Samboe; or, The African Boy

by Mary Ann Hedge

Presuming that our young readers are not uninterested in the accounts of Charles Irving, we shall make a few more extracts from his correspondence. “You tell me,” he observes in reply to the expressed wishes of his sister, “you tell me, my dear Sophy, to give you some information respecting the inhabitants of Whidáh. I am myself unable [[19]]to speak very decisively, but I am assured by those who have visited other parts of Africa, that those of Whidáh exceed the other negroes in civilization, and they certainly appear to me, both industrious and ingenious. The women, I can assure you, are very important personages, truly help-meets to their lords. They brew the beer, dress the food, sell all sorts of articles, (except slaves!) at the markets; they are also, I am sorry to add, employed in tilling the land with the slaves. But, Sophy, this may be accounted for: the light of Christianity has not yet beamed upon this land. Its humanizing spirit we have, you know, often remarked, as peculiarly favourable to the weaker sex; and were Africa free, and blessed with the genial ray of true religion, doubtless her women would acquire that consideration which is their due, and be regarded as what they ought to be, as the companions and solace, not the slaves of man. In reference to their ingenuity, I have many specimens. They spin cotton yarn, weave fine cotton cloth, make calabashes, wooden vessels, [[20]]plates, dishes, &c. I have now lying before me, a present from a great man, a pipe for smoking, which is remarkably neat. It is formed of clay of a reddish hue, the stem a reed about six feet in length. It is beautifully and finely polished, perfectly smooth, white, and even elegant. The bowl and stem are fastened together with a piece of delicate red leather. It has also a fine leather tassel, attached to about the middle of the stem; and so neat is the work, that although the end of the reed goes into the bowl of the pipe, it appears as if formed of one piece. They clean the reed, when filled up with the smoke, by drawing long straws through it, and the bowls, by scraping them with a small sharp instrument.

“Last week we had quite a gala day, one of the country chiefs paying a visit to the governor at the fort. He was saluted with five guns on his landing: I was much pleased that my duty obliged me to go to the fort at the time.

“The ostensible motive of his visit, was respect to the governor; but the real one, to [[21]]solicit powder and ball, in order to defend himself against the attacks of a neighbouring chief. He assumes the title of emperor, and is a fine model of negro beauty, young, extremely black, tall, and free in his carriage, with teeth which rivalled pearls in beauty. His dress consisted of short yellow cotton trowsers, reaching only to the knees; and a sort of mantle of the same material, flowing full like a surplice. His feet and legs were naked; but he wore a very large cap, with a white goat’s tail fastened in it: I suppose, the insignia of his dignity.

“All the officers of the fort were in full uniform, waiting to receive this chieftain; and, I assure you, it was a very gratifying sight to observe the expecting numbers ready to welcome him.

“He and his retinue came in a large and splendid canoe, containing about sixteen persons, all armed with guns and sabres, with a number of drums, upon which they beat with one stick. Two or three women were of the party, and danced to the sound of the drums. They remained at the fort [[22]]all night, highly pleased with the visit, and the success of it; not only receiving what they solicited, but an ample present of rum, beads, bugles, and looking-glasses, from the governor, by which he quite won the hearts of the emperor and his suite.

“The natives are, indeed, generally good-natured and obliging, particularly to Europeans; and if the latter are liberal in presents, they seldom find the obligation forgotten. If a favour is asked of them, they will use their utmost efforts to comply, even to their own prejudice. Gentle measures are, indeed, the only means to succeed with them: they then seem to have pleasure in compliance; but if treated with violence, they are obstinate and refractory, and they will take as much pains to injure, as, in the other case, to serve. This, you will say, sufficiently proves their native generosity of disposition. Can such a people require any thing but freedom, and a pure faith, to render them equal to the European, who despises them, and denies that they possess a capability of enjoying freedom? I grant [[23]]this, my dear advocate; and, did time allow me, could relate many instances to prove that your opinion is just.

“In my last, I mentioned the employment of the women partly consisted in weaving fine cotton cloths. We frequently barter these with our commodities. The pieces are generally twenty-seven yards long, but never more than nine inches wide. They cut them what length they require, and sew them together very neatly, to serve the use of broader cloths. The cotton is cleared from the seed by hand, and is spun with a spindle and distaff: it is afterwards woven in a loom of very simple and coarse workmanship. These cloths are made up into pairs, one about three yards long, and one and a half broad; with this the shoulders and body are covered. The other is almost of the same breadth, and but two yards long: this is gathered neatly in folds round the waist, and falls loosely over the limbs. Such a pair of cloths is the dress of men and women, with a slight variation in the mode of adjustment. I have seen a pair of such cloths, so beautifully fine [[24]]in texture, and so brightly dyed, as to be very valuable. Their usual colours are either blue or yellow, some very lively: I do not remember, however, ever to have seen any red. ([Note D].)

“I shall conclude this letter by an account of my visit to Sabi, as I promised you. With European ideas of the state of society and commerce in Africa, I confess, the surprise I experienced was very great, on my entrance into the market of this capital of Whidáh, which is kept twice in a week. Great regulation is observed in the keeping of these markets, a distinct and proper place being assigned for every different commodity; and the confluence of people, although great, are preserved from disorder and confusion, by a judge or magistrate, appointed by the king; and who, with four assistants, well armed, inspects the markets, hears all complaints, and, in a summary way, decides all differences among the buyers and sellers, having power to seize, and sell as slaves, all who violate the peace. Besides this magistrate, there is another, whose peculiar office it is to inspect [[25]]the money, which is called toqua, consisting of strings of shells, to the number of forty; and if one of these strings happens to be deficient in a single shell, the whole are forfeited to the king. Round the markets are erected booths, which are occupied by cooks or suttlers, who sell provisions ready dressed, as beef, pork, goats’-flesh; and others, in which may be obtained rice, millet, marre, and bread; and others where they sell spirituous liquors, palm and ciboa wine, and pito, which is a sort of beer. The chief commodities on sale, are slaves, cattle, and fowls of every kind, monkeys and other animals; various sorts of European cloth, linen, and woollen; printed calicoes, silk, grocery, and china; gold in dust and bars, iron in bars or wrought.

“The country manufactures are Whidáh cloths, mats, baskets, jars, calabashes of various sorts, wooden bowls and cups, red and blue pepper, salt, palm-oil, &c. All these commodities, except slaves, are sold by the women, who are excellent accountants, and set off their goods most judiciously. The [[26]]men are also good accountants, reckoning every thing by the head; and are as exact as the Europeans are with pen and ink, although the sums are often so many and so considerable, as to render it very intricate.

“The slaves are paid for in gold-dust, but other payments are made in strings of cowries, which, as I have said, contain forty in a string. Five of the strings make what the natives call a fore; and fifty fores make an alkove, which generally weighs about sixty pounds.