Engraved by J. W. Cook, after a drawing by Captain William Allen, published in “A Narrative of the Expedition sent by Her Majesty's Government to the River Niger, in 1841”, vol. 2.
The house of the Duala king, Lobé Bebe Bell, in the town of Douala, currently Cameroon’s economic capital. In 1880, the port-town of Douala was described as being “of great extent and considerable population. The houses are neatly built of bamboo, in wide and regular streets, with numerous plantain and cocoa-nut trees, and even large fields of maize…”
Captain William Allen described the depicted scene as followed:
"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"
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