Set out on my Journey for Abomey--Savay--Torree--My
wretched Condition--Azoway--Parasitical
Plants--Aladda--Cotton tree--Atoogo--Assewhee--Havee--A
Butterfly-School--Whyboe--Construction of the
Houses--Native Customs--Manufactures--African Character
generally--Population of Whyboe--Akpway--An extensive
Swamp--Ahgrimmah--Togbadoe--Scenery--Soil--Swarm of Locusts.
At one o’clock, during a heavy rain, we started from Whydah, leaving my
servant, an American, who had belonged to the American vessel already
mentioned, but who refused to remain on board after the vessel was
converted into a slaver. He had been foolish enough to lend a negro
four dollars, and was endeavouring to get it back; but after remaining
a whole day, he was of course obliged to put up with the loss of his
money.
This was a gloomy commencement of my journey; for I had nothing but a
set of villains with me, ready to rob me when an opportunity should
offer. The path from Whydah commences E. N. E. magnetic; and two miles
N. E., then N. one and three quarters, I reached Savay, a small kroom
of one hundred and fifty inhabitants, distant from Whydah five miles
and three quarters, instead of nine miles, as computed by the natives.
The country is open, the soil red, loamy sand, of excellent quality.
The rain had ceased. One of my carriers broke down purposely, in order
that another of his rascally confederates might be employed to assist
him, though his load was not forty pounds’ weight. He returned to
Whydah by another road to avoid meeting me, but M. de Suza’s headman,
after administering a flogging to him, sent the villain back to me, and
so he did not effect his object, having for his villany added eleven
miles and a half to his day’s journey.
After dismounting a few minutes at Savay, we again resumed our journey.
The road still magnetic N. five miles, then changing to N. E. three
and three quarters, I reached Torree, distant eight miles and three
quarters from Savay, and fourteen and a half from Whydah. The country
was level and wooded for the last stage. I stopped at Torree during the
night, without a servant, clothes wet, horse wet, and no house for him.
I was obliged to cook, and attend to my horse; in fact, to do every
thing myself. Heavy rain during the night, and until half past eleven
o’clock on the following morning, the 7th, when we again commenced our
journey. Bearing N. seven miles and a half, reached Azoway, a kroom
with one hundred inhabitants,--last stage a beautifully wooded path,
and good road. Observed some splendid parasitical plants, with a very
beautiful flower; one with an octagon-shaped spreading flower of a
bright vermilion colour with six yellow petals, about the size of a
primrose. The plant is four or five feet high, long, slender, woody
stem, of a clinging character. This is the only place at which I have
observed this plant.
After stopping five minutes and drinking water with the headman, we
marched from Azoway, the country resembling a gentleman’s park in
England; rising ground three miles to the eastward, road bearing N.
two miles, then N. W. seven miles, reached Aladda, a town with a good
market and king’s house built for the accommodation of white men
visiting Dahomey. Near this place I shot a monkey and gave it to my
carriers, who considered it a great luxury. I ate a piece of his liver,
which was very good. The King keeps wives at this place, the head one
of whom sent me water and a present of a fowl. The land is level, with
good soil, and plenty of corn; distant seven miles and three quarters
from Azoway, and from Torree fifteen miles and a quarter. On the road
I had hired some assistant carriers, and my people were now in better
marching order, and all seemed comfortable and myself happy. In the
house where I slept I found a sheet of paper written in Arabic, and
suspended to one of the beams by the corner. I was told that this
was placed there as a charm or amulet, by a Mahomedan priest passing
through this place. Here I observed one of the largest cotton trees I
ever saw, except one on the banks of the river Niger, which I measured
when engaged in the Niger expedition in 1841. That measured fifty-seven
feet, but the caboceer of Aladda objected to my measuring this without
the King’s leave.
June 8th.--We marched from Aladda at forty minutes past nine, bearing
N. two miles, then NN.W. three miles, and reached Atoogo, a small kroom
of one hundred inhabitants, the country still thickly wooded with
immense large and straight trees of various species. Bearing still
NN.W. at two miles reached Assewhee, a small kroom of twenty huts;
and at two miles further, with several bends in the road, but general
bearing NN.W., arrived at Havee, a kroom of three hundred inhabitants,
the land well cultivated round and near the kroom. Near this place,
and for several miles which we had passed, an extraordinary number of
butterflies, of various sorts and colours, were assembled in immense
heaps on different spots on the road. Sometimes we clapped a hat upon
the heap, and secured fifty or sixty. Upon inquiring as to the cause
of such singular assemblies, the natives, in their own language,
told me that it was a butterfly school: but upon again pressing them
with the question, why they selected one particular spot, I was told,
that whenever any person had occasion to make water, the spot was
immediately covered with butterflies. Upon minute observation I found
this perfectly correct.
After marching five miles in the same bearing, over a good road
thickly wooded with beautiful trees of great height, we arrived at
Whyboe, completely drenched from a thunder-storm. Whyboe is a town
of considerable size, with a house belonging to the King, for the
accommodation of white men. The town is well built; but, like all
other towns in this country, the houses are all of clay. Here, and
wherever I have passed, no other material could be substituted, for I
have not seen a stone so large as a pea, neither at Whydah nor since
I left that place. It may be well to mention, that the construction
of the houses is much better than in many parts I have visited. Each
householder occupies a square of seventy feet, the backs of the houses
forming the walls of a square. The doors are inside the square, with
the exception of one, as an entrance. In front of the main dwelling is
formed a colonnade of square pillars. Under this colonnade, and against
the outside of the wall of the dwelling, is a clay seat, extending
the whole length of one side of the square, leaving a space opposite
the doorway. This seat is about five feet wide, and one foot and a
half high, having a draught or current of air generally. It forms a
very pleasant seat, and frequently a bed for the occupants. The slaves
or domestics generally occupy another part, but little distinction is
observed in general between master and servant, except in presence of
strangers, and that with a view to display their dignity.
If a glass of liquor is presented to the master, he invariably shares
it with his domestics, who are squatted round him. Upon a master
offering the glass or cup, which is never taken out of the master’s
hand, the other, on his knees, holds his mouth to receive what his
master chooses to pour into it, in the same way that rooks, when young,
are fed by the parent.
Cloth is manufactured in almost all the krooms I have yet passed; but
their method is so tedious, that it becomes expensive; consequently
numbers, both male and female, are entirely naked. Those who can afford
it generally wear a cloth round their loins, as at Whydah and other
places on the coast. Here, to my great satisfaction, my white servant
overtook me; Mr. Hanson, agent for Mr. Hutton, had kindly sent a native
with him to show him the way. Poor fellow! he was much fatigued and
wet, yet cheerful withal. He was a little feverish, having slept at
Torree on a damp clay floor; for even a mat was refused him, though the
King orders every accommodation to strangers. This is a proof of the
mistaken idea entertained of the kindness of the natives in general.
Two days before, when I passed, they pretended great attention, knowing
that they would be well remunerated; but this poor solitary white
man, with only a negro boy for his guide, they charged eight cowries
for lying on bare earth! This is a sample of the generosity of the
generality of Africans.
The severe laws and discipline of the King of Dahomey need not surprise
us, when we are acquainted with the character of his people. Having
got some rice and fowl-soup prepared, I prevailed on my servant to
endeavour to take some, but he was unable to eat any thing. I then made
him some tea, and spread my own mat for him, and covered him over with
my sheet--the only one I possessed, for my others had been stolen. He
soon got into a strong perspiration, and in the morning he was quite
restored.
Whyboe contains about six hundred inhabitants, who seem better disposed
than those nearer the coast; they are more industrious too. The land is
well cultivated round and near the town, producing corn of different
sorts, manioc, and yams.
June 9th.--We marched from Whyboe at 6ʰ 40′, bearing still NN.W., the
path good and beautifully wooded. At four miles, bearing N., and at one
mile and a half, reached Akpway, five miles and a half from Whyboe.
Akpway is a small town, with another house of accommodation, which we
did not enter, having a long journey this day. We merely halted in the
market-place, and took a piece of biscuit and some water. Here I found
a man from Cape Coast, who spoke some few words of English. He was now
employed in the King’s house here. I found him kind and attentive in
obeying the King’s orders in furnishing us with water for my party and
horse. For this I gave him a good dram of rum. Here the path passes
over red-sand or freestone, the first stone I had observed.
Marched again at 8ʰ 45′, bearing N. one mile, then NN.W., and entered
the swamp, frequently impassable during the rainy season. Fortunately,
I was enabled to ride my horse for the greater part of the way. The
road was now intersected by trees of immense size, interspersed with
smaller (fruit) trees, of different kinds. Amongst these was a sort
of damson, of fine flavour, the colour of a ripe plum, and of the
size of an English cherry. This swamp continued for about ten miles,
in the same bearing. We then reached Ahgrimmah, distant from Akpway
thirteen miles and a quarter. We marched from Ahgrimmah at 1ʰ 10′, with
occasional bends in the path bearing NN.W., and at five and a quarter
miles reached Togbadoe, a market town, with nine hundred inhabitants,
situated on a gentle rising ground, and open, with the exception of a
beautiful clump of trees at a little distance apart, resembling a vast
pleasure-ground or park, not unlike some part of the Great Park at
Windsor. On the right of the path, or N.E., at three miles distant, is
a beautiful valley, running NN.W. and SS.E. five miles, crossing the
path in the form of an arch, and taking the above direction at one mile
and a half distant, forming the shape of a horse-shoe. Here the soil is
light, and vegetation not so luxuriant; small gravel on the surface,
from which the soil had been washed. At three feet and a half below
the surface, ironstone in a congested or fused state is found. At this
place we passed one mile through a swarm of locusts. No one who has not
witnessed such a scene can form an idea of the immense numbers crowded
together. Well might the Egyptians dread such visitors! Upon our
approach to the spot where the swarm commenced, the noise was similar
to that of a heavy blast of wind passing through a forest of trees,
or like the noise of a heavy shower of hail. This was caused by their
hopping to get out of our way. My horse at first felt alarmed; but,
after being urged by the whip and spur, he went amongst them, killing
many hundreds as he passed, although they are so very nimble; but their
excessive number prevented them from getting out of the way. They were
about the size of a grasshopper, or a little stouter, of the colour of
a bee. Their wings were not full grown, which may account for their not
being able to get out of the way. I was told afterwards that they were
not half grown. They are much dreaded when they settle down amongst a
crop of any description, for they totally destroy every thing within
their reach.