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- Title
- [The Jages; Kingdom of Monoe-mugi, or Nimeamaye]
- Description
- The engraving shows the Jages, who lived in the eastern portion of the Kingdom of Mono-mugi, or Nimeamye, between Okango and the Lake. According to Ogilby, the Jages were "the cruellest and most inhumane people." As he wrote, "These Jages are like in Manners, Wars, and Savageness to the Jages of Ansico, for they eat up all those that they take Prisoners in the Wars, or serve them as Slaves; and for Ornament have also Feathers stuck through their Noses, and both the upper Teeth before are struck out; without which marks none can be received in their Bands or Companies, as we have at large before related." (p. 603) In the engraving, the Jages take members of another tribe captive. They are armed with swords, daggers, and bows and arrows, and wear feathers through their noses., Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an Accurate Description of the Regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the Adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, Belonging Thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 603., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 603, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2963
- Title
- [How the gold is taken up in the river; Negroland]
- Description
- The engraving shows residents of Negroland diving for gold, it accompanies the following passage in Ogilby's text: "In some places, especially at the plentiful Gold-River Atzine, under the Cliffs and Water-falls, shooting down from the Mountains, Gold is taken up, in this manner: They Dive with a hollow Woodden Tray to the bottom, and rake there among the Earth, Stones, and all that they can come at; with which having filled their Dishes, they come up above Water, and washing the Mass, find the Gold; for sometimes whole pieces are wash't down by force of the Water, through the Gold-Veins; whereof the King of Egwira hath a great many, which he keeps for his Fancy, ascribing a secret Power and Vertue to it." (p. 448), Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an Accurate Description of the Regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the Adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, Belonging Thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 449., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 449, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2956
- Title
- [Anna Xinga and her commanders]
- Description
- Engraving features Anna Xinga or Nzinga (second from left), the daughter and rightful successor of the King of Congo. After the Portuguese prevented her ascension to the throne, she fled the kingdom. As Ogilby explained, "She and her People (for the most part) lead an unsettled life, roving up and down from place to place, like the Jages: Before any enterprize undertaken, though of meanest concern, they ask councel of the Devil; to which end they have an Idol, to whom they sacrifice a living Person, of the wisest and comliest they can pick out." Ogilby then continued, "The Queen against the time of this Sacrifice, Clothes her self in mans appareal, (nor indeed does she at any time go otherwise habited) hanging about her the Skins of beasts, before and behind, with a Sword about her Neck, an Ax at her Girdle, and a Bowe and Arrows in her Hand, leaping according to their Custom, now here, then there, as nimbly, as the most active among her Attendants; all the while striking her Engema, that is, two Iron Bells, which serve her in stead of Drums. When she thinks she has made a show long enough, in a Masculine manner, and thereby hath weary'd her self; then she takes a broad Feather and sticks it through the holes of her boar'd Nose, for a sign of War. She her self in this rage, begins with the first of those appointed to be sacrificed; and cutting off his head, drinks a great draught of his blood. Then follow the Stoutest Commanders, as do as she hath done; and this with a great hurly-burly, tumult, and playing upon Instruments about their Idol. Among all her most pretious things, she bestows no such care on any, as the Bones of one of her Brothers, who Raign'd before her, which lie together in a costly Silver Chest, long before gotten of the Portuguese." (p. 564), Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an accurate description of the regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 565., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 565, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2961
- Title
- [Funeral in Negroland]
- Description
- The engraving shows a funeral rite, or fakotima, in Negroland. In this scene, the funeral orations have already ended, and the deceased has been propped up on a platform. According to Ogibly, when the deceased was a man (as is the case here), his friends put "a Bowe and Arrow into his hand, and arrayed him with his best Garment." Then, they offered presents, "one Needles, another a Kettle or Bason; the third a Garment; a fourth Dishes, and Earthen and Tin Cups." In this engraving, the kinsmen of the deceased play with bows and arrows in front of the corspe, as was customary., Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an Accurate Description of the Regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the Adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, Belonging Thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 394., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 394, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2954
- Title
- [The Koredo]
- Description
- Set in Negroland, the engraving addresses way in which the King dealt with disobedient subjects, or "any man who keeps away from his duty." As Ogilby explained, when any nobleman proved disobedient, or failed to comply with a summons, the King sent his Koredo, or shield. The shield was brought by two drummers (shown here in the foreground), who began beating their drums "as soon as they came near the Offenders Habitations." Upon receipt of the shield, the offender was required, without the slightest delay, "to speed away to the Court, carrying the shield with him." After presenting the shield to the King, the offender was expected to "beg forgiveness of his miscarriages," and to "take up Earth before the King, humbling himself." (p. 399), Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an Accurate Description of the Regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the Adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, Belonging Thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 399., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 399, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2955
- Title
- ["Household-stuff"; Negroland]
- Description
- The engraving offers a partial view of the interior and exterior of a house in Negroland. It accompanies the following paragraph in Ogilby's text: "The best of their Household-stuff is commonly one or two wooden Chests, bought of the Whites, wherein they Lock all they possess; so that little can be seen in their Houses. They have some Kalabasses, which they call Akosso, made of the Straw of Mille, wherein they commonly carry their Wares and other Goods to sell. Their Arms, such as Shields, Assagays, or Launces, hang on the Wall for Ornament. The remaining part of their Goods consists in a Mat to sleep on, two or three stumps of wood for Stools, a Pot or two to boyl in, two or three Kalabasses to drink Palm-Wine out of, and a great Kettle to wash themselves in." (p. 454) Many of the objects to which Ogibly refers can be seen in the engraving. For example, at the far left, an African washes himself in a "great Kettle," while the man at the far right raises a kalabasse in his hand. In the center of the scene, the standing figure holds his sleeping mat, and several straw baskets (Akosso) are scattered on the ground. In accordance with Ogilby's description, arms, shields, and the like decorate the walls of the house., Illustration in John Ogilby's Africa: Being an Accurate Description of the Regions of Aegypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid: the Land of Negroes, Guinee, and Aethiopia, and Abyssines, with all the Adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern, or Oriental Sea, Belonging Thereunto (London: Printed by Tho. Johnson, for the author, and are to be had at his house in White Fryers, M.DC.LXX [1670]), p. 454., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Africa: Images, Maps, and Geography.
- Date
- [1670]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare *Wing O163 14.F p 454 A, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2957