Grabeau
text and image from Barber, A
History of the Amistad Captives, (Barber, Hitchcock and Stafford, 1840):
2. GI-LA-BA-RU, [Grab-eau] (have mercy on me)
was born at Fu-lu, in the Mendi country, two moons' journey into the interior. His
name in the public prints is generally spelt GRABEAU. He was the next after Cinque
in command of the Amistad. His parents are dead, one brother and one sister living.
He is married., but no children; he is a planter of rice. His king Baw-baw, lived
at Fu-lu. He saw Cingue at Fulu and Fadzhinna, in Bombali. He was caught on the road
when going to Taurang, in the Bandi country, to buy clothes. His uncle had bought
two slaves in Bandi, and gave them in payment for a debt; one of them ran away, and
he (Grabeau) was taken for him. He was sold to a Vai-man, who sold him to Laigo,
a Spaniard, at Lomboko. Slaves in this place are put into a prison, two are chained
together by the legs, and the Spaniards give them rice and fish to eat. In his country
has seen people write--they wrote from right to left. They have cows, sheep and goats,
and wear cotton cloth. Smoking tobacco is a common practice. None but the rich eat
salt, it costs so much. Has seen leopards and elephants, the latter of which, are
hunted for ivory. Grabeau is four feet eleven inches in height; very active, especially
in turning somersets. Besides Mendi, he speaks Vai, Kon-no and Gissi. He aided John
Ferry by his knowledge of Gissi, in the examination at Hartford.
