My proposition was not approved of, and a council of officers being held, it was in a short time determined to adopt rather a novel method, which it may be interesting to describe. As I have already stated, large trees, of a species which I have previously mentioned, grew on the banks on either side of this river. A number of small trees were cut, each of the private soldiers cutting with his short sabre, or knife, till a sufficient number were thus obtained. These poles newly cut were tied to the long fibres hanging perpendicularly from the branches of the larger trees, and were then attached in succession, horizontally, till they reached the hanging fibres of the trees on the opposite bank.
After having fixed two lines of poles across, in the manner I have described, about one yard apart, short pieces of wood were cut and placed across, and small boughs, and grass or reeds, placed on the top, so that a suspension-bridge was thus simply constructed in the short space of half an hour. The whole party then passed over in safety. I was informed, in reply to a question, that this is by no means an invention of the Dahomans, but has long been practised in Central Africa, especially in time of war, and where the rivers are not too wide. Floating bridges are also constructed in a similar manner, where the above method cannot be adopted.
After crossing this river we entered the Annagoo country. We halted a short time on the bank, to give the caboceer of Savalu time to prepare himself for our reception. A messenger now arrived to say that he would shortly be ready to receive us. I here changed my dress, and substituted my military uniform. This caboceer was described to be a man of great wealth and power, and a great favourite with the King of Dahomey. He is consequently allowed a considerable degree of discretionary power beyond that of any other chief, the caboceer of Whydah excepted.
As soon as my rude toilet was finished, I mounted as a Life Guardsman, but not quite so neat as when on duty at Whitehall. After advancing about one mile towards the town, we were met by the caboceer under some very large trees, where was a cranery. This place was delightfully shaded. Here the captain of my guard and myself seated ourselves under one of the trees, till this great personage made three times a procession in a circle round us to the left, for it is considered unlucky to form circle to the right. This caboceer appeared to consider himself much above any other I had seen, either in the Mahee or Dahoman kingdoms, now united. He would not condescend to walk, but was carried round us in his hammock. He then alighted, and his hammock was carried suspended to a pole, each end resting on the heads of two stout slaves, who always proceeded at a trot. He advanced towards us on foot, after he had displayed to his own satisfaction the richly ornamented hammock in which he had been riding. He afterwards informed me that it was presented to him by the King of Dahomey. He next went through the usual ceremony of prostration, and rubbing himself with dust. He then delivered a long address of welcome to the King’s English stranger, finishing his harangue by saying that I was like to a man who had been many moons searching in the bush for a large block of wood for his fire, and had rejected many as being bad wood to burn, but to his great satisfaction at last found a large tree of a peculiar description, which burnt like a lamp. He said, that I in like manner had been travelling through the Mahee and Fellattah countries, but during the whole of my long journey I had not seen any town so great or so grand as the town of Savalu, which I was about to enter.
The caboceer, whose name is Bagadee, is a very fine stout handsome black, of very pleasing expression and address, possessing great intelligence; and having travelled a considerable distance in the neighbouring kingdoms, he has a tolerable idea of the geography of the surrounding country. As we advanced towards the town, which was certainly the most picturesque and grand of any I had seen since leaving the country of the Fellattahs, we ascended six platforms in succession, of flights of steps naturally formed, of a very peculiar sort of stone, resembling petrified wood, and stratified perpendicularly. These steps extend upwards of a mile in length, and each platform is of nearly the same breadth, preserving the same throughout; so that an observer could scarcely be convinced that they were formed by Nature, were he not aware of the generally indolent character of the natives. These platforms were about fifty yards in width, with numerous little villages situated thereon, apparently occupied by farmers, and here all the cattle are kept, of which there are great numbers: goats and sheep only are admitted in the town. The mountain of Savalu, from which the town takes its name, is beautifully wooded to the summit, with bold projecting rocks or precipices at different distances, showing their hoary crowns and angles, forming a beautiful back-ground to the town, which, independently of the neighbouring kroom, is certainly larger than any town in the Mahee country, and before it was ceded to the Dahomans was always considered the capital or metropolis. The houses are much larger generally, and built with more taste and uniformity than any Mahee town. The caboceer’s house is two stories high, and built on a platform directly overlooking the market-place. His house and the market are separated by a wall about ten or twelve feet high. The windows or light-holes of the upper story are considerably higher than the wall, so that the inmates, chiefly the caboceer’s wives, can overlook the whole of the market-place, and in fact the whole town, being situated on the base of the mountain.
We remained in the market-place about an hour and a half, drinking rum and peto, the soldiers of each guard alternately dancing and keeping up an irregular fire. During this time the caboceer’s wives were stealing a peep through the windows, but the moment they were observed withdrew. Amongst the soldiers of Savalu, I noticed the jester very particularly, who certainly displayed more wit and fun than clowns generally do, in endeavouring to fire off his musket, which several times missed fire; upon which he shook out the whole of the priming, and spit into the pan, and again snapped the piece as if expecting the explosion would fellow. He also performed several other antics equally ridiculous. At last we were allowed to retire to the quarters which had been allotted to us. These were a considerable distance from the principal market-place.
We passed through several minor markets on our way to my quarters, then from one court-yard to another, till we at last reached the house appointed for us, which, according to my ideas, ill corresponded with the description given by the young caboceer of his town. The house was so low in the doorway, that I was compelled to enter on my hands and knees, and when I had passed through a partition into the inner apartment, which was as dark as a dungeon, I was obliged to burn a light. I felt much annoyed at this, and refused to remain there, looking upon it as an insult. Upon this circumstance being made known, several of the trading merchants from Abomey kindly proffered me their houses, provided the caboceer had no objections.
A messenger was consequently despatched to communicate my dissatisfaction with my lodgings to the caboceer, who appeared quite surprised, and came back with my messenger to make personal inquiry respecting it. Upon his inquiring why I objected to the apartment, I told him my first impression was that it must have been used as a prison, on account of its strength and darkness, being without any aperture to admit of light, except the low doorway.
In explanation he informed me, that in his country the greater part of the houses were purposely so constructed, to prevent the inmates from being seen by a passer-by, who might shoot them with their arrows, in time of war, which was a common practice; and that this house had been selected as a security against such an occurrence. However, I chose the house of the merchant, which was tolerably comfortable; but felt rather feverish, and had also a slight touch of ague. I found it necessary, therefore, to take more medicine, which so much alarmed my caboceer, that he refused all sorts of food whatever, complaining bitterly of the advantage taken in stealing a march upon him into the country of enemies, thereby endangering his life as well as my own. He declared his conviction, that I had contracted my illness through excessive fatigue and exposure in the Fellattah country. However, two doses of James’s powder and opium considerably subdued my fever. Here we were, as usual, supplied with large quantities of provision ready cooked, both by the caboceer and merchants. Late in the evening the caboceer again visited me, bringing with him some rum as well as some cherry brandy, which he proudly boasted had been sent him by the King of Dahomey. After he had distributed these, I gave him the contents of a flask of rum from my own stores, a box of lucifer matches, and a large Jew’s harp, which seemed to afford him much pleasure. At a late hour he and his head-men retired to their homes, much to my satisfaction, for I felt much in want of rest.