190 
Up the Gaboon River. 
lieges had been killed. The tribe is large and 
important, scattered over several degrees north 
and south of the equator, as is proved by their 
slaves being collected from distances of several 
weeks and even months. In 1854 Mr. Wilson 
numbered them at 100,000. According to local 
experts they began to press down stream about 
1830, driven a tergo by their neighbours, the Mpan- 
gwe (Fa n), even as they themselves are driving 
the Mpongwes. But they are evidently the Kaylee 
or Kalay of Bowdich (p. 427), whose capital, 
“ Samashialee,” was “ the residence of the king, 
Ohmbay.” He places them in their present habitat, 
and makes them the worst of cannibals. Whilst the 
“ Sheekans ” (Shekyani) buried their dead under 
the bed within the house, these detestable K ay- 
lees ate not only their prisoners, but their defunct 
friends, whose bodies were “ bid for directly the 
breath was out of themindeed, fathers were fre¬ 
quently seen to devour their own children. Bowdich 
evidently speaks from hearsay; but the Brazil has 
preserved the old traditions of cannibalism amongst 
the Gaboes. 
The Bakele appeared to me very like the coast 
tribes, only somewhat lighter-coloured and wilder 
in look, whilst they again are darker-skinned than 
their eastern neighbours from the inner highlands. 
Their women are not so well dressed as the 
“ ladies ” of the Mpongwe, the chignon is smaller, 
