A new account of Guinea, and the slave-trade

by William Snelgrave

After Mr. Testefole’s unhappy Fate, two white Men running away from the English Fort, one of them went to the King of Dahomè, and informed him, “There were but four white People left in the place, so that he might easily take it.” The King replied, “He had no quarrel with the English Nation; for what had been done to the late Governor, he by his Imprudence had brought on himself: And he hoped, the African Company would send a fitter Person to command the Fort for the future.”

Sometime after this the King of Dahomè considering he should certainly be invaded again by the J-oes, as soon as the Season permitted them to march, and dreading very much their power, he sent Embassadors with large Presents to their King, together with one of his handsomest Daughters. These were civilly received, and had the good fortune to succeed in their Negotiations. For they so gained some great Men about the King, by presenting them with large pieces of Coral (which the J-oes esteem above all things) that by their means an advantagious Peace was obtained for their Master, and they were civilly dismissed with handsome Rewards. For a Confirmation of the Peace, the King of J-oe sent, a little while after, one of his Daughters to the King of Dahomè for a Wife; and she was received with great Joy by the King and his People.

At my going on Shore at Jaqueen, the latter end of February 1729-30: I was informed of all that I have here related; and tho’ I found Trade very dull, yet all the white Gentlemen residing at that place, were full of Expectations, That, now a Peace was concluded between the J-oes and the Dahomes, we should soon have a great many Negroes brought down for Sale. But tho’ I was there above two Months, Trade did not mend in the least: And I am afraid it will not for many Years, because of the great Destruction of the Inhabitants of the neighbouring Countries, who used to carry on a regular Trade with the far inland People: Neither will those that had the good fortune to escape the Dahomes Cruelty, dare to return during the Life of the present Conqueror, whose Perfidiousness and Treachery they have often experienced.

I shall conclude this first Book with an account of a Misfortune that befel me by Fire, whilst I was at Jaqueen. The relation, if I mistake not, may be acceptable to the Reader, and give him a true notion of the Buildings, and some other Matters amongst the Negroes.

The Houses in that Country are built with mud-Walls, one Story high. The Rafters that support the Roof are made of Bamboes, which is a light spungy Wood. On these they lay a great quantity of Thatch, which in the dry Season of the Year is like Tinder: Yet the Natives are so careless, that many Fires happen in that Season; there having been no less than five during the two Months I was there, in which some thousands of their Houses were burnt down. This carelesness of the Negroes, I judge, chiefly proceeds from the little regard they have for their Furniture. For it is very mean, except amongst some of the principal People, consisting of Matts to sleep on, earthen Pots to boil their Victuals in; with a few other things of small value. Moreover, the Walls of their Houses being made of Clay, the Fire does them rather good than hurt, as it bakes them harder. And to new cover them it costs but little. So that the Europeans that have Factories in the Town of Jaqueen, are often great Sufferers by these frequent Fires, occasioned generally by the stupid Carelessness of the Negroes, which proceeds from the Reasons just now mentioned.

I thought our Factory pretty safe from it, for we lived in a large Court belonging to the Duke, who was the only Brother of the Lord of the Place by the same Mother, and his chief Minister. This House joined to the Apartments of the Duke’s Women, which it being a capital Crime for the Natives to go into, so it would have been very imprudent for any white Man to have attempted it: Yet the Fire, obliged us to save our selves that way, as I shall just now relate. The other side of the Court we lived in, opened into the Fields; and just by our Door a narrow Street began, where the Lord of Jaqueen’s Feticheer or Priest lived with his Family.

Two Fires having happened in the Town, within a few days one of the other, in which some Portuguese suffered a great Loss in their Goods, I express’d my apprehensions of the like Danger. But the Duke assured me, “It was never known, that either his Brother’s Houses, or his own had been burn’d. For they having abundance of Servants, if any Fire began near them, their People, by unthatching the Houses, soon put a stop to it. Moreover, all the Inhabitants who lived near the Court, were very careful of Fire; because it was death by their Law to all the Family where it began.” These Reasons made me more easy than I had been for some time. But on the fifteenth of March, being Sunday, what I long feared came to pass.

My hired black Servants asked me leave after Dinner, to go to the Burial of one of their acquaintance; and several of my white People did the same, being desirous to see the Customs of the Blacks on this occasion: In which indeed they are very ridiculous and expensive, drinking as much Brandy and other Liquors, as the Circumstances of the deceased Person will allow. I granted them all their request; and by that means there remained only two white Men with me in the Factory.