The Chief of Damuggoo — Fetísh Deity — Visit to the Chief — Unfavourable
termination of a Fetísh ceremony — Another canoe promised —
Superstitious credulity of the people — Story of the King of Atta —
Impatience of the Travellers to proceed — The town of Damuggoo — Its
resources — Punishments — Unfavourable opinions respecting the success
of the Travellers — Farewell ceremonies — Departure from Damuggoo —
Travelling companions — The disaster of Kirree — John Lander’s narrative
of it — The Palàver or Council at Kirree — Decision of the Council — The
Eboe People.
_Thursday, October 28th._—At day-break, we had a heavy tornado,
accompanied with much thunder and lightning. At ten A.M., the chief
visited us, accompanied by the Nouffie mallam. His dress consisted of a
red cloth cap, a very handsome red twilled silk tobe, made in Nouffie,
with trowsers of the same material, and sandals. He brought with him
some palm wine, eggs, bananas, yams, &c., and desired us to ask for
anything we might want, telling us that we should have everything we
wished that the town could afford. He told us that neither he nor his
father had seen a white man, although they had much wished it, and that
our presence made him quite happy. He then gave us a pressing invitation
to come to see him, which we readily accepted. He seemed to be one of
the worthiest fellows whom we have yet met.
We shortly after proceeded to the residence, and passed through a
variety of low huts which led to the one in which he was sitting. In
addition to his former dress, he had a very handsome leopard’s skin
thrown over him. In his hand he held a staff, covered with the skin of a
wild beast; and two pages, one on each side, were cooling him with
circular fans, made of bullock’s hide. He accosted us with cheerfulness,
and placed mats for us to sit on; and rum was produced to make us
comfortable withal. He wished to know in what manner we had got through
the country, for he had learnt we had come a long journey—from a great
city called Yàoorie, of which he had never before heard the name. We
again briefly related to him from whence we had come, where we had been,
and whither we were going, taking care to make frequent allusions to the
civility and kindness which we had experienced even from the greatest
monarchs. He appeared astonished at our narrative, and promised, as far
as he was able, to imitate those good men in his treatment of us as his
guests. He then expressed the infinite pleasure the sight of white men
afforded him, and how happy his father would have been in his lifetime,
had he been honoured by the presence of such wonderful strangers. When
Antonio, our interpreter, explained to him that we were ambassadors from
the ‘great king of white men,’ he seemed to feel peculiar delight.
‘Something must be done for you, to-morrow,’ said he, and left us to
conjecture for a short time what that something would be; but we soon
learnt that he intended to make rejoicings with all his people; that
they would fire off their muskets, and pass a night in dancing and
revelry. He told us that when we left him to go down the river, he
intended to send one of his canoes, with nine people in her, to
accompany us all the way to the sea. He requested us to wait eight days
longer, when he expected his people back from the Bocquâ market. ‘I
think,’ he added, ‘that the Chief of Bocquâ’s messenger and our people
will be a sufficient protection for you.’ We readily assented to his
proposal, and told him that as our presents were all expended, we would
send him some from the sea-coast, if he would allow a person to
accompany us thither on whom he could depend, to bring them back to him.
He expressed himself much gratified by our promises, and said that his
own son should accompany us; and that although his people had never been
lower down the river than to a place called Kirree, about a day’s
journey from hence, he had no doubt that we should reach the sea in
safety. After expressing mutual good-will, friendship, and satisfaction
with each other; and as soon as the king had promised with solemnity
that he would consent to our departure in the time he had specified, we
shook hands and parted.
In taking leave of us, the old chief told us that no one should be
allowed to visit us excepting those to whom we gave permission; and we
accordingly had all the principal people of the town, both males and
females, to see us. These persons were very well dressed, and conducted
themselves in an orderly manner.
In the course of the afternoon, however, we were perplexed with the
visits of thousands of people besides, whose curiosity was irresistible,
and who scarcely allowed us room to breathe. Above Egga, the people are
by no means inquisitive; but in and below that town, nothing can be
compared with the surprise and amazement with which the natives beheld
us, and pressed round to satisfy their curiosity.
_Friday, October 29th._—The promise of ‘something,’ which was made us
yesterday, has been fulfilled to-day with great _eclât_. In the morning,
a bullock, wild in the bush, was offered us, with a proviso that one of
our party could shoot him. Pascoe, therefore, went out with his gun, and
discovered the animal ruminating amongst the trees; and levelling his
piece, he shot him dead the first fire. Part of the carcase was given to
the king, as is the custom; and we were not unmindful of our old friend
the Mallam; so, having sent him some, the remainder of it was brought
home for our own consumption. It is usual here for the cattle to run
wild in the bush, being never admitted into the town; and when one is
wanted for food, the natives go into the woods and shoot it. They are
not so expert in killing them as our man Pascoe, whom we had desired to
load his gun with two balls, and to endeavour to hit the bullock under
the ear. He was so successful, that the poor animal died in an instant
without a struggle, much to the astonishment of the chief and his
people, who were witnesses of the transaction.
At the back of our hut stands a fetísh god, in a small thatched hut,
supported by four wooden pillars, which is watched continually by two
boys and a woman. We were desired to roast our bullock under him, that
he might enjoy the savoury smell of the smoking meat, some of which he
might also be able to eat if he desired. We were particularly enjoined
to roast no yams under him, as they were considered by the natives too
poor a diet to offer to their deity. The natives are all pagans, and
worship the same kind of figures as those of Yarriba.
[Illustration: _Fetish Deity of Damuggoo._]
A feast and great rejoicings are to take place to-day, in consequence of
our arrival, and the preparation of the bullock only seems to be the
first step towards it. The natives are getting their muskets ready, and
all the swivels in the town are brought and placed under the fetísh tree
we have mentioned.
At six in the evening the ceremonies were commenced, by a volley of
musketry being fired off by command of the chief, and we were afterwards
saluted with a discharge from the swivels. This was a signal for the
inhabitants to come forward and follow the example of their monarch,
which they did with so much spirit and effect, that continual firing was
kept up till between eleven and twelve o’clock, at which time the people
paraded the town for the remainder of the night, dancing, singing, and
making merry. Pascoe tells us that every man had a musket. They must be
very numerous, for the fire is as incessant as if we were in a field of
battle, so that it is quite impossible for us to get any sleep while it
is going forward.
_Saturday, October 30th._—Notwithstanding all the firing last night, and
though the natives loaded their guns with three times their proper
charge, we have not heard of any accident happening. All this had been
done very much against our inclination, but it was the highest token of
respect which could be shown us, and which had never before been granted
to any individual: we therefore considered it our duty to visit the
chief and thank him for the honour. So accordingly, a little before
noon, we went to see him, accompanied by four of our people. On our
arrival, we found him surrounded by his priests, who were employed in
making a fetísh, to ascertain whether we should reach the sea in safety.
The Nouffie mallam was also seated by the chief’s side, engaged in
writing Mahomedan prayers on a plain white cotton cap, which the chief
was to wear on all occasions, to render him secure from danger of every
description.
He received us very kindly, and desired us to sit down with him and
remain a short time, offering us a glass of rum, which we were obliged
to accept. It was with much difficulty we were able to drink it, for we
felt little inclined to do so; in addition to which the heat of the
place was so excessive, that we could hardly breathe, although two of
our people kept fanning us all the time we were with him. Having
expressed our thanks to the chief, for the honour he had done us by the
rejoicings of the night before, we complimented him on his resources,
and expressed our admiration of that greatness of mind which he had
displayed in applying them to the gratification and delight of
strangers, whom he had made his warmest friends. ‘The great white king
will be pleased to learn that I have treated his subjects so well,’ said
the chief; ‘and you may inform him of my dignity, my riches, my
strength, and my power.’ We thought this quite sufficient; the chief was
pleased both with himself for having displayed his ‘power,’ and with us
for having duly appreciated it; and being anxious to return to the open
air, we begged he would excuse our remaining any longer, and, shaking
hands with him, we wished him a good morning.
From a conversation with a Nouffie man, who has exiled himself from his
native country, and arrived here lately, we learn that these muskets and
guns have been procured from the coast in exchange for slaves and ivory.
He informs us, also, that Bornou and Jacoba are at peace, and
consequently that the road from Funda to _Kouka_, which is the
metropolis of the Bornou empire, is now open and free from danger of any
kind. The same individual assures us that a person can travel from one
country to the other, by land, in seventeen days; but that to travel by
water up the _Tshadda_, to Kouka, would be a journey of nineteen days.
He likewise reports that Ederesa, the ex-king of Nouffie, had
endeavoured to win over the Sultan of Bornou to his cause, and for that
purpose had sent him an embassy, with a present of leopards’ skins, and
a certain number of slaves; but when he left home, it was not generally
believed that the monarch of Bornou would interfere in the domestic
concerns of Nouffie, or attempt to raise the fallen fortunes of Ederesa,
unless he would consent to break off all connexion with the Falàtahs,
with whom he is on good terms, and promise his aid in their complete
extirpation. However, the destiny of Nouffie is already sealed; she is a
conquered country in every sense of the word, and a Falàtah is her
monarch.
_Sunday, October 31st._—It has been hinted to us that the chief of
_Damuggoo_ will detain us here longer than will be agreeable,
notwithstanding his pledge. At ten in the morning, the chief sent for me
to visit him, and I immediately obeyed his summons. I found him engaged
in earnest conversation with his priests, and he no sooner saw me than
he requested me to sit down by his side. He appeared very serious, but
did not give me long to speculate on what was coming; for, turning
towards me, he said, with a deep-drawn sigh, that the fetísh which had
been made yesterday for us, had not ended in our favour. He was sure, he
said, that we should meet with many troubles before we reached the sea.
All this was said with a great deal of earnestness, and his countenance
was very expressive of sorrow. I desired that he would not feel hurt on
our account, telling him that we were not afraid of anything; that we
had done no one any harm in Africa, and we trusted in our God for
protection. ‘It is good,’ said he; ‘if my people return from Bocquâ
market to-morrow, you shall go in a few days.’ I thanked him for his
kindness, and wished him a good morning.
In the course of conversation this morning, the chief said that he
cannot think of sending us away in an old leaky canoe, such as ours, and
unprotected; that such would not be fitting our rank; and he is of
opinion that we should meet a thousand difficulties and dangers were we
to proceed further down the river without a guide and messenger. He
observed, that our canoe is what sailors would term not ‘sea-worthy;’
for, having been exposed to the heat of the sun, it had split in several
places. These considerations had induced him to procure for us a far
better canoe than our own; but he expressed his very great sorrow that
he could not furnish us with a supply of men till their return from
Bocquâ market, whither they had gone in the morning, and would not
return for three days to come. We had no remedy, and our only plan was
to submit, on the ground of expediency, without raising any objection,
for we knew that it would be unavailing.
We presented the chief, in the forenoon, with a musket belonging to one
of our men, and my broken watch, which he says he will send to Bonny, to
be repaired. We had nothing else to offer him except needles, a pair of
bracelets, or our own wearing apparel, which he does not appear to fancy
at all. However, we have promised, that should his men take us in safety
to Bonny, we would send back something to him which would be more
acceptable and of greater value, and which we should be enabled to
obtain from the English ships lying there. This intelligence is very
gratifying to the chief, and he expresses his thankfulness most
profusely. He knows the facility with which European articles are got at
the mouth of the river, and he no doubt reckons on a rich present from
us. He is certainly deserving of one, for his conduct towards us has
been most satisfactory from the commencement. We continue to receive
every kindness from him, and he sends us provisions each morning,
sufficient for fifty men for one day, together with palm-wine, rum,
cocoa-nuts, bananas, and numerous other things.
A great part of the population of Damuggoo left the town this morning
for the Bocquâ market. They take thither powder, muskets, soap,
Manchester cottons, and other articles of European manufacture, and
great quantities of rum, or rather of rum and water; for not more than
one third of it is genuine spirit, and even that is of the worst
quality. These commodities are exchanged for ivory and slaves, which are
re-sold to the European traders. The Niger is receding most rapidly;
within these two or three days it has fallen away as many feet, which
confirms us in the supposition, that in the interior the rains are over,
though they are only declining here.
The natives of this part of the country scarcely ever heard of the
religion of Mahomet, and, therefore, they believe in all manner of gods
and demons, as in Yarriba and other places. They have a variety of
tutelary gods, and others whose business it is to watch over and protect
the public interests. Their religious dances, and their songs or hymns,
addressed to their divinities, differ but slightly from those of other
pagan countries, and the superstitious ceremonies of their faith bear
the same close resemblance. In their belief of the immortality of the
soul, and a future state of rewards and punishments, there is nothing
peculiar or new.
The late occupier of the hut in which we reside died a few days ago, and
was buried; but last night there was a public declaration that his
tutelary god had resuscitated him, and that he had risen from the dead.
Things of this nature are reported not to be of rare occurrence, and the
rumour was believed, or rather it was pretended to be believed, by all
ranks. A large procession was therefore formed, attended by singers and
dancers, as usual; and the man, who was said to have undergone so great
a change, having been placed in the centre, was carried through the
town, and exhibited gratis to all who felt a disposition to see him.
After the procession had visited the chief’s house, a messenger was
despatched to inquire whether we ourselves felt any inclination to view
the prodigy; but we declined the intended honour, for it would be
extremely unpleasant to be stifled in our hut by a multitude of
unwashed, half-naked people. What is to be the final fortune of the man
we know not, but it is generally supposed that he will die again to-
morrow!
It appears to us scarcely credible that the chief, who is a sensible and
intelligent man, should put any confidence in such egregious nonsense
and chicanery; but we rather imagine that he must be aware of the cheats
which are practised upon his credulous people by their priests, and
that, for political considerations, he chooses to connive at and
countenance their proceedings; the more so, as he very recently sent to
Nouffie for a Mahomedan priest, who is now engaged in working Arab
charms, &c. upon his tobe. This man he has intrusted with all his
secrets, and loaded with benefits; but whether he is a Mahomedan or
Pagan in heart we are left to guess. How great soever his confidence in
this mallam may be, yet a white man, and a Christian, has far greater
claims, he says, to his veneration; and, as a proof of it, he would
request of us a ‘_mighty spell_,’ which he was convinced it was in our
power alone to give. The virtue of it is to consist chiefly in making
him successful in war. He has a brother, he says, who is king of a
neighbouring and powerful state, with whom he has been at enmity for
many years, and him he wishes to vanquish and bring under subjection, in
order to ‘_plant his foot upon his neck_,’ and reign in his stead. Of
this brother, and of their father, the former king, he related to us the
following story:—
‘The late king of _Attà_ was a very powerful prince, and one of the most
opulent, both as regarded money and slaves, that had ever been known in
the whole country. His domestic slaves alone amounted to five hundred;
and he had accumulated, by industry, care, and frugality, during a long
life, as much money (cowries) as would fill seven or eight ordinary
huts. The surrounding nations felt his influence, and trembled at his
power; their rulers courted his friendship by voluntary presents, and
acknowledged his supremacy by humiliating concessions. The monarch
concerned himself greatly in the internal affairs and domestic policy of
the kingdom of Funda, whose sovereigns he pulled down and set up again
whenever he was influenced by caprice, or spurred on by resentment.
‘Now it happened, at length, that this mighty king died, as all great
and little sovereigns must do, and he was buried after the custom of the
country, with many public honours, and with all his riches. His eldest
son, who was a covetous, worldly minded prince, succeeded him in his
authority; but instead of enjoying the affluence of his venerable
parent, he was not worth a single cowrie. The consciousness of his
poverty, and the want of consideration and respect among his subjects,
caused him to make many moral reflections on the use, value, and
purposes of money with mankind, and the penury and wretchedness which
the want of it generally occasioned. At length, harassed with doubts and
perplexities, he forgot all filial tenderness, and the respect which he
owed to his father’s memory, and came to the conclusion, that as the
money which was buried was of no use whatever to the deceased in the
next world, it would be both a charitable and praiseworthy deed to have
it dug out of the earth, and put into circulation. And further, to
prevent such good-for-nothing practices from being followed in future,
he would sentence the body of his father to receive a public punishment.
Therefore, with this resolution, he violated the sanctity of the grave,
and commanded that the whole of its contents should be disinterred. This
done, he secured the money, and ordered his slaves to cut off the head
of the corpse, and expose it in a conspicuous situation, as a
chastisement for the covetous disposition which his father had evinced
whilst living; for the heinous offence which he had consummated when
dying of desiring _all_ his money to be interred with him, and as a
dreadful warning to the people. This want of piety in the new king, his
unjustifiable and unnatural action in dishonouring his father’s body,
and, above all, his contempt for a custom which time had rendered
venerable, and which had been sanctioned by the concurrent voice of
ages, made a silent, but deep, impression on the minds of his subjects;
their feelings, which for a long while they had suppressed, broke out at
length into passion, the spark was soon kindled into a flame, and a
powerful party was formed to depose the impious prince. They placed his
younger brother at their head, and a sanguinary civil war was the
immediate consequence. However, they had suffered the proper time to
elapse, and the king was too firmly established to suffer much from
their attempts; the rebels were routed in all quarters, and those who
could not flee were put to the sword. The chief of Damuggoo, our host,
is the unsuccessful brother; and the chief of Bocquâ, our friend, was
one of his principal followers.’ This accounts for the unwillingness of
the latter to send a messenger with us to Attà, and the reasonable
apprehensions which he entertained for his safety, which would certainly
have been realized.
_Tuesday, November 2nd._—It is extremely mortifying and vexatious to
reflect, that though we are so near our countrymen and our journey’s
end, yet we are not suffered to go to them; and it is teasing to think
that we are constrained to bend to the will of a man who cannot enter
into our feelings, nor share our hopes and fears, and who deludes us
with hollow promises day after day. Finding the market people not yet
returned from Bocquâ, as we had been persuaded, we sent an energetic
message to the king, this morning, expressive of our determination to
hazard every danger rather than be detained longer at Damuggoo, and also
to remind him of his solemn promise. This produced an immediate answer,
that, agreeably to our request, we should leave the town to-day, if we
thought it safe to do so. For his own part, however, if this were to be
our purpose, he could only send and protect us a day’s journey down the
river, where resides the chief of a very large country, into whose hands
he should be constrained to deliver us; that this monarch would
naturally expect a considerable present, and would, he had no doubt,
prolong our stay with him to several weeks. Whilst, on the other hand,
would we consent to wait two days longer for the return of his people,
he should be enabled to forward us to Bonny without touching at the
above place, and indeed without calling at any important town whatever
during the journey. In a choice of evils, we preferred that which
appeared to us the least, and, therefore, resolved to wait here a day or
two longer. The only circumstance which is capable of reconciling us to
our wretched abode, is the continued civility, generosity, and
tenderness of the chief.
The streets of Damuggoo are so muddy, owing to the nature of the soil,
and to the rains which have recently fallen, that we cannot step outside
the door of our hut without exposing ourselves to the inconvenience of
being covered with black, filthy mud, so that we are obliged to stay
within from necessity. Our hut does not exceed six or seven feet in
diameter, and withal it is so very dark and dismal, that we can see
neither to read nor write; added to which we are invaded, from the first
peep of morn till the close of day, by a host of impudent fellows, who
plant themselves round the door-way, and in the passage, like as many
blocks of marble, and remain there in spite of us, to the utter
exclusion of every particle of air. The chief, to whom we have made a
grievous complaint, tells us seriously to ‘_cut off their heads_;’ but
really we do not relish the idea of human heads, all so black and
ghastly, tumbling down at our feet, and so we resort to a milder
punishment, but, hitherto, this has not been attended with any good
effect. When evening comes, and the moon shines brilliantly above our
heads, like all nature, we seek the comforts of repose; but who can
sleep when legions of mosquitoes come singing in your face, to tease and
worry you without mercy? It is a fact, that the chief and his people are
frequently driven, in the dead of night, to seek shelter from the
attacks of these tormenting insects in the open air, or under the trees;
but we cannot resort to the same expedient, and are therefore obliged,
because ‘idleness is the parent of many vices,’ to employ the watchful
hours of the night in slaughtering our inveterate persecutors, nor do we
cease till morning dawns.
_Wednesday, November 3d._—The inhabitants of this town dress, generally
speaking, in Manchester cottons (if a cloth confined to the waist, and
extending below the knee, may be styled a dress). The neat and becoming
tobe or shirt of the interior is worn only by the king and a few of the
principal inhabitants. Indeed, the people appear to have little
communication with the natives of the more inland provinces, and we have
found the progress of civilization to be rapidly diminishing the nearer
we approach the coast. The women are fond of beads, but esteem only the
more costly kind; these are the only personal decorations which they
wear. Damuggoo is a considerably large and populous town, but abominably
dirty: the huts are round, and constructed much after the same manner as
those of Zagōzhi, being built of mud and loam, strengthened and
supported by props and ribs of wood. They have all, without exception, a
poor, mean, and extremely wretched appearance.
Those of the inhabitants who are not engaged in trading transactions,
employ themselves in cultivating the soil. Yams and Indian corn form, we
believe, the principal, if not the only, vegetable food of the poorer
classes, and they rarely eat anything else. The plantain and banana are
imported from a neighbouring state; but these are beyond their reach, on
account of expense; and form, in fact, with the exception of the cocoa-
nut, the only fruits and vegetables with which they seem to be
acquainted. Rice, which is grown so generally, and in such abundance,
almost in their immediate neighbourhood, they have never seen; and as to
the different kinds of grain, which are cultivated to a considerable
extent, so near as Funda and Nouffie, they have either no knowledge of
them, or, which is more likely, they consider the labour which is
required in their culture, and the attention which the rising crops
would demand, to counterbalance the good that might result to themselves
by the introduction into their country of different varieties of corn.
Therefore, they confine their agricultural labours to cultivating maize,
which is the hardiest of all grain, and the yam. The inhabitants of
Damuggoo never saw a horse, nor have they the most distant idea of such
an animal. Their domestic animals are the dog, the sheep, the goat, and
the common fowl; the cow cannot be classed among the number. Goats and
fowls are plentiful, but few sheep are to be seen; and even these are
greatly inferior to those of the more interior parts. Abundance of
excellent fish are caught in the river, which compensates, in a great
degree, for the scarcity of other animal food.
The king paid us a visit this forenoon, dressed very appropriately in a
handsome tobe of silk and cotton, of the manufacture of Nouffie. He
repeated his assurances that we shall leave to-morrow, and though the
men are not yet returned from the market, yet they are confidently
expected this evening. He behaved with so much native politeness, and
promised that we should be detained no longer, with so much seriousness
and apparent sincerity, that we are induced to believe him.
The chief of Damuggoo, benevolent as are his looks, and dignified as is
his deportment, is always severe in his punishments; and is oftentimes
so wantonly cruel as to deprive his subjects of their heads for very
trifling offences. An information was this morning laid against a very
respectable lad, who is nearly related to the king, if not actually his
own son, for having purloined a piece of Manchester cotton from his
sovereign. Death was instantly pronounced against the culprit, after a
confession of his crime, and the sentence was to have been carried into
execution this evening; but he implored us, in English, in the most
piteous manner, to intercede for his life, affirming that if all the
inhabitants of the town were to come forward in his behalf, their
remonstrances and petitions would be unavailing, but that a white man’s
solicitation would be irresistible. At first, we sent Pascoe to the
chief, to express the obligation we should feel if he would, on our
account, pardon the delinquent, or at least commute his punishment to a
severe flogging; but the stern judge was not to be moved from his
purpose by a messenger; his answer was characteristic:—‘Tell the white
men,’ said he, ‘that a black man’s request would be useless and vain, I
would not grant him so considerable a favour; but if both, or either of
them, will intercede in the boy’s behalf, personally, and in a formal
manner, I may, perhaps, be induced to forgive him.’ My brother
accordingly took the hint, flattered the vanity of the chief by a
personal application, and thus obtained the boy’s pardon, and saved his
life with little difficulty. The gratitude of the youth was apparently
sincere.
At five in the afternoon the people returned from Bocquâ market, and the
chief sent us word to be ready for leaving Damuggoo to-morrow evening.
He continues to be very kind to us, and has allowed us to want nothing
which his village could supply. His people had been very unsuccessful in
obtaining slaves, the demand for them having been so great that a few
only were to be had. Their chief object had been to procure slaves, but
they had also gone for other purposes of trade.
_Thursday, November 4th._—Our departure and future fate have occupied
the whole attention of the chief and his pagan priests nearly all day.
The fetísh which has been already made has proved unfavourable, and in
hopes of still finding some signs of a propitious nature towards our
proceeding to Bonny, and also to ascertain whether or not we are to
proceed on our voyage to-day, the chief and his priests have been
diligently employed in consulting the entrails of fowls, but to both of
these the omens were pronounced to be very inauspicious. Our
determination of departing, however, was not to be shaken by such means.
By the chief’s own arrangement our people were to embark in the leaky
canoe, with the heaviest of the luggage; whereas my brother and I were
to travel in one of his own canoes, and to take along with us whatever
was of most consequence. To this regulation we could raise no plausible
objection, because our old canoe had been partially repaired.
A little after four in the afternoon we conveyed our luggage to the
river side and proceeded to load our canoes. Long before five o’clock,
everything, on our parts, had been got in readiness for quitting the
town, and we sat in the canoe till after sun-set, waiting the arrival of
the boatmen, who did not seem at all disposed to hurry themselves in
making their appearance. We began at length to be wearied with anxiety,
and impatient to be stirring. Hundreds of people had been gazing at us
for a long while, many of whom had taken the pains to come from
different parts of the town in boats for that purpose, and the curiosity
of all having been amply indulged, they were moving off in all
directions, so that we were almost deserted. The chief could not be
spoken with, because he was engaged in a religious rite with his
priests, and we were left for awhile to our own reflections, which were
far from being of the kindest nature.
At length, when our uneasiness was at its height, we saw him coming
towards us with a train of followers. The Mallam and all of his
principal people were with him, bringing numerous jars of palm wine. A
mat was spread near the water-side, whereon the chief sat himself, and
we were instantly desired to place ourselves one on each side of his
person. The palm wine and some rum were then produced; and as we were
about to take a long farewell of our hospitable host, we drank of his
offering, rather than give offence by a refusal. The palm wine
circulated freely in the bowls, and the natives of the village, who
witnessed all our proceedings with no little anxiety, seemed to be
greatly delighted at seeing their chief and the priests so familiar with
white men. Meanwhile several elephants’ tusks, and a number of slaves
and goats, were put into the canoe as presents to the chief of Bonny. A
fatted goat was given us as a parting gift, and a small decanter of rum
was thrust in my brother’s bosom as a cordial during the night. We drank
and chatted away until half past six in the evening, when we sent Pascoe
on before us in charge of our old canoe, telling him that we should soon
overtake him.
To our great mortification we were unable to follow him till eight in
the evening, being detained by another fetísh ceremony. The Mahometan
priest then gave us the dimensions and shape of a large mirror, a
handsome sword, and other articles, which he begged of us to procure for
him in England; and then we arose to take our leave of the king,
expressing our acknowledgments to him with sincerity and heartiness for
the cordial and generous reception we had met with. Our own canoe and
people had departed long before, and it was dark when we jumped into the
chief’s canoe which was waiting for us, and launched out into the
stream. We lay off at a short distance from the bank, when all the
fetísh people walked knee deep into the river and muttered a long
prayer, after which they splashed the water towards our canoe with each
foot, and we proceeded on. Damuggoo is a long straggling town, and is
formed indeed by a collection of villages, which are scattered along the
western bank. Touching at one of these, which is situated rather remote
from the starting-place, a number of individuals leaped from the shore
into the water by the side of our canoe, and began pattering about, in
order to appease the anger of their deities, and ensure us a favourable
voyage.
The natives do everything by halves; on arriving at the village, it was
found that we had not taken a sufficient number of canoe-men for the
occasion; and they loitered about the place, bawling for assistance till
they were joined by two companions. Every time the canoe stopped for any
purpose, the canoe-men muttered some sentences in a low tone to the
fetísh, invoking the aid of their deity towards a safe passage. All
having got into the canoe, we glided down the stream with delightful
rapidity, without stopping any where, or meeting with further
hinderances till midnight. The canoe-men entertained us with their
native songs, keeping time with their paddles, and every thing
contributed to render the passage pleasant had we not been uneasy at our
canoe with Pascoe being so far before us, without any messenger or
guide. This made me determine not to send him on again without either my
brother or self accompanying him.
We are inclined to attribute the good reception we met with from the
chief of Damuggoo entirely to the influence of the Mallam. It is the
character of the Nouffie people to speak in good terms of us wherever we
have met them, and it was no doubt the representation of this old man
that operated so powerfully in our favour with the chief. We regretted
very much that we had nothing better to give him than a few needles for
his services to us during our stay, as he had been our interpreter on
all occasions.
_Friday, November 5th._—We continued on our way down the river until two
in the morning, when we arrived at a halting-place, near a considerable
village, the name of which we could not ascertain. Here our people
landed to repose awhile under the branches of trees, and await the
coming of our own canoe, which we had not seen during the night. Our
lodgings were very far from agreeable; we were crammed, comparatively,
into a small canoe, with a dozen people as companions, besides a number
of goats, and six slaves, consisting of three women, two men, and a
pretty little boy. Neither of these slaves seem to bestow a moment’s
regret on leaving their native country, though they know they are to be
sold on the coast, and conveyed to a foreign and distant land, if we may
except a troublesome female, who screamed by starts during the night;
but her sorrow was evidently assumed, her object being to disturb her
associates in misfortune, and give trouble to her keepers, rather than
to give vent to her own feelings. The noise of this unsociable companion
was silenced occasionally by a few hearty cuffs on the head by one of
the canoe-men. It was impossible for the slaves to lie down, so they sat
in the bottom of the canoe, with the goats, and there they slept
soundly, though the water which was admitted into the canoe was
continually washing and splashing against their naked sides. The little
boy above-mentioned, is intended as a present from the chief of Damuggoo
to the king of Bonny; he is not placed on a similar footing to his
companions, but is treated with tenderness. The men and women slaves are
fettered in the day-time, but their irons are taken off at night. These
have been all free people; but having been found guilty of minor
offences at Damuggoo, they are sentenced to perpetual slavery and
banishment.
A market is to be held to-morrow in the village near which we are
stopping, and several large canoes filled with people and goods are
lying alongside of us, for their owners to commence trafficking as soon
as the morning shall dawn. Others are constantly arriving from various
quarters for the same purpose, so that we are now (four in the morning)
surrounded by a large squadron of native canoes. Ours, with Pascoe and
his companions, has just entered the creek. It is a heavy and clumsy
vessel, and therefore greatly inferior to the light canoes of the
natives. Pascoe told us he had hailed a great many canoes thinking they
were ours, and we were so much pleased that he had not been stopped,
that we entertained a very good opinion of these people.
The river has run in a westerly and south westerly direction to-day with
many windings. The breadth has varied from one to three or four miles,
and the current has run very rapidly. The banks were low and swampy, and
covered with a thick underwood interspersed with palm trees.
We endeavoured to obtain a little rest, but found it quite impossible,
and at five in the morning we arose wearied and fatigued. The heavy dew
which had fallen wetted us completely through. At sunrise I joined our
people in the old canoe, which contained the whole of our luggage, for
the purpose of encouraging them to greater exertion, otherwise they
would not keep up with the men of Damuggoo, and might loiter behind and
lose themselves; and as my brother’s canoe could easily overtake me, I
proceeded onwards at five A.M. leaving him behind with the other.
The village is famous for palm-oil, which it produces in abundance, and
the buyers of that commodity were exceedingly numerous. The bank was
lined with many hundreds of people whose curiosity to see a white man
was irresistible; so that, in order to prevent unpleasant consequences
after I had left them, my brother’s canoe-men, who had been engaged in
purchasing provisions, pushed off the shore between seven and eight in
the morning, and continued down the river, following my track.
I had left one trunk and one medicine-chest in my brother’s canoe, and a
couple of muskets, in case he might want them, and being very anxious to
get down the river had started without breakfast, at which my people
were very much dissatisfied. They complained of being tired very soon,
and asked for their breakfast. I cheered them up all I could with the
hopes of getting them on further before we stopped; and, taking the
paddle myself, I set them the example in using it, at the same time
singing ‘Rule Britannia’ to them, and telling them that in six or seven
days we should reach the sea, when I would reward them all well. This
had the desired effect, and although I could not but think that the poor
fellows complained very justly, we continued on very pleasantly.
At six A.M. we were passing rather close to a point in the river, round
which it takes an abrupt turn, and the current being very rapid we were
carried into an eddy before we were aware of it. It was with
considerable difficulty that we got clear of it, but had we been two
yards nearer to the shore our canoe would have been dashed into pieces.
These dangers will always be avoided by the precaution of keeping in the
middle of the river. At seven A.M. we saw a small river enter the Niger
from the eastward, the banks of which, as well as those of the Niger,
were elevated and fertile. Shortly after we observed a branch of the
river running off to the westward, about the same size as that from the
eastward. On the right bank of this river, close also to the bank of the
Niger, we observed a large market, which I was informed is Kirree; and
that the river, flowing to the westward past it, runs to Benin. A great
number of canoes were lying near the bank. They appeared to be very
large, and had flags flying on long bamboo canes. We took no notice of
them, but passed on, and in a short time afterwards we saw about fifty
canoes before us, coming up the river. They appeared to be very large
and full of men, and the appearance of them at a distance was very
pleasing. They had each three long bamboo canes, with flags flying from
them, one fixed at each end of the canoe, and the other in the middle.
As we approached each other I observed the British Union flag in
several, while others, which were white, had figures on them of a man’s
leg, chairs, tables, decanters, glasses, and all kinds of such devices.
The people in them, who were very numerous, were dressed in European
clothing, with the exception of trousers.
I felt quite overjoyed by the sight of these people, more particularly
so when I saw our flag and European apparel among them, and
congratulated myself that they were from the sea-coast. But all my fond
anticipations vanished in a moment as the first canoe met us. A great
stout fellow, of a most forbidding countenance, beckoned to me to come
to him, but seeing him and all his people so well armed I was not much
inclined to trust myself among them, and paid no attention to him. The
next moment I heard the sound of a drum, and in an instant several men
mounted a platform and levelled their muskets at us. There was nothing
to be done now but to obey; as for running away it was out of the
question, our square loaded canoe was incapable of it, and to fight with
fifty war canoes, for such we found them, containing each above forty
people, most of whom were as well armed as ourselves, would have been
throwing away my own and my canoe-men’s lives very foolishly. In
addition to the muskets, each canoe had a long gun in its bow that would
carry a shot of four or six pounds, besides being provided with a good
stock of swords and boarding-pikes.
By this time our canoes were side by side, and with astonishing rapidity
our luggage found its way into those of our opponents. This mode of
proceeding I did not relish at all; so as my gun was loaded with two
balls and four slugs, I took deliberate aim at the leader, and he would
have paid for his temerity with his life in one moment more, had not
three of his people sprung on me and forced the gun from my hands. My
jacket and shoes were as quickly plundered from me, and observing some
other fellows at the same time taking away Pascoe’s wife, I lost all
command over myself and was determined to sell my life as dearly as I
could. I encouraged my men to arm themselves with their paddles and
defend themselves to the last. I instantly seized hold of Pascoe’s wife,
and with the assistance of another of my men dragged her from the
fellow’s grasp; Pascoe at the same time levelled a blow at his head with
one of our iron-wood paddles that sent him reeling backwards, and we saw
him no more.
Our canoe having been so completely relieved of her cargo, which had
consisted only of our luggage, we had plenty of room in her for battle,
and being each of us provided with a paddle, we determined, as we had
got clear of our adversary, to cut down the first fellow who should dare
to board us. This was not attempted; and as none of the other canoes had
offered to interfere, I was in hopes of finding some friends among them,
but at all events was determined to follow the people who had plundered
us to the market, where they seemed to be going. We accordingly pulled
after them as fast as we could. My men, now that the fray was over,
began to think of their forlorn condition. All their things were gone,
and as they gave up all hopes of regaining them, or being able to
revenge themselves on the robbers, they gave vent to their rage in tears
and execrations. I desired them to be quiet, and endeavoured all in my
power to pacify them by telling them that if we were spared to reach the
sea in safety, I would pay them for everything they had lost.
We were following the canoe that had attacked us as fast as we possibly
could to regain our things, if possible, when some people hailed us from
a large canoe, which I found afterwards belonged to the New Calebar
river. One of the people, who was apparently a person of consequence,
called out lustily to me, ‘Holloa, white man, you French, you
English?’—‘Yes, English,’ I answered him immediately. ‘Come here in my
canoe,’ he said, and our two canoes approached each other rapidly. I
accordingly got into his canoe, and he put three of his men into mine to
assist in pulling her to the market. The people of the canoe treated me
with much kindness, and the chief of her who had hailed me gave me a
glass of rum. There were several females also in the canoe who appeared
to take a great deal of interest in my safety.
On looking around me I now observed my brother coming towards us in the
Damuggoo canoe, and the same villain who had plundered me was the first
to pursue him. As we had been absent from each other all the morning,
and the foregoing transactions only relate to myself, the following
narrative of my brother’s will give the reader an account of his
proceedings to the time I saw him, and the disaster which soon after
followed.
‘My brother left the village nearly two hours before me, and therefore
he was far in advance when the Damuggoo canoe, in which I had remained,
was pushed off the land. Wishing to overtake him, for he had no guide,
the men exerted themselves wonderfully to make amends for the time which
they had trifled away, and it was really astonishing to see the rapidity
with which the canoe was impelled through the water.
‘The morning was cool, serene, and delightful, and the sun had just
emerged from a mass of dense clouds, which were fringed with a silvery
light. On each side of the river, gentle and undulating hills rose one
behind the other, covered with verdure, and here and there varied by
groves of dark green trees, which served to render the prospect yet more
agreeable. The smooth, transparent surface of the river, disturbed only
by the motions of our paddles, so calm, so peaceful, in its gentle
course, reflected with unerring truth the enchanting landscape from
either side, and lent its friendly aid to hasten us to our long wished-
for destination.
‘After we had been in the canoe perhaps an hour, one of the men who
happened to be standing in the bow, fancied that he could descry, in
another canoe, then at a considerable distance before us, a sheep and
goat, which my brother had taken away with him in the morning. All doubt
as to the identity of the animals having been removed from his own mind
and those of his companions,—though for my own part I must own that my
vision was not near keen enough to allow me to agree with them in
opinion,—we gave chase to the suspected canoe. The men summoned all
their resolution and strength to the task, and, like an arrow from a
bow, our narrow vessel darted through the water. We gained rapidly on
the chase, and the people, perceiving our object and mistrusting our
intentions, kept near the shore, and laboured hard to get away from us.
They then entered a branch of the river which was running to the south-
west, and sheltered themselves amongst a number of canoes that were
lying alongside a large market-place, situated on the right bank.
‘This did not damp the spirit of our men, or deter them from following
the pursued: we succeeded in discovering their hiding-place; and at
length, after much wrangling and many threats, the robbers (for such
they proved to be) were compelled to restore the animals. But how my
brother could have suffered two men to plunder his canoe, puzzled me
exceedingly and I was totally at a loss to account for it. Nothing could
exceed my surprise, on approaching the market, to observe, as I thought,
large European flags, affixed to poles, and waving over almost every
canoe that was there. On a closer examination I discovered them to be
imitations only, though they were executed with uncommon skill and
neatness. British colours apparently were the most prevalent, and among
these the Union flag seemed to be the general favourite. Nor did my
former surprise diminish in the least, when I landed, on finding that
the market-people were clad in European apparel, though with the odd
fancy which is remarkable among Indians, who have any intercourse with
Europeans, none of them were dressed in a complete suit of clothes. One
wore a hat only, with a Manchester cotton tied round his waist, another
a shirt, another a jacket, &c. As all natives, with the exception of
kings, are forbidden by law to wear trousers, a common pocket
handkerchief was generally substituted for that article of dress. The
multitude formed the most motley group that we have ever seen; nothing
on earth could be more grotesque or ridiculous. Many of the men had a
smattering of the English and French tongues.
‘The object for which we had stopped at the market having been effected
to our satisfaction, we pulled out again into the main body of the
river, and here we saw several canoes of amazing size coming towards us
from the southward. Totally unsuspicious of danger of any kind from this
quarter, astonishment at such a sight was the only emotion that entered
my mind; and we resolved to pass in the midst of these canoes, that we
might more conveniently look on each side of us, for the purpose of
ascertaining whether they contained anything belonging to us. At the
next moment, another _squadron_ of the same description of vessels came
in sight, in one of which I could discover my brother by his white
shirt, and I fancied that he was returning to demand restitution of the
animals of which he had been plundered, therefore I still felt perfectly
easy in my mind.
‘When we drew nearer, it was apparent that these were all war-canoes, of
prodigious dimensions; immense flags of various colours were displayed
in them, a six-pounder was lashed to the bow of each; and they were
filled with women, and children, and armed men, whose weapons were in
their hands. Such was their size, that each of them was paddled by
nearly forty people. In pursuance of our arrangement, we passed through
the midst of them, but could see nothing; and we had advanced a few
yards, when on looking behind us, we discovered that the war-canoes had
been turned round, and were swiftly pursuing us. Appearances were
hostile; the apprehension of danger suddenly flashed across my mind; we
endeavoured and struggled hard to escape; but fear had taken possession
of the minds of my companions, and as they were unable to exert
themselves we did not get on; all was vain. Our canoe was overtaken in a
moment, and nearly sent under water by the violence with which her
pursuer dashed against her; a second crash threw two or three of the
Damuggoo people overboard, and by the shock of the third she capsized
and sunk. All this seemed the work of enchantment, so quickly did events
succeed each other; yet, in this interval, a couple of ill-looking
fellows had jumped into our canoe, and in the confusion which prevailed,
began emptying it of its contents with astonishing celerity.
‘On finding myself in the water, my first care was, very naturally, to
get out again; and therefore looking round on a hundred ruffians, in
whose countenances I could discern not a single trace of gentleness or
pity, I swam to a large canoe, apart from the others, in which I
observed two females, and some little ones,—for in their breasts,
thought I, compassion and tenderness must surely dwell. Perceiving my
design, a sturdy man of gigantic stature, such as little children dream
of, black as a coal, and with a most hideous countenance, suddenly
sprang towards me, and stooping down, he laid hold of my arm, and
snatched me with a violent jerk out of the water, letting me fall like a
log into the canoe, without speaking a word.
‘I soon recovered, and sat up with my companions, the women and
children, and discovered them wiping tears from their faces. In
momentary expectation of a barbarous and painful death, “for what else,”
said I to myself, “can all this lead to?” the scene around me produced
little impression upon my mind; my thoughts were wandering far away, and
this day I thought was to be my last. I was meditating in this manner,
heedless of all that was going on around me, and reckless of what came
next, when I looked up and saw my brother at a little distance, gazing
steadfastly upon me; when he saw that I observed him, he held up his arm
with a sorrowful look, and pointed his finger to the skies. O! how
distinctly and eloquently were all the emotions of his soul at that
moment depicted in his countenance! Who could not understand him? He
would have said, “Trust in God!” I was touched with grief. Thoughts of
home and friends rushed upon my mind, and almost overpowered me. My
heart hovered over the scenes of infancy and boyhood. O how vividly did
early impressions return to my soul! But such feelings could be indulged
only for a moment. Recollecting myself, I bade them, as I thought, an
everlasting adieu; and weaning my heart and thoughts from all worldly
associations, with fervour I invoked the God of my life, before whose
awful throne I imagined we should shortly appear, for fortitude and
consolation in the hour of trial. My heart became subdued and softened;
my mind regained its serenity and composure; and though there was
nothing but tumult and distraction without, within all was tranquillity
and resignation.
‘On account of the eagerness and anxiety with which every one
endeavoured to get near us in order to share the expected plunder, and
the confusion which prevailed in consequence, many of the war-canoes
clashed against each other with such violence, that three or four of
them were upset at one time, and the scene which ensued baffles all
description. Men, women and children, clinging to their floating
property, were struggling in the river, and screaming and crying out as
loud as they were able, to be saved from drowning. Those that were more
fortunate, were beating their countrymen off from getting into their
canoes, by striking their heads and hands with paddles, as they laid
hold of the sides and nearly upset them. When the noise and disorder had
in some measure ceased, my brother’s canoe and that which I was in were
by the side of each other, and he instantly took his shirt from his
back, and threw it over me, for I was naked. I then stepped into his
canoe; for whatever might be our fate, it would be a mournful kind of
pleasure to comfort and console one another in the hour of trial and
suffering. But I had no sooner done so, than I was dragged back again by
a powerful arm, which I could not resist, and commanded by furious
gestures to sit still on my peril.
‘Unwilling to aggravate our condition by obstinacy or bravado, which
would have been vain and ridiculous, I made no reply, but did as I was
desired, and silently watched the motions of our keepers. Now there were
still other canoes passing by on their way to the market-place, and
amongst them was one of extraordinary size. Fancying it to be neutral,
and hoping to make a diversion in our favour, I beckoned to those who
were in it, and saluted them in the most friendly manner. But their
savage bosoms were impenetrable to feeling. Surely they are destitute of
all the amiable charities of life. I almost doubted whether they were
human beings. Their hideous features were darkened by a terrible scowl;
they mocked me, clapped their hands, and thumped upon a sullen drum;
then with a loud and scornful laugh, the barbarians dashed their paddles
into the water and went their way. This was a severe mortification; I
felt confused and abashed; and my heart seemed to shrink within itself.
I made no more such trials.’
Seeing my brother swimming in the river, and people clinging on to what
they could, I endeavoured all in my power to induce the people of my
canoe to go to him. But all I could do was in vain. Fearing that those
in the water might upset the canoe by getting into her, or that she
would be overloaded with them, they kept aloof and let them take their
chance. My feelings at that moment were not to be described; I saw my
brother nearly exhausted, and could render him no assistance, in
addition to our luggage being plundered and sunk; and I had just formed
the resolution of jumping into the water after him when I saw him picked
up.
The canoes near me, as well as mine, hastened to a small sand island in
the river, at a short distance from the market, and my brother arrived
soon afterwards. In a short time the Damuggoo people made their
appearance, and also the chief of Bonny’s messenger, having like
ourselves lost everything they had of their own property as well as
their master’s. This was in consequence of the confusion which had taken
place; for these people, no doubt, had they been recognised, would not
have been molested. We were all obliged to remain in our respective
canoes, and made rather a sorry appearance in consequence of the
treatment we had received, which was increased by the tears and
lamentations of our own canoe-men, as well as those of Damuggoo, and
neither my brother nor myself were in a condition to offer them any
consolation.
We had been lying at the island; but now the war-canoes were all formed
into a line and paddled into the market-place before alluded to, which
is called _Kirree_, and which likewise was the place of their
destination. Here we were informed that a _palàver_ would be held, to
take the whole affair into consideration; and about ten in the morning,
a multitude of men landed from the canoes, to ‘hold a council of war,’
if it may be so termed. For our parts we were not suffered to go on
shore; but constrained to remain in the canoes, without a covering for
the head, and exposed to the heat of a burning sun. A person in a
Mahomedan dress, who we learnt afterwards was a native of a place near
Funda, came to us, and endeavoured to cheer us, by saying that our
hearts must not be sore,—that at the palàver which would be held, we had
plenty of friends to speak for us. That all the people in the Mahomedan
dresses who had come from Funda to attend the market, were our friends,
besides a great number of females who were well dressed in silk of
different colours. These women wore large ivory anklets of about four or
five pounds weight, and bracelets of the same material, but not so
large. About twenty canoes full of Damuggoo people had arrived from the
various towns near Damuggoo. These persons having heard how we had been
treated, also became our friends, so that we now began to think there
was a chance of our escaping, and this intelligence put us into better
spirits.
A short time before noon, the river being pretty clear, several guns
were fired as a signal for all the canoes to repair to the market and
attend the palàver. Eager to learn the result of the discussion at the
assembly, in which we were so intimately concerned, but without the
means of gaining any intelligence, we passed the hours in fearful
suspense, yielding by turns to the pleasing illusions of hope, and the
gloomy forebodings of despair.
The heat of the sun to which we were exposed was excessive, and having
no shirt on even to protect my shoulders from the scorching rays, I
contrived to borrow an old cloth from one of the canoe-men, who spoke a
little English. Some of the market-women came down to our canoe, and
looked on us with much concern and pity, spreading their hands out, as
much as to say, God has saved you from a cruel death. They then retired,
and in a few minutes afterwards returned, bringing with them a bunch of
plantains and two cocoa-nuts. This was an acceptable offering, and we
gladly took it and divided it among our people and ourselves.
A stir was now made in the market, and a search commenced through all
the canoes for our goods, some of which were found, although the greater
part of them were at the bottom of the river. These were landed and
placed in the middle of the market-place. We were now invited by the
Mallams to land, and told to look at our goods and see if they were all
there. To my great satisfaction I immediately recognized the box
containing our books, and one of my brother’s journals. The medicine-
chest was by its side, but both were filled with water. A large carpet
bag, containing all our wearing apparel, was lying cut open, and
deprived of its contents, with the exception of a shirt, a pair of
trousers, and a waistcoat. Many valuable articles which it had contained
were gone. The whole of my journal, with the exception of a note-book
with remarks from Rabba to this place, was lost. Four guns, one of which
had been the property of the late Mr. Park, four cutlasses, and two
pistols were gone. Nine elephant’s tusks, the finest I had seen in the
country, which had been given us by the Kings of Wowow and Boossà, a
quantity of ostrich feathers, some handsome leopard skins, a great
variety of seeds, all our buttons, cowries and needles, which were
necessary for us to purchase provisions with,—all were missing, and said
to have been sunk in the river. The two boxes and the bag were all that
could be found.
We had been desired to seat ourselves, which, as soon as we had done, a
circle gathered round us, and began questioning us; but at that moment
the sound of screams and the clashing of arms reached the spot; and the
multitude catching fire at the noise, drew their swords, and leaving us
to ourselves they ran away to the place whence it proceeded. The poor
women were hurrying with their little property towards the river from
all directions, and imagining that we ourselves might be trampled under
foot, were we to remain longer sitting on the ground, we joined the
flying fugitives, and all rushing into the water, sprang into canoes,
and pushed off the land, whither our pursuers dared not follow us. The
origin of all this was a desire for more plunder on the part of the Eboe
people. Seeing the few things of ours in the market-place which had been
taken from their canoes, they made a rush to the place to recover them.
The natives, who were Kirree people, stood ready for them, armed with
swords, daggers, and guns; and the savage Eboes finding themselves
foiled in the attempt, retreated to their canoes without risking an
attack, although we fully expected to have been spectators of a furious
and bloody battle. The noise and uproar which this produced were
dreadful, and beyond all description.
This after all was a fortunate circumstance, inasmuch as my brother and
I, having unconsciously jumped into the same canoe, found ourselves in
each other’s company, and were thus afforded, for a short time at least,
the pleasure of conversing without interruption; and he then related to
me all that had happened to him since the morning. Like me he had no
foresight of mischief, or apprehensions of danger, and therefore he took
no means whatever of shunning the immense canoes which he perceived were
approaching him with their large flags. But on the contrary these
striking and uncommon appendages, to which neither of us had been
accustomed, served to excite his curiosity and win his admiration rather
than awaken any fear or suspicion of danger.
The palàver not having yet concluded, we had full leisure to contemplate
the scene around us. We had moored a little way from the banks of the
river: in front of us was the market-place, which was crammed with
people, from all parts of the neighbouring country, of different
tribes,—a great multitude of wild men, of ferocious aspect, and savage
uncouth manners. To these belonged the choice, either of giving us life
and liberty, or dooming us to slavery or death. In the latter
determination their minds might be swayed by suspicion or caprice, or
influenced by hatred; in the former they might be guided by the hopes of
gain, or biassed by the fears of punishment,—for many of them had come
from the sea-coast, and such an adventure as ours could not long remain
concealed from the knowledge of our countrymen. The shore for a long way
was lined with their canoes, having the colours of various European
nations waving from long poles, which were fastened to the seats.
Several of these had as many as three flags in each; they were all of
immense size, and fringed with blue cotton (baft) cut into scollops.
Besides these there were others of the strangest and most grotesque
patterns, such as representations of wild beasts, men’s legs, wine
glasses, decanters, and things of still more whimsical shapes. Whence
the barbarians procured these emblematical banners we cannot tell; but
we understand that each tribe has its own peculiar flags, which are
unfurled whenever they undertake any enterprise of importance. Canoes
were likewise stationed near an island or sand-bank in the middle of the
river, which we considered to be neutral, as their owners did not seem
to interfere with the proceedings of the day. But there happened to be
among the savages a few well-dressed Mahomedan priests, who had come
late to the market from the northward. These were decidedly our friends.
Many times they blessed us with uplifted hands and compassionate
countenances, exclaiming ‘_Alla Sullikee!_’ (God is King!) Nor did they
confine themselves to simple expressions of pity or concern but, as we
subsequently learnt, they joined the assembly, and spoke in our favour
with warmth and energy, taxing those who had assaulted us with
cowardice, cruelty, and wrong, and proposing to have them beheaded on
the spot as a just punishment for their crime. This was bold language,
but it produced a salutary effect on the minds of the hearers.
The women and children took charge of the canoes whilst their husbands
and fathers were on shore. From the former we received little presents
of bananas and cocoa-nuts, which were our only food during the day, but
with the latter we had little communication. Both men and women wore
immensely-large ivory rings on their legs and arms, which were at least
an inch in thickness, and six inches in depth; and these ornaments were
so heavy and inconvenient, that when the females walked, they appeared
the most awkward and ungraceful creatures in the world; in fact they
could not walk without producing a collision of these unwieldy rings.
The women’s necks and bosoms were likewise decorated with strings of
coral and other beads, but their dress was confined to a piece of
figured cotton, encircling the waists and extending halfway down the
leg.
At about three in the afternoon we were ordered to return to the small
island from whence we had come, and the setting of the sun being the
signal for the council to dissolve, we were again sent for to the
market. The people had been engaged in deliberation and discussion
during the whole of the day, and with throbbing hearts we received their
resolution in nearly the following words:—‘That the king of the country
being absent, they had taken upon themselves to consider the occurrence
which had taken place in the morning, and to give judgment accordingly.
Those of our things which had been saved from the water should be
restored to us, and the person that had first commenced the attack on my
brother should lose his head, as a just retribution for his offence,
having acted without his chief’s permission; that with regard to us, we
must consider ourselves as prisoners, and consent to be conducted on the
following morning to _Obie_, king of the _Eboe_ country, before whom we
should undergo an examination, and whose will and pleasure concerning
our persons would then be explained.’ We received the intelligence with
feelings of rapture, and with bursting hearts we offered up thanks to
our Divine Creator for his signal preservation of us throughout this
disastrous day.
It was, perhaps, fortunate for us that we had no article of value which
the natives were at all solicitous about; and to this circumstance,
added to the envy of those who had joined in the conquest, but who had
not shared the plunder, may chiefly be attributed, under Providence, the
preservation of our lives. Our medicine-chest, and a trunk containing
books, &c., which were all spoiled by the water, were subsequently
restored to us; but our wearing apparel, Mr. Park’s double-barrelled
gun, the loss of which we particularly regretted, and all our muskets,
swords, and pistols, with those of our men, were sunk or missing. We
likewise lost the elephant’s teeth given us by the kings of Boossà and
Wowow, a few natural curiosities, our compass and thermometers, my own
journal, my brother’s memorandum, note and sketch-books, with a small
part of his journal and other books which were open in the canoe,
besides all our cowries and needles, so that we are left completely
destitute, to the mercy of we know not whom.
The object of the barbarians in coming so far from home was never
correctly explained to us; but we have no doubt that it was from motives
of plunder, which had our party been larger was to have been carried
into effect on an extensive scale. But the capture of two white men,
supposed to have valuable goods with them, seems to have disconcerted
all their plans for the present by producing division and distrust
amongst them. However it was apparent to us that all these savage
warriors had left their country not only to plunder whatever might
happen to fall in their way, but likewise to attend two or three markets
near _Kirree_, for the purpose of trading with the natives whenever they
might fancy themselves not sufficiently powerful to take away their
property without fighting and bloodshed. For this purpose they were
amply furnished with various commodities, such as powder, muskets,
cutlasses, knives, cotton cloths, earthenware, skins of wild animals,
mats, sweet potatoes, cassada root, and a very large kind of straw hat
which they would exchange for slaves, ivory, yams, and palm-oil. It was
evident also at Kirree that more than one party of these robbers had
made several attempts at plunder, and it was equally notorious that they
had been many times repulsed. Hence the dreadful screaming at the
market, and the state of hurry, tumult, and alarm that prevailed therein
during the whole of the day.
In the evening, when everything was quiet, fires were kindled in all the
canoes, for dressing provisions, and there being a vast number of them,
the Niger was illuminated by streams of yellow light, which produced a
highly romantic, but melancholy effect. It was a time fitted for
adoration and thanksgiving to the beneficent Creator and Monarch of all.
But alas! how few hereabouts are bending the knee to him; how few are
lifting up their hearts to his mercy-seat!
The Kirree people are a savage-looking race. They are amazingly strong
and athletic, and are also well-proportioned. Their only clothing is the
skin either of a leopard or tiger fastened round their waist. Their hair
is plaited, and plastered with red clay in abundance, and their face is
full of incisions in every part of it; these are cut into the flesh so
as to produce deep furrows, each incision being about a quarter of an
inch long, and dyed with indigo. It is scarcely possible to make out a
feature of their face, and I have never seen Indians more disfigured.
The Eboe women have handsome features, and we could not help thinking it
a pity that such savage-looking fellows as the men should be blessed
with so handsome a race of females. The mark of the Eboe people is the
point of an arrow pricked in each temple, the end being next to the eye.
We are informed that the leading man, who commanded the first canoe that
attacked us in the river this morning, is confined in double irons, and
condemned to die by the people who are friends at this place. It is said
they have taken our treatment up with so much determination to do us
justice, that if the king of Eboe, whose subject he is, refuses to put
him to death, no more of his canoes will be allowed to come to this
country to trade. His wives have been crying round him and making great
lamentation.
About seven in the evening large heavy clouds ascending from the
horizon, covered the stars like a shroud; a total darkness prevailed,
and we were presently visited by a storm, which generally follows a very
sultry day; but although it was violent, it was short. The rain
descended in torrents, the wind howled through the trees, and all the
fires were extinguished in a moment. Our canoe was half filled with
water, and ourselves completely drenched; but notwithstanding these
inconveniencies and discouragements, we lay down as well as we could to
sleep till morning, for nature was wearied out with a long day of
anxiety and fatigue.