Negroes Swarming Trees
This image depicts palm oil production in the Senegambia region. Durand described how "the Negroes. . . climb [the trees] by means of a strong rope of cotton, or of palm leaves twisted together; this rope is long enough to embrace the trunk of the tree and the body of the man, leaving about two feet between them; he describes the palm tree, the popularity of palm wine, and the use of palm oil as a body ointment, in cooking, in the diet, and as a medicine" (p. 166-167). This image is one of several fanciful engravings created by the publisher for this volume and not based on an eye-witness sketch. Jean-Baptiste-Léonard Durand (1742-1812) was a French director for the Compagnie du Sénégal in 1785 and 1786. The first edition in French does not contain any images.
Image Title
Negroes Swarming Trees
RegID
SI-OB-577
Date
1806
Title
Negroes Swarming Trees
Source
Jean Baptiste Durand, A voyage to Senegal . . . translated from the French, & embellished with numerous engravings (London, 1806), between pp. 166-167.
Language
English
Item sets
Pre-Colonial Africa: Society, Polity, Culture
Spatial Coverage
Africa--Western Savanna
Reproduced In
Jean Baptiste Durand, A voyage to Senegal . . . translated from the French, & embellished with numerous engravings (London, 1806), between pp. 166-167.
Researchers
Jerome Handler; Michael Tuite; Henry B. Lovejoy Graduate Research Assistants: Tiffany Beebe; Travis May
Last Updated
11-Apr-16
Identifier
durand4