Chapter 23

CHAPTER XXIII IDUA TO ATABONG Up yet another creek lies the town of Idua Asang, which, like greater Idua, claims to have been founded by the first- comers to this part of the world, driven steadily seaward by the later-arrived Oronn. Many years ago the neighbouring towns, Eyo Abassi and Ikwita, made war upon the Iduans, defeated them with great slaughter and drove them forth from their homes. There was nowhere for the conquered to flee, save to the desolate mangrove swamps, where for a while they lived in great misery, “ like monkeys amid the branches ” overhanging the treacherous, evilsmelling mud. Some time before this defeat the people of ’Nda Okkob- bor had quarrelled with their neighbours of Ebighi Okkob- bor. The two towns fought and the first was victorious. Then the vanquished went to work in a cunning way. They sent hunters into the bush to kill a leopard and bring its body secretly to their town. The gall was extracted ; for, according to a widespread belief on the West Coast, this, prepared with magic rites, forms a powerful poison.1 When all was ready, the people of Ebighi went at twilight and dug a hole in the sand by the spring whence the drinking water of their enemies was drawn. Next day, at dawn, the women of ’Nda came thither, filled their jars and carried them home ; then cooked chop and gave to their husbands and children. All ate and drank and nearly all died from the poison, so the town was left desolate. When the few survivors heard what had befallen the Iduans and that the latter had no place in which to live, they 1 Cf. In the Shadow of the Bush, p. 27. 3i3 went out across the swamp, calling to the refugees to come down and speak with them. When this was done, they said : “ You have no place in which to dwell, while we have much land and many empty homesteads. Come, therefore, and settle among us, and we will give you all you need.” The Iduans were glad to hear this and followed to the place pointed out. Only a small creek led to the new town, but this they soon broadened and deepened so as to provide a better approach. The bush too was cleared and a little beach made as a landing-place. Our visit to Idua was unexpected, since it was the first made by a District Commissioner for fifteen years. The people seemed gentle and biddable, however; for when a deep pit to the left of the main street was shown them, and it was explained that the swarms of mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant water caused the death of many children, they did not wait for orders, but at once ran for hoes, spades, and shovels, and began filling it in. Later, when the same danger was pointed out from the larvae breeding in a decayed canoe, a rush was made for this and it was at once rolled over so that it should no longer hold water. As we followed the road inland, through Okkobbor country, toward the town of Ube, each person met gave a pleasant word of greeting, then dropped lightly on one knee, at the same time raising a hand in the graceful salutation usual amid this race. Along the way, we were told, grew sacred trees, each of which was a “ very big Juju,” and, always supposing that the proper sacrifices were made, could give “ plenty piccans ” and other favours for the asking. Just before Ube, the first of these was reached—a magnificent specimen, the bole of which rises straight for over a hundred feet, supporting a crown of great branches spreading symmetrically in every direction. The name of the indwelling spirit is “ Ebiribong,” and in his honour, at the time of the new yam planting, a great play is held and a he-goat sacrificed. The holy images are brought out with dancing, singing, and much rejoicing, vJ Ebiribong Tree, and set in the clear space at the foot of the tree, where nothing is allowed to grow save the young leaves of the Thaumatococcus, from the dried and flattened stems of which sleeping mats are made. Chains and cords woven from such stems are festooned round the images, and there seems to be some idea in the native mind that by encircling these a blessing will be drawn down upon all bridal beds, the mats of which are plaited from like material. This ceremony every single inhabitant of Ube Okkobbor must attend. Should any have gone on long journeys, or be detained elsewhere from some cause, they must be sought and brought back before the rites can be carried out. At the foot of the great trunk, facing the entrance in the fence which separates the enclosure from the main road, stands a small hut built over one of the gnome-shaped ant-hills. A few feet above this, round the mighty bole, a long fringed mat of plaited palm is hung. This, like the one already described,1 symbolises rainbow and lightning, the dry and the rainy seasons.2 The inhabitants of Ube stated that their town had never before been visited by a white man. It was clean and well kept, but the people were busy giving it an extra “ tidying up ” in honour of our coming. A little beyond it another tall tree was passed. This is named ’Ndemm Oisong, and is supposed to have the power of conferring long life upon its worshippers. Farther on still, near Atabong, we came across a third sacred tree, which had been struck by lightning some years ago. This misfortune is said so to have enraged the indwelling dryad that sacrifices have had to be made ever since, lest in anger he should harm passers-by. The story of the founding of Atabong town is as follows : “ Once long ago in a village to the north of Calabar lived a tribe of Efik fisher-folk called Adiabo. These used 1 P- 38- 2 Similar symbols may be found in Murray Island, Torres Straits, where, to cause rain, “ four large screens, composed of plaited coconut leaves, were placed at the head, foot, and sides of the grave to represent clouds . . . and coconut leaves with their leaflets pointing downwards were suspended close by to represent rain ” (Haddon, Magic and, Fetishism, p. 16). to earn their living by diving to collect shell-fish, which they sold to neighbouring people, until a strange fatality settled on one of the principal families. This was constantly mourning the loss of sons, who perished through the attacks of crocodiles, which seemed to single out this sole clan for death and let all the others go free. Finally one of the head chiefs was seized, whereon the remnant cried : ‘ We will stay here no more to be destroyed one by one, but will go forth and find a new home, where we may dwell in safety.’ “ Down the Cross River, therefore, went all that was left of the Adiabo, till they came to a creek belonging to the Okkobbor people. In that place grew plenty cane too much, so it was called Ataw Abong, i.e. Place of Cane, a name which later was contracted into Atabong. There the new-comers settled and prospered exceedingly. Many piccans were born and grew up, till the tribe had more than regained its old strength. One day, while a great play was being given in the town, the head chief of Effiatt went by in a big, mighty canoe, attended by many followers. They were on their way to Esiet in the Ibibio country, but the tide was against them and they were forced to go slowly. Over the water came the sound of singing, and the chief said, ‘ This play is too sweet in my ears. Pull towards the beach, therefore, for I must land and see.’ “ When the Adiabo saw the strangers, they received them very kindly, and said that they must spend all day and all night there and join in the play. The chiefs brought gifts of cloth for their visitors, and, in return, the people of Effiatt dashed them the loads of crawfish which they were on their way to sell. “Now the daughter of the Chief of Atabong was very beautiful, and when the Prince of Effiatt saw her he at once fell in love. He therefore called a boy and, pointing her out, asked, ‘ Is that girl wedded or already bespoken ? ’ The youth answered, laughing, ‘ If you wish to know such a thing as this, you had better ask her father.’ “ This advice was followed, and the marriage arranged. In honour of the alliance another play was given, which lasted for four days. At the end of that time the Effiatt left their new friends, and with them went the bride to her future home. “ Three or four months later, the Chief of Atabong said : ‘ Now I must go to visit my daughter.’ He set out and soon reached Akwa Obio Effiatt, where his son-in- law lived. The latter was not in his house, and his people said that he had gone away to seek for crawfish. The visitor asked where he might be found, and they answered : ‘ Across the big water, on the other side.’ “ Thither, therefore, went the father-in-law, and was kindly welcomed. He was amazed at the amount of the catch which he saw, and the riches to be gained by this industry ; so he stayed, learning the methods of the Effiatt, until the water spoiled, i.e. the fishing season was over. “ On his return, the chief told his own people of what he had seen, and, at their request, asked his son-in-law whether they also might join in fishing. The latter was willing, and showed him a good place in which to build his Ine (i.e. fishing settlement), and also indicated the stretch of water which should belong to the new-comers. “ From that time the people of Atabong have spent the whole of the fishing season on the far side of the estuary, and only come back to their homes during the rains.” As at Ibeno and Eket, here also, in olden days, at the beginning of each fishing season, a man was chosen from among the poorer sort, and bound to a post at low tide, to be drowned by the rising water. Now a cow or bull is sacrificed in like manner, that the crawfish Juju may be pleased with the offering and, in return, bestow heavy catches upon its worshippers. On the occasion of our first visit to Atabong we had gone by land from Idua in order to map the road, while the paddlers had been told to go round by water and meet us at Atabong beach. According to the manner of their kind, these did not see fit to put in an appearance ; so, after waiting till the last moment, we were forced to hire others and embark on a crazy canoe, which chanced to be the only one available at the time. Water poured in through the cracks on every side, and one of the police, a Yoruba over six feet in height, who unfortunately suffered from a chronic dread of this element, burst into loud weeping, which continued at intervals during the whole journey. Between his sobs he announced that the paddlers were bad men who would “ Drown us all for water.” In spite of this gloomy prognostication, however, by the aid of continual bailing, we passed safely through the maze of unmapped lily-strewn streams out on to the broad bosom of the Cross River, down the swift-flowing current of which we were borne, and arrived some two hours later, by the light of a glorious moon, at Idua Oronn.