The following account of “African Symbolic Messages,” condensed from the paper of the Rev. C. A. Gollmer, which appeared in Jour. Anthrop. Inst. of Gr. Bn. and I., XIV, p. 169, et. seq., is highly interesting as showing the ideography attached to the material objects transmitted. The step in evolution by which the graphic delineation of those objects was substituted for their actual presence was probably delayed only by the absence of convenient material, such as birch bark, parchment, or other portable rudimentary form of paper on which to draw or paint, or at least by the want of a simple invention for the application of such material:
The natives in the Yoruba country, West Africa, in the absence of writing, and as a substitute for it, send to one another messages by means of a variety of tangible objects, such as shells, feathers, pepper, corn, stone, coal, sticks, powder, shot, razors, etc., through which they convey their ideas, feelings, and wishes, good and bad, and that in an unmistakable manner. The object transmitted is seen, the import of it known and the message verbally delivered by the messenger sent, and repeated by one or more other persons accompanying the messenger for the purpose as the importance of the message is considered to require.
Cowry shells in the symbolic language are used to convey, by their number and the way in which they are strung, a variety of ideas. One cowry may indicate “defiance and failure;” thus: A cowry (having a small hole made at the back part, so as to be able to pass a string through it and the front opening) strung on a short bit of grass fiber or cord, and sent to a person known as a rival, or one aiming at injuring the other, the message is: “As one finger can not take up a cowry (more than one are required), so you one I defy; you will not be able to hurt me, your evil intentions will come to nothing.”
Two cowries may indicate “relationship and meeting;” thus: Two cowries strung together, face to face, and sent to an absent brother or sister, the message is: “We are children of one mother, were nursed by the same breasts.”
Two cowries may indicate “separation and enmity;” thus: Two cowries strung back to back and sent to a person gone away, the message is: “You and I are now separated.”
Two cowries and a feather may indicate “speedy meeting;” thus: Two cowries strung face to face, with a small feather (of a chicken or other bird) tied between the two cowries, and sent to a friend at a distance, the message is: “I want to see you, as the bird (represented by the feather) flies straight and quickly, so come as quickly as you can.”
The following fivefold painful symbolic message was sent by D., whilst in captivity at Dahomey, to his wife, who happened to be staying with Mr. Gollmer, at Badagry, at the time. The symbols were a stone, a coal, a pepper, corn, and a rag. During the attack of the King of Dahomey, with his great army of Amazons and other soldiers, upon Abeokuta in March, 1852, D., one of the native Christians and defenders of his town, home, and family, was taken captive and carried to Dahomey, where he suffered much for a long time. Whilst waiting for weeks to know the result his wife received the symbolic letter which conveyed the following message:
The stone indicated “health” (the stone was a small, common one from the street); thus the message was: “As the stone is hard, so my body is hardy, strong—i. e., well.”
The coal indicated “gloom” (the coal was a small piece of charcoal); thus the message was: “As the coal is black, so are my prospects dark and gloomy.”
The pepper indicated “heat” (the pepper was of the hot cayenne sort); thus the message was: “As the pepper is hot so is my mind heated, burning on account of the gloomy prospect—i. e., not knowing what day I may be sold or killed.”