6 
Western Africa. The “ Engeco,’ however, is that “ other 
monster”? whose nature Battell “forgot to relate,’’ while the 
name “ Pongo”’—applied to the animal whose characters and 
habits are so fully and carefully described—seems to have 
died out, at least in its primitive form and signification. 
Indeed, there is evidence that not only in Battell’s time, but 
up to a very recent date, it was used in a totally different 
sense from that in which he employs it. 
For example, the second chapter of Purchas’ work, which 
I have just quoted, contains “ A Description and Historicall 
Declaration of the Golden Kingdom of Guinea, &c. &e. 
Translated from the Dutch, and compared also with the 
Latin,” wherein it is stated (p. 986) that— 
“The River Gaboon lyeth about fifteen miles northward 
from Rio de Angra, and eight miles northward from Cape 
de Tope Gonsalvez (Cape Lopez), and is right under the 
Equinoctial line, about fifteene miles from St. Thomas, and 
is a great land, well and easily to be knowne. At the mouth 
of the river there lieth a sand, three or foure fathoms deepe, 
whereon it beateth mightily with the streame which runneth 
out of the river into the sea. This river, in the mouth 
thereof, is at least four miles broad; but when you are about 
the Tland called Pongo, it is not above two miles broad. 
On both sides the river there standeth many trees. 
fog The Iland called Pongo, which hath a 
monstrous high hill.” 
‘The French naval officers, whose letters are appended to 
the late M. Isidore Geoff. Saint Hilaire’s excellent essay on 
the Gorilla,* note in similar terms the width of the Gaboon, 
the trees that line its banks down to the water’s edge, and the 
strong current that sets out of it. They describe two islands 
in its estuary ;—one low, called Perroquet; the other high, 
presenting three conical hills, called Coniquet; and one of 
them, M. Franquet, expressly states that, formerly, the Chief 
of Coniquet was called Meni-Pongo, meaning thereby Lord 
* Archives du Museum, Tome X. 
