upon the whole, there is an improvement. The exact Barbot (iv. 9)
tells us "the Gaboon blacks are barbarous, wild, bloody, and
treacherous, very thievish and crafty, especially towards
strangers. The women, on the contrary, are as civil and courteous
to them, and will use all possible means to enjoy their company;
but both sexes are the most wretchedly poor and miserable of any
in Guinea, and yet so very haughty, that they are perfectly
ridiculous ... They are all excessively fond of brandy and other
strong liquors of Europe and America ... If they fancy one has
got a mouthful more than another, and they are half drunk, they
will soon fall a-fighting, even with their own princes or priests
... Their exceeding greediness for strong liquors renders them so
little nice and curious in the choice of them, that, though mixed
with half water, and sometimes a little Spanish soap put into it
to give it a froth, to appear of proof by the scum it makes, they
like it and praise it as much as the best and purest brandy."
Captain Boteler remarks, in 1827: "The women do not speak
English; though, for the sake of what trifles they can procure
for their husbands, they are in the habit of flocking on board
the different vessels which visit the river, and will permit them
to remain; and the wives are generally maintained in clothing by
the proceeds of their intercourse with the whites." He further
assures us, that mulatto girls thus born are not allowed to
marry, although there is no such restriction for the males; and
elsewhere, he concludes, that never having seen an infant or an
adult offspring of mixed blood, abortion is practised as at
Delagoa and Old Calabar, where, in 1862, I found only one child
of mixed blood. If so, the Mpongwe have changed for the better.
Half-castes are now not uncommon; there are several nice "yaller
gals" well known on the river; and the number of old and sick