Tallying by Means of Lines, Stones, and Sticks
Sture Lagercrantz · Paideuma · 1970
The present study links on to an earlier paper on tally-strings, which has been published elsewhere (A 63, p. 117/28). In this paper, too, the results must be regarded as preliminary, pending the large final section which remains to be written. The choice between drawing lines or using stones, palm nuts, pellets of clay, pieces of grass, or sticks to assist calculation is of course wholly decided by what happens to be at hand when the need such aids arises, but various reasons some objects are discussed as a group (cf. e. g. FL 20, p. 34). If a tally is marked by lines, these are usually drawn on the ground. Instances of this system are definitely known from Fezzan, the Tuareg (e. g. in Ghadames among other things to note the reasons urging the killing of Christians, and in Air), from Bondu and ,,northern Nigeria (e. g. among the Ankwe), from Adumre (where holes in the ground replace the lines), from the Vili, Kongo (around San Salvador, for counting) and Kwanjama (who use it in recording the evidence adduced in the law-courts). That it is a common method of calculation among the Tuareg has been shown by J. Nicolaisen, who reports that it can be seen daily in any camp (FL 20, p. 34; MTN 2, p. 153; Nicolaisen 1.11. 1967)1. Whithin a more limited area, comprising the Ewe country and the Ossidinge district (with particular reference to the Boki, Ekoi, Anyang, Keaka, Obang, Banyangi, and Bakogo) tallying lines are instead painted on walls and doors, and always serve to mark specific days, instance when the repayment of a debt falls due (Ewe), or to record the length of a journey (Ewe, Ossidinge district), etc. A report from the Ogowe river (between Cap Lopez and Ngomo) describes a more modern variation. When a river steamer refuels, a porter is detailed to mark every ten loads by putting a stroke on a piece of paper, while he puts down a cross every hundred loads. It can be added that the authorities in Aden at one time appointed an official who among other things twice yearly sprayed the houses of Hadibo (on Sokotra) with insecticide, ,,marking the walls of houses thus treated with crosses (G 87, p. 173) 2. On the part of the West African coast stretching approximately from the River Gambia to Ashanti, and the country behind it, stones, preferably pebbles, are a popular means of tallying. They are used by the Kassanga, Susu, and Temne, in Freetown and