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Slessor, Mary Letter no. 1 6th January 1905
To her great delight Miss Slessor has just received a huge Christmas Pudding
from Mr Partridge, and is promptly writing to give profuse thanks and
appreciation. He is asked to let her know should he need anything that she
might have, as she thinks of him as a neighbour. It appears he is to go to work
among the Ibibio People, and Miss Slessor takes this opportunity of giving him
some good advice and encouragement.
[The letter is written on paper headed "Okoyon, Old Calabar" with Okoyon
deleted]
Itu
Old Calabar
6th Jany 1905
Dear Mr Partridge
I cant help it! I *must* write a "Thank You" for such a lovely Huge
Pudding! I'm only afraid I shant get a chance to send part of it to the dear Sister
at Okoyon & the bairns. We had nothing at all to differentiate last Xmas from
other days, except that 5 days seat among the flies & dirt at Ikoneto Beach, and
this will be such a treat. It is simply lovely! Surely it is a Home Made one Eh?
& what about the basin? Am I to keep that too? for such a basin is in itself a
big thing here.
I had a good shake of fever the night you left me. I had scubbed all the
morning, having the rain water, & that was the price! So I refused to let the
Children boil the Pudding till yesterday morning, & we had it for breakfast, tea,
& dinner, & again to breakfast this morning. A Plum Pudding is my weakness,
& it was always on the table on my birthdays [when I had a home & birthdays]
which is in the far past now. All I want to make it perfect, is someone to share
it with, who *UNDERSTANDS*.
This is not leap year is it? & I'm over 50 years old!! & probably you have a
wife, so theres no manner of shadow of my being immodest. Eh? Well, I can
keep a pudding for a week at least in good condition, so I don't despair of getting
a bit down to Okoyon before that.
Many many thanks! & for your visits as well, & I trust you will use the
freedom of saying, or sending at any time, if you are out of any thing, or are in
need of any thing I can get. I wd do the same to you as my neighbour, & I keep
most of my stores here, so tho' you would not think it, I have almost anything for
ordinary use beside me.
I do trust you will enjoy your work among the Ibibios. If you can discriminate
between fear & stubbornness, you have won half the battle. Lord Roseberry
said the other day in regard to the [*Baltic*?] Fleet incident, - "If we oftener
tried to put ourselves into the place of those who oppose us", etc.etc.etc. If you
try to put yourself into these ignorant, besotted, cowardly Ibibios shoes, You will
see how much more likely they are to *fear* you than to give themselves over at
once. Have patience. They are deceitful as a race, but I have many true &
intelligent friends among them every where, *&* *so* *shall* *you*! *Trust*
*them*, *&* *have* *patience*. May the wisdom & tact needed be abundantly
given you. With thanks, & perhaps I may look you up some day, I am Yours
very sincerely M M Slessor
"I dont know" said the Resident slowly. "We have sown a few lives like his up &
down the Empire. They bring us a better harvest than Maxim bullets [Note 1],
in the long run", from a soldiers story I was reading last night.
I'm sure your life & work will be like that, & I have *not* *a* *shadow* *of a
fear*, but that you will be safe & successful.
MMS
EDITORIAL NOTES:
1] Maxim-gun - the first fully automatic water-cooled
machine gun, designed in 1884 by Hiram Maxim.
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998Slessor, Mary Letter no. 2 17th January 1905
Miss Slessor explains the reasons for passing on a problem that has arisen in the
case of people from Ibiaku Itam who in the past had been badly treated by the
Calabar people and were now worried over a decision by the Administration to
establish one Court to give justice to the people of both areas. Mary suggests a
solution to this, and expresses a desire to assist in the consolidation of British
Rule by going to live among the people while acknowledging that this is not
feasible at the present time.
[Envelope is addressed to:]
- Partridge Esqr
Ikot Okpene
Ibibio
[No postmark - presumably delivered by hand]
Itu
Old Calabar
17th Jany '05
Dear Mr Partridge
Here I am already meddling with your affairs. Twenty free men &
chiefs came here on Sunday from Ibiaku Itam. I met them, with the Itu Chief
yesterday, & gave a hearing, & sympathy, & etc, to their story, & as the result, I
found that the nearest way to help them was to send them to you, & ask you to
take them under your wing & give them any guidance & help you think best.
Their story is briefly this. From five years or so ago, Calabar & Creek Town
Section, sent & asked them to make market with them. After long parleying, in
which all the work & clearing & etc. was to be done by the Ibibios several of
them agreed, & opened trade. Very many feared Calabar, & were not willing to
go with their produce, but some did - notably the man Udo Nsook. Things went
on with palavers [Note 1] manifold, till the Aro Expedition set out, when Calabar
called them to meet with the White Man - Major Sampson I'm sure, for he left
my house in Creek Town then, to go to them. - Palavers which went the length
of killing happened. Calabar were the Judges & the Rulers in every thing.
However, all these were passed by & finished, & they are forgotten & no
mention is to be made of them any more. But another section of Ibibio (I think
across the Creek from them) from Ibiaku [Nduan?], made friends with Calabar,
& told tales about them to the White Man, & they would not let them tell the
White Man their story, with the result that the White Man fired their town &
killed a number of people, notably their Head Chief, & took his body, & buried
it instead of giving it to them for burial rites, so that they have no strength any
more now without their head, to cope with any enemy. But this is also past, &
they made no palaver, nor do they wish to hold any resentment in their hearts
toward any one for any thing past. What brought them here, is that the other
day, when the White Man came back, they too said "let bygones be bygones,"
but they proposed *that* *they* *& those Ibibios* *who made friends with
Calabar*, *& told lies*, *or tales on them,* *so* *that* *at* *their* *word*
*their* *chief* *got* *his* *death*, **are** **to** **be** **in** **one**
**Court**, & that, **till** the White Man, whom they promised should come &
*live* at Ikpa or in their district came, they were at the mercy of those their
enemies, & their enemies' friends - the Calabar.
So, in order to meet their case, *if* *it* *commend itself to you*, could you not
meet with Mr Maxwell & in order & gain the confidence & obedience of those
people, & to make them our allies instead of our enemies, try to put it thus. If
you cannot have separate Courts ---- of course that cd. only be till the arrival of
the White Man --- *give* *the* *two* *sections* **strong** *Mbiam* [Note
2], "that if the one side, went with deceit, & told lies on the other, to the White
Man, or to Calabar Judges, let Mbiam treat with them," etc. etc. "If one side or
the other knew, or sent, or in any way sought the hurt of the other, or revenge for
past palavers," etc. etc."let Mbiam judge between them" etc.etc. And then warn
Ete Eka, & Makara Obon, or any other Efik Judge, that no favour is to be shown
to either side because of past doings. That would let them know that a
surveillance will be kept on their dealings. What do you think? It is the
Conciliation of the peoples in a right & just way, which is my *only* motive, as
you know, & by a patient hearing you will *win* them. After you hear, be as
just as you like, & as severe, only *shew* *them* *the* *reason* *patiently*, &
you have got the shortest cut to your destination.
I have heard from Mr Maxwell surely enough & strongly enough, that, that very
Ibiaku Itam is the place he should choose in Ibibio for my farming project. If I
could help towards a consolidation of British rule by living & mixing among
them, I should like to try, but I dont see the way yet, & the boats go there from
the Calabar side, not from this. Hence I may not get there till I have been at Aro
Chuku. How I should like to go with these men to see you, & see your people
& Country, but I darent, I dont feel fit for the long walk, & I have an
engagement up the Creek on Thursday first.
I trust you are fit & liking your work. All success be with you in your
undertaking. With kindest regards I am Yours sincerely
Mary M Slessor
These men say they never had palaver with the White Man. They gave up their
guns & they will hail the White Man's coming to them, so that they may have
peace & safety & justice. It is the Calabar they fear.
MMS
I had no fewer than 4 white visitors yest. in the morning & one in the afternoon.
Quite gay Eh?
MMS
EDITORIAL NOTE:
1] palavers = this word seems to have a variety of meanings including talks,
discussions, even Court Cases etc
2] Mbiam was "the liquid substance which is tasted, & sometimes put on
various parts of the body, in taking a solemn oath. It is supposed to cause
dropsy, & so destroy any individual swearing falsely." It can also mean "The
oath so taken, & hence sometimes applied to any solemn oath". from the
"Dictionary of the Efik Language" by the Rev. Hugh Goldie.
a] "The liquid substance which is tasted, & sometimes
put on various parts of the body, in taking a solemn oath. It is supposed to cause
dropsy, & so destroy any individual swearing falsely."
b] Mbiam can also mean "the oath so taken: and hence
sometimes applied to any solemn oath, whether mbiam has been used or not."
from Charles Partridge's copy of the Rev Hugh Goldie's "Dictionary of the Efik
language".
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 3 23rd April 1905
Miss Slessor is expecting a visit from Mr Partridge and asks him to avoid the
times when she will be involved with church activities.
[Envelope is addressed to:]
C Partridge Esq
Use
Enyion Creek
[no postmark; presumably delivered by hand]
[Note: across short side reads "Miss Slessor: 23 Ap.1905"]
Itu
Cross River
23rd. April 1905
Dear Mr Partridge, Had you only come just now, it would have been fine!!
We are just from service & have a good bit of an interval, But from 3.30. to
5. o/c it is the service & Sunday School, & they are all on my hand, so I'm
reluctantly obliged to say, will not another hour suit you? If I only were at
home, I shd. at once say, Here is my chance, & put an extra bite in the pot, & lay
an extra plate, & have the privilege of your company for the evening, but here
are 3 infants, & a small crowd in my one shanty, & they are usually most
musical in the evening, & we get dinner as best we can. Cant you come before
the Service? Or would it be too late for your road after 5.o/c? Or are you to be
here over tomorrow?
See if you can keep out those hours of service, & choose someone else.
Have you got my letter of belated thanks? If not, let me thank you now, & offer
you my warmest congratulations. Trusting you are well, & with best regards
I am yours sincerely
M MSlessor
[on scrap of paper attached to letter by 3 stamp hinges]
Thanks very much.
The wind is on, & the boy must run.
MMS
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 4 4th May 1905
Mr Partridge has sent Miss Slessor a copy of his book "The Cross River Natives"
and she writes to congratulate him on an excellent piece of work. She
commends his modesty and industry, and goes on to praise his fairness in
describing every thing and person in the Protectorate, while wishing he had
included descriptions of the beauties etc of nature. In closing she expresses her
pride as well as gratitude in the gift.
[Envelope addressed to:]
C Partridge Esq
Ikot Okpene
Old Calabar
[Stamp torn off. However, Mr Partridge's filing note reads "posted 4 May 1905"
and also "8 May"]
Amasu
[Posted 4 May 1905]
Dear Mr Partridge
What a fraud you are!! Here is you with a record like this of observation &
research; & half the letters of the alphabet running after your name & you
speaking as if you were the merest beginner, & the most common place of
mortals in the protectorate!! Well, it is better to hear "Friend go up Higher" any
day, than to begin to take the lowest room. I dont know whether to praise most
your modesty or your industry. Fancy having a piece of work like this over &
above doing a D Cs [Note 1] work! - & in a new District too. You have been
so thorough too. It is not slip shod work, & it is so fair, without being fulsome,
to every thing & person in the Protectorate. The natives have seldom had an
interpreter so absolutely truthful, & free from prejudice.
It is so seldom that one sees anything from this Coast that is not embroidered.
Your narrative from beginning to end is faithful to the life, minus the
imagination which even the D.Cs love to weave around their yarns, and tell on
the spot. I wish you had let your self go a little though in regard to nature, in
vegetation etc.. Colouring, and the mystery, or mysticism or whatever you wd.
call it, of the forest. I am sure you have had times when the bush with its
myriad voices has called you, & you have not felt her monotonous, and
tiresome. The spell of it is very strong on me sometimes, then there are the
sunrises & sunsets, the face of the river & etc! Waiting you to give them voice
for some of us in the next volume, when it will not only be the Govt. official, but
the artist working.
Here is a new baby!!!! "Up like a rocket and down like a stick!
Duke Town 12th April 1905
I had begun at Itu, then destroyed that & began again at Aro Chuku, here is the
next installment in Calabar, to which I have come on account of Presbytery. I
do not know what I had in mind to say here, but I see I have not yet thanked you
for your very kind remembrance of me in sending me a copy of your book. I
assure you I feel quite proud as well as grateful for this mark of your esteem, & I
trust I shall be able to justify your good opinion of me thus so practically shewn.
It is such a pleasure to meet a man who cares for more than the small talk & the
inanities of conventional life out here, & specially to find one in sympathy with
his surroundings, & I trust you will give me the pleasure of doing any thing I can
do at any time to serve you. I seldom get any thing written without interruption,
& at night when I cd. do it, there is no accomodation for any thing in our
crowded domicile except to lie down & read in bed. However if I can get time
to answer - or to *try* to answer your questions in a former letter, I shall do so.
Meanwhile with many thanks & great appreciation I am, with all kind regards &
congratulations
Yours most sincerely
Mary M Slessor
EDITORIAL NOTE:
1] D.C. = District Commissioner
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 5 11th May 1905
Miss Slessor writes informing Mr. Partridge of a "palaver" or Court Case
involving a witch doctor from Ibibio, a policeman, and a sick woman. A test by
using a poison bean was involved. Miss Slessor had forbidden the policeman to
take further action in the case unless he first obtained a warrant, from Mr
Partridge, to arrest the witch doctor.
[Nrua?] Edik
Enyon Creek
11th May 1905
Dear Mr Partridge
I ran over for an hour this morning, & have picked up a palaver. A witch doctor
from Ibibio, called Nmo, was consulted by a woman here named Iquo as to what
was making her sick. The Dr Nmo said, "nothing is doing you, but one woman,
a fair woman mbufo - among you is making you ill, she has put medicine in your
food." I said, "What shd. she do that for? I never had a palaver with her." He
said "If you do not take care, she will kill you". "So I came home & told my
husband, who is husband to us both, & he began on her, & she began on me, &
so I was so vexed, I was to eat the Poison Bean [Note 1] & *prove* that I did not
ask about the woman. I put my rods [Note 2] down & asked him what ailed me,
& if he cd. give me medicine, & he answered "me so".
So the policeman came with the woman & the bean, & wished to do something,
I forbad him saying he wd. have to get a warrant from you to take the witch
doctor.
Mr Darby says he has the Bean, & the Woman is his neighbour.
[The following is appended in a different hand]
Dr Sir
The village of Use [Uada?] have not been coming in very well, but have sent
John Brown in today.
Yours
C Darby
EDITORIAL NOTES:
1] Poison Bean - the Calabar Bean, used in a trial by ordeal when testing
suspected witches
2] Rods - brass rods were a medium for barter; local currency
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Lesie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 6 n.d. [June 1905?]
A note to Mr. Partridge acknowledging a note from him and telling him of the
loss of an earlier note she sent him.
Just going off to service
Dear Mr Partridge
I am glad to have your note, & shall be here as far as I know, as it is
the 2 days Court needs me. I'm sorry for you, for I dont know how you can do
all this tramping.
I gave your boy a note, but while drinking he has let the wind or the stream take
it away. He wd. be having a bath too I daresay. So if another book turns up
you will know the reason. There was nothing it the note
With kindest regards Yours very sincerely
M MSlessor
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 7 18th June 1905
Miss Slessor writes of the progress of her plans. As Itu is to be taken over by the
Church and equipped as a Medical Station, she is now free to pursue her plans to
move on. She reports on her researches to establish herself, if he approves, at
Ikot Obon or Use.
[Envelope addressed to:]
C. Partridge Esqr.
District Commissioner
Ikot Okpene
Per favour Mr Smith
Itu
Cross River
18th. June 1905
Dear Mr Partridge
It seems like years since I saw you. You came through the
town one day, & I ran out to give my Comps. etc, but you had turned the other
way down the hill, so I stood rather stupid before the Crowd which were eagerly
& noisily discussing the great event. You were no doubt travel stained & tired
enough & you have had more bother I hear, & will be tired -E-R still. Well,
well! its all in the days work I suppose, & calmer days will soon come.
I have been to Ikot Obon. I have had decided news since I wrote to you, or saw
you, that Itu is taken over by our Church, & is to have a proper house &
equipment as a medical Station. So I am quite free to turn my thoughts & time
to another sphere into which they may enter by & bye. Hence at your
recommendation I went to see the new route to Ibibio. Thanks to you the road
is in very good order for the wet season, & the Old Man at Ikot Obon gave us a
very hearty, indeed, an affectionate welcome. I said very little to them, told
them I had long promised to go to Ntit Obio to begin work, but on your advice,
& anticipating the developments of Govt. & commerce, I thought your advice
was most practical, & meant to take it. They were very pleased, & said they wd.
like nothing better than to know Gods words & have "Book" & etc.etc. & they
gave me a dash [Note 1]. I told them the Ground & the place altogether was
good, & they shewed me their water supply, which is the usual African thing.
So I said, I could not say any thing more definite than that, or tell them any plans
till I saw you, as it was at your earnest desire to have them brought out of
ignorance & lawlessness that I had thought of them. But when you came, I shd.
hear your advice & then wd. come & close with choice of a place.
As to the Ground. [There wasnt a soul at Use. They were either at the farm or
the road making,] & before reaching that village there were few places except
with deep gulleys on either side, which never presuppose health. The mists
rising are most unhealthy, & they breed mosquitoes. But right in the middle of
the road to Ikot Obon, 15 minutes from Use, & 15 minutes from Ikot Obon,
there is a lovely hill part, which had a good surface of high land, & the slope
does not decend to a great depth, then again nearer Use a little, & back from the
road on the left going towards the beach, there is a farmed knoll, a fine looking
site for a farm school.
These two places impressed themselves on my mind. However there may be
many more, or they might not like us to choose. They might want to shew us
some places, but of course, all this is subject to what you think, & to where you
intend to concentrate the work of your Court. I shd. not like to go far from the
Court house, for the children in the wet season, & tho' I wish to be near enough
to keep into close touch with the inhabitants - do not wish a womans School to
be right on the highway, or on their fence line. I wd. also try to make this the
first of a chain of stations going further in, so that there could by & bye, be rest
houses like yours, where a native boy cd stay & carry on small elementary
schools. I have promised those Ikot Obon people a small boy, whom they
promised to take care of, who shall be a sort of *test* for me, of their
appreciation of schools. But I said I shd. see you first, to all of which they
willingly agreed. So I shall wait for your coming, or to hear from you where I
can meet you in order to developments.
I had a letter from the H.C.s [Note 2] Office asking if I shd. take the Vice
Presidentship, & I answered in the affirmative. He also said, "It is proposed to
transfer the Court to Ikot Obon," & the old man tells me the Court house which
you spoke to him of at Itu is countermanded so I expect you mean to transfer
earlier. Well, all labour here, can be got with greater ease during the wet
season, so before it is *too* wet, & the ground soft, I shd begin my building at
Ikot Obon, as the Dr will be out in the autumn I expect, to take over Itu. & Mrs
Wright only promised to hold Okoyon till next March. & I shd. like to have
something definite to shew before then. I trust you are well, & not overtired.
With kindest regards, I am Yours Sincerely
Mary MSlessor
Excuse this scrawl. Ive been surrounded by the children at lessons all the time.
MMS
EDITORIAL NOTES:
1] Dash = a gift, tip or gratuity
2] H.C. = High Commissioner
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 8 26th June 1905
An explanatory note to Commissioner Partridge concerning two men she had
thought lived under the jurisdiction of the Oyo Court, but in fact they lived in the
Itu Court area.
[Addressed to] C Partridge Esq
Ikot Okpene
Dear Mr Partridge
Chief Ekpo Adiaha says that both of these men belong to the Itu Court, therefore
they belong to you, & so I ask you to read the enclosed [Note1] which I had
written to the D.C. [Note 2] at Oyo, thinking they were residing in his district.
With all excuses for transgressing on your time, I am Yours most faithfully,
M. M. Slessor.
EDITORIAL NOTES:
1] "The enclosed note" see Letter No. 9
2] D.C. = District Commissioner
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998
Slessor, Mary Letter no. 9 26th June 1905
A translation by Miss Slessor of a statement concerning a claim made for the
return of marriage gifts after a man's wife had died, written on behalf of the dead
wife's brother acting for his sick father. Addressed originally to the Consul at
Oyo, but redirected to Charles Partridge.
[Address on envelope]
C Partridge Esq
Ikot Okpene
Ibibio
[Address on letter]
To The Consul at
Oyo
Ibibio.
Itu The Cross River
26th June 1905
My half sister was given by my father to Ndo Ekandem Esi Ifa to wife, say 10
years ago. She was perhaps over a year with him when she developed the
"sleeping sickness". Her husband not being able to get her cured, sent for us to
take her home, & we took her & did all we could to get the sickness done, but
could not. We took her to Oku, & when they failed, we took her to Ofot.
When they failed, we cd. do no more, we took her home & she stayed there until
she died of that sickness.
When she died her sister, with whom she died, sent to tell the husband to "Come
& bury your wife, she is dead." He neither came, nor did he send any thing to
put in the grave, so her sister made the funeral.
Then when the white man began to come to our country, Ndo Ekandem began
to ask me for his marriage dowry. We cried , Oh ! You come for the marriage
portion of a dead woman ?? Did we kill her? or did we take her from you her
husband? We never heard that a man came to get the gifts he gave his wife &
her parents when she died. Had she died in your house, would you not have
cried over her, & helped to bury her, even if she had no children for you? &
you come for a dead woman's Marriage Portion!! However as the dowry he
gave was 7 goats, we gave the 7 goats, but told him that his gifts of chop [Note
1]or rum or other things ought not to be mentioned, they insulted our dead
kinswoman.
Then he came back just now & said we must give him 3 goats more + 400 rods
[Note 2], or 620 rods for his other gifts he gave for his wife. We never heard of
giving such things for the dead, & we refused, so he took out a summons & the
Police came with Ndo Ekandem & gave me the summons, & chained me & took
me to the house of Ita Abasi the Interpreter at Oyo, who did not take my case to
the Court, told me told me to go home & bring the 620 rods, or 400 rods & 3
goats, & I have got my palaver [Note 3] put into English at Itu, so that you the
white man can hear it, & ask if ever any tribe gave the marriage gifts a husband
gave to a dead wife. We never took her home. He sent her away, & we did all
we knew for her but she never recovered nor did she ever get her intellectual
faculties back, so that she cd go to anyone.
Will you hear and consider this our cry to you our Master, Nyun [Note 4] Oh I
beg your pardon - and consider this our cry, for we do not hear what you say. I
cannot hear your interpreter speak to you.
I am your humble servant
Ndo Ansa
The son of Ndo Ibok, who is a sick man and cannot therefore act for his late
daughter.
A true translation.
M.M. Slessor
[The following is written in a different hand]
Ndaw - Ansa of Itamm - Ebokk or Itamm - Okritamm.
C.O.
1.7.5.
EDITORIAL NOTES:
1] Chop = food
2] rods = brass rods were a medium for barter; local currency
3] palaver = this word seems to have a variety of meanings including
consultation, discussion, Court Case
4] Nyun. The Efik Dictionary indicates that this may be a name indicating
"one who shifts his abode"
TRANSCRIPTION BY: Leslie A. Mackenzie, 1998
DATA ENTERED BY: Ruth E. Riding, 1998 |