Though these people do not write, with the exception of the Mohammedan portion of them, yet they possess very retentive memories. The death-drums were also brought out on this occasion. They were four in number, and of different sizes, but much larger than the large drums in use in the British army. The largest measured nine feet four inches in length, and the whole were ornamented with human skulls, several of which I observed were deficient of any suture across the upper part. This appeared in the proportion of one in twelve, and the skulls without any longitudinal division were as one in twenty-seven. I found the skulls of the Mahees generally to recede from the nasal bone or lower part of the forehead to the top in a greater angle than those of any other country.
The Fellattahs are very different in their cranium and general development from the others, having high, square foreheads, and a quick and bright eye. They are slighter in person than either the Dahomans or Mahees; but are generally well formed, sinewy in their limbs, and capable of enduring great fatigue. The Dahomans are a very fine and generally tall race of people, both male and female, and the most honest of any people I ever met with.
It is worthy of remark, that unlike any other uncivilized people I have seen, during my stay at Abomey I was never asked by any individual for an article of even the most trifling value, nor ever lost anything, except what was stolen by my people from the coast. The Dahoman laws are certainly severe, but they have the desired effect. In the collection of skulls, I found a number of them ornamented with brass, and rivetted together with iron. These were the heads of rival kings, who were killed by the King’s women, or wives. Amongst these was the richly ornamented skull of the King of Nahpoo, in the Annagoo country; his name was Adaffo. His town was taken, and he himself made prisoner, by the female regiments, commanded by the female commander, Apadomey. Many of the skulls still retained the hair. It appears that this part of the human body has always been a favourite ornament on the palace-walls of Abomey, and even in the walls, entrance of gateways, and doorways; though the present King has not placed them on the walls of the new palace called Coomassie.
A guard is mounted every morning at each of the palaces, and there is a resident governor. After taking several drawings of the skulls of several kings killed in war, his Majesty invited me to be present at the trial of a prisoner who had been brought from a town in the Mahee country, where he had already been tried, upon an accusation of adultery with one of the caboceers’ wives, and the sentence of death had been passed upon him. The man, however, being conscious of his innocence, appealed to the Court of Abomey, where all the witnesses were again examined and cross-questioned by the King himself. It was now distinctly proved that the whole was a false accusation, and the poor fellow was immediately liberated; but the caboceer, who had been his accuser, and fourteen of his false witnesses, were seized and imprisoned for trial on a future day, when doubtless the whole of them would suffer death.
The King, with great satisfaction, pointed out to me the beneficial effects of this new law which he had made, observing that formerly, in the Mahee country, when a caboceer felt animosity against a person in his power, he could at any time get up an accusation against him, and also ensure such evidence as would suit his purpose; but that now the accused had the power of appealing to the court of Abomey, which had been the means of effectually checking such practices, as he invariably put the accusers to death when he found the accused to be innocent.
As I felt very unwell and feverish, I begged the King to allow me to return to my quarters, which he readily acceded to, and with his usual kindness inquired if he could do any thing for me. He walked with me nearly to my dwelling, during which a continual fire of musketry was kept up until I entered my own gates.
I found my servant, Maurice, still weaker, and could not prevail on him to partake of any nourishment. It was now evident that his earthly career was near its termination. I asked him if he would like me to read prayers to him; and intimated to him the near approach of his dissolution. He consented to my reading prayers; but said, he thought he should recover. I asked him to give me his father’s address, so that in the event of his death I might write to him; but, for what reason I am at a loss to imagine, he refused to give it me, but confessed that he had been using a false name; and that his father’s name was not Maurice. He expressed a wish to be carried to Whydah, which was speedily arranged to be done on the following morning. My fever increasing, I was now compelled to go to bed.
Early on the 27th August the carriers reported themselves ready to proceed with Maurice to Whydah. By this time, my fever had so increased, that from giddiness I was unable to stand without assistance; and poor Maurice, being brought in upon the hammock, proved to be in a dying state; and in a few minutes afterwards expired without a struggle. A messenger was immediately sent to the King to inform him of the melancholy fact, who expressed extreme regret at it, remarking that he feared the occurrence might prevent other Englishmen from visiting him; but I told him that it was the will of God, and that no person was to blame; on the contrary, that every thing had been done which our means afforded. The King then ordered four men to dig a grave for Maurice, and sent me a flask of rum to give the carriers and grave-diggers. He also sent two fine cloths to wrap the body in. He would not allow it to be interred in the sepulchre appointed for strangers, but it was buried in the court-yard in front of Mayho’s house, with every mark of respect.
Great attention was paid by all the spectators during the burial-service, which I read. I was now left without a white man, and, for a moment, I felt the loneliness of my situation. This melancholy feeling was augmented by my severe indisposition. My wounded leg began to swell and to become discoloured. In the afternoon, the King sent for me to come and see him, if possible. I felt myself unable to walk, but was carried in a hammock to the palace. The King seemed in great trouble at my illness. He told me that he had sent for me to show me an elephant which had been killed by one of Mayho’s soldiers. He wished to know if I could preserve a part of it to take with me to Whydah, for which place I intended to proceed in a few days. I told him that I was afraid I could not preserve it, so as to be able to carry it with me; he promised to send me a dish of the flesh for my dinner on the following day.
He begged me to join in drinking the health of the Queen of England and the whole of the Royal Family, in cherry brandy, which he strongly recommended as beneficial in all cases of fever. This I did: he then informed me that he had a regiment of female soldiers (his wives), as well as a regiment of males, on the parade in front of the palace, waiting to show me how they procured their food when in the bush.