Appendix II - Notices of Onitsha, &c., by the Rev. S. Crowther

Summary

Mr. Taylor's stay at Onitsha, upwards of twelve months, will enable him to give minute accounts of the country, as well as the habits of the people; but it will not be amiss for me to state a few facts which came under my observation during a period of nearly seven weeks' stay at Onitsha. The population of this place was greatly under-estimated by us in 1857 at 6500. We had just then seen the front groups of huts; but a longer stay, and frequent visits into the town and houses of the people, soon convinced us that the number might be safely doubled at 13,000 inhabitants. The peculiarity of their houses, built in, and covered by, bushes, except the front passage out, very much conceals them. It is very difficult to see twelve houses from one spot, unless when they are built particularly near, or the bushes have been cleared. The southern part of Onitsha, called Ido Odzere, nearly forms one-third of the population; and as regards situation is higher and seems better than the northern part. Ogene, the chief of this district, never shook hands with anybody, from fear of being poisoned, and partly to keep others in fear of him, on account of his medicines, for which he is famous.