As soon as possible I prepared myself, and proceeded to the court-yard of the old caboceer, which was at some distance off. Having a great many very low doorways to pass through, I was nearly bent double. My horse also with difficulty passed through without his saddle, consequently I was prevented mounting until I arrived at the caboceer’s yard. Here I found the venerable chief seated under the shade of a large cabbage-tree, in readiness to receive us. Upon entering the court-yard, I found all his wives and slaves on their knees, with their hands together and in front of their faces, as if in the attitude of prayer. Upon a given signal, they all clapped their hands three times, then a short pause ensued, and the same clapping of hands was repeated twice more. This is a mode of salutation in Whydah to a superior, as also as in all the Dahoman kingdom, as well as shaking hands, and the cracking of the two second fingers of each hand, joined, in the same manner as cracking the thumb and finger. The old man seemed much interested in seeing my horse saddled, and also with my arms, and the manner of placing them on the saddle to carry them. He next put a great many questions to me respecting white man’s country, and seemed much astonished at my answers.
The town of Jallakoo is situated on a flat-surfaced rock, at the base of a mountain, from which the town takes its name. This is the most picturesque of all the mountains I have yet seen in the Mahee or Dahoman kingdom. One part of it is formed by the largest blocks of granite I ever saw, placed irregularly upon each other: in some respects their position was not unlike Stonehenge. Large cotton-trees in many instances grew between these immense rocks, which support the upper or horizontal ones. In fact, I have never seen any thing so grand and so picturesque as the mountain of Jallakoo. It is also the last we touch upon on our return to Abomey.
Here I made particular inquiry respecting their mode of agriculture, and the sort of grain principally used, as well as what was the most profitable, and its time of ripening. Guinea corn is much used here, as well as several sorts of maize and rice. I was informed that in this country the Guinea corn requires nearly seven moons to ripen, rice five, and maize between four and five months, though at Setta and Paweea I found a smaller sort of Indian corn, which ripens in two and a half and three moons, and also another sort which ripens in four moons. They never consider the utility of selecting any particular sort of seed; but after my return to Abomey, the King, who is a great agriculturist, informed me that the latest corn known will, if planted in the proper season, ripen in less than four moons, and also told me that the time of ripening had in many instances been mistaken, from a want of knowledge, and planting the corn too soon before the rainy season.
We were supplied with plenty of peto during our palaver. Here were several beautiful crown-birds walking about the market-place quite tame. The old caboceer expressed great anxiety to have the names of himself and head men, as well as his principal wive’s name, recorded in my book; and I here give them according to my promise, as follows:—
First Caboceer Nakoomakay.
Wife’s name Agbally.
Second Caboceer Adyamee.
Wife’s name Whendie.
Head men.
Tetay.[19]
Atakpa.
Bosou.[19]
Kudjo.[19]
Adamazo.
Chigyea.
Dakay.
Ozee.
Mokosa.
Wzoto.
Tootee.
Takpwadda.
After this ceremony I was allowed to depart to my own quarters, where I changed my dress, but had scarcely finished when I was besieged by visitors from all parts of the town, as well as the neighbouring villages, many of whom brought me provisions ready cooked, and several live animals. One rich merchant, named Sisinau, brought me thirty-two large calabashes of provision, as well as plenty of peto. Many of the fetish-men and women brought me gruels of various compositions, all of which were very palatable, being generally sweetened with wild honey, which is very abundant in the whole of the country traversed in this direction.
In the evening I was again visited by the two caboceers, whom I treated with a flask of rum to distribute amongst his head men. I also gave him a piece of romall (cloth), which I invariably gave the caboceers in whose towns I lodged, as well as some Jew’s harps, and two knives, with some papers of needles and a few thimbles, which were much prized. I then signified my intention to proceed on my journey early next morning, when the old man pressed me much to stop another day. This I certainly would have done, had I not been afraid of being more seriously attacked by fever and ague, as my quarters were very pleasant, and the people extremely kind. A great many visitors came with small presents during the remainder of the evening to inquire after my health, as well as for the purpose of seeing white man, to all of whom I gave some trifling article in return. The thermometer ranged at Jallakoo from 71° to 80°, Fahrenheit, which, it will be observed, is much colder than on the coast in the coldest season.