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Victoria R'S"
COLLECTION
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

3 1197 22902 6155

BRIGHAM YOUNG
UNIVERSITY

MISSION TO GELELE,

KING OF DAHOME.
WITH NOTICES OF

THE SO CALLED "AMAZONS," THE GRAND CUSTOMS, THE

YEARLY CUSTOMS, THE HUMAN SACRIFICES, THE
PRESENT STATE OF THE SLAYE TRADE,
AND

THE NEGRO'S PLACE IN NATURE.

BY

RICHARD

F.

BURTON,

(LATE COMMISSIONER TO DAHOME,)

AUTHOR OF " A PILGRIMAGE TO EL MEDINAK AND MECCAH."

" If a

man be

ambitious to improve in knowledge and wisdom, he should travel into

Philostratus in Apoll.

foreign countries."

" Every kingdom, every province, should have

its

own monographer."
Gilbert White.

IN TWO VOLVMES.
VOL. 1^

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:
TINSLEY BROTHERS,

18,

CATHERINE STEEET, STRAND

1864.

[The Rigid of Translation and Reproduction

reserved."]

LONDON
BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.
:

\fl]B

tYmia
A MLS

AMIGOS ESPANOLES EN FERNANDO POO, ESPECIALMEKTE A

LOS SENORES

BRIGADIER

D.

PANTALEON" LOrEZ DE LA TORRE AYLLON,

(GOBERNADOR-GENERAL DE FERNANDO P60 Y SUS DEPENDENCIAS)

D.

D.

ATLLANO CALVO ITI7RBURT7

D.

TEODOSIO NOELI

FRANCISCO OSORIO

D.

Y WHITE;
CARLOS DE ROJAS

EN PRUEBA DE AFECTUOSA AMISTAD.

PEEFACE.
In the Preface affixed by an anonymous hand to
"

The History of Dahomy," published nearly three-

fourths of a century ago, 4

'

we

are told that the " short

interval from "VVhydah beach to

most beaten

track,

Abomey

is

perhaps the

by Europeans, of any in

The Author thereupon proceeds

of 104 miles between

the

to

show a

Africa."

difference

maximum and minimum

estimates of the distance, which

is

nearly doubled by

the most correct.

In this Year of Grace, 1864, there

is

at least

equal amount of uncertainty concerning the "

the

Amazons
"The

;"

but

it

Land

an
of

shows rather in things metaphy-

Kingdom of Africa; comMemoirs; with an Introduction and Notes. By

Archibald Dalzel, Esq., (Governor at Whydah, then) Governor at Cape
Coast Castle, (and lastly Governor-in-Chief of the Company's Service)."
London, 1793. 4to. Printed for the Author by T. Spilsbury and Son,
SDOwhill.
In the following pages, whenever " The History " is alluded
*

History of Dahomy, an Inland

piled from authentic

to,

Dalzel's

is to

be understood.

PREFACE.

viii

So well informed a journal as the

than physical.

sical

"Saturday Review" (July 4th, 1863), gravely informs

readers that

its

"

The King of Dahome has

been indulging in a

sacrifice of

2000 human

simply in deference to a national prejudice

complete miscomprehension

This

of

coming from such a quarter, induces

and

subject,

to attempt

without fear so well worn a theme, and to bring

the present time a subject worthily handled

grave,* Smith,f Norns,} Dalzel, M'Leod,

to

(! !).

the

me

beings,

(!),

keep up the good old customs of the country"

lately

up

to

by Snel-

and Forbes.
||

And

in

if,

depicting the

manners and ceremonies of

this

once celebrated military Empire, and in recounting

this

black Epopseia, there has been

something of

* Captain

William Snelgrave arrived off Whydah, in the

Katherine
end of March, 1726, three weeks after its
capture
by Dahome. His book, A Full Account of
some Parts of Guinea and
galley, in the latter

the Slave-trade," appeared in 1734.

8vo.
t William Smith, Esq., was sent out as surveyor in 1726. His "
NewVoyage to Guinea " is a posthumous work, published in
1744.
8vo.
t "Memoirs of the Reign of Bossa Ahadee: with an Account
of a

Journey

to

"A

Abomey

by Mr. Robert Norris." London, 1789.

with some Account of the Manners and
the Dahomian People.
By John M'Leod, M.D." London

Voyage

in 1772,

to Africa;

Customs of
John Murray, 1820.
ah
t

liT

i,n
and
1850
*>vo.

d
Dahomans being the Journals
7^
D home ^ and Residence
the

Dg

!
By Frederick

of

Two

Missions

at his Capital, in the years

E. Eorbes,

London, Longmans, 1851.

Commander R.N.," &c.

1849

2 Vols

PREFACE.
excessive detail,

and there

is

shall

appear much that

trifling

and superfluous, the kindly reader

find for

it

My

principal object,

may

it

be frankly owned, has

true lights, the African

its

known by name

to Europe.

But

mingled puerility and

its

"

malice.

nadie

pitiless picture

and

brutality, of ferocity

me

none can rightfully charge

politeness, I trust that

and

with exaggeration,

kingdom

in detailing its

mixture of horrors and meanness, in this

of

perhaps

will

a reason.

been to show, in
best

is

can acquit myself of

si elogia

all

con mentira, ni se critica

sin verdad."

So

far

back as

1861

Blue Book shows, to

had volunteered,

visit

Agbome.

when an opportunity presented

meantime (December, 1862

the

The measure not

being then deemed advisable, I awaited

1863,

as

January,

till

May

June,

itself.

In the

1863),

Commo-

dore Wilmot, H.N., Senior Officer of the Bights Division,

accompanied by Captain Luce, E.N., and by Dr.

Haran, of H. M.
officer

proved the

S.

Brisk,

devanced me, and

feasibility

of a visit to

that

Dahome.

Returning to Fernando Po, I soon received the gratifying

intelligence that

Her Majesty's Government had

been pleased to choose

me

as the bearer of a friendly

PREFACE.

The

message to King Gelele.

official

letters are,

by

permission, given in extenso below.

Foreign Office, August

20, 18G3.

Sir,

You
last,

were informed by

my

Despatch of the 23rd of June

by Her Majesty's Government

the King of Dahomey, to confirm

that you had been selected

to proceed on a Mission to

the friendly sentiments expressed

by Commodore "Wilmot to the

King on the occasion of the visit which he made

the months of December and January last.

to that chief in

I have accordingly to desire that as soon after the receipt of

this

Despatch as

it

may be

Dahomey, taking care

first,

feasible to

do

so,

you

will proceed to

by previous communication with the

King, to ascertain that a proper reception will be accorded to you.

You

on your

will,

arrival,

inform the King, that the man}'

important duties which devolve on

Officer in

command

of

Coast, have prevented

Commodore Wilmot

Her Majesty's Naval Forces on the African

him returning in person

good understanding which

it

is

to confirm the

hoped has been established be-

tween the King and Her Majesty's Government by the

modore's late

visit.

You

will state that the

all

correctly

made known the

Government on the

With regard
you

portance which
of this

Commodore

Com-

faithfully

him and the King, and that he

wishes and feelings of Her Majesty's

that passed between

reported

territories,

as the

several topics

on which he addressed the King.

to the question of the export of slaves

will not fail to impress

from his

upon the King the im-

Her Majesty's Government attach

to the cessation

traffic.

Her Majesty's Government admit the difficulties which the

King may find in putting a stop to a trade that has so long existed

PREFACE.
in his country,
profit,

and from which

xi

his ancestors have derived so

much

but his income from this source must be very small com-

pared with that of former Kings, and

find out

it will

be to his interest to

some other source of revenue, before that which he now

derives from the sale of his fellow-men to the slave dealers is

You

entirely put a stop to.

self suggested to

remind the King that he him-

will

Commodore Wilmot

that if

we wished

to put a

we should prevent white men from coining

buy them, and you will state that Her Majesty's Government,

stop to the slave trade,

to

having determined that the

traffic shall cease, will

take steps to

You

prevent effectually the export of slaves from his territories.

what you

will add, in illustration of

state, that

Her Majesty's

Government have concluded a treaty with the United States

Government, which will prevent, for the future, any American
vessels

from coming to ship

With regard

to

human

slaves.

sacrifices, I rejoice to find

from Com-

modore Wilmot's Report, that the number of victims

at

the

King's customs has been exaggerated.

much

It is to be feared, however, that

perienced in prevailing upon the

this barbarous practice,

King

difficulty will

to put a stop entirely to

which prevails more or

less openly,

the greater part of the Western Coast of Africa.

seek by whatever influence

we may

be ex-

possess, or

along

But we must

be able to

attain,

we cannot at once prevent, the horrors of these customs, and I rely upon your using your best efforts for this purpose.
The King in his interview with Commodore Wilmot expressed

to mitigate, if

a wish that English merchants should

trade at

Whydah, and he

fort there,

You
you

and to permit

will

same time

settle

and make

offered to help to repair the old English

it

to be garrisoned

thank the King

will at the

come and

for this

state,

any British merchants who

mark

by English

troops.

of his confidence, and

that as he has promised to protect

may

settle at

Whydah, Her Majesty's

PREFACE.

xii

Government put

entire faith in his promises,

and

see

no necessity

You
English soldiers to garrison the fort there.
there is one thing needful in order that
will, however, add, that
settlement of English merthe 'lung's wishes in regard to the
and that is, that there
chants at Whydah should be carried out,
them to do so.
should be a sufficiency of lawful trade to induce
for sending

English merchants cannot take slaves in return for their goods,

they must have palm oil, ivory, cotton, and such other articles as
the country
that

it

of his

is

The King

capable of producing.

will see, therefore,

must depend very much on his own exertions, and those

subjects, whether it will be worth while for British mer-

chants to settle at
to enter into an

Should however the King think

Whydah.

fit

engagement with Her Majesty's Government to

encourage lawful trade, and to promote, as far as

lies in his

the development of the resources of his country,

Government would be willing

to appoint

Her Majesty's

an agent at

be an organ of communication with the

power,

King and

Whydah

to

to assist in

carrying out his views.

As an

earnest of their friendly feelings,

ment have caused the

presents, of

Her Majesty's Govern-

which a

list is

inclosed, to be

prepared and forwarded to you for presentation to the King.

You

will see that, as

jiressed to

far as possible, the

Commodore Wilmot, have been

to the articles selected for presents,

carriage

King's wishes as excarried out in regard

with the exception of the

and horses, and with respect to these, you will explain to

the King, that in the

first

place

get English horses out to the

it

Coast,

arrived safely at their destination,

the nature of the country

would be a

it

difficult

matter to

and even supposing they

would be very doubtful, from

and climate, whether they would

long-

survive their arrival.

If,

however, our future relations with the

a nature to warrant such a proceeding,

King should be of

Her Majesty's Government

PREFACE.

xiii

would not hesitate to endeavour to comply with his wishes, by

sending him an English carriage and horses.
I

have only in conclusion to add, that

Her Majesty's Government

may

still

that

among the King's

on inquiry you should be able

if

this is the case,

you

will state to the

by Her Majesty's Government

captives there

as

King that

to ascertain that
it

would be taken

an earnest of his friendly

feeling,

shewing a desire to perform his promises to them,

as

would

has been suggested to

be some of the coloured Christian prisoners taken at

Ishagga, and

and

it

if

he

restore these prisoners to liberty.

I

am,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble

Servant,

Eussell.

(Signed)

EXTRACT.

Foreign Office, August

20, 18G3.

Sir,

With

my

reference to

other Despatch of this day's date

containing instructions for your guidance on proceeding to Da-

homey, I have to
the

King

human
you
fices

you should,

before proceeding to

sacrifices

will,

state that

if possible, stipulate

with

Abomey, that there should be no

during the time of your stay in his capital, and

under any circumstances, decline to sanction these

by your presence,

if

sacri-

they should unfortunately take place

whilst you are in the country.

The last packet from the West Coast brought reports of the
King of Dahomey having died from the effects of a wound received in one of his slave-hunting expeditions.
reports be well founded,

it

will

Should these

be advisable that you should

ascertain something of the character of his successor before pro-

PREFACE.

xiv

ceeding to the

Dahomian

capital,

to proceed subsequently to

the

new King

or not, as

and I leave

it

to your discretion

Abomey, and to deliver the presents to

you may

due consideration deem

after

advisable.

Admiralty to
have requested the Lords Commissioners of the
and from Whydah in
give directions that you may be conveyed to
I

their lordships that it

a ship of war, and I have also informed
would be advisable that a medical officer should accompany you,
if

one can be spared from

Her

Majesty's ships for this purpose.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

Russell.
(Signed)

Foreign Office, July

23, 1863.

Sir,

With
structing

reference to

my

Despatch of the 23rd ultimo, in-

you to hold yourself in readiness to proceed on a mis-

sion to the

King

of

Dahomey,

the presents with which

you

will

I have

now

to acquaint

you that

be entrusted for the King, and

the instructions for your guidance, will be forwarded to

you by

the packet which leaves Liverpool with the African mails

2 3rd of August,

and you

will therefore

on the

make your arrangements

accordingly.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

(Signed)

Russell.

PREFACE.

xv

List of Presents forwarded to Captain Burton by packet of

the 24th August, 1863, for presentation to the

King of Da-

homey.

One

forty feet circular crimson silk

Damask Tent with Pole

complete (contained in two boxes).

One

richly embossed silver Pipe with

morocco

Two

case.

Crane in raised
gilt "Waiters, in

relief,

oak

embossed

richly

silver Belts

in morocco cases.

case.

amber mouth-piece, in

Two

One Coat of Mail and

with Lion and

silver

and partly

Gauntlets.

(Con-

tained in one deal case, addressed to Captain Burton, H. B. M.'s

Consul for the Bight of Biafra, West Coast of Africa.)

September, however, was hardly the month to he

preferred for crossing the Great

my

Agrime Swamp, and

health required a change of air before submitting

to the peine forte et dure of a visit to a

King.

few weeks upon the South Coast, in the

delicious " Cac^imbo,"* soon brought

mark, and the following pages

In Chapter XIX.,
sonally addressing

my

my

me up

to

working

will tell the rest.

have taken the liberty of per-

friend Dr. Hunt, author of "

Negro's Place in Nature."

results of

West African

He

humble experience

has called for the

had written the

remarks before seeing his able and graphic paper

I

have done
*

my

best to aid

him

The cloudy (but not rainy) season

Paver, lasting from

May

to

September.

The

and

in dispersing the mists

in

Angola and on the Congo

PREFACE.

xvi

" mere rhetoric of a political and religious

with which

nature" has invested the subject.

Some excuse may be expected

Appendix

for the length of the

the Public
the object has been to supply

Dahome

present
with as complete a picture of

and

materials,

capability of using them,

as follows

The items are

mitted.
I.

my

Itinerary,

my

have per-

(corrected

by

R.K, Royal Geographical Society

of

from

Captain George,

as

Whydah

to

Agbome

London).
II.

List of expenses

at

Mr. Bernasko's

Agbome.

account current with Captain Burton,

Her Majesty's

Commissioner, Dahomey, from December 8th, 1863, to

Februarv 26th, 1864.

Reprints of previous modern notices.

III.

A. Extract of a letter from the Reverend Peter "W.

Bernasko, Native Assistant Missionary, dated

November

29th, 1860,

toms.

Wesleyan

25th,

("
3

Whydah,

and describing the Grand CusMissionary Notices,"

February

Commodore Wilmot

respecting

861).

B. Despatches from
his visit to the

King

and

1863,

January,

Sacrifice.

of

Dahomey

and

in

December, 1862,

describing

the

Platform

PREFACE.

Dahomy,

C.

People and Customs, by M. Jules

its

Gerard, describing the

IV.

xvii

Oyo Custom

Catalogue of the

of Kana.

Dahoman

Kings, with the

dates of their various exploits, their "strong names,''

and the events of

their reigns.

as documens jpour servir

It is

merely produced

have not only analysed

the several histories, but have gathered from the natives

traditions

and explanations of the royal

over, I wish these

titles.

More-

volumes to be a picture rather of the

present than of the past.

The Pages now

offered to the Public are the result

of a three months' personal study of Dahome,

my

work

extending over the day, and often half through the

night.

may

venture to assert that, by comparing

results with the authors

pended upon
It only

this

before cited, the labour ex-

monogram

remains for

me

its

will

become apparent.

to apologise for the involun-

tary errors which will doubtless be found in the follow-

ing volumes, and to hope that I may, at some future

time, find

an opportunity of correcting them.

Btjena "Vista, Fernando Po,

April 20, 1864.

VOL.

I.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER

I.

PAGE
I FALL IN IjOYE

WITH FERNANDO Po

CHAPTER
I

II.

DO NOT BECOME " FAST FRIENDS " WITH LAGOS

CHAPTER

We

enter

Whydah

III.

in State

29

CHAPTER

A Walk

... 25

IV.

round Whydah

08

CHAPTER
From Whydah

to AlladI, the Hale- way House

CHAPTER
From Allada

V.
.

.117

VI.

to Agrime

CHAPTER

1GG

VII.

Small Reception at Agrime, and Arrival at Kana, the

King's Country Quarters

183

o_ 3

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEE

VIII.

PAGE
201

The Procession

CHAPTEE

IX.
231

The Eeception

CHAPTEE
The March

to

X.
2 "6

Agbome

CHAPTEE

XI.
303

The King enters his Capital

CHAPTEE

XII.

The Presents are delivered

CHAPTEE

321

XIII.

Op the Grand Customs and the Annual Customs generally

343

CHAPTEE XIV.
The

King's "So-sin Custom"

348

A MISSION TO GELELE,

ING OF DAHOME.
CHAPTER
I

This

I.

FALL IN LOVE WITH FERNANDO

fertile soil,

strong prison,

which enjoys a perpetual spring,

PO.
is

considered a

and the

as the land of spectres, the seat of disease,

mansion of death.
Said of Bengal by

Moslem

conquerors.

Ilka Formosa, the lovely island of Fernando Po,

Las, like
site,

its

most

beauties,

two

different,

indeed two oppo-

aspects.

About Christmas time she

is

in a state deeper than

rest,

kind of sleepy Venus seemed Dudu.

Everything, in
of repose.

As

fact,

appears enwrapped in the rapture

the ship glides from the rolling, blustering

Bights into that wonderfully

deck feeling they know not what

VOL.

I.

water,

still

men come on

fela porte

a V amour,
C

MISSION TO GELELE.

as the typical

Frenchman remarks. The

upon the

too lazy to break

oil-like swell is

the wind has

silent shore,

trees nod and

hardly enough energy to sigh, the tallest

bend drowsily
averse to

idless,

downwards, even the grass

wave

from

is,

the sluggish clouds bask in the

while the veiled sun seems in no

soft light of the sky,

Here no one would dream, as

hurry to run his course.

does our modern Poet, of calling Nature

sternly fair."

If such be the day, conceive the cloister-like stillness

of a

spent in

night

Briefly,

Fernando Po,
a

Indolence,

Land

bosom

the
in the

Cove.

Clarence

of

dry weather,

is

a Castle of

a City

of the Lotophagi,

of the

Living-Dead.

But as

had been
was not

saw her

in

for the six

November, 1863, and as she

months preceding, the charmer

to be recognised

by

had come over her Madonna-like face

witnessed in the "

had

set in earlier

and

in

November

human

organism."

than usual
it

that portrait.

it

as

is

sometimes

The rainy season

had opened

was not ended.

change

in

May,

heavy arch of

nimbus, either from the north-east or the north-west,

gathered like a frown on the forehead of the dull grey

firmament.
like

Presently the storm

a jealous wife.

came down, raving

In a few moments

it

burst with a

FALL IN LOVE WITH FEKNANDO

flood of tears,

PO.

a sheet of " solid water/' rent and blown

about by raging, roaring gusts, that seemed to hurry

from every quarter in the very ecstasy of passion.

Baleful gleams of red

thready lightning flashed

the glances of fury in weeping eyes, and

like

deafening-

peals of thunder crashed overhead, not with the steady

rumble of a European tempest, but sharp, sudden, and

incisive as claps of feminine objurgation

These

sobbing.

the

clay,

and

lively scenes

between

fits

of

were enacted during half

often throughout the night

they passed

off

in lady-like sulks, a windless fog or a brown-blue veil

of cloud settling hopelessly over

and

earth, till the

the face of heaven

unappeased elements gathered strength

a fresh outburst.

for

Amidst
tiful

this caprice, these coquetries of the "

Island,"

monly easy

man

found

to die.

it

hard to

Presently

all

live,

Beau-

but uncom-

that was altered, and

the history of the metamorphosis deserves, I think, to

be recorded.

The shrew was tamed by an inch and a

barometric altitude.

half of

The dictum of the learned Dr.

Waitz, the Anthropologist, no longer holds good."

* " There are

many districts

in Africa where strangers,

and especially

Europeans, can neither live nor become acclimated, whilst the natives
b 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

10

When

I first

landed on this island (September, 18G1),

Sta. Isabel, nie Clarence, the

was the only

colony.

lowland town and harbour,

by the new Spanish

locality inhabited

Pallid

men were

be seen sitting or lolling

to

languid in their verandahs, and occasionally crawling

about the grass-grown

hanging to his lower

streets,

each with a cigarette

They

persistently disappeared

lip.

in the dry season, whilst their

by the coloured

" liberateds

the " balance " of the year.

example was followed

and the

colonists during

H. B. M/s Consulate

situated unpleasantly near a military hospital

fast

and dinner were

frequently

enlivened

is

break-

by the

spectacle of a something covered with a blanket being

carried

in,

and

after

due time a something within a

deal box being borne out on four ghastly men's shoulders.

And

sailors

even from the monotonous "south

strangers fled the place like a pestilence

the ennui of Fernando

At

Po

to

be deadly

length Yellow Fever, the

gift

coast," felt

grave-like.

of the "

Grand

Bonny," which was well-nigh depopulated, stalked over

enjy good health.

Such

is

greater portion of Kordofan,

the case in some parts of the Darfur, the

Fernando Po, and Zanzibar." Anthropo-

logy of Primitive Peoples, vol. i., excellently translated by J. Frederick

Collingwood, Esq., F.A.S. London, Triibner and Co., 1863.
P.S. Since tho above was written that learned author has passed

away.

FALL IN LOVE WITH FERNANDO

PO.

11

the main in March, 1862, and in two months he swept

off

78 out of a grand total of 250 white men.*

The "Beautiful Island" was now going

too

far.

Seeing that the fever did not abate, H. E. the Governor

Gandara determined

de

la

kind of " quartelillo

hastily run

up

to try the effects of altitude.

"

infirmerie or baraque

in twelve days, beginning

was

from June

22nd, 1862, by M. Tejero, Commandant of Military

The

Engineers.

of Basile, about

the

name

pletion,

site,

a kind of shelf over the village

400 metres above

of Sta. Cecilia.

On

sea-level, received

the day after

its

July 6th, nineteen penitentiaires, or

prisoners, the survivors of

some

men

thirty

com-

political

that

had

died of yellow fever in the hulks, were transferred to

the

new

quarters

two were

lost

by

of the

attacks

same

disease contracted on the seaboard, the rest of

those

condemned

to

tramuw forces kept

their health,

* On Aug. 28, 1859, 155 white soldiers, young and picked men, who
had shipped at Cadiz, July 16, 1859, arrived at Fernando Po, under H.

E. the Governor de la Gandara,

tles in

who

is

now

fighting his country's bat-

Santo Domingo.

On July

16, 1863, after concluding their three years' service, forty-

seven of these

men

statistics of their

Of the 108
thirty-five

returned to Spain.

casualties, or

men

I have been unable to procure

health or sickness since that period.

more than two-thirds

of the original

died, mostly during the first eighteen

seventv-three were sent

home

invalided.

months

number,
the other

A MISSION TO GELELE.

12

were

and

homes

in

November,

to

their

now

nearly always empty, being

returned

1862.
This old baraque

is

converted into a kind of lodging-house.

are 11'50 metres long,
I' 50

high

dimensions

by 6 broad, and raised on

piles

the rooms are three in number, one large,

by

of 6 metres

by

Its

4*25,

and the other two of 4*25 metres

3.

Seeing the excellent result of that experiment, H. E.

Sr.

D. Lopez de Ayllon, the present Governor, to

whom

these pages are respectfully inscribed, determined to

increase operations.

was directed

tember

5th,

Osq^^of

the Engineers,

to build a maison caserne, intended

accommodate white
Sta. Isabel.

Major

It

soldiers

to

not wanted for duty at

was begun March 22nd, finished Sep-

and opened November 30th, 1863.

The

rez de chaussee lodges forty men, the second story as

many

more, whilst the

first

stage has rooms for the

Governor, his aide-de-camp, and four

officers.

Besides

these two lumber houses, there are tolerable stables for

horses

and mules, good roads well bridged, and a

channel of mountain water, which the white soldiers,

who can work

in the sun with the thinnest of caps,

have derived from the upper

levels.

About

thirty

men

FALL IN LOYE WITH FEENANDO

months from December, 1863,

five

13

Their number has varied but

were sent here.

During the

PO.

little.

to April,

1864, though there have been sporadic local cases of

simple intermittent fever

one

March,

1864, shows

only

and though dangerous diseases have been brought

up from the lowlands, not a death has occurred.

Thus, then, the

owes

its

first

sanitarium in Western Africa

existence to the Spanish Colony, that dates

only from the middle of 1859.

the late

m.

Captain

As

far

back as 1848,

Allen and Dr. Thompson, of

the Niger Expedition, proposed a sanitary settlement at

Victoria, on the seaboard
tain,

site far

time, the

superior to Fernando Po.

Since their

measure has been constantly advocated by

the late Mr. M. Laird.

She

tannia.

below the Camaroons Moun-

allows

Eppur non

si

mnove

Bri-

her " sentimental squadron " to

droop and to die without opposing the least obstacle

between

and

it

climate.

few thousands spent at

Camaroons or Fernando Po would, calculating merely

the market value of seamen's
in

as

many

years.

lives,

repay themselves

Yet not a word from the Great

Mother

When

compare

St.

Louis of Senegal with Sierra

Leone, or Lagos with Fernando Po,

it is

my

conviction

A MISSION TO GELELE.

14

that a temporary something

is

going wrong with the

popular constitution at home.

want of energy,

this

new-born apathy

assures us that disease in

and adynamic

asthenic
in the

If not,
1

whence

Dr. Watson

England has now assumed an

The French

type.

said of us

Crimea that Jean Boule had shattered

with too

much

this

his nerves

The Registrar-General suggests

tea.

the filthy malaria of the overcrowded hodiernal English

The vulgar opinion

town as the fomes malorum.

that

since

the

clays

of the cholera the

(physical) has

become a

type of those

fighting

necessary.

And we

all

C'est la constipation

different being

times

know

when

is,

Englishman

from

his proto-

dinner-pills

were

that

que rend l'homme rigoureux.

Whatever the cause may

be,

an Englishman's

lot is at

present not enviable, and his children have a Herculean

task " cut and dry " before them.

Nothing can be more genial and healthful than the

place where I

plank-house
Forests,

now

am

built

writing these lines, the frame

by D.

Pelion,

altitude

sunrise

the

Woods and

absent on private affairs in Spain.

aneroid shows 29 instead of

the

of the

does

not

30-1 30*4

exceed 800

thermometer

(F.)

feet.

or

inches,

Yet

often stands at

The
and
after
68,

PALL IN LOYE WITH FEKNANDO

PO.

15

reddening the hands and cheeks of the white man.

"We can take exercise mentally and bodily without that
burst of perspiration which follows every

the lowlands, and

which the

"

we can

Beebee

is

orchard

leads to a

repose without the sensation

" in India defined as " feeling like

On

charming.

a palm

in

The view from the balcony facing

boiled cabbage."

north

movement

the right are the remnants of

to the left,

clump of

an avenue of bananas

tropical forest

and on both

sides

tumbles adown the basaltic rocks and stones a rivulet

of pure cold mountain water

over

most

delightful of baths

which the birds sing loudly through the

long day.

In front

is

live-

a narrow ledge of cleared ground

bearing rose-trees two years old and fifteen feet high,

a pair of coffee shrubs, bowed with scarlet berries,

sundry cotton plants, by no means despicable, and a

cacao, showing

what the

island

for the curse of free labour.*

* "Without

would have been but

Beyond the immediate

"the fertile
would be unproductive and deserted, as white men
cannot labour there in the open air." The question is, whether the
slaves," says Koeler (Notizen iiber Bonny),

tropical valleys

world has been sufficiently cleared to enable men to dispense with forced
?
At Pernando Po, the hire of a Kruman, who does about onefifth of an Englishman's work, amounts, all things included, to thirty
labour

shillings a week.

The expression

in the text is not too strong.

Mr.

Lee, Professor of Agricultural Chemistry in the university of Georgia,

estimates the

manual requirements

of the Southern States at one million

A MISSION TO GELELE.

16

foreground there
densely

a slope, hollowed in the centre, and

is

with

the

Holcus

grasses of

and

leek-green

covered

now

kind

The drop

sufficiently

is

favour

finding

England, and even here fragrant, when

hay.

yellow-green

cut, as

abrupt

in

northern

below to

fall

without imperceptible gradation into the rolling plain,

thick and dark with

domed and white-boled

trees,

which

separate the mountain from the Ethiopic main.

The

white houses

marge

of Sta. Isabel glisten

beyond

it

the milky-blue expanse of streaked

waters stretches to the bent

on the right towers,

of

Nature's

Mount

of Heaven, *

all

of

men

is

for

to

and

snow,f

human

is

to

and

a pyramid

Lobah,"

reflecting

tropical

the

indistinct cloud,

from

sunshine;

and sea and sky there

atmosphere which

youth

ma

now capped with

with

of earth

of the horizon

"Mongo

golden head the gorgeous

over

bow

in solitary majesty,

handiwork,

gemmed

then

brightly on the

is

its

whilst

that halo of

landscape what the

light of

loveliness.

twenty years, and regards it as ''providential that there

much unemployed power in human muscles in Western

should be so
Africa."
*

The topmost peak

of the

Camaroons Mountain,

so called

by the

natives.

t To talk of snow
certainly swear

it is

so near the

dolomite.

Line

The erudite Mr. Cooley

will

And

FALL IN LOYE "WITH PEENANDO

as night

make way

The varied
same

for the different shades of the

mark

that

colour

17

glooms in the East, the view

first

borrows fresh beauties from indistinctness.

tints

PO.

the

several

distances,

and hardly

can the eye distinguish in the offing land from

Broken

lines of mist-rack rise

amongst the

basal plain, following the course of

some

trees of the

streamlet, like

The

a string of giant birds flushed from their roosts.

moon

sleeps sweetly

upon the

rolling

and from under the shadowing

tastic figures, set off

the

growing

becomes an audible
cricket

the

banks of

tinkle

In

light above.

of the

two

bass, the treble being the

and the frog praying

foliage,

trees issue weird fan-

by the emerald

silence

sea.

rivulets

merry

lustily for rain, whilst the

palms whisper mysterious things in their hoarse baritone.

The

in the air

stars shine bright, twinkling as if frost

we have

were

eliminated the thick stratum of

atmosphere that overhangs the lowlands, and behind

in

shadowy grandeur, neither blue nor brown nor

but with a blending

enwrapped

in

of

the

snowy woolpack

solid against the

three,

us,

pink,

and sometimes

so dense as to appear

deep azure, the Pico Santa Isabel, the

highest crater in the island, rises softly detached from

the cirrus-flecked nocturnal sky.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

18

an American missionary remarked,

Life, as

what primitive

An

pleasant.

at

Buena

Vista, but

when the scenery

and. sunset,

my

hour of work in

it

is

some-

not the less

is

garden at sunrise

equally beautiful, hard

is

reading during the day, and after dark a pipe and a

new book

of travels, this

the

is

"

fallcntis semita vitce

"

which makes one shudder before plunging once more

and swirling waters of society

into the cold

lization.

My

employed

all

planting

it

existence in

" niggers" are, as

clay long

the
is

my

should be,

in clearing, cutting,

the Southern States.

slaves

of civi-

and

quite the counterpart of a landowner's

vent them calling themselves

say,

Krumen

my

Nothing

will pre-

" children," that

is

to

and indeed no white man who has

lived long in the outer tropics can prevent feeling that

he

is

pro tempore the

prietor of the black

lord,

the master,

and the pro-

humanity placed under him.

It is

true the fellows have no overseer, consequently there

no whip

rum and

tobacco

please.

But

punishment resolves

if

applied to their
ling all

day

itself into

is

retrenching

moreover, they come and go as they

little

lives,

"moral influence

were not

they would be dozing or quarrel-

in their quarters,

guitar half the night,

"

much

and twanging a native

to their

own

discomfort and

more

PALL IN LOYE WITH FEENANDO

PO.

19

Consequently I keep them to

to their owner's.

their work.

certain hours the bugie-call from Santa Cecilia

At

that

intimates

all

below where the smoke

dense plantation
ethnologist

me

about

is

not savagery.

n
rises " a-twisten blue

of palms,

lies

Bube

Basile, the

And

from the

a rich study for an

village.

No

white

man

has lived long enough amongst this exceptional race

of Fernandians to describe
rule,

them minutely, and,

as a

they have been grossly and unjustly abused.*

few

lines will

show the

them from other African

The Bube

who,

as

peculiarities
tribes.

may

be proved by language,

an aborigine of the mainland

* Bosnian

(A

New

which distinguish

is

has forgotten his origin,

and Accurate Description of the Coast of Guinea,

translated into English, 1705) seems to have led the way, and others

have repeated him. " The island of Fernando Po is inhabited by a savage

and cruel sort of people, which he that deals with ought not to trust. I
neither can nor will say more of them."
It is hard to discover whence was derived the word Adiyah or Eediyah,

which

all

writers have copied from the Niger Expedition of Messrs.

Allen and Thompson, and have applied to the Cube race. The fact

is,

the

Fernandian, as might be expected, has no national name, and " adiyah' 7

is

probably derived from adios,

arios, aros, the salutation

borrowed from

Bube (not "bubi," or "booby,")

means, not " friend," but " man," a frequent address as the Castilian
the old Spanish colony long extinct.

hombre, and thus assumed by straugers as the popular appellation.

"High Bube," "adyah" means "the moon," which

" ballepo."

In

in the vulgar is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

20

and he wisely gives himself no trouble about

If

it.

you

"
ask him whence he comes, he replies from his mother

;"

whither he goes, and he answers "to Drikhatta ra

Busala'be*
sky)

if

if

a bad man," and "to Lubakko 'pwa (the

He

he has been a good Bube."

of and a

name

Eupe

for the Creator,

has a conception
or Erupe, but he

does not perplex himself with questions of essence and

attribute, personality

and

He

point too he shows good sense.

be sure, not without an

acts as

were chief of

it

Perhaps in

visibility.

is also,

evil principle,

Fernandian

conservative

ment

to ancient

from

also

He
to

'be,

who

police.

is

" aristocratic,"

to those of

an Dut-and-out

no oldest Tory of the old school can

pretend to rival him.

will

you may

Busala

Coming down from the things of heaven

earth, the

this

tradition

ways

But in many points

results not

his attach-

from prejudice, but

founded upon sound

He

instinct.

not live near the sea for fear of being kidnapped,

because the

refuses to build higher

3000

tain, will

feet,

effeminates his frame.

over-soft air

up the mountains than 2000

as his staff of

life,

the palm and the plan-

not flourish in the raw air and rugged ground.

* Literally, kingdom (drikhatta) of the devil (bad ghost).

sky or heaven

is

also called Drikhatta ra

Possibly these are European ideas grafted

Eupe,

e.c,

Kingdom

So, the

of God.

upon the African mind.

PALL

He

IN"

LOVE WITH PEKNANDO

PO.

21

confines himself therefore to the exact zone in

which

the medical geographer of the present age would place

him

above the

of

dysentery and

and below the

fever level,

fatal

His farm

pneumonia.

is

line

at

distance from his cottage, to prevent domestic animals

finding

way

their

into

it

his

yam

fields,

which

supply the finest crops, are as pretty and as neatly

kept as vineyards in Burgundy, and he makes the
best " topi " or

habitation

Spartan

him

in

is

Western Africa.

in

mere shed without walls

Nothing

matters.

these

will

His

he

is

persuade

beyond the absolute requirements of

wear,

to

palm toddy

decency, anything warmer than a thin coat of palm

oil

near the summit of the mountain, 10,000 feet above sea

level, I

the

have offered him a blanket, and he has preferred

fire.

looking

His only remarkable, somewhat " fashionable "article

covered with a

of dress

monkey

is

skin,

an extensive wicker hat

but this

is

useful to pre-

vent tree snakes falling upon his head.

He

upon

minus the

hat

his wife preserving the

oh,

how

beau ideal of
then her right,
*

wise

toilette,

If she does not

fidelity,

lastly,

same

he cuts

her throat

come up

off, first

her

left

insists

to his

hand,

a very just sequence.*

In Northern Europe and America the injured husband kills the

A MISSION TO GELELE.

o2

He

not a slave nor will he keep slaves

is

them

to be a vanity,

He

himself.

is

no

and

idler

justly, because

he holds

he can work for

after labouring at his farm,

he

days to shoot a monkey, a "philantomba"

will toil for

Besides being a

"fritamba"), or a flying squirrel

{alias

sportsman, he has his manly games, and I should not

advise every one to tackle
alpenstock

Though

him with

quarter-staff; his

a powerful and a well-wielded weapon.

is

so highly conservative,

he

is

not, as

imagine, greatly destitute of intelligence

our harsh and

difficult

any West African

Brightest

of

as the

Bank

his

is

in Asia

that

will

you

to say, gold

may
and

his debt as surely

caps his worldly

and perpetual suspiciousness.

his

name, he never receives you

kills

the wife.

Which proceed-

Can any man in his senses believe in the

woman ?

* I allude of course to the

him

pay

is

And what

and Southern Europe he

the more sensible

not to

moral character

and he

you

tell

seduction of a married

state,

including the Sierra Leonite.

tobacco

perfect

he pronounces

English less incorrectly than

of England.*

never will

lover

ing

is

his

rum and

in his street,

wisdom,

He

is

all

safely deposit
silver

tribe,

some might

Credat Creswell Creswell

Bub6 in his natural and unsophisticated

by Europeans and Krumen. Mr. Win-

as corrupted

wood Reade, the author of an amusing and picturesque book, " Savage
"Banapa," one of the worst specimens of a Bube village. As a rule, the Fernandian has little of the
Africa," unfortunately visited only

ignoble appearance that characterizes the true Negro,

PALL IX LOYE WITH FEENANDO

as a friend,
gifts

he

lie

armed

will turn out

ing vocabularies,

The

fact

is,

may

you enter

if

memory

he knows

knows not when

So he confines himself

again be.

to

the

and he makes no other

intimacies, even with the fellowmen

whose

he sees curling up from the neighbouring

*

and the kidnappings

that the plunderings

society of his native hamlet,

collect-

the god of speech direct you

that such things have been, and he

may

his village

you are fond of

if

of bygone days are burned into his

they

23

never trusts you, even when you bring

an unseasonable hour, and

at

PO.

village

smoke

dell.*

After two years of constant quarrelling the beautiful

*

Some

of the kidnapping tales that

straits into

which, at times,

men were

still

show the
At Annobom,

linger on this coast,

driven for a cargo.

where the people are Negro-Portuguese, they are ever looking forward
to hearing mass from the mouth of a priest.
A Spaniard learning this,
dressed up a pair of ecclesiastics, landed them, and whilst the function
was proceeding, seized the whole congregation, and carried them triumphantly to market.
The following communication will show the value of Fernandian
cotton.

But, alas

labour

is

at 30s. per

week

" COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.

" Offices

No.

1,

Newall's Buildings,

"Manchester, February, 1864.

" Captain E. F. Burton, H. B. M. Consul,

" Fernando Po.
"Sir, Your communication, with the two samples of cotton, had
the due attention of our Committee, and I have now to hand you their
report upon the latter.

vol.

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

24

island

and

I are

now

It is

"fast friends."
??

well to "begin with a

"

1st.

little

aversion.

Fernando Po.Dull in colour, clean, staple

value

28c?.

" 2nd. Congo.

fine,

and

fair

length

per lb.

Dull

27d. per

perhaps as

colour, staple coarse

brown

and weak; value

lb.

Middling Orleans Cotton being worth 28Jtf. per lb.

"The Committee would be glad to learn that such cotton as your
samples, especially the first, could be sent from Fernando Po in large

where trade is languishing, and our population so severely suffering for want of a supply of such cotton.
" We shall be glad to have any further particulars respecting the production of your immediate neighbourhood, and the price at which such
quantities to this district,

as your sample No. 1 can be collected,

may

"I am,

Sir,

" Yours respectfully,

" Isaac Watts, Secretary."

(Signed)
*

and any other information you

be kindly disposed to furnish.

The following sick list is taken from official documents, compiled at

Of thirty invalids, sent up from the lowlands in Novem-

Fernando Po.

ber, 1863, there suffered

from

Fever (simple and intermittent)

,,

(remittent malignant)

,,

(intermittent malignant)

Total

Jan.

Feb.

31 arc] i

14

16

11

3
o

22

22

18

Dysentery
Various

Dec.

must be observed that in all cases, except those of simple interwas contracted in the lowlands moreover, that of
sixty-three, the grand total, not a patient died.
It

mittents, the disease

CHAPTER
I

II.

DO NOT BECOME "FAST ERIENDs" WITH LAGOS.

On Not.

embarked on board H. M.

29, 1863, I

Antelope, Lieut.-Commander Allingham.

manned

sign at the fore,

guns, banished from

and the Bube.

course

fell

my

Our

and a

yards,

brain

cruize

all

in with a tornado off

red en-

salute of

traces of

was

S. S.

17

Buena Yista

eventless.

We

of

Cape Formoso, the

gentle projection in the hypothenuse of the Nigerian

Delta.

The good

old

iron paddle-wheeler, however,

though no "skimmer of the

through the impotent
selves

rolling in the

blast.

seas,"

On

advanced at ease

Dec.

2,

we found

our-

roads of pestilential Lagos, our

lullaby the sullen distant roar, whilst a

dusky white gleam

smoking over the deadly bar in the darkening horizon

threatened us with a disagreeable landing at the

last,

the youngest, and the most rachitic of Great Britain's

large but

now exceedingly

neglected family of colonies.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

26

H. M.

S. S.

was signalled

Investigator

usual

for

on the

"unhandy"

next day; the

Handy being

broken down.

The acting commander of the former,

Mr. Adlam, kindly gave

as

me an

in-passage

ship

to

the presents sent by the Foreign Office for the

King

of Dahome.

The town, however, and the townspeople

as

well,

wore a new and greatly improved appearance, the work

of the great benefactor of

Three

Conflagration/'

in regular succession

January, 1863
the roast "

till

fires

cities, "

General

had followed one another

through November, December, and

and the

fire

god

will continue to

men adopt some more

roofing than thatch

also a distinct

West African

and

sensible style of

" Calabar mats."

improvement

in local

"rule

There was

morals since the

days when the charming English spinster landed here,

and was obliged by the excited and non-cidottees natives

to be escorted

men

back to her papa's ship by two gentle-

with drawn swords.

Nudity has been

corpses of

made

men and dogs

penal.

Where impaled

scandalized eye and nose,

and

where a foul mass of hovel crowded down to the beach,

now runs a broad

the

first

road, a

Marine Parade, the work of

governor, Mr. Coskry, during his short but

DO NOT BECOME

"

Finally,

useful reign.

FAST FEIENDS" WITH LAGOS.

27

Sydney Smith's highest idea of

government, a street constable, everywhere glad-

civil

In France

dens the Britisher's sight.

we

should have

seen the piou-piou; in England they prefer the " peeler

and the peeler-governed

piou-piou-ruled,

and

scoff

and wag the head

;"

at the

I confess to holding

vice versa.

that British Praetorian., the policeman, to be like the

beefsteak,

and Professor Holloway's

wide nuisance

seems to
dressed

set

him

pill

a bore, a world-

the " meteor flag of England " never

upon him.

Camoens might have ad-

as another Sebastian

Thou being dread upon whose glorious sway

The orient sun first pours his quick'ning beam,
!

And views thee from the heaven's middle way,

And lights thee smiling with his latest gleam.
et caetera.

On

the other hand, nothing could be worse than the

animus between white and black and white-black

w as
r

systematically aggravated

coast,

by the bad

it

prints of the

and by the extra-philanthropic portion of the

fourth estate at home.

pestilential

The place

is also, I

have

said,

out of a grand total of seventy Europeans,

not less than nine have lately died in thirteen days

others are expected to follow,

Lagos

for

a week.

and no man

Breathing such an

air,

is

safe at

with such

A MISSION TO GELELE.

2S

an earth below them, with such a sun above them, and

with such waters within them, it is hardly to be wondered at that the Lagoonist's temper

is

the reverse of

mild.

Thus we arrived at an
peace, alert for

war

evil

hour

all

stood in

armed

and the hapless Investigator put

the last strain on the back of Patience.

Startled

by the

display of fight, I hastily collected the presents, whilst

Mr. John Cruikshank, the Assistant-Surgeon, R.N.,

detailed on duty to

few

stores.

of Wrath.

have crossed

On
rious

Dahome, obliged me by laying

On December

4th

we hurried from the City

The bar showed blinders only

it

we would

had the breakers risen mountains high.

we anchored

Saturday, December 5th,

Whydah, a few hours

off noto-

too late to catch the last

glimpse of the Rattlesnake's top-gear.

This was un-

Commodore Wilmot, commanding West Coast

lucky.

of Africa, who, taking

mission,
its

in a

the warmest

had adopted every

possible

success, after vainly awaiting

interest

in

the

measure to forward

my

coming

for nearly

a fortnight, was compelled by circumstances to steam

northward.
officer

Thus

it

was

my

fate

to

miss the only

on the coast who knew anything about Dahome,

and thus

collation of opinion

became impossible.

CHAPTER

III.

WE ENTER WHYDAH

The

my

on a messenger to the

for his

own Customs, and

reception at Kana, detained H. M. S. S. Antelope

December

till

of sending

who w as preparing

King,
for

necessity

IN STATE.

8th,

when a

special invitation returned

Whydah.

to

For some days the weather had been too dark

permit a

fair

old travellers,

to

view of a country so much extolled by

Phillips * has

and which Captain Thomas

described as the "pleasantest land in Guinea.

'

But

even under the clearest sky, with the present deadening

influences,

over

its

when

hand of the destroyer has passed

towns and villages

must not expect

*

the

and

to find, like his brotherhood of the last

Journal of a Voyage to Africa and Barbadoes.

Commander

of the

the traveller

fields,

By

" Hannibal," of London, 1693-94.

old log-book, and supplies a good account of independent

Thos. Phillips,
It is a quaint

Whydah.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

30

and even the present century, the " champaigns and

small ascending

hills

beautified with always green

shady

"roves of lime, wild orange, and other trees, and

sated with divers broad fresh rivers/'

multitude of

little villages

that belonged

the days of her independence,

ruins have perished."

We

may

it

irri-

And of the
to Whydah in

be said that their

3*

landed as ceremoniously as I had embarked.

The Commodore had dwelt long enough

in Africa

amongst the Africans, properly to appreciate the

of " apparatus " in the case of the
mission.

Commander Ruxton,

the Pandora,

Antelope,

still

after

accompanied

us.

landed, at 10

first

efficacy

Government

R.N., whose gun-vessel,

remained in the roads when H. M.

firing

her

and

salute,

departed,

S. S.

kindly

After a rough and stormy night

a.m.,

in

we

a fine surf-boat belonging to

Mr. Dawson, of Cape Coast Castle, ex- missionary and

actual merchant at
rising cusps

Whydah

of the stem

its

strong knees and the

and stern acting as weather-

boards, are required in these

heavy seas that dash upon

* Mr. Duncan, Vol. I.

p. 185, found fine farms, six to seven miles
from Whydah, with clean and comfortable houses, chiefly the work of
Foolah and Eya (Oyo ?) captives returned from the Brazils.
" This "
says that traveller
" would seem to prove that to this country slavery
is not without its good as well as
bad effects."

WE ENTER WHYDAH
the ill-famed Slave-coast.
bar, separated,

We remarked a

31

little

external

from the steep sandy beach, by a deep

longitudinal line, the

a breakwater

IN STATE.

when

home

of sharks

the surf

is

it

must act as

We

not over-heavy.

landed amid song and shout, in the usual

way

shun-

ning great wr aves, wr e watched a " smooth," paddled in

violently

upon the back of some curling breaker,

boat's nose

till

the

was thrown high and dry upon the beach

were snatched out by men, so as not to be washed back

by the receding water, and gained

suspicion of a wetting.

case with our boxes

luck.

W.

On

the beach

Bernasko,

native

terra firma without

Such, however, was not the

indeed baggage rarely has such

we were met bv
teacher,

the Rev. Peter

and principal of the

Wesley an Mission, Whydah, and taking refuge from

the sun in a hut-shed belonging to Mr. Dawson, the

party waited half an hour,

till

all

had formed

in

marching order.
" Liverpool of

The Hu-ta,* praya, or sea-beach of the

Except when absolutely necessary for explanation, I shall not use, in

marks these serve only
puzzle
the
reader,
without
enabling
to
him to reproduce the sound of
*

writing- native vocables, accents or diacritical

foreign words.

In the future dictionaries, however, Dahoman words must be distine.g., " boy " and
"buoy,"" thy" and "thigh," and so forth. Amongst the kindred

guished by accents, not as in English, by spelling,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

32

Dahome,"

is.

a sand-bank rising some 20

feet

above

sea level, and bright with the usual salsolaceous plants.

There are no dwelling-houses, nor do the white merchants of the

several establishments of

mat

roofs

French being incomparably the

and

cargo,

for

Seven

upper town often sleep here.

and

mud

Avails (the

best), serve for storing-

transacting business .during the day.

There are usually three to four ships rolling in the

roads,

and the more sanguine declare that the great

slave port might, if she pleased, export

10,000 tons of

(= 340,000/.) per annum.

The Whydah escort of twenty men having

palm

oil

saluted us with muskets,

their town, shouting

and

began
firing,

the

duly

march towards

singing and dancing.

Our party was headed by a Kruman from Commander

Ruxton's ship, carrying the white and red-crossed flag
of St. George, attached to a boarding pike
five

hammocks with an

six

Krumen, armed, and

red

nightcaps,

and

interpreter,

and

brilliantly clad in

variegated

scanty as the old cale$on at once

my

followed

crew of

" bargees' "

pocket-handkerchiefs,

happy

Biarritz.

We

Egbas the native etymology of English words has run wild, e.g., "Tamahana" for Thompson, " Wiremu," as in New Zealand, for Williams, and
"Piripi"

for Philip.

WE ENTER WHYDAH
were exhorted

to take

and

33

keep patience, the task

to

before us being a foretaste of

IN STATE.

what would sorely try us

at the capital.

few yards of loose sand led out of the factory

site

to the Lagoon, a river-like but semi-stagnant stream,

dotted with

green

little

close to the shore.

it

wetted the

Its

breadth was 300 yards, and

being deeper in December of the

hips,

" dries," than

running parallel with and

aits,

had seen

some have suspected that

For

this reason

comes from the

far north,

in June.

it
it

where the rains which have now ended on the coast are
heavy.

still

their

a boon to the people,

It is

wants in

its

who

finding

all

quiet waters, are not driven to tempt

the ravenous sharks and the boisterous seas outside.

The Lagoon

fish

is

excellent

there

species with a very delicate flavour,

Gold Coast,

many prefer

Its oysters are

is

and

a trout-like

on the

here, as

the lighter lenten diet to meat.

good enough when cooked

before being

eaten raw, their insipidity should be corrected by keeping for some time in salt water,* and by feeding with
*

The

The Lagoon

is salt

people then wait

surface an

evaporation.

efflorescence

when

the sea flows into

it

at high water.

the tide has ebbed, and find on the

of salt,

like

It is scraped together,

hoar-frost,

the

work

vol.

r.

mud-

of rapid

and packed in matting for imin its original dirty and muddy

most people prefer it

others clean and whiten it by boiling.

portation inland
state,

only
till

A MISSION TO GELELE.

34

We

oatmeal.

piles of shells large

saw

and were told that

" grottos,"

thousand

enough

for a

this is the only

lime and whitewash in the land.

From

the

Lagoon we issued upon the De-nun,* or

custom-house, also called Je-sin-nun,

The

dirty

sandy

"Salt water

side."

clump of ragged mat-huts stands on a

oasis,

garnished with

full

and empty

barrels,

little

with

whole and broken canoes and fishing nets, with porters at

work, and with a few
little

women

heaps of eatables, in

nalia of

sitting for sale before their

fact,

an African fishing

with

village,

all

the parapher-

including noise and

" Billingsgate."

The two

direct miles of

De-nun and the tow n

r

fifty

miles between

" duver,"

swamp and sand between

a facsimile in miniature of the

is

Whydah and Agbome.

false coast

the

It

is

not a pebble the size of a pea

* " De-nun," which Mr. Duncan (Yol. I. p. 282) writes " Dtheno," and
evidently thinks to be a proper name, e.g., " the small kroom (a Gold
is the "Bode" of the Egbas or Akus.
The
word "De" means custom-house dues; "nun," properly "mouth," or
" side," is a monosyllable of many significations. De-gan is the custom-

Coast word) of Dtheno,"

house " captain," who, as well as his guards, is locally called Decimero,
from the Portuguese. The reader will observe that the terminal n in

Dahoman
" raisow."

words,

is invariably a pure nasal, and sounds like the French

"
In
Je-sin-nun," the first word signifies " salt," the second

" water," and the nasal

is

distinguish only " see," or

so little defined, that

"

si."

an English ear would

WE ENTER WHYDAH
is

to be found,

which

IN STATE.

35

fact suffices to prove the land to

be the gift of the sea, not a sweep from the northern

rocky mountains by

rivers, rain, or

Yoruba

generally, the

As

in lower

gradual degradation.

sandy

soil

The

very unproductive but for the violent rains.

is

would be
surface

a succession of " small downes," dorses and gentle

ridges running parallel with the shore from east to west,

not unlike the wrinkles or landwaves behind

Loanda.

Each

rise is

fetid

Paul de

bounded north and south by low

ground, almost on the Lagoon's

daring the

S.

with deep water

level,

rains, rarely quite dry,

and malarious formation.

and

at all times a

These features in the

upper country are often of considerable

size,

and three

of them, as will be seen, were the natural frontiers of

independent

After the last water,

principalities.

steady but almost imperceptible

Kana

to

Agbome,

The road

is

mock men

rities

leads

detestable,

to

the

rise,

like

town

of

that from

Whydah.

and absolutely requires ham-

the slave-dealers have persuaded the autho-

that whilst

it is

in this state, their

town

will

be

less liable to unfriendly visits.

Passing up a marigot or branch channel, worn

by

porters' feet to a

deep wet

ditch,

down

we soon reached

the half-way place, a second sandy oasis, the site of

D 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

36

*
the village of Zumgboji
larged edition of the

It is

place an

a poor

De-nun containing a few

thatched

mat-huts, with " compounds," or bartons, of the

material,

and outlying

fields

of grain

same

and vegetables,

We

where Fetish cords acted hedges.

en-

all

descended

from our hammocks, despite the heat, to greet the head

Fetish-man, a dignitary fat and cosy as ever was the

He

/rate or the parson of the good old times.

stood

with dignity under a white " Kwe-ho," the tent-umbrella,

which here marks the caboceer

tattered, because these spiritual

a show of splendour.
"

men

He snapped

it

was somewhat

care not to

make

fingers with us, after

Country custom," palm never being applied to palm

except by the Europeanised

the

thumb and mid-index are sharply withdrawn on

both sides after the mutual clasp, and this

twice

to

number.

four

the

times,

former

After the greeting, he sat

The Ffon, or Dahoman,

is

repeated

being the general

down upon what

called a Gold-Coast stool, cut out of a

Y oruba

as throughout

a dialect of the great

is

sinde block of

Yoruba family,

has,

Egba, or Abeokutan, language a G and a Gb, the latter at first

inaudible to our ears, and difficult to articulate without long practice.
like the

On

the other hand,

instance,
latter.

kpakpa,

it

has a
duck),

(e.g.,

whereas

in Po-su), as well as a

the

Egba

possesses

Kp

(for

only the

WE ENTER WHYDAH
wood,* whilst two young

if

IN STATE.

not pretty wives handed to

us drinking water in small wine-glasses.

Dahoman

thorough

to be a

This appears

which extends

peculiarity,

even to the Court.

When

sidered a luxury,

serves to prepare the

it

something more genial, and

We

not intended.

is

Brazilian Caxacja

Maires

pure f the element

it is

Ruxton's Kruman,

for

a Parisian

diminutif at a rustic

Three toasts are demanded by ceremony,

ball.

glasses

exclaim, " Sin diyye

"

and

(May

the)

days the
*

You bow, you

When

in

continental

"

" This

is

style,

water

your compotator responds

Water

spirits

last in

Bath in Jermyn

for

were then regaled with rum

too sour even

of

air

choquez the

not

mouth

a sign that treachery

and they must be drunk standing.

is

con-

is

the proceedings of the day with the

who regarded
goguenard

37

"

"
!

when

Sin ko

(cool

and you

your) throat "

it

"

In former

used to be poured from one glass into

England, I saw sundry of these

Street,

articles at the

and very much out of place

Turkish

the}' looked.

f At Whydah the wells are about thirty feet deep, and the water is
bad they want a lining of lime and charcoal at the bottom. In the
:

English

fort,

according to Mr.

Duncan

(Vol.

I. p.

120),

after

digging

feet deep, the soil was the same as at the top: at twelve feet they
came upon a family sepulchre, decomposed human bones, and rusty
anklets and armlets.
X The o in this word, as in Po-su, is sounded much like aw in the
English " vawn."

twenty

A MISSION TO GELELE.

38

all

the others, showing that they did not contain poison.

The custom

is

now

to swallow all the trade

here reduced

to a neighbour,
If

he be a

like

you touch

who

is

stuff to
it

it is

you sign

is

and hand

it

with the

lips,

certain to leave

him

to

a fledgling to

its

unnecessary

which hospitality

common fellow, and you wish

countrified,

gape

Happily

obsolete.

no heel-taps.

to be peculiarly

to kneel

he opens his

parent, without touching

the cup or glass, and you toss the contents into his

mouth, taking care that half of

beard,

if

it

should deluge his

he has any.*

After again snapping fingers, which, barbarous as

is,

infinitely prefer,

near the Line, to hand-shaking,

we remounted hammocks, and

ZumgbojTs

of

sandy

it

islet.

crossed the 400 yards

At

further end

the

we

again alighted to receive the compliments of the village

captain f

here

all

are captains

black old man, the type of a

thin,

Dahoman

and almost

He

Caboceer.

presented us with kola nut (Sterculia acuminata) and

Malaguetta pepper

Some

of

(Amomum granum

the waggish kings have

made

paradisi),

their

servants

which

lie

flat

on the ground, and swallow, in taut position, a bottle of rum at a

draught.

t The Dahoman word is " gan " our caboceer

Lusitano-African " caloceiro," a head man.
:

is

a corruption of the

WE ENTEE WHYDAH
eaten together

IN STATE.

greatly resemble

39

Pan

the

supari or

areca nut and betel leaf of the East Indians.*

After a

few minutes we were once more allowed to advance.

Another brownish-yellow water, with a black miry

which called loudly

we

issued

for quinine,

the "Captain's

from days of
is

is

Tree/' because

old.

and

is

named Agonji

still

a dwarf
here

ficus,

the

first

Whydah.

Under

The place

performed.

-the

where enemies have

attacking

it

ceremony of merchant skippers has been

reception

History

and leading with gradual up-slope

In the middle of

to the town.

around

then

upon a hot open sandy and grass-cleared

road, 15 feet broad,

called

formed the path

sole

" Gonnegee "

so often

of the

encamped when

the friendly shade

we saw

a table spread with a bit of white calico cloth, and

around

it

the Mission boys had ranged chairs.

expecting the town caboceers

of glancing at

Whydah

we had an opportunity

land.

The country now wears an unwholesome

smell reminds

the

me

of

the

threatening fever and dysentery.

*

The Preface

"Whilst

to the History of

aspect,

Campagna
The

tall

di

grass

and

Roma,
is

not

Dahome, written by some unknown

hand, and unworthy of the rest of the book, confuses them, informing us
that the kola grows on lofty trees, and seemed to Bosnian to be a species
of the

" areka or beetle."

p. ix.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

40

yet ripe for burning

in

two months

disappear,

it will

rendering an

ambuscade impossible, and allowing a

pretty view of

Whydah.

cultivated

man wants

the fallow system

a tenth of the land

is

The

little

cultivators will begin in

and the women

stubbles,

is

and when a

universal,

ground he merely brings a

fresh

to the caboceer.
to fire the

JSTot

dash

February

will turn

up the

earth with hoes, and let the charred stalks and roots

The seed

decay into manure.

one precedes, and
stick or

drills

a hoe handle

is

sown by two sowers

the ground with a bushman's

the second puts in the grain and

covers

it

with the heel, an operation

person

if

there be more than two.

left

a third

to

The seeds are not

From

three to four grains of maize, six to ten

of Guinea corn,

and two of beans, are deposited, against

mixed.

same

risk of loss, in the

place in September.

hole.

The

The people

first

will

harvest takes

then at

once

burn, hoe, and sow again, getting in the second crop

about December.
does not ripen

In the interior the winter yield often

till

January or February, and

light showers of the season

by the

sun.

are deficient,

it is

The produce, though not counted,

is

if

the

burned
said to

be a hundredfold.

This should satisfy the agriculturist,

however covetous.

Truly

it is

said that whilst the poor

WE ENTER WHYDAH
man

in the

North

men

lingered in

ment, advanced under

its

party,

own

its

at that time no

As

Whydah.

Each

ranks preceded.

man

son of a prince.

were not kept waiting long

great

4l

the son of a pauper, the poor

is

in the Tropics is the

We

IN STATE.

usual the junior

our regi-

distinct like
flag, closely

followed by

band, composed of four kinds of instruments, which

can hardly be called musical.

The

shaped gourd covered with a netting of

which are attached snake's vertebrae

also

wood

strip of

in the other

it is

held in the

many

varieties,

sounds

and

all

common.

by

all travellers

to African ears

The horn

is

fibre,

containing

The drums are

of

of unequal sizes, to vary the

that which takes the lead

described

There are

hand.

decanter-shaped rattles of woven

cowries, but these are not

and

fine twine, to

with the neck downwards, and tapped against a

right,

thin

a bottle-

rattle is

is

the hollowed log,

from Jamaica to Zanzibar,

it is full

of

meaning as a telegram.

a small scrivello with a large oblong hole

near the point, so as to act as a speaking-trumpet, and

pierced at the top, where the left thumb,
closing

it,

converts

Park commends
voice

an older

it

it

by opening or

into a two-noted bugle.

for its

traveller

resemblance to the
describes

it

as "

Mungo
human

making a

A MISSION TO GELELE.

42

company

grating bellowing noise, like a

The panigan,* or African cymbal,

negros."

unaptly called,

is

and sometimes

or brass,

knobbed, or of pierced metal- work

some ten

South Coast, and

my

It

ears

double, a shorter

is

still

a thin

tingle with
this "

bamboo,

45, or a pair of similar-sized bells are

The player

arched iron bar.

the short tube, thus

one,

two

its infliction

gong-gong"

appendage being lashed or soldered

the larger instrument at the apices

bit of

ting

This

by an angle of

connected by an

strikes first the long then

tang

renders

(similar to our public clocks in

or in double sets, one,

the

sound different

England when

striking

the quarters), and two notes become evident.

the

silver

the Chingufu of the

Sometimes

on the lake Tanganyika.

two

is

to eleven inches long, causes the tube to give

out a small dead sound.

to

it

generally a single unbrazed tongue-

either of solid iron

is

as

about a foot long, including the handle, which

less bell,
is

of bulls or ass-

Nor

is

band complete without the voice accompaniment of

fierce

shouting and singing which would almost drown

the organ of Haarlem.

After
*

and

The performer
to (he

band

each

who

is

does).

called

white

um-

Pani-gan (gong-gong), ho (beat or

strike),

came

shabby

WE ENTER WHYDAH
brella,* of which there

were

colonels or soldier chiefs.

superior dress
silver

one

They were distinguished by a

horns fastened to a

a dwarf pair of polished

lanyard,

above the organ of " Causality/' f

amounted

to

250 men.

43

denoting the number of

five,

man wore

each by a highlander's "

IN STATE.

tail,"

and projecting

They were followed

and the

may

total

have

The greater number wore the

uniform of the English or Blue Company, here called

" Bru,"

indigo-dyed tunics or

kilts

extending to the

knee and loosely closed over the breast, and cotton

caps or white

fillets,

with sprawling crocodiles of azure

No

hue sewn on to them, one on each side of the head.

two costumes were quite alike

in their hair,

"

others wore felts

their Fetishes or

wooden

dolls

some had bark

round their waists, and fastened

billy-cock hats

had

charms

and straws

birds' claws

strips

to their

whilst

all

and small

smeared red as though with blood.

The

Ffon Chokoto," the Egban Shokoto, and the East Indian

Throughout Africa, like Asia, it is a sign of dignity. Here it is

" Seven umbrellas have
figuratively used for the dignitary himself.
fallen," means as many commanding officers have been killed.
*

+ M. "Wallon, Lieutenant de Vaisseau, who twice visited Agbome

in 1856 and 1858, says that these horns are a sign of eunuchry, but they
are not so.
Le Royaume de Dahomey (Revue Maritime et Coloniale,
Aout, 1861
a second part, containing that officer's journey to Aghonne,
was promised, but has never, I believe, appeared).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

44

Janghirs, femoralia, or short drawers, hardly reaching

to the knee, must,

war

tunic

by

all

by imperial

order, be

the soldiery, male

and female

Moslem

times long calico tights, in

worn under the

;

some-

fashion, are seen.

Their arms were tolerable muskets, kept in very good

order, but of course invariably flint

short swords,

useless horse pistols,

and African battle-axes with blades three

fingers broad

and the tangs

ammunition was supposed

set in the

to be

hafts.

Their

contained in home-

cartridge-boxes of European pattern or in ban-

made

which acted for waist-belts,

doleers,

and comprised

about a dozen wooden cylinders, like needle-cases, containing at least four times the

would be used by

The
Each

style of

amount of powder that

us.

parade

several party

is

one throughout the kingdom.

advanced at a pas de charge, bend-

ing low, and simulating an attack.

Uganda, and amongst sundry

This

is

here, as in

tribes of Kafirs proper,

an acknowledgment of greatness.

Then the

chief

of

each peloton came forward, snapped fingers with us

as

we

sat

on our chairs under the

ranged on the

right,

ing and boys pulling

in

front.

mob

of gazers

on the

left,

tree,

our guards

women

scratch-

and an open space

This personal greeting over, he at once

WE ENTER WHYDAH
returned to

men.

his

known manoeuvre,

the several

perambulated us three times from right to

and ended by halting in

outcry,

45

Afterwards forming a rude

close column, the only

parties

IN STATE.

left,

There, with a hideous

front.*

hopeless to describe, captain

and men, with

outstretched right arms, raised their sticks, bill-hooks,

or muskets to an angle of forty-five degrees, the muzzle
in the air, like

This

stage.

of

a band of conspirators on the English

"
the normal salute, the " present arms

is

Dahome.
Right soon, fatigued with these serious manoeuvres,

our warriors

fell

to singing

amongst these people

all

and dancing, a passion

are fanatici per la musica

Ruxton, fresh from Canada, could not help

here.

remarking what a contrast a pow-wow of redskins

The chorus had a queer

would have presented.

ballet

appearance, and a civilised composer might have bor-

rowed a motive or two from the

recitative.

It

became

even more theatrical when the largest corps advanced,

singing,

branches,

and

upholding

in

palm boughs, and long

* In this circumambulation they

form

Duncan

(Vol.

I. p.

left

grasses,

showed us the

afterwards observed that the right side

So Mr.

their

is

hands

leafy-

which were

left shoulder,

and

always presented to the king.

223) was told that on horseback he must not

circle to the right, that

being a royal privilege.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

46

afterwards thrown upon

An

mergnmene, with a

professional singer or

the

ground and trampled.

the symbol of

horse-tail,

drummer,

first

shrieked extem-

pore praises of the king and his guests, pointing the

compliment by shaking the

naughty boys

as

forefinger,

is

done to

England, and then the whole rout

in

At times a

joined in the response.

chief or a warrior

would plunge into the ring and perform a pas

The

principal dances

The bravery dance

were two.

consisted in grounding

the musket, sword, or toma-

hawk, to show that the foe had

The performer,

fallen.

whose face must be blackened with gunpowder,

a musical and

itinerant Ethiopian, then took

with a broad blade ending in almost a

the tang let into the wood, a
for use

a billhook

circle,

weapon more

for

like

and with

show than

or he preferred a crooked stick, like a short-cut

houlette, or the third of an

East Indian

with rows of square-headed

a ring-like twist of
the

seul.

process

of

iron.

nails,

" latti,"

garnished

or strengthened with

Thus armed, he went through

decapitation.

was

It

rather than an imitation of reality

the

conventional
left

hand was

held with the edge upwards, and parallel to the body,

moving

in

concert with

made a number

the

weaponed

right,

which

of short drawing cuts, about two feet

WE ENTER WHYDAH

IN STATE.

from the ground, whilst the legs and

ecarts

feet

47

performed

which are here indescribable.

The other was the regular Dahoman dance.

tremendous display of

more

terrible

make

ance would

One month

The

rest.

are repose compared with

in

it.

an ancien

superintend the upturning

The arms are held

in the

professional runner, the

dog's paws,

and the hornpipe

jig
It is

grotesque as the

which the French dancing-master of

one's youth, of course

to

of such perform-

the European look forward to a cam-

paign as to a time of

Danse Chinoise,

Terpsichore becoming

agility,

than Mars.

It is

militaire,

of

used gravely

thumbs and

position preferred

hands paddle

like

toes.

by the

a swimming-

the feet shuffle or stamp as

if treacling

jerked so as nearly to meet

water, the elbows are

behind the back with a wonderful "jeu des omoplates?

and the trunk joins

in the play, the posteriors

moving

forwards and backwards to the pedal beat-time.

body

is

The

not, as in Asia, divided, as it were, into two,

the upper half steady, and the lower taking violent

exercise.

Here, there

is

frame, jerked in extreme

As

all

these

several

a general agitation of the

movement

actions,

shakings, joltings, grimaces,

and

to front

varied

and

rear.

by wonderful

contortions,

must be

A MISSION TO GELELE.

48

performed

to the music,

measure

a very

also

simultaneously,

rapidly,

is

it

and

in

perfect

not only a violent,

it

is

performance, exceeding even the

difficult

Hindoo Nautch, or the Egyptian Alimeh's

a calisthenic exercise,

it

is

The

invaluable.

begin as soon as they can toddle.

It

is,

As

feats.

children

perhaps, the

most amusing thing in Dahome to see them apeing

their elders.*

The dancing was

relieved at times

Ammunition did not seem

several

tected

neighbours,

warmen

by a

to superabound,

privily

and

I de-

borrowing from their

showed that the defaulters had

which

away with government

been making

little firing.

The

stores.

parade ended with the normal drinking, after which

we

were allowed to remount and to proceed.

A few yards from

the " Captain's tree " led us to the

southern extremity of the town.

trivia

fort,

to

It is entered

by a

the path to the right leads to the Portuguese

the

left

Mr. Duncan (Vol.

is

I.

the French factory;

p.

the gymnastic exercise used to

whilst

we

292) compares the shoulder motion with

expand the chest of the British soldier,

The rest of the dance is a " rotatory movement
of the hips, changing to a backward and forward motion of a most disgusting description." The Lifeguards man was marvellous " nice " and

but much quicker.

" proper."

WE ENTER WHYDAH

IN STATE.

49

pursued our way straight in front, through the Ajudo

Whydah

Akhi-men, or

to see the king's "

tribute to

new

Crowds were

collected

who were

bringing

strangers/'

The men bared

their shoulders,

and large umbrella

hats, whilst the

Dahome.

doffing their caps

market.

a welcome, and cried " Oku/' to which

women waved

we replied "Oku de 'u"

and "Atyan," the normal

salutations of the country. Followed

ing

train,

we passed a long gaunt

the Brazilian Fort.

civilised

dresses,

and

in

the jauntiest

structure, called

In the open space before

it,

on

clad in white turbans, in loose blue

chairs,

snowy

chemisettes, allowed to expose at

walnut-coloured back, and emitting, with

least half the

of

by an ever-increas-

air,

"yaller"

volumes of cigar smoke, sat a number

ladies.

Conspicuous amongst them by

her chevelure, which looked like a closely-fitting cap of

Astrachan wool, ceasing abruptly without diminishing

Aiku (hence the trivial name, " Akoo
"
people "), is a noun,
immortality," and an adjective, " not able to cli-,
alive."
Oku de 'u is the normal Dahoman salutation, Oku being under*

In the

Egba

tongue, Oku, or

"I compliment you," or "thanks"; whilst de 'u is

"
explained by
still doing," or " still making."
Various shortenings of
the word are exchanged, e.g., oku de'u, de'u, 'u, 'u, till both saluter
and salutte have had enough. At an early hour they say, " Oku de 'u
Afwan," good morning or "Afwan dagbwe & ?" is it a good morning ?
stood to signify,

In the evening,

"Oku de'u

baddan " good evening

!

Atyan means

"Are you well?"

VOL.

I.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

50

neck

the

towards

Whydah, the

fair

Sabina, of

was

the

Bride of

whom many

have had

temples,*

or

cause to sing,
Nee fidum foemina no-men
Ah, pereat

Arrived
place

the

at

the

where

didicit fallere siqua

English Fort,

virum.

we dismounted

drawbridge

the

accompanied by the military

has

chiefs,

a shady arbour in the middle of

we

repaired

the

to

enceinte,

Why-

There we found a tabic thickly covered with

dah.

We

delicacies.

drank with the

to the health of

custom

is,

to the

King

stifled

allowed,

rum, and other chief-

water, sherry, gin,

bottles of

Half

and,

been,

normal feature in the European habitations of

like

at

Her Majesty

Dahome, and

of

with heat and

by ceremony,

to

visitors,

to

our

as the

of England,

own

"bonally."

human atmosphere, we were

retire

at

three

p.m.,

five

mortal hours spent in accomplishing the work of forty-

The reception concluded with a

five

minutes

The

chiefs fired in our

crammed
*

to half

salute.

honour forty muskets, powder-

way up

the barrel, and

we gave them

In marking this as a characteristic difference between the hair

growth of the negro and the white man,

these regions, as in Asia, all

razor or the tweezers.

manner

must be remembered that in

pile is removed either by the

it

of

WE ENTER WHYDAH

IN STATE.

The

seventeen cannonades in return.

great guns quite satisfied

me why

so

51

style of loading

many

eyes and

hands are missing at Whydah.

The

Sikhs,

under

Runjit Singh, used to astonisn the

weak mind

of the

British artillerist

by the rapidity of

their

sponging

fire,

being dispensed with, and the powder baled into the

But

muzzle from an open tumbril near the carriage.

Asiatic recklessness

is

not to be compared with that of

the African.

The

landing

on the

concluded

rites

About noon the troops marched up

to

the

were

and

cleared

formed,
retort,

repeated

the

space

into

the

scene

of

half

loose

in

English

before the

abundant

with

next

pushing,

of

yesterday

advancing crouched to the combat,

day.

column

and

Fort,

objurgation

square.

They

single

braves

making

violent

improvise speeches, pointing forefingers, tossing heads,

and spitting out

their

words,

so

that

would suppose he was being by them

sulted.

There was the

and dancing, chorus and

usual
ballet;

stranger

grossly

decapitation,

in-

singing

even the small boys

sprang into the arena, displaying admirable activity,

and stamping with the grace and vigour of young

bears.
t 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

52

The preliminary concluded,

pound, and the

The

civilian chiefs

all

flocked into the

com-

crowded the large room.

Ka-wo,* whose jurisdiction extends to the

old

Ahwan-gan

or

war captains of

all

preferred, after salutation, to sit

the maritime regions,

on his

stool of state, in

a white night-cap, under an umbrella in the court-yard.

The viceroy and the Chacha,

or commercial chief, being

by

absent at the capital, their places were occupied

three dignitaries.

The

first

mandarin was the Ainadu,f

a short,

acting-viceroy for Gelele, the present king,

dark, pock-marked man, with very

second magistrate, who,

muster

for

if

little

The

clothing.

white-washed, might pass

a very ugly European^ was Nyan-kpe (the

The word must not be confounded with " Gau," the commander-inDahoman army. The " Ka-wo " is the " Caukaow or General
of Whydah," mentioned in the History, and also called the " Cakawo
amongst the Dahomans." The tradition is, that it was an honourable
*

chief of the

name

given, long before the days of Agaja, the conqueror of

a brave chief,

who pursued

the

enemy over the

Wo

Whydah,

(pronounced

to

Waw)

which divides Whydah from the Nago, or Agoni (i.e., Egbado,

or lower Egba) country.
Etymologically, the word is explained by Kalliver,

(for

ka-ka,

(river).

very much, or) long

i.e.,

The old

Dahoman
t This

title has,

(i.e.,

following the foe

till

the)

since the conquest, been continued

Wo

by the

kings.

the

the personal name in Dahome can hardly

changes with every rank of the holder. The dignities
seem to be interminable ; except amongst the slaves and the canaille,
" handles " are the rule, not the exception, and most of them are hereis

be said to exist

title

of office

it

ditary.
% I

may

as well state at once, that

amongst the pure negroes

have never

WE ENTEE WHYDAH
who

Lesser),

IN STATE.

represented the acting-viceroy for Gezo,

the last king.

must observe

into details, that

Dahoman

here, without entering

which might be adopted

a system, methinks,

by more

Western Africa.

in

the

convalescent

nations

civilised

Duplicates

by climate, and whilst the invalid

leave

male and female,

officials,

high and low, are always in pairs,

settled

53

is

might act

are

required

home on

at

him.

for

sick

Here,

however, the objects of the double tenure are twofold

the

new king does not wish

and unfaithful servants

old

father's

misdeeds,

aids

the empire, and

younger men,

of

degrade his

knowing

he neutralises their influence

ing as their

their

by appoint-

higher rank in

he ousts them when he reasonably

Meanwhile, he supposes the aspirant to represent

can.
his

hastily to

own

other

as

distinguished from his

motive

is

keep

to

the

perhaps to give the younger,

better appointment,

sire's

elder
as

in

rule.

The

check,

and

candidate

for

the

an opportunity of mastering the

really complicated details of office.

The

third chief then

and there present was the Atak-

" purely Caucasian features " alluded to by young African

travellers: amongst
the negroids, or noble race, sometimes, but
seen the

rarely.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

54

pa-loto, alias Podoji :*

"
cate term, second in

he

is

more

spy, or to use a

command " and

Chyudaton, the sub-viceroy, of

deli-

assistant to Prince

whom more

presently.

in superacts as assessor to the other dignitaries

He

vising the custom-takers

and

and the royal

in settling small causes,

store-keepers,

such as petty debts and

the disobedience of wives and slaves.

The

once

at

chiefs

took

high grounds, gruffly

declaring that they brought the King's word, that

is to

to stand up.

say, a royal message,

and directed us

refused so to do

the royal cane, the symbol of the

till

owner's presence, was brought into the assembly, and

was prostrated

to

by

all

in the

They then

room.

welcomed me, saying that the monarch had sent as

reception

a goat, a

gift,

Of course the

yams.

and required a

pig,

a pair of fowls, and forty

offering

came from themselves,

suitable return, that

between twice and twenty times

is

to say, anything

its

Having
o

value.

The words mean literally, Podo-ji (he who steps in), No-to (the
any royal house or palace-yard). The more common

interior court of

expression
official

perfect

in
:

Legede,

is

Legede\

Dahome
if

is

a captain

who

It denotes a spy or reporter,

provided.
is

sent to

prevents the wives sending food, and

for the sentence being carried out in its strictness.

quotes a native saying, "

with

whom

every

The " miching malecho " system is here

prison, he must be accompanied by his

who

is

answerable

Dr. M'Leod

The swish walls can speak in

(p.

86)

this country."

WE ENTER WHYDAH
despatched them,

IN STATE.

we descended

55

the

into

and

court,

presented a case of gin (=five dollars) to the Ka-wo.

After a long speech he perorated by offering to fight for

My

me.

reply was, that as a

a dignity conferred upon

could

fight

of Amazons,

my

last visit, I

me

during

Under the cover

myself.

for

commandant

of

we made

applause excited by this mildest of retorts,

our escape and withdrew into the

The same
Dahome,

to

chiefs did not

call

such

if

he

after

fail,

it

my

return from

unadvisable to establish

that

you

from

escape

Jew

the

like

have paid only twice too much,

fancies

I refused

present.

The African,

precedent.

whom you

fort.

and beg another

them peremptorily, thinking

loud

to

miserable

is

him with

farthing.

The

night surprised

first

me by

and the dead

din of voices inside the house,

beyond

its walls.

the days of the

The

streets are

Norman

curfew

the contrast of the

empty

silence

at dusk, as in

few venture out after

dark without a lantern, though the use

is

not, as in

Cairo and most parts of Asia, imperative.

The con-

stabulary
hares,

by

is

and

admirable

two men squat

startle the stranger

in forms like

by suddenly

flashing their torches to scan his features

rising
:

if

and

he has

A MISSION TO GELELE.

56

lost his

way they

will escort

At

of a policeman.

Mayne, goes

Sir R.

him with

times the Ka-wo,

the

of

head-quarters

and where every man

violence

Murder

among

are,

Whydah

at

is

hesitates to

he

which, however,
will

Theft

is

not

in

slave-trade,

exceedingly

fire, is

rare.

cachette;

almost impossible

it

twice at Lagos.

lived here eight years, never

pilfer,
all

reduced to petty larceny,

is

universal

by

character given

there

is

Mr. Duncan (Yol.

I.

nothing that these

and they well keep up the

travellers to their forefathers.

In out-stations, like Godome, there

falls

walk out at night armed with nothing but

a walking-stick.

people

stick

unknown, except en

would not do

who has

Mr. Bernasko,

the local

with impunity clothes hanging up

will leave

in his courtyard,

demoralising

natives,

housebreaking, save after a

and a man

is

a finished rascal,* crimes of

the
is

who

Hence, even

heavily upon those caught napping.

this

the politeness

and the

rounds,

his

all

p. 113)

says,

is

of course

" The natives of

much

Whydah

are

the most depraved and unprincipled villains in all Africa, or perhaps in

the world.

Were

it

would be no safety

not for M. de Suza and his friends, indeed, there

white men."
The " London Review" (September 24, 1864) finds a contradiction in
the text, and suspects, on purely theoretical grounds, "either that the
safety of

Whydah

for

is

exaggerated, or that the people are not so naturally

vicious as they are alleged to be."

I can only adhere to

my

statement.

WE ENTER WHYDAH
more of open crime, and the
exceedingly lax.

Whydah

IN STATE.

57

discipline of the subject is

is

a " white man's town,"

and under the direct supervision of the King, who rarely

interferes with the administration

small abuses.
royal

If

messenger

tremble.

any

evil

hence the frequent

report reaches the capital, a

comes down, and

the

authorities

CHAPTER

IV.

A WALK ROUND WHYDAH.

The

three following days enabled us to study the

The present

Whydah.

topography of
about 1*50

separated

from

direct

the

miles north

shore

by a

town stands

of the sea;

broad

is

it

leek-green

swamp, by a narrow lagoon, and by a high sandbank,

whose tufted palms and palmyras,

of

a deep

invisible

green approaching black, form a hogsback, over which

only the masts of shipping can be seen from the houses.

The

site

wears the tricolor of S'a Leone,

milky-blue

sky,

argillaceous

soil,

verdigris

grass,

and

light

and

bright

red

The

with a blending shade of grey.

" ferruginous -looking clay,"

which

in India

and China

has been suspected of emitting a " pestiferous mineral

gas,"

and of causing the

lose

part

of

its

" cachexia loci, 7

injurious power.

exceedingly unhealthy, despite

its

'

seems here

The town
extreme

to

is

not

filth,

and

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

deep

the

although

59

from which the building

holes

material has been extracted are as great a nuisance as

Abeokuta and Sokoto.

in

Indeed, as a rule,

it

is

less

deadly than other places on the Slave Coast, especially

The nights are

Lagos and Badagry.

breeze

At

if

is,

"much

nails," as

do not suffer from mos-

provoking

the

the old traveller has

Beneath the surface

pure white sand

soil

pure sand

feet

man's

it.

is

a substratum of

overlying argil deeply tinted

it

is

hills

with

and another bed of

supposed that below this figure

marine deposits would occur.

is

of

supported by white clay to a depth of

is

thirty-five feet

town, that

exercise

there

from the northern

iron oxide

and the day-

anything, somewhat too strong for safety.

this season the people

quitos,

cool,

The highest part

to say the west end,

above the

height of the

and

sea,

first floor

about the centre.

this

is

of the

not more than forty

we may assume

to be the

of the English Fort, which lies

After a shower the land

is

as viscid

and muddy as that about Upper Norwood, and such

indeed

is

cially at

the condition

Kana and

of the whole country, espe-

in the capital.

The earth when

powdered, puddled, and exposed to the sun, becomes

hard

like

bricks,

which could be made, but are not

A MISSION TO GELELE.

60

old English fort has lasted

The

wanted.

upwards of a

century.

The

greatest length of the town, which extends from

south-east to north-west,

There

mile in depth.
there

is

in the capital

prepare

within, however,

squalor

the beach a few of the tallest

trees,

contrasts

picturesque aspect from without.

As

years

in all

changed

has

it

The

grandiose.

sharply

Whydah

with the
is

a ruined

showing decay, and during the

place, everything

three

meet the view, and

something

for

visitor

fortification, as

but every house could be held

backed by giant

the

about two miles by half a

no attempt at

is

From

against musketry.
habitations,

is

much

for

Yoruba towns, the houses are

the

last

worse.

scattered, and,

except round the principal market-place, there

is

more bush than

either

marshes or

building.

palm-orchards, or bosquets of great

fields,

but savage beauty

farms found near

The environs are

far

the fine

and

highly-cultivated

Whydah by Mr. Duncan* no

longer

exist.

The population of the town, which could accommodate 50,000 souls,

* Travels in

is

variously estimated.

Western Africa in 1845- "846,

of First Lifeguards.

Vol.

I. p.

185.

Some have

By John Duncar,

late

A WALK EOUND WHYDAH.

raised

it

Dr.

30,000.

to

61

M'Leod (1803)

calculates

20,000.

M. Wallon (1858) proposes 20,00025,000,

but be

by no means a correct observer.

is

The French

Mission, which has perhaps the best chance of ascertaining the truth, lays

and during war

this

down

may

Christians (Catholic) exceed

known

to the missionaries,

the

number

at 12,000

be reduced to

600

half.

The

about 200 boys are

and on an average during

The

the year the latter baptize 110.

fathers are also

of opinion that the population diminishes.

"

The word

Whydah "

a compound of blunders.

is

should be written Hwe-dah,"* and be applied to the

It

once prosperous
capital

was

and populous

Savi.

"

little

kingdom

bush town " to the westward,

supposed to have been founded and to be

Whydahs, who

the aboriginal

Dahome,

retains the

Hwe,

is

" Plan-

in the Ffon dialect,

the etymological

f Gre, or Gle

The celebrated

Gre-hwe or Gle-hwe

means a house and grounds,

hwe, for which see the next note.

me

held by

from the massacres

name Hwe-dah.

to the people as

tation-house/
"*

fled

still

which we have dubbed " Whydah ,"

slave-station

known

whose

it

not a " garden," as

No

one, however, could explain to

meaning of Hwe-dah.
is hard to know which
it is

often translated

as in Gre-

to write

is

a " plantation/'

Gre-ta, or Gle-ta,

is

a bush or

A MISSION TO GELELE.

62

very brief resume of

According to

necessary.
still

call

pirates,

who

past

is

"Whydah, as

here

I shall

den of water-thieves and

paid unwilling allegiance to the kings of

rose to the

slave port.

stirring

tradition,

originally a

was

About the middle

Savi.
it

it,

its

of the seventeenth century

rank of a prosperous ivory mart and

In 1725,

was

it

first

attacked by Agaja the

Conqueror, fourth King of Dahome, the Guadja Trudo

of the History, nominally for selling to

without locks, really because, like

all

him muskets

African monarchs,

the height of his ambition was a point on the seaboard

where he could trade direct with Europeans. The place

after

capture was called by him " Plantation-house,"

meaning that
capital.

it

must supply food

to

Agbome

the

So the History informs us the King of Eyeo

(Oyo) used to say that Ardrah (Allada) was " Eyeo's

Calabash," out of which nobody should be permitted to
eat but the king himself.

The Europeans, ever avid of change

lands,

seem at

uncleared ground

Duncan

(Vol.

I. p.

first

to

have favoured Dahome against

and Gre-ta-nun, or Gle-ta-nun,

141) says, ''The former

wee, or Grighwee, but since

in these dull

name

is

a bush man.

Mr.

Whydah was GrihDahomy it has become

of

its subjection to
part of that territory, and received its present name "
the case.

the reverse being

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

For which reason, and because they aro

Whydah.

officially called "

King's Houses," the Forts receive cer-

Before the Viceroy can leave the town,

tain honours.

and when he returns to

in person,

which
man's

is

63

it,*

he must

and he must pray

visit

them

officially

at the Portuguese Fort,

held to be the head-quarters of the white

faith.

He

representative,

enters with his suite,

he

wears

sword,

his

as well as the fetishes with

and

which he

as the King's

this,

hung round,

is

must, previous to the function, be removed.

Before the

present

establishment was sent, the black

Whydah

used to offer him holy water,

now

and he walks to the font to barbouiller

however,

at

priests

it is

refused,

his face

the

missioners perform prayers, but without their sacra-

mental robes, and he follows suit to the best of his

ability.

The King

often sends a message requesting

the orisons of the white men, which are not refused to

him

and Christianity being a recognised

Dahome, on the day of

St.

John

transmits by his Viceroy a pot of

as his

acknowledgment of

The Viceroy never goes

Whydah.
campaigns.

to

oil

midsummerhe

and a

bottle of

These viceregal

faith.

war; he

His deputy, the Sub-viceroy,

religion in

is

is

rum

visits

supposed to look after

expected to be present at

ail

A MISSION TO GELELE.

64

have at times been dangerous

Yevo-gan

"

in 1745, the

Tanga," raising the standard of

Eunuch

revolt, pro-

posed to seize the English Fort, and was prevented only

by the

vigilance of the governor, Mr. Gregory.

committed

in the " King's houses " are visited with

double penalty

them

will

on the other hand, he

may

a native stealing

surely be put to death

take

Offences

from

and cannot be ejected from the

sanctuary in

Portuguese Fort without the consent of the missioners.

The English Fort has the shameful

protected by two fetishes,

distinction of being

Dohen and Ajaruma, the

Defenders of White men.*

Whydah,
divided

own

its

like the capital, is

into five

caboceer,

"

a congeries of villages

salams " or quarters, each

under

and governed by the Viceroy, who has

dwarfed the minor

officials

to

mere

captains.

These

are
1.

and
2.

Ahwanjigo, or Salam Fran^ais, on the north-west

west,

French Town, directly under the Viceroy.

Ajudo, Ajido, Chacha, or Brazilian Town, under

the captain, Nodofre.

The History of Dahome mentions a third, now ignored, " Nabbakou," the "titular god of the English Castle in Whydah."
See
Chap. XVII. of this book.

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

the

Town

Sogbaji, or English

3.

King urged me

to take

it,

lias

it

65

no governor

but I declined, without

receiving orders from home.

4.

Dukomen, Portuguese Town, on the

under the Caboceer Bony on.

their forts
5.

:*

the last

and west,

These four quarters have

is

Zobeme, or Market Town, lately under the Caboceer

Nyonun, whose successor

I

east

now

be presently appointed.

will

propose to conduct the reader through the

town, and to describe

principal sites.

its

Beginning from the south-east, we remark the De-nun

or toll-house

which guards the entrance of every Dahoman

town, and the multitude of

trader, after

doing his devoir to the King,

to be not less dutiful to

the

gods.

where the

huts,

little fetish

is

The

expected

streets are

mere continuations of the bush -paths, but except

in the

wettest weather, they are not bad walking after sandy

They

Lagos.

are formed

by the

walls of the

pounds and the backs of the houses, which are

a uniform manner.

in

The material

is

the

com-

all built

red pise

"Zojage" is a Frenchman, " Aguda-yevo "

a Portuguese or Brazilian, " Kan-kan-yevo " a Dutchman, " Payonunyevo" a Spaniard, and "Glensi" an Englishman. The "English mother,"
*

an

In the

Dahoman

tongue,

officeress at Court, is called

" Glensi-no."

Portuguese quarter was far superior to

VOL.

I.

all

In Mr. Duncan's time the

the others

it is

not so now.
F

A MISSION TO GELELE.

64

of Britanny and

by law never more

courses, but

up

Sihd heaped
;

oyster-shell

stone,

the material has

Each layer

it.

covered during erection with a weather thatch, and

to dry, for three clays in a harmattan,

wet seasons
freestone,

torrents

down

and

is,

mixture of

is left

for ten in the

The

in fact, the national adobe.

wash away the

the sides

and

is

presently hardens to the consistency of

it

from

is

but sometimes, as in Popo,

used to strengthen

is

three or four

each course

a foot and a half to two feet high

neither straw nor

in

if

softer parts,

and cut cracks

not protected from above

salt in the soil causes the

rain

a certain

base to crumble

the more readily, because here they do not, as on the

Gold Coast, support

man

it

by growing

repairs his wall in the early " dries."

ments are extensive, sometimes covering

only one being
over

the

built, whilst

broken-down

externally in ruins.

the

interior

often

As
belies

many

walls,

cactus.

The

establish-

acres.

allowed

me

and almost

in Asiatic

careful

to
all

saw
walk

were

Turkey, however,

the wretched

behind the blown-off thatch, leaving bare

exterior,
ribs

and poles

perilously protruding, there are snug inner rooms.

poorer classes have compounds of matting.

not unlike that of an East Indian bungalow,

and

The
is

The
roof,

made

of

A WALK BOUND WHYDAIL

67

palm, palmyra, and thick grass, mounted on a frame of

lopped and cleaned branches, with girders of bamboo

raised in the " flying " form, to secure

and often

it

coolness.

There are no windows, except in the Forts.

is

Their places

are

taken by doors opening under the

projecting eaves, that rest

upon stout posts and trunks,

especially those of the valuable

main

Striking into the

road, which running

we

and abundant palmyra.

the tolerably straight

street,

from east to west

bisects the town,

sight the Portuguese fort, the smallest but the best

situated

for

quiet

now

there are

and

Whydah,

four at

Of these

coolness.

in order of seniority,

French, Brazilian, English, and Portuguese.

named people began the

trade,

buildings

The

and the second

is

first-

pro-

bably erected upon the old Dutch factory, although the

name
sian)

is

The Brandenburgher (Prus-

clean forgotten.

African

Whydah

Company

in 1684, but

it

also

built

a strong factory

long ago disappeared.

the exception of the Brazilian fort,

lie

in

line

from E.

S.

E. to

With

these buildings

all

W. N. W.

at;

after the stone

defences of the Gold Coast, these swish establishments

are by no

means imposing, and, except

the Frenchman, for " Fort"

in the case of

we must read

"

Factory" or

" School/'
F 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

68

The Portuguese Fort

depth

surrounded by a moat, whose

by a mass of vegetation

concealed

is

is

the

people of the country prefer for safety a ditch in this

The

state.

defences, a square

compound bastioned

the angles, and the battery of rusty

The main

purposely neglected.

Lately

saloon flanked

by

the ground-floor.

an old Norman

repaired,

has

it

castle,

a central

and a long refectory on

dormitories,
It is

guns, are here

building, a large double-

storied house, with walls thick as

fronts westward.

at

pierced with a deep hollow gate-

way, protected outside by two honeycombed guns. Over

it is

the Lusitanian scutcheon,

which perished during a

nances are

still

and white

and holidays.

In the

and

two

Portuguese ordi-

late fire.

affixed to the door,

bastion the blue

belfry with

minus the wooden crown,

and

at the southern

flag yet flies

on high days

compound are a detached chapel

bells, date-less,

but belonging to the

former occupants: both are of swish work, and their

mat

roofs

wooden
is

are

crosses.

distinguished from afar

On

the north

by two

little

and fronting the chapel

a range of small ground-floor rooms and refectory

These the missionaries find

less unhealthy, curious to

say,

than the double-storied building, where, they assert,

the

sea

breeze

gives

them

fever.

They have been

A WALK ROUND WHYDA1I.

69
9

careful,

to lay

however, to dig under their pian terreno, and

down a board

to raising houses
air beneath.

on

All

they look forward

flooring, whilst

piles six feet

high with a draught of

industry in this " Fort," a garden

is

and a southern range of buildings are being made,

quarters

the

for

workmen and

school-children

are

already available, and the church and belfry are considered to be merely temporary.

The

" Vicariat

Apostolique de DahomeV' was erected

by the Holy Father

was entrusted
Missions,

and

in 1860,

to the

new congregation

whose mother-house

is

ganda named as superior of

tion of African Missions,

siding at Lyons,
first

is

of the congrega-

whose superior-general,

despatch of missionaries

les

I.

M.

F.

of

Toulon

Amazone.
Borghero

Francois Fernandez, a Spaniard of the diocese

Louis Edde, a
died

left

S.

Abbes

of Lugo, in Galicia (died in 1863, at

(he

re-

M. l'Abbe Augustin Planque,

was composed of Messrs.

(Italian),

Rue de

mission the priest

this

January 3rd, 1861, on board H.

It

of the African

at Lyons, 243,

member

Francois Borghero, of Genoa,

The

direction

In 1860 the congregation of the Propa-

la Guillotiere.

Lille.

its spiritual

en

Frenchman

route

at

S'a

Whydah), and

of the diocese of Chartres

Leone).

The

two

first

A MISSION TO GELELE.

70

named

arrived at

Whydah

April 18th, 1861

on

May

6th of the same year they took possession of their present "Fort/'

by permission of the Dahoman

authorities,

and with the consent of the Portuguese resident at

Since the departure of

Whydah.
is

M. Irene

Lafitte,

who

intended for one of the European establishments, the

personnel

boarders

composed of

is

number

the

Of

other scholars greatly

do not believe that a single con-

adults, I

made

vert has been

of the

boys attend or stay away as they

varies, because the

please.

There are ten

six members.""

and the reverend

fathers

would

Lagos and

do well to turn their attention towards

Abeokuta.
This Vicariat

is

not obnoxious to the charge com-

monly brought against Catholic establishments, namely,

that though ardent, enduring,

and

self-sacrificing,

are too accommodating to heathenism,

are unabiding
stitution
able,

and thus they

whilst Protestant missions, like the con-

which hatches them, are respectable, comfort-

and

feeble, offering salaries to

married men, who,

in squabbles about outfit, passage, furlough,

they

Namely,

five

priests,

Nodiet, and Verraorel, all

Francois Cloud,

who

is

MM.

and convey-

Borghero, Emile Cordioux, Verdelot,

French except the

first,

and one minor,

about to proceed for ordination to France.

A WALK ROUND WHYDAH.

71

ance of children, manage to spend about 500,000/. per

Their uncompromising opposition of idolatry

annum.
lias

more than once brought the members

into trouble.

In November, 1861, M. Borghero visited the King at

Agbome, and the

list

of his

demands may be found

in

the published account of his journey to the capital.*

'

In March, 1863, the fort was struck by the lightninggod, Khevioso, the Shango of the Egbas
are not wanting

who suppose

and they

that the fetisheers, having

been worsted in dispute by the Padres, took the opportunity of a storm to

impiously
fined

commit the

extinguished the

arson.

fire,

As

the inmates

they were

heavily

and, on refusing to pay, the Father-superior

imprisoned.

was

In June of the same year occurred another

dispute, about a sacred snake that

was unceremoniously

ejected from the mission premises, and doubtless this

anti-heathenism will bring them to further

They

grief.

look upon things en noir, and naturally wish, but with

little

them

hope, to see

Whydah

intelligent, amiable,

in civilized hands.

and devoted men,

society time sped pleasantly

and

excellent Superior especially I

had reason

profitably.

in

found

whose

To the

to be grateful

* See Annales de la Propagation de la Foi (No. 206, January, 1863).

Paris, 34,

Rue

Cassette.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

too

little, it is

for fear of expressing too

Near the French

end of the town,

Mission,

and

much.

at the south-eastern

the establishment of M. J.

is

Martinez, the best house in

walls are, to obviate

Whydah.

fire, tiled,

with large,

not thatched, and a small

and

and near

cool rooms, furnished with musical

oil-

depend from the

a large double-storied tenement, also

trading.

When
unwell

I last called

for

consulted,

died

sion

upon M. Martinez he had been

some weeks
did

not

who w as

Mr. Cruikshank,

think his

case

dangerous.

January 25th, 1864, when we were

capital,

it

an

being built as a dwelling-place and a store for

tiled, is
oil

is

by no means uncomfortable,

painting, rarities in unartistic Africa,

walls

There

and other knick-knacks, whilst portraits and

boxes

lofty,

Domingo

The compound

grove of orange trees enlivens the interior.

old ground-floor tenement,

If I say

and other papers.

for the loan of vocabularies

and the death was brought on by a

not

These

Your white

fit

at

He
the

of pas-

an uncommon occurrence in these hot-

articles are

one of the curses of the

West African

coast.

you no higher compliment than to wind up

the abominations, and your black friend will start, if he has them, halfa-dozen at the same time.
friend can pay

A WALK BOUND WIIYDAH.

He had

tempered lands. *
Kutunun, a
waters,

late

much

coveted by the

tectors" of Porto Novo.

dollars so well, that the
tinez,

and a

The

" Pro-

their

cane to M. Mar-

would

At

by a brother white man.

the recipient stared aghast

first

soon understanding the

he was seized with a trembling of passion

presently fainted, and he died the

sume

his

new

managed

latter

King sent

Denham

polite message, to say that his friend

presently be joined

trick,

long been virtually king of

post inland of Jackin, on the

little

and of

73

same

he

night, I pre-

of apoplexy.

M. Martinez was a caboceer of Dahome,

the umbrella, the chair,
order.

During

his later years

many a man has

that he

and the other

entitled to

insignia of his

he has often said

and

had, and will have, to say the same

had learned these people too

late.

The King

claiming droit d'aubaine over the property of

all

his

defunct subjects, the key of M. Martinez's house was at

once, after his death, appropriated

He

Whyclah.

women.

has

left

by the Viceroy of

a large family,

all

by native

His eldest son, Domingo Rafael Martinez,

* So during the late

when he saw

his

Why dak,

is

M. Fr. de Souza,
house destroyed, very nearly died of passion. The
fire at

the Chacha,

same uncontrollable fits of rage have been observed amongst the Hottentots and the South African bushmen.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

74

youth about twenty; he

not uneducated, speaking

is

and French, although

English

best to keep

him

in irons for

unteach him the use of the

the heir

if

the deceased has

M. Martinez

his

father thought

some

knife.

left

a " bag " at Bahia.

and Portuguese, including Brazilians and

the

number

And

reduced.*""

The following

and

1.

viz.

of

" slave

these

half-castes.

consumers

the next decade will find

is

civilized Africans

tuguese,

Spaniards

glancing his eye below, the reader will see

much

be well for

It will

Whydah 200

dozen years ago there were at

By

and thus

years,

a sore loss to the slaving interest.

is

list

all

of the Portuguese, Brazilians,

now remaining

it

at the great mart.

how
"

is

the sur-

mulattos,

Five Por-

Antonio Viera da Silva, established at

Whydah, Grand-Popo, and

Agwe.
2.

Francisco de Souza Maciel.

3.

Ignacio de Souza Magallaes

Whydah, Porto Novo, and Badagry,

4.

Jacinto Joaquim Rodriguez

Whydah and

5.

J.

Suares Pereira

Fourteen Brazilians

Porto Novo.

Whydah and Agwe.

1.

Francisco Antonio Monteiro.

2.

F. J. Medeiros,

now

at

Agwe

(some say he

is

a Portuguese, born

in the United States).

3.

Francisco Olimpio Silva, at Porto Seguro.

4.

Marco Borges Ferras.

5.

Joao Pinheiro de Souza,

commonly

called Taparica.

A WALK ROUND WHYDAH.

vivors

engaged

in cotton or in palm-oil
"

meter of the slave-trade

or

Gulielme Martins do Nascimento.

7.

Marcelino dos Marlins Silva.

8.

Ricardo Augusto Amadie

9.

Joao Victor Angelo.

10. Jose

the

" doulo-

in nothing.

6.

7,3

he speaks French, and English.

commonly

Francisco dos Santo,

called Alfaiate,

i.e.,

the

Tailor.

Angelo Custodio das Chagas.

11.

12. Joao

Antonio Dias.

13. Francisco Giorge.

14.

Domingo Rafael Martinez, son

And

four Brazilian

women,

viz.

of J.

Domingo Martinez.

1.

Maria Elena do Carmo.

2.

Benvinde Teresa de Jesus.

3.

Leopoldina Teresa de Jesus.

4.

Maria da Piedade do Nascimento.

N.B. There are a few Brazilians of minor importance attached to the

above houses.

The ten following are Africans or Brazil

Nagos (Egbas) or

Whydah men. None

there are a few others

1.

of

liberateds,

them

who

are mostly

are at all important,

and

whose names do not deserve mention.

Joao Antonio de Rego.

2. Elisbao"

Lino.

3.

Thobias Barreto Brandao.

4.

Joaquim das Neves.

5.

DamiaG de

6.

Antonio

7.

Jose de Fonc^ca Muniz, the son of the late J. C. Muniz.

8.

Pedro Pinto da Silveira.

Oliviera,

who

is

considered the best mason at "Whydah.

d' Almeida.

This

is

the well-known slaver, Pedro

A MISSION TO GELELE.

7G

M. Martinez had

his

good points

he was always

courteous and hospitable, even to his bitterest enemies,

the English

moreover, to his praise be

invariably, like the first Chacha,

nanced native

spoken, he

Souza, discounte-

cle

and human

cruelties

it

He

sacrifice.

when

friended the Church Mission in 1846,

be-

hopelessly

stranded at Badagry, and being a slaver, he gained, as

might be expected,
manes, and

where

comed

may

little

he escape the

his

warmly wel-

we now

Zobeme,* or Great Market, one of the

Cogio, of Little Popo.

He

has a son residing at

His name

the affairs of Jose Alfaiate.

10.

to

Dahoman Deadland,

that he would be

much doubt

Passing along the main street

9.

Peace

gratitude.

Domingo Francisco da
Pedro Fellis

enter

Whydah

the

"lions."

Whydah, and managing

is,

Silveira.

d' Almeida.

All these are " God-men," which, in Anglo- African,

is

opposed to

"devil-men," or heathenry.
*

No

rains,

one could explain the meaning of this word.

and must not be confounded with Z6,

fire,

Z6 means the

which

is

later

pronounced

with a depression of the voice. The Yoruban languages, like the Chinese,

depend upon accents and intonations which are not ours.

So or Soh, slightly aspirated,

is

a stick.

For instance,

So, with a falling of the voice,

has the same signitication as Khevio-so, thunder.

the voice, means a horse
voice,

means bring

e. g.,

So, with a rising of

and with an almost imperceptible variation of
So zo wa, bring hither fire
So (pronounced
!

Saw), means yesterday or to-morrow, a fair specimen of linguistic

A WALK KOUND WHYDAH.

It

or rather was, a long thoroughfare, covering at

is,

least

77

an

acre,

with

offsets, cross streets,

and here and

The booths are

there a cleared space.

low, square,

open thatch-sheds, raised upon chabutaras, or benches

of well-worked red clay, about one foot above the passages.
all

They are

either joined or in broken lines,

are kept clean with bois de vache.

proclaims the gin palace

decanters of Brazilian

with glasses of

all

the materials,

less

detached hut

sizes,

stand on white
Nor

complete

breakfasts and dines in the alley.

especially

barter

all

at

4 p.m.,

women, meet

to

cloths,

and many a

man"

or cooked provisions,

fullest

previous publication,*

poverty, and leading to

and

when swarms

buy and

sell,

may

"

working

This rude

"

of people,

swap

the requirements of semi-civilized

the articles most in vogue, I

liqueurs,

half the shops contain

raw

is

and

are the victualling

either

bazaar

bottles

rum and cheap French

business seems to be brisk.

arrangements

and

life.

and
For

refer the reader to a

and almost any book of

numerous mistakes.

"

travels

These delicacies of intona-

tion are inherent in monosyllabic tongues. That childish form of human

language also delights in imitative words, as Koklo, a " cackler" or fowl

Kukkur), Kra-kra, a watchman's rattle, and so on.

Wanderings in West Africa. Abeokuta, Chap. III. See
Duncan Vol. I., p. 121.
(in Prakrit

also

Mr.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

78

treating of the countries of the

him how

far the

At Whyclah,

system

as at

is

Upper Niger

will

show

capable of being carried out.

Bombay and Aden,

the prices have

increased, or rather have doubled, during the last ten

years

and despite the complaints of commercial de-

pression,

the value of coin

still

curious contrast, the placidity

which the

seller,

diminishes.

It

is

and impassiveness with

hardly taking the trouble to remove

her pipe, drawls out the price of her two-cowrie

lots,

and the noisy excitement of the buyers, who know that

they must purchase and pay the demand.

There

lack of civility to us amongst the people,

and the

is

no

chil-

The

dren cheer and jeer White Face without any awe.

two normal African complexions, red-yellow and brownblack, are very distinct at

we meet
itic

Bedawi.

casian
"'

features

Whydah, and here and

which might belong

to

there

an ugly Sina-

There are also palpable traces of Cau-

blood in what

the Anglo-Indian

lady called

European infantry," a parody upon the " European

infamy

" of

the garrison chaplain.

The only picturesque part

the eastward, where there

shady

trees,

is

especially the

of the market-place

is

to

a hutless space, lined with

Hun-ti, or

which the venders congregate

Bombax, under

in the glare of the day.

A WALK BOUND WHYDAII.

Conspicuous for

its

beauty

the Lise tree, which the

is

The Portuguese

Fantis of the Gold Coast call Akyen.

have named

the " African cashew."

it

with the darkest green foliage,

scarlet apples

which

is

set-off

depending from long

stalks.

and not a

is

little

for

thick-leaved oranges

and

Yoruba

almost

all

The

trees

are mostly

limes, whilst the

hedges are

which here, as

generally, attains the rankest dimensions.

Whydah

It is impossible at

ousness of the Pagan, though

trace of

fruit,

and the wood supplies

of the malarious croton {Croton tiglium),

in

The

resembles raw turnip.

The other

soap.

and

by studs of

insipid, as are

flower gives a delicious perfume,

good potash

Tall, thick,

it is

eaten at Agbome,

wild growths,

79*

human

we

Even

relics.

mistake the

to

religi-

vainly look for

any

many a

in the bazaar,

hut will be girt round with the Zo Vodun,* a country

rope with

20

feet.

lactic

dead leaves

dangling to

it

at

spaces of

After a conflagration this Fetish fire-prophy-

becomes almost

Vodun is Fetish in general.

Vodnn or Fodun, the sound of
*

comers are apt

Opposite the house

universal.

I hardly

know whether

the two labials

is

to write it

so similar.

New

confound this Fetish with the Azan or fringe of

dried palm-leaf, which, fastened about a tree, places it under the proto

tection of the Bo-Fetish.

throat, witchcraft

not be killed.

When

man

can do him no harm

wears the latter round his

and

if

a war captive, he

may

A MISSION TO GELELE.

80

gates again

we

from harm.

find" the Vo-sisa

It is of

many

defending the inmates

shapes, especially a stick

an empty old

or a pole, with

calabash for

and a body composed of grass

must deem
take,

and achatinse

feathers,

fowls'

lightly of

an

thatch,

a head,

palm

These

shells.

evil influence

people

that can mis-

even in the dark, such a scarecrow for a

being.

leaves,

human

Near almost every door stands the Legba-

'gban, or Legba-pot,

Dish."*

It

is

common

called the " Devil's

by Europeans

clay shard

article,

either

whole or broken, and every morning and evening

is

filled,

generally

it

by women, with cooked maize and

palm-oil, for the benefit of the turkey-buzzard (Perc-

nopter niger), like the Pinda offered to

"Akrasu,"f the vulture,

is,

happiest animal in Dahome.

dance of food,

like storks,

next

He

to

Hindu crows.

the

snake,

the

has always an abun-

robins,

swallows,

crows,

adjutant cranes, and other holy birds in different parts

He may

of the world.

and he rarely
*

for

The food

not be killed with impunity,

loses his life except

which,

it

contains

is

called

on the most solemn

Legba-nun-dudu, or " eating

Legba."

t There are two kinds, Akrasu, the common Percnopter niger, and a
larger grey species, with a very hooked beak, called by the people

Akkun.

A WALK BOUND WHYDAIL

The knowledge

occasions.

him

tame that he

so

poultry

of

81

himself

will refresh

renders

safety

his

among

and gorged with daily banquets, the

of a bird " will hardly deign to take

trodden upon

tent,

When

fight if interrupted.

you as

" beast

wing before being

have seen him eating amongst the

crowd before the King's

to consider

the

if

and half ready

to

show

hungry, he seems always

you were butcher's meat.

Travellers abuse this " obscene fowl," forgetting that

without

it

the towns of

Yoruba would be uninhabitt

Moreover,

able.
it

has

by no means the

mander Forbes
at

sacrifice

takes place

at

after
" foul

ascribes to

" sickening."

all

human

up

except

it,

The

everywhere,

is
is,

that

engaging Asia.
appropriate

officer

It

the

tall

blasted

I.

sent

me

calabash

what the peais

as

to

more

being the

heraldic bearing for decayed

Dahome.
VOL.

saw

the rite never

Mawri,

always struck

emblem and

"

The turkey -buzzard

to unromantic material Africa

weather-cocking

Com-

familiarity

Whydah, the condemned being

perched on the topmost stick of a

fowl,

its "

although

to the capital, for execution.

tree, is

carrion..

aspect " which

nor

fact

meal of

A MISSION TO GELELE.

82

The new comer must not confound the

dish" with another

" Vulture's

display of earthenware.

Places

are consecrated by planting dwarf flags round a forked

stick,

or round a tree cut

down

a reversed tripod,

to

which supports a red clay pot or pot cover.

the passers-by deposit a

sometimes

little

food or

Upon

palm-oil,

cabalistic messes, to bring luck or

to

this

and

ward

off danger.

Legba himself
clay

is

is

roughly moulded

artist into

a hideous spectacle.

mass of red

by the clumsy, barbarous

an imitation man, who

is

evidently,

like

Jupiter,

A devil of a god for following

The

figure

own

its

is

at squat, crouched, as

attributes, with

and no

feet,

mud

or wood, rising conically to

is

it

were,

arms longer than a

huge

poll

the girls.

legs to speak

of.

before

gorilla's,

The head

is

of

an almost pointed

a dab of clay represents the nose

the mouth

a gash from ear to ear, and the eyes and teeth are of

cowries,
fills

or painted ghastly white.

This deity almost

a temple of dwarf thatch, open at the sides.

In

nine cases out of ten he has returned, human-like, to

A WALK BOUND WHYDAI1.

S3

an undistinguishable heap of dust, but

sacrilege to

Legba

Of the

latter I

German

the breasts project like the halves of a

from the

is

to match.

all

lands

In

this point

Legba

and

mundane

must be

life,

the

greatest

and what men think

in these

The

peculiar

fatherlessness

minded by women.

by unctions

knobs in the

weapon

of the

air,

or her
"

Ana-

around the figure with

are possibly derived from Oshe,

Egba

"

Shango/'f

Issuing from the bazar to westward,

right a large ruinous tenement, built

How

The

of palm-oil.

tinkpo," or knotted clubs planted

like

semi-barbarians, considers a numerous family

characteristics

the

differs

worship of Legba consists of propitiating his

their

have

sausage,

The Dahoman,

the same.

is

the highest blessing,

curse in

of

Pan and the Lampsacan god,* but

classical

the idea involved

almost

is

more horrid than the male

seen a few, which are even

rest

would be

remove the sacred rubbish.

either sex, but rarely feminine.

and the

it

strong a superstition this worship

is,

we

pass on the

by a quadroon

may

be gathered from

the annals of the monotheistic Jews, amongst whom Maacah, the queenmother of Asa, set up the " horror " in a grove.
t There

is also

called Oggo,

a great

demon

and who therefore

is

in

Egba

known

as

land,'

who

uses a knob-stick,

Agongo-Oggo.
G 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

84

merchant, Mr. Hutton, of Cape Coast Castle, whose

House " there has just been converted

" Gothic

Government

known only

After he was drowned on the

quarters.

Lagos bar (1857),

was

this place

D. Juan,

as

who

course by poison, at Badagry.

owed 200

dollars

into

the king,

to

sold to a Spaniard

presently perished, of

As

the last proprietor

it

then became royal

demesne.

We

are

now

at the English factory,

description

quire

in local politics,

for the

tain

it

it is

may

perchance do so again.

called in old writings,

was

is

therefore

nearly

Barbot's* day (1700)

two

centuries

its

foun-

old.

In

was 100 yards square, with

it

four large earthen flankers, mounting twenty-one

guns

built

Royal African Company of England, by Cap-

Wiburne, brother to Sir John Wiburne

dation

will re-

has played a conspicuous part

it

and

Williams Fort, as

which

by a drawbridge of boards

the trench, crossed

spread on beams, was 20

good

ft.

deep by 18

ft.

wide,

and

its

establishment consisted of twenty whites and one hun-

Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea.

Barbot, Agent-General of the Royal African

America, at Paris.

This old book

is

Company and

a mine of information.

By John
Islands of

A WALK EOUND WHYDAH.

dred gromettos, or

attached to English Town,

slaves,

under the orders of a governor.

places

(now quite

fort

within

half-a-mile

its

day

it

forgotten)

the

of

old traveller

on the west, and

French and Dutch

forts.

has sheltered, under Governor Tinker, the

King of Whydah, when

Dahome

The

three miles from the water-side, between the

it

Danish

In

85

Savi, his capital,

was taken by

Governor Wilson gave protection

the leader of the

Testesole was,

Whydahs and Popos

to

Ossue,

rash Governor

by orders of the Great King, murdered,

and some say eaten

Governor Gregory defended

against Tanga, the rebel

the fire of his fort

it

brave Governor Goodson, by

won back Whydah

for

Dahome

Governor Abson here lived thirty-seven years, and

left

behind him

Sally,

of

tragical

end

stout

Mr.

Hamilton procured the release of Dr. M'Leod, and

Governor James, the younger of that name, who succeeded the two former,

is

still

known

as the King's

friend.

The shape

of the enceinte

is

a square or parallel-

ogram, enclosing several acres, surrounded by a well-

grown moat, and formerly defended

at the angles

by

once round bastions, with their rusty guns, a total of

A MISSION TO GELELE.

S6

twenty-four carronades
court.

Even

we

1803,

in

lying there and about the

still

are told that only three or

four of the cannon were sound enough to be used in

honeycombed and corroded

saluting, the others being so

in

more danger

is

divided into

them would have been

that those firing

than those fired

The compound

at.

unequal parts by a wall running from east to west

the north, where a garden should be, there

foul-

Fetish figure throned amidst a mass of

The main

the sea breeze,

is

yet the

from small-pox and

people wonder that they suffer

measles

filth,

is

to'

building, fronting south, to catch

a huge half- white washed barn, red

and crumbling below, with a ragged, tattered pent-roof

thatch above

the walls, pierced with irregular shut-

tered holes, are 4

five

ft.

thick,

and the

and

dwarf rooms inside suggest comparison with the

ab ewtcrno size of the edifice.

as the exterior, the floors

threatens to
is

" great hall " *

but

way,
* It

one

like the

fall.

As

The

yawn

interior is as

shabby

and the

ceiling-

wide,

usual in these buildings, there

entrance, a

gloomy and cavernous gate-

Arab's " barzah," under the main building.

was the mess-room of the governor and his

ever straugers might be staying in the place.

officers,

with what-

A WALK EOUND WHYDAH.

87

The barton between the house and Fetish-ground contains out-houses

and

offices for

which at times

well,

fails

a shingled chapel, which

is

house" (not

four

quarters,

shade
"

is

a kitchen)

servants and

"
instead of " steeple house

also school-room

trellised arbour,

is

under whose

trees,

Hog-yard," which name, however,

The Hog-yard

a " cook-

a bathing-place, bachelor's

rows of umbrella

the usual

followers;

and the ancient

now

is

forgotten.

a square detached house in the

centre of the enceinte, near the old circular powder-

magazine;
fact that

it

derives

white

its

men were

peculiar appellation from the

buried here.

the fort, Captain Wiburne,

was the

first

The founder

of

and

it

tenant,

has been since used as a family vault for the servants of

the "

Company."

Captain Thomas Phillips

characteristic tale of this institution.

chief factor, being sick,

insisted

tells

Mr. Smith, the

one of the kings of

upon sending a Fetish

priest

to

The reverend man, carrying brandy, rum,

"

to

dumb

ye dead whites that

inmates

live

here

have with you this factor that

is

Whydah

his

relief.

rice, oil,

other creature comforts, entered the Hog-yard,

addressed the deaf and

us a

and

and thus

you have a mind

sick,

but he

is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

88

friend to the King,

part with

Then,

him

as yet

repairing

who

and who

loves him,

will not

to

Captain Wiburne's

he

grave,

cried out
"
this is

thou captain of
thy doing

the dead whites that

all

thou wouldst have this

company, because he

to bear thee

lie

here

man from

us

a good man, but

is

our King will not part with him, and thou shalt not

have him yet

"
!

Thus saying, the holy man made a hole over the

grave, and poured in the various articles which he

brought with him,

wanted those

telling the ghostly

things, they

were

the factor he must not expect,

The

all

tenant that

there for

by

disgusted

Fetisheer out of the

nently died,

mind

the negro

this

fort,

if

he

him but

and should not have.

historian goes on to sav that the

present,

had

mummery,

Englishmen
kicked

and that Mr. Smith

the

inconti-

proof stronger than any Holy Writ to

that

black man's

"

medicine he be

good."

In the Hog-yard also reposes Mr. James, called by

the natives

when

the

" Huze-huze."

Whydah

In December and January,

Fetish fetes take place, the native

A WALK EOUND WHYDAII.

drams

priests flock with

89

perform idolatrous

to

rites at

his grave.

summoned

the Caboceers,

proceedings in the capital

these

They of course promised

the King,

lands,

at

Town."

objections to

Whydah

a scandal,

is

Compared with the French

exactly the

gives

it

between the white

these

my

to report

fort

morally and physically.

Mission,

English

of

and certainly thought no more about the

The English

matter.

man and

where climate

measure of difference
the

is

mulatto,

much

so

even

in

against the

The Wesleyan Mission should be ashamed

former.

and protested against

of

it.

few hundred pounds would make the place respect-

able,

by the expulsion of the

ration

of a

building which

government's hands.

Fetish,

has

and by the

now passed

The sound of psalmody

resto-

out
is

of

cer-

tainly not wanting, indeed, ihe "holloaing of anthems/'

as Falstaff calls

it, is

satis siiperqae

and besides the

school-children, there are nearly a score of he-fellows

*
lies

English

behind

Town

its

is

Fort,

one of the most populous parts of

Like the other quarters,

the descendants of Fort slaves,

English visitors.

They speak a

perhaps 300 families.

it is

and they are bound

little

Whydah, and

chiefly inhabited

of our language,

to

by

do corvee for

and they muster

A MISSION TO GELELE.

90

others

barber,

cook,

schoolmaster,
loafing

the

and lounging about

They should be made

arbour.

interpreter,

tailor,

I only

cost

in

salt.

will,

at

some not

at least to

and

court

and

work

their

hope that an English Company

distant day, take the restoration in

hand.

In 1842-43, the Wesleyan Mission was nominally

Freeman, the

established at

Whyclah by Mr.

" Bishop of the

Gold Coast," and Mr. Dawson, the com-

panion of his

travels.

B.

T.

Eleven years afterwards they

were followed by the Reverend Mr. Bernasko, the present

principal

and the

Fort, accompanied

Annamaboe.

by a Mr. Laing, now doing duty

at

They began by a melange of commerce

and conversion, which was

received by

occupant of the English

sole

King Gezo.

far

from being favourably

Perhaps for that reason they

have been taken en amitie by

his royal son.

Gelele has

given over to them six youths, sons of the old Fort slaves
of the English town

number
is

he

to be increased.

will not,

The

total of the congregation

a dozen men, mostly Fantis, and

school-muster greatly varies

numbered

forty-six pupils, of

however, allow the

when

whom

all

coloured.

was

The

last there, it

twenty-three were

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

"boarders, including the

human

King

custom by the

presents given according

to

his

Passing out of the English

fort,

to

91

various

visitors

at

Agbome.

"Main

on the off side of

we

Street,"

and

see in front

two brick

inclined like the leaning towers of Bologna,

ing where once was the factory garden.

pillars

and show-

Here grew the

orange-grove alluded to by Dr. M'Leod, and the thin,

tamarind under which Governor Abson was buried..

has long been abandoned to the weeds, and a dozen

It

and goats now pick a scanty meal.

sheep
right

hand and

On

the

to the south-west of William's Fort,

is

large ruined establishment that belonged to Ignacio de

Souza, a son of the original Chacha.

grace four to

five

having reported

He

years ago, under the

a British

to

fell

suspicion of

the

cruiser

into dis-

intended

departure of a slaver, and he mysteriously disappeared.

His property was

broken " by the

"

Don-pwe peo-

ple"* here, a sign of complete and irretrievable

*

Don

(young), and

pwe

(small or young, as in Pwe-vi).

ruin.

These are

hcmmes, who must do something to distinguish,

themselves, organised by the King for his especial service, and to counThese moutards are under a headteract the lazy and crafty veterans.
man, and each great Caboceer has at least one Don-pwe.

a troop oi petits jeunes

A MISSION TO GELELE.

92

It" is

a custom borrowed from the old kings of Whydah.

The house has

been granted by the King to a

lately

Mr. Craft, a mulatto, not a negro, as his semi-scientific

him

auditors at Newcastle firmly believed

"

new

about

will cost

repairs

Company
make

will easily

600, but

this

agent to the

of African Merchants " says that he

it

pay.

Pero veremos

Bending towards the north of the English

pass through a large empt}r space

now being

grass for the Christmas " play."

It

building,

"

earth

has

fort,

cleared of

shows a big

been

we

tree-

excavated

for

and a central shed erected by the present

for his "

King
and

whose

hole

o'i'own

The

to be.

Blue " guards to marshal, dance, drink,

palavers peculiar to their corps.

settle the

The

Blues " outside the palace, also called " English Corn-

pan y," correspond with the

inside

" Fanti

Company "

of

women

they are held to be body-guards, but they are

not regulars.

For

this reason it is called, after

one of

the royal houses at the capital, Jegbe.

Beyond
trees,

this square is a

splendid

figs,

dark circular clump of giant

calabashes,

and bombaxes

rising

from a dense bush which doubtless has witnessed many

a deed of

darkness.

One would suppose

that they

A WALK EOTJND WHYDAH.

were fetished to preserve them

$3

but the Tree and the

Ocean, as well as the Snake, formed of old the peculiar

cultus of

lion of the

hwe,*"

At

Whydah.

eastern end

is

the second

town, and a very minute one, the Danh-

Boa Temple.

or

cylindrical

mud

hut

It is

some

with thick clay walls

nothing but a small

houses are

fetish

square

supporting a flying thatch roof

Two low narrow

shape.

extinguisher

in

its

doorless

entrances front each other, leading to a raised floor of

tamped

earth,

upon which there

and a basket.
out,

and when

saw

it

last a

ship under full sail sprawled

little

nothing but a broom

roughly whitewashed inside and

It is

is

distance from

the

very lubberly fresco of a

on the

left

of the doorway.

entrance were three small

pennons, red, white, and blue cottons tied to the top of

tall poles.

The Danhgbwe

is

here worshipped, like the

monkey

Or Danhgbwe-hwe, or Vodun-hwe, i.e., Fetish House par excellence.

these words the n is highly nasal.
A common snake is called
Danh; the python, Danhgbwe, a purely Whydah word, which must not
*

In

all

he confounded with Dagbwe, "good."

Dr. M'Leod corrupts the word

'Gbwe means a bush, but according to my interpreters it is
no component part of Danhgbwe. Hwe signifies, I have said, a house
to

Daboa.

and grounds, in fact the whole establishment, as distinguished from

Ho, a room

(as in

Za-ho, a ceiling'd or store-room).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

94

Wuru, the leopard of Agbome, the

near Accra and

iguana of Bonny, and the crocodile at Savi, Porto Seguro

and Badagry. The

reptile is a

brown yellow-and-white-

streaked python of moderate dimensions

appear to exceed

The narrow neck and head

five feet.

tapering like the slow-worm's, show

the negro indeed says that

some 10

feet

are never

and

it

to be harmless

known

and he

to bite,

Of these

it

tame with con-

is

in the

temple,

his readers that they

tells

whereas they use their sharp

" nice

gods "

including one which was casting

its

counted seven,

slough

all

were

reposing upon the thickness of the clay wall where

met the inner

and

whilst I

an estray

thatch.

They

often

wander

it

at night,

was sketching the place a negro brought

in his

arms

before raising

it,

he rubbed

right

hand on the ground and duly dusted

as

grovelling before the king.

if

good as a defence

M. Wallon saw 100

long,

teeth like rats.

bite is

its

against the venomous species,

stant handling.

and none

his

his forehead,

The ugly brute

coiled

harmlessly round his neck, like a " doctored " cobra in

India or Algeria.

Other snakes

may

be killed and

carried dead through the town, but strangers

with

the

Danhgbwe must

look

out

for

who meddle
" palavers,"

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

now

which; however, will probably

95

resolve themselves

In olden times death has been the con-

into a fine.

sequence of killing one of these reptiles, and

snake be abused, " serious people

" still

the

if

stop their ears

and run away.

When

killed a

under former reigns a native

gbwe, even accidentally, he was put to death

murderer

is

Danh-

now, the

placed somewhat like the Salamanders of

under a hut of dry faggots

old Vauxhall, in a hole

thatched with grass which has been well greased with

palm-oil.

This

and he must rush

is fired,

to the nearest

running water, mercilessly belaboured with sticks and

pelted with clods the whole
"

no,

Thus there

gauntlet.

bapteme d'eau
gauntlet,

crime.f

Many

or fetish-priests.

fire

must

The

way by

the

Danhgbwe-

of course die under the

a bapteme de feu as well as a

is

and water,

combine

to

to

say nothing of the

efface

elder de Souza saved

the

many a

god-killing

victim

No, at the end of a compound word, means primarily mother

by

{e.g.,

Danhgbwe-no, snake-mother) tropically, master of, or in the Arabic

sense, father of {e.g., Abu Hanash, father of snake).
Its general use
shows the superior dignity of the lower sex in Dahome.
:

t Mr.

Duncan witnessed

tailed it in vol.

i.,

p. 195.

this

" absurd and savage custom," and de-

A MISSION TO GELELE.

96

number

stationing a

round the

of his slaves

and

with orders to hustle

him

beat

in

deicide,

semblance

This was truly the act of a "

not in reality.

Good

Samaritan."
Ophiolatry in our part of Africa
to the coast regions

worship a black snake of larger size

Nimbi

of Biafra the

bigoted

system

in
is

and

in the

the Whydahs.

are

as

almost as

it is

at present.

well suits the gross materialism of these races,

men ought

to be tired of

appear, the snakes lost their

that

when

continue,

the
the

As

it.

kingdom

Dahomans permitted

The

It

and yet

will afterwards

yet

we

are told

serpent- worship to

Whydahs, abundantly thankful, became

almost reconciled to the

Snake worship

Bight

Bosnian, at the beginning of the

last century, described it

here

races

or Brass River people* are as

boa-religion

of old date

Windward

the Popos and

mostly confined

is

is

new

stern rule.

both old and widely spread ;f we

There the python has exceeded, I

Dr. M'Leod says that in

thirty-six feet long,

am

told, nineteen feet in length.

Dahome many have been found from

and of proportional

girth,

thirty to

but he does not say that

he saw them.
t Man's natural sense of personal fear probably originated the
fanciful ideas concerning the ssevissima vipera

it is

many

truly said, Timor

A WALK ROUND WHYDAH.

recognise
the

among

it

Roman

97

the Psjlli of the ancients, and in

Ophiolatreia of which Livy wrote angnem

in quo ipsum

numen

faisse constabat.

In the Christian

Church the animal was adored by the Ophites, perhaps

on the same principle that the Sheytan Parast propitiates

H.

S.

M., or

Catholics have

that

burned

the

certain

candle

Roman

ignorant

at both ends in

The

honour of the Powers of Light and Darkness.

Ophites were thus opposed to the orthodox,

who

held

the unfortunate animal to be the " fatal destroyer of the

race/' the " type of

human

mankind/'
Golden

Barbot

Serpent

quotes

of the

Snake of Moses, the

the devil and deluder of

upon

first

this

Israelites,

subject

the

Brazen

Dragon of Babylon, and

Thermutis or Asp of Egypt, where

it

the

was accounted

one of the most valuable symbols of religion."

mus

the

Eras-

Stella informs us, in his Antiquities of Borussia,

that people

began worship by ophiolatry.

Sigismund,

baron of Huberstein, in his account of Moscovy, says,

that " snakes

fecit
to

deos.

were adored in Samogitia and Lithuania."

The surpassing subtlety

of the brute, the female supposed

devour the male, and the young their parent, with the monstrous

imaginative offshoots

dragons, fiery snakes, the great sea-serpent, all

such romantic zoology seems to have originated from one and the same
source.

VOL.

I.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

98

The Naga

of India was the

type of eternity

it

charmer."

Herodotus

serpent

Thebes.

at

Couch of Vishnu and the

still

is

revered by the snake-

mentions

74)

(2.

the

The Romans during a plague

brought iEsculapius,

son of Apollo, from Epidaurus,

form of a huge serpent, and with great

in the

and ceremonies lodged him

may

"

" or Fetish

Vodun

in

we may

sacrifices

an island of the Tiber.

from the

that

observe

Finally,

sacred

derive the "

Slave-Coast

Vaudoux

" or

small green snake of the Haytian negros, so well-known

by the abominable

orgies enacted before the "

King and Queen," f and the

"

King Snake

Vaudoux
" is

still

revered at S'a Leone.

On

the

other side of the road the devotees of the

snake are generally

lolling

upon the

tree roots in pre-

tended apathy, but carefully watching over their gods.

Here

too

are

the

fetish

schools,

w here any
r

child

touched by the holy reptile must be taken for a year

from

its

parents

who

"pay

the piper"
[

and

must

* In bygone days at Baroda of Gruzerat I studied snake- charming

under a native professor, when some of my brother officers after filling
the house with the hugest ranae, to testify their abhorrence of frogeaters killed in waggishness a fine cobra.
The terrified Hindu would
never again " darken " those doors.

t The orgies are derived from the old fetish practices, which
in Bosman and Barbot.

found

may

be

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

and

be taught the various arts of singing

necessary to the worship.

has however lost

much

in the last century,

backed

dancing

This part of the

system

of the excesses that prevailed

when, at the pleasure of the strong-

men, even the king's daughters were not

fetish

excused from incarceration and from

The temple

object.

99

is

still

its

presumable

annually visited by the

Viceroy, during the interval after

He

before the campaigning season.

the

Customs and

takes one bullock,

with goats, fowls, cloth, rum, meal, and water to the

priest,

who, holding a bit of kola nut, prays aloud

and the

the King, the country,

Close to the

Boa Temple

gan,* or Viceroy of

* It is

an old "Whydah

is

foi

crops.

the palace of the Yevo-

Whydah.

This

is

an important

In the old
Yevogan (Dr. M'Leod, p. 68). I cannot find the title now. The word is
spelt with a complexity of error.
The History gives Yavoughah Mr.
Duncan, Avogaw and Avoga Captain Wilmot, Yavogah and others,
Yavogar, showing how easily the H, the E, and the highly nasal N, may
be confounded by unpractised ears.
The French prefer Jevoghan.
Commander Forbes, who realised the fact that Efon is a monosyllabic

days, the " Coke "

dating before the conquest.

title,

was the head Caboceer in the absence

of the

tongue, but

who did not take

the trouble to ascertain the only important

what the

part of his discovery, namely,

syllables are, produced the

curious etymology Ee-a-boo-gan.

The word
to be a

is

Yevo-gan, " White man's captain,"

Whydah being held

white man's town, Yevo means a white man, the oibo or oyibo of

the Egbas.

Ye

is

a shadow, and vo signifies ripe or red.

plained as a captain or chief, and

Gan has been ex-

must not be confounded with gan, metal*

A MISSION TO GELELE.

iOO

and the holder

post,

He

kingdom.

is

and he

surrounded by

councillors

he

falls

into the

ever liable to be

is

etiquette compels

which he

is

him

to ride a

The

spies

and

strong, but once

is

hands of

summoned

by the

is.

he

cleverest

on his own ground he

in the capital

He

the

his protector.

Agbome, and

to

wretched garron, upon

supported by his slaves.

His soldiers

put a

Dahoman

and judge

to death

may

He

amount, not to 2000, as some say, but to 200.

at once council, jury,

the

or second

installed

is

protection

King, under whose indirect

is

Meu

by the

proposed

minister, his after patron,

Viceroy

third dignitary of

the

is

is

he cannot, however,

even for crime without send-

ing him for examination to the King.

limited powers of imprisonment

He

and bastinado

has un;

indeed,

the local system seems to be that which kept the old

British man-of-war in such

and the superior

ranks,

He

is

great

at

grand

discipline

" sticks" every

embezzlement,

Commander Forbes and M. Wallon

all

are in

one below him.

and woe betide the

tell us that the P. N. of the

Dagbah, Dagbwa, and Dagba. The phrase Da-gba implies
he holds a large gourd or calabash"
Whydah being, as it were, the king's
cornucopia it was a title which the present man took for himself. Mr.
Duncan, vol. i.,p. 117, erroneously explains the word to signify that the
King would drink water with him the strongest mark of friendship.

Again,

Yevogan
1

is

A WALK ROUND WHYDAH.

litigious

wight whose cause

falls

101

Both

into his hands.

he and his lieutenant must be propitiated before he

will

forward a

message

visitor's

King

to the

though they can do

little

impeding progress.*

However, a piece of
st

few bottles of French

each,

for

both vouchsafe a return in provisions.

Yevo-gan

at

and a

silk,

suffice

personal description of the

and

reserve a

we meet him

till

Kana.

The Yevo-gan's palace

a large

is

enceinte to the

That

north of the town, with four principal entrances.

on the north-east

is

the

space

a square or

"

Bwendemen."

one of which

of fetish huts,

full

and under the straggling

in these parts,

tions are received.

To the north

western entrance

known

is

now

each with

trees deputa-

"Ganhori;" the

is

as " Ohongaji

Snake House,

"

and the

The

normal labyrinth of courts and

tents,

two doorways

The present sub-viceroy being

The "Prince,"

of

is

you reach the audience

cousin and a particular ally of

the King, has unusual powers of persuasion

always the case.

extinct

"Agoli."

southern, leading to the

interior is the

opens upon

It

covers the skull of the African wild buffalo,

both,

are powerful in

to assist,

'tafia,"

and

but such

whom more

is

by no means

hereafter,

is

considered

a firm friend to the English nation.

t The

first

gate

made when building

the house

is

always

so

named.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

102

chamber
it

after

some twenty turnings, though perhaps

was a few yards from the entrance passage, and

owner's " wifery," by

mud

the

The great man,

after the usual formality of canes

anticamera,

his

till

visitors,

toilette

if

is

they allow

this

demand

the

negro

fare

Dignity

grandee must not

appear curious or anxious to see his

ensure a better reception

and

a palm-

satisfactory, in

nut paved outhouse near his pony's stable.

makes

to

it,

is

walls.

concealed, like

compliments, causes

it

visitor,

who

will

next time by making the

loudest demonstrations of indignation.

The dignitary

receives in a small clean verandah, where, as chairs

may

be used by the lieges of Dahome,

not

found reclining upon the uncarpeted

the visitor

beyond

his

walls,

beg that a decent horse

may

Europe,

other

Asia,

or

the

He

floor.

and he never

he

is

escorts
fails

to

be sent out to him from

quarters

of

the

" in-

habited quarter."
Crossing

Main

Street from north to south,

we proceed

to the south-west of the town,

where stands the Bra-

zilian fort, the residence of the

de Souza family.

huge
called

mud

pile

The

occupies the base of a rude triangle,

a square,

under whose shady

trees,

in

the

mornings and evenings, black cattle muster strong.

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

103

Smaller tenements, in the south of Europe style, have

been added to both

sides.

The

man, however,

old

would not inhabit the^ house on the proper right of the

from a superstitious fancy that

fort,

The western

him.

building,

it

would be

turret or gable of the

which faces southwards,

may

fatal to

huge central

be seen from the

an excellent mark to the aspiring gunner.

sea, affording

The peculiar feature of the Uhon-nukon,* or Prapa,

is

a circular wattling, six feet in diameter, planted round

with the
interior,

and even

hedge,

live

said

to

No

thunder-fetish shrub. f

tall

is

it

contain

after fires that

have calcined the

carefully covered with leaves.

ft.

6 in. in length,

E.K,

who,

in

and 56

1844,

the house of M. Martinez,

where

Uhon

By

(gate),

it

cwt.),

The

Mr.
missile

Hill,

Maclean

as

opposite

fell

and was removed

has ever since been held

and Nukon

(32-pounder,

by Commander

succeeded

Governor of the Gold Coast.

place,

It is

a round shot fired from the roads,

probably out of an old long carronade

9

one sees the

to this

fetish.

(before), i.e., the space before the gate.

held in the hand, a

it is called Ayyan or Soyyan
gun from bursting, and the sticks are used in thunderworship, hence the name in the text.
It is a tall shrub, with broad
f

the natives

leaf prevents the

ensiform leaves, like a Pandanus, but of a darker green, and

about the coast, extending as far as Agbome.

and in

this state it is set

Sometimes

round other sacred trees.

it

it is

grows

all

pollarded,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

104

The founder of the

Sousa or Souza,

mander Forbes

left

M. Francisco

family,

Rio Janeiro in 1810, not, as

* says,

de

Fellis

Comnor

political crime,

a fugitive for

as Captain Canotf asserts, " a deserter from the

arms

of his imperial master," but simply as a peasant

who

He

wished to see the world.

which he called Ajudo,

he became

;f

near Little Popo, and presently

Governor of

About 1843 he was

settled at a place

first

Portuguese

the

fort

here.

the Chacha-ship, the

raised to

principal agency in commercial matters between the

King and

all

strangers

he thus became captain of the

merchants, and the second dignitary at Whydah.

he could command refusal of

sale,

* Yol.i. p. 196.

with him, besides three

Whydah

(vol.

i.

"

De "

alcavala,

Commander Forbes was also misinformed when he

Souza died, a boy and a

(de)

offered for

articles

and he had the regulation of the

" when Da

is it

all

p. 33).

girl

men who were

As

states

were decapitated and buried

on the beach at

sacrificed

All denominations at

"Whydah deny

this

nor

probable after the deceased's life-long opposition to this particular

enormity.
t Captain Canot

or,

Twenty Years

of an African Slaver.

ing, but superficial; the author manifestly does not

cha "

is

title,

know

Entertainthat " Cha-

not a name.

There are some four " Ajudo" hereabouts, all so called by the old
De Souza, meaning " Deos me ajudo" God helped me. Some wrongly
write Ajido. Others prefer Ajuda, help, aid the full phrase being " Com
X

ojuda de Deos;" hence the Ajuda Palace, in Portugal.

From

Ajuda and Ayuda

Brazilian names for Whydah.

Portuguese and

of letters, I believe

to be the popular

directions

A WALK BOUND WHYDAII.

or excise

octroi,

he

became very wealthy.

and generous

ever hospitable

105

to Mr.

He was

Duncan* and other

Englishmen, although he owed to us the loss of a score

of ships.

He won

the esteem of honest men, despite

by discouraging torture

his slave-trading propensities,

and death

many

whilst, unlike too

other whites, he

systematically refused to be present at

When far advanced in life, he had

the Prince de Joinville,

On

the elder

De

human

sacrifice.

the honour to entertain

and he died

in

May, 1849.

Souza's demise, the Chacha-ship

was

contested by three of his one hundred children. Isidore,

the King's favourite, succeeded

but, like all the juniors

and African born of the family, he departed

life

young.

Followed Antonio, commonly called Kwaku, or

Wed-

nesday,! a debauched man, rich, prodigal, and bigoted

he had thousands of armed and trained slaves

built a

swish-house with

to imitate the
*

"

A.

King,

who

rum
for

he

instead of water, wishing

such purpose uses blood

more generous or benevolent man perhaps never existed," says

that traveller (vol.

i.

p. 194.

See also vol.

ii.

p. 295).

from the day of his birth, a Gold-Coast custom. The

word is here corrupted to Coco. Kwabna (Tuesday) and Wednesday are
"strong days" of birth; children that appear on Fridays, Saturdays,
and Mondays are "weak as water."
Mr. Duncan (vol. i. p. 193)
remarks, " On no account will a native sleep with his head towards the
f So called

sea,

nor enter a

new house

to take possession as a

dwelling on a Tuesday

or Friday, both those days being reckoned unlucky."

A MISSION TOGELELE.

106

and he threatened
a Christian.

to

compel Gezo perforce to become

His career was short, and he was suc-

ceeded by his uterine brother,* Ignacio, whose mysterious

larly called S'or Chico,

De

old

The present Chacha, popu-

been mentioned.

fate has

Souza,

is

" Francisco," also a son of the

aged about

forty,

tinted

between a

mulatto and a quadroon, with features European in the

upper

and African below, a scant beard, and a not

half,

He

unpleasant expression of countenance.

has

little

power, and thus the whole authority of the place has

been centered, much to the detriment of commerce, in

the hands of the wicked old Yevo-gan.

The family

is

charged with exercising a pernicious

influence over the

Dahome.
*

minds of the King and the people of

It is still

numerous.f

The daughters

of the

The mother was a large woman from Agwe, dashed to the old
Her name was Akho-'si, i.e., King's Wife, but she had no

Chacha.

connection with royalty.

t The following is a list of the present heads of the

being " Hijos de Whydah " :

De Souza

all

1.

Francisco Fellis de Souza.

2.

Manoel

3.

Antonio

4. Julia o
5.

Januario

6.

Candido

7.

Antonio

8.

Andrea

vulgarly called Pifo.

family,

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

107

house being too high to marry, temporarily honour

man who

the

has the fortune to please them, and are

said to reproduce in the Brazilian factor}r the state of

morals that prevailed in the palaces of the old Persian

kings and the Incas of Peru.

Passing up the Ajudo Akhi 'men, or Ajudo Market, by

which we entered the town, we turn to the north-west,

and once more pass

third bazar,
so called

Zo mai

Main

into

'khi

men,

"

Street.

Here we

Curfew market."*

find the
It

was

by the old Chacha, who would not allow the

grass to be burned hereabouts, having a large store of

gunpowder
ruins.

There

Lino

11. Jose
12.

Zomai House, a big swish

is

building,

now

in

nothing remarkable in this market.

Julio Fellis de Souza.

9.

10.

in

Pedro

13. Ignacio

,,

,,

,,

,,

,,

,,

,,

The names of the

1. Maria Amalia

sisters

who

are at all distinguished, are

Fellis de Souza.

2.

Sabina

3.

Francisca

,,

,,

4.

Antonia

,,

,,

There are

,,

many young

,,

children

only grandson of any importance

is

about a hundred are known.

The

Antonio Francisco de Souza, sen of

" Kwaku," and aged about twenty -eight. The late Isidore left two
boys, Leandro Sancho and Sicinio Agripo, and two girls, Maria das
Doses and Joanna Isidora, who are looked upon as Africans.
* Zo (fire), Ma (not), I (come), 'Khi (from akhi, market), Men (in).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

108

Bending northwards, we find the French

as

these days, at least the finest building in the

usualin

place, with all the military air

Nation

fort,

indeed, the only tenement that does not

it is,

proper to the Grande

cry for repair.

Still,

a peaceful

is

it

establishment,

belonging to M. Regis (Aine), of Marseille, the well-

known

now reduced

emigrationist

occupies the site of the old French

XVI, had

in the days of Louis

country, and which in

by the Dahomans,
lives.

its

to

fort,

palm-oil.

whose governor,

such influence over the

career

was twice destroyed

whilst several governors lost their

Barbot* gives a detailed history of

foundation

16691671, by

in

It

Caralof, with the consent of the

MM. Du

its

original

Bourg and

King of Whydah,

for

The

old traveller

"
places the factory at " Pilleau or Pelleau

names now

the French

West Indian Company.

unknown

from the

sea."

"

malarious,

is

little

It is

beyond the swamp, and two miles

badly situated

and hotter than

Behind, or northwards,

Town, peopled,

Book

4,

chap.

i.

is

also

the air hereabouts

at the other three forts.

Salam Franfais, or French

like the rest,

Where

by the descendants of the

may

be found a long account of the

squabbles of the two founders, and the disputes with their seniors, the

Dutch Company.

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

They are now reducedfrom 1500

Fort "grumettos."

very small number, and they are

to a

treacherous
at

109

runaway

considered a

hammock-bearers

race, the worst

Whydah."*

marble tablet over the drawbridged gateway of

the French fort informs us that

Regis, in 1842,

and

much

it

as though

it is

was restored by M.

it

said that the repairs cost as

had been re-made with

main building fronting the sea southwards

thatched,

necessary

precaution,

against the fires here frequent,

belvedere.

The two

and

as
it

is

tiled,

be

will

has a

bastions to the

The

stone.

seen,

central

tall

including four fixed in the swish

mounts

telegraph

for

signalling

Besides which, a

to

*
1.

2.

3.

4.

efficient,

the

and the
ships

The

the

six guns, not

latter

had a

the

roads.

in

battery without affuts

ground opposite the entrance.

and

and

north-east

south-west have been whitewashed and repaired

former, being nearer the town,

not

ditch

lies
is

on the

uncleaned

whilst the three remaining walls of the

The French factory is composed as follows :

M. Marius Daumas, agent en chef of the factories of M. Regis,
since 1863 French consul for Whydah and Porto Novo (where
he mostly resides), and chief of the Whydah factory.
M. Beraud.
M. Ardisson.
M. Pellegrin.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

110

enceinte are of coarse red clay,

and by no means

in

a " dicky," which

is

good

order, suggesting the idea of

also

characteristic.

The immense compound contains

a cooperage, a smithy, a trellised arbour, and

well,

gateway

Outside the

other necessaries.

was pro-

it

posed to found an establishment for the French missioners,

who

sensibly

went eastwards, and found a

one to three degrees (F.) cooler.

site

Here one of the

agents attempted to plant cotton, and necessarily failed

for

want of regular

It is not

lon's

labour.

unamusing

to

compare with

account of this factory.

fact

M. Wal-

Its disinterestedness in

supplying rival barraconniers with Zanzibar cowries,

its

high sense of honour, provoking the hostility of the

Yevo-gan, and

its

grand prospects as a

Christianizing agent, are

dreams

connection of France with

is

not,

tells

a credit to our rivals

them the

contrary.

coon, a slave-yard,
" emigrants
jail till

nor

is

has not been, and

he their friend who

The Maison Regis

is

a barra-

where, with detestable hypocrisy,

"* and "free labourers" were lodged

they could be transported a

loisir.

Such

Most people know that with the jwofession, " emigrant,"

means a purchased slave.

tive,"

The

not of the wise.

Whydah
;

and

civilizing

is

like

in

the

"cap-

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

Ill

establishment which a French naval officer pretends to

But M. Wallon himself, when

praise.

in the " Dialmat,"

had proceeded to the capital in order to procure 40,000

If the house has

hands.

merce,

it

become a centre of

has not to thank

its

men,

it

treats

King Gezo, who mightily

has fallen into utter contempt

its

com-

proprietor, his agents, or

the officers that aided and abetted him.

the death of

licit

Finally, after

affected French-

the present ruler

M. Daumas,

gerant en chef as a servant.

although calling himself French consul, was, after his

visit

last

Kana,

to

in

1863,

ordered

Whydah, and he was compelled

to

not

fly

to

quit

on board a

French man-of-war.

We now
fine houses,

Gezo,

resume our route westwards, passing sundry

especially those of

who during

M. Kobre, a

friend of

the same year followed his royal

patron to the dark world, and of M.

J. C.

Muniz, whose

African son has just come into possession of his property. Issuing

from the habitations, we

most point of

Whydah Town,

Kpota, or " Fire

swell in the
*

Come

the Zo

the western-

Mai 'Khimen

not in Market Hillock."*

open ground, which commands a

Kpota means a gentle

So daho

visit

(literally

big

rise of

hill),

ground, opposed to So, a

a mountain.

It is

full

view

hill,

and to

A MISSION TO GELELE.

112

Here we may see the

of the shipping.

which produces the

fruit

known on

the "miraculous berry/'*

hu^e cotton trees

Hun, or

city,

to the

town

N.W.
is

are two

called Foli

it.

The Whydahs,

many

that nearer the

the Gold Coast as

Bombax, with the following legend

Foli's

attached to

little

coffee-like shrub

assisted

by the Popos, had made

a stout-hearted but vain attempt to recover their

especially

under their brave leader Shampo, a

refugee Dahoman.

ceeded in the

This general growing old, was suc-

command by

his son

Foli or Fori (the

"Affurey" of the History), and, in 1763, when Tegb-

wesun (Bossa Ahadi) was on the throne, the

fugitives

once more attacked his garrison.

At

first

the

Whydahs were

successful

they marched

The Fantis call it Sabla or Sambala (which the Preface to the History, p. viii., and Introduction, p. 5, turn into Assabah, and opine to be
an oxyglycus) and the Ffon terms it Sisnah.
It is the Ossessossa of the
Bonny River, and grows everywhere on the Gold Coast and in the Bights.
The fruit is a brab-like berry, cherry-red and yellow, with a thin white
pulp and a large black stone. It is hardly capable of making " a lime
taste like a very ripe china orange, or vinegar like sweet
cit.),

but

it

Perhaps

the palate.

exaggerates

wine"

(in loc.

sweetens water with a cloying taste, and remains long upon

still

the morning,

it

further

might be useful in sugar making.

Dr. M'Leod
its peculiarities
" "Whoever eats this berry in

must be content,

at least for that

day, to forego the

natural flavour of everv kind of food, whether animal or vegetable"

(pp. 21, 22).

A WALK BOUND WHYDAH.

in without opposition

viceroy,

"

Honnou," * the

"Baddely," the second

his troops.

command, fought

force,

and when old

attempted to defend his town, they wounded

him and repulsed

in

113

bravely,

till,

pressed by a superior

he was compelled to shelter himself under the

guns of the French

enemy had begun

fully politic, fired

fort,

and the

latter,

although the

burn down the suburbs, ungrate-

to

nothing but blank cartridge to defend

their friends.

The Whydahs and Popos,

inspirited

by

cherous proceeding, advanced through the town

another action to the S.E.

enemy

factory,

and just

where the Godome entrance now

suburbs,

the

of,

into the bush.

When

trea-

this

after

outside,
is,

the

they drove

passing the English

one of the savage soldiery espied a white woman,

Governor Goodson's

" wife

" combing; her long hair, and

protruding her head from the window, to see, I suppose,

the " fun."
the

man

Exclaiming, "

What animal can

that be

pierced her throat with a musket-ball

which the Englishman

let fly

upon

a storm of grape-shot and

These names are from the History, which ignores the Governor's
" wife," merely saying that Mr. Groodson had prepared to give the rebels
a very

warm

reception,

and

fired into

them accordingly.

On

the other

hand, King Gezo has often told the tradition as above narrated.
" wife" might have been, and ten to one was, some fair mulattress.
vol.

i.

The
(

A MISSION TO GELELE.

114

musket-bullets, which

made a

prodigious havoc amongst

The Portuguese

the friendly Whydahs.

ing some treachery, took up the

followed

suit,

fire,

and

fort, suspectall

thus completing the discomfiture of the

The Dahomans, who, under "Baddely,"

townspeople.

were lurking near, and collecting their

men from

resumed the offensive with such

plantations,

the others

the

fury, that

they killed thirty out of thirty-two hostile umbrellas, or

general

officers.

overwhelmed with grief and

Foli,

shame, sat down under that

In

memory

Whydah

is

Bombax and

deeds, the

of his

shot himself.

fourth market-day at

called Foli-'hun-glo."*

This was the second occasion upon which the English

gave

Whydah

to the

Tegbwesun acknow-

Dahomans.

ledged that his good friend had the sole merit of the
victory,

and the memory of " Ajangan

the land.
officially

"

is still

green in

To the present day the King always remarks

to

Englishmen who do not understand him,

that from the

first

the British were the greatest friends

of his family, f
*

Commander Forbes

(vol.

like the peculiar Sanskrit

" This was market-day at

in Foli is sounded somewhat

p. 114) says,

i.

the four-day market at Forree."

The

(95).

t See in Commodore Wilmot s Despatch the usual garbled account of

this affair; such as it is, however, people believed it in Wiiydah till I
?

A WALK ROUND WHYDAII.

There

now no

is

society in

Whydah

115

* the

quondam
means

millionaires retain their hospitality, but not the

of gratifying

The

it.

old days of sporting, picnics,

processions, of dancing, loving, drinking,

porarily ruined,

and

dull as dull

and playing,

The place

are gone, probably never to return.

can

be,

Such was the case

life.

tem-

is

when

except

the occasional breaking of the blockade gives

of galvanic

and

it

in October,

a kind

1863

stopped on the 7th, and three days

the roads were

afterwards a fine steamer, carrying 900 souls, got

between Godome and Jackin.f

but the

p.m.,

and ended ten hours afterwards

members

from attendance
others were

of the

which

* Dr.

first

none

even the non-slaving traders and

there drinking pro-slavery toasts which

capture of

fits."

Some, indeed, and they were not few, referred

collected the true details.

the

Lyons Mission were exempted

would have given a philanthropist "

it to

off

All the principal ven-

turers gave a banquet, ending in a tripotage,

began at 4

Whydah by

M'Leod (A Voyage

the Dahomans.

to Africa), in 1803, considers

Whydah

the

u Circassia of Africa, not from the fairness, but from the glossy blackness of the ladies' skins,

and the

docility of their dispositions."

Com-

mander Forbes (1849) seems to have suffered from the "meretricious

gaze of the females," which he attributes to the "personal depravity of
the slave merchants." I saw no signs of this debauchery the people
were civil and respectful the one thing needful in the African.
f According to some, in the preceding month a brig had cleared from
Grand Popo, carrying 300 head.
;

A MTSSION TO GELELE.

116

All here
is

like

is

now

in transition state.

gambling, a form of intense excitement which

becomes a passion

it is

said that after once shipping

a man, one must try to ship another.

of

Whydah

Having

Slave exporting

give the

licit

And

the natives

dealer scanty encouragement.

lived so long without severer toil than kidnap-

ping, they are too old to learn labour, they allow their

houses to

fall,

their plantations to

streets to be half-grown with

swamps

re-become bush, their

rank grass, and their

to reek undrained.

Let us hope that a step in advance

taken.

Much might

is

now

being

be expected from the soldier-like

discipline of Dahoman despotism, if compulsorily applied

to honest labour.

CHAPTER

V.

FROM WHYDAH TO ALLADA, THE HALF-WAY HOUSE.

Commander Ruxton

Whydah December

left

and our departure appeared imminent.

certain
their

arrival

it,

Unfortunately,

Wen-san-gun,* or royal messengers, announced

three days,

own

10,

they had walked from the capital in

and though

they required

fire

would not have made them

rest.

The King had despatched two

of his

Akho

si,f

or

The French have dubbed these officers Racadere, for what reason
know not. The English of old times called them " Half-heads," from

their shaving off a

dozen strings of

moiety of their wool

human

in those days they

wore a demi-

teeth over the shoulder to the knee.

Now

few

Dr. M'Leod appropriately termed them

can display such decoration.

the mortal messengers, in contradistinction to the immortals, sent, as

will presently be explained, to the Shades.

t Akho 'si properly means king's wife it is applied to the eunuchs,

who, as customary throughout Yoruba, form part of the royal establish;

ment.
II

Mr. Duncan

king's wife."

(vol.

i.

p.

The operation

275) signally mistakes the meaning of

is

performed in the palace, at the age of

eighteen to twenty, by evulsion, others say

and the victims remain anorchides.

is said, five

out of six. There

is

by

scission

Of course many

and extraction,

die; sometimes, it

great difficulty in Dahoine about gaining

A MISSION TO GELELE.

118

and the

eunuchs,

person of some dignity

The

vility.

at

Agbome,

had he been

could not have displayed

we saw him

Mr. " De-adan-de," was a

senior,

more haughtily

it

master he

his
;

but when

deportment became

his

junior, Ya-mo-ji

'a,

for the sable blackness of his skin,

all ser-

was remarkable only

and

for

a compound

prognathism, supernal and infernal, which, in the profile

of

muzzle,

his

suggested

These

porcinity.

Castrati

spoke with manly organs, probably because they had

been neutered at a

late

age

moreover, in tropical

tudes, the painful change called the

by no means the

voice, is

lati-

breaking of the

infliction of

which the tem-

perate climates complain.

This par nobile of

officials

was accompanied by the

Kakopwe,"* one of the King's head servants, sent " to

the outside "

when great

on " King's palaver

was

fat

officers

are to be

" to the capital.

summoned

The next

in

rank

So-kun,f the English guide, a nephew of the

the boldest speak in whispers when

a stranger begins to question concerning what takes place " within."

information touching these matters

The names of our eunuch envoys were as follow De (here), adan (brave)
De (here) means " He is valiant in Dahome." Ya-mo-ji 'a is supposed to
:

signify,

" Cannot-get-such-a-son-to-be-born."

Kakopwe

Kan-gbo-de

lieutenant the

+ So-kun

is

Koao-peh) must not be confounded with the

Camboodee), the King's body attendant, whose

(in Forbes,

(in Forbes,

Kakopwe

is.

an unintelligible name in the " Bo-fetish."

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

M eu,

or second minister

Buko-no, the

119

his " father," or patron,

is

the

So-kun was duly

English "landlord."

provided with Bu-ko, his spy, from the " landlord's

sharp and obliging

household, a

and

lad,

would keep the royal servants in check.

this

As

all

pair
ca-

boceers hold their places ad placitum regis, our bevy of

officials,

amounting to ten

number, soon arranged

in

about porters, hammock-men, and similar small

There

is

to notice in the

little

compliments, and
adan-de,

before

passed the usual

the normal toasts.

De-

"giving King's word," produced his

credentials, in the

hawk about two

we drank

palaver which the

We

messengers' arrival necessitated.

fry.

shape of a " shark

a toma-

ending in a knob carved into

feet long,

a conventional Squalus, a

stick," *

bit of iron like

edge protruding below the jaw

a broken axe-

an equally grotesque

"tiger of the deep," beaten out of a

effig}r

of the

dollar,

being tacked on to the upper part of the handle.

"

Cannot-get-such-a-son-to-be-born

" lion stick,"

f

whose shape

is

by the present
*

Wa (shark),

t Kini-kini

had a carved

not easily distinguished

These emblems of valour

from the aquatic animal.

are preferred

':

ruler to the "crocodile

and kpo (a stick),

and kpo (a stick).

(lion),

A MISSION TO GELELE.

120

* or the nail-armed crook,f with which the late

stick,"

Gezo used

to present his captains.

The royal messengers sent every day

to inquire after

our healths, and the slave that bore the cane expected
for such suit

and service a glass of trade rum.

the capital, will be done by

all

the great

most regularly from the palace.

that the

by

telling the

rule, the

it

may

and

officers,

hardly probable

It is

King knows anything about

process becomes troublesome,

This, at

it

and

if

the

readily be arrested,

As a

storekeeper to stop the liquor.

Wen-san-gun delay the stranger

for at least

week by the most specious pretences. They draw from

him

"subsistence money,"

about the rate

the

of fourpence

old

local

a day each

word,

at

and when

the journey ends they expect a piece of cloth, at the

Such are the paltry considera-

employer's discretion.
tions
I

which here waste the

visitor's precious time.

gave the messengers to understand that

were not ready

behind,

by twenty-two
Logun

Ma

three

days,

and afterwards overtake

on their mettle.

in

if

they

they must remain

us.

This put them

Already our heavy luggage, carried

porters,

(crocodile),

and kpo

had been sent forward

(a stick).

(knob), and kpo (a stick).

sketches of these weapons.

to the

Mr. Duncan

(vol.

i.

p.

226) gives

first

121

by a second gang of

thirty-seven.

stage, followed

Four

or

sets,

equipage,

the

ing

FROM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

making a

total of ninety-nine

messengers and

interpreters

and body

On December
out,

hammock-men,

thirty

guides,

completed the
mouths, includ-

and not including

servants.*

13th, all

was ready.

Before setting

however, I must briefly sketch the party.

Mr.

Bernasko was accompanied by his son Tom, a small

boy of eleven, who already spoke half-a-dozen of the

Tom had

and

his 'Kla,f in the

coast dialects

u Dick," alias

Richard Dosu, an imp ten years

looking

five,

whose

devilries

two interpreters, on the

shape of
old,

and

were a comedy. There were

Dahoman

principle.

The

first

was John Mark, popularly called Mariki, or Madiki,j

or nominal head of the English Town,

the Hun-to,

In Appendix

II.

the reader will find a

list

of presents, supplies,

and

expenses required and incurred during six weeks' to two months' stay

with the King of Dahome.

t

On the Gold

Coast a confidential slave,

who

is

killed

when his master

dies.

The Dahoman cannot

highly nasalized n

articulate

he says "

any terminal consonant, except the

for Tom, " Gunai 'tu " (goo'nait-

Tomu "

good night, and so forth.

Literally " canoe father," a title given to merchant captains, go-

'oo), for

vernors of petty places, head singers, and drummers.

the generic

name

fire-ship, or steamer.

or

Hun

is

thus yevo-hun is a white man's ship ;

ahwan-hun, a man-of-war, and zo-hun, a

for a vessel

ajo-hun, a trading vessel

Uhun

A MISSION TO GELELE.

122

He

Whydah.

mander Forbes
a

is

the son of

Mark Lemon,* whom Com-

describes as a " perfect

be a rogue," and in

fool to

Fraser found a very

Dahoman, too

whom

Mr. Vice-Consul

John

average of rascality.

fair

is

who commanded

great-grandson of an English corporal

Governor James.

the fort under the second

big

After

the fashion of the country, the founder of the family

buried in an inner room of his

own home, and a

is

table

annually "spread" for his old ghost to come and

is

feed.

found John good-natured, obliging, and more

than usually intelligent

and
and

scolding, he

man

became a

He

interpreter.

King, and

it

he

is

indeed, after a

tolerable language master

has, however,

no weight with the

confessedly though partly an English-

made my

blood boil to see the contempt with

which he was treated by the negro

patience opposed by

The second

him

officers,

interpreter

was a very

Wesleyan Mission, and sent

to

"

different

dashed

With the ready cunning

to the
for

of the servile, he

negro, and not connected with the English press.

Edition

"

man.

Cape Coast Castle

at once introduced himself there as " Prince

*

"and the

to their injuriousness.

Mr. Beccham was a Makhi slave

education.

drilling

little

Bah;" and,
Note

to

Second

PEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

such

was

his

his base origin

after

many

girls,

was found

was long before

Returning to

out.

from

the

palace

Agbome

and handed over

seized,

minister,

who

monger Lane.
which he

in these lands
It

was a

described

incarceration

two Dahoman

the

the heavy

on the hard

floor, bitten

The

home.
the

to
is

Meu

" prince "

or second

Governor of Horse-

treat to see the face with

horrors of his three

days'

chains, the handful of grain,

the cup of dirty water once per diem,

and the nights

by the Iwe worm,** which, in

dread of a terrible bastinado, he did not dare to

The imprisonment, however, had

him

to

who, having also been brought up on the Gold

Coast, could not endure a return

was

it

made an impudent attempt

years, he

rescuing

in

assist

" brass/'

power of

123

he used to weep with fear

if

completely

kill.

cowed

ordered to go any-

where, or to say anything, from which his vivid fancy

could

distil

danger, and nothing but the strongest drink,

constantly adhibited, carried

The others were of

less

him through

his trials.

importance.

Mr. Hilton

coloured tailor and barber, from the Gold Coast, called

himself the ensign, and carried the flag of St. George.
*

from

The Iwe

mud

is

probably the Italle of the Egbas, a grub bred in or issuing

floors,

and celebrated

for attacking those

who

lie

down.

124

A MISSION TO GELELE.

Having served

on.

board an American

He was

preserved the twang.

also idle, useless, im-

pudent, and, of course, a drunkard.

his cups led

him

he had

ship,

On

one occasion

to break into the King's harem,

and

but for the respect paid to his missionary master, he

would have

John Valentine, formerly

lost his head.

of

the Mission, and the son of a white soldier, was the

spy upon

our movements.

all

who had once

rascal,

the lurch at

before deserted

And Menza Cook

Agwe.

of the Gold Coast people,

were the usual

eat."

Joseph was a Popo

" tail/'

and

me

in

was, like most

able in his art.

The

coming up, as the natives

rest

say, "to

These were, a youth from Danish Accra, called

Hansen, because he had no other name

a

left

Portuguese

linguist

Jose Pinto,

who was already no mean

orphan,

and various catechumens, the slave boys of

English Town, dashed by the King to Mr. Bernasko,

and named
Sosu,

and

Philip, Isaac

so

forth.

Nahum, Laja

(Elijah)

They were hideous

as the African "hobbledehoy" always is;

gigantic joints

and

extremities, of

ness, filth,

behold,

and

their

which the head only

was dwindled, seemed connected with

loose wires.

to

Hoole,

their limbs

hy

Their other qualities were hunger, naked-

and

idleness.

They spent nearly two months

PROM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

eating

and drinking, sleeping and dozing, talking and

laughing,

up

125

for

quarrelling

and gambling, before they put

themselves a shed.

They never

finished

It

The

it.

was one day's work.

thing an African

first

" convert " does is to claim, like the

convict,

life

modern English

of utter sloth.

The sun was already warming when our

wound, in the misty morning

on the north.*

entrance

enormous Bombax,

It

air,

through the town

sentinelled

is

cortege

by an

but of a beauty and

useless,

grandeur well meriting the golden chains with which

the nature-loving Persian

every branch

150

is

tree,

and

feet in circumference

ground

is

natives call

kept
it

cleared

hung
its

his favourite plane.

Its

buttressing base measures

under

for

its

fetish

ample shade the

The

meetings.f

Atin-daho, the Big Tree, or Atin Li-'hun,

the " Cotton Tree (of the place) Li," the latter being a
local

name.

Our

six

hammocks, including those of John,

Mark, and the sharp boy Tom, were preceded by the

youth Bu-ko, who, bearing the Kings cane and a hide*

For the distances, altitudes, and other purely geographical features

march, the reader is referred to Appendix I.
t The characteristic feature of the East African " park-land " is the
vivid ring of luscious verdure invariably sheltered under the shade of
of the

each large tree.

rally deficient.

Here, as in England, vegetation in such places

is

gene-

A MISSION TO GELELE.

126

whip, easily cleared the path by driving

the carriers

and by dispersing even the

into the bush,

whose modesty was a phenomenon

We

all

juveniles,

in African puerology.

The

traversed the town in a few minutes.

house belongs to one Sogro, a caboceer or captain,

like

all

" King's cousin

others,

turning from

the

interior

called,

here travellers re-

:"

halt

last

for

a few

minutes,

enabling their canes and party to precede them.

most establishments of some pretensions

in

Like

Dahome,

entrance with a weather-thatch,

the house has a

tall

and a few matted

roofs project a little above the

mud

walls of the enceinte.

The hammock

in

Dahome

veyance, especially when the

cooled

by walking.

not,

like

hand

still,

two

which

When

the

is

not an unpleasant con-

warmed back

is

at times

These barbarians, however, have

Hindoos,

men

is

invented

regular

are easily tired, especially

four-in-

by standing

wearisome to them as to loaded camels.

they reach a rough place, another

pair, diving in

between the usual number, roughly clutch the cloth at

the rider's shoulders and heels, bumping,

pate against the pole.

if possible,

his

This explains the old traveller's

complaint about being " trussed in a bag and tossed

on negroes' heads."

They do not carry on the

shoulder.

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

but on their skulls

127

the notably short and sturdy African

negro neck * dictates the choice, and a thin

amply

or dry leaves

suffices for the

defence of craniums

Our ham-

formed rather for butting than for beauty.

mocks are of modest

used

silks

however,
blue.

The

breadth,

cottons, whereas the old factors

and broadcloths

we

shall find

before appearing in state,

something gaudy with red and

cloths are nine feet long

and

at both ends

conveyance together

of rags

coil

by four

small lashings

to five in

draw the

like the old net purse.

passes through these lashings,

and the clews are then

rove tight to pegs inserted into the frond of a

tree

(Raphia vinifera).

This pole

the brittle material often gives way,

the occiput

Madeiran

is

the result

article,

instead of being

nine feet long

which

is

it is

is

it is

bamboo

objectionable

when a bad

fall

better to send for a

on

good

strengthened with iron hooks

weakened by peg-holes.

over

noose

The

pole

is

shipped a fringed or valanced

awning, fortified by three cross laths, and provided with

a running line to

The
*
istic

noisier the

The shortness
features

tilt

it

down on

hammock-men

the side next the sun.

are,

of the pure negro's neck

is

and the more they

one of his most character-

hence he and his female in European

appear high-shouldered.

attire

always

A MISSION TO GELELE.

128

employer

abuse their

in

mother tongue

their

the

better for him.

Beyond

Sogro's place, with

scattered line of lofty

backs the town,

we

Bombax and

issued

view.

The

being burned

down

to

fair

its maize-fields,

upon a

and the

umbrella-trees which

rolling plain,

open and

thick Guinea grass, which

tall

is

before the dry-season sowing, rises

from old ridges that evidence no remote clearing

in

land ever liable to be overflowed with bush like the

waves of the

sea.

The bright leek-green vegetation

of

young herbage stands out gaudily from the black

the

charred stems and the red loam of the ground.

The

road

and

is

excellent, ten to twelve feet wide, sandy,

lately cleared of grass

Indian

file,

it is

mostly women, bearing huge loads lashed to

the usual Yoruba basket.

relieved

is

thronged with carriers in

The monotony

by clumps and groves of palm-tree, which

are stunted in the open,

and which tower

exceeding height, seeking goodly

to

of the surface

in the

bush

and

sun.

light, air,

In other places the palmyra (P. nobilis or Borassus

flabelliformis),

and the oil-palm

(Elrsis

Guineensis),

are scattered like the trees of an English orchard,

all

the latter being numbered, with a view to revenue.*

*

This variety everywhere yields the best palm wine, which

is

supe-

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

The palmyra
"

(locally called cocoa,

cabbage palm")

is

a noble

129

and by Mr. Duncan

tree, useful as

ornamental.

The hard wood makes excellent cabinet-work, and

is

so

durable that after 200 years rafters remain as sound as

when
The

fruit,

Of course

cut.

first

bunch of red and rusty

oranges, but four times the size

edible,

after

nor

bush

barbarously wasted.

which hangs in picturesque corymbs about

the rounded neck, resembles a

still

is

it

hard and stringy,

it is

with a slight flavour of gingerbread, and

fires it

to the finest cider

strews the ground with a faint perbut as the people

fell

Krumen,

the trees like

they are forbidden by a paternal government, which encourages the

growth for exporting

oil,

to

make

it,

except " in the bush."

When

must content themselves with bamboo-wine, which tastes

like soapsuds laced with vinegar. Although one might hardly expect it,
the yield of the cocoa-nut tree is by no means well-flavoured.
The palm, after being felled, is allowed to lie for a couple of days, the
cabbage is removed for food, and in its place a pipe, generally a bit of
papaw-stalk, conducts the sap into the calabash below.
At times, to
make the juice flow more freely, a lighted stick is thrust into the hole,
which is afterwards scraped clear of charred wood. This " toddy" is
the drink of the maritime regions, where it is most impudently watered,
and we shall not taste it beyond the Agrime swamp.
The oil-palm extends from the sea to the north of Agbome, at least
rumless, they

fifty-two direct miles, but

bears fruit twice per

during a wet year.

rains

how much

annum,
The nut

further I cannot say.

It

usually

in six to eight bunches at a time, especially

is

best here

when gathered during

whereas in the Bight of Biafra, at that time

it

the

becomes watery,

is trodden out by both sexes, in canoe-shaped troughs.

The palm oil of Dahome is of excellent quality, and a Mohamed Ali
would soon make the land too rich for slave exporting. But these are

and the yield

negroes.
VOL.

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

130

Here the people, unlike those

fume of the mango.

of

the Congo River, do not draw wine from the palmyra.

When young the head

of the bulging stem

as thick as at the foot, giving to the tree

appearance.

When

full

often twice

is

an inverted

grown, the central and sym-

metrical swell adds, as in the Grecian column, greatly

to its beauty

and

solidity.

In old age,

afar like a

head-tuft,

and appears from

There

music also in the fan-palm

is

it

often loses

huge

its

flag-staff.

flabelliform

its

leaves rustle in the sea-breeze like the rushing of waters

or the pattering of rain

upon thick

foliage

delicious

sounds in a thirsty land.

After a quarter-of-an-hour

we had

crossed a bulge

of grassy ground whose inland counterslope leads

to a

narrow but a dense transverse

and broad-leaved
eatable wild

The

figs.

Bombax,

Here the smell of the hardly

mango mingles with many a

jungle-strip through

baser savour.

which our path winds

be 200 yards in breadth, and

rior

line of bush,

down

is

may

the result of the supe-

humidity diffused by the Agbana water.

marigot runs from east to west.

In May,

This

found

it

thigh deep with brown horsepond lying upon a fetid

black bed of vegetable decay

calf; in February,

it

will

in

December,

it

wets the

show only caked mud, and

PROM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

during the rains

The reader

it will

him * a miniature

The

be troublesome to travellers.

remember

will

facsimile of this country.

we then ascended

another wave of ground, and found on

the

village of

little

thatches

to clear

and

small plantations

the

and the mat huts of

w hich,
r

level ground, placed

outlying

Savi.

tritious farinha,f is the staff of life at

grey

and wilted

form of the insipid and unnu-

in the

Southern Dahome.

the

Mixed with a

of bush, were poor maize

large proportion

cassava,

Another descent led into

in a hollow parallel with the road.

Again a gentle ascent

us amongst

in the

during the inundations, water

thick copse, where,

must run strongly

surface

its flat

Yonu-Pakhon, half buried

plantain-bush to our right.

&

shown

that I have already

marigot was easily crossed ;

foul

131

Whyclah, and in

There are also mangos, plantains, a

Chapter III.

The

Farinha de pao (wood-meal), being exceedinglylike saw-dust.

The History (Introd. p. 4) sensibly remarks, " It is the
cheapest and least nutritious of all the substitutes for bread in the
f

tropical

full

phrase

climates

is

although

country (England), and

is

it

now

has lately been introduced into this

sold by the grocers

and apothecaries at

a high price, as a pretended remedy for consumption, under the

name

of

tapioca." The same words, nearly a century afterwards, will apply to the
Revalenta Arabica, the flour of " Adas," or lentils, which no Egyptian

Fellah will eat

if

he can help

it.

And

yet " this nutritious and deli-

cious food," &c.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

132

few cocoa-nuts, oranges, the African apple growing

almost wild, and orchards of well-trimmed oil-palms.

The sound
for

drumming now halted us

a ceremonious entrance

the sun

my

of

made me

the

when

visiting

form up

two hours before noon

regret the comfortable obscurity of

But "it had

former march.

stools

at

to

traveller

Dahome

to be

Our

done."

must not forget these

articles

were ranged under shady

trees,

and presently the envoys of Akponi, the caboceer, who

is

under the Yevo-gan of Whydah, came out dancing and

taboring a welcome.

We

remounted, and entering

Savi took post under a

tall

but thin-leaved

the most public part of the town,

we

In

ficus.

could see nothing

but " compounds," huts, and hovels of weather-browned

palm-thatch, with here and there a white calico flag

emerging from the bush or the

however,

is

a characteristic

of

fruit

all

trees.*

Dahoman

which are made to look meanest from the road.

grandees,

like

ever liable to be
*

the

summoned

Commander Forbes

Whydah

all

sub-regulus

This,

towns,

The

Chyudaton, who are

H
north, here have " palaces

writes of Savi

the houses are of clay

"It

has one peculiarity:

in Savee, of palm-branches,

in

and

Had he wandered through the town, he would have found

many tenements of the same description as, and some even better than,
those of Whydah.
very low."

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

was shown a

inns.

for

banded with red and blue

containing

fine

133

house of red swish,

pigments, in an enceinte

of conveniences for white travellers,

all sorts

with a detached kitchen, feeding rooms, and sleeping

huts for

44

The aneroid proved

servants.

Whydah town

than

feet higher

that Savi

and we

is

tasted,

the last for a time, the vivifying sea breeze.

"

Savi "

written " Savee " by

Sabec (the latter

Sabi, or

into

is

is

Commander Forbes

probably a misprint, copied

the ^thiopic Directory), by others

by Mr. Norris.*

It

was the ancient

and Xavier,

capital of the

kingdom of Hwe-dah, Fidah, or Whydah, a royaume not

exceeding the principality of Lichtenstein, but provided
with an

army

of 200,000,

Bosman, Barbot, and

Phillips, at

century, dwelt lengthily

and

its

people,

upon

its

the end of the last

wealth,

its

fertility,

wonderful populousness, the rascality

and the

the despot of

dern

not of seventy, soldiers, f

villany of its royal animalculae.

Whydah, upon whose

Dahome seems

* See Preface.

to

of

In

court that of

its

722

mo-

have been modelled, could afford

It is not a little curious that the

map and

graphy of 1772 are still

t In quoting these apparently impossible

the ortho-

copied into our best charts of 1864.

bered that the African

between 18 and 50.

forces, it must ever be rememarmy consists of the whole of the male population
Thus it would be easy to raise 200,000 men from

total of 2,000,000 souls

in Negroland, not in Europe.

A MISSION

134

.TO

GELELE.

to " dash * a half-hundredweight of gold-dust to Captain,

afterwards Sir Challoner Ogle, for capturing off

Cape Lopez, and duly hanging, the

named

in his ship, aptly

separated from

was

its

pirate Roberts,

the " Royal Fortune/'

neighbour,

northern

we

(Ardrah), by a dangerous swamp, which

sently cross.

we must

tectural antiquities
glories

shall pre-

and where the best houses

not expect an approach to archi-

nothing

now remains
we

of Savi; even in a.d. 1772,

the moats of the

Allada

In these lands, where there are neither

streets nor public buildings,

are of swish,

Savi

many European

long trench, with a

tall

of the ancient

are told, only

be traced.

forts could

growth of

was the

trees,

sole

remnant of the palace occupied by the Whydah kings,

whose descendants, even
ancient capital sacred.

their

in

Savi

is

exile,

now a

their,

fine large village,

a market, and a halting-place for travellers

lation has

held

been rated at 4,000, which

its

popu-

would reduce

by one cypher."

Our reception

at Savi

the trouble of repetition.

must be described

At every

village,

save

it will

even w here
T

only two dancers could be mustered, upon us was the

ceremony
*

inflicted.

Advancing

in our

hammocks, which

Mr. Duncan rates the population of " Savay " at 150

souls.

FROM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

were preceded by

men

songs of welcome,

we saw

135

and shouting

capering, firing,

the Caboceer Akponi pre-

pared to receive us in state under the ragged

upon a

tered old white calico umbrella, he sat

block

stool,

supporting

naked

his

He was

feet.

Popo bead,* strung with a human

chiefly decoration,

Our

toilette.

mine
the

tall

Gold-

with a smaller edition cut out of the same

looking senior, in a striped waist-cloth

on

Shaded by a tattered and bat-

the west of the town.

Coast

ficus

seats

my

the rest anywhere.

a single blue

incisor to a thread

represented

the rest

of

his

were ranged opposite the caboceer,

in the centre,

Yewe-nof on

a quiet-

Mr. Cruikshank's on the

left,

right,

the interpreters behind, and

After greetings and compliments,

ensued a ceremony never afterwards

neglected

" King's wife "

chief,

was whispered by the

the

and

fre-

quently she returned with a large calabash, covered by a

drinking cup of the same material,
*

many

full

of pure water.J

dug up in this part of the

Every West African book
have no new information that would justify a detailed

semi-mineral bead of

kinds,

world, and a subject of some discussion.

alludes to

it,

and I

description.
f-

Yewe-no, or God-mother,

i.e.,

God man,

is

the

name taken by

Protestant missionaries, to distinguish themselves from Yodun-no, Fetish-

mother, or Fetish man.

The French seem

to prefer

Mau-no, which

is,

as will be found, equally objectionable.

X

The water on

this road is generally white as milk,

and sometimes

A MISSION TO GELELE.

136

to the interpreter,

De-Adan-de explained
to us, that this luxury

was sent

and

to cool our hearts after the

first

tasted

it,

and we

all

to

who

reported

wash our mouths

The

march.

consisted of a

It

us.

In a thriving

varied with the wealth of the place.

it

The

followed his example.

xenium, or guest-gift, was then placed before

town

officer

huge pot of water, a calabash of

poor palm-oil, and a bowl of purer

stuff,

baskets of

oranges and papaws, boiled maize, beans, and yams,

cooked manioc, " akansan" wrapped

" agidi," " fufu,"

bitter to boot.

The

in leaves, "

and a very tasty pudding,

price,

cankey,"

called " wo/' *

during the dry season, varies from 40 cowries

or one string, to four times that sum, per gallon, in a country where a

man

can feed himself for 120 shells a day.

Akansan is corn (maize), finely levigated by means of cankey stones,

which resemble the " rubstones" of Ireland. Here, as in Europe, the instrument precedes the " quern;" it is the rudest and the most laborious
way of grinding, but the best. The nether stone is a smooth granite
it is
slab, convex behind, and above hollowed into a concavity by use
disposed at an angle, sloping from the grinder, so as to allow the ground
Some 30 to 40 grains of well-soaked maize are
material to fall off.
placed upon it, to be bruised and pounded with a circular stone rubber
or pestle, tapering, for a handle, at both ends.
The housewives work
*

like

painters grinding colours, often stopping to wet the

corn with

water, and they are unpleasant to behold.

The material is then placed

in wallets like cowrie-bags, and during one day is allowed to ferment in
the sun.
It is afterwards mixed with water boiled in country pots, and
laboured till the sediment, which is good for fattening sheep, goats, and
pigs, subsides.
The clearer portion is again strained, and boiled to the
consistency of gruel.
It hardens like blancmange when it cools
and
;

lastly, it is

packed in leaves.

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

A chicken, a fowl, or

137

a goat denote a rich man.

Where

King has palaces the wives forward dishes of palaver

the

sauce, stews of

pork and poultry, rich with the Occro,*

and similar savoury

The return was rum or

dishes.

gin.

Owing, however, to the carelessness of So-kun, our boxes

were hurried forwards, and we were obliged to borrow

liquor

The guides expect a

on the road.

morning and evening when they come to

hammock-men

the

kun's hours

also

the sour

and

So So-

bitter.

This African succedaneum for bread

ferred in hot,

salute,

have a ration of rum.

were duly made

and slightly acidulated

glass every

is

wholesome, nutritious,

and the

damp, and bile-exciting

cooling",

bitter are instinctively preIt is almost

climates.

always

procurable in Yoruba, a few cowries per diem support a man, and if

well made, as by the

women

of

Hausa and the

parts adjoining,

be relished by the traveller after a week's practice.

and drunk,
I cannot

Brass and

it

it

will

Mixed with water

forms a cool subacid drink, suitable for hot weather.

but suspect that the " Akassa Creek," which connects the

Nun

rivers, derives its

name from

Agidi and cankey are coarser

kaji is the smallest

this

"

staff of life."

stuffs
lio is stronger than akansan
and highest-flavoured, and there are other varieties,
;

numerous as our breads. Fufu is mashed yam. " Wo," pronounced

Waw, and by some travellers written Dab-a-dab, or Dabb-adab, is a
kind of hasty pudding, eaten cold a thick pancake of maize or Guinea
corn-flour, mixed with boiling water, and stirred about with sticks till
thickened to the consistency of batter it is then picked out with bits
of gourd, and moulded till cold in a shallow calabash.
We found it by
no means unpalatable, especially when it came from " the palace." The
Dahomans, it will be seen, are anti-Banting, and fond of azymous
as

food.
*

Hibiscus esculentus, in

Whydah called Nye

'un

in

Agbome, Nenun.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

13S

After the offering was given and acknowledged, the

As

dance began.

men

of the fighting

to the capital for the annual " Customs,"

had gone

number found

the largest

was

Whydah, most

at

in

any

village

and

on the route

Dressed in war tunics and armed with

sixteen.

muskets, they were aligned by the master

of cere-

monies, horse-tail in hand, opposite the band, which

rattles,

Chingufu or cymbals, horns,

The

and drums.

"grande

the

prises

usual

of the

consisted

latter, in

caisse,"

band, com-

full

supported between the

performer's legs, and beaten with two clubs a foot and

a half long

the treble to this bass

a tom-tom or

the musician's neck, and tapped

tabor, suspended to

with the hand palm.

There

is

between the two, a drum four to

in diameter,

is

also a connecting link

five feet

long by one

open behind, and supported on bamboo

"

gum

trestles.

The head

is

of a tree,

and

operated upon by means of a stick

it

is

in the right hand,

and

smeared with

in the other a

awon," the

dwarf rattan bow

with a leathern thong, the part applied.

levees

we

shall

the chief's elder wives, mostly

and

all

the King's

meet with other drums.

Amongst the two hundred

spots,

At

spectators were seven of

fat,

one white with leper

clad in simple blue baft.

They passed

TEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

our

to

their

band of four

opposite a branch

seated

presenting

and,

right,

threatened to raise their clothes

and

youngest

were

they

danced

and

otabals,

rattles

by

mincingly,

slightly lifting the

by

joined

presently

whose diminutive

children,

backs,

They performed

upon the ground.

corners,

139-

limbs

the

tottered

over the loose dusty ground.

Meanwhile, the twelve warriors carried us back to

They began with the

the days of the Curetes.

dance," all advancing in line.

the

to

fore,

make

wished to
ting

with

Then one would spring

paddling, stamping, agitating

part of his person

lower

the

above jerking his elbows as

the bones dash together

one raised,

apart,

legs far

turning, brought

" agility

down

to the

on,

call forth

he

and pirouet-

and

after

ground not on

the

toe-tip,

but on the whole length and breadth of the vasty

he would

if

sole,

the general applause of the lookers-

who clapped with

their

palms time

for the

band and

humoured the whims of the performer.

When

perspiration

men

made every

stood and the

lion's hide,

the

the chorus,

which was,
" The

coat shine like a sea-

flesh liveth not

women

without the bone."

sat to sing

A MISSION TO GELELE.

140

This

was worthy of the

part

action, the

was the same time-honoured

head-shaking of the

less

There

Italian opera.

same meaning-

when addressing one

artists

another about nothing, the identical extending and

waving the right arm

no purpose, and the

to

and stand,

able Shakspeare-old stride

being out of Bedlam ever

All

as

progressed in

verit-

human

if

way.

that

was professional as a chorus of peasants

in Son-

nambula.

Akponi then paraded

before

stridingly

men,

his

boasting of his devotion to the King, and his readiness

serve

to

the

Akhosu-Jono,

Coming forward, he
within

my

slave's

interpellated

lands.

If I

(suiting the action to the word),

to fly (fluttering his arms),

if

" King's

the

me.

strangers."
I

was

safe

ordered him to jump

jump he must

he must become a bird

if

told

and

sent beneath the earth (smoothing the dust with his

hand), he must go there.

ridiculous displays,

such

is

Dahomans

delight in these

which are those of the Court, and

the true African's innate vanity, the

King takes

equal pleasure in hearing the absurdest vaunts, whilst

the

most

Hibernian

spouted at him by his

" blarney "

is

most

prodigally

lieges.

The speeches were delivered with immense vehe-

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

mence of voice and gesture

was addressed

question

at

141

times a screaming

to the bystanders,

who

replied

with a loud long-drawn groan of general assent and

At times

applause.

the normal

arms " varied the proceedings.

It

Dahoman "present
was acknowledged by

As

removing the hat and thrice waving the arm.

" decapitation

dance " began, we excused ourselves on

account of the sun, and retired to breakfast.

performance take place at a late hour,

give the chief a rendezvous at one's

evening

for the chorus will

it

is

If the

better to

quarters in the

be followed by a dance,

and the dance by another chorus, and so on

village

the

till

the

can no more.

When

the sun began to slope,

leave of Akponi, the caboceer,

we took ceremonious

who preceded

us with

umbrella and band, whilst the musketeers followed our

hammocks.

few paces over descending ground led

us through the rude market, where a knot of

sat before their baskets of edibles.

women

Then we struck

into

the beginning of the bush (or forest) land, which, with

a few clearings, extends from Savi to Allada

thick that axes

leave the path.

house, ever

it is

so

would be required by those wishing to

We

halted at the De-nun, or octroi-

the entrance and exit of Dahoman, and,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

142

indeed,

was

of

all

at

gates

and entrances.

thin

poles,

under which

commonly appears
of three

From

passes.
feet

square,

the horizontal limb depends a

painted with

St.

red, in black, or in both mixed,

arms meet a cock

crucified,

is

downwards.

As

crucifixes in

Dahome, and

will appear,

whether the Jo-susu

is

it

fall,"

Andrew's

of profit

which

is

It

like

St.

are

is

mat

four

cross

Peter,

road

the

and where the

tricks

in

four

head

played with

impossible to judge

an aboriginal or an imported

The unoffending

idea distorted.

Peter of his

place

by a Jo-susu, or wind-luck,*

denoted

gallery

The

Yoruba towns.

" bird

that warned

appears in public always gagged by a

thong passed between the mandibles and tied behind

the head

a rooster

may crow

in the house, but if he

give tongue on the highway or in the market-place, he

is

confiscated to the "

man.

I could find

custom

:" it is

market master," or to the

no reason

fetish

for the custom, but "

we

probably only an item of the whimsical

perquisites which form part of the plundering system

Jo or Jo-hun means the wind Susu, luck or good fortune. It is

a charm to prevent a bad wind (in the Kisawahili tongue, P'hepo, wind
*

and demon or bad ghost, are synonymous) entering the house, and the
fowl is crucified as a scapegoat.
One was placed by the landlord over
the gate of our house at Agbome, but I " abolished " it.

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

of

all

stretched

is

The

semi-barbarous hierarchical communities.

turnpike

let

143

down

is

universal throughout these lands.

by the

collector across the road,

have paid their cowries.*

till all

A rope

is

and

is

The

octroi

not

not unreasonable,! but most of the market folk being

women, there

always a tremendous

is

and tax-paying,

have

said,

Fetish

clatter.

go together.

We

were

greeted by Ahopanu, the head publican, and the priest,

who presented us with water and two

They

fowls.

apologized for there being no food, and declared that,

expecting us, they had cooked five days ago,

was probably

true.

After leaving the De-nun,

grass,

which

and a

short

we came

to a wall of stiff

descent leading to

Nyin-

the

* Cowries, it

must be remembered, are merchandise, and the price

at present they are abundant, and therefore cheap.
The dollar (4s. 6d.) now buys 2^ heads at Whydah and Agbome, 3 heads
and 20 strings at Lagos and Abeokuta. The head, therefore, once worth
a dollar, whence its name, now represents in Dahome Is. 9^d. and the
string, \\d. and a fraction
whilst 8 cowries are equal to a cent. There
are a number of names for this shell-coin amongst the natives, beginning
with a unit and ending with tens of thousands. Indeed high numbers
can be counted by the natives only with cowrie nomenclature.
f The bullock pays 1 head of Zanzibar " blues," or large cheap cowries
varies accordingly

the goat or sheep 10-15 strings; a basket of a dozen fowls 5-10 strings

a small pot of palm-oil (5 gallons), or a basket of grain (30 lbs.), 5

strings;

whilst

wood and water

Whydah and Godome

every reign.

are not taxed.

are of course different

The port-dues of

moreover, they vary with,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

144

sin* Swamp.
waist deep

now about 150

It is

during the rains

banks are a forest of

and of

it is

upon

coffee-grounds, reposing

mud,

into

right

is

much

and

is

dark as

To the

made with rugged

a corduroy road, rudely

men

avail themselves

the deepest part.

During

practicable

now a

it is

my last visit
better,

little

black

feculent

which the porters sink to mid-calf.

trunks, of which

The

worse.

the water

foul

and

green pandanus,

fern, of light

dull herbaceous shrubs

feet broad,

when

tree

arrived at

was almost im-

it

and somewhat

like

the old " railway " of the western states of the Union
in

February we

find

shall

it

The swamp

repaired.

and again

flows, after rains, out of

into the

Lagoon, thus converting at that time the

modern Whydah town

known

This was

to

into

the

Whydah

site

of the

"continental island/'

old mappers, who, however,

have either made the northern arm of the lake stream

too considerable,

or that feature has in the lapse of

time greatly shrunk.

as

a pretty

Mr. Norris (1772) speaks of

deep and rapid

numerous elephants, and

over with
hurdles,
* This

wooden

piles,

river,

with shelter for

in old times

it

covered with

was bridged
faggots

and

and annually repaired.

is

in the old

Whydah

it

language, at present not intelligible.

PEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

145

The Nyin-sin swamp, which separates the old king-

dom

of

Allada,

Whydah from
is

its

northern neighbours, Toli and

The

a historical feature.

last

king of Savi

was Kufon, the Boabdil of his country ; he had ascended

the throne at the age of eighteen,

and he had speedily

sunk into an effeminate and bloated debauchee.

1708,
civil

when

war

the old king died, there

especially the chiefs,

had been

demoralised by coast
plebeians
soldiers

life,

killed

fled,

and

others,

for years the race,

had shunned arms, and only

would consent

Whydah was

had been a great

many had

for the succession,

In

to

be generals over slave-

thus ripe for the gathering.

The warrior King, Agaja Dosu of Agbome,

after

taking Allada with dreadful slaughter in 1724,* deter*

The

earliest sketch of

Dahome

from Mr. Bulfinch

is

Lamb

a letter dated

Abomey, November

Lambe), agent at Allada for

the English African Company, addressed to Mr. Tinker (not Tucker) the

27,

1724,

(or

commandant of the English fort, Whydah. The capture of Allada is

graphically, and in the main faithfully, described and Commander Forbes
;

found
No.

1,

Mr.

and truthful that he reprinted it in his Appendix,

from the end of " Smith's New Voyage to Guinea" (1745).

it

so curious

Lamb

quitted

Agbome about

April, 1726.

According

to

Captain

by the King's order, a Jackin negro, named

Tom, who had been made prisoner at Allada, and who, speaking English,
was sent to see England, and to bring back a report for the King's ears.
Instead of this he sold Tom to a gentleman in Maryland. Then hearing

Snelgrave, he took with him,

King had promised to him a shipload of

Tom's master to give him
England in 1731.

in Antigua, in 1728, that the

slaves if he

up,

came back

in time, he persuaded

and returned with him

VOL.

I.

to

A MISSION TO GELELE.

146

mined

to subjugate

Kufon contented himself

Whydah.

with declaring that he would turn his

menial

enemy

Whereupon Agaja attacked

slave.

into a

the northern

provinces of

Whydah, which were under the hereditary

government

of

The

a great caboceer called " Appragah."*

latter applied for assistance to head-quarters,

enemies at court caused him to be ignored

weak defence he submitted

to

and

after a

Dahome, who received

him kindly and presently restored him

to his pos-

sessions.

Agaja then encamped upon the northern edge of

Nyin-sin swamp.

He had no

boats, his

army could

this

pass

the river only by fording, and even this was impracticable except at the present path,

men

could

where 500 resolute

have repulsed a host.

The infatuated

Whydahs, however, instead of defending

line,

their frontier

were contented to place with great ceremony

Danh, the

fetish snake, Dan-like, in the path.

was too late to revisit Africa after live years, Lamb forged
a letter from the King of Dahome to George II., and made Tom Dahoman
ambassador, under the name of Prince Adomo Oroonoko Tomo. " Prince
Tom " was a great success till Captain Snelgrave ridiculed English credulity, the King's letter was declared supposititious by the Lords of
Trade, and the slave- ambassador was sent back to his own country,
"where, no doubt, he made an advantageous report of the sagacity and
Finding

it

penetration of our countrymen."

* I

can learn nothing of this word, which occurs in the History.

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

Agaja had

retired

the field

force, leaving

latter seeing

army under

whole

to levy his

The

his general.

only a snake to oppose progress, ordered

200 resolute fellows

crossed

upon Allada

147

They not only

to try the ford.

unimpeded, but were able to penetrate into

it

the capital.

The outguards
3 p.m., and

of the

town were

asleep,

when they were awakened by

and sounds of martial music,

Dahoman army had passed

all

fled,

The massacre

the river.

to

the English

their

way

gods and the

tombs were deluged with the blood of 4000

Kofun, however, and

men.

the shouting

crying that the

rivalled that of Allada, the altars of the

ancestral

being

it

fort,

many

Whydah,

of his train, escaped

after

which they found

to the islands near Popo.

Thus Savi and Whydah,

in the beginning of

March,

1727, became part of the empire of Dahome.

Crossing the Nyin-sin swamp, which requires five to
fifteen

minutes, according to the state of the bridge,

we

found ourselves once more on a solid path of red sand,

rising regularly to

of thin

palmyra

we looked

in

a country of bush, of clearings, and

forest.

The sun began

vain for shade, which

rendered impossible.

The

termites

to burn,

and

the broad road

arborum showed us
L 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

148

hanging

their large nests

huge black wens from the

like

white throats of the trunks and boughs.

After crossing

another serration of thick strong bush,

and wild
whose

sole

Water

it

is

we

fell

into a densely

found

in last

May and

so will

June, however,

its

neighbour.

in the land

was a mixture

it

us

(140

rise

thickest part of the

were,

filthy

of steps

upon whose summit a loud drumming and

that

terminus of the stage

we

and

Then began a regular ascent

singing informed

decided

Toli

be in Feb-

it

of peat-bog and of horsepond, almost as black

as

descent,

and charred

fetish huts

almost dry

it

wooded

by the Adangwin * or

occupied

was approached by

We

trees.

ruary

trees,

grass walls,

tall

Toli.

town
led

where we found the

"

lies

the

The aneroid denoted a

from Savi.

feet)

however,

we were approaching

The best and

to the east of the road

round the western suburbs,

corrobory

"

in

full

force,

and

tree.

The

not a few of the performers " unco' fou."

There were two umbrellas under a shady

blue belonged to a silver-armletted f caboceer,

*

This

is also

in the old

Whydah

Ahwan-

tongue.

t These are made of dollars beaten out thin, hollow cylinders, half a
foot long, fastened with hooks and holes, with plain surfaces or with
grotesque figures.
the

Most of them are made at Agbome

that they are of European

human heads upon them,

some show, by
origin.

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

ho, or "

war

belly,"

a blear-eyed senior hard to deal with,

King Gezo's ancient

as are all

a dark,

fat,

The white was

officials.

and reputed

of "Wubikha, junior governor,

friend:

149

to be our

smiling, "jolly" individual, with

a loose pig-tail of white cotton threads, each rove on to

one of his

many

necklaces of beads and coral, and

hanging half way down his spine.

seats before the
chiefs,

with the

fingers

the circle lengthened into an oval, broken where

women were

singing at the opposite end.

some peculiarity
usual

band and snapped

As we took our

way by

in the dance,

the two

There was

which was opened

governors.

Came

in the

the black-

smith * bringing his anvil, and holding with pincers the

hot iron which he had been
the bullets with
war,

which

and capered with

The

above his head.

and they cannot

is

missiles

and

all

were badly-fitting
facets

is

in the hand,

they must

not an object of superstition

the King's Huntoji or silversmith.

common

African type, the

and the grindstone

is

the article "with which the English

bits
fly

Then rushed up the

hit hard.

ments are rude in the extreme; the anvil

bellows are of

he showed us

his craft-instruments held high

The blacksmith in these lands

highest craftsman

master was preparing for

his

of cut bar, subcircular,

wide,

hammering

is

the

The instru-

a half-buried rock, the

hammer

is

a cone of iron held

a bit of fine close granite, shaped like

mower whets

his scythe.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

150

saw and plane

carpenter,

and danced with

his

in hand,

tools

en

made an

address,

Followed the

Vair.

elephant hunters, braves, with blackened frontispieces

the bards,

who

are also captains

performed rather prettily

and the women, who

compared with

the chorus gave us a taste of

its

Lastly,

Savi.

After half-

quality.

an-hour we bowed to the caboceers, and escorted by

Wubikha, who promised the

evening,

we

retired

rest of the ballet in the

from the sun.

Toli, also written Tollee, Toree,

was

in old times

an independent state measuring about

four leagues in circumference.

w ere
T

Africa

and by Barbot Tony,*

Kingdoms

not unlike those of England

numbered 16 of E. Saxons, 14 of
1 7 in

Kent

days of
It

is

and kings are

St. Patrick,

now

in this part of

E. Angles,

like those of

when 200 were

when

she

and

Ireland in the

killed in

one

battle.

impossible to find the site of " Foulan or

Foulaen, the seaport or principal town of the Torry

country, seated on the Torry river, which runs almost
east

and west

to Great

Popo."

The

latter

feature,

however, can be nothing but the Adangwin

swamp,

which, after nearly two centuries of

*

Barbot (Book 4) gives a

of its independence.

fair

account of this

filling

little

up,

is

now

place in the days

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

Possibly,

stagnant.

Dahome

the land.

during

already

coast, the

Toli

my

also,

has lately
short

now a

The

position, at the

of the terminal

fall

it

an earthquake, and

felt

is

the interior

is

fully

excels in population.

little

head of a plateau, with

to the south,

is

dawn the thermometer showed 70

is

West African

hardly to be recognised.

large market

equal to Savi, which

be upheaval in

stay on the

shore about Accra

is

may

there

151

its fine

beautiful,

view

and

The

deg. (F.)

at
air

said to be unusually healthy.

We

found lodgings at the house of Antonio Dosu,

known

as

Dosu Yevo, or the

he was lying

ill

with Guinea

" after-twin white

worm

at

man

Whydah, and

establishment was not in a flourishing condition.

flibbertygibbet,

Richard Dosu, his

son, soon

we

It

was the merriest

see

the end of the

evening

spent

perhaps during the whole of our stay

at Bahia.

in

on the

Dahome.

name of a boy born after twins he is called

man,
from
having been educated in a civilised manner
white

Dosu

Yevo, or

want of

we were conducted by

Wubikha, the good-tempered, to

march

The

resolved to pass the night at Toli.

After the event of the day,

dance.

his

brought us

the necessaries for dinner, and being in no

time,

v*
:

is

the general

A MISSION TO GELELE.

152

Dr.

M'Leod would have compared

devils

in
"

and witches

as witnessed

Halloway Kirk."

to the " revelry of

it

by poor Tarn 0' Shanter

confess

to

have

enjoyed the

All the best-looking

demoniac scene."

were

girls

straw hats, with breast-cloths girt

habited in men's

crosswise to imitate the soldieresses of the capital, and

arias

them took wonderful

attention to

little

but

were simple

form any

whom

minima

Europe

all

node

contentos

and

could

re-

save that of the Gran' Maestro

recitative

on

Verdi,

harmonious,

The

effect.

delights

Britannos.

beyond

the

And when we

clapped palms to the measure, the buoyant gaiety of

the caboceers

knew no bounds

The

phrenesis.

chiefs

placed

hands as a

call to

must

see the novelty,

first

The

it

became a manifesta

their

weapons

to

crisis

we passed

our servants,

on,

as

is

by the

the

who performed

was when double

flasks of gin

were presented to the danseurs and the danseuses

retired deafened

our

in

dance, but explaining that the King-

custom, the knives

vicariously.

we

The tough nerve and the

din.

hard brain of the negro find excitement only in the

loudest

and

shrillest

England, who, at

sounds

all

he

is

like the children in

times delighted with blowing off

powder, will grease the gun's muzzle to increase the

FEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA,

153

What causes headache and cerebral fatigue

report.

white man, only

After sunrise

titillates

we

to the

the callous African sensoria.

set out

down a path

en route to Azohwe, our resting-place.

around which there are great

fires

ten feet wide,

Beyond

Toli,

before planting for

the rainy season, grass disappeared except in the clear-

There were traces of cardamoms in the dense

ings.

bush

the shrubs and

tall

trees

Hardly had we

which promised a cool march.

when we were stopped by

town,

drumming, singing, and capering

morning

air

sing

so

dawn- wine

lovingly.

plantation on our
leaves,

four

in the

the

left

fetish

men,

raw clammy

the exercise appeared as inappropriate to

the hour as that "

poets

formed deep lanes

left,

" of

There was a pretty maize

with a

tall

fence of matted palm-

and a door of the same

narrowed from ten

feet

which the Persian

material.

to three,

The road

and assumed the

semblance of the noble natural avenues that beautify

the lower parts of Fernando Po.
softer

Nothing could be

and more picturesque than the contrast of the

white spars with the twisted spiral creepers

On

diet

nothing

we afterwards found them in flower and fruit the

Dahome, and, as will be seen, forms part of the King's

the Toffo road

latter is eaten at

tall

on campaigns.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

154

could be more delicate than the transparent lacery and

filigree

the upper

of

milky blue background of

out from

picked

foliage

the

heavenly vault that

the

own

lent to the verdure a portion of its

The

azure.

shadow of the smallest shrub purpled the earth with a

lovely distinctness,

and the play of

made a study

the forest

fit

light

and shade

Claude Lorraine.

for

After

the normal stage, which never exceeded six miles,

reached a

little

market-place

approached by a decided

showed but a

called

fall,

Azohwe

although

it

the

in

we
was

aneroid

trifling descent.

Azohwe, the half-way house between Toli and Allada,

derives

its

name from a man who

days of Agaja the Conqueror.

the

way showing

clay,

and

market

and
it

it is

is

ruled there in the

on the

It lies

left

a few thatches above a wall of red

everywhere

girt

by a noble

The

forest.

held outside the settlement under the

fetish trees that

form

was poorly attended.

the people, and

of

its

We

approach

at that

ficus

hour

were kindly received by

an old woman from English Town,

Whydah, made us exceedingly

comfortable.

After

breakfasting in a cool hut, and enduring the necessary

amount of dancing and drumming, drinking and wasting powder,

we bade adieu

to

Azohwe.

FBOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

The

became a lane of shrubbery with the

road

brightest

155

and

red

flowers,

blue,

and

pink

governed here and there by a queenly white

saw none of the " blossoms of the

which

butterflies,

the

human

habits in these lands

yellow.

animula,
;

We

lily.

the gorgeous

had admired before the

were modest white and

typifies

air,"

yellow,

rains

all

The animal which

strange bad

acquires

no one would sing "

I'd

be a

butterfly," after disturbing one of its repasts.

Ensued sundry long

flats

and well-wooded

ascents,

terminating in a large grass clearing, which, here and

there patched with palms, bush,

we were

and

forest,

entering an extensive place.

cried

Do-ddo

fetish

sheds

at

showed that

At noon we

a cleanly swept De-nun, where

swarmed.

We

were

welcomed

with

water and provisions by the well-meaning old publican

So-kun Do-gan, who brought in person a carafon of

muscadel wine for ourselves, and a bottle of gin for
those thirsty souls, our attendants.

About the bad habits of these "butterfly schools," see Mr. Duncan,
I. p. 209.
He clapped his hat upon the heap, and secured fifty to
sixty of all sorts and colours.
f Let down (the hammock), opposed to Zeiji, raise it up But Dedde
Dedde means softly like the Fanti " Bleo." The monosyllabic verb
Yol.

Dahoman when repeated, seems

e.g. Do
Do becomes Doddo

in

to reduplicate the

middle consonant,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

156

After force complimens

the

traversed

maize

we resumed hammocks and

plantations

on our

were

left

detached houses and long palaver sheds, dark verandahs

formed by the thatched eaves.

few minutes took

us to the great square, a copy in parvo of the grande

place at
trees

The parallelogram had

Agbome.

and

huts,

fetish

scatters of

and on the south-west was a

Singbo* or double-storied tenement of red

five

shuttered windows over the royal gateway.

out of

Whydah,

is

a royal style of abode, and

permitted to strangers or

compound appears
as

clay, with

usual,

it

women and

to be

cannot

be

to

At

is

not

The palace

subjects.

a mass of bush and palm

entered, because the King's

female slaves occupy

sedulously closed.

This,

it,

and every gap

is

the north-west end, under the

normal shed projecting from the palace

umbrellas, light blue, dark blue,

and

wall,

were three

white, denoting

the several dignities of the owners.

In compliment to the royal abode we were carried

three times round the square, a large and noisy band
following

* Singbo,

my hammock.

Then dismounting, we

Singbo-men or Singbo-eji, are terms applied

storied buildings, as, e.g., the forts at

of

Commander

Forbes.

Whydah. Hence

ex-

to all double-

the "

Simbome"

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

157

changed greetings with the acting chief caboceer, the

He was

Menjo-ten.*

a fine middle-aged

colleagues wearing brass.

silver bracelets, his

the Tunisian decorations,

like

He

rank.

is

man

show the

These,

differences of

and he

said to be friendly to the English,

certainly proved himself so

with

Remark-

on that occasion.

ing the extreme solar heat, he led us at once to the

house of the old Meu, four bare walls apparently converted

into

Here we

a caravanserai.

definitively

had

learned, to the general sorrow, that all our boxes

by the

been,

guide, carried

stupidity or

on to the

Menjo (man born), Ten

rascality

English

the

of

capital.

His principal

(in the place).

is

the

Ak-

pulogan.

Dahoman names and

In
occur

titles

the following terminations mostly

Men (with peculiarly

men, and Agbo-men.

nasalN", sounding like

In

many

local

and thus corresponds with the Ni

dialects, e.g.,

Kilima-ni,

Mfu

names

(in) of

it

"me") "in," asDanh-hoappears almost pleonastic,

the Kisawahili and East African

'u-ni.

-no, mother, carrier, master of, etc.

-nun, mouth, side, man.

'Si,

from Asi, a wife.

-ten, prefix or affix, in the

Also -gon,

e.g.,

place,

e.g.,

ten-che-men, in

place.

Atto-gon, monkey's place.

-to [taw), father, or

" he who does,"

e.g.,

wu-to, he

who

-ton (with nasal n), belonging to, e.g., Beecham-ton-e,

property.
-vi,

my

a child, the son

of.

kills.

it is

Beecham's

A MISSION TO GELELE.

158

Allada

is

The

R.f

lambdacism,

of

instance

by older authors Ardrah,* another

called

Aratakassu or Alatakassu.

It

is

L and

the

EssaamJ and

gives

Directory

Ethiopic

the

confusing

the ancient capital

In the oldest authors, Bosman and Barbot, it is called Great

Ardrab, and is placed at the distance of sixteen leagues from its port,
Little Ardrah, or Offra, with which it was connected by a good and
The latter is clearly our modern "Porto Novo" New
spacious road.
Haven which the Yorubas call "Ijashe," and the Popos " Hwebonu."
*

Hence some

Mr. Norris (1772), make Ardrah, or Assem, on

So Commander
"
Ardrah,
speaks
whose
capital
of
Allahdah still
12)

writers, as

the Lagoon, and Ardrah, or Alladah, in the interior.

Forbes (Yol.

I. p.

remains."

"Porto Novo" proper is the old "beach" or port of Hwebonu, and

mentioned in the History. It lies four to five miles from its main
town, and was rebuilt by M. J. D. Martinez. We have blunderingly
is

transferred its name to the chief settlement on the Lagoon.

Unless read
by this light, the History will in places for instance, the troubles between Allada (Porto Novo) and Dahonie, in 1786 be unintelligible.
j- The Popos and Dahomans have the same lallation as the Chinese,
who call rum " lum." So the Genoese confuse the sounds in the word
"gloria," and the Neapolitans transpose the letters, as Galibardi for

Garibaldi.
%

long account of Allada, and description of the state and dignity of

Book

the king, are given by Barbot,

description from hearsay.

We

4,

Chap.

II.

But he derived

built houses, the fine gardens, the cavalry,

and other such

details.

kings, however, appear to have been comparatively civilised.

or Tezy,

and

was educated

at S.

his

can hardly accept the spacious and well-

Thome, with a tincture of

at the age of seventy he sent one D.

extraordinary to the Court of France.

The

Alkeny,

Christianity,

Matteo Lopez as his ambassador

From Barbot we

also learn that

about 1700 the Moslems were so powerful at Allada, that their great

"Marabou

" had the privilege of seeing the king night and day.

enables us to explain

Greater (town).

Essaam

or

Assem by the Arab,

i.e

Aazem

This
or the

FBOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

159

kingdom somewhat larger than Whydah, bounded

of a

on the north by the Agrime swamp, and southwards

by

The Dahomans look upon

Toli.

The king does not

as the cradle of their race.

his

own

palace of swish

stool of his ancestors in

with reverence

it

till

build

he has sat on the sacred

Allada House, and has been

invested with a fine silk coat, which completes his inauguration."

The

tradition touching Allada,

books,

but

this,

is

is

and

known
it

to every

boy

how

the

explains

two Ardrahs arose.

which

About

wealthy king of Allada

property to his three sons.

the kingdom,

in

error

and

died,

making

left

his

These agreed that the

eldest should reign in his father's stead,

in peace

of

1620, an old and

a.d.

proper

not found in

is

which he

did,

and prosperity, under the name of Allada

'Khosu, or

King

of Allada.f

"De," the youngest, or

some say the second, rounded the Upper Nohwe or

Denham Waters

of our charts,

and founded Hwebonu,

which we have since known as Little Ardrah and Porto

Novo.
*

Hence the Dahoman king

still

The History mentions this ceremony (p. 227).

King is not yet duly " crowned."

As

calls

him of

will be seen, the

present

t This explains the Alatakassu of the Directory, a confusion between

the King's title and the name of the place.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

160

Hwebonu

" brother/'

doonou of our

swamp,

The cadet Dako

histories)

went north, crossed the Agrime

Uhwawe," and

settled at a place called "

correctly,

History
"

was

less

Hawowi,* between Kana and Agbome, where

Adan-we palace was afterwards

the

(the " Tacoo-

built.

Hence the

us that " the original capital of

tells

Dahome

Dawhee,"f between the towns of Calmina (Kana)

and Abomey,

at

about ninety miles from the

sea

coast."

Uhwawe

belonged to a chief named Awesu,

Dako,

allowed the ambitious stranger to settle there.

powerful,

encroached upon a

named Danh,

the Snake or Rain-

by degrees becoming
neighbouring kinglet,

bow.

As

who

his followers greatly increased in

number,

and he was ever asking more ground from Danh, the

latter exclaimed, in

my

belly

"

wrath, " Soon thou wilt build in

Dako bided

his time, slew the king,

and

erected over his corpse the old palace of Dahome,J

* It lies

on both

Which some

and the people are

Dahomans.

sides of the road,

race from the Ffons proper or

still

a distinct

writers, e.g., the author of the Preface to the History,

have determined, much against

Africanus, corrupted in Plancius'

its

map

Dauma of Leo
" Dauina," and misprinted by

grain, to be the
to

Commander Forbes " Dauna,"

The legend may

arise from the name ; one suspiciously like it (and

these things can hardly happen in pairs) will presently be found in the
%

FKOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

"in Danh's (or the Snake's) belly."
Ffons *
thus,

changed

name

their

to

1G1

Hereupon the

Dahomans

and

about 1625, arose the once great military empire

familiar to the ears of Europe.

The kingdoms of Dahome and Allada were

word Agri-go-men.

The " History

of

Dahomy "

friendly,

explains the word by

"The house in Da's belly," remarking in a note, " The belly, in the
Dahoman tongue, is homy." But the nasal n and the terminal aspirate
in Danh are sensible.
Moreover the English slur at the end of Homy
is

here inadmissible.

The word Ho, " venter'' is articulated with the guttural Arabic Ha (-)
sometimes, though erroneously, confounded with the Spanish Jota, whieli
is the Semitic Kha (1).
Ho-men (stomach in) means the ilia. Thus the
full compound word would be ~Da.n\i-ho-m.en (meaning either " Danh's
intestines," or "In Danh's belly").
The people prefer the latter.
This nasal n being unmanageable, both to reader and printer, I discard
it for "Dahome."
The public, however, is requested to pronounce
Dah-ome like Ashan-ti instead of Dahomy and Ashanli. The Portuguese, who are weak at gutturals, get over the Semitic Ha by changing
it into a g,
" Dagome."
1

The History informs us that the Dahomans were formerly called

word to Fohi, Fay, and
Fouin. It is clearly derived from Ffon, which some write Ffun and
Efun, the old national name for the Dahoman and his language.
I am
unable to state whether it has a common derivation with the so-called
Efong people of Kakanda, living between Yoruba Proper and the Niger
and Kwara rivers. What makes me suspect a mysterious and forgotten
connection is the prevalence of the Afa practice (see Chap. XII.) in
Dahome, which arose in Ife of Kakanda ("Wanderings in West Africa.
Abeokuta. Chap. V.). Ffon must not be confounded with Efiitii, the
language of a single tribe, Winnebah, on the Gold Coast. Those writers
are in error who call the Dahoman tongue " Ewe."
% In their vernacular, Da^h-Ao-men-nun is a Dahome man, a Dahoman. The word Dahome is applied first and primarily to the old palace
Foys, and other authors have changed the

secondly, to the capital,

VOL.

I.

Agbome

thirdly, to the whole empire.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

162

as

became brethren,

of

God

till

in these regions, resolved to

the interior to the sea.

allusion has

of that

1724, when Agaja, the Scourge

war

open a road from

Mr. Bulfinch Lamb, to

whom

been made, described, in his short account

(" that resulted in the capture of

Ardrah,

of which he was an unwilling witness"), the savage

power and
" shut

up

Being

state of the conquering northerner.

in a house

by the king and old Blanco,

as

man narrowly

soon as the cry of war came," the white

escaped the death which hundreds found in the flames.

fellow hauled

him over the

wall,

and he was carried

through the town to the king's quarters, where the

general was, and though that officer was in a great
hurry,

and flushed with

victory,

kindly by the hand, and gave

some comfort
" there

had

it

to

was no

him."

he took the stranger

him a dram, "which was

When

Mr.

Lamb went

stirring for bodies without heads,

rained blood,

it

out,

and

could not have lain thicker on

the ground," whilst the slaves were being counted by

giving a " bouge " * to each.

After this he was led

corruption of the Portuguese "buso," cowrie.

by Mr. Lamb and

40 Bouges

=
5 Toky

his contemporaries for

1

Toky

Gallinha (because

(or Told), i.e.,

measures of

The names used

shells, are

was the price of a

responding with our " bunch."
it

a string.
fowl), cor-

EEOM WHYDAH TO ALLADA.

by the conqueror

been a poor-spiritecl thing

confinement, and he

woman,

he whines,

appears to have
curlike,

about his

not ashamed to write to the

is

Whydah,

English governor at
off

He

to the capital.

163

" If there

is

any

cast-

either white or mulatto, that can be per-

suaded to come to this country, either to be the king's

wife or else practise her old trade, I should gain His

Majesty's heart entirely by

anything

with more white

One

my

say about

men from

of Agaja's " strong

it,

and he would

believe

going and returning again

the Company." *

names " or

Kho, or Lord of Allada.

titles

Allada

is

The town, however, once

said to be nine miles round, never recovered after the

dreadful slaughter of

its

inhabitants, and, unlike

dah, quietly submitted to incorporation with

It is

now a

than

Toli,

Allada
is

and a

is

well situated on a platform,

4 Ackeys
*

is

=
=

in

West

which the white

(negro)

and

its
is

climate
said to

Ackey, then worth

2s. Gd.

Grand Cabess

Cabeca or head), worth 10s.

(i.e.,

a pleasant money, requiring a

Even

more important

Drinking water

comparatively salubrious.

It

village

Dahome.

but nothing more.

5 Gallinhas

in

large market,

Why-

man

to carry 11.

Africa the new American doctrine of miscegenation,

woman must succumb to the "splendours of imperial

manhood," though

afc

times practised by the vilest of slavers,

has been ever generally despised.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

461

be procurable, after half-an-hour's walk, from a deep

"

hollow to the east and south-east

plentiful,

The

stranger, however,

the

obtain ro}r al permission to visit

Nohwe

only

but sweeter and clearer than any found between

Whydah and Agbome.

probably

not

is

it

fail.

There

Denham

or

may

place,

must

and

will

be a stream flowing to the

Waters, but the mysterious fetish

town, buried in the bush, and hidden from white eyes,

is,

I think, a fiction of the

Allada

is

English

Whydah.

fort,

the Tours or the Sienna of Dahome, where

the purest Ffon

is

At Agbome

spoken.

and gutturals are exaggerated, the

colder climate

and a more rugged

may

be attributed to the

sequent languor of the seaboard.

as

may

patois.

be imagined, there

A Whydah man

is

will

perhaps, of a

effect,

land.

Whydah, on

contrary, unduly softens the articulation

this

the aspirates

damp
At

the

as in Egypt,

heat and conthe port town,

a debased European

"Nao

tern

presents,

and

say to you,

cowries pour choppy choppy."

The evening concluded with the usual

dancing on a very small
their

hence

scale.

The caboceers

polish

of

joined

these

barbarians,

compared with our poor churlish clowns.

The small

boys,

slaves,

the

armed with sabre de

bois,

the

v\ivav ^axaipav

FKOM WHYDAII TO ALLADA.

amongst

mingled

their

dance was
people,

and no

wards,

we

very

antics,

all

sans

elders,

mauvaise honte, the Britannic

shyness

As

curse.

excellent

or

the

usual,

Few

fooling.

Six weeks after-

warriors, appeared.

learned

16.3

a large body of male and

that

female soldiery, marching to attack Jabatan, a frontier

town, were lurking behind the palace walls.

The night was calm,

ceedingly heavy dew.

clear,

and

During the day, the trees had

and the sky speckled by

been blackened

reddish bats,* swarming like gnats or

chirp of these

modern

flies.

flights

of

The queer

and the melodious

pterodactyles,

awoke us

(jazoirillement f of birds in the brake,

earliest

with an ex-

cool,

at the

dawn.

Captain Phillips notices bats the size of a blackbird at Savi.

abound between

Whydah and Agbome

They

at the latter place they always

ilew from north to south over our heads about

an hour before sunset.

The Egbas have a distinct word for fruit eaten by bats, showing that
the animal extends through Southern Yoruba.

two feet across the wings, and

is

It is a fine large species,

very lengthily described by Mr. Duncan,

129131.
f This is a French word, but I cannot help it let reviewers say what
they will. The sound of z in the song of West African birds is salient
our insipid " warbling " is tolerable and not to be endured. I distinctly
Vol.

I.

pp.

deny that English or any other language contains

shades of expression
is

and

familiar to us as in the times of

ondemned

for

all

the desirable

why, in these days, when French

William the Conqueror, we should be

I cannot see

borrowing from

it.

"Hot your

Italianos;

simple English ballad," appears to underlie the feeling.

I loves

CHAPTER

VI.

FROM ALLADA TO AGRIME.

Early on December

path.

little

16th,

we were walking

to the north of Allada,

and

the wet

to the left

of the road, lies almost buried in grass, under a tall

the so-called " battery,"

tree,

They are

guns.

a row of twenty-eight

and much out of

"all dismounted,

kelter:" fifteen are ships' swivels, the others are long

carronades, rusty and
resting

the

upon rough

neglected, with

logs.

Dahomans have made,

carriages.

finer

The

firing

am

the more curious as

told, tolerable

gunwell

the sides, alternately grassy and bushy,

had been burnt during the

were

is

muzzles

The cleared and open highway was

travelled over

This

their

" dries,"*

and the maize-crops

than those nearer the

month

is

sea.

The under-

February, when the conflagrations sometimes

scorch and scathe the lower houghs of the gigantic trees.

The operation

seems here, as in Fernando Po, to enliven them, and a brighter green

follows the injury.

PEOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

growth of herbaceous

plants

unpierceable, reminded

me

After a fair stretch of

level,

house/' called Atto-gon

Atto,

the Monkey,

gave

culine

the

forest

Gaboon country.

arrived at a " halfway

Monkey's

water, oranges, papaws,

fowls

rendering

of the inner

we

167

Place.

us the

The

old chief,

muddy

customary

and lean but exceedingly tough

here, as in Eastern Africa, the

aged and mas-

are preferred, as having a higher flavour and

offering harder

work

to the masticators.

Another short hour through a denser jungle than

before, with occasional clearings, wdiere the sun,

had dispersed the

Henvi Asinhwi

at
is

related that

mists, broiled our backs,* placed us

Henvi

of the

to his

grief,

on

Henvi

this

spot,

messenger arrived and recalled him

Leaving the dead to bury

"

memoriam.

little village

Henvi of the hand-clapping "

It is

to the right

The open country near Allada

to be

a very small market upon,

only a single pair of warrior

*

halted

left

It

he smote his palms together in token of

and ordered

built in

and a

mother's funeral.

their dead,

hand-clapping.

when Agaja$ the Conqueror,

proper to attack Whydah, he

then a " bush."

which

is

of,

the road.

we

dancers appeared,

the hottest part of the

a sensible relief to plunge into the forest.

Though

march

it is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

1G8

were obliged by

and

to receive

descend from our hammocks,

civility to

from the chief Atakpa the customary

gifts.

we entered Hen-vi

After another mile

child "

heart wider than

It is

as

" blind travellers "

and our

Hawee

or Havee.
capital,

fetish-house

its

its

gates.

Henvi Do-vo (vaw), or Henvi the Red-

walled,

Like
it

all

has

somewhat

in

have corrupted

it

to

those towns between Allada

its

tattered " palace," and a

preservation.

better

and surrounded by giant

tolerable-sized village,
it

Hold the
it is

known

and the

"

so called because, like Sienna in Tuscany,

supposed to open
also

trees,

looked pleasant and cool, though the sky was bathed

in the

burning light of the tropical sun.

market, but the water

is

bad and

dear,

There

is

and provisions

are so scarce that the price of the leanest chicken

two

shillings.

There

is,

brought from the bush.

is

however, tolerable palm- wine

At Henvi

sets off the north-

western road, which, when the Agrime

leads to the capital

it is,

swamp

is

bad,

as will be seen, longer, but

easier.

We

placed our stools next a tree opposite the large

gateway of the royal abode, and were entertained with

the usual dance.

Here, however, there was something

FROM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

of novelty,

the

appearance.

first

The

of the "

169

Amazons " made

four soldieresses were

their

armed with

muskets, and habited in tunics and white calottes, with

two blue patches, meant for

manded by an

old

woman

green waistcoat, a white

cloth,

the dance

put on

shirt,

and a sash of white

a man's straw hat, a

in

good King Dagobert

of the

They were com-

crocodiles.

like the

d Venvers

breeches

a blue

waist-

The virago directed

calico.

and song with an ironed

ferule,

and her head

was shaded, by way of umbrella, with a peculiar shrub,

called

on the Gold Coast " God's Tree."*

The few men

showed us some attempts at tumbling and walking

upon their hands.
abnormal

size,

Two

of the

nearly six feet

breadth, whilst generally the

breasted, round-limbed,

women

tall,

dancers were of

and of proportional

men were

smooth,

and effeminate-looking.

on the other hand, was the

size of the

full-

Such,

female skeleton,

and the muscular development of the frame, that

many

cases femineity could be detected only

have no doubt that

in

by the

this physical superiority

bosom.

of the "

working sex/' led in the Popo and Dahoman

Tammi Dueh.

Its prickly

stem throws

off at the

summit three

leafy shoots; the old Portuguese utilized this vegetable hizarrerie as

St.

Patrick

is

said to have done with the shamrock.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

170

race to the employment of

porters,

and

Gallegos, the field hands,

of the nation,

why should

and market

for

men

lectual, whilst

the latter show a

the former

cattle

they not also be soldiers

In other matters they are by no means

meet

They

as fighters.*

domestic servants, the ploughboys, and the

the

are

women

is

dawn

companions
of the intel-

purely animal

bestial.

Hence, according to some, the inordinate polygamy of

the race.

After breakfasting in the house of a good old man,

one of the local Buko-no, or Diviners, we bade adieu

Henvi of the Red

to

girt with

an impenetrable herbaceous growth, in others

there rose on either

hand noble hedges of

here the wintry leaves

the jungle
passage.

a man's

In places the path was

walls.

waxed

strewed the ground, there

thinner, suggesting the possibility of

Amongst
leg,

still

forest trees

the long white llianas,

some thick as

and bracing down Cotton-woods eighty

feet

high, I thought to recognise the gum-elastic creeper

the Europeans, however, speak only of a ficus which

supplies a kind of caoutchouc.

short hour placed us at Whe-gbo, a small place

on the right of the road.

*

My

In the Bonny River the women appear

interpreters explained
to

me

larger than the men.

FKOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

name

the

On

thus.

this spot the three royal brothers

of Allacla disputed long

and

As

not be settled, a councillor

When we had

see

little

how decently

and

fig

his half-a-dozen fellows,

not a

It is

the

little

and

startling to

Abeokuta.

an imaginary head, their great

month would

exceedingly fat old

ness to do or die

the

by

woman

see

his side

bystanders

him

in

joined her

and professed her

confrere in the improvise song,

and

" nigger."

knot of Falstaff 's recruits knew not

to cut off

An

and timid

servile

captain boasted that the next

sent,

that

suddenly, the war-dress doffed, these ruffling

Though the

When

Upon

abounding at Whe-gbo, the war-chief Suza-

heroes subside into

gravely,

one can

is built.

inordinately fierce.

how

"No

out,

disposed ourselves under the

kon danced at the head of

waxed

cried

the question could

a palaver so great (gho);

ground the present hamlet

fetish trees

about each one's

fierily

chance of being the greatest.

decide (whe)

171

readi-

we shook our heads

roared with laughter.

the Ajablaku or civilian-chief had

made

his pre-

we urged on the hammock-men, who were becoming

frantic for A/ian, their

Noon had sned

rum.

before

we

left

became even more gigantic than

Whe-gbo.
before,

The

trees

and presently

A MISSION TO GELELE.

172

we

a long descent

into

fell

Azohwe being
Akpwe,

is

After two hours

explained

natural part of the

times

first.

the second step,

we reached

at the southern extremity of the Great

name

Its

the

is

it

be the fetish

to

Swamp.

or super-

" Sauce- wood " tree.

Loko or

In old

belonged to a people called Aizoh, who, until

it

conquered by Dahome, extended from near Agrime to

Toli,

and from

westwards to Toffo,* where

this place

they are mixed with the Ffons.

It contains

palace, or rather precincts of a guttered

wall,

may

rest.

We

who, not expecting

chief,

tumble-down

went

us,

to

As we near

Akpwe.

had refused admission

women and

On December

17th, almost

this

we

before the

porters.

birds

had

morning we were

to cross the Marsh, the

" Ko," the

*

were our own

The

and sent forward our

terror of travellers during the

it

whilst a dozen

arose

their matins,
:

less,

children are seen for every one man.

principal performers in the dance

fellows

to

the population

the capital

becomes thinner, and the display

begun

the house of the

The poorest market on the road was found

our men.

term

with a barn-like shed built over the gate, where

travellers

at

a ro} al

wet season.

Swamp, which appears

For a short account of

Toflb, see

Chap.

The people

to be a proper

XXIV.

FEOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

name, as a

know

peans
or

common bog
it

called "

is

AgMba." The Euro-

mire

by the Portuguese word, "Lama"

mud. For better

"Agrime Swamp."

it

the

This northern limit separated the

Dahome.

an important strategical

the latter

it

moating

to the south

still

is

name

distinction I propose to

old kingdom, Allada, from the original

it

173

at certain seasons

it

To
point

would be

almost impossible for the lightest of field artillery to

The marshy

ctoss it.*

through

Dahome from

Novo) eastward,

forest forms a zone said to cut

to that of Porto

be stagnant.

to

found

it

On

and many declare

the western road, however, I

distinctly draining to the west,

conclude that

it

till

two to three hours, and thus

seven

miles.

severe task

June
its

visitors to the

it

may

breadth

be crossed in

may

be six to
is

it

hammock-men who were up

armpits in water, to their calves in mire, and

by the network of

tree-

North of Agrime the heaviest battering train would find no

culty

till it

King have spent two days

subject to perpetual tripping

*

I therefore

Between July and November

of continuous toil with ten

to their

and

feeds the Haho, Avon, or Porto Seguro

From December

Water.

(Porto

Seguro on the west.

Travellers differ about its course,

it

Hwebonu

the lagoon of

reaches the

Makhi mountains.

diffi-

A MISSION TO GELELE.

174

roots catching their

unusually dry year

without knowing

Whilst

all

we

was en

hammock became

bearers

struck, staff in hand,

forest," as old writers call

German

it.

mud, hard-caked

wounds the

winter,

The

like that

feet of the

they march at the rate of one mile an hour,

where tree stubs abound, and

The path was

imminent.

are

falls

of the surface mal|D

irregularities

sidle into the bush,

where

we

grisaille,

useless, the

and the frequent

them

shall traverse the greater part

it.

through the " dismal

frozen by a

The present has been an

feet.

tortuous,

but easy to a walker, and hardly anywhere impassable

to

an American

kpen

of

The

waggon.

Adahoonzou

(our

Macadam

light

Dahome.

sixth

1774

II.,

King Sinmen-

1789)

Resolving to

make

was the

the "

Ko "

passable to his strangers, he handed over a string, ten

yards long, to each caboceer,

passage,
before

we
the

significant hint.

are told, cost incredible labour

hurdle

widened and the

bridges

gullies

over the

were

filled up.

and

This
fatigue

swamps were
There were

two depressions of black mud, decayed vegetation, and

beyond those points the

surface,

cracked, was of lighter hue

its

told its difficulty during the rains.

though caked and

general unevenness

The only

fetor in

PBOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

175

the bush was that of the large black ant, which suggests
that a corpse

is

hidden behind every tree.*

The road was crowded with

the

dwarf thatches containing

uprights,

on

laid

and

supported

cross-bars

ruinous

in

all

travellers' bedsteads,

by

At

the

134

stagnancy.

little

which never floods

a miserable look.

firing to

it

we

we had descended from 417

feet of sea-level, explaining the

The

forked

half-way house, Wondonun,J

found by the aneroid that

to within

rough

These were the

state.

remnants of huts used by the soldiery when

Whydah.f

up to

After every 100 or 200 yards were

Customs.

branches

porters, hastening

village

is

in a kind of island,

a temporary and

has, however,

Around

it

is

Swamp's

a wild and wiry grass

showing old husbandry, and extensive plantations of

plantain.

We

ranged our chairs under an open shed

in the

market-place of Wondonun, and were not excused the

usual

infliction.

The

single

umbrella

white

The experiments made by Mr. Duncan tend

emitted by this species of ant is a poison to other

to

there

show that the smell

insects.

f See, for a description of this ceremony, Chap.

XXII.

mean a place where some monstrous prodigy was produced from won (" portent" or "bad thing," as, for instance, a child born
with teeth, or speaking prematurely) and Do-nun (s.s, as do kho i.e.,
\ Interpreted to

speak palaver).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

176

present mustered his corps de ballet with two separate

And we had

rings of different sexes.

the politeness to

look on for half-an-hour.

Whilst the sun was

still

and struck once more

though hard and
black

ant-hills

the

into

was

flakey,

showed

we

young,

bush

ground,

the

and presently

level,

that

Wondonun,

left

we had reached

tali

the

northern edge of the swamp, where water does not

regularly extend.

long hour placed us at Aiveji,*

where drink and another dance awaited

from black
it

mud had become

burned

in places

The

tinge.

high and lush,

the land had long lain fallow

surface

it

little

village

of

thatch,

verdure, and near the road

hovels, the "

was

showed that

the later cultivation was

denoted by finer and thinner wild growths.

a

soil

white sand, and presently

assumed the normal red

grass,

The

us.

Aiveji

almost buried

was a

in

is

dense

scatter of tattered

khambi" or grass camp of the East African

interior.

Excusing ourselves from halting in the heat of the

sun,

The

we passed on

to

level differs little

* 'Ai'

(ground),

built on red soil.

Y6

Agrime, the end of

this stage.

from that of Wondonun

(red thing),

and

Ji (on)

it

is

we

are

so called because

FEOM ALLADA TO AGRIME.

still

but 232 feet above the sea.

strike the " true

Coast " of Africa

and morasses disappear

The

stones,

all

to

rounded and water- washed,

and a smaller

Some Europeans

of copper.

grass,

temper the house-

contained a large proportion of iron,

quantity

we

the alternate dunes

now mixed with

and broken palm-nuts,

swish.

Here, however,

a regular and northerly

for

inclination, whilst pebbles are

shells,

177

declare

that

they have

found traces of gold,*

pottery

saw nothing but an abundance of mica.f

especially in

the

Others have gone so far as to say that the King, like

his father, is

aware of the precious metal existing in

u

that portion of the

the north of

Kong Mountains " which

Dahome, and that

subtends

this is his reason for

speaks of the " country of Tafou, in

which are said to be mines of gold " but he clearly did not know its
* Barbot,

Book IV. Chap.

I.,

According to Mr. Duncan (Vol.

whereabouts.
plentiful in

slave-trade.

Dahome
No one

as in Ashanti

but

it is

II. p. 307),

gold

quite superseded

is

as

by the

believes him.

Mandengas, the
and the natives of the Gaboon River, call gold
" Sika." Mr. R. Bruce Walker, late of Lagos, informs me that, " At B.
Frisco, near C. Lahou, which is the most westerly point on the West
It is not a little curious that these people, like the

Fantis of the Gold Coast,

African coast,

when gold

is

found, the people call

it

Asika."

All these

being totally different, the word must have been borrowed by

dialects

one tribe from the other, suggesting that all do not produce the metal.

Can

it

be connected with the Asiatic " Sikkeh ?"

f The pottery
lettes "

made

at

Agbome

glitters

with mica, and these " pail-

have probably imposed upon the credulous.

VOL.

I.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

ITS

Others more reason-

barring the road to travellers.*

ably opine that such a secret could not possibly be

kept, especially

the country

when

so

many Gold

Coast

and, moreover, that the

men

are in

Dahomans

are

not such fools as to leave gold undug.

Aorimen " In
old

him that

predicted to

the place) a
ries.

derives

When Jemeken was

legend.

daily " ate "

the wall "

(i.e.,

his wall

its

name from an

the chief,

was

must shake unless he

exacted as a tax upon goods passing

"kene"and a "tene" (160 and

When

it

the King

is

9) of cow-

in country quarters at

Kana,

strangers halt here, send forward their message-canes,

and request permission

We

to advance.

were received

with the usual ceremony, a single soldier being the

performer in a

circle of

some twenty unarmed

Presently a messenger informed us that

wanted

till

the morrow.

thick orange-tree,

* According to the apocryphal

man

not

it

with wild mangoes,

M. Wr allon, King Gezo used to say

kingdom produced gold, but that he

preferred the cowrie currency, as with

moreover, no

we were

W"e spread the table under a

and strewed

that the mountains north of his

squatters.

it

could be secretly rich.

there could be no forgery;

At

present,

when doubloons

monarch monopolises all the gold in the country.

The last haul of doubloons was made by H. M. S. Prometheus, who
found 8000/. stowed away in soap bars. Since that time, specie is
brought out in the mail steamers, and bills are drawn on Messrs. L
i
and Co., L'pool.
are paid for slaves, the

PEOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

far

as

Agbome

as

and with

apples,

smelling like

the pineapple

capital,

was found

fruit.

Our beds were hung

lately

in

the

inside

built

savage
in

royal

we were soon informed that

follow

to

" King's
pig,

here,

state,

is

it

is

as

at

the

and without

new mud-house,
the

for

use

one of dignity

" etiquette

not

any walk where we could be sighted by

wives."

and

which extend

precincts

The place

white travellers.

of

cocoas,

179

divers

cynocephalus,

large

muscicapa?

interesting

a ground-

were

to

be

seen in the maize, but could not be shot, being in the

These ridiculous pretensions are doubt-

King's palace.
less

invented by petty captains pour se faire valoir.

Unfortunately white
zilians,

visitors,

from Frenchmen to Bra-

have ever endured this bullying without a

murmur, and now the stain

is

hardly delible from the

'

black mind.'

This

chapter

may

with a few remarks,

conclude

touching the route travelled over.

The aspect of the country confirms

impression that the
industrious race,

The caboceer

of

till

Dahomans

the

general

were, for negroes, an

demoralised by slave hunts and by

Allada

objected to

Mr. Duncan measuring a

cotton tree without the King's leave.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

180

The land has

long predatory wars.

period been well cleared, and

though

in

it is still

no distant

at

easy to reclaim,

time the fallows will be again afforested.

Others opine that

it

has of late been the royal policy

to gird the capital witfy a desert, as the surest defence

against invaders.

However that may

be, Africa, as far as I

know

her,

shows few such ruined regions as that viewed during

The

the last four days.

scantiness of the population,

and the disproportion of women and children

males, strike every eye.
there

is

capital

chere

to adult

The hackneyed excuse

is

that

a general muster for war or ceremony at the

the fact

is

that,

centralization,

is

beyond a few towns

the

country

is

in

which

a luxuriant

wilderness.

On

the Gold Coast, a. id about the

Gaboon River and

the South Coast, even a peasant will have his chair,

table,

cot,

and perhaps boxes

never dreams

of such ownership.

course, the ruler,

principle

that

for

who by

goods.

The cause

spiritual advice acts

iron-handed tyranny

Here he

is

is,

of

upon the

necessary to

curb his unruly subjects, and to spare him the painful

necessity of inflicting

passage "

upon them death or the

" middle

the Hamitic form of transportation.

More

FBOM ALLADA TO AGEIME.

make them

to

condition,

he

power than

feel his

will not allow

181

to ameliorate their

them

to cultivate

around

Whydah

coffee

at times

have been planted and have been found

and sugar-cane,

King Gezo

Similarly

succeed.*

rice

and tobacco, which

to

stringently prohibited

the growth of ground-nuts, except for purely domestic

purposes.

caboceer

may

not alter his house, wear

European shoes, f employ a spittoon-holder, carry an

umbrella without leave, spread over his bed a counterpane, which comfort

hammock, or use a chair

at

sits

meat with a
"

Only a

fork. J

interior of his

refrain

from

and

must not touch

if

he

knife or

may whitewash

the

house at Agbome, and the vulgar muse

as well as from the sister-luxury of

this,

And

so in everything.

-#

was a lovely evening at Agrime, ushering

cool clear night

own home

of puncto "

plank or board doors.

It

in his

white, he

man

mount a

confined to princes,

is

the atmosphere told us that

in a

we had

Mr. James, thinking the tea-plant indigenous to Dahome, endea-

voured to cultivate

it,

and

of course failed.

t The only shoes permitted are the kind of leather bags called, Imalen fo-kpa, or Moslem slippers, and these cannot be assumed without
royal permission.
X

Formerly caboceers were not allowed

royal presence;

now

the

King

to

drink out of a glass in the

will even offer

it.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

182

changed the

swampy

false

outskirt for the

The moon shone

Africa,

true tropical

for the

hard

hem

many a

the

of the rich garment.

hyaena, and

brightly, exciting the

inducing from the frogs

/3/)eKKe/ce,

Koa, Koa.

Unusually distinct was that dark mysterious oval which

sailoring

men

the

" coalsack,"

and our "jungle

which Dante sang,

clock," of
11

It

call

may

mi volsi a man destra e posi mente

Al altro polo, e vidi quattro stelle
Non viste mai fuorch' alia prima gente."

Io

savour of heresy to say

Southern Cross

is

When

this

useful

the major axis of the

perpendicular, the

that of a boy's lob-sided kite

but I confess

charms of

never to have discovered the

but homely constellation.

so,

form resembles

horizontal,

a badly-made four-legged cage-stool.

it

is

like

CHAPTER

VII.

SMALL RECEPTION AT AGRIME, AND ARRIVAL AT KANA,

THE KING'S COUNTRY QUARTERS.

On

Friday, the 18 th, about mid-afternoon,

warned that

the

approaching.

royal
table

the palace, opposite

messenger

or

escort

skulls

heaped up under an ayyan, or thunder

and bones *

fetish

and we ranged ourselves behind the board.

of warriors into the

its

hum

affect these

shrub

After a

of voices heralded a rush

Uhon-nukon, or cleared space, with

central tree, fronting the royal abode.

much

was

was forthwith disposed outside

some elephant

few minutes a loudening

we were

Dahomans

sudden and impetuous movements

which impose upon the eye, making the few appeal

many.

The

flag-bearer

was the

first,

waving, at the

The animal, in 1803, was common throughout the country ; now it

a " curio," having been well-nigh killed out. About three months
before our arrival at Whydah, Mr. Dawson had bought a pair of tusks,
is

and spoke of the occurrence as rare.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

184

end of the thinnest of

staves, a long calico rag with a

Then, habited in the war

preposterous blue anchor.

uniform of the " Blue Company/' dashed a tumultuous

column of war-men, four deep and about eighty

in

followed by two neat kettle-drums, and

all

number

singing the loudest chants.

They

saluted us

cumambulating the

tree,

defiling

from the

all

cir-

before

us

with right shoulders forward, jumping,

left

pretending to

springing,

tating

central

by

fire

and

their weapons,

imi-

the action of an attack.

this wild " pass round/'

During

food, carried

on

slaves' heads,

and were displayed

sundry calabashes of

appeared from our

in order before

left,

Meanwhile,

us.

behind the soldiery, in distinct procession, walked the

civilians,

seven married

men preceded by a

white calico-

covered object which, conspicuously borne

carrier's head,

announced

itself as

an old

venerable liqueur-case of former days. Its

and broken
but

it

legs

aloft

friend, the

damaged front

would disgrace an English pot-house

has been the pride and ornament of the

Court for the

solemnity,

on a

last half century.

Behind

it,

Dahoman

with

much

marched Aiseku, a medicine boy of the

Meu, or Second Minister

and

after him, habited in a

shabby paletot of brown-black alpaca, tomahawk

in

AKEIVAL AT KANA.
hand, stalked, with even

greater dignity, Sosu Bleo,

Podoji-noto

politely called

185

courteously,

less

"state-

spy" upon the old Buko-no.

The

Blues, after grovelling in the dust before the

Sublime Porte, cried out the royal " strong names," *

presented arms to
in line before

it

after their fashion,

Then the

our table.

and formed up

king's canes were,

according to custom, produced from their

admired their novelty.

old lions, sharks,

and

etuis,

and

all

Instead of King Gezo's rococo

crocodiles,

some study, chameleons,

we now found

parrots,

out, after

and monkeys

half-

swallowed by snakes, the whole ornamented with thin

plates of beaten dollars.f

handled them standing and

bare-headed, whilst the messengers prostrated

this position the usual questions,

and

in

answers, and greetings

were exchanged.

The old liqueur-case was uncovered, and, besides the

invariable

aqua pura,

three case-bottles

appearance, with muscadel

* This old Africo-English

made

their

wine, trade gin, and bad

term is a literal translation of the Ffon

"nyi siyen-siyen."
f The wood is light, canary-coloured, and pretty much like what I
have seen at Fernando Po. The stick-making industry seems here to
pay the cheapest specimens cost half a dollar. Before an axe edge of
iron or silver can be added, the lung's permission must be obtained.
:

A MISSION TO GELELE.

186

The Dahoman

Portuguese rum.

thrice of different liquors

etiquette

foreseeing

to drink

is

much

of this kind

of thing, I resolved at once to show preference to the

muscadel,

and,

despite

all

protestations,

decline

to

the rum.

Whilst

my

to

and began the

hawks
line

near

moved from
leg,

and

side to side, capering

Ensued

military,

solos of three chiefs,

and

the gin and

valour-boasting.

rum

I retired.

vegetables,

sufficed for fifty,

ness,

with

and

their

raising the

madmen round
and the usual
After empty-

into the principals,

civil

five

one pot

calabashes of stews

of good

water.

It

whereas we had a hundred mouths

ensued the usual scene of disgusting

the

and

The small reception ended with

the King's dole of provaunt

fill ;

Callum,"

the knives and toma-

at times all rushed like

singing

frantic

to

to

they then grounded

" Gillie

usual

and

remarked a jambiyah, or Arab side-dagger. The

the tree.

and

Amongst

decapitation dance.-

ing

King's health

the

own, the escort fired salutes

arms,
iC

we imbibed

selfish-

missionary youths, with "Elijah" at their

head, greatly distinguishing themselves.

Nothing could be meaner than the whole

which every year grows worse

display,

Gezo attempted

to

AEEIVAL AT KAN A.
keep up state
do

187

his son is either unable or unwilling to

so.
|

When

all

was over we

by the guard
as

set out in

firing at spurts carbines

mortars, and capering

little

hammocks, preceded

and muskets loud

the way.

all

have

heard an Englishman doubt the possibility of " polking

Dan

from

to

Beersheba

him

let

French grey, touched with the

delicate

the western sky, told us that the

The

oxide of

iron,

and

the

cactus, as well as the acacia

the

lightest pink in

day w as dying
T

fast.

it

vegetation

displayed

which had characterised

scenery between Agrime

places

before whitish, again appeared deeply tinged

soil,

with

Dahome.

visit

"

and

perfumed the atmosphere

its

like

swamp.

In

that of the

Ezbekiyah Gardens at Cairo, where the native perfumers extract from the " locust " a faint and peculiarly
oriental

perfume appropriately called Fitneh. The land,

semingly a dead
the lively

had everywhere been burned, and

young grass w as sprouting out of

After about an
"

level,

hour we halted at a Danh-hwe, or

Rainbow house,"'"" a little

death.

wall-less thatch-slope, like the

For an account of the rainbow worship, see Chap. XVII. Danh, as

but the seaboard god has few
;

has been seen, also means a snake

honours here.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

188

Australian " breakwihd," in the centre of a dwarf

wall, circled with the

thunder

" religious " attached to

with the usual

came

forth

water to

presented

ceremonies,

The head

fetish plant.

the establishment

mud

us,

begged and received alms.

The next

halt

was

who was

its chief,

Zogbodomen, so

at

by Dako,* the

slain

first

king.

The few miserable thatch huts

by the

fleshy-leaved

"Market
rains

trees/'

by densest

called

Dahoman

are

shaded

on the Gold Coast

and are almost buried during

grass,

from

from which

rise the

the

stateliest

Presently crossing level ground, with vege-

palmyras.
tation here

we

figs,

called

tall,

sighted

there dwarfed

now

green, then

brown

from afar a deep depression stretching

from east to west.

On

the farther side of this valley, which during wet

weather must

Kana.
thrill

roll

in

considerable

I could not but feel,

of pleasure at the

capital."

It is distinctly

during

stream,

my

former

stands
visit,

sight

of the "country

Dahome and

here the traveller

first

expects to look upon the scenes of barbaric splendour

Zogbodo also means a woman's top-knot of hair, the Shusheh of the

Mr. Duncan (vol. i. p. 205) writes Togbado not a misprint, but

Arabs.

probably an error of his notes.

AKRIVAL AT EANA.
which

of

beauty

all

189

And

the world has read.

it

a French traveller has compared

loveliest villages of fair

Provence

has

its

own

with the

it

while to Mr.

Duncan

suggested " a vast pleasure-ground, not unlike some

it

part of the Great Park at Windsor."

but

sombre

swamps

of the

plateaux

grass

forest,

patb,

the

and the dismal

barrens,

eye revels in these open

their seducing aspect

After impervious

is

enhanced by

scat-

tered plantations of a leek green studding the slopes,

by a background of gigantic
nearer palm

files,

dwarfing

forest

by homesteads buried

the

in cultivation,

and by calabashes and cotton-trees vast as the view,

tempering the fiery summer
growths,

and

in

sun

to

their

winter collecting the

subject

which

rains,

Nor

would otherwise bare the newly buried seed.

animal

life

wanting.

The turkey-buzzard, the

the kestrel soar in the upper heights

fly-catchers

squirrel

flit

through the lower strata

nimbly climbs

his lofty

kite,

is

and

the brightest

the

little

home, and a

grey

fine large

spur-fowl cries from the plantations of maize and cassava.

After two hours of slow travelling

of a village

now

level

we passed

with the ground

Logozokpota,* or the Tortoise's Rise.

*

An

it

Here

the site

is

called

is

a de-

ironjfigure of the Logozo, the land tortoise, or terrapin, is

much

A MISSION TO GELELE.

190

thatch which the king visits before beginning his

tacliecl

compaigns

and when passing

muskets

five

an

it

we were

saluted with

honour always punctually reported.

Descending into the depression, we could see the town

no longer

city

bank.

straggling

nearer glance at the habitations showed us

they are those of

that

beyond the northern

Whydah and

Savi,

heaps of

haycock huts or penthouse thatches enclosed in " com-

pounds"

There

detatched.
tion,

and

At

mud

of

far

more

setting to the

eastern

is

and jealously

palm-leaf,

palpably more

than habita-

field

fallow than field.

N.N.W.

Two

trivia.

lead to the

town

paths

the south-

in the direction of the king's drinking water,

Hanan.

called

is

or

we reached a

point

this

wall

I afterwards visited

it.

well-cleared

road leads over several waves of ground, alternately

maize-field

of

tall

and palm-orchard, towards a serpentine

dark trees

ditch,

ever denoting water in

About half a mile from the

those lands.

Kana

a formation

places the visitor at the rivulet

sunk canal-like 10 to 12

used in the Bo-Fetish.

underground

fire

find the idea in

feet

fells

outskirts of
it

is

a deep

below the ground-

The Egbas believe mirage

with which the tortoise

Dahome.

line

to

be caused by an

the trees.

I could not

ABRIVAL AT KANA.
surface

bed

the

and the water

The

direction

is

Kana.

all

said

At

slaves of the palace,*

wend

who

their

huge pots on their

which

white with clay.

Denham

Lake.

supply during the

dry

throughout the night by

the earliest

dawn

the

women

are shut up during the hours

way

long

in

lines,

carrying

They claim the

heads.

road,

consequently provided with a number of foot-

is

made

offsets.

comes

"

to

It is visited

the humbler classes.

of darkness,

is

easterly towards the

is

humus,

with vegetable

puddled

after being

This streamlet
season

black

is

191

At

even

years old, the

bush," that

the words,

"Gan
by a

jaf'f

bell

if it is

tinkled

native

must throw himself "into the

slave girl-child four

to say, out of the road,

is

"The

and await with

Amazons, as Commodore Wilmot (Appendix iii.)

thinks, but the slaves of the fighting women, who each hold from
one to fifty. When any of the king's wives appear they are preceded
by such attendants, and are accompanied by Amazons, who, however,
carry only their muskets.
It is the same with the royal Fetish women
when going to fetch water for the great Nesu they are known by their
white raiment and long strings of cowries.
On these occasions the
male lieges must run off afar and turn their backs. Women only clear
*

They

are not

the way.
t

Gan

is

any metal

bell in question is

to our sheep,

and

it is

file leader.
At the
down with one hand.

the

gan-wi

(lit.,

black metal) specifies iron.

The

a rude unbrazed affair not unlike that appropriated

round the neck of

vigorously shaken up and

carried suspended to a cord

sight of a

man

it

is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

192

averted face

long train has

the

till

If a

passed.

palace water-pot be broken, the nearest male would

When

be accused and get into trouble.*

we were

in the morning,

show their

by

loyalty

" clearing out" as far

If a stranger does only

possible.

sary, one
!

better "

will say, "

woman

He

is

what

slaves,
officials

and as

fast as

is strictly

neces-

a white, and knows no

And

will reply, "

and the other

own land V

by these

The Dahoman

us not to startle them.

tellino;

in his

often called to

out shooting

The lower, the

older,

has he no law

and the

uglier

the slave girls are, the louder and longer they tinkle

which

is

and

natural

almost

all

of

them seemed

to

enjoy the ignoble scamper of our interpreters and ham-

mock men, whom the

At

other way.
the palace,
selves

the

same

day

in

some

The same

is

order to look the

water-carriers for

their switches, arrogate to

right.

Dahome

nuisances in

women

men and boy

times,

known by

old

parts, as

This
it

is

them-

one of the greatest

continues

throughout

the

around the palace, half a mile

the custom amongst the Deinbos of the old Congo

A man

who refused to quit the path when a chief's wife

who stood talking with her, would be sold with his family
into slavery; on the other hand, the woman, under pain of her
lord's displeasure, yielded the way to a white man or a black-white
one

empire.

approached, or

authorised to wear shoes and other articles of European toilette.

AEEIYAL AT KANA.
an hour would be

full

speed

and

to

193

make way

for these

animals of burthen, bought perhaps for a few pence,

to say the least of

Continuing our
observed was the

when

place,

the

it,

by no means decorous.

way
Gau

Gau

is,

to the

N.W., the next feature

Nehori, explained to be " Fetish

or commander-in-chief opens the

campaign" by performing certain ceremonies.

It

is

nothing but a long shed with a shady verandah, and a

few huts under a splendid Ficus.

on the

left

the grass

of the road,

open

Then came

this is

the Kana-'gbo-nunjf or town

lion's

jaws.

a few small huts,

men

that

The space

there are two ragged trees on the

right lie

it,

a white clay depression in

a pole or two, but warning

heads are within the

;

beyond

with empty holes 2 feet deep

gate, consisting of
their

little

pool during the rains, and in the dries a

surface pitted

the Gau-te.*

is

left

is

to the

and a gigantic Bombax

denotes from afar the entrance to Kana.

When

the party with

been formed up,

much

singing and dancing had

we were once more allowed

to advance.

This time, however, the circuitous official road

was pre-

* I could not obtain a reliable translation of this

name, Mr. Beecham

" commander-in-chief's pool."
t Agbo (with the peculiar " gb " pronounced simultaneously, a gate),
and nun (mouth, or side).
rendered

vol.

it

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

194

The

ferred.

spectators,

large open spaces

whom

moonlight

bright

the

On

satisfy their curiosity.

were crowded with

our

left

enabled to

lay the blacksmiths'

quarter, dotted with round thatched huts, open at the

and presenting

sides,

all

Another half hour being duly

African smithy.

tral

wasted,

we turned

the appearance of the Cen-

to the

S.W., passed a

couple

of

dwarf temples, when the impudique Legba looked more

priapus-like than

any priapus, and were carried

into

the " English house/' whence the crippled old landlord

Degen-no"* came out to receive

This was a disappointment

us.

although ex-officio guests

of Buko-no, the English landlord,

ward

to the comfortable hall

we had looked

for-

and superior establishment

of the Akho-vi,f or Prince Chyudaton, the Lieutenant-

Governor of Whyclah.

Of course we remonstrated

loudly about the narrowness of our quarters, and

we

sent a message to the head doctor, without other result

than the usual " put

travel,

Let no reader of African

however, suppose that anything

A name

land by

off."

so

noble

as

always given to children that have been sent from Dead-

their great-grandmothers.

t Akho, or Akhosu (a king), and Vi (a child, son, or young one). So

was known amongst the people as Yewe-no-vi (literal^, god-

"Tom"

mother-son), young missionary.

AEEIYAL AT KANA.

195

jealousy influences these negro worthies.

and simply

in securing the guest is purely

I

pelf.

tality

Their object
dirty

for

have heard and read much of African hospibut I have never seen a trace of

Hamite.*

He

will take

quarrel with you

you

into his hut,

it

in the true

and

you pass him unvisited

if

even

will
:

he

will

supply you with food, and will assure you that you are

monarch of

all

you survey.

But

it is

all

a sham

expects a recompense in double and treble, and

does not obtain

savage grattc.

The

the emancipados of

you

his rudeness

it,

self-called

will

if

he

he

be that of the

" civilised"

Sa Leone and Fernando

into their houses,

and keep you there as

negro, like

Po, admit
at

an inn

they would be equally hurt and offended by your calling

for the bill

and by your forgetting

The

but indirectly.

fact

praise of hospitality with

is,

to

pay exorbitantly,

they would combine the

more

solid

advantages

and

they do so with the transparent cunning of children.

Such has been

my

experience in Africa

may

others

have fared better

Kana

is

less correctly written

Canna, Cannah, and

" The people, I have said already, are void either of sympathy or
gratitude, even in their own families
and the poor horse is not held in
*

half so

much esteem

as the swine, because they cannot eat it."

a true remark by Mr. Duncan.

o 2

This

is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

196

even Carnah

the old

travellers

prefer

Calmina, or

Canamina, a corruption of Kana-mina, from a palace

once built there, according to " country custom," by

Dahoman

one of the

have been the

to

1620)
early

into

fell

The History

kings.'""

it

first

place of importance which (about

the

hands of the Foys

Dahomans, by the assassination of

authority,

declares

(Ffons),

or

That

its chief.

however, uses the word " Calmina," which

should evidently be Kana, the " Mina " being an addition

According to Commander Forbes,

of a later date.
"

Cannah, formerly capital of Foy, then called Dawee,

conquering Agbome, has retained a peace of upwards

of 200 years."

accuracy
"

"

Uhwawi

;"

This sentence contains a treble in-

Dawee," as has
secondly,

thirdly, they

been

should

seen,

Agbome conquered Kana

have hardly ever been at peace

be

and

till

the

present century.

As
*

the

History

"Mina" must

Coast;

it

refers to

proves,

Kana was a

settlement

not be confounded with Dutch. Elmina, on the Gold

Elmina Chica, on the Slave Coast.

Locally

all

the

peoples between Little Popo and Accra are called " Mina.''

When Dahoman

kings

fail to

capture an attacked place, they erect at

one of the capitals a palace which

Ashanti, the Komasi palace at

Mr. Duncan errs

dubbed

after

the victor, and

Hence, because Dahome was defeated by

Agbome was added to the older establish(vol. ii., p. 274) when stating of the latter,

this satisfies the vanquished.

ments.

is

AKRIVAL AT KANA.

197

claimed of old by the independent " Oyos," or Eyeos,*

The Dahomans,

the northern and equestrian Yombas.

since the days of

pay

Agaja

them an annual

to

(a.d.

1708

tribute in

1730), agreed

November, and the

of this subsidy invariably brought on

failure

When Tegbwesun

(the Bossa

to

a war.

Ahadee, of our writers),

about 1738, refused his contribution,

Kana was

plun-

" This palace was built and named about the time when the present king
(Gezo) threw off his allegiance to the kingdom of Ashantee, the king of

which formerly boasted that he could hold Dahomey in vassalage."

* The word " Eyeo" has greatly vexed West African writers before the
days of Clapperton and Lander. D'Anville uses Gogo Renneil, Gugoo
Adams (1823) writes it " Hio." The " History of Dahomey" (1793)
;

Yahoo (from Snelgrave)

gives us
(Dalzel)

country.

Oyeo and Okyou (Barbot)

and, in conclusion, they confound

" Probably this

Gugoo!), which

lies to

may

it

Eyeo

with Anago, or the Egba

be the kingdom of Gago (Kukn, or

the northward of

Dahomey

eight or ten days'

The Moorish aspirated sound of g being nearly like a hard

n, as in the word George, spelt jorje by the Spaniards, and pronounced
Horke, or Horche whence Gago may have been sounded Haho, Haiho,
Mr. Norris's map places the Ayoes
Admirable reasoning
or Haiko."
Bosman speaks of an
or Eyeos north of Lagos, which is not far wrong.
invasion of Ardra, in 1698, by a powerful inland people, which some
Oyo (pronounced Awyaw), alias
conjecture to be the "Eyeos."
of
Proper on the northern region,
capital
Yoruba
Katanga, was the
destroyed in 1835 by the Moslem Fulas, and still, I believe, a heap of

journey.

ruins.

When

the falling structure crumbled, the maritime provinces

asserted their independence,

and have ever since preserved

tory gives wonderful accounts of Oyo's former power.

it.

The His-

It frequently sent

The general, it is said, used to spread a thick

buffalo-hide before his tent and make the soldiery pass between two
When greater undertakings
spears till a hole had been worn in it.
forth 100,000 horsemen.

were in prospect, two hides used thus to be treated.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

198

dered

retired

after

being

The Oyos must have

been

troublesome

1747 the

in

satisfied.

foe

neighbours to Dahome, ever

supplies,

interfering

in

duly

demanding increase

domestic

policy,

of

harassing

them by constant wars, and assuring the Southrons

that

"Dahome

belonged to Eyeo."

ing in 1772, shows that the town

hands, but

Mr. Norris, writ-

was

in

Dahoman

has doubtless frequently been taken and

it

retaken.

Early in the present century, King Gezo (who came

to the throne in

hard

1818) seized his opportunity, and after

fighting, finally

drove out the warlike Oyos,

who

were sinking before the Fula or Moslem movement

the north,*
people,

one

Kana a kind

and distributed the

tribute

of his proudest achievements.

of villagiatura for the Court, free

as such country quarters generally are,

it

when

amongst

his troops

went forth

in
his

He made
and easy

and resided

The

to their lesser wars.

remnant of the Oyo population was enlisted

in

in

his

army, and was well-nigh killed out during the attack

upon Abeokuta
of so terrible an

dynasty, Gezo
* See

in

1851.

And

that the subjugation

enemy might not be

not

forgotten

by

his

his son, as the missionaries believe,

''Wanderings in West Africa." Abeokuta, Chap. V.

AKKIVAL AT EANA.

then

instituted a sacrifice at

Kana, which opens as

and

it

The victims are made

were the customs of Agbome.

to personate in dress

199

and avocation Oyos, a pastoral

agricultural people.*

There

is little

to be seen at

Kana, a

and houses, thickening as usual around the

of huts

and the market-places, and

palace

wall-less scatter

some three miles of ground.

The population may

usual times

amount

WhydaLf

According to some enthusiastic

is

called

Gezo's custom, and

Agbome. Mr. Bernasko saw it

" Near the second side of the

in

man

is

travellers,

at present

performed at Kana, not at

May, 1863

(palace) wall

erected on poles about forty feet high.

body of a

at

to 4000, about one-third that of

the cultivation rivals that of the Chinese

* It

over

straggling

On

he describes

it

thus

were eleven platforms,

each of these was the dead

in an erect position, clothed in the native style, each

having in his hand a calabash or similar vessel,

filled

with

oil,

grain, or

One was represented leading a sheep,

also dead.
All this was intended to illustrate that at Canna, of which
they (the Dahomans) are now masters, they were once obliged to pay
tribute."
The Kana custom is described by Mr. Duncan, vol. i., p. 219.
In his day the bodies had been exposed about two moons and a half,
till the skin, from exposure, had turned nearly to the colour of that of
a white man. " The vulture was industriously endeavouring to satisfy
his appetite, but the heat of the sun had dried the skin so as to make it
some other produce of the country.

impenetrable to his efforts."

t No reliance can be placed upon native or quasi-native estimate of

The traveller is reduced to the rude
numbers, especially in towns.

experiment of counting houses, and multiplying by what he learns to be

the average household.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

200

all

such art has been

air hot,

The

lost.

humid, and unwholesome

situation
;

low

is

the

the sea-breeze some-

what tempers the day, but the nights are extremely

oppressive,

and during the

About one mile

house

is

south-westward of the English

an old palace of a Dahoman king, by some

named Agaja, by
condition

to the

rains, fevers are rife.

others Tegbwesun.

many

in

places the wall

was

It

was

in poor

tattered,

in

matting, and the interior was a

others patched with

mass of bush and jungle.

As

usual,

however, the

entrances were kept in repair, and the ground before

them was

swept and

sprinkled

every morning

slaves

established for that purpose.

dition

that

here buried
to

the great

the founder of this

if so,

is

a tra-

decayed palace

lies

the remains have been removed

Agbome

" family vault."

There

b}'

palace,

where there

is

a single

CHAPTER

VIII.

THE PROCESSION.

On

Saturday,

be remembered

An

tion.

December 19th

we prepared

early visit

was paid by the King's

somewhat castey-looking
to hide the frostiness
shorts,

and

silver

before,

a large

in

will

chief

phy-

a thin, dark, and

He was

senior.

it

close shaven,

of his wool; simply clad in white

silk cloth

ornaments.

He

with none but the ordi-

looked somewhat leaner than

probably the result of his latest nuptials with

one of the King's

stalwart daughters.

age came of course solely to renew old

for

Day,

penance of recep-

for the

and archi-magus, Buko-no Uro

sician

nary

Ember

This person-

ties,

to apologise

not having built a proper house, and to

inquire

about every one's health, from the most Exalted of the

Empire

to

peeped out
*

There

my
:

is this

humble

self.

The

Harpagon* wanted a
kind of

man

real errand at
list

of presents,

at every negro court.

once

and

The " Narrative of

A MISSION TO GELELE.

202

was

especially curious

Commodore Wilmot,

specified to
pair,

know whether

to

were en

chiefly a carriage

and

him

the

After reading

route.

various items

out

to

document touching these matters, he allowed

official

a time the subject to

lie,

resolved to stir

the earliest opportunity.

By way

it

up again

for

at

of showing friend-

ship he announced that our reception would take place

to-day,

and that on the morrow we should proceed

Agbome

he also declared in an off-hand manner

to

that,

even before presentation at the palace, we might walk

about
is

when and where we

country quarters

pleased.

Kana,

He

said,

the sort of state imprisonment

with which visitors are honoured at Agbome,

rule here.

have

is

not the

therefore graciously granted us no favour,

but our right, with which he departed, telling us to eat

and dress at once, as the King was preparing

for our

reception.
I

knew

well from experience that these ceremonies

never take place, except in some emergency, before the

Moreover,

afternoon.

Dahoman

official to

possible for

it

hurry

two reasons.

is

the

" his

first

wish of

strangers " as

The minor

is,

that

every

much

as

by making

the Portuguese Expedition of 1798-99 " exactly describes Buko-no-Uro

in the person of "

Fumo Anceva,"

at the Court of the

Muata Cazembe.

THE PE0CESS10N.
white men, especially in uniform,
the

open

air

he enhances the

the King,

is,

few hours in

for a

wall, called

opinion of his

The major

people.

mud

fronting a

sit

203

power amongst the

his desire to

make

favour with

who when

issuing from the interior wishes to

by the

and looks crookedly

be received

visitors,

" minister " if they be

not present.

people have as

little

stranger, however,

these

idea of time as of numbers.*

The

must be prepared

to do battle with

nuisance from the beginning, and the struggle will

endure unto

the

matters to a

crisis.

bitter
I

end,

when

dismissal

by the landlord as

the hour of attendance

brings

ended by proposing that for the

future a messenger should be sent direct

not

at the

Something must

be added on the score of African brain-looseness

this

palace,

by the King,

at present, to inform visitors that

was

at hand.

But, even should

this

be granted, the messenger will have, to some extent,

the

same inducements as has the landlord

in discom-

forting visitors.

Under the then circumstances, So-kun, our

began,
*
to

about

10

a.m.,

the systematic African worry-

When Commodore Wilmot was

many

at

Agbome he gave

silver

watches

The main-springs were all broken at the first

but they did not the less " sport" these ornaments on all

of the chiefs.

opportunity,

guide,

public occasions.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

204

ing

:* it

time

was, however, of no avail, and

1 p.m.,

till

soon.

we put

the

evil

which proved to be only one hour

too

The business of the day was

to begin with the pro-

ceremony as old as the time

cession of Caboceers, a

Mr. Norms, who has

off

a notice of

left

of

Followed by new

it.

and handsome hammocks, we were conducted

to the

Gbwe-hun-'li,f a clear space partially shaded with ragged

trees:

is

it

about 100 paces N.N.E. of the " English

House," and for

many

of these operations.

northwards,

generations

it

has been the seat

Then ranging our

we formed

the focus of stare and gaze, the

Two

smaller rabble being as usual conspicuous.

or Ai-hun-da-to,J jesters,

did their best to

facing

sticks

amuse

came

up,

and

Klan,

in hopes of dole

These African " Sutari

us.

are like the guiriots or buffoons, those Senegal jorofessionals,

who mingle

object in

life is

to

crowd, and whose sole

in every

make men

laugh.

Ever racking

their

wits to please, they evince the true negro poverty of

invention
*

there

is

The African keeps you waiting with an exemplary calme

keep him waiting he shows

is

a lack of variety in their tricks

all

the restiveness of a wild animal.

generally the case with barbarians

have remarked

it

if

you
This

in the South

of Europe.

t Meaning bush (gbwe), cotton-tree (hun), road

X Klan
(father).

is

a jester, a clown

ai (heart),

('li,

for ali).

hun (drum), da

(play), to

THE PROCESSION.
them

which soon renders

205

lively as

a professionally

engaged mourner or a Turkish mute.

take to the trade early in

of

them

they are in fact born and

life,

They

Some

are remarkable

for

their

ugliness, to

which they add by white -washing

face,

arms,

and

The

hereditary buffoons.

"

legs.

making

staple of their entertainment consists in

faces," as children say,

wrinkling foreheads

protruding tongues, and clapping jaws like apes

little

in a

rude tumbling,* in ugly dancing and agitating the

clunes, in

drawing

smoking a bone or

the belly to show emptiness, in

in

of cassava

bit

producing from huge bags f

by way of

yams and maize

pipe, in

paste, of

which they bolted mouthfuls, or by pretending to be

deaf and
us

some

dumb

a favourite

provisions,

trick here.

They

offered

and we had the laugh against them

by accepting and passing them on to our servants

and they imitated

my

potato with a stick.

beggars
*

notes

by scratching a sweet

need not add that they are

bull

all.

The ''cartwheel"

is

here called " alogwe"; by the Egbas, "okiti."

t These wallets are of three kinds the single bag of skin, called
"glo; " the large double pouch of the same material, known as " akpataklo " and the cloth sack named " vate."
:

The History

tells

by swallowing tubs

us that jesters used to amuse Agaja the Conqueror,

full of

frumenty, and that these

stuffed themselves to death in a

few years.

men

generally

A MISSION TO GELELE.

206

Shortly after
aloft

we had taken our

seats appeared, borne

on a negro's head, a table which was fated

one of our best friends in Dahome.

It

to be

was a vener-

able article, once intended for cards, but the violent

hands of the

had stripped

baize,

had long ago denuded

negraille

off its veneer,

single leg to a singularly

glance at
" tavo,"

it

elicit

of green

and had reduced

smashed and shaky

never failed to

state.

a request for a

its

new

and a reminder that the Commodore had proAfter two or three had puzzled

mised a remplaqant.

their brains for a quarter of

problem of opening

it,

an hour with the

and

intricate

another would produce from a

calico-covered calabash sundry case

of gin

it

and other

similar spirits, sometimes wine,

tolerably pure water, from the palace.

bottles

and always

These elements

of endurance were supplied to us with a praiseworthy

regularity

when

lo

hardly did

the table.

we

take our seats on any occasion

The King seemed

by our appreciating the contents of

to be pleased
his

cellar

he

frequently sent us messages bidding us not to spare

them, and, though the Landlord frowned, I took especial

care to

was

make our

set before us.

followers invariably

As

empty whatever

a rule, the whites, even the French,

and the mulattos engaged

in the comercio, are so over-

THE PBOCESSION.
awed by the presence of one
whose frown

upon such a

is

"

207

whose smile

is

life

and

death," that they would never venture

liberty,

consequently the King thinks that

they fear him.

Presently a
the

first

of voices from the north answered

of the salutes.

virgin white

by two

hum

ill-looking,

tent umbrellas, one

and the other figured/ and accompanied

1

He

is

a half-brother to the king

In

this

rattles,

stick.

We

land the umbrella

us,

drank with him three

is

and

toasts,

tell

the troops

In symbolism they precede Mexican writing.

newly -made Caboceer

his

a rude kind of curiologics, faintly

is

resembling European blazonry, and an armorist could

from the nag.

and by

he advanced, snapped fingers with

escort,

presented the
*

dark, not

but showing no resemblance to the ruler.

Followed by his band, drums and

armed

'

walked the bearer of the royal cane,

courtiers,

Bosu Sau.f

Under two

The

presented with a virgin-white article of palace

by his actions. The

principal figures are knives and decapitated heads and faces, cut out of
cloth and sewn on the alternate lappets of the valance.
The knives are
manufacture, and he

straight,

The

and shaped

is

expected to illustrate

like a butcher's, the

face is ruddy, with white eyes

at the neck, wears

it

handle blue, the blade red.

and the head, which

an azure cap shaped

like the

is

clean cut off

East Indian ear-cloth.

The king's eldest brother, Godo, is never seen in public. A tall,

dark, and unprepossessing man, and a notable drunkard, he was set
aside by his father, who, after the affair at Abeokuta, nominated his
second son, Gelele, as the most likely of the family.
In any Asiatic
country such a senior brother would certainly be put to death, and in
many the younger brothers would be either blinded or be rendered
imbecile by medicines.
So far Dahome is mild in her manners.
f

A MISSION TO GELELE.

208

beginning with his master's health.

fired,

and presently Bosu Sau and

upon

their tall

Gold Coast

salute

his

was then

down

chiefs sat

stools placed

on our

and

left,

thus forming part of an oval opening north, where the

saluters presented themselves.

Then the companies began

those of

Why dab.

order," juniors

horns,*

In

first.

announced

all

to pass round,

these displays

it is

and

first

" funeral

white umbrella, a pair of silver

who,

Nulofren,

habited

the

in

costume of the day, an armless tunic of red and yellow

striped
latter

silk,

was bestriding a

little

nag.

After the

had been led three times round us with a

and the equestrian had

thrice

waved hand

halter,

to us as

passed the opening of the spectator-ring, he was

off

by a

line,

whilst their

then danced and

finally,

His

pair of slaves.

lifted

then formed

commander advanced and bowed

he

a gun, the rest presenting arms

fired

he snapped

retired to the

fifty soldiers

he

fingers,

enjoyment of

made

stool

was the programme of the whole

compliments, and

and umbrella.
affair,

Such

whose resem-

blance to European tactics suggested imitation.

*

Many

are

made

of tin.

formed, with lateral openings

room

There are two shapes: one, the thimble;

the other,

somewhat like a small mushfrom the centre of the

or a giraffe's horn, with ridgelets radiating

domelet.

THE PEOCESSION.

209

Nulofren was followed by Nuage, of Whydah, another

half-brother of the king, a

dark, thin man, with a

tall,

chiefs silver armlets and thread pigtail depending

He

dorsum.

his

slave

meaning

of Wenu, who was unable

waved hands, danced,

past,

our

rode past smoking a pipe.

third was " the place "

The

left

down

a confidential

He

to be present.

fired,

and took

rode

his seat

not however, like the caboceers, upon a chair.

The fourth was the Prince Chyudaton, a caboceer

and

note

on

influence,

one of the king's

many

of

cousins,

supposed to possess the ear of royalty, and lately appointed second

man,

tall

He

is

a young

and well made, of coaly complexion, broad-

and with a prepossessing expression.

faced,
lish

Yevogan of Whydah.

subjects speak highly of

" landlord "

he

is,

declare

him

him

The Eng-

the French, whose

to be

cunning and inter-

ested.

He

and

was long ago proposed that he should

it

certainly

knows the

habits of white men,

visit

England, the principal advantage being that after return he might venture

man would
*

As

upon the

truth,

not dare before royalty.*

which a meaner

When

this

was

will appear, the highest officials in the land (excepting only the

blood royal) are bond Jide slaves to the king,

what they
VOL.

i.

and therefore cannot say

please.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

210

mentioned to the King,

lie

readily consented, declaring,

however, that he must retain as hostages Mrs. Bernasko

and her
of this

children.
r

much

regretted not seeing more

" English

oung man, but the jealousy of the

landlord "

managed

successfully to isolate me.

On

the

present occasion Chyudaton was smoking a bad Bahia

cigar,

bit of civilisation to

be expected from one

conversant with " European society "

of green
horns.

silk,

He

and

his decoration

was a

so

he wore a tunic

pair of

mushroom

performed the decapitation dance, looking

most amiable the while.

The French and English

flags,

preceding a company

of dancing soldiery, announced the Yevogan, or viceroy

of

Whydah.

In contrast with his lieutenant he

old school of Gezo's

He was

worst type.
village

officials,

and he

is

is

the

perhaps the

born at the hereditary

little

* of his family, Dokon, about two miles to the

east of the

Kana Gate

volts

a compound of a bovine cerebellum, a deeply-

it is

of

Agbome.

His appearance

re-

wrinkled brow villainously low, a double prognathousness, massive lips

with bad

lines, thick-lidded,

yellow eyes, and the expression of a satyr.

* It consists of a

surrounded by

fine

number

blear and

Mr. Duncan

of thatches enclosed in a clay wall and

palm plantations.

THE PEOCESSION.

211

found him an " excellent fellow," which in one sense

He

true.

is

as bad as he looks,

to be equalled

pute at
ject,

by

litigants

his avarice is only

two strangers

If

his rapacity.

Whydah, 500

and the

and

is

dis-

dollars for instance being the sub-

proceed to the Yevogan for justice,

he at once confiscates half the amount in question to

the King, that
will

certainly

Fetishmen.*
officials,

is

to say, to himself ;

disappear
Until

amongst the caboceers and

lately

he has,

known white men only

with equal superciliousness.

him

He

strangers.

into trouble,

Yet he

and as the

treats

every one

This insolence has more

he was placed under arrest in his

vility to

the older

like all

as slavers,

most abject order of traders.

than once brought

and a third quarter

is

and

May

in

own house

last

for inci-

ever rude of manner,

and requires to be treated in kind

" civil or rough," as

The consequence is, that white men for the most part, and blank
men when they dare, take their own measures at Whydah. Before my
arrival a merchant shipmaster having been robbed by a mulatto clerk,
put him into the hands of a Brazilian slaver. The latter hung up the
culprit by the thumbs and lashed his wrists tight to a pole, pouriii^
upon them a powdered wood like sand, which caused the flesh to swell
with intolerable pain. It reminded me of the days of 1724-25, when John
" The judge ordered that his thumbs
Grow, the pirate, would not plead.
should be squeezed by two men with a whipcord till it did break, and
then it should be doubled till it did agaia break, and then laid three*

fold,

and that the executioners should pull with their whole strength."
p 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

212

the occasion requires, but

On

of the former,

man, a

felt

hat,

much more

of the latter than

he wore, as a white

this occasion

which he doffed to us thrice

dancing a few steps, he came forward to snap

and attempted, partly

pull us

from our

which

the

local

not

less

the

first

bards,

was

of

that

troubadours,

powerful

mark was
jawbone

the

in

Ahanjito

the

or

above the

figures,

wild

distinguishing

man's

with

They

were

preceded

adorned with

all

manner

of

animate and inanimate, cut out of coloured

and sewn upon the plain ground.

followed

are

".chauri,"

handle.

flags/'*

or

fact,

who

other

in

The

in

laureates,

Dahome than

horse-tail

by nine "fancy

cloth

by the companies,

followed

from Wales to Nepaul.

lands,

in earnest, to

and of the Hunto or drummers

singers

fingers,

seats.

The caboceers were

of

much

in jest but

then,

by a

crania dished

truly barbarous display

These were
eight

up on small wooden bowls

plates, at the top of

very

tall poles,

human

like bread-

a ninth remaining

The favourite ornament of the flag, like the umbrella, is a bluehandled red-bladed knife on each alternate valance-flap, the other being
occupied by decapitated heads wearing the East Indian kan-top, or earcap, which the Egbos call " filla," having probably derived it from the
*

Tulas.

THE PROCESSION.
ominously ungarnished.

213

After passing round in review

without umbrellas, the musical warriors,

chevaliers

are preua?

and extra -doughty worthies, formed

opposite me,

and waving

" chauris,"

their

pretty tune certain words in

my

He now cometh

to see

Dahome, and he

They were dressed

wore horns.

all

sang to a

the world with

its

kings

shall see everything here.

and eleven of them

in rich silks,

down on our

After dancing solos they sat

where before stood the

line

praise,*

Burton (pronounced Batunu), he hath seen

and caboceers

right,

who

common herd

of gazers,

chiefly boys.

Then, preceded by the Union Jack (why

came the Akho-'si

flags,
*

As

in the

"

King

wife,"

V)

and four

Eunuch

or

these people have no written language, anything that happens

kingdom, from the arrival of a stranger

an earthquake,

to

formed into a kind of song, which, rhythmless and rhymeless,

to professional

The

men, and

is

stranger, however,

is

is

taught

thus transmitted to posterity.

may

find himself strangely

named.

European

nomenclature not being pleasant to negro ears and tongues, every white

man

in the land has, as on the Gold Coast, a nickname.

Superior of the French mission

opposed to a tall brother,

is

Nyan

Nyan

known

as

gag&, "

Long

gli

The Father

" Padre Curto,"

father."

Another mis-

M. L
being of highly nervous temperament, was dubbed
Penan, or papaw leaf, which resembles the aspen. Mr. Beecham, being
much addicted to meat, and walking about with rounded shoulders,
became Kpon 'akra, the hunchback-vulture. I at once was known as
Kwabna, Tuesday, from landing at Whydah on that day, and afterwards
as " Ommoba," from a well-known Fanti character.
sionary,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

214

There were three

Company.
and one

in horns

chiefs,

two

the corps, however,

is

in black felt

no longer

by carrying

tinguished, as in the days of the History,

The head man presented the

bright iron rods.

stick,

He

whereupon

I rose

me

then informed

and drank

that he

my

The

had been commissioned

last day,

velvet,

pageant was a rapid pass round of

number

My

cVelite.

Blue, or English escort of the

with their Colonel, Anaufen, in a cap of crimson

followed

in a
;

an unfurled

flag,

fired,

or bayoneteers, were headed

The Achi,
mander

dignitary, to

steps.

rest of the

the corps

ro}T al

to the King's health.

by the Chief Eunuch, the principal palace

guide

dis-

man

o'

they were

men, dressed

in

by

saluted.

their

com-

war's man's cap, about twenty in

tall,

blue

heavily loaded guns.

and

large,

and evidently picked

cloth tunics,

and armed with

They are recognised by a kind

of e}^e on their conical caps, also of blue cloth,

two

hori-

zontal parentheses of white, and a dark central dot.*

Followed a few carbineers, whose half-shaven heads

showed them
*

The

first

to be

of the

slaves

palace

they are

bayoneteers we^e organised by the old Meu, or second

King Gezo at first they were 200 in number.

The reader will bear in mind that the corj)s cVelite and the officers in the
Dahoman army are the same amongst the women as amongst the men.

minister, in the days of

THE PEOCESSION.
known
flag

as Zo-hu-nun

215

A white

" Fire at the foe's front."

with a blue anchor at the end of a waving

stripe,

denoted the Gail'

querors of

u'

reel

nlan Company, the " Con-

animals," so called from the size of their

all

guns, which are expected to

kill,

not to

wound :*

forming-

part of the artillery with the Agbarya,f or blunderbuss

men

they are chosen for

much

They followed a

army.
flag,

themselves to

prefer

and

their

the

resting

chiefs

upon

butt

size

and strength, and

the

commonalty of the

tattered Jack

bowed
the

to

and a fancy

us, whilst

ground, fired

the

men

resonant

charges.

At 2

p.m.,

when

the review was over, the Yevogan

again came up, shook hands with us, and preceded by

the most numerous of the companies, his

own men,

set

out palace wards, leaving us to follow.

All our party then formed

file,

led

by the youth

Buko, carrying the King's cane which had reached us

at

Whydah, by So-kun, the English

guide,

and by the

Gan'u (conquering), nlan (any animal).

Thus I explain Mr.
" Next came a regiment belonging to a country
vol. i., p. 236
This regiment
called Ginoa, commanded by a female of the same name.
consisted only of 300 women.
This corps make no prisoners, but
Duncan,

kill all."

t This

word must not be confounded with agbaja, a cartridge-box,

which Mr. Duncan

(vol.

i.,

p. 226)

erroneously writes agbwadya.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

216

Mr. Hilton preceded the

solemn eunuch De-Adan-de.

hammocks with

the

flag of

George, followed by

St.

the Reverend Bernasko, supported on both

Beecham and Valentine.*

Krumen

in bright caps

and

went next with

"

Pagnes

"
;

sides

my

behind

by

armed

me was

Mr. Cruikshank, then Governor Mark, and lastly the

Between the ceremonial

boy Tom.

trees of Gbwehun-'li

and the palace of Banyamme,f the distance

quarter of an hour in

hammocks

ruptions multiplied

by three

it

a 3 -pounder ship's swivel

fired

is

about a

the different interat every

a blank

100 yards

shot,

and was

carried on the shoulder of a single porter to the next

The

station.

direction

w as
T

north, with a

little

westing.

broad well-worn and carefully cleaned road

those about
pebbles,

Kana

are the

wound through

same

hard with

all

water-rolled

grass plots, scatterings of wild

cotton heaps, and tufts of croton (Croton tiglium), be-

tween

fields of

Mr. Duncan

governor of

maize and

(vol.

p.

"

thur" (Cajanus indicus), and

216) was "

Whydah," who showed

amused by the vanity

of the old

a great anxiety to precede him, with

a view of showing superiority, and, presently riding up, ordered to the

rear his attendant,

who seemed

mortified.

In Dahome the introducer

precedes the presentee, but not with any idea of superiority.

t Or Banyanyamme, a strong name given by the builder, Gezo, when

he was substituted for his eldest brother. It is not intelligible to my
interpreters.

THE PKOCESSION.

217

under the noble trees detaching

o the divers homesteads.
l

An

abundance of Fetish was also present.

Presently

struck upon the eastern angle of the

These buildings in Dahome are

palace.

the

we

same pattern

about 20

ft.

a swish wall of

in

many

when new ground

is

taken

denotes that labour

is

deferred to another day.

shape

is

places

shows patches of matting, and

it

made upon

courses or steps,*

five

high, forms the enceinte

appears ruinous

it

all

in,

a fresh palm fence

The

an irregular square or broken oblong, and the

circumference must be sufficient to contain the wives,

soldieresses,

and female

usually from eight

sheds about 100

and 60

ft.

enough

for

ft.

to 70

two

ft.

composing the personnel

The gates vary

of the feminine court.

are

slaves,

to

in

number

they

They are thatched

ten.

long, built against the clay wall,

high

though the roof ridge

is tall

the deep and solid eaves rest

stories,

upon posts barely 4

ft.

tall,

planted at 14 to 15

ft.

from the back wall, and the two nearest the entrance
are provided with earth benches.f
*

The

In Dahome these swish steps are called " ko-hwe."

the city gates are allowed five

others three, or as the

building, 30 to

40

King

feet high,

chiefs

have four

"Pw6,"

The palace and

and all

tall or five short,

directs.
The singbome, or double-storied
and described by old visitors at Kana, no

longer exists.

t Locally called

slanting roof

the Abeokutan

"Okpo."

A MISSION TO GELELE.

213

of thick grass
Inside, the

stiff

is

kept in position by stout bamboo

ground

is

raised about 1

ft.

splints.

the material

red loam, in parts rudely pipeclayed.

is

Outside

the entrance there are invariably two stunted and pol-

larded trees, here as favourite a fashion as formerly in

France

and often a pole connecting them forms a

from which jo-susu,

gallows,

its

ft.

Each

and other talismans depend.

bashes,

has

or Fetish cala-

vo-sisa,

bundle of Bo-so, or Bo-sticks,*

also

truncheons, 3

Moslem prayers

to

and white, and

long, zebra'd or spotted with red

at times inscribed with

tree

they resembled

on a small scale the barber's pole of old England and

modern America.
houses

The external gateways

in the interior, as far as

correspond with the

external,

Whydah

rulers,

he

is

can be seen, they

and the King always

receives in these barn-like sheds.

the old

act as guard-

After the fashion of

ever changing his sleeping

apartment.f

For an explanation of the Bo Fetish, see Chap. XVII.

f The only Englishman known to have been admitted into the king's
sleeping chamber was Mr. Norris, who, in 1773, described it as a neat
detached room, separated from the court in which it stood by a
breast-high wall, the top of which was stuck full of human jaw*

bones.

The

little

area within

it

was paved with the skulls of neighbour-

ing princes and chiefs, placed there that the king might trample upon

them.

THE PROCESSION.
After a few minutes

market, where

eastern

we

arrived at the Akoreha,* or

we were

Bo Fetishmen

213

received by a con-

on their right were holy

sistory

of

women

in decent garb, petticoated to the ancles,

distinguished

by flowers

of cowries.

The

and long necklaces

in the hair,

chief carried

and

by way of sceptre a

wonderfully worked axe of bright brass, called by the

people Asiovi, and

known

Lustily cheered

de Bo.

to the

Portuguese as Facao

we passed

the several gates of

the palace, each showing from one to three umbrellas of

the guard, the captains on chairs,

ground

sitting motionless

and the men on the

with guns and blunderbusses

pointed skywards, and like a picadil of spears.

clown

another

open space,

called

Ajyako,

Turning

we

ceeded to the Addogwin, or western market.

not recognise a place once familiar to
palace fence of dry
for

my

eyes

proI

did

the

brown palm-leaves had disappeared

a bran-new dark-green matting, and the form of

the clearing
locality

had changed

nothing recalled the old

but a huge tree on the north

When

side.

opposite the western or main gate, the usual

large barn-like thatched shed, supported on posts,

* This is said to

we

"
be a Whydah. word, the name of a town " broken

by one of the elder kings.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

220

dismounted, as

is

the custom, to

make

On

congees.

the right were two duck-guns, and a machine infemale

with

five

bell-mouthed brass barrels, mounted on a

dwarf bed,* and with a single

lock

flint

were four wall-pieces, and one wooden

case,

which was

covered an equal number of the highest digni-

taries in the empire.

somewhat lengthy

of this place will be required

it

is

the soldiery

of

Dahome,

wings

the

or,

is

it

represents

Dahome, minus the King, halted

encamped upon the

The army,

description

the fac-simile in

male of the feminine palace-interior, and

of

left

Twenty-four umbrellas, ranged in

probably empty.
line,

on the

line of

what

is

or

march.

nearly synonymous, the nation

divided, both

male and female, into two

Right and the Left.f

They are

so called

from their relative position to the throne, which here

was represented by the entrance dividing the captains

and

their retainers into

The

right or senior

by the Min-gan,| the

two

bodies.

wing
first

is

commanded, ex

of the two great

* Apparently a favourite old weapon.

a " blunderbuss with five barrels."

qfficio>

Bonugan

Mr. Norris mentions, in 1772,

t There are no regiments, properly so called, as supposed by Mr. Duncan.

The word is variously spelt
% Said to mean " we are all captains."

Miegan, Mingban, and by the History, Taraegan.

him the " Otton."

The Abeokutans

call

THE PEOCESSION.

221

He

or civilian captains " of the outside."

is

therefore

amongst men * the she-

the Premier of the empire

Min-gan, being within the palace, takes precedence of

He

him.

leads in the field the

head of the

right wing, and, as

to

he

police,

speak from the people to the King.

he

des hautes ceuvres,

man-slayer
the

case of sacrificial or

own

sort to his assistants.

is

kills for

Dahoman
the

look

officials

of a

Men-wu-to,

The present

"

M.

de

is

DaJwme "

by no means decrepid,
cranium, but de-

headsman.

are in double pairs

I
:

called "

have said

Gundeme,f and she has an

all

his lieutenant is

Adonijah

"),

the

The woman

King's Cousin," and a favourite at court.

is

he

hands, leaving the humbler

Adanejan (by the English

Min-gan

or

the king proper, in

with a neat and well-made small

cidedly the

supposed

distinguished deaths

dark, thin old man,

tall,

is

Being esecuteur

also entitled "

is

and, as he

expected to use his

"

battalion of the

first

assistant.

He
M. Wallon erroneously ranks the Mingan [after the Meu.
makes the same mistake in saying that the Gau and the Po-su are equal.
Mr. Duncan (p. 231) casually alludes to the " Me-gah, the King's
*

principal jailer,"

and

as

wrongly

tells

household are allowed to adopt their

(N.B., there are none),

Mayho

(for

us " the higher

officers

official titles as their

of the

family names

" the Meu") being in the Dahoman

language, Prime Minister."

" The head or

thus alluded to by Mr. Duncan, vol. i. p. 248
named
Godthimay."
regiments,
commander of one of his majesty's female
t She

is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

222

Under the Min-gan,

or civilian Premier,

is

the Gaiy

;<

or leader of the second battalion of the right wing, and

He

military Commander-in-Chief.

in the absence

is,

of the Min-gan, the head of the Ahwan-gan,f or war

captains of the outside.

and large

old

and ricketty

Amazons

deputy

The

who

is

is

command

is

The corresponding

known

officer

amongst

Khe-tun-gan,j and her

as

the Zokhenu.

is

chief civilian Captain of the Left

is

the second subject in the empire.

collects

receives tribute, declares war,

appoints,

Gau and

some, the

the Meu,

He

||

speaks

the revenues,

according to

the Po-su, and has the charge of

all

many ways of writing this word. Commissioner Forbes

Agaow, M. Wallon, Gao, and the History, Agaow, with a sus-

There are

prefers

picion of derivation from the Turkish

Ahwan

Agha

and gan (a captain). This rank includes

that can bring ten to a hundred dependants or slaves into the
X Meaning Khe (bird), tun (hammering), and gan (metal).
t

tall

the Matro, brother

from the King to the people,

almost time that he should " go to

it is

to the present King.

the

officer is

man, with a wrinkled forehead, nervous

His second in

sleep."

The present

(war),

all officers
field.

The Zoheino of the History,

The word is said to mean " his raiment fits him." It is spelt with
more or less error, Mayho, Mayhoo, Mahu, Mehou (there is no aspirate,
but a diaaresis), and Mayo.
The Egbas of Abeokuta translate the

||

title

" Osin."

THE PEOCESSION.

He

King.

the

strangers visiting

223

also

executes the

Addo-Kpon, the Bush King, an

criminals of

institution

which, with the reader's leave, I will explain at a future

The present tenant of

time.*

office

was once

cele-

brated for his memory, and could so class facts that he

name

never forgot
cal aid of a

or event

with the poor mnemoni-

few beans or seeds he managed the compliIn those days his power was

cated affairs of Dahome.

great,

and he required

to be

He

now an

man,f with hollow cheeks and

is

old

old,

bought at a high

gums, which make his mouth appear

toothless

the only predicament which produces this

Africa.

and he

He
is

easily forgets

price.

lipless

phenomenon

in

he appears to be half asleep

The King has

manifestly becoming childish.

occasionally hinted at his retirement, but the decrepid

clamours

senior

truly, that

to

be

do-nothingness would

ing rapacity and big eye

kept on,

Mr. Duncan

(vol.

i.

pp. 250

which poor old Mayho, who

is

would,

declaring,

kill

if

him

perhaps

his exceed-

unglutted, certainly

251), describes

a horrible scene " in

an excellent man, was the proper exe-

cutioner."

f Eight years ago, M. "Wallon made him ninety. But negro longevity is

sum up the almost diabolical

man, people say " He knows his own age."
a common Ffon phrase is, " E su nukun " (he has a
X Covetousness
big eye).
Mr. Duncan (vol. i. p. 217), calls him an " excellent old man,
very uncertain in these lands, where, to

wisdom

of the white
:

A MISSION TO GELELE.

224

blade "

many

to

calls

At

a king.

times he waxes bright, and

mind the Captain Springatha

depicted by the

an unclean

His favourite garb

is

worn

and broad

"
can's " silver gauntlets

shirt,

silver armlets

upon the brown

Though not

styled the Bi-wan-ton.*

of London."

an alpaca jacket

he manages to look exceedingly mean.

is

so facetiously

commander of the "Hannibal

to rustiness,

" politic

But he has served as a

cause his death.

Mr. Dun-

sleeves,

when

His lieutenant
of royal blood,

he has lately succeeded to the name and rank of a

nephew

of the

King who debauched the twin

cesses due in marriage to the

The

culprit

Min-gan and the Meu.

imprisoned, but, as a scion of royalty, he

is

receives food from his

a single slave.

Thus

mitted.

own

house, and he

among

intercourse with his wives

his

greatest

the

Amazons

dume,f anc^ her deputy

and very

different

allowed

is

No

punishment

administer to our convicts gratis.

officer

prin-

is

is

is

is

per-

what we

The corresponding

known

as the

Akpa-

the Fosupo.J

from the generality of uncivilised Africans, not having

that covetous and selfish disposition usual with them."

Now

it

is

notoriously the contrary.

*

love

Bi
is

(all),

over

wan

all

(love),

those

ton (belonging

whom

t Hence Mr. Duncan's

(vol.

i.

pp. 232, 233).

to),

meaning that the King's

he has made.

Apadomey regiment, and Apadomey soldiers

% The Phussopoh of the History.

THE PEOCESSION.
Under the Meu, and
to

225

He may

the Min-gan, ranks the Po-su.*

described as the head

war-man

Meu, under the

to the

He

no means of prepossessing presence.

and muscular.

The

when Gezo attacked Abeokuta, adds

He

look.

appears ever sick or surly

worn longer than

and

pigtails, like

is

also be

The present incumbent

Commander-in-Chief.

warrior, black, lean,

Gau

related to him, as the

is

by

is

a youngish

an eye

loss of

to his

scowling

and

his wool,

usual, stands upright in little tufts

a thrum mop.

His lieutenant

Ahwigbamen, one of the King's brothers.

is

the

Under

the

Po-su ranks the Ajyaho, the " Jahou " of the History,

and there called " Captain of Horse."

neuter,

he

is

Though not a

the chief of the eunuchs, whose offences

He

he punishes.

swears witnesses, and he has medi-

cines to elicit the truth.

These high

officials,

the Min-gan and Meu, the

and Po-su, or one of them,

four battalions

the field.

failing the

Gau

Ajyaho, lead the

which the Dahoman army numbers,

The Amazons

are, it

in

has been seen, similarly

conducted.

The
* I

third personage in the realm

is

have alluded to this dignitary in Chapter

written

the Yevo-gan,

II.

The name ^

hy Commander Forbes, Possoo, and by M. Wallon, Poissou.

VOL.

I.

is

A MISSION TO GELELE.

226

whose functions

Dahome, as

By

have described.

at Benin, all

and most women are

men

his

the state law of

are slaves to the King,

The blood-royal

wives.

the only freedom in the country, and

it

is

probably does

not exceed two thousand souls.

After the Bonu-gans, the Owu-tu-nun (royal attendants),

and the Ahwan-gan, rank the Akhi

who pay

great traders,

more

useful

life

or

They

over duties to the King.

are in fact the "merchant princes" of

certainly lead a

'sino,*

Dahome, and they

than the Ahwan-gan,

or military class, which will do nothing but eat and

make

drink, dance,
fifth

In the

rank are the petty governors and captains, to

whom

the

King

gives the insignia

their predecessors;
trifling

reasons

evil report of

Returning
sits

war, and attend Customs.

the

for the

to the

host

western part of the palace, where

of high

retainers,

saluted

us.

officials,

especially

These

marching round, singing, dancing,

we

find

the

militia
firing,

Akhi (market),

si

for asi (a wife),

them

companies

troops

were

and perform-

ing other evolutions distinguished by immense

*

most

the neglect of some ceremonial, or the

their

w hich had

and who are degraded

of

a messenger.

little

inspecting

and the property

no (mother).

noisi-

THE PEOCESSION.

922

hammocks our

three

ness.

"We finished in

of the

Addogwin market-place, each time stopping

salute the

Sublime Porte.

salutation,

we

retired

eastward,

facing

sat

At

2*45

official

tours
to

the last

p.m., after

about a hundred yards, and,

down

till

summoned

to

" the

presence."

The heat was

excessive,

and the dancers' dust stained

After half-an-hour, a silver bell and a pair of

us red.

horns hurrying up, motioned us to arise and advance.

This person was the To-no-nun, or chief eunuch, whose
functions, including those

of his

brother

official,

the

Kan-gbo-de, must, at the risk of wearying the reader,

be explained before I can hope to
the palace intelligible.
offices

people,

make

the interior of

So complicated are the various

and the ceremonious receptions amongst these

who own no

The To-no-nun*

other study in

is

life

the chief of the Owu-tu-nun,f or

body attendants upon the sovereign, the others being the

Binazun, the Buko-no, and their followers.

eunuch

is

the fourth personage in the realm

This head

royalty not

To (town), no (mother), nun (mouth), meaning that all must obey

him. Commissioner Forbes writes the word Toononoo, and M. Wallon,
who understood even less of the language, Tolonnou.
*

From Owu

(a body).

These personal attendants are entirely distinct

from the warriors.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

22S

He

included.

beyond which

the minister of the palace interior,

is

his authority does not

extend

he attends

the King's person, and on great occasions he interprets

women

between the

commands

and

officers

who have an

the corp of eunuchs,

During the

residence in the city.

Outside, he

strangers.

especial

late Gezo's reign,

he

was on great occasions the organ of communication

between

his

to rinse out the glasses in

to

Meu

master and the

like

is

very

countenance, and

was

also his

old,
is

it

now

The

obsolete.

with a peculiarly baboon-

hardly possible to distin-

guish him from a senior of the other sex.

silver

duty

which toasts were drunk, and

swallow the water, a custom

present incumbent

it

He

affects

horns and a blue broadcloth long coat, of quasi-

European

cut,

which,

trivial as

may

mind the idea of a magnified

appear, forces upon the

bluebottle fly

the comparison

and he loves to buzz about

emaciated limbs can carry him.

as fast as his

He had a narrow

escape at the accession of the present ruler

properly

speaking, he should have accompanied his liege lord to

Deadland.

Gezo, however,

must be spared,
inexperienced

lest,

in the

king, the

Court might suffer

let

left

express orders that he

hands of a young and

ceremonial of the

or change.

He

is

Dahoman

now

safe, as

THE PROCESSION.
he

wedo,* who

She

inside."

in

By

King."

kingdom there

the custom of this strange

a chief To-no-nun, eunuchess " of the

is

Yavedo,f and her second

called the

is

or chief eunuch " for

To -no-nun

called

is

present

the

have been re-emplaced by the Gbwe-

held to

is

229

command, the sub-To-no-nun

for the present King, is

the Visese-gan.

The Kan-gbo-deJ
whose

duties,

like

another personal

is

those

He

and

bell,

He wears round

articles,

his

is

the chief of the

and inspects the guards

royal huissiers,
entrances.

To-no-nun, do not

of the

extend beyond the palace gates.

attendants

at the several

neck a large

his

have

attendant

similar

but

silver

smaller

proclaim silence before the King speaks

to

they also precede the royal steps, to remove any sticks

or stones likely to offend.
to

The

late dignitary attached

the old king used to present strangers

" Otton-iweffa,"

is

the

title

of the second chief

eunuch

he was,

at

Yoruban

courts.

t
t
This

Ya

(they),

Kan
is

official

vedo (think).

(rope), 'gbo

an enigmatical

(cut,

or finished),

title, after

true

and de

Dahoman

having command of the rear guard.

stretched across

the road,

forms the

(octroi, or

town dues).

fashion, alluding to the

When

turnpike of

the rope which,

these

regions,

is

removed by the master of the custom-house, all can proceed. Commander Forbes spells the word Camboodee, and M. Wallon translates
it " Grand Chambellan."

A MISSION TO GELELE.

230

however, permanently degraded for wilfully riding on

The present holder of

horseback up to the royal gate.

the

office is

a young man, and his assistant, forming the

normal Dahoman "happy pair,"

dignitary

who met

of the Kan-gbo-de

Whydah.

us at
is

is

the Kakokpwe, the

The

chief warrior

the Ko-ko'aje, who, having been

w as bought by a
T

captured at the attack on Abeokuta,

gentlewoman, and converted into a husband and Abeo-

kutan " gentleman." The Dahomans swear that he must

be retaken.

The

Bi-na-zon,*

whom

the missionaries, ever think-

ing of Pharaoh, call " chief butler " for the worst of
possible reasons,

is

the King's head store-keeper.

all

He

has charge of the royal cloth, cowries, and rum, and

thus he corresponds with our " treasurer.''
ject,

and not of the blood-royal

withal.

The corresponding

Bi

(all),

na

(I),

is

a sub-

but a pleasant fellow

officer

of the

called the Vi-de-k'alo.

*

He

zon (walk).

inside,

is*

CHAPTER

IX.

THE KECEPTION.

Marshalled by "Silver
we entered the royal

* The King's

For in

Dahome

of the people.

We

Giraffe Horns,"

removing our swords

gate, first

and closing our umbrellas, which

the King."

and

Bell

may

not appear before

were told to walk hurriedly across the

name in Dahome must be pronounced with bated breath.

King in his own person absorbs the undivided respect
In England we adhere to the princely name e.g.,
the

Nana Sahib

rest

unsung,

Let none speak of Badahung,

which

is

as correctly applied to Gelele as

would be " Duke of Clarence "

to

William IV. after coronation. To utter it in his presence would, in the

once crowned, the King must forget his
case of a subject, be death
:

antecedents as an Adeling,

and

this is the

common

monarchs, even to the petty chiefs of the Congo.

sons of the actual dynast, have been to

the

hand

for

bread

my

practice of African

Many

quarters,

child princes,

and have held out

and such a small boy the present ruler once was.

Dr. M'Leod, however, errs in stating that the royal relatives, such as

and sisters, are slaves.

The word Badahung, or Badahong (which M. Wallon writes Budahou,
and others Badahou and Badou), is properly Ba (bamboo), do (pushes or

half-brothers

poles),

hun

(the canoe)

it is,

therefore, not very dignified.)

A MISSION TO GELELE.

232

we

nearer half of the palace yard, and presently

at a circle of pure loose white sand,

prostrated themselves

powder
and

for the great in

caps,

silex,

not

Dahome.

and waving them

w here

halted

the ministers

mud, being Court

There we doffed hats

in the right hand,

bowed

was

under

four several times to a figure that

the chiaroscuro of the thatch, and was,

sitting

we were

told,

returning our compliments.

This

preliminary over,

very slowly

the

and uttering

in

we were made

advance

to

native officials bending almost double,

drawn out unison

" a

a a

" to

warn

the Court that others besides the inmates of the palace

were approaching.
King,

who

few steps placed us close to the

merits especial notice.

Gelele,* also
father of

known

Dahome

as

Dahome-Dadda

the grand-

in the full vigour of

is

life,

from

forty to forty-five, before the days of increasing belly

* Gelele is, as

we

amongst kingly names in the Hwe-'gbeword of a phrase Gelele (bigness),

ma nyonzi (with no way of lifting). For the strong names or titles,
the curious reader will consult Appendix IV.
As regards the dynastic name, first assumed by King Aho (Adahoonzou I.), Hwe-'gbe-'ajya, it corresponds with Osai (Osei) of Ashanti,
and may be broadly compared with the Egyptian Pharaoh. The mean'jjya dynasty of

ing

is,

Hwe

often find

Dahome, the

initial

(a fish), egbe (will not enter), ajya (a weir)

shun the trap it will not

against Dahome.

viz.

If a fish

be caught, so no one can do anything

THE EECEPTION.
and decreasing

He

leg.

233

looks a king of (negro) men,

without tenderness of heart or weakness of head, and

he appears in form and complexion the k&Wlstos a*%>

of this black Iliad.
feet

six

high,

His person

lithe,

agile,

is

thin

athletic,

upwards of

flanked

and

broad

and

shouldered, with muscular limbs, well turned wrists

neat ankles,

The

skull is

but a distinctly cucumber-shaped shin.

rounded and well

stand

locality

prominently

appears upon the

poll,

set

out

on
a

the organs of
slight

baldness

and the "regions of cautious-

ness" are covered by two cockade-like tufts of hair,

mostly worn in
coral,

hair,

Dahome

for the

purpose of attaching

Popo-beads, or brass and silver conelets.

generally

variety, the

close

shaven,

is

of the peppercorn

eyebrows are scant, the beard

the moustachios are thinner.

He

His

is

and

thin,

has not his fathers

receding forehead, nor the vanishing chin which distinguishes the multitude
face indeed

expression

his strong

"jowly" rather than

is

oval,

jaw renders the

consequently the

normally hard, though open and not

humoured, whilst the smile which comes out of

pleasant.

length
*

it

ill-

is

His nails are allowed to attain mandarin-

* the African king must show that he

is

an

This length of talon probably suggested to elder travellers the idea

A MISSION TO GELELE.

231

"
eater of meat, not of " monkey's food

fruits

lands where no

His sub-tumid

lips

man

has yet been called furcifer.

disclose white, strong,

teeth, the inner surfaces being

His

tobacco.

eyes

are red,

blindness.

An

bleared,

and inflamed,

may end

This complaint

skill.

rum, for the King

is

not the

is

a very moderate drinker,

prefers wines

and

beer, of

rum and

gin.

The

store, to

in

ophthalmist might here thrive upon the

smallest display of

and

and sound

somewhat blackened by

betraying an opacity of the cornea which

gift of

and vege-

Moreover, talons are useful amongst ragouts,

tables.

in

which he has an ample

glare of the country, the

Harmattan winds, the exposure during the long reception hours, perpetual smoking,

and

lastly,

a somewhat

excessive devotion to Venus, are the causes.

is

The nose

distinctly retrousse, quasi-negro, anti-aquiline, looking

had been turned the wrong

in fact as if all the lines

way,

this

mean and hideous concave

of a poison-globule stuck under the nail of the

is

little finger,

gradually protruded into the calabash or drinking- cup,

when

which was

venom
Whydah,

the

Captain Phillips was told by a caboceer of

he had " well warmed with brandy and other strong liquors (here

instantly dissolved.

whom

the African

the key of most secrets)/' that

was brought from a distant inland

country, and that three to four slaves was the price of a single fatal
dose.
But brandy has the power of heating the imagination as well as

the other faculties.

it

THE EECEPTION.

235

and the

substitute for the beautiful, the sympathetic,

noble convexity of the Caucasian,

nor does

flattened,

it

subtending

corners

deeply, but not viciously,

marked

said concerning

be

afflicted

parallel

is

the usual

the

He

has suffered

national scourge

Dahoman mark,

the scalp than the eyebrows, a

We

forehead

the

of

According to some, he

and perpendicular lancet

where the

lines of

mouth are

which has by no means spared his race."

vestige of tattoo

much

and the same may

with chronic renal disease.

severely from the small-pox

not

The

the

of

the crumpling

during momentary excitement.

is

it is

wholly want bridge.

the

wrinkle

but

The only
three short

cuts, situated

little

nearer

above the place

meet the Z3*gomata.

latter

read in the History that the great Agaja was " pitted with the

small-pox, or perhaps tattooed in imitation of

country."

And we

as is

are especially informed that at

thus adorned their cheeks and foreheads

Dahoman sign was a perpendicular

the women marked the lower parts of
old

The modern

it,

practice

incision

customary in the

Whydah
now

both sexes

obsolete.

The

between the eyebrows

the body with various devices.

Mr. Duncan (vol i. p. 266),

wrongly asserts " the Dahomans are not marked at all, except such,
is

described in the text.

marks or tattooing as the parents may choose to inflict on the lower

parts of the person by way of ornament." The Alladas used to make an
incision in each cheek, turning up the flesh towards the ears, and allowing

it to

heal in that position

a hideous device also forgotten.

The sixth king, Sinmenkpen (Adahoonzou II.), died of small-pox in

1789.
The late Gezo, after marching on Popo, is said to have fallen

A MISSION TO GELELE.

236

M. Wallon, who probably never saw the present

declares that he

exactly resembles Gezo, whereas the

read of his character

il

Also we

was extremely dark-complexioned."'

latter

aussi

est

ruler,

" Ruse, tenace et tres dissimule,

plus interesse que son pare,

tres cruel!'

But Gelele always

Frenchmen

en

animam

et

disliked

mentem

et

passe pour

and

distrusted

There can be no

greater contrast than that between the sovereign and

the

ignoble-looking

certain
treble

lieges,

who,

age, either shrivel to

bulk,

Hindu-like,

after

skeletons or distend to

and who, though rarely resembling the

typical negro of the text book,f are not unfrequently

black as ill-brushed boots.

The pure reddish-brown

of his skin, not unlike that of the so-called copper-

coloured Indian,

and several shades

lighter than the

lightest to be seen at his Court, confirms

from the sequela of the same terrible disease, which

two kings out of a

* Mr. Duncan
athletic

man

the general

lias

thus killed

total of eight.
(vol.

i.

p.

224) describes Gezo, in 1845,

about forty-three years

of

as a

"

tall

age (he was older), with

pleasing expression and good features, but the top of his forehead falling

much to meet the views of a phrenologist."

t The same may be said of the typical John Bull, Johnny Crapaud,
Paddy, and Brother Jonathan we have selected an exception, a carica-

back rather too

But such negroes do exist I can point out a Yoruban family at

Lagos which fulfils every external condition of the link between man
and monkey.

ure.

THE RECEPTION.
report that his mother

Makhi:*

is

a slave-girl from the northern

others whisper that she

the French factory,

237

a mulatto from

is

Whydah.

Like Gezo, Gezo's son and heir affects a dress simple

to excess.

His head

is

often bare

on

this occasion

he wore a short cylindrical straw cap, with a ribbon-

band of purple velvet round the middle.

against sickness, in the shape of a

human

Bo-fetisli

incisor,

strung

below the crown, and a single blue Popo-bead, of

value,

was hanging

little

to a thick thread about his neck.

Despising the Bonugan-ton, or broad silver armlets of

his caboceers,

he contented himself with a narrow armil-

In Mr. Norm's map the "Mahees" are placed west of Agbome.

Their mountain-lands are to be seen rising due north of the capital

tribes

the

more distant are

Mr. Duncan, the only

in the vicinity are subject to the King, the

independent,

and even court his

attacks.

white man who explored the country, tells us (vol. i. p. 245), that
" Makee is pronounced Mahee in the Kong mountains," and relates that
the

Dahomans

there took 126 towns,

making the greater part of the enemy

In June, 1863, the army of Dahome, after fourteen marches,

probably short and circuitous, turned round upon a hostile clan, which
prisoners.

defended

itself so

well that but few were taken.

report at Little Popo,

that the

King had been

Indeed, I heard a

killed

by cannon sent up the Volta River.

The Makhi are a well made and comparatively

and the army

destroyed

people.

Their tribe mark

of Benin, above the skin,

extending beyond.

is

now a

light- complexioned

black line raised, as amongst the Ejo

from the hair

to the root of the nose,

but not

Formerly, they cut three long oblique marks on

and a cross on the other. Their women are prized

matrimony the mother of King Sinmenkpen was a Makhi girl.
one cheek,

for

A MISSION TO GELELE.

238

abagan " and "alogan,"

lary iron ring, of the kind called "

round
left

his right arm.

he wore

Above and below

five similar bracelets

these ornaments were

apparently invented to save the limb

white

silk,

stuff,

and as

it

when warding

The body-cloth was

a sabre-cut from the head.

fine

the elbow of the

plain

with a narrow edging of watered green

around the middle, decorum

sat loose

was consulted by drawers of purple flowered

The

reaching to mid-thigh.
of royalty,

off

sandals, here

silk

hardly

an emblem

They were

showed some splendour.

Moorish shape, with gold embroidery upon a

of

scarlet

ground, two large crosses of yellow metal being especially

simple,

conspicuous.

was

Altogether,

and

effective,

it

the

dress,

admirably set

though
off

the

manly and stalwart form.

The King was

sitting

under the deep shade of the

kind of shed-gate before described.

" Pwe," or earthbench, on the

was about three

red, blue,

feet high,

and striped cotton

The two near

stuff

right of one entering,

and was strewed with the

cloths

made

in the palace.

posts propping the eaves were swathed

with red and white

chocolate

His throne, the

calicos,

whilst

sprinkled with blue.

the

others were

The

left

elbow

of royalty rested upon a cushion of crimson velvet,

THE RECEPTION.
-with

239

a narrow band of bright yellow satin and lappets,

upon which appeared the royal emblem, the Cross.

a long stemmed

The Kino; was smoking; the weed

in

silver-mounted article

manufacture

manifestly thinks

native

of

there

what

he

nothing melius quam pipe

is

one would say must some-

tobacco, yet this excess

o'

:*

militate against his success with the sex.

throng of unarmed women, the royal spouses, sat

in a semicircle

behind the King under the same thatch,

the warrioresses being on stools, or at squat outside,

* So

Mr. Norris found King Tegbwesun " smoaking tobacco."

The pipe is an institution in Dahome.

and iron articles are made at home.

sold,

many

manufacture, one of the

Clays from Europe are mucli

The usual bowl

is

Agbome

of

monopolies of the royal wives

it is

of

and very brittle.

The tube is a sappy stick, somewhat like the salt- wood of the Benin
River, from eight to eighteen inches long, whitened by peeling, and
coloured black in alternate bands.
The King's tube and bowl are
adorned with silver plates and wire the old pictures of Dahome place a
reddish, or whitish-yellow earth, as usual half-baked

Here there is nothing like the art of

Ashanti, where the pipe-bowl represents some queer animal, human or
bestial, and the long flexible reed tube, conducing to cool and clean
Turkish pipe in the royal hand.

smoking,
is

is

tastefully adorned with silver wire.

The

pipe,

when

at rest,

placed in a wooden case, looking like two hockey-sticks knocked into

one,

and opening with a

slide in the

upper part.

nearly the size of a modern carpet-bag.

Yoruban

The tobacco-pouch

It is of goat's skin,

is

tanned

and coloured black, with dull red bindings.

The interior is divided into several compartments, and it is usuallycarried wrapped round the pipe-case.
The Dahomans, even the King, use Brazilian roll and American leaf:
after the

fashion,

a few prefer the worst kind of cigars.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

240

and through the open entrance

proceedings.

slave girls peeped at the

regret to say that not a pretty face

appeared, most of the "fair sex" had sooty skins, and

They atoned

the few browns showed negro features.

for this homeliness

and master

lord

Easterns,

is

by an extreme devotion
woman's position

to look

up

of Dahome's soul, like

It is

my

stantly

hands

removed with the

if

adjusted
which,

if

is

moved

sneezes,*

their foreheads

softest cloth

In Ffon, "nyin"

it

by the
it is

well.

in-

is

gentlest
at once

royal lips move, a plated spittoon,

the

when Mr. Norris

King

Lord Keeper's," lodges

the royal dress be disarranged,

of the wives,

the

"

no wonder that the King

upon the royal brow

If perspiration appears

say

earth,

somebody, and these certainly

to

do, so far, their duty.

on

to their

if

is

all

wrote, was gold, held

by one

within convenient distance

if

present touch the ground with

he drinks, every
a sneeze

lip utters

an excla-

manifestly, like ours, an imitative

Almost throughout Africa, there is some superstition connected

In Senaar, courtiers turn the back, and slap the
"
right thigh. Old authors tell us that when the " King of Monomotapa
sneezed, it became a national concern. Those nearest the royal person
howled a salutation, which was taken up by the antechamber; and
when the horrid cry had run through the palace, it was re-echoed
by the whole city. In Europe the superstition is, that St. Gregory
instituted a benediction upon the sneezer, because during a certain
pestilence the unseemly act was a fatal symptom.
word.

with this convulsion.

THE EECEPTION.

This intense personal veneration

mation of blessing.

reminded

and of

me

his followers left

the

rather

is

respected,

Mohammed

of the accounts of

without analysing too

it

241

by contemporary
far,

principle

the despotism

But

writers.

I suspect that in

Dahome

than the person that

more than the

turban rather than the wearer

despot,

that were the

is

the

King

to

succeeded on the morrow, the same semi-idolatry

be

However that

would be heaped upon his successor.

may

be, the

Dahoman King must

Such a

done for him.

kings are unlike

are

only condescend to

save what must necessarily be done by himself,

live, all,
is

the apostle

life

appears wearisome

common men, and

mysteries to

the

multitude.

but

the ways of princes

To

this

exceeding

care only can be attributed the protracted reigns of a

dynasty,

throne

whose eight members have

252

years,

thus

rivalling

the

sat

upon

seven

the

Roman

monarchs whose rule extended over nearly the same

period,

and has caused them

to be

held fabulous or

typical.

We walked

towards the entrance down the clear lane

hedged by squatting Amazons, and we formed up in a

group close to and opposite the King.
his

The Meu, and

dependent the English landlord, who acted as

AOL.

I.

it

A MISSION TO GELELE.

242

were our sponsors, supported our

and the Junior Min-gan our

the

ground

the

in

left,

and

of

position

Yevo-gan

right, the
all

reclined

Romans

upon

upon the

triclinium.

After the usual quadruple bowings and hand wavings,

the King arose, tucked in his toga, descended from his

donned

estrade,

his slippers

each

some dozen nimble feminine

greeted

me

Bull*

Still

with

act being aided

fingers

and

advancing,

sundry vigorous wrings a

my

grasping

by

la

John

hand, he inquired after the

health of the Sovereign, the Ministry, and the People

of England, which he and his naturally suppose to be a
little

larger

He

water.

and a much

richer

Dahome surrounded by

then asked more particularly concerning

the To-ji-'khosuf or Commodore, the

Gau

or Captain

Luce, and the Amma-sin-blu-to or Dr. Haran, his

year's visitors.

Gelele

said to have a right royal

is

recollection of faces, names,

* His father used to affect with

back with
t To

his

and

histories.

bluto, or

long com-

Englishmen a " familiar slap on the

especially the ocean, a pool, or a stream), ji (upon),

khosu, for Akhosu by Synalepha (a king).

leaf- water

open palm."

(water,

explained.

last

" Gau,"

have already

Amma (tree, or other leaf), sin (water, the compound word

meaning " medicine"), and bln-to (he who makes). Amraa-

Amma-sin-blu-to,

Amma-sin-kpele
Kivg's medicine.

is

the

is

title

the proper

name

for a doctor or surgeon

of an officer, in whose charge

is

placed the

THE KECEPTION.

243

me upon my

having kept word

pliment was paid to

in returning

had promised on a previous occasion

to apply for permission

redeem a promise

to

is

to

revisit

Dahome, and here

a thing unknown.

frequently afterwards referred to this

great importance to truth-telling,
it

made me

his

good friend.*

It

The Kin^

trifle,

attaching

and assuring me that

reminded

me of

Beholde the manne he spake the truthe,

Hee's greater than a kynge
!

He then

finally

snapped fingers with a

Mr.

will.

Cruikshank wore a naval frock, which looked dull near

a scarlet uniform, having no epaulettes

was

less

ceremonious.

the greeting cf a friend,

to his seat,

Our

Lastly, the

Reverend received

and the King, before returning

kindly noticed the boy Tom.

stools

were placed before the

throne-,

sat whilst the materials for health-drinking

* Truth,

accueil

his

being a peculiarly rare

article, is

and we

were taken

highly valued here.

King

Sinmenkpeu said to Governor Abson (1803), who, being a resident of

thirty-seven years in the country, had attempted a mild deceit, that " he

Englishman had not been so much of a Dahoman-man, as to

make use of any artifice." I have myself been put to shame by hearing
a Camaroons River chief declare to a Baptist missionary, who was
palpably prevaricating, that had the truth been told, all would have
been well. It must be a curiously self-sufficient brain that will enter
into the lists of lying with an African.
"wished the

r 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

244

from under a red

near the

table

not

which lay upon a ricketty

once

with legs

entrance,

It is

gilt.

customary to address royalty, even though the

acquainted with

be

presentee
sovereign's

answer must
is

who

passes

language.*

The

King

the

and that he

inspection.

I at

it

on to the

visitor,

and the

back through the same channels.

trickle

evident

offensive,

the

words are spoken to the Meu, who informs

the interpreter,

It

calico cloth

will

never

will ignore all

hear

anything

beyond

his actual

once saw the necessity of attacking

the dialect, and, despite the nervous terrors of the hen-

hearted Beecham,
I

had the

who seemed

to think teaching treason,

satisfaction, before departure, of

understand-

ing most conversations in Ffon, and of being able to

join in

a simple dialogue.

After Sin-diyye!
several liquors

to

Commodore, and

and Sin-ko

the

my

we drank

health of the

humble

self.

in three

Sovereign,

the

After bowing and

touching glasses, the King suddenly wheeled round,

whilst

two wives stretched a white

of a screen before him,

and gaudy
*

On

parasols,

by way

and another pair opened small

so as completely to conceal his

the other hand, there

compels mere answers

calico cloth

is

none of the ceremonial absurdity which

to a royal question or

remark.

THE
figure

from our gaze.

and

sprang

245

There was a prodigious out-

Guns were

burst of noise.
bells,

RECEPTION".

fired, "

kra-kra,

" tinkled

Amazons

watchmen's

or

rattles,

ministers bent to the ground clapping their palms,

" Po-o-o "

commoners bawled
it

easy

" Bleo

(i. e.,

cowering to avoid the dread

!"),

and

their backs if sitting,

bears, or they

swimming

if

We

"

"

Take

sight, turning

standing they danced like

paddled their hands

dog.

and

like the forefeet of

'

were not expected to move.*

* Africans

and some Asiatics are most subject to witchcraft when

the Maldivian Islanders, for instance, eat alone in
eating and drinking
the recesses of their houses, fearing lest some unlucky cantrip be played
;

with the victuals.

Moreover, in most places, the King

to eat, drink, or sleep at all.

The

origin of the idea

is

too great a

man

is intelligible

it

could not have been imposing to see the august person of George III.
turnips."
Hence the old kings of France
by knights on horseback. The Alake of Abeokuta
must be hidden even whilst he enjoys a prise. It was certain death to
see the petty King of Loango eat or drink, which he did in different
houses. When the cup was handed to him, an attendant struck together

"at dinner on mutton and

preferred to be served

two iron

rods, the thickness of a

their faces in the sand

and uttered blessings.

till

man's finger

all

who heard

it

buried

the sound ceased, and then clapped hands,

(Barbot:

Supplement.)

Also, no one

might

drink in the presence except by turning back upon royalty, which

also

the

case

for

"Ardra," we are

all

told,

but white

men

at

Dahome.

is

The negroes of

used in friendship the same cup, showing that

the idea of dignity has done

much towards surrounding

the act with

ceremony.

Mr. Ditton has quoted upon this subject from the description of
Henry VII. and Elizabeth of York's coronation: first, "The Lady
Elizabeth Grey and Mistress Ditton went under the table and sat at the

Queen's

feet,

and the Countesses of Oxford and Rivers knelt on each

A MISSION TO GELELE.

246

After the "toasts," salutes were

royalty

dore

the

first for

Commo-

the second, of eleven guns, for the

and the

fired,

I at once

of nine, for myself.

third,

my

objected,

and demanded the same number

decessor,

and when Mr. Beecham, who had turned

my

could be persuaded to interpret

at once ordered

two more to be

When

cuses for the mistake.

words, the

preblue,

King

and made ex-

fired,

this

as

was done, we were

informed, according to custom, that another deputation

was

There

be received.

to

is

no necessity here for

backing out of the presence, the dorsum indeed, when

dancing,
front.

is

presented to majesty more often than the

We,

therefore,

turned and moved about

feet outside the King's thatch, to the place

stools

where our

We

had been ranged fronting the north.

thus amongst the caboceers of the Meu's party

side,

and now and then held a kerchief before her Grace and
Queen departed with God's blessing, and the rejoicing
;

On

(Leland's " Collectanea," vol.

the other hand, Mr. Jas.

Smith

Anne

right side of her (Queen

Oxford, widow, and on her

all

W.

left

after the

of

many

216-233.)

iv. pp.

cites Stowe's Chronicles

were

about

feast the

a true English heart."

100

" On the

Boleyn's) chair, stood the Countess of

hand stood the Countess of Worcester,

the dinner season, which, divers tiroes in the dinner time, did hold

when

a fair cloth before the Queen's face

otherwise at her pleasure

and

at the

two gentlewomen under the table."

country, the chief's big toes are

still

she did

Queen's

Amongst some
when he

pulled

list to

feet, all

spit, or

do

dinner time, sat

tribes in the

drinks.

Congo

THE EECEPTIOK
a

score

on the

proper

left

472

of the throne, and with us

were the Po-su, or left-hand Sub-commander-in-Chief,

and the English landlord.

the two Yevo-gans,

We

were

separated from the Min-gan, the Gau, and the other

right-hand chiefs by a few paces, the prolongation of

the

clear

passage

leading to the

mand an

lined

throne.

with sitting Amazons,

and

Thus the King could combottom of the

uninterrupted view of the

court.

Here, comfortably
tent-canopy,

called

in

my

umbrella, I produced

The King
Gezo,
for

and

this,

and

by Mr. Duncan, sent

visited

Dahome an

adversaria and sketch-books.

his father,

to the palace

paper that everything might be described by him *

:

without the aid of writing

remember

King sent
that

to

would be impossible to

More than once

me his

no white

trouble,

it

half the complications which occur during

these receptions.

in after-times the

compliments and thanks,

man had

more

civilised

is,

me
much

telling

ever before taken so

and that everything should be shown

The Pagan African

his

under the gorgeous

Ashanti

always pleased to see

is

when

established

to me.

in this point, a great contrast to

Moslem
* Yol.

i.

brother,
p, 227.

and

to the wilder

A MISSION TO GELELE.

248

of Asia,

tribes

who

pen as they do the

the

fear

fiend.

now proceed

King's levee.
in

It

to portray the salient features

was

to

me

of the

the most interesting scene

Dahome, showing more of picturesqueness and

of grotesqueness

and tragedy than any

The long barn under which

other.

Gelele set was built

against the eastern wall, which was clay

leaves,

matted and planted as a

fence,

remark
sticks

by a few poor
in the

fresh

and the only

tree supporting

two pennons on

which was confined

to the

objects of
fetish

an earthenware

Along the

shed,

his wives, ran

a line

tall poles.

King and

palm

regularity was

yard were the familiar bundles of

and a pollarded

pot, with

sheds,

forming the other

The

three sides of the oblong court.

relieved

less

of four-and-twenty umbrellas, forming an extempore

Those on the flanks were white, and mostly

verandah.

very ragged, sheltering the chieftain esses of the she

soldiers

King

sat,

in

the centre, denoting the place where the

they affected the gaudish tulip

hues, variegated, yet

in

perfect

tints,

harmonies

tender green, purple, white, and light blue

favourite

was red and yellow

Satan's livery, but

it is

when massed

it

dazzling

scarlet

an especial

called in

England

excites

the eye.

THE KECEPTION.

249

These richly tinted umbrella-canopies are forbidden to

all

save royalty, and the King takes no

little

pride in

them.*

The only
court

is

this

difference

the

between the outer and the inner

former

latter of the female soldiers,

both bodies

that

exactly

bamboo-palm (Raphia

a parade of the male, the

is

and the

allowed to pass.

is

the Mahaikpa, a princess

this thin

of

on the

barrier no one

who has not been seen

two years, and who consequently

"

Mid-ribs

correspond.

The instrument of communication

is

there

glance shows

vinifera), in single line, lie

ground separating the sexes

the throne

first

is

may

Below

be dead.

always one of her

for

-retainers,

the

Dakro/' a middle-aged woman, formerly attached to

Gezo's Court,

and a mighty

The Dakro bears messages from the King

who

ceremony.

stickler for

to the

Meu,

passes on the words to the Min-gan, whence they

find their

way

to the

many. She walks out of the shed

holding a war stick in her right hand, places

earth, kneels close

behind the bamboo

line,

it

on the

and resting

* They are manifestly made upon a European model.

Mr. Duncan,
who writes with the simplicity of a child, tells us (vol. ii. p. 271), that
the KiDg caused him to enter a memorandum of several patterns for
canopies, desiring him to order a number of them to he sent from
England. At the present moment (August, 1864) one of these umbrellas

may be

seen at the rooms of the Royal Geographical Society, London.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

250

elbows on thighs, or sometimes with one hand on the

ground, whispers her errand, almost touching heads.

As

a rule she goes on

kneels to smaller men,

Meu, and only

fours to the

all

who become quadrupeds

favourite gesture with both sexes here

them with one

the ground before

ing as

it

were the place

tling of the

The message

is

it

position, the feet resting

Dakro

rises,

returns

and placing

obeisance,

the whit-

it is

serves to conceal thought.

a similar

in

After obtaining the answer

to

within the

herself on all fours

approach to our brethren of the

Nebuchadnezzar

either

barn,

trifles

makes

the nearest

field since

the days of

upon the ground or upon a

mat, before and close to the King, duly delivers

royal ears.

smooth

upon the toes and the heels

supporting the posteriors.

the

by the minister

received

to

or both palms, clear-

for prostration

Yankee, and

is

to her.

it

to the

Nothing but the prodigious memory

for

possessed by this people prevents a communica-

tion that travels so far from losing all its original sense.

Outside the bamboos, divided, as has been said, into

two

distinct

groups, stand the ministers.

their richest attire,

satin.

gay with tunics of bright

The Min-gan wears

ornament

like

All are in
silk

and

eight necklaces, with a silver

a fleur-de-lis or

trefoil,

hanging upon

his

THE RECEPTION.
The Meu has doffed

breast.

and valuable pink

fine

25t

his alpaca jacket, displays

coral in long strings, with thin

thread pigtails lashed on to them, silver armlets adorned

with the British Lion, and with two quasi-human heads

which

may have

emblem

the

bow-god.

This

placed by

the

emblem of the

irreverent

upon what

caricaturist

known

or assistant Min-gan,

is

one

size larger

homme,

he

is

" chaffing " the

it

is

face, at

than his brain-pan, and a faux air

effected

by

whitey-grey beard and hair.

ful forty/'

more than usually gorgeous.

a huge Cyclops of a black, with a jetty

de jeune

him.

cross

is,

The Adanejan,

the simple instinct of a barbarous race.

least

rain-

not done par malice, like the ass

is

according to Dr. Rossi, the earliest

is

whilst

crucifix is strangely altered, the crucified

being a chamelion, the venerable

He

Mary

of Christianity, in gold, depends from his

But the

neck.

belonged to William and

much

close

shaving his

Though long

stiff'

past " fright-

addicted to women, and he

is

ever

Reverend about marrying a daughter to

great trencherman, with a rollicking laugh that

quakes his fat

sides, the big

offensive presence

he

is

eupatrid

fu.it

of

somewhat

moreover a professed beggar,

and what meets his touch never leaves

Non

is

it.

Autolyci tarn piceata manus.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

2J2

The Gau

is

rendered conspicuous by his big brass

The

bracelets.

surly Po-su wears four brass rings on

and

his left arm,

his forehead is

marked with white sand

always ceremoniously

or red earth.

All the lesser

fry are clad like their betters, in tunics of rich native

and ornamented with horns,

cloth,

silver

bracelets,

and

necklaces,

armlets, crucifixes, trefoil-shaped articles,

of which some wore as

and small
beads

coral,

as ten

red and pink

green, yellow,

many

Popo beads,

large

blue and white glass

and variegated pottery

while

some have neck-ropes of black and blue seed beads

disposed in patterns.

On

the King's proper right, in the wing presided

over by the Khe-tun-gan (female Gau, or Commanderin-Chief),

and outside the big barn, enthroned on a

chair, sat the

life-guards,

Akutu

she

is

Buzuks, or Enfans Perdus of the

dignitary

shaped

is

King Gezo's

captainess of

the 'Mman, or

called

lofty

Madmen, the Bashi

Dahoman

host.

This

a huge old porpoise, wearing a bonnet

like that of

a French cordon

bleu,

but pink and

white below, with two crocodiles of blue cloth on the

top,

and the whole confined by

lanyard.

To the

left

of royalty,

under a tent-umbrella, upon as

silver

more

tall

horns and their

in the

open and

a seat as the Akutu

THE RECEPTION.
enjoyed,

is

253

the Humbagi, the corresponding veteraness

on the Meu's

side.

hammer-head

in

She

silver

is

also vast in breadth,

projecting from her forehead,

As a

gives her the semblance of a unicorn.

warrioresses begin to fatten

are passed,

when

of the host

young Amazons

rule the

their dancing days

and some of them are prodigies of

The flower

and a

obesity.

was the mixed company of

lately raised

by the King

this corps,

standing to the north of the palace yard, and on the

was evidently composed of the

right of the throne,

largest

stood

and

its

finest

women

in

the service.

Behind

it

band, a Chingufu or African cymbal, two small

tom-toms held under the arm, and four kettledrums

of sizes, beaten with

hand or

stick.

The newly-chosen

company apparently contained two hundred, and the

whole court certainly did not show more than one
thousand.

Some Amazons, however,

are

attacking, I have said, a village in the

which distinguished

by threatening

itself

to kill

by grossly

him and

his

now

absent,

Makhi country,

insulting the King,

army.

They

will

have an easy victory.*

* It seems a peculiarity of climate in those lands,

and the History

can supply several instances, that compels individuals and tribes mortally
and wantonly to insult a rancorous and hateful race like that of Dahome
and then entirely to forget the injury, so as to take no precautions against

A MISSION TO GELELE.

254

The

gala-dress of the guardesses

uncomely.

bound the

hair,

narrow

fillet

was decent, and not

of blue or white cotton

and the bosom was concealed by a

sleeveless waistcoat of various colours, giving

freedom to

the arms, and buttoning in front like that affected by

The

Hausa Moslems.

loin

wrapper, of dyed

stuff,

mostly blue, pink, and yellow, extended to the ancles,

and was kept

round the waist by a

tight

white, with long ends depending on the

toilette

sash, generally

The body

left.

was rendered more compact by an outer girth-

ing of cartridge-box and

home-made, of black

European-shaped, but

belt,

adorned with cowries

leather,

or of bandoleers, containing in separate compartments

twelve

sixteen

to

wooden

cases for lucifer matches.

iron

gunpowder

The

like

bullet-bag, with a few

hung by a shoulder-strap

balls,

boxes,

to

the

dexter

tells us that the people of " Wemey," a petty

"
Tillage near
Porto Novo," that could perhaps muster one to every
hundred Dahoman warriors, sent a challenge to one of the greatest of

vengeance.

The History

the kings, threatening,

if

not attacked, to march on Agbome.

The

king returned, as usual, an ironical answer, saying that he would soon

dispatch his

known),

Gau with

guns, powder, and iron (lead being here unbrave foe ; attacked the place, which he

for the use of his

found unprepared, and " broke "

at self-defence.

it

without the people making an

So in 1728, Governor Testesole, of

Dahoman

Whydah,

effort

exasperated

whipped one of their principal

men at the flag-post, and said that he would serve the King (Agaja) in
the same manner, if he could.
That governor was, of course, murdered.

by the insolence

of the

traders,

THE EECEPTION.
side,

and was preserved

All had knives, or short Da-

shape not unlike, though smaller

falchions, * in

than, that

the old

most

fatal

French

Tower-marked

by being passed

in position

under the cartridge-belt.

homan

25a

to the wearer

The

briquet.

article,!

of

all

weapons,

a good solid

firelock,

was guarded by sundry charms,

and protected from damp by a case of black monkey-

and opening

skin tightly clasping the breeching,

Many had

rear.

long tassels dangling from the barrels.

The only other

peculiarity in the court

three large calabashes,

and a

little

calvarise of the three chief

Curious to say, whilst

Europe.

They contain the

The blade

many

amongst forty kings, or petty

of the ceutral African tribes are adepts

an art unknown

the material abounds in

is

was a row of

ranged on the ground before

to the left of royalty.

at smelting iron, it is

to the

to the

rude

Dahoman

although

the northern country, they import

from

it

but slightly curved, one edged, and poorly

tempered, about sixteen inches long, and 1*50 inch at the broadest part,

which

is

the half nearer the point.

The

hilt or

handle

is

only three

inches long, and, like that of Abyssinia, too short for a good, grip
of

brass or other metal, of

wood, ribbed

or

plain,

it is

covered with

Sometimes there is a single bar, as in the briquet, to guard

the hand, and there is usually a brass knob for pommel. The scabbard
shagreen.

is

of black leather, with ferule of brass or white

metal at the

broad band at the top,

scabbards almost all
1 dol.

50c. to 2 dols.

tip,

and one or two round the centre in some

the leather is concealed.
The price varies from

the silver-mounted fetch 8 dols.

t In Gezo's time the troops had mostly "long Danes," or " buccaneer
guns." Mr. Duncan, vol. i. p. 240.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

256

headmen, said to have been destroyed by Gelele

they are rarely absent from the royal levees.

pean would imagine these

mockery

whereas the contrary

King Sinmenkpen

to

relics
is

(Adahoonzou

and

Euro-

be treated with

the case.

So the

after

unwrap-

II.),

ping an enemy's cranium, said to Mr. Norris, " If

should

fall

into

hostile

hands, I should wish

to

be

treated with that decency of which I set the example."

The

first

was that of Akia'on, chief of Attako

skull

near " Porto Novo," which was destroyed

(Taccow),

about three years ago.

it

is

mounted

foot long, with

and

Beautifully white

polished,

in a ship or galley of thin brass about a

two masts, and jibboom,

and four portholes on each

raised quarter deck.

rattlings, anchor,

one pair being in the

side,

When King Gezo

died his suc-

cessor received a message from this chief, that all

were now truly

that the world

rejoined

son

had seen the bottom of Dahome.

meaning that there

kingdom, and that

is alive.

boiled,

had dried

by slaying him, and by mounting

in a ship,
float the

joyful, that the sea

if

is

still

like the rest,

and

Gelele

his skull

water enough to

the father

The second cranium, which

and which,

up,

men

is

dead the

also

was well

wanted the lower jaw,*

i

The lower jawbone

is

coveted as an ornament for umbrellas, sword-

THE EECEPTION.
was that of Bakoko of Ishagga.

It

257

was crossed

by four bars of bright brass

angles

at right

a thin mask

of

same metal, rudely marked with eyes and unraised

the

gave

nose,

it

On

a monkey-like appearance.

the poll,

and where the bars met, was a brass bowl with a

like

tip

a calabash stalk, by which the upper half could be

raised, to

serve as a drinking-cup

this,

when viewed

looked somewhat like a Phrygian cap, or a

in front,

During

knightly helmet.

Gelele's attack

upon Abeo-

1851, the people of Ishagga behaved with

kuta, in

consummate treachery, which eleven years afterwards

was terribly punished by the present

Bakoko

ruler.

was put to death, and as a sign that he ought to have

given

w ater
T

to a friend in affliction,

from his recreant head.

The third

men now

of the Ishaggas.

base
trap

was attached a thick

w ire and a chain which can

T

the latter

to the aid

Along the ridge crown of the head

ran a broad leaf in brass, to which

copper

washed,

calvaria, also

was that of Flado, an Abeokutan general, sent

drink

is

an imitation

whilst a small white flag

raise

in brass of

and

it

from

its

a country-

wound

cloth are

and other such purposes. It is taken with horrible cruelty

ramus are severed with a knife, and the jaw is
torn out with the left hand from the yet living victim.
handles,

the muscles at each

vol.

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

258

round the stout wire.

This showed that Flado

fell

into

the pit which he dug for another.*

women danced and

Whilst the soldiery of picked

sang, the deputation of four

by the Min-gan.

Moslems was brought

The captains who had charge

of

in

them

prostrated themselves upon the clay, not the sand-ringf

nearer the throne, and shovelled

their heads

up by handfuls over

and arms, showing that they were of lower

rank than the ministers.

every writer upon

semi -barbarous

This

Dahoman

and with which the

ing,

it

is

the ceremonial which

subjects finds so degrad-

traveller

meets in almost

societies, especially in

negro and negroid

kingdoms, since the days of Leo Africanus.

d

ai,

or " lying on ground,"

tration,J

and

Gezo had

it

is

all

The

Itte

strictly scriptural pros-

corresponds with the "shashtanga" of the

Duncan, vol. i. p. 245).

That traveller, after seeing 2000 to 3000 crania, remarked that " several
were deficient of any suture across the upper part," in the proportion of
1 12, whilst those without longitudinal division were as 1 27. He also
also his three favourite skulls (Mr.

found the Makhi

crania receding from the nasal bone, or lower part of

the forehead, to the top in a greater angle than those of any other
country.
-j-

This loose white sand

west of

Agbome

worn by our

it

is

is

brought from Diddo, a water

to the north-

quite as cleanly as the powder and other stuff

grandsires.

David and Abigail falling at his feet (1 Sam. xxv.

23); Mephibosheth (2 Sam. ix. 6) falls on his face and "does reverence;" Absolom (Ibid. xiv. 33) bows himself on his face to the
} See the cases of

THE KECEPTION.

259

At

Hindus, and with the Chinese "kow-tow."

Cazembe

of the

equatorial
in

Dahome.

the earth

is

and

in South-Eastern Africa,

kingdom of Uganda,

the court

practised exactly as

it is

In the Congo regions, prostration

kissed,

and dust

is

in the

is

made,

strewed over the fore-

head and arms, before every petty Banza or village

According to Barbot (1700), the interpreter of

chief.

the

"

King of

bomma,
dust,

after

Zair,"

probably Boma,

rubbing his

hands

and face

the

in

" took one of the royal feet in his hands, spat

the sole thereof and licked

it

with his tongue/'

who hold a dusty forehead

;

to be

and the Shieh heresy

upon small

renowned

flat

It is

mubarak, or of good

rests the prostrated

cakes of the earth of Kerbela,

for martyrs.

on

amongst Moslems,

doubtless the origin of "sijdah"

omen

Em-

vulgarly

brow

much

The Mahommedans of Senegal

have also learned to throw sand or earth with both

hands over their own heads.

the wallowing

Ibn Batuta has described

and dusting of the older Nigrotic Courts.

Jobson remarked the same at Tenda, Clapperton at

Oyo, and

Denham amongst

ground before the king

obeisance."

Bath-sheba

But Mr. Duncan

(vol.

the " Musgows."

Kings

p. 221) was "

well as disgusted with such absurd abject

knew more

of the bridoon

31)

(1
i.

i.

16

" bowed and did

much surprised as
humiliation."
He apparently

than of the Bible.

s 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

260

The

fact

is,

that salutations are of three kinds over

the world, either a

all

movement

of the saluter's bod}%

or touching some part of the salutee's person,

adding to or taking from the dress.

mony

typifies the

Here the
There

state of society.

or, lastly,

is,

in

cere-

Da-

home, absolutely no rank between the king and the

servile

so complete is the despotism that, as in Japan,*""

unlawful wounding would be punished, not for injuring

a member of society, but for doing harm to the king's

slave.

All being equally nothing in the royal presence,

they there must behave accordingly

but when outside

the palace, these high potentates expect the commonalty

to kneel, to kiss the ground,

them, as

The
call "
first is

if

and

hands before

to clap

they were kings.

salutation of

full

men and women, which

making obeisance,"
the " Itte

d'ai,"

two

or prostration,

the Egbas, or Abeokutans.

his head, if

consists of

The

actions.

I shall

The

the Doballe

of

saluter falls prone with

a grandee, in the white sand

he rubs the

forehead on the ground, touches earth with both cheeks,

and

kisses

* In

it,

taking particular care that as

Japan, where the moral sense of the people

is

much

as

more highly

developed by despotism, such cutting and maiming becomes wounding

the king, or regicide.

THE RECEPTION.
possible

may

adhere to his vasty

261

and often rubbing

lips,

the dust over his face with the right

hand

he now claps

hands, three sets of clappings being the normal number,

and

if

more than one be doing

given and admirable time

is

at once, the cue

it

is

Then he performs

kept.

ko-dide,* pouring the sand or earth by handfuls over

his scalp or hair,
is

where

a long time.

sticks for

it

no fixed number of shovellings

There

the more plentifully

the fine garments are sand-bathed the more humility

is

displayed.

cannot however, like others, consider

the practice wholly uncleanly

cleanliness,

home.

at

any

rate

it

promotes

by rendering ablution necessary on return

After the arms have been as well dusted as the

head, face,

and raiment, kneeling and lip-rubbing con-

clude the ceremony.

many minor

There are

which

of obeisance,

are actions

modifications, or rather parts

shall

call

" saluting."

These

accompanying the return of thanks

address by the King, or

when

it

is

deemed

for

an

right to

address royalty.

The highest
tion of

officers lie

Romans upon the

Ko

(earth),

before the

in the posi-

At times they

triclinium.

and dide (take up

King

shovel

!).

roll

262

A MISSION TO GELELE.

over upon their

bellies,

ing " on

fours."

all

or relieve themselves

When

During the levee they must

Akhosu

of "

li

akhosul"

Kings

"

has spoken,

all

speaketh true

So

nagboe

it

From

like the

upon
"

is

is
!

"

" to

an

" It

true

of

Cham "

all

Se

iro

"

"

we

King

the

" the spirit

moen de !

"

phrase often preceded by

"
!

Dahoman king

represents,

Persia, a kind of

and that he can daily act

out,

God

whenever he

the vein," even with the proudest in his dominions,

Fifth's "

conclusion, "

"

When

which some add,

historical
is

(i.e.,

" Small, small

mighty

you!"

Shahanshahs of ancient

Henry the

This

all

these appearances a stranger, like Dr. M'Leod,

earth,

i'

this

lei"

exclaim " Se do Nugbo

apt to conclude that the

is

te

subject to the presence, says, "

Se, or spirit,*" requires

"

"King

The messengeress, when sum-

other monarchs are boys.

"The

te

meaning that before

moning a

raise frequent cries

literally,

Kings!" and "Akhosu

all)

approaching royalty they

or shuffle forward on their

either crawl like snakes,

knees.

by stand-

is far

You

are a liar

By my head

from being the

"

thou shalt lose thy head

case, as the

For an explanation of Se, see Chapter XVII.

haviDg power of life and death.

spirit, as

with the speedy

"
!

more observing
The King

is

called a

THE RECEPTION.
The

former travellers well knew.*

captains,

and

fetisheers

vidually punished

be,

by the King

too strong for him,

tion

may

263

and without

ministers, f

war

and often

are, indi-

collectively

they are

their cordial co-opera-

And

he would soon cease to reign.

this apparently

perfect subjection of the inferior to the superior runs

through every grade of

pons, or
calls

common

Dahoman

society.

The

" Frip-

scoundrel blacks," as the old writer

them, kneel and clap hands before the patrician,

as if the latter

were their proprietor

they

listen

to

every order with religious attention, and afterwards

they obey
in

the

it

case

or not exactly as they please. \

of serfs,

slaves,

throughout Dahome, and I

real liberty

and equality

and

may

I will

Except
there

captives,

is

say Africa, more of

not add fraternity

than in any other quarter of the globe, and the presence

of the servile renders the freemen only freer

and more

equal.
* So Captain Philips (1694) justly remarks of the King of Whydah:
" Though his cappasheirs (caboceers) show him so much respect, he
dare not do anything but what they please."
f Some except the Min-gan and Meu, which, however, is not correct.
" Though the Whydahs," he
\ Barbot well hits off this trait.
observes, " tremble with awe at a word from the king, as soon as he

has turned his back they seem to forget their great fear of

him

much regard his commands, as very well knowing how

and delude him by their lies."

to appease

not

and

A MISSION TO GELELE.

264

The Moslems of the

sembled Bambarra

men

Porto

Novo

" deputation re-

one, however,

They wore white turbans over

Arab.

and the

broad trousers,

large

il

broidered robe

of Yoruba.

"

was
tall

red caps,
"

Guinea fowl

Behind them

as an

fair

sat

emtheir

band, four co-religionists, in white calottes and meaner

robes.

were

The only instruments were tom-toms.

also a

There

few Kafirs, or pagans, that seemed attached,

probably as carriers, to the party.

These

men had

been sent by the King's brother, of " Porto Novo/'

about which there was

much

excitement, to the great

disfavour of the French Protectorate.

Whilst the Min-gan

obeisance/' the

who presented

Moslems

sat gravely

at a distance from the King.

these

men

"

made

on the clay-ground,

Then one

of the Alufa,*

with hands upraised in the prayer position, recited by

heart long, fluent orisons, concluded, as usual, by draw-

ing the palms

down

the face.

The

introducer,

who

sat

with his back to the King, imitated every gesture of

the visitor.
* Alufa,

Although the Moslem countenance ex-

Egba word for a

Mullah, a Moslem theologian. Imale in Egba, and Malenun iu Ffon,
both probably corrupted from Muallim, means the common Moslem. Hence
some of our older authors brought the Malays to Dahome. See History,
p. 48,

probably a corruption of Arif,

note signed M J. F."

is

the

THE EECEPTION.
awe

pressed some

265

at the apparatus in the palace,

it

well maintained before this heathenry the dignity of the

Safe Faith.

Dakro woman

Finally the

brought in
his

clue

at the foot of the throne

form a welcome from the King to

The heathen again powdered

brother's envoys.

themselves with dust, and the Moslems bent towards

the ground.
ants,

This was a signal to the female attend-

who, after a startling clash and clang of cymbals,

neckbells,

and

rattles,

presented arms a la Dahome,

the guns being raised in the

air.

The mixed company

of beauties performed sundry dances.

drink, in sign of dismissal,

the

and

Presents and

were sent to the deputation

Moslems took the water, the Kafirs two

rum, whilst two baskets

five

(=20

gift

heads, or 2) of cowries

was received by the heathenry crouch-

ing on the ground,

and uttering a curious

to feline purring, whilst the

for the

flasks of

baskets of food were served out to the whole

The

party.

King.

noise, likest

True Believers again prayed

The deputation was presently conducted

to the palace-gate

by

their introducers,

who

bent, as

is

customary when leaving the presence, almost double,

and went
back,

oif at

a hurried pace.

It

was then brought

and the royal presents were placed upon the

A MISSION TO GELELE.

266

four

turbans being exempt.

Salutes were again exchanged,

and the Porto Novians

envoys' heads, only the

finally left the

Palace Yard.

The mixed company danced once more, and

time

it

was joined by a dozen razor women, who,

past the

King from the she Meu's

These Nyekple-

and strongest women

hen-to*

seemed the

largest

present,

and they held

their

air like

standards, with a menacing air

weapons upwards

and

about eighteen inches long, and

is

exactly like a European razor

defiling

to the Min-gan's side,

took their stations near the throne.

The blade

this

it

closes into

in the

gesture.

is

shaped

a wooden

handle about two feet in length, and, though kept in

position

by strong

quite as

springs,

it

must

be, I should think,

dangerous to the owner as to the enemy.

These portable guillotines were invented by a brother

King Gezo, and

of the late
spire

At

may
the

the terror which they in-

render them useful.

end of the dance, Ji-bi-whe-ton,f acting

Meaning, nyekple (the weapon itself), hen

French travellers call them " Les faucheuses."
t Ji (sky), bi

(all),

belongs to the sun."

meaning, the rainbow

the sky; that

is

(hold), to (one that does).

whe (sun), ton (belonging to), i. e. " all the sky

The commanding officeress is Danh-ji-hun-to,
t

is

the captain or governor of

to say, the

King

{viz.,

goes round

of Dahonie rules tbe (black) world.

THE EECEPTION.
of the

captainess

267

Beauty Company, came forwards

with the usual affected military swagger, not without a

She

suspicion of a dance.

is,

or was, a fine

woman,

tall

with glittering teeth, and a not unpleasant expression

when her

She addressed a violent

features are at rest.

who

speech to the male Min-gan,

the King, with

whom

repeated

cutting off the head of an imaginary corpse

ground, she retired to her command.

the cacoethes loquendi was

upon

aloud to

Ending with

found favour.

it

it

upon the

Presently, for

her, she again advanced,

and spoke with even more gesticulation than

"

Thus they would

elicited

treat

Abeokuta

"

before.

The sentiment

immense applause.

Followed

chorus,

solo,

and

various

decapitation

dancings of the mixed company, the weapons being,

as

usual,

grounded,

the

war-club

seized,

and

the

shoulder-blades and posteriors being agitated to excess.

Even the performances of these

of the royal ballet,

are not

stand most ungracefully

slight for

certainly

the

figurantes, the

to
legs,

be

Mr. Duncan's "Dagbyweka," vol.

between the two.

which are somewhat

probably
i.

p.

They

admired.

the body, being wide apart, and

turned in and

cream

up.

the toes

When

the

231, seems to be a confusion

A MISSION TO GELELE.

268

exercise ended, the razor

dished their weapons,

and chopper women * bran-

and

all

the

line

advancing,

" presented " with upraised muskets.

At

Dahoman

the

women

take

Court, curious to say in Africa,

precedence

of

men

yet,

with

truly

Hamitic contradictiousness, the warrioresses say,

are no longer females but males

gracing himself
clear,

therefore,

fiction of

in insult,

called,

owe

that they

being royal wives.

must be one of

celibacy

is,

is

"
;

its

and a

soldier dis-

a woman.

their

"We
It is

dignity to the

Wherever a

she-soldiery

rules, or the troops will

be in a state of chronic functional disorder between the

ages of fifteen and thirty-five.

After the Amazons,

the male caboceers, taking

all

choppers and peculiar bill-hook-like blades,f some

iron,

others silver, danced tumultuously before the King, to

*

The chopper

is

called

ananun (confusion, or badness), wa

and hwisu (knife-sword, or dagger)

Strangers call

it

the blue-knife.

(doing),

meaning, the " cutting badly knife."

It is a top-heavy blade four spans

palm

end like the old Turkish

The form is by no
and narrowing to two fingers at the
means so exaggerated as the wonderful chopping-knives of the Gold

long, bluff and broadening to one

falchion,

Coast.
like the

at the

hilt.

Down

the centre runs a broad line, depressed and not polished

back and edge.

Theee knives, being royal

gifts,

may

not be

bought.
f Many of these end in a circle whose diameter is twice the breadth
of the blade ; sometimes the surface is worked and pierced like fishslicers.

The

bill

appears to be ornamental, not useful.

THE BECEPTION.
the general song of the

Even the

throne.

women on

tottering

tomahawk long enough

269

the right of the

Meu, who leaned upon

to act as a staff, joined in the

Presently Gelele sent a message

movement.

the

to

Gau, declaring that this year Abeokuta must be taken

the tall old
that

it

man, standing up with a military

certainly should

fall,

swore

air,

and the oath was repeated

his surly -looking junior the Po-su.

by

The King then addressed me through the Meu and

Mr. Beecham, to the effect that this year Abeokuta must
be as a mouse before the cat

accompany him
sport.

to sit behind the

I replied that "

it

back when aught

army and

to

to see the

Understone " had long ceased

friendship with the white

ensued touching

me

he also invited

man.

little

pleasantry

not being our English habit to hang

is

we

doing ; and the King taking

all in

stood up bareheaded, and

waved

the remarkabilia of the scene was

Adan-

excellent part,
four salutations.

Among

men-nun-kon,* right-hand Commander of

*

Among

the

Dahomans

are

many

the

Blue

mystic names, like Joshua, Isa,

These are mostly of the Bo-fetish, a war medicine which

The words mean, adan (brave), men
prevents wounds (Chap. XL).

and others.
(man),

ways.

nun
"I

(side,

am

face),

kon (upon).

The

explained in two

title is

brave upon another man's side,"

i.

e.,

to

take

him

A MISSION TO GELELE.

270

Guards, and a fine specimen of " Monsieur Parolles "

black.

This

man

of loyal appellation

is

sooty-faced fellow, -with a large, whitish,

tall,

and

in.

lean,

big-tas-

selled night-cap decorating his head, a pink pagne,

and

Rising like a warrior,

a baldric adorned with cowries.

with carbine and tomahawk, he assured me, in the

midst of loud screams and violent gesticulations, that

at 'Gba * even the unborn child must perish
strove to look as

if

he were doing

"brother" Zodome, acting

Commander

of the Blues,

for

illustration

of the

and he

left-hand

confirmed the idea.

speeches,

is

His

to death.

Chabi, the

Voice from the Throne added, as

an

it

the habit,

The

many

concluding with the

declaration that the Abeokutans must not only be be-

headed, their bodies must also be cut to pieces.

There appeared two silver-horned

the Blue

prisoner;

Company, who
or,

in the

fetish

chiefs,

of

hour of battle personally

" however brave nations

are, the

king

is

the bravest

of all."

Yoruban word Egba in Ffon it means " break." In

Dahome the Egba race, from Lagos to Abeokuta, is called Anago at
"Whydah, and Nago at Agbome. J. F., the annotator of the History,
says, " Of the Nago country nothing more is known than the name."
The word has been greatly corrupted by old travellers it is, however,
* This is the

extensively used in Brazil.

On
Gunu.

the other hand, the

Nago people

call the Ffons, or

Dahomans,

THE RECEPTION.
attend upon

" Awafanfin,"

King.

the

translated to me, "

271

fetish

gun, he would attack the cravens

their walls.

that even

The King

if in

blade, not with a

who lurked behind

cordially echoed this

England

was

guide for Abeokuta," drew

and declared that with the

his knife,

which

and added

should hear of his destructive

deeds.

His right-hand, or superior colleague, a good-

looking

youth,

called

name "

(interpreted to mean, "

cotton,

it

" King-Bo-fetish

When

the spindle turns

must become thread"), then stood

informed me, " The forest tree

cordage, and

the wind

low the

Hnengada,

He

strong with root and

heavy with trunk and branch, whilst

is

is thin,

and cannot be seen

of the green

loftiest

Abeokuta

that wind, whilst

ment was

is

up.

also explained

kissed the ground,

is

wood

but the gale lays

and Dahome

that tree."

by the King.

and rubbed earth upon

is

This senti-

The speakers
their

brows

then the chorus of captains sang

When we
And

so

go to war

we must

slay men,

must Abeokuta be destroyed.

The mixed company was now greatly increased by

women, who had

defiled in single line before the throne.

There were bayoneteeresses, with blue cloth tunics,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

272

and a white patch on the shoulder, white

those of the

like

men, sashes to match supporting their

The blunder-

swords, and variously-coloured pagnes.

who

buss women,

fillets

were, like the former, sitting under

the she Min-gan, distinguished themselves by scarlet

After they had danced and sung,

woollen nightcaps.

their captainess, Ji-bi-whe-ton, advanced,

they would

With some

fire

of

ranks.

two sides of a square were formed,

difficulty

The manoeuvres con-

and west.

an individual sallying out

" Mubariz,"

that

a salute for their old commander.

fronting the south

sisted

and said

delivering

her

fire,

and

like

Arab

the

retiring

All raised their weapons steadily, with

the

to

left

arms

extended, and fired from the shoulders, not from the

hips as the

men do

to avoid the kick

they returned

with a kind of caper, and they did not flinch after

the fashion of the

women,
thrust.

after

Dahoman

firing,

solclieresses

butts of their heavy weapons,

grounded the

and discharged them

at

After several rounds they again

chanted

We like not to hear that Abeokuta lives

But soon we

The bayonet

extended a single very gauche

The blunderbuss

an angle of 45 deg.

soldiers.

shall see it fall.

THE EECEPTION.

273

by the usual dance and chorus which

This was followed

concluded with a " present " of uplifted weapons.

When
tions

to

sundry

the sun had

set,

a Dakro brought us direc-

advance and bid adieu to the King, whilst

flasks

and decanters of

'tafia

and other

were distributed in token of dismissal.

the throne,

we made

liquors

Approaching

the usual " compliments/'

Gelele,

wrapping his robe around him, descended from the

donned

estrade,

his

sandals,

and,

by

attended

his

umbrella and a large crowd of the Kan-gbo-de's huissiers

bearing lights and

links, stalked forth

towards the

Every

palace-yard gate, with a right kingly stride.

inequality

stone

of

ground was smoothed, every

was pointed

out,

might offend the royal

ment of
father!)

"

Dadda

with finger snappings,

or

lest it

and a running accompani-

toe,

Dadda " (Grandfather

!

and of "Dedde! Dedde!"*

was kept up.

stick

Grand-

(Softly! Softly!)

Passing out of the gate, we found a

swarming of negroes, whose

hum

during the whole audi-

ence had been heard inside the palace.

about like excited hornets.

know

not

if

They buzzed
the manoeuvre

was done purposely to exaggerate the semblance of a

multitude, but I can answer that
*

De
VOL.

here means "softly," as " Bleo"

I.

it
is

was a

success.

used on the Gold Coast.

T

A MISSION TO GELELE.

274

The King accompanied us

the palace

Wilmot*

Meu

compliment

some distance outside

to

Commodore

paid to

first

His ministers were around him, and the

placed in

my hands,

a handful of potsherd

according to ancient custom,f

bits,

return guns expected at

showing the number of

Whydah.

Preceded by the

The road

Yevogan, we made for the English house.

was crowded with

dress

and

single

destination,

file

we gave

fetish

women, marching

in

full

Arrived at our

to a queer song.

liquor to the whole

and we

tail,

were happy when we found ourselves in comparative

solitude.

From
Dahoman

possesses,

On

faculty.

Courts

the above description

is

to

some

it

is

evident that the

extent,

the ceremonial

such occasions the pageantry of African

to be

compared with that of Europe, propor-

But

tionately with the national state of progress.

it

evidently the result of long and studious practice.

is

Everything goes by clockwork

the

most

etiquette proceeds without halt or mistake

intricate

and

it

superadds the element Terror, whose absence in

*

King Gezo accompanied Mr. Duncan almost

ever
civi-

to his dwelling.

Mr. Norris, after being saluted, was shown

fifteen pebbles in a small calabash, which he "recollected was the
number of guns that were fired on the preceding evening."
t In the History

(p. 124),

THE RECEPTION.

converts ceremonial to a some-

lised countries often

thing

silly.

he has

beggars

the

best.

The

outside

displays

Misery mixes with magnificence,

and naked boys

velvet-clad
ness, like

As, however, the reader has been warned,

seen

wretched.
[

275

Amazons

jostle

jewelled

are

ragged

chiefs

and

whilst the real negro grotesque-

bad perspective, injures the whole

picture.

T 2

CHAPTER

X.

THE MAKCH TO AGBOME.

The King was

we were

detained at Kana, as

after-

wards informed, by sundry cases affecting human

life.

than 150 " Amazons " were found to be preg-

Not

less

nant

so

difficult

confessed,

is

chastity in the

and they were brought

paramours.*

Tropics.

They

to trial with their

The King has abolished the " Brehon

judges " established by his father

the malversation of

these "justices in eyre" rendered reference to them

like " going," as the old traveller

for redress."

He now

often

in

before

sitting

dawn on

has

" to the Devil

it,

investigates each case personally,

judgment

till

the next day

midnight,

We

The crime

read that in the reign of Sinmenkpen (Adahoonzou

female conspiracy in the palace caused the sale of

villages near

not discovered

Kana,
till

for dishonouring the

rising

moreover, every crimi-

nal has a right of personal appeal to him.f

*

and

King.

150

II.),

men from

the

Their innocence was

too late.

t Mr. Duncan was present at two of these appeals

(vol.

i.

p. 259).

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

was

advowtry

than simple

lese-majeste rather

277

the soldieresses being, I have said, royal wives.

men were condemned

to death,

under pain of death

and some were pardoned.*

were similarly treated.
officers of their

still,

and

wondrous to

they

revisit the capital,

their guilt

Female criminals are executed

own

civilised

if

to distant

The partners of

sex, within the palace walls,

not in the presence of men.

one point more

Eight

probably be

by imprisonment or by a banishment

villages,

by

will

all

The majority were punished

executed at the Customs.

either

and

Dahome

is

therefore in

than Great Britain, where they

relate,

"hang away" even women,

in public.

In the afternoon of Sunday,

effected a departure

boxes were
carriers,

left

who

December 20th, we

behind, owing to the desertion of the

are fast learning bad habits

they stole an enamelled iron cup.

* This leniency

Sundry

from the English house.

and amenity of

discipline

yesterday

The Court being

at

form a curious contrast

with the horribly barbarous punishments which, according to Bosman

and Barbot followed such an offence two and a half centuries ago. In 1845

Mr. Duncan was informed that the victims at the

Kana

sacrifice

" had

been guilty of adulterous intercourse with one of the King's wives,

in consequence of which they were sentenced to be put to death by
being beaten with clubs, and after death mutilated" (vol.

The

i.

object of the mutilation is here, I believe, wrongly stated.

p.

220).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

278

Kana, bell-women were a nuisance on the road

every

his

we

at

minutes the hammock-men huddled us into

five

Arrived at the Akoreha, or eastern market-

the bush.
place,

down near

sat

Here

escort.

the Buko-no's house, awaiting

fetish

women crowded upon

They were

clapping palms for a present.

us,

easily dis-

persed by their likenesses being sketched.

Already the sun began to

still all

cool,*

ablaze with golden glory.

delay, the old

though the sky was

After half an hour's

Buko-no came up, leaning on the Bowhich wards

off the evils of the

kpo,f or crutch

staff,

way.

we remounted hammocks, and

Presently

means of a
bidet

chair,

a mare

he,

climbed upon the back of his

followed

by a

foal.

by

little

The animals here

are not larger than Shetland ponies, but they are generally, as is

the Maharatta-land " tattoo," shaped like

stunted horses, showing the remains of good blood.

They have
As

in

fine noses,

Yoruba

well-opened eyes, and sharp ears.

generally, the tits are excessively vicious,

Mr. Duncan twice asserts (vol. ii. pp. 260, 288), that "it is a
custom in Dahomey for all strangers of note visiting that capital to
*

arrive

The
t

and depart as nearly as possible when the sun

practice

is

now

meridian."

It is known by a litle petticoat called "Avo,"

bound on below the crutch, and concealing the medicine.

Literally a Bo-staff.

or cloth,

is at its

obsolete.

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

and

if

approached by a stranger, they

with a scream.
tality of their

This

is

will fly at

him

doubtless owing to the bru-

negro grooms.

invariably led, like donkeys,

like the stirrup,

279

They

are,

when mounted,

by a halter

being unknown.

The

the

little

bridle,

jades are

almost hid in the local saddle, enormous housings of

blue cloth, padded, quilted,

and worked outside with

white thread, while huge curtain tassels depend to their

knees.

As a

slaves.

Whilst on horseback he passes his arm round

rule, the rider is lifted

the neck of a

man

walking by his

on and

side,

supported by the same attendant's near

The Buko-no was habited

little

and

off

by

his

his waist is

arm.*""

in the usual "

Chokoto" or

drawers, with a long shirt about his body, and a

black-ribboned
retainers

Panama

hat.

His escort of thirty-three

was that of a Dahoman noble on a journey,

and the common people on the road knelt and clapped

palms as he
musketeers,

passed.

He was

who danced and sang

preceded

by nine

the whole

way with

unwearied energy.

His fetish stick was carried before

him

by a man

in a calico etui

in a long white cap like

* So King Gezo told off two attendants to hold Mr. Duncan, the
Lifeguardsraan, on his horse, and was much surprised by a trot and a
gallop.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

2S0

the

extinguisher- shaped

of our

nightgear

The Buko-no rode under the shade

of a large white

by

umbrella, and was closely followed

band,

chiefly

axe man, who

his

gave orders as one having authority.

brought up by the

ancestors.

The

was

train

with three

boys,

drums, a couple of tom-toms, two single cymbals, and a

pair of gourd rattles

they kept up a loud horrid noise

throughout the march.

About a dozen

carriers

scattered about the cortege bearing a pipe

bag, a Gold Coast chair, a footstool

and

were

and tobacco
and

calabashes,

bundles of clothes and matting.

From Kana
the

land

is

to

Agbome

emphatically

showing a wondrous
soil is

soft

garden

the

and pleasant

ground, and

Dahome,

of

The

aspect.

sandy, with the usual pebbles overlying red and

yellow clays, and where grass

succession of
to the

historic

all is

not, the surface

is

palm orchards and grain

King and

Many

his ministers.

fields

is

belonging

of the trees are

pollarded as in Teneriffe, by removing the tops and

branches to thicken the

shade

these

mostly

are

observed round the frequent villages that stud the

champaign.
separating

The
the two

road,

six

capitals

or

seven

miles

may compare

fair

long,

with the

broadest in England, and although to the eye

it

spans

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

a plain, there

is

an imperceptible

281

about 694

rise of

which extricates us from lowland Africa.

convenience of the royal carriages
clear of grass,

it is

which would obliterate

For the

carefully kept
in

it

feet,

two months,

yet the Africans, accustomed to nothing but Indian

wear single paths in

it

like

of the national character

sheep tracks.
to

see

each

It is

file,

a study

following

his

neighbour in goose line down a road upon which four

coaches could be driven abreast.*

we dismounted

After a few yards

at a spot

where

a log placed transversely on the ground showed us the

;

Kana gbo-nun,f

Kana

or

Gate.

had the usual

It

surroundings of fetish sheds and spaces

worship,

say

and

the

all

natives

when

cleared for

stepping

over

it

In the " African Times," an ignoble sheet, which, I should hardly

"by

permission," constitutes itself the organ of the African Aid

Society of London, there has appeared for

many an

issue an advertise-

ment headed " Aquapem Mountain Road," and sending round the hat
This is no bad way to coax the British gold out of
in the usual style.
But beyond that nothing. Such a road,
the British breeches-pocket.
once made, would be buried in vegetation after a few months, unless
kept clear at a great expense. Secondly, like that of Kana, it would
be cut up into paths the negro has no shoes, consequently he must
tread, despite all our endeavours, on a place softened by those who
.

precede him.
j-

Agbo (town-gate,

or mouth).

or enceinte with wall

house-gate

large, hon-to' gbo (big gate).

is

and

ditch),

called hon-to, from

hon

and nun
(a door),

(side,

and

if

A MISSION TO GELELE.

282

removed
called

their caps.

The next names were "Pakhi,'

from an ancient chieftain

"Ekpwento" a "Bo" name

barriers of the

Legba

both

'si-gon,

by King Dako and

holy

for

After half an hour

4 '"

a clearing with

we passed on

right of the road,

the

for the

Bweme,

here the

country palace of the

or

of the

Bru-vodun,

(blue) or English

same corps

Aizan

1i,

called

the fetish of

Company; Arima, a fetish

the road of Aizan,J a holy

place for the 'Mraan or Gezo's

Samun, so

Agasun-no,f

Rapidly we passed the

the King.

to

following interesting sites

"Bru"

this

Archbishop of Canterbury, who ranks at

Agbome next

the

few

was a

compound, showing only the tops of conical huts

the

the

many dwarf thatches

the largesse of white visitors.

yards further, and to

is

with

places,

where the Legba-priest comes forth and prays

King and

so

Thunder Fetish shrub stretching nearly

across the road.

left

slain

Mad Company

Bagidi-

from an old king of Adan-we

the

Adan-gbno-ten, where the King halts when going from

* Legba (the Dalioman Priapus), si for asi (a wife,

e., a votary),
and gon (a place).
+ Tor an explanation of Agacun, see Chapter XVII. No is " mother,"
the use of which word has been before noticed.
X For an explanation of Aizan, see Chapter XVII.
Others pronounce the
Adan (brave), gbno (swear), ten (place).
*.

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

Agbome

to

Kana and
;

Avrekete * Loko

tree.

with pots, sticks,

flags,

283

the Avrekete Loko

They are
and

tents

'li,

or road of

clean spaces, adorned

many

of

them have

Thunder Fetish shrub often surrounding

circlets of the

a taller tree, and the latter

is

Bombax,

usually a giant

with the Azan or fetish-fringe round the trunk.f

About an hour of slow marching brought us

Adan-we

Palace.J

on the right of the road, a

It lies

heap of matting half buried in

the people

it

and the King

was
still

in the evening for

the north,
classic

who

it

when he

sleeps here

Kana.

Around

the cradle of the

" the ancient

and the

According

trees.

into

it,

leaves

Awawe

still

Agbome

but especially to

Dahoman

empire, the

Dawhee by Mr.

Norris,

residence of the reigning

'

capital of their little territory before

they emerged from their original obscurity."

"

to

by Tegbwesun (1727-1774)

Uhwawe, corrupted

calls

family,

is

built

to the

The

people," though long subjects of the empire,

preserve, like the

Agoni and others,

word Adan-blon-noten, and explain

it,

Adan

their old

(brave),

Hon

name.

(swear),

and

noten (stop).
*

For an explanation

of Avrekete, see

Chapter XVII.

\ For an explanation of this term, see Chapter IV.

p.

216) calls
See also

Mr. Duncan (vol.

(brave), and we (white).
" Adawie, three miles and a half from Canamina."

mean Adan

X Said to

it

Chapter V.

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

284

Opposite the Adan-we

quered by the

is

Addein, a village also con-

Dahoman

first

the Akwe-janahan,* the market

ments, where a few

women were

Then came

Dako.

king,

of these two settleat sale

sitting

it is

The road now was bordered with the Locust

that

said to be the half-way place.

affords the Afiti sauce,

red,

called Ogiri.

young

irregular tree, with a leaf like a

tall

fruit

by the Egbas

dangles to a long cord, and

and about the

size of

when

ripe

a billiard

the soft external substance

falls off,

sprout long

When

and form

in

ingredient,

w hich

relish before

some

time.

Mr.

and

in the

Dalzel,

the

scarlet-

Presently

bullet,

and from

green pods curiously twisted.

bright

is

leaving the core,

ripe the seeds are fermented to a

assafoetida,

it is

ball.

a green sphere not larger than a musket

it

fern

It

palaver

however

mass strong as

sauce

a favourite

stranger

the

It is the " wild

landscape

it

will

not

tamarind " of

forms a most

effective feature.

Followed in rapid succession on both sides of the

path the fetish clearings of Daji, a princely worship,

Ga-sa-uhun
*

Akwe

and Logun-aizan

(cowries),

janahan

(if

li,

a Bo-name given by

you have not got

nothing).

Ga

(bow), sa (throwing),

uhun (bombax

tree).

scil.,

you can buy

THE MAKCH TO AGBOME.

The next was a mud-house and a farm

King Gezo.

belonging to royalty
place of

is

it

Nyakho, the ruling

a Fetish of the Fanti

Nyakho-gon, the

called

chief,

Another sacred

by Dako.

slain

who was captured and

Vodun-no Deme,

place,

company of Amazons,
The

bifurcation of the road.

branch

left

cut to the Jegbe Palace, of which

the junction are the

Close" to

2S5

is

led to a

a short

more afterwards.

little

hut villages of

Attako and Ishagga, named after the conquests of the

present reign
another,

and

is

when

the

Ugo

li

:*

here

little

beyond and

in the

road

the celebrated shea butter-tree,

is

alluded to by every traveller,

and apparently the only

Bassia in the country.

fruitful

builds

supposed to place there the poor rem-

nants of his captives.

is

King breaks a town he

the

It is short trunked,

twelve to fifteen feet high, thick branched, and mangoshaped, with a tender green
colour,

and

it

will

bear

Ugo (shea
Duncan (vol. i.
*

the land at the

which

is

at

first

of a dark

then waxing yellow and affording a dense shade,

which a small market

in

leaf,

It is

'li

(for ali,

now

flowering,

Then came a

a road).

According

clear

to

Mr.

285) this valuable tree was destroyed throughout

suggestion of the Spanish and Portuguese

incredible.

cinal uses.

held.

fruit in the rains.

butter-tree),
p.

is

He

well describes'the fruit and

its

slavers

various medi-

A MISSION TO GELELE.

286

space on the

left

of the road, called Van-van from a

Nago town conquered by

gallows of thin poles,

Gezo.

with the

"joji" *

Azan

fetish fringe to

wisp of grass was handed to each of

throw

Allah blight

away

it

to the

The land around

tall

of calamity, then halted us

prevent the passage

desired to

or

from the Nago people, whose

King Gezo, and who were

chief,

us,

and we were

whom may

fetish
is

called Leflefun,f

Chade, was slain by

finally settled here.

The

eye dwells with delight upon the numerous country

villages, like the

upon the thin

115 towns of the

forest of

tribe of

Judah, and

palms rising from the tapestry of

herbage, here waving, there cut short, which combine to

make

this spot the

Fridaus or Paradise of Dahome-

land.

we

Presently
tion, the left

arrived at another terminus or bifurca-

path leading to the houses of the Matro

and the Adanejan, the Komasi

jro market.

Palace,

and the Uhun-

The next notable place was the

where the now grassy road widens

out,

and shows two

ragged

lines of figs, calabashes, locusts,

trees.

This
*

is

Jo (wind),

t The

also

Patin-'li,

and

oil

an Adan-gbno-ten or swearing-

ji (upon).

Leffle-foo of

palm

Commander Forbes

(vol.

i.

p. 68).

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

place,

where the King

brave

military.

great

Bo-hwe,

of

talk

high

his

place, points

or

tabernacles, t

The guardian

on a larger

especially

to

fetish

or Janus

The nearest

scale.

a white
hovels,

Bo,

is

who

fetish huts

The hovels contained

chamelions, speckled

white
;

and red

others

cowrie-teeth

intended

Beyond

to
it,

to

is

a neat

squatting men, like

brown

all

over,

effigies

of

known

Day and
and half

and grinning with

and the largest a huge chalked

be

Legba

are six in

horses

Night at masquerades, half mud-coloured

;

of

meetings rising from the grass

for spiritual

only by their halters

village

350 yards from the

on the right hand.

spotted

the

under huge

number, and are disposed across the road

compound

to hear

heap of ashes, * the usual sign of entering

fetish

gate.

and

fidelity,

officials,

cotton woods, beginning at about

town

Agbome

halts before entering

from Kana, to receive the oaths of

the

287

gorilla,

human, and completely disgusting.

the

right

of the path,

was a

swish room, a fetish place, where the King

entering his capital

around

it

sheltering attempts at leopards,

* Called Afin (ashes),

+ Levit. xxiii. 40.

cluster

sits

ji

before

dwarf thatches

and other holy

zuru (heap),

single

(upon).

beasts.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

288

Near the

city gate is another village of fetish hovels,

where a

on the right to the Yevogan's

trivia leads

hereditary hamlets, straight in front to the capital, and

by the

left

to the Jegbe, the present ruler's country

palace.

We

now

are

Dosum-wen Agbo-nun,**

the

at

feature which gives

name

its

signifvino; the "

The word

" precincts ;"

and

to

Agbome, the

town within the

the

capital.

enceinte," or

has the anomaly of being, and pro-

it

bably of ever having been, with gateways and without

The Agbo

walls.

courses, like

is

two wedge-shaped gaps

the

open

long.

It is pierced

that to the right, as

for the public

left, is

screen of five steps

is

the other, and the larger, on

reserved for the ruler.

closed every night

tied to stout side-posts.

moat, well worn by

with

ou front

The

latter is

perma-

nently blocked up with a stout hurdle, six feet high

former

or

the palace enceintes, fifteen to eighteen

and about 100 yards

feet high,

it, is

mud

by a pair of similar

Before the wall

human

feet.

is

the

fences,

a shallow

Being pool-fronted

during the rains each more important gate

is

entered

Meaning the town-gate of Dosum-wen, the name of the keeper. It

by Europeans the Kana gate. I have already explained the
meaning of Agbo-nun.' Dr. M'Leod (p. 95), translates Abomey, by ll Let
*

is called

me

alone."

(!)

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

by a clay mound or by two
rough

beams, overlaid with

solid

moat

sage, at the ends, the

dense grown with

is

these lands one of the best defences,

grass

is

capital.

removed,

might catch

fire.

bush where people

for simples

and

it is

trees,

in

prolonged

The

never cleared.

It is

lest in

pas-

and thorny acacia bush

especially with the thick

round the

Beyond the

forming a bridge.

planks,

289

outside

burning the stubbles the Zun *

There are tunnels through the acacia

may go

none of the

to gather leaves

lieges,

and plants

however, are permitted,

under pain of severe palaver, to cross the ditch except

by the established entrances.

touching these bridges.
ject

happened

lost his

to fall

There

is

a superstition

In former reigns,

when

if

any sub-

treading one of them he

head, even as in olden times happened to a

dancer so committing himself or herself before the

King.f

Arrived at the Kana gate we descended from our

hammocks,
shoulders,
*

In

all

whilst

removed

all

our

their hats,

Yoruba towns the

bush,

attendants

bared

their

and furled our umbrellas,

adjoining villages and towns is

spared for defence and shelter: at Abeokuta

here " zun."

it

is

called " abu-si,"

and

t See Dr. M'Leod (p. 59). Mr. Duncan (vol. ii. p. 289), being lame,
was permitted by the fetishnian, on the King's order, to ride through the
gate, " at which every man seemed much amazed."
vol.

:.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

290

as

if it

were part of the King's palace.

Passing

in,

we

found on the ground, at each side of the gate, a small

black figure called a Bo-chio.

let

higher up, and

little

into the clay of the gap-side,

is

human

skull,*

with thigh bones and other amulets hanging about.

Inside

there

two guard-houses, leading

are

Agbonun-'khi, or " gate market," one of the rude

Beyond

bazaars scattered about the town.

the

to

little

and

it,

placed to defend the entrance, are the remains of a

broken-down battery.

On

the road,

on the

lie

thirty -six,

the ground, to the right of

left thirty-five

old guns,

with their touch-holes rivalling their muzzles, and with

trunnions in

many

cases

knocked

it

left

in-

already the

Behind the right-hand battery

residence of the Gau, behind the

so, in

showing the

and giving

solent security of the place,

aspect of a ruin.

off,

is

the

that of the Po-su

"
the city of Great Benin, the " Captain of War's

establishment

is

at the entrance.

Both are the usual

masses of huts, enclosed in the normal clay

wall.

establishment of the Commander-in-Chief

called

sra-men ;f

it is

backed by

"

is

Gau-

Gau-hwe-gudo," an open

* Skulls are also nailed to doors, in token of respect for

enemy,
t Sra means the

The

slaves' quarters, near the master's house.

some dead

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

291

space of grass and dwarf corn plants, and that quarter

of the

town

is

still

known

Agaja the Great removed

of the old gate which

built less closely

is

to its

It is evident, at the first glance, that

present position.

Agbome

as Agbo-kho-nun,* the site

Whydah

than

and that

the open spaces and gardens, even in the thickest part

of the town, have greatly the better of the houses.

The blacksmith's

quarter, a field dotted with open

hovels, leads to the large enceinte of the old

Meu

it

contains a prison for minor offenders, and the walls are

defended by a chevaux de frise of sharpened

We
the

then arrived at an open space with a few trees to

eastward

Agbome

the

of

Palace.

The

huge barn-like shed,

On

called "

the west

called
*

the

Agbo

"mighty
place

by the usual entrance

and

sticks.

to a

built

(the enceinte),

kho

(old),

the

was bounded on the north

Dahoman

royal abode, a

"In

Agrin's

the Ji-hwe, or Lofty Abode,

Cowrie-house.

called

by Agaja, the fourth

Agrin-go-men"

is

carcase/'

It

is

and nun

king,

Quiver."

by strangers

a two-storied barn
(side, or

mouth).

f Others say by Aho (Adahoonzou I.) the second king. It is related

that when he importuned for more land Agrin, a petty chief of the
place, the latter exclaimed,

He was duly
The etymon

slain,

is

"Wouldst thou

build in Agrin's quiver

?"

and the gate was erected according to his words.

" Dahome " (Chapter V.) not to excite

too like that of

our suspicions.

u 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

292

under a heavy thatch.

from top to

The

red- clay

and almost

foot,

walls are

of the thirty-eight

all

windows, or rather holes, in the frontage

four in the short ends, are shored
lines of cowries are

"

bawbees

Having learned

up with

"

weak minds

it

On

Long

of the lieges,

my

ceremonial by heart, I positively

and

found after-

was a mere impertinence on the part of

the Buko-no.

Agbome

sticks.

are afterwards removed.

refused to dismount at this place,

wards that

and

sides,

suspended from the windows during

the Customs, to astonish the

and these

split

We passed along

the southern wall of the

Palace, our direction being from N.E. to S.W.

the summit were a few rusty iron skull-holders, an

upright spike to pass through the cranium, with a ring

as handle,

and

in the lower part a thin crescent-shaped

bar for the base of the head to rest upon.

only one
of

human

relic,

a great alteration since the days

Sinmenkpen (Adahoonzou

slavers

There was

II.),

who,

though

six

were awaiting their loads at Whydah, excited

the admiration of his subjects by taking off 147 heads

to

complete

the

" thatching

of

his

house." *

* According to the History, the war-order of the

was to " thatch his house," and in those days

human

on the

None

roofs of the sheds at the palace doors.

King

to his

The

Gau

skulls were placed

of the natives

knew

THE MAKCH TO AGBOME.

custom

is

ignore

what

evidently dying out, and

the

would

Persians

293

Agbome

will

her

call

soon

" kalleh-

nnmar." *
After passing a huge unrepaired rent in the Palace
walls,

whose miserable tattered aspect was an emblem of

the decaying Empire, and after hastening from

drains,

we came

called the

Agwaji Gate, and was

to a second barn-like shed.

sun (Bossa Ahadi).

upon the palm

built

Turning an angle we debouched

new gate

of

custom, he

is

denoting the

leaf fence,

expected to complete.

We

It is

by King Tegbwe-

present king, which, according to

known

dirty

mere holes with a bright shrub springing from a

foul pool,

the

its

Near

it

is

another large shed,

as Agrin-masogbe.

then reached the Grande Place of Agbome, the

scene of Gezo's displays and receptions, but neglected

by the present
History's

with long

The aspect reminded me

king.

description,

"An

of the

assemblage of farmyards

thatched barns."

Of

these

there

were

about a dozen, large and small, intended to shelter the

the phrase, which

Gezo,
*

is

is

perhaps obsolete.

quite free from this

skull minaret.

manner

The Komasi Palace,

built

by

of ornamentation.

After a massacre, the heads were built up with

lime into a kind of tower, the Oriental modification of our coteniporary

hanging in chains.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

294

As

soldiery.

thick-leaved

On

usual,

ficus,

a few shady

relieved the

chiefly the

trees,

baldness of the view.

the ISLE, side, springing from the enceinte, was the

by King Gezo, and

Singbo, or two-storied house built

his favourite place of residence.

roof thatch,

the walls were

Covered with a pent-

of clay, whose

redness

blushed through the thin coat of chalk acting whitewash, and the front was pierced for eight windows with
large shutters of pale-green,

and small

The

wickets.

doorway was un-European, a dwarf barn of Dahoman

fashion,

and

and we found there three umbrellas,

pink, the former belonging to the

white, blue,

Governor of the

Palace.

This dignitary

is

an old servant of Gezo, once the

kan-gbo-de, or King's store-keeper, but degraded, as has

been

He

said, for

is

presuming to ride up to the royal

now known

as

Kpon-ne-mi

"

Look

According to custom we dismounted before

The

fat old

me

this palace.

man, in brass bracelets and pink checked

cloth, prostrated

stood and

for

gate.

himself in front of the gate, whilst

bowed

to

it.

He

then snapped

fingers,

we
and

returning to the half-opened door, whispered in consultation with

some of the female inmates.

Presently

he returned with the formula, " That the King's

wife,

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

295

having inquired about every one in England, desired

and

us to go

which we should have her

after

eat,

message/'

Leaving the Singbo, we passed on the right another

huge barn entrance

mud

teen

pillars,

shelters the

to the enceinte, supported

and

called

fine brass gun,

is

Gezo

Under a

a curious

tree

of the past

relic

gone in the touch-hole, and bearing as

inscription, " Dordrect,

It is therefore

fecit."

late

It

they are not better treated

than the English presents at Abeokuta.

in the square-centre

four-

Adan-jro-'ko de.*

two howitzers presented to the

by the French Government

by

1640

Coenraet Wegewaert me

almost coeval with the

Dahoman

kingdom.

The broad road on the south of the Agbome palace

was now

Kana we

lined with gazers,

and the Court being at

did not suffer from

peculiar plague of the place.

the

the

bell-women,

Advancing,

we turned

another abrupt angle, and facing west, passed on the

left

the

roomy and comparatively comfortable house of

Prince Chyudaton, where the luckier French lodge.

*

Adan

ing, if

(brave), jro (likes), ako (family, tribe), de (any one).

any people be braye and

Dahome).
" Dangeh

Commander Forbes
la

Cordah."

like (to fight, let

spoils

all

this

Mean-

them come and take

fine

sentiment in his

A MISSION TO GELELE.

296

few doors further placed us at the Buko-no's establish-

ment

cow-houses, ultra-Arcadian

of which the

first

sight

in their simplicity

was enough.

dearly love domesticity that they

prisons to

all inside,

From

privacy.

where there

These people so

make

their houses

no

possibility of

is

within you see only

tall

red walls, with

perhaps a few tree tops, and thatch roofs above and

beyond

it,

making the saddest impression upon a

On

of liberty.

the other hand, every

lover

word uttered can

be heard throughout the building, thus securing, as in a

ship, the

two greatest and opposite undesirables.

evident that the King, unlike

visit

It is

him of Ashanti, does not

the strangers' quarters and drink palm-wine with

them.*

The establishment

lies

insulated as usual,

palace,

about 300

ft.

each

way

the west of the

to

is

and the parallelogram of

not quite square with the

cardinal points, our principal

The enceinte
door,

and

which
his

is

many

is

bisected

Agbome

room

fronting E. S. East.

by a high wall with a

carefully closed at night.

single

Our landlord

wives are to the eastward of us;

we

could hear the laughter of these merry dames, but only

Nor

is it

at present

even his highest

officers.

" etiquette"

for the

King

of

Dahome

to visit

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

297

one old specimen ever leaves the house by that door.

We

occupy the western

half, lately

a son of the King, and the

first

vacated by Sedozau,

item of two sets of

twins presented to royalty by the she-Yevogan,

who

thus took the initiative in making him a father.

We

entered by a southern gateway with the customary

thatch

in after times the

hanging

it

King's Dr.

Dee was ever

The door

with his superstitious frippery.

was a screen of bamboo fronds with native

pole working in

wooden

hinges, a

This entrance led into

cups.

a kind of outer court, containing only a shed for the

hammock-men, who

An

opposite

mixture of

left

it

uncleaned for two months.

doorway opened upon the backyard, a

and

filth

Another adit through a wall

private quarters

planking, which

we

it

which more presently.

fetish of

to the right led to our

had fortunately a

closed

when privacy was

Our lodging was a barn 45

deep.

stout

feet long,

wooden

desirable.

by 27

feet

thick thatch, like the East Indian chappar,

descended within 4*50

on a double

feet of the

line of strong posts buried in the

The north-eastern angle

false gable,

ground, and rested

earth.

of the roof formed a kind of

or single pavilion

wing

like the

Kobbi of

Abeokuta, here called " kho-zwe," or house-corner. The

A MISSION TO GELELE.

298

verandah had an earth-step, some eight inches high, to

keep out the

The low

earth.

with a descent to the floor of tamped

rain,

ceiling

After the verandah

estrade,

feet

by

we

entered the " hall," an apart-

On

10.

the

was an earthen

left

about thirty inches high, a sleeping platform for

domestic servants.

In front was a small dark room,

hot to the last degree, as are

all

places in this country

where the wind cannot penetrate.

a window through the back wall of
feet thick, provided

claret case,

tached to

whence the

and turned
it

gallon of

I at

clay,

with a shutter

it

it

once knocked

which was two

made

out of a

into a tolerable study.

At-

was a dark and windowless store-room,

" drivers " sallied out once a

however, a door, a lock, and a key,

hall

sticks, plastered,

with native white-wash.

like the walls,

ment 20

was of rough

rum and bag

of cowries.

it

week

saved us

On

having,

many

the right of the

and study were two small dark rooms, and,

lastly,

an open verandah occupied the whole depth of the

house under the

false gable

raised earth-rim for a balneary,

the water.

it

had

in one corner a

and a drain

to

draw

off

Opposite this verandah a strip of courtyard

was divided by a jealous party wall from the Buko-no's

quarters.

THE MAECH TO AGBOME.

The

299

front court, facing to the E.S.East,

commanded

a view of the top of a pollarded calabash, and a blasted

tree

upon which the

prospected for

vultures

early

The back yard* contained sundry heaps of

carrion.

the " cook-houses," and the lares of the

offal,

who had been given by

prince,

father

his

at

some length

to

of this people.

show the

to

must describe them

worship

intricate practical

Shortly after

my

the

medicine, and

Buko-no, with the object of learning

perhaps of preventing poison.

young

arrival,

hearing

my

even under sacrilegious circum-

vetteite for curiosities,

two

fetish

youths made their appearance in

the evening,

knelt

down

stances,

prayed, broke some

declaring that they
I

might, after

Similarly

before

of the

had

this

domestic

all

deorum,

we

my

worst.

this

was en

not have turned

it

out

of the Bo-kho, Bo-temple, or Lararium,

had

of course

regie:

do

and that

the fetish from the lodging-

and the Buko-no only laughed

house,

altar,

and went away

images,

called out the fetish,

evocatio

we removed

the

could

of his.

The roof

been allowed to

fall,

to every weather.
*

exposing the worshipful inmates

There were two

sets of grotesque

Here called " Kho-gudu," the " Ipaka" of the Egbas.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

300

figures

ranged in a row opposite one another.

the south numbered

six.

1.

That

bit of iron-stone

to

clay

stuck round with feathers, and planted on a swish clay

step a couple of inches high.

cullender or perforated pot.

2.
3.

An

Bo-doll, in a

little

earthenware basin

with a circular base, surrounded with the

and the Asen (Sein

fetish palm-girdle,

stuck in the ground before

Sheep

fetish,

4.

it.

number

or Twin-iron*

Mon-gbo,

its base,

behind

it,

An

5.

of claws.

No. 6 was an awful looking human face in

upon

or

X),

very easily confounded with

or canine, provided with any

Azan

or

Avun,

Finally,

alto-relief, flat

a swish square, with a short stake planted

three small

wrinkled forehead

its

earthen pots rising from

huge gape of cowrie

teeth,

its

and

same, set in red clay, were right well

eyes of the

calculated to frighten away, as

it

is

intended to do,

witchcraft from the devotee.

The other
less

set occupied three sides of the

dwarf roof-

hut ruin, and embraced everything necessary for

man's welfare.
* It

is

red clay kpakpa, or duck,f with a line

formed of two iron cones, cymbal-shaped, and very

like the

extinguisher of a candle, fastened to a single stem six inches long.

is

lump of clay behind the Hoho

and thus forms a domestic altar.

generally planted in a

presently be explained,

t Clearly an onomatopcetic word, like our " Quack."

pots,

It

which will

THE MABOH TO AGJBOME.

of feathers round

adored,

neck,

its

and an

makes the prayerful

artificial tail, if

strong.

half black half white, even to the wool,

necklace of beasts' skulls

twin pots, two

twin-flesh

lids to

beat," a

and

is heir.

Bo male image,
and hung with a

double pipkins of red clay, big pipe-

little

protect Sedozau

duly

with a pair of Hoho-z'en, or

bowls, united like the Siamese twins,

white-washed

301

and covered with

guard the water

his brother

There was

offering,

from the

also a

ills

to

would
which

So-hwe, or " stick

wooden stump eighteen inches high and eight

inches in diameter, wrapped in old palm-leaf and dirty

calico,

with a string of cowries hanging from

its

sooty

summit, and an Achatina shell on the higher of the two

dwarf steps forming

its base.

If a stone be struck

the top of this invaluable article the

sickens

and

dies.

enemy

certainly

Defence against disease was secured

by a clay parallelogram, puddinged

half with cowries

half with pottery-bits stuck edgeways,

an Asen-iron and an Asiovi or

Bo-man with a beard

fetish

and

and supporting

axe; by a red clay

of poultry feathers and the left

side stuck with fragments of earthenware

and by a

Bo-pot containing a heap of black earth rising to a

and supporting a

upon

fetish iron.

ball,

Proper respect for the

rainbow was shown by the presence of

its

favourite

A MISSION TO GELELE.

302

ceramic,* containing a clay snake, with two small red

feathers
" Iro "

horns.

for

was

there

Finally,

pair

of

or philters, which, rubbed on after the bath,

man

obtain from

loan of moneys, from

d'amoureua? merci

woman

of a dog

and of some other animal, one

For the distances and other

between

It

I.

may

by the

skulls

to each.

peculiarities of the road

Whydah and Agbome,

Appendix

the don

the one was a pot, the other a cala-

bash, full of filthy-looking grease, capped

to

the reader

is

referred

be observed that the length

of the journey has shrunk, with wonderful regularity, to

the present year.

Mr.

Lamb

(1724) gives 200 miles

from the port to the capital;

112 miles

Mr. Norris (1772),

Mr. Dalzel (1793), 96 miles;

Commander

Forbes (1849), 90 miles; Commodore Wilmot (1863),

65 miles

(1864),

by meridional observations

the general opinion being 75 miles.f

distance of

of Sirius, a direct

51^ geographical miles between the beach-

town Whydah and the English house, whilst

map gave 62
*

found

to

my

sketch

63 indirect miles.

For a more detailed notice of these pots

the curious reader will consult Chapter

each

deity has its

own

XVII.

f M. Borghero (1861) made 150 indirect kilometres to Kana, but he

passed round the longer Toffo road.
M. Jules Gerard (1863) reckoned
fifty indirect

English statute miles from

Whydah

to

Kana.

CHAPTER XL
THE KING ENTERS HIS CAPITAL.

Our
be our

arrival at the unpleasant domicile

home

the Buko-no

for nearly

Uro

which was

two months, was a signal

to
for

to begin operations.* This belle tete de

mort craved an audience, and, after the customary

" ambages," requested

me

to

open before him the four

boxes of presents forwarded by Her Majesty's Govern-

His object was to secure the

ment.
royal

ears,

curry a
his

excuse

hoping thereby

little

first

favour.

own magazine

for the

phrase

The boxes had been stored

however,

the

news

to

in

of course refused to

touch them, except inside the palace, and I told him to

meddle with them

the custom of the country.

false plea,

He

at his peril.
I

the present being the

pleaded usage, and

rejoined that
first

it

was a

mission from

Her

Majesty's Government to the King, consequently that

*

The second

is

Bo name, belonging

to his father.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

304

there could be no precedent. Hoping, however, thereby

some

to exert
I

fice,

influence in the matter of

my

read out

if

any attempt was made

victims in our presence,

return

it

to

put to death

would be the signal

Which

Whydah.

to

only the ste-

to receive

The Buko-no, however, was duly

replies.

warned, that

sacri-

Message," as instructions are

and regretted

locally called,

reotyped

"

human

was,

of

for our

duly

course,

reported.

The next

December

day,

21,

was

witness the

to

At

King's ceremonious return to his capital.

dusty-browed messenger rushed

was approaching

in,

noon, a

saying, that royalty

and we heard cannon-shots, de-

noting that the King was halted at the Adan-blonnoten, receiving the

homage

of his

Buko-no ordered out

his horse

and

came

in

war

" tail,"

and presently

a green sheet to fetch his strangers.

taken in for the

day of our

first,

dismissal.

and not the

The

believed in the usage of

fact

last,
is,

The

chiefs.

was

time before the

this

veteran so

Dahome, that he considered

us to be, like other white men, during our residence at

the capital, mere slaves of the King.
that

when we

On

this

left

I flatter

myself

he had greatly modified that opinion.

occasion, our uniforms

having been

left

at

THE KING ENTERS HIS CAPITAL.

305

Kana, we were compelled to wear the ordinary mourning attire of Englishmen

As

King approved

the

when they want

to be merry.

of this proceeding, I resolved

more

future to confine uniform to the

for the

cere-

monious occasions within the palace.

We
of

rode in our

down

Agbome

hammocks by a

the broad south-western road, flanking the

The sun was

Palace.

tempered by the sea-breeze,

rarely

short cut, instead

which,

We

blows before 3 p.m.

at

being

not

deadly,

season,

this

then turned south-

Ako-

wards, along a large thoroughfare, towards the

These streets are formed,

chyo-'gbo-nun gate.*
those

of

Whydah, by the

thus giving

them

a populous look

mere shams, and forest-bush

On

walls of the

the right there

is

rises

they

like

habitations,

are,

however,

behind them.

close

an open space, with a 10 iron-

We

gun battery scattered upon the ground.

furled

our umbrellas, and, dismounting, marched through the

gate, a

gap

described.

in
It

an incontinuous

wall,

that before

like

opened upon the Uhun-jro

market, a

broad space, whence the huts had been cleared, and

*

Ako

(tribe, family),

chyo

(all),

agbo'nun (gate)

meaning, that

all

the world must come to visit Dahome.

j-

Uhun-jro, or Uhun-jlo,

a conquered place
vol.

i.

is

derived from the fact that a

bombax from

was there transplanted by Gezo.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

306

where men were raising a

scaffold

On

barked, and rudely squared.

of tree trunks,

the other side was

the tattered wall of the royal precincts

of the five courses of

mud masonry was much

by contact with the ground.

of trees,

told that he

(it

is

Here the pace

summons from

must be obeyed with ostentatious

road,

criminal, left

not respectful to pass the Palace

except in a hurry), and a

of the

was a

at the next Customs.

was quickened

edibles,

standing, gagged,* in front of a

drummer, and we were

for execution

injured

Passing under a scatter

where women were seated, vending

we remarked a man

left

the lowest

sweeping of the space in

On

alacrity.

and distinguished

King

the

by the

the

careful

a large fetish-house,

front, is

a long shed, called Nesu-hwe, and dedicated to Nesu,

the peculiar

Dahoman

fetish,

the tutelary

numen

of

the empire.

Turning to the south, we dismounted, as the rule

Komasi

at the south-eastern corner of the

as

have

Komasi
*

said,

b}^

if

Gezo.

Palace, built,

We

passed

gate, the usual barn, with twenty-seven

The instrument

is

palate, whilst the fork

ever

King

a Y-shaped stick

is,

the

wooden

the sharp end touches the

embraces the tongue, so that the criminal, how-

much he may suffer, cannot cry out. The gag

man speak to the King, he must be pardoned.

is

used, because,

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

posts,

307

and with the two stunted and pollarded

forming, with a bamboo, the fovea,

To the

palace gate.
Jo-susu, a

little

to every

hung the normal

cross-pieces

square mat, with narrow perpendicular

red and black,

alternately

stripes,

common

trees

and a calabash,

painted in ruddy and whitey-red speckled sections,

like those of

a melon, and by bundles of Bo-so, freshly

painted Bo-sticks or truncheons, at each side, completed

From

the defences of the entrance.

will

issue

will

be a

perform

to
little

white

Customs,

bonnets,

times, lounged at

men and women

Sepoys'

like

soldiery,

shakos

under

its

mud

thin

seat

At
with

former

in

silent,

we went

near the Agwaji, or southern gate

thatch, with sixteen

stools

his

ruler

Thence, guided by the

the gate.

Buko-no, whose band was never

tall tree,

and

to the proper right of the door.*

the time only a few

tall

the

the

this

pillars

to a

a large

and we placed our

witnessing the usual

shade,

dancing.

The space about the Palace

Benin

is

clear,

as in Great

but here there are no strews of skulls and

skeletons.

The only fragment

of a

man was

a cranium,

nailed together with a white flag to the trunk, under

* I thereby mean the

left side, as

one stands opposite

it.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

308

the lowest boughs of a large tree opposite the Komasi

As

gate.

usual in

Yoruba towns, where they

avoid the

loosely to

build

which annually devastate

fires

elbowing Lagos, the open space in which the multitude

will

gather for the Customs was scattered over with

palms, calabashes, and

having been bared by

their roots

besides two
objects in

mean

rain.

There were,

fetish-houses, only three remarkable

The

it.

rising, opposite

zan,

with a natural ablaqueation,

figs,

first

was a

scaffolding, gradually

The next was the Adan-

the palace.

a round house, with rough

posts, supporting

conical thatch roof, capped with a white pennon.

The

two opposite entrances were each flanked by two small

sentinel huts, with clay walls,
like

old bee-hives.

The

mud

steps,

each of eight
the

interior

Before

interior

showed two

flights,

barred against intruders, and

was concealed

campaigning, the

and shaped somewhat

by screens of matting.

King here

swears,

in

the

presence of his soldiery, what he will do, and listens to

their terrible boasting of valour.

On

the roof and screens are removed.*

* This

such occasions,

The

third was a

was a ceremony introduced by King Gezo. I was told that

King keeps it up, but during {my stay at Agbome it was

the present

not performed.

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

fine

Bombax, enclosed

in a

dwarf

mud

wall,

309

and

called

Bwekon-uhun, the Bwe-kon cotton-wood, under which

Gezo used

Komasi

to sit before he built the

The name Bwe-kon,* meaning a happy or

spot, is also applied to the large southern

suburb,
space,

and by three

wall-less sheds,

and detached

where the troops

the Bwe-kon Hwe-'gbo, or big house,

by Agongoro (Wheenoohew).

built

auspicious

from the royal house by the open

divided

It contains

sit.

Palace.

The other tene-

ments are those of men about Court, and many Aja

and Takpa f
kon, again,

is

captives are settled here.

Beyond Bwe-

the Jegbe Palace, of which

more here-

after.

We

observed the place narrowly, on account of

connection with the coming executions.

of people, especially
else,

Long

strings

women, who apparently do

were passing to and

fro,

its

little

carrying on their heads

monstrous baskets and calabashes, " wide as the old

Winchester bushel," with food for their mistresses the
soldieresses.

Shortly after 1 p.m. two umbrellas, white

and pink, preceded by musketeers, announced the

arrival of Agbota, senior
*

Bwe

Governor of Whe-gbo, and

(happy),

t Chapter

kon

XXI.

(living).

of

A MISSION TO GELELE.

310

They rode followed by four red

Azogbe, his lieutenant.

Novian

caps, the Porto

themselves a

" alufas "

to our right,

little

the

seated

latter

under the same

tree,

but not on chairs.

The next move was the approach

King

bringing provision from the

taining "

Akansan "

other

the

of

full

in leaves,

of five musketeers,

one basket con-

and a bowl of palm stew,

papaws and oranges.

Guests are

rationed from the palace during their stay in

where

is

it

almost impossible to buy a sufficiency of

food even for a small party

is

cially after the presents

The King

proceeding, which
officials to

haps,

whom

when

all

but the allowance, which

waxes small by degrees, espe-

at first liberal, soon

starvation.

Agbome,

are given,
is,

and ends

doubtless,

in semi-

unaware of

agree comes from the

women

the royal order has been issued

the time of disette

is

this

per-

setting in, a bribe to

the " English mother " would put

off

the

evil

day.

Other slaves then came up, bringing the card- table and
the

old

liqueur-case,

withal to pass the time.

as with edibles

the

cellar,

wherein we

But

it

is

found

something

with potables here

the stranger begins with the best in

and ends with trade gin and rum.

We

found the necessity of being accompanied by a

soon
little

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

canteen, the gift of

Paul du Chaillu

my

and

Presently, riding a

311

amiable and enterprising friend,

it

rendered us true service.

little

nag, as

on a side saddle,

if

and shaded by an umbrella hat of woven palm

came the Prince Chyudaton, sucking

leaf,

*the usual lettuce

and accompanied by the normal

down on a mat

whom

retinue.

He

lay

beside his old friend the Buko-no, for

he entertains a supreme contempt, regarding

own

him, from the proud stand-point of his

as

leaves,

civilisation,

an ancient bushman who knows nothing of the

whites.

They

ate

some

"

Akansan," and drank water,

of which these people always carry a store in bottles,

covered, for

coolness,

with

quilted

After

jackets.

joining us in a glass of the royal liquor, they propped

their heads

practice

to

on their footstools and slept

while

away

time.

Abeokutan was brought before us

seemed
if

to

At
hours

he

Dahome

captives are not killed or sold,

captured

lately

anticipate " capital fun/'

one be required, that in

many

the Dahoman
danced,

This
all

is

and

a proof,

male adult

and we afterwards saw

of his brotherhood.

3*45

p.m., after

causing us to

sit

three mortal

these people have no bowels of compassion

long line of flags and umbrellas, debouching from the

A MISSION TO GELELE.

312

eastern road,* formed in masses at the other end of

the open space, somewhat as in a theatre.

the braying of trumpets and

Then,

beating of drums,

the

they began to pass round in review order.

shoulder

circumambulation, which turns the

rated object

and we

shall

Arab Tawaf,

left side to

observe this in

their attendants firing

As

them.

is

all

first,

King leading the

They w ere followed by the

Po-su,

and the Gau,

the Matro,

and buff

him

followed

half-brother of the

the

black

his

five

rest.f

" place " of

felt,

riding

agminal umbrella,

Followed three cahalf-brothers,

Bosu Sau

Viz., the

Viz.

men dancing and

sham-fighting

by Assogban and Akhokhwe, a

King, with a fancy umbrella and

The southern entrance

like

The 15th was Assoyon, under a white

umbrella, with twelve

colours.

and two of the King's

and Nuage.

before

in

and accompanied by

of red, blue,
boceers,^

future

and skirmishing before

customary, the juniors came

or

a vene-

warriors and worthies of the

" tattoo,"

right

The Captains danced and skipped

processions.
Salii,

The

presented to the King's gate, the Pradak-

is

shina of the Hindus, opposed to the

the

"with

is

sometimes preferred.

Aloghan, Akpi, Dokhenun, Akati, and Ahwibame.

the Kade, Jogbwenun, and Apwejekun.

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

Two

an escort of seventeen men.

other caboceers*

preceded the place of Chyudaton, who was

and the 21st j" umbrella ushered

us,

man

a red and blue

tunic,

dancing, accompanied
flags,

and

if

by

followed, like

drum on a man's
as

with

in the Bi- wan-ton,

The Adanejan, habited

and

riding, woman-like, a

was preceded by sixty men,

pony,

little

sitting

with a pleasant expression, whose escort was a

fancy umbrella and ten men.

in

313

braining

plain

firing

and

red and white fancy

most of the

others,

head, another beating

it

by

his big

from behind,

it.

After a short pause, the old Adukonun, a brother

of the late king, advanced, followed

war

who

chief,

fired his

by the Tokpau, a

gun from the

an umbrella speckled white and

blue.

shoulder, under

The 26th

that of the Awobi, preceded the Yevo-gan of

with a French
of

men

fifty

he rode, and waved hands to us as he

in the highest

was a war-tunic and a Lagos smoking-cap

*

His dress

of the empire, the senior Min-gan.

Viz., the

Ukwenun,

Akho,

"with a

Viz., the

Whydah

a white umbrella, and an escort

Four other worthies ushered

passed.
official

tricolor,

party,

"with a fancy

with pipe

umbrella and fourteen men, and the

white umbrella and nineteen men.

Tokonun-vissau,

who was on

horseback.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

314

iii

mouth he rode a nag handsomely caparisoned, under

He was numerously

a white fancy umbrella.

and was followed by a big drum, and by

Being a

coursing hideous music.

man

he studiously avoided looking towards

be compelled to

The
if I

so call

crossed,

it,

brellas opposite the

performed

taries

rattles, dis-

of the old school,

us, lest

he might

salute.

lesser chiefs, after passing

may

escorted,

once round the square,

and formed a

The high

Komasi gateway.

their

circuits

line of

um-

digni-

the order before

in

described, the Min-gan immediately preceding the 33rd

party, which

The

was that of the King.

royal cortege consisted of about

and blunderbuss men

it

500 musketeers

was preceded by

skirmishers,

under the command of Adan-men-nun-kon,

Captain.
ard,

They were accompanied by one

and eight

fancy

flags,

skull stand-

white, red, anchor-marked,

and

and they were followed by two gorgeous um-

brellas.

Immediately in front of the King were borne

two leather

shields, sections of cylinders, white,

black patterns, upraised horizontally at the

of the bearer's arm.
da}'s,

" Blue

when

the

They

Dahoman

full

with

length

are a remnant of the old

soldiery

muskets, cutting swords, and shields

was armed with

the latter carried

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

by boy

squires, of

whom

as a kind of

one was told off for training

The weapon

to each man-at-arms.

Near the

aegis.

" bold dragoons," in

hind them, in a white calico

snowy plume, the

now

is

blue-red,

case,

and capped with a

salutes, there

rush,

filling

and three

parasols, yellow,

he passed before

us,

exchanging

was the usual " Tohu wa Bohu," a

frantic

the air with red dust, a swarming of

" riotously

around him,
d'enfer

The King rode

were waved and twisted over him,

When

to act as fans.

Be-

as long as spears.

Bo-fetish stick, called " kafo,"

iron

under four white umbrellas

and

two big

and huge black

announced the presence of royalty.

purple,

looked upon

shields stalked

brass helmets

They had guns

horse-tails.*

315

from

and routously/' and a feu

their weapons.

Following a huge fetish

axe came the band, mostly boys, whose thirty

thirty cymbals,

and dozens of drums, added

then appeared, laden with large

Gold Coast

boxes and baskets of cowries,

:

in fact,

it

rattles,

their din

to the wildness of the spectacle.

other articles

men

crowd of

bottles,

slaves
chairs,

decanters,

and

was the commissariat, with a

Mr. Norris mentions a troop of forty women, with silver helmets

A French merchant presented to
King Gezo 100 brilliant casques of pompiers.
*

such wealth has long disappeared.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

316

suspicion

of

bakhshish

or

The rear was

largesse.

brought up by two shabby war-umbrellas, white and

a tattered

blue, whilst

flag

The King went round

announced the arriere-garde.

twice, in

an antiquated red-

and a brougham.

lined vehicle, a mongrel between a cab

It

was drawn by men, who, at the third

it

upon

their shoulders

the African labourer

made

in a

Bath

chair,

aloft, like

are usually three

ing " the procession

young,

is,

The royal

the extraordinary

as will

me an

says

pos-

opportunity of " book-

besides which, the ruler, being

The King pressed

of

the

Whydah

seems of a good free temper, and

kindness, especially

circuits

number was

his

when he

mouth

As an

with a thick kerchief, to keep out the dust.

traveller

it

be remarked throughout the Cus-

toms, fond of change.

old

fifth

the sixth time

the carriage.

sibly intended to afford

do

a late present from a

committee of English philanthropes

was carried

will

The fourth and

the same with his wheelbarrow.

tours were

circuit, raised

monarch,

full

" he

of mirth and

intends to beg a boon."

This day he looked wearied and cross, an expression

not unfrequent upon the brow of royalty in

We

must

consider, however, that he

all lands.

went a

total of

ten circuits of the square, representing some five miles

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

and

of dust

din.

We

were afterwards informed that

he had been slightly indisposed at Kana

positively refused

" white friend."

but had

break an appointment with his

to

Illness is rare

says he was sickly in youth

no traces of debility now.

with him

M. Wallon

despite reports he shows

wonderful to see the

It is

amount of labour which he endures

in the

form of

and the cheerfulness which he maintains

pleasure,

enjoyments

under

his

public,

and he ends by

When

317

he seldom misses a day in

tiring out the

whole Court.

the male chiefs and soldiery had

made

their

sixth round, they joined the line of umbrellas on the

The King then

south-east of the square.

transferred

himself and his most gorgeous canopies to the

was massed

zonry, which
road.

Presently, preceded

ringing their
corps,

at the

sharp

bells,

they might

that

dashed into the square.

by

mouth

Ama-

of the eastern

skirmishers, firing,

and

the women, forming three

appear the more numerous,

The

first

brigade was that of

the she-Mingan, four white umbrellas and two flags

some were
garb

by

in

brown

its

parade uniform, others in their travelling

tunics.

This small party was followed

band, and, at a short distance, by the twenty-

one umbrellas and the

five flags of

the she-Meu's troop,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

318

After three turns, danc-

concluding with their music.

ing, singing,

and

firing

muskets and blunderbusses, they

retired to the east of the palace.

The
peared

upon the

women

in high training,

razor women,

who were

young

performed with great

agility.

followed

King were two crimson

from a

in a

by a

platter, contain-

Immediately before

leather shields, held up as

The Monarch was

by the men.

by twelve women,

by half a dozen

escorted

flags,

ing a calabash adorned with skulls.

the others were

ap-

skirmishers,

Their

stage.

Then came twelve fancy

the

now

royal body-guard, called the Fanti,*

hammock

of yellow

silk,

carried

hanging

about thirteen feet long, black, set with

pole,

silver sharks,

and shod

at both ends with brass.

royal umbrellas, blue,

reel,

Three

and yellow, defended him

from the sun, and he was fanned by three parasols,

which were not the same as

marked amongst

this people the inordinate

after change, novelty,

trivial matters,

poverty

of,

or

and

and the

failure

which

results

deficiency

hammock came

re-

hankering

even in the most

originality,

rather their

After the royal

Again we

before.

the

in,

from their
invention.

bands

rattles,

* Or Gold Coast Corps, in somewhat better discipline than the

unlamented G. C. A.

late

THE KING ENTEES HIS CAPITAL.

cymbals, and drums

with

the rear was brought up

of the commissariat,

319

two white umbrellas

and

by the baskets and baggage

and by the

flags of the

arriere-

garde.

made

After the King had

of the end

was shown by the old To-no-nun crouching

" It "

near our table.

cap, a blanket

looked more
halted

four circuits, the beginning

jacket,

and cotton

in a blue velvet
tights,

"

and

a guenon than a human.

like

opposite

was dressed

us,

"
it

Gelele

and sundry of the elder Dakros

brought for us four large coloured decanters of rum,

and small

bottles of trade liqueur,

by the chief eunuch.

which were received

Strangers are

sometimes ad-

On

dressed personally at the end of these parades.

present

occasion,

ceremony.

aggrouped

fatigue,

The King and Fanti

to the

to

Komasi
" play "

the

temper,

abridged

cortege then stood

west of the square, where a heavy

salute of blunderbusses

round

souring

the

east,

was

and

fired.

They

slowly defiled

finally

passed

through the

gate, folding their umbrellas, in token that the

was done.

The men

soldiers indulged in

frantic carrousel opposite the palace, furiously dragging

the

empty

old

brougham round and round,

shouting,

screaming, and firing their weapons like madmen.

We

A MISSION TO GELELE.

320

waited

till

5*45 p.m.

and

riot,

the square was

we

retired

clear of

Our

at

from the Laus-Perennis of row

with the usual finale to a

a headache.

women, and

guides, the

Chyudaton, retired to breakfast.

Dahoman parade

Buko-no and the Prince

CHAPTER

XII.

THE PRESENTS ARE DELIVERED.

At

night a violent tornado, whose sheets of flying

water could hardly be called

the morning, convinced

in

"

rain,

our

and a heavy shower

good men, whose palaver would be

hot as

fire."

soft as water,

not

The next day (December 22) ought

have been one of

Government.

to

but the King could not curb

rest,

his impatience to see the presents sent

jesty's

we were

that

hosts

final

by Her Ma-

me

attempt to make

pen

the Buko-no,

who then

forwarded them under protest to the palace.

I could

the boxes was vainly

see,

made by

however, by his face that the absence of certain

highly coveted articles had been

excited royal dissatisfaction.
* "We presented

to the

King

1 picture.
1

box French perfumery.

2 pieces merinos.
VOL.

i.

reported,

Our
And

to the

offerings*

to the
1

and had

English Mother

fathom

1 piece

silk kerchief.

figured calico

(Madras).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

322

King and
I

mother*

to the English

have never seen

were

at once

whom,

shown and given over

to the Buko-no, as a matter of little

At 10*15

we

a.m.

by-the-by,

set out to the

moment.

Komasi

Palace,

placed our chairs opposite the Agwaji gate.

Prince Chyudaton, after

and

dust,

the Komasi entrance,

under the tree with the ominous

fruit,

party was completed by the Buko-no,

crimson

Presently

prostrating, shovelling

kissing the ground, before

1 piece

and

joined

who

us.

The

issued from

silk.

1 silk kerchief.
1 case curac.oa.
1

dozen coloured glass tumblers.

Mr. Bernasko gave

to the

King

10 yards

1 carpet.
1

case of liqueur.

1 piece

To the Buko-no

1 piece

blue Danes.

chief officers.

silk.

Madras.

2 silk kerchiefs.
1

Sundry other presents of

cloth

pair razors.

must be given

to the landlord

and the

These, however, I reserved for the exit.

At the Court of Dahome every man must have at least one mother,
and she may be twenty years his junior. The King's actual parent is
now alive when she departs, he must supply her place by selection.
For each monarch in the dynasty there is, as will be seen, an old woman
mother. The " mothers " of the high officials are the corresponding
honours. For instance, the she-Min-gan is popularly called the " heMin-gan's mother."
Many have two " mothers," an old one for the
*

and a young one for the present reign. Visitors communicate with
"
the " mothers " of their several nations.
As will be seen, " mothers
last,

is

the

official title of

the "

Amazons"

hence the custom.

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIYEEED.

the palace,

by the

were

in the

Adanejan, and by the Bi- wan-

fat

Meu, who acts as the Master of Cere-

ton, or junior

monies

323

These worthies

absence of his principal.

poor " Hausa tobes," showing that we were

in

not likely to see royalty that day.

After waiting causelessly half an hour,

summons

we

received a

Removing our uniform

to enter.

caps,

we

passed through the Gate of Tears into a deep, gloomy

barn, so dark that

we

characteristic features,
right,

and on the

could hardly distinguish the two

women

left

chapletted with skulls. 45

"

selling provisions

Gezo's

on the

immense war-drum,

The inner

court,

-which

we

were fated to learn by heart, bore a family resemblance

to *that of

was a

Kana.

partially

cowries,

Here, however, the westerly side

whitewashed royal store-house

and rum

the

notes, silver,

and copper of the

country.

At

led to an

immense boarded-up window

story,

its

and giving

for cloth,

northern extremity, a rough ladder

the appearance of a

to the whole

* This, the national oriflamme, is called

sounding like Nu, a thing),

11

(that),

pwe

in the second

Nun

(with a very nasal N,

(able), to (he that does).

It

is a title assumed by King Gezo, and meaning, " He is able to do anything he likes."
As will be seen, it was first taken by him when he
imported from England a carriage and horses, and it is applied to a
cloth, and to other articles of Dahoman vanity.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

324

At

grange.

the court was the usual

the bottom of

thatched barn, like the men's guard-house outside

four white, with three tulip-tinted, umbrellas,

and

under one

On

fetish.

huts, each containing a

most remarkable

showed

the right side were five Legbas

To the

thatch.

little

and

The square was scattered over with

the King's place.

trees

dwarf whitewashed
a Janus,

figure,

naked bodies joined a

rose four fetish

left

tergo,

The

idol.

composed of two

was made of dark

clay,

with glaring white eyes, and two pair of antlers, bending

Probably this " Auld Hornie " has been bor-

inwards.

rowed from the Portuguese idea of Sathanas.

The

may

of presents has been given in the Preface.

be allowed to say of them a few words.

The

1.

to

list

sit

tent was found to be too small, and, indeed,

under

possible.

We

it

for

an hour would have been hardly

were obliged to pitch

it

with our own

hands, which evinced complication, and, in a land of

white ants, metal, not wooden, pegs were required, as

Mr. Edgington, whose cards

fell

in

boxes, should have known.

The

article

more

so,

was handsome,

perhaps, than anything belonging to the

yet the only part of

lion

a shower from the

on the pole-top.

it

King

admired was the gingerbread

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIYEEED.

2.

The pipe was never

lightness, his old red clay

3.

The

officials

belts

325

used, Gelele preferring, for

and wooden stem.

caused great disappointment

all

the

declared that bracelets had been mentioned to

Commodore Wilmot.

Africans are offended

if

their

wishes are not exactly consulted, and they mulishly

look upon any such small oversight as

an intended

slight.
4.

The

their use
5.

The

silver waiters

was

King, a

diligently inquired into.

coat of mail

will certainly

were very much admired, and

was found too heavy

be hung up, fired

common

cuirass

at,

and, as

it

and broken by the

would have been

The

better.

gauntlet was too small, and, like the former article, not
galvanized.

But what about the carriage and horses

I vainly, for the dozenth time, explained the difficulty

of sending them.

summate

It

Whydah, no

If the horses died

matter.

King Gezo,

equipage, had taken the strong

and the son burned

touching the

at once with con-

Carriages had been brought, and

coolness.

could come again.

was disposed of

to

upon the beach at

after obtaining

an

name Nun-u-pwe-to,

emulate the

sire.

My

hints

propriety of some concession, on their

A MISSION TO GELELE.

326

in

part,

cause of humanity, were

the

cavalierly

as

'

ignored.

few words touching presents to African princes,

the sole object of whose foreign friendships

them, and with

and ever

whom

who pay

those

mentioned one requisite

commonly supposed

sent out

and showy,

for a barbarian

and

glasses

meter

The old days of the

and they have not forgotten

Dahome,

often.
is

which a West-African chief would hardly

At Dahome,
* In

or, at least,

have seen presents

familiarised the higher ranks with

with six

are,

in England, that anything

think of giving to his slave.

cence,

them, namely,

and that they should not come too

well assortis*

good enough

have already

second and a third

that the gifts should be rich

It is

for contenting

attending to their wishes.

to obtain

the highest are,

most powerful.

will be, the

is

bottles,

a kind of magnifiit.

everything given to the King

for instance, at the present

traite

time

carried

is

silver liqueur-case,

each labelled, and a dozen strong and ornamented

a pair of portable

mahogany

tables,

a dozen good chairs for guests

about three feet in dia-

they must be of iron, or they

month a strong lantern for night use English

and
other
flags
the bigger and gaudier the better. On
Union
one occasion the Xing sent me a message, that he vehemently wanted
some large banners inscribed with Her Majesty's august name. Finally,
all these African kings, from Gelele to Humanika of Karagwah, are
delighted with children's toys, gutta-percha faces, Noah's Arks in fact,
will be broken iu a

Jacks,

THE PRESENTS ARE DELIVERED.

to the palace during the hours of darkness,

cealed with care from the multitude.

327

and

On

is

con-

the other

hand, the meanest article presented by him, after being

paraded round the squares, that the King's munificence

may

be

happy
it

is

known

to the whole world,

house.

recipient's

some

satisfaction

is

Under

these circumstances,

know

that the " clash " in

to

these regions, like the bribe in Asia,

On

sent in state to the

is

omnipotent.

the present occasion, the King never even uttered

an expression of gratitude.

His disappointment soon

pierced through his politeness, which was barely retained

by a

state

popular adage,

of feeling best expressed

in

our

" Better luck next time/' especially in

the matter of an English carriage and horses.

When

the

tent

had been pitched, the other boxes

were carried by three juvenile captainesses under the

King's barn-verandah, and
old slave

women

to

open them.

and almost adoration,

the

Despite their respect,

for the royal person, all the bar-

barian officiality present

gauntlets.

we were summoned by

made

They asked us

what would be most acceptable

trial of. the

to

pipe and the

do the same, when

which the negro

is.

to a child of eight

Unfortunately, I could find none upon the coast, where they are used

only in the Batanga ivory trade.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

328

informed them that such was not our idea of respect to

crowned heads. The young Amazons presently bore the

gifts into

the interior, carefully closing the door,

human

huge, rudely cut board, carved into a

and a

stripes for hair, a face,

about

objects, stuck

with other Fetish

knife,

my

water and Akansan bread,* which

mixed with the element.

was bought with

gold.

trading with slavers,

for the highest prices
for

a cargo which,

price.

Upon

blinded

was lukewarm, and

it

the inevitable result of

the worst of everything

the refuse of European markets

if successful, fetches

combine the

ten times

its

cost

Dahomans have not been

want

to eat

profits of illicit

and keep
with the

commerce, and the constant formula

is r

what white men have done, white men must undo.

Presently the^young
royal request that

is

but, like children, they

benefits of licit

that

sell

this subject the

their pudding, to

pro-

have no doubt but that

This

who
;

it

companions

Medoc was

bottle of

cellar

Yet

far too sour to drink.

head, with

The messengers brought us

it.

duced from the royal

See Chapter V.

women

returned, bearing the

we would withdraw

This custom of placing a table before the visitor

" plenty of refreshment, both of solids and

by King Gezo. Mr. Duncan, vol. i. p. 243.

"with

to our former

liquids,"

was practised

THE PEESENTS ABE DELIVERED.

place under the thin tamarind.

This was to enable the

" King's wives " to inspect the tent without

too near us.

port,

of

The Amazons again disappeared

with

would be heard

the

we

1*15 p.m.

it

my

tidings that

evil,

"

broke through the clouds, despite occasional

We

against the lower wind.

of a tornado, rattling,

entered the house in

lightning appearing

tongue

had

It

east, rising

the characteristics

all

crackling

longed electric crepitations

roofs

thunder, with

pro-

vivid, rose-coloured, forked

to lick the earth with the tip of

and

gusts, that

tore

the thatched

from the houses, and sounded

like discharges of

we hardly

ever had a shower

artillery.

Parenthetically,

without these displays of

electricity,

and the Whydah

men

characteristically complained that I

them

too near heaven.

cross-hatching of

Rain

fell

had brought

in lozenges, like the

engravers' shadows, and afterwards

in perpendicular torrents, that flooded the clayey

in

"

The rain-sun was dangerous

hours.

time to escape a heavy storm from the

fiery

Message

after the unusually short

retired,

puffs of cool sea-breeze.

its

to re-

at another opportunity.

corvee of three

when

approaching

and they soon brought back a dismissal decanter

rum,

At

32<>

a few minutes.

The mass of storm

ground

shifted gradually

A MISSION TO GELELE.

330

and cleared away

to the north,

many

for as

I will

conclude this chapter with a few words touching

to

who

Gelele,

He

is,

much the same

holds

King

Elizabeth.

have

said,

monarch when the

latter

was a

huts,

He

the

to

When

gives

him a

selling these,

actual

whence

soon exchanged his

establishment, and he was enriched

of

and by no means

cadet,

which many at Agbome remember,

cess.

man

years he was a

a favourite son, he predicted to him a crown

his present influence.

Queen

to

the son of the last ruler's

Having: attached himself

note.

position, in

Dee

did Dr.

as

many

pet mediciner, and for

little

two hours, allaying

days the vehement plague of dust.

our landlord,
respect

after

for

little

a large

by the usual pro-

the King desires to honour a subject, he

larger, or

By

a smaller, gang of slaves.

and applying them

to

palm

oil,

Fortunatus

obtains wealth, without which, in Africa, there

is

no

true nobility.
I soon

had a conversation with the Buko-no, on the

subject of his specialty, the

fitable
*

trade

His origin

contracts the word.

" Wanderings

in

divination. It

every one in the country

The Dahoman form

prophecy.

Afa *

is

of the

Ifu,

who can

of Egba-land, the god of

from the mythical city of

Ife, or

is

a pro-

afford

it

wisdom and

F6, as the Ffon

I have given rough outlines of the worship in

West

Africa,

Abeokuta," chap.

iv.

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIVERED.

" gets Afa," as the phrase

is.

331

Even English and other

mulattos consult the oracle, without, however, owning

The master and student must

to the belief.

sacred, retired,

and shady

and bush.*

fields

symbol representing the features

he then demands a heavy

ten heads are. the

fee;

spots, scattered about the

After long ceremonies the diviner

finds out the sign or

of the neophyte

repair to

minimum

initiation

required even from

The

a poor man, whilst the rich would pay a hundred.

pupil then receives sixteen palm-nut counters,

taught their use.

an

art,

cannot learn

but the subsequent fees

chiefly presents

neophyte

is

abstain from

are

of so dark

of fowls and provisions.

light,

being

Finally, the

taught by the " Master of Afa

;;

what

beef or mutton, brandy or palm-wine,

Dahomans

birth,

what ancestor has sent him

his intimate

so

So Cain and Abel sacrificed in the

engaged.

fields

It is

(Gen.
;

John the Baptist in the Desert of Judea;

Olives and Mohammed on Jebel Nur.
;

world

the

into

or prayed, in the country (Gen. xxiv. 63)

like

informing his parent

;

it

companion and councillor throughout

have sometimes found them

to

Afa

Eechabites obeying their father Jonadab.

begins before the

* I

much

is

he must take professional advice on all important

matters

the

As he

and

iv. 8)

is
life

an ancient practice.
;

Elias on

Isaac meditated,

Mount Carmel;

Jesus in the Garden of

A MISSION TO GELELE.

332

he reaches the grave which

until

it

has predicted to

him.

The Buko-no ignored the Yoruban

Oro, and Obatala

triad,

Shango,

but he agreed with the Egbas about

Seeing that I had some knowledge of the

Afa.

he produced from a
like that

calico

craft,

his " book," a board,

bag

used by Moslem writing-masters, but two

feet

long by eight inches, and provided with a dove-tail

One

handle.

called the

showed

as

side

of this abacus contained

what are

sixteen " mothers," or primary, the other

many

children, or secondary, figures.*

The following note

names of the figures

will explain the use of the palm-nuts,

Each
and the

In throwing Afa, the reverend man, or the scholar,

if sufficiently

advanced, takes 16 of the fleshy nuts of a palm, resembling the cocoatree;

these are cleared of sarcocarp,

and

are

marked with

certain

Afa-du, or Afa strokes.

When

Fate

to the left

contrary

if

may

is

consulted, the 16 nuts are

one

is left

thrown from the right hand

behind, the priest marks two

if

be the case, as in European and Asiatic geomancy)

thus the 16 parents are formed.

The 16

are thus

1.

||

named and made

Called

Bwe Megi

II
II
II

2.

two, one (the

||
I

Yeku Megi.

it is

the Mother of

all.

and

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIVEEED.

was

an oblong of cut and blackened

in

top were arbitrary marks

circles,

to connect the sign with the day.

Bwe-Megi, the

3.

figure, assigned to

Wudde,

4.

lines, whilst at

squares,
It

Vodun-be

Di-Megi.

II
II
I

Losu Megi.

5.
I

II
II

6.

II

Uran Megi

an inversion of No.

5.

II
I

7.

Called Abla Megi.

II
II
I

8.

II

Akla Megi

or

Abla inverted.

II
II

9.

II

Sa Megi.

10.

I
I

II

Gnda Megi

an inversion of No.

and

the

others,

began with the

Ode-Megi.

or

333

9.

fetish day,

A MISSION TO GELELE.

334

or Sunday,
circle

It

whose mnemonic symbol was

whilst

Monday had a

six dots in a

sphere within a sphere.

was a palpable derivation from the geomancy of the

Greeks,

much

(j*/), "

Rami

of El

11.

ii

by the Arabs under the name

The sand," because the

figures

Turupwen Megi.

ii

cultivated

ii

12.

Tula Med.

II

13.

Lete Megi

or Tula inverted.

II

14.

||

Ka

Megi.

II

II

15.

Che Megi.

II

Fu Megi

16.

and

make

so on,

considered the Father of

may have many

These 16 parents
instance,

II

showing an

infinite

children.

all.

Nos. 13 and

power of combination.

2,

for

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIYEEED.

were cast upon the desert
of

Fate "

modern

is

a notable

" Napoleon's

floor.

Asia, complicated with astrology

is

origin

Two

proved to

details

the reading of the figures

as in

not,

and no regard

paid to the relative position of figures,

tively unartful.

Book

specimen of European and

The African Afa

vulgarisation.

335

is

it is

me

being-

compara-

its

Moslem

from right

to

left,

and there are ^seven days, whereas the hebdomadal

week

beyond the negro's organisation.*

is

no, however, is

he

is

more knave than

Before his retainers he must keep up the farce of

fool.

faith

not bigoted

The Buko-

but in private he freely owns that the Afa, by

which a tree can be destroyed and the hour of man's

*

When

an African week, they unconsciously allude

names to the days, and which
recur at different intervals in different places. Here there are four.
travellers talk of

to the great markets, which give their

Agbome it was Ajyahi day on Saturday,

The
second
is the Miyokhi, a large market at
February 6,
Kana; also the Uhun-jro, in Agbome: Sunday, February 7, 1864,
would be called Uhun-jro day. The third is the Adogwin, at Kana, and

The

first

is

the Ajyahi, in

1864.

the Fousa, a
fourth

is

little

provision market, near the

the Zogbodomen, near Agrime

also

Dahome

Palace.

The

the Ako-de-je-go, near

The word means Ako (family), de (one),

and j ego. (tuck up clothes to fight). All these old names are mysterious,
and little known to the people the missionaries call them t( parables,"
Some explain it by, " If
and they admit of many interpretations.
the King leave his crown to one son, the rest must obey him " others
by, " If any people boast their valour, let them come to Dahome and
the Gau's house at Agbome.

see."

A MISSION TO GELELE.

336

death can be predicted,

hood

is

merely the means of

liveli-

the King's Afa always excepted.

This rationalistic admission, however, did not prevent

the Buko-no at once making a sacrifice to his god, for

having brought a " good stranger " to the King.

dancing and singing in his "compound" lasted

and

in

till

The
dawn,

token of the favourable issue of his divination,

he sent us next morning a dish of palm-oil, stained

yams, stewed with pieces of boiled goat.
sidering his habitual parsimony,

The Senior

w as going
r

on his nag, with his

sets out

palace, at 6 or 7 every morning.

in one of the outside sheds, ready to be

revisits his

far.

suite, to the

He squats or

himself, dozing, smoking, chatting, eating,

moment's notice within.

This, con-

stretches

and drinking,

summoned

at a

Sometimes, but rarely, he

house for an hour about noon, when he bar-

ricades the door,

and

is

not "at home/'

The

post-

meridional are spent like the morning hours, and he

rarely dismissed before dark, often not

the

drum and

the dance

may

be heard at his

quarters until dawn, and he delares that

life

deep in the

These people seem hardly to take natural

night.
rest

till

is

were changed he should

dignitaries in general,

fall ill.

if this

mode

of

Like the Dahoman

he must be sober, under pain of

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIVERED.

He

" King's palaver."

King

is

in the city.

Dhobi's dog, "

routine of a

Na

cannot be said to have an hour's

own master

to be his

liberty, or

337

He

leads the

a day, whilst the

for

life

of the East Indian

ghar ka, na ghat ka."*

Dahoman

noble.

What an

Such

is

the

existence to

love

The Buko-no has

lately

married a young princess,

" Blythe and buxome

with

whom Love

sently

meet her

is

in the palace.

disiacs

He

is

all his

all

we

shall pre-

According to

other spouses, of

etiquette,

whom

he

perpetually begging us for aphro-

f and on one occasion his wives, overhearing

the request, loudly accused

good name.

* "

and boarde,"

yet the Lord of

he must prefer her to

has eighty.

at bedde

He

is

him of taking away

their

very jealous of these ladies, and

washerman's dog, neither of the house nor of the ghaut " (where
the master washes).
t Similarly, Captain Phillips relates to us that the uxorious old " King

Whidaw," when about to marry (probably a 3000th wife), applied to

him for a rundlet of brandy, as a Christmas present for the bride's
of

friends

and his " cappashiers," and

himself.
li

which

He

sent the ship's surgeon,

so heated the

for a

" strong-back medicine" for

who gave him

a dose of cantharides,

old man's reins that he became, as

it

were, a

youngster once more," and on the next morning related to the strangers
various impertinences.
vol.*

i.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

338

often declares that a

man

woman

is

the only thing which a

should not share with his friend.

We

constantly

hear them singing, chattering, and quarrelling within

but they rarely appear

my Krumen

of

and on one occasion he accused

making too

free

They are mostly

neighbours.

our

" fair

rarely

brown

with

black,

Shakspeare's waves, they " curl their monstrous

like

heads " into the semblance of a prize cauliflower, and

dress

their

is

ankles, passed

a long white sheet, extending to the

under the arms and over the bosom.

times the faster lot play at bo-peep,

away
too

when

le

At

brutale

is

but as they are never alone, matters cannot go

far.

Christmas here was distinguished by a violent storm

of thunder, lightning, and rain, the latter, as the old
traveller says, "
hot, as if

more

warmed

like

over a

fountains than drops, and

fire."

Our modern copy

of

the ancient Saturnalia opened with a cool, grey morning,

almost as cloudy and sunless as could be expected

in the Black North.

live out

of,

We

duly drank to the land we

and the day ended with a heathenish

dance of the hammock-men, to

issued.

The Mission servants

whom rum had

joined,

been

and the boy

Richard Dosu distinguished himself by the activity of

THE PEESENTS ABE DELIVERED.

339

"

rat,

the cunning of a fox, and the impudence of a

London sparrow.
mattan, which
lose

made
and

appetite,

delighted in the

humid

the natives don

dry

throwing

plain-heat.

" hinc sanitas "

We

warm

wrappers,

accumulating positive

air,

negativity

the

off

half Har-

We, un- Ascians,

shun the bath.

cold,

and

electricity,

The next day was a

bade adieu

to

of the

anorexy,

felt

now, and were ready to hymn, with

holy Mr. Herbert,

11

Our

Sweet day

King has
cabining,

so cool, so calm, so bright."

passage of arms with

first

Buko-no,

old

on

occurred

Christinas

virtually abolished the

and confining

To

delivered."*

my

" Pantakaka,"

visitors

eve.

the

The

custom of cribbing,
till

the

Message

is

request that the landlord would

provide us with a guide, as

we purposed going

out

shooting in the morning, he returned various frivolous

excuses.

I at once sent

Dr. M'Leod,

when applying

who had made

an interpreter to the Prince

himself obnoxious, received a message,

was to become a King's

meaning, not one who had actually to labour, but a state prisoner.
This, which he justly calls the " bleakest prospect imaginable," was a
mere temporary act' of caprice.
for permission to depart, that he

slave,

z 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

340

Chyudaton, who,
man's

begged pardon

in reply,

me

and requested

folly,

visit.

He came

plaint,

and went with

the Buko-no

not

it

act before his

to

to us in the morning,

for the old

heard

my

com-

In the evening,

to the palace.

met us with an ample apology, a quarter

of beef, a promise of a guide, and an offer of intro-

duction to the " princess."

The King usually

water

in

our

his

pure

guests with

however, the courtesy was ne-

case,

We had

glected.

supplies

forgotten

to take a large dripstone

future

filter,

travellers will not

and we were beginning

to suffer

from the white, clayey stuff brought to us by

our lazy

hammock-men and

The element

servants.

is

here about as scarce as in Thorold Square and Hollybush

Place.

Sin dagbive diyye

"

Good water

cry ever heard in the streets, and pots

every market.

We

full

this

" is

are sold in

therefore engaged four Sin-no or

" water-mothers," as they are called, to supply us with

a sufficiency for the day.

Unfortunately, as soon as

they could collect a few cowries, they would stay at

home

for

a week.

To reduce our
Mission boys to
return with our

establishment, I sent back five of the

Whydah, with orders

letters.

to wait for

They would do nothing

and
their

THE PEESENTS AEE DELIVERED.

sole efforts

were

confined

to

eating and

which two pursuits, but in these only,

they displayed

talking, in

must own that

the Anglo-Scandinavian energy and

all

As

competition.

341

usual in the land, every one was

is

with " a paralytic distemper which, seizing the

afflicted

man

arm, the

they gambled from morning

game isAji-do;* probably

or tables

tabliers,

"

cannot but choose shake his elbow

till

night.

The

favourite

the most ancient form of

but here

it is

sation of " evangiles de bois."

far

It is

from the

civili-

played on a board,

with twelve cups, the antagonists taking the six nearest

to

them

four tesserce, dropped into each, are

from

round

to right, until

left

moved

the last cowrie

falls

upon two or three of the adversary's, and takes them.

"

There m

is

another,

game, called

On

St.

and a somewhat more complicated

Sigi-to.f

John's

Day (December

when returning from the

palace,

27), Mr. Cruikshank,

where he had been

From

Aji (the Guilandina Bonduc seed, which was originally used

and do (a hole). The game is the Sa' Leone " Wari," the Ashanti
Warra, the Fanti Wal, the Egba's Ajo, and the Bao of Usawahili and

in

it),

Zanzibar

t From
dice

made

European.

it is

played in a great variety of ways.

Sigi (the dice with

in

which

Agbome are very rude

and to (a town). The

but manifestly an imitation of the

it is

played),

A MISSION TO GELELE.

342

treating an

Amazon

for

a deeply-seated inflammation

of the eye, saw the war-chiefs arriving at the capital

from the
palace.

mence

last

out-stations,

and parading before the

This was a hint that the Customs would comat once.

CHAPTER

XIII.

OF THE GRAND CUSTOMS AND THE ANNUAL CUSTOMS

GENERALLY.

The word

"

Custom "

is

used to signify^ the cost or

charges paid to the King at a certain season in the

year.

It is

borrowed by us from our predecessors on

West African Coast

the

the

old French

who

wrote

coutume* and the Portuguese costume, meaning habit

or usage.

The Grand Customs

f are

They

death of a king.

performed only after the

excel the annual rites in splen-

dour and in bloodshed, for which reason the successor

defers

The

them

till

" History,"

details, gives

*
f

So Barbot

customs

4) speaks of
(p.
;

sufficiently wealthy.

which was not written in the days of

cursorily

(i.

t Dr. M'Leod

to single

he has become

some
La

is

accounts of the

coutume (the tax) de Parmier.

59) distinguishes

but he

terrible

them

singular in this.

as double customs, opposed

A MISSION TO GELELE.

344

slaughter and of the barbarities which accompanied

"

and March

In the months of January, February,

(1791), the ceremonies of the

it.

Grand Customs and of

the King's coronation, took place

the ceremonies of

which lasted the whole three months, and were marked

almost every day with

human

and

Hogg, Governor of Appolonia,

particularly Mr.

were present

and both

Captain Fayrer,

blood.

affirm that not less than five

hundred men, women, and children

revenge and ostentation,

Many more
demand

before the

King*

not insensible to

fall

piety.

but a sudden

having thrown the lure of avarice

showed he was

temptation."

The curious reader

sent volume a paper

was present

to

he, like his ancestors,

its

"victims to

under the show of

were expected

for slaves

fell

will find at the

end of the pre-

by the Rev. Mr. Bernasko, who

at the last

Grand Customs performed

November, 1860, by the present sovereign,

to

in

honour

the

manes of

lite

were greatly exaggerated, with ridiculous adjuncts,!

his sire.

Although the horrors of

this

Agongoro (Wheenoohew), the grandfather of the reigning sovereign.

t For instance, the Europe- wide report that the king floated a canoe
and paddled himself in a tank full of human blood. It arose from the
custom of collecting the gore of the victims in one or two pits about two
feet deep and four in diameter.
See Appendix III.

GEAND CUSTOMS AND ANNUAL CUSTOMS.

very

in Europe, it is clear that

place, especially in the

change has taken

little

number

345

of victims, during two-

thirds of a century.

The yearly Customs were

in

the

heard of by Europe

first

days of Agaja the Conqueror

(1708-1727),

although they had doubtless been practised

They

before him.

many

years

form, in fact, continuations of the

Grand Customs, and they

periodically supply the de-

parted monarch with fresh attendants in the shadowy

They

w orld.
r

"The
to

are called

by the people Khwe-ta-nun

Anun'gbome* "Going

yearly head thing," and

Agbome

in

much

has been

the Dries."

The number of

swollen by report.

Mr. James, at the

beginning of the present century, found the

of three several years to be sixty-five.

Forbes,

who

writes feelingly,

victims

owns

maximum

Commander

that, in

the later

years of King Gezo's reign, not more than thirty-six

heads

fell.

have

laid

during the time of

down a

my

total of at

mission,

most eighty

and of these none,

except the criminal part, were Dahonian.*

* Literally,

[we will go

to

anun

(in the dries after the rains),

Agbome).

The other name

is

khwe

'gbomen, for

Agbomen
nun

(year), ta (head),

(thing).

f So Mr.

Duncan

prisoners of war,

states.

whom

''The people thus sacrificed are generally

the king often sets aside for this purpose

...

A MISSION TO GELELE.

346

The season

of the Customs, which combine carnival,

general muster, and

lits

de justice, seems to comprise

the whole year, except the epoch of the annual slavehunts, here dignified

by the name of "wars."

instance, at present the

his

in

King purposes

to set out on

marauding expedition in February, and

March

He

or April.

For

to return

then lodges at the Jegbe

Palace, " spreads a table "

(in

other words,

gives

banquet), and purchases the captives from his soldiery.

The next move

is

to the

country-quarters at Kana,

where, about May, he will perform the

and then take

his rest

happy murderer.

vember, when the rains are ended, he

chiefs, sleep at

the

Adan-we

Palace,

that which I have just described.

The annual Customs are

which happened,

for

till

will

summon

his

his capital, like

This year various

December.

of two kinds.

instance,

In No-

and on the next

day make a ceremonious entrance into

delays have put off the rites

Oyo Customs,*

in

1862-63

The

is

first

called

Atto-ton-khwe, or the Attof year, from the Atto, or

Should there be any lack of these, the number is made up from the
most convenient of his own subjects." Such, however, is not, I believe,
the custom now.
* See Chap. VII.
.

t Pronounced Attaw.

In the History there

is

mention of four plat-

GEAND CUSTOMS AND ANNUAL CUSTOMS.

the

Aj) ahi

platform,

in

tims are

precipitated.

market,

Of

its

whence

347

the

vic-

we have

peculiarities

sketches by Mr. Norris (1772) and M. Wallon (185658), finished descriptions

and poor drawings by Com-

mander Forbes (1849-50), and,

account by

later

Commodore Wilmot.*

still,

an

The second

official
is

the

So-sin-khwe (1863-64), the "Horse-tie year," and the

reason of the

name

will presently appear.

As

yet,

no

traveller has, I believe, described the ceremonies of the

So-sin, which, however, differ but little

from those of

the Atto.

forms, raised stages of rough timber, covered with cloths and provided

with seats for the King and his

one,

and

* See

visitors.

his son has again excelled

Appendix

III.

Grezo reduced the

him by doubling

it.

number

to

CHAPTER

XIV.

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

SECTION
First

Day

Early on

the

of

the

Day

A.

King's Annual Customs.

the

of

(December

Innocents

28th), a discharge of musketry near the palace

royal message informed us that the Customs

and that our presence

at the palace

and a

had begun,

was expected.

We

delayed as long as was decent, and, shortly after noon,

mounting our hammocks, we proceeded by the usual

way

to the

Komasi House.

In the Uhun-jro market-place, outside the Ako-chyo

Gate, and not attached, as
wall,

From

stood a victim
afar the shape

village church

it

shed,

used to

be, to the palace-

completed and furnished.

was not unlike that of an English

a barn and a

tower.

The

total length

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

was about 100

feet,

349

the breadth 40, and the greatest

was made of roughly-squared

posts,

nine feet high, and planted deep in the earth.

The

height 60.

It

ground-floor of the southern front had sixteen poles,

upon which rested the

and planks supporting the

joists

There was a western

pent-shaped roof of the barn.

double-storied turret, each

having four posts.*

front

The whole roof was covered with a

blood-red, bisected

by a

tattered cloth,

broad stripe of blue

single

check.

In the turret and the barn were twenty victims.

All were seated on cage stools, and were bound to the
posts which passed between their legs
shins under the knees,

outside with connected

and the

the ankles, the

wrists

being lashed

Necklaces of rope, passing

ties.

behind the back, and fastened to the upper arms, were

made

also

cruel

tight to the posts.

each victim had an attendant squatting behind

him, to keep off the

day,

flies

all

and were loosed at night

We find
The

late

second stage.

hinder posts,

were fed four times a

for sleep.

As

will

be

in the History (print, p. 130) a single thatched and open

shed, with twelve

now.

The confinement was not

men

sitting on the

ground

hands are lashed as

and the present ruler a

their

king added a turret of one story,

In the old illustration there are twelve horses tied to the

we saw but

three.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

350

shown,

it is

the King's object to keep

them

in the best

of humours.

The

dress of these victims

They wore long white

was that of

state criminals.

nightcaps, with spirals of blue

ribbon sewn on, and calico shirts of quasi-'European

decorated round the neck and

cut,

down

the sleeves

with red bindings, and with a crimson patch on the

The remaining garment .was a

left breast.

almost hidden by the " camise."

sight
his

It

loin-cloth,

was an ominous

but at times the King exposes without slaying

victims.

European under the circumstances

would have attempted escape, and in

would have succeeded

these

men

to be led to slaughter like lambs.

all

probability

will allow themselves

It

is,

I imagine, the

uncertainty of their fate that produces this extraordi-

nary nonchalance.

They marked time

to

music, and

they chattered together, especially remarking

sibly they

us.

Pos-

were speculating upon the chances of a

pardon.*

We

dismounted, as usual, at the palace corner, and

the Harrnattan sun

* Exactly the

made us

same thing

is

take refuge under one of

observed in the History.

" The unhappy

victims, though conscious of their impending fate, were not indifferent

to the music,
to it."

which they seemed

to

enjoy by endeavouring to beat time

THE KING'S
the

sheds.

square

mob

"

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

procession

of followers

351

was walking

round

escorting the

the

Sogan,

or

Horse Captain,* who was riding bareheaded under a

white umbrella.

This high

who

official,

Meu, opens the Customs by taking

from

their owners,

word

" So-sin."

a few days,

was about

up,

whence the
after

bag of cowries.

inside the palace,

to appear.

warned us that royalty

corps of "

Amazons " streamed

from, and formed a rough line in front

Gate.

the chargers

all

and by tying them

under the

The animals must be redeemed,

with, a

A gun, fired

is

of,

the

Komasi

The King, under a gorgeous umbrella, and the

usual parasol upheld by his wives, stalked

through the thick crowd towards

his

down a

lane

own proper So-

This was a shanty fronting, and about 150 paces

sin.

from,

the

palace.

market-shed

to the

It

resembled

N.N. East, but

Uhun-jro,

the

it

or

lacked the turret.

Thirty barked and badly-dressed tree-trunks,

and a

strong scantling of roughly-squared timber, supported

the

first-floor,

the pent-roof

which was without

was hidden, as

walls.

The thatch of

in the other So-sin,

by a

glaring blood-red calico, with long black stripes along

the ridge and eaves.

*

Splints of

bamboo frond were

So (horse), and gan (captain).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

352

planted in the ground, and a thin cord of "

tree-bark, railed off

some four

space,
is

tie-tie/'

or

between them and the public a

feet broad, into

allowed to penetrate.

which only the King-

counted nine victims on the

ground-floor and ten above,* lashed to nearly every

second post of the front opposite the palace.

resembled in

all

They

points those of the market-shed,

and

looked wholly unconcerned, whilst their appearance did

not attract the least attention.

Yet

I felt

haunted by

the presence of these morituri, with whose hard fate

the dance, the song, the dole, and the noisy merriment
of the thoughtless

mob

afforded the saddest contrast.

Between the Komasi Gate and

was planted a

tall

T-shaped

hung with white rugs

This

is

Near
sat,

it,

at each

this " palace

pole,

,;

rough, black, and

end of the

a Bo-fetish, guarding the

shed

crosspiece.

present

Custom.

under a pair of exceedingly shabby umbrellas,

on the dignity of caboceers' chairs and

stools,

the

representatives of the Agasun-no, the highest fetisheer

The head man, or deputy, wore a huge

in the city.

flapped

felt

white.

When

hat,

and a body-cloth striped blue and

the Agasun-no appears in person before

There were most probably twenty victims in the palace shed, as in

the market shed.

THE KING'S

" SO-SIN

CUSTOM."

353

the monarch the latter must remove his sandals, pro-

himself before the church, kiss the ground, and

strate

throw a
courtiers

and bow.

dust upon his forehead, whilst

little

take a sand bath, and white

their

own

men

stand up

perhaps, the custom of

is,

generally with respect to those not of

persuasion.

The King having

visited his fetish, returned towards

the palace, surrounded by five of his principal

At a

the

Methought they did not regard us with an

over-friendly eye, but such

reverend

men

all

signal,

we advanced, bared

and snapped

fingers with

him

heads, shook hands,

he cordially and re-

peatedly returned the compliment,

He

about our health.

officers.

inquiring

politely

then returned to his station

near the palace gate,* where the Amazons, after sallying out and parading about the square amongst the
prostrate men, returned to him.
ostentatiously

small,

coloured cloths

* So

and

covered

with

poor

a line of twelve umbrellas, the two

most gorgeous being

inside the parasol

open,

The royal shed was

outside,

formed a verandah, and

showed the place of the King.

Jehoshaphat and Ahab, kings of

Israel, placed their thrones in a

void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria (1 Chron. xviii.

At Agbome, however, the city gates are not places

market is only for bush folk.
VOL.

t.

He

for sitting,

A.

9>,

and tne

A MISSION TO GELELE.

354

occupied a kind of couch,

home-made

cottons

crouched a Dakro,

in

strewed

with handsome

of him,

front

upon a mat,

him

messengeress, and behind

or

stood and sat a semicircle of wives.

On
what

the King's proper right was a larger shed, somelike

a two-poled

covered with

parti-coloured at the sides

cloth,

the roof, whilst elsewhere

with grotesque shapes.

closed

all

The mat and thatch were

tent.

it

was of white

Unlike

calico,

was

it

round except at the entrance, which had

verandah two white umbrellas.

was a kind of

divan,

and on the ground before

blue

women

it

The double

sat a

with white

pagnes, with four or

others hardly distinguishable.

for

Inside, at the bottom,

small black child in red, and two

caps and vests, and

at

adorned

neighbour,

its

and

five

posts sup-

porting the entrance were clothed with red and pink

silk

about their middle hung a dozen abacot caps,

and under the verandah squatted a woman with a gun

placed on a stool before her.
This tent contained the relics of the old King.
ghost

is

strate to

To

supposed to be present, and

it

all

bow and

His
pro-

before noticing the present ruler.

Gelele's

extreme right was planted a white

with a blue cross

around the

staff

flag,

a group of armed

THE KING'S

women

" SO-SIN

CUSTOM."

355

Immediately near the King, but

gathered.

leaving a square space in front, were the Amazons, at

squat, with their gun-barrels bristling

were amongst them many young

military

life.

upwards

there

girls in training for

half-naked boy lay on the ground

within a few feet of the royal umbrellas, and children

On

are allowed behind the bamboos.

juveniles, wholly nude,
proof,

and

wandered

other occasions,

about, heedless of re-

have seen two of them fighting before the

Even the lowest orders crossed the presence

throne.

with an air for which, in Asia, their feet and calves

The

would have disappeared under the bastinado.

barbarous nature of the African everywhere pierces

through, whatever be the disguise.

On

the

rattles.

left

of the

King were the Amazon drums and

In the open space between the throne and the

bamboos lay the three calabashes supporting the three

chieftains'

brass-mounted

skulls.

On two

large mats of

palm-fibre were ranged shallow baskets, which acted as

saucers

to

calabashes

some 2*50

Three of them were adorned with

stars,

feet

striped.

diameter.

silver crescents

whilst all were covered above

various coloured calicoes

in

and

and below with

red, blue, yellow, pink,

Periodically, knots of eight or nine

A A

and

women
2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

356

came from the palace with

provisions,

larger or smaller gourds of

which they disposed upon a third mat

in

front of the King.

In a

much

shorter time than

it

has taken the reader

to peruse this raise en scene, the caboceers

followers,

who were

their

scattered over the square, gathered

into a dense semicircle near the bamboos.

The

digni-

lay on the ground, unarmed, under their

taries sat or

The

and fancy umbrellas.

white, blue,

stood aloof, peeping as

they best could.

present, including about

have amounted to 2500, and

people

little

women and

were on foot behind them, and the

number

and

300

The

children,

never saw at

girls

totai

might

Agbome

a larger gathering.

The day opened with

various preliminaries.

unarmed men were dancing

Gate when the King came

Amazons was succeeded

After

where,

salutations,

left

forth.

The

by long and

Komasi

sally

of the

loud

firing,

were seated, the old Yevogan led us up to the

all

bamboos,

mony.

in line before the

Ten

The

this

fronting

the

King,

we exchanged

was an invariable part of the cere-

senior then conducted us to a place on the

or Meu's side of the male semicircle, close to a very

strong band, whose two chiefs wore Phrygian bonnets

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM.'

of red

and blue

velvet.

hole

was dug

357

ground

in the

and a large white umbrella was planted over us

shade, the " earth being beat tightly round

a large mushroom."
flask

" white-man's captain "

{formula)

to the King,

had

brought up a
or

bean-cake,

sent, according to custom,

and that he shared

whereupon

similar to

with a royal message that the

in plantain leaf,

this food

Meu

and a calabash of Ata,

of gin

wrapped

Presently the

it,

for

we bowed

our

it

with us

acknowledg-

ments.

and came from out

Gelele then rose,

dress, besides the usual braccce

round

his

table-cover, in
side.

and a dark

silk

kerchief

was a blue-flowered damask

waist,

fact,

He formed an

and

was knotted on

this

effective picture

His

his shed.

a fine

shirt,

his left

tall figure,

with shoulders towering above his wives, the head bent

slightly forwards,

back.

and

his

hands clasped behind

his

There were hushed murmurs of applause, and

the faces of his subjects expressed unaffected admiration.

Sundry of the King's wives accompanied

and stood or

sat

their lord,

upon the ground behind him.

None

were handsome, but some had the piquancy of youth.

Their strong point,

women, was the

as

in

the

pettinatura.

Italian

The

and Spanish

prettiest

of the

A MISSION TO GELELE.

358

hair- dresses

was a short

crop,

like

lambswool, some-

The

times stained blue, as with indigo.

plainest

was

the melon-stripe, where the short hair was plaited in

lines,

was the semblance

of pepper grains, or of cloves stuck

ham, formed by twisting up single

in a

Another peculiar

spirals.

from one to

four,

and

stiff

of black
princesses
to

compact

two

tufts

wore the

was the

lamp chimneys;

from the clean brown

solid

made

coiffure

as

velvet,

wool

varying

tuft,

they rose sharp

scalp,

and seemed

burned reddish by the sun.

wore the hair

height

the

little

some small as thimbles, others large

as the Turk's-caps on

The

The most grotesque

exposing the scalp between.

of

six

ebony wood.

like

inches,

fez,

bristling

and

looking

few had bear's

ears,

upon the "region of cautiousness;" others

scarlet

feather of an oriole stuck in

their

sable locks.

Immediately behind the King stood three wives

one with the head shaven and naked, the second with
long hair, and the third with a princely "

fez."

They

sheltered his' uncapped poll with three gorgeous tent-

umbrellas of cotton velvets, whilst a fourth protected

him with a gay

*

parasol.

The

first

was a parody upon

See Frontispiece, " The Amazon."

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

359

which the Dahomans admire, probably

the Sacre Cceur

because

it

suggests tearing

out

Each lappet of the valance was

crimson

in the

foeman's

heart.

alternately green

upper part was a larger

yellow, with a black

the

the

red or

cross,

or white border, and below

same hue, an object manifestly intended

human

heart but broken into crockets.

and

it,

of

for

In the centre

of this was a better shaped heart with a small white

medial cross

and both were disposed apex downwards.

The second showed an upper

black velvet

and

below

it

line of

was a blue

yellow, with a red

white crosslets on

shark, edged white

and purple

upon

eye, resting

crimson or claret-coloured velvet, which was lined with

The

a binding like that of the animal.

third,

and the

most splendid, was capped with a very heraldic wooden

lion,

painted the brightest saffron.

The

showed

lappets

the king of the beasts grasping in the dexter

white scimitar, and below

it

paw a

a biped, very negro, with

dazzling white knickerbockers and no legs to speak

vainly upholding a blue sword blade.

on red ground, parseme with

little

Both

figures

white crosses.

of,

were
This

umbrella was equally grandly lined, whereas the two

former were white

six to

ten

feet,

inside.

The diameters varied from

rendering

them unmanageable

in

A MISSION TO GELELE.

360

The

windy weather.

poles were seven feet long,

and

instead of wires they had square rods connected by

strings,

probably brought by the Portuguese, and easily

to be distinguished from the rude native stick frames.

They were kept open by a peg passed through

the

upper part of the handle.

Before

speech

the

matting, which

began,

four

bundles of palm-

bamboo

lay inside the

barrier,

were

Each contained a lamp-black

opened by the women.

drum, the largest three

feet high, all

with skin-heads

lashed tight to about a dozen large pegs projecting a

few inches below the

top.

They were decorated with

small squares of red stuff in front, with white, blue, and

black cloths behind them, like four aprons of different

sizes.

These are called Ganchya 'hum*

The word

applies especially to its peculiar sound or beat, and,

inference, to the song of

which

it

by

forms the accom-

paniment.

The King having hitched up

an allocution

women

in

a low tone, as

hidssiers

and the youths

and

if

his body-cloth,

" nervous."

heralds, standing

calling themselves the

Men and

on the

Hun,

or

uhun,

is

the generic

name

right,

"Donpwe," pro-

claimed attention by loud and long cries of "

*

began

of a

drum.

Ago

"
!

THE KING'S
Audience

! or

"

Oyez

" SO-SIN

On

" *

CUSTOM."

the

King spoke with the head a

a somewhat goguenard
oft

repeated

little

a sharp double

left

tap was struck on the cymbal, and

361

all

on one

many and

the genius, or rather the poverty of the

language necessitates verbosity.

In so artless a tongue

only by "battology" and frequent repetition that

it is

The sense

the finer shades of meaning can be elicited.

is

assuming

side,

His words were

air.

The

obeyed.

" His ancestors

short to relate.

'

making Customs

goro (Wheenoohew).

It

can perform such pious

would do

for his sire

do for him.

,,

built

rough and

His father, Gezo, had improved

simple So-sin sheds.

them when

had

'

for the ghost of

good

is

rites.

to beget children

who

Therefore, he (Gelele)

what he hoped that

And some

Agon-

score of

men

his son

would

sat listening

about to die
Presently,

women

the

in

attendance

drums before the King, and handed,

sticks.

Upon

him

to

placed

the

four hooked

these he spat, beat two of the instru-

ments, and spoke during the intervals of drumming

The

and

" Ganchya," I

The general word

at

Agbome

it is

inmates by surprise,

was

for

"

told, is

silence

a new ceremony.

" is " nagbo

"

Both

at

used when entering the house, so as not

to

Abeokuta
take the

A MISSION TO GELELE.

362

After listening to loud applause, and being saluted

with discharges of musketry, the King retired behind

the curtain held
subjects

by

and whilst he drank the

his wives,

went through the usual ceremony.

After resting awhile, Gelele stalked to the

his left

hand was a Kpo-ge," or

/r

headed and feruled

two

stick,

singer's staff

feet long.

fore.

In

silver-

To the upper

part was fastened a square of silk kerchief, striped red

and purple, and folded

into a triangle.

The apex was

passed through silver-lined eyelet-holes, like those that

in former times,

The King

tassel.

amongst
also

held the " beau's " cane

us,

wore the bard's insignia

double

necklaces of beads, disposed like cross belts over the

breast,

and with the usual

pigtails

After

behind.

singing for awhile, to the great delight of the listeners,

he danced,

He

band.

first
is,

the

dignified.

Kpo

style is purely

Dahoman and

barba-

movements are comparatively kingly and

He was

" leopard wife "

f

the men's, then to the women's

unlike his father, a notable performer,

and though the

rous,

to

(a staff),

lated tiger-wives.

on each

and ge

t In the Ffon, kpo

assisted in this performance

side,

dressed in white waist-

(thin).

(a leopard),

They

by a

are the

and

'si

(a wife)

here

usually trans-

oungest and the fairest of the harem.

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

and striped

coats,

extending to the

loin-cloths

In their hair was a kind of diadem of

new

bright as

vociferated their joy.

and bright

At

sixpences.

bracelets,

this

silver

feet.

pieces,

sight the people

herald, in a

and a

363

huge

felt

hat

jester, conspicuously ugly,

with a tattered " wide-awake," a large goat-skin bao*

under the
their

arm, and chalked face and

left

feet,

and

disrespectful

pointing at

action

a
eyes

King

the

European

to

legs, rose to

peculiarly

declared,

in

cracked, shouting voices, that he was " Sweet, sweet,

sweet as a white
soldieresses,

man

Then followed a chorus of

"

and from the crowd loud

"

Ububu," * made

by patting the open mouth with the hand.

women's

side the " King's birds " f chirruped

On

the

and twit-

tered to justify their names.

Before sitting down, Gelele advanced to the front

rank of male spectators, and removing, with

fore- finger, the
it

perspiration from his brow, scattered

with a jerk over the delighted group.

This

is

(bird).

He was

the " kil " of Persia and the "zagharit" of Egypt.

expresses wonder and pleasure, and

his right

select troop of musicians

is

then

Here

it

mostly confined to the men.

known

as

akhosu (king), and khwe

They are of both sexes but the sound generally proceeds from
The male " king-birds" a^e attired, like Moslems, in white

the women.
petticoats.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

364

cooled by his wives,

who rubbed him down

yellow

and vigorously

hide

silk kerchiefs,

with fine

plied their

coloured and embroidered.

fans,"'"

Then, rising

again,

monarch danced

like

to six modes.

to be changed, a chorus

refreshed

When

the time was

women gave

of

the

giant,

the cue to

band by repeating certain meaningless technical

their

terms, ending with frequent repetitions of "

"

ko

round

till

Ko

ko

the musician has learned the ridit measure.

Presently, two, and, at a short interval,

three wives

danced on each side of the King, keeping an eye upon

him, and so preserving excellent time.

The fourth

dance was more animated, and as the monarch showed

shortness of breath, an old
"

He resumed

"

Adan-we

"

Agida 'hun-to Ko- hun

Amazon addressed

him,

his labours to the words,

and he advanced, stoop-

ing towards the ground, and rolling one elbow over

another, to

show that he was binding

Followed a

little

known

t Meaning, "
t Explained

staff,

as "Afafa ;" in Abeokuta,

and bending low

"Agbebbe."

brave white! "

thus:

Agida

(the

bent drum-stick),

'hun-to

(drum

ko-hun (beat the drum), kaya (turning or wheeling about)

Drummer, use thy drum-stick, and we will turn about.

beater),
viz.,

The King, prop-

change of scene.

ping his elbow upon the bard's

* In Ffon,

captives.

THE KING'S

"

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

335

whilst his wives surrounded him, sitting on their hams,

sang,

and was

responded

laughing chorus,

to

by what appeared a

which was a dirge- -a

but

cymbal making melancholy music.

uplifted staff,
tent,

and turning towards the

he adored, in

new and

silence,

startling practice

Decorations

rising with

larger shed-

his father's ghost.

This

was twice repeated.

were distributed

staves to a male
cries of "

Then

single

pair

of

singers'

and a female, who received them with

Tamule

"*

The King then brought out by

twos half a dozen double-pigtailed necklaces of yellow

beads, interrupted

by

Three were handed

red.

Meu, the Yevogan, and a favourite

on in due form.
she-dignitaries,

The

whose

rest
lips

singer,

were given

who put them

to the highest

were white with kissing the

Gundeme, the woman Min-gan,

ground.

haired and tottering.

to the

Egbelu,

is

white-

the " Meu's Mother,"

has grey hair, sharpish features, and broken front teeth.

N a-dude

Agoa,f the female Yevogan,

aged woman, brown, and

still

black,

and her

"I

a huge, middle-

Her

rolling in fat.

hair

features not quite uncomely

corruption of the Fanti " Endarnenen,"

t Explained by,
embezzle anything.

is

brave

eat one thing not, right"

is

her

man!

i.e.,

cannot eat or

A MISSION TO GELELE.

366

voice

This

is
is

strong and clear

the officer

moreover, she speaks well.

who bare two

sets of twins, first girls,

The two

then boys, to the King.

former, according to

the ancient usage of the empire, were betrothed to the

Min-gan and the Meu, when the wicked cousin won

their premices.

Formerly, the royal ladies had only

temporary husbands,
them.

As

this

visiting

men who

all

pleased

caused great scandals, the King has

rule,

must

confine their marital attentions to the blood-royal.

On

forbidden polyandry

but the husbands, as a

marriage, the daughters receive each a dowry of eighty

slaves,

male and female, but the aged sons-in-law are

expected to " spend money like water."

who was

Presently, Gelele,

feminine Court, handed sundry

cottons to the Meu.
excitedly,

unfolded,

piece.

to

of blue and pink

rolls

The high
and,

stretched each cloth

sitting in front of the

dignitaries

standing

show that

at
it

all

rose

distance,

was an

entire

white umbrella, opened and waved about by

the Min-gan, a caboceer's stool, bran new, and sundry

heads of cowries were placed before the presence.

was the ceremony of

raising

This

a captain to the rank of

Ajyaho,* and, to the wonderment of

* See Chap. VIII.

all,

Chabi, a

young

THE KING'S

man and

"

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

Commander

Left-hand

367

of the Blue Guards,

therefore under the orders of Adan-men-nun-kon, was

raised to the sixth rank in the realm.

have

Grandfather of Dahome

"

The

the

said,

and

slaves,

whose widows,

subjects,

to

probable that the goods do not leave

It is

den without yielding considerable "heriot" as

the

lion's

the

lion's share.

be judged

As a

rule,

excepting, of course, the

practically

the eldest son,

the successor

unfit,

inherits the deceased's wives

was

has ever been,

moveable property must be carried

all

the palace.

of his

heir

"

proved

the vacant

and makes them

woman
to

to

or,

us.

that bare

if

office,

his

own,
This

him.'""

fourteen

of

file

he

women, two with babies on

their backs, twice issued

from the

big

palace,

carrying

native

cloth bags, old muskets, silver armlets

home-made
ragged

stools,

cloths,

new wives and

proprietor.
tels "

of the

hats,

and

pipes,

similar

Nathan

and

sticks,

grass-

bracelets,

umbrellas

Twice

valuables.

slaves crouched

humbly

in

the

before their

Soon afterwards, forty-three male

" chat-

deceased crawled on all-fours from the

xii. S

we read

gave David's master's wives unto David's bosom,

In that

* Especially in the royal family.

that

boxes,

barbarous state of society

women

So in 2 Samuel

are inherited like cattle.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

368

left

past the King, and

did

homage

their " live

to

lord."

When

the King's silver-mounted pipe had been

behind the

We

extemporised by the wives'

(Fabri

and had been handed

clothes,
cigars,

tente

lit

and applied ourselves

to him,

we produced our

to the old liqueur-case.

persevered in distributing the contents amongst our

Krumen and
kneeling

followers

although

they

are expected

to

drink

the Buko-no showed manifest dis-

approval of such waste.

Presently, the cracked-voiced

Min-gan rose and explained what things had been done

by the King

by the Tokpo

to the novus homo,

(a captain,

committed himself

but not of royal blood), he

All gave the

to a recapitulation.

ruler that full feed of

He may

and when supported

flattery

which

his

soul loves.

be said to breathe an atmosphere of adulation,

The wildest

which intoxicates him.

falsest protestations, the

the

most ridiculous compliments,

the ultra-Hibernian " blarney "

the bottomless pit of poor
will often see

assertions,

him engaged

human
in

all

are swallowed in

vanity,

and midnight

what ought

to be a very

nauseous occupation.
Echili, the fourth caboceer of

Whydah, then

performed the part of a skull at the Nilotic

rose and

feast.

The

THE KING'S
Ajyaho,

lie said,

"

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

rarely lived for

369

more than a

and

year,

Chabi, like those before him, should die of poison,

if

Then the

the crime must be punished.

declared, in his bull's voice, that he

had proposed
that the

for the

trusty and brave

more-

stood up, puffed like a

pouter-pigeon by the

new

had bound about

upper half;

nervously,

and many caboceers

would now be detected.

Whereupon the lucky man

dust red after

Adanejan

Ajyaho-ship another person, but

King had chosen one

over, that all poison

fat

his

much

methought,

clothes which the ministers

shovelling,

fingered

was brick-

his hair

and

his

his

musket muzzle.

right

hand

After his " portrait " had been duly taken, he spoke

till

sun burned crimson above the western horizon,

the

even through the fringes and valances of our portable

He had been

tent.

raised from a simple captain to the

position of a high caboceer

act of loyalty

same

pattern.

and bravery

he would soon achieve an

with

much

boasting on the

and other

After sundry prostrations,

speeches to this purport, he publicly assumed three

"strong names":
roko

3.

1.

Azon-kpo ma-ji-won

2.

new

Acho-

#
Sevi kanyena-ma-se-gbo-'gbwe/

The caboceers, like the kings of Dahome, assume a first name or

names after any remarkable action or event. Those in the text are
*

VOL.

I.

B B

A MISSION TO GELELE.

370

chorus of plaudits received

The Ajyaho danced under

sentiments.

umbrella,
raised

Ago

and

war-clubs

unfolded

King.

the

salute

to

slaves,

from the women, and the cymbal-taps

from the men, proclaimed

The King,

his

backed by his fresh gang of

and,

muskets

Presently,

these distinguished

still

sitting

addressed the Ajyaho,

silence for royalt}r

amidst his female group, then

who

stood up reverently in the

He added em-

front centre of the caboceer's semicircle.

phasis to earnest words by often shaking the forefinger

as

to

naughty boys

is

done

in

North America

to

at his last promotion,

horted to be brave and loyal, and

to

men, and

whom

in

England

whom

he ex-

he warned not

obey any dignity except the Min-gan and the Meu.

Hereat the people clapped their hands.

again

enjoined,

the

Silence being

Ajyaho was once more

cautioned not to be deceived by his brother

Ensued the promotion of another

strictly

chiefs.

captain,

whose

taken from the Bo-fetish jargon, and are not intelligible to the vulvar.
The first was thus interpreted Azon-kpo (a training stick), ma (not), ji
:

synonymous with si, or khe-si), won (portent, evil omen, especially a child)
viz., (I am) a club not afraid (to slay), portents (that
menace the king). The second was explained, " I will punish all who
will not serve my king." The third means, Sevi (an evil-doer), kanyena
(a bad thing), ma-se (never listens), gbo (dont
or leave off !), 'gbwe
(emphatic, e.g., gbo-'gbwe, 1 tell you to leave off!); viz., "People
plead for offenders, but I will not suffer this if any one harm the king."
(afraid,

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

name was changed from

Before

all

the

wood became
before the

Koikon

to

ceremonies could be

371

Hon-je-no.

concluded,

;:c

the

dark, and the store of provisions strewed

King was

The Dakros placed

distributed.

the calabashes outside the bamboos, whence they were

removed by the several

Suddenly, as

recipients.

wont, Gelele rose, and came towards

ping

fingers,

thanked him

showed me the rum

for

share of provisions

after

told that

we must

for

is

his

After snap-

us.

He

the spectacle.

our hammock-men, and our

which we were

dance, sing, and

drum

three

all

the latter

accomplishment, unfortunately, has not received from

me
and

the attention which

I

willingly consented

knowing
joyed

it

it.

it

dance with the King,

to

to be the custom,

We

and that he greatly en-

pleaded, however, successfully for Mr.

Bernasko, who, being a Reverend,

Gelele

Dr. Cruiksbank

deserves.

showed much

delicacy

in

could
the

only

sing.

matter,

often

threatening but not calling upon us to perform,

lest

our nerves might be startled by so great an event, and

saying that he would choose evening time, as the sun
does not suit white men.
* It is

a Bo-fetish name, interpreted to

the King's door."

Hon

mean " The man

in charge ot

(docr),je (waits), no (within).

B

B 2

A MISSION TO GELELE.

372

Whereupon we withdrew.
accompanied
et spectacles

us,

The

caused a tumult

till

provisions,

which

near dawn.

Pain

are apparently the cardinal wants of these

people ; they sing, drum, and dance

fight for their

all

the day, and they

wretched provision half the night.

When

not engaged in these pleasures they are plundering the

wherewithal to procure them.

Hence the melancholy

state of the land.

Nothing could be poorer than the display above

described

any petty

mand more

hill

rajah in India could com-

All was a barren

wealth and splendour.

barbarism, whose only " sensation " was produced by a

score of

about to
I

men

looking on and hearing that they are

die.

again sent a message to Chyudaton,

jecting to be present at

if

sacrifice,

ob-

propos-

be substituted for man, and

ing that lower animals

declaring that

any human

officially

any death took place before me

should at once return to Whydah.

He

replied that

there would be no necessity for the latter measure, and,

with respect to the victims, that

leased,

many would

be re-

and that those executed would be only the

worst of criminals and malignant war-captives.

which crumb of comfort

was compelled

With

to rest satis-

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

373

Hitherto the gang of victims has been paraded

fied.

round, under tortures, before the visitors, and in later

years they have been cruelly gagged;

moreover, the

executions took place within hearing, and often within

sight of the strangers.*

thing

to

lower

the

It

is,

therefore, already some-

demoralising prominence of the

death scenes.

SECTION

The Avo nzu

z.

or Second

'gbe,-\

Day

of

the King's

So-sin Customs.

December 29th was again a

water had affected us

all,

dies

The

vile

and the Reverend was

The King,

bed of a Harmattan.

non.

therefore,

in

kindly

deferred for a day the grand spectacle with which he

intended to surprise

us.

At

2*25

p.m.,

we mounted hammocks and proceeded

December

30,

to the market-

shed.

The

picture

See Mr.

was

Duncan

(vol.

To the west of the

as follows.

i.

The people say of him that

walk up to, and to inspect the

pp. 250-252).

he was a good war-man, as he used

to

corpses.

t Avo

(cloth),

uzu (change), 'gbe (to-day).

A MISSION TO GELELE.

374

TJhun-jro, the broad open space opposite the

was another cloth-covered

acts as gate,

of upright matting.

former, near which a

tall

with a broad blood-red

for the royal wives

sticks

trees,

clean entrance led

flagstaff held

cross.

with wings

up

to the

a yellow

The wings were

flag

railed off

by the usual Dahoman fence of palm

and bark rope.

two large

tent,

gap which

The

erection

was flanked by

about a hundred yards apart, and they

were connected by a semicircle of bamboos, bulging

to

the front and forming the boundary between the sexes.

To the north w as the ominous

T

steeple-like

turret,

and with

victim-shed, with
score

its

of

its

wretches

gazing at the fete.

Our

chairs

were placed on the men's

to the left of the tent entrance line,

side of the square near the gate.

side, or

little

and on the opposite

Presently a motley

group passed us three several times, moving as usual

to the right.
his

six

First appeared the old To-no-nun

eunuchs,

who

carried

package, like a bagged tent.

whip

in hand, clearing the

chief eunuchess,

and

with difficulty a huge

Followed a hunchback,

way.

Visese-gan, the sub-

preceded about a score of women,

carrying upon their

were followed by an

heads coarse palm-mats

escort,

they

bearing calabashes and

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

each

baskets,

with

filled

about

twenty

The

at 2 dols.,

dols. to

120 bearers,

total represented

but of these ten had no burden.

and the maximum

bundles of

and compacted by an

tightly-rolled cloth, stuck upright

outside wrapper.

375

Valuing the minimum

at 5 dols.,

and assuming

be the medium, the value shown to us was

about 1320/. (110 x 20

The rear was composed

with silver-studded

women w ho,
T

2200

cloths

6600

dols.).

of a corps of " leopard wives,"

and

hair,

by a large band of

as they passed b}r

openly " chaffed "

us.

After the third circuit the mats were spread and the
baskets were deposited at the entrance of the tent,

when

women, coming from the wings and open-

thirty

ing the cloth bundles, began to build the "

cloth

Avo

lilli,"

heap or divan.

Meanwhile, preceded by singing and dancing musketeers, the high dignitaries passed before us,

riding,

under their umbrellas, the horses which they have now

and followed by noisy bands.

ransomed,
schools

showed themselves

the Anlin-wa-nun,f

Avo

j-

This

(a cloth),
is

Anlin (a hole in

and

li

who

or

lilli

Bo name, and

is

at

a glance.

The two
Our

friends,

the "King's place,"

(smoothen

when

).

imperfectly understood.

the ground), wa (make), nun

(a thing).

The words are

A MISSION TO GELELE.

376

royalty does not go to war, the Binazon or treasurer,

Abo and

the Bi-wan-ton or Junior Meu, the

the Matro,

uncle and brother, by the father's side, to the present

King, either bowed smiling or came up to us and

The Matro, who holds the high dignity

danced.
lieutenant

Gau,

habited in a
cloth

is

fine,

Moslem

young man;

tall

skull-cap,

and canary-coloured

he was

a large white body-

When

shorts.

band and

his

musketeers had formed an oval opening opposite

danced with a face expressing great

of
in

a jester and a

monkey

soldier,

Two

of his re-

conspicuous by his gloria

"A

Matro!

Matro

"

As the

excited chief took a musket and manoeuvred with

his people

bawled out

The unfriendly

"

Da-mon."

" umbrellas/ '

it,

The honour was

and the heat were

great, but the dust

he

from a band of cowries, shouted

skin, rising

mediaeval phrase,

us,

instead of

glee,

the usual serious and inanimate look.

tainers,

of

excessive.

namely those who

dis-

Min-gan, the Tokpo, the Woto, a

like foreigners, as the

small dark senior of royal blood, and others rode by

either

affecting

to

ignore our existence or suddenly

We

looking the other way.

*

Da

(fire !)

mon

(as

in praise to one of high

you

were much amused by the

are), i.e.,

name.

"

May you

fire

straight

" said

THE KING'S
peculiarity of the

"

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

other groups, which either prowled

or rushed about outside the bamboos.

nun and

his fifty

and

right

left,

377

men went round

singing,

The

old To-no-

the half ring, passing

dancing and clapping hands,

taking aim with muskets, and waving their long knives.

Then came the Pani-gan-ho-to

in

or

Gong-gong men,

four

number, and carrying single and double cymbals,

female band promenaded the

whilst a corresponding

Twenty

space within the bamboos.

about, preceded

by a peculiar drum borrowed from

At

Ashanti and called Ganikbaja.

before us the Men-ho-blu-to,* or "

These are a score of

ers."

singers also walked

and De Courcys who by

local

intervals stalked

Company

of Boast-

and negro Radcliffes

permission wear

especial

" the presence " their broadbrims or white night-

in

caps

and their dirty

cloths

Moreover they are allowed

to

over

their

smoke long

one was on the tomahawk principle

shoulders, f

pipes, of

and

all

which

over the

square there were independent groups drumming and

dancing violently as

Men

if

to

throw

off the

(man), ho (great), blu (do), to (he

who

exuberance of

does).

t Throughout Yoruba and the Gold Coast to bare the shoulders is

These men were exempted from the
like un hatting in England.
necessity

by a mere caprice of the King, not because they have in any

respect distinguished themselves.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

378

animal

their

Somali,

some

So at Aden

spirits.

when walking

quietly

unintelligible influence

down

and

have

seen

the road, seized by

to capering like a

fall

dancing-master demented.

Meanwhile the Amazons, throwing a stratum of loose

cloths

had
5

and covering them w ith a

built

up a

circular

many w ere made

r

that surmounted
brightest colours

12

feet in

outspread,

diameter by

Most of them were of European

to 6 feet high."

manufacture,

divan

finer piece

the

in the palace,

heap were

pink, yellow, red

the

and those

best

silks,

and tender green

which sound outrageous but which look

beautiful as a rainbow or a butterfly.

side

At

was assured, given

side
is

and

is

to the people.

4*5 p.m. an increase of bustle

the approach of the King.

by

All this finery

carried back after the ceremony to the palace,

not, as I

of

and hubbub announced

Preceded by boys and

musket-men, cheering and presenting arms, came the

Cceur de Marie umbrella, shading the fox-like features,
the black face and the ignoble white nightcap of Adan-

men-nun-kon.

silks

After

an interval followed the royal

To the north of this divan, outside the bamboos, a small heap of

was raised upon mats, in honour of Addo-kpon, of whom more

presently.

THE KING'S
escort

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

three male caboceers, a

a straw calotte with a

toujours la pipe

bell,

his lion-umbrella

soldieresses

He

la bouche.

flags,

The King wore

host.

led

by a chain

followed

The King passed three times

skulls

" leopard

by a dozen

women and

Ububu" rang and guns banged

When

halter.

with seven

small girl

in thirty minutes

round the market-place, waving hands

"

and was

cloth,

woman-like on a

sat

band,

wives " and a rearguard of old

recruits.

woman

and parasol trouped chanting

and a strong

mounted on fancy

and

379

Gobbo," and a

brilliant striped

dingy nag, with a

Behind

"

marching before a female

captain,

little

"

to us,

and the

in all directions.

the procession was over, Gelele took his seat in

the pavilion, with his wives on the right, and on both

flanks a

bevy of musketeer women squatting motionless

as statues.

The male caboceers

saluted, touching the

ground outside the bamboos with

twice shovelling up dust.

their foreheads

troop of

men

and

spread a

thin line of single mats from the victim-shed past the

bamboo

semicircle

Komasi Palace

and

southwards

the

the extent was about 350 yards, and

the breadth proved to be 12 to 13

was placed a pole 14

blunt iron fork.

towards

feet.

On

each mat

feet long, tipped with a short

and

Presently the six eunuchs brought up

A MISSION TO GELELE.

380

and opened what had appeared a tent bag.

the Nun-u-pwe-to * cloth belonging to

This

is

King Gezo, a

patchwork supposed to contain a specimen of every

known manufacture,
vary in size from

native or European.

10

1 to

yellow, green, pink, red,

feet,

wear about

How

taken.

he

and purple, and the patterns

his person
is

pieces

the colours are blue,

checked, striped, zig-zaged and barred.

will

The

This the King-

when Abeokuta has been

to support

1050

could explain, but the investiture

no one

feet of stuff

it

appears has been

deferred until the Grecian Kalends.

As
cloth

the

King issued from

his tent at 5.4 p.m. the long

which had been placed on the mats was upraised

at arms' length

by the attendants with the blunt

forks passing through eyelet-holes.

more than twice the height

Thus

exalted,

it

iron

stood

When the novel

between the men and the
of a man.

screen

had been placed

women,

Gelele passed up

outside,

waving hands when opposite

and down the

inside

us.

and the

This exhibi-

tion of untold wealth excited the people, as their fearful

noises testified.

this

Mr. Duncan also describes

600 yards by 2 and in
264 ; and vol. ii. p. 27).

The word has already been explained.

" noble piece of patchwork," making

another place 1000 yards by 8

(vol.

i.

p.

it

ifttft

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

381

" Able-to-do-anything " cloth having being re-

The

moved, the King ascended the divan by a five-rung

ladder covered with

calico,

picked out with pink

He was accompanied by

constantly

twirled.

who

bearer,

of other

The

the

she

spittoon

by the more substantial hide

women who

silk

circles

stood below and around the heap.

The other two opened and

blue,

was

second

this

fanned the King with a yellow

also

kerchief, assisted

piled

upon the divan the

pink and speckled muslins with which

Gelele would " change cloth to-day.'*'

was waxing

It

and royalty had become fatigued and impatient

late,

the

One held a

wives.

which was repeatedly changed, and

parasol,

green,

four

reliefs.

King

of his

testily

wives,

snatched the bundles from the hands

and worked

at

them

in

double quick

time.

Presently Gelele

mounted the platform and there

disrobed, retaining, however, his shorts, which were of

satin
left

yellow-flowered on a dark ground.

From

shoulder hung, by a long sash of crimson

short silver-hilted sword.

what appeared
and took

to be

in his

He

first

green netting,

right

silk,

put on a toga of
like

a mosquito bar,

hand a large bright

ending in a circular bulge.

his

He formed

bill-hook

a most effective

A MISSION TO GELELE.

382

swarthy stalwart form being thrown

his

figure,

out

against the glowing western sky.

The various dances,

style,

of

them

the decapitation

in

performed by the King, corresponded with the

number of
in the

all

"

drums

'?

or bands.

Meu's or the minister

men and youths

their left

arms

On

the male side, sitting

division,

were about twenty

with "tabl," or tambourines, under

they were habited in scarlet coats and

queer bonnet-caps of red and black

cloth.

Within the

bamboo, was an equal number of women, similarly

I will

not trouble the reader with the names and details

the several corybantic saltations, comprising

of

clad.

first set

of eighteen

and the second of one dozen.

King performed only a few steps

stretching his left

the

The

and then, out-

of each,

palm towards the musigue with an

imperious gesture, he caused

it

to stop.

Still

the labour

was

severe, as the free use of the forefinger, the yellow

silk,

and the hide fans proved.

The

thirteenth dance

of the second set was called " Agbata/' a performance

borrowed from the " Nago " people, and much admired
for the kicking

It

and jumping which are

drew down unusual applause

shouts of joy,

murmurs

its

elements.

generally, however,

of wonder,

and discharges of

musketry and cannon accompanied the whole perform-

THE KING'S "SO-SIN CUSTOM."

ance.

The eunuchs and the caboceers made

383

courtier-like

speeches, the " niggers " stolidly admired the grandeur

of

who can

a king

exhibitions,

and a wild group of

and bellowed

their

expenses

own

the

hats,

sucli

war path, hailed

These roughs were

melodies.

armed with muskets, and they were

chiefs in

of

bushmen, who

frontier

army when on

act as guides to the

all

defray the

by two

led

dingy red tunics, whose thick beards and straw

which they did not remove before the

King,

rendered them conspicuous.

The brouhaha was

infernal.

hush as the King, having

girt

There was a momentary

on with a cartouche

a toga of white muslin, armed himself w ith a

T

and a musket, which he pointed

tending to

fire.

At

were

yep

fired in all directions.

yep

lion-stick,

at his subjects pre-

this burst out

real African laughter

belt

a glorious shout of

yep

whilst

guns

The din increased when

the brass-set skulls of the three kings * were severally

handed
of his

to the conquering hero.

own

childish

placing

With these

peculiar prowess he toyed,

antics,

and played various

the intense delight of the mobile,

to

them under

his cloak, stretching

*

trophies

his left arm, hiding

them out

them beneath

for better view, resting his

Described in Chapter IX.

A MISSION TO GELELE.

384

elbow upon them, and waving them to us as we bowed.

He

then loudly addressed the Po-su's party, which stood

on the

left

greetings,

of the semicircle.*

They

replied with noisy

which he acknowledged by a crab-like move-

ment, advancing and retreating sideways, with his

elbow akimbo, and jogged to the fore

action

do

is

" ago/'

called

to us that

it

least as civilised as

and more so than the

long before

it

"

"

bony goblet

line

"

it

head,

was

at

"

" apparently not

to the original possessor

"

caroused with King Gezo.

sketch the three calvariso, and to

to

handle the royal sticks and caps.

Company, a

rum

Lord Byron's drinking cranium

had been useful

was allowed

Bakoko's

we might pledge him

out of which Mr. Duncan

I

undertake to

a bumper of

off

from the brass cup on the crown of

and sent

this expressive

" I

and means

The King then tossed

it."

left

One was

of the Fanti

loose calotte of purple velvet, with a yellow

on the crown, and a narrow band of white

a border round the lower

part.

silk

with

The second had a

white shark on a pucc-coloured velvet

and the

third,

a cap of the Blue Company, resembled in shape a

Moslem
* Mr.

t Vol.

" Takiyah,"

Duncan
i.

(vol.

but showed a green lion eating a

p. 2-17),

i.

pp. 239, 240.

saw King Gezo perform similar

antics,

THE KING'S

yellow stitching.

These animals were

vociferous

rapture

the

of

bounds as the King danced with

teeth,

very heraldic

the

all

sight

more
there

subjects
his

world

knew no

sword between

and exulted over Bakoko's

and the

skull

The Buko-no eagerly asked me,

breaking of Ishagga.
if

all

unintelligible.

The

his

333

porcupine, fretted over with quills of

claret-coloured

and

SO-SIN CUSTOM."

"

o'er

had ever seen

grand a

so

have had to answer similar queries

civilised countries

and

in far

have ever found that

nothing easier than to convince people

is

who

alreadv believe.
Presently the

King began

to

hand down decanters

of rum, a sign that he was weary of pleasure

danced thirty two dances.

At

be had

6.15 r.M. he descended

from the divan, and mounted the smaller heap, whose

cover was a white cloth powdered with
coloured lions.

little

Here the King assumed

his

ochre
fetish

war-dress, a body-pagne of chocolate-coloured netting,

and a dark blue indigo-dyed

shoulder low

down

cloth, passing

the right side

it

from the

left

was studded

with charms and amulets in small squares, stained with

dry blood, and bordered with cowries.*

*

Cowries
YOL.

I.

may

be remarked in

His umbrella

the musket stocks.

According to
c c

A MISSION TO GELELE.

386

was equally gloomy, and

his large

crooked Bo-stick was

swathed with alternate blue and white bandages.

After

motioning with this weapon, he danced to the songs

and instruments of the fetishmen, and seized a musket,

which he

levelled but

did not discharge.

came forward, and we advanced

ings, I requested

mail,

him not

Beecham, who dreaded the

we made

and being requested

after the usual greet-

in his ear

by the timid

After a

fetishry.

to return

home with much

for

then

to forget his English coat of

which hint was whispered

chatting,

He

little

on the morrow,

pleasure,

there

are

none of Rimmel's perfumed fountains here.

Mr. Duncan

(vol.

i.

p. 261),

they are an honourable distinction, given

as medals to civilised armies.

victim's blood, coat after coat,

The stock
till its

is

repeatedly smeared with the

thickness

is sufficient to

form a

which it soon dries. Although only one

cowrie is given per head, some old soldiers have their weapons entirely
covered over with them. This custom, of course, stimulates murder,
setting for the shell, around

and excites perpetual jealousies in the service.

said of a certain modern English decoration.

END OF VOL.

BRADBURY AND EVANS,

have heard the same

I.

PF.INTERS, WEITEFRIARS.