CHAPTER IX.
Enter Logazohy in Regimentals—Received by the Caboceer, attended by his Soldiers—Singular Mode of Dancing—Native Jester—Description of the Town—Corn Mills—Presents from Fetish-women—Agriculture—Prevalent Diseases—A disgusting Case of Leprosy—Quarrel among my Carriers—My Illness—The Damadomy—Trees, Shrubs—The Agbado—Rapid Construction of a Suspension Bridge by my Dahoman Guards—Savalu—Reception by the Caboceer—Picturesque Situation of the Town—Caboceer’s House—His Wives—His Jester—My Illness.
Enter Logazohy in Regimentals—Received by the Caboceer, attended by his Soldiers—Singular Mode of Dancing—Native Jester—Description of the Town—Corn Mills—Presents from Fetish-women—Agriculture—Prevalent Diseases—A disgusting Case of Leprosy—Quarrel among my Carriers—My Illness—The Damadomy—Trees, Shrubs—The Agbado—Rapid Construction of a Suspension Bridge by my Dahoman Guards—Savalu—Reception by the Caboceer—Picturesque Situation of the Town—Caboceer’s House—His Wives—His Jester—My Illness.
Previous to my leaving Abomey for the Mahee country, the King expressed a desire that I should either enter the town, (where it might be arranged for me to remain all night,) in regimentals; or if more convenient to me, dress in them on the following morning, and proceed a short distance out of the town, going through a formal reception by the caboceer and head men. Accordingly, it was arranged that I should remain one day for that purpose, and about ten o’clock, all being ready, I, together with all my retinue, marched out of the town to the distance of about half a mile, in the same direction as we entered. Wethen countermarched, and were met by Chaou and head men, with his guard of about eighty soldiers, armed with muskets and short swords. As they advanced, a constant fire was kept up till within a few yards of us. Then both parties halted; upon which the usual prostration and palaver of welcome were as minutely observed as if he had not before seen us. We afterwards drank water with each other, and then rum of a very indifferent quality. Both parties then alternately went through their exercise of attack and defence. Their mode of skirmishing is all by stealth upon the enemy, and their charge is a wild disorderly rush, without any line being preserved. Each soldier upon his return brings with him a tuft of grass, or a piece of a bough of some description, to represent a head which he is supposed to have just cut off.
We then advanced to the town, where we formed up in the market-place. Here each party alternately kept up what they called dancing, and drinking rum and peto for about an hour. Their motion in dancing is unlike that of any other country with which I am acquainted. They never use their legs, except when making someextraordinary leap to change their front in another direction, their principal motion being in the hips and shoulders, which are thrown backwards and forwards in rapid motion; sometimes their movements are, to any civilized being, of a very disgusting nature.
During this ceremony the market-place was crowded with spectators, who seemed quite delighted with the performance. Each caboceer invariably keeps a clown, who is selected according to his powers of humour, many of them displaying considerable talent. At last a messenger came to signify to Chaou that dinner was prepared for us, when we retired to our houses, where we found not only an extravagant quantity of provision, supplied by the caboceer, but also by the same merchants who had already been so liberal. We were also supplied with a large quantity of peto.
After dinner I took a survey of the town, which for regularity and neatness surpassed most of those I had yet visited in the Mahee country. It is strongly fenced, has an inner wall, and a large outer and inner market, well supplied with native produce and manufactures. Rats, mice, and the guano are also sold ingreater abundance for consumption than in any other place I had seen. This was the first town in which I observed any regularity or form of manufactory.
In the principal square, which was entirely occupied by the caboceer and retinue, nearly one side was occupied by corn-mills, where a number of very handsome young female slaves were employed grinding corn. About two yards distant, behind where the grinders were employed, was a line of fires, parallel to the line of mills; each fire was attended by a cook and an assistant. The whole was covered in with a roof neatly thatched. The side of the building facing the square was open like a shed.
During the greater part of the afternoon I was beset with visitors, bringing some trifling articles as presents, amongst whom were many fetish-women, who brought me some eggs. These women are licensed beggars, sanctioned by royalty, and possess great influence amongst the people. They attend all public markets, and are entirely supported by contributions, which are liberally bestowed from a dread of offending them. The old caboceer, Chaou, paid me a visit,and earnestly inquired if I could prescribe any medicine for a severe cough which much annoyed him. He said that some of my soldiers told him I could cure all diseases. I gave him a few colocinth and calomel pills, knowing that he would not feel satisfied without something in the shape of medicine,—in return for which he gave me a young bull.
The land here is well cultivated, and bears excellent crops near the town. The rocks are of granite, and singularly twisted and stratified horizontally, with scarcely any dip, in sections of pure white, resembling alum.
Leprosy as well as small-pox appear to be the most prevalent diseases here. The town of Logazohy contains eight or nine thousand inhabitants. The cattle are handsome and numerous, with the exception of pigs, which had lately suffered much from a disease resembling the small-pox. Very few are now left in the country.
Towards the evening I felt a little feverish, probably from recent fatigue and sleeping in wet clothes. I subsequently ordered a bason of gruel to be prepared for me, and took a dose of James’s powder and some sedative of opium. Upon lyingdown for the night, my friend the captain of my guard seemed much alarmed, for he saw that I was ill. He was very anxious that I should not take any medicine, lest it might kill me, but I assured him that I took it for the purpose of getting well. Being extremely ill, I had given orders not to admit any strangers into my apartment, or even into the yard, but one poor old woman, who had a son suffering dreadfully from leprosy, managed to gain admittance to me, bringing a present of two fowls and some eggs. These, however, I declined to accept, on account of her poverty, but assured her that if she would bring her son to me, I would give him some medicine; and told the old dame that white man came to her country to teach them and do them good, and at the same time explained to her that my reason for not accepting her present, was not that I undervalued its pecuniary worth, but from a conviction that she might sell them in the market for her own benefit.
Upon this, the poor old woman prostrated herself, and as usual covered herself with mud, for the rain had been very heavy all the previous day and night. She remained on her knees for some time, singing an extemporary song in praiseof the King’s stranger. She then departed to bring her son, and in a short time returned with the unfortunate object of her solicitude, who was decidedly the most loathsome creature in human form I ever beheld. He was apparently about nineteen or twenty years of age, and was covered with the loathsome disease from head to foot except those parts which were ulcerated, with a discharge chiefly from the arm-pits. The smell was so intolerable that my servants retreated upon his approach. He was reduced to a mere skeleton, and yet the poor fellow appeared not to suffer much pain, nor did any particular organ seem to suffer more than another.
This case being beyond my skill, I could only prescribe calomel pills, and a few doses of salts. I also presented the mother with a few needles and a thimble, for which she seemed truly grateful, pronouncing a blessing upon me as she departed. At last I had an opportunity of lying down to rest. Though suffering much from fever, I soon fell into a confused sleep, from the powerful dose of opium I had taken. Early in the morning I rose with a view of getting the greater part of my journey over before the sun should reach the meridian, butafter breakfast, August 17th, some of my men beginning to dispute about carrying the luggage as previously arranged, I was compelled to use my horsewhip. The excitement produced by this disobedience suddenly threw me into a violent chill, which commenced at the feet, and rapidly rose upwards till it reached the pit of the stomach. Then sickness and vomiting began, followed by violent headach and giddiness.
This kind of attack is generally a prelude to a very severe and dangerous fever. In a few minutes after the chill reached my chest, I reeled and fell prostrate; but when the violent burning of the fever commenced, the giddiness partly left me. I then took another strong dose of opium and James’s powder, and lay down for two hours. I now found myself in a violent perspiration, overcome by a sort of pleasing stupor. This enabled me to bear up against the violence of the fever.
I ordered my horse to be again got ready, in defiance of the kind remonstrances of the captain of my guard, and commenced my journey, bearing magnetic W.N.W.At a short distance from the town, we passed over marble rocks,beautifully twisted; but, on entering the plain, we again found the bed composed of fused iron ore, with shea-butter and palm-trees, thinly spread over it, and many other trees, the names and class of the greater part of which were strange to me, being unacquainted with botany.
At a short distance from the town of Logazohy, we crossed a small stream of good water, about three feet deep and eight feet wide, running eastward. This stream is named Damadomy. After crossing it, I observed several large sycamore and ash trees, exactly similar to those found in England, but of considerably larger growth, and the bark more rough and fractured. Here also were numerous stunted shrubs, of a peculiar description, which are very seldom met with, except in this neighbourhood, and occupy a belt of country extending east and west. One of these plants or shrubs is from four to six feet in height, with numerous branches; both trunk and branches are very crooked, and contain but very few leaves. The branches are nearly all of one thickness, from the trunk to their top, which terminates abruptly. The leaves are much smaller, but in shape resemble those of the laurel; they are very fleshy,and of a pea-green colour. The bark is grey, and also very fleshy; upon the whole this shrub has the appearance of having been scorched and in a state of recovery.
THE KONG MOUNTAINS, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOGAZOHY.
From a Sketch by DuncanHullmandel & Walton Lithographers.THE KONG MOUNTAINS, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOGAZOHY.
At twelve miles distant, to the southward, I observed a range of mountains, forming an arch of 90°S.andW.At eight miles further, we arrived at the river Agbado, a rapid stream, twenty yards wide, and only six feet deep, with steep banks densely wooded, with very large trees, and a thick underwood. The river runs N.E.at this point, but soon changed its course. When we reached it, we were much disappointed (at least my guard pretended to be so) at not finding that any arrangement had been made for our crossing the river. This, they alleged, ought to have been done by the caboceer of Savalu, distant only two miles, whom we had purposely come to visit. It appeared, however, that the notice he had received of our intention to visit him was so short, that he had scarcely any time to arrange himself and his household.
My conviction was, that this apparent neglect was the result of a preconcerted arrangement, in order to give the Dahoman soldiers an opportunityof exhibiting their skill as engineers. I proposed to swim my horse and self across, but this was opposed by the caboceer, on account of the rapidity of the stream. Besides, how were the officers’ wives, who carried their baggage, and also my own carriers, to get across? For this purpose I proposed rafts to be made from branches of trees, cut into lengths and lashed together and passed across by a rope, formed from the long fibres which grow downwards from the branches of the large trees on this bank, resembling hundreds of ropes of various thickness. These extraordinary fibres are sometimes thirty and forty feet long, according to the height of the branches from which they grow, and are extremely tough. They are pliable and of great strength. When they reach the ground, they insert themselves to some depth, and again take root, from which other trees spring upwards. They frequently form a colonnade of considerable extent along the banks of rivers, and resemble mangroves.
My proposition was not approved of, and a council of officers being held, it was in a short time determined to adopt rather a novel method, which it may be interesting to describe. As I havealready stated, large trees, of a species which I have previously mentioned, grew on the banks on either side of this river. A number of small trees were cut, each of the private soldiers cutting with his short sabre, or knife, till a sufficient number were thus obtained. These poles newly cut were tied to the long fibres hanging perpendicularly from the branches of the larger trees, and were then attached in succession, horizontally, till they reached the hanging fibres of the trees on the opposite bank.
After having fixed two lines of poles across, in the manner I have described, about one yard apart, short pieces of wood were cut and placed across, and small boughs, and grass or reeds, placed on the top, so that a suspension-bridge was thus simply constructed in the short space of half an hour. The whole party then passed over in safety. I was informed, in reply to a question, that this is by no means an invention of the Dahomans, but has long been practised in Central Africa, especially in time of war, and where the rivers are not too wide. Floating bridges are also constructed in a similar manner, where the above method cannot be adopted.
After crossing this river we entered the Annagoo country. We halted a short time on the bank, to give the caboceer of Savalu time to prepare himself for our reception. A messenger now arrived to say that he would shortly be ready to receive us. I here changed my dress, and substituted my military uniform. This caboceer was described to be a man of great wealth and power, and a great favourite with the King of Dahomey. He is consequently allowed a considerable degree of discretionary power beyond that of any other chief, the caboceer of Whydah excepted.
As soon as my rude toilet was finished, I mounted as a Life Guardsman, but not quite so neat as when on duty at Whitehall. After advancing about one mile towards the town, we were met by the caboceer under some very large trees, where was a cranery. This place was delightfully shaded. Here the captain of my guard and myself seated ourselves under one of the trees, till this great personage made three times a procession in a circle round us to the left, for it is considered unlucky to form circle to the right. This caboceer appeared to consider himself much aboveany other I had seen, either in the Mahee or Dahoman kingdoms, now united. He would not condescend to walk, but was carried round us in his hammock. He then alighted, and his hammock was carried suspended to a pole, each end resting on the heads of two stout slaves, who always proceeded at a trot. He advanced towards us on foot, after he had displayed to his own satisfaction the richly ornamented hammock in which he had been riding. He afterwards informed me that it was presented to him by the King of Dahomey. He next went through the usual ceremony of prostration, and rubbing himself with dust. He then delivered a long address of welcome to the King’s English stranger, finishing his harangue by saying that I was like to a man who had been many moons searching in the bush for a large block of wood for his fire, and had rejected many as being bad wood to burn, but to his great satisfaction at last found a large tree of a peculiar description, which burnt like a lamp. He said, that I in like manner had been travelling through the Mahee and Fellattah countries, but during the whole of my long journey I had not seen any town so great or sogrand as the town of Savalu, which I was about to enter.
The caboceer, whose name is Bagadee, is a very fine stout handsome black, of very pleasing expression and address, possessing great intelligence; and having travelled a considerable distance in the neighbouring kingdoms, he has a tolerable idea of the geography of the surrounding country. As we advanced towards the town, which was certainly the most picturesque and grand of any I had seen since leaving the country of the Fellattahs, we ascended six platforms in succession, of flights of steps naturally formed, of a very peculiar sort of stone, resembling petrified wood, and stratified perpendicularly. These steps extend upwards of a mile in length, and each platform is of nearly the same breadth, preserving the same throughout; so that an observer could scarcely be convinced that they were formed by Nature, were he not aware of the generally indolent character of the natives. These platforms were about fifty yards in width, with numerous little villages situated thereon, apparently occupied by farmers, and here all the cattle are kept, of which there are great numbers: goatsand sheep only are admitted in the town. The mountain of Savalu, from which the town takes its name, is beautifully wooded to the summit, with bold projecting rocks or precipices at different distances, showing their hoary crowns and angles, forming a beautiful back-ground to the town, which, independently of the neighbouring kroom, is certainly larger than any town in the Mahee country, and before it was ceded to the Dahomans was always considered the capital or metropolis. The houses are much larger generally, and built with more taste and uniformity than any Mahee town. The caboceer’s house is two stories high, and built on a platform directly overlooking the market-place. His house and the market are separated by a wall about ten or twelve feet high. The windows or light-holes of the upper story are considerably higher than the wall, so that the inmates, chiefly the caboceer’s wives, can overlook the whole of the market-place, and in fact the whole town, being situated on the base of the mountain.
We remained in the market-place about an hour and a half, drinking rum and peto, the soldiers of each guard alternately dancing and keeping up an irregular fire. During this time the caboceer’swives were stealing a peep through the windows, but the moment they were observed withdrew. Amongst the soldiers of Savalu, I noticed the jester very particularly, who certainly displayed more wit and fun than clowns generally do, in endeavouring to fire off his musket, which several times missed fire; upon which he shook out the whole of the priming, and spit into the pan, and again snapped the piece as if expecting the explosion would fellow. He also performed several other antics equally ridiculous. At last we were allowed to retire to the quarters which had been allotted to us. These were a considerable distance from the principal market-place.
We passed through several minor markets on our way to my quarters, then from one court-yard to another, till we at last reached the house appointed for us, which, according to my ideas, ill corresponded with the description given by the young caboceer of his town. The house was so low in the doorway, that I was compelled to enter on my hands and knees, and when I had passed through a partition into the inner apartment, which was as dark as a dungeon, I was obliged to burn a light. I felt much annoyed at this, and refusedto remain there, looking upon it as an insult. Upon this circumstance being made known, several of the trading merchants from Abomey kindly proffered me their houses, provided the caboceer had no objections.
A messenger was consequently despatched to communicate my dissatisfaction with my lodgings to the caboceer, who appeared quite surprised, and came back with my messenger to make personal inquiry respecting it. Upon his inquiring why I objected to the apartment, I told him my first impression was that it must have been used as a prison, on account of its strength and darkness, being without any aperture to admit of light, except the low doorway.
In explanation he informed me, that in his country the greater part of the houses were purposely so constructed, to prevent the inmates from being seen by a passer-by, who might shoot them with their arrows, in time of war, which was a common practice; and that this house had been selected as a security against such an occurrence. However, I chose the house of the merchant, which was tolerably comfortable; but felt rather feverish, and had also a slight touch of ague. Ifound it necessary, therefore, to take more medicine, which so much alarmed my caboceer, that he refused all sorts of food whatever, complaining bitterly of the advantage taken in stealing a march upon him into the country of enemies, thereby endangering his life as well as my own. He declared his conviction, that I had contracted my illness through excessive fatigue and exposure in the Fellattah country. However, two doses of James’s powder and opium considerably subdued my fever. Here we were, as usual, supplied with large quantities of provision ready cooked, both by the caboceer and merchants. Late in the evening the caboceer again visited me, bringing with him some rum as well as some cherry brandy, which he proudly boasted had been sent him by the King of Dahomey. After he had distributed these, I gave him the contents of a flask of rum from my own stores, a box of lucifer matches, and a large Jew’s harp, which seemed to afford him much pleasure. At a late hour he and his head-men retired to their homes, much to my satisfaction, for I felt much in want of rest.