Chapter VI

Peculiar Breed of Dogs--The Town of Zabakano--Market Day--Native
Manufactures--Domestic Slaves--Palm Oil--Joleeba, or Niger--Horses
make part of the Family--Pelican Nest--Pigeons--Kindness
of the Gadadoo--Pigeon Shooting--Palaver
with the Gadadoo--Population--Mounted Soldiers--Character
of the Scenery--Grooba--Manufactures--The
Town of Sagbo--Drilling System general here--Two sorts
of Rice--Received by the Gadadoo with great Pomp--Palaver--Dromedary
and Elephant--Prevalent Diseases--The
Town of Jakee--Reception--Ancient Custom--Breakfast of
the Natives--Manufactures--Terror of the Natives--Chalybeate
Springs--The River Jenoo--The Land Tortoise--Interesting Panorama--The
Town of Kallakandi--Reception by the Sheik--Palaver--Band of
Musicians--Peculiar Instruments--Manufactures, &c.--Slave
Market--Horses--Laws--Cruel Punishment--Population--Attack on a
Boa-Constrictor--Manufactures--Deer--Method of Preserving Meat and
Fish--Trap for Wild Animals--Town of Ongo--Reception by the
Caboceer--Interesting Aspect of the Country 136

CHAPTER VII.

Ongo--Weariness of my Attendants--Bivouac--Alarm of my
Horse at the Neighbourhood of Wild Beasts--Terror of the
Natives--Their Kindness--Establishment for Mahomedan
Converts--Singular Custom--My Anxiety to find Terrasso-weea,
who had been present at the Death of Mungo Park--Loss of my
Sand-glass--Its Construction--Adofoodia--The Market-Place--Reception
by the King--Interview with Terrasso-weea--Ceremony of welcoming
me--His Stores--Discovery of an Old Acquaintance--Narrative of his
Adventures--Terrasso-weea’s House--His Wives--Inquire of him
Particulars of the Fate of Mungo Park--His Relation of the Death
of that Intrepid Traveller--Terrasso-weea an Eye Witness of
it--Park’s Property seized by the King--His Despotic Character--Flight
of Terrasso-weea--My Palaver with the King--Hospitality
of the Merchant--Information obtained respecting
Timbuctoo--Market of Adofoodia 163

CHAPTER VIII.

Return to Baffo--Anxiety of my Caboceer--Rejoicings for my
Return--Our March--Fine Plain--Plants--Neutral Ground--Natives
of the Dassa Mountains--Agriculture--The Annagoos,
dangerous Enemies--Poisoned Arrows--Poisonous Plants--Alarm
of my Attendants on my plucking it--Fatal Effects of
this Plant and Dread of it by the Natives--Number of the
Natives Blind, supposed to be the result of it--Unsuccessful
Attack on them by the Dahomans--Spiral Rocks--Hostile
Demeanour of the Natives--They follow us with Menaces--Some
Account of these Mountaineers and of the Dassa Mountains--The
Blue Eagle--Cataracts--Beautiful Plain--One
of my Cases of Rum broken by a Carrier--Twisted Marble of Variegated
Colours--Path covered with Pepper-trees--Monkeys--Logazohy--Mayho’s
Town--The Caboceer--The Merchants--Their Names--Carelessness with
respect to Fire--Visit of the Caboceer 190

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 210

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 229

CHAPTER XI.

My continued Illness--The Koffo--The Langhbo--Bivouac--Keep
Sentinel--Shea-butter Trees--Springs impregnated with
Iron--Gijah--Poverty of the Caboceer--Hospitality of Atihoh,
the Merchant--Doko--Met by the Avoga of Whydah--Etiquette
with regard to the Time of entering a Town--Enter
Abomey--My Servant Maurice takes to his Bed--Sudden
Change in the Temperature--Visit to the King--His Gratification
at my safe Return--My Conversation with his Majesty--His Views with
regard to the Slave Trade--His Desire to cede Whydah to the English
Government--Dictates a Letter to me to that effect--His costly
Tobes--Singular Piece of Patch-Work 253