CHAPTER VI.

Gregapojee—Extensive Market at—Native Produce and European Manufactures—Popoe Beads, their Value; probable Origin of—Houses—Situation and Soil of Gregapojee—Fish—Alligators—Population—Return to Ahguay, and thence to Whydah—Toll-house—Fish-trap—Travelling Canoe—Beautiful Scenery of the Lagoon—Oysters growing to Trees—Old Ferryman—Gibbets of three Criminals—Murder committed by them—The English Fort at Whydah—Character of M. de Suza—Treatment of Slaves—Hints with reference to this odious Traffic—Price of Slaves—Slave Hunts—Necessity for Education—Cruelty in the Shipment of Slaves—Visit to Avoga—Account of him—Reception by him—Mode of Riding—Bad Road—Reason for not repairing it—Market at Whydah—Native Manufactures, &c.—Duties imposed by the King of Dahomey—His Enormous Revenue—Head Money—System of Government—Severe Laws, and their Result—Paganism—Abject Superstition of the Natives—Dangerous to show Contempt for their Fetish—Anniversary Offerings for departed Friends—Usual Termination of such Festivals—Snake Worship—Houses built to contain them—The Snake-Lizard—The Field-Lizard—The House-Lizard—Vampire Bats.

On the 16th, at 10A.M.,Mr.Hutton, myself, and the captain and supercargo of a Hamburgh vessel, as well as the two junior Lawsons, went by canoe up the lagoon, to visit the famous market and town of Gregapojee,[9]three miles and a halfN.W.byN.from Popoe. The town is of little moment,having nothing remarkable about it; but the market is the most extensive of any of the settlements on the lagoon, except Whydah. Cotton, both raw and manufactured into cloth, is sold in the market, the latter very high in price, owing to their tedious mode of manufacture. The cloth is, however, much stronger and more durable than that manufactured in England. Beads, both of European and native manufacture, are offered for sale here; and the Popoe bead is also an article of traffic, but it is very scarce and of high price. Nothing is really known of the origin of the Popoe beads: they are sometimes found in digging the earth in and round the town, when making mortar or swish. They are generally from half an inch to an inch in length, and of a tubular form, much resembling a stout pipe-handle broken into small pieces. They are of a light red coral colour; but though they have, I believe, been minutely examined by scientific men in Europe, the result has not proved very satisfactory. They are balanced with gold in purchasing, consequently very few persons are able to wear them. From the circumstance of their being found at Popoe I am led to the conclusion that these beads have either been manufactured here at some remote period, or that some ship has been cast away, having on board those beads as well as other merchandise,which has long ago perished. My reason for this belief is, that the lagoon extends along this coast to two hundred miles, and is in no place more than a mile or a mile and a half from the Atlantic, and in many places indeed it is open to the sea. This lagoon has doubtless been formed by the sea throwing up this extensive bank of sand, which is still accumulating, perhaps more rapidly than in any other part of the world, owing to the terrible swell always to be found on this coast, which has in many places washed up a bank so steep as to be scarcely accessible. These beads may consequently have been buried by the continued accumulation of sand. Popoe is built on a bank of this description, between the lagoon and the sea. From the river Volta to Benin the houses are all built of clay or red earth, which becomes very hard and is very durable.

To return to Gregapojee. The market is well supplied with every article of consumption of native produce, as well as several articles of European manufacture, amongst which I noticed the Dutch knife, needles, beads, a few iron spoons, Manchester cottons to a small extent, pieces of hoop iron, principally stolen by the coopers employed in European factories on the coast, which are exchanged with people farther in the interior. Pipes and Brazilian tobacco are also sold in thismarket, wooden bowls, grass baskets of neat workmanship, grass mats and bags of great pliability and durability, India and Guinea corn, yams, manioc, farina, meal from the Indian corn, calabashes two feet in diameter, richly carved, large and small earthen pots and dishes of native manufacture, shalots, and two sorts of quashie root, and leaves of the same plant, as well as other medicinal plants used by the natives. Lime from the oyster-shell is also manufactured here as well as sold in the market, for use in cotton spinning. All sorts of stock are sold; pigeons are in great abundance. They are not claimed by any one. We shot a great number; they are small, but very plump and sweet.

The town of Gregapojee is situated on the left bank of the river, on rising ground, on a fine red dry soil; though considerably higher than the neighbourhood, the soil is rich, and very productive. The number of its inhabitants is small in comparison with its market, which is held twice during the week. It is the principal market of commerce for all the neighbouring krooms and towns in its vicinity, either on the lagoon or inland. This lagoon, in a commercial country, would be of great advantage, as the navigation is so easy; the water in most places not exceeding four or five feet, although in some instances I found the deepest part twelve feet, but not for any distance.The canoes are pushed along by poles, in the same manner as our punts on many of the rivers in England. Revolving paddles might be used with great advantage, or small steamers. The current, which increases during the ebbing of the tide, does not exceed the rate of two miles per hour; and in some places during ebb-tide the water is quite fresh, and used by the natives. Every part of the lagoon abounds with fish of various kinds. Alligators are both large and numerous. Some days, during a journey of ten miles, more than a dozen of these reptiles may be seen on the banks. The bed of the river is found frequently to vary from sand to mud, but no gravel. By digging any considerable depth, I found, however, marine sand, confirming my opinion, that on the present bed of the lagoon the sea formerly rose.

After remaining a few hours at Greejee, I made a slight calculation of the number of its inhabitants, which we estimated to be at least twelve hundred, and I always make it a rule rather to understate the amount than otherwise. We returned to Popoe at 6P.M.where we remained during the night. On the following day we proceeded by the lagoon back to Ahguay, and remained there one night and the next day. On the 18th, in the evening,Mr.Hutton,Mr.Hanson,and myself, took our departure by lagoon for Whydah. The river is very interesting during the whole distance we have yet travelled, but though the moon was bright, it was not sufficiently powerful to enable me to map the river correctly, which I regretted much. I made my mind up, however, to avail myself of another opportunity to do so.

At about twenty-seven miles by lagoon from Ahguay, I arrived at the toll-house (a place where a barrier is fixed across the river), which is here only sixty yards wide: this barrier also answers the purpose of catching fish. It is constructed of stakes driven into the bed of the river at short intervals; the space between the stakes is filled up with small palm stems or strong reeds, leaving a space at intervals for the fish to pass through, which leads them into a trap formed in a similar manner to our eel-traps in England. During the night, lights of palm-oil are burnt over the traps to attract the fish. My canoe being much lighter than the other, containingMr.Hutton andMr.Hanson, I was at the toll an hour before them.

During my stay a large travelling canoe arrived from Whydah, containing several Spanish gentlemen with about twenty young slaves, male and female. At this bar the canoes generally stop anhour to refresh the canoemen, and pay the toll, which is always made in rum. During our stay the Spaniards very kindly presented their canteen of spirits, containing plenty of wine, brandy, Hollands, and rum, with a good supply of cigars. I of course availed myself of their kindness, and after a few compliments from each party they proceeded on their journey. Soon afterMr.Hutton arrived, when, after remaining a short time to refresh the canoemen, we again resumed our journey.

As the morning dawned, the appearance of the lagoon and the scenery on its banks was really beautiful. But it wanted those delightful villages, and clean cottages and gardens, which are to be seen on the banks of the rivers in Europe, though every opportunity presents itself if the natives were willing to work. Most of the huts on the banks of the lagoon are of the most inferior description, and the people dirty in their habits. When about seventeen miles from Whydah, each side of the river presented a beautiful appearance, having a small tree or shrub, not exceeding fifteen feet high, and resembling the mangrove, with the branches drooping, and the top taking root in the bed of the river, thus forming a beautiful colonnade. The leaves do not reach lower than a yardfrom the highest rise of the water. At this place the water is very salt.

I had often heard of oysters growing on trees, but could never before give credit to such information. Here, however, I had ocular demonstration of the fact; the roots of the trees (and as high on the stems as the water rises) being covered with thousands of oysters, as well as the bed of the river, for several miles. Some of them were of enormous size, but they have not the delicious flavour of the Thames oysters.

At 10A.M.on the 19th, we arrived at the ferry, between Whydah and the beach, where goods are landed and shipped. On the left, or north side, at the commencement of the path or road to the town of Whydah, stands a house occupied by an old ferry-man, who acts also in the capacity of watchman. This old man is supposed to inspect all passes or permits obtained from the caboceer of Whydah to persons leaving the port, specifying the number of people wishing to proceed by canoe for any other place on the lagoon. If any more than the number specified in the permit attempt to pass, the whole are detained, till the smuggled person is pointed out, who is punished by imprisonment. This same old watchman, either upon embarking or disembarking, is supposed to present the parties travellingwith a calabash full of clean water and a mug, which is certainly a very great convenience, as the water here is excellent. This order was established by the King of Dahomey, at the recommendation of M. de Suza, senior.

Opposite the ferry-house still remain the gibbets of three canoemen, murderers of the supercargo of a Hamburgh vessel which traded on this coast. He took a passage in a canoe by the lagoon for Popoe, intending to buy oil, but having in his possession eight thousand dollars, he was murdered by three out of the four canoemen. It is needless to say that the money was never found. The natives of this place are the most depraved, unprincipled villains in all Africa, or perhaps in the world. Were it not for M. de Suza and his friends, indeed, there would be no safety for white men.

Upon our landing, hammocks were waiting to convey us to the town, which is three miles distance from the lagoon, through marshes and lakes, which are not, however, deep.

About twelve o’clock we arrived at the old English fort, which has been considerably repaired byMr.Hutton. It is now used as his factory. Shortly after our arrival, we were visited by several Spaniards and Portuguese, who gave us a very cordial welcome.Mr.Hutton is a greatfavourite amongst them, as well as with every one else. The Spaniards and Portuguese of this place all treated me with great kindness. In fact, though they are slave-dealers, they are generous and kind, and very gentlemanly in their manners, particularly to Englishmen. Even the greatest enemies of M. de Suza, if they knew him, would admit him to be so. They also treat their slaves very well, both as regards food and labour, as I have already stated in other parts of my journal; their labour is little or nothing.[10]

The Spaniards and Portuguese treat their slaves in every respect better than the African slave-merchants; and I know, from personal inquiry, that none of M. de Suza’s slaves would accept their liberty from choice. I have found by calculation, that the expense of maintaining slaves for domestic purposes is much greater than the hire of them to perform any labour would be. The only advantage in holding slaves is, that you always have them in the house or premises, and in fact they are always considered as part of the master’s family, and their services readily procured, which is not the case in regard to hired slaves; for, so long as the African can procure food by theft or otherwise (at least it is so along the coast), they can never be induced towork. This is the great drawback upon all enterprise and improvement, either in agriculture or manufacture. The greatest suffering which the slaves undergo is in shipping; but owing to the vigilance of the English men-of-war cruisers, few opportunities for shipping them offer. When these do occur, large numbers are put on board, which frequently causes a loss in the number before reaching their place of destination.

Since my arrival on this coast, I have often considered whether better and more humane measures might not be adapted in regard to the Slave Trade; first, by making it a law in all colonies to which slaves are transported, that they shall be free in a certain number of years—say ten years, if they be transported before sixteen years of age, and seven years, if after the age of eighteen years; and that the free transportation of slaves from the coast of Africa should be allowed. This system might in the end be attended with more beneficial results to Africa, and the slave in general, than the present system.

The price of slaves (owing to the suppression of the Slave Trade) is very high, consequently the kings and chiefs in the interior go annually on a two or three months’ slave-hunt, which they call a war. The result of this hunt is, of course, the capture of a number of slaves.These slaves, (with the exception of those detained as wives or slaves,for they are the same, or both,) are sold at a high price to the white men, which is consequently an encouragement to the kings in the interior to follow up these annual hunts. If the trade were open, the markets would be soon supplied, and the kidnapping trade would not be worth following. And if agents were appointed in all our colonies, to which slaves are transported from this coast, to make entry of all the slaves employed, so as to insure their freedom after a limited period, with opportunities of returning to their native country, these slaves would only be serving an apprenticeship to their calling, whatever it might be. They would then return to their native country with a full knowledge of the system of agriculture, of which at present they are entirely ignorant. This would prove, in my humble opinion, the most effectual way to civilize and cultivate Africa. Missionaries are very useful, where the people whom they come to instruct are even partially prepared to receive them; but where the natives are not raised either in knowledge or habit above the brute, I am of opinion that schoolmasters and schools of industry ought to precede the labours of the missionaries. After paving the way for them, no doubt their services would be highly beneficial.

If the plan I have ventured to suggest were adopted, the condition of slaves on their transportation would be much improved, as not more than one-fourth of the number at present put on board of one ship would be sent. Suffocation is well known often to be the result of the crowded state of the slave-ships; in fact, many slave vessels have been run on shore, with full cargoes of slaves on board, of whom two-thirds have perished! Then let us think of the enormous expense of keeping so many English cruisers on this coast, and of the sacrifice of life amongst our seamen. And, again, what must be the result of the numerous captures of slaves, who have been taken to Sierra Leone! I fear these poor creatures will not (in the event of their being sent to the West Indies)muchimprove their condition, more than if they were compelled to serve for the same period in the Brazils.

On the 12th, in company withMr.Hutton, I visited the Avoga, or caboceer. His name is Dagbwa, which, in the Dahoman language, signifies a large calabash, or gourd, with the pulpy part taken out; it is then used for domestic purposes, but chiefly to drink out of. The King of Dahomey sent him here to rule, giving him this name, to signify that his Majesty could drink with him, or could depend upon his orders being enforcedthrough him. Drinking water with friends is considered the strongest mark of friendship, consequently if you are invited by any persons of rank to drink with them, water is always the first thing presented, as being free from any adulteration; afterwards, rum, palm-wine, or peto, is produced. Dagbwa is a well-formed man of middle age, about six feet in height, rather stout, with good symmetry, and high forehead; but, like almost all the natives on this coast, the frontal bone narrows suddenly towards the top. The expression of his countenance is pleasing, his face round and plump, his hair very short, having been lately shaved,—a custom amongst all ranks here.

The Avoga received us in his garden, under the shade of a large tree, called Wooatee; chairs were placed forMr.Hutton and myself, but the Avoga sat on the ground. No native, indeed, uses a seat of any description, except on particular occasions, when a low stool is sometimes used. The Avoga expressed great satisfaction at our visit. It appeared that he had seenMr.Hutton before. After drinking water with him, we partook of some Brazilian wine of roses, and aniseed wine; but his favourite drink is common American rum, of the worst quality, which is brought to this coast in great abundance by the American traders. After sitting a short time the Avoga becametired, and lay down in the dust. This seems at all times his favourite position, as well as that of all others. Yamie, his chief interpreter, is a very pleasant, intelligent man, and speaks good English.

The Avoga has in his possession a very fine donkey, as well as a small pony, which he prizes very much. He seldom rides on either; and when he does venture, he has always a couple of men to hold him on. The chief mode of riding is in hammocks, slung on long bamboos, a species of palm-cane about twelve feet long. The clews of the hammock are made fast near each end of the pole. A negro at each end carries it, the pole resting on his head. The parties are relieved at intervals, four men being the number generally appointed to carry one person. But if he be a very heavy man six are considered necessary. A stranger would feel very much surprised, upon proceeding from the beach to the town of Whydah, to find the road in such a deplorable condition, particularly as a good road might be so easily formed. The path, which is three miles long, is in many places worn down very low, and covered with water for a distance of seventy yards, to the depth of two and a half or three feet; and so it is likely to remain, though so much palm-oil is shipped at this place,and the puncheons are floated over this water. The reason of this neglect is obvious: if the road were good, and visitors could reach Whydah without being under the necessity of sending to the town for hammock-men to carry them, it might be an annoyance to the slave-merchants. The road might very easily be made good. The country is very level, and the soil the best for agricultural purposes of any I have yet seen. They are now digging a well in the English fort: it is at present twenty feet deep, and the soil at this depth is the same as at the top. At twelve feet deep, jaw and thigh-bones, as well as iron anklets and armlets, in a very decomposed state, were dug up. Doubtless on this spot formerly stood a house, and as every dwelling-house is also the family sepulchre, this may account for finding these remains.

The market of Whydah is superior to any I have seen on the coast, and is better supplied even than Sierra Leone. It is formed of several streets of low huts, built square, and generally joining one another. Those who expose goods for sale in the market are subjected to a very heavy duty to the King of Dahomey, as well as those trading in any other place. The market is superintended by a chief constable, who attends to its cleanliness and regularity. The floors ofthe market-huts are composed of well-worked clay, and consequently become very hard and smooth. They are raised about a foot above the streets, passing between the huts or stalls, consequently the latter are always dry. The floors are frequently rubbed over with cow-dung, and immediately swept off as clean as a broom will take it. This is said to be very wholesome in this climate.

The market-place occupies about three-fourths of an acre, or an acre, and is held daily. It is well supplied with every article of native consumption, as well as medicinal plants, and many articles of European manufacture. Among other articles generally exposed for sale are the following:—Pork, beef, mutton; cotton cloth, native and English; thread, beads, gun-flints, tobacco-pipes, iron, pepper, elu (a composition to destroy musquitoes), chuchume, bill-hooks, Badagry pipes, flints and steel, raw native cotton; tancacam, a medical root resembling ginger; goora and kolla nuts; eyo-nuts, used in playing the game of “adjito;” skins of the alligator, deer, bush-pig, and cat; dried rats and mice; raw and dried fish; fish cooked in palm-oil; kootataffue, a root resembling onion, but very bitter; cocoa and dego-nuts, for making oil; boiled and raw Indian corn; country pots and calabashes; lime, made from the oyster-shell;grass bags and baskets; porcupine quills, craw-fish, palm-oil, tomato, shalots, and occro; water-cresses, salt, farina, ground nut; atoo, or quashie-root; sakwadee, a root similar to ginger, having a taste resembling manioc-root; palm-nuts; bodya, a root used as a decoction to expedite labour in child-birth; agwbaja, used for cartridge-boxes; gun-flints, stones for grinding corn, brought from Abomey; dookwa, ball made from beans ground with palm-oil and pepper; kahoma; akaowo (native name), saltpetre in its original state.

There are several other markets of minor importance in Whydah, all subject to the same scale of duties, which are collected by the Avoga’s officer. All goods sent out of the country pay a very heavy duty, such as palm-oil or ivory; in fact, the native duty here on ivory is so great, that very little is now bought. It is always levied on the sellers, who, of course, are subjects of the King of Dahomey. Any hesitation in paying would cost the individual his head. All persons who possess any regular income are taxed accordingly. Some idea may be formed of the enormous revenue exacted by the King, when even one of M. de Suza’s slaves pays annually a tax of head-money alone to the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars, and another one thousand five hundred; these two sums are head-moneyalone, which is always paid according to rank, reputation, and income, independently of duties paid for trade in articles either exposed for sale, or passed from one part of the kingdom to another, or to any other country not under the control of the King of Dahomey. The duty on slaves is very high, and is charged upon the number shipped on board, which is upon the declaration of the Avoga, which is always made by his own head. When more than one party ships slaves, one of the party pays the Avoga generally in rum or tobacco, and then settles with the others, according to the number shipped by each party. All head-money is paid in cowries. Every native of Dahomey is a slave, and pays a duty of so much head-money to the King, consequently many are very glad to leave their country, preferring a foreign bondage where less severity is exercised.

The roads, with the exception of that leading to the beach, are much better than in most of the settlements along the coast, and the houses are much larger and of better construction, and well thatched. The system of government here is also much superior to that of any other part of the coast, although very far behind Europe. But, as I have before stated, the people are so depraved in every respect, that it is necessary the law shouldbe very rigid to govern them. Perhaps, however, this arbitrary system of government may have, in a great measure, been the cause of the total absence of principle or morals so observable amongst the natives. Besides the punishment of death, imprisonment for life and for limited periods is inflicted here. The prisoners are detained always in irons, and in the Avoga, or caboceer’s house. His headman, or chief constable, goes round the market daily, and collects the duties from each individual exposing goods for sale. A portion is exacted from every stall, whatever the goods may be, for the support of the prisoners. Doubtless little attention is in this case paid to justice. On the Avoga’s premises is also a store for goods collected as customs, such as rum and tobacco; which are carried up to Dahomey whenever the King thinks proper to make the order.

Paganism is the only worship existing amongst this people. They worship images, which in this, as in other places, are called fetishes, but here they are more disgusting than in any other part of Africa I have yet visited. The form is meant to represent a human figure, as nearly as the clumsy, stupid artist can make it. It is formed of clay, as large as life, and is placed in all the most public parts of the town. The lower parts of the body of the image are out of proportion large, and areexposed in the most disgusting manner. At certain times a table is laid for him, from which of course everything is taken away by the priest, or fetish-man. They seem quite delighted when convinced that the fetish has enjoyed his meal. Sometimes it is left untouched, which is a sure sign of his dissatisfaction with the quantity, consequently an augmentation must be made in order to appease him. It is even worse than sacrilege in England to meddle with or deny the powers vested in their fetish; and if a white man, even by mistake, is guilty of contempt towards fetish, he is by the priest doomed to instant death, through the power of the said fetish. Undoubtedly the fetish-man would willingly lend his master a hand, but if nothing should happen to the offender, the fetish-man makes the very plausible excuse, that had the offender been a black man, he would instantly have died.

Anniversary offerings are made by all who can afford them, to commemorate the death of their parents. On these occasions sheep, goats, and fowls, are killed in abundance, and the friends and relatives are invited to a grand feast. They believe the spirits of the departed relatives are present, and they often address them as if they were partaking of, and enjoying all their luxuries. This feast generally terminates in the whole partygetting into a brutal state of intoxication. Other customs equally absurd are also kept annually; this latter custom is held by the moon, which happened this year on the 11th of April. Its purpose is to ensure to all spirits of departed friends a safe and easy passage across the great waters westward. They mean the river Votta. If this custom were not kept up, they believe the spirits would wander on the banks for the space of one hundred years, before they would have performed sufficient penance for their friends’ neglect.

The snake is also a fetish or idol here; and houses are built in several parts of the town for the accommodation of snakes, where they are regularly fed. These houses are about seven feet high in the walls, with conical roof, about eight feet diameter, and circular. The snakes are of the boa-constrictor tribe, and are considered quite harmless, although I have my doubts upon it. They generally leave this house at intervals, and when found by any of the natives, are taken up and immediately conveyed back to the fetish-house, where they are placed on the top of the wall, under the thatch. It is disgusting to witness the homage paid to these reptiles by the natives. When one of them is picked up by any one, others will prostrate themselves as it is carried past, throwing dust on their heads, andbegging to be rubbed over the body with the reptile. After taking the snake up, a very heavy penalty is incurred by laying it down, before it is placed in the fetish-house. Wherever a snake is found it must be immediately carried to the fetish-house, whether it has ever been placed there before or not.

Snakes abound about Whydah; their average length is four feet and a half; head flat, and neck small in proportion. Four different sorts or species are found here. Of the lizard, the most rare is a species of snake-lizard, of a greyish brown colour on the back, belly white; a streak of delicate scarlet blends the colours of the back and belly. They are rapid in their movements, either in climbing or running, but, like the snake, always retreat to cover. The case, however, is not so with the common field-lizard, which is much more nimble, and if pursued generally makes towards a tree or wall. The former is more round and harder in flesh, consequently not so elastic, and if struck with a rod will break short at the part struck. Not so the field-lizard: as I have said, that is nimble in all its movements, and I have often observed it spring into the air to catch a fly. The male is beautifully coloured, blue, red, and yellow; but like the chameleon, it has the power of changing its colour. After death the coloursimmediately lose their brilliancy. The lizard tribe is very useful in destroying insects. The house-lizard also abounds in Whydah; this reptile is quite harmless and very nimble. Its claws are very sharp: it is capable of catching a fly or ant when running along the ceiling, although sometimes in darting on its prey it falls on the floor. It destroys spiders, ants, small beetles, moths, and many other insects; it is about five inches long, the head broader and eyes more prominent and brighter than those of any other of the lizard tribe. It is of a colour between a light grey and a brown, without any other variation, and, like the snake-lizard, it is broken by the slightest touch. The field-lizard lays two eggs of the size of the English sparrow’s egg, quite white, covered only by a soft cuticle or membrane. The fetish-snake lays a considerable number of eggs, and lays two at the same time. These are about the size of a sparrow’s egg also, but both ends are of the same oval form, about the same as the largest end of the sparrow’s egg. They are generally found amongst decayed leaves or dry rubbish.

Great varieties of insects are also to be found in and around this neighbourhood, amongst which I have observed some of great peculiarity; but as I am no entomologist, I must content myself with describing a few. First, the vampire-bat, saidnot to be found except here and at Abomey, although a species very much resembling the latter is found at Accra and different places on the coast. Still it is very different in size, appearance, and habit; the same sort found at Accra is here also, but it never mixes or associates with the large Whydah vampire-bat.[11]The former measures only about eighteen inches between the tips of the wings, the latter varies from thirty-three to thirty-six inches. They also fly in the day-time instead of at night. The body is about eight inches long, and twelve inches round; it weighs about a pound and a half. The shape of the head is similar to that of an English terrier, except the eye and nostril, which resemble those of a thorough-bred horse. The ear is much larger in proportion than that of a dog, and is shaped like that of a rat. The front teeth are feline; the back grinders like those of the ox. They possess great power in their jaws, and are as tenacious of life as a cat, living for several days with a severe fracture of the skull. The body possesses great strength, having eleven ribs; its back (that of the male) is of a very dark brown colour, bordered round the diameter or horizontal part of the back (which is flat) with a stripe of grey. Thebelly is considerably lighter, in a mouse colour, and half way round the throat, on the under side, of a beautiful yellow colour, an inch in width. The female is deficient in the latter ornament. The wings resemble the small bat, and have five large claws and a feeler, or smaller claw, merely attached to the web part of the wing. The frame-work of the wing is very strong of bone as well as muscle. The first joint from the shoulder-joint to the elbow measures five and a quarter inches, and from the elbow to the wrist four inches and three-quarters, the longest part forming the fingers (middle one), seven inches and a half. The hind legs are short and strong, and attached to the pelvis bone, apparently quite the reverse of any other animal with which I am acquainted. The pelvis is like that of any other animal turned upside down. They are furnished with five strong feline claws on each hind foot, but not placed like fingers and thumb, all grasping or hooking the same way, each claw forming two-thirds of a circle. Except when flying, they roost on trees, always hanging by the hinder claws, the head downwards. They couple like the monkey tribe, and have young annually. They carry their young constantly, till capable of taking care of itself, whether flying or at roost. The female has two breasts or teats, which resemble (anatomically speaking) those of a woman.The milk is thick and very white. They bear young in the months of February and March, and migrate to different places in the kingdom of Dahomey, according to the fruit seasons of the different districts. Their visit to Whydah is from the end of March till the end of April. They live chiefly upon the gwaba and cachu, plantains and bananas. The native name at Whydah is Tookay. I forgot to mention, that the body is covered with very fine down or hair.

FOOTNOTES:[9]Gregapojee is mostly abbreviated into Greejee.[10]This I know practically, as I am well acquainted with agricultural labour.[11]I have preserved several specimens of these insects, and sent them to England.

[9]Gregapojee is mostly abbreviated into Greejee.

[10]This I know practically, as I am well acquainted with agricultural labour.

[11]I have preserved several specimens of these insects, and sent them to England.

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