They were now most anxious to proceed on their journey, out the
chief, Adooley, evaded their solicitations to depart, under the most
frivolous and absurd pretences. He asserted that his principal reason
for detaining them against their inclinations, was the apprehension
he entertained for their safety, the road not being considered in a
good state. Under this impression, he despatched a messenger to
Jenna, to ascertain if the affairs of that country warranted him
sending them thither. The old king of Jenna, who, it will be
recollected, behaved so kindly to Captain Clapperton, was dead; his
successor had been appointed, but he had not at that time arrived
from Katunga. That being the case, there would not be any one at
Jenna to receive them. Meantime, the rainy season was fast
approaching, as was sufficiently announced by repeated showers and
occasional tornadoes. They were also the more anxious to leave this
abominable place, as they were informed that a sacrifice of no less
than three hundred human beings, of both sexes and all ages, was
shortly to take place, such as has been described in the second
journey of Clapperton. They often heard the cries of many of these
poor wretches, and the heart sickened with horror at the bare
contemplation of such a scene as awaited them, should they remain
much longer at Badagry.
Early on the morning of the 25th March, the house of the travellers
was filled with visitors, and from that time to the evening they
resigned themselves to a species of punishment, which cannot be
characterized by any other terms than an earthly purgatory. After
cracking fingers a hundred times, and grinning as often, they were
informed, that the chief's messenger had returned from Jenna, but for
some reason, which Lander could not define, the man was almost
immediately sent back again, and they were told that they could not
quit Badagry until he again made his appearance. It is the custom in
this place, that when a man cannot pay his respects in person to
another, he sends a servant with a sword or cane, in the same manner
as a gentleman delivers his card in England. They this day received a
number of compliments in this fashion, and it is almost superfluous
to say that a cane or a sword was at all times a more welcome and
agreeable visitor than its owner would have been.
They had scarcely finished their morning repast, when Hooper
introduced himself for his accustomed glass of spirits, to prevent
him, according to his own account, from getting sick. He took the
opportunity of informing them, that it would be absolutely necessary
to visit the _noblemen_, who had declared themselves _on their side_.
As they strove to court popularity and conciliate the vagabonds by
every means in their power, they approved of Hooper's counsel, and
went in the first place, to the house of the late _General_ Poser,
which was at that time under the superintendence of his head man. Him
they found squatting indolently on a mat, and several old people were
holding a conversation with him. As the death of Poser was not
generally known to the people, it being concealed from them, for fear
of exciting a commotion in the town, he having been universally loved
and respected they were not permitted even to mention his name, and
the steward set them the example, by prudently confining his
conversation to the necessity of making him a present proportionate
to his expectations, and the dignity of his situation. Muskets and
other warlike instruments were suspended from the sides of the
apartment, and its ceiling was decorated with fetishes and Arab texts
in profusion. Gin and water were produced, and partaken of with
avidity by all present, more especially by the two mulattoes that had
attended them, which being done, the head man wished the great spirit
to prosper them in all their undertakings, and told them not to
forget his present by any means. They shortly afterwards took their
leave, and quitted the apartment with feelings of considerable
satisfaction, for its confined air was so impure, that a longer stay,
to say the least of it, would have been highly unpleasant. As it was,
they had consumed so much time in Poser's house, that they found it
necessary to alter their intention of visiting the other chiefs, and
therefore resolved to pay their respects to Adooley, whom they had
not seen for two days. Accordingly, they repaired immediately to his
residence, and were welcomed to it with a much better grace, than on
any previous occasion.
The chief was eating an undrest onion, and seated on an old table,
dangling his legs underneath, with a vacant thoughtlessness of
manner, which their abrupt intrusion somewhat dissipated. He informed
them of his intention to send them on their journey on the day after
to-morrow, when he expected that the people of Jenna would be in a
suitable condition to receive them. He was full of good nature, and
promised to make Richard Lander a present of a horse, which he had
brought with him from Sockatoo on the former expedition, adding, that
he would sell another to John Lander. So far, their visit was
attended with satisfaction, but it was rather destroyed by Adooley
informing them that it was his particular wish to examine the goods,
which they intended to take with them into _the bush,_ as the
enclosed country is called, in order that he might satisfy himself
that there were no objectionable articles amongst them. Having
expressed their thanks to Adooley for his well-timed present, and
agreed to the examination of their baggage, they all partook of a
little spirit and water, which soon made them the best friends in the
universe. During this palaver, the chief's sister and two of his
wives were ogling at the travellers, and giggling with all the
playfulness of the most finished coquette, until the approach of the
chief of the English-town and the remainder of the travellers' party
put a sudden stop to their entertainment, on which they presently
left the apartment. These men came to settle a domestic quarrel,
which was soon decided by the chief, who, after receiving the usual
salutation of dropping on the knees with the face to the earth,
chatted and laughed immoderately; this was considered by the
travellers as a happy omen. In that country, very little ceremony is
observed by the meanest of the people towards their sovereign, they
converse with him with as little reserve, as if he were no better
than themselves, while he pays as much attention to their complaints,
as to those of the principal people of the country. An African king
is therefore of some use, but there are kings in other parts of the
world, of whose use it would be a very difficult matter to find any
traces, and who know as much of the complaints or grievances of their
subjects, as of the nucleus of the earth. Nor was king Adooley
supposed to be entirely destitute of the virtues of hospitality, for
it was observed that the remainder of his onion was divided equally
amongst the chiefs, who had come to visit him, and was received by
them with marks of the highest satisfaction.
In the afternoon, a herald proclaimed the approach to the habitation
of the venerable chief of Spanish-town, with a long suite of thirty
followers. The old man's dress was very simple, consisting only of a
cap and turban, with a large piece of Manchester cotton flung over
his right shoulder, and held under his left arm. This is infinitely
more graceful and becoming in the natives, than the most showy
European apparel, in any variety of which, indeed, they generally
look highly ridiculous. After they had made the chief and all his
attendants nearly tipsy, the former began to be very talkative and
amusing, continuing to chat without interruption for a considerable
time, not omitting to whisper occasionally to the interpreter, by no
means to forget, after his departure, to remind the travellers of the
present they had promised him, it being considered the height of
rudeness to mention any thing of the kind aloud in his presence. The
rum had operated so cheerily upon his followers in the yard, that fat
and lean, old and young, all commenced dancing, and continued
performing the most laughable antics, till they were no longer able
to stand. It amused the travellers infinitely to observe these
creatures, with their old solemn placid-looking chief at their head,
staggering out at the door way; they were in truth, but too happy to
get rid of them at so cheap a rate. Hooper shortly afterwards came
with a petition from twelve _gentlemen_ of English-town, for the sum
of a hundred and twenty dollars to be divided amongst them, and
having no resource, they were compelled to submit to the demand of
these rapacious scoundrels.
Late in the evening, they received the threatened visit from Adooley,
who came to examine the contents of the boxes. He was borne in a
hammock by two men, and was dressed in an English linen shirt, a
Spanish cloak or mantle, with a cap, turban and sandals; his
attendants were three half-dressed little boys, who, one by one,
placed themselves at their master's feet, as they were in the regular
habit of doing; one of them carried a long sword, another a pistol,
and a third a kind of knapsack, filled with tobacco. The chief was
presented with brandy, equal in strength to spirits of wine, and he
swallowed a large quantity of it with exquisite pleasure. The boys
were permitted to drink a portion of the liquor every time that it
was poured into a glass for Adooley, but, though it was so very
strong, it produced no grimace, nor the slightest distortion of
countenance in these little fellows. The fondness of the natives, or
rather their passion for spirituous liquors is astonishing, and they
are valued entirely in proportion to the intoxicating effects they
occasion. Adooley smoked nearly all the while he remained in Lander's
house. As each box was opened, however, he would take the pipe slowly
from his mouth, as if perfectly heedless of what was going forward,
and from the couch on which he was reclining, he regarded with
intense curiosity each article, as it was held out to his
observation. Every thing that in his opinion demanded a closer
examination, or more properly speaking, every thing he took a fancy
to, was put into his hands at his own request, but as it would be
grossly impolite to return it after it had been soiled by his
fingers, with the utmost _nonchalance,_ the chief delivered it over
to the care of his recumbent pages, who carefully secured it between
their legs. Adooley's good taste could not of course be questioned,
and it did not much surprise, though it grieved the Landers, to
observe a large portion of almost every article in the boxes speedily
passing through his hands into those of his juvenile minions. Nothing
seemed unworthy of his acceptance, from a piece of fine scarlet cloth
to a child's farthing whistle; indeed he appeared to be particularly
pleased with the latter article, for he no sooner made it sound, than
he put on a horrible grin of delight, and requested a couple of the
instruments, that he might amuse himself with them in his leisure
moments. Although he had received guns, ammunition, and a variety of
goods, to the amount of nearly three hundred ounces of gold,
reckoning each ounce to be worth two pounds sterling, yet he was so
far from being satisfied, that he was continually grumbling forth his
discontent. Gratitude, however, was unknown to him, as well as to his
subjects. The more that was given them, the more pressing were their
importunities for other favours; the very food that he ate, and the
clothes that he wore, were begged in so fawning a tone and manner, as
to create disgust and contempt at the first interview.
It was nearly midnight, before Adooley rose from his seat to depart,
when he very ceremoniously took his leave, with broad cloth and
cottons, pipes, snuff-boxes, and knives, paper, ink, whistles, &c.,
and even some of the books of the travellers, not a line of which he
could comprehend; so avaricious was this king of Badagry.
They rose early on the morning of the 26th, for the purpose of
arranging some trifling matters and taking their breakfast in
quietness and comfort; but they had scarcely sitten down, when their
half-naked grinning acquaintance entered to pay them the compliments
of the day. Notwithstanding their chagrin, so ludicrous were the
perpetual bowing and scraping of these their friends, in imitation of
Europeans, that they could not forbear laughing in good earnest.
Their rum, which had been kindly supplied them by Lieutenant Matson,
they were happy to find was nearly all consumed, and the number of
their general visitors had diminished in exact proportion to the
decrease of the spirit, so that they were now beginning to feel the
enjoyment of an hour or two's quiet in the course of the day, which
was a luxury they could hardly have anticipated. The chief sent his
son to them, requesting a few needles and some small shot; they could
ill spare the latter, but it would have been impolitic to have
refused his urgent solicitations, whatever might have been their
tendency.
The horses promised by Adooley were now sent for them to examine.
They appeared strong and in good condition, and if they played them
no wicked pranks in "the bush," no doubt they would be found
eminently serviceable.
In the evening, Poser's headman, who, it was understood, was one of
the chiefs first captains, returned their visit of the preceding day,
followed by a multitude of friends and retainers. He had been
determined, it was believed, before he left home, to be in an ill
humour with the travellers, and perhaps he had treated himself with
an extra dram upon the occasion. This great bully introduced himself
into their dwelling; his huge round face, inflamed with scorn, anger,
and "potations deep." He drank with more avidity than his countrymen,
but the liquor produced no good impression upon him, serving rather
to increase his dissatisfaction and choler. He asked for every thing
which he saw, and when they had gratified him to the best of their
power, he began to be very abusive and noisy. He said he was
convinced that they had come into the country with no good
intentions, and accused them of deceit and insincerity in their
professions, or, in plainer terms, that they had been guilty of a
direct falsehood, in stating that they had no other motive for
undertaking the journey than to recover the papers of Mr. Park at
Youri. He was assured that they were afraid to tell the true reasons
for leaving their own country. They withstood his invectives with
tolerable composure, and the disgraceful old fellow left them in a
pet, about half an hour after his arrival.
John Lander, we find, on referring to this part of their journey
says, "It is really a discouraging reflection, that, notwithstanding
the sacrifices we have made of all private feeling and personal
comfort, for the purpose of conciliating the good opinion of the
people here; the constant fatigue and inconvenience to which we have
been subjected; the little arts we have practised; the forced
laughter; the unnatural grin: the never-ending shaking of hands, &c.
&c., besides the dismal noises and unsavoury smells to which our
organs have been exposed, still, after all, some scoundrels are to be
found hardened against us by hatred and prejudice, and so ungrateful
for all our gifts and attentions, as to take a delight in poisoning
the minds of the people against us, by publicly asserting that we are
English spies, and make use of other inventions equally false and
malicious. Pitiable, indeed, must be the lot of that man, who is
obliged to drag on a year of existence in so miserable a place as
this. Nevertheless we are in health and spirits, and perhaps feel a
secret pride in being able to subdue our rising dissatisfaction, and
in overcoming difficulties, which at a first glance seemed to be
insurmountable. By the blessing of Heaven, we shall proceed
prosperously in our undertaking; for in the divine goodness do we
alone repose all our confidence and hopes of success. We may say that
pleasure and enjoyment have accompanied us hither. The clearness of
the sky is pleasant, and its brilliancy, the softness of the moon,
the twinkling brightness of the stars, and the silence of night, the
warbling and the flight of birds, the hum of insects, and the varied
and luxuriant aspect of beautiful nature, are all charming to us; and
what on earth can be more soothing and delightful than the thoughts
of home and kindred, and anticipations of a holier and more glorious
existence; these are true pleasures, of which the barbarians cannot
deprive us."
So writes John Lander, in the enthusiasm of his imagination; but
unfortunately the reality did not come up to the picture which his
fancy had drawn; for although the softness of the moon, and the
silence of night, and the brightness of the stars, might be all very
pleasant objects, even under an equatorial sun, yet the following
account of some of the disagreeables, when taken in contrast, rather
tends to overbalance the sum of the agreeables. Thus we find, that on
the day subsequent to that on which John Lander had written his
rhapsody on the agreeables of Badagry, the noise and jargon of their
guests pursued them even in their sleep, and their dreams were
disturbed by fancied palavers, which were more unpleasant and
vexatious, if possible, in their effects than real ones. Early on the
morning of the 25th, they were roused from one of these painful
slumbers to listen to the dismal yell of the hyenas, the shrill
crowing of cocks, the hum of night flies and mosquitoes, and the
hoarse croaking of frogs, together with the chirping of myriads of
crickets and other insects, which resounded through the air, as
though it had been pierced with a thousand whistles. The _silence_ of
night, under these circumstances, could not have been very pleasant
to them, and it scarcely amounts to a question, whether the warbling
of the birds could afford any great delight, if the hyenas and the
mosquitoes, and the frogs and the crickets considered themselves
privileged to make up the chorus.
The sun had scarcely risen, when two Mahommedans arrived at their
house, with an invitation for them to accompany them to the spot
selected for the performance of their religious rites and
observances. This being a novelty, they embraced the proposal with
pleasure, and followed the men to the distance of about a mile from
their house. Here they observed a number of Mahommedans sitting in
detached groups, actively employed in the duties of lustration and
ablution. It was a bare space of ground, edged with trees, and
covered with sand. The Mussulmans were obliged to bring water with
them in calabashes. Seated in a convenient situation, under the
spreading branches of a myrtle tree, the two travellers could
observe, without being seen, all the actions of the Mussulmans. A
number of boys, however, soon intruded themselves upon their privacy;
and, in truth, they were more amused by the artlessness and
playfulness of their manners, than with all the grave and stupid
mummery of the Mahommedan worshippers. Groups of people were
continually arriving at the spot, and these were welcomed by an
occasional flourish of music from a native clarionet, &c. They were
clad in all their finery, their apparel being as gaudy as it was
various. The coup d'oeil presented by no means an uninteresting
spectacle. Loose tobes, with caps and turbans striped and plain, red,
blue, and black, were not unpleasantly contrasted with the original
native costume of figured cotton, thrown loosely over the shoulders,
and immense rush hats. Manchester cottons, of the most glaring
patterns, were conspicuous amongst the crowd; but these were cast in
the shade by scarfs of green silk, ornamented with leaves and flowers
of gold, and aprons covered with silver spangles. Very young children
appeared bending under the weight of clothes and ornaments, whilst
boys of maturer years carried a variety of offensive weapons. The
Turkish scimitar, the French sabre, the Portuguese dagger confined in
a silver case, all gleamed brightly, and heavy cutlasses, with rude
native knives, were likewise exhibited, half-devoured by cankering
rust. Clumsy muskets and fowling-pieces, as well as Arab pistole,
were also handled with delight by the joyful Mussulmans. In number
the religionists were about a hundred and fifty. Not long after the
arrival of the two brothers, they formed themselves into six lines,
and having laid aside many of their superfluous ornaments, and a
portion of their clothing, they put on the most sedate countenance,
and commenced their devotional exercises in a spirit of seriousness
and apparent fervour, worthy of a better place and a more amiable
creed. In the exterior forms of their religion, at least, the
Mussulmans are here complete adepts, as this spectacle was well
calculated to convince the two Europeans, and the little which they
had hitherto seen of them, led them to form a very favourable opinion
of their general temperance and sobriety. The ceremony was no sooner
concluded, than muskets, carbines, and pistols were discharged on all
sides. The clarionet again struck up a note of joy, and was supported
by long Arab drums, strings of bells, and a solitary kettle-drum. The
musicians, like the ancient minstrels of Europe, were encouraged by
trifling presents from the more charitable of the multitude. All
seemed cheerful and happy, and, on leaving the Landers, several out
of compliment, it was supposed, discharged their pieces at their
heels, and were evidently delighted with themselves, with the two
English, and the whole world.
In the path, the Landers met a fellow approaching the scene of
innocent dissipation, clothed most fantastically in a flannel dress
and riding on the back, on what they were informed was a wooden
horse. He was surrounded by natives of all ages, who were laughing
most extravagantly at the unnatural capering of the thing, and
admiring the ingenuity of the contrivance. The figure itself was
entirely concealed with cloths, which rendered it impossible to
discover by what agency it was moved. Its head was covered with red
cloth, and a pair of sheep's ears answered the purpose for which they
were intended tolerably well. Yet, on the whole, though it was easy
to perceive that a horse was intended to be represented by it, the
figure was executed clumsily enough. As soon as this party had joined
the individuals assembled near the place of worship, a startling
shriek of laughter testified the tumultuous joy of the wondering
multitude. The sun shone out resplendently on the happy groups of
fancifully dressed persons, whose showy, various-coloured garments,
and sooty skin, contrasted with the picturesque and lovely appearance
of the scenery, produced an unspeakably charming effect. The foliage
exhibited every variety and tint of green, from the sombre shade of
the melancholy yew, to the lively verdure of the poplar and young
oak. "For myself," says John Lander, "I was delighted with the
agreeable ramble, and imagined that I could distinguish from the
notes of the songsters of the grove, the swelling strains of the
English skylark and thrush, with the more gentle warbling of the
finch and linnet. It was indeed a brilliant morning, teeming with
life and beauty, and recalled to my memory a thousand affecting
associations of sanguine boyhood, when I was thoughtless and happy.
The barbarians around me were all cheerful and full of joy. I have
heard that like sorrow, joy is contagious, and I believe that it is,
for it inspired me with a similar gentle feeling."
"The 27th March in this place, is what May-day is in many country
places in England, and it strongly reminded us of it. But here
unfortunately there are no white faces to enliven us, and a want of
the lovely complexion of our beautiful countrywomen, tinged with 'its
celestial red,' is severely felt; and so is the total absence here of
that golden chain of kindness, which links them to the ruder
associates of their festive enjoyments. By and by, doubtless,
familiarity with black faces will reconcile me to them, but at
present I am compelled to own, that I cannot help feeling a
considerable share of aversion towards their jetty complexions, in
common I believe with most strangers that visit this place."
Owing to the holiday, which is equally prized and enjoyed by
Mahommedan and pagan, their visitors on this day have been almost
exclusively confined to a party of Houssa mallams, who entered their
dwelling in the forenoon, perfumed all over with musk, more for the
purpose of gratifying their vanity by displaying their finery before
them, than of paying the travellers the compliment of the day, which
was avowedly the sole object of their intrusion. One or two of them
were masticating the goora nut, and others had their lips, teeth, and
finger nails stained red. Each of the mallams was attended by a
well-dressed little boy of agreeable countenance, who acted as page
to his master, and was his _protegé_. Neither of the men would eat or
drink with those who they came to visit, yet whilst they were in
their company, they seemed cheerful and good humoured, and were
communicative and highly intelligent. In answer to the questions put
to them, they; were informed that two rivers enter the Quorra, or
great river of Funda, one of which is called the _Coodonie,_ and the
other the _Tshadda,_ (from the lake Tshad); that a schooner might
sail from Bornou to Fundah, on the latter river, without difficulty;
that Funda is only twenty-four hours pull from Benin, and twenty-nine
days' journey from Bornou. At the close of a long and to the
travellers rather an interesting conversation, their visitors
expressed themselves highly gratified with their reception, and left
the hut to repair to their own habitations.
These men, though slaves to Adooley, are very respectable, and are
never called upon by their master, except when required to go to war,
supporting themselves by trading for slaves, which they sell to
Europeans. They wore decent _nouffie_ tobes, (_qu Nyffee,_) Arab red
caps, and Houssa sandals. The mallams, both in their manners and
conversation, are infinitely superior to the ungentle, and malignant
natives of Badagry.
March 28th fell on a Sunday, and luckily for the travellers, the
inhabitants of the place considered it as a holiday, and their
singing, dancing, and savage jollity possessed greater charms for
them than an empty rum cask, though backed by two white faces. With a
trifling exception or so, they were in consequence unmolested by
their visitors of the everlasting grin and unwearied tongue during
the day. This happy circumstance afforded them an opportunity, and
ample leisure for spending the Sabbath in a manner most agreeable to
their feelings; by devoting the greater part of it to the impressive
duties of their divine religion, in humbling themselves before the
mercy seat of the great Author of their being, and imploring him to
be their refuge and guardian, to shield them from every danger, and
to render their undertakings hopeful and prosperous.
As yet no crime of any peculiar atrocity had been committed, to
impress the travellers with an unfavourable opinion of the moral
character of the people amongst whom they were then residing, but on
this evening of the Sabbath, a Fantee was robbed of his effects, and
stabbed by an assassin below the ribs, so that his life was despaired
of. The most unlucky part, however, of this tragical affair to
Richard Lander, was, that the natives, from some cause, which he
could not divine, had imbibed the conceit that he was skilled in
surgery. In vain, he protested that he knew nothing of the anatomy of
the human frame--there were many present, who knew far better than he
did himself, and therefore, _nolens volens,_ he was obliged to visit
the patient. It was certainly the first time that Richard Lander had
been called in to exercise his surgical skill, and it must be
admitted that in one sense, he was well adapted for the character of
a bone-setter, or other offices for which the gentlemen of the lancet
are notorious. This trait in his character consisted in a gravity of
countenance well befitting the individual, who presents himself to
his anxious patient, to pronounce the great question of life and
death, and the greater the ignorance of the individual, the deeper
and more solemn is the countenance, which he assumes. If Richard
Lander had been in the least inclined to a risible disposition,
perhaps no occasion was more likely to call it into action, than when
he saw himself followed by two or three hundred savages, under an
imputation of possessing the power of curing an individual, who had
been stabbed nearly to the heart, when at the same time, he knew as
much of the art of stopping an haemorrhage, as he did of the art of
delivering one of the queens of Badagry of an heir to "the golden
stool." Fortunately, however, for the new debutant in the medical
profession, the victim of the assassin had died a few minutes before
the English doctor arrived, and right glad he was, for had he found
his patient alive, and he had afterwards died, no doubt whatever
rested on his mind, that his death would be attributed to the want of
skill on the part of his medical attendant, who, by way of reward for
his interference, would have run no small risk of being buried in the
same grave as the individual, whose life he had sacrificed to his
ignorance and want of skill. From this dilemma he was fortunately
relieved, but he had scarcely returned to his habitation, than he was
called upon to attend a fetish, or a religious rite, that was to be
performed over the remains of a native, who had been found dead, but
who was in perfect health a few hours before. This kind of coroner's
inquest appeared most strange to the travellers, when it was well
known to them that the king of Badagry, so far from following the
example of other kings, who are so extremely anxious about the life
of their subjects, often amuses himself with chopping off two or
three hundred heads of his subjects, in order that the path to his
apartments may be paved with their skulls; and should there not be
quite a sufficient number to complete the job, the deficiency is made
up with the same indifference, as a schoolboy strikes off the heads
of the poppies in the corn fields. The ceremony observed at this
fetish, had a great resemblance to an Irish wake; and could the
mourners have been able to obtain the requisite supply of spirits,
there is very little doubt that there would not have been a mourner
present, who would not have exhibited himself in the state of the
most beastly intoxication. The lament of the relatives of the
deceased was doleful in the highest degree, and no sounds could be
more dismally mournful than those shrieked forth by them on this
occasion.
The Sabbath was nearly over, when a summons was received from
Adooley, to repair to his residence, in order finally to settle the
business relative to their journey into the interior, but they
refused to have any disputes with him on the Sabbath, and therefore
promised to wait on him the following morning. Accordingly after
breakfast, they redeemed their pledge, by paying him the promised
visit. Adooley received them with his accustomed politeness and
gracious smile. He prefaced his wish by saying, that he wished to
inform them of his intention, to detain them at Badagry a day or two
longer, the "path" not being considered in a fit state for;
travelling, rather than his reputation should suffer by leading them
into danger, which would undoubtedly be the case, if he had not
adopted his present resolution. Yet, he continued, they might depend
upon his word as a king, that they should be at liberty to depart on
the following Thursday at the latest. Now the Landers well knew that
the country was never in a more peaceable or quiet state than at the
moment he was speaking, and they were consequently mortified beyond
measure, at the perpetual evasions and contradictions of this chief.
They also regretted that the dry season was drawing fast to a close,
and that then they would be obliged to travel in the rainy months.
Having made this declaration, Adooley requested them to write on
paper in his presence, for a few things, which he wished to procure
from Cape Coast Castle, or from England, as a return for the
protection he had promised them. Amongst other articles enumerated
were _four_ regimental coats, such as are worn by the king of
England, being for his own immediate wear, and forty less splendid
than the king of England's, for his captains; two long brass guns, to
run on swivels; _fifty_ muskets; _twenty_ barrels of gunpowder; four
handsome swords, and forty cutlasses; to which were added, two
puncheons of rum; a carpenter's chest of tools, with oils, paint and
brushes; the king himself boasting that he was a blacksmith,
carpenter, painter, and indeed every trade but a tailor.
Independently of these trifles, as he termed them, he wished to
Obtain half a dozen rockets, and a rocket gun, with a soldier from
Cape Coast capable of undertaking the management of it; and lastly,
he modestly ordered two puncheons of kowries to be sent him, for the
purpose of defraying in part the expences, he had incurred in
repelling the attacks of the men of Porto Novo, Atta, Juncullee; the
tribes inhabiting those places having made war upon him, for allowing
Captain Clapperton's last mission to proceed into the interior
without their consent. They now asked jocosely, whether Adooley would
be satisfied with these various articles, when, having considered for
a few moments, and conversed aloud to a few of his chiefs, who were
in the apartment at the time, he replied that he had forgotten to
mention his want of a large umbrella, _four_ casks of grape shot, and
a barrel of flints, which having also inserted in the list, the
letter was finally folded and sealed. It was then delivered into the
hands of Adooley, who said that he should send it by Accra, one of
his head men, to Cape Coast Castle, and that the man would wait there
till all the articles should be procured for him. If that be the
case, the Landers imagined that Accra would have a very long time to
wait.
The interpreter of the Landers, old Hooper, having been suspected by
the chief to be in their interest, a young man, named Tookwee, who
understood a little English, was sent for, and commanded to remain
during the whole conference, in order to detect any error that Hooper
might make, and to see that every thing enumerated by the chief,
should be written in the list of articles.
During this long and serious conversation, the Landers were highly
amused with a singular kind of concert, which was formed by three
little bells, which were fastened to the tails of the same number of
cats by a long string, and made a jingling noise, whenever the
animals thought proper to play off any of their antics. As an
accompaniment to this singular kind of music, they were favoured with
the strains of an organ, which instrument was turned by a little boy,
placed purposely in a corner of the apartment.
In the afternoon, a young Jenna woman came to visit them, accompanied
by a female friend from Houssa. Her hair was traced with such
extraordinary neatness, that John Lander expressed a wish to examine
it more minutely. The girl had never beheld such a thing as a white
man before, and permission was granted with a great deal of coyness,
mixed up perhaps with a small portion of fear, which was apparent as
she was slowly untying her turban. No sooner, however, was the
curiosity of the travellers gratified, than a demand of two hundred
kowries was insisted on by her companion, that, it was alleged, being
the price paid in the interior by the male sex to scrutinize a lady's
hair. They were obliged to conform to the usual custom, at which the
women expressed themselves highly delighted. The hair, which had
excited the admiration of the travellers, was made up in the shape of
a hussar's helmet, and very ingeniously traced on the top. Irregular
figures were likewise braided on each side of the head, and a band of
worked thread, dyed in indigo, encircled it below the natural hair,
which seemed, by its tightness and closeness, to have been glued fast
to the skin. This young Jenna woman was by far the most interesting,
both in face and form, of any they had seen since their landing; and
her prettiness was rendered more engaging by her retiring modesty and
perfect artlessness of manner, which, whether observed in black or
white, are sure to command the esteem and reverence of the other sex.
Her eyelids were stained with a bluish-black powder, which is the
same kind of substance, it is supposed, as that described in a note
in Mr. Beckford's Vatheck. Her person was excessively clean, and her
apparel flowing, neat, and graceful. Before taking leave, the girl's
unworthy companion informed John Lander, that her _protegée_ was
married, but that as her husband was left behind at Jenna, she would
prevail on her to visit the travellers in the evening after sunset.
Of course they expressed their abhorrence of the proposal, and were
really grieved to reflect, that, with so much meekness, innocence,
modesty, and beauty, their timid friend should be exposed to the
wiles of a crafty and wicked woman. On this occasion, John Lander
says, "We have longed to discover a solitary virtue lingering amongst
the natives of this place, but as yet our search has been
ineffectual."
As a contrast to the youthful individual just described, an old
withered woman entered their residence in the evening, and began
professing the most unbounded affection for both the travellers. She
had drank so much rum that she could scarcely stand. She first began
to pay her attentions to John Lander, who, being the more sprightly
of the two, she thought was the most likely to accede to her wishes;
she happened, however, to be the owner of a most forbidding
countenance, and four of her front teeth had disappeared from her
upper jaw, which caused a singular and disagreeable indention of the
upper lip. The travellers were disgusted with the appearance and
hateful familiarity of this ancient hag, who had thus paid so ill a
compliment to their vanity, and subsequently they forced her out of
the yard without any ceremony.
The travellers now ascertained that the king would not allow them to
go to Jenna by the nearest beaten path, on the plea, that, as sacred
fetish land would lie in their way, they would die the moment in
which they trod upon it.
The pleasant news was now received, that the king of Jenna had
arrived at that town from Katunga. His messenger reached Badagry on
the 30th March, and immediately paid a visit to the Landers,
accompanied by a friend. They regaled him with a glass of rum,
according to their general custom, the first mouthful of which he
squirted from his own into the mouth of his associate, and _vice
versa._ This was the first time they had witnessed this dirty and
disgusting practice.
Adooley again sent for the travellers, he having recollected some
articles, which were necessary to complete the cargo, which the king
of England was to send him. To their great surprise, however, the
first article that he demanded was nothing less than a gun-boat, with
a hundred men from England, as a kind of body-guard; for his own
private and immediate use, however, he demanded a few common
tobacco-pipes. It was a very easy matter to give a bill for the
gun-boat and the hundred men, neither of which, they well knew, would
be duly honoured; for, before they could come back protested to king
Adooley, the drawers of it knew they would be far beyond his power;
and they had received such specimens of the extreme nobleness and
generosity of his character, that they determined never to throw
themselves in his power again. In regard, however, to the
tobacco-pipes, they dared not part with them on any account, because,
considering the long journey, they had before them, they were
convinced they had nothing to spare; indeed it was their opinion,
that the presents would be all exhausted long before the journey was
completed, and this was in a great measure to be imputed to the
rapacity of Adooley, when he examined their boxes. With the same
facility that they could have written the order for the gun-boat and
the hundred men, they now wrote a paper for forty ounces of gold,
worth there about two pounds an ounce, to be distributed amongst the
chief of the English-town and the rest of their partisans. Adooley
had now summed up the measure of his demands; the travellers were
most agreeably surprised by an assurance from him, that they should
quit Badagry on the morrow, with the newly-arrived Jenna messenger.
They accordingly adjusted all their little matters to the apparent
satisfaction of all parties, nor could they help wishing, for the
sake of their credit, that they might never meet such needy and
importunate friends as pestered them during their residence at
Badagry.
In regard to king Adooley, we have been furnished with some most
interesting particulars respecting him, and some of his actions
certainly exhibit a nobleness of character seldom to be found in
the savage. His conduct towards the Landers was distinguished by the
greatest rapacity and duplicity, whilst in his intercourse with his
own immediate connexions, his actions cannot be surpassed by any of
the great heroes of antiquity. He evinced in early youth an active
and ingenious disposition, and an extraordinary fondness for
mechanical employments and pursuits. This bias of Adooley soon
attracted the attention and notice of his father, and this revered
parent did all that his slender means afforded of cherishing it, and of
encouraging him to persevere in his industrious habits. Whilst yet
a boy, Adooley was a tolerable carpenter, smith, painter, and gunner.
He soon won the admiration of his father, who displayed greater
partiality and affection for him, than for either of his other
children, and on his death nominated this favorite son his successor,
to the exclusion of his first-born, which is against the laws of the
country, the eldest son being invariably understood as the legitimate
heir. For some time, however, after his decease, no notice was taken
of the dying request of the Lagos chieftain; his eldest son ruled in
his stead, notwithstanding his last injunction, and Adooley for a few
years wisely submitted to his brother without murmuring or complaint.
The young men at length quarrelled, and Adooley calling to
remembrance the words and wishes of his father, rose up against the
chief, whom he denounced an usurper, and vehemently called upon his
friends to join him in disputing his authority, and endeavour to
divest him of his power and consequence. All the slaves of his
deceased parent, amongst whom were a great number of Houssa mallams;
all who bore any personal dislike to the ruling chief, or were
discontented with his form of government; those who preferred
Adooley, and the discontented of all ranks, formed themselves into a
strong body, and resolved to support the pretensions of their
favourite. The brothers agreed to decide the quarrel by the sword,
and having come to a general engagement, the partizans of the younger
were completely routed, and fled with their leader before the
victorious arms of the opposing party.
Fearing the result of this contest, Adooley, with a spirit of filial
piety, which is not rare amongst savages, and is truly noble, dug out
of the earth, wherein it had been deposited, the skull of his father,
and took it along with him in his flight, in order that it might not
be dishonoured in his absence, for he loved his father with
extraordinary tenderness, and cherished his memory as dearly as his
own life. The headless body of the venerable chief, like those of his
ancestors, had been sent to Benin, in order that its bones might
adorn the sacred temple at that place, agreeably to an ancient and
respected custom, which has ever been religiously conformed to, and
tenaciously held by the Lagos people. But Adooley displayed at the
same time another beautiful trait of piety and filial tenderness. At
the period of his defeat, he had an aged and infirm mother living,
and her he determined to take with him, let the consequences be what
they might. With his accustomed foresight, he had previously made a
kind of cage or box, in case there should be a necessity for removing
her. His father's skull having been disinterred and secured, he
implored his mother to take immediate advantage of this cage, as the
only means of escaping with life. She willingly acceded to her son's
request, and was borne off on the shoulders of four slaves, to a
village not far distant from Lagos, accompanied by Adooley and his
fugitive train, where they imagined themselves secure from further
molestation. In this opinion, however, they were deceived, for the
more fortunate chief, suspicious of his brother's intentions, and
dreading his influence, would not suffer him to remain long in peace,
but drove him out soon after, and hunted him from place to place like
a wild beast. In this manner, retreating from his brother, he at last
reached the flourishing town of Badagry, and being quite wearied with
his exertions and fatigues, and disheartened by his misfortunes, he
set down his beloved mother on the grass, and began to weep by her
side. The principal people of the town were well acquainted with his
circumstances, and admiring the nobleness of his sentiments, they not
only pitied him, but resolved to protect and befriend him to the
last.
For this purpose they presently invited him to attend a council,
which they had hastily formed. When in the midst of them, perceiving
tears falling fast down his cheeks, they asked him why he wept so?
"Foolish boy," said they, "wipe away those tears, for they are
unworthy of you, and show yourself a man and a prince. From this
moment we adopt you our chief, you shall lead us on to war, and we
will fight against your brother, and either prevail over him or
perish. Here your mother may dwell in safety, and here shall your
father's skull be reverenced as it ought to be. Come then, lay aside
your fears, and lead us on against your enemies."
These enemies were in the bush, and hovering near Badagry, when
Adooley and his generous friends sallied out against them. The
fighting or rather skirmishing lasted many days, and many people, it
is said, were slain on both sides. But the advantage was decidedly in
favour of the Badagrians, whose superior knowledge of the district
and secret paths of the wood, was of considerable service to them,
enabling them to lie in ambush, and attack their enemies by surprise.
The Lagos people at length gave up the unequal contest in despair,
and returned to their own country. Adooley was thus left in quiet
possession of an important and influential town, which declared
itself independent of Lagos for ever. Since then various unsuccessful
attempts have been made to compel the Badagrians to return to their
allegiance. The latter, however, have bravely defended their rights,
and in consequence their independency has been acknowledged by the
neighbouring tribes.
In the year 1829, the warlike chief of Lagos died, and Adooley
considering it to be a favourable opportunity for his re-assertion of
his claims to the vacant "stool," as it is called, determined to do
so, and assembled his faithful Badagrians for the purpose of making
an attack on his native town. He imagined that as his brother was
dead, he should experience little opposition from his countrymen; but
he soon discovered that he had formed an erroneous opinion, for
almost at his very outset, he met with a stout resistance. His
brother had left an infant son, and him the people declared to be his
legitimate heir, and unanimously resolved to support him.
The sanguine invaders were repulsed, and entirely defeated,
notwithstanding their tried bravery and utter contempt of danger; and
were forced to return home in confusion without having accomplished
any thing. In this unfortunate expedition Bombanee and all the
principal warriors were slain. A similar attempt has been made on
Lagos more than once, and with a similar result. On the arrival of
the Landers at Badagry, Adooley was but just recovering from the
effects of these various mortifications and other disasters; and
singular enough, he had the artfulness, as has been previously
noticed, of laying the whole blame of them to his having permitted
the last African mission to pass through his territories, contrary to
the wishes of his neighbours, and those, who were interested in the
matter.
Justice is not unfrequently administered at Badagry by means of a
large wooden cap, having three corners, which is placed on the head
of the culprit at the period of his examination. This fantastic piece
of mechanism, no doubt by the structure of internal springs, may be
made to move and shake without any visible agent, on the same
principle as the enchanted Turk, or any other figure in our puppet
shows. It is believed that the native priests are alone in the
secret. When the cap is observed to shake whilst on the head of a
suspected person, he is condemned without any further evidence being
required; but should it remain without any perceptible motion, his
innocence is apparent and he is forthwith acquitted. The frame of
this wonderful cap makes a great fuss in the town, and as many
wonderful stories are told of it here, as were related in England, a
century or two ago, of the famous brazen head of Roger Bacon.
A respectable man, the chief of French-town, was tried by the ordeal
of the cap a short time since, for having, it was alleged, accepted a
bribe of the Lagos chieftain to destroy Adooley by poison. The fatal
cap was no sooner put upon his head than it was observed to move
slightly and then to become more violently agitated. The criminal
felt its motion, and was terrified to such a degree that he fell down
in a swoon. On awakening, he confessed his guilt, and implored
forgiveness, which was granted him by Adooley, because, it was said,
of his sorrow and contrition, but really, no doubt, of his birth and
connexions.
During the stay of the Landers at Badagry, the thermometer of
Fahrenheit ranged between 86° and 94° in their hut, but being oftener
stationary nearer the latter, than the former.