| [CHAPTER I.] |
| PAGE [1] |
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Departure—Arrival at Tangiers—Description of the Town—Market—Price
of Provisions—Method of Storing Grain—Inhabitants—The
Jews—A Jewish Dwelling—The Moors—Fruits
and Flowers—Desolate State of the Town—Moorish Market-women—Gibraltar—Ascend
to the Highest Point—A Pic-nic
and an agreeable Reconnoitre—Cleanliness of the Inhabitants—Arrival
at the Gambia—Bathurst—The Mandingos—Massacre
of the Crew of the Margaret—Encounter of the Crew of
the Courier with Pirates—Sierra Leone—Dr. Ferguson—Mr.
Oldfield, his Hospitality—Give Chase to a supposed Slaver—Cape
Coast—Governor Hill—Cape Coast Castle
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| [CHAPTER II.] |
| [22] |
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Attacked by Fever—Death of my Servant—Mr. Hutton—Buildings
in Progress by him—Indolence of the Natives—Cheapness
of Living—The Fantees—Their Superstition—Description
of their Idol or Fetish—Their Customs or Holidays—Native
Music—Rum, their favourite Liquor—Proceedings on
occasion of a Death—Mode of Burial—The King’s Custom or
Holiday—Character of the King—My Reception by his
Majesty—Comparatively neglected by the British Government—Fetish
Houses—Native Funerals—Want of Natural Affection—The
Yam Custom—The Fantees, the worst of the
African Tribes—Their Power of Imitation—Wild Animals—The
Patakoo—Granite and Sandstone—The Dutch Settlement
of Elmina—A fine Field for Botanists—State of Agriculture—Excessive
Heat—Message to the King of Ashantee—Cattle—Artizans
much wanted—Murder of an Ashantee
Woman
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| [CHAPTER III.] |
| [39] |
|
Annamaboe—State of the Fort—Indolence of the Natives, and
Difficulty in procuring Labourers—Domestic Slavery—Missionary
Schools—Want of Education in the Useful Arts—Hints
on this Subject—Vegetables and Fruits—Town of
Annamaboe—Soil—Natives—Reception of me by the King,
and Conversation with him—Mr. Brewe—Mr. Parker—Excessive
Heat—Little Cromantine, its impregnable Situation—The
Fort—Cromantine—The Market-place—Extraordinary
Tradition—Wonderful Dwarf—An Adventure—Accra—Wesleyan
Missionaries—Natives—their Habitations—Wives and
Slaves—Situation of the Town, and Soil
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| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| [58] |
| Strange Articles of Food—Native Cookery—The River Amissa—Reception
by the Caboceer of Amissa—Soil, Fruits, &c.—An
Adventure—Visit from a Hyena—The River Anaqua—Arsafah—Soil,
Fruits, &c.—Beautiful Birds—Moors and
Arabs here—Cattle—Return to Cape Coast—Hospitable Reception
there—Invitation from the King of Ashantee—My
Reply—Visit the Neighbourhood of Cape Coast—Coffee
Plantations—Indolence of the Natives—The Town of Napoleon—Eyau
Awkwano—Fruits Growing Spontaneously—Bad Roads—Singular
Mode of Carrying Timber—Cotton Trees—The
Dwarf Cotton Shrub—Scene of a Sanguinary Battle—Djewkwa—Native
Houses—An Intoxicated Caboceer—The Caboceer’s
Presents—Account of him—Return to Cape Coast—Sail for
Whydah—Winnebah—Method of Curing Fish—Natives—Stock—Neighbouring
Country—The Devil’s Hill—Soil—Yanwin
(samphire)—The River Jensu—Beautiful Birds—The King-fisher
|
| [CHAPTER V.] |
| [78] |
| Native Laws—Roguery of the Natives; White Men fair Game—Superstition—Fetish-houses—Colour,
Habits, &c. of the Natives—Prevalence
of Drunkenness—Disgusting Neglect—Fashion
in Shaving—Tally System—Population—Accra—Mr.
Bannerman and his Hospitality—Danish Accra, partly Demolished—Occasion
of this—Attempt to assassinate the
Governor—English Accra, its Trade much reduced by Competition
with Americans—Currency—Merchants’ Houses—Fruits
and Flowers—The Coromantine Apple—Natives most expert
Thieves—Population—Circumcision—Mode of Carrying Children—Sleep
in the Open Air—Manufactures—Fish—Difficult
Landing—Salt Lake—Soil—Gaming and Drinking—Population
of English Accra—Stock—Cruel Treatment of Horses—Want
of Natural Affection—Sail for Ahguay—Boarded by an English
Brig—Mr. Hutton’s Factory at Ahguay—A Drunken Caboceer—His
Dress and Attendants—A Principal Fetish-woman, her
Dress—Dance performed by her—Natives of Ahguay—Slave-merchants—Cotton
and Indigo—Markets—Treatment of
Slaves—Characteristics of Africans—Fish—Method of Dressing
the Crab—Alligators—Alligator-hunt—Plants and Fruits—The
Velvet-Tamarind—Popoe—Mr. Lawson, a Native Merchant—Introduction
to his Wives—Merchants, their Mode of Living—Slave-Trade—Population—Manufactures—Gaming
and Drinking—Kankie—M. de Suza’s Slave Establishment—His
House—His Domestic Slaves—Noisy Reception by the Caboceer—Treatment
of Slaves
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| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| [105] |
|
Gregapojee—Extensive Market at—Native Produce and European
Manufactures—Popoe Beads, their Value; probable
Origin of—Houses—Situation and Soil of Gregapojee—Fish—Alligators—Population—Return
to Ahguay, and thence to
Whydah—Toll-house—Fish-trap—Travelling Canoe—Beautiful
Scenery of the Lagoon—Oysters growing to Trees—Old
Ferryman—Gibbets of three Criminals—Murder committed
by them—The English Fort at Whydah—Character of M.
de Suza—Treatment of Slaves—Hints with reference to
this odious Traffic—Price of Slaves—Slave Hunts—Necessity
for Education—Cruelty in the Shipment of Slaves—Visit to
Avoga—Account of him—Reception by him—Mode of Riding—Bad
Road—Reason for not Repairing it—Market at Whydah—Native
Manufactures, &c.—Duties imposed by the King of
Dahomey—His Enormous Revenue—Head Money—System of
Government—Severe Laws, and their Result—Paganism—Abject
Superstition of the Natives—Dangerous to show Contempt
for their Fetish—Anniversary Offerings for departed
Friends—Usual Termination of such Festivals—Snake Worship—Houses
built to contain them—The Snake-Lizard—The
Field-Lizard—The House-Lizard—Vampire Bats
|
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| [132] |
| Locusts—The Winged Ant—Its Destructive Nature—Horse attacked
by them—Their Ingenuity in Building—Stock—Great
Want of Mechanics—Portuguese Whydah—Emigrants from
Sierra Leone—Their Deplorable Condition—English at the Fort
of Whydah—Military Resources of Dahomey—Polygamy—Mode
of Shipping Slaves—Brutality on these occasions—Porto
Sogoora—Mr. Lawson’s Slaves—Greejee—Toll imposed there—Zahlivay—Yakasgo—Badaguay—The
Cabbage Palm-tree—Wooded
Scenery—The Palm-tree—Exploring Visit to the
Haho—Misfortunes of Ithay Botho, Capt. Clapperton’s Servant—Adventures—Curiosity
of the Natives—Podefo and its Market—Alligators—My
Crew mutiny from fear—Hippopotami—Superstition
of the Natives—A party of Fishermen, and their
Fish-traps—Base Conduct of the Fishermen—My Punishment
of them and my Crew
|
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| [164] |
| 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.
|
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| [190] |
| Manufacture of Salt—Death of Dr. M’Hardy—Falling Stars—Manioc,
the Food of the Slaves—Crops—Mode of storing Grain—Superstition—Hospitality
of Don Francisco de Suza—A
Tornado—Slave Auctions—Punishment for killing Fetish
Snakes—Slaughter of Dogs, &c.—Dogs used as Food—An
English Dog rescued—Thievish Propensities of the Natives—Falling
Stars—Murder of two Wives—Adjito—A heavy Tornado—Robbed
by my Servant—American Brig sold to Slave
Merchants—Shipment of Slaves—Sharks—Death caused by one—Preparations
for my Journey to the Kong Mountains—M. de
Suza’s Liberality—His Opinion of Englishmen
|
| [CHAPTER X.] |
| [205] |
| 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
|
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| [215] |
| Canamina, its Population—Adawie—Preparations for entering
the Capital—Abomey—My hospitable Reception—Visit from
Mayho, the Prime Minister—Message from the King—The
Palace—The Market-place—Dead Bodies of Criminals hung up—My
Reception by his Majesty—Ceremony on Introduction—Conversation
with the King—Perform the Sword Exercise
before him—His Approbation—Troops of Female Soldiers—The
King’s Person—Ceremony of the Introduction of Military Officers—Dress
of the Female Soldiers—Introduced to the King’s
Chiefs—Visits—The King’s Staff—Review of Native Troops—Feigned
Attack on a Town—The King’s Soldier-wives—Ashantee
Prince—His Majesty’s Opinion of England and the English—The
vain Boasting of the Ashantee Prince silenced by
the King—Principal Officers—The Dahoman Women formidable
Soldiers
|
| [CHAPTER XII.] |
| [241] |
| Visit to the King at his Palace—Description of it—Reception by
his Majesty—Gaudy Dress of the Attendants—Masks, Ornaments,
&c.—Occasion of the War between the Mahees and
Dahomans, and its Result—The King’s Walking-staffs—Dance
performed by his Majesty—Another Review of Female Troops—Execution
of Four Traitors—Horrible Occurrence—Disgusting
office of the Blood-drinker—Ludicrous Scene—The King’s
Mother and Grandmother—Dance performed by them—Costume
of the King’s Favourite Wives—I perform on the
Jew’s Harp—I dance with his Majesty—His Message to the
Queen of England—Ridiculous Customs—Court of Appeal established
at Abomey—Character of the King—Domestic Slavery—A
Slave-hunt—Military Distinctions—Want of Natural
Affection in the Natives—Roguery of my Servant—The King’s
Commissions to me—An Interesting Incident—Murderous
Attack on me by my Servant—Inquiry into the Occurrence—My
Servant compelled to accompany me
|
| [CHAPTER XIII.] |
| [272] |
| Departure for the Kong Mountains—My Dahoman Guards and
their several Duties—The King’s Wife—Neighbouring Krooms—Soil
and Aspect of the Country—Varied Scenery—Cana—Bobay—Illness
of my Servant—Immense Blocks of Granite—Custom-house—Duties
imposed—Milder Laws established—Dtheno—Travelling
Traders—The Azowah—Destruction of
the Shea Butter-tree—Its Manufacture declared to be lawful—Description
of this Tree—Immense Mountains—Ruins of
Managlwa—Destruction of that Town by the Dahomans—Beautiful
Scenery—Markets—Setta Dean—Reception by the
Caboceer—Dance performed by him—Setta—Serenade—Supply
of Provisions—Custom of Tasting—The Caboceer’s
Speech—The Natives expert as Cooks—Variety of Food—Palm
Oil—Occro—Presents from the Caboceer—The Widow’s
Mite—Harmless Deception—Presents to the Natives—Dance
performed by the Soldiers—Situation of Setta; its Soil, &c.—Its
Population
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