550 LIFE OF DA VLB LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



exception of English settlements. This, however, in Calabar, is now much 

 mitigated. Those entering the Church who are in the position of slaveholders 

 give up all claim of property in their people ; but beyond these, and through- 

 out the territory, the condition of the slave is ameliorated. The King Eyo I 

 have named frequently urged this fact upon his people as a reason why they 

 should attend to the teaching of the mission, as they, of all people, had 

 derived most benefit from its location amongst them. The circumstance 

 that we are living in their midst and moving amongst them, that the mission- 

 house is recognised as a house of refuge, and the humanizing effect of the 

 truth even where the whole of the life is not given up to its influence, have 

 produced this happy result, and will eventually do away with this state of 

 society, which, though existing in native Africa in quite a different and far 

 milder form than that it assumed in our West India colonies and in the 

 Southern American States, is always, and necessarily, wherever present, 

 destructive of manhood in the individual and in the community. 



"The power of Egbo is gradually diminishing, and as it disappears will 

 make room for a juster system of general government. As in patriarchal 

 times, every man is king in his own house, and has theoretically absolute 

 power over his dependants, who are bound together, even the purchased 

 slaves, in a close clanship. Every village, moreover, has its king or head- 

 man, who is supposed to attend to all the interests of the town, a great part 

 of his time being given to the administration of justice, or, as our country- 

 men phrase it, settling palavers. When any matter of general concernment, 

 however, is to be settled, the heads of the Egbo fraternity meet, and deter- 

 mine what is to be done. The society consists of several grades, admission 

 to each of which is got by purchase, not by right of birth. Egbo himself is 

 supposed to be a supernatural being, who resides in the forest, and is brought 

 into the town, carefully concealed, only on great occasions. His idems or 

 representatives, however, are frequently seen running about the street in 

 hideous disguise, and, in the higher grades, armed with a formidable whip, 

 which they lay mercilessly on any not free person of the grade he represents 

 whom he meets. He has a pretty large bell attached to his back, which as he 

 walks gives notice of his approach, so that all may keep out of his way. 

 By sending out Egbo, a tumult can be quelled speedily ; and, in fact, the in- 

 stitution is an exceedingly rude form of general government, and is made 

 the instrument of much oppression. To resist Egbo is death, and most Egbo 

 laws have this terrible sanction. A man of influence can at his pleasure send 

 Egbo to destroy the house or even village of any who may have excited his 

 wrath, and this spoliation must be submitted to ; the only redress to be had, 

 moreover, being retaliation in the same way on the spoiler. Whatever Egbo 

 does must be unquestioned. Every member of the society can employ its 

 power at his pleasure, and one not free of it can, by bribe or payment to one 



