Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo, vol 1 | Page 8

Gabons, as the French call the natives, have gone so far as to
declare that foreigners have no right to the upper river, which is all
private property. The line drawn by them is at Fetish Rock, off Pointe
Française, near the native village of Mpíra, about half a mile above the
Plateau; and they would hail with pleasure a transfer to masters who are
not so uncommonly ready with their gros canons.
The Gaboon trade is chronicled by John Barbot, Agent-General of the
French West African Company, "Description of the Coast of South
Guinea," Churchill, vol. v. book iv. chap. 9; and the chief items were,

and still are, ivory and beeswax. Of the former, 90,000 lbs. may be
exported when the home prices are good, and sometimes the total has
reached 100 tons. Hippopotamus tusks are dying out, being now worth
only 2s. per lb. Other exports are caoutchouc, ebony (of which the best
comes from the Congo), and camwood or barwood (a Tephrosia). M.
du Chaillu calls it the "Ego-tree;" the natives (Mpongwe) name the tree
Igo, and the billet Ezígo.
Chapter II.
The Departure.--the Tornado.--arrival at "The Bush."

I set out early on March 19th, a day, at that time, to me the most
melancholy in the year, but now regarded with philosophic indifference.
A parting visit to the gallant "Griffons," who threw the slipper, in the
shape of three hearty cheers and a "tiger," wasted a whole morning. It
was 12.30 P.M. before the mission boat turned her head towards the
southern bank, and her crew began to pull in the desultory manner of
the undisciplined negro.
The morning had been clear but close, till a fine sea breeze set in
unusually early. "The doctor" seldom rises in the Gaboon before noon
at this season; often he delays his visit till 2 P.M., and sometimes he
does not appear at all. On the other hand, he is fond of late hours.
Before we had progressed a mile, suspicious gatherings of slaty-blue
cloud-heaps advanced from the north-east against the wind, with a
steady and pertinacious speed, showing that mischief was meant. The
"cruel, crawling sea" began to rough, purr, and tumble; a heavy cross
swell from the south-west dandled the up-torn mangrove twigs, as they
floated past us down stream, and threatened to swamp the deeply laden
and cranky old boat, which was far off letter A1 of Lloyd's. The
oarsmen became sulky because they were not allowed to make sail,
which, in case of a sudden squall, could not have been taken in under
half an hour. Patience! Little can be done, on the first day, with these
demi-semi-Europeanized Africans, except to succeed in the inevitable
trial of strength.

The purple sky-ground backing the Gaboon's upper course admirably
set off all its features. Upon the sea horizon, where the river measures
some thirty miles across, I could distinctly see the junction of the two
main branches, the true Olo' Mpongwe, the main stream flowing from
the Eastern Ghats, and the Rembwe (Ramboue) or south-eastern
influent. At the confluence, tree- dots, tipping the watery marge,
denoted what Barbot calls the "Pongo Islands." These are the
quoin-shaped mass "Dámbe" (Orleans Island) alias "Coniquet" (the
Conelet), often corrupted to Konikey; the Konig Island of the old
Hollander,[FN#3] and the Prince's Island of the ancient Briton. It was
so called because held by the Mwáni-pongo, who was to this region
what the Mwáni- congo was farther south. The palace was large but
very mean, a shell of woven reeds roofed with banana leaves: the
people, then mere savages, called their St. James' "Goli-patta," or
"Royal House," in imitation of a more civilized race near Cape Lopez.
The imperial islet is some six miles in circumference; it was once very
well peopled, and here ships used to be careened. The northern point
which starts out to meet it is Ovindo (Owëendo of old), alias Red Point,
alias "Rodney's," remarkable for its fair savannah, of which feature
more presently. In mid-stream lies Mbini (Embenee), successively
Papegay, Parrot--there is one in every Europeo-African river--and
Adelaide Island.
Between Ovindo Point, at the northern bend of the stream, stand the
so-called "English villages," divided from the French by marshy
ground submerged during heavy rains. The highest upstream is Olomi,
Otonda-naga, or town of "Cabinda," a son of the late king. Next comes
Glass Town, belonging to a dynasty which has lasted a century--longer
than many of its European brethren. In 1787 a large ship-bell was sent
as a token of regard by a Bristol house, Sydenham and Co., to an old,
old "King Glass," whose descendants still reign. Olomi and Glass
Town are preferred by the English, as their factories catch the
sea-breeze better than can Le Plateau: the nearer swamps are now
almost drained