KAGNABAK ISLAND, BISSAGOS ARCHIPELAGO.] EIC 0172* 581 
At Gralinha I found quantities of forest trees which would 
furnish admirable building material, and notably the guava, cail- 
cedra (?), ronier (?), and silk cotton-tree, which is employed for 
building the boats called “ pirogues.” Besides, there is a tree 
peculiar to the island known by the common appellation of “ acajou” 
or “cajou.” 
The natives have a detestable habit of burning every year a 
portion of their forests. This custom is due to superstition, but if 
such a deplorable superstition continue for another twenty years 
there will no longer be any forests to burn. 
Up to this time no European has settled on the island. The 
natives make journeys themselves to the markets of Bolatna and 
Bissao (a town of Senegambia, in the Bio Grande), where they 
obtain a ready sale for the products of their country. 
The King, Ondotto, is a big, jolly fellow ; old, but still youthful 
in manner and physical strength. He performs his royal functions 
in a very free-and-easy manner. I made him a present of ten litres 
of brandy and a kilo of tobacco. He was so delighted with this 
munificent present that during the whole of our explorations he 
would yield to none of his subjects the honour of carrying my rifle 
and my valise, my scientific instruments, such as the compass, the 
chronometer, the theodolite, &c. 
I spent the day of the 19th at Gralinha, and sailed again on the 
20th, early in the morning, hoping to arrive at Kagnabak on the same 
day ; but the tide compelled us to anchor at the Porcos Islands, which 
lie between Gralinha and Kagnabak. 
However, I profited by this contretemps to explore the three islets 
composing the group. The two smallest are simply deserts of small 
extent, and surrounded by scattered black-looking rocks, which serve 
to shelter vast quantities of fish. Amongst these the mullet abounds 
in shoals. On the principal island I found a great quantity of pigs* 
and goats. My interpreter told me that these animals had been taken 
there by the inhabitants of Kagnabak. These pigs and goats live in 
unrestricted freedom, and feed mainly on the nuts of the monkey 
cocoanut palm, which fall from the trees, and afford them a never- 
failing supply of most nutritious, oleaginous food. I need scarcely 
remark that the negroes of Kagnabak come over and take all the 
grunters they require for their own consumption. 
In 1817, an Austrian brig, whose crew had been sent on shore to 
make a raid upon the porcine inhabitants of the woods, were attacked 
by the natives of Kagnabak, who massacred one white man, wounded 
five others, and recovered all their pigs. 
1 could not explain satisfactorily how it came about that this 
island remained uninhabited, notwithstanding the fact that its soil is 
particularly rich in humus. The vegetation here is simply magnificent, 
and the scenery enchanting, at least during the winter months. For 
my own part I retain the most pleasing recollections of it, although 
njy sojourn of a few hours only was due to a cause beyond my own 
* The name of “ Porcos” is derived from the large number of pigs which roam 
about the main island. 
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