Samboe; or, The African Boy

by Mary Ann Hedge

The foe to virtue, liberty, and truth,”

absorbed the better feelings, which had at first recoiled from the scenes of cruelty and [[36]]oppression he had witnessed; and he could calmly execute the one and the other, and be at no loss to justify (at least to himself) the acts, and even reason upon the trade of human beings; if not, indeed, upon its humanity and justice, at least upon its expedience; forgetful of that great and comprehensive, but most simple maxim: “Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you.”

The order he had received from his employers, arrived at an opportune period; for he had, on that very day, been invited to attend the ceremony of the coronation of the king of Whidáh, to take place in a few days, at Sabi. With the true spirit of gain, he calculated that this event might, by a little judicious policy, be rendered, not only subservient to his present pressing demand for slaves, but also might open greater facilities than he had hitherto possessed, of obtaining a choice. Interest, therefore, united with curiosity, in his determination of attending the ceremony; a few preliminaries of which we will name, ere we accompany him to it.

On the demise of a king of Whidáh, the [[37]]crown descends to his eldest son, unless the grandees have any substantial reasons to reject his claim; in which case the youngest son is appointed, provided he was born after the accession of the father. It is a singular custom, that, as soon as the eldest son of a king of Whidáh is born, he is removed from the palace and court, and placed under the care of a person in private, residing remote from the latter. With this person he remains, in profound ignorance of his birth, and of the high responsibilities for which he is designed. His protector is acquainted with the secret of his royal birth, but would incur the penalty of death were he to divulge it. By this custom it not unfrequently occurs, that when a prince is called to the throne, he may, at the moment, be employed in the most common and menial offices; and it is with difficulty he can be persuaded to believe those who inform him of his elevated rank, or in what manner to receive their servile homage; as it is customary for the subjects to approach the sovereign in the most humiliating form, advancing [[38]]towards them in a creeping manner, to a certain distance, till the monarch, clapping his hands softly, indicates his permission for them to speak, which they then do, in a low tone, with their heads nearly to the ground. They retire, with the same slavish ceremonials, from the royal presence.

As soon as the old king is dead, his successor is brought to the palace; but the period of his coronation is uncertain, resting with the grandees, with whom it becomes a political manœuvre to keep the government, as long as possible, in their own hands; and they accordingly fix the period of the ceremony as best suits their respective interests. It is generally put off some months, and, sometimes, even years, but cannot be delayed beyond seven years. During this interval, the government is rather in the power of the grandees than the king; for they execute all the public acts and business, without consulting him. In every other respect he is treated as a prince, with only one restriction, viz. that, previously to his coronation, he cannot quit the palace. [[39]]

It may readily be imagined by our young readers, that, from the obscure state in which the young monarch is brought up, he has little notion of those qualities which are necessary to govern a people. On the contrary, the sudden transition from this obscurity, to the paths of ease and pleasure, and every facility of self-gratification, unfortunately gives a peculiar relish for those pursuits and pleasures, with which, had he become guardedly and progressively familiar, in all probability he would have been satiated. But this not being the case, the king of Whidáh lives almost in a state of indolence; seldom going abroad, and only occasionally attending his grandees when they are assembled in the hall of audience, for the administration of justice: all the rest of his time is spent in the recesses of his seraglio, attended by his numerous wives, who are divided into three classes. When the period of the coronation has been fixed by the grandees, they give intimation of it to the king, who assembles them in the palace; and the council having deliberated on the [[40]]measures to be used in executing the ceremony, notice of it is given to the public by a discharge of cannon, and the glad news is soon circulated throughout the kingdom.

The following morning, the grand sacrificer goes to the king, demanding, in the name of the great serpent, (their deity!) the offerings due on such a solemn and joyful occasion. These offerings consist of an ox, a horse, a sheep, and a fowl, which are sacrificed in the palace, and afterwards taken to the market-place. In the centre of this, the grand sacrificer erects a pole, nine or ten feet high, with a piece of linen attached to it like a flag, and around it are placed the victims, with small loaves of millet, rubbed over with palm-oil. After a few trifling ceremonies the company retire, leaving the victims exposed to the birds of prey; no person being permitted to touch them, upon pain of death. Arrived at the palace, about twenty of the king’s wives walk in procession to the place of sacrifice, the eldest, or chief, ([Note G].) bearing a figure formed of earth, representing a child in a sitting posture: this she [[41]]places at a short distance from the victims. These women are attended by a party of fusileers, and the king’s flutes and drums, the people prostrating themselves as they pass, and expressing their joy by the loudest acclamations. When these ceremonies are over, the grandees repair to the palace, dressed in their richest apparel, and attended by their numerous slaves, of whom they are very proud, adorning them with a profusion of trinkets, and ornaments of silver and gold. The king is not visible on this occasion; but they enter, and prostrate themselves before the throne, and again retire. This part of the ceremony continues fifteen days, during which the women make the palace re-echo with their acclamations; and the public joy is testified by the firing of cannon, and the almost continual display of rockets, from all parts of the capital.

It was during the interval of these rejoicings, that Irving, with his attendants, arrived at Sabi, and was appointed to take up his quarters with a grandee high in favour with the new king. He had taken care to [[42]]provide himself with an ample assortment of trinkets, spirits, cutlery, and other European produce he knew to be tempting to his inviter and his royal master, with whom he proposed to trade, immediately after the ceremony was concluded.

Soon after his arrival, the grandee with whom he resided was summoned, (as was customary,) as the one deputed to go to the neighbouring kingdom of Ardrah, with a magnificent retinue, in order to request one of the nobles of that kingdom (in whose family the right had existed time immemorial) to proceed to Sabi, to crown the king; and Irving, desirous of seeing the whole of the ceremonial, obtained ready permission to accompany the embassy. The greatest respect is paid, by all ranks, to this officiating nobleman; and all the expences of his journey are defrayed by the grandees of Whidáh.

When arrived at the last village next the capital, this nobleman and his retinue suspended their progress, remaining there stationary three or four days; during which time he received visits from the principal [[43]]people of the kingdom, with whom it is customary to make him valuable presents, and contribute to his amusement by a variety of entertainments; the king supplying him with a great quantity of provision, carried twice a day in great pomp, by his wives, preceded by a guard of fusileers and a band of music.