Friday, 6th.—We left the town of Assoudo: the country naturally clear of wood, and planted with cotton and corn; the succession of hill and dale beautiful. We halted for the night at the town of Chocho. The caboceer out hunting, as he did not expect us to-day. All the men in the place were with him, hunting the wild buffalo. We got the best house the town afforded. In the evening the caboceer arrived, and we received a present of yams, plantains, eggs, and a goat. This town is pleasantly situated among the rocky hills, but the inhabitants not numerous.
Saturday, 7th.—On leaving Chocho our road lay through beautiful rocky valleys, cultivated in many places and planted with cotton, corn, yams, and bananas; and well watered with many fine streams. A number of little towns are perched on the top and in the hollows of the hills, to whose inhabitants the plantations in the valley belong. A war is now carrying on only a few hours’ ride from us: not a national but a slaving war. We were supplied with yams, eggs, and plantains, a goat and fowls. The caboceer did not make his appearance: I therefore told the king’s messenger that I should inform the king of Eyeo of this caboceer’s want of respect.
Sunday, 8th.—Last night we had thunder, lightning, and rain; the morning dull and cloudy: at 8 A.M. left Bendekka, our road through winding and beautiful valleys formed by the rugged and gigantic blocks of granite, which in some places rose to the height of six or seven hundred feet above the valleys in which we travelled. Sometimes the valley is not a hundred yards broad, at others it may widen out to half a mile; in one place we had to travel over a wide mountain plain. The soil is rich, but shallow, except alongside the fine streams of water which run through the valleys, where large tall trees were growing; the sides of the mountains are bare except in the crevices, which are filled with stunted trees and shrubs. The valleys well cultivated, and planted with cotton, corn, yams, &c. At 12.30. P.M. arrived at the town of Duffoo, where we were well lodged; but the crowds of people were immense: when told to go away, they said—No; if white man would not come out, they would come in to see him.
This cluster of hills said to rise in the Berghoo country, which is behind Ashantee, and to run eastward through Jaboo to Benin. They do not know their direction any farther. They extend from W.N.W. to E.S.E.; and are about 80 miles in width from north to south.
The king of Eyeo’s wives are to be found in every place trading for him, and, like other women of the common class, carrying large loads on their heads from town to town. Mr. Houtson and I went to the top of one of the mounts: I had to be assisted by two men, being so weak I could not go alone. We had a grand and beautiful view of mountains, precipices, and valleys, wherever we turned our eyes, with the town of Duffoo spread out at our feet. The top of the hill was covered with women grinding corn. They make round holes in the face of the rock in which they crush the grain with a small stone in the hand. This mount may be called a large corn mill.
This evening the fetish went round to keep away thieves. These watchmen make a noise resembling that which a boy does by spinning a notched stick tied to a string, round his head. When this is heard, no one, on pain of death, must stir out of his house.
Monday, 9th.—Left Duffoo, a town that may contain upwards of fifteen thousand people. Mr. Houtson unwell; he rode on early to avoid the sun. I had great trouble in getting hammock-men. After leaving Duffoo, the road winding around between two hills, descending over rugged rocks and stones, and immense blocks of granite overhanging us, as ready to start from their base to the destruction of every thing below. About half a mile came to the village of Jesin, close at the base of five towering rocky hills, and surrounded by tall trees, a small stream running through it; from this the road ascends and descends, still winding round the hills, until we arrived at the town of Weza. Here our carriers would not start until they had quaffed an immense calabash of otée, (mountain ale made from millet), which the caboceer of the town sent to me with some plantains and eggs: the last article in this country almost invariably half-hatched. We now passed over a table land, gently descending from the mountains, well cultivated and watered with several streams; halted at the town of Chiadoo, situated on the side of a gently rising hill, surrounded by a wall and ditch; and within the walls thickly planted with a belt of trees, which entirely surround the town.
Tuesday, 10th.—The caboceer of this town is a friend of the caboceer of Jannah, and extremely kind and attentive. He hopes our stay may be extended to ten days, and assures us that neither we nor our people should find any want of provisions. He sent us abundance of yams, fowls, a goat and a turkey; the last a rare fowl in this country. The caboceer’s name is Toko. I have put the barometer up, and shall wait two days. Mr. Houtson better; myself unwell, with head-ache, languor, and weakness; Richard much better, but still weak.
Wednesday, 11th.—Calm and clear. The caboceer waited on us to-day, when we gave him ten coral beads for a piece of cloth, with which he was much pleased. This town of Chiadoo is large, and I think contains upwards of 7000 inhabitants, whose curiosity regarding us is insatiable, crowding the square whenever we make our appearance.
Thursday, 12th.—The morning dull and cloudy. About eight o’clock left Chiadoo; the caboceer, and an immense train of men, women, and children, attending us; the women singing in chorus, while the drums, horns, and gongs, formed a strange discord with their agreeable voices: the road, through a well cultivated country, apparently descending through the rude and rugged pass between the hills. The soil a fine mould, but very thinly strewed over the granite base, which in many places on the plain broke out and appeared like large sheets of water glittering in the sun. At 10 halted at the town of Matoni (signifying “Let me alone”), where we took leave of the caboceer. We staid but a few minutes, while the carriers had swigged a few calabashes of mountain ale, or otée, as it is called in their language. The road was now very difficult and dangerous, over broken rocks, and through rugged passes, where the inhabitants were perched in groups to look at us as we passed by. At one halted at the town of Erawa, where we were received with drums; the caboceer conducted us to his house and gave us fowls, sheep, and a goat; and the caboceer of a neighbouring town sent us a pig. The people were here curious beyond measure, yet exceedingly kind. The town is large and very populous.