Return to Baffo--Anxiety of my Caboceer--Rejoicings for my Return--Our
March--Fine Plain--Plants--Neutral Ground--Natives of the Dassa
Mountains--Agriculture--The Annagoos, dangerous Enemies--Poisoned
Arrows--Poisonous Plants--Alarm of my Attendants on my plucking
it--Fatal Effects of this Plant and Dread of it by the Natives--Number
of the Natives blind, supposed to be the result of it--Unsuccessful
Attack on them by the Dahomans--Spiral Rocks--Hostile Demeanour
of the Natives--They follow us with Menaces--Some Account
of these Mountaineers, and of the Dassa Mountains--The Blue
Eagle--Cataracts--Beautiful Plain--One of my Cases of Rum broken by
a Carrier--Twisted Marble of Variegated Colours--Path covered with
Pepper-trees--Monkeys--Logazohy--Mayho’s Town--The Caboceer--The
Merchants--Their Names--Carelessness with respect to Fire--Visit of
the Caboceer.
I was told by some of my people whom I had left at Baffo, that the
captain or caboceer had almost starved himself, having for some days
after my march from Baffo to the Fellattah country refused food. He
expressed his certain belief that in the event of his returning without
me to Abomey he should lose his head. The character of the Dahoman
is proverbial for being easily depressed, and as easily elevated. I
was certainly a very welcome sight to all my people whom I had left
at Baffo. Immediately after my arrival a messenger was despatched to
Abomey to acquaint the King with my return. He had sent a messenger
daily to Baffo to ascertain whether any tidings had been obtained of
my safety. These communications were kept up by a number of messengers
stationed at intervals between Abomey and Baffo. After a short palaver,
in which my motives for clandestinely leaving Baffo were condemned by
them and justified by myself, I broached one of the rum kegs I had left
at Baffo when I left for the Dabadab Mountains, and gave each of my
people a dram. This soon settled all differences, and in a short time
the merry dance succeeded to doubts and extreme anxiety.
The whole of the following day, August 14th, was spent in rejoicing,
drinking peto, and dancing; and early on the following morning
arrangements were made for marching on our return to Abomey. My
excellent old friend Kpatchie, the caboceer of Zoglogbo, who had spent
the evening with us, was again at Baffo by day-break, with a guard
of one hundred men to accompany me on the first part of my journey.
The caboceer of Baffo, Agassadoo, had also one hundred men ready to
accompany me, making in all, with my own people, three hundred armed
men. My men, who accompanied me on my journey to Adofoodia, through the
excessive fatigue which they had undergone and too freely indulging on
the previous night, were so completely worn out and feverish, that it
was arranged to leave them to their own discretion to return to Abomey
by the nearest route; but with orders not to be later than ourselves in
arriving in the capital.
With great satisfaction to myself and the Dahoman soldiers, we now
commenced our march for the town of Logazohy, bearing N.N.W. Our
march was across a fine plain, partly cultivated, with a crescent of
mountains, called the Dassa Mountains, to the south and west. This
valley, or plain, is well watered by small streams and springs of
various qualities, and the surface of the soil is of a sandy clay.
In crossing it I observed many different species of bulbous plants,
of the flag tribe, which I had not noticed previously in any part of
Africa I had yet visited; some of their blossoms or flowers appeared
very much like the breast of a partridge in colour, and resembled in
shape and texture the wing of the dragon-fly. A certain distance from
Baffo, after emerging into the plain, is considered neutral ground
between the Annagoos and Mahees, the former occupying the whole of
the chain of the Dassa Mountains, and denouncing all intercourse with
their neighbours on either side of the mountains. They are consequently
deficient in every article of European manufacture, possessed by
their trading neighbours. They are contented, however, with their own
resources, and, according to the old adage, that necessity is the
mother of invention, they are considered much more ingenious than their
rival neighbours. They are also good farmers, and like the Mahees
and Dahomans, in the vicinity of their own towns, they hold farms by
hereditary right, a method which does not exist in any part of the West
Coast. There, generally, after one man has obtained a single crop from
any piece of land, he is too indolent to follow up cultivation for a
second, and consequently the ground is either left to be overrun with
spontaneous vegetation, or to be taken possession of by another party.
The Annagoos of the Dassa mountains are considered dangerous enemies,
although by no means distinguished for their valour or gallantry, but
on account of their superior skill in the manufacture of different
poisons. Perhaps the opinion entertained of these people may arise
from superstition, but it is certain that a plant from which the
strongest poison is extracted grows in abundance at the base of these
mountains, and that with this the poison for their arrows is prepared.
This plant grows about eight feet high, has a round stem about the
thickness of a man’s thigh, and is of a greenish grey colour. Its stems
are fluted triangularly, and shoot from the main trunk at regular
intervals. The stems or major branches also send forth minor ones
bearing a resemblance and proportion to the horns of a species of deer
or antelope abundant in this country. It is of the cactus tribe, and
the whole is of a fleshy nature, but quite smooth and without prickles,
growing almost without soil on the bare surface of the granite rock,
and receiving nourishment from its long fleshy roots, which run in
different directions, till they find some narrow fracture or crevice,
into which they insert themselves. Their growth is very rapid.
I had been cautioned by my Dahoman caboceer, early in the morning
previous to our marching, not to touch either a flower or a shrub of
any description, or even pick up a pebble, as I had been in the habit
of doing when I observed any thing new on my journey. I took little
heed of this wholesome injunction, supposing that his motives were
merely to prevent any delay on the road, as the day was likely to be
rainy. Upon observing a succession of this plant, as I rode along, I
carelessly laid hold of and broke off a portion of the stem of one,
which was extremely brittle. A yell was instantly raised amongst my
soldiers, and in a moment it was snatched out of my hand, and thrown a
considerable distance from the path, while another soldier seized my
horse’s head and pulled it on one side from the plant.
Upon inquiring the cause of such an unceremonious proceeding, I was
assured, that I had run into extreme danger myself, as well as all
those near my person, as this plant was the most deadly poison to
be found in that country, and that even the vapour from a fracture
or wound in the stem or any other part of it, from which a milky
liquid almost in a stream exudes, which comes in contact with the
eye, invariably causes total blindness, and death immediately any
particle of the juice comes in contact with the blood. Be this as it
may, I certainly observed in Logazohy and some neighbouring krooms an
extraordinary number of blind persons, as well as blind dogs, which
naturally excited my curiosity. I thought that this was occasioned by
the ravages of the small-pox, but I observed that many were totally
blind where no signs of small-pox were visible, (though this disease
is very prevalent here as well as in all the neighbouring kingdoms to
the north and east of these mountains,) but upon inquiry, I found that
the blindness was attributed to coming in contact with this plant.[17]
None but the inhabitants of the Dassa mountains, it is said, can safely
make use of this plant. It was also stated to me, that three years
ago, when an attempt was made upon a certain large town, on one of
these mountains, the inhabitants poisoned the waters which ran near the
Dahoman camp, from which the besiegers obtained their supplies, and in
consequence, that some thousands of the Dahoman army perished in the
most excruciating agony. On this account the siege was abandoned. No
other attempt has ever since been made to take this town, though wells
might be dug and water obtained with very little trouble, for springs
are numerous and copious in this neighbourhood.
Previous to our arrival at the mountain-pass which divides the
crescent, through which we marched in crossing this range of
mountains, we passed many singularly formed spiral rocks, upon some
of which were resting immense blocks of the same material, placed
horizontally. Upon several of these apparently dangerous precipices,
men were perched, and even dogs with them, each man armed with bow and
arrow, watching us as we passed. At the moment I was quite unaware of
their motive for watching us so narrowly, and concluded that it was
merely the curiosity of seeing us as we passed, but we had not gone
more than a very short distance before I found out their motive. These
selfish people, besides shunning all intercourse with other tribes,
will not allow even a pebble, or any thing dead or alive, not _even a
serpent_, to be carried into another country. Not being made acquainted
with this circumstance, (though I had been cautioned without any reason
being assigned by my caboceer,) I asked one of my private servants to
pick up a piece of stone of an unusual appearance. As soon as this
was observed by them, a Dassa bowman ran up nearly alongside of me,
raising several hideous yells, accompanied with menacing gestures. I
did not know their language, and the Dahomans only understood what
was meant by the bowman’s motions directing me to give up the stone.
His yell brought in less than five minutes many hundreds of men and
boys, all armed with bows and arrows, many of whom had their arrows
already resting on the string. My caboceer, who had now placed himself
alongside of my horse, reminded me of the caution he had given me.
The Dassa people were still advancing alongside of us, continuing their
hideous yells. Observing this, I asked the meaning of their following
us, and was told that they were singing the stranger’s praise, but
their gestures and menacing attitudes convinced me that it was not so,
though to drown the noise, my own people began a song in praise of
the “king’s stranger,” as they called me. At last one of the Dahomans
admitted, that, although he was unacquainted with their language, he
was certain the Dassa people were cursing us. Upon this I remonstrated
with the caboceer upon his suffering them to follow us in such a
menacing manner, and begged him to order the additional guard to load
their pieces, and give our pursuers a volley. He assured me that their
pieces had been loaded previous to our leaving Baffo, and that each
man had three bullets in his musket. He declared that he should like
to give them a volley, which he knew would soon disperse them, but
that the King had given him orders not on any account to commence
hostilities, except in the event of an attack, and then to retaliate
immediately with all his force.
This was doubtless a more prudent course than I could at that moment
reconcile myself to, having already experienced the advantage of taking
the first step in an affray with Africans, but afterwards the King
of Dahomey argued the injustice of a first attack, as we were only
intruders in the Dassa territory, and had not come there to make war. I
had my carbine and both pistols heavily charged with slugs, and could
willingly have made the Dassa bowmen a present of a few when they first
came up alongside of me, had the caboceer allowed me.
After accompanying us two miles in the manner I have described, that
is, till we reached the neutral ground on the N. W. side of the
mountains, they suddenly turned back towards their homes. My fine
old friend Kpatchie, and also the caboceer of Baffo, soon afterwards
left us to return to their respective abodes. It now came on to rain
heavily, rendering the path, which is of a light clay, extremely
slippery.
Before leaving the natives of the Dassa mountains, it may not be
uninteresting to make a few observations respecting them. For
generations they have inhabited this range of mountains, though they
have been on several occasions disturbed by enemies, who however
have always been repulsed with loss. Their mountains are extremely
difficult of access; and, unlike any of their neighbours, they take the
precaution to preserve sufficient food for some months, in case of a
besieging force coming against them. This precaution, and the supply of
water from the mountain springs, enables them to withstand the force
and skill of any enemy. They speak a language quite distinct from that
of the neighbouring tribes, one instance of the inaccuracy of Mr.
Crowther’s assertion that all the tribes inhabiting the Kong Mountains,
from the Niger to the Ashantee country, speak the same language.
I had several Yarriba and Houssa men with me, all of whom declared that
they could not speak the Dassa language. These mountaineers are selfish
and revengeful in the extreme, and are considered great cowards, for
they depend chiefly upon the chances of poisoning their enemy. They
are numerous on account of their never disposing of their slaves, and
polygamy is, as in most African kingdoms, allowed to any extent. Their
towns (those at least which we saw) were large and well-peopled, and
their position judiciously selected for defence. They do not keep
their cattle in herds on the plains, like their neighbours, but on the
mountains, which have more vegetation than most of the Mahee mountains
of the same height. They are great farmers and hunters. Regular markets
of exchange are established with one another. It is said that they have
a superior method of manufacturing iron, which has been observed in
their arrow-heads. Their worship is pagan.
The west side of some of these mountains presents to the observer a
most singular appearance, being composed of immense blocks of stone,
(granite,) thrown by some volcanic power indiscriminately one upon
another, resembling at a distance the large towns built on other parts
of the mountains. The highest of the Dassa mountains, which is close on
the left or south side of the pass crossing this chain, is two thousand
five hundred feet high. The pass through these mountains is picturesque
and grand; huge blocks of granite resting on pivots and angles, almost
terrific to pass. The blue eagle, and various large birds of varied
plumage and forms, give a wild grandeur to the scene. The pass is
extremely rough, the traveller ascending and descending rocks, to the
distance of a mile, to avoid the deep pools in the hollows between
them, formed by the stream of considerable size which runs in the same
direction as the pass. The noise and gushing sound of the cataracts
reminded me of scenes far distant. I should have enjoyed it much better
had we not been annoyed by the Dassa people.
It is remarkable, that in all the mountains in the interior I have
never observed a stone building, though stone might much easier be
obtained than the clay with which they are invariably built; for
instance, they carry clay from the plain for the purpose of building
upon granite rocks, on mountain-tops elevated two thousand feet from
their base. The lion, hyæna, and panther abound in these mountains, and
often commit great depredations. The antelope is also a resident here.
After crossing the chain of the Dassa mountains, we entered another
beautiful plain, quite open to a distance of many miles to the
northward. The soil is of a light sandy clay and loam, well watered
by small streams, running to the N.E. The ground, in consequence of
the heavy rains, had, as I stated, become very slippery; and, whether
by accident or intentionally I cannot determine, one of my Dahoman
carriers, sent with me by Mayho, let fall from his head a large case,
containing bottles of rum, breaking all but two. One of the soldiers
who was close behind him stated that this act was intentional, and
the caboceer declared that he would report the slave’s conduct to his
master immediately upon his return to Abomey. It was an unfortunate
event to myself and the caboceer, especially as my stock of spirits
was now nearly exhausted, and we had still many towns to visit,
where in all such cases a present of a flask of rum is considered an
indispensable _dash_ to the caboceers and their head-men.
Immediately after the case fell from the man’s head, one of the
soldiers placed it on its bottom, and I opened it. The box being pretty
closely packed, we managed to preserve a considerable portion of the
rum; but I had only two bottles, which I always ordered my own men to
carry in their havresacks, filled with water. We poured out the water
from these, and filled them with the dirty rum. The bottles having been
packed with straw, some of the soldiers wrung out the rum into their
calabashes, to drink. The remainder of the rum was distributed amongst
my people, with the exception of the unfortunate carrier, whom the
caboceer would not allow to taste it; and, as a farther punishment, he
was ordered to change his load for a much heavier one. The plain was
here thinly studded with palm and shea butter-trees.
After marching about thirteen miles, we entered a thick wood, which
runs along the base of a second range or crescent of mountains,
similarly situated to the Dassa mountains, but of much less magnitude,
and thickly wooded to the top. The geology of this differs from the
Dassa range, being composed chiefly of limestone, and a beautifully
twisted or waved marble of variegated colours--yellow, white, blue, and
red. After passing about five miles along their base, under large trees
of various sorts, the rain falling in torrents, we arrived at the pass
across this second range. The path, though well trodden under foot, was
entirely covered with pepper trees, of the small Chili tribe, about ten
feet in height.
These bushes proved very annoying for a distance of about two miles.
The branches of the pepper-trees extended across the path at about four
feet from the ground, where they were so firmly interwoven as almost to
unseat me from my saddle, and being in full bearing at this season the
annoyance was still greater, the seeds coming in contact with the face
and eyes, and causing actual torture.
It was very agreeable again to see the open plain, which we found at a
short distance from the mountains, beautifully cultivated. I forgot to
mention, that during our passing over the last range, I observed some
very singularly marked monkeys, having a white streak across the upper
part of the forehead, white round the mouth, and on the tip of the
nose. These were much smaller than the black or brown monkey, and of a
slate-grey-coloured body. We passed several large shocks of beans or
peas, of a description I had not yet noticed. They appeared to be very
prolific, and were about the size of the horse-bean in England, but as
white as our white pea; the stalk about three feet long, and also of a
light colour. I found upon inquiry that these were preserved for seed,
which were to be immediately put into the ground, though they had only
been two days gathered. I was told that the seed would produce another
crop in the space of two moons and a half. In this country they have
also a great variety of the ground-bean and nut, which is also very
abundant.
After twenty-one miles we arrived at the town of Logazohy, where,
although completely drenched by the day’s heavy rain, we were obliged
to remain in the market-place till the poor old caboceer, who was in a
very delicate state of health, could prepare himself for my reception,
as the King’s stranger. After the usual prostration and forms of
welcome, by drinking water, and then rum, we were led into a spacious
court-yard, where we observed a number of young female slaves, who
were very handsome, busily employed in grinding corn. They seemed to
have been taken unawares, for upon our approach they instantly fled.
We passed into a second and much smaller yard, where a good house for
myself and private servants was pointed out to me. This I ascertained
belonged to Mayho’s traders, who are stationed here.
The town belonging to Mayho by right of conquest, the honour of
accommodating me with this apartment was claimed by these men, Mayho
having been appointed white man’s guardian or father during his
sojourn in the Dahoman kingdom. This circumstance seemed to cause a
certain degree of jealousy on the part of the caboceer and head men,
who insinuated that the apartments were not sufficiently good for the
King’s white stranger to lodge in. However, I expressed myself quite
satisfied and comfortable. After being supplied with a thick rush-mat
and a country-cloth, I stripped off all my wet clothes, and wrapped
myself in the cloth.
The whole front of my house was open, consequently crowds, both young
and old of both sexes, pressed eagerly almost into my apartment, to
see my white skin, which seemed greatly to excite their curiosity. In
about an hour after our arrival, the caboceer sent ten large calabashes
of ready-cooked provisions for me to distribute amongst my people,
and a few minutes afterwards the merchants brought me thirty-three
more dishes, holding about twenty English bushels, with one live
Guinea-fowl, a duck of the Muscovy breed, and several common fowls.
The merchants, six in number, upon presenting me with the provisions,
prostrated themselves, the principal a little in advance of the others,
when after rubbing the upper parts of their naked persons with the
dust, or rather mud, they raised themselves to their knees, upon which
they remained resting on their hams, the custom always in addressing a
superior. The principal or head man, acting as a spokesman, expressed
gratification at having an opportunity of displaying their gratitude
and good feeling towards their King and his stranger, who had
condescended to visit their country, and hoped that this would not be
the last opportunity which would be afforded them of testifying their
good feeling to an Englishman. They said that it was owing to the skill
and goodness of white men who brought white man’s goods into their
country, that they were enabled to keep up a trade superior to the
kingdoms in the interior; then after expressing a wish that I would
soon again pay them another visit, the head man begged that I would do
him the honour to enter their names in my book. They were as follows:--
Zisau.
Bossou.
Degano.
Ossou.
Doyou.
Bokaw.
The caboceer and merchants were previously made aware of our intention
to visit their town, and were therefore enabled to get food prepared
for us. A strong fire was kindled inside my house, and my wet clothes
hung round to dry during the night. I have often been surprised at
their carelessness with respect to fire. During the rainy season it is
generally kindled inside their huts, which even in the centre seldom
exceed eight feet in height, and though the thatch reaches within three
feet of the ground, yet accidents seldom occur. It is true, they have
generally little to lose by fire, the extent of their furniture being
a stool or two, and a few earthen pots of native manufacture, in which
they cook their food, and a few gourds or calabashes. The roof alone
can be destroyed, the walls being thick and of clay, hardened by fire.
August 16th.--Early in the morning I was visited by the caboceer Chaou,
who according to custom came to wish me good morning. He introduced all
his head men to me, explained the nature of each of their offices. Soon
afterwards, a number of the caboceer’s wives arrived, accompanied by
double their own number of slaves loaded with provisions, which were
presented to myself and people. As soon as this ceremony was concluded,
the person appointed to taste each dish, as well as one of my own
people, partook of a small portion of each, to show us that there was
nothing poisonous contained in it. After the several dishes were all
distributed, Chaou, in a whisper, begged the captain of my guard to ask
if I would condescend to enter his own name and those of his head men
in my book. Of course I readily assented, and entered as follows:--
Chaou.[18]
Adjutabellee.
Douzougoukeny.
Amouzoukpway.
Bozou-nogoodithay.
Annessou.
Aladee.
Nah.
Dosoutimee.
Dojee.
Adjobolee.
Awalla.
Alee.
Atepwhahoo.
Asseedaw.
Agasahogloo.
Kadjo.
Kapo.
FOOTNOTES:
[17] After my return to Whydah, I happened to mention this circumstance
to a Portuguese slave-merchant, at the same time doubting the truth
of the powers of this plant. He assured me of the correctness of this
information, and that the same plant is to be found in the Brazils.
[18] Caboceer.