Chap. II. EABOLO'S J-'ETICH. 35 



blank amazement. It is the belief of the nej^roes 

 that, as long as the creeping-plant keeps alive, so 

 long will the fetich retain its efficacy. A similar 

 plant covered both the heaps of skulls and rubbish. 

 At the foot of this portol and underneath the creeper 

 were more chimpanzee skulls and fragments of pot- 

 tery. In the ground near the two poles were also two 

 wooden idols. We removed the whole, and I need not 

 tell my readers that no evil consequences ensued. As 

 to Eabolo and his subjects, they flattered themselves 

 that it was this powerful fetich which brought me 

 to settle on this spot. They have, in common with 

 all the negroes of this part of Africa, a notion that 

 there is some mysterious connection or affinity be- 

 tween the chimpanzee and the white man. It is 

 owing, I believe, to the pale face of the chimpanzee, 

 which has suggested the notion that we are descended 

 from it, as the negro has descended from the black- 

 faced gorilla. I heard of other head men of villages 

 making mondahs vjith skulls of chimpanzees associated 

 with skulls of their ancestors, believing that these 

 would draw my heart to them and induce me to give 

 them presents or trust them with goods. I removed 

 all my goods and establishment to the village when 

 my large roomy house and store were at length 

 ready for me, thanks to my good friend Captain 

 Vardon, who had himself worked hard to get them 

 finished. The house was pleasantly situated between 

 the villages of Djombouai and Kanpano. 



On the 18th of January, 1864, the Mentor, having 

 completed her cargo, sailed for England. It was the 

 first vessel that the Commi people had loaded by 



