I now began to reflect a little on the occurrences of the morning, with feelings mingled alternately with anger and regret. Sometimes I felt vexed that I had not punished the villany shown towards me more severely, at others I regretted breaking the old man’s musket, and that I had perhaps disabled him for life. This was the first time that I had ever felt the loneliness of my situation in Africa. As soon, however, as my thoughts turned upon something else this melancholy feeling was forgotten, and my men with much satisfaction gaily urged our canoe down the stream till they reached the lake, which being at this time rather rough, our progress was slow till we reached towards the windward side, where the water was more calm. This lake, the extent of which I have already mentioned, is during the dry season not more than four feet and a half deep upon an average.
After passing down the lake four or five miles, I determined to visit a town of considerable size on the left bank. This town is named Akwoaay, and may contain seven or eight thousand inhabitants. It is beautifully situated on a rising ground, shaded with fine trees of different descriptions. The houses are built of better materials and proportion than those of any of the towns I had visited on the banks of the river between Whydah and this place. The caboceer is also called gadadoo, which he claims as his name, as well as marking the rank he holds as ruler or king.
Akwoaay, Porto Sogoora, Greejee, Popoe, Ahguay, Grand Popoe, and some other towns on the lagoon, are all independent settlements, with their own chief or king and government, for they have repelled all advances made by the Dahomans. Upon my landing at Akwoaay, I was met by the gadadoo, who kindly invited me to his house to drink some peto with him. I accepted his invitation with great satisfaction, as also did the whole of my party. He had just completed a new house of two stories, which had been planned by a krooman who had at a former period been to England in a merchant-ship. He evinced no small satisfaction in showing us up-stairs, though his upper room was only capable of admitting a person in a crouching position; still it was enough to make an uncivilized African proud to imagine that he occupied a palace equal to the sovereign of England. His house was about twenty feet long by twelve broad, and, including both stories, ten feet in height. In reply to his question, what sort of a house the Queen of England occupied, I told him that her palace was much larger than his whole town, and ten times higher. At this he seemed astonished and incredulous. However, his kindness was nothing abated, and after we had satisfied ourselves with peto, he ordered fish to be cooked with palm-oil, and plenty of meal from the maize or Indian corn.
While this meal was being prepared, the gadadoo accompanied us round the town, where I shot plenty of pigeons, which are here very numerous. At this place I measured a cotton-tree, and found it forty-two feet in circumference. Here I also found a root used for food of a description I have not seen in any other part of Africa. It is called by the natives etay, and is of the yam tribe. It tastes very sweet, and is about the firmness of an English potato, about eighteen inches long, and in the middle about ten inches thick. It tapers from the upper end, but not so much as a carrot. After our walk, the gadadoo led us again back to his house, and dinner being ready mine was served up by itself in two calabashes, the fish stewed in palm-oil in one, and boiled corn in the other. Unfortunately my host possessed neither spoon nor knife; but I sent my boy to the canoe for both; the rest of the party, of course, never made use of any convenience beyond their fingers, which they used with great dexterity, each endeavouring to cope with the others. This feeling of competition exists amongst them only when eating or stealing. They eat enormously at all times when they find an opportunity of doing so at the expense of others, but when at their own they are capable of sustaining hunger for a length of time. The old gadadoo seemed to enjoy the scene, looking on with as much pleasure as if he were partaking of the fare; as also did the crowd outside, who could at a little distance see all our manœuvres, the windows being so low. All seemed astonished to see a white man eat with a knife and fork. This was the first time a white man had visited this place within the remembrance of the present population.
After dinner we again partook of some peto, drinking the gadadoo’s health, who was apparently about sixty or seventy years of age. He then accompanied us to the beach, inviting me several times to come again and visit his country. The crowd was very great; even as high as the armpits the people stood in hundreds in the water, to catch a glimpse of the white man. I had some slight apprehensions respecting my luggage and instruments in the canoe; but every thing came off well. This was one of the very few places near the coast where I experienced hospitality from a native without some pecuniary motive. The gadadoo was first made aware that I had nothing with me to offer him, but mildly replied that he required nothing, and was too proud that his town was honoured by a visit from a white man. He is beloved by his people for his mild government.
The situation and construction of the town, its manufacture of cotton cloths, and its advantages for agriculture, render it a much superior town to any on the lake between this place and Whydah. Round the immediate neighbourhood of the town the soil is of a light red, excellent for corn, maniocs, melons, gourds, and all sorts of vegetables. At some little distance behind, where the land is lower, the soil is a black sandy loam, and produces excellent yams.
After parting with our venerable host, we pushed off, and made direct for Porto Sogoora, which place we reached about half an hour before sunset. The caboceer’s principal people were all on the beach, anxiously awaiting our return, and in fact a party of sundry canoes was ordered to go in search of us, had we not made our appearance at the time we did. The old caboceer was very much pleased to hear of my safe return by a messenger who preceded us. He was just setting out to meet me when I arrived at his house. After relating my adventure he pretended to be in a great rage at the conduct of the people whom he had sent as my canoemen, and threatened to punish them severely; but as one was his near relation, I suppose he considered the punishment I had already inflicted upon them sufficient.
Amongst all the neighbouring towns, Porto Sogoora bears a very bad character. Its natives, in general, are considered to be very great thieves, and even murderers when an opportunity presents itself. However, I cannot say that I found them at all deserving such an opinion, as far as my experience went: to be sure, they were well paid for any accommodation or civility shown me on their part. After supper I went to bed, and slept soundly; my accommodation being rather superior to most of the natives. The house where I slept belonged to Henrique, already mentioned in a former part of my journal. His principal residence is at Ahguay, but this house is occupied by him when at Porto Sogoora. He was now with Mr. James Hanson, accompanying Mr. Hutton as far as the Volta, on his return to Cape Coast, so that his apartments were appropriated to my services.
March 10th.—Early in the morning, the caboceer and his principal captains paid me a visit, as is customary in this country. Of course he expected to drink with me. This caused me to expend the last of my stock of a drinkable description. As I had expected Mr. Hanson and Henrique to return that night, I did not anticipate that I should be in want of anything, particularly as I scarcely ever drink spirits of any kind myself, though in some places, where the water is very bad, it is requisite to mix a little spirit with it. After breakfast I determined to examine the town, which is about a quarter of a mile from the beach. Between the town and the beach are beautiful ever-green shrubs, of various kinds, bearing delicious, sweet, acid fruits.
Upon reaching the beach I observed a vessel coming from the windward, at a considerable distance. By her rigging I soon perceived that she was a slaver, felucca-rigged. This vessel was taken a few days afterwards by the Hydra steamer. Here I observed a singular mode of catching crabs. A hole is dug in the sand, a little out of high-water mark: this hole is about two feet deep and one foot eight inches in diameter at the bottom, closing to eight inches diameter at the top. Round the hole, at a few inches distant, is strewed kankie, crumbled into small pieces, like crumbled bread. Early in the morning the crab-catcher visits his numerous traps along the beach, and, upon his approach, these land-crabs run into the hole to conceal themselves, and before they have time to burrow into the sand they are taken and put into a basket. Great numbers are caught in this way. But no other fish here is taken from the sea, the lagoon furnishing ample supplies for consumption, as well as large quantities to dry and send into the interior.