King Bell's House, Cameroons
This engraving shows a street scene and the royal house of Lobé Bebe Bell (d. 1858). According to Allen, "King Bell's house is very well built, with a raised story, surrounded by a verandah. . . [We found him] in front of his house, seated in a large arm-chair, with no other dress than an ample cotton cloth folded round the loins, and an English black beaver hat on. He was surrounded by a number of his people, who had devoted this cooler portion of the day to recreation. The principal performers were the Egbo [Igbo] men" (p. 240-41). He became leader of the Duala people in the Bight of Biafra region and predecessor to Ndumbé Lobé Bell. William Allen (1792–1864) was an English naval officer and explorer. Thomas Richard Heywood Thomson (1813–1876) was an English explorer and naturalist. They took part in the Niger expedition to map the course of the river.
Image Title
King Bell's House, Cameroons
RegID
SI-OB-851
Date
1848
Title
King Bell's House, Cameroons
Source
William Allen and Thomas Richard Heywood Thomson, A Narrative of the Expedition sent by Her Majesty's Government to the River Niger, in 1841, vol. 2 (London: R. Bentley, 1848), p. 240.
Language
English
Item sets
Pre-Colonial Africa: Society, Polity, Culture
Spatial Coverage
Africa--Eastern Bight--Douala
Researchers
Jerome Handler; Michael Tuite; Henry B. Lovejoy Graduate Research Assistants: Tiffany Beebe; Travis May
Last Updated
10-Feb-17; 27-Aug-19
Identifier
Allen02