V t^ * * ''-e c> , V ~ ■ ■ ^0• 0> °( " o y- "o^*^.'/ 'V*3^\/ "V'^-'y .. V' .0- .^" ,. ^ • o ^°-<*-. ■» .V 0' vr>9 o V .0 .0 .^ ■r . r\ » o N a rz~. ^oV" oV ♦• «( THE FOULAHS OF CEITEAL AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE BY WfB "^HODGSON, h OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, 1343. .F9 H^ TO FRANCIS MARKOE, Jr., Esq., CORRESPONDING SECRETARY TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE, WASHINGTON. My Dear Sir, I BEG to submit to the National Institute, some observations upon the ethnography of Nor- thern and Central Africa, and upon the means which that continent itself possesses, for the sup- pression of the Atlantic slave trade. " Africa,— torrid, pestilential, savage, myste- " rious^— reserved and guarded by the most terri- " ble and resistless influences of nature, as the " unconquered, uninvaded home of a peculiar and *^ degraded race — the ' white man's grave,' the " fatal road on which European enterprise in con- " quest, colonization, exploration, art, science, " philanthropy and religion, has for five hundred " years cast away thousands of noble wrecks." "As early as 1831, I began to regard Africa 1 " with much interest ; as, possibly, one of my "fields of enterprise. Every thing relating to " that subject, thenceforth, acquired a peculiar " value to my mind. All books of travels, maps, " scientific and medical works, that could give me " any new ideas of Africa, were carefully sought " and read, and faithfully studied." Such is the view of Atlantic and Central Africa, presented by this extract, from the first part of a remarkable book which is now being published here, entitled, "Wanderings on the Seas and Shores of Africa," by Dr. D. Francis Bacon. Such, too, is the sentiment of the philosophic Heeren, who says that ^^ geheimnissvoll dunkel,^'' — mysteri- ous darkness, has ever, from the earliest ages, op- posed the curiosity of man, to investigate the con- dition of this continent. The ethnographic portion of Dr. Bacon's work will be contained in the future numbers of his serial. Meanwhile, I propose, by anticipation, to submit to the National Institute, some remarks upon that widely spread people of Soudan, or Cen- tral Africa, called Foulahs or Fellatahs^ Throughout the whole extent of Nigritia or Negro-land, the Foulahs undoubtedly occupy pre- eminence. They are found spread over a vast geographic region of 28 to 30 degrees in longi- tude, 1500 miles — and of 7 to 10 in latitude, or 500 miles. They extend from the Atlantic ocean, from the mouth of the Senegal and Senegambia on the west, to the kingdoms of Bornou and Mandara on the east ; from the desert of Sahara on the north, to the moun- tains of Guinea or Kong, on the south. This wide superficies contains more than 700,000 square miles, which is equal to the fourth part of Europe, and a tenth part of the immense continent of Africa. Compared with the United States, these parallels of longitude, would extend from Maine to Missouri. What may be the Foulah population spread over this region, it is impossible to approxi- mate. But the low estimate of three inhabitants to the square mile, would give a population of two millions. In the wide extent of this vast region, they are found under the various but similar names of Fel- lans, Felany, Foulah, Foulany, Fallatah, Fella- tiyah and Peuls. By linguistic analogies, it was discovered by Adelung, the German philologer, that these widely separated tribes were one peo- ple ; as Marsden discovered, by comparative voca- bularies, that the Berber language prevailed from the Canary Islands and Morocco, to the Oases bordering on Egypt. In Senegambia and the mountains of Sierra Leone, the Foulahs have formed four principal states called Fouta-Toro, Fouta-Bondou, Fouta-Djallon and Foulado^;^, '^^ These states are governed by an elective chief, called Almamy- (e\-lmam,) He may be termed the President of an oligarchic council. In other negro countries where these nomedic tribes have introduced themselves, they pay tribute to the chiefs of the country, for the lands which they occupy, under a certain feudal depen- dence. In this political relation, they are found on all the Atlantic coast, from the river Sierra Leone-^along the Grain, Ivory, and Gold Coasts— to the Niger. On the Senegal, they are found among the Serracolets or Serreres, and east- ward to Massina. At Jenneh, Caille discovered that they had seized the power of the state, and were defending themselves against the Sergoo Tuarycks to the North, and the Bambarra negroes to the South. On the western coast, they thus live mingled with the laloofs, Mandingoes, and Sousous. On the Niger and in Soudan, they oc- cupy or have conquered, the kingdoms of Yarriba, NufFee, Haoussa, and others. There is an im- mense country, yet unexplored by the white man, eight hundred miles in extent, between Bambarra on the West, and Yarriba on the East, and lying in the rear of the Grain and Ivory coast. This unknown land is supposed to be occupied by Fou- lahs. Such is the geographic distension of this singular race. The Foulahs are not negroes. They differ essentially from the negro race, in all the charac- teristics which are marked by physical anthropo- logy. They may be said to occupy the interme- diate space betwixt the Arab and the Negro. All travellers concur in representing them as a distinct race, in moral as in physical traits. To their colour, the various terms of bronze, copper, red- dish, and sometimes white, has been applied. They concur also in the report, that theFoulahs of every region represent themselves to be white men, and proudly assert their superiority to the black tribes, among M^hom they live. Mungo Park's descrip- tion of them, does not vary much from that of all subsequent travellers, and which is substantially repeated in Schon and Crowther's journal of the Niger expedition made in 1841, in the British government steamer the " Albert." He says, " the Foulahs are chiefly of a tawny complexion, "with silky hair and pleasing features." The authority of Mr. D'Avezac of Paris, is among the highest, as I conceive, upon all African subjects. In his " Esquisse generale de VAJrique,^'' he says of the Foulahs : — " In the midst of the negro races, there stands " out a metive population, of tav/nyc or copper " colour, prominent nose, small ^mouth ai:id oval " face, which ranks itself among the white races,., " and asserts itself to be descended from Arab " fathers, and taurodo mothers. Their crisped "hair, and even woolly though long, justifies their " classification among the oulotric (woolly haired) " populations ; but neither the traits of their fea- " tures, nor the colour of their skin, allow them to " be confounded with negroes, however great the " fusion of the two types may be." In the Mithridates of Adelung and Vater, the opinion is expressed that the Foulahs belong to a middle race, between the negro proper, and the African white race — " einer Mittelgattmzg zwis- " chen den eigentlichen Negern, und den Afrika- " nischen weissen^ They consider themselves better than the native negroes, and always rank themselves amonof the white nations. The Foulahs are a warlike race of shepherds, and within this century they have established a political organization ; subjugated a large portion of Soudan ; and founded Sakatoo, the capital of their empire. Clapperton says that this town, which was built in 1805, by Danfodio the prophet, and the first political and military chief of the Foulahs, was the most populous which he had seen in Central Africa. At the period of his visit, the Sultan was Bello, or according to Mr. D'Ave- zac's correct orthography, Mahommed B'Ellah, He also writes Danfodio, Otsman dzon-el-Nafad- hiyaJi, or Otsman the destroyer. The Foulahs are rigid Mohammedans, and according to Molhen, the French traveller's report, they are animated by a strong zeal for proselytism. They are the mis- sionaries of Islam, among the pagan negro tribes. Where they have conquered, they have forced the adoption of the Koran, by the sword ; and whilst pursuing quietly their pastoral occupations, they become schoolmasters, maaliins— and thus propa- gate the doctrines and precepts of Islam. Where- ever the Foulah has wandered, the pagan idolatry of the negro has been overthrown ; the barbarous Fetish and greegree have been abandoned ; anthropophagy and cannibalism have been suppres- sed ; and the horrible sacrifice of human beings, to propitiate the monstrous gods of the negro bar- barian, has been supplanted, by the worship of the true God. The Rev. Mr. Schon, who accompanied the British expedition to the Niger or Quorra, in 1841, says, that "the people of Iddah," — a negro town on that river, south of the country inhabited by the Foulahs — " are Pagans. No mixture of " Mohammedanism, is observable in their cus- *^ tomso They showed me their gods. Under a " small shade, erected before almost every house, " were broken pots, pieces of yams, feathers of " fowls, horns of animals, broken bows and arrows, " knives and spears. Such were their gods ! They " denied ever having sacrificed human beings, " which I could hardly credit." Thus, the Foulahs are now exercising a power- ful influence upon the moral and social condition of Central Africa. I do not doubt, that they are destined to be the great instrument in the future civilization of Africa, and the consequent suppres- sion of the external Atlantic slave trade. Some years ago, whilst residing at Algiers, and before the solution of the great geographic problem by Lander — the course and termination of the mys- terious Niger — I was attracted by the moral su- periority of the Foulahs or Fellatahs. In a paper which I then published, a resume of which may be found in the Encyclopoedia Americana, sub voce, I then said : — " This nation presents itself as a " curious and important subject of philosophic spe- " culation. The Fellatahs will probably erect one " vast empire in Soudan, and the influence which " that power may exert in the great question of " African civilization, gives to them no ordinary *' importance. If Sultan Bello should be induced " to abolish the slave trade, the most efficient '* means will have been discovered for its entire " suppression. The example of so great an em- " pire, or the menace of its chief, would effectual- " \y check the inhuman cupidity or barbarism, of " the lesser tribes of the coast. Such an event " would cause a great revolution in the commerce " of those countries, and the arts of civilized life " would, in consequence, be speedily adopted." I shall not dissemble the satisfaction which I draw from the support and corroboration of these sentiments, so early expressed, by the journals and reports of the several expeditions which have since been made. Since that period, the Brothers, Lan- der, have discovered the course and termination of the Niger or Quorra. In the years 1833 and '34, an expedition was sent by the British govern- ment, into the " interior of Africa, by the river Ni- " ger," of which the narrative has been published by Laird and Oldfield. This expedition was made in the steam-vessel the " Alburkak,'" (El-Berakeh, i. e. blessing.) In 1841, another similar expedi- tion, in the steam-vessel the " Albert," was made up the Niger, under the auspices of Her Britannic Majesty's government. The narrative of this last expedition, presents the most recent account which we have, of the condition of the countries and tribes bordering on the Niger. It was written by the Rev. Mr. Schon,and Mr. Samuel Crowther. From that journal I extract the following remarks, which show the predominant influence of the Fel- latahs, upon the moral and social condition of Central Africa. "/The slave vender told us " that all of the " slaves would have to be sent to Rabba, the prin* " cipal slave market, at present, in the interior of " Africa." He replied, that " he could make no ob* " jection to all I had said, but still, that the slave ^ " trade was not against the laws of this country, I "and of their king; that if the king of Rabba, '\ " (Sumo Sariki,) would make a law against the i " slave trade, the people in general would willing* " ly give it up. To gain over the Fellatahs to the " Abolition party, is certainly the *most desirable "thing; as there the axe would be laid to the root " of the slave trade." Whilst at Atsarah, a town two miles distant from the model farm, established by the commissioners, Mr. Schon remarks : — " I " learned that the law relative to the abolition of "slavery, (the slave trade,) had been duly publish- " ed by the Attah, and that all the inhabitants of "the village approved of it, as a good law. They " confirmed what has been so often stated, that " the slave trade would not cease, until the Fella- " tabs were gained over to the slave trade abolition "party." Speaking of the iVwjf^^ country, which is governed by two chiefs, Ezu-Tssa and Ma- majia, (Maalim Majia,) he says, " when I asked " the people whether Mamajia sold many slaves, " they all burst out laughing, and said, " how can " he sell slaves, being a slave himself to the " Fellatahs." Lander says " the destiny of Nouffie 2 10 ** is already sealed, she is a conquered country in " every sense of the word, and a Falatah is her " monarch." Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, in his " Remedy for the African Slave Trade," appreciates the great importance of the Fellatahs, in accompHshing this great object of philanthropy. I concur with this eminent man, in his philosophic exposition of the causes and remedy of the Atlantic slave trade ; and in pointing out one of the most efficient means which Africa holds within her own bosom, for the suppression of this nefarious commerce, I am impelled by the sentiments which I have found in the wisdom and benevolence of our own legis- lation. Jt is a proud reflection for these United States, that they were the first among the nations of the Earth, to denounce this trade as piracy. Nor will the effort to suppress the slave trade, by operating upon the mind of Africa, and substitu- ting a legitimate commerce, which addresses t© the interests of the African, be deemed adverse to the treaty engagements of this government, in the fulfihnent of which, our powerful squadron is now nobly and actively employed. ^Sir T. Fowell Buxton says, "I shall endeavor " to show% that with respect to the two most pow- ** erful potentates of Central Africa, the Sheickh " of Bornou, and the Sultan of the Fellatahs, " there is some reason for supposing that we need *^ not despair of their cooperation." " Captain " Clapperton visited Bello, the powerful Sultan of " the Fellatahs, in 1823, at Sackatoo. He assured 11 " Clapperton, that he was able to put an effectual " stop to the slave trade, and expressed, with much " earnestness of manner, his anxiety to enter into " permanent relations of trade and friendship, with " England. At the close of Clapperton's visit, " Bello gave him a letter to the King of England, " to the same purport as the conversation which " had taken place between them. These offers "on the part of the Sultan of the Fellatahs, must " be held to be of great importance. He is the " chief of a warlike enterprising people, who have " extended their sway, over many nations and " tribes around them ; and who, from the testimo- " of recent travellers, are actively employed in " carrying on war with their neighbors, to supply " the demands of the slave trade." We learn from the most recent expedition to the Niger, that the great Sultan Bello is deceased, and has been succeeded by his son, Alilu, Mr. Bandinelof the Foreign Office, Downing- street, in his historical review of the slave trade, published last year, says, that " agreements stipula- ** ting the entire suppression of the slave trade, on '* the part of African Chiefs, and on that of their " subjects, have been already concluded with ** several of the most influential chiefs, viz., *^ those of the river Bonny, the chiefs of the river " Cameroons ; the King of Cartebar on the " Gambia ; the chiefs of Timmanees ; King of " Aboi or Ybo ; and the King of Egarra at " Idda." With these agreements among the Chiefs, at the mouths of the Quorra, a Treaty with Alilu, the Sultan of the Fellatahs at Sackatoo, 12 would powerfully concur; and thus, along the whole course of this central river, the natives themselves would eftect the change of a nefarious, for a legitimate and humanizing commerce. The great element to which we look, as the most powerful agent in civilizing Africa, is Chris- tianity. It is apparent, from the history of the most renowned states of antiquity, and of those now existing under other religious systems, that civilization cannot advance beyond a certain limit, without Christianity. The highest civiliza- tion seems to be a necessary result of Chris- tianity. " I confess," says Burke, " I trust more, " according to the sound principles of those *' who have, at any time, ameliorated the " state of mankind, to the effect and influence of " religion, than to all the rest of the regulations " put together." And Sir T. Fowell Buxton is persuaded, that the " Gospel ever has been, and ^^ ever must be, the grand civilizer of mankind." Amonsf the efforts that have been made to in- trodiice Christianity into Africa, by the various societies of Christians, the Wesleyan Mission from England to the Foulahs, occupies a promi- nent place. It is noticed here, in immediate con- nexion with that people. As early as the year 1795, the venerable Bishop Coke, originated a plan for the benefit and instruction of the Fou- lahs, in which Mr. Wilberforce took a lively in- terest. Macarthy's Island in the Gambia, was chosen as the station of this mission. In 1835, this subject acquired renewed interest, and among the Wesleyans, a few benevolent individu- 13 als, among whom Dr. Lindoe of Southampton, stands first and conspicuous, for his munificence, adopted measures of more extensive operation for the benefit of the Foulahs. The Rev. Mr. Macbrair's " Sketches of a Missionary's Travels," is one of the results of this benevolent enterprise ; and the Rev. Mr. Thompson's residence at Tim- boo, the great capital of the western Foulahs, it may be expected, will furnish the world with ad- ditional knowledge of this interesting people. A few extracts from the instructions given to their missionary, will illustrate the views of the Wesleyan Society. "The mission at Macarthy's island upon the " Gambia, although contiguous to the Mandingoes, "has been founded for the benefit of the Foulahs, " primarily, and ultimately, of the other tribes and " nations of West Africa. The plan of transla- " ting the scriptures into one or more principal " African languages, is an enlargement of the ori- " ginal design of the Foulah mission. On the " subject of the language to be commenced with — " whether you should apply yourself first to the " Foulah or the Mandingo — it is not easy to de- " cide, until further investigation be made." Mr. Macbriar adopted the latter language. Had he selected the Foulah, the gospel would now have been published in the predominant language of Central Africa, for the benefit of 2,000,000 of people — a conquering race of preeminent intellec- tual and moral qualities. Thus too, the great desideratum to the scientific world, which will be noticed in the conclusion of this paper — the ma- 14 terials for investigating the Fonlah language — would have been furnished. These materials, I hope, may yet be furnished from this side of the Atlantic. In Central Africa, education and religious in- struction are entirely in the hands of the Moham- medans. The Koran has introduced its letters, where it has been adopted, as the Bible from Rome, has substituted its letters, for the alphabets of Europe. Let not the humanizing influence of the Koran, upon the fetishes, greegrees, and hu- man sacrifices of pagan, homicidal Africa, be de- preciated. It will bring up the civilization of the barbarous negro races to a certain degree of civi- lization, and thus it will concur with Christianity, which is now invading Africa from the West, in suppressing their inhuman practices and supersti- tions. In Africa — in the land of the degraded negro — the gospel now stands face to face with the Koran. There the two confluent tides of religious instruc- tion, from the West and the East, meet. From the Senegambia to the Equator, along this vast extent of coast, Christianity has her stations ; and she opposes by lier Book, the further advance of the Moslem's Book, The colony of Liberia is an advanced post of Christianity. The Arabic Bi- ble is eagerly sought, and gratefully received by the tribes; and it has even been brought to the Western coast, by merchants and pilgrims from Egypt, across the whole breadth of that continent. Let, therefore, the gospel be disseminated in Ara- 15 Bic characters, into whatever languages the pious zeal of missionaries may be able to translate it, since Arabic letters have, for centuries, been intro- duced into Africa, and have become familiarized by use. To a certain extent, the Mohammedans go along with us. Their civil code, contained in the Koran, forbids the enslaving of a man horn of free parents J and professing the Musselman religion ; nor can a Mussulman be reduced to slavery, in any case. The Fellatahs have practised successfully upon this article of the Islamic code, for political objects. In their invasions of negro states, they have invariably made this appeal to the Pagan slaves ; and in countries where three-fifths of the population are of that class, it may be inferred, that numerous converts are made, and conquests thus made easy. " There are points," says Mr. "Buxton, "in the Mohammedan faith, which we " may turn to account, in attempting to introduce " better instruction. The Mussulmans of the " West, do not regard Christians with thp same " horror as those of the East ; they seem to be fa- " vorably impressed, by finding that we acknow- " ledge much of their own sacred history ; and " with them, the names of Abraham and Moses, "serve to recommend our holy books." "We " may make common cause also with them, in " Africa, in our common abhorrence of the bloody " rites and sacrifices of the Pagans." The political importance of the Foulahs being thus stated, science now demands to know^ who 16 the Foulahs are, and whence descended. Are they Autochthones, aborigines of the country where they reside, or are they immigrants ? As with the Berbers of North Africa, they possess no records or letters, save those brought to them by their Mohammedan teachers ; and in both cases, their traditions are too vague and uncertain, for the exacting spirit of modern science. In the ab- sence of historic records, the affiliations of agrammatic or unlettered race of men, must be traced by the indications of language, which the philosophic Herder terms, — das ewige hand der Tnenschen — the eternal band of men. Compara- tive philology is the modern science, which chief- ly guides the classification of tribes and nations, and which illustrates their early history, their habitats and migrations. To this may be added a still more recent science, that of craniology, and considering the extent and perfection of his labors, it may be said to be almost appropriated, after Blumenbach and Pritchard, by Dr. Samuel George Morton of Philadelphia. The classifica- tion of African races will be materially assisted by the publication of his Crania JEgyptiaca and Africana, which are now in course of preparation. The late celebrated geographer. Major Ren- nell, in his appendix to Park's Travels, asserts the opinion that the Foulahs " appear, clearly, to " be the Leucoethiopesof Ptolemy and Phny." The Rev. Mr. Macbrair, Wesleyan missionary to the Gambia, and whose recent work is the latest book of travels among the Foulahs of Western Africa, 17 entirely adopts this opinion of Major Rennell. He says, " they are, doubtless, the Leucoethiopes " of Ptolemy and Pliny." They are certainly white ^Ethiopians or negroes, compared with the Soudanic tribes surrounding them ; but I would rather suppose, that the Greek and Roman geogra- phers spoke of some other people, even of Albi- nos, as has been suggested. Ptolemy and Pliny wrote from report, and had not seen that part of Africa which the Foulahs occupy. I have refer- red to a better authority, Leo Africanus, (El- Hhassan of Grenada,) who was expelled with the Moors from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, and who twice visited Soudan. To my surprise, I have not been able to find any indications of the Foulahs in the work of this truthful traveller and sagacious observer. He draws the marked dis- tinction betwixt the '* Nigritce!'' and the ** gentes subfusci coloris," or the negroes and the races of tanned color. He says, " I have seen fifteen " kingdoms of negroes — Nigritarum regna — which, " commencing at the west and going eastward, "are Gualata, Ginea, Melli, Tombutu, Gago, Gu- "ber, Agades, Cano, Casena, Zegzega, Zanfara, " Guangara, Burnu, Gaoga and Nuba." Modern geography corroborates the truth of this narration, made three hundred years ago. " To the south," he adds, " there are many other kingdoms, as " Bitos, Tenuamia, Dauma, Medera and Go- "rania." The races of tawny or tanned color, he says, are called Berbers — suhfasci coloris incolw, ap'peU 2 18 lati sunt Barbar, Thus, he asserts, that there are but two races of people in Africa, Negroes and Berbers, which is the division of the Greek historians — Libyans and ^Ethiopians. This, I should have said were the two divisions, had I not found among the negroes, this mixed, metive, mezzo-termino race, the Foulahs. It must be sup- posed, that they existed in Soudan when Leo was there ; and I cannot reconcile it with his usual sagacity and discrimination, that he did not dis- cover or mention them. The history of the Berbers or Libyans, is yet to be investigated and written. I yet maintain the opinion advanced some years ago, that these people were the terroegeniti — the aboriginal in- liabitants of Egypt, prior to the historic or monu- mental sera, and before the Mizraimites and their descendants the Copts; and I anticipate this re- sult from the physical researches of Dr. Morton. This opinion does not conflict with the historic deductions of the learned and ingenious Hierolo- gist, Mr. George Gliddon, whose lectures on the Antiquities and Literature of Egypt, have received the general applause. From the investigation of the Foulah language alone, from linguistic evidences, can we hope to trace the origin of this singular people. The follow- ing extracts are from Macbrair relating to the Fou- lah idiom of speech. ^* The Foola language is very " peculiar in its structure and pronunciation ; " which in some measure, resemble the kaffer of " Southern Africa. These are the only two Ian- 19 " guages yet known, which have the remarkable " euphonic accent, or grammatical change of ini- " tial letters. Some particulars of this idiom, infer "a high state of civilization, and probably also of ** literary attainments. We understand that the ''kaffer clicks are borrowed from the Hottentots, "and that the natives of the interior do not employ " them, but use a hiatus in their stead. Such a "hiatus is found in the Foola tongue, and forms a "necessary part of the language, since some "modes of construction entirely depend upon its " employment. Now as the Foolas and KafFers "resemble each other in many of their habits and " customs, as well as in their form and manners, " the identity of origin in the two families, may " easily be surmised. It is probable, that some " tribes of the interior were driven southwards " until passing the fiery region of the Equator, "they settled among the mountains of KafFraria." This probability is called a " neat conjecture" by the " Christian traveller in Western Africa," a work contemporary with Mr. Macbrair's " Sketch- es." If there be no other analogies between the KafFer and Foulah languages than that indicated, the identity must be very doubtful. Mr. Macbrair continues, " we feel disposed to ascribe an "Asiatic origin to the Foolas, according to their " own constant traditions ; especially as they are " altogether diverse from the regular descendants " of Ham. We have remarked that many of their "words strikingly resemble the Carthaginian ^^ names of Hannibal, Hamilcar, Asd^ubal, 6cc., 20 " being of three syllables, with the middle one " short, and terminating in similar sounds ; so that " we are inclined to view this tribe as springing " from the ancient Phenicians." According to this supposition, by syllogism or theorem, the Kaf- fers are descended from the Phenicians — an in- ference which the rigid laws of comparative philo- logy will not admit. The Asiatic or Malay origin of the Foulahs is, however, maintained by the elaborate memoir of Mr. Gustave D'Eichthal of Paris. In the transactions of the Ethnologic Society of Paris, Mr. Gustave D'Eichthal, banker in that capital, has published a very learned and elaborate memoir upon the Foulahs, entitled, " Histoire et " origine des Foulahs ou Fellansy This memoir comprises 300 pages, and the author consults all authorities, from the earliest book of travels to the latest period, with the exception, I believe, of Schon's journal of the last Niger expedition and Macbrair's Sketches, which I have cited. The ob- ject of this work is to prove the Malay origin of the Foulah language, and to this result the learn- ed author is led by comparative philology. He collated the words of all vocabularies of this idiom, heretofore furnished by travellers, and by this process, he arrives at the conclusion, that the Foulahs belong to the Malayan group, or family of nations. The best exposition of Mr. D'Eichthal's views, may be presented in his own words : — " The dis- " coveries of Sectzen, Lyon, Clapperton and Lan- 21 " der, in the first third of this century, have made " known to us, that this same people (Foulahs,) " is found spread out in Soudan, and in all the " basin of the Niger, to within a short distance of " its mouth ; that they had founded a great empire " in that region, whilst propagating Islamism ; and " that they seemed destined to exercise a mighty " influence upon the future destiny of that portion " of Africa. " In the ethnologic point of view, this people ** presents characteristics not less remarkable. All " who have made observations upon them, concur " in acknowledging, that they differ essentially " from the negroes, physically and morally, and if " they have not ventured to recognize in them, a "race distinct from the negro, they have, at least, ** regarded them as a variety, altogether special of " that race. The Fellans or Foulahs, have, how- *' ever, a tradition among themselves, which affi- " Hates them to the white race. " Investigating the origin of this people from " these indications, I have succeeded in establish- "ing a similarity between a certain number of " words, corresponding in their language, with " those of the family of languages in the Indian " Archipelago. Since, moreover, what we know " of the history of the Malayan races, perfectly " explains the presence of one of these races in " Africa, I have thought myself authorized to re- " unite this evidently extra-African race of Fellans, " to the Malayan family. Some of the facts which " I have presented may be called in question^ but 2Z ** I do not think, that the result itself, can be " doubted. " These researches have led me to study one of " the most important points of human history, and '' which, until very lately, was the most obscure — "the development of the Polynesian races. By " the recent testimony of travellers, and particu- '* larly of Moerenhout : it appears that Polynesia " was the cradle of a primitive civilization, which " has exercised a certain influence, even upon Asia. ** However this may be, it is certain, that the *' march of migrations and of civilization, in that " insular world, has been from East to West, and *' not from West to East, as was believed, until a " few years past. The testimony of Ellis, Mceren- " hout and of Urville, and of all who have studied ** that region, can leave no doubt upon this impor- "tant question." Such is Mr. D'Eichthal's own views of the very* curious and important results at which he has ar- rived. Dr. Pritchard of Bristol, has thus stated his opinion of those results in his " Natural Histo- ry of Man" : — " The subject well deserves a care- " ful consideration ; and the supposition of Mr. " D'Eichthal, though at first sight, it appears im- " probable, especially if we take into account, the " distant period from which the Foulahs are known "in Africa, and the difference of physical charac- " ters and manners, yet ought not to be dismissed " without careful investigation. If sufficient " means were accessible, for acquiring a complete " knowledge of the Foulah speech, this question 23 "could be speedily elucidated. The instances of ** resemblance in these languages, as yet discov- " ered by the ingenious author of the Essay, are " so few and so remote, that it appears to me very " doubtful, whether any conclusion whatever, can **be founded upon them. With all deference " that is due, to so able and ingenious a writer, as " Mr. D'Eichthal is well known to be, I am still " of opinion, that the Foulahs are a genuine Afri- " can race." The affinities which Mr. D'EichthaPs compara- tive tables present, are some of them very striking ; but I hesitate, at the adoption of the identity of the Foulah and Malay languages. My own opinion is, that sufficient materials do not yet exist, for the proper investigation of the Foulah tongue. Our vocabularies are very limited, and nothing is known of the structure of the language. It is this gram- matical idiosyncrasy, which is now required by comparative philology. This science has made great advances, and in the study of anthropology, it demands the internal structure of language. Comparative grammars are more important, than comparative vocabularies, to the study of ethnolo- gy. The affinity of languages, with like radicals and different syntax, is more apparent than real. It has reference more to the language, than to the man. Political causes sometimes force a people to adopt a foreign language. The syntax of the foreign tongue, in this case, is lost ; and the native syntax moulds the foreign elements, imposed upon it, to its own genius. The affinity of languages, ^^ 24 with different radicals but like syntax, is less strik- ing, but more intimate ; for this establishes the connexion of x\\e people speaking such languages, if it does not prove that of the languages them- selves. Whilst I think, that this interesting question of the origin of the Foulahs, requires additional ma- terials for its proper investigation, it will give me pleasure, at some future day, to submit to you those materials, which I have now the hope and expectation of being able to procure. With sentiments of great regard, I am, my dear sir. Very sincerely, yours, WM. B. HODGSON. 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