This remarkable cavalcade was accompanied by the principal of the fetish-women. Her dress or surplice was of the most grotesque description. On her head was a fore-and-aft hat, in the form of a naval cocked hat, made of grass or rushes, manufactured like our rush baskets in England; a number of greegrees, or charms, were suspended round her neck. Her lower garment, or official costume, was a thick coat of thatch of the long grass, one end plaited into a band about four feet long. This band is tied round the body, the loose ends of the grass hanging downwards in the form of the Highlander’s kilt, but not quite so good looking. The fetish-woman also wears on these state occasions a sheep or goat’s skull on her forehead, outside her rush cap. She also carries two rude wooden batons, one in each hand. She dances to the music of her two batons, beating on each other, her motion being about as graceful as a haycock shaken on the top of a haymaker’s pitchfork. Her body is white-washed with a very fine lime, manufactured from the oyster-shell, which is here in great abundance.
Nothing of particular interest struck me in Ahguay, the slave-trade being the principal traffic. Palm-oil and a little ivory are purchased by Mr. Hutton, the only European factor in the place. The character of the natives is depraved in the extreme. As in all other slave-dealing settlements, they are aided by each other in every sort of villany, murder not excepted. The example set them by the Spaniards and Portuguese is certainly bad. These are very numerous here. Besides those actually slave-merchants, a great number of slave crews are landed here, amongst whom very frequently deadly encounters take place with the knife or pistol.
Cotton is cultivated by the natives, spun, and woven into cloth. In spinning, the distaff is the only system or method known. They use a considerable quantity of lime on their fingers when spinning, to prevent the perspiration staining the thread. Indigo also grows here, as well as in all the neighbourhood, and is manufactured rudely by the natives. The leaves are pounded or beaten on a stone, until they become one mass. They are afterwards made up into round balls, about the size of a cricket-ball. They are then exposed in the market for sale.
There are two small markets daily in Ahguay, which are tolerably well supplied with articles of consumption. Brazilian tobacco is sold in the market,—no doubt taken in exchange for slaves; yams, manioc root, plantain and banana, pine-apples, cashew nuts, ginger and pepper; ground nuts and cotton are also sold in the market, as also country pots of very fair workmanship, grass bags, and mats of various kinds and of mixed colours, some displaying considerable taste and skill. The bush-rat is also dried, and sold in the market. The slaves are let out, like horses, to work; those selected for exportation work in irons. The irons are worn round the neck, the length of chain between each slave being about a yard and a half; but I have never seen any of them perform half what in England would be considered a day’s work for a boy of fourteen years of age. The habits of all being naturally indolent, they never expect half a day’s work from their slaves.
The condition of the domestic is very different to what the people in England are led to suppose, except those who are exported. They are considered as part of the family, and are very seldom worked beyond what is necessary for exercise. They are constantly, as I have already said, supplied with plenty of food, which is always in great abundance; and if they are sick they are sure of being provided for. The owner will always take care of his slaves for his own sake. As I have before stated, nothing approaching affection, or that regard perceptible in the civilized world, can be traced in the character of the uncivilized African; neither can I convince myself that education even will establish in the breast of an African those fine feelings to be found in the European. The fox exhibits a treacherous cunning, but can never be trained to that sagacity and attachment possessed by the spaniel or Newfoundland dog. I may be considered severe in my remarks, but the real character of the African has often been sadly mistaken, for want of actual knowledge.
The African can never be properly appreciated where he has a chance of obtaining anything by feigning any passion towards you, which may be deemed most likely to obtain what he desires. But go amongst them poor enough, as I was, only to pay for what you purchase, without anything to give away, then you will never be troubled with any of their importunities or pretended friendship.
The reception experienced by Mr. Hutton and myself from the caboceers was purely with a view to obtain presents, as in the two following days we were surrounded by them, begging rum and other articles.
At Ahguay fish are caught in great abundance, as are also crabs, both land and water. They are converted into a very delicious dish by the natives. The crab is dismembered, and his claws cracked or broken; all the fish is taken out, as also that in the main body. The substance is then finely minced together, seasoned with new palm-oil or suet, and well seasoned with pepper.[7] This operation is performed after the crab is parboiled. The whole of the preparation is then packed closely into the shell of the body of the crab, and put into an oven and baked. It is brought to the table in the shell. This would, in my opinion, become a choice dish in England. Immediately behind this town is the fine Lagoon river, which is navigated by great numbers of canoes from a considerable distance. The greater part of the fish used in this country is caught in this lagoon, which abounds with a variety of fish, and great numbers of alligators, which are often very dangerous to persons bathing in the river. A short time ago a large party were bathing, amongst whom was only one man. An alligator seized him, and of course killed him. In consequence of this, the natives turned, accompanied by their fetish-men, and determined to hunt alligators until they found the same one who had killed their companion. After killing ten or eleven alligators, it was declared by the fetish-man that they had at last caught the offender; for he informed the party that his fetish had assured him of it. No doubt the fetish-man was now tired of the sport.
The river here is about seventy yards wide, in the dry season, and three and a half feet deep. The current is about one mile per hour: source from West to East. From the northern bank the land is very level, and the soil rich black loam and sand. It is partially cultivated for the growth of yams, cassada or manioc, cotton, and indigo. I observed some very singular heath at this place, about two miles from the river; as also fern, which I could not distinguish from a species I have observed in Great Britain and in Scotland, called the lady or female fern. The velvet tamarind also grows here in great abundance. It is a small fruit, about half an inch in diameter, nearly round; it grows with a pod closely resembling fine black cotton velvet. The pod is about the thickness of a penny-piece of copper, in its centre, and has a sweet acid taste, much prized by the natives. Although small in comparison with the common tamarind of this country, it is much more delicate and delicious. The tree, at a little distance from the sea, grows about twenty-five feet high, spreading in a regular conical form, and forming an agreeable shade from the burning rays of the sun. Its leaves are small, like the English plum-tree; its fruit distributed very regularly. Many other delicious fruits are found here, growing on shrubs of the laurel tribe. Some of the fruit are oblong, others round, and about the size of a sloe, the colour of all is yellow when ripe. Some also grow in pods about the size and shape of a large capsicum, containing a large quantity of seeds. This neighbourhood would, in my opinion, prove an excellent field for a botanist.
On the morning of the 15th, Mr. Hutton, myself, and a few more of the people (natives), set out in a canoe to visit Popoe, and call upon Mr. Lawson and his family. Popoe is about eight miles to the westward of Ahguay, and is situate, like the latter place, close to the sea, having the lagoon behind, or to the north of the town. My friend, Mr. Hutton, had forwarded a communication of his intention to visit Popoe. Mr. Lawson, as well as most of his family, were born at Accra, and are consequently Fantees. He is a little old man, much under the middle size, a jet black, with round shoulders, or bordering more upon the buffalo or hump-back. He very graciously condescended to introduce us to two of his favourite wives, of extraordinary dimensions, for circumference of body is here considered a principal mark of beauty. They were seated facing us, on the opposite side of the room, the old man seating himself by our side. With one of his best grins, he pointed out the two huge flesh mountains as his wives, upon which they seemed much gratified. Each damsel had on her wrist a pair of large solid silver bracelets, weighing about half a pound each, very plain, and similar to those worn by the convicts in the dock-yards in England. The ladies seemed about twenty-four years of age; while their old matrimonial partner, very much resembling a monkey, was about seventy.