CHAPTER X.
Importance of the Caboceer of Savalu—Curiosity of the Natives—State Constables—Military Dance—Introduction to the Fetish-women—Manufactures—Crane-shooting—Present by Fetish-women—Hospitality of the Caboceer—His Name and those of his Head Men—Wild Grapes—The Zoka—Shrubs—Swim across the Zoka—Mode of Transporting my Luggage—Difficulty in getting my Horse across—Fearlessness of the Dahoman Female Carriers—Bad Roads—Jallakoo—Reception by the Caboceer—My Illness—Appear in Regimentals before the Caboceer—Concern evinced on account of my Illness—Description of the Town—Agriculture—Caboceer’s Name and those of his Head Men—Presents to the Caboceer.
Importance of the Caboceer of Savalu—Curiosity of the Natives—State Constables—Military Dance—Introduction to the Fetish-women—Manufactures—Crane-shooting—Present by Fetish-women—Hospitality of the Caboceer—His Name and those of his Head Men—Wild Grapes—The Zoka—Shrubs—Swim across the Zoka—Mode of Transporting my Luggage—Difficulty in getting my Horse across—Fearlessness of the Dahoman Female Carriers—Bad Roads—Jallakoo—Reception by the Caboceer—My Illness—Appear in Regimentals before the Caboceer—Concern evinced on account of my Illness—Description of the Town—Agriculture—Caboceer’s Name and those of his Head Men—Presents to the Caboceer.
August 18th.—We were visited early by the caboceer, who came to wish us good morning, bringing with him another small flask of rum, with which we drank each other’s health. He seemed very desirous to acquaint me with his wealth and power, explaining that he held, under the King of Dahomey, a discretionary power superior to any other caboceer, and also the government of several neighbouring towns in the Mahee country, as well as several large towns in his own country (Annagoo),which he assisted the Dahomans in subduing. Savalu is the frontier town of the Annagoo country, the natives of which are always considered a lawless, marauding people, and habituated to acts of extreme cruelty.
In a short time breakfast was brought; after partaking of which we were again invited to the market-place, where many thousands, both old and young, were assembled to see the white man. The crowd was so great, that the ground-keepers were entirely overpowered, although they used their immense whips with great violence and dexterity. It is a singular fact, that the state constables in nearly all the large towns of the Dahoman, Mahee, Fellattah, and Annagoo countries, are selected from deformed persons. Many of them are armed with a bullock’s tail dried with the skin on, and the long hair shaven off. This is a merciless weapon when used with both hands, which is frequently the case when authority is resisted. The offending parties are compelled to kneel down, and to place a hand on each knee, the body bending forward towards the constable, who inflicts his blows longitudinally on the back. This is a very severe punishment, and is the mode adopted for minoroffences through the whole Dahoman kingdom. A dozen is the greatest number I ever knew inflicted at one time on the same person.
Some soldiers having been stationed to assist in keeping the ground, something like order was restored, and the amusements commenced by the caboceer circling round in his hammock, as on the previous afternoon. During this a continual firing was kept up. He afterwards got out of his hammock, and advanced within a few yards of me, when, as usual, he went through the regular forms of prostration. He then examined my horse and trappings, apparently with great interest. His soldiers and head men then commenced dancing; and, as a matter of courtesy, my caboceer condescended to dance with the same party. Their music was rude, but not very unpleasant; they were wind instruments, similar to the hautboy, accompanied with drums and calabashes, or gourds, covered with net-work strung with human teeth.
The fetish-women, who were at this period keeping up their annual custom, which lasts during a whole moon, were then introduced. They appearedto be the finest and handsomest women in the place. They were richly ornamented with coral and brass bracelets or armlets, apparently of Bornouese manufacture. Each wore, besides a country cloth, a large silk handkerchief of European manufacture. I could scarcely refrain from expressing my regret at seeing them prostrate themselves, and besmearing themselves with dirt, after the pains which they had taken to appear so neat and clean before this form of humiliation.
As soon as this ceremony was finished, the whole party repeated a short prayer, after which they commenced a dance by themselves, singing some particular song, to which they kept time by clapping their hands against those of their partner. My own soldiers next commenced dancing, when they were joined by the principal men of Savalu, who considered themselves highly honoured by being allowed to dance with my Dahoman soldiers.
After this sort of amusement had been concluded, I presented both parties of soldiers with some rum, and took a stroll round the town to examine the markets, and observe their mode of manufacture. This day, however, had been setapart by order of the caboceer as a holiday, so that scarcely any thing was exposed for sale in the market. However, I had an opportunity of seeing the blacksmith and weaver at work. The weavers here use a more perfect loom than the Fellattahs, and are also much superior to any I observed in the Mahee country. At Savalu they weave a sort of webbing similar to some of the fine silk webbing used for gentlemen’s braces; but, upon a close inspection, I found that several of the principal weavers used European manufactured thread, both silk and cotton.
In the whole of the countries I have visited, either on the coast, or in the interior, they have no other method of spinning than by the ancient distaff. I have often wondered at this, for their looms are exactly on the same principle as those of Europe. They knit nightcaps in great quantities here; and during my stay at Baffo a man knitted me a pair of socks, from a pair I lent him as a pattern. These are still in my possession.
I asked permission to shoot some cranes in the cranery we passed yesterday, but the caboceer would only allow me to shoot the grey ones. The whitecranes, he said, were the fetish-men to the grey ones. The caboceer accompanied me, and seemed much surprised at my killing one with so small a gun on the top of so high a tree, particularly as he had never seen small shot used before. They generally use iron bullets, rudely forged. I offered to shoot one with a gun belonging to the principal warrior of my guard, but this he peremptorily refused, declaring “that if white man fired out of his gun, black man can never again kill any thing with the same piece.” To convince him of his error, I offered to let him have a shot with mine, but even this he declined. I afterwards learnt that they will not even allow their own comrades to fire out of their guns.
Upon my return home I found my court-yard covered with dishes of provision, smoking hot, the merchants as well as the caboceer having sent numerous dishes, as well as plenty of peto for my people to drink. Soon after we had finished our meal, we were beset with fetish-women, bringing small presents, received by them as tithes, on the last market-day. Tithes are actually customary to fetish-women even in Abomey. Although their present be ever so trifling, the acceptor is consideredas under a religious obligation to make a return of tenfold value.
One very fine old fetish-woman, accompanied by her two daughters, presented me with some eggs, which she brought me on a soup plate of English manufacture, for which I gave in return needles and thimbles. With these they seemed much pleased, but unfortunately on their way home they dropped the plate and broke it into several pieces. The young ladies returned crying bitterly, earnestly entreating me to mend it, and seemed still more grieved when I told them that it was beyond my skill. To console them, however, I told them that I would certainly send them one from Whydah by the Abomey messenger, who would forward it to Savalu by the traders. This promise I fulfilled.
Late in the evening the caboceer again visited me, when I presented him with a few ornamental trinkets, as well as a knife and a pair of scissors. With these he seemed pleased. I also presented his head men, and the Abomey merchants who had treated us so kindly, with some trifling articles. In return, they presented me with a live goat and some fowls.
August 19th.—Early in the morning I was visited by the caboceer, who came to pay his morning visit. The night had been very wet, and I was still suffering a little from fever; however, I was determined to proceed on my journey. We were furnished with a good breakfast, of which I partook a little. I had now become quite the African in my diet, which agreed with me very well, and I would recommend all travellers to adopt the same plan. When my party were announced to be all ready for the march, we were conducted through the principal market-place, where we found a fine young bull tied to one of the trees. The gay young caboceer here prostrated himself, and after the usual rubbing with dirt, presented me with this bull, which he sent to Abomey by carriers.
During my stay at Savalu the caboceer supplied me with seventy-seven large calabashes of ready-cooked provision, besides plenty of fruit, the principal of which, in use at this season, were the gwaba, pine-apple, oranges, popans, mangoes, and the kidney cachu. The caboceer, before leaving his town, begged me to do him the honour to insert his own and the name of hishead men in my book. I here give them, for they tend to show the names peculiar to different countries:—
Caboceer Bagadee.Head men Agbuzzee.Kootakoo.Naghwoolyaemadah.Dissou.Naghohennah.Agyddymoosee.Agbadyea.Kpwaghooda.Agoyae.Daffo.Bozavee.Kudjo.Koko.Attlah.Athaly.Dakphway.Boka.Vaugh.Kogilee.Lyhoo.Bossou.Gbazoo.Oosa.Atholoo.Mirahoo.Modjekossee.Azamodoko.Jayaloogo.Kudjo 2d.Akyea.Jagadidjee.Yakadya.Caboceer’s Head wife Selamee
The thermometer now ranged from 80° to 73° of Fahrenheit.
It may be well to observe here, that the name of Kudjo is not peculiar to this country, but rather to the Gold Coast, and is only given to those who are born on particular days.
After finishing the above ceremony, we marchedon our journey, bearing W.S.W., crossing the range of Savalu Mountains. The grass, which was very long (being nearly six feet), and hanging across the path, quite wet from the previous night’s rain, soon drenched us as much as a heavy rain would have done, but the sun very soon dried all of us, and perspiration succeeded. At two miles we reached a fine open plain studded with shea butter-trees, now ripe; their fruit was lying in large quantities under the trees.
The direction of the path now changed more southward. Here we passed numbers of ash-trees not different from that of Great Britain, except that they had a rougher bark, with deeper fracture. Journeying a few miles farther, we passed through some thick bush, where we found large quantities of wild grapes hanging in bunches over the path; the vine clinging to various trees, and running from one to another. This grape was of the green tribe, very similar to those which ornament the walls of our cottages in England, but the bunches were not so compact. At eight miles, we crossed the River Zoka, running S.E.with a rapid stream, on account of its being the rainy season. At nine miles we crossed anotherbrook, with excellent water, running in nearly the same direction.
At fourteen miles, we passed some curious shrubs of the same description as I observed in the Fellattah country; although in full vegetation, the leaves were coloured and marked like the feathers of a partridge. There is here also a great variety of the aloe tribe, some of which I found to change their colour and marks by transplanting to a different soil. The wild gwaba is very abundant here, and much larger than in the neighbourhood of Cape Coast. The yellow fig also abounds here as well as the kolla-nut.
At fifteen miles, we again crossed the river Zoka, which at this place runs S.W., twenty yards wide, with rocky bottom. Here we were detained upwards of two hours, in endeavouring to obtain a canoe, but as they are generally kept at a great distance from the paths, it takes several hours to bring them to the place of crossing. In this instance, however, we were totally defeated, for my messengers returned with tidings that the canoe was broken, so that we had no other method of getting across except by swimming. The stream at this place was very rapid, consequentlyI deemed it prudent, not to swim across on horseback, but put on my life-preserver (an American one). Unfortunately it burst, and was of no use to me, but rather entangled me; and I was consequently carried a considerable distance obliquely down the stream. However, I landed safely on some rocks on the opposite side, but in doing so struck my knee against a rock, cutting a portion of skin off as well as bruising it.
My next object was to get my luggage across, now much diminished both in bulk and weight. I caused some poles, which were growing in abundance on the banks, to be cut into lengths and lashed together, in the form of a raft. In a piece of rag torn from the flap of my linen, I tied two bullets, attaching them to the end of a ball of sewing twine, which was loosely placed in a coil to prevent its getting entangled. The two bullets were then attached to a stouter piece of string, about one yard in length, used to sling them across the river. After the bullets were thrown across I pulled the twine over, to which a line of about the substance of a clothes’ line was fixed, the other end of which was fastened to the raft. This was placed on the water a considerabledistance above the landing-place, so as to allow for the current. Two boxes were placed on the raft, and when ready I pulled them across. This method was repeated until the whole of my luggage, as well as that of my officers, was safely landed.
By this time the greater part of my people had swam across also, but my horse still remained. It was also fastened to the end of the raft line and soon crossed the stream, but when it reached the opposite bank, which was nearly perpendicular and the water deep, the poor animal could not obtain a footing. A number of people pulled it by the halter, till the headstall gave way. The poor beast, already considerably exhausted from exertion, now made again for the other side, where it narrowly escaped being carried over a cataract formed of rocks a little below the place of crossing. To my great satisfaction, however, the noble little animal arrived safely on the opposite bank, shook itself, and neighed, looking across as if conscious of its being on the wrong side. The little fellow was again haltered with stronger material, and was launched into the river.
I now placed myself at a part of the bank close to a small creek, where it reached me withoutdifficulty, being lower down the stream. I at once saddled him, and resumed our journey.
I ought to have mentioned the gallant manner in which my caboceer and head men’s wives took the water. They did not even require the raft to carry their luggage across, the whole of which was contained in large gourd calabashes, about two feet and a half diameter. These vessels were guided across with one hand, while the other was used in swimming. Immediately after crossing the river, it commenced raining very heavily, and continued to do so for several hours.
The road was now extremely rough and bad, and the path so narrow and worn by the heavy rains washing away the soil and leaving the rough iron-stone and large roots crossing at short distances, as to render the march extremely fatiguing. Many of my poor fellows had their feet sadly bruised and cut. Having had several attacks of fever, I found myself considerably weaker within the last few days, and the wound on my leg daily enlarged and got in a very bad state. Being compelled to walk during the greater part of the latter end of this day, I felt more fatigued than I had ever done during the whole of mylong journey, though many of them had been much longer. We crossed several glens and brooks, with very steep rocky banks, which no English horse would have even attempted, but so sure-footed are these Badagry horses, that the little fellow scrambled over all without any serious accident. In one instance, while climbing a smooth-surfaced granite rock, it slipped from nearly the top to the bottom, where it crushed one of the holsters and broke a girth, but it remained uninjured; however, it courageously made a second attempt, in which it succeeded.
Owing to the road being so bad, we could make but slow progress; we were consequently benighted, and from the cloudy atmosphere the night was extremely dark. At last I became reckless, and blundered along with little or no caution, over rocks, through water, and over large roots, till about ten o’clock, when we came in sight of the lights of the town of Jallakoo. We had only made twenty-four miles during the whole of this long day. Jallakoo, like Savalu, was without walls or any fence.
After crossing the Savalu mountains, I was againin the original kingdom of Dahomey, Jallakoo being the first Dahoman town in that direction. We were met at the entrance in the principal market-place by the old caboceer and his deputy who transacted all his official affairs. The caboceer was apparently upwards of ninety years of age. This venerable patriarch was determined to receive me with all the usual formality, and I was consequently (although I felt completely exhausted, as well as all my people) requested to dress myself in my uniform, and so enter the town. Fortunately, my appointments (epaulets and helmet) were tolerably clean, and had a very good effect by torch-light. Their torches are made of a very peculiar sort of wood, which when split into strips burns very brightly. These are sometimes smeared with the shea-butter.
After entering the town, we were conducted to an inner market-place, where we again halted to go through all the tedious ceremony of a Dahoman reception. This I could very willingly have dispensed with, for I now began to feel very uncomfortable, my under-clothing being completely saturated with the heavy rain of the afternoon,which had now ceased. I also felt very sensibly an inclination to ague, which was considerably advanced by being put into a new house, the walls and thatch of which were quite green and open on three sides, which were merely borne on wooden pillars, for they had been informed that I did not like close or dark lodgings. I put up the little tent which I had constructed inside of the house; and a bedstead of bamboo with a rush mattress, which made an excellent bed, having been prepared for me, I was placed inside of it, and a strong fire immediately kindled close to me. I then ordered some gruel to be made of native meal, with which I took a strong dose of James’s powder and opium, and in a short time the ague ceased, but was immediately followed by a burning fever with intolerable thirst. I drank about half a pint of water every five minutes, till at last the perspiration became so copious, that I felt almost as wet as when in the rain. After this, I felt much easier, and through the powerful influence of the opium I passed a night of pleasant and happy dreams, which, on awaking, I sincerely regretted I could not realize. The caboceer, however, declared his night had been anything butcomfortable or refreshing, for he said I had been groaning and talking nearly the whole of it, which had much alarmed him. I felt so considerably weakened from the violence of the attack, and from such copious perspiration, and the stupifying effects of the opium, that I was scarcely able to stand on my legs. I rallied, however, and determined to resist as much as possible the powerful influence of the fever, and with a little assistance I walked a few times round the yard, in the centre of which was a fine large spring well, in the solid rock, with excellent water. Of this I took a copious draught, which considerably refreshed me.
In a short time the aged caboceer, Nokoomakay, sent twenty large calabashes, filled with provision, ready cooked for our breakfast; and immediately afterwards his deputy, Adyamee, sent me thirty-two more dishes. They both expressed regret that I should suffer from sickness while in their country, but assured me that nothing should be wanting on the part of their fetish-men and women in making intercession with the great Fetish for my immediate recovery, and also expressed their readiness to supply me with any thing necessary for mycomfort. After this they retired till we should finish our breakfast, when the deputy caboceer again paid me a visit; and though they both knew I was so ill, begged that I would favour them with a visit to the old man’s house in my regimentals and on horseback. Upon remonstrating, I found that my refusal was likely to create dissatisfaction, especially as his messenger arrived to inform me that at a council of fetish-men they had come to the conclusion that I should speedily recover from my present indisposition.
As soon as possible I prepared myself, and proceeded to the court-yard of the old caboceer, which was at some distance off. Having a great many very low doorways to pass through, I was nearly bent double. My horse also with difficulty passed through without his saddle, consequently I was prevented mounting until I arrived at the caboceer’s yard. Here I found the venerable chief seated under the shade of a large cabbage-tree, in readiness to receive us. Upon entering the court-yard, I found all his wives and slaves on their knees, with their hands together and in front of their faces, as if in the attitude of prayer.Upon a given signal, they all clapped their hands three times, then a short pause ensued, and the same clapping of hands was repeated twice more. This is a mode of salutation in Whydah to a superior, as also as in all the Dahoman kingdom, as well as shaking hands, and the cracking of the two second fingers of each hand, joined, in the same manner as cracking the thumb and finger. The old man seemed much interested in seeing my horse saddled, and also with my arms, and the manner of placing them on the saddle to carry them. He next put a great many questions to me respecting white man’s country, and seemed much astonished at my answers.
The town of Jallakoo is situated on a flat-surfaced rock, at the base of a mountain, from which the town takes its name. This is the most picturesque of all the mountains I have yet seen in the Mahee or Dahoman kingdom. One part of it is formed by the largest blocks of granite I ever saw, placed irregularly upon each other: in some respects their position was not unlike Stonehenge. Large cotton-trees in many instances grew between these immenserocks, which support the upper or horizontal ones. In fact, I have never seen any thing so grand and so picturesque as the mountain of Jallakoo. It is also the last we touch upon on our return to Abomey.
Here I made particular inquiry respecting their mode of agriculture, and the sort of grain principally used, as well as what was the most profitable, and its time of ripening. Guinea corn is much used here, as well as several sorts of maize and rice. I was informed that in this country the Guinea corn requires nearly seven moons to ripen, rice five, and maize between four and five months, though at Setta and Paweea I found a smaller sort of Indian corn, which ripens in two and a half and three moons, and also another sort which ripens in four moons. They never consider the utility of selecting any particular sort of seed; but after my return to Abomey, the King, who is a great agriculturist, informed me that the latest corn known will, if planted in the proper season, ripen in less than four moons, and also told me that the time of ripening had in many instances been mistaken, from a want of knowledge, and planting the corn too soon before the rainy season.
We were supplied with plenty of peto during our palaver. Here were several beautiful crown-birds walking about the market-place quite tame. The old caboceer expressed great anxiety to have the names of himself and head men, as well as his principal wive’s name, recorded in my book; and I here give them according to my promise, as follows:—
First Caboceer Nakoomakay.Wife’s name Agbally.Second Caboceer Adyamee.Wife’s name Whendie.
Head men.
Tetay.[19]Atakpa.Bosou.[19]Kudjo.[19]Adamazo.Chigyea.Dakay.Ozee.Mokosa.Wzoto.Tootee.Takpwadda.
After this ceremony I was allowed to depart to my own quarters, where I changed my dress, but had scarcely finished when I was besieged by visitors from all parts of the town, as well as the neighbouring villages, many of whom broughtme provisions ready cooked, and several live animals. One rich merchant, named Sisinau, brought me thirty-two large calabashes of provision, as well as plenty of peto. Many of the fetish-men and women brought me gruels of various compositions, all of which were very palatable, being generally sweetened with wild honey, which is very abundant in the whole of the country traversed in this direction.
In the evening I was again visited by the two caboceers, whom I treated with a flask of rum to distribute amongst his head men. I also gave him a piece of romall (cloth), which I invariably gave the caboceers in whose towns I lodged, as well as some Jew’s harps, and two knives, with some papers of needles and a few thimbles, which were much prized. I then signified my intention to proceed on my journey early next morning, when the old man pressed me much to stop another day. This I certainly would have done, had I not been afraid of being more seriously attacked by fever and ague, as my quarters were very pleasant, and the people extremely kind. A great many visitors came with small presents during the remainder of the evening to inquire after my health, as wellas for the purpose of seeing white man, to all of whom I gave some trifling article in return. The thermometer ranged at Jallakoo from 71° to 80°, Fahrenheit, which, it will be observed, is much colder than on the coast in the coldest season.
FOOTNOTES:[19]The names Tetay, Bosou, and Kudjo, are all common along the coast from Whydah to Cape Coast, and are given from the days of the week on which they are born.
[19]The names Tetay, Bosou, and Kudjo, are all common along the coast from Whydah to Cape Coast, and are given from the days of the week on which they are born.
[19]The names Tetay, Bosou, and Kudjo, are all common along the coast from Whydah to Cape Coast, and are given from the days of the week on which they are born.