Peculiar Breed of Dogs--The Town of Zabakano--Market
Day--Native Manufactures--Domestic Slaves--Palm Oil--Joleeba,
or Niger--Horses make part of the Family--Pelican
Nest--Pigeons--Kindness of the Gadadoo--Pigeon Shooting--Palaver
with the Gadadoo--Population--Mounted Soldiers--Character of
the Scenery--Grooba--Manufactures--The Town of Sagbo--Drilling
System general here--Two sorts of Rice--Received by the Gadadoo
with great Pomp--Palaver--Dromedary and Elephant--Prevalent
Diseases--The Town of Jakee--Reception--Ancient Custom--Breakfast
of the Natives--Manufactures--Terror of the Natives--Chalybeate
Springs--The River Jenoo--The Land Tortoise--Interesting Panorama--The
Town of Kallakandi--Reception by the Sheik--Palaver--Band of
Musicians--Peculiar Instruments--Manufactures, &c.--Slave
Market--Horses--Laws-Cruel Punishment--Population--Attack on a
Boa-Constrictor--Manufactures--Deer--Method of Preserving Meat
and Fish--Trap for Wild Animals--Town of Ongo--Reception by the
Caboceer--Interesting Aspect of the Country.
July 29th.--We kindled a fire, and made breakfast, and at sunrise we
again commenced our journey from the neighbourhood of Kassokano. The
country was much of the same character as that we had recently passed.
Here I observed a particular species of dogs, much coarser than those
in the Kong Mountains, where the breed is very much like the British
greyhound though not so large. After passing over several small
streams of good water, of which we had each a hearty draught, we, at
seven miles, arrived at the large town of Zabakano. Here the King met
me, and escorted me with two hundred horsemen. He was well acquainted,
it appeared, with the priest Terrasso-weea.
This town is beautifully situated, commanding a view of the surrounding
country to a great distance. The people seem cheerful and contented.
This was one of the principal market-days, consequently I had an
opportunity of observing the supplies of the different articles of
trade and consumption. It was well supplied with native produce, and a
greater quantity of rice was exposed than in any other market I have
visited in Africa. Here, also, I was shown a large quantity of armlets
and bracelets, manufactured with considerable taste and skill in
Bornou, and brought thither by Terrasso-weea’s trading party. Tanning
and dyeing are also executed skilfully; and sandals and a peculiar
sort of slippers are here manufactured, similar to those we found in
Tangiers.
The chief possesses a great number of domestic slaves, but sells none
of them. They are chiefly employed in trading with the surrounding
towns and in tilling the soil, which is in a high state of
cultivation, to a considerable distance round. Palm-oil is manufactured
here, and is actually transported, by the tributary navigable streams,
to the Niger, or Joleeba, the name by which it is here known. Here
it is not known either by the name of Quarra or Niger, but this
circumstance is not at all surprising, for I find that all the rivers
have different names in the various countries through which they flow.
I have also, in many instances, found two places with the same name,
at no very great distance from each other; but, in fact, the same may
be observed in our own country. Native iron and nitre were abundant in
this market.
Horses here invariably make part of the family, being fastened to a peg
driven into the ground or floor, by the hind foot, having only about a
foot of rope. The children are often seen playing between the legs of
the animal, with which it seems much pleased, often nibbling at their
heads with its lips, or licking their faces, as a spaniel would.
The chief seemed very anxious to acquaint us with every thing which
might tend to our gratification; and, though he was the principal
trader himself, he accompanied us through every part of the town. Close
to the town is a lake, supplied partly by a small stream, and partly
by the heavy rains during the season. On this lake were a number of
large trees, upon which were the nests of the pelican, a great number
of which we saw roosting on the branches. I had never seen the nest
of the pelican on a tree since I was in Egga, a town on the banks
of the Niger, when I was there with the late unfortunate expedition
under Captain Trotter. I then shot several on the trees; but here, at
Zabakano, the inhabitants had an objection to my killing any of them; I
could not therefore secure a specimen. Pigeons were very numerous here,
both the wood-pigeon and the turtle-dove. The chief did not object to
my shooting these, so I soon secured sufficient for my party for this
and the following day. We were obliged to cook them immediately.
We were, however, very kindly treated by the chief or gadadoo, who
strongly urged us to remain a day with him. This kind treatment seemed
to inspire my poor fellows with fresh courage and animation; in fact,
it seemed to act as a fresh stimulus to all of us. The natives were
quite delighted with the sport of pigeon-shooting, for one or two of
them were acquainted with such guns as had found their way to this
town, and several others in the neighbourhood, but of the locks they
had no idea; for guns are not allowed to be brought here by way of
trade in a perfect state, and even were they, still without powder
they would be useless.
The chief has a very large number of wives, but the principal portion
of them are merely employed as his domestic slaves, as indeed are all
the wives of the uncivilized Africans. The civilized portion is very
limited, even on the coast. The gadadoo made me a very liberal offer
for my carbine, but I told him that it would not be of so much service
to him as his bow or sabre, unless he had a supply of ammunition; that
as I had visited his country partly with a view to ascertain what
articles would be most likely to suit their markets, I should, as
soon as possible, return with a large stock of suitable merchandise.
A story like this was much more likely to be believed amongst savages
than any other excuse I could make for visiting their country. If told
that my object was merely for scientific purposes, they would not have
understood me, and would have been more likely to look upon me with
suspicion, as they cannot believe any body can take interest about any
thing not of a pecuniary nature.
This town contains about nine thousand inhabitants; it is clean and
open, but I was informed that after the conclusion of the rainy season
fever and small-pox are very prevalent. Small-pox is much dreaded
by the natives, and seems to be the principal disease here. I have
not observed one case of elephantiasis since leaving Accra, although
at Whydah a disease of a similar nature is prevalent, affecting the
head, and not unfrequently enlarging the forehead and eyebrows so much
as totally to obscure vision. This distortion of nature, as may be
supposed, has an extremely repulsive appearance.
After remaining about an hour and a half, I gave the gadadoo some small
presents, which he received with apparent satisfaction. He and his head
men, as well as his two hundred mounted soldiers, then conveyed me some
distance from the town, going through their manœuvres of attack at the
same time. This was merely a wild rush without any order or discipline,
and so far from their being (as has been represented) a formidable
force, ten well-mounted and well-disciplined horsemen would easily
annihilate the whole party.
Here we parted from the most generous and affable chief we had met
with since leaving the Mountains of Kong. During this day’s journey,
our bearing changed from N. 45° W. to 12° 10°, 35°, 43°, and due West
(true). The country now became very pleasant, and the path not so
rough under foot. Around us in different directions were numerous
hills, giving a relief to the dull sameness of a flat, dreary plain.
We crossed several small clear streams, some of which had worn their
channels nine or ten feet deep.
At fourteen miles we arrived at the small town of Grooba. Here the
old chief, or head man, received us very kindly; doubtless, he had
received a message which prompted this friendly reception. This town is
clean and neat for an African town. The only manufacture of note here
is cotton tobes, but different in pattern to the cloths manufactured
in the Kong Mountains, which are invariably striped with various
colours; but here the cloth is all either blue or white, similar to
the tobes worn by the Mandingo traders who visit Sierra Leone. Here
the blacksmith plies his trade, but only for the accommodation of the
inhabitants of the town. A sort of cloth is also manufactured from the
inner bark of a certain tree, which is very strong and durable, and of
various colours. This when woven into cloth has a very rich appearance;
long sashes or girdles of the same material are worn by most of the
influential persons.
At seventeen miles we halted by a small stream and kindled a fire,
where we cooked some of our pigeons, and had an excellent dinner. We
afterwards resumed our journey, and at twenty-eight miles arrived at
the town of Sagbo. Around this town the country is well cultivated, and
the drilling system seemed generally adopted. This is, doubtless, an
advantage during the rainy season. Four different sorts of maize are
cultivated here, as well as two sorts of rice, white and red. Here they
have a better mode of cleaning and preparing the rice for use than any
other place I have yet visited. The kolla-nut is abundant, as also the
palm and shea-butter nut. Indigo is cultivated, and rudely manufactured
in nearly all the towns we passed since leaving the Mahee country.
The chief and his head men and bowmen received us in a similar manner
as at other places, with great pomp and solemnity, his priests taking
the lead in conducting us into the market-place, advancing at a slow
pace and repeating some select portion from the Koran. This ceremony,
upon the whole, reminded me of a funeral procession in England. After
we reached the palaver place in the market, we were invited to sit
down, and water was handed to us. Nothing else, however, of a liquid
nature was offered us. We were, as usual, interrogated as to our
purpose in visiting the country. These questions I answered to the
same effect as I had previously done. My reply seemed to give general
satisfaction. The chief was surrounded by bowmen and spearmen, many of
whom were very fine-looking men. During this time, the chief, or sheik,
as he is here called, amused himself by playing with his beard, rather
an uncommon ornament amongst these people, and highly esteemed. We were
presented with two fowls by one of the head men, to whom in return I
gave two papers of needles.
This town is well supplied with good water, and the cattle, both sheep
and oxen, are very handsome; the horses are small, but well bred. The
dromedary and elephant are here to be met with tame. The sugar-cane
is also cultivated, and very large, but not manufactured. The liquor
after boiling the cane is used mixed with the meal of the Indian corn,
instead of, or rather as we use tea or coffee; sometimes a little
ginger, which grows here spontaneously, is added to it. This is a very
wholesome and palatable beverage.
Here the small-pox had made dreadful havoc amongst the inhabitants,
and was still destroying numbers daily. The sheik or chief took great
interest in my recommendation to inoculate from the cow-pox, and
several times put the question to me, whether I could not myself
perform the operation, and instruct his doctors, of whom he has a
great number. I excused myself for want of material, or matter. The
inhabitants vary very much in colour, which proves the undoubted
mixture of the tribes from distant countries. The greater part of the
inhabitants of Sagbo are very dark, tall, and well formed. The general
development of their cranium is good; they are very keen traders,
cheerful and affable, and nearly all Mahomedans.
I was, as usual, obliged to draw on my little stock, which was now
fast diminishing, and to give a few needles and a thimble, as well
as a Jew’s harp, to the chief, who deemed the Jew’s harp a wonderful
piece of consecrated iron. We then recommenced our journey, the country
bearing the same very pleasant aspect, and with trees a little larger
than I had met with during my last four days’ journey.
After a rather tiresome march, we arrived, at thirty-eight miles, at
the town of Jakee. The chief of this town is subject to the chief of
Sagbo, who directs or governs six large towns in his own locality. It
appeared that a private messenger had been despatched from Sagbo to
inform the chief of this town of my coming. The same messenger was
with the chief of Jakee when he met me half a mile from the town. The
old man received me with marked courtesy, and without much ceremony we
were conducted into his court-yard.
As it was getting late, and we had expressed our intention of remaining
all night, the chief readily showed us an apartment or hut, in his
own court-yard, where we were to repose for the night; and upon our
informing him of our long journey, he seemed to sympathize with us,
and in a great measure dispensed with the usual palaver, but joined
us in our quarters, where he seemed delighted to receive information
respecting white man’s country, and also of the country we had passed
through. He expressed his great surprise that a man should venture so
far from his home and relations, and run the risk of casualties in so
many strange lands. This man had by some means heard of the unfortunate
Niger expedition, probably from Terrasso-weea, with whom he has been
long acquainted. He took great interest in the trade of his own town,
and expressed a great desire to know by what means he might increase
it. We were rather annoyed during the early part of the evening by
numerous curious visitors who came to have a peep at us, and some
watchfulness was required, though we had little to be robbed of;
however, it was the more necessary to preserve the little we had got.
30th July.--Early in the morning we were aroused by the ringing of a
number of bells or gong-gongs, which, in accordance with an ancient
custom, are rung round the town every morning at day-break to apprise
the inhabitants that it is time to get up. These gong-gongs are used
also to give the alarm in case of any sudden attack upon the town. As
soon as this procession had passed, the chief paid us a visit, and
inquired very kindly after our health. We were supplied with a quantity
of the juice of the sugar-cane, and some meal mixed with it, about the
consistence of gruel. Upon this we made a hearty breakfast, with the
addition of some round balls, about the size of a potato, made from an
under-ground bean, which is very abundant in this country. This bean
is ground into meal and made into round balls. It is then fried in an
earthen pot with palm-oil, and used for food. It is of a tolerably good
flavour.
After distributing some needles and Jew’s harps, we recommenced our
journey. During this day our bearing varied from N. 25° W. to 12°, 35°,
40°, and 22° N. towards W. At six miles we arrived at a small market
on the path for the sale of provisions to travellers. Here they also
sold water, which is at all times a bad omen for travellers, as showing
its scarcity. We secured a calabash filled with water for a paper of
needles, which seemed to take well in this part of the country. We
were, however, happily mistaken in our fears respecting water in this
instance, for, at ten miles, we arrived at a small village called
Kiroaso, where we found plenty of good water. This kroom is famous
for its tan-pits and dye-vats: the inhabitants of several towns at a
distance visit this place for the purpose of dyeing their cloths and
thread. Besides the indigo, they have a yellow and red colour which
they manufacture, with which they dye both leather and cloth. Here the
natives carve quantities of wooden bowls out of the cotton-tree with
considerable taste. They seemed much alarmed at our presence, many of
them running away upon our approach. As soon, however, as they learned
that we were friends, they returned and would soon have become too
familiar. We remained here only a short time, and then resumed our
journey; and, at nineteen miles, arrived at the Kabra Mountains, along
the sides of which we travelled, passing several small krooms or towns
at their base, some of which we entered.
We found here several chalybeate springs, strongly impregnated with
carbonate of iron of a deep orange colour. At twenty-five miles we
arrived at the river Jenoo. This river is navigable by large canoes at
all seasons of the year. It runs to the eastward, and is fordable at
this season by persons on foot, not exceeding three feet and a half
deep, with sandy bottom, and not more than twelve yards wide, with a
current not exceeding two miles per hour. Fish, however, are not very
abundant, as the natives are unacquainted with the method of catching
them; I observed, therefore, very few for sale. It is rather singular
that the conchology of all the inland rivers in this part of Africa is
very limited, a sort of mussel being the only shell which I observed.
Of the crustaceous tribes a sort of shrimp or prawn is the only thing
I noticed. The land-tortoise, however, is abundant on the banks of
rivers, and is used by the natives for food. Having halted a short time
after crossing the river, we again resumed our journey, passing amongst
some beautiful shrubs and sweet-scented climbing plants, whose blossoms
spread a sweet odour for a considerable distance. We marched some miles
through this interesting panorama before we again reached the open
plain. Here the soil again assumed a lighter colour, of a gravelly
nature, and studded with trees of various kinds. The soil and small
brooks still proved the presence of iron.
At thirty-four miles we arrived at the town of Kallakandi. Here we were
tolerably well received by the sheik, or gadadoo, who seems intrusted
with the government of a certain district of considerable extent. It
appeared that he had only obtained intelligence of our approach a
little while previous to our arrival, and was therefore flurried, and a
little cautious and reserved in receiving us; but being acquainted with
our object of overtaking Terrasso-weea, he became at once familiar,
and informed us that he had occupied, with all his retinue, the very
quarters assigned to me for the night.
We entered into conversation or palaver, which continued until dark. He
seemed very intelligent, and had by his own account been at Timbuctoo,
and gave exactly the same account of the place as the Mahomedan priest
at Abomey, who stated he had accompanied Terrasso-weea thither. The
sheik very kindly sent us two ducks of the Muscovy breed to cook for
our supper, as also two yams and some corn, with plenty of good water.
He again joined us after supper, seeming eager to obtain information.
At length he proposed to retire, which was very agreeable to us, for we
were very tired. He promised to call us early in the morning, to which
arrangement he was very punctual, for certainly he aroused us some time
sooner than we wished. This being market-morning, the town was all
bustle.
Soon after we had been aroused by the gadadoo, we were visited by
a band of singing women, who were accompanied by musicians, with
instruments very similar to our German flute, made from the hollow
cane and bottle-shaped gourds, with the pulpy part taken out and
dried, with hundreds of human teeth strung together like beads, and
loosely fastened like net-work over the gourd, which were shaken in
the hand, keeping time to the other instruments used in the native
bands of music: a similar instrument is used in Dahomey. Prostration on
addressing a superior is common here, though they do not rub themselves
with dust as in Dahomey or the Mahee country. I took a short ramble
round the town and market-places, both the outer and inner.
Here I had an opportunity of observing the articles of commerce exposed
for sale, which, however, differed very little from those I have
already mentioned in other places. Smiths’ work is done here in a
superior manner to most other towns I have visited. Axes and bill-hooks
are made here; the axe is made to fit into the handle, instead of the
handle into the axe, the crown or pole of the axe being made like a
spike, and driven into a hole passed through the end of the handle.
They are also excellent farmers. The weavers also display considerable
taste in the manufacture of a peculiar sort of cloth I have not
observed elsewhere but in Abomey.
Slaves were exposed in the outer market in great numbers, and early in
the morning considerable numbers had changed owners. Sheep, goats, and
oxen, are numerous, and very handsome. Horses are handsome also, but
small, few exceeding thirteen hands high. Pigeons are numerous in this
town, and are of various kinds. The vulture is common in all the towns
in this country. The government may be said to be quite despotic, for
though a certain power is pretended to be vested in the chief malaam,
or minister, still every objection is overruled in acquiescence with
the will of the sovereign.
Offenders against the laws are punished according to the estimated
enormity of their crimes, by flagellation or imprisonment in irons,
and labour in the fields; but all serious offences, such as those
against the king, murder, and adultery with the wives of superiors,
are punished by death and torture of the most barbarous description.
Sometimes a pole, about six feet long, is prepared, with an iron hose
fixed on the end of it; the iron being tapered to a long spike. This
spike is made red-hot, and the culprit, being suddenly seized, is
placed on his head with his legs or feet upwards. The spike, while
red-hot, is passed into the lower part of his person and the bowels,
and even to the crown of his head.[15] This mode of torture is only
resorted to in cases of adultery with the king’s or malaam’s wives.
Sometimes another mode of torture for similar offences is resorted to,
equally barbarous and cruel--that of mutilation, and placing it in the
mouth of the offender.
After promising to make a longer stay on my return, I marched from
Kallakandi, this being the 31st of July, bearing N. 22° westward;
during the day’s journey varying from 22° to 5°, 10°, 5°, and 12°
degrees to westward. The country near the town was well cultivated. At
seven miles we crossed a narrow river running eastward; and at twelve
miles arrived at the town of Gooba. This is also a great market for
the sale and purchase of slaves. Here salt is sold, but at a very high
price, though of a very coarse and dirty description.
The town is governed by a malaam, named Dibo or Dibbo. He, however, is
under the directions of the gadadoo of Kallakandi. The inhabitants of
this town are about seven thousand in number, and seem a mixture of
many tribes, which is easily detected by the cranium, independent of
the particular marks or scars on the face to distinguish each tribe
from the other. They seem to live in ease and plenty, having little
trouble in cultivating the soil, which here produces four crops in the
year of several sorts of grain.
We remained here only a short time, when, after making a present of a
pair of small scissors for some water, with which we were presented,
we resumed our journey. At fourteen miles, while crossing a swamp of
no great magnitude, we were met by a number of women, heavily laden
with different articles of produce for the market which we had just
left. They were accompanied by several men, who walked in the rear.
The women we found had been much alarmed a minute before, but seemed
still more so at meeting me, some of the younger women endeavouring to
pass into the thick impenetrable bush, which extended about half a mile
along each side of the path. The men also seemed much alarmed, and the
older of them, who were armed with bows and arrows, prepared themselves
for an attack. However, they preferred submission, prostrating
themselves as we passed. I requested them to rise, and after asking
them how they were, they informed us of the extreme danger of passing
any farther, till an enormous snake which they had just met should
retire. They stated that this reptile had taken up his position in a
large tamarind-tree, whence they said he had been in all probability
compelled to retreat after a combat with a panther, which they said
invariably practised one particular mode of attack. Whenever they come
unexpectedly upon one of these reptiles, they pounce upon its tail, and
thus prevent it from coiling itself round its prey. Then with its claw
it secures the head, which is immediately brought round to release its
tail. However, I never witnessed an attack of this sort, and must leave
my readers to judge of the truth of this assertion. One of the party
offered to go back and show us the enormous snake, and several others
of the party volunteered their services also.
Accordingly we proceeded about six hundred yards, when we arrived at
the velvet tamarind-tree, which they had spoken of, and which was
thickly covered with leaves; but upon examining the tree we could
not observe anything of the nature described. When I was just upon
the point of accusing them of hoaxing us, one of them, who stood a
little behind my horse, suddenly called out “waroo-waroo,” upon which
one of my soldiers seized my bridle to pull my horse aside, and to
my amazement the monster was pointed out to me with part of its body
coiled round a bough, and its head and a considerable part of its body
hanging down very near our heads.
It appeared this reptile had descended the tamarind, and had ascended a
much larger tree of a different description. I immediately dismounted,
and unstrapped my double-barrelled carbine, which was heavily charged,
one barrel with swan-shot, and the other with smaller shot. The snake
was certainly of enormous dimensions, and remained quite motionless.
I took a steady aim at the neck, just behind its head, and fired the
charge of slugs effectually, though for some time it seemed to have
but a slight effect upon it, for it raised its head, and coiled the
fore-part of the body round another branch of the tree; but the
spine being injured, it soon appeared to lose strength, and the tail,
which was coiled round a limb, began to relax. It again uncoiled its
fore-part, which hung down towards the ground. I then took my sword,
which I had sharpened equal to a razor, and cut the head off at one
stroke; but even then the people would not venture to touch it with
their hands to pull it down, till I gave them a piece of small cord,
which I invariably carried in my pocket. This was fastened round the
body, and they then succeeded in pulling it down.
The monster was of the boa tribe, and measured thirty-one feet long,
but the natives told me they had seen them much larger. My gun and
sword excited great astonishment amongst the strangers, who were very
anxious again to hear the noise. They seemed to fancy that it was
the noise which killed the object the muzzle of the gun was directed
towards; this I did not contradict. Here we were detained nearly an
hour, when we again commenced our march, I and my people keeping a
cautious look-out lest some more of our late antagonist’s companions
might be in our immediate neighbourhood.
We were soon clear of the bush, and our adventure speedily forgotten.
At sixteen miles we arrived at a small kroom, the houses of which were
all built of a circular form, the walls covered with a deep red clay,
and many of the principal houses ornamented with different figures and
hieroglyphics. The chief manufacture in this kroom is earthen pots of a
superior description and jet-black polish. Pipes, or rather pipe-heads,
are also manufactured here, though little tobacco reaches this place;
but I learned that these pipes are sent even to Badagry. Their form is
like the meerschaum. The natives also manufacture a very ingenious sort
of lamp, in which palm-oil is used.
The chief of this kroom had in his possession a pot which attracted my
notice. It was of copper, and evidently of Spanish manufacture. It had
been in the possession of his family, it appeared, for many years, but
he could not inform me from whom they had obtained it. There exists
in this neighbourhood a species of small black deer, not larger than
a small English terrier, some of which are here domesticated like the
goat.
The country also abounds with larger deer of different descriptions,
one of which I this day had the satisfaction of shooting, having
cautiously crept behind a bush very near to him. There were a doe and
fawn of the same description, at a short distance, grazing. This
chance would have supplied us with plenty of venison for consumption
for several days could we have kept it fresh. What we did not require
the first day we broiled in the smoke, and kept it very well for the
second day. This is the method adopted by the natives in drying and
preserving both meat and fish. Even when a human head is desired to
be preserved, the brains are extracted through the spinal connexion
and the head held on the end of a stick in the smoke till it becomes
quite hard and dry. I have seen some thousands preserved in this way in
Dahomey.
Wild carnivorous animals are very numerous here, and often make awful
havoc amongst the stock of cattle, though traps of various inventions
are employed (some of which would do credit to English ingenuity) to
destroy them. An immense beam, with long spikes of hard wood fixed in
it, is suspended about seven feet high. This beam rests on a pivot at
each end. When the animal passes under and between the two pivots,
he treads upon a lever which throws the beam off the pivots, and it
falls with full weight on the animal, forcing the spikes their full
length into its body. They have also man-traps of a very singular
construction: these, though simple, are the most efficient I ever saw.
They are always placed in situations where none but trespassers can
be injured. This trap is generally set in a fence, so that a person
climbing over must come in contact with a certain part of it, which
secures a piece of wood connected with another of about seven feet
long, which latter is bent about two feet out of its natural position.
The slightest touch releases this, and the spring resumes its natural
position in a moment. In doing so it strikes the intruder on the shins
with such violence as frequently to break both legs.
At twenty-six miles we arrived at the town of Ongo, where we found the
chief awaiting our arrival, about half a mile out of the town, with
a number of horsemen and spearmen. Upon perceiving us he immediately
advanced towards us at a gallop, the spearmen keeping pace with the
others, though on foot. When within a few yards of us the whole
cavalcade suddenly halted, and the chief and his principal officers
dismounted, and all, except himself, prostrated themselves, remaining
in that position till they were told to rise. The chief merely held
out his hand, repeating the words, “Sinou, sinou,” which means, _How
are you?--how are you?_--and gave my hand a hearty shake, bidding us
welcome to his town. He said he had been made aware of our approach,
and had prepared himself to meet us. He declared himself glad to see a
white man, Terrasso-weea, he stated, was his particular friend, and had
a white man with him, but not a proper white man like myself. He told
me that Terrasso-weea’s trading party were all good men, and were his
brothers, meaning that they were all Mahomedans.
Here we remained to cook some provisions. We were fortunate enough to
obtain in exchange for a pair of scissors some good yams and a small
grass bag of rice, containing about a pound. We also got plenty of
water, which was tolerably good, but of a bitterish taste. This is
frequently the case when the water is stagnant, and a certain sort of
wood grows on its margin. Whether this is injurious or not I am not
able to say, as I did not experience any evil effects myself, nor any
of my party, from its use. The country now became delightful, and the
monotony of a dreary plain was relieved at intervals by table mountains
in various directions, nearly all of one height, not exceeding nine
thousand feet.
This place is neatly built for an African town, and with considerable
regularity of formation as regards the market-places for the sale of
different commodities. The houses are very clean, and are ornamented
with various designs, similar to those I have just described. The
horse, as I have already said, invariably forms a part of the family,
and is treated much better than on the coast, where they are not bred,
but brought from the interior. Even here, however, many of the poor
animals are very lean for want of sufficient food, as they are always
tied by the foot, and are never allowed their liberty.
FOOTNOTES:
[15] This cruel punishment is also common at Lagos.