When we came to the King’s Gate, as they call’d it, we found it only an Entrance into a large Court, which was palisadoed round; there being several mud-wall’d Houses in it. Here we were desired to sit down on Stools brought to us; and an Officer presented us, in the King’s name, with Cows, Sheep, Goats, and other Provision; with this Compliment, that as his Majesty was then in a Camp, it was not in his power to provide for us better at this time. Having returned thanks for this unexpected favour, we went out of the Court, and were surprized with a sight, at the Gate, of forty stout Men ranked in file, with Fusees on their Shoulders, and broad Swords in their Hands; who had about their necks strings of dead Mens Teeth, reaching as low as their middle, both behind and before, in such Quantities, as might furnish all the Barber-Surgeons Shops in Europe. Being surprized at this extraordinary appearance, I asked the Linguist, Why they were drest in this manner? To which he replied, They were the King’s Heroes, or Worthies, who had killed a great many People with their own hands, and were allowed, as a mark of their great Valour, to string and wear their Enemies Teeth about their Necks; and, I might observe, some of them had been more successful than others, by the different quantities they had on: For that it was made death by their Law, for any of those Gentlemen to string a Tooth, without first making due Proof, before the proper Officers, that it belonged to an Enemy slain with their own hand in Battle. Having viewed this strange Sight, I bid the Linguist tell them, “They appeared to be a Company of brave Gentlemen, and that I was their humble Servant.” This Compliment pleased them, and they returned it, saying, “They had a great Esteem for white Men.”
After this was pass’d, we returned to our Tent, and supped; then hung up our Hammocks, and lay in them till Morning. I took notice, that the Lord of Jaqueen’s Brother, who came from thence with us, was entertained at the Tent of the Great Captain; and on my inquiring the reason, I was answered, It was in respect to us, that we might not be crouded in our Tent.
Next Morning, at nine a Clock, an Officer came from the King to acquaint us, we should have an Audience forthwith. Accordingly we prepared our selves; and then going to the King’s Gate, were soon after introduced into his Presence. His Majesty was in a large Court palisadoed round, sitting (contrary to the Custom of the Country) on a fine gilt Chair, which he had taken from the King of Whidaw. There were held over his Head, by Women, three large Umbrellas, to shade him from the Sun: And four other Women stood behind the Chair of State, with Fusils on their Shoulders. I observed, the Women were finely dress’d from the middle downward, (the Custom of the Country being not to cover the Body upward, of either Sex) moreover they had on their Arms, many large Manelloes, or Rings of Gold of great Value, and round their Necks, and in their Hair, abundance of their Country Jewels, which are a sort of Beads of divers Colours, brought from a far inland Country, where they are dug out of the Earth, and in the same Esteem with the Negroes, as Diamonds amongst the Europeans.
The King had a Gown on, flowered with Gold, which reached as low as his Ancles; an European embroidered Hat on his Head; with Sandals on his Feet. We being brought within ten Yards of the Chair of State, were desired to stand still: The King then ordered the Linguist to bid us welcome; on which we paid his Majesty the respect of our Hats, bowing our Heads at the same time very low, as the Interpreter directed us. Then I ordered the Linguist to acquaint the King, “That on his Majesty’s sending, to desire me to come up to his Camp, I forthwith resolved on the Journey; that I might have the pleasure of seeing so great and good a King, as I heard he was; relying intirely on the Promises his Messenger had made me in his Majesty’s Name.” The King seemed well pleased with what I said, and assured us of his Protection and kind usage. Then Chairs being brought, we were desired to sit down, and the King drank our Healths; and then Liquor being brought us by his Order, we drank his Majesty’s. After this the Interpreter told us, “It was the King’s Desire we should stay some time with him, to see the Method of paying the Soldiers for Captives taken in War, and the Heads of the slain.”
It so happen’d, that in the Evening of the Day we came into the Camp, there were brought above eighteen hundred Captives, from a Country called Tuffoe, at the distance of six days Journey. The occasion of warring on them, the Linguist thus related, “That at the time his King was wholly employed in contriving the Destruction of the Whidaws, these People had presumed to attack five hundred of his Soldiers, sent by his Majesty as a Guard to twelve of his Wives, who were going with a large quantity of Goods and fine things, carried by Slaves, to the Country of Dahomè. The Guard being routed, and the Women slain, the Tuffoes possess’d themselves of the Goods; for which Outrage, as soon as the Conquest of Whidaw was compleated, the King sent part of his Army against them, to revenge him for their Villany; in which they had all desirable Success.” It was necessary to mention this Affair, for the better understanding of what follows, it being so very remarkable.
The King, at the time we were present, ordered the Captives of Tuffoe to be brought into the Court: Which being accordingly done, he chose himself a great number out of them, to be sacrificed to his Fetiche or Guardian Angel; the others being kept for Slaves for his own use; or to be sold to the Europeans. There were proper Officers, who received the Captives from the Soldiers hands, and paid them the Value of twenty Shillings Sterling for every Man, in Cowries, (which is a Shell brought from the East Indies, and carried in large quantities to Whidaw by the Europeans, being the current Money of all the neighbouring Countries far and near) and ten Shillings for a Woman, Boy, or Girl. There were likewise brought by the Soldiers some thousands of dead Peoples Heads into the Court; every Soldier, as he had Success, bringing in his hand one, two, three, or more Heads hanging in a String; and as the proper Officers received them, they paid the Soldiers five Shillings for each Head: Then several People carried them away, in order to be thrown on a great Heap of other Heads, that lay near the Camp; the Linguist telling us his Majesty designs to build a Monument with them, and the Heads of other Enemies formerly conquered and killed.
I observed, there were a great many of the principal Men of the Court and Army present, all prostrated on the Ground; none being permitted to go nearer, than within twenty foot of the King’s Chair; and whatsoever they had to say to his Majesty, first kissing the Ground, they whispered into the Ear of an old Woman, who went to the King; and having received his answer, she returned with it to them. His Majesty likewise showed his Liberality to his Courtiers and Officers, in presenting them with at least two hundred Captives. As soon as any person had a Slave presented to them, a proper Officer made Proclamation of it, which was immediately echoed by the Populace, who were waiting in great numbers at the King’s Gate for the Sacrifices.
After the Business of the Captives was dispatch’d, there came into the Court two Fellows, with a large Tub, that had in it at least six Gallons of Frumenty, or such like stuff, which they set on the Ground; and then falling on their Knees, they took with their Hands the Victuals out of the Tub, and threw it so fast into their Mouths, that tho’ there was such a quantity of it, they dispatch’d it in a few Minutes. The Linguist told us, this was their daily Practice; but that these Gormandizers lived not many Years, and then others took up their Trade; which is only in order to divert the King.
After this we saw several other things, full as ridiculous as this, which would be tedious for me to relate, as well as to the Reader to peruse; so having been near three Hours in the Court, exposed to the great heat of the Sun, from which we had nothing but Umbrellas to defend us, we desired his Majesty’s Leave, to retire to our Tent, which was readily granted; accordingly we paid our Duty in a compliment to the King, and went away.
Sometime after this, we sat down to Dinner in our Tent, being accompanied with a great number of Flies, as formerly mentioned. Just as we had dined, the Duke, Brother to the Lord of Jaqueen, came to us in so great a fright, that after he had sat down, he could not speak for some time: And tho’ he was at other times, of a comely black colour, yet now his Countenance was changed to tawny: For as he was coming to our Tent, he saw a great number of poor People going to be sacrificed; whose Lamentations had made such an Impression, that it had occasioned this great disorder in him. For the People of the Sea-Coast abhor such things; especially the eating their Bodies afterwards, as the Dahomes do. And ’tis not to be imagined, what service the report of this did them, when they first invaded the Countries bordering on the Sea-Coast: On which I shall make a short Digression, to inform the Reader.