

 who distributes among households and families as required. No 

 man can be depossessed of land once allotted to him, and the 

 usufruct descends to his children, but the land cannot be sold. 3 

 * It is doubtful ', says Talbot, ' whether any part of the Ekoi 

 country remains at present unowned.' 4 According to Scott 

 Elliot the rights of property in land of the different families in 

 Sierra Leone are carefully maintained, especially in times of 

 famine. 5 In ^Northern Nigeria a * man is free to mark out a farm 

 on any unoccupied land ', and has a claim to it as long as he 

 cultivates it. 6 Among the Bangala of the Upper Congo ' the 

 boundaries of a town are well defined, and the lands belonging 

 to a town are well known to all other towns in the neighbourhood. 

 If an animal is killed on ground owned by a town other than 

 that to which the huntsman belongs, he has to send a portion 

 generally the head to the chief of the town which claims the 

 ground.' 7 Further, ' every woman had her farm, which was her 

 exclusive property, and not even a fellow wife had any rights 

 over it '. 8 The hunting grounds of the Bushongo are well defined ; 

 the usufruct of the soil belongs to individuals, and trees are 

 private property. 9 Among the Mangbetu ' every tribe has an 

 accurate knowledge of the boundary of the territory over which 

 it can hunt, move about, and establish its villages '. 10 Hobley 

 states that among the Akamba there is individual property in 

 land which passes on the death of the father to the sons. 11 The 



1 Bartle Frere, J. A. I., vol. xii, p. 260. 2 Ellis, Ewe-Speaking People, p. 217. 

 3 Ibid., Tonka-Speaking People, p. 188. * Talbot, loc. cit., p. 262. 



5 Scott Elliot, J. A. /., vol. xxiii, p. 82. 8 Tremearne, J. A. /., vol. xlii, p. ] 87. 



7 Weeks, J. A. /., vol. xxxix, p. 123. 8 Ibid., p. 129. 9 Torday and 



Joyce, Ann. Mus. Congo Beige, ser. 3, tome ii, p. 91. 10 Van Overbergh, loc. 



cit., No. 2, p. 465. Hobley, Akamba, pp. 82 and 136 ff. 



2498 



