A singular superstition exists at Whydah in regard to the position of the body when asleep. On no account will a native sleep with his head towards the sea, nor enter a new house to take possession as a dwelling on a Tuesday or Friday, both those days being reckoned unlucky.
13th.—The thermometer rose to 90°, and at 4 hours 30 minutes fell to 70° Fahrenheit during a tornado.
On the 14th Commander Layton, of H. M. brig-of-war Cygnet, came on shore to visit me, and to thank Don Francisco de Suza for his great kindness to me since my arrival at Whydah, for I had informed Captain Layton of the manner in which I had been treated by him. M. de Suza expressed much satisfaction at this acknowledgment of his kindness, not only to me, but to all other Englishmen visiting this place. He is a professed slave-dealer of long standing, as I have previously mentioned, and that circumstance is likely enough to produce an unfavourable opinion of him; but a more generous or benevolent man perhaps never existed, in my opinion.
15th.—I went with Captain Layton on board the Cygnet, and was received with great kindness by the officers. During the night or previous evening, the Sea Lark, Captain Gooch, had anchored near the Cygnet. Captain Gooch came on board, and dined with Captain Layton and myself. Both these gentlemen expressed their willingness to assist me in any way in their power consistent with their duty.
On the 25th, at three o’clock A.M., during a dreadful tornado, accompanied with the most vivid lightning and loudest thunder I ever heard, the thermometer fell from 87° to 78° Fahrenheit.
At ten A.M. I was present at a sale by auction of the slaves belonging to a Portuguese merchant, who died on the 23d instant. Being domestic slaves, they sold high; one, a cook, sold for two hundred and fifty dollars. The slaves are led in one at a time in succession as they are sold, and their persons examined. They are sold to the highest bidder, in the same way as cattle are sold in England. At half-past six a fiery meteor passed to the southward of Whydah, from east to west.
26th.—The wind changed regularly since the 20th from west to north, and at daybreak returned to west, forming the circle of the four cardinal points in twelve hours. This day and night the thermometer ranged between noon and midnight from 82° to 78° Fahrenheit.
May 1st.—Punishment was inflicted for accidentally killing two fetish snakes, while clearing some rubbish in the French fort. This is one of the most absurd as well as savage customs I ever witnessed or heard of. Still it is not so bad as it was in the reign of the preceding King of Dahomey, when the law declared the head of the unfortunate individual forfeited for killing one of these reptiles, even by accident. The present King has reduced the capital punishment to that described below. On this occasion three individuals were sentenced, as guilty of the murder of this fetish snake. A small house is thereupon made for each individual, composed of dry faggots for walls, and it is thatched with dry grass. The fetish-men then assemble, and fully describe the enormity of the crime committed. Each individual is then smeared over, or rather has a quantity of palm-oil and yeast poured over them, and then a bushel basket is placed on each of their heads. In this basket are placed small calabashes, filled to the brim, so that the slightest motion of the body spills both the oil and the yeast, which runs through the bottom of the basket on to the head. Each individual carries a dog and a kid, as well as two fowls, all fastened together, across his shoulders. The culprits were then marched slowly round their newly-prepared houses, the fetish-men haranguing them all the time. Each individual is then brought to the door of his house, which is not more than four feet high. He is there freed from his burthen, and compelled to crawl into his house on his belly, for the door is only eighteen inches high. He is then shut into this small space with the dog, kid, and two fowls. The house is then fired, and the poor wretch is allowed to make his escape through the flames to the nearest running water. During his journey there he is pelted with sticks and clods by the assembled mob; but if the culprit has any friends, they generally contrive to get nearest to him during his race to the water, and assist him, as well as hinder the mob in their endeavours to injure him. When they reach the water they plunge themselves headlong into it, and are then considered to be cleansed of all the sin or crime of the snake-murder. But this barbarous custom does not even end here. After the lapse of thirteen days, in addition to an annual custom observed here, custom or holiday is held for the deceased snakes.
During one whole day all persons who are so inclined are permitted to kill all dogs or pigs as well as fowls found abroad or in the streets. After the day’s collection all are put in a heap together, some of the poor animals writhing with agony. They are then distributed amongst the most ravenous of these cannibals and fetish-men, and are all cooked. A glorious feast and drinking of rum then takes place. Dogs are considered, I ought to observe, a great luxury here.
This day a party of vagabonds attacked a very fine English greyhound belonging to the English fort. I met the villains just as they entered the fort in pursuit of the poor animal, which they had already lamed. I gave chase to them, declaring if any one dared to come again into the fort I would shoot him instantly. The whole crowd threw down the dogs they had already killed, and made their escape, for they are great cowards; and many of them, in consequence of my having resided there three months, knew me. I then went to the Avogaw, and informed him of my determination to shoot the first of these villains who dared to enter the English fort, upon which he sent the gong-gong round the town, warning all persons against injuring white men’s dogs: as they did not acknowledge fetish, they had no right to meddle with any thing belonging to white men.