THE best part of the following Sheets were writ several Years ago, more particularly the Account of my being taken by Pirates, in the Year 1719: And being now induced to publish the History of the Conquest of the Kingdom ofDahomè,I have added the other, which is as remarkable in its kind.
I am sensible that Objections may be made to the Account I have given of theDahomes,by such of my Readers as are not acquainted, either by Travelling or Reading, with the Manners and Customs of several barbarous brutish Nations, that have been and are still on the Globe.
As to human Sacrifices, they are no new thing in the World; for it is recorded of theMexicansin particular, that they annually sacrificed to their Gods, a great number of their Enemies taken in War.
Mens eating of their own Species, seems to be the most incredible and shocking; but this is practised by others at present(besides theDahomes)on the Coast ofGuinea;especially by a People calledAcquas,on the River of oldCallabar,and amongst theCamaronesadjoining, where I have formerly been, and of which there are some Witnesses now inLondon:CaptainArthur Loneand others, having seen the same as well as my self.
As to the Story in general of the King ofDahomè,there are some Gentlemen now in Town, that know a great part of it; namely, Jeremiah TinkerEsq;GovernorWilson,and others, who have formerly resided atWhidaw,for the RoyalAfrican Company:Besides several that have been there in the Service of private Merchants: As alsoCharles DunbarEsq; ofAntegoa,who bought theNegroe-Womanof me there, whose Story is so remarkable, on account of her being thrown as a Sacrifice into the Sea, and her wonderful Preservation afterwards, the Truth of which she has often confirmed.
As to the Relation of my being taken by Pirates, there are several in and about Town, that suffered by them, at the same time and place with my self. And Mr.James Bleau,who was then my Surgeon, lives now atWoodford,in good Repute and Esteem with the Gentlemen of that Village and Neighbourhood.
I shall say nothing with relation to the short Account I have given of the manner how theNegroesbecome Slaves, and of the Management of them when on Shipboard, it being designed at first only for a Friend’s Satisfaction, who had objected against the lawfulness of that Trade.
As I love Freedom my self, so I readily leave the Reader to judge and believe as he pleases, concerning what is here related: My principal motive for publishing these Sheets, being the Persuasion of some Friends, who had perused them in Manuscript, and thought they might prove acceptable to the Publick.