The next day, early in the morning, the Duke came to our Tent, and told us, he had, in the night past, a long Audience of the King, who treated him in a kind manner; so that his Apprehensions of being kill’d and eaten were quite vanished: but he told us with the utmost Horrour, that the sacrificed Bodies had been taken away in the night by the common People, who had boiled and feasted on them, as holy Food. This Story induced us to send for our Linguist, and take a walk to the place where we had seen the Carcases the evening before; and, to our great Surprize, we found they were all gone. Thereupon asking the Interpreter, what was become of them? he replied smiling, the Vultures had eaten them up. I told him, “That was very extraordinary indeed, to swallow Bones and all;” there being nothing remaining on the Place, but a great quantity of Blood. So he confessed, the Feticheers, or Priests, had divided the Carcases amongst the People, who had eat them in the manner the Duke had told us. And tho’ no doubt this will appear incredible to many Persons, yet I desire they will only make this one Reflection, That those who could be so cruel as to sacrifice their fellow-Creatures, might probably carry their Barbarity a Degree further.
However, as I relate nothing for matter of Fact, but what I was an Eye-witness to, so I shall leave the Reader to give what credit he pleases thereto. But as a further confirmation of their being Cannibals, I shall relate what I afterwards learn’d from one Mr. Robert More, who was a person of great Integrity, and at that time Surgeon of the Italian Galley. This Ship came to Whidaw whilst I was at Jaqueen, and Captain John Dagge, the Commander, being indisposed, sent More to the King of Dahomè’s Camp, with Presents for his Majesty. There he saw many strange things, especially human Flesh sold publickly in the great Market-place. As I was not in the Market during the time I was in the Camp, I saw no such thing: But I don’t doubt but that I should have seen the same, had I gone into that place, for there were many old and maimed Captives brought from Tuffoe, (besides those sacrificed) which no Europeans would have bought.
But to return from this Digression: On our return to the Tent, we sent our Linguist to the great Captain, to desire he would procure us an Audience from the King, to treat of Business: But he sent us word, That as his Majesty was very much engaged, we could not be heard that day; there being some Embassadors come from the inland Countries, who were to have an Audience forthwith. On this I sent again to the Great Captain, desiring he would please to be mindful of us, on the first Opportunity; and he was unexpectedly so that Afternoon.
Having then nothing to do but sit in our Tent, and make Memorandums of what we heard and saw; we asked the Linguist, “Whether we might, without Offence, go to see the Mulatto Portuguese Gentleman?” Thereupon he consulted with a principal Person belonging to the Court, who often came by the King’s Order to us, to enquire if we wanted any thing; And he approving of it, we prepared to go, but first had this Caution given us; that there being two Embassadors in the Camp from the King of Whidaw, to offer his Subjection, if we should meet with any of their People in the Street, we should not hold any Conference with them. Which having promised, we went to the Portuguese Gentleman’s House, who received us very kindly, thinking he could not make us welcome enough; and as we could understand him, we sent our Interpreter away, under pretence of an Errand to the Duke. After he was gone, the first thing we desired of this Gentleman, was, to give us some hints, how we should behave, when we came to treat of Business with the King; which he readily did, speaking so highly of the King’s Policy and Generosity, that we were much surprized, tho’ afterwards we experienced the full of what he told us. This Person had in the Court of his House two pretty Horses, each about thirteen hands high, which were every way much better than those we had seen at Jaqueen. Upon our asking him, from whence he had them, he replied, “They came from the Kingdom of J-oe; which lies towards the North-East, many days Journey off, beyond a great and famous Lake, which is the Fountain of several large Rivers, that empty themselves into the Bay of Guinea. And he further added, that several fugitive Princes, whose Fathers the King of Dahomè had conquered and beheaded, fled to the King of this Country for Protection, and at last prevailed with him to make War on the King of Dahomè, which he did soon after the latter had conquered Ardra. The King of J-oe sent, under the Command of a General, a great Army of Horse, consisting of many Thousands, (for they never use Infantry) wherewith he invaded the Dahomes in their own Country: On this sudden and unexpected Invasion, the King of Dahomè marched immediately from Ardra into his own Kingdom, and made Head against the J-oes. But as he had none but Infantry, whose Arms were Guns and Swords, he was hard put to it: For the Country being open and without Inclosures, the Horsemen, who were armed with Bows and Arrows, Javelins and cutting Swords, had certainly conquer’d, if the unusual noise of the Dahomè’s Fire-Arms had not so frightned the Horses, that their Riders could never make a home-Charge on the Enemies Foot. However, the Dispute having lasted, at times, four days, and the King of Dahomè finding his Soldiers so fatigued, that they could hold out but a little longer, he contrived this Stratagem: he had great quantities of Brandy by him, formerly bought at Whidaw, which is a principal Commodity the French Ships bring there, to exchange for Negroes. So the King resolved to retreat in the Night with his Army, and leave the Liquor as a Bait for the Enemy, with great quantities of valuable Goods, which were in store, in a large Town near the Camp. When Day came, the J-oes thinking the Dahomes were fled, fell to plundering and destroying the Town, and drinking greedily of the Brandy: And as they seldom had tasted of that Liquor before, it so intoxicated them, that they fell asleep in great numbers on the Ground. The King of Dahomè being informed of this by his Spies, returned with the utmost speed, and attacking them while they were in this Disorder, routed them; but the greater part of the J-oes escaped with the help of their Horses, and fled out of the Country: However, their Loss was so great, that the others esteemed it a compleat Victory. The Portuguese Gentleman added, that at the time of this Rout, he took the two Horses we had seen in his Yard, and a great many more were seized at the same time by the Dahomè Soldiers. He said further, (but enjoined us Secrecy) That tho’ the Dahomes were exceeding proud of this Victory, they were still much afraid of a second Invasion, an Army of Horses being very terrible to them: And that the King had lately sent great Presents to the King of J-oe, to prevent his attacking him a second time. However, in case he did it, and they should not be able to withstand them, they comforted themselves with this Thought, that they might save their Persons, by flying to the Sea Coast, to which the J-oes durst not follow them. For as their national Fetiche was the Sea, they were prohibited by their Priests from ever seeing it, under no less a Penalty than Death; which they made the People believe, would by their God, if they were so presumptuous, be inflicted on them.” This last Story seemed nothing strange to us, who had conversed with the Coast Negroes; for they have all their particular Fetiches after the same manner; some being prohibited eating Fowls that have white Feathers; others, on the contrary, are to eat none that have black: Some are to eat no Sheep, others no Goats. And abundance of such other superstitious Observances they have, which are most religiously kept, being assigned them by the Priest, the Day they have their name given them.
By this time it was past Noon, so we took our leave of the Portuguese, and went to our Tent to Dinner.
The Author has an Audience of the King of Dahomè.
About three a Clock that Afternoon, a Messenger came from the great Captain, to inform us, the King had appointed immediately to give us an Audience. This was an agreeable Surprize to us, for now we had hopes of being quickly dispatch’d, so we prepared our selves, and went to the King’s Gate, our Presents for his Majesty being carried before us.
On our coming into the Court, where we had seen the King at our former Audience, we were desired to stay a little, till the Presents were carried into the House, that his Majesty might view them. Soon after we were introduced into a small Court, at the further end of which the King was sitting cross-legg’d on a Carpet of Silk, spread on the Ground: He was himself richly dress’d, and had but few Attendants. When we approached him, his Majesty enquired in a very kind manner, How we did? ordering we should be placed near him; and accordingly fine Mats were spread on the Ground for us to sit on. Tho’ sitting in that Posture was not very easy to us, yet we put a good Face on the matter, understanding by the Linguist, that it was their Custom.
As soon as we were placed, the King ordered the Interpreter to ask me, What I had to desire of him? To which I answered, “That as my Business was to trade, so I relied on his Majesty’s Goodness, to give me a quick dispatch, and fill my Ship with Negroes; by which means I should return into my own Country in a short time; where I should make known how great and powerful a King I had seen.” To this the King replied by the Linguist, “That my desire should be fulfilled: But the first Business to be settled was his Customs.” Thereupon I desired his Majesty to let me know what he expected? There was a Person then present (I believe on purpose) whose name was Zunglar, a cunning Fellow, who had formerly been the King’s Agent for several Years at Whidaw; where I had seen him in my former Voyages. To him I was referred to talk about the Affair. So Zunglar told me, “his Master being resolved to encourage Trade, tho’ he was a Conqueror, yet he would not impose a greater Custom than used to be paid to the King of Whidaw.” I answered, “As his Majesty was a far greater Prince, so I hoped he would not take so much.” This Zunglar not replying readily to, and the King observing it, (for the Linguist told him every word that pass’d between us) His Majesty himself replied, “That as he was the greater Prince, he might reasonably expect the more Custom; but as I was the first English Captain he had seen, he would treat me as a young Wife or Bride, who must be denied nothing at first.” Being surprized at this turn of Expression, I told the Linguist, “I was afraid he imposed on me, and interpreted the King’s words in too favourable a manner.” His Majesty observing I spoke with some Sharpness, asked him what I said? Which the Linguist having told him, his Majesty smiled, and expressed himself again to the same purpose: Adding, “I should find his Actions answerable to his Words.” Being greatly encouraged by the King’s gracious Expressions towards me, I took the Liberty to represent to his Majesty, “That the best way to make Trade flourish, was to impose easy Customs, and to protect us from the Thievery of the Natives, and the Impositions of great Men; which the King of Whidaw not doing, had greatly hurt the Trade. For the ill usage the Europeans had met with of late from him and his People, had caused them to send fewer Ships than formerly they did. And tho’ a large Custom might seem at first for his Majesty’s Advantage, yet it would soon be found, that a great number of Ships would thereby be hindred from coming to trade; so that in this respect he would lose far more in General, than he would gain by that Particular.”