Before leaving the natives of the Dassa mountains, it may not be uninteresting to make a few observations respecting them. For generations they have inhabited this range of mountains, though they have been on several occasions disturbed by enemies, who however have always been repulsed with loss. Their mountains are extremely difficult of access; and, unlike any of their neighbours, they take the precaution to preserve sufficient food for some months, in case of a besieging force coming against them. This precaution, and the supply of water from the mountain springs, enables them to withstand the force and skill of any enemy. They speak a language quite distinct from that of the neighbouring tribes, one instance of the inaccuracy of Mr. Crowther’s assertion that all the tribes inhabiting the Kong Mountains, from the Niger to the Ashantee country, speak the same language.
I had several Yarriba and Houssa men with me, all of whom declared that they could not speak the Dassa language. These mountaineers are selfish and revengeful in the extreme, and are considered great cowards, for they depend chiefly upon the chances of poisoning their enemy. They are numerous on account of their never disposing of their slaves, and polygamy is, as in most African kingdoms, allowed to any extent. Their towns (those at least which we saw) were large and well-peopled, and their position judiciously selected for defence. They do not keep their cattle in herds on the plains, like their neighbours, but on the mountains, which have more vegetation than most of the Mahee mountains of the same height. They are great farmers and hunters. Regular markets of exchange are established with one another. It is said that they have a superior method of manufacturing iron, which has been observed in their arrow-heads. Their worship is pagan.
The west side of some of these mountains presents to the observer a most singular appearance, being composed of immense blocks of stone, (granite,) thrown by some volcanic power indiscriminately one upon another, resembling at a distance the large towns built on other parts of the mountains. The highest of the Dassa mountains, which is close on the left or south side of the pass crossing this chain, is two thousand five hundred feet high. The pass through these mountains is picturesque and grand; huge blocks of granite resting on pivots and angles, almost terrific to pass. The blue eagle, and various large birds of varied plumage and forms, give a wild grandeur to the scene. The pass is extremely rough, the traveller ascending and descending rocks, to the distance of a mile, to avoid the deep pools in the hollows between them, formed by the stream of considerable size which runs in the same direction as the pass. The noise and gushing sound of the cataracts reminded me of scenes far distant. I should have enjoyed it much better had we not been annoyed by the Dassa people.
It is remarkable, that in all the mountains in the interior I have never observed a stone building, though stone might much easier be obtained than the clay with which they are invariably built; for instance, they carry clay from the plain for the purpose of building upon granite rocks, on mountain-tops elevated two thousand feet from their base. The lion, hyæna, and panther abound in these mountains, and often commit great depredations. The antelope is also a resident here.
After crossing the chain of the Dassa mountains, we entered another beautiful plain, quite open to a distance of many miles to the northward. The soil is of a light sandy clay and loam, well watered by small streams, running to the N.E. The ground, in consequence of the heavy rains, had, as I stated, become very slippery; and, whether by accident or intentionally I cannot determine, one of my Dahoman carriers, sent with me by Mayho, let fall from his head a large case, containing bottles of rum, breaking all but two. One of the soldiers who was close behind him stated that this act was intentional, and the caboceer declared that he would report the slave’s conduct to his master immediately upon his return to Abomey. It was an unfortunate event to myself and the caboceer, especially as my stock of spirits was now nearly exhausted, and we had still many towns to visit, where in all such cases a present of a flask of rum is considered an indispensable dash to the caboceers and their head-men.
Immediately after the case fell from the man’s head, one of the soldiers placed it on its bottom, and I opened it. The box being pretty closely packed, we managed to preserve a considerable portion of the rum; but I had only two bottles, which I always ordered my own men to carry in their havresacks, filled with water. We poured out the water from these, and filled them with the dirty rum. The bottles having been packed with straw, some of the soldiers wrung out the rum into their calabashes, to drink. The remainder of the rum was distributed amongst my people, with the exception of the unfortunate carrier, whom the caboceer would not allow to taste it; and, as a farther punishment, he was ordered to change his load for a much heavier one. The plain was here thinly studded with palm and shea butter-trees.
After marching about thirteen miles, we entered a thick wood, which runs along the base of a second range or crescent of mountains, similarly situated to the Dassa mountains, but of much less magnitude, and thickly wooded to the top. The geology of this differs from the Dassa range, being composed chiefly of limestone, and a beautifully twisted or waved marble of variegated colours—yellow, white, blue, and red. After passing about five miles along their base, under large trees of various sorts, the rain falling in torrents, we arrived at the pass across this second range. The path, though well trodden under foot, was entirely covered with pepper trees, of the small Chili tribe, about ten feet in height.
These bushes proved very annoying for a distance of about two miles. The branches of the pepper-trees extended across the path at about four feet from the ground, where they were so firmly interwoven as almost to unseat me from my saddle, and being in full bearing at this season the annoyance was still greater, the seeds coming in contact with the face and eyes, and causing actual torture.
It was very agreeable again to see the open plain, which we found at a short distance from the mountains, beautifully cultivated. I forgot to mention, that during our passing over the last range, I observed some very singularly marked monkeys, having a white streak across the upper part of the forehead, white round the mouth, and on the tip of the nose. These were much smaller than the black or brown monkey, and of a slate-grey-coloured body. We passed several large shocks of beans or peas, of a description I had not yet noticed. They appeared to be very prolific, and were about the size of the horse-bean in England, but as white as our white pea; the stalk about three feet long, and also of a light colour. I found upon inquiry that these were preserved for seed, which were to be immediately put into the ground, though they had only been two days gathered. I was told that the seed would produce another crop in the space of two moons and a half. In this country they have also a great variety of the ground-bean and nut, which is also very abundant.
After twenty-one miles we arrived at the town of Logazohy, where, although completely drenched by the day’s heavy rain, we were obliged to remain in the market-place till the poor old caboceer, who was in a very delicate state of health, could prepare himself for my reception, as the King’s stranger. After the usual prostration and forms of welcome, by drinking water, and then rum, we were led into a spacious court-yard, where we observed a number of young female slaves, who were very handsome, busily employed in grinding corn. They seemed to have been taken unawares, for upon our approach they instantly fled. We passed into a second and much smaller yard, where a good house for myself and private servants was pointed out to me. This I ascertained belonged to Mayho’s traders, who are stationed here.