Enter Logazohy in Regimentals--Received by the Caboceer,
attended by his Soldiers--Singular Mode of Dancing--Native
Jester--Description of the Town--Corn Mills--Presents from
Fetish-women--Agriculture--Prevalent Diseases--A disgusting Case of
Leprosy--Quarrel among my Carriers--My Illness--The Damadomy--Trees,
Shrubs--The Agbado--Rapid Construction of a Suspension Bridge by
my Dahoman Guards--Savalu--Reception by the Caboceer--Picturesque
Situation of the Town--Caboceer’s House--His Wives--His Jester--My
Illness.
Previous to my leaving Abomey for the Mahee country, the King expressed
a desire that I should either enter the town, (where it might be
arranged for me to remain all night,) in regimentals; or if more
convenient to me, dress in them on the following morning, and proceed
a short distance out of the town, going through a formal reception by
the caboceer and head men. Accordingly, it was arranged that I should
remain one day for that purpose, and about ten o’clock, all being
ready, I, together with all my retinue, marched out of the town to the
distance of about half a mile, in the same direction as we entered.
We then countermarched, and were met by Chaou and head men, with his
guard of about eighty soldiers, armed with muskets and short swords.
As they advanced, a constant fire was kept up till within a few yards
of us. Then both parties halted; upon which the usual prostration and
palaver of welcome were as minutely observed as if he had not before
seen us. We afterwards drank water with each other, and then rum of a
very indifferent quality. Both parties then alternately went through
their exercise of attack and defence. Their mode of skirmishing is all
by stealth upon the enemy, and their charge is a wild disorderly rush,
without any line being preserved. Each soldier upon his return brings
with him a tuft of grass, or a piece of a bough of some description, to
represent a head which he is supposed to have just cut off.
We then advanced to the town, where we formed up in the market-place.
Here each party alternately kept up what they called dancing, and
drinking rum and peto for about an hour. Their motion in dancing is
unlike that of any other country with which I am acquainted. They never
use their legs, except when making some extraordinary leap to change
their front in another direction, their principal motion being in the
hips and shoulders, which are thrown backwards and forwards in rapid
motion; sometimes their movements are, to any civilized being, of a
very disgusting nature.
During this ceremony the market-place was crowded with spectators, who
seemed quite delighted with the performance. Each caboceer invariably
keeps a clown, who is selected according to his powers of humour,
many of them displaying considerable talent. At last a messenger came
to signify to Chaou that dinner was prepared for us, when we retired
to our houses, where we found not only an extravagant quantity of
provision, supplied by the caboceer, but also by the same merchants
who had already been so liberal. We were also supplied with a large
quantity of peto.
After dinner I took a survey of the town, which for regularity and
neatness surpassed most of those I had yet visited in the Mahee
country. It is strongly fenced, has an inner wall, and a large outer
and inner market, well supplied with native produce and manufactures.
Rats, mice, and the guano are also sold in greater abundance for
consumption than in any other place I had seen. This was the first town
in which I observed any regularity or form of manufactory.
In the principal square, which was entirely occupied by the caboceer
and retinue, nearly one side was occupied by corn-mills, where a number
of very handsome young female slaves were employed grinding corn. About
two yards distant, behind where the grinders were employed, was a line
of fires, parallel to the line of mills; each fire was attended by a
cook and an assistant. The whole was covered in with a roof neatly
thatched. The side of the building facing the square was open like a
shed.
During the greater part of the afternoon I was beset with visitors,
bringing some trifling articles as presents, amongst whom were many
fetish-women, who brought me some eggs. These women are licensed
beggars, sanctioned by royalty, and possess great influence amongst the
people. They attend all public markets, and are entirely supported by
contributions, which are liberally bestowed from a dread of offending
them. The old caboceer, Chaou, paid me a visit, and earnestly inquired
if I could prescribe any medicine for a severe cough which much
annoyed him. He said that some of my soldiers told him I could cure
all diseases. I gave him a few colocinth and calomel pills, knowing
that he would not feel satisfied without something in the shape of
medicine,--in return for which he gave me a young bull.
The land here is well cultivated, and bears excellent crops near the
town. The rocks are of granite, and singularly twisted and stratified
horizontally, with scarcely any dip, in sections of pure white,
resembling alum.
Leprosy as well as small-pox appear to be the most prevalent diseases
here. The town of Logazohy contains eight or nine thousand inhabitants.
The cattle are handsome and numerous, with the exception of pigs, which
had lately suffered much from a disease resembling the small-pox. Very
few are now left in the country.
Towards the evening I felt a little feverish, probably from recent
fatigue and sleeping in wet clothes. I subsequently ordered a bason
of gruel to be prepared for me, and took a dose of James’s powder and
some sedative of opium. Upon lying down for the night, my friend
the captain of my guard seemed much alarmed, for he saw that I was
ill. He was very anxious that I should not take any medicine, lest it
might kill me, but I assured him that I took it for the purpose of
getting well. Being extremely ill, I had given orders not to admit any
strangers into my apartment, or even into the yard, but one poor old
woman, who had a son suffering dreadfully from leprosy, managed to gain
admittance to me, bringing a present of two fowls and some eggs. These,
however, I declined to accept, on account of her poverty, but assured
her that if she would bring her son to me, I would give him some
medicine; and told the old dame that white man came to her country to
teach them and do them good, and at the same time explained to her that
my reason for not accepting her present, was not that I undervalued its
pecuniary worth, but from a conviction that she might sell them in the
market for her own benefit.
Upon this, the poor old woman prostrated herself, and as usual covered
herself with mud, for the rain had been very heavy all the previous
day and night. She remained on her knees for some time, singing an
extemporary song in praise of the King’s stranger. She then departed
to bring her son, and in a short time returned with the unfortunate
object of her solicitude, who was decidedly the most loathsome creature
in human form I ever beheld. He was apparently about nineteen or twenty
years of age, and was covered with the loathsome disease from head to
foot except those parts which were ulcerated, with a discharge chiefly
from the arm-pits. The smell was so intolerable that my servants
retreated upon his approach. He was reduced to a mere skeleton, and
yet the poor fellow appeared not to suffer much pain, nor did any
particular organ seem to suffer more than another.
This case being beyond my skill, I could only prescribe calomel pills,
and a few doses of salts. I also presented the mother with a few
needles and a thimble, for which she seemed truly grateful, pronouncing
a blessing upon me as she departed. At last I had an opportunity of
lying down to rest. Though suffering much from fever, I soon fell into
a confused sleep, from the powerful dose of opium I had taken. Early
in the morning I rose with a view of getting the greater part of my
journey over before the sun should reach the meridian, but after
breakfast, August 17th, some of my men beginning to dispute about
carrying the luggage as previously arranged, I was compelled to use
my horsewhip. The excitement produced by this disobedience suddenly
threw me into a violent chill, which commenced at the feet, and rapidly
rose upwards till it reached the pit of the stomach. Then sickness and
vomiting began, followed by violent headach and giddiness.
This kind of attack is generally a prelude to a very severe and
dangerous fever. In a few minutes after the chill reached my chest, I
reeled and fell prostrate; but when the violent burning of the fever
commenced, the giddiness partly left me. I then took another strong
dose of opium and James’s powder, and lay down for two hours. I now
found myself in a violent perspiration, overcome by a sort of pleasing
stupor. This enabled me to bear up against the violence of the fever.
I ordered my horse to be again got ready, in defiance of the kind
remonstrances of the captain of my guard, and commenced my journey,
bearing magnetic W.N.W. At a short distance from the town, we passed
over marble rocks, beautifully twisted; but, on entering the plain,
we again found the bed composed of fused iron ore, with shea-butter
and palm-trees, thinly spread over it, and many other trees, the names
and class of the greater part of which were strange to me, being
unacquainted with botany.
At a short distance from the town of Logazohy, we crossed a small
stream of good water, about three feet deep and eight feet wide,
running eastward. This stream is named Damadomy. After crossing it,
I observed several large sycamore and ash trees, exactly similar to
those found in England, but of considerably larger growth, and the
bark more rough and fractured. Here also were numerous stunted shrubs,
of a peculiar description, which are very seldom met with, except in
this neighbourhood, and occupy a belt of country extending east and
west. One of these plants or shrubs is from four to six feet in height,
with numerous branches; both trunk and branches are very crooked,
and contain but very few leaves. The branches are nearly all of one
thickness, from the trunk to their top, which terminates abruptly. The
leaves are much smaller, but in shape resemble those of the laurel;
they are very fleshy, and of a pea-green colour. The bark is grey,
and also very fleshy; upon the whole this shrub has the appearance of
having been scorched and in a state of recovery.
[Illustration:
From a Sketch by Duncan Hullmandel & Walton Lithographers.
THE KONG MOUNTAINS, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOGAZOHY.]
At twelve miles distant, to the southward, I observed a range of
mountains, forming an arch of 90° S. and W. At eight miles further,
we arrived at the river Agbado, a rapid stream, twenty yards wide,
and only six feet deep, with steep banks densely wooded, with very
large trees, and a thick underwood. The river runs N.E. at this
point, but soon changed its course. When we reached it, we were much
disappointed (at least my guard pretended to be so) at not finding that
any arrangement had been made for our crossing the river. This, they
alleged, ought to have been done by the caboceer of Savalu, distant
only two miles, whom we had purposely come to visit. It appeared,
however, that the notice he had received of our intention to visit him
was so short, that he had scarcely any time to arrange himself and his
household.
My conviction was, that this apparent neglect was the result of a
preconcerted arrangement, in order to give the Dahoman soldiers an
opportunity of exhibiting their skill as engineers. I proposed to swim
my horse and self across, but this was opposed by the caboceer, on
account of the rapidity of the stream. Besides, how were the officers’
wives, who carried their baggage, and also my own carriers, to get
across? For this purpose I proposed rafts to be made from branches
of trees, cut into lengths and lashed together and passed across by
a rope, formed from the long fibres which grow downwards from the
branches of the large trees on this bank, resembling hundreds of ropes
of various thickness. These extraordinary fibres are sometimes thirty
and forty feet long, according to the height of the branches from which
they grow, and are extremely tough. They are pliable and of great
strength. When they reach the ground, they insert themselves to some
depth, and again take root, from which other trees spring upwards. They
frequently form a colonnade of considerable extent along the banks of
rivers, and resemble mangroves.
My proposition was not approved of, and a council of officers being
held, it was in a short time determined to adopt rather a novel method,
which it may be interesting to describe. As I have already stated,
large trees, of a species which I have previously mentioned, grew on
the banks on either side of this river. A number of small trees were
cut, each of the private soldiers cutting with his short sabre, or
knife, till a sufficient number were thus obtained. These poles newly
cut were tied to the long fibres hanging perpendicularly from the
branches of the larger trees, and were then attached in succession,
horizontally, till they reached the hanging fibres of the trees on the
opposite bank.
After having fixed two lines of poles across, in the manner I have
described, about one yard apart, short pieces of wood were cut and
placed across, and small boughs, and grass or reeds, placed on the top,
so that a suspension-bridge was thus simply constructed in the short
space of half an hour. The whole party then passed over in safety.
I was informed, in reply to a question, that this is by no means an
invention of the Dahomans, but has long been practised in Central
Africa, especially in time of war, and where the rivers are not too
wide. Floating bridges are also constructed in a similar manner, where
the above method cannot be adopted.
After crossing this river we entered the Annagoo country. We halted
a short time on the bank, to give the caboceer of Savalu time to
prepare himself for our reception. A messenger now arrived to say that
he would shortly be ready to receive us. I here changed my dress,
and substituted my military uniform. This caboceer was described to
be a man of great wealth and power, and a great favourite with the
King of Dahomey. He is consequently allowed a considerable degree of
discretionary power beyond that of any other chief, the caboceer of
Whydah excepted.
As soon as my rude toilet was finished, I mounted as a Life Guardsman,
but not quite so neat as when on duty at Whitehall. After advancing
about one mile towards the town, we were met by the caboceer under some
very large trees, where was a cranery. This place was delightfully
shaded. Here the captain of my guard and myself seated ourselves
under one of the trees, till this great personage made three times
a procession in a circle round us to the left, for it is considered
unlucky to form circle to the right. This caboceer appeared to consider
himself much above any other I had seen, either in the Mahee or
Dahoman kingdoms, now united. He would not condescend to walk, but was
carried round us in his hammock. He then alighted, and his hammock was
carried suspended to a pole, each end resting on the heads of two stout
slaves, who always proceeded at a trot. He advanced towards us on foot,
after he had displayed to his own satisfaction the richly ornamented
hammock in which he had been riding. He afterwards informed me that it
was presented to him by the King of Dahomey. He next went through the
usual ceremony of prostration, and rubbing himself with dust. He then
delivered a long address of welcome to the King’s English stranger,
finishing his harangue by saying that I was like to a man who had been
many moons searching in the bush for a large block of wood for his
fire, and had rejected many as being bad wood to burn, but to his great
satisfaction at last found a large tree of a peculiar description,
which burnt like a lamp. He said, that I in like manner had been
travelling through the Mahee and Fellattah countries, but during the
whole of my long journey I had not seen any town so great or so grand
as the town of Savalu, which I was about to enter.
The caboceer, whose name is Bagadee, is a very fine stout handsome
black, of very pleasing expression and address, possessing great
intelligence; and having travelled a considerable distance in the
neighbouring kingdoms, he has a tolerable idea of the geography of
the surrounding country. As we advanced towards the town, which was
certainly the most picturesque and grand of any I had seen since
leaving the country of the Fellattahs, we ascended six platforms
in succession, of flights of steps naturally formed, of a very
peculiar sort of stone, resembling petrified wood, and stratified
perpendicularly. These steps extend upwards of a mile in length, and
each platform is of nearly the same breadth, preserving the same
throughout; so that an observer could scarcely be convinced that they
were formed by Nature, were he not aware of the generally indolent
character of the natives. These platforms were about fifty yards in
width, with numerous little villages situated thereon, apparently
occupied by farmers, and here all the cattle are kept, of which there
are great numbers: goats and sheep only are admitted in the town. The
mountain of Savalu, from which the town takes its name, is beautifully
wooded to the summit, with bold projecting rocks or precipices at
different distances, showing their hoary crowns and angles, forming
a beautiful back-ground to the town, which, independently of the
neighbouring kroom, is certainly larger than any town in the Mahee
country, and before it was ceded to the Dahomans was always considered
the capital or metropolis. The houses are much larger generally,
and built with more taste and uniformity than any Mahee town. The
caboceer’s house is two stories high, and built on a platform directly
overlooking the market-place. His house and the market are separated
by a wall about ten or twelve feet high. The windows or light-holes
of the upper story are considerably higher than the wall, so that the
inmates, chiefly the caboceer’s wives, can overlook the whole of the
market-place, and in fact the whole town, being situated on the base of
the mountain.
We remained in the market-place about an hour and a half, drinking rum
and peto, the soldiers of each guard alternately dancing and keeping up
an irregular fire. During this time the caboceer’s wives were stealing
a peep through the windows, but the moment they were observed withdrew.
Amongst the soldiers of Savalu, I noticed the jester very particularly,
who certainly displayed more wit and fun than clowns generally do, in
endeavouring to fire off his musket, which several times missed fire;
upon which he shook out the whole of the priming, and spit into the
pan, and again snapped the piece as if expecting the explosion would
fellow. He also performed several other antics equally ridiculous.
At last we were allowed to retire to the quarters which had been
allotted to us. These were a considerable distance from the principal
market-place.
We passed through several minor markets on our way to my quarters,
then from one court-yard to another, till we at last reached the house
appointed for us, which, according to my ideas, ill corresponded with
the description given by the young caboceer of his town. The house
was so low in the doorway, that I was compelled to enter on my hands
and knees, and when I had passed through a partition into the inner
apartment, which was as dark as a dungeon, I was obliged to burn a
light. I felt much annoyed at this, and refused to remain there,
looking upon it as an insult. Upon this circumstance being made known,
several of the trading merchants from Abomey kindly proffered me their
houses, provided the caboceer had no objections.
A messenger was consequently despatched to communicate my
dissatisfaction with my lodgings to the caboceer, who appeared quite
surprised, and came back with my messenger to make personal inquiry
respecting it. Upon his inquiring why I objected to the apartment,
I told him my first impression was that it must have been used as a
prison, on account of its strength and darkness, being without any
aperture to admit of light, except the low doorway.
In explanation he informed me, that in his country the greater part of
the houses were purposely so constructed, to prevent the inmates from
being seen by a passer-by, who might shoot them with their arrows, in
time of war, which was a common practice; and that this house had been
selected as a security against such an occurrence. However, I chose the
house of the merchant, which was tolerably comfortable; but felt rather
feverish, and had also a slight touch of ague. I found it necessary,
therefore, to take more medicine, which so much alarmed my caboceer,
that he refused all sorts of food whatever, complaining bitterly of
the advantage taken in stealing a march upon him into the country of
enemies, thereby endangering his life as well as my own. He declared
his conviction, that I had contracted my illness through excessive
fatigue and exposure in the Fellattah country. However, two doses of
James’s powder and opium considerably subdued my fever. Here we were,
as usual, supplied with large quantities of provision ready cooked,
both by the caboceer and merchants. Late in the evening the caboceer
again visited me, bringing with him some rum as well as some cherry
brandy, which he proudly boasted had been sent him by the King of
Dahomey. After he had distributed these, I gave him the contents of a
flask of rum from my own stores, a box of lucifer matches, and a large
Jew’s harp, which seemed to afford him much pleasure. At a late hour he
and his head-men retired to their homes, much to my satisfaction, for I
felt much in want of rest.