My lonely Situation--Akwoaay, its Population, &c.--Kind
Reception by the Gadadoo--Native House of two Stories--Gigantic
Cotton-tree--Etay, a Vegetable of the Yam tribe--Voracity of the
Natives--Soil, Manufactures, &c. of Akwoaay--Natives of Porto
Sogoora--Visit of the Caboceer--Mode of catching Crabs--Great
Heat--Visit from Native Women--Mr. Lawson of Popoe--Character of the
Natives--Attempt at Murder--Nocturnal Visit--Superstition--Vicinity
of a Fetish-house--Flocks of Monkeys--The Monkey, an article
of Food--Disagreeable Situation--Cravings of Hunger--Visit to
the Greejee Market--An Alligator killed--Usual Notice to the
Authorities on such occasions--The Alligator used as Food--Cruelty
of the Natives to the Horse--Return to Whydah--Bad Conduct of my
Canoemen--Adventures--Arrival at Whydah--Preparations for my Journey
to Abomey--Country around Whydah--Farms--Emigrants from Sierra
Leone Slave-dealers--Generosity of the King of Dahomey--Soil of
Whydah--Corn-mill--Ferns, Vegetables, Fruits, &c.
I now began to reflect a little on the occurrences of the morning,
with feelings mingled alternately with anger and regret. Sometimes I
felt vexed that I had not punished the villany shown towards me more
severely, at others I regretted breaking the old man’s musket, and that
I had perhaps disabled him for life. This was the first time that
I had ever felt the loneliness of my situation in Africa. As soon,
however, as my thoughts turned upon something else this melancholy
feeling was forgotten, and my men with much satisfaction gaily urged
our canoe down the stream till they reached the lake, which being at
this time rather rough, our progress was slow till we reached towards
the windward side, where the water was more calm. This lake, the extent
of which I have already mentioned, is during the dry season not more
than four feet and a half deep upon an average.
After passing down the lake four or five miles, I determined to visit a
town of considerable size on the left bank. This town is named Akwoaay,
and may contain seven or eight thousand inhabitants. It is beautifully
situated on a rising ground, shaded with fine trees of different
descriptions. The houses are built of better materials and proportion
than those of any of the towns I had visited on the banks of the river
between Whydah and this place. The caboceer is also called gadadoo,
which he claims as his name, as well as marking the rank he holds as
ruler or king.
Akwoaay, Porto Sogoora, Greejee, Popoe, Ahguay, Grand Popoe, and some
other towns on the lagoon, are all independent settlements, with
their own chief or king and government, for they have repelled all
advances made by the Dahomans. Upon my landing at Akwoaay, I was met
by the gadadoo, who kindly invited me to his house to drink some peto
with him. I accepted his invitation with great satisfaction, as also
did the whole of my party. He had just completed a new house of two
stories, which had been planned by a krooman who had at a former period
been to England in a merchant-ship. He evinced no small satisfaction
in showing us up-stairs, though his upper room was only capable of
admitting a person in a crouching position; still it was enough to make
an uncivilized African proud to imagine that he occupied a palace equal
to the sovereign of England. His house was about twenty feet long by
twelve broad, and, including both stories, ten feet in height. In reply
to his question, what sort of a house the Queen of England occupied, I
told him that her palace was much larger than his whole town, and ten
times higher. At this he seemed astonished and incredulous. However,
his kindness was nothing abated, and after we had satisfied ourselves
with peto, he ordered fish to be cooked with palm-oil, and plenty of
meal from the maize or Indian corn.
While this meal was being prepared, the gadadoo accompanied us
round the town, where I shot plenty of pigeons, which are here
very numerous. At this place I measured a cotton-tree, and found it
forty-two feet in circumference. Here I also found a root used for food
of a description I have not seen in any other part of Africa. It is
called by the natives _etay_, and is of the yam tribe. It tastes very
sweet, and is about the firmness of an English potato, about eighteen
inches long, and in the middle about ten inches thick. It tapers from
the upper end, but not so much as a carrot. After our walk, the gadadoo
led us again back to his house, and dinner being ready mine was served
up by itself in two calabashes, the fish stewed in palm-oil in one,
and boiled corn in the other. Unfortunately my host possessed neither
spoon nor knife; but I sent my boy to the canoe for both; the rest of
the party, of course, never made use of any convenience beyond their
fingers, which they used with great dexterity, each endeavouring to
cope with the others. This feeling of competition exists amongst them
only when eating or stealing. They eat enormously at all times when
they find an opportunity of doing so at the expense of others, but
when at their own they are capable of sustaining hunger for a length
of time. The old gadadoo seemed to enjoy the scene, looking on with
as much pleasure as if he were partaking of the fare; as also did the
crowd outside, who could at a little distance see all our manœuvres,
the windows being so low. All seemed astonished to see a white man eat
with a knife and fork. This was the first time a white man had visited
this place within the remembrance of the present population.
After dinner we again partook of some peto, drinking the gadadoo’s
health, who was apparently about sixty or seventy years of age. He
then accompanied us to the beach, inviting me several times to come
again and visit his country. The crowd was very great; even as high
as the armpits the people stood in hundreds in the water, to catch a
glimpse of the white man. I had some slight apprehensions respecting my
luggage and instruments in the canoe; but every thing came off well.
This was one of the very few places near the coast where I experienced
hospitality from a native without some pecuniary motive. The gadadoo
was first made aware that I had nothing with me to offer him, but
mildly replied that he required nothing, and was too proud that his
town was honoured by a visit from a white man. He is beloved by his
people for his mild government.
The situation and construction of the town, its manufacture of
cotton cloths, and its advantages for agriculture, render it a much
superior town to any on the lake between this place and Whydah.
Round the immediate neighbourhood of the town the soil is of a light
red, excellent for corn, maniocs, melons, gourds, and all sorts of
vegetables. At some little distance behind, where the land is lower,
the soil is a black sandy loam, and produces excellent yams.
After parting with our venerable host, we pushed off, and made direct
for Porto Sogoora, which place we reached about half an hour before
sunset. The caboceer’s principal people were all on the beach,
anxiously awaiting our return, and in fact a party of sundry canoes
was ordered to go in search of us, had we not made our appearance at
the time we did. The old caboceer was very much pleased to hear of my
safe return by a messenger who preceded us. He was just setting out to
meet me when I arrived at his house. After relating my adventure he
pretended to be in a great rage at the conduct of the people whom he
had sent as my canoemen, and threatened to punish them severely; but as
one was his near relation, I suppose he considered the punishment I had
already inflicted upon them sufficient.
Amongst all the neighbouring towns, Porto Sogoora bears a very bad
character. Its natives, in general, are considered to be very great
thieves, and even murderers when an opportunity presents itself.
However, I cannot say that I found them at all deserving such an
opinion, as far as my experience went: to be sure, they were well
paid for any accommodation or civility shown me on their part. After
supper I went to bed, and slept soundly; my accommodation being rather
superior to most of the natives. The house where I slept belonged
to Henrique, already mentioned in a former part of my journal. His
principal residence is at Ahguay, but this house is occupied by him
when at Porto Sogoora. He was now with Mr. James Hanson, accompanying
Mr. Hutton as far as the Volta, on his return to Cape Coast, so that
his apartments were appropriated to my services.
March 10th.--Early in the morning, the caboceer and his principal
captains paid me a visit, as is customary in this country. Of course
he expected to drink with me. This caused me to expend the last of my
stock of a drinkable description. As I had expected Mr. Hanson and
Henrique to return that night, I did not anticipate that I should be in
want of anything, particularly as I scarcely ever drink spirits of any
kind myself, though in some places, where the water is very bad, it is
requisite to mix a little spirit with it. After breakfast I determined
to examine the town, which is about a quarter of a mile from the beach.
Between the town and the beach are beautiful ever-green shrubs, of
various kinds, bearing delicious, sweet, acid fruits.
Upon reaching the beach I observed a vessel coming from the windward,
at a considerable distance. By her rigging I soon perceived that
she was a slaver, felucca-rigged. This vessel was taken a few days
afterwards by the _Hydra_ steamer. Here I observed a singular mode of
catching crabs. A hole is dug in the sand, a little out of high-water
mark: this hole is about two feet deep and one foot eight inches in
diameter at the bottom, closing to eight inches diameter at the top.
Round the hole, at a few inches distant, is strewed _kankie_, crumbled
into small pieces, like crumbled bread. Early in the morning the
crab-catcher visits his numerous traps along the beach, and, upon his
approach, these land-crabs run into the hole to conceal themselves,
and before they have time to burrow into the sand they are taken and
put into a basket. Great numbers are caught in this way. But no other
fish here is taken from the sea, the lagoon furnishing ample supplies
for consumption, as well as large quantities to dry and send into the
interior.
The town of Porto Sogoora is built on a bank of white loose sand, no
doubt thrown up from the sea, which has occasioned the lagoon behind.
Here the sun acts with great power; Fahrenheit’s thermometer ranging
at Porto Sogoora, at this date, from 78° to 86°, and on one occasion to
87°.
After returning home, I was beset by a number of women, who remained in
the doorways; several, indeed, ventured inside during my dinner-time.
This freedom I did not much relish, and desired my servant to ask them
what they wanted. They replied that their object was to obtain a dram
of rum, and offer themselves as wives, saying that every great man had
a number of wives, and knowing me to be a stranger with no wife, they
supposed that of course I wanted a few. Being informed that I was only
a traveller, and did not intend to remain more than a day or two, they
all seemed disappointed, saying they had heard that I was a rich man
come to Porto Sogoora to establish a factory, and buy palm-oil and
corn. This idea probably had its origin from the caboceer offering to
build me a house and store for my factory, provided I would remain here
and establish one.
The caboceer remarked that the people of Ahguay had unjustly given
his people a very bad name, which not only prevented white men
from visiting and trading in his town, but all the men-of-war from
purchasing stock from him. He also complained much of Mr. Lawson, of
Popoe, as an inveterate enemy, and one of the principal slave-dealers
on the coast. One of his headmen also assured me that another person,
an Englishman, was a regular slave-dealer; but, at present, I deem
it prudent, in the absence of unquestionable evidence, to withhold
the name of the individual, although I have heard the same story from
parties whose veracity I cannot doubt.
With respect to the character given of the people at Porto Sogoora
by the natives of Popoe and Ahguay, I believe it to be not without
good foundation. Only a very short time ago the master of a slaver,
while being landed from his vessel by a party of canoemen belonging to
the caboceer of Porto Sogoora, was purposely upset, with the view of
getting possession of his money, which he had brought for payment of
the slaves, and which they supposed to be contained in a writing-desk
which he had with him. They were disappointed, however; for though they
got possession of the desk, the master had taken the precaution to send
the money ashore previously in an old cask. When they found in the
desk nothing but the ship’s papers; they gave them up to some of the
slave-dealers, but the vessel was gone, and was captured the following
morning after sailing.
During the night I was awoke by a violent wrenching at my bed-room
door; and my double-barrelled gun being invariably my bedfellow at
this place, I sat up in my bed, which faced the door, with my gun
ready. After demanding who was there, I heard some person fall over a
stool in running away. At this moment I had almost fired, but heard the
Cape Coast boy’s voice outside. He detained the party, who proved to be
one of the women who had offered her services to me in the morning. Her
motives were probably to steal something; however, upon being informed
of her narrow escape, she promised not to annoy me any more, and was
suffered to depart.
On the following morning, March 11th, I went out with a view to shoot
some pigeons for breakfast, accompanied by my Cape Coast boy, and the
servant furnished by Mr. Hanson of Ahguay. Not finding any pigeons, and
my cowries being all expended, and being without breakfast, I went a
little distance into the bush, or thick wood. We passed along a narrow
path some distance, till we came to two sticks, stuck up, one on each
side of the path, with a small piece of white cotton rag on the top of
each. The boys declared that it would be at the peril of my life if I
proceeded any farther in that direction, for this was the road to a
fetish-house; and the fetish-man had stuck up those sticks as a warning
not to attempt to proceed any farther. I pretended, however, not to
comprehend their palaver, and walked on till I was some distance past
the spot, when I looked round, and ordered them to come on; but they
stood trembling watching, expecting to see me drop down dead. After
many assurances of the absurdity of such superstition, they were at
last induced to follow me. Such is the infatuation of the people all
along the west coast, and in fact in most places I have yet visited in
the interior.
Soon after passing the fetish bar, I observed a flock of monkeys
passing from one tree to another, as nimble as so many squirrels, some
with a young one hanging to their breast. My boys called the young one
a child. I shot one, which we carried home and skinned. My boys assured
me that they were excellent food, and were eaten by all the natives of
this place. However, in the morning, I could not persuade myself to
partake of any of the monkey, but determined to wait and see whether
Mr. Hanson would return. I looked for him hourly, as it was now two
days past the time he expected to be back when he left me. However,
dinner-time came, and I was still fasting. The boys had cooked the
monkey very well, with some palm-oil and vegetables, making a very
fine soup. Seeing them relish it so much, I was at last, through the
cravings of an empty stomach, induced to eat some of it. It certainly
was very sweet, and had I not known what it was, I should probably
have relished it much better.
Evening arrived, and Mr. Hanson had not returned. I was now compelled
to make another search for something to eat. It being evening, I found
plenty of pigeons; for, during the heat of the day, all birds seek
the shade in the bush, and remain quiet till the afternoon or early
in the morning. I had no vegetable, however, of any description.
After some consideration, I fell upon a scheme which succeeded well,
and through which I got a sufficient supply of cowries. I possessed
a sovereign; and although I knew it was not current here, I sent to
the caboceer, requesting him to furnish me with change, as I was now
without cowries. At first, he could not comprehend my meaning, but
after it was explained to him, he offered to lend me some cowries,
which accommodation was all that I required, and I borrowed fifteen
strings, valued at one shilling and threepence currency. This supplied
me till Mr. Hanson’s return early on the morning of the 13th, when,
after remaining two hours, we embarked, and sailed down the lagoon to
Ahguay, which place we reached a little after sunset.
March 15th.--Mr. Hanson, of Ahguay, myself, and a young Portuguese,
went up the lagoon to visit the Greejee market, and also to endeavour
to kill an alligator. We only saw two on our passage up; but on our
return, in the afternoon, we first observed one of small dimensions,
about five feet and a half. It was close to the water’s edge, under
the boughs of a low shrub. I fired with a rifle and struck it, but
it dropped instantly into the water, and we made no search after it.
However, in ten minutes after, we were more fortunate. One of the
canoemen observed a large one on the banks several yards from the
water, apparently fast asleep. After getting the canoe quite steady, I
fired, and shot it through the hardest part of its back; upon which it
rushed into the water. After looking about some time, and being about
to leave the spot, giving up the search, Mr. Hanson observed at a short
distance the enormous head of this monster resting on a broken stake
of the fishing-hurdle across the river, the head only above the water.
I fired a second shot, which knocked out its eye and carried away
part of its skull, upon which it sunk into the water, but immediately
rose again to the surface. I then took a sword belonging to the young
Portuguese, and ran it into its belly, which was now uppermost, when it
again sank to the bottom. Considering it now quite dead, I ordered the
canoemen to get into the water and secure it, but all at once we lost
it, owing to the muddiness of the water, caused by the men disturbing
the bottom. However, it was very fortunate that we did lose it at this
time, as it proved that it was only pretending to be dead, for it was
perceived twenty yards higher up the stream still strong, although
in this mutilated state. We again commenced our hunt, but before we
reached it, the old fisherman had lodged two harpoons in its back. It
still continuing to struggle, and appearing strong, I lodged another
shot in its head, which being previously shattered, completely smashed
it. After a few convulsive struggles, we secured this creature to the
stern of the canoe, with a rope borrowed from the fisherman.
After our return to Ahguay we were obliged to give notice to the
caboceer of our having killed this alligator; for, as the gall of the
animal is a very virulent poison, notice is directed to be given on
all such occasions to the headman or caboceer, in order to prevent
its being used unlawfully. Men are then sent to take out the gall and
throw it into the river, cutting the gall-bladder first. The animal
is then delivered to the person who kills it. The alligator is eaten
in many parts of Africa, and is said to impart courage to the eater.
Be this as it may, I myself would rather prefer remaining deficient
in courage than partake of such food. The alligator we took measured
eight feet four inches. I have described the capture of this monster
to remove an absurd notion entertained by some, that a bullet cannot
penetrate the hard part of the alligator’s back. This is the third
proof to the contrary within my own experience. Although in each case
the ball struck the animal above the round, and on the hardest part of
the back, it in no case deviated from the true line from the barrel of
the gun. I believe this erroneous opinion to have arisen either from
the animal getting away after being wounded, or that the party, firing
unseasonably, laid the blame on the skin or crust of the animal as
being too hard, or the bullet for not penetrating, when, in fact, the
animal was not struck at all.
Mr. James Hanson, being anxious to render me assistance, as well as his
generous employer, kindly offered to lend me his horse. Unfortunately,
the poor animal was at the time in a wretched state; for, although
Mr. Hanson never rode the animal himself, his generosity would never
allow him to refuse to lend his horse to any one who desired it. In
consequence of his lending it to a Portuguese slave-dealer, named
Gonzago, who possessed not a spark of humanity, but rode the poor beast
with an old saddle much too large, and with scarcely any padding, the
iron of the tree resting on the back-bone, had caused two dreadful
ulcers. This, and neglect in food, no doubt had reduced the poor
horse to its wretched condition. The people, I have said already, are
void either of sympathy or gratitude, even in their own families;
and the poor horse is not held in half so much esteem as the swine,
because they cannot eat it. It may remain tied up without food or
water until it perish, if left to a negro’s discretion. However, as
some considerable time must elapse before I commence my journey to the
interior, owing to the King of Dahomey not having returned from his
slave-hunt, I knew that by proper treatment I could soon get the animal
into good condition.
I accepted, therefore, the offer of the horse, and on the morning of
the 17th March I left Ahguay for Whydah again, accompanied by the
master of an American schooner, named Pearce, taking with us a small
canoe with two men to carry the horse. All went on well for a few
miles, with the exception of the American, who was sick and feverish.
After passing down the lagoon six miles, the horse fell overboard, and
I was compelled to go into the water to get him in again. Before we
reached Grand Popoe the horse had been upset six times, and as often
was I compelled to go into the water after him.
On our arrival at Popoe, which is half way from Ahguay to Whydah, we
remained about an hour to refresh our canoemen, and then we resumed our
passage. Being occupied with the mapping of the course and soundings of
the lagoon, I did not observe, till we had proceeded six miles, that
the two fellows had made off up another river to the northward, with a
view of stealing the horse. Upon this I ordered my canoe to return in
search of the villains, and overtook them opposite a town also named
Popoe the Little. On finding themselves discovered, they ran the canoe
ashore, and deserted her. I caught one of them, and hired another,
taking care to keep the horse ahead till we again reached Grand Popoe,
when the men again ran the canoe ashore, while I was purchasing
palm-oil.
My American friend expressed some timidity at being without a light
now night had come on, he having a few doubloons in his pocket, and
having to pass the place where two years ago the Hamburgh supercargo
was murdered. A second time I caught the men; and, after a few good
blows with my stick, I pushed them into the canoe, with a promise
and determination that I would shoot the first man who attempted to
disobey my orders. I remained in the canoe with the horse some time,
till, owing to the great weight and the struggling of the horse (though
small), the little canoe again upset in the middle of the stream,
now more than ten feet deep. The horse fell on me, but we both got
ashore well, and I again got the horse into the canoe, and determined
to remain in it, and hold the horse. Mr. Pearce, however, being sick,
and not relishing being alone (with the exception of his servant) with
four ruffian-like canoemen, I made a switch and put on the horse,
sending one canoeman from my own canoe to hold him the remainder of the
distance.
My clothes being entirely soaked, I changed my dress and drank a glass
of grog, which was the last of our first bottle. We expected that we
had another, as Mr. Hanson on the previous evening had ordered two
bottles to be packed in our provision-box, one of wine and the other
of gin. But, during the night, one of the men who had packed it had
substituted a bottle of water for it. This is only a slight specimen of
the roguery of this race, on whom England has spent millions, without
one spark of gratitude in return.
All now went pretty well, Captain Pearce and myself enjoying our cigar
till we came to the toll-bar across the river, which is always shut
at twelve o’clock, to prevent any one passing without being observed.
We stopped and hailed the toll-keeper, who very independently replied
we must wait till morning, though there is an order that the toll
shall be open at any time of the night. However, I went to work, and
soon destroyed the pins that secured the slip-bar.[13] My canoemen,
all this time, exhibited the greatest concern. The toll-keeper, upon
seeing the canoes pass through, vowed vengeance, and pursued us with
two canoes, determined to make us prisoners. But I told my canoemen not
to fear, nor yet surrender. My canoe being covered, our pursuers never
perceived me till I had my sword-blade close to the throat of one of
them; and, instead of taking us prisoners, I made them our prisoners.
They had muskets with them, it is true; but if taken suddenly and with
determination, they are great cowards. It is singular that the sight
of a sword alarms them more than that of a gun. After detaining the
men for some time, and taking them some distance from their home, we
allowed them to return.
At four o’clock we arrived at the ferry-house at Whydah, at which
place we remained till daylight, laughing at our vexatious journey, or
passage; and at eight o’clock we once more arrived at my friend Mr.
Hutton’s factory, English Fort, where we were cordially welcomed by
Mr. Robert Hanson and Mr. Roberts, agents for Mr. Hutton. I remained
at Whydah, awaiting intelligence of the King of Dahomey’s return from
his war, and the commencement of his custom, or holiday. During this
time I occupied myself in learning as much as possible of the manners
and habits of the people, as also the condition of the surrounding
country. My horse began rapidly to improve, and in a short time, with
great attention, the ulcers healed, and he would have been fit to ride,
but some villain gave him a dose of some vegetable poison, which nearly
killed him; still, by great care, he recovered much quicker than I
expected.
Mr. J. Hanson had lent me a military saddle of a light construction,
though a little too large, my horse being small, though considered
large in this country. With a little alteration and a fresh
pannel, however, I made the saddle fit well. I covered my holsters
with bear-skin from my helmet tuft, and made a new tuft of black
monkey-skin. I also made a crimson cotton velvet shabrack, trimmed
with scarlet cloth, and having a snaffle bridle I had brought from
England, as also some leather for reins, I made myself a curb, bit,
and chain, shoed my horse, and made some spare shoes. This occupied me
some considerable time, owing to the want of proper tools. My horse
was now strong, and capable of carrying me at a reasonable pace with
ease. Early in the mornings I took a ride, every morning changing my
direction, so that in a short time I knew much more of the surrounding
country than the oldest residents in Whydah. I also took a great deal
of walking exercise, which tends materially to promote good health.
The country ten or twelve miles round Whydah is very interesting, the
soil good, land level, and in many places well cultivated by people
returned from the Brazils, as I before stated. Since my last mention
of these people I learn that many of them were driven away from Brazil
on account of their being concerned in an attempted revolution amongst
the slaves there, who turned against their owners. These people are
generally from the Foolah and Eya countries. Many, it appears, were
taken away at the age of twenty or twenty-four years, consequently they
can give a full account of their route to Badagry, where they were
shipped. They are by far the most industrious people I have found.
Several very fine farms, about six or seven miles from Whydah, are in
a high state of cultivation. The houses are clean and comfortable, and
are situated in some of the most beautiful spots that imagination can
picture. It is truly gratifying to find unexpectedly a house where you
are welcomed in European fashion, and asked to take refreshment. I
invariably found upon inquiry that all these people had been slaves.
This would seem to prove that to this country slavery is not without
its good as well as bad effects.
There is another class of colonists, emancipated slaves from Sierra
Leone, who emigrated to Whydah, with the intention of farming; but they
are inferior in that science to the former class. Though most of them
can read, and write a little, unfortunately the male portion of them
appear nearly as indolent as the uncivilized native; notwithstanding
that the King of Dahomey has afforded them every encouragement, by
making them gratuitous grants of land on which they have built a small
town. Immediately adjoining, is their cultivated land, which is little
more than sufficient to meet their own consumption; but this is chiefly
owing to the jealousy of the great slave-merchants, who use their
combined influence to keep their produce out of the market. There is
consequently little stimulus to exertion in agriculture. Through some
means these colonists had been informed that I had come to Whydah
for the purpose of establishing a model farm; and I was consequently
waited upon by their headman, accompanied by several of his people,
at the English Fort. They offered to give up to me all the cultivated
land belonging to their settlement, upon condition of my affording
them employment on the farm when labour was required, as they said
that their united efforts, under a proper leader, would be worthy the
attention of some of the European merchants trading on that coast.
They all seemed much disappointed when I told them that I was not in
a position to accept their proposal. They derive support chiefly from
the females, who are during the season employed in the bush collecting
palm-nuts for making oil, for which a market can always be found.
Several are also engaged in washing, which they obtain from European
slave-agents, who are numerous here. I had during my residence in
this place a servant as interpreter, one of these colonists, who had
himself been a slave, but had been captured by a British cruiser while
on passage to Brazil, and carried to Sierra Leone, and there educated.
He afterwards emigrated to Understone or Abbakuta--that saintly place
of so many converts[14]--and commenced slave-dealing. While on his
passage, on board a slaver, he was again captured with several slaves
in his possession. The slaves were carried to Sierra Leone; but he
himself was with the crew of the slaver put on shore at Whydah, where
he is now a resident in the above settlement of liberated Africans
from Sierra Leone. He now practises as a quack doctor, and his wife
as a fetish-woman. I believe this is only one of many instances where
emigrants from Sierra Leone to Abbakuta, who, on being liberated from
slavery themselves, have commenced the same abominable traffic. In
spite of what has been said of the moral condition of the last-named
settlement, agriculture, commerce, and industry, in my opinion, will be
the only permanent means to improve and moralize those people.
On my visit to Sierra Leone, Dr. Oldfield, whose veracity cannot be
questioned, and whose position affords a superior knowledge of that
traffic, informed me that many of the slaves adjudicated upon at Sierra
Leone were obtained through the agency of the colonists of Abbakuta.
Does not this fact prove the necessity of devising some means to induce
the relinquishment of this unlawful traffic, and to the adoption of
honest and remunerative industry? On the coast, especially at Whydah,
a ready market might here always be found for corn and other produce,
as many ships leave this coast with only half a cargo. I feel confident
if a hundred steady men met with some encouragement to emigrate from
England as agriculturists and mechanics, they would do well in this
country, particularly as the King of Dahomey is so anxious that
Englishmen should settle here. I visited a farm-house where I found
a hand-mill for grinding corn and manioc. It was a large fly-wheel,
not placed horizontally, but perpendicular, like the barley mill: the
felloes of the wheel about six inches broad, and worked in a trough
of a semicircular form. The rim of this wheel is covered with sheet
copper, having small holes punched through. It is then nailed on the
rim with the rough side outwards. The wheel is turned in the same way
as a grindstone. The trough can be raised or lowered at will according
as they require it. This was made by the farmer himself near this place.
On the borders of a marsh I found some fern of various species, the
lady or female much resembling that in England, and the common fern
exactly the same as our English fern, with the exception of the size,
both species here being much larger. The lady fern measures five feet,
and the others six feet four inches. Mangoes, oranges, limes, three
different species of tamarinds, grow wild in this country, and many
other delicious fruits, with the names of which I am unacquainted;
amongst them a damson, very sweet when ripe, dark, brown, or red, and
of the size of a cherry.
FOOTNOTES:
[13] This toll-bar is composed of piles or stakes driven into the bed
of the lagoon, touching each other the whole distance across, leaving
a space sufficient for a canoe to pass, but after 12 A.M. secured from
passage by a slip-bar.
[14] See Mission Reports.