A voyage to Guinea, Brasil and the West Indies

by John Atkins

They have Fetish-Women, or Priestesses, that live separated with a number of Virgins under their Care, devoted to the Snake’s Service: I have heard, the rich Cabiceers do often buy the Consent of these Women to debauch their Pupils; they pretend to the Girls, they have had some late Correspondence with the Snake, who intimates the agreeableness of her favouring such or such a Man’s Addresses; teach her to act Fits and Distortions at the sight of him, to enhance the Price, and that for this Compliance, she shall be amply rewarded in the Snakes Country, far pleasanter than this she breaths in, and he then more amiable, having here put on his worst Shape, that Obedience might have the more Merit. A Discovery in the Girl would be certain Death, and none would believe; or if they did, would dare openly to assert such Murder against the Assertion of the Fetish-Men or Women.

It is probable that King Solomon’s Navy of Tharshish (1 Kings Ch. x.) did coast from Ezion Geber (the bottom of the red Sea) round Cape Bon Esperance [28]to Sofalu, by some thought Ophir; and if so, why not to the Gold-Coast? or that King Hiram’s Navy from Tyre, might on the North and Western side together have encompassed this Continent; tho’ afterwards, on the destruction of each State, the Navigation might be lost with the Trade. This is probable, I say, from the length of the Voyage (three years) no unreasonable time in the infancy of Sailing, Ignorance of the Compass, and dilatory Methods of Trading in Fleets, and in their Returns, Gold, Ivory, and Apes. The Peacocks mentioned in this Text, might possibly be the Crown-Birds; beautiful, of the same bigness, and a greater Rarity. One of them we had from Gambia (a Present to the Duke of Chandois) had a fine Tuft of stiff speckled Feathers on the Head; the Wings, red, yellow, white and black, with a black Down on the fore-part of it’s Head.

Granting this, whether or no it’s too foreign to imagine, some traditional Story might be derived from them concerning the old Serpent, the Deceiver of Mankind? or that fiery one lifted up by Moses in the Wilderness? Gordon in his Geography, p. 327, says, the Mosaical Law was once introduced into some parts of Negro-land, strengthned by the Affinity of some Names and Customs they retain with the Jews, particularly Circumcision, practised at most, if not all parts of the Coast. Bosman on this, says even Girls have their Clitoris stripp’d. The Ægyptians (on this their own Continent,) were the first we read of that circumcised, from whom Abraham borrowed it, and the Patriarchs Posterity might as well have transmitted the use of it with their Trade, to this opposite side of Africa; the only Objections are, the easier Method of borrowing it from the Mallays, black Turks that inhabit about the middle of Africa, with whom they communicate by Trade; and because the Practice here, like as with the Mahometans, is not taken up of Precept, but Tradition. Be it how it will, they are found tenacious of their Customs and Opinions: A Woman, from whose greater Flexibility and Subjection as a Consa to any European, might be expected a Change, never relinquishing her Country-Gods, tho’ she had cohabited for years, as has been frequently tried at our Factories.

Others think this Snake-Worship might be taken up as of old the Ægyptians did their Ox and Cow, their Crocodile and Cat, &c. They had some moral Reason, tho’ overwhelmed in Fable and ridiculous Superstition. The Ox and Cow were Emblems of Tillage, taught to them by Osiris and Isis, whom they feigned changed into those Creatures, and in that form worshipped them.

The Crocodile and Cat preyed upon those Reptiles that devoured the Fruits of their Husbandry, like as these very Snakes are said to kill the black and poisonous sort, and to destroy various Species of Vermin, injurious to their Fields and Grain.

We bear (far from Egypt) a Reverence to many Creatures, Beasts and Birds; eat some, and cherish others; I believe, often on no other Foundation than Heathen Fable. The Fetish is this Reverence improved, and if we laugh at [29]Sambo for inflicting Fine or Death on whoever hurts or kills the Snake, may not he in his turn, as justly laugh to hear that in some Countries it is Death to steal a Sheep, a Horse, &c. or Penalties to kill Pidgeons, Wild-fowl, &c. tho’ never so much in want of them: For it is all according to the Fashion of the Country, and doubtless proceeds from a profound Veneration to those Creatures.

Many and ridiculous are the Stories formed upon the Foundation of the Snake, over-acted to the Prejudice of Beliefs, which in unletter’d Countries should be short, and have the Design and Import of Laws; such Laws as in their nature are best fitted to awe or persuade Men into the Practice of what is good: but here they are multiplied with silly Circumstances, or stretch beyond Memory, and spoil their Use; for which reason, I am firmly of opinion the Snake-Worship will never endanger our Factories, or propagate far, it has made such Rogues of them.

Besides the Snake, they have two other principal Deities, and other small Fetishes. The former are their Groves, and the high Sea; addressing either upon the Peculiarity, I suppose, of their Affairs, or rather, these Groves are consecrated to the Snake, most of them having a square Tower built in a retired part of it, to which they carry Dashees, and Presents. There is one in this Neighbourhood pre-eminent to all in the Country, and to which the Prince and People annually make rich Offerings.

Their smaller Fetishes, like as at other parts, are numberless, and for smaller Concerns made of Stone, Bone, Wood, or Earth; but herein they differ from others, that this small Fetish is the first thing they see, after they are determined upon some Affair or Business, and sometimes determines them to that Affair, whence it is taken up and invoked: If the Business ends luckily, it is lain by in honour to the chief Idol, and dasheed now and then; but if not, they throw it away.