Lastly, the Dress common to both Sexes every where, is the Tomy, or Arse-clout, and the pleating or breading of their Wooll. The Arse-clout the Women tie about their Hips, and falls half way down their Thigh all round; but the Men bring it under their Twist, and fasten just upon the girdling part behind. Both take great delight in twisting the Wool of their Heads into Ringlets, with Gold or Stones, and bestow a great deal of Time and Genius in it.
The Women are fondest of what they call Fetishing, setting themselves out to attract the good Graces of the Men. They carry a Streak round their Foreheads, of white, red, or yellow Wash, which being thin, falls in lines before it dries. Others make Circles with it, round the Arms and Bodies, and in this frightful Figure, please. The Men, on the other side, have their Ornaments consist in Bracelets; or Manilla’s, about their Wrists and Ancles, of Brass, Copper, Pewter, or Ivory; the same again on their Fingers and Toes: a Necklace of Monkey’s Teeth, Ivory Sticks in their Ears, with a broad head. Most of them have one, two, or more of these Ornaments, and have an Emulation in the number and use of them.
When the Nakedness, Poverty and Ignorance of these Species of Men are considered; it would incline one to think it a bettering their Condition, to transport them to the worst of Christian Slavery; but as we find them little mended in those respects at the West-Indies, their Patrons respecting them only as Beasts of Burthen; there is rather Inhumanity in removing them from their Countries and Families; here they get Ease with their spare Diet; the Woods, the Fruits, the Rivers, and Forests, with what they produce, is equally the property of all. By Transfretation they get the brown Bread, without the Gospel: together, as Mr. Baxter observed, they might be good Fare, but hard Work and Stripes without it, must be allowed an unpleasant Change. They are fed, it’s true, but with the same Diet and Design we do Horses; and what is an aggravating Circumstance, they have a Property in nothing, not even in their Wives and Children. No wonder then, Men under this View, or worse Apprehensions, should be prompted with Opportunity frequently to sacrifice the Instruments of it.
SESTHOS.
We anchored before Sesthos, or Sesthio, May 10th, a Place where most of our windward Slave-ships stop to buy Rice, exchanged at about 2s. per Quintal. The River is about half the breadth of the Thames; a narrow Entrance only for Boats on the starboard Side, between two Rocks, which, on great Swells and Winds, make the shooting of it dangerous; the rest of the breadth being choaked with Sands.
The Town is large, and built after a different Model from those we have left; they run them up (square or round) four Foot from the Earth; at that height, is the first and chief Room, to sit, talk, or sleep in, lined with matted Rinds of Trees, supported with Stockades, and in the middle of it, a Fire-place for Charcoal, that serves a double Purpose; driving off Insects and Vermine, and drying their Rice and Indian Corn. Of the upper Loft they make a Store-house, that runs up pyramidal 30 foot; making the Town at distance, appear like a number of Spires, each standing singly.
This, and every Town hereabouts, had a Palaaver-Room, a publick Place of meeting for the People to council, and transact the Business of the Society: They are large, and built something like our Lodges for Carts, open, 4 foot from the Ground; then a Stage to sit, rafted and well covered against Rain and Sun-shine. Here they meet without distinction; King and Subject, smoaking from Morning to Night. At this Place, it is common to bring your Traffick; brass Pans, pewter Basins, Powder, Shot, old Chests, &c. and exchange for Rice, Goats and Fowls. Two or three Pipes, a Charge of Powder, or such a Trifle, buys a Fowl. A 2 pound Basin buys a Goat; and I purchased two for an old Chest, with a Lock to it. Such a piece of Mechanism I found a Rarity, and brought all the Country down to admire. A Watch still encreased their Wonder; and making Paper speak (as they call it) is a Miracle.
They bring their written Certificates hinted above, and when you tell them the Contents, or they are made Messengers of Notes between English Ships, they express the utmost Surprize at such sort of Knowledge and Intercourse; it infinitely exceeds their Understanding, and impresses a superior and advantageous Idea of the Europeans.
The King who commands here has the Name of Pedro; he lives about five Miles up the River, a Sample of Negro Majesty.