In addition to the value of twenty slaves, which the king of Eboe
demanded from them, they now heard that King Boy required the value
of fifteen casks of palm oil, which is equal to fifteen slaves, for
himself, and as payment for the trouble he and his people will have
in conducting them to the English vessel. He said, that he must take
three canoes and one hundred and fifty people, and, therefore, it was
impossible that he could do with less. The chief then said, that if
they did not consent to give King Boy a _book_ for all this money, he
should send them into the interior of the country to be sold, and
that they never should see the sea again. It was now seen that they
had no alternative, and they considered it most prudent to give him
the bill, not intending, however, on their arrival at the sea, to
give him more than twenty common trade guns, to pay this chief and
all other expenses. King Boy was to give Obie five pieces of cloth
and one gun as part payment; the remainder was to be paid on his
return, after having delivered them up to the brig. The Landers and
all their people were now in high spirits, at the prospect of leaving
this place and obtaining their freedom, for they had so much faith in
the character of the English, that they entertained not the slightest
doubt that the captain of the brig would most willingly pay the
ransom money.
Towards evening, Obie in his showy coral dress came barefooted to
their hut, for the purpose of inspecting their books and examining
the contents of their medicine chest. His approach was announced to
them by the jingling of the little bells which his feet. He appeared
greatly pleased with every thing they said, and looked aghast when
informed of the powerful properties of some of the medicines, which
ended in a fit of laughter. He expressed a strong desire to have a
little, especially of the purgatives, and there being no objection on
the part of the Landers, they supplied him with a good strong dose of
jalap, which had the same affect as it had had upon the sultan of
Yaoorie and family. Obie was evidently fearful of their books, having
been informed that could "tell all things," and appeared to shrink
with horror at which was offered him, shaking his head, saying, that
he must not accept it, for that it was good only for white men,
"Whose God was not his God." The visit was of very short duration,
On the following day, they found King Boy in the inner yard of the
king's house, and from his significant physiognomy, they conjectured
that he had something of consequence to communicate. Obie received
them with his accustomed politeness and jocularity, but instantly
directed his attention and discourse to King Boy, who maintained an
earnest and pretty animated conversation with him for some time. The
Bonny people were in attendance and weeping. As the Landers were
frequently pointed out and named, they had no doubt whatever that it
was chiefly concerning themselves, which opinion was soon after
confirmed. As if the parties had some secret to discuss, which they
did not wish either their attendants or those of the Landers to
overhear, they retired to the middle court, where having conversed
for a time by themselves, they returned with anxious looks to resume
their conversation. This was repeated twice, after which, as it was
subsequently understood, Obie briefly related in a loud voice the
result of this extraordinary conference, and all present, except the
men of Bonny, shouted simultaneously the monosyllable "Yah," as a
token of their approbation.
In the mean time, from anxiety to be made acquainted with what had
transpired respecting themselves, they felt rather impatient and
uneasy, the answer of King Boy to their repeated interrogations
having been only "Plenty of bars," the meaning whereof they were
grievously puzzled to define. But shortly after the termination of
the palaver, how transported were they to hear the last mentioned
individual explain himself in broken English to this effect: "In the
conversation, which I have just had with Obie, I have been induced to
offer him the goods, which he demands for your ransom, on the faith
that they be hereafter repaid me by the master of the brig Thomas,
which is now lying in the first Brass, River, and that the value of
fifteen bars or slaves be added thereto in European goods, and
likewise a cask of rum, as a remuneration for the hazard and trouble
which I shall inevitably incur in transporting you to Brass. If you
consent to these resolutions, and on these only will I consent to
redeem you, you will forthwith give me a bill on Captain Lake, for
the receipt of articles to the value of thirty-five bars, after which
you will be at liberty to leave this place, and to go along with me,
whenever you may think proper, agreeably to the understanding at
present existing between Obie and myself."
This was delightful news indeed, and they thanked King Boy over and
over again for his generosity and nobleness, for they were too much
elated at the time to reflect on the exorbitant demands which had
been imposed upon them. Without hesitation they gave him a bill on
Mr. Lake; indeed there was not anything which they would not have
done, rather than lose the opportunity of getting down to the sea,
which seemed so providentially held out to them.
Obie perceived by the great and sudden change in their countenances,
the joy which filled their breasts, and having asked them whether
they were not pleased with his arrangements, in the fullness of their
hearts, he exacted from them a promise, that on returning to England,
they would inform their countrymen that he was a good man, and that
they would pay him a visit whenever they should come again into the
country.
When King Boy came for his _book_, it was given to him, and he wished
to send it down to the brig, to know if it was good. This was no more
than what was to be expected, so he was informed, the book would be
of no use, unless they were sent along with it, and that the captain
would not pay it, before he had taken them on board, on which he put
the bill into his pocket-book. They then bade him farewell, and he
took leave of them in a kind and cordial manner.
Fearing that something might yet occur to detain them, and ultimately
to change the king's resolution altogether, they were most eager to
get out of the reach of him and his people as quickly as possible.
Therefore they lost not a moment in hastening to their lodgings, and
having sent their people on board Boy's canoe, they hurried after
them immediately, and embarked at three in the afternoon, and thus
terminated four of the most wretched days of their existence. They
were unable to take along with them their own old leaky and shattered
canoe, as it would detain them very much, from being so heavy to move
along. The Damaggoo people accompanied them in their own canoe, and
every thing was arranged for their departure at an early hour on the
following day. The Brass canoe, which was now become their dwelling,
was extremely large, and heavily laden. It was paddled by forty men
and boys, in addition to whom there might be about twenty
individuals, or more, including a few slaves and themselves, so that
the number of human beings amounted altogether to sixty.
Like Obie's war canoes, it was furnished with a cannon, which was
lashed to the bow, a vast number of cutlasses, and a quantity of
grape and other shot, besides powder, flints, &c. It contained a
number of large boxes or chests, which were filled with spirituous
liquors, cotton, silk goods, earthenware, and other articles of
European and other foreign manufactures; besides abundance of
provisions for present consumption, and two thousand yams for the
master of a Spanish slaver, which was then lying in Brass River. In
this canoe three men might sit abreast of each other, and from the
number of people which it contained, and the immense quantity of
articles of various descriptions, some idea of its size may be
formed. It was cut out of a solid trunk of a tree, and drew four feet
and a half of water, being more than fifty feet in length. It was,
however, so deeply laden, that not above two inches of the canoe were
to be seen above the water's edge. With its present burden, it would
have been impossible for her to sail on any river less smooth than
the Niger, and even as it is, when it comes to be paddled, some
danger exists of its being swamped. It was really laughable to
reflect that the canoe was supplied with two speaking trumpets,
which, considering the stentorian lungs of the men of Brass, were
entirely superfluous, and that she was commanded by regularly
appointed officers, with sounding titles, in imitation of European
vessels, such as captain, mate, boatswain, coxswain, &c. besides a
cook and his minions. These distinctions are encouraged by King Boy,
whose vanity and consequence even in the most trifling concerns, were
irresistibly diverting. The Landers determined to sleep in the canoe
that night, notwithstanding the want of room would render it an
intolerable grievance. Previously to embarking, they had taken a
little boiled yam with palm oil at Obie's house, and they remained
two hours lying on the bank. At seven in the evening they settled
themselves for the night, but found that they were exceedingly
cramped up for want of room, occasioned by the yams being stowed
badly.
During the night a great tumult arose between the natives and the men
of Brass, which might have had a serious and fatal termination, if
the latter had not taken timely precaution to convey their canoe from
the beach into the middle of the stream, whither the natives could
not follow them. The former had flocked down to the water's edge in
considerable numbers, armed with muskets, spears, and other offensive
weapons, and kept up a dreadful noise, like the howling of wolves,
till long after midnight; when the uproar died away King Boy slept on
shore with his wife Adizzetta, who was Obie's favourite daughter, and
on her account they waited till between seven and eight o'clock in
the morning, when she made her appearance with her husband, who, they
understood, had embraced the present opportunity of making an
excursion with her to his native country, to vary her life a little
by a change of air and scene, and to introduce her to his other wives
and relatives residing at Brass. She had besides expressed a desire
to see white men's ships, and it was partly to gratify her curiosity
in this particular that she was going with them. On stepping into the
canoe, with a spirit of gallantry, Boy handed her to the best seat,
which was a box, close to which he himself sat, and which the
Landers, from motives of delicacy, had relinquished in her favour.
Her face was towards the bow, whilst the two Landers sat directly
_vis-a-vis_ on a heap of yams, but they were So close to the opposite
party that their legs came in continual contact, which threatened to
produce much inconvenience and confusion. They were still further
detained by removing various heavy articles into another canoe, which
was lying alongside, because the canoe in which they were was
pronounced too deeply laden to be safe, but after all she did not
appear to be lightened very considerably. This being all
accomplished, at half-past seven they pushed off the Eboe shore, and
for a little while, with forty paddles dashing up the silvery foam at
the same moment, they glided through the water with the speed of a
dolphin. To the Landers it was altogether a scene of considerable
gratification.
"The eyes of man," says Richard Lander, "are so placed in his head,
that it has been frequently observed, whether sitting or standing, he
can behold earth and sky at the same moment without inconvenience,
which is an advantage, I believe, that no other animal possesses in
an equal degree, if it does at all. As I was reflecting on this
circumstance I happened to cast my eyes towards the horizon, to
convince myself of its reality, when I found the tall, masculine
figure of Obie's favourite daughter intercepted it entirely from my
view. Being thus balked for a moment in my intentions, I was
instantly diverted from them, and I deemed the opportunity favourable
for studying the physiognomy and person of King Boy's 'ladye love.'
Adizzetta may be between twenty and thirty years of age,[Footnote:
There is a discrepancy in the account given by Lander respecting Obie
and Adizzetta, which we cannot reconcile. Obie is represented to be a
sprightly _young_ man, and yet his favourite daughter Adizzetta is
married, and between 20 and 30 year of age. Obie then could not be a
_young_ man.] or perhaps younger, for she takes snuff, and females
arrive at womanhood in warm countries much sooner than in cold ones.
Her person is tall, stout, and well proportioned, though it has not
dignity sufficient to be commanding; her countenance is round and
open, but dull and almost inexpressive; mildness of manners, evenness
of temper, and inactivity of body also, might notwithstanding, I
think be clearly defined in it; on the whole she has a perfect
virginity of face, which betrays not the smallest symptoms of
feeling. Her forehead is smooth and shining as polished ebony, but it
is rather too low to be noble; her eyes full, large, and beautiful,
though languid; her cheeks of a dutch-like breadth and fullness; her
nose finely compressed, but not quite so distinguished a feature as
the negro nose in general; there is a degree of prettiness about her
mouth, the lips not being disagreeably large, which is further
embellished by a set of elegant teeth, perfectly even and regular,
and white as the teeth of a greyhound; her chin--but I am unable to
describe a chin; I only know that it agrees well with the other
features of her face.
"Adizzetta seldom laughs, but smiles and simpers most engagingly,
whenever she is more than ordinarily pleased, and she seems not to be
unconscious of the powerful influence which these smiles have over
the mind of her husband. Her dress and personal charms may be
described in a few words; the former consisting simply of a piece of
figured silk, encircling the waist, and extending as far as the
knees; her woolly hair, which is tastefully braided, is enclosed in a
net, and ends in a peak at the top; the net is adorned, but not
profusely, with coral beads, strings of which hang from the crown to
the forehead. She wears necklaces of the same costly bead; copper
rings encircle her fingers and great toes; bracelets of ivory her
wrists, and enormous rings, also, of the elephant's tusks decorate
her legs, near the ankle, by which she is almost disabled from
walking, on account of their ponderous weight and immense size. I had
almost finished the scrutiny of her person, when Adizzetta, observing
me regarding her with more than common attention, at length caught my
eye, and turned away her head, with a triumphant kind of smile, as
much as to say, Aye, white man, you may well admire and adore my
person; I perceive you are struck with my beauty, and no wonder
neither: yet I immediately checked the ill-natured construction,
which I had put on her looks, and accused myself of injustice. For
though, said I to myself, Adizzetta, poor simple savage, may be as
fond of admiration as her white sisters in more civilized lands, yet
her thoughts, for aught I know, might have been very remote from
vanity or self-love. However, that she smiled I am quite certain, and
very prettily too, for I saw a circling dimple, radiating upon her
full, round cheek, which terminated in a momentary gleam of
animation, and illuminate her dark languishing eye, like a flash of
light; and what could all this mean I had forgotten to say that the
person of Obie's daughter is tattooed in various parts, but the
incisions or rather lacerations are irregular and unseemly. Her bosom
in particular bears evident marks of the cutting and gashing, which
it had received when Adizzetta was a child, for the wounds having
badly healed, the skin over them is risen a full half inch above the
natural surface. By the side of each eye, near the temple vein, a
representation of the point of an arrow is alone formed with
tolerable accuracy. They look a though indigo had been inserted into
the flesh with a needle, and by this peculiarity, with which every
female face is impressed, the Eboe women are distinguished from their
neighbours and surrounding tribes.
"Before breakfast, Adizzetta was employed above an hour in cleaning
and polishing her teeth, by rubbing them with the fibrous roots of a
certain shrub or tree, which are much esteemed, and generally used
for the purpose in her own country, as well as in the more interior
parts. A great part of the day is consumed by many thousands of
individuals in this amusing occupation, and to this cause, the
brilliant whiteness of their teeth, for which Africans, generally
speaking, are remarkable, may be attributed." Such is Lander's
description of an African beauty, and that beauty a queen.
About ten in the morning, a mess of fish, boiled with yams and
plantains, was produced for breakfast. As King Boy was fearful that
the presence of the Landers might incommode the lady, they were
desired to move farther back, that she might eat with additional
confidence and comfort, for alas! they were not placed on an equality
with Adizzetta and her kingly spouse. When they had breakfasted and
swallowed a calabash of water from the stream, the Landers were
served with a plateful, and afterwards the boat's crew and the slaves
were likewise regaled with yams and wafer. In the evening, another
refreshment, similar to this, was served round to all, and these are
the only meals which the men of Brass have during the twenty-four
hours. Before eating, Boy himself made it a practice of offering a
small portion of his food to the spirits of the river, that his
voyage might be rendered propitious by conciliating their good will.
Previously also to his drinking a glass of rum or spirits, he poured
a few drops of it into the water, invoking the protection of these
fanciful beings, by muttering several expressions between his teeth,
the tenor of which, of course, they did not understand. This
religious observance, they were told, was invariably performed,
whenever the Brass people have occasion to leave their country by
water, or return to it by the same means; it is called a meat and
drink offering, and is celebrated at every meal. A custom very
similar to this prevails at Yarriba, at Badagry, Cape Coast Castle,
and along the western coast generally; the natives of those places
never take a glass of spirits without spilling a quantity of it on
the ground as "a fetish." In the morning, they observed a branch of
the river running off in a westerly direction, the course of the main
body being southwest.
They stopped awhile at various little villages during the day, to
purchase yams, bananas, and cocoa-nuts, and the curiosity of their
poor inhabitants at their appearance was intense. They were chiefly
fishermen or husbandmen, and notwithstanding the uncouth and
remarkable dress of the Landers, they behaved to them without
rudeness and even with civility, so that their inquisitiveness was
not disagreeable. Speaking trumpets, it was imagined, were quite a
novelty with the men at Brass, by the extraordinary rapture which
they displayed for their music, which certainly was anything but
melodious. It has been already stated that two of these instruments
were in the canoe, for the convenience of issuing orders, and during
the whole of the day, they were not ten minutes together from the
mouths of the officers, so great was the desire of all of them to
breathe through them, and which adds considerably to the deafening
noises made by their constant quarrelling with each other. This was a
great annoyance to the Landers, but they were constrained to submit
to it in silence; besides, it was entirely superfluous, for the
voices of the people were of themselves loud and powerful enough for
all the common purposes of life; and when they have a mind to strain
their brazen lungs, no speaking trumpet that has ever been made, be
it ever so large, could match the quantity of horrid sound which they
made; it would, in fact, drown the roaring of the sea.
In addition to the officers and attendants in the canoe formerly
mentioned, they had one drummer, the king's steward, and his lady's
maid, and two persons to bale out water, besides three captains, to
give the necessary directions for the safety of the canoe. The noise
made by these people on their starting, in bawling to their fetish
through the trumpets, was beyond all description. Their object was to
secure them a safe journey, and most certainly, if noise could do so,
they were pretty certain of it.
The villages that they passed in the course of the day, were very
numerous, and not distant more than two or three miles from each
other, on the banks of the river. They were surrounded by more
cultivated land than they had seen for the previous fortnight; the
crops consisting of yams, bananas, plantains, indian corn, &c. &c.,
not having seen so much since they left Kacunda. The villages had a
pleasing appearance from the river. The houses seemed to be built of
a light-coloured clay, and being thatched with palm branches, they
very much resembled our own cottages. They were of a square form,
with two windows on each side of the door, but have no upper rooms.
In many places they observed that the river had overflowed its banks,
and was running between the trees and thick underwood. In the widest
part, it did not seem more than a mile and a half across, in fact,
its width, contrary to the usual course of rivers, when approaching
the sea, was sensibly diminishing, and was dwindling away into an
ordinary stream.
"Perhaps," says Richard Lander, "there cannot be a greater comfort
under the sun, than sound and invigorating sleep to the weary, nor in
our opinion, a greater grievance than the loss of it; because
wakefulness at those hours, which nature has destined for repose, is,
in nine cases out of ten, sure to be the harbinger of peevishness,
discontent, and ill humour, and not unfrequently induces languor,
lassitude, and disease. No two individuals in the world have greater
reason to complain of disturbed slumbers or nightly watching, than
ourselves. Heretofore, this has been occasioned chiefly by exposure
to damps, rains, and dews, mosquito attacks, frightful and piercing
noises, and over-fatigue, or apprehension or anxiety of mind. But
now, in the absence of most of these causes, we are cramped,
painfully cramped for want of room, insomuch, that when we feel
drowsy, we find it impossible to place ourselves in a recumbent
posture, without having the heavy legs of Mr. and Mrs. Boy, with
their prodigious ornaments of ivory, placed either on our faces or on
our breasts. From such a situation it requires almost the strength of
a rhinoceros to be freed; it is most excessively teasing. Last night
we were particularly unfortunate in this respect, and a second attack
of fever, which came on me in the evening, rendered my condition
lamentable indeed, and truly piteous. It would be ridiculous to
suppose, that one can enjoy the refreshment of sleep, how much soever
it my be required, when two or more uncovered legs and feet, huge,
black, and rough, are traversing one's face and body, stopping up the
passages of respiration, and pressing so heavily upon them at times,
as to threaten suffocation. I could not long endure so serious an
inconvenience, but preferred last night sitting up in the canoe. My
brother was indisposed, and in fact unable to follow my example, and
therefores I endeavoured, if possible, to render his situation more
tolerable. With this object in view, I pinched the feet of our
snoring companions, Mr. and Mrs. Boy, repeatedly, till the pain
caused them to awake, and remove their brawny feet from his face, and
this enabled him to draw backwards a few inches, and place his head
into a narrow recess, which is formed by two boxes. However, this did
not allow him liberty to turn it either way, and thus jammed, with no
command whatever over his suffering limbs, he passed the hours
without sleep, and arose this morning with bruised bones and sore
limbs, complaining bitterly of the wretched moments, which the legs
of Mr. and Mrs. Boy had caused him, with their ivory rings and heaps
of yams."
They now arrived at a convenient place for stopping awhile, to give
their canoe men rest from their labour, and at day break they
launched out again into the river, and paddled down the stream. At
seven in the morning, Boy and his wife having landed to trade, the
Landers took advantage of their absence and slept soundly for two
hours, without the risk of being disturbed by the brawny legs of
either the gentleman or lady.
They continued their course down the river until two hours after
midnight, when they stopped near a small village on the east side of
the river. They made fast to the shore, and the people settled
themselves in the canoe to sleep. Having sat up the whole of the
previous night, for the best of all reasons, because they could find
no room to lie down, in consequence of the crowded state of the
canoe, and feeling themselves quite unequal to do the same, the
Landers took their mats and went on shore, determined if possible, to
sleep on the ground. Overcome by fatigue, the fear of being attacked
by alligators, or any thing else, they selected a dry place and laid
themselves down on their mats. They had nearly dropped asleep, when
they were roused by several severe stings, and found themselves
covered with black ants. They had got up their trousers, and were
tormenting them dreadfully. At first they knew not which way to get
rid of them. Their men, Pascoe, Sam, and Jowdie, seeing the condition
they were in, landed from the canoe, and made large fires in the form
of a ring, and they laid down in the midst of them and slept till
daylight. The sting of a black ant is quite as painful as that of a
wasp.
Towards the evening of the following day, they departed from the main
river, and took their course up a small branch towards Brass Town,
running in a direction about southeast from that which they had just
left. They had not proceeded far on this course, when to their great
satisfaction, they found themselves influenced by the tide. They had
previously observed an appearance of foam on the water, which might
have been carried up by the flood tide from the mouth of the river,
but they now felt certain of being within its influence. They were
constantly annoyed by the canoe running aground on a bank, or
sticking fast in the underwood, which delayed their progress
considerably, and the men were obliged to get out to lighten and lift
the canoe off them. Their tract was through a narrow creek, arched
over by mangroves, so as to form a complete avenue, which in many
places was so thick as to be totally impenetrable by the light above.
A heavy shower of rain came on and wetted them thoroughly, and after
this was over, the dripping from the trees, which overhung the canoe,
kept them in constant rain nearly the whole of the night. The smell
from decayed vegetable substances was sickly and exceedingly
disagreeable.
Through these dismal and gloomy passages, they travelled during the
whole of the night of the 15th November without stopping, unless for
a few minutes at a time, to disengage themselves from the pendant
shoots of the mangrove and spreading brambles, in which they
occasionally became entangled. These luxuriant natives of the soil
are so intricately woven, that it would be next to impossible to
eradicate them. Their roots and branches are the receptacles of ooze,
mud, and filth of all kinds, exhaling a peculiar offensive odour,
which no doubt possesses highly deleterious qualities.
The reason adduced for not resting during the night, was the
apprehension entertained by King Boy, of being unable to overtake his
father and brothers, they having left the Eboe country the day before
them. A certain spot had been previously fixed upon by the parties
for the meeting, and they arrived there about nine o'clock a.m., and
found those individuals in three large canoes, with their attendants,
waiting their arrival. Here they stopped, and made their canoes fast
to the trees, to take refreshment, such as it was, and half an hour's
rest; and here they were introduced to the renowned King Forday, who
according to his own account is monarch of the whole country. In one
of the canoes sat old King Forday, in company with several fetish
priests; the second canoe belonged to King Boy, and the third was Mr.
Gun's. These canoes had come thus far for the purpose of escorting
them into their country.
King Forday was a complaisant venerable-looking old man, but was
rather shabbily dressed, partly in the European and partly in the
native style. Like most savages, his fondness for spirituous liquors
was extreme, and he took large potations of rum in their presence,
though it produced no visible effect upon his manner or conversation.
In the jollity of the moment, he attempted to sing, but his weak
piping voice did not seem to second his inclination, and the sound
died away from very feebleness. His subjects, however, amounting to
nearly two hundred individuals, testified their approbation of the
effort by a tremendous "Yah!" shouted simultaneously by every voice,
which sounded like the roar of a lion.
During the time that they had been at breakfast, the tide ebbed, and
left their canoes lying on the mud. Breakfast being over, the fetish
priests commenced their avocations, by marking the person of King Boy
from head to foot with chalk, in lines, circles, and a variety of
fantastic figures, which so completely metamorphosed him, as to
render his identity rather questionable, at the distance of only a
few yards. His usual dress had been thrown aside, and he was allowed
to wear nothing but a narrow silk handkerchief tied round his waist;
on his head a little close cap was placed, made of grass, and
ornamented with large feathers. These they found to be the wing
feathers of a black and white buzzard, which is the fetish bird of
Brass Town. Two huge spears were also chalked and put into his hands,
and thus equipped his appearance was wild and grotesque in the
extreme. The same operation was performed on the rest of the party,
and the fetish priests were chalked in the same manner. The people
belonging to the Landers were merely marked on the forehead, and the
Landers themselves, perhaps from being already white, although their
faces were not a little tanned, were exempted from the ceremony.
They were now ordered into King Forday's canoe, to sit down with him.
The old man asked them immediately in tolerably good English, to take
a glass of rum with him; and having observed them wondering at the
strange appearance of King Boy, and the rest of the party, gave them
to understand that in consequence of no man having come down the
river as they had done, the fetish ceremony was performed to prevent
any thing happening to them. They also understood from him, that a
certain rite would be performed to _Dju-dju_, the fetish or domestic
god of Brass Town, in honour of their coming.
The tide was now fast returning, and preparations were made for
proceeding to Brass Town. For this purpose the canoes were all
arranged in a line, that of King Boy taking the lead; the Landers and
King Forday in the next, followed by King Boy's brother; Mr. Gun and
the Damaggoo people in others, and in this order they proceeded up
the river. Gun was styled the _little military king_ of Brass Town,
from being entrusted with the care of all the arms and ammunition,
and on this occasion, he gave them frequent opportunities of
witnessing his importance and activity, by suddenly passing a short
distance from the rest of the canoes, and firing off the cannon in
the bow of his own, and then dropping behind again.
The whole procession formed one of the most extraordinary sights that
can be imagined. The canoes were following each other up the river in
tolerable order, each of them displaying three flags. In the first
was King Boy, standing erect and conspicuous, his head dress of
feathers waving with the movements of his body, which had been
chalked in various fantastic figures, rendered more distinct by its
natural colour. His hands were resting on the barbs of two immense
spears, which at intervals he darted violently into the bottom of his
canoe, as if he were in the act of killing some formidable wild
animal under his feet. In the bows of all the other canoes, fetish
priests were dancing, and performing various extraordinary antics,
their persons as well as those of the people in them, being chalked
over in the same manner as that of King Boy; and to crown the whole,
Mr. Gun, the little military gentleman, was most actively employed,
his canoe, now darting before, and now dropping behind the rest,
adding not a little to the imposing effect of the whole scene, by the
repeated discharges of his cannon.
In this manner they continued on till about noon, when they entered a
little bay, and saw before them on the south side of it, two distinct
groups of buildings, one of which was King Forday's own, and the
other King Jacket's town. The cannons in all the canoes were now
fired off, and the whole of the people were quickly on the look-out,
to witness their approach. The firing having ceased, the greatest
stillness prevailed, and the canoes moved forward very slowly between
the two towns to a small island, a little to the east of Jacket's
town. This island is the abode of _Dju-dju_, or grand fetish priest,
and his wives, no one else being permitted to reside there. As they
passed Forday's town, a salute of seven guns was fired off at a
small battery near the water. The canoes stopped near the fetish hut
on the island, which was a low insignificant building of clay. The
priest, who was chalked over nearly in the same manner as Boy, drew
near to the water's edge, and with a peculiar air asked some
questions, which appeared to be answered to his satisfaction. Boy
then landed, and preceded by the tall figure of the priest, entered
the religious hut. Soon after this, the priest came to the
water-side, and looking at the Landers with much earnestness, broke
an egg, and poured some liquid into the water, after which he
returned again to the hut. The Brass men then rushed on a sudden into
the water, and returned in the same hasty manner, which to the
Landers appeared equally as mysterious as the rest of the ceremony.
After remaining at the island about an hour, during which time Boy
was in the hut with the priest, he rejoined them, and they proceeded
to Forday's town, and took up their residence at Boy's house. In the
extraordinary ceremony which they had just witnessed, it was evident
that they were the persons principally concerned, but whether it
terminated in their favour or against them; whether the answers of
the _Dju-dju_ were propitious or otherwise, they were only able to
ascertain by the behaviour of the Brass people towards them.
It was with the strongest emotions of joy that they saw a white man
on shore, whilst they were in the canoe, waiting the conclusion of
the ceremony. It was a cheering and goodly sight to recognize the
features of an European, in the midst of a crowd of savages. This
individual paid them a visit in the evening; his behaviour was
perfectly affable, courteous, and obliging, and in the course of a
conversation which they had with him, he informed them that he was
the master of the Spanish schooner, which was then lying in the Brass
River for slaves. Six of her crew, who were ill of the fever, and who
were still indisposed, likewise resided in the town.
Of all the wretched, filthy, and contemptible places in this world of
ours, none can present to the eye of a stranger so miserable an
appearance, or can offer such disgusting and loathsome sights as this
abominable Brass Town. Dogs, goats, and other animals were running
about the dirty streets half starved, whose hungry looks could only
be exceeded by the famishing appearance of the men, women, and
children, which bespoke the penury and wretchedness to which they
were reduced, while the sons of many of them were covered with odious
boils, and their huts were falling to the ground from neglect and
decay.
Brass, properly speaking, consists of two towns of nearly equal size,
containing about a thousand inhabitants each, and built on the
borders of a kind of basin, which is formed by a number of rivulets,
entering it from the Niger through forests of mangrove bushes. One of
them was under the domination of a noted scoundrel, called King
Jacket, to whom a former allusion has been made, and the other was
governed by a rival chief, named King Forday. These towns are
situated directly opposite each other, and within the distance of
eighty yards, and are built on a marshy ground, which occasions the
huts to be always wet. Another place, called Pilot's Town by
Europeans, from the number of pilots that reside in it, is situated
nearly at the mouth of the first Brass River, which the Landers
understood to be the "_Nun_" River of the Europeans, and at the
distance of sixty or seventy miles from hence. This town acknowledges
the authority of both kings, having been originally peopled by
settlers from each of their towns. At the ebb of the tide, the basin
is left perfectly dry, with the exception of small gutters, and
presents a smooth and almost unvaried surface of black mud, which
emits an intolerable odour, owing to the decomposition of vegetable
substances, and the quantity of filth and nastiness which is thrown
into the basin by the inhabitants of both towns. Notwithstanding this
nuisance, both children and grown-up persons may be seen sporting in
the mud, whenever the tide goes out, all naked, and amusing
themselves in the same manner, as if they were on shore.
The Brass people grow neither yams, nor bananas, nor grain of any
kind, cultivating only the plantain as an article of food, which,
with the addition of a little fish, forms their principal diet. Yams,
however, are frequently imported from Eboe, and other countries by
the chief people, who resell great quantities of them to the shipping
that may happen to be in the river. They are enabled to do this by
the very considerable profits which accrue to them from their trading
transactions with people residing further inland, and from the palm
oil which they themselves manufacture, and which they dispose of to
the Liverpool traders. The soil in the vicinity of Brass is, for the
most part, poor and marshy, though it is covered with a rank,
luxuriant and impenetrable vegetation. Even in the hands of an
active, industrious race, it would offer almost insuperable obstacles
to general cultivation; but, with its present possessory, the
mangrove itself can never be extirpated, and the country will, it is
likely enough, maintain its present appearance till the end of time.
The dwelling in which the Landers resided, belonged to King Boy, and
stood on the extreme edge of the basin, and was constructed not long
since, by a carpenter, who came up the river for the purpose from
Calabar, of which place he was a native: he received seven slaves for
his labour. This man must evidently have seen European dwellings, as
there was decidedly an attempt to imitate them. It was of an oblong
form, containing four apartments, which were all on the ground-floor,
lined with wood, and furnished with tolerably-made doors and
cupboards. This wood bore decided marks of its having once formed
part of a vessel, and was most likely the remains of one which,
according to report, was wrecked not long ago on the bar of the
river. The house had recently been converted into a kind of seraglio
by King Boy, because ho had, to use his own expression, "plenty of
wives," who required looking after. It also answered the purpose of a
store-house for European goods, tobacco, and spirituous liquors. Its
rafters were of bamboo, and its thatch of palm leaves. The
apartment which the Landers occupied, had a window overlooking the
basin, outside of which was a veranda, occupied at the time by Pascoe
and his wives. The whole of its furniture consisted of an old oaken
table, but it was supplied with seats, made of clay, which were
raised about three feet from the ground. These, together with the
floor, which was of mud, were so soft and wet as to enable a person
to thrust his hand into any part of them without any difficulty
whatever. In one corner, communicating with the other apartments, was
a door destitute of a lock, and kept always ajar, except at night,
when it was closed. One of the sides of the room was decorated with
an old French print, representing the Virgin Mary, with a great
number of chubby-faced angels ministering to her, at whose feet was a
prayer on "Our Lady's good deliverance." The whole group was designed
and executed badly.
When the tide is at its height, the water flows up to the doors and
windows of the house, which may perhaps account for its dampness; it
is, however, held in very high estimation by its owner, and was
called an English house. In general the houses are built of a kind of
yellow clay, and the windows are all furnished with shutters.
There were several huts opposite the town, where the people make
salt, after the rains are over; the water at present was brackish
from the effect of the rains, but according to the information given
by Boy, in the course of two months it will be quite salt, when they
will again commence making it. It is an article of trade, and appears
to be taken in large quantities to the Eboe market, where it is
exchanged for yams, the kowrie shell not being circulated lower down
the river than Bocqua. The principal employment of the people
consists in making salt, fishing, boiling oil, and trading to the
Eboe country, for not a particle of cultivated land was to be seen.
The people live exclusively on yams and palm oil, with sometimes a
small quantity of fish. They bring poultry from the Eboe country, but
rear very little themselves, and what they do rear is very carefully
preserved, and sold to the ships that frequent the river.
A little palm oil would have been a great luxury to the Landers, but
King Boy would not give them any. Their allowance consisted of half a
small yam each day, but on the evening after their arrival, his
majesty being out of the way, two of his wives brought them half a
glass of rum each, and four yams; this was a great treat to them, but
a considerable risk to the ladies, for had Boy discovered the theft,
it is more than likely that he would have had them flogged and sold.
Wet and uncomfortable as was their dwelling, yet it was infinitely
more desirable and convenient than their confined quarters in the
canoe, for here they had the pleasure of reposing at full length,
which was a luxury they could not have purchased on the water at any
price.
The Spanish captain paid them another visit, and left the town in the
afternoon, on his return to his vessel. He informed them that slaves
were very scarce, and obtained with difficulty and expense.
Richard Lander was now invited to visit King Forday, and he
accordingly complied with the summons. His house was situated about a
hundred yards distant from that of King Boy, and on entering it, he
found him sitting, half drunk, with about a dozen of his wives, and a
number of dogs in a small filthy room. Lander was desired to sit down
by his side, and to drink a glass of rum. He was then given to
understand, as well as his majesty was able, that it was customary
for every white man who came down the river to pay him four bars.
Lander expressed his ignorance and surprise at this demand, but was
soon silenced by his saying, "That is my demand, and I shall not
allow you to leave this town until you give me a _book_ for that
amount." Seeing that he had nothing to do but to comply with his
demand, Lander gave him a bill on Lake the commander of the English
vessel, after which he said, "To-morrow you may go to the brig; take
one servant with yon, but your mate, (meaning his brother,) must
remain here with your seven people, until my son, King Boy, shall
bring the goods for himself and me, after this they shall be sent on
board without delay."
In order that he might make a decent appearance before his countrymen
on the following day, Richard Lander was obliged to sit the whole of
the afternoon with an old cloth wrapped round him, until his clothes
were washed and dried. This was the most miserable and starving place
which they had yet visited: since their arrival, Mr. Gun had sent
them two meals, consisting of a little pounded yam, and fish stewed
in palm oil, and for this he had the impudence to demand two muskets
in payment. These fellows, like the rest on the coast, were a set of
imposing rascals, little better than downright savages; Lander was
informed that they had absolutely starved three white men, shortly
before his arrival, who had been wrecked in a slaving vessel, when
crossing the bar.