Species of a Viper, but larger than any that I have seen in _Europe_;
it is so called, because it seems to blow, and spread its Head, and
swell very much before it bite, which is very deadly. It is Remarkable
there is none of their Snakes there, make any of that hissing noise
that ours in _England_ make, but only shoot out their Tongues, shaking
them as ours do, without any noise at all; this is a short thick
sort of Snake. There is another sort of deadly Snake, called the
_Red-Snake_; I once narrowly escaped treading on the back of one of
them: They are of an ugly dark brown colour, inclining to red; their
Bellies are of a more dusky white, with a large streak of Vermillion
Red on either side; this too is of the Viper kind, but is not so short,
but its Tail is more taper and small. The _Horn-Snake_ is, as they
say, another sort of deadly Snake; I never saw any of them, unless
once, shortly after my Arrival in that Country, which I cannot attest
to be the Horn-Snake, for I could not distinctly view it, being in
a Thicket of _Sumach_, it was perch'd up about two Foot high in a
_Sumach_ Branch, its Tail twisted about the Shrub, and about a quarter
of a Yard stood bolt forward, leaning over the forked branch thereof: I
could not see the Horn, which they say it has in its front, wherewith
it strikes, and if it wounds, is as deadly as the Rattle-Snake's bite.
The Gentleman that was with me, told me it was a Horn-Snake, but being
in hast, and on Horse-back, and the Snake in a Thicket, I could not see
the Horn; but had I thought I should never have seen more of them, I
should have took a little pains to have been better satisfied. This I
think may not improperly be referr'd to the _Dart-Snakes_.
The _Black-Snake_, is the largest I think of all others, but I am sure
the most common; I have kill'd several of them full six Foot long,
their Bite is not deemed Mortal, but it swells, and turns to a Running
Sore; they feed upon Lizards, Mice, Rats, Frogs, and Toads, which I
have taken out of their Bellies. I was once a Simpling in the woods,
on a fair Sun-shine day, when I saw a Snake crawling on a Tree that
was fallen, and licking with its forked Tongue as it moved; I stood
still to observe it, and saw it lick up small Insects and Flies with
wonderful nimbleness, catching them betwixt the Forks of its Tongue.
The _Corn-Snake_, most like the Rattle-Snake of all others in colour,
but the Checkers are not so regular, neither has it any Rattles: They
are most frequent in the Corn-Fields, and thence I suppose so called;
the Bite is not so venomous as the Black-Snakes.
The _Water-Snake_, a small Snake, I never saw any of them above a Yard
long, though I have sometimes seen Forty or Fifty at once; they are of
an ugly dark blackish colour: They say, they are the least Venomous of
any.
_Part of Two Letters from Mr. _J. Hillier_, dated _Cape Corse_,
_Jan. 3. 1687/8._ and _Apr. 25. 1688._ Wrote to the Reverend Dr.
_Bathurst_, President of _Trinity Colledge, Oxon_; giving an
Account of the Customs of the Inhabitants, the Air, _&c._ of that
Place, together with an Account of the Weather there from _Nov.
24. 1686._ to the same Day 1687._
_Cape Corse, Jan. 3. 1687/8._
I Thought the Custom of destroying Slaves at the Death of great People
had been abolish'd, and I was so inform'd; but we have seen that it
is not; for _Oct. 3._ this Year, died _Ahen Penin Ashrive_, King
of _Feton_, here at _Cape Corse_, where he had been long sick; the
Fetishers had done all they could to save his Life, which was nothing
at all to purpose; their Physick scarce extends to any thing but the
Flux, and what we call the French Disease; his was a Consumption and
an Asthma (if I mistake not the Word) of a great continuance: so they
fled to the Aid of their Religion, and according it seems to the Rules
of that, they made several Pellets of Clay, which they set in his
Room, in Rank and File, all sprinkled with blood; besides the several
Muttons which they eat to his good Health. But that was of too little
Force; so the Man died, having delivered his Sword to the Dy, who in
the _Interregnum_ was to be the principal Man, for the Kingdom is
Elective, contrary to what we wrote before, and commanding him to be
constant to the _English_, of whom himself had been a great Favourer,
with a Threat, if he was not, of haunting him after his Death; he also
appointed one of his Wives, whom he thought worthy of that unlucky
Honour, to accompany him to the other World; the next Day he was
carried to _Feton_, and buried there, _Nov. 2._ with the poor Woman we
spoke of. Presently after, they that were considerable, or had a mind
to seem so, sent in them that they had a mind to Murder in Honour of
the King: how many there were 'tis hard to say, the highest Account
gives 90, the lowest 50, the middle 70; the Blacks do not understand
Arithmetick, so the Numbers they give in all Cases are very uncertain.
I think there were about Eight from this Town, which will not hold
Proportion to the highest rate; but 'tis like near _Feton_ there might
be more. They say also, that many more will follow at half a Years
distance from his Death. The manner of the Execution of these poor
Creatures I have not yet learnt, only that they make them drink and
dance, with a great deal of Bravery all the begining of the Day, and
towards Night cut off their Heads, but whether by that they mean the
common way of their Executions I am yet to seek.
After the Kings Funeral, the next thing was to chuse a Successor; so
the People was called together at _Feton_, (I suppose by the Authority
of the Dy) without inquiring any thing of their Freehold; they pitched
upon Mr. _Dy_, though he was not of the Blood-Royal; the Reason was, as
they said, because he had Power enough to do what he pleas'd, and they
could do nothing against him; but he refused the Honour because of the
Charge 'twould put him to, and propos'd the Brother of the deceased
King: So the Business stuck some time, but at last 'twas accorded, and
he [King _Ashrive_'s Brother] declared King, _Nov. 18._ his Name is
_Ahenaco_.
'Tis Wonder how they could dispatch such a Business, with so little
Disturbance; but I suppose there was no considerable Number that
dissented; otherwise it would scarce have been determined without
Blood-shed; for it would scarce have been possible for them to have
taken any Pole.
I said it was doubt whether these Sacrifices died after the rate of
their ordinary Executions; if you would know that, thus it is, the
Creature that is condemn'd, is made to drink abundance of Palm-Wine,
and to dance, every Body that will, in the mean time striking or
pushing him, when that is over, as is said, he is thrown down, his Face
into the Sand, which whether it stifle him or not, I can't tell, then
his Legs are cut off below the Knees, and his Arms below the Elbow,
afterward his Thigh and his Arms below the Shoulder, lastly his Head.
A Man would not expect any thing more barbarous than this; yet there
is a Custom which has something worse; when any one has new Drums or
Trumpets, 'tis necessary that they be consecrated with Humane Blood: I
have known but one happen of this Kind, that was _Jan. 7. 1686/7._ when
after the Man had been executed after the former rate, about Eight in
the Morning; at one in the Afternoon, they drank Palm-Wine out of the
upper part of his Skull, and this in the sight of all the Factors at
_Cape Corse_.
I remember for the Unhealthiness of the Place, you proposed to inquire
if it were Woody, and if any good might be done to it by cutting down
the Woods, as has happen'd in many _American_ Plantations; of that
Matter this is what I can say.
The Shore lies almost East and West, expos'd to the Sea wholly upon
the South, the Country is Hilly, the Hills not very high, but thick,
clustering together, the Valleys between extream narrow, the whole
in a manner cover'd with certain Shrubs, low, but very thick; what
the People Till, comes not to above a Tenth part of their Ground; and
where they do Till, it hinders not that within half a Year the Ground
is over-grown as before, for they do not root up the Shrubs, but only
cut, or sometimes burn them somewhat close to the Earth, so they spring
again in a very little time; this is sufficient for their planting the
Corn, which they do by making little Holes in the Earth at a competent
Distance, and putting Seeds into them.
It may be that if those Shrubs were destroyed, the Matter might be
mended, which yet is not to be hop'd for, but by bringing the People to
some kind of Industry, and that will not be easie; they are so wholly
given to Laziness, and so intirely bred up in it, that there must be
the greatest Change imaginable, before they become any whit tolerable;
a Man may see their Temper by this, that though their Tillage be very
easie, and the Earth yields many Hundreds for One, yet so little is
the use they make of it, that One scarce Year brings them to danger of
Starving, and though there be People enough, and every Man has Power of
choosing what he will, that is not already Till'd by some other, yet
not the Tenth Part, as we have said, is employed: So that a Man would
wonder what came in the French Man's Head to fancy them Industrious;
but subtile they are, and diligent to Cheat any Man that is not
cautious enough to avoid it.
So that the Fault of the Wood is (by the Laziness of the People)
without any Remedy. But there may be something in the Earth it self;
the Water which they have here in Pits (Rain-Water for the most
part, but yet strain'd through the Earth) has a kind of Taste mixt
of Sweet and Subacid, if I understand what I say, I am told 'tis of
Vitriol, whether that be mischievous, you know better than I do. But
I take this for certain, since I have had it from good Hands, that at
_Widdah_, which is one of the most unhealthy Places in _Guiney_, but
'tis not upon the Gold-coast, he that opens the Ground, though it be
but to dig a Grave, runs the Hazard of his Life: So mischievous are the
Steams from thence arising. It's possible there may be some such Steams
here, only not so violent; though in _England_ I think, a Gravel or a
Sand (which here are always uppermost for as much as I have seen) are
esteem'd very wholesom Soils; under them is a kind of whitish Marle
almost like Fullers-Earth.
For the Air, except what I have said before, I do not know what Fault
it has; 'tis extream hot, 'tis also subtile and piercing, and I believe
enters a Man's Body easier than that in _England_. It has been clearer
than that uses to be one day with another, even this last Year, which
has been the wettest and most cloudy which has happen'd a long time;
I think to give you an Account of the Weather in it as soon as I have
time to transcribe.
For the Age of the Inhabitants, 'tis very uncertain, because none of
them keep an Account of it; there are some of them very Grey, but if
the Country be to them unhealthy, Grey Hairs may come early: I think
there be many more Funerals here than at _Oxford_, though that be a
much larger Place, especially in the Rain-times, which to us are always
healthful.
I think that much of the Mortality (not all) that happens among
Strangers, is the Effect of their ill Diet, and ill Government of
themselves; for they eat but little, having neither Stomach nor Mony
to buy what they want; but they drink excessively, being for that more
readily trusted, and of Liquors very hot and Spirituous; and if any
chuse the cold rather, his Stomach is chil'd, and he is in danger of a
Flux or an extream Looseness, and that immediately.
There is another thing, Men guard themselves less from the Air than
in any other Places trusting to the Heat of the Climate, and receive
the cool of the Evening with only a Shirt. Now I think that the Air,
tho' not so cold, is much more subtle and piercing here, than in our
Country, it corrodes Iron much more, not by the Moisture, for it is not
so moist, and besides it does it in the dry Weather too. Perhaps there
are some other Effects to evidence the same thing; besides that, the
Diet which most Men procure, is not extraordinary, and the passing by
Canoes from one Place to another has a Danger in it beside that of the
Sea.
* * * * *
_Cape Corse, Apr. 25. 1688._
I Promised in my last to give you an Account of the Weather at _Cape
Corse_ for the last Year, which Account I have inclosed in this; it
is as exact as I could give; 'tis a thing which has been very little
observed, whether it deserves to be more, I do not know. That Year has
had the most Rain of any that can be here remember'd; yet the Mortality
was much less than the Years before; so that perhaps Wet is not that
which makes the Country unhealthy; though we had very many Sick,
especially in _June_ and _July_, whose Diseases were not Mortal.
If you give your self the Trouble to read the inclosed, you will find
often mention of a Tornada, which is a violent Storm of Wind, followed
commonly by Rain, but not always; the Wind ceases not presently upon
the Rain, but after sometimes it does: In this Place it comes (as
does an Hermitan) most frequently from the North, taking in the next
Points, whether to the East or West, but chiefly the East, though I
have seen both that and an Hermitan from other Points; so the Account
is not without Exception; there are in it short, uncertain Blasts from
all Quarters, which I believe reach not many Yards, but the general
Wind (for ought that I see) is not so unconstant; Vessels that go to
Windward are help'd by them, when they are not over strong, for they
are opposite to the Sea Breze, and they can steer by them a regular
Course; which sure they could not do, if they were very irregular.
They never fail to give warning before hand, though sometimes after
that warning they do not follow; there is a very black Cloud appears
afar, in which if there be a kind of white Spot, the Wind will be
moist, if not the Rain; this the Sailors say. Sometimes there is that
Mark, sometimes not, though I doubt the Prediction from it is not very
certain; as neither are any perhaps of that kind.
_An Account of the Weather at _Cape Corse_ in _Guiney_, from Nov.
24. 1686. to the same Day, 1687._
Lat. N. 4_d._ 49_m._ _Nov. 1686._
24. And 25. Clear and Hot.
26. About 2. _a. m._ a Storm of Rain with Thunder for ½ Hour.
27. At the same Hour, Rain which lasted somewhat longer.
28. About 5. _a. m._ Some Rain, afterward Misty, about 10. extream hot.
29. About 2. _a. m._ a great storm of Rain, slacking often but renewing
again, it lasted about an Hour; the Day after clear.
_December, 1686._
Thence to _Dec. 7._ clear; then cloudy in the Morning; between 12. and
1. _p. m._ a Shower lasting about ½ Hour. Thence clear and hot.
10. A little Mist in the Morning, otherwise very clear and hot; so till
15.
15. And some Days after somewhat thick, especially in the Morning.
19, And 20. We had a dry North, and North-Easterly Wind, call'd an
Hermitan, and it overcame the Sea-Breeze; found very ill for the Eyes,
and most Men complained of a Feverish Temper; it was parching, but
rather colder than ordinary.
21. It ceased; a clear Air and very hot.
23. We had the Hermitan again; but the Morrow it ceased; then and
25. Some Clouds, but no Rain.
Thence to 29. clear and hot; 29. the Hermitan returned, but did not
continue.
Thence Clouds sometimes, but no Rain till _Jan. 2._
This Month we had Three Funerals, one being Sick of the Flux laid
violent Hands upon himself, through impatience of the Pain, the 3d Day.
The Second upon the 25th died convulsively, not having been Sick above
one Day.
The Third, _Dec. 27._ died of a Dropsy, which had succeeded a tedious
Flux.
_January, 1686/7._
2. About 5. _a. m._ Rain for ½ Hour between 7. and 9. an Hour; from ½
Hour past 9. to 1. _p. m._ the rest cloudy.
5. At 2. _a. m._ about ½ Hour.
8. At 1. in the Morning about an Hour, the Days between somewhat
cloudy. Thence to 12. extream hot.
12, And 14. somewhat cloudy otherwise the Heat continued.
17. At 7. _p. m._ a Tornada for above ½ Hour, and about 12. at Night
another; but the Heat very little abated.
22. Between 5. and 6. _p. m._ began a Tornada, which lasted above an
Hour very violent, with great Claps of Thunder and Lightning. Tank
fill'd 1 Foot.
23. In the Morning a great Mist, after 8. clear and extream hot.
The latter end of _January_, and the begining of _February_ commonly
Misty in the Morning; after extream hot.
I find no Funeral this Month.
_February, 1686/7._
Beginning of _February_, as before.
10. Somewhat Cloudy and cool, till then we were troubled with Coughs,
for the most part; about this time they ceased.
So the 11th, toward Night, Thunder afar off, and expectation of a
Tornada: but it fail'd.
12. Extream hot.
13. A stronger Wind than ordinary from Seaward.
14. Something like an Hermitan, but not from its usual Quarter. Clear
and hot till about 2. _p. m._ then cloudy but no Rain.
Thence to 22. extream hot and clear.
From 22. to _March 1._ some flying clouds without Rain; sultry hot and
unwholesom.
24. Some shew of a Tornada, but it past away.
This Month we had two Funerals, but their Diseases I find not.
_March, 1686/7._
The beginning of _March_ as the latter end of _February_.
5. From 6. _a. m._ for an Hour and ½. a violent Tornada; the Day after
cloudy. 6. Clear.
7. At Night Lightning and Clouds afar off; but nothing followed.
Thence to 11. clear and hot.
11. About 5. _a. m._ a violent Rain for almost ½ Hour.
12, And 13. cloudy.
14. About 4. _a. m._ a gentle Shower but lasted not long.
15. Between 6. and 7. _a. m._ a few Drops, and likelyhood of more, but
nothing followed; both Days cloudy.
16. Extream hot.
17. Somewhat cloudy.
Thence to 20. extream hot.
20. Cloudy; about 10. _a. m._ some few Drops.
21. Very hot.
22. In the Morning hot; about 12. a violent Rain for a Quarter of an
Hour.
23. Clear.
24. About 2. _a. m._ Rain for about ½ Hour; the Day after clear.
Thence to _April 3._ clear and extream hot.
No Funeral.
_April, 1687._
3. At 3. _p. m._ a violent Tornada, but only some few Drops of Rain; at
5. _p. m._ a little more Rain.
4. Cloudy by Fits, otherwise very hot.
5. Hot and clear.
6. In the Morning hot, about 2. _p. m._ cloudy; about 3. some Drops of
Rain, in the Evening the Clouds dispersed.
7. Clear and hot.
8. Between 12. and 1. in the Morning, a violent Rain for near an Hour;
after 2. one somewhat longer; the Day after there appeared to have been
much Rain; Tank fill'd Two Foot and somewhat more.
9. About 7. _a. m._ some Drops; cloudy all Day.
10. Cloudy about 11. _a. m._ a small Mist.
11. Presently after Midnight it began to Rain and lasted till 6. _a.
m._ a great part of the time very violently, it began with a strong
Tornada; Tank above Three Feet. The Day after some Clouds; otherwise
extream hot.
So also 12, and 13.
14. About 5. _a. m._ a Shower for ½ Hour, between 6. and 7. _p. m._
another of the same continuance, the Day between extream hot.
So 15. 16. A Shower for ½ Hour, it began with a violent Tornada, the
Rain not much, afterward cloudy.
17, And 18. Clear.
19. Clear also, about 7. _p. m._ a considerable Wind and some Drops of
Rain.
20. Clear but Windy.
21. Between 12. and 2. moderate Rain for near an Hour.
22. About 2. _a. m._ moderate Rain almost an Hour; at 11. _p. m._ a
short Shower and gentle; the Day between extream hot.
23. Cloudy about 10. _a. m._ some Drops.
24. Extream hot.
25. About 1. _a. m._ Rain for near an Hour; the Morning after hot;
Afternoon cloudy; most part of the Night, Thunder and Lightning, but no
Rain.
26. At 7. _a. m._ strong Rain for ½ Hour, after that a little Mist;
Afternoon, from 12. to 15. it rain'd unequally, but the most part
moderate.
27. Extream hot.
28. About 12. Somewhat Cloudy, at 3. _p. m._ it began to Rain, and
lasted about an Hour and ½; after cloudy and some Drops; in the Night a
Shower or two.
29. Cloudy. Thence to _May 6._ sometimes cloudy; but for the most part
violent hot.
This Month we had Three Funerals; one the 3d of a Fever, another on the
19th of I know not what Pains in the Guts, another 24. of the Flux.
The 15. and some Days following, there settled upon the Castle Walls,
certain Swarms of wing'd Ants, a little bigger than Bees; they would
bite very severely, and were blown up with Powder.
_May, 1687._
Till the 6. as before.
6. In the Morning cloudy, a little after Noon some Wind, followed by
gentle Rain, which lasted till 3. _p. m._ after cloudy.
7. Hot. 8. Cloudy about 10. _a. m._ a gentle Shower for ¾ Hour; about
8. _p. m._ a very violent Storm of Wind and Rain, but it quickly grew
moderate, and lasted in all not above ½ Hour. 9. Clear.
10. About Noon a violent Shower for ¼ of an Hour; after 8. _p. m._
another as long, but not so violent; past 9. another shorter.
11. Clear. 12. Clear, past 9. _p. m._ a very Violent Tornada with Rain,
which lasted somewhat more than 2 Hours.
13. Between 12. and 1. in the Night, a short Shower; about 9. _a. m._
some Drops; so also in the Afternoon but nothing considerable; cloudy
all Day.
14. Cloudy; at 9. _a. m._ a violent Rain for ¼; after gentle for above
an Hour; about 3. _p. m._ some Drops.
15. About 3. _a. m._ Rain for ½ Hour; between 4. and 5. another; after
foggy and cloudy, with some few Drops; about 7. _p. m._ a violent
Tornada with Rain for near an Hour.
16. About 4. _a. m._ Rain for an Hour; after 8. for ¼ Hour; after 6.
_p. m._ Rain and Wind, but both moderate, for ½ Hour; past 8. about as
much.
17. About 4. _a. m._ a short Shower, after clear; 18. clear.
19. Cloudy, about 10. _a. m._ some Drops.
20. Cloudy between 8. and 10. _a. m._ a Shower; first violent, after
more moderate, till it ended in a kind of Mist; it lasted in all about
1½ Hour; the Day after clear, 21, and 22. clear.
23. In the Afternoon cloudy; about 6. _p. m._ some Drops; the Night
after, a Shower, not considerable.
24. Hot, about 10. _p. m._ a little Shower.
25. Clear; 26. in the Night some little Rain.
27. Held up; 28. at 9. _p. m._ a short Shower.
29. At 5. _a. m._ Rain till near 7. a little past 7. till 9. after
cloudy.
30. Cloudy; the Night after some Rain.
31. About 8. _a. m._ Rain for ½ Hour; from 9. till 12. it rained for
the most part very violently; before 1. another Shower for ½ Hour; from
a little after 2. till 5. with very great Thunder.
One Funeral on the 25th after but Three Days Sickness, of which I can
give no account.
The beginning of this Month, we had an extraordinary Number of Toads,
which after some time were not to be seen.
The 14th we had wing'd Ants, as before.
24. Was the first Corn, the Seed-time having been the middle of _March_.
_June, 1687._
1. About 4. _a. m._ Rain for an Hour; past 1. _p. m._ for ½ Hour; the
rest cloudy and misty.
2. From 2. _a. m._ till 5. continual Rain, 'tis said there was some
before; from 9. _a. m._ till ½ Hour past 6. _p. m._ continual Rain,
sometimes very fierce; from ½ Hour past 9 at Night, Rain till past 10.
3. From 6. to a little past 7. _a. m._ a very gentle Rain, from thence
till 1. _p. m._ most commonly very fierce; thence for a little while
more moderate; but it rain'd hard again till 6. _p. m._ then it drop'd
but slowly, and so continued till about 7. in the Night some little
Rain.
4. About 8. _a. m._ some Drops, thence clear.
6, And 7. clear, except some few flying Clouds.
8. After 3. _a. m._ gentle Rain for near an Hour; then cloudy and some
Drops, after 10. _p. m._ a Shower.
9. At 5. _a. m._ a gentle Shower, lasted till past 7. thence a very
violent Rain till almost 9. some Drops after that; about 3. _p. m._ it
began and rain'd till past 10. somewhat moderately.
10. Clear and hot.
11. Cloudy; about 8. _p. m._ a few Drops.
12. From about 2. _a. m._ till near 5. Rain, but not violent; a little
before 6. a furious Storm of Rain, but little Wind; it lasted till ½
Hour past 7. about 3. _p. m._ a moderate Rain, till a little past 4.
and from thence to 6. somewhat more than a Mist; the Night after it
rained a little.
13. Cloudy; in the Afternoon it drop'd a little.
14. About 8. _a. m._ a few Drops.
15. Somewhat cloudy.
16. Extream hot; toward Night cloudy; about 5. _p. m._ a violent Shower
for ½ Hour; from a little before 8. till past 10. it rained continually.
17. From 4. _a. m._ till almost 6. gentle Rain; so from a little past
6. till past 7. thence till past 3. _p. m._ cloudy, and now and then
some Drops; then a violent Shower for ⅛th of an Hour; half an Hour
after 4. it rain'd again and continued till past 10. for the most part
very furiously; with some little Intermission it rain'd all Night.