John Duncan

“ At ten miles, we arrived at the foot of the mountain of Zoglogbo, a splendid specimen, although not more than eighteen hundred feet high on the south-east side. We halted at a small kroom at its foot, in the market-place, where I changed my dress at the desire of the captain of my guard, and put on my regimentals to receive the caboceer of Zoglogbo. I had scarcely finished, when he arrived with his retinue. He is a remarkably fine old man, apparently about sixty years of age, and of a very venerable appearance. He is nearly six feet high, and altogether of a noble and graceful figure. ”

“ Our company of trading-women left us here.
After partaking of some refreshment we again marched. No man could experience more anxiety than I did myself during this part of my journey; for the next town we reached would decide the success of the object I had in view. Many were the doubts and fears that assailed me. Sometimes I thought Terrasso-weea might have gone on, and have taken another direction; and again, even if he were there, perhaps my information at Abomey respecting Mungo Park might be incorrect, and Terrasso-weea might know nothing of the circumstances about which I was interested. ”

“ These selfish people, besides shunning all intercourse with other tribes, will not allow even a pebble, or any thing dead or alive, not even a serpent, to be carried into another country. Not being made acquainted with this circumstance, (though I had been cautioned without any reason being assigned by my caboceer,) I asked one of my private servants to pick up a piece of stone of an unusual appearance. As soon as this was observed by them, a Dassa bowman ran up nearly alongside of me, raising several hideous yells, accompanied with menacing gestures. ”

“ I was glad when the King ceased his inquiries, for my people required rest as well as myself. We were allowed to remain in this hut during the night with my horse tied up outside. One fowl was reserved for our breakfast in the morning—rather a scanty allowance for all of us; but we had stored our havresacks pretty well with heads of corn, which was nearly ripe at this season, and very sweet. Although the caboceer, after my inquiry respecting Terrasso-weea, appeared tolerably friendly, and eager to receive any little article as a present, he never offered me anything in return. ”

“ I asked the caboceer the name of these mountains, but he denied all knowledge of them, either by name or otherwise. I then asked several of my soldiers, from whom I received a similar reply. It seemed to me very singular, that a man should live during his whole life so near any remarkable spot without knowing something of the place, or even its name; but from a communication I received from a Mahomedan priest at Abomey, I was convinced that the distant mountains were the Dabadab Mountains, from the resemblance of their shape to a dumpling made from the Indian corn-meal so called. ”

“ The mountain of Savalu, from which the town takes its name, is beautifully wooded to the summit, with bold projecting rocks or precipices at different distances, showing their hoary crowns and angles, forming a beautiful back-ground to the town, which, independently of the neighbouring kroom, is certainly larger than any town in the Mahee country, and before it was ceded to the Dahomans was always considered the capital or metropolis. The houses are much larger generally, and built with more taste and uniformity than any Mahee town. ”

“ We were, as usual, escorted out of this kroom by the gadadoo, and again commenced our march.
The soil was again different, being of a moist sandy clay, and very productive. Here I observed several large sycamore-trees, as well as an ash, which was more rough in the bark than that of England. The beautiful acacia is invariably an ornamental plant in the towns and villages. As we passed I observed some very curious grasses, different to any I had previously observed, as well as heaths, and shrubs bearing fruits of various forms and flavour, but all of a yellow colour. ”

“ He answered, that no white man had ever been in that country before, and it was very probable that no other might ever come again, and he should like to have something to hand down to his descendants as a memorial of a white man having once been there. Gain seemed his only object, and his wish to forward a messenger to Terrasso-weea was merely to detain me in order to have a chance of obtaining presents. I gave him some new gilt buttons, and a large Jew’s harp, as well as some needles, and two thimbles. I played several tunes upon the Jew’s harp, with which he seemed much delighted. ”

“ During this ceremony the market-place was crowded with spectators, who seemed quite delighted with the performance. Each caboceer invariably keeps a clown, who is selected according to his powers of humour, many of them displaying considerable talent. At last a messenger came to signify to Chaou that dinner was prepared for us, when we retired to our houses, where we found not only an extravagant quantity of provision, supplied by the caboceer, but also by the same merchants who had already been so liberal. We were also supplied with a large quantity of peto. ”

“ This valley, or plain, is well watered by small streams and springs of various qualities, and the surface of the soil is of a sandy clay. In crossing it I observed many different species of bulbous plants, of the flag tribe, which I had not noticed previously in any part of Africa I had yet visited; some of their blossoms or flowers appeared very much like the breast of a partridge in colour, and resembled in shape and texture the wing of the dragon-fly. ”

“ I felt, consequently, much inclined to leave the town, and encamp for the night in the bush; but, upon a second consideration, I thought if any evil were premeditated towards us, it would be more likely to be put into execution if we were out of the town than when under the protection of the King. I therefore sent a messenger to ask him if he could accommodate us with a hut to shelter us, as it was now raining fast. But he had already observed the sudden approach of the tornado, and had gone to order a hut for our accommodation. ”

“ The King then ordered four men to dig a grave for Maurice, and sent me a flask of rum to give the carriers and grave-diggers. He also sent two fine cloths to wrap the body in. He would not allow it to be interred in the sepulchre appointed for strangers, but it was buried in the court-yard in front of Mayho’s house, with every mark of respect.
Great attention was paid by all the spectators during the burial-service, which I read. I was now left without a white man, and, for a moment, I felt the loneliness of my situation. ”

“ The town of Paweea contains about sixteen thousand inhabitants. They seem rather an industrious race in comparison with those near the coast. Here, as well as in most other towns in the neighbourhood, the mechanic is very much esteemed on account of his craft, but especially the blacksmith, who in their own language is called a cunning man, ranking next to the fetish-man or priest. The soil round this place is a rich sandy loam, and the land well watered, consequently, the crops are abundant, and the people are in the enjoyment of plenty, with but little labour. ”

“ We then advanced to the town, where we formed up in the market-place. Here each party alternately kept up what they called dancing, and drinking rum and peto for about an hour. Their motion in dancing is unlike that of any other country with which I am acquainted. They never use their legs, except when making some [Pg 212] extraordinary leap to change their front in another direction, their principal motion being in the hips and shoulders, which are thrown backwards and forwards in rapid motion; sometimes their movements are, to any civilized being, of a very disgusting nature. ”

“ They were conscious of their master’s poverty, but seemed anxious to assist him as much as possible, for they sent me, in the caboceer’s name, twenty-three very large calabashes, filled with provision; so that with several smaller presents from some of the principal inhabitants, myself and people were amply supplied with every thing necessary. During the evening we were visited by great numbers of the inhabitants, who seemed much gratified with an opportunity of seeing a white man. ”

“ The Dahomans always choose the harvest season for besieging a mountain; and although the steepness of these mountains renders the ascent of a besieging army impossible, they can so entirely blockade the occupants from all communication with the plain, as soon either to starve them to death, or compel them to surrender to their enemies, at discretion.
These mountaineers never think of reserving any of their corn or other produce as stores, so that they invariably become an easy prey, though in this country they can raise four crops in the year. ”

“ The principal animals occupying the Kong Mountains I have already noticed.
The Fellattahs are a different race to either the Dahomans or Mahees. They are a more warlike people than the Mahees; are light and active in their movements, very courageous, but also revengeful and stubborn, though I have been informed, that in a body they cannot fight a losing battle. They are much intermixed with other tribes, and hold great sway, occupying a very extensive territory, supposed to extend from eight degrees west longitude to Bornou, and also a considerable distance north and south. ”

“ It is remarkable, that in all the mountains in the interior I have never observed a stone building, though stone might much easier be obtained than the clay with which they are invariably built; for instance, they carry clay from the plain for the purpose of building upon granite rocks, on mountain-tops elevated two thousand feet from their base. The lion, hyæna, and panther abound in these mountains, and often commit great depredations. ”

“ This town is clean and neat for an African town. The only manufacture of note here is cotton tobes, but different in pattern to the cloths manufactured in the Kong Mountains, which are invariably striped with various colours; but here the cloth is all either blue or white, similar to the tobes worn by the Mandingo traders who visit Sierra Leone. Here the blacksmith plies his trade, but only for the accommodation of the inhabitants of the town. A sort of cloth is also manufactured from the inner bark of a certain tree, which is very strong and durable, and of various colours. ”

“ The necessary qualifications for a caboceer in nearly all the kingdoms and petty states of Western and Central Africa, are, that he should be tall and stout; a beard is also indispensable. In many African kingdoms, indeed, rank is estimated by the length and thickness of the beard.
At six miles we reached the banks of the river Zoa, here forty yards wide and seven feet deep. It is very muddy, for it is now the rainy season. Large blocks of granite rise above the surface; the bed of the river consists of a drab-coloured sand. ”

“ Close to the gates is the weekly market-place, held under several large trees, which afford a grateful shade from the sun, as well as a temporary protection from the rain. In the whole of the Mahee country which I have yet visited, I find that the weekly markets are held without the walls, to prevent as much as possible strangers entering the town. The daily markets are seldom attended by any except their own people, principally for a mutual exchange of goods of native manufacture. ”

“ The cattle live upon leaves and branches of different shrubs and stunted trees.
After examining the town we went to the highest pinnacle of Zoglogbo, where we obtained a very pleasant view of the surrounding country. At four miles distant, and bearing north-east, is seen the beautiful and gigantic block of granite, two thousand five hundred feet high, named Kpaloko; and as far as the eye can reach to the eastward are three mountains of a conical form, all of which are of the same shape and height. ”

“ The caboceer and his officers retain the power of regulating the prices, as I have before stated; and as the greater part of the trade (with the exception of any European goods which may find their way into these remote parts) is entirely in his hands, on the great public market-days he is always busily engaged in the purchase of goods for his private markets. His wives and slaves are then stationed in the inner markets with different articles for sale, and many of the younger boys and girls are sent round the towns in the neighbourhood, hawking light goods for sale. ”

“ The prickly bush at Abomey is planted like a double hedge round the town, and is about ten yards wide, so that to a European it would seem a matter of impossibility ever to break through it. The female soldiers of Dahomey, however, as I have already mentioned, are capable of taking one of these towns with apparently little trouble.
The owners of the numerous herds of cattle keep them in folds or pens in the town, and the dung is preserved for manure. They are excellent farmers, even in this remote part, where they never can have had intercourse with any civilized being. ”

“ The caboceer seemed highly delighted at receiving a visit from a white man, and introduced me to all his head men and principal wives. The people assembled in the market-place all came running, pushing each other aside, with eager curiosity to obtain a sight of me. In the market, which is shaded with large trees, called by Europeans the umbrella-tree, they were selling cloth of the country, of various colours in stripe; kao (saltpetre in its original state) which is found in the mountains; different sorts of grain produced in the country ”

“ The land is level and rich loam, and well watered from chalky or pipe-clay springs. After leaving Baffo a few miles, nothing of cultivation shows itself till within a few miles of the town of Zafoora, where the soil is well cultivated, and crops of maize and Guinea corn are abundant; yams and manioc are also plentiful. Palm-nuts and ground nuts also abound; and here the shea-butter is in common use for burning in their lamps, which are of a very simple construction, being merely a shallow earthen vessel in the shape of a saucer. ”