LIFE AT THE CAMEROON'S. 749 



to go alone and disport himself in the water to his heart's con- 

 tent. At the same time he begins to fish, using four lines at once 

 — two attached to his big toes as his feet hang over the side of 

 the boat, and two held in his hands. It is a curious spectacle in- 

 deed to see him pulling in first one foot and then the other, as a 

 fish has been caught upon it, and at the same time gesticulating 

 with his arms to keep the boat in position and manage the lines 

 in his hand. As he fishes the boat is allowed to drift down the 

 stream ; but the pulling back absorbs his entire attention. Crab- 

 fishing comes in about every two years, when the crustaceans oc- 

 cupy the water so thickly that they can be caught as fast as they 

 can be taken out with the hands. 



For the chief dish at his breakfast or dinner he receives a hash 

 of various vegetables, baked or packed sausage-fashion in leaves. 

 Rice, bought from the factories, and pilot-bread from the ships, 

 are becoming common, and are regarded as delicacies. A favorite 

 dish is made of chicken and yams, cooked, with pepper-pods, in 

 palm oil. The youth eats his meal in company with his mother 

 and brothers and sisters, and is allowed only in exceptional cases 

 to share his father's usually solitary repast. By " brothers and 

 sisters" are understood only children of the same mother; the 

 others are the sons and daughters of his father. I learned this 

 when I asked my little companion Akuelle, a son of King Bell, 

 who was the other youth with us. " He is a son of King Bell," 

 was the reply. " Then he is your brother ? " " No, doctor, he has 

 another mother." When the child is nine years old he is shorn 

 and counted among the men. If his father is rich, a wife is 

 bought for him, but the couple are not expected to live together 

 for some years yet. During his earlier years the negro of this 

 part of Guinea is conspicuously intelligent and a most pleasing 

 companion. But his good qualities disappear with the passing 

 away of his youth, and he becomes the false, idle, quarrelsome 

 African of the factories. 



The breech-clout constitutes the usual clothing of the men. A 

 small apron is also worn, so that if the former piece becomes op- 

 pressive it can be taken off without the man being wholly naked. 

 Articles of European clothing are often worn, but only on the 

 upper part of the body ; trousers have not yet been admitted to 

 the Cameroons wardrobe. King Bell wears also a stove-pipe hat, 

 which he manages to keep always looking new. 



The birth of a girl is received with great joy, as a costless ac- 

 quisition of wealth, for she is sure when she becomes marriage- 

 able to bring a goodly sum. The purchaser may come from the 

 same village or from another, but is more welcome in the latter 

 case, for then he will have to pay more. The child grows up 

 under the eyes of her mother, and is taught by her to cook, work 



