At that moment, I felt myself a much fitter subject for my mat or bed; but, as this parade was got up entirely for my gratification, I determined to remain as long as possible. Accordingly, I accompanied the King to the parade-ground, where we found the male and female soldiers formed in line, with front and rear ranks, the latter on the right. At seventy yards’ distance from their front was a high swish, or clay wall, parallel with the line of soldiers. Close to this were fastened, by pegs driven into the ground, a number of sheep, goats, ducks, guinea-fowls, and the common fowl. The whole were placed in that position for the purpose of illustrating the method by which the army procured its food when on march in the bush, which abounds with game. Each of the soldiers was armed either with a long Danish or English musket, charged with iron bullets.
The females commenced firing from the right, advancing one pace to the front in succession, as they came to the present. I was certainly much surprised to see the certainty of their deadly aim. Although at seventy yards distance, very few missed their object; and I did not observe one who fired wide of a man’s body. The female commanders presented me with eight large Muscovy ducks and some Guinea-fowls. The male soldiers fired with even more precision than the females, but I believe that the whole of them were picked shots; but even if that were the case, the feat was astonishing, and would have done credit to our best riflemen. I became so much exhausted and sick at the stomach at last, that I was obliged to be immediately carried home. My leg, also, was now very much swollen, and darker in colour, and became very painful, with every symptom of gangrene or mortification. I confess I felt considerable alarm at observing these symptoms so rapidly increasing. By this time, however, I had become inured to hardships and suffering, and had learned to set little value upon my life, and could very readily have reconciled myself to share the same grave with poor Maurice. My principal anxiety was respecting my Journal, a great part of which was only in notes; consequently the probability was that my kind and generous patrons would never get possession of it, though this was the only tribute of gratitude I should ever have it in my power to return them. I, therefore, made up my Journal and papers in the form of a parcel, addressed to the Geographical Society, with strict injunctions to my servants to forward them to Mr. Hutton of Cape Coast.
My people were very much alarmed at my condition, as were also Mayho and the King’s messengers, who visited me every two hours. My leg was still rapidly getting worse, the blackness progressing upwards. I now began to measure my time, calculating upon my death before morning. I had seen several amputations performed, and came to the determination to attempt to amputate my own leg, should it appear absolutely necessary. In the meantime, I ordered poultices to be prepared from Indian corn meal, and yeast from the peto. This was immediately applied. I then had all my amputating instruments placed in readiness, with the necessary quantity of bandages; and I instructed my people what they were to do in the event of my fainting while endeavouring to perform the operation. They did not seem altogether to relish my instructions, but promised to do their best in obedience to my orders.
It may be considered that madness alone could have suggested such an attempt; but it must also be observed, that necessity under certain circumstances urges the performance of many things bordering on impossibilities; and in despair we are always ready to grasp even at a shadow of hope.
However, thank God! I had not occasion to make the attempt. The poultices had the desired effect, for in the morning the swelling was considerably reduced, and the colour turned from black to a pink or light purple colour, except round the wound, which sloughed, and the flesh dropped from the bone, causing much pain. Mayho visited me early, and seemed much pleased when I informed him of my improvement. My spirits also were much revived, and having some remnants of cotton print left, I made a frock for Mayho’s youngest boy, with which he seemed very much pleased. I also made Mayho a waistcoat of the same material.
On the 28th I was able to visit the King, to whom I intimated a wish to depart on the following day for Whydah. He said that he felt very reluctant to part with me, and wished very much that I would remain in his capital; at the same time admitting the necessity of my hurrying home to deliver his message to the Queen of England, and expressing his great disappointment that Mr. Freeman had not visited him a second time. He again spoke very highly of him, and expressed a great wish to have an English missionary and school for mechanics in his capital. He begged me to point out the necessity of this upon my return to England.
The King now ordered Mayho to get carriers ready for my departure for the coast. The bullocks and goats, which had been presented to me, had been forwarded already, leaving only the bipeds which were to accompany me when I should leave. His Majesty sent me a present of three pieces of royal cloth, as well as two pieces for the Queen of England, as specimens of their manufacture. He also sent a very handsome young girl as a present for Her Majesty. This child was about seven years old, and was the daughter of a Mahee king, killed in the late war. He also sent me eighteen heads of cowries, valued at the same number of dollars, to defray my expenses to Whydah, and two kegs of rum to treat my people with, with his best wishes for my welfare, and hoping I should soon return to visit his kingdom.
During the whole of my stay in Abomey I had received the most unbounded kindness from the King, as well as from his principal officers, and, as I have before stated, I had never been solicited for any thing by way of dash or present. But I had in my possession a walking-stick, which contained a spring dagger; this the King seemed to admire much, I therefore asked him to accept it as a present, for which he heartily thanked me, saying that he should be very glad to do so when I returned from the Kong Mountains, remarking that in all probability I should meet with some very bad people while in the Mahee country. After my return I offered him the stick, which he again refused, saying that he would wait till I had safely arrived at Griwhee (Whydah). He would send a messenger with me thither for the purpose of carrying it back to Abomey. He also ordered three caboceers to accompany me on my journey to the coast.
All was now arranged for my departure on the following morning. I was still very weak, and quite lame from the large wound in my leg, which was on the lower part of the calf, four inches in length and about one and a half in breadth; but my little horse had now recovered from his long journey, and was in high condition for another. I therefore resolved to pursue my journey, as I had intended.
August 29th.—At daybreak a messenger came before I arose from my mat, to inquire after the state of my health, with orders to ascertain whether I considered myself quite capable of undertaking my journey, to which I replied in the affirmative. In a short time afterwards breakfast was sent as usual, and a number of my carriers arrived.