Whydah is divided into three parts, or rather was so formerly. Besides the real Portuguese, there are numerous slaves who have obtained their freedom by purchase, and some by returning as servants or slaves to the slave-dealers who come from Brazil. In many cases, when a rich slave-dealer dies, he gives, by his will, freedom to all his slaves, however numerous they may be. The Portuguese part of Whydah excels, in every sense of the word, both the English and French. This I consider attributable to their superiority in the knowledge of agriculture and domestic economy and comfort of those returned slaves. Great numbers of them have small farms in a very fair state of cultivation; and they are much more cleanly in their habits and person than those who have never left their native country as slaves. They also live in comfort and plenty, and occupy good and well-furnished houses, while the latter are wallowing in dirty wretchedness, ignorance, and poverty.
The few families who have lately emigrated hither from Sierra Leone are the next who have made any attempt worth mention at cultivation. They seem to strive hard; but without some assistance I fear their efforts are not likely to be crowned with success, as their means are not sufficient to enable them to cultivate the land to any extent, or to export their produce. I am convinced that a great deal might be done to benefit this country and these poor emigrants from Sierra Leone, particularly in such a superior soil as that around Whydah.
Another party, who call themselves English, or belonging to the English fort, consist of some very old men, who formerly were slaves in the fort, and some of them soldiers. These poor old men are quite delighted when mention is made of their early days, and express the happiness they then enjoyed in comparison to what they now experience. Their sons and daughters also consider themselves as belonging to the English. Many years ago the King of Dahomey issued an order that all the people who acknowledged themselves to belong to the English fort should from time to time assist in repairing the fort, and he placed one man (formerly a corporal in Governor James’s time) in charge of the fort; but, like most Africans, when left to himself, he displayed but little conscience, and let the fort go to ruin, except that part occupied by himself and wives. However, Mr. T. Hutton, of Cape Coast, has now established a tolerable factory in the old fort, and has put the place into a considerable state of repair, although more is required to be done.
Another party here is that of the French, which is very small, having chiefly turned over to the Portuguese. Some few have again attached themselves to the French fort, now occupied by a French merchant, who is doing a profitable business in the palm-oil and ivory trade.
The military resources of the settlement of Whydah are very deficient, having no regular trained army, but only a few standing or permanent troops. They are chiefly composed of slaves, who are summoned to assemble when a slave-hunt is contemplated, and during this service are compelled to maintain themselves, of course, by plunder. When the war or hunt is over, the rabble receive each a piece of cotton cloth to wrap round his loins. They are then dismissed to their homes, where they remain till their services are again required. The few constant attendants as soldiers are people who are serving for punishment for offences of various descriptions. For instance, if a man commits adultery with the wife of another, and the case is laid before the King, the offender is doomed to serve so long as he is able in the capacity of a soldier, and when unfit for that service, was generally offered as a sacrifice at one of the King’s annual customs; but the latter part of this cruel sentence has been abolished by the present King of Dahomey, who is much more merciful than his predecessors. Polygamy is here unlimited, and depravity of every description to an extraordinary extent. The longer I reside here, the more am I convinced, however, that the most predominant passion of the African is theft. The more they are taught, the more accomplished rogues they become; and this is one of the most civilized settlements on the whole of the western coast of Africa, from the number of liberated slaves who have settled here, and who become themselves slave-dealers and farmers. In fact, with the exception of Europeans, these are the only people who show any signs of civilization. The former name of Whydah was Grihwee or Grighwee; but since its subjection to Dahomey it has become part of that territory, and received its present name. During wars the military of Whydah are attached to the powerful army of Dahomey, which is of a much superior description.
February 28th.—A slave crew was landed here to-day from the Hydra steamer. On the 29th I went on board this vessel, and was kindly received by the officers. Here I met with Mr. M’Gregor, first lieutenant, who had been transferred from the Prometheus, in which vessel I was passenger from England.
March 4th.—I went by the Lagoon river again to Ahguay, and arrived early on the morning of the 5th. All was bustle and excitement amongst the slave-merchants. They had, late on the previous evening, shipped five hundred slaves in the short space of an hour, although the surf is always very bad on this coast. Unfortunately two of the slaves were drowned during the shipment. It had been intended to ship six hundred slaves, had the Hydra steamer not hove in sight. On the following morning the Hydra made the slaver a prize, to the great mortification of all who had slaves on board.
It may be interesting to those unacquainted with slave-shipping to learn something of the mode. When a shipment of slaves is about to take place, the slaves are taken out, as if for their usual airing, perhaps ten or twenty on one chain, which is fastened to the neck of each individual, at the distance of about one yard apart. In this manner they are thus marched in single file to the beach, without any intimation of their fate, about which they seem quite indifferent even when they know it. Every canoe is then put in requisition, and the little piece of cotton-cloth tied round the loins of the slave is stripped off, and the gang on each chain is in succession marched close to a fire previously kindled on the beach. Here marking-irons are heated, and when an iron is sufficiently hot, it is quickly dipped in palm-oil, in order to prevent its sticking to the flesh. It is then applied to the ribs or hip, and sometimes even to the breast. Each slave-dealer uses his own mark, so that when the vessel arrives at her destination, it is easily ascertained to whom those who died belonged.
They are then hurried into a canoe and compelled to sit in the bottom, where they are stowed as closely as possible till the canoe reaches the ship. They are then taken on board, and again put into the chain until they reach their destination, where they are given over to their intended masters or their agents.
March 6th.—Mr. Hutton having returned from Badagry, where he had been visiting his factory, we sailed by the lagoon to the westward, as far as Porto Sogoora, distant by lagoon forty-four miles. In our passage, we put in at Popoe, and visited my old acquaintance, Mr. Lawson, and his sons. At the landing-place were a number of Mr. Lawson’s slaves bathing, all chained together by the neck. They all seemed very healthy and happy, but I could not help thinking that it is well for them that their nature and habits partake so much of the lower animal, otherwise they would be sensible of their wretched situation.