PERKINS LIBRARY
Dulce University
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I
A
COLLECTION
O F
Voyages and Travels^
SOME
Now firft Printed from Original Manufcript:
OTHERS
Now Firft Publiftied in E n g l i s Ho
In Six VOLUMES.
With a General Preface, giving an Account of the
Progrefs of Navigation, from its firft Beginning.
Illuftrated with a great Number of ufeful Maps and Cuts,
Curioufly Engraven.
V O L. V-
L O N D O N
Printed by Afiignment from Meff" Churchi ll,
For John Walthoe, over-againft the Royal-Exchange^ in Cornhill', Tho. WoTton,
at the ^een's-Head and Three Daggers over-againft St. Dunjian's Church, in Fleet-fireet j
Samuel Birt, in Ave- Mary-Lane, Ludgate-fireet •, Daniel Browne, at the Black-
Swan, without Temple- Bar ', Thomas Osborn, in Gray^s-rnnt, John Shuckburgh,
at the next the Inner-Teniple-Gate, \n Fleetftreet ; and Henry Lintot, at the
Crofs'Kep, againft St. I>««/ -'i^ f^jl
2
The IntroduBory Difcourfe.
not only among themfelves, but in feveral
parts cA' Afia, where they are ftill call'd
Cbufeans. Egypt^ call'd Mefre from another
fon of Cham^ who bore tliat name, is ftill
knov/n by it. Befides thefe, fcarce any will
be found that have names of fuch antiquity,
nor does it belong to this work to enquire
fo niceljr into the original of thofe countries.
Let it fiiffice that the pofberity of Cba7?i firft
peopled Afriea, Of which we are now to
fpeak.
The Egyptian kings were the firft we have
any account of in that part of the world,
and of them the fcripture makes mention ;
and Jofephus^ Herodotus., Diodorus Siculus.,
and others have writ much. The next great
ftate we find there, was the commonwealth
of Carthage., which was very potent ; and
the kings of Numidia were alfo confiderable
in thofe days but both theaforefaid king-
doms and the commonwealth were fubdu'd
by the Ro7nansy and continu'd fubjeft to the
emperors till the fifch century, v/hen Genfe-
?-icus, king of the Vandals^ pafs'd over out
of Spain into Africa^ and there laid the
foundation of the kingdom of the Vandals ;
which continu'd till the year 534, when the
renown'd general Belifarius recover'd that
country from Gilimer the fixth and laft king
of thofe people.
In the year 647, the Arabs, call'd Aga-
renians and Saracens, being Mahometans,
enter'd Africa, from Arabia Felix, in the
reign of the emperor Honorius, and fill'd it
with their race and fedl. The 'Turks have
fince made themfelves abfolute mafters of
Egjpt, and a great part of Barhary is tribu-
tary to them. The kings of Spain and Por-
tugal have pofifefs'd themfelves of feveral
towns along the coaft, fome of which they
ftill hold. But this relates only to the nor-
thern part of Africa, lying along the Medi-
terranean ; the fouthern parts were but lit-
tle, or not at all known to the ancients. Let
us proceed to the defcription.
Two thirds of Africa lying under the tor-
rid zone, the heats are there very violent,
and they are increas'd by the nature of the
country ; for moft of the middle parts being
fandy, the rcfledion of the fun makes them
the more infupportable. All thofe vaft fan-
dy regions are little inhabited, as fcarce pro-
ducing any thing for the fupport of life,
nor affording water. Befides, where the fand
affords any thing for living creatures to fub-
iift on, it fwarms with multitudes of rave-
nous wild beafts, aslions, leopards, tygers,
panthers, ounces, wildcats, and prodigious
venomous ferpents, and the waters are full
of crocodiles. There are alfo camels, dro-
medaries, buffaloes, horfes, affes, and ma-
ny other forts of creatures.
In the more fertile parts, the cattle are
large and fit j in the barren, poor and fmall.
2
There is great variety of excellent fruit and
plants, fome very wholefome, and others
of a poifonous nature ; of which latter fort
the Adad is fingular, for one dram of it is
immediate death. In feveral parts there are
mines of gold, filver, copper, tin, iron,
cryftal, fait, and quarries of marble and
other forts of ftone. Of all the regions of
Africa, Barbary is the beft and moft conve-
nient to live in^ tho' Egypt and Ethiopia are
more renowned. Barbary is not only the
beft", but the moft populous part of Africa
as moft properly fituated for trade, and
abounding in corn. It is that part, which
lies all along the Mediterranean from the
Ocean to Egypt, and contains the ancient
Maiiritania, Africa properly fo called, and
part of Lybia. At prefent there are in it the
kingdoms of Fex and Morocco, on the weft ;
and to the eaftward of them, Trejnejfen,
'■funis, Algier, 'Tripoli, and Barca.
The moft confiderable rivers in Africa are,
the Nde, the Niger, and the Zaire ; of which
two laft, I lliall have occafion to fpeak in
the defcription of Nigritia, or the Lower-
Ethiopia.
I will not enter upon the feveral divifions
of Africa, in the time of the Romans, and
of Ptolemy, who liv'd at Alexandria in
Egypt, in the fecond century •, for then very
little of the interior part of it was known,
as appears by the many fabulous accounts of
itfet forth by authors of thofe times, fofull
of abfurdities, that they are not worth taking
notice of. Ptole?ny goes no farther than
24 degrees of fouth latitude along the coaft,
where he places his Prajfum Prornontorium,
now call'd caps Corrientes, in the province
of Chicanga, fouth of Sofala but fays no-
thing of it farther fouthward, either on the
eaft- or weft fides, being fully perfuaded that
the inhabitants beyond that were utterly fa-
vage and inhuman, and therefore call'd
them Anthropophagi Ethiopes, that is, man-
eating Ethiopians. About the year i486,
Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguefe, failed round
the cape of Good-Hope, and by that means
made us fully acquainted with the utmoft
extent of Africa.
Several geographers much more modern
than Ptolemy knew little more of that part
of the world and John Leo Africanus, who
lived in the year 1526, notwithftanding the
great care he pretends to have taken, did
not fucceed in his divifion \ for he makes
but four parts, which are Barbary, Numi-
dia or Biledulgerid, Lybia, and Nigritia,
by the Arabs call'd Beled Ala Abid.
One of the beft modern general divifions
of Africa, k that which makes four parts of
it, viz. the countries of the Whites, wherein
are comprehended Egypt, Barbary, Numi-
dia or Biledulgerid, and Zahara, or the De-
ferts. Secondly, the country of the Blacks,
or
- The IntrodtiBory Difcourfe.
or Nigritia^\n'w\\\ch.zrtGuineay Nubia, and trade, fo that every man may have fpare
part of the Wefiern Ethiopia. Thirdly, Ethio- hours to make his remarks, and write them
fia properly fo call'd, which may be fubdi- down as they occur all which may be after-
vided into the Upper and the Lower % which wards tranfcrib'd during the paffage from
laft contains Congo, Monomotapa, Cafreria, one continent to the other, for that com-
and Zanquebar. The fourth part confifts of monly lafts two months, and fometimes
the iflands lying about Africa, in the Red longer and two or three hours every day
Sea, the Ocean, and the Mediterranean. may be better employed that way, than in
Thus much may fuffice concerning Africa drinking, gaming, or other idle diverfions
in general, it being foreign from the fubjed too frequently ufed.
in hand to treat any more fully of it, there It is not always incapacity that obftrufls
being many accounts in feveral languages the making of fuchobfervations, but rather
extant, which the curious reader may con- a flothful difpolition for there are men
fult. I proceed to that which makes more enough of fo much fenfe and judgment, as
to my purpofe. to be able to give a rational account of v/hat
It will not be improper, before I enter up- they fee and hear, and to diftinguifh between
on the defcription of that part of Africa com- what is, and what is not worth their noting
monly call'd Guinea, to give fome account down, efpecially when they have had any
of the etymology of that nanie, and of the liberal education. Perhaps there are not
fituation, extent and limits of the country, many fuch, that will expofe themfelves to
for the better information of fuch as are un- the dangers and fatigues of fuch voyages:
acquainted therewith j having obferv'd, that but if they could conceive how great a fatif-
very few writers have taken upon them to fa£lion it is to fee remote and ftrange coun-
ftate thofe things right, and that not one tries, and to obferve the various ettefts of
traveller I have met v/ith has been carefulin nature in them, their number would cer-
thefe particulars. And it is a great misfor- tainly be much greater, and they would
tune that among fuch a multitude of men as chearfully expofe themfelves for the pleafure
have been employ'd in voyages to Guinea, of contemplating the glorious effedls of pro-
and refiding there, fmce navigation has been vidence, and the reputation of tranfmitting
brought CO the prefent perfedion, fo few fuch works topofterity. For my own part,
have been curious to make proper remarks I muft own I have often lamented my misfor-
and obf;rvations of what might be found en- tune, of not having been brought up to
tertaining and ufeful. learning, which difables me from delivering
This defedt is fo univerfal, that I have what I have obferv'd in Guinea and America^
known many, and among them fome who in fo good a method, and with fuch elegancy
have had good education, yet after feveral of ftyle, as might be expedled efpecially
voyages made to Guinea, or refiding there writing in a language which is not natural
many years, could fcarce give any tolerable to me. The only fatisfadion I have, is, that
account of thofe parts, but only in general, my pencil has made fome amends for the
and after a very confus'd manner ; nor were defeds of my pen and want of literature,
they provided with any printed accounts of which encourag'd me to prefent my readers
thofe countries, to compare their own parti- with fo many cuts as are contained in this
cular obfervations with them. book, all the draughts being taken by me
This omiflion, I am of opinion, proceeds upon the fpot. Another inducement was,
from the opinion generally conceiv'd, that that I obferv'd the beft accounts we have of
Guinea and America are already fo well Guinea, are all deficient in this particular of
known, that it is not worth their trouble to good cuts for without refleding upon any
make any farther obfervations, than what perfon whatfoever, I muft affirm that what
have been already publifh'd in feveral Ian- has hitherto been made pubhck of this fort,
guages ; never confidering, that countries is nothing exad, or to be depended on :
of fuch a vaft extent daily afford matter of and for thofe I here prefent the world, I can
new difcoveries, and that it is impofTible for fafely proteft, they are exad and lively repre-
thofc who have writ already, tho' ever fo fentations of the things themfelves, as near
capable and indefatigable, to have feen and as my skill could reach,
found out all things. To come now to the fubjed in hand, 'uiz.
This being granted, any man may juftly the etymology of the name of Guinea, being
conclude there is ftill room enough for his a confiderable part of the country of the
remarks, among fo great a diverfity of Blach lying along the fea-coaft : It is un-
people and nations as are contain'd in fuch a queftionably deriv'd from that of Genehoa,
vaft tracl of land. Befides, there is fcarce another province of Nigritia, or the country
any other voyage that will afford a man of xht Blacks, lying betwixt that of G«^?/fl^i?,
more leifure to obferve and write, whether which is on the north of it, and the river
he goes only on a trading voyage, orrefides Senega on the fouth ; along the north fide
there i becaufe there is not always a brisk of which river, this province of Genehoa.
extends
The IntrodiiBory Difcourfe.
extends above eighty leagues up the country
eaftward.
The natives of this country call it Geunii,
or Gemi, ancient geographers Mandori^ and
the African merchants and Arabs^ Gheneva
and Genehoa ; from which, the firft Portu-
guefe difcoverers corruptly came to name it
Guinea^ or, as they pronounce it, Guine\
which appellation they gave to all the coun-
tries they fucceffively difcovered from the
river Senega to that of Camarones, which
laft is in the gulph of Guinea : and many
have fince extended this name of Guinea to
the country ftill fouthward, as far as cape
Lope Gonzalez •, and others beyond Renguela,
which is to the fouthward of Angola, as far
as cape Negro, in i6 degrees of fouth lati-
tude.
Little or nothing of thefe countries having
been known in former ages, modern geogra-
phers have been obliged, in this and many
other particulars, to take up blindly with
whatfoever accounts travellers could give of
thofe parts ; and accordingly, after the ex-
ample of the Portuguefe, applied the name
of Guinea to all the above-mentioned coun-
tries. Antient geography could not afford
them much light in this particular j yec
Ptolemy, in the fecond century, fays con-
cerning the name of Guinea, that it is a word
of the country, and fignifies hot and dry,
to denote the temperature of the climate, as
being in the torrid zone. The fame author
places in thofe countries the people Rerorci,
LevejEthiopes, Aphricerones, Derbici, and
others fucceffively : and in one of his eight
books of geography, where he treats oi Ni-
gritia and Guinea, he places the Sophucai
jEthiopes betwixt Sierra Leona and Rio
Grande ; the AngangincBjEthiopes from Sierra
Leona to cape Pahnas, and the Perorft far-
ther inland than the others. Both Nigritia
and Guinea are there indifferently laid down
under the denomination of NigritarumRegio,
Hence may be deduced, that the name of
Guinea has been impofed on thofe countries
only by Europeans; for the inhabitants of all
that traft of land from the river Senega down
to cape Lope, and even as far as cape Negro,
are perfeft ftrangers to it, none of them
knowing what is meant by the name of Gui-
nea, except fome few at the Gold Coajl, who
have been taught it by the Europeans refi-
ding among them.
This being fuppofed, it is alfo very pro-
bable that thefe vafl countries were after-
wards, for the fake of method, fubdivided
into diflinft parts, by geographers, as they
gain'd farther knowledge of them in procefs
of time for the natives know nothing of
geography, nor fo much as writing, as fhali
be hereafter obferv'd in its proper place.
The beft divifion of it, made by our mo-
dern geographers, is, into three parts, viz.
Nigritia, Guinea properly fo cali'd, and
iht Lower Ethiopia ; but fea-faringmen, who
are not commonly confin'd to methods, give
arbitrary names to thefe feveral countries.
The Portuguefe,-w\\o feem with mod right
to claim the firft difcovery thereof, divide it
only into two parts,the Upper 3.nd thcLower
Guinea ; the upper, that which is on this
fide the equator, and the other that beyond
it, as far as cape Negro abovemention'd.
The Englijlj and Dutch differ very much
in their defcriptions of Guinea, tho' they
agree in the name. The former commonly
make North Guinea to begin at the river
Gambia, and extend it no farther fouthward
than to cape Pahnas, in four degrees of north
latitude : and from the faid cape to that of
cape Gonzalez, in one degree of fouth lati-
tude, they reckon all the intermediate fpace
South Guinea,
The Dutch, by North Guinea, generally
mean all the country from cape Branca,
near Arguim, to the river of Sierra Leona ;
and from that river to cape Lope they reckon
South Guinea, dividing it into feveral fedlions
or parts, as the Greyn Kuft, the nd Kuft,
the §luaqua Kuft, the Goude Kufty the Slave
Kuft, the Benin Kuft, and the Biofara Kuft,
being the fame names us'd by the Engliftj,
at the end of which laft is cape Lope. Thefe
again are fubdivided into fmaller parts,
which I fhall mention in the defcription.
The French alfo greatly differ from one
another in this refped: and moft of them do
not reckon the countries lying from the Se-
nega to Sierra Leona River, nay, even to
Cabomonte beyond it, foutherly, as a por-
tion of what they call Guinea ; but diflin-
guifh each country in particular by the name
of the inhabitants thereof on the fea-fide, or
by that of the places they trade at, as Se-
7iega, Caboverde, Goeree, Rio Frefto, Porto
All, Gambia Bijfegos, and Sierra Leona %
but reckon the beginning of Guinea propria
from Cabomonte, and fo down to Camarones
river aforefaid, and fome of them as far as
cape Lope.
Antient and modern geographers are alfo
at variance among themfelves on this head ;
for which reafon it is difficult to determine
who is in the right. It is needlefs to perplex
the reader with their feveral opinions as to
the fituation, limits and extent of this part
of Africa-, it fhall fufHce to fay, that among
the French authors, Rohbe and Martineau du
Plejfis, the moft m.odern geographers of that
nation, have of late publifh'd each a large
volume of geography, efteemed by the
French the beft and moft accurate of all
others wherein they pretend to have cor-
refted Sanfon, Duval, Baudrand and others.
Thefe two I'eem to me to have the beft
method of divifion, of which I fhall fpeak
anon ; for as to authors of very antient date,
: as
^ The IntYoduBory Difcourfe.
is Mannol artd others, who have writ con-
' cerning Guinea propria, there is no relying
on what they have faid as to this point ; nor
ought we to be furpriz'd at the many mi-
ftakes and wrong notions we find in their ac-
counts, if we do but confider how little
knowledge the world had of that country in
their time. Marmol^ who otherwife is very
commendable for his account of Morocco.,
^rmeffen, I'arudafit, Fez, and as
having been there a captive for the fpace of
feven years or more, and underftanding the
Arabic and African language, as he declares
in his preface ; fo that Mr. d'Ablancourt
judg'd it worth his pains to tranQate him in-
to French out of Spanifh •, in what concerns
Guinea., is very defective, himfelf owning he
he was never in Guinea, but only travelled
the Defarts of Lybia from Bar bar y, to a place
caird Aceqiiia Elha?nara, on the confines of
Genehoa, which he calls Guinea, with Cberiff
Mahomet, when he fubdued the weftern pro-
vinces of Africa. This author, I fay,
places the coaft of Maleguetet^^ of the Gold
Coaft, tho' it is above a hundred leagues to
the weftward of it. And what is yet more in
Marmol, it appears that he has almoft every
where copy'd John Leo Africanus, a native
of Granada, who after it was taken by king
Ferdinand of Spain, in 1491, retired intoy^ri-
CiZ, where he compos'd his defcription of thofe
countries inArabic, and out of it Marmol did
compile the beft part of his own defcription
of Africa, without naming him any where.
To return to the moft natural divifion of
the country of the Blacks in Africa ; the
modern authors above-named, make three
fedlions thereof, viz. Nigritia, Guinea, and
Ethiopia and this laft they fubdivide into
the Upper and the Lower or IVeftern Ethiopia
GvAbyJfinia, and fay, after other geographers
of more antient date than themfelves, that
thefe countries were commonly call'd Nigri-
tia from their antient inhabitants, the Ni-
gritcB which name the antients took from
their black colour, or from the foil, which in
fome parts is burnt by the exceffive heats of
the fun, and which they thought did fo
Ijlacken them.
L.f.c. I. alledges hereupon, Suetonius Pau-
Unus, whom I knew, fays he, in his con-
fulfliip, and who was the firft of the Romans
that march'd fome miles beyond Mount- At-
las, of whofe height he gives much the fame
account as others have done, that in about
ten days march he got thither, and further
up the country to a river cailM Niger^ thro'
defarts of black duft, and places uninhabi-
table, by reafon of the excefllve heat ; the
rocks feeming to be almoft burnt up, tho'
this expedition was in the winter.
L.j-.c.j. The fame author fays, the defarts of
Africa which are beyond the lefler Syrtis
Pbazania, now call'd the kingdom of Pba-
Vol. Vo
zan, were fubdued ; where we took the two
cities of Phazani, calPd Alele and Cil-
laba : all was conquer'd by the vidorious
arms of the Romans, for w'hich Corn. Balbus
triumphed. Both cities lay in near 28 de-
grees of north latitude^ and 33 of eaft lon-
gitude, from the firft meridian according
to Ptolemy, betwixt the country of the Ga~
ramantes on the north, and the defart of
Lybia interior on the fouth, almoft fouth of
Tunis, formerly Carthage, according to Mr.
de VIfle\ new map of Africa.
The royal focieties of London and Paris
hare admitted of the Portuguefe divifion of
Guinea into Upper and Lower, reckoning the
former to extend from cape Ledo or Tagrim
to cape Lope and the latter from cape Lope
to about Cabo Ntgro.
To fay fomething in particular of thefd
refpedive parts of Africa, Nigritia, Guinea^
and Ethiopia.
N' Jgritia, or Negroland, lies bet\Veen 8 and
23 degrees of north latitude, and from
3 to 44 degrees of longitude, from the meri-
dian of Ferro : thus it extends eight hundred
French leagues in length, from eaft to weft,
and near three hundred in breath.
It is bounded on the north and eaft by
Zahara-, on the fouth by Guinea propria,
and Biafara ; this being part of the Lower
or Wefiern Ethiopia \ and on the weft by the
Atlantick or Wefiern Ocean ^
That country is commonly fubdivided in-
to two parts the one which lies north of
the Niger and Gambia Rivers ; the othef
fouth of them : thofe two parts containing
eighteen kingdoms, befides fome other ter-
ritories about them.
The Northern Nigritia, according to the
beft accounts printed at London and Paris,
contains ten kingdoms, and fome other
ftates, viz. Gualata and Genehoa on the
Ocean, eaftward ; Tombut, Agadez, Cano,
Caffena or Ghana, Zegzeg, Zanfara or Pba-
ran, Bornou, and Gaoga or Kaugha, and the
country of Zaghara and betwixt the Senega
and Gambia rivers are the kingdoms of the
fame names, and thofe of Gelofes, with the
Sereres and Barbecins.
All thefe countries in general are popu-
lous, and very woody ; and the foil, tho*
fandy, would produce great ftore of Indian
wheat and miller, if the inhabitants took
better care to cultivate it. The air is very
hot, but fo wholefome, that it recovers fick
people. The foil produces rice, flax an4
cotton % and there are mines of gold and fij-
ver, as alfo ambergris, honey, and fruit-
trees, efpecially palm-trees, which afforcj
them wine. The natives, in fome parts,
value Copper above Gold ; but want the skill
of fpinning their flax. The earth is more
fertile than in other regions of Africa^ not
C o«Iy
i
The Introdu&ory Difcourfe.
only becaufe it is lefs fandy, but chiefly be-
caufe of the overflowing of xht Niger, for
forty days together, yearly, from the middle
of Ju7ie, to the latter end of July following,
as I fhall obferve in a particular chapter in
the foUowmg defcription. This river, like
the Nile, leaves after its overflowing a cer-
tain flime which flittens the earth, efpecially
in pafture-ground. It traverfes Nigritia,
from eaft towefb, for above eight hundred
leagues •, but towards the weft it divides into
five or fix branches, each of which has a
d liferent name, viz. Senega, Gambia, Rio
de St. Domingo, Rio Grande, Rio Rha, and
fome add Rio deSafi Juan ; of this more in
the defcription.
' The Southern Nigritia contains eight king-
doms, befidesfeveral other territories. The
kingdoms, to reckon them from eaft to weft,
are, Medra, Ovangara, and Duma, fouth
of the latter, being xh^Defarts o'l Sen: then
Temian, Bito, Guber, Gago, and the coun-
try of Meczara, with the great kingdom of
Mandinga or SoJ^go, and the countries of the
Malincopes, Sarcolles, Fargots, Galam, and
Cantorfy or Cantozy. The other nations are
the Cajangas, and the Bifegos, the former in-
/'Hhabiting between the rivers Gatnbia and
St. Donwjgo, the others betwixt the latter and
ihe Niger ; as do alfo the Soufos and Biafares.
Moft of the faid kingdoms are fubdivided
into many fmaller, fo little known to us,
that it is not worth while to fearch after
their names, v/hich are fo ftrange, that they
are not to be underftood.
Thefe kingdoms of North and South Gui-
nea have each of them their refpedlive capital
towns, of the fame name with the country
wherein they are fituated : but the metro-
polis oi Tombut, is the moft renowned of
them all ; it is very large, and mighty po-
pulous. Next to thi;. thofe of Mandinga
and Cano are reckoned confiderable. The
city of Mandinga lies on the fouthern fide of
the Niger.
The Natives of Nigritia are lefs favage
than the people of Barbary and Biledulgerid :
They are very ignorant, grofs, and lazy
they admire a man that knows fomething,
and cherifti ftrangers. Moft of them deal
in flaves, which they take of their neigh-
bours ; and fome fell their wives and chil-
dren to the Europeans, as I fhall hereafter
obferve in the following memoirs of Guinea.
All the kings of Nigritia are abfolute in
their dominions, and yet moft of them are
tributaries to him of Tonbut, as the moft
puiflant; and next to him in power, are
thofe Mandinga and of Cano, before-men-
tioned. They are all either loofe Mahome-
tans, or idolaters, inveterate enemies to the
Jews.
Thofe of the Defarts live v^ithoutany re-
ligion ; and what few Chriftiam are among
them, are very imperfedtly initiated ingo^el-
.precepts. . ..
Of Guinea^Propriaj or South--
Guinea.
THIS country is the fouthern part of
Negroland, and formerly depended on
it. It is not half fo broad, but far more po-
pulous, as lying more to the fea. Its boun-
dary on the north is Nigritia ; on the eaft
Biafara, or the Wejlern Ethiopia, which Dig
PleJJis calls North Congo j but I fear he mi-
ftakes: on the fouth, the Ethiopick Ocean i
and on the weft, being there of a circular
form, it is wafh'd by both the Ethiopick and
the Atlantick Ocean ; this latter ending about
cape at Sierra Leona^^ where it takes
the name of Ethiopich Tht Atlantick Ocean
derives its name from Mount Atlas in Bile-
dulgerid, which reaches almoft to it, and
bears that name as far as the cape Finijlerre
in Galicia, among fome geographers but I
believe it ought not to be extended farther
to the northward than cape S, Vincent in Al"
garve.
Guinea lies betwixt 4 and 12 degrees of
north latitude-, and from 9 to 3 8 degrees of
longitude : fo that it is about five hundred
and fifty leagues in length, and one hundred
and forty in its greateft breadth, and fixty in
the leaft, about Ric Fermofo^ or Benin River ^
Rohhe fays, the French difcover'd Guinea be-
fore any other European nations, in 1346,
But fincehe produces no manner of autho-
rity for his affertion, and none of the French
hiftorians mention any thing of it in their
hiftories, the notion feems to be ill groun-
ded ; of which, more hereaften
The fituation of Guinea, near theEquaior^
renders the air fcorching hot 1 which, with
the frequent heavy rains they have, makes ic
very unwholefome, efpecially £0 foreigners..
The earth is water'd, befides the rains, hj
feveral little rivers, which fertilize it 1 fo
that in fome parts of it, they have properly
two fummersand two winters °, the latter not
very fevere, as confifting only of continual
rains, which occafion the unhealthinefs above-
mentioned, but fatten the ground, and make
it fit to produce, as it does, great quanti-
ties of rice, Guinea pepper, Indian wheat,
and fome fugar-canes, {Du Plejjis adds bar-
ley, but I never heard of any fuch com
there) cotton, millet, and many forts of
grain and fruits peculiar to that countryo
It has alfo gold mines, elephants, cattlcg
leopards, tygers, wild boars, goats, fheeps
hogs, monkeys, apes very nimble and
fportful •, befides great numbers of birds of
various forts, and poultry very fmall. The
fea abounds in divers kinds of lifh, great and
fmall I of all which things I ihall give a
particular
' - The IntroduBory Difcourfe.
particular defcription in this volume, at
their proper places.
The principal rivers are thofe of Mitomba.
or Sierra Leona, SI:^rbro, Phzoge, Sejlro,
St. Andrews t Siveiro da Cofta^ Mancu, Volta^
Lagos, Fermofo, New Calabar^ Old Calabar^
Rio del Rey, and Camarones ; this laft fepa-
rating Guinea from Biafara.
Guinea is again fubdivided into three prin-
cipal parts, viz, the vveftern, middle, and
eaftern : the weftern part is the coaft of
Matteguettei the middle, Guinea propria,
that comprehending the Ivory, the ^aqua,
the Gold, and the Slave Coajis ; the eaftern,
Benin, and the coaft from cape Fertnofo to
Rio Caynarones ; of all which I fliall fpeak
in time and place.
All thefe countries are govern'd by kings,
and other fovereigns ; but it is a miftake in
Robbe and other authors, to fuppofe an em-
peror of Guinea, as they do, who has fub-
dued and made tributaries moft of the other
powers, reducing their countries and terri-
tories into one fole mighty kingdom, which
they call Guinea. This fhall be more parti-
cularly cleared hereafter ; for the very name
of Guinea is not fo much as known to the na-
tives, as I have already obferv'd and this
imaginary Guinean monarchy, was never
heard of there, nor elfewhere in Africa
and this defcription will ftiow what great
numbers of petty kings and commonwealths
there are in .it, all or moft of them indepen-
dent and arbitrary.
As to the manners of the Guineans, their
trade, government, religious worfliip, &c.
thofe will be treated of in the defcription
and the fupplement, to which I refer.
Of the Lower or Inferior
Ethio p I a. , ,
BEtwixt Guinea and Congo are feveral ter-
ritories, which fome antient authors
comprehendedjtogether '^\t\iGuinea propria,
in Nigritia i but the modern, with morerea-
fon, account them all as a part of Ethiopia
exterior. Generally thofe countries are fub-
divided into three parts, viz. the kingdoms
Biafara, Gabon, cape Lope Gonzalez, as
the chiefeft ; and extending from north to
fouth their coafts, with thofe of Ouzverre^
Callabar, and Bel Rey, forming the gulph
of Guinea, by the antients call'd jEthiopicus
finus intimus, and now by the Englifo mari-
ners the Bight of Guinea, The other petty
kingdoms adjoining to the three above-
named, are Medra, Capon, and Catombo
or Cajumbo and next the fouth fide of cape
Lope, the territories of Co7mna, Goby, and
Sette, which are properly commonwealths.
After them, ftill to the fouthward, lies the
kingdom of Loango^ by Pigafeta call'd Bra-
?nas, beginning below cape St, Catharine ;
then thofe of Cacongo, Bomangoy, Congo,
Angola or Dongo, and Benguela.
To the eaftward of all thefe countries, lie
the vaft territories of the Anzicains and the
Jagos, two populous, but very barbarous
wild nations, and man-eaters-, which are yer
fubdivided into feveral tribes and colonies,
under different denominations. All thefe
kingdoms and territories above-mention'dj
with xho^Q of Bungo, Macoco, Giringrombra,
and Mujac, nations inhabiting eaftward of
the former, do all together conftitute what
geogi-aphers call the Lower, or JVejlern, Ex-
terior Ethiopia.
This name of Ethiopia is Greek, and fig-
nifies a country of Blacks ; but the ancients
more particularly adapted it to the country
of the Abyffinei, above any other •, and the
Europeans have followed them therein, till
this time, calling all thefe vaft countries by
the name of Ethiopia in general : but the
Ethiopians themfelves know nothing of any
fuch name.
Some authors derive this name from
Ethiops the fon of Vulcan ; or fi'om the Greek
word Aitho, I burn, as Pliny does.
Ethiopia interior comprehends Abyffinia or
the empire of the Abyffines, and Woia^
which is to the northward of it.
Ethiopia exterior comprehends the king-
dom of Biafara, with the others I have
named above, that join to it about the gulph
and cape Lope as Loango, Cacongo, Angola^
and Benguela, lying on the fea : as alfo the
countries of the Anzicains and the Jagos in-
land and next to the others eaftward, the
coafts of Mat am an and the C a/res, the em-
pires of Mono)7iotapa and Monoemugi, and the
coafts of Zanguebar, of Ajan, and of AbeX,
on the eaft fide ; thefe laft at prefent under
the dominion of the Turks.
This region of Ethiopia, in former times
much larger, is now confin'd between 45 and
74 degrees of longitude •, and betwixt tb^
14th degree of fouth and the 16th degree of
north latitude. Its boundaries on the north
are Nubia and Egypt ; on the eaft the Red-
Sea ; on the fouth the Monoemugi and Ca^
freria ; and on the weft the countries of
Congo, Biafara, and the Jagos, otherwife
named Giacques ; and is feven hundred
leagues in length from north to fouth, and
five hundred from eaft to weft.
This is to be underftood of the country,
which has gone under the name of Abyfftmst
or Ethiopia interior ; but not of that which
is now fubje£t to the emperor of Abyffmia,
by fome call'd the Great Negus and Prefer
John, whofe dominions never extended fo
far, and have fince the year 1 537, been re-
duced into much narrower bounds than they
were before, by the invafions of the Galas
and other barbarous African nations up the
inland.
The IntroduBorj Difcourfe.
inland, and the conquefts of the ^urks^ who
have fubdu'd all the fea-coafts fo that the
emperor of Ethiopia has not now one fea-
port town left him, or any better defence
than his inacceflible mountains.
The people of JbyJJinia, like all the E(bi-
opia>i5, are very tawny in fome places, and
in others very black, as they dwell farther
from, or nearer to t\\eEqmlor,buz handfomer
than the Blacks of Nigritia and Guinea.
They are witty, affable, and charitable to
ftrangers ; but on the other hand, very flo-
venly, lazy, and improvident. They are
alfo loyal to their princes, and religious to
fuperftition ; boafting that they have been
inlfruded in the true religion of God, by
two of their former queens, Mncqueda and
Candace. The firft they pretend was that
queen of Saba or Sheba^ who brought them
the Mofaical Law from Judea, in which fhe
had been inftrudled by king Solomon \ and
the fecond taught them the myfteries of the
Chriftian Faith. As to the latter, 'tis not
improbable that the Eunuch of Candace^
baptiz'd by Thilip the deacon, converted
them i and after him, St. 'Thomas and St.
Matthew the Apoftles ; and they have to
this time kept chriftianity among tliem,
with this difference, that they have em-
braced the errors of Eutyches^ and of Diofco-
riis ; and have ftill their metropolitan, call'd
there Ahuna., who is fubjeft to the patriarch
of the Cophties, who ufually refides at Grand
Cairo, with the quality of patriarch of Alex-
andria,
The kings of Abyjfinia ufually keep their
court in the open fields ; and either in peace
or war their camp is, as it were, the capital
of the kingdom, and takes up a vaft fpace
of ground •, for the number of futtlers and
other people following the army, is twice as
great as that of the foldiery. The king and
queen, with their whole houfhold, always
go along with the army to war and are ac-
company'd by all the lords and ladies of the
court: and all people, except handy-crafts
and husbandmen are obliged to take up
arms, and join the regular forces upon occa-
fion, becaufe thofe do not make up above
35000 foot and 5000 horfe. The tents of
the camp are ranged with fo much order,
that they form a large city and fine ilreets.
The emperor's tents (land in the middle of
the camp, with two others which ferve for
churches. At fome diflance are thofe of the
emprefs, and the ladies, the great lords, the
general officers of the army, and the inferior ;
making together above 6000 tents, befides
thofe of the foldiery.
The emperor fometimes removes every
year, and fometimes fixes his refidence fe-
veral years together in the fame place. He
commonly encamps betwixt Ambamarian,
JDehfan^ and Dancas, about the lake of Dem-
hea, in the province of that name, Thefe
princes boaft they are defcended from the
race of the king and prophet D^z^'i^.
The people are generally clad in cotton
or filk, according to their ability j and fome-
fimes, in skins drefs'd like chamoy. They
eat flefli half, and fome quite raw,' All the
priefts and religious men continually carry a
crofs in their hand as they go about the
flreets or elfewhere. Some of the priefts
are married, but never a fecond time.
They circumcife children, the males for-
ty, the females fixty days after they are bornj
which is always perform'd on a Saturday or
Sunday^ being the days on which they cele-
brate Mafs, and then baptize them after
which, the priefl gives the communion to
thefe new-born babes, and immediately their
mothers feed them with pap, to help them
to fwallow the particles of the Hoji put into
their mouth.
The Jefuiis formerly converted fome em-
perors there to the Roman catholick reli-
gion, as alfo the then patriarch j but they
were afterward expell'd : fince which time,
many Capucins have been there, and made
fome progrefs , but the far greateft number
are fchifmaticks.
As for other particulars of this empire, as
the plants, animals, rivers, and mountains^
and the manners and cuftoms of the inha-
bitants, I refer the curious reader to the
travels of the J efuits z« Ethiopia, written by
Balthazar Tellez 1 and to be found in Eng-
UJJj in the quarto colledlion of travels in two
volumes : that being the account given by
the feveral Jtfuiis-, who refided there many
years \ and firft difcovered the true fource of
the Ktk, being eye-witnefles of what they
write : whereas Ludolphus, who has been
much cry'd up, has nothing to be rely'd on
but what he borrow'd from thofe travels,
having never been in the country himfelf.
It remains that I fay fomething as to the
caufe or reafon of the blacknefs of the people
of Nigritia, Guinea, Ethiopia^ Madagafcar^
and many other places.
I have been as inquifitive as pofTibly I
could, in this particular, and examined the
arguments brought by feveral authors and
geographers, but without any fatisfaftion.
Some fuppofe the reafon to be, becaufe thofe
people live betwixt the tropicks in the torrid
zones, where the perpetual fcorching heat
of the fun blackens them, as it does the
earth in fome parts, which makes it }ook as
if burnt by fire. But this vanifhes prcfently,
if we confider that Europeans living within the
tropicks, tho' ever fo long, will never turn
black or footy and that Blacks living many
years in Europe, will always breed black or
footy children, Befides the Americans and
Eajl-Indians, tho' inhabiting the fame pa-
rallel zones, are n©t black : and particularly
throughouE
The IntroduBi
throughout all America^ it js moft certain,
there never was any black till they were car-
ry'd thither by Europeans, the' fo vaft a part
of that continent lies within the torrid zones,
as is a great part of the kingdom of Mexico,
moft of Peru and Bra2.ii, &c. which never
produced any native Black,
Marmol, in my opinion, afligns the beft
reafon. " The blacknefs of Ethiopians, and
" other footy nations, does not proceed ei-
*' ther from the exceflive heat of the fun,
" or from the extreme drynefs of their
" land ; or other things aftigned by aftrp-
" logers; for if it were fo, Blach -^oxAd
turn white in temperate climates after two
** or three generations ; and the Europeans
*' in like manner would turn black in the
*' Negro countries ; but experience teftifies
the contrary. This blacknefs in thofe
people muft therefore proceed from the
" blood or race and it may perhaps be on
ix. " account of the maledidion of Noah on
Cham his difrefpeftful fon, as the diver-
" fity of languages was the curfe of Nimrod
*' and of the Giants, that were building the
" tower of BalelP
That this blacknefs muft be in the blood
or race, as Marmol argues, can be further
proved, from this obfervation made, that
the Jews of the Poriuguefe race, always mar-
rying one with the other, the children re-
femble their fathers and mothers complec-
tion J and thus this particular tawny, colour
perpetuates itfelf with little or no diminution
wherefoever they inhabit, even in northern
countries : whereas the German Jews, as for
example thofe Prague, are as white as
moft of their German countrymen which
Ihews what an error moft people are in, who
think all Jews are tawny.
I had defign'd to write a brief hiftory of
navigation, and of the difcovery of the mag-
net or loadjlone, with fome additions of my
own, to what able pens have lately pub-
lifti'd to entertain my reader with fome-
thing more diverting than to fpeak only of
Blacks, winds, feas, plants, and animals :
but being prefs'd to haften this volume to
the prefs, after above ten years expeftation
of it, I am oblig'd to forbear for the prefent
time but if I live, hope to get it ready for
the prefs before this copy is printed ; and
then it may be added by way of appendix at
the end of this book. For the prefent I ftiall
only mention the difcoveries of the coafts of
Jfrica fucceffively, from the latitude of Ma-
dera ifland to Nigritia^ Guinea, Ethiopia,
and the cape of Good-Hope^ and fo beyond
it to the Eajl-Indies, performed by the Por
tuguefe nation in the fourteenth century.
Before I enter upon that fubjed, it will
not be amifs to give an account of what fome
French authors, and particularly Villaud de
Bellefons and Rcbbe aflert j viz. that the
c Vo u V.
jFr^^^r^ difcovered the coafts of Nigritia and
Guinea^ almofj: an hundred years before the
Portiiguefe. The firft of them fays, it was
in the year 1346, and the latter in 1364.
Villaud de Bellefons relates it as follows '
That about the year 1346, fome adventu-
rers of Dieppe, a fea-port town of the terri-
tory of Caux, in Normandy, long before
ufed to navigation and long voyages, as be-
ing defcended from the antient Normans %
who from their northern cold country, had
fettled themfelves in that province, even be-
fore the reign of Charles the Simple, in 922,
did fail along the coafts of Nigritia and
Guinea^ and there fettled colonies, in feveral
parts ; but more efpecially about Caho Vtrde
in the bay of Rio Frefco, and along the coaft
of Malleguette, to which they gave the
names of Ibme French towns and ports, viz'o
the bay of France to the bay of Rio Frefco
above-named, extending from cape Verdo to
cape Mafto ; that of Petit-Dieppe to the
village of Rio Corfo ; and that of Seftro
Paris to the large town of Grand Seftro, on
the coaft of Malleguette, not far from cape
Palms, at N. W. bringing over thence to
France, great quantities of Guinea pepper and
ivory or elephants-teeth;vi\\tnct the inhabi-
tants of Dieppe fet up the trade of turning
ivory, which art in procefs of time did fo far
improve, as did the making of all other forts
of ivory-work, ufeful or curious, and efpe-
cially comhs, that they tjeqame famous all
over France, and the neighbouring nations,
as the greateft artifts in that kind, and have
fo continued to this time:
Villaud adds, that by conftant praftice iri
long voyages, the people of Dieppe became
fuch great mafters of navigation and aftro-
nomy, that to this day abundance of the
French from all parts of the kingdom come
thither to learn thofe fciences in the publick
fchools fet up for that purp'ofe, from time
out of mind.
He farther affirms, that the French firft
founded thecaftle of Mina on the Gold-Coaft
of Guinea, in the year 1383, and poflefs'd
it .till the year 1484. That the civil wars en-
fuing in France, which lafted from Novem-
ber 1380 to July 1 46 1, being eighty-one
years, in the reign of Charles the fixth, fur-
named he bien aime, and Charles the feventh,
furnamed the king of Bourges, and after-
wards the ViElorious and the Wellferved, as
having had the good fortune in his latter
years to force the Engiifh to quit all their in-
tereft in France, except Calais ; the French
nation was fo diverted from trading to re-
mote countries, and at the fame time lo much
impoverifh'd, that the Normans were obli-
ged to give over trading at Guinea, and
abandon all their fettlements there ; which
were afterwards poflefs'd by the Portuguefe^
the Dutch, the Engiifh, Danes, and Cour-
ts landersi
The IntroduBory Difcourfe.
landers, who built caftles and forts there,
for the greater fecurity of their traffick.
If this account be true, it is ftrange that
no mention is made of it by other French
hiftorians, feveral of whom I have examin'd,
and particularly de Serves andMezeray. Such
confiderable undertakings, and fo rich a
trade, feemed to deferve a place in hiftory,
efpecially at a time when long voyages were
look'd upon with a fort of dread, as full of
hazards, navigation being then in its in-
fancy. The filence of the French hiftorians
in this point, gives us juft caufe to fufpedl
the validity of this author's affertions nor
do I find in the hiftory of Portugal, which
is fo full of the Portugiiefe difcoveries of Ni-
gritia and Guinea, the leaft mention of their
having heard of any Frenchmen that had
founded the caftle of Mina, in 1383 or
that Aze?nhuja when he came to Mina in
1484, and begun there his firft entrench-
ment, ever faw or heard of any fuch caftle
built by the French an hundred years before^
Hence I conclude, that it would be a
piece of injuftice to attribute the firft difco-
veries of this part of Africa to the French, in
prejudice of the Portuguefe, who certainly
the firft of all Europeans made thofe difco-
veries •, which will be further corroborated
by the following accounts.
To proceed the more methodically in this
account, I muft firft take notice of the prin-
cipal promoter and inftrument of thefe dif-
coveries I mean the infante or prince Henry
the fifth, fon to king John the firft of Portu-
gal, duke of Fifeo, and mafter of the military
order of Christ. This prince having ftu-
dy'd the mathematicks, and particularly
cofmography, gave his mind entirely to dis-
cover fuch parts of the world as were yet un-
known, and fpent forty years, and great
fums of money, upon that enterprize. Be-
fides what he had read of geography, he got
information from feveral Moors of Fez and
Morocco, who had travelled towards the
borders of Guinea, which much encouraged
him to proceed on his project. The better
to apply himfelf wholly to that affair, he
fettled his refidence at the town of Temo-
cabol, on cape Sagres, in the kingdom of
Algarve.
Before I enter upon his performances, I
muft by the way take notice, that the Ca-
nary Iflands had been before difcover'd in the
year 1348, hy John Bethancourt, a French-
man, employ'd by king John of Cajlile, who
conquer'd five of them.
In 1415, prince Henry fitted out two
Ihips, which pafs'd not beyond cape Bojador^
fixty leagues beyond cape Nao, then the ut-
moft extent of the Spanifh navigation.
The firft that pafs'd the faid cape was Giles
7^z;7^2,which was reckoned a mighty exploit,
that cape having been before look'd up-
3
on as not to be furmounted, becaufe it runs
forty leagues out into the fea to the weft ward,
and the water beats violently on it ; and from
its jutting fo far out, which in Spanijh is
call'd Bojar, it was cali'd Bojador i but this
was later.
John Gonzalez Zarco and Triflan FazwevQ
fent in the year 141 8 to make tarther difco»
veries along the African C02l&: ; but they
meeting with dreadful ftorms, were acci-
dentally carry'd upon the ifland, which they
call'd Puerto Santo, or Holy Haven, being a
fmall ill.and not far to the northward from
that of Madera, and return'd home with
that account.
In 1419, the fame two being fent back
to the new ifland, with Bartholomew Pere-
flrello, in three fhips, difcover'd the ifland ot
Madera; fo call'd, becaufe it was all over
wooded. Some have pretended that this
ifland had been before difcover'd by one
Macham, an EngUJhman, but that ftory has
much more of novel than any refemblance
of truth.
About the year 1434, Giles Tanez and
Alonfo Gonzalez Balday failed thirty leagues
beyond the aforefaid dreadful cape Bojador^
and gave the name of Angra de Ruyvos or
Bay of Gurnards^ to an inlet they foundj,
where was great plenty of that fort of fifti.
The next year they proceeded twenty-four
leagues farther to the mouth of a river,
where they faw a vaft number of feals, and
kili'd many of them, carrying home the
skins which being then rare, were of good
value.
In 1440, Antony Gonzalez vf^^ itnt back
to the river where the feals had been taken,
and order'd to load his vefTel with their
skins ; where landing, he took feveral of
the inhabitants, after being joined by Nuno
'Triftan, who came after him from Portugal,
Antony Gonzalez returned home with the
skins and flaves but I'riflan coafted on as
far as Caho Blanco or White Cape ; and feeing
no people on the coaft, went alfo back.
Prince Henry fent the flaves brought him,
to pope Martin the fifth, as the firft fruits
of his difcoveries ; defiring his holinefs to
make a grant of the countries he fiiould find,
and to encourage thofe who fhould expofe
themfelves to the dangers of thofe unknown
feas, for the propagation of tlie gofpeL The
pope accordingly, by his bulls, gave him
all he fhould difcover in the ocean, as far as
India inclufive.
Ann. 1442, Antony Gonzalez returned,
carrying fome of the natives he had brought
away ; for whofe ranfom he received ten
Blacks, and a confiderable quantity of gold-
duft, being the firft that had been brought
from thofe parts ; and therefore he call'd a
rivulet where he lay, Rio del Oro, or the Ri'
ver of Gold,
The
The IntroduBo
The gold encouraged others to undertake
that voyage J and in the year 1443^ Nuno
Trijian pafllng farther on, difcover'd the
ifland Adeget, one of thofe of Arguim.
Thence he failed over to another ifland, and
call'd it de las GarzaSy or of Herons^ becaufe
he faw great numbers of thofe birds there.
In 1 444, a company was eredled in Por-
tugaly paying an acknowledgment to the
prince, and fitted out fix caravels, which
fetting men afhore on the ifles of Arguimy
brought away about two hundred of the in-
habitants, whom they fold for flaves.
Gonzdo de Cintra in 1445, failing to the
ifland of Arguim^ run up a creek in the
night, intending to go afhore, and take
flaves but his vefTcl being left afhore at the
low water, the inhabitants attack'd it, and
kill'd him and feven of his men \ whence the
place was call'd Angra de Gonzalo de Cintra,
being fourteen leagues beyond the river of
Gold,
Nuno Fernandez in 1 446, pafs'd beyond
the river Senega, and difcovered the famous
Cabo Verde or Green Cape.
Many other adventurers continued every
year creeping along the coafts, to mention
all whom, would be too tedious ; but in
1460 Antony Noky a Genoefcy difcover'd the
iflands of Cabo Verde. In 1471 John de
Santaren and Peter de Efcobar difcovered the
place now call'd Mina, and proceeded t©
thirty-feven leagues beyond cape Lope Gon-
zalez, in two degrees and a half of fouth la-
titude. And about the fame time were
found the iflands of St. Thomasy Anno Bom^
and Principe.
King John the fecond of Portugal, finding
a confiderable trade of gold at Mina, or-
der'd a fort to be eredled there, and in order
to it, fent James de Azombuja, with fix hun-
dred men, and all the materials for that
work, in the year 148 1 ; and tho' the na-
tives at firft endeavour'd to oppofe it, the
work was finifh'd, and the fort call'd St.
George de laMina, or of the Mine, that faint
being then patron of Portugal.
James Cam in 1484 penetrated beyond
any other to the river of Congo, by the na-
tives call'd Zaye. The next year he pro-
ceeded to 22 degrees of fouth latitude.
It would take up too much time to run
through all the particular difcoveries •, we
fhall therefore conclude with the famous
Vafco de Gama, who failing from Lijbon in
the year 1497, with three fhips, fitted out
by king Emanuel, who had fiicceeded king
John, was the firfl that pafTed beyond the
cape of Good Hope, and thence running a-
long the eaflern coaft of Africa, till then ut-
terly unknown, open'd the way to India by
fea, failing over from Mo[ambique to the
coafl of Malabar, and the kingdom of Cali-
cut, whence he return'd infafety and richly
laden to Portugal Thus much may fuffice
concerning the Portuguefe difcoveries along
the coafl of Africa and to India,
_ In the next place I will give fome direc-
tions, which I think may be of ufe to, fuch
as fliall hereafter refort to Guinea and the
American Iflands, efpeciaily if they were
never there before.
In the firfl: place, it is requifite for the
perfon that defigns to travel into thofe parts
to learn languages, as Engli/h, French, Low-
Dutch, Portuguefe, and Lingua Franca.
Secondly, he ought to have fome flcill
in drawing, and colourings that he may be
able to rake draughts of profpedls, land-
ikips, ftrudures, birds, beafts, fiflies, flow-
ers, fruits, trees, and even of the features
and habits of people % thefe parts being iri
my opinion very neceflary to make an ac-
complifh'd traveller: for by the help of
languages he will be able to converfe with
all forts of Europeans refiding in thofe coun-
tries, and be by them inform'd of many
things worth obfervation, and very ufeful,
relating to thofe regions and the trade there-
of, which otherwife might never occur, and
they would come away quite ignorant of
the main points to be underftood* It is alfo
neceflary for fuch as defign to refide any
time there, to apply themfelves betimes to
learn the language of the Blacks.^ which, if
they can compafs in any tolerable meafure,,
it will much conduce to their getting infor=
mation of many things of moment frSbm the
moft intelligent of thofe people, wHo have
either gone far up the inland, or convers'd
with others that come down from thence to
the coaft.
By the help of drawing, the traveller will
be enabled to render the account of his tra-
vels the moft ufeful and acceptable ; finceii
is certain, that the moft accurate defcrip-
tion cannot reprefent any thing to the reader
fo lively as a draught or cut, which, as ic
were, Ihows the thing it fclf that is defcri-
bed.
Befides thefe qualifications, he ought to
be inftrufted in cofmography and aftrono=
my, and no lefs in navigation.
Being thus qualified, he is to take along
with him two large table-books, or at leaft
one, as alfo twoprofpe£liveglafles, a great-
er and a fmaller, to take views of objedls
nearer, or farther off a fmall fea-compafs,
to obferve the fituation of places feveral
forts of fcales, and compafTes, to lay down
the dimenfions of fuch places as require it %
a. parcel of the beft geographical tables,
maps, and fea-charts, and the moft valuable
accounts of thofe countries that have been
publifh'd, in order to make remarks where
they are exaft, or note down their faults 5
which laft ought to be done without any o-
dious reflexions on the authors, as has been
done
The IntroduBory Difcourfe,
done by many, thinking thereby to recom-
mend their own works without confider-
ing, they may perhaps themfeives commit
miftakes, which when othere lhali redify,
they will be expofed to the fame fevere cen-
When there, he is to endeavour to fee all
the caftles, forts, faftories, towns, villages,
6^c. and 16 endeavour to be acquainted with
the chief agents and officers at thofe places,
who have refided longeft there as alfo with
the beft of the natives, and to converfe fre-
quently with them, as occafion fhali offer,
direding the difcourfe to thofe points that
may be inftrudive, and particularly as to
things that are remote, and which he can-
not come at the fight of. All which he is
to note down in his table-book, withdraw-
ing for that purpofe, without being obferv'd,
or taken notice of, if polTible ; efpecially,
\!vhen he is inquiring into the ftate, or cir-
cumftances of fortified places, which may
give any umbrage, or jealoufy to Europeans ^
and particularly to thtDuich,who are, above
all others, fufpicious and unwilling to let
ftrangers into any fecrets, as to their fettle-
ments, or commerce. In order to gain the
good will of fuch perfons, and to get the
beft intelligence of them, it is necelTary at
firft to oblige them with fome prefent, ac-
cording to the ftation they are in, and no-
thing is more acceptable than European re-
fi-elhments, as pickles of feveral forts, wine,
liquors, neats tongues, hamSj fweetmeats,
brandy, ^c. as alfo things for ufe, as Hol-
land ihirts, hats, clothes, piftols, fwords,
filks, or the like ; more or lefs of fuch things
proportionably to their quality, and to the
inclination they feem to have for them.
The principal things they are to make
their obfervations upon, are, the country,
its fituation, difpofition, extent and divi-
fion •, the climate ; the nature and fertility
of the foil j the inhabitants in general their
employments, profeflions, natural genius,
and temper ; their habit, houfes, cottages,
hamlets, villages, and towns, with all
things appertaining to them their lan-
guages, manners, cuftoms, religion, go-
vernment, and diftribution of juftice civil
or criminal ; the feveral kingdoms, princi-
palities, or ftates their power, courts, laws,
wars, armies, weapons, and taxes paid by
the fubjedts. The forts and caftles of the
Europeans ; the inland and coaft trade ; the
manufactures and commodities peculiar to
each place how the trade is manag'd by
natives and foreigners j the market-towns,
and other places of trade j the merchants
and brokers, both on the coaft and up the
inland couatry ; the navigation of the na-
tives, their filhery and canoes ; the beafts
wild and tame, reptiles, infeds, birds, fifhes,
plants, and fruits i the diftempers and difea-
fes moft frequent in every place, with the pro-
per cures and remedies •■, cafualties, ftrancre
adventures, and furprizing accidents rari-
ties, both natural and artificial j minerals
and mines of all forts falt-pits, and rock
fait ; gold in general, and the feveral forts
and value of it in feveral places ; the fea-
fons, air, mountains, woods, forefts, groves,
wooding and watering places, qualities of
the water, and nature of the wood and tim-
ber the rains, hurricans, hermatans, tor-
nado's, fpouts, winds, rivers, lakes, bays,
promontories, creeks, points, coafts, roads,
harbours, bridges, banks, rocks, fhoalsj
breaking and rowling feas, foundings, fogs,
thunder and lightning, meteors, comets,
ignes fatui, declination of the fun, variation
of the compafs, length of days and nights,
heat, cold, trade-winds, breezes, tides, cur-
rents, & c, always marking the places and
times.
The next thing is to take draughts of
profpefts of coafts, lands, promontories,
iflands, ports, towns, caftles, forts, land-
Ikips, fetting down the bearings and
diftances exadly.
To found and keep account of the depths
of coafts, rivers, harbours, feas, in all pla-
ces. To take notice of the ground at the
bottom of the fea in all foundings, whether
it be clay, fand, ouze, rock, pebbles, or a .
mixture of them, and the colours.
To obferve carefully the ebbing and flow-
ing of the fea, in as many places as may be,
with all accidents ordinary, or extraordina-
ry, attending the tides-, the precife time
of ebbing and flowing in rivers, at capes,
or points, which way the current fets, the
perpendicular difference in depth between
the higheft flood and loweft ebb, efpecially
during the fpring and neap tides •, what days
of the moon, and at what time of the year,
the higheft and loweft tides happen, and all
other particulars relating to them, efpe-
cially near ports, and about iflands, rocks,
banks, i^c.
To keep an exad account of all changes
of winds and weather, at all hours by night
and by day, fetting down the point the wind
blows from, and whether ftrong, weak, or
ftormy ; the rains, hail, and the like-, the
time of their beginning, and continuance,
efpecially hurricans, fouths, norths, tornado's,
hermatans, and fpouts ; but above all, moft
diligently to obferve the trade-winds, about
what degree of latitude and longitude they
firft begin, where and when ceafe or change,
or grow ftronger or weaker, and to what a
degree, as near as may be.
To conclude, all is to be taken notice of,
even to common converfation, difcoui fe, re-
fledions, and accidents, provided they be
fuch as relate to the voyage, and have any
thing peculiar in them.
It
The IntroduBory Difcourfe,
It was my cuftom, when I travell'd, to
carry a fufficient ftock of royal and common
paper of the beft forts, fine white vellum,
Indian ink, black and red-lead pencils, and
all forts of water-colours, to draw by the
life, birds, beafts, fifhes, fruits, flowers, land-
fkips, i^c. to reprefent things exactly as
they are in themfelves ; and I have ftill by me
feveral pieces of that fort, as particularly of
the dorado, bonito, fhark, flying fifh, and
other things in their natural colours, with
exadt accounts of their form and bignefs
which is far more fatisfadtory than any de-
fcription can be.
Wherefoever I was, either at fea, or a-
Ihore, I us'd to pry into every objedt that
occurred to the eye, and made enquiry after
what I could not have the opportunity of
feeing, if there was any thing in it either cu-
rious, or ufeful i and immediately noted it
down in my pocket book, or on a loofe pa-
per, with my black-lead pencil, mentioning
the perfpediive, diftance, proportion, and
form, in what concern'd drawing of figures
and reprefentations. The fame I praftis'd
as to what I heard in difcourfe with the moft
intelligent Europeans^ who had refided long
in Guinea.^ or with the difcreeteft of the na-
tives, to whom I could explain my meaning
in fome language or other, as EngliJJj, Dutcb^
Latin, Italian, Lingua Franca, and French.
Every evening I retir'd, either to my cabin
aboard, or my chamber afhore, but fel*
dom lay alliore in Guinea upon a coafling
voyage, and there enter'd in my journal all
that I had, during the day, fet down by
way of memorandum in my table-book-, en-
larging upon it as far as my memory would
help me, after comparing it with v/hat was
faid, touching the fame, byauthoisj and
then made my remarks where I found them
miftaken, or when we fully agreed, or but
in part.
Thus I confliantly, and day by day ga~
ther'd all tlie memoirs, notes, remarks, and
figures I could judge ufc.ul, diverting, or
curious, and tranfcrib'd the whole again,
during our pafi'age from Africa to America,
and back to Europe, comparing the whole
with what was done by any paflTengers, or
officers aboard, who had the like curiofity.
I fhall, in the following defcription and
fupplemenr, take notice what European
goods are mofl: acceptable to the beft fore
of Europeans refiding in Guinea, and to the
natives of thofe parts, befides the catalogue
of commodities in general ; and do advife all
travellers to furnilh themfelves with fome
quantity thereof, to ferve their occafions
there, either for prefents, or to purchafe
refrefhments and rarities of thofe regions.
Vol. V.
E
A
\
A
ESCRIPTION
OF THE
s of Nigritta
VULGARLY CALLED
R T H-G U I N E A
BOOK I.
. : ■ . . G H A E i:
General remarks concerning the countries lying Between the rivers Senega and
Gambia, their limits^ extents divifion, andprodiiB, An account of the river
Senega, aiid of the French fettlement on the ijland of Si. Lewis; the defer ip^
tion of Cabo Verde, cape Emanuel, the ijland Goeree, and French fettlement
there j the town of Rufifco or Rio Frelco, Camina, Emdukura, Cabo Mallo,
Porto d'Ali, Porto Novo, and Juala. A view of the inland countries., efpe^
daily thofe of the Fouies, and Gelofes or Jalofes.
Nigritii
a,n Ijland.
Its extent
Limits of
flates un-
kngwn.
HAT part of Nigrilla., or the
country of the Blacks., in which
we generally place the beginning
of North-Guinea, is in reality a
large ifland, form'd by the Jtlantick ocean
on the weft, and the rivers Senega and Gafn-
on the north, fouth, andeaft; thefetv/o
flowing from the mighty river Niger, in
the province vulgarly cali'd Cantorzi.
This ifland, if I may fo call it, extends
in length from eaft to weft above 300
French leagues, and in breadth, from north
to fouth, about 60 along the coaft. In the
midft of it is the famous promontory, cali'd
Caho Verd:", or cape Verde, that is green
cape, fuppos'd to be the Arfinarium of the
antients and the country about, in former
times, fuppos'd to be inhabited by the peo-
ple cali'd Daradi jEthiopes.
This province is at prefent poflefs'd by
feveral Negro or black nations, each of them
fubjeft to a particular king, or prince. I
lhall not attempt to aflign the limits and
2
extent of each of thefe nations, as not in- Barbot.
tending to impofe upon any body ; for nei- v^V^
ther the Europeans refiding in this part of
Nigritia, nor the natives themfelves, are
able to give any exa6t account of them, the
^/^ZiT/^j being altogether ignorant of geogra-
phy, of taking the dimenfions of countries,
and afligning them their boundaries. All
I could gather upon the ftri(5left enquiry,
was, that this large tradl: of land is divided
into feveral kingdoms, principalities, lord-
fhips, and commonwealths, yet more gene-
rally known, and taken notice of, under the
name of two notable nations, mx. the Foules
and the Gelofes.
The Gelofes, or Jalofes, poflefs all \ht Country of
lands and territories lying eaft and weft, be-^^^J^^°^^^"
tween the. country of the Foules and the O-
cean, being above 100 leagues in length
that way, and 70 in breadth from north to
fouth, comprehending the petty kingdoms
of Kayory Baool, Porto d'Ali, Juala, and
Borfak, with part of the country of the
Great
i6
A Defcription of the Co aft s
OOK I
Barbot. Great Brack, king of Senega, lying in the
^>yy^^ province of Genehoa.
The Geiofds diftinguifn their monarch by
Their king. i]\, belonging to the former;
tWt other Banguifc a, to the latter. They are
parted from each other by a woody and defo- ;
late wildernefs eight or ten miles over.
The iea-coafts, from Byhurt near the
mouth of the river Senega, to cape Verde, Bangmm
are very little reforted to, being all along
foul, with many ftioals, and not to be ap- ■ .
proach'd in many parts for which reafon,
the country thereabouts is but thinly inha- f
bited.
There is not one wall'd town, nor any
thing of what the Europeans call fortreifes. No for-
or caftles, in all thefe petty kingdoms, orf^P^-
in thofe of the Foules or Jalofes ; but all open,
great or fmall villages, or at beft boroughs,
and abundance of hamlets and fcatter'd cot-
tages. All their ftrudures whatfoever are
of mud, or clay, as I fliall obferve here-
after, in its proper place, and every where
thatch'd.
The French of Senega and Goeree, when
they fiil from the former of thofe places to
the latter, generally fteer SW. by W. for
fome hours, then SW. and then again S W. ^
by S. the better to weather point Alma-
dilla, which is about a league to the north-
ward of cape Verde, running out to fea N W.
under water, and confequently not to be
feen.
Of the River Senega.
"TP HE river Senega, which parts Negro-
land, or the country of the Blacks from ks length
the Moors of Genehoa, in Marmot formerly
caWd Benhays, runs winding for above three
hundred leagues from eaft to weft, reckoning
from the water-falls at Galam, or Galama^
not far from the place where it parts from
the Niger in the province of Cantorzi, till it ' ■ '
empties itftlf into the Atlantick ocean, at
Byhurt.
This river has many names given it by
the feveral nations inhabiting along its banks, its feveral
The Gelofes call it Dengueh ; the people of ^'^mes.
Tofiibut, Iza or I^a indiff'erently, as far as
the lake Sigifenefs, alias Guarda, whence it
flows out in four degrees of eaft longitude
from the meridian of Lundi. The nation of
the Turcorons, dwelling farther up the in-
land, call it i Saragoles, ox Sara-
coles, ftill higher up, on the fouth fide, name
it Colle ; and the people beyond them again,
ZitJibale. The Senegues, according to Mar-
mol, give it the name Senega, or Zanaga
indifl'erently and thence it is likely the
French and Portuguefe deriv'd that of Sene-
gal and Senega^ by which it is now known to
all Europeans,
However
.4
Chap. I. of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
However, fome Portugnefe authors pre-
tend this name of Senega was firft given to
the river, from that of a mighty man in the
country, with whom their nation firft tra-
ded, after its firft difcovery by Denis Fer-
nandez^ in the year 1 446 but this appears
,c to be a falfe notion, by what has been faid
v . - above, which is much more probable. Vaf-
concelosy a more modern Portuguefe hifto-
,( , rian, fpeaking of this river fays it is
call'd by feveral names in a very fliort fpace ;
but that the aforefaid Denis Fernandez ca.]\'d
it Rio Porliigues, which is now quite dif-
ufed, even among the Portuguefe, who ne-
ver name it any otherwife than Rio Senega.
A rtd rl- This Senega, in its courfe to the fca, fwal-
vcr. lows up many other confiderable rivers,
coming from the fouthern country ; among
which, one is more particular, whofe bot-
tom being a red fand or gravel, the colour
is reflefted to the furface of the water, which
retains it foas to be difcernable from that of
the Senega, for fome fpace from the place
- where they mix •, becaufe the Senega ^IkVm^
over a white fandy bottom, the water of it
every where looks of a brightifh white.
Another. Such another river as the laft mention'd,
comes down from the country to the north-
ward, through Genehoa, into the Senega, not
far above its mouth, and is call'd Rio de San
Joao or St. John's river ; which, as is repor-
ted by iht Benhay Arabs ^nd the Gelof Blacks
hasalfo a reddifli water, occafion'd by the
colour of its bottom : but of this more in
the fupplement to this work.
Senega T\iQ Senega is much lhallower than the
fcarcena- Gambia, and the tide flows not up it fo far
"^'^^ ^- by much as in the other ; and therefore it is
not fo navigable in barks and fmall vefTels,
being alfo choak'dup in feveral places with
rocks, banks of fand, and fmall iflands ;
and in the upper part of the channel, quite
obfbrudfed by vaft water- falls. Befides, it is
fo fhallow at the mouth, and the fea fo boi-
fterous, that no Ihips, tho' of inconfiderable
burden, can get in •, that being only prafti-
cable to fiat-bottom'd floops and barks built
for the purpofe. In fuch fmall craft l\\tFrench
inhabiting the ifland of St. Lewis, drive a
trade with the natives on both fides of the ri-
ver, during the feafons it overflows for near
three hundred leagues up to the eafl:ward,
as fhall be fhown hereafter in this defcrip-
tion.
Its rapid current is fo fwift and ftrong down-
ciurfe. wards, that the frefli water runs out above
two leagues into the ocean, without mixing,
and appears at a diftance, like a flioal or
bank above the furface of the fea. This
water taken up four or five Englijh miles
without the bar, as is commonly done by
. the French company's fhips, proves very
fweet, and keeps good for a long time.
Vol, V.
This rapidity of the river, occafionM by Barbot. •
its narrownefs,and the length of its courfe and '-^'^ ^
fhallownefs, is the reafon why it continually
carries down a great quantity of fand and
flime to the mouth, and that being forced '
back again by the violent NW. winds,
moftconftantly reigning about thofe parts,
is by degrees heap'd up together by the
furges and rolling of the fea, forming a
crofs bank, call'd a bar, athwart the mouth
of the river. Nor does it continue always
in the fame place, but is removed farther in
or out, as the current from within, or the
wind, or fea from without, are ftrongeft
and moft prevalent. But ftill at all times
this bar is fuch, that no ihips whatfoever
can pafs up into the river, as has been faid;
and therefore the French inhabiting the ifland
St. Lewis, build there the above-men-
tion'd flat-bottom'd barks of about ten or
twelve tun burthen, to fail in and out over
the bar •, for which reafon they are pecu-
liarly call'd Barques du Barre or Bar- Barks.
But this way of failing in fuch fmall craft is
extraordinary difficult and dangerous, at ,
fome times, when the bar is fwollen high by
the NW. wind from the fea, and the vio-
lent frefli from the land, and much more at
low tides and in foggy weather ; for then the
furges fwell, foam, and break upon the bar
with fuch fury and horrid roaring, as will
terrify the boldeft and moft undaunted failor,
and very often finks or ftaves the barks, or
at beft ftrands and very much fhatters them.
Whenfoever this happens, it is rare that
any of the men can efcape either being
drowned, or devoured alive if they off^er to
fwim for it, by the vaft multitude of mon- . . .
ftrous fharks, conftantly plying about the • .
bar, among the rolling waves. The French
therefore at fuch times, frequently wait a
whole fortnight, or three weeks, for the wea-
ther to change and the tides prove more fa-
vourable for pafling over the bar which de-
lay is often very prejudicial, and retards the
difpatch of their fhips riding in Senega road.
From this inconveniency is only excepted
the time when the river overflows in the
months of July and Auguft, for then the bar"
is paflTable, without fcarce a day's interrup-
tion, as fiiall be farther fl^own hereafter.
As the navigation up this river is very French rf-
diflicult and hazardous to the French, andA'^"^*^''*
generally their voyages for this reafon te-'''"^ '
dious; fo on the other hand it is advantageous,
as fecuring their refidence in the ifland of .
St. Lewis, which is therefore neither wall'd .
nor fortify'd, bating only fome fcatterM
open batteries of a few guns, on the parts of
the ifland which are eafieft of accefs, of which
more in another place.
The mouth of the river Senega, accord- The mouth
ing to the lateft obfervations, is exadtly in"^/^*« Se-
/
1 8 ADefcription
Barbot. 1 6 degrees and 1 2 minutes of north latitude ;
t/V*^ and yet moft maps in Europe, of that weftern
part of Jfrka, place it 30 degrees farther to
the foiithward •, and Vafconcelos, a Portuguefe
hiftorian, affigns to it 15 degrees and 30
minutes which is a great miftake in him
and all others.
. This mouth is al moft a /7■^'«f^ league over,
at the bar •, and it is very remarkable, that
at the time when the river overflows, the
frefh which runs down fo impetuous, forces
itfelf new ways to the f;a, through the low,
narrow, fandy peninfula of the country of
Genehoa, lying to the northward, and by
the French vulgarly call'd Point e de Barharie,
tho' very improperly, as giving the name
Barhary 10 Genehoa. In the year 1661
it forced a paflage through this peninfula,
much higher than it ufed to do, and broke
out almoft over-againfl: the ifland of the re-
fidence, which obliged the French to remove
higher up the river, for a time. This ex-
traordinary mouth afterwards flopping up
of itfelf, the water refumed its natural courfe
to the ocean, and fo has continued ever fince.
Water- The watcr-falls before mentioned, at the
falls. upper pare of the Senega, not far from Ga~
lam, are of a great height ; the ftream as it
tumbles down, looking at a diftancelike an
arch, or bow •, for which reafon fome of the
natives call it Burto, and others Huab, both
fignifying the fame thing in feveral lan-
guages •, that is, a Bow, No doubt but
that thefe mighty ftreams of water perpe-
tually falling from fo great a height, occa-
fion the rapidity of the river before fpoken
of, and render the navigation fo troublefome.
Badridin^ Another inconvenience to be obferv'd
forjlnp. proceeding from the fame rapid tide,
gufhing out at the common road where the
Ihips ride at anchor, at about two Englijh
miles diftance from the raging of the bar, is,
that the waves of the ocean for the moft part
rolling violently from the northward, and
the mighty frefh which runs from the river
keeping the heads of fhipsto the eaftward,on
their moorings, they roll fo prodigioufly ftar-
boardand larboard, with the gunnils almoft
to the fea, that it is hard for a man to ftand
faft on the deck : and the company's fhips
being oblig'd to ftay fome months in this
road, becaufe they cannot be fooner dif-
patch'd, their crews undergo much toil and
hardfhips. Befides, the fhips themfelves are
much damaged by this perpetual agitation,
their cables wearing very faft, as well as
their mafts and rigging ; to obviate which
mifchief in fome meafure,their^wy^ generally
as foon as they come to an anchor, lower
all their top-mafts and yards, and fo con-
tinue till near the time of their departure
thence, either for America, or back to
France dLirtddj,
of the Coafts Book I
I now proceed to the habitation of the
French Senega company in the ifland of St.
Lewis, before mentioned in feveral places.
Of the French Fadory in the river Senega.
'T^HIS Ifland and fettlement had the Name and
^ name of St. Lewis given it in honour ^^""5 "f
of the king of France, the natives calling it' '
Hyacon, It is above three Engli/h miles in Plate i;
compafs, lying in the middle of the river Se-
nega, and about four and a half or five
leagues within the mouth of it. The penin-
fula of Genehoa lying to the weftward of the
ifland, and being low and barren, the tur-
rets of the fadory are plainly to be feen at '
fome diftance at fea, as you come from the
northward, appearing as in the plate here
annexed.
The foil of this little ifland, is like the op- The foil.
pofite peninfula, almoft all fandy and bar-
ren, and without any verdure, except fome
few low trees growing at the north end of it.
The fadory, which the French exprefsThefaat'
by the word habitation, or dwelling, is''>
built on the fouth fide of the ifland, where
the ground is fomewhat more firm and ■ •
folid, as is obferv'd in the plate under
the profped of the fidory, defcribing the
form of it. The buildings are fo inconfi-
derable, that nothing worth taking notice of
can be faid of them, any more than as to the
largenefs and extent of the warehoufes, lodg-
ments, oflices, andchappel. It is enclofed %
in fome parts with only plain curtins, or .
mud walls and in others with pails of clap-
boards : and yet is call'd a fort by the
French, perhaps on account of three fmall ' '
ranges of iron guns, being fifteen or flxteen
in number, placed about it, and mounted
on platforms of planks, to oppole any de-
fcent on the ifland. But were it not for the
difficulty of getting up the river, in almoft
any fort of veflels, as has been before ob-
ferv'd, this would avail very little to ob-
ftrud the invading of their refidence, no
more than it did the Englijh and Dutch,
when they had fettlements here in former
times. The French here, for the privilege
of their fadory and trade, pay to the king
of Senega fixteen in the hundred for hides, as
fliall be more fully declared hereafter. The
Portuguefe paid but ten when they traded,
here, and but little for other commodities. \ ,
About a league to the fouthward of this
ifland is another of much the fame magni-
tude, where the Englijh had their refidence EnghTa
in former times ; and therefore the French^I^^"'^'
ftill call it l^fjle aux Jnglois, or the Englijh
ifland.
To return to the ifland of St. Lewis, it is
the ufual refidence of the diredor, or gene-
ral agent of the French Senega company, and
fo
, The Profpect of the Habitation of^the French Senegal Company:
oixy IHand S^Lewis,as it appears off at Sea, at 5 aLea^e diftance offyShore of Geneli"='
B 2he . '
C T/is {rafti^enJ .
Y .77ie e^&w«„
general ftorehoufe here, all fuch commodi- more particularly to them in an expedition
ties as are proper for trading with the natives, tliey undertook not long fince to fail from
and receives their returns for the fame, be- the 5'^';2^^:^c7 to the G^7;;fci by the inland, up-
Commodi- ing JJjves, go!d-di;fr, ivor\\ bees-wax, hid- on alTurance given the general agent of a
ties of Gui- irjcks hides dry'd, gtm-arabick, ofirich fea- free pailage found out to that effect ; which
thers^ pagnos, provifions, ^c. This leads if it had fucceeded well, would have proved
me, before I proceed upon any other matter, very advantageous to the French company,
to give fome account of the manner of the they being excluded the beneficial trade of
French proceeding to carry on their trade in the Gambia by fea, by the EngliJ}.\ who are
the river Senega, and of fome late attempts there fuperior, and do all they are able to
they have made to penetrate up the fa id river diflurb and moleft any fhip q[' France that
as far as poflible,!n order to extend rheir com- ventures to trade there.
merce along it, and make new advantageous This expedition was undertaken at Bifafpoln-*
difcoveries towards x\\t Niger. time when ih^ Senega river overflow'd, that^^'^-
Tradirrr To this end they navigate the river in flat- is, about July ; and confequently the water
harks^ bottom'd barks, ready framed in France, was every where the deeper. Yet it met
but brought over in pieces, which they join with fo many unforefeen difficulties, asren-
and put together in the ifland of St. Lewis ; dered it inefFe£tual ; for the bark fometimes
each of them being about twelve tun bur- ftrayingout from the natural channel, ei-
then, and mann'd with feven or eight ther ftuck upon ftumps of trees, or was
and ten or twelve Lapos or free Blacks, kept ftranded on the banks. Bcfides, through
by the company in conftant pay. Each continual toils and hardfhips the beft part of
bark is furnifh'd with proper arms, and has the fiilors fickned and dy'd, whilft others
a fupercargo, or fa6tor, with a competent perifh'd by the intolerable fcorching heat^
quantity of feveral forts of European goods which threw them into burning fevers ; and
fit for that trade, thofe who had beSn proof ri>gainft that into-
Bangers Being thus fitted, if the wind proves fair, lerable fatigue, were deftroy'd either by the
going up they hoift out all their fails •, but if it prove vile perfidioufnefs of the native Blacks of the
the river, contrary, or the weather calm, the veffel is country, or devoured alive by alligators, a
drawn with ropes by hand along the north fort of crocodiles which fwarm in the crofs
bank of the Senega, which is indifferent le- rivers, as well as in the Senega, fome of
vel, and not fo much encumber'd with them above ten foot long, lying clofe among
woods or ftumps of trees, nor fo hilly, as the buU-rudies, or under the water, along the
the oppofice fouth fide. However, this fort banks, and ever ready to feize and prey on
of navigation is very tedious, not only in re- man, when opportunity ofi^ers.
gard they rnuft continually pull up againft Their difcoveries towards the upper part DT/fownVi
the rapid ftream of the river, but by reafon of the Senega have proved more fuccefsful by
of the many other toils and hardfhips which degrees, with much labour and expence, '^^''*
attend it, occafion'd by the infupportable they having run up it as fir as they could
heats of the climate, and the oppofition of well go, to a country ca.\Vd Enguelland, and
abundance of floating logs and green trees, even to that of the i^i^rg-c/j, being more than
wafh'd away from the banks of the river, two hundred and fifty leagues above their
and carry'd down with fuch violence, as of- refidence in the ifland of Si.Lezvis ; and have
ten endangers both the vefiel and the men in there erected a fmall fort of eight guns at
it ; the fhocks they give the barks being pro- Galem or Galane ; of which a farther ac-
digious, and fometimes ftaving of them, count fhall be given hereafter, when I come
efpecially when they lie at anchor. To pre- to inform the reader concerning the com-
vent thefe difmal accidents, as much as may pany's trade along the river.
' be, they feize the end of the cable about I return now to thedefcription of the ma-
theanchor-flooks, and ftretch it to the beam, ritime parts, about the river before
to which they make it faft withmarlin, ha- I proceed more regularly in treating of this
ving given the cable another turn : for if it part of Nigritia; and fliall firft make fome
happens to be foul in this manner, the mar- obfervations concerning the promontory
lin that faftned it breaks, and by that means
, - . Of
'ZQ 1 - A Defcription
Baubot. ■■ ■■ ■• • >^'- ■■.
^^-n/^ Mi;- 0/"Cape Verde. . v;
Its name. HIS, as has been faid before, is gene-
* rally taken for the Arfinarium of Pto-
lemy. The natives, in their language, call
it Befecber, and the Portuguefe Cabo Verde,
a name given it Denis Fernandez.,v/\\o firft
.- difcover'd it in the year of Christ 1446, as
■ • I have obferv'd in the introduftory difcourfe
to this work,and fignifying green cape, from
the perpetual verdure the country about it
is adorn'd with, in a multitude of beautiful
lofcy trees growing there, which afford a
very curious profpeft at fea.
Defer tp- I is in the kingdom of Kayor., lying ex-
tion. aftly in 14 degrees and 25 minutes of north
luitude, and in 2 degrees and 15 minutes of
eafi: longitude, from tlie meridian of 'Tenet'ifft
ftretching farther out wcftward, than any
other part of Africa., and is very diftin-
guifhable in coming from the northward.
p ':,_ The north fide of this cape is fomewhat
^ mountainous the weftern point is fteep to-
wards the beach, and about half a league
broad, having fome rocks under water at a
difbance in the fea.
The fourh fide, tho' low, ispleafant, be-
ing adorn'd with long ftrait rows of tall large
trees along the Itrand, which feem to ftand
as regularly, as if they had been planted by
art. At the bottom is a fine fpacious, level,
fandy fhore, like a bay, fronting WSW,
and befet with feveral villages and hamlets,
as far as cape EmameL Between the two
capes, out at fea, are two large rocks, or
little iflands •, on one of which ftands a fingle
lofty tree, of an extraordinary bulk. In the
other is a vafl: concavity in the form of a
grotto or cave, into which the waves of
the fea are continually rufhing with a
prodigious roaring noife, and in it is har-
bour'd an immenfe multitude of gulls,
mews, and other fea-fowl, which have al-
ways laid their eggs, and hatch'd their
r/.i young on both thefe iflands time out of
mind, fo that their dung has almofl: turn'd
the natural dark colour of the rocks into
perfedl white •, for which reafon the Dutch
have in their language given them the name
of Befcheiten Eylands, that is, Shitten Iflands.
Plate 2. I took exaft draughts of the coaft on both
fides of the cape, as is here reprefented in the
cur.
Variation, The variation obferv'd here, is 3 degrees
current, and 40 minutes eaft. The current fets
SS W. three leagues out at fea. Five leagues
from the fhore we found eighty fathom
water-, the lead brought up grey fand.
The Dutch formerly built a little fort on
the very cape, and call'd it St. Andrew^ s ;
which -was afterwards in the year 1 664 taken
by the Eugliflj commodore Holmes, whoalfo
took from them all the refidences th.t Dutch
of the Coafis Book
Weft-India company had in this part of Ni-
gritia. He changed the name of this fort to
that of Tork., in honour of the duke of Tork
then the principal member of the Englijh
Royal African Company, and built another
at the mouth of the river Gambia, to fecure
the trade of this coaft to his nation. But
the Dutch admiral de Ruyter foon after re-
cover'd from the Englijh the fort at cape
Verde, with the other Dutch fettlemenis
about it. . i 1, J::.-: . . ; ^•5r::>.->i :
Cabo Mangel or Cape Emanuel,
T S five leagues diftant from cape Verde^
being a flat hill cover'd all over with
ever-green trees, in fuch order, that they :
exadlly reprefent the form of an amphi-
theatre on the fouth fide. ,
The Portuguefe gave it this name in ho-
nour of Emanuel, fourteenth king of Por-
tugal, fucceflTor to king John the fecond,
who died Ot^o^fr 25, 1495.
The country about both the capes ;
abounds in Pintado hens, partridges, hares,
turtle-doves, roebucks, goatSj and a mul-
titude of horned cattle.
/} j . . The IJland GOERZ^, -J; 1^;'.;':.;^
T I E S a league ENE. from cape Ema-
^ nuel, by the natives call'd Barzaguiche,
and Goeree by the Dutch, at their firft
taking pofieffion of it, in memory of their
ifland of the lame name in the province of
Zealand. It was given them by one Biram^ .
at that time king of Kayor, and they built ' .
on it two little forts, the one call'd Najfau ' ' " "
on the plain, the other named Najfau on the Dutch
top of the hill, oppofite to it, on the fouth,-^'"'*^*
to retire to, in cafe the other were taken,
for the fecurity of the company's fervants
and goods upon prefling dangers ; that being-
made by the faid company a principal ma-
gazine for- their commerce in thefe parts,
befides that they had at cape Verde above-
mention'd. They held this place till the
year 1663, when the Englijh invaded the
ifland, and took the two forts Najfau and
Orange in the name of the Engljh Royal
African Company but were foon after turn'd
out again by the Dutch admiral de Ruyter,
on the 24th of QEloher 1 664 ; who fent
Abercromhy, the EngUfh commander, with
his garrifon, to the Englifh refidence at Ga^n-
bia river, according to the capitulation.
The Dutch Weft-India company repair'd all
the damage done to this fettlement by the
Engliftj, and the mighty rains ; and raifed
the walls of fort Orange which had been de-
molifh'd, higher than before. From that
time they remain'd quietly poflefs'd of the
ifland till the year 1677, when the French
vice-admiral, the count d'EftreeSj with a
fmall
The Profpect of the Neo;roes Town oF Riifis eo
TheProlpect of C. Emanuel Sc of tbe IQe Goere'e: tlitf Flag atfi.S.E
A
Chap. i. Nigritia, or North-Guinei,
it
Tahen
by the
French.
Gi"jen to
their Afri-
can com-
pany.
Plate 3
ThefuBo
ry.
fmall fquadronof fix men of war, took it from
them on the 24th of O^oher, landing four
hundred and fifty men under the command
of the marquis de Grancey, who firft attack'd
the lower fort in the plain. The garrifon
fearing to be befet by fea and land, retired
to fort Orange on the hill, which the mar-
quis attack'd with fo much bravery and refo-
lution, that the Dtikh were forced to fur-
render it, and themfelves prifoners of war.
This done, the count d'Ejtrees having ran-
fack'd, burnt, and levell'd both the forts,
and fliip'd off all that was of any value, as
cannon, utenfils, and feveral forts of mer-
chandife, fet fail from Goeree for the ifiand
of Tobago in America, on the ninth of No-
vember follov/ing.
The next year, 1678, this ifland was
yielded up by the treaty oiNimeguen between
France and Holland^ for the ufe of the then
French Senega company, by patent under the
great feal excluding all and fingular other
perfons of that nation, under forfeiture of
fhips and goods, from trading to any port
of Nigritia, except the faid company, which
paid an acknowledgment to the crown for it.
The Senega company being thus put into
pofTeffion of Goeree, and other re fidences for
trade along this coaft, as far as the river
Gambia, immediately caufed the ruin'd fort
on the plain to be rebuilt on its former foun-
dation, raifing the curtins and femi-baftions
fixteen foot high, and facing the walls with
fuch black ftones or pebbles as the country
and ifland afford. Within they erefted pretty
convenient ftore-houfes and dwellings, with
other offices and conveniencies for a fmall
garrifon and faftory, giving the names of
Si. Francis and of Vermandois indifferently
to their new fort, formerly call'd NaJJau by
the Dutch. It was call'd Vermandois, in ho-
nour of the count de Vermandois, then admi-
ral of France, and the name of St. Francis
was on account of one of the chief dirediors
of the company.
I have here given an exa£t draught of the
ifland and fort as taken on the fpot. At firft
there were twenty-four guns mounted in the
fort •, but afterwards in my time it had but
fixteen, and thofe not in very good order.
The French made a good cifl:ern in the fort,
which has been ever fince confliantly kept
full of frefli water brought over from the
continent.
Here the company has its chief refidence
and general ftore-houfes, fuitable to the trade
drove at feveral ports and places along the
neighbouring coafts and rivers, as far as the
Bifegos iflands all managed by a chief fac-
tor, whom they there call governor, with
feveral inferior fadors and affiftants under
his direction ; yet even he is fubordinate to
the French general agent of Senega river.
The whole number of officers and fervants,
Vo L. V.
in
the
company's pay, with foldiers andBAREor.
Lapto Blacks depending on the chief at Goe- '^^•'V^
ree, amounts to about three hundred men.
The Lapto Blacks have feveral round huts
affign'd them for their dwelling, without
the fort, on the v/eft fide; and juft by it, is
a large houfe of black ftone to lodge the
flaves that are purchafed on the continent. .
The chappel in the fort is ferv'd by a Fran-
cifcan frier,and has nothing in it remarkable.
The fouth-weft part of the ifland is hilly, Goeree/j-
the eaft- fide fiat, fandy, and barren, thef^riM.
whole not much above two Englijh miles in
compafs. The landing-place is juif under the
fire of the fort, at the low point, in a fmall
bay form'd by a fandy beach, or ftrand,
where there is good fifhing with a feane.
The other parts of Goeree are every where
enclofed with a ridge of large round black
ftones or pebbles, and fnoals. At the weft
point, among thofe fiioals and rocks, natu-
rally forming a little bay or harbour, fit for
boats and pinnaces, about twenty paces out
at fea, is a fpring of good frcfh water ; and
near to it, the fcorching heat of the fun pro-
duces a fort of nitrous fait. The French call
this place la Fontaine.
The hill is indifferent large, and level sit The foil.
the top, and produces nothing but weeds
and bull-rufhes,which harbour abundance of
wild pigeons and at a certain time of the
year fome quails, which then come over thi-
ther from the oppofite continent. The foil
of the ifland is a red fandy mould ; for which
reafon,it produces very little pafture for cattle
and goats kept there for the fubfiftence of
the company's men ; the beft' grazing is on
the top of the above-mentioned hill.
The channel between this ifland and the
oppofite continent is deep enough for third-
rate fhips to pafs through, and the anchoring-
place before fort Vertnandois, is about an
EngUfi mile E S E. from the ftiore, in eight
or nine fathom water. As for the former
fort Orange, the ruins of it remain there to
this day. One inconveniency here for \x\\\z-Nomod,
bitants, is, that the v^^hole ifland is deftitute
of wood, either for ftielter or fuel, there be-
ing none but only here and there fome old
ftanding Pallots, with little green heads,
and a few buflies, at the foot of the hill, to-
wards the road.
The ufual watering-ptace for fliips mwaterlng'
the road, is at a place on the adjacent con-r"'^"-
tinent, by the French call'd le Cap, being
a third point of land, N E by N. from cape
Emanuel above fpoken of. The water is there
taken out of a pool, having a gravelly bot-
tom, about a mufquet-fhot up the land froni
the ftrand. The brook running into it, is
hemm'd in with buflies and briers, and the
water very fweet and good.
The wooding-place is at a fmall diftance tfooMng-
from the pool, and almcft oppofite to the?'''''''-
G wreck
zz
A Defcription of the Coafls Book I
Barbot. wreck of a fliip caft away there feverai years
'^-O^^ fince, the ribs whereof are Hill to be feen near
the fhoreat low water. The country there-
about being very woody, whatfoever is fell'd
may be convey'd down to the boats by
Blacks^ with little trouble, the fea being fo
near.
Village at About half a league to the weftward of
the cap. the watering-place is the village of the cape,
and a little beyond it are two fmall hamlets,
the inhabitants whereof commonly furnifh
travellers with feverai forts of provifions and
refrefhments, either for money or in ex-
change for goods, firfl- paying the ufual du-
ties to the king of Kayor's officers. I (hall
hereafter give a particular account of thofe
duties.
Mandana- The country about here is very barren,
zifmit. ^^^(^ places, yet it produces abundance
of wild crabbifb apple-trees, growing as
thick as broom on a heath, and among them
very fmall fhrubs, on which grows a fmall
fruit, much refembling an apricot, by the
Blacks call'd Mandamiza, generally no big-
ger than a walnut, of an agreeable tafte, but
by the natives reckoned very unwholefome.
The leaves of the tree are like ivy, but of
a lighter green.
The natives here fow and plant milletjrice,
tobacco, and a fort of plumb-trees, not un-
like our cherry-trees, which they call Cabo-
var J as alfo another plant, whofe fruit is
large, and in fhape like our gourds. This
fruit, tho' it has fcarce any fubftance, being
puffy under the rind, over a ponderous hard
Hone, of the bignefs of a common egg •, yet
it is much valued by the Blacks, as a great
dainty, roafled under the embers and chew'd,
when they fuck out the juice, which is of an
orange colour.
^he town of KvF I SCO
iismme. IS by the Porlnguefe call'd Rio Frefco or
Frfflj Riv€r, from the little frefh-water
river running down from the inland, through
the thick woods (landing about it ; which
water thus gliding along under the fhady
trees, is therefore at all times cool and frefh.
The Dutch have given it the name of Vif-
chers Dorp, from the great number of fifh .^r-
men inhabiting it; the French corrupting
the Portuguefe Rio Frefco, have turn'd it into
Ruffco.
Kam aen ^ town is a cape, and over-
clift. again ft it, atadiftance, a high rocky clift,
■ encompafs'd with dangerous fhoals and fands
under v/ater, by the Dutch call'd Ka?npaen,
from Claes Katnpaen, a famous rover of their
nation, who firft ventured to approach, and
left it his name. However the channel be-
twixt this clift and the continent is deep
enough, and fafe for any ordinary fliip to fail
through.
The town of Ruffco is all fhelter'd behind Defcrip-
by a large thick wood, beyond which there ""'^ "/
are fpacious plains as far as the eye can^**""*'
reach. In this wood there are abundance of
palm-trees, intermixt with much other va-
riety of verdure ; which, with the little fandy
downs, lying between the town and the fea,
and the fine beach at the skirts of it, makes
a curious profpedl from the fea, efpecially
at low water, being exaftly the fame as re-
prefented in the cut. Plate
Several of king Darnel's officers generally Govern-
refide here, and have a chief over them, ment.
call'd Alcaide by the Portuguefe and natives
the name importing a governor to admi-
nilter juflice, who is affiited by a Gerafo, as ^
his deputy. Thefe two jointly manage the
government, colled the king's curtoms, toll, '
anchorage and other duties •, but there lies
an appeal from their determinations toCondy,
viceroy and captain-general of the king of
Kayor's army of which more hereafter.
Any fhips may anchor in Ruffco road mTheroaJ.
fix or feven fathom water, fine fandy ground,
about two Efiglijh miles from the rfiore.
The heats are here intolerable in the day- pr;^^^;,^
time, even in December, and efpecially atheai.
noon ; for it is then generally a dead calm at
fea, and no manner of air can come to it from
the land, by reafon it is fo clofe ffielter'd
behind by the thick woods ftanding about it.
The heat is fo ftifling, that neither men nor
beafts can endure it, or fcarce breathe, efpe-
cially near the ftrand, at low water; for
there the refledion from the fand almoft
fcorches the face, and burns the very foles
of the fhoes in walking on it : and what ren-
ders {this the more infuppor table, is the air's
being infeded with a horrid ftench, exhaled
from a prodigious quantity of rotten fmall .
fifli like pilchards, either fpread abroad or
buried in the fandy downs before the town,
which poifons the breath. The reafon of its
lying there is, becaufe none of the Blacks ea.t
any fiffi till it is thus putrefy'd. B .ing ama-
zed to think to what end they could do this,
I was told that the fand gives the fifh a fort
of nitrous flavour, which thofe people highly
admire ; and according to the proverb, there
is no difputing of tafies.
The bay, by the French call'd la Bayerijhing.
de France, or the Freyich bay, abounds in
feverai forts of great and fmall fifh ; and .
this town ftanding quite at the bottom of
it, is plentifully fupply'd, and inhabited
by abundance of fifhermen, who daily go ' "
out feverai leagues in their canoes, driving
a trade with what they catch in the villages
up the country, as well as in their own,
whereof more ffiall be faid in its proper
place. Here is alfo a confiderable trade of
dry'd hides, but moft of them fmall, as
being of young beafts.
The
Chap. I. ^/Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
Tlenty of The country abounds in cattle and fowl
cattle. of feveral forts, efpecially Pintado hens,
and pahn-wine, which the Blacks fell at
eafy rates in exchange for Sangara, that is
French brandy, by them fo called •, a li-
quor they all love to excefs. A good hand-
fome bullock may be there had for two
pieces of eight in goods, or money, and a
large cow for one, and fometimes under.
Here isfuch plenty of black cattle, that I
have often feen large droves come down
• from the inland to refrefh themfelves in the
fea, at low water, ftanding in it up to the
belly for feveral hours together about
noon.
The French have agreed with the king
of Kayjr, to pay certain duties to his offi-
cers, for the liberty of taking in wood and
water. Each fhip gives a fettled quantity
of goods. Befides, they agree with the
Blacks, who commonly are employ'd in
felling the wood and taking up the water,
which they carry on their backs to the
boats, for which drudgery th^ y are eafily
contented with a few bottles of Sangara, or
brandy.
C A M I N A,
A com- A very populous town, ftands at fome
ZZlth diftance S E. from Rufifco. This is
^^"^ ' an independent commonwealth, lying be-
tween the countries of Ka'jor and Baook
having always withftood the attempts of
both thofe kings, made at feveral times to
fubdue it, by the bravery of its people,
and their fondnefs of liberty. This town
is a continual mart for hides and cloths.
Generally two hides go for a bar of iron
but cryftal beads and French brandy, are
generally ftaple commodities among thefe
people, and efpecially thofe of the inland
country, who refort to the market here.
Emdukura.
A village two leagues S E. from Camina.
Gimi-bemery is another village, a league
and a half farther from Emdukura. That
of Punto ftands another league and a half
beyond G'mi-hemery to the fouthward, near
the little river Pifcina^ fo call'd by the
Portuguefe^ from the great plenty of fifh
it breeds.
Cape Masto
French T I E S next to the faid riv.r Pifcina, eight
6ay. leagues from Rufifco, and nine from
Gceree. The coaft between l\\\s,Cape Mafto
and Cape Manoel, bending in, forms the
large open bay facing to the fouthward, by
the French call'd la Baje de France^ or the
French h^y ^ as was faid above.
The Portuguefe formerly gave this the
name of Caho Mafto., from an accident
which befel a commander of a fhip of
( 3
theirs, who failing by it, was fo fuddenly Bareot,
furpriz'd with a flaw of wind, that it brought >-*'V>«^
his mafts by the board, as is reported. But
Marmot fays, it receiv'd the name of Cabo^^^'^
de Ma ft lies., or cape mafts, from ont Lan-
celot, a Spamjh commander, in former
times, on account of fome extraordinary-
tall and ftrait palm-tree?, he faw ftanding
thereabouts, which from a diftance out at
fea look'd like mafts. To prevent any
fuch accidents from fudden flaws, as that
above mention'd, chofe who have occafion
to fail this way, about the cape, coming
from the land, generally ftrike their fails
beforehand. Thefe gufts commonly pro-
ceed from the two adjacent mountains.
The coaft from this cape to Rufifco is clean
and deep, fo that ftiips may fail clofe under
the ftiore,
Po R T o d'A L I
T I E S three leagues to the fouthward
of this Cape Mafto., at a river by the
Portuguefe call'd Rio das Pedras., or the
ftony river, the coaft between them tending
to the S E. The French have here a lodge
or fadtory, which has the fuperiority overp^^^^jj
their other lodges along the coaft, as far ^% f^a»rp
Gambia river. The king, or Jam., fome-
times refides at this place. From this place
to Cabo Mafto there are ftioals along the
coaft, running out above half a league into
the fea, but there is five fathom water on
them. To prevent any accident, we ge-
nerally keep a good offing, in failing from
the faid cape to Porto d'JLi.
The anchoring here is in feven fathom,
and preity good, having Cabo Mafto at
N b W. and the remarkable palm-trees
ftanding on the ftiore at north. Near the
beach is a rock, by the French call'd la
Baleine, that is, the whale ; which from a
diftance out at fea, looks like a floating
cask, right agiinft the abovemention'd
palm-trees. Take heed of this rock.
Some call this Punta d'yfli, from the Se^jeral
fmall cape to the weft ward, and perhaps""^"-
the Portuguefe might originally call it fo ;
it might be alfo call'd Purto d'Jli, that is.
Port All, and by the French corruptly Por-
tudale : but this is not material. i
Here the French factory pays duties to Bimes,
the king of Aii, to the Alcaide, the king's/"*'*'-
Forbe, the Alcaide's interpreter, and to his
boatlwain. The duty for the liberty of
watering is generally four bars of iron. Be-
fides they pay, the Welcome, as it is here
call'd, to the Alcaide^ to the Forbe, and
to the interpreter j viz. to the Alcaide five
bars, and three to the Forhe ; befides the
duty for anchorage, and that of the Capi-
tain de Terre, or commander aftiore, and
fix bottles of brandy among them all,
with fome bread and fiffi. The duties paid
at
24
Barbot. at parting, are eighteen bars of iron, and
t^VNi a red cloth cloak, among the laid three
officers. They alfo pay ten hides for every
floop's loading of any goods, and feveral
other fmall fees to inferior officers of this
port ; and to the Blacks of the point and
cademan, each a bottle of brandy.
In this town there are fome Portuguefe,
Mulattos, and trading people. It is a great
market for dry'd bullocks hides, which
2rcdun. are much larger than thofe of /^^(yT/?^?. To-
bacco grows here wild without planting,
the green leaves whereof the natives gather
and chew with much fatisfadlion, tho' very
harfh and coarfe. The country round about
, is naturally very fertil, and were the Blacks
more iuduftrious, they might cultivate
plenty of many forts of plants. They
have tamarinds, ananas, a fruit like dates,
but fmaller and very fweet, ot which they
make a fort of liquor, fomewhat inferior
to palm-wine ; there are alfo Sib^ trees,
Naniples, a fort of pear-plumb, Nompatas^
Tambalumbas^ cotton, oranges and lem-
mons, of thefe two laft but few indigo,
call'd there Arvore de Tinto, in Bortugiiefe^
dying trees, Cacaloes, &c. of all which
more hereafter.
p/«^«B^ Clofe by this town is the pleafant delight-
' fal wood Tapa, the fhade of whofe lofty
trees is very advantageous for affiarding the
inhabitants fhelter againft the exceffive
heats of the fcorching fun. There the
Portuguefe have a more peculiar abode.
There is great plenty of cattle all about
this country, as well as at Rufifco i and
particularly of kine, as appears by the
hides, which are their main trade, whereof
we ffiall have occafion to fpeak again.
Porto Novo,
T^HATis, new haven, is three leagues
^ beyond Porto d'Ali to the S E. (land-
ing on a bay, but has nothing remarkable.
About a league and a half beyond it again,
PuntaSe- x.\\t{2^TC\t^^Y, \s> Punt a Serena, nght before
which is a bank of fand two 3 or three fa-
thom under water : when you have brought
Caho Majlo to bear N N W. and Punt a Sere-: a
E S E. you are upon this bank.
The coaft between thefe two places is
low, and all over woody, and the ffiore all
along befet v/ith fmall villages and hamlets
of no note.
Some will have it, that departing from
Porto d'Ali for Juala, there ought to be
an offing kept of about three leagues and a
half from the fhore, to avoid fome flats,
which lie off the fea-coaft ; but it is well
known there is four fathom of water upon
thofe flats, and feven fathom in the channel,
betwixt the fhore and the faid flats ; and
therefore others look upon this as aneedlefs
precaution.
A Defcription of the Coafis '\.y Book I
Half a league to the fouthward of Puv.ta.
Serena, is the point c^AVd Punta Lugar^ ' m
the way to Juala, or Joalo.
rcna
'Slats
J U A L A.
A N open town, leated on Rh de la Gra-
^ V cia^ that is, Grace-River, which parts
this petty kingdom of Juala from that of
^/f, or Ak. Acrofs the river's mouth is
the bar, which remains dry at lov/ ebb, and
on it is a fpring of frefli water. This hdiV Thenar.
renders the river not navigable for ihips,
but only fuch fmall craft as boats, or canoes ;
and even within the bar the river is fliallow,
having generally but four foot water. For
this reafon, great fhips reforting hither, ride
out in the open road, in five or fix fathom
water, at about half a league diftance from
the ftrand, and fmall veffels in two fathom
and a half. The inhabitants of Juala ge-
nerally carry paflTengers afliore in their pin-
naces or canoes.
About a league to the Northward of ihtshoahmd
town there are fome flats, right againft a*'*"^^"^"
white point of fand, by the French call'd
La Potnte Blanche, or white point •, but by
the Portuguefe, Fazucho ; appearing fome-
what higher than the reft of the land about
it. On the fouth fide of it, three leagues
out at fea, are fome fhoals, call'd Baixcs^ de
Domingos Ramos ; and about two leagues -■ '
north-weft from this, is a ridge of fmall
rocks, lying underwater, and by the Por^
tuguefe call'd Ba'ixo de Barhocim.
On the fouth fide of the town of Juala, divers and
runs another fmall river, fuppofed to pro-
ceed from that of Borfalo, which gives
birth to another little river, call'd FJo das
Ojlras, or oyfter river, from the great
plenty of oyfters found in it by the Pw- . -
tuguefe. Near to the fxid oyfter river, the
Portuguefe charts place the ifland Barjoani-
que, inhabited by Blacks, and it lies very
clofe to the continent.
At this town of Juala, the French have duties
a fettled faftory, and pay the following
cuftoms and duties to the king. Fifteen
thoufand of bugle, and eighteen knives,
to the king, the Alcaide, the firft and fe-
cond Gerafos, the captain of the water
and their boys. Four thoufand ditto to
the Jagarafe, and to the king's Guyriot,
that is chanter, or rather bufl:bon, at co-
ming afliore % and to other fmaller offi-
cers, fome acknowledgment in brandy or
toys. The Portuguefe, befides all thefe
cuftomsj ufed to give them fome provi-
fions.
There is a road made by land, betwixt Road by
this town and xXwx.o'i Porto d\4li, running
from village to village along the fea-fide,
as far as Rufifco, for the conveniency of
travellers repairing to the markets.
Some
Chap.
vJNigrkia, or North-Guinea.
Bo. fab Some leagues to the S E. of, Rio das
"wr, Ofirasy the river Borfalo falls into the At-
lant'uk ocean, in the midft of a bay, or
bending in, the coaft being about nine
leagues from Juala. Some call this river
Bn-Jfangamas^ like the natives it comes
down above forty leagues E N E. up the
inland, befet on each fide with many vil-
lages, fmall hamlets, and fcattering cot-
tages. The tide runs up it ten or twelve
leagues •, and tho' it be fomewhat flat and
fliallow in feveral parts near the mouth,
yet fliips of confiderable burden may fail
in, there being three or four fathom of wa-
ter in the channel ; but I never heard of
any confiderable trade drove there.
Brc7.alme Some leagUes to the S E. of this river,
Hvtr. is^fmaller ; by the Blacks cali'd Buzalmi,
and by the French Brezahne, which tho'
forming a v/ide mouth to lofe itfelf in the
fea, is neverthelefs not navigable, being
choak'd up with many banks and fands ;
for which reafon the natives pafs in and out
in canoes. Befides there is very little com-
merce, bating that the Portuguefe there
buy fait and provifidns.
The coafts from the river Borfalo to the
Gambia are low and level, adorn'd with
ftately trees, but thinly peopled, as I fup-
pofe, for want of good rivers ; for all the
way between the river Buzalmi and Punta
da B array at the mouth of the Gambia:,
thers are dtily fome inconfiderable ones, as
Rio da Sak ot falt-rivetj and Crike^ which
lofe themfelves in the ocean among the
Berbecines properly fo cali'd, v/ho extend
^o^^oaijao as far as the river 5o?y^/f . Among them is
idcBxanco .a little colony of Portuguefe^ cali'd Po-
voafao de Brancos, fignifying borough of
whites, in Portuguefe. This town is three
, leagues from the village of Bar^ otherwife
cali'd AnnaboTy Handing on the north point
of Gambia river, where the king of Bar
often refides, which I fhall have occafion to
mention more at large in another place.
This is all the account I could find to
give of the maritine part of Nigritia, from
Cape Verde to the river Gambia. I am now
to fhotv a f!<.etch of the inland countries,
and lhall proceed as cautioufly as I have done
along the coaft *, returning, for the fake of
good order to the river Sentga.
ArsbinhA' The Arabian MoofSy fupposM by fome
kitmti. to be of the tribe of the A%oaghes\ inhabit
that part of Genehotty which borders on the
north-fide of the x\-vtv Senega y as far as Rio
dos Maringuinsy that is, the rivet of gnats,
which, as the natives inform us, comes
^- ■ down from the country of Arguiuy far di-
*- - ftant to the northward, and lofes itfelf in
the Senega. They fuppofe thefe Arabs ex-
tend eaftward, up the inland, as far as the
Vol, V,
other part of Genehoa, cali'd Azgar, in Barbot.
their language, fignifying marfliy grounds, v^v^
from the many moraffes there are in it.
Thefe Arabsy who are a meagre tawny
people, or of a foot colour, have no cer-
tain place of abode, but wander up and
down for the conveniency of finding pafture
for their cattle, and in fuch places pitch
their tents for a time ; having neither lords
nor princes to govern them, as their neigh-
bours the Blacks have, but only fuch chiefs
as they think fit to appoint for a time ; one
of which is Ali-Fouke, reliding on the north-
fide of the Scnegay of whom more will be
faid in its place.
Of the inland countries,
HIS kingdom has very much declined Kingdom
from what it was in former times, both^-^ Senega,
as to extent of dominions and the number of ,
people. The wars it has continually been
irigag'd in, have confiderably con traded
its limits ; for the country of Genehoay was
once a dependance on it, and therefore in
thofe days indifferently cali'd Genehoa or
Senega. At prefent, its greateft extent is
about forty five, or fifty leagues, along the
fea-coaft, and but about fifteen in breadth
up the inland, under the Government of
the great Brak, king of the Senega negroes $
Brak in the language of the country im»
porting the Ibvereign, as Cafar does the
Roman emperor in Europe. Thus Adoni-
bezek fignify'd lord or king of Bezeky a
nation fubdu'd by the IfraeliteSy immediately-
after the deceafe of Jofhuay according to
Jofephusy lib. 5. c. 2, Adoni or Adonai in
Hebrew fignifying lord,,
The dominions of Cheyraticky otherwife ^&»^/eOTaf
cali'd Silaticky king of the FouleSy of which ^^^^^'^l^*-
fome mention has been made before, ftretch
out about three hundred leagues in compafs,
reckoning from the country of the Fargots
in the eaft, on the river Senega, down about
fifty leagues to the fea-coaft weftward
comprehending in this fpace, ten other ter-
ritories and petty kingdoms^ which are tri-
butary to it, befides that of Ali-Fouke, be-
fore fpoken of, over whom this king claims
a fuperiority, and fome others dn the north
fide of the Senega. The town or city Ca-
melingiiay alias Conde, is reputed the me-
tropolis of this little empire, ftanding
above a hundred miles up the inland, eaft-
\Vard of the Senega.
The Foules may be properly divided
into two different nations, the eaftern and ^[""^ "f
the weftern, inhabiting from the eaftern'
part of the Gelofes to Cafnelingua and
ftretching from Donkan to Bociet, on the
weft to the lands of the Gelofes ; and towards
the Ibuth, to thofe of prince PFollys and ta
part of the kingdom of Borfalo^
H
The
A Defcription of the Coajis
Book I
Ba-^bot. The natives reckon their king, the moft
ie»ces on
year about, only fomewhat abating during
the months of November and December ; and ^
that there is no flopping from morning till
night.
Chap. 2. ' ofNigrkia, or
night, iv'tlcfs it be fome little time about noon
under fome trees, to eat of fuch provifions as
they muft of neceffity carry along with
them on little afles, which are dull heavy
creatures, horfes being fcarce at Rufifco.
Hov/ever, the French agents ride a horf;-
back, and their fervants on thofe lorry afies
without faddles, which is extraordinary un-
eafy. At night they lie at fome village,
where there is no accommodation, cither for
man or beaft; moft of the native Blacks li-
ving for the moft part on roots, for want of
corn, which is the common food in other
places, thefe here being extraordinary lazy
and miferable poof.
Wretched Their little houfes or huts are generally
hoiijes. made of ftraw, yet fome more commodious
than others, built round, without any other
door but a little hole like the mouth of an
oven, through which they muft creep on all
four, to get in or out ; and having no light
but at that hole, and a conftant fmoaky fire
continually being kept within, it is impoffi-
blt for any but a Bliuk to live within them,
by reafon of the exceffivc heat from the roof,
and no lefs from the floor, being a dry burn-
Andbeds, iug find. Their beds are made of feveral
fmall flicks, plac'd at two finger's breadth
diftance from each other, and faftned toge-
ther with ropes, the whole fupported by
, fhort wooden forks fet up at each corner.
*Tis not difficult to guefs what eafy fleeping
there is like to be on fuch beds, tho' the bet-
ter fort of them fpread a mat over thefe bed-
lleds to lie on. The men of Byhurt are fo
Znzimm lazy, that they will do nothing ; the women
anJleitd manage all, even their fmall trade, by which
wame/i. j^ieans they have the opportunity of being
very leud and debauch'd with the European
failors.
At this place of Byhurt are ftill to be feen
^^^^ the ruins of a fort, which the Portuguefe had
almoft finifh'd in the year 1483, under
^ the command of Peter Vas Acunha Bifagu-
do, fent hither exprefsly by king John II. of
Portugal, with a fleet of twenty caravels,
carrying men and materials to effect it with
allTpeed. That king was induced to this
undertaking by the preffing inftances of one
Bemoji at that time king of the country.
who being fuccefTor to Barhiram, king ofBAREor.
the Gelqfes, and expell'd by an infurreftion ^-O^"^
of his fubjeds, ran afoot from hence along
the fea-coaft, as far as Argiiin., where he im-
bark'd for Portugal, with fome of his fol-
lov/ers, to beg the afTiflance of that king,
who receiv'd him afFedlionately, caufing
him and all his retinue to be converted and
baptized with much pomp, and gave him
the name of John, being himfelf godfather,
and the queen godmother. This Bemoy re-
turned to his country with the aforefiid com-
modore Acunha, and being landed, pro-
ceeded to build the fort we have mentioned
but the place proving very unhealthy to A-
and his men, who died apace, and the
fiLuation being bad, becaufe of the ftrong
current of the river, d'Acunha was fo in-
cens'd, fearing his king would appoint him
governour of the new fort, which would
make his life miferable, that in 2l r2i^Qh.tBarbaro.H$
murder'd the unfortunate black king Betnoy,"^-
aboard his fhip, and return'd with the reft
of his men to Lijhon, leaving the fort half
built. King John was highly offended at
him, both for his difappointing the enter-
prize, and for the barbarous aft of murder-
ing his convert Bemoy ; concerning whichj
fee Vafconcellos in the life of that king.
The road we have fpoken of, from Ru^
fifco to the river Senega, was made for the
conveniency of trading from Goeree to the
ifland of St. Lewis, which by fea, is very te-
dious and uncertain, the French having founcj
by frequent experience, that their fhips or
floops often made it a voyage of a whole
month, tho' the diftance be but forty leagues
by fea, along the coaft, the v/inds and cur-
rents much obftrufting it during t)ie moft
part of the year.
There is alfo a road made from Rufifco to
Lambaye, the capital of the kingdom of
Baool, being twenty leagues diftant from
Camina to the eaftward and thence to San-^
gua)', three leagues farther N W. from Lam-
baye, where the king of that country refides.
Jamefil is five leagues eaft of Lajnbaye, and
Borfalo town twenty eight or thirty leagues
farther ftill, on a branch of the river Bar-
falo.
I - CHAP. IL
A more particular account of the countries known by the names of Foules and
■ Jalofes, and the petty kingdoms lying towards the fea-coaji ; their nature^
' j)rodu^, rivers, beafis, birds., fijhes, trees ^ fruits., flower s^ and infers j as
alfo the climate, weather, and Tornado's <7rTravado's.
D;/p(j/7fio» 'T^HIS country in fome parts is hilly The lakes and fea affoi-d great plenty of p/*;}^^
9f the conn- ^ and mountainous, in others flat and feveral forts of fifh, efpecially about Cabofijh.
^7- level, with large plains and commons, inter- Verde ^n<^ Rufifco.
mix'd with falt-pits, large lakes, foreftsand The forefls harbour prodigious numbers SfA/?^
rivers, and abundance of meadow-grounds of elephants^ efpecially wppji - elephants,
almoft every where, " which
28 ADefcriptton
Barbot. which here, as well as near Gajnboa, feed
^"■OT^ together in herds, as the wild fwine do in
fome European countries. There are alio
lions, leopards, tygers, rhinocerots, camel?,
wild afles, wolfs, wild goats, ftags, ounces,
panthersj antelopes, fallow deer, wild rats,
wild mules, bears, rabbits, and hares ; but
of thefe two laft, the moft about Tar ay and
Banguifa^ two villages on the borders be-
tween Kayor and Borfalo. For cattle, there
is an incredible multitude, much lefs in
fize than what England generally affords,
which run about wild but about the Senega^
this fort of cattle is larger than in the other
parts. Wild boars are alfo very numerous,
their flefli much whiter, and not fo well
tafted as ours in Europe. The ounces are
reckoned much fiercer, and more ravenous
than the tygers, but at the fame time more
beautiful.
Here are alfo very many apes, monkeys,
and baboons, but not fo handlbme or game-
fome as thole of the coait of Guinea, There
are alfo large porcupines, in Barhary call'd
Zaita., and two forts or fpecies of very fmall
tame goats, which the natives value very
liiuch for their flefh, and are to them inftead
of Iheep. One fort of thefe animals has a
beautiful fliining black fkin, highly efteem'd
among the Blacks ; the other fort has long
hair about the neck. The flefli of the fe-
males is juft tolerable, but that of the males
is dry, naught, and fcarce eatable, by rea-
fon of the ftrong fuffocating fcent, or ra-
ther ftench always attending it.
I muft again fay fomewhat more par-
ticular as to the oxen and cows already
mention'd. The number of them muft be
almoft infinite, if weconfider the very many
cargoes of dry hides in the hair, fhipp'd off
every year at Senega, Goeree, Porto cTAU,
and other parts, and the fmall price they
are purchas'd at ; a good ox or bullock
yielding under two pieces of eight in Eu-
ropean goods, and a large cow much lefs.
Herds of ^^'^^ ^^^"S Baool conftantly keeps above
cuttel. 5000 ot this fort ofcattel ; and every one of
the better fort among the natives has a large
herd, or drove, fuitable to his rank and abi-
lity. This prodigious quantity of cattel runs
in and about the woods, feeding in herds of
3 or 400 together, led by one fmgle Black,
who looks after, and drives them all back
every evening into places paliffaded, like a
park fence. The cows are moft mifchievous,
and will run at any perfon that comes near
with any thing that is red, either in clothes,
or the hands ; their milk is very good and
fweet.
■Red deer, '^^^ ^^g^ ^"'i Mmds have little fhor't
rahbits, horns, bending towards the neck, like a
and hares, ram's the flelh of the firft of them is extra -
- . . ordinary fweet and good ; that of the hares
and rabbits is much the fame a§ in England,
of the Coafis ^ Book i
There is alfo great plenty of fallow deer^
and abundance of dogs, cats, and civet cats ;
befidcs feveral forts of other aminals un-
known to us. One fort whereof, is remark-
ble, for that it has the body of a dog, and ^ p^ngi
the hoofs of a deer, but larger, the InouicrcaiHre-.
much like that of a mole, and feeds on
ancs, or pifmires ; and, if we may believe
the Blacks, digs as faft with that Ihout un-
der ground, as a man can conveniently
walk. I had one of them given me dead,
which I have drawn exadly as here repre- ■
fented in the cut.
This country is alfo infefted with feveral Serpnts.
forts of venomous lerpents, the worft of
which is of a light-grey colour, which
however does not offer to offend man, un-
lefs provok'd. Thefe often lurk at night
in the cottages of the Blacks, to v/atch for "
rats and mice, which they are very fond of.
For thefe reafons, the natives have a great
veneration for them, as believing that the
fouls of their kindred departed are tranf- ■
migrated into them and therefore they
conclude, that v/hofoever offers to deftroy
them, deferves death. As foon as one of
this fort of fnakes has bit a Black, he pre- Superp^
fently repairs to the Marahout, or prieit of""**
the place, to be cured, by his charms, and
fuperrtitions. If the Marahout happens to
be from home, the perfon is neverthelefs
cured, by touching a piece of wood, that
is always ftanding upright by the prieft's .
houfe, for that purpofe.
The Blacks farther pretend to fay, they py^g
have here feen a fort of wing'd, or flying
ferpent, which ufes to feed on cow's milk,
fucking it at the dug, without hurting the
beait. This fort of ferpent they afiirm,
will ftifle a man in a few minutes. Another
fort they fay is fo monftrous big, as to
fwallow a buck, or a ftag whole.
There is a prodigious number of extraor- Lizards.
dinary large lizards, which are good to eat ;
and no fewer of the little fort, which make
their nefts in the hutts and cottages, and
are very troublefome to the Blacks, by run-
ning continually to and fro over their faces
and bodies, as they lie afleep, in the night,
and fouling on them.
Here is alfo abundance of feveral forts Birds..
birds and fowl. One of the fineft fort are
the parrots, but more efpecially the par- ■P'f^f/i.
rokeets, being no bigger than an Europea?z
lark, fome all over green, others v/ith a
grey head, the belly yellow, the wings green,
the back, part yellow and part green, and
a very long tail ; but thefe feldom or never
talk, though ever fo well taught, having
only a pretty fweet cry or tone. An-
other fort are of an afli-colour about the
neck, and yellow or green about the
body ; and thefe do much mifchief in the
corn fieIds,^ .
• ■ The
' 7
Chaj, 2. o/Nigritia, ot North-Guinea.
2p
Cocks and
hem.
Tintadas.
Thepoultry, both cocks and hens, are ex- as green as an emerald all over, or ofaBARBoT.
traordmary fmali, and perch on the trees, fine yellow or blue, fonae of which I brought ^.^'V^
like other birds ; their flelh very fweet.
The Pmtada hens, which are aJfo very
linall, have a delicious tafte, efpecially the
young ones. Their feathers are of a dark
alh colour, all over full of fmall white
fpecks, fo regular and uniform, that they
exceed many fmall birds in beauty. The
cocks have a fine rifing, or tuft on the
crown, like a comb, of the colour of a dry
walnut-fhell, and very hard. They have
a fmall red gill, on each fide of the head,
like ears, ftrutdng out downwards ; but the
hens have none. They are fo ftrong, that
it is very hard to hold them, and very
They feldom have long tails,
that fly much, when the tail
is of ufe to them, ferving as a rudder to
help them in turning. Their beaks are thick
and ftrong, their claws long and fharp
bold withal,
except thofe
over into Europe.
The Blacks fay they have, in fome parts, ojlrkhei,
oftriches of a prodigious magnitude, and
fome fmaller, which they reckon rare meaCj.
every part of their flefh having a different
tafte from the other. Their feathers are ge-
nerally of a dark-grey. This creature is fo
generally known, that Ithinkltfuperfluous to
fay much more of it i but only to undeceive
the credulous, as touching an erroneous opi-
nion which has long prevail'd among Euro-
peans^ and is, that the oftriches feed on and
digeft iron ; the contrary being very well
known, and may be fufficiently clear'd by
this inftance. The embafiadors of Morocco^
Fez and Sale to theStates-general of the uni-
ted provinces, in the year 1 659, among other
rarities of thofe countries, brought over to
Holland,, as a prefent, an oftrich, which died
They feed on worms, and rake up the earth dXAmJierdam by greedily fwallowing of iron-
to come at them, or elfe on grafhoppers,
which are very numerous. Their flefti is
tender and fweet, in moft of them white,
yet fome have it black, and are taken by
dogs running them down, being kept fome-
times 2 or 300 in a flock. They alfo
thrive well aboard of fliips, and live long ;
and if taken yoting, become as tame as our
hens. As to fliape, they much refemble
a partridge, but are much larger.
Thefe Pintadas perch on trees, as do alfo
their partridges, which are generally of a
larger fize than ours in England,, and differ
from them in the colour of their feathers,
fome being white, and others black.
WiUGeefe. Here is alfo a fort of wild geefe, fome-
v/hat differing in feathers from the Euro-
pean, and arm'd at each wing with a hard,
fliarp, horny fubftance, about two inches
and a half long,
j-^^j Teal are pretty common and very deli-
cious, efpecially the grey ones of the river
Senega.
Doves,tcc. Nor is there lefs plenty of turtle-doves,
which are choice meat, as are the wild pi-
or ring-doves, which the woods
with as they do with nightin-
gals, much like ours in Europe, but do not
fing fo fweetly. In fome places there are
larks.
Eagles, Eagles are very numerous as are the
^«w/j5,8cc.ftorks •, fhort-wing'd hawks ; herons, white
and black vultures, whofe skins are much
valu'd by the Blacks ; alfo falcons, wood-
cocks, wild ducks, and almoft all forts of
birds known to us in Europe^ whether wild
or tame, befides others quite unknown to
us ; fome of which are extraordinary beau-
tiful to the eye, having curious red heads,
necks and tails, and their tails m.ix'd with
lively blue, yellow, and black. Others are
Vol. V.
geons,
fwarm
nails, which children threw to it, believing
that creature had digefted it like bread
for the oftrich being open'd when dead,
above eighty nails were found entire in its
ftomach. Others have obferv'd, that the
oftriches do void the iron, or brafs they have
fo greedily fwallow'd, without the leaft di--
minution, and even that is fcarce done with-
out imminent danger of the creature*s life,,
or at leaft making it very fick. Thus ic
appears, that this animal's devouring of iron
or copper, does not proceed from a natural
appetite for thofe metals, nor from the
ftrength of its ftomach to digeft them ; but
from a voracious temper and ftupidity,
which makes it fwallow things fo prejudi-
cial to its body.
Now and then there appear in thefe parts Dvparf-
fome dwarf-herons, which the French ca.W^^'''"'^'
j4ygrets, being much like the other herons
in fhape, excepting the bill and legs, which
are quite black, and all the feathers of a
curious white.
I had one of thefe given me by a Black,
who ftiot it in the woods j and from the
wings and back of it I caus'd to be pick'd
a fort of very long, fmall, round and hairy
feathers, 12 or 1 5 inches long, which the
French call Aygrets, as well as the bird, and'r^
are highly valu'd among the 'Turks, and
other eaftern nations. Thefe I have by me
to this day, as a very great rarity.
There is another bird, which has a crook- Alcaviafc
ed beak, with a black flcin on the neck and ^'^^
head, but no feathers there, tho' it has on
the body. Near the town of Sandos and
the lake Eutan, they have a fort of iron-
grey fowl, of the bignefs of a fwan, whofe
beak is round, and hooked, like that of a
parrot, with v^'hite feathers under it. The
bird c^^di Alcavrnk, is of the fize of a pea-
I cock.
30
ADifcription of the Coafts
'OOK I.
Babrot. cock, having a tufc of curious fine fmall
'^OT*^ feathers on the head, much like a coronet,
fpotted with white on each fide of the head,
and its feathers all over like velvet.
Bees. It is almoft impoffible to be exa6l in de-
fcribing all the feveral forts of infeds in this
country, and therefore fliall pafs over them
the more (lightly. The bees fwarm in the
woods, efpecially towards the river Gambia,
where the Blacks make confiderable advan-
tage of their wax.
The woods are alfo full of very large ants
^«;i//,8cc.|or pifmires, and fundry forts of gnats and
flies, which are troublefome to travellers
as is a fort of infed, like a little crab, ha-
ving a fling in the tail, like the fcorpion,
which obliges the Blacks to travel, for the
mofl part, by night, through the forefts
/ with lights made of a bituminous fierce
/ burning fort of wood they have among
them.
mfi. As for fifh, there is as great plenty, as
much variety, and feveral forts as large,
as can be imagin'd, all along that coafl j
and particularly in the bay, by the French
caird, la Baye de France^ or French Bay. I
often fent out the pinnace there, with fix
hands, who in lefs than two hours, with
our feane, caught fo great a quantity of all
forts of fifh, large, and very good, as would
give 200 men a meal. Several forts were
the fame we have in England and France^
and others quite unknown to us.
Generally the fifh is very large. I have
feen fcales 1 5 inches about, very fine and
curious in their form.
Tilehards, Pilchards, though fmall, are very good,
appearing in mighty fhoals at certain times,
on the furface of the water, about Riififco„
where the Blacks pretend to dry them, on
the fandy downs, before their town, next
the ocean, as I fhall again obferve.
Seles. The foles here are longer, and not fo
round as thofe in France. Mullets are much
of the fame fhape as with us as are the
turbots, pikes, thornbacks, and monks of
three or four forts, one of which is all over
full of round blue fpots. The bream, cre-
vices, and lobflers, differ much from ours
in Europe. There are no oyfters at all,
but abundance of jambles^ as large as the
palm of a man's hand.
Strange The forts of fifli unknown in Europe^
fijhes. zxQ xhQ pargues, the. gold fijh^ the tunny, the
racoas in fhape like a falmon, the neger,
■ - and the farde, which the Blacks eat above
any other fifh.
There are alfo multitudes of vaft great
fharks, porpoifes, or fea-hogs, fouffleurs, by
the Dutch call'd nord-kapers, and by the
EngliJJj grampujfes, being a fort of whales,
fuccets, and fpruntons, or fword-fifhes, having
a long fharp-pointedbone flicking ftrait out
from their upper jaw ; with which it is faid • '
they can flrike through the planks of a fhip, ■ ■
and make it leaky. The efpadon, as the
French call it, is alfo found in thefe feas, ■
having a bone four foot long proceedin<3-
from its upper jaw, with other fmaller bone's
crofilng it at equal diftance, with which it
catches other fi flies.
The pools, brooks, lakes, and other Fre/Z<-
watery places in this country are alfo well /A
flor'd with carps, crevices, and the fifh
they there call Uerke-hau^ much like a fal-
mon.
The crocodiles, or alligators, are a.Ko AUigatcrs.
pretty common, fome of them accounted
venomous, and others not ; befides another
fort, much like a ferpent, and feeding on
pi fm ires.
The natural lazinefs of the natives in ge-
neral, may perhaps be one reafon of the
great plenty of fifh hereabouts, and its
growing fo large; becaufe the Blacks do
not ufe to go a fifhing, unlefs they can find
no game a hunting, or fhooting.
T'he Soil
TS a reddifh burnt mould, mix'd withfartd,
yet very fertile in the low lands of Senega
and Gambia, by reafon thofe rivers overflow
at certain feafons of the year ; and propor-
tionably in all other places, becaufe of the
moifture and coolnefs of the night, during
the fummer feafon : fo that moft European
feeds thrive quickly, but none of our fruit-
trees. However, the Blacks make little ad-
vantage of this natural goodnefs of their foil,
being, as I have often obferv'd, a very floth-
ful people. Maiz or Indian wheat, and mil- ji^^^-^^
let, the two forts of grain they make mo^ Millet.
ufe of, would yield a mighty increafe, and
prevent the deflrudive famine they are often
expofed to, as fhall be taken notice of elfe-
where ; our European corn will not anfwer .„
well, the heat being too violent, and the
ground too moifl.
Rice would grow with eafe in the lowRfre. . -
lands, if the people were more induflrious
but they have little or none, unlefs it is at
Cabo Vtrde, alledging they do not Jove that
fort of grain.
Ignames and potatoes are common enough, Roots.
befides feveral other forts of roots, which
the natives value very much, tho' fome of ^.
them are very infipid. They ufualiy dry and .\
keep them till they have occafion. There
is alfo a particular fort, call'd Gemot, which
taftes like a hazle-nut.
The little white peafe of Kayor, and the Peafe and
white and red beans, are tolerable enough
to ear.
The Man'iguetle or Guinea pepper might Guinea
be well improved here but the natives do ^^if^^-
not regard its fo that there are only fome
bufhes
Chap. z. of Nigritia, or
bufhes of it to be feen here and there about
CaboFerde. • - --J''.
mter-me- Water-melons abound every where, but
Ions. nothing To fweet and pleafant as in Portugal,
their juice being very infipid. At Goeree they
cultivate a fmall fort of melons not much
bigger than an ordinary egg, which when
quite ripe turns perfectly red.,
Papayes. The Papayes, which tafte like coleflowers,
grow on a fmall tree, with large leaves,
about the bignefsof a fmall melon, but not
many of them on one tree. Thefe are a
good refrefhment to failors, as are the pom-
Tomftons. pions of the country, but thefe very fmall
and crabbed.
The pine-apple or Anana is plentiful about
mrbs. Senega, but fcarce at Caho Verde. Here is
abuodance of Dandelion growing wild to-
wards the fea-coaft, but extremely bitter
as alfo every where great plenty of large
field-purflain, and wild fharp forrel, call'd
Guinea forrel, accounted very wholefome,
being preferved in a pickle of fait and vine-
gar. It grows like a fmall bufh, with a little
• ■ prickly ftalk, the leaves fhort and broad.
' I once found at Goeree, a fort of plant,
which has the fcent both of thyme and mar-
joram.
I Ihall have occafion in the courfe of this
defcription to fpeak of the palm-wine, by the
Blacks call'd Miguolu, whereof there is great
plenty, as alfo of the palm-oil, much ufed
by the natives to feveral purpofes •, and will
therefore forbear in this place giving any far-
ther account of the feveral forts of palm-trees
of which they are made. Only it may be
here obferved, that there are abundance of
palm-trees in this country, efpecially about
Rufifco, which are a great ornament, and
do much fet off their landskips j but there
are no coco-trees at all.
Trees and Fruits*
Trees, A S for wild trees, I took notice of none like
what we have in Europe, or that the na-
tives made any other advantage of them but
for fuel. I have feen fome there of an im-
menfe magnitude, the trunks being fo big
about, that feveral men together could not
fathom them. If I may believe fome of the
French factory, they have feen fuch as twenty
men could not fathom. Moft certain it is,
that I faw myfelf the trunk of a tree, lying
on the ground at the cape, near Goeree,
which was fixty foot about, and in it a hol-
low or cavity, big enough to contain twenty
men ftanding clofe together •, and I farther
obferved, that there were feveral forts of odd
figures of men and beafts, which appear'd
fuch at a diftance, form'd by nature itfelf on
the bark.
Thefe large trees have a foft tender bark-,
the leaves are much like thofe of the walnut-
tree, four or five growing clofe together in
North-Guinea, • 5 1
a clufter. They run up in a few years to an Bar.bot.
amazing bulk and loftinefs in low fat '^■^^V^
grounds.
There is another fort of tree in the forefts, The ^^e-
on which a kind of fmall birds, no bigger than free.
fparrows, make faft their hanging nefts to
the ends of the boughs fo that on one of
thefe trees there are often above an hundred
of the faid hanging nefts, very curioufly and
artificially twiftedand wrought by thofe little
creatures to preferve their young ones from
the ferpents, as the Blacks pretend but I
rather believe from the apes and monkeys,
which are in great multitudes on the trees,
leaping and skipping from one branch to an-
other, and feeding on a certan fruit very
common in the woods, refembling a gourd,
but fomewhat longer. The Blacks therefore
call this the ape-tree of which I ihall fay
more in my remarks upon the river Seftro.
Among the eatable fruits hereabouts, I tlquor..
took notice of one, in lhape like a fmall
plumb, which the natives make much ufe of,
extrafting from it a fharpilh liquor ; ferving
them inftead of palm-wine, where this is
fcarce to be had.
The country has but few orange-trees Oranges
but there is more plenty of fmall crab lem- ^ndUm-
mons, efpecially in the lands of the Foules,
about Camelingue,
In the agent's garden at Goeree, I faw Paima
fome plants of the Palma-Chrifti, of which Chrifti.
a medicinal oil is made. He told me, it was
of that fort of Kikajon or gourd- tree^ which
cover'd Jonas'?, hut when he fat down before
the great city of Nineveh,
The Portuguefe in this country make much Koi^fruU,
ufe of the fruit Kola, refembling a large chef-
nut, fn the rainy and winter feafons ; of
which more hereafter.
Here is great plenty of a fmall fruit like
dates, whereof they make a fort of wine,
call'd Shonkon, which is not fo pleafant as
the true palm-wine. Of the fame is made a
fort of oil, ferving for feveral ufes ; as is alfo
done of the wine-palm-trees, producing a
fmall fort of nuts, which afford the Punic
oil, having a fcent almoft like violets, and
tafting like olives, of a yellow faffron colour.
This fort of palm-tree they call Sijbj, and put
a great value upon the wine made of it. I
never faw any right coco-trees in thefe parts,
and believe none grow here, as at the ifiands
in the bight of Guinea.
The Kakaton is reckoned very cooling, has icakatoa
a thin skin or peel of a dark green, but isA^'^-
crabbed and fourifli ; as is another fort of
fruit here call'd Naniples, in fliape like an j^^nipies.
acron, full of juice, the peel yellow and
fmooth. The Blacks ufe it in fevers, mix-
ing the juice with water, which is very re-
freiliing.
The Nompatas are about the bignefs ofj^om.
a chefnut, green without, very lufcious, patas,
growing
A Defcription of the Coafis Book I
Ba^ p.or. growing on a fort of tall tree, and heats the
'-'^VNJ blood.
Banalc. The Banak is a red fruit, fhaped like a
peach, as fweet as honey. There is alfo a
fort of white mulberry-trees and tamarinds,
Tamba- The Tambakumba is about as big as a pi-
kumba. geon's egg, of a very didigreeable tafte, and
extraordinary hot.
Diabolos. The fruit Diabolos is a fort of hazle-nuc,
which taftes like almonds. Another fpecies
of trees bear a fruit like fmall pears.
Cotton. Cotton-trees are pretty common. The
Blacks fpin and weave the cotton, making nar-
row cloths of it, fome for their own ufe, and
a vaft quantity to fell to iht Europeans., who
drive a confiderable trade of them all along
the coaft of Guinea., efpecially the Englijh.,
Portugiiefe^ and Dutch ; but the French very
feldom, as having no fettlements any where
on the coaft of South-Guinea.,hnton\Y azFida.
Banana, The Banana trees are very plentiful, the
fruit whereof is by the Spaniards call'd
dam^s-Apple ; for what reafon I know not,
but fhall fay more of it hereafter.
Indigo. The TUnto is a bufh about three foot high,
from whofe leaves they extradt a fort of in-
digo, to dye their cloths or clouts of a dark
blue, as fhall be more particularly obferved
in another place.
Grafs md The meadows and pafture-grounds pro-
duce great plenty of grafs to feed their cattle
and horfes^ which are very numerous j but the
hay made of it proves very tough and dry,
by reafon of the violent heat.
ilomrs. The fields and woods are adorned with fe-
veral forts of wild flowers, of an indifferent
. beauty, and quite different from any we have
either in France or England. I took notice of
one particular fort among the many other,for
its beautiful crimfon colour, and its refem-
bling the flower, by the French call'd Belle
de nuit, or the night-flower ; but the Blacks
take no manner of delight in flowers.'
Thyfical The phyfical herbs ufed by the Blacks \n
herbs. i-i^ejj. diieafes, are of fundry forts, but alto-
gether unknown to Europeans., and quite
differing from ours in fliape. They wonder
at us for eating of herbs and falads, and fay
we do like the cattle and horfes,
Rock-Salt,
'~ir H E bottom of the river Senega^ be-
tween By hurt and the ifland St. Lewis.,
is all covered, where there is two foot water,
with a cruft or bank of rock-falt, which the
Blacks dig out in pieces or lumps, with large
' iron-hooks. This fait, as foon as dry'd in
the air, turns white, and is indifferently well
favour'd. The men who work at it fay, that
as faft as they dig it out, the hole fills up
again •, as when a hole is cut in ice, the
water foon freezes and fhuts ir up again.
Trade of ^^^^ fah IS conveyed all over the country,
fait. upon camels, for the account of the king
of Kajor ; and a camel's load of it is her6
valued at a Cabo Verde cloth or clout, or
elfe a basket of millet.
The great lumps of rock-falt are broke
into fmall pieces, arid packed up in leathern
bags of an equal competent weight, fo as
two of them make a camel's load. The
Dutch formerly ufed to carry fome of this
rock-falt into Flolland. Tho' the king here
makes all the advantage of the trade for fait,
he is at no charge for digging of it ; but
the buyer is to defray it.
This country produces no gold, nor any
other metal, or mineral, that I could hear of.
Of the AiK or C'LiUATs..
TT is in the main very unhealthy, ^^-p^- unhealthy
^ cially near the rivers and marfby grounds, climate,
and in woody places ; but mofl: of all to
white men, particularly in July, Auguft, and
September, which is the rainy fealbn ; for
from September to June^ the heats are almofl
intolerable, and produce many fatal difl:em'-
pers in the Europeans, who refide here on
the account of trade. However, I am o^intem^t-
opinion, that their intemperance is more''^'^^*
prejudicial to them, than the air itfelf ; for
it is moft certain, that very many of them
are guilty of much excefs in palm-wine and
women : yet it is no lefs true, that the very
air of the country occafions malignant fevers,
which frequently carry off a lufty man in
twenty-four hours ; but if he can withfl:and
the firft fury of it, there is great likelihood
of his recovering. i
The natives themfelves are not fometimes
exempted from fuch diftempers but are of-
ten known to languifh under them, if not
immediately fhatch'd away by thofe violent
fevers. They are vfery fubjed: to confump-
tions, convulfions, and palfies, of which at
laft they die.
Another difeafe, as bad as the fever, \i Worms in
not worfe, is that occafion'd by the worms ^^^J^/'*
this malignant air breeds in the flelh of m'en,
as well Blacks as Europeans ; fome of which
worms are four or five foot long : but the
Blacks are moft afilidled with them, which
may be attributed to their ufual bad diet,
and debauchery of all forts. Intending to
fay more of this difeafe of worms, when I .
come to treat of the gold-coaft of Guinea, I
fliall be the iliorter in this place, and only
add, that men are here plagued with a fort
of hand- worms, which in the Caribbee iflands ■
in America, are call'd Chiques, and work
themfelves into the foles of the feet and the
heels, becoming the more troublefome and
infuppbrtable, in that they are not to be
rooted out, if they have once time given
them to lay their eggs there. But of thefe
alio more fhall be laid in the fupplemcnt,
when I come to the defcription of Mar-
iinico.
The
*
1
Chap. 5. 4 Nigritia, or
A'
'The Tornadoes
R E fometimes fo violent in the winter,
that in a rtiort time they overturn, not
Only fingle cottages, but whole hamlets.
Where the ground is fuch, thefe whirlwinds
will raife the fands, and throw them all over
the country, choaking up the villages and
dwellings with them, which is a mighty an-
noyance to the natives.
Sttmmer I" the fummer feafon, which begins in
fea/m. OSlober^ and ends in May, the weather is
pretty good and dry, the air calm, ferene,
and clear, and the nights cool and fweet, at
which time it feldom rains for a fortnight
together •, but fcarce one day paffes without
thunder.
Elysian-Fields,
"TTHE profped: of the country is always
pleafant, being perpetually green and
fhaded ; for as one leaf falls, another flioots
out : and this perhaps might be the reafon
why the antients placed their Elyft an- Fields
here-, and the more, for that the fea, along
this coafb, is calm and fmcoth, during the
fummer feafon, and therefore they call'd it
Peaceable befides that the fhore is a very
fine white fand, on which the ocean beats
with a gentle motion and little noife.
The win-- '^^^ cannot but fay that thofe poets
ler. erred grofsly in judgment, when they placed
their Elyfi an- Fields in this country : for tho*
it be pleafant enough to behold this country
in the fummer feafon j the winter, and pro-
digious rains, falling like an inundation,
render it an habitation of horror and uneafi-
- nefs ; for then moft people are clofe confined
to their poor little cottages, in a very tire-
fomeand melancholy condition. Befides, that
either by reafon of the unfeafonablenefs of the
weather, or the natural flothfulnefs of the
people, they are often afflidled with grievous
famines, which fweep away great numbers of
famine, them. The famine which happen'd there in
the year 1681^ which was a little before my
arrival at Goeree^ deftroyed many thoufands
of inhabitants of the continent, and many
fold themfelves for flaves, only to get a fufte-
nance as formerly the feven years famine in
Egjpt^ obliged the Egyptians and CanaaniteSi
after parting with all their money, cattle,
and lands, to fell themfelves for flaves to
Pharaoh and Jofeph, And in the days of
Neh'emiah^ the Jews were forced by a deai"th Barbot.'
to fell their fons and daughters for corn to '"^^'Y^j
fubfift themfelves, whereof they complain'd
loudly to that great man, Nehem. chap.v.
Yet was I told, that this famine in 1 68 1 ,was
nothing to compare to what they had before
in 1641 and 1642, However, my coming
fo opportunely as I did at that time to Goeree^
fav'd the lives of many, both Whites and
Blacks then in our forts, moft of whom
look'd like perfe6t skeletons, efpecially the
poor flaves in the great booth or houfe with-
out : for the fliips fent by the agent to the
iflands of Caho Verde, for provifions, did noE
return till a long time after my departure %
the paflage thither, tho' not very diftantj
being commonly extraordinary tedious, on
account of the great compafs they muft fetch
to the fouthward, to meet the trade-w}nds
to carry them thither,
Thefe famines are alfo occafioned fome
years, by the dreadful fwarms of graflioppers
or locufts, which come from the eaftward,
and fpread all over the country in fuch pro-
digious multitudes, that they darken the
very air, pafling over head like mighty-
clouds. They leave nothing that is green
wherefoever they come, either on the ground
or trees, and fly fo fwift from place to place,
that whole provinces are devoured in a very
fhort time. Thus it may be rightly affirm'dj
that the dreadful ftorms of hailj wind, and
fuch like judgments from heaven, are no-
thing to compare to this, which when ic
happens, there is no queftion to be made but
that multitudes of the natives muft ftarve,
having no neighbouring countries to fupply
them with corn, becaufe thofe round about
are no better husbands than themfelves, and
are no lefs liable to the fame calamities.
At other times, if the locufts have not
done before, immenfe fwarms of fmall birds,
and of ants and pifmiresj, will do fuch mif-
chief to their fields, that no lefs a dearth
muft enfue.
I know not whether there be any veins of
gold in this country i but it is certain that
metal is fcarce to be feen in it, and whaE
little there is at any time, is brought from
the inland country, towards the Niger. The
ftones here are generally of a dark brown
colour, or quite black, and very hard and
ponderous.
. . ■ CHAP. nr.
Of the Blacks, their conftitution, language^ apparel, houfes or cottages, their
employments or profeffionsi their wars j weapons ^ and manner of fighting'^
■ their tillage a?id lands »
'The Blacks,
De/frz>- T ^ general, are well proportioned hand-
tionoftht X fonie men, of ftature tall, ft rait, and
Blacks, lufty, aflive and nimble, and of a perfed
Vo L. V.
black, far exceeding thofe of the Gold Coafli
or of Ardra. Their nofes flattifti, their lips
big, their teeth well-fet, and as white as
ivory their hair either curled, or long and
K
lank '■,
A Defer ipt ion of the Co aft s
OOK L
Dices,
Barbot. lank ; their (kin of a fmooth fliining blacky
^"•'Y^ except thofe that live on the north fide ot'
the Senega river, who are a fort of tawny-
blacks.
Their Sf- They are genteel and courteous in their
fojition. way, of a vigorous ftrong conftitution, but
ieud and lazy to excefs, which may perhaps
proceed from the fertility of their climate,
affording them all that is neceflary for their
fupport without much labour : and for this
reafon, they are not reckoned fo proper for
working In the American plantations, as are
thofe of the GoldCoaft^ of Ardra and Angola ;
but the cleanlieft and fitted for houihold-
fervants, being very handy and intelligent
at any thing of that kind tliey are put to,
and will wafh themfelves aO over three
times a day.
They are generally extremely fenfual,
knavifh, revengeful, impudent, Jyars, im-
pertinent, gluttonous, extravagant in their
expreffions, and giving ill language •, luxu-
rious beyond exprefTion, and fo intemperate,
that they drink brandy as if it were water
deceitful in their dealings with the Euro-
peans, and no lefs with their own neigh-
bours, even to felling of one another for
flaves, if they have an opportunity j and,
as has been hinted before, fo very lazy,
that rather than work for their living, they
will rob and commit murders on the high-
ways, and in the woods and defarts, and
more particularly thofe of Taray : fo that,
befides the want of convenient roads, it is
very dangerous travelling in that country.
Sorcery. Tho' not afham'd of this bafe way of li-
ving, which keeps them wretchedly poor
mofl part of their life, yet are they proud
and ambitious of praife. There is general-
ly among them a great propenfity to forcery,
or divination by lots, efpecially among their
priefls, who exercife that deceitful art upon
lhakes or ferpents, pretending to have a
power to make thofe horrid creatures Ry
before them, or obey their commands, as
they pleafe. IValla-Silla, a former king of
Jualay was reckoned the greatefl forcerer
and poifoner in the country infomuch,
that upon fome extraordinary occafions,
they tell us, he could, by the power of
his magick, bring all his forces together
in a moment, though ever fo far difpers'd
and fcatter'd.
Cunning Taray Blacks above-mentionM, are
shieves. fo dexterous and expert at ftealing, that
they will rob an European before his face,
without being perceiv'd by him, drawing
what they fix their mind upon away with
one foot, and taking it up behind. In fhort,
the ancient Lacedemonians might have learnt
of them the art of pilfering and ftealing,
Gonfidering how expert theie people are at
itc Nor are they lefs perfidious to the Blacks
of the kkivd cowitriesj who come down t@
trade at the factories °, for under colour of
helping them to carry their goods, or of
ferving as interpreters, they will fteal one
half of what they have.
Thofe of Juala and Porto d^Ali are as
great knaves as any, in this particular.
The Camina Blacks are reputed the hQU cood fil-
foldiers in the country, being of a fteady
refolute temper, by which they have main-
tained their liberty between the two neigh-
bouring kings, who have often attempted
to reduce them by force of arms, but with- ■ ]
out fuccefs.
The Wo MEN
ARE very well fliaped, tall, lufly, ftrait,
adlive, and of a very bright black
colour, extreme wanton, and of pleafing
countenances ; their temper hot and lafci-
vious, making no fcruple to proftitute them-
felves to the Europeans for a very {lender
profit, fo great is their inclination to white
men j which often occafions mighty quarrels
with their husbands.
The Language
S generally that of Zungay^ ufed aifo in Motions m
Gualata, much like that of the Azuagesff«(^^i»g^
l^Ioors, which they utter in a very precipi*
tate manner fhaking the head, and ftretch- '
ing out the neck, or fhortning of it, as they >,
deliver their words, moft of which do ter» . : j
minate in a.
MarmoL lib. I. cap. 23' fpeaking of the
language of the Africans, takes notice of
three forts, call'd Chilba, Tamazegt^ and
Zenetie, and ufed in his time ; which how-
ever denote almoll the fame thing, though
the true Bereberes, or ChiloheSy that is, the
antient Africans, difpers'd throughout all
Africa, differ from others in the pronuncia-
tion, and fignification of many words. Thofe
who are near neighbours to the Arabs, in-
habiting a great part of Africa ever fince
the year of our Lord 653, and who ^'^'^^ jhe fevt-
moft converfation with them, intermix abun- ral Un-
dance of words of the language Abimalic,g'*H^i'
the moft noble dialect ufed among the Arabs,
with their natural African tongue ; as the
Arabs, on the other hand, make ufe of abun-
dance of African words. The Gomeres and
Eloares, who live among the mountains of
the little Adas, and all the inhabitants of
the towns on the coaft of Barbary, lying
between the great Atlas and the fea, fpeak
a fort of corrupt Arabick ; but in Morocco,
and all the provinces of that empire, as
Jikewife among the Numidians and Getulians,
lying to the eaft-ward, they ufe the pure
African language, call'd Chilha, and Ta-
fnazegt % which names are very antient. The
other more eaftern Africans, call'd BerebereJ„
bordering on the kingdom of Tunis, and . • " '
froca Tripoli de Earbaria to tte (defarts (of •
. Marca^
)
Chap. 5-
of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
Barca, generally fpeak a corrupt, or broken
Jirabick \ as do thofe who inhabit the coun-
tries from the great Adas to the ocean, whe-
ther they luve fettled dwellings or not, and
moft of the Azuages, though their princi-
pal language be the Zenetieiu Thus we
fee there are few in Africa who fpeak the
natural pure Arabick yet in their authen-
tick writings they all make ufe of the lan-
guage Abimalk, and for the moft pare
they write and read it all over Barbary^
Numidia and L'jbia,
Thofe two languages are mixt among
the Blacks ; for the provinces which lie near
the Senegues, and other Mahometan Arabs^
have abundance of Arabick and African words.
In Gokffe, the country I am now defcribing i
Gemhoa, or Geneoua^ of which I ftiall give
a fhort -account in the fupplement ; T ombut^
Meli^ Gago and Ganafe, they ufe the Zv.n-
gay language •, in Gubercano, ^efena, Per-
zegreg and Guangra, they fpeak the Guber
dialeft •, in Borna and Goaga a third idiom
is ufcd much like the former ; and in Nubia^
a fourth, which participates of the Arabick,
Chaldaick and Egyptian. All thefe provin-
ces border on the Niger. In others more
to the fouthward, they again fpeak feveral
Ibrts of languages and dialed:^, the chief
whereof are the Zinguienian and the Abyffine.
In other parts again, they rather feem to
whiftle than to talk ; but all languages,
which are fo ftrange to us Europeans^ found
more like whittling than talking.
"When the Mahometan Arabs conquer'd
Egypt, the Egyptians took to their language,
and after that again to the 'Tnrkijb, which
they ufe as the courtly dialed. Only thofe
who ftill contkiue chriftians have preferv'd
the natural Egyptian tongue, the only one
before its conqueft ufed in that nation ;
though in fome parts of it a little mixt
with Araibick, and Abyjfuiia^n, and every
where with much of the Hebrew.
This digreiBon I hope may be accepts
able to the reader, as giving a reafonable
idea of the many different languages and
dialedls, in ufe among feveral nations of
Blacks I am to treat of . ,
The better
fort.
Shirt,
^he A P P A R E L
/^F the prime men, is a fort of ihirt,
^ or frock of ftriped cotton of feveral
colours as yellow, blue, white, black, i^c.
Somt of thefe are plaited about the neck,
others plain, having only a hok, or Hit
for the head to pafs through, and reach
from the neck to the knees with lar,Q:e open
fleeves. Under this Ihirt they wear a thick
cloth, made up after the fafhion of long
wide breeches, by them call'd Jouha, as is
Sreech&, Worn by the Arabs, much refembling a wo-
man's petticoat, plaited and tied round at
the bottom 4 and is very bconvenienj;, «s
much obftrufting the motion of the legs, Barbot,
becaufe of the widenefs and the thicknefs ^^'^^
of the cloth it is made of. This fort of
breeches is moft ufed in the winter, for in
the fummer they wear only a fingle Ihirt
of old linen, with a little cap made of lea-
ther, or ozier, ftreight at the head, but
wide above like a large frier's hood.
The common fort of both fexes gene- The com-
rally wear nothing but a fhort cotton clout,
or fome linen rags, to cover their naked-
nefs. Others have only a leather girdle, to
which is made faft a fmail nan-ow clout
round the body, with an end hanging out
behind. Others again join feveral cloths
or clouts, two or three fathom in length,
which they wrap about their Ihoulders,
and under the arms, and leave the two
ends hanging before and behind down to
their heels, like a long cloak, which they
look upon as an honourable drefs. To
conclude, others go ftark naked, efpecial-
ly the younger fort.
Women and girls wear only a fingle
piece of cloth or clout about their waift,
and another over their heads, in the nature
of a veil. Their hair is either platted or
twifted, andadorn'd with fome few trinkets
of gold, coral, or glafs. Some there are,who
wear a fort of coif, ftanding up five or fix
inches above their head, which they thbk
a fine faihion.
The gentry wear fandals, confifting o^Sandah.
only a piece of leather, cut out to the fhape
of the fole of the foot, and faftned with
leather ftraps. About their necks, arms,
waift and legs abundance of Grigri, or other
baubles, neatly twifted or plaited with fome
pieces of coral, glafs beads, and Cauris. The
Grigri are little fquare kather, or cloth bags, Grigri.
in which are enclos'd fome folded pieces df
written paper, in a fort of Arabick charac-
ters, made by their Lyncherints, or Mara-
bouts, being in the nature of fpells where-
of I ihall give a more ample account here-
after, becaufe of the great efteem thofe
people generally have for them.
Ma r r I a g e s.
'TP H O' the Alcoran of Mahomet, which Folygamy.
fome of the Blacks pretend to follow,
allows every man but four wives, at moft ;
yet very many here will marry as many as
they can maintain, Ijecaufe they can turn
them away again upon any dight complaint^
whenfoever they difagree.
Some there are who fancy marrying none
but virgins others, on the contrary, will
take none to wife but fuch as have given
proof of their not being barren. He who
marries a virgin, caufes a white fheet to heqfwr£m:
laid on the bed of mats, on which they
ure to confummate the marriage ; and if it
appears iiain'd afrer the cGnfiimmation, he
concludes
^6 ^' * A Defcription
of the Coajts
Book
Barbot. concludes her to have come to him a vir-
^■'^V^ gin, and carries the fheet in publick thro'
the village, attended by fome Guiricts, who
Ting aloud the praifesof the woman, and the
happinefs of the man. If no blood appears
on the cloth, the father of the woman,
who had warranted her a maid, muft take
her home to him again, and reftore the
bridegroom what oxen, fiaves, or other
goods he had given him for his daughter.
Almoll the fame is generally praftifed
throughout the empire of Moi^occo, and
the kingdoms of Fez and Suz ; with this
difference at Morocco, that in cafe the bride
is not found a virgin, the bridegroom ftrips
her of the nuptial ornaments, turns her out
of his bed-chamber, without feeing her
face, and fends her home to her father ;
tho' the law of Mahomet allows to itrangle
her, if he will take the rigor of it. This
pradice feems to have beeii among ihejewsi
by the 2 2d chap, of Deuteronomy, ver. 1 5.
Form of There are very few formalities ufed at
wedding, the wedding, which is good and valid, by
the confent of the two contradors before
fome witnelTes, together with a little feaft-
ing, after their Way, and prefenting the
parents of the bride, with fome oxen, or a
horfe, a calf, or a Iheep, However, fome
parents will portion their daughter with
fomething or other, as a flaVe, two or three,
or with oxen, according to their ability ;
all which the bridegroom is to reftore, in
cafe he thinks fit afterwards to put away
his wife.
Jealoufy. The men are for the moft part extraor-
dinary jealous of their wives. If they fur-
prize them in adultery, the hufband will
kill the adulterer if he can, and be di-
vorc'd from his wife. Yet are they not fo
incens'd if the wife is debauch'd by an Euro-
■pean but, on the contrary, are generally
very inclinable to perfuade either their wives
or daughters, to proftitute themfelves to
Europeans, provided there may be fome-
thing got by it.
Leudnefs. The Black women being naturally extra-
ordinary lafcivious, and their hufbands fo
fordidly covetous as to encourage them in
fuch proftitution ; and on the other hand,
moft of the Europeans, who live in thofe
parts, being a loofe fort of people ; it is eafy
to guefs what a fcene of leudnefs and de-
bauchery is continually afting there, for
the greater number of our Europeans main-
tain three or four women, as if they were
marry'd to them : and this it is that oc-
cafions fo many diftempers as they often
languifli under, till death puts an end to
all.
■Wives and The kings, and other men of note, have
concubines, ufually more wives than the common fort,
fome keeping 30 at the fame time, befides
perhaps as many concubinesj which are
kept in a lower degree than the wives 5
for the hufband muft lie at night with one
of thefe, or more if he pleafes, and referves
the concubines to divert him in the day.
Thefe women do not live all together
with the hufband, whether king, or other
great man, but are difpers'd up and down
the country, in villages where they keep
their cattle ; that fo he may have the com-
pany of fome of them, wherefoever his bu- -
Irnefs or pleafure calls him.
One among the king's wives is generally
chief above the reft, whom he puts the
greateft value upon \ but if his mind alters,
and he grows weary of her, (he is fent away
to fome other place, with fuch flaves as par-
ticularly belong to her, and is allow'd cer-
tain lands, which are till'd for her main-
tenance ; and then he chufes another chief
wife out of Yns feraglio, . ., -
Birth 0/ Children.
nn H E Black women being, as has been Eafi cM
faid, ofarobuft conftitution, bring forth ^«^"«^
their children with very little pain, efpe-
cially the common fort of them •, who, as
foon as deliver'd, carry the infant themfelves
to the next river, or other water, and wafh
it. This done, they wrap it up in a piece j^urjlng
of blanket, or cloth, and tie it to their
back with a cloth made faft under the
arm-pits, leaving the child's legs hanging
out under their arms ; and thus go up and
down from one place to another, or do the
bufinefs of the houfe. At night, they lay
the infant by them on a mat, or cloth, for
they know nothing of cradles, or clouts. I
have admir'd the quietnefs of the poor babes,
fo carry'd about at their mothers backs, or
toffed as they are at any hard labour in the
houfe ; and how freely they fuck the breafts,
which are always full of milk, over their
mother's fhoulders, and fleep foundly in
that odd pofture.
In the morning, the mother wafhes the
infant with frefh water, and rubs it with
palm-oil, and conftantly fuckles it till able
to go, and then turns it loofe to play and
move about as it thinks fit, very little re-
garding what becomes of it, though always
very careful and tender when fucking. It
is pleafant enough fometimes to iee a par-
cel of fuch little boys and girls, ftark naked,
playing together, and creeping on all four
about the village, or in the market-places,
v/ith each of them a fmall net, made of
the bark of a tree, about their neck, full
of Grigri, that is, charms, which they fancy
preferve them from mifchances, as fhall be
farther fhown hereafter.
The wives of the better fort of men be- p/^^ „^yj..
ing put to no fuch hard labour as the meaner, W^.
it has been obferved, that their children have
not generally fuch flat nofes as the others;
whence
Chap. 3. e)f Nigriria, or North-Guinea;
whence it may be inferr'd that the nofes of
thefe poor infants are flatten'd by being fo
long carried about on their mother's backs,
becaufe they muft be continually beating on
them, when the motion of their arms or bo-
■ dies is any thing violent; efpecially when
they are beating or pounding their millet
every morning, which is the conftant tafk of
the women of inferior rank.
Time of \i is the cuftom of the Blacks not to lie
keeping _ ^-^^ ^ woman, from the time fhe appears
from weir , . , . , , ., j -m n ■ i I- » i
Toivej. t:o be quick with child, till Ihe is dehver d
and the child wean'd, believing it would be
the death of the infant •, and this I fuppofe to
be the more regularly pracflifed, becaufe
of the number of wives and concubines they
have of their own ; befides their daily run-
ning aftray among thofe of their neighbours,
notwithftanding the great danger they run
in fo doing: fuch is their natural inclination
to venery !
mming of The only ceremony they obferve in gi-
nhildren. ving names to their children, is to invite
five or fix oerfons, to be as it were witnefiTes
of the faid name impofed. The names for
boys are commonly Omer^ Guiab, Alalielt
Dimbji ^c. and for girls, y^/z>/»z^/<2, Fatima-
ta^ Comba, Comegain, IVarfel, Hengay, i^c.
moft of which are Mahometan names, ufed
by the followers of the AIcoran>.
• ■ • ^heir Houses
limner of A commonly built roundlike pavilions,
Suildini. made of large twilled dry reeds, clofe
bound together, enclos'd with walls five or
fix foot high, of a red glutinous clay. Each
houfe confifts of five or fix fuch rooms or
combets, as they call them, ftanding toge-
ther within the fame inclofure. The tops
are thatch'd with twifted ftraw of Indian
wheat or millet, done very artificially, and
fo as to be proof againft any weather. Each
of thefe combets or rooms is defign'd for a
peculiar ufe, as a ftorehoufe, a kitchin, a
bed-chamber, ^c. all joining to one ano-
ther, with proper pafifages for communica-
tion.
Foules//;e ThzFouks are the moft curious buildersof
beftbuU- j-hefe combets or hutts among all the Blacks^
making them the moft folid and neat, of a
white glutinous clay, mix'd with ox's hair.
Their roofs are alfo of a better fort, and
more durable.
Hutts of ^^"^^ places along the road, which
(Irav. Jeads from Rio Frefco or Ruffcoio Bjhurt,
the combets are for the moft part made of
ftraw, with a little door like the mouth of
an oven, through which they muft creep m
or out on all four, as has been mentioned
before. It is plain that thefe people took
this way of building from the Arabs their
neighbours, as you will readily conclude,
from what I Ihall fay hereafter of that na-
VOL, V,
?7
non^s Adouars or barracks, as they have imi- Barbot:
tated them in many other particulars, viz. ^•^YVi
in their eating, habit, ceremonies, i^c. which
the reader may compare as they occur in
their proper places.
There are no fortify*d or wall*d towns, in No townt]
the country of the Jalofes, but only abun-^"*'^'^^''-
dance of large wretched villages and ham-^*^°
lets, confifting of two or three hundred round
combets or cottages, built almoft in a heap
or clufter, leaving only little narrow palTages
or ways betwixt them, with fome plantane-
trees to each manfion •, fo that it is very
troublefome walking through thofe narrow
crooked alleys in the rainy feafon, the wa-
ter running down from the tops of the
houfes on the people, as thay pafs along.
Rio Frefco or Rufifco is fuch a town, open
on all fides, looking at a diftance like a
camp, as appears in the cut.
In the country of the Foules^ where there j^//^^,^
are abundance of lions and tygers, the vii- mclofei.
lages are within an enclofure made of Bur-
Reeds^ to fecure them from thofe ravenous
creatures, who would otherwife be very
troublefome to them.
The town of Camelinga or Conde^ the re- Cameling
fidence of the kings of that name, is notga?oiv» Professions and Employments.
'T^HC I have already in general repre-
fented them as very lazy and flothful,
' yet there are fome more induftrious than o-
thers. Ofthefe, one part addid themfelves
Ihemen. military employments, and follow the
wars, which is the moft honourable profef-
fion others to huft>andry, the next in e-
fteem j others are blackfmiths others pot-
ters-, others builders, weavers, ^c, near
the fea many are fiftiermen •, fome take to
fpinning, and others to drefllng of leather.
Many are bred to look after cattle and hor-
fes J fome to follow the bufinefs of bro-
kers about the country, for the benefit of
trade others are ftioemakers, faddlers, or
Grfg-ri-makers, that is, conjurers to impofe
upon the fuperftitious mukitude.To all thefe
profeffions the fathers bring up their fons
l%sm- and the mothers teach their daughters from
mm. j_i^e5j- tender years, to fpin cotton, and to
weave cloths of it, or elfe mats of ftraw or
rufhes. When thefe girls are grown up, they
muft help their mothers in their houftiold
affairs, viz. to clean the corn or millet, to
pound rice, to bake bread, to fetch water
from the brooks, fprings or rivers, to drefs
their meat, and particularly to keep a fire
ail the night in the combets, where the fa-
mily lies all together in a round, with their
feet ftretch'd out to the fire, which they
reckon extraordinary wholefome, pretend-
ing, that the heat of the fire draws out all
the moifture they gather during the whole
day, becaufe for the moft part they go bare-
foot. None but themfelves are able to en-
dure the clofe confinement to fuch a narrow
place, with fuch an intolerable heat and
i'moke as comes from the fire, which keeps
them in a continual fvveat j but ufe is a fc~
conid nature.
'Their Weapons and Armies, Horses
and Furniture.
'T^'HEY have the art of making feveral
*■ forts of weapons, each nation having
fome peculiar to itfelf.
T6ifon'd The Jalofes ufe bows and poifon^d arrows,
arrows, inade of a reed, the wounds whereof are
mortal, if not feer'd immediately with a red-
hot iron ; but if they penetrate deep into the
body, it is fcarce poflible to draw them out,
becaufe of the intolerable pain it caufes, the
heads of the arrows being bearded, which
tear rhc fiefh in a miferable manner.
The bows are made of a cane or reed. Bom.
refembling the bamboes of the Eajt- Indies.,
and the ftring of the bow is alfo another fore
of reed, very curioufly cut and fitted to that
ufe. Thefe people are fo dextrous at their ^
bows and arrows, that they will hit a mark, ■ , '
no larger than a crown-piece, at fifty yards ,
diftance. The quiver is made to hold fifty
of thefe poifon'd arrows,
Befides the bow and arrows, they ufe a Smords,
fort of crooked fword, much like a 'Turkifh
fcymiter, the fcabbard whereof is all covered
with a thin-copper plate. Another weapon
is a very fiiarp-pointed fpear, between shears.
fize of a pike and a pertulfin, which they
handle very dextroufiy. ]n war they carry
a large round buckler or target, made of Targets.
the fkin of a beaft they call a Danfa^ like a
little cow, being extraordinary hard. Others
are made of ox-hides. Befides all this, they
carry an Ajjagaia or javelin, and two fmall
darts, which they ^-^ncheria each o'ioms.
which is faftened to a long ftring or cord by :
the middle of the ftaif, which ferves to re-
cover and bring them back, when they have
darted at any perfon or thing, at which they
are extraordinary adtive and dextrous.
The AJfagaia or javelin, is a fort of long Affagaia's*
and heavy dart, the head whereof is arm'd , i
with four large points, and feveral hooks, •
fo that the wounds it makes muft be defpe-
rate. They can dart them and hit at a great
diftance, and very feldom go abroad with-
out one in their hand.
Befides ail thefe, fome of them wear a Gr^^f
Moorijh knife, about half a yard long, and ^"^J^-
tv/o inches broad in the blade ; all which
weapons are fo ordered about them in war,
that their arms and hands are at liberty to
handle them effeftually and fight refolutely.
Their armies are compos'd of hork diudi^Jorfe and
foot. The troopers generally have all the-^"**'
aforefaid weapons the foot, a bow and
quiver, a javelin, and an European cutlace. .''
They commonly buy horfes of the Moors of
Genehoa their neighbours, which tho' fmall,
are extraordinary mettlefome, like thofe of
Barbary. Some of them coft ten or twelve
flaves a-piece, or about an hundred pounds
fterling. One Catherine of Rufijco., of whom
I fliall fpeak hereafter, had a horfe when I . , ,
was there, which flae vaiu'd at fourteen flaves,
and afterwards prefcnted him to the king of
Kay or.
They ride their horfes wonderful fwift. I Kulini^
once faw the old Coyide, viceroy of Kayor^
then feventy years of age, riding a little Bar-
hary horfe on the ftrand, near the cape, as
faft as poffibly his legs could carry him,
darting
Chap. 5. o/Nigrida, of Nofth-Guinea.
%9
darting his Ajjagala a good way before him,
and catching ic again with the fame handj
or if it happened to fall to the ground, he
would take it up dextroufly, without lofing
his ftirrops, or abating of his fpeed. I have
been told of foms troopers, who can ride
full fpeed, {landing upright on the faddle,
and turn about, or fit dov/n and ftand up
again, or leap down from the faddle, only
keeping one hand upon it, and mount again
, ■ in the fome manner. Others on a full fpeed
will take up from the ground, afmallftone
throvvn at them in their career, with many
Other furprizing feats of adivity.
If we may believe the Blacks^ they en-
chant, or bewitch their horfes, juft at the
time of engaging, to render them the bolder
and fwifter.
BrhlissarJ Their bridles are commonly fent from
f'^^n. Europe \ but fome of them are of their own
making, much like the E)igli/h bits. The
fpurs are wrought out of the fame piece of
iron as the ilirrop, for they ride barefooted
themfelves, and never flioe their horfes.
SaMss. They are goodartiftsatrriaking of faddles,
, and curious in embroidering them with wor-
ked of feveral colours, after their falbion
adorning them at the lame time with abun-
dance of Grigri or charms, and Cruris or
fhells i they are in the nature of our pad-
faddles.
The great Brak maintains about three
thoufand horfe ; becaufe he can purchafe
horfes of the Moors^ at a much cheaper rate
Cumds. than the Jalofes^ who are at a great diftance
from them, and therefore have few or none
to ferve iri the war ; but their foot are very
i good, and fome ride on camels, whereof
. there is plenty in their country.
Some of their foldiers have fire-arms^
which they handle pretty v/ell, as do alfo
the Moors of Genehoa and v/ill fhoot well
tHvifions. at a mark, from a great difbance. When the
foldiers go to war, every one carries a little
; bag, about twelve inches long, full of pro-
■ il- J vifions, as Cufcom, which is made of flower,
and the like for they have no magazines
provided abroad to fubfift their armies.
Brum. li is a great honour and advantage to
carry the king's drum, which they call Lorn-
lambe.
short fllr- The troopers ride very fhort in their ftir-
rofs. j-Qpg^ j-j-^eij. knees raifed up, after the
Itirkijh manner.
Uodifci- The armies of thefe people are rather nu-
}ii"e. merous than good. They obferve no order,
or martial diicipline, whether they march in
. an enemy's country, or give battel, v^hich
is always done in fome open plain. The
Guiriots make a mighty noife with their
drums, and other inftruments, as foon as
they are within an arrow's fliglit of the ene-
my, which is done to embolden them. The
foot let fly their arrows, the horfe caft their
darts, and then handle the AJJagaia^s orBAREor.
fpears, and thus fighting without any order j ^lyV^
and the combatants being almoft all over
naked, there enfues a mighty flaughter on '
both fides : for they are generally of an un-
daunted courage, and abhor cowardife,which
is infamous among them. But that which p^.^^.^^^x-
chiefly animates them, is the dread they have wJrmadl
of being made flaves, that being the fate offavei.
all prifoners of war ; from which the befl:
men are not exempted, when it falls to their
lot to be taken. Another encouragemenc
they have^ is, the confidence they place iri
their Grigri or charms, which, as I ftiall ob-
ferve hereafter, they firmly believe will pre-
ferve them from all manner of evils, and
gain them all forts of advantages j efpecially
in their engagements with the other Black
nations : for as to the adions they are con-
cern' din ^gun{^Eiiroj)eans,who ufe mufquets^
and not arrows, they are fully convinced
that no Grigri can divert the efFeft of our fire-
arms, which they call Poujf,
The kings of Juala and of Baoolh^ve been Juzhand
long at war among themfelves, about the li- BaooU^
mits of their dominions, which has deftroyed'*'*'^"
great numbers of their fubjefts, without
coming to any amicable accommodation,,
the king of Baool being ftill unreafonable in
his demands.
It is reported of the king of Bdoo!, that
when he holds a council to deliberate about
making war upon fome other prince, it is
done in fome clofe wood, the neareft tb his
refidence. There he caufes a hole, about
three foot deep to be dug, about which his
privy-counfellorS fir, with their heads bow-
ing towards the bottom of it; and when the
council is difmifs'd, the whole is fill'd up
again, to denote, that they are to keep the
refolutions taken there very fecret, as if they
v/ere buried ; which if they do not^ they
are look'd upon as guilty of high-treafono
The counfellors in this point are fo juft and
difcreet, that their refolutions are never
known but by the execution.
, - HuSBANDRYo
*T^HE kings being abfolute lords of all ^^^^^''^^
the lands, as in the Turhjh dominions,
every private prrfon is obliged to make ap-
plication to them, or their Alcaides^ in
places remote from him, to mark out the
portion of land he is to till and fow for the
fupport of his family. When this is granted,
according to the number of perfons in the
family, the head of it takes along with him
four or five others, and fets fire to the weeds
and bullies that are upon the faid land or
field, which they call Cougan or Cougar.
After the fire has clear'd it, they till, or dl^Mamerif
the ground, with an iron tool, made in the«'^'»i-
fhape of a fhoemaker's-knife, fix'd at the
end of a fmall ftafF, about twelve foot long.
Others
ADefcription of the Coafls
Book I
Bar-kot. Others makes ufe of a fort of round iron
i^^'WJ fpade or fliovel, having a wooden handle.
With thefe tools they dig up the earth, not
above four inches in depth, and turn up the
mould, with the afhes of the reeds they have
o burnt, and fo let it lie for fome days. Du-
ring the time the work lafts, they are never
without a pipe in their mouthy and conti-
- nually talking to one another j fo that they
do not advance much in a day, being very
averfe to hard labour.
The proper time for fowing, is about
the end of June, when the rains decline.
To fow millet, they make little holes, kneel-
ing with one knee on the ground, into which
they put three or four grains together, as
Somng.
we do with peafe in England. Others draw
little ftrait furrows, into which they throw
the millet, and cover it with a little mould
but the firft way is the moft common, be-
caufe the corn being fo buryM deep, is the
better preferved from the hungry fmall birds,
whereof there are here incredible numbers,
and often pick up the corn, juft as it begins
to fhoot out above the ground, which is
more eafily done out of the furrows.
The feed-time is alfo a time of feafting seed-tmt
one another, much after the manner of the andkat-_
Blacks on the gold-coaft, to which I refer "^^Z^"
the reader. Such is the fertility of the foil,
that their harveil for millet is in September,
CHAP. IV.
An account of the grain, call' d millet i how they gather and keep it. Of the me-
chanicksy as weavers, potters, fijhermen, blackfrniths, and faddlers. Of
trade in general i of the Yx.zwz\s. trade } of the cnjtoms due tothe king, and his
officers s of the goods purchafed by the French, and the European commodities
they exchange for them i of the proper markets held for trade. Of the part i-^
ctdar trade of the French company along the banks of the river Senega, and
whence the ^Izcks fetch the commodities they fell to the Whites.
shape of
the grain.
llovn pre-
ferred.
Millet.
TH E foil being fo extraordinary fertile,
as has been faid, the millet very foon
fproutsour,in a ftrait reed, with many leaves;
bringing forth, in lefs than two months,
ears of twelve inches in length, looking at a
diftance much like the heads of bull-rulhes.
Thegrain is rather longifhthan round, much
like the coriander-feed,
Whilft the ears are growing up to matu-
rity, they caufe the Cougan or field to be
guarded by their boys and girls, or (laves,
to drive away the mighty fwarms of fmall
birds, which, as has been obferved, dopefter
the country, and without that care would
devour all the grain as alfo to prevent its
being ftolen.
mrveji. When the harveft-time is come, they cut
the corn with an iron tool, like a little bill,
or hook, call'd Sarpe, which is fold them
by the French. Then they let it lie a month
on the ground to dry, and then bind it up
' in fheaves, and fo houfe it under hutts made
for that purpofe, or elfe lay it up in flacks,
which they cover with ftraw or reed, to keep
it dry ; enclofing the ftacks with thorns or
boughs of palm-trees, to prevent its being
peck'd by their hens and poultry, which are
very numerous.
Tithe the When they are to ufe it, the threlhing is
king's. in the fame manner as is pradlifed in England
for wheat; after paying the tithe to the
king, or his collectors, for the ground-rent.
Thofe who have more millet than will ferve
their family, may fell it to whom they pleafe;
but this feldom happens, for no care being
fufficient to prevent the birds making wafte
in their fields, or the thieves from ftealing,
and they being themfelves naturally carelefs
and lazy at hai'veft-time, it very often hap-
pens that what harveft they have got in, falls
fhort to maintain them the year about : fo
that they are forced to feed on fome forts of
infipid black roots, which they dry for the
better keeping of them. One of thefe forts ■ - '
is call'd Gernot,
Their floth and negligence in looking well Indian
after their corn, fometimes occafions a f^. wheat and
mine among them, as has been obferv'd be-"^**
fore. Yet befides the millet, they fow
Maiz or Indian wheat ; as alfo rice in fome
places: but the quantity is very inconfi-
derable, notwithftanding it was plentiful
among them in former times.
Before I enter upon their mechanicks, iGooJ
muft take notice, that the Blacks about the
river Gambia and Senega, and Caho Verde,
are nice fhooters and hunters ; tho' moft of
them ufe only bows and arrows, with which
they dexteroufly kill ftags, hares, Pintada
hens, partridges, and any other fort of game.
Thofe who live far up the inland, are not fo
expert at this exercife, nor do they fo much ' "
delight in it.
"The Weavers
A R E the moft- numerous among the me- Their
chanicks, and would make very good ^^"^^^
cloth had they large looms ; but they wholly
apply themfelves to weaving of a narrow,
thick, ftriped cotton-cloth, feven or eight
fingers broad, and about two ells and a half
long, in fmall portable looms, made for
that' purpofe. They afterwards ftitch
together
Chap* 4.
of Nigritia, or North-Guinea,
Women
fp'm and
dye.
Blue ij-e.
Another
fort.
Vulgar
error.
Utenflls
made of
clay.
together fix, feven, or eight of thofe narrow-
flips to make a cloth or Panho, as they have
learned to call it from zhQPorluguefe.
The women and their daughters drefs the
cotton, then fpin and dye it in indigo, for
their ftriped cloths. This colour is extra6ted
from the juicy leaves of a bufh they call
T'mto, fomewhat refembling wall-rue. They
gather thefe leaves early in the morning, be-
fore the dew of the night falls off, and then
bruife or pound them in large deep wooden
mortars. When fufliciently beaten, they
make rolls or balls of the mafs fo bruifed to-
gether, as big as their fills, and expofe them
to the fun for fome days to dry. Then they
pound it again, and put it into a pot, which
has a hole in the bottom, and is fiU'd up
with a quantity of afhes made of the wood
of the fame tree, and this fet within another
pot. Then for fome time they pour clear
fpring water over the aflies, which by de-
grees penetrates quite through into the under
pot •, and this being repeated, as often as is
thought requifite, they fet the under pot for
ten days in the fun, which thickens the liquor
in it, like cream, the top whereof they take
off gently, and with it dye as with indigo.
The grofs matter that remains in the pot,
they throw away.
Some fay, they make another blue of for-
rel-roots, boiled with the white fap of the
1'into tree.
It is to be obferv'd, that, tho* all the
cloths barter'd in this part of Nigritia or the
country of the Blacks, are by moft Europeans
call'd Cabo Verde cloths, that is an improper
denomination, they being wove in feveral
places, all about the country, from Caho
Verde to Gambia river, and fold at different
and diftant markets, , ■ , -
. Potters • ■ ; •
pRepare their clay much after the fame
manner as ours do ; but their clay is
much better, as are their moulds, or elfe they
bake, or burn it longer in their kilns or
ovens : for their pots will boil fifli or flefii
much quicker than any of ours upon an equal
fire, and are not fo apt to break or crack.
They make no other utenfils of their clay
bat pots, pipkins, jars, of feveral fizes, and
tobacco-pipe heads or bowls.
The pots ferve them inftcad of kettles to
boil fifh or flefli, and to keep their palm-
wine and oil and the jars to keep their
drinking water : for they make no difhes or
platters of earthen-ware ; but only large
wooden bowls to wafh their hands in, or
cleanfe themfelves. The tobacco-pipe heads
they make of that clay, are pretty big in-
to which they flick a longer, or a fhorter
wooden pipe, as every one fancies, and fo
fmoke their tobacco.
Vol. V. ■ -
tiSHERMEN . V^^'Y^
^RE indifferent numerous at Ruffco or -
Rio Frefco, and other places along the
coafl, and the Senega nvev, Thofe who ply ^-^^v
fifhing in the fea, go out fometimes three
hands in an Almadie or canoe, carrying two
fniall mafls, with each of them twolittle
fails, and fometimes three, in imitation of
great fhips, with main-fails, top-fails, and
top-gallant-fails. In thefe canoes they will
launch three, four, and five leagues to fea,
if the weather be not very boiflerous.
They generally fet out in the morning
with the land-breeze, and having done thesr
fifhery, return at noon with the fea-breeze :
or if the wind fails them, and it proves very ho-x th^.
calm, they row for it, with a fort of fhort,
pointed, flat fhoveis, one on each fide; and
that fo fwiftly, that the befl: pinnace, tho'
ever fo well mann'd, will find it a hard
task to overtake them.
Thefe Almadies or canoes are generally Almadioe
about thirty foot long, and eighteen oxorcmtes.
twenty inches broad, all of one entire piece,
being the hollow'd trunk of a large foft tree,
and will carry ten or twelve men, but are
very fubjeft to overfet when the water is
rough, or they croud too much fail ; which
is no great trouble to them, for the Blacks
are fuch expert and able fwimmers, that they
foon fet them upright again, tho' out at fea 5
then lade out the water, and flipping in nim-
bly, perform their little voyage.
I fhall have occafion in the fequel of this
defcription of Guinea, and the Lower Ethi"
op'ia, to give a farther account of thefe canoes
ufed by the Blacks whether great or fmall,
and the manner of making them all of one
piece of timber; and therefore atprefent will
only add fome few remarks, concerning this
fort of vefTels, and fhew that they have been
an invention of a very antient date, and com-
mon to almoil all nations of the known
world, who being under a neceiTity of crof-
fing over rivers or lakes, before the building
either of fhips or boats was found out, firfl
bound together reeds or canes, by which they
made a fhift to waft themfelves over. Others
made rafts or floats of wood, and others de- of canoes.
vifed the boat, made of one entire tree, and
call'd a canoe," which was ufed by the Gauls
upon the river Rhofne, when they afTifled
Hannibal in pafTing over his army upon his
expedition into Italy, as Livy obferves. Po-
ly dor Virgil ailigns the invention of canoes to
the Germans, inhabiting about the Danube %
and this fort of hollow trees St. Ifidore calls
Carahes.
The Britons had boats made of willow- Boats of
twigs, and covered on the outfide with hu\- twigs and
locks hides, as had alfo the Venetians. The
Germans had the fame, and ia St. lfidore*%
, M days
42
A Defcription of the Coafis Book 1
BAK.BoT.days committed many robberies in them.
^-'"V^ Moft certain it is, that the Indians Ame-
rica had no communication with any of thefe
nations, and yet from Forbi/Jjer^s ftreights to
the ftreights of Magellan, fays Sir JValter
Raleigh, in his difcourfe of the invention of
ihipping, f. 6. thofe boats, that is, the ca-
noes, are found, and in fome parts of fuch a
length, that he has feen fomecarrying 20 oars
on a fide •, which I have feen alfo myfelf in
Guiana, shoutCayenne, and are by the Indians
Pinguas. there call'd Piraguas : and no fewer are daily
feen along the gold and the flave coafts of
Guinea, as will appear in the progrefs of this
work. All nations, how remote foever,
being rational creatures, and having the
fame ftrength of imagination, have. invented
the fame things for neceffary ufe, according
to the means and materials nature furniflies
them with-, and it is likely that all the na-
tions of Africa had the fame notions as thofe
in other parts of the univerfe to prompt
them to find out the making of the canoes
they ufe of which more hereafter.
stveral They fifh for the moft part with hooks
'^'*y.^ "f and lines, or elfe with a fort of harping-irons,
f^""^- and fome with nets of their own contriving ;
which, as well as the lines, are made of the
hairy bark of a tree, fpun into thread. Some
alfofifla in the night, holding in one hand a
long burning piece of a combuftible fort of
•wood, which gives a good light, and in the
other a harping-iron, with which they ftrike
the fifti, as they naturally come fwimming
about the light, upon the furface of the wa-
ter. Others there are, who flioot at the fifh,
with arrows, and feldom or never mifs.
The fea hereabout abounding very much
in feveral forts of fifh, both large and fmall,
and particularly an immenfe quantity of little
ones like pilchards, it is rare that they ever
fail of taking as much as they care for. If
they happen to fpy any very great fifh,
which does not ufe to bite at the bait, they
Harping' are fo dexterous at the harping-iron, as very
irons. feldom to fail of ftriking it, and then tow it
afhore with a line made faft to the ftern of
of the canoe.
Stinking It is very unaccountable that thefe people,
fiPiad- having fuch plenty of feveral forts of large
mired. fifli^ will not drefs it whilft frefh and fweet
but let it lie buried in the fand, along the
fhore; efpecially the pilchards, as I fuppofe,
to give it a better relifh, or elfe that it may
keep the longer. In fliort, whether this be
any particular fancy of theirs, or that the
continual violent heat immediately corrupts
it, this is certain, that they eat none but
what ftinks, and account it the greater dainty.
To inftance fomewhat more particularly as
to pilchards, they only let them lie fome
days buried in the wet briny fand along the
fhore, and perhaps it may be on account of
its faltnefs ; but afterwards dig up and ex-
pofe them to the fun for fome time, to dry;
and thus lay them up in their huts, which are
all the day like ftoves: and thus they daily
eat and fell them to the inland Blacks, who
come down to buy them, to fupply the coun-
try-markets. I have feen whole cabbins, or
cottages, full of thefe dry pilchards at Ru-
fifco; and the fandy downs before it next the
fea fo ftored, that there was an intolerable
ftench about the place.
They rip open the large fifh, much as we
do our cod, and fo cover it with the fait
fand, to prevent its corrupting for the heat
is there fo violent and fcorching, that it is
impoffible to keep any fiih whatfoever fweet,
above five or fix hours.
Blacksmiths
JJT AVE no particular houfe or fhop to fet^^'"'^'-
up their forge, but work any where
under fome large green tree, two or three
of them together, with each of them a pipe
of tobacco in his mouth, and commonly ei-
ther ftand on the fide of the forge, or fit
prating by it, fo that very little work is done
in a day. The forge is but indifferent for con-
trivance ; the bellows ingenious enough, ei- Bdlom.
ther between two boards, or fome only of
fkins, which they prefs with their hands,
like a blown bladder. The anvil is fmall, ^vi/*
and fo oddly fet on the ground, that at every
five or fix ftrokes of the hammer, it finks,
and they muft raife it again, which takes up • •
the beft part of their time. They ufe buc
one fort of hammer, and have the art of ma-
king charcoal, of which they burn very lit-
tle at a time in the forge.
They have no grindftones, properly {o'^ngrmi-
call'd, to turn with a wheel or orherwife j/^""''
but whet or fharpen their tools on fuch large
ftones as they find about, or with little ones,
much as is ufed by the mowers in England to
their fcythes. The iron bars they have from
the fadories, and can make knives, fhackles
forflaves, gold and filver bracelets, and o-
thers of brafs andiron; knife-hafts, hilts for
their cutlaces, cafes for their Grigri's or
charms, and fheaths and fcabbards. Their
horfes being never fhod, there are no farriers.
I'heSADL-EKS
117 ORK indiff'erent neatly, andmakefad-
dies of all fizes, fcabbards, bridles,
fandals, fhields, Grigri's,, quivers, and other
fmall things for their ufe.
Thofe who look after the cattle, drive *em
in the morning to the pafture grounds, where
they wander till towards night, when they
drive *em back to their enclofures of reeds
or thorns, to fecure them from the ravenous
wild beaftsi as is the ancient pradice of both
eaftern and weftern Arabs,
Of
Chap. 4. ^/Nigntia, of North-Guinea.
0/ Trade /« general.
THIS is the employment of fome of thofe
. who dwell near the fea, and trade with
the faftories, and generally they are the
s^p^^on for chiefeft among the Blacks. The proper fea-
tra.ding. fon is from Otlober till May j for the reft of
the year they muft lie ftill at home, becaufe
of the continual rains and foul weather, it
being then imprafticable to travel either by
landorfea, without very great hardlhip and
danger.
JnUni Befides the trade with the Europeans along
trade. the coaft, they have fome traffick up the in-
land, and proper fettled markets, but very
inconfiderable, except only that of Camina-,
for the moft they carry to them is a little
cotton, callico, cloth of their own weaving,
corn, beans, gourds, palm-wine, little fpades
or ftiovels, and fome pieces of iron half a
foot long, cutoff the bars. However, at
fome times there are things of greater value,
as gold rings and ear-rings, which they call
Dougarety but the whole not worth thirty
pounds fterling.
^n^ter They barter or exchange one commodity
tehat ' for another, as not having the ufe of coin or
goods. money. Thus for iron bars, bugles, little
glafs baubles, and other things bought ac
the French fadtories, they purchafe elephants
teeth, dry or green bullocks hides, calves,
goats, and deer-lkins, bees-wax, civet, am-
bergris, fait, gold-duft, oftrich and herons
feathers, tobacco, gum arabick, cloths,
millet, cattle, provifions, ^c.
mrkets. The market of Cafnina, as has been faid,
is pretty confiderable at fome times for dry
and green hides, the country cloths, and all
forts of fuch provifions as thofe parts afford ;
but the beft green hides and flaves are to be
had at Rufifco and Porto d'Ali, and in greater
plenty. At Jamefil and Geroep markets
there are country cloths, tobacco, flaves,
horfes, camels, and other forts of cattle.
The market of Jamefil is kept every other
fourth day, which they call Gafnbayar, and
there is the Mia-garanda or colledlor of the
king of Baooly who receives his cuftoms and
other duties.
Cattle and The people about Caho Verde trade moft
hides. in cattle they fetch from a great way up the
inland,buy ing them there in the markets,and
then fattening in their own pafture grounds-,
but moft of the bullocks hides come from
the inland, where they kill oxen only for
the hides, which they dry, and carry them
to the French fadtories, at Senega., Goeree and
Camina ; and to the Englijh at Gambia,
Of the French Trade in particular.
ihtStnt- T^HE French coin^my has at prefent the
cornea- fole trade from Senega river to Juala^
'"y- and even as far as the river Gambia, both by
fea and land, under the denomination of the
Senega company, and enjoys it to the exclu- Babrot.
fion, not only of any other European na- '•^-'^V^
tion, but of all the other fubjedls of France,
as their charter does exprefs % and by the
treaty the faid company has made with the
kings of the country, for which privilege it
is liable to certain cuftoms, duties, and fees
to thofe black princes and their officers, as
fhall be farther fliown hereafter.
This Se?iega company has there two princi- Their fmi.
pal places of fome ftrength to fecure its com-
merce and fervants, being the refidences of
their chief agents, the one in the ifland of
St. Lewis, near the mouth of the faid river
the other at Goeree before mention'd. Thefe
are the general ftorehoufes or magazines for
the goods they carry to trade with the Blacks,
and thofe they purchafe of them in exchange 5.
but that of Senega is the chiefeft.
They have alfo feveral fmall factories a- laBoriss,
long the coaft, as at Rufifco, Camina^ Juala^
Gaynhoa, ^c. which the ir^'/zc^ C3.\\Comptoirs
or Loges ; all of them fupply'd from the a-
forefaid two of Senega and Goeree. Their
trade along the river Senega is manag'd by
floops they fend up that river at certain pro-
per feafons of the year, as I ftiall fhew at
large in another place.
'The Customs,
VITHICH the Senega company pays to
the black kings, and fees to their
officers, are of two forts, inward and out-
ward. The inward duties at Senega river
amount to 10 per cent, of goods in feafon or
out of feafon, as they call them. T\\o{t foT Many die^
exportation are reckoned thus, one bar of ties and
iron for a flave, a hundred hides in the thou-^^^^^"
fand, befides fome petty fees to the Alcaides,
Gerafos, captains of wood and water, which
amount to 3 per cent, and are troublefome
enough to difcharge, being paid at feveral
times and places, and in fundry forts of
goods, which would be too tedious particu-
larly to mention here ; but as an inftance,
at Boubancourt, befides the great duty to the
king, they pay to Ca?nelingue the viceroy of
the Follies, the cuftom which is call'd The
gift of the Gerafos ; another Le bon jour de
Sillatic, or good morrow to Sillatic ano-
ther Le bon jour de Camelingue ; another a-
gain. La coutume de Parmier, or the king's
wife's cuftom •, as alfo Le bon jour de Par-
mier and laftly L^ adieu de Sillatic.
It is to be obferv'd that when the French
pay thefe cuftoms, they receive from the
viceroy, the king's wife, the Jagarafe, and
Camelingue" wife, from each one bullock.
In 1677, the company was oblig'd, ht-'^o^^H
fides the great cuftoms to king Darnel-, to ^^^^^l-
pay feveral fmaller to the Alcaide, to Blram-
Sangue, to Goyongo, to the receiver, to the
mafter of the wood, to Jam-Barre, to the
mafter
A Defer iption of the Coafls
Book
Barbot. mafter of the oyfter-fhells, to his fteward,
and the Bon jour to Darnel.
Thegreat To the great Brak, befides his cuftoms.
Bark. that of Cof?na,c^\Vd Dous, to the beef-driver,
. to Mantel, to the Alcaide, to Muftafa, to
Guyaudin^ to Mamhroze, and another his
felJow-fervant. There is another due paid
to Brak, call'd the cuftom for the river of
the Portuguefe, during the feafon % and an-
other for the fame river, called the cuf-
tom out of feafon. The former paid to
one du Brieu and his Jagarafe the other
equal to it, to Bretique, the Marabout of
Sadejn on that river j to Dites-moy mafter
of the village, to fee the hides convey'd fafe
from thofe two places as alfo another to
Bourguiolof on the fame account. This Bour-
guiolofls the chief of a certain territory; then
to Brifeche and his Jaragafe ; but he is to
give a bullock in return. There is befides,
the cuftom due to Sambamala chief of the
village le 'Terroir Rouge, and to his wife.
This cuftom is only two cloths of Saba and
Batan, and ftie returns a bullock. Another
duty is to be difcharg'd to one Guerigalage,
chief in the river AmorfiL
At'^^M- The cuftoms at Rufifco are due to the Al-
caide, his fervant, the Bofmain and his man j
to Biram the Alcaide's fon ; to the great in-
terpreter and his man ; the Gerafo or collec-
tor and his man j to captain Corde, to Ta-
gour in the room of David Doche, and to
Dom Alix. Another fee is due to the Alcaide
when he comes aboard a lliip, and to the
great interpreter. This cofts fifty bottles
of mixM brandy, befides fome meat, and
to each mefs of the Frippons, or common
fcoundrel blacks, one bottle of brandy, a
difh of cod-fifti, and a ration of bifcuit.
For the guard of the little iftand and ancho-
rage, four bars of iron and two bottles of
brandy. The cuftoms at Porto d*Ali and
Juala have been already mentioned in their
refpe6tive places.
R»ies of For the conveniency of trade between the
goods at jprench at the Senega and the natives, all Eu-
Senega. ropean^oods are reduc'd to a certain ftandard,
viz. hides, bars, and flaves ; for the better
underftanding whereof, I here give fome in-
llances. One bar of iron is reckoned worth
eight hides •, one cutlace the fame ; one
clufter of bugle,weighing four pounds and a
quarter, three hides; one bunch of falfe
pearls, twenty hides ; one bunch of Gallet,
four hides ; one hogfhead of brandy, from
a hundred and fifty to an hundred and fixty
hides. Bugles are the very fmall glais
beads, moftly made at Venice, and fold in
ftrings and clufters.
jnQoix!*. At Goeree the fame goods bear not quite fo
good a rate as for example, a hogfhead of
brandy brings but an hundred and forty hides ;
one pound of gunpowder, two hides ; one
piece of eight, five hides j one ounce of co-
ral, feven or eight hides ; one ounce of cryf-
tal, one hide ; an ounce of yellov/ amber,
two hides.
A flave cofts from twelve to fourteen bars slavm.
of iron, and fometimes fixteen ; at Porto d'Ar
It, eighteen or twenty ; and much more at
Gamboa; according to the number of
ftiips, French, Engltjh, Portuguefe, and Dutch,
which happen to be there at the fame time.
The bar of iron is rated at fix hides.
Before I proceed upon the matter in hand, Trefents t»
I cannot but take notice of the cuftom which
has prevail'd in this country, and all others
in Guinea, Ethiopia, and the Eaft- Indies; and ■ , ,\
is, that no perfon can be well admitted to
the audience of any prince, or even to their
inferior officers, without making way by a
prefent. A certain author tells us, thefe are
the means taught by nature to gain favour
and afFedion. The fame that is now in ufe
all over Africa, was formerly, and is ftill
praflifed among the eaftern nations, and as
much among the Jews as any other.
Goods for Trade.
DEfides thofe mentioned above, which are European
the moft ftaple commodities, the French ccmmedi-
import common red, blue, and fcarlet cloth, ■
filver and brafs rings, or bracelets, chains,
little bells, falfe cryftal, ordinary and coarfe
hats Dutch pointed knives, pewter difhes,
filk fafties, with falfe gold and filver fringes;
blue ferges ; French paper, fteels to ftrike
fire Englijh fayes ; Roan linnen, falam-
poris, platillies, blue callicoes, taff^aties,
chints, Ci?wm or fhells, by the Frmi? cal-
led Bouges, coarfe north red cords called
Bure, lines, fhoes, fuftian, red worfted caps,
worfted fringe of all colours, worfted of all
colours in llceins, bafons of feveral fizes,
brafs kettles, yellow amber, maccatons, that
is, beads of two forts, pieces of eight of
the old ftamp, fom-e filver pieces of 28 fols
value, either plain or gilt ; Dutch cutlaces,
ftrait and bow'd, clouts, galet, martofdes,
two other forts of beads, of which the Blacks
make necklaces for women, white fugar,
mufliet balls, iron nails, fhot, white and
red frize, looking-glafles in gilt and plain
frames, cloves, cinnamon, fciffors, needles,
coarfe thread of fundry colours, but chiefly
red, yellow, and white, copper bars of a
pound weight, ferrit; mens fhirts, coarfe and
fine, fome of them with bone-lace about
the neck, breaft and fleeves ; Haerlem cloths ;
Coafveld linnen ; Dutch mugs, white and
blue 5 Leyden rugs, or blankets ; Spanijh
leather fhoes, brafs trumpets, round pad-
locks, glafs bottles, with a tin rim at the
mouth, empty trunks, or chefts, and a fore
of bugle QzW^diPezant', but above all, as ^
was faid above, great quantities of brandy,
and iron in bars. Particularly at Goeree,
the company imports ten thoufand or more
every-
Chap. 4. of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
every year, of thofe which are made in the
province of Brittany^ all fliort and thin,
which is called in London narrow flat iron,
or half flat iron of Sweden ; but each bar
fhortned, or cut off at one end to about
16 or 18 inches, fo that about eighty of
thefe bars weigh a ton, or twenty hundred
weight Englijh. It is to be obferv'd, that
fuch voyage-iron, as called in Z.(3«Jc;/, is the
only fort and fize ufed throughout all iVf-
gritia, Guinea, and IVeJl- Ethiopia^ in the
way of trade. Laftly, a good quantity of
Coignac brandy, both in hogfheads and rund-
lets, fingle and double, the double being
eight, the fingle four gallons.
African The principal goods the French have in
commodi- return for thefe commodities from the Moors
and Blacks, are flaves, gold-duft, elephants
teeth, bees-wax, dry and green hides, gum-
arabick, oftrich feathers, and feveral other
odd things, as ambergris, cods of muflc,
tygers and goats fkins, provifions, bullocks,
fheep, and teeth of fea-horfes. I will now
mention fome of the particular places where
the French trade, or whence the Blacks bring
goods to their factories.
Heydc
town.
Fargots
nmon.
Other na,-
Sions.
Water-
Trading
towns.
Places of Trade, ^z«^s?TradingArabs»
AT Heyde, a town of about ^oo cofnbets,
or houfes, feated on the north-fide of
the river Senega, there is a trade for ele-
phants teeth, and fome gold-duft •, and if
we may believe the French, they have ex-
tended their trade beyond the dominions
of Sillatick or Cheyratick, being eight de-
grees diftance eaft and weft from the French
refldence, in the ifland of St. Lewis, to the
country which they call the Fargots and
Enguelland, lying above 250 leagues from
the aforefaid factory in St. Lewises ifland.
Thofe people no way differ from the Foules ;
and there the French have built a fmall fort,
mounted with eight guns, at a place called
Ga.lem, or Galama, 120 leagues higher up
the country than the 'terrier -rouge, of which
I fhall fpeak in its place. There they buy
flaves in confiderable numbers, elephants
teeth, and bees-wax, which they convey
down to their faftory every year.
By the Fargots live other nations, on the
fouth-fide of the Senega, viz. the Caffans,
the Malincopes, and the Saracoles almoft
mix'd together: thefe \2& Saracoles, v/honi
Marmol names Saragoles, call the river Se-
tiega, Colle.
The French farther inform us, that were
it not for the great water-fall of the river,
a little above Galle?n, or Galama, they might
go much higher up the faid river, to Cahra,
and Tomlut, and even into the great lake
SigiJ'mes, or Guarda of which lake more
fliall be faid in the fupplement.
From Jaringem, Sabador, and Bocies,
large towns among the v/eftern Foules, and
Vol. V.
from the Terrier-rouge, by the Engli^j called Barbot.
Red-borough, from Geribolen, and the Befart^ ^«*'°V^
other large towns among the weftern Foules ;
and in the lands of Ali, on the north-fide
of the Senega, or white river ; at fome times
of the year, they fetch great quantities of
gum-arabick, and fome ambergris, which the
Arab, or Azgor Moors bring thither to mar-
ket, from 5 or 600 leagues diftance: that
is, from the inner Lybia, upon camels, oxen,
and horfes, or on the backs of flaves ; and
particularly to Terrier-rouge, or Red-borough^
and the Defart, about the latter end of May.
The Defart is on the north-fide of this river,
vulgarly called the Defart of Barbary ; and
by ^^tMoorifh inhabitants yfz^tfr, on account
of its marfhy grounds, a confiderable way
up the inland. Some call this town of the
defart Ingurbel.
The goods proper to purchafe gum-ara- cum-
bick, of which the French bring away thence '"■"^'f^*
five thoufand quintals, or hundred weight
yearly, are brafs kettles, and bafons, yellow
amber in the lump, blue and white mar-
griettas, fcarlet and blue cloths, blue linen,;
red and black large bugles, red and green
galet^-^
it was that they did not like the goods
offer'd them in exchange, or that they
did not agree about the price. Thus they
make nothing to travel four or five hun-
dred leagues out of Lybia, with an hun-'
dred weight of gum, or fome fuch parcel,
and to return home again with it ; lb un-
reafonable and fpightful they are in their
way of dealing. It is almoft incredible
what a trouble t\\t French are at to deal'
with thefe Arabs, and what wrongs and af-
fronts they are to put up thofe wretches'
beinof fo revens;eful as to murder a man for
the leaft thing, if ever they can find an op-
portunity, though it be 20 years after the
injury they fancy they have received, or
elfe will demand 50 flaves to redeem the
perfon they have in their power, and de--
lign to deftroy. They are generally tawny,
meagre, and of a fcurvy mien, but of a
fubtle crafty difpofition. See the Supple-
ment concerning thefe people. '
The gum-arabick diftils from a tall fliady Gum-
tree ; much like the Mappou of America, ^'''^^'f^*
and growing in the defarts of the inner Ly-J,JJf^
hia. At the proper feafon of the year, the
Moors take off the bark of this tree, with
fmall iron tools, or forks, which is done
with eafe, and foon after the foft and waterifh
fubfl:ance, that was under the bark, hardens
into gum, in little bits and lumps, much in
the lame nature as we fee the comnion gum
grow on our European cherry and plum-
trees. The yfraZ'j keep this gum frefh from ' ■
one year to another, by burying of it un-
der ground.
Thefe Arabs are very expert at their fire- Arabs
arms, and no lefs fearful of the effe<5l dread fira^
them. I have been inform'd, that fome'"'^'''
hundreds of the Moors, or Arabs about
mount Atlas, coming down to make war
on king Sillatic , and attempting to feize a
floop belonging to the fadory, which was
come to trade, were fo frighted at the dif-
charge of three firelocks made upon them
by the French, that they all immediately
ran away.
Chap.4»
of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
Moors w^y It may not be amifs here to obferve, that
focall'd. j-j^g Latins, call'd the people of Barbary
Mauros, in all likelihood, from their tawny
complexion, from whom the other Euro-
' ' peans have taken and continued the ufe of
this name, they being all a dark-colour'd
people. The yirabs I now fpeak of, and
all the reft I fhall fpeak of hereafter, being
no lefs tawny than the people of Barbary,
but rather exceeding them ; therefore the
French in thofe parts call them, Arab Moon:
which is confounding the ancient African
Bereberes, who live among the Arabs of
Lybia and Genehoa, with thofe fame Arabs.
I fhall in another place fpeak of the com-
merce and correfpondence between the peo-
ple of Morocco and thofe of 'Tombut and
Genehoa.
Markets and Commodities
E X C H A N g'd.
@old-dtifl. A S for gold-duft, the French purchafe
, very little of it, fince the fifteenth cen-
" tury, when the Portumefe being driven out
of this country, fettled on the gold coaft,
as fhall alfo be obferv'd in its place. How-
ever, fometimes a little gold is brought to
market at Heyde, at la Riviere a Morfil, at
la Riviere des Maringuins, at Mamhrin^ at
Lametor^ and towards Gamboa River.
Heyde The town of Heyde, ox Leyde^ conlifts
town. of about two hundred houfes, ftanding on
the north-fide of the Senega^ above 200
leagues up it, from the fea, not far diftant
from that of Ca??ieUnga and there is a mar-
ket for ivory and gold, which laft thofe
Blacks call Dougure.
Geribolen At the town of Gcribolen, is a good mar-
ma,rket. j^gj- f^j, millet, and elephants teeth, which
are purchas'd for brandy and bugles.
At the towns of Birain-Lieze-, Sapaterre,
Larron, and Bilor, are proper markets for
dry bullocks hides ; fome elephants teeth ;
tygers, goats and deer-skins ; oftrich fea-
thers •, Dutch cloths ; galet •, large yellow
amber-ftones margriettes •, white and yel-
low bugles, ^c. but chiefly a.t Bilor.
More of On the rivers a Morfil and des Maringuins,
at Mambrin, on the north-fide of the Se-
nega, and at Lametor, or Brak, on the
fouth-fide of the fame, the French purchafe
a confiderable number of flaves, elephants
teeth, and dry hides, as alfo ambergris
and fome gold-duft. At Serinpatte muflk-
cods •, tygers and goats-fkins ; oftrich fea-
thers and gum-arabick ; in exchange for
kettles ; yellow amber •, ftriped cloths ;
iron bars ; bugles ; Maccatons or beads of
two forts ; whole or half pieces of eight of
the old ftamp ; Margriettes ; another fort
of beads made at Roan, fine cryftal beads
ftrait, or bow'd cutlaces ; Galet beads, and
pieces of filver of 28 fols, either plain or
gilt. The country of little Brak affords
them flaves and wood for feweh
Other
marhets
them.
At the villages of Bozaert, or Bozar, and Bat^bot.
Caye, near the fadory, they have flaves
elephants; and fea-horfes teeth ; gold-duft;
dry hides ; and the country cloths in ex-
change for brandy, iron bars, cutlaces i
bugle ; and Satalas, or brafs bafons of fe-
veral fizes.
Slaves,
nr HO S E fold by the Blacks are for the HoT» the/-
moftpart prifoners of war, taken either 'w"**
in fight, or purfuit, or in the incurfions-^'''^^'-
they make into their enemies territories
others ftolen away by their own country-
men •, and fome there are, who will iA\
their own children, kindred, orneighbours.
This has been often feen, and to compafs it,
they defire thePerfon they intend to iell, to
help them in carrying fomething to the fac- ' ;
tory by way of trade, and when there, the . /^
perfon lb deluded, not underftanding the
language, is fold and deliver'd up as a flave,
notwithftanding all his refiftance, and ex-
claiming againlt the treachery. I wis told
of one, who defign'd to fell his own fon,
after that manner but he underftanding
French, difleimbled for a while, and then
contriv'd it fo cunningly as to perfuade the
French, that the old man was his flave, and
not his father, by which means he deliver'd
him up into into captivity 5 and thus made
good the //^/ii?;z Proverb, A furbo furbo e
mezzo I amounting to as much as, Set a thief
to catch a thief, or Diamond cuts Diamond, ■
However, it happened foon after, that the " ' ' ■
fellow was met by Ibme of the principal
Blacks of the country, as he was returning
home from the fa6tory, with the goods he
had receiv'd for the i'ale of his father, all
which they took away, and order'd him to
be fold for a flave.
The kings are fo abfolute, that upoil any Kings [M
flight pretence of offences committed by ojfe>ulei'f,
their fubjedis, they order them to be fold
for flaves, without regard to rank, or pro-
fefTion. Thus a Marabout, or Prieft, as I
believe, was fold to me at Goeree, by the
Alcaide of Rio Frefco, by fpecial order of
king Daniel, for fome mifdemeanors. I
took notice, that this Prieft was above tv/o
months aboard the fhip, before he would
fpeak one word ; biJt I fhall fliy more of
him in another place.
Abundance of \\ii\t Blacks of both fexes
are alfo ftolen away by their neighbours, kidnaffd,
when found abroad on the roads, or in the
woods ; or elfe m the Cougans, or corn-fields,
at the time of the year, when their parents
keep them there all day, to Icare away the
devouring fmaU birds, that come to feed
on the millet, in fwarms, as has been faid
above.
In times of dearth and famine, abun- feof>k feU
dance of thefe people will fell thsmfelves, them-
4
A Defcription of the Coafts
'OOK
BAR.BoT.for a maintenance, and to prevent ftarving.
'«''V^ When I firft arriv'd at Goeree, in Decem-
ber 1 68 1 could have bought a great num-
ber, at very eafy rates, if I could have
found provifions to fubfift them ; fo great
was the dearth then, in that part of Ni-
gritia.
Inland To conclude, fome flaves are alfo brought
jlttves. to thefe Blacks, from very remote inland
countries, by way of trade, and fold for
' things of very inconfiderable value but
thefe flaves are generally poor and weak, by
reafon of the barbarous ufage they have had
in travelling fo far, being continually bea-
ten, and almoft famifl/d ; fo inhuman are
the Blacks to one another.
ElephantsTeeth
llephants A ^ E gather'dand pick'd up in the woods j
hard to be Of elfe when the Blacks can kill an
kill'd. elephant, which is hard to be done, either
with fire-arms or arrows, as fhall be parti-
cularly obferv'd, when I come to treat of
the ^a-qua coaft where there are more of
thefe bulky creatures, than in any other part
of Guinea, I lhall only add here, that I
was told by one of the faftory at St. Lewis' %
ifland, that he and his company were once
at the hunting of an elephant, and beftowM
above two hundred bullets on him, and yet
he got away j but the next day was found
dead fome hundred paces from the place
where they ftiot him.
UotekUVi The Blacks of Senega go out fixty in a
^acks company, each arm'd with fix fmall arrows
^' and a great one. Having found his haunt,
they ftay till he repairs thither, which they
knov/ by the loud rufsling noife he makes,
breaking through the boughs that hang in
his way, and beating down whole trees, if
they ftand in his way. Then they follow
him,ofliooting continually, till they have
ftuck fo many arrows in his body, as muft
be his death; which they obferve by the lofs
of blood, and the weaknefs of his efforts
againft what ftands before him.
The teeth pick'd up in the woods and de-
farts are for the moft part fcurfy and hollow,
occafion'd by their lying many years in the
rain and wind, and confequenrly are lefs
valuable.
Hides.
Befl hides ^ H E beft and largeit dry bullocks hides,
m Guinea. X ^j^^^g ^^^^ ^^^^^ Senega river,
becaufe the cattle is there much larger and
fatter, than about Rufifco and Porto d'Aliy
where the country affords not fuch good
pafture-grounds. They foak, or dip thefe
hides, as foon as flay'd from the beaft, and
prefently expofe them to the air to dry ;
which, in my opinion is the reafon, why
wanting the true firft feafoning, they are
apt to corrupt and breed worms, if noc
look'd after, and often beaten with a flick,
or wand, and then laid up in very dry
flore-houfes.
Thefe hides are nothing to compare to ^w^;.,-^
thole of Havana., Hifpanlola, and Buenos Amzncl.
Ayres, in America, both for thicknefs and
kirgenefs. The African hides ferve moftly
in France and Holland^ for covering of
trunks, and portmantuas ; being, as has been
faid, much thinner and Imalier than the
American. For an inftance, the weight of
a hide at Buenos Ayres^ is commonly fe-
venty fix pounds, and worth there upon the
place one piece of eight. The fame hide is
worth at London fix pence, at Roan half a
livre, and at Amjterdam ten ftivers the pound
weight. Thefe hides are the commodity of
the country about Buenos Ayes, lying i'^
35 degrees of fouth latitude, fifty leagues
up from the mouth of the river of Plate^
by the natives call'd Paraguay. The faid
hides, being fo cheap there, by reafon of
the incredible multitude of cattle the coun- "'"'^
try abounds in, and fo much valu'd in Eu-
rope, are the ufual returns from thence ;
with a fort of red wool, call'd Lana de Vi-
cuna, growing on the Peru fheep, and which
is worth at Buenos Ayres 1 8 royals plate per Buenos
pound, and at London io s.per pound ; being Ayies.
brought down 350 leagues by land from
Peru, on mules. In the year 1658, there . ,^
were at Buenos Ayres, at one time, twenty '.-^
two Butch, and among them two EngUJb
fliips, as we are told in the account of Mon-
fieur Acarete du Bifcay, homewards bound
with bull-hides, plate, and the aforefaid
Vicima wooll, which they had received in
exchange for their commodities. Each Dutch
fhip had thirteen or fourteen thoufand bull-
hides, amounting to 3 3 500 /. fterling,bought
by them there at feven or tight royals each,
and fold in Europe for at leaff 25 a piece. ■ ,
This happen'd at a time when the j-^^^ DutcB
niards being embroiled in many troubles, there,
the Dutch laid hold of the opportunity to
fend thofe fhips to Rio de la Plata, laden
with goods and Blacks, which they had taken
in at Congo and Angola. The inhabitants of
Buenos Ayres wanting the fupplies they ufed ^ i
to receive by the Spaniflj galeons, which
were hindered by the EngliJJo from making
their conftant voyages •, and there being a
great fcarcity of Blacks, and other neceffa-
ries ; prevailed fo far upon the governor,
that for a prefent they obliged the Hollanders
to give him, and paying the duties to the ^
king of Spain, they were permitted to land,
and trade there : for no nation is allowed it,
but native Spaniards, with licences from the
Icing of Spain, which coft five ducats plate,
for every tun, and feven ducats and a half
plate, whenfoever thiy are granted to
flrangers. A fhip of five hundred tun, as
the iord^r J vearj- , Beinj
l//uj- noisti-1 up by tAjj^c' MU^fchtei'OUJ- Creatwcs J>td^ .ran not Se ii'rej-ted f rvm them uit/arut a arenc it<:al of i/iyiculty , T. t/ie /taht nf 't/u-irZardr''amiCjitriJcr,w,
Tm'jonj- in^amiia . O- 7?^jra^-s maunti/ty t/ie Fa/m fiw, to ?nake jncisionx ti'^<^t theFatnt^l'ms : \mJan at/uv V/.wvf aain^ to J j-ame j/ur/>cj-e uit/i /tLr /rocj- <5c
Ira/j-hop.Jf^irjfij ^rjjoprf . rUiw ant/i^-ir Canulj- ,/!.vs^'.r,.irtJ cx^ii irilk t/teir yufniti-giu-A o?- athc'r j/oiaiom6a K. tAe J'mit cuAoi^a/-
'^/ic'T/ouanrs or t/teJirinal 7Iutj-, .■j//./.Jtiy,a^iFim- clj^jjl/jC^n-n^-ls
Chap, 5". e/Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
(Vattr.
brandy
coveted.
Climhing
of palm-
trees.
mne.
Frefh water is not to be had every where.
At Rw Prefco, the little river affords it good
enough •, but in many places up the coun-
try, they have it out of ponds and moraffeSj
fo that it is thick and muddy. For this
reafon, the king of Kay or has caufed two
deep wells to be dug there, and made good
the infides of them with timber laid clofe
and crofs-wife, to hinder the mouldering in
of the earth.
The Blacks are generally very greedy of
brandy, by them call'd Sangara, which
they will drink as if it were water, when
given them. A Black being aboard a fhip
at Goeree^ and fpying an ink-bottle in my
cabbin, drank a large dofe, before he per-
ceived it was not brandy.
Palm-Wine and Palm-Trees.
'TP HO' there be abundance of palm-trees
in this country, yet the palm-wine is
not fo common a liquor here as on the Gold
Coajl, and at Ardra^ being only ufed here
by the better fort and flrangers,
Defigning in another place a particular
defcriotionof the fevcral forts of palm-trees,
I fhall conrent myfelf at prefent with ob-
ferving, that here are three kinds of them.
The one is like the date-tree, another like
the Latiner-trse, but none of the fort which
bears the coco-nuts i neither fhall I now lay
much of the nature of the palm-wine, or
hov/ it is made, biit only that they pay
certain duties to the Alcaides^ or governors
of towns, for thefe palm-trees ; as alio, that
they climb up to the head of the tree by
means of an iron or brafs-hoop, which they
contract Or let out, as they have occafion.
A man gets into the hoop, and fets his
feet againft the tree, the hoop bearing
him up behind, as fecure as if he ftood on
the ground, and fo moves upwards by de-
grees to the top of the tree, where he makes
two or three incifions, juft below the tuft, or
head, making faft pots, or gourds to them,
to receive the liquor which diftils from, it :
each tree yields about three pints of wine,
of a pearl colour. That which diftils an
hour before fun-rifing is beft •, arnd with
this fort they entertain the Europeans., and
otlier foreigners, the beft of the Blacks be-
ing never without it.
This fort is of a pleafant fweet tafte,
being ufed two or three hours after it has
fermented a while in the pots but foon
lofes its fweetnefs, and grows foiirer every
day : the older it is, the more it affefts
the head. The right palm-wine fearches
the reins, provokes urine, and it may be
reafonably concluded, that the conftant ufe
the natives make of it, is the reafon why
few or none of them are troubled with the
gravel, or the ftone in the bladder and
tiio' it will prefently fly into thehead^ when
ufed immoderately, yet thofe fumes ai'eBA^por.
foon difpell'd, with feems very ftrange, W^V^
confidering how much it works as foon as
in the pot. This fermentation is often fo
violent as to break the pots, unlefs care be
taken to give the liquor vent. More of
this lhall be faid in my fecond part.
Superstition and Witchcraft,
T^HE Blacks generally fet a-part iom^ Meat of-
*- fmall quantity of fuch viduals as t\\tyf^f'^fot^s
eat, for their Fif//Vte, or, as fome will have*'*'^'^"
it, for the devil, whom they call Gune, to
oblige him to be kind to them *, for if we
may believe their own aflertions, he o^ten
beats them. I remember a Blacky from
whofe neck I once pulled away a Grigri,
or fpell, made a hideous noife about it,
telling me, that Gune had beat him moft
Unmercifully the next night •, and that un-
lefs I v/ould, in compafiion, give him a
bottle of brandy to treat Gune, and be re-
conciled to him, for having fuffered me to
take away his Grigri, he was confident he
fhould be infallibly kill'd by him. The _ ;
fellow was fo pofitive in this conceit, and
roared in fach a horrible manner for it, that
I was forced to humour him for quietnefs
fake.
This ceremony of fpilling a little liquor. The fame
and cafting fome part of rice, or any other w China,
eatable on the ground, is of great antiquity
in China, and kept up to this day. Co;/-
fucius, their moft honour'd philofopher and
divine, pradtifed it, the intention of it be-=
ing a fort of oblation to the dead ; who
in former ages had taught that nation to
till the earth, drefs meat, i^c. as Navarrete
informs us, in his account of China. It is
likely, that the Blacks \n Nigrida and Guinea
might at firft have the fame reafon for this
ceremony, though at prefent few or none
underftand why they do it •, and only al-
ledge it is a cuftoin tranfmitted to them
from their anceftors, grounding themfelves
in many of thefe praftices wholly upon tra-
dition, without enquiring into the motives.
.They have alfo a great opinion of yi\tc\\-ii?itchcraft.
craft, and pretend by it to be able to do
any mifchief they think fit to their enemies,
even to taking of their lives-, as alfo to
difcover all fecrets, and find out hidden
things, as to compel a thief to appear and
to reftore what he has ftolen, be he ever
fb remote j with manv more fuch abfurdi-
ties.
Funerals.
HEY weep and lament over the dead BewaUmg
as foon as expired, in fuch manner, "Z'^^*'^"''
that it is hideous and frightful to pafs by
the huts where any Black lies dead, by rea-
fon of the horrid fhrieks and howling of
the neighbours and relations, who refort to
the houfe of the departed to bewail him.
This
'2
cription of the Coafls
OOK
Barbot. This may perhaps be deriv'd from the cuf-
L/'V^ com of the Jews, as we find it in St. Mark
5. 36. he (Jesus) cometh to the boiife
of the ruler of the /jnagogue., and feeth the
tumult, and them that wept and wailed great-
ly ; upon the death of his daughter. It is
well known, that the Jews in thofe days had
certain common mourners, who were hired
for weeping and wailing over dead perfons.
Ridiculous Upon thefe occafions, they afk abundance
quejUons of impertinent ridiculous queftions, much
to the (lead. -^^ the fame nature as the poor ignorant fort
of Irijh are reported to pradife to this day ;
as for exampi?, fFhy he would leave them
after that tnanner ? whether he wanted mil-
let, or oxen, or clothes, or wealth ? whether
he food in need of any more than he had ?
or, whether he had not wives enough, or they
were not handfome enough ? what harm any
body had done him ? and the like. All thefe
queries are repeated by every one in the
company fucceffively, the Guiriots in the
niean time afting their parts, continually
fmging the prailes of the party deceafed,
and extolling his virtues, aftions, and quali-
ties. The dead perfon making no anfwer,
thofe who have put their queftions with-
draw, to make room for others to lucceed
them , in repeating the fame.
It was cuftomary among the Arabs of
Lyhia, and the adjacent parts, as we fhall
farther fhow in the Supplement, upon thefe
occafions, for the wife, or next of kin, to
go out of the tent, or barrack, howling af-
ter a ftrange manner Hoo-la-loo, as the
Irijh do over the graves of their friends de-
parted. By the 1 1 th of St. John, ver. 3 1 , it
appears, that the Jews often repaired to the
graves to bewail their dead, as is there fhown
in the inftance o^Mary, the fifterof L^zz^rw.
iisaih of If it be a boy that is dead, the maids
f>oys. and women fing •, and the other boys run
at one another with all the force they are
able, holding naked cutlaces in their hands,
which they clatter together and making
many extravagant m.otions and geflures, too
impertinent to be defcribed.
Tunerd The funerals are performed with much
ceremonies. -^^tt and ceremony. In fome places they
bury the coi pfe in the houfe it belonged to,
taking ofi:' the round roof of it, and re-
doubling their cries : then four mourners
ftand in a fquare, each holding a cloth ex-
tended, as it were to cover the corpfe, that
it may not be feen by the company. Next
the Marabout whifpers fome words in the
ear of the deceafed, covering him with a
white fheet, or piece of callico. This be-
ing done, they fet on the roof of the hut
again, over which they hang fome cloths
of one, or of feveral colours •, and clofe
by the houfe they fet up a pole, on which
they hang the arms, bow, quiver, javelin,
of the perfon deceafed j and having a
fancy, that the dead eat in the grave, they
let by them a pot of Coufcous, and another
of water, for feveral months.
It is a common cuftom among the Bar- The fame
harians of Morocco, Fez, &c. to fet meat on w Mo-
the graves, and to bury filver, jeweL, and
other things with the corpfe, that the dead
may want none of the conveniencies in the
other world, which they had in this.
At other places, the funerals are ^fitr ^nothe?
this manner. Some drummers march ht-fort.
fore the company, after them follow the
neareft relations of the deceafed ; then his
wives, if it be a man, or the hufband, if
a woman ; and then the corpfe, followed
by all the people of the village, of both
fexes. Being come, in this order, to the
place of burial, which is very often on fome
rifing ground, or hill, they lay the corpfe
in the grave, ftark naked, and fill it up
with earth. About the grave they ered
feveral little round huts, much like our ice-
houfes in hot countries ; and over thofe
huts, they fet up the round roof of the
deceafed perfon's houfe, difplaying on the
top of it a flag, or white flieet, cut in pieceSg
that being thus rent, it may not be ftolen
away,_ as being rendered quite ufelefs.
It is frequent among thefe people, for Barbarity
the neareft relations, as brothers, fifters, ^'"'^''*^»
^5'c. to take away for their own ufe, all the
goods, or wealth the party deceafed has
left thus robbing his own children, and
expofing them to the greateft mifery.
Rain and Thunder. ,' , '
HE Blacks, in general, have a great Rfl/«y z*^-'
dread of the rainy feafon, becaufe they/<"* P<=%' .
are then, for the moft part, much afflided
with difeafes of feveral forts, which makes
them very cautious of travelling •, nay, moft
of them will fcarce come out of their houfes,
but keep clofe confined in them during all
that feafon, with a conftant fire, about
which they lie all night, in a ring, with
their feet towards it ; fo to draw out and
dry up the moifture, they fancy thofe lower
parts have drawn in, during the day and
look upon it as the occafion of the feveral
diftempers their bodies are fubjeft to.
Nor are they lefs apprehenfive of thnn- Bread cf
der, which is very frequent in the country
at that feafon, being dreadful loud, and at-
tended with terrible flafties of lightning. - ,.■:•„..•,<
When it happens to thunder on a fudden,
as they are abroad in the firlds, or on the
road, they lie down flat, with their faces
to the ground, till it is over, or at leaft
till the violence of the claps abates.
Sleeping, Dancing, iz«J Wrestling.
'TP HO' they conftantly take a nap, of
an hour or two, after dinner, yet they
go to bed early, in dark nights ; but when
the
T
Chap. 9.
^?/Nigritia, oy North-Guinea.
the moon (hines, they fit up to dance and
fmoak, wich their wives and neighbours.
Their dances are commonly in a round,
finging the next thing that occurs, whether
fenfe or nonfenfe. Some of them ftand in
the middle of the ring, holding one hand
on their head, and the other behind their
waift, advancing and ftrutting out their
tfs>i belly forwards, and beating very hard with
4*ming. their feet on the ground. Others clap their
hands to the noife of a kettle, or a cala-
bafh, fitted for a mufical inftrument. When
young men, or boys, dance with maidens,
or women, both fides always make abun-
dance of lafcivious geftures •, and every now
and then each takes a draught of palm-
wine to encourage the fport.
Ridiculous The men often exercife themfelves at
'mrejlling. ■wreflling, putting themfelves into many ri-
diculous pollutes, as they approach one an-
other, either holding out a finger, the fift,
or the foot towards the antagonift one or
more Guiriots ftanding by, and beating a
drum, or playing on fome fort of their noify
•5' - mufick, to encourage the combatants. Be-
ing ftark naked at this fport, he who is
thrown, feldom comes off" without fome hurt
or bruife, and fometimes they both fufFer
confiderably. The great fatisfaftion they
have in throwing their antagonifts, confifls
in the Guiriot's extolling their valour with
a loud voice, and encouraging them to gain
many more fuch viilories.
Ramadan and FsASTiNd.
Fajlkg TOURING the time of thdr Ramadan,
mdfeajl- *^ which is the Mahometan lent, and lafts
wr/' ■ the whole month of September, they have
great feafting and rejoicing at night j which,
from the Portuguefe, they call Folgar^ that
is, to make merry. They are then forbid
eating, drinking, and fmoaking in the day-
time •, and fome are fo very precife, that
they will not fpit, or fcarce do any other
thing, if they can avoid it but as foon as
the fun is fet, or the firft flar appears, they
all fall to feaiting with an intolerable noife
of drums, and never give over eating and
drinking till the fun riles again, with great
, , excels and debauchery.
Visit paid to Conde, /^^VrcERqY.
Conde, "D EFORE I proceed upon the fubjed in
■viceroy hand, it will not be ungrateful, in this
ral^""^' P^^*^^' ^'^ S^^^ account of the vifit I
once paid to old Conde, viceroy and gene-
raliffimo of the forces of king Damel, at
the village of Racho, about a mile up the
country, in order to fettle a good corre-
fpondence, between the Blacks and the
French faftors at Goeree, which had been
interrupted for feveral months, on account
of the cuftoms for wood and water, for
the ufe of the company's Ihips which will
Vo L. V,
farther demonftrate the dexterity of thefeBARBoT;
people at bodily exercifes. \.»"«.'.
carrying of men ; but fo far excelling in
fwiftnefs, that it is reported, they will tra-
vel an hundred miles a day, for feven or
eight days fuccelTively, with little, or next
to no food, which is a little grafs, or brow-
zing on the leaves of trees. The Arab
Moors call this fort of camels Raguahil, or
Elmahari and they are commonly ufed in
Lybia for travelling through thedefarts.
Dromedaries are made ufe of in the em-
pire of Morocco, upon occafion of hafty,
urgent affairs. They differ from a camel,
only in being leaner and much fwifier ; qua-
lities which are natural to them, and very
p peculiar j
A Defcription of the Coafts Book
Earitot. peculiar for if we may credit the na-
v>V^ lives of that country, this beaft will travel
ten leagues in a day, for every day it fpends
in fleeping before it could fee diftinftly, af-
ter its firft coming into the world. So that,
if it fleeps fix days, as foon as it comes from
the dam, it will travel fixty leagues, and
fo more or lefs in proportion. Some do po-
fitively affirm, that the uncle of the prefent
ehiperor of Morocco did thus ride a hundred
leagues in a day ; and do add, that the fa-
tigue of this way of travelling, which is but
the dromedaries conftant pace, is equal to
the expedition, and that it was impolTible
for the traveller to hold it, did he not caufe
himfelf to be fall bound to the faddle, and
his mouth to be cover'd, for fear of being
fuffocated. The bunch on the backs of thefe
DromeJn. camcls or dromedaries is fmaller, in pro-
ries and portion, than that of the camels in Arabia
camels of ^/_,^ Jlofiy, call'd Ba^rians. The dromedaries
Arabia. jy^j^i^ j^^ve two bunchcs on their back,
and are much fwifter than the Arabian ca-
mels ; but thefe here have another fmaller
bunch on their ftomach, which ferves them
to lean on when they reft.
Eerfes Some of the horfes feem'd to me pretty
fine ; but all very fmalL
Having fpent about two hours at this inter-
view, I took my leave of the old gentleman,
who bid the interpreter tell me, he would bear
me company to the water-fide, and fee me
fafe in the pinnace. I admir'd all the way
how the people of the neighbouring cottages
and hamlets, being informed that Conde
kefpe^ was going down to the water-fide, flock'd
paU to about us, pulling off their fandals from as
far as they could fee him, and proftrating
themfelves flat on the ground before, throw-
ing fand or earth, with both hands, over
their own heads which among them are the
ufual tokens of refpedl, paid to perfons in
eminent dignity.
Antiquity This praftice of proftrating on the ground
ofprojira- before perfons in a high ftation, appears by
ancient hiftory to have been follow'd by all
the eaftern nations, and commonly ufed by
the people of Ifrael-, whereof we find many
inftances in holy writ, of which I fliall only
point out thofe of king David -md Abigail,
I Sam. 25. 23. Mepbibojhetb, 2 Sam,g. 6. Ab-
falom, lb. 14. 33. znd Bath-Jhebah, i Kings
I. 16. & 1.31. It is ftill pradis'd in feve-
ral eaftern countries, and particularly in the
dominions of the Mogol.
Pralfes All the way we walk*d to the fea-fide, I
had two of Conde % Guiriots, one on each
fide of me, who never ceas'd, in their fort
of tone, to fing a kind of panegyrick in
praife of me, as I was inform'd by the in-
terpreter. The fong was attended with a-
bundance of grimaces, geftures, and flcip-
ping, which, tho' very difagreeable to me,
yet I durft not command them to give ovePj
for fear of difobligtng their mafter, it being '
the cuftom of the great men among the
Blacks i'o to honour the Europeans that corn^- ■
to fee them.
When we were come to the fea-fide, ^^cf^/
Conde., to fliow me how expert he was zt^'"'!^""^^'-
riding and managing a horfe, mounted upon
one of the moft fiery, which he had caus'd
to be brought along with him, and which
he fxid Was of Barba7'y. I own I could not •
but admire to fee a man at feventy years of
age fo hail and aftive as he then was ; for
during above a quarter of an hour, he put
himfelf into feveral poftures, and perform'd
divers motions a horfeback. Sometimes he
put his horfe upon full fpeed on the ftrand^
darting an AJfagaia or javelin with the right
hand before the horfe, and running fo fwifrly, - "
as to catch it again with the fame hand, be- '
fore it fell to the ground ; or if it happened
to fall, he would take it up again without
flopping in the career which was the more
furprizing to us, becaufe no horfes what-
foever are fleeter than thofe of Barbary,
It is proper here to obferve, that the Af- Affigaiaor
fngaia or javelin above mention'd, as darted J"'^^^"''
by Conde, is a fort of lance, or rather a
half-pike univerfally ufed by all the Blacks of
Nigritia, Guinea, and Ethiopia, as will be
farther made appear in the courfe of this , /
general defcription of thofe parts of A-
frica.
This fort of weapon is of very ancient ufage
in the eaftern countries o^Afia, and in all pro- itiff»f^-
bability among the Hebrews ; for we often find
it mention'd in holy writ under the feveral . ''"^
denominations of lance, javelin, dart, &c,
Phineas kilFd Zimri and Cofii with a javelin,
Nujnb.2^. 7,8. Said {milts, David With.l\\t "
javelin, i Sam. 19. 10, David took away
■S^z/Z's javelin and water-pot out of his tent,
lb. 26. 16. Joab thruft three darts through
the heart of Ahfalom, 2 Sam. 18. 14. The
ancients always reprefented Pallas holding a
javelin or lance in her hand; and all men of
diftindtion always carried a javelin in one
hand. Homer affigns javelins to his heroes,
as the Romans did to their ^lirinus and o-
ther gods ; and the emperor of Morocco al-
ways rides with an Ajfagaia in his hand. See
a farther account of thefe weapons here-
after.
It muft be own'd, that many of thefe ii,v/»^.
Blacks of Nigritia are excellent horfemen,
which in all likelihood they learn m'Tom- '
but and Genehoa their neighbouring nations,
which have acquired it by their commerce
with the fubjedls of Morocco. All men, who
are vers'd in hiftory, muft know that the
Moon were always excellent at riding ; as
particularly was formerly obfervable in the
Moors of Granada, whofe racing and tilting
was admir'd by all their contemporaries: and
at this very time the Moors q{ Morocco are
. . . fo
CsAP, ^. of Nigritia, or North-Guinea,
^5
Suffoons
tnfiimoits.
Tlmhrels,
Balafcf mu
fick.
Another
fort.
Blacks/o«
of fraije
fo much addidled to this exercife, that the
emperor's fons, at nine or ten years of age,
will ride an unruly horfe bare-ridg'd, with-
out boots or fpurs, and fit fail ; it being
the Mooriflj fafhion to mount horfes bare ve-
ry early, as well for the fake of the bead as
of the man, becaufe they thus break colts at
a year old. ^: ;. ■ ; : .
- ' . . ^'IS: : "
■. ; • • Gu I R I O T S.
T T is convenient I fhould in this place give
fome account of the Guir/ots, having feve-
ral times made mention ot them.
The name of Guiriot, in their tongue, pro-
perly fignifies a buffoon, and they are a fort
of fycophants. The kings and great men
in this country, keep each of them two,
three, or more of thefe Guiriots to divert
them, and entertain foreigners upon occa-
fion. Thefe men are fo much defpis'd by all
the other Blacks, that they not only account
them infamous, but will fcarce allow them
a grave when they die believing the earth
would never produce any fruit or plants,
fhould it be defiled with their dead carcaffes,
nor will they throw their corps into ponds
or rivers, tor fear of killing the fifh, and
therefore they drily thruft them into the hol-
low trunks or ftumps of trees. However,
notwithftanding this mean conceit among
the people, the Guiriots have the fole pri-
vilege of carrying the Oiamba, that is, the
great long drum-royal, made of a fine goat-
,(kin, before the king when he goes to war
which the Ginriot hangs about his neck, and
beats with fmall fticks, or with his hands,
hallooing aloud with a wretched voice, and
finging fundry forts of tones to nonfenfical
words. At other times, to divert their ma-
fters or foreigners, they have a timbrel,
after the Mnrifco fafhion, made like our
flat ball-baflcets, tyM athwart with feveral
fmall ftrings, which they touch with one
hand, or grafp with their fingers, and beat
upon it with the other.
Others again play on anoi;her fort of mu-
fical inftrument call d Balafe, which would
make a tolerable harmony, if well managed,
for it founds like a harpficord being a fet
of calibafhes or gourds made faft together in
a row, with ftrings of feveral fizes over them
in a tuneable order. Others alfoufe a kind
of lute, made of a hollow piece of a par-
ticular forr of wood, covcr'd over with a
piece of fkin or leather, having two or three
hair ftrings, and at the flops, fome little
plates of iron and fmall bells.
^ The Blacks Idok upon it as a gi^eat ho-
nour done to any man, to have his praifes
fung by the king's Guiriots for they gene-
rally atfe61: being flatter'd, as fond of ap-
plaufcand commendation, and will therefore
give any thing they have to be fo compli-
mented by the Guiriots ; and the ratherj be-
caufe if they do not reward them generoufly, BARBor:
thofe Guiriots vnW abufe and , defame them ^-''YV.
as much as they before extoU'd and masni-
fied them: for it is another privilege of thofe ' ■ "■
fellows, to {lander and reproach whom they
pleafe, without any checksor fearof punifh-
ment; and therefore fome will, upon occa-
fion, prefent zheGuiriot with two or three • ■
bullocks and others will ftrip themfelves of
all the clothes they have, tho' ever fo va-
luable, to prefent him.
The ufual cant of thefe buffoons, either
infpeaking or finging upon the like occa- '""'■Z'^'
fions, as I was inform'd by the interpreter,
is no more than this: He is a great man, or a
great lord; he is rich, he is powerful, he is ge-
nerous, he has given Sa.Dg2.va. or brandy ; and
much more fuch wretched ftufi\, often re-
peated, with fuch forry voices, bawling, and
impertinent geftures and grimaces, that ic
muft^ tire any but a Black : . nay, fometimes
it is in a manner intolerable, and yet muft
not be found fault with, but rather applaud-
ed, as if extraordinary pleafing. Among
many fuch expreiTions as above-mention'd,
which Conde's Guiriots ufed towards me, they
ofteneft repeated, That I was the king's cSief
Jlave; thinking they did me a mighty ho-
ndur.
The Government.
I
N fome countries the crown is hereditary,
in others eleftive. In fome of the heredi- Brothers
tary countries, as foon as the king is dead,/«^"^'^-
his brother fucceeds, and not his fon ; but
when the brother dies, the fon of the former
king afcends the throne, and after him his
brother again, and not his fon.
In other hereditary kingdoms, neither the ^'^"^^JPf^
brother nor the fon fucceeds, but the nephew ^•'"^^
by the fifter's fide; and the reafon they
give for it, is, becaufe it is uncertain whe-
ther the children the king has are of his
own getting •, but his fifter's children cannot
fail of being of the blood-royal, and confe-
quently they are fure of fuch a king, and
no other can be fo.
In the eleftive countries, when the king ^leiihs
is dead, three Or four of the greateft men in'"''"^^'
the nation make choice from among them-
felves of the perfon they think fitteft to fuc-
ceed in that dignity •, referving always to
themfelves the right of depofing or banifh-
ing him, as they fliall afterwards think fit,
in cafe of any mifmanagement : which is of-
ten the occafion of mighty troubles and civil
wars, becaufe of the many pretenders or fe-
veral interefts that are made upon fuch oc-
cafions; there being always many kindred or
relations of the depos'd king left behind,
who, notwithftanding that conftitution, do
endeavour by open force to ftep into the
throne.
A Defer Jpt ion of the Coafis
Book
Barrot. Bat whether theking become fuch by right
"^^''^ or violence, as foon as ever he is invefted with
Refp^a the royal authority, the people pay very
i^'^'l them. ^^.^^^ refped and veneration to his perfon
and chief officers Such a one was Conde., of
whom I have already fhow'd how much he
was honour'd by the Blacks in my preknce,
Abfolute In the fame manner, by whatfoever title
fower. kings get the crown, the moment of
their inauguration they affume a haughty car-
riage towards their fubjcdls, of what qua-
lity foever, and do tyrannize over them at
difcretion, fo abfolute is their authority :
neith.er can any man, tho' ever fo great,
prefume to come into his prcfence, without
his fpecial command or leave.
Great fub- When a Black of ever fo great diftindion
niifwn has occafion to petition the king, he is to
take off" his cotton fhirt or frock, and lay it
on one of his flioulders, leaving the body na-
ked from the waift upwards, and approach-
ing near the king in that manner, he kneels
down, bows his head, kiflfes the ground,
after taking off his fhoes or fandals, and
with both hands throws earth or fand over
his head, fkce^ and fhoulders. Then riles
again, repeating the fame ceremony two or
three times, as he draws nearer and nearer
to the prince.
Others kneel down at a great diftance, and
advance all the way upon their knees, con-
tinually ftrewing earth or fand on their heads
and fljoulders to denote that they are but
duft and clay in refped of their king.
Bring thus come up to the king, they
difcourfe him concerning thelubjtd matter
of their petition on their knees •■, and when
that is over, rile up, without prefuming to
look on him, but refting with their hands up-
on their knees, and from time to time calling
fand or earth upon their heads and foreheads.
All this while, the king fcarce feems to take
any notice of them, but diverts himfelf fome
other way ; till at laft, he returns a very
lliort anfwcr to their petition, with much
gravity and in a majeflick tone: after which,
the petitioner withdraws, and joins the other
perfons of note, who ufually aflift at fuch
ceremonies.
The king's great is the king's authority over the
will the people of the higheft: rank, that he will fome-
laxp. times, for the lead offence, order the offen-
der's head to be immediately ftruck off,
and his goods and chattels confifcated ; nay,
fometimes he will alfo order his wives and
concubines to be put to death. With the
common people, and Marabouts or priells,
his fcverity feldom extends to life, but to
make them perpetual flaves.
Civility to When a Marahotit or prieff, or the A-
iheFvench.zoaghe of the Moors, or an European ap-
proaches king Da?nel, he falutes him with a
bow, prefenting his hand to lay it on his •,
but he fhows much morekindnefs and friend-
fhip to any French gentleman, whom he will
caufe to fic down by him, after the manner
of the country, on the fame mat or bed he
fits on himfelf, which is very often a quiky
cover'd with red fkins or leather, he having
a long tobacco-pipe in his mouth, and afks
him leveral queftions ; but mofi particu-
larly concerning the nature and value of the
prelcnt he has brought him : for, as I ob-
ferv'd before, no Frenchman or other fo-
reigner approaches him without it ; and thac
commonly confifts of three or four gallons
of brandy, with fome pieces of coral, fome
ells of linnen, Ibme fugar or garlick, i^c.
For which reafon, the i^Vc'^f^ never wait on
theking, but upon fome extraordinary oc-,
cafion becaufe it often happens, that befrdes
the prefent, that prince will beg of the envoy
his very clothes, hat and fword, or whatfoever Apt to
he fees about him and fancies, and will over takewhaf
and above eat up the befl; part of the provi- f^O'M^y-
fions, which mufl of neceffity be carried a-,
long with him from home, to fubfifl: him ■
on his journey, fo that Ibme of thefe meffen-.
gets have been in danger of ftarving by the
way, in their return ; his majefty feldom
making any other return for his prefent, but
a Riud or fore quarter of a camel, a little
Coufcous, fome palm-wine, or a kid j all
which is but very lorry food for a gentleman,
who is ufed to better. It is true, the king ne-
ver diredly afks any thing he fancies of an
European ; but only defires a thing to be
put into his hands, that he may view and
examine it, and then never offers to return,
it.
At an audience the French fador of Goeree
had of the king oi'Juala^ that prince took
off the hat of a friar, who was with the faid.
fador, who dcfired the king to return the
friar his hat, as being a very poor man. The ;
king took this very ill, and anfwer'd, he
did not want to be advifed by him ; but the coodre^-
next day lent the friar a young flave for his
hat.
When the king gives audience to foreign G«'.
generalilTimo, to affemble the chief men,
and all the Blacks of the country, from
among whom a draught is made, to form
a body of horfe and foot, feldom exceed-
ing 1 500 men, moft infantry, becaufe this
king has fcarce 300 horfe at command
throughout his dominions.
This fmall army, being thus formed, the
general Conde, and other chief officers, ac-
coutred in the beft manner, and particu-
larly adorned with as many of their Gri-
^ri as al moft load them, march according
to the king's orders. The accoutrements,
efpecially thofe of the horfe, are fo cum- , '
berfome, that if any of them happen to be
dilmounted in fight, they can fcarce walk
or mount again ; and yet will not go into
the field without them, becaufe of the won- ^
derful virtue they fancy is in the Grigri^ ,
as fhall be obferved. >
Their way of fighting is a diforderly
fort of fray or fkirmifh, which lafts not
long. The firft engagement being over, .
is renewed for two or three days fucceflive- =
ly, with great courage and refolution, meet-
ing their enemies with fierce afpefts, and a
hideous mien. Thefe encounters being over,
each army fends a Lynchenn, or Marabout, •, .
to the other to treat about a celfation, or .
peace •, which being once concluded, they ,
both fv/ear on the Alcoran, by their pro- .-,
Mahomet, as plenipotentiaries, punc- -
tually to obferve the articles agreed on.
The prifoners taken on both fides are never
exchanged, but remain flaves to the cap-
tors. ,
^■'.■■1 •'Their Religion. • '■
T T will be a hard tafk to give a good Pagans,
^ account of it, moft of the Blacks being
grofs fuperftitious pagans, living after the ,
wildeft manner, in woods and forefts, prey- ,
ing on travellers, and making deities, ac-
cording to their own extravagant fancies,
of the fimilitudes of many ridiculous and
abfurd productions of nature, or of their
own imagination. Others, tho' fewer in ^
number, profefs Maho7mtanifm, efpecially .
thofe about the fea-coafts ; but they know , -.^i
very little of that impoftor's Alcoran.
Moft of thefe Mahometans are about and Mahomcj
along the river Gamhoa ; and they are the "ns.
ftrifteft obfervers of that law, tho' remoter
from the Azoaghe Moors. Few of the Se-
nega, and Caho l^erde Blacks can give any
rational
Chap. 5"./ ^/ Nigritia, North-Guinea.
rational account of the Alcoran, except the
Marabouts, or priefts, and fome of the prime
men, who are taught by them. Thefe pay-
great reverence to it, and have here and
there fome Mofques, or places of devotion,
built with mud walls, and thatch'd with
ftraw or rufhes, like their cither common
houfes ; and yet they feldom have any reli-
gious aflemblies, or ufe books : nay, moft
of the Marabouts themifelves, tho' they have
the fole privilege of reading and writing,
exclufive of all other perfons whatfoever,
are but indifferently knowing in the law of
Mahomet ; and differ very much among
themfelves in many points, there being at
Jeaft 72 ^Q^so^ Mahometans m Africa. Some
of them follow the literal fenfe of the Al-
coran, without any comment others add
the expofition of feveral Marabouts. Vaf-
concelos fays, thefe Blacks have been infefted
with Mdhometanifm by their neighbours the
Azoaghes ; as it is natural for diftempers to
fpread more than health, arid vice rather
than virtue.
Their -wor- Thefe Mahometan Blacks generally be-
I^'i- lieve in one God, creator of all things, and
worfhip him in their way. They falute
^ , the new moon, at every change, with loud
cries, like the Hottentots ; and at that time
repair to the woods and forefts, to make
their Sala, or prayers, and offer facrifice,
which is commonly fome rice, mixed with
honey, and the blood of certain animals
they kill for that purpofe, eating part of
the flefh, and laying up the reft in the hol-
low trunks of great trees ; about which,
fome who mix Mahometanifm and Paganifin,
place feveral odd and extravagant figures,
of their own carving with knives.
New Feafting and rejoicing on the firft day of
moons. the new moon, was cuftomary among the
ancient Jews, as appears by what is faid of
Saul's feafting three days at the time of the
new moon, i Sam. 20. The Hebrews, fays
an author, reckoned their months by the
_ moon, at leaft in the latter times, yet not
aftronomically, but vifibly from the day
on which fome men, deputed for that func-
tion, declared her to be new ; which was
the day immediately following her firft ap-
pearance. Then they ufed to feaft and re-
joice for three days together, after offering
their facrifices of thankfgiving, and for their
future profperity.
Images return to the Blacks : Others among
foriU. therr|i fay, they ought not to reprefent the
deity by any manner of likenefs, or image,
as b^ing incomprehenfible and invifible •,
and therefore all portraitures are fo precife-
ly forbid by their law, that the gold and
filver coins in all Mahometan countries,
have no other ftamp but fome Arabick let-
ters, the prince's head never being put to
it, as not allow'd by the law. For this
reafon^ the princes themfelves, and more Barbot.
efpecially the kings of Morocco, Fez, Ta- t^VNi?
filet, Suz and Darah, who boaft themfelves
lineally defcended from Mahomet, in their
feals ufe no other figures but the names of
Mahomet, and of Jesus Christ, whom .;
they call Cidi Naijfa ; or of Mahomet and
God, written in Arabick characters : all other
coats of arms being alfo forbid by their
law. -
Thefe are the trueft Mahometans ; yet Mihomer,
they ridicule the myftery of the incarnation'^^"''
of our Saviour, in the womb of the virgin'''^'''"'"
Mary, and much more his mediation be-
tween God and man, alledging, that Ma-
homet is the only mediator.
Others again affert, that God, who is The devil
fo good, fo great, and fo powerful as lo^orjln^ied.
produce the lightning, the rain, the thun-
der, the winds, ^c. and who rules the hea-
vens and the earth, does not require ti,c
prayers and oblations of man, who is fo in-
finitely below him in purity and fanftity ;
but that the devil, being a wicked mif-
chievous fpirit, who, as they conceit, beats
and torments them, they ought therefore
frequently to make application to him,
that he may become more merciful towards
them. Hence we may infer, that moft of
the worftiip and the facrifices, above men-
tioned to be offered in the woods and fo-
refts, are direfted to the evil fpirit, and
not to the true God.
The intention of their prayers and i3.-JVh(it th(^
crifices is diredled, that they may have^^^J'/'"'-
handfome wives, plenty of corn and other
food •, that they may be victorious over
their enemies ; that the Gune, or the devil,
may not hurt them ; that they may have
good weather, good fiiliing, and many
other fuch petitions, according to their fe-
veral wants and defires.
Nothing is more certain, than that thofe devil
ignorant ftupid people do firmly believe,
that the devil beats and torments them, an
inftance whereof I mentioned before, at
Goeree. This makes their condition very
deplorable, as living under fuch miferable
thraldom and therefore they ftudy all ways
which they fancy, to be delivered from
him. As for example, if a woman has
been troubled by the devil, ftie is dreffed
in man's apparelj holding an AJfagaia in
one hand, and led about, finging in a dole-
ful tone i which they pretend drives him
away, fo that he will touch her no more.
The Patagons, a people of a gigantick fta-
ture, about the ftreights of Magellan, are
reported to dread a great horned devil, by
them called Setebos ; pretending, that when
any of their people die, they fee that tall
devil, attended by ten or twelve fmallerj
dancing merrily about the dead corpfe.
■ Others
6o A Defer ipt ton
Barbot. Others make ufe of forcerers ; for they
^■^'V^ have thofe they believe to be fuch among
Sorcerers, them, who at thofe times, when the devil
beats them, fing, roar, and make many
grimaces, and ftrange motions with their
bodies, to conjure and divert him from the
patient.
Tredeflinct- They believe predeftination, acknow-
tion. ledging every accident that befalls them to
be the divine decree and* when one man
happens to kill another, they fay, God has
kill'd him. However, they punifh the mur-
derer, felling him for a flave.
Superp- They are fo fuperftitious, and put fjch
confidence in the Grigri, or charms they
carry about them, as really to believe they
will prefer ve them from wild beafts, or
any other fatal accidents, or even from in-
chantment, as we fhall fee elfewhere.
^beir Marabouts or Priests, a^id
Grigri or Charms.
cheats of *T" H E Marobouts are generally of Ara-
Mara- * Hck or Moorijh extradion, and by
them call'd Bifchariins, or Lyncherins on
whole fleeves the Blacks fo much pin their
,^ faith, that they can impofe any abfurdities,
or nonfenfical opinions whatfoever on them,
and even, at pleafure, cheat them of all
they have. It is not eafy to conceive what
frauds thefe fellows put upon them with the
Grigri'' s they fell to the people, as having
the fole liberty to read and write. They
' may be fuppofed to have been brought up
to reading and writing Arabick, in the fa-
mous city of ojnbut, feated on the north-
fide of the river Senega, above 200 leagues
from its mouth ; where the emperor of
'Tombut maintains fchools, with ftore of
Arabick boote, brought thither fucceflively
from Barbary, by the Caravans a great
number of Arabian merchants reforting thi-
ther to trade, of which more in the Sup-
plement.
Marmol. lib. 34. fpeaking of the ancient
chara£lers of the Africans, tells us, the moft
renowned of the Arabian hiftorians are of
opinion, that thofe people had no other
letters but thofe of the Romans, when the
Mahometans conquer'd Barbar'j, where there
was, and ftill continues, the nobility of A-
frica. However, they believe, that people
fpoke another language befides the Latin,
which was the moft common. Hence it
is, that all the hiftories left them by the
Arians, are tranflated and abridged from
the Latin, with the names of the lords and
princes, anfwering to the reigns of the kings
of Perfia, AJfyna, Cbaldea, and Ifrael, or to
Ccefar's calendar. But it muft be owned
they have very few of them fdr when
the fchifmatick Califs ruled in Africa, they
caufed all books of fciences and hiftory to
be burnt, which the people,, or thofe of
of the Coafts"^ - ^ Boo:^
their own fed, could read. Some again
affirm, the Africans had other charafters
befides thofe of the Romans; but that the' '^-^
faid Romans, the Greeks, and the Goths^^'^'f
aboliflied them-, as the Arabs did after- '
wards with xhtPerfans : for the C^a///} caufed ;
their books to be burnt, believing they 3
would otherwife never be trnt Mahometans, 'l
as long as they kept any thing that could f,,^
put them in mind of their idolatry. They _ -i
alfo took from them the ftudy of fciences, . '
as well as from the Africans. Thus all the
antiquities which are found by way of in- ...
fcriptions in Africa, from before the coming
in of the Arabs, diVe Latin, or Gothick, and x
all the more modern, Arabick. Ibni Alraquiq J ^ ^
fays, the Romans defaced and erafed the /
infcriptions and ancient charaders they found .,
in Africa, when they conquered it, and fet j
up their own in their place, that they only . ^
might be immortalized, which is a frequent .V
pradice among conquerors; and that there- t '
fore it is, there remains no trad of ancient ■
African charaders : for which reafon, we..;
are not to be furprized that the native y^-
fricans fliould have loft their letters, having ^
been for fo many ages under the yoke of 1'
divers nations, who were of different reli-,,^
gions ; the laft of which have none but
Arabick letters, among which there are no . .'
vowels, but only points, .or dots, in liei?,..,
of them ; as in the Chaldee znd. Hebrew Ian- ,^
guages, which the Arabick much refembles, ■
all three being writ quite, the contrary way
to the Latin. The Arabick grammar is ' '
very difficult, as to reading and writing,, :
becaufe that tongue is writ with abundance
of accents ; and the orthography is much
more difficult than that ot xht Latin, be-
caufe the words are very equivocal, fo that
the fame word, writ with different accents,
fignifies feveral things : and one Geda, which
is the redoubling of two confonants, makes
a different fignification of the fame thing,
in the fame word.
The Grigri are generally a quarter, or Grigri,
half a ftieet or two of ordinary paper, quitt charm
full of many lines of coarfe Arabick cha-
raders, pretty large, drawn with pen and
ink. This ink is made of the affies of a
particular fort of wood, known by them,.
I have ftill fome of thefe by me, which I
keep as a curiofity, none of thpfe I have
fhown them to in Europe, who are fkilled
in the Oriental languages, being able to read
them ; becaufe fome of the letters are He-
brew, fome Arabick, and others Sjro- Ara-
bick intermix'd together in the fame word
or fyllable, as is fuppofed. Thefe writings,
it is likely, are fome paflages or fentences
out of the Alcoran, which they believe have
many occult virtues, to prefervethe perfons
they are worn by, from any misfortunes,
every Gn|;ri being for its peculiar ufe j fome
to
Chap. ^. ci/, a jacobite; Sergii/s,
a Neflorian heretick ; and fome Jews of his
acq"uaintance that his fed might have fome-
thing of every religion.
'The A L c o R A M,
ITH their affi'ftance he compiled the t/;?
yf/rf/d;;, fignifying in Arabick the book-,«/^^-
being a volume full of incoherence? and
abfurdities, divided into four parts, and each
of them into feveral chapters, with comical
titles to them, as, Of the cow, of the ants, of
the fpiders, of the table, of the fleas and ma-
ny, more no lefs ridiculous. The book is
compos'd in Arabick, pure as to the ftile,;
but fo void of method, that it is a meer
jumble of incongruity-, the impoftor fome-
times fpeaking in his own perfo'n, fometimes
as by the mouth of God, and fometimes for,
the faithful. AH his notions are borro'w'd.
from the herefies of Arius, SabeUius, and
fuch others. He fometimes makes ufe of the"
hiftories of the bible, falfifying as is for his-
turn, corrupting that of the patriarchs, and
adding fables, about the birth of Chrift, and'
his fore-runner St. John Bapiifl. .Notwith- Veneration
ftanding all this, the book is in fuch vtu^-faidtoit.
ration among thofe infidels, that if a Cht^i-
ftian or a Jew ftiould but touch it, he would'
be immediately put to death, unlefs he chan- •
ged his religion and if a Muffulman or true
believer, as they call themfelves, handles;
it without waftiing his hands, he' is' reputed,
criminal. So fully has their falfe prophet' ' -
perfuaded them, that not all. th'^ men in the
world, nor even all the angels in heaven,
can
A Defcription of the Coajls
Book I.
Barbot. can €ver compofe fuch another. For this
^^-''V^ reafon they hate all that do not believe it,
and pretend, that God ferit it to Mahomet
by the angel Gabriel, written on a parch-
ment made of the Ikin of the ram, which J-
hraha^n facrificed in lieu of his fon.
As for the doftrine, it fays, that after
the punifhment of the firftpofterity of Adatn,
who is placed as antienteft in the catalogue
of prophets, Noah repair'd what the former
had loft. That Abraham fucceeded this fe-
cond, and Jofeph the third, he being pro-
duced by a miracle, as Mofes was preferv'd
Qpinion of by another. That Sc. John Baptlft was fent
Christ, to preach the gofpel, which was eftablifh'd
by Jesus Christ, conceiv'd without cor-
ruption, in the womb of a virgin, free
from the temptations of the devil, created
by the breath of God, and animated by his
Holy Spirit ; and that Mahomet had con-
firm'd it, Notwithftanding his giving thefe
encomiums to the Saviour of the worldj
whom this book calls The word, the virtue-,
the fofiU the ftrength of God \ yet he de-
nies his eternal generation, and mixes ex-
travagant fables with the facred truths of
chriftianity.
Mahometan Tenets.
Cm- T^HEY hold that there is but one God
cern'ing without trinity of perfons ; that Je-
Christ. sus -CriRiST was a great prophet, calling
him CidyNaiJfa^ and their own prophet Ci-
d'j-Mahameth. They allow Christ to
have been the moft holy of all men, that he
'■ '•' wrought infinite miracles, yet do not allow
that he died as we believe, but that he was
taken up into heaven, where he continues
both in foul and body, and will return to
live forty years on the earth, in order to re-
unite all nations under one only law ; after
which, he fhall be laid in the tomb, which
Mahomet caus'd to be made on the right
hand of his own. They believe that thofe
who follow'd thedoftrine of Jesus Christ
till the coming of Mahomet, will be faved
but that the religion we now profefs, not
being the fame which he taught, and the
perfecution of the Jews having hindred his
bringing it to perfeftion, fuch as will not
follow the law of their prophet, who v/as
fent by God for no other pur pofe than to
give it the laft perfection, and whom there-
fore they call his great favourite, and the
; ' <• interpreter of his will, fhall fufFer eternal
pains.
chiUrm They hold, that all children dying be-
tmder fif- fore the age of fifteen years, whether they
rg^/i/^W.^g j^j^riftians, jews, or idolaters, go to hea-
ven ; but if they pafs that age, without ac-
knowledging Mahomet for God's favourite,
And vlr- they are loft to eternity ; except females dy-
ing virgins, which they pretend are referv'd
for accompliiliing the number of feventy,
which every Mujfulman or believer is to en-
joy in heaven. They allow the books of
Mofes, the pfalms of David, the holy go-
fpels, as interpreted by Sergius the Nefiorian^
and the Alcoran to be true canonical fcriptures.
They admit of praying for the dead, after
the doftrine of Origen, believing that the tor,-
ments of the damn'd will ceafe at laft, and
that the devils fhall be converted by the Al-
coran.
Mahomet makes the foul to be a portion
of God, as the Gnofticks did and tho' he
allows free-will in man, yet afferts a de-
ftiny, like the pagans. Tht Alcoran f^xys^Sevenhe*',
there are feven heavens, and the book of
Azar adds, that Mahomet h-w them all, be-
ing mounted on an animal, cali'd Alborak^
which was bigger than an afs,, and fmaller
than a mule. The firft of thofe heavens was
of pure filver ; the fecond of gold i the third
of precious ftones, in which was an angel of
fuch a prodigious magnitude, that one of
his hands was feventy thoufand days journey
diftant from the other, in one of which h€
held a book, which he was continually read-
ing. The fourth heaven was of emeralds j.
the fifth of cryftal v the fixth of the colour
of fire and the feveruh, a delicious garden,
through which there ran fprings and rivers
of milk, honey, and wine, with abundance '
of ever-green trees, loaded with apples, the •
kernels whereof are converted into virgins,
fo beautiful and fweet, that if one of them
fhould butfpit into the vaft ocean, the wa-
ters of it would immediately lofe their fak-
nels.
This unaccountable book adds, that this Mfl»/fro»j
heaven is guarded by angels, fome of which ^s^e//,
have heads like oxen, bearing horns, with
forty thoufand knots in them, and that
there is forty days journey diftance from
one knot to another. Others of thofe angels
have feventy thoufand mouths, in each of
which are feventy thoufand tongues, and
each of them praifes God feventy thoufand
times a day in feventy thoufand different lan=
guages.
Before the throne of God ftand fourteen
lighted torches, being fifty years journey in ,
length but it does not fay, whether thefe
journeys are on foot or on horfeback. All Felicity of
the apartments in thefe fabulous heavens v/i\[heaven.
be adornM with all that can be imagin'd
moft pompous, rich, and magnificent-, and
the blelfed fhall be fed with the rareft and
moft exquifite eatables. Befides, they fhall
marry maidens, which fhall retain their vir-
ginity •, making felicity to confift in fenfual
brutality.
The ingenious Monf. Pafcal, ipeaking ofp^^^^^i^^
lYit Maho/netan religion, fays, it has the Al-nrnQm,
coran/cr its foundation, andyVihovcxtt wai
the compiler of it ; but that his paradife is An-
gularly ridiculous. And indeed what can be.
imagin'd
Chap.
i?
dodor Melickt whom Marmol names-^*"*"
Ibntlmelec, being that of Abubeker, father-
in-law to Mahoinet, the moft fuperftitious,
and followed by the Moors and Arabs, or
the Saracens, Agarenians and Africans, '^^^j'/???
fecojid is called hneniana, or Pontifical, ^
agreeable to the interpretation oH Ali or
Hall, fon-in-law to Mahomet, as having
married his daughter Fatima, being the
moft rational, and followed by the Per-
fians ; as alfo by the Berebere Arabs, who
wander in hoards about the defarts of LyUa i
by the Indians, fome people in Arabia, the
, S Gelbin!
66 V A Defcrip
Farbot. Gelhins Africa, and fome Barbarians dwel-
ling on the neighbouring mountains. Alar-
mol names this fed Hanefia, or Jfafia, that
is, the law of religion, and devotion ad-
ding, that it is followed by a great number
of Saracens^ and by the people of Dama/cus
The third, and Syria. Tht'Tiirks follow the third, v/hich
is the freed, being that of Omar, which
Mar mol fays is called Buanefia, or Cbefaya,
from the names of the authors, who com-
piled or digefbed it, like the other two
above. It is alfo called Lejharia, from one
Lejhari, who became the head of the Ara-
bian divines, and gathered the three others
Ti'^/wf/zE'. into one volume. The Tlar/^jrj follow the
fourth, which is the moft fimple, and fuit-
able to the fentiments of Odeman, or Olho-
ntan'. Mahomet is equally refpedled' by all
thefe forts of deluded wretches, who all
believe he is the greateft of prophets. The
religion of all thefe feveral nations is de~
feribed in their hifcory and geography, to
which I refer the curious ; as alfo to what
Marmol has writ concerning thofe particular
fedls, which had all a being, when he liv*d,
in Afia and Africa.
Many holy and learned chriftian dodors
have folidly refuted the impoftures of this ex-
travagant colleftibn as St. John Damafcene^
Peter of Cliini, the cardinal of Cufai John
of Sezovia, &c.
Their R a m a d a n (?r Lent, and
Festivals.
WJicsilous TT H E Mahometans keep a lent of thirty
fa^. days, by them called Ramadan, faft-
ing from break of day, till the firft ap-
pearance of the ftars in the evening, and
then fpend moft of the night in gluttony
aad debauchery. Some days before the
Ramadan begins, they prepare for it with
abundance of mirth, repeated volleys of
fmall arms, and frequent cries of Allah,
that is, God. They are all on the watch
to difcover the new moon, and fire at her
as fhe rifes. Then they afi^emble, to make
their Sala, or prayer, with their Marabout,
ovTalbe-j kneeling, rifing, and proftrating
themfelves, with their faces on the ground,
fucceflively, always looking towards the
lefivds. eaft. They have three great feftivals, like
our Eafler and fVhitfuntide, which they ob-
ferve for the fpace of feven days, but de
not abftain from buying and felling, any
more than on Fridays, which are their Sab-
hath. The firft of thefe feftivals is kept on
the firft day of the moon after their Ra-
madan 5 on which day the Cherif, or em-
peror of Morocco, ufually has all prifoners
brought before him, and either acquits, or
puts them to death, according to the na-
ture of their oiTences, or the humour he
is then in, for he is a cruel and bloody prince.
Mr, St. Olon reports of him, that on the
tion of the Coafls Boc^k I
third day of this feftival, he in his prefence
put twenty men to death. The fecond fe-
ftival, called the great, is feventy days af-
ter the Hamadan, and celebrated by facri-
ficing to Mahomet as many fheep as they
have male children in their families, in me-
mory of the facrifice of Abraha?n, the fa-
ther of Ifmael^ the progenitor of xh^Arab
Agarenians, and from him they believe Ma-
hornet's mother was lineally defcended. The
third feftival is always three moons and two
days after the fecond, and kept in honour ( ■ . 1
of Mahotnet^s birth ; during the firft days
whereof, they feed on pap, in memory of
that which he eat. They celebrate the feaft
of Sc. JohnBaptifl with bonfires in their gar- jv^^ ^^st
dens, burning much frankincenfe about the John Bap-
fruit-trees, to draw a bleffing on them=."'^"
They allow of circumcifion, but do not
fix the age, nor the time for it. Befides
the feaft of St. John, they call upon about
a dozen more of their faints arid particui-
larly Cidi-Bellabec, who they fay is St. Au-
giiflin, the word Cidi importing holy or
lord. They all make the Sala, ox ^x^c^j
four times a day, and once in the night, at
certain fet hours, which are notify'd to thena
by the cries and noife made by proper of-
ficers, like our fextons, on the tops of theit
Gemmes ox Mofques. They obferve- abun- •
dance of ablutions, or wafhings, and other
ceremonies in their religious worfiiip which
I forbear to dilate upon, referring to the
proper authors.
To return to Mahomet : He having thrfs Maho-'
made up his religion, partly of Judaifm,racCirTje.
and partly of the ravings of condemned
hereticks, adapting it to the fenfuality of
corrupt nature, firft caufed a parcel of
wicked men, and vagabond robbers, who
knew nothing of God, or righteoufnefs to
embrace it by the powerful argument of
his wealth, and fome fly infinuations. With ^
thefe men he had recourfe to arms, and by ' '
degrees fubdued feveral nations, more par-
ticularly thofe of Arabia. He had under
him ten chief lieutenants, which were Abu-
beker Cedie, his father-in-law, Omar Ben el
Hatab, Odman Ben-afen, Ali Ibni Abitaleb,
Moavia, Ali Zubeir, Abiazed, Abiazid, Ali
Obeid, and Abuial Hael Anzari, alias Zeid
Ahen Cehel. All thefe were his prime doc-
tors, or divines, as well as commanders.
The three firft of them fucceflively became
califs after Mahomet, or fovereigns of all
the dominions he had ruled over, contrary
to what he had appointed, viz. that Ali his
fon-in-law lliould fucceed him. But the
other three corhbining together, after the
death of Mahoihet, by their intereft, and-
the votes of the other prime commandersj
chofe Abitbeker the firft calif-, after whom
the others fucceeded in the fupreme au-
thority,
Mahomet
Chap. 6. of Nigritia, or North-Qiiinea.
Bis filght
from
Mecca.
Kisfrnudt. Mahomet being, as has been faid, got
into power, put to the fword all that re-
fufed to fubmit to his government, and to
embrace his religion. Thus, by hypocriti-
cal means, this impoftor was, in a fhorc
tin^?, followed by a vaft multitude % and
the better to blind and deceive them, being
himfelf much troubled with the falling fick-
nefs, he had a, tame pigeon which would
then come and peck in his ear , and that he
perfuaded his followers was the angel Ga-
Iriel, fent by God, to tell him what he
was ro do. It is alfo reported, that hav-
ing once caufed one of his companions to
hide himfelf in a dry well, he ordered him
to, cry aloud as he paffed by, that Maho-
met was the true prophet. This man did
ib', and thofe dull people admired at that
vsfonder ; but the impoitor, fearing his kna-
very would be difcovered, immediately
ordered his company to fill up that well,
left it Ihould afterwards be pi'ofaned, as he
pretended. The well was accordingly fil-
led up with ftones, and the wretch within it
perifhed in a miferable manner.
Moft of the Arabs^ being a people fond
of novelty, followed Mahomet; but his
countrymen, who knew fomething better^
expelled him with fcorn, when they per-
.! ceived his defign v/as to fet up for a prophet
and 1 wgiver. Thus was he forced to fly
from Mecca^ on the i6rh o^July 62 2j and
retired to Medina at Nabi, that is, the city
of the prophet, diftant four days journey
from Mecca. From that day the Maho-
metans reckon their Hegira, that is, their
computation of time, as chriftians do from
the birth of our Saviour. He had feveral
■wives, yet left only pne daughter, called
Faihna ; tho' others fay he had three^ He
Ms death, is faid to have died on the 17th of Jimei
in the year of our Lord 63 1, having reigned
eight years and fome months, and lived fixty
feven lunar ox Arabick years. Since that
time his followers have made themfelves
mafters, of Palejiine, Syria, Perfia^ ^gyph
Greece^ &c. and a very great part of the
world has fubmitted to his law.
The city Medina, tho' of little extent,
is neverthelefs very famous among the Ma-
hometans, as well as Mecca,zx\d. both of them
yearly reforted to in great caravans from
vejy remote parts of the world, and even
from the Weftern fhores of Africa-, as Fez^
Morocco, '^remezen, Sus, &c. tho' at a pro-
digious diftance •, the people reforting to
pay their vows and religious worfhip to that
falfe prophet's body, which is depofited in
Medina, in the principal Mofque, by them
called Mos al Kibu, that iSj the moft holy„
It is fupported by 400 pillars, with upwards
of 3000 filver lamps. There is a little
tower, all covered with plates of filver, and
hung with cloth of gold, in which is Ma--
T'dgri-
mages.
mho-
met'i
hornet's coffin, under a canopy of cloth ofBARsor.
filver, embroidered with gold, yearly fent ^^^"V^
thither by the bafia of Egypt, at the grand
feignior's charge. It is not true, that his
coftin is made of iron, and hangs in the
air, being attrafted by load-ftones, as fome
have given out , for though it be death for
any cliriftian to come within fifteen leagues •
of the place, the truth has been made
known by 1'urkijh pilgrims, who afterwards
became chriftians, who have declared, that
the coffin is fupported by very fmall co-
lumns of black marble, encompaffed with
filver banifters, hung with a great number
of lamps ; the fmoke whereof does fo darken
the place, that it is not eafy to difcern how
the coffin is upheld. The 'Turks are obliged,
by their religion, to undertake a pilgri-
mage once in their life, to worfhip that tomb ;
but at prefent only the meaner fort perform
it, the richer being eafily difpenfed with by
the Mufti, who is the high-prieft of the
Mahometans.
At Mecca, _ they pay their devotions at a Mecca,
place called Kiaabe, being a fquare houfe,
by them called the houfe of God, and fup-
pofed to have been built by Abraham. The
moft renowned of all Mahometan Mofques,
and the moft reforted to in the univerfe,
ftands in the middle of this city, and may
be feen at a great diftance from the town,
by reafon of its high roof in the nature of
a cupola, with two lofty towers, of a cu-
rious ftru'flure. There are above an hun-
dred doors into it, with every one a win-
dow over it. The floor is deep in the
ground, and they defcend into it by ten
or twelve fteps. They reckon the ground
it ftands on facred, for two reafons the
firft, becaufe, fay they, Abraham built his
firft houfe on that fpot ; the fecond, be-
caufe Mahomet was born there. The whole
Mofque glitters with the richeft tapiflry, and
other works in gold •■, but more particu-
larly one part, which has no roof, and, ac-
cording to their tradition, is the extent of
Jbraham^s> houfe the door leading into it
being of filver, juft broad enough for a man
to pafs through. On one fide of it is a
T" urbe, fo they call a chappel, enclofing a
very deep well, of brackifh v/ater, which
they reckon fo holy^ that it cleanfcs from all
fin fuch as are wafhed with it. On the day
which anfwers to our 23d of March, a fo-
lemn feftival is there kept, after their man-
ner, by drawing water from, this well, and
fprinkling zheMuffuhnans, or believers, with
it. This is done when the caravans of pil-
grims arrive at Mecca. The arches of the
Mofque, and the fhops ftanding about if,
are full of a prodigious quantity of rich
merchandize, precious ftones, and aroma-
tick powders, which fpread a moft admira-
bk odour.
Of
A Defcription of the Coajls
Book I.
Barbot.
Of the A-RS.
npHEY all pretend to be defcended
Hew they from Ifmaei and Efau, as mentioned
cameiatt in the introduiftory difcourfe. There are
Africa, ygfy many of them in Africa^ who firft
enter'd it in the year of our Lord 653, un-
der Odiiian, or Othmatu their calif, who
fent thither an army of above 80000 com-
batants, commanded by Oecuba Ben Nafic.
Thefe Arabs built there the city of Caira-
ven or Carvan, 30 leagues eaft from Tuttis.
In the year of Christ 999, which is of
the Hegira, or Mahometan aera 400, three
races or tribes of Arabs were fent into A-
fricay by pcrmifTion of Caira^ calif of Car-
van. At this time the African Arabs are
difperfed in fcveral parts, and have many
communities. The principal tribe or hoard
of them is called Efquequia, divided into
fix others, who live in their Aduars, or
villages, which are eafily removed from
place to place, as confifting only of tentSj
with only two avenues to them 1 the one
for the herds of cattle to come in, and
the other for them to go out j both fhut
up at night with thorns to keep out the
lions. Tht Arabs of Numidia are zsvn'ikr-
Numjfa able as the native Africans of that country.
° They have better natural parts, and more
courage, keep abundance of horfes for file,
and love hunting, aflrology and poetry. The
other Arabs of Africa are not fo poor, ex-
cept thofe who live m the defarts of Barca^
betwixt Barhary and Egypt, They are faid
to be treacherous and thievifli, efpecially
thofe laft mentioned, who are often obliged
to pawn their children to merchants of Suily^
and other places, for corn to fubfift them.
So great is their propenfion to robbery and
theft, that their very name feems to imply
it ; for where the prophet Jeremy fays, like
a thief in the wildernefs j St. Jerom turns it,
like an Arab in ths wildernefs.
Cwquejh Thefe Arabs are generally a flothful un-
tfthe adtive people, retaining nothing of the for-
Arabs. j^^j. bravery of their anceftors,who extended
their conquefts fo far, not only m^ia and
Africa^ but even in Europe^ and particular-
ly in Spain which kingdom they,, for the
moft part, fubdued, being called in by the
bafe count Julian^, becaufe king Roderick
had debauched his daughter. Thofe infidels
drove the Goths into the mountains of Leon,,
Afturias and Galicia^ after they had been
poffeffed of that nation during the reigns
of thirty -four kings, from Ataulfus^ the
founder of their monarchy in the year 41 2 ^
to Roderick m J I Tht Arabian authors
call this entrance into Spain^ the vidory of
Andaluzia. At their firft landing there,
they "were 200000 foot and 40000 horfe,,
againft whom king^o^mV^ oppofed 1 20000
foof and 1 0000 horfe,who encamped between
X^ns and Midim Sidoma 1 and or Sunday
the fecond of September 714, a year fatal to ' " ■ " "
Spain^ the battle began, which lafted eight
days fuccefllvely, with various fuccefs on^'^^^*"^'
both fides till at lad, on the Sunday fol-
lowing, in the evening, the Goths gave
way. King Roderick, moft authors fay, was
killed, yet others affirm he fied, difguifed
in a fliepherd's habit, and with one Roma-
nus a holy monk, after recovering from a
fsvoon, occafioned by trouble and weari-
nefs, made his way into Portugal ; where
they both took their dwelling on the fea-
coaft, near the town of Pederneira^ about
nine miles from each other, and there end- -
ed their days. Twenty thoufind Moors
were (lain in this battle. A Spaynjh hifto»
rian upon this occafion obferves, that the
number eight was fatal to Spain^ for the bat-
tle lafted eight days, the Moors fpent eight
months in fubduing Spain % during which
time, 80000 men loft their lives, and the
Spaniards were 800 years in recovering of
the country. When the Moors had over-
run the greateft part of Spaiii^ Don Ptlago,
or Pelagius, erected a little kingdom among
tht momu'ins of Galicia^ AJtiaias and Leon
in the year 717.
In or about the year 732, for ^mhors jyefeated
vary, Charles Martel^ general of the French, h the
gave thefe infidels a mighty over throw near
Tours, where they were ravaging and de-
ftroying all the country. Some affirm, there
were no lefs than 300000 (lain in this battle^
others more modeftly write 80 or loooco,
and with them their king Abderramen. After
this defeat, the Saracens were in a few years
quite expelled France^ where they had
ranged over the provinces of Languedoc and
Guienne^ hy JVilliafn, {\xmd.mtd, au Comet, . .
prince of Burgundy, who had the principa--
lity of Orange beftowed on him by Charle- '
main, as the reward of his vidories, he ha-
ving alfo taken the city of Orange from
Theobard, a Saracen king. Charlemain alfo
conftituted him conftable of France, duke
of Aquitain and Provence^ earl of Touloufe:^
and governor of Languedoc, From this
William, the princes of Orange deduce their
genealogy I and he wore a horn on his • -
buckler, and was thence furnamed au Ctrneto :'•
Charlemain himfelf gave the Arabs a great
defeat in Spain, in the year 778. The Gctbs
after fome time venturing out of their moun-
tains, by degrees drove thofe infidels out of
Spain i yet that war lafted near 800 years,
till Ferdinand V. furnamed the Catholick^
king of Aragon, marrying Ifahel, or Eliza-
beth of Caftile, united thofe two crovv^ns, and
conquered the kingdom of Granada from
the Moors, after a war of eight years, and
quite expelFd them Spain, in the year of
Christ 1492. Mahomet Boabdi i,{\}rnzm*d
el Chico, or the little, fon loMuU^Affen, was
then kin^ of Granada,
This
'Chap. 6, of Nigritia, or North-Guinea,
Granada This city of Granada, by fome is faid
to have been founded by Bedis, fon to
Ahen Hahiis, who lived in the tenth cen-
tury ; but this muft be meant of re-edify-
ing or enlarging, that place having been
noted feveral ages before. The annals of
Arabs tell us, the Moorijh kings kept
their refidence there, from that time, till
the days of Ahen Hul-, who drove the Al-
mohades out of Spain. This Aben Hul fet-
tled his court at Almeria, and was there
killed, and Mahomet Alamar, his fucceflbr,
reftor'd it to Granada. The city increafed
wonderfully and authors affirm it con-
tain'd 60000 houfes. King Bulbar erected
there fuch fumptuous and magnificent ftruc-
■ tures, and of fuch prodigious expence, that
his fubjefls pofitively believed he had the
art of making gold. There were ten luc-
cefTors from him to Muley AJfen^ the father
of Boabdili^ the laft king. Granada is ftill
one of the greateil: cities in Spain, and the
pleafanteft in fummer, by reafon of the
purity of the air, and the vaft number of
fountains in it. The Moors were wont to
fay, that paradife was in the part of hea-
ven, which is over this city,
I might here entertain the reader with
an ample account of the manners, govern-
ment, fciences, language and religion of
the Arahs in Africa ; but that it would be
too long a digreffion from the fubjedl in
hand, and therefore fhall briefly touch fome-
thing of thofe particulars.
Xrabick There is no queftion, but that the language
htun. of the Arahs is one of the beautifuUeft and
moft ancient. Their letters are linked to-
gether they ufe two forts of pun6tation,
and fometimes three or four letters are
exadly alike, and only diftinguilhable by
thefe points fet over, or under them. Their
alphabet confifts of twenty-nine letters, tho*
the Hebrew has but twenty-two.
tmning. Of thefe people, fome are merchants and
trafiick, others profefs literature, and par-
ticularly philofophy, phyfick, aftrology and
mathematicks. They have alfo gramma-
rians, rhetoricians, hiftorians, and interpre-
ters of the Alcoran. This is what renders
the Arahick language fo highly efteemed,
efpecially in Afia, where thefe fciences are
more frequently to be met with among
the Arabs, inhabiting that large quarter of
the world, than among thofe in Africa.
They have had eminent men in all thefe
fciences. Almanzor, of the family of Ben
Abas, who began his reign in the year of
tht Hegira 137, and of Christ 775, to
the ftudy of the Alcoran^ joined chat of
philofophy and aftronomy. The Calif Ab-
dala, who began his reign in the year 815,
fent embafladors to the emperor of Con-
flantinople, to afk of him books of all fciences,
which he caufed to be tranflated into his own
Vot. V.
language, to excite his fubje6ls to the IovcBarbot;
of learning. His endeavours were not vain | ^"^Y^
for during his reign there were feveral phi-
lofophers and phyficians. There are feve-
ral Arabian hiil:orians, who own, that Ma-
homet in his law prohibited the ftudy of let-
ters ; but that the cdXii Almam 'n, or Maimon^
encouraged and promoted it, on account of
an apparition he had of a fpedre, in the
night-time, in the form and lhape of Art-
flotle, which advifed him to the ftudy of
philofophy. He afterwards caufed Ptolemfs,
Almagefl, as Scaliger informs us, to be tranf-
lated into his own language, for his fubjedts
to ftudy aftronomy. This good inclina-
tion to literature continued long after in
Africa 3 info much, that there were among
thofe people very excellent philofophers,
as Algazel, Alfarabius, Albimazar^ Maimo- ThUofe-
nides, Alkend, Albufabar, Abencina, Avicenf^'"-
or Avicenna, Alfragan, Averroez, &c. They
had univerfities at Conjlantina, Tunis, Tri- Unherft^^
poU, Fez and Morocco ; and when poflefied*i«^»
Spain, as has been mentioned above,
they founded a college at Cordova • and in
Marmot's time, had publick fchools, with
multitudes of ftudents, in the city ofTom"
but, on the Senega river, as will be farther
obferved in the Supplement. This is not
a proper place to fpeak of the difcoveries
they have made in feveral fciences, and how
they introduced the ufe of thofe we call
cyphers throughout all Europe. It will
fuffice to obferve, that their years are lunar,
and the computation of time, which they
call Hegira, being inftead of our year of
Christ, commences from Friday the i6th
of July, in the year of our Lord 622, when
Mahofnet fled from Mecca-, from which
time not only the Arabs, but all other Ma-
hometans, reckon their years, as has been
already obferved elfewhere.
The Arabs were formerly idolaters^v/or- jintient
fhipping the fun, moon, and ftars, and even Arabs jVo-
trees and ferpents. They alfo paid a par-^"""'
ticular veneration to the court of Alcara or
Aquebila, which they faid was built by If-
mael, for whom they have a Angular re-
fpecft, as alfo for his mother Agar \ and
therefore are pleafed to be called Agarenians^
or Ifina'slites. It is believed, that the three
wife men^ who came out of the eaft 10 adore
the fon of God at his birth, were the firft
apoftles of Arabia ; where Sr. Jude after-
wards preached the gofpel : which was fo
well eftabliftied in the third century, that
a council was held againft the bifhop of
Beryllus, and another againft the hcreticks
called Arbicks \ wherein tlie Arabs appear'd
very zealous for the faith, and their bifliop^
aflifted very punctually at thofe councils,
as is evident by iheir names, ftill extant in
their fubfcriptions. Mahjtnet, who v/as alfo
an Arab, perverted thofe Ample credulous
T people,
eicnption o
J I. w
BookL
Barbot. people, and fo entirely charm'd them with
t^VNi^ the pleafure of his chimerical notions, as
well as by dint of arms and forccj that they
followed him with a moft deplorable fled-
faftnefs. After the death of that famous
impoftor, they took upon them to propa-
gate his fed. Amidft the variety of expo-
fitions of the Alcoran every man took up-
on him to make, they cook up with that
of Melicb i tho* there be fome among them
who follow thofe of Od?nan and Lejhari^ as
has been before obferved. The Arabs of
^abs^ ^F^'-^ ^'^^^ formed fixty fedls, all differing
in opinions and cuftoms. However, they
ali agree in what relates to Mahomet^ whom
they look upon as the greateft of pro-
phets.
They have had feveral princes, called
Califs^ who erefted to themfeives a vafl
empire in dfia and Africa^ after Mahomet''^
deceafe, under the common name of Sara-
cens. I have already hinted how they
paSed into Africa^ and poflefled themfelves
of all chat had been fubdued by the Vandals j
but about the year 1 1 70, one Abdelchir^
who had s"enderM himfelf famous by an hy»
pocricica! outward fhow of piety, revolted
againfl Cain Adam^ Calif of Carvan % and
chough he was himfelf killedj before he
could make any great progrcfs, yet he left
two fons, one of which became king of
Bugia^ and the other of Tunis, Thefe two
brothers, the better to maintain themfelves
in their kingdoms, became tributaries to
ehe Alrnoravides \ but they being expelled
by the Abnobades^ Jofeph Ahnanzor pof-
feflfed himfelf of the kingdom of Tunis^
turning out the fucceffors of Ahdelchir, The
power of the Almobades being afterwards
entirely broken^ by the famous battle of
Navas de T'olofa^ in Spain anno 12 12, the
Arabs again recovered the kingdom of T unis.
I have already mentioned their conquefts in
Spain^ and how they were again expelled.
The Arabs at prefent are fubjed, for the
moft part,, to the 2" urks and PerfianSy or
elfe to particular princes of their own \
fome of which iaft are alfo tributary to
the two former.
Befides the Arabs here mentioned, now
ths sap. inhabiting the northern and weftern parts
©f Africa^ and the defarts of Lybia, as far
as the frontiers of the Blacks^ there are fe-
veral tribes, or hoards, of the fame nation,
who have been for feveral ages fettled rn
all parts of Egypt^ and along the coaft of
Africa, next the Red-Sea, called Aben and
Aian \ and on towards the eaft and fouth-
eaft, in the countries of Zanguebar, Moxam-
Mque^ Sofala^ &c. of whom Marmol gives
a particular account. The fame author,
lib. I. cap. 24. fpeaking of the ancient yfr^^jr
^ of Africa, fays, they are defcended from
Ifmael and EfaUi the progenitors of all the
Arabs, either in Afia or Africa. The firft
were called AgarenianSy from Agar or Hagar^
mother to Ifmael, and AbrabairC% concubine 5,
the latter carefully diftinguifhed themfelves
from the others, by the name of Saracens.,
from Sarah, Abraham^s lawful wife, and
grand-mother to Efau, as being the line of
the free-woman whereas they reckon the
Ifmaelites the defcent of the bond-woman,
to ufe St. Paul's expreffion, GaL iv. Mar-
mol farther adds, that thefe Arabs, accord-
ing to the mofb renowned African hiftorians,
were the very firft inhabitants of Barbary
and Numidia, Afterwards Melee Ifriqui,
a king of Arabia Felix, came into Ajrica
with five tribes of thefe Arabs, then fur-
named Sabeans, viz. the Zinhagians, the Mu-
camudins, the Zenetes, the Comers, and the
Hoares ^ from all whom are defcended fix
hundred races of Bereberes, or Barbarians %
and the greateft families in Africa deduce
their pedigrees from them. The Go?ners^
it is likely were defcended from Gomer, the
fon of Japbeth, the fon of Noah and from
them fome mountains in the empire of
Morocco, had the name of Gomere and
perhaps Camera, one of the Canary iflands,
oppofite to it, might have the fame original.
The Sabean Arabs, at firft, fettled in theSabeam;
eaftern parts of Barbary ; whence they af-
terwards fpread, and fubdued the beft of
Africa. The name of Bereberes was given
them, from their firft fettlement in Bar-
bary ; whereas thofe that were before in Nu-
midia, Tingitana, and Lybia, are called Cbi-
lobes, or Xilobes. When thefe people fell
at variance among themfelves, the con-
querors becoming matters of the field and
cattle, obliged the vanquifhed to fly for
fafety to the mountains, or into populous
cities •, where, intermixing with the other
Africans, they came at laft, like them, to
live in houfes, and to be under the fame
fubje(5lion. Therefore thofe who live in
tents, like their countrymen in Arabia, are
reckoned the nobler, being alfo more power-
ful, and richer in cattle ; yet both keep to
their own race, and poflefs the ftrongeft
places in Barbary, Numidia, and Lybia.
We read that Abrabam travell'd about, with
his family and cattle, and liv'd in tents, as
thefe Arabs do, Gen. xiii. and fo did his
nephew Lot. Each wandering company of
Arabs chufes a captain, whofe tent, hutt,
or barack, as they call it, ftands in the
middle of the Adouar, or village, where
he takes care of all things which concern
their welfare. The men lie on the bare
ground, among their cattle. Their ban-cks
are like pavil lions, fupported by two great
poles, the door made of branches of aees.
Thus we fee the word Barack, made ufe of Baracfc;
by all Europeans to fignify a hutt, is de-
rived from the Arabs,
Monfieur
Chap. 6^.
of Nigritia, or North-Guinea^
71
In Fez,
Monfieur de Si. Olon, in his embafly to
Arabs w emperor of Morocco, in tiie year 1693,
Morocco. Q^^fej-^es^ th^t in the plains of the kingdom
of Morocco^ there were then adually rec-
koned to be thirty thoufand cottages of
Arabs, containing one hundred thoufand
men, paying the Garamma, which is a yearly
tribute to the emperor, or the tenth of all
they pofTefs ; and are liable to it from fifteen
years of age. They live in the eaftern part
of the kingdom, and are diftinguilhed into
three different races, or tribes ; which are,
the Hujfdns and Caragi Arabs to the north-
ward, and the Menebbe Arabs to the louth-
ward ; befides a tribe, or hoard of the Ait-
gari Bereberes to the fouth-weft of them.
In the kingdom of Fez, the Arabs amount
to three hundred thoufand men, that pay
i» Suz, the Garamma. In that of Siiz, which bor-
ders on tlie fouth and weft parts Morocco,
there were then fifteen thoufand Adouars,
making up fifty thoufand brave men, whom
the prefcnt emperor has not yet been able
entirely to fubdue. The fame author adds,
that all the Arabs and Bereberes fubjed to
the emperor of Morocco, when they lie in
the way where his army marches, are ob-
, . liged to fupply it gratis with all forts of
provifions ; as wheat, barley, meal, butter,
oil, honey and cattel, under pain of having
all they pofl'efs plundered, afid being them-
felves cut in pieces.
Smperof of prelent emperor of Morocco is Muk'j
Moiocco. Ifmael, who calls himfelf great Cherife, that
is, firft: and moft potent o'i Maho7net\ fuc-
ceffors ; and boafts himfelf to be defcended
from him by Ali and Fatima, fon-in-law
and daughter to that falfe prophet, and
takes more pride in that kindred, than in
the antiquity of the crown in his family :
which fufficiently proves^ that his predecef-
fors, who ftiled themfelves MlramatnoUns^
that is, emperors of the faithful, made ufe
of the colour of religion to eftablifli their
government. The people there have fuch a
veneration for this charadler of Miralmou-
m\n, or, as we call it, Miramamol'in, and
prince of the tribe of the Hachems, as this
emperor ftiles himfelf in all his letters to
chriftian princes, that they reckon it a par-
ticular honour, and no lefs advantageous to-
wards their going diredly to their paradife
to be killed by his hand, without any rea-
fon, or juftice. This not only here, but
' . throughout all the TurkiJJo dominions, the
fanatick Mujjulmans, or Mahometans, look
upon as being crowned with martyrdom.
The word Cherife, and Xerife, another title
given to this emperor, imports the fame in
- Arabick as Xorfa, which fignifies one of
the race of Mahomet ; whence it is they
give the name of Xertfa, or Xorfas, to all
' that are defcended from their prophet
whofe family is the moft honoured among
them, and looked upon as aimoft divine, Barbot.
fays Vafconcelos, in the Life of king JohnlL '^■^Y^.
of Portugal.
Monfieur de St. Olon, fpeaking of theTradeof
trade of this empire, fays, its only neigh- Morocco,
bours by land are the Blacks on the one
fide, and the Algertnes on the other the
Moors of Morocco, Fez and 'Tarudant driving
a confiderable trade in Guinea, that is Ge-^
nehoa, which is very advantageous on both
fides. The Moors for fome fait, little look-
ing-glafies, and toys, carry home a confi-
derable quantity of gold-duft, elephants-
teeth, and numbers of Blacks. This em-
peror of Morocco has gained fo far on the
affedions of thefe Blacks, by the good ufage
he affords them, and by preferring them to
be about his perfon, in the quality of
guards, that they look upon themfelves as
his true fubjeds. The emperor of Morocco
has always feven or eight thoufand of thefe
B acks, as well horfe as foot, reckoned
the beft of his foldicrs, and in ali engage-
ments they are the next about his perlon,
Befides, he gives the beft governments and
chief commands in his army to fuch of them
as fignalize themfelves. They are not only ^
his confidants, but entrufted with the exe-
cution of his orders •, which they perform
in fuch a haughty and arbitrary manner,,
that the very A'caides tremble at the fight
of the meaneft of them. The emperor
conftantly raifes recruits of thefe Blacks»
either by way of purchafe, or orh r means,
and marrying and employing them, by
which means he has a fort of nurfery, or
breed of them, to ferve in time of need.
This author's account fliews what correfpon-
dence there is at prefent between the Moors
and Arabs of Morocco^ and the people of
Nigritia.
I fhall conclude this chapter with a gene- p^/
ral obfervation of a pradice univerfal a-
mong moft Mahometans, but more efpe-
cially the African Moors, relating to their
being juft and true to their words. The li-
berty of lying and retracing whatfoever
they fay, is fo thoroughly eftabliflied a-
mong them, that they rather look upon \t
as a virtue than a fault. One of their Ma'-
rabouts being once told of it, by a chriftiaa
of note, as a thing very furprifing to him,
did not hefitate to anfwer, that they made
this one of the diftindtive marks between
their religion and chriftianity and were fully
perfuaded they fhould foon be like us, flaves
to falfe dodrine and idolatry, fhould theyj
like us, think themfelves obliged to keep
their words.
Thus have I endeavoured, in this chap-
ter, though it may look like a digreflion,
which yet cannot but be entertaining to the
reader, to give a fhort, but I hope fatif-
fadory account^ from the moft reputable
authors^,
A Defcription of the Co aft s
authors, of the rife and progrefs of the Ma-
hometan religion, in feveral parts of the
world, and more particularly in Africa ; as
alfo a brief narrative of the firft coming of
the Arabs into that part of the world :
which may ferve to illuftrate what 1 have
faid of tht;m already, and am to add in the
fupplement. This, I am of opinion, few or
none of the many Europeans trading to
Guinea and the coafts of Nigritia, have ever
given chemfelves the trouble to enquire into;
and yet I look upon it as ufeful and necef-
fary, for the better underftanding of the con-
ftitution, government, cuftoms, manners
and religion of the many feveral nations in-
habiting thofe parts •, for by this means the
miflakes many of them conceive and incul-
cate into others concerning the affairs of
thofe people, for want of true information,,
will be removed ; many travellers forming,
to themfelves mod abfurd notions of things,
when they fee or hear of fuch as they never
met with in their native countries : for I am
apt to believe, there are too many, who,
according to the Turhjh proverb, think
the world is every where like their father's
houfe.
CHAP, VIL
Defcription of the rivet Gambia, or Gamboa ; Mandinga town % fea-horfes y
crocodiles dr alligators. James'j ijland ; produEl^ beafts and birds % the na--
fives ^ their cloathing^ houfeSy food^ and trade , their government^ religion^
(brcerers. Sec. ^
Humes of
ske Gam-
Gambia River,
y Marmoi, ca.\\edGamher andGa?nhra, is
^ well known to proceed from the Niger,
where it divides it felf into two branches j
that which runs to the north-weft, is called
Senega^ as has been before obferved. The
other, whofe courfe is fouth-weft, bears the
name of Gambia^ or Gamboa. The For-
tuguefe call it Rio-Grande,, that is, the great
river, and Gambea % the French, Gamble
and the Blacks^ Gamhic. Both thefe rivers
running down from the place where they
part to the Ocean, with it form a large
lOand, of all the Dominions lying between
them, mentioned at the beginning of this
defcription. Va[concelos, author of the Life
of king John II. of Portugal, in his 4th
book fays, he takes the Stachiris of Plokfuy
to be this river of Gambia, and that of Du-
rango to be the Senega. He adds, that John
de Barrosy who writ before him, affirms,
that both thefe rivers proceed from the
Niger, the fource whereof is in the lake
Libya, and at Chenolides Naba and Ringer ,
but that the inhabitants fancy it fprings
from the Nik, tho' without any ground.
The Portuguefe having long known that
country, adds that author, have founds
that the river Gambia^ running through the
province of Mandinga, and by the way, re-
ceiving into it the waters of feveral rivers,
which run through that country, conveys
them all into the ocean, as well as its own,
in the latitude of feventeen degrees and a
h&M. The ^enega^ known by more names,
tho' its run be fhorter, and almoft in a
ftrait line from eaft to weft, falls into the
fea in about fifteen degrees and a half of
Borth latitude, after taking in the river
Geni'^ or Genehoa^ which muft be the river
of Si. John^ running northward up a-crols
the kingdom of Genehoa, Geneva, &c.
whence the Portuguefe, fays the fame writer^
have given the name of Guinea, with little
variation, to this part of Nigritia,
The true pofition of the mouth of the its htu
Gambia is at thirteen degrees, thirty motude and
minutes of north latitude; and three de-^^"^^^"^''
grees twelve minutes latitude, from the
meridian of Teneriffe \ which mouth is three
miles over, and fix or feven fathom deep,
the ground muddy. At fome diftance to /:
the weftward are the fhoals, by the Por-
luguefe called Baixos de Gibandor. This river
is very navigable as far up as Dobbo and
Arfehil, which in a dired: line down to cape
St. Mary, the fouth fide of the rivef's mouth,
is eighty EngUfh leagues by land, but much
more along the winding channel of the
Gambia. The depth of water in the fhal-^^^^j
loweft part of the river, near the Wiz.nd depth.
Jeremire, to the fouthward of DoZ'^o above-
mentioned, is three fathom, unlefs near
fome rocks, a few leagues below Jeremire
Ifland, where there is but nine foot water.
The farther part of this river, above
Arfehil, is not much frequented ; and little
can be faid of it, that I could hear. Ac-
cording to a very modern author, we knov/
nothing of it any farther up, than to the
eighth degree of the weft longitude, from
the meridian of London, and not much
above the tovv^n of Mandinga, where there Mandinga
are rich gold mines. That town \s kzxed town.
in the province of Cantorfi, of the king-
dom of Maiidijtga, and about fixteen leagues
up the inland from the river.
On the north-fide of the mouth of the Toms and
Gatnbia runs out a long low point, al-^^''-
moft imperceptible, as you come from
fea in hazy weather. The land on the
fouth-fide is much higher, and covered
- .* with
Chap. 7. ofNigritia, or North-Guinea.
73
with tree?, ftretching out north-eaft and
fouth-wefl-. There is a fort of bar a-
thwart the mouth, having four fathom
water at the loweft tides, and lying north-
wefb and fouth eaft.
mm to To fleer a right courfe into this river,
fieeru^ it. when the entrance appears open, you muft
bear for the point called Ponta da Barra,
in five or fix fathom water, till you have
brought the faid point to bear fouth-eaft,
and then come to an anchor, if the wind
happens to be fcant •, but if the wind is
large, hold on that courfe, always founding,
till you come into four and a half, or five
fathom water, keeping the aforefaid point
always at fouth-eafb, and the other point by
the French called Bayonne, on the oppofite
fide at fouth by eaft. Then tack and fteer
for the faid point of Bayonne ; and being
paft two leagues beyond it, keep in the mid-
dle channel of the river, which courfe will
keep you clear of the muddy bank, lying
round the Ip of Dogs, where fome fliips
are ftuck, when they leaft think of it, and
it cofts much trouble to get them off. And
thus will you come to anchor fafe before
Fort-James, on the little James's ifland,
lying about ten leagues up the river.
Salute and ^"P^ entering this river ufe to fire
iifttjr. three guns, by way of falute, to a very tall
and thick tree, which fervcs inftead of a
ftandard for the king of Bar, and the fame
they do at going out, which is more par-
ticularly obferved by the Englijh ; and at
both thofe times they pay one bar of iron
to the king, or his officer, for the duty of
anchorage.
This river in its way from Cantor'^ to the
ocean, has many great turnings and wind-
ings, but more particularly from Cantor,
and is much deeper than the Senega, and the
Tht chan- channel more fpacious. The tide or current
nel, tide, is very rapid, tho' not fo much as that of
the Senega, and being increafed by many
torrents and fmall rivers falling into it,
carries fuch a frefh into the fea, as is vifiHle
eight or ten leagues from the fhore. The
tide flows up as far as Barra Con da, being
a great length, where dreadful falls obftrudt
the palTage of fliips, but floops may run
up two hundred leagues. The banks on
both fides are low, and cut with many rivu-
lets, which the flood runs into. The chan-
nel about the creek of Jagre is from four
and a half to five fathom deep, near four
fmall iflands oppofite to it.
It is much eafier to fail up the river by
night than by day, becaufe there are ufually
calms all the day, and towards the evening
a frefli gale generally rifes. From the ifland
that is under Manfagar, the tide of flood
carries up the river without any danger.
Jjlunds. There are many iflands in it. That of
dogs, above-mentioned, is fo clofe to one
Vol. V.
fide, that the pafliige can eafily be forded. Barbot-
Were it not for that, it would be a very t/'V^
fit place to fettle a factory, as the French
did once, and the Coiirlanders before them ;
but they had all their throats cut by the trea-
cherous natives thereabouts, fo that it has
been ever fince abandoned by all Europeans^
I think the Engli/Jj call this Charleses ifland.
Here are abundance of Hippopota?m, or^^ygf.^
river-horfes, lying in the fmall rivers, which
fall in about the mouth of the Gambia ;
efpecially in that of Giumba, joining with
that of Sangedegou, by means of the Brevet.
This animal is bigger than a common ox,
and fliaped like a horfe •, has a very large
head, the legs, feet and tail very fhort, fo
that it rather feems to creep than walk, the
fkin is hard and without hair. They gene-
rally keep in fwampy and woody places, as
the cattle do, and when in the river fwim
holding up their fnout above the water,
which affbrds the Blacks the conveniency of
fhooting them in the neck, as they ufually
do, for the fake of their fkins and teeth.
The fkins are thicker than thofe of any
other animal, and faid to be good againfl:
the loofenefs and bloody-flux. The teeth
or great tuflcs, which are but two, ferve for
the fame ufes as the elephants, being bet-
ter in one refpeft, which is, that the ivory
of them keeps always white •, befides, they
are faid to have a phyfical virtue to flop
bleeding, and cure the hemorrhoids, as has
been found by experience. Thefe river-horfes
live on the land, as well as in the water, go-
ing out of it to feed, ruining the fields of
rice and millet, becaufe they fpoil more
than they eat. They are apt to overturn
the canoes of the Blacks, but do not hurt
the men.
Here are alfo crocodiles or alligators of
thirty foot in length, and a proportionable
thicknefs ; which devour men and beafl:s at
one mouth-full, and whole bullocks have
been found in the bellies of fome of them.
Their tail is as long as all the refl: of their
body, and their flcin fo hard, that a muflcet-
bullet will not enter it. Some of thefe
monflers live on fifli, others on flefli; and
the better to catch any creature, they keep
clofe in fuch places as are frequented, and
when near enough to a man, or beafl:, ftrike
it with their tail, and fo devour it. Only
the upper jaw of them moves, the lower
being fix'd, but out of the water can do lit-
tle harm. They lay their eggs on the fhore,
covering them with fand, which as foon as
hatched the young ones run into the water.
The Blacks kill them to eat. Some French
commentators on the forty-firft chapter of
Job are of opinion, that the Leviathan fo
elegantly defcribed there, may as well be
the crocodile, as any other fea-monfterj
becaufe it is covered with very hard fcales,
U ' very
A Defcription of the Coafls
Book L
Ba^.sot. very clofe knit together. Befides, the Arabs
*>-'''V^ to this day call the crocodile by the name of
Lavah ; and feveral things faid by Job in
that place cannot properly be apply'd to
any other creature but the crocodile. The
favages inhabiting the country about the
great river Mijffifipi in North- America, being
often expofed to much danger in navigating
that river in their fmall light canoes made
. of the bark of the birch-tree, by reafon of
the great multitude of vaft big crocodiles
there are, efpecially towards the mouth of
it, which do not only look dreadfjl, but
will attack them as they fail along-, take all
poffible care to avoid them by day, and
in the night keep conftantly a great light
to fright thofe creatures, who dread no-
thing fo much as fire. Thus much may
ferve for a caution to all travellers in
this river, or any otherwhere there are cro-
codiles.
Trade in The trade of this river is very confidera-
generd. . French, EngUJh, Dutch, and Por-
tuguefe having had feveral faftories in the
country about it, and paid yearly tribute
to the kings of the countries it runs through,
particularly the latter nation ; no perfon
whatfoever being allow'd to traffick there
till the cuftoms are paid, and thofe are
higher or lower according to the nature of
the tradci, or of the fettlement made in the
country •, befides many prefents that muft
be given to the kings when they come to
vifit the factors, which cannot be deny'd,
tho' fometimes they amount to a confidera-
ble value thofe black kings being very free
and importunate in afking whatfoever they
fancy, as has been before faid of thofe about
the Senega.
The Dutch and Portuguefe have at prefent
little or no trade there, neither is that of the
French or Englijh fo confiderable as it was
formerly •, thefe European nations having,
during this laft century, as they happen'd to
be at war, deftroy'd one another's fettle-
ments, or interrupted the trade in fhips or
floops, as either of them chanced to have
the upper hand. It would be too tedious to
n lilh ^^^^ thro' all thofe feveral changes and revo-
nadl lutions ; I fhall here only take notice of
the Englijh fettlement on the fmall rock or
ifland of James, which lies in the midft of
the channel of the river, oppofite to the
town of Gilofre,
jDYf This ifland is but about a quarter of a
James. league in compafs, being a fort of gravelly
rock a little above water. Commodore
Holmes, in his expeditions, ann. 1 664, againft
the Dutch fettlements in north and fouth
Guinea, founded Fort-James for the principal
feat of the Englijh commerce, and to fecure
their new conquefts over the Hollanders
on this coaft. This fort is a quadrangle
or fquare, built with lime and ftone, and
2
has four baftions, lined with good brick-
work ; and in the outworks, three, as it
were, redoubts in the form of horfefhoes,
with batteries along the palifidoes from one
to another and within the fort, fpacious
buildings, ftorehoufes, magazines, a ciftern
for frefh water, a powder-room, and fixty
or feventy pieces of cannon mounted, befides
feveral others difmounted. But the worft
is, that the garrifon is obliged to fetch all
the fewel and frefh water from the main
land on both fides of it. The fituation of it
is very advantageous, and there wants no-
thing, but that the ciftern and magazine
for powder fliould be bomb-proof, and to
have it well flored with ammunition, pro-
vifions, and efpecially frefli water, to render
it in a manner impregnable, if well defended
by a fuitable garrifon. At this time there
are generally in it fixty or feventy white
men, and near as many Gromettoes, always
in the company's pay. This is the next beft
fovti^caiionto Cape Coajl Cajile, of allthatare
to be found, on either the north or fouth coafts
of Guinea, having under its jurifdidion feveral
fadories on the refpedlive branches of that
river, as being the head fettlement of the
royal African company of England, and the
chief magazine for trade, managed by a
governour or agent, with feveral fadors un-
der him. One of thefe fadories is at Gilo-
fre, on the north fide of the river, oppo-
fite to the fort.
The French company Senega have ano- French
ther faftory at Albreda, a little village atfr^^'^J-
fome diftance wefterly from Gilofre, both
of them belonging to the king of Bar, and
this is under the direftion of the agent at
Goeree.
The fadors of the Engli/h company at
James-Fort, and thofe of the French at Al-
breda and other places, drive a very great
trade in that country, all along the river,
in brigantines, floops, and canoes ; pur-
chafing
Elephant's teeth or ivory, • Commodi-
Bees-wax,
Slaves, t"'"'''-
Pagnos or clouts.
Hides,
Gold, &c.
In exchange for which they give the Blacks
Bars of iron, imported.
Drapery of feveral forts.
Woollen fluffs and cloth,
Linnen of feveral forts.
Coral and pearl.
Brandy or rum in anchors,
Firelocks,
Powder, ball, and fhot,
Sleyfiger linnen.
Painted callicoes, of gay colours,
Shirts,
Gilded fwords,
Ordi-
Chap. 7. and that to the wefl:-
ward of that again, is another fmall river,
which they call Rio Brevete.
Barifet The village of Barifet is on the fame river
village, of Block-, near to where it falls into the Gam-
boa, and tributary to the king or emperor
of Cantor.
jS„g The king of Bar or Borfalo refides fome part
Bar. of the year at the town or village of Bar, above
faid to be on the north point of the river
Gamhoa, near the lofty tree, by the Portu-
guefe call'd Arvore da Marca, or the land-
mark tree, which ferves inftead of a ftandard
to the European fliips going in or out at the
I faid river. At other times that king refides
at the town of Auna-Bar, feated about a
mile farther up the land in a wood. From
this village of Bar to the eaftward, on the
banks of the Gamhoa, are the villages of
Grigou, Buhacoulon, and Lamy^ almoft op-
pofite to the ifle of dogs, and fomewhat to
the eaftward of them again thofe of Albreda
and Gilofre, where the Englijh and French
have their factories, and the Portuguefe a
poor little church at the latter.
Cantor '^^^ kingdom of Cantor extends along the
kingdom, fouth fide of the Gamboa, including with-
in it many petty kings tributary to the em-
peror.
Borlalo Thzt of Borfalo is on the north fide, but
much fmaller, and has only one tributary
prince call'd fV'ollo IVolly.
Towns a- "^^^^ ^^^^^ kingdoms are populous, and
long the have large towns and villages, mofl: of them
Garaboa. on the banks of the Gamboa to the eaftward \
fome of the chiefeft v/hereof are, Tankerval,
twenty five leagues up the Gamhoa on the
fouth fide -, Tandaha, a very large one, fome-
what higher ; Jagre, twelve leagues beyond
the laft, on a fmall river, running into the
Gamhoa, and remarkable for many fkulls
of fea-horfes, made faft to two trees Jam-
bray, a league and half above the river of
Jagre, and oppofite to an ifland in the Gam-
boa ; Manfagor on the north fide of the ri-
ver, about a little league from a creek, on
the mouth whereof ftands a crofs, ereded
by fome Mulatto Portuguefe, who live there-
abouts in great poverty T'inda, on a river
that runs into the Garaboa at ten days row-
ing up in a boat from its mouth, and where
the heats are fo exceflive, that there is no
pofllbility of rowing, except only in the
mornings and evenings 5 Joli^ fomewhat a-
hove Tinda; znd Munckbaer, fix days jour-
ney from Joli^ ; Jaleat is near to Miinck-
baer, on the v/eft fide of it.
About feventy Englijh leagues up the Gam- Liahor.
boa, on the fouth fide, ftands the town of
Liahor, a confiderable trading place, re-
forted to by European vefiels of fifty or fixty
tuns, which fail fifteen or eighteen leagues
in twenty-four hours with eafe, or eJfe may
row up, and run on as far as Cajfan, of 5
which I fliall foon fpeak ; the channel of ; . -h
this river being fo far up every where clean, ■ -
deep, and pretty wide, and at Liahor about
a muflcet-fhot in breadth. A French prifo-
ner at Southampton told me, that on Chrifi- ' .V
mas eve, in the year 17 10, being come up -
before Liahor in order to attack an Engli/b .' ^
fhip of fourteen guns and thirty five men,
which lay there at anchor to trade, this
Frenchman being in a fmall courvet of four ;
guns and fifty men •, he laid the EnglifJman
aboard, and after a difpute of an hour and a '
half, wherein he kill'd many of their men,
and particularly feventeen Portuguefe, of an
hundred the town fent to the afllftance of the
Englijh, tho' they all fought under flielter of
the decks and cabbins, he was fain to defift,
with the lofs of half his own men, and fill
down the Gamhoa without his intended prize.
At this town of Liahor is a great mart of Trade
gold, wax, ivory, and fome flaves. It is . "
partly inhabited by Blacks, and partly by
Portuguefe, who live there, feveral families
together, under the jurifdiftion of the na- -
tives, and drive a confiderable trade along
the river Gambia, and in the adjacent parts.
The Frenchman above mentioned has oh- channel of
ferv'd, that the true channel of the Gambia theG^m.'
lies moftly on the fouth fide for a great
way up •, and that on the contrary, the north
channel is beft, between Gilofre and James
ifland, where James-Fort formerly flood, but
is now demolilh'd and abandon'd.
The town of Jaije, the Blacks fay is nine
days journey from one call'd and
that of Selxko, fo famous for trade, is flill
farther up the inland. The village Petit
Caffan is about an hundred and ten leagues Caflan.
up the river Gamhoa, reckoning from the
point of Barra, and on the north fide. That
of
Chap. > ' ^Nigritia, or
Gi'Great CaffcHi three miles beyond it, being
the metropolis of the kingdom and but
about three days journey down the Gamhoa
to Barra. This town is faid to be wall'd, and
is the ufual refidence of the king of Caffan.
We have an account of two nations, pof-
fefling that trad of land which lies from
cape St. Mary., at the mouth of the river
Ga//iboa, to the river Rha ; which nations are
call'd Arriaeros and Fehippes ; tho' Jarick
thinks thefe people live about cape Verdey
and therefore gives their names to the fmall
iflands lying near that cape; He adds, that
they are very fliy of venturing aboard any
European Ihip without hoftages given them,
becaufe fome of their people have been
treacheroufly carry 'd away •, as alfo, that
. ... they ufed to flit their under lips, thrufting
in a fmall round flick to keep the cleft open,
and to cut various figures on their bodies,
which they afterwards wafh'd with a liquor
made of the juice of certain herbs, to pre-
ferve it from corruption and the more the
body was fo fcarified, the greater they ac-
- counted the ornament. At this time the
country between the rivers Ga7nhoa^.r\A Rha,
next the fea, is reckoned part of the king-
dom of Gamboa by moft Europeans.
pttduB. This country produces almofl all the fame
fruit and plants as are above mentioned of
' the Senega ; but abounds much more in rice,
whereof the Blacks reckon five forts, one of
them not unlike muftard-feed in fhape and
figure. There is alfo great plenty of mil-
let •, but right oranges, lemons and ananas
are fcarce.
It alfo produces abundance of cotton, ba-
nanas, fabacombas, being a large Fruit like
a pear, with the rind like that of a pom-
granate ; and Ploiigue, which is a fort of
medicinal nut. At Cajfan and above it, there
are large fields of tobacco, which makes a
great trade there, the Portuguefe buying
confiderable quantities for Juala and Ca-
chau.
tajlurt. There are every where excellent pdftnre-
grounds, which lerve to feed immenfe herds
of cattle, particularly oxen, kept merely for
the profit the people make of their dry raw
hides, which they fell to the Englijh, French,
and Portuguefe a good oX being generally
fold for one bar of iron, which is about the
value of four or five fhillings Engli/Jj.
iBeajls. The country is alfo well ftored with goatSj
Jheep, elephants, lions, tygers, wild boars,
. and many other forts of tame and wild
beaftsj efpecially about Manfagar, where
they have great droves of horfes, camels,
and afles, which are of great to the na*
' v.- tives for travelling, and carrying on their
trade from place to place. Nor is there lefs
plenty of apes, monkeys, and baboons,
Ibme of them very large, and confequently
no lefs mifchievous j for if we may believe
YoL.V, ^ ■
North-Guinea. 77
what is faid of them, they often take chil-BARBor.
dren of fix or feven years of age up into v^V*^
trees, and it is a matter of the greateft dif-
ficulty to refcue them. Civet-Cats are alfo
numerous, and there is plenty of mufk at a
low rate.
As for poultry, the plenty is incredible ; BirJs.
and fo of parrots and parrokeets, with ma-
ny other forts of birds, feveralof them very
remarkable for the wonderful variety and
beauty of their feathers. Among the reftj
is a fort of pelican, about the fize of a
large goofe •, and a kind of peacock, of
the bignefs of a fmall turky, having two
tufts on the headj and charming fine fea-
thers*,
The air about the river Gamboa is reckoned
the moft unwholefome of all North-Guinea,
which is occafion'd by the malignant va-
pours rifing from the marfliy grounds and
thick woods and forefts;, and fpreading all
the country about •, together wkh the into-
lerable heats in the day-time, and the dead
calms in the night, and the excefiive rains
falling at fome feafons of the year, par-
ticularly in Auguft and September, frequent-
ly breeding maggots and fmall worms
in cloth. Add to all this, the horrid thun-
der, lightning, and tornado's^ that from
Jiine to November there is fcarce one day
dry ; and that the winds, during that feafon,
are conftantly E. and SE. bringing along
with them thick fogs and ftinking mifts ;
which do fo corrupt the air, that few or
none of the Europeans, who refide there any
fmall time, can efcape its malignant in-
fluencej producing feveral forts of difeafes,
and moft commonly lingering fevers, which
wafte a man away to nothing before he
dies. Were it not for this deftruftive dif-
pbfition of the air, it might be pleafant li-
ving in that country, being fo fertile and
good, as has been mention' d efpecially to- '
wards the fea-fide, where the foil is fo rank,
that I have been told, there are in feveral
places prodigious tall trees, and of fuch a
vaft bulk, that twenty men can fcarce fa-
thom one of them.
Of the Natives in genei-al.
np H E Blacks of Gamboa were formerly civilized,
very favage, cruel and treacherous
but through long commerce with the Eu-
ropeans they are now become pretty trad-
able ; efpecially thofe about the fea-coafts,
who are moft civiliz'd, many of them un-
derftanding, or fpeaking Portuguefe, Englijh,
French^ or Dutch, indifferently well.
Many of them take to fome profeflion, wtalth.
and their wealth confifts in flaVes and gold,
efpecially 2^Q^xX.Jagre.
The blackfmiths rnake all forts of tooh^Uck-
and inftruments for tillage, tSc. as alfo v^tz-fmiths.
pons and armour, being indifferent fkilful
^
78
A 'Description of the Coajls
Book I.
Weavers,
Cloth.
B\RBoT. at hardning of iron, and whetting it on
'"•^"'V^ common ftones. Their bellows are made
of two large reeds, joined cogether, in each
of which is a ftick, covered all over with
fmall feathers, tied faft to it, fo that draw-
ing out and thrufting in the fticks with
both hands, they blow and lighc the fire.
The weavers make great quantities of
narrow cotton-cloth, which from the Por-
tuguefe name, they call Panho,, of the fame
as has been mentioned at Caho Verde. The
beft fort they call Panhos Sakes, being eight
narrow flips (litch'd together, generally
white, clouded with flames. The fecond
fort is of fix narrow flips put together, cal-
led BontanSy about two yards long, and a
yard and a half broad, curioufly fl:riped.
The third fort' is called Barfoek of the
fame fize, but coarfer.
Thefe cloths they fell to the EngUJJj and
Portiigurfe; one of the firft fort for a bar
of iron •, three of the fecond for two bars ;
and two of the third for one bar: with
which thofe Europeans trade at Sierra heona^
SherbrOy and on the fouth coaft of Guinea^
and purchafe for them elephants teeth.
: The hufbandmen till the ground with a
fort of tool, much like a fmall axe, but
flaarp. At certain times of the year every
one of x.\\t Blacks is obliged to till the land,
excepting only the king, the chief officers,
the decrepit, and fmall children,
"Their Cloa thing,
OTH men and women generally Wear
a fort of coat, or vefl:, made after the
manner of a fhirt, reaching down to the
knees, with long wide open fleeves •, and
under it the men have drawers, after the
"Turki/Jj fafliion.
Maids and young women make feveral
figures all over their faces, arms, breads,
and fingers, with hot burning irons, or
needles, which at a difbance look like a
mezzo-relievo on the flefh \ and this they
reckon a mighty ornament. . ■ -
Husban-
dry.
o
Their Houses,
|R hutts, are much after the fame form,
and of the fame materials as thofe de-
fcribed at Senega, but neat and convenient,
commonly made of a red binding clay, or
earth, which foon hardens in the fun ; and
fo well thatched or covered with rufhes,
or palm-tree leaves, ingenioufly wove toge-
ther, that neither the fun, nor rain can
offend thofe within. At the village of
Bar, the hutts are generally fmaller, than
at other places,
Their Food
/^Ommonly confifls of millet, flefh, milk,
^ rice, poultry, and fruit. The Portuguefe
Midattoes boil fowl and rice together. The
way the Blacks ufe to dfefs their meat, is
much the fame as at Senega ; and their drink
is palm-wine, efpecially about the coafl",
near cape Roxo ; but, for the mofl part,
they are not very cleanly, either in their
meat or drink.
Their Trade. '
nr H I S is the employment of very many
of the Blacks, either among others of
their own complexion, or with the Euro-
peans, making good advantage of it. The
Englijh and French deal with thofe that are
about their fettlements ; and the Portuguefe
with thofe farther up the country, along
the rivers, from Cachau to Gamboa, in the
nature of interlopers.
_ The Blacks do not only trade along the Fairs and
river Gamboa, in their canoes, but along markets.
the coafl too, as far as Juala, Ale and Rio
Frefco, conflrantly attending the times of
fairs and markets. Such are thofe appoint-
ed by the kings of Manfagar twice a year,
at Great Cajfan, J aye, Tinga, Tandaba, Tan-
kerval, Joliet, Seliko, and feveral other
places.
The fair at Manfagar is held under a hill,
near the town, where fome Portuguefe Mu-
lattoes have their dwelling ; and thither is
brought to the market abundance of fait, ^o^'^o^h
wax, elephants teeth, mats, cotton, gold-^'"'
dufl, of this the leaft, all forts of cattle,
goats, poultry, horfes and every Monday
throughout the year there is a fmall mar-
ket for provifions. Mats are properly the
coin of the country, all other things iDeing
rated by the mats, for they know nothing
of plate, or money.
The fair kept twice a year at Great Caffan, Caffaa
is both times very confiderable, an almofl/^^''.
incredible number of people rcforting thi-
ther from all parts of the country, and
vaft quantities of all forts of commodities
being brought to it. The Portuguefe refort
to it very much to buy dry hides, elephants
teeth, i^c. for bugles, and iron bars. They
fet out from Cachau, and other places on the
fouth-fide of Gamboa, at the beginning of
the rainy feafon, and return not home till
all is over. But the rivers about Caffan be-
ing interrupted By great falls, which ob-
ilrud; the navigation, all the goods they
carry thither, or bring back, muft go and
come by land on the backs of flaves.
The fair held at J aye is reforted to by ihat at
great numbers of Arabian Moors, from Ge- Jaye.
nehoa, and other parts, in caravans of ca-
mels ; bringing thither fait, bugles, and
toys, to truck for gold-duft.
\ will here, upon the credit of others, strange
infert, a very extraordinary, and no ^^^^J^Jjfj
remarkable way of trading between thofe "'^ ^""^
Moors, and the Blacks at Jaye ^ occafioned
by the Blacks of this country having a mon-
ftrous
Chap. 7.
ofNigrida, or North-Guinea.
fcrous large Scrolum full of fores, bcfiJes
other natural defprmities in their fhape and
bodies which makes them fo bafnful, that
they will not be feen by thofe Moors. The
Arabs lay down their goods by way of lots,
in a place appointed, at fome litde dillance
from each other, and then withdraw a great
way, leaving no foul to look to their mer-
chandize. The Blacks percei'/ing they are
gone, come up to that fpot, examine every
lot, valuing every thing they like, or v/ant,
according to their own fancy, and having
left the quantity of gold-duft they think it
worth by every lot, go off in their turn.
The Moors being intormed of it, come
again to the trading-place, and confider on
the quantity of gold laid down every man
by his own lot. If they think the gold
fufficient, they take it av/ay, leaving the
lot, or lots of goods for t\iz Black, without
the Icaft embezzlement or fraud and the
next day the Blacks carry away the goods to
their town. If the Blacks have not laid
down gold enough to faiisfy the Moors.,
thefe carry oir their own goods, leaving
the gold, which the Blacks retch away the
next day yet it feldom happens, but that
they ftrike a bargain. This way ol trading
lafts nine days fucceffively, that they may
have the more time to adjuPc the prices of
the goods, in cafe the firit tender of gold
is not accepted of by the Moors. Salt is a
good commodity among the Blacks.^ who
pay a great price for it, Tix-y ufe it very
much for rubbing and walliing of their
fores, which would othervs^iie foon corrupt,
and be the death of them. This way of
bartering is exaftly dcfcrib'd by the ^leur
Moue'Je^ in the account of his captivity at
Fez., printed at Paris., in i2}no, but tranf-
lated into EngUJh, in the two quarto volumes
of monthly travels being a good account
of the kingdoms of Fez and Morocco.
Qffjgy In the markets or fairs at TiJiga, Tancieba,
fairs. and Tankerval, are expofed to f\le great
quantities of dry hides, elephants teeth,
cotton, rice •, thefe two, moli: at the mo
laft places, and the firft two, more at the
former places. The carriage of goods to
any of thofe places being all by land, and
the roads extremely bad and difficult, makes
it very chargeable ; and if done by rivers,
it is very tedious to row all t'ne way againft
a mighty rapid ftream. Befide, that iron
is not carried up to thefe places, which the
Blacks fay, have iron-works of their own ;
and yet iron there yields a better price than
at Gamboa,
; Salt is an extraordinary commodity at
Tinda, and other places oppofite to it, on
the other fide of the river. The mofc cur-
rent goods expofed to fail at Thida are
elephants teeth, hides, fome little gold-
duit, cotton, and the country cloths, all
in truck for fait and iron. .
17
The fair at Joliet is moftly for gold-duft. Barbot.'
This town is beyond Tinda, and, if we '•-'''V^,
may credit the Blacks, there is a very great ^^"^
quantity of gold-duft at the fair, as well-^"''^"^"
as at other places feated on the river Niger^
where that admired metal is not fo much
valued by the natives as iron.
At Seliko fair, great quantities of falt^f seliko,
are bought by the Portuguefe in exchange
for {laves. The beft fait is brought from
Barnivaet.
The Marabouts, as well as all the other
Blacks, trade with thofe of Borfalo, and
others living beyond them,
to be had.
where gold is
"Their GoveiinmenTo
'Y^HE kings of this country fcarce dif-j^g kings.
^ fer in behaviour, or cloathing, from
the common Blacks, unlefs upon folemn oc-
cafions, as giving audience to envoys, or
Europeans ; for then they adorn themfelves
more than at other times, putting on fome
red, or blue coat, or doublet, hung about
with tails of elephants, or wild beafts, and
fmall bells, bugles, and coral and on
their heads, bonnets made of ofier, with
little horns of goats, antelopes, or bucks.
They are then attended by a confiderable
number of Blacks, and walk with much
ftate and gravity, generally holding a pipe
in their mouths, to the place appointed for
the audience •, which in fome places is under
a tall ftately tree, as pradtifed by the king
of Borfalo, at Bar. No perfon whatfoever
is admitted to audience, without making
the ufual prefents to the king, or to his
deputy, in his abfence and thofe for an
European confift of ten, fifteen, or twenty
bars of iron, fome runlets of brandy^ a fword,
or a firelock, a hat, or the like ; but good
brandy is generally moft acceptable, and
fometimes before the audience is over, the
king will be almoft drunk with it. I for-
bear to mention many more particulars re-
lating to thefe kings, becaufe what I have
faid before of thofe of Senega, &c. exadly
fuits with thefe. I lhall only add, that
the Blacks look upon their kings as very ex-
traordinary forcerers and fortune-tellers ;
and believe that Magro, formerly king of
Great Cajfan, befides his mighty fliill in
magick, and commerce with the devils,
could, by their help, blow fo violently with
his mouth, as if all things about him would
have been torn in pieces as alfo, that he
raifed flames and fire from the earth, at
thofe times when he called upon his infernal
fpirits.
Divination by oracles is by the law Divma-
of Mahomet forbid to all perfons, except
kings, princes, and great lords. However,
according to Marmol, at Grand Cairo., and
in feveral cities of Barbary., there is a vaft
number
8o
A Defer iption of the Coafts Book I
Barbot. number of vagabonds, who pretend to di-
vination, three feveral ways. Some tell
things paft and to come by magical figures ;
others fill an earthen vefiel with water, and
caft into it a drop of oil, which becomes
very clear and bright, wherein they pre-
tend to fee fwarms of devils moving in
order of battle, fome by land, and others
by water. As foon as thofe devils have
halted, they put the queftion in hand to
them, which they anfwer by motions of
the hands and eyes. This fort of cheat
cannot be perform'd but in the prefence of
little children, becaufe perfons of age own
they fee nothing of what thofe deceivers
relate ; whereas children being ordered to
look, and told what they are to fee, are
eafily perfuaded to anfwer in the affirmative,
that they do •, which gains thofe knaves
much reputation, and confequently no lefs
profit. Thefe are called in Mauritania^
A/i9/^/t7/«f2^'J, that is, enchanters. The third
fort of thefe impoftors are womenj who
make people believe they converfe very fa-
miliarly with devils, fome of which are
white^ others red, and others black. When
they are to foretcl any thing, they fmoak
themfelves with brimftone, and other ftink-
ing ingredients ; which done, they are im-
mediately feized by their familiars, and al-
ter their voices, as if thofe dasmons fpoke
through their organs. Then thofe who
confult them draw near, and in very hum-
ble manner put the queftions they defire
ihould be aniwered ; and when that is
done, withdraw, leaving a prefent for the
witch.
As to the authority of the kings over
their fubjedls, it is much the fame as has
been above reprefented, in fpeaking of thofe
of Senega \ the fubjeds here being no lefs fub-
miflive than there.
Their Religion.
Maho-
IT is a very hard tafk to be particular
as to the notion they have of it. In
L7Sri- general, it may be faid, that many of thefe
fiims. Blacks^ in outward appearance, are Maho-
metans., as ftriftly obferving circumcifion,
with the prayers, fafts, and ablutions pre-
fcrib'd by the Alcoran, the Marabouts ha-
ving much influence over them. Many
are alfo grofs pagans, but yet with fome
mixture of Mahometanifm, The Portuguefe
miflionaries have undergone great labours,
and run mighty hazards to convert fome
of them to chrillianity, ever fince the be-
ginning of the laft, and during this cen-
tury, but with little fuccefs : for though
fome feem to embrace the dodlrine, yet
many mix it with pagan idolatry and Ma-
hojnetamfm ; others are no fooner baptized,
but they return to their wild natural way
of living.
It has been already obferved, that the
Mahometans put into the grave with their
Marabouts all the gold they have, that they
may live happy in the other world.
As a farther teftimony of the wonderful ^fowerf*
fuperftition of the Africans, both Arabs
and Blacks, I will, out of Marmol, in this
place, mention a fourth fort of forcerers,
though they might have been inferted above
among the reft. They are known in Egypt
and Barbary by the name of Bumicilis, are
reputed to out-do all the others. Thefe,
fays that author, pretend to fight with the
devils, and commonly appear in a great
fright, all over covered with wounds, and
bruifes, about their bodies. About the full
or the moon, they commonly counterfeit a
combat, in the prefence of all the people,
which lads for two, or three hours ; and
is performed v]\z\\ AJfagaia^s, or javelins,
till they fall down to the ground quite
fpenr, and battered ; but after refting for a
while, they recover their fpirits, and walk
away. Thefe are look'd upon as religious
perfons. Another generation of forcerers
in Barbary, called Muhacimin, that is. Ex-
orcifts, boaft they can drive away devils ;
and when they do not fucceed, alledge for
their excufe either the incredulity of the
people, or that the fpirit is celeftial. Thefe
generally make circles, in which they write
certain charafters, and make imprefTions
on the hand or face of the perfon poflefled ;
then they fmoak him with fome naufeous
fcents, and proceed to their conjurations.
They alk the fpirit, how he entered into
that body, whence he came, what is his
name, and laftly, command him to de-
part.
Others divine by a fort of Cabala, not Cabala,
linlike that of the Jews \ but that it is not
taken from the fcripture. They fay it is a
natural fciencc, which requires great know-
ledge in aftrology to be rightly ufed. Che-
rif Mahomet was well acquainted with this
art, and often ufed it.
CHAP.
Chap. 8.
of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
C H A R VIIL
Barbot,
T/je codfi from cape St. Mary to cape Roxo. Rha ri'ver s Portuguefe trade
and fettlements. The natives and their idolatry.
river ^ ^ conH between cape St. Mary at
I GamhoUy and cape Roxo^ or red-head,
to the Ibuch of it, extends about twenty-
four leagues along the fea, north and fouth,
being cue through by feveral rivers falling
into the ocean j the chief whereof is the
Kha, by the Portuguefe called Rhaqiie^ mix-
ing its waters with the ocean, at three fe-
veral mouths ; the largeft and deepeft of
which is the fouthermoft, being the right
channel to fail up it. This river is by others
called Cafamanfa ; and has the town of Java
g . on the north bank, two leagues up it from
• ■ the fea. Small fhips and brigantines may
fail fifteen leagues up this river, going in
at the largeft of the three mouths, as above
mentioned, for there is generally fix, feven,
or eight fluhom water ; but there are alfo
. many flats and fhoals. There are no ha-
bitations to be feen along the banks of it,
wken once paft the town of Jarim, unlefs
here and there fome hurts of fifhermen.
'ti'th'r ^'^^ Other rivers betwixt cape St. Mary.,
rivm. and the river Rha, are that of St. John firft,
that of St. Peter next ; and before the
mouth of this, at fome diftance Weflward,
are the Baixos de San Pedro, or St. Peter's
fhoals. Some leagues to the northward of
St. Johf*s river is a bay, by the Portuguefe
called Porto de Caboy that isj the port of
the cape •, before which, to the weftward,
lie the Baixos de Santa Maria^ or St. Mary\
fhoals.
Voiklcoajl. All the coafl between the two capes afore-
faid, is very foul and dangerous ; and there-
fore thofe who defign from Gamhoa for Ca-
chauy muft keep three leagues out at fea,
in five or fix fathom water.
Caffangas people Called Caffangas.^ or Cafa-
ftefte. manfasy live along the banks of the river
Rha. Another nation called Beubuns is
fettled to the eaflward of them.
Cape Cape known to the antients by the
RuiQ. name of Ryffadium Promontorium, is eafily
known from the feaward, by a fmall grove
near to it, and by the coaft, which from
it runs away E S E. being in 1 2 degrees,
■ 42 minutes of north latitude. Before the
cape there is from fix to nine fathom wa-
ter, muddy and fandy ground, for fome
leagues off to the weflward ; but clofer up
to the fouth part of the cape, and fo failing
' along it towards the E S E. four and five
fathom, in the channel, by ths Portuguefe
called Canal de Janiares ; on the fouth-fide
of w-.ich is a bank of find, called Baixos
de Joao de Coimhra^ or John of Coimbra^%
Yo u V.
fhoals and on the north-fide a long ridge
of rocks under water, jufl before Angra de
Fahdo, a bay to the eaflward of Caho
Roxo.
Ponta Vermelha is fome leagues to the Rerf pint
eaflward of cape Roxo, fo named by fome
Portuguefe^ and by others of the fame na-
tion Barreiras Vennelhas \ but by the Dutch
Rugge boeck, there being fhoals about it
off at fea. Thefe capes fhow at a di-
ftance like iflands in the fea, and the fhore
all hilly.
Thence to Rio de Santo Domingo^ or St.
Dominick's river, the coafl forms feveral
bays and headlands, with fhoals all iht Shah.
way ; fome of which the Dutch have named
North Bank, and South Banky or Meuwen
Banky on which the fea breaks at high
water, and they are dry at low water. The
Portuguefe name them Baixos de Norte , and
Baixos de Falulo ; this latter being to the
fouthward of the other, very large and
extending on that fide to the channel of
Rio Grande. The Baixos de Joao de Coimbra
above mentioned, run to the eaflward, as
far as Barreiras Vermelhas. At that end the
channel of Janiares, already fpoken of,
turns fliort away fouth, being but two fa-
thom deep, into the great channel of St,
Dominick's river, which commences at the
fouth of the Baixos de Joao de Coimbra, ha-
ving a bar at the mouth of the channel,
called Barro de Rio de Santo Domingo \ on
the flcirts whereof, quite round, there is
four, five, and fix fathom water.
Higher up, to the eafl of Baixos de Norte, scDomi-
on the oppofite northern continent. Hands a nick
tall tree, by the Portuguefe called Arvore^*'^^^-
da Praya das Vacas, or the tree on the fhore
of the cows, being a good land-mark for
fliips to fail into the river of St. Dominick.
Some leagues above this tree, another river
runs down from the northward into this.
The lands here defcribed are very fer- Fertility.
tile, abounding in feveral forts of fruit,
plants and cattle, being water'd by feveral
large and fmaller rivers. The Portuguefe
have erefted a fmall fort on the north- fide
of the Rha, and planted fome guns on
it.
The country is fubjedl to a petty king,
depending on him zijaritn ; and this again
is tributary to another, who refides higher
up the inland ; and this lafl owns the em-
peror of Mandinga for his fovereign.
In former times, the Lifion merchants
drove a great and profitable trade in the
Y rivers
82 ' ADefcription
Barbot. rivers Rha and Gajnh'ia ; but at prefent,
'^''V^ they have in a manner fettled it at Ca-
chau, or Cacheo, on the river of Si. Do7ni-
nick, contenting themfelves with fending
now and then fome barks or brigantines to
Rha, up the inland waters, to purchafe
flaves for SpaniJIj wine,
■ Brandy,
Oil,
Dry fruit of Spain,
■ Iron, the beft commodity.
Fine linnen.
Thread, and gold and filver laces^^
Cloth,
Damafl-cs,
Needles,
■ Thread, - '
Silk,
Haberdafhery of feveral forts^
And fuch ftuffs as are proper for Gainhoa.
A perfon employ'd by the French at
Goeree, takes notice of a river that runs
down between thofe of Gamboa and St. Do-
minicky and has left another French man
the following account of it. The banks of
the river Zamenee are inhabited by feveral
Savage of Blacks thofe at the mouth of it
Blacks, call themfelves Feloupes, a people extremely
favage, with whom no nation has any
commerce. They are all Gentiles, every
one having his peculiar god, according to
his own fancy. One worfliips a bullock's
horn another a beafl", or a tree and to
them they offer facrifice after their man-
ner. Their habit is like thofe of cape Verde,
and the people about the river Gamboa.
The boldcft and moft wealthy man is ge-
nerally commander over all the nation or
tribe. They improve their land well, for
producing much millet, and rice. Their
wealth confifts in bullocks, cows, and
goats, of which fome have great numbers.
All the coaft as far as the river Gamboa,
and about fix leagues up the inland, is in
their pofieffion. Their towns are populous,
and not above a quarter of a league di-
ftant from each other. Thofe FeloKpes who
dwell along the fouth-fide of this river Za-
menee, are exceeding barbarous and cruel j
for they never give quarter to any European
they can catch, and fome fay they eat
them. They extend all along the coaft to
a village call d Boulol, at the mouth of St.
Dominick's river.
The coaft we were fpeaking of above, is
much better peopled than that of Gamboa,
the villages being about two leagues diftant
from one another, and about half a league
from the fea.
UmTown Seven or eight leagues farther is a little
'river, which leads to the town of Jam,
where the Portuguefe gather great quantities
of wax, with which they trade by land to
Gamboa and Cachau,
of the Coajls BookL
The adjacent parts are inhabited hy Blacks, Bagnons
called Bagnons, whofe king lives twelve or ^'acks,
thirteen leagues from the fea.
The river of St. Dominick, or 7^7nV«, St.bomi-
reckon'd to be one of the branches of the n'^k'j;
Niger, is very large, running a winding
courfe of near two hundred leagues, thro'
the lands of the Papais, or Buramos, and s;-^
Mandingas ; and receiving by the way fe-
veral fmaller rivers, efpecially about Cacheo.
Two of them, as the natives pretend, run
athwart the country, northward into the
Rha, and one of them, whofe banks are
cover'd with mangrove-trees, is reforted to
by the EngliJJj. St. Dominick^s river is much
encumber'd with flioals and banks of fand,
fome of which being left dry, at low waterj
fhow from afar like iflands. The mouth
of it is in twelve degrees of north latitude.
The three fmall iflands, call'd Bura?nos, Burambs
lying at the mouth of this river, towards
the fouth-fide of it, the firft whereof has
peculiarly the name of Three IJlands, be-
caufe looking as if it were fo, are little bet-
ter than gravelly rocks, and yet inhabited
by Gourmet Blacks, who have caft off theiir .
fubje6lion to the Portuguefe, and are re-
laps'd into paganifm. There they cultivate
cotton, and make their fort of cloth, which
they I'ell to the natives on the continent —
but will allow no man to come upon their ..t
iflands, having canoes to carry on their
trade. The channel they crofs over is call'd
the Bot, and they take all poffible care
that no veflcls fhall come near their
ifltinds.
There are two channels to go up 5"/. Do- chunnehl
niinick's river the greater for ftiips, clofe
to the bar the leffer for barks, or floops,
being on the north-fide, as may be feen in Plate 4.'
the map, and is that of Janiares. Hie
fouth point of the river's mouth, is call'd
Ponta Malta de Puitama, fome leagues to
the fouthward of which is the little river
Obate. The country about the river is in-
habited by feveral Ibrts of Blacks, and by
Porhiguefe, who have feveral towns there.
The tide runs very ftrong out at the great
channel, which hinders fhips of great bur-
den from lailing up any nearer than within
eighteen or twenty leagues of Cacheo, and
generally they come to an anchor between
Ponta Verviclha, and cape Roxo, driving
their trade between that and Cacheo in arm'd
boats and floops. However, the Portuguefe
fhips which refort to this place being fel-
dom of above one hundred tuns, commonly
go up to Cacheo, where they have a little
fort, mounted with four guns, on the north
fide of the river, near a village of Blacks,
and kept by a lergeant with four foldiers.
Four leagues higher, near the village of
Boulet, is the little river of L?;7o-?^m, which
runs nine or ten leagues under ground, as
the
V-
Ckap. 8.
t)f Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
83
Gudngaia
feoguirtJa
river.
Matto
Fermofo.
iPapefs
blacks.
Cacheo
the French report ; and then lofes itfelf.
Tiie country about it is poffefs'd by the
Bagnon Blacks, who are all idolaters, and
much dreaded by their neighbours.
The village of Guongain is direftly at
the mouth of the river, where abundance
of Porluguefe and Gourmet Blacks have their
dwelling, and gather much wax.
The river Boguinda is on the fame coaft,
about three leagues higher than the tide
flows, and reaches twelve or fifteen leagues
up the country, which is inhabited by the
fame fort ot people, dealing like the others
in wax. This is the ordinary paflage froiii
Cacheo to Jam.
On the fbuth-fide of the mouth of the
river of St. Dominick is a large wood, tall'd
Matto Fennofo, that is, the beautiful grove ;
and a village inhabited by the Feloupes.,
much more civiliz'd than thofe before men-
tion'd ; with whom a trade is maintain'd
for flaves and prbvifions, but moil parti-
cularly for rice.
About two leagues higher is a fmall ri-
vulet, not navigable, but noted for parting
the Feloupes from the Papels.
Thofe Papels are as great idolaters as the
bthers. Their king refides five or fix leagues
higher. "When any confiderable perfon a-
mong them dies, they facrifice bullocks,
cows, kids and capons to their idols, which
are generally trees, bullocks horns, &c.
On the road, about four leagues higher.
Hands, the town oi-^acheo, on the fouth-
fide of the river ; cbnfifting of three hundred
houfes, made of clap-boards, pallifadoed
round, and defended on the weft- fide by
a fore of redoubt, mounted with fourteen
large pieces of cannon ; befides tv/o other
Forts of no defence at prefent, with each
three br four guns. There are four churches
in the town, the chiefeft of them dedicated
to the virgin Mary, the parifli-church to
St. Francis, the third Capuchins, to which
belong three or four religious nien, and the
fourth is of Jefiiits. The parifh-church is
ferv'd by a curate. There is alfo a vificor,
in the nature of a great vicar in France,
tvho makes his vifirations in the hame of
hisdiocefan, the bilTaop of ^'^w^i^'^o, one of
the iflands of cape Verde. Moft of the in-
habitants are Portuguefe Mulattos, being
about three hundred families, which drive
a very confiderable trade with the natives
that are under the Portuguefe government.
They formerly paid a confiderable tribute
to the king of the coiintry, who had per-
Inltted them to ered three forts, the largcft
di is fo call'd from
one of th- branches of Ri? G'^and^ which
runs thro' the country of t\it Sou ff/s. The
port of Guinala is the chief town •, and that
which the Portuguefe ca.\\ a C'^uz or the crols,
is not fir from it. Tht king of Gui ia'a is
alw.iys attend-d by a numerous rrtinue wncn-
foevcT he goes abroad, and particularly by
a company of archers. He is fiid to give
the hat, wMch is th-re ufed inftaad of a
crown, to feven petty kings under hisjarif-
didion, and that he maintains them at his
own cxpcmce, and with great profafion. This
king hid formerly twelve fuch kinglings his
tributaries ; but ihtjag-'s have reduced five
ol th.m under their dominion.
It is alfo reported, that at Guinala the
king maintains fifty great dogs, cloth'd in
jackets or coats made of ikins, vvhofe bufi-
nefs is to watch at night •, which obliges the
inhabitants to be at home betim s, for fear
of being torn in pieces and dcvour'd by thofe
dogs, every one of which has a keeper, who
chains him up in the day and takes care to
feed hi n. Tiiisodd fort of watch has been
fettled th;re, becaufe formerly abundance
of wicked vagibonJ Bl icks ufed to refort to
Guinala, and carry away many of the inha-
bitants in the nisfhr.
The royal council confifts of the king
himfclf, the heads and chief mert of the
country, and twelve chofen counfellors.
The Blacks in thefe parts do not diifer from
the others already fp)ken of, in manners,
cuftoms, ^c. but only in the way of be-
wailing and burying their dead kings, which
is worth obferving. As foon as the king
has expired, twelve men, call'dSt/'/^w, wear-
ing long and wide gowns, adorn'd all over
with feathers of feveral colours, make it
known by way of proelamirion, being pre-
ceded by twelve other men, founding a cram'
pet in a doleful manner which, as foon as
heard by the people, every man runs out of his
houfe,coveredwitha white cloth or fheet, and
goes about the tovv^n all the day, whilft the
principal perfons of the country, and the late
Vol. V„
Guitrdof
dogs.
The coun-
cil.
Burial of
kings.
king's officers are aflembled to confult about Barbot.
the eledlion of a new king. Having agreed
upon that point, they order the body of the
deceas'd to bi- open'd, and burn his bowels
before the idol China, which is their chief
deity, as well as of Caratnanfas, before
fpoken of Then the corpfe is very well
wafh'd and embalmed with fwect odors
mixed with the afhes of the bow: Is. Evt-ry
Black is obliged upon thefe occafions to fur-
nlfli his quota of frankincenfe, musk, am.ber-
gris,and white amber,according tohisability.
The corpfe remains after this manner rill the
day of the funeral, when fix of the fii ft qua-
lity in the country cany it to the place of bu-
rial, being cloathcd in white farcenet gowns,
followed by a multitude of others, plaving
a melancholy tune on a fort of flutes and
hautboys, made after their manner. After
thefe follows a croud of Bl.'ck', crying and
howling as loud as they are able. The corpfe
being thus laid in the gr.-ve, in the pr;fence
of the relAtions,v/hoare ufually on horfeback
upon this occafion, and cloathed in loofe
larcenet gowns, which is a fign of mo.irning,
they kill th.it Wife the dead king wa fondeil
of, and feveral of his fervants, to wait oa
and ferve him in the other world ; and that
he may want for no conveniency there, and
to the fame intent, his horfe is to be kilFd„
It is reported, that above fifty perfons have
been fometimes flaughter'd upon fuch occa-=
fions •, but the unheard-of barbarities ufually
ex 'cuted on thofe wretched vi£lims of lu~
perftition and ignorance, before they give
them the laft ftroke to put an end to life,
are wonderfully inhuman for, they are faid
to tear out the nailsof their fingers andtoes>
to crufli and break their legs, and many
more fuch-like cruelties: and as a farther \
addition to themonftroufnefs of this praftice,
they oblige the milerable creatures, deft.n'd
for this butchery, to be prefent at the tor=
ments of their fellows till the laft. This
abominable cuftom ftrikes fuch a terror in-
to the minds of the wives an J frrvants, that,
notwithftanding the plaufible ftories told
them of the advantages accruing to thofe
who are fo facrificed, in the other world,
moft of them abfcond, or run quite away,
as foon as they apprehend the leaft danger ■
of death in the king.
Mercator in his Alias obferves, that it was Exar^pks.
formerly the cuftom in great Tartary to f i- "Z"'.^^''
crifice, on mo\mz Ale ai, all that were pre-
fent at the funeral of their Great Cham, by
the Mufcovites call'd Czar Cataiski ; and
that it once happened, that near 300000
men were fo butcher'd ot one time. E/na-
nuel de Faria y Sou/a in his Sjauifi hiftory of,
Portugal, chap. 6. fag. 40. fpeaking of Vi-
rialus, general of the Lufitanians or Poi tu- '
guefe, about an hundred and forty years be-
fore Christ, who was kill'd by the con-
Z trivance
8^ A Defcription of the Coajls Book L
Babrot. trivance and treachery of Servilius Cepioy a The kingdom of Biguha or Sufiqui is in- Biguba
**^y^ Roman g^tntrzl in Spaifj, tells thispalTage, of habited by the people call'd Biafareiy as has
the fame nature as what we are fpeaking of. been faid before, and depends on that of
That the Liifitanians mifllng their general, Gumala. The port of Biguha is fomewliat
found him dead in his tent ; whereupon the higher up the river than that of Balola of
whole camp was fiU'd with their lamenta- 5<;n:^z, which is inhabited by the Tiz;?rw-»2^?(7J,
tion.s. To perform his funeral rites with znd Bigubamo^\yhy Poriuguefe. ThtTajir
nil imaginable pomp, they rais'd a vaft pile gos-tnaos are faid to be of Portugiiefe extrac-
of timber in the midft of the field, leaving tion, fome of that nation having marry'd
a fpace for the body. The top of the pile black women •, however it is, they differ not
was adorn'd with colours and other trophies in cuftoms and manners from the generality
of arms. Then their idolatrous prieft going of the other Blacks, going almoft naked,
up to the top, call'd upon the ghoft Vi- and cutting or fcarjfying their bodies like
rialuSy and killing fome captives, fprinkled them.
the arms with their blood ; which done, he When ^ king of Biguba dies, and haves CmeUufi
came down, and fetting fire to the pile, the only one fon, that fon is immediately en-^*""-
body was confumed in a moment. thron'd ; but if he leaves feveral, the eldeft
Vnfetthd The Porluguefe jefuits, and other mifllo- cannot be king till he has kill'd all the o-
Biacks. ners, about thebeginning of the laft centu- thers hand to hand-, ihe Biaf ares looking
ry, baptized many of this nation of Gz/m^/i?, upon the braveft as moft worthy of that dig- .
who foon rektps'd into their former paganifm nity. This way of deciding the right to
and fuperftitious worlhip of the idol China : the crown being tedious, it occafions great
fome of them, upon freih exhortations, were troubles and tumults during the interreg-
again reconciLd, but as foon fell back into num.
their abfurdities ; which, at laft, tired thofe There are few chriftians in this coun-
miflioners, who were thus convinc'd, that try, notwithftanding the great toils former-
to undertake the converfion of thofe infidels ly undergone by the miflioners for gain-
was labour in vain, and therefore refufed to ing of cortverts ; but the groffeft paganifm
baptize the king, and fome of his courtiers is foUow'd by all the natives without ex-
who dtfired it, withdra\ying themfcives from ception.
that countryo ' . .
CHAR X.
The ijlands Biflbs j their inhabitants and prdduEi ; BiflTos town and tradel
How they pL'ght their faith to Jtrangers j their habit ^ houfes^ food^ burials^
&Cc. Of Rio Grande, and the ijland Fermola.
tjlmds. X y^^' Bvzagooz, or, according to the
French, Bijfu, lie to the weftward of the
coaft of Bigtiha, being inhabited by the Ja-
gos. The largeft of them is by the Por/«-
^iie[e call'd llha Fermofa or beautiful ifland •,
and by the Spaniards^ IJla de Fernan Po,
that is, Ferdinand Po's ifland, becaufe he
difcover'd it. Some will have it, that there
are near eighty iflands call'd B^Jfos, between
cape Roxo and Rio grai:de, enclofed on the
weft fide by a large bank, which the Portu-
guefe call Baixos dos Bijagos, and the Frencby
Banc de St. Pierre,
Fermofa I^ha Fermofa is parted from the main by
and. BufTi the river Jnaltty, as are alfo two other iflands
ijl»nds. j^ear ij-^ Oppofite to the channel, call'd the
Bot, is the ifland of BuJ/i, inhabited by the
Papels, whofe king is not very abfolute.
The fea is fo fliallow there, that a man
may pafs over to it without being wet above
the mid-1, "g. This ifland is about ten leagues
in compafs, and has two ports, the one on
the eaft fide, call'd Old Port \ the other on
the fouth fide, nAmzdff^bjkSiofies {larhun
Dire£lly oppofite to it, is the village of Caze-
lut, on ine continent, and feveral litde
iflands not inhabited. About two leagues p« Bil^
from it, is the ifland by the French call'd
desBiJf aux. A fhip of three hundred tuns
canpafseafily between the two iflands, know-
ing the channel. This ifland is about forty
leagues in compafs, inhabited by Papel
Blaiks, divided into nine feveral tribes or
nations, eachgovern'dby akingof itsown j
but one of them is fovereign over all the reft,
who depend on him as governours of pro- .
vinces. The prime men in it, are call'd
G arges, fignifyingas much as dukes or peers.
Thefeare the candidates when a new king is
to be chofen, which is done after this manner.
They draw up in a ring, in the midft of^leBionof
which is the tomb of the deceas'd king,
made of reeds, and held up by feveral men,
who, dancing about, tofs it up, and he on
whom it falls is their king.
Thefe iflands are very fruitful, though all FertHi/)-.
over woody, being every where water'd with
feveral ftreams and rivulets, and producing
palm -wine, palm-oil and many other forts of
refrefl-'.ments.
Chap. lo. e?/Nigritia, or North-Guinea,
BifTos
iown.
refrdhments. The country is all flat and
low, only iiere and there fome hillocks and
arable ridges at fome diftance from one ano-
ther. The foil is fo good, that any thing
grows with little labour, fo that there is
plenty of rice, honey, wax, G»iw^-pepper,
much valu'd by the Barbary Moors. It is
alfo well rtor'd with all forts of beails, as
Hags, fallow-deer, elephants, 6f on the ifland Carache after which,rhey
fteer
Chap. 10. v of Nigr ida, or North-Guinea. 8p
fteer SE. or ESE. at about a league, or
fomewhat more diftance from the fhore.
Carache The ifland Carache is feen from the three
ijlmd. points aforefaid. Ahnoft in the midft of
the channel, between the continent and
Carache^ is a ridge of rocks •, but the lar-
board fide mull be kept towards the con-
tinent, ftill founding in fix, feven, eight,
and nine fathom water.
From the faid three points, the courfe
is SE. for feven leagues, to point BuJJy,
which runs far out into the fea. From point
Bujfy to that of Gu'jamheau ESE. in from
twelve to fifteen fithom, with good an-
• ■ . choring every where. This point ol G«)/^/7i-
• heau is not fo foul as that of BuJJ).
The tides in thefe parts run nine hours,
at two leagues diftance of the land, and
are to be nicely obferved ; but efpecially
that which comes out of a fmall river near
BujJ^ point, there being three little low
iflands at the mouth of it, where fome fhips
have run a-ground, notwithftanding there
is eighteen fxthom water in fome places, at
I a fmall diftance from them.
From Guyambeau point is feen that of
St. Martin., lying eight leagues tQ the eaft-
ward ; as alfo the ifland Carache.^ with that
call'd the little Papaga], reckoned one of
the Biffos. There is no coming within a
league of the Papagay ifland, by reafon of
a bank of fand near it, and ftretching out
eaft and weft. St. Martifi's point is alfo
very foul, for a league out at fea. At a
league diftance from point 5"/. Martin, may
be feen an ifland once as big as that call'd
jpndias Papagay, known by the name of Ilha das
Galmhas. Galinhas, or the ifland of hens, lying near
the main land of Bijfos. The courfe from
St. Martin'?, point to that ifland is N E,
The name was given it by the Portiiguefe
from the vaft multitude of Pintado hens
there is on it.
There is a paflTage between this ifland
and the continent, but not fafe, becaufe
veflTels may be drove afliore by the ftrong
tides ; and therefore it is better to pafs be-
tween the ifland das Galinhas, and that of
the forcerers, bearing SE.from the road of
the town of BiJfoSy and fo come to an an-
chor at Bijfos in feven fathom water.
Sorcerers This ifland of Sorcerers is all over wood-
ijlanJ. appointed by the natives for a
great facrifice, which the king of the Bijfos
performs there in perfon every two years.
Any fliip may fafely ride at anchor near it.
The iflanders of Carache and Cafegu are
a treacherous, and confequently a jealous
people, perpetually at war with their neigh-
bours. Their king is one of the talleft
jnen that can be feen.
- •■ The iflands between Carache and Cafegu
are inhabited but thofe of Papagay and
Sarques are not, but all over wooded.
15 Vol. V.
The ifland Cafegu is about frx leagues in Barbot,
com pafs •, on the fouth-fide of it is a con- ^-^W^
venient watering-place, and the water is^^'^S^
frfefli and good. The natives of it, tho' '^"""^ '
not fo bold as the other iflanders, yet for
profit make incurfions into the neighbour-
ing countries, to take flaves, whom they
fell to the Europeans.
The great Fetiche's tree is in the midft oistrangt
the ifland, being an ever-green, from whofe^'"'^-
leaves they fay water is continually drop-
ping, as has been long reported of fuch
anotiier tree in the ifland Ferro, one of
the Canaries ; but this laft has been dif-
proved by all perfons who have been on
thofe iflands. The Blacks adorn this tree
with abundance of polifli'd horns j and in ^
is a high crime for any man to do the
leaft hurt to it. The petty king of the
ifland keeps fome elephants for his pleafure,
in a park made to that end.
Having direfted the courfe to the Biffos,
I will now add the courfe to depart thence
with the fame fafety, when bound for the
IVefl- Indies., or for Europe.
This muft be done by tiding it, for at every courfe
turn of the tide, the fliip is to come to an/''""'
anchor one tide carrying her from the^'^°^'
road of Bijfos to St. Martin's point ; an-
other from thence to point Guyambeau ; a
third from this to that of Bujf^ ; and a fourth
from BuJfy to the three iflands, or three
points. The tide fets N W and S E. and
fpecial care muft be taken to give each cape,
point, or bank, a fufficient berth.
When you have brought the three points
to bear N E. or N E by E. then fteer
away WNW. boldly, by which means
you will clear the banks of Carache, tho'
they run eighteen or twenty leagues out
to fea, keeping in feven, eight, and nine
fathom water, till you come into fifteen.
If you defign for the IVeJi-Indies, fliape
your courfe due weft, as foon as you lofe
fight of Carache ; but if you are bound
for Europe, fteer WNW.
The tides out at fea, fomewhat diftant
from thefe iflands, fet S W. At the be-
ginning of May, when the fun is there ia
the Zenith, the wind being generally at
north, you may fteer W N W.
Rio Grande, generally believ'd by all Rio
travellers to be one of the fix known bran- Grande,
ches which convey the Niger into the Atlan-
tick ocea.n, and the moft foutherly of them,
is fo little frequented by Europeans, except
fome few Portuguefe, that there can be
no particular and exa6l defcription of it
given. All we know in general is, that
the mouth is very wide, and reaches far up
into the country. The main reafon why
fo little known to fea-faring people, is its
being inhabited on both fides by wild, fa-
vage Blacks^ little acquainted with trade,
A a who
6
A Defcription of the Coafls Book I.
Fermola
ijUnd.
Barbot. vo-ho Have (^cen infulted fuch as have been
^■^^V^ forced to put in there, either for want of
provifions, or feme other accident. Befides,
the tide runs but extremely rapid, and the
entrance is much encumber'd with fands
and fhoals and there is reafort to believe
that fome fhips have perilh'd there, and
others been affaulted by the natives, who
wear long collars of old ropes about their
necks, which it is likely they have had
from fuch veflels as have been caft away,
or they have plundcr'd.
Some few leagues from the Ihore,,. to
the fouthward of this river's mouth, is a
very fine flat ifland, about ten leagues in
compafs and therefore call'd Fermofa, that
is, beautiful i abounding in rice, but diffi-
cult of accefs, by reafon of the fea's break-
ing on its ftrand, to the weftward : the
eaft-fide faces feveral fmall iflands, which
are near it, and the continent oppofite to
them. It is a proper place to be fupply'd
with rice, bullocks, poultry, water and
fewel ; but the inhabitants are very rude
to ftrangers, fo that there is no venturing
afhore, as I have been informed by fome
French men of my acquaintance, who have
beert there of late, in much want bf pro-
vifions, when the iflandets attack'd their
boat, and took two of their men, caftihg
lots to decide whofe flaves they fhould be :
but the mafter of the vefiel at length pre-
vail'd with the king, who feem'd to be
fomewhat tnore civiliz'd than the reft of the
Blacksy to have them reftor*d, after fending
Ibme goods for their ranfom.
Their way of cafting lots, upon this bc-
cafion, is fomewhat remarkable they put
into a gourd, or cup, as many fmall bits of
cloth, of leveral colours, as there are Blacks,
Wayafeajl
ing lots.
every one of them chufing his colour. Thefe
they fliake, and mix very well ; and then
one appointed for the purpofe draws the ' . .'
faid lots, by which it is decided to whom
the Have lhall belong. This done, they?
perform a ceremony on the flave, thus :
they take a hen, or puller, and cut off
the head and both wings, which they tie
about his neck, and hang the maim'd body
of the hen over him, in fuch manner, that
the blood may drop down on his head and
feet, by which ceremony they pretend to
conftitute him a flave to the perfon on
whom the lot fell.
Thefe iflanders go almoft naked, wear - The ijim-
ing only a fquare piece of black Sfamjh lea-*^*'"'*'
ther, hanging by a thong or rope about
their waift, to cover their privy parts ; as
alfo a little cap, or head-band, of the fame
leather, which 'tis fuppofed they know how
to drefs, after the Spanijh way, or elfe it
is fold them by the Portugueje trading to
Rio Grande. They have no other weapons,
but bows and arrows, and long javelins,
and are covetous of brandy, iron bars, knives,
mufquets, powder, and ball j all which they
get frorra the Ewopeans, conftantly trading
at the Bijfos, where they have refidenccs.
Hence it is they are fo apt to afiault ftrangers,
who chance to come to their ifland ; becaufe
when they have got and made any of them
flaves, they at one time or other carry them
to the Bijfosj and there get fuch European
goods as they like for their ranfom. Thefe
fay, that the Blach inhabiting on the other
fide of Rio Grande, are more wild and cruel
to ftrangers than themfelves i for they will
fcarce releafe a white man upon any condi-
tion whatfoever, but will fooner or later
murder, and perhaps devour them. /
• A • C H A R XI.
Of the rivers Niger and Nile, the ancient and modern accounts of them
and their fources. The geld trade^ and elej)hants teeth.
T will nor, I believe, be unacceptable
_ to the reader, in this place, to give
fome account of the fource of the rivers
Wile and Niger, erroneoufly taken for the
fame, and fo little known in former ages:
for notwithftanding all the induftry ufed
to difcbver the fprings of Nile, whatfoever
the ancients writ concerning itj was either
abfolutely falfe, or uncertain.
Sefoftris and Ptolemy Philadelphus, kings
of Eg'^pt, Camhyfes, Alexander the great,
Julius Cff'far, Nero, and many other mo-
narchs fpared neither coft, nor labour, to
difcover the courfe of the Nile, without any
fuccefs. Thefe latter ages have difcover'd
that fecret ; and F. Pais informs us, that
he found and obferved it, in the prefence
of the emperor of Ahiffinia^ on the 21ft of
April, in the year 1618 1 but I will firft
fpeak of the Niger.
The Niger
J S the moft confiderable river through- Different
^ out the country of Nigritia, or the land ^Pj»i''»'
of the Blacks. The Arabs at this time call it"^'"''''"
Hued Niger and fome take it for t)xeAfnaga
of Pliny, pretending that the river Gamboa.
is the true channel which conveys it into
the ocean, and urging, that the rivers Se-
nega and Grande are only branches of the
Gamboa. Others will have Rio Grande to
be the true Niger, and all the others above
mention'd only branches of it. However,
moft of the abkft g-eographers of this age,
after
Chap. I i * of Nigritia, or North-Guinea.
after mqeh eonteftbg abcK^ it, agree that mingOy or the river of St. Domimck ; thcBARBo-c.
the Gamha an J Senega are brandies of the fifth Rio Grande^ or the great riyer, from '"(^'"V'Ml
i^igery parting from it in CantozU or Can- which flows the Gumala, being the fixtl^
to^fi^ a province of Nigrkia- This river mouth, and the 5?]^;^^^? the feventh. Never-
Guarda funs in a body from the lake Sigefmes., or thelefs, (ome of the moft corred accounts
lake. of Guarda^ being a fmall Mediterranem fea, of this time, feem to miftrufl: this account,
ijear one hundred leagues in length from as if Gatnboa^ Santo Do?ningo, Rio Grande,
faft to weft, ^n4 about fifty leagues in Guinala and Bignba rivers, did not proceed
breadth, north and fouth, in a pyramidal from the Ica^ or Senega river, which is the
form, and lying between the fourth and diredl brancn, or part of the Niger, at it?
the ninth degrees of eaft longitude from coming out of the lake 6'?g^//»^>J, or Ga^r^^?,
the meridian of London •, between the king- as has been faid above. They obferve, that
doms of Agadez. on the north, that of Guber at a place call'd Bajogue Aqidbaca, the great
on the fouth, Cajfena and Bito on the eaft, river Sf:nega divides icfelf, forming a very
and Miizara on the weft. This Meizara large ftream, called the black river, as the
]ies to the fouthward of the kingdom Qt /f^z is there ^Ifo called the white river which
'Tomboucfon, or Tombut ; and the river is gliding along to the S W. for about forty
call'd lea, or Senega, by the people of ^om- leagues, ends in a lake call'd the great lake
Imti as far up eaftward, as the towns of in the country of M indtnga. Nor do they
Semegda, and Timby or Tafnby, two towns, fay any thing more poficive concerning the
the one on the north, the other on the fprings of Gambju, Santo Domingo, and the
fouth-fide of the faid river : which, coming other rivers above mentioned.
out of the aforefaid lake, takes a large The Arabian geographers pretend, that o;.;«/V»/ e/
compafs to the northward, at the upper the Niger is but a branch of the Nile \nit.
part whereof ftands the city of Tombut, on Egyp, which abfconding under ground,
the north-fide, and a few miles up the land, rifes again by the name of the Niger. The
The town of Cabra is on the bank of the Arabi of Numidia call them both by the
Senega, about fixty leagues eaft from the fame name of Nile ; but for diftindlion fake^
rocks, which make a fall in the faid river the one the Nile of Egypt^ the other the
Senega, near the towns of Galama, Goury^ Nile of Nigritia. There are others of this
and Boromaia, lying in about two degrees fame opinion, that the Nile and the Niger
of weft longitude from the meridian of Lon- proceed ooth from the fame fdurce, becaufe
don, according to the moft correft obfer- they both produce the fame fpecies of ani-
vations of thefe latter times. : i . mals and monftcrs, and overflow at the
Source of The fource of the Niger has been much fame time and, Pliny fays, the antients
Niger, contended about in former ages \ fome pre- were of this opinion, alledging for a farther
tending it was in a lake, to the eaftward of proof, befides what has been faid, that the
the defarts of Seu, or Sen. Modern geo- Niger, as well as the Nile, produces a fore
graphers will have it to come out of a lake, of rufties, made ufe of by the Egyitians
call'd tht Black Lake, on the borders of the inftcad of paper to write on, and the plane
kingdoms of Mendra and Vanque, adjoin- Papyrus.
ing to Nigritia and Abijfinia ; and affirm it The new tranflation of tlie Latin hiftory
runs thence through the kingdoms of Bia- of Ethiopia, wricten by Ludolphus, illultrates
fara and Nubia weftward, to a place where thefe laft mention'd opinions, with the dif-
it finks under ground, and runs in that coveries made in this prefent age, of which
manner for eighteen or twenty leagues, he fpeaks to this effe<5t.
after which it rifes again to form the great The Nile, fays he, proceeds from two source of
lake of Borneo, on the frontiers of Guan- deep round fprings, or fountains, in the Nile.
Cturfe. gara, Biafara, Cajfenfi-, Zegzeg and Cam plain call'd Secut, on the top of tne moun-
ts alfo the vaft lake of Sigefmes, or Guarda, tain Engia, in a province of the kingdom of
which waters on the fouth, the lands of Gcjam, cjiVi'd Saba(a, ov Sahala, ot theem-
Mandinga, Guber and Gago, and on the pire of Abijjinia, in twelve degrees of north
north, thofe of Agadez and Cano. Thence lautude, and fixcy of eaft longitude. The
they fuppofe it runs from eaft to weft, with- inhabitants of that country are call'd Agausy
out any interruption, between the kingdoms and are fchifmaricks the place where the
of Melli and Tombut, to the place called Nile fprings, bears the nau^e of Agaos, a'ids
the fall, above Cantozi, where it divides Kircber.
into feven branches. The firft of them is Thefe two fountains overflowing, form z.
that call'd Rio de San Joao, or St. John^s rivulet, running firft towards the eaft, and
river, falling into the fea, in the bay of then fouthward, whence it winds again to the '
ylrguin, at a place named near cape northward, through feveral lakes, rolling
Blanco ; the fecond is the true Senega river along the right of Abiffinia, irs native coun-
;the third the Gaw^tf^ j the fourth .Sa«/c> try , wh^re it is call'd Abani, or
A Defcription of the Coafis
Book
Barbot. Jbavlf that is, the father of the waters, tra-
'^^V^ verfing the kingdom of Senor\ and at laft,
coming into the land of Dengula^ at the
foot of a mountain divides itfelf into two
branches, whereof that on the left takes the
name of Niger •, and having turn'd again to
the fouthward, runs clear away well into
Nigritia, and fo through it to the ocean
near Elwah. The other branch on the right,
which carries the greater quantity of water,
continues its courle through Nubia, towards
the north, and fo through Egypt, which is
fertiliz'd by its overflowing into the Medi-
terranea}!.
Ludolfus endeavours to back this afler-
tion, by the natural properties of the waters
of the Niger, and of the Nile, which yearly
overflow at the fame time in June and July,
by reafon of the violent rains then falling
in the province of Gojatn, where the fprings
are, as has been faid. However, all thefe
are no better than chimseras of Ludolfus,
who never was himfelf near Ethiopia, and
took molt of his notions from one Gregory,
a native of that country, who knew little
or nothing of geography, and could give
but very imperfeft accounts of things j and
tho' he often quotes F. Baltafar Tellez, who
colledled all the relations of the learned
Jefmts, who traveled throughout Abijfma^
and obferv'd all things of note, like judi-
cious travellers, and every way qualify'd,
yet he rather chufes to rely upon the im-
perfeft and uncertain tales of a perfon no
way fit to make thofeobfervations, than on
the others, who had the proper talent, and
made it their bufinefs to difcover the fource
and courfe of the Nik, I lhall here infert
what thofe jefuits, who were eye-witnefles
of what they deliver, fay of the Nile.
The Nile.
Source of A Lmoft in the midft of the kingdom of
ihe Nile, rs. Qyam^ in Abijftnia, and in twelve de-
grees latitude, is a country they call Saca-
hala, inhabited by a people known by the
name of Agaus, molt of them heathens,
and fome who at prefent only retain the
name of chriflians. This country is moun-
tainous, as are moft parts of Ethiopia.
Among thefe mountains is a fpot of plain,
not very level, about a mile in extent, and
in the midfl of it, about a ftone's throw
over. This lake is full of a fort of little
trees, whofe roots are fo interwoven, that
walking on them in the fummer, men come
to two fprings, almofl a ftone's throw afun-
der, where the water is clear and very deep
and from them the water gufhes out two
feveral ways into the lake, whence it runs
under ground, yet fo as its courfe may be
difcern'd by the green grafs, gliding firft
to the eaftward about a mufket-fliot, and
then turns towards the north. About half
a league from the fource* the water begins
to appear upon the land in fuch quantity,
as makes a confiderable ftream, and then
prefently is join'd by others ; and having
run about fifteen leagues, including all its
windings, receives a river greater than itfelf
call'd Genia, which there lofes its name,
and a little farther two others^ call'd Kelty
and Branty ; and clofe by, is the firft fall,
or cataradf. Thence it flows almoft eaft,
and at about twenty leagues in a ftrait line
from its fource, crofTes the great lake of
Dambea, without ever mixing their waters.
Running hence, it alnroft enclofes the king-
dom of Dambea, like a fnake turn'd round,
and not doling, or rather like a horfe-fhoe.
Many great rivers fall into it, as the Ga-
mara, the Abea, the Bayxo, the Anquer^
and others. As foon as the Nile is out of
the lake of Dambea, above mentioned, its
ftream runs almoft direftly fouth-eaft, paf-
fing by the kingdoms of Begameder, Ama-
hara and Oleca, then turns toward the fouth,
and again winds to the weft, north-weft,
and north, piercing into the countries
of the Gangas and Cafres, thofe of Fof-
calo, the Ballous and the Funclos, being
the fame as Nubia ^ and fo glides on to
Egypt. _ . ;
Here is in a few words the exadt ac-
count o-f thofe perfons, who adlually fur-
vey'd the Nile, and who confute the miftakes
of others that had writ only upon hearfay,
without any mention of a branch running
from it to the weftward ; nay, fo far from v-;^
it, that thefe perfons, writing upon the ' •
fpot, do pofitively affirm there is no fuch
river as the Niger any where near Ethiopa,
much lefs flowing from the Nile, which
they Ihow by their map and defcriptior»
runs entire into Egypt. Thus we fee all
the notions of Ludolfus are frivolous, and
therefore we fhall leave him to feek for the
fource of the Nile upon better authority.
The moft correal obfervations of our ^'"''^7^^''''*
times place the fprings of the Niger in the "'^/^^^''^^
kingdom of Medra, near a town calFd Niger,
Median, ftandingon the faid river, in twenty-
three degrees of eaft longitude, from the
meridian of London, and in nine degrees of
north latitude. The river there comes
down from fome mountains, about forty
leagues to the eaftward of Median, and faid '
to abound in emeralds. They inform us,
the Niger runs from Median weftward, by
the name of Gambaru or Camodeou, from
its firft rife to the lake of Bornou, in the
kingdom of the fame name j and at its
coming out of that lake, takes the name
of Niger'j, the city Bornou, the only one in
that kingdom, flanding on the banks of
it, about twenty leagues weft to the lake.
Holding on its courfe from thence weft-
ward through the kingdoms of Zanfara, or
Pharan^
Chap. 12. of Nigritia, or North-Guinea^
Gold
trade.
Pharan and Ovangara, a country on the
fouth-fide of it, abounding in gold, fena,
and flaves •, it again ftagnatcs in the great
lake of Sigefmes, or Guarda, in eight de-
grees, thirty minutes longitude, from the
meridian of London, between the two towns
of Ghana, built on either fide of it, near
the lake, and in twelve degrees, thirty
minutes of north latitude. Having thus
run through the lake, which, as has been
before obferv'd, is near one hundred leagues
in length, from eaft to weft, it continues
its courfe to the weftward, by the name of
Ica, or Senega, as above.
It would not have been improper in this
place, to have given an account of the
manner how gold is taken out of the rivers
or mines, fince the Niger affords fo much
of that precious metal, and there are fo
many mines in the feveral countries it runs
through ; but that I referve it, till I come
to treat of that part of Guinea, call'd the
Gold Coaji. I (hall therefore at prefent only
fay in general, that the gold is either dug
out of the earth in many parts of this coun-
try which produce it, or elfe wafh'd down
by the prodigious heavy rains which fall,
for three months, with little or no inter-
miffion, on the vaft hills and mountains of
Nigritia, on both fides of the Niger, where
the excefllve heat of the fun produces great
plenty of gold. The fmalleft of it, call'd
gold-duft, is carry'd down by the floods
into tlie Niger, and there taken out of the
channel among the fand.
A Portuguefe, who had been a flave
eighteen years among the Moors inhabiting
a country near that river, has aflur'd me,
that gold is fo common there, as to be put
to the meaneft ufes, and not fo much va-
lued as iron, weight for weight. This makes
good what Sir Thomas More fays in his
Utopia, that iron is preferable to gold, as
more proper for all ufes, ut fine quo, non
tnagis quam fine igne, atque aqua, vivere mor-
tales queant.
About two hundred years ago, the fa-
mous place for the gold trade was cape
Verde, and the adjacent parts ; it being
brought down thither by the Moors from
the countries on the fouth of the Niger, as Ba^lbot.
Mandinga, &c, to trade with the Euro- '^'^'"y*^
peans : but ever fince the Portuguefi; fettled
their chief place of trade at Mma, in South
Guinea, the current is diverted that way,
it being more convenient for the Mcors to
carry it towards the gold coaft, as they have
ever fince continu'd to do, notwithftanding
all the endeavours ufed by the French at
Senega to bring it back that way as it
was before, believing it would fave them
much trouble and charge ; Caho Verde be-
ing fo much nearer to France than the gold
•♦coaft.
To conclude with the defcription of the
Niger : It is reported of the countries bor-
dering on that river, that they breed an
incredible number of elephants, as do y^bif-
finia, Monomotapa and Zanguebar, where thofe
creatures range about in mighty herds, do-
ing much mifchief to the woods and plan-
tations •, but fupply them with fuch quan-
tities of teeth, that they fence and pallifade
their towns and villages with them, as the
Portuguefe flave above mentioned has af-
firmed ; befides the confiderable numbers of
them the Blacks carry down to the fea-
coafts of Nigritia and South Guinea, to traf-
fick with the Europeans ; but moftly at the
firft of thofe places, for ivory grows daily
fcarcer in South Guinea,
The elephants teeth are moft of them Ehpham
pick'd up in the woods and forefts, where
thofe creatures ufually keep but many of
them are alfo kill'd by the Moors imd
Blacks, for the fake of their teeth. How-
ever, the elephants either caft their teeth,
as ftags do their horns, or elfe they are
found after they are dead, and their bodies
con fumed.
I have met with a perfon of learning,
who thinks it a vulgar error to call them
teeth ; fince it is beyond difpute, that they
grow out from the Ikull of the beaft, and
not from the jaws, and that only the
males have them, which do not ferve to
eat with ; and therefore he thinks it would
be proper to call them elephants horns,
or weapons.
CHAP. XIL
The reft of the coafts as far as Sierra Leona ; Rio das Pedras, and others. The
iftands dos Idolos, &c,
Coafl only T Left the defcription of the coaft of Ni- of it ; being frequented by none but the
frequented J|[ gritia at Rio Grande and Biguba. The Portuguefe of Cacheo, and other adjacent
tuguelb ^'^^'^ °^ ^^"^ between this river and that colonies of that nation in Nigriua, driving
of Sierra Leona, in ancient geography the a coafting trade thither in floops and barks,
SophuccBi yEthiopes, affords little to be faid commencing at Ofnalus, fouth of Rio Grande.
Vol. V, Bb Thence
A Defcription of the Coafts
OOK
Barbot. Thence they proceed to Corva de Gafpar
Lopez j Rio de Nunho 'Triftao ; "Terra de
Benar, which is a large bay Cabo Verga^
Os Ires Morros, Rio das Pedras, Rio de Car-
pote, at the entrance into which two rivers,
there are fome iflands, and the two rivers
meet at fea, being before fcparated only
by a cape, Rio de Caduche, Pougama, and
Rio Caluma. Thefe three kft lofe them-
felves in a large bay, WSW. from which
oif at fea, lie the four iflands called Idolos,
Ponta de Coaco^ Mota de 'Tazao^ Arafa,
Rio Priineiro ; thefe four alfo falling int*
one bay^, and ferving for a good land-mark,
coming from the NW. a long narrow
ifland, lying v/ith the coaft, from Mata de
Tazao^ to the north point of this bay of
Barra de Bacre, Next follows Barra de
Coin, oppofite to which alfo is a long nar-
row ifland off at fea •, Rio de Cafes, or Cafces,
with another river to the fouth-eaft, with-
out a name, both of them running out
into a deep bay ; on the fouth point of
which, lies the ifland dos Papagayos, or of
parrots ; and farther again to the fouth-
ward, cape Paulou, which is the northern
head of the bay of Sierra Leona^ and the
fartheft extent fouthward of the coaft of
Nigritia.
The fea-coaft from cape Ferga, by the an-
c\tn\.sc2L\\e^CatharumProinontorium,toSierra
Leona, lies S E by E. fomewhat inclining
to the eaft, as far as cape Tagrin, which
is in eight degrees, thirty-fix minutes of
north latitude, cut by feveral rivers which
fall into the ocean the banks whereof are
very agreeably fhaded with orange and
lemon-trees, befides being befet with vil-
lages and hamlets, all which renders the
profped: very delightful. Moft of the ri-
vers are alfo deep and navigable, but their
ftreams very rapid. The inland country
is very mountainous.
'Rio das '^^^ Pedras, to the fouthward of cape
Pedras. Verga, glides down from a great way up the
country, divided into feveral branches, form-
ing divers iflands in this land, which the na-
tives call KagakaiSy where the Purtiiguefe have
a colony, fecured by a little fort, called
St. Philip.
Rio das Cnfas or Cafpar^ and Rio'Toniba-
fiKe, this theleaft of the two, flow from the
mountains of Machamala, which may be
eafily feen in clear weather, at fome leagues
diftance from the coafb, in failing by, ftand-
ing to the fouthward from cape Ledo or 'Ta-
grin.
It is reported, that on or about thefe
mountains, ftands a high rock of fine cryftal
of a ipyramidal form, but confiding of fe-
' veral pyramids one above another, none
of them touching the ground ; which if
lightly touched, do give a mighty found.
This is fome notion of thofe ignorant cre-
dulous people, fcarce worth mentioning any
otherwife, than as it fliows what fome men
will believe.
The four iflands, by the Portuguefe cal- ijimds dos
led Ilhas dos Jdolos, that is, of idols, from idolos.
the many they found on them, by the
natives f'eu uf vitay, and by others Ta^
mara, are at a fmall diftance from the
continent, near cape Camnekon, or Sagres, .
They are fcarce to be difcern'd from the
oppofite continent at N E by E •, but ac
M N E. they feem to be at a good diftance,
and all over wooded. They afford plenty
of feveral forts of provifions, and very good
tobacco, which the Portuguefe fetch in ex-
change for brandy and fait •, both which
commodities are highly valu'd by the
iflanders, who furnifli for them, befides pro-
vifions, large elephants teeth, and gold-
duft. The natives are crafty deceitful
dealers, and will not fuffer any Dutch to
land on their iflands, ever fince that nation
formerly kidnapp'd, or ftole away fome of
their people.
The iargeft of thefe iflands lies exa6tly *
in nine degrees, forty minutes of north-
latitude, and is higher than any of the
others , we fail'd by them at about fiive Eng-
/z/?) miles diftance, for cd.^t 'Tagrin, found-
ing all the way, and ftruck fourteen, fifteen,
and twenty fathom, uneven ground and
ouzy, mix'd with fmall fliells.
From the iflands dos Idolos, to the afore-
faid cape Tagrin, the courfe is moftly fouth^
a fmall matter inclining to eaft.
There is a tradition, that this traffc of
land, from cape Ferga, to the north-fide of
Sierra Leona river, which is the utmoft ex-
tent of Nigritia to the fouthv/ard, was for-
merly fubjedt to a king called Fathna-t re-
fiding up the inland, and ruling over fe-
veral petty kings his vaffals and tribu-
taries among whom were T mfila, Teem-
ferta and one Don Miguel, converted to
chriftianity, and baptized by ?l Portuguefe
jefuit miffioner, called ^larm'r^, about the ' , '
year 1607,
The tide at fea, from cape Verde, to
that of Tagrin, along the coaft of Nigri-
tia, fets N W. and S E. as in the Britifo
channel.
What I am to fpeak of, in the next place,
relates to the kingdom of Sierra Leona^
where Guinea^ properly fo called, cotn-
mences fome leagues to the northward of
that river ; and the name of the ocean h
chang'd from that of Atlantick into that of
Ethiopick, about cape Tagrin, according to
the exadieft modern geographers ; which
laft name it retains as far as cape Negro, in
fixteen degrees of fouth latitude.
What
A7/.A /%/-^ C.
TalniLsUt
and the JLOCX-JD . at E . up j^Jathoms,Smi mud,'^
G
.Tic3iu1l LjV.lr a' SlZRV.k Lion A ' ' ■ .Vhjrltl, fdr^ aUS£. ^Xe^Uttt. U. du By of Sierra £tona. p.^l-
J^h: 'J.r, To TA „ /fTc dlltilL 'Jk 1-" Ut £ A' /: i// ; J. ^. .yu:s ani titll^crtTetnt of SerocrCL at N'^N.K. Tiukom ^luljscSatd
Chap. 12. of Nigritia, or North-Guinea,
What I fhall fay of the produ6t of the of Nigritia, lying betwixt cape F^rga and the BarboTo
land, manners of the natives and religion river Mitomba, or of Sierra Leona^ which ^vT^/^
profefs'd in the country of Sierra Leona^ fhall conclude this book of the coafts of
may be applied in all thofe particulars to North-Guinea,
the territories and inhabitants of that part
'The END of the First Book.
V
$6
D E S C R I P T I
OF THE
afts oi South-Guinea,
O R
GUINEA, properly fo called :
Commencing at Sierra Leona river, and ending
at Rio de Fernan Vciz, to the fouthward of
cape hope Gonzalez.
With an account of the feveral illands in the gulph of Guinea'^
by the Englifi commonly called the Bight.
BOOK II.
CHAP. I.
Uefcription of Sierra Leona 5 the feveral kingdoms > Mitomba river 5 European
fa6iories, The natives^ produBy beafts, birds^ fijhj SCc.
Sierra Leona.
Barbot. f"
M'hy fg
saU'd,
1
lis extent.
^ H E kingdom of Sierra heona^
whether it be taken for the whole
country in general, or only for the
fouth part of the bay or river of Mito7?iha^
had this name given it by the Portuguefe
and Spaniards^ from the roaring noife of
waves beating in ftormy weather upon the
ftony fhores and rocks, running all the
length of it, which at a diftance is not
unlike the roaring of lions or elfe from
the vaft numbers of thofe fierce creatures
living on the high mountains of Bourre and
'Timna, on the fouth-fide of the river j
Sierra in Spanifh fignifying a mountain, and
Leona a lionefs •, whence fome call them the
mountains of the lions.
Nothing being more uncertain than the
extent and dimenfions of wild favage coun-
tries, where the natives are ftupid, igno-
rant, and utter ftrangers to geography ■> I
3
cannot fafely pretend to afTign the limits of
this country of Sierra Leona, as being alto-
gether unknown to any Europeans, It will
be fufficient to obferve, that fome modern
geographers extend it to cape Verga before
mentioned, northward, making it to bor-
der on the kingdom of Melli that way,
and to depend on it ; eaftward to that of
Bitoiin, which joins on the N E. with that
of Mandinga ; fouthward to that of the
^ojas, Carrodobout Doge, and Coiide ; and
weiiward to the Atlantick and Ethiopick
ocean.
However it is as to the limits, xhzt Inhabit
country is inhabited by two diftin£t nations, **"**3
called the Old-Caoez and the Ciimhas-Manez :
the firft of them reckoned the beft and
moft polite people of all NigriUa ; the lat-
ter daring, reftlefs, rude, and unpolifhed,
being man eaters, as the word Manez, de-
notes, in their language. The Portuguefe
ac
Chap, Of the Coajls South-Guinea.
at Congo and Angola^ reckon thefe to be of
the fame race with the barbarous Jagos and
Galas, inhabiting the country EN E. from
Congo, who have long been the terror
of many negro-nations in Africa, having
committed moft unheard-of inhumanities
• from the beginning of the laft century to
this time ; and all of them generally fup-
pofed to proceed from the nation of the
Galas Monou, living far up the inland of the
river Seftro.
Bitri>arous Thefe two nations above mentioned, have
Cumbas, been continually at war, like implacable
liLdc' ^"^"^^^5' ^^^^^ ^'^^ Cumbas Manez came
pea. ^' clown, about the year of our redemption
1 505, from a very diftant country up the
land, and aflaulted the Capez, then the na-
tural ancient inhabitants, defigning to plun-
der and deftroy the country, and carry off"
the natives, to fell them to the Portuguefe,
then newly fettled in thofe parts of Africa ;
and they actually did feize and fell great
numbers of thofe poor people. Then ob-
ferving the goodneis and fertility of the
country, they refolv'd to fettle there ; and
the better to fucceed in their defign, conti-
nu'd to carry on a cruel and bloody war
with the civilized Capez, every where per-
fecuting and devouring many of thofe they
took prifoners. The Capez feeing them-
felves reduced to fuch diftrefs, took heart,
and made fuch vigorous oppofition, that
their barbarous enemies have not yet been
able to bring about their wicked defigns.
Thus both nations ftill keep footing in the
country, and the war continues to this day,
with the deftrudion of great numbers on
both fides ; efpecially of the Capez, many of
whom, tired out with fo many hardihips and
fufferings, chofe rather voluntarily to fell
themfelves for flaves to the Portuguefe,
than to hazard falling fooner or later into
the hands of thofe man-eaters This enmity
concinu'd hot among them in the year 1678,
when firft I went into that river, and law
the preparations made by zhe Ctwibas Ma-
nez to give their enemies a warm reception,
as I fhall obferve hereafter •, tho' I was in-
form'd the war was not carry'd on with fuch
inhumanity as formerly, the Cumbas begin-
ning to grow fomewhat more civilized and
. peaceable than their forefathers, by trading
' with the Europeans, but ftill wild and bru-
tifh enough.
Boih fub- Both thofe nations are faid to own fome
jea to fort of fubjedion to the king of ^oja, who
Qyoja. generally refides near cape Monte, having
been formerly fubdued by a king of that
nation, call'd Flanfire, whofe fuccelTors ftill
appoint a viceroy over them, by the name of
Dondagh, whofe brothers once refided at
Timna till failing at variance among them-
Vol, V.
91
felves, they parted, and made war with oneBARBor:
another. One John Thomas, a Black of^-O/^
about feventy years of age, of whom I fhall
have occafion to fpeak hereafter, at the time
of my coming thither, was the youngeft ■,
and had for his patrimony the village Tom -
by, lying four leagues up the bay, by the
French call'd Bay de France, and about a
league above the village Bagos, near which
there are feveral large tali trees. The Eng-
lijfjf for the moft part, anchor before Tb?«-
by, which is on the foiith-fide of the river,
and neareft to their fettlement.
There are other geographers, who will various 0-
have the country and kingdom of SierraP'"'""^
Leona to commence at cape Ferga aforefaid,^^"^j^^%
and to extend no farther fouthward than cape sierra
Tagrin, and reckon it as part of the kingdom Leona.
of Melli. Others again confine it between
the river Mitomba, on the north, and that
of Serbera on the fouth, placing a town they
call Concho about the center of the inland
country •, but thefe controverftes are not very
material.
The north parts of this river Mitomba,'&o\i[m
from the point of the bay or mouth
weftward, and up the bank, are fubjedt
to two petty kings, to him of Bourre on
the fouth, and to him of Boulm to the
north ; this laft in my time was call'd An-
tonio Botnbo. The former commonly re-
fides at the village Bourre^ which confifts
of about three hundred huts or cabbins,
and five hundred inhabitants, befides women
and children. The Portuguefe miflionaries
formerly made fome converts at Boidm^ a-
mong whom was the king and they ftill
continue to fend miflionaries thither, from
time to time. The word Boulm, in the lan-
guage of the country, fignifies low-land ;
and others pronounce it Boleyn and Bouloun.
The coaft, on the fide of Boulm, is low and
flat, in comparifon of the oppofite fliore of
Bourre or Timna ; near which, are thofe
famous mountains of (2 being a
long ridge, and reckon'd the higheft of either
North or South- Guinea, except thofe of Ambo-
fes, in the gulph or bight. There are fo many Great
caves and dens about thefe mountains, that echt.
when a fingle gun is fired aboard a ftiip in
the bay, the echo is fo often and fo diftinft-
ly repeated, as makes it found, to perfons at
a diftance, like the report of feveral guns,
the clap being fo loud and fmart, which
was often pleafant to me to hear ; whereas,
on the contrary, it was dreadful in thun-
dering weather, the echo repeating each
clap of thunder with as much force as the
real ; infomuch, that till ufed to it, not
only I, but all the company aboard, did
quake at the horrid rattling noife breaking
forth from fo many parts, thunder being
C c here
^8
■ A Defcription of the
OOK
Barbot. here very frequent, and extraordinary fierce.
^-OT^ Hence the Portuguefe call them Monies Cla-
ros, that is, mountains that have a clear
found or echo.
Not far from thefe mountains, there runs
out into the fea weftward, a hilly point,
much lower than thofe hills, forming almoft
a peninfula, over which the Blacks carry their
canoes on their flioulders, when they defign
to launch out to fea, becaufe it faves much
trouble of rowing round from the bay thi-
Cafe Ledo ther. This point is call'd Cabo Ledo or Ta-
Tagrin.^^^-^^ 2,x\dhy otht'csli' agar aim, lying exactly
in 8 deg. 30 min. of north latitude, accord-
ing to our exad: obfervation ; contrary to all
the Dutch maps, which are faulty in this par-
ticular of latitudes all along the coaft of this
part of Guinea, laying down all the coafts
thirty degrees more northerly than they
Dutch really are. Thefe miftakes ought to be care-
mijlakes. fuHy obferv'd by Europeans trading along
the coaft of Nigritia, and part of thofe of
Guinea properly fo call'd, accounting every
port, cape, and river, half a degree nearer
to the north than the Dutch maps reprefent
it : for the over-fliooting of any pore or
place there, is of great confequcnce, it be-
ing no eafy matter to recover the fame by
plying to the windward.
I believe it will be acceptable to infert
the following obfervations, which will be
of ufe in navigation to thofe who go up
the river of Sierra Leoiia. The flood fets in
N E by E. and E N E. and the ebb runs
out SW by W. and WSW. 2. At full
moon, efpecially from September to Janua-
ry, the weather is very calm all the night,
and till about noon, when a frelh gale
) comesup at SW.SSW. and WSW. which
holds till about ten at night, and then the
calm fucceeds again. 3. Ships may anchor
every where, both within and without the
bay, in feven or eight fathom water, red
fandy ground. 4. Ships failing from the
iflands dos Idolos are to Iteer S E by S. and
S S E. to avoid the banks on the north-fide
of Sierra Leona, and then fhape their courfe
due fouth, when they defign for the bay,
till they come to range with the breaking
of the fea, which at all times appears to
the weftward of the bay. At the time of
flood, any fliips may run along the break-
ing, fteering E N E. and continually found-
ing from fix to fourteen fathom, muddy
ground, which is the true channel. The
nearer you come to the coaft or fide of
Bourre, the deeper the water is ; for the
higher the land, the deeper the fea near it in
all places. 5. If you muft of neceflity anchor
without the bay, the fafeft, and moft proper
place is about three quarters of a league
off cape 'Tagrinj to be clear of the violent
ftream running out of the river and bay, to
the N E. upon the breaking of the cape of
Boulm, the rapidity whereof is very great,
and no lefs difcernible at low water. 6, This
method obferv'd in fteering, will carry a
fhip fafe up the river, to anchor before that
they call the bay of France, in fixteen or
eighteen fathom water, clayifti ground ;
mooring as clofe to the ftiore as can be with
convenience, to fave the crew the trouble of
going too fir to fetch water and provifions.
7. The flood in the bay is of feven hours,
and the ebb of five.
'The river of Sierra Leona .•■■,.,>
.it
U N S down from a great way up the its courfe
inland, A certain Black would needs ^Z"'^''
perfuade me, that the fource of it is in Bar- '^"'^^^''y-
bary ; urging, that he had traded much that
way along the river, the commodities being
a fort of fruit call'd Cola, and flaves, which
the Barbarians buy of the Blacks of Sierra
Leona. It is to be fuppofed, that by the JS^zr-
barians, this man meant the Moors and A-
rabs, who trade into the kingdom of Totii-
but, which has commerce with Morocco^
which kingdom has its gold from thence;
the merchants going to and from, between
thofe two nations or kingdoms, with the
gold of Gago and Mandinga, where there are
gold-mines. Befides, it is reafonable to fup-
pofe, that the river of Sierra Leona has a
communication up the country with other
rivers, or with fome branches of the Niger^
which paffes by Tovibut, and is there call'd ■
lea by the natives. All this is not impro-
bable, the diftance between thofe places not
being very confiderable, and there being
a conftant commerce at 'Tombut, betwixt the
natives and the people of Morocco, Fez^ and
Barbary, reforting thither in caravans, thro'
the defarcs of Zahara, as I fliall further ob-
ferve in the fupplement.
This river bears the name of Mitomba or ^^^w fr*'
Bitomba no farther than about twenty-five
or thirty leagues from the mouth up the
country-, and, tho' reported to run very far
down the inland, yet is no farther known to
Europeans, and the natives can give no
good account of its fource.
On the fouth-fide of it ftands a town, AsMago-
called As Magoas, where none but the Por-^nown.
tugueje are allowed to refide for trade the
natives coming down the river to barter
with the French and EngUJJj, when there are
any fliips of theirs in the bay.
The ancients call this river Nia ; cape
Ledo, or Tagrin, Hefperi Corfm ; and the names.
people inhabiting the countries about it,
LeuC'Mlhiopes, as alfo the mountain up the
country Rhyfadius Mons,
This
/. / :j'/aU D .
Chap. I. Coafls of South-Guinea.
Englifh This river has feveral fmall illands and
Z'"'^- rocks at the entrance into the bay, which
look like hay-reeks. The chief of them
are the iflands Cogu^ i:'aj[fo and Bences ; on
the laft whereof the Englijh have ereded a
fmall fort, which has nothing confiderable
but the advantage of the fituation, on a
fteep rock, of difficult accefs, which is
only up a fort of ftairs cut in the rock,
and is a ftore-houfe for the royal African
company. The fort is of lime and ftone,
the walls low, has a round flanker with
five guns, a curtin with embrazures for
, four large guns, and a platform juft before
it with fix guns, all of them well mounted.
But there are no confiderable buildings in
.. • . it, the flave-booth being the beft. The
garrifon generally confifts of twenty white
men, and thirty Gromettos^ who are free
Blacks^ and have a fmall village under the
Ihelter of the fort. The ifland is of little
compafs, and the foil barren.
About four leagues from the watering-
place Hands the village Bagos, clofe to a
little wood-, and to the eaftward of it is
'■^ Hornby ^ where is a curious profpedt, and
before it the Englijh fhips ufually ride j the
ifland Tajfo appearing from thence at a
great diftance, and looking like firm land.
De Ruy- The Englifi African company had its
terW fa£tory formerly on the ifland TaJJo ; but
the Dutch admiral de Riiyter^ at his return
from the expedition to the gold-coafl:, where
he reflior'd to the Dutch IVeft-India com-
. , pany mofl: of the fettlements, the Englijh^
• ' under admiral Ho/wd'i, had taken from them
the year before, in the name of the duke
of Tork^ and the royal African company of
England^ put into this river of Sierra heona^
deftroy'd the faid company's fort, and took
away all the goods they had in it, amount-
ing to a confiderable value. The Englijh
company, after this expedition of de Ruyter^
caufed another fort to be ere6led, for the
fecurity of its trade, on the ifland Cogu ;
but the natives not . approving of it, or
being otherwife diflTatisfy'd with the Eng-
lijh^ rofe up in arms againfl: them, and de-
fliroy'd it, obliging them to retire to an-
other place.
Portu- The Portuguefe have feveral fmall fettle -
guefe/^c- ments in this country, particularly one near
tones. Donder?nuch, or Dotndotnuch but very little
, correfpondence with the Englijh of Bence
ifland, being jealous of them in point of
trade.
"Severs _ The river Mitomba in its courfe thro' fe-
^f^'fl^e ^^'"^^ countries, receives many fmaller wa-
Mitomba. the chief whereof are Rio Caracone,
flowing northward. The river Bonda, or
Tutnba, or S. Miguel, running S E. naviga-
ble for fliips of burden half way up its
99
channel, and dividing the Cap ez from the Bap rot.
Cumbas. The country about it produces '"'^'W^
much fantalum wood, or landers, by the
natives called Bonda, and thence the river
has its name. The thirds which is anony- '..
mous, runs towards xht Forna deS.Annay -.y-
along the fouth fhore, and lofes itfelf in '
the bay near the king of Bmrreh town*
The Portugueje trade up thefe two lafl: ri-
vers, in their canoes and brigantines.
The country all along the fides of the villages
river Mitomba, is well peopled, and h^i^{«»g'^c
many hamlets and villages. On the north-
fide of the bay, being the coafl: of Boulm,
are three villages ; which are thofe of Bin-
que, 'Tinguam, and o^Toung Captain Lewis.
The foil is very fertile, and therefore the
Blacks have added to the name of Boulm^
fignifying low-land, that of ^d^r^*, which
imports good and thus Boulm Berre de- : '
notes good low-land.
The king of Boulm favours the Englijh gnglifh
more than cither xht Portugueje, French, or where fa-
Dutch ; though there are many of the firH'^o"''''^-
who live difperfed up and down his coun-
try.
The Blacks of Timna are much in t\\tThe
French interefl:. Some will have it, that f'^reach,
the village of Serborakata lies in the level
that is between cape I'agri??, and the moun-
tains to the eaftward of it ; and that about
two leagues farther up the country is a
cruel and favage people, called Setnaura^
who are always at war with thofe of Ser-
borakata.
The village of John l^homas, who is go- vuiage
vernour of that part of the country, ftandso/John
in the wood, E N E. from the place by the'^^^'^""
French called la Fontaine de la France, con-
fifting but of a few hutts, built round,
much like thofe defcribed at Gamboa.
The bay of France, where this fountain,
or fpring of frefh water rifes, is about fix France,
leagues up the river, from cape 'Tagrin, and
eafily known by the fine bright colour of
the fandy fhore, looking at a diftance like
a large-fpread fail of a fhip. The ftrand
there is clear from rocks, which renders
the accefs eafy for boats and floops to take
in frefti water. At a few paces from the
fea is that curious fountain, the beft and
eafieft to come at of any in all Guinea^
the fource of it is in the very midft of the
mountains of l^imna, ftretching out about
fifteen leagues in a long ridge, and not to
be come at without great danger, as well
for the many tygers and lions living on
them, as for the crocodiles reforting thither.
Some perfons who would have made a far-
ther difcovery of the country, could not
go above two Englijh miles, along the chan-
nel of one of the Iprings, not daring to
venture
3
lOO
A Defcription of the
Book IL
Barbot. venture any farther, by reafon of the dif-
""-^"Y^ mal and dreadful profped they faw before
them. The frelli waters fall down from
the high hills, making feveral cafcades a-
Curious mong the rocks, with a mighty noife, found-
fotmtain. ing the louder in that profound filence which
reigns in the foreft ; then running into a
fort of pond, overflow and fpread about
the fandy rtiore, where they gather again
into a bafin, or cavity, at the foot of the
hills •, which not being able to contain the
vaft quantity of water continually flowing
in, it runs over upon the fands again, and
thence at lafl: mixes with the fea-water.
This, in my opinion, is one of the mofl:
delightful places in all Guinea the bafin
which receives this delicate frefh water be-
ing all encompafs'd with tall ever-green
trees, making a delightful fhade in the moft
exceffive heat of the day ; and the very
rocks fl:anding about it, at a fmall difl:ance
from each other, do no lefs contribute to
beautify that piece of landfkip, and add to
the pleafure of the place. I ufed, whilfl:
there, to take the advantage of having my
dinner and fupper carried thither frequently.
Here a large fhip's crew may eafily fill an
hundred cafks of water in a day.
T)*n£er As fweet and frefh as this water is, it muft
m water, obferved, that it has an ill effedl upon
the failors, if taken in the beginning of the
rainy feafon y but more efpecially in Jprii^
becaufe the violent heats of the fummer
having corrupted the earth, and kill'd a-
bundance of venomous creatures, the vio-
lent rains which enfue, occafion mighty
floods and thefe wafh down all that poifo-
nous matter into the fprings and channels of
this fountain, and confequently give a ma-
lignity to the water. This has been expe-
rimentally found by many to their coft ;
bur it happens only in the winter, or rainy
feafon. It is alfo requifite to be fparing in
eating of the fruit of this country, and to
avoid drinking of the water to excefs, be-
caufe it caufes a fort of peftilential diftem.-
per, which is almofl: certain death, at leafl:
very few elcape.
But for ^''^ '•^"'^y liberty of watering and
vVJing. wooding here, is not above the value of
four French crowns, in feveral fmall wares
and toys, paid to captain John Thomas^ the
chief commander there.
Wooiing- The wooding-place is about an hundred
^Uce. paces N E. from the fountain, or elfe to the
eafl:ward, as the black commander thinks
fir. The felling of wood here is very la-
borious, the trees being clofe together, and
link'd from top to bottom with a fort of
creepers, by xXitFrench called Lianes \ other-
wife the wooding would be eafy, the car-
riage to the water-fide being fhort.
The Blacks of Sierra heona arc not of slacks of
fo fine a fhining black as thofe of cape ^''^'''^^
Verde, nor have they fuch flat nofes. They ^'
adorn their ears with abundance of toys,
called there Mazubast and make feveral
fmall imprefllons on their faces, cars, and
nofes, with a red-hot iron, which they reckon
very ornamental, wearing gold rings and
bracelets. Both fexes go fl:ark naked till
about fifteen years of age, when mofl: of
them cover their privities with a clout, or
piece of the bark of a tree ; yet fome there
are who do not care to do it, tho' grown
up men, having nothing but a narrow lea-
ther thong about their waifl:, to fl:ick their
knife in.
The Blacks of birth and quality, wear a Turbulent
fliort gown, or frock of fl:riped callico, like^«i^/'«'*-
the Moors^ They are generally malicious
and turbulent, which occafions frequent
falling out among themfelves, and more
with the Europeans j who cannot be better
reveng'd of them, than by burning their
hutts, and defl:roying their corn and roots.
On the other hand, thefe Blacks are fober, sohrmy.
and drink little brandy, for fear of being
difcompofed, and are, for the mofl: part,
more fenfible and judicious than thofe of
other parts of Guinea particularly the Ca~
pz^ who foon learn any thing that is taught •• : '
them. They were formerly efi^eminate and • ■ "'
luxurious, but are now become braver, by
reafon of the long wars they have had with
the Cumhas,
Every town or village has one publick £(/«f4/l«i;
houfe, to which all marry'd perfons fend
their daughters, at a certain age, who are
there taught for a year to fing, dance, and
perform other exercifes, by an old man of
the prime family in the country and wheh
the year is expired, he leads them to the
market-place, where they fing, dance, and
fhow all they have learnt at their boarding-
fchool, in the prefence of all the inhabi-
tants. If any of the young men, who are
fpedtators, are difpofed to marry, they make
choice of thofe they like befl:, without re-
gard to fortune or birth. When the man .
has thus declar'd his intention, they arc
look'd upon as adually married, provided
the bridegroom can make fome fmall pre- - i
fents to the bride's father and mother, and to
the old man, who was her tutor, or mafter.
Thefe people make very curious matsMnrj.
of ruflies, and other weeds, and dye them
of feveral colours, which are much valu'd
by Europeans. On thefe mats the 5/<3r^j lie
at night. It is queftion'd, whether the
Portuguefe taught them, or they the For-
tuguefe.) to make thefe mats.
The country abounds in millet and rice, Diet
which are the principal food of the natives.
The
IhAP. I. Coafts of S01TTH-GU"INEA.
mi
Vrodttcl.
Wild
Monkeys,
Monkeys
eaten.
The women pound the rice in hollow flumps
of trees, and then boil it into balls. Some
of them wafh their rice in fea-water, and
fo eat it.
Here are alfo lemmons, fmall juicy-
oranges, Mangioca or Cajfabi., and Guinea
pepper, but no great quantities of any of
them. Their wild grapes are pretty good,
and there are fome Bananas, and three forts
of cardamom, or grains of paradife. But
farther up the river, near the Englijh
fettlement, is great plenty of oranges,
lemmons, bananas, Indian figs, ananas,
pompions,- water-melons, ignames, potatos,
wild pears, white plumbs, feveral forts of
pulfe j and Cola, of which I fhall fpeak
hereafter. All thefe provifions they ufually
carry out in large canoes to the fhips in
the road. Five or fix men row ftanding,
and ufe long paddles inflread of oarSj like
the Blacks of cape Lopez.
They have great ftore of cocks and hens,
wild goats, and fwine, all which coft but
little when bought for brandy or knives.
The mountainous country fwarms with
elephants, lions, tygers, wild boars, fallow
and red deer, roes, apes of feveral forts,
and ferpents : fome of thefe laff, fo mon-
ftrous big, if we may credit the natives,
that they fwallow a man whole. They
have a fort of plant which never fails to
cure the bite of ferpents, which I fuppofe
to be the fame lately found in the ifland of
Martinico ; the inhabitants whereof are fo
pefter'd with fnakes, that many f erifh'd by
being bit, till fome Blacks accidentally found
that plant, which is now of great ufe.
Apes, monkeys, and baboons, are fo
numerous, that they over-run the country
in mighty flocks, deftroying the plantations.
There are three forts of them, one of them
called Barrys, of a monftrous fize ; which,
when taken young, are taught to walk up-
right, and, by degrees, to pound Indian
wheat, to fetch water in calabaflies, or
gourds, from the river or fprings, on their
heads, and to turn the fpit.
Thefe creatures are fuch lowers of oyfters,
that at low water they go down to the fhore,
among the rocks, which breed very large
oyfters and when the fhells open with the
violent heat of the fun, they clap a fmall
Itone between them, and fo pull out the
oyfter : yet fometimes it happens, that the
ftone flips afide, or is too little, and then
the fhells clofing, hold faft the monkeys
and thus they are taken, or kill'd by the
Blacks, who reckon their flefh delicious
food, as they do that of elephants.
Being one day myfelf kept as an hoftage
for the Englijh fadorof Bence ifland, who
was aboard our fliip, at the houfe of cap-
tain John 'Thomas^ about half a mile up in
Vo L. V. ^
the woods; I there faw an ape boiling in aBARsoT.
pot, with v/hich the faid captain John Tbo- ^w^V^
mas ofi^ered to treat me at dinner : but I
could not prevail with myfelf to eat of that
unufual food, and yet feveral Europeans
have told me it is good meat, having often
eaten of it.
I have feen oyfters here fo large, that
one of them would give a man a meal ;
but fo tough, that they are fcarce eatable,
unlefs firft well boil'd, and then fry'd in
pieces.
The Cola is a fort of fruit fomewhat refem- rni.
bJing a large cheftnut, as reprefenied in the
figure, v/hich is of the natural bignefs. The Plate j-^
tree is very tall and large, on which this fruit
grows, in clufters, ten or twelve of them to-
gether ; the outfide of it red, with fome
mixture of blue arid the infide, when cut,
violet-colour and brown. It comes once a
year, is of a harfh fharp tafte, but quenches
the thirft, and makes water relifh fo well,
that moftofthe Blacks carry it about them,
wherefoever they go, frequently chewing,
and fome eat it all day, but forbear at "
night, believing it hmders their fleeping.
The whole country abounds in this Cola^
which yields the natives confiderable profit,
felling it to their neighbours up the inland ;
who, as fome Blacks told me, fell it again
to a fort of white men, who repair to them
at a certain time of the year, and take off
great quantities of it. Thefe white men are
fuppos'd to be of Morocco or Barhary % for
the Englifi of Bence ifland afilir'd me, there
was a great quantity carry'd yearly by land
to 'I'unis and 'Tripoli, in Barhary.
The woods harbour infinite numbers off^^/^^^/^
parrots, and ring-doves or queefts, and
many other forts of birds ; but the thick-
nefs of the woods hinders the fport of fhoot-
ing. The beft place, and of eafieft accefs
to ring-doves, is that where captain John
Thomas refides, he having hew'd and grubb'd
it, for about 2000 paces fquare, to make
arable ground, for his own ufe, leaving
only fome trees ftanding here and there, at
a diftance from each other, where many
of thefe birds come to perch.
The fea and rivers furnifh the natives and
travellers with abundance of fifti, of all the
forts and fizes that are found at Goeree and
cape Verde, befides others unknown to
Europeans, as reprefented here in the cut, plate G.
having been very exadt in the draught.
This plenty of fo many forts of very laro-e ,
• jji- kn • c 1 r ■' r - Very good
or middling fifli, is of great benefit to fai- ^yj-;
lors, while they ftay here to water and wood,
or to drive their traffick, if they be provided
with proper nets and lines for the Negroes
are fo lazy, that they take no manner of pains
to weave nets to catch fifti and content
themfelves with the leflTer trouble to feek
D d amongft
102
Barbot. amongft the rocks for what fifhes the ebb
^^^Y^ has there left dry •, which often is fo incon-
fiderable, it doth nothing near reward their
attendance. I have feen feme of captain 'Tho-
mas's flaves catching upon the furface of
the water amongft the rocks, by means of
a piece of a ragged cloth, an incredible
quantity of new-ipawn'd fifhes, the biggeft
not fo large as an ordinary goofs -quill;
which being boiled in a large earthen pot
together, tho' very full, are reduced to a
fort of pap, and accounted a good difli
among 'em.
The whole country is fo over-run with
criptwn 0
OOK
lofty trees, that it may be call'd one ccn-
tinu'd large foreft, very thick and clofe
together •, amongft which, are abundance of
palm-trees, and a fort of laurels, on the
mountains. The fea-fhore, and rivers, are
border'd in many places with mangrove-trees.
The wood in general may be proper for
building any fort of veffel or Ihip ; but, it
is very heavy and fluggifli.
To the weft, John Thomas^ the com-
mander of the bay, has another plantation
of maiz and mangioca, of much greater ex-
tent than his other, whereof I have taken
notice already, - - • ■ ■ '
C H A P. 11. ^ ' ■
Climate of Sierra Leona unwbolefome. Commodities imported and exported.
Government, hiftalling of kings. Religion. Courfe to be Jteer'd along
the coafij fands and fhoals. -
ZTnhealthy
climate.
Goods ett
Sierra
Leona.
tHO' the air of Sierra Leona is good
or bad, according to the time^ and
fealbn of the year ; the days of fummer,
being clear and bright in the open flat
country, tho' very hot in the forenoons, for
the fouth-weft gales of the afternoon refrefh
the air very much but in the high hilly
countries it's on the contrary very bad, be-
caufe of the woods and forefts : However,
it can be truly faid in general to be alto-
gether very unwholeibme, for Europeans.^
as many EnglJJjmen that have dwelt in the
fort of the frnall Bence ifland, during the
high feafun of the year, could witnefs, if they
had not died there. For during fix months
it rains, thunders, and is fo intolerably hot,
efpecially in June and Julj., that men muft
of neccffity keep clofe within their huts and
cabbins, for a whole fortnight, to be free
from the malignity of the rain-water, which
falls in great abundance at that time, and
breeds maggots in an inftant •, the air be-
ing quite corrupted by the lightning and
horrid thunder, attended fometimes with
dreadful tornados of tempeftuous whirlwinds
the days dark and gloomy, which altoge-
ther deftroy and alter the beft conftitution
in men and beafts, and the goodnefs of the
water and provifions : fo that 'tis eafy to
conceive v/hat a fort of melancholy and
miferable life our Europeans muft needs lead
in fuch a difmal climate. But what will
not the profped of profit and gain prevail
with men to undertake !
This river of Sierra Leona., has been long
frequented by all European nations, but
more by the EngUp and French.^ than any
other, either for trade, or to take in re-
frefliment in their way to the Gold-Coaft or
Whidah. The goods purchafed here by
way of trade are, elephants teeth, flaves.
fantalum-wood, a little gold, and much
bees-wax, with feme peails, cryftal, am-
bergris, long-pepper, k£c.
The elephants teeth are efteemed the
beft of all Guinea., being very white and
large. I have had fome weighing eighty
and a hundred pound, at a very modeft rate;
eighty pound of ivory for the value of five
livres French money, in coarfe knives and
fuch other toys : but the Portuguefe fpoil
this trade as much as they can, and do con-
fiderable damage to the Engliflo company's
agents refiding here efpecially in point
of flaves, which they are now forced to
fetch a great way up the country.
The gold purchafed here, is brought
from Mandinga and other remote countries,
towards the Niger ; or from South-Guinea,
by the river Mitcmba.
The goods carried thither by the Euro- Goods car-
of fundry 60-
peans for trade, are,
French brandy and rum.
Iron bars.
White callicoes, .
Sleyfiger linnen. ,
Brafs kettles. . . .- . :
Earthen cans.
All forts of glafs buttons
Brafs rings or bracelets.
Bugles and glafs beads,
lours.
Brafs medals. .• . . • . .
Ear-rings.
Butch knives, (call'd Bofmans) firft and
fecond fize. .
Hedging-bills and axes. : . , \.
Coarfe laces. ■ '
Cryftal beads.
Painted callicoes (red) call'd chintz.
Oil of olive.
Small duftels. . .
Ordinary
ry'd thi-
ther.
Chap.z.
Coajis of South-Guinea,
Ordinary guns, muskets, and fuzils.
Gun-powder. • ■
Mufkec-balls and fhot
Old (heets. ■ • ■ ■ ' ' ' ' ■
Paper. ■<<-
Red caps. v ' ; / r^ -- .-; ';
Men's lliirts. ■" ' • ' ■
Ail fores of counterfeit pearls.
Red cotton.
Narrow bands of filk fluffs, or worfted,
about half-yard broad, for women, ufed
about their waifts.
tmguages Moft of the Blacks about the bay fpeak
^tten either Portuguefe^^ or Lingua Franca^ which
is a great convenience to the Europeans who
come hither, and fome alfo underftand a
little Englijh or Dutch. The common lan-
guage of the country, is the dialedt of Boulm.,
a hard, unpleafing tongue to ftrangers,
very difficult to be defcribed. I had, how-
ever, colleded fome of the ordinary com-
mon words and phrafes, but have fince
m id a id it.
Note of the It is to be obferv'd, that I do not exaftly
p.uihor's follow the order of defcription ; I take here
tnethod. ^j^j^ there, as it comes to mind, fuch remarks
or obfervations of things, as feem to me
the moft fingular and ufeful, and which are
not taken notice of in other places, already
defcribed. For tho' all the Blacks of ISi-
gritia and of Guinea may be look'd upon as
one and the fame people, in general, and
have great affinity and refemblance among
themfelves, as to their manners and cuftoms i
yet each nation or people has its particu-
lar way, in one thing or other, which I
ftudy to relate, as it occurs in the de-
fcription of each refpedtive country one after
the other •, referring other things, I do not
fet down in it, to what I have faid already
of thofe of Senega and Gambia, to avoid
difagreeable repetitions, and five the readers
and my felf a trouble. For example, I
have faid nothing here of the way of dref-
fmg their rice and maiz, referring it to what
I have obfervcd of the manner of doing this
in other Negro countries already defcribed,
or which I fhall defcribe hereafter. And ac-
cording to this rule, I am now to relate
fome fingular ways and culloms in point of
government and religion, which are par-
ticular to the people of Sierra Leona, and
not obferved by other Negroes elfewhere.
Adimni- The Capez and Cumbas, the two forts of
firation of people, as I laid before, who poffefs or in-
jiijiue. piabjt; xht kingdom of Sierra Leona, have
each of them a peculiar king or commander
in chief, who adminifter iuftice, according
to their maxims and conflitution, and judge
of all controverfies and debates arifing be-
tween private perfons : To this effed, and
upon occafion of caufes, either extraordi-
nary in their nature, or otherwifeof impor-
tance % they hold their court in a Funkos, or Bareot.
fort of a gallery ereded round their dwel- ^«'*'"V^
ling-place ; which is nothing but a heap of
round cabbins, or huts built together. There
the king fits on a fort of throne fomewhat
raifed from the ground, cover'd with very
fine mats, his -counfellors fitting about him
on a fort of long chairs j thefe counfellors
being the ablefb perfons of the country,
whom they call Soiatefquis.
The contending parties are call'd in, with idwyers,
their counfel or advocates men who un-
derftand and ftudy the conftitutions of the
country, and plead their caufe, either civil
or criminal : which being heard, the king
takes the opinion of his Solatefquis, and ac-
cordingly pronounces the fentence defini-
tively, which he orders to be executed in
his own prefence. In cafe of crimes, tho*
ever fo fmall, the convided criminal is
banifh'd the country.
One thing very fingular in this court,
is, that the Troens, or advocates, cannot
plead any caufe before the king, without
being mafk'd, having fnappers in their
hands, fmall brafs bells at their legs, and
a fort of frock on their bodies, adorned
with variety of birds feathers, which makes
them look more like buffoons and merry
andrews, than men of law.
The ceremony of creating and inftalling
a Solatefquis, is no lefs ridiculous than the
former account given of the drefs of a Tro,?;/,
or advocate.
The king being feated in his Funkos, fends Solate(-
for the pcrfon dcfign'd ; he is order'd toquis, sr
fit in a wooden chair, adorned after theiri"'^^*^-
manner. The king ftrikes him feveral times
on the fice with the bloody pluck of a
goat, kill'd for that ceremony, and rubs
the face all over with meal of Indian corn ;
which done, he puts a red hat on his head,
pronouncing the word Solatefquis. After
which, he is carry'd three times about the
place of the ceremony, in the chair ; and
for three days together this new counfellor
feafts all the people of the village. The
entertainment confifts of eating, drinking,
dancing, fire-works and filvo's of fmall ar-
tillery ; which being over, a bullock is
kill'd, and divided amongft all the guefts.
The royal dignity was hereditary before
the ^iojas fubdued this country. The
youngeft fon of the deceafed king gene-
rally fucceeded ; and for want of fons, the
neareft relation was inftall'd in the dignity
after this manner.
Abundance of people having repaired to znthro-
his houfe, to vifit him as a private perfon, >ii»g of
he was thence brought to the deceas'd king's ^^^''^
houfe, being tied faft, every body fcoffing
at him by the way, and even beating him
with rods. Being come to the king's houfe,
he
2
A Defcription of the
iOOK
BARBoT.he was dad in the kingly ornaments, and
^•^''V^ thus led to the Funkos, where the Solatefqiiis
and prime men of the country were before,
expedling him : then the eldeft of the coun-
fellors, made a fpeech to the people there
prefent, of the neceffity of creating a king •■,
and then proceeded to a kind of panegyrick
of the perfon to be invefted with that dig-
nity. This being over, he prefented him
with an ax, putting it into his hand, to fig-
nify that a good king ought to puniih male-
fadtors ; after which, the king was proclaim'd
by the unanimous confent of all the affiftants,
and every one paid his homage to him ac-
cording to their cuftom.
The deceafed kings are buried in the high-
ways leading to their villages ; alledging for
this cuftom, that thofe who have been fo
much diftinguilh'd above other perfons by
their rank and quality, are alfo to be fe-
parated from, them after their death.
The ceremonial part in burying their kings
is much the fame as has been already men-
tion'd in other countries before defcribed j
putting into their graves all their beft goods,
erefling a roof over the fame, or covering
it with fome fheets, or other cloth. This
cuftom is likewife ufed at the burials of pri-
vate perfons •, the corps being always at-
tended from the moment of the perfon's
deceafe, whether king or fubjedt, but more
or lefs according to his quality, by feveral
mourners and weepers, paid for that pur-
pofe, who howl and cry more or lefs ac-
cording to the reward or falary they receive.
Religion.
H E Portuguefe miffionaries about the
beginning of the laft Century had made
many converts in this country, the people
following the example of their king Fatma,
and of lome grandees of the land, whom the
jefuit Barreira baptized about the year
1607. But both the king and his followers
relapfed into their idolatry, and grofs Pa-
ganifm.
The Negroes here wear Grigri, or fpells
p and charms, at their necks, arms and elbows,
breafbs and legs ; confifting of toys, and for-
did things, for which they fet apart every
time they eat or drink a fmall portion, and
will never go to fea, or on rivers in their long
canoes, without fuch ftore of this traili a-
bout 'em, as they fancy will preferve them
from all manner of accidents •, being very
obfervant in praying to them, but efpecial-
ly to the Grigri, or charm, which they
jiippofe has a particular authority upon the
fea. Neither will they omit to mumble
over fome words when the voyage is ended,
to thank the Gn'gri for the care it has had
of 'em.
Plate 7. I have drawn in the cut here annex'd the
figure of a Fetiche, Grigri, or idol, I once
fiw in that wood, as I was going from the
fountain, to the village weftward of it i
reprefenting, as well as they are able to
make it with clay, a man's head fet upon
a pedeftal, of the fame clay, under a fmall
hut, to cover it from the weather. They
have many of thefe idols, as I was told, ^
upon the roads about the countries of Botdm
and Timna, and near their houfes, to pre-
ferve and honour the memory of their de-
ceafed relations and friends. I have been
alfo told here, that fometimes the Negroes
mutter in their devotions to thefe idols, the
names of Ahrabajn, Ifaac, and Jacob.
If there be any Mahometans in this king-
dom, 'tis more than I ever heard of, and
they muft dwell far off, towards the Niger.
However, a late author affirms, that all
the people of Boulm, 'Timna, Cilm, as well
as thofe of Hondo, ^wja, Folgia, Gala,
and Monou, to the fouthward, are circum-
cifed after the Mahometan manner ; that ^
they own but one God, maker of heaven _
and earth, and of all things therein con-
tain'd that they do not worihip creatures, • •■
not even the fun or the moon. That they
never reprefent the deity, nor the fpirits, by
corporeal figures of men or ofbeafts, calling
the fupreme god Canou, whom they look
upon as the revenger of crimes: taking
him for witnefs of the fincerity of their
words, being perfuaded he takes notice of
all things, and will judge all men ; hold-
ing this opinion, very firmly, that a time
will come, when all wicked men fliall be
punifh'd according to their works. But
they believe that all deceafed perfons be-
come pure fpirits, knowing all things, and
concerning themfelves with all that pafies
in their families : thence it is, they confulc
them in all their doubts, and invoke them
in their adverfities, fuppofing they will help
them in a fpiritual manner ; and when they
are going to hunt elephants, or boufflers, or
to any other perillous exercife, they OiFer
facrifice to the fouls of their kindred, and
lay wine or rice on their graves, ^c. But
of this more hereafter.
The courfe to bring fhips out of the
river, for the fouth, is this. If 'tis a gale
from N E. or N. weigh anchor at young
ebb, that you may go through ; if the
wind flackens, come to anchor again till ■ , ■
the next tide of ebb, which will drive the
fliip athwart, the head at N. with the fore-
fail ; for 'tis always a frefh gale in the af-
ternoons, to carry the flaip thus a league
an hour, always founding. If forced to call
anchor, do it before the point, about an
EngUJh mile from cape Ledo or Tagrin, in
fifteen fathom water. When you weigh
anchor again, at proper time, keep to,
the
Chap. 3. Coafts of South-Guinea.
the head at W. and WNW. as near
the wind as poITible, following the chan-
nel in ten, nine, and eight fathom water,
without fearing the banks, or Baixos de
St. Anna, to the S W. of the cape, which
are eafily known by the breaking of the
fea j and thus infenfibly you'll come from
ten into fifteen fathom muddy fand, and
again into twelve, eleven, ten, or nine fa-
thom, lame ground. Next you'll fteer
N W. and N N W. in nine, ten, eleven,
twelve and thirtheen fathom, coarfe ground \
then tack about, the head at S.and SS E.
in thirteen and fourteen fathom, till you
Come into nine or ten ; here you'll be di-
re£lly on the Baixos de St. Anna ; therefore
tack again to N W. till you be in fourteen
or fifteen fathom, muddy fand and yellow *,
and keep thus playing to and fro, making
a good watch, fo you'll reach the weft of
the Baixos.^ or fhoals, and being come into
thirty five and forty fathom, yellow muddy
ground, there order the courfe S E. coafling
the faid Baixos., or fhoals. At this rate, be-
ing bound to the fouthward, you'll get fight
either of Sherbro ifland, or of Rio das Ga-
linhas.
In my lafl voyage, we got fight of this
river, by reafon we had kept too wide
from the Baixos., or fhoals, in coming from
cape Verde ; the tides of the Bijfegos driv-
ing us from the Drogfant, in the calm^
It was a very tedious tirefome navigation,
and the heats fo excefTive and intolerable,
that it craz'd the brain of fome of our
crew, and all in general had violent pains
in the head,
Baixos de Take heed not to intangle your felf a-
St. Anna, mong the Baixos de St. Anna, for they are
dangerous fhoals, and you may be drove
on the fmall iflands by dead calms, which
are frequent here. Small fhips, who coming
out from Sierra Leona., and bound to the
fouch, eafily pafs over the Baixos., or fhoals,
where there is generally five or fix fathom
water, and good anchoring every where.
At my lafl trip, I fpoke with a mafter of
an EngliJJj vefTel, in fight of Rio das Galin-
baSf who had pafs'd over the Baixos in ten
days time, and another EngHJh mafler IBarbot.
met afterwards at Rio Srjiro, told me, he V^v^
had fpent five weeks in pafling over them.
Wherefore I think it not very prudent to
carry a large fhip over, nor to fail it at
too great a diflance from them ; whether
you come diredly from Europe, or only
from cape Verde, or from the river of
Sierra Leona., but range the faid fhoals, as
near as you can guefs practicable : for tho*
it fhould happen you were carried on them,
you might eafily get from them again with
a little labour and lofs of time, either by-
anchoring on 'em, when the wind fails, or
by towing the fhip with the boats, if the
tide be not too flrong obferving when
you fail over, to have the pinnace row-
ing a-head of the fliip, and founding con-
tinually.
1 repeat it again, avoid failing too far
out at fea from the fhoals, for fear of
rendring the paflage very long and te-
dious ; it being generally obferved, that
the calms are much greater, and dead aE
fea, than they are on or near them.
If coming from the northward, and
bound to the fouthward, you put in at
Sierra Leona in the high feafon, 'twill be
a very difficult tafk to pafs the Baixos de
St. Anna, and proceed on your voyagCj
becaufe of the frequent heavy tornados from
S, and S S W. and the high winds, which
will certainly keep you back a long time,
if not totally obftrud it ; fome having fpenc • ,
three or four months before they could
weather the faid Baixos, and 'tis much
properer to itay at Sierra Leona during that
bad feafon, in expedtation of the return of
good weather, to proceed then to the fouth-
ward without danger or great toils and fa-
tigues or not to depart from Europe till
the beginning of Otlober, to enjoy the whole
fummer feafon in Guinea, which renders the
voyage eafy and pleafant : for then a fhip
may anchor any where without the leaft
danger, all along the coaft, .and prevent
fhipwreck, which has been the fate of many
who happen'd to be on the coaft in the
boifterous feafon.
C H A Pe HI.
St. Anne's bay rivers Banque, Gamboas, Cerbera, das Galinhas, Sherbro, Ply-
zoge, Mavah, Aguada, S. Paolo, Arvoredo, Corlb, &c. Englifti fort and
faliory 5 induftrious Blacks j cape Mefurado 1 Petit Dieppe. Trodu^ and
trade^ from cape Tagrin to Rio SeftrOe
Bay of St.
Anne.
THE coaft from cape '^Tagrin to the
i^zn^Sherbro ox Cerbera, is encompaf-
which reaches almofl to Rio de Gamboas. On
_ ^ the north-fide of this bay, are the iflands
fed by the Baixos de St. Anna, and runs S E by Bravas or Bannanas, the largefl: of which is
S. forming the large bay or Angra St.Anna, alfo the higheft land, fupplying the failors
Vol. V, ■ . . - Ee with
A Defcription of the
Book II
Babrot.
Soap.
lepfer.
Banque
river.
Gamboas
river.
Shcrbro
river.
with wood and excellent frefh water, and
with all forts of plants and animals that are
found in the oppofite main land.
The five iflands 6'o;«Z'r^'m are on the fouth
of the fame bay of Si. Anne., producing a-
bundance of oranges, lemons, palm-wine,
and fugar-canes growing wild, which is a de-
monftration that the foil is proper for fugar-
plantations ■, befides, that there are many-
brooks and fprings which would turn the
mills at a cheap rate : here are alfo banana's,
great quantities of bees-was, red wood call'd
Ca?n-wood, much better than Brazil., for
it will ferve feven times fucceffively, as I
have been told in Europe.
The natives make foap with pafm-oil and
palm-tree afhes, fo highly valu'd by the
PortKguefe refiding in thofe parts, that they
will not fuffcr it to be exported to any parts
of Portugal., left it fhould undo the Ibap-
boilers in tiiat kingdom.
Here is a fort of timber call'd Jngeltn,
very plenty, and proper to build fliips.
The Pimento del Cola or de Rabo, is alfo
very plenty, long, and tally, and better va-
lued than right pepper of Borneo, and for
that reafon prohibited in Sj)ain, left it fhould
fpoil the Eaft- India trade.
The PortKguefe carry it to the Gold Coafiy
where they mix it with Guinea -^t^^tr.
The iflanders make very good matches of
the bark of the Maniguet te-tree. They pre-
tend to have gold and iron mines in their
little iflands, and fay they were feparated
from, the continent, as they now appear, by
an earthquake.
The depth of water in the bay or Jn-
gra de St. Anna, is five, fix, feven, eight
fithoms mud. The Portuguefe word For-
no fignifics Gidph. Here are four rivers
running out into the fea, one of which,
the Kio Bcnique, is navigable for large fhips-,
the three others are not much frequented,
the country about being a vaft thick foreft,
which harbours abundance of elephants, buf-
faloes, wild boars, foxes, tortoifes, and cro-
codiles near the water-fide. The banks of
thefe rivers are are all hemm'd in with man-
grove-trees, on which ftick abundance of
oifters. There are alfo fome lemons in the
woods.
The Rio Ga?nboas is two leagues to the
fouthward of thefe Sombreres, having a bar
at the mouth or entrance. The town Concho
is fifteen leagues further up the river, whofe
water is deep enough to carry fmall craft
and floops fo high, for there is fome little
traffick drove at this Concho.
From Rio de Gamboas to Rio Sherbro or
Cerbera, the coafts lies SE, andNW. ha-
ving the iflands I'ota between both rivers.
Thefe iflands lie N W. from Sherbro, all
three on a line, low flat land, with rocks
and flioals on the N E„ fide. They have
much the fame plants and product as on
the continent •, but efpecially plantains, and
thence call'd the Plantain JJlands by the
Engli/J:.
The tides of l^ota and of Shcrbro pointj
drive fomewhat to the fouth.
The ifland Cerbera extends ENE. and
W N W. about ten leagues, its north point
reaching very near the ifles of 'Tota, and is
every where flat land, lying over againft
Sherbro river, that is to fay, to the eaft-
ward of it.
The Engliflj call it Sherbro the Dutch., St„ "
Anna or Moffa-quoja \ the Portuguefe, Fa-
rulha and Farelloens \ and the French, Cev'
bera.
The country abounds in rice, maiz, ig-
names, bananas, potatoes, Indiafi-Bgs, a-
nanas, citrons, oranges, pompions, water-
melons, and the fruit Cola, by the Englifh
caird Col, poultry in plenty, and breedeth
great numbers of elephants, who often re-
pair to the villages.
The oifters here produce very fine pearls \
but it is very dangerous taking of them, be-
caufe of the infinite number of fharks lying
about the ifland, amongft the ITioals and
rocks.
The iflanders are grofs pagans, faid to
worfliip Demons more than any other B acks
in Nigritia, and yet circumcife themfelves j
tho' I did not hear of any Mahometans a-
mongft them.
The royal African company has a fmaf] Engh'fH
fort belov/ the river, lateiy built on xhtfi''^-
the ifland Tork ; which is clofe to Sherbro
ifland, on the north-fide of the eaft point of
it, and near to the king's village, for thefe- '\
cunty of the trade in thofe parts. 'Tis built
fquare having three round flankers, and a
fquare one, with eleven guns •, and about
twenty paces from the fort on ihe fea-beach,
two large round flankers with five good guns
in each, all built with ftone and lime, and
defended by about twenty-five white men,
and between fifty and fixty Gromettoes, all
in the company's pay.
There was another lodge of the company,
on the main land, oppofite to the eaft point
of Cerbera ifland, before this new fort was
built.
Rio Cerbera or Sherbro
T S a large river coming from very far up the Its feverdl
inland to the fea, through the country of
Botdm-Monou, a land full of morafl"es and
fwampy grounds, and lofeth itfelf in the ocean
ntzT Cerbera ifland : fome call itMadre-Bom-
be; others, RioSelbobe; others, Rio das Pal-
mas, from the Portuguefe ; from whom, per-
haps, may have been derived the other name
of Cerbera, given it by fome.
This river is very large, and navigable for
fiiips of burden for twenty leagues up to the
town
Chap. 5.
CoaflS ^?/S0UTHrGuiNEA,
107
town o'i Baga, belonging to the prince of
Boiilm ; and for briganrines and floops of fe-
vency or eighty tuns, drawing but feven foot
and an half water, to thirty miles above Ked-
hajnovKidbam, which is up the river two hun-
dred and fifty Eiiglijh mAcs, tho' very diffi-
cult to fail up, for the prodigious thicknefs
of ruflies, with which the banks are cover'd •,
being in fome places fo very narrow, that the
channel is choak'd up with them on either fide,
and muft of necefilty be founded all along
with poles •, and ftill grows fhallower and
lhallower upwards, there being fcarce ten, or
nine foot water in many places in Apnl and
May, the fitteft time for the voyage up the
river to trade for Cam-wood, which is there
extraordinary plentiful and cheap. But
in Auguft and September, after the rains are
fallen, the banks are alt overflowed and
in the channel of the river, there is fifteen or
fixteen foot water, where there was but nine
or ten before ; fo that it is much eafier for
floops to come down, and yet troublefome
enough, becaufeofthe many heavy tornadoes,
attended with horrid thunder at this time,
which, when they are feen coming, muft be
yielded to by calling anchor, and mooring
the velTcl larboard and ftarboard, or making
it faft, with cables, to fome large trees near
the river-fide, where there are many.
It is well inhabited all along the banks,
and the natives are very civil people.
This river receiveth into it, near the fea,
two other larger ones, viz. Rio Torro at
" N W. and Rio de St. Anna at S E. I^orro o-
verflows the country twice a year, being
fhallow, and choak'd with fmall iflands and
Ihoals, fo that the tide cannot go very high
up i yet it is navigable for fmall barks and
brigan tines.
Rio Sherbro breeds abundance of croco-
diles, and water-elephants, a wild dangerous
fort of animal.
\ Englldi The Englijh have a fadlory at Bagos or
faaory. Baga, about twenty leagues up the river on
the north fide of ir.
The lands of Cilm-Monou are fifteen or
fixteen leagues further up again ; and the
town of ^una-Mora, thirty or thirty-two
leagues above Cilm-Monou^ a very populous
town, but the inhabitants not fo kind or
good-natured, and very difficult to be treated
with.
The country is very fertile in rice, and a-
bounds in all the fame kinds of plants and
animals I mentioned to be in the ifland Cer-
lera and adjacent places, and is alfo very
populous. The Blacks commonly wear a
irock of ftriped callico, as do alfo thofe in
Cerbera ifland, having ail the fame cuftoms and
manners. The town is behind a large wood,
and cannot be feen from the road ; but the
inhabitants come out in canoes aboard fhips
riding there, and bring plantains, palm-
wine, honey, rice, chickens, and fugar-canes, Barbot..
The town is very large and populous, but t^VNJ
the houfes very mean and low,' except a
great one ftanding in the middle of the town,
where the principal negroes make their af--
femblies and receive ftrangers.
The inundations of this river, at the pro=
per feafons, contribute very much to ferti-
lize the foil.
The proper goods to purchafe the Cam-
wood and elephants teeth in Sherbro river, are
chiefly thefe;
Brafs bafons and kettles.
Pewter bafons and tankardsj
Iron bars,
Bugles,
Painted callicoes,
Guinea fliuffs or cloths,
Holland linnen or cloth,
Mufkets, powder, and ball.
A fhip may in two months time, out and
home, purchale here fifty tun of Catn-woody
and four tun of elephants teeth, or more.
The Cam-wood is a much better fort of
red wood, for dyer's ufe, than the Brazil^
and accounted the beft in all Guinea. It will
ferve feven times over, and the laft time is^
ftill efi^eftual.
From the fouth point of Rio Cerbera to Galinhas
that of Galinhas, the coaft ftretches E S E.
eleven leagues, flat, low, fwampy, and
marfhy land, all over cover'd with trees^
and inhabited.
Rio de Galinhas, by the natives call'd Ma.-
qualbary^ has its fource in the lands of Hon-
do, running through the countries of Boulm-
Monou, and Slinlliga-Monou to the fea: it
receiv'd that name from the Portuguefe, fof
the poultry they found in the country, which
is here very plentiful, as it is all along the
coaft to Rio Sejtro, and further to the E S E.
and at Slunqua coaft. This river has two
iflands in the mouth or entrance of it.
The Europeans trade in it, and carry
thence dry hides and elephants teeth, which
are brought down the river from Hondo and
Karoodoboe-Monou . This laft country is a-
bout forty-five leagues from the fea-coaft, ■
a crafty bold nation, perpetually at war
with their neighbours at the eaft, the Hon-
dos ; and both depend on the king of ^loja^
who refides at Cape Monte.
I have drawn the profpe6l of the en- Plate j-..
trance of i^w das Galinhas veryexaftly.
The tide runs very fwift to N E. along
this coaft, where it blows, for the moft
parr, a very frelh gale from the SW. but
much more at the time of the high feafon ;
fo that it is very difficult to ply at wind-
ward, efpecially about cape Monte, becaufe
of the ffioals, or bar, that ftretches thence
out into the fea, which breaks upon it in
fuch manner, that it is very troublefome
and hazardous for boats to land there. In
I the
A Defcription of the
Book 11.
BARBOT.the fummer-feafon, it is not fo bad, nor
'^"-"'V^ difficult ; for then there are two forts of
winds, one' of the land, from midnight,
till about ten in the morning ; the other of
the fea, from ten in the morning, to mid-
night.
The winter-feafon at this coaft, from
Sierra Leona to cape das Pahnas, begins
in May, and ends in Ouloher \ during which
time, there are frequent heavy tornados
from the NW. with perpetual terrible thun-
der, and high winds, efpecially in June and
July^ when the fun is in the Zenilb, v/ith
dark gloomy days, infpiring horrour and
dread.
Rio Magiiiba, next to Rio das Galinhasy
has a bar athwart the mouth, which makes
it impradlicable for large fhips. The Por-
tuguefe call it Rio Nunnes, or Rio Novo, and
traded in it formerly with brigantines, as
did the French ; but now the Englijh have
the moft trade there, in elephants teeth,
failing it up to the village Dova Roi/ja,
whqre the river is very wide ; but farther
up 'tis choak'd with rocks and falls j it then
winds to the eaft.
The coaft from Galinhas to cape Monte
extends ESE. is furnifh'd with fundry vil-
lages, and is low and flat. The river Ma-
vah, or Maffah, having its fource in the
mountains, about thirty leagues inland, near
the country of the people Galvy, and run-
ning in a large and deep channel through
Datiwala country, about a league on the
north-fide of cape Monte, is fo choak'd
with fands, that it never enters the fea a-
bove once a year, at the time of its over-
flowing, by reafon of the great rains of the
high feafon, near to cape Monte, at W.
Before the conqueft of the Folgias, this
river was inhabited along the fides by the
Puymonou people, their king Flambourre
commonly refiding at the village J eg Wonga^
on the weft- fide, and about a league and
a half from the fea, after he had quitted
the town of Tomwy, at cape Monte-, to the
^ojas : but at prefent this king of the
Folgias lives on the inland ifland, in the
lake of Plyzoge, the better to fecure him-
felf from the infults of the Dogos, which
are at war with him.
The town Fochoo is on the other fide the
river, oppofite to Jeg Wonga, where Flam-
hourre alfo liv'd for a time, when threatned
to be attack'd by the Folgias. Two leagues
farther up, on the fame fide, is the vil-
' lage Figgia, formerly the refidence of one
Figgi, a brother to Flambourre. Two leagues
above Figgia, on the fouth-fide, is that of
Kammagoeja, and that of Jerboefaja an-
other league beyond this laft, the refidence
of a notable man of the ^4ojas, who then
lorded the country about, before it was
fubjed to the Folgias.
King Flambourre had alfo another village
over-againft that of Jerboefaja. From this
there is a road through the woods to Jera
Ballifa, at three leagues diftance, towards
the iea-fide, belonging to the eldeft of the
king's fons.
The coaft between Rio Mavah, and Rio
Maguiba, is befet with lundry villages and
hamlets, where the Negroes make abun-
dance of fair, from fea-water.
C A P E M O N T E,
AS the draught fliews very exactly, is Plate f
a head of many hills, or rather moun=
tains, fet one upon the other, all cover'd
with trees, running out to fea between the
river Mavah at weft, and Rio Plyzoge at
eaft, under feven degrees, fix minutes north
latitude. A very proper place for fhips
that come from Europe direftly, for South-
Guinea, to make land, it being fo remark-
able, and feen from eight or ten leagues at
fea. The name of Cabo Monte was given
by the Portuguefe, from the mountains it is ^
formed of. The Negroes call it fVaJh Congo,
It is feen at feveral leagues diftance from
fea, ftiewing itfelf like an ifland, in the
form of a faddle ; the coaft at weft and
eaft of it being very flat and low, in re-
fpe6l of that of the cape. The beft road
for large ftiips is to the weft of the cape,
in twelve fathom water, fandy ground, and
at about two Englijh miles from the fhore,
over-againft the three fmall vilL-iges, a£
fome diftance inland, each of about ten
or twelve hutts, well peopled. The inha-
bitants flock to the fhore as foon as they
hear of any ftrangers landing, to make
them welcome, at their houfes or hutts, with
palm-wine, and other things. Tht Negroes
here are very courteous, fome underftanding
a little Portuguefe ; of which nation, fome
trade there now and then for elephants
teeth, in the good feafon, tho* the Holland
and Zeeland interlopers have the greateit
fhare of it.
The accefs to the ftrand here is pretty
eafy for pinnaces or canoes ; and being come
afhore, you enter upon a plain, every
where befet with green buflies, the leaves
of them refembling our bay-tree ; and with •
fome palm-trees I'catter'd here and there,
which looks very pleafant. The profpe<5t
on the fouth is limited by the mountainous
cape, and on the north, by a river, in
which is a well-fhaded ifland, and a large
wood. On the eaft you have large meadows,
and pafture-grounds, as far as can be feen,
in which they keep their horfes, goats, and
fheep ; but have no cows, nor kine, nor
hogs, nor much poultry ; and what few
chickens they have, are very good and
fweet, altho' not much bigger than tame
pigeons here, Thefe low grounds are cut
through
Chap. 5* Coajls of South-Guinea^
through by fundry Im li rivulets, by means
whereof the natives of the cape have_ a
free communication with thofe of the In-
land country •, fo that it may well be faid,
the landlkip hereabouts is extremely plea-
fant and delighttul.
indufinoHs ThQ Blacks here are very induftrious ;
Blacks, fome employ themfelves in fiihing with nets
in the lake, and rivers, which abound in
good fifh of fundry fpecies, as well as the
fea-coaft others apply themfelves to tra-
ding, planting rice, &c. and all of them in
general in boiling fait for their king, whofe
flaves they account themfelves.
Trade de- Formerly this was a place of good trade
cayd. for elephants teeth, the upland country be-
ing richly ftored with elephants j but in pro-
cefs of time has been lo much exhaulled,
that very often there are few or none at
all, fo great has been the concourfe of Eu-
ropeans to traffick here. In thofe days,
when tlie elephants teeth were fo plenty,
it was a rule among the Negroes^ as foon as
they fpy'd a fail coming from the weft, to
make a fmoke on land, to fignify they had
large parcels of teeth ready at hand. But
now-a-days, tho' they often ufe the fame
fignal, it frequently proves to be only the
inclination they have to fee white men there,
in hopes to get fome fmall token or other
of them, if they can prevail.
I lhall not here defcribe their apparel,
manners, cuftoms, &c. referring it to the
defcription hereafter to be made of the in-
land countries from Cerhera to Rio Seflro
my bufi iefs being at prefent to defcribe the
fea-coafts, as far as Sefiro, to avoid confu-
fion : befides, that it is much the fame fort
of people, and undoubtedly the cuftoms,
and manners alike every where. I ftiall
only obferve, that the king of Monte is
faid to have feveral hundred wives and con-
cubines, by whom he has many fons and
'Troducl daughters. That the produd of the land
here. confifts in abundance of rice, and a fmall
quantity of jammes, potatos, maiz^ (or Indian
corn) bananas, ananas, and another truit
call'd paquovers.
Plyzoge The river Plyzoge, to the eaftward of this
ffl- A Monte, confifting of two diftindl peo-
^ pie, Fy-berkoma and ^oja-berkomai who
were both fubdu'd by the Karoeus or Carous,
The Vy-berkoma are the remains of the an-
cient inhabitants of the river Mavah, and
cape Monte, a populous and warlike na-
tion, extending as far as Monou ; but by
the vicilTitude of times, reduced now to a
handful of men : they were called V-j, be-
caufe, in their language, that fignifies half,
and they are but half a nation.
^(oja-berkoma, which fignifies land ofquoja-
^.oja, extends to the territory of Tomvy, ^^^^om^
bordering on the north and eaft, with the^''"^'^'
Galas, Vy-Galas, Hondo, Konde-^ojas, Ma-
nou, Folgias, and Carous.
The Gala-vy are defcended from the Ga- Gala-vy.
las, but driven out of that part of the
country by the Hondos, and are feparated
from the true Galas, by a vaft foreft. The
head of the Galas is called Galla-Fally.
The territory of Hondo is fomewhat to Hondo,
the north of Gala-vy, comprehending that
o^Dongo.
The Konde-^ojas, that is to fay, high Konde-
^ojas, are nipighbours to the Hondo- Mo -Q^oizs,
nou ; the language is different from that of
the low ^^ojas.
The
112
A Defcription of the
Book IL
Barbot. The Folgias and Monou countries are wa-
'^^V^ ter'd by the rivers Junk and Arvoredo,
which in their courfe down to the ocean, fe-
parate the Folgias from the Carou Monou,
though the king of the Carou refides in the
country of the Folgias.
It might be comfortable and delightful
living in thefe countries, from Sierra Leona
to Sgjiro., and farther eaftward, were it not
for the intemperature of the weather, in
the high feafon : for befides the various fine
landfkips, the ever-green woods and pafture-
grounds, the brooks and rivers, adorned
with curious trees, ^c. it abounds every
where with fundry forts of plants, provi-
lions, and beafts of divers kinds, which I
fhall now particularly defcribe.
As to the great variety of trees, I will
make choice of the following forts.
Trees.
Bonde
free.
T
Bifly tree.
Kaey tree.
Billagoh
tree.
HAT which the natives call Bonde, is
commonly very big and lofty, and fe-
ven or eight fathom about ; the bark is
thornifh, and the wood foft, which, for
that reafon, they ufe moft to make canoes
of feveral fizes. The aflies of this wood
are very proper to make foap, boil'd with
palm-oil : the boughs being fet in the ground,
foon bud and take root.
The Bijfy tree is commonly fixteen to
eighteen foot big, the bark of a brown
red, ufed for dying cloth or wool, as alfo
to make their fmall canoes.
The Kaey is lofty, and hard wood, the
bark and leaves are medicinal they make
alfo canoes of this tree to play in the ri-
vers, the wood being fo hard, that it is al-
moft proof againft the worms.
The Billagoh is alfo lofty, and harder
than the former. Its leaves are purging.
Boffy tree. The BoJJy is foft, the afhcs made of the
bark ferve to boil foap, the fruit it bears
refemble a long yellow prune, tafting four,
but wholefome to eat.
The Mille is large, tough, and foft, the
roots like that of the Bonde, fpreading round,
moftly above ground. The natives ufe this
tree in their conjurations.
The Burrow is of an uncommon lofti-
nefs, though but about fix foot big the
bark all over full of thick crooked thorns.
The wood is fit for no other ufe but fuel.
From the bark and the leaves diftils a yel-
low fap or juice, which purges above all
other drugs whatfoever.
The Mamo is lofty, and crown'd with
round tops, producing a fruit much of the
figure of the cola of Sierra Leona ; within
white, of a lharp tafte, and laxative, and
can be preferved for a whole year under
Mille ^m.
Burrow
tree.
Mamo
tree.
ground
Quamy
tree.
The ^amy is likewife very lofty, and
crown'd with a-top ^ the wood is very hard.
and ferves the natives to make mortars to
pound the rice, and millet, becaufe it ne- '
ver fplits. They ufe of the bark of this
tree to compofe their draught, which they
adminifter to fuch as have the fovah or
fouha and poifon the point of arrows with
a juice that comes from the fmall bufhes,
that commonly grow about the trunk of
this S^uamy.
T\\tHoquella is alfo very lofty, bearing Hoquella
a fruit fixteen to eighteen inches long, lutree.
a hufk ; the ftone of which is bigger than
a bean : the bark and leaves are purgative,
the afhes clean and whiten linnen by way
of buck.
The Bomhoch produces a fruit like thcDomboch
forb-apple, much ufed by x.\\t Blacks ; thttree.
bark foak'd in water, and drank, caufes
vomiting. The wood is almoft red, and
proper to make canoes.
The Kolacbh very high, its fruit refem- Kohch
bling a plum, good to eat. The bark is^''^''-
purging.
ThiDiiy, lofty and headed, bears a fruit Duy/rm
of the bignefs of a common apple, which
the natives eat ; and ufe the infufion of
its bark in wine or water to ftreno-then
them.
The Bongia is likewife lofty and headed, Bonffia
the bark purging. tree'^
The bark of the Naukony, at cutting ofKaukony
it, taftes like pepper, and is here accounted ^''^e-
of extraordinary virtue in purgatives,
Th.G an or I'or/goo, being the palm, isQurm »r
very common in this country, produces theTongoo
fort of palm-wine call'd Migncl, which is"'^'^'
extradled in the fame manner as on the
Gold Coafi ; but befiJes the wine, ir yields
that excellent palm-oil, fo commendable
for its peculiar properties.
The oil ii made of the nuts of this tree, palm-oH.
which grow in a duller of two or three
hundred nuts together, the clufter growing
out of the trunk of the tree, about a man's
height from the ground. The nut is about
the bignefs of a pigeon's egg, and theilone
as big and as hard as that of a peach and
each tree commonly produces five or fix
fuch clufters. The oil drawn from the nuts
is of the fafFron-colour, fmelling ftrong ; at
firft extrafting, it looks like oil of olives,
as to its confittence, which, growing old,
turns thick and lumpy like butter, and may
be tranfported every where, and kept twenty
years in fome proper veflel. This oil is
much recommended throughout all Europe
for obftrudlions, fraftures, windy and cold
humours. The natives ufe it much, with
almoft every thing they eat, as we do butter ;
and moft days rub and anoint their bodies
with it, to render the fkin fofter and fhining,
and the body ftronger. At moft times of the
day, they gnaw the ftone of the nut.
As
Chap. 4. Coajts of Sour h-G u i n e a.
As this tree grows up gradually, it has
"^he fewer leaves, till it comes to its common
height of forty or fifty foot high, and then
it has only a fmall top of leaves. It lafts
many years, and from the very firft gives
wine, and a fort of flax out of its ftem or
trunk, of which they make a fort of cloth
and yarn for their nets.
The other fort of palm, in thefe parts,
which produces wine, is call'd Makenfy,
whofe leaves are commonly three foot long,
and half a foot broad and, like the
^laariy yields flax at its ftem, and the leaves
ferve the Blacks to make bags, cloths,
and fine mats. The ftalk of the leaves,
which is as hard as any wood, and almoft
round, ferves to make roofs and floors to
their houfes, befides many other forts of
ufes : nay, at fome places they pallifade
their villages round with it, to defend the
entrance againft lions, panthers, tygers, and
elephants, as I have feen it at Seftro.
Dongah The tree Dongab is very common all a-
trce. long this coaft, and produces a fruit like the
acorn of our oak-trees in Europe.
Bondou -^^^ Bondou IS likewife very common, its
tree. leaves thin and fhining; the wood is yellow
in the tree, but when cut down, turns red.
Taaja tree. The Jaaja is very plenty in all marlhy
fwampy grounds, and lakes or rivers. It*s
that which the Hollanders call Mangelaer^
and the French^ Paleftuvier •, common in
moft marfhy grounds in America^ where 'tis
accounted not a little fport to creep amongft
the boughs overfpreading in the water, to
which oifters grow in great multitude: for
the boughs of the tree commonly bending
into the water, by the moifture, bud out up-
wards again to infinity, intermixing the one
with the other fo clofe and thick, and turn-
ing again into the water, and fhooting
Other branches again ad infinitum ; which
renders it impoffible to find out the trunk :
and thus propagating from fpace to fpace,
it may be well laid of it, that one trunk of
this jaaja will extend many furlongs along
the banks of a river or the fea. For which
reafon it is, that oifters breed on the boughs
in great abundance, and that it is a good di-
verfion to eat thefe oifters on the fpot, for the
under- boughs are fupporters on the furface
of the water, to walk on from one place to
another. Others are fit and proper feats,
and the upper boughs ever green, do fhel-
ter men from the injuries of the weather.The
oifters commonly ftick very clofe to the
lower branches of the Mangelaer in fuch
manner, as 'tis almoft impoffible to pull
them off without a hatchet or chizel, or by
cutting off the bough. The oifters are ve-
ry fiat, and about the breadth of a man's
hand, and of a fharp tafte, but are well li-
ked here for want of better.
The 'Toglouo, which produces the famous
:-. - V.0L, V.
1 13
fruit Co/fz, is of an indifferent height, theBAREor.
trunk about five or fix foot in circumference, v-i^v^
The Cola is a cheftnut, as I have faid before, TogW
three or four growing together in a rind,Coia''L;r.
each divided from the other by a thin Ikin. " '
The natives uie it much in their facrifices or
offerings to their idols, and in their conjura-
tions I and have perpetually fome in their
mouth, either walking or fitting, to relifli
water the better, reckoning it very whole-
fome, as I have faid before. The Portu-
giiefe drive a great trade with it up the ' '
country.
The Fondy-kong is the cotton tree, very Fondy-
common in this country, of the wool where- kong/r??.
of the Blacks fpin and weave cloth, like
thofe of cape Ferde.
The lime trees abound every where, hz-Umetree.
ing fmaller and rounder than lemons, and
have grown here time out of mind.
The orange, bananas, and fig-tree, o- • •
therwife called plantains and Baccoven, are
alfo very common throughout thefe lands j
the oranges are very lour and fmall.
hnames are here very plentiful and large, t
generally weighing eight or ten pound, j;,,,;^.
white and dry on the palate •, ufed inftead
of bread by thefe Africans, being boiled.
The potatoes are alfo plentiful and Jarge, p^^^,-^^
and of a lufcious delicate tafte.
This part affords no ftore of fugar-canes,
tobacco, plants, or ananas-, the moft they
have, being brought from Sierra Leona.
For herbs, the Blacks make ufe of a fort^^;.^^.
they call ^elle-togue, of a fmall leaf, but
very fweet and well tafted, which is com-
monly boil'd with meat : as they do alfo an-
other fort call'd ^tantiah, growing lofty,
the leaves very large.
There are feveral other forts of pulfe, or
herbs, unknown to Europeans, and very
proper for the pot.
Rice is very common in all this country, butfi,Ve and
not maiz, or Indian corn, named here Magni- maiz..
Jonglo. There is another fort of maiz which
they call Jonglo fingly, a much fmaller grain
than the other, and better valued by them,
tho' they feldom ufe it, but when rice is
fcarce in the country.
The Gz but if it
fpiesnone, it then fvv'allows the beaft whole,
and lies ftill on the ground till it is digefted.
This ferpent dreads pifmires or ants to
fuch a degree, as to run away at the fight of
a fingle one •, and 'tis faid, that if it fhoujci
fwallow but one, the ferpent would certain-
ly die. The Blacks e^t the flefli of this
monfter. , ^ r'. - v ■
Birds. / . ■
HP H E R E are four forts of eagles : i . that Eagles.
which they here call Cquolantja, is very
large and big, haunting the woods more than
the fea-cliffs, and there perching on the tops
of the joftieft trg^Sj efpecially on thf Bonda,
of
11^
A Defcription of the
Barbot. of which I have already fpoken, and preys
^•-n/^ much on apes for its nourifliment.
2. The Cquolantja-clou, which keeps moft
in morafles and ponds, where ic feeds on
fifh, as they fwim on thefurface of water.
Its claws are very crooked.
3. The Simby, a kind of eagle which feeds
on all forts of birds and feather'd creatures,
except its own fpecies.
4. The Poy, keeping commonly about
the fea-coafts, and feeding on crabs, and
fuch-like fifh : and has very crooked claws.
Farms. Here are abundance of blue parrots with
red tails, call'd JVofae^-y, Cjommonly fitting
on palm and coco-trees.
Komma "^^^ ^^^""J Kotnma is very fine, has a green
iirti. neck, red wings, a black tail, a hooked
bill, and its claws like thofeof parrots.
Clofy- The Clofj-fou-kghJJi is about the bignefs
fou- of a fparrow-hawk, and black feather'd,
reckon'd a bird of prefige by the Blacks^
who tell abundance of fuperftitious nonfcn-
fical itories of it ; and are fo pofrcfs'd with
that opinion, that according to the place
where they chance to meet or fee this bird,
or to hear it fing, they will proceed or not
proceed on an intended journey, or conclude
on good or badfuccefs, And when any
perfon dies fuddenly or accidentally, they are
■ apt to fay Kg^bojfi has kill'd him, by fing-
' ing over him. This bird feeds moftly on
pifmires.
Fanton The FantoHy being about the fize of our
i>ird. larks, is another prefaging bird to the
Blacks^ who are abroad hunting of buffalos,
■ ; elephants, tygers, ferpents, or any other
' ' * game. This little creature ufually fitting on
a tree near the covert or place where tlie a-
nimal is hid, fings loud which the hunters
hearing, they utter thefe words to it, I'on-
ton-kerrc\ ton-ton-kerre^ that is, Wee'll foU
lew you : then prefently the bird taketh his
flight very fwiftly to the place where the
game lies, and points right.
Lcle-Attc- The Lek-Atterenna is the fwallow, the
lenna^ir/name fignifying fwallow of the light •» and
Lele-Sirena, that of the night, which is the
bat or flitter- moufe it is of the fpecies of
bats, that which is call'd T onga, is as large
as a turtle-dove, and eaten as a dainty.
There are fuch multitudes of this fort, and
they hang in the day-time fo heavy and fo
numerous on the boughs of trees, that they
break them with their weight.
Here is alfo a little bird, about the fize
of a fparrow, which commonly makes a
hole with its bill, by little and little, in the
trunks of trees, there to neft and breed ;
which gives occafion to the Blacks to believe
■'■■■< ":.. that thefe little creatures, having formerly
complained to Canou their deity, that men
always ftole their young ones from their
nefls, which they ufed to build on the
boughs of trees, and petition'd him to caufe
the heavens to fall on mankind and cruflTi
them •, Camu very readily granted their re-
quefl:, provided they fliould firfl pull dov/n
all the trees in the country : in order to
which, they now hollow the trunks of trees,
and there build their nefts.
The ^fonfoo is a kind of raven, black allQfonford
over the body, but the neck all white, and^'''*^-
builds its nefl on trees, v/ith bulrufhes and
clay. The hens, as the natives report, puil
off all their own feathers, when they are
ready to hatch their eggs, in order to cover
their brood ; the cock, at that time, taking [^^s^^t
care to feed them all, till the young ones ' "
are fit to fliift for themfelves.
The woods harbour a multitude of tur- Turtles,
ties, which they call Papco, and are of three
difrerent forts-, the firfl, calTd Bollendo, : ■
which are copple-crown'd the fecond, Kam-
hygc, having bald heads without any fea-
thers ; and the third, Diiedeu, the feathers
of their body black, fpeckled white, and
all white about the neck.
Here are cranes call'd Jigua-, and at Cabo Cranes.
Verde, Aqua-Piaffo. j ; -
The Dorro is a very large bird, haunting Dorr©
the morafTes and rivers, where it feeds on
fifii.
^\vtJoiiwa is of the fize of a lark, andjpuwa
generally lays its eggs on paths and roads, '^^''^^^
which none of the Coha Blacks will deftrov 1
being pofTcfj'd with this opinion, that who-
foever crufhes or breaks the eggs of Ehis
bird, his children will not live long. If
they happen to break them by chance, they
are ready to run diflra<5led \ and when come
to themfelves, they vow never to eat of any
birds and will give the name of Jowwa to
the child that happens to be born next, after >• ;
this accident. ■ ■ v -
They have two forts of herons, one white,
the other blue.
The Blacks eat of all the birds above- ,
mention'd, except the Jouwa^ Fanton, and ■ ■
the KgboJJi, which are facred among them.
Wing'd Insects.
T^HIS country is very rich in Kommokrjfe ^^^^^
or honey-bees, which hive in the cavi-
ties of trees ; and honey is fo plenty, that
abundance of it is never garher'd.
The ^/(j/«-5(?^c;^^or drone-bees, hurt no
body unlefs provoked, and then their fting
caufes great and dangerous inflammations.
Thefe infeds commonly hive about the hou-
fes, but never give honey.
There is another fort of honey-bees, call'd
^bailie q-bolly., which, as the former, hive in
the cavities of trees-, but their honey is very
brown, and the wax black.
Men are here very much troubled withG«af;,
gnats, nightandday being common in all
woody and morafTy lands between the two
tropicks.
Ai
Chap. ^. Coafls South-Guinea, 117
Vlies, At the time of the rains, here is a mul- living only on the dew of heaven, which Barbot.
titude of flies, by the natives call'd Gd-z/ei?, theydraw in, by certain tongues like prickles, '^'''V^
thick, broad-headed, and mouthlefs, much placed on their breafts : they are in both ,
bigger than thofe the French call Cigales^ hot and cold countries, but by wliat name ■
which commonly fit on trees, and fing, af- cali'd in England^ I know not. Thefe flies
ter a flirieking manner, both day and night, the Blacks eat, and fay they live by the air.
CHAP. V
Marriages of thefe Blacks j polygamy s naming of children i habit and employ^
ments ; towns and houfe s s language s forcerers and poifoners j funerals and
fucceffion. ; ;. .
Wives and Children,
Marriages, r H E Blacks marry as many wives as
I they can maintain ; and fome of the
'r: -:■ kings of the country have three or four
. . hundred wives and concubines, who are kept
in feveral villages. The fame is done by
private perfons •, but the makilmah, or firit
wife, is the mofl: regarded, not only by the
hulband, but by all his other wives. They
. , live feemingly contented with all their wives,
and Httle or nothing concerned at their
- number ; for the keeping of them is not
very expenfive, neither are they much con-
. cerned if they lie with other men.
They obferve very little ceremony in
marrying, but fo very different, according
to the feveral cufl:oms of countries, that it
would be very tedious to defcribe, being
but little different from what is praftifed in
other parts of Nigritia : Only it mufl: not
be omitted, that the bridegroom is to make
his bride three difl;indt prefents the firfl:
cali'd "Togloe or Cola, confifts of a little co-
ral and bugles ; the fecond is Jajing, a few
pagnos or cloth the third, Lefing, which is
a trunk or chefl: to put up her things or a
brafs kettle or bafin ; and fome others, a flave :
and tlie father of die bride fends a prefent
of one or two flaves, two frocks, a qui-
ver furnifli'd with arrows, a fcymeterwith
its belt, and three or four baskets of rice.
The hufband takes care to maintain the
boys, and the women the girls.
They fcruple not to marry women that
. , have loft their virginity •, nay, they account
it a labour faved, but covet much fuch as
have good portions.
Thefe Blacks, as well as thofe of Gamhoa,
abftain from their wives as foon as they
appear to be with child. Nor do the wo-
men in that condition allow it, for fear of
corrupting their milk % and both men and
. women account it a great crime and in-
famy to tranfgrefs this cuft:om.
Naming They ufually give names to their chil-
ofboys. dren ten days after they are born. The
day fixed for the folemnity of giving the
name to a boy, is remarkable on that day
the father comes very early out of his houfe,
attended by his domefliicks, armed with
Vol. V.
their bows and arrows, and walks all about
the town, howling, finging, &c, which the
other inhabitants hearing, come out alfo,
to join with him \ and thus the greater the
company grows, the greater the noife is,
by joining to it their mufical inftruments.
And this being over, the perfon appointed
for the ceremony takes the child from the
mother's arms, lays it down on a kind of
fhield or buckler in the midft of all the
company, and puts a bow, made on pur-
pofe, in the child's hand. Then he turns
about to the-pcople, makes a long difcourfe
on the fubjecl ; and that ended, turns a-
bout again to the child, wifhing he may
foon be like his father, induftrious, a good
builder, and good hufbandman, to get rice,
to entertain fuch as will come to vifit him ;
that he may not covet his neighbour's wife,
nor be a drunkard, nor glutton, and much
fuch morality : then he taketh the child
up again, gives him a name, and delivers
him up again to his miOther or nurfe.
After which, all the company withdraw,
the men go a hunting, or to get palm-wine,
and in the afternoon they meet again all
together at the town, and there the child's
mother boils the game they have brought,
with rice and thus they feaft till night.
The ceremonial of naming the girls, is not Naming of
fo confiderable. That day the mother or^^>^^.
nurfe brings the child, where the beft part
of the people of the village are aflTembled i
there it is laid down on a mat on the
ground, wdth a little fl:a9^ in one hand,
exhorting the child to be a good houfe-
wife, to be chafte, to keep herfelf cleanly,
to be a good cook, a dutiful wife ; when
once married, to mind her hufband, that
he may love her above all his other wives,
to attend him at hunting, and other fuch
like wiflies ; which being over, the name is
given her, i^c.
Habit.
T^HE habit of moft of the Negroes m Mem gar-
this country is commonly a frock, V^ttr.entu
a fhirt, with wide long fleeves hanging down
to the knees. Some of the prime men, as
kings or chiefs, wear befides alfo fome-
H h times
ii8
A Description of the
Barbot. times either a clo.ik or coat, if they have
"^•^V^ it from feme European, and feem to be
very proud of that drefs. They alfo wear
a woollen cap on their head, and go all
bare- foot.
The women commonly wear a narrow
cloth about their middles, and tucked in
at their fides to fallen it, to fave the charge
or trouble of a girdle. Some go now and
then iliameiefly naked, without any con-
cern.
Diseases.
EN and beafts are here afflicted with
7 fee tvo-
mens.
M
afford fo much opportunity of trading with
Europeans, in elephants teeth, bees-wax, and
fome cam-wood : for they have but few or
no (laves to difpofe of that way j and the
great number of European fhips yearly paf-
ling along their coaft, foon exhaufts their
commodities.
As to tillage, they commonly begin in r/7%e.
January to prepare their lowmarfliy grounds
to fow rice, their fubftantial food ; every
one chufing what he liketh, that is not pre-
pofiefled by others. They fow rice much
the fame way as our hulbandmen do corn
many Ibrts of diftempcrs and infirmi- France or England, being followed by
Ibatheba
dtfeafe.
Meazles.
ties, feveral of which are not known in
F.urope. I fliall mention the chiefeil of
them.
The lhatheha kills a multitude of ele-
phants, buffdos, wild boars, and dogs i but
not fo many men or women.
I'he Meazks kill abundance, and for-
fome perfon, who turneth the ground light-
ly over the feed, with a little hooked tool
fitted for fuch bufmefs.
The rice flioots up three days after 'tiscro^^ of
and then they enclofe the field with*""^-
wn
Small-
Pox.
Htad-
ach.
Bloody-
flux.
Cankers.
fo
a paliflado or hedge', about two foot high,
to defend it from elephants or buffalos,
merly in the land of Hondo, fwept away the which are great lovers of this grain j keep
bcft part of the people. They think this
dillemper was brought in by fome Euro-
peans, at the beginning of this century,
who had Ipent fome time at Sierra Leona.
The Small-Pox alfo ravages this country
very much, and kills very many of the na-
tives, old and young.
The Head-acb, call'd Ho?ide-Doengh, is
very violent, as well as the tooth-ach,
which is named Jy-Doengh.
The Bloodyfliix is alfo common, and
fweeps away multitudes of the Blacks after
they have loft all their blood. They fancy
this diftemper is given by witches and for-
cerers, call'd here Sovah-Monou.
The ^lojas Negroes affirm, they never
knew of the bloody-flux till it was brought
from Sierra Leona, in the year 1626, eight
months after the Dutch admiral Laun had
left that place.
They are alfo much afflifted with Cankers,
fwelling out at the nofe, lips, arms, and
legs
ing always, a watch about it of boys of
their own, or flaves, who alfo preferve it
from being fpoil'd by the multitudes of
birds that are about the lands. And towards
the beginning of May they cut it down,
and inimediately make a fecond tillage, to
fow rice again in other higher grounds, for
they can fow rice at three different times of
the year •, the firft in marlhy grounds, the
fecond in hard level grounds, which is cue
the beginning of July^ and the third on
high rifing grounds, cut the beginning of
November, alternatively the one after the
other. The continual rains they have here
from April to September, much facilitating
the tillage of hard and high lands, which
is every where done by hand.
They never cultivate the fame ground,
but at two or three years diftance, to give
it time to recover itfelf ; nor will they ap-
propriate to ihemfelves the grounds of o-
thers, unlels by mutual confent, efpeci Jly
which perhaps may be occafioned by f>ard or high grounds, knowing what toil
their extraordinary luxurioufnefs with wO'
men and common harlots.
Here is another elfewhere unknown and
foul diftemper, the Blacks are fubjeft to,
throughout all the country about Sierra
Leona, and in ^wja ; i. e. a wonderful fwel-
Tumoun. ling of, or in, the Scrotum moftly occa-
fioned by the exceflive drinking of palm-
wine, which caufes violent pains, and hin-
ders their cohabiting with women. The
people of Folgias and Hondo are not fo much
troubled with it.
Employments.
Trade. '-p H E chief bufinefs of the Blacks is til-
lage, lor they do not mind trade near
fo much, feeming to be contented with what
is fimply neceffary for life ; I mean for the
generality, or perhaps the country does not
and labour it has coft the proprietor to grub
and rid them of large trees or bufhes.
The women have a great ftiare in cultiva- wimt the
ting of the lands. In fome places 'tis their 'o'omea do.
tafk to weed, and in others, to fow the rice ;
and more efpecially 'tis generally the bufi-
nefs of all women to drefs and beat it in
long deep mortars, made of a hollow trunk
of a large tree and, in fine, to boil ic for
their families ufe.
The Blacks fpend much time in getting in
the rice, to dry it well on the fallows or
ground it grew on, and to bind it in fheaves,
and pay the tythe to their kings.
The countries of the Hondos, Galas, and
Gebbe Monou, do chiefly abound in that
grain, at all times ; their lands producing
more, and better, than any other country
about them, which is a great advantage to
thofe.
Chap, f
CoafiS me>i
ftrangle fome flaves belonging to the At- and jia-vti-
ceafed, to attend him in the other world ;
who, the better to prepare them for their
exit, have been fcafted with all the delicacies
the country can afford.
During this time the women of the vil-
lage, who had the moft familiarity with the
perfon deceafed, keep about his wife, and
throwing themfelves at her feet, utter thefe
words, from time to time, Bgune, Bgune,
that is to fay, be comforted, or wipe off
your tears.
After this, they take the corps and lay it
down on a board, or a fmall ladder, which
two men carry thus upon their flioulders to
the grave, cafting into it the ftrangled wo-
men and flaves, mats, kettles, bafons, bu-
gles, and other odd things belonging to the
deceafed and covering all with a mat,
and hanging his armour on an iron rod,
fet up in the ground at one end of the
roof, which they ere6l over the grave to
keep off the rain from it : and for a long
while every day they leave eatables and li-
quors about it, for him to feed on in the
other world. If a woman is buried, they
fet up at the iron pole or rod, her bafons
zni^ Dutch mugs, in lieu of armour.
They obferve to bury a whole family jramUres
fucceffively as they come to die, in the iury'd to^
fame place as near as 'tis poffible, tho' the^«^^«^-
perfons die at ever fo great a diftance.
The burying-places are commonly in fome
forfaken, or ruin'd villages, which they call
Tombouroi i and there are many of them on
the river Plyzoge, and in the ifland MaJJah,
behind cape Monte.
The reafon they give for ftrangling fuch^-^^^j;^.-
perfons as are put to death, in order to be ling.
buried, in the graves of men of note, is,
becaufe their blood is too precious to be
fpilt and wafted on any account. They
ftrangle them with a ftring put about the
neck, which they twift and turn behind the
back of the wretched vi6tims, as is praftifed
by the mutes appointed for fuch offices at
the Ottoman Porte. They alfo burn in their
prefence the remaining viftuals that had been
prepared to feaft them before their exit, ad-
judging it to be facredo
/ • • This
I
Chap. S*. ' Coajls of South-Guinea.
121
This barbarous cuftom of lacrificing the
living Lo honour the dead, begins now to
\o\c ground ; for here, and at other places
already defcribed, where it is praftifed,
moft of the people hide their daughters or
children as foon as the king's ficknefs is
thought to be mortal ; which thofe who
wait on the dying king, ufe all precautions
to conceal as much as they can, that none
of thofe who are to be thus flaughter'd may
get away or abfcond. And when thofe who
have thus kept themfelves out of the way at
that time, return to their dwellings, they
are feverely reproach'd with their want of
courage, which among them is the greatefb
affront, and told how unreafonable it is they
Ihould have eaten the bread of their lord or
husband, and be afraid to die with him :
with many more no lefs ridiculous re-
proaches.
ladin at cuftomary here for the neareft
funerals, relations, or friends of a deceafed perfon, to
keep a faft of ten days after the funeral
of one of the common fore, which is call'd
BoUy Gitwe ; and thirty days for a king or
confiderable perfon. Such as keep this faft
make a vow, lifting up both their hands,
not to eat rice during that time, nor to
drink any liquor but what is kept in a hole
made for that purpofe in the ground, as
alfo to abftain from the company of women
and the women who engage to keep the
faid faft, vow they will not clothe them-
felves during that time, with any other gar-
ments whatfoever, but with white or black
rags, with their hair loofe and difhevell'd,
and to lie on the bare ground at night.
■Tyefmti to The faft being over, the penitents lift up
thofe that both their hands again, to denote they have
f'^-^' very pundlually accomplifti'd it : after which,
the men go a hunting, the women drels
what they kill, and all together feaft on it ;
and then thofe who have kept the faft, are
difmifled with each of them a prefent of a
bafon, or a kettle, or a cloth ; others with a
basket of fdt, or an iron bar, &c.
There is another cuftom, when a per-
fon is fufpefted to have died an untimely
death; which is not to wafti the corps, till
a ftricl enquiry be made of it. To this ef-
ftCt they make a bundle of fome pieces of
the dead perfon's garments, the parings of
his nails, and clippings of his hair, on which
Superjliti- they blow the fcrapings of the wood Mam-
em trial. ^,iQij^ or of Cam-wood j faftening the bundle
to the peftle, which two Blacks carry about Barbot.
the place, preceded by the priefts, who ^^rs/^sj
beat with two hatchets, one againft the
other, and afk the dead corps in what
place, at what time, and by whom he was
thus deprived of life; and whether C^zwok
their deity has taken him into his protedtion.
And when the fpirit, as they pretend, moving
the heads of the bearers of the corps, after
a certain manner, gives them to underftand
the Sovah-MonouJJin has done it ; they afk
him again, whether the forcerer is male or
female, and where he lives : which the fpi-
rit alfo declaring, in the fame manner, and
leading them to the place where the for-
cerer abides ; they feize and put him in
chains, to be examined on the charge the
fpirit has laid on him. If he perfifts to
deny it, he is compell'd to take the Kquony^t
a horrid bitter drink and if after drinking
three full Calaha^jes of it he vomits it up,
he is abfolved : whereas if it only foams out
about his mouth, he dies immediately ; his
corps is burnt on the fpot, and the afties
are throv/n into the river, or the fea^ be he
ever fo great a man.
This drink is compofed of the bark of a
certain tree, beaten in a wooden mortar,
and infufed in water : 'tis a very ftiarp dan-
gerous liquor, and commonly adminiftred
to the prifoner in thie morning, in cafe of
fufpicion of high crimes ; during which time,
they invoke the Kquony, praying that the
prifoner may vomit up the drink if he be
innocent ; but if guilty, that he may die
on the fpot.
Many more fuch abfurdities might be
related of thefe people, as to the admini-
ftring of this draught, which are not worth
mentioning.
The eldeft fon of the deceafed inherits all Frovifwn
his goods, wives, and concubines ; and he/'"' chil-
dying without iffue, all falls to his younger'^''*"'
brother, if he has any. The othtr chil-
dren are generally provided for by their
father, that they be not reduced to poverty
after his death.
But if a man dies without iffue male,
the fon of his brother is his next heir, tho*
he ftiould leave feveral daughters and if
there is never a male left of a family, then
the king becomes the fole heir, but is to
maintain and fubfift all the daughters that
are left behind.
Vo L. V.
C H A P,
Ill
Barbot.
A Defcription of the \, Book 11.
CHAP. VL -^'-^^^
Government of the Qno^z.^. Reception of embajfadors. i^^w^r Europeans^.
^ Superjiitions about fouls departed, Circumcifion. Newmoon. Society of
men called Beily y another of womeny called Neffoge. Tunifhment of male-
favors. Of Rio Seftro. The author lifits that king ; his reception, Kc.
Habit of men and women. Trodu£ly birds j and beafis. Funerals. Religion^
and phyfick. ..^ri^a-, .h-^k- -vr^!. ' -
Government.
S/SoCs "^P ^ authority of the ^o]as Berko-
^jojas. ^^^^^ ^^^^^ countries of C?/;/;, Boulm,
and Boulm-Berre, tho' of a greater extent,
and more populous, is due to their politick
government, compos'd of very judicious
wife men who, to keep their valTals and
neighbours in ignorance of the fmallnefs of
the country, and of the inconfiderable num-
ber of its inhabitants, do not permit any of
thofe of the north countries to travel to the
eafc, thro' their lands, nor thofe in the eafl to
pafs thro' to theweftward : by which means
they alfo have much greater fhare in the
trade, from one part to another. The
S^uojas ferve as faflors, or brokers to their
neighbours ; and convey thro' their fmall
country the goods v/hich the weftern Ne-
groes fend to the eaflern, or the eaftern to the
v/eftern : for the fame reafon, thofe to the
northward of thefe ^ojas, do not allow
them to pafs thro' their territories to the
other nations fiill northward of them, un-
lefs on occafion of the ^ojas marrying fome
women among them.
Stdijecl to The ^wjas Berkoma are fubjeutes. tribiiting to him an infinite power, univer-
£d knowledge, and to be prefent in all
places, believing that all good is from him,
but not that he is eternal \ and that another
light, or being, is to come to punifh the
wicked, and reward the vertuous.
A lake The Karou-Monous, when they poflefs'd
mrjhipfd. j;i-^e country about the rivers Junk and Ar-
voredo, in the kingdom of the Folgias^ paid
religious adoration to a lake or pool there,
on a mountiiia , and ufed to ofrcr to that
lake all the booty they took from the Fol-
gias, their mortal enemies, v/hom they had
often defeated, being led by a Carou gene-
ral of great renown, cali'd Sokwaila.
Tolicy of The Folgias having been often worfted
thecal- by the Karon- Mof oaSi and confidering they
were not able to withftand fuch a warlike
enemy by open force, contriv'd how to
dcflroy, or weaken them by policy. They
had recourfe to a forcerer, or magician, of
the country ; who advis'd them to call in-
to the above mentioned lake of the Karous^
a quantity of fifh boil'd, with the fcales
on: xhtKarous fuperftitioufiy looking up-
on it as a great pollution to eat fifh that
was not fcaled. This advice follow'd, had
its intended effect •, for the Karous being in-
form'd of what had been done, look'd up-
on the lake as defiled and profaned ; and
thereupon fell at variance among them-
felves, to fuch a degree, that a civil war
enfu'd ; by which they were fo weakned,
that the Folgias, who lay in wait to improve
all opportunities, attacking them, flew their
brave general Sokwaila on the fpot, and his
fon Flonikerri was oblig'd to furrender him-
felf prifoner, with the beft of his fubjedts.
The Folgias, fearing to exafperate that na-
tion, thought fit to conclude a folid peace
with them ; which fucceeded fo well, that
the king of the Folgias cali'd Flanfire^ mar-
gias.
ried the fitter of the Karon prince, and re-
ftor'd him to his dominions.
This ftory fomewhat refembles the ad-
vice which the falfe prophet, gave to
Balak, king of Moab j which prov'd lo fatal
to the Ifraelites, as we read Nu??ib.xxiv, 14.
and in Jofephusy lib. 4. chap. 6.
Thefe people believe, that the dead be- opinion of
come fpirits, which they call Jannack or/""'^*
Jananeen ; that is, patrons or defenders,
their bufinefs being to protedl and alTift
their former relations and kindred : and
therefore they put fuch queftions to their
dead, as I have before obferv'd. Thus, if
a man hunting of wild beafls in the woods,
happens to efcape fome imminent danger, he
fays, he has been deliver'd by the foul of
fuch of his deceas'd kindred, as he lov'd
beil •, and as foon as return'd home, facri-
fices at his grave an heifer, rice, and palm-
wine, as an acknowledgment of his delive-
rance, in the prefence of the relations of
the deceafed, who dance and fing at the
feaft.
They believe thofe fpirits, or fouls, re-
fide in the woods ; and when any man has
receiv'd fome notable injury, he repairs to
the woods, and there howls and cries, in-;
treating Canou, and the Jananeen, to cha-
ftife the malice of fuch a perfon, naming
him by his name^
He who finds himfelf in fome difficulty
or danger, conjures the foul of his beft re-
lation to k^ep him out of it, to fatisfadtion.
Others con fult them, and take their ad-
vice on fiiture events ; as for inftance, whe-
ther any European Ihip will foon come,
and bring goods to traffick, or the like.
In fliort, they have all a very great re-
fpedt and veneration for the fpirits of de-
ceafed perfons, and rely on them as their
tutelar gods. They never drink water or
palm -wine, without firft fpilling a little of
it for the Jananeen: and to aflfert the truth
of any thing, they fwear by the fouls of their
deceafed parents. The kings themfelves do
the fame : and tho' they feem to have a
great veneration for Canou, that is, God •,
yet all their religious worfhip feems to be
direfted to thefe fouls, each village having
a proper place appointed, in the neareft
wood, to invoke them.
Thus the native Indians of Virginia be-
lieve in many gods, whom they call Kew-
afowock, inferiors to another, great and puif-
fant, who is from all eternity, whom they
call Kewas. They have temples, wherein
they make offerings to thofe deities, fing
and pray for the dead, and believe the im-
mortality of fouls, 6ff,
The Chinefe hold, that all deceafed per-
fons are turned into air ; and therefore, all
their religious duties terminate in the air
that environs them,
Thefe
Chap. 6.
Coajls (?/SOUTH-GuiNEA.'
Thefe Blacks, at three feveral times of
the year, carry abundance of provifions for
the fubfiftance of the Jananeen, into the
woods and forefcs, where they firmly be-
lieve thofe fpirits refide, in a peculiar man-
ner. And thither afflifted perfons repair
in their extremity, to implore the afll-
ftance of Canou, and the Jananeen, with
loud cries.
It is a facrilege for women, maids, or
children, to enter thofe facred woods and
therefore are they made believe, from their
infancy, that the Jananeen would immedi-
ately kill them.
chcum- All thefe nations circumcife their chil-
tifion. dren at the age of fix months, and believe
it is appointed by God, faying it has been
^ praftifed time out of mind among them.
Yet fome mothers, through fondnefs, will
not let their children be circumcifed till
they are three years old, that they may
bear the painful operation with greater eafe
and fafery to them. They heal the" wound
with the juice of certain herbs, beft known
to them.
Here are two other ftrange ceremonies
much regarded and obferved by all the Ne-
groes of Hondo.) Manou, Folgias, Galas, Gehbe^
Seftro, Boulm-Cilm, and even in Sierra Leona y
which, though very different from what is
properly call'd the circumcifionj are never-
thelefs both of them very painful and ridicu-
lous ; of both which, I fhall foon fpeak at
large.
Nete moon Though the Blacks have not been yet ob-
honour'd. fervcd to adore the fun or the moon, yet *tis
remarkable, that at every new moon, both
in the villages and open country, they ab-
flain from all manner of work, and do not
allow any ftrangers to flay amongft them
at that time •, alledging, for their reafon,
that if they fhould do otherwife, their maiz
and rice would grow red, the day of the
new moon being a day of blood, as they ex-
prefs it and therefore they commonly go
all a hunting that day.
The lower Ethiopians in Ango'j., and near
Congo, pay the like veneration to the new
moon.
Belly >- '^^^ fellowfhip or fe£t of the Belly, as
tiity. near as it can be well defcribed, is proper-
ly a fchool, or college, eftablifli'd every
twenty or twenty-five years, by order of
the king, who is the chief or head of it,
for training up young men and boys
to dance, to fkirmifh, to plant, to fifh,
• and to fing often, in a noify manner, what
they call the BellyDong, the praifes of the
Belly •, which are no other but a confus'd
■ - repetition of leud filthy exprefTions, accom-
panied with many immodeft geflures and
motions of the body : all which things,
when duly perform'd, entitle the fellov/s of
that fchool, to the name of the marked of
Vo L, V,
12^
the Bell^, and renders them capable of all BarbotJ
forts of offices and employments about the '-^•f'^r^'
king and of enjoying certain prerogatives
of the country, from which the S^uolgj^
idiots, that is, fuch as never were educated
after that manner, are wholly excluded.
The king having order'd proper baracks^
or huts, to be built together, in a fpace
of ground mark'd out, eight or nine miles
in circumference, in the midft of a large
wood, or foreff, where palm-trees thrive
well, and the ground being fitted for plant-
ing of eatables, to fubfifb the fcholars ; and
all fuch Blacks as defire to prefer their fons,
being ready to fend them to it : proclama-
tion is made for all of the female lex, great
or fmall, not to approach the facred wood,
much lefs to enter it, during the conti-
nuance of the fchool, which fometimes is .
four, and other times five years, for fear
of polluting it ; lefl they incur the wrath
of the Belly, who, they are made to be-
lieve, from their infancy, would kill fuch
as fhould prefume to tranfgrefs.
The Soggonoes or elders marked of the
Belly fe£f , whom the king has appointed to
rule the fchool, having taken their places,
proclaim the laws of it to the fellows, for-
bidding them to ftir out of the limits there-
of, or converfe with any perfon but fuch as
has been marked of the Bell'j : and theri
they prepare every one of their fcholars to
receive that mark, which is done by cutting
certain firings which run from the neck to
the Ihoulder-bone a painful operation, but
cured in a few days, by proper vulnerary
fimples the fears whereof, when cured,
look at firfl fight like nails imprinted in the
flefh : and then a new name is given to every
one, to denote a nev/ birth.
Being thus prepared and fitted, and flark
naked all the while they live there, the Sog- .
gomes daily teach them the feveral things
above mention'd, till the four or five years
of their continuance at fchool are near fpent j
during which, they are fubfifbed by the Sog-
gonoes^ and by their parents, who fend them,
from time to time, rice, bananas, and other
eatables.
The day being appointed for breaking up,
they are removed to other lodgings, erec-
ted on purpofe at fome miles diftance from
the former where they are vifited by their
relations, men or women indifferently, and
by them taught to wafh their bodies, to
anoint them with palm-oil, and to behave
themfelves handfomely among people: for
by reafon of their long confinement in fuch
a retired place, they know little or nothing
of the behaviour of other people, but ra-
ther look like fo many favages.
After' fome few days fpent in this man-
ner, the parents drefs and adorn them with
clouts at their waiil i firings of bugle at the
K k neck.
126 ' A Defer ipt ion of the
Book II
BARBOT.neck, intermixt ^ith leopards teeth at dif-
t/'VNJ tances •, the legs loaded with brafs bells and
brafs rings ; a deep ofier cap on the head,
which almoft blinds them ; and the body
accoutred with abundance of feathers of fe-
veral colours. And in this equipage, they
are conduced to the publick place in the
king's town, and there in the prefence of
a multitude of people, efpecially of women
gather'd from all parts of the country, the
fellows pull off their caps, and let their hair
loofe, one after another, fhewing what im-
provement they have made in dancing the
Belly : and if any one happens to be out,
he is mock'd by the women, v/ho cry out,
He has fpent his time in eating of rice.
( When the dancing is over, the Soggonoes
call every fellow in his turn, by the name
that was given him at his admiffion into the
fchool, and prefent him to his father, mo-
ther, or relations.
Belly, To fay fomething of the Bel^ itfelf, it is
imhatitis. a thing made by the Belly- Mo or chief prieft,
by the order of the king, of a matter knead-
ed or wrought like dough, fometimes of one
figure, and fometimes of another, as is
judg'd convenient, according to occurrences
which he afterwards bakes, and, as I fup-
pofe, it is eaten. A politick invention of
the king and priefts, to keep the people in
greater fubjedtion, by the many dreadful
punilhments they induftrioufly give out it
can inflid on men, with the king's confent,
without which, it can have no force. It
cannot be imagined what impreflion this
makes on the people of all thefe countries,
every one accounting it facred and venerable.
Even the very kings and priefts themfelves,
tho' they know well what this Belly is
made of, and for what end yet, by the
prevailing force of fuperftition and ancient
pra(5tice, from one generation to another,
are fo far deluded, as well as the generality
of the people, that the king values himfelf
much upon being the head of that brother-
hood or fedt.
NelToge, The Other fellowfhip of the NeJ/ogey
fellowflnp concerns the female fex, and diftinguifhes
of -women, fuch asprofefs it, from other women who do
not as that of the Belly does its followers
among other men that are not of the fame
ftamp.
This fellowfhip of women was at firft in-
vented in the country of Goulla, and thence
followed and pradifed by all the other na-
tions. It is perform'd in this manner.
At a certain time appointed by the king,
a number of huts or cabins is built in the
midft of a wood, to receive all fuch maidens
or women, as are willing to be of the fo-
ciety ; who being all gather'd together, at
the place prepared, the Sogg-f Filly of Goulla,
the ancienteft woman of the profeflion, who
is fent for by the king, being come down
to rule and govern the fchool, begins to exe-
cute her office, by a treat the old ma-
tron gives to her new difciples, call'd
amongfc them Sandy- Latee, the alliance or
confederacy of the hen, (of which, more
hereafter) exhorting them to be eafy and
pleas'd in their confinement of four months,
which is the ufual time it lafts. Then ihe
fhaves their heads, orders every one to flrip
herfelf of her clothes, and having carried
them all to a proper brook in the hoiy
wood, wafhes them all over, and circum-
cifes everyone in the private parts a very
painful operation, yet cured by her in twelve foa ofwe-
days, by means of proper herbs. After which,
fhe teaches them all daily the dances of >
the country, and to recite the verfes of San-
dy ; which is a perpetual chanting of abun-
dance of lend, loofe exprelTions, accompa-
nied with many indecent ridiculous geftures
and xmotions of the body, all naked, as they
are conflantly during the four months of
their fchooling. And if they be vifited,
during that time, by any other women or
maidens from abroad, the vifiters are not to
be admitted to the fcholars, unlefs they alfo
be flark-naked, leaving their clothes in a
proper place of the wood.
The time being come to break up fchool,
the parents fend the fcholars red rufh-clouts,
bugle-flrings, brafs-bells, and large brafs
rings for the legs, to drefs and adorn them-
felves. And thus, xhto\dm2iivon Sogg- Willy ^
being at the head of them, they are con-
duifled to the village, whither a croud of
people refort from all parts to fee them.
There the So'^g-WtUy being fet down, thefe
Sandy-Si7nodiuno, daughters of the Sandy .t >
for fo thefe fcholars are call'd, dance, one
after another, to the beat of a little drum ;
and the dancing being over, they are dif-
mifs'd, each to her own quarters.
Punishments 0/ Malefactors.
A Woman accufed of adultery, is to takeMnhery
the oath on the Belly Paaro, which is^JJ?**'
in fubftance, that fhe wifhes and confents'""^^
thefpiritmay make her away, if fhe is guilty
of that crime •, if afterwards convidled of
perjury, fhe is in the evening carried to the
publick market-place of the village by her
own hufband, where the council is fitting.
They firft invoke the Jananeen % then they
cover her eyes, that fhe may not fee the
fpirits that are to carry her away ; after
which, follows a very fevere reprimand on
her diforderly life, with dreadful threats, if
fhe does not amend it : and fo flie is dif-
charg'd by the Jananeen., after a confufed
noife of voices heard, expreffing, that tho'
fuch crimes ought to be punifh'd, yet fince
it is the firft offence, it is forgiven, upon her
obferving fomefafts, and macerating herfelf
it bein^ expeded, that thofe who are forgiven
fhould
Coafls of SoUf H-GtllNEA.
127
ftould live fo chafte, as not to admit any
boys, tho' ever fo young, into their arms,
nor fo much as to touch any man's clothes.
If after this, flie happens to relapfe, and is
again duly convicfted, the Belly-Mo^ or
fome of the Soggonoes, accompanied on fuch
occafions by perfons making a noife, with a
certain tool like a fcraper, come in the
morning to the criminal's houfe, take her
away into the publick place of the town,
where after having obliged her to walk
three turns about it, ftill making a great
noife, that all who are of the brotherhood
of Belly, may fee what is doing, and take
warning •, fuch as are not of it, not daring
fo much as to look out, for fear the Ja-
taneen would carry 'em away : they
. convey the adulterous woman to the holy
wood of Bell'^ ; and from that time forward
fhe is never heard of any more. The Blacks
fincy the fpirits of the woods carry fuch
women away but it is likely they are there
put to death, to appeafe the indignation of
Belly, according to their notion.
Theft, If a man is charged with theft, murder,
murder, or qj- perjury, and the evidence is not clear
^howm- ^"O'JS''^' t^^^ °"^y fufpedled of this
nijhed. or that crime, he is to take the trial of Belly j
a compofition made by the Belly-Mo, or
prieft, with the bark of a tree and herbs,
which is laid on the perfon's hand. If he is
guilty of the indif«. ■
They often defir'd me to perfuade the com- I defcrib'd before, fpeaking of the country
pany to fet up a faflory on the river but of the ^ojas which make a delightful
I made them fenfible it would not be worth profpeft every way, being naturally inter-
while, the trade of ivory there being fo mixt with the coco and palm-trees.
fmalL As to plants, it affords much the fame Flams,
Product. as the country of the ^ojas •■> but particu-
Tkm X E country of Sefiro abounds in rice, ^arly abounds in Yams or Ignames, whereof
which yields fuch a prodigious increafe, the women make a fort of pap, almoft as
that a large fhip may be foon loaded, at white as ours, to feed their little children,
a very cheap rate but it is not fo large, There is alfo great itore of Cola, beans,
white, or fweet, as that of M/^;? or ananas, bananas, plantans, potatos, coco-
I believe it might be bought for about a "u^^s, and fmall oranges and lemons, very
half-penny a pound. ' full of juice, and all extraordinary cheap.
Guinea T^iQ Manlguette, or Guinea pepper, is alfo There is no lefs variety of birds, great«;
Pipr. very plentiful and cheap. The Blacks of and fmall, efpecially abundance of nng-
Seftro call it PVaizanzag, and thofe about ^oves, which are excellent meat. There
cape das Pahnas, Emaneguetta. That which are peacocks up the country, near the river-
grows on the river Sejiro, is the largefl of but it is difficult coming at the places
all this part of the pepper-coaft. It is a where they keep, for want of roads ; nor
fort of flirub, the leaves broad, thick, and are they eafily found when fhot, by reafon
pretty long, much like thofe of the nut- the thicknefs of the woods and briers
meg tree. The bufhes grow fo clofe to- on the ground.
gether, that in fome places at Seftro, they We now and then, in die woods, about
look, at a diftance, like thickets, or fmall a mile from the king's village, kill'd
coppices. The fruit is almoft oval, but ^ bird, about as big as a turkey, perching
pointed at the end being a thin hufk, firft on the trees, and having a very fhnll cry ;
green, and when dry, of a fine fcarlet, a- t)"t they are very plump and fweet, not
bout the fize of a fig, andfoft, asnotfill'd inferior to our pheafants. The befl time
with any pulp 1 but within it is the Mani- for this fport is about the evening, when
guette, growing in four or five rows, and they go to rooft, perching on a particular
cover'd with a white film, which alfo fe- foi't of trees, on which a fmall fort of
parates each grain, or feed ; and thefe are birds build their nefls. Thefe birds are
white, very fharp, biting beyond the hot- no larger than fparrows, but of a gay cu-
teft pepper. Thefe grains, before they ^lous plumage, and always build their nefts
ripen, are red, and of a grateful tafte, on the very tops of the loftieft trees, and at
The beft are of a cheftnut-colour, large, the extremities of the fmalleft boughs. Near
ponderous, and very fmooth ; the black captain JacoVs village, down the river, I
are the fmallefl. They take their colour faw above a thoufand fuch nefts upon one c«w/«
as they lie aboard the (hip, being put up tree. The ableft artift could not imitate
green. The feed is neither fo large or round the work of thefe little creatures, in the cu-
as the Indian pepoer, but h is feveral an- nous and folid twifting and interweaving
gles. The ftalks of it tafte lomewhat like of the bulrufhes, their nefts are made of,
being
3
Chap. 6o
Coajls (^f South-Guinea.
15
Monkeys.
Swallows,
Bogs,
/heep.
Gnats and
flies.
Tifimres.
Catter-
fillers.
Strange
men.
being very thick and firm, vvith a fmall round
hole, or opening for themfelves to go in
and out at.
The apes and monkeys, who always keep
in and about the woods, fitting on the trees,
are either grey and white, fpeckled at the
muzzle, or nofe ; or fpotted grey, black,
and red, with a black face, the extremity
of it white, with a pointed fharp beard at
the end of the chin. There is alfo another
fort very ugly and frightful to behold. The
Blacks eat, and reckon them good meat,
either boil'd with rice, as I have obferv'd
before, or dry'd and fmoak'd like bacon,
or neats tongues ; but the very fight of
them fo dry'd, is enough to turn'd an Eu-
ropean's, ftomach.
The fwallow is here very fmall, having
a flat head, and a very fmall beak.
The dogs are as in other parts of Guinea^
but not very common, and eaten by the
Blacks as good m.eat. There are but few
fwine, and the Iheep differ much from ours
in Europe % they are not fo large, and^ have^
no wool, hnt hair, like goats, with a fort of
mane, like a lion's, on the neck, and fo on
the rump, and a brufh at the end of the
tail. They are very indifferent meat, but
ferve there, for want of better, being fold
for a bar of iron each.
If I may believe fome of my men, who
were cutting wood in the foreft, near the
king's palace, they faw five lions together
about fun-fetting but I am more apt to
believe they were tygers, which are very
numerous in this country : and on their
account the Blacks raife their houfes three
foot above the ground, on poles, and en-
clofe their villages with mud walls, thofe
creatures fometimes reforting to the villages
in the night ; tho' I did not hear they did
any harm to men, but only devoured dogs
and poultry.
The woods are pefter'd with gnats, as
well as the fwamps, or moraffes •, as alfo with
a fort of green flies, as big as hornets, whofe
fliing draws blood almoft like a lancet.
The ants or pifmires are large, having
two long horns, and their bite caufes pain-
ful fwellings in the flefli,
I alfo took notice of feveral forts of cat-
terpillers, fome as long as a man's hand,
and very hideous.
I accidentally faw two fl:range men in
this country. The one was a native, who
had a milk-white flcin, but all over mottled
with fmall black fpots, like a tyger's Ikin j
he was a tall lufty man. The other was an old
Black, whom I faw in a little hamlet, near
the place where we hew'd wood and whoj
the natives told me, fate moft of his life in
the very place where I found him, having
a monfl:rous fcrotum, feeling like a vaft
Vol. V.
lump of dough, very round, all over white, Bar bot,
with black fpecks, and the reft of his body '«*'V^
perfectly black : they fliew'd me a fmall
opening in the fcrotum, thro' which he made
water. He fate fmoking tobacco very hearti-
ly but a very odd obje<5t to behold. This
painful and tedious diftemper is common
among aged men in ^oja., and thought to
proceed from the exceffive ufe of palm-
wine and women, which occaflon the cefti-
cles to fwell prodigioufly in the fcrotum,
rendring them incapable of v/alking or
acting.
There being many lepers in this country, lepets.
I could not but fufped that thofe two men
might be of that number, and therefore I
was afraid to examine them nicely. The
Blacks have no manner of communication
with fuch perfons.
The people of Sefiro live in perfe(5l peace
with their neighbours, having put an end to
the wars they had with them, by felling all
the prifoners they could take, for flaves.
Formerly their country ufed to be often
ravaged and burnt.
Funerals.
•T^ HEY are very ceremonious at the fu-
nerals of perfons of note. In the firft •
place, all the people of the village meet,
the men running round the houfe of the de-
ceafed, in a diftrafted manner, howling dif-
rnally and the women fitting about the Difmal
body, each holding a few banana leaves, to^"'^^'"^^
fliade and defend it from the heat of the
fun, tho' it be cover'd with a cloth •, they
alfo raifing their voices in loud cries and
forrowful lamentations, during twenty-four
hours. On the day appointed to bury the
corpfe, they all rcnev/ the fame cries and
noife, efpecially at the time of laying it into
the coffin, which is generally made of bul-
ruflies •, putting into it, with the body, all
the garments, the fcymeter, javelin, and
bugles, of the dead perfon. When the
coffin is to be laid in the grave, which is
made very large, they compel two wretched
flaves, one of each fex, to eat the rice pre-
pared and dreffed for them ; and this they ^
mufb do, though bewailing and lamenting
themfelves in a miferable manner. Then
they put them both into a hole, made on
purpofe in the ground, where they ftand
up to the neck in the earth and after re-
peated cries and howling, they defire the
dead corpfe, fliut up in the coffin, to accept
of that prefent ; which faid, they chop off
the heads of the flaves, and lay them in the
grave, one on each fide of the coffin, with
four kids, or fheep, kill'd on the fpot, pots
of rice, and others of palm-wine, bananas,
and all forts of fruit and plants intreating '
M m the
A Defcription of the
134
Barbot. the dead perfon to make ufe of thofe pro-
'*"''"V^ vifions, if he happens to be hungry or thirfty
on his journey : for they believe death to
be only a palTage into another unknown,
and remote country, where they enjoy all
leajling. manner of pleafures. All this while the
company make much noife, and lamentation
which is foon turn'd into joy, when they
come to the feaft prepared againfl: their re-
turn home, where they eat and drink mer-
rily together, at their own coft, if the de-
ceafed has not left fufficient effedls to defray
the expence. If any ftranger happens to
beat fuch a treat, hemuft ofneceflity make
each of them a prefent, which fometimes
may exceed the value of the whole enter-
tainment.
It is the cuftom to bury all perfons where
they are born, tho' they die at ever fo great
a diftance from the faid place j the charge
of the carriage being defrayed by the neigh-
bours, if the dead perfon has not left enough
for it. .
OOK
Religion.
T One day difcourfed with a heathen black
-■• prieft concerning their religion ; but not
underftanding one another well, I could not
gather enough to give others any good ac-
iMatry. count : only this I obferved, that in the
main, they are grofs ignorant pagans. For
another day, as I was walking to take the
air, on the fouth point of the river, about
a mulket-fhot from the village, I found a
fmall hut, cover'd with leaves, in which I
faw an imperfeft ridiculous figure, of a dark-
brown clay, raifed about two foot high, and
as big as a man's leg reprefenting, as I
fuppofed, a human body, to which all the
Blacks reforted every evening, as did the
king alfo ; wafhing themfelves in the river
every time, and then kneeling, or lying
quite along on the ground before it : and
that, as I afterwards underftood, was the
idol of the village, to which they thus paid
their daily worfhip.
It was a cuftom, among the ancient Gen-
tiles, to fet up many idols on the high-ways,
andelfewhere in the fields, under mean ftalls,
thatch'd over or otherwife, in view of tra-
vellers-, as is ftill praflifed by the people of
Loango, and others in the Lower Ethiopia,
as fhall be obferved in the defcription of that
country hereafter. And the French verfion
of the bible, in the paflage of Lev. 26. 30.
/ ivill dejlroy 'jour high places and raze your ta-
bernacles, &c. takes the word tabernacles in
the plural, for thofe foul huts or ftalls co-
ver'd over, under which the idolatrous Ifra-
elites, in imitation of the pagans living a-
m.ong and about theni, were ufed to expofe
their idols in the open country. The French
commentators on the 23d chap, of the 2d of
Kings, on the 7 th verfe, fpeakingof the wo-
men mention'd there, who wove hangings
for the grove, as the Englifi has it ; and
the French, tents, in lieu of hangings ; th
Hebrew, houfes ; and the Low-Butch, lit-
tle houfes ; fay, they were little chapels, in
the nature of niches or clofets, made by thofe
women, in the temple of Jerufalem, in the
days of Jofiah, of a fort of ftitch'd work ;
into which, the idolaters of that time ufed
to put their little images or idols : and fuch
were the little filver temples or tabernacles
of Diana, the great deity of the Epheftans,
mudtby Defnetrius, yf^f/. 19.24. For more
of thefe little houfes or huts about the high
ways, and in other places, I rtfcr the reader
to the conclufion of the laft chapter of the
third book of this defcription, where is
ftiown how conformable the praftices of the
ancient Gentiles were with thofe of the
modern, as proceeding from the fame
fource.
Other Blacks in this country pay religious Rochs wor-
worfhip to fome rocks, ftandingat a diftance
from the aforefaidhut, and rifing above the
ground, which I ilippofe to be their idols
of the fea.
Being afhore, on a funday, to make my
obfervations,! found the village full Blacks^
come from the neighbourhood, all of theifi
drefs'd and adorn'd after their manner, as
were thofe of the village ; their faces daub'd
with blood, and powder'd over with rice-
meal, which is a confiderable embellifhment
among them. Enquiring what this con-
courfe was for, I was told, they were met
in order to make a publick ficrifice of the
Sandy-Letee, that is, the hen of the alliance,
to their idol, forfuccefs in their bufinefs of the
next day, which was to begin fowing of the
rice. This facrifice is attended with dances
before the idol •, but thofe were perform'd
in my abfence, no ftrangers being allow'd to
be prefent at them. Two days after, I oh- sacrifice to
ferv'd in the village, that they cut and broke '»'^>^£^-
down an orange-tree to about three foot a-
bove the ground. To the trunk were made
faft two poles crofs-ways, and at the top of
them was another fmali pole, ty'd with a
fmall ftick to it •, at which hung by the legs
a dead chicken or hen, ftill dropping blood
at the beak, on the broken ftump of the
orange-tree •, and on each fide of the hen,
parcels of palm-tree boughs and banana
leaves, jagged all round, with holes thro'
the leaves, cut artificially, and ty'd to the
crofs poles both above and below. Some of
them inform'd me, that the orange-tree cut
fhort, as has been faid, was the idol, and the
hen its food.
The Hebrews offered in the temple, at
the purification of women of the poorer fort,
a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons;
and for lepers, two fparrows, Levit. 12. and
14-
The
Chap. 7- Coa/isofSoutn-Guit^KA.
IK
Ancient
facrifiees.
Chcumci-
fion.
Triers phy'
ficians.
The G entiles ■> in the days of Socrates, com-
monly facrificed a cock to Efculapius j and
that philofopher, when ready to expire, af-
ter he had drank poifon, is faid to have
charg'd a friend of his to remember to pay
a cock to Efciilapius,
The cock was alfo facrificed to the god-
defs of the night, according to Ovid. The
Egyptians facrificed a white cock to Anuhis,
and to Hermanubis a cock of a faffron colour.
The 'Trezenians^ as Paufanias reports, ap-
peafed the wind cali'd Africus^ which is the
fouth-weft, and ufed to fpoil their vineyards
and corn, with a cock. The Egyptians fa-
crificed a goofe to Jfis ; and the Pbenicians
quails to Hercules.
Thefe Blacks alfo are circumcifed after the
manner of the Arabs and Moors ; but can
give no other reafon for it, than that it is an
ancient cuftom tranfmitted to them by their
anceftors. Perhaps thefe idolaters may be of
the race of Ifmaeh or Efau^ from whom pro-
ceeded the Ifmaeliles., Madianites, Amalekites,
Idumeans, and' Arabs ; or of fome other
children of Abraham by his concubines, all
which were circumcifed,but foon degenerated
from the faith and piety of that patriarch,
and became grofs, fuperftitious idolaters,
who in procefs of time I'pread all over Africk,
flill retaining the ceremony of circumcifion,
as a diftindive mark of their extra6tion.
The priefts in this country are look'd
upon as able phyficians, being well Ikill'd
in the knowledge of herbs and plants, which
they adminifter virhere there is occafion, and
are therefore much refpedled. So the in-
habitants of Florida pay the greateft honour
to their priefts, cali'd Joanos., who are for-
cerers, and pniftife phyfick, after their
manner, as alfo furgery. The fame is found
in 'New-France^ the Aiitmoins there being
priefts, forcerers, dodlors, apothecaries and Barbot.
furgeons, v.^v-w
Before I leave Seftro., I think my felf ob-
liged to warn all Europeans., who may come
hereafter to wood and water, that they
avoid, as much as polTible, eating too
much of the fruit of the country, and that
they drink moderately of the fpring-water \
which together with the hard labour of
felling trees, and hewing wood, which can-
not be well done without being almoft
naked, and the intemperate air of the woody
and fwampy grounds, will at all times of
the year, but efpecially in the rainy feafons,
more than in the fummer, foon put the
ftrongeft conftitution out of order, by cau-
fing at firft violent head-aches, attended
with vomiting, and pains in the bones, which
turn to violent fevers, with diftra<5lions in
the brain, and in a few days prove morta .
For it has been often obferv'd, that of a
crew of thirty or forty men employ'd on
fhore, to fupply the fliip with neceffarieSj
feveral in fix or eight days of fuch toil and
hard labour in the fcorching heats of the
day, have fallen fo very ill, that they could
not recover in along time % and others ac-
tually died in a few days. To avoid thefe
Cafualties as much as poffible, 'tis very re-
quifite to have none of the fliips crew lie on
Ihore, but to fetch them all off every night,
and every morning early return them onfliore
to do the necefllary work j and there fub-
fift them with the fhips provifions : and ra-
ther than fail herein, 'tis fafer to fpend
fome more days about their bufinefs, than
thro' too much hafte to endanger the lives
of the men, by too violent labour, to ftior-
ten the time of the ftay in this river ; which
is otherwife accounted one of the moft
healthful places of the Guinea coaft in fum-
mer time.
CHAP. VIL
The coaft of Malaguette defcrib'd. Its feveral villages the natives, their
inclinationSy religion^ &c. The prodtiEl and trade.
I Am now to defcribe the coaft of Ma-
leguette, by the Englijh cali'd the pep-
per -coaft, and by the Hollanders the
Greynkufi J accounting it to extend from
Rio Seftro, more properly than from cape
Monte, as fome do, to Grouwa, two leagues
eaft of cape das F almas. This coaft con-
tains many villages along the fea-fide,
at which there is commonly a pretty
good trade of elephants teeth, as well as
pepper.
Before I enter upon this defcription, it
will not be improper to off^er fome general
obfervations relating to trade and navigation.
T^he Coast.
/^Oming out from Seftro road, if the wind Direliiens
^ be north-weft, or north-north-weft, as/"'' f'^'^^"S-
it generally is there 'tis eafy to weather
the ridge of rocks which appear above water
to the fouthward of the eaft point of this
river ; and thus, without any^danger to fail
along the coaft, in twelve or fifteen fathom
water, about a league from land, or elfe
two leagues out at fea, in thirty and thirty
five fathom grey fandy ground, mix'd with
fmall ftones ; the land low, fometimes dou-
ble, by intervals covered all over with lofty
treesj anchoring every evening, and firing a
1^6
BARBOT.gun if you defign to trade : and lying thus
"-^"V^ at anchor till ten a-clock in the morning, to
give the Blacks time to come out in their
canoes, in cafe they have any goods to trade
and when failing, to do it flowly, with top-
fails half up.
Bearing of The coaft lies northweft and fouth-eaft to
the coafi. S eft ro- Paris, or little Seftro before which
place, being about four leagues from Se/lro
river, is a mountainous long rock, on which
grows a high tree, with five other rocks to
the fouthward of it, and one to the north-
ward. The Blacks here are generally fiflier-
men, and there is little or no trade. About
two leagues farther eaft is the point, call'd
Baixos-Swino, running out into the fea •, and
near it is a great rock clofer to the land,
which is white at the top ; and at a diftance
weftward at fea looks like a fail, eafily feen
from Seftro road, in clear weather. A little
Sangwin b:;low this rock is the village Sangwin,
■village, {landing on the mouth of the river of
that name ; which falls into the fea at
fouth-fouth-eaft, and will carry fmall fliips
twelve leagues up, tho' its entrance is
very narrow. The banks of this river
are covered with fine high trees. The vil-
lage contains about one hundred houfes.
The Englifto had a fettlement there formerly j
but abandon'd it, becaufe of the ill-temper
of the Blacks. The king is tributary to
him of Rio Seftro % he commonly wears a
blue MooriJJj frock, and goes often aboard
the fliips in the road. Formerly the Dutch
and Portugiieze drove a great trade of ele-
phants teeth and pepper there but of late
the Blacks have lb extravagantly advanced
the prices of their goods, that here, as well
as at all other places along this and other
coafts of Guinea, there is little to be done
to any advantage. Befides, fo many fhips
continually refort thither, that the trade is
quite fpoilc. In cafe of n-ceffity, Sangwin
is a convenient place for wooding and wa-
tering, and to buy provifions.
Baffi T)//- B xffa, Bofoe, or Bofou, is a village about
Ufe. a league and half eaft ot Sangwin, where
there is fome little trade for elephants teeth,
but much more for pepper. This place is
eafily known by a plain fandy point, en-
- \ viron'd with large and fmall rocks •, fome
of the Blacks here fpeak a little Portugueze,
or Lingua Franca.
Sererna Seterna, or Serres, is again about two
village, leagues eaft of Bofou, having fome rocks out
at lea on the eaft point, and a good trade
for ivory and pepper.
'Tajfe, oxDaJJa, another village, is not far
from it % and next Boltowa, another Town
fituate eaftward on the fhore eafily known
by two great rocks, the one appearing
out at fea, about two Englijh miles weft of
it, by the Portuguefe call'd Cabo do Sino; and
another about four miles eaft of the town :
mption of the ■ Book II.
as likewife by feverai high hills beyond it. >
Here is abundance of maneguetre or pepper, '
which the Blacks exchange for blue Perpe-
tuanas, pewter bafons, iron bars, and An-
nahaffes.
The Blacks ufually come aboard fnip to
traffick j they are dexterous thieves, and
ought to be well look'd to, in dealing with
them ; for they will never pay for what they
buy, if they can avoid it. They feem to
be much addi6ted to women, for ail their
talk when difcourfing with ftrangers tends
that way.
The village Sino lies fouth-eaft from Bot- SmovH-
towa, about a league and a halfdiftant, and^^^^-
diftinguiftiable by a great rock, on a land-
point, running out a little to fea. Behind
which, is a large fine river, coming from far
up the country, as the Blacks report, and
not much inferior to that of Seftro.
The village of Souwerahoe or Salrebon,So\xv^eti'
is farther on to the fouth-eaft, a league from
Sino. That of Seftro-Crou, five leagues from sX'o-^"'^
Sabrehon, is a large beautiful village. Thecrou."
place is eafily known by a head or cape,
of three black hills together, planted with
trees, which from a diftance at fea look like
mafts of ftiips ; the cape or point being
encompaflfed with rocks, fome of which run
a little out to fea : as likewife by two
great rocks on the ftiore, about two Engliftj
miles diftanc from each other ; the land
being low and flat.
Here is good watering, in cafe of necef-
fity, in the bulging of the fhore, which
ftiews like a little bay.
The village Wappou or Wappo, is fivewappg^
leagues from Seftro-Crou, fituate on a XwAtuilUge.
river, and may be known by a ridge of about
twenty or more high ftraggling trees, which
appear on a flat long high ground, beyond
the fhore at the end whereof ftill farther in-
land, are five palm-trees, as alfo a very
flat ifland, or rock, near the coaft, if not
joining to it, environed with other fmall
ones. And fomewhat further in, by the fliore,
are two other rocks, one of which Is white
at the top, with the dung of many fea-gulls
or birds, which conftantly play about it.
The other rock is very near the ftiore on
the larboard fide, going into the river. At
the village within this river, as well as at
Botowa and Seftro Crou, the elephants teeth
are commonly large.
The country abounds in maneguette,
which they commonly carry aboard Ihips in
the road, in great large bull-rufti balkets,
made in the form of fugar-loaves.
Thefe places being very populous, many
canoes come out from them aboard the fliips.
The natives of Wappo will, in cafe of ne-
ceflity, and for a fmall matter, fupply any
foreign fhip with very fweet frefti water,
from about their village.
Dros
Chap. 7- Coafts of SotiTH-GuiNEA,
Dioe and Broc and Niffo^ tv/o other villages are be-
Nifto vil- tvveen JVappo and Grand Seftro ; they pro-
duce abundance of maniguette,and fo cheap,
that I purchafed at Droe, three hundred and
fifty pound for one bar of iron.
The Blacks about Wappo, and parts ad-
jacent, are more tradable and better condi-
tioned than thofe farther weft : however, they
are importunate enough, as well as all the
other Blacks of the pepper-coaft, in begging
their Dajfi, or prefent, before they deal for
any goods; and it's very difficult toget rid of
their importunities. Their language can
fcarce be underftood. The country produces
much the fame forts of provifions and refrefh-
mcnts as -At Seftro and other places.
The fea all along affords great variety
of fifli, little differing from that on the
gold coaft, of which I fhall fpeak in its
proper place.
The coaft from Wappo to Grand Seftro, or
Seftro Paris, ft"retches fouth-eaft by fouth,
being a large village on the Rio das Efcravos.
The tide, at low ebb, carries along the fhore •,
and at fea, on the return of flood.
Grand Grand Seftro is about two leagues and a
Seftro. half to the fouth-eaft of Droe ; and eafily
found out, by a rock appearing on the
north- weft of it, and by a cut in the
coaft, over which are three palm-trees up
the land.
The Dutch call it Balletjes-hoeck, from a
name of a Black v/ho formerly lived there.
I obferved, that fome of the Grand Seftro
Blacks, when they came near the fhip in
their canoes, did utter fome Fr^;z^'^-
that is, a Prefenty that it is not the bufinefs of ^'^
a large fhip to make any ftay on the coaft :
fmall ones are only proper to drive a coafting
trade with them.
Their "Taba or 7* da-Seyle^ and by others
Fabo-Seyky that is, their kings, are very ar-
bitrary , having an abfolute authority over
the people, and the people paying great fub-
miflion to them. Thefe kings go about
with much gravity and feeming (late.
They are grofs Pagans, praying to their
Grigri or idols, and to dead men, to grant
them a good, peaceful, and holy life in this
world •, and falute the new-moon with plays,
foags, and dances ; and are ftrangely addidled
to forcery and divination.
The belt and fitteft time to drive the
coafting trade, is in the months of February^
March, and Jpril. The fouth fouth-eaft
winds begin to blow on this coaft in May,
and bring the 'Tornados, ftormy weather,
and great rains, generally attended with
lightning and dreadful thunder.
As to the particular defcription of the
Guinea-Pepper, and the trade thereof, and
at what time, I refer to what has been faid of
it in the fixth chapter.
This fort of pepper being now little ufed
in Europe, the trade of it is inconfiderable
fo that moft of the fhips that ply upon this
coaft every year, look chiefly for elephants
teeth of which the EngUJh and Dutch get
the largeft fhare : the Negroes paying
much civility to both nations, but efpecially
to the Englijh. They have alfo a great kind-
nefs for the French, as being the firft people
of Europe that frequented them, as 1 have
faid before.
Marmol, chap, xxiii. fays, that before the
coming of the Portuguefe to this coaft of Ma-
laguette, the merchants of Barbary repaired
thither to fetch off" this pepper ; traverfing
the whole kingdom of Mandinga in Nigritia,
and the country commonly called Guinea,
i. e. Genehoa, and the Lybian Defarts ; and
ixomBarbary, fome quantity of that fpice was
tranfported into Italy, where it was called
Grains of Paradife, becaufe its origin was
unknown there.
CHAP. VIIL ^
Of the ivory-coaji 'j villages on it. St. Andrcsf/'s riven bottomlefs pit. In,"
JiruB ions for failings &c.
Bivifion e/'T~'HE Dutch and French reckon the T and-
thecoajl. ^ kuft or Ivory-Coaft, ^vom Growa,VNO
leagues eaft of csLTpe Palm-trees to Rio de Sweiro
da Cofta, where the Gold-Coafi may properly
be faid to begin and divide that coaft into
three parts IvoryCoaft, Malegentes-Coafi,
and ^aqua-CoaJi : after the Portuguefe man-
ner, accounting the Ivory-Coaft, from Gro-
wa to the river St. Andrew, running north-
eaft and fouth- weft ; that oiMalegentes, from
St. Andrew's river, to Rio Lagos, lying weft
fouth-weft, to eaft north-eaft j and that of
, ^/aqua.
Chap. 8.
Coafls ^?/S0UTH-GuiNEA.
lages.
^nqua, from Rio Lagos to Rio de Sweiro
da Cofia, ftretching from weft north-weft to
eaft fouth-eaft. Of all which coafts I will
give the beft account I am able, the natives
being fo rude, that few Europeans dare go.
aftiore.
Villages on the Coast.
A LL this trad of land, in antient geogra-
phy, was called the Agangince JEthiopes.
It is generally pretty full of villages and ham-
lets on the fea-ftiore, but I will take notice
only of the principal and moft known to us,
Tabo- ^ abo-Dune^ the next village after Growa,
Dane and is known by a large green cape or head
TaboW- j-jga^j. i(- ^ the country all woody, as well as the
cape. The tides commonly fet eaft north-
eaft, tho' at fome other times, flowly to
fouth and fouthweft but this is feldom.
Tabo, which is ten leagues eaft of Tabo-
Dune, may be eafily known from fea, by
the great rock that appears at a good di-
ftance, on the weft of the village, about a
league and a half The cape near the vil-
lage, is covered with high, large, ftrag-
gling trees. The road before Tabo has eigh-
teen or twenty fathom water.
There is a fmall river in a brake, near the
village, called by the Portuguefe^ Rio de S,
Pedro ; weft of which, are fome hills, by
them alfo named Serra de Santa Apolonia.
Retry or Petiero, another village two
leagues farther eaft from Tabo, may be
known by the rock which appears not far
from it.
Tahoe, two leagues again eaft of Retry.
Berby,W Berby, another village, appears on the
Druyn- afcent of a hill, two leagues beyond
Druyn-Petry is near the riverof St. An drew.
'Tis eafily known, fome houfes appearing
plain from fea, on a high ground near the
fhore, with feveral high ftraggling trees on
the cape weft of them ; and by four favana's
or plains, lying weft of it, about a league or
more, on the ftiore, among the woods that
cover it. The Portuguefe call that cape,
Cabo da Praynha, that is, the cape of the
Little Strand. The town ftands in an ifland
in the river, which comes from the north, be-
tween ridges of hills behind which, are very
pleafant meadows and pafture-grounds. Be-
fides the town, there are three villages, each
half a league from the other, abounding in
cows and other cattle.
Nature The Blacks here, are the greateft favages
efthefe of this coaft ; and faid to eat human flefti.
blacks. They take great pride in pointing their teeth
as ftiarp as needles or awls, by filing them
often with proper files. I would not advife
any perfon to fet foot aftiore here. The
Blacks, in their canoes,commonly bring large
parcels of teeth aboard ftiips in the roadj
Tahoe,
but hold them fo dear, that the purchafe wIUBarpot.
afford no great profit. —
They are generally covetous, beggings
befides their Daffy, any thing they fee, and
will be very angry when denied it. They
are fo fufpicious or timorous, that if they
happen to hear any noife more than ordinary
aboard ftiip, or be harftily fpoken to ; they
immediately leap over board on all fides, one
after another, fwimming to their canoes :
which they commonly keep plying with
fome of their men, at a fmall diftance from
the fliip, and thus make to land j fo that it
is very difficult to trade with them.
St. Andrew's River.
npHE river of St. Andrew is about a
league and a half eaft north -eaft, from
Druyn-Petry, where the land grows into a
large head or cape.
This river divides itfelf into two branches,
thc one running north-weft and by weft-, the
other eaft fouth-eaft. It is navigable for fmall
fhips, four leagues up the country, the wa-
ter being deep and the channel wide, tho' at
fome times of the fummer feafon, as when
we lay there at anchor, it is fhallow at the
entrance, being fo choak'd with a bar of
fand, that our boat could not get in, for the
breaking of the fea. The mouth of this ri- Veninfula.
ver looks fouth-eaft, having a high round
cape on the larboard- fide, and to the weft-
ward is a tree by itfelf. This cape appears
from the road like a great high rock, on the
ftiore, very fteep towards the fouth and eaft
fides, having befides feveral fmall rocks a-
bout it, both above and under water, which
can only be approached to go afliore from the
river-fide.The flat or beach of the peninfula is
not above twenty paces broad, from the river
to the fea ; whence the ground rifes gradually
towards the fouth, forming the promontory %
on the top of which, the ground is level,
making a platform of about three hundred
paces circumference, which commands the
oppofite land : and thence are feen two vil-
lages, Giron eaftward, on the fide of a mea-
dow, and Little Tabo weftward, on the bor-
ders of a heath or common, planted here
and there with trees, and terminates at the
foot of large mountains.
Our men, who were fent aftiore here for
water, well armed, and in good number^
landed on the weft-fide of this peninfula, and
rolled their casks over it, to fill them with
the water of the river, and returned them
full the fame way to the boat, with preci-
pitation, feeing feveral canoes full of armed
Blacks, coming down the river, with all the
fpeed they could, in order, as it is probable,
to aflTault them ; thefe Blacks being great
bloody favages. The water they brought
was brackifti, being taken up too near the
mouth
A Defer ipt ion of the
Book II.
Barbot. mouth of the river, and we not knowing
\tfY^ that there was a fpring of frefh fweet water,
at the foot of the hill, oppofite to the pro-
montory, about hah gun-lhot diPcant.
The river looks very plealant, the banks
being bordered all along with fine large trees,
and fpacious meadows. The country affords
great plenty of Millet, Igna?ncs, Bananas.,
Figs^Oxen^Cows, Sheep, Poultry \ and in ihort,
v/hatever the Malegnette Coaft produces for
the fupport of life : but the favage, brutifli
temper of the natives will not allow them to
fell any to ftrangers, unlefs at a very dear
rate, and not of the bed.
This place might yield a good trade, were
it not for the rudenefs and barbarity of the
Blacks ; who have at feveral times maffacred
a great number For tuguefe, Dutch, zx\.diEng-
lijh, that came for provifions, and to water,
not thinking of any treachery. An EngliJJj
fhip in 1677, loft three of its men i not
many years fince, a Hollander fourtetn ; and
in 1678, a Porltiguefe nine men ; of whom
nothing was ever heard fince. 'Tis from the
bloody temper of thefe brutes, that the Por-
tuguefe gave them the name of Malegens, for
they eat human flefh ; lb that there can be
no trading with 'em at all. But if, thro' ne-
ceffity, any one that trades on the coafl; is
obliged to get water or provifions from this
place, it is abfolutely requifite to man the
boat that is to go afliore, very well with
muskets, half-pikes, and fuch other wea-
pons, and to carry a couple of pattereroes on
the boat's head or ftern, keeping centinels
on the mafi:, or on the promontory, to pre-
vent being furprized by thefe mifcreants.
The female fex here are very handfome,
both maidens and women, but moftly of a
imall ftature. The men are tall and lufty.
The women wear only a fingle clout about
their middle.
Sailing along the coaft eaftward, frem
St. Andrew's river, there appear along the
fhore, twelve or more red cliff^s, which
take up in all about three and a half or four
leagues in length; the fiiore being very fteep,
and quite red, in parcels or brakes, and can be
feen in clear weather, from eight leagues out
at fea. Sailing along it about a league from
land, it is twelve or thirteen fathom deep.
The Portiiguefe call it Barreiras Vermelhas ;
the French, Falaizes Rouges ; and the Dutch,
Roode-Kliftens, that is, Red-Cliffs.
Dromwa- The village Dromwa-Petry, which is fi-
Pctiy ml- j-u^i-e^ between the feventh and eighth red
clifi^, is remarkable for two large trees,
ftanding by ir, and is feven leagues from the
abovefaid river. The coaft along to this
place, bears fouth-eaft, fomething fouth.
The Blacks are here as favage and brutal as
at St. Andrew'' s.
I could fee no other village but the laft
lege.
mentioned nor did I fee any from thisDrc^^-
iva-Petry toCoetroe, nor any boats out, which
fliows the country is not well inhabited. The
moft remarkable thing is Rio de Lagos,
on the eaft-fide of which, is Coetroe ; and
out of which, commonly come many canoes
aboard fliip, with fome parcels of large fine
teeth.
Cape La Hoe or Hon, is two leagues to Ca^e La
the eaft of Coetro'i ; the land between, low, Hoe.
flat, and woody. This cape is alfo a low
point cover'd with trees, and the moft tra-
ding place of all the coaft of ^.aqua, for
fine large teeth, whereof there is great
abundance at all times. It needs no other
particular mark to find it out, but the great
number of canoes, which ufually come out
with teeth, to meet the fliips that come from
the weftward ; and that of a tall, large,
ftreight tree, rifing much above all the
others, like a firr-tree. The town o( La Hon
is a league in compafs, and very populous •,
feated near the fliore, having a flat ftrand all
along it, of fine yellow fand ; on which the
fea rolls and breaks with great furges. The
country about La Hon is plentifully provided
with all forts of provifions, ufually found on
the coaft of St, Andrew* s and Druyn ; only
here they are much cheaper and better: the
natives being civil and eafy to deal with, in
all things j but are apt to raife the price of
their Ivory, according to the number offhips
they fee on the coaft •, and thither commonly
refort many Englifi and Dutch interlopers,
as well as free fliips. Somewhat above a
league weft of La Hou, is a large river, the
main channel whereof runs weftward to that
of St. Andrew's the other fmall branch of
it ftretches a fev/' leagues towards the eaft, up
the country.
From cape La Hou, the coaft bulges out R'^^'' Das
fome way, and then runs ftreight eaft and by
fouth. In that bulging appears the little ri-
ver of Jaq^iie La Hou, or DasBarhas, which
runs down from the north into the ocean ;
but is not navigable.
The village Wotoe, Wallock, or TFallatock,'^_oxoG
is feven leagues from JaqueLa Hou eaft and^''^''^^-
by fouth. It is a place of but an indifferent
trade for ivory, few canoes coming out at a
time with fuch goods.
Next to Wotoe, on tht^aqua coaft, is J^^7-
quejeaque, or Jack in Jako ; and next to it a-
gain on the fame coaft, to the eaftward, that
of Corby la Hou : between both which places,
fome rivulets run into the fea, and the bot-
tomlefs pit, called by the Hollanders, Kuyl
fonder grondt, a certain tratt of fea, about a
league weft from Corhy la Hou, at a fmall
diftance from fliore, where for a long time it
was believed no ground could be found, and
therefore it was called the bottomlefs pit.
But by experience it appears to be but flxty
fathom
Chap. p. Coajls of SouTH-GuiNEA.
fathom deep,within musket-fhot of the land ;
tho' farther out to fea, the lead did not
touch the bottom : but I conceive it was
driven away by the ftrong tide from the
fouth-weft that runs there. 'Tis therefore
much fafer, to avoid falling into this pit,
not to fail from hciortjaque la Hou without
fuch a gale of wind, as will carry the fhip
thro' it ; for in calm weather or flack winds
you will be driven on it, and the fhip in dan-
ger of being ftranded ; therefore come to
an anchor before Gammo, a league and half
or thereabouts eaft of Corby la Hou: This
Gammo road, being between Cor^ la Hou
and Rio de Sweiro da Cojla, in the countryBARsor.
of Jdou, and thus at hand for the Blacks ^-"Y*^
of all three places to come out in canoes,
with large parcels of ^aqua cloths, teeth,
and fome gold, befides abundance of refrefh-
ments.
The Blacks of thefe three places are very
expert fwimmers and divers for when I
threw any thing, as ftrings of bugles, or
other little baubles, or haberdafliery ware,
into the fea, to fee their agility in diving,
fome of them leapt over injmediately, and
brought it up almoft from the bottom of
the fea.
CHAP. IX.
T rade 5 Elephants. Jealoufy and Knavery of the Blackso Trodu6l i Na-
tives 5 Language 5 £Cc.
JElephnnts
tesfh.
Multitude
if ele-
fhmts,
HAV IN G given an account of the Ivory ^
Malegentes and S^uaqua coafts ; I fhall
now fubjoin fome general obfervations con-
cerning the trade thereof, and the manners
of the inhabitants, delivering them as they
occur to my memory which, I hope, may
be ferviceable to fuch as lhall refort to thofe
parts*
Trade.
HP HE inland country affords yearly a vaft
^ quantity of fine large elephants teeth,
being the beft ivory in the world, moft of
which is conftantly bought up along this coaft
by the Englijh, Butch, and French^ and fome-
times by the Banes and Portuguefe. The Butch
were formerly the principal traders therein
but now the Englijh get as much, if not
more of it, fince the trade to Guinea is be-
come fo general. This great concourfe of
European Ships coming hither every year,
and fometimes three or four lying together
at anchor in the road, has encouraged the
Blacks to fet fo dear a rate on their teeth, and
particularly on the larger fort, fome of them
weighing near two hundred pounds French.,
that there is not much to be got by them,
confidering the vaft charges that commonly
attend fuch a remote trade.
To fay fomething of the elephants, if we
may credit fome Hollanders, who have fre-
quently been on this coaft, it is fcarce to be
conceived what a multitude of elephants
there is all about the inland country. They
are reported to be fo numerous every where,
that the Blacks are forced to build their ha-
bitations underground, to be in fafety from
them, notwithftanding the great number of
them they kill, as well for that reafon as
for the profit of the teeth. Bat were this
the only means of getting the teeth, it would
never produce that vaft quantity which is
yearly exported ; and tho* I cannot affirm,
as fome do, that the elephants fhed their
teeth every three years, and new ones grow
out, yet I do not diffent from others, who
are of opinion, that this animal may thus
change its teeth feveral times during its
life. Their living an hundred years or
longer, as is reported, may occafion the vaft
quantity of teeth that is pick'd up in the fo-
refts i befides the great number that die of
age or other cafualties abroad : however it
be, 'tis obferv'd at prefent, that the teeth
are not feen in fuch quantities on the coaft
as formerly, whether it be that the country-
is fomewhat exhaufted, or the Blacks are
grown more carelefs in gathering of them^
which may occafion their being now at fo
high a rate, together with the great num-
ber of purchafers : for which reafon, and the
rudenefs of the Negroes, the Butch have
partly given over that trade, in comparifon
of what it was heretofore. It is a good di-
verfion aboard fhips, along this coaft, to fee
almoft every day fo many canoes of Blacks
plying about, at a fmall diftance, crying
aloud ^aqua, ^laqud, and then they pad-
dle farther off. So great is their miftruft Jealous
the Europeans, fince fome have bafely car-^'^'^'^^-
riedaway or kidnap'd feveral of them, that
tho' they are call'd to, not to fear a furprize,
but to come freely aboard, as with friends,
yet few dare venture; and firft they confulc
together in their canoes, and when agreed,
only a few of them go aboard, the others
paddling about at a diftance. But to encou=
rage them to come aboard, the mafter, or
fome of his officers, commonly take up a
bucket of water out of the fea, fome of
which they carry up with their hands to
their eyes, and then they will come aboard
more freely, looking upon the fea as a deity
or objed: of religious veneration \ fancying
that this ceremony performed by Europeans,
binds them as much as any oath, or folemn
promife whatfoever can do, to be true and
juft to them. However, this ceremony does
not prevail on all thefe favages, as I found
O o in
A Defcription of the
OOK
BARBOT.in failmg by, hzfovo. Taho where, having
'w^v^ fix large canoes about the fhip, full of fine
elephants teeth, each canoe manned by five
or fix hands at leaft, all tall lufty refolute
men; none of them would come aboard,
but perfuaded me to go into our long-boat
a-ftern the fliip •, and I order'd the top- fails
to be lowered, to check our run for a while, to
try what trade I could drive with them. 1
gave every man his Diiffj or Biz'^, as is cuf-
tomary, but they were fo unreaionable as to
offer no more than fifty pound of teeth for
ten bars of iron, making a great noife and
prattling among themfelves. I order'd my
goods aboard again, without driving any
bargain, and loft my prei'enL
Trading 'Tis hard to conceive what patience is re-
quired to trade with moft of thefe brutes ;
and which is worfe, they cannot be under-
ftood, nor do they underftand us : fo that all
is done by figns and geftures of the hands or
fingers, and by fetting a quantity of goods
they chufe by the quantity of teeth we pitch
upon.
At Dro?nwa-Petry^ being loth to lofe the
BjJJy given them, I order'd one tooth, as
near the value as I could guefs, to be kept
aboard ; and at cape la Hou, two teeth to be
kept till they had return'd the Dajpjy which
they did accordingly, after many fharp
words and fome blows among themfelves in
their canoes, to prevent returning the Daf-
fys they had receiv'd to thofe whofe goods
were detain'd by us aboard fhip. Some of
them leap'd over-board, diving fo deep and
fo long, that they were out of the reach of
a mufl cry'd out aloud to thofe who kept the canoes
paddling about the fhip, ro make the beft of
their way to land and then jumpt all toge-
ther, as if it had been but one man, into the
•fea : which fo frighted the reft of their crew,
who were then ftraggling about the fhip, that
they .ill ran about, leaping overboard like
frogs on the brink of a pond, when they
■ hear ai y noift near them.
They go commonly four or five in a ca-
nor ; but only two or three come aboard
fhip, and that at lome diftance of time one
after another, each bringing but one fingle
toon ; nor will they venture to come till the
firft Buicky who went aboard, has look'd
all about to fee whether there be many men,
or any arms upon the deck, and given them
advice how things are aboard. After all
which, they arefo miftruftful, that none of
them will ever go down between decks, nor
into the cabin.
They dread fire-arms to fuch a degree,
that, one day having caus'd a gun to be
fired with ball at an interloper, feveral
Blacks^ who ftood on the round houfe,
leap'd all at onceover-board into the fea.
This trade is to be carried on only by smalljin
fmall fhips, to make the neceffary ftops of ^ejl,
fome days at each place, to give the Blacks
the more time to fetch teeth from the inland
country, if their ftock near the water is ex-
haufted; this being more proper for fuch
little veflcls, which go at much lefs charges
than great ones, and better encourage
the Blacks to come aboard, becaufe the
crew is fmall whereas the number of men
they fee aboard great fhips, fcafes them a-
way„ But then fmall fhips muft be upon
their guard, when too great a number af
the Blacks comes aboard together, for fear
they fhould attempt to make themfelves
mafters and plunder them, as has happen'd
ro fome Portuguefe heretofore^ and even to
other Europeans,
The D Jfj ox Bizy, which thefe Blacks Original
always afl^ as foon as they are aboard, tho' fp'^^fi'^f
it is feemingly at firft of no great value, as a^ij^
common knife to a man, or a brafs ring, ^
or a dram of brandy and bifcuit ; yet in pro-
cefs of time along the coaft, and having for-
ty or fifty Blacks or more every day to give
it to, it certainly, at laft, amounts to five
per rent, charge out of the cargo of the fhip.
The Hollanders brought it up at their firft
coming on the Guinea coafts, the better to
put the Blacks out of conceit with the Portu-
giteff, who had traded there fo long before
them ', and the natives were fo well pleas'd
with that ufage, that they have ever fince
demanded it of all other Europeans, as well
as of the Hollanders, who find that this their
policy, tho'of fome advantage at firft, proves
now a burden to their commerce, as it is to
all other nations trading to thofe parts.
The fame is alfo pradifed on the gold
coaft, beginning at cape la hlou, with this
difference, that it is not granted there till
after a bargain is ftruck, and that they call
Diijps-, my Bajfy : but on the other coafts I have
already defcribed, from Gamhoa to the afore-
faid cape la Hou, the Blacks will have it be-
forehand ; for they are no fooner got up on the
fide of the fhip, but they cry out Bizy, Bizyi
and fome add to Bizy, Dajf^, which words, .
as I luppofe, in their dialed: fignifies a pre-
fent or token.
The fame European goods, particularly goo^/^j^?,
mention'd to be fit for the trade 2it cz^t trade.
Monte and git Rio Sejiro, are alfo proper for
I the
Chap,
Coajls of SOUTH-Gu INEA.
the Ivory and ^aquaco^&s ; adding to the
reit Contac'arbe or Conlabrode, iron rings of
about the thicknefs of a finger, whicli the
Blacks wear about their legs with brafs bells,
as they do the brafs rings or bracelets about
their arms in the fame manner. ,
Product.
TFIE country about Corby la Hou and
that of Sluaqua produce much cotton,
which the natives of the inland countries fpin
and weave into Cloths. Thofe made at
Cape la Hou are of fix ftripes, three French
ells and a half long, and very fine* Thofe
made at Corby la Hou, of five flips and about
three ells long, arecoarfer. Their clothscome
from the inland country to the Blacks along the
coaft, being only faftors to difpofe of them
to the Europeans, and particularly to the
Dutch for Alkory, a fort of blue glaz'd lin-
nen, who make a confiderable trade of them,
on the GoldCoaft and other parts of South-
Guinea.
Some of the faid faftors, who conftantly
go about the country to buy thofe cloths,
told me, that the inland Blacks fold vaft
quantities of them to a white people, who
live far up the inland, iifually riding on mules
or afies, and carrying AJfagaias or fpears ;
which muft needs be Arabs from Zahara^
or about the banks of the Niger.
They alfo make clouts of a fort of hemp
or plant like it, which they dye handfomely
and weave very artificially.
I'he Natives. ■
Habit, 'npHE prime men generally wear a large
. white linnen fheet, wrapp'd about their
bodies ; and acymiteror ponyardat their fide.
Stature. The ^laqua Blacks, for the moft part, are
tall, lufty, weli-fliaped men •, but they look
fierce and frightful at firft fight. They file
their teeth as fharp as awls, but they are com-
monly irregularly placed and crooked. They
look upon it as a confiderable ornament tolet
the nails grow out half an inch beyond the
ends of their fingers, and to have long hair
platted and twifted,daub'dwith palm-oil and
red earth, and borrow the hair of their wives,
having an art to join feveral fhort hairs to-
gether, to fuch a length as they pleafe, which
hangs like a perriwig •, but fome wind it all
about their heads, lo that, atadiftance, it
looks like a cap or bonnet. They every day
anoint their bodies with the fame mixture
they ufe to their hair, and chew Betel all
the day, rubbing the juice of it about their
mouths and chins, and loading their legs
Rings with vaft thick iron rings and I have feen
legs. fome at Cape la Hou, who had above fixty
pounds weight of fuch rings on one leg. They
much admire the noife thofe rings make
when they walk •, and therefore, the greater
a man's quality is, the more rings he wears.
In fhort, they are a hideous people to be-
hold, and ftink very much.
They are generally aveife to drinking to Barbot.
excefs, and when they fee any one drunk,
they inform againft him, and he is feverely
punifh'd by the king, attended by thepriefts,
according to the laws of the country ; and it
has been obferv'd that moft of them drink no
European liquor, nor palm-wine, tho' this
country abounds more in palm-trees than a-
ny other in Guinea ; alledging, that fuch li-
quors will either kill men, or render them
brutes. Their daily drink is Bordon wine^
which they call 'Tojnbe, mixt with water,
tho' of itfelf it is but a very fmall liquor, but
very refrefhing. ■. . ,
'The La n g u a g e. .
'T^HEIR language is barbarous, and aj-
tc^ether unintelligible, and they fpeak
haftily and by ftarts. When they meet
one another, either alhore or aboard, they
ufe chis word, ^aqua, quaqua, each laying
one hand on the other's fhoulder, and then
taking hold of their fore-fingers, repeating
the fime ^aqua very low ; for which rea-
fon, I Ihppofe, the name of ^laqua was gi-
ven to the ivory coaft. They hate to kifs one
another, as fome Europeans do, and look
upon it as a great affront.
The fon always follows his father's profef-
fion fo that the fon of a weaver is a weaver,
the fon of a faftor a fadlor, &c. and none
muft meddle with any profefiion but what
they are brought up to.
Religion.
'T^HEIR religious worfliip is much the
*• fame as at the Gold Coaft ; to the defcrip-
tion whereof I refer the reader.
Their kings and priefts they take to be Sorcery.
forcerers, and for that rcafon they are much
refpecled and dreaded by the generality of
the people ; efpecially the king of Sakoo, a
country about Cape la Hou, who is look'd
upon as a more than ordinary magician and
enchanter.
This king pradlifes a yearly ceremony ^'^sacrificing
the beginning of Dece?nher, in honour of the tothefem.
fea, which is their greateft deity, and con-
tinues it till April following ; fending fome
of his people, from time to time, in a ca-
noe to Axim Sama Comendo, and other pla-
ces on the Gold Coaft, to offer iacrifice to
the fea, cafting into it at each of thofe pla-
ces fome clouts or cloths made of rufhes or
herbs, ftones, and goats horns full of fpice
and ftones, all together •, muttering fome
words to their faid deity to render it calm
and free from tornadoes, during the fum-
mer feafon, to favour the navigation of
his fubjedts, as well from the inland coun-
try, as along the coafts, that tiicy may
drive on their trade with eafe and profit. As
foon as the firft canoe is return'd back to
him, another is immediately fent the fame
way
144
A Defcription of South-Guinea. Book II.
Ba.ibot- way for the fame purpofe ; at the return of
Vw^-y^ that, another ; and fo on fucceflxvely, till
the winter feafon comes on. The firft ca-
noe fets out from Corby la Hou, and is pre-
fently follow'd by the native fadlors of that
port in feveral canoes, laden with cloths, of
thofe made of five flips. After their return,
thofe of fix breadths are fent away with the
fecond canoe ; and after the third, thofe from
other places follow : which alternative is fo
regularly obferv'd, that they never preju-
dice one another, but every trader has time
and opportunity to fell his goods. This
trade continues till the end of Aprils when
the enchanting canoe returns to the coaft, as
it were to let loofe the fea, and then every
one makes the beft of his way home again.
The country is almoft every where plea-
fant and delightful to the eye •, the hills and
dales are curious to behold the red co-
lour of the rocks, with the lovely green that
fhades them, efpecially about the river of
St. Andrew and Cape la Hou, render the pro-
fpeft ftill more agreeable. There is great
ftore of cattle, as goats, fwlne, and fheep, all
very reafonable, a hog being fold for the
value of half a crown in knives. There is
alfo abundance of palm-oil, made by the
fruit produced by the T mbe tree, from which
they alfo draw the wine called Bourdon or
Tombe^ ufually drank by the Blacks mix'd
with water to moderate the ftrength of
the wine, and corred the crudity of the
water.
Tho' the Blacks of ^uaqua are in outward civility jf
appearance the moft barbarous of all Guinea^ Blacks,
yet are they, in the main, the moft polite
and rational, and fo reputed among their
neighbours. They do not look upon it as
good breeding to kifs one another by way
of welcome, or taking leave but when
they go aboard fhip, they dip their hands
in the fait water, and let fome drops fall
on their eyes, which fignifies, they will ra-
ther lofe their eyes than defraud us in
their dealing.
The ancients, who, it is not queftion'd. Ancient
had fome knowledge of Nigritia and Gui- names of
nea, call'd the people of thefe coafts, be- Slacks,
tween Cape P almas and the river of Sweiro da,
Cojia, Angangin^ jEthiopes y thofe between
Sierra Leona and Cape Palmas, Leuc-AEthio-
pes ; and thofe from Sierra Leona to Rio
Grande northwards Sophuccsi /Ethiopes.
'The END of the Second Book*
14^
BOOK III.
- . ' C H A P. I. ; : , ,
Of the gold coaft in general its extent i inland countries \ maritime provinces,
Troduif. EuiopQ3.ns trading to it» Interlopers^ ^c.
length of npl H E gold coaft, which is part of South-
the gold Jl^ Guinea, the people whereof in ancient
coafi. geography, are call'd Aphrlcerones /Ethiopes,
extends about an hundred leagues along the
coaft, eaft-north-eaft, and contains fifteen
kingdoms along the fea-lhore, which are
Adouw, alias Sokoo, alias Awine ; Ax'im ;
Ancoher ; Anta ; Adorn, alias Little Incajfan,
alias Warjhas •■, J obi, alias Jahs \ Comendo,
alias Guaffo Fetu ; Saboe, alias Sabou j
Fantyn ; Acron ; Angonna, alias Angwira 5
Acra ; alias Acqudmbom ; Labbade, and
Ningo, alias Lejupy. It ought to be reckoned
to begin at the river of Sweiro da Cojla, as
the firft place where gold is purchafed ; and
to end at L^y, in the country of Lemp-j,
thirteen or fourteen leagues eaft of Acra,
where that metal is only to be had acci-
dentally, from the ^ahoe people, who live
farther up the inland.
The Portuguefe, who boaft of being the
firft difcoverers of that country, call'd it
Cofta d'Oro, from the great quantity of gold
it affords in the way of trade ; and all other
European nations, after the Portuguefe, call
it, each in their proper language, the Gold
Coajt,
Inland Countries.
Multitude nr H E inland countries, which beft de-
»/ king- ferve to be taken notice of, are, accord-
doms, jj^g ,.Q account of the Blacks, Jguira->
Great Inkajfan, Incaffia, Ig^ma,Tdbeu, Adorn,
Mompa, tVaJ[a,Wanq^uy, Abramboe, Guy for a,
Inta, by a modern author call'd Afiente,
Achim, Aqua, ^ahoe, Gammanach, Bonoes,
Equea, Lataby, Accaradi, Infoka, Dancke-
reis, or Dinkira, Cabejlerra, and the large
kingdom of Accanez, which enclofes raoft
of the others from the north-weft, round to
. the north-eaft ; befides feveral other petty
kingdoms and territories, fcatter'd among
thofe above-mention'd. All the countries,
as well as thofe along the fea already named,
are very rich in gold, which the natives
either dig out of the earth, or gather from
the bottom of rivers and ftreams, as
fhall be hereafter defcribed in its proper
place. Thefe countries lie between four de-
grees, thirty minutes, and eight degrees of
north latitude, and between feventeen and
twenty one degrees of longitude eaft, from
the meridian of Ferro, thus making about
four hundred leagues in circumference ; a
Vol. V.
very fmall compafs of ground, for fo manygAREoT,
nations, and which fhows how improperly v^^-y-W
they are called kingdoms, or how inconfi-
derable they are, if compared to what v/e
look upon as a kingdom which muft con-
tain many dukedoms, earldoms, baronies,
and lordiliips. But if we turn back to an- ^etty
tiquity, all hiftory informs us, that there ^w^^-
was a vaft number of petty kingdoms in
the eaft ; and in other parts, we find them
ftill very fmall, many ages after. The land
of promife, given by God to the Ifraelites,
was pofifeffed by a multitude of kings, in-
fomuch, that Jojhua made thirty one kings
prifoners at one time ; and Benhadad, king
of Syria, came againft Samaria, with a
numerous army, made up by thirty two
auxiliary kings. To go no farther than
England before king Egbert fubdued all
that nation, it was divided into feven king-
doms, call'd the Heptarchy. The kingdom
of Kent had feventeen kings fucceflively ;
that of the Eaft -Angles fourteen ; that of the
Eaji-Saxons fixteen j of the South-Saxons
three ; of the Mercians twenty one ; of
Northumberland twenty two ; and of the
Wejl-Saxons eighteen.
Maritime Countries.
'TTHE maritime countries contain, ^omtTowm.
one, fome two, fome three towns, or
villages, lying on the fea-ftiore, either un-
der, or between the forts and caftles of the
Europeans, Thefe are fo placed for the con-
veniency of trade and fifhing-, the principal
towns being generally up the inland, and
very populous.
Nine of thefe maritime nations are go-
vern'd by their refpeftive kings, if we may
fo call them ; for before the Europeans fre- -
quented thofe countries, the chiefs of the
Blacks had only the title of colonels, or cap-
tains ; of which more hereafter. The other
fix nations are in the nature of common^
•wealths, under the diredion of fome parti-
cular perfons of their own, and independent
of one another by their conftitution.
The inland countries are alfo govern'd
by their kings, or lords, of which more in
its place.
Product.
ALL the faid countries have much variety Beaflu
*^ of tame and wild creatures, as bulls,
P p cows,
I
A Defcriptton of the
OK
Barbot. cows, fheep, goats, horfes, affes, fwine, dogs^
^"''V^ cats, rats, mice, elephants, buffiiloes^ ty-
gers, wild dogs, wild boars, alligators,
feveral forts of deer, hares, porcupines,
hedgehogs, fluggards, wild rats, boufees,
civet cats, wild cats, mufk mice, berbes,
fquirrels, kokeboes, leguanes, arompos,
feveral forts of apes, various kinds of lizards,
falamanders, cameleons, l^c, ferpents of
prodigious fize and fliapes, fnakes, toads,
fcorpions, and great variety of infeds, as
well as animals of the feather'd kind, viz.
pheafants, partridges, wild ducks, turtle-
doves, crooked bills, fnipes, cocks and hens,
and other eatable birds, unknown in Europe ,
blue and white herons, porcuguefes, birds
Birds. cali'd, eagles, kites ; a fort of fine river-
birds, crown birds, pokkoes a large fore
of fowl, four fpecious or corn-devouring
birds, very beautiful ; parrots^ parrokeets,
liar birds,
Gromh ef There is alfo abundance of maiz, millet,
she earth, rice, yams, potatoes, water-melons, ana-
nas, oranges, lemons, coco-nuts, palm-trees,
plantans, bananas, beans of fix forts, palm-
oil, pa pays, Gumea-'^t^'gtx ; beiides various
forts of wild fruit, unknown to us, all which
are more or lefs plentiful, according to the
nature of the different foils, and the nature
of the place, whereof I fiiall treat in order,
as I come to defcribe each country in par-
ticular.
However, it mufl; be obferved, that here
is fome fcarcity of flefh the want whereof,
as well as of fome other provifions, is fuffi-
ciently made up by the fea in various forts
^.^^ of excellent fifh, large and fmall ; as Bra-
" zilian cod, jacks, plaife, flounders, that
the Blacks call fific pampher, and feveral
other large filhes befides bream, ftomp-
nofes, flat nofes, poutings, mad^arel, faffer,
aboei, thornback, foles, dabs, lobfters,
crabs, prawns, Ihrimps, fprats, karmous,
mullets, Batavia fifli, north-capers, fword-
fiflies, and fharks; not to mention the river-
fi fli, to be fpoke of in another place. And
without this fupply of fifli, it would be hard
to fubfift in the fummer. .
Europeans trading to GuineAo
wirjldifce- jN the laft book of this defcription, I took
112 notice, that the French pretend to have
been the firft Europeans that fettled in Guinea,
in the year 1364^ and give the honour of
it to fome merchants of Dieppe, who, they
fay, made feveral fettlements along the coaftj
as far as Grand Sejlro, near cape Palmas •
and their authors affirm, they were alfo the
firft founders of the caftle calPd da Mim, or
of the mine, on the gold coaft, in 1383 1
which the Portuguefe afterwards took from
them. On the other hand, thePortuguefe claim
this difcovery, as firft made by them in the
year 1452 j and that they were fok poffelTors
of it for above a hundred and fifty years,with-
out any interruption ; as alfo to have built
that caftle at Mina, and feveral other forts,
as well on the gold coaft, as at Jngola :
of which more in the fupplement to this"
work.
Whoever the firft difcoverers of this coaft
were, whether French or Portuguefe, they
have both in procefs of time almoft loft the
pofleflion : other European nations, allur'd.
by the advantageous trade of gold, flaves,
and elephants teeth, having ere£ted fevera.i
forts on the coaft, for the better conveniency
of trading, and their own fafety, from the
infults of the natives and other nations,
either with the confent of Black kings, or
elfe by force, or artifice, as fhall alfo be
made appear in the courfe of this defcrip-
tion. The Dutch have the greateft number Englirti
of fuch fettlements, and confequently the^"^Durch
beft fliare of trade on the gold coaft, and ^''"'^^
next to them the Englijh. The French^
Spaniards, and Portuguefe have had no fet-
tlements on that coaft for a long time, and
only make fome coafting voyages along
thofc parts. The Danes have two forts ; D^n^s
one at Maufro, the other at Acra ; and the Branden-
Brandenburgers, a fort, or ftrong-houfe, at^^^'S^".
the village of Crema, in the midft of cape
1'res-Pontas, all which fliall be mentioned
in their places.
The firft Englifhman we hear of on the F/>yZ Eng.
coaft of Guinea, was one Thomas Windham. "*
He firft made two voyages to the coaft of
Africk, one in the year 1 55 1 , of which there
are no particulars ; and the other in 1552,
with three fail, to the port of Zaphin, or
Saphia, and Santa Cruz, whence he brought
fugar, dates, almonds, and molofl'es. In
1553, fail'd again from Portfmouth, with
three fliips, taking along with him Anthony
Anes Pintado, a Portuguefe, who was the
promoter of that voyage. They traded for
gold along the coaft of Guinea, and pro-
ceeded as far as Benin, where they were pro-
mifed a lading of pepper ; but both the
commanders and moft of the men dying,
through the unfeafonablenefs of the weather ;
the reft, reduced to about forty, return'd
to Plymouth, with one ftiip and little wealth.
In 1554, Mr. John Lock undertook a voyage
to Guinea, with three fhips ; and trading
along that coaft, brought away a confidera-
ble quantity of gold and ivory, but pro-
ceeded no farther. The following years Mr.
William T owerfon performed feveral voyages
to the coaft of Guinea, which had nothing
peculiar, but a continuation of trade in the
fame parts ; nor do we find any account of
a farther progrefs made along this coaft by
the Englijh, till we come to their voyages
to the Eajl-Indies, and thofe began but late.
For the ?iv^Engliff.)man we find in thofe parts,
was one 'Thomas Stevens, in 1579., aboard a
■ Portti^
-Guinea.
Ikap. 2,, Coafts of Sou TH-GulNE A.
Porl'jguefe fhip. The firft voyage of the
Enolijh^ in fliips of their own, was in 1591.
The Blacks of the gold coafl: are for the
rtioft part very rich, through the great
trade they drive with Europeans, both a-
board the fliips, and afliore, bartering their
gold, for feveral forts of European commo-
dities, of which they make a vaft profit up
the inland or through the large allowance
they have out of the goods they buy of
Europeans, for the account of the inland
jnterJofing Blacks, for whom many of thefe on the
naje. coaft aft as brokers, buying confiderable
quantities of goods of the interlopers, who
rcfort thither in great numbers, from fe-
veral parts of Europe •, but efpecially from
Zealand and France, notwithftanding the fe-
yere penalties they are liable to : for if
taken by the EngUJh, or Dutch companies,
their faftors, or agents ; their goods are not
only confifcated, but a heavy fine laid on
them. The cunning Blacks are not deterr'd
l3y all thefe rigours, knowing how to bribe
the companies Laptos, or flaves, who are
, fee to watch them ; and thus in the night
run afhore the goods they buy of inter-
lopers, or foreigners trading on the coaft
from Iffen'j, both by fea and land. For
when the roads are clear of robbers, they
travel to Iffeny and Rio d'Oro to buy their
goods, and bring them in by ftealth, con-
veying them up the country without any
■ moleftation. They generally have fuch
goods of the interlopers, twenty five or thirty
per cent, cheaper, and perhaps much better,
than thofe the companies agents fell. By
this under-hand trade, they in procefs oFBarbot-
time grow rich, and the company fuffers tXVNi
very much.
Few or none of the Blacks are to be trufted, • ■ •'■'•2.
as being crafty and deceitful, and, who will
never let flip an opportunity of cheating an
European, nor indeed will they fpare one
another ; fome may their mafters, but all . -.
do not. Of this, and their lazinefs, more
hereafter.
The Englijh Royal African, and the Butch Penalty fir
Weft-India companies, having the privilege
by patent of trading to this coafl:, exclufive
to all others their fellow-fubjecfts and I
fuppofe the Dan'ijh and Brandenburg com-
panies have the fame : fuch of the faid na-
tions as refort to thofe coafts, are liable to
feizure of fhips and goods, if taken by the
fliips, or agents, of any of the faid com-
panies, within their refpedive diftridls on "
the coafl:, befldes bodily punifliments in-
fiifted on the ofi^enders, efpecially among
the Dutch, who have made it death ; but
that is feldom or never executed, fome of
the companies officers always finding it their
intereft: to let fuch go unpuniflied as is well
known to the Zealanders, who of all the fub-
jefts of Holland fend mofl: interlopers every
year to that coafl:.
Thefe interlopers generally make ufe of
fliips of fmall burden, and good failors,
well fitted and mann'd, the better to make
their efcape, or fl:and upon their defence, if
attack'd by the company's fliips. I fhall
now proceed to the particular defcription of
the gold coafl:.
CHAP. II.
The coafl to cape St. Apolonia. That cape j from h to Axim. That king-
dom ; the Dutch fort there. The natives and prodii^. To-juer of the
Dutch. Cape Tres-Pontas.
Coast to Cape St. Apolonia.
I H E coafl:, from the river of Sweiro da
Cofta, to cape St. Apolonia, is low
... . . and flat, and bears eafl:-fouth-eafl:, twelve
leagues, all the way fliaded with high trees,
and full of greater and fmaller villages ; the
mofl: remarkable are, Bociu, Ijjeny-peqiiena,
IJJeny-grande, Ahbian^ or Ajffene, Tebbo, and
Acanimina \ all belonging to the country
of Adouwafian, or Sokoo.
■Boqu. js in the woods, near the mouth of
- _ ■ the river of Sweiro da Cofta. IJfteny-pequeno
appears on the fliore, as does IJfeny-grande,
more to the eaftward, with three little vil-
lages between them. IJeny-grande lies at the
mouth of a river, which does not reach to
the fea, unlefs it overflows in the rainy fea-
IfTcny. fon. This town was plunder'd and burnt
down, by the inland Blacks, in the year
1 68 1. At the mouth of this river, ^nd
very clofe to the fliore, is a little ifland, very
fit for building of a fort, for the conveniency
of an inland trade. The river runs down
from far up the country N N W. IJfteny-
grande is famous for its fine gold, which, it
is likely, comes from Afiente or Inta, to-
wards the fource of the river S%oeiro da Cofta,
in about nine degrees of north latitude a
country rich in gold, and but lately known
to the Europeans on the gold coaft.
The town of Abbiatiy and Tebbo, three Abbijny
leagues diflant from each other, are feated ^«^Tebbo.
in the woods, and known at fea by abun-
dance of palm-trees appearing on the fliore.
Acanimina is built on the rifing ground, Acanimi-
about half a league weft: from cape St. A- n^-
poloi/ia.
The inland country between Boqu and
Acanimina, is hilly, and afix)rds excellent
gold, fome flaves, and a few elephants teeth,
wherein
148
A Defcription of the
Book III
Barbot. wherein the trade of the aforefaid places
'^■OO*^ confifts. The anchoring ground before each
grmnd "^ thofe places, is about two EngUJh miles
from the fhore, in fifteen or fixteen fathom
water, ,
Marks to
know it.
Villages.
A fine
Jtrand.
Two vil'
iajres.
Mancu
Cobra
river.
■ ' ■ ' Cape St. Apolonia,
Y T A D the name given it by the Portu-
^ ^ guefe, who difcover'd it on the feaft of
that flint. It runs out a little to the fouth*
ward, and feems to be low plain ground,
towards the fhore, rifing up farther back
in three feveral hills, which may be feen
ten leagues out at fea in fair weather j
which are luflicient marks to know it by,
together with the ftraggling trees appear-
ing on the faid hills, which make it an
agreeable profpeft.
There are three villages on the Ihore, at
the foot of the hills •, but the accefs to it
from the fea is very difficult, by reafon of
the rolling of the furges, and the breaking
of the fea on the fandy flat ftrand, as it does
all along this coaft from this cape to Ij/ejzy.
I had here a pretty good trade for gold,
during the three days I lay before the vil-
lages, under the cape.
From Cape St. Apolonia io Axim,
rS about nine leagues, the land between
them very low, and planted with abun-
dance of coco and palm-trees ; the fhore
very wide, being a curious fandy flat ftrand,
fit to travel over in chaifes, or coaches, as far
as about a league weft of Jxim, where the
pleafant river Cobra, or Ancober, parts the
kingdom of Sokoo and Jxim.
There are but two villages on the fhore, be-
tween capeSt.Jpolonia., and the river M^m/,
which are Jgumene and Bogio^ feated among
the coco and palm-trees but there is little
or no trade at them. The fhore bending
away to eaft-north-eaft of the Bigbt for fome
leagues, and the Duich fort bearing E S E.
the fliips trading along the coaft, commonly
fteer that courfe from St. Apolonia ; from
whence the tide runs along the coaft to
Axim. Juft by Bogio, the river Mancu falls
into the lea, is large and wide, coming down
from Iguira, where it is choak'd by mighty
falls and rocks, and confequently not
navigable but yields much fine gold,
which the Blacks get by diving among the
rocks.
The river Cobra, is about four Englijh
miles weft of the Dutch fort of St. Antony,
or Axim. The Portuguefe gave it this name
of Cobra, that is, a fnake, from the many
windings of its courfe, up the inland, for
about twenty four leagues, thro' the coun-
try of Iguira. It is very wide at the mouth,
but fo fhallow, that boats can fcarce pafs
up however, a little farther in, it grows
deeper and narrower, andfo continues for
many leagues •, the'utmoft extent of its courfe
up the country being unknown. Thofe who
have gone three days up it, affirm it to be
as pleafant as any part of the coaft of
Guinea, not excepting Seftro, nor IVida or
Fida ; both the banks being adorn'd with
fine lofty trees, affording a mofl agreeable ■
fhade. Nor is it lefs pleafant to obferve the -
beautiful birds of various colours, and the
monkeys fporting on the green boughs, all •
the way along ; and to render the voyage
ftill more delightful to travellers, when
they have failed about a league and a half up,
they are entertained with the profpedl of the
fine populous village of Ancoher, ftretching
out about an Engltfh mile along its weftern
fhore. Higher up, are the falls and rocks .
above-mentioned ; where the Blacks diving, :
bring up much gold. About that place are
feveral fine villages, compofed of three fe-
veral nations. The firfl of them on the ^
weft fide of the river, is Ancoher\ the next
to it, Abocroe ; and the third, Iguira. An-
coherh governed by its king ; but the o- i ,
ther two are commonwealths. . . •
Formerly the Dutch drove a very confidera- \
ble trade there, and had a fort in the coun- > ■
try of Iguira ; for befides the gold carry*d
thither from all other parts, the country it
felfhas fome mines. • >■■''■-,:
Kingdom of Axim, and Dut ch fort there. ]
pROM the river Cobra to the Dutch - l
fort at Axijn, the coaft runs S E. all ' ■
over wooded. This kingdom of Axim,
or Atzjn, or Achen, extends about feven 7/^i(»«»J
leagues in length, from the river of Ancober ^^''i^^'
to the village of Boefua, near Boutry, or
Boetroe, ftanding in the middle of the fa-
mous cape Tres-Pontas, which runs out to
the fea before it. This kingdom borders
weftward on that of Sokoo, northward on
that of Iguira, and eaftward on the Ancete '
country the ocean being on the fouth, and ■
the coaft in many places full of rocks and
cliffs great and fmall, next the fea.
The country has very many large and
beautiful villages, all of them extraordi-
nary populous, fome feated on the fhore,
and others farther up the inland. The moft
confiderable of the former lie about the
Dutch fort, and at Pocquefoe, near the hill
Mamfro, or cape 'Tres-Pontas. The land
is well cultivated.
The inhabitants are generally very rich, K/*^^
driving a great trade with the Europeans^*^"'
for gold, moft of which they fell to the Eng-
lifh and Zealand interlopers, notwithftand-
ing the fevere penalties above-mention' d fo
that the Dutch company has not above the
hundredth part of the gold, that coaft af-
fords. The great plenty of gold brought
down hither from the wealthy country of
AJfme,
TKc rPro^pc^cta^ Cape S'^:ippotlom ifpofit ion, employment Sy and
behauiour of the natives y 6Cc.
CoMMENDo Kingdom.
Its extent rTl H E kingdom of Great Commendo Of
dltkT'^' Commanj or Aguaffo^ borders weftward
on the lands of Jabs and T^aheu ; northweft
on Adorn v north on Abramboe , eaft on Od-
dena or Mina, a little commonwealth be-
tween Commendo and FetM j and fouth on the
great Ocean extending but about five
leagues on the coaft, and is about as broad
as long. In the middle of it, on the ftrand,
Com men- is Little Commendo or Ekke-Tokki, as the
do town. Blacks call it, and fome Europeans, Little Com-
many ; the cape Aldea de Torres being on the
weft of it •, and Ampenj on the eaft with
fome other fmall hamlets between them.
This kingdom, in former times, made but
one and the fame country with Fetu and Sa-
boe, and was called Adojjeny, The metropolis
of Great Comjnendo^ is Guaffo^ the ufual re-
fidence of its king •, being a targe populous
village or town, feated on a hill, four leagues
up the inland, from Little Commendo, The
Hollanders call this town of Guaffo, Commanj
Grande, to diftinguifti it from Little Comma-
ny on the ftrand, which the natives call Ekke-
Tokki. It contains above four hundred houfes.
Little Commendo was divided into three
parts, containing together about one hun-
dred and fifty houfes ; but moft of it was ac-
cidentally burnt not long ago, which caufed
many of the inhabitants to fettle at Ampeny :
much about the time the father of this pre-
fent king of Commendo died. Some parts of
thetown are feated on a little rivulet, which
runs into the fea, forming a fmall harbour at
shemouthj to fiieker their canoes ? on the
Guaffo
town.
weft-fide whereof is a head or fmafl flat hilf j
the eaft-fide is low land ; but the landing on
the ftrand very difficult, becaufe of the bar
that crofies it. The accefs to the Ihore is
much eafier in the morning.
Moft of the inhabitants are Fijhermen or
Brokers., it being a place of confiderable
trade for gold and flaves, by reafon of the
many Accanez Blacks who come down to
trade with the European fhips, in this and
the adjacent roads of this coaft.
The village Lory is very inconfiderable, LorywT
as well as Ampeny or Ampena., the refidence^"*^^"
of one Coticoumy, a Black of Commendo^ who
was fent by the king into France in 1671, in
quality of envoy to the French king, to in=
vite him to fend over his fubje£ls to ered; a
fortrefs at Commendo^ and fettle a trade with
his fubjefts : the Commamans having been
long much difgufted at the arbitrary power
the Dutch of Mina exercife over them upon
all occafions.
The inhabitants of Mma have often made
depredations by fea on them, and at fundry
times burnt their villages, on the ftrand, not
daring to enter the country any firther, for
fear of the inhabitants of Guaffo or Great
Commendo, who are very numerous, a more
martial and rapacious people than thofe of
their own nation at Little Commany, Ampeny.,
and other maritime villages ; moft of whom
commonly apply themfelves to traffick and
fifhery, which made it eafi-er for the Mina
Blacks to aflliult them.
The Commanians are often at war with the
Jhmhi' Blacks^ on account that the latter
kill'd
•
6,
IS? ■ «• •
\
Chap.4. Coajls of South-Guinea.
kill'd one of the kings of the former, which
has render'd them bold and martial.
Observations for ITrade. •
Blacks V)I7HILST I was here, at two feveral
leve the VV voyages, fome of the chief, as well as
French, ^j^g common fort, affured me they had much
greater value and friendfhip for the French
than for any other European nation and at
my laft voyage in 1682, the kingfent me his
fccond fon as hoftage, if I would come up to
him to Great Commendo, in order to treat of
articles, for a fettlement of the French on
the coaft of his country, which he always
refus'd to grant to the EngUfh and Dutch^
who earneftly defired he would confent that
each of them might build a fort ; but he on-
ly ailow'd the Englijh to have a lodge with-
out any enclofure of walls. The Dutch had
one formerly, but were forced to quit the
country : and I always heard the Commanians
fpeak very unkindly of the Dutch, and ex-
prefs a more than ufual hatred againft
their hard domination over them. At my
return into France, I deliver'd to fome mi-
nifters of the court, all the memoirs I had
taken on this head at Commendo, and my
own obfervations of the moft proper place
to erecl a fortrefs on that coafb, at Ampena^
On a little point extending fomewhat to the
; fouth, rifing gradually to a little head ; the
coaft there forming a fort of elbow, where
the accefs to the fhore is lefs hazardous and
troublefome for canoes, the fea breaking
againft that elbow, and ftieltering the canoes
from the fouth-weft wind, which blows moft
on that coaft and very high ; and Ampena,
being fo near to Mina as it is, would ob-
ftrud:, in fome meafure, the great trade it
has, by giving an opportunity to the male-
contents there to traffick at Ampena.
I confefs, a fort and fettlement might per-
haps be thought to be beft fituated at cape Al-
dea de Torres, on the borders of the land of
'Jahs or Tahbah. The French heretofore had a
lodge there, the ruins whereof are ftill to be
feen at the end of the village north of the
cape •, but the landing at this place is much
more perillous, becaufe the high furges and
breakings are there much greater than at any
other place on this coaft.
Great Every morning there come out of Ampena,
fifliery. Lory, and other places on this coaft, feven-
ty or eighty canoes from each village, fome
■> a fifhing, and others to trade with the fhips
in the roads •, artd return all aftiore about
noon, when the frefli gales from fouth-weft
begin to blow, and fwell the fea near the
Ihore, that they may land without trouble,
and have time to difpofe of the fifli z.i Lit-
tle Commany and at Great Commendo, where
the inland Blacks buy it for the country
markets.
The markets at Great and Little CommanyBAKBor .
are commonly well furnifli'd with all forts of >>'V^
corn, plants, roots, and fruits at a rea-
fonable rate : the bananas are efpecially ex-
traordinary plenty and cheap ; for which '
reafon, the Dutch call Little Comjnany the
fruit-maket, the country about this place
being very fertile in all the forenamed fruits
and provifions.
The inhabitants of 'Terra Pequera or Lo-
ry, and of Ampena, are all fifhermen.
The country behind Little Cofmnanj rifes Populous
gradually to fmall hills, cover'd with trees, '^"^"^7-
at the foot of which, are large plains and
fields, curioufly planted with fundry forts
of fruit-trees j and the land extremely fill'd
with inhabitants, a martial people, of whom
the king of Commendo can compofe an army
of twenty thoufand men well arm'd, on
occafion. The king has a guard of five hun-
dred men.
The gold, here olfer'd in trade, is com-
monly mix'd with brafs or filver, and re-
quires a great deal of caution to examine ic
well, efpecially the Crakra gold.
The Blacks are generally of a turbulent
temper, and very deceitful and crafty •, and
moft of them, from the higheft to the loweft,
are apt to fteal, if not well look'd to.
The country of Commendo is thought to
be very rich in gold mines ; and fome fancy
the king will not have them opened for fear
the neighbouring nations, or the Europeans^
fhould attempt to deftroy him and his peo-
ple, or drive them away, to pofiefs them-
felves of fo rich a country. I have often
heard fome of the natives fay, that not far
from the promontory Aldea de Torres, there
is a very rich gold mine, and that, for fear
it fhould be fearch'd, they have made a God
of that head or hill, which is the only means
they can imagine to preferve the mine en-
tire fo great a veneration the Blacks have
for fuch facred places, that they are fure
no perfon whatfover will touch it : and
if any Europeans fhould attempt it, they
muft expedl to have all the country about
them, and to be maffacred if taken.
Here is fometimes a brifk trade for flaves^
when the Ccmmanians are at war with the
upland Negroes, and have the better of it,
for then they bring down abundance of pri-
foners, whom they fell immediately, at a,
cheap rate, to fome interloper or other, if
any be in the roads, to fave the charge of
keeping and fubfifting them. And it once
happened, not many years ago, that an
Englijh ftiip riding there, juft at the time
they return'd from an expedition, wherein
they had fucceeded, they deliver'd their pri-
foners to the Englijhman as faft as he could
fetch them from the ftiore with his boat „
and, in a few days, he got above three hun-
dred fiaves aboard^ for little or nothing:
^6
cnption 0
BARBOT.fo great was the number of prifoners they
' ~ ~ ' had brought down, that they were glad of
this opportunity to difpofe of part of them
at any rate,
^he Commonwealth ^/Mina,
S a very fmall tra6tof land between Com-
mendo and Fetu^ feparated from the latter
by the little river Benja, on which is the
large town of Mina^ by the Blacks call'd
OiMena, fituated on a low and long penin-
fula ; having the ocean on the fouth, the a-
forefaid river on the north, Commendo on the
weft, and the famous caftle of St. George de
la Mina on the eaft. It ftands juft on the
end or head of the peninfula, and commands
all the town, being fo near that it can throw
hand-grenadoes into it.
Mina The town is very long, containing about
town, twelve hundred houfes, all built with rock-
ftones, in which it differs from all other pla-
ces, the houfes being generally only compo-
fed of clay and wood. It is divided into
feveral ftreets and lanes very irregular,
crooked, and dirty in rainy weather, the
ground being low and flat, and the ftreets
and lanes clofe and very narrow ■■> and more
particularly, it is very dirty and flappy at
the time the river Benja overflows and fills
it with water.
Moft of the houfes of the town are one
ftory high, and fome two, all very full of
people for they contain above fix thoufand
fighting men, befides women and children,
who are very numerous, every man gene-
rally keeping two, three, or more wives,
as is ufual in Guinea,
j-l^g „g. The town is divided into three diftinft
i.'erament. parts, as if it were three large villages near
one another •, each part or ward is governed
by its refpedive Braffo j which Brc^o or go-
vernour is aflifted by a Cahoceiro^ and fome
other inferiour officers, who adminifter juf-
tice, and have charge of the political ftate :
and thefe, all together, compofe the regen-
cy of this little republick, ever fince the
Portugnefe made it independent of the kings
of Co)nmendo, and of Fetu^ who formerly
were mafters of it by equal halves. This
happen'd fome few years before the Dutch
conquer'd the caftle of Mina from the Por-
tuguefe who, from that time till they were
turnM out of the place, did proted and de-
fend the town from the attempts of the faid
kings, when they attempted to reduce it to
their obediencCc; and were to afllft the inha-
bitants with forces, when neceflity required :
by which means the Mina Blacks became
formidable, and dreaded by their neigh-
bours ; and grew fo more and more under
the Dutch government, which aflifts and
proteds them ever fince their poflefling of
the caftle, in the fame manner as the PortU"
gueje had done before their time.
OOK
The affairs of the republick were for-
merly debated in the houfe of the Braffo of
one of the wards one time, and the next, in
that of another Braffo alternatively ; and the
deliberations or eleftions made there, were
carried to the Dutch general to approve of
them : if he did not, they were to debate
matters again in another aflfembly, till what
was tranladed was confented to by that ge-
neral ; which alfo was the method they were
liable to, when under the protedion of the
Portiiguefe.
But ever fince the Dutch general has pre- TheTt^^ch
tended to take thofe privileges from o^^refsthe
town, and make it totally dependent on his Blacks,
arbitrary jurifdiftion and authority, the
Blacks have been at great variance and mif-
underftanding with the Dutch. And as the
Dutch general has thought it his intereft
and fecurity, to keep that people more and
more in bondage, and ufe greater feverities
towards them, the better to opprefs and curb
their bold daring fpirit, and to prevent their
having any opportunity of forming defigns
in oppofition to the Dutch intereft or advan-
tage ; fo they, on the other hand, have,
as much as they could, oppofed the gene-
ral's defign of exercifing an arbitrary power
over them : and by degrees, things are come
to fuch extremities between both parties, as
1 fliall hereafter mention in its proper place.
To return to the defcription of the town Fortified*
of Mina ; it is fortified at the weft end, to- tion.
wards the country of Co?«w running along the whole Gold
Coaft, where he fettled a good correfpon-
dence with the Blacks, for carrying on the
trade with them in future times. Thefe
people finding his goods much better and
cheaper, than what they ufed to have from
Blacks rife Portuguefe, and being difgufted at the
/^e violence and oppreffion of their tyrannical
Portu- government, befides their natural love of
guefe. novelty provok'd the Portuguefe to ufe
them worfe than they had done before, and
fothey continu'd till the year 16005, when
Dutck
the Commendo and Fetu Blacksy encourag'd
by the Dutch, who fupply'd them with
arms and other neceflaries, rofe againft the
Portuguefe, who had above three hundred
men kill'd in that war, and were reduc'd
for the future to keep themfelves confin'd to
the caftle of Mina.
The Dutch who till then had found much
difficulty to make fettlements on the Gold^^^ij
Coaft, notwithftanding their being com-fans.
tenanc'd by the Blacks, refolv'd now to
eredl fome forts on the coafts of Benin, and
Angola. Then pradlifing underhand with
feveral of the kings and prime men along
the Gold Coaft, the king of Sabou gave
them leave to build a fort at Mouree, three
leagues eaft from Cabo Corfo, which they
finifti'd in the year 1624, and gave the com-
mand of it to Adrian Jacobs, at the time
when the crown of Portugal was at war with
the Dutch, but pofiefs'd by Philip IV. king
of Spain ; which monarchs had reduced it
under their dominion the year after the death
of the cardinal ifenry, the laft king of Por -
/z/^^/ in the year 1578, who fuccceded king
Sebaftian, kill'd in a battle againft the Moors
of Fez2.x\d Morocco. The faid cardinal was
eighth fon to king Emanuel, and near
eighty years of age when rais'd to the throne,
which accordingly he enjoy'd not long.
2 In
Coafts of South-Guinea.
Chap. 7.
Dutch In Decemler i6is, the D«?f/j made an
routed by attempt on the caftle of Mina, with twelve
hundred of their own men, and a hundred
znd^-iiiySabou Blacks, under the command
of their Rear- Admiral Jan-Dirks Lamh^ who
Lmded at "T^erra Peqiiena , or Ampena, in
the country of CommendQ, but were totally
routed by the Portuguefe auxiliaries, the
Blacks of Minn, alone ; thofe natives at-
tacking the Dutch before they could form
their body, at the foot of a hill, a little
before fun-fet, which vras done in fuch vi-
gorous manner, that the a6lion was over be-
fore night, with the Qaughter of three
hundred feventy three foldiers, and fix-
ty fix feamen, befides all the auxiliary
hu Blacks, and moft of the D///^^ Officers.
Lamh their general, being wounded, was
refcued by the little Commany Blacks.
Dutch take Castle St. George ^z/
M I N A.
'-p H E ftates-general, having fome years
foTtrive to ^ after made over the ^^o^tviy of fort
mt the Na([au, at Moiiree, to their Wefi-Indm com-
Porca- pany ; Nicholas Van Tpren, their general at
Mouree, made from time to time what in-
tereft he could with the Black kings along
that coaft to drive the Portuguefe thence, and
to fettle themfelves in their room, by means
of large prefents and many larger promifes
he made them, and fucceeded fo well as to
foment a divifion among the very Portuguefe
garifon in the caftle of Mina. Having thus
difpos'd all things for a change, and having
gain'd the Caboceiros and captains of the
town of Mina, to affift the Dutch in a fe-
cond attempt upon the caftle, he fent a full
account thereof to the directors of the JVeft-
India company in Holland; who having fome
years before gain'd footing in Brazil, by
taking of St. Salvador and Bahia de todos los
Santos, belonging to Portugal, had con-
triv'dall poffible means to fecure a place of
arms on the coaft of Africa ; that being ma-
fters of both points, on the two oppofite
continents, they might have the abfolute
command of the ocean, and of the pafiage
to the Eaft-Indies ; fo to ruin the trade of
the Spaniards, Portuguefe, EnglifJj and all
Other northern nations* They had often
fought out for fuch a place of arms, from
cape Verde to the cape of Good Hope, but
fail'd in their feveral attempts, and particu-
larly in that I mention'd before, in the
year 1625, againft the caftle of Mina.^ which
was reckoned the moft convenient for their
defigns.
Dutch ("histime count John Maurice Naf
^IJ^to fa''-> ^ relation to the prince of Orange,
Guinea, was arriv'd in Brafil, being by the Dutch
IVeft- India company appointed governor-
general of that country and of fouth America,
with the confent of the ftates, and of the
Vol. V.
prince of Orange, and being made equal inBARBor.
authority to the governor general of the ^'■^''V^
Eaft-Indies, having the fole direftion of
martial and civil affairs, religion, juftice
and comrherce. With him went a Fleet
of thirty two ftiips, twelve of them men of
war, carrying two thoufand feven hundred of
the choiceft foldiers. Van T'^pren being in-
form'd of his arrival in Brafil, and conquefts
there, fent a veffel over to give him an ac-
count of the favourable opportunity then
offer'd for reducing of the caftle or Mina,
and baniftiing the Portuguefe from the Gold
Coaft, by the conqueft of that ftrong place.
Count Nafifau fent him nine men of war, of
his fquadron, under the command of colo-
nel Hans Coine, provided with all neceflaries
for fuch an expedition.
This fquadron arriving at cape La Hou,
on the coaft of ^laqua, June the 2 5th 1 63 7,
the commander immediately fent advice to
Van Tpren, at Mouree, and proceeded him-
felf with his fquadron to IJfeny, there to
expedl that general's orders, which were to
bring his fquadron to Commendo road, lojointhefe
join him with two hundred canoes of Blacks^^'^''''
and fome tranfport fliips.
Van Tpren gain'd over to his party moft
of the youth of Commendo, to whom he
promised a confiderable fum of gold, in
cafe he reduced the caftle by their alTiftance.
Thus the fleet proceeded towards cape
Corfo, and the forces landed the 24th of
Jul-j, in a little bay, or creek, about half a
mile weft of Corfo, in their bar canoes ;
every foldier carrying three days provifion.
They were in all eight hundred foldiers and
five hundred feamen, befides the auxiliary
Blacks, and march'd in three bodies ; the
firft of them, being the Van, was headed
by William Latan, the main body by John
Godlaat, and the rear by colonel Coine.
They all halted at the river Dana or Dolce
to refrefti themfelves, and Coine being in-
form'd, that a body of a thoufand M'lna
Blacks was pofted at the foot of the hill of
Santiago, to oppofe his taking poffeffion of
it, as it appear'd by his march he defign'd,
befides that it was abfoiutely necelTary fo
to do, that being the only place which
could favour their enterprize, as command-
ing the fort; he detach'd four companies of
fuziliers to beat them off: but inftead of
performing it, they were moft of them cut
in pieces by thofe Blacks, who ft ruck off
their heads, and carry'd them into the
town, in triumphant manner. Hereupon
major Bon Garzonv/s-s fent thither with ano-
ther detachment, and having without much
difficulty forded the river Dana, fell upon
that body with fuch vigour, that he oblig'd
them to abandon their poft, and polTeib'd cain a
himfelf of it, with the lofs of only four fey?,
whites and ten blacks kill'd in the attack.
U u But
1 66
A DefcriptioH of the
Book III
Barbot.Buc the major was afterwards attack'd there
^"•"V^ two feveral times, by the natives, endea-
vouring to recover the faid pofl, whom he
obliged both times to retire •, yet it coft
the Hfeof William Latan andfome more of
his men, Bon Garzon purfuing the enemy
down into the valley, between the moun-
tains and the hill Santiago, where the reft of
the Dutch forces join'd him.
The Portuguefe, no longer able to keep
the field againft the Dzz/fZ), retir'd into the
redoubt they had built on the hill Santiago.
It was not long before they were attack'd
in that place. Colonel Coine having caus'd
two ways to be cut through the thickets,
which cover one fide of the hill, the one lead-
ing to the river Dana, and the other dire6i:ly
to the redoubt on the hill, two pieces of can-
non and a mortar were brought up the hill,
and mounted, on an advantageous fpot, which
commanded the caftle fo entirely, that ten
or twelve bombs the Dutch threw from thence,
were very near falling into the place.
In the mean time, another detachment of
Dutch and Commendo Blacks v/as fent out, to
attack the Mina Blacks, and afterwards the
Are re- wcft-cnd of their town. The Commendo
pdfed. Blacks attempting to drive away fome cattle,
were in danger of being cut in pieces, had
not the conduft of their officers prevented it,
by keeping them clofe in a body along the
river Bcnja, which covered them ; fo that
the reft of that day was fpent in fkirmifhing.
The next day, the Dutch being reinforced
from their main body, attacked the town of
■ Mina, but were forced to retire by the great
fire from the caftle.
The day after, the general fearing left de-
lays fhould be preiudicial to his defign, and
difappoint the undertaking, fummoned the
caftle as foon as it was light, protefting he
would put all the garrifon to the fword, if
they refufed to furrender immediately. The
Portuguefe governor demanded three days to
confider on it which was refufed hirn, and
fo that day was fpent.
Portu- The next morning Coine drew up his forces
^"rf A b ^^^^ Santiago, and threv/ feveral bombs
^mit ' into the place, with little efied ; but the
following day, having caufed his granadiers
to draw nearer to the caftle, the Portuguefe
beat the Chamade, and fent out two perfons
to capitulate, the articles being fuch as the
Dutch general would impofe, viz.
Meanar. I- The governor, garifon, and all other
fides. Portuguefe, to march out that day, with
their wives and children, but without fwords,
colours, or any weapons, each perfon being
allowed but one fuit of wearing apparel.
2. All the goods, merchandize, gold, and
flaves, to remain to the Dutch, except only
twelve flaves allowed the inhabitants.
3. The church-ftuff, which was not of
gold or filver, allowed to be carried away.
4. The Portuguefe and Mulattos to be put
aboard the fquadron, wich their v/ives and
children,and carried to the ifiand St. Thomas.
Thus this flimous caftle of Mina was deli- Mina
vered up to the Dutch^ on the ig'^ of Auguft ^"''"^
16^ J; and in it they found thirty good pieces ^^^^^
of brafs cannon, nine thoufand weight of " ^ '
powder, and much other ammunition.
There was very little gold, and no great
quantity of goods. Thisdone, Coi;?^' returned
to Mouree, with his forces, leaving captain
Walraeven to command at Mina, with a
garifon of 140 men, befides feveral
who had taken an oath of fidelity to them.
Coine, to make his advantage of the con-
fternation the fpeedy conqueft of the caftle of
Mina had fpread along the Gold-Coaft, fent
a canoe, with a letter to the governor of the
Portuguefe fort, called St. Antony, at Axim.,
the moft important poft the Portuguefe had
on that coaft, next to Mina, to fummon
him to furrender that place, before he came
to attack it with his forces. The governor,
who had more courage than the other at
Mina, confidering the could not well
befiege his fort, by reafon of the continual
rains of that feafon, anfwered, that he was
ready to give Coine a good reception, if he
fhould pretend to befiege that place, which
he was refolved to defend to the laft extre-
mity, for his king and mafter. This refo-
lute anfwer obliged Coiw to put off that en-
terprize to a more favourable opportunity ;
and the Dutch did not reduce Axim till the
year 1642. Coine returned to ^r^zzf/ with his
fleer and forces, where cowx^ijohn Mauriceoi
Najfau caufed him to be received at Olinda
and Arracife, underadifcharge of all the can-
non, and with all other marks of honour.
The Dutch now become mafters of the ^ ^
important place of Mina, endeavoured io g^ofi th^^
engrofs all the trade of the coaft in their own trade.
hands; and to that eftedc. Van Tpren was
called from Mouree to Mina, to make that
his rcfidence, as general of Guinea and An-
gola. He caufed the caftle to be repaired
and enlarged, and by degrees made it much
ftronger, more beautiful, and of a greater
extent, tiian when the Portuguefe had it.
Behaviour of the Dutch w Guinea.
'TT H E Dutch at firft treated the Blacks of Towards
Mina, and the reft of the coaft, very Eng-
gently, carefling and prefenting the chief of '''^^^
them : but when the Englifh came to put in
for a ftiare of the trade of that rich country,
and endeavoured to make an intereft among
the Blacks, in order to make fcttlements on
that coaft, the Dutch changed their former
civility towards the Blacks into feverity, to
deter them from favouring the Engliflj. They
alfo feized the Engliflj fort at Cormentyn^
where the general of that nation refided,
which was one of the motives for the w ar be-
tween them in the year 1 666. The
Chap. 7. Coafts of South-Guinea. 16^
Towauls The better to curb the Blacks along the cular imporcun'd me to inlbrn-i the Baubo r.
theblzcks. and to engrofs the whole trade, they court, at tny return, how defirous they ^-^''V^
erefted fmall forts at Boetrou, Sama, Corfo, were to fee the French fettled there, to pro-
J/jamabo, Cormenlyn, and Jera, pretending ted them againft the oppreflion they hy
to the Blacks, they did it to proted and de- under.
fend them againft the outrages and infults of Being one morning at breakfaft with the
their neighbouring enemies of the inland general, with whom I was pretty familiar,
country, who ufed often to attack them, as being my old acquaintance ; he fpied
Being thus grown powerful, the more to through the gallery window fevera) canoes
keep down the Blacks, and prevent their at- of Mim, which were going aboard my
tempting any thing againft them, they laid floop in the road to trade : whereupon he
duties on their fiftiery at Jxim, Mim, and abruptly in a paflion faid, he would detain
Mouree, forbidding them, under fevere pe- me, and feize the floop, and had effedually
nalties, to hold any correfpondence, or trade done it, but that I defired him to fend
with other Europeans, as has been obferv'd aboard, and enquire, whether I had not left
before and proceeded to lord it over them pofitive orders with the mafter, to fell no-
fo abfolutely, as to take cognizance of all thing to the Blacks ; befides, that the fifcal
civil and criminal caufes, and to aftlime the was adually in the floop, to obferve what
power of life and death over them ; though, paflTed. For his farther fatisfadion, I fold
on the other hand, they are oblig'd to pay him the remaining part of the cargo that
yearly acknowledgements to the native kings was in the floop, for about ten marks of
for the forts they have there. gold ; and v/hen I returned aboard, I had
Perceiving that, notwithftanding all thefe much ado to get rid of the Blacks, who :
precautions, the Blacks were not deterr'd were all much diflatisfied that I had fold thofe
from trading with other Europeans, when goods to the general.
occafion offer'd, they alfo abufed the ^^^ro- The hard ufage of the 5 Wcj, obliges
feans themfelves, and continue fo to do, to many of them to fly from thence to other
this very day. parts of the coaft, which much lefl^cns the
Blacks The difcontent of the Mina and Cotnmendo trade of the Dutch ; as does the great refort
povoked. Blacks, as well as thofe of Fetu and Sahou, of other European fhips on that coaft : for I
was grown to fuch a height in my time, efpe- can remember, that fome years there have
cially thofe at Mina, that they had adually been above fifty trading there, all at one
broke with the Dutch, and for ten months time. Another detriment is occafion'd to
kept their general clofe confin'd to the caftle, them by the many fettlements made on than
without daring to come abroad, and had coaft, within thefe fifty years laftpaft ;and
twice afTaulted it, tho' without fuccefs, for the Da/fi? general, Mina, admits of no
want of underftanding the art of war ; ha- Blacks to buy goods, unlefs they can pur-
ving loft about eighty of their men, killing chafe the value of fix marks of gold toge-
but four of the Dutch. ther.
Not a day pafs'd, whilft I lay thereabouts I was told there, by fome of the chief
at anchor, but I had thirty or forty ca- fadors, that formerly they ufed to export
noes from Mina and Commendo, all the thence above three tboufand marks of gold
Blacks zomrn^ to complain of thehardfhips yearly, and now, not above two thoufand,
theZ)z//c^ put upon their countrymen ; keep- when the trade is at the beft.
ing fome of them for a long time in the They alfo ufed to export near eight thou-
bilboes, within the caftle, expofed ftark fand flaves from the v/hole coaft, beginning
naked to the fcorching heat of the fun in at Sierra Leona, down to Angola, moft of
the day, and to the cold dews in the night, which they delivered at CuraJJau, whence
I myfelf faw three of them in that condition the Spaniards had them at an hundred and
on the land-batteries, fhow'd me by the one pieces of eight per head 5 befides vaft
then Dutch general who told me, he had quantities of elephants teeth, wax, Guinea-
kept them fo above nine months, as a pu- pepper, red-wood, cloths and other goods
nilhment for their boldnefs and treachery, as of the country.
having been concern'd in the confpiracy of the Notwithftanding all this, I am convinced
•^/^zfi^j-ofMf/z^atthattime, tofurprife the ca- that the great charges the company is atj
ftle of 6'/, George, and to deftroy it by fire, to in building and keeping in repair fo many
which purpofe they had adually gather'd forts and fadories, v/ith a fufficient number
a great number of the Mi/M men •, but the in- of garifons, and fuch a number of agents,
tendeddefign, being by him prevented, many fadors, tradefmen, fervants, labourers, and
of them were fled from the town to other Gourmet Blacks in conftant pay ; as alfo the
places on the coaft, after firing their houfes. vaft expence of fo many wars fuccefllvely
Their dif- In fhort, X.\\t Blacks, both here and at againft the natives and. others •, bribing the
foment. Commendo, continually entertained me with black kings, and paying large fums for auxi-
their grievances, and every one in parti- liaries and fpies prelents, tolls, cuftoms,
, - . ■■ and
1 68
A Description of the
Barbot. and falaries to agents and ferv^ants in America
**«^'V^ and in Europe •■, with many more accidents
and cafualties, which fall in unexpededly :
all thefe things confider'd, the profits arifing
by this trade cannot be fo confiderable as
fome fuppofe it to be.
On the contrary, it may be concluded un-
reafonable to expe£l any thing but lofs for
any company, as I did make out to the
French African company, who, perhaps,
are much the better ever fince, for driving
their trade by (hipping only along the Gold
Coajl, and in other parts of Guinea properly
fo caird, wichouc the charge of fuch fettle-
ments afliore. An inilance hereof they have
in their trade at Senega, Goeree, andGa?nboa,
where, tho' the profits, at firffc fight, feem
very confiderable, yet by reafon of the vaft
charges in maintaining garifons, and fo ma-
ny fervants there, and in the Caribhee iflands
America, we have feen the (lock of that
company quite exhaufted, and two, or three
times fuccelTively renew'd. And I am apt
to believe, the Dutch Weft- India company
have no great caufe to boaft of their profit
in Guinea, notwithftanding their vaft trade
there, confidering their expences as a-
bove.
CHAP. vm.
The kingdom of Fetu defcribed. Mandinga kingdo?n. Cape Corfo. Ooegwa
town. EngliJh and Dutch there. Englilh fort at cape Corfo. Aguaffou
village. Manfrou town. Danifhy-^'Y^ fweetilh tafte, with a mixture of acid Hke
vitriol. Others afcribe it to the exceflive
rains but it has been obferv'd, that 'tis not
only the wet which makes this country un-
healthy. On the other hand, if a country
which is all gravel, may be reckoned heal-
thy, as are fome parts of Hamp/bire in E^g-
land, then that country Ihould alfo be ac-
counted fuch, there being every^ where a
gravel or fand on the furface, and under it a
fort of whitifli marie, almoft like fuller's
earth.
As Ihavefaid before,!knownotwhatfauk
there is here in the air, more than at other
places on the coaft, tho' unheakhinefs may
in fome meafure proceed from the ground
being cover'd with fhrubs j whence, in the
vales particularly, arifes a certain fog or
mift, towards night, and in the morning,
which may diftemper the air. But, as I
faid above, diforderly living and bad diet,
are certainly the main caufes that more men
die there, than at other places on the coaft.
The air indeed is extreme hot, and fo piercing
at the fame time, that it penetrates into a
man's body, much more than in France, or
England,
TeaJs md About the latter end of May, fome years,
infeas. here appears a vaft number of toads, which,
fome rime after, all vanifli. There are alfo
fome infedts, the moft remarkable a fort of
fpider, about as big as a beetle, in fhape
like a crab, with a fhrange vifible orifice in
the belly, whence the web proceeds.
Xianc'mg Befidesthe daily market I have mention'd
fiafon. to be kept at the town of Corfo, there is a
very confiderable one at Ahramhoe, a large
town, about twenty feven miles northward
from cape Corfo \ where by appointment of
the king of Fetu^ at a certain time of the
year, is a rendevouz from all parts of his
country, for public dancing, and it is call'd
the dancing feafon, and lafts eight days.
An incredible number of people repair to
it from all parts, and fpend all the day, and
moft of the night, in that toilfome diverfion.
Sovereign At the fame time, are alfo decided all
eonrt. f^jj-g ^^^^ controverfies, which could not be
determined by the inferior juftices, in their
feveral diftridb. This fupreme court is com-
pos'd of the king of Fetu, his Dey, or prime
minift:ers the Geroffo, and the Braffo, with
two EngUJh fadlors of cape Corfo caftle. It
is the agent's prerogative to fend thofe agents
to that court, and each of them is to have
as many fuits of clothes, as he ftays there
days, to appear every day in a different fuit,
which puts the company to three hundred
pounds charges yearly.
A CLU A F F o u
S very large, and
Corfo
being a market
Village,
lies weft from cape
where Blacks
buy flaves tobekill'd andbury*dj at the fu-
nerals of their kings.
At my firft voyage to cape Corfo, I had a Trad,.
pretty brifk trade for flaves and gold i but
at my return thither, three years after^ I
found a great alteration ; the French brandy,
whereof I had always a good quantity aboard,
being much lefs demanded, by reafon a
great quantity of fpirits and rum had been
brought on that coaft by many Englifh tra-
ding fhips, then on the coaft, which obJig'd
all to fell cheap.
There is generally good plenty of gold^,
but much of it is not pure, efpecially the
Cracra and Feitizo gold.
Manfrou Town,
T S another place in Fetu, almoft round and if^ fitm.-
feated below the Danifh mount, about
an EngU/h mile from cape Corfo, on the
ftrand ; i'everal large rocks near the fhorCj
rendering the accefs on that fide very diffi-
cult and dangerous, the fea running high j
and its furges breaking upon thofe rocks.
The town is not very confiderable, moft mhnhi-
ofthe inhabitants being fifhermen, husband- ^'i"^^-
men, or falt-boilers ; befides fome who aft
as brokers for the inland Blacks. Sometimes
there is a pretty good trade with the Blacks^
as alfo with the D^m, who having feldom
above one or two ftiips in a year from Ben-
mark, are often in want of many things, ei-
ther for their own ufe, or to carry on the
trade, in the proper feafon and I have my
felf fold the Banes confiderable parcels of
goods for gold and flaves.
DanishFort.
*^imL Banifh maxinx. is above three hun-7/_,j^^,^„.^
dred paces over, and level at the top.
T\\tBa)ies being formerly expell'd from Corfo
by the Butch, made choice of that mount,
as a proper place to build a fort, with little
charge ; the hill being it felf a fort, by its;
fituation and form, becaufe very fteep and
high on all fides: and there accordingly they
built the fort call'd Fredericksburg, almoft
on the top of the mount, being only a
pretty large, almoft triangular enclofure,
or indiiftrent thick wall of ftone and clay
mix'd together, always falling to decay,
with a round flanker towards the fea-fide,
and two other forry fmall baftions to the
land, of the fame materials as the wall and
curtins, one of them pointing eaft and the
other weft, towards cape Corfo i on all
which there are fifteen orfixteen old iron jj,^;/^'/^^^.
guns, in no good order. Within the enclo-
fure, or walls, is a diforderly heap of old
clay buildings, thatch'd, like thole of the
Blacks, and all out of repair. The Banip
general's apartment has nothing in it worth
taking notice of, unlefs it be an old gallery,
which has a very fine profpeft, both by fea
and
.... ■
■ )
- ?
i......'
■1 : ■
TheProipect of vPani fh Fort Great Fredericks !Biirgh,Ji'om die AVeft, off at Sf ,.
(JurriJ
27te^ eazictTla^ft^ J^at-t (rrv^
Chap, 8. Coafls of South-Guinea.
173
and land, and a continual frefli air, from
morning till night, being a S W. breeze,
fometimes blowing fo cold, that there is no
enduring of it •, for which reafon, this place
is reckoned much healthier than cape Corfo.
Plate II. I have here inferted the profped of this
fort.
A good regular fort, well ftored and ga-
rifon'd, on this mount, would be almoft
impregnable, by reafon of its natural fitua-
tion. As it is at prefent, there is no danger
of its being ever reduced by the Blacks.
The Englijh at cape Corfo muft fare very ill,
if ever the two crowns of England and Den-
mark fhould be engaged in a war •, for the
T)ane5 can batter the Englijh fort, and ut-
terly ruin it, without receiving any damage
themfelves, for they entirely overlook and
command it. The Englifi royal African
company would do well, if poflible, to pur-
chafe that fort of the Danes at any rate, and
to build there another ftronger and more
regular, to fecure that poft from falling
into the hands of an enemy i for it would
be a fure bulwark to their caftle at Corfo,
as the Dutch now keep their fort Coenraedf-
hurgy on the hill of Santiago, for the greater
fecurity of their caftle of Mina,
Garrifon. The garifon in the fon: is anfwerable to
the place, being fometimes about twenty
white men fit for fervice, befides the Gro-
metto Blacks. It is generally obferv'd, that
of all the European nations, which live on
that coaft, the Danes lofe moft men in pro-
portion, tho' fettled in the beft air j which
is afcribed to their ill diet and government,
wherein they exceed the Englifh of cape
Corfo, being often in want of money to buy
the moft necelTary things for their fubfif-
tence, and great lovers of hot liquors, which
quite fpoil their ftornachs.
latalplace It has been alfo obferv'd, that Danijh wo-
to Danifh men cannot live long there, being commonly
fubjeft to a prodigious lofs of blood, by a
diftemper peculiar to their fex •, as lately
happened ro a general's wife, who had not
been there a year.
The beft roads for fhips at Manfrou is
due fouth from the fort, in thirteen or four-
teen fathom water, good holding ground.
The Englijh of cape Corfoy pretend the road
is within their limits.
unding. The eafieft'place to land there, is on the
eaft-fide of the hill, to boats remaining at
anchor at a diftance, without the rocks,
and waiting for the canoes of the Blacks
from fhore, to carry them over the break-
ing fea, which fometimes is dangerous.
Garden, The Danijh general has a fine fpacious
garden for his diverfion, on the N E. fide of
the fort, about half a mile from it, ftored
with great variety of trees, and plants, and
particularly orange and lemon-trees. In
the midft of it is a large ftately fummer-
Vol. V.
Read.
houfe, where he entertain'd me one after- Barbot-'
noon very nobly, and gave me the diver- ^^-^^T^'
fion of a mock fight among Blacks, repre-
fencing their true manner of engaging in
battle, whereof I fhall give a particular
defcription in its proper place.
Whether it be ufual with the Danes to Danilh
treat ftrangers fumptuoufly, or whether
is only peculiar in thofe parts, I muft own
their entertainment was magnificent, and we
had fometimes above twenty healths drank
at a meal, five or fevenguns firing to each
of them, according to the dignity of the
perfon ; which made me admire the batteries
could ftand fuch frequent firing, being fo ill
built, and fo much decay'd.
The Danes h^v'mg aOifted the Englijh, in^'*'?'"7»/
their expedition againft cape Corfo^ in 1664/^^*'''°
were allow' d to have a fadory on the N W.
fide of the town Ooegwa, with the Danifh
colours on it. There they kept a fador
for fome years to carry on the trade, but
it was afterwards abandon'd, fo that they
have now only the fettlement at Manfrou^
on the Gold Coafl ; for their former fort at
Jcra, which when I came thither beforcj,
was ftill in their pofleffion, and where I tra=
ded confiderably for gold and flaves, with
the then governor Olricks, is now in the
hands of the Portiiguefeoi Si. Thome, who
bought it, after the murder of the faid Ol-
ricks, by a Grecian of his company, as I
ftiall obferve in another place.
By what has been faid of the bufinefs the^f^^y
Danes have on the Gold Coafl, it may ht trade.
concluded their African company makes but
a very inconfiderable advantage of it, and
that through the unfaithfulnefs of their fer-
vants for fcarce any one, who is fent over
from Denmark, as a perfon of known inte-
grity to the company, as chief or general,
lives long on the coaft, but is either fnatch'd
away by a natural death, or by the contri-
vance of his inferiors, aftifted by the Blacks,
the better to compafs their own defigns.
Thus it fometimes comes to pafs, that a gun- Uncertain
ner of the fort, or other fuch mean perfon'^"'"*'""-
fucceeds in that poft, and fo manages afFairs'"^"'^'
according to his fmall capacity, or rather to
his wicked inclination to enrich himfelf in as
fiiort a time as may be ; knowing he muft
fhortly be remov'd, or difcharg'd by the
company, his command being only pro in-
terim ; or that he may be ferv'd by his in-
feriors, as his predeceflbr was before, every-
one endeavouring to make his intereft with
the Blacks, by large promifes of gratuities,
if they can once arrive at that fupreme poft?
at any expence of blood and money.
Of the two Danijh generals I knew there
during my voyages, the firft had been the
gunner of the fort, the latter, a lieutenant,
as he faid himfelf-, but others told me he had
been the other general's fervant, a briflc,
Y y bold.
A Description of the Book III
174
Barbot. bold, daring well-fet man, and very young \
ti/'V*W both which advanced themfelves by che
aforefaid means. The firft was murdered
in his turn ; but what became of the other
I know not, having left him there, ading
the part of a general : yet am apt to be-
lieve, he did not enjoy it long. I was told
there of an unparallclled inhumanity of his.
The book-keeper refufing to comply with
him in the manner of keeping the books, he
procured ibme villanous ^/i^r/^j to accufe him
offeveral mifdemeanorsand breach of truft,
for which he was tried by a fet of men,
both Whites and Blacks^ as is ufual there,
all of them corrupted. The poor man be-
ing thus convi6ted, and fentence of death
pronounc'd againft him, was immediately
fet to make his own coffin, and then fliot
to death. ,
The Dan'iJJo company pays a yearly ac-^
knowledgment to the king o{ Fetu^ for fore
Fredericksburg., and have allow'd a vote in
the eleftion of a general to be chofen there
upon occafion -pro interim., when that poft
becomes vacant. This is the occafion of
the great abufes fo frequently committed
there, and of men's lives being fo much ex-
pofed ; good men being made away, to make
room for villains.
The country beyond the T>anijh mount is
all hilly, high and dole, and little of it cul-
tivated ; but rather moft of it cover'd with
fhrubsand woods, through the flothfulnefs
of the natives.
CHAP. IX,
Saboe kingdom defer ibed. Fort NafTau. TrodtiB and trade. The Fantin coun-
try ; Anichan> Anamabo, Agga, or Adja. Great and little Cormentin viU
lages. De RuyterV actions againft the Englifii. Other fmaller villages.
Saboe Kingdom.
Length and^~\^^ ^ ^ ^'"^^^^ kingdom of Saboe is about
breadth. _J_ two leagues in breadth along the
coaft, reckoning from the foot of the Danijh
mount, to about two Englijh miles below
Mouree-, where it joins to the country of
Fantin and about twice that length, up
the country northward.
Saboe The town of Saboe., where the king re-
toron. fides, is about two leagues and a half up the
inland, being a large populous place. There
Icon. are three maritime villages, viz. Icon, or
Congo^ half a league eaft from the Danes hill,
where are ftill to be feen on two hillocks, the
ruins or remains of a fine ftone houfe the
Di.tch had formerly there, on which they
difpUiy'd their colours to keep away other
Europeans, for fear of leffening their trade
at Mouree.
Mouree, '^'^e fecond maritime town is Mouree,
feated on a large rocky flat point, jutting
out a little way towards the SSE, exactly
in the fifth degree of north latitude. It is
neither fo large or populous as Mina ; but
well inhabited by fifhermen, who go out
moft mornings in four hundred canoes, or
more ; and at their return pay the fifth of
the filh they take, to the 'Dutch faftor there,
as a duty impofed on the natives, in like
manner as is pra6tifed at Axim and Mina :
a prerogative which none of the other Eu-
ropean nations have affumed over the Blacks,
on any part of that coaft ; and which
jfhows how the Dutch have extended their
authority over thofe Blacks.
Abundance of Accanez Blacks have lodg-
ings in this town, the better to carry on
their trade with the Dutch and natives
The houfes ftand fcattering at a diftance
from one another and it is very ill walk-
ing on the rocky ground between them.
This place, in former times, was called the
burial-place of the Dutch, becaufe of the
great numbers of them that died there,,,
fince their firft fettling at fort Naffau.
" ^ Fort Nassau.
HIS fort was fo built, as fully to com- situation;
mand the town of Mouree, which lieswaw^e, &e.
about it, almoft in a circle, except on the
eaft fide, where it is defended by the fea.
It was built in the year 1624, at the coft
and by order of the States-General, and
called fort Naffau, in honour of the family
of the princes of Orange. Afterwards the
ftates gave it up to the Weji-lndia company.
The firft ftrudlure of it was flight, the bat-
teries being only of turf, which was frequently
ruined by the mighty rains, and fo the
garifon expofed to the infults of the Vor-
tuguefe at Mina, who ufed all their endea-=
vours to obftrud the defigns of the Dutch %
whilft they, the better to eftablifti their in-
tereft, ufed all means to gain the favour
of the kings of Saboe, to be J^y them pro-
tecfled againft the Portuguefe, wherein they
were fuccefsful enough : thofe natives ha-
ving for a long time conftantly adhered to
them, as being the firft Europeans they were
acquainted with •, and in order to cultivate a
good correfpondence, fent two envoys into
Holland to the diredors of the IVeft-India
company many years ago.
After the Dutch had made tJiemfelves ^^^^^^^^^
mafters of the caftle of Mina j they caufed
a ha If' moon to be cut off from fort Naffau,
and
Mi..;
Chap. p.
Coajls of South-Guinea.
179
and put it into the good condition it now
is, being almoft fquare, the front fomewhat
larger than the dther fides, and all the
works of good black ftone and lime. It
has four batteries, on which are twenty four
guns the garifon being forty white men,
befides the hired Blacks. The walls are
very high, the curtin extends to the two
fea-batteries ; being fo fpacious and conve-
nient, that it may be eafily made equal to
the caftle at cape Cor/t*, for commanding at
fea. It is alfo adorn'd with four large fquare
towers, at the four angles ; and at the gate
is a drawbridge, covered with a gallery to
contain feveral men to fcour it, with their
fmall arms. The lodgings within the fort
are neat and convenient ; and in fhort, this
is the befl" place the Dutch have in Guinea.,
next to the caftle of Mina. The view of
it is very plealant, and exadlly reprefented
Plate 12. here in the cur.
The Englijh commodore Holmes took this
fort from \\\tDutch^ in 1664, as has been
before mention'd but admiral de Ruyter
■-'■I recover'd it from them again in 1665, with
the afTiftance of nine hundred Mina Blacks.^
fent him by Valkenburg from Mina, He
improv'd the fortifications to the condition
here laid down, and garifon'd it with Eu-
.'."T.'^. ropean {o\d\tr?,, and fifty natives.
Garden, The Butch chief fador's garden is on
the weft fide of the fort, at a fmall diftance,
and reckoned the fineft on all that coaft ;
being adorn'd with curious walks, fummer-
houfes, and feats, and plentifully ftored with
trees and plants ; befides much variety of
falleting and pulfe : but has the fame fault
as the other gardens at Mina and Manfrou \
which is, its being clofe hemmed in by
great hills.
-; Product and Trade.
T^HE kingdom of i'^zZ-c^a' produces great
plenty of Indian corn, potatoes, yams,
palm-oil, bananas, oranges, lemons, and
other fruit, wherewith near an hundred
canoes are dailv laden at Mouree. ^ox Acra
and Axim., but moftly with palm-oil. The
Jnduflrious natives are accounted the moft induftrious.
Blacks, pains-taking Blacks of any in thefe parts ;
cither in tilling the ground, fifhing, or
trading with the Europeans.^ and the Acca-
■nez people, by whom a great quantity of
gold is brought down hither, to buy goods,
fifh, and fait.
Dutch Dutch., by ufurping fo much autho-
arbitrary, rity over thefe people, have of late quite
loft their affection, and very much of their
trade fowing divifion between the king of
Saboe^ and the inhabitants of Mouree., who
are forbid by the Dutch to pay him any
duties : for which reafon, that prince will
willingly affift any other F.uropean nation
with two thoufand Blacks to beat the Dutch
out of their fort.
The father of the prefent king of Saboe'^KKzor.
had long wars with the Atti and the Acca- '^*'V^.
nez Blacks,, his neighbours northward, oc-
cafion'd by his intolerable exaftions \ but
the prefent king, being of a peaceable and
lefs covetous temper, has appeafed all thofe
troubles. The number of the Atti Blacks
is much greater than that of this king's
fubjeds ; and yet it often happen*d in the
v/ars, that the Sabou Blacks, who are dex-
trous in the ufe of fire-arms, routed them,
and brought down feveral heads, both of
the Atti and Accanez Blacks to the Dutch
faftor at Mouree.
The beft landing-place at Mouree is at a
bay, juft under the cannon of the fort, on
the E N E. fide of it ; which muft be with
the help of canoes, as is pradlifed at many-
other parts of this coaft.
'^he F A N T I N Country^
T> O R D E R S weft ward on Saloe., at the iti limits
iron hill, which is about an Englijh
mile in length, having on the top a delight-
ful walk, fo clofe fliaded by the trees, that
it is reported to be fomewhat darkned at
noon-day. Northward this country extends
its limits to Atti, Aqua, and 'Tonqua •, on
the eaft to Acron •, and on the fouth it is
bounded by the fea, along which it extends
above ten leagues. The principal villages
along the fhore are, Anichan or Ingenifian,
Ananiabo or Nomabo, Aga, Cormentin, sen-texensl
Arnerfa, Little Cormentin, Aqua, Laguyo
and Mountfort ; befides fome others of lefs
note, from the laft above-named to cape
Ruyge-hoeck ; in all which places there are
four thoufand fifhermen, or upwards.
The capital town Fantin, from which t^tcafttal
country has its name, lies five leagues up
the inland, where there are many other vil-
lages fcatter'd about it.
This country is a fort of common-wealth. Govern-
under the direftion of a Brajfo, fignifying mm.
a commander or leader. He is in the na-
ture of a chief governor, having the greateft
power of any man in the dominion ; but
is kept in awe by the old men, fomewhat
in the nature of a parliament ; and afting
as they think fit, without ever confulting
the Braffo. Befides this general aflemblys
every part of the country has alfo its pe-
culiar chief, who fometimes will fcarce own
the Braffo for his fuperior, he having only
an empty title without any power.
The Blacks, tho' generally a treacherous
fort of people, naturally bafe, and great
cheats in other things, as well as in adul-
terating gold ; yet drive a great trade with
all interlopers, without regarding the Eng-
lijh and Dutch factors fettled in the country,,
efpecially at Anamabo and Cormentin, at
the former of which places the Englijh have
a caftle, the Dutch one at the latter i of
. - . . - . both :
17^
A Defer ipt ion of the
Book III,
Barbot. both which I fhall foon fpeak. Neither of
V^v^ thofe European nations dare oppofe the na-
tives trading with interlopers or others, for
fear of being ruin'd themfelves ; for thofe
Blacks are defperate, and can bring toge-
ther eight or ten thoufand men in a very fhorc
time : befides, that they may fhut up the
paffes to the Accanez and other nations
northward, which drive a great trade to the
fea-coaft, as well for European goods, as
for fifh and white fait, of which laft vaft
quantities are fent to Accanez j for which
privilege thofe people pay a certain duty
in gold to the Fantinians, Moft of that
fait is made by the heat of the fun, in a
large lake, not far diftant from the town.
There is no doubt, but thofe Fantinians are
a very formidable nation and were it not
for the continual divifions among them-
felves, they might prove very troublefome
to their neighbours.
The inland people employ themfelves in
tillage and trade, and fupply the markets
with fruit, corn,and palm-wine °, the country
producing fuch vaft plenty of maiz or
Indian wheat, that abundance is daily ex-
ported, as well by Europeans^ as Blacks xq-
forting thither from other parts. Here is
Faim- a fort of palm-wine, called ^aker^ figni-
wlne. fying the fame as in Englijh^ having an
extraordinary exhilarating quality, when
plentifully drank and is fold for double the
price of the common fort, the Blacks having
lb great a value for it, that there isfeidom
enough to anfwer the demand.
This country is alfo very rich in gold^
flaves, and all forts of provifions.
Anican or Ingenisian Village^
T I ES about three quarters of a league
from Anamaboy on a little hill, two
t)urch/or- leagues eaft from Mouree. The Dutch had
fake it. a faftory there formerly % but finding the
trade did not anfwer the charge of main-
taining it, and the Englijh and Portuguefe
having got footing there, they abandoned it,,
Englifli The Englijh have a fa6tory there at this
there. time, defended by two pieces of cannon,
and two or three white men, with fome
Grometto Blacks, and a flag, but very little
or no trade.
Portu- The Portuguefe^ fince the year 1679, caft
guefc. up a redoubt of turf for their fecurity, the
commander whereof, Laurence Perez Branco,
has ten or twelve of his country-men to de-
fend it. His trade confifts in tobacco and
pipes, Brazil fweet-meats, foap, rum, and
fuch like American commodities but I
cannot imagine what advantage he can make
of it, unlefs he buys European goods of
the interlopers, or has them fent from Hol-
land by the Jews., who know how to get
Portuguefe palTes and fuch fliips, when
they come upon the coaft, are received, as
if they really came from PortugaL
The village it felf is very inconfiderable,
nor is it worth while for a fhip to come to
an anchor in the road, which is half way
betwixt it and Anajnaho caftle fo that this
laft may be eafily feen from it, tho' feated
on a low ground.
Anamabo or Jamissia,
T S a pretty large and populous village,
about a fmall league from Corfnentin, and
two leagues and a half from Mouree, di-
vided into two parts the one inhabited by
Mina fiftiermen, and the other by thofe of
Fantin, who pay a duty to the Braffo of
Anamaho, for the liberty of fifhing there j
for which reafon the town can furnifh as
many arm'd men, as the whole kingdom of
Saboe, or that of Commendo •, though this
be but a fifth part of the people of Fantin.
The natives are generally defperate Bafe niti_
lains, and muft be narrowly look'd to in tivei.
dealing with them, and their gold well
examin'd, being for the moft part adul-
terated.
The village lies under the cannon of the Englifh
Englijh caftle, lately built there, inftead ofM-
an old houfe, which ftood there in 1679,
the mud-walls whereof are ftill to be feen
before the caftle. This is a fmall, neat>
compaft fort, as here reprefented in the cutjPALTE sj.
being rather a large ftrong houfe, defended
by two turrets on the one fide, and two
flankers on the other next the fea, all built
with ftone, brick and lime, and feated on a
rock, about thirty paces from the ftr^nd j
having twelve good guns and two pattare-
roes mounted on it, and commonly gari-
fon'd by twelve white men, and eighteen
Grometto Blacks, under a chief fadtor. The
lodgings within are convenient, and there
are proper warehoufes.
The landing at Anamabo is pretty diffi- Landing
cult, the fhore being full of rocks, among Z"'"'^*-
which the fea fometimes breaks very dan-
geroufly. The ftiips boats anchor clofe by,
and the people are carry'd aftiore in canoes,
which come out from the town, to a nar-
row fandy beach, juft under the full com-
mand of the caftle, enclosed with a mud-
wall, about eight foot high, within which
are houfes of the fameftrudture for the Gro-
metto Blacks, and others of the company's
fervants. This wall, I was told, would be
pull'd down, when the caftle was quite
finifti'd, and one of brick built in the place
of it.
The earth here is very fit for making of Materials
good bricks, the oyfter-ftiells afibrd good/"'"^'""''^"
lime, and there is plenty of timber for
building.
The country about this place is full of
clofe hills, beginning at a good diftance
from the town. There are five together,
higher than the reft, which are a good land-
I mark
ii
.4
1:*:
Coajls of South-Guinea*
mark to know Anamah, from fome leagues
to the weft ward. There is great variety of
trees, affording a very pleafant profpe<5t.
Here is the beft palm-wine of all the coaft of
Guinea^ of the fort abovemention'd, call'd
'^aker. There is alfo great plenty of maiz,
and an infinite number of parrokeets, about
as big as fpar rows, th ei r bod iesa cu rio us green ,
and their heads and tails of a moft beautiful
Tedi-, fome whereof I carry'd to Paris, to pre-
fent to fome of the blood-royal of France^
Thefe birds are fold there for a crown a do-
zen i but they are fo very hard to keep a-
live, that not one in twenty furvives the
long voyage to Europe.
I*apas I have there eaten excellent green cab-
,^a;>. |33ge . as alfo Papas, a green fruity about
as big as a little melon, which tafte like col-
lyHowers. The greateft inconvenience there,
is, that they mull fetch frelh water from two
leagues diftance, by means of their flaves.
Slaves and The road at Anamabo is generally full
in-n. of En^.tjh Ihips, or thofe of other nations,
anchoring there to trade, or elfe for corn
or other neceffaries but more efpecially
for flaves, which ate fometimes to be had
in confiderable numbers: and there are
great quantities of corn for the fliips that
have bought flaves at other places along the
coaft, or at Fida., Calbary, Rio Real, &c.
This great concourfe of fhips to Anamabo,
very much obftruds the company's trade
with the natives, whom, as I obferv'd a-
bove, the EngWjh faflors dare not in the
leaft contradid •, but are rather obliged to
bear wkh them, and fometimes fo infefted,
that they are clofe confined to the caftle,
without daring to ftir abroad. Nay, if the
Blacks diflike the E'Aglljh chief factor, they
fend him away in a canoe to cape Corfo, or
oblige him to pay a heavy fine.
Wik. The great wealth of the FaMineans makes
them fo proud and haughty, that an Euro-
•pean trading there muft ftand bare to them.
trice of '^^^ maiz or Indian wheat fells there by
torn, the cneft, at one Akler of gold. The cheft
contains about three bufliels. When there
is a great demand or fcarcity, it rifes to two
and three Akiers. In plentiful years and
times of peace, it has been fold for ten, and
even for eight Takoes of gold, which is not
three Ihillings EngUpj.
AggA, orAnjA DiUage^
IS divided into three parts, each of twenty-
five or thirty houfes, about half a league
from Anamabo., has but a very inconfidera-
ble trade, and is very dangerous to land at,
'CoHon. the fea always running there very high. The
country about it produces very good cotton.
Englidi The Danes and the Butch had each of
fnaory. them a fort there formerly. How the Da-
nijh fort came to be deftroyM I do not find;
but on the ruins of it, the EngUJh have built
Vol. V.
a fadlory of turf, kept by two white men, Barbot
fome Grometto Blacks ; befides a faftor, who
difplays the EngliJ/j colours.
The Dutch fort was only a bare redoubt,
deftroy'd by the EngliJ/j in 1 665 ; being
blown up the fame day the Dutch admiral
de Ruyter attempted to land at Anamabo ;
but could not do it, being hinder'd, both
by the breaking of the fea, and the great
fire of the Englijh, afllfted by the Fantin
Blacks, from behind the rocks, which there
cover the fhore ; as alfo of the cannon from
the fort. The Englijh at Agga not imagining
that the Dutch fhould mifcarry at Anamabo,
but rather concluding they would infalli-
bly land there that day, and immediately
march towards them, in their way to Cor-
mentin fort, which they had in view, under-
mined the faidfort at Agga, and left a match
of fuch a length to the powder^ as they
thought would burn till the Dutch came
to the fort, and then blow thtm up, when '
they had taken poflefllon of it : but the ef-
feft did not anfwer, for the place blew up,
without doing any other damage, no body
being near it.
The Dutch writers complain of inhumani-
ties, or, to ufe their own expreflion, barba-
rities committed by the Englijh againft their
men, when they took that fmall fort from
them, and the other they then had at Ana-
fnabo.
Little Cormektin village,
T lES fome what to the eaftward of ^^g^, Outch
^ being fo poor and inconfiderable, thitfort.
it deferves no account to be given of it, but
for the fertility of the country round about,
and the Dutch fort Amfterdam, which com-
mands it. This was the chief refidence of
the EngliJJo, till they were drove out by ad-
miral de Ruyter in the year 1665, as I fliall
prefently obferve ; but much enlarg'd and
beautify'dby ih^ Dutch, in 168 1 and 1682,
being, as here reprefented in the cut, a Plate 141
fquarefort, built with hard rock ftone and
lime, ftrengthened by three fmall, and one
fine large battery, mounted with twenty
pieces of cannon ; and within is a very large
fquare tower, in the midft of it, defign'd to
have a cupola on it, where the flag-ftaff
ftands. There are very good lodgings, and
all offices - for the fervice of the commander
and garifon, confifting of twenty- five white
men, befides Grometto Blacks. The breaft-
works are large, and the profpedt from the
top of the tower delightful, overlooking all
the fea and the cOuntrys La;rge convenient
cifterns are made in it to hold rain-water.
The buildings Were not quite finifti'd, when
I was there laft ; and the Dutch ingeneer was
pleas'd to advife with me about feveral things
relating to the place.
The fort is ftrong by nature, as ftanding
on a high rocky hill, in moft places fteep and
Z z craggy,
178
A Defer ipt ion of the
Book III.
Rarbot .craggy, and only acceflible by a lane cut
'^-^y^ into Iteps along the defcent of the hill.
De Ruyter's anions aga'mflihe English.
'T'O f;iy fomething of admiral dc Ru)ter%
expedition againft this place, I find it
was undertaken againft his inclination, he
having been fent by the ftates-general from
Gibraltar, where he then lay, with a fqua-
dron of thirteen men of war, to reduce the
Eug'ijh fort at cape Corfo. That being
fo'jnd impraflicable, the general ^/^Z-
kenhiirg^ thc;n prefent at the council of war
held Oil board the admiral, after the reduc-
tion of fort Naffau at Mouree, and the dif-
appointments at cape Corfo and Anamaho,
moft earneftly preffed, and ufed all poiTible
arguments, to attempt the taking of the
fort at Cornieritin ; as lb prejudicial to the
commerce of the JVeJl- India Co)Jtpan)\ that
he undertook to prove it did moi'e harm to
the Dutch, than Holmes himfelf had done
the year before, during his whole expedi-
tion. The entcrprize being refolv'd on,
and Valkenhurg having fent admiral Ruyter
a reinforcement of four hundred canoes full
of arm'd Blacks from Mina, the Dutch fleet
came to an anchor in the road o'i Cor men tin.
The bay or port there, tho' fpacious, being
very dangerous to land at, and the coming
out as bad, de Ruyter, on the yihoi' Febru-
ary 1665, fent a detachment of nine hun-
dred of his own men, fupported by the bo -
dy of Mina Blacks above mention'd, to land
at Anamabo, which the EngUfi had taken, as
Durch re-^'^^^ Ail^' Thefe forces being come
pitL'd. near the fliore, the Corinentin Blacks, who
were drawn thither, and pofted behind the
rocks and buflies along the fhore, fell on
them fo furioufly, that the Dutch, not able
to (land them, and the fire from the cannon
of the Englijh caftle, and fufpe<5ling they
had been be tray 'd by the Braffo of Anama-
ho, flood about again with their boats and
pinnaces to fea, and row'd back v/ith all
their might to the fquadron.
Aj]ifiedl>y -D^ Ruyter was no way difmay'd at this
Blacks, difappointment,, the Blacks of Anamabo
and Adja, who had been wrongfully fufpec-
ted of ading in concert with the EngliJJj,
fending jufi: then to aflure him of their fi-
delity, and promifing the next day to joia
his forces, and afTift him in taking of Cor-
mentin fort. They were better than their
words, bringing along with them three
thoufand Fantinean Blacks, their allies,whoni.
tliey had hired for that fervice.
I and at Thefe forces were landed without any
^gga. difafter, at Agga, between Anamabo and
Cormentin, in a fair calm day, which much
facilitated the debarkment ; for in blowing
weather it could not have been perform'd,
the fea there rolling and breaking in a vio-
lent manner. Being there join'd by the
auxiliary Blacks Agga and Fantin, they
march'd in good order along the ftrand, each
Black having a white handkerchief about
his neck, to diftinguifli him from thofe of
Cormentin, and arriv'd about noon before the
Engliflj fort, which Falkenburg fummon'd
to I'urrender immediately, and, at the fame
time, caus'd a body of his forces to ad-
vance to a rifing ground, juft without reach
of the cannon of the place, being led by
fome Blacks of the town, whom he had
gain'd to his party. The befieged made a
terrible fire upon them, as they approach'd,
and frequent falhes, which for a time ftop'd
theprogrefs of the vanguard ; many of the
Dutch Blacks being kill'd, in fo much that
the pafies were a 1 moft ftopp'd with their
bodies. Moft of this execution was done
by three hundred Englifo Blacks, commanded-
by one John Cabpjfee, a defperate brave fel-
low. The main body at laft coming up^i
moft of thofe Blacks were either cut in
pieces, or retir'd with precipitation, and in
very diforderly manner to the fort. Val-
kenhurg then order'd the town to be fet on
fire, which for a while took away the fight
of the fort, from the Dutch, the fmoak
blinding them, whilft they appear'd as im-
patient and refolute to attack the place, as
the EnglifJj were full of confternation ; which
was fo great, that foon after, feeing the
forces advance in good order with grana-
does in their hands, and a mortar to give
the alTiuIt, they not only ftruck their flag,
but without any other ceremony open'd
the gate. Thus the Dutch took poflTefllon
of the fort, at fo fmall an expence as fixty
two marks of gold to pay the auxiliary
Blacks Fantin, and the Braffo and Cabo-
ceiros of Anamabo and Adja.
The famous town of Great Cormentin lies Great Cor-
a cannon-fliot N W. of fort Ainjlerdam, mencin.
on a high hill, being fo large and populous,
that it well deferves the epithet of great ;
the inhabitants, merchants, traders, and
fifhermen excluded, amounting to eight
hundred, or a thoufand men. The country
about it is hilly and fruitful.
The lands about Little Cormentin ^ro-- VraduB.
duce plenty of feveral forts of fruit and
corn. The air is very wholefome. The
natives brew excellent beer made of maiz,
or Indian corn, as lufcious as ale, and call'd
Petaw. They bake Bananas into bread and
bifcuit^ as alfo maiz, for their commoa
food.
In former times, Anamabo and Cormentin
were two of the principal trading places on
that coaft, for the Dutch and EngU/b ; by
reafon of the great refort of Accanez Blacks^
who ufed to come down to each of thofe
places, in little caravans: but the unhappy
differences between thofe two European na-
tions, their v/ars and alfaults upon each
other,.
Chap. id. Coafts of Soutm-Gu-inea,
other, in the years 1664 and 1665, along
the coafts of North and South Guinea^ did
them both great damage, and obliged the
'Dutch to retire to Mouree^ and the Engl'rjh to
Cormentin ; where,during the Ihort time they
were poflefs'd of fort Amfterdam, they were
fo fc ere to the natives, who liked the Dutch
government, as having been long ufed to it,
that they and the Accanez Blacks, who lived
there as factors, intreated the Dutch general
at Mina, to fettle a fadory at Agga% the fame
which was afterwards taken from them by
the EngiiJIo in 1664, and blown up in 1665,
as I have already mentioned. The EngU/h
on their part, to thwart the Dutch, endea-
voured to corrupt the Braffos of Fantin and
Accanez, with confiderable prefents, that
they might be induced to expel the Dutch
from Agga. The fubtle Blacks received great
fums of money, paid them by the EugUJh,
without performing the condition for which
they were given •, and confidering that the
jealoufies between the EngUfl:) and Dutcb'm
point of trade, occafioned their purchafing
the goods of both at a much eafier rate, they
were well pleafed to fee the EngliJIo build a
fmall fort at Anamabo, to rival the Dutch
at Mouree and Agga,
Crafty Whatfoever places the Dutch and Englijh
Blacks. poiTefs in the country of Fantin, neither of
them has any power there for when thofe
crafty turbulent people think fit, they fecure
all the pafies in fuch manner, that not one
merchant can poffibly come down from the
inland country to trade with the Europeans
on the coaft ; and not fo fatisficd, they ob-
ftru6t the bringing of any provifions to them,
till they are forced to buy a peace at a dear
rate.
Tleaftd When Cormentin was taken from the Eng-
Dufclf" in the yeaij 1665, as was laid above,
the people of Fantin exprelfed much fitisfac-
tion to lee the Dutch fettled there again and
their reafons were, for that the Englijb go-
vernor had much incommoded them with
his garifon *, that they thought the Dutch
better to trade with and that their goods
were cheaper than the Englifi.
txaaup- However, they have now gained a point up-
en them, on the Dutcb, who formerly made an agree-
tnent to givethem a goodfum ofgold,befides
three hundred gilders for every one Of the Bar rot
company's fliips, which for the future fliould •i»*''V^
bring any goods thither, flave-fliips only
excepted 5 and this in confideration of their
affiftance in recovering fort Amjlerdatn, and
other fervices : but now thofe crafty Blacks
will make no difference betwixt flavc-fliips
and others, obliging them to pay for all
alike. T*hey alfo extbrt a good fum from - - . a
the Englijh yearly, and thus treat both thole
nations alike,
Mouree, Anamaho^ Anichan, and Cor-
7nentin are places where vaft quantities of Eu-
ropean goods are vended, efpecially linnens,
flyziger, copper, iron bars, old fheets,brandy
and rum, pewter bafons, mufkets, bugles,
beads of feveral forts, powder, ^c.
Anierfa, Aqua^ Langw^o, Montfort, and
fome other fmall villages farther eaftward,
on the Fantin fliore, as far as Acron, have
but a very inconfiderable trade. Aqua lies Aqua. .
on a little river, two leagues eaft from Cor-
me'itin ; the land about the village is low and
flat, it produces plenty of Indian corn, and
has good frefh water and wood for fhips that
want.
Lagu-^o is ftill two leagues flirthei- eaft from Laguyo,
Aqua^ on a rifing ground, defcending to-
wards the more, has a little trade for flaves,
and fome gold, but not of the pureft.
Montfort again eaft from Lc/gu^o, affords Montforr.
fome flaves and maiz.
The other fmaller villages to the eaftward , .
of this laft, are little frequented by Europeans,
the inhabitants being very poor filhermen,
who carry their fifli aboard fliips, as do alfo
thofe of Laguyo and Montfort ; yet nioft of
thofe filhermen will boaft to the fnips crev/s
of the great plenty they have afhore of flaves
and gold-, which is done only to amufe them,
that they may ftay longer in the road, and
buy their fifli, for feveral fort of toys and
pedlars ware. The Englijh ply at all thofe
places more than any other Europeans, and • "
from thenceforward to Acra. |
The language of the Blacks, ixom Axim Language,
to Fantin, along the fea-coaft, is almoftone
and the fame-, whereof I intend in time to
give a fmall vocabulary, of feveral moft fa- ^
miliar words and phrafes, with the Englijb
of themi
TScundi
and go-
vernment,
CHAP. X„ ■ -L:,.
The country of Acrori defcribed i that of Agonna or Augwina ; that of Acra or
Acara. ]2imQs fort belonging to the'Kn^i^b.. Crevecoeiir, Dutch j^rr. St. Francis
Xaverius of the Portuguefdi
AcronCountry,
lES between that of Fantin and AU-
gwina or Agonna, on the fea-fhore,
running eaftward to about the famous cape,
called Monts del Diablo or the Devil's Mount,
It is divided into gteat and little Acron, the
former part lying farther up the inland, and
being, as to its government, a fort of com-
monwealth. Little Acron is a petty king-
dom. The two countries have no deptn-
dance
I So
A Defer iption of the BocM liK
Barbot. dance of each other, but live in perfeft ami-
v-'^V^ ty, under the proteftion of the Fantineans,
vv^hich makes thofe people live in peace, tilling
their fruitful country to fuch purpofe, that it
conPfantly a ftords them a plentiful crop, dil-
pofed of by them to other nations round
about.
K'mgof At the time of my being there, the king
Ation. of Little Acron was a civil good-natur'd man,
about fifty years of age, or better, and re-
puted one of the wealthieft on the Gold-Coaft,
tho' he wore no better clothes than any of
his indifferent fubje6ls. This is rather an
anarchy than a monarchy, for the king can
do nothing, but with the confent of fome of
the prime men of the country,
TroJiiEl. I'he country abounds in deer, hares, phea-
fants, partridges, and many other forts of
beafts and birds.
ApamwV- It has a little village on the coaft, called
li^ge- ■ Apatn^ inhabited by fiihermen, but very con-
veniently feated tor trade, only that the
Blacks are not very tracftable. It ftands. a
little way up a fait river, abounding in fifh
and fowl, and running about two leagues up
the land.
Yellcro There grovvsthe fame fort of yellow wood,
wliich 1 mentioned to be at Acobay in the
roidfl: of cape I'res Pantas, as proper for ma-
king of fine chairs and tables.
The country of Agonna (}r Augwina,
Txtmt "DEgins at, or about the above-mentioned
and li- ^ Monte del Diablo or the Devil'' s Mount,
by the Dutch called Ruyge-hoeck, diftant a-
bout a league or better eafbward of the falt-
river of Acron, and extends thence eaftvvard
along the fiiore to Anonce in Aquamboe or
Acara. On the north it borders on Sonqua'^,
and fouthward on the ocean, along which it
ftretches about fifteen leagues ; in which
fpace there are feveral towns and villages, as
Dajou, Polders-bay, Mango, Wiamba or Sim-
pa. Old Berku or Barracou, Jaccou, Jnnya,
Lampa, Succumma, New Little Berku, and
- Koecbs Broot, a high round hill, in form of
a fugar-loaf, about two leagues weft from
Acra. All very dangerous places to land
at, the fca rolling and breaking violently
along the ftrand.
A queen. '^^^ Country of Augwina is as fertile and
pleafant as that of Acron, in all refpefts. In
my time it was governed by a woman, of
great courage and wifdom ; who, to keep
the whole power in her own hands, liv'd un-
. marry'd. She was about thirty-eight years
■ of age, and took upon her the title of queen.
The inhabitants fay their country has the
advantage of a very fine large frefh-water
river, abounding in oyfters and other fifh,,
and the banks of it ftoredwith all forts of mon-
keys and baboons, as big as any on the coaft
of Guinea, This river, I fuppofe, lies a
little eaft of jg^-r.^^/o
Dajou and Polders^hay are places of n6 Daiou«?!<{
con fldera tion. Polders^
Mango is famous for its fituation nea,f^^^"
Monte del Diablo or the Devil's Mount, which ,
is very high, like a lofty cape. It had the name JJ'^J^^'''^'*
given it by xhcPortuguefe, from the facrifices
the i?/<^C;^j offer there to the devil, as they pre-
tended •, but fince we have no inftance of any
Blacks on the Gold-Coaft, that pay any venera^
tion to that evil fpirit, we may conclude the
Portugufe are in the wrong as to this point;
However that is, this mountain is very rich
in gold, which the Blacks, after violent
fliowers, gatlxT in confiderable quantities,
the rain waftiing it from among the fand'.
The Dutch gave this mount the name of
Ruyge-boeck, becaufe being very high, they
often faw it at a diftance, long before they
could reach it, in failing along the coaft
from eaft to weft ; the v/ind being conftantly,
moft of the year from morning till night at
S W. and a very frefh gale, the tide com-
monly fecting to the eaftward> fo that it re-
quires much time to turn it up.
The French and Dutch ufed formerly td '
trade at Mango ; but fince the natives have
addided thcmfclves to falfifying of the gold,
much more than at other places on thecoaft,
both thofe nations have forfaken that place.
The people about this village breed great
herds of cattle,, and efpecially cows and bul-
locks, which they carry up and down the
coaft for fale. The women are there very Han ifimf
jolly and hand fome, efpecially thofe o.fT^'omen.
Brefnha, and much fought after by the men
of the coaft for wives. The country about
it yields plenty of maiz and palm-oil.
JViamba or Sijnpa ftands on the afcent of a wiamb»
hill, in the bulging of the land, very agree-
ably feated among trees. The Englijh fac-
tory, being a double ftone houfe, was ran-
fackcd by the Blacks m i6y^, andthefadlof
had much ado to five his own and his men's
lives; happily making their efcape in the
night to cape Corfo, where I faw him land,
much wounded and all embrued in his own,
blood. This place is eafy to be known from
the fea,. by the two En^ijh houfesyet ftand-
ing, without any roof, near the fhore, and
about two hundred paces from Wiamba^;.
which is a fmall village of about thirty
houfes, feated in a flat low ground, with
large meadows beyond it, enclofed with
hedges, and farther up the country are feve-
ral lakes. In the fields are to be feen large
herds of five hundred deer together, and ve-
ry large deformed monkeys and baboons.
Here is alfo great plenty of poultry, as alfa
bar-canoes for Fida and Ardra. The village
of Wiamba is chiefly inhabited by fiftiermen.
In time of war there is very little trade, bun
the fituation is good for it in peace.
Berku or Barracou, the principal town ofg^^j^.^^.^
ihe Augwina coaft, is feated ofi a mount, Ugt,
five
Chap. 10* ■ ■ Coajlf of So u t h-G tr i n e a.
i8i
five leagues weft from Acra, abounding in
tame fowl, and much cheaper than elfewhere
on the Gold-Coaft. The Blacks here drink a
fort of beer, called Peta-w^ made of Indian
wheat, in tafte and colour like En^Afrj fmall-
beer, but more lufciou?.
This Barracou or Barracoe is a proper
place to fettle a fa6lory or fort for trade,
and pleafant enough to live at, being in a
plentiful country.
tangMge. Their language is different from that of
the weftern parts of the Gold Coajl, but they
underftand the others.
Smiths, The natives are expert at works in gold
and iron, making curious gold rings and
chains, and very fine armour and weapons y
Which they fell along the coail, and particu-
larly at Acra.
Whilft the Portugiiefe lorded it along this ,
coaft, the French ufed to trade to it ; which
is the reafon that the Blacks ftill remember
mxny French words, efpecially of the Nor-
m.in dialeft.
Here are as great numbers of parrokeets
as at Anamaho.
Little Berku lies about a league and a half
eaft of Barracou, on a fmall river.
The coaft. The cOaft from Cormentin to Monte del
"Diablo or the Beml'sMcunt-^ extends SE by E.
about twelve leagues, and thence to Berku
nine leagues^ and from Berku to Acra river
about nine leagues more.
The country eaftvvard of Koeck-hroot hill
is low ahd flat towards the fea, but hilly up
the inland: fome leagues ftill farther to the
eaftward, 'tis covered with fhrubs and little
trees, the land dry.
^o$dmde. I have already obferved, that all the a-
bovementioned places of Acron and Augwina
are well feated for trade, when they are not
at war with their neighbours ; for when they
are, there is little gold and few flaves to be
had. The Acra Blacks come down to this
cpaft to trade, when they hear there are
Ihips riding, that have a well forted cargo,
of fuch goods as they have occafion for, viz.
fayes, old fheets, coefvelt jinnen, bugles,
iron and brandy. A good flave fells there,j
as at all other trading places on the Gold-
Coaft weftward, at the rate of one Benda of
gold, which is two ounces.
Natives. '^'"'^ people of Augwina, in general, are
bold and warlike, well fkilled. in fifhiilg,
and at many works in gold and iron j but
more efpecially at making curious gold
chain-ringSi
The kingdom of Acra or Agar a,
TS tributary to and dependant on the king
of Aquajnboe ; and tho' the greatefb part
of its territories lie up the country, yet are
they commonly defcribed among the king-
doms of the coaft, becaufe of the great com-
merce with them, and their king's extend-
Vo L. V,
ing his power over the Blacks along the fea, Barbot
for above twenty leagues, notwithftanding
that thefe have kings of their own ; and
therefore they are adjoined to this country
of Aquamboe.
This ^rr<3 kingdom, which lies next onizw//^.
the coaft, borders weftward on Augwina,
from which it is parted by a fmall river j
northward on Ahoura and Bonoe •■> eaftward
on Labade and Ningo ; and fouthward on the
ocean ; being about fixteen leagues in com-
pafs, and almoft round, fcarce two leagues
and a half lying to the fea^ and on it three
villages, which are i'lj/^o. Little Acra, ■^n^villages.
Orfak-j, each of them under the cannpn of
an European fort, viz. Soko under the Englifh
fort fames •, Little Acra under the Dutch fort
Crevecceiir \ and Orfaky under that of St. Fran-
cis Xaverius.) now belonging to the Portu-
guefe, but before to the Danes, and by them
called fort Chriftiaenburg ; all three of them
reckoned among the beft on the coaft,
Thefe three fortrelTcs are fituated in ih^Thehfut-
compafs of lefs than a league and a half of
ground, each on a rocky headland, advan-
cing a little way upon the ftrand, where it
is very dangerous landing-, except at Acra,
at which place it is not fo difficult, at the
firft and laft quarters of the moon, with the
help of bar-canocs.
The xhrtt European forts have but little
authority over the Blacks, and ferve only to
fecure the trade, the Blacks here being of a
temper not to fuffer any thing to be impofed
on them by Europeans ; which, if they ftiould
but attempt, it would certainly prove their
own ruin. On the other hand, confideringr'/^%^//ow-
the boldnefs and warlike difpofition of thole *'^f'"'^
Blacks, itis ftrange they everpermitted Euro-
peans to build three fuch good forts fo clofe
together : but fo great is the power of mo-
ney, as well in that golden country, as in
all other parts of the world, that the late
king of Acra, about forty years fince, being
gained by confiderable prefents the Danes
and Dutch made him, and by the kindnefs
his fubjedls fliowed to white men, granted
the liberty at firft alked of him, for each of
them to build aftone houfe, to fettle a fa6lor
in, under the obligation of feven marks of
gold yearly, for each houfe. The houfes
being thus built, the Danes and Dutch never
gave over carelFing the natives, and infinua-
ting to them, that whereas they were conti-
nually aftaulted in their own country by the
reftlefs Aquamboes, their mortal enemies, it )■
would be for their fafety to permit them to
turn thofe houfes into forts, which would
proted them and their families with their
cannon againft thofe bold and incroaching
Blacks. By thefe means they prevailed to.
have thofe places put into the condition they
now are. The firft that obtained this pri-
vilege of the king of Acra v/cre the Dutch,
A a a wh and the road
that leads to Great Acra. The gate is fe-
cured by a Corps de Guarde and two barriers,
but no ditch or pallifadoes before it, which
is the fault of all the forts along the coaft,
none excepted. The Blacks being wholly
unfkill'dattakingof ftrong holds, and ge-
nerally running away, or lying down flat
■when the cannon is fired, thofe outward de-
fences are look'd upon as unneccflTary char-
ges. There are fourteen pieces of cannon,
and fome pattareroes on the batteries. The
lituation of the fort is fuch, that it enjoys
a better air than the other two eafi: and weft
iof it.
Fort St. Francis Xaverius,
IS the only place the Portugiiefe have on
the coaft, and that but of late, being at
the village of Orfaky, a fliort league eaft
from Acra, built much after the fame form
and manner as the other two, to the weftward
of it j but, in my opinion, much ftronger,
and more fpacious, the curtins and batte-
ries more folid and lofty. The tower and
lodgings are alfo larger, with a good Corps
de Guarde ; and a fpur at the gate, which
overlooks the village. The Portuguefe have
rais'd the faid curiins and batteries three foot
higher than they were when poflTefs'd by the
Danes. It has twenty-four iron guns moun-
ted, and a few pattareroes •, and the garifon
confifts of forty-five white men : for they
will admit of no Blacks among them, being
fortu- hated by them here, as well as at all other
gMtk mt places on the coaft. Several families are
Movd. j-grnoyg^ from the village to feveral other
parts, either on their account, or becaufe
of the ylquamhoe wars.
chafpel They have alfo built si chappci in the
and fait- fort, wherc mafs is fard by a black prieft,
'"''^^ ordain'd by the bifhop of St. Thome. Befides,
they have much im[)roved the lake, lying
at fome diftance from the fort, and parcel'd
it out into divifions, to make llxk, in the
fame manner as they do at Setuhal., and in
other parts of Portugal. This Like was for-
merly a confecrated place, and one of the
deities af the inhabitants of 0/-y2ziy, which
may be one caufe of their averfion to theBARBor.
Portuguefe. I have here given a profpeft '^^^^f^-
of the whole. ^^"^^
The Danes built this fort, as was faid a- 'Dinifli
bove, and named it Chrifiiaenhirg., in ho-f"^^-^"^'''
nour of their king then reigning. In 1679,
it was governed by John Olricks of Gluckjlad^
a worthy perfon, with whom I was very
intimate : him the treacherous Blacks inhu-
manly murder'd, at the inftigation of a
Greek, who had liv'd there fome years un-
der him. That villain, fome time after,
fold the place to Julian de Canipo BarretOt
formerly governor of the ifland of St. Thome'-,
for a fum of money, not exceeding feven
marks of gold. Barreto was the fame per-
fon I had known three years before at Ilha
de Principe or the prince's ifland, in the gulph
of Guinea. How he behaved himfelf to-
wards his garifon, I cannot Well fay but
when I was at Acra, in the beginning of the
year 1682, they had revolted, and keptPortu-
him confined in the upper part of the tower g"^^'^^J'".,
of his fort. He being much a gentleman, pj^'^^^'"//
and known to me before, as 1 have juft ob-
ferv'd, I caus'd nlyfelf to be carry'd thither
by Blacks in a hammock, from the Dutch
fort, to pay him a vifit ; but the Portuguefe
chief fiftor, who commanded then in the
place, would not allow me the liberty of
any difcourfe with him, or any more than
t;o falute him at the window of the room he
was confined to above-ftairs, from a conft-
derable diftance, without admitting me into
the fort. The Portuguefe fa£for came a lit-
tle way Out of the fort, to tell me he could
anfwer for what he had done, and if thepri-
foner were willing to go over to Europe with
me, he might do ir-, but Bareto fent word
by a Black, that he could not leave his pofl
without a fpecial order from the king of Por~
tugal, and defired me to take care of his let^
ter he fent to that court, which I promis'd,
and perform'd fome time after, when I re-
turn'd to prince's ifland. He alfo fent word,
he hourly expedted a Portuguefe man-of-
war from Lifbon.
The Portuguefe garifon was then in a mi- j^^^-^
ferable condition, in want of all forts of ^ro-ferabh
vifion, and even bread; and all the goods '
in their Warehoufe did not amount to the va-
lue of fixty pounds, as I was told at the
Dutch fort ; and that the Portuguefe gave
111 o ^ D
out, they had fpent above an hundred marks
of gold, to put the fort into the good con-
dition it then was. I was alfo inform'd, that
the Danes of Frederickfburg, near cape Cor-
fo, had in vain follicited the Portuguefe to
reftore the place to them, paying them what
it coft, and reafohable charges, which could
not amount to near what they pretended ;
but the Portuguefe would not hearken 10
their propofals, and ftili keep poffeHlon or
the fort.
The
I
I
j4 Defcription of the
BookIIL
Advan-
tages of
this place
Scarcity.
litre ^cld.
Barbot. The Dtmijh company might have made
very confiderable profit by its trade here,
were it not for the revolutions which have
happened at feveral times, and the infide-
lity of their fervants, as I have already ob-
ferv'd •, for this fort being the Lift place on
the GoldCoaJI\ where there is a brilk trade,
and much gold, moft of the European fliips
generally part with the remainder of their
goods at any rate< which is a good oppor-
tunity for the company's fervants to drive an
advantageous underhand trade for them-
felves, during the vacancies of the poll,
upon the deceafe of a governour, or chief
taclor.
The three forts of Acra are fubfifled
by the provifions they fetch from cape
Corfo^ Manfrou^ Anamaho^ and Cormentin ;
\\\t country all about them, for a great way,
lying wafte, having been ruin'dby the wars
with the Aquamhoes ; which occafion'd fuch
a fcarcity of corn, that a cheft of maiz, of
two buOiels, was rais'd to ten pieces of eight.
The gold of Acra is of the pureft fort,
much like that at Axim, which comes from
Egzveira. Moft of it is brought down thi-
ther from the country of Abonec, and that
of Sluakoe, which is beyond the other, and
very rich in gold the natives whereof, paf-
fing through Aquamboe in their way down,
drive the greateft part of that trade. In
tim.e of war, it furnifliesfo great a number
of {laves, that it amounts to, at leaft, as ma-
ny as are fold all along the reft of the coaft.
This country is continually in war with fome
of the neighbouring nations, which are very
populous, and from whom they take very
many prifoners, moft of whom, they fell
to the Europeans. The flaves are commonly
purchafed for coefvelt linen, flyziger, ly-
wat, fiieets, fayes, perpetuanas, firelocks,
powder, brandy, bugles, knives, top-fails,
nicannees, and other goods, according to
the times. The natives carry thofe com-
modities to Ahonee marker, which is four
leagues beyond Great Acra northward, for
the Accanez people, who refort thither three
times a week ; as do other Blacks from the
country of Ahonee., Aquamhoe., and Aquime-
ra., who all buy thofe goods of the Acra
men, at fuch rates as they think fit to put
upon them, the king refufing to permit
thofe ftrarigers to go down themfelves to
the European warehoufes on the coaft ; for
which reafon, thofe Blacks pay often double
the value for what they buy. The king has
there an overfeer, who has the power to
fet the price on all goods, between buyer
and feller. This general overfeer is aflifted
by feveral officers to aft for him, where he
cannot be prefent himfelf Thofe employ-
ments are much fought after there, as being,
both honourable and advantageous ; be-
caufe, both the king's and their perquifites
are very confiderable.
Vhntyof
The principal town of Great Acra lies a- Great
bout four leagues up the country, at the^*^"^**
foot of the hilly land, which is feen at a
great diftance off at fea.
The land, from the fea-iliore, to about £e/»7?i.
three leagues inland, is pretty level and evenj
and a good fporting ground for hares, rab-
bits, iquirrels, wild-boars, red and fallow
deer, wild goats, pintado hens, and other
fowl. What large and fmall cattle they
have, is brought from Labade^ at a fmall
diftance eaftward. There is fuch plenty
of hares among ftirubs and bulhes, which
grow very thick, that the Blacks kill them
with fticks, and the Europeans take them
with fpaniels but their flefti is very infipid.
The foil is a pale red and fat mould, pro-5'fl;/.
ducing little or no fruit, and very few trees ;
but it yields yams, and feveral forts of beans
and peafe. The country beyond the flat
is hiHy. '
If is worth obferving, that in the ?ixt Ant-hiiu,
country, beyond the European forts, there
are abundance of ants nefts, which thofe in-
duftrious infefts have rais'd above the reft
of the ground in a moft amazing manner,
feveral of them rifing like fugar-loaves, three
foot- high, or better : of v/hich, I fhail here-
after fpeak more at large. Thefe ant-hills,
not improperly deferving to be call'd tur-
rets, look, at a diftance, like the fait heaps
in the ifle of Rhe in France, at the beginning
of the falt- feafon.
The Blacks here do not much regard h(h- ri/Jmg.nai
ing, or boiling of fait, tho the country af-regarJti,
fords great plenty of it •, leaving that alto-
gether to the others along the coaft, who
neverthelefs find time enough to trade with
the European fhips repairing to their roads.
I have already taken notice, that thefe
people are continually at war with fome one
or other of their neighbours ; it muft not be
therefore concluded, that they make it their
whole employment, but only one part of it.
All the Blacks in general are foldiers, as long
as the war lafts, if they are able to bear
arms, or have any given them by their chiefs
but as foon as the war is ended, every man
returns to his peculiar employment. Among
the fiftiermen, there are but few foldiers, be-
caufe they living under the proteftion of the
forts, are not fo frequently attack'd by the
enemies, and therefore feldom provided with
arms.
The Blacks, who are of a turbulent na-
ture, and do not care to live without war^
when they want employment in their own
country, becaufe it is at peace, go ferve ia
any other neighbouring country where there
is war ; and thefe are more particularly
accounted foldiers by profeflion.
Before I leave Acra, I muft warn failors.
to weigh their anchors in the road every
two or three days, becaufe the ground being,
fuli
Chap. il. CoaJIs of Sovtu-Gvi^ea.
I
Advice to full of rock-ftones, the buoy ropes, and
failors. ti^e cables are apt to be cut, about eight
or nine foot from the anchor. Thus we loft
a fheet-anchor in that road •, and many o-
ther lliips, before and after me, have had
the fame fortune. The frefh SW. gales,
which generally blow from morning till
night, except in the rainy feafon, from May
till September^ caufe the fea to fwell high,
and the tide fetting eaftward very rapid with
the wind, fhips work very hard on the ca-
bles, and render it very tedious and trouble-
fome to get up the anchor in the day-time i
which is much eafier done in the night, the
weather being calmer.
- In the wet feafon* the tide fets as the
wind and moon rule it ; for two or three
days before and after the new and full moon,
the tide fets up to the weftward, as it alfo
does after it has blown hard at N E. and
ENE. and the wind returns to SSW. and Barbot.
SW. Then the tide, for twenty-four hours, v^v^
will rnn upwards againft the wind, as has
been found by experience, lying before
Corfo, Jnamabo, Cortnentin, and Acra.
The king and chief Blacks of Acra were, R,vfe
in my time, very rich in flaves and gold, Blacks,
through the vaft trade the natives drove with
the Europeans on the coaft, and the neigh-
bouring nations up the country. Thefe
people, in their flourilhing peaceful times,
poffefs more wealth than moft of thofe be-
fore fpoken of put together ; and yet thefe
natives of Acra being much addifted to war»
with their inveterate enemies the Aquaf?iboesy
have been at laft overcome by them, and
their country ruin'd and finally reduced to
a province in the years 1680 and i68i, as
has been mentioned in its place.
...M..,,,. CHAP. %t ■ " ' •
The kingdom df Labade defcribed. That
The kingdoms of Igwira. Great Incaflah, Incaffia-Igginao The terri-
' tory of Tabeii. The kingdom of Adorn s and countries of Mompa, Waflahs,
" Vanqui, Quy-Foro, Bonoe, Atti, Accany, Akam, Aqua, Sanquoy, Abonee,
' Kuahoe, Tafoe, Aboera, Quakoe, Cammanach, Bonoe, Equea, Lataby^
Acarady, and Infbko,
Labade kingdom^
small ex' fo fmall and inconfiderable, fhe whole
fent. X. circumference of it being but four leagues,
that it fcarce deferves any notice fhould be
taken of it, in this defcription of the Gold
Coaft y but for its touching upon the fea, be-
twixt Acra and Ningo, and that only for
one league in length along the fhore •, in
which fpace there are two villages Orfou, and
Labade Labade. This laft is a large populous place^
-dlUge. enclofed with a dry ftone-wall. The fitua=>
tion is pleafant, betwixt fine meadows and
plainSo The inhabitants of both villages
are generally huft)andmen, tilling their
ground, and looking to their fheep and
fwine, which they bring from Lay poor,,
then fat and fell them to the people of the
Gold Coajl^ and at Acra, with confiderable
profit. They make fait of the fea-water for
their own ufe ; but few of them apply them-
felves to trade, which is inconfiderable a-
mong them, as having little gold to difpofe
of The country is govern' d by its petty
king.
Name:
mits
J'he kingdom (?/^ N i n g o.
It- 15 Y the French, is call'd Lempi ; and, by
, Sec. XJ jjjg EngliJIj, Alatnpoe ; the prince of it
bearing the title of king of Ladingcour, tho*
he, and his fubjefts, have an entire depen-
dance on the king of Aquamhoe, who lords
it over them fo abfolutely, that the (lighteft
faults are often punifli'd v;ith death. This
country borders weftward on Labade and
•4 Vol. V, • -
Great Acra^ at Equea \ eaftward, on Soke i
and fouthward, on the fea of Guinea ; ex-
tending about thirteen leagues along the
coaft N E by E. from Labade to Lay. Its
principal villages on the coaft, are Ningo
the Lejfer, Tema^ Cincho^ Brambro, Pom^
pena of Ponny, Great Ningo, Lay or Alempy\
and Occa, all barr'd places^ and very diffi-
cult to land at.
I fliall confine myfelf to fpeak only of
Cincho^ Great Ningo, and Lay, which are
generally places of commerce, the others
having little or none; tho' in 1680, the
Dutch ufed to trade to Tema or "Te^nina.
Cincho is five leagues eaft from Acra, a Cincho
place reforted to from the beginning of the
laft century °, tho* now the inhabitants ap-
ply themfelves much to fiftiing, to fupply
the market at Spice, which is a large town
up the inland, for which they pay no duty
to the king. The Blacks here commonly
buy much linnen, and feveral forts of cloth
for the country trade-, as do all the other
inhabitants of the coaft, from hence to Rio
da Volta. Their language differs from that
of Acra. The land affords plenty of pro-
vifions, and abundance of fine large oranges.
Great Ningo lies five leagues farther eaft q^^^^
again, and can fcarce be feen from the road, Ningo.
no more than Cincho nor does the land af-
ford any notable mark to know it by, be-
fides the high mount call'd Redondoy ftanding
due north from Lay up the country, which
B b b being
A 'Description of the
Book III,
Bareot. being brought to bear north as you go from
^**''V^ Cincho, you will be then exadly in Ningo
road ; which will be confirm'd by the inha-
bitants, who commonly ufe to come out in
canoes as foon as they difcover a fail coming
from the weftward. This place fometimes
affords a brisk trade of (laves and gold, for
coefvelts, printed callicoes, i^c. The gold
is generally brought to the Blacks of Ningo
and Lay from ^mkoe, a country lying a-
bove them up the inland, and abounding
in that precious metal. The Blacks oi' this
village, and the country about it, drive a
trade of cattle, which they fatten in their
pafture-grounds ; and either the Gold Coaft
Blacks come for it, or they carry it along
the faid coaft, and to Acra, where they
make thirty crowns of a bullock.
Lay vil. The town of Lay is two leagues eaft from
Great Ningo, and appears from the road at
NNW. of mount Redondo, fix leagues up
Plate if. the countryj as may be feen by the profped:
thereof in the cut here adjoin'd. The
mount is very large, and in the fhape of a
fugar-loaf.
clifts and The fliore about Lay^ is all nothing but
firand. high fteep cliffs near the fea, in feveral pla-
ces rent afunder, and in fome, adorn'd with
palm and other trees at fome diftance from
each other ; and before the cliffs, runs a fine
white fandy ftrand of a moderate breadth.
The town ftands on theafcentofa little hill,
looking towards the north, fo that very few
of the houfes can be feen from the road. The
inhabitants are pretty civil and fair traders,
mtives but fo fufpicious, that they will fcarce ven-
^ealoHs. ture aboard any ftips without hoftages firft
fent afhore.
When the Aquamhoes are at war with the
Achim Blacks, thefe people have a conlidera-
ble number of good flaves to difpofe of
for whilft thofe two inland nations make
war, moft of the priibners are convey'd to
Lay and Acra, and fold to the Europeans,
who refort thither. The Achim Blacks com-
monly carry their prifoners to Lay^ and the
Aquamhoes, theirs to Acra, where they fell
them to Europeans for cauris or bouges,
fayes, perpetuanas, coefvelt cloths, fliziger
linnen, bugles red and yellow, knives, fire-
locks, powder, chints, falampores, Cfff.
One Santij a famous Black, ufed to ma-
trading, "^g^ t^e commerce by the king of Lay\ ap-
pointment", he fettled the prices of flaves
according to their fex and age, as alfo of the
European goods then hoftages being gi-
ven on both fides, he fends the flaves aboard
the fhips by degrees, as they are brought
down from the inland country to the town,
and receives goods from the Europeans in
proportion to the number of Blacks (hipp'd
off at each time, and thus a fhip is often fur-
iiilh'd with four or five hundred Blacks in a
fortnight or three weeks. In my time, a
good mal-eflave might be bought there from
fifty-five to fixty pounds of cauris or fhclls,
and fometimes they advanced to feventy.
The French, Englijh, and Portuguefe fhips
ply moft at this coaft, to purchafe flaves
and provifions. Notwithftanding the great
numbers of flaves I have mentioned to be '^''^'^^ '"^
tranfported from thefe parts, it fometimes
happens, when the inland country is at peace,
that there are none at all ; as it happen'd
to me in the year 1682, when having
lain three days before Lay, I could not
get one, nor was there any likelihood of
it at that time, as the abovementioned 5/i2f/^
Sanii told me and yet, but two months
before my arrival there, one of the men of
war of our little fquadron got three hundred
flaves in a very fliort time, which fliows that
the trade is very uncertain.
The inhabitants of Ningo and Lay have a
good trade at Spice, a large inland town.^^^"^^
They have alfo a peculiar way of catching ^
fifli in the night-time; along the ftrand, by
means of round wicker bafl Orders fouthward on Fantin; northward
on Akini ; and eaftward on Augwina,
The Blacks of this nation ufe to come down
to Monte del Diablo, or the devil's mount
and Dajou, on the coaft, to buy lea-fifti, to
fupply their markets, and are very confi-
RomnfiJIj ^^'''^ble gainers by that trade tho' the fifh
joUi, is commonly rotten, before it can be carryM
fo far up. This land pays fome acknow-
ledgment to the king of Augwina.
, . Aq_u a m b o e,
A S for its boundaries, Abonee and A-
bocra on the eaft ; Akif?i on the weft ;
l^akoe on the north ; and Agwana on the
fouth. They have no commerce with the
Europeans.
A D O N E E,
TS a territory of a very fmall compafs, fliut
^ in on the weft by A^uamboe ; on the fouth
by Augwina ; on the north by Aboera ; and
on the eaft by Great Acra, and part of
Aboera. It is only remarkable for the ex-
traordinary market held at Great Acra,
■where the natives give conftant attendance,
as does a great throng of Blacks from the
other neighbouring parts.
K u A H O E, /
S confin'd weftwaid by Akatn ; fouthward
■ by Aquamboe and Aki?n ; northward by
"irafne ; and eaftward by Aboera, and Cam-
maiiacb. We know nothing of the inha-
biiancs, bur that they are reputed a treache-
rous falfe peojjle.
T A F 0 E,
Joins on the weft to Akam % on the fouth
to Kuahoe and on the eaft to Camma-
nach and Kahoe. 'Tis a rich country in
gold, which they fometimes carry to Abonee
market, and fometimes to Mouree.
Aboera, - ■
EETS with Aquamboe in the weft J
with Cavunanach and Kuahoe in the
north •, with Abonee and Great Acra in the
fouth-, and with Bonoe in the eaft. The
natives are rich in gold, which they difpofe
of at Abonee market.
QjJ A K O E,
Orders on Cammanach and Little Acra
fouthward ; and on T afoe weft ward. The
inhabitants carry much gold to Abonee^
Acra, and Great Ningo.
E
Cammanach,
Xtends on the weft to Kuahoe ; on the
north to ^lakoe i on the fouth to A-
hoera and Bonoe ; and on the eaft to Equea^
Latabjj and Little Acra. The natives ap-
ply themfelves moftly to tillage, and difpofe
of the produft of their land, particularly
the maiz, or Indian wheat, among their
neighbours.
B O NO E,
TS limited by Aboera on the wefti by
- Cammanach on the north ; hjAgrana and
Acra on the fouth •■, and by Equead^nd Ningo
on the eaft. The main bufinefs of the inha-
bitants is husbandry, efpecially fowing of
Indian wheat.
Eci_u E A, . ■
TS bounded weftward by Bonoe ; north-
■■■ ward by Cammanach \ and fouthward by
Ningo and Lataby. They alfo fow Indian
wheat, which is their fole bufinefs and trade.
L ATA B Y,
/^N the weft touches Equea and Camma-
^ nach ; on the north-eaft Little Acra j
Ningo and Lahbade on the fouth. This
country is renowned for its markets, tho'
they are not quite fo confiderable as that of
Abonee % but very great quantities of goods
from many parts are fold in them.
A C A R A D¥,
1_T A S Cammanach on the weft ; ^uakoe
on the north and Lataby and Ning&
on the fouth. The Blacks from this country
carry much gold to Abonee market, and
it is reckoned as fine and pure as that of
Accany.
I N S O K O,
A Ccording to the account the Accanefe
give of it, is a country diftant five days
journey from the coaft ; its fouthern borders
little
Chap. I2, Coafts of Sour h-G u r n e a.
I
little known, becaufe fcarce frequented, by
reafon the. roads generally fwarm with
thieves and robbers. The natives of it are
notable weavers, making curious fluffs and
fhort cloths, which yield a good profit, fold
to the neighbouring nations; who purchafe
them for plate and pieces of eight, as alfo
for Haerlem cloth. The Accanefe fay, that
thofe Blacks know not what copper or
gold are, having never feen thofe two metals
in their country.
All the abovementioned kingdoms and
territories in general, are not fo woody, as
the country about Curmentin, and the others
higher on the gold coaft, nor fo fruitful.
By what I have faid of them, it may well be
concluded, that they are for the moft part
extraordinary rich in gold ; but particularly
Inta, or AJfiante, Awine, Iguira^ Dinkira^
Akam., and Accan^^ afford vaft quantities ;
moft of the gold traded for along the whole
coaft coming from thofe parts, where there Barbot:
arc many rich mines of that metal, befides ^x^*"/*^
what the natives draw from their neighbours^
by way of trade, which is a very confidera-
ble quantity. Mandinga, Gago, and Tafoe„
furnifh them with very much in exchange ' ■'•
by goods, or by way of plunder j and thefe
again,befides what their own land produces,
receive it from many unknown countries
northward, on both fides of the Niger :
thofe places, according to the accounts of
all authors and travellerSj producing an im=
menfe ftore of gold.
I might now proceed to treat of the feve-
ral forts of gold, and the ways of digging,
gathering and trying of it •, bat have thought
fit to refer that to another place, where it
will be as proper, that I may not interrupt
the defcription of thefe countries, efpecially
thofe along the fe.i-coaft, as beft known to
Europeans.
CHAR XII. r
The land along the coaft in general, Seafons and unhealthinefs of the Gold-
Coaft. Tornadoes i ftinking fogs f harmatans, ColdmGmnQa.. The country
• fatal to Europeans^
The Land in general.
THIS country for the moft part,
near the coaft, may be reckoned wild
and favage, being very woody, and covered
with fhrubs and bufties and particularly
about ^xiw, Sama^ and Commendo^ where
the roads are fo crooked and narrow, that
two men cannot travel a-breaft ; and the
woods fo thick, that they ftrike a horror in-
to fuch as are not ufed to them, the light
of the fun fcarce penetrating through them :
not to mention the multitudes of defperate
villains and robbers, which commonly pef-
ter the ways. FJowever, in many places
there are very large pleafant fields and vales,
fit to breed all forts of cattle. The foil
is generally fat, of a pale brick-colour, very
proper to fow Indian wheat. In other places
it is alfo fandy and gravelly, as about cape
Corfo.
The country along the coaft, from cape
Tres-Pontas., to near Acra^ is moft hilly, gra-
dually rifing more and more up the inland, till
it becomes almoft mountainous. The foil is
for the moft part extraordinary fertile, and
produces abundance of Indian wheat, millet,
rice, potatoes, yams, oranges, lemons, coco-
nuts, palm-wine, bananas, plantans, and
ananas ; but leaft of the laft.
There is plenny of four-footed beafts,
and fowl, both of thofe natural to the
country, and others tranfported thither by
the Portuguefe from Brazil and St. Tbojne^
which have multiplied exceedingly in the
fpace of two centuries ; of which creatures^
more fliall be faid hereafter in its proper
place.
The land is here and there water'd with jiit/g^^:
large and fmall rivers, fome of the former
very pleafant and beautiful \ as the river
Cobra, thofe of Boutrou, Sama, and others
farther eaftward, which fupply the natives
with vaft quantities of good frefli fifli, be-
fides furnifliing them with much gold.
The fea along the coaft, affords no lefs
variety and plenty of excellent fifti, and
yields abundance of fait, by boiling its
water to a confiftence both which turn to a
very confiderable profit and advantage, not
only to the Blacks inhabiting the coaft, but
to innumerable multitudes for feveral hun-
dred leagues farther up.
Having propos'd to myfelf to treat here^
after, by way of fupplement, of the feafons
and monfoons of Nigritia and Guinea in ge-
neral, as alfo of the winds, rains, &c. I
fliall at prefent only fay fomething of the
feafons and unwholefomenefs of thtGold-CoaJi
in particular, as it lies between the fourth
and fifth degrees of north latitude, which
occafions fome fpecial difference to be here
taken notice of
Seafons and unhealthinefs of the Go l d -Co a s t .
HP H E year is generally divided into two tmfia-
feafons, fummer and winter, good and/«»^-
bad, or high and low feafons, according to
the feveral ways ufed by the Europeans, who
live
A Defcriplion of the
Book III.
Barbot. live there, to exprefe themfelves ; none of
^-^"V^ them taking notice of any autumn orfpring j
becaufe the heats continue more or lefs
throughout the whole year, and the plants
and trees are perpetually green.
Summer. The fummer ufually commences about
the beginning of 6'd'/'/m^£'r, and lafts the five
mater, following months ; and the winter holds the
other fix months of the year, which are alfo
fubdivided, into two rainy, two mifty and
rainy, and two windy and rainy months.
Not that we are to fuppofe that every two
of thofe months are altogether rainy, mifty,
or windy but becaufe during each of thofe
fubdivifions, the winds, mifts, or rains are
predominant in their turns. It is alfo to be
obferv'd, that thefe feafons do fo alter fome
years, that the mifty or rainy months may
fall, perhaps, a whole month later than is
ufual ; and therefore it may be alfo reckon'd
that the fummer feafon commences at the
latter end of Septetnher^ and the winter in
April following.
The Englip call thefe two feafons Vv'inter
and fummer ; the French the high and the
low feafon and the Dutch, the good and
bad times.
when the The beft obfervation of the time when the
feafons rains begin on the Gold-Coaft, is made by
esmmence. agent GrecnhiU, who brings it to about the
lo*'' of April. " This, fays he, may be
" generally obferv'd, from fifteen degrees
" north, to the fame number of fouth lati-
tude, that they follow the fun, with five
" or fix degrees, and fo proceed with him,
till he has touch'd the tropick, and re-
" turns to the like ftation again." This he
makes out by the following inftance, viz.
cape Corfo caftle is in four deg. and fifty
five min. north ; about the 12^^ of April,
the fun has there about twelve deg. north
declination at that time the rains begin
and continue in that latitude, till he has
perform'd hiscourfe to the greateft obliquity
from the equator, and return'd to the like
pofition fouth. The fame he fuppofes may
be underftood of other places within the
tropicks.
Length of The days and nights are there all the year
^'^J'- about much of the fame length ; the fun al-
moft at all times rifing at fix in the morn-
ing, and fetting at fix in the evening ; but
he has been up almoft half an hour before
he is perceived by the people there, who at
his fetting alfo lofe fight of him almoft iialf
an hour before he is quite under the ho-
rizon.
mat. During the fummer, thus reckoned to be-
gin with Oiloher, and to end with March,
the heat is very violent and fcorching, but
particularly in December and J^w/z^r)), which
are commonly the dryeft months in the fum-
mer, and confequently the heat more intenfe :
and indeed it could not be endur'd, efpeci-
ally by fuch as are newly arriv'd there from
England or Holland, whofe bodies are not
fo well difpos'd, as thofe who have lived
upon the fpot fome time, were it not for the
frefh gales of wind, blowing regularly every
day from nine in the morning till night,
when a north-eaft breeze, by the Blacks
call'd Eofoe, takes place being a hot air
from the land, which caufes people to fweat
exceflively in their beds, as I have men^^
tion'd it, fpeaking of the fiiips in the roads,
February and March now and then af-
ford gentle rains, and fometimes heavier
fhowers, attended with tornadoes, more fre-
quent in thefe than in the other four fum-
mer months.
April, May, and June have the moft of '^"^^^^
thofe tornadoes, and are therefore the moft
hurtful months to the Blacks, as are thofe of
July and Auguft for their thick and ftinking
fogs, which occafion more ficknefs at that
time than in fummer: for the long violent
rains, falling like floods, more particularly
in thofe months, attended with frequent
tornadoes, lightning, and dreadful claps of
thunder, alternatively intermixt with thick
mifts and fogs, do fo corrupt the air, toge-
ther with the ftench that is in and about the
towns and villages of the Blacks, as I have
before obferv'd, do all together much pre-
judice the ftate of health ; infomuch, that
not only new comers, but even thofe who
have been long on the coaft, cannot pofli-
bly avoid partaking of thofe malignant
eff'efls.
As for new-comers, few of them at firft
fail of being feiz'd by a ficknefs, which car-
ries off very many, tho' perhaps fewer in
ibme places than in others : for where the
wind blows continually very frefli, and the
Blacks make the leaft ftench, fuch places are
certainly moft wholefome as for inftance,
Bouiroe, Zaciindee, the Danijh mount at
Manfrou, Wiam})a, and Acra. As, on the
contrary, thofe places which are generally
moft fubjcd; to rains, as particularly Axim
is reckoned to be fo more than any other
place along the coaft, are the moft un-
healthy.
I'he Tornadoes, ■
IITTHCH the Portuguefe call I'ravados H^fij
^ ^ the Blacks, Agromhretoii ; and the fiorms.
French, Travades ; commonly follow the
fun, which attrafts them. They are fierce
ftorms of wind, rifing on a fudden from the
eaft and fouth-eaft ; and fometimes from the
north, with fome points of the weft, but
not fo frequent, intermix'd with dreadful
repeated claps of thunder, and terrible light-
ning, vaft fhowers of rain falling like a flood, -
and an extraordinary darknefs even at noon-
day. Some of thefe laft an hour, others
two or more •, and as foon as over, the wea-
ther immediately becomes as clear and fair
2 ' , as
Chap. 12. Coafis ^/South-Guinea,
' tap
' 'i
as before. If any happen in the good fea-
fon or fummer, as there do now and then,
tho' generally not fo violent as in the win-
ter, yet they are more incommodious both
to land and fea-faring people, being com-
monly follow'd by cold rains, fo heavy and
violent for feveral days fuccefflvely, that
they feem to threaten a fecond deluge,
Thefe tornadoes, if not timely taken no-
tice of by fhips under fail, will certain over-
fet any large or fmall vefiel ; or drive them
afhore, if not well moored or at leaft, fplit
their fiils, or bring the mails by the board.
signs of But they never fail to give warning time
torna^^oe:\^x\o\^^'^ to prepare againft them yet they
do not always follow after that warning.
The manner of it is thus : a very black
cloud appears far off, in which, if there
be feveral white fpots, the wind will be
moft ; if not, the rain will prevail. This is
the faying of the failors, and therefore not
always infallible. This is certain, that the
tornadoes very much help fuch fliips as are
bound to the windward, if they are not too
violent ; for then they can fleer by them a
direcfl courfe, whereas otherwife, they muft
ply it up, continually tacking, which proves
very tedious. The fame advantage is made
2i Harmatan^ of which, and the tornadoes,
I fhall fay more in the fupplem.ent,
Unwholefome Fo g s.
^T^HERE being a continual chain of hills
and mountains from one end to the o-
ther of the Gold Coajl^ there rifes every morn-
ing, in the valleys betwixt them, a thick,
ftinking, and bituminous mid or fog, efpe-
cially near rivers or watry places, which
fpreads itfelf all over, and falls fo thick on
the earth, that it is almoft impoflible for
roEuro- Eiircpeam to efcape the infection, whilft
peans. ^^^^ fleep, their bodies being more fufcep-
tible of it than the natives. Thefe unwhole-
fome mills rife every night throughout the
whole year ; but efpecially in the winter
feafon, and then moil in July and Aitguft,
as was faid above. It is no wonder, that
fuch fogs, together with the intolerable
ftench about the habitations of the Blacks,
and all the abovemention'd intemperances of
the climate, the continual rains, excefiive
heats of the day, the fierce lightning, and
the horrid frequent claps of thunder ; it is
no wonder, I lay, that all thefe united,
Ihould make the air unhealthy and perni-
cious to human conflitutions, and more par-
ticularly to Europeans.
It is to be obferv'd, that though, during
the fix months of the fummer feafon, the
heat is very violent, and fometimes fcorching
and intolerable •, yet the other fix months
of the winter feafon are fo different, that
fometimes a fire could be well endur'd, the
weather being often much like Septeffiber in
France or England, and evenings pretty cool.
Vol. V.
which happens alfo even in the fummer fea- B^t-pot.
fon, more efpecially at the time of an Bar- W^rw,
matan, which is a dry north or north-eaft
wind, call'd by the Portugnefe Terrei-.o ; that
is, the land-wind, becaufe it comes from
the landward and overpowers the fea-breeze. ' - ".U
Harmatans. ■■'
N HarmatanvixW lafl tvv'o or three days, '
and fometimes four or five, but feldom
fo long: yet fuch a one we had, lying off
Boutroe^ \n January 1682. It blew a fharpp/Va»f
piercing cold air, no fun appearing all the
while J but the weather was thick, clofe,
cold, and raw, which very much affefted
the eyes, and put many into an aguifh tem-
per, fo violently piercing the naked bodies
of the Blacks^ that I obferv'd many I had then
on board, look'd at a diflance as if they had
been all over flrew'd v/ith meal, andfhiver'd
as in an ague. Nor is it any wonder that
the natives, who are ufed mofl of the year,
and even of their lives, to a fcorching aii',
fliould be fo tender and fenfible of a fnarp
piercing wind, coming fo fuddenly on them,
when the Europeans themfelves, who are ufed
to cold climates, can fcarce endure it, but
are fenfible of the effefts thereof, tho' clofe
confined to their chambers, with a gentle fire
and flrong refloratives to keep up the fpirits.
The latter end of Decejnber, all January, ^/y.^ |^
and part of February, are lubjefl to t\\tkhaf^en$f
Harmatans, as the Blacks call them •, but
January moft of all. Thole which happen
in February, do not commonly continue
long and they are never known before or
after the times here mention'd.
During the time of an Harmatan, all per-
fons whatfoever, white or black, without
any exception, are obliged, by the fharp-
nefs of the air, to keep confined to their
houfes, or chambers, without flirring a-
broad, unlefs upon very urgent occafions :
for the air is fcarce to be endur'd, becaufe
it fuffocates, obliging people to draw ihtir Bifficulty-
breath often, and fhort and they are forced in breath^_
to corred: the acutenefs of it with fome (weet
oil i without which, it would be difficult
breathing as at other times.
This fharp piercing air is as prejudicial, u'on^erfal
if not more, to beafls or cattle, than it is to effeas.
men ; and certainly deflroys many of them
in a very fhort time, if not drav/n together
betimes into fome clofe cover'd place: which,
for this reafon, the Blacks generally provide
before-hand, being acquainted with the pro-
per feafon of thefe Hnrmalans, and know-
ing they never mifs coming, fooner or later.
An experiment was made at cape Corfo, of
the fharpnefs of the air, on two goats,
v.'hich were not expofed to it above four
hours, before it kill'd them. Befides, the
joints of floors in chambers, and the decks
and fides of fliips, as far as they are above
water, did open fo wide, that a caulking-
Ddd ii-on
A Defcription of the
Book III.
BARBoT.iron could be thruft in deep between the
^■^'V^ feams, continuing fo all the time the Har-
matan lafted ; and as foon as it was over^
thofe joints and feams clofed again of them-
felves, as if they had never open'd,
Advan- Thefe Harmatans generally blow from
*2^'^f Eaft to ENE, and are the moft fteady frefh
gales that are obferv'd to blow, never at-
tended with thunder, lightening, or rain, or
at leaft very rarely. They generally turn
the tides from their confbant courfe, which
is eaft, to the weft, and impel them with a
great force which change, as well as that
of the 'Tornadoes before-mentioned, is advan-
tageous to fliips bound from the eaft part
of the coaft to the weftward •, which is here
call'd upper coaft, as the eaftern part is
named the lower.
The land-wind is feldom known to blow
here in the winter feafon 5 that which then
conftantly reigns, and pretty frefh, is from
the SW. to the WSW. along the coaft
downward •, which drives the tide ftrongly
to the Eaft, and ENE. rendeiing the navi-
gation tedious and toilfome to thofe who
are bound from Fida mdArdra^ to crofs the
equinodial. Being once in the bight or
gulph of Guineay upon fuch a voyage, I ob-
ferv'd, that when we fteer'dSSE. we made
but an ENEo courfe.
Cold in Guinea,
^T'HE high winds which blow fiercely in
•*■ July and Auguft^ occafion cold wea-
ther, tho' coming from the South and SS W.
as they then generally do, caufing a ftiarp,
raw, foggy air, with a great ftench on and
near the land. The fea then runs high, and
Great rough. Some years there are fuch fierce
ftorms. boifterous ftorms in the country, that
thoufands of trees are either torn up by the
roots, or fplit.
■Profl. The cold is alfo faid to be fo ftiarp at
night, that many have been perfuaded it
froze •, the earth, which is commonly very
moift, by reafon of the dew, appearing on
the contrary dry and whitifti, and ink found
frozen in the houfes. This is not at all im-
probable •, for I have met with fuch cold
weather under the line, that one of our men
madeufe of his gloves and a muff hehappen'd
to have among his apparel.
infeclkm In the good feafon, I have obferved the
effeft of the corrupted evening air to be
fuch, that in two hours it corrupted a piece
of frefh meat, fo that the next morning it
■ fwarm*d with maggots, as foon as the fun
came to ftiine upon it and even on woollen
clothes, that lay out all night, the vermin
would breed : nor could we keep the fifh
juft taken out of the water, fweet above
four hours. By this we may guels what ef-
fe6l the air of the high feafon, or winter,
may have on fuch bodies, and confequently
•n human nature.
Notwithftanding I have before faid fome- ^i^nger of
thing to the fame purpofe, I think iTiyielf ^/^'"^^"^
oblig'd here again to warn failors, that they
do not lie down on the decks uncover' d, as
they are too apt to do after working hard i or
perhaps drinking brandy, punch, or any
other ftrong liquor, which may occafion
them to fleep fo all the night : for it is ten
to one, but that in the morning they will find
themfelves fo ftiff" and cold, as not to be
able to ftir from the place •, Which cafts
them into fluxes, of which few or none re-
cover. It behoves them therefore carefully
to avoid lying abroad, and uncover'd in the
night and mafters of ftiips ought ftridly
to forbid it,if they value the fuccefs of their
voyages, many ftout and brave men having
perifh'd miferably after this manner on the
coaft of Guinea : and thus voyages, which
might otherwife have been advantageous,
have prov'd deftruftive to the adventurers,
for want of hands to carry the fhips home
with all diligence, which is a main point
towards a good voyage. But of this more
in another place.
In September the winds ufually blowSeptem-
from the fouth during the day, driving a- '^'''V
way the ftench up the inland j and the ^^^/^
north wind returning commonly at night,
carries it off again to fea. This month of
Septemher^ by degrees drives away the win-
ter feafon, and generally concludes v/ith fine
clear weather, and great heats.
The gold coaft lying between the tro- Dreadful
pick and the line, it is eafy to guefs what^'-S^^*"*".?'
dreadful thunder it muft be fubjeft to,
which is moft in the winter feafon. The
lightening is fometimes fo frightful, that it
really looks as if the world were going to
be confum'd by fire. The fheets of lead
nailed on the fides of a gallery, over the
feams of the fhip I was in, were in fome
places almoft reduc'd to nothing and it is
recorded at Mina, that in the year 1651,
gold and filver were melted in bags, which
remain'd untouch'd. ,
Guinea fatal to Europeans.
npHefe things confider'd, it is no ^onditr Wants in
that the coaft of Gz/iwif^z fhould yearly
confume fo many Europeans living afhore ;
efpecially if we confider their way of living,
being utterly unprovided of what fhould
comfort and nourifh them ; having wretched
medicines, unskilful furgeons, and no fup-
port of nourifliing diet and reftoratives.
The common fort, at beft, can get nothing
but fifh, and fome dry lean hens, and were
they able to pay for better, it is not to be
hadi for all the oxen, cows, fheep and
poultry, are lean, tough, and dry ; nothing
being good but fpoon- meats. As for the
chief officers, they are commonly pretty
well fupported with better food ; as either
having
Chap. 12. Coafts
Ma
or In Di A N Wh eat, and other Grain.
'HIS fort of wheat, generally
produces one, two, three, and fome- inLlf
times four ears, each of them containing
four, or five hundred grains, more or lefs ;
fo that according to this prodigious increafe,
one grain yields a thoufand, fiJteen hundred,
and fometimes two thoufand grains. It is
very ftrange, confidering this increafe, that
the Blacks fbould ever know any icarcity, and
fometimes a famine ; but it is for the moft
part occafion'd by their floth, they being
generally carelefs, void of forefight, and
not providing for cafualties.
In peaceable times, a thoufand ftalhs ofp„v^^j?
Indian corn are fold for about five ftii'li igs«)-».
E)igliJIj, and in fome parts for a third or
fourth part lefs.
There are tv/o forts of this corn, red and
white, the latter moft beautiful, but the for-
mer accounted the beft' ; and when beaten
fmall and cleanfed, it makes indifferent:
good bread, tho' fomewhat heavy for want
the field, which is done in honour of their deity, ofyeaft, or leven. If it were well ground,
fpilling a great deal of wine on the ground, boulted, and baked, as is done by the peo-
to be a plentiful crop. The next day, and pie of Beam-, and fome other parts of France^
fo the reft fucceffively, are fpent in fowing
their own corn, one ground after another.
v^ho ufe this fort of corn very much, the
bread v/ould be good. The leaves of the
till all
turns,
fields,
beans.
done ; ftill feafting one another by maiz or Indian wheat dry'd, are proper food
and drinking
all the while in the
They plant this corn, as we do
making little holes in the ground,
and putting feed into them.
This grain commonly fprings out in eight
s^'V^name of Indian figs. Though, on the other
hand, it muft beown'd, that they are very
unfit for clothing or covering, becaufe a
touch of the finger makes a hole in them j
befides that, it is faid Gen. 3. 6. It was beau-
tiful to the e-jes^ and pleafant to the fight. If
turn to oil, which is often made ufe of to
fry with, but moft commonly to burn in
lamps. So that from this tree it may be faid,
they have meat, drink, clothing, houfes,
firing and rigging for their fhips. But there,
through the ignorance of the Blach^ no o-
Jjereby is meant the fruit, it does not fuic ther advantage is made of them, than what
with the plantan-fig, whofe form is long, the nut affords, both the kernel and the
and refembles a large pudding, of a yel- milk within it, being very pleafant, as has
low green, and has nothing in it fo ex- been faid, when at its full maturity. Whilft
traordinary beautiful. Howfoever that may the nut grows, it is full of liquor within ;
be, this fruit is a very good refrelhment in but as it ripens, by degrees the flefh or ker-
E 17
the hot climates, being of its nature fome-
what cooling, laxative, and very nourifhing.
Having obferv'd, in all the relations of the
Eaft and Weft -Indies^ where the authors have
drawn the figure of this plant, that it was
not exadly done, I thought proper to pre-
fent the reader with a true draught in Plate
17. Letter N.
nel begins to form itfelf on the infide of the
fhell i and, by little and little, that white
fubflance grows thick and hard. I prefent
you with my own drawing of this tree, in
Plate 17. Letter
The wild coco or palm-trees growing here,
bear a fruit which but very few of the Euro-
peam eat, tho* the Blacks do. This tree is
tree.
TwDfoyts
coco-
trees.
Here are two forts of coco-nut trees, the very much thicker than the right coco-tree,
one called, for diffindlion, the right coco- efpecially in the middle, where it is of avail
tree, which fhootsup to the heightof chi.-ty bignefs i and what adds to the oddnefs of
or forty, or fometifnes fifty foot, generally its figure, is, that the top and bottom are
flender and ftreight, bears its fruit the one half fmaller. At the top grows a fruit,
fourth or fifth year, and lives fifty years and which feems to be the pith of the tree, and
longer. is callM palm-cabbage, becaufe it has a fort
The branches or leaves, are like thofe of ofcabbagy tafte, or rather that of bot-
the palm, excepting that the coco-branches toms of artichoaks ; iteats very well, either
are not fo long or fit for the ufes the other
are put to. The leaves are fome three, fome
four fathoms long, and it produces that
we call the coco-nut 5 which, with the
outer rind on, is bigger than a man's head.
The outer rind being taken off, there ap-
pears a fhell, fome of which will hold near
a quart. "Within the fhell is the nut ; and
within the nut, is about a pint and a half,
more or lefs, as the nut is larger or fmaller,
of pure, clear, fweet, and refrefhing water,
which is very cool and pleafant. The ker-
nel of the nut is alfo very good ; when pret-
ty old, it is fcraped or fliced, and the fcra-
pings being fet to foak in about a quart of
frefh water, for three or four hours, the wa-
ter being ftrain'd, has the colour and tafte
of milk and, if it ftands a while, will have
a thick fcum on it not unlike cream. This
milk being boird with any poultry, rice, or
other meat, makes a very good broth, and
is reckoned very nourifhing, and often gi-
boil'd, and afterwards put into butter fauce
and nutmeg or raw, with pepper and fait,
as green artichoaks are eaten. See the figure
in Plate 17, Letter O. The branches Plate 17;
are commonly about nine or ten foot long ;
and about a foot and half from the trunk of
the tree, they fhoot forth leaves four foot
long, and an inch and half broad: thefe
leaves grow fo regularly, that the whole
branch feems but one entire leaf. The cab-
bage, when it is cut out from amongft the
branches, is commonly fix inches about, and
a foot long, fome more fome lefs, and is
as white as milk. At the bottom of the cab-
bage grow great bunches of berries, of about
five pound weight, in the fhape of a bunch
of grapes ^ their colour is red like a cherry,
and the berries are about the bignefs of a
black cherry, with a large ftone in the mid-
dle ; and they tafte much like Englijh haws.
They never climb up to get the fruit or cab-
bage, becaufe the tree is fo high, and there
ven to fick perfons. Every fhip ought to is not any thing to hold by and therefore
provide a quantity of thefe nuts, when they 'tis a hard matter for a man to get up, tho*
can get them, to help their fick men in the the trunk of the tree is made up outwardly
paffage. The leaves of the trees ferve to
thatch houfes 1 the outer rind of the nut,
to make a fort of cloth, and ropes, rigging,
cables, Cfff. The fhell of the nut makes
pretty drinking cups 1 it alfo burns well, and
makes a very fierce and hot fire. The ker-
nel ferves inftead of meat, and the water
therein contained inftead of drink % and if
with feveral knots or joints, about four in-
ches from each other, like bamboe cane,
void of any leaves except at the top.
Befides the coco-nut- trees and the "v^Wd -Four othst
coco-trees above defcribed, this coL'nrry i P^^'of
furnifh'd with four other fpecies or kinds (^\\f^^^'
palm-trees, tho' not fo plentifully about the
ihore, as farther up inland.
Pajlm-
Chap. 13. CoaJIs ^?/South-Guine a.
203
lirfifort.
Second [ort.
Jhirdfort.
Tourth
fort.
Pal m-W i n e T r e e s.
THE firft fpecies is the genuine palm-
wine tree, which affords the inhabitants
both wine and oil. ^^i:-'' v. i ' i •
The fecond is the palm-wine tree, only to
be found in the Fnntin country, for it grows
no where elfe ; the wine of which, is there
call'd quaker-wine, for reafons given here-
tofore. V
The third fort is the pardon-wine tree,
which grows no where but in the lands of
Axim^ Ancoher^ and Abocroe ; and fome, but
not many, in the country of Anta.
The fourth fort is the crilTia-wine tree,
which is only peculiar to the countries of
AntUy J ah or Jabh and Adorn,
A fingle palm-wine tree, when once at
maturity, which is at ten, twelve, or fifteen
years, affording but ten, fifteen, or twenty
gallons of wine to be drawn out of it, pro-
portionably to the goodnefs of the ground
in which the tree is planted, and being af-
terwards cut down, and fit for nothing
but fewel, it is natural to infer that there
muft be a prodigious number of them in
the country, confidering what vaft quan-
tities of that wine come daily to the coaft-
markets and elfewhere, or elfe the wine
would be foon at an end, being commonly
fold at two fhillings the half anchor of five
gallons, or thereabouts and at fome times
and places, it is one half cheaper than at o-
ther.
The right palm-wine, being drank frefli
when it comes from the tree, is delicious,
and more agreeable than the fineft me-
theglin but withal fo ftrong, that it foons
Talm-rtlne gets into the head, and intoxicates. But that
which the country people bring daily to the
coaft, or to markets, is nothing near fo a-
greeable and ftrong, becaufe of the large
mixture of water they put into it, tho' it
ftill retains an inebriating quality ; which is
the thing that renders it moft acceptable to
the Blacks, who, from their infancy, are ufed
to ftrong hot liquors : for otherwife this a-
dulterated wine would not be fo taking as it
is generally, not only among the meaner
fort, but even among thofeof a higher fphere.
The quaker-wine of Fantin exceeds the
former fomewhat in pleafantnefs of flavour,
and very much in ftrength half the quan-
tity of this, as of the other, working the
fame effeft. The trees whence 'tis extraded,
are commonly not much above half as big
as the genuine palm-wine tree.
The pardon- wine o^Axim, and other ad-
jacent places, is not fo ftrong, but has as
pleafant a tafte.
The criffia- wine has no manner of ftrength,
and a very different flavour from all the o-
ther abovementioned. This wine, when
drank frefti, taftes like milk, but can hardly
mJulte
rated.
Tardon-
Tvine.
CriJJIn.
vine.
keep fweet above ten hours after 'tis drawn Barbot,
for after that, it becomes" quite four and ^-^^^
good for nothing.
The Blacks fay, that the frequent excefles
thereof inflames and fwells the mafculine
member prodigioufly : and thence it muft
proceed, that the inhabitants of Anta, Jabs,
iind Adorn, are much more troubled with
that difeafe than any of the other people a-
bout the ftiore. ^
The pardon and criffia- wines are drawn
from the trees whilft they are growing, from
four, or five, or more ftalks, every tree gene-
rally fhoots out. But the right palm and
quaker-wines are diftill'd when the trees are
old enough to be cut, which is done after
this manner :
They ftrip the tree of all its branches, and Mine, hoi»
when it has ftood a few days, they bore a ^'f^^^''^*^-
little hole in the thickeft part of the trunk,
into which they drive a fmall bulrufli or
reed ; thro' which, the liquor drops into a
pot fet under, and tied to the trunk to re-
ceive it. Thus the wine diftils, but fo very
flowly, that it fcarce fills a pottle in twenty-
four hours. In this manner, it yields wine
for twenty, or thirty, or fometimes more
days, according to the nature of the ground
the tree is planted in ; and when it is almoft
exhaufted of its juice, they kindle a fire at
the bottom or foot of it, in order to draw
with a greater force, what little liquor may
be ftill left in it. In fome places, when the
pardon and criflla-wine trees are drawn
whilft yetgrowing,and are almoft exhaufted,
they cut them down, and kindle a fire at
one end of the trunk laid on the ground,
and hold a pot at the other end to receive
the liquid lubftance, the force or power of
the fire forces out.
This way of extrafling palm-wine, fliews
what a multitude of palm-trees there muft
be in thefe parts whereas in the Indies^
they don't draw off all the wine at once,
but leave a remainder for the nouriflimenc
and maintenance of the trees.
The trunk of the palm-tree is commonly
five foot about, and as high as a man. The
quaker-wine tree is not above half fo big.
Thefe two forts of palm-trees flioot their
branches upwards, ibme of which exceed
twenty foot in length, and are call'd bam-
boes, much ufed for covering of houfes,
and for hedges. On each fide of thefe bam-
boes grow fmall long flips, which are their
leaves.
The pardon and criffia-trees grow much
like the coco-nut trees, but have a much
flenderer ftalk,and abundantly fliorter ; efpe-
cially the criffia-trees, which are not half fo
high as the pardon-trees. All the forts of
the wineaforefaid, provoke urine, and are
reckoned very good againft the gravel or
ftone in the bladder ; and thence it muft be,
that
i
104
A Defcription of the ■'") • Book III.
Barbot. that few or none of the Blacks are troubled
t/'VNJ with thofe diftempers and tho* it will foon
make a man drunk, yet the fumes of them
do not laft very long, and caufe no head-
ach. It is a great blefllng to the inhabitants
of thefe countries, to be fo abundantly fup-
plied with very little trouble and charges,
with fo comfortable and pleafant a drink,
which, with the help of bread, filhand fait,
fubfiftsmoftof thf people on the coaft, to-
gether with the nuts and oil, the palm-trees
furnifh them with befides.
Pal m-O i l.
'TP HE nuts of genuine palm-trees, when
^ oId,arecover'd with a black and orange-
colour Ihell, and contain the palm-oil ;
which is extraded by exprefllon, as that of
olives.
Thefe nuts grow feveral of them toge-
ther in a clufter, at the upper end or top of
the trees, commonly as large as pigeons-eggs
clofe fet together, which at a diftance look
like a large bunch of grapes.
This oil is naturally red, but if kept
fome years, turns almoft white, and may
be preferv'd fweet twenty years or more,
if rightly potted and look'd to. It is a little
naufeous at firft^ to fuch as are unacquainted
with it ; but to thofe who are, is no defpi-
^ cable fauce, efpecially when new ; it is alfo
very ftrengthning and wholefome, in fo
much that fome prefer it there, in feveral
difhes before olive-oil.
The pulp of thefe nuts, after prefTing
out the oil, is a delicate meat for the Blacks;
and when kept till old, is extraordinary good
to fatten hogs, and render their flelh very
Stone of firm. The ftone of the nut, is almoft as
the nut. [jjg a common walnut, and hard as iron,
having three very fmall holes or openings at
one end : this ftone contains three fmall ker-
nels, as big as fmall almondsj and have no
favour.
Ufe tf This palm-oil is of great ufe to the
falm-oil. inhabitants, in feveral refpe6ts ; for befides
its ferving to feafon their meat, fifli, ^c.
and to burn in their lamps to light them at
night, it is an excellent ointment againft
rheumatick pains, winds and colds in the
limbs, or other like difeafes, being applied
very warm. The Blacks in general anoint
their Bodies almoft every day, all over with
' ■ it ; which foftens and renders their ikm
, fmooth and almoft fhining, and thereby
more capable of bearing the intemperances
of rain and weather.
I have been very prolix in the defcription
of all thefe different forts of palm, coco-
nut, and of the pizang-trees, plantans and
bananas. But I thought it a ferv^ice to fuch
as ftiall frequent that part of Guinea, the
■ produflions of the aforefaid plants being
of fo great ufe and benefit to the travellers,,
which has been the principal motive of my
undertaking fo laborious and tedious a work
as this is.
Here are very few or no orange-trees, ex- or/?«^e,
cept in the country of JxitUy which is richly trees,
ftored with the fweet as well as four. The
fweet are pretty good, and of an agreeable
tafte J there are fome of thefe orange-trees,
in each of the gardens of the Dutch, Eng-
lijh and Banes chief forts, and oi} the hill
near Boutr^ fort, but efpecially at M'lna.
There the general's large garden is extraordi-
nary full of them, fome little Ihort of China.
The lemon, or rather lime-trees, growz^^^^^;
all over the coaft, but efpecially at Mource^ trees,
where in favourable feafons, they make
above two hundred caflcs of lime-juice, be-
fides great quantities of the fmalleft lemons
pickled. The lemon-juice fells there com-
monly at about twenty or twenty five (hil-
lings Englijht\\tc?iik. The lemons or limes
are generally no larger than a fmall egg,
very crabbed and four. The juice is ufed
by the Blacks for fauces, as alfo to waih
their teeth, to preferve them from fcorbu-
tick humours : and fuch ftiips as carry flaves
to America, provide a quantity of that juice
for their flaves and failors againft the fcurvy.
I think there is fome made at Axim, Man^
frou and Boutry, but not in any quantity.
I had almoft forgot to mention water^f^^f^.
melons, an agreeable and rich fruit, becaufe
there is no plenty of them there, through
the lazinefs of the Blacks ; for there might
be^ abundance along this coaft, the climate
being proper for them, as appears by what
the gardens of the Europeans, and efpecially
the Dutch, afford of this fruit.
They grow in the fame manner as cucum-
bers, but bear a different leaf ; and are
about twice as big as melons in France,^
being in their prime in July and Auguft :
and in feafonable years they have them twice
a year.
This fruit is Jefs injurious, and much
healthier for a feverifli perfon, than the
Anana,
The water-melon being yet unripe, and
not at its full bignefs, is green without and
white within ; but when come to maturity,
the green rind becomes fpeckled with white,
and the whitenefs that was within, is then
fomewhat intermix'd with red : the more
red it has, the riper and the more delicious
it is, being watry, refreftiing and cooling.
The pi-fficoce-melon is eaten like a falad,
after the manner of cucumbers, which ic
fomewhat refembles, having fuch kernels 5
which when the fruit is full ripe, turn black,
and are then fit to plant. The flefti of this
fruit, is a watry congealed fubftance, which
melts in the mouth, as foon as chew'd, and
therefore a man may eat a whole melon,
without much difficulty.
Wild-
Chap. 15. Coajis of South-Quinea.
W I L D-T R E E S.
AS to the wild-trees, the beft part of
the whole coaft is well furnifh'd with
them of all fizes, but efpecially towards the
inland countries, where the ftately woods,
and fweet charming groves ferve to render
the malignity of the place more fupportable;
for 'tis a perfsdl delight to travel the inland
countries up land, tho' the roads are gene-
rally very incommodious and bad, as has
been already obferved. The countries of
and about Mina and Acra, are more bare
of trees than other places of the Gold Coaft.
Cotton- Moft of the forts and fpecies of wild-trees,
tmi. are of another kind than what Europe com-
monly produces, and therefore it is noteafy
to give a true idea of them. Amongft the
feveral fpecies thereof, only one is properly
named ; and that is the capot-tree, or the
cotton-tree, becaufe on them grows a fort
of cotton-wool, there call'd capot, which
is very ufeful in that fcorching climate, for
filling of beds, feathers being much too
hot.
Some of thefe trees are fo high, that their
branches and top are fcarce to be reach'd, by
a common mufket-iliot. The wood of this
capot-tree, is light and porous, and fcarce
proper for any other ufe, but to make Ca-
noes. And the great ones made at Axm and
Connentin., where the Blacks are dextrous
artifts at fuch work, being generally better
than thirty foot long, and proportionably
broad, made of a ftrait piece of wood, e-
qually thick all over ; and confidering few
trees grow direftly fo, it is eafy to conceive,
that the canoes do not amount to above half
the bulk of the tree, and thence to infer
how prodigious high and large fuch trees
muft needs be.
The inhabitants do not ftick to affirm,
there are fome of thefe trees, in the country
large enough to fhelter or cover twenty
thoufand men under them.
There is one tree at Axim^ which ten men
could fcarce fathom, for the prodigious
fprouts, which clofely furround it.
Thefe trees are full of thorny prickles.
Some grow up in fuch a wonderful manner,
that it furpaffes what the moft Ikilful artift
could do ; others grow fo thick, and their
fliady boughs are fo wide extended, that
they form entire alleys ; which afford an
amazing fatisfadlion to any who are inclined
to take the pleafure of walking along them«
The capot-trees commonly grow to the
greateft height and widenefs, when planted
on moift grounds, and neai: the fides of ri-
vers and watry places.
It is very likely there are good large trees,
fit to make mafts, if not for the greateft
ftiips, at leaft for barks, yachts and floops.
But as yet, I have not heard that any Euro"
VOL.V.
f eans i<(§Te^inade any ufe of them ; for had Barbot.
fuch trees fit for larger or fmaller mafts, ''"'''V^-
been found up the country, it would be a
very difficult tafk to bring them down to; ■
the fhore, the ways being every where fo
very narrow and crooked.
There are alfo feveral forts of trees, very
fit for curious works in' wood, and particu-
larly the country of Anta., and that of '
have abundance of fine yellow wood, where-
of very neat tables, chairs, and fuch other ;
neceffaries may be made.
I ftiall conclude this difcourfe of trees,
with obferving that the Blacks, in all parts
of this country, have fet afide and confc-
crated fome peculiar trees, as they do moun-i
tains, rocks, the fea, and other inanimate
beings, under which they perform th eir re-
ligious worfiiip-, thefe being generally fuch
as nature has given the greateft perfection
to, as I jhall farther relate in the courfe of
this defcription.
Salt made,
WHERE the land is fo high, th'xt By boiling.
the fea, or falt-rivers cannot overflow
it, the natives boil fait water fo long in cop-
pers, or earthen pots or pans, made on pur-
pofe, till it comes to the confiftence of fait
but this is neither the ffiorteft, nor the moft
profitable way. '"
At thofe places where the fea, or fak-ri- By the fun,
vers frequently overflow, they dig pits to
receive that water as at Corfo, Anarnabou^
and Acra : afterwards the fun dries up the li- ■
quid part, and the fait remains at the bot-
tom, which is much help'd by the nitrous
quality of the ground ; fo that there is no
manner of trouble, any farther than looking
to it now and then, and gathering it when
made. • ■ ' .. ■ .
Such Blacks as are unwilling or uriable to
have copper boilers, ufe the earthen pots
above-mention'd, fetting ten or twelve of
them clofe to one another, in two rows, all
cemented together with clay, as if done by
a bricklayer, keeping a fire under themj
continually fed with wood. This is a te--
dious and toilfome way of making fait, and
the quantity it produces is lefs confiderable.
The fait made or boil'd along the coaft, white,
is generally very white, except at Acra ;
but that made in the Fantin country is like
the very fnow.
The fair produced in the pits, is generally 5,//,^^^
more ftiarp and tart than that which is made^^y?.
by boiling, which on the otiier hand is
commonly more pleafant and better tafted,
and confequently more valuable.
The proper feafon of the year to make
fait, efpecially in the pits, is from the latter
end of November, till the beginning of
March ; the fun being then in the Zenith,
and confequently his force greater than at
G g g any
zo6
A 'Description of the
BookIII.
Barbot. any other time of the year. The fame is
.V^V^ alfo the feafon to carry it into all the inland
countries, for then the Blacks come down
from thofe parts in great numbers, to buy
it of the falt-boilers, and carry it away in
round reed bafkets, made like fugar-loaves,
and cover'd with the leaves of the fame reeds
the bafkets are made of, to keep the fait
from any wet, and from the fcorching heats
which were it not for the clofe packing of
thofe bafkets, would foon turn the fait very
black. The faid bafkets are carry'd on the
backs of flaves, tho' never fo far, or in fo
great number.
It is fcarce credible how the fait will har-
den, by lying any time in thofe bafkets,
where it confolidates into one entire lump,
lb hard "and firm, that it requires a great
force to break it. The Blacks call fait Inkin.
The fait of the coafl in general, does
not keep its favour very long, as has been
found by experience in the meat faked with
it, which grows fharp and bitter.
The Blacks all along the coaft are en-
rich'd by boiling, or making of fak, and
might flill make a much greater advantage,
if they were not fo often at war among
themfelves becaufe all the inland people,
from very remote parts, muft fetch it from
the coaft, and the carriage fo far up the in-
land, being very chargeable, the pooreft
fort of the natives, are forc'd to make ufe
of a faltifh fort of herb, inftead of fait,
which is there fo exceflive dear, that in fome
places far up from ^^r^, they fay, a flave,
and fometimes twOs are given for a handful
of fait.
Tew at
the Gold
Coaft.
C H A P. XIV.
Of wild and tame creatures ; elephant buffaloes, ^M^^^y jackals, crocodiles^
wild-boars^ civet-cats, wild-cats, deer^ antelopes^ apes, monkeys and ba-
boons i the Jluggard, fnakes and ferpents, lizards, cameleons, porcupines^
field-rats ; cows^ ^eep, fwine, goats, horfes, affes, dogs, cats, rats^ mice
and weafels, , ...., :r. -
0/ E L E P H A N T S. ■ • . ' , ■ !
THIS part of fouth Guinea, tho' not
altogether deftitute of elephants, ef-
pecially up the inland country, wliifih is
moft fhady and wooded ; yet is nothing
near fb abundantly ftock'd with thofe vaft
creatures, as are all the lands to the weft-
ward of the Gold Coaft, from IJfen-j to cape
Palmas, and fo onward that fame way,
which is infer'd from the great multitude
of teeth, which has been there traded for,
every year fuccelTively, from almoft time
out of mind °, and particularly on the ^m-
qua coaft, whither, thofe immenfe numbers
of the faid teeth, are in all probability
brought down from the adjacent inland
countries of Augwina, Jimmora, and others
unknown. From one end to the other of
the Gold Coaft, there is no manner of trade
for teeth, that I ever could hear of; or if
there be any at fome particular time, it
muft be towards the weft end of it, and
they muft be brought down thither from
the abovemention'd inland countries, and
from thofe of Igwira^ Ahocroe, Ancoher,
and Amtti, in which there is a much greater
number of elephants, than in all the other
countries from cape Tres Pontas, to the far-
theft, end of the coaft eaftward. The rea-
fon given for this difference is, that the fiid
countries, efpecially thofe between Ant a
and Acra, have been long well peopled ;
and it is rare that any elephant is feen about
the fhore, tho' it may now and then happen,
fome one happening to ftray from the inland
countries. This is very fortunate for the
inhabitants of the coaft, the elephants being
fo mifchievous to the fruits and plants, as
they are; for they beat down ftone or brick- CaJlJom
walls, without much exerting their ftreno-th, ^'^^^^>*''^">
and feeming only to touch them lightly.
Much lefs do they find any difficulty in
tearing the coco-nut trees, which they do
with as much eafe as alufty man can over-
throw a child of three years of age ; and be-
ing lovers of figs, bananas, and other forts
of fruit, they would deftroy all the trees
which bear them, devouring not only the
fruit, but the branches, and of fome the
very ftem. The fame they would do wkh
the corn, could they come at it. For this
reafon, if any elephants happen to appear
near the fhore, the country people all gather
to afiault them with their fire-arms, either
to kill, or drive them up the country into
the woods, which are their natural refuge
and fhelter« Thefe encounters with ele-
phants feldom happen without the death of
one or more Blacks, either trampled under
feet, or torn in pieces by them, as has
been often feen, when any of them have
come in fight of the forts or towns.
The Guinea elephants are not generally
near fo large and monftrous as travellers '»
fpeak of in the Eaft-lndies ; for jn Guinea
they feldom exceed thirteen foot in height,
whereas in India they are reported to be
twenty, or upwards. Nor are there white
elephants known here, as is faid to be there.
But we muft not omit to take notice, that
1 fame
Chap.I4- CoaJIs of Sovrn-GuiNRA.
207
fome relations inform us, there are white
elephants farther up in Africa, along the
river Niger, in Ethiopia, and the country of
Zatiguehar.
Swift. Sixch. as the elephants are in Guinea, they
are certainly flrong and fwift creatures. I
have already faid fomething of their ftrength,
and as for fwiftnefs, tho' of fo great bulk,
no horfe can out-run them. The Blacks a.t
Mina call an elephant OJfo?!.
Their ma- This Creature is fo well known almoft
Uties. throughout Europe, that it will be abfolutely
needlcfs to proceed to a defcription of its
form and figure ; much lefs to repeat abun-
dance of things reported of its natural do-
cility, wonderful inftind, if we may not
call it underftanding, and many other fin-
gular qualities, which naturalifts affign it,
as well as Indian travellers. That it is ca-
pable of performing many furprifing mo-
tions and adions, has been fufficiently made
known in Europe, by fuch of them as have
been expofed to publick view in feveral
cities, as Paris, London, Ainfterdo^n, &cc.
As to their ftrength and fury, when en-
raged, after being made drunk with wine,
and mulberry juice, read i Maccah. vi. 34.
and 3 Maccab. v. i, and 30. There it ap-
pears the elephants in that condition did
mighty execution in a battle, particularly
if the mulberry juice and wine were mix'd
with a quantity of frankincenfe.
I fuppofe the faid elephants mentioned in
the Maccabees, were fent from Nubia, or
Ahifjinia into Egjpt, fince king Ptolemy Phi-
lopator could get five hundred of them to-
gether, to ferve him in his battels, as ap-
pears by the texts ; for he could not fo
conveniently have got fuch a number out
of Afia.
Nor will I undertake to argue about the
v'- length of their life, which is fo varioufly
reprefented. As to this particular, I lhall
only infer, by way of confequence, that
i ' they live very long, confidering we fee
many of their teeth which weigh a hundred
and twenty pounds each, that is, two hun-
dred and forty pounds the two teeth, each
elephant having two of an equal weight
and bignefs •, and it muft be fuppos'd, that
fuch prodigious heavy teeth cannot grow
to that bulk and folidity under many years.
2)j„j^ This exceflive weight, in my opinion,
f led teeth, refutes another opinion fufficiently receiv'd
among fome people, that this beaft flieds
thofe teeth for if they did, how could we
find fuch monftrous teeth, without the ani-
mal liv'd very many years after fuch fiied-
ding ? But where is the perfon that has
lived long enough to make fuch obferva-
tions as to its age, copulation, pregnancy,
bringing forth, &c. That knowledge muft
be had in the woods where thofe creatures
conftantly live ; and it is moft likely that
no perfon ever refided long enough in thofe Barbot.
defarts to fatisfy his own, or other men's **'^'Y^,
curiofity as to thofe particulars.
I have heard of another queftion ftarted
by Camerarius, who follows the opinion of
Bodin 3 and is, whether it be proper to call
thefe excrefcencies teeth, or horns, and de-
fences, it being well known, fays Bodin,
that the animal niakes no other ufe of them,
but to defend himfelf, and to tear and rend
whatfoever oppofes it •, befides, that it is
againft the courfe of nature for teeth to
grow out from the skull, as thefe do, but
out of the jaws. I leave this to be decided
by naturalifts.
There are feveral forts of elephants, Several
the Lybian, the Indian, the marftj,the moun-/"''^^'
tain, and the wood elephant. The marfti
has blue and fpungy teeth, hard to be
drawn out, and difficult to be wrought
and bored, being full of little knots.
The mountain are fierce and ill condition'd,
their teeth fmaller, but whiter and better
fhaped. The field elephant is the beft,
good-natured, docible, and has the largeft
white teeth, eafier to be cut than any other,
and may by bending be ftiaped into any
form, according to Juvenal.
The female excels the male in ftrength, ^tffmUs^
but is more timorous. It has two teats,
not on the breaft, but backwards, and more
concealed. In bringing forth, their pains
are very great, and they are faid to fquat
down on their hinder legs. Some fay, they
bring but one young one at a time, others
fay four •, which fee and go as foon as come
into the world, and fuck with the mouth,
not with the trunk.
The male's pizzle is fmall, in Proportion ^^^^^^^
to the bulk of the creature, and like a ftal-
lion's J his tefticles appear not, but abfcond
about the reins, which renders them the
fitter for generation. Their feet are round
like horfes hoofs, not hard, but much
larger J the fkin is rough and hard, but
more on the back than the belly. They
have four teeth to chew with, befides the
tufks which ftick out at their jaws, which
are crooked, but thofe of the females
ftrait.
Whether the Blacks value the elephants
flefli as good food, or whether they do it
to rid their land of fuch mifchievous crea-
tures, or for the advantage of their teeth,
they often make it their bufinefs to hunt
them, efpecially in the inland countries,
beyond Anta, and even at Anta, where
abundance of elephants are killed, being
fo numerous up the country, that they often
come down to the coaft and near the forts,
where they do much harm.
The common way of killing them is, by . ^
fhooting with bullets, which are fo far from Jl^l'^^^^j
doing execution immediately, that fome-
times
20
A Defcription of the
OOK
Barbot. times two hundred fhall be fpenc upon one
^"^"Y^ of thofe creatures, without making it fall,
the leaden bullets being quite flatted when
they hit their bones, without breaking or
piercing them ; and fome parts of their flcin
are fo hard, that they are not to be pene-
trated by them, tho' fometimes they are
hurt and will bleed very much. There-
fore thofe who are m.ore expert make
ufe of iron flugs, the leaden bullets be-
ing too foft to break their bones, or pe-
netrate fome parts of their Ikin. However
it fometimes happens, that one leaden fliot
will kill an elephant, when it hits between
the eye and the ear, tho' even there the
bullet is flatted. Some pretend that is the
only place where an elephant is vulnerable -,
but we read in the firft book of Maccabees,
chap. vi. ver. 43, and 46, that Ekazar,
furnamed yf^^zrrtw-, killed a mighty elephant,
which carry'd thirty arm'd men, by thruf-
ting a fword or fpear into his belly, which
fhows that there the fkin is eafily pierced:
but that zealous Jew being obliged to get
under that monflirous beaft, to wound it,
which loft him his life, being cruflied to
death by it ; perhaps it may not be fo pe-
netrable every where, but only in fome
particular part.
Their fiejl) When the elephant is thus killed, or
eaten. mortally wounded, they immediately cut
off" the trunk, that being the moft ofi^^nfive
member j which is fo hard and tough, that
they can fcarce feparate it from the head at
thirty ftrokes. If the beaft be yet alive,
that makes it roar dreadfully, and asfoon as
the trunk is off', it dies. Then every man
cuts off as much as he can of the flelh to
carry home and eat. The tail is much va-
lued to make fans, which fome ufe in torch-
ing calm weather.
When the elephant efcapes from the
hunters, he generally makes to the next
water, river, or brook, to wafti and cool
himfelfj efpecially if he bleeds, and then
haftes away to the woods. He is not foon
provoked when fet upon but once enraged,
will tear and deftroy whatfoever ftands in
his way, and if a man happens to be with-
in reach, will lay hold of him with his trunk,
and trample on him, and perhaps tear his
body in pieces then ftand ftill unconcerned,
and fometimes take up a mufket, and beat
it into fliivers.
Theyfmm The Blacks affirm, that the elephants
w//. never fet upon any man they meet acciden-
tally in the woods; but if provoked by
hunting, will purfue them even into the
water : for notwithftanding their vaft bulk,
they fwim very well, as has been feen in
Gamhoa river, v/here they have purfued men
in canoes, and would have deftroyed them,
were it not that they had the good fortune
to kill them at one fliot, hitting between
the eye and the ear, as has been obferved.
However that is, I would not advife any
man, who values his life, to come fo near
an elephant ; for tho' fome have pafs'd by
unmolefted, yet others have found much ~
difHculty to efcape them, and many have
periflied,
I have been told another way of hunting t^j^
elephants up the inland, where the ufe ofi>^*;.
fire-arms is not fo common. There the
Blacks dig large pits in the ground, which
they fill with water, and lay acrofs it flight
wood, or bamboes, fo clofe as to bear a-
bundance of leaves, or other greens to cover
the mouth, only leaving fo much open, as
that the elephant may fee the water, to
which he foon makes to drink or cool him-
felf, and fo drops into the pit. Then the
Blacks who lie hid to obferve it in the
thickets, fall upon the beaft thus fecured
and kill it, without any danger to themfelves,
with their javelins and arrows.
It has been obferved by fome authors,
that when the elephant finds himfeJf near
death, he commonly makes into the woods,
and thickets, which is fuppofed, becaufe
their fkeletons are often found in fuch
places ; but it being certain that their con-
ftant abode is in the woods, as is ufual with
all wild beafts, there is nothing remarkable
in the obfervation ; for where they always
live, there it is to be fuppofed they com-
monly die. That they delight in fliady
and watery places, is exprefs'd by Job in
his noble defcnption of the elephant, chap,
xl. ver. 10, to 19, and ver, 21, 22. He
lieth under the Jhady trees, in the covert of
the reed and fens. 'The Jhady trees cover kim
with their Jhadow ; the willows of the brook
compafs him about.
The inftance I have brought above of
Eleaxar the Maccabee<, killing a monftrous
elephant, by thrufting his fword or fpear into
his belly, ftiews that to be the proper place
to wound this vaft creature, call'd by Job^
chap. xl. ver. 16. the chief of the ways
of God ; the fkin being there thinner and
tenderer than in any other part of the
body, and more eafily enter'd by any
weapon.
The Blacks here are not like the Eaft- Elephants
Indians.) efpecially thofe of Siam^ who tame
elephants in lefs than a month, and make
ufe of them to travel, or in their wars ; and
yet in Guinea they are much fmaller, as I
have already mentioned but they are fa-
tisfied to eat their flefli and trade with their '
teeth.
I have not heard of any rhinocerots in ^H'^f'
thefe parts of Africa., and fuppofe there are ^^'^j^'^^'"
none ; which is fomewhat ftrange, they be-
ing the elephants greateft enemies.
B U F-
Chap. 14. Coafts of South-Guinea.
VJire on
theGo\A
Coalt.
T
Several
forts.
Buffaloes.
HEY are not common in this coun-
try, where one is fcarce feen in two
or three jears, tho' in other parts they are
numerous, efpecially to the eaftward, along
the bight of Guinea. They are of a reddifh
hair, much about the fize of an ox, with
ftrait horns, lying backwards, and run very
fwift. Their flelh is good, when they are
fed on fat meadow ground, Thefe crea-
tures, if fliot, and not mortally wounded,
will run at men and kill them to avoid
which dangers, the Blacks get upon trees
and flioot from thence, continuing there,
if they do not kill, till the beaft is gone,
and thus they deftroy many of them.
T Y G E R s,
A RE wonderful numerous, and by "the
Blacks called Bohen. They are a great
plague to the country. Axim^ Acra., and
Artta are full of them, but more efpecially
Anta. There are four or five forts of them,
each diff^ering in fize and fpots. Some are
of opinion, that they are tygers, panthers,
leopards, ounces, ^c. all comprehended
under the general name of tygers. I can
give no juft account of the feverai forts.
They are very mifchievous to the Blacks^
as well as to cattle •, but they will not
affault men, as long as they can find beafts
to feed on, which failing, whatfoever hu-
man creature falls in their way, is in great
danger.
The common fort of tygers along the
coaft are as big as an ordinary calf, furnifli'd
with large feet and talons, their Ikin all over
diverfify'd with curious black fpots, the reft
of the hair being of a pale yellow. They
are fo frequently carry'd about from one
town to another in Europe to fhow, that it
will be needlefs to be more particular in
their defcription, moft perfons having ob-
ferved that they very much refemble a cat,
and are bearded in the fame manner.
Very rave- Thefe ravenous creatures very often come
nous and at night, not only near, but into the Eu-
ropean forts, and much more to the houfes
of the Blacks., where they do much harm,
and will leap over a wall feverai foot high.
They carry away into the woods cows,
fwine, fheep, goats, dogs, or any other
beafts, and for want of them, feize on hu-
man creatures, as I have faid, which often
occafions difmal accidents. For this rea-
fon, the Blacks have made it a law, in thofe
parts, which are moft pefter'd with tygers,
and particularly at Axim^ that whofoever
takes or kills one, fhall have the privilege
of feizingall the palm-wine which is brought
to the market in eight days, without pay-
ing any thing for it -, and they commonly
feaft during thofe eight days, ftiooting,
Vo L. V.
\jCommon
'fort.
boll
dancing, and indulging all manner of fports Bareot.
and paftimes. v^v^
They have feverai ways to catch or kill
the tygers. Some Ihoot them with fire-
arms, which thofe fierce creatures are not
afraid of •, but if the man mifles his mark,
he is in extreme danger of his life, for the
tyger will fcarce fail to feize him about the
fhoulders with his fore-feet, and with his
teeth tear him in pieces, beginning generally
at his fide, unlefs fpeedily relieved by fome
wonderful accident. Several of the Blacks
going out together to deftroy the tygers af-
ter this manner, it often happens that fome
one of the company is kill'd by their ran- '
dom ftiots.
Others up the inland countries, make ufe Traps for
of traps to catch them, not unlike thofe we
ufe for mice, only proportionable to the
bignefs of the creature, as here reprefented
in the cut, laying a confiderable weight onpj_ATB 17
the trap, 10 keep it fteady on the ground, fig. e.
and baiting it with fome large piece of flefh,
or a fmall fwine or goat, in the night. Thus
they take fome, if men be at hand to kill
them there, before they have time to tear
the cage or trap in pieces with their teeth,
When the muzzle of a piece is prefented a- *
gainft them, they furioufly take it in their
mouth, by which means, itiseafier to kill
them, firing the gun into their bodies.
The inland Blacks eat the flefti of tygers, Tam'd.
and make feverai ornaments of their fkins.
In fome parts they keep the young ones,
and breed them up fo tame, that they play
with them like cats j but there is no trufting
to them when grown up, for nature at laft
prevails, and they become mifchievous.
" Jackals, ' ' ■ .
tdY fome reckon'd wild dogs, are as fierce s^^/ie./z*
and ravenous as the tygers, but not fo'»"''<^<''^«'■•
common on the Gold Coafi ; yet there are too
many of them, efpecially in the lands of A-
cra and Aquamhoe. They are generally as
big as fheep, with longer legs, which, in
proportion to their bodies, are very thick,
having terrible talons \ and are very ftrong ;
their hair ftiort, and fpotted ; their head
flat and broad the teeth ftiarp.
Thefe creatures are fo bold, that they Ho» itiVW,
will feize on any thing that comes in their
way, whether men or beafts; and come,
as well as the tygers, under the walls
of the forts, to feize ftieep, hogs, cows, i^c.
Several of them are kill'd as follows : they
lay feverai mufkets, well loaded, with the
locks cover'd by fmall boxes, and a cord
faftned to the triggers, and a piece of mut-
ton fo faftned to it, that as foon as the beaft
feizes it, the piece goes off^, and very often
ftioots them.
There are many ftrange inftances of the
boldnefs of this creature. One of , them /
Hhh coming
no
A Defcription of the
..J:
K
Babbot. coming into a 5/^?(;Fs hQufe, laid hold of a courfe, as fome pretend it is requifite he
^-OT^ girl, caft her on his back, and holding fall fhould do, to efcape that creature ; yet the
by one leg, was carrying her off, but her fafeft way is to keep for enough out of its
cries waking the men, they came feafonably reach, either by land or water. Thefe are
in to her relief and the beaft dropping her, very deformed animals, as may appear by
made its efcape, leaving, her behind, hurt by
the claw that held her.
Crocodiles or Alligators.
Numerous 'T'HE crocodile or alligator may well be
md Urge. 1 reckon'd among the ravenous creatures,
and the rivers in this country are full of
them > but efpecially at Boutroe Q.nd Latna,
where fometimes fifty, or more, appear in
a day, many of them near twenty foot long,
and thick in proportion. In Gamboa, fome
are thirty foot long, and will fwallow a buck
whole.
I was prefented by the Danijh general at
Jcra with a young one alive, being about
feven foot long, which he kept in a large
far, and had defign'd to bring it over into
Europe ; but confidering the great quantity
of frelh water that would be fpent in fo long
a paffage, jis from thence to the French
Leward iflands of America^ and thence into
the cut ; but it is not known that they ever Plate ij,
devour'd man or beaft in thefe parts: there- %■ a.
fore if the accounts given by feveral authors
and travellers of the crocodiles, or alhVra-
tors, in the EaJi and IFeJt-Lidies, and in
Egypt, are true, thofe muft be of a more
fierce and ravenous nature than the fame fpe-
cies is in Guinea.
They have a great ftrength in their tail, Their
with which they will overfet a fmall canoe fi^^»Sf^
Their moft ufual food is fifh, which they'"''' Z*"'^
are continually chacing at the bottom of the
rivers.
There is another fmaller fort of alligators
call'd Leguaen, almott of the fame fhape as/«"-
the great ones, but feldom above four foot
Jong. The body is fpeckled black, the
fkin very tender, and the eyes round. Thefe
hurt no creature but hens and chickens,
which they deftroy wherever they can come
at them. The PFhites, as well as the na-
tives, all agree, that the flefh of this crea-
Its fle(J}
ftpeet.
Hard
fcales.
which Land nils.
land, by the Blacks Q^Wdgaton,
France, I order'd it to be kill'd, and fome
of my men and the Blacks eat it, as a deli- ture is much finer than any fowl
cate bit. It tafted much like veal, but very A third fort of alligators there is
lufcious, and had aftrong fcent of musk.
The body of this creature is cover'd with
fuch a hard skin, and fquare fcales, of a
dark brown colour, that there is no pofTibi-
lity of killing it with a musket-ball ■, where-
fore the Blacks make caps of its skin, which
cannot be cut with a hanger, being as hard
as a land-tortoife fhell. The belly is fofter,
which they therefore take care not to expofe
to danger ; fo that there is fcarce any way
of killing them but at the head, and fo it
always live on
Langadi.
The alligators bury their eggs in the fand,
and as foon as they are hatch'd, the young
ones run into the water or the woods. Na-
varette, in his fupplement, fays, that in /«-
dia, fkulls, bones, and pebbles were found
in the belly of an alligator ; and that he
was told, they fwallow'd pebbles to baliaft:
themfelves. He adds, and F. Colins a mif-
fioner affirms, that they have four eyes and
was we ferv'd the young one that was given no tongue; that the females devour as many
of their own young as they can, either as
they come into the water, or running down
the flream, and that two bags of pure mufi^;
had been found in an alligator, where the
two fhort legs join to the body.
Wild Boars,
ll/Hich in Europe we reckon among the
^ " ravenous beafls, are not fo fierce along
the coaff, where there are but few of them,
but many more in the countries flretching
out to the bight or gulph of Guinea ; which
there afford great diverfion to fuch as are
addifted to hunt them, being in herds of
three or four hundred together. They are
very fwift, and make a good chace. Their
flefh is delicate tender food, the fat being
extraordinary pleafant. The Blacks at Mi-
na call them Pernor, and at other places
Cottcccon.
Civet-Cats,
Y the Blacks call'd Can-Can, and by the
Portuguefe Gaios de Algalia, may be pro-
I perly
HorokiWd.^^^ at-^f^-r^. A^ovilBlack fat aftride on
the head of the fat the crocodile was kept
in, with a large hammer in his hands, and
two other Blacks one on each fide of the
firft, holding a couple of iron bars athwart
the head of the cask ; another Black knock'd
out the head of the fat, through which the
alligator advancing his head, with flaming
eyes, to get out, but being ftopt by the
• ■ '■ ' two iron bars acrofs, ihe Black who fate on
the head of it, gave him two or three fuch
ftrokes on the forehead, with the hammer,
that it died immediately.
This is well known to be an amphibious
animal, living for the moft part in or under
water, and fometimes coming out to feed
on the land, or On very hot days basking on
the banks of rivers; and as foon as it per-
ceives any perfon coming near, it fteals a-
way, and plunges itfelf into the water. It
does not feem to be fwift enough to purfue
and overtake a man, who runs from it, tho'
\^ he fhould not make any windings in his
Chap. 14- . C'c^^y?/ ^/South-Guinea.
211
perly reckon'd among the ravenous crea-
tures; and there are many of them in thofe
parts, efpecially at Manfrou and Anamaho,
in Fetu. They are much like our foxes in
iize and fliape, but longer legg'd, and the
tail exaftly like our European cats, but ra-
ther longer, in proportion to their bodies ;
their hair grey, full of black fpots. They
feed better on raw flefh and entrails of
beafts, than on boil'd millet or any other
grain and being fo fed, afford much more
civet than otherwife : efpecially the males,
becaufe the females cannot avoid piffing in-
to the civet-bag, which fpoils it. I carry'd
fome very fine civet-cats into France^ which
were much admired there, and afforded ex-
cellent civet.
Thefe creatures, when very hungry, will
vhen hun-prty on any thing that comes in their way,
S^Jf' , which they can mailer. I had one at Gua-
' : daloKpe^y^hkh. "wzs kept in the next chamber
Ravenous
There is fliil a fourth fort, no bigger than Barbot.
our full-grown rats, of a reddifli grey, mix'd ^-''V^
withfmall white fpecks ; the tail, which has
very long hair, is about three fingers broad,-'"'^^'
fpeckled in the fame manner, and fo long,
that it reaches back to their heads, much
after the manner of our fquirrels. Thefe
creatures are very fond of palm-wine, and
may perhaps more properly be call'd liquir- ■ ■ -
rels, . , ■ i .
Deer.
'T'HERE are at leaft twenty forts oiSev^^d
deer in this country, fome of them as^*""'^'
large as fmall cows-, others no bigger than
fheep and cats, moft of them red, with a
black lift on the back, and fome red cu-
rioufly ftreak'd with white. There are great
numbers of them all along the coaft ; but
particularly at Anta and Acra, where they
go in droves of an hundred together. They Delicate.
are all very fweet and good meat but i^Qmeat.
to me : my man having neglefted to feed it forts particularly exceed the reft in delicacy,
a whole day, it came into my chamber the The firft fort is of a pale moufe-colour, fub-
next morning, and immediately leap'd at a divided into two kinds, fomewhat differing
curious talking parrot of the Amazons river, in their ihape, the feet of the one being a
I had brought from Cayenne^ laying hold of little higher than thofe of the other but
it by the head, tho' it was perch'd above fix
foot high from the floor, and tore the neck
quite off" before I could relieve it.
I have often obferv'd, that tliefe cats will
always roll and tumble themfelves feveral
times on the flefh they are to feed on, before
both of them about two foot in length.
The other fort is not above half fo big, of
a reddifh colour, and extraordinary beauti-
ful beafts, having fmall black horns and
flender legs, indifferent long in proportion
to their bodies, yet fome of them no thicker
Clenn-
linefs.
they eat it ; and arefo cleanly, as always to than an ordinary goofe-quill ; however they
eafe nature clofe up in the comer of the cage
they are kept in ; and when hungry, gnaw
the very wood of the cage to get out for
provifion. They are generally fo well known
in all trading places in Europe, that I fhall
forbear adding any more of them than this,
that they muft be much fretted and vexed,
before the civet is taken out of the bag, be
caufe the more it is enraged, the more it
affords, and the better. The beft way of
taking it out, is with fmall leaden fpoons,
for fear of hurting the creature in that parr,
which is very tender.
Wild Cats.
Jirjifort.
*-r HERE is
as fierce as.
Second fort.
Third fort,
a fort of them in Guinea^
and fpotted like, the civet-
cat, which deftroy all the coeka and hens
they can come at.
Another fort of them is much irnaller than
the iaft above mention'd, their fnoat much
fharper, but the body fpotted like the ci-
vet-cats. Thefe the Blacks call Berhs.
A third fort of thefe cats, call'd Kokehoe,
reddifb, abouit twice as big as a common
hoiife-rat, is very mifchievous, bites dan-
geroufly, and flies either at man or beaft if
provoked. They are great devourers. of
cocks and hens, and ftrong enough to carry
them off very nimbly.
will leap over a wall or enclofure twelve
foot high. . .
There is ft ill another fort of deer, of ^. ^n^th-t
flender fhape, and about four foot long,y;,rr.
their feet of an unufual length, as are the
head and ears ; being of an orange-colour,
ftreak'd with white.
All thefe feveral forts of deer are fo very
fwift, as is fcarce to be imagih'd, efpecially
thofe whofe legs are no bigger than a goofe-
quill ; and for that reafon, as well as for its
extraordinary beauty, the Blacks call it the
king of deer. The natives give the fame
account of the mighty fubtlety and cau-
tioufnefs of all thefe forts of deer, as is re-
ported of ours in Europe ; which is, that they
generally detach one of their body as a fen-
tinel, to give notice to the others of any ap-
proaching danger.
The inland Blacks hunt deer with bows Hunting.
and arrows, and fometimes only with their
javelins at which, they are very dextrous,
as to kill many of them in the chace.
Antelopes,
ARE fometimes feen and hunted at Acra,
^ their flefh being very goods and they ■
incredible fwift, generally keeping within
the hilly country beyond the European forts.
The fhape of them is between a goat and a
flag, their horns like the goats and buffaloes,
lying
212
A Defcription of the
Book III.
Barbot. lying towards their back, and a little bow'd,
M'VS? but commonly longer than a goat's.
Apes, Monkeys, and Baboons,
RE innumerable throughout Guinea.,
and of more forts than can eafily be ob-
ferv'd wherefore we fhall only mention
fome of them which are moft known.
Firflfort The firit fort, call'd by the natives Smit-
baboons. ten., are of a light moufe-colour, and pro-
digious large, fome of them almoft five foot
- : long, freqsrently feen about the country of
Augwina., being fo bold as to affault a man,
and fometimes prove too hard for him, put-
ting out hiseyes with flicks they willendeavour
tothruft into them. Theyare very ugly crea-
tures to look at, and no lefs mifchievous.
Their tail is very Ihort, and when (landing
up on their hinder legs, they, at a diftance,
have a great refemblance of man. Their
heads are the moft deform'd, being fliort,
round, and large, not unlike our great maf-
tiffs.
Second fort Another fort is like that above in fhape,
monkeys, but not abovc a quarter of the bulk, and
eafily taught many comical tricks and gef-
tures, as alfo to turn a fpit. The fame is
done by another kind fomewhat larger, by
the French call'd Marmots., and are the com-
mon monkeys, their heads very ugly, and
have little or no tail.
Sirange The natives fancy that thefe brutes can
fartcy. fpeak, but will not do it for fear of being
made to woi'k, which they abhor.
jips^ There are two or three other forts of apes,
all alike in fize and handfomenefs, but about
half as little as the laft above fpoken of, ha-
ving fliort hair of mix'd colour, black,
grey, white, and red ; fome of a fine light
grey fpotted ; others without fpots, with a
white breaft and a lharp-pointtd white beard,
a fpot of white on the tip of the nofe,
and a black ftreak about the forehead. I
brought one of this fort from Boutroe, which
was all fport and gamefomenefs, valu'd at
Parii at twenty Louis d'Or^ for its tamenefs
and beauty ; and I muft own I never faw
any other like it in all my travels.
Bearded Another beautiful fort are about two foot
monkeys, high, their hair as black as jet, and about
a finger in length, and have a long white
beard for which reafon they are called
. ■ Little-bearded Men, of whofe fkins fine caps
are made. Thefe being fomewhat fcarce,
are fold upon the fpot for twenty ftiillings
each.
feafMts Another fort are called Peafants^ becaufe
of their ugly red hair and figure, and their
natural ftink and naftinefs.
Otherfirts. Befides thefe here mentioned, there are
feveral other forts of very fine and gentle
apes and monkeys, but naturally fo tender,
that it is a very difiicult matter to prefcrve
chem alive in fo long a paflage, as ids from
2
Guinea to Europe., efpecially confidering that
our carrying flaves over from thence to A-
merica lengthens it confiderably.
So much might be faid of the fundry AdHadt*
forts of apes and monkeys in thofe parts^^^^^-
as would require a particular volume ; we
fhall only add, that they have an uncom-
mon inclination and fubtilty in ftealing
not only of fruit, corn, and the like, but
even things of value, whereof I will give
an inftance. That very beautiful monkey
or ape I had at Boutroe above mention'd,
ftole out of my cabbin aboard the fhip a
cafe, in which I had a filver-hafted knife,
fbrk and fpoon; and opening it, threw each
of them, one after another, into the fea,
which was then very calm, fkipping and
dancing about very merrily, as each of them
went over-board.
It has been obferv'd, that when xhtj How thej
ffeal corn, they pick and cull the beft ears, '^'"'7
throwing away thofe they do not like, and
pulling others, taking one or two in each
paw, two or three in their mouths, and one
or two under each arm, or fore-leg, and fb
go off, leaping upon their hinder legs j
but if purfued, the crafty creatures drop
what they have in their paws and under
their arms, ftill holding faft what they have
in their mouth, and fo make their efcape,
with wonderful celerity. Being very nume-
rous, this their ftealing, and nicety in pick-
ing the beft ears, throwing away the others,
is infinitely mifchievous to the Blacks.
The natives catch them in gins and fnares, Horotaken.
made faft to the boughs of trees, where
they are continually fkipping about ; or elfe
take them when very little, before they
can make their efcape.
The Slugggard,
AS the Europeans call it, and ^^'^^ ^^^^^^ u^i^ cff^.
Potto, is an hideous deform'd creature, ture.
as any in the world, having a head difpro-
portionably large, the fore-feet much like ~
hands, of a pale moufe-colour when very
young, but turning red as it grows old,
the hair of it as thick as wool. This hor-
rid animal, they tell us, when once climb'd
up into a tree, ftays there, till it has eaten up,
not only the fruit, but the very leaves, and
then goes down very fat, in order to climb
anothertree : but beingnaturallyfo heavy and
fluggifli, that it can fcarce advance ten fteps
on plain ground in a day it becomes again
very poor and lean, before it can get up the
next tree : and if the trees happen to be
very high, or the diftance between them
confiderable, and there happens to be no
food in the way, it certainly ftarves to death.
This I deliver upon the credit of fome
writers, and the Blacks feem to believe
fomething of it.
Snakes
Chap. 14. Coafis of Sour h-G u i n e a.
Snakes and Serpents.
Numerous, guinea is very much infefted with them,
^ fome monflrous big, others of fmaller
fizes ; but fo numerous, that not only the
woods are full, but even the houfes of the
natives, and the very forts and lodgings of
the Europeans are not exempted, moft of
them being venomous, and fome to a very
high degree.
Monflrms Of the larger fort fome exceed twenty-two
%. foot in length, and it is believed there are
fome much bigger up the inland ; {omtBlacks
affuring me they were to thirty foot long.
They alfo told me there are winged fer-
pents or dragons, having a forked tail and
a prodigious wide mouth, full of fharp teeth,
extremely mifchievous to mankind, and
. more particularly to fmall children. If we
may credit this account of the Blacks, thefe
are of the fame fort of winged ferpents,
which, fome authors tell us, are to be found
in .Abiffinia, being very great enemies to the
elephants. Some fuch ferpents have been
ieen about the river Senega, and they are
ador'd and worfhipp'd, as fnakes are at
Wida or Fida., that is, in a moft religious
manner.
Thefe monfters devour not only all forts
of beafts, as deer, goats, fheep, i^c. but
even men, which have all been found in
their bellies, the Blacks killing many of
them almoft every day, in one place or
other.
Jjorned There is another fort of fnakes, which
fnnke, are offenfive neither to man, nor beaft, any
otherwife than by means of a fmall horn,
or tooth, running irregularly from the up-
per jaw, quite through the nofe of it being
white, hard, and as fharp as a needle. Thefe
are frequently taken or killed, becaufe, when
full, they lie down and deep fo found, that
the Blacks tread on them with their bare
feet, as they commonly go about the coun-
try, and they will fcarce awake. Their
bodies are about five foot long, and as thick
as a man's arm, party-colour'd, being all
ever black, brown, yellow, and white ftreaks
very curioufly mixed.
Some of the above-mentioned ferpents
twenty two foot long have been killed at
j^xim, and being opened, a full-grown deer
found in their bellies. One was once kill'd
at Boutry, not much fhorter than the laft,
and the body of a Black found in it.
Venomeus. At Mouree, a great fnake being half un-
der a heap of ftones, and the other half
out, a man cut in two, as far as was from
under the ftones ; and as foon as the heap
was removed, the reptile turning, made
up to the man, and fpit fuch venom into his
face, as quite blinded him, and fo he con-
tinued fome days, but at lail recovered
his fight.
V Q L. V.
It has been obferv'd, that fome 5/^?^''^^ Barbot
who have been hurt by f-rpents, have ^"-OT^
fwelled extremely, but it foon fell again,
and they returned to their former condition ;
by which it appears, that the venomous qua-
lity in fnakes and ferpents is very different,
the bite of fome being mortal, that of others
but a common wound, and that there are
fome altogether harmlefs, as it is with our
fnakes in Europe.
The ferpents are very great enemies to 'Pigh por-
the porcupines, and there are fharp en-^'*/'"'^^-
gagements between them, when they meet,
the ferpent fpitting its venom, and the
porcupine darting his quills, which are two
fpans long ; they being very large, of which
more hereafter.
Another fort of ferpents are about four-
teen foot long, having the lower part of
their belly within two foot of the tail, and
two claws like thofe of birds, fuppofed to
ferve them, either to rear up, or to leap.
One of this kind ftuffed, hangs up in the
hall, at the caftle of Mina, taken by a
Black with his bare hands, tho' fourteen foot
long, in the garden beyond Santiago's hill,
and brought alive by him to the caftle. The
head of it is like that of a pike, and has
much fuch a row of teeth.
Some ferpents have alfo bjeen found v^kh. Two-head-
two heads, but whether both ferviceable to^^-
the body, I leave to others to decide. All
the Blacks in general eat the fnakes and fer- Eaten,
pents they can catch, as a very great dainty
and I have feen French gentlemen eat them
at Martinico,
L I Z A R D S.
np H E country every where abounds in
them, in fome places thoufands toge-
ther efpecially along the walls of the Eu-
ropean forts, whither they refort to catch
flies, fpiders and worms, which are their
food.
There are feveral forts of them, fome two
foot long, the flefh whereof is delicious, and
has fomething of the tafte of veal. Others are
venomous, and others of the largeft fize have
a tail about a foot long, and a handful broad,
of a brownifh colour, and part of their head
red. Moft of thofe are extraordinary ugly.
Some other forts are more tolerable i\vd.n salammn'
the former, being of a greenifh colour, and^^r.
about half their bignefs ; and others half as
big as thefe, and grey, which creep about
in the rooms and lodgings, and are there
called falamanders, cleanfing the houfes
from all fmall vermin. Thefe are the coldeft
of all the lizards, tho' they are all naturally
cold, to fuch a degree, that it is not eafy
to hold them long in a man's hand \ and
perhaps the exceffive coldnefs of that fore
of lizards there, call'd falamanders, has oc-
cafionedthe notion of the falamander's being r-./r „
able to live in the fire. . tiois,
III The
2
A Defcrtption of the
OOK
Barbot. The other vulgar conceit, that lizards
^^''V^ have fuch a love for man, as to give him
warning of the approach of any venomous
fnake, or other creature, I take to be of
the lame flamp, and as falfe as the falaman-
der's living in the fire.
The Cameleons,
A R E of two forts, the one green, fpeckled
with grey, or a pale moufe- colour ; the
other green, grey, and fire colour mix'd
together, not frequently feen in Guinea.
Their fkin is very thin, fmooth, andalmoft
tranfparent •, their eyes round, very black
and fmal!, turning them one up and one
down, or one to the right and the other to
the left, at the fame time, fo as to fee
two ways at once. They are much of the
fize of fmall lizards, but longer legg'd,wich
a longifh tail, which they turn into a ring in-
wards as they walk.
Their ^ooJ They feed upon flies for the moft part,
tiu ir tongue being almoft as long as the body,
1 which they dart out with an incredible fwift-
nefs, and catch the flies upon the point of it,
drawing them into their large wide mouth.
They feem to take much delight in fucking
in the air, flretching open their wide mouths,
and have no guts like other creatures. Their
ficin being fo very fmooth and tranfparent,
they are moft apt tochange to a lizard-colour,
but do not take the colour of every thing that
is fet about them, as is falfely reported •, for
they will never be red, nor of fevera,! other
colours, tho' they have been obferv'd to
change three or four times in half an hour.
They live in Guinea five years or longer,
being kept on trees ; and fome are fent over
into Europe. Their eyes are about as half
as big as thofe of fmall lizards, and join'd
together as if they were threaded ; not co-
ver'd v/ith any hard fhell,but only with a fofc
pliable film, like thofe of our fnails in Eu-
rope, or thofe of lizards, fnakes, and tor-
toiles.
Po RCUPINES,
ARE not very common on that coaft. I
'^^lll ^^""^ Infiama, about two foot
^' high, fome being two foot and a half, and
brought over fome of its quills, about as
thick as a goofe's, two fpans long, and fome
• three, according to the bignefs of the beaft,
divided at diftances with black ftreaks ; as
Plate 17. may be feen in the figure of this creature,
%• here inferted,
Thefe are much like the porcupines I have
feen in France.^ brought over from Morocco.
Teeth nnd They have fuch fharp and long teeth, that
Jlrength. if kept in a wooden box or fat, they will
eat their way through in a night ; and when
provoked, fhoot out their long fliarp quills
with fuch fury and dexterity, that they will
■ wound any other creature at a reafonable
diftance, piercing pretty deep into the bo-
dy of ferpents, or other its enemies, and will
ftick into a board. They are fo bold as to
attack the greateft ferpent, as I have men-
tioned before. The Blacks, and fome Eu-
ropeans, reckon their flefh very nice food.
There is another fort of animal, not un-
like our hedgehog, only that they cannot
roll themfelves as thofe do.
Field-Rats,
'T^ HERE is along the coaft a fort of Flrjlfin.
beafts, like rats in fhape, but bigger
than cats, and call'd field-rats, becaufe they
lie in the corn-fields, where they do much
mifchief ; but hoilxlVhites and Blacks reckoa
their flelh very delicious, being fat, tender,
and very agreeable and may well pafs for
fuch with thofe who have not feen them :
for its difagreeable figure and loathfome
name, are fufficient to give a loathing and
averfion ; for which reafon, fome cut off
the head, feet, and tail, before they are fer-
ved up to table.
At Axim they have another fort of field- secondfirt
rats, as long as the former, but much flen-
derer, which they call Boutees, eaten only
by the Blacks. Thefe do infinite damage
among the ftores of rice and Indian wheat
laid up in the houfes of the Blacks, fpoiling
more corn in a night, than an hundred of
our houfe-rats could do : for befides what
they eat and carry off, they damage all
the reft they can come at.
There is alfo a fort of very fmall mice, sroees
whofe flvins have a mufky fcent, much like mice.
the odoriferous Penfilvania rat-fkins.
In the woods is an animal, call'd Jrompo Man-
or Man-eater, having a long flender body eater,
and a long tail, with a fort of brufh at the
end of it ; is of a lightifh brown colour and
long hair'd. The natives fiy, it will very
foon throw up the earth, where a man has
been buried, to devour the dead body, but
walks round feveral times before it touches
the corps ; which, the Blacks fay, denotes
the unlawfulnefs of making ufe of any thing
that is not our own, before we have taken
pains, or done fomething to earn it ; but we
may more rationally conclude, it is done out
of fear, which is natural to moft brutes, and
that they only look round to fee whether
there be any man near to take the prey from
them.
The hares in Guinea are much like ours Ham/
in Europe, but their flelh is not fo well re-
iifh'd. Very few or none are any where to
be feen, unlefs it be in the country ofJcrcn
and more efpecially at Acra^ that land be-
ing low, flat, and gravelly.
The Blacks hunt them with fticks, many
men going about the country, where they ^
ufe to fhelter, fliouting, and beating their
fficks one againft another, which makes
fuch a noife as frights the poor timorous
crea-
Ihap. 14.
Coafis ^/South-Guinea.
21
tures, who run for their Jives, and the Blacks
having made a ring about them, ftanding
pretty clofe together, with the fticks in their
hands, kill many.
Of 'Tame Animals, and firjl of Kinv..
'T^H E inland countries abound much more
in kine, than thofe near the fea ; Akim,
Dankiray and AJjiante^ which have great
plenty of them, being fo remote from the
Ihore, that they cannot conveniently be fent
down ; for which reafon, only a fev/ bulls
and cows come from thence ; and what
thtU on cattle they have at the coaft, is generally
the coffc. brought from Acra, where they are fup-
plied with them fromZ.^z^/'Ofi^'^', Lampi, oxLa-
dingcour, and Nmgo^ to the eaflward of
Acra, and from the country of Aquamboe^
which are all ftocked with cattle, wherewith
the natives of thofe parts drive a great trade
at Acra, and all along the Gold Coaji^ as
has been hinted before.
The fa id cattle, tho' brought from thence
fat and in good cafe, foon grows poor on
the coaft, for want of good pafture, which
is every where wanting, except at Acra,
Pocqefon, or Crema and Axini., it being there
indifferent, and will keep them up fome
time •, but at Mina, and all the reft of the
coaft, both eaft and weft, the beafts foon
■:Siid flejl). fall away, and their flefli becomes dry and
infipid, declining to fuch a degree, that a
cow, at fjll growth, feldom weighs above
three hundred weight, and generally not
above two hundred and a half; and yet
. they are of fuch a bulk, that they feem to
be double that weight. That lightnefs muft
certainly be occafioned by the forry pafture,
which makes not the flefti firm and folid,
, but loofe, fpungy, and tough, and of an
ungrateful tafte, both in cows and bullocks.
The cows are no where milked, but at
Mina^ I fuppofe for want of fkill in the
Blacks, and even at Mina the milk is bad,
and the quantity very fmall.
At my laft voyage to the caftle of Mina,
I prefented the then Dutch general with a
hogfhead of French wine, and a fine cow I
had taken aboard at Goeree, which ufed to
afford milk aboard the fliip, in a tolerable
quantity, and was extraordinary well re-
ceiv'd by him and in return, juft as I was
under fail, he fent me four of the country
fheep, which prov'd but very forry meat,
even among the meaneft failors.
The calves, as well as other cattle, by
reafon of the forry milk they fuck from
their dams, are but very wretched meat.
They make no oxen, the Blacks being very
unfkilful at gelding their fteers. Such as
they are, they are generally fold for three
ounces of gold, worth about twelve pounds
fterling. The Blacks call a cow Natne-boe-
Weffia ; a bullock l^anm-Bamn^ and the
oxen Ennan. " ■
Coras not
mUketl.
No oxen.
Bar.bot.
Sheep, t/VNJ
A R Every numerous all along the coaft, a^^'^""
and yet very dear ; the price in VQ\(\^ear and
being generally about twenty eight fhiilings^'''^"
fterling : an extravagant rate, confidering
that mutton is nothing near fo fweetand
tender as ours in £'z/ro/)£' ; for in reality, it is
fcarce eatable, unlefs gelt young, and fat-
ned with fry'd barley-meal.
In my account of Sefro river, 1 gave
the defcription of the iheep there, to which
the reader is refer'd, they being much alike.
They have no wool, but only hair like
goats, and are not much bigger than Eng-
lijfj lambs. Their horns turn towards the
back, fomewhat bow'd, and their legs are
fomewhat longer in proportion than thofe
of our European ftieep.
Goats,
ARE not fo large on the Gold Coaji, as cheap and
in Europe ; in other refpeds, they are^""'^-
much like them, and generally are more fat
and flefhy than the fheep : for which reafon,
fome will rather chufe to eat the he-goats
gelt young, which foon grow much fatter
and larger than thofe which are not gelt ; be-
fides, that a goat bears not above half the
price of a fheep.
All the three fpecies of fheep, goats and
fwine, are faid to have been firft carry'd
over to the coaft by the Poriuguefe from
St. 'Thome, who at firft ufed to fatten them
with Indian wheat.
There is an infinite number of goats : fome Toolijh .
of the are of opinion, that the ftrong
offenfive fcent v/hich is natural to them,
efpecially the males, was given as a punifh-
ment for having requefted of a certam deity,
that they might be permitted to anoint
themfelves with a precious fort of fweet oint»
ment, fhe ufed herfelf-, infteadof which,
fhe took a box of a ftinking naufeous com-
pofition, with which fhe anointed their bo-
dies, which caus'd them to fmell fo ftrong
ever fince.
Swine,
ARE plentiful enough in Guinea, and
caird Ehbio by the Blacks, who breed
great numbers of them, but v/hether for
want of fl^ill in the people, or proper food
for them, they are good for little, their flefh
being flabby, and the fat as bad ; and yet
fuch as they are, a hog of about an hundred
weight, is commonly fold for the value of
three pounds fterling in gold.
They are neither of the fhape or bulk ofshape^ and
our European fwine, being fhort body'd-^''^^"'-^"^"
and legg'd, and generally all black or fpot-"
ted ; but the fows are very fruitful, and
when with pig, their bellies hang down al-
mofttothe ground.
The
zi6
A Defcription of the
Book III.
Barbot. The hogs which are fatted by the Whites
L/^'V^ along the coaft, are more tolerable, but
nothing near fo delicate as thofe at Fida, and
in the French Leward iflands, which are of
the fame fpecies, and for delicacy of tafte
and firm fat, certainly much exceed ours
in Europe,
Horses.
TH E R E are abundance of them up the
inland countries, but fcarce one to be
feen along the coaft. They are very ill
fliapcd, their necks and heads, which they
always hang down, much refembling thofe
of affes-, being perfect jades, fubjeft to
ftumble, and will fcarce move without much
beating not unlike the Norway horfes in
fize, and fo low, that when a man rides
them, his feet almoft touch the ground. ■ '
Asses,
ARE generally pretty numerous along
the coaft, higher than the horfes, and
handfomer in their kind •, but do not live
long there, for want of proper food. Their
ears are for the moft part longer than thofe
of ours in Europe. The Blacks do not ufe
them to carry burdens, but only to ride on,
being full as proper for that purpofeas their
horfes.
Dogs,
Plate i8. IIT H O S E figure fee in the cut, are
faid to have been firft carry'd thither
from Europe, and in procefs of time fo
chang'd to that fhape and form we now fee
they generally bear ; their colour and heads
being much like foxes, with long upright
ears their tails long, fmall, and fharp at
the end, without one hair on their bodies.
Naked and but a naked bare fkin, either plain or fpot-
always run away at the leaft ftroke or lafh
given them ; but will purfue fuch as are
afraid and fly from them, and bite defpe-
rately. They are difagreeable to look to,
but much more to handle, their foft bald
fkin, being unpleafant to the touch,
latea. The Blacks call a dog C^a^r^s do M^2/o,which
in Portiiguefe fignifies a wild fheep, becaufe
they eat them, and value their flefli beyond
mutton •, fo that in fome places, they breed
them for fale, and carry them to the publick
markets, ty'd two and two, where they yield
a greater price than their fheep. The na-
tives are as great lovers of dog*s flefh, as
the Chrnefe are faid to be, and look upon a
meal of it as the beft treat they can give
or receive and therefore, when they go
aboard fhips, they will offer to buy the dogs
they fee there, I remember one of our
cabin boys had three Aquiers of gold, at
cape St. Apollonia, for an ugly one he had
kept fome time ; the Black, who bought
him, intending to put him into his barking,
or dog-fchool, out of which they commonly
fell puppies at a very high rate.
The Blacks, who have abundance of very
Never
ridiculous notions, generally fancy, that^'*''^"
our European dogs fpeak, when they bark ;
and their reafon for it is, becaufe their dogs
never bark, but only howl, as has been faid.
It is always obferv'd, that European dogs,
when they have been there three or four
years, always degenerate into ugly crea-
tures, and in as many broods, their barkino-
turns into a howl.
Cats,
ID Y the Blacks call'd Ambayo, whofe breed.
came from Europe, retain their firft form
and fhape, and do not alter in their nature.
Some of the Blacks, but more efpecially
the meaneft fort and flaves, often kill and eac
them ; however, this is frequently done for
want, they being generally much valu'd by
the Blacks for clearing their houfes of rats
and miceo
Rats and Mice,
ARE prodigioufly numerous, efpecially
the firft of them, doing much harm
to the inhabitants, by devouring and gnaw-
ing all they can come at. They are exadlly
like ours in Europe, as to fliape, colour and
mifchievoufnefs.
The weafels are alfo alike in all refpet5b,
and thefe with the cats, make it their bu-
finefs to hunt rats.
The Blacks do not fcruple to eat, either
rats or weafels, as did feveral of our failors
aboard, our fhip being full of them ; and
they did us fuch confiderable damage, du-
ring the whole voyage, that to encourage
the deftroying of them, I allow'd a pound
of fait -butter, for every fcore of rats they
catch'd. It is worth obferving in this place,,
that the rats were fo ravenous, as to eat fe-
veral of our parrots alive, and even to fteal
away our breeches and ftockings in the night,
and to bite us feverely.
This is the beft account that can be given
of the wild and tame creatures on the Gold
Coaft, as far as they are known to Europeans.
I doubt not, but that there are feveral forts
of animals up the inland, which, for want of
communication and conveniency of travel-
lings remain yet unknown to us.
CHAR
J s
Chap. i^. Coafis of South-Guinea.
217
CHAP. XV.
Barbot.
Of the tame fowl,' cocks and hens, ducks, turkeys, pidgeons, wildfowl, herons^
portuguefe, wild-ducks, pheafants, partridges, turtle-doves, eagles, kites,
and federal other namelefs birds, fome of them very beautiful , infers and
reptiles, frogs and toads, fcorpions, millepedes, bees, fpiders, 6Cc.
hens
T A M E-F OWL.
The forts. fT^ H E feveral Ibrts of tame-fowl, con-
X fift properly b hens, ducks, turkeys
and pigeons the two former whereof are
not common to the Blacks, but only to be
found in or about the European forts and
factories.
Cocks and Hens,
ARE very plentiful all over the coaft,
when the Blacks can peaceably breed
them at home but when they are at war,
thefe fowls grow fcarce.
Cochsmd Axim has always the better fort of fowls,^
they being there generally good and fat ;
though fmall. But at all other parts of the
Gold Coajl, they are commonly fo dry and
lean, and of fo little flefli, that a man with
a good ftomach may very well eat three of
them or more at a meal.
They are generally nothing near fo large
as commonly our fowls in France y their
eggs are fcarce bigger than thofe of our tame
pigeons, yet a pair of fuch fowls, yields,
even in time of plenty, about two fhillings.
Englijh, and double that price in time of
war. They are much like ours, in lhape
and feathers, the Blacks commonly feed them
with broken maiz, or millet. But to make
them foon fat and fit to eat, they muft be
cramm'd with meal. . , . , • •- - •
Plate 17.
.urge
nfipd.
. ■ ■ - Ducks.
mi 'TT H E breed was brought over from Bra-
zil, or other parts of America, not many
years fince, for they are exadlly alike, in
form and feathers and nothing like thofe
of Europe, being there as large again, and
commonly white or black, or white and,
brown mixt. The drakes have a large red
knob on their bills, almoft like the turkeys
only it doth not hang fo low, nor fo loofe,,
but firmer, and is pretty like a red cherry.
The young ducks are eatable, but the old
ones are tough and infipid. 'l^, r,.:.^;.
Turkeys.
1. p.
'Tp HERE are only a few in the hands
of the chiefs of the Europeans forts,
which are nothing near fo tender and pala-
table as ours in Europe commonly. The
Blacks breed none at all, perhaps becaufe
they are very tender, and require much care
to bring them up. .. , . /-
Vol. Vo ~ ' "" "
Pigeons,
ARE pretty numerous, at fome of the
forts on the coaft, efpecially at Axim,
and all of the common fort of field, or wild
doves, and are pretty fweet, when young.
The Blacks call them Abronama, which im-
ports, a bird brought up by the Whites, or
Europeans, for fo the Blacks call us.
The pintado-hens, which may be accoun-
ted of the tame, as well as wild forts of
fowls, are feen no where but at Acra, where
they breed a few. Whether they are natu-
ral to the country, or of the breed of cape
Verdo-Pintados, I am not certain, but they
are fine curious birds, much bigger than
common poultry, and delicate meat, if fed
properly, as I have faid heretofore.
Wild-Fowl, and firjl of Heroics.
XJERE are two forts of herons, fome
blue, others white, exadly of the form
and fize of herons in Europe. Several people
eat them there.
The natives alfo eat a fort of bird un-
known to us, called the Portuguefe, which
has the body of a goofe, and is moftly
white. . .
W I L D-D u c K s,
ARE commonly plentiful enough on the
^ coaft', being exaftly like thofe of Eu-
rope., only fomewhat fmaller, and of two
forts •, but the people are not induftrious to
get them. There have been fome fliot a-
bout Mina, of a very beautiful green, with
fine red bills and feet, of a deep charming
colour. Another fort there is, whofe feet
and bill are yellow, and the body mixt with
green and grey feathers : This fort is not fo.
beautiful as the former.
Pheasants,
ARE plentiful enough along the Gold
Coaft, but particularly at and about
Acra. In the Aquamboe^s country, and at
Acron, near Apam, commonly of the fize
of an ordinary hen their feathers fpeckled
with a bright blue and white, with a iky-
colour ring round their necks, about two
fingers in breadth ; and a black tuft on their
heads. To compleat the beauty of this crea-
ture, which may be very well rani^ed, in
that refped, amongft the wonderful works
Kkk
of
21
A Defcription of the
B.ARBOT. of'nature, In the fpecies of birds, and is the
iiiieft of any in Guinea.
The Fida phealanc, whereof there are but
few in this country, but a great number at
i'/V/c?, is grey and white, a little fpeckled
with blue ; his head is bald, and covered
with a hard callous ll<:in, which is all over
knotty •, his bill is yellow j from whence to
the head grows out on each fide a red
joilop.
Partridges,
A Bound every where, but much more at
Acra ; yet for want of good fhooters,
but few are killed which, when in proper
age and feafon, are good meat, particularly
the young ones,
T U R T L E-D O V E S,
A R E of three forts, the firft is fmall, of
^ a bay colour, which eat very agreeable
and tender.
The fecond fort is of a much brighter
colour, but the flefli is tough.
The third fort is as tough again, and
large as the former. Thefe are of a very
line green, their bills and feet yellow, and
have a few red feathers the eyes encircled
with large fpeckled rings, fome intermix:
with blue.
Others of the fame fpecies of turtles have
a black ring or circle about their neck.
Of the fecond and third forts of turtles,
thoufands commonly harbour every evening
in the underwoods, v/hich are thick grown,
on the large rock, or rather ifland, lying
about half a gun Ihot from the Dutch fort
at Axim, and fly from thence every morn-
ing to look for food but the woods that
cover the little ifland all over, being fo very
thick grown, it is not very eafy to flioot
at thefe turtles, or rather to find them,
when killed.
QjJ BESTS,
ARE alfo very common in the woods
within the country.
Thrushes, ' / '
HERE, much refemble ours in Eu-
rojje.
Beccaficos,
/^R fig-eaters, a dainty little bird, of a
gold colour, which perch and build
their nefts at the very tops of the higheft
trees, and at the extremities of the branches,
the better to fecure themfelves and brood,
from the injuries of venomous creatures.
• " • Co R N-E AT E R S,
npH E R E is alfo another fort of very lit-
tle birds, which are very numerous,
and wafte the corn in the fields fo^extremely,
that the Blacks^ they fay, in revenge, will
eat them alive, feathers and flcfn. Thefe
little creatures commonly build their nsits
amongft the corn„
Sparrows,
ARE innumerable all along the coaft,
and differ little or not at ail from ours
mEurope j doing, as well as the others, much
damage to the corn and other fruits of the
earth, they can come at.
There are many different forts of little
granivorous birds, which alfo do the fame
injury to the inhabitants fields and fruits ;
there being fome all red, others all black,
and others of variety of colours intermixt.
The natives -catch great numbers of thefe
birds with nets, and fhoot many, and eat
them, as well as feveral large birds, all
which it is impoflible particularly to dif,
tinguifh.
The S w A L L o w,
S here fmaller in fize, and of a lighter
black colour than ours in Europe.
A
Snipes, Woodcocks, Crook bills,
R E very numerous, the former, mofl
in marfhy grounds, and are like ours
of Europe.^ but much more tough, and
therefore not fo valuable, altho' in the
main they are good food.
Cranes, Bitterns, Magpies, and
Sea-Mews.
TpH E laft of them, are grey. The Blacks
look upon the bittern as a foreteller of
things to come.
Eagles,
ARE not wanting, nor do they differ
from thofe we have in Europe ; yet
fome are not altogether alike : the print platf. i8
reprefents one of this latter fort, which is
pretty fcarce to be found any where, unlefs
in the province of Acra ; and is there cali'd
the crowned eagle.
I faw once, at Caho Corfo cafile, a tall
bird, feather'd much like a peacock, its
legs like thofe of a ftork, and the bill near
upon that of a heron, having a tuft of plumes
on its head, in the nature of a crown ;
which they reckoned there to be another
fpecies of eagle : but I could not be fatisfied
of the appellation for eagles are not thus
fhaped, and long legged.
They reckon here, for a third fpecies of
eagles, a large bird, whofe head is much
like that of a turkey ; and call them Pajfara
de Deos, or^God's bird, to which the Blacks
pay fuch a veneration, that it is a capital
crime to kill one ; tho' it is a creature thac
deftroys all their poultry and corn, v/here-
ever it comes, is difagreeable to behold,
and has a naufeous fcentj is perpetually
keeping
Chaf.1^. Coafts of So\j
keeping in muddy nafty places and yet is rec-
koned a deity among the natives : who, to
feed and ferve it every day, boil meat, kiy
it on the hills, and promontories, where it
haunts the moft.
Birds like There is another fort of ravenous bird,
n falcon, much like a falcon and tho' but a little
bigger than a dove, ftrong enough to fly
away with the largeil poultry.
•The Kites,
STEAL all the chickens, flefh, or fifh,
they can fpy, even out of the hands of
the Black women, as they go along the
ftreet, or fit in the market j but efpecial-
ly fifh.
There is a fowl about as large as a hen,
^nother ^.j^^ upper part of its body fpeckled brown
or black, with white and the under, either
red or orange colour •, having a tuft of
fpeckled feathers rifing like a comb. Its
bill in proportion to the body, is extraor-
dinary thick and long.
No larks, I never heard of any peacocks or larks
norfea- in this country.
cocks. ; ,. -,j ' ■ ,. ., i
C ROWN-Bl R D.
HERE is fometimes feen a fine bird,
of many various colours, as white,
black, brown, red, green, fky-colour, blue,
(^c. having a long tail, the feathers whereof
the Blacks wear on their heads.
This curious rare bird is called the crown-
bird, becaufe fome have a gold colour, or
a charming blue tuft on their heads, much
in the form of the tufts we have feen on the
Virginia nightingales. Some call this bird
the Guinea peacock. It is common at
Fida., and is a bird of prey, of which more
hereafter. ; 37.0;. . ■
' ' The Po K Ko E, . -
Plate 17.TS a bird as ugly as rare to come at, ex-
jig. E. adiy the fize of a goofe ; its wings ex-
traordinary long and broad, of dark coloured
feathers. The under part of its body covered
with afli coloured feathers, or rather hairs,
for they are as like the one as the other ; ha-
ving under his neck a maw, about a fpan
long, as thick as a man's arm, like a red
Ikin, in which it lays up its food, as the
monkeys do in their chops. The neck,
which is pretty long, and the red knob on
the nape, is garnifli'd with the fame fort of
feathers, or hairs, as the under part of the
body •, in proportion to which, the head is
much too large, and excepting a very few
hairs it has, is very bald. The eyes are
large and black, the bill extraordinary long
and thick. :. '.. , ■ ' 'y
This creature feeds comrtiohly on fifh,
which when toffed it catches very nimbly,
and fwallows down whole into its crop or
mav/ J and will at once devour as much fifh
th-GuineaJ / zip
as would ferve four men. It is likewife a Barbot,
lover of rats, fwallows them whole, and Vi^'^V^
fometimes they will Ipring up half digeft^d
out of the crop.
When a boy or dog is fet on them, they
will make a gcod defence, pecking and
flriking them with their bills very fmartly,
which makes a noile, as if two iticks were
flriking one upon another.
There is another fine bird, fomewhat^^^;.^^^/|
like the former in fliape, its feathers inter- ^'>^^.
mixed all over the body, red, white, black,
blue, and feveral other colours-, its eyes
large and yellow ; ftanding on its legs,
which are very long, as well as the neck,
and flretching it upward, it is near fix foot
high. Some of thefe tall birds are found
in the country of ylcron, near the rivers,
and 'tis likely they feed on fifh.
Another bird has all the feathers shout Chequered
its body chequered yellow and light blue j^''"'^^-
its bill long, and pointed fharp; a black
femi-circle round the neck ; a long tail of
blue, yellow, and black feathers •, and a
few feathers on its head 5 it feeds upon corn
and other grain.
Another bird of the fame fpecies and
form as the lafl, differs only, in that its bill
is thick, fhort, and black ; the under part
of its body black ; the back of a curious
fine yellow ; and the feet again black.
Another fort is much like the former,
but grey and yellow, having a iliarp bill,
and long feet and claws, in proportion to
its fize.
There is another fmall bird, dvi^ed 3.I- Seautifii!.
moft like a fparrow, his head and breafb as^"'*'^-
black as jet; his wings and feet grey-, the
refl of his body of a bright red. This bird
is very fine.
Another curious bird is yet finer than the
lafl -J the wings and upper part of the body
entirely blue, inclining to fky, as the fea-
thers of his pretty long neck, and the tufc
on his head ; his breafl is of a dark yellow,
mixt with fome red and blue feathers ; his
feet and bill very thick and long, both of a
bright reddifh colour: it harbours com-
monly about the rivers, and there feeds on
fifh. This bird may, as well as the Gold
Coafi pheafant, have the pre-eminence for
beauty overall the feathered kind in Guinea,
and perhaps of any other parts of the world.
They have alfo another fort of grain-de-
vouring bird, whofe neck, breafl, and un-
der part of the body is of a kind of orange-
colour ; the head all black, only on the
fore-part of it, a lively yellow fpot •, the
wings, and upper part of the body, are
black ; and his tail is intermix'd with red,
yellow, and black feathers.
Another bird, about as big as the for-
mer, has a beautiful red breafl, and under
part of his body ; the upper part, wings,
I and
/
220
A Defcription of the V BookIIL
i^ARBoT.and tail, as black as jet ; and the top of his
^***V^head of a bright yellow ; and a fharp bill,
fomewhat crooked.
The Blacks talk much of a bird twice as
big as a fparrow, having a few fmall fpecks
on his feathers, which fome call flars his
cry or .voice is hollow and piercing. If
the Blacks are upon a journey, and chance
to hear him on the left hand, they will pro-
i'-: - ' ceed no farther, but return home as is re-
■ ported.
Plate i8. I have drawn the figure of a fmall parro-
Fano- quet, which fome call the Guinea fparrow ;
for no other reafon, I fuppofe, but becaufe
thefe little birds are as numerous and mif-
chievous to the corn, and other fruits of the
country, as the fparrows properly fo call'd,
which I have laid to be infinite all over the
country, for the form, and feathers of the
■ parrokeets, is as different from that of a
right fparrow, as a black man is from a
white. The Blacks call them Aburonce
they are generally fold for a piece of eight
fer dozen.
• Moiiree^ Anamabo^ Connentin, Acron, Ber-
ku, and Acra^ are full of thefe fine pretty
birds.
They ply about thofe places in prodigious
fwarms, as the ftarlings do in fome parts of
■France, doing much harm to the corn.
They are very beautiful creatures, of a
lovely light green, mix'd with a charming
red ; and fome have alfo a few black and
yellow feathers : one half of the head, from
the eye to the bill, which is white, and
'- V~ exaftly framed like a parrot's, of a curious
orange-colour ; their tail intermixt with
black, yellow, and orange-colour flreaks
athwart the feathers, which arc there pretty
long.
. The trading fliips on the coaft, feldom fail
of taking many of thefe lovely creatures
aboard in cages, but they are fo tender, that
moft of them commonly die in their pafllige
to France, England, or Holland, notwith-
ftanding all the care that can be taken of
them. Of all the great numbers I ufed to
carry away from the coaft every voyage,
I couldfave but very few alive when arrived
in France. The change of climate and food,
or what I believe atfefts them moft, the
cold weather, is infupportable to them.
. I alfo obferv'd that the firing of great guns
aboard fliip, was fo dreadful to them, that
feveral of mine would drop down dead at
the noife.
Thefe rare birds cannot be taught to pro-
nounce any diftin£l words in any language,
at leaft, that I did ever hear or know, tho'
I took all the pains . I could take to teach
fome yet there are perfons who affirm, they
•hadforne who would utter a few words in
'French, which I will not contradid : • but
feveral of them kept together in a cage in
good dry hot weather, will make a pretty
fweet pleafant natural chanting. I obferv'd
that the hen ufually perches on the left fide
of the cock, and feldom off'ers to eat but
after him. The cock is generally fomewhat
larger in fize and bulk than the hen, and
has a greater variety of colours in his fea-
thers, and the green fomewhat deeper.
I am forry the engraver hasnot been nice e-
nough in his cut, foas to reprefent this birdas
my drawing did but there being few pla-
ces in Europe, where thefe creatures are not
pretty common, what they appear to every
body, will redlify the defed: of the print.
There is another fort of parroquets, fome- ^^^^^
what larger than the former, but not com- rociuets.
monly to be had on the coaft ; their whole
body is of a curious deep red, with only a
black ftreak acrofs the back, and the tail
entirely black.
The parrots are not much feen about the Carrots,
coaft, unlefs here and there one that wanders
from the inland countries, where they are
very numerous in the woods.
They are all over blue, only fome have a
few red feathers in their wings or tails. No
green ones are to be found on the coaft, nor
along farther eaftward round the gulph of
Guinea., as far as cape Lope-Gonzalez.
This bird is fo well known all over Europe^
whither great numbers are tranfported every
year, tho' formerly much more than is now
praftifed, that I forbear mentioning any
thing more of it ; and ftiall only take
notice, that at the coaft they bear a
greater price, and are more efteem'd than
in Europe : for fome will there give almoft
an ounce of gold, in goods, for a pratling
parrot. Every body knows the young ones
are moft apt to learn to talk, and of fuch,
the traveller has choice at prince's ifland in
the gulph, where they are very numerous,
and bought raw and unfl betwixt Mouree and
Cornientin, there is a vaft number of toads
of that immenfe fize, commonly as large as
table-plates, which are very hideous.
At the beginning of the rainy feafon, at
cape Corfo there is an extraordinary num-
ber of them.
I have obferv'd before, that this ugly crea-
ture has a natural antipathy for fnakes,
and many perfons have been eye-witnelfes
of feveral combats betwixt them,
3j6^ S C O R P I O N, : .
Plate iS.T^ generally of the fize and form you fee
in the print, which is drawn as big as the
life but there are fome as large as fmall
lobfters : and all of them have two large
claws and feet, and their whole body co-
vered with long hair.
Some have a fmall bladder full of venom,
of half a finger's breadth, at the end of their
tails, adjoining to the fharp crooked prick or
horn that is at the end of the tail ; with
which, if they ftrike or prick either at men
or brutes, the hurt is certainly mortal, if
not fpeedily remedied.
The moft certain cure is to bruife the
fame fcorpion, if it can be catched, on the
wounded part of the body ; as our chief
furgeon cured one of our men at prince's
ifland, who being at felling of wood, was
thus prick'd by a fcorpion in the heel.
At Acapulco, in Weft-Memo in America,
where there are abundance of terrible fcor-
pions, they ufe, when going to bed, to rub
all about the beds with garlick.
Another certain remedy againft this fling,
and the pain of it, is to ftroke the part that
was hurt with a child's private member,
■which immediately takes away the pain,
and then the venom exhales. The moifture
that comes from a hen's mouth, is good for
the fame.
Millepedes. '
^ H E infed here call'd Millepedes, and by
the Portuguefe Centipedes, of which there
is a multitude in the country, is alio very
troublefome to man ; for tho' it docs not
fting fo dangeroufly as the fcorpion, yet it
certainly caufes very fliarp pains for three or
four hours ; after which, they quite ceafe
Without the leaft remains of uneafinefs,
Vol. V.
TH-GuiNEA. 221
This infeft is about a fpan long when at Barbot.
full growth ; flat, fpeckled like other worms: wv'n-'
having two fmall horns or claws, with which
it ftrikes. It has fifteen or twenty feet on • ..
each fide of the body, more or lefs. There
is no place on the ceaft free from thefe ver-
min. _
Bees,
ARE not very plenty at the Gold Coaft^
in comparifon of what there are about
Rio de Gabon, Caie Lopez, and farther to
the fouthward of the gulph of Guinea: as!
iball hereafter obferve. They harbour there
in the woods, and make their honey and
•wax in hollow trunks of trees. Both the
honey and wax are very good, but not like
ours in France: however, they afford the
Blacks very great profit by trade with the
Europeans.
Cl G A R RAS,
j!^RE a thick, broad-headed, mouthlefs
fort of flies, which commonly fit on
trees, and fing, after a fhrieking manner,
day and night, and live only on the dew of
heaven, which they fuck in by a long fharp
tongue, placed on the breafl:.
There are alfo frogs, and fuch prodigious
numbers of grafhoppers, or rather locufl:s,
coming in fwarms like thick clouds, from,
the far inland countries, as fome fuppofe
fiom the defarts of Lybia and Zara, to this
part of Guinea, where they brouze all the
plantations of corn in fuch a manner, that
it caufes almofl; a famine in the land.
There are land-crevices, which eat very
fweet, being much of the tafl:e of the land-
crabs in the French iflands of America. Thefe
crevices harbour, like thofe, under ground.
There are alfo large black flies, which in
a dark night give a kind of light •, and abun-
dance of glow-worms, crickets, caterpillars,,
and many fpecies of worms, fpiders, butter-
flies, gnats, ants, and beetles ; but of ants
and gnats mofl prodigious numbers all over
the coafl:: and more particularly at and a-
bout Acra, where the country is flat and le-
vel. The ants are of various forts, great and
fmall, white, red, and black \ the fling of
the red inflames to a great degree, and is
more painful than that of the millepedes.
The white are as tranfparent as glafs, and
bite fo forcibly, that in the fpace of one
night they can eat their way through a
wooden chefl:, and make it as full of
holes, as if it had been fliot through
with hail-fhot.
Thefe infefts make nefls ten or twelve
foot high in the earth, which they won-
derfully raife up in the fields and hills, in
a pyramidal form, fo firm and folid, that
they are not eafily beaten down ; and when
they are, it is very furprifing to obferve the
number of divifions and apartments, that
are within thofe nefls, correfponding exadlly
LU one
222
A Description of the j ; Book 11
Barbot. one to another •, fome of thofe rooms are
^-y'V^ filled with their provifions, which the pru-
dent animal gathers from the fields ; others
are filled with their excrements, and others
are dwelling-rooms.
From thofe nefts, (one of which, fee
Plate iS.in the figure I drew at Acra) they range
all about the country, and come into the
forts and chambers of the Europeans, in
fuch fwarms, that they oblige them to quit
their beds, in the night, biting very fliarply ;
and are of fo devouring a nature, that if
they attack a live flieep, or goat, in the
night, it is found a perfe6l fkeleton in the
morning : and this they do fo nicely, that
the beft anatomift could not perform it
more artificially than they do. Chickens,
and even rats, tho' fo nimble, cannot efcape
them ; for as foon as one or more attacks a
rat, he is aflaulted on all fides by a multi-
tude of them, till fo many fall on, that
they over-power, and never leave him, till
they grow to a body ftrong enough to re-
move him to a fafe place.
It is really a great diverfion to obferve the
fingular inftind; of fo fmall a creature in all
their proceedings and performances, and it
would almoft perfuade, that they had a
fort of language among them, confidering
-what harmony and order they obferve : for
if you place a beetle, or a worm, where
only two or three of thefe infedsare, they
immediately depart, and return in a minute,
bringing with them above a hundred and
if that number is not fufficient, in another
moment, more are called : after which they
fldl all together on their prey, and march off
with it very regularly, aflifting each other
in carrying off the burden. Hence it muft
be, that fome are of opinion, and affirm,
that the ants have a king, who is as large
as a cray-fifli.
The gnats are another inconvenience to
the inhabitants, in the night-time, efpecially
near the woods and marfhy grounds. Their
fting is very fharp, and caufes fwellings and
violent pains ; whence it is eafy to conceive,
with what I have faid of the ants, and the
exceffive heat of the climate, what a trou-
blefome life people mufl: lead, where 'tis
I fliall conclude this defcription of infeds,
with fornething of fpiders, of which there
are feveral forts ; but I fhall confine my felf
to one, called by the Blacks AnanfL
This animal is monftrous large, his body
long, his head fharp, broader before than
behind, and not round, as moft fpiders are ;
his legs hairy, ten in number, and the
thicknefs of a little finger. Which far fur-
paffes the largenefs o't'O^e.l'arantula^ a kind
of field-fpider, of Abrujo, Calabria, Tuf-
cany and Romania in Italy^ comfhonly as
big as an ordinary acorn : fo dangerous to
mankind, that a perfon itung by it, changes
an hundred ways in a moment, weeping,
dancing, vomiting, quaking, laughing,
growing pale, fainting away, feeling horrid
pains, and finally dies in a very fliort time,
if not fpeedily relieved. The effeflual cure
js by fweating, and antidotes y but the grand
and only remedy is mufick, as is affirmed
by feveral phyficians, and travellers, eye-
wirneffes of the difeafe, and the cure thereof.
This wonderful infeft has four legs on each
fide, like the common large fpiders, in form
and length. As to the African fpiders, I never
learnt any thing of their natural qualities,
good or bad. I fuppofe there are but few
luch hideous infedts in the country about,
and in the bay of Campeche in South Ame-
rica, is a fort of fpiders of a prodigious fize„
fome as big as a man's fiil, with long fmall
legs, like ours in Europe % but have two
teeth, or rather horns, an inch and a half or
two inches long, and of a proportionable
bignefs, which are as black as jet, fmooth
as glafs, and their fmall end fiiarp as a
thorn : They are not ftrait, but bending^
and preferved for tooth-pickers, and to pick
pipes in fmoaking tobacco.
The Blacks, who have always flrange
notions, as has been faid of them elfewhere,
believe the firft man was made by this hor-
rid infed ; and few can be made fenfible, by
our way of reafoning with them on this
head, of their folly and ftupidity.
At Cabo-Corfo, in the rainy months of
June and July^ they have a fort of infeds,
which are a kind of fpiders, about the big-
nefs of a beetle, the form neareft to a crab-
fifh, with an odd kind of orifice, viable
fcarce poffible to have an hour of quiet
fleep and provifions are but very indif- in the belly, whence the web proceeds,
ferent. . , :
CHAP. XVL
Of the feveral forts of ffh in the feet of Guinea j as the king-fijh, fetijfo^
and many more generally eaten \ as alfo of the grampuffes^ fword-fjh, and
fjarksy of the porpoife^ the remora^ and the flying-fijh. , -
Fish in general are very light, and that the forry food they
BY what I have before obferved of the have, infbead of a firm, produces only a
nature of the flefh of tame cattle, chic- fpongy, loofe and tough flelh, of an un-
kens, and other tame fowl it appears, grateful tafle : whence it is natural to infer,
that tho' they be indifferent large, yet chey tliat it were almoft impoffible for men in
Chap. I (J. CoaJIsofSouru-GuiNEA,
2-2-3
o-eneral, and much more for Europeans to
fubfift there ; if the want of good flefli and
other neceffiry provifions, were not very
happily fupply'd by the fea, which, by a
particular providence daily affords a pro-
digious quantity of very good, large and
fmall fifh of feveral forts, as well as the
rivers ; fo that abundance of Blacks and
JVhites alio can live tolerably upon bread,
fifh, and palm-oil, tho' that food has the
fame effed on them, rendring their bodies
poor and light, in proportion to their bulk,
_,r. There are above thirty forts of fea-fifh,
commonly taken and eaten, befides many
other kinds accidentally caught at fome par-
ticular feafons. I lhall firft fpeak of fome of
the largeft.
The K I N G-F I s h,
Plate 18.0 Eprefented in the cut, is reckoned by
*^ the Englijh at cape Corfo^ one of the
beft fifties in thofe pares, when in feafon.
It is extraordinary fat and delicious, and
when boiled, tattes fomewhat like eels %
but gutted and dry'd, is eaten inftead of
falmon. At full growth, it is about five foot
long, and at fome times, there arevaft fhoals
along the coaft, when abundance are taken.
CiiZ/V Saf- Some call it the Gaffer ^ and others the
itxmd Negro, for its black fkin. It common-
^^&o, 2y ijarbours among rocks, and fometimes
comes into fuch ihallow water, that the
Blacks, when they go to ftrike fifti at night,
with a light, as I have obferv'd before, will
fometimes kill thefe with an iron tool, or
with a three-pointed harping iron, or morlin.
Fetisso Fish,
AT my firft voyage, whilft we lay before
Comendoi fome filliermen, near our
fhip, took a fifti about feven foot long,
Jhaped as exadly reprefented in the figure.
The Blacks call'd it Fetijfo, but for what rea-
fon I cannot determine, unlefs it be to exprefs,
A delicious that it is too rare and fweet for mortals to eat,
M'- and only fit for a deity : the word Fetijfo^
which in Porti'.guefe fignifies forcery, being by
the Blacks apply'd to all things they reckon
facred, becaufe the Portuguefe gave the name
of forcery to all their fuperftitions. It was,
indeed, a moft beautiful fifn, tlio' the flcin is
brown and fwarthy about its back, but
grows lighter and lighter the nearer it comes
to the ftomach and belly. It had a ftrait
fnout, with a fort of horn at the end of it,
very hard and fharp pointed, above three
fpans long and another fmall ftrait horn
on the upper part of its mouth. The eyes
large and bright, and on each fide of the
body, beginning at the gills, four longifh
cuts, or openings. As I remember, the
Blacks would not fell it at any rate, but
only allowed me the liberty of drawing its
ftATE 18. figure, as it appears in the cut •, and were
much amazed to fee it fo well reprefented.
Nor was that aftonifhment peculiar fo them, Barbot,
for many others there, on the Gold Coaft, at '"^'V^
Sierra Leona, Seftro river, and other places,
very much admired to fee me make the fi- irmhg.
gure of any creature upon paper.
I am apt to believe the Blacks look upon Adoring 0/
this fifh, as a fort of deity ; tho' I did tiQififlns.
hear they paid it any religious worfhip. If
they do, there is nothing new in paying
adoration to a fifh for the FklUft'ines in the
firft ages of the world adored DagoJi, which
was an idol, half man, and half fifh j the
word Dagon, in their language, fignifying a
fifti i and that thofe Gentiles look'd upon
as the great God, Judges xvi. 23. Dagon
our God has delivered Szmp^on our eneiuy into
our hands. Dagon reprefented Neptune, the
god of the fea, and by him perhaps was
meant Noah. The Syrians-, according to
Cicero and Xenophon, ador'd fome large tame
filhes, kept in the river Chalus, and would
not fuffer any perfon to go about to difturb
them. The Syo-Phenicians, according to
Clemens Alexandrinus, adored thofe fifties
with as much zeal, as the Elians worfhip-
ped Jupiter ; and Diodorus Siculus affirms, ' :'' ~/\
the Syrians did not eat fifh, but ador'd them
as gods. Plutarch mentions the Oxindrites
and Cynopbites, Egyptian nations, which hav-
ing been long at war about killing a fifh they
efteemed facred, were fo weakned, that the
Romans fubdued and made them flaves.
The Brazilian cod, is a delicate fat fifli, Brazil <-o/,
as large as the ordinary Newfoundland cods,
and plentiful enough.
There are Pikes and Jacks, great and^'^'^^
fmall, which, when in feafon, are fat and
better than in fome parts of Europe.
Flounders are very plentiful, differing Tkmdtrs.
confiderably from ours, in fhape, thicknefs,,
and goodnefs, wherein they far exceed them.
Plaife are not altogether like ours, norp/^,^,
are they plentiful. I am apt to believe
they are the fame fort of fifh the French at
Goeree call the Cabo Verde half-moon, the
figure whereof is in the cut. Plate is.
There are alfo dorados, corcobados, or^^^
gilt-heads, and other large fifti as black '
and white carabins, which are very plentiful
and cheap, and commonly ferve the meaner
fort of people, who reckon them good
food •, but the dorados, when in feafon, are
very good.
There are three or four forts of bream g^^^^^,
in great abundance, two forts whereof par-
ticularly are very fat and delicate. The
Hutch there call it Roejcnd and Jacob E-
vertzen.
The fea-toad, is a fifh of a fmall fize, sea-toad.
eaten by the common fort of Blacks, the
fins of them very curious, as appears by the
figure in the cut. The head of it is much Plate i8,
like that of a frog, or toadj whence it has
the name,
■ ■ - • ' The
' A Defcriptien of the
2.24
Bakbot. The pifie-pampher, is a fort of fmall
^^TV^ flat fifh, which in delicacy furpafles all o-
IfT"" thers on thecoaft.
In June^ Jiih-> ^"^^ Atiguft, at ComeJido
and Mina they catch a prodigious quantity
FtATE 18. of a fmall fifh, reprefented in the cut, which
is very good, and taftes much like our pil-
chards ; but is full of fmall bones. It
bites quick, and five, fix, or eight of them
are taken at a time ; if there be fo many
hooks to one line. The hooks are always
kept playing upon the furface of the water,
■where the fifh generally fwims.
Another fort of fifti, is much larger
Plate 18, than the laft, which fee in the cut.
CoveveK The coverer is flat, and rounder than the
pifie-pampher.
MackmL There are mackarel at fome feafons, but
few caught, nor are they exactly fhaped
like ours in England j therefore the French
call them I'rezahar % looking as beautiful
in the fea, as our mackarel, of a fine eme-
rald green, mixed with a filver white on
the back.
The machorans, fo called by the French^
^ins, or and by the Dutch Baerd Maneties, from five
(mn-fiJI,. pretty long excrefcencies, which hang at the
end of their chops, like a beard, and on
each fide of the mouth, jufl: under the eyes,
Plate 19. one much longer, as reprefented in the fi-
gure. At the upper fin on its back, and
at the under one on the belly, is a long hard
Iharp horn, the prick whereof caufes violent
pains and great fwellings, as if there were
fome venomous nature in it, as many failors
have experienc'd to their coll, when acci-
dentally hurt by it \ and for that reafon,
many do not care to eat of the filh in the
Leward iflands of America^ where there is
great plenty of them and very large j as alfo
becauie they feed there among the Manza-
fiilla trees, which produce a fort of poifo-
nous apples, tho' very beautiful, and of a
charming red. This fifli feeding in Ame-
rica on that fruit, it can not but be dange-
rous to eat ; but being caught out at fea in
Africa^ and there being no fuch trees on the
coaft, I cannot think it is any way hurtful %
befides that experience fliows the contrary,
they being commonly eaten and found good
wholefome fifho Thofe of the coaft of
America^ are generally larger, and mix'd
yellow, fky-colour, and brown : the Eng-
lijh call it the horn-fifli, and when firft
caught, it feems to groan.
Among the fmall fifh is the Aboei, fome-
what like our trouts, but much firmer and
more delicate. Thoufands of them are
caught every day along the coaft.
Thorn There is no lefs plenty of thornbacks, both
Sacks. great and fmall, which diff^er not in fhape
from ours ; but fome of them are blue, all
Plate to. over fpotted, as in the print drawn at cape
Verde, The feafon for them is in Mny : the
OOK
Blacks ftrike them with harping irons.
Soles are extraordinary good, but longer Sohs,
and narrower than ours in Europe, as in the
figUl"e. Plate ^o.
Dabs are nothing inferior to them in Oah.
goodnels.
In Ocloher and November they catch near
the fliore, with long nets, abundance of a
fort of pikes, which the French call Begune,
iliaped as in the plate, Plate d,
InDecemher they take the fifh call'd C^-c^^^,,.
rangoues, whereof there are two forts, ihtgoues.
one having large round eyes, and the other
fmall ones, as in the fame plate. They Plate 6.
have large forked fins on their backs, and
very thick forked tails.
There are alfo two forts of fprats, great 5^^/^,
and fmall, mighty plentiful, both very fat
when in feafon j but the larger ftringy, and
therefore not valu'd. The fmalier are very
agreeable fifli, broil'd, or pickled, or dry'd
like herrings all which ways the Europeans
preferve great quantities.
Lobfters, crabs, prawns, fhrimps, and shell-f^,
muifels are very common ; the lobfters dif-
fering fomewhat in figure from ours : fee
the CcL^Q Verde lobfter in the plate. The Plate low
oifters are commonly extraordinary large.
The Bonito, an excellent fifh, is feldom Bonite.
taken there, for it comes not near the fhore ;
but there are prodigious fhoals of them play-
ing in the deep fea, and particularly about
the equinoftial. See the figure of them na-
turally drawn in the plate. Plate iS;
There are three other forts of fifh, which
come out of the fea, and flay in rivers.
The Carmou is a white fifh, the largeft o^Carmom
the kind about three quarters of a yard long,
and as thick as a man's arm. It would be
very dehcious, if not too fat and oily.
The mullet, whofe figure fee in the plate, j^t^Uef^
differs from ours in that it has not fo thick Plate icj.
a head, but is very near as good food.
The Bntavia, when at full growth, is in- ^^tavia.
different good meat, if it does not tafte
muddy, as it is apt to do.
In December there is great plenty of Corco- conova-
vados, or moon-fifh, of colour whitifh, 2.\-dos.
moft flat, and pretty thick about the back,
but near round, for which reafon the Euro-
pean fea-faring men call it the moon. See
the figure. The proper bait for them is Pirate io."
bits of fugar-canes. The flelh is fomewhat
fulfome.
There are many other forts of fifh about
the coaft, which I think needlefs to men-
tion, as having already taken notice of the
principal forts : fo that a lover of fifn may
there pleafe his appetite, and make a good
meal for fix -pence at raoft % and fuch as
cannot afford fo much, may eat their fill at
half the charge in the fummer-feafon, for at
that time there is alway one fort of fifh or
Other in the market very cheap but in the
winter-
Chap.k^. Coajif of South-Gu tysnkl
2,2f
winter-feafon, or foul weather, the fcarcity
of fifli is fuch, that the poor foldiers and
labourers, as alfo the meaner fort of na-
tives, are fcarce able to fubfiftr.
Befides the feveral forts of fea and river-
filhes, which I have already mention'd, ge-
nerally eaten by the people of the country
they often fee about the coaft, three other
very large kinds, viz. a fort of fmall whales,
known by the name of grampufles ; the
fword-fifli, and the fhark : it will not be
unacceptable to give a fliort account of each.
spouting
»f water.
B
Their
fiape.
Steifinefs,
The Grampusses,
Y the French are call'd Souffletirs., that
is, blowers, or fpouters, from their blow-
ing as it were fpouts of water out at their
noftrils when they rife upon the furface of
the fea, holding up their fnouts, as I have
feen thoufands of them together in a fhoal,
for three or four miles in circumference
either in the gulph of Guinea^ or to the
fouthward of the Line : which at a diftance
in calm fcorching weather look like huge
blocks fwimming on the ocean.
The Dutch call them Noord-Kapers^ and
they are commonly about thirty-five or forty
foot long, and fometimes longer being of
the fpecies of whales, tho* fomewhat longer,
and not fo thick in proportion, as near as I
could difcern at a very fmall diftance for
they would fometimes come within piftol-
fliot of our fhips, in the open fea.
They are very fwift in their motions, and
it is almoft incredible how nimble they ap-
pear, confidering their prodigious lepgth
and bulk •, and tho' we often fhot at them
with muskets, and certainly hit fome, we
could not perceive they were fo wounded as
to ftand ftill.
Thefe creatures, in fine weather, when
the fifhermen are at the height of their
fport, about the coaft, come towards the
Ihore, and put all the fmaller fifh into fuch
a fright, that they all immediately fly out
to fea, and even the next day there is fcarce
one to be feen about the land, by which it
appears that thefe monfters devour them.
The SwoRD-FisH,
whenc r fo call'd, on account of a flat bone it
caWd. bears at the end of the fnout, about a
yard or an ell long, and a hand broad along
which there are about feventeen or nineteen
points, like teeth, as long as a man's fin-
ger, on each fide, for the moft part rugged,
and one more on the one fide than on the
other. I fhould think this might be as well
call'd the comb-fifli.
i.nemy to ^""om feven to ten foot long, and ex-
whales. traordinary thick in proportion •, and it is
generally affirm'd, that it drives away
the whales with the fword in the fnout
which I report not of my own knowledge,
Vo L. V.
Tright
fmall fijlj.
but the Greenland failors fay they have often Barbot,
feen inftances of the enmity between the v^v^
whale and the fword-fifh, obferving them
to fight and ftrike at one another fo fu-
rioufly, as to make the water fly about like
rain, fometimes the one and fometimes the
other getting the better ; but for the moft
part, they cannot ftay to fee the end of the
battel.
The Shark,
TDY the French call'd Requien, which iRnvenmsi
have drawn by the life in the cut in the
fupplement, is an extraordinary ravenous
creature, of a vaft fize, fome of them be-
ing twenty, and fome thirty foot long, very
large and thick, their head broad and flatj,
and the fnout fharp-pointed. If a man hap-
pens to fall over-board, and thefe monfters
are at hand, they foon make him their prey j
and I have often obferv'd, that when we
threw a dead flave into the fea, particularly
about the mouth of the bay of prince's
ifland, in the gulph of Guinea, one fhark
would bite ofi^ a leg, and another an arm,
whilft others funk down with the body 5 .
and all this was done in lefs than two mi-
nutes j they dividing the whole corps among
them fo nicely, that the leaft particle of it
was not to be feen^ not even of the bowels.
On the other hand, it is pleafant enough Fight ok$
to obferve what ftrange motions there zre^nother, ^
among them upon fuch occafions : for if
one happens to come too late for his fliare
of a dead body thrown overboard, he is
ready to devour the reft, and feldom fails
to attack one or other of them with the
greateft violence, when rearing their heads
and half their bodies above the furface of
the Water, they give one another fuch ter-
rible blows, that they make the fea about
them foam.
Providence has foorder'dit, that this ra-,
venous creature has its mouth far behind
the fnout, and low ; fo that it is obliged to
turn on its back to bite at any thing : and
were it not for this, the creature would be
much more dreadful. ,
It is fo well known to moft failors, and Defirip-
has been fo often defcribed by other tra-^w«o/z«.
vellers, that it will be needlefs to give a
larger account •, befides that, the figure of
it exadly drawn, as I have faid above, will
give full fatisfaftion : but for the informa-
tion of thofe who have never feen any, I
cannot but add, that its eyes, tho' very
fmall in proportion to the body, and round,,
look like a bright flaming fire. The jaw-
bones or chops are fo wonderfully framed or
join'd together, that when occafion requires
to prey on fomething that is very large, they
can open a mouth of a prodigious width and
bignefs, within which are three rows, above
and below, of very fliarp and ftrong teeth?
which at once cut off a man's arm, leg,
/ • M m m head.
ii6
A Defcription of the
Book III
Barbot.
Brings
forth
young.
Multi-
tttdes of
them.
Siin and
sdour.
fUotfifh.
Taking of
fmrks.
head, or any other part of the body. It
has been obferv'd, that miffing the bait, it
will return three times, tho' before torn by
the hook and I have been told, that there
was found in the belly of one of them a
knife and fix pounds of bacon.
It does not fpawn like other fifh, nor lay
eggs as tortoifes do, but brings forth young
as the beafts do, having a matrix, and all
the reft like a fifh; as has alfo the feal-fifli,
which fomewhat refembling a fmall fliark,
has by fome been taken for another fort of
them •, but when well examin'd, as I have
done feveral times, it appears very different,
which may be feen in the cut in the fupple-
ment, reprefenting a feal-fifh, which the
French call Roujfette^ and whereof I fhall
fpeak more at large hereafter in the fupple-
ment.
To return to the fhark, there are every
where vatl multitudes of them between the
tropicks ; and more particularly on the
coaft of Guinea., or Arguin., on the coaft of
Genehoa, corruptly call'd Barbary, to the
northward of Senega, down to Angola., and
farther fouth, either out at fea or near the
Ihore, all along thofe coafts and they are
of all fizes, fome vaftly big, and others
fmall, according to their ages.
Their fkins are of a dark brown, almofl
over all the body, and whitifh juft under
the belly, having neither fcales nor fliells,
but a thick oily fat roughnefs like fhagreen
adorn'd with llreaks acrofs very orderly
down on each fide of the back. It fwims
incredibly fwift, and great multitudes of
them ufually follow our flave-fliips fome
hundred leagues at fea, as they fail out from
the gulph of Guinea; as if they knew we
were to throw fome dead corps over board
almoft every day. They are feldom feen
far out at fea, uniefs in a calm, following
fhips to catch whatfoever is thrown out.
They are commonly attended by a fort
of little fifhes, about as big as pilchards,
but fomewhat rounder fliaped, fwimming
before them, without ever being hurt by
thofe ravenous monfters, which through a
particular inftindt never devour them, as
they do all other fifhes they can mafter.
Thefe fmall ones are call'd PHot-FiJhes, from
their fwimming before the others ; and it is
obferv'd, that very often, when a fhark is
taken with a hook, and drawn aboard a
iliip, Pilot -Fijh cYxngs, to his back, and
is taken with him: and I have heard that
fome fharks have been taken with the Re-
mora fifh fticking to them.
Thofe days we threw no dead bodies over
board, and when the weather was moderate,
we diverted ourfelves with catching of
lliarks, with long thick iron hooks, faft-
ned to an iron chain, having a large piece
of bacon, or ftinking meat, for a bait
which way we foon caught fome : but in
haling them aboard with a rope, or tackle,
were always fain to keep clear, becaufe be-
fide the danger of their fharp teeth, they
ftrike with the tail ; which is fo prodigious
ftrong, that fhould it hit a man, it would
not fail to break an arm or a leg, if not
worfe.
No creature is harder to kill for when Bramgood
cut in pieces, they will all move. They/**"'^'^^"-
have a fort of marrow in the head, which
hardens in the fun, and being powder'd and
taken in white wine, is very good for the
cholick.
Notwithftanding thefe creatures are fo
ravenous, as has been faid, they are not fofjf.XTie
in the fime degree on the Gold Coaft as elfe- Gold
where ; tho' abundance of them fwarm a- Coaft.
long that fhore, and are frequently taken :
which may be attributed to the vaft quan-
tity of fifh it always finds thereabouts, to
fatiate its greedy appetite. In confirmation
of which opinion it is obferved, that at Fida
and Ardra, where there is much fcarcity of
fifh on the coaft, the fharks are more rave-
nous after any dead corps, or other flefh that
is thrown over board.
The flefh of a large fliark is commonly i^r^e, ntp
tough, and therefore not much liked hyS"'^
Europeans ; but the Blacks in general eat it
as a dainty, after it has lain rotting and
ftinking eight or ten days, according to
their cuftom and a great trade of it is
driven into the inland country.
The fmaller fharks, of about fix or eight T>&« fmall,
foot long, are the beft to eat, boil'd, and^^^^^''-
prefs'd, and then ftew'd with vinegar and
pepper •, which way many European feamen
eat it, when they are in want.
To conclude this difcourfe concerning
fifh, I fhall mention three other forts. The
firft is , ,
The PoR POISE,
F which there are fwarms in this Guinea
ocean, and they often appear near the
fhore. This fifh is univerfvlly lb well known,
that I fliall not fpend much time upon it,
having given the figure of it in the cut. Plate 19.
The French call it Marfouin. It is won- shoals of
derful to fee how fwift they are, and what^^^"*-
valt flioals there are of them in the gulph
of Guinea, playing about in a brisk gale of
wind, and skipping about a fhip that has a
good run. We one day there ftruck five
of them with our harping-irons, and had
leifure enough to view them exaftly.
They were about five footlong, and very j^^?
flefhy, or rather all fat, except the head,?neen.
which is tolerable good meat, being firft
well faked fome days, then boil'd and well
feafon'd, yet it is afterwards uneafy upon
the ftomach, being too fat and oily. The
flefh of their bodies was cut into flices, and
after it had lain feveral days in a ftrong
brine.
O
Chap. 17- Co^y?/ o/South-Guinea,
227
brine, or pickle, our men hung it up for a
time, expos'd to the heat of the fun, and
then eat it ; but it was ftill naufeous, the
fat being ill-tafted. The ribs and entrails
are like thofe of a hog, bating that they
have two ftomachs, the one at the end of
the oefophage, the other clinging to one
fide, almoft as large as the firft ; and this
laft has a little opening, which is the com-
munication between them both. It is full
of little cells, like thofe in the wax, before
the honey is taken from it. The duodenum
has its rife in the laft.
Hot blood. Thofe fifties, when firft laid upon the
deck, made a fort of groaning till they
expired. Their blood is as hot as that
which comes from any beaft, and there is a
good quantity of it which is contrary to
the nature of other fifties. We took both
males and females, each fex having its di-
ftinfl parts of generation ; and they engen-
der by copulation.
sha^e. The skin is ail over like a whale's, of a
pitchy colour, and the body round and
plump. The fnout is pretty long, and in
the mouth are rows of very fmall fliarp teeth,
looking at a diftance like a faw. This fifti
will not meddle with a man.
'The Re mora,
T S reprefented in the cut in the fupplement,
of which the antients have writ, that it will
ftop a ftiip under fail. I fhall only fpeak of its
head •, the upper part of it is quite flat, with
twelve fmall cuts or dents reaching from one
end of it to the other, by means whereof it
cleaves faft to any piece of timber or ftone,
as the lampreys do fo that the whole body
hangs down : and hence perhaps proceeded
Abfurdno-^^^'- ^bfurd opinion fome men in former ages
tioa of it. conceiv'd, that it could ftop a ftiip under
fail fome part whereof might be pofllble,
if a floop or fmaller veflel had a thoufind or
more fticking to its fides and ftern, they be-
ing commonly, at full growth, about three
foot long or better, for then they might
confiderably retard the failing of fuch avef-
fel but it is ridiculous to fay they can have
any power over great fliips under fail, as is Barbot.
pretended. V^VSI
I obferv'd for feveral days, both in the
gulph of Guinea, and about the line, that
we were foUow'd by great numbers of thefe
fifties, and they appear'd very greedy of
men's excrements, which they were conti-
nually gaping after as they fell to the water ;
and therefore the flave ftiips are well attended
by them in thofe parts.
They are neverthelefs tolerable goodCopula-
meat, when well dreft and feafon'd. The"""-
under chop is fomewhat longer than the up-
per -J and I believe they engender by copu-
lation, as feveral other forts of fifti do, par-
ticularly whales, ftiarks, porpoifes, and fea-
dogs.
The French call this fifti Sujfet, or Re- Names,
mora, or Arrete-nef; EngUJh, t\it Sea-
Lamprey.
7he Flying Fish,
T S the third of the three laft I promis'd to
mention, there being fuch plenty in thofe
feas, that I fliall have occafion to fpeak
of it hereafter ; and, for the prefent, fliall ^^^^^^^
only obferve, that there are feveral forts o{ ^J^^
it, and refer you to the two figures of the Plate i^l
fineft I met with in my travels, as exadlly
reprefented in the cut.
They are both excellent meat, efpeciallyG(Jo o V E and Esteem of Gold.
Blacks/.r-y si^^^yj^ noc proceed to fpeak of the pro-
Imditmt. per gold weights, but mult hrlt ob-
ferve as to the gold itfelf, that the Blacks
in former times, as appears by the accounts
of the moft rational perfons among them,
had nothing near fo great a value for it as
they have now. The greedinefs the For-
tuguefe fhowed for it, whilft they were the
fole traders on that coaft, for above an
hundred years together, as I have before
obferved ; and the fame eagernefs for it
in the other Europeans, who have fince
expelled them, by degrees brought the
natives to have more efteem for it : and
this incrcafing from one generation to an-
other fucceflivcly, they have now fo great
an opinion of its worth, that their
whole ftudy in all places' on the coaft, is
either to feck for it in the bowels of the
earth, or in rivers, or to purchafe it by
trading, with all the induftry and applica-
tion imaginable •, and many of them are
thus by their labour and craftinefs grown
rich, v/hich has fo raifed their minds and
thoughts, as is too common to the gene-
rality of mankind, that it may be well
faid of them, they are grown proud and
haughty to excefs, in comparifon of their
former fimplicity and meeknefs.
Good an- ': Talking to this purpofe with fome Blacks,
fwer flf and reproachins: them for their pride and
* defire of growing rich in gold, and for
undervaluing our goods as they did, as
fcarce bidding the firft coft, without con-
fidering the ha2ards and expences we were
at in bringing them from fuch remote
parts ol the world ; they very pertinently
anfwered. That confidering the great
eagernefs the Europeans had always fhown
in fetching gold from thofe parts of the
world, rhey were apt to believe it was
their principal deity, and that our country
muft be very poor, fince we left it, ex-
pofing ourfelves to fo many perils and fa-
tigues to fetch it from among them, at fo
great a diftance,
GoldWeights.
'T^ H E proper weights ufed there for
gold, in trading with the Blacks, or
among Europeans, are either pounds,
marks, ounces, or angels, fixteen of thefe
to _ an ounce •, but the Blacks do not
weigh their gold by pounds, or marks,
but commonly by the Benda, which is two
ounces, and thus they weigh one, two, or
more Bendas fucceffively, four Bendas being
a mark each of them, as has been faid,
Seveml ^^^o ounces troy weight Affa is an ounce,
font. and Eggeha half an ounce : fo thofe weights
are called by almoft all the Blacks of the
Cold Coaji,
The ounce troy weight is divided into Subdhl-
fixteen Angels, or Ak'jes, four of which make^""^-
a Pefo ; and an Angel or Akye is again
divided into twelve 'Taccoes. A Bamha is
two Taccoes, the Damba being a little red
berry, with black fpots. The Taccoes are
little peafe, black on the one fide, and
red on the other.
About Mina, i\\c Damla is reckoned a
two penny -weight, and twenty four of them
make cin Angel, or Aky. The Taccoe is four
penny weight there, being white beans with
black fpots, or all black. There are fome
of them that rife to ten penny weight,
and others to twenty ; but thofe large
beans are not looked upon as fure weights,
and only ufed at pleafure, or for fraud.
Again, in the language of the Blacks,
an AJfuwa is five Ackyes % a Sirow three
Ackyes ; an E?nfayo two Ackyes : a ^lentay
an Ackye and an half, or eighteen Taccoes ;
an Aquiraguer is one Ackye i a Medra-
tabha is fix Taccoes.
Weighing gold by the fmall weights short
the Blacks above mentioned in feveral par-
eels, to make up four Bendas, or a mark
troy weight, there will fall fhort almoft an
ounce of the due weight of a mark.
The inhabitant's of Acra, commonly
make ufe of two forts of weights for gold, tw forts
the one larger than the other, and yet each of mights.
of them proportionably divided, fo that
each contains fixteen Angels or Ackyes and
in trading they make their bargain to pay
in gold by the greater or leflier weight, and |
value the goods accordingly. J
There the greater Benda is two ounces p?-(,/,o^.
and eight Ackyes of the fmall weight, and tions.
that Benda they call Ta, which is worth in ij
gold about a hundred and twenty French '
livres. The half Benda is called OJfuar-
hian, which is twenty Ackyes, of the fmall )
weight. Ten Angels or Ackyes, are called
OJfuanon; ^vt Ackyes, OJJerou\ four Ac-
kyes, Exycklas ; three Ackyes, Sanna ; two
Ackyes, Jarnika ; and one Ackye, Metahbe, |
or Medralabba, j!
All the weights the Blacks ufe on the mights
coaft, among themfelves in trade, are ei- ^"w »'*«'^'
ther made of copper, or tin ; which they
caft in fand moulds, and file, which they
divide in a manner quite different from
ours but being reduced, they are brought
to agree exaftly with them. It is only up
the inland country, that they ufe great
weights of a yellow fort of wood.
I. O N G Measure.
H E meafure the Blacks have for
cloth, linen, or any wove fluffs is cal-
led Je5lam, being about nine foot long.
In fome parts of Guinea the JeElam is rec-
koned twelve foot, or two fathom, which
they cut in the middle, and fo they fell
their
Chap. i8. Coajls of South-Guinea.
^3^
their linen to one another. Thofe two fa-
thoms the Dutch, upon examination, make
their ^/or^and three quarters. In woollen
they meafure none but pieces about a hand-
ful broad, which they cut out fo, and ufe
them for girdles, to tie about them ; and
fell among themfelves, and have no other
meafure of that kind, calling it Paw, which
is three quarters of a yard EngliJIo.
The flaves are generally fet at fuch a
price, as are all European goods ; then they
compute fo much gold for a fl.ave, or fo
much gold for goods, and fo ballance ac-
counts. But of this I fliail fpeak in another
place, as alfo of their way of reckoning,
or counting •, for there is not one that can
write or read, not even their very prieils.
European Fraud.
^ming T Shall conclude this long difcourfe of gold,
with an obfervation I often made there;
which is, that many £?/ro^^'^???;,who fo loudly
exclaim againft the periidioufnefs, and de-
ceitful nature of the Blacks, in offering falfe
Cheat,
we,
gold in trade, never confider, that on theBARBor.
other hand they are themfelves guilty of a
notorious cheat and fraud, in ufing two forts
of weights there, the heavier to receive
gold by, and the lighter to pay it av/ay
again ; which is frequently praftifed by too
many, and is a great difiionour to chri-
ftianity, being contrary to the golden rule.
To do as we would he done h'j. Such bafe
dealing rather ferves to confirm thofe pagans
in their ill principles, inflead of endeavour-
ing to convert them. But felf-interefl and
covetoufnefs, which is called the root of
all evil, are vices too common to all the
corrupt race of mankind, either chriflians or
pagans. But chriflians ought to remember
the words of St. Paul, to the Roman chri-
ftians in his days, on the like occafion :
chap. ii. V. 24. That for their evil praElices
the narne of God is hlafphemed among the
Gentiles. And tha.t double weights and double
meafures are an ahominalion to God. Levit.
xix. 36. and Prov. xi. i.
Good di-
gefiion.
CHAP. XVIII.
Stature, features., &c. of the^\2.ck men their nature and qualities, their habit.
Black women, their features, &c. their habit. Marriages^ births, education^
namesj circumcifion ; punifhment of adultery up the inland county.
Stature, FEATURES,{5'f.(?/BLAcKMEN.
TH E Blacks, in this part of Guinea,
are generally well limb'd and propor-
tioned, being neither of the higheft nor of the
loweft fize and ilature ; they have good
oval faces, fparkling eyes, fmall ears, and
their eyebrows lofty and thick. Their
mouths not too large curious clean, white
and well-ranged teeth, frefh red lips, not fo
thick and hanging down as thofe of Angola,
nor their nofes fo broad. For the moil part
they have long curled hair, fometimes reach-
ing down to their fhoulders, and not fo very
coarfe as theirs at Angola \ and very little
beards before they are thirty years of age.
The elderly men wear their beards pretty
long. They are commonly broad-fhoulder'd,
and have large arms, thick hands, long
fingers, as are their nails, and hooked, fmall
bellies, long legs, broad large feet, with
long toes ; ftrong waifts, and very little hair
about their bodies. Their fkin, tho' but
indifferent black, is always fleek and fmooth.
Their ftomach is naturally hot, capable of
digeiling the hardefb meat, and even the
raw entrails of fowls, which many of them
will eat very greedily. They take parti-
cular care to wafli their whole bodies morn-
ing and evening ; and anoint them all over
with palm-oil, which they reckon wholefome,
and that it preferves them from vermin,
which they are naturally apt to breed.
Breaking of wind either upwards or down-
wards, is very loathfome to them. In fhort,
they are for the mofl part well-fet, hand-
fome men in outward appearance but in-
wardly very vicious.
Their Nature and Qualities.
A S for their natural parts, they are for^^^^^ and
^ the mofl part, men of fenfe and witi«^f«io«i.
enough ; of a fharp ready apprehenfion, and
an excellent memory, beyond what is eafy
to imagine ; for, though they can neither
read nor write, they are always regular in
the greatefl hurry of bufinefs, and trade,
and feldom in confufion. On the other
hand, they are extremely flothful and idle,
to fuch a degree, that nothing but the ut-
mofl necefTity can prevail with them to
take pains •, very little concerned in mil-
fortunes, fo that it is hard to perceive any
change in them either in profperity or ad-
verfity, which among Europeans is reckoned
magnanimity, but among them fome will
have it to pafs for ftupidity.
To inflance in this particular, when they infenfbleof
have obtained a viflory over their enemies, adverfny.
they return home dancing and fl■>'••■/^V'^■ ') \
■m.
Chap. i8. Coajls of Sou rn-Guiiin a.
237
Hatj. Many of the Blacks wear our hats, which
they will buy at great rates, tho' very
coarfe ; or elfe hats made of rufhes, or of
goats, or dog's fkins, which they make
upon wooden blocks, the fkins being firft
well moiftned, and afterwards dried in the
fun : adorning all thefe feveral forts of hats
and caps, with fome fmall goat's horns,
gold toys, and little ftrings of the bark of
their confecrated tree, and fome add mon-
key's tails to all the reft.
Qther or- They adorn their necks, arms, legs, and
mmems. waifts, with ftrings of the fineft forts of
Venice bugles, intermixt with gold, and
the above-mentioned forts of corals. I have
feen fome of them who wore whole bunches
of bugles hanging at their necks, athwart
after the manner of fcarves, intermixt with
abundance of their gold toys, and fome
ftrings of the aforefaid confecrated tree, or
chains of gold, with coral amongft it, fome
of which ftand them in above a hundred
pounds ftcrling. Thofe are only worn by
perfons of great note, as are golden brace-
lets, collars, necklaces, and large rings
for the arms and legs : all which ornaments
feem to have been ufed by eminent perfons
in ancient times, as we find in many places
of facred hiftory as for inftance,in Ge^i.xxw.
22. Ezech.xvi. II. Ifaiah \\\, from v. 18,
to 2 2 . Juditbx. 3, (^c. And the Hebrew
hiftorian, Jofiphus^ fpeaks of the like orna-
ments, in feveral places of his hiftory of
the Jews', as for inftance, lib. 6. capS^.
the young Amalekite, after he had killed
king SanU by his own command, took from
him his golden bracelets, and his diadem.
They alfo wear large ivory, gold or filver
collars, and rings on their arms, and take
great pride in them \ and the latter they
call Manillas, fome having three or four of
thofe ivory rings, one above another, on
an arm : and they are very artificially made
by them of elephant's teethi, generally car-
ried thither from the Sluaqua coaft, befides
what they have from the inland country.
The women wear moft of the fame orna-
ments ; all which you will find reprefented
Plate II. in the cut, having drawn them myfelf for
the fatisfaflion of the curious.
Curmms. The common habit of the men confifts
of three or four ells, either of fittin, cloth,
perpetuanas, fayes, India chints, or other
fort of ftuft' which without any help of
taylors they throw about their body, roll
it up in a fmall compafs, and make it faft,
fo that it hangs from the navel downwards,
covering all the legs half way. This fort
of wrapper feems to have fome affinity with
the thirty fheets, and thirty changes of
garments, which Sampfon offer'd to give the
Philifiines of 1'imnalb, if they could expound
Vol. V.
the riddle he propofed to them, Judg. xiv. 12. Batbot.
Thofe fheets might probably be made
there in the nature of a cloak, fo that one
end could cover the fhoulders, and the other • '
go acrofs Under the arms, hanging down-
wards whence they were alfo called change
of garments, becaufe they were ready to
throw off when they came homcj and to
put on again when they went abroad, as
we do with our cloaks : and it feems the
mentioning of the thirty changes of gar-
ments was only mentioned to explain the
thirty fheets.
The batchelors^ called Manceros^ do not
drefs themfelves pompoufly.
The Caboceros, or prime Blacks, fromofthi
cape Ferde, and on the ^aqua coaft, wearf"'"*'^*"''
only a fine clout about their waift, a cap
made of fine deer's skin on their heads,
and a ifaff in their hands, with a ftring of
coral about their necks by this their habit
looking rather like poor than rich men :
but I know not for what reafon^ they being
as haughty as any other men in office.
The drefs of the common fore, as fiflier- ootwos
men, canoe-men, fellers of wine, and other/orr.
handicrafts, is alfo various but very or-
dinary and poori fome of them wearing
an ell or two of coarfe ftuff, or their own
country cloth others only a fort of wrapper
drawn through between their thighs, to
hide the immodeft parts. The fifhermen
commonly wear a cap, or bonnet, made of
ruflies, or deer-fkins ; and fometimes an old
rufty hat, fuch as they can get from the
fea-men, for fifh, or other eatables. The
hat is of good ufe either in the hot fcorching,
or in cold and rainy weather.
Others wear finer ftuffsj as fayes, perpe-
tuanasj or ^mqua cloths, made faft about '
their waifts, and drawn through between " '
their legs •, fo that the two ends hang down
before and behind, fome to their knees, and
fome to their feet. This fort of habit is
common to moft men, of what condition
foever, when they are at home, or upon a
journey : but when rich perfons go about
the town, or a vifiting, they put on their p-jy;^;^^,
beft apparel, as has been mentioned above ;
or wrap about their necks and flioulders, -
two, three, or four ells of fayes, perpetu-
anas, or richer ftuffs, as fattin, chints, i^c.
one end pafTing under their arms, like a
cloak, holding a long rod, or javelin in
one hand, with a grave mien, and follow'd
by a flave, carrying a little low wooden
ftool, as I faid above. When returned ..^ .: .1':
home, they undrefs again, and lay up their
fine clothes in deal chefts, which they buy
of the Europeans for that purpofe.
The flaves are generally poorly habited^ ^^^^^.^^
and always bare-headed.
Ppp
13 Black
238
.A
A Defcription of the
Book III
Barbot.
t/'V^ Black Women, their Features, Csfc
TT H E Black women, I alio obferved to
^ be {Irait, and of a moderate ftature,
pretty plump, having fmall round heads,
fparkling eyes, for the moll part, high
nofes, fomewhat hooked, long curling hair,
Iktk mouths, very fine well-fet white teeth,
full necks, and handfome breafts. They are
very fharp and witty very talkative, and
Vices. by Europeans reprefented as extraordinary
lafcivious, very covetous, addifted to fteal,
and proud to a high degree which is in-
ferred from their coftly drefs, as if women
in any part of the world, did not clothe
themfelves according to their ability.
Mmjeto'ifry. It is Certain they are very great houfe-
wives at home, where they take all the
pains of drelTing the corn and meat, and
breeding up their young daughters to it
betimes ; very fond and tender of their
children, frugal in their diet, tight and
cleanly, and nice in wafhing themfelves all
over in the fea, or rivers.
^he'ir Habit.
He^J-i/r^/i.nn HE common drefs of women of qua-
^ lity is much richer than that of the
men •, they plat their hair very artificially,
after it is moiftned with palm-oil and dye ;
adorning it with their coral, and ivory rings,
and gold toys, as alfo bugles and red fhells
all which is done with great ingenuity, and
to the beft advantage, as appears by the
Plate ii. figures in the cut.
They daub their foreheads, eyebrows and
cheeks, withfome white and red paint mixt,
often making fmall incifions on each fide
of their faces, and fometimes imprinting
Figures ?« figures of flowers, on their faces, fhoulders,
the skirt, ^rms, breafts, bellies and thighs, with fuch
art, that at a diilance it looks as if their
bodies were carved for thole figures rife
above the reft; of the fkin, like a half-re-
lief, which I have obferved in the wo-
men of Sejlro, and fome men adorn their
faces and arms in the fame manner, it being
all done with hot irons.
Strings of About their necks they wear gold chains,
gold, 6cc. firings of coral of feveral forts, befides ten
or twelve other firings of gold, or coral,
which adorn their arms, waift, and legs,
fo thick, efpecially about their waift, that
had they no other clothes or girdles about
it, they would fufiice to cover what modefly
ought to conceal.
Clothings The lower part of the body is clothed
with a fine long cloth, very often two or
three times as long and broad as that of the
men. This long cloth they wrap about
, their waift:, binding it on with a flip of
red cloth, or other fluff, about half an ell
broad, and two ells long, to make it fit
clofe to the body ; both ends of that gird-
ing (lip hanging down over the petticoat
cloth, which, when worn by women of
high rank, is enriched with gold and filver
laces.
The upper part of their body they CQvtr VtUs
with a veil of filk, or other fine itufF, or
callicoe j for which uie the green and blue
colours are mofl: in requefb. Their arms
are adorned with gold, filver, and ivory-
rings, or bracelets ; as alfo with ribbands,
when they go a vificing, or feafting •, and
thus they go about the town or roads^
with much flate and gravity, Thefe forts
of ornaments feem to me to have much af-
finity with thofe of the IfraelitiJJj women »■
mentioned by the prophet Ezekkly chap. xvi.
V. lo, to 14. and to the fame may be re-
ferr'd what is faid in Judges viii. 26. of the
ear-rings of gold, the ornaments, collars,
&c. that were plundered by GnycO/z's army,
of the kings of Midian., &c. which were all
of gold : for the Midianites were mofl:ly
Arabs, and foUow'd their fifhions and it
feems they were of the pofterity of Ahrabam,
&nd owned I/b?nael, his fon, by Hagar, for
the head of their nation, or tribe ; agreeing
in manners and fifhions with the Hagare-
nians., or IJImaelites., who adorned themfelves
with rings, collars, and jewels, vid. Gen. xxv,
13. and xxxvii. 25.
At a feaft the Dani/h agent made at Acra^
to entertain, and ftiew me the pomp of the
Black ladies, I faw feveral of them richly
adorned, and could not but own they were
very ingenious in dreffing themfelves, in
fuch manner as might prove fufficiently
tempting to many leud •, who notrWo/Eu-
regarding complexions, fay, all cats are grcj ropeans.
in the dark. And indeed there were feveral
genteel perfons of that fex, not only curious
and rich in their drefs, but extraordinary
good-humour'd,merry and diverting •, which
did much attrad: the eyes, not to mention
many lafcivious looks and geftures, at which
they are very dexterous, and fpare no pains
or art to allure an European gentleman,
thinking it an honour to be in their com-
pany, either in publick or private.
Some of thofe women wrap the aforefaid
long pieces of fluffs about their bodies,
clofe under their breafts, and fo let them
hang down half way their legs, and lower ;
about the back part of their waift, place a
thick wreath of cloth, fayes or pcrpetuana,
inflread of a girdle, to the one fide whereof
hangs a purfe full of Krakra, which is ihtxv^rnmemu
gold money, and to the other fide, a long
firing with many keys •, which is done even
by the daughters of kings, thofe being a
part of their ornaments, tho' they have not
above one or two trunks at home to lay
up their wearing apparel. Some alfo add
to the purfe or keys feveral ft:rings of the
facred tree.
Chap. i8. Coajis of Sou'Th-Guinea*
Jtieaner
fort.
jillvomen As foon as ever rhofe Black ladies return
home, they take off all their rich apparel,
which they lay up in their trunks, and in-
ftead oi it wrap about them a country
cloth, reaching only from the waift to the
knees, that they may be the lefs encum-
bered to attend th-eir work, or houfewifry,
as the meaneft flAves might do: for there
the women of the greateft quality muft fet
their hands to the work of the houfe, even
to the meaneft drudgery, without any re-
gard to quality •, the only exception being,
that thofe who are rich, exempt two of their
wives, the chief wife and the fecond, called
BoJJiwi, who is confecrated to their deities,
and thofe two are free from work, and as it
were houfekeepers, commanding over all
the reft, of which more hereafter. Thus
it appears, thofe females are not fo lazy
and haughty as feme would reprelent
them.
The meaner forr of women, wear a veil
or mantle, made of four or five ells of Ley-
den ferge, to keep them from the cold and
rain; adorning their arms and legs, with
tin, copper, and ivory rings, and fome of
iron, of which fort they alfo wear many
on their fingers-, and when they go to
market, they walk very gravely, holding
up their arm with a pewter bafon, or
wooden platter, on the palm of their hand.
In Ihort, there are many other drefifes ufed
among the women, which would be too
tedious to recite in particular.
Boyt emi '^^^ youngeft people of both fexes, a-
girlsnci- bout the coaft, are feldom cloathed till
ked, eight or ten years of age, but go ftark
naked, playing, bathing, and fwimming to-
gether, without any diftinftion, in the fea
and rivers, as fhall be again taken notice of
hereafter.
The women on the coaft are more lafci-
vious than thofe of the inland countries,
which is attributed to their frequent com-
merce with Europeans., who commonly
keep many of them; and their example has
fuch an influence over the young girls, that
they are foon brought to comply ; cfpecial-
ly fuch as are puj: to dancing-fchools, where
they are taught many indecent poftures.
Thus we fee the Europeans are the occafion
of that leudnefs they feem to find fault
with, and it is no wonder that dancing-
fchools fhould make women unchafte there,
fince we fee them to produce the fame
effedl in England.
Few women there have above five or fix
children, which thofe, who find fault with
all things abroad, afcribe to their lafciviouf-
nefs; tho' it is not very common in Europe
to have above that number, and it may ra-
ther be imputed to the mens having fo
many wives. ■ - . ' .
^39
Barbot.
ii-: /: Marriages, ' l/VV
ARE there concluded without the ^rt- No court-
vious formalities of courtfliip, difputes^^^^^^/^^*
about fettlements, or nicety about the dif-' ^"'^
parity of perfons-, the higheft quality mar-
rying their own flaves, or other inferiors,
according as they fancy, in which there is
no oppofition, or difgrace. The methods
are feveral, whereof I fliall mention two
or three.
Firft, When a Black fettles his mcVma- Firjl wAy
tion on a young woman, to marry her, he*/"?"
applies himfelf to her father, mother, or^'^"^^'"'^'
neareft relations; and is very feldom refufed
by them, if the maiden is willing to com-
ply. Then he takes her home with him,
if marriageable, or leaves her for a time
with her parents, if too young, tho' this
laft is not always done. The bridegroom,
according to his ability, defrays the expence
of the wedding-day •, being a fmall prefent
of gold to the fiither and mother, or neareft
relations of the bride, and wine, brandy,
and a flieep to treat them, as alfo new
clothes for the bride •, of all which he keeps
an exaifl account, that he may demand it
again; and it muft be made good to him, in
cafe flie ever takes fuch a diflike as to leave
him, or he can fhow fufficient reafon for leav-
ing of her.
There is no very great feafting on the No portmi
wedding-day, but the bride is dreflcd very
fine, and fet ofi^ with gold and other orna-
ments, either bought by the bridegroom,
or borrowed, as is frequently done upon fuch
occafions : for the bride brings no other for-
tune but her perfon, nor does the man re-
quire much. At night flie is conduced to
the bridegroom's houfe, attended by a young
wom.an of her familiar acquaintance, who
ftays there a whole week, to bear her com-
pany, and by degrees to make her new con-
dition agreeable.
The fecond method is, when a man dt- Second roay
figns to marry his fon, he pitches upon fuch "A"''"''"^'
a young vv'oman as he thinks moft accepta-^"^'
ble to him; and having obtained the con-
fent of her parents, they, if rich, pay hef
portion, commonly amounting to about
thirty pounds fterling in gold, with one
flave, to attend on her, when married 5
the kings feldom allowing their daughters a
greater fortune.
On the wedding-day, the parents on both
fides meet, and caufe the bride to fwear flie
will always be very fubmifCve and obedient
to her husband, and never wrong him with
any other man. The bridegroom is alfo
obliged to promife, that he will take fpe-
cial care of, and ufe her kindly, till
death, unlefs ftie ftiould give him juft
grounds to be divorced. The reft is much
as above.
The
240
A Defer ipt ion of the
Book III.
Barbot. The third method; in my time, -xtAcra a
Black of about forty years of age, married
The thinl. ^ gj^j eight, at moft. On the wedding-
day, all the kindred, on both fides, met at
the bride's flither's houfe, and had a great
feaft, with much rejoicing, abundance of
their mufick, and no lefs dancing. When
that was over, the young bride was again a-
dorned with more gold toys and firings of
coral, about her head, necic, arms, and
legs and then the bridegroom made the
declaration as above, in the prefence of
their pritft. After which, the bride was
: carried to his houfe, and bedded between
two women, in the bed where he lay ; and
this to prevent his offering to meddle with
her, by reafon of her tender years. This
was repeated three nights fucceflively, after
which the man lent her back to her fiither's
houfe, to be kept there till Ihe was of age
to confummate the marriage.
I was informed, that when that time
came, all the young women of the place,
in their richefl: apparel, would accompany
the bride to her husband's houfe, Hie being
as coftly drelled as pofTible ; and then each
of thofe attendants, tho' they were fifty in
number, was to be prefented by the bride-
groom with the value of half an Jchje in
gold, which, as has been faid above, is the
fixteenth part of an ounce. Then they
were all to dance moft part of the night a-
bout the hodfe of the new-married couple.
The fourth. The fourth: At Manfrou they commonly
marry people thus; when a Black thinks his
fon marriageable, he picks out the young
maid he thinks propereft in the village, and
fends his fon to court her. If the damfel
admits of his addrefifes, for there the women
are left at their own difpofal in this point,
the Manceroe-, or young man, acquaints his
father, who applies himfelf to her parents,
in behalf of his fon. If they approve of the
match, the wedding-day is appointed ; and
then the bride, in the prefence of the prieft,
is made to fwear on the toys given them by
the fxid prieft, as their nuptial gods, that
fhe will be loving and faithful to her huf-
barid, as long as fhe lives : and the bride-
groom on his part fwears, he will love and
maintain her all the days of his life, ^^c.
This being done, the parents on both fides
prefent one another, according to their con-
dition ; and the remaining part of the day
is fpent in feafting, dancing, and fuch
drinking, that many of the company re-
turn home drunk.
There are feveral other cuftoms and for-
malities obferved among the Blacks on the
coaft, in their marriages, which differ in
feme particulars, according to the countries
and places ; but are much the fame in the
main, as what has been mentioned, for which
reafon I jhijik w hat is faid may fufficeo
The marriages of the Ifraelites were not Marriaget
attended with any religious ceremonies that j'^J'''*^'-
I know of, except the prayers of the father
of the fimily and the company prefent, to
implore a blefTing on the woman. Such
were the marriages of Rebecca with Ifaac^
of Rulb with Boaz, of Sara with Tobias,
I do not find that any offerings or facri-
fices were made, that any went to the tem-
ple, or that the priefls were called to them.
All the bufinefs was tranfafted between
the parents and friends ; fo that it looked
but like a civil contract, attended with fe-
veral days of feafting.
Kings and prime men there n-yafry their
daughters, without the leaft regard to high
birth or quality, all perfons being at liberty
to do therein as they think fit 5 and thofe
women having abfolute liberty in their
choice, will not fcruple or be afhamed to
marry a flave, as frequently happens; as it
does, on the other hand, to fee a king's fon
marry a woman flave: the only difference
being, that the children a king's daughter
has in wedlock by a flave are free, whereas
thofe a king^s fon has by a female flave, are
reputed flaves, becaule the children muft
follow the mother.
Married people in thefe parts have no QgoJs not
community of goods, but each their own mcommK,
property ; the man and his wives agree the
matter together, both bearing the charges
of houfekeeping ; but the clothing of the
whole family is at the man's expence.
Every man there marries as many wives Volysamy,
as he can keep, fefdom exceeding the num-
ber of twenty, and when any one takes fo
many, it is to appear very great ; the more
wives and children a man has among thcBlacks^
the greater is his reputation, and the refpedl
paid him : but the moft common, is to have
from three to ten wives, befides concubines,
whom they often prefer before their wives ;
but their children are counted illegitimate,
and not reckoned among the relations,
Moft of thofe women fb married to one mmen
man, muft till the ground, fow hdian^"^'""''
wheat, or millet, plant yams, or work fome
other way for their husbands, and each of
them is lure to do her beft to pleafe him,
and gain his affection in a more particular
manner, that fhe may be by him preferred
above the reft, and have the mofl of his
company ; which altogether depends on the
man's pleafure, tho' the common method
is to oblige every wife in her turn, that
there may be no controverfy. If fhewhofe turn
it is happens to be a favourite, fhe lies
with her husband all the night ; if not, when
her turn is over, flie muft withdraw, whe-
ther fhe will or no.
Thus there are rich merchants, and of- MuhituJ^
ficers of towns, who have twenty, or thirty ofwh-es.
wives, according to their circumftances ;
but
Chap. i8. Coafls of South-Guinea.
children
eoveteJ.
but the kings and great governours, take
fome eighty. Tome an hundred and more,
with as many concubines or flaves to wait
on them.
Each wife Each of thefe wives has her particular huti
livetapart. 2idjoin.mg to the husband's hoafe, where fhe
lives, lying on a mat of rufhes, with a
piece of wood for her boulder ; and thither
the man repairs, to lie with them in their
turns •, or if it happens that his inclination
leads him to be more frequent in his vifits
of love to one than to the reft, he muft be
cautious that they do not know it, to avoid
the trouble and difcord that would enfue if
they knew it.
The Hebrews coveted to have many chil-
dren, becaufe in their country thofe were
accounted fortunate and happy, who had a
numerous iffue, as in Prov, xxvii. 6. Chil-
dren's children are the crown of eld mm.
The pagans had the fame notion, and the
poets talk much of Priam % fifry children ;
the Gr^'f/^i being very fond of truicful wo-
men, and barrennels being fo ill looked on,
that even maids v/ere accounted unhappy
for dying before they were married. The
daughter of Jephtha bemoaned her unhap-
pinefs in that particular. Therefore it was
that (ht Hebrews took fo many wives, look-
ing upon it as great and honourable. It is
not to be admired that God tolerated poly-
gamy, which was in ufe even before the flood,
tho' contrary to thefirft inftitution of ma-
trimony, which was firft inftituted in para-
dife, before concupifcence was known, and
ever fmce has been honoured, and highly
favoured •, but during thofe intervals when
grace was fupprelTed, and fin prevailed, it
was God's goodnefs to allow a greater indul-
gence, and polygamy was permitted after
the fime manner as divorce, concerning
which Jesus Christ, Matth. xix. 8.
tells the Jews, Mofes fuffered them to pit a-
way their wives., becaufe of the hardnefs of
their hearts ; but from the beginning it was
not fo.
Befides the wives, it was alfo permitted
to have concubines, which were commonly
flaves. The difference between them and
the lawful wives was, that the children of
the latter were to inherit-, fo that the name
of concubinage did not fignify living in
leudnefs, as with us, but was only a lefs
folemn marriage.
However, this liberty rather made the
yoke of matrimony heavier than eafier ; for
a married man could not divide his affec-
tion fo equally among all thofe women, as
to pleafe them all, and was therefore ob-
liged to govern them with an abfolute
power, as they ftill do in the Levant, and
thus in matrimony there was no equality,
true friendfhip or fociety. It was ftill more
difficult for the rivals to agree amons
VOL.V.
Volygamy
inconve-
nient.
themfelves, but there were prepetually di- BAR 'oT,
vifions, animofities, and domeftick broils >^r^
among them. Every woman's children had
as many ftep-mothers as his father had o-
ther wives : every one fided with his own
mother ; and looked upon the children of
the others as ftrangers and enemies. We have
an inftance of thefe domeftick jars in Da- , '
vid's family, and a greater in Herod's.
The rich Blacks, as I have hinted above. Two privi-
have two wives, who are exempted from^^l^*^
labour, the principal called Mother Grande,^^'""'
which is the Portuguefe name, not of the
language of the Blacks, which fignifies the
great wife, who has the charge of govern-
ing the houfe and family. The fecond pri-
vileged wife is called Boffum, becaufe fhe
is confecrated to tlieir deity, which bears
that name. The husband is very jealous
of thofe two principal wives, but more ef-
pecially of the latter, and will be enraged
and almoft diftrafted, if any man kiffes lier;
and, could he do it privately, would punifli
her feverely for permitting it. As for his
other wives, he is nothing near fo much
concerned, tho' they do not live altogether
regularly, efpecially if it yields him any
profit or advantage.
The Boffum wives are commonly flaves, Privilege
purchafed on purpofe to be confecrated to"/'^^
their deity, and for the moft part of an ^.fi""^-
greeahle face and mien and with them
they lie, either out of a religious notion, or
for the fake of their beauty, on certain
fixed days, as on their birth-day, or on the
day of the week, dedicated and fet apart
for their religious duties, which is 'Tuefday.
This preference makes the B^ffujns efteem
their condition above that of the other wo-
men ; who, as has been faid, muft till the
ground, few corn, plant yams, and do all
other work for their husbands, and have the
trouble of drefTing his meat; tho', as they
eat very poorly, that work is foon done.
The husband fpends moft of his time very
idly, either talking, or drinking of palm-
wine, which thofe women are forced very
often to get with hard labour, to fatisfy the
greedy appetite of thofe flothful drones ; I
mean many of them, for the wine-drawers
and fifhermen are laborious enough, the
firft in getting and fellmg their wine, the
others in fifhing, or hiring themfelves to the
faftors on the coaft, as occafion offers, to
row or paddle their canoes. Thefe, by their
own toil andinduftry, fave their wives much ■
labour at home.
The principal wife has the keeping of ihtofthe
husband's money, to lay it out as the h-firfi.
mily has occafion ; and thefe are fo far
from being jealous of their husband's tak-
ing too many women, that they often prefs
them fo to do, becaufe there is a fee of four >
or five Ackyes of gold due to them, from
Q^q q every
/
Z4Z
A Defcription of the
OOK
Merchants
•wweshap-
piefi.
Wives ex-
fofed for
gala.
Barbot. every one of thofe women he takes, as a
v^Y^ prelent ; befides, the Tuperiority over them,
in every particular, even to lying with the
husband three nights together to their one,
and that by turns, according to the order
of time when they were married.
Oneto fuc- When this principal wife is grown very
eeedher. old, or fickly, the man by her confent,
chufes one of the others, whom he likes
.-. : beft, to fucceed in the funftions and privi-
leges of the former, and then fhe is to
meddle no more with any concerns of the
family. This new governefs, thus prefer-
red, if fhe has been formerly ill ufed by her
that is laid afide, will then fhov/ her re-
fentment, ufmg the other in a haughty
manner, and almoft like a flave.
Thefe wives cannot be put away unlefs in
cale of adultery •, but in general the wives
of merchants and traders are the happieft, as
not being obliged to labour without doors,
and on the contrary well kept by their huf-
bands.
There are other Blacks, who marry many
v/ives, only to get money by them, allow-
ing them to lie with other men for gain
and efpecially with Grangers, whom thofe
women allure by many fubtilties, perfua-
ding them they are not married ; and v/hen
got into the net, and in the height of their
familiarity, the husband, who is upon the
watch, furprizes them, and makes him pay
dear to get off.
Others, whofe gallants know they are mar-
ried, will promife upon oath to keep the fe-
rret, but yet betray them to their husbands ;
which in reality they cannot well avoid,
becaufe it would go hard with them, fhould
he come to the knowledge of it any other
way. Thus they catch them together and
receive the man's compofition, which he
pays to avoid attoning for his offence by a
greater fine.
If the perfon is rich, who has had to do
with the principal wife of fome man of note,
the fine is one or two hundred pounds, and
the woman is turned off, unlefs fhe had the
husband's confent to proffitute herfelf for
money. If this happens between a man and
woman of the meaner fort, the fine does not
exceed four, five, or fix pounds fterling •,
the caufe being nicely tried before the pro-
per judges of the country, of which more
hereafter.
Women When a man's wife appears to be with
w/V^ f^iW. child, fbe is much more regarded by him
and taken care of than before ; and if it
. be her firfl, rich offerings are made to their
deities, for her fafe delivery. The ceremo-
nies obferved upon fucli occafions are very
foolifh and ridiculous, one of them being,
that as foon as the woman finds fhe has con-
ceived, fhe is conduced to the fea-fhore, a
great number of boys and girls following
Gallants
Fine for
adtiltery.
and throwing all manner of filth and dirt at
her, as fhe is going thither, and there fhe
is plunged and waHied clean •, being of opi-
nion, that if this were not done, the infant
in her womb, or fome of the kindred would
certainly die very foon, , ^ ■ ;. . ;,
B
1 R T H S.
HE N a woman is in labour, ^hnn-Womt,i
dance of the neighbours refort to the/^W
houfe without diflinftion of fex or age, to*''^'"
attend and help her in cafe of need, for it
is no fhame there for a v/oman to have a
croud of men and boys prefent at her la-
bour. As foon as fhe is delivered, which is
generally within a quarter or half an hour,
without any fhrieking or crying out, they
make her drink a calabafli, or gourd full of
a fort of liquor made of Indian wheat, ffeep-
ed in water, wine, and brandy, tempered
with Guinea pepper ; and then covering her
warm, that flie take no cold, they let her
reft and fleep for three hours, after which
fhe gets up, wafhes the new-born babe, and
falls to her houfhold work, as fhe did be-
fore, without the leaff fhow of pain, or un-
eafinefs : which is a proof of the ff rength of
their conftitntion.
This puts me in mind of a woman flave, Jnflancs of
who was delivered aboard our fliip, on the"'-
bare deck, between the carriages of two
guns, in about half an hour ; who, the
very next moment, took the infant herfelf,
carried it to a tub of water, wafhed it, and
having refted about an hour, fell to work,
as bufily as ever ; helping our cook,
which was her peculiar bufmefs, carrying
the babe at her back, wrapped up in a
clout.
Thus child-bearing is there very little ^"^^'f^'"''''
trouble to the men, and it is very rare to '
hear of any woman dying in child-bed, or
being fo ill as to keep up fome days. There
is no gofTiping, nor groaning feafl, nor any
provifion made of clouts or other neceflliries
for the new-born babes, and yet all their
limbs grow as ftrong and proportionable as
any in Europe ; only they have longer na-
vels than our children, which muft be at-
tributed to the mother's fault, or ignorance.
Thofe children are for the moft part of infants of a
fo ftrong a conftitution, that they require-^C'"''^.
little care to be taken of them : for as foon
as they have been wafhed, either in the fea
or rivers, they are wrapped up in a fmall
piece of ftufF, and laid down on a mat, or
on the bare ground, and left to themfelves
to roul about, which is pradlifed for five
or fix weeks : after which^ their mothers
carry them hanging at their back, ina piece
of flufi\» as our gypfies or beggars do, and
keep them there mofl part of the day, not-
withflanding the hard labours they are em-
ployed in themfelves j and thus they fuckle
them
/
Chap. i8. C'^^/j' South-Guinea.
them from time to time, lifting up the
children to their fhoulder, and turning the
breafts up to them. And fome women, efpe-
cially when they grow old, have their
breafts fo long, that the children will hold
them with both their hands, without lean-
ing far over the mother's neck ; as is alfo
reported of the women of Chili, in America,
who are laid to have very long breafts. Nor
is it to be thought ftrange, thofe women
never wearing any thing to ftay up their
breafts, which occafions their own weight,
efpecially when full of milk, to extend them;
and if we did oblerve it in Europe, we
fliould find women enough in every country
that might do the fame.
What has been faid of the women nur-
fing their infants after this manner, is to be
underftood of the meaner fort, or flaves :
for the women of a higher rank, and more
wealthy, never carry their children about
with them, but leave them at home, when
they go abroad.
OnUrm IS very rare to fee any of thofe chil-
/r«;V, Wdrenlame, crooked, orricketty, but they
go foon. are all found, healthy, ftrait and well limb-
ed, and before they are eight months old,
their nurfes let them crawl about alone
ftark naked, on all fours, feeding heartily
on dry bread, and as well fitisfied as ours
j with all their dainties; generally growing fo
lufty and ftrong, that they begin to go and
talk before they are a year old. Nor are
' their mothers much troubled with them,
but do their work either at home or abroad
I without any interruption from them : and
I * this is rather to be looked upon as the cufto-
; mary way of breeding them up, than any
; want of tendernefs in the parents ; who up-
on all occafions fufficiently make it appear,
that they are as fond of their offspring as
I other people. Some women will fuckle
them three years, tho' others do it not a
quarter of the time. They take great de-
light in adorning them with feveral forts of
gold toys, ftrings of beads, ivory rings,
and fome of the facred tree about their
necks, arms, waifts, and legs but they
are particularly careful to make them wear
feveral ftrings of the facred trees, which
they have from their priefts, who are fent
for as foon as an infant comes into the
world, and bind a parcel of ftrings, coral,
and other baubles about their heads, bodies,
arms, and legs, and then ufe exorcifms, ac-
cording to their manner, believing thefe to
be extraordinary perfervatives againft all
accidents and difeafes but in particular they
think they hinder the devil from doing them
any harm : and as the children grow up,
they buy other new ftrings of thofe for-
cerers, or priefts, or as they call them Con-
foes. They fancy each ftring has its pecu-
liar property and virtue j fome to prevent
vomiting, which they put about the child's Barbot.
neck, others about its hair, to keep them ""OT^
from falling others are to hinder bleeding
at the nofe ; others to make the chikl fleep
well, and others to fecure them againft ve-
nomous creatures. There every mother
fuckles her own child, and each infant
knows its own mother.
Education.
nr H U S they breed them up till they are ^^^^^ '^^"^
about eight or nine years of ^g^^fJJnU
wholly in idlenefs and play, learning nothing jr^i^^.
all that while but to fwim well, and con- ^
tinuing, as I have faid before, ftark naked,
as they come our of their mothers wombs ;
boys and girls daily running about the town,
or market-place, in fome places many hun-
dreds together. It was fometimes very di-
verting to me to fee great numbers of both
fexes, indifferently mixed together, play-
ing with much aftivity and dexterity, among
the furges of the fea, about the fliore, fome
on pieces of timber, others on bundles of
rufl:ies, made fift under their ftomachs, the
better to learn to fwim •, others ducking un-
der the water, and continuing there for a con-
fiderable umt,the Blacks on the coaft looking
on it as a great perfeftion in a boy or girl to
fwim well, which may be of ufe to them
fome time in their life The inland Blacks
are not fo expert at fwimming, as being
far from the fea, and having few great rivers
in their countries, which makes them little
regard it.
One great fault in thefe Blacks is, to let Eat car-
their boys and girls eat all manner of carrion
they find abroad, as they commonly do,
and will often fight among themfelves de-
fperately about dividing of it ; but conii-
dering that the old Blacks are generally fo
filthy and nafty in their way of feeding, and
greedy of ftinking flefti and rotten fiili,it is no
wonder the young ones ftiould be of the
fame temper.
They rarely corre6l or punifli their pmifi-
children, for any other faults, than wound-
ing of others, or fuffering themfelves to be
beaten ; in which cafes I have feen fome fo ■
feverely beaten with a ftick, that I was
amazed their limbs were not broken, and
no lefs at the ftubbornnefs of the boys,
who were fo far from amendment, that they
immediately were guilty of the fame offences.
When the children are come to feven, or^")'^
eight, and fometimes nine years of age,
they hang before them, at their waift, half ther's pro-
a yard of ftuff, or the country cloth, like/#J».
an apron, and then by degrees they are
brought to work. If the father is a fiftier-
man, or husbandman, or of any other
trade, as a merchant, or a fadlor, &c. he
brings up his boys to his own profelTion.
When a youth is grown up to a competent
e cnption o
Book III.
BARBoT.age, W muft: fhift for himfelf, and as op-
^s'^^VN^ porranity offers, lays up all he can conve-
niently get againft that time, which the
parents feldotn or never obftruft. Being
thus brought up to their feveral profeffions
to about twenty years of age, two or
three of chefe youths will aflbciate and
keep houfe together, working for them-
felves > the father, if he is able, fometimes
giving his fon a flave to help him in his
calling.
&rh i'he The women breed their daughters to beat
pQyj^(j ^i^e corn and rice, to bake bread
and drefs meat, to clean the houfe, to take
care of their parents clothes, as well as their
own •, and in general, to all parts of good
houfewifry. if they are market-women,
to fell their provifions ; others to weave mats,
and make baskets of fcain'druflies of various
colours, bedding, coarfe cloth of the hairy
bark of pahti-trees, fpin, and many other
forts of works v»7hich thofe girls, having
good natural parts, foon learn, and become
perfeft in them : for it is obferv'd, that
the fjmale fex are there generally more
ingenious and induftrious than the males ; fo
ihat the maidens, tho' married very young,
are capable of houfekeeping, and helping
their husbands with fomething of what tJiey
liad got by their work before.
• - • - . Names. -
€3ssUffm A S foon astheCw^/i'd', orprieft, hasblefs'd
ef mte *• £|-,e child, if we may fo call it, or hung
&'jive f^^^g^ijQyj- j-j^Qie prefervatives above-mention'd,
the next thing n to give iz a name. Ii the
family be above the common rank, the
irifint has three names .given it *, the firft is
the name of the day of the week on which
it is born , the next, if a fon, is the grand-
father's name 5 and if a girl, the grand-
mother's others give their own name, or
that of fome of their relations.
At Acra, the parents having call'd toge-
ther all their friends, take the names of all
the company, and give the child that which
is born by moft in the company.
The names for boys are commonly,
^^fi'^'-Adom^ ^iaqou, ^aw. Corbel, Coffi, &c.
and for girls, Canow^ Jama^ Aquouba^ Hiro^
Accafiaffa^ and many more. Befides thefe
names of their own for boys, they frequently
add our chriftian names, as Jobn^ Antony^
Peter^ Jacob,: Ahraham^ &c. being proud
of thofe European names \ but that is prac-
, J tifed only by thofe that live under the
protedion of the forts on the coaft.
Belides thofe two or three names given
them, as foon as born and confecrated by
the priefi;,, they take feveral others as they
advance in years % for if a man has behaved
himfelf bravely in war, he receives a new
name,, derived from thence j if he has killed
a raveEOus beaftj he has a nanie to that ef-
fnm
fed as was praftifed by the ancient Ko^'w^w,
who had performed any great exploits, as
in Africanus, Briiannicus^ Parthkus^ Afia-
ticusy &c. The fame was ufed among the
Jews^ and is ftill among I'rxt Netv- England
Indians^ who call themfelves Sa-Ga-Teaih,
Rua-Gelh-'Ton, being feveral names belong-
ing to one man.
The titles given to our nobility are r\QX. ^james 1^
known among thofe Africans, nor were they Ifraelites.
to the Ifraelites ; but the names of thefe laft
had fome great fignification, as thofe of the
patriarchs. The name of God entered into the
compofition of moft of them, as Elias and
Joel are compofed of the two names of God
feverally joined. Jebofaphoi, or Sephanie fig-
nifies God's judgment Jofedeck or Sedechiab
his juftice Johanan or John snd Hanan'mh^
his mercy •, Natbanael, Elnalhan, Jonathan
and Nathania, import all four, given of
God, or the gift of God. Sometimes the
name of God was implied, or to be un-
derftood, as in Naihan David, Ohed.Ozah^
Ezra, as appears by Eliezer, Oziel, Abdias,
&c. where ic is expreffed. There were alfo
fome myftical and prophetical names, as
Jojhiia, or Jefiis, and thofe v/hich OJeah
and Ifiiiah impofed on their children by
God's fpecial command. Other names de-
noted the piety of their parents, as may
be feen in the names of David''^ brethren,
and his fons. Such are the names which our
ignorance of the language makes us think
barbarous; and certainly much better than
the extravagant furnames of godfathers, now
frequently given to children for chriftian
nam.es, fo much pra<^ifed in England.
It would take up too much time to recite
all the names given to Blacks, and the oc-
cafions of them, fome of them having at
ieaft twenty the principal and moft ho-
nourable of which, is that given to every
one in the market-place, when they are there
drinking palm-wine together. Hov^^ever, the
common name they go by, is that which was
given them at their birth. There are fome
alfo who take their name from the number
of their mother's children, as the eighth,
the ninth, the tenth, which is never done
unlefs the number exceeds fix or feven.
I
Circumcision,
8 ufed at no place on the whole coaft,
but only at Acra, where infants are cir-
cumcifed by the prieft, at the liime time
that chey receive their names; and the cere-
mony is performed in the prefence of all the
relations of both fexes, and ends with danc-
ing and feafting. .
Matrimonial State up lbs Inland.
Aving given an account of the mar-
riages, births, and education of the
Blacks along the coaft ; it remains that I fiy
fome-
Chap. i8. Coafts
Single Men and Women. ■
CEveral of both fexes here live fingle, at
leaft for fome time ; tho' commonly
the number of females exceeds that of fingle
men ; becaufe they live more pleafant and
free unmarried, than they fhould if wedded :
and perhaps have the more liberty to enjoy
the company of men. Women of that
temper, afterward ufual ly marry among the
common people, wich whom they may more
fafely continue , this vicious courfe of life ;
the meaner Blacks being lefs provok'd at the
infidelity of their wives than the better fort.
More tto- Another reafon alfo may be, that there
men than being very many more women than men,
"""" they muft wait the opportunity of being
asked, to marry. And in the mean while,
they fitisfy their fenfuality, without incur-
ring the fcandalous name of whores, but are
raiher look'd upon as the better fitted for
wedlock, by many Blacks who are not rich ;
and thus they can wait the opportunity of
being asked in marriage, with more fatis-
fattion.
Few of the men die unmarried, unlels
very young but commonly take a wife as
foon as they can raife m©ney to defray the
men^
wedding-charges which, as I have faid
before, being fo very inconfiderable, they
foon fpeed. But the children of the chief,
or rich fort of people, are generally married infanti
before they are able to make diftinclion of'^^rried,
fexes when the parents or relations are in-
clined to it, and want no money. There
are alfo feveral families, which interchange-
ably marry their children, almoft as foon
as they are born, without any other forma-
lities, but the confent and agreement of both
parties, willing to be more nearly allied.
: Publick Harlots.
CEveral women never marry, but take the
character and profeffion of publick
whores, for the Manceroes or batchelors %
as is commonly feen in the countries of If-
fcn)\ or Awine^ Egwira^ Abocroet Artcoher,
Axim, Anta^ and Adorn ; where feveral wo-
men in each country are initiated in that
trade, after this manner.
The Manceroes^ or batchelors, having pe-
titioned the Cahoceiroes, or rulers of their
towns or villages, to fet up ^ publick whore setup ty
for their ufe ^ the Caboceiroes accordingly, ««'^cri?j*,
or fometimes the Manceroes^ with their con-
fent, buy a beautiful woman flave, who is
brought to the publick market-place, ac-
companied with another already of that pro-
feffion, to inftruft her in the myfteries of
her trade: after which, the novice is fmeared
all over with earth and then, they make
feveral offerings for her good fuccefs, and
better performances in the courfe of her em-
ployment thereafter. This being done, a
little boy, yet unripe for afts of love, makes
a reprefentation of lying with her in the
fight of all the people there prefent ; and
then it is declared to her, that thenceforth
fhe is obliged to receive all perfons with-
out diftindlion, even boys, that fhali defire
her company. Then the harlot is conducted
, • to
-Chap. ip. Coajls of South-Guinea.
247
Smdl re
ward for
to a fmall hut, built for her, a little out
of the way, and there, for eight or ten
days together, lies with every man that
comes to her : at the expiration of which
time, fhe has the name of her profeflion,
Jbrakrees, or Abelecre, which imports Com-
mon Whore ; and has a dwelling-place af-
figned her, near one of her mafters, or in
a particular place of the town, where, during
her life, fhe is obliged to deny no perfon the
ufe of her body, tho' he offers never fo
fmall afum for her reward ; which fum fel-
dom is above a penny : if any give more, it
the ufe of • ^.j^^jj. fj-gg.^m or Civility, becaufe fome,
perhaps, may be better pleaied with her
company than others.
Each of the above-mentioned towns has
two or three fuch Ahrakrees^ according to
the number of the inhabitants. The money
thofe wenches get, by their fordid proftitu-
tion, they carry to their mafters, whoallov/
them as much out of it as is neceffary to
fabfift and clothe them.
In the countries along the Coajl from ^a-
qua to Axim, they have three fuch Abra-
krees in each town, fet up by the governors,
and . yielding them confiderable profits.
IfTlrlots Every Black, who paffes through the mar-
" ket-place, where thefe whores dwell, being
obliged to give them fome few gold Kra-
kra ; there thefe publick women have alfo
I the privilege to take what provifions, or
clothes they can lay their hands on, without
impunity ; nor are they to be denied it, in
fo great favour and efteem they are.
inimting. Among the other ceremonies pradifed
for inftalling them in that profefTion, which
j are like thofe already mention'd, the of-
! fering to t)e made is a hen, which when
killed, they cut the bill of it, and fo let
it bleed on the woman but to what pur-
pofe, I know not, only that the Blacks f;iy
it fignifies, fhe will not be afhamed of her
\ profeflion, of which fhe maketh a pubjick
\ p declaration, to all the people prefent.
Contemn' J Thefe common v/omen daily poftltuting
whenun- themfelves to abundance of men found, or
unfound live in perpetual danger of being
infe6led with the foul difeafe, which they
fejdom efcape : and when once they have
it, no body takes any care of them, nor
the maflers they belong to who feeing
their profit at an end, ncgledl them : and
tKus forfaken, thefe unhappy wretches live
as miferable a life for a while, as their end
is deplorable.
On the contrary, as long as thefe women
are in their prime, frefh, and healthy •,
they are much regarded and efteemed by
all perfons •, infomuch that when the fador
at Axm, for inftance, has any controverfy
with the Blacks there, he has no better
way to bring them to a reafonable com-
pofition, than by taking one of thofe Abe-
(cund.
fioncur'd
\fi their
\r'me.
lecres, into his cuftody, in the fort. ForBARBor.
as foon as the Manceroes hear it, they wait
with great eagernefs on the Caboceroes^ to
require him to give the faftor fatisfadlion,
that he may fet their harlot at liberty a-
gain : urging for their reafon, that during
her confinement, fuch as have no wives
will be prompted to run the danger of ly-
ing with married women. And it has been
feen there on the like occafion, that the
whole town came upon their knees, to
intreat the faftor to releafe them •, and a-
mong them, feveral who had no particular
intereft in it. And it may truly be faid,
that it is not pofTible to afRift a land or
town more fenfibly than by feizing their
Abrakrees. Whereas it alfo happened
there, that when the fa6lor had feized.and
confined, five or fix Caboceiroes in the fort,
tho' they are the magiftrates among the
Blacks, fcarce any body, befides their own
relations, was concerned for them. Through-
out all the lands of Fida, they have a vaft
number of thofe publick women : there you
may fee an incredible number of hutsy not
above ten foot long and fix broad, near
the great roads, through the whole coun- ^arlets
try, in which, on certain appointed dsiys, left as le^
thofe women wait for any body that^^""-
has occafion to make ufe of them ; and
they are very many, the country being ex-
treamly populous, both in freemen and
flaves, and the married women kept up
very ft rid:. It is eafy to judge, that thefe
women on fuch days have very much bufi-
nefs upon their hands and it is reported
there for a certain truth, that fome of them
have had the company of thirty men in a
day, at the common price of- three Boef-
jes (or Cauris) a fort of little white fhells,
of the Maidivy iflands in the Eajt-Indies,
which are there the current money, and
thofe three Cauris may perhaps coft us
about a farthing ; and this is the fet price,
for every man that wants the company of
thofe harlots, and their fubfiftance, befides
what they can earn on other days, by
more honeft induftry and work : for being
at their own difpofal, and not folemnly in-
itiated to this profefTion, as at the Gold
Co aft, fo they have no overfeers to account
with ; but they are generally appointed for
the publick ufe, by fome of the moft con-
fiderable women, as legacies on their death-
bed: it being ufual for them to buy fome
fine female-flaves to that purpofe, out of
a charitable defign, as is fuppofed, believ-
ing they fhall receive their reward in the
other world ; and confequently the more
of fuch harlots they prefent to the publick,
the greater their reward fhall be.
Thefe harlots having more bufinefs on
their hands there commonly, than the others
on the Gold Coaft, of confequence involve
them -
248
A Defcription of the vD Book III
BARBoT.themfelves in more mifery than they ; by
^-OT^ having to do with more unfound men, and
accordingly like them come to a wretched
miferable end, and fometimes very young
too : feldom any arriving to a moderate
Inheritance,
nr H E right
Gold Coajlj
age.
This infamous praflice of publick profti-
tutes is of a very ancient date, as may be in-
of inheritance all over the
except at ^cra^ is very
ftrangely fettled; for the children born legi-
timate, never inherit their parents efFeds.
The brothers and fifters children are the
lawful heirs : and all that the fon of a king
ferred from the hiftory Judah^ and Ta- or Bra ffo^ or Caboceiro, has of right, is his
mar his eldeft fon Er's widow, (Gen. deceafed father's office, his fhield and cymi-
xxxviii. 14, to 23.) Tamar put her wi-
dow's garments off from her, and covered
her with a vail, and wrapped herfelf, and
fat in an open place, which is by the way
to Timnath : and Judah feeing her, thought
her to be an harlot, becaufe Ihe had covered
her face. And he turned unto her by the
way, and having agreed with her for her
price, and given her his fignet, bracelets,
and ftaif, for a pledge of the kid from the
flock, he had agreed to give her, and fo
came in unto her, and Ihe conceived by
him, ^c. In which, 'Tamar followed the
ufage of the common harlots amongft the
AduUamiteSi a pagan nation, amongft
whom Judah and Tamar dwelt ; in whofe
country Hebron was fituated, who allowed
of publick harlots, to fet with a vail on the
high roads, for the ufe of travellers. On
the other hand, thofe Adullsmite idolaters
accounted fornication as a thing difhoneft,
vicious, and infamous, as may be inferred
from the expreffion of Judah himfelf, after
his friend and own god^-father Hira the
AduUamitey by whom he had fent the pro-
mifed Kid to Tamar ^ whom he all along
thought a publick harlot ; and he had re-
ported to him, he could not find the woman,
Ihe being gone away, and having laid by
her vail : Let her take it^ (meaning the
pledges he had given her) to her, left we he
ajhamed. As if he would have faid, left by
making too ftridt inquiry after her, to have
ter, but no goods, chattels, or money : un-
lefs his father, which feldom happens, out of
his tender alFedion in his life-time beftow
fomething on him very fecretly for if
it comes to be difcovered after his deceafe,
they will force the fon to return it to the
laft penny.
The brothers and fifters children do not
jointly inherit, but the eldeft fon of his mo-
ther is heir to his mother's brother, or her
fon, as the eldeft daughter is heirefs of her
mother's fifter or her daughter. The father
himfelf nor his relations as brothers, fifters,
c. have no claim to the goods of the de-^
ceafed.
In fome places, the wife of the deceafed
is obliged to give over to his brother, if
any, or his father, if living, all the effeds
he had, without referve for herfe|f or his
children ; and in cafe of a married woman's
death, her husband muft refund all he re-
ceived from her parents for her portion.
Thus whatfoever way it is, the children are
left fo unprovided, that they muft hire
themfelves, as ftiall be faid hereafter, to
the aforefaid things returned , we difcover
the vicious aft I have committed with a
publick harlot on the high way, which
would turn to my diflionour, amongft the
inhabitants of the country.
The cuftom of the AduUamites publick
harlots, was to beautify their faces, and
being covered with a vail, to fit on a high
way where two roads parted. It is appa-
rent by the pafiTages of the firft of Kings
chap. XV. 12. and chap, xxii. 47. that in
the reigns of Afa, and of Jehofaphat, kings
of Judah, the Ifraelites allowed men to
make a trade of a publick proftitution of
themfelves to Sodomy : which is yet far
more criminal. It is true, A/a took away
the greateft part of thefe Sodomites out of
fubfift : for there no body is allowed to beg,
therefore the father in his life-time, if he
has any paternal affedion, tho' ever fo rich,
will have them trained up to fome profef-
fion, to ferve them in that extremity.
Acra, as I faid above, is the only place,
where the children are the fole lawful heirs
to their father's or mother's effeds ; ex-
cept in point of fucceflion of the crown,
which by law devolves to the deceafed king's
eldeft brother, or fifter's husband, in de-
fault of the former.
It is fupppofed the Blacks in this parti-
cular follow the maxim of fome eaftern
nations of the Indies, which adopt their
fifters children, to inherit their dignity and
effeds becaufe they cannot queftion fuch
being of their own blood : whereas, they
can have no pofitive certainty that their
own wives have not committed adultery at
one time or other, and born children of a
ftrange blood •, but of this more hereafter,
concerning fucceflion to the regal office.
Language,
the land, and Jehojaphat, the remnant of npH C the Gold Coaji be but of a (xrnW seven or
them, extent, as has been ffiovvn, yet have "-^^^ ^^"^
jheyfeven or eight languages, fo differentf^2/'"
^ / , . fi-om /fact.
HAP. i^. Coa/ls of SouTn'Gvii<^EA. 24p
from one another, that three or four of them
are unintelhgble to any but the refpeftive
natives. The people of the country called
Junmore^ twelve leagues weft of Axim^
cannot underftand the language of Egwira^
Ancoher^ Abocroe^ and Ax'im ; and thofe be-
tween Cormenlyn^ and Acra, have alfo four
feveral diale6ls, tho' there are but twenty
leagues diftance from the former to the
latter.
-very The Axim idiom has a very difagreeable
brutifli found •, that of Jnta is fweeter and
more pleafing, the' not very beautiful nei-
ther. But that of Acra is the worft of all,
and the moft ftiocking, and nothing like
any of the reft.
The language of the inland Blacks of
D'uikira, Aki/n, Adorn, ^nd Accafiy, is much.
pleafanter, and more agreeable •, as any
perfon of but indifferent judgment may
foon difcern •, and not only better found-
ing, but more intelligible, and might be
learned very well in a few years : where-
as thofe on the coaft can fcarce be attained
in ten years, to any perfeftion ; the found
of fome words being fo ftrange, that it
is extremely difficult to exprefs them by
European letters, and more particularly by
the Englijh alphabet : the pronunciation
of letters being in EngliJ/j of another found,
than they are in all other nations of Eu-
rope. And fince the Blacks can neither
write nor read, and have no ufe of any
characters, it is conlequently impoflible to
exprefs their faults, and as difficult to learn
their language, in two or three years, of
conftant pradlice amongft them; for many
have lived there ten years, and yet could
not underftand and fpeak it to perfection,
nor fcarce hit the pronunciation.
The Fetu language being moft general-
ly underftood at the Gold Coajl amongft
the Blacks, as I have faid before •, . I have
made a collection of fome familiar words
and phrafes, which fhall be found in the
fupplement : and if the letters and vowels
are pronounced as in French, I doubt not
but a Black will underftand it, when fo
founded and exprefled. Had I lived any
confiderable time among them, I had col-
lected a much greater number of phrafes
and words, to help fea-faring men in
their commerce with the natives of the
Gold Coaft ; befides the other languages,
in which we can talk to them : for many
of the coaft Blacks fpeak a little Englijh^
or Dutch ; and for the moft part fpeak
to us in a fort of Lingua Franca^ or bro-
ken Portuguefe and French.
Degrees 0/ Blacks.
g Efore I proceed any farther in defcribing
the manners and cuftoms of the Blacks,
both in civil and religious refpeCts I
Vol. V. ^ -
think it convenient, firft^ to make fomeBARBor.
general obfervations of the feveral degrees v^v^
they have among them, which are five.
In the firft rank, are their kings or cap-j^-;^^^
tains, the word being there fynonimous captains.
for as I have before obferved, the Blacks
never ufed to give their chiefs or princi-
pals any other title than that of colonel
and captian, before the Europeans came a-
mong them.
The fecond rank, muft be given to their Magi
chief governours or magiftrates, in civil af-Z^''^^'''
fairs j whofe province it is only to adminifter
juftice, and fee order kept under their
kings, in the refpeCtive towns or villages.
Thefe are called Cahoceiroes, or chief men.
The third degree, is of thofe, who ei- Ridj i^er^
ther by inheritance or their own induftry "^^'^^
in traffick, are pofleiTed of much money,
and many flaves: fuch are improperly the no-
bles of their country •, and tho' it cannot
be very well made out, that they have any
particular fenfe or knowledge ot nobility,
in the manner as it is acquired amongft
the polite nations of the world, by fome
heriock aCtions, or eminent fervices per-
formed for the advantage of their coun-
try •, yet, I ftiall not fcruple to call theie
rich Blacks nobles , tho' fome perfons
feem to ridicule it.
The fourth order of Blacks, muft he commons.
the common people •, that is, fifher-men,
husband-men, wine-drawers, weavers, and
other mechanicks.
In the fifth and laft rank, I place the slaves.
(laves, whether become fo by poverty, or
fold by their relations, or taken in war.
As to the firft degree, the dignity of king Defrent of
or captain, in moft countries defcends by crown.
inheritance from the father to the fon, and
in default of fuch iiTue, to the next heir-
male. In fome other countries, the richcft
man in flaves and money, will be prefer-
red before the right heir, if he is poor.
I fhall fpeak of the inaugurations of thefe
kings hereafter.
The fecond degree, viz. the Cabo- choke of
ceiroes, or magiftrates, are generally limi- '^''5^-
ted to a certain fet number, chofen from-^^'^'^"^'
among the commonalty, and are generally
perfons pretty well advanced in years •,
young men are feldom or never put into
fuch an office. According to the cuftom
at Axi7n, the candidates for fuch office,
muft be natives, of the country, and liv-
ing or at leaft keeping a houfe there, in-
habited by one or more of his wives, or
by fome of his family, and he himfelf
refiding there alfo. Sometimes there, on
occafion of adding one or more Cabocei-
roes to the aflembly or common-council
of the town, he or they are brought to the
Dutch faCtor in the fort with a requeft
that fuch, or fuch, may be admitted into
S f f their .
/
2^o A Defcrip
Barbot. their fald common-council, the Dutch there
^^'''V^ having the right of fovereigny over thofe
Blacks, If the faftor has nothing to objeft
againft the perfon, he adminiftersan oath to
him on the bible, to be ever true to xhtDutch
nation in every refpe£l, and to aid and affift
them to the utmoft of his power againft
all their enemies whacfoever, Europeans or
Blacks^ like a loyal fubjed. After which
the faftor caufes him to take another
oath, rcfpe6ling his own country-men and
nation : which being done, he obliges him
to confirm and ratify thefe two formal
oaths, by this imprecation : 'That God
would firike him dead, if he /wore contrary
to his intentiovs, or doth not keep his oath.
Then the bible is held on his breaft, and
laid on his head, by way of farther con-
firmation of all the former obligatory
oaths and imprecation. After which, his
name is regiftcred, and the Dutch gover-
nour acknowledges him a member of their
affcmbly, and admits him to all the rights,
privileges, and advantages, belonging there-
to : and having made the due prefents to
his brethren, he is a Caboceiro during
life.
At other places not fubje<5t to the Dutch
government, fome of their Cahoceiroes dy-
ing, and the vacancies not being filled,
when in their afTembly they find the num-
bers of them too fmall, they chufe others,
as has been laid, out of the commonalty,
perfons in years, and fo put them into
office. The perfons thus nominated, are
to treat their brethren of the common-
councii, with a cow, and fome drink ;
which being done, they are ipfo facto ad-
mitted and confirmed,
Crtationof As to the third rank of Blacks, whether
we confider them as nobles, tho' they may
not be properly fo calFd, as having no no-
tion of that true nobility which is the re-
ward of great publick fervices, or barely
as rich men, by inheritance, or induftry j
St is to be oblerved,that the Blacks in general
do all they can to acquire a reputation, or
great name among their countrymen. At
fome places, when a Black, who thinks he
has money enough to defray theexpences
ufually made at the inftalling himfelf into
this third order, and has propofed his defign
to the king or Caboceiroe of his village or
town, the principal men appoint a day for
the publick ceremony \ at which time, the
man brings a cow to the market-place, or,
if he is not rich enough, a dog, or a goat.
Then he fends to all the noblemen of the
place, and to his other friends, a little gold,
and a hen, to each of them : thofe who are
fo invited to alTift at the ceremony, drefs
themfelves as fine as they can, and repair to
the market-place, where the Black waits
for them, as richly adorned as he can pof-
ion of the Book
fibly % follow'd by a little boy, who carries,
his wooden feat or ftool, and many flaves,
with all the other men and women of the
village, great and fmall, armed after the
Moorifl) fafhion, Tinging, dancing and fkir-
mifhing, men againit men, to the found of
their horns or trumpets, and other inftru-
ments of their mufick, at the head of all
the company at which is the Braffo, or
Cahoceiroes if the king be not there himfelf
in perfon, v/ith their javelins and fhields.
After which, they proceed to the ceremonial^
in this manner.
They feat the Black on fome ftraw, fo
that he may not touch ground, the
people wifliing him all happineis ; the wives
of the other nobles, or rich Blacks, at the
fame time, wifhing much joy to his wife.
When the felicitations are over, the man
is adorned with abxindance of gold toys
about his head a gold ring about his necl<,
and another on his left arm, having two
round clafps, one at each fide. They put into
his left hand, an elephant's, or a horfe's
tail •, then all the affi Hants, placing them-
felves each in his proper rank, the men on
one fide, the women on anodier, and the
king, Cahoceiroes, and nobles, in another
body; iovcit Blacks had the beaft, deftin'd
for facrifice, all over garnifli'd with toys,
and boughs of the facred tree ; and fome
bugles, or green glafs beads : and after it is
carried on four other men's ihoulders,
the perfon who occafions the ceremony fit-
ting on his ftool •, having two (laves under
him, to hold his legs and feet: and at the
head of them, his horn-blowers or trum-
peters. After him, follow all the people ;
and with this equipage and attendance he
is carried all about the town, and round
the market-place, that every body may for
the future honour himj as a perfon of
diftinclion.
The women of the town, with thofe of
the adjacent villages, which as well as the
men commonly refort to fuch fpe<5taclcs,
walk alfo two and two, in order, before the
man's wife throwing flower of Indian
wheat at her face. When the proceflion is
over, he is carried to his houfe, where a treat
is prepared for the chief of the people-, and
a white flieet difplayed, on the top of the
houfe, in fign of honour.
Thefe formalities are repeated for three
days fuccefllvely •, and being expired, the
publick executioner of the place, kills the
beaft appointed to be ficrificed to their
God, with all the others the invited gentry
life commonly to bring on the like occa-
fions, which are kept for three days before
in the market-place. Thefe _ being thus
flaughtered, they are divided into as munv
parts as there are men invited, tlu; head
being ufually referved for the founder or
Chap. 19. Coafts of Sou t h-G u i n e a«
the feaft, efpecially if ic be of a cow or
an ox, to be kept in his boufc, as a tefti-
monial of his nobilicy, an i of the right he
has thereby acquired to traffick every where,
to buy and fell fl.ives, &c. to keep drum-
mers and horn-blowers of his own, which
the common people are not permitted to
do ; but if they are inclined to divert them-
fclves, mufc borrow them : which makes
thofe Blacks, wlio have purchafed the faid
privilege, as proud as any of our upftarc
quality •, and, like them, w ill fcarce fpeak
to the common fort, looking on them as
unworthy of their converfation. The new
couple of nobles muft not eat of the flefh
of the beaft facrificed on their account, be-
lieving if they did, they Hiould certainly
die that very day.
When the feaft is over, borh man and
wife take nev/ deities, and having waflied
and dried the cow or goat's head, hang it
up in their hoiife, as an enfign of their no-
bility •, and ic is accounted the principal or-
nament of the houfe.
The expence of this ceremonial commonly
7 cofts them Icven or eight Bendas ot gold ; or
about fixry pounds ilerling, more, orlefs:
but the prefents they receive from all their
friends, often defray one half. But fuch is
the vanity of the Blacks in general, that if
they can but raife lb much money as to
clear thefe expences of the ceremonial, to
be inftall'd among the rich or nobles, they
care for no more \ and fometimes thofe poor
fellows are obliged, the very next day after
their promotion, to go a fifhing to main-
tain their family; and will neverthelefs,
upon all occafions, entertain the Europeans
they have the opportunity to converfe with,
with their wealth and abilities,
; In fome places the blov/ing horns, which
thofe diftinguifhed Blacks are allowed to
have, are about feven, made of fmall Ele-
' phant's teeth, curiouHy wrought with fe-
veral odd figures of beafts, and other things,
cut all over them, as reprefented in the
Plate ii.CUt.
On thofe horns they caufe their family to
; be taught all forts of tunes ufual among
the Blacks, which when they have learnt,
they inform all their relations and acquain-
tance, that they intend to fliow their blow-
: ing horns publickly, that they may come
and make merry with them for feveral
days together whilft they, their wives
and flaves appear with all the pomp
poflible •, borrowing gold and coral of their
friends, to make the greater fhow •■, and
diftributing prefents amongft them, fc that
this ceremony becomes very expenfive, but
when over, they are free to blow their horns
at pleafure. I muft not omit, being upon
this fubjed, to rake notice of a m oft horrid
praftice amongft the Blacks of Fetu^ when
Miijicci
horns.
any one has new drums or horns, they th^-*""
confecrate them with human bloOv^. To t'lis
effect, the flave appointed to be facrificed
is made to drink and dance merrily all the
day, and at night they throw him down,
with his face in the fand, then cut his head
off\, and in four or five hours after, they
drink palmi-wine out of the upper part of
his fls;ull, in the fight of all the people.
The pretended new nobleman, thus iii-
ftall'd, commonly purchafes firft one, and
then another buckler or fhield ; of which
he makes as publick and pompous a ftiow
as that of the horns ; and is obliged to lie
the firft night, with all his retinue, in the
open air, to exprefs that he will dread no
dangers, nor fpare any hardlliips in de-
fence of his fimily. After which he fpends
the next and the remaining days of the
feaft, which commonly laft about eight
days, in fhooting and warlike exercifes, as
well as dancing, and all forts of mirth ;
himfelf, his wives, and fimily, being as
richly dreft as they pofTibly can, expofing
all he has in the world to publick view,
and removing from place to place : but
this feftival is not fo expenfive as the for-
mer, for inftead of making prefents, as
ufual in that, at this, on the contrary, he
receives ,very valuable gifts and when he
defigns to go to the war, he is allow-
ed to carry two fhields, which men of
the inferiour rank are not permitted to
do.
Thefe nobles are generally very uni-NobUs
nimous, and live friendly together, beingA'^"^'/
ready upon all occafions to help one an-
other, and feafting amongft themfelves,
from time to time, by turns. They have
commonly two fuch publick feafts, the
firft is to celebrate the anniverfiry of their
inftallation, each in his order, as it hap-
pens. On that day they confecrate new
idols, and adorn the cow's heads with them,
making great rejoycings, is^c.
The other is a general feaft, falling Fe^T?/.
ufually on the fixth day of Julj^ during
which they all have one and the fame
idol to which . they facrifice. On that
day each of thofe nobles wears a green
bough of the facred tree, platted about
his neck, in the manner of a collar, of
garland, their bodies being fmea red with a
red and white dye, and then change the toys
about their cow's heads. This feaft- ends
the night, when lYiQ Caboceiroe, or chief of' '''''''
the town, treats them all ; and with iuch
plenty of liquor, that they all go home
very drunk.
Whatever notions the Blacks may have
of this their gentility, feveral European
fa(5lors can boaft, that for feveral years they
have been waited on by fome of thefe nobles, '- ■■^^
in the capacity of their footman, or Valet de '
Cha?nhre,
" til
2^2
A Defcription of the
Book III.
Barbot. Chamhre. However it is certain, on the
'■''''"^''^ other hand, that generally there, thofe
gentlemen are put into offices and places of
truft, next after the king's relations, as oc-
cafion offers.
The Blacks of the three chief orders I
have defcribed, will not be called or looked
upon as Moors, which they fancy implies
flaves, or fome wretched poor creatures
but defire to be called Pretos, which in
Portuguefe TigniHes Blacks.
Of the fourth and fifth forts of Blacks
above-mention'd, I fliall fpeak more parti-
cularly hereafter, and repeat, for the prefent,
that they are commmon people and flaves„
MuLAT TOES,
Efides the above five orders of men, in-
habiting thofe countries, there is a fixth»
which mure be taken notice of and is,
the Mtdattoes ox'Tapoe^ers, as the Blacks call
them being begotten by Europeans upon
the Black or Mulatto women, of a tawny,
yellow-brown complexion, neither white nor
black, who, when young, are far from hand-
fome -, and when old, frightful •, efpecially
the old women, who look as lean and poor
as envy it fclfcan be reprefented. In procefs
of time the bodies of Alulattoes become
fpeckled with white, brown and yellow
fpots, like leopards, and refembling them
in their barbarous nature j which all who
have any thing to do with the^, muft cer-
tainly own. They are generally profligate
villains, a baftard race, as unfaithful to the
Europeans, as untrue to the Blacks, and very
rarely agreeing among then^ifelves •, and
tho' they alfume the name of chriftians, are
as fuperftitious idolaters as any of the Blacks
can be : and whatever is in its own nature
worft m the Europeans and Blacks, is united
in them. MofI: of the women are common
whores, publickly to the Whites, and pri-
vately to the Blacks. The men are for the
mofl part foldiers, in the fervice of the
Dutch, and other Europeans •■> clothed like
them ; but the women, different from the
Black women's drefs: for they prink up
themfelves after a particular manner. Such
of them as pretend to any fafliion, wear a
fine fnift, and over that a fhort jacket
of filk or iluff, without ilceves ; which
reaches from under the arms to their hips,
faften'd only at the fhoulders. On their
heads they wear feveral caps one over the
other the uppermoft of which is of filk,
pleated before, and round at the top, to
make it fitfaft: over all which, they have
a fortof fi!let,going twice or thrice about the
head, which drefs makes a great fhow : their
lower parts are clothed like the Black wo-
men. Thofe who are poor, have the upper
part of their body naked.
C H A P.
Roads, towns and hoiifes. Tiiet. Rain much dreaded. Civility. Mercha7its
fishermen i blackfmiths goldjmiths. Arm^ tools, and 7mifical injiru-
ments. Husbandry 5 canoes ; potters 5 thatchers. Markets and jlaves.
Roads, Tov^^ns and Houses.
THE Blacks, in building their towns
or villages, have very little regard
to the pleafantnefs, or conveniency of the
fituation, either for fine profped:, pleafant
walks, or other advantages which they
might procure to themfelves, if they were
fenfible of fuch benefits, fince they have
many noble rivers, pleafant valleys, and
well-planted hills ; but, on the contrary,
they commonly build them in dry and dif-
agreeable places. Nor are they any wifer
or more curious in the making of roads
and paths, from place to place, as I have
before hinted : for they are generally
BAdroads, crooked, rough, and uneven ; fo that the
diftance between places is made almoft
double-, nor will they be perfuaded to
mend or alter them, as they might very well,
with little labour; to fave to themfelves
the inconveniency of fuch crooked, into-
lerable roads.
Their towns and villages are compofed
of feveral huts, Handing in parcels, and
Irregular
towns.
fcattering which by their difpofition, or
fituation, form many little lanes, crooked,
and very irregular ; all of them ending at
the wide open place, which they commonly
leave in the centre of the town, and call it
the market-place : ferving daily both to
hold the market, and to divert the inhabi-
tants.
The towns and villages of the inland
countries, are generally much larger than
at the Gold Coafi, and confequently much
more populous. But neither the inland
towns, nor thofe at the coaft, have any
walls or pallifadoes, like thofe of the Afoi^rj,
dwelling about the river 'Niger ; which are
fenced round with elephant's teeth, to keep
off- the wild ravenous beafts. . '. ■
The ftrength of their villages, in fome
parts, confiils in their being fituated on
fome fteep, barren, high ground or rocks,
or in a marfliy, fwampy place, and but
rarely on a river, or brook ; accefTible only
by fome narrow, uneven paths, or crooked
lane j or through fome large thick woods :
arrd
Coafts ^/South-Guinea. 2^5
iChap. 20.
and fome alio in the midft of a wood. Ac
the coaft, they are commonly placed on
a dry barren ground, or on a flat rock,
or fbme gravelly Tandy place.
ji The hoLifes are generally fmall and very
low, looking at a diftance, more like
baracks in a c.imp than dwclling-houfes,
except fome of thofe about the European
forts, which are iomewhat larger and more
commodious ; the natives there having
learnt of us how to order them to a
I orreater advantasie than others •, as I have
before obfcrved,. at M-ina-t and fome other
places on the coaft, they are one or two
ftories high, with feveral ground rooms,
and fome of them have flat roofs.
IHoufeshow The Blacks generally build their hoilfcs
j 6uilt. on four pofts or trunks of trees, drove in-
to the ground, at fuch diftance as they
defign the largenefs of the houffa to be,
and about fix or feven foot high. To
thofe main corners of the houfes they
1 faften three or four long poles athwart,
at equal diftances one above another, and
as:ain others acrois them downwards, from
the upp-rmoft to the ground. The houfe
being thus framed, they lay on a fort of
clay or plaiftering. both within and with-
out, about eisht inches in thicknefs which
in a very fhort time, by the heat of the
fun, becomes almoft as hard and Pulid as
a ftone wall, leaving a few fmall lights
or holes in the wall, and a very low and
narrow door, or paffage, to go in or out
at. Laftly, they for the moft part colour
the infide of the wall, white and red, or
black and yellov/, as every one likes beft.
The roof. On th.ofe mud and timber walls they lay
fmall quarters acrofs both ways for the roof;
and inltcad of tiles, cover them with palm
tree, or rice leaves, or bulrufnes, as the
place they live in affords. In moft houfes
the roof is fo contrived, that it opens at the
top, to let in air, when the weather is hot.
Boors. The door-way is fo low, that no man
can go in, without bowing himfelf almoft
double; and for a door, fome plat bulruHies
flat and very thick together ; others have
fome forry pieces of boards, hung with
ropes inftead of hinges, and both lorts of
them open either out or in, as they think fit.
'Eloors. The ground-floor of the houfe is of the
fame fort of hard clay, as the walls, and in
the midft of it is a hole, to hold a pot of
palm-wine, when they meet to make merry.
Out-houfes. Adjoining to the houfes of the common
fort of people, they build two or three fmall
huts for offices ; the houfes of the richer
fort having generally feven or eight fuch
huts fomewhat diftant from each other, fome
of them for their wives to live in, fome for
their children, and others to drefs their meat,
keep their provifions and the like. Moft
of thofe huts are divided into two or three
Vol. V.
parts by partitions, made of rufhes bound Barbot.
clofe together. The better fort of houfes ^^''V^
are commonly enclofed with all their faid
fmall huts, or out-houfes by, as it were a
hedge, made of ruflies, made taft" together,
of a good thicknefs, and as high as the
walls of the houfes, to which there is no
door, the only palTage out into the ftreet
being through the main houfe.
The houfes of the kings and other great uoufii of
men, are generally built by themfelves near^rt/i?
the market-place, being much larger than
the others, and having more out-houfes and
offices, but all of the Hime materials as
thofe already defcribed of the inferior peo-
ple, ciifpofed without any order. In the
midft of them is a kind of pavillion, where
the king or chief man holds his court, and
before the door are two large earthen pots,
fet in the ground, full of frefli water, for
their deities-, and by them a few fentinels ,
or guards, armed v/ith javelins, who do
duty there continually, and are lodged and
maintained in the palace, as are the owner's
wives.
A houfe is there built in feven or eight c;!,^^^
days, and with a fmall charge, as kldom. building.
cofting above forty fliillings to pay mafons
and carpenters •, for the materials, either tim-
ber, clay, or leaves to thatch them, are
taken where they can be found about the
country, and that is the bufinefs of the
flaves. ■■■'^ - ; ■ I.' , . .;
Every family has commonly a fort ofstore-
ftorc-houfe, or granary without the town, ^'oufes.
or village, where they keep their Indian
wheat, millet, or rice, for the year's pro-
viflon.
The houfes in every village, or town, ht-;^^yro-a>
ing thus built near, tho' not joining toone/««e^.
another, and as it were in a heap, without
allowing fpacious ftreets ; it is very ill walk-
ing through the faid towns, efpecially in
rainy weather, becaufe the lanes being fo
narrow, they who have occafion to go along
them in rainy weather, cannot avoid receiv-
ing all that runs off" the eves of the thatched
houfes : but the flench of the towns is much
more infupportable, for, as has been faid be-
fore, the B'uiiks commonly cafe themftlves in r. . ■'
thofe very lanes, only throwing a little earth
upon their excrement, as was enjoined in
the Mofaical hw, Deut. xxiii. 13. f'hcu Jhalt
have a f addle., and when thou wilt ea-f; tbj-
felf abroad, thou fialt dig therewith., and Jhalt
turn hack and cover that which cometh from
thee. Some of the principal houfes there have
a fmall fort of neceflary houfe without for that
ufe, but they take fo little care to bury it well
when full, that it rather increafesihe flench,
efpecially in the hot fcorching weather
whence it is eafy to guefs, what a f'uflbcating ■
naufeous air men breath there. Add to this the ' ■ •
vaft quantity of fifh kept about their towns
T t t rotting,
2?4
A Defcription of the
Book IIL
A'ij paving.
Houfliold
goods.
Barbot. rotting, for five or fix days, as I have be-
^'^'V^ fore obfcrved they like it beft when fo
putrified ; and all together produces fuch a
violent ftink, that it is very ofFenfive a
fliip-board, particularly in the night time,
when the land-breezes carry it off from the
fhore, two or three Englijh miles, for fo
far from the land the iTiips ride ; the ill
favour being the more, the greater the
towns are.
Another great inconveniency is, that the
ftreets or lanes in the towns not being pav'd,
are very muddy in rainy weather •, for I do
not remember to have feen any places pav'd,
except the markets at Mhta and Corfo.
Nor are the Blacks at all curious in
planting trees in their villages, to fliade
their houfes, as they might eafily do, ex-
cept at Axim, where they have many fine
lofty trees fet about, and in the town,
which are agreateafe to the people againft
the fcorching heat of the fun.
They are as little nice, even among the
higheft rank, in furnifhing their houfes with
proper goods •, for all they have in them is
only a few wooden feats or ftools, fome
wooden or earthen pots, to hold frefli wa~
ter, and drefs their meat ; fome cups and
troughs, and their arms hanging about the
walls. The topping people have tables,
and beds or quilts made of rufhes, on which
they lay a fine mat at night, to lie on,
with a bolfter much of the fame fort, and
by it a large brafs kettle, with water to
wafh them. The meaner fort have no
quilts, but lie upon a mat laid on the
bare ground, with one arm under their head,
inflead of a bolfler, or elfe have a little
block for that purpofe, without any veflel
of water ftanding by it, but always go out
of the houfe to wafh themfelves. All the
faid goods, among perfons of diflinftion,
are generally placed in the houfes of their
wives, the men keeping nothing in their
own, but their arms, feats and mats •, but
among the common fort all is huddled to-
gether in a diforderly manner, with the tools
and inftruments of their profefTion.
The conflant employment of the women is
doing the work of the houfe, and drefTing
the meat for the family, under the dire£lion
of the chief wife, whilfl the husbands are
about their bufinefs, or fit idly drinking ;
and, which is very odd, the husband com-
monly eats by himfelf, in his own hut,
and every one of the wives in hers, with
her own children, unlefs by chance fome of
them agree to join together, and fometimes
the husband happens to eat with her he
likes befl, or with his chief wife.
I have elfewhere taken notice, that corn-
whole family, and it is very remarkable,
how well thofe women manage it, divert-
ing none to any other ufe, fo that it is very
rare to hear of any mifpent.
All eat
apart.
Good ma
mgemcnt. monly the chief wife is entrufled with the
husband's money, as he earns it by his
Diet. ^vM
T jAving in another place mention'd what Pfl^r/oo/.
poor and flender food thofe people al-
low their children, it is no wonder, that
being ufed to eat fo meanly from their mo-
ther's womb, they are afterwards fo frugal
and temperate in their diet, when come to
age. Two-pence a day, or lefs, is fufficient
to feed a Black ; but this frugality is not
the effed: of virtue, or becaufe they do not
defire better, but only proceeds from ab-
folute covetoufnefs : for when any of the
better fort are admitted to eat with Eitro-
peans, they will fill themfelves for three
days to come, and that of the beft which
comes to the table.
The common food of the meaner people o/ the
is a pot of Indian wheat boil'd to the con-^^"'*'^
fifbence of a pudding ; or elfe yams and *
potatoes, over which they pour a little
oil, with a few boil'd herbs, to which
they add fome ftinking fifh, and this they
reckon a nice difh: for it is but feldom
that they can get fifh and herbs, efpecially
in the winter feafon.
On their feftivals they live better, pfb-
viding for thofe times, either oxen, fheep,
goats, dogs, or poultry, as fhall be men-
tioned hereafter.
Europeans, having never been ufed to Differ mt
fee dogs fiefh eaten, are apt to admire, x.\\2i\.fiod of
the Blacks fliould be fo fond of it ; but they
would wonder lefs, did they obferve what
is praftifed in other nations. Throughout
all China afi^es fiefh isvalued above any other,
tho' there are capons, partridges, pheafants,
and all other rarities we efleem mofl. Dogs
fiefh is the next in value, and horfe fiefh
is accounted extraordinary good, efpecially
with a little milk. Snakes are alfo eaten j
and even toads, one fort whereof is much
more deformed than ours, are reckoned a
morfel for a prince. A pound of frogs is
worth two of any fifii whatfoever ; and mice
are alfo ferved up at table. The Iroquois
Aguiest a nation of North- America., near
Neiv-Tork, boil frogs entire, without flea-
ing them, to kci(oni\\Q\Y Sagamile^ which is
a fort of pottage made of Indian wheat.
In France the hind legs of frogs are com-
monly eaten fricafi^eed, not for want, as ig-
norant people imagine, but becaufe they
are an excellent difh, little or nothing infe-
rior in goodnefs to chickens legs, and ferv'd
up at the tables of rich perfons. The 'Tar-
tars eat horfe-flefh the Indians crocodiles
and ferpents. In the Philippine ifiands rats are
sood meat. Rooks and jackdaws are ffe-
. nations.
labour or induftry, that fhe may fubfift the quently eaten in many countries.
Oleajfer on
the
Chap. 20. ^/ South-Guinea. 2^^
tl^e feventh of Gen. arguing whether any
creature be unclean by the law of nature,
■ -defines and prOves there is none.
md afthe The Blacks of higher rank do not fare
better fort. jj,uch better than the others ; only they al-
low themfelves a little more fifh, and more
herbs for their common diet : and for an
extraordinary difh,v/hich they call Malaguety
chey 'boil fome fifli, and a handful of Indian
wheat, as much dough and fome palm-oil
in water, which they reckon a princely en-
, tertainment, and indeed it is not difagreeable,
i when once ufed to it, and wholefome enough,
f other Others boil their fifh in water feafon'd
i dijhes. with fait, and their pepper •, and roaft the
' yams and potatoes under the embers, and
then make a fort of pap, and fo eat it.
They bake green unripe figs, which ferve
inftead of bread, as does Indian corn toafied
over the fire.
They boil rice with fowls, or mutton,
which is a Portuguefe difli, or only with
fait and palm-oil ; as alfo herbs and beans
feafon'd with fait and oil, and Ibme of them
eat elephant's and buffalo's flefli boil'd.
The richer people, who converl'e moft
with Europeans., have learnt of them how
to drefs beef, mutton, pork, goat's fiefh,
venifon and fowl ; and even to make foup,
or pottage, with cabbage and other herbs ;
befides feveral other forts of difhes, which
they manage very indifferently after their
way, and teach them to other Blacks about
the country, their pepper being always the
predominant feafoning. Some are alfo fo
far improv'd by converfing with the Whites,
that they will have their meat ferved upon
a table, and fit about it, with their flaves
waiting •, but the common fort generally fit
to their meat on the bare ground, crofs-
legg'd, like our tailors, and leaning to one
fide, or elfe with both their legs ftrait under
them, and fitting on their heels.
Manner They generally eat very greedily, and
of eating. ^^^^^ a difagreeable filthy manner, which I
could not bear with, when I happened fome-
times to be treated by any of the prime
men for they ufe neither table-cloths, nor
napkins : what meat or fifh they drefs, is
always half rotten, and mofl: difhes are fea-
fon'd with palm-oil, which, tho' pretty
good to fuch as are ufed to it^ has a fharp-
ifli tafte, and a fmell very naufeous to flran-
-gers. I could not but admire the power of
habit and cuftom in thofe people, who were
wonderfully pleafed with the mofl corrupted
ftinking food, and fed on it moft greedily
for till they have fatisfied their ftomach,
their hands are never flill, either tearing the
meat with their long nails, or elferowling
up the gobbets in the palms of their hands,
as I have faid to be pradlifed by the Blacks
at cape Verde, and at Rufifco ; and then tof-
fingthem into their mouths, open'd as wide
as they can gape ; fo that every morfel isBAREor.
thrown down to the very gullet. Then'^'^VSJ
they lhake their greafy fingers, as they
come from their mouths, over the difhes the
meat is ferved up in.
They make two meals a day, thefirfl 'm'^viomeah.
the morning, the other towards night,
drinking water and brandy at their firfi
meal. In the afternoon, when the palm-
wine comes from the fields into the marker,
they mufl have it, cofl what it will ; and
for brandy, or any other ftrong liquor, they
will fell all they have, or do any thing,
tho' ever fo vile, for it. Men, women and
children are wonderful fond of it, for which
reafon the Europeans in the forts mufl take
fpecial care of their cellars at night, thofe
people knowing very well how to come at
them.
In fome places they alfo in the morning 2??r.
drink a fort of beer of their own brewing,
call'd PitoWy and made of Indian wheat.
They never drink any palm-wine in zh^P^^>^-
morning, bccaufe too ftale, if left from the'^'"''-
day before, and not fermented, when juil
drawn from the tree •, but in the afternoon,
that wine drawn in the morning is in its
perfedion. As foon as ever the country
people bring it into the market-place, three
or four Blacks club for a pot, and fit round
it, with their chief wives, till near night, all
of them drinking out of a calabafh,or gourd,
after this manner: the perfon that is to
drink fits, and all therellof the company
fland up, with their hats or caps in their
hands, crying, Tauiojfi, TantoJ], whilft the
other drinks ; who when he has done, an-
fwers, I, o, u, and at the fame timefpills
a fmall quantity of wine on the ground for
their deity.
Some of them, before they drink, rrikc Liiatiom,
a little of that wine into their m.outh, and
fpurt it upon their arms and legs, Vv^hea
they are adorn'd with their fuperilitious
toys ; believing their deities would be very
angry with them, if they fliould omit that
ceremony.
The ceremony of fpilling a little wine on Ufe4 in
the ground is very ancient in China, and China,
obferved to this day, as it is anlong the
Blacks. For the better underflanding where-
of, it will not be improper to infert in this
place, what Navarette., in his account of
China, fays to that purpofe. After what
F. Pro/per Intorceta writes in his Sapuntia
Sinica, p. 73. §. 4. fpeaking of Confucius,
he fays, tho' he fed on the coarfer rue, jet
puring one part upon the ground, he facri-
feed to thofe dead perfons, who in former ages
had taught the way of tilling the earib, dr ef-
fing meat, &c. And this was the ctfiom of
the ancients, in token of gratitude, and he per-
formed thofe things with much gravity and
revere'nce. Thus, adds the author, it ap-
pears,
A Description of the
Book III.
Barbot. pears, that the fhedding any part of meat
'*«'Or^ or drink on the ground, is in China called
a fiicrifice, and is no civil or political
aflion. , \ . -^,>
The fame, in my opinion, may well be
faid of the cuftom of the Blacks, general-
ly to fpill a little wine on the ground for
their deities.
Nothing can be more mean that the diet
and food of thefe, and all other Blacks,
nor more naufeous than their way of eating.
Food of The moft ufual provifions of the Ifrae-
Ifraehtes. j-^^^^ ^^^^.^ bread, wine, wheat, barley, meal
of all forts of grain, beans, lentils, peafe,
raifins, dried figs, honey, butter, oil, beef,
mutton, and veal ; but moft efpecially
grain and pulfe, as appears by the account
of the provifions David received at feveral
times from Abigail, Siha and Berzellai, and
thofe brought him to Hebron.
This was alfo the common food of the
Eygptians, and the Romans, in their foberer
times, and v/hen they applied tliemftlves
to tillage. The great names of Fabius,
Pifo, Cicero and Lcntulus are well known
to be derived from feveral forts of grain,
or pulfe. What ufe the Ifraelites made of
milk, may be known by the advice of the
wife man : Let the milk of your goats fuffice
for your nouriJJmient , and for the wants of
your houje. Tho' they are allowed to ufe
' ' firti, I do not find it praflifed till the lat-
ter ages.
It is thought the ancients defpifed it, as
too dainty ibr hardy men ; Homer takes
no notice of it, nor is it m.entioned in what
the Greeks writ of the heroick times. Nor
do we read that the Hebrews regarded
fauces, or fine difhes, their fealts and ban-
quets confided of folid fat meat. They
looked upon milk and honey as the greateft
dainties ; and indeed before fugar was
brought from the IVefl -Indies, nothing was
fo much valued as honey. Fruits were
preferved with it, and there was no fine
paftry without it. The cream was often
called by the name of butter, as being the
mofl delicious part of it. The offerings
enjoined by the law fhow, that even in the
days of Mofes, they had feveral forts of
paftry, fome kneaded with oil, and fome
fried in oil.
Employment 0/ Women,
T Come now to the employment of the
women at home. In the evening they
fet by the quantity of corn, which is
thought neceliary for fubfifting of the fa-
mily the next day, which is brought by the
flaves from the houfe or barn where it is
ufually kept, without the village, as before
mentioned ; tho' others have their flore-
houfe at home. That corn the women
beat in a trunk of a tree made hollow for
that purpofe, like a mortar •, or elfe in deep
holes in rocks appropriated for that ufe,
having wooden pellies to beat it with ;
then they winnow and afterwards grind it on
a flat f(:one, much as our painters do their
colours. Taftly, they mix it with flower
of millet, and knead it into a fort of
dough, which they divide into fmall round
pieces, as big as a man's fife, and boil it in
a large earthen pot full of water, in the
nature of a dumplin.
That fort of bread is indifferent good, Bread,
but very heavy on the ftomach. The
fame fort of dough baked on very hot
ffones is much better ; and that which is
made at Mina exceeds any other of that
coaff, the women being there more expert
at making of ir.
They alfo bake it into a fort of bifket, Bwkr.
which will keep very good three or four
mohths, to vi(5lual the large canoes, in
which they make coafting voyages, as far
as Angola. Bcfidcs, they make a fort of
round twifled cakes, called there Sluanquis,
which are fold at the markets, to fupply
luch people as are unprovided at home.
Thofe ^lanqiiis are agreeable enough.
Tho' this way of beating and drefTing
the corn is hard and toilfome yet the
women perform it merrily, in the open
fcorching air, many of them at the fame
time having their infants at their backs.
The aged or lame people are put togged and
fome labour, or work fuitable to their con- ^^'^^
dition ; fome to blow the bellows at the^"-''^ *
fmith's forge •, others to prefs the palm-
oil, or to grind colours to make mats,
or to fit in the markets with provifions
to fell, according as the governours di-
re£l ; it being one part of their care, to fee
fuch people employed, that they may
earn their bread. The youth are lifbed in
the foldiery of the country, and thus no
perfon goes about begging ; which is a
thing highly commendable in the govern-
ment of the Blacks.
Some poor Blacks, who know not how
to fubfift, will bind themlelves for a cer-
tain fum of money, or have it done by
their friends : and the perfon to whom
they are fo bound, fupplics them with all
neceflfaries, employing them about Ibme
work that is not flavifh •, particularly they
are to defend their patron, or maffer up-
on occafion, and in fowing-time they
work as much as they pleafe themfelves.
On the other hand, the Blacks, tho' ne-
ver fo rich, and even their kings are not
afliamed to beg any thing they have a
mind to, tho' "of never fo little value
and are fo importunate in it, that there is
no getting rid of them without giving
fomething : but of this more in another
place.
K. A I N
Chap. 20. CoaJ^s of South-Guinea.
Rain much Dreaded.
T isfcarce credible how much thofe Blacks
in general dread the rain fhould fall upon
their bodies. As foon as ever a heavy
fhower begins to fall, they quake, and clap
their arms acrofs over their llioulders, to
keep it off as much as pofiible, if they can-
not get under flielter •, and this apprehen-
fion is ftill much greater at the time of the
tornadoes, v/hen they fhiver, as if they had
an ague upon them ; tho' the rain is com-
monly luke-warm, the air being violently
hot. The beft reafon they can give for
! being fo ftrangely fearful of the rain is, that
the water which falls is very pernicious and
_ imhealthy. For the fame reafon, during the
A-ires in j.g^ipjy fgafon they all keep fires, during the
ramy wen- .J. . . . , .,5, r ^ ■
x^f/ whole night in the middle or their rooms,
as has been obferv'd in the defcription of
Seftro, lying about it in a ring, with their
feet to ic, to extra 61 the moifture contrafted
by walking on the wet ground ; and in the
morning they commonly anoint their body
and legs witli palm-oil, and the very foles
of their feet, the better to repel the fup-
pofecl malignity of the wet.
Ancient Herein they feem to follow the example
ctiftom. of the Hebrews, and all eaftern nations.
For this reafon the fcripture fpeaks fo much
of their walhing their leet, when they went
into their houfes or tents, to walla off the
duft that clung to their feet and legs, be-
caufe they wore only iandals, open and
made faft at the inftep with latchets, with-
out any ftockings. The fame they praftifed
when lying down to their meals, as was then
ufed, and going to bed : and in regard that
wafhing dries up the ficin and hair, there-
■ fore they afterwards anointed it, either with
plain oil, or elfe with fome aromatick balfam^
fomewhat like our effence.
By what has been faid of the nature and
unwholefomenefs of the rains in the winter
feafon on that coaft, we may conclude the
Blacks to be in the right in being appre-
henfive of it, being the bell: judges of its
pernicious effefts, by conftant experience of
all ages.
Civility.
TTHO' the people of Guinea are thought
to know little of ceremony and cour-
^ , tefy, vet thofe particularly who converfe
Salutes. ^A. ■ , r- 1 \.\
molt with hnropeanSy when they meet one
another take off their hats or caps ; but the
inland people do not look upon that as any
a6l of courtefy or refpedr. Next, they take
one another by the arms, as if they were
going to wreftle, and then by the fore-
linger and the thumb of the right hand,
as if they would pinch them ; laftly, when
they let them go, they fnap them together,
fo as to make a noife, three feveral times,
, .Vol. V.
bowing their heads towards each otherj andBARBor.
faying Auzy, Auzy, which imports as muchV^VNJ
as good-morrow, or good-day to you. Then
the one aflutch Q^^^^n,^
call'd, Baerd- Manet le, and by the Englijh.,
Cat-fijh, with nets fpread floating, and
faftened to two little poles, to which they
tie iron bells, like thofe put about the
X X X necks — / '
z6z
A Defcription of the
Book III.
Barbot. necks oT cows in feveral parts of Europe^
■^-^V^ which being fhaken by the waves, make
a tinkling noife, chat attrads this ibrc of
fifh, and brings it into the net. I have
been told, that cod is taken after that man-
ner in feme parts of Europe^ but do not re-
riiember where.
Rlver-fipj,. They alfo take river filli with proper
nets, and feveral forts of inftruments, both
by day and by night, but not in fuch quan-
tities as the fea affords. They are generally
indcfitigable at this employment, at the
proper times and feafons.
night- There are feveral ways of fifhing by night,
fij^yng. both up the country and at the coift, ac-
cording to the variety of places. Some of
the Blacks dilihe coall, in the night hold in
one hand a piece of combuftiblc wood
flaming, having firft dipped it in oil or
rofin •, and in the other a fmall dart or
fpear, with which they ftrike the fifli,
which commonly makes to the light. Others
have a gentle fire always burning in the
middle of the canoe, the fides whereof
being bor'd through, at certain dillances,
the light ftrikes through upon the water,
and atrrafts the fifli, which they alfo ftrike
with their fpears.
Another Others go into the water up to their
^'^y- middle, with a light in one hand, and a
bafket in the other, which they clap upon
the fifh, and take it ; but this way of fifh-
ing, being fubjeft to unlucky accidents
from the /harks, often playing near the
beach, few dare follow it, for fear of being
devour'd by thofe ravenous monfters.
shark- When they defign to take (harks, which
M''i"S- is often done, as well to deftroy thefpecies,
having a particular hatred to it, for the
mifchief it does, as for the benefit they
reap by felling them to the inland people,
who are fond of it dried in the fun, they
ufe proper hooks and lines ; and when one
of the larger fize has fwallowed the bait,
they help one another to tow it afhore,
and diftribute it among the people, by
whom it is eaten in revenge, as has, been
ellewhere obferved.
Tifloing in They alfo take abundance of very good
fhoal- large and fmall fifh, between the rocks, near
water. j-j^^ fliore, where the water is fliallow enough,
killing them with a fort of iron tool, fhaped
much like that with which the country
people of Aulmx in France, and the ifie of
Rbe kill congers. Among the various forts
of fifh they catch, is that they call the
King-fi/h, very good, and of a delicious tafte.
Mufcles. They there get great ftore of mufcles, as
fweet as thofe of Charon near Rochek and
accounted excellent food in their proper
feafon.
oipfs. They have alfo f.ich large oifters, that
two or three of them will fill a man, but
they are commonly tough, and the beft
way of eating them is boii'd, and then cut
in pieces and fry'd.
Small fifli is alfo taken there with z pkce srmll fifi,
of canvas, or other coarfe fluff, holding
the ends of it with both hands, under water,
and raifing it up haftily, when they fee any
fifii fwimming over it.
B L A c K-S M I t H s.
TpHE chief handicraft at which thcfe Their skilL
Blacks are beft fidlled, is fmithery ; of
which I fhall now fpeak. The black-fmiths
there, many of whom are at Boulroe, Com-
mendo, Mina^ Berku, and other places,
with fuch forry tools as they have, can
make all forts of martial weapons they
have occafion for, guns only excepted \
they alio make whatfoever is requifite for
husbandry, and for their houfhold ufes.
Tho 'they have no fteel, yet they make their
cymiters, and other cutting inftruments.
Their principal tools are a hard ftone, 7-fl^l/^.
inftead of an anvil, a pair of tongs, and a
fmall pair of bellows, with three or four
noffels, an invention of their own, and
blows very ftrong. Their files of feveral
fizes, arc at leaft as well temper'd as we
can make them in Europe. Hammers of
all fizes they have from the Dutch. Their
forges are commonly fmaller than ours.
G o
L D
-S M
I T H S.
T'
HEY outdo the blackfmitl IS in their c/m'flw^
performances, as having been taught w^w^??.
their art by the French^ Portuguefe-, and
Dutch., in former times, and now make of
fine gold, breaft-plates, helmets, bracelets,
idols, hunting-horns, pattins, plates, orna-
ments for the neck, hatbands, chain and
plain rings, buttons, and fhell-fifli , they
alfo caft very curioufly all forts of wild
and tame bcafts ; the heads and fkeletons of
lions, tygefs, leopards, oxen, deer, mon-
keys, goats, ^^c. which ferve them by way
of idols, either in plain work, orfiligrene, all
caft in moulds of which fort 1 brought
over feveral pieces of figures, but particu-
larly that of a perwinkle, as big as an
ordinary goofe-egg •, which were all much
admired at Rochel and Paris, and even by
the beft goldfmiths. The thread and con-
texture of their hatbands and chain-rings
fo fine, that I am apt to believe, our
IS - -
ableft European artifts would find it difficult
to imitate them. For the fatisfadion of
the reader I have taken the pains to draw
moft of the pieces of both gold-fmiths and
black-fmiths work in the cut; which being Ptate as.
divided into three parts, I fhall here give
a fhort account of them.
In the firft divifion of the cut, I repre-
fent all forts of martial weapons, as alfo
the inftruments for tillage and houfliold
ufes ; in the fecond, under it all the varieties
of
I
ChAK 2.0. C^?^// ^/SOUI^H-GUINEA,
spear.
z6^
of gold-fmith.s works ; and in the third nament a tyger's head, or a large red fhel], Barbot:
ao-ain, on the right hand, the whole variety to enhance the value of it. They hang '^-^V^
of rheir mufical inftruments, either for di- thefe cutlaces at their left hip, by a belt,
verfion or war, with the various forts of girt about them •, or elfe they flick them
feats, or wooden ftools. in the clout they wrap about their body^
For the betrer undcrftanding of the fi- and between their legs, that they may run
the fwifter, when they go to war in an
enemy's country, and have alfo about them
a bandelier belt, with about twenty bande-
liers hanging to it.
M, Another fort of cymiter, part of the
edge whereof is made like a faw, to faw'^^^-^'*^
orf the bones of their enemies. The pom-
mel is the muzzle of a beafb, caft in gold,
for an idol or fpelL
This fort of cymiter or cutlace, muft
be a particular weapon, ufed in ancient
times by the A?nmonites, who being abo-
gures in the firft divifion
Arms, Tools, Musical Instruments
and Ornaments ;
i^. T S a javelin or fpear, with a quiver
full of arrows, the javelin having a
ring in the middle to fallen it to their body
when they travel.
L. An AJJaga^a^ a Moorijh word ufed
in Poriuguefi, and thence taken by the
Blacks, being a long dart, to be caft at a
diftance, with another fort of quiver, and
three arrows in it. The quiver they hang minable bloody idolaters, in the days of
about their flioulders, at a leather thong, David, and ufing to facrifice their own
or belt, as mark'd 2". Thefe darts are children to Moloch^ or Malcheu, making
them pafs through the fire, or burning
them in a barbarous manner, as we read in
2 Kings xvi. 3. and xxiii. 10. and LmV.xviii.
2 1. and XX. 2, ^c, v/ere peculiar at invent-
ing of horrid torments for their enemies.
commonly about two yards long, and pretty
large, the end pointed with iron, like a
pike, and forne of them covered with iron
a fpan or two in length. This weapon
ferves them inftead of a cy meter •, that
holding their fhield ill the left hand, they and ufed to put them under faws, and under
may the more conveniently dart it with iron harrows, and axes of iron ; and made
the right \ for they have commonly fome them pafs through the brick-kilns, as may
body to carry it after them, when they be reafonably conjeilured from thedread-
cannot well hang it on their fhoulders. ful punifhments David inflidled on all the
Bores and ^* Repi'efents their bows and arrows, at towns of that execrable nation, when he
arrows, prefent not much ufed by them at the coaft, had taken Rabhah, their royal city, by his
excepting the Aqumnboe Blacks, who are moft army, under the command of Joah, cauiing
dexterous at fliooting thofe arrows, which all the Ammonites, according to the equita-
have feathers at the head, and are pointed ble rule, call'd hex Talionis, to be put to
with iron. The people of Afwlne ufed to death, by the fame forts of torments they
poifon them; but on the coaft they do had put others to, as we read, ZiJ^j/^. xii. 3 1.
not, being utter ftrangers to poifon. So that it is not unlikely thofe favage Ammo-
smalldnri, L. 0. A fmall dart to be caft by hand, nltes might alio have invented this fort of
about a yard long, and very (lender. cymiter, or fword, like a faw on the one
Raz.ors. 0. Razors, with which they fliave their fide •, which by the Arabs, their neighbours,
beards.
SworJs. N. Three different forts of fwords or
cymiters, vi/ith iron, or wooden hilts, or
a monkey's head caft in gold, and look'd Some of thofe exquifite torments anciently
upon as facred, or a fpell. Tv/o of the ufed, are ftill known in the eaftern parts %
fwords fhaped like chopping-knives^ being we have an account that the prophet i/W^zi?
about two and a half, or tliree handfuls broad was faw'd in two, by order of king Manaf-
at the endj, about one at the hilt ; and feh, with a wooden faw, which muft have
three or four fpans long at moft, bowing been a more grievous torture than if it had
a little at the top. Thofe cutlaces been of iron.
might, in procefs of time, be carried into
Africk, and by degtees conveyM down to
the Blacks of Guinea, living near them.
are very ftrong, but commonly fo blunt,
that it requires two or three ftrpkes to
cut off a head. They have a wooden hilt
and guard, adorned, fbmctimes on the one,
and fometimes on both fides, with fmall
round knobs, covered with a fort of fkin,
or a rope black'd with the blood of fome
tame beaft. Others alfo adorn it with a
■tuft of horfe-hair. Perfons of note cover
the hilt with thin plates of gold. The
leather fcabbard is almoft open at one
fide, to which they lung, by way of or-
P. A Ponyard, or Bayonet, after their p^^^^^^,
manner.
^ A round ax, with a blunt edge on
the one fide.
R. An ax of another form both thefe ^^f^'.
for hufbandry.
V. An ax of a third make, to hew, or
fell timber.
S. A fhield, or buckler, of drefs'd lea- j^;^/^^
ther, ufed by the Blacks of note, in war,
pr on feftivals or when they vifit others of
an equal rank. Thefe fhields are four pr five
foot
164
A Defcription of the
BARBOT.foot long, and three in breadth, the under
'^■'^V^ part made of oilers, fome of them cove-
red with gilt leather, or with tygers fkins,
or the like. Some alfo have broad thin
copper-plates, made faft to each corner,
and in the middle, to ward off arrows and
darts, as well as the ftrokes of cutlaces
but they are not proof againft muflcet balls.
They are wonderful dexterous at managing
of thefe fliields, which they hold in their
left hand, and the fword in the right, and
fkirmifliing with them both; they put
their bodies into very uncommon poftures,
covering themfelves fo nicely, that there
is no pofiibility of touching them, 2 Chron.
xiv. 8. Afa king oi'Judah, had an army of
three hundred thoufand men, armed with
fliields or bucklers and javelins, and two
hundred and eighty thoufand men with
fhields and arrows, againft the king of E-
tbiopia.
S. Another fort of fliield, made of ofiers
or bulrufhes, for the common fort of peo-
ple.
Brums. The royal drum, ufed when a king
takes the field and heads his army, adorned
with fpells, fhells, and jaw-bones of their
enemies flain in battel. The found of it is
not unlike that of our kettle-drums. The
body of it is a piece of wood made hollow,
covered at one end with a fheep-fkin, and
left open at the other, which is fet on the
ground. It is beaten with two long fticks,
Jike hammers, and fometimes round, as in
the figure. They alfo fometimes beat with
a ftrait ftick, or with their hands. To be
intrufted with this drum, is looked upon as
an office of honour.
They have above ten fjveral forts of
drums, moft of them being trunks of trees
hollowed, of feveral degrees and fizes.
They generally beat thefe drums in con-
fort with the blowing horns, made of ele-
phants teeth, which together make a hide-
ous noife and to help it out, they fct a boy
to rattle on a hollow piece of iron, with
a ftick : and this addition is fo far from
rendring the noife more agreeable, that it ra-
ther becomes more unfuppcrtableto our ears.
Tools. 4. 4. Two forts of tools for tillage.
A musket. W. Such a mufket as they buy from
Europeans. They handle their fire-arms
very cleverly, difcharging them feveral
ways, when drawn up, one fitting and an-
other lying down, never hurting one ano-
ther. Abundance of fire-arms, gun-pow-
der and ball are fold there by all the tra-
ding Europeans, and are a very profitable
commodity, when the Blacks of the coaft
are at war •, yet were it to be wiflied they
had never been carried thither, confidering
how fatal they have been, and will ftill
be upon occafion in the hands of the Blacks,
to Europeans, wlio for a little gain fur-
niOi them with knives to cut their own
throats, of which, each nation is fenfible
enough, and yet none will forbear to carry
that commodity, which proves fo dange-
rous in the hands of thofe Blacks and the
beft excufe we have for this ill praftice is,
that if one does not, ftill the other will fell
them ; if the French do not, the DuJcb
vvill •, and if they ftiould forbear it, the
EngliJ/j or others would do it.
In the feccnd and under D i v is i o K".
* A N earthen pot, as they are generally p^^^
made of feveral fizes, large and fmall.
Juft under the pot, a woman's necklace, j caftle, ^nd Chriftiaenhurg ^LtJcra^
are exaft draughts of the great canoes,
ufed by the Englijh and Dutch to carry goods
and paffenger^ along the coaft •, to which
prints I refer, as to the form of the canoes,
and the manner of fitting and riggrina them. ^ ,
ut 1 muft take notice, that the fills thofer/^^;«^.
people ufe, are commonly made of vufh
mats, or a fort of cloth of the bark of
trees, having long hairy threads, like the
Coco-
A Defcription of the
Book III.
BARBOT.Cf^-o-Zw, which they fpin and weave into a
^"■''V^ibrt of canvas, and their rigging is of the
p.dm-tree yarn. The European canoes have
commonly European canvas and cordage,
spells, or The canoes are alfo commonly painted.
Idols. both within and without, as well as they can
do it, and adorn'd with abundance of their
toys, or idols, fore and aft, which they
look upon as patrons and protestors of
them ; and confift, for the moft part,
of ears of bulinn corn, among feveral dry
heads, and muzzles of lions, tygers, goats,
monkeys, and other animals. The canoes
which are to make a long voyage, com-
monly, befides all thofe fpells, carry a
dead gnat, hanging out at the head of the
veffel.
Csimes all By what has been faid of the bignefs
0f me piece. the large canoes, it is eafy to guefs what
prodigious bulky trees there are in that
country, confidering that thofe boats are
made of one piece or trunk ; as alfo to
conct^e, what tedious work it is to fell
fuch trees, and work them into that form,
all being done with only a fort of crooked
large knives thofe people make ; and it
were fcarce pratlicable, but that the Capoi
trees, of which they always make the canoes,
are very porous and foft, as has been ob-
ferved before.
Hs-wmade. When the trunk of the tree is cut to the
length they defign the canoe, they hollow
it as much as they can, with their crooked
knives, and then burn it out by degrees,
till it is reduced to the intended cavity and
thicknefs, which then they fcrape and plain
with other fmall tools of their invention,
both within and without, leaving it thick-
nefs enough, that it may not fplit when
heavy loaded.
shape. The bottom is made almoft flat, and the
fides fomewhat rounded, fo as chat it is
fomewhat narrower jufl: at the top, and
bellies out a little lower, that they may
carry the more fiil : the head and ftern
are raifed long, and fomewhat hooked,
very fliarp at the end, that feveral men may
lift at both ends, upon occafion, to lay it
up afhore, and turn it upfide down, the
better to preferve it from the weather, and
efpecially from rain, and therefore they
make it as light as polTible.
small The lefiTer canoes, which the Blacks call
eanoes. Ekem, and the Portuguefe, Almadias, are
reckoned to be beft made by the people of
CommendOi and a great number is made at
Agitafi and Commani^ in the country of Com-
mendo. The name of Canoe is properly of
the JVeft' Indies., where fuch boats are ufed ;
and from thofe people the Spaniards learnt
it, and all other nations have taken it from
them.
This fort of little canoe is exadly re-
prefented in its proper form and fliape in
the print, fhowing five or fix hundred of
them abroad a fifhing, at Mina ■■, and juft
under it is the other fort of canoe, carry-
ing flaves aboard the fhips, both of them
differing much from the bar canoes, and
thofe made to perform voyages. The latter
is exaftly drawn in all its parts, to give
the reader a juft idea of it, and the way
of rowing and fteering, and therefore it
will be needlefs to fay more of it,
I have before fpoken of carpenters and
houfe-builders, as well as of porters.
Potters.
npHERE is not much to be faid of ihtm ^Tmght
but that they were formerly taught by
the Portiiguefe to prepare the clay, "to form '"S^^^e-
and mould it into jugs, pipkins, pots and
troughs of feveral fizes •, and then to bake
it in proper ovens, fo that the earthern
ware made there, rho' very thin, is yet
extraordinary hard, and as good as any in
the world to boil meat, or other provifions,
or for any ufe whatfoever. The clay they
generally have, is of a dark colour, and the
velTels made of it will endure the moft
violent heat.
Thatchers.
'T'HESE have a peculiar way of rang-
ing and ordering the leaves of palm-
trees, or of Indian wheat, or rufhes, one
over another, all bound and faften'd toge-
ther, on round poles of feveral fizes ; which
they expofe to fale in the markets, where
any one, who is to build or repair a houfe,
has the choice of what is moft for his pur-
pofe.
The inland Blacks have alfo feveral trades, Several
and abundance of hufb:mdmen among them, trades.
Befides, they have many that make various
forts of caps and hats of the fkins of beafts,
and with ftraw and ruflies ; and great num-
bers of weavers, who work cloths very
artificially, in little portable looms, to be
carried about, as at cape Verde, fpinning
the bark of certain trees, and dying it of
feveral colours. The people of Jjffeny, and
the country about them, are the moft Ikil-
ful at it of any on the Gold Coaji.
Markets.
T Have elfewhere obferv'd, that the BlacJa
have publick markets or fairs, appointed
in feveral parts of the country, on certain
days of the year, for the conveniency of
trade j befides that which is peculiar to
every village for provifions.
It woulcl be endlefs to attempt to defcribe
each of thofe publick fairs or markets, as
well up the inland, as at the coaft i and I
think it will fuffice to fpeak of one for all,
which is that of cape Corfo, accounted the
moft confiderable of all the coaft, and even
of all other parts of the country.
U
Chap. 20. (^o^/j- of South-Guinba.
JapeCovCo
parket. ,
Good order
Talm-
'mat.
It is kept every day, except "tuefdap^
which are holy, or their fabbath, in a large
place at the end of the town, whither great
numbers of all the neighbouring people re-
fort every morning very early, with all
forts of goods and eatables the land affords ;
befides the European goods carried by us.
This place is lo difpofed, and the rules
prefcrib'd for the more orderly keeping of
the market fo religiouQy obferv'd, that all
who are of one trade, or fell the fame lort
of things, fit in good order together ; and
they are moftly women, who, as has been
hinted before, are commonly employ'd to
keep market, being looked upon as fitter
for it than the men, and commonly fharper
than they for gain and profit. They come
thither by break of day^ from five or fix
leagues round about* loaded like horfes,
with each of them one, or more forts of
goods •, as fugar-cancs^ bananas, figs., yams,
lemons, oranges, rue, millet, Indian wheat,
malaguelte, or Guinea pepper, bread, han-
kies, fovol, fijh raw, boiled, roafted, and
fried, palm- oil, eggs, pomjions, earthen-
ware, beer called Peiaw, wood for fuel,
ihatch for houfes, tobacco of the growth ot
the country, &c. The Blacks of the coaft
nlfo carry thither feveral forts of European
goods and early in the afternoon the palm-
wine drawers carry that liquor, frefh from
the fields, and the fifhermen the fifh they
have caught in the morning. There the
country women barter or exchange their
provifions for fifli, or other neceffaries, and
about three of the clock return to their re-
fpeftive dwellings, feveral of them toge-
ther in a company, very merrily, finging and
fporting all the way, tho' it be ever fo
far, and that they are loaded with as much
as they can well carry •, befides fometimes
an infant tied at their back, which, as has
been faid, they always carry wherefoever
they go, as long as it fucks. Where any
of their idols are fet up in the roads, and
there are great numbers of them through-
out all the country, they never pafs by,
without leaving fome fmall part of what
they carry, by way of offering.
Of all the forts of goods, or provifions
fold at this market, the palm-wine has the
greateftvent, becaufe of the great number
of fifhermen and faftors, reforting thither
as foon as they come afhore from trading
or filhing at fea in the forenoon •, who
having earn'd fome money, are very free to
fpend it in that liquor, and drink plentifully
the reft of the day, with their friends and
neighbours, till fupper-time, when mqil of
them go home drunk : and notwithftanding
thofe excefles, it is rare to hear of any quar-
rel or diforder committed, by reafon^ of the
good government of the Caboceiros, or ma-
giftrates, during the market.
Vol. V.
At this market, not only the neighbour- Barbot-
ing inhabitants, but alfothe crews of ^^ro-^-O/'^
pean fliips riding in the road, are plentifully
fupplied with many neceffaries and refrefli-
ments the latter commonly bartering with
the market women, for garlick, pins, fmall
looking-glafifes, ribbands, flints and fteels,
and fuch like trifles.
At other places up the inland they haveF/t?>^,
fet fairs, at fome once, and at others twice
a year ; but fo that no two fairs may fall
out at the fame time, left the one be an
hindrance to the other. There they alfo
expofe to fale all forts of things they have
of the produft either of Europe or Africa-,
and there is a mighty concourfe of people,
from all parts, tho' very remote from the
place where the fiid fair is kept.
In former times thofe people had no other Mom,
way of vending their commodities among
themfelves, than by bartering or exchange ;
but fince the French firft, and after them the
Fortiiguefe, taught them the way of cutting
coarfe gold into very fmall bits, by them
call'd Kra-kra, to facilitate the buying and
felling of fmall things, the Blacks have fo
well improv'd that fort of money, that
now pretty large fums are paid in it, all
along the Gold Coaft, except at Acra, where
it is little ufed ; but inftead of it, for the
conveniency of buying fmall things in the
market, they have a fort of large iron pin,
with a femicircle, or half-moon at one end
of it, exaftly of the form and bignefs as
reprefented in the cut of their fmithery. Plate 2
Plaving already fpoken fufficiently of the
Kra-kra money, and of the manner of the
fcales and weights they ule to weigh it, or
any gold duft, I refer the reader back to it ;
as well as for what I have there alio faid of
their way of meafuring all forts of linnen,
cloth, or ftuffs, by a meafure almoft nine
foot long, by them called Je^am, and of
their manner of valuing flaves, at a fet rate,
but alterable according to the times.
I have alfo given an account of their lan-
guage among themfelves, and in what fort
of dialed they converfe and trade with Eu-
ropeans and that they know nothing of
writing or reading, tho' fome Blacks of
cape Verde, and Rufifco, are acquainted with
both. They only make to themfelves fome of
rules for memory, the better to manage ^"f'"^^
their affairs, fo that they are rarely guilty
of omitting, or forgetting the leaft thing
that is material. For their way of cafting
up any numbers, they commonly tell from
one to ten, and then tally on their fingers,
or by Taccoes, and fo fuccefllvely other tens,
till they come to an hundred, which they
tally or fcore down in the fame
and begin again from one to ten.
the better Ibrt of Blacks have proper names
for numbers to an hundred, ^^c. as may be
Z z z feen
manner^
Some of
A Defer iption of the ' 'v
Book IIL
BARBOT.feen fet down in the vocabulary of their fa-
^"^"'^^ miliar words and phraics hereafter inferted.
'■' Slaves, " '
Eing one part of their riches, and pro-
perly a commodity in this country, as
they were in ancient times at "Tyre, Ezech.
xxvii. 13. Javan, Tubal and Mejhech^ they
were thy merchafUs ; they traded the perfons of
men, Sec. it wiil not be improper to fay
fomechin!^ or them.
Furemis
•Uingtheir •
They are, for the moft part, people taken
children "^^'^ ' '"<^ni^c^fTies fold into bondage
by their own relations, in this particular,
like the Chinefe, who fell their fons and
daughters when they pleafe, and praftife it
frequently. The Schivonians had the fame
cuftom, and were alfo free to kill them.
The Ferfians kept them as flaves. Vid. Na-
varette, pag. 5 i .
Kidnap- Others are fometimes ftolen away, out
png, &c. Qf t;i-ieii- own countries by robbers, orfpirit-
ed by kidnappers, who often carry away
many children, ot both fexes, as they find
them about the country, being fet to watch
the corn-fields oi their relations, as has been
faid in its place. Some alfo through extreme
want in hard times, alfo infolvent debtors,
and fuch as are condemn'd to fines they
are not able to pay, fell themfelves willing-
ly for (laves, to others of their country
people, and there are of both fcxes and all
ages j but the much greater number of
flaves, as has been faid, are taken in war,
either in battle, or by making excurfions
into the enemies country.
The trade of flaves is in a more peculiar
manner the bufinefs of kings, rich men,
and pi-ime merchants, exclufive of the in-
ferior fort of Blacks.
Barbarous Thefe flaves are feverely and barbaroufly
ufage, treated by their mafters, who fubfift them
poorly, and beat them inhumanly, as may be
fecn by thefcabs and wounds on the bodies of
many of them when fold to us. They fcarce
allow them the leaft rag to cover their naked-
nefs, which they alfo take off from them
when fold to Europeans ; and they always
go bare-headed. The wives and children of
flaves, are alfo flaves to the mafter under
whom they are married ; and when dead,
they never bury them, but call out the
bodies into fome by place, to be devoured
by birds, or beafls of prey.
Thofeinthe This barbarous ufage of thofe unfortunate
Weft-In- wretches, makes it appear, that the fate of
dies up- bought, and tranfported from
the coafl: to America, or other parts of the
world, by Europeans, is lefs deplorable, than
that of thofe who end their days in their
native country ; for aboard fliipsall poflible
care is taken to preferve and fubfift them
for the intereft of the owners, and when fold
in America, the fame motive ought to pre-
vail with their mafters to ufe tliem well,
that they may live the longer, and do them
more fervice. Not to mention the inefti-
mable advantage they may reap, of be-
coming chriftians, and faving their fouls,
if they make a true ufe of their condition ;
whereof fome inftances might be brought :
tho* it muft be owned, they are very hard
to be brought to a true notion of the chri-
ftian religion, and much lefs to beprevail'd
on to live up to its holy rules ; being na-
turally very ftupid and fenfual, and fo apt
to continue till their end, without the leaft
concern for a future ftate of eternal blifs,
or mifery, according as they have lived in
this world.
It muft alfo be own'd, that the chriftians sla-va
m America are much to be blamed in xKi^fl'""^'^
particular; and more eipeciaily the pro- j^^;,,,.^
teftants, which I beg leave to take notice ^w/y/
of with fome concern, take very little care
to have their flaves inftrufted in the chriftian
religion ; as if it were not a pofitive duty-
incumbent on them, by the precepts of
chriftianity, to procure the welfare of their
fervants fouls, as well as that of their bodies.
This has been expreffly declared by two
fynods of the proteftant churches of Franccy
the one held at Roan, the other at Alencon,
in 1637. upon the queftions put in thofe
afl"emblies by over-fcrupulous perfons, who
thought it unlawful, that many proteftant
merchants, who had long traded in flaves
from Guinea to America, fliould continue
that traffick, as inconfiftent with chriftian
charity. The fynod thereupon, after a long
difcuflion of the point, decreed as follows :
Tho' flavery, as it has been always acknow-
ledged to be of the right of nations, is not
condemned in the word of God, and has
not been aboliflied in moft parts of Europe,
by the manifeftation of the gofpel, but
only by a contrary prattice, infenfibly in-
troduced neverthelefs, fince fcveral mer-
chants, trading on the coaft of Afi ica, and
to the Indies, where that traffick is permit-
ted, acquire flaves of the Barbarians, either
in exchange, or for money, the pofleflion
of whom they tranfmit to others by formal
fales, or exchange-, this aflTembly, confirm-
ing the rule made on that fubje<5l in Nor-
mandy, exhorts them, not to abufe that
liberty, contrary to chriftian charity, antl
not to difpofe of thofe poor infidels, but
to fuch chriftians, as will ufe them with
humanity ; and above all, will take care
to inftrud them in the true religion.
But how far moft proteftant planters and Q-NegM of
ther inhabitants of European colonies in Ame-^^"""'
rica, are from following fuch reafonable ad-
vice, every perfon that has converfed among
them can tell. There, provided that the flaves
can multiply, and work hard for the benefit
of their mafters, moft men are well fatisfied,
with-
Ihap. 20. Coafis ^/South-Guinea.
271
without the leafl thoughts of ufing their
authority and endeavours to promote the
good of the fouls of thofe poor wretches.
In this particular I muft fay, the Roman-
CatboUcks of the Ainerican plantations are
much more commendable •, for at Marti-
one of the French Carihbee iflands, all
mco
who have been there may have obferved,
that every Sunday m^orning early there is a
mafs celebrated in the chappel of the Je-
fuits, called the m.afs of the Blacks^ as being
particularly appointed for thofe Haves in
the ifland •, and every planter, who lives
within a reafonable diftance of it, is obliged
to fend his Blacks to be prefent at it, and
at other devotions, according to the fervice
of the Roman church.
It is alfo notorious, with what applica-
tion the Portuguefe have endeavoured, for
thefe two laft centuries, to propagate their
religion amongft the Blacks in general, at
Guinea^ Congo and Angola^ by keeping a
great number of miffioners there, in feveral
places : and even in Brafil, what care they
take to inllruft fo many thoufmds of Black
flaves, as are employed in the fervice of
their plantations, as fhall be farther declar'd
when I fliall treat of thofe peoples fenfe, or
belief of religious worfhip.
ExcHfes of Before I leave thisfubjecf, I fhall mention
?^«Engiifhtwo principal reafons, to pafs by feveral
others of lefs moment, which proteftant
'(lavei" pi'-inters ufually alledge, in the Englijh co-
lonies of America^ to excufe this negleft :
the firft, the great incumbrance it would
be to a planter, who has a great number of
flaves, fome one, others two hundred and
more, firfb to have them learn Englijh^ and
afterwards to inftruft every one of them in
the principal articles of the proteftant be-
lief, thofe flaves being generally of a bru-
tifh temper, and prepoflelTed with fantafli-
cal fuperftitious praftices of the groflfeft and
mofl abfurd paganifm which, in reality, moft
of them always adhere to, tho' they have
lived ever fo long among proteftants. The
otlter argument, on which many feem to
lay much ftrefs, is, that if their flaves were
made chriftians by baptifm, tsfc. they
fiiould, according to the laws of the Britijfj
nation, and the canons of its church, imme-
diately lofe the property they had before
in thofe flaves ; it being inconfiftent with
the proteftant religion, that any of its pro-
feflbrs fliould be kept in bondage for life.
But this is a falfe notion, for neither the laws
of the nation, nor the canons of the church
oiEngland, nor of any other chriftian people
in Europe^ that I could ever hear of, do
difcharge any Black flave, that has received
baptifm, from continuing fo till death. I
have in this point had the opinion of very
learned Er.gUJfj and French divines, alledging
one inftance of the like cafe in Qnefmus^ a
chriftian flave, in whofe behalf St. P^z^^/Barbot.
writes to Philemon^ his mafter, in fo affedi- V^V^
onate a manner; vid. hisepiftle: by all which
it is apparent, that in thofe times, the pri-
mitive chriftians had many flaves among
them, who were alfo chriftians.
To conclude on this head, it may fafely chrijllmi-
be afHrmed, that if the proteftants v^txt^y^^tiU
careful to have their Barbarian flaves bap- J^'t",'^^'"
tized, and well inftruded in the principles
and maxims of true chriftianity, many of
thofe poor wretches would behave thejn-
felves much more humanely and dutifully
towards their mafters and fellow-flaves than
they do, for want of fuch inftrudlions ; and
confequently we fhould not fo often hear of
their mutinying and deferring, as has been
known at Barbadoes, and other colonies.
The maxims of chriftianity v/ould doubtlefs
be a curb to their rude temper, and the
planters might expe£t the blefling of heaven
on their plantations, as a reward of their
charitable endeavours to convert thofe grols
pagans from their deplorable ftate of depra-
vation, in all malice and vilenefs towards
God and man.
The Gold Coaft, in times of war between
the inland nations, and thofe nearer the
fea, will furnifti great numbers of flaves
of all fexes and ages •, fometimes at one
place, and fometimes at another, as has been
already obferved, according to the nature
of the war, and the fituation of the coun-
tries between which it is waged. I remem-
ber, to this purpofe, that in the year 168
an Englijh interloper at Commendo got three
hundred good flaves, almoft for nothing,
befides the trouble of receiving them at the
beach in his boats, as the Commendo mtn
brought them, from the field of battle,
having obtained a vidory over a neighbour-
ing nation, and taken a great number of
prifoners.
At other times flaves are fo fcarce there,
that in 1682, I could get but eight from
one end of the coaft to the other •, not only
becaufe we v/ere a great number of trading
fliips on the coaft at the fime time, but by
reafon the natives were every where at peade.
At another time, I had two hundred fliives
at Acra only, in a fortnight or three weeks
time and the upper coaft men, undcrftand-
ing I had thofe (laves aboard, came down
to redeem them, giving me two for one,
of fuch as I underftood were their near re-
lations, who had been ftolen away by inland
Blacks^ brought down to Acra^ and fold
to us.
I alfo remember, that I once, amon^ my a whole
feveral runs along that coaft, happened iofrmily
have aboard a whole family, man, wife,/^"^^^-
three young boys, and a girl, bought orie
after another, at feveral pkces •■, and cannot
but obferve here, what mighty fatisfaftion
thofe
172
A Defcription of the
Book III.
BARBOT-thofe poor creatures expreffed to be fo
V^W^come together again, tho' in bondage.
For feveral days i'ucceflively they could
not forbear fliedding tears of joy, and con-
tinually embracing and carelTing one ano-
ther which moving me to compaffion, I
•,. ordered they fliould be better treated a-
board than commonly we can afford to do
it, where there are four or five hundred in
a fhip; and at Mariinko^ I fold them all
together to a confiderable planter, at a
cheaper rate than I might have expelled,
had they been difpofed of feverally ; be-
ing informed of that gentleman's good-
nature, and having taken his word, that
he would ufe that family as well as their
circumftances would permit, and fettle them
in fome part by themfelves.
I have elfewhere fpoke of the mannef of
valuing and rating the flaves among the
Blacks, and fliall conclude this chapter,
which proves to be one of the longeft,
with an odd remark-, which is. That many
of thofe flaves we tranfport from Guinea
to America are prepoiTeflied with the opinion,
that they are carried like flaeep to the
flaughter, and that the Europeans are fond
of their flefh j which notion fo far prevails
with fome, as to make them fall into a
deep melancholy and defpair, and to refufe
all fuftenance, tho' never fo much com-
pelled and even beaten to oblige them to
take fome nourifhment: notwithflanding all
which, they will ftarve to death ; whereof I
have had feveral inftances in my own
flaves both aboard and at Guadalupe.
And tho' I muft fay I am naturally com-
panionate, yet have 1 been neceflitated
fometimes to caufe the teeth of thofe
wretches to be broken, becaufe they would
not open their mouths, or be prevailed
upon by any intreaties to feed themfelves ;
and thus have forced fome fuftenance into
their throats.
At the end of the fupplement to this
defcription, may be feen how I ordered the
flaves to be ufed, and managed, in our
pafTage from the coaft to the IVeft-Indies;
which if it were well obferved by other
Europeans following that trade, would cer-
tainly fave the lives of many thoufands of
thofe poor wretches, every year, and ren-
der the voyages much more advantageous
to the owners and adventurers ; it being
known by a long courfe of experience that
the Engli/h particularly every year lofe
great numbers in the paflfage, and fome
fhips two, three, and even four hundred
out of five hundred fhipped in Guinea.
Before we leave this iubjeft, the M\ow- slaves h
ing obfervation may not be unacceptable, ancim
The Ifraelites had the power of life and*^'^^-''
death over their flaves, and that right
was then common to all nations ; tor
captivity was derived from the right of
war, when inflead of killing the enemies
it was judged more advifeable to fave their
lives, and make ufe of their fervice. It was
then fuppofed, that the conqueror always
referved to himfelf the right of taking
their lives, if they became unworthy of
his mercy ; that he acquired the fame
right over the children of flaves, flnce they
could never have been born, had not he
preferved the father, and that he tranf-
ferred that right, in difpofing of his flave.
This is the foundation of the abfolute "/
authority of the mailers, and it was very'|^^*^''
rare that they would abufe it; their own^^^'^'
intereft obliging them to preferve their
flaves which were a part of thdr wealth.
That is the reafon in the law of God, for
not punifliing him, who had beaten his
flave fo unmercifully, that he died in a
few days after. 'Tis his money, fays the
law; to fhow that his lofs was a fufficient
punifhment : and it might be prefumed in
that cafe, the mafter only intended to cor-
redt him. But if the flave aftually died
under the blows, it was an inducement to
believe that the mafler's defign was to
kill him, and therefore the law declared
him guilty ; wherein it was more merci-
ful than the laws of other nations. The
Romans for above fifty years had the right
of putting their flaves to death ; of lay-
ing their debtors in irons, for non-pay-
ment, and of felling their own children
three feveral times fucceflivcly, before they
were out of their power. All this was
purluant to the laws of the twelve tables
which they brought from Greece, about
the time when the Jews were again re-
eftablifliing themfelves, after* their return
from captivity, and about a thoufind years
after Mofes. More of thefe remarks may
be found in other parts of this defcription
treating"of flaves. V
CHAP. XXI.
European goods for Guinea j ufes they are put to j dtittes paid for goods.
Safe riding at the coafl. Merry-making and dancing. Feafi made by the
Danifh general. Manner of taking an oath.
European GooDs/(?r Guinea.
to the different forts of goods the
anc
Europeans generally carry thither for
trade ; each nation commonly fupplies the
coaft, as much as is convenienr, with fuch
as their refpedlive countries afford
what they want at home for well aflfort-
ing their cargo, they buy in other parts of
Europe. For inftance.
The
Chap. 21.
CoaftS of SotJTH-GtJIKEA.
^ '«r-7
The French commonly carry more
brandy, wine, iron, paper, firelocks, ^c.
than the EngUJh and Dutch can do, thofe
commodities being cheaper in France; as,
on the other hand, they fupply the
-Guinea trade with greater quantities of
linen cloth, bugles, copper bafons, and
kettles, wrought pewter, gun-powder,
fayes, perpetuanas, chints, cawris, old
\ flieets, ^c. than the French ; becaufe they
muft get thcle wares from England or
Holland.
What the The French commonly compofe their
French cargo for the Gold Coaft trade, to purchafe
flaves and gold-duft •, of brandy moftly,
white and red wine, ros folis, firelocks,
mufkets, flints, iron in bars, white and
black contecarbe, red frize, looking-glaffcs,
fine coral, farfiparilla, bugles of fundry
forts and colours, and glafs beads, pow-
der, flieets, tobacco, taff^eties, and many o-
' , ther forts of filks wrougiit, as brocardels,
velvets, ^^c. fliirts, black-hats, linen, pa-
per, laces of many forts, beads, fliot, lead,
niufket-balls, flints, callicoes, ferges, fluffs,
^c. befides the other goods for a true
affortment, which they have commonly from
Holland.
Dutch The Dutch have Coejveld linen, fleyfiger
lading. jyvvr^j;^ fhccts, Ldjden ferges, dyed in-
digo-blue, perpetuanas, green, blue, and
purple : Konings-Kleederen, annabas, large
and narrow, made at Haerlem^ Cyprus and
Turkey ftuffs, Turkey carpets, red, blue, and
yellow cloths, green, red and white Leyden
rugs, filk ftuffs, blue and white •, brafs ket-
tlesofall fizes •, copper bafons, pans,
barbers bafons, fome v/rought, others ham-
mered •, copper pots, brafs locks, brafs
trumpets, pewter, brafs, and" iron rings,
hair trunks, pewter diflies, and plates (ot
a narrow brim •,) deep porringers, all forts
and fizes of fifliing-hooks, and lines, lead
■ in flieets , and in pipes, three forts of
Dutch knives •, Venice bugles, and glafs
beads, of fundry colours and fizes ^ Sheep-
fkins, iron bars, brafs pins, long and
fliort ; brafs bells, iron hammers, powder,
mufl<:ets, cutlaces, cawris, chints, lead balls,
and fhot, of fundry forts brafs cups,
with handles, cloths of Cabo-Ferdo, ^m-
qun, Ardra., and of Rio-Forcado ; blue
coral, alias akory, from Benin ; ftrong wa-
ters, and abundance of other wares, being
near a hundred and fifty forts, as a Dutch-
man told me.
Englifli The Engli/h, befides many of the flime
^f^rge. goods abovementioned, have tapfeils broad
and narrow, nicanees fine and coarfe ;
many forts of chints, or Indian callicoes
printed, tallow, red painting colours •, Ca-
7iary wine, fayes, perpetuanas, inferior to
the Dutch, and fack'd up in painted til»
Vol. V.
lets, with the Englijh arms: many forts Burbot.
of white callicoes T blue and white linen, '^-''V^
Chinahxx\x\%, Barbadoes r\im, or aqua-virjc,
made fromi fugar, other ftrong waters, and
fpirits, beads of all forts, buckfhaws, Wel/h
plain, boyfides, romberges, clours, ginga-
rus taffeties, amber, brandy, flower, Hafn-
burgh brawls^ and white, blue and white,
and red chequer'd linen, narrow Guinea
ftuffs chequer'd, ditto broad, old hats, pur-
ple beads.
Note, That all the iron for Guinea, is of
the very fame fize and weight as defcribed
in the defcription of Nigritia ; and is called
at London by the name of Voyage-Iron, and
is the only fort ufed all over the coafts
ot North and South Guinea, and in Ethio-
pia.
The Diines, Brandenhurghers, and Portu- Danes,
guefe, provide their cargoes in Holland, f^^^'^^^'
commonly confifiing of very near the fame^^^Ponu-
fort of wares, as I have obferved the Dutch, guefe.
make up theirs the two former having
hardly any thing of their own, proper for
the trade of the Gold CoajK befides copper
and filver, either wrought or in bullion, or
pieces of eight, which are a commodity
alfo there.
The Portuguefe, as I have already faid^
have moft of their cargoes from Holland,
under the name of Jews refiding thercj.
which confifts in many of the fame forts
of goods, mentioned in the article concern-
ing the Hollaiulers ; to which they add
fome things of the produd of Brazil, as
tobacco, rum, tame cattle, St. Tome cloths,
and others from Rio-Forcado, and other cir-
cumjacent places in the gulph of Guinea.
The Blacks of the Gold Conji having traded Blacks
with the Europeans, ever fince the beginning ex(i7mne
of the fourteenth century, are very weH '^*y
fler Cent, dearer to the Blacks, than what The wrought pewter, as difhes, bafons,
they get aboard ftiips in the roads the porringers, &c. ferve to eat their viftuals
fuper-cargoes of the fhips commonly fall- out of Mufkets, firelocks, and cutlaces,
ing low, to get the more cuftomers, and they ufe in war. Brandy is moft common-
make a quicker voyage : for which rea- ly fpent at their feafts. Knives to the
fon, the forts have very little trade with fame purpofes as we ufe them. With
the Blacks during the fummer feafon, which tallow they anoint their bodies from head to
fills the coaft with goods by the great con- toe, and even ufe it to ftiave their beards,
courfe of fhips at that time from feveral inftead of foap. FiOiing-hooks for the
ports of Europe ; and as the winter leafon fame ufe as with us. Venice bugles, giafs
approaches, moft of them withdraw from beads, and contacarbe, ferve all ages and
the coaft, and fo leave elbow-room to the fexes, to adorn their heads, necks, arms,
fort fa<5tors, to trade in their turn, at a and legs, very extravagantly, being made
greater rate, during that bad feafon. into ftrings, as has been obferved : and
In the year 1682, the gold trade yield- farfiparilla is ufed by fuch as are infedted
ed hardly 45 per cent, to our French fhips, with the venereal difeafe. French., Madera
clear of all charges, but that might be im- and Canary wine, are little ufed by the na-
puted to the great number of trading fliips tives, but commonly bought by the Euro-
of feveral European nations, which happened peans refiding there,
to be at that time on the coaft ; where-
of I counted forty two in lefs than a month's D u t i e s paid for Goods.
time: had the number been but half as A L L the goods the buy of us, are^^
great, that trade would have cleared 60 liable to certain duties or taxes, ^- coaft.
per Cent, or more ; and if a cargo were mounting to about 3 per Cent, paid to the
properly compofed, it might well clear 70 proper officers, the kings of the land have
per Cent, in a fmall fliip, failing with at each port-town ; and even fifh, if it
little charge, and the voyage diredly exceeds a certain quantity, pays one in
five.
Chap. 21. CoaJfsofSovTH-GvtnuA.
A
five. Thefe duties are paid either in kind
or value.
No»e up Up the inland, ihey pay no duty for
river-fifh, but are liable to a capitation of
one fhilling j>er head for the liberty of paf-
fing down to the fea-fhore, either to traf-
fick or attend the markets with their pro-
vifions, or other forts of the product of
the land, and pay nothing at their return
home, goods or no goods, unlefs they
chance to leave their arms in a village
then the perfon fo doing, is to pay one
fhilling.
How col- The colle6tors account quarterly with
leciors ac- tJ-jeir kings, and deliver up what each has
count. received in gold at his refpedive poft ;
but the fifth part of the fifli they colleft
is fent to the king as they have it, and
ferves to feed his fimily.
No fifherman is allov/ed to difpofe of
the firft fidi he has caught, till the duty
is paid, but are free to do it aboard fliips ;
which pt-rhaps may be one realon why lo
many of them daily fell fuch quantities of
their fifh to the fea-faring men.^ for le-
veral toys, as has been obferved.
Good riding at the Coast.
N Y fort of fhips may fafely ride at
all times of the year, before the Gold
Coaft ; there being very good anchorage,
from one end to the other, except at Acra,
where the ground is rocky, as has been
mentioned heretofore : but in the months
of Auguft and Sefte??iber, the fierce torna-
does blow horribly from the fea, on the
land, and unlefs a vefTel be well fecured
with feveral good cables and anchors,
may force it afliore, as we heard of one
fo caft away at Tackorary, and another
at Commendo., in the year 1679. and I was
like to have had the fame fate in my
yacht, before Jnfiama., in the year 1682,
by a tempeftuous foutherly wind, in the
middle of the night, tho' but in the
month of yf/)n7, when I made a coafting
voyage from Acra., where I left the man
of war I was in, to fome leagues above
cape 5/. Apoloiiia, at the upper coaft,
Merry-Making D a n c I n g.
TWi" E N and women there being, as I
^ have before obferved in their charac-
ter, inclined to fing till they die, and
dance into the grave ; they fcarce mifs one
day in their lives without fome fports and
dancing, efpecially the female fex are moft
particularly eager for it infomuch that if
amidft their hardeft toils and work at
home or abroad, they do but hear any
one fing, or play on their mufical inftru-
ments, they will fall a dancing : which
gives me an opportunity to enter on the
fubjeft of their dances and paftimes.
It is a cuftom from time out of mind, Barbot.
amongft them, for the greateft part of^-^V^J
the inhabitants of a town, or village, to
meet together every evening, at the mar-
ket-place, there to dance and be merry,
for an hour or two, before they lie down
to fleep. The women make the firft ap-
pearance, dreffed in their beft garb •, ha^
ving abundance of tinkling fmall bells,
tied about their legs : and after them the
men, in the beft equipage they can con-
trive j each carrying in his hand an ele-
phant's tail, gilt at the end. Tlie ^
cians ftand by, at one corner of the place, J^^"^"^'"
fome with brafs bafons, others v/ith drums jt^^.
of two or three different forts and tones,
on which they commonly fit aftride ; others
have wooden fnappers, our boys ufe them
in imitation of caftanets, and others with
reeds, flutes, and fiagelcts ; others with a
hand flat drum, made up with fmall belts
round it j and others with their gittern^
the beft inft"rument they have which is,
a hollow piece of wood of two handfuls
long, and one in breadth. From the hin-
der part of this a ftick comes acrofs to the
fore-part, and upon the inftrument are fix
extended ftrings fo that it bears fome forC
of refemblance to a fmall harp, and afibrds
much the moft agreeable found of any they
have. To thefe are adjoined the horn-
blowers, or trumpeters.
All thefe inftruments make a loud,
ftrange harmony, together with the ex-
travagant vocal muficians , and the men
and women who are to compofe the dance,
divide themfelves into equal numbers and
couples, oppofite to each other ; and form-
ing a general dance, meet and fill back
again, leaping, beating their feet hard on
the ground, bowing their heads to each
other, and fnapping their fingers, mutter-
ing fome words at times, and then fpeak-
ing loud then whifpering in each other's
ears, moving now very flowly, and then
very faft •, men and women running againft
each other, breaft to breaft, and knocking
bellies together very indecently; clapping
their hands together, throwing their ele-'""""
phant's tail at one another, or tofting it
about their flioulders, and uttering fome
dirty myfterious words.
The women throw a little hoop on the
ground, dance round it, then take it up
again with their foot ; others tofs up, as
high as they can, a fmall bundle of linen
bound up hard together, and catch it again
as it falls ; others recite aloud, certain mi-
modeft verfes, to which the other d^nctn singing.
anfwer much in the nature of a choir of
mufick. This fort of dance, is much like
that we call in France., La danfe des filloux.
When they have thus fpent about an hour
and a half, or two hours, in that exercife,
they
A Defer iption of the
Book III.
Barbot. they retire to their refpedive lodgings to
Varisty of Their dances vary according to times,
dunces, occurrences, and places, which would be
too tedious to particularife : fome of thefe
dances being in honour of their deities, are
nlore ferious \ others are by particular ap-
pointment of the kings : as for inftance, at
Ahramhoe^ a large town in Fetu., every year,
for eight days together, there is a refort from
all parts of the country, of multitudes of
people of both fexes and this, they call
the Daricing-feafon ; where every one that
comes, is dreffed to the moft of his ability
and condition.
Feast made by ihe Danish GenerAl.
T T v/ill not be unacceptable in this place
to give a lliort account of an enterrain-
ment the Danijh general made for me in
his garden behind Fredericks-bnrgb, at Man-
frou, in the month of January. After a
fplcndid dinner, in the fort, wewalk'ddown
the hill to that garden where the company
was fcarce feated, in the fummer-houfe,
Handing in the midft of orange-trees, before
we were furrounded by about an hundred
Blacks, arrn'd from head to foot, in the
moft compleat manner they ufe to be when
they take the field, but fo fantaftically
adorned, with caps on their heads made of
a crocodile's, or elephant's fkin, having on
each fide a red fliell, and behind a bunch of
horfe-hair, and a heavy iron chain, or fome-
thing elfe inftead of it, girt round their
head, and their bodies coloured white •, that
{ really, they rather refembled devils than
men. At firft they made a horrid confufed
noife, beating upon one another's fhields,
firing their mufkets at one another, and
bowing to the ground.
This fort of flam
fight among themfelves,feveral of them inter-
mixing it with dances by intervals, ftriking
by meafure and cadence, with their cutlaces,
on their bucklers, much as the adlors do
at the opera of Mars, at Paris; whilft
others, in couples, were continually firing
their mufkets towards the ground, leaping,
and putting their bodies into fuch ridicu-
lous ftrange poftures,, as if they had been
poiTelTed,
After them, the Black ladies took xhtir Bancing.
turn, and fhowed all their (kill and dexte-
rity by many forts of dances, amongft
themlelves, pretty agreeably. All this
while the fort, at certain intervals, an-
fwered the many volleys of the comba-
tants in the garden, by firing five guns at
a time, and continued fo to do, till it be-
gan to be dufkilh, which obliged the com-
pany to return to the fort ; being recon-
du6ted by all the armed men, who, whilft we
were on the way, marched all round at
the foot of the hill, and afterwards divided
themfelves into two bodies, each with its
commander's drums, horns, and the
colours, oppofite to one another, in order
of battle. No Iboner were we placed in the-^""'^^'*
long gallery of the fort, from whence we
could have a full view of them, but each
body began to move towards the other, and
fkirmiihed together with fire-arms, without
any order •, after which, each man taking
his javelin in one hand, and his buckler in
the other, made a IlioW of cafting it at his
oppofite. Atlaft, they fell in together con-
tuledly, with their cutlaces, ftriking hard
on their fliields, till it being dark night,
they left off-, one body attending their of-
ficers home, to the town of Manfrou, the
other guarding the Danijb ftandard to the
fort, where the general treated them with
French wine, and brandy. This feaft coft
the general five Bendas of gold, or forty
pounds fterling.
Manner of taking an Oath.
T Have already hinted fomething concern-
ing the manner of adminiftring an oath
to the Blacks at Jxim ; and more particu-
larly, that of taking an oath to the Butch
ofiicers there : I fliall now make fome far-
ther obfervations on the fune fubje(5l, as
it is praffiifed in Fctu, eitlier towards Euro-
peans, or among themfelves, in things of
moment.
Upon fuch occafions the prieft or con-
jurer erects a pile of fmall flicks, in the
form of an altar, on which he lays a can-
vas bag, Iprinkled with human blood, con-
taining fome dry bones of men •, to which
he adds fmall pieces of bread, and a cala-
bafh or gourd full of the bitter water or
drink, fo much ufed among them in reli-
gious ceremonies, all which the prieft exor-
cifes, and caufes the perfon to whom the
oath is adminifter'd to fwear on it, by
Ofture, the name of their chief deity. To
which he adds an exhortation, for the in-
violably obferving of the fliid oath in all
points, with a terrible denunciation of a moft
horrible punifhment in cafe of perjury ; and
if the perfon takes an oath to the EngliJ}.\ or
other Europeans there, lie is made to fwear
on the bible,
■ They
Chap. 22. ' Coafts of SotJTH-GuiNEA.
They commonly proftrate themfelves be-
fore them, embrace their feet, and lifting
one of them from the ground, rub the fole
of it on their own faces, ftomachs and
Ihoulders, uttering loudly this fyllable, jau^
jau, jau ; fnapping their fingers, ftamping
"with their feet on the earth, and kiffing the
idols on their arms and legs : others add,
to all thefe fantaftical ceremonies, the
draught of bitter water. Some of the moft
civiliz'd at taking an oath to a fFhile man,
will alfo crofs their two fore-fingers, and
carrying them to their mouth, kifs them,
faying in Portuguefe, For efta crus de Deos,
which is, ibis crofs of God, ; ,
I have before obferved, that thefe people^ BapvBot-
before the Portuguefe came among them, ^"^"Y^
were reckoned very confcientious,and true to
their oaths -jbut whether by the frequent inter-
courfe with European nations fince that time,
or whateverthe occafion of fo great a change
may be, at prefent they are entirely dege-
nerated ; for tho' they will now take the
moft facred oath, either in their own, or
our way, they are very little to be trufted,
efpecially by Europeans., as little valuing per-
jury, provided they can be gainers by it, or
latisty their paffions. But of this, and other
particulars relating to oaths and perjury, 1
fhall have occafion to fpeak hereafter.
CHAP, XXIL
^ifeafes m Guinea, and their cures. Snperflitions and fmerats.
1HAVE before obferved, that how un-
wholefomefoever this country is, yet we
Ice but few of the natives afflifted with
diftempers, which is one advantage of being
born in this bad air, and bred up in ftench ;
and when lingering under Ibme diftemper,
it muft really be mortal, to hinder them,
either from their bufinefs, or taking their
ufual fports and diverfions ; as having al-
V/ays at hand a great diverfity of medicinal
herbs, and proper remedies, to eafe and
cure it in a fhort time, according to the
fkill they have, as will be made appear in
this chapter,
Diseases In Guinea and their Cures*
B;/ej»/?i /r/T^HE diftempers of the Blacks^ are the
geherd. venereal difeafe, megrim or head- aches,
bloody-fluxes, fevers, which they call A-
hrobra, cholicks, pains in the ftomach ; the
fmall-pox, which makes the greateft havock
among them, as does alfo that ftrange dif-
eafe of the v/orms.
Venereal As for the venereal difeafe, which among
ciifeaff^arj them is ameer gallantry, every man being
iti cure, extravagantly addifted to a multitude of
wonien of all forts, found or unfound ;
they commonly cure it with Sarfapar'dla.,
boil'd in brandy, ufing it by draughts till
the patient is recovered found. This Sarfa-
pardia is brought them by the Dutch.
Head-cich In their head-aches, they apply to the
^lul cure, ficeof the patient, apulticeof fundry herbs,
v.'hofe virtue is peculiarly known to that
' efFe£l ; whidh caufes fmall tumours and
pimples, which they fcarify with ftsarp-
pointed knives, if they do not break of
themfelves: then they lay on it a certain
white mould, to dry and confolidate it,
but it leaves behind the fmall fears, of which
The cholick and bloody-flux is r\ot {ochoUck
common among the natives, as the £?>?o-««^ "'-''f'
peans ; many of whom are fnatched away
before they can be naturaliz'd to that un-
wholefome air °, who generally, before they
die, grow fo benumbed in their limbs, and
fo lean, that they are frightful to behold.
The Blacks., in cafe of a violent cholick,
drink morning and evening, for feveral
days fucceflively, a large calabalh of lime-
juice, z.n6. Malaguette m'lyiU which feems at.
firft to be contradiftory for fuch diftem-
pers, were ic not known, that our phyfi-
cians in France give Lhnoiiade for gravellous
cholicks.
The European remedies againft cholicks
thercj are to keep warm, not to lie down to
fieep on the ground to avoid the dew of
the evening, and the rain ; not to ufe fpring-
water, nor lemon-juice, nor any other acids:
which refutes the too common ufe of punch,
fo much in vogue amongft the EnglifJj Gui-
neans ; and which undoubtedly kills many
of them, by caufing violent cholicks.
Pains in the ftomach are cured by taking P^i«i» it^f
four or five drops ofbalfamof fulphur, \x\flomach,
ahttle quantity of brandy which if the'""'
patient be well covered, after the dofe is
taken, will caufe fweating. The day after
this, to be let blood and two days after,
a gentle purge.
Another remedy, is to take every morn-
ing, a little of confeclion of hyacinth, and
alkermes j and from time to time, good
cordials, avoiding carefully any excefs in
wine or brandy,
I cannot omit, being on this fubjeftj to Method to
mention how I ufed to live whilft I was at^^/f^^
the coaft of Guinea., and during the whole
voyage ; to which I very much attribute
heabh.
the faces of many perfons of both fexes are the perfeft health I enjoy'd, without almoft
very full ; which inclines me to believe that any ailing. I wore continually, day and
their head-aches and megnm are very com^ night, a hare's-flcin, well drelTed, on my
mon and general , siu ;)('7 f ov '. bare ftomach, the hair next my body i which
Vol. V, Bbb b kept
278 A Defcrip
BARBOT.kept it always in good order and aftivity j
^"^'Y^ the' I muft own it made me often fweat won-
derfully, in the fcorching air of the torrid
zone, but help'd digeftion admirably. I
obferved very exaftly, not to drink wine
or brandy jn the morning, as moft fea-
faring men of all nations do which is very
ofFenfive to an empty ftomach, affeding the
tender parts of it, by its corroiivenefs, en-
feebling and weakening its faculties by de-
grees, and confequently renders it uncapa-
bie of digeflion, altho' it feems, at the
moment it is taken, to ftrengthen it : there-
fore I always took fome nourifhment before
I would ufe it ; and a quarter of an hour
after, took the dram, neither would I drink
any ftrong liquor, till a quarter of an hour
after meals-, much m.ore did I fliun to
drink hard, of any corrupted liquors oi' Eu-
rope, and of the Guinea beer, called Petaw ;
all which fo much abounds in the European
forts at the Gold Coaft. By this method my
ftomach was all along kept in good order,
and digeftion to admiration, notwithftand-
ing the cxceflive heats, which naturally
weaken its faculties.
Cure for Again, for the cholick, befides what is
above-mentioned for pains in the ftomach,
take about half the weight of a louis-d'or,
of right orvietan, in four or five drops of
annifeed oil ; and ufe repeated glifters,
compofed; of the decodtion of common and
marlh-m allows, or holy oaks, pellitory of
the wall, and caffia-powder, with ten drops
of annifeed-oilj keeping warm efpeciaily
at night.
Difiemper As for the difeafe of the worms, by the
pfworwj. Mina Blacks calkd Ikkon, it is more peculiar
. to the natives than to Europeans, who are
feldom afflifted with them.
This difeafe appears in feveral parts of the
body, but more commonly in the flefliy
parts, as the thighs, the haunches, the
breafts ; and even in the fcrotum, a man
will fometimes have nine, ten or twelve of
thefe worms at once ; fome long, fome
fhort, and fome deeper in the flefli than
other, and there are often alfo fome lodged
betwixt the flefh and the flcin. The worm
generally fhows itfelf by the fwelling of
the fledi ; in fome it caufes violent agues,
with great lliiverings •, others it torments
with intolerable pains, all over the body,
fo that they cannot reft in any pofture :
others it cafts into a violent fever, and con-
tinual deliriums. But thofe that grow in
• ' ■ the breaft or paps are the moft afHiding,
".■ as thofe that come in the fcrotmi and yard
are the moft dangerous of all, as well as
tormenting ; infomuch, that they have put
fome men there into fuch a woful condi-
tion, that they grew perfeftly mad and
outrageous, fo that it was requifite to bind
them very faft.
fion of the ' Book III
Some of thofe worms are an ell and a severd
half long, as big as a raven's quill, as I imfi^sof
in one of our flaves aboard Ihip, winding
almoft twice about his waift, vifibly appa-
rent in many places ; which our chief lur-
geon drew out entire in four days time ; and
when dry, it was almoft like a white finew.
From this immenfc fize of an ell and a half,
the worms are of feveral other magnitudes,
fhorter and fhorter, to fix inches long, and
proportionably thick to their length, the
fmalieft no bigger than a hair.
The only way to cure this horrid ^ov- curepf the
menting difeafe, is to take hold of the mrm's.
worm, very gingerly, as foon as the head
has made its way out of the Iwclling, and
make it faft to a fmall piece of paitc-board,
or ftick, till it drav/s back of uilll'; wJteu
it muft by no means be lorced, but
the pafte-board left over the wound, bind-
ing the faid wound fo faft that the worm
may not re-enter, and applying to it pultices
and fomentations, twice a day, to ioften
the tumour, and facilitate the coming out
of the worm ; every time the wound is
drefled, turning the pafte-board gently,
and thus repeating tue fomentations and
winding of the worm twice a day, fome-
times for a whole month, till it comes out
entire, which is the greateft point of the
cure, tho' the method be tedious : for if it
ftiould happen to break by being too hafty
in drawing it out, that part which remains
in the body, will foon putrify, or break
out at fome other part, which occafions
double pain and trouble. We have feen
men thus ferved, for whom no other re-
medy could be found to preferve their lives,
than cutting off a leg, or an arm, or the
privy parts •, and if the worm is lodged in
the trunk of the body, and broken, it is
almoft a miracle if the man does not die
of the gangrene working to the vital parts.
Commonly the worm brings along with it,
as it is gradually wound out of a man's
body, a great quantity of putrified matter.
The principal point of this cure, befides
the gentle drawing out of the worm, as has
been laid, is to keep the wounded part very
warm, becaufe the cold air would fwell it,
and confequently choak the worm's paifage,
which would caufe intolerable torment.
What has been faid on this fubjeft, properly
concerns Europeans afflided with this unac-
countable difeafe ; to which I ftiall add, that
it is neceflary, after the cure, to purge the
patient, and take for a general rule, to pre-
vent this difeafe, to live well, and foberly,
to keep the ftomach very warm, to fhifc
linen, as foon as wet by rain or fea water j
and generally to obferve all the other pre-
fcriptions I have hinted at before, but
efpeciaily to abftain, as much as poftible,
from the ufe of women, :
As
Chap. 22. Coafis of South-Guinea.
27P
As for the Blach^ they let the worm
come out gradually of itfelf, not commonly
taking fuch precautions as are above ob-
ferved ; fo that we have feen a man there
with five or fix fuch wonns hanging partly
out from his body at once : and when the
worm is quite out, they anoint the wound
with butter and fait, and afterwards wafh it
from time to time with fea-water only, which
proves very effeclual.
Thisworm-dilealc is frequent all the coaft
over the places at which the Hollanders
find their men are the moft tormented with
it, are Cormentin and Apam, which ihey
attribute to the foul water they are obliged
to drink there. At Jcra the natives are
nothing near fo much afflicflied with it, as at
all other places of the Gold Coaft ; the
reafon whereof may be, that the country
of Acra not being a promontory, nor fo
woody as all the other parts of the coaft parts of the coaft ; but yet abundance of the
the air is confequently wholefomer. natives there, tho' they uie as much ot that
have often aflljred me, that the natives forty ^a^ v-'-^t.
or fifty leagues farther up the inland, know t^'^WJ
nothing of that difeafe, tho' they are ge-
nerally as intemperate in many regards,
and particularly in the enjoyment of women,
as any at the Gold Conjl,
Others have been of opinion, that the
too frequent ufeof pic-water is theoccafion
of it. To corroborate which notion, they
produce an example of it at Ormus^ and in
the neighbouring places, where the Indians
having no other water to drink, but that
of pits, are fubjeft to this worm diftemper
which has obliged them to fetch frefh water
from out of the fea it felf, in eighteen ta-
thom deep, having men en^Ioyed on pur-
pofe there, to dive fo low for it : and that
at Mource and Cormeniin, where they drink
no other water, the people are much more
tormented with the worms, rhan at other
are
I have been told there, that a man may
have this worm-difeafe two years before it
appears, and that in fome Europeans, the
worm did not break out for twelve months
after they were got back from the coaft
of Guinea, to Europe, without feeling, all
that while, the leaft pains.
Small-fox. The fmall-pox fvveeps away great num-
bers of Blacks, of both fexes and all ages
every year,
" I fear I fhall prove tedious upon
" every fubjeft I treat of-, but my defign
" having been, from the beginning, to omit
" no particulars of ufe, or for curiofity, to
*' render the defcription of the Coafis of
" Guinea more compleat, than any yet pub-
" lifhed, in any language, I ftiall now enter
" upon a digreflion of the various caufes,
" which are thought to breed the worms
" in men's bodies in that part of Africa.""
Talfe cfint
sns difnp
t>ro'u urying of tice of the eafccrn nations, in ancient times,
treafun. j.^ ^^^^ goods, and even treafures into graves •■>
as appears hy what Jofephus writes of king
Solomon^ and the obfequies of his father Da-
vid^ Lib.vn. cap. 12. King buried
him in Jcrufakm, with fuch magnificence,
that befides the other ceremonies pradifed
at the funerals of kings, he caufed immenfe
wealth to be laid up in his tomb : for one
thoufand three hundred years after, when
Antiochus^ furnam'd the religious, fon to
T)emetrius-i laid ^it^tio J eruf ale m, Hircanus^
the high-prieft, wanting a fum of money,
to prevail on him to raife the ficge, caufed
D^Ws tomb to be opened, and took out
from thence three rhoufind talents, part of
u'hich he gave to the uid Autiochus. Again,
long after this, king Iler-od took out a very
great fum of money, from another part of
David's fepulchre, v/here that vaft treafure
had been laid up. But the coffin, in which
the king's aihes lay, was never touched, as
having been fo fifely hid under ground,
that it could not be found.
slaves/a- Befides the prefents above-mentioned,
m^ced. made at funerals, of eatables, gold, coral,
^c. many flaves are given, or fold, being
fuch as are paft their labour, through age,
or otherwife difabled, and to be lacrificed
upon thofe occafions •, being all barbaroufly
flaughtered, and buried with the royal
corps, fometimes to the number of feventy
or eighty of both fexes, and all ages ; be-
fides fcveral of his own flaves, to ferve him
in the other world : as are alfo the BoJJums,
or v/ives, he, during his life-time, dedicated
to his filfe deity, as alio one of his princi-
pal fervants.
Tartars, "^"'^^ "Tar/ars of China obferve this cuftom
their wives when any of them dies, that one of his
to diewithyi^lyQS muft hang herfelf, to bear him com-
^ pany in that journey. The Qw^/^' have the
fame cuftom, but it is not fo common, nor
approved and received by their philofopher.
A viceroy of Canlon, being near his death,
called the concubine he lov'd beft, and
putting her in mind of the affeftion he had
borne her, defired flie would bear him com-
pany ; flie promifed, and, as foon as he
was dead, hanged herfelf
Cruel To return to the Blacks^ 'tis a moft
death. wretched fpeftacle to fee thofe poor wretches
killed ; for what with piercing, hacking,
and tormenting, they endure a thoufand
deaths inftead of one. Some of them,
after having endured many exquifite tor-
ments, are delivered to a child of fix years
of age, who is to cut off their heads, and
may be an hour in doing it, not being able
to manage the cutlace. Others have been
fhut up alive in hollow trees, and continued
there feveral days before they expired.
At other places, as in Feiu, the wretch Amthst.
deftined to ht facrificed is made to drink
abundance of palm-wine, and to dance ;
every one that will, at the fime time, ftriking
or pulhing him. At laft, he is thrown
down, with his face on the land, and wiie-
ther that ftiflts him or nor, I am ignorant,
but they fall on him, firft cutting off his
legs btilow the knees, and afterwards his
arms below the elbows •, then his thighs,
and his arms at the fhoulders^ ajid laftly
his head.
In other places again, thofe Vv'ho \\\\\ Another
prefent their dead king, or other eminent^^-'^^^''"^''-
perfon, with flaves, to wait on them in the
grave, pradife a more tolerable inhumanity
in their execution ; for they either watch
an opportunity to kill the flave, when he
thinks nothing of it, with their javelins, as
he turns his back ; or elfe the mailer fends
him on fome pretence to a place where men
lie hid to murder him, and carry his corps
to the houfe of the perfon deceafed, or to
the grave, to be buried with him.
However, thefe human facrifices are notiy/;;»^!«y^.
now altogether fo much in ufe among the'^''^^"'' "b.
Blacks, who are fubieft to the European Qo-i''"^^'^
• 1 r 1 r Europeans;
vernment, as with thole who live more re-
mote from the coall. The Dutch particu-
larly, where they have any authority, will
not permit thern ; but the fuperftitious
Blacks will remove privately to other places,
in order to perpetrate this barbarity.
In fome countries they keep the body 01 Bodies pre-
a dead king, or other great man, a whole-^^'"^^''-
year betore they bury it, and to prevent
corruption, they lay the corps on a wooden
frame, like a gridiron, which they fee over a
gentle clear fire, which dries it up by de-
grees. Others bury their dead privately
in their own houfes, giving out that they
preferve the corps in the fmie manner as a-
forefaid, till a fit time to have the funeral
folemnly performed.
In other places, when the day draws nearCOT««>-^e
for the folemn interring of a king, publick^"/'"'^''''^*-
notice thereof is given, not only to tlie peo-
ple of his own nation, but to others round
about, which occafions fuch a vaft con-
courfe, as is very furprizing, all perfons be-
ing curious to fee the folemnity, all of them
as richly drefled as they can afford ; fo that
then more gallantry may be feen in one day,
than at other times in feveral years ; and in
is indeed very v/ell worth the feeing.
I will conclude this long account of fu-
neral ceremonies, with two or three ob-
fervations ; the firft, as I was told, by the
Englijh agent general at cape Corfo ; that be-
ing himfelf prefent at the obfequies of a no-
table deceafed negroe woman of the place,
the
Chap. 25. Coafls of SoufH-GuiNEA* Z%%
speech of a zhe forcercr, or prieft, made a pathecick
frieji at a fpgech to the Company there prefent, ex-
fiineral. j^Qj-tiog them all to live well ; to hurt or
caufe damage to no perfon : to be very
religious obfervers of their promifes and
contrails, and a deal more of fuch mora-
lity, after which, he made the panegyrickof
the deceafed woman, and ended the cere-
mony, by throwing on the ground a long
ftring of flieeps jaws, threaded together,
holding one end thereof by one hand, and
cry'd aloud, Do ye all as the deceafed ; do '^e
imitate her ; Jhe was very careful, during the
whole coiirfe of her life, to confecrate great num-
hers of fheep, on occafions of this nature ; as
thefe jaws do fufficiently tefiify. Thus many
of the people there prefent, were moved
to give each a fheep ; the agent himfelf
not excepted: moft of which did turn to the
profit of the crafty priefl^
■GrsLves a- The i'econd is, that at Axim, Mina, and
domed. fome other places : they fet up feveral ear-
then figures or images, on the graves, as
I obfervcd it at Mina, being fmall maufo-
leunis, garnifh'd with many puppets of an-
tick fantaftical forms, or figures of men and
v/omen, painted in various colours, and all
over garnifh'd with coral and idols, which are
waflied a year after the burial, when they re-
new the funeral ceremonies, in as expenfive
a manner as at the interment ; and, as the
Blacks fay, more flaves of both fexes are a-
frefh facrificed, in the fame barbarous way,
as has been mention'd already.
The graves which I favv at Mina, upon
the road to St. lago's-hill, were thofe of
fome Braffo's and other officers of the town,
amongfl whom was alio that of a near rela-
tion of the king of Fetu, which was adorned
with thirty or more figures of human kind,
each fee up on a pofl in a femicircle, in the
center whereof, were feveral idols encom-
paiTed with pots of palm-wine, and difhes
I of meat, covered with branches and leaves
of the confecrated tree.
J, In other parts, the Blacks build little huts
; or roofs over the graves, to cover them
from the weather, and fet up a long poft or
javelin, at one end of them, to which theyBARBor-
hang fome of the deceafed's clothes, his ^-OT^
bow and quiver, his fword, a cuftom
praftifed in former ages by the Scythians,
and Great Tartars, at the funerals of their
kings, as we find in hiflory. The Tartars
befides ufed many great barbarities at their
funerals, and among the refl, to flrangle ^>2«w
the moft beloved wife of the deceafed mon- ^^rUri-
arch near the grave, with his groom of the^'^^*
chamber, a cook, a butler, a poftillion, a
ferjeant, and a mule-driver, all thefe being
allowed but one horfe to carry their baggage
to the grave : th? horfe was there likewife
killed, with thofe poor wretches, and all
together put into the grave by the corps
of the deceafed prince, with his plate and
moft coflly houfhold goods and jewels, to
ferve and wait on him in the other life.
The Scythians, befides, at the end of the
year, made the like fervicc to the deceafed
king, ftrangling fifty of his ofHcers, all of
noble race and free men, with a like num-
ber of horfes ; and taking out the entrails
of the ftrangled men and beafts, faftned
them all round the grave, covered with
cloaks, and on the horlc's back, which from
a diftance appeared in that equigage, as a
troop of horfe fet up for the guard of the
deceafed king. Fid. States, Empires, and
Principalities of the world. By t). T. V. T.
in French, p. 813, 814,
The third obfervation is, that the Blacks, f^^-^j
as I have fiid before, are very fond of be- their
ing buried in their own country fo that \i country.
any one dies out of it, they frequency bring
his corps home to be interred there : and
if he have any friends or acquaintance there,
they cut off his head, one arm, and one
leg, which they cleanfe, boil, and carry
to his native country, where they are buried
with the ufual fblemnity, according to their
ability.
At the town of /hmaffnu, in the conrxx^ Market fof
of Fetu, weft of cape is a peculiar/'''^"
market, for buying and felling of flaves, w^f^^ff"^^'
be facrificed in honour of great perfons de-
ceafed.
CHAP. XXIIL ■
Kingdoms and common-wealths at the Gold Coaft, EleBion of khigs. En-
throning them. T>igreffion concerning labour. Tolygamy. Great officers,
Vifiting. Feafts. Covetoufnefs. Wars and treatie^s.
Kingdoms and Common-wealths.
AS foon as the funeral of a deceafed king
is over, the people proceed to fubfti-
tute another, according to the laws of the
land. Before I enter upon this fubjedt, it
is to be obferved, that the feveral forts of
government among the Blacks, at the Gold
Coaft, are either monarchial or republican.
Vol. V.
Commendo, Fetu, Sahoe, Acra, and Others,
are governed either by hereditary or elec-
tive kings. Axim, Anta, Fantin, Acron,
and others, are common-wealths. I ^^^^jrremtar
next treat of the el-eftive kings, how they govern-
are inftalled, their authority, prerogative, 'Wf"^.
(^c. but muft firft take notice, that the two
common-wealths of Axim and Anta feem to
D d d d • be
zS6
Barbot.
A Def crip Hon of the
OK
Several
forts of
elections.
Rejoicing
of the
feofle.
be the moft regular, either at the coaft, or
the inland ■■, tho' in general it may be faid,
that the publick adminiftration of affairs
among the Blacks is fo confufed and irregular,
that there is fcarce any comprehending,
much lels giving a good defcription of it.
Election of Kings.
'T^ O come to the monarchial govern-
ment, I have before obferved, that the
Blacks., before the coming of the Europeans.,
gave the tide of captains or commanders
to their chief rulers, and not that of kings.
But this mai'ters not, for it is well known,
that the title now ufed, of emperor, for a
fovereign, was the Iinperalor of the Komans.,
which fignify'd no more than a general,
or commander. Thofe great officers have
often been the founders of monarchies, and
it fignifies not by what name a prince is
called in every country, when we know he
is the fovereign. The Bam.., or Cham of
tartar'^ imports a lord, and he is their
monarch. The ancient Mafmnetan Calif-,
which word imports no more than vicar,
or fucceiTor, was the fovereign of thofe
people; and the prefent T/zri^Z/Z) monarch is
called their Sultan., the natural fignihcation
of it being lord, or mafler. Much more
might be faid on this fubjeft, but this may
fuffice to fhow that the names given by fe-
veral nations do not alter the property of
the thing, and it is fufficient that we know
they mean by them their monarchs and \o-
vereigns.
In the eleflive kingdoms, the brother,
or for want of fuch, the neareft male re-
lation, is generally promoted to the royal
dignity, except at Sahoe., Vv'here none of
the deceafed king's relations are adniitted,
but fome flranger called to the crov/n, of
the royal Eimily of any neighbouring coun-
try. In Fetu they v/ill alfo fomctimes
break through the conftitution, or com-
mon cuftom, and elecft a fubjedt no way
related to the laft king •, provided the per-
fon fo chofen has power, as they fay, to
do what he pleafes, and they can do no-
thing againfl him: the Blacks having a con-
ceit, that fome men among them are blef-
fed with fuch extraordinary gifts and pre-
rogatives by their deities, that they are
capable of doing things beyond the com-
mon courfe of nature.
At Acra and Fetu., the Fataira, or cap-
tain of the guards to the precedent king,
is often pitched upon to fucceed him.
Enthroning 0/ Kings.
'T^ H E S E eleftions are not followed by
pompous ceremonies, coronations, or
coronation-oaths. On the day appointed
for declaring the new fovereign, the per-
fon fo promoted is taken out of the houfe,
where he had been confined fince the- death
of his predeceffor, and fhown to the peo-
ple, attended by all the prime men of the
country, and abundance of the inferior fort,
and fometimes they carry him throughout
all his dominions •, during which time all the
ipeitators exprefs their Joy in the moft: fig-
nal manner they are able, by dancing,
fliouiing, and the like. When come to the
houfe or palace of his predecefibr, and feat-
ed on his chair or throne, they proclaim
him by hk name, and then the priefts fall
to making oi new idols, and mighty offer-
ings to them after which, they put him in
polfefilon of all the goods and treafure which
belonged to the deceafed king. 1
Then the new king's wives and children, ^y^^j y
if he has any, are conducfVed to the palace, wcwes.
and put into their proper apartments ;
whence the women are not to go abroad
a-foot any more, but be carried in hammocks
by flaves, appointed for that fervice.
On the inauguration-day, the king is ob-
liged to make confiderable gifts to the peo-
ple, and to entertain them for eight days
fucceffively, during which time the neigh-
bouring kings, and the chiefs of the Euro-
pean forts, fend meffengers or embaffadors
to congratulate him upon his acceffion to
the crown, and to deliver their prefents ;
after which, they go themfelves in perfon to
vifit and compliment him.
If there happen to be two competitors Cfl;»/)c^i.
fet up at once, each of them, to bind his^'"'-'-
followers to him, obliges them to take an
oath of allegiance. Unlefs this fall out, all
things are done with much eafe, fome offer-
ings being made, as is ufual upon all fo-
lemn occafions.
When the few ceremonies and the ft^ii}:- Fopularity
ing of the pioclamation are over, the new^/"^*'^-
king applies himfelf to the government, ei-
ther confirming or difcharging the officers
that ferved under his predeceffor ; and lor
the moil part, there, as is ufual in all other
parts of the world, upon the devolution of
crowns, he puts ir)any into offices, to pro-
mote his own friends and adherents, only
taking care to continue fome of thofe, who
had the greateft intertft with his predeceffor,
and are molt in efteem among the people,
for fear of alienating the minds of his fub-
jefts, but rather to gain their affediion and
applaufe •, always endeavouring to be very
popular, and exercifing much liberality,
particularly towards the wives and children
of the predeceffor, to whom fome will re-
ftore part of his goods and treafure, and
marry the females to men of note, and be-
llow confiderable places on the males.
The king is abfolute mafter of his domi-^^>/«/*
nions, and of the perfons of his i'ub'y:6ts,for{>er.
and whofoever dares difobey his commands,
is ipfofa£fo, for ever, rendered incapabk^ of
any employment, either military or civil
Thev
Chap. 25. Coap of Sou
They have the full power of peace and
war, without any controul on any account.
If they are generous and courteous towards
their fubjtfts, they pay them all honour
and fubmiflion ; but however, if they prove
otherwife, they incur much ill will, and
meet with oppofers ; thofe people alledging,
it does not become a perfon, on whom all
the nation depends, to be covetous, and
only ftudy to heap up wealth. In this cafe
they have been fometimes known to pro-
ceed fo far as to depofe them whereas if
they prove otherwife, thofe people never
ceafe extolling the magnanimity and gene-
rofity of their princes, efpecially if they
Treats ^if- frequently treat them with palm-wine and
feBed. other ftrong liquors and provifions ; which
puts them to great expences, thofe people
never confidering that fuch prodigalities
continually put their fovereigns upon feek-
ing means to increafe their revenues, by
new duties and impofitions ; thefe kings
having little or nothing of their own, befides
what was left by the former,which fometimes
is not very confiderable. It is perhaps the
confideration of this great charge, which
moves fome of thofe who might be chofen
in courfe, according to the cuftom of the
country, to relinquifh their right ; chufing
rather to live private, than be obliged to
be fo expenfive in treating of their fub-
jeds.
Revenues.
their feve-*^ liY. revenues of kings generally arife
ral forts. ^ there from taxes laid on the people, as
in other parts ; fines and confifcations for
oifences ; duties upon goods palling through
their countries, and the hire they receive
\ for aflTifting their neighbours in war, and
j even the European commanders on the coaft,
; moil of that money tailing to the fovereign j
I ■ who, when it is received, will not be over-
I loUicitous whether the promifed aid be rea-
! dy at the time appointed or not: for when
j his turn is ferved, he is never without fome
(I plaufible excufe lor his breach of promife,
I being fo fabtle in this particular, that they
1 will often deceive thofe who are moft upon
( their guard. We have feen enough of fuch
practices among ourfelves, not to find hull
with the Blacks tor the fame.
Another method they have of getting
gold, which they are very fond of, is by
being chofen mediators betwixt contending
nations •, becaufe then, like lawyers, they
I Frauds of receive fees on both fides, and endeavouring
i colkclors. to keep the breach open as long as poffi-
j ble, flill draw more from each party. Were
j it not for fome of thefe extraordinary ways
of raifing money, to defray the great ex-
1 pences they are liable to, it would be hard
for them to fubfifl becaufe the colleftors
of the conftant revenues, being always fome
fH-GuiNEA. 287
of the prime men, never fail to colled foBARBor.
well for themfelves, that little remains for ^✓'VNJ
the king. When all this falls fliort, fome
of them will levy exorbitant fines, without
any juftice, on fuch of their fubjefts as are
able to pay them ; but others alfo rather
than thus to fuck the fweat and blood of
the people, will ftrive to live by their own,
and the labour of their flaves : for which
reafon, thofe kings who have but few fiaves
are not rich or potent.
The condition of fome of thofe kings \s Foor hinp.
fo uncertain and precarious, that they have
fometimes been reduced fo low, as to want
both money and credit to get a quart of
palm-wine to treat their vificants and
their children, as foon as grown up are of-
ten forced to plow, and draw palm-wine,
carrying it themfelves to market to fell.
At Commendo^ they are put into fome con-
fiderable polls, and offices, and even into
that of Faiaira, or captain of the guards,
and by that means fome arrive to fucceed '
in their father's dignity. I was there told,
that the fame was praftifed at Jcra, Felu,
Fanlin, and other countries,where they either
had commands in the army, or were made
governours of towns, or collectors of the
revenues. Others are alfo delivered up ■:}i?> Their fom
hoflages in the European forts, for the fe-
curity of thofe places, which pay yearly
acknowledgments for the liberty given
them, of being continued in thofe domi-
nions. Others are hoftages to neighbour-
ing princes or common-wealths, for per-
formance of conventions and treaties •, and
thofe places are profitable to them, through
the prefents then made them. Such aHo
of the children of thofe kings as are bred
to trade, are exempted from all duties; and
thus from husbandmen, fhepherds, mer-
chants, potters, and many fuch like em-
ployments, they are frequently raifed to the
throne ; nay, ibme of them trom ferving
the European faftors or agents in the forts,
in no better capacity than foot-boys : for
which reafon, the meaneft of thofe Euro-
pean faftors on the Gold CoafI, values him.-
ielf above any of thofe kings.
The daughters of kings are not exempted
from putting tiieir hands to the plow upon
occafion, and fome of them let up for pub-
lick harlots, to maintain themfelves in fome
fort. Others are married whilft youno-,
without the leaft regard to their royal de-
fcent every perfon there being allowed a
liberty of choice, and a match between a
king's daughter and a fiave, being thought
no difproportion but fomething better than
for a king's fon to marry a woman-fiavcj
as frequently happens.
It will feem ft range, as the world is
now governed, to hear of kings labouring
with their own hands, at plowing, reap-
ing
288
A Defcription of the
Book III
Barbot.
Kings la-
bour.
Husban-
dry ho-
noured.
have been in their
they grevv? polite,
offices, as much
.ing and other fervile employments, for the
maintenance of himfelf and flimily, and
his children, under the fame hardfhips, and
marrying fo much below their rank •,
but if we fhould imagine to ourfelves a
country, where the difference of conditions
were not fo much regarded as among us,
and where nobility did not confift in do-
ing nothing, thofe things would appear
more natural. It will be needlefs to have
recourfe to Plato's imaginary common-
wealth, forfuch a country, for fo the grea-
teft part of the world lived for many ages -,
fo lived the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Homer tells us of kings and princes, who
lived by the labour of their hands •, it is
true, he was a poet : but the fcripture fhows
that the greatefb men placed their chiefeft
wealth in their flocks. We read of Roman
generals taken from the plow to command
their armies : but this muff be allowed to
times of rudenefs-, when
they avoided all mean
as IS done now. The
patriarchs were fhepherds, but they had
many fervants and flaves, who laboured for
them i and I believe there are few inftances
that they ever plowed or fowed themfelves.
In fine, tho' many would make labourers
of the great men of the world, they care
not to toil themfelves, and it is requifite
there fhould be feveral degrees, for the bet-
ter government of the world. The people
of Guinea are ignorant and unpolifhed, and
the dominions of their princes fo inconfi-
derable, that they fcarce deferve the title of
kings for which reafons there is no draw-
ing of vv/hat is there praftifed into a confe-
quence, or making comparifons between
them, and polite and potent monarchs of
other parts ot the world.
Digression concerning Labour,
IT Owever, to look back a little into an-
tiquity, the Greeks^ Romans and Jews
honoured husbandry ; the Carthaginians,,
who were originally Phenicians^ made it a
particular ftudy, as appears by the twenty
eight books Mago writ concerning it. The
Egyptians carried it fo far, as to worfliip
the beaft employed about it. The Perfians.,
in the greateft fplendor of their monarchy,
kept fuperintendants in the feveral pro-
vinces, to take care of the tilling of the
lands, and the young Cyrus delighted in
planting and trimming a garden with his
own hand. The Chaldeans were great huf-
bandmen, and the plains about Babylon fo
fruitful, that they yielded two and three
hundred for one. To conclude, the hiftory
of China informs us, that husbandry was
there much regarded in the ancienteft and
beft of times. But after all^ the northern
out interruption
of food, found
nations have always loSlced upon it as a
mean and defpicable employment.
God promifed the Ifraelites no other Go'/v p-^
goods, but the moft natural produft of^'^f^f/^"^
the earth he does not mention gold or ij^e^, ^'
filver, or jewels, nor any other riches,
made fuch by conceit and art •, but af-
fures them, he will fend rain in the proper
feafon ; that the earth fhall bring forth a-
bundance of grain that the trees fhall be
loaded with fruit ; that harveft, vintage, and
fowing-time fha ll follow each other with-
, he promifes them plenty
fleep, fafety, peace and
viftory over their enemies ; he adds, that he
will caufe them to increafe and multiply
that his blelTing fhall make their v/ives
fruitful, that he will blefs their herd, fheep-
folds, barns^ cellars, and the works of their
hands. Thofe were the temporal goods,
Vt^hich God would have them exped: from
him, and therefore no people gave them-
felves up fo intirely to tillage, as the Ifrae-
lites, addiding themfelves but little to o-
ther arts and profefTions, being fatisfied to
live upon the produd of the earth. They
were a long time wholly ignorant of thofe
we call conveniences of life, much more of
the many fuperfluities, which vanity has in-
troduced ; all things that were necefTary
they could do themfelves, all that was for
their fuflenance they did at home ; the wo-
men baked bread and dreffed meat, fpun
the wool, wove the flufi^s, and made the
clothes ; the men followed other necelfary
employments abroad.
Thefe were the primitive cuflroms of zherheir <>
Ifraelites ; God promifed them fuch things
as were fuitable to their grofs capacities :
they had been bred flaves in Egypt ^ feeding
their flocks, tilling their ground, and ma-
king of bricks ; they were brought out of
the depth of mifery, and what could thofe
wretches be capable of above the expeda-
tion of plenty of food } It is plain enough
they had no notion of eternity, fince all
the promifes made them terminated in eat-
ing and drinking, and therefore Mofes was
not direded by heaven to fpeak to them
of blifs after this life ; becaule in all likeli-
hood, that grofs ignorant multitude would
never have given ear to it. We fee, fo
many ages after, when our Saviour was a-
mong them, the Sadducees were very nume--
rous, and they ftill denied the refurredion ,
which fliows how little fufceptible that na-
tion was of any thing beyond a prefent
poflefTion of earthly goods : and even in
that particular it does not appear that they
ever rofe above the fenfual pleafures of
eating and drinking, and getting of chil-
dren. There are fcarce any foot-fteps to
be found of their having any fenfe of ho-
nours,
Chap. 25. Coafts South-Guinea.
nour, they ever quaked at the name of
their enemies, and would never have flood
before them, had not God moft vifibly
fought their battles ; they wept like chil-
dren at every misfortune, and in fhort,
were a moll abjedl generation. Yet how
luxurious they grew, when in a flourifh-
ing condition, is too long to defcribe, and
may be feen in the defcriptions thereof,
made by the feveral prophets. To con-
clude, they were mighty husbandmen till
they had learnt an eafier courfe of life,
and then valued that profefllon as little as
other nations have fince done.
Homer defcribes the good man EumcEus
making his own flioes, and fays he had
built magnificent ftables for his herds.
Xl^S^hisUljJfes himfclf had built his own houfe and
himlkselu contrived vv'ith much art the bed, by which
he was known to his wife. He alone
built and equipped the veffel in which he
went from Cai'jpfo. That poet tells us,
It was then an honour for a man to know
how to do all things that are ufeful for
life ; it is fo now, but he who has others
to toil for him, need not carry burdens,
or hods of mortar to build his houfe. A
thatched hut was then a good houfe •,
but no argument that all mankind fhould
return to live in fuch hovels.
I have before obferved, that the Blacks
have many cuftoms, which feem to be de-
rived from the Ifraelites^ and other eaftern
nations ; but in reality they are the very
diftates of unpolifhed nature. The kings
I have mentioned in Guinea^ labour fome
of them with their own hands, and the
ancient patriarchs are faid to have done
many things, which now feem below men
of their rank. I can not but admire the
innocent lives of the patriarchs Abraham,
Ifaac and Jacoh, who tho' abfolute over
their families like kings, and v/anting only
the empty titles, fince they made alliance
with heathen kings, and had the power of
peace and war, as we fee in Jbrahajn; yet
he who had three hundred and eighteen
perfons in his fimily, at his feaft made for
the three angels, treated them only with a
calf, new bread baked in the embers, but-
ter and milk and at almoft an hundred
years of age, brought water himfelf to
wafh the feet of hi^ OTefts, went in perfon
to pick out the calf, ordered his wife
Sarah to make the bread, and came to at-
tend them (landing. Their fervants help-
ed, but did not take them off thofe duties.
Jaah travelled a foot, with only his ftaff
in his hand, at feventy feven years of age,
above two hundred leagues from Bethfabee
to Haran in Mefopotamia he lay down,
where the night overtook him, made ufe
of a ftone for his pillow, and ferved La-
VoL. V. ■ •• : • -n,; ,
ban twenty one years in a very toilfomeBARBOT.
manner. We may guefs what men did at V^y^w
that time, by what the young maids were;
put to. Rebecca came a confiderable way to
draw water, and carried it on her fhoulder,
tho' a rich man's daughter, and afterwards
wife to the patriarch Ifaac. Rachel look-
ed after her father Laban*s. cattle ; neither
their birth, nor beauty rendering them the
more delicate or tender. Gideon was threlh-
ing v/heat by the wine-prefs, when an an-
gel called him ; Thou mighty man of valour^
go in thy might, and thou fhalt fave Ifrael
from the hands of the Midianites. Ruth
gained the favour of Boaz, as fhe glean'd
in the field. When Saul received the news
of the danger the city of Jabeflj-Gilead
was in, he was driving a yoke of oxen,
tho' he was then king. David was look-
ing to his father's fheep, when Samuel fent
for him to anoint him king. Eliffja was
called to be a prophet, as he was at work
with one of his father's twelve plows. The
husband of the famous Judith, who delive-
red Belhulia, tho' very wealthy, fell fick
and died of over-working himfelf. The
fcripture is full of fuch examples, not to
mention others among the Greeks and Ro-
mans. Cicero fpeaks of country-men and
farmers in Sicily, fo rich and magnificent,
that their houfes were adorned with flatues,
and they were ferved in wrought vefTels of
gold and filver.
The patriarchs, it is certain, lived ac-
cording to the cuflom of thofe days. A-
brabam fat at the door of his tent, when the
angels came to him, he had no houfe to
live in ; we are not therefore to deflroy
our houfes, and go live in tents. He
brought water to wafh the feet of his
gueflsj it may well be queflioned, whether
he brought it himfelf, or commanded his
fervants to do it ; or if he did, it was the ef-
fed of his extraordinary charity,not his fond-
nefs of labour. It is the common expref-
fion to fay, fuch a one built a houfe, when -
we mean the owner, or he that paid for
it, tho' he touched not the materials, A
vain conceit of antiquity carries us away
from our reafon, to approve of all that
was then, and condemn all that is prefenc j
a medium between both would doubtlefs
be more juflifiable. The ancient Britons^
as well as many other nations, went flark
naked •, it would not be therefore commen-
dable in us to throw away our garments,
and return to that fhameful poflure. Nei-
ther is our excefs in apparel commendable 1
but mankind is prone to run from one ex-
treme into another. The firfl men were
rude and unpolifhed, latter ages are doubt-
lefs grown effeminate and luxurious ^ this
excefs puts us upon all contrivances to fatisfy
■ . E e e e our
A Defcripticm of the
00 K
290
Barbot. our appetites and defires, and we range all they can imagine to gain that advantage,
t'^'V^ the world to fatisfy our extravagant inclina- loading themfeives ro that purpole with all
cions. forts of ornaments, corals, gold rings, and
This it is that prevails on fo many thou- other toys, that they are a perfect burden
fands to expofe themfeives to all the dan- to them.
sers of the mercilefs ocean, which Iwal-
lows fuch numbers continually, and as it
enriches fome, fo it impoveriflies others, ei-
ther by fliipwrecks or pirates, or other
accidents ; befides, the unfpeakable toils
and hardships, thofe who efcape beft are
Great Officers.
H E prime offices next the king in Fetu
are a viceroy, there called Dy ; a hio-h
treafurer, the Braffo or flandard-bearer;
the Fataira^ or captain of the guards ; the
continually expofed to. This is really an fword-bearers, which are commonly four-.
extravagant effedl of avarice, which hurries
us away beyond our reafon, as if a little
in peace and fafety were not better than
the grcatefb treafure in perpetual toil and
hazard ; yet fo vain is our nature, that we
condemn the poor Blacks becaufe they la-
bour at home, and at the fime time de-
ride them as flothful, becaufe they are ftran-
gcrs to many of our fuperfluous toils \ nay,
lb great is our pride, that the moft bru-
tal fiilor values himfelf above the beft of charges of the king's houfhoJd, paying the
thofe Guinea kings. — foldiers, and other expences of the ftate. By
This digreflion is alj-eady grown too te- his office, he is almoft infeparable from
dious, tho' very fliort in relpeft of what the king's perfon, and accompanies him.
might be faid upon this fubjcft, and may wherefoever the neceffity of affairs requires
perhaps not be unacceptable to fome who his prefence ; for which reafon he has alfo
have fo much good nature as not to run lodgings in the palace, and is much re-
down all nations, and to believe that all fpefted by all thofe who have any em-
ages have been guilty of their follies, as ployments, or bufinefs at court. His poft
the attendants on the king's wives ; the
'^''ie-'Ties, or publick criers; the king's drum-
mer, and the trumpeters and horn-blowers.
The Dy is the next perfon to the king, Oy, or
always reprefenting him in his abfence, andz-W
afting in the government, both civil and"'^^''-
military as his deputy.
The Treafurer, as in other parts, has thcTrea/w
care of all the revenues, receives all from the
coIle6lors, and lays it out in defraying the
well as this we live in.
turn to our defcription.
Let us now re-
POLYGAMY.
M'^ives kept 'C' V E R Y king there has more or fewer
in /late. ^ wives, befides concubines, according to
his ability and inclination. Inchero^ king
of Commendo^ or Guaffo^ in my time had
eight wives, all of them lodged and fub-
filfed within his palace •, but each in a
diftinft hut, and .that prince being rich,
allowed every one of them a plentiful main-
tenance, after their way, affigning for their
ufe that part of his revenue which is re-
ceived in kind •, and none of them ever
went abroad a-foot, but they were all
carried in hammocks on the flioulders of
flaves which made them proud, and of a
haughty behaviour towards their inferiors:
all their bufmefs at home being to enter-
tain the king and waffi him, or to pam-
per and adorn themfeives, the better to
pleafe him, leaving their flaves to attend
the houlhold affairs and to drefs meat.
is very profitable, and enables him to
appear abroad in a very colli y garb, and
wearing abundance of gold toys or idols,
to diftinguifh him from the other great
officers.
The Fat air or captain of the guards,0/>fa;'«
is always a man of great note among thofe
people, as being particularly cncrufted with
the king's perlon, and always attending
him in his expeditions, by which he is
raifed fo high, as to be fometimes advan-
ced to the throne, upon a vacancy, as has
been faid before.
The fword-bearers, which are generally^ipar;/-
four, have alfo a very good poft, being '^^'f
fometimes fent embaffadors to foreign coun-
tries % their bufinefs at home being to carry
the king's fword and armour, at publick
feafts, or warlike expeditions.
There are many Tie-'Ties, or publick Cr/m
criers, every town having two or three, to
cry what is loft, ftolen, or flrayed, and
to proclaim the orders of the king or go-
vernours under him. Thofe next the king
are always prefent, when he fits in coun-
cil, and cry Tie-Tie, if the counfellors hap-
They had the privilege of eating with
him, on his holiday, or weekly fabbath,
when he entertain'd all the great men of pen to talk too high, or fall into confu
the country, fion, whence the name of the office is de-
Women Jealoufy often occafions difputes among rived. They wear a cap made of black
firivefor thofe women fhe that is preferred before apes-lkins, the hair of it about a finger
preference. ^eft being accounted happieft and moft Jong, and hold in their hand a Jock
refpedled, and each of them hoping for of hair of an elephant's-tail and fmall
that good fortune, they ftudy ail the ways ruffies among it, which ferves for a fly-
fiap.
Chap. 25. Coajls of South-Guinea.
Anew
dants on
the king's
■wives.
Drummer.
Trumpe-
ters.
Kings
■without
fiatf.
flap, to keep thofe infers from the king.
They are alfo fent by the king, or council,
on national errands, to friends or enemies
their caps being their pafs every where, fup-
pofing them to be fent by their mafter,
otherwife they are no prote6lion. They are
alfo fometimes fent embaffiidors to foreign
courts, according to the opinion conceived
of their capacity, for fo great an employ-
ment.
The main bufinefs of thofe attending on
the king's wives, is to take care, that no
man debauches them, and that each of them
is allow'd her due maintenance. Whether
they are eunuchs or not, I cannot affirm,
but doubclefs are well known by their mafter
to be qualified for that employment ; and
in the countries where there is no high-
treafurer, thefe are commonly entrufted with
the king's wealth, the keys whereof they
always keep, exclufive of all others, and
confequently after the king's death, they
are liable and obliged to give an account of
it to the fuccefibr.
The drummer is alfo a good place, both
as to honour and profit •, the perfon who
has it being generally near the king.
The trumpeters, or horn-blowers, are
the meaneft officers about the court but, as
in Europe, thofe that belong to the king are
fomething more honourable than others,
and they are a part of his mufick, upon all
publick and private occafions, to divert him
at home, at his entertainments, and abroad,
in time of war.
Thefe are all the offices worth taking no-
tice of in the courts of thofe Black monarchs,
tho' there may be many others lefs confi-
derable.
I have elfewhere obferved, that every
sreat Black has the fame forts of officers to
attend him •, and if very rich, will vye with
tlie king in that point.
By the account I have here given of the
officers belonging to thofe kings, it might
be flippofed, there is fomething of polite-
nefs and grandeur among thofe Africans
but there is no fuch thing : for chofe princes
jn their houfes, tho' in refpect to them we
call them palaces, whereas they are but a
clufter of cottages or huts, are not diftin-
guifhable by keeping any ftate, except it
be on extraordinary occafions, when they
receive or pay vifits to great men other-
wife there is no guard at the palace-gate,
nor any attendants to wait on them •, and
when they go abroad about the town, they
feldom have above two boys to bear them
company, one of which carries the fword,
and the other the ftool ; and if met in the
ftreets, they are fcarce taken notice of, the
meaneft flave hardly ftirring out of the way
for them.
They are fo covetous, as to be always Barbot.
ready to catch at any prefent from the l^VN^
meaneft of their fubjefts. Their kitchens
are not much better furnifh'd than thofe of
the common Blacks. Bread, fuch as it is,
palm-oil, and ftinking meat, or fiffi, make ^
up the fare of their numerous family. Water
is their common drink, but if they have it,
they drink brandy in the morning, and palm-
wine in the afternoon. In fhort, they differ
very little from the meaner fore, in their
way of living.
Vi
SITING,
VVT HEN they are to pay a vifit to any ^f^^.^.,
perfon, in another town, or to receive«/;ir/ce. s
one from any confiderable man, they al-
ways take care to ffiow their grandeur, and
on thofe occafions are always attended by
arni'd men •, feveral ffiields are carried along
v/ith them, and an umbrella over their heads,
to defend them from the fcorching rays ot
the fun. Their wives are then alfo finely
drefs'd, with gold toys, rings, and other
rich ornaments, efpecially thofe of C^?;«?^^^/7<^^7
and Fetu., and have long ftrings of gold, j
coral, or beads hanging about them ; tho'
at other times they and their wives are fo
poorly habited as to be fcarce diftinguifli-
able from other people.
- When I vifited king Fourri at YiixXtAcra., The m-
as has been hinted before, I found him i\i-thor's -vifit
ting at the gate of his palace or houfe, with
feveral of his principal officers, fome of
them alfo fitting, and others ftanding by
him, with a parcel of arm'd men, or guards
about them. He defired me to fit down
right againft him, and immediately fent for
his wives, to fhow his grandeur. They
foon came, and the king feeing his mother
among them, defired her to fit down on
his right hand, and his favourite wife on
the left ; and then all the other women fate
down on each fide and behind him, on the
ground, after the T^urkiJJo manner, and the
attendants ftood about in a femi-circle.
Next, a large pot of palm-wine was E-ntertdn-
on the ground, between the king and m^^ment.
and iome of the faid wine prefented to me,
with a compliment, that if 1 had given him
more timely notice of my defign to vifit
him, he would have provided better for
my entertainment. That prince had no
other clothes on, but a fingle frock made of
the country fmall cloths I have before de-
fcribed, after the Moorijij faftiion, as is ufed
at Caho Verde, and the reft of him naked j
but feveral of his prime officers, and all his
wives appeared pretty handfomely drefifed,
in their way. The Butch commander of the
fort Crevecmr, who bore me company at
that vifit, told me, the court of that king
was nothing near fo great, as thofe of Fetu
and
f
/
25?1
A Dejcription of the
Book III.
EARBoT.and Commendo, either for magnificent dreffes
^'-''V^ and gold, or for the number of officers
and guards •, Inchero^ king of Commendo^
having generally two hundred men attend-
ing him as his guards,
Talaceof The king of Agra's houfe feem'd to me
Acia. very little preferable to any others in the
town.
of Com- That of the king of Commendo is large
mcndo«K(/and fpacious but that of the king of Fctu
Fetu. rnuch more, and is reckoned the fineft and
largcft of all the Gold Coaft, there being
above two hundred rooms in it, as I was
tol J •, and it ftandsin the large open place,
which is in the midfl; of the town Fetu,
or Fetou. .
jheir The kings of Commo.do ■xvAFetu are ufually
graudair. attended abroad by a great croud of officers,
flaves and guards ; before whom goes the
mufick of trumpets, drums and bafons.
They are generally carried in a hainmock,
on the backs of flaves, and fcarce ftir a foot,
unlefs upon fome extraordinary occafion.
Feasts.
T is cuftomary among thofe kings of
the coaft, to treat all the people, in a
fplendid manner, every quarter of the year,
when their colledlors pay into their treafury
the money they have received for toll,
cuftoms, (Sc. in their feveral diftrifts •, and
this, befides the particular entertainments
to their courtiers, and officers, every 'T^iief-
daj, which they call Dia do Feitijfo ; that is,
the charm-day, from the Portuguefe, in
which language all their religious pradlices
v/ere look'd upon as and ftiled Feitijfos, that
is charms or witchcraft : the Blacks have
taken the word, and mean by it their deities;
fo that by it they would fignify, the day of
their gods, or the fxbbath. Befides thofe,
they have alfo fome peculiar days to en-
tertain the people, as the anniverfaries, or
commemorations of fome paticular events,
which were advantageous to their country.
Aum-veY' Among the reft is a yearly feftival of the
;.j?-y c/ftfw?- king's acceffion to the crown, when there is
ing to the^ ix\\xc\\ greater concourfe of people than
at other times •, for then the entertainment
is more fumptuous, and the diverfions much
more fplendid than upon other occafions.
They commonly begin it by folemn facri-
fices, early in the morning, about the king's
facred tree, which is generally the higheft
about the town or on fome high confecrated
hill, about which they lay abundance of
provifions of all forts, for the deity, and
repeat it for three days fucceffively ; during
which time they feaft, dance, and make
merry : the king, on the one hand, ftudying
to exprefs his love to his fubjedts ; and they,
on the other, Ihowing all manner of joy
and fotisfaftion, for being under his gentle
governmenL
It is alfo cuftomary with thofe kings, inOthermer-
time of peace, to fit every afternoon, or'^'''""^'"^-
evening, at the gate of their palace, hand-
fomely dreffed, and to lie, for fome hours,
in their wives laps, to have their heads
com.b'd and dreffed and at night to have
balls and dancing in their houfes, during
which the guards that are upon duty, fire
their mufkets continually. Thofe foldiers
are either hired men, or their flaves, fome
of whom are in the day-time employ'd
either within or without the palace, at fome
fort of work.
Sometimes, when the palm-wine comes in Drinking.
from the country, they go in the afternoon,
flaves and mafters all alike, to the publick
market-place, where they fit down and
drink very fociably and every one that
pleafes, brings his ftool, and joins the com-
pany. There they tope plentifully, taking
ft ill more and more at every draught, till
they come to drink bumpers, which are
calabafhes or gourds, holding a pottle but
let very much of it run down their beards
to the ground, which forms a rivulet of
wine, and that they look upon as an extra-
ordinary grandeur. Daring the entertain-
ment they talk loud, with much confufion
and impertinence for the moft part no-
thing but lewdnefs, and that in the prefence
of the women, who are often among them,
and fo far from being out of countenance
at it, that they will endeavour to outdo the
men in that filthy difcourfe. If they hap-
pen to fall into any other more becoming
chat, they fcold and rail at one another
very freely, laying open one another's fail-
ings and imperfeftions in a jefting manner,
without fparing the king, to his face, he
being one of the company; butfometimes
he y/xW be provoked to give them broken
heads ; from which thofe are only excepted,
who have gained reputation among the
people. Some of the flaves have more au-
thority than their mafters, for having been
long in power over their dependants, they
have traded for themfelves, and are become
mafters of flaves of their own, and by de-
grees grown fo powerful, that their mafters
are obliged to connive at their faults; nay,
fometimes they become fo obftinate, that
their faid mafters cannot appeafe them by
any other means than a prefent.
COVETOUSNESS.
IT is a true axiom, that covetoufnefs is xh.t Breach of
root of all evil, and it is a vice that hisftith.
infected all the nations upon the earth ; and
among the reft, thofe Africans are fo o-
ver-grown with it, that they can feldom on
that account enjoy a lafting peace, but are
apt to break it almoft as foon as made,
and that upon very flender and unjuft pre-
tences, as appears by the accounts we have
of
iGhap. 23. Coafis ^/South-Guinea.
Motives.
m
of them for thefe two laft centuries ; and their force proves equal, till the principal Barbot.
as they are not at all nice or fcnipulous men on both fides are obliged to make ^-''V^
in breaking the molt folemn treaties and peace, at the defire of the foldiery : as fre-
conventions among themfelves, much lefs quently happens there upon fuch ruptures,
are they fo with Europeans., tho' they if it is near the fowing-time ; every foldier
fwear to and ratify them ever fo folemn- then defiring to return home, to till the
ly. Among the feveral European nations, ground, for they are foon tired of ferving in
which have felt the difmal efFeds of the war, without pay, and at their own expence,
perfidioufnefs of thofe people on the Gold, unlefs they happen to take fome confide-
Coajt and elfewhere, the Portugiiefe have rable booty from the enemy,
reafon to repent it in a more particular When a king finds himfelf wronged hyHo-wroar
manner, efpecially at Commendo,, in the any of his neighbours, either perfonally ^•^
year fifteen hundred and feventy, where a or in his fubjeds, and cannot obtain fatis-
confiderable number of thofe people were fadion by fair means, he lays the matter
no lefs treacheroufly, than barbaroufly before his chief officers, who commonly
murdered by the natives. compofe his council, declaring his defign
to right himfelf by force of arms, and
Wars. promifing them the plunder, the hopes
TH E principal motives of the wars whereof eafily intice them and the foldiery
which happen among thofe Guineans, to approve of the king's refolution, and ac-=
are either ambition or plunder, or giving cordingly every man prepares for the ex-
affiftance to others before at variance, for pedition. In the mean time, the king fends
which they are commonly well paid. Some- one of his 'Tie-Ties., or melTengers, to the
times alfo they fall together by the ears other king, as his herald, to declare War
for recovering of debts, or upon difputes againft him and hfs fubjeds, appointing
among the prime men. the time and place, when and where he
It is certainly a moft unjuft war which will meet him, with his army; which the
is thus commenced for the recovery of latter accepts, and provides his forces to
debts, not praftifed in any other part of meet the other at the place appointed,
the world, an inftance whereof is as follows. The people are then exercifed after their
as generally praftifed at Jxirn. manner in both countries, all of them ex-
mr made If a perfon of one country owes money prefling their fitisfadion, by finging and
fer debt, to a cbnfiderable man of another, and is dancing, being full of expectation of the
backward in paying, the creditor caufes as plunder they fliall get in their enemies
many goods, freemen or flaves to be feized country, as alfo very eager for the honour
by violence and rapine, in the country ot fhedding their blood.
where the creditor lives, as will fully pay The Amalekites and other idolaters, Ba-f^^^V'^^'
him. The men fo feized he puts into v'ld's, contemporaries, were wholly 'mttx\t °ilr^_
j irons, and if not prefcntly redeemed, fells upon booty and plunder in their warlike
' them to raife money to anfwer his debt, expeditions, as appears by the viftory Be-
If the debtor is honeft and able, he im- -yzW obtained over them, when they had ta-
mediately endeavours to pay the debt, fo ken and fpoiled Ziklagh., and refcued from
to refcue his country-men ; or if the rela-
tions of the perfons fo unjuftly feized, are
able and powerful enough, they oblige
the debtor to fatisfy his creditor, in cafe
he is not free to do it of himfelf
If the debt happens to be difputable, and
the debtor unwilling to pay it, he repre-
them two of his own waives Ahinoam and
Abigail., and the wives and children of his
men, with all their beft goods, as we read
I Sam. XXX. and in Jopphus., lib. 6. chap. 15,
Much the fame was done by Abraham,
long before David's days, when he ref-
cued the king of Sodom and the other
fents to his country-men his creditor as an kings of that plain, and among them his
unjuft perfon, and that he is not obliged
to pay him any thing. Thefe reafons pre-
vailing among them, he next endeavours
to make reprizals on the people of the
pretended creditor's country. Then both
fides have recourfe to arms, and watch all
nephew Lot, from the four kings Amra-
pheU Arioch, Chedorlao7ner and Tidal, Gen.
xiv. and Jofephus, lib. i. chap. 10.
The war thus declared, all men fit to All mm
bear arms, above the age of twenty, re-fif"^^
pair to the rendevouz, from all parts of'^'"''
opportunities of furprizing one another. In the country, in their martial equigage, leav
the firft place, they labour to bring over ing at home the decrepit old men, and the
the Caboceiros, or magiftrates to their party, Manceroes or youths,
as being men in authority, who can influ- The fame was pradlifed by the Hebrews
ence the reft ; next, they endeavour to gain at the beginning of Saul^s reign, when be-
the foldiers: and thus a war commences ing fummoned to appear in arms, by his
between two nations for a trifle, and con- mefiengers fent into all parts of I[ra.eU and
tinues till one of them is fubdued » or if to follow him to the relief of Jabe-z of
• V o L. V, F f f f Galaad,
A Defcriptiofp of the
Z94
Barbot. Galaadf befieged by Naas, king of the
''"''V^ Atnmonites, they immediately formed an
army of three hundred thoufand fighting-
men of Ifrael^ and thirty thoufand of Ju-
dah •, for no Jfraelite was exempted from
ferving upon fuch occafions, not even the
priefts and Leviles, from twenty years of
age or upwards.
villetges The women will commonly bear their
forfaken « husbands company, with their children
and in cafe the expedition they go upon
is like to laft long, and is very far from
their homes, they remove all their beft
efFefts out of the town, and then fet fire
to it, by that means to induce the fol-
diers to behave themfelves with more bra-
very and refolution. But if the war be not
reckoned of any continuance, they only
fecure their villages and families, in the
beft manner they can.
The inhabitants of Axim, upon fuch oc-
cafions carry over all their effedls, wives
and children in canoes, to a large rock,
which is a mile out at fea, north-weft of
the Dutch fort of St. Anton'j, where they
think them fafe-, the people they are to en-
gage with, having no canoes to pafs over
to them, and being befides very fearful of
venturing out to fea.
European At other places of the coaft, thofe who
forts pro- live under the command of European forts,
Sacks'^ put all their fimilies and efi^efls into them,
and if worfted in war take fheker there
themfelves, as in the year fixteen hundred
eighty feven, none of the natives of Acra
had elcaped the fury of the v\&.or\\jios,Aquam-
hoes, had not the governour of the Dutch
fort of Creveccsur opened the gates to re-
ceive all the Acra men, who were totally
routed, and fecured them by firing all the
guns upon the Aquamhoes^ which kept them
at a diftance.
Common- Thofe nations of the coaft, which are
Tsedths commonwealths, feldom fend a mefifenger
perfidious, declare war againft the people they have
refolved to attack j but when the Cabo-
ceiros or magiftrates have had it under con-
fideration, together with the Manceroes^ or
young men, as for inftance, at Axim, and got
together their forces, they make an irruption,
after a perfidious manner, into the country
they have pitched upon, tho' they were in
full peace, without the leaft notification ;
and thus kill and plunder all before them.
The injured nation will no doubt endea-
vour to revenge that breach of faith, and
if too weak to do it alone, then hires ano-
ther to affift it, for a certain fum of money,
feldom exceeding fixty marks of gold; for
which fmall fum an army is to be had there,
well armed and ready to engage, but not
very formidable, the plunder being their
chief aim and encouragement 5 tho' it often
Book III.
happens that they come off with a good
beating.
The money they receive for afiifting an- Hiring
other nation with their forces, is at Aximf<>^('-
divided among the Caboc eiros and Man-
ceroes, but with great difproportion ; for
the former being crafty and fuperiors, fo
order the matter, that the latter hardly
get a third, or a fourth part among them
all, which fometimes does amount to a
crown a man.
The plunder, if any is got, according to ^lundir
the cuftom ought to be applied to defray
the expence of the war, and what remains
above to be divided ^ but every man lays
hold of what he can, without regarding
the publick. If no booty can be had m^jo difd.
the expedition, the young men, or Man- fUne.
ceroes, often defert and return home, being
under no obligation to ftay abroad any
longer than they think fit, tho' under any
particular officer or commander, whofe au-
thority extends not beyond thofe who are
his proper flaves ; for the freemen own no
authority, not even that of their governors,
unlefs compelled by a fuperior power. Thus
it often falls out, that the leader advancing
foremoft towards the enemy, is followed
but by a few, which renders their war-
like expeditions very precarious and uncer-
tain.
The Englijh md Dutch at the coaft have^^Ve^ iy
often had occafion to hire auxiliary forces Euro-
of the Blacks their allies againft their ene-P^^"^-
mies, but the Dutch more frequently than
the Englijh; and a body of men compofed
of four or five feveral nations, kept three
or four years in their pay, either againft
Conunendo or any others, did not coft them
above two hundred marks of gold, which
is about fix thoufand pound fterling, be-
fides the damage received in their com-
merce.
A national offenfive war is often c^r-small
ried on there with an army of four or armies.
five thoufand men in the field, but a de-
fenfive requires more tho' fometimes their
armies do not amount to above two thou-
fand men, which fhows how inconfiderable
fome of thofe nations on the Gold Coaji
are. The Aquamhoes and Fant'jn are to be
excepted, the latter being able in a fliort
time to raife twenty five thoufand men,
and the former a much greater number.
In the year fixteen hundred eighty two, j^g^g
when I was at Acra, the Aquamhoes and tm na-
Akim nations, were aftually facing eachn^i.
other, twelve leagues from Acra up the
inland, each army confifting of about
twelve thoufand men.
The inl.md nations, either monarchies or
common-wealths, as Akim and Ajjiente., can
raife numerous armies ; but on the coaft,
tho'
Chap. 25. Coafls of South-Guinea.
tho' five or fix nations join themfelves as
auxiliaries to any one, they can rarely
make an army of twenty five thoufand men.
Cotfardife. For this reafon, befides their natural
cowardife, few men are killed in battle ■■,
and if ever a thoufand men happen to be
flain upon the fpot, they look upon it as a
. very extraordinary action. They are for
the moft part fo timorous, that as foon as
ever they fee a man fall by them, they
betake themfelves to their heels, and make
the beft of their way home •, and it often
happens, that fcarce an hundred men are
killed, tho' one party has drove the enemy
out of the field, and obtained a complete
viftory.
Generals 'Fhe armies are generally headed by their
gcc. ' kings in perfon, attended by their guards,
or, for want of kings, by the generals, who
have their fubordinate officers. The general
commonly carries a white ftafF in his hand,
to denote his poft. The officers under him
Arms and wear caps made of the fkins of elephants,
armour, or buifaloes, in the nature of helmets, gar-
niffied with the jawbones of men, killed by
them in battle. Others adorn them with
red and white fhells, goats-horns, and idols.
Others again have caps made in the fliape
of morions, of lions, tygers, or crocodile's
ficins, covered all over with ears of Indian
wheat, cocks-legs, feathers, monkeys fl^ulls,
and other charms. They all carry on their
left arms, fhields made of ozier, covered
with the (kins of elephants, oxen or tygers,
and the infide lined with goats fkins. In
the right hand they carry ajavelin ; and at
their fide a very broad fword, with two
knives flicking in their girdle, which being
made of the country-cloth, or fluffs, they
■Wind about their waift, and between their
legs, fo that a long tail of it hangs out
behind. Ochers of the officers adorn their
necks with ivory rings, or firings of fea-
horfes teeth, and each of them is attended
by his flave, arm'd with a cutlace by his
fide, and a bow and quiver full of arrows in
his hands.
Soldiers. The foldiers are varioufly equipp'd for
war fome of them with mufl<;ets, or fire-
locks and cutlaces by their fides, and thofe
are generally in the front of the army
others are armed with javelins, bows and
arrows,broad fwordsand knives,or bayonets.
I Their bodies are all over fmear'd with yel-
low, white, red and grey colours, laid on
! like flames, or crofles, very hideous to be-
; hold ; having about their neck a ring of
I fome confecrated bough, as a charm or
fpell, which they look upon as a wonder-
i ful protedlion againfl the enemy's weapons,
i tainted The ancient Britons, we find in hiflory,
Britons, ufed to paint themfelves with woad, that
they m.ighc appear more terrible in fight.
25)^
The fame is flill done by feveral Indian na- Bareot.
tions in North America. \^^sf>^
Every one of the foldiers has befides, a_^^^j^„^
fhield fix foot long, and three foot broad, toay of
covered with cows, fheeps, or goats fkins. marching.
Thofe who live under the European forts,
commonly carry the colours of the nation
under whofe prote6lion they are ; and each
Braffo or Caboceiro leads his band, more or
lefs numerous, as it happens, to the general
rendevouz of the army, marching without
any order or difcipline, but after a confufed
manner, fingingand howling all the way.
Every man, upon thofe expeditions, idk.t%Vrovifions.
along with him provifions for eight or ten
days, being corn, dogs and fheep's flefli.
The national great drum, I have fpoken
of before, confecrated by their priefts, is
carried by one of the greateft men after the
king, and with the fame honour and vene-
ration as was the Oriflannne, or banner of
St. Dennis, in France : and du Tillet, in his
colledion of the kings of France, &cc. p. 33 2.
obferves, that this Oriflamme was highly re-
fpefted among the French, the king caufing
it to be carried in the army upon the greateil
warlike expeditions ; and that the office of
the OriJfamfne-hearQr was fo honourable,
that in the reign of Charles V. Mejfire Ar-
noul Endevehan laid down his office of
marlhal of France., to carry the Orifla?nme ;
and all that bore it were to receive the fa-
crament, and to fafl at the time of their
admiffion to that office.
The Blacks are totally ignorant of the Noincamp-
manner of incamping ; nor have they any ^"S or bag-
baggage or tents, but all lie in the open air :
neither have they any better rule or method
in fight, but every chief officer has his band
clofe together in a throng, himfelf being in
the center of it.
When the armies are come in fight, ^\^tY Manner of
encourage one another to behave themfelves/^-^^.
manfully, and give the charge with horrid
cries and howling attacking the enemy
man to man, or one parcel againfl another,
firft with theirjavelins, which they dart very
dexteroufly, and then with their bows and
arrov/s, when every man lifts up his fhield,
to cover himfelf ; whilfl the v/omen, who
are very often fpeflators, add their cries and
howling to the noife of the drums and
trumpets, and the fliouts of the men. It
often happens, that a commander feeing
fome other of his fellow-officers furioufly
attack'd, and perhaps hard put to it, chufes
rather to run away, than (land his ground,
even before he has flruck a flroke, or ven-
tured one brufh ; which example he who is
engag'd will foon imitate, if hard prefPed,
unlefs fo entangled with the enemy that he
cannot do it, and fo is obliged to gain the
reputation of being a good foldier.
The
1^6
A De f crip t ion of the
Book IIL
Barbot. The mufketeers do not ftand upright a-
^-''V^gainft one another, but run on flooping,
' '^'"""dvat their enemy's bullets may fly over their
heads. Others creep up clofe to the enemy,
and let fly among them, and then run back
to their own men, as fall as their legs can
carry them, to load again, and repeat the
fame adion : fo that between their ifooping,
creeping, ftamping, ^kipping and howling,
their engagements look more like antick
reprefentacions, than real battles.
Cruelty of Thus they fight and flcirmifli, till one
vigors. flJe or the other is quite routed, when the
viftors ufe all thofe they can come at very
inhumanly, killing even the women and
children, who, as has been faid, often follow
the men into the field. If the vanqaiflied
party be any of their irreconcilcable enemies,
the conquerors IclJom or never give them
quarter, or fhow the leafl: mercy, but com-
monly cut off the heads of the flain ; and
if any fall into their hands alive, they cut,
or rather tear off their under jaws, and fo
leave them to perifli and ftarve. A Com-
mendo man alTured me, he had done fo by
twenty three men after a battle ; firft fly-
ing the man down, then cutting his face
from the ears to the mouth, and fetting
his knees on the ftomach of the unfortu-
nate wretch, with both hands tore off the
under jaws, leaving hun in that miferable
condition, wallowing in his blood, till he
expired ; taking the jaws of them all home
with him, as teftimonies of his bravery
which gained him extraordinary reputation
among his countrymen, and high applaufe
at their publick feafts and rejoicings, where
fomc new name was added to his former,
as has been hinted before to have been done
by thofe Africans upon fuch occafions.
Others are fo monftrous cruel and favage,
as to rip open the bellies of women, with
their hooked knives, from the womb to
the navel, if big with child, to take out
the infant, and dafh it againft the mother's
head.
Hatred of The national hatred thofe Blacks bear to one
mtions. another, is more or lefs, according to times
and accidents. For inftance, the people of
Commendo^ who are often at variance with
feveral of the countries round about them,
on accidental quarrels, are fatisfied with
leading them away into flavery, without
f ufing them fo unmercifully when they have
the upper hand, as they will the nations of
^tfo and Accanez, their irreconcileable ene-
mies, for many years paft: for in their wars
with thofe people, their battles are horrid
{laughters, and they are fo far from giving
any quarter on either fide, that their rage
rather induces them to feaft on the flefh of
cheir dead adverlaries, and carefully to pre-
ferve the jaws and ikulls of all they can
come at j with which they adorn their
drums, or the gates or doors of their
manfions or if the number be too confi-
derable, and they tired with the (laughter,
they drive thofe that remain alive home to
their habitations, beating and reviling them,
and there fell them for flaves to the Euro-
peans, which many among them think worfe
than the moft inhuman death.
There are other inftances of the barbarities ^^rW
the Blacks are wont to exercife over their rities.
conquer'd enemies. When a general has
happen'd to take fome of the chief of the
enemy, he has wounded them in many places
and fuck'd their blood at thofe wounds, and
not fitisfied with that monftrous inhumanity,
caufed fome to be bound at his feet, and
their bodies to be pierced with hot irons,
gathering the blood that ilTued from
them in a veiTel, one half of which he
drunk, and offered up the reft to his deities.
Thefe are certainly inftances of a vtvy Cruel k-
depraved, cruel temper in men 5 and yet'""'""^-
much inferior to what Garcilajfo de la Vega
luca relates, after F. Blafe Valera, in the
eleventh chapter of his hiftory of the Incas
of Peru, of the natives of the country of
the jintis, eaft of los Charcas, in Chili ; who
would cut off the flefhy parts of the bodies
of their enemies taken in war alive, and
made ftft to pofts, with fharp ftones, like
flints men, women, and children, being
exceiTive greedy of human flefli : and thus
they would eat it raw, in the fight of thofe
miferable creatures, and fwallow it down
without fo much as chewing : the women
rubbing their nipples with the blood, that
their children might fuck it in with their
milk ; continuing that bloody execution,
which they call'd a facrifice, till tlie prifoners
expired. If they obferved the prifoner,
whilft they tormented him, to lliow the
leaft fenfe of his pain in his face, or by
any motion of his body, or to groan or
complain, they bruifed or pounded all his
bones, and ftrewed them on dunghils, or
in rivers ; but if, on the other hand, he
appeared unmoved and fierce in his fuffer-
ings, then, after eating all his flefti and en-
trails, they dried the finews and bones in
the fun, plac'd them on the tops of moun-
tains, and there worfhipped them as gods.
That race of inhuman men, the fame au-
thor adds, came from Mexico, and peopled
the countries about Darien and Panama ;
whence it fpread firther, along thofe vaft
mountains, which run from Santa Marta^
to the new kingdom of Granada. The
faid author, in another part of his hiftory,
calls thofe monftrous Cannibals, Chiriguanas.
Several nations of north America are no lefs
barbarous to their enemies, taken in war,
than the faid Chiriguanas, or the Jagos, to
the eaftward of Congo, of whom more in the
fupplement. The fame Garcilajfo de la Vega
gives
Chap. 23. • Coajts of South-Guinea.
gives an account of no lefs barbarities com-
mitted by the laft Inca^ Atahualpa^ after
his revolt againft Himfcor Inca^ his brother
by the father's fide, and dethroned him, as
may be feen in his ninth book, chap, 36,
and 37.
Remcings To return to Guinea, when the Blacks
apt vie have obtained a compleat viilory over a
nation that is rich and wealthy, they enter
the country with fire and fwordi and having
pkindered all that is worth carrying away,
burns the town and villages, making utter
defolation wherefoever they come, and
then return home, carrying before them all
the tokens of viftory, and particularly the_
heads of the enemies flain, on the points ot
their fwords or javelins. When arrived at
their towns, they folemnize their triumph
with feafting, and other publick demon-
ftrations of joy, for fifteen, or twenty days
fucceffively, according to the greatnefs of
the fuccefs ; expofing to publick view all
the prifoners they have brought home, whom
they keep fafl: bound, or in irons, till there
is an opportunity to difpole of them : and
for their greater mortification, they muft
be always prefent at their rejoicings. Every
year after, the anniverfary of the victory
is alfo obferved on the fame' day it hap-
pened.
More in- Another inftance of the favage temper
j humanity, of fhcfe Blacks of Adom^ befides what 1
I have mentioned above, towards their ene-
I mies, I fhall now give of what is done
among themfelves, in the fame perfon laft
mentioned, for his inhumanity towards his
] enemies of Anta. That monfter, being
'! told, that one of his wives, without any
ill defign, had permitted a Black to look
upon her nesv-fafiiion'd coral, without taking
it from her neck, tho' the people of Aiom
j, alJcvv their wives all hondl liberty of con-
verfation, even with their (l.ives ; was fo
inraged with that innocent freedom, that
he caufed both the wife and flave to be put
to death, and drank their blood, as he
ufed to do that of his enemies. Ano-
ther, time, the fame brute, for fome fuch
trivial matter, caufed the hands of one of
j his wives to be cut off, and afterwards,
I in derifion, would bid her look lice in his
' head, as is ufual for them to do, the men
laying their heads in the women's laps ; and
j he took much pleafure at his horrid jeft.
1 This may ferve to evince the bloody temper
of thofe people.
The booty the generality of the com-
mon Blacks is fo fond of, confifts of pri-
foners, gold ornaments of feveral forts, co-
ral, and ftrings of beads •, the inland people
being ufually drefied in the richeft manner,
when they go to war : fome of them being
fo loaded with ornaments, that they can
fcarce ftir under them.
Vol. V.
Sooty,
The Blacks of the Gold Coaft commonly Barbot.
keep moft of their prifoners of war as '^^Y^
(laves, unlefs they are ranfomed by them-
felves or friends, at a good rate ; and the
greater the perfon taken, the more con-
fiderable ranfom is expe6ted for him,
and he is carefully guarded till that be
paid.
If the perfon that occafioned the wslT Kings made
be taken, they will not eafily admit himi^"'^"' -
to ranfom., tho' he offer his weight in gold,
but will keep him clofely confined, that he
may for the future attempt no more to
trouble their country with another war ;
or elfe they fell him away into bondage.
So that here the greatefb king is not free
from flavery, in his turn, in cafe he be
made prifoner of war in the rout of his
army ; for fomerimcs the ranfom demand-
ed for him, is fo high, that neither hirri-
felf, nor all his friends together, are capable
of raifing it, and fo he is left in perpetual
fervitude, and reduced to work with the
nieaneft of flaves. And with fome others
in thofe occurrences, their fate has been,
to be cruelly maflacred by the victorious
enemy, who faw no profpe6l nor hopesj
that his prifoner was able to pay an exor-
bitant ranfom.
The wars which happen betwixt twG
abfolute kings, commonly laft many years,,
or till one of them is quite fubdued or
ruined. Their armies lie all the while in
the field, without attempting any thing be-
fides a few fkirmifhes •, and each returns
home againft the rainy weather, without mo-
leftation on either fide, according as their c;'y der their adminiftration but what con-
whom go- cerns the whole common-wealth, as ma-
i.:erned.
in civil and criminal cafes-, as alfo to ob-
ferve the nature of the fentences and de-
terminations, on every individual cafe : I
fhall confine myfelf to fome particular in-
ftances. Every man pleads his own caufe.
king war or peace, raifing taxes and im- without the afliftance of councel or attorney,
pofitions, or tributes to be paid to foreign fuch forts of men being unknown there,
nations, which feldom happens, tho' they The plaintiff firft opens his cafe, and then
appertain to both bodies of Cahoceiros and the defendant fpeaks for himfelf ; and ic
Manceroes ; yet on thefe occafions, the is an unalterable rule amqngft them, that
Judges.
latter often have the greateft fway in the
management thereof, efpecially if the for-
mer are not rich and wealthy enough, both
in gold and flaves, to over-power and
bring the other to their opinions.
In monarchical governments the king
appoints feveral chief ofHcers to aflift him
in the adminiftration of juftice. I cannot
give any account of the ceremonies ufed
in the conftituting of judges ; but they
have a pov/er to appoint inferior officers
under them in every diftriff, as they think
convenient.
he who pleads is not to be interrupted up-
on any account whilft he fpeaks, and in
fome parts fuch a tranfgreffion is punifhed
with death. Nor do the judges pronounce
fentence rill they have thoroughly heard the
contefting parties, one after another, fully
according to the merits of the fuit •, with
much fliow of decency and realbn •, tho'
the crafty juftices do this only to hWndCorrupt
the people, being before refolved to mo-j'*^^'"^"^''
del their judgments according to the king's
intention ; which, as I have obferved, is,
to extort what money they can out of the
The chief juftices are commonly taken meaneft caufe, if the parties be rich with
from among the richeft and moft notable out any regard to equity, and impartial
perfons of the country^ fuch as the Braf- juftice. For which reafon the fubjedls, who
fos or Cahoceiros, and governors of towns are well acquainted with thofe tyrannical
and villages, aflifted by the priefts of thofe maxims of the government they live un-
places, as fubftitutes. Thefe take cogni- der, will as much as is poffible have their
zance of civil and criminal cafes, as they differences made up by amicable compo-
happen in their refpeftive provinces ; but fitions, betwixt themfelves, or by the me-
are not fupreme judges, in cafes of great diation of their friends. So that it is but
importance, for then the parties have the feldom they are tried by the chief juftices.
liberty of appealing to the king's own I have elfewhere obferved, that the king
court : tho' this feldom happens, becaufe of Fetu has ordered a yearly general aflem-
thefe kings, to fave the trouble of deci- bly of all his fubjefts, who have any dif-
ding fuch cafes and differences, have chief
juftices there call;;d Ene, whom they ufually
fend to make the circuits ; much as it is
praftifed in England, at the affizes and
ferences among themfelves, who are to
meet at Abramhoe, a large market-town,
diftant about nine leagues from Caho Corfo,
under the denomination of the dancing-
feafon.
300
A Defcription of the
B 00 K III.
The king
hears
caufes.
BARBOT.feafon, and lads eight days. There all the
l/'VNJ dilfcrences and contefts betwixt man and
man, are definitively decided by that prince,
afiifted by his D^jy, the Braffo's^ and the
two Engliflo deputies fent thither every year
by the Englijh agent, as has been faid be-
fore.
This king of Felu^ being it feems fome-
what lefs tryannical than the others of the
coaft, that his fubjeds may live amicably
together, after he has compofed or deter-
mined their differences by a final judg-
ment, caufes them to feaft and dance toge-
ther, all the time thofe general aflizes do
Lift, every day till very late in the night •,
each ftudying to make there the greateft
fliew and figure he can, in rich dreffcs, i£c.
They try caufes upon teilimonial evi-
dence, and where that is wanting or de-
feflive, by oaths of the parties, which con-
filf in drinking a liquor there culled En-
chion-Benoit^ compofed of the fame fimples
and ingredients of which the idols are made;
and tho' that compofition has no manner
of malignity in itfelf, yet they are gene-
rally pollcffcd with a pcfuive opinion,
that v/hofoever drinks of it to aver a faif-
hood or impofture, expofes himfelf to ex-
traordinary calamities, tho' perhaps they
never had any vifible inftance it did fo.
Thofe who being accufed, offer to clear
and quarters the body, throwing each part
at a diftance from the other on the ground.
And if I may credit the Blacks^ it is the
cuftom of fome nations after fuch execu-
tions, that the neateft relations of per-
fons fo executed, when the executioner has
thus performed his office, do take down
the head from the tree, boil it at home, and
drink the broth, in abhorrence of fo heinous
a crime, and in deteftation of the criminal's
memory placing his fl, it is feldom punillied.
Adulterated gold, offered in payment of
debts or traffick amongft them, is alfo li-
able to a fine, but unpunifhable when of-
fered to White men.
Affairs purely civil, are generally tried
by the common ordinary juftices of the
place or diftrid ; and if the contending
parties have fully iubmitted the decifion
thereof to them, they cannot appeal to the
fovereign's jufticiaries.
At feveral places on the coaft, fmall
debts are recovered after a very unjuft man-
ner i there a villainous creditor inftead of
afking his money of his debtor, and fum-
moning him before the judges, in cafe of
denial, feizes the firft thing he can meet
with, though fix times the value of his
debt, without any regard who is the pro-
prietor •, who when he comes to alk for it,
is told that he muft go to fuch a perfon
who is his debtor, and mull pay him for
it : and this no body can hinder; fo he
goes immediately to alk the other for money
for his goods. This courfe is generally
taken for recovery of fmall debts, as I have
faid : but however, the debtor is fometimes
obliged at this rate to pay fix or ten times
the value of his debt •, if the fecond man
is as unreafonable as the firft, and yet it
is not to be oppofed, if the creditor be
more potent than he, and is upheld in it
perhaps by the king, or fome other great
ones of the country. And this happens
every day, whereby many men do much
enrich thtmfelves with the name of juftice.
Again, another way to extort from the
people, is, that fome infolvent debtor will
go to a perfon, and tell him he has received
fuch damage by his fon, nephew, Aave, or
fome body elfe depending on him, for which
he comes to afiv fatisfad:ion, theatning that
elfe he will murder or forely wound him
or fhcot fome other at his coft ; and if
the villain is bold enough to put it in exe-
cution, the other muft fuffer as if he had
done it.
In criminal cafes, the accufer gives his
information to the juftice of the town or
village againft the criminal, and he im-
mediately caufes the drum to beat all a-
bout the town; the drummer, who is a
flave, being accompanied by two little
boys, each having in his hand an iron
bell, on which they beat with fticks. Then
the juftice comes to the publick market-
place, where the beft part of the inhabi-
tants of either fex are already afl"embled
upon the beat of the drum the chief peo-
ple or nobles alfo repairing thither well
Vol. V,
armed. There the publick cryer, or ^jt'^-Barbot.
Tie of the town, proclaims the criminal,
who is often, without fufpedting it, of the
number of the fpedtators, and prefently
feized and fent in cuftody to the Caboceiroe's
houfe : if the crime he is charged with be
very great, they bind him hands and feet,
till his tryal be over but if it be only
for a flight offence, he is commonly given
in cuftody to the executioner of the town,
who is bound to produce him whenfoevei
it fhall be required. Sometimes, for trivial
faults, they will try a man upon the
fpot j and if he cannot clear himfelf, he
is fined.
In crimes of a high nature, if the pri- Miirdet-er:
foner be fentenced to death, and is wealthy redemeti.
enough to pay a large fum of money, he
is difcharged by the king, with a fpecial
command to any perfon whatever, even the
widows and children, not to upbraid him
nor his family and relations with the crime;
and the only fatisfadion the family of the
dead perfon has, is fome part of the money
the criminal has paid to redeem his life.
But if he is notable to pay it, they either
order him to be executed according to the
fentence, or to be fold for a Have, accor-
ding to the king's pleafure.
Such as are thus fold by order of juftice
to be flaves for ever in foreign countries,
forfeit the privilege of ever returning to
their native foil.
Befides what has been faid relating to Duels.
the power of judges, there is a peculiar
cuftom, that if the E?ie or chief juftice pleafe
to confent, tba' it be in civil difputes or
contefts, they may be decided by duel,
and then each party chufes a fecond or two,
who all meet at the place appointed ; where
each antagonift, with hisaffiftants, attacks
his man with his javelin, and thus they
fight till one of the principals is killed,
when the feconds ceafe. But thofe of the
party that has been flain, require the others
to deliver them the murderer of their friend,
that he may be tried for the murder accor-
ding to their laws, which the others cannot
refufe to do ; or if he has made his efcape,
running away as foon as he had ftain his ad-
verfary, his feconds muft run too, that they
may apprehend and deliver him up to juftice,
and no perfon whatfoever may conceal him
in his houfe, tho' it be in another diftrid of
jurifdidlion, or even a foreign country, un-
lefs they would embroil themfelves in a
bloody expenfive war.
The man thus apprehended, is delivered
up to the chief wife of the perfon he has
killed in the duel, it being her right either
to fell or to keep him as her own flave. But
this happening very feldom, and this fort of
murder not being look'd upon as malicious,
the man has the liberty of redeeming him-
Hhhh ^ felf
)1L
A Description of the
Book III
Barbot. felf for money, if he be very rich for it
t^Wwiil commonly coft him twenty Bendos of
gold, which is about a hundred and fifty
pounds flerling ; and amongft the Accaneez^
if the parties concerned be men of great
note, the murderer will fcarce come off un-
^murder ^ hundred and feventy marks of gold,
which is upward of five thoufand pounds
fterling : for which reafon, very few will
ever proceed fo far in their quarrels, as to
determine them by duel ; for tho* they
are authorized by the Ene^ or chief juftice,
yet if one party is killed, the other is fure
to fuffer for it feverely, tho' it feems to im-
ply a contradiftion in itfelf: but what can
be expe6ted from men of fo loofe and de-
praved minds and principles, befides contra-
diftions and abfurdities?
Succession i^//,;/ Inherit ance.
children T Have before taken notice that the nearcft
do not in- relation inherits,ro the exclufion of a man's
herh. own wives and children. The belt reafon
the Blacks give for fuch a conftitution, is,
that the dividing of eftates or goods among
fo many perfons as generally compofe their
families, fo many wives and children, would
occafion endlefs difputes and quarrels a-
mongft them ; or this, that children rely-
ing too much on their father's wealthy would
Jive lazily, without any inclination to em-
ploy themfelves in fome bufinefs, to avoid
levvdnefs, Wantonnefs, and debauchery.
Whereas being now fenfible from their ten-
der youth, that they have nothing to expeft
from their father, but a bare maintenance
during his life, they are much the rea-
dier to betake themfelves early to learn
fome profeffion, by which they may main-
rain themfelves handfomely, when their fa-
ther is no more-, and even to maintain their
father's family after his death, as many do;
which is very commendable in fo brutifli a
people, as they generally are.
Thus far concerning the adminiftration
of juftice in monarchical governments.
What now is to follow, is a fketch of the
republican on the fame head •, and feeing
that of Axm feems to be one of the leaft
confufed and perplexed, tho' difficult to un-
derftand I fhall next mention fome parti-
cular paflliges or inftances of it, which will
in fome meafure fhow what is pradifed in
other common-wealths of the coaft, as
differing only in fome particulars, and not
in the main.
Recovery
of debts.
Justice in Common-wealths.
HERE, when one perfon claims a
debt of another, and is forced to have
recourfe to juftice for fatisfadion the befl
means to procure it, is to make a prefenc
to the Caboceiroes, either in gold or brandy,
this laft being a very acceptable liquor, and
to flate his cafe to them, defiring they will
difpatch the bufinefs as foon as poftible. If
the Caboceiroes are refolved to favour him, a
full council is fummoned immediately, or
at fartheft in two or three days after, as
it is judged convenient. Then after mature
deliberation among themfelves, they give
judgment in his favour, tho' fometimes un-
juft, but only in regard of the rich prefent
given them.
But if in the caufe aforefaid, the defen-
dant has bribed the judges with a richer
prefent than the plaintiff had given them
Jet his cafe be never fo juft, they will caft
him \ or if his right be fo apparent, that
there is fcandal in a too partial fentence,
they will delay and keep off the tryal, obli-
ging the plaintiff, after long and vain folli-
citations, to wait in hopes of finding more
impartial judges thereafter ; which perhaps
will not happen in his life-time, and fo the
fuit falls to his heirs, who whenever an
opportunity offers, tho' thirty years after,
will make ufe of it, to procure fatisfaftion
for the debt : and yet one would be apt to
think it were impoffible they fhould re-
member fo long, confidering they can nei-
ther write nor read.
It happens fometimes that the plaintiff,
or perhaps the defendant, finding the caufe ^f^J/J;*'
given againft him, contrary to equity, is too
impatient to wait for an opportunity of ha-
ving juftice done him ; and lays hold of the
firft that offers to feize fuch a quantity of
gold or goods, as is lufficient to repair his
damage, not only from his debtor, but of
the firft that falls in his way, if he lives in
the fame town or village: and what he has
thus pofieffed himlelf of, he will not re-
deliver till he receive full fatisfaftion, and
is at peace witli his adverfary, or obliged to
it by force. If he be ftrong enough to de-
fend himfelf and his feizure, he is fure to
keep it, and thereby engage a third perfon
in the fuit, who has recourfe to the perfon
on whofe account he has fuffered that da-
mage .• fo that hence proceed frequent mur-
ders, and fometinies wars.
If the caufe is brought before the D///<:Z) ^7^'
faftor at St. Anthonyh fort, the fuit is ^vc\\-^^l^^^^
cably ended by adjudging it againft him,/^,^^,;..
whom the evidences prove to be in the wrong,
and who is found not to have a fufficient
plea to offer in his defence to clear himfelf
of it. But if, on the contrary, he can clear
himfelf by witneffes, he is difcharged •, and
if neither of the parties have any evidence,
the defendant clearing himfelf upon oath, is
difcharg'd : which if he cannot do, _ he is
liable to have judgment pafs againft him, to
pay what is charged on him, provided the
plaintiff have given in his charge upon oath,
which he is always obliged to do.
The
iGHAP. 24. Coafis ^?/South-Guine A<
oaths of The oath of purgation is always preferred
}Ae^«rfie/. there before that of accufation •, for if the
plaintiff prove his demands by one or two
witnelTes, thedefendant isnotallowed to take
the oath, which frequently occafions fome
very ill accidents, perjury being fo com-
mon amongft thefe Guineans ; and the per-
fon thus injured will feek all opportunities
of revenge. All that has been above faid
of unjufl- tryals, is to be underftood of the
inland countries, and feldom or never hap-
pens about the coaft, where all fuits arifing
among people that live under or near the
Dutch forts are decided for ever, by the fen-
tence of the fadlor, and of the Caboceiroes
jointly; their judgment admitting no appeal
but to the direftor general, in cafe the in-
ferior judges have been mifinformed, which
fcarce happens •, and fo the parties pay the
fines they are condemn'd in, with allwilling-
nefs. And thus a fuit is begun and ended
without the afliftance of councel or lawyer
in a fhort time, and perhaps with as much
jufticf, for the caufes here are feldom diffi-
cult or puzzling, and plaintiffs, defendants,
and judges, are equally fimple people up-
on a level.
Punishments for Crimes.
'T^ HE ufual penalties for murder,. I have
obferved before to be death or a pecu-
niary mul6t ; which is alfo of two f6rts with
refpeft to the free, and thofe that are flaves.
It is very rare that any peribn is executed
for murder, if he is wealthy himfelf, or has
any rich friends to pay the fine for him.
The fine for the murder of a free-born
man at Axim^ if the crime is to be atoned
that way, is one hundred and twenty five
pounds fterling, but feldom ever paid to
the full, the murderer commonly getting
fome abatement, according as the relations
of the murdered perfon ftand affcfted •, it
being at their difcretion to moderate it as
they pleafe. But if the perfon that was mur-
dered be of confideration and dignity, the
fine is proportionably ten times that ium \
for were it not fo, there are too many
Biach that would willingly give five hun-
dred crowns to remove a chief man out
of the v/ay •, and therefore the judges ap-
point the fine proportionable to the quality
of the perfon.
For the murder of a flave the fine is but
thirty crowns-, and if the murderer ftands
hard, he obtains an abatement of the
mafter, who is the injured perfon, and who
gets above twenty two crowns, being com-
monly a chain or ftring of gold of that
value. If the murderer cannot pay the
fine, he is to expiate his crime with his
own blood, and is executed in a miferable
and cruel manner. For they do in fomemea-
fure kill him a thoufand times^ by cutting,
Tints for
murder.
Far war-
\ Jlave.
hacking, pricking, or running him through Barbot-
the body, and fhooting him, or whatever ^-^V^
elfe they can invent to torture him ; unlefs
the Dulcb fadlor fends for him out of their
hands, and orders him to be beheaded.
Thievery or robbery is commonly pu- For theft,
nilhed by the refticution of the goods ftolen,
and paying a fine, proportionable to the
value of what was ftolen, according to the
place where, and the perfon by whom the
faft was committed : for example, one is
fined twenty crowns befides what he has
ftolen, and another for an equal robbery
committed, lhall be fined one hundred or
more, without the leaft injuftice, according
to their ancient municipal cuftoms : for the
Blacks do not think it any wrong to have
fuch regard to perfons; but particularly
to handle the richeft lore more feverely
than the poor on two accounts : firft, the
rich are not urged to it by neceffiry and
fecondly, they can better fpare the money^
For no man there is fined above his ability,
unlefs by accumulating" of crimes he draws
on himfelf an accumulation of fines, which
he his not able to pay, and is therefore fold
for a flave, as was praftifed by the ancient ~
Jezvs, in the former ages of the world. And
in Great Tartary, the thief redeems his life,
by paying nine times the value of what
he has ftolen. For this reafon, a judicious
man there, tho' very rich, will always
pretend poverty, left he or fome of his
relations, fooner or later, falling into the
hands of the judges, fhould be too hardly
ufed on that account.
Kidnappings or ftcaling of human crea-
tures, is puniftied with great feverity, even
with death, on fome occafions. As they
alfo feverely punifli the ftealers of cattle,
ftieep, hogs, dogs, ^c. Where the Blacks
are not fubjeft to be tried by the Europeans^
they will fometimes rather put a man to
death for ftealing a flieep, than killing a man.
"Whereas in thofe parts where Europeans
have the authority in their hands, as at
Axim, Mina, and Mouree, theft is puniftied
by a proper muldt. I have before, in the
particular defcription of the Dutch fort at
Axim, given a fketch of the Dutch faftor's
prerogatives and jurifdiftion over that coun-
try, and that of Ancober, which has been
long fubjeft to Axim ; and how he ma-
nages it, in concert with ih.^ Caboceiroes •.s.nd
likewife fpoken of the nature and extent of
fines on feveral caufes, and how the fame
are divided amongft himfelf and the judges;
to which I refer.
Befides the above-defcribed diftribution com o/
of juftice, they have an odd fort, which \^jomgmtn,
under the direftion of the Manceroes, or
native young men who haveere£led a judi-
cial body, or fociety, of chemfelves, in
each village of any confideration. There
they
504
A Defer iption of the
Book III.
Barbot. they pretend to judge all trivial crimes, that
t/VV are brought before them, and of fuch the
generality of the Blacks is very often guilty 5
as curfing, beating, or reviling one another,
&c. To thefe tribunals the perfon who thinks
himfelf injured applies, and makes known
his cafe, viz. fuch a man has injured me in
this or that manner, I fell or furrender him
to you, punifh him accordingly. Upon
which the Manceroes forthwith take that
perfon into cuftody, and after a very flight
enquiry into his crime, lay a fine of fome
money upon him ; which if he appear not
willing to pay, they, without any more to
do, go to the market, and take up as many
goods, on his account, as the fine comes to ;
which the poor wretch mult pay, and that
money, as foon as received^ thofe young
judges fpend in palm-wine and brandy.
The pretended crimes which thofe young
men ufually fine, are fo various and ridicu-
lous, that it is not worth while to particu-
larife them : and if thefe have nothing to do
the whole day, that can procure them money
to drink, they fpend their time in contriving
to bring in fome body, on one pretence or
other, that will fupply them with it.
C H A t*. XXV. ■ ■ / . ■
Of the religion of the Blacks. T^hey ha've a notion of one God^ ^read of
the devil. Portuguefe ;/////7(9/^. Conceit of thunder^ Opinio7is of the cre-
ation. Future ft ate. Manner of uoorfliip^ Deities or idols. Tarallel
idolatry of other ?iations. Idols made by thepriefts^ Nature and ufeof
' idols. Moft folemn obligatory oath. Confidting of idols, pegging fiic-
ccfs of idols. WorJJxip in groves, with drumsy he. Triefts of the BUcks.
SaniJIjing of the devil. Computation of time. Of idolatry in ge7ieral.
Variety of Y Shall, in the next place, treat of the re-
worjlnf, ^ ligion of the people of G/w/t'^. It would
require a particular volume to mention the
numerous and different forts of opinions and
fuperlUtions there are among them, there
being fcarce a town or village, nor even a
private family, but what varies from the
reft in that point \ however, for the fatif-
fadion of the curious, I will give an ac-
count of fuch notions and praftices as are
moft generally received among them, tho'
perhaps I may to fome feem tedious, there
being fo great a diverfity among them in
this affair •, their divinity being fo erroneous,
abfurd and monftrous : for, like the Indians
in Virginia, they worfhip and adore all
forts of things and objefts, which they think
may do them harm, as fire, water, thun-
der, great and fmall guns, horfes, and
many other things, but more peculiarly the
devil. The fame honour they pay to all that
may be any way beneficial to them, and
when afk'd, whence they had fo many ri-
diculous opinions in point of religion, they
anfwer., like the people of Japan^ that
they received them by tradition, and follow
what was taught them by their forefathers,
and are not to believe or pradife any thing
but what they received from them.
Notion of One God,
OST of the Blacks have a confufed
indigefted notion of one fupreme being,
which created the univerfe, and rules it ac-
cording to his will ; but this opinion ha-
ving, in all likelihood, been inculcated by
the Europeans living on the co^ft, and fo
perhaps convey'd to others at a diftance.
in procefs of time, it has hitherto had no
great effeft upon them all or moft of them i
entertaining extravagant notions of the deity, |
and very many fancying there are two Gods.
The chief of thofe two they fay is white, ccod mi
by them called ovjangoeman, x.\\iibad deitkh
is, good man ; who is more pecuUarly the
God of the Europeans, and fupplies them
with all good things. The other, they con- .
ceit is black, whom, from the Portuguefe '{
language, they call Demonio, or Diabro,
being a wicked, mifchievous fpirit, who par-
ticularly infefts and plagues them being of
his nature cruel and implacable, giving them
none of thofe good things the other allows
us lb bountifully, but only a little gold, corn,
palm-wine and chickens, which they haveal-
moft in Ipight of him, as being purchafed by
their labour and induftry ; and that for the
cattle,and other eatable beafts they now have,
they are beholden to the Portuguefe, who
firft carried them into their country : That
it is the earth which furnifhes them with
corn and gold, the fea with all forts of ,
fifh •, and that they may thank the God of |
the Whites for the rain, which fertilizes the
land, and makes corn, gold andiron.
Plato, fpeaking of the number of gods, pkco'/ (ic\
owns one only true, good, bountiful ^nd.comt of
fupreme deity ; but acknowledges a number^"
of inferior gods, among which fome are
vifible, and called the celeftial bodies. Then
coming to the ciasmons, he exprelFes himfelf
thus : Next are the daemons, yet lower than
the former being of an airy nature, in the
third middle region of the air, placed there
to be the interpreters of the gods, which
dsemons we ought to honour, becaufe they
officiate as interceflbrs in our affairs.
Dread
iChap. 25*. Coafis of Sovrn-GviNE A.
Devil.
i T^je devil
Patacon
devil.
I Calicut.
/ Dread of the Devil.
TH E Blacks very much dread the devil,
and quake at his very name, attribu-
ting to him all their misfortunes and dif-
appointments, and believing that their other
particular deities are fometimes over-ruled
by him.
Many look upon it as an invention of
\b7auand. travellers, when told, that the Blacks affirm
Y}fears to they ate often beaten by the devil : I fliali
Blacks. j^^j. ^j-g^g about the fad:, but it is certain,
I that in ieveral places they have been often
j heard to cry and howl in the night, and
' fome feen running out of their huts in a
fweat, fhivering and weeping \ and fome
Blacks at Acra affured me, not only that
the devil often beat, but that he alfo fome-
times appeared to them in the fhape of a
black dog; and that at other times he
fpoke to them, and yet they could not fee
him.
T\itPatagonsof {oui\\ America, fay there
is a great horned devil, who, when any of
them dies, is feen attended by ten or twelve
fmaller devils, dancing merrily about the
corps.
Devil wor- Thc pcople of Calicut, On the Malabar
jJiippeci at: coaft, in the Eaft-Indies., tho' they believe
in one God, yet at the fame time they
worfhip the devil ; ere£l ftatues, and
offer incenfe and facrifice to him, as if he
were a deity, believing him to be the fu-
preme judge of human affairs, and placed
by God on earth for that end. They call
him Delano, and the king has his effigifs
in his chapel, feated on a chair of metal,
with a triple crown on his head, having
alfo four horn?, and four teeth, his mouth
very large, and gaping wide, as are his
nofe and ears the hands like a monkey,
and the feet like acock, all which together
makes a hideous frightful figure. The cha-
pel is alfo adorned all about with many
piftures, reprefenting fmaller daemons, of the
like form, and it is ferved by fome Brach-
mans, who are to wafli that figure of the
devil with fweet waters, and often to in-
cenfe it with a cenfer, after which they
ring a little bell, then profbrace themfelves
before him, and 'offer facrifice. The king
never dines till four of his pricfls have of-
fered the devil the meat that is drefled for
him. There is alfo a magnificent temple
built in honour of the devil, in the midft
of a lake, after the antique form, with
double ranges of columns, like that of
St. John at Rome ; and in it a very large
high altar of flone. Thither all the nobility,
gentry and priefls, from all the country,
within twenty five days journey round about,
repair, with an infinite multitude of meaner
people, on the twenty fifth of December^
our Chrifi?nas-daY, to be cleanfed from
their fins ; and there the Brachmans or priefts
Vol, Vo
anoint the heads of them all with a certain Barbot.
oil : and thus anointed, every one goe.s and Vi^V^
proflrates himfelf before that frightful fi-
gure of Satan ; and after adoring it with
much fervour, every one returns homCo
This devotion holds for three days fiiccef-
fively ; all murderers, other malefaftorsj
and banifhed perfons, are there pardoned :
fo that at fome times above a hundred thou-
fiind fouls have been there together, for the
country is of a very great extent and popu-
lous. Hijtory of Prodigies., Lib. I. p. 5.
Whether this opinion of the Blacks being innijlnng
beaten and haunted by evil fpirits, as they the^eviL
report, is real or not, will fufficiently ap-
pear, when I come hereafter to fpeak of
their annual cuflom of banifhing him out
of all their towns, with abundance of cere-
monies, as at Axim, Anta, and Ieveral other
parts of the coafl : which is fiir from praying
and making offerings to him, as fome au-
thors relate •, faying, they never eat or drink
without tiirowing fome part on the ground
for the devil, which isagrofs miftake ; that
meat or drink lb thrown on the ground
being for their peculiar deities, or for fome
friends deceafed, as I have obferved elfe-
where.
From this dread and terror of the devil Apparh
proceeds their pofitive belief, of the ap-^^^"^°
pearing of ghofbs and fpirits, which they
fancy fo frequently diflurb and fcare people
among them. They are fo full of this opi-
nion, that when any one dies, efpecially
fome confiderable perfon, they perplex one
another with frightful flories of his appear-
ing fcveral nights near his late dwelling.
If a king of theirs happens to be killed Me««»
in the wars with any European nation atthe«'^^« .
coaft, and an European general, or chief
tailor dies a natural death loon after, they
believe and fay, that king has call'd him,
fince he had no opportunity to be reveng'd
whilft living.
M I
S S I O N S.
•np H E Portuguefe formerly, and as long
as they were maflers of the Gold Coafts
were careful to keep a conflant milTion in
this and Ieveral other parts of Guinea, in
order to convert the Blacks to the Roman
CathoUck religion, but with very little fuc-
cefs nor did the French Capucine mifTionerSj
fent thither in the year 1635, fpeed bettero
Thofe French miifioners were fee afhore at
IJfen'j, and at firfl made fome progrefs among
the people who treated them very courte-
oufly, and feemed to have fome relifli of
chrifliaxiity ; but foon after, they fcoffed at
them, and their dodrine. Three of thofe
Capucines dying there thro* the unwholefome-
nefs of the climate, the other two, who ftill
held out againft that intemperate air^ with"
I i i i
A Dejcription of the
pARBoT. drew to the Portuguefe near Aximy being no
^-''V^ longer able to bear with the infuking be-
haviour of the Blacks, and their deriding the
chriftian rehgion. In fhort, whatfoeverwe
can urge to the Blacks in general, concern-
ing the chriftian divinity, viz^ That what
Tmttlefs fjj^jy known of God is manifeft in thetn, God
^'^■^^"'^'""'•bavingjhowed it unto them^ from the creation
of the world, hy the things that are made,
even his eternal ■power and godhead j to ufe
the words of St. Taul, Rom. i. 20. they at
firft feem to give ear to and believe ; but
as foon as our backs are turn'd, they forget
all that was told them : or if fome, who
have better memories, do happen to retain
it, they feldom fail, upon the flighteft oc-
cafion, to ridicule it in their frolicks, even
thofe who are fervants to the Europeans on
the coaft, fome of whom I have feen fo far
inftru(5l:ed in the chriftian religion, as to an-
fwcr very pertly to our catechifm, and to
fpeak. pertinently of the creation the fall
of Adam °, Noah's flood •, of Mofes, and of
Jesus Christ ; and yet would no more for-
iake their idolatrous worfhip,thanthegroffcft
and moft ignorant of their countrymen ;
or if any do, the number is very inconfi-
derable.
Notion 0/ Thunder.
That God \XT H E N it thunders, they fay, it is the
f>as wives. * noife of the trumpets, or blowing-horns
ofJan-Goemanj fo they call God ; who,with
reverence be it fpoken, is diverting himfelf
with his wives : and therefore when it thun-
ders much, or tho' there be only flafhes of
lightning, they prefently run under covert,
if poflible beheving, that, if they did not
fo, God would ftrike them with his thun-
derbolts, becaufe they are none of his people,
they being black, and he white. "When any
happen to be killed by lightning, as it does
fometimes, where dreadful thunder is fo fre-
quent at fome times of the year, as has
been obferved j they attribute it to that
caufe, and are much amazed to fee the £2^-
ropeans fo unconcerned at thunder. What
I have faid is confirmed by what we read in
the hiftory of Spain, that about the year
1480, the Spaniards trading at the coaft,
found thofe Blacks extremely covetous, and
fond of a fort of fea-lhells, giving anything
they had for them, as believing they had a
peculiar virtue againft thunder ^ whereupon
fo many of thofe fliells were carried out of
Spain, that at laft they were fcarce to be
had there for money, p. 1202. lib, 22.
Tho' it is reported of the Brafilians, that
they adore no gods or idols, nor have any
fenfe of religion, yet fome of them believe
there is a God, and fay it is he that makes
■ the great noife of thunder.
Opinions of the Creation.
'^HEY make no offerings to God, nor Never pay
call upon him in a time of need ; hnt^o God.
upon all occafions apply themfelves to
their idols, or peculiar deities, and pray to
them in all their difficulties and under-
takings.
They have different opinions as to the ere- mm mudi
ation, many of them believing, that man wa.s ^yffj^ider.
made by Ananfie, that is, a great fpider of
a monftrous fize, as has been before defcrib'd ;
which is no more abfurd, than what is re-
ported of the Canada Indians in New France,
who fays that the world having been loft
in the waters, was retrieved by om Mejfou.
Others again attribute the creation of Blacks
man to God, but afiert, that in the begin- '"'f'*'''
ning God created Black, as well as White'^^^^^^
men fo to make out their race as ancient
as ours, and for their own farther honour
they add, that when God had created thofe
two forts of men, he offered them two fe-
veral gifts, vix. gold, and the knowledge
of arts and letters, giving the Blacks the
firft choice, who took the gold, and left
learning to the Whites. God granted their
requeft, but being offended at their avarice,
refolved that the Whites fhould for ever be
their mafters, and they obliged to wait on
them as their flaves.
Some few affirm, that man at his firft
creation, was not fhaped as he is atprefent ,
but that thofe parts which make the dif-
tin6tion of fexes, in men and women, were
placed more in view, for the conveniency
of copulation : and when the world was well
peopled, the deity, for modefty fake, re-
duced them to what they now are.
To conclude, others think that the firfb
men came out of dens and caves, like that
which is at prefent in a great rock, next
the fea, near the Dutch fort at Acra : but to
mention all their various notions concerning
the creation of the moon and ftars, would
be tedious fome fancying, as has been by
others among us, that the moon is inhabited,
and they pretend to have feen a man in her,
beating a drum, with many more abfurdi-
ties.
Mijfon refle and others that the
departed foul tranfmigrates into the body
of fome other animal, without lofing its
nature or faculties.
This was the opinion Pythagoras taught
the Crotoniats,d,mQi\^ whom he lived,when he
fled from Samos^Kis native country, becaufe Barbot,
of the tyrannical government of its princCo
He receiv'd this notion of tranfmigration
of fouls, from the Egyptians : for, if we
may believe Herodotus, they were the firft
who faid, that the foul departing out of one
body paiTed into another -, and that after
having palfed into thofe of bcafts, fifties and
birds, it again returned into that of man,
and was three thoufand years in performing
that revolution the foul being like wax,
which can be made into a thoufand figureSj
and is ftill the fame wax ; and fo the foul
animated feveral bodies fuccefiively, ftill re-
maining the fame it was at firft. The bet-
ter to inculcate that opinion to the Croto-
mats, he told them, he well remembered.^
that at the fiege of 7" roy, he was Euphorbus^
the fon of Panthus and that not long fince,
he had feen the buckler he carried at that
time, in the temple of Juno, :xiArgos.
The Pharifees, the moft renowned of the Pharifees.
four fects among the Jews, in the days of
Jofephus, as we fee in him, lib. 18. cap. 11.
believ'd the immortality of the foul, that it
would be judged in another world, and re-
warded or punifhed, according to what it
had deferved in this world ; and that the
wicked were eternally detained prifoners in
the next life, and the virtuous returned to
this again.
Many things I have already faid, and ftiall ^^^^'^^ ■
have occafion to add hereafter, feem tOf^"^^
prove fome conformity between thofe Blacks Blacks and
and the antient Jews, v/hich may perhaps Jews,
have been communicated to them by the
Arabs, who have fpread themfelves into the
neighbouring countries •, and being doubt-
iefs defcended from Tfmael, the fon of Abra-
ham by Hagar, and Efau the fon of Ifaac^
have prefervedfome of the cuftoms and opi-
nions o.t their fore-fathers. But to return to
tiie Blacks :
I have heard fome fay, that the foul goes
under the earth to an antient perfon, whom
they call BoJJiefoe, who examines it narrowly^
as to the good or bad adfions of its former
life ; and if it has lived well, puts it into
fome animal, and conveys it over a large ri-
ver, into a pleafant country, or elfe drowns
it there, as was faid above.
Others are of opinion, that after death White?aea
they are tranfported to the lands of lYi^henoHtsi,
JVhites, andchang'd into fVhiie men ; which
they look upon as a great advantage, and
ftiews how much more honourable they think
White men than themfelves.
There are many more conceits among ^^^^^
them, concerning a future ftate but from luved im-
what has been faid, may be deduced, thut^fortaL
thofe people are fully p6rfuaded of the im-
mortality of the foul, as is confirmed by their
offerings of men, eatables and clothes, which
I have before faid they lay about the graves.
The
3^
A Defcfiption of the
Book III.
Barbot. The notions of the inland Blacks^ as to
^'-^V^ this particular, are Hill moreabfurd and ftu-
fdTnd '^P^^ ' ^^^^ ^^^'^ ^"^^
Blacks, there lives a famous pried or conjurer, in a
very fine open houfe, far up the country,
who they fay, has the wind and weather at
his beck, which he alters at pleafure and to
prove this, they pretend, that tho' his houfe
is not covered, yet it never rains into it.
They give out, that he knows all things paft,
can foretel future events, and cures all dif-
tempers. They further affirm, that all thofe
who live near his dwelling, muft appear be-
fore and be examined by him, whom, if they
have led a good life, he fends to a happy
place j if otherwife, he kills them over again,
with a club, made for that purpofe and
ftanding before his houfe, which caufes him
to be much honoured by the people, who
daily tell frefh miracles of him. This in-
ftance of the fimplicity of thofe deluded
people, fliews the fubtilty and craftinefs of
their priefts, who can fo far blind them, that
they may not difcover their palpable frauds,
and keep them in an^bfolute fubmiflion to
themfelves, upon all occafions 5 fo to gratify
their infatiable avarice, or vanity, and lord
it over them, as well in civil as in religious
affairs.
Manner of Worship.
ROM the aforefaid erroneous and ab-
furd notions the Blacks have of the deity?
proceed the monftrous and idolatrous ways
of worfhip, whereof we are to fpeak in
the next place.
Neimes of The word Feitiffo, is Portuguefe, as has
idols. been obferv'd before, and fignifies, a fpell,
or charm, the Portuguefe looking upon their
pracftices as no other, and from them the
Blacks borrow'd if, but it is the word BoJJim.,
which in the proper language of the Blacks,
ilgnifit's a god, or an idol ; ethers call it
Bujjefoe^ as has been faid before : this word is
chiefly taken in a religious fenfe, and they are
fo far fallen into ihtPortuguefe trap, that they
call whatlbever is confecrated to the honour
of their god, FeUiJfo, or a charm and fo
the name is given to thofe artificial bits of
gold they wear as ornaments, fo often men-
tion'd in other chapters. We don't find any
. , nation in th:; univerfe befides the Blacks of
Guinea, and the northern people about
Nova Zembla, that ufe this word FeitiJJo in
a religious fenfe 1 and the latter give that
name to their idols, which are half figures
of men, cut in the trunks or flumps of trees,
. ftanding in the earth, with their roots, be-
fore which ftatues they pay their religious
worfhip.
j5 Every Black has his peculiar Bojfum, or
honour idol, which they worfhip on their birth-day,
ihem. calling that day in the Portuguefe language
alfo Dia fantOt or a holy day 1 on which
they drink no palm-wine till the fun fets,
and they are clothed all in white, and
themfelves fmear'd with white earth in
token of purity. Mofl of them, efpecially
fuch as are any thing confiderable, have a
day every week to honour their idols. On
that day they kill a cock, or if they are
able, a fhecp, which they offer to their god ;
but as foon as kill'd, they tear it in pieces with
their hands, and the owner has the fmalleft
fhare of it, his friends and acquaintance, who
are generally prefent at fuch offerings, falling
on, and every one feizing a piece ; which
they broil, clean or foul, and eat it very
greedily. They cut the guts into finall bits,
and fqueezing out the dung with their fin-
gers, boil them with the other entrails, a
little fak and Malaguetta, or Guinea-pe]pper,
without wafhing off the blood ; and call it
Eyiit- jeba, reckoning it moft delicious food.
They commonly folemnize their holy day,
in feme wide open place \ in the midfl (iihoi k?pt
which, they ereft a fort of table, or altar,
about four foot fquare, fupported by four
pillars of clay, adorn'd with green boughs '
and leaves of reeds. This altar is fet up
at the foot of fome tall tree, which is con-
fecrated to their deities, and on it they lay
Indian wheat, millet and rice-ears, palm-
wine, water, flefh, fifh, bananas, and other
fruit, for the entertainment of their idols; be-
ing perfuaded they eat thofe things, tho' they
daily fee them devoured by birds of prey.
As foon as they are all gone, they befmear
the altar with palm-wine, and lay frefh
provifions on it, that the deities may not
want. In the mean time, the prieft being
feated in a wooden chair before the altar,
encompafs'd by a multitude of the people,
of both fexes, at certain intervals makes theni
a difcourfe of fome minutes, with fome ve-
hemence, in the nature of preaching ; which
is only underflood by the aflembly, who
are all very attentive whilft he fpeaks, but
will never tell us Europeans any thing of
it, when we enquire, as if they were afham'd
of it,
Jufl by the prieft ftands a pot fuH of Bmchg,
mixed liquor, with a fprinkler, and he-^"'?'"!'""'^
fprinklesthe faces of the congregation, who "^ '
then all begin to fing and dance about the
tree and altar •, others playing on their mu-
fical inftruments, till the prieft ftands up,
to fprinkle the altar with the confecrated
liquor, and then all the afTiftants clap their
hands, and cry I-ou, I-ou, which imports
Amen, Then every one goes home, fully
perfuaded of what the prieft has faid to them,
of the power and virtues of their idols. At
thefe folemnities they are alfo clad in white,
and befmear'd with white earth ; as alfo a-
dorned with abundance of ftrings made of
the hempifh bark of the confecrated tree.
Dei-
Coajls o/South-Guinea.
5op
■ty of gods
'ear of
'mh.
Deities, or Idols.
T T is not poffible to exprefs what idea
they entertain of their gods and idols,
which they know not themfelves. This how-
ever is remarkable, that they have a great
number of them, every houfe-keeper ha-
ving one in particular, which they fancy
ftriftly obferves their courfe of life, reward-
ing good, and punifhing wicked men: there-'
ward confifts in multiplicity of wives and
flaves, and their punifiriment in the want of
them •, but the moft dreadful punifhment
they can imagine is death, which they are
incredibly afraid of.
That exceflive fear of death is what in-
flames their zeal in religious affairs, and
makes them exaft in abftaining from for-
bidden meats and drinks, left they fliould
die, if they tranfgrefs. They make no great
account of murder, adultery and robbery
as fins, becaufe they can be expiated with
gold, whereas the other offences cannot,
but will remain a charge againft them.
Befides the peculiar Boffum^ or idol every
Black has, as mentioned above, they have
alfo a great number of an inferior degree,
confecrated to divers ufes and purpofes,
and made of feveral filthy things, which I
fhall hereafter defcribe.
They alfo worfhip the fea, rivers, lakes,
■ives and ponds, fiihes, mountains, trees, plants, herbs,
^vorfht 'd wo'^^s, birds and beafts, as the
""If • qIq^i Gentiles had natural and animal g
TegetA-
an-
gods.
All thofe they call great idols, or deities,
worihipping them as gods ; and have fo great
a veneration for them, that they will be
ready to tear any perfon in pieces, who fhall
offer them the leaft indignity, fo great is
their bigotry in that refpeft. For example,
they ftedfaftly believe, that the cutting off
any part of fome confecrated trees, would in-
fallibly occailon the deftruftion of all the
fruits and plants in the country. Yet in
fome parts they will patiently bear with
it, being done by Europeans-, looking up-
on them as not inferior to thofe gods ; but
fliouldany 5/^Cy^prefume to do it, he would
be immediately facrificed, and it is but
of latter times that they will permit Eu-
ropeans to do fuch things. In the year 1598,
the Blacks of Mouree^ maffacred feveral
Dutch men, who had cut down fome con-
fecrated trees inadvertently.
The firft religious afTemblies of men, be-
'(hippedcR fore they had built temples, were on the moun-
^IT!.^"^^ tains and in the woods : on miountains, be-
caufe their elevation was thought more pro-
per for men to converfe with god. The fa-
crifices were offered on the high places, by
the Hebrews, call'd Bamot, whence came
the Greek word Bomos. The woods and
groves, becaufe of their gloomy light, were
thought moft likely to imprint refpedt, and
difpofe the mind to a certain dread, which
Vol, V.
wor-
\tnd in
[Woods .
difpofes men to devotion. Hence flowed Barbot.
the fuperftition of the Pagans, who confe-(i/V^^
crated the oak to Jove, becaufe the ancients
ufed to ferve the deity under oaks.
We fee, in almoft every page in the pro-
phets, and in i Kings xiv.' 23, 24, ^c, the
Ifraelites are ftill reproached with defiling
themfelves ; that is, committing idolatry,
under every green tree and more pecu-
liarly under the oaks, which was done in imi-
tation of the Gentiles.
7z^nV^, pag. 120, and 186. Cleinem Alex- Heathen
andrinus and Arnohius inform us, that the^*"^^-
Arabs adored a ftone ; the Icarians a rough
ftump of wood ; thole of PeJJinunte, a flint,
for the mother of the gods as the ftump
of the Icarians was to reprefent the goddefs
Diana. The ancient Romans adored Mars
under the figure of a half-pike ; the Scjthi-
a poniards, and the J'hefpians a bough of
a tree for their goddefs Juno Cynibia. All
thefe were emblems, not looked upon as
true reprefentatives of the gods of the Gen-
tiles ; as the god HeUogabalus, in the time of
the emperor of that name, being the god
of the Syrians, was adored under the figure
of a pyramidal ftone.
The palm-trees are the moft peculiar fort p^^./^fj.
they make choice of to coniecrate into dei- honoured.
ties •, efpecially that fort of them which they
call Affianam. I fuppofe, not only becaufe
the moft beautiful, but by reafon they are
more numerous than any other •, and accord-
ingly there are very many confecrated, in
all parrs, and fcarce any Black will pafs by
them without taking off fome ftrings of the
bark, which they twift between their fingers,
and then tie them to their waifts, necklaces,
arms or legs, with a knot at one end, and
reckon thofe baubles a proteftion againft
feveral misfortunes.
They have the more veneration for zor\-Mountami
fecrated mountains, becaufe the thunder \s,wrfJnpped.
naturally more fierce on them, and there-
fore lay great quantities of provifions and
liquors at the bottoms of them, in pots and
troughs, for the ufe of thok deities. In the
fame manner they ferve the confecrated
rocks or clifts, as we fee it praftifed at Boe-
troe and Dikisko, in the country of Anta %
with this difference, that thofe rock deities
are adorned all over with hooked ftaves,
as being the gods againft ftorms and torna-
dos, as is likewife a vaft rock at Tachorar-^ :
to which places, as I obfervM at the be-
ginning of this defcription, the Blacks of
Corby la-hoe, and of the adjacent parts to
Rio de Sueiro da Cofta, are fent yearly in
canoes, at a fet time, by every town and vil-
lage, to make their offerings, according to
their vows, to pray thofe great deities to
appeafe the ocean, and keep it free from
ftorms and tornados, that they may carry
on their trade in fafety along tlie gold coait.
K k k k LakeSj
I
/
310 A Defcrip
Barbot. Lakes, rivers and ponds being alfo often
'^^'V^ confecrated for greater deities., in feveral
uaZ7I P^'"'^^' ^ obferved once at Acra, a very fin-
gular ceremony performed in my prefence,
on the pond, which is there, not far from
the Danijl) fort, to intreat it to fend rain,
to bring up their corn then in the ground,
the weather having been dry a long time.
A great number of Blacks, of that and the
neighbouring places, came to the pond,
bringing with them a fheep, whofe throat
the priefts cut on the bank of the fait lake,
after fome ceremonies, fo that the blood
ran into it, and mixed with the water.
Then they made a fire, whilft others cut
the beaft in pieces then broiled it on the
coals, and eat it as faft as it was ready.
This being over, fome of them threwagally-
pot into the pond, muttering fome words. I
afk'd the Dane, who was with me, and fpoke
their language fluently, v/hat it was they ex-
pe£led from that ridiculous ceremony , and he
having put the queftion to fome of the Blacks,
they defired him to tell me, that the lakebeing
one of their great deities, and the common
mefTenger of all the rivers in their country,
they threw in the gally-pot, with the cere-
monies I had feen, to implore his affiftance
and in moft humble manner intreat him to
take that pot, and go immediately with it
to beg water of the other rivers and lakes of
their country : and that they hoped he would
fo far oblige them, and at his return un-
doubtedly pour the pot full of water on their
corn in the ground, to moiften and bring
it up, that they might have a plentiful crop.
Parallel of This extravagant ceremony, as abfurd as
the Jews. jj. appears, feems to be derived from and al-
lude to what was praftifed with extraor-
dinary folemnity, and much rejoicing
by the ancient Hehrews, in Jenifalevi,
at their folemn yearly feafts of the taber-
nacles or tents, which conPcantly fell out
in their month of ^Tz'zrf, being our September^
when they began their civil year, as the ec-
clefiaftical began in the month of ^ijfan,
that is March. To that feaft of the taber-
nacles, there repaired from all parts of the
country, a vaft multitude of people to par-
take of the blefiing of the eftufion, or
pouring out of the water, fetched with much
ceremony, in a bafon, from the fountain
of Siloe and offered up to God, after their
humble thanks returned to him for their
harveft then got in. The folemnity ended
the night of that they called the great day
of the feaft, by the aforefaid effufion of
the water, followed by a mighty fymphony
of trumpets, hautboys, and otherinftruments
and voices of the temple, and much dancing,
to beg of God to afford them feafonable
rain, reprefented by that water, to render
the earth fir to produce more fruit. Hence
it is very probable, that our Saviour* being
tion of the Book III
at that folemnity in the temple, took oc-
cafion to cry aloud to the multitude there
prefent, alluding to that effufion of water,
John vii. 38. He that believeth in me, as the
fcriptiire has /aid, out of his belly JJjall flow
rivers of living water. Meaning the gifts
of the Holy Ghoft, to make them produce
good works to filvation.
Don Auguftin Manocl Vafconcelos, fpeak-
ing of the religious worfhip of the Blacks of
Mina, at the time when the Portuguefe be-
gan to build that caftle, fays, they make
deities of any thing that is new to them,
or extraordinary in itfelf, a large tall tree,
the bones of a whale, high rocks, &c. fo
that it may be faid of them, their gods are
any thing that is prodigious ; and no nation
in all the world is more addifted to the
folly of foothfaying and calling lots xhdinsooth-
they are. Their way of cafting lots is zsf'^J^'S ^'-^
ridiculous, and the effed they expeft from'"'"'
it, making their judgment by the manner
of fome fticks they drop from their own
mouths. They all converfe with the devil,
and have a great refpedl for forcerers, who
make their advantage of the ignorant cre-
dulity of the vulgar fort ; which affords
them much profit, and gains them an ab-
folute authority, thro' the falfe fuggeftions
and delufions of the devil.
To return to what we v/ere faying of the
Blacks at Acra, the Portuguefe, when they
became mafters of the DanifJo fort there,
drained the afore-mentioned pool, in order
to convert it into a falt-pit, after their man-
ner J which fo enraged the neighbouring
Blacks, that partly on that account, and
partly, becaufe of the depredations commit-
ted by the Blacks at Acra, a very great
number of the natives forfook the place,
and their fubjedion to the Portuguefe, and
went to fettle at little P? was fo highly con-
cerned, that the next day he complained
grievoufly to the DaniJJj general on his knees,
and with tears m his eyes, crying aloud
what great danger I had brought him into,
his Bojfum, or god, being highly incenfed
againft him, for having fuffered his idol
to be infulted by a IVhite man, infomuch,
that he had beaten him, cruelly for it in the
night ; and that having that morning offered
iacrifice to Bojfum, together with the prayers
of the prieft, that god had commanded
him to require, in fatisfadion for his idol,
a bottle of brandy, and two Ackiers of gold,
to appeale his wrath ; and therefore he hoped
I would not be fo barbarous as to deny his
requeft : which was granted by me, to be
rid of his clamours, and rid hirn of his
fears ; with which he went away well fa-
tisfied, and in appearance full of joy, car-
rying the gold and brandy to his prieft,
who 'tis likely reaped the benefit of it.
That Black's idol was in the fhape of a oM idol.
large Bolonia faufage, made of a compofition
of bugles, glafs beads, herbs, clay, burnt
feathers, tallow, and threads of the confe-
crated tree, all pounded and moulded toge-
ther, having at one end an antick, roush,
and milhapen human countenance, and
was fet up in a painted deep calabafli or
gourd, among abundance of fmall ftones and
bits of wood, with kernels of fmall nuts, and
bones and legs of chickens, or other birds,
as it is reprefented in the cut. All which Plate 7,
trafli, I was told, ferved the Black to know
the will of the idol, when he made anv re-
queft to it, or aflced a queftion, by ' ob-
fervingthedifpofition of thofe feveral things,
after overturning the gourd or calabafli.
This inftance of the abfurd conceit the
Blacks have of their idols, leads me, in the
next place, to fpeak of the nature and ufe
of them.
Nature and Use of Idols.
117 HEN they have a mind to make any
offerings to their idols, or defire to
know any thing of them, they cry, let us
make Feitijfo ; that is, as has been before ob-
ferved, according to the Portuguefe, whence
they have the word, let us conjure, or make
our charms : but according to their meaning
is, let us perform our religious worfhip, and
fee or hear, what our god will fay to us.
In like manner, if they happen to be
wronged by any man, they perform their
witch-
Chap. 2^. Coajls of SoirTH=G0iNEAo
charm for
revenge.
witchcraft, or devotion, to deftroy him, oblige the prieft to drink the oath-draught, Barbot;
which is after this manner. with this imprecation, That their deity may^-^y^-
Firft, they intreat the prieft to charm fome pimifi him with deaths if he ever abfolves
meat or drink, which they fcatter about any perfon from their oath^ without the coti'
fuch places as they know their enemy moft fent and concurrence of the other party
frequents, orpaflesby, having this conceit, concerned in this contraEl. And it is obfer-
that if he happens to touch it, he will cer- ved, that fuch cautionary oaths, render thofe
tainly die foon after. Hence it is, that the which are reciprocally obligatory, binding,
Blacks dread paffing by fuch places, or if durable and punftually obferved. Thus it
they cannot avoid it, they caufe themfelves appears, that they make a confcience of their
to be carried over •, becaufe then the charm oaths j and that, even their priefts are fo
far from impofing on the people, that they
ment for
the fami.
Oaths
has no virtue, as it does not touch them,
and affefts not the perfon it is not defigned
againft. They are fo fully poffeflfed of this
opinion, that tho' they fee frequent inftances
of the infufficiency of thofe inchantments, .
they are never diffuaded from them,
Thofe who have been robbed, make ufe
of the fame fort of conjuration to difcover the
thief, and bring him to punilhment.
If any perfon is taken ftrewing that fort
of fuppofcd poifon, he is feverely punifhed,
and even with death tho' it be done on ac-
count of a robbery : theft being look'd up-
on as a cunning way of acquiring wealth,
and not as vile or infamous •, yet punifha-
ble, as has been obferved before.
Making and confirming of obligatory
oaths, is alfo call'd, charming, or making
their devotions. When they drink the oath-
draught, they commonly add this impreca-
tion. Let the Feitilfo, that is, the idol kill
if I do not perform the contents of the
me
really think themfelves obliged.
They are generally perfuaded, that th.fPurgiitiort
perjur'd perfon, on iuch occafions, will he of crimes
fwoln up by the oath-draught, till heburfts,^ f ^
or willfoondie alanguifhingdeath. They do
not in the leaft queftion, but that the firft of
thofe effe6ls will infallibly take place on wo-
men who are perjur'd, if they take the
fiid draught to clear themfelves from the
imputation of having committed adultery
as has been mentioned heretofore.
The fame draught is adminiftred to per-
fons fufpe6ted of thefts and robberies, with
the imprecation. May the deity kill me, if
I am guilty of the fatl I am accufed of
The draught is given upon many other
occafions j but this may fuffice, and I will
conclude this matter with fome account of
the moft folemn and obligatory way of
binding, which is only ufed upon affairs of
the higheft nature.
Little re-
gard to
oaths.
ohligation. Every perfon thus entnng into a
folemn obligation to another, is bound to
drink the oath-draught.
The common praftice betv/ixt man and
man, when required to make fome affeve-
ration, to corroborate what they are upon,
is to fwear by their parents head or beard j
as the [fraeli/es (wore, by the heaven, or the
earth, or by the temple of Jerufalem, as in
Matt. V. 25, 26. as alfo by their head.
A king, or the governors of common-
wealths, hiring themfelves and their people
to afiift another nation, are obliged to drink
the oath- draught, with the prime men of
their country; making this affeveration, That
their deities may punifh them with death, if
they do not affjft that nation, with the utmoft
vigor and refolution againft their enemies. And
yet nothing is more frequent, than to fee
thofe folemn oaths broken, which makes e-
ven the Blacks themfelves repofe but little
confidence on fuch formalities : befides that,
they have found out a way tobeabfolvedfrom
them, taking the money of thofe who hired
them for auxiliaries, and ading diredly con-
Mofi folemn oUigatory Oath.
nr H E Black who is to take fuch an oath,
muft do it in the prefence of the prieft's
idol, being a large wooden pipe, or a horn,
or any other ; every one, as has been faid,
having the liberty to form his own peculiar
god, as he pleafes. He ftands diredlly be-
fore the faid idol, and aflf.':-
In 1682, he inaintain'd war againft the
Blacks of Monte or Goto, and thofe of Fida^
who obliged him to make peace with theBARBor.
king of Ftda, to avoid being fubdued by ^«>V^
their joint forces : and fome time after, he
joined in league with the king of Fida, to
attack the country of Ccto ; but how they
fped, I was never told.
The natives of great Popo are much YikeThieveu
their neighbours of lictle Popo, and of Goto,
living moflly upon plunder, being naturally
thieves by profefllon ; efpecially when got
drunk, they Ileal any thing they can come
at from friends or foes : v/hich temper in
them, has hindred any Europeans but the
Dutch, from fettling a factory at Popo ; and
brought them alfo to have the king to adjuft
matters of commerce betwixt them and his
lubjefts, being bound to make good any ^ ' ,,:
irregularities of this kind to each party ; in
imitation of the pradice ufed at Fida and
Ardra.
The Popofians, likealLother ^/^r^j, ha.veprk/is.
great faith in their prieib, which are there
call'd Domine. They go commonly dreffed
in a long white frock, always carrying a
flafF crooked at one end ; and each trading
fhip muft pay the Domine a certain toll,
by way of free gift, which encourages the
Blacks to difpatch the Europeans as quick as
pofTible ; conceiting that the priefts being
fo well paid, will ufe all their intereft with
the deities of the fea, to favour them with
calms and good weather, that fo they may
with the greater facility and fafety carry
goods and flaves to and from the ihips
to the land, and thence on ftiip-board again,
without being overfet in their canoes. And
when they fhip off flaves in their canoesj
they have a prieft ftanding by at the beach,
who ftrews fand over the flaves heads, that
their deities may preferve them from being
overfet in pafTing the bar.
The houfes at great Popo are built in the
fame lx)rm as at Caho Verde. The inland
country abounds in fundry fruits and roots,
and in cattle, poultry, ific. Near the ftiore
the land is all over marfhy and fwampy,
as has been obferved already, and confequent-
ly flat and low* * - '
■pROM PopQ-graride to the port of i^zW^,
^- the coaft extends about five leagues eafl
north-eaft, the little town of Otf v or Owj
lying betwixt both places on the ftrandj
about a quarter of a league eaft of a little
river that falls into the fea the coaft all
along almoft inacceffible, by reafon of the
mighty furf
The village Coulain-ha, with fome other villages.
hamlets and cottages, ' are feated on the
banks of the river 'Tary, which runs down
from the Ardra country, thro' Fida, to the
ocean at Great Popo, within the land, all
along the fhore, at about a quarter of a
mile
A Defcription of the
514
Barbot. mile diftance, but fo fliallow, that k is
'*"Or^ fordable every where ; and by its overflowing
and flat banks, forms the morafles and
fwamps we fee for feveral leagues together,
extending within the fliore from Great Popo,
to Tary^ through the lartd of Fida.
Above Coulain-ba is the town Jackaiuj
on the banks of another rivers which, as it
extends into the country of Ardra, grows
more and more ihallow, till at laft it is quite
dry, as if it were loft in the fands. All
the above-named villages belong properly
to the country of Fida^ and are not eafily
perceived from fea, but from the top-mafts
offhips, when failing near the fhore.
liind- The beft mark to avoid over-fhooting
marks at the port of Fida^ which is called by the
fida. French^ La Praye, is in failing from before
Popo-grande, to fteer along the fhore, till
you fee in the eaft four or five large trees
ftanding feparately on the land, forming
a fort of a grove together ; and farther
eaftward, a little houfe on the beach, near
to which is fet up a pole or ftaff, for a flag,
and about the houfe there are ufually feveral
canoes fet dry : and having brought the
pole to bear north, then caft anchor, as
being the beft ground for fomewhat far-
ther eaft there are abundance of ftones
under water, which will fpoil, and even
cut the cables.
The French ftiips bound to this port com-
monly fire a gun, when they come about
three leagues eaft of Popo^ asa fignal to the
French faftor, refiding at Fida^ which they
call Juyda, to give him notice of their ap-
proach •, and the fiid faftor fends immeJi-
ately fome fervant to the beach, to hoift
up the white flag : and I believe the Englijh
fador, refiding there, does the fame, when
fhips of his nation appear at weft ; theftaiF
being common to them as it happens.
This place is extremely dangerous, either
to land at, or to get out of it, becaufe of the
dreadful, horrible furf of the fea, near the
ftiore, which people cannot pafs through
without running the hazard of their lives, or
at beft great trouble at all times of the year ;
it being impofilble to prevent being dafhed
all over with the foam of the waves : but
in a more particular manner, in April, May,
June and July, the rainy time, for the break-
ing is then fo violent, and the furges of the
fea fo very high, by the fhallownefs of the
water, that it is a faying here, he ought to
have two lives who ventures, and efpecially
in that feafon. There happen frequently
very difmal accidents, by the overfetting
of the bar-canoes, tho' ever fo well mann'd ;
whereby many perfons are drowned, great
quantities of goods are loft, and the canoes
often fhattered to pieces in a moment.
For when they happen to overturn, or the
fea breaks into them, full of people, the
Book IV,
trom
greateft part, even the rowers, are either
drowned or devoured by the monftrous
fharks which fwarm amongft the fwellins
waves of the ocean ; tho' generally the rowers,
who, for the moft part, are Mina Blacks,
the moft fkillful of all the Blacks^ by their
dexterity in fwimming, may perhaps fave
themfelves. Such accidents happen there al-
moft every day in that feafon, and there
is no European fador, or fupercargo, but
what lofes confiderably thereby in goods
or flaves, carried to and fro •, befides that it
frequendy retards the difpatch of their fhips.
In thofe fame months the tide lets from^^^^^ ^.^
the eaft fo violently, that no boat or fhallop
can ftem it by rowing, but they are forced
to fet them along by flicking their pole in.
the ground ; which is another obftruftion
that detains Ihips there twice as long as is
neceflfary to trade, efpecially for flaves.
Were things otherwife, and the accels co^
and recefs from the fhore ho more perilous
and tedious than it is at many ports of the
Gold Coajl, it would be a perfed pleafure to;
drive much bufinefs there ; for when once
landed fafe, the charming profped the
country affords from all parts at about
two Englijh miles from the ftrand, is a
mighty fatisfadion to the traveller, cafting
his eyes about to behold the pleafantnefs
of fo fine and well-inhabited a country,
after the dreadful hazards he has run in
coming to it : but of this more hereafter.
The lodges of the Englijh and ^ EngliHi
y^ric^w companies, are feated near the vil-WFrench
hgt Pclleau, fomewhat beyond themorafs
and the country from thence to the water-
fide, for two miles, being all flat, low and
marfliy, we are generally carried thither
from the port on men's Oioulders, in a ham-
mock, faftened to a pole ; tlie bearers being
relieved from time to time, all the way, by
frefh porters, who in fome places are almoft
up to their flioulders in the water of the
fwampy grounds : but the fellows are fo
ftrong, and fo well fkilled in that work,
that at fuch places they lift up the pole,
holding it much above their heads, on the
palms of their hands, and thus fecure the
perfon carried in the hammock trom being
wet. , ::a, Ud^jcriq-^'
The French fadlory at Pilleau, was efta-
blifhed by one Carolof, in the fervice of
the French fVeJl-India company, with the
confent of the king of Fida, and the favour
of prince Btbe in 1671. who befides granted
him the permifiion of trading in this, and
the Ardra country ; that part of Ardra,
which borders on the ocean, having then
revolted againft its fovereign, and put itfelf
under the protedion of the king ot Fida,
which very much obftrudedthe flaves' trade,
who thereby could not be fliip'd off^atOjfrimfionof time. ^ .
■a.;::a.('- .l^l-'Hi^.V c --Tf ■ ■.•■::l:f :"■'.■■'( ..
Fmility. ry^HE fertility of FUa f^iv exceeds all Product 0/ Earth,
I I have fiidof the countri-r, -.doig rhe 'X'HE corn is thereof three forts; thcj^jj^j,
Gold Coajl, both in prc^.ucing pl.mtsofall * firft is the large maiz, or jffdian Vfhezt^ wheat.
fo Ts, and in feeding al! forts of trie, and which, tho' not altogether fo large a grain
w'.M henfts ; as will appear by che follow- a^^ -^ t th ' Gold Coaft, is nevfrrhclcfs as good,
ing defcription. ' • and ferves the natives for brewing of two
■ " " forts
Chap. 2.
Coafls of South-Guinea,
Nif ovens
fit Fida.
forts of beer *, and therefore, they do not
fow fo great a quantity, becaufe they do not
make bread of it.
^Mlet. The fecond fort of corn, is the fmall
milho, or millet, which they fow twice a
year, but at one time more than at another r
at the time when they fow the moft, the
whole land is fo full of it, that fcarce a foot-
path is kept untill'd, as I have obferved
before, which yields them a prodigious
crop •, and neverthelefs it often happens,
that at the end of the year, they have none
left : nay, fome years it has fallen fo fhort,
partly by their felling great quantities to the
neighbouring nations, great Pop^ and o-
thers, as I have hinted before, that it has
occafaoned violent famines in Fida^ fo as to
oblige a free Black to fell himfelf into bon-
i dage to avoid flarving ; and others, to fet
their own flaves at liberty for ever, not be-
ing able to maintain them ; as has been
mentioned in the foregoing defcription of
Cabo l^erde and Rufifco, to have often hap-
pen'd there. Atfuch times ^^rt^^^^zwlhips can
get their complete cargo of flaves for a very
fmall matter •, nay, even for nothing but
the trouble of carrying them on board, and
fubfifting them ; as it happened to fome not
long fince.
This fmall millet is the corn, of which
the Fidafians ma.ke bread, boiling it in wa-
ter, as the Gold Coaft men do their Indian
wheat, and never bake it in ovens : for
which reafon not one oven is to be feen in
all the kingdom of Fida.
The third fort of grain, is a fmall millet
alfo, which does not grow on ftalks, like the
fecond fort, but in the nature of oat-ears :
this millet is of a reddifh colour, but fo long
a coming to maturity, that it is above fix or
feven months in the ground, and ferves the
Blacks only to mix with the large Indian
wheat to brew with ; they being of opinion,
' that it adds llrength to the been
Befides their common boiled bread made
of the fmall millet, they alfo ufe potatoes,
which are there fo prodigious plentiful, that
it may well be fa id, the whole coaft of
Guinea doth not produce fuch a quantity,
as this fmall country. They eat the potatoes
with all forts of vi£tuals, inftead of bread.
Yams are but very indifferent there, and
come nothing near the goodnefs of what we
have of this root at the Gold Coaft j and
the Fidafians do not admire nor ufe them
much.
Bj^„^ Small beans, of fundry forts, are very
plentiful, which they call Acraes. Of one
fort whereof, the Europeans there make oil-
cakes, as light as any in Holland ; where
that Ibrt of cakes is very much efteemed by
the common people.
Other As to Bananas, Backoven, or Indian figs,
fms. oranges, lemons, citrons, pepper, and all the
Vol. V,
Grain for
brewing.
totatots.
Yams.
other fruits of the earth, which the Gold Coaft Barbot-
produces, thefe grow there alfo, and as'''*'V^.
good, if not better. But onions and gin-
ger, and efpecially the former, are not very
plentiful ; which perhaps may proceed from
the little value the natives put on them :
for it has been experienced, that many of
our feeds of cabbage, turnips, car-
rots, radifhes, 5pi3«{/7>radifli, parfly, forrel,
^c. thrive very well ; and it is therefore fup-
pos'd, that our falletting would fucceed as
well, if carefully cultivated, the foil being '
fo good as it is.
It produces abundance of tamarind, or Tamarinds
indigo-trees, and fome other fruit-trees un- '^^^'"^<^k'>~
known to us ; and the fruit fo very indifte-
rent in the tafte, that it is not worth while to
fay more of it.
The indigo, befides its great plenty, is at
leaft as good and as fine, as that of Guatt-
mala., or any other we find in the Eaft and
Weft-Indies., if not better. The natives dye
all their clothes therewith ; but wafte three
times as much of it as they would do, if
they were better fkill'd in the dying-trade.
There is great plenty of palm-trees
throughout the whole country ; but the na^
tives not being fond of palm-wine, or at
beft but few of them drinking it, very lit-
tle is extraded from them ; but they are
ferviceable to the people of Fida., to draw
oil from them. As for the pardon palm-
tree, which is alfo very common there, tho'
the wine of it is ib much valued at the Gold
Coaft., as has been before hinted, thefe peo-
gle being generally ufed to drink beer, va-
lue them only for their wood ; which be-
ing durable, they ufe it for buildings, ^c.
In fhort, confidering the fertility and na-
tural property of the foil of Fida., it may
well be fuppofed, that not only all forts
of African., but alfo many European fruits,
might be there produced to fatisfaclion.
' Cattle.
H E cattle at Ftda., as oxen, cows,
*• goats, fwine and fheep, are not diff^e-
rent in fhape from thofe of the Gold Coaft,
but infinitely better, more flefhy, and of a
more relifhing tafte •, their pafture -grounds
and meadows affording as good a nourifh-
ment as in Europe^.
The common price of an ox or cow, h'Pricesof
from eight to ten crowns, a fat flieep two,
a good goat one, and a hog two crowns.
Horfes are pretty common, but not much^or/w.
better or finer than thofe mentioned at the
Gold Coaft, and generally fold for fifteen or
fixteen crowns j being of very little fervice
in a long journey, and foon tired.
Tame Fowl.
S to the tame fowls, they have only
turkeySj ducks and chickens: of the
P p p p two
A Defmptim of the
ftps
A
B
Barbot. two firft no great quantity, but a prodi-
^'"-OT^ gious number of the latter. The chickens are
fmall, and yet very plump, flefliy and
fweet, at about fix-pence a piece, if bought
for goods, which is three-pence prime coft i
Value ef but if bought for tobacco-pipes, we have there
toUcco- agQodpulletforthreepipesof£af(?/'^'ajpjs, or prefents whereas thefe, on the
contrary, require nothing beyond a morning's
draught, being of that noble temper, that
they had rather give than receive. In the
trade we have with them, they are well
pleafed we ftiould acknowledge the good
offices they have done us, tho', on the other
hand, they are very fond of their ancient
cuftoms.
In civilky to each other, in fome parti- ExtraorM-
culars, they almoft equal the C/)i>/^yi', who»^7''-/H
arefo full of manners and formalities, to ^L^'^f^t"""'.
nicety, even in trivial matters. The inferior
there is fo refpeftful towards his fuperior,
that we are at firft furprifed to find fuch po-
litenefs, on a fudden, among thofe people^
who are fo little diftant from the Gold Coaft„
where the people are fo very defedive in that
point.
Courteous Behaviour.
T F any one of the Fidafians vifits his fu-
perior, or meets him by chance, he im-
mediately kneels down, and kiffesthe ground
three feveral times, claps his hands, wifties
him a good day, or a good night, and con-
gratulates him ; which the other, either fit-
ting or ftanding, or whatever pofture he is
found in, barely an fwers, with clapping his
hands foftly, and wifhing the other a good
day and when extraordinary civil, will fay,
it is enough : and during all that, the for-
mer remains kneeling, or proftrate on the
ground, till the other departs, unlefs fome
affair call him away if fo, he begs leave,
and retires creeping on the ground ; for ic
would be thought a great crime to fit upon
a chair or form, in prefence of one above
himfelf.
Children pay the fame refped: to their
parents, wives to their huft)ands,and younger
to elder brothers, and none of them will de-
liver or receive any thing to or from his
or her fuperior, otherwife than on their
knees, and with both hands together,
which is a fign of the grcateft fubjetbon.
And if they fpeak £o any fuperior as above
faid.
Chap. 2. Coap <5f South-Guinea,
Courtefy
betvuem
gc^uttls.
Trayer for
fneezing.
Receiving
»f prefents
Tillage.
iaid, their hand is always held before their
mouth, for fear their breath fhould offend
him or her. Among the Hebrewi, the fa-
thers had the permiflion, by the law, to
fell their daughters, Exod. xxi. 7. but that
fale was a fort of marriage •, as it was for a
time with the Romans. They had power of
life and death t)ver their children •, it is true
they were not allowed to ufe this prerogative
:fo rigoroufly of their own authority, as
the Romans did, without the concurrence
,of the magiftrate. The law of God only
^permitted parents, after they had tryed all
their private domeftick correftions, to ac-
cufe their fon before the fenate of the town,
as rebellious and debauched ; and ori their
complaints, 'he was fentenced to death, and
fton'd. That fame law was praftifed in
Athens., and founded on this, that children
holding their lives from their fathers, and
it being fuppofed that no father could be ib
inhuman as to procure his own fon 's death,
unlefs he were guilty of moft horrid crimes,
children were kept in entire fubmilTion, and
•confequently paid all due honours and re-
verence to their parents.
When perfons of an equal condition meet,
they both fall down on their knees together,
clap hands, and reciprocally fal ate, wifhing
each otlier a good day ; which ceremonies
are alfo exa£lly obferved by their attendants
or companions on either fide, and are very
pleafant to obferve. / .
When a confiderable perfon fneezes, all
that are prefent fall down on their knees •■,
and after having kififed the ground, and
clapped their hands, wifh him or her all
profperity and happinefs.
If an inferior perlbn receives a prefent from
•one above himlelf, he claps it between his
hands, and after kifling the ground, returns
thanks very refpeftfuliy. In Ihort, no
people in the univerfe are more precife and
nice in paying reverence and honour to fu-
periors, than this nation in which they
vaftly differ from the Gold Coajl Blacks, who
hardly know of any rank or diftinftion
amongft themfelves ; and live like beafts in
that particular.
As to their king I (hall hereafter obferve
what great honour and fubmiffion they all
pay him, even to adoration : his prefence is
to them fo awful, that with a fingle word he
makes them tremble; tho' on the other
hand, as foon as he has turned his back,
they feem to forget their great fear "of
him ; and not much regard his commands,
as very well knowing how to appeafe and
delude him by their lyes.
1'heir Employment.
H E king, and a few of the great men
of Fida., do not till or fow the ground,
as other Guinea?} kings do, in fome parts 5
but excepting thofe few perfons, every body Barbot-
there minds agriculture, being aflifted by U'VVJ
their wives, children and flaves, fpinning
of cotton, weaving of fine cloths, making
of calab^fhes, wooden veffels, fmith's-wares,
javelins, and feveral other handicrafts ;
which thefe Blacks have brought to a greater
perfeftion than at the Gold Coafi: befides
which, they have fome trade unknown to-
the others, being more ingenious and labo-
rious than they. The fubftantial men, be-
fides husbandry, drive a confiderable trade,
as well in flaves^ as all other valuable mer-
chandize,
They till their ground by hand, and lay
it in high furrows for fowing their corn,
as we do in many parts of England.
The female fex are no lefs induftrious in Blacks/ix-e
their proper callings-, for befidesafTifting their
hufbands, or parents in tillage, they are
perpetually bufy, at one thing or other, at
home. The married v/omen brew beer,
drefs viduals, and make fundry forts of
hampers, bafkets, and other like utenfils,
with the ftraw of //7//w;z wheat, which they
carry to market to fell, together with their
hu (bands merchandize. In Ihort, men and
women are very diligent at getting of money ;
each ftriving to out-do the other which is
the reafon they all live fo plentifully ; nay-
even fplendidly, for fuch Barbarians. As
well the meaner, as the higher fort of people
eat of the beft each can get for his money j
and if that happens to fail them, they will
work hard at any thing whatever, even
for fmall wages, as has been hinted before,
rather than lofe the opportunity of getting
money, to fpend it again that way : for ge-
nerally they all love their belly, and will
not work with an empty one ; whereas
the Gold Coaft Blacks grudge to beftow a
fniall matter for eatables; if they think any
thing too dear, they'll have none, and are
well pleafed to be without a good morfel.
Their III Qualities.
AS to their bad qualities, they are as Multitude
cowardly in battle, as the other Blacks''f '^i'^^'-
of Guinea, but far more luxurious ; thofe
of the Gold Coaft contenting themfelves with
one, two, three or four, and the confidera-
ble perfons with twenty wives : but there
an ordinary man has thirty or forty ; the
great ones fixty orfeventy ; and the chief
officers and commanders, fome one, fome
two, fome three or four hundred ; and if we
may believe them, fome a thoufand ; and
the king more in proportion of his dignity,
becaufe they think it a great honour to have
a vaft number of wives to fhow themfelves
great and creditable.
They are all, except the king, and three c«»»%
or four of the moft confiderable men, the*^"'^^^"
gfeate-ft and moft cunning thieves, that can
be
532
A De
0
Book IV,
BARBOT.be imagined, without exception therein far readily play away all they are mailers of i
'"^"V^ exceeding our European pick-pockets. No
fhip of any nation whatfoever can come
thither without being robbed of goods, to
a confiderable value \ for the Europeans
being obliged to make ufe of Blacks to
carry their goods from the beach, to the
village Savi^ as I have fa id before and from
that village to the fhore again, tho' they
be never fo clofe watched and attended all
the way, which is three good leagues, thofe
and when all is loft, fome will very bru-
tifhly firft ftake wife and children, and
after that their land, and their own felves
for flaves, . : ' - . -i m- '
H
ABIT.
'T^HE men are generally much better o/»?e»:
clothed, than thofe of the Gold Coaft.
They wear five or fix cloths, all of different
forts, one above the other ; the uppermoft
villains will find an opportunity to aft their of which is about eight or nine yards long,
part •, and if they happen to be taken in decently wrapt about their body, but no
the fi6l, they are fo bold as to tell us, perfon is allowed to wear red, it being the
we cannot think they would work fo hard as peculiar colour of the king's family exclu-
they do forfuchfmall falaries, as we com- five to all others-
monly allow them, if they had not the li-
berty of pilfering our goods.
Inflancesof For an inftance of their great dexterity
their dex- herein, tho' fome fadlors have their Boejies,
in fmall barrels, fewed up in facks, the
Blacks, as they carry them along the way,
and dig
terity.
The women alfo wear many cloths, oneC>/*ofef)s.
over another, each of them being about an
ell long, and they buckle the two ends on
their bellies, covering the pofteriors very
clofe ; but are fet in fo loofe a manner before,
that if the wind blows a little frefh, what
cut the facks, and dig out the Boejies, at modefty requires to cover^ is often expofed
the chinks of the barrel, with an iron chiflcl. to view. They fay this fifhion of drefs is
Other fadors had their warehoufes rifled the women's invention, for their own conve-
of what goods and provifions they kept in niency ; it is as eafy to guefs what they mean
them, and yet the faid warehoufes were by it, as unbecoming to exprefs.
Thieves
protecIeJ.
found-, after the robbery, Vv^ell fecured with
locks, and very firm and clofe. In fliorr,
they are acquainted with many feveral ways
of robbing and ftealing : the moft common
is, to make a hole in the roof of ware-
houfes, which, as all other habitations here,
are covered with reed, and clay or mud,
to prevent firing ; and thro' that hole, by
means of a pole, with an iron hook at the
end of it, they draw out the goods.
Hence it is that the European fadlors are
always fufpicious of them, and as much
upon the watch as they can poffible for
tho' they may complain to the king, and
he gives order to fearch after the thieves,
to punifh them, few or no perfons dare
inform, for fear of fome of the principal
men of the court, who commonly fhare
with, and are ready to proteft the rogues.
The king, who is a very free, open, plain
man, and a great promoter of trade in his
dominions, knowing fowell as he does, that
his people are generally tainted with this
vice of ftealing, has, on fome occafions,
exprelfed his diflike of it ; but as he cannot
remedy it, unlefs he punifhes the whole
nation, he is not wanting to warn our
faftors of it ; telling them, that his fuh~
je5ls are not like thofe of Ardra, and other
circumjacent countries^ who upon the leaf um-
brage received from the Europeans, would
poifon them. But I advife you, fays he, to
take particular care of 'jour goods, for thefe
people feem to he horn expert thieves 5 and
will rob '^ou of ever '•^ thing i hey can come at.
Gameflers ^ farther inftance ol their bad qualities,
^'I ftiall add, they are very great gamefters,and
rings.
The king
averfe to
them.
Thofe cloths, befides what they make ^0 gold
themfelves, which are very fine, are com-/^'^'^^"""'''-
monly Indian chints, white farcenet, and
brocadel, fold them by the Europeans,
But gold and filver being metals, they
are not acquainted withj as well as their
value, they never wear any ornaments
made of them, and confequently are only
very fine and neat in their dreffes, both men
and women, but not fo rich asthebeft fort
of the Gold Coaft people, who, as has been
obferved, are all over adorned with idols,
and other gold trinkets.
Perfons of all ages and fexes there, go
always with their heads clofe fhaved, which
at firft view, and before we are ufed to it,
looks very odd ; and fo they go in the rain,
the wind, the fcorching fun, or any other
weather, without ever covering their heads.
The men of what age foever, have always
their beards clofe fhaved alfo, which makes
them all look much younger than they
really are : and as to their being fo naked
headed, it is certain that ufe makes them
very hardy.
Wives and Children.
VERY man may marry as many wives jsr«»»jr«ttj
as he is able to maintain, and {omtf^rnilies,
have married their own daughters. Thus
fome Blacks have a multitude of children,
they being commonly ftout lufty men, and
the women not barren ; and all eating and
drinking very well.
Some men have above two hundred chil-
dren, and do not account it a large family
to have fixty or feventy alive •, nay, it has
been
{
I
Chap. 2. Coafis of South-Guinea,
been known there, that one of the king's
viceroys, affilled by his fons and grandfons,
with their flaves, has repulfed a powerful
enemy, which came againft him, and
made all together an army of two thoufand
^^ghting men ; not reckoning daughters,
or any that were dead. Notwithftanding
the men there have the ufe of many wo-
men, their luxury is fo very extreme, that
they have a vaft number of publick harlots,
licenfed to proftitute themfelves to every-
body at a very cheap rate. Thofe women
keep all the day each in a hut, fet up for
their trade at diftances, all about the coun-
try, juft by the roads, for the accommoda-
tion or conveniency of pafiengers of what
fort foever.
The like pracflice was tolerated in 'Peru^
by the Incas kings, to obviate greater evils,
as they pleaded. Thofe 'Peruvian v/hores
lived feparately in the country, in forry
little huts, being vulgarly called there
Pampauruna, a name which defign'd their
abode and way of living: but fuch women
were totally excluded the company and
converfation of honeft women, and never
permitted to enter into any town.
Menftruous wom.en are efteemed fo un-
clean, that they are not admitted zzFida,
into the king's, or other great perfons houfes,
on pain of death, or at leaft perpetual fla-
very.
They circumcife their children, as the
Mahometans do, but cannot tell us, whence
they have that cuftom •, all their anfwer is,
they received it from their anceftors, by tra-
dition j but do not know the import nor
fignification of it. Some girls are alfo cir-
cumcifed, as I have obfeved it to be prac-
tifed in north Guinea,
Thofe Blacks differ very much as to the
lime of circumcifing children fome doing
it at four, five, or fix, and others at eight,
or ten years of age.
mvesferve To return to the women they are there,
tjjeir hitf- as in all other parts of Guinea^ entrufted
with the care of preparing and dreifing pro-
vifions for their family, and brewing. The
wives of great perfons commonly wait on
their hulbands at table, and ferve them on
the knee, as is praclifed in England^ by the
officers to the king.
I fliall have occafion, in the defcription
of Ardra^ to obferve the way of brewing
the beer of Indian wheat, of baking bread,
and drefling provifions, to which I refer •, it
being done in the fame manner by the Fida
women, and their houfes are the fame.
The great men and prime officers, feldom
dine without a guard of mufketeers at the
door of their houfes, who fire their mufkets
from time to time, to honour their mafters,
who generally love the noife of fire-arms.
Vol. V. vv: • .v :-
ClrcHmci-
,fm.
bands
kneeling
333
They have feveral forts ofmufical inftru-BARBor.
ments, and the noife of them is much more l^VNJ
fupportable than thofe of the Gold Coaft.^"^"^'
Upon occafion of mourning, they do not
trouble themfelves with a difmal mufick as
the others do.
I
Behaviour in Sickness.
N ficknefs they are yet more fuperfti- ^^'^^ € i
tious than i\\tQi\\tx Blacks^ making nu-*^^'"^^°
merous offerings to their idols, feveral days
fucceffively, for the recovery of their health,
and no lefs fearful of deathj; which makes
them very diligent, in the ufe of proper me-
dicines to cure them, if polTible.
As to their offerings, on occafion of fick-P/«m i»
nefs, they do not make them in their own/*'^''?^*'
houfes, as mofl: of the Blacks at the Gold
Coafi praftife it ; for there, every perfon re- \
ferves a place, in the open air, confecrated
and enclofed with reeds, and other materials,
for making his ficrifices and oblations on
this account.
Contrary to the humour of the Gold-Coafi
Blacks^ thofe of Fida are fo extraordinary
jealous of their wives, that on a bare fufpi-
cion, they'll fell them to the IVhUes ; and
in cafe any perfon debauches a rich or con-
fiderable man's wife, the offender is not only
punifhed with death, but fometimes his
whole family is fold into captivity ; and no
wealthy man there, will fuffer any other
to enter his wives houfes ; but particularly
the king is very fevere in this regard, as I
fiiall mention hereafter-, whereas many Blacks
at the Gold Coajt drive an open trade with
their wives bodies.
Courfe of Inheritance.
T N Fida the eldefl fon (from the king to
* theloweft rankj inherits, not only all his
father's goods and chattels, but his wives,
which he ufes as his own, excepting his own
mother, whom he lodges apart, and allows .
her afuflicient maintenance all her life-time,
in cafe fhe is not in a capacity of fubfifting
by her felf
The King, his Family and
Government.
'HP HAT prince may now be about thirty ^ ^
eight years of age, being a well-fet, rofy"*'
vigorous, fprightly and agreeable man, and
has a large lhare of good fenfe j is of a molt
generous temper, and fubtle genius, always
attentive to promote the trade of the nation
with us Europeans \ and at all times receives
the chief faflors and captains of our IhipSj
with much civility, and after a very en-
gaging manner : for befides the entertain-
ment given to them, he commonly, on fuch
days, the better to exprefs his iatisfedtionj
bellows fuch bounties on his own peoples
Q^q q q that.
3U
A Defcription of the ::i Book IV.
Barbot. that, if we muft credit the Blacks^ fome Eu-
'^-^'Y^ ropean vifits coft him the value of an hun-
dred, or a hundred and fifty flaves ; and he
daily prefents the Europeans with llieep,
hogs, fowl, oxen, bread, beer, fruit, or
what the feafon affords.
Grathude. The great regard he expreftes for the
French and Dutch faftors, efpecially, pro-
, ceeds from a fenfe of gratitude and acknow-
ledgementof the eminent fervice, the French,
Butch and Portuguefe formerly did him, in
being fo very inftrumental to fix him, by
their forces, on the throne, to the prejudice
of his elder brother, who was not liked by
thefe Europeans he, tho' the youngeft fon,
being more acceptable to them, becaufe of
his good-nature, and inclination to favour
trade: which inftance of gratitude in a Bar-
barian, is worth obferving, for he is never
better pleafed than when we afk a tlivour of
him.
Habit, he. He is generally habited after the M;7or?/^
fnfliion, in a long violet filk gown, and feme-
times of gold or filver damafk i but is for
the mofl part better drefled than ordinary,
when he goes to vifit any of the Europeans,
which he can do unfeen of any, their lodges
being built round his palace •, with whom
he can converfe, as fpeaking broken Portu-
guefe, or hingua-Frama.
The BlacksvdXxnt him much on account of
his being very religious in their way of wor-
fhip •, and that his palace is all over abun-
dantly furnifhed with idols : they efteem him
alfo, becaufe he is vaftly rich, tho' his re-
tinue is but mean, having very little atten-
dance, befides about three or four hundred
wives, he has already, as young as he is ;
and fometimes by a few foldiers.
His palace is very ordinary, tho' fpacious,
as being only a heap of little clay houfes,
or huts, enclofed, without any order or
beauty j but for diftindlion, has four iron
guns mounted at the gate, with a guard of
Ibldiers doing duty there.
No perfon is to know the king's lodging,
fo that if an European afks where the king
lay at night, he is anfwered with this queftion.
Where does God lodge ? which fignifies. Is it
pojjible for us to know the king's bed-chamber ?
Whether this policy is to gain refped: among
the people, or to conceal the king's perfon
from any attempt, is more than I can decide.
In this palace is a large room, where he
gives audience to foreigners ; or is informed
by his officers of what happens in the nation,
to give his orders accordingly or if no
bufinefs occurs, he fpends part of the day at
one fort of game or other, being a wonder-
ful gamefter, as are all his fubjeds. He
never plays for money, but for cattle, and
punctually pays the ox, cow, hog or iheep
he lofes ; and if he wins, does not defire,
either fubjed ox European to pay him. When
ce.
The king's
good tem-
per.
he does not fit there, either about bufinefs,
play or difcourfing, he keeps at home a-
mongfl his wives, indulging himfelf in fuch
diverfions as they are, one after another,
very fludious to afford him : and being of
a very pleaiant humour, and good company,
there is fome fort of fatisfadion in fpending
time with him for he will continually enter-
tain us, if he do not play, with the beft he
has to eat and drink.
That prince, when in the audience-room,
ufually fits on an oval flool, as is cuflomary
in that country the ftoo! being on a broad
foot bench covered with a cloth ; the other
foot bench, which is there covered with
mats, ferves our European faftors to fit by,
and converfe with him, always bare-headed,
as knowing, that he is better pleafed they
fhou'd be fo, than cover'd : nor are they to en-
ter that room with their fwords on ; for he
does not like that any fliould appear armed
in his prefence.
He eats by himfelf, and no perfon, either
man or woman, except his wives, is allow'd
to fee him at that time; but the great ofH-
cers of his court, often eat in his prefence,
which when we do, he is very well pleas'd,
and the table is pretty well furnifhed, and
in fome good order. All his officers, and -
other Blacks of note who are prefent, lie
proflrate oh the ground, all the time he is
prefent, without daring to rife and when
we rife from table, thofe great men and
officers are ferved with what is left, and eat
it very greedily, good or bad, tho' they
have perhaps much better of their own at
home ; but this, in ail likelihood, is done
out of refpedl, that they may not feem to
defpife the king's provifions.
This king ufes twice a year, to go a pro- His pro-
grefs through the country, which he com-^"/**
monly does with fome fort of ilate; being,
befides his retinue, attended by all his
wives, drcffed the beft they are able, being
very richly adorned, each with abundance
of coral, which is there much more valua-
ble than gold : and it is only at fuch times,
that we can have the fight of his beautiful
women, who otherwife are always very clofe
fhut up, and guarded from the eyes of men.
In this progrefs not one man accompanies
him, but he orders his officers and great
men, to wait on him at the place he de-
figns to go to divert himfelf and they
mufl: there alfo keep at a good diflance
from his wives, and fee them only as they
pafs by.
As to government, the king is abfolute Ranks of
in it, and affifted therein by fome of the^^"-
mofl: noted men of the nation, who are of
his council, and of three forts 2 Firft, the Fi-
dalgos, as they are there cali'd, which is a Por-
tuguefe word, fignifying raenof quality, and
they are governors of provinces or diftrids.
Then
Chap.2. Coap of Soutii'GTJinRA.
Then the great captains; andlaftly, the com-
mon captains.
Xiovernors. The Fidalgos, or governors, command as
arbitrarily as the king himfelf, in their fe-
veral provinces, and keep as great ftate
there*.
Deputy go- The great captains are_ deputies to the
yermrs. former, in their feveral diftrids, and live
great.
Common The common caprains are much more
cct^tains. numerous than all the others, and each of
thefe has a peculiar charafler. He who is
appointed infpeftor of markets, is called,
captain of the market .• he who is fuperior
of the flaves, captain of the (laves, and fo
forth-, another is captain of the prifon a-
nbther of the beach j every affair that can
be thought of, having a proper captain^ or
overfeer, appointed by the government.
There is befides a great number of other
honorary captains, without any funftion.
Revenues of the Crown.
■6ffcesfold. ALL the above-mentioned offices are
fold, every man paying a greater or
lefs fum to the prince, according to his
poft ; which makes one branch of the royal
revenue.
The revenue accrues in a great meafure
out of the tolls there being nothing fo lit-
tle, but what pays a toll to the king,
which every year amounts to a very great
fum.
Befides which, there is a crown, Or five
fhillings a head duty for every flave that is
fold for goods ; but the colledors of it,
cheat their prince confiderably, by agree-
ing underhand with thofe who fell thefe
(laves, fo that a fmall matter comes into
the treafury, only for fuch as are fold for
Bo/fies : this being the money of the land,
it- is always paid in the king's prefence,
and but of that, he takes three crowns for
every flave ; and yet, fome are fo fly, as
to fetch the Boejies from us in the night-
time, or at fome other unfeafonable hours,
to cheat the prince of his cuftoms.
Each fhip which trades to Fida, and there
are forty or fifty every year, more or lefs,
as it happens, either by his duties, or his
ov/n trade, may be computed to be worth
to him near eighteen hundred crowns.
Add to this, the tolls out of the river-fifh,
mentioned heretofore, and the heavy fines
and mulfts in criminal cafes as alfo the
fums accruing to him by the fale of places,
and offices of truft, as has been faid above :
and this prince would have a vaft income,
and be very potent for a Black, but that
each coUedlor in his province, and he has
above a thoufand all over the country, cheats
him of what he can fo that he fcarce re-
eeives one half, or perhaps a third of it.
buties on
JUves.
Thofe incomes (ferve to defray the ex-BARBor,
peaces of his houflhold, and the many "^^^j^^^^T^
offerings he is obliged to make to the fnake-p^^g^j^^f ^
houie and idols •, and to keep an army con-
ftantly in pay^ for carrying on his war with
great Popo, and Offra, which he feems re-
folved to fubdue : befides which, he alfo
maintains a great number of his fubjefts in
meat and drink, and gives very largely to
his people upon extraordinary occafions, as
I have hinted before •, and even to the Euro-
pean fadlors, whofe tables he moft days fur-
niflies with eatables and liquors, all forts in
fo plentiful a manner, that it is often
more than they have occafion for •, befides
that he caufes houfes or lodges to be built
near his town for their accommodation 5
fome of which are very large, containing
feveral ware-houfes and many chambers, be-
fides a beautiful court within, adorned on
each fide with a co%'er'd gallery.
'The K I N G 's W I V E s, ' •
•np O return to the king's private concerns
at home : Whofoever happens, either
premeditatedly or accidentally, but to touch
one of the king's wives, incurs death or fla-
very •, therefore all fuch, as have any bufi-^^.^ ^.^^^
nefs about the king's palace, call out aloud,
to inform thofe wives^ that there is a man near:ro«cW.
and to the end, that no man may enter the
walls thereof, the king is always ferved by
his wives, unlefs to repair it, or do what thefe
women cannot. And in fuch cafes, the work-
men continually call out that the women
may, during that time, keep clofe within;
and if it happens otherwife, it may not be '
imputed as a crime to them,
Thofe women go into the fields to work,
as hundreds do every day ; and as foon as
they fpy a man, they cry out. Stand clear I
whereupon, that perfon falls immediately
on his knees, or flat on the grouud, wait-
ing till they pafs by ^ without daring to look
at them.
This prince is fo very jealous of hisautho-iff^ jV/?-
rity over his wives^ that on the leaft difguft,
he is ready to fell them for flaves, and fome-
times fifteen or more together ; which makes
the women there to prefer a fpeedy death,
before the miferable condition of a king's
wife : as there have been inftances of
fome, vyho being purfued to that end, have
drowned themfelves in wells. For when any
one is brought in to the king, that has plea-
fed him, he will perhaps enjoy her company
twice or thrice 5 after which favour, llie is
confined for ever in his feraglio, as it were
in perpetual widowhood : as David's ten
concubines wete (But up in a feparate place
by his direction, becaufe Abfalom^ his fon,
had violated them, during his flight froni
Jerufakfm (JofephA.y . c. 10.) . .
The-
13^
A Defcrtption of the
Barbot.
Awe of
fubjecls.
King's
shiUren.
Death not
to be men-
t'loneJ.
The captains of this feraglio frequently
fupply it with frefh ladies, as they find beau-
tiful virgins; which they chufe and pick
amongft their country people, and no perfon
whatever of their relations dare oppofe therri.
The king is feared and reverenced by all
bis fubjedts, even to adoration, no perfon of
whatrankfoever,appearing before him, other-
wife than kneeling or proftrate on his belly.
Thofe who are to wait on him in the morn-
ing, proftrate themfelves before the door of
his apartment, kifs the ground three times
fucccfTively, and clapping their hands,
whifper fome words, as tending to adoration;
after which, they crawl in on all four, where
they repeat the fame ceremonies.
The king's children are always kept
within doors, till they are of a competent
age to wander among the people.
I have already hinted, how fearful the
Blacks in general are of death infomuch,
that the meaneft of them are very un-
willing to hear it mentioned, as if that a-
lone would haften their end. It is there-
fore looked upon as a great crime, to fpeak
of death in the king's prefence, or of any
of the principals of the nation ; and when
any European happens to do it to the king,
thro' inadvertency, every body that hears
it is amazed ; none of his own fubjedts da-
ring to fay he is a mortal man : but the
king himfelf never takes it ill of an Euro-
pean to be told fo ; and will even Imile at
the fimplicity of his people, and laugh hear-
tily when we fpeak of death to his officers.
Ttlbllch
ftealing.
The fon
takes his
father's
mves.
1'he K I N G*s Death.
A S foon as the king's death is publickly
^ known, they all fall a ftealing from one
another, all things they can lay their hands
on, tho' of never fo great value, openly
and in the fight of all people with impuni-
ty ; and fo continue to do till a new king is
fixed on the throne, or at leaft till the
officers of the crown, to check that ftrange
praftice, caufe it to be publifhed, that they
have inaugurated a new king ; tho' fome-
times it is not yet done : for then the rob-
bers, if they continue pilfering and fteal-
ing, are lia'^le to punifliment.
For this reafon, they are very expeditious
in enthroning and eleding a king: and if
the deceafed has left any male ifiue be-
hind him, the eldeft fon commonly, with
the afliftance of his creatures, immediately
after his father's death, takes all his wives
into his cuftody, and enjoys them as his
own; as the moft efFeftual way, to afllire
the crown and government to himfelf : for
when he has fo done, few or none of the
people will confent he fliould be forced to
quit the royal dignity, in cafe there arofe
any party or cabal amongft the chief people,
to put another perfon into his place i as it
happened to this prefent king, who was
placed in the royalty, by the joint forces
and intereft of the French, Portuguefe, and
Hollanders.^ to the exclufion of his elder
brother, who was not approved of by
them, nor by fome of the great men of
the nation, perhaps gained by bribes, as I
have before hinted : and on fuch occafions*
the younger brother's party keeps all his
friends at hand, to favour his eledion, in
the room of the eldeft. This practice of
the Fidafiansy afpiring to the royal dignity,
to take poffeffion of tire precedent king's
wives, as is above related, much refembles
what was done by Jbfalom, when he revol-
ted againft his father David ; and by the
counfel of Achitopheh openly abufed his fa-
ther's concubines: to the end no body
fhould be ignorant of that adion, which
was a teftimony, that he had taken pofieffion
of the royal dignity, and of the kingdom.
People f/FioA not good Soldiers.
T Have before obferved how populous the comrdi.
country of Fida is, and how in fome emer-
gent neceffity the king can bring two hun-
dred thoufand men into the field ; but they
are fo weak and heartlefs, and fo fearful of
death, that ten thoufand Gold-Coajl Blacksy
or fewer, drive and repulfe that great num-
ber of Fidafmns, who are naturally more in-
clined to trade and huft)andry, than to war ;
for which reafon they have no experienced
officers or generals, to head them : and there-
fore it frequently happens, that when forced
to take the field againft an enemy, their
army is commanded by fome mean perfon j
the chief men of the nation very often chufing
rather to ftay at home, than to lead them to
fight ; and confequently the inferior officers
will fcarceobey that commander which ren-
ders their wars generally unfuccefsful, or very
tedious. For that mean general, tho' he had
courage enough to accept of the poft, to gra-
tify his vanity, is as great a coward, in an
engagement, as the foldiers themfelves ; and
ready, upon the firft onfet, to give way and
run home as faft as he can, leaving his
men to fhift for themfelves ; and they never
fail to follow his example.
However, to give thofe people their due,
it has been obferved, on fome occafions,
that they would ftand their ground pretty
well, efpecially in a defenfive war, to pre-
vent or ftop an invafion in their country,
when they were lead by fome courageous
and fkilful general of high birth and dignity,
W E A p o N s.
nr H E foldiery there, as well as at Jrdra, clubs.
^ are armed, fome few with mufkets, and
many others with bows and arrows, hangers,
javelins, and wooden clubs, about three foot
long» five or fix inches thick, very round
and
Chap. 2.1 Coajls of South-Guinea.
5n
and even, except a knot at the end % the
breadth of a hand, and three fingers thick.
Every man is always provided with five or
fix fuch clubs, as being the principal weapons
they depend moft on •, and fo dexterous in
throwing of them, that they can, at feveral
paces diftance, hit an enemy, and break his
limbs with them, as being made of a very
ponderous wood. The Gold-Coafi Blacks
are as much afraid of that fort of weapon,
as of a mun<;et-ball.
The, hangers are fine and well made, and
the javelins very beautiful and ftrong. When
a houfe happens to be on fire, they fet up
aery, by which they, in a fmall time, raife
the whole country, the people flocking to
the place, armed with clubs, fwords, jave-
lins, and other weapons.
Thus far concerning the Fidafian foldiery,
and kingly office and prerogatives : I fhall
now fpeak of the adminiftration of juftice,
which will appear as irregular and partial
as their maxims of government.
Administration Justice.
TH E king and his counfellors ufually
decide the fuits of greateft importance,
and governors of towns or diftrifts the lef-
fer caufes.
onhmur- ^ew crimes are there punifhed with death
der md befides murder, and adultery with the king's
adultery or great mens wives : and the people in ge-
cafitnl. j^g^^i being fo fearfial of death, as has been
reprefented, every man is very ftudious not
to incur that penalty •, the' it now and then
does happen, that fome, thro' paflion and
inconfideratenefs, commit one or other of
thofe two capital crimes. The king then
lays the cafe before his council, requiring
each perfon that belongs to it, to confider
what punifhment fuch or fuch a faftdeferves.
Punifhment In cafe of murder, the criminal being fen-
formurdir. lenced to be put to death, is accordingly
executed after this manner. The executioner
firft cuts him open alive, takes out his en-
trails, and burns them before his face t this
done, he fills up the body with fait, and
fixes it to a flake in the middle of the mar-
ket-place of the town, where it is left in
that condition.
lor add- c^^^ adultery with any of the king^s
tery. wives, both the man and woman, being
convidted of the fa6t, and fentence pafled on
them, they are executed thus: Being brought
to the place of execution, which is in an
open field, the man is fet as a mark for fe-
veral great men, by way of diverfion, to
fhow their fldll in darting javelins at him,
by v/hich the mifcrable wretch is cruelly
tormented. Then, in the prefence of the
adulterous woman, he is bereft of his privy
parts, and obl'.ged to caft them himfelf
into the fire, which is ready lighted at fuch
executions. Tiiis done, both criminals are
Vol. V.
put into a deep pit, being firft bound handBARBor.
and foot ; after which, the executioner fets a ^-*'V^
large pot of boiling water on the fire ; out
of which, by degrees, he lades fome on them,
till the pot is half empty, and then pours
the remainder on them all at once •, and fi-
nally, he fills the pit with earth, and thus
buries them alive.
Others are fentenced to be burnt for the Another
fame crime of adultery, and thus executed, '^'^y-
by the king's own wives, who are fome-
times employed by him to execute his fen^^
tences pronounced againft offenders ; every
one of thofe women being very forward to
bring wood to burn the criminals, tho' it
may happen that the man fo burnt, with
one of thofe wives, has long enjoyed the
company of feveral of thofe very women,
getting into their houfes in the habit of a
woman, and fo continuing there a confider-
able time : which fome men, tho' upon the
point of dying a cruel death, have publickly
declared, without accufing any of their ac-
complices.
Thus in thefe two particular cafes of mur- Tines fir
der, and adultery with the royal wives, or other
thofe of great perfons, the king of Fida"^"'^^-
and his council areexaftobfervers of juftice,
according to the laws of the land, as being
themfelves therein perfonally affronted or
injured 5 but in other lefs criminal caufes,
they commit abundance of irregularities,
compounding by a pecuniary mulct, which
commonly accrues to the king and them,buc
efpecially to one of his favourites, called
captain Carter, and the king's foul, becaufe
that prince will not do any thing, tho' but
of little moment, without his advice. That
Carter is alfo called captain Blanc, or the
captain who isentruftedby the king, with
all affairs relating to the Europeans.
In fome cafes, when fentence is ^xonounc^d Another
againft an offender, the king fends two Q^P^^^ty.
three hundred of his wives to the male-
fador's houfe, whoftrip, and lay it level with
the ground, which no perfon dares oppofe j
all being forbid, on pain of death, fomuch
as to touch any of the king's wives, as I
have faid before: and thus a man, fome-
timesunjuftlyaccufed and condemned, is on
a fudden brought to utter ruin, unlefs he
can forefee what is coming upon him, and
have courage and dexterity enough to at-
tend the king, and acquit himfelf hand-
fomely, fo as he may revoke the fentence.
A perfon accufed of malverfation, deny- Trial by
ing the fadl, is obliged to clear himfelf by [mmm'mg.
oath, and other ceremonies mentioned at
the Gold Coaft •, otherwife, as often happens
there, he is led to a river, at a little dif-
tance from the royal palace, which the Blacks
believe has a peculiar quality of immediate-
ly drowning all guilty perfons, that are
thrown into it j and of preferving the inno-
- R r r r cent,
338
A Defcription of the
Book IV.
BARBOT.cent, whether they can fwim or not, the*
^-''Y^ they fee daily, they all fave themfelves by
fwimming ; moft people there being very
expert at it : and perhaps they never yet
faw that river convi^l any offenders in drown-
ing them. All that are thrown into it, and
eome out fafe on the other fide, pay a cer-
tain fum to the king, which induces me to
believe it is a mere invention of the judges,
to try people, and acquit them, for money,
tho' fully convifted of the offences. This
the governors, in their refpeftive diftrifts,
pra6iife in like manner, and to the fame
end ; v/hich is getting of money.
But if it ever happens, that the criminal,
by fome impediment or other, in his fwim-
ming a-crofs that river, is drowned, they fay
his body is boiled in a large copper, and
eaten by many, as is pretended, in derefta-
tion cf his guilt but this I dare not affert
for a truth.
The king's wives^ andthofeof confidera-
ble Black}, are often expofed to this fott of
trial, upon fufpicion of adultery •, but thofe
v/ho know themfelves guilty, will rather con-
fefs it freely, than venture this trial, being
made to believe, they will, in fuch cafe,
be certainly drowned : to avoid which,
they incur the inevitable penalty of being
either caft off or fold into perpetual cap-
tivity.
In cafe ofmifdemeanorsnot proved, they
pradlife another fort of trial for convidion
or juftification, which is properly a juggle ;
wherein, by the difpofition of fome odd
things thrown together, as pradlifed at the
Golfi Coaft, by their priefts, they will ab-
folve or condemn the perfon accufed.
Contracts,
Fnpojle- '"I"' HERE is another ceremony ufed a-
roHscere- i~ mong thofe people, on account offo-
lemn contra6ts and engagemens, which they
call Boire-Dios, after this manner.
The contractors make each a little hole
in the earth, into which they let fome of
their own blood drop, and having diffolved it
with fome little earth, each of them drinks
of the compofition, as much as he can.
This done, they look upon it as a folemn
engagement, to have but one and the fame
intereft in whatever may befall them, whe-
ther good or evil ; and that they are bound
to reveal to each other their moft fecret
thoughts, or whatever they may have heard
'f-' faid, good or bad, of one another; being
- fully perfuaded,thatthe leaft omiflion therein
would certainly occafion their death.
Funerals,
nr HEY bury their dead with abundance
of tokens of grief, and great mourn-
ing ; but after the funerals, they feaft rheir
acquaintance for five or fix weeks together.
many.
They commonly bury deceafed perfons in Danc'mgon
their own former manfions, having no {"q. the gravest
p.irate places for thit fervice, and obferve
abundance of ceremonies after their death :
to inftance one for all, they tie fome idols
made for that purpofe, to the legs of a
certain black bird, which they fet on the
grave of the deceafed, with a large pot full
of water, and dance and fing round and
over the grave, till they fee it level with
the other ground ; for at firft they raifethe
earth over the graves, as is praflifed in many
parts of Euro'-e.
They kill many flaves, and women, the siaveskiffd
funerals of their kings, and other ^evfons of at fmerah.
note^ to ferve and wait on them in the other
world, where they make the ignorant people
believe, they live greater than they ufed to
do in this ; and therefore when any of thofe
great perfons, efpecially their kings die, ,
the courtiers loudly exprefs a fervent defire
to keep them company in their grave
which is nothing but cant and diffimulation,
fince every one knows how fearful they are
of death.
I might inftance many particulars con-
cerning the people of Fida, which being of
no great moment I pafs by, or refer, as to
fome of them, to the defcription of Ardra \
thofe two nations being very much alike
in abundance of cuftoms and praClices, both
in civil and religious affairs that I may
conclude this account of FzW^?, with the ob-
fervations made concerning their religious
worftiip in general and particular, which
will afford matter for a feparate chapter.
But before I enter upon that fubjeft, it
will be convenient to fay fomething of the
Boejies or Cauris, which I have often men-
tioned in the defcription of this country ; as
being accounted the chief wealth there, and
fo advantageous and ufeful in the trade we
have with its inhabitants, as the current
coin among them, which commands every
thing, as much as coined filver or gold does
throughout Europe. I fhall alfo add fome-
what concerning the nature and qualities of
the flaves purchafed there, and at Ardra^
and their way of accompt in trade ; and of
their divifion of time.
Shells ufed for Money.
'T'HE Boejies or Cauris, vjh'ich the French
^ call Rouges, are fmall milk-white fhells,
commonly as big as fmall olives, and are
produced and gathered among the fhoals
and rocks of the Maldivy iflands, near the
coaft of M dnhar in the Eaft - Indies and
thence tranfported as ballaft to Goa, Cochin, ^^^^^^
and other ports in the Eafi- Indies, by the^JiJ^j^/
natives of thote numerous iflands: and from Guinea,
the above-named places, are difperfed to the
Diitrh and Englifo factories in India \ then
brought over to Europe, more efpecially by
the
HAP. 2-. C^j^y?/ 0/ South-Guinea.
319
the Dutch^ who make a great advantage of the Alcoves of Boejies, and the quantity of Barrot.
them, according to the occafion the feveral flaves he pofftfTes. L^^V^
trading nations of Europe have for this trafh, As to the flaves, and the trade of them,
to carry on their traffick at the coafl of whereof I have before fpoke at large, it will
Guinea, and of Angola ; to purchafe flaves be proper to obferve here, that commonly
or other goods of Africa, and are only pro- the flaves we purchafe Fida mdArdra^
are brought down to the coaft from feveral
veral
per for that trade ; no other people in the
univerfe putting fuch a value on them as the
Guineans and more efpecially thofe of Fida
and Ardra have long done, and fl:ill do to
this very day. And fo, proportionably to
the occafion zhe European Guinea adventurers
have for thofe Cauris^ and the quantity or
fcarcity there happens to be of them, either
in England or Holland, their price by the
hundred weight is higher or lower. 1 can
give no reafon why they are ufually fold by
weight, and not by meafure.
Thefe Cauris are of many different fizes,
the fmalkft hardly larger than a common
pea ; and the largeft, as an ordinary walnut,
longifh like an olive but of fuch great ones
there is no confiderable quantity in propor-
tion to the inferior fizes ; and are all inter-
raixt, great and fmall. They are common-
ly brought over from the Eafi-lndies, in
packs or bundles, well wrapp'd, and put
into fmall barrels in England or Holland,
for the better conveniency of the Guinea
trade.
Having given this account of the nature
of thefe Boejies, it remains to obferve the ufe
made thereof, by the Guineans.
At Fida and Ardra, where, as I have
hinted before, they are moft fond of chem,
they either ferve to adorn their bodies, or
as current coin. At Fida the natives bore
a little hole through each Boejie, with an
iron tool, made for that purpofe, and thread
them, forty Boejies in a ftring, which they
call toques in Portuguefe ; and in their natu-
ral language Cenre.
VarceUaml Five fuch firings, or Genres, of forty
meafures. g^gjig^ each, make a certain fmall meafure,
called a Galinha, and in their own language
a Fore. Two hundred Cauris, and fifty fuch
Fores, make an Alcove, or a Gmnbotton, in
their language the word Alcove being For-
tuguefe, as well as that of Galinha, but as
frequently ufed by the Blacks, as the other
names of Fore and Guinbotton, of their own
language. This Alcove meafure weighs, as
I have before obferved, about fixty pounds,
and contains four thoufand Boejies.
With thefe firings, or "Toques, or Genres,
of forty Boejies, they buy and fell all forts
of goods among themfelves, as if they were
filver or gold money ; and are fo very much
taken with them, as to tell us they are pre-
ferable to gold, both for ornament and traf-
fick •, infomuch, that a handful of them is
better for thofe purpofes, than an ounce of
fine gold : and it is a general rule there, to
reckon a man's wealth by the number of
3^x, and
than the
shells
flrmg.
countries, two and three hundred leagues up
the inland ; where the inhabitants are lufty,
flrong, and very laborious people : thence
it is, that tho' they are not fo black and fine
to look at as the North-Guinea and Gold-
Coafi Blacks, yet are they fitter for the A-
merican plantations, than any others ; efpe-
cially in the fugar iflands, where they re-
quire more labour and ftrcngth than in the
other colonies of Europeans, at which the
Fida and Ardra flaves are found, by conftant
experience, to hold out much loni
with lefs detriment to themfelves,
other flaves tranfported thither from the
other above-mentioned parts of Guinea,
One thing is to be taken notice of by fea-
fliring men, that thefe Fida and Ardra
flaves are of all the others, the moft apt to
revolt aboard fhips, by a confpiracy carried
on amongft themfelves •, efpecially fuch as
are brought down to Fida, from very re-
mote inland countries, who eafily draw o-
thers into their plot : for being ufed to fee
mens flefli eaten in their own counrry, and
publick markets held for that purpofe,
they are very full of the notion, that we
buy and tranfport them to the fame pur-
pofe and will therefore watch all oppor-
tunities to deliver themfelves, by aflaulting
a fliip's crew, and murdering them all, if
poflible : whereof, we have almoft every
year fome inftances, in one European fhip
or other, that is filled with flaves. To
prevent which, it is neceflary to obferve ex-
aiflly, the directions I propofeto give in the
fupplement to this book, both for managing
flaves, and fubfifting them properly in
their tranfportation at fea ; as alfo for pre-
't and mutiny.
venting tneir revo
( ■- Keeping of Accompts.
HP H E Fidafians are fo expert in keeping
their accompts, that they eafily reckon
as exaft, and as quick by memory, as we
can do with pen and ink, though the fum
amount to never fo many thoufands : which
very much facilitates the trade the Euro-
peans have with them and is not half fo
troublefome, as with other Guineans, who
are commonly very dull on this head.
Another thing of great advantage to trade Ungi
with them is,that mofl: of zheFida merchants,
can fpeak either fomething of the Lingua
Franca, or of fome other European language,
but more efpecially French, which fome few
are very perfefl in, through the long in-
tercourfc they have had with us : and herein
the
Defcriptiou of the
00 K
BAREoT.the French have fome advantage over the
^=<*^V^ other Europeans trading there, that their
language is near ally'd to that Lingua
Franca^ or broken Portuguefe.
However, for the facilitating of commerce
with thofe, and the Jrdra Blacks, I have taken
the trouble to collect fome of the moft fami-
liar words and phrafes of thofe two nations,
which are annexed to the vocabulary of the
Guinea Blacks moft common language in
the fupplement to this volume : the Fida-
fians ufmg the fame language as thofe of
Ardra ; by which, as well as by their uni-
formity of manners and pradlices, it feems
they were formerly one and the fame nation.
It would be proper here to infert, the fe-
Veral forts of European goods, with which
we drive our trade there, to purchafe flaves j
but the fame forts of goods being ufed in
the flave-trade, at Ardra, I refer to the de-
fcription of that kingdom, and of the trade
we have there, with the natives.
As to the Fidafian way of reckoning the
time, there can be nothing faid very exaftly^
but that they feem to live in a manner bjr
guefs : for it does not appear, that they
have any divifions of years, months, wedcsj
days or hours % but reckon their fowing-
time by moons, and know that every three
days there is a great tnarket. Nor do we
find, that they have any feftivals. None
of them can read or write, not even their
priefts.
CHAP. III. '
Of the religion of the people ofF\d2L, T'heir notion of God, and inferior dei-
ties. Temliar proteZior for ajiyhiifinefs^ Worflnp of fnakes ; of trees ,
and the fea. Notion of helU and dijfcidty of being converted-
Notion of God, and inferior Deities,
Snakes, r-|-^ Y\ E Fidafians, for the moft part, have
trees, ami | imperfeft notion of a fupreme Be-
Jea-deities. . . . . K ^ r\ • r i
ing, Almighty and Umniprelent, to whom
^ they attribute the formation of the univerfe ;
and give him an infinite preference above
their endlefs number of idol gods ; to
whom, becaufe he is fo highly exalted,
they neither pray, or off"er any facrifices,
alledging, that they think his incomparable
grandeur does not permit him to think of
human race, or be at the trouble of go-
verning the world, which he has therefore
committed to their idols, to rule as his
vicegerents in all things \ and therefore they
dired all their religious worfhip to thofe in-
ferior deities : amongft which they reckon
as the principal •, firft, a fort of reddifh
brown fnake ; next to it, the high lofty
trees, of a beautiful form ; and next to
them again, the fea. Thefe three chief di-
vinities, fay they, we worfhip and pray to
all over this land, each of them having its par-
ticular prerogative and power, diftinftfrom
the other j but with this difference, thefnake-
god has an unlimited power over the trees
and fea, and can rule and reprove them in
cafe they be flow or negleftful, in afting
the parts of their offices, amongft the crea-
tures of the univerfe , and thofe two fubor-
dinate divinities are in no wife to intermeddle
in the office of the fnake-god.
Idols. Befides thofe three principal deities, they
have an infinite number of inferior idol-
gods, natural and animal, who derive
their prerogatives and offices from the three
pnncipal before mentioned, but moft parti-
cularly from the animal-god, the fnake ;
and every man is allow'd to make himfelf as
many of thofe inferior idol-gods, as he thinks
convenient : as for inftance, if a Black re-
folves upon important bufinefs, he firft
fearches aut a god-proteftor, which is com-
monly the firft creature he fpies, dog, car,
or other moft contemptible animal, or any
inanimate thing, a ftone, a piece of woodg
or the like.
Peculiar Protector,
'TP HE god - protedor thus accidentally
found out, the Black immediately pre-
fents him with an offering, and makes a fo-
lemn vow, that in cafe he fucceeds in the
affair he is to enter upon, he will very re-
ligioufly for the future hold and worfhip
him as his peculiar deity. Which he accor-
dingly performs, if the event anfwers his
expectation prefenting that dumb deity
every day with new facrifices, and praying
to him. On the contrary, if he mifles his
aim in that affair, he takes no more notice
of the chance-god. In fhort, they make
and unmake their gods daily, and are the Go^'^
mafters or inventors of the objeds of their
religious worfliip.
Every individual inhabitant of Fida, is
not fo creduloufly addidled to thofe grofs
fuperftitions : for fome of thofe who have
converfed moft with Europeans, and can
fpeak their languages, are commonly ac-
quainted with the principles of the chriftian
religion, and have a rational notion of the
true God, and how he is to be worfhipped,
and afcribe to him the creation of the uni-
verfe, and of all the creatures therein. Thofe,
whofe number is not great, ridicule the falfe BIacks^«f-
deities of their country, when they difcourfe^^'"
with us, andfeem to regard them no farther-''"''"^ "
than is neceffary, not to incur the hatred of
their countrymen, or to make their friends
and relations eafy with them ; being always
very
Chap. 3. Coafis of Sou tn-GvitJE a.
341
Idols.
very cautious not to rail at their grofs fu- ner of religious refpe(5t and homage, they Barbot.
perftitions, nor to reveal to them the con- carried it on a filk carpet to the holy houfe ^"-"V^
trary notions they have concerning the true it is now kept in.
exiftence of the divinity, and the worfhip The reverence and refped the Blacks^^i^^^^^
that is due to it •, becaufe that would un- have for the fnake is fb great, that if one of^
doubtedly prejudice them very much in their them ftiould but touch one with a ftick,
worldly concerns. or any otherwife hurt it, he is fentenced
Befides all the above-mentioned natural without remifTion to be burnt alive. At
and animal deities of Fida, they have an firft fettling of the EngUJh at Fida, a cap-
innumerable multitude of idols ; each pri- tain of that nation, having landed and
vate perfon making as many as he pleafes, houfed his cargo, or part of it, his men
as well as the prince and great men : they found one night a fnake in their lodge,
are commonly puppets, made either of fat which they immediately killed, and threw
mould, or of a white potter's clay, where- it out at their door, being ignorant of the
of they have infinite numbers, both in their confequences of what they had done, as
habitations, and about the roads and foot- meaning no harm. The in the morn-
paths all over the country of Fida^ under ing feeing the dead fnake, and the Englifly
proper huts and niches; befides a vaft very innocently telling them, without being
quantity of other clay huts, ereded in all aflc'd who had killed it, immediately afiTaul-
parts, to fhut up all fuch lhakes, as they ted them on all fides, murdering' all thatEngliHi
by chance meet on the roads: which hues were in the lodge, and burning it, with ^lW^''-'*''^^^^^
the goods that were in it : which barbarity-''"^''-'"^''^"
lb difcouraged the Engli/Ij, that for a long
tim.e they refrained going thither to trade,
but carried on their commerce in other
parts of Guinea ; till at laft, fome ventur'd
thither again, and have ever fince continued
they call Cafas de Dios^ or god's houfes.
Worship of Snakes.
S to this fnake-worfhip, which is there
the grand devotion of all the people,
from the king to the flave ; I fliall firft
A
defcribe the proper fort of fnakes, which todo founmolefted,obfervingverycautioufly
Snakes
catch rats.
is the chief deity of the Blacks, being that
which is ftreak'd with white, yellow and
brown : the biggeft comm,only feen there
of that fort, is about fix foot long, and
the thicknefs of a man's arm ; they are
very greedy of rat's flelli, frequently chace
them, and when they have caught one,
are at leaft an hour before they can fwal-
low it down, as having a very narrow
not to do the leaft harm to any fnakes ;
which is in like manner exa6lly obferved
by all other Europeans trading at Fida,
being always informed by the Blacks at
their firft landing, that the fnakes are the
gods of their country, and required not
to moleft them, in any manner whatfoever.
Ever fince that tragical accident befallen Europeans
the Engli/h, we have not heard of any harm cautious of
throat, v.'hich when they are to fwallow ^ont to Europeans, they being all very cau-
houfe.
their prey, extends itfelf by degrees. It
is a fort of diverfion to fee that animal chace
rats, and fwallow them. If a fnake hap-
pens to be under the tiling of a houfe,
and fees a rat pafs by, at which it cannot
come, the fnake will hifs, and ufe her ut-
moft endeavours to difengage herfelf, and
get at it •, but becaufe that requires a pretty
long time, the rats, as if they were fenfible
of that long creeping animal's being very
flow to move, will pafs and repafs "be-
fore her feveral times, as it were in fcorn :
and this is often obferved in the evening.
The principal fnake-houfe ftands about
two leagues or more from the king's town.
tious how they meddle with fnakes ; though
many of thofe infefts frequently enter their
lodges, in hot fun-fhine weather, fometimes
five or fix of them together, creeping upon
their chairs, benches, tables, and even their
beds, whilft they are afleep : nay, fome of
thofe vermin, if they get a good place
under a bed, and like it, and the fervants,
out of lazinefs, do not turn up the bedding,
will continue there a whole week, and
perhaps breed there.
When any fnakes come thus to harbour
in the houfes of Europeans, fome of them
will give notice thereof to the natives, who
gently carry them out of doors, if they gi^cks
and is ere£led under a very beautiful, lofty are found in fuch places as they can lay remove.
tree, in which the Blacks fay, refides the
chief and largeft of all the fnakes, which
they reprefent as big as a common-fized
man, and of an immenfe length, being ac-
counted the procreator of all the other fnake-
gods ; and having been found out very many
years ago, when by reafon of the wicked-
nefs of men, it left another country, to
come to them, which caufed an univerfal
joy j and after having render'd it all man-
.^Ko L. V. . ^ -
hold of them but if they happen to be
gotten to the Joyce, or any other high place
of the houfes, though they be but one ftory
high, the Blacks will fcarce be perfuaded
to remove them from thence ; and fo are
left till they come out of themfelves, which
fometimes will be a fortnight, without eat-
ing any thing ; though the fimpie credulous
Blacks believe, the fnake thus perched on
high, knows how to feed itfelf: and it has
Sfff hap=
342-
Barbot.
A Defcription of the
Book IV.
'Tis death
to hurt
them.
Uorjijif
fa'ul to
ihem.
Way t o he
rid of the
Blacks.
happened, that fome Europeans having had
a fnake a long time in their houfe, have ac-
quainted the king with it, who has imme-
diately fent them a fat ox, to pay for that
creature's board.
If an European Hiould happen to kill a
fnake through inadvertency, and without
any defign, he would certainly undergo the
lame fate as thofe Englifio above-mentioned
unlefs he could make his efcape to the
king, andfatisfy him, that it was an accident,
and he may then prevail with the priefts
to accept of a fine but this is very ha-
zardous, if the facrilicer fhould go about
to raife the multitude. I would therefore
advife all Europeans in thofe parts, to be
cautious of any thing of that nature.
An Aqiiamboe Black., having once taken
up a fnake on his flick, as not daring to
handle it; and fo carried it gently out
of the houfe^ without any hurt done to
the creature, two or three Fida Blacks who
happened to fee it, fet up the cry, as they
do for fire •, v/hereupon, the mob immedi-
ately flock'd to the place in arms, and
had certainly murdered the foreign Black.,
but that the king being informed of his
innocence, refcued him from them, by
fending his prime minifters to his afiiRance.
When a fnake gets into a Black's houfe,
he immediately fends for the next prieft,
who carries that infe6l to the fnake-houfe ;
and if afk'd, whither they defign to carry
it, they anfwer, that the god they hold
will direft them. No perfon paffesby the
fnake-houfes, without going in to worfhip
thofe vermin, and enquire wnat they fhall
do to pleafe them. Every houfe has an
old prieitefs^ who is maintained by the pro-
vifions continually carried for the fnakes,
by thofe fuperllitious people : and flie gives
them anfwers to their fcveral queftions, in
a low voice, as the mouth of thofe deities.
She orders one not to have to do with
his wives at certain times and feafons ; ano-
ther not to eat fowls, beef or mutton, on
fuch and fuch days another not to drink
palm- wine, nor beer ; and fo others to
abftain /rom other things, according to
her fancy : which thofe ignorant people
religioufly obferve, believing that their dei-
ties would infallibly punifh the leaft tranf-
greflion with death.
This fhows what great refpeft thofe peo-
ple have for fuch vermin, and how dange-
rous it IS to do them any harm. For this
reafon,when we are weary of the Blacks^ and
defire to be rid of them, we need only fpeak
ill of the fnake, at which they will im-
mediately ftop their ears, and run out of
doors ; but no Black of any other nation,
muft prefume to do the like, without he
will run himfelf into great danger, and
the natives dare not offer at it.
til'.
The beft is, that thofe fnakes db no mif- H^m/e/}
chief to mankind : for if they happen to htfn'^kes.
trod upon, and bite or fting, it does no
more hurt than the fting of the millepe-
des, before fpoken of in the defcription
of the Gold-Coaji. Therefore it is, that
the Blacks do think it good, to be bit by
thofe infefts, becauie they fancy it fecures
them from the fling of other poifonous
fnakes, whereof there are great numbers
in that country. But how ridiculous this
notion of their's is, appears by the frequent
battels we there fee between thofe fnake-
deities, and the venomous fnakes, which
are much the largeft ; and there being great
enmity between them, would certainly de-
ilroy the worfhipped vermin, were not
fome Blacks always at hand to refcue their
gods;
If a fire happens to break our, and
one or more fnakes are burnt in it, e-
very one that hears it flops his earsj and
gives money to be reconciled to the burnt
lhake-god, for having been fo carelefs of
him ; the' they firmly believe the burnt-
fnake will quickly return, to take ven-
geance of fuch as have occafioned its deaths
by this accident of fire. If any of them
happen to be kill'd by a beafl, either
defignedly or accidentally, upon complaint
made to the king, by the priefts, that
prince fometimes, to fatisfy them and the
people, will order a general flaughter of
the beafts of the lame kind, as that which
fo killed the worfhipped fnakes and the
commonalty of the Blacks do execute it
with fwords and clubs, till the king fee-
ing a certain number fo facrificed, to ap-
peafe their fnake-god, and being petition'd
by the owners, revokes his order, and for-
bids any farther execution : which pro-
ceedings fuflicicntly teftify, how arbitra-
rily the prince and the priefls rule the
people, both in civil and religious matters.
The Fidafians invoke the fnake, in t^-Snaha m-
cefhve wet, dry or barren feafons; upon ^flf^'t"*
all occurrences relating to government ;
for the prefervation of their cattle ; and',
to be fhort, in all neceffities and difficul-
ties.
The king, at the infligation of the
priefts, and his courtiers, who are com-
monly the tools of thofe priefts, fends very
rich offerings to the fnake-houfe, of money,
filk fluffs, cattle, eatables, liquors, and
many other things of the produd of
the country, or from Europe ; which
in all likelihood thofe crafty facrifi-
cers convert to their own ufe. This they
fo frequently demand of him, that fome-
times he grows tired, and denies them their
requeft, and perhaps in an angry manner,-
if it is required on account of obtaining a
good crop, and he thinks he' has fent e-
■- nougfi
Chap. 5- Coafts SoutH-GuiNEA.
nough already for that feafon, and is fen-
fible the beft part of the corn is rotten in
the fields, he will tell them plainly, he does
not defign any farther offerings and if
the fnake will not beftow a plentiful har-
veft, he may let it alone.
filgrl- The kings of Fida, make yearly pilgri-
'rnH^!- mages to the fnake-houfe, in great ftate ;
and. conclude them with rich prefents, not
only to the fnake-god, but alfo the great
perlbns of the nation that have accompa-
nii^d: him thither, which is very expenfive
to him. This prefent king, if he does not
perform it in perfon fome years, orders it
to be done by his wives, which is not fo ex-
penfive to him.
However, if on the one hand this fnake-
god's fervice proves chargeable to the prince,
the revenues v/hich accrue to him from it,
are On the other hand very confiderable :
for every year when the Indian wheat is
fowed, till it grows up to a man's height,
he and the priefts get much money by the
young women and girls, that are fet to
v/atch and guard the corn fields againft the
devouring birds and other animals.
Mad no- Thofe young women are often carried
Hon. away, and the fimple credulous i)V^2r^j made
to believe, that the fnakes during the whole
feafon make it their bufinefs, every evening
and night, to feize all the beautiful young
women that pleafe them, and to make
them diftrafted, and to cure them. The
parents carry fuch mad girls to a particu-
lar houfe, built for that purpofe^ where
they are obliged to ftay feverai months,
as they give us to underftand, to be cured
of their madnefs ; and during that time,
they muft furnifli them with all forts of
necefiaries fo plentifully, that there is enough
for the priefts alfo to fubfift on.
Sitpf.rftiu- When the time of this confinement is e-
*«5 fi-dMcl. lapfed, they obtain leave to come our, af-
ter they have paid the charges of their
cure and keeping, which are conimonly in
proportion to the circumftances of their
parents : fo that by a near calculation, one
young v/oman with another, brings in
twenty crowns-, and the number of fuch as
are thus confined on account of diftrac-
tednefs, amounts to feverai thoufands yearly,
each village having aparticular houfe appoin-
ted for that fervice, and the towns two or three
each. The money arifing from thofe cures,
is thought by the generality of that nation,
to be employ'd in religious ufes by the
priefts ; but it is very apparent, that the
king has the beft part of it, and the priefo
the overplus.
The Blacks believe, that as foon as a
young woman is touch'd by the lhake, fhe
prefently runs mad •, and that if not immedi-
ately confined in the fnake-houfe, flie'll break
and fpoil every thing that comes in her way :
for which reafon they never fail to fliutBARBor.
her up, when once fufpeded of madnefs. (✓V^
And to entertain this opinion in them all,
the priefts, from time to time, appoint
fome fuch girls, as they pretend to have
been touchi'd by the fnake, who commit
all manner of diforders about the country.
They alfo perfuade the Blacks, and the
poor credulous people tell us, that a fnake
will carry oflr" a girl out of the fnake-houfe^
though it be clofe fhut up and to con-
vince the people of it, the priefts diligently
obferve thofe young women, who have ne-
ver been aflfefted by the fnake, they pre-
vail on them, firft by promifes, or after-
wards by threats, to perform what they de-
fire of them, viz. that being in the ftreet^
and feeing the coaft clear of people on all
fides, they fet on crying and raving with
all their might, as tho' the fnake had fift
hold of them, and order'd them to repair
to the fnake-houfe ; and if any perfon
comes to their affiftance, to tell them, the
fnake is vanifhed, and that they are madj,
which obliges their parents to confine them
to the fnake-houfe. And when the time
of their being difmified is come, the prieft
lays a fevere injundion on them, not td
reveal how they were feized by the fnake,
or rather not to difcover the cheat but to
afRrm, the fnake did it, threatning them
with being burnt alive, if they don't exadly
comply herein.
The king, who finds thofe religious frauds
yield him much money, as well as the
priefts, is no lefs willing than they, to con-
firm the people in thofe follies they are
made to believe, concerning that fort of
madnefs in young women, (^c. and now
and thencaufes fome one of his own daugh-
ters to pretend to be feized by the fnake ;
and immediately fends her away to the fnake-
houfe, where fhe is confined for fome time
only, but not fo long as is cuftomary for
girls of an inferior rank : and when fhe is
dilcharged from thence, all the other young
women, that happen then to have been fliut
up there, are on her account alfo difmified.
On the day of the princefs's delivery, fhe
is brought out in a fplendid manner, and
conduced with all the other young women,
releafed on her account, to the king's court,
having only a filk fcarf pafled betwixt her
legs,and being richly adorned with beads and
corals, much valuable there.
In this equigage, whilft fhe is there, fhe
commits all manner of extravagancies, du-
ring the playing on feverai mufical inftru- ■
ments ; which madnefs the Blacks prefent
firmly believe remained^ in her, by reafon
of her being enlarged befdre the expiration
of her due time of cdnfinement.
During that time, the moft notable per--
fons of th« court croud' thither for tihree
344 ^ Defcrip
Barbot. or four days fuccefllvely, with their prefents
"'^O/^ for the princefs, amounting all together to
a very confiderable value and fo the young
lady, or rather the king, gets very confide-
rably by the cheat. If any Black, v/ifer
than others, is fenfible of the fraud, yet will
he, to avoid incurring the difpleafure of the
king and priefts, and for his own fecurity,
fhut his eyes, pretend ignorance, and
allow it for a real truth, to avoid being
poifoned ; as happen'd to a Black of the
Gold-Coafl, married to a Fida woman, who
pretended to be feized by the fnake but
he, inftead of fending her to the fnake-
houfe, as being of a different religion, clapt
her in irons : which fo enraged the woman,
that flie privately accufed him to the priefts,
who, not caring to make any publick at-
tempts on him, becaufe he was of a diffe-
rent nation and religion, fecretly poifon'd
him, fo that he became fpeechlefs, and loft
the ufe of all his limbs.
The religious worfhip and adoration of
fnakes, or ferpents, is not peculiar to thofe
people ; feveral other nations have praftifed
it : for not to mention the golden ferpent,
v/orfhipped by the firft Ifraelites, nor the
hiftory we have in fcripture, of a dragon or
ferpent adored by the Bahjlonians ; the
Egyptians had in former times a fmgular ve-
neration for a certain fpecies of Afps or fer-
pents, called Tbermutis, pretending it was
facred, and therefore they paid it a peculiar
refpe£l, according to Milan.
The ferpent was accounted by the Eg'^p-
tians, one of the moft venerable fymbolsof
religion ; Eufehius.
Serpents were adored in Prujfia, according
to ErafmusStella., in his antiquities of Borifffia^
i. e. PruJfia^Lih. lo. Thofe people, in former
ages, having no religion, began it by the
adoration of ferpents.
In the tim.e of Sigifmund^ baron of Her-
herftein, in his relation of Mufcovy, a ferpent
was adored in Samogitia, and in Lithuania.
And v/e hear of fome nations in the Indies,
which to this day adore ferpents •, Jurleu,
It has been fuppofed, that the Romans,
in a time of plague, fetch'd from Epidaurus,
Efculapius, the fon of Apollo, in the form of
a very monftrous ferpent, to whom the Ro-
__ mans gave a magnificent reception at his
landing, on an ifland in the 'J''jber ; the
fenate, the principal ladies, even the facred
veftals, and all the people, meeting him at
his landing, firft welcoming him with fhouts
of joy, burning on the lyber banks an in-
finity of frankincenfe, and building many
altars, from fpace to fpace, where they fa-
crificed abundance of vidims to the honour
of that ferpenc-god.
As to the two other natural deities, of
the Fidafians, the lofty beautiful trees, and
ehe feaj they pray and worfhip them only
tion of the >;\ Book
on fome more particular occafions, and in
this manner.
Worship of Trees, and the Sea.
Tp I R S T as to trees, they make offerings
and pray to them in time of ficknefs,
and more elpecially under fevers, for the
recovery of the patients ; which they think
is more properly the province of the tree-
deities, and of the fnake-gods. Befides
which deities, on fuch occafions they alfo
facrifice to the other inferior idol-gods;
and their fuperftition is fo exceffive herein,
that when the king is fick, they facrifice a
man, and eat part of his flefh, in honour of
thofe extravagant deities.
When the fea is tempeftuous and raging,
fo as to hinder goods from being brought
ailiore ; or when no ffiips have been there
for a long time, and they would fain fee
them come, the facrifices or offerings for
that third principal deity of the Fidaftans,
are all forts of goods, calf into it, but this
fort of oifering turning to no profit to the
priefts, they do not much encourage the
praftice of it.
Priests and Priestesses. ^
'T^HE religious functions are there per-
formed by men and women indifferent-
ly •, and both the priefts and priefteffes are
fo highly reverenc'd by all the people, that
they are not to be punifhed any manner of
way, even for the moft horrid crimes they
can commit unlefs for high-treafon againft
the king's perfon, as it happened in this king's
reign, that a prieft had confpii'd with the
king's brother to murder him for which
crime both the king's brother, and the prieft,
after due conviftion, were both condemn'd
to death, by the king and his council, and
accordingly executed.
The priefteffes are as much honoured as
the priefts, or rather more ; infomuch, that
they affume to themfelves the diftindive
name of God's children. And whereas all
other women are liable to a flavifli fubmif-
fion to their huft>ands, thefe priefteffes, on
the contrary, exercife an abfolute fway over
them, and their goods-, living with them
arbitrarily, and at their own pleafure their
hufbands always fpeaking to, and ferving
them on their knees accounting it a very
great advantage to have ftich holy perfons
for their conforts.
The idolatrous Jews, in the times Afa,
znd Hofea, had women officiating as prieft-
effes of the infamous idolPriapus, then wor-
fhipped among them, fet up by Maacah, the
queen-mother to Afa, and her felf being
the chief prieftefs, which the good king
Afa removed.
Camma, wife of Sinatus Galatianus, was
the great prieftefs of Dianas in Galatia,
The
I^HAP, 4- Coafts SotTTH-GtriNEAe
thfj he-
[ieve d
place of
torments.
Stupidity
sis to hell.
The famous temple of Diana at Ephefm
was ferved by a woman. The facrifices of
Ceres, and its myfteries, were officiated by
women, and the men had no hand in them 5
(M. Jurieu, ?-7^9-)
Notion of Hell.
nr H E Fidafians have a fort of idea of
hell, the devil, and the apparition of
fpirits, as well as the people of Congo, but
not in the fame manner as they ; who often
die wirh the fright, as fhall be mention'd
in its place.
They think hell is a fix'd place under the
earth, where thofe who have lived wickedly
are punifhed with fire, and miferably tor-
mented. Some of their priefteffes come
from a foreign country, and tell them, they
have been there, and faw feveral of their
acquaintance, and particularly fome one
thofe people have known very well in his
life-time, who they fay is there grievoufly
tortured.
A Porluguefe mifiioner, being once in dif-
courfe with one of the courtiers, and telling
him, that in cafe he, and the people of Fida,
did not repent of their wicked old courfe of
life, they would certainly burn for ever in
hell, with the devils the Black replied, our
predecelTors, whofe numbers are infinite,
liv'd as we do, and worfhipped the fame Barbot.
gods if they muft burn for it, we muft >^'V>^
be contented ; we are not better than they,
and fhall comfort our felves with them
in hell. This inftance of their ftupidity and
unconcernednefs of a ftate of mifery, evinces
how difficult it is to convert thofe fuperfti-
tious people from their erroneous abfurd
opinion and idolatrous worfhip.
Thence it is that fo many miflions as
the Portuguefe have fent thither froin Portu-
gal, and St. I'ojne, from time to time, within
this century, have always been fruitlefs, and
of no effeft. But Polygajny, fo extravagant-
ly and generally affefted there, is an infu-
perable difficulty, no man enduring to be
confined to one wife. There are many
other impediments in the nature and temper
of the Fidafians, infomuch, that it feems
to be labour in vain to undertake their to-
tal converfion to the chriftian religion : for
which reafon the Portuguefe miffioners have
quite forfaken them, and do not think
fitting to trouble themfelves any more with
fuch people •, for indeed they muft firft be
made men, before they can be made chri-
ftians ; their ftupidity being like other Blacks
a.nd Cafres, who can conceive nothing that
is fpiritual, but only fenfual and palpable
objedts.
'v.'/ly^'.^'.'. " .CHAP. IV. ■ IV ^
Little Ardra next the fca. The country of Torry. Defcription of great
Ardra. Their habit ; polygamy and marriages, Fimerals. Cojumo-
dities exported and imported, Motahle Black king. Soldiery, Jdfni-
niftratiofi of jnftice. Keligiofz,
BEFORE I enter upon the defcrip-
tion of the kingdom of Ardra, by
fome furnamed Grande or the Great, I mult
take fome notice of the little country of
Torry, which, as I have hinted before, is
enclofed between Ardra and Fida ; and in the
next place, muft Hiy fomething of Little Ar-
dra, another fmall country, contiguous to
that of Torry, on the eaft of it, and both
lying along the fea-fhore.
Little Ardra defcribed.
Extent andT^^OM. the port or road of Fida, to Lit-
fro/pea. *- Ardra, the coaft runs eafterly, about
nine leagues ; low, flat land, in many parts
woody, only towards Little Ardra, thelhore
rifes a little, and has three fmall hills, near
one another, on a kind of point, or cape,
that is at the beginning of a large bay, and
is the proper anchoring-place for fhips, that
defign to trade at Little Ardra, which is in
that bay. The river that runs thro' the coun-
tries of Great Ardra, and Offra, falls into,
and feparates the kingdom of Benin, from
that of Great Ardra j its water is brackilh.
Vol. V.
Little Ardra is alfo known from the fea,
in coming from the weftward, by four large
thickets of trees, which appear at a diftance
from each other, three leagues to the weft-
ward.
The French and Englifh commonly call
the port of Little Ardra the road of Ardra \
the town being fomewhat higher, about
two hundred paces from the ftrand, on an
extent of fix hundred fathom of ground, of
which more hereafter. To return to the de-
fcription of Torrv. , , ■
Torry Country,
S a little ftate or commonwealth, about ^^^^^^^
four leagues in circumference, \itl^\xx. fitmt'm.
Fida, Little Ardra, or Offra, as moft of the
Europeans call it, and the fea, and fcarce
three leagues diftant from the coaft or road
of Fida.
Foulaen is the principal town thereof, featedc^^i^^i
on the river which runs almoft eaftrow«.
and weft to Great Popo,
The inhabitants are either hufbandmen, inhabl-
cultivating their foil for wheats and^""'*'
T 1 1 1 other
I
34^
A Defcription of the
Book IV I C
Barbot. other eatables, to drive a trade with fo-
^✓v^ feigners or, like the Little Popo men, live
upon plunder ; lying like ftroling robbers
on the roads of Offra and Ardra, The lands
of Lillle Ardra or Offra, begin not far
from the town Foulaen, in 'J'orry •, fomewhat
farther inland, and make part of the king-
dom of Great Ardra,
Return to Little Ardra.
Littk Ar T -^^^^ already given fome obfervable
dra! ^ ^ marks to find out the proper port of
Little Ardra ; and to proceed methodically
in the defcription of that country, mult
add, that the bar which continues to front
the Ihore all along i'romRio da Volta to Litlle
Ardra, is every where as bad and perilous
as at Little Ardra, but more efpecially in
the high feafon ; and above all, at the new
and full moon : for then the furges are fo
violent and high, that it is totally imprafti-
cable for twelve or fifteen days.
The road. The right road of Little Ardra, in the
fummer feafon, that is, from December to
April, is in fix fathom water, fandy ground,
about three quarters of a league from fhore :
and in the winter, or high feafon, which is
from May to Nove7?iher, about a league and
a half from land, in eight or nine fathom.
The bar before the port of Little Ardra^
is very fiiallow, and therefore the furges
are there fo very violent.
In the fummer leafon the air is clear and
ferene, and more wholefome than 'tis
ufually in the bad feafon.
O'Sxuoten. The town of Offra is up the land, about
fcven Englijh miles, from that of Little Ardra,
on the fame river, and governed by an Ardra
commander. Being the refidence of the Eu-
ropean faflors, the Englijh and Hollanders
have each a fine houfe there the latter
more efpecially driving there a very confi-
derable trade in flaves, t^c.
Jakin The town of Jakin lies betwixt Offra
and Little Ardra, north north-eaft from the
latter •, feated on a rivulet. It had the name
irom z Black, who lived there many years
fince, and takes up about one thoufand five
hundred fathom of ground, being enclofed
with a mud-wall, very thick and folid the
houfe or palace of the governor, is tolera-
bly handfome, made of a ftrong clay. Thus
much for Little Ardra.
town.
Ardra
tevtn.
Defcription- of Great Ardra.
RE AT Ardra, the ufual refidence of
^ the king of yfriiri3, lies fixteen leagues
farther inland, north north-weft from Little
Ardra ; a large fpacious road, leading all
along from the one to the other : and much
about the middle of it is a little place called
Gran-Fero, and by the Dutch, Pleyfter
Plaets, where is a kind of an alehoufe, or
publick inn, for the accommodation of paf-
fengers, travelling betwixt Great and Little
Ardray either in hammocks on men's fhoul-
ders, or on horfe-back.
The Blacks tell us, that the" town of Great
Ardra, by them CdWtd Affem', is mnc Englijj
miles in compafs, the iitreets being extra-
ordinary wide, and rhe houfes built at a
diftance from one another, to prevent firing.
The king of Ardra has there two large p^^^^^
fpacious palaces, in one of which he keeps
his court the other being empty, and kept
fo, to remove thither in cafe that he lives
in, fI:iould be confumed by fire : both of
them are enclofed with a fort of rampart
of earthj five foot thick, as is the whole
town, and the ditches of the town and pa-
laces are within the enclofure or walls.
The houfes are cover'd with ftraw, and di-
vided into feveral rooms, if we may rely on
the report of the natives. The palace the
king lives in at prefent, is divided into large
courts, apartments and gardens, with feveral
long and wide galleries about the buildings ;
handfomely fupported with uniform columns
and pilafters, forming fine large piazzas
on either fide of the courts and gardens,
under which people walk and recreate
themfelves •, and the buildings two ftories
high, in which are many large and fpacious
apartments, rooms and clofets, and all
built with nothing but clay.
The gardens are alfo walled about, (^i-Cardem,
vided into fine largfe walks of green trees,
and green plats, and beds of flowers, efpe-
cially of three forts of lillies ; which fliews
the politenefs and induftry of the natives.
Having defcribed the Metropolis of Great
Ardra, I fliall now proceed to the defcrip-
tion of the whole kingdom.
Ardra, with all its dependant countries, ^^/m of
is a large populous kingdom, but not enough the king-
reforted to by the Europeans, to know tx-^"'"-
adly its length and breadth. This we know,
that it is of a narrow extent towards the fea-
fide, but of a great length and breadth up
the inland ; fome making it to border on
the weft upon Rio da Volta, and at eaft on
Benin, enclofing Fida and Torry on the
north fide ; and will have it to reach at
north and north-weft to Oyeo, a large po-
pulous country, and to other potent king-
doms fituated towards the Niger.
This country is very populous, as I havejoyo »nd
already hinted, and confequently has many
large towns and villages •, molt of thofe
towns being enclofed with thick mud-walls
or fences, like the metropolis. Among the
reft, the towns of Joyo and Ba are obferva-
ble ; the former being three days journey
from Jakin, and the latter about two miles
farther from Joyo, having two gates on
the fouth fide ; and on the north a river,
which comes from Benin. The Dut.h have a
fadtory there.
, The
Chap. 4. Coafis i?/ Soitth-Guinea.
other
fovns.
Furniture
ofhoti/es.
Air of the
country.
Fruitful-
nefs.
Conveni-
ency oftra-
velli>}g.
froclun.
HorCes.
Bread.
Tood.
Beer how
The other towns and villages in Ardra.,
which are not enclos'd with mud-walls,
are feated in places of natural ftrength,
which fecures the inhabitants from infults,
and procures them an open trade.
ThC'houfes in Ardra are all of a fat
clay, the walls or Ihells commonly about
three foot thick, and covered with ftraw ;
and not much better furnifhed than thofe
of other Guiiienm^ that is, only with fuch
utenfils or goods, as are of abfolute ne-
ceffity. The king's houfes are in that re-
fped: no richer than the reft, only he has
fome damask elbow-chairs, formerly pre-
fented him by Europeans.
The air of this country in general is ex-
tremely unwholefome for Europeans, fcarce
five out of forty that go to refide there
anytime efcaping death •, which, however,
may in fome meafure be attributed to their
own intemperance, in regard of women,
or their carelelfnefs of preferving themfelves
from the evening mildew, or their excef-
five ufe of the fruits of the country, which
do not agree with our conftitution. For the
natives commonly live to a great age, and
are healthy and vigorous, except when the
fmall -pox rages amongft them, which ge-
nerally fv/eeps away great numbers of them.
This country is all flat and level, and
the foil very fertile, much covered with fhrubs
and rufhy plants, and in fome parts woody ;
but in others, which are properly vales,
it is very agreeable and pleafant.
It has this farther conveniency, that it
is all over ftored with convenient roads,
and fmall rivers, very deep, and fitting for
travellers and merchants.
It produces abundance of hidian wheat,
millet, yams, potatoes, oranges, lemons, co-
co-nuts, palm-wine, and fait made in the low
fwampy grounds, and yielding a confide-
rable trade with the natives of the ifland
Curamo, who go thither to fetch it in
their large bar- canoes.
The country about the city of Great
Ardra, abounds in horfes, which ferve to
mount the king's cavalry.
The natives prepare their corn for bread,
much after the fame manner as is praflifed
at the Gold-Coa/}, either in cakes or
cankjes.
They either roaft yams on coals, or boil
them with butter, which they know how to
churn ; they alfo ufe rice for common food,
and pulfe, herbs and roots, with beef, hogs,
goats, fheep's and dog's-fiefh and likewife
poultry, drefied with rice, and call fuch eata-
bles, Kade, indifferently.
Their ordinary drink is the beer PitaUi
as at the Gold-Coaft : Fero and Offra have
the beft fort. It is ufually made in the fol-
lowing manner : firft, they fteep Indian
wheat well, and then dry ic in the fun 5
then they beat it in deep hollowed trunks Barbot.
of trees, or grind it on large flat ftones,
in the manner ufed to make bread, pouring
hot fcalding Water over it from time to
time, as they grind it ; after this, they let
that malt fteep afrefh in water, ftirring it
well from time to time, and thus make
their Pitau, or beer, which being mixed
with water, and moderately ufed, is pretty
good drink •, but by itfelf is dangerous,
for it will occafion exceflive griping in the
guts. Another bad quality in this liquor is,
that it foon turns four, and is not fit to be
tranfported to any other place.
H A
I T.
T
H E drefs of men and women in Ar-
dra, is exceedingly richer and finer
than that of the Guld-Coafi. They com-
monly wear five or fix rich cloths, onc^'^^ '^^o'^-
above another, as I have faid of the Fida
Blacks, all the reft of the body remains na-
ked : thofe cloths are made in the councry,
and fome of them are enriched with gold
thread, either plated or woven in thtm,
which looks very fine.
The gentry and others of the prime fort, cari> of
commonly wear a flaorc cloak on their {hou\-gentry.
ders, and under it filk, or India chints
wrapped about them, with fine white cal-
lico-fhirts made there.
The king of Ardra ufually wears two Of the king.
as it were petticoats, one longer than the
other, after the Perfian fafhion ; and fome-
times a filk fcarf belt-wife, with a fort of
laced coif, hanging down on his back, and
under it a little crown, of black wood, that
cafts a very fweet fcent ; holding in one
hand a fort of whip, the handle whereof is
curioufly fafhioned.
The females there, exceed the males in of the wo-
their drefs: thofe of fome diftinftion, com- men.
monly wear fine painted India callicoes,
white China farceilets, and rich filk, and
linen-wrappers.
Both men and women are very careful ff^^/j/w^
to wafli their bodies, morning and evening, f^''/^'
in clean pure water, and to anoint them with'"'^"^"
civet; efpecially married women, who are
very ftudious to pleafe their hufbands, know-
ing them to be extremely luxurious.
Polygamy, ^wJ Marriages.
A Man, even of the loweft rank, may
have as many v/ives, as he thinks he
can maintain ; but the king, and the prin-
cipal perfons, keep each a vaft number of
wives and concubines. The king's chief
wife has the title of queen, with this pre- The queen.
rogative, that in cafe the king denies her
any thing fhe has occafion for, fhe may fell
fome of the king's other wives for flaves j
and of this, there have been many inftances,
from time to time. Moft of the Ardra gen-
try
548
A Defcription of the
Book IV.
Barrot.
Women
married
young.
No mttrri-
age-cere-
mony.
Fmiflj-
ment of a,-
dultsry.
try marry young women of quality, not
above eight or ten years old ; but do not
confummate the marriage, till they have
kept them fome years in the nature of fer-
vants, ftark-naked : and when they have
fixed the time for cohabiting, they then
clothe them with a piece of cloth, or a
fhort frock.
The meaneft man there may pretend to,
and often marries, the woman of the great-
eft quality in the town or place where he
lives j having no manner of regard to birth
or fortune.
Their marriages are concluded without
any other ceremony, than the mutual con-
fent of the parents on both fides : only the
bridegroom commonly prefents his bride
with two or three cloths, and muft treat
the parents, and invited friends, with
eight or ten pots of Vitau^ or beer ; and
then declares to all the company, that he
takes the woman in the quality of firft or
chief wife.
The Ardra women gnerally are not very
fruitful, and it is rare to find one that has
three or four children ; but if any one hap-
pens to have feven or eight, file is as much
valued and beloved by her hufband, as the
barren women are flighted and defpis'd.
The men of quality's wives are always very
refpeftful towards their hufbands, and very
fiilent in their prefence, being fenfible of
the fubjedion due to them, by the laws of
the land. When their hufbands command
them to appear before a foreigner, they
commonly fit down all together on mats, at
one end of the room •, and if ordered fo
to do, they'll freely fing, beating time
methodically, with two little flicks on a
fmall bell, the moft ufual mufical inftrument
among them. Ifa woman happens to be delive-
red of twins,they conclude flie muft be guilty
of adultery, believing itimpofiible for her to
have two children at once, by one man.
A woman convi(5led of adultery, is left
to her hufband's choice, either to fell her
for a flave, or to keep her ftill : yet this
law does not cure many of their natural
inclination to enjoy the company of ftran-
gers, being very ready to make ufe of the
firft opportunity that is offered them to
gratify their fenfuality ; and always curi-
ous to appear wanton and lafcivious, even
in their geftures and carriage. Nor are
the men lefs inclined to that vice : for not-
withftanding their great number of wives,
they will hunt after other men's wives or
daughters.
However, the greateft perfons are fome-
what more referv'd in this particular 5 and
very ftudious not to expofe their wives to
the view of their countrymen, and only to
fuch of the Europeans as they value moft,
and are fully perfuaded of their chaftity.
Funerals.
nr H E Y diflfer little from the Gold-Coafi
Blacks., in the manner of interring
their dead ; except in this particular,that there
the deceafed's relations furnifti the cloths
for fhrouds, to wrap the corps in, and
here the governor of the place does it :
and that they commonly bury the dead
perfon in the houfe he inhabited, in a vault
built for thatpurpofe.
The Ardrafians do fo little value their
own, that they rather ule the Ulkami lan-
guage ; which they are ftudious to learn, as
being in their opinion far more elegant and
fweer.
The inhabitants of little Ardra, and EmpUy^
thofe who live near the fea-fide, employ mem).
themfelves altogether in fifliing, boiling of
fait, and trading and tlie inland people in-
husbandry, tilling the ground by ftrength
of arms, and the fame way as thofe of Fida
do it ; which is very laborious and hard
work.
They have many publick markets every Markets.
where, but more particularly at Ba, every
four days, where they expofe more fait to
file, than any other commodities ; that
fait being carried from Joyo in canoes, and
from Ba, is tranfported to the Ulkami
country, whofe inhabitants convey it far-
ther up the inland, to other nations more
remote. About five or fix leagues from Bay
ftands a lofty tree in a plain, under or about
which, is kept a great market, at certain
times of the year, to which there refort
from feveral parts of the country three or
four thoufand merchants, with all forts of
African goods. . . .-.
Commodities Exported and Imported.
TT H E Dutch, as I have hinted before, slaves,
drive a confiderable trade at Ardra, cloth, &;c.
and next to them, the Englijh, having proper
factories or lodges at Little Ardra, and at
Offra ; and exporting thence, flaves, cot-
ton cloths, and blue ftones, called Aqry or
Accory, very valuable at the Gold-Ccajf.
The beft commodity the Europeans can^^^//^ ^^yj
carry thither to purchafe flaves, is Boejies, fir money.
or Cauris^ fo much valued by the natives ;
being the current coin there, as well as
at Popo, Fida, Benin, and other coun-
tries farther eaft without which, it is fcarce
pofllble to traffick there.
Slaves in Ardra are ufually purchafed, g^^/^ p^^.
one half with thofe Boejies, and the other fer to carry
half with European goods; and when i\\Qy thither.
are fcarce and dear in Europe, as it happens
fometimes, we endeavour to fatisfy the Ar-
drafians with one third or fourth part of
them, and the other parts in other mer-
chandize : of which, generally fiat iron-bars
are, next to Boejies, the moft acceptable;
for the round or fquare bars will not do.
And
Chap. 4- C
Uuuu After
A Defcription of the
00 K
Barbot. After which, the great captain of com-
^^•^""V^ merce, called the Foella, is to take his
Srj/''^' ^^lioice of the cargo ; but it is very rare,
trade.
that fadors or fupercargoes will give a
true invoice of all their beft goods, either
to the king, or the Foella^ as knowing they
have other notable perfons, and confidera-
ble merchants to pleafe, who generally give
a 'better price, or pay more punftually than Dotn Matteo Lopez \vis ambaflador extraor
That prince, being convinced of the gran-
deur of the king of France^ tho' he feldom
faw above one French fhip there in a year,
and the Hollanders had five or fix ; yet he
would never allow the latter the pre-emi-
nence of the flag, or precedence in publick
folemnicies, being a judicious, polite man.
He was feventy years old when he fent
Way of
reckoning.
High du-
ties.
Dutch
trade.
French
honoured.
the former ufually do.
This cufbom of adjufting the price of
goods and flaves, at firfb, very much faci-
litates the expedition of European fhips, as
taking off all manner of difputes and con-
tefts betwixt the feveral native traders, and
the Europeans ', and when any fuch happens,
which was not forefeen, the king, being in-
formed thereof, immediately regulates it.
The meafure for Boejies, is there the very
fame as at Fida, and the Blacks, who, like
thofe of Fida, can neither write nor read,
obferve much the fame ways of accompting,
by means of fmall cords or firings, knotted
in feveral parts, on which they foon make
their calculations ; much in the fime nature
as is pradifed by fome Indian nations of
America : and thofe knotted cords are to the
Ardrafian traders, what our pocket-books
are to us Europeans \ for with them they
know how to obferve time, places, num-
bers, and even a meeting appointed at fuch
an hour or day, and fo forth.
The faftor or fupercargo having finifhed
his fale, is to prefent the king again with
two mufkets, twenty five pounds of powder,
and the value of nine flaves in other goods,
as an acknowledgement to that prince for
his fivour in granting him the permifllon
to trade in his dominions : he mufl: alfo,
on the fame account, prefent the Foella with
one piece of armoizin, the Honga or cap-
tain of the bar with another piece, and
fome other inferior officers with another
piece among them.
So that reckoning all thofe cuftoms and
duties together, one way or other, they a-
mount tothe valueof feventy, feventy five,
or eighty flaves, in goods, for each trading
fhip: whereas at Fida, they do not altoge-
ther exceed thirty two, or thirty five ; which
is great odds for the Englijh and French fac-
tors refiding there.
The Englijh have alfo a lodge at Offra,
but the Dutch having the preheminence in
commerce, as being the firfl: intruders at
Ardra, they carry a great fway over the
Englijh ; and one year with another export
above three thoufand flaves.
The Portugu/'fe, in the beginning of this
century, hadaconfiderable trade there, but
were fupplanted by tht Hollanders. '
Notable Black King. '
'T^HE Frevrh were much honoured ihA
* careffed by the late k'ln^ A^ken-^ or Tgzy.
dinary to the French court, of which I have
taken notice before.
That king "Fez"^ being much nr\^OYl\mtdmfeatifait
by the Dutch fadtors refiding in his domi- Black
nions, to grant them leave to build a ftone
houfe, anfwered them thus : " You will,
" perhaps, at firfl; build only a large flirong
" fl:one houfe ; but at another time, you'll
" defire to enclofe it with a ftrong fl:one
" wall ; afterwards, you'll ilrengthen it
" with fome great guns ; and thus, in
" procefs of time, you'll render it fo ftrong,
" that with all my mightl fliall not be able
" to remove you, as you have done at
" Mina, and other parts of theGold-CoaJi,
" where by little and little, your nation
" has at lafl: fubdued whole nations, and
" made the kings thereof tributaries, and
" flaves. Therefore, faid he, keep where
" you are, and be fatisfied ; you fhall
" never have any other houfe or building
" in my dominions, to carry on yourtrade,
" but fuch as fhall beeredted by myowrt
*' people, as we ufually build in yfrira, that
*' is, with clay ; and that you ftiall keep or
*' hire as tenants commonly do."
The prefent king of Ardra isfon tothztThe king
late king 7^2:3;, very abfolute, and much re- honoured.
fpefted by the whole nation none of the
fubjedts ever appearing before him, without
falling flat on their faces, and in that hum-
ble pofture, they fpeak to him. Only the
great Marabou^ or chief priefl, has the
privilege of fl:anding, and difcourfing him
in that pofture, which renders him the fe-
cond perfon in the country ; and he is the
king's chief minifter of ftate, both in tem-
porals and fpirituals.
Of all iht Guinea kings, ihok Ardra Abfolute.
and Benin are the moft refpefted, and even
dreaded by their fubjefts. This king of
Ardra is entirely arbitrary, in all matters
of government, civile military and religious j
juftice, peace, war, all is entirely at his
difpofal;
Every individual fubjeft pays him a heavy ^^^^^^^
capitation, as well as foreigners refiding in
his dominions. He has a numerous court ;
and every officer whatfoever, is called cap-
tain, according to the poft he is in. The
king's fteward is called captain table; the
purveyor general, capt-tn meat ; the great
butler, captain wine ; and ib of the others ;
as is praftifed among the Black nations at
Cape Vi,rde.
Chap. 4. Coafts of So vt h-G u i n e a*
3?
conveme^t I have already faid that paffengers \n Ar-
■iravelling. dra have the conveniency of travelling trom
one place to another, in a hammock, faftned
at both ends to a long pole, on men's
Ihoulders, as at Fida. The porters are re-
lieved from fpace to fpace by frefh men,
and in this manner a palTenger performs a
long journey in a day, without any other
inconvenience, than being kept fo long ly-
ing at his full length, in the hammock ;
for when it rains, or the weather is torch-
ing hot, the hammock is covered over by
the porters, with a fine carpet : however,
we commonly travel only by night, from
Little Ardra to AJJem, unlefs we be in com-
pany of the prince, or of fome very nota-
ble men of the court, when we can travel
by day •, but the politick Blach carry us
then along by-roads, and never through any
town or village, tho' there are many fuch
on the great road •, and alledge, that it is a
pofitive order from the government fo to
do, that no ftrangers may obferve the dif-
pofition of the country, and the nature and
ficuation of places. Therefore when we
White men are carried to Great Ardra, to
have an audience of the king, each accord-
ing to the nation he belongs to, as foon as
arriv'd there, every one is conduded to the
lodgings in the king's palace, appointed to
that nation, and there very handfomely fub-
fifted at the king's charge, till the time of
the audience and what the king pradtifes
in this particular, with European vifitants,
is alfo obferved by the great men, who after-
wards come to vifit us in our quarters.
Reception The captains of commerce, andofthe_
s/ Europe- king's cavalry, are ufually introduftors of
ans. the Whites, to the king's audience. When
come into the king's prefence, that prince
commonly advances fome fteps to the Euro-
pean, takes him by the hand, preffes it in
his own, and three times fucceflively touches
his fore-finger, which is there a token of
amity and friendfhip ; after which^ he bids
hitn fit dbwn by his fide, on neat mats
fpread on the floor.
This done, the European lays his prefents
before the king, and declares what it is he
defires of him •, which is told him by the
ordinary interpreter, as is the king's anfwer
to the foreigner.
Marabou The audience being over, the European is
i or high- conduded to the prince, who ufually refides
at a large town, enclofed with w^ills, about
two EngUJJo miles diftant from AJfem, or
Great Ardra, and there introduced and treat-
! ed much after the fame manner as he Was at
■ Ajfent, being feated on mats. Thence he
i goes 10 the great Marabou, who ufes to en-
! tertain foreigners very nobly, and feaft
j them well. At this audience we fit down
1 Qfi fine filk cuftiions, after the l^urkiflj fa.-
fliion, and they are on extraordinary eur ioos
mats. The Marabou commonly on fuchBARBor.
occafions fends after dinner for his wives, ■^-^v''^^
being about eighty in number, to honour
us with the fight of them ; they immedi-
ately go into a kind of parlour or hall,
and there dance and fing before us to the
noife of their mufical infbruments.
This great Marabou, as I have faid before,
has the fole privilege of feeing the king
night or day. He is a tall well-fet man, much
efteemed by the king and courtiers, and
extremely reverenced by all the people of
the country. His drefs is much like that of
the other great perfons of Ardra.
The king and the prince never appear
abroad without a great retinue, and fol-
diers armed with firelocks. The king*s
mafter of the horfe generally walks next
before the king, with his head cover'd, and
a cymiter in one hand •, the king follov^ing,
for the moft parr, leaning on the fhoulders
of two officers, having ihe great captain or
general of the horfe on his right, and the
captain of commerce on his left •, and all
the other courtiers and gentry round about
in a croud.
Soldiery.
THE king of Ardra can foon, upon . ,. ,
occaiion, rorm an army or rorty thou-^^j^^^^
fand men, or more, both horfe and foot
the law of the land difpenfing with no fub-
jed from ferving in the army, when com-
manded to go into the field, unlefs decrepit
with age, or too young.
The foldiers at Ardra are commonly f.f^^^^^^^.
armed with mufkets, and cymiters, or
fwords ; that is,thofe who live near the coaft :
for thofe who are more remote from it, ufe
bows and arrows, hangers, javelins, and
wooden clubs, all v;hich arms are very fine,
and of their own making. Notwithftanding
all this, and that they are naturally lufty men,
and feemingly courageous, a handful of re-
Iblute, fl:out men will foon fright them, fo
as to give way at the firft onfet: which
may perhaps proceed from two defeds in
their army ; the one, that they have no
experienced general to lead and command
them ; the other, that they obferve no ordef
nor ranks, but march up to the enemy in
great confufion, ftraggling fome to the
right, fome to the left, as every one pleafes.
Thus their wars frequently prove unfuccefs-
ful, and they are commonly beaten by the
inland nations, aflifted by auxiliaries from
Fida s fometimes bringing down an army
of feveral hundred thoufand men, moft of , , • ■
them cavalry, and a warlike people, who now
and then overrun one half of the kingdom
of Ardra, make a mighty flaughter of men,
and commit all manner of outrages and
devaftations, .
That
3^1
A De f crip t ton of the
OK
Barbot. That remote inland nation, which I fup-
^^^'VNJ pofe to be the Oyeos and Ulka?ni^ ftrikes
fuch a terrour at Ardra, and all the adja-
cent countries, that they can fcarce hear
them meniioned without trembling ; and
they tell a world of ftrange ftories of them.
Thefe inland Blacks, like moft of the Gul-
neans and Ardrafians^ are cruel in war, and
cut off all the privities of enemies flain,
extending their inhumanity to women and
children, and carrying off thofe privy parts
with them : and it is reported of them, that
none muff prefume to take an enemy
prifoner, who is not furnifhed with an hun-
dred of thofe trophies.
Amiver- '^^ cuftom in Ardra, to keep fo-
faries lemn feafts and anniverfaries, to commemo-
rate their viftories over an enemy, though of
fmall importance.
In their warlike expeditions, they carry
a fort of ftaves or poles, bowed at both
ends, in the figure of an S ; at the extre-
mity whereof, they difplay a fmall ftandard,
with which they make abundance of va-
Drums '"'^"^ motions ; and with their long drums
j.^;^,^^^^^^fliarp-pointed at one end, they beat a kind
bells. of meafure : others have a fort of tinkling
bells, on which they beat with flicks ; at
which noife, the foldiers make an hundred
various and ridiculous geftures and motions
with their bodies. The lame fort of mufi-
cal inftrumenc is alfo much ufed in their
feftivals and diverfions.
Mufick, They have publick vocal muficians,
Sufoonj, tale-tellers and buffoons, to divert the fol-
Si^c. diers in the field ; and the cavalry has fmall
fhort trumpets, which join their mufick
to the precedent harmony, to excite valour
in their men ; but to little purpofe, as I
have obferved, becaufe they want natural
courage, like the Fidafians : and there-
fore, they dare not revenge themfelves,
as often as they are provoked by them,
on account of fome infradions or ir-
regularities, committed to their prejudice,
as being perpetually at variance among them-
felves, and irreconcilable enemies.
Before I proceed to treat of the admi-
niitration of juftice, religion, ^c. of this
country I will again add fomething re-
lating to commerce and flaves.
Commerce and Slaves.
•TT H E Europeans are there comimonly
treated with all manner of civility by
the natives ; and there is great variety of
B.efrejli' rcfrefhments, at a very cheap rate : For ex-
mints ample, we pay for a barrel of frefh water,
sheaf. and a load of wood for fuel, two brafs
rings i for a chefl of fait, four ; and for a
pot of beer, one : and thofe rings they re-
duce into hens ; four of them there called
a yellow, being five hens.
The flaves purchafe there, are either •^'^f fx.
prifoners of war, or given them as contri-
butions, by neighbouring nations or kings ;
and fome alfo that have been judicially con-
demned for crimes committed, to perpe-
tual flavery : befides, a very few fold to us
by their own kindred, or parents.
Administration of Justice.
A Perfon who dares difobey the king's ■D'z&^^d'?-
commands, is beheaded, and his wives ^"'^^
and children, ipfo fa£to^ become the king's
flaves.
Infolvent debtors are left to the mercy ^^^'"^
of their creditors, who, if they will, mayf,"^^^
fell them to pay themfelves. The fame
punifhment is inflifted on him, who has
debauched another man's wife.
As fof adulterous women, if the crime
be committed with a man flave, the woman
becomes a flave to the mafter of her adul-
terer, if he be of a higher rank, than the
offended huflband ; but if the husband is of
a higher condition, the adulterous flave is
to be flave to him for ever. As to other
forts of crimes, and their punifhments, they
are the f;ime as at F'lda : the two nations
being much alike, in their manners, po*
liticks and religion.
Religion^
npHOUGH the difference be not great, I
will mention fome particulars of the reli-
gion of Ardra, which chiefly depends on
the fancy and direftion of their priefls, of
which there is a vafl number ; every wealthy
perfon keeping one in his family, as his ■
chaplain.
The religion of thofe Blacks^ is a grofs
fuperflitious paganifm ; tho' moft of them
acknowledge a fupreme Being, but in a very Notion sf
erroneous manner, proceeding from anopini-
on, that the faid fupreme Being determines the
time of life and death, and of all other ac-
cidents in this world: and they are naturally
very averfe to death, even as to tremble
at the hearing of it mentioned, and much
difcouraged under the many crofs accidents
attending our lives, on this fide of the grave.
They ftudy to honour that unknown God,
by the fervice and religious worfliip of their \
idols, faying, like the Fidafums, that the
fupreme Being is too great for us to dare
approach him din.ftly : and therefore, they
think to ferve him weil by the interpofition
and credit of their idols. Being thus pre-
poffefs'd, they turn all their thoughts and
pradices to thofe abfurd inferior gods, in infirUr
whom they put all their confidence ; and deities.
have fo great an opinion of them, as to
fay and believe, that whofoever dares mock
or flight them, will be puniihed with
death ; or at beft, will lead a very mife-
rable life. . . ... l,.. .. ^ .
Upon
Ghap.
Coafts of SotTTH-GtTlNEA,
VorJIjipof Upon this norion, each perfon there has
his peculiar idol, compofed of many filthy-
things •, or elfe it is fome natural being ei-
ther animate or inanimate, which he keeps
hid in his houfe under a large earthen-pot :
and every fix months, the head of the fa-
j mily makes a publick offering, and puts
feveral queftions to the idol, according to
hisoccafions. If the olFering is not large
enough to fatisfy the pricft's covetoufnefs,
as commonly the greateft part accrues to
his profit, he tells them, that the idol, not
being fatisfy'd with the offering, will not
return an anfwer to the queries whereupon,
they are very ready to enlarge it, either
by facrificing a dog, or a goat, or fome more
hens, according to the circumftances of the
perfon : which being done, the prieft, as
the mouth of the dumb idol, gives his an-
fwer to the queries of the worfhipper, with
a low voice. And thofe fiupid Blacks, tho'
they fee and hear the v/ords fpoken only
by the facrificer, or prieft, yet they firmly
believe the idol himfelf pronounced them,
by a fecret impulfe in the prieft.
The oracle thus delivered^ the prieft
covers the idol v^'ith the pot as his niche,
and fprinkles it either with beer or meal ;
and after him, every ohe that was prefent
at the facrifice (and they generally invite
their friends and neighbours) does the fame,
as was done by the prieft.
Sacrifice ^ perfon happens to be fick, befides
/arr^e/iV/f.theapplicatidnof feveral medicines, the prieft
muft come in, and offei* facrifice for the
recovery of the health of the patient, ac-
cording to the perfon's ability ; either a
cow, a Iheep, a goat, or fome hens : he
rubs the idol of the fick perfon, with the
blood of the offering, and throws away the
flefli.
It is fcaixe conceivable what credit the
priefts in general have among thofe people
and what reverence, and almoft adoration they
High pay the great Marabou in particular. They
f'^y?- all believe him to be an eminent diviner,
and foreteller of things to come ; by the
fimiliar commerce he has, as they fuppoie,
with the demon, which is reprefented in
his hail, where he gives audience, and re-
ceives vifits, by a ridiculous imperfed fi-
gure, or idol, all over white, as big as a
child of about four years of age : for they
fay, the devil is white, whom the great
Marabou confults about future events, and
has them fo exaflly revealed to him, that
not a fliip arrives on the Ardra coaft, from
Europe^huiwhzX. he knew of fix months before.
They alfo believe, as the Gold-Coaft people
do, that the devil beats them cruelly fom.e-
times : whether it be fo or not, I dare not
affirm ; it is very certain, that feveral of
them are now and then heard to howl,
ihriek, and cry out horribly in the night-
time. And thence proceeds fuch a dread Bareot.
of the demon, that they are ready, as^s^'VNii
fome fay, to facrifice to, and worfhip him,
becaufe of his cruel temper, . in order to
render him lefs mifchievous. If it be true,
that the Ardra people do worfliip this evil
fpirit, we have inftances in authors of other
nations of the known world which do the
fame ; and among them fome Chinefe^ and
other eaftern Indian:, : as alfo an innume-
rable multitude of the American Indians.
The Ardrafians believe the mortality ofMortalitj
human fouls, and that they are annihi-"/^^^/"**^-
lated after death, the flefh putrifying, and
the blood congealing : or that if any men
be exempted from that total annihilation
of body and foul, they are only thofe who
ferve their country in the army, and are
kill'd in fight; and do pofitively affirm,
they have a multitude of examples of fol-
diers, who having been fo kill'd, do not
lie above two days in the grave, but '
return to life again with other features and
lineaments, which renders them unknown to
their friends and acquaintance.
This ftrange opinion is inculcated into
the people, by the crafcy priefts, who are
generally entirely devoted to countenance
the defigns and politicks of the government j
which being very fenfible of the want of na-
tural courage in the Ardrajians, to infufe
fomewhat of it into them, that they may
the better attend the fervice of the army
upon occafion, has thought fit, in all likeli-
hood, to make the priefts infinuate fuch
abfurd notions Into the people. And the
better to delude and confirm them in it,
thofe priefts, who ufually attend the army
in the field, as the Hebrew Levites and priefts
did, (the prieft Banaiab, fon of Joiada,
was one of the mighty men of David, 2 Sam.
xxiii. 20.) are very careful to bury in the
night-time, luch as have been flain in fight i
and afterwards afture them, they are rifen
again from their graves, and that they have
feen them full of life.
Their burials in Ardra, are commonly F««er The kingdom of Benin defcrihed \ its pro-
dtt^' Oedo the capitaU Tirade at Benin. Qoods imported a7id ex-
ported, 7MarketSf Sec.
Course to Benin.
E commonly reckon about fifty five
leagues in a direft courfe eaft and by
north, from the road of Little Ardra., to Rio
Fermofo.) which is Benin river, called alfo Argon
river being the ufual courfe the Hollanders
take to enter that river, to carry on their
trade in the kingdom of Benin. But the
Englijh and the Portuguefe, enter it another
way •, that is, at the channel of L(7^0(75, which
begins at cape Lagoas, diftant about eight or
ten leagues eaft from Liitle Ardra, from
which cape, the coaftruns in a femi-circle,
to Rio Fermofo aforefaid, on the north fide
and the lands Ichoo, or Curamo iflands, lie
oppofite on the fouth of it, all along at fome
diftance, forming thus all together the Z^?-
_go<35 channel, that leads to Benin rwer, which
channel at fome places, and for feveral leagues
together, is no broader than a large river ;
efpecially from the cape of Li^^o^jj aforefaid,
and the fouth-weft point of the largeft of
the Curamo iflands, to the river Lagoa, which
runs from the oppofite north country, into
the Lagoas channel : the fhore on either fides,
from the cape, and the Curamo iflands, being
low and fhallow water, withfands all along,
as it is alfo on either fide of the faid channel,
from Rio Lagoas,to RioFermofo in Benin ; only
the channel there, in fome parts, is very
wide, according as the north, or main fhore
is diftant from the fouth fide fiiore, made up
of the low flat iflands of Curamo. But the
right courfe in that channel, to Benin river,
is on fifteen and fourteen foot of water all
along, from weft to eaft i as is likev/ife the
other channel, eaft of the Curamo iflands,
which, as I have hinted, is the proper channel
ufed by the Dutch \ and both large and deep
enough forbrigantine floops, and other fmall
craft, commonly made ufe of, by the before-
mentioned European nations driving fome
trade a.t Benin among whom, the Hollanders
have the greateft fhare.
For the better knowing of the two feveral
channels to Benin river, I muft obferve, as
to that of Lagoas or Lagos, which I call
the weft channel, that at the mouth, or en-
trance of it into the ocean, betwixt cape
Lagos, a nd the moft weftern ifland of Cu-
ramoi which together with the coaft on either
fide, extending northward from the chan-
nel, there is a bar, which choaks it almoft \^
acrofs, only on the fide of Curamo it leaves |
a pafTage, found out by often founding and
through it you enter the channel of Lagos,
fteering your courfe north-eaft, to the river j
Lagos, that runs into it, from the country
on the north, and gives its name to the faid
channel, according to the Portuguefe, who
firft called it Lago de Curamo. That river
Lagos has a bar, at the entrance into the
Lagos channel, which is fcarce navigable
for boat£, becaufe of the mighty furgcs,
that render it very difficult. The Portuguefe
geographers place Ciudade de Jubu, or city
of Jubu, feveral leagues inland of this river.
From cape Lagos, to Rio Lagos, is fifteen
leagues, the courfe north-eaft, having in
that fpace of land the rivers Rio-Alho and
Rio-Dodo, at a diftance falling into the
channel, and the village Altnata, on the
eaft point of Rio Lagos ; and not far from it,
at eaft again, the town of Curamo, '^^^^^ CMnmo
good fine cloths are made and fold by the^own.
natives to foreigners, who have a good
vent for them at the Gold Coaft efpecially
the Hollanders, who carry thence great quan-
tities, which turn to a good account. Sloops
or bar-canoes are commonly made ufe of
for that trade, as being fmall vefl^els, na-
vigated at an inconfiderable charge, and
making quick voyages.
From Curamo to Rio Pahna, is feven teen o/^cr
or eighteen leagues eaft ; fome towns or vil-^»w«^ '^^^
lages lying on the fhore, betwixt them ; as"'^"'-^'
Aldea de Almadias, Palmar and J ahum, this
laft feated weft of Rio Palma, or Palmar,
from which river to Rio Primeira, is eleven
leagues eaft ; and from Primeira to cape
Ruygehoeck, which is on the weft fide of the
mouth of Rio Fermofo, or Benin river, is
twelve leagues ; the ftiore betwixt both
forming a large bay, in which are three
fmall iflands, near the main, the courfe being
eaft fouth-eaft, to the faid Benin river.
The other eaftern channel, betwixt the
eaftermoft ifland of Curamo, and the main
\2,r\ao{ Benin, is about ten leagues long, the
foundings along the right channel, being
fifteen, twelve, fourteen and fifteen foot,
from fouth to north, to cape Ruygehoeck % the
weftern
]hap. S"- Coafts
rots of feveral kinds.
The Blacks of Benin being no great lo-
vers of fire-arms, and confequently not
Yyyy mil
A Defcriptton of the
Book IV. (
Barbot. well fkillM in the ufe of them, feldom any
^o^'V^ fowl or wild beafts come to hand or when
they catch any, it is by means of nets : tho*
fometimes they kill wild boars and deer
with their javelins-, but that is rare, and
thofe people, being naturally cowards, dare
not venture to hunt lions and tygers : of
which more hereafter.
Avujlcity.
Noble
fireets.
Hmfes.
O ETiO the Capital.
/^EDOy the metropolis of Benin^ ispro-
^ digious large, taking up above fix
leagues of ground in compafs, if we include
therein the queen's court or palace •, fo that
no town in Guinea can compare to it, for
extent and beauty. It is feated about twelve
leagues north north-weft from Agalton^ in
a vaft plain, which is as pleafant as could
be wiflied ; being all over planted with fine
large and ever-green trees, very regularly
difpofed. It is enclos'd oa one fide by a
double ridge of trunks of trees about ten
foot high, fet clofe together in the ground,
for a fence or palifado to it ; tl.ie trunks
faftened to one another by long pieces of
timber athwart, and the interval between
the two ridges or rows of trunks filled up
with red clammy earth ; which at a dil-
tance looks like a good thick wall, very
even and fmooth. The other fide of the
city, is naturally defended by a large mo-
rafs ; which is, befides, covered by thorny
fhrubby buflies very thick together, fo as
that the morafs can hardly be well come at.
The town has feveral gates at a diftance
from each other, on the fide of the wood,
and clay-wall, being but ten foot high,
and five broad, and fhut with one fingle
piece of wood, hung up at each gate, in
the manner as we do our gaps of ground
in Europe : they keep a guard of foldiers
at each gate, which leads to the country
through a fuburb.
There are mOedo thirty very great ftreets,
moft of them prodigious both in length
and breadth, being twenty fathom wide,
and almoft two Englijh miles long, com-
monly extending from one gate to another,
in a ilrait line ; and befides thefe, a great
number of crofs-ftreets and lanes. In the
large wide ftreets, continual markets are kept
in the fore and after-noon every day, of
cattle, elephants-teeth, cotton wool or
yarn, and many forts of European goods :
and all thofe ftreets, though never fo
long and wide, are by the women kept
very neat and clean •, every woman being
charged to fweep before her own door»
The houfes in every ftreet are very thick
and clofe built, and ali full of inhabitants •,
the fliells of the houfes are all of a ftrong
clammy clay, two foot thick, and but one
ftory high, there not being one ftone, tho*
never fo fmall, to be found in the whole
country. The tops are thatched with ftraw
or palm-tree leaves , moft houfes are very
wide, each having a great gallery within,
and fome another without, where they
place forms and benches, to fit or lie onj
to take the frefh air, in hot fcorching wea-
ther. The ordinary houfes have but one
door, and no windows, receiving light only
at a hole left open for that purpofe, in the
middle of the roof, and to let the fmoke
out, in thofe rooms defigned for kitchens.
The beft houfes are very large and hand-
fome, and tolerably well built, if compared
with the buildings of other nations of Blacks.
Each of thofe large houfes is divided into
feveral little rooms, for divers ufes. Their
galleries are very neatly kept, being, as
moft of the infide of the houfe-walls, wafti'd
over with a red glazy paint, as the king of
Seftroh houfes are, before mentioned by me.
The houfes of great and notable perfonSj
are yet finer and larger than thofe of the
commonalty ; for thefe have generally gal-
leries within and without, fupported by ftrong
planks, or pieces of timber ten or twelve
foot high, inftead of columns, not plained,
but hewed out.
This large city is divided into feveral
wards or diftrifts, each of which is governed
by its refpeclive king of the ftreet, as they
call them here, to adminifter juftice, and
keep good order, being in fome manner
like our aldermen of wards in London.
Thefe kings of the ftreet by their poft,
and being commonly rich men, have a
great authority over the inhabitants of their
refpedive wards.
The royal palace ftands on the high rozdiThipaUcif:
leading from Benin to Agatton, at the right
hand ; and is fo large and fpacious, that it
takes up as much room as Rochel or Bour-
deaux^ being all enclofed with a baluftrade
wall, of the fame ftuff and materials, as I
have ftiewn the city is on one fide : how-
ever this palace is accounted, and in reality
makes a part of that great city, being alfo
built on a very great plain; about which
there are no houfes, but has nothing more of
rarity in it, than the other buildings of the
town, only that it is extraordinary large,
the houfes and apartments in it being all of
the fame materials howevei', it is remarka-
ble for its large courts, and long wide gal-
leries.
The firft of v/hich is fupported by "ear^
fixty ftout planks, twelve foot high, in
lieu of pilafters, roughly hacked out.
When paft this gallery, you come to the
clay wall, which has three gates, one at
each angle or corner, and one exadtly in
the middle, adorned with a wooden turret
about feventy foot high, narrower above
than at the bottom ; and on the top of it is
placed a long large copper fnake, its head
hanging
Chap. Coajis of Sou "Tn-Gu inn a.
hanging downwards, either caft or ham-
mer'd, and indifferent good work. Every
building or houfe has alfo a fmall turret, of a
pyramidal form •, on fomeof which is fix'd
a caft bird of copper, with ftretch'd-out
wings j which is alfo a pretty fort of work
for Blacks, and induces me to think they
have tolerable good workmen, that are
fomewhat fkilled in cafting brafs or copper.
Tm other Within thofe gates appears a plain of
galleries, about an Englijh mile, almoft fquare, en-
clofed with a low clay-wall , at the end of
which plain is another gallery, like the
former, in every particular and beyond it
a third, like the other two, with this dif-
ference, that the columns or pilafters, on
which it refts, are human figures, fo ill
carved, that it is a hard matter to diftin-
guifh whether they are the figures of men
or brutes ; and yet the natives divide them
into foldiers, merchants, and hunters of
wild beafts : and under a white carpet or
fheet are eleven men's heads, caft in copper,
but of a very odd fort of work, on each
idols. of which heads ftands an elephant's tooth,
which are the king's idols.
Beyond this gallery, is another large plain
with a fourth gallery at the end of it, and
beyond that again, the king's dwelling- houfe,
adorned with a turret, and a copper caft
fnake as on the firft wall.
Audience- The firft room in the king's houfe at the
chumber. entrance unto the plain or court, is the au-
dience-chamber, where ftrangers are admit-
ted to his prefence, he having then always
by him the three greateft officers of his
court, of whom more ftiall be faid here-
after. There that prince commonly fits on
an ivory couch, under a filk canopy, i^c.
and on his left hand, againft a fine tapiftry,
are feven white fcoured elephant's teeth, on
pedeftals of ivory, which is the way they
have there to place all the king's gods or
idols in the palace.
stables. The king has pretty large ftables there
for his horfes, which are fmall, and not very
handfome, the land affording no better j
but he has a great number of them.
The inhabitants of this large town muft
be all natives of the country, for no fo-
reigners are allow'd to fettle there.
The Benin Blacks not being very labo-
rious, and many of thofe that are wealthy
living near the court ; there are abundance
of families of that fort of gentry in Oedo.,
attending continually in the palace, without
any profeffion leaving all their concerns.
Laborious either in trade or huft)andry, to their wives
women, and flaves, who are continually at all the
fairs and markets in the country round about,
to carry on their hufbands and matters bu-
finefs or elfe ferve there for wages, the beft
part whereof they muft very carefully pay
CO their hufbands or mafters ; which makes
the women there as much flaves as they are Barbqt.
in any other part of the kingdom of Benin i ^"^y^
for, befides their talk of driving their huf-
bands traffick, and tilling their ground, they
muft alfo look after their houfe-keeping and
children, and drefs provifions every day for
their family. But the female fex is there in
a moft peculiar way fo brifk, jolly, and
withal fo laborious, that they difpatch it
all very well, and with a feeming pleafure
and fatisfaftion.
The inhabitants of this great city are for Generem
the generality very civil and good-natured W'^-
people, eafy to be dealt with, condefcending
to what Europeans require of them in a civil
way, and very ready to return double the
prefents we make them ; nay, their gene-
rous temper goes fo far, that they feldom
will deny us any thing we afk of them, tho'
they have occafion for it themfelves : where-
as, on the contrary, if treated with haughti*
nefs and rudely, they are as ftiff and high,
and will not yield upon any account.
They are very nice and exaft in all their
behaviour and deportment, according to
their ancient cuftoms, and will not fuffer
them to be abolifli'd y and to comply with
them in this particular, is a Hire way to
gain their friendftiip, and be ufed by them
with all poffible civility ; being fo liberal
as to give Europeans prodigious quantities of
refreftiments, and more than we really wantj
nay, fome give beyond their ability, to gain
a good reputation among us. They are no
lefs ftudious to be generous in their mutual
prefents to one another.
They are very tedious in their dealings,
infomuch, that fometimes it is the work of
eight or ten days, to bring them to ftrike
a bargain for a parcel of elephant's teeth
but becaufe they behave themfelves very ci-
villy all that while, it is almoft impoffible to
be angry at them.
This mention of their way of trading with
Europeans, induces me to refer many other
obfervations concerning them, to another
place, and to purfue thedifcourfe of trade,
which is the chief fubjedt of this defcription
of Guinea.
Trade of Benin.
TP H E R E are four principal places where
the Europeans trade ; and to which, for
that reafon, the neighbouring inhabitants
refort, as foon as any of our veffels come
to an anchor viz. Boededoe.^Arebo or Arhon,
Agatton or Gotton., and Meihorg.
Boededoe is a village of about fifty houfes Boededoe,
or cottages, built only with rufhes and/r/ flues
leaves, governed by a magiftrate, there"/
called Veador, a Portuguefe word, fignifying
an overfeer with fome other of the king's
officers, who in his name extend their jurif-
di£tion over the whole country round about,
in
A Defcription of the
00 K
the
king's
BARBoT.in civil affairs, and receiving . .^...g,
^■^Y^ duties and taxes for as to criminal cafes
of great moment, they fend to court, and
wait for new inftrudions and authority to
decide them.
Arebo, Areho^ OX Arhon^ is farther up the river
condfUce gf Benin, and a fine long town, pretty well
of trade, j^^^jj^. inhabited 5 the houfes much larger
than at Boededoe, tho* contriv'd after the
fame manner. The town is governed by a
viceroy, who commands over all the adja-
cent country, aflifted by feven other great
officers, as at Boededoe, who are called Ven-
dors, or overfeers. The Englijh and Dutch
have bothlodges or faftories there, and each
of them a faflor of the nation, call'd Mer-
cador or Veador, that is, merchant or over-
feer, mPortuguefe, being a fort of brokers.
Cotton, Cotton or Agatton is a very large town, of
third flacev^\(\'i\\, as well as of Arebo, I have already
cf trade, fpoken in another place. It (lands on a fmall
hill over the river, juft joining to the conti-
nent, and is a very large place •, much more
pleafant and healthful than the others,
the country all aboi.it it being full of
all forts of fruit-trees, and well furnifhed
withfeveral little villages, whofe inhabitants
go thither to the markets, which are held
at Gotton, for five days fucceffively. This
town, as I have faid, is a day's journey from
Great Benin, or Oedo^ the metropolis, and
governed by five Veadors or overfeers.
There is alfo a village called Meihorg,
probably from a Dutch man, who has re-
fided there as faftor for his company and
is a pretty confiderable fidtory.
At all thefe places, the merchants and
brokers, called, as I have obferved, Merca-
dors and Veadors, are appointed by the go-
vernment of Benin to deal with the Euro-
■peans, that refort thither to traffick, by
reafon they can fpeak a fort of broken
Lingua-Franca, and are the very fcum of the
people of the country •, and yet, before we
can come to the bufinefs of trade, we muft:
go thro' many formalities •, and no veffel is
Meiborg,
fourth
flace of
trade.
King's
brokers.
there for themfelves and attendants to lodge
in, and the houfe-keepers muft maintain
and fubfift them all the time they ftay there j
and if any fhould repine at it, they will
certainly be punifhed for it, and the Veadors
may turn them out of their own houfes.
Tht Veadors fihus fettled, at the aforefaid ^f^''^^''^^-
trading towns, firft give a welcome vifit to
the Europeans, newly arrived, being com-
monly dreifed to the greateft advantage,
according to the country fafhion ; and com-
pliment them in the name of the king, the
queen, and the great Veador, kneeling down,
and at the fame time tender their prefents,
which are commonly things of fmall value :
the reft of that day is fpent in feafting
and dancing.
At another vifit they examine all the 5-^^^^
European goods in the factory or lodge, \^ duties.
they are already brought afliore ; and
agree for the king's cuftoms, and their own
fees as brokers, the latter whereof are very
inconfiderable. And the whole charges put
together for every fhip that comes to trade
there, that is, for the king's cuftoms, the
great lords, the governors of towns and
places of trade,- and thefe Mercadors and
Veadors fees, or any other petty charges
and duties accruing hereby to any other per-
fons whatever, feldom exceeds fix pounds
fterling, or twenty five crowns.
Next they fix and adjuft the price ofprkesfes
European spods, which is commonly tht on goods.
fame that was fet on the laft Europeanyti-
fel that was there. But if there be any new
forts of goods, they will fpend a whole
month in confidering and debating on the
price of them, and behave themfelves, du-
ring all that tirne^ to excufe their flownefs,
as I have hinted before j fo that no man can
well fall out with them on that account, they
being extraordinary civil and courteous.
When that is done, the commerce is open Credit
and free for the Europeans: but it oiim^^t^toup,
happens, and is a very great hardfhip on
us, that we are obliged to truft thofe men
allowed to go fo far up the river as Agat- with goods, till they make cloths for pay
ion,, without a fpecial order from the king
of Benin which he ufually grants, as foon
as the European fador or fupercargo has
fent notice to court of his arrival in
the river below. And then the king orders
two of his own Veadors, with twenty or
more of thefe brokers, whom they alfo
call Velhos, or old men who go down all
together to Agatton,, having the privilege to
take every where on the road, what car-
riages, horfes, flaves, i3c. they think con-
venient for performing their journey ; and
no jubjeft dares refufe them^ or if he
fhould, would be feverely punifhed for it,
Thofe men being come to Agmwu or
any of the other trading places befi r- men-
tioned, they pitch on the moft proper houlcs
ment, for which we muft ftay a long time ;
and fometimes fo long, that the feafon being
almoft fpent, provifions confumed, and the
crew either half dead, or very fickly, we
are obliged to depart without the payment
for the goods fo advanced upon credit:
but if we return, they never fail to pay the Jf^fi deaU
whole with abundance of civility. For'"^*
thofe people, above all other Guineans, are
very honeft and juft in their dealings and
have fuch an averfion for theft and robbery,
that by the law of the country, the leaft
ad of that fort, tho' a trifle, efpecially if
ftolen from us Europeans,, is punifhed with
death.
None but the Veadors or brokers can deal
wiih us, and even the greateft perfon of
the
Chap. 5*- - C'^'^y?/ ^/South-Guinea,
the nation dare not enter the European
fa<5lories or lodges, under fevere fines : as
in like manner the Viadors and brokers,
are forbid under heavy raul£ls, or bodily
punifliment, to intermeddle in any manner
of affairs relating to war.
Here follows an exa<5t catalogue of Eu-
ropean goods, commonly imported byway
of trade to Benin, and of the goods we
export from thence in exchange.
Goods Imported and Exported.
'T'O begin with the latter: Cotton cloths,
like thofe of Rio Lagos., before mentio-
ned, women flaves, for men flaves (tho' they
be all foreigners, for none of the natives can
be fold as fuch) are not allowed to be expor-
ted, but mufb ftay there. Jafper-ftones, a few
tyger's or leopard's -llcins ; Accory, or blue
Mue coral. cQxA, zz Ardra; elephant's-teeth ; fome
piemento, or pepper. The blue coral
grows in branchy bufhes, like the red co-
ral, at the bottom of the river and lakes
in Benin ; which the natives have a pecu-
liar art to grind or work into beads like
olives ; and is a very profitable merchan-
dize at the Gold-Co aji, as has been obfer-
ved.
The Benin cloths are of four bands, ilriped
blue and white, an ell and a half long, only
proper for the trade at Sabou river, and
at Angola, and called by the Blacks Mou-
ponoqua, and the blue narrow cloths Amha-
fis j the latter much inferior to the former
every way, and both forts made in the in-
land country.
The European goods are thefe j cloth of
gold and filver, fcarlet and red cloth ; all
forts of calicoes and fine linen \ Haerlem
Huffs, with large flowers and well ftarch'd
iron-bars, ftrong fpirits, rum and brandy •,
beads, or bugles of feveral colours red
velvet, a good quantity of Boejies, or Caw-
ris, as much as for the Ardra trade, being
the mooey of the natives as well as there.
Falfe pearls ; Dutch cans, with red ftreaks
at one end; bright brafs large rings, from five
to five ouncesand a half weight each •, ear-rings
of red glafs or cryftal ; gilt looking-glaflTes,
cryftal, i^c.
Markets.
"DEfides the above-mentioned trading pla-
ces, which are properly for dealing with
Europeans, the king of Benin has appoin-
ted publick markets in many provinces of
his kingdom, for the fubjedts to trade to-
gether, every three days in the week : they
have one at Gotton, to which they bring
from Oedo, Areho, and other circumja-
Goodsfold cent countries, abundance of Benin cloths,
hmarkets.Accory, and feveral forts of eatables and
provifions, living dogs, roafted apes, mon-
kies and rats parrots, chickens, yams,
malaguetta in ftalks, dried lizzards. palm-
Vol, V,
oil, wood for fewel, calabafhes, wooden Barbot.
bowls, troughs, and platters ; abundance '•OT*^
of cotton-yarn, all forts of fifhing-tackle,
and inftruments for hufbandry ; as alfo
carpenters tools, with all other forts of
weapons, as cutlaces, javelins, bucklers, and
women-flaves : with all the various fpecies
of European goods, ufually imported
into this country, bought of the Whites at
Arebo, by the Veadors and brokers \ and
Koffo cloths, which are commonly ex-
changed for Benin cloth?, by the natives,
Koffo is a village, a day's journey eaft of
Oedo, or Benin, not at all frequented by
Europeans.
They have alfo at certain times of the
year, publick markets or fairs appointed,
and kept in large open plains, betwixt Oe~
do and Agatton, near the high-way to
which a great number of people refort from
all the neighbouring places, to buy and
fell goods: and as it is a cuftom there, for
the king to fend his proper officers to the
faid markets to keep the peace and good -^^gulanty
order amongft the people that come to \z,ofthm,
appointing every merchant a proper place,
according to the nature of the goods he deals
in, &c. for that reafon, during the mar-
ket-time, the ordinary juftices of the place
have no manner of authority ; but it is
vefted for that time only in the court-
ofiicers.
The Benin Blacks, as I have hinted be-
fore, are feemingly very courteous and civil,
and on all occafions very ready to ferve one
another in point of trade s yet are they very
miftruftful, and careful not to difcover
their afi^airs, fearing if known to be weal-
thy and rich, fome criminal imputation
would be laid on them, by unjuft infor-
mers of the high rank, in order to fleece
them. Some men in authority here, as well
as in other countries, make no fcruple to
opprefs their poor fellow-fubjefts, under
one pretence or other, though never fo un-
juftly, provided they can fill their pockets.
And therefore, abundance of the natives of
Benin, pretend to be poorer than they re-
ally are, the better to efcape the rapacious
hands of their fuperiors ; and thence chiefly
it is, that they profefs fo much civility and
regard to each other, to gain their mutual
good-will, and avoid being inform'd againft, • •
Europeans are fo much honoured and re- „
r a. ji n ' u l ■ • i Honour
fpedted at Bemn, that the natives give them ^^li^oEu^
the emphatick name or title of Owiorifa, ropeans.
in their dialect, which fignifies children of
God : and in difcourfing with us in perfon,
they often tell us in broken Portuguefe, Vos
[a Dios, or, you are Gods. It is a great
misfortune, that the malignity of the air
is there fo fatal to Europeans, as has been
obferv'd : for there is no nation through-^
out all Guinea^ fo genteel,couiteous and eafy
Z z z z to
36z
A Defcription of the
Book IV«
BARBoTltobe dealt with in point of traffickj ex-
^-yy^'^ cepting their tirefome irrefolutions, and
that they feldom allow us the liberty of
travelling to their chief towns without fome
guards, under pretence of civility ; but in
reality, as if they fufpe6led ftrangers would
fpy the country, and betray them, efpe-
cially at Oedo^ their metropolis. Which how-
ever the D/.'.v/-> nation obtain eafily enough,
as being their old conftant traders, and
moft familiars, and are in great favour at
court, as well as among the common
people : but the Portuguefe they don't like
fo well.
I have already faid fomething of the tm-^^Ph-
ployments of perfons of rank and dignity, ^^"'^^^^
and that there are alfo feveral rich men jnon/ert.
attending continually on the court I muft
add, that the ordinary citizens fpend whole
days, in expedation of European veflels
coming into the river, and repair to the
place they ufually ride at, with what goods
they have. If no fliips come, in fome
while, they fend their flaves to Rio Lagos^
or other places, to buy fifh ; of which they
make a very profitable trade in the inland
countries : and the handicrafts keep to their
work in the towns, (^c.
Hahitof Benin.
C H A P. VI.
Marriages a?id Tolygamy. Circtmcifton, Handicrafts^
jDict. Fimerals. I?iherita?ice,
Habit of Benin.
The men's "^^^ H E men in Benin z.rt generally hand-
drefi. X fomer than the women, and both fexes
drels'd, at leaft, as richly as the Ardraftans.
Their habit is neat and ornamental, almoft
to magnificence, efpecially among the richeft
fort of people, who wear firft a v/hite ca-
lico or cotton cloth, about a yard long,
and half as broad, which is in the form of
drawers and over it a finer white cotton,
commonly about eighteen or twenty yards
long, plaited very ingenioufly in the mid-
dle ; and upon that again a fcarf, about a
y^rd long, and two fpans broad, the end of
it adorned with fringe or lace, much like the
women at the Gold-Coajl : the upper part of
their body is ufually naked. In this habit
they appear commonly abroad ; but at
home, they wear only a coarfe cloth about
their waift, and no drawers, cover'd with
a great painted cloth of their manufadure,
inftead of a cloak. The drefs of the meaner
people is much the fame, a coarfe cloth,
and one painted, not by any exprefs regu-
lation of the government j for every one
there that gets gold may wear it, that is,
drefs himfelf as rich as he is able. They
don't curl their hair, but let it grow as long
as it will, and buckle it in two or three
places, to hang a large Accory coral in it.
Women of the higheft rank, wear fine
cloths of their country make, ingenioufly
chequer'd of feveral colours, but not very
long and buckled together, as is ufed at Fida ;
with this difference, that here the cloth is left
open behind on one fide, and clofe before : for
at Fida it is open before. The upper part
of the body is covered with a beautiful
cloth, a yard long or more, inftead of a veil,
like that which the Gold-Coaft women wear.
They adorn their necks with necklaces
of coral agreeably difpofed ; and their arms
are dreft up with bright copper or iron-
The wo
men's.
rings, called by the Portuguefe name Ma-
nillas ; as are alfo the legs of fome of them °,
and their fingers as thick crouded with
copper-rings, as they can poflibly fet them
on. In this habit they look pretty tole-
rable. They turn up their hair very inge-
nioufly, into great and fmall buckles, and
divide it on the crown of the head like
a coronet, or rather a cock's-comb inver-
ted \ by which means, the fmall curls are
placed in regular order: and fome have
their hair divided into twenty or more
plats and curls, according as it is thick or
thin. Others anoint it with oil extrafted
from kernels of palm-nuts, by roafting
them on the coals, which makes it lofe
its natural black, and growing old, turns
to a fort of yellow, or pale green. Some
again, paint one half of their hair red, and
the other black.
The meaner fort of women differ from
the richer, only in the goodnefs of their
clothes: fome wear a fort of blue calico-
frock or jacket, which hangs down almofl:
to their knees, with a fmall narrow cloth
over their breafts, and load their legs and
arms with bright copper-rings. Their hairs
and heads drefs'd like the others.
The boys and girls go naked; the for-%//»»i
mer till ten or eleven years of age, and^""^^-
the latter till nature difcovers its maturity i
and are both only adorned with fome firings
of Accory^ twifted about their middle.
When come to thofe years, they are per-
mitted tocover themfelves with fome clothes,
with which they are highly pleafed, becaufe
they are then expofed to publick view, being
feated on a fine mat or white fheet, and
vifited by abundance of people, who come
to congratulate, and wifli them joy.
A great number of young men and wo-
men, above twenty years old, go all about
the towns ftaik-naked, with only a red
coral
Chap. (J. Coajls of Sou ru-Gvin-E a.
363
coral or jafper collar-ring at their neck,
being fuch as have not yet obtained leave
of the king, to habit thennfelves, and expeft
an opportunity of getting either a wife or
hulband, which then certainly qualifies them
for being clothed like the other people and
to let their hair grow as long as it can, for
there abundance of people wear their hair
as long as either fex does in Europe. And
it is cuftomary, if a man marries a young
woman, and is not able to buy her clothes,
for her to continue to go naked as fhe did
before ; and he is not allowed to lie with
her, till he can get clothes for her, which
is almoft infamous among them.
No natives Here is alfo another law, that no perfon
Jlaves. whatever, may enter the king's apartment
in his clothes, without a fpecial licence
fo to do •, otherwife he muft ftrip himfelf
ftark-naked, thereby to approve the more,
that he is the king's flave ; a qualification,
which every individual fubjedt, of what
' dignity foever, boafts of : tho' they are all,
as I have hinted before, free men ; and
there are no other real male-flaves in Benin,
than what are brought from foreign nations.
No mar-
riage cere-
mony.
Marriages and Polygamy.
TJ'VER Y man may marry as many wo-
men as he can maintain ; and they obferve
their marriages, which
Widows
horo dif-
pos'd of.
few ceremonies in their marriages,
are generally thus. The man having made
his addreffes to the parents of the young
woman, who feldom deny the demand,
on the day appointed, the bridegroom dref-
fes his bride as richly as his circumftances
will allow him, with a whole fuit of clothes,
necklaces and bracelets and then treats
the relations on both fides, not altogether
at his own houfe, or elfewhere, but
fends each of them to their own habita-
tion, part of the victuals and drink that
he has provided for that folemnity : this
done, the marriage is concluded. The dif-
ference betwixt the wedding of great and
mean perfons is only, that the former treat
more fplendidly than the latter.
Women are commonly married at twelve,
thirteen or fourteen years of age •, and as
foon as provided with a husband, the pa-
rents think no more of them, than if they
were out of the world.
Thofe whofe husbands happen to die
without leaving iflue by them, belong to
the king, who difpofes of them as he thinks
fit *, and fuch as become widows before the
confummation of matrimony, fall to the
and if they chance in the profecution ofBAiiBor.
their trade to get a boy, they are, ijfo C^'VNJ
fa^Oy exempted for ever from the tribute,
and allowed to follow on their calling un-
difturbed, as long as they pleafe : but if,
inftead of a boy, the harlot has a girl, the
tax continues, and the girl is maintained at
the king's charge, who is afterwards to pro-
vide a husband for her, when come to a pro-
per age.
Thofe publick proftitutes are alfo by law Ftdlick
fubordinate to fome aged matrons, who/"''2/^''*"^^'
fhare in their profits, and into whofe hands
they are to pay the tax laid on them,
for them to repay it into the great trea-
furer's hands, for the ufe of the king.
It is hard to conceive how lafcivioiis and
wantonly thofe common harlots behave
themfelves, to promote their trade •, and not
only they, but generally fpeaking, the o-
ther women are extremely loofe in their be-
haviour, tho' they are not very ready to give
themfelves over to Europ^^a/.'s, fearing the
punifliment the laws of the country inflict
on adulterous women : but the Blacks there,
are not fo concerned at our converfing with
their wives, as they are jealous of them
with their own countrymen. They have fo
good an opinion of iht Whites, that "fihtn court efy to
we give them a vifit, if fome unavoidable Europe-
bufinefs calls them away, they not only^"^'
freely leave us alone with their wives, but
charge them to divert us well whereas,
no Black is allowed to come near their
apartment, a cuftom very rigidly obferved
throughout all the country : for when a
man there is vifited by another, his wives
immediately retire to another part of the
houfe, fo as they may not be feen but
if the vifitant be an European, they flay
in the room, knowing it is the husband's
will, and contrive all the ways they can
to pleafe, all their happinefs depending on
them, becaufe the men are abfolute mailers
of their wives.
The wives of perfons of great rank and
diftinftion are, for the moil part, fhut up
very clofe, to obviate all occafions of tranf-
grelTion but, the inferior forts of women
go every where, as their work and bufinefs
calls them, and that without any reflec-
tion.
If a woman is left a widow, and has widows.
fome male-ilTue by her deceafed husband,
fhe can never marry again, without the
confent of her fon : or if he be too young,
and not come to years of difcretion, the man
king's fon, who, like his father, can marry who offers to marry her, is obliged to pre
them again as he pleafes •, and if they are very
handfome, will marry them himfelf. Some
other fuch widows, are alfo allowed by the
prince, to proflitute themfelves as publick
whores, paying a certain tribute to the
king in Boejies^ the money of the country :
fent the boy with a woman-flave to wait
on him •, which, afterwards, may alfo be his
concubine. In cafe, the widow bride fhould
commit any fault that is punifhable, either
by divorce or flavery, the husband cannot
difpofe of her, according to the arbitrary
pre-
3^4 -A Defer ipt it
Barbot. prerogative of husbands over their wives,
"-OT^ without the king's confent firft had, and
next her fon's and if we may credit what
the Blacks fay of the authority fuch a fon
there has over his widow mother, he can
even make her a flave.
No Black there is to lie with any of his
wives that is brought to bed, till the child
be twelve or fifteen months old, or can walk
of itfelf ; but confidering the great number
of wives they maintain, they may eafily
comply exadly with this cuftom.
The Hebreivs abftained from their wives,
not only whilft they were with child, and
had other indifpofitions of women, but alfo
all the time they fuckled, and nurfed their
children •, which commonly laded three
years : and we do not find that the women
were excufcd from nurfing their own chil-
dren and after being delivered of a male
child, they were by the law, Levit. xii. to
keep thirty days of purification; and for a
girl, two weeks more. ,
Menftruous women are reckoned fo un-
clean, that they are not permitted fo much
as to enter their hufbands houfes, to touch
any thing, drefs diet, clean the houfe, which
is the taf!^ of all women there, nor even to
look into, much lefs enter other men's houfes :
but during their uncleannefs, muft refide in
a feparate houfe ; and when it is over, they
wafli themfelves, and are reflored to their
. former employments in their hufbands houfe.
The Ifraelites, by the Leviiicalhw, were
forbid, not only menflruous women, but any
thing that fuch a woman had touched, Levk.
XV. 19, to 28. and thofe women kept retired
in a feparate room or place for a fortnight.
Thofe people in general are extremely
prolifick, the women being very fruitful,
and the men lufty and vigorous, and each
luiving a great number of wives. They va-
lue a fruitful woman very much, and a
barren one is as much defpifed.
children. ^^'^ woman that is big with child, is not
allowed even her own hufband's carefTes,
till fhe is delivered : and when brought to
bed of a male child, it is prefented to the
king, as of right belonging to him ; and
therefore all the males of the country are
called the king's flaves, as has been obferved.
If Ihe is deliver'd of a girl, it is accounted
to belong properly to her father, who keeps
and maintains her till fhe be capable of ma-
trimony, and then marries her when and
to whom he thinks proper.
J a Both fexes are faid to be lafcivlous, and
[obriety. It IS alcribed to the pardon-wme they drmk,
and good earing, which together invigo-
rate nature : however, they are feldom or
never heard to talk obfcenely, as believing
things of that nature are defign'd for ob-
fcure privacy, and very improper to be
talked of; or if any do, it is by circumlo-
m of the Book IV.
cutions, and moft diverting fables and alle-
gories, tending that way ; and he that can
cleanly exprefs himfelf in that manner,
pafTes for a wit. Wherein they are more
polite than the people at the ^aqua and
Gold Coaft ; where the Blacks generally di-
redt all their difcourfes to lewdnefs, and
that in the mofi: broad and obfcene words,
and even geffcures ; nor are the Benin Blacks
fo much addifted to drink to excefs, as
thofe at the Gold Coaft.
If we may credit the natives, their king
has above fifteen hundred wives, as by right
inheriting all the wives of his predeceiTor,
and thofe of many private perfons.
It feems probable, from the words of the
^ro'^'htt Nathan zo kvngDavid, 2 Sam.'&u. 8.
And I gave thee thy mafter''s houfe,and thy maf-
ter's wives into thy bofom^ &c. that this cuflom
was eflablifhed among the eaflern kings ;
after which model, it is apparent enough,
king Saul., predectfTor to David., had form'd
his court and family, of all which David
had taken pofTefTion after his untimely death,
and by the toleration of polygamy, in thofe
days among thelfrarlites: however, interpre-
ters exclude the mother ofMical,one. ofSaurs
wives ; with whom they fuppofe David could
not co-habit, Mical being his firft wife.
Thofe women with whom the king has
co-habited, can never marry^ again after
his death ; but are then fhut up in a kind
of Seraglio., and there kept and waited on by
eunuchs : and if any of them fhould be found
to have to do with a man, fhefuffers death
without any remifTion, as does the adul-
terer, tho' of never fo great quality.
In all parts of Benin, except at Arehn,
they honour women who have two children
at a birth, and look upon it as a good pre-
fage, and the king is immediately inform'd
of it, who caufes publick rejoicings to be
made, with all forts of mufick ; and if the
woman fo delivered of twins is not capable
of fuckling both the babes, her hufband
provides a wet nurfe, whofe child is dead,
for one of them^ But at Arehon^ by a mu-
nicipal law, they treat the twin-bearing wo- inhumm
man barbaroufly, and kill both the mother
and infants immediately, as a facrifice to
a certain demon, which they firmly believe
to be hovering continually in a wood near
Arebon % unlefs the hufband be fo fond of her
as to buy her off, by facrificing a woman-
flave in her place, and it is but very feldom
that any man fails of doing fo. But as for
the innocent twins, they are to die withoiJt
redemption ; and muft be offered up in facri-
fice, by an irrevocable and favage law :
which barbarous cuftom is very grievous to
the tender mothers of fuch miferable vidims.
This favage law is of fuch force at Arebon,
that there have been examples of a prieft,
whofe wife being fo delivered of two chil-
dren
Chap.
Coafls of South-Guinea.
3^?
dren at a birth, and fhe redeemed by the
offering of a flave, according to cuftom,
the poor prieft was obliged with his own
hands to facrifice his own twin-infants, as
indifpenfably bound to it by hjs priefbhood.
And thus, as the Pfalmijl fays of pagans,
Pfal. cvi. 37, 38.
To fiends their fons and daughters the
Did offer up and fay :
. . ^ ■ Tea, with unkindly murthering knife.
The guiltlefs blood they fplit.
Tea, their own fons and daughters blood
Without all caufe of guilt.
However, this favage cuftom has in procefs
of time made fach imprefiions on married
men, that when the time of their wives
delivery draws near, they fend them to
another country, fearing a twin-birth: and
perhaps by degrees they may abolilli fuch
an inhuman law, founded on this extrava-
gant notion, that it isimpoffible for a man
to get a woman with child of two children
at a time, and therefore look upon it as a pro-
digy, or monftrous •■, and that they ought
to be made away prefenrly, to atone their
gods, who otherwife would certainly plague
the whole land with fome terrible calamities.
ixtrava- The wood near Arehon., where the Blacks
gantno- fondly believe the demon lies lurking, is fo
tions. venerable and facred to the inhabitants of
that diftridt, that they never permit any
foreign men or women to enter it.
If any native unawares happens on a path
which leads to this wood, he is obliged to
go to the end of it before he turns back
and they are firmly prepoiTeffed, that if
the law concerning twin-births be violated
in the leaft particular, the land will cer-
tainly be afflicted with fome great plague.
However, looking upon us IVhite men as
a fort of gods, as I have hinted before,
they do not think the facred wood defiled
by our entering it as often as we think fit,
to (hoot, or by our turning back before
we have gone half way to the end of the
path i which fome Europeans have done, de-
fignedly, to ridicule their ftupid credulity,
which doth not a little ftagger the faith of
fome, when they fee their boldnefs attended
by no ill events. But the cunning priefts im-
mediately fatisfy fuch doubtful perfons, by
telling them, that the demon, to whom
they facrifice human blood, does not trouble
himfelf with fVhite men, who are gods as
well as himfelf-, but if any Black fhould
prefume fo to do, he would foon feel, by
feme dreadful accident, the indignation of
the god inhabiting the facred grove.
Circumcision.
'TPHOSE people precifely obferve the
^ ceremony of circumcifing every indivi-
dual perfon, either male or female, fome at
eight, others fourteen days after they are
born. The boys, as ufual, by taking off
Vol. V.
the fore-fkin, and the girls by a fmall am-BA RBOT.
putation in the private parts. Befides ^^V^
which, they make fmall incifions all over^^^J""!*
the bodies of the infants, reprefenting fome'"' '
figures ; but more of them are ufually made
on the girls, for the greater ornament, ac-
cording to their parents fancies : tho' this
fort of operation is very painful to the poor
tender babes, as mangling their bodies ; but
being a great fafhion, every body will a-
dorn their children after that manner.
When children are feven days old, the
parents -make a fmall fcafl, believing them
to be-fhen pafi: danger : and to prevent evil
fpifits from doing them any mifchief, they
ilrew all the ways with eatables, ready
dreffed, to appeafe, and render them fa-
vourable to the babe.
When we aflv thofe Blacks who introduced
circumcifion, and the looking upon men-
flruous women as unclean, becaufe it favours
much of Judaifm ; they generally anfwer,
they do not know, but that thofe cuftoms
have been handed down from their fore-
fathers, from generation to generation.
Handicrafts.
'T' H E chief handicrafts there are fmiths,
carpenters, leather-dreiTers and weavers ;
but all their workmanfhip is fo very clumfy,
that a boy who has ferv'd a few months ap-
prenticefhip in Europe., would out-do them.
D
I E T.
^T^ H E natives of Benin are generally
wealthy, and eat and drink of the belt
the country affords. The ordinary diet of
the rich people, is beef, mutton, and
chickens, with yams for bread ; which, after
tliey have boiled, they beat very fine, and
make cakes of them. They frequently treat
one another, and are very ready to give
part of what they can fpare to the poor.
Their drink is water and brandy, when they
can get it. The meaner fort feed ufually
on fmoak'd, or dried fifh. Their bread is
yams, as with the former, bananas and
beans ; their drink is water and pardon-
wine, which, as I faid before, is none of the
beft.
The king, great lords, and officers in
government, who are indifferently rich, fub-
fift many poor at their place of refidence,
on their charity ; employing thofe who are
fit for any work, to help them to live ; all
for God's fake, as they fay, and to obtain
the character of being charitable ; fo that
there are no beggars, nor many remarkably
poor in this nation.
Priests Physicians.
nr HESE people are nothing near fo
* concern'd, or afraid of death, as thofe
of Fida, and Ardra ; but afcribe the brevity
or length of life, to God's determination :
. 5 A yet
A Dejcription of the
Book IV,
Bareot. yet are very ready, on the leaft indifpofition,
wv-w iQ feek all proper remedies and means, to
prolong life as much as they can. Befides,
when fick, they immediately fend for the
prieft, who is commonly their phyfician,
as they are on the Gold-Coaft. He firft ad-
minifters the ufual herbs, and if they prove
ineffectual, he has recourfe to facrifices to
their idols ; and, as it is done at the Gold-
Coafl^ if the patient doth not recover, the
doftor is difmiffed, and another called, in
hopes that his fkill may be greater. If the
fick perfon recovers, that prieft and phyfi-
cian is well paid, and much valued and
refpefted. Such a prieft will foon grow rich
by his phyfick, which is moft of their de-
pendance •, for as to offerings and religious
fervices, except in this particular, every
man there offers his own facrifices to his
idols, without a prieft.
F U N- E R A L S.
A S foon as a perfon expires, his corps is
■ waflied and cleanfed and that of a na-
tive of Oddo, the metropolis, who happens
to die at a very diftant place, is perfedlly
dried up over a gentle fire, and put into a
cofnn, clofe glued, and foconvey'dto that
city, to be there interred : and tho' a con-
veniency to carry it, does not offer in feveral
years, they keep the corps in the cofiin
above ground.
They obferve publick mourning for their
dead fourteen days: the neareft relations,
hufband or wives, with their flaves, lament-
ing and crying about the corps, to the tune
of feveral mufical inftruments, but with
confiderable ftops and intervals,during which
they drink very plentifully.
When a woman dies, her friends com-
monly take the trunks, kettles, pots, and
other necefTaries fhe had made ufe of in her
life- time, and carry them on their heads,
all about the ftreets of the town, attended
by muficians, drummers, ^c. fmging her
praifes.
Cruel fn- If was a perfon of diftindlion, they
mrals, maffacre thirty or forty flaves on the day of
her burial •, and one has been known to
have had feventy-eight flaves thus f^crificed
on her account, which were all her own ; and
to complete the even number of eighty,
as fhe had ordered before her death, they
murdered two young children, a boy and
a girl, whom fhe had loved extremely.
Thus few or no perfons of note die there,
but it cofts the lives of many others, who
are inhumanly flaughtered, to wait on the
deceafed in the grave : but this horrid tra-
gedy is more crudly afted at a king's death,
as lhall be obferved hereafter.
Mourn'n ^^^Y commonly bury the dead in their
€0nmnL!^^^ apparel, and kill more or lefs flaves to
"wait on them, according to their quality.
The funeral ceremonies commonly laft feven
or eight days, with lamentations, fongs,
dances, and hard drinking ; and fome have
taken up a corps again after it was interred
in all due formalities, to repeat the cere-
monials of mourning and burial ; and to
flaughter as many more men and beafts,
on their account, as was done at firft. When
the funeral is over, every perfon retires to
his own home, and the next relations, which
continue in mourning, bewail the dead for
feveral months fuccefTively ; fome.with their
hair fhaved, others their beards, or half
their heads.
Inheritan
c E.
nn H E right of inheritance devolves in the wives h-
following manner. A hufband is,^ the »«-
fole heir to his wife her children being de-^^'""^'
prived of all fhe poffelfed, except what flie
was pleafed to beftow on them during her
life-time •, but, on the other hand, women
cannot inherit their hufband's eft-ate, not the
very leaft thing, but all is at the king's dif-
pofal, and even the woman herfelf, as has
been already obferved.
Among deceafed perfons of diftindifjn, the EUeJl foa
eldeft fon is the fole heir, upon condition ^w.
he pay the king a flave by way of herriot ;
and another to the great lords ; and pe-
titions them ad formam, that he may be al-
lowed to fucceed his dead father in the fame
quality : which the king commonly grants j
and fb he is declared the lawful heir of all
his father's goods and chattels j of which he
beftows no more on his younger brothers,
than what he pleafes. If his mother be ftill
alive, he allows her a maintenance fuitable
to her rank •, befides permitting her to keep
whatever his father had given her, in his
life-time. And as to his father's other wives,
efpecially thofe that never had any child by
him, he takes them home to him, and ufes
them as his own thofe he does not like
fo well, are alfo taken home with their
children, but fet to work, the better to
fubfift them, and he has no manner of com-
merce with them, in the nature of married
people: and of this laft fort of widows
there are great numbers.
If the deceafed perfon leaves no iffue of other heksl
his body, his brother inherits all he was
polTeffedof; and when no brother, the next
a-kin is his heir : and if no heir at all, then
the king is the heir, according to law.
The crown of Benin is likewife hereditary 5
firft to the eldeft fon of the king, and in
default of iffue from him, to the king's
brother, or his iffue male, as I fhall fhew
hereafter : which brin^^s me to fpeak, in
the following chapter, ' of the government
of Benin, of the king's prerogative, ad-
miniftraticnof juftice, and religion of the
'r^^ CHAP.
Chap. 7- Coafts South-Guinea.
3^7
CHAP. VII.
Qo'vemment of BQnm. l^he kings prerogative. His rcve^me, wars, anny^
His appearing abroad. Jiidience to Euro^ezns. Siirial of kings. En'
tbroning of theiu. ^Uf2ifhme7tts for crimes. Several trials. Iffaboj Ja-
boe, Oedoba, Biafra, a7id other kingdoms briefly dcfcribed.
Government.
Three ^~T^ H E government of Benin is princi-
^rime mi- JL pally veiled, in the king, and three
nifiers. chief minifters, called great Veadors •■> that
is, intendants, or overfeers : befides, the
great marflial of the crown, who is entruftcd
with the affairs relating to war, as the three
others are with the adminiftration of juftice,
and the management of the revenue ; and
all four are obliged to take their circuits
throughout the feveral provinces, from time
to time, to infped into the condition of the
country, and the adminifcration of the go-
vernors and juftices in each diftri6l, that
peace and good order may be kept as much
as pofTible. Thofe chief minifters of ftate,
have under them, each his own particular
officers and affiftants in the difcharge of
I their pofts and places. They call the firft
I of the three aforementioned minifters of ftate,
the Onegwa, the fecond OJfade, and the third
j^rribon.
The king's They refide conftantly at court, as being
couadl. |;he king's privy council, to advife him on
all emergencies and affairs of the nation ;
and any perfon that wants to apply to the
prince, muft addrefs himfelf firft to them,
and they acquaint the king with the peti-
tioner's bufinefs, and return his anfwer ac-
cordingly : but commonly, as in other coun-
tries, they will only inform the king with
what they pleafe themfelves ; and fo, in his
name, aft very arbitrarily over the fubje6ls.
' Whence it may well be inferred, that the
government is entirely in their hands ; for
it is very feldom they will favour a perfon
fo far, as to admit him to the king's pre-
fence, to reprefent his own affairs to that
prince : and every body knowing their great
authority, endeavours on all occaftons, to
gain their favour as much as poftible, by
large gratifications and prefents, in order to
fucceed in their affairs at court, for which
reafon their offices and pofts are of very
great profit to them.
Other ma- Befides thefe four chief minifters of ftate,
gifirates. there are two other inferior ranks about
the king : the firft is compofed of thofe
they call Reis de Runs, fignifying in Por-
ttiguefe, kings of ftreets, fome of whom
prefide over the commonalty, and others over
the flaves-, fome again, over military af-
fairs others, over affairs relating to cattle,
^nd the fruits of the earth, ^c, there be-
ing fupervifors or intendants, over every
thing that can be thought of, in order to
keep all things in a due regular way.
From among thofe Reis de Ruas, xhty Governors,
commonly chufe the governors of provin-
ces and towns ; but every one of them is
fubordinate to, and dependent on, the afore-
mentioned great Veadors, as being generally
put into thofe employments, by their re-
commendation to the king, who ufually
prefents each of them, when fo promoted
to the government of provinces, towns or
difirifts, with a ftring of coral, as an en-
fign or badge of this office ; being there
equivalent to an order of knighthood in
European courts.
They are obliged to wear that ftring ^ „
continually about their necks, without cy^YgoSm-
daring to put it off, on any account what-
foever ; and in cafe they lofe it by care-
leffnefs, or any other accident, or if ftolen
from them, they forfeit their heads, and
are accordingly executed, without remiffion.
And there have been inftances of this na-
ture, five men having been put to death
for a ftring of coral fo loft, tho' not intrin-
fically worth two-pence : the officer, to
whom the chain or ftring belonged, becaufe
he had fufferedit to be frolen from him,
the thief who own'd he had ftolen ic, and
three m.ore who were privy to it, and did
not timely difcover it.
This law is fo rigidly obferved, that the
officers fo entrufted \nz\\ a ftring of corai
by the king, whenfoever they happen tp
lofe it, though it be taken from about
their necks by main force, immediately fay,
/ atn a dead man ; and therefore regard
no perils, though ever fo great, if there
be hopes of recovering it by force, from
thofe who have ftolen it. Therefore, I ad-
vife all fea-faring Europeans., trading to
thofe parts, never to meddle with the
ftrings of coral belonging to any fuch offi-
cers, not even in jeft; becaufe the Black
that permits it, is immediately fent for to
the king, and by his order clofe imprifoned,
and put to death.
The fame punifhment is inflided on any
perfon whatfoever, that counterfeits thofe
ftrings of coral, or has any in his poffef-
fion, without the king's grant.
That we have here called coral, is made
of a pale red codile earth or ftone, ancj
very
5^8
A Defmption of the
BAR".oT.very well glazed, much refembling red
C«^''VNJ fpeckled marble, which the king keeps in
his own cuftody, and no body is allowed,
as I have faid, to wear it, unlefs honoured
by the prince with fome poft of truft in
the nation.
Third fort The third rank of publick minifters or
oj ojpcen. officers, is that of the Mercadors^ or mer-
chants ; Fulladors, or interceffors ; the Veil-
hos, or elders, employed by the king, in
affairs relating to trade: all which are alio
diftinguifhed from the other fubjefts, not
in office or poft, by the fame badge of a
coral-ftring at their neck, given each of
them by the king, as a mark of honour.
All the faid officers, from the higheft to
the loweft, being men that love money,
are eafily bribed : fo that a perfon fentenc'd
to death, may purchafe his life, if he is
wealthy in Boejies, the money of this coun-
try ; and only poor people are made ex-
amples of juftice, as we fee is no lefs prac-
tifed in Europe: yet it being the king's
intention, that juftice ffiould be diftributed,
without exception of perfons, and malefiftors
rigidly punilhed according to the laws of the
realm, the officers take all poffible care
to conceal from him, that they have
been bribed, for preventing the execution
of any perfon condemn'd.
'I'he King's Prerogative.
H E king of Benin is abfolute ; his will
being a law and a bridle to his fub-
jefts, which none of them dare oppofe ;
and, as I have hinted before, the greatefi:
men of the nation, as well as the inferior
fort, efteem it an honour to be called the
king's ilave, which title no perfon dares af-
fumewithout the king's particulargrant and
that he never allows but to thofe, who, as
foon as bom, are by their parents pre-
fented to him : for which reafon, fome ge-
ographers have thought, that the king of Be-
nin was religioufly adored by all his fubjeds,
as a deity. But that is a miftake, for the
qualification of the king's flaves, is but a
bare compliment to majefty ; fince none of
No natives ^'"'^ natives of Benh2, can by the law of the
Jlmes. land, be rmde flaves, on any account, as
has been obferved before.
King and "^''^^ prefent king is a young man, of an
queen-mo- affable beh . viour. His mother is ftill li-
ther. ving, to whom he pays very great refpedl
and r( - 'erencf J and all the people after his
ex^mplf hofvour her. She lives a-part from
hei fon ir. her own palace out of the city
OedG^ Vi(i!ere fhe keeps her court, waited
on, and ferved by her proper officers, wo-
men ^.nd rnaius. The king, her ion, ufes
to take her advice on many important af-
fairs of ftate, by the miniflry of his ftatef-
raen and counfellor; : for the king there is
not to fee his own mother, without danger
of an infurreftion of the people againft him,
according to their conftitutions. The palace
of that dowager is very large and fpacious,
built much after the manner, and of the fame
materials, as the king's, and thofe of other
great perfons.
The king's houfliold is compos'd of aGrm
great number of officers of fundry forts,
and flaves of both fexes, whofe bufinefs is
to furnifli all the feveral apartments with
all manner of neceffiries for life and conve-
niency,as well as the country affords. The
men officers, being to take care of all that
concerns the king's tables and ftables and
the women, for that which regards his
wives and concubines : which all together
makes the concourfe of people fo great at
court, with the ftrangers reforting conti-
nually to it every day about bufinefs, that
there is always a vaft croud, running to
and fro, from one quarter to another. It ap-
pears by ancient hiffory, that it v/as the
cuftom of the eaftern nations, to have only
women, to ferve them within doors, as
officers in the king's houfes. David being
forced to fly before Ahfalom his fon, and
to leave Jerufalem his capital, to fhelter
himfelf in fome of his fl:rong cities beyond
Jordan, left ten of his concubines for the
guard of his palace.
The king being very charitable, as yvtWchmt^^
as his fubjedls, has peculiar officers about
him, whofe chief employment is, on certain
days, to carry a great quantity of provifions,
ready dreffed, which the king fends into the
town for the ufe of the poor. Thofe men
make a fort of proceffion, marching two
and two with thofe provifions in great or-
der,preceded by the head officer, with a long
white flafi^ in his hand, like the prime court-
officers in England ; and every body is ob-
liged to make way for him, tho' of never fo
great quality,
Befides this good quality of being chari-
table, the king might be reckoned juft
and equitable, as defiring continually his
officers to adminifter juftice exa6lly, and
to difcharge their duties confcientioufly :
befides that, he is a great lover of Euro-
peans, whom he will have to be well treated
and honoured, more efpecially the Dutch
nation, as I have before obferved. But his
extortions from fuch of his fubjefls as are
wealthy, on one unjuft pretence of other,
which has fo much impoveriflied many of
them, will not allow him to be look'd up-
on as very juft.
Hefeldom pafies one day, without hold-
ing a cabinet council with his chief mini-
fters, for difpatching of the many affairs
brought before him, with all poffible ex-
pedition ; befides, the appeals from infe-
rior courts of judicature in all the parts of
the kingdom, and audiences to ftrangers,
or
Chap. 7. Coajis of Sour h-G u i n e a.
S69
or concerning the affairs of war, or other
emergencies of ftate.
! Revenue.
H E king's Income is very great, his
•'■ dominions being fo large, and having
fuch a number of governors, and other in-
ferior officers, each of whom is obliged, ac-
Severd according to his poft, to pay into the king's
treafury fo many bags of Boejies, fomemore,
fomelefs, which all together amount to a pro-
digious fum ; and other officers of inferior rank
are to pay in their taxes in cattle, chicken,
fruits, rootsandcloths,orany other things that
can be ufeful to the king's houfhold : which
is fo great a quantity, that it doth not coft
the king a penny throughout the year to
maintain and fubfift his family •, fo that
there is yearly a confiderable increafe of
money in his treafury. Add to all this, the
duties and tolls on imported or exported
goods, paid in all trading places,to the refpec-
tive Veadors, and other officers, v^^hich are
alfo partly conveyed to the treafury and
were the coUeftors thereof juft and honeft,
fo as not to defraud the prince of a confide-
rable part, thefe would amount to an in-
credible fum.
Wars.
npHIS prince is perpetually at war, with
one nation or other, that borders on
the northern part of his dominions, and
fometimes with another north-weft of his
kingdom, which are all potent people,
but little or not at all known to Euro-
peans, over whom he obtains from time
to time confiderable advantages fubduing
large portions of thofe unknown countries,
and raifing great contributions, which are
partly paid him in jafper, and other valu-
able goods of the produd of thofe coun-
tries. Wherewith, together with his own
plentiful revenue, he is able upon occafion
to maintain an army of an hundred thou-
fand horfe and foot ; but, for the moft
part, he doth not keep above thirty thou-
fand men, which renders him more formi-
dable to his neighbours, than any other
Guinea king ; nor is there any other through-
j out all Guinea, that has fo many vafials and
I Tributary tributary kings under him ; as for inftance,
pinces. thofe of Iftanna, Forcadoy Jahoe, IJfabo and
j Oedoba, from whom he receives confide-
I rable yearly tributes, except from him of
Ijjabo^ who tho' much more potent than all
the others, yet pays the leaft.
Army.
G^
ver, isefteemed, and very famous among
them, for his intimate familiarity with the
devil, and for being an eminent magician i
whofe prerogatives are fuch, that he can at
his will, caufe the fea either to advance
or draw back, and foretel the moft remote
events in regard whereof, the king has be-
ftowed on him and his heirs for ever, all the
lands of the territory of Loebo, with all the
flaves that were therein : and from his name
the town was called Loebo. This prieft is
counted in the rank of their chief facrificers,
and fo dreaded by all the people, that none
dares come near him, much lefs to touch his
hand, the king's envoys not excepted.
I have obferved before, that thofe people
ufe the ceremony of circumcifion in men
and women, as rendring them much bet-
ter qualified to ferve their idols, and far
more acceptable to the deity and thus con-
clude the defcription of the kingdom of Benin,
It remains now, to give a fhort account
of the adjacent kingdoms of IJfabo^ Jaboe
and Oedoha, and of the neighbouring terri-
tories, which all are fubjedt and tributary
to the government of Benin.
B
IsSABO KlNGD OM,
Orders at the weft on Benin •, but the
natives can tell us no more of it than
this, that it abounds in horfes, which the
natives ufe much in war. And not many
years ago, they made an incurfion into
Benin with an army of horfe, thinking tO'^*''^^''-
have gained fome confiderable advantage,
by fo fudden a furprize but the king
of Benin having had timely notice of their
defign, ordered abundance of pits to be
made in that part of the plain, through
which they were of neceffity to march,
and to cover them over flightly with earth ;
and when the IJJabo cavalry approached
the plain, the Benin men feigning to give
ground, drew them eafily into the fnare,
which caufed a terrible flaughter among
them ; the Benin army giving no quarter
but only to fome of the prime men, who
engaged, that their country ftiould for the
future be obliged to pay an annual tribute.
Jaboe
A Defcription of the - " Book
BURBOT. Jaboe and Oedoba. funs round the Bight Guinea., or gulph
T^H E S E kingdoms join to Benin on the of Ethiopia.^ and to four degrees of fouth
north-eaft, but there is fo little inter- latitude, whence has been taken the name
courfe between the people, that we can of the coaft of Biafra. This kingdom
learn nothing of them, but that they are northward borders on thofe of Jfago and
both tributaries to the king of Benin ; and Gabou i eaftward it extends to the king-
that there are other kingdoms called Gabon dom of Medra-, weftward to that of Benin,
and Ifago., lying about eight days journey and fouthward to that of Gabou, lying at
above Oedo, upon the river Fermofa; which agooddiftance from thefea, and receivesthe
to the northward border on the kingdom name from its metropolis, which Hues pla-
of 5/7I- ?•>•••...■•://•;: -M
The true coaft from cape Fermofa to Rio-
Real, is to keep in ten fathom water, where
is alfo the befl anchorage there, and all
round the bight, and not nearer, becaufe of a mark from the fea, to know the river,
■the feveral loofe fands between ten fathoms Very few fhips go as high up zsNewCa
and the fhore.
Nonrmr. The firfl of the feven rivers that fhow
themfelves in this tra£t of land, isRioNon,
four leagues eafl of cape Fermofa.
The fecond river, farther eafb, is Rio
Oddy, or Malfonfa, or Fonfoad-y, or S. Bento
Oddy
river.
lobar town : for it is much better to ride
at Fokoy which is not fo much molefled
with the mofquettoes, as New Calabar
town.
A fmall fiiip may very well venture
upon the channel at Foko point, with the
remarkable, being fouth of it, in feven fa- tid^e, and fail fo near the fliore, as to fpeak
thom water, from two tall capes or heads
it has on both fides of its mouth ; the land
within the heads being flat and low : there
are alfo two thickets of trees, high and lofty,
on the eafl; fide of the river, not far from
each other ; the coafl: low and level.
The third is that o^Filana or JuanDias.
The fourth is that of S. Nicholas ox Lempta.
The fifth is Rio de S. Barbara, or Rio
with the Blacks on the land. But, as has
been obferved, Bandy point is the deepeft
channel at flack water.
The town of Foko is fome leagues up the
river, on the wefl: fide of it, and that of
Bandy, on the eaft fide oppofite to Foko ; and
there being feveral other villages and hamlets,
difperfed along the river on the eaft or wefl-,
all inhabited by a very good civilized fortCm7
Tres Ir-
maos
river.
Juan Dias
river.
Lempta
river. . . _
Measwe>'.M^'2;,beforewhofe mouth are great breakers, of Blacks, any man may fafely venture to B^^'^^^-
as well as to the eafl: of it. trade, either for flaves, elephant's teeth, or
The fixth is S. Bartolomeo, or Rio dos T^res provifions,
Irmaos, remarkable by a fl:eepy head at the Thofe of Foko will fupply us with fre{h Good
fliore, about two leagues ofi^ it and by the water and wood. The water is there taken^«"»^^
breakers, out at fea, to the eaft. There- out of a pond near the town, which keeps
about, a league and a half from the fhore, well at fea ; whereas that which can be had
is but four fathom deep, but uneven ground, zt New Calabar, is nothing near fo good,
the land low, running eafl: fouth-eaft. They will alfo fupply us with yams znd provifions.
Sombreiro The feventh is Rio Sombreiro, which fmall bananas, at reafonable rates, at the proper
river, fl^ips may get into and pafs through land, times of the year but in Jugufi and Sep-
into New Calabar river, by crofs ones. tember, and fo on to March, thofe eatables
At all the above mentioned rivers fmall grow very fcarce, and dear among them:
fhips may anchor, and try their fortune, infomuch, that fome fliips have been forced
for getting fome flaves, and elephant's teeth ; toh\\do\ffnio Ambofes, d.r\d Ca7narones nvtr,
but the moft probable is Rio Sombreiro, in May and June, to buy plantains, which
From this laft river to Foko point, being is a fort of banana dried, yetfomewhat green,
the weft head of Rio Real, or Calabar river, and is a food well liked by the natives thus
and by others Calbarine river, is but • • • • fpending a month or five weeks in that
leagues eaftward , and froni Foko point, to voyage, and afterwards turning up again to
Bandy point eaft, four leagues, which is the weftward, to New Calabar, to purchafe
the breadth of the entrance or mouth their cargo of flaves. To avoid this long de-
of Rio-Real, or New Calabar river, which lay, at that time of the year, it is much
is navigable, without much trouble, for better for a Ihip, bound to this place from
fliips of three hundred tuns, or more, if they Europe, to flop in his way at cape T'm-
be large flyboats , as I fhall farther demon- Pontas, at the Gold-Coaft or a.t Jnamabou^
ftrate in the Supplement to this volume, and on the fame coaft, to buy Indian wheat or
give a true chart thereof, fetting down the corn there : the Calabar flaves being gene-
anchorage and pafTages as exadly as pofllble. rally better pleafed with food of their own
country, than with any of Europe, except
Of rsEW CalbarYo horfe-beans, which many like pretty wellj
Btremom TP H E road before this river, which is boiled with pork, or oil ; but efpecially thofe
for/ailing. the eighth river from cape Fermofa, is we purchafe at the Gold-Coajl, as lhall be
a hard fandy ground, with five, fix, feven hereafter obferved.
and eight fathoms wacer^ without the break-
The
A Defcriptton of the
Book IV.
Barbot.
Beft tra.
dingjeafcn.
Worft [ea-
fon.
Calbar
fiver.
Calabar
The yams, which are the chief of their
fubfiftance, are not fit to be taken out of the
ground before the months of July and Au-
giift ; and therefore moft European travellers
account thofe two months, asalfo Junezn(^
Majy for the beft feafon of the year, in
Calabar river \ becaufe of the continual rains
which refrefh and cool the air, and give the
natives an opportunity to apply themfelves
wholly to commerce, up the land, forget-
ting of flaves and elephant's teeth ; and are
confequently the fitteft time for us to pur-
chafe flaves with expedition, and lefs hin-
drance and fatigue : but more efpecially in
Auguft and September., tho' the months of
June and July are fomewhat troublefome,
becaufe of the lightning and thunder, then
very frequent and terrible •, but the daily
great rains do abate the heats very much.
We reckon the months of Otlober, No-
vember^ and December^ the worft feafon,
becaufe of the dry fcorching heat of the fun,
and the thick fogs, which are there frequent
fo that it is not pofTible to fee from one end
of the ihip to the other.
It is alfo to be obferved, that yams, at
Bandy point, are nothing near fo good, nor
fo lafting as thofe we have from Foko., or
New Calabar town, where the foil feems
more proper for their produdion.
The territory of Calabar or Calbary lies
on and about the river, called by the Por-
tuguefe Rio-Real ; by the EngUJh., Calabar ;
and by the Dutch, Calbary from the town
of Ntw Calbary or Calaba*-, fituated on that
river •, who there drive their trade with the
natives. This river runs up the land to north-
weft, a great way, and can be navigated
only by (loops and yachts, the bottom being
very uneven.
New Calabar town lies on an ifland clofe
to the main, on the north fide of a little ri-
vulet, coming into Rio-Real, and is the chief
place for the trade of the Hollanders ; and
containing three hundred and nine houfes, is
palifl^.ded about after their fafliion, having
on the north fide a large fwampy or marfliy
ground, which the tide often overflows.
The little rivulet above mentioned, forms
at its head or fpring, a large ifland, all over
woody, but fo clofe to the main, that it is
hardly difcernable to be an ifland ; the river
at that place being very narrow.
The town of Foko, already mention'd, is
call'd by the Dutch Wyn-Dorp^ becaufe of
the great quantity of palm-wine the coun-
try about it affords ; and in the language of
the inhabitants Foko fignifies wine, is feated
on the fecond point of the weft fide of Rio-
ReaU ox Calbary, as we enter into it ; ha-
ving two fmall rivers, one to the weft, the
other to the eaft of it both which fall into
the great river, and that from them runs up
north-weft, and has good anchorage in the
mouth of the weftern rivulet, which is prac-
ticable enough for floops to fail three leagues
up to trade. About ten leagues up the Belli
country, and weft of New Calabar town,
lies that of Belli, govern'd by a captain i
but affords little trade to Europeans^ in fome
few flaves.
Sixteen or feventeen leagues above New
Calabar, the river receives another little
one, which comes from the inland country,
at eaft north-eaft •, on the banks whereof are
feveral villages and hamlets.
The territory of Cricke lies fome leagues Crickeaarf
north north-weft of Rio- Real, and borders ^lol^o
towards the fouth on that of Moko, which
lies near the fea, as well as that of Bany.,
another territory, where is a large village,
call'd Culebo, and eight or ten other fmaller
villages, in the compafsof about four leagues,
all of them under the government of a cap-
tain as are alfo the other territories above
mentioned : tho' fuch chiefs or captains are
now generally allow'd the title of kings,
by the Europeans, all over Guinea, as has
been before obferv'd but are at beft fuch
kings, as the two and thirty that Jojhua
defeated at once, mentioned in holy writ.
The money of Moko is of iron, in the fhape
and figure of a thornback, flat and as broad
as the palm of the hand, having a tail of
the fame metal, of the length of the hand.
As to Bandy point, which is the eaftern Bandy
head, or cape of the mouth of Rio- Real ^t"^*'
it is difcernable enough from fea, by a tuft
of high trees, overtopping the wood which
covers all the coaft alDout it. That tuft of
trees the Portuguefe call the lanthorn, or
fanal : which muft be well obferved fteering
into the river, as well as the iflands lying
at the entrance of it •, the true channel being
near this Bandy point, north and fouth, in
four and three fathom and a half at flack
water. It is ufual there, when the Blacks of
Bandy town fpy a fail coming in, to fend
aboard a canoe with pilots, who fpeak a
little either Englijh, Portuguefe, or Dutchy
to convey it fafe into the river of Bandy j
which when open'd, or in view on the lar-
board fide, is to fteer north-eaft, with the
tide, which is very fwift, and thus come to
an anchor before the town of Bandy, or Great
Bandy, lying two leagues eaft with Bandy
point. Ships that come to an anchor in the
road before the town, in fourteen or twelve
fathom water, ufually give a falute of three,
five or feven guns, according to the bignefs
of the fhip, to the king of Bandy ; the Blacks
being very fond of fuch civilities, and it
contributes much to facilitate the trade.
The town of Great Bandy, confifting of Bandy
about three hundred houfes, divided iniotown.
parcels, ftands in a marfhy ground, made
an ifland by fome arms of the river from
the main : it is well peopled with Blacks^
who
Chap. 8. Coajls of South-Guinea.
who employ themfelves in trade, and fome
at fifhing, like thofe of New Calabar town,
in the inland country, by means of long and
large canoes •, fome fixty foot long and feven
broad ; rowed by fixteen, eighteen or twenty
paddlers, carrying European goods and fifh
to the upland Blacks i and bring down to
their fefpedlive towns, in exchange, a vaft
number of flaves, of all fexes and ages,
and fome large elephant's teeth, to fupply
the Europeans trading in that river. Several
of thofe Blacks adt therein as fadors, or
brokers, either for their own countrymen,
or for the Europeans ; who are often olDliged
to truft them with their goods, to attend
the upper markets, and purchafe (laves for
them : for all that vaft number of flaves,
which the Calabar Blacks fell to all European
nations^ but more efpecially to the Hol-
landers, who have there the greateft trade,
are not their prifoners at war, the greateft
part being bought by thofe people of their
inland neighbours, and they alio buy them
of other nations yet more remote from them.
There is alfo a market for flaves at Belli,
a large town at weft of Old Calabar inland,
but the trade is not fo brilk: as at the eaft
of the river Calabar.
Of all European trading nations that fre-
quent this river, and the adjacent parts, the
Dutch have the greateft fhare in the trade •,
the Engiijh next, and after them the Poriu-
guefe, from Brafil, St. T^home and Prince'?,
iflands and all altogether export thence a
great number of flaves yearly to America,
befides aconfiderabk quantity of good ele-
phant's teeth, and abundance ofprovifions.
This would be a proper place to enter
upon the defcription of the flaves, and trade
of elephant's teeth, with the natives, and
of the European goods, that are ufed com-
monly to purchafe them, as well as provi-
fions, together with the methods to carry it
on fuccefsfully •, as alio, to fpeak of the
cuftoms, tolls, manners and religion of the
Blacks of Foko, New Calabar, Fougiie, Ban-
dy, and Dony, this laft being about ten
leagues up in river, towards the eaft,
and the conveniencies of driving the trade,
by the feveral rivers, having a communica-
with Rio- Real, &c. But I will follow the
plan propofed to my felf in writing this
defcription of North and South Guinea, and
give as good an account of thofe vaft
countries, as I could gather from the year
1678, to 168 2, during which time I made
two voyages thither after which, by way
of fupplement, I will add, the moft re-
markable changes and alterations that have
happened there till the year 1706, as col-
lefted from credible travellers, who have
been there from time to time : and (hall
therefore refer the particular defcription
of the trade, in Rio- Real, to that place
Y 0 L. V.
where I defign to infert an abftradlof theBARBOT-
journal kept by my brother James, in his ^•^'Y^.
voyage to that river, in the year 1699,
aboard the Albion frigate ; a fhip formerly
belonging to the Britijh government, then
callea the 'Dover-Prize, which fome mer-
chants of London and I bought of the com-
miflloners of the navy, in 1698, and fitted
out, for New Calabar^ with twenty four
guns, fixty men, and a cargo of two thou-
fand fix hundred pounds fterlings : my faid
brotherjand one Grazilhier going joint fuper-
cargoes, and purchafing five hundred and
eighty three flaves, in two months time,
which they carried to Jamaica.
The journals of thofe two perfons, which
are in my hands, being exa6l and curious,
I thought more proper to refer them to
the Supplement I promife, as being tranf-
aftions of a much freflaer date than my
own voyages ; and later inftances of the
trade of that river, and of the manners of
the inhabitants, ^c.
Trade of Slaves.
H iE natives on the eaft fide of Rio-^'^»'
Real, and thofe who dwell thereon,^""''**
much farther up the inland to the north-
weft, are reported to eat the flefh of their
enemies flain in battle, and fell all the pri-
foners of war they take to the Calabar and
Bandy fliftors for flaves ; fometimes bring-
ing them down to New Calabar market^
where they are publickly expofed to fale
on certain fixed days, to the higheft bidder.
The fame account is given of the Blacks
dwelling on and about a river, called by
the EngU(}), Crofs river, thofe people being
alfo neighbours to the former ; but with
this difi^erence, that they never kill their
prifoners to eat them, unlefs they perceive
them to be fick : tor then, inftead of con-
triving to cure them, as they do their own
people, they commonly kill them, and
miike a publick feaft.
We are alio told thereof a certain na-
tion inhabiting a fmall ftate, about ten
leagues in circumference, which lies ftill
farther inland ; whofe chief town is called
Calanach, and their king Mancha, who once
afking an EngUjh man, that was taken by
the Blacks of the coaft, and fent up to Ca-
lanach as a prifoner, whether the Britijh
empi
re was as
large
as his kingdom ; and
the European replying, that his ftate was but
one half of the leaft fhire of England : the
Black king was ever after very melancholy,
as long as he lived, to find himfelf fo little
in the world.
Some Portuguefe geographers place a city
feveral leagues inland weft- of New Calabar
town, which they call Ofoco ; and antient
geography names the feveral nations that
inhabit the large tradl of land from Benin,
to the Camarones river, the Xyliuces JEthiopes,
5 E The
381
A Defer ipt ion of the
Book IV.
Barbot- The flaves generally purchafed at New
5rf^*V%
Cakedeko fingo. After to-morrov).
Macinche, Teflerday.
Singo me Crizake, Shew me the like.
Singo me miombo. Give me fume flrong liquor,
Kinde nongue-nongue. Go Jleep.
Chap-chap, Eat.
Foretap, All.
Meraha, ' Water.
To conclude this chapter, I would advife
fuch as are to carry Ihips of confiderable
burthen into the rivers of New and Oid Ca^
labar, befides obferving the before men-
tioned diredions, to found the proper chan-
nels and depths with boats, before fiiling
in the fhip and to make all due remarks,
as prudence requires : as alfo to take the ad-
vice of fome of the natives for the channels ;
and afterward to examine if it be fo, with
the boat or pinnace ; alfo to obferve the
tides, winds and depths, and the fituation
of the lands and banks ; and, if poflible,
to be even fo curious, as to make particular
charts or draughts thereof ; and of the rivers
for prefent and future ufes, for themfelves
and pofterity. The ^egled of this, in moft
fea-faring men, even thofe who have had
education, is much to be lamented among
us; very many Ipending their whole life
in travelling from one part of the univerfe
to another, and very often to and from the
fame places ; who neverthelefs are not able
to fhow what ufe tlKy have made of their
time, in any obfervations of this fort, that
may be ferviceable to pofterity, as well as
to themfelves. Had this been pradifed in
form.er generations, and even in t his prefent,
fince navigation is become fo familiar to the
meaneft capacities ; and fuch multitudes of
men have vifited, more than once, the beft
parts of the known world, feveral of them
having been at many coafts, harbours and
rivers ; we fliould be now better furniflied
with exa£t maps and charts thereof, and
many fnips and men had been faved who
have perifhed, in all parts of the world,
thro* the ignorance of the commanders,
or thro' their own negledl: an inftance
whereof*
1
A Description of the
.3M
Bar BOT. whereof, I have, at my own coft, in the
'•-"'V^-' Grijjin frigat, which fome adventurers of
London and myfelf had fitted out in 1697,
for New Calabar river ; and after a very
profpcrous voyage and trade, in three months
exaftly from the Downs to that river, ha-
ving in that fpace taicen in three hundred
and fifty flaves, was miferably caft away
on that bar, coming out to proceed to
Jamaica^ in the bed weather that could be
wiflied ; through the negleftof the officers,
and for want of taking due obfervations
of the channel, and not having fenfe enough,
when the fhip had but gently touch'd un-
damaged on the fkirt of the bar, to caft
anchor there, and knock out the heads of
all the water-cafks to lighten her. But all
the crew got into the long-boat, and run
afliore at Bandy., leaving the fhip with
all her fails out, and all the flaves in her,
00 K
to be toffed to and fro for three days in the
channel, till at laft it was fplit in pieces,
after the king of Bandy had fent feveral
canoes aboard her, which took out all the
flaves, and the beft part of her rigging
and utenfils for himfelf: being amazed and
much furprifed at the condud of our people;
moft of whom died there, and fome few, after
three months ftay in mifery among iheBlacks,
got their pafl^age in a Portugiiefe fliip over
to St. "Thome^ and thence afterwards to Eng-
land. It was a great furprife to the ad-
venturers, to hear of their arrival here,
when we expedted letters from Jamaica.^
with an account of the fliip's arrival there
with a good cargo of Blacks ; vvhich was
no lefs expe6ted there by many of the plan-
ters, then in great want of Blacks., who
at that time yielded forty pounds a man.
CHAP. IX.
Rio del Rey. Calbonges 72ation. Ambozes coimtry- Camarones rioer^
, The coaft to Rio Gabon. Angra rrjcr. Corifco ijlaud. Moucheron
ijla7ids. Cape St. Clare, Gabon river. Pongo iflcuids. Qo'ver7ime7it.
Wild hcafts. Kdigio?i.
F
Marks to
rsver.
Rio delRey.
ROM the caft point of Old Calabar
river, to the weft-head or cape, of the
mouth of Rio del Rey^ the coaft extends
about ten leagues eaft and weft.
This river del Rey is very eafily known
know the comihgfrom the weftward, by the extreme
high lands of Ambofes, fitUated betwixt it
and Rio Camarones, which appear at fouth-
eaft, as we go into Rio del Rey, fo that
it is impbfllble to mifs^ it ; the mouth look-
ing like a deep large bay, running to the
northward feven or eight leagues wide in the
entrance, from the weft point to the op-
fite fide out and in. Somewhat out to
fea are two ridges Or rows of poles fixed
in the fea, called a fifliery, the Blacks pro-
bably faftningnets there to catch fifh. A-
bout them is eight fathom water.
The depth of the river's mouth three
theriver. and a half and three fathom, ouzy ground,
and every where free from fhoals and finds,
except near the eaft-fliore, where it is
fomewhat foul within. The channel is ex-
acflly in the middle.
. The fliore is flat, low and fwampy on
both fides •, and the river comes down trom
the north very wide for a great way up,
with many villages on theeaft and weft banks,
and it receives many others that fall into
it on both fides •, on which are alfo feveral
villages and hamlets.
The trading place oh the weft point of
the mouth of the river, is a village com-
Depth of
Trading
village.
monly well inhabited^ being feated on a
fmall river that lofes itfelf in Rio del Rey^
fomewhat within the mouth, the little one
being navigable for floops. The Dutch
have the greateft fhare of trade there in
yachts fent from Mina, on the Gold-Coajl ;
whofe cargo confifts moftly of fmall cop-
per-bars, of the fame fort as mentioned ac
Old Calabar, iron-bars, coral, brafs-bafons,
of the refufe goodsof the Gold-Coajl ; bloom-
colour beads or bugles, and purple copper
armlets or rings, made at Loanda in An-
gola, and preflrs for lemons and oranges.
In exchange for which, they yearly exporc
from thence four or five hundred flaves,
and about ten or twelve tun weight of
fine large teeth, two or three of which
commonly weigh above an hundred weight ;
befides AccorJ, javelins, and fome forts of
knives, which the Blacks there make to per-
fedlion, and are proper for the trade of the
Gold-Coajl. The Accory is to be found no
where but at Rio del Rey, and thence along
to Ca?narones river.
The inconveniency there is, that the ^'ir Bad air,
in the river is always thick and very foggy,
and the country affords no other frefli wa-
ter, but what the Blacks gather from the
tops of their houfes when it rains. So that
the yachts, or other veffcls which go to trade
there, muft take in their provifion of wa-
ter elfewhere; for what they could get therCj
will coft very dear.
Chap. p. Coafts of South-Guinea.
Calbonges Nation.
TH E nation of the Calbonges inhabiting
about the upper end of Rio del Rey,
and being a part of the people in the ancient
geography call'd Xyliuces Mthiopes^ which
poffefs the traft of land from this river to
cape Fermofa weftward, are a very ftrong ro-
buft people, but very poor and knavifh,
always ready to cheat Europeans, upon e-
very opportunity that offers fo that it
behoves thofe who deal with them to be
continually upon their guard.
Both men and women wear only a bare
fingiecIout,made of herbs or flax, about their
waift. They are generally a wild brutifli
race, very cruel and unnatural infomuch,
that among them it is common for a father
to fell his children, a hufband his wives, and
a brother his filters, or other relations.
They are alfo very nafty, both in their
houfes and perfons •, and many of the males
carry their privy-members in a fort of cafe
they fallen to their middle ; thofe cafes be-
ing no other than a narrow long calabafh.
Others have yet a ftranger fafiiion which is,
to tie up wiih a thread the end of the fore-
flns.
C H A P. X.
Uefcriptioji of the coafl,fro?ii Rio de Gabon to cape Lope Gonzalves. Jn
accotmt of that cape. Cam-wood. T^he king and prince of the cape> Towns
and 'villages. Jhe natives^ religioji^^z, , .
Description of the Coast.
TH E fea-coafl: from the fouth point of
Rio de Gabon's mouth, is low and woody,
as has been obferved before, and runs fouth
to the white downs, called Los Serniffos ;
which are diftinguifhed by the Porluguefe
into Fanah-PcqiienoSy the firfb coming from
Gabon river, and Fanah-GrandeSt the far-
theft which extend foutherly to near Angra
de Nazaret. The Eu^.ijh call thefe downs
after the Portuguefe., Little and great white
Cliffs ; and the Dutch ^ Kleyne andgroote Kli-
■j^en ; and fome IVittehoeck.
There is a bank of fand of a fharp trian-
gular form jutting out to fea, fome leagues
wefl'ward, betv^ixt both Fanais^ or downs ; on
the north-fide of which, is four and three, and
on the fouth three and two fathom water, be-
tween the bank and a fmall ifland fouth of it,
called French-Bank, being almoft as low as
the fui-face of the water aljout it, and is, ac-
cording to our Engli/h chart, exadlly wefl: of
the bay of Nazaret.
From the (buth hoeck of Fanais Grandes,
the coaft to Olibatta river, in the bottom of
the bay of cape Lope, extends fouth by eafl:,
and at about a league and half from fhore,
Bepih of has thirteen and twelve fathom water •, but
-matey oa nearer the land, fix, five, and four fathom,
the coajL
without any danger, v/hich is generally to be
found in failing along the coafl: of the Bight,
which is done to get a land-wind in the night,
and a fea- wind in the day-time ; and the fame
at cape Lope.
The tide coming our of this cape, fets Setting ef
fouth and weft •, fouth in March, Jpril, and^^«"''^'
Mdy.^ along the coaft, which very much fa-
cilitates the navigation acrofs the equinodial,
in thofe parts for at that time it is very rare
for the tide about the cape to fet northward,
as it happens now and then, in Augiift and
September, which is imputed to the foutherly
winds, forcing it to the north, the frefh
coming conftantly out of the great river
Zaire, tho' diftant from this cape near an
hundred leagues, fouth-eaft by fouth.
From Olibatta river, in the bottom ofoHbatta
the bay of cape Lope, the mouth of which river mi
river lies in one degree eighteen minutes of^'^'
fouth latitude ; the land turns (hort to
north-weft, for about eight leagues, a diredt
courfe, in the nature of a narrow, flat, low
peninfula, fcarce two leagues broad in its
largeft part, and growing gradually nar-
rower as it approaches the point or head, at
north- weft which is the famous cape Lope
Gonzalves, of which I am to fpeak at large
prefenrly, and which with the eaftern-land
oppofite to it, called Angra de Nazaret,
and
Chap. lo. Coafls of Sovtr-Guinea.
'9^
and the adjacent coaft at fouth, and fouth
fouth-eaft, makes the bay of Olibatta; the
principal town of the country of the king
of cape Lope, commonly fo called, by all
European fea-faring nations.
The coaft of this bay from Angra de Na-
'zaret, to the north-eaft point of Rio de Oli-
batta, is covered with a large bank, which
as it draws near the river grows broader,
till it comes to the channel of its mouth,
and beyond the fame channel extends again
to the ihore, north-weft of the fame river.
The road. The ufual road for fhips of burden to
anchor in, is in fifty minutes of fouth lati-
tude, eaft by fouth of the cape, juft within
the point ; for though the land of the cape
is very low and flat, tall ftiips may without
any danger come clofe up to the point in
deep water, which is contrary to the nature
of flat low lands, where generally the wa-
ter is fliallow in proportion to the lownefs
of the land, except in this place. It is to
be obferved, that about a league and half
^aft north-eaft to feaward oi the cape, there
is a ftioal or bank, but fo cut off from
the point of the cape, that it leaves a very
large channel, fifty fithom deep.
Dangers to There are alfo very uneven grounds about
ie avoided. ^)^q[)2ly and moving finds, which if a fliip
ftiould happen to touch upon, may en-
danger it ; and therefore fiilors ought to
keep continually founding, either as they
go in or out of the bay, to prevent acci-
dents : but when they have once brought the
cape to bear weft, they are paft thofe dan-
gers, and the bottom is found.
The country all round the bay, a great
way inland, is fwampy ground, fcarce pafta-
ble on foot.
Cape Lope Gonzalves
'T^ H E cape in failing by it, at about five
leagues diftance weft, ftiows like a low
flat ifland, being in reality a long narrow
peninfula, ftretching out feveral leagues to
fea from the continent; which is, as well as
the peninfula, low, flat and fwampy, all o-
ver wooded, as appears by the profpe6t
Plate zj. thereof in the print here adjoined. It had
the name of Cabo de Lope Gonzalves, from
the Portuguefe, who firft difcovered it, and
lies in fifty five minutes of fouth latitude.
Near it is a hamlet of about twenty houfes
or cottages, inhabited by a fmall number
of Blacks, only whilft any ftiip is in the
road to attend the trade ; but it is very rare
to fee no fhip there, and very often there
are feveral together, a great number refor-
ting thither every year, either to provide ne-
ceffaries, or to wafli or tallow, in order to
profecute their voyage to America or Europe,
or elfe back to the Gold Coajl of Guinea, as
the coaft trading veffels ufe commonly
to do : but of all Europeans, the Dutch
Refon of
/hips.
are moft frequently there, for the above- Barbot.
mentioned purpofes, v-«-?
All ftiips that arrive there ufually (irepf^at the
fome guns, to give notice of their coming cape af
to the inland people, who immediately rt-fi^^^-
pair to the cape from Olibatta, and other
inland places to trade, or to fell fuch ne-
ceflTaries as they have, which are wood for
fuel, frefti water and fome provifions.
The natives knowing how many ftiips refort
thither yearly, continually keep good ftore
of wood ready cut, near the cape, being
billets about two foot long, and fell a boat-
load thereof for one bar of iron, or at the
deareft time give a fathom of it for the
faid price. The frefti water is taken out^
of a large muddy pond, lying very near'
the cape. It keeps fweet and frefti at fea •,
and is accounted by many fea-faring perfons
much wholefomer than that at St. 'Thome',
or even at the Princess ifland.
Every fliip is to pay a certain duty for Duty paU.
anchorage, and for wooding and watering,
but of no great value, to the Chave-Ponfo,
or chief of the little village at the cape.
It does not exceed four, five or fix knives,
and a bottle or two of malt-fpirits, or com-
mon brandy, and that rather out of civility
than any thing elfe, according to the big-
nefs of the ft^ip •, for they might eafily fur-
nifti themfelves with wood and water by
force : but befides, that the Blacks are fatis-
fied with fo little as I have mentioned for
the permiflion of wooding and watering,
it may be inconvenient for other ftiips co-
ming after them on the fame account.
Thofe ftiip's crews,- which are provided Plenty of
with nets, hooks and lines, may there eafilyJ^'-
catch a prodigious quantity of good fea-fiifli,
whereof vaft flaoals are daily feen in the bay ;
infomuch, that at one fingle caft of a net,
they often take as much as will load a fmall
boat. They may alfo refrefli themfelves
with oyfters hanging at the boughs of long
ranges of mangrove trees, bordering the
ftiore of the bay; and in it are great numbers
of crocodiles and fea-horfes.
The provifions ftiips may be fupplied provifons.
with there, are fowl, hogs, buffaloes, ba-
nanas, potatoes and yams ; befides the fifti
aforefaid, and Piemento de Rabo, or long
pepper and purflain.
The great number of ftiips I have faid
reforts thither yearly, makes a pretty brifk
trade for cam-wood, bees- wax, honey and
elephant's-teeth ; of which laft, a fliip may
fometimes purchafe three or four thoufand Q^^ids en
weight of good large ones, and Sometimes hthfidss..
more, and there is always abundance of
wax : all which Europeans purchafe for
knives called bofmans, iron-bars, beads,
old flieets, brandy, malt-fpirits or rum j
axes j the ftiells call'd Cauris % annabas,
copper-bars, brafs-bafons, from eighteen-
pence
OOK
3arbot. pence to two fliillings a- piece fire-locks,
' mufl<;ets, powder, ball, fmall- fhot, ^ffc.
C AM-WoOD.
^ H E cam-wood is the king's peculiar
^ trade there, and all fold by him, at
about twenty five or thirty fhillings per tun,
according to the prime coft of the goods
given for it in Europe, and fometimes not
above twenty fhillings per tun he under-
taking to provide by a certain time forty
or fifty tun thereof, provided we lend him
axes and faws to cut it down, eighteen or
twenty leagues up the river of 0/i^^z/^i3, whence
he conveys it at his own charge to the fea-
fide : the country thereabouts having large
forefts of that fort of wood, the beft
whereof is that which grows on Iwampy
grounds, being very hard, ponderous, and
of the beft red •, whereas, that which grows
on high dry grounds is much lighter and
paler. The better fort of it, is at London
efteemed near as good as the Sherbro cam-
V/
ood.
King and Prince of Cape Lope.
ROM the village at the cape to the
town of Olibaita, where prince Thomas,
fon to the king of cape Lope refides, is a-
bout fix leagues by land, there being feveral
cottages and hamlets of the natives in the
fpace between thofe two places, on the pen-
infula 3 and from that prince's habitation
to the king's ufual refidence, is five or fix
leagues more up the inland, but gone on
the river in canoes.
Theprince's That prince is a tall well-fiiaped Black,
''■^^fi- about thirty eight or forty years of age, by
the natives call'd Save-Pongo, who in his
deportment before ftrangers affedts a co-
mical air of grandeur, commonly drefllng
himfelf in a piece of calico ftriped white
and blue, wound feveral times about his
body ; his neck, arms and legs, adorned
with ftrings of fhells and little bones painted
red, and his face often befmear'd with a white
fort of compofition.
His cour- In honour to fuch Europeans as vifit him,
i^fy fo he will advance fome diftance from his houfe
panders. i^^itti them, leaning on four or five of
his wives, and attended by feveral Blacks,
armed with javelins and fire-locks,which they
fire now and then very confufedly, and pre-
ceded by drummers and trumpeters, before
whom are feveral colours and ftandards of
the Dutch. In this manner he meets the
ftranger, takes him by the hand, and re-
• ; turning to his houfe or palace, fits down
there with the vifitant by his fide, and en-
tertains him the beft he is able, in broken
Portuguefe •■, difcourfing about the nation
he belongs to in Europe, always expreffing
very great efteem for the king or gover-
nors thereof, and ofi^ering to drink their
health in palm-winej which when he does,
fometimes in a cryftal-glafs, or any other
vefifel, all the natives about him, men and wo-
men, being no fmall number upon fuch occa-
fions, liftup their right hands, and hold them
fo long as he is drinking, obfervlng a pro-
found filence •, after which, the drummers
and trumpeters found and beat, whilft the
foldiers give a volley of their fire-arms :
and then, to divert the ftranger, both muf-
queteers and fpearmen run about fhouting
and howling in fuch a manner, as is frightful
to thofe who are not acquainted with it.
This ceremony is praftifed every time the
king drinks a health ; and then the king
retires into his houfe, leaving the foreigner
with thofe perfons that conduced him
from the fea to his palace ; which is by
thofe people call'd Galli-paita, as is that
of the king of Bongo at Gabon.
Towns a.nd Villages,
H E town where the king refides, con-
fifts of 'about three hundred houfes,ro»B.
made of bul-rufhes, v/reathed in the fame
manner as thofe of Gabon, and like them
covered with palm-tree leaves, v/herein are
lodged the king's wives, his children, his
relations, and his flaves % befides fome par-
ticular families of his fubjefts, for whom
he has the greateft kindnefs, which all to-
gether make as it were a little feparate
town. We go thither in great canoes up
the river, all the country about being low
and marfhy ground, not fit to travel thi-
ther by land.
There are other towns and villages about the
country, five or fix leagues from each other
the inhabitants whereof living fo far from the
fea-coaft, and feldom feeing any White men
in thofe remote parts, when any happen to
go thither, they flock from all the neigh-
bouring places to fee them, bringing buf-
faloes and elephant's-flefh to treat them
with, as valuing that above any food their
country affords, and particularly the ele-
phants. Many of thofe inland people woi'Souon of
being able to conceive how the Europe ans^^'^^^^"
fhould happen to be white and they black,
fancy we make it fo by art : for which
reafon, fome of them rub the faces of fuch
ftrangers with their hands, and others will
fcrape their hands with their knives, be-
lieving they may by that means take off
the artificial white they imagine ; but that
remaining, contrary to their expedation,
they are much furprifed at the difference
of complexion between them and us, till
fome of the natives, who are ufed to fee
and converfe frequently v/ith Europeans, and
who commonly bear us company up the
country, tell them, that if they were in
• Europe, they would appear as ftrangc to
the people there, who are not ufed to fee
black
Chap. lo. Coafls of South-Guinea.
5P7
Torces.
black faces, as the White men feem afto-
nifhing to them.
The Natives.
Courteous TP HE Y are alfo very courteous and civil
po^le. ^ to Europeans^ many of whom having
been fliipwreck'd there, and obliged to live
a confiderable time among thofe people,
were all the while very lovingly ufed and
fupplied by thofe Blacks with all forts of
provifions, and every thing the country
would airord, without demanding any re-
turn.
The fubjefts feem to have a great vene-
ration for their king, but we fuppofe it to
be as with other nations in thofe parts, more
efpecially before ftrangers : for at other
times, they are faid to Hve all together, as
if no rank diftinguifh'd the fovereign from
the (lave, and thofe kings work as well as
their meaneft fubjcfts ; as has been faid,
fpeaking of the king of Gabon.
This king of cape Lope^ has fome iron
guns mounted on carriages before his palace-
dSoi- at Oiibatfa, bought by his prede-
ceffors of the French, and he is not a little
proud of them ; tho' they are feldom ufed,
either for want of fis:ill, or for fear of ac-
cidents.
I can give no good account of the nature
and number of his forces ; but confidering
what I faid before, that the king of Pongo
routed him, and ravaged his country with
fo fmall a power, we may conclude his to
be inconfiderable. When he fpeaks of them
himfelf, either in promifing afliftance to a
neighbour, or threatning to make war, he
ufually fays, he will come himfelf at the
head of his lances and fire-locks.
For adminiftring of juftice, he has his
Chave-Ponfos, or magiftrates, in every town
or diftrid:, to fee good order kept : by
which, and other circumftances it appears,
that prince mufl: have more thani, as fome
vamly imagine, a fuperficial dominion, or
command over his people.
I have not met with any author or tra-
veller, that could give a juft account of
the extent of this king's dominions, either
eaftward or fouthward however, fince
mofh modern geographers carry the king-
dom of Bramas, which is the frontier of
the lower Ethiopia, to the river Faire, al-
moft under the line ; the kingdom of cape
Lope muft of confequence be fuppos'd to
reach no farther fouthward than the faid
river, or at farthefl to that of Fernan Vaz^
in one degree fifty minutes of fouth latitude,
as fet down in fome Dutch maps, the banks
whereof are inhabited by the people called
Comma. The neighbours of this king's
dorrinions ateaft fouth-eaft, are, according
to iome, the Anzikan people, who are man-
eaters, and extend to the fouth-weft ikirts
V O L, V,
Bxtent,
the nih-
fives.
Ahijfinia. However it be, this is certain, Barbot-
that the king of cape Lope''% dominions are ^"OT*^
not very great.
More might be faid concerning this
prince, as to his wives, their manners, and
other particulars ; but thefe things being fo
like what has been faid of others, it is
needlefs to repeat. I fhall therefore only
add fomething of the nature and produd:
of the country, and of the manners and re-
ligion of the natives in general.
They are commonly tall and well-lliaped, s^^fe mi
as like thofe of Gabon in feature and de- */
portment, as if they were one and the fame
nation i but of a more courteous temper,
and very affable to Europeans, to whom
they alljthe king not excepted, are very ready
to tender the company of their fineft wives,
if they feem to defire it ; looking upon it
as an honour to uheir wives and themfelves,
as making no account of cuckoldom ; and
the female fex being generally very free of
their bodies.
The common drefsbothofmen and women, Ha^if,
is alfo much like that of the Gabon Blacks t
but the knives the men ufually carry, have
three or four very fharp points : they throw
them fo dexteroufly, that which way fo-
ever they hit, they certainly flick 5 and
fcarce any of them walks abroad without
one in his hand, as the moft ready weapon,
for their defence.
Their houfes are alfo like thofe at Gabon,
both in fhape and materials. Their com-
mon food is yams, potatoes, bananas, green -BooL
or dried fifh and flelh ; efpecially that of
buffaloes and elephants.
They never drink at meals, and being Dn«^i„^
all fubdivided into tribes and families, W /yw;^.
the heads or chiefs whereof, are diftinguifh'd
among them, by the name or title of Mavi \
it is a cuflom for the Mavi of a tribe al-
ways to eat by himfelf alone in a pewter-
difh, and the reft of his family in wooden
vefTels, They fit at their meals on mats,
and lie on them at night.
Thefe, as well as the Gabon Blacks^
make no fcruple to marry their own mo-
thers, aunts, daughters or fifters, and wear
bits of ivory fluck through their ears, or
long rings ; and fplit their upper- lip, keep-C«?
ing a little wooden ftick in the gafh to pre-
vent its clofing, becaufe they are fubje<5t to
a certain diftemper very common there,
which on a fudden feizes and cafts them
into fits, of fo long a continuance, and
clofing their mouth lo fall, that they would
be inevitably fuffocared, if by means of
the fplit at their upper-lip, they did not
pour into their mouths fome of the juice
of a certain medicinal herb, which has the
virtue of eafing and curing the difeafed per-
fon in a very ftiort time.
5 I iiieir
k^ A Defcription of the Book IV.
Barbot. Their language differs in nothing, from
^-""V^ that of Grt/?o«,only ftrangers have this advan-
Langmgc.^^^^^ that the caps Lope Blacks can fpealc a
broken Portuguefe^ as having frequent com-
merce with many fea-faring men of that
nation, who refort thither, from Brazil,
Angola, and the Portuguefe iflands of the
Bight, to clean, or get provifions, or trade,
as being a more convenient place, and of
much lefs expence than at St. Tome, or
Pm^/s iflands, their own colonies. How-
ever, becaufe every northern £//r(?/-^^z/7 that
trades there cannot fpeak Portuguefe, I fet
down here fome few of the moft neceffary
words and phrafes of their langu.^ge. Si-
omba, X.o buy-, Mamhnomeeau, tlepliant's
teeth •, Pelingd, iron-bar Moneilo, linen
cloth ; jagria, a knife •, Petollo, gun-pow-
der •, hongo, a (hip •, Enfienni, wrought pew-
ter •, Broquo, bad ; Fino, good •, i^iero, to
afl< Jo.ngo, little §luendo, go away
Mona, let me fee; Biaka, let come-, Coria,
to eat Mondello, a Hollander -, Mockendo
Fino, a fine v/oman Pellie, large or great
Save-pofigo, the king-, Coquelle, pov/er ;
Calicute, for Malegnetle, or Guinea pepj:>er,
'Tis hardly to be believed what a multi-
tude of blue parrots there is-, for fometimes
they fly over the country in fuch numbers,
as really feem to darken the air: they foar
not extraordinary high, and may be eafily
fhot, being good meat fbew'd or boil'd,
efpecially the young ones ; which, with the
bullocks flefli, fo common in thofe parts,
is an extraordinary help to failors. The
latter feed in Savannas, and other paft-ure-
grounds about the woods, where they ftiel
ter themfelves, fometimes above a thoufand
in a herd. To kill them they get to the
windward of the herd, in the night-time, and
afliault them jufl; at break of day, Ihooting
among them -, for if they have the wind,
they v-/ill run into the woods. This fort of
cattle is fmaller than at Cabo-Verde ; their
horns no more than round flumps, like the
Jldtrney cows, on the coafl; of La Hogue.
The days and nights are generally of an
equal length, except at the time the fun
comes to the tropicks, when they differ
about half an hour.
Extrtme The winter or bad feafon commences in
heat, Jpril, and lafl:s rill 6'^';;/m^
^^J4^t.er' "tki^ Portuguefe manner, forming two
^ ^'l^ng ftreets in a ftrait line, from one rivu-
let to the other, which affords a pleafant
profpedt' each ftreet being wide, and look-
ing ug0n woody hills, Moft of them have
longjfealconies, and lattice windows ^ fothat
tho' .the ftrudure be but mean, all together
looks well. Some of the houfes are built
after the Dutch falhion ; thofe people about
the latter end of the laft century having
polTefted themfelves of the ifland, and
planted there a colony of their own, be-
longing to a confiderable merchant of Jfn-
Jlerdam, under the diredion, if I miftake
not, of one Claer Hagen, who, for its greater
fecurity, had begun to erecl a fort on the
fouth point of the bay ; but difcord pre-
vailing among themfelves, and the Pomi-
guefe^ who had been firft maftersofit, being
aflifted by their countrymen of St.
they were forc'd to quit it, and ever fince
it has remained in the hands of the Portu-
guefe, who the better to defend it, have at
the north fide of the town, and by the rivu-
let at the end of it, built a little fort of turf
and planks, with convenient cazerns for
the governor and the garrifon of about
forty men kept there, being moft of them
Portuguefe mulattos, with fome few iron
guns, to fcour the beach and landing-place ;
but the fort, guns and garrifon are at pre-
fent in a forry condition.
There are two parifties in the town, with church
their refpedive churches, which are pretty
handlbme, forfucha place. The firft and
beft in the weft part of the town, dedicated
to St. Antony, from which ir derives its name ;
the other is of the invocation of the blefled
virgin, called Madre de Dens, or the mother
of God, at the eaft end. Tho' at fome di-
ftance, they are both in fight of each other,
and decently adorned, with handfome altars
and good church-ftufF, as ufed by roman
catholicks. Each of them is ferved by a
black prieft, the one ordained by the arch-
bifliop of Lisbon, the other by the bilhop of
St. 'Tome. Befides the twoparifh churches,
there are two chappels in the town.
The country behind, and on tne fides of the
town, is very mountainous, and almoftall
over woody, as may be feen by the draught
of the town of St. Antony, taken from the p^^^^ ^
middle of the buy in the cut here inferted. ^^"^^
That pofition renders it fubjed to heavy
rains, and dreadful thunder, thofe moun-
tains being often covered with clouds, and
confequently it is a very unhealthy habita-
tion, tho' the air in other parts of the ifland
is
icyrospcct jjik%ii/ cwJ.'lor/ii S'^Jmnio, iiuJYinccs 'Jskiid
J',,.,
ar srerLjroDL tkc (Jloal in tiie 3a!'
3. CluirckJ/Qdrt Je Dias
C . jT/it C hvreft J ^tAntPmo
r ^
7//c-(::r Jj-u///,./ .Jt^ij.f di.
J'nnctsJj-funi
/ Ti.rfi'iCjl d'Orfit. •! au 3?hofe leaves are continually diftilling
ans, and inhabit it. Thus the Jews came water, like the fabulous tree authors fpeak
firft to mix their race with that of the anti- of in the ifland of Ferro, one of ihe Canaries,
cm Portuguefe. To return to my fubjedt. They have great ftore of all the txmt ^ejifls md
The fhips anchor in the road of the bay, creatures, that are ufual on the coafts of
on which the town is fituated •, the ancho- Guinea and Benin ; and particularly of black
ring for fmall iTiips is in three fathoms and a cattel, larger and more beautiful than thofe
half, and for the larger, in five fathoms, at the Gold Coaft, and the fwine are alfo
landy ground, keeping the fort at fouth-wefl-. very large : and as for fowl, there are tur-
This road lies north-eaftand fouth-weft, we keys, geefe, ducks, turtle-doves, partridges,
moor there, with the beft bower at fouth, black-birds, darlings, and very beautiful
becaufe the wind blows moftly from thence; parroquets, no bigger than fparrows, with
we commonly fail clofe to the ifland, to fine fcarlet heads, befides many other fine
come to the roads, the water being there birds not known in Europe^
pretty deep along the fhore. About a league The ocean all round the ifland fwarms Ti^, gcd
and a half from the fort, in the bay, lie two with fifli, and among them fmall whales,
fmall iflands, and north-capers, or grampuflTes •, nor is
The foil of St. '^ome is generally fat, mix'd there lefs plenty in the rivers : fo that the
with yellow and white earth, which by the inhabitants have all forts of provifions in im-
dew of the night, is rendered very proper to menfe quantities \ and were not the fcorch-
produce many forts of plants and fruits, and ing damp air fo pernicious to Europeans, who
in fwampy grounds, prodigious lofty trees, can fcarce live there to fifty years of age, it
in a fliort time. might vie with theifle of St. Helena.^ fo fa-
The fugar-canes thrive fo well there, that mous amongft Eaft-India travellers, for its
the planters make yearly, above an hun- fertility and plenty of all neceffaries, and
drcd thoufand arrobes of mufcovado fugar, over and above for the wholefomenefs of its
the arrobe being thirty-two pounds Portu- air, being about four hundred leagues dif-
gal weigh t: the plants were carried thither tant from St. 'Tome, fouth-eafl: by eaft, and
from Brazil, but do not yield fo much fu- look'd upon as a terreftrial paradife.
gar, nor fo good as there, tho' cultivated As for the natives, they are faid to live
after the f\me manner •, becaufe of the moi- long and healthy, tho' fpare and lean of
fture of the foil, which makes the canes to body, and many of them to attain to an
over-flioot, for which reafon they often dry hundred years of age. There is alfo ano-
I it by fire, or burn it as much as they can. ther notion, for the truth whereof I dare
For the fame reafon our European wheat not vouch ; which is, that if a foreigner hap-
will not come to maturity but fhoots out pens to go to refide at 6'/. Tome, before he
I all into ftalks and leaves. is at his full growth, he will continue at that
The ifland is watered in fever al places, by pitch all the days of his life. They alfo
1 little rivers, running down from the hills fay the nature of the foil isfuch, as to con-
j into the ocean, their waters are very fweet, fume a dead body in twenty-four hours.
! and cold, moft of the rivers coming from The unwholefomenefs of the air, is chiefly
the great high mountain, which rifes in the attributed to the ifland's lying under the
' very center of the ifland, much above all the equinoilial, which renders it intolerably hot
other hills about it, and is almoft continu- the greateft part of the year ; and being all
ally covered with fnow at the top, and all hills and dales, which are continually fill'd
over wooded; which is very remarkable, confi- with a thick ftinking fog, even in the hotteft
Vol. V, • ^ L time
cription of the
Book IV«
BARBoT.time of the day, that condenfes and in-
^^'V^fefts the air, and renders it unwholefome.
. , Add to this, the heavy rains, which fall on
the low marfhy grounds, which being af-
terwards drawn up by the violent heat, turn
into vapours, and fall down mornings and
evenings on the bodies of men and beafts, oc-
cafioning much ficknefs, and the death of
many at the town, efpecialJy at fome times of
the year becaufe it is fituated in a low bot-
tom, which is not fo much about the north
and fouth parts of the ifland. However, at
certain feafons of the year, that malignant
air is fo univerfal, that the natives are forced
to keep clofe at home, for a time, to free
themfelves from it as much as is poffible.
The exceflive bleeding ufed by the Portu-
guefe^ which they have recourfe to on the
leaft occafion, fome of 'em letting blood
Sfty times, or more, in a year •, is probably
what makes them look more like walking
ghoih than men. This pradice, fo repeated
For many years fucceflively, muft neceffa-
rily weaken their conftitution •, the nature of
that climate being fuch, as cannot fupply
them with hafty recruits of blood.
There are two rainy and two fair feafons
in the year, beginning at each equinox, and
ending at the fun's coming to the tropicks.
At the time of thofe equinoxes, they have
no manner of fliade, the fun being perpendi-
cular over their heads, and then exhales im-
menfe quantities of water from the ocean,
all about the ifland, which turn to fuch
heavy violent rains, that they fall all over
the land like another flood and the only
comfort at fuch times, is, that the heat of
i.xceffi've the fun is nothing near fo fcorching as at
i^eM, other dry feafons, when it is intolerable, the
thick clouds then interpofing •, however, at
that time they fuffer as much by the excefs
of dampnefs, as they did before by the in-
fupportable heats, in June^ Jiih->
guft^ efpechWy Europeans ; thofe heats be-
ing then fo violent, and the foil fo burning
hot, that 'tis fcarce poffible to walk on it,
at fome times, without corkfoles to the flioes.
Temperate The Other three months of good feafon,
feafin, uiz. March, April and May, are more
temperate, the continual fouth-eaft winds
refrefhing the air ; fo that it does as much
good to Europeans, as damage to the na-
tives, whom it pinches and annoys fo very
much, that they all look then extremely
thin and poor. But it is very rare there
to have a north-eafl: wind blow as it doth
at the Gold Coaft of Guinea and when that
happens, 'cisoccafioned by the high moun-
tains of the continent of Africa^ diverting
it towards this ifland.
The town. The principal town, lies at the bottom
of the bay, facing the north-eafl: betwixt
two rivers, on a low flat ground, and built
in lengthj containing about eight hundred
houfes, moft: of them two fl:ories high, and
flat-roofed. And the Portuguefehy, there
are above five thoufand fuch houfes about
the country, fix miles round the town ^
which is cover'd on the fea-fide, by a ram-
part built of free-ftone, in 1 607 ; defended
on the north by fort St. Sebafiian: con-
lifting of four large baftions, faced with
free-fl:one, ftanding on a point of land, thej&e r«/?/f.
courtins being of hard polifli'd rock-ftone,
twenty five foot high ; all which renders
it a flirong place, if well defended.
The fort has alfo a little harbour or ba-
fon, facing the north the accefs to which,
may beeafily obftrufted, by thirty-fix brafs
guns, from eight to forty eight pound ball,
it is furnifh'd with; and fupplied with, wa-
ter by a little river that falls into the fea,
and is the befl: frefli water in all the ifland,
and the moft proper for fhips for long
voyages, if taken in the day-time: but
being then always full of flaves, and beafts
reforting from all parts of the town for wa-
ter, and to wafl:i themfelves, and often eafe
their bodies there, and throw in all forts of
filth, we are obliged to fill our cafks in the
night, when it is free from all that naftinefs, watering.
which makes it lefs agreeable to our men and
flaves,beingperhaps too raw,as it comes from
the hills, till wanned by the fun: for it appears
by experience, that the water at Prince's
ifland and cape Lope, proves much whole-
fomer for our flaves and fliips crews at fea.
Tho' this of St. Tome keeps pretty well in
caflis, after it has once flunk, and is recovered.
I would advife fuch as refort thither to
viftual their fliips, to water in other places
of the ifland, or in the middle of the town,
through which the river runs, tho' it will
coft double the labour and charges. For
it is fo eflential a point, that the water
taken aboard in flave-fliips fl:iould be of
the very beft and cleanly, that it often
contributes very much to fave or deftroy
whole cargoes of them, according as it is
good or bad •, and rather than to run a rifque,
I would advife them to go to cape Lope,
Princess ifland, or Annohon for it ; becaufe
many fliips have loft the beft part of their
compliment of flaves by that water, in their
paflage irom thence 10 America. i - iyv^
All the houfes in the town are built with a
fort of hard ponderous white timber, growing
on the plantations of the ifland, and covered
with planks of the fame, only three houfes are
all of ftone ; the chiefeft whereof, is the
governor's, and another is the bifhops's pa-
lace. St. Tome is a biftiop's fee, whofe
diocefe extends over the adjacent Portuguefe
iflands of the gulph of Guinea, and it is ac-
counted the mother-church of Guinea, Congo
and Angola ; and for that reafon, the bifliop
of A^igola is fufiragan to this fee, which
claims it by antiquity.
■ There
Chap, i l Coajts of Sour h-G u i n e a.
There are three churches in the town, one
of them the cathedral, dedicated to our
jady of the conception, as they term it,
which was formerly ruined by the Dutch
admiral, Piekr ver Does (in 1610) who
invaded the ifland ; but afterwards rebuilt
and enlarged by the Portuguefe^ much fi-
ner and larger. In it was long after bu-
ried the corps of another Dutch admiral Joly
who after his conquefts of Loanda de St.
Paolo in Angola, being fent there with
twenty one men of war, and two thoufand
two hundred men from Brazil, by count
Maurice of Najfau^ captain-general by fea
and land for the Dutch in 1641, fubdued
this ifland the fecond time : but foon after
the conqueft, all his little army was feized
with the diftempers of the country, which
deftroyed many ; and Jol himfelf, with fix
of his officers died, and was interred in
this church, with all the pomp ufed at the
funerals ot the greateft generals of armies.
This church is precifely under the equi-
noftial line.
Churches. The Other churches of the town, are that
of St. Elizabeth, which is an hofpital ', and
that of St. Sehaftian, the leaft of the three,
and the neareft to the fortrefs, of which
it bears the name.
There are alfo fome other fmaller churches
and chapels without the walls of the town-,
one dedicated to St. Antony, at about half
a mile diftance ; another nearer, to St. John
another again, to the mother of God, about
half a league to the fouth-eaft another to
the trinity, two leagues off eaft and ano-
ther, to St. Anne, about three leagues fouth-
eaft, which was rebuilt in 1667, as large as
that of St. Saviour at Rochel, but much
handfomer. Two of thofe churches belong
to monafteries of Auguftinians and fryars.
All the inhabitants are romanifts, except
fome few families of pagan negroes of the
oppofite continent, who refide there on ac-
count of trade. The bifiiop of St. Tome
is fuffragan to the primate of Portugal ;
moft of the priefts officiating there, and at
the other Portuguefe iflands are Blanks. The
mufick of the cathedral, is partly compofed
of negro boys, who are trained to it, and
fing moftly without book. The king of
Portugal maintains them, and the whole
chapter, out of the revenues of the ifland.
The inhabitants are obliged to main-
tain at their charge the garifon of fort St.
\ Sehaftian with fuel, and to keep in due
repair the governor's houfe in the town
as likewife all the bridges within and with-
out it, and no mend the roads about it,
which are often damaged by the heavy
rains overflowing and breaking them up.
General. '^^^ general extends his jurifdidion over
thofe of the neighbouring Portuguefe iflands,
of the gulph of Gumea,hui refides at St.Tome^
407
and is affifhed by a corregidor in deciding Barbot,
judicially all the contefts and differences that '^^'Y^
happen there but there lies an appeal to
the viceroy of Guinea and Angola, refi-
ding at Loanda de St. Paolo, in Angola. The
Portuguefe general that was there, at my
firft voyage to the gulph, v^2^%Julian do Cam-
po Barreio, whom I faw fince at Prince's,
ifland, and afterwards at Acra, being there
kept clofe prifoner, by the garrifon of the
fort Chriftiaenburgh, then pofTefled by the
Portuguefe ; as I have obferved in the pre-
ceding defcription of the Gold Coaft of
Guinea.
The beft governors and generals, fent to
the Portuguefe iflands of the gulph of Guinea^
are old officers, who having ferved the
king of Portugal in his armies, and had the
misfortune to wafte their eftates in that fer-
vice, are polled there to recover their loiTesi
which they may quickly do, as having the
whole trade of that part of Guinea, befides
the perquifites of their pofts, and their
fhare of the duties foreign fliips are obliged
to pay, which amount to near ten per cent,
ad valcrejn, of the provifions exported from
the iflands, which duties we commonly pay
in European goods ; and for a large flave-
come to about one hundred and
twenty crowns, or three flaves, valued at
forty crowns a-piece ; befides which, eight
or ten crowns are paid to the corregidor,
Merinho da Mar, and other officers oF the
cuflom-houfe. All which, confiderihg the
great number of foreign fhips reforting
to the ifland yearly, being often above
an hundred and fifty fail of all nations
and fizes, it is eafy to infer, that the poft
of general there, is very beneficial without
all the other profits accruing by the admi-
niftraiion of juflice, and trading in Guinea,
and the fale of the produdl of their own
plantations, and the fifth part of all the
fifh caught on the beach, and three-pence
per week for every fiflierman that fifhes
out at fea : for there is nothing but what
pays fome duty to the king or the gover-
nour and even European goods carried a-
fliore for purchafing provifions, muft all
be fent to the cuflom-houfe, and pay tea
per cent, ad valorem. ' ■ '
Thofe goods in French (hips particularly Gw^^
conCtil in Holland-doih, or linen, as well /"""f**^
as of Rouen and Britany ; thread of all co-
lours ferges, filk ftockings, fufliians, Dutch
knives, iron, fait, olive-oil, copper in fheets
or plates ; brafs-kettles, pitch, tar, cordage,
fugar forms, (from twenty to thirty pounds
a-piece^ brandy, all kinds of fi:rong liquors
and fpirits, Canary-mncs, olives, capers,
fine flower, butter, cheefe, thin flaoes, hats,
fhirts, and all forts of fiiks out of fafliion
in Europe, hooks, ^c. of each fort a little
in proportion.
The
A Defcription of the
Book IV.
Barbot. The idanders are amungrel people, as I
'*'-*'y°^ have ah^eady hinted •, white Poriuguefe^ de-
flm'' Icended from the firft inhabitants of the
ifland, when it was fettled •, Portiiguefe Mu-
■ latto's^ alfo defcended from the profcribed
Jews^ fent thither at the beginning of the co-
lony, and married to Black women fent from
Angola ; both free, befides a vaft number
of Blacks and Mulatto^ s not free •, tranfported
alfo from Loanda de S. Paolo, as the ifland
; could be cultivated : as alfo a multitude of
other flaves, who tho' they are fo, compofe
whole villages of themfelves all over the
ifl.and.
The moil ordinary food of the inhabi-
tants is potatoes, kneaded and mix'd with
Farniha de Pao^ or Mandioca, goac's-milk,
palm-wine and water. Thofe of fome fub-
ftance often feaft one another in their vil-
lages j efpecially in hot fcorching weather,
five or fix whole families meeting together
in dens and caves, dug for that purpofe
und^r ground, to keep off the heat, each fa-
mily bringing a difh to compofe the ban-
quet.
The commonalty of all thofe mungrel
people,efpecially of the Mulatto's, and Blacks^
are treacherous villains, very thievifh, in-
folent and quarrelfome, on the leaft occa-
fion and fome, without any.
Difiempm: Having fpoken fully of the unwhole-
fomenefs of the air at St. 'Tome, it will not
be improper to take fome notice of the
moft common difeafes, affliding the inha-
bitants, viz. fevers, fmall-pox, cholicks,
the bloody-flux, the venereal difeafe ; and
another called there Bkhos no Cii, befides
feveral others, affefting men there, and
particularly the head-ach.
fevers. The fever, above all other diftempers,
defl:roys the greateft: number of people,
efpecially new comers from Europe, carrying
them off in lefs than eight days ficknefs.
The firfl: fymptoms of it are a cold fhiver-
ing, attended with an intolerable heat or
inflammation in the body for two hours,
fo as to throw the patient into a violent
delirium, which at the fifth or feventh fit,
or the fourteenth at moft, makes an end of
moft perfons feized with it the fit return-
ing every other day. If the patient efcapes,
he may reafonably expert to live there
feveral years in health, provided he is tem-
perate both as to wine and women; and
be well dieted after having been purged
immediately with CaJJia, infufed in the
blood of vipers. They allow the patient
to drink water plentifully during the fit.
Sm(iU-pox\ As to the fmall-pox,it is there as elfewhere
in Guinea, fome die of it, fome not and
the proper medicines for fuch patients, are
known to all nations, and therefore I for-
bear, faying any more on thathead» ; ..
Cholicks are there fo terrible, as tochoUck.
diftrad the patient in three or four days.
The caufe of this fort of cholick is moftly at-
tributed either to the excefTive ufe of women,
or to the evening dews and to catching
cold, after a violent fweating : many, efpe-
cially new comers, being apt to cool and
air themfelves when very hot, in the night-
time a-bed, or drinking to excefs of the
juice of coco-nuts, which is of a very cool-
ing nature.
This fort of cholick has fwept away an
incredible number of people of all forts
and nations fince that was a colony and
does ftill continually, the refort to the
ifland being very great from many parts,
as I have obferved before. It has particu-
larly, together with the bloody-flux, kill'd
fuch a number of Dutch men, the two
feveral times they fubdued the ifland, in the
the years 1610, and 1641, as before men-
tioned ; that the ifland was then known in
Holland., by the name of the Dutch Church-
jard. However, it is obferved among our
failors, that thole who feldom or never go
afhore, are not afflifted with this or any
other diftemper of the country. The na-
tives ufe the fame medicines for cholicks, as
the Blacks do on the coaft of Guinea.
The bloody-flux is as common among the Bloody-
inhabitants as among foreigners, and de-/«^.
ftroys many of both forts indifferently.
The medicine moft ufed by the natives, is
to anoint the patient all over very often
with an ointment made of palm-oil, boil'd
'with certain phyfical herbs, beft known to
the Blacks, which cures many in a fhort
time : but for our European failors, we find
that quinces are the moft efficacious reme-
dy againft that diftemper.
The venereal diftemper is very common, ^ox,
the Blacks feeming to be little concerned at
it, as having a way to cure it with Mercury,
but few Europeans who get it, efcape dying
miferably. I cannot therefore but ferioufly
recommend it to fuch as happen to go thi-
ther, to forbear having to do with any
Black women, as they tender their own
lives.
The difeafe call'd Bichos no Cu, is 2i\{oi>yfentery.
very common there, both among JVhites
and Blacks ; the nature of it is to melt or
diffolve mens fat inwardly, and to void it
by ftool, which 'tis likely is occafion'd by
the infuppor table heats. The French call
this diftemper Gras fondu, that is, melted
greafe being in effedl a fort of dyfentery,
the forerunner of which, is an extraordinary
melancholy, attended with a violent head-
ach, wearinefs, and fore eyes. As foon as
thefe fymptoms appear, they take the fourth
part of a lemmon-peel, and thruft it up the
patiqnt's fundament, in the nature of a fup-
^ ^\ ' . pofitory.
Chap. ii. Coajis of South-Guinea,
Headach.
Frodtici.
Tot/ttoes.
Pefigos.
-o!a
'ugar-
unes.
pofitory, as far as they can, which is very
painful to him, and he is to keep it there as
long as poflible. If the difeafe is not invete-
rate, this certainly cures him •, but if this
remedy proves ineffedual, and the difeafe fo
malignant, that there comes away a fort of
grey matter, they infufe tobacco-leaves in
fait and vinegar, for two hours, then pound
it in a mortar, and adminifter a glifter of it
to the patient : but becaufe the fmart of it
is violent, they have two mien to hold him.
They ufe alfo in this cafe another fort ot
glifter, not fo fharp, made of the juice of an
herb called Orore de Bichos, with rofe-leaves,
two yolks of eggs, a little allom and oil of
rofes. Some alfo prevent that dangerous
diilemper, by applying a fuppofitory made
of lint, fteep'd in a new-laid egg, beaten
with rofe-water, fugar and ceruie, or white
lead.
Head-aches are alfo very frequentj and
cured as on the coaft of Guinea.
To return to the deicription of St. Tame ;
Lidian v/hcM grows there to perfection, of
which they make bread, baking it v/ith fe-
veral roots, efpecially potatoes. Grapes ne-
ver ripen together upon the fame bunch ; but
there are fome at all times of the yeari Stone
fruits feldom or never come to maturity.
Mafidioca, or Cajfabi^is cultivated as in Bra-
zil, but differs from it : for befides its grow-
ing here as big as a man's leg, and very
lofty, it has not that poifonous juice as
what grows there, and at Angola. Many
here, as well as at Prince's iiland, make
bread of it, firft rafpingand drying the meal
in the air •, and it is much better food than
that of Brazil and Angola,
There are four forts of potatoes of Be-
nin., Auwerre., Mani-Congo, and Saffrance,
all tranfplanted thither from the faid places.
The two firft forts are the beft, the one for
fweetnefs, the other, becaufe it will keep
long found and good.
The fruit cali'd Pefigos., grows on a tree
of the fame name, and refembles a calabafh
or gourd, covered with a hairy fubftance,
and is fweetand refrefhing.
The Cola is the fame as in Guinea., and fo
very plentiful, that they export vaft quan-
tities to Loanda in Angola., all in their
huflc or rhind, which preferves it a long
time, and is much valued there. They alfo
export thither much palm-oil.
They manage and cultivate their fugar-
canes, as in Brazil, and the fugar iflands of
America ; but the canes grow much bigger
than at any of thofe places, yet do not af-
ford more juice in proportion. They com-
monly plant them mjanuar'j, and cut them
down in June, tho' fome planters do not ob-
ferve that time fo exaftly ; fo that it may
be faid, they make fugar moft part of the
year, and there are reckoned to be about
Vol. V,
fixty fugar-mills on the ifland; which all to-BARBor.
gether, make every year about fifteen hun-
dred tuns of brown fugar,better than what is
made at Princess, ifland, whence they for-
merly exported feven or eight fhips laden to
Portugal, the Canary iflands, and England^
before thofe parts were lo plentifully fup-
ply'd from America. Some planters refine
a fmall quantity, for the ufe of the inhabi-
tants ; but being much inferior to the Ma-
dera fugar, it has little vent abroad, having
a tafte of the clay ground, and will hardly
dry in the moulds, unlefs the parching fouth-
eaft winds blov/, and then vv'ill not keep
dry two years ; for which reaibn they have
fome white refin'd fugar from Madera im-
ported every year.
There is great plenty of cotton, vih'xchCottisi.
the natives and other inhabitants drefs, fpin
and weave, into feveral forts of cloth ; the
fmall cloths for Blacks made of it, are of
the fame fort as thofe of Benin, but not near
ib fine and good. They fend yearly great
quantities of them to A:.go!a^ where they
yield good profit.
All the aforefiid plants, are often nmchVerm'm^
damag'd by a fmall fort of green crabs,
which fwarm all over the country, and
breed under ground, like moles. The
woods and copices fwarm with innumerable
multitudes of large flies, which fting : and
at fome time^ of the year, there are infinite
great ants, which eat the grafs, and gnaw
the young fugar-canes ; but they die when
the feafon is over. The rats alfo do much
harm to the fugar-canes.
I fhall now entertain the reader with a
brief account of the conqueft of this ifland,
at two feveral times ; the ftates of Holland
being at war with the crown of Spain, and
Portugal, at that time fubjed to the laid
crown.
The firft expedition was under admiral
Pieter Verdoes, or Vancler Does, in the
month Nove7?iber 1610, with feventeen
men of war. That admiral having landed
his forces on the ifland, with fome artillery,
took the two forts. The one furrendered ai
the firft fummons; the other he batter'dfor
fome time with feven pieces of heavy can-
non, and obliged it to yield ; after which,
he ftormed the town, and carry'd \v, and the
inhabitants refufing to pay a ranfome often
thoufand gold ducats, demanded by the faid
admiral, he took out fome thoufand chefts
of fugar, a great quantity of elephants teeth,
with fome parcels of gold and woollen
cloth, and wrought filks, twenty-one pieces
of cannon, i^c, and fet fire to the place.
But the D^z/r/j did not long enjoy this con- Tirfi inv^t-
queft ; for foon after the country diftempers/"'* h
feized them in fuch manner, that above a^"^*^^'
thoufand foldiers died ; as did alfo the admi-
ral Verdoes, his vice-admiral Storm, and all
5 M the
410
A Defcription of the
Book IV,
Barbot. officers of the land-forces, except one only,
'-^V^ who obliged the reft to ravage and ruin all
the towns, fugar-mills, i^c. and having em-
bark'd all the booty they could get, they
left the ifland in fuch diforder, that the Por-
tuguefe were not, for feveral years, able to
repair the damage, for want of coppers, and
other utenfils and materials, to fet up their
fugar-works again ; that being then their
beft revenue.
Thefetoml. The fecond conqueft of this idand, was
made at a time when the crown of Portu-
gal, having revolted from the Spanijh mo-
narchy, had aftually concluded a truce
with the flates-general of the united provin-
ces ; but it not being yet made known to
count Maurice, at that time generaliffimo
for the Dutch Weft-Inclia company, at Bra-
zil, where he had fubdu'd feven provinces,
or captainfhips, of fourteen there are in Bra-
zil, he only ilifpeding that the treaty was
on foot; and being defirous to augment the
Dutch conquefts, in Afrit a, that what they
fliould gain by force of arms might remain
to them, after the conclufion of a peace, or
truce and being fenfible of the great im-
portance of the flaves trade ihtPortuguefe had
at Angola, and Guinea % fent from Brazil,
admiral Jol, or Houteheen., diredlly to An-
gola, with a fquadron of twenty -one men of
war, two thoufand two hundred land-men,
and nine hundred fea-men, in order to dif-
pofTefs the Portuguefe of the city and forts
of Loanda de St. Paolo, their chief place in
the kingdom of Angola, fouth of that of
Congo ; and to put that trade into the hands
of the Dutch PVeft-India company ; and
thence to conquer the ifle of St. i'ome, in
the gulf of Guinea, if it were pradicable.
According to thefe inftrudlions, admiral
Jol having for his vice-admiral James Hin-
der [on, on the thirtieth of May 1640, fail'd
with his fleet from Brazil, to Loanda de St.
Paoh at Angola \ being in the fame degree
ofibuth latitude in Africa, as is Fernambuco
in Brazil.
The conquefl: the Dutch made in Angola,
cofl: them only an inconfiderable fight : for
Hindcrfon had no fooner got footing in the
ifle of Loanda, but he marched with his
little army to the city of St. Paolo, the'
feated on a long mountain, and defended
by fix fmall forts and redoubts ; befides the
jefuits and capuchins convents, which were
capable of refiftance. "Whereupon the natives
came to the afllftance of the town but
were totally defeated by Hinderfon, as were
alfo, afterwards, the Portuguefe forces, led
by Pedro Cefar de Menefes, governour of Lo-
anda ; the Dutch cutting mofl: of them in
pieces, on the twenty-fourth of Augufl :
which put the town into fuch a confl:er-
nation, that the Portuguefe quitted it. The
Hol!a?tders entring the city^ found nobody
there, but fome foldiers quite drunk, and
a few decrepit old men, who had not
ftrength enough to get away with the other
inhabitants.
The Dutch found a confiderable booty,
confifl:ing of twenty-nine brafs, and fixty-
nine iron guns-, a vaft quantity of warlike
ammunition, and provifions ; and thirty
Portuguefe fliips that were then in the har-
bour.
Admiral Jol immediately ordered the
town to be fortify'd, with new regular
works; and to ereft a new large citadel,
with two other forts, for the defence and
prefervation of the city : which fo furpriz'd
the former Portuguefe governour, Menefes,
who at firfl: thought the Hollanders had no
other defign, than to get a rich booty, and
fo to withdraw from Angola ; that he com-
plain'd thereof to Jol, ailedging the truce
newly confented to by the King of Portu-
gal, and the frates-general ; by v/hich ail
paft contefts and differences betwixt the
two nations, were ceas'd, and the two na-
tions looked upon one another as allies. To
which Jol reply'd, he knew of the late re-
volution in Portugal ; but that he had not
yet heard of any truce betwixt his ma-
fl:ers and the new king : befides, that it
feem'd to him, the town of Loanda Hill
held for the king of Spain, fince the go-
vernour had oppos'd his defcent by open
force, inflread of treating the Hollanders as
allies.
Thus the city of St. Paolo, and the ifland
of Loanda, were poffefs'd by the Hollanders,
till on the twenty-firfl: of Auguji 164.8,
they were obliged to quit it to the Portu-
guefe again, by a fpecial capitulation fign'd
the twenty-fourth of the fame month.
To return to Jol ; after he had given the
necefiary orders for the defence and pre-
fervation of the ifland and city of Loanda
de St. Paolo, and left there a competent
force ; he fail'd with the aforefaid fquadron,
to the expedition againft the ifland St. T^onie,
confidering that the reafon of war would
remain in force till the truce, betwixt the
crown of Portugal and the ftates-general,
were duly publiflied : and refolved to re-
duce that ifland, which had been formerly
fubdu'd by admiral Vander Does, as has
been related above, and repoflTefs'd again
by the Portuguefe.
Jol being arrived there, landed his for-
ces, at a place near which is a fugar-milJ,
and call'd St. Anna, about two leagues
from the chief town of the ifland ; and at
the fame time caufed the fquadron to ad-
vance to within fliot of the cafl:le of St.
Sehafiian, ordering his men to commit no
hoftilities unlefs the enemy began.
The natives could not forbear firing at
the Dutch ; and were immediately followed
by
3hap. II. Coafts of South-Guinea.
by the Portuguefe, who made a terrible fire
on the Dutch fliips from the fort ; which
fet one of them in flames in fo violent a
manner, that all the Hollanders aboard pe-
rifh'd in the conflagration.
Jol having routed the Blacks alhore,
caufed his forces to march towards the for-
trefs, which was very ill provided both
with men and amimunition, and had but
eight guns fit forfervice. He attacked it with
much bravery •, but the walls being thirty-
eight foot high, and the Butch not provi-
ded with fcaling-ladders, they were forced
to retire with a confiderable lofs of men •,
and marched to the town, which had no
defence, nor people to make any refiif ance,
the inhabitants, and even the garrifon be-
ing fled into the country at their approach :
fo that the Dutch immediately took polTef-
fion of it.
Then they returned to attack the great
fort, regularly-, and by means of a battery
of fix great guns, fired day and night on
it, forced the garrifon to capitulate, and to
leave them thirty -fix pieces of cannon, and
a vafl; quantity of ammunition ; but fcarce
any provifions.
This done, Jol fummoned all the Portu-
guefe inhabitants into the town, to treat
with them about the manner, how they
ihould acknowledge the ftates-general.
Some few days after, the country difea-
fes began to fpread among the Dutch army,
in fuch a dreadful manner, that a great
number of the foldiers being dead, and
among them Jol^ their admiral, with fix
of the chief officers ; he was buried in the
cathedral, with all the magnificence and
pomp, ufed at the funerals of the greateft
generals. He was a man altogether unpo-
lifh'd •, but indefatigable, and bold to ex-
cefs, in the greateft and mofl: dangerous
attempts.
y^/'s expeditions in Africa^ were followed
by another, which count Mawice under-
took in the northern part of Bra-zll, at the
inftance of the diredors of the Dutch Weft-
India company, to whom the captain fliips
of Maranhao^ or Maragvan, had been
reprefented as a country very healthy, and
fertile in fugar, cotton, ginger, tobacco,
fait, and gold mines and very conveni-
ently fituated, for annoying from thence
the Leeward and Caribhee ifiands, and all
die other iflands of the gulph of Mexico,
The count accordingly committed that
expedition to admiral hxefftart^ and colo-
nel Coine^ both of them very expert men
in warlike and marine affairs.
They failed thither with eight men of
war and fix tranfports, in the month of
O^oher, and immediately feized the ifle of
Maragnan, and the town of St. Lewis, and
afterwards the whole province, without any
refifl;ance made by the Portuguefe. And thusB/ v.zpr.
of fourteen fuch captainfhips into which5rfl^:./U this is loft
^ temedere
temedere-didy
temedere-taty
Gold Co aft.
biaccou ^
abbien
abbiafa
annan
annou
aflia
affoun
ock-hue
ackounou
eddou
eddou-biaccou
eddou-abien
eddou-abialTa
eddou-annan
eddou-annou
eddoa-affia
eddou-afibun
eddou-ock-hue
eddou-acknounou
addounou
addounou-biaccou
addou-naffan
addou-annan
addou-enou
addou-effia
addou-aflbun
addou-ockue
addou-ackounou
och-ka
och-ka-abbien
och-ka-abiaffa
Fida and Ardra^
(in common.)
edde
ouwe
oron
bene
a tons
trepo
tion-hove
tioton
tiene
ahovay
hove-reppo
hove-ouwe
hove-otons
hove-ene
foton
foton-repo
foton ove
foton-oton
foton-ene
cou
cou-non-gui-repo
oban I 51 ot>an quire ?
cenre cenre-quire j
&c
They do not reckon higher
than 1^0, and fo do tally;
and as they reckon a,U
things by boejies, thefy
thread 40 boejies in a
firing, and that thef
call toque; and fo con-
tinue to number by to-
ques, {vizj.)
temedere-fappo, &c. appiem
I toque, cenre
a toques, cen-ove
3 toques, cen-oton
4 toques, cen-hene
temedere-foppo, &c. appiem -adounou,&c f toques, fore,w^;V^ is a
galinha, or ico
boejies iand then
tally, and con-
tinue to reckon,
a galinhas, fou-hove
, ' , 3 galinhas, fou-oton
4 galinhas, fou-hene
'. ' ' - f galinhas, fatons, which
is 1 000 boe-
jies, andtally.
. 10 galinhas, fa-hoos
• ■ • , . 1 J" galinhas, fa-hoos-fatoo
. I 20 galinhas, guinbalc;
is the highefi number
'. . . .;.:■> ef ^000 hoepes, and be'
gin again to reckon either
by I toque, or i galinha.
100 galinh,guin-baton,8cc
Chap. I2.
Englilh.
hold your tongue
I will
I will not
come
come not near
go away
your fervant
to fire a musket
I fee you
come aboard
it Mows hard
how do you do
very well, fir
good-morrow, fiir
very early
come to eat
come up
go down
go walk
to-morrow
good night, fiir
I thank you
it rains
I got fieep
I would fieep with
a girl
a fiveet-heart
let us go walk
I go '
/ do not remember
bring me a peep quickly
give me fome drink
I'm fieepy
*tis hot
pit him in irons
}
Coajls of South-Guinea,
FAMILIAR PHRASES.
Geloffsy
(ox Zanguay.)
noppil
doinaman
bainaman
calay
bouldick
dock-hodem
* * *
* * *
guefnala
* * *
gallaou-barenna
ogya-meffa
guamde-bares,famba
quarha-quaihou, 7
flunba J
lelegentel
calai-caeck-mane
qui a-quaou
ova quiequa-fouf
* * *
aileg-ack agiam
fon -angiam-famba
fantenala
data-ou
nangretery
pougue-namate, 7
acandaofan 3"
foumack-hiore
candoch-hane
bain-amaeck
iaflima-ommghargh
mamanan
* * *
* * *
guinguela-maguiou
FouUes.
de-you
bido-hidy
mi-hyda
arga
da-rothan
hia
* * *
^ ^ ^
medo-hyma
^ ■5^ -5^
hendou-hevy
ada-hegiam
medo-hegiam
coffe
foubacke-allau
* * *
argay
hialleffe
* ■* *
foubacko
nihallay
medo-hietoma
* * *
* * *
medo-lelohy
medo-dano
harque-guehin,
hylqjade
mede-leho
my-fa-hyacke
addou-nambalou
loccan-hyardde
warn-hiende
ovarguiehyelle caf-
fede
}
Gold Coaft,
moua-no
meppe
mimpe
bera, or braa
mem-maho
forrecko
medoLto
ova-toutourou
mangh-hou
mocko-huenom
* * *
ouna-daflin
edde-hie-ohie
aquioos-edappa
cou-querou-cou
braa mincouiridv
broa-fouron
cova-faffly
CO
ack-hena
marinck-he-edappa
midaffay
* * *
* * *
* * * ' ' ■ ■ '
}
* * *
* * *
^ ^ ^
« * *
* » *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
Fida and Ardra,
namoune-bazy
hann
my-be
ova
oma-ova
ozon
* *
* * *
my-mou
* * *
quio-honfoufou
mamoune ebiou-hain
ebbyoin-d'aye
ofons-d'aye
cre-cre
* * *
oua
guiro-dome
ozo
ezain
ognoghon .
aova-non
* * *
myle-fion
dun-hoinene-ova-
domel-codemy
» * * '
lo va.mizon
^
* * «
din-elein-repon-
amya-Iacon
namya-haan
mydomelo
« * *
mypoty-guenda
fogh
A VOCABULARY of Numbers, and of the Names of the Months of the Year, ufed
at the Gold Coaft, at the hegmniizg of this ce7itiirf\ which may he iifeful yct^ at fome
parts of that coaft the ^Z^o^;^ Vocabulary being more peculiar to the Blacks of Kviim,
a7id Anta ; and this to thofe, from Anta to Cormentyn.
ri! 1
ji/fc j
Englifh,
Negro,
one
abianfon
iti i
two . ■. , . .
. abiennon
three
abiefla
C ;
four
anam
1
five :',c ' . '
anom i" , ...
e
tli-1
fix . :
achien
feven \::
ochion
eight '•'
oque
!
ji-biil
nine
oque -nom
^
ten
eddou
eleven * f
eddou-abianfOn
twelve , '■■ :
eddou-abienon
Jlliltl
ijiA
mil
Englifh.
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen . j^-'^i : ; .
fixteen
feventeen
eighteen
nineteen ' • ■ ■
twenty .
twenty-one, and fo to thirty
thirty, &c.
fifty
an hundred
Negro,
eddou-abiefla
cddou-anam
eddou-anom
eddou-achicn
eddou-ochion
eddou-oque
eddou-oque-nom
adenom
adenom-abianfon
adeflem
aha
hanon
A Defcription of the
The Blacks at the Gold Coaft, diftinguifi the Months of the Year Moons,
which they name-
January
February
March
Jpril
May
June
July
Auguft
September
O^ober
November
December
Cua-para
Sanda
Ebbo
Ebbo-bere
Biraffe
Deo-fou
Afiaroeu
Adeflen-fanda
Abeflem
Ebire
Abanamattan
Ma-maure
FAMILIAR PHRASES ^f^^ fa?Me people, from Anta to Cormentyn.
Englifli.,
how do you do^ fir
very well
conie^ what do you ask
good morrow^ merchant
what will you buy
I will buy linnen
fiew me your bargain
I will buy confiderably
I will pay you well
will you /peak to us
we have abundance of goods
have you many goods
I will buy four fathoms ofi
linnen for two pieces j
there is much gold ajkore
it cofis inore in Europe
do 'Well
give gold ' : . ■
merchantt do you we
ihegold
it is too light .
It is falfe
captain^ give me to eat
I will go away
r II return to-morrow
Jfijallbuybafons and cloth
go away, and come again
bring a pot of palm-wine
}
Negro.
aoro-deje
daflene
bera-ebeny
batafou-akie
ibetto-beney
betto-fou-fou
cokive-memame-huit
berto-brette
mettra-cau-hie
mefoney-bri-bei
aqua-edre brette-hoho
battafou affafey-brette
betto-jeftam-anam-fou-
fou eggeba
chika-berette-hoho
metuo-cliika-cou
mamebribey
mame-chika
battafou- tumon-chika
chika-engrou
chika-emou
asne, manje-idey
men-cofou
eriko-nomabe
betto-eowa-y tonic-tambre good be to you
co-fou, co-bera
fa-enfam, bere-tentem . . , '
Englifh.
bring wood for the kitchen
bring frejh water
good morrow captain
I come to tell you fomething
let us go aboard together
I will not do it
you fpeak well
hold your tongue
give me a handfome wife
woman-) will you lie with me
friend, give me fome gold
take, here is fome gold
a teflon
1 will give no more
In a good hour ( or luckily')
give me fomething
give me a token
my mofi dear friend
come, I will be fet afJme
this day
to-morrow
a month
a 7noon
a year
twelve moons
Negro.
fa-innem-bera
a fa- taba
aquie^asne
bera-montheau
mecon ahenon
men-coquie
eafar, brette
mohamme
mamehiroo-de-appa
mame-hoque-midy
meanco-mainc-chika
tou-mon-chika
beque, guave
men-kononi-aubeau
main-ke
mame-dafche
(idem)
manco-bre-beau
meco afafej«bera '
membry
eckenna
effetan
(idem)
affei
(idem)
aquio-aquy
'e next is a VOCABULARY of words, jiaines, and phrafes, iu the langtiages of
the GeioiFs, Foulles, Gold Coaft, Fida a7id Ardra.
Englifh, ;.
A , ' ■
ananas .oinj^
the arms
the arfe, or hu?n
to ask
an arrow • : '
B
hlind
a bough
bar am \
Geloffs.
(or Zanguay.)
Foulles.
Gold Coajl,
Fida and Ardra.
\
ananas
fmal-loho
tate, {or guir)
lay
fmack tonghar
annanas
guion-ghe
rotere
* * *
■* * *
ananfi i -
met fa
moutenn
mef l ohady
agghi:;n
yebode ■ ' ■
aova •
n-iruy . 1
« * * = ,
; f
bomena
cahlah
goumdo
bahcrou
., nenny'offoura
* * * . ■• !
.Chap. II.
Englifti. '"^
banana
hlind of an eye
. I •will bathe mj felf
i the heard
a hat, canoe
a barrel
a bar of iron '
a box ■ ■
hefes
hrandy
\ aloy . «
j breeches ■••
a bed
to blow the nofe
to bite
the hreajls
a bird
bread
bugles
the blood
the belly
C
crooked
canoe
I citron
i civet-cat
crocodile
a captain
copper
a cravat
to cut
a cannon
a cat
i a goat
\ coufcou • ' ■ •■
z7'5 cold
cripple, lame
the cheeks
a coat
the children of princes
to couih
the c * * *
a cow " ■'
D
to drink • - -
a dog
to dance
the devil
. the day
dead
E .. •
I the elbow '"
' an elephant
the ears
\ an egg
: the eye-brows
the earth
the eyes
\flef,
the fngers
to flea, or pluck off
the fkin.
the fever
Vol. V.
CoaJls
Geloffs.
(or Zanguay.)
* * *
patt
mongrefangou
fequiem
gakovap
pippa
barra (win)
ovach-ande
idem
fangara
ovafiy
towapp
euntodou
nien-doou
matt
wu-haine
arral
bourou
hyarack
deret
fmabir
* « *
^ ^ ^
* * *
* * *
gua-fick
capitan
prum
fmah, (cravat j
doghhol
bamberta
guenaapp
bay
arequere
luina
foghe
bekigh
boubou-tovap
domeguaihe
foccatt
facere or fare
* * *
mangrenam
khaay
faicke
guinnay
lelegh
dehaina
fmai-kuoton
gnay
fm vHoppe
nen
* * *
foffi
fmabutt
yapp
fma-baram
maugre-faifce
guernama
of SotJTH
Foudes.
* * *
* * *
« * *
ouhare
* * *
^ ^ ^ -
barra
» * *
ditto
fangara
foukagorco
touhouba
leffon
n'gieto
n'hadde
en-h'do
k'hiolly
bourou
bourely
hy'-hyam
rhedo
loko
lahna
* * *
* * *
norova
loamdo
hyack-haovale
lefFoll
tay
fetel
oulonde
behova
* * «
ghian-gol
boffare
cobe
dolanque
byla-hamde •
loghiomde
cot to
■Sis -Jit
Gold Coaji.
; " obourady (banana)
ncnny-abbo
maghouary
abboggihe
bateera
pippa ...
dab ban
* » *
ditto
brandwyn
mononta, etouhay
aoffia
broucou
emppa
achkuendor
ouakanno
ennoufou
Fida and Jrdra,
* * *
ovamylefm
da
* * *
* « *
appatyn
appaty-vy
aqua
* * *
aunoma
broto
* * *
mod-dgia
afFou
afFon
egghen
cancaba
canghan
adinck-fiam
oppare-sne
copri
boudghia benna
offofi quandequen
outrou-caffi
aggirhaomoa
hougovan
* » *
ahove-dimy
effy
och-hounan
attary
oddi-courouba
mobbaa
aque
ednam
^ lonon-vy
blaya
enfin-no
* * *
hendou
ano
equevy
commen
eque
hohonton
ado
« * *
ohon
ye-bozuin
^ ^ ^
« * «
lion tan
gan-banfefey
cob! a
bo
balila
* * *
lein
* *
bibaut-huoy
* * *
lele
aous
accozou-vy
* * «
* * »
» * «
hyarde ; „' ■
rahovandou -n:.-:,
hemde
guine i-,.; .
foubacka
mahyje
menomenfa
ockua
oreffa
adoppi or faffan
adda
ovahou :
nou
ovon
d'ou-my-opo
fou
onquen
ecou
fomdon
ghiova
noppy ■
whochionde
hyamhyanko
lehidy
hyterr
faffin
affoun ...
affouba • ;'■
griffiba .
* * * '..
aflafly ,
agnyba
* * *
Ota
eny
^ ^
* * «
my-tuy
tehau i.-r;:;
fedehendo i
eddnom
enfahuere
tin
alovy
houttoude "-^^-^^
' eckhaurou " - •
d^yn=mipoiik
% ^
5 O
mehiary
« « »
418
Englifli.
fire
afortrefi
a firelock
fipoerman
to fart
the feet
feather
G
gold
a gun
God
great
glutton
the gums
guinea pepper^
malaguette
H
fifhing'hooks
a hat
the hair
the heavens
a horfe
a hamock
herbs
the hands
a houfe
or
}
- A
Geloffs,
(or Zanguay.)
lasrara
* * *
* * «
moll
doch-hott
fimatanck
doungue
guenn
* * «
bumberta
I-halla
magu
* * *
Defcription of the
Foulles. GoidCoaJt.
the head
a knife
a key
a kettle
the knees
I
K
to kill
L ^
the legs
a fijhing line
the lips
to lye
lice
lead
little
to laugh
linnen-cloth
M
the mouth
much
a maid
a man
the moon
mahys, or Indian
a mujket
a fheep
my^ and mine
a monkey rir ape
N
needles
a nail
no ''■
the nave! .
delika
* * »
caghovar
affaman
farfs
todeapp
miagh
I oho
fman-vig
gnaarr
fmababb
pack-ha
donouachande
cranghiare
fma hoom
bourre
ruy
fmap-paire
fmabou-delingha
fmatovin
narnaa
teings
betraigh
neouna
raihal
endymon
gueminin
barena
n*daouch-digin
goourgue
vhaaire
corfi dough-oub
faital
; ommghargh
* * *
goloch
pour fa
'. dinguetitt
d*haair
' fmal-loutt ; . .
gia-hingol
loffoul fete!
kiou ballo
ride
coff de
donguo
linghno
* * *
fetel
allah
mahodo
haderoro
la-koude
* » *
ouande
foukendo
hyalJa
pouckiou
Jeffo
* * *
youngo
fouddo
guertogal
horde
pake
■ bidho
barm a
holbondou >
lahamde
ouharde
covalTongal
ovande
tondo
hadarime
bamdy
ckaye
choukahiel
ghialde
chomchou
hendouko
heuy
foucka
gorko-mahodo
leoure
mackary
fetel
balou
fman
owandou
meflelael
pangal
ala >
houddo ,.
ahoue-dimy
abban
* * *
opofFo
oattan
monaintigp
teck-hra
ennam
chika
outrou-caffi
ian-come
oflbn
* * *
« * *
ehuilTa
aquou-va
eck-hie
ehuy
ahuya
parkoa
hamanke
« * *
zatiaba
oufiy
oko-ko
icery
offej-karn .
faffi
eouwa
oukonrj
oddiekourou
may-counoii
menonfoa
achghama
manno-houma
mind
egh-huy
fombouy
kifibuwa
offer y
ainhuyra, or foufou
annon
katou-meffia
eddin
ofieran ,;
abbkahoun
ottrou
* * *
* * *
ofchovan '
adrobba
prech-gou
bogho
effrouma
Book W.
Fida and Ardra,
bibaut-huoy
* « * '
fou
hovevito
n'heon
hafo
equefon
gambavy
« * «
balila
boden
zafi
* * *
* * *
* * #
* * *
da
guy-ouleau
fo
havonfb
* * #
alo
ofin
couquelou
tacon
guy-by
* * *
* * *
accazou
mi-houy
afo
ocan
nou-bien
ahovelialou
gio
* * *
pevy
cou-e-de
avon
nou-bien
foufou
n'hoine-vy
fonnon
founou
hielrauj or Jyhon
fou
elein ,
ezin
* * *
* * *
'^1' ^ . \
Chap, ii
Englifli.
ihenofe >'.vi" ■
the night ■ ■..J: :
the nails
O
oftrich
an ox or bullock
an oath or curfe
an orange
the p — k or yard
a pig
to paddle a canoe
potatoes
to pifs
a paddle or pagay
to pinch
Coafis of Sou tH-G
Geloffsy
(or Zanguay.)
fmack-bockan
goudina
huai
a pipe to fmoak tobacco frn^n^no
* * * .. .
* * * • - -
fmabock Chanabi)
* * *
Ibull r ■ :
droai
giollegalgue
berouch
watt
domp
a pot
a pavilion
paper
a parrot
a pigeon
painted calicoes
a
a quiver
a quilt
a queen
R
a rogue
the ribs
a rope
a book
the rain
a rat
red
a Jheep
to fing -.^lO.Vo-.
to Jhit
to /pit ■ > si V--"?- ■
a /hirt
to Jleep
to Jfay or fiop
to [nee'ze
a Jlave
a /word
Jhackles
a fcahbard
the Jheath of a knife
to fcratch
fick
the fea
a floip
to fpeak
a flone
the Jkin
a fnake or ferpent
the feat
fait
fhoes
the fun
fanglet^ or bran of 7
millet boil'd S
to ft
kingn
raya
cahak
inquay
petteck
^ -J^
fmahcallah
entedou
guaihe
foch-horby
uwett
bourne
fmatere guma rajank
taou
guenach
logh-oveck
* * * . .
ovayel
mangredouly
toffli
boughtovap
gueckiffi
maugre-teflely
guamon
guafli
guingue
fmanbarguaify
fmanbar-packha
hock-halma
raguena
fmandai
manguena
ovache
doyg
fmagh-dayr
qua'nn
gangone
fock' matte
dale
ghiante-finkan
^ ^ "fr
FouUes,
hener •r-.
guiema
chegguen
nedau
nague
foldebama or cot-
tel youmo
canghe
folde
babalady
haodguiou
-TP
haing-huje
■fr ^ ^
mouchioLide
hy'-ardougal
fahando
arhayhillan . .
barkol . .:
folerou ,
* * *
* * *
leffo ■'. ;
guefoulbe
abonde
chabiburde "
boghol
torade-allah
tobbo
d'ombrou
bodeghioun'n
cedre .'- . ^
hyemdy
boude
thoude
d'olanke •••
dahnady
doradan
hifleloude
mockhioudou
caffe
gue-hyelle
ovana
ovana
nanhyady
ognia-huy
gueek ■■
randy
halle
hayre
goure
body or gorory
ghiodorde
lamb-dam
pade
nahangue
INEA.
Gold Coafti
och-huen
aoudouffin
enfacougouloty
* * #
* * *
^ * * * -u^'-
abbroque hancaba
cotty
procko .".
* * *
bora-guyo
aghuen'tho
ottabhoun*n
ovetti'noun'n .
aibiboa
ettoha
franga ' .
aghouma
ahuiry
abrounama
ottam
* * *
ampa
oddiekourovay
oghva ... ,
emfi '
ahama ' ;
Fida and Ardm^
* * *
fongoane
changle
ghiodo
efibu
ockoura :f,
enckhiema
* * * • ■
cobbinfoum
ibbin
taflbu - :
cameza
marccodda
tranGiffy
ouhenfti
ackhouba
affenam
* * *
afFena-boucha
enghova
abboggha
ohiarry, nawahou
eppo
conghanhie
ora-kaffa
obboba
ach-houma
ohovo
* * *
anckin
fapati
achovai
^ ^ ^
tranfaffy
* * *
zame
* * *
» * *
* * #
bodou-hovy
yebo, zuinb©
enhouen
hohan
mycon connon
ha-ovelly
hova-diddo
* ^ ^
henzy
azozeln -
hezein
fiao'
hovey
eguyle
^ ^
^ ^
* * *
* * *
accozouzy
^ ^ 4^
* * * • ■• .
ocan or ocar
hove-doubazy-boden
guyoccon
hofin
fofay
elein
gian
n'homy
M, JI. Jt- " '
TV W -fr ■ . J
ha-hou '
domelo
note
alabe
gibybo
ogen
^ ^
^ '7Y'
^ ^ -^^^
miguiozon
houlguy
hohon
guefio
* * *
bazey
hohonton
* * *
eque
atopa
hove que
^ ^ ^
hynan
Englifh.
fugar
a fail
T
a trunk
the thighs
elephants teeth
the teeth
thread
tarr
the throat
to throw ' ■ ■ ' ■
the tongue ' ' '
the toes
tdlow or greafe
t6 tru-ck or barter
to tremble or quake
a tafter of cocoas
tohaeco
the thunder
it thunders
a table
V
the veins
Geloffs,
(or Zangua'^.
I'hem
wirr
ovach-hande
loupp
gnay negnay
fmabenabin
ovin
fandoi
fmanpouroch
fannir
laming
fmahua jetanck
divguneck
nanvequi
denaloch
boufffa
taffa
tmagha
denadeno
ditto
gangona
fed'itte
efcripttoUy
FouUes.
I'hyombry
ouhderel-hana
bretewall
bouhall
n'hierre-ghiova
n'hierre
guarahie
dandy
verlady
dheingall
peddely
bellere
fohode
chin'houde
* * *
horde
raba
d'hirry
ditto
gango
d'adol
Gold Coaji.
chiery
avedda
adack-ha
annen
effiunfie
effin
ach-hema
^ sjc sjc
och'hovanoggo
fock*huene
tagui'hama
enfa'huere
abbroun'hova
oweflaffan
meck'houm
abourben'n
eck'houly
taba
* * *
oppounu
enfin
Book IV.
Fida and Jrdrr,,
yebogue
honfon
apoty
* * *
* * *
adou
alotin
* * *
croero
ble
ede
otouy
giou
* * *
bibautoumy
* * *
aguon'qua
ha 20
— zou
omafezou
* * *
a wrinkle
wood , J , .
water
write
a woman with child
a woman
writing-
tQ wajh the hands
to walk
a whore
to iv^ep
to wh'Jlle
the wind -. . .
French wine ' ■:.
palm-wine
# * *
mate
m'doch
binde
digin'-gobjrr
digin
fmackyet*guniore-
biud
raghen
doch'oll • .
guelarbi
d'goife
oway'lefte ,
gallaou
m'fango tovabb
m'fango gelofR
* * *
leggal
d'hiam
w'hin'doude
deboredo
debo
deffe terre
lahou'yongo
medo'hyafla
fakke
who'hedde
houde
hendon
chinck
chingue
ahova
addacka
infou
ockivahouma
anninfay
hobba
brohoumacrata
* *
n'aque
efin
een'ovay
n'hoine 'vas-qui-vy
n'hoine
enhuiove, canhove
coguo'hary'zatiaba alo-afly
on'an'fly ozon
abbrakres or abelekre heyn*fy
orefTan via-vy
eghuirama ***
ach'houm'n guio'hon*ii
enfan yebo
enfappa mevey'han orattm
The END of jf^^ Fourth Book,
if:::, r:
A
SUPPLEMENT
TOT
DESCRIPTION
F THE
Coajls of North and South -Guinea
In Two BOOKS.
p
Contents of the firfi ^ooh of this Supplement.
N abftradl of the moft remarkable oc-
currences and tranfaflions, which
have happen'd in North and South-Guinea,
fince the year 1682, to compleat the ac-
count thereof to this prefent time, A
voy2Lge to New Calabar, in 1699, by the
author's brother. A new brief defcription
of the coafts of the lower Ethiopia, vul-
garly caird Angola ; that is, from cape
St, Catherine, in two degrees and a half
of fouth latitude, to twenty three degrees
and a half of the fame. An extrad: of
the journal of a voyage from England to
the river Zaire^ or So7igo, thence to Ca-
hinde-bay, and thence to Barhadoes and
Jamaica, with flaves, in the year 1700,
by the author's nephew.
.;./
I'he Contents of the fecond 'Boolzof this Sttpple merit.
EW obfervations of the courfe from
Rochel, in France, to the coaft of
North-Guinea. A Ihort fketch of the
iflands Porto-Santo, Madera and the Ca-
naries, lying in that pafiage. An account
of the weftern coafts of Africa, from cape
Bojador, in Biledulgerid, to cape Blanco,
in Gualata, inclufive ; with a continuation
of the fame coafts from Arguim to Senega-
river. General obfervations concerning
the defarts of Zahara, and of the pro-
vinces of Biledulgeridf Gualata, Genehoa
and 1'ombut *, and the produft and trade
thereof The courfe from ^^-^^g-^-river to
the fouthern parts of Guinea, properly fo
call'd. A brief account of the iflands of
cape Verde, oppofite to the cape of that
name. Of general and particular courfes
from the feveral ports or places of Guinea,
properly fo call'd, to Europe direftly,
and to the coaft of Guiana, on the conti-
nent of South- America, and thence to the
Leeward iflands. Some remarks about
crofting the equinoftial, either to the
fouthward or the northward. Of the
courfe from Loango and Congo, in the
lower Ethiopia, to the iflands of America.
A fhort account of the iflands St. Mat-
thew, Afcenfion and Fernando de Noronha^
lying fouth of the equator, betwixt Africa
and South- America, General obfervations
on the management of Black fl.aves aboard
fliips in their pafiage from Africa to
America-, hy French, For luguefe and Dutch.
A brief defcription of the large pro-
vince of Guiana., in South-America ; and of
the two noted rivers that enclofe it on the
eaft and weft : firft of the renowned river
of the Amazons \ and then of the river
Oronoque. A particular account of the
ifland of Cayenne in that province, be-
longing to the French. Curious remarks
and obfervations concerning the fuppos'd
lake of Parima, in Guiana, and of the
pretended city Manoa,ox El Dorado for-
merly accounted by the Spaniards wonder-
ful rich in gold. The pafiage from Cay-
enne to Martinico and Guadalupe, and
thence back to Rochel in a firft, and
to Havre de Grace in a fecond voyage.
An account of the dreadful thunder near
the Bermudas iflands, and the terrible
efi^edls thereof; with a flcetch of thofe
iflands. Laftly, an account of hurricanes
of three forts, in the Wefl-Indies, viz.
north, fouth and genuine hurricanes.
The whole illuftrated with feverai
new maps and cuts.
SUPPLE
M T
New defcription of the coafts of Guinea, &ic
rhe INTRODUCTIOR
THIS new defcription of TSIorth
and South-Guinea^ and part of
the Weftern Ethiopia, which I
have here prefented the reader,
having been fome time fince writ by me in
French., agreeable to the conftitution of
thofe parts in the year 1682, and having
fince undertaken to publifli the fame, after
another method, in EngU/h ; I now defign
to add an abftra£t of the mofl. remarkable
tranfadlions that have happened on thofe
coafts fince my laft voyage- thither, in the
aforefaid year 1682, as far as I have been
able to colled, during that interval of time.
either by my correfpondence there, or from
the accounts given me by perfons of repute,
who have made feveral voyages into Guinea^
fince my being there. To which I fhall fub-
join two new voyages, the one made to
New Calabar, in 1699, and the other to
Congo in 1 700 ; the firft of them perforra'd
by my brother James, and the latter by my
nephew James Barhot : which I hope will be
the more acceptable, by reafon they will
render this new defcription of Guinea, and
the coafts of the weftern Ethiopia, the moil
compleat of any yet extant, in any language
whatfoever, •'
Jf iv
DDK 1.
'' Senega and Goeree.
London Gazette, N°, 2922, from Tuefday, Noveinberg, Monday, November i'^. i6g^,
TH E royal African company of Eng- the lofs of fix men. I got over the bar, and
land having of late years been mo-
lefted in their trade, in the north parts of
Guinea, by the French, did, by virtue of
their majefties commiffion, order their
agent-general, John Booker Efq-, at James-
ifland,in the river of Gamboa, to attempt the
difpoffefling them from thofe parts ; which
fucceeded accordingly, as appears, by letters
from the faid agent of the fourteenth of
March iBgz-"^, now received by way of
Jamaica 5 an abftraft of which follows.
Having embarked my felf, and above a
hundred men of this ifland, upon the com-
Goeree
ijlund
fort taken pany's fhips, the Anne, captain Leech, and
En'tfli '■^^ America, captain Brome, with feveral
"2 ' ■ (loops as an addition to the force they fent
me j I arrived at Senega river the thirtieth of
December 1692, with great difficulty, and
whilft I was preparing to attack the fort
called Louis de Bourbon, the firft day of
January, I received a letter from M. Defmo-
lins, the governor, offering to furrender if he
and his men might have civil treatment
which I readily granted, landed, and cook
pofTeffion of the fort the fame day, where I
found fifteen cannon, i^c. The foid fort is fi-
tuated in the mouth of the river Senega^
and has been in the poffelTion of the French
above fifty years, where I have now fettled
a faftory, and called it by the name of
PFilliatn-and-Mary fort. I continued there
until the twenty fifth, when I iailcd thence,
and having fucceeded fo well, called a
council of war, at fea, the next day, where
it was refolved to attack the ifland of Goeree,
the only place remaining in the French poi-
feffion
BARBoT-feffion in Guinea % where I arrived with the in the room of the other that was before,
^yV^ fl^ips i^he firft of February^ and continued to that the king of France^ to encourage his
alarm the caftks until faturday the fourth, fubjefts to fuch ufeful undertakings, has con-
when in the night I landed with a hundred ferr'd the honour of knighthood of St. Laza-
men under the old fort, within two hundred rus on the faid Des Marcbais, and caufed his
and fifty yards of the new caftle, called difcovery to be printed in French.
Sl Michtnel, and commanded by Mr. Felix^ The ifliand of Goeree is but a league diftant Retaken if
fituated on a rifing ground, and mounted from the continent, and four from Cape-^^^^'^^'^^^
with twenty eight guns, without any refif- Ferde. The Hollanders ^r{\: fettled a colony
tance,till about break of day, when they fired there, and built the forts of Sl Francis and
furioufly upon us with great and fmall-fhot. Sl Michael, which are ftill to be feen. After-
About noon I fent them a fummons to wards the count d'EJlrees made himfelf
furrender before our cannon Ihould be landed ; mafter of the place in 1678. The Engli/b
when they immediately defired a capitula- took it from the French in 1692, and de-
tion, which being granted, and articles molifhed the forts, which had been eredied
agreed on, they marched out the eighth, by the Dutch ; at laft the Senega company
with their arms, bag and baggage, and having retaken it from the Englijh \n i6g^^
colours flying, and were carried to the rebuilt St. Michael's fort, and there are at
company's fort at JameS'\^^nd, whence they prefent in the ifland about a hundred French,
are to be tranfported on the company's fhip- with fome families of Laptos, who are free
ping, and at the company's charge, for Blacks, hir'd by the company to trade from
Europe. one coaft to another.
Some time after, the French company,
I have obferved in the defcription of the to prevent any farther invafion upon Goeree,
Ywev Senega, how treacherous and infolent caufed the upper fort iV.M/V/)^?^/ to be rebuilt,
the Arabian Moors generally are, who fell fifteen foot high, and furnifh'd it with thirty
gum-arabick to the French : I fhall give an two guns, from eighteen to thirty fix
inftance thereof in the relation of what hap- pounders, an equal number of each ; the
pened there five or fix months after my pal- latter of which reach a mile beyond the
fage that way, which is as follows. One great road of Goeree : whereas an eighteen
day three IVhite men hinder'd four hundred pounder, fir'd from aboard a fhip in the
of thofe wretches, by their continued firing road, cannot reach it, which nothing under
on them, from taking a bark, in which they thirty fix pounders will do from thence,
had but juft then been trading for gum- as has been experienc'd by the commander
arabick. Afterwards the French agent was of the ifland.
told, that mofl: of thofe Moors were of a The French have built a tower in thut Fortifia-
country lying on the fide of mount Jtlas, fort, which ferves them for a powder-room ^j*";".
in the kingdom of Tarudant, and that they but they keep no garrifon there, unlefsupon
came down to depofe Cheiratick, king of the approach of an enemy nor are there
the Foulles, one of the mightieft princes of any other buildings within it, but barracks
chat part of Nigritia, as was obferved in the for the foldiers, to ferve upon occafion.
defcription thereof. Voyage of M. They have alfoeredled three batteries, or
on the coafb of Africa, (jfc. in 1695, pag. breaft- works, one at the weft point of the
8, and 9. bay, of 12 eight pounders; another at
In November 171 1, when I was writing the centre of the bay, looking to the
this at Southampton, a French gentleman, fouth, from the pigeon-houfe, towards fore
brought thither prifoner of war, and who Vermandois, or St. Fraticis, of 1 6 eight
had for feveral years ufed the Guinea trade, pounders •, and another on the eafl point,of 8
as agent for the company at Paris, of the eight pounders, all pointing upon the road,
Ajjiento, or contrad with Spain, for furnifli- and obftrudting the landing in the bay ; he-
Ing the PFefi- Indies with flaves, aflfured me, fides fort St. Francis, which is in the midft j
that about eleven or twelve years ago, one of them all; lb that in 1701 there were in 1
Des Marchais, who has lived long at Senega, the two forts, and the three batteries, ninety
as fervant to the Senega company, had made iron guns mounted, and about three hun- !
very confiderable difcoveries up that river,by dredmenof all forts, foldiers, fea-menand :
means of flat-bottom'd boats having, not- Black Laptos, at the French company's ex-
withftanding the falls that are about Galama, pence.
penetrated above five hundred leagues up. The French have alfo fettled a factory g,;^^^
and fettled a very beneficial commerce with at cape Emanuel, oppofite to Goeree, and French
the feveral nations inhabiting the banks of another at Cane, a place farther eafl: from the/^^o""-
that river, fome of which are almofl white 1 cape, to carry on their trade with the na- ♦[
the Frmi) keeping fadories among them, cives on the continent, the more conveniently. i
and purfuing the trade with fuch advantage This account was given me by a French
to the new ^^-w^^ company a.i Paris^ erefted gentleman, prifoner of war at Souihamptony
in North and South-Guinea, 42^
1111706, who had lived at Go^r^-i? fome time
b foie, and laid, that ifland was then in a very
gond pofture of defence ; and zr\oih.tv French
gentleman, prifoner of war alfo at South'mp-
ion-, and mention'd in the precedent account
of the Senega, not only confirmed it, but
aflured me, that but three years before he
faw above feven hundred good choice flaves
at once, in the booth at Goeree, the French
carrying on the flave-trade very brifldy
thereabouts, and efpecially along the iV^^-^^z
river, by means of the large difcoveries
made along it by the Chevalier des Mar-
cbaisy above mentioned. Thofe flaves are
at feveral times fent over from thence to the
booth at Goeree, for the better conveniency
of fhipping them for America the bar of
the river Senega rendering it too tedious and
dangerous for fhips, at mofi: times of the
year, as I obferved in my defcription of
the coafts of Nigritia.
Porto Dali,
succefsftil T N the year 1 68 6, the king of Baol, who
tt/urper. holds of the king of Darnel, revolting
from him, obtained a compleat vi6lory over
his fovereign, near this port, after a bloody
fight, in which abundance of men were
kill'd on both fides, and thus wholly de-
livered himfelf from fubjedlion to Dajuel ;
and prevented his two fons, who afTifted
their father in that battle with their forces,
from being eftabliflied kings in that country,
which he fecured to himfelf; tho' before he
was only viceroy to Darnel.
Traylng This new ufurper, who was of an ambi-
rebel. tious temper, and a bold flcilful commander,
being encamp'd with his army near Porto
Dali, in order to advance againft Darnel;
the night before he moved from thence,
caufed all the Marabouts or priefts to make
a folemn proeelTion through the town of
AH, attended by a great croud of people,
to pray for the good fuccefs of his arms,
finging and fliouting. A few days after
he defeated Damefs army, and returning
with abundance of prifoners, ftruck fuch a
terror into that country, that moft of the
inhabitants of the villages fled away, to
avoid being taken and made flaves as it
was his cuftom to do with thole he could
get into his power, on any flight pretence,
which made him much dreaded by all the
people.
A French fliip, that happened to be then
in the road of Porto Dali, on board which
yvisCafeneuv/', who gave this account, bought
eighty flaves of the prifoners of war. The
refl: of the prifoners the ufurper fent towards
the country of the Moors, to be exchanged
for horfes, to mount his cavalry.
One Emanuel, 2i Black of qusMty, Alcaide
or governor of a 1 .rge town, and captu in of
a troop of horfe in the army, cold what has
Vol. V.
been here faid toCnfereuve ; and added, thatRARBor.
having been for fome time furrounded by •-/VNJ
many men, who fliot arrows at him like
hail, he preferved himfelf by his dex-
terity in managing his fliield, fo as to
cover his body, and receive the arrows on
it ; and that their troops were all armed
with bows and arrows, and javelins, only
twenty five or thirty men having mufkets.
This Emanuel gave Cafeneuve a fliort ac-
count of his life, which I infert here for
the reader's diverfion, and to fliow the inge-
nuity of the Black.
" The king, faid he, had formerly foXd^otabk
«' me for a flave to a Dutch captain, who^^^^j^-^
"finding me a good fervant, inhispafiage
" to thtPFeJl-Indies, did not fell me to the
" planters there, as he did all my country-
" men he had aboard, but carried mev/ith
" him into Holland, where I foon learnt to
*' fpeak good Dutch, and after fome years
" he fet me free. 1 went from Holland into
" France, where I foon got as much of that
" language as you hear by me. Thence!
" proceeded to Portugal, which language
" I made my felf mafterof with more eafe
" than either iht French or Dutch. Having
" thus fpent feveral years in travelling thro''
" Europe, Irefolvedto return to my native
" country, and laid hold of the firfl: op-
*' portunity that offered. "When I arriv'd
" here, I immediately waited on the king,
who had fold me for a flave, and having
*' related to him my travels in Europe, ad-
" ded, I was come back to him, to put
" my felf into his hands, as his flave again,
" if he thought fit. The king was fo far
*' from reducing me to that low condition,
" that he gave me one of his own fiflrers
" in marriage, and conftituted me Alcaide,
" or governor of this town, where you fee
" me live, and of that of Portudal; for the
" perfon who ads as governor there, is only
" my deputy."
G A M B o A.
"\/|Onfieur de Gennes, whom I knew in French
France, engineer in the king of Franc e'spedition
fervice, after the expedition I am now ao~fi*'^^
ing to fpeak of, was made governour of
part of St. Chrijtopher^ ifland, in America,,
and at lafl: taken at fea by the Engli/Jj, and
carry'd to Plymouth, where he died ; being
fent, by the king of France's approbation,
with a little fquadron of four frigats, one
courvette of war, and two pinks, carrying
two mortars and fix hundred bombs, with
all forts of provifions and ammunition, ne-
ceflary for a long voyage, to make a full
difcovery of the ftreights of Magellan, and
of the coafts of New Spain in the Soutb-fea i
in order to reap the advantages that one Ma-
certy and one Oz/r'v made out might be ex-
pelled from fuch an undertaking ; they ha-
5 Q ving,
Remarkable Occurrences
.Barbot vino, among other buccaneers, taken very
vVTV^ rich booties from the Spaniards in thofe
■parts. The king fupply'd de Gennes with
iliips, at his own choice •, and the projed
was fo well approv'd of, on account of its
.novelty, that ieveral perfons of the greateft
.quahty readily contributed to the equipping
of thofe ftiips : tho' the defign mifcai ried,
the fquadron not being able to penetrate any
farther through the ftreights of Magellan
than to point Galant, on the north fide of
.the faid ftreights, and in the country of the
P^/^?ifo;?j-, being about the mid-way through,
• and by reafon of the contrary cold fharp
•winds,' with abundance of rain, hail and
fnow, and their provifions beginning to fail,
the men eating rats, and giving fifteen-pence
a-piece for them. The feafon being very far
advanc'd, and no hopes remaining of any
favourable winds to carry them through
into the Soi/tk-fea, they return'd again into
tlie north-fea, on the eleventh of y^prii
1696, touch'd Brazil then at Ca-jemie,
and laftly at Mariinko; without b:jing
ib happy as to fee rhofe fortunate coafts of
Pern, whence we are fupply'd with what is
generally efteem'd moft precious.
To return to the fubjeft in hand : That
M.deGeii- fquadron fail'd from Rochel on the^ third of
nes^f June 1695, and on the third of July ^o\-
Gamboa, lowing arriv'd at Goeree, in North-Guinea,
.to refrefh the men. There an Englijh de-
ferter, from James4oxt. in Gamboa-nver, in-
form'd the French governour, that almoft
all the garrifon was fick, and in want of
provifions. Be Gennes refolving to improve
that accidental opportunity to molefb the
Erq^jfJj, fet fail for Gamboa-x'wtx, on the
nineteenth of Jul-j, taking two Blacks and
the Englijh deferter for his guides. On the
twenty fecond all the fliips enter'd the river,
under Ev.glijh colours \ and at live in the af-
ternoon they came to an anchor within a fmall
league of the fort, and immediately inverted
it with the courvette and fhallops, to prevent
the carrying in of any provifions or other
fuccours, and unmafted one of the pinks,
to convert it into a bomb-vefltl.
On the twenty third M. de Gennes fent an
f/j^'p""^ officer to fummon the fort to furrender. Be-
lifh for^' come to the ifland, he was conduced
blindfold to the governour's houfe, and re-
ceiv'd by the lieutenant ; the governour
himfelf being then abfent. That comman-
der treated the officer very well at dinner,
and drank the healths of the kings of France
and England, with vollies of cannon, and
then fent him back with this anfwer, That
he would defend the fort to the laft ex-
tremity.
Takesthi ^^^^ "^^^^ "'ght, between the twenty third
frov'ijilns the twenty fourth, the French fhallops
' took a brigantine and feveral canoes, laden
with provifions for the fort ; whilft one ot
the frigats gave chace to a canoe, in which
the governour waspaffing over thither ; but
finding no better way to fave himfelf, leap'd
into the water, and made his efcape to the
woods: from whence he found means to re-
tire in the night without being difcover'd,
At break of day two French fhallops
fail'd three leagues up the little river Block,
burnt there two fmall velTels that were re-
fitting, and carried away thence two pieces
of cannon, and feveral pattareros.
On the twenty fourth, at eight in the
morning, the bomb-galley difcharg'd two
bombs, which did not come near the fort ;
and therefore de Gennes forbid throwing any-
more, refolving to wait for the tide of flood,
that he might bring up the vefi^els within
fhot of the place.
In the mean while the commander of the j-^^y-^-^^
fort, John Hanhury, having fent a c^not capitulates.
with a white flag, to dcfire to capitulate,
two of his officers were detain'd as hoftages,
and two of the French fent to the fort, to
draw up the articles ; which were fign'd the
fame day by all the Englijh officers, and the
next day by all the captains of the fqua-
dron, confiding of nine articles. The fecond
whereof was, that every man fliall be per-
mitted to carry along with him his own
arms, baggage, chefts, attire, ammuni-
tion and money, with drums beating, and
matches lighted ; and that every officer ffiall
be attended by a young Black. The eighth,
that a veflel with three mafcs fliall be given
them, with artillery, ammunition and pro-
vifions, to return to England, without de-
taining any thing v/hatever ; and that their
departure fhall be within thirty days, at
flirthefl:. Hie ninth, that they fhall have
a good pafs to go in fifcty, ^c. The tenth,
that the above-mention'd articles being
granted, it was declar'd, that the following
goods belong'd to the royal AJrican com-
pany of England, viz. five hundred quin-
tals of elephants teeth, three hundred quin-
tals of wax ; one hundred and thirty male
and forty female flaves in the ifland fifty
at Gilofre, and above eighty thoufand crowns
of merchandize, at the ufual rate of the
country ; as alfo feventy two large pieces
of cannon mounted, thirty difmounted, and
a confiderable quantity of warlike ammuni-
tion, i^c. and that they fliould have a truce
till the commander in chief return'd an
anfwer.
On the twenty feventh, at break of day,
the major of the fquadron gave notice to
the Englijh commander to prepare for his
departure, the term granted being expir'd.
At fix a-clock the fliallops and canoes, ready
fitted up, attended on the commado.'-e, and
then drop'd anchor in a line, within pift:ol-
in North and South-Guinea,
The fur-
render.
French re-
filve topu-
ni(lj the
Blacks,
Black
Ifubmlts
he Eng-
'\\fort de
..; oy'd.
fhot of the fort. The French officer, that
was chofen for governour, went firft afhore *,
where the Englijh commander gave him the
kevs, and embark'd at the fame time. to go
aboard the Felicity. Afterwards all the
forces landed ; centinels were plac'd at all
the neceffary pofts ; the French ftandard was
fet up i '^e Beiim was fung by the chap-
lains of the fquadron % and thirty feven guns
fir'd.
On the twenty eighth a French officer
went to defire the king of Bar., to give them
leave to take poffeffion of the flaves and
oxen, which the EngH/h had in his domi-
nions to which the king reply'd, that the
fort being furrender'd, every thing that was
left on the land, of very good right belong'd
to him. The officer told him, that the
commander of the fquadron would not be
fo fatisfy'd and that if he refus'd to grant
his demands willingly, he would certainly
do himfelf juftice by force of arms. And
indeed a council was held about thatanfwer
and for as much as it was well known, that
at the breaking out of the war, he had feiz'd
on merchandize to the value of above forty
thoufand crowns belonging to the French.,
who traded on that river, it was determin'd
to make a defcent, to take the king pri-
foner, with as many of his people as could
be found, and to burn all their hutts.
This decree was ready to be put in execu-
tion, when an Alcaide came to pafs a com-
pliment on de Gennesy and to aflure him,
that the king was unwilling to engage in a
war againft him •, but, on the contrary, very
defirous to entertain a friendly correfpon-
dence with him •, and that he might freely
take whatever he fliould think fit: and ac-
cordingly the next day de Gennes went to
give the king a vifit, i^c.
On the thirtieth a council was held, to
determine whether the fort fliould be kept,
or flighted. The latter advice was follow'd,
for feveral reafons ; and therefore the fliips
drew near, to take in all the merchandize
that were to be exported. They confifted
of feveral pieces of ordnance, a great quan-
tity of arms, elephants teeth, wax, veffels
of tin and copper, ^c. woollen and linnen
cloth, printed calicoes, coral, glaffes, and
other commodities with which a great
trade is drove in that country.
On the fourteenth of Augufi, the Englijh
officers fail'd for Cayenne., in one of the
pinks, with one hundred and fifty (laves
Ihut up in the hold •, but thofe poor wret-
ches, fcarce having room to breath, threw
themfelves one upon another, as it were in
defpair, fo that thirty four of them were
found ftifled.
The feventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth
. and twentieth days, were fpent in breaking
the cannon at 67. James^-ioxi., and under-
mining the wall. On the twenty fecond the BARBor.
mines fprung, and took very good effeft. **«^V^
The Engliflo^ fpent feveral years in building
that fort, which flood in the middle of a
fine river, where the traffick is very confi-
derable ; and the profits they receive from
thence, are computed to amount to a mil-
lion of livres yearly : fo that the lofs of that
place cannot beeafily repair'd.
On the twenty fourth, at noon, the fqua-
dron pafs'd down the river •, and the next
day, about eight a-clock in the morning,
prepar'd to ful. The free-booter of St.
Do}7iingo., who had put into the river on the
fourteenth, fail'd at the fame time, and
paffing by the commadore, faluted him.
The fquadron fteer'd for Brazil \ and the
free-booter for the Red-fea. De Gennes had
given that free- booter's crew two pieces of
cannon, with powder, ball, and fome oxen,
on condition, that in their pafiage they
fhould fet the Black prince o'i AJfuiy afhore
in his own dominions, he having him in
charge but could not perform that himfelf,
without interrupting the voyage he was
upon.
The royal African company of England^ Enoiifli^-e-
having the fucceeding years, with very bmid thdr
great expence, caufed James- fort to he rs-fi''^'
built, and the trade to be carried on again 5
the French made another attempt on it in
1702, according to the account in the Paris
Gazette, of the eleventh of April 1703*
which is as follows :
By the Greyhound., arriv'd at Nantz^ we
have advice, that captain de la Roque in the
frigat, call'd the Mutinous., being the fame J;^"^^^ ^„
perfon that commanded a frigat in the for- gain.
mer expedition under M. de Gennes, at
James-iort in Gamhoa-r\vtv.^m the year 1695,
and captain de St. Vaudrille., in the Hermione
frigat, have taken from the Englifo the fort
Gamhoa-vivct., in Guinea., where they
in
found two hundred and fifty flaves, and a
confiderable quantity of merchandize j and
afterwards ranfom'd the faid fort, that it
might not be demjolifh'd, for one hundred
thoufind crowns. Captain de la Roque was
kill'd in the attack.
An Englijh mafter of a ffiip told me in
London., that he ufed to trade in Gamboa-
river, with a veflel of about fixty tons •, in
which he fail'd two hundred leagues up
that river, and found there a very brilk ad-
vantageous trade of elephants teeth, wax and
flaves.
In the year 1709, the French made a
third attempt on 'ton-James., as appears by
the account in the Paris Gazette, of the
ninth oi November 1709, as follows:
We have receiv'd advice, that M, Parent.,
an officer of the marine, being commadore Take it a
of four frigats, fitted out for privateering ^^/V n principles, and bapiiz'd by the
bifhop of Svleaux^ the king being his god-
•fecher, received the facrament of the L ord's-
:f ipper on the twenty feventh of Fct/ruary,
from the cardinal de Noailles, and ofi^eredat B^^r ^ot.
the fame time a picture to the biefiftd virgin, w^Y^
to whofe protedlion he fubmitted his terri-
tories, having made a vow at his return
thither, to ufe his utmoft endeavours to-
wards theconverfion of his fubjefts. This
Moorijh prince departed on the twenty fourth
of this month, in order to embark at port
Louis, and be conveyed home by two or
three men of war, under the command of r
the chevalier Damon.
This pretended prince of AJfmy, was the
fecond of that fort carried over into France i
for, as I obferved before, de Gennes, who
ranfack'd the EngHJh fort James at Gamboa
in 1695, had charge of a prince of AJJinyi
whom at Gamboa he put aboard a French
free-booter of St. Domingo, that was put into
that place bound to the Red-fea, whom he
charged to fet him ailiore in his own terri-
tories in his pafiage thither.
But whatever thofe two princes of AJfiny
were, wearetolJ by the following narrative
of a Dutch man who lived thirteen years, as
he fays, at the Gold Coaft, and had been at
IJfeny, that as ftunid as the Blacks are, yet
fome among them have impofed upon the
court of France.
Some years fince, fays that author, (^o/^ Dutch
man, p. 420.) the French ufed to feize zWflory.
the Blacks that came aboard their fhips, and
to fell them into the IVeft-Indies for flaves ;
among whom happen'd to be the aforefaid
Lewis Hannibal, chriften'd in France : but
finding him endow'd with a more fprightly
genius than his other countrymen, inftead of
felling, they carried him to the French court,
where that impoftor pretended to befon and
heir apparent to the- king of AJ/iny ; by
which means he fo infinuated himfelf into
the good opinion of the court, that the king
made him feveral rich prefents, and fent
him back to his own country in the manner
above related ; but at his arrival on the
coaft, he was difcovercd to be only aflave
to a Caboceiro of AJfiny, to whom, foon
after his arrival, he returned ; and, as I am
credibly informed, inftead of converting his
fubjefts to chriftianity, is himfelf return'd
to pagan ifm.
You may eafily guefs, adds the author,
at the refentment of the French court, afcer
being fo ridiculoufly bubbled by a flave, if
you confider that by this means they loft
their aim, which was to get footing on the
Gold Coaft ; and befides, that the pious in-
tentions of his moft chriftian majefty, to
convert a heathen prince, and eftablifh him
on his throne, were fruftrated ; the cardinal
de Noailles, and the biiliop of Meaux la-
bour'd in vain and in ftiorc, the whole
French court was difappointed of its expedta-
tion. However,we have nothing but B' ftnan's,
word for the truth of this unlikely ftory,
5 R The
410 .m. Remarkable Occurrences
Barbot. The chevalier I>^»w«, who had brought inM^?)! 1702, However, they failed in their
^-^V^ over the pretended prince of Jffiny in 1 701, attempt, as has been faid before ; the French
and was fent with men and materials to build having, it feems, put themfelves in a better
a fort there, and fettle a faftory, for the pofture of defence than they were the year
African com^gmy o^ France, finding himfelf, before, or elfe the had no rio-ht ac=
as well as the French court, impofed upon count of their condition,
by Hannihal, and not being able to prevail Howeverjthe/r^wirij being at variance with
with the true king, to get footing on the the natives, and confequently having little
French continent, but only on a little ifland, near or no trade, the company fo far negleded
fort, the mouth of AJfiny river, fet his men to their fervants there, that in June 1704, per-
work, and erefted a fort wkh eight guns, ceiving tiie hatred of the Blacks againft them
to fecure the fadlory he fettled there, which ftill encreafed, and having no fort of trade,
the Fr^«f/j had for many years before labour'd they embarked for France, after havino-
to accomplifh ; that being a place where levell'd their faftory to the ground,
there is a great deal of the purefl and fineft I had this account from one Porquet of
gold of all Guinea; and having left afador Dieppe, who was then prefent at the blow-
there with twelve or fifteen iY(?/76/&-men, re- ing up of the lodge. p . .
turned to France.
The Dutch, growing jealous of that new Ivorv Coast.
fettlement of the Fr(?«c/:?, at fo advantageous Bernard Ladman's letter, dued Commendo^
a place, and the war breaking out with the kvtnih of' February, 1 701-2,
France m 1702, refolved to obftrud it •, and A S for trade, I have met with very little
to that purpofe, as the Paris Gazette of a.t the Ivory CoaJt,the Blacks being afndd
OtJobcr the feventeenth 1703, informs us, to come aboard EngliJJj fhips, as having
they equipp'd at Mina four velTels to attack been tricked by feveral ; particularly of late
the fort, which the Fm/f/:) had built aty^^ji ; by brigantines belonging to Jamaica and
where being landed, they were received with Barhado?s, which about the nineteenth of
fo much bravery by the fieur Lavie, the Decetnber laft, did furprife and carry away
chief faflor, that they were forc'd to retire, with them twenty four ^/^c^j, belonging to
with the lofs of twenty-five men kill'd, Drewin, with fixteen cows, and a great par-
among whom was their chief ingeneer, and eel of teeth, as they came aboard to trade,
eleven taken prifoners, leaving their canoes Some were redeemed, but had three for one :
behind them. the fame method they take all along the
Some time before this, whether the French coaft ; fo that if there be no care taken to
did not behave themfelves towards the na- prevent fuch villanies, our Englijh colours
tives as was for their intereft, or whether will be of no ufe to us ; for the Blacks me-
the king of AJJiny was put upon it by the ditate revenge, and are refolved to feize
Hollanders, and repented the grant he had what they can. Accordingly, on the twenty
made to iheFrench one who was there at the feventh of December, captain Daniel Lewis,
latter end of the year 1701, afking of the of the Dolphin floop, belonging to London,
how they agreed with the jpmzfi?, they being at anchor off of Drewin, to trade, a
anfwer'd, that all the Caboceiros of AJJiny, great number of natives came aboard, and
and their fubjefts, were gone from thence, furpriz'd them all, took all that was in the
and had fettled a mile above the village, veffeljand run her afhore, where fhe ftaved in
where they continued at that time, without pieces. The mate and boatfwain efcaped in
entertaining the leaft commerce and corre- the boat, but the commander, and the reft
fpondence with the French,, who had only a of his men they drove up into the country ;
bare lodge on the fiioar, encompalfed with fince, they are more moderate to them, and
pallifadoes, and provided with five pieces of have admitted of an exchange for the cap-
cannon,and then guarded by eight men, who tain and his cook, taking fix Blacks for
were well furnifli'd with provifions left them ; the doftor is likewife cleared by rea-
there by tht French fhips, but fometimes in fon they had cut his head, and could not
great want of water, which the natives al- tell what to do with him. Captain Lw/j is
ways endeavour'd by force to keep them now aboard of me,and gives me this account,
from : and were therefore of opinion, that but the reft of the men are ftill a.t Drewin^
unlefs they received fome affiftance from Eu-
rope, they could not long fubfift there ; but L a h o o.
would be obliged to abandon the place upon Sir Dalby "Thomas's letter, dated at Cape-Coaji
the firft opportunity. callle the thirteenth of May, 1 705.
And perhaps it was upon fuch a report T Am told that the people of Lahoo have
fpread abroad at the Gold-Coajl, that the * eighteen guns, well mounted on batteries
Dutch from Mina attempted to attack that round their town, and the town very well
French fettlement as foon as the war was pallifado'd they are arrived to fo much
proclaim'd againft which was done knowledge, that they can defend themfelves,
and
in North and South-Guinea.
431
I
and carry their guns up the river in great
canoes, to offend their enemies. The ten
per cent, fhips bring thofe guns over and fell
them to the Blacks at feveral places, as (hall
be farther made out hereafter.
Cape Tres-Pontas,
Of the eflahlijloment of the Brandenburghers,
or PrulJians.
L had the following account from a relation of
:, mine, director for his electoral highnefs of
Brandenburgh, at Embden.
N the year 1682, his eleftoral highnefs
of Brandenburgh fent to the Gold Coajl
of Guinea two frigats, one of thirty-two
guns and fixty men, the other of eigh-
teen guns and fifty men the former com-
manded by captain Mathieu de Vos ; the
latter, by captain Philip Pieter Bloncq ;
who being arrived in Ma'^, 1682, at cape
'^res-Pontas, landed their men at Montfort
hill, where they fet up his eleftoral high-
nefs's flag.
Captain Blo'ncq^ being well acquainted
with the natives there, purfuant to the in-
ftrudion he had from his eleftoral high-
nefs, made fo good ufe of his credit a-
mong them, which he had gain'd at fe-
veral former voyages, that the Cahoceiros
granted him liberty to build a fort on that
hill, and fettle a trade with the natives, for
his eleftoral highnefs.
In order thereto, he caufed fome pie-
fort "''^ ' cannon to be put afhore there, and
let nien at work to throw up, with all hafte,
an intrenchment with pallifadoes, whilft
others erefted fome houfes ; which being
furnifhed with goods, provifions, and am-
munition, the two frigats returned to Ham-
'burgh,, having aboard fome Cahoceiros, who
were immediately conveyed to Berlin, by
order of his eleftoral highnefs ; who re-
ceived them very favourably, entertained
them magnificently for fome time, fhewed
them the grandeur of his court, together
with fome part of his army ; and fent
them back to their native country, at 'Tres-
Pontas, where captain Bloncq, being alfo
returned at the fame time, took upon him
the government both of the fort he had
mark'd out and begun, before he went for
Europe, and of the country ; and with all
due application caufed the fort to be fi-
Plate II. nifh'd, as reprefented in the cut; moun-
ting thirty-two pieces of cannon on the
batteries, and calling it Groote Fredericks-
burgh, from his eleftoral highnefs*s name^
now king of Prujfia.
This fortrefs, which is the chiefeft the
Prujp.ans or Brandenburghers have on that
coaft, fbands on the hill Manfro, near the
village Pocquefoe, full three leagues ealt of
the Dutch fort, at Axim.
It is a handfome large fort, with fourBARsoT.
large batteries, now furnifhed with forty- ^■■OT^
fix pieces of ordnance, but too light and
fmall j and the gate is the moft beauti-
ful on all the coaft ; but in proportion
much too large for the ftrufture : on the
eaft-fide it has a very fine outwork, which
fome pretend, deprives the fort of a great
part of its ftrength ; wherefore it would
be eafily gained, if attacked on that fide,,
Another great fault, is, that the breaft-
worksare not above three foot high, which
does not well fhelter the garrifon againft
the Ihot from without •, the natives being
as good markfmen as they.
The walls are thick, ftrong and high j.
and within them are feveral fine ware-
houfes and dwellings, for the officers and:
foldiers.
The governor, who ftiles himfelf direc-
tor-general for his eleftoral highnefs of-
Brandenburgh, and of his African, company,
jointly with the Cahoceiros of Pocquefoe, ^
and other neighbouring towns, determines
all cafes and differences arifing betwixt the
inhabitants, fummoning them together on
fuch occafions (which, meeting they call a
Pallahra, or council) into the fort, whither ; '
immediately thofe Cahoceiros repair ; and:
there decide all caufes, civil or criminal,
and their fentences are executed accordingly^
with all fubmiffion, from the natives-,
which gives great credit and authority to
the commander of the fort, in that coun-
try, being a common-v/ealth like Axim.
The chief governor alfo receives the.
accounts of the Brandenburgh faftors, at
I'acrama, or Crema; and at the fort at
Acoba, called Dorothea, at Tres-Pontas, as
mentioned in the defcription ; and of thofe
at the lodges, at Popo, and Fida, which
are all the fettlements that nation has on
the coafts of Guinea •, and for fome time
paft, their fervants, and even the comman-
ders, but not the foldiers, have been for
the moft part Hollanders, who, like their
countrymen,, have always aimed at an ab-
folute dominion over the B.'acks, but could
never accomplifh it ; being hitherto hin-
dered by their inteftine dilTenfions and ir-
regularities, or the ftubborn nature of the
Blacks, living under their dominions, moft
of whom have fled from the Dutch, on ac-
count of crimes or difcontent, and fettled
near the Brandenburghers..
In 1674, the Pruffians buUt the fort, I
have mentioned, at Tacrama, or Crema,
a village in the middle of cape Tres-Pon-
tas i betwixt great Fredericksbur gh and Do-
rothea forts. They have only fix guns moun-
ted on it, to hinder the natives of the ad-
jacent villages from trading with any fo-
reign fliips, within the reach of their guns,
the natives being alraoft entirely under
the Pruffian dominiono
I
12
Baubot. In 1 70 1, the "P ruffian agent allowed any
U'VNJ foreign ftiips to take wood and water there,
for ten pounds a fhip.
Their defign was to build a good fort
there, to fecure and defend the adjacent
watering-place to themfeives , but the
keeping of that fadory, and the two forts
before mentioned, has prov'd fo charge-
able to the company, that it is thought,
they will not rafhly augment their ex-
pence, by building a more regular fort.
Their little fort 'Dorothea^ at Accba, a-
bout three leagues eaft of cape 'Tres-Pontas,
was, about the year 1690, enlarged by
the Hollanders ; who, it feems, had difpof-
feffed the P ruffian founders of it, in 1683;
but afterwards, by order of the Dutch Weft-
India company, delivered it to them again :
fince which, they have very confiderabJy
ftrengthened and improved it \ tho' it is
but a houfe with a flat roof, on which are
two fmall batteries, and on them feveral
fmall guns, my brother fays twenty, with
a fufficient number of rooms, and conve-
niencies, flightly built, and fomewhatcrou-
ded together,
Priiffiati ^^^^ former directors of the Prujfians
dkeBors. there, and among them efpecially, John
Nynan, an Embdener ; and after him, John
and Jacob Tenhooft, father and fon, being
men of found judgment, good fenfe and ex-
perience, difcharged their office with much
fidelity, and good conduft ; acquired a
large (hare of reputation, and kept thofe
under them in due decorum : efpecially
Jacob I'enhooft the fon, who by his good
name and courteous behaviour, gain'd the
afPeftion of the Blacks, and had every body
at his devotion ; by which means he efta-
bliihed the Brandenburgh affairs, in a much
better condition than any before him : and
as they never had a better governor, fo it
is very likely they'll repent the time when
they removed him, and appointed Gyf-
hrecht van Hoogveld in his place •, who had
been in the fervice of the Dutch before, at
Axrm where he treated thofe under him
fo ill, that general Joel Smits and the coun-
cil, were obliged to difcharge and fend
him from the coaft, as unfit for their fer-
vice. However, being then commander in
chief there, to reconcile himfelf to the
offended Blacks^ his old enemies, he gran-
ted them feveral franchifes and privileges,
which ferved not only to lefTen tiie power
of the Prujfians^ and lay the firit foun-
dation of their ruin, but to encourage the
Europeans and the Blacks, jointly to rife
againft him : and after trying to difcharge
him once more from the government, and
banifh him the coaft, choofing in his place
John van Laar, an anabaptift, who was
found to have a much better talent at drin-
king of brandy than at bufmefs ; and took
fo little care of the publick, that all went
to ruin. And he himfelf was timely re-
moved by death, to make way for John
Vijfer, his fucceffor-, a perfon, who wan-
ting even common fenfe, was utterly in-
capable of that truft, ..: r;
Soon after his elevation, his faftor ztCovemof
Acoba was killed by the natives ; which
he having neither fufficient condud nor
power to revenge, they continued their
unbridled outrages, at the expence of the
lives of feveral Europeans ; and laftly,
feizing his perfon, carry'd him into the
inland country ; and after miferably break-
ing almoft all his limbs, and faflening
abundance of (tones about his body,
drowned him in the fea.
This barbarous murder was varioufly
talk'd of there ; but all agree, that the
Europeans under his command, confented
to, and abetted it and fome affert it was
done by their order : and Adrian Grobbe,
chofen by the Blacks, his fucceffor, is ge-
nerally charged with the greateft fliare in
that crime. If he be innocent, I hope he
will clear himfelf ; but if guilty, may hea-
ven avenge it on him and his accom-
plices ; for it has very pernicioufly weaken-
ed tlie power of all the Europeans on
that coaft, and filled them with apprehen-
fions not altogether groundlefs, that if this
bloody fad: efcapes unpunifhed, nobody
is there fecure. It has already fo enflaved
the P ruffians, that I very much doubt,
whether they will ever regain the maftery ;
for the natives having once got the upper
hand, will fufficiently lord it over them.
There have been feven direftors fuccef-
fively, in about thirteen years time, at
Fredericksburg, from about the year 1689,
to 1702 ; which (hews how irregular the
Embden company's affairs have been at
the coaft ever (ince.
In what condition the Pruffian affairs
ftand at the coaft fince the year ijoz, I
have not heard •, but only find fir 'Thomas
Dalby, chief at cape Corjb, writes to the
royal African company, of the twenty-
eighth of March, 1708, thus:
" By a Portuguefe fhip which came from
" Lisbon, I was informed that the King
of Portugal had offered the King of
" Pruff.a forty thoufand pounds, for his
" fort at cape "Tres-Pontas and the two
*' other fettlements belonging to it. I
*' think it, fays he, a great deal of mo-
" ney, to be given for any firuation on
" this coaft •, and I am apt to believe, if it
*' is ever bought by the Portuguefe, the
" Dutch will take it from them : for they
" fear no confequences, can they but gain
" their point, by ail the deceitful ways
« poflible." -. •
Die-
m North and South-Guinea.
413
Bofman.
Englilh
fort.
and
Blacks
join in a
frmd.
t) I C K I E S K O or I N F I A M A i
5_y the Dutch Dikiefchofft ; but properly
called Infuma.
THE Englifh built a fmall fort, Anno
1 69 1, after they had feveral times dif-
puted the ground with the Brandenburghers^
who fome time before had fet up their eledlor's
flag there •, tho' at lafl: not finding it turn
to any great account, they quietly yielded
to the Englijh^ who advanced fo leifurely,
that it was but finilhed in fix years •, after
all which, it was fo inconfiderable and flight,
that it hardly deferved the name of a fort.
I have often heard the EngliJJo themfelves
complain of ic •, for befides that it is not a
place of good trade, the natives there-
aboucs are fo intradable, fraudulent, villa-
nous, and obftinace, that the Engliflj can-
not deal with them. For if they have re-
courfe to violence, in order to bring them
to reafon they are alfo oppofed by force,
and that fo warmly, that from the year
1697, to 1702, they adventured to be-
fiege them in their fortrefs, and were very
near taking it. At lafl: they obliged the
Engliflj to their terms, without allowing
them to exercile any power over them ;
and hence proceeded an alliance fo Ariel
betv/ixt them, that they jointly agreed to
cheat all the ftiips that came to trade there,
by putting fophifticated gold upon them,
a fraud which they have frequently prac-
tifed ; as they did alfo about the year 1702,
upon two fmall Engltflo fliips, one of which
was laden to the value of one thoufand
feven hundred pounds fterling : for all which,
the mafter received only falfe gold •, fo that
he loft his whole voyage at once, nor did
his companion fare better ; and what mofl:
furprized them was, that they received it
as well from the Whites as the Blacks.
They apply'd themfelves to the EngHflo
chief governor at the coaft, defiring they
might have their goods return'd, or good
gold in exchange for the falfe : but to go
to him, was to go to the devil for juftice
for he partaking of the fraud, would by
no means help them. This cheat is become
fo common, that it is daily pradis'd ; but
that the Whites have always a hand in it, I
dare not affirm. However, I am very fure,
this place deferves the name of the falfe
mint of Guinea, of which, every trader who
comes to the coafl: ought to be warned :
for the making of falfe gold is there fo
ufual, that it is publickly fold, and become
a perfcd trade •, the price current being in
my time, about a crown in gold for two
pounds fterling of falfe.
Letters to P.] This Englijh fort at Bic-
kies-Cove, is a large and fquare fort, fitu-
ated near the fea-fide, having a Branden-
hurgh fort within two leagues to the weft-
ward, that is Dorothea fort, and a Dutch one^
V O L. V,
Batenjleyn at Boetroe, within three leagues Barbot.
to the eaftward of it : it is built with ftone ^^''V^
and lime, has two round flankers, and two
fquare baftions ; with twelve guns moun-
ted in very good order, and a fuitable ba-
fon to contain rain water-, 'tis commonly
kept by fixteen white men, and about four-
teen Gromettoes, who are as good for de-
fence and fervice as fo many white men,
and always in the company's pay.
BOETROE orBoUTRY.
/
BID. A. xxxi.3 This fort is very impro-
perly called Batenjlein.) fignifying pro-
fit ; for it much better deferves tlie name of
Schadenftein, fignifying lofs, in regard the
Dutch have for feveral years loft much
more than they got by it.
But by what fir Daiby Thomas writes Dutch
from cape Cor/c> ca ft le, the twenty-ninth o^flnntatio}}.
Jl'Ij., i708j that the Dutch on the river
Boetroe were, as he was informed, laying
out ground for fugar and rum-works ; and
the general had fent a fliip to Whidah. to
bring up two hundred flaves and they faid
that by their next fliipping they expefted
materials from Holland, for carrying on a
fugar plantation, and fugar-works, i^c.
wherein, if fuccefsful, the foil being very
proper for fugar canes, as is hinted in my
defcription : it is much to be feared, con-
fidering the multitude of flaves on that
coaft, whofe labour is very cheap •, and
the fliortnefs of the voyage from Holland
to the coaft of Guinea, in refpedt to that
to the Eaft-Indies, from whence they al-
ready import great quantities of fugar, that
in fome few years time, when our Ame-
rican colonies, will be obliged to make
fugar at fo much greater charge, than the
Hollanders in Africa, they may be able to
undcrfell us by very much and ccnfe-
quently have the ftaple of fugars over all
Europe, as they have already that of all
fpices : then Batenjlein fort will properly fig^
nify profit.
T A c c o R A R Y hy the Dutch, andT o c-
c A R A D o E hy the Englifti.
Cape Corfo cafile, the fifteenth of January^
1707-8. Sir Dalby Thomas'i letter.
•7* OCCARADOE is a place of no manner Dutch
of trade, and has been tried by zW"^'^^'^'-^-
nations trading thither yet the prefent
Dutch general, to fhew his mortal hatred
to us, has built a fort of feven or eight
guns there and fettled a Coopman in it,
with all other attendants, as in other places;
for no other end or purpofe, than to hin-
der us from getting oyfter-fiiells for ma-
king of lime.
I have hinted in the defcription of Gui-
nea, that Taccorary is the place which af-
fords a vaft quantity of oyfter-Ihelis, very
5 S proper
434
Remarkable Occurrences
BARBOT.to make good lime, and that the Engl'ijh^ as
^"^''V^ well as other Europeans, ufed in thofe times
to fetch fhells as they had occafion for their
buildings all along the coafb ; that being a
place fit for no trade, and abandon'd by all
trading Europeans, who had poffefTed it by
turns, ^c, and I find by many letters I have
in my hands, that the Dutch have been very
induftrious to difturb our Britijh fettlements
at the coaft, in a more particular manner
fince the year 1706, being jealous of the
Engiijh having ere£ted a fort at Succundee,
which lies in the fame bay as Taccorary, fe-
veral years ago •, and it is apparent, that
their building this new fovt 2iZ'fac cor ary, is
to obftru£b and annoy this nation yet the
more effeftually there, as appears by feveral
letters from the EvgliJJo agent and fiftors ; of
which I iliall infert one from firDalby Thomas,
dated February 1 705-6.
I went for Dickies-cove, and when I arriv'd
there, the Cabajheers of Dickies-cove told me,
that the day before the Dutch had deliver'd
our arms, powder and ammunition to all
the people of Buiteroe, Pampaney, and all
other places thereabouts ; and had given
them orders to dcftroy all the people at
Toccoradoe, and to murder the White men ;
particularly if they catch'd me alive, to cut
off" my head, and fend it toM. Nuyts, Coop-
man of El-Mina. I afk'd them how they
could tell thofe particulars ; they faid, they
had friends and relations among them, who
had fent them word of it : and the next
day after my arrival, they told me, they
had deftroy'd and burnt the town of ^ToiTf 5-
radoe, kill'd one, and wounded four men.
SuCCUNDEE.
'Tp H E EngliJh and Dutch had each a fort
*■ Handing there, ereded (the Dutch fort,
Orange) before 1682, and the EngliJJo one
fome years after ; but the trade at fo low an
ebb, and the officers of each fort fo jealous
of each other, that they both liv'd in mife-
rable poverty, at the expence of both the
Englijh and Dutch companies ; the trade
having been fpoil'd by the war betwixt Adorn
and Ante, This Succundee was before that
time, one of the fineft and richeft villages,
as well in money as people, along the whole
coaft but the Adotnefe conquerors entirely
burnt and deftroy'd it. The few flight dwel-
lings which were there in 1702, were built
fince that war, and others daily building,
fo that it may grow to be a good village ;
but to re-inftate it in its flouriftiing condi-
tion, requires feveral years.
In June 1698, the Englijh fort was burnt
and deftroy'd by the Antean Blacks j its
chief commander, and fome of the Englijh
being kill'd, and the reft plunder'd of all
their own, and the company's goods ; and
fo abandon'd, the out-walls only left ftand-
ing ; by which the Dutch, tho* very little
to their advantage, were left mafters of that
place: however, about 1702, they traded
there confiderably for a large quantity of
gold, which the underftanding, made
feveral attempts to rebuild their fort, but
were always obftrufled by the Anteans.
Paris Gazette, of November 1694. The
Dutch fort. Orange, above mention'd, was
about the month of September 1694, taken
by the Blacks, and pillag'd as was alfo a
little Hollander, that happen'd to ride there ;
and all the crew maft;icred, according to the
report of a Zeeland fhip, that came from the
coaft the faid month.
The deftruftion of the Englijh fort at Suc-
cundee happen'd in this manner,
The three agents letter at cape Corfo the
26th o/June 1698.
" This brings your honours the fad news Englifii
" of our White men's being beaten off fromJ^'"'' de-
" your ancient pofteffion Succundee, ^^^'ch-^^J^'^^'^-^
" we defigned to have re-fettled, as by our
" laft advices ; it happening upon the firft
" of June laft, and was done, and carried
"on hy Dutch Blacks, privately fent from
" El-Mina fome in their own ftiips and
" canoes, and the reft by land. We having
" before-hand fecret intelligence from fe-
" veral, of their pernicious intentions, fent
" to advife the general thereof, by ours of
" the twenty ninth of laft, whoown'd
*' to have fent them, as by his of the ninth
*' inftant N. S. but covered their defign.
" They went under pretence to deman4 ^
" debt he had fent them for ; but from
" what they did when there, is evident he
*' gave them nofuch commiflion, the which,
" had he fo pleafed, he might have coun-
" termanded, but would not ; we having
" timely forewarned him before any mif-
" chief was done, to prevent it ; and not
" fuffer, nor lend his Blacks to moleft our
" fettlement, and to cut oif our White men
" in the fervice of your honours there,"
The fame to M. John van Sevenhuyfen,
general at Mina,i62^.
" We were in hopes by our late contract,
" we fhould have lived in amity, which
" truly is our defire ; but we perceive your
" mind is otherwife bent, elfe you would
" not fend your people from the Mina, by
" land, or your lliips by fea, to take our
" fort at Succundee, for what reafon we
" know not we are fure, by no provoca-
" tion from us, or the people that are our
" friends: we do not defire to moleft your
" fort, and you muft expe£t, if our people
be cut oft\ their lives will be required at
*' your hands.
" Our (loop, by diftrefs of weather, at
Succundee-rozd, lofing both anchors, the
mafter fent on board your fhip, defiring
to lend one, but the meflengers were an-
•* fwered
in North and South-Guinea.
fwered by your mate ; ^'tis true^ we have
enough ; but do 'jou think we will /pare any
to 'jOU ? Do "jOU not fee we are fent to take
xourforti and can you expe£l our help ? To
wliich our men anfwer'd, we muft then
fer'ijh ; to which your mate flightly re-
plied, why then perijh-, and the Lord have
ricrcy upon -jOur fouls."
From the fame to the fame, yth of June
698.
" Yours of the ninth inftant, N. S. we
have received, wherein you feem to be
difgufted at the precaution we gave you,
of the mifchiff we not only fufpeded,
but were inform'd by your own people,
was intended againtt ours at Succundee ;
we wi!h there had been as little truth in
it as you pretend, but we find to, the
contrary •, our JVhiie men being murder'd,
and other Black fervants, our (laves, feiz'd,
houfes burnt, the royal African company's
lawful polTcffions wreftcd by force and
violence from us •, and not only this, but
' the furviving men flrip'd, and miferably
' abufed by them. You acknowledged to
' have fent them with a fham pretence of
' receiving debts ; we are not fenfible of
' any debt due from our company to yours ;
' if we were, you might allure your felf of
' fatisfaftion upon demand, and not put
' you to the trouble and charge of levying
' an army. The occafion now of troubling
' you, is to know whether you will ac-
' knowledge thefe things to have been done
' by your order *, if fo, we ftiall leave it
' to your betters, but hope to find it
' otherwife, and that you will deliver up
' thofe bloody villains, the authors, to re-
' ceive punifliment fuitable to the deferts
' of murder, i^c. which in juftice you can-
' not deny •, tho' you might by flight eva-
' fions feek excufes, you cannot reafonably
' think, but other fatisfaftion will be re-
' quired.
" You are pleafed to fay you fent your
' fhip to look after interlopers, which we
' admire you fliould pretend, when the
' v/hole country knows the contrary ; flie
' being never defigned farther than Butteroe
' and Succundee, at which places you well
' knew fhe was not likely to meet with
' any. Had you been wholly clear of this
' aclion, your Coopman durft not have fuf-
' fer'd the plunder to have been brought
' into his fort, as was done, before all our
' tVhiie men's faces and fo barbaroufly to
' abufe them, and fo inhumanly to turn
' them abroad almoft naked, and with the
' captain to ridicule their misfortunes. Our
' guns cannot be carried off by the Blacks.,
' and many other things are there loft,
' which we expeft you to enquire after,
' being aded by perfons commilBoned
' by you.
*' Wefhall not enlarge at prefent, if youBARBoTi
" will now deliver up the aftors of this
" bloody tragedy, as well for their debts,
" as this their other villany, i^c."
The lame to the fame, the 1 6th of July
1698.
" Sir, when our fVhite men, who were
"wounded 2lI Succundee, are recover'd, we
" fhall take their depofitions, concerning
" what we wrote you in our laft, and give
" needful anfwer to yours.
"This in the mean while ferves to 'in- Murder b;^
" form you, we are advifed by our chief at Dutch,
" Winnebah, that one of our company's
" flaves, named Coffee, travelling upon the ■
" road, towards Mumford, to buy corn,
" was fet upon between that and your fac-
" tory at Apom, by one of your Black fer-
" vants, and two of your company's flaves
" there, who kili'd him with above twenty
" five ftabs in his body, cutting his neck
"round to the bone. Our fiid fador fcnC
" to yours at Apom, to demand iatisfadion
" for the murder, which is denied, and is
" the reafon we addrefs our fclves ro you,
" that if you do not approve of what they
" committed, you will now fhew it by an
" exemplary juftice done upon the niur-
" derers, i£c."
By other memoirs I have in hand, I find
the Englifj have reftored their fort at Suc-
cundee to its former condition, garifon'd it,
and carry on their trade as formerly with the
natives but could not learn at what time,
and in what manner it was performed.
I forbear, not to enlarge upon fmall tranf-
adionSj to infert here the many infults of-
fer'd by the Dutch to the company's people,
from time to time, for many years fuccef-
fively, to obftruft and hinder them from
getting their fupply of oyfter-fhells from the
co2i{x ^bowi Toe ccrar^ e : referring the many
inftances thereof to feveral letters fent by
the company's agents at the coaft, on that
and other grievances about the company's
trade ; and conclude this account with the
following late obfervation.
Bofnan, p. 27.] I am alfo inform'd by
Mr, Harris, your chief at Succundee, that •
the Dutch Coopman has panyar'd,, or fe-
cur'd the Cabafheers there ; and made them
take Fetiffoes, that is, fwear that they would
not come near the caftle, nor do us any
fervice, and they forbear.
P. 22.] The Englijb fon at Succundee is
quadrangular, fituated on a hill, about fifty
paces from the fea-fide •, between two Dutch
forts, the one to the weftward, azTaccorary, '
the other to the eaftward of it, is built
with brick and lime ; has ....... guns
mounted, and a tank alfo. There are com-
monly in it fifteen PFhite men, and twenty
Gromettoes>
Adom^
4^6 \ Remarkable Occurrences
Barbot. Adom, and on the Chamascian River,
'-'^''V^' as the Dutch call it, and others, Rio de
Sc. Juan.
1 Obferved in the precedent defcription of
•*• the country of Adom, that it was a kind
of common-v/eakh, governed by five or
fix of the principal men, without a king.
I (hall now add, that this nation has prov'd
from time to time a common plague and
fcourge to the neighbouring Blacks, and even
to Q\\vEuropeam,bt\ns^ an alTembly of thieves
and villains who if they were unanimous,
. would be able to raife a powerful army, to
the terror of all about them.
War with Anno 1690, they jointly began a war
Anta. againft the yf///^y?rt;/;, which continued three
or four years, till they had almoft ruined
that country and people, who yet will not
fubmit to them, but continue to bid them
defiance.
ifiil^ They were alfo at war with the three
others. nations on the river of Ancober, a few years
after, whom they oblig'd to buy a peace,
at the price of a large fum of gold.
In thofe expeditions they had one Anqua
for their general, a Black, fo violently in-
clin'd to war, that he could not live in
peace-, but as much as he coveted it, fcarce
any engagement happen'd with thofe of
Anta and Ancober, in which he was not ob-
liged to his heels for his fafety : fo that if
his men had been no better foldiers than
himfelf, he had foon been flop'd in his ca-
reer ; and yet the other governors dare not
difpleafc him, he being the richeft of them
all in money and men.
An inhu- This Anqud was a deteftably bloody and
?«^«Black. barbarous man, or rather a monfter, whofe
name is ever mentioned with horror in
Anta and Anccber river.
To inftance fome of his unheard-of bar-
barities ■, having in an engagement taken
five of the principal Antefians, in \^()\, he
wounded them all over, after which, with
a more than brutal fury, he did not fatiate
himfelf with fucking their blood at the
gaping wounds, but bearing a more than
ordinary grudge againft one of them, and
not contented with the mention'd favage
cruelty, he caufed him to be laid bound at his
feet,and his body to be pierc'd with hot irons,
gathering the blood that iflfued from him in
a vcffel, one half of which he drank, and
off'ered up the reft to his god.
In the year 1692, when he took the field
a fecond time againft the Antefians, I went
to give him a vifit in his camp near Chama,
or Sama ; he received me very civilly, and
treated me very well, according to the euf-
tom of the country : but whilft he and I
were diverting our felves together, a frefti
opportunity offer'd it felf for the exercife of
his brutifh temper, which was only, that a
Black obferving one of his wives had a new-
fafhion coral on, and holding a part of it in
his hand to look on it, without taking it off
her neck ; fhe not thinking any hurt, freely
permitted him to do fo, all Blacks allow-
ing their wives all honeft liberty of con-
verfation, even with their flaves. But Anqua
fo highly refented this innocent freedom, that
as foon as I was got out of the camp, he
caufed both wife and Have to be put to
death, drinking their blood, as he ufed to
do that of his enemies,
A little before he had caufed the hands
of one of his wives to be cut off, for a very
trivial crime •, after which, in derifion, he
ufed to command her to look his head for
vermin, which being impoffible with her
ftumps, afforded him no fmall diverfion.
This is mention'd, to fhew the bloody
cruel nature of the Blacks, towards their
neareft relations, as well as the moft inve-
terate enemies.
CoMMENDO or Aquaffo.
John Bloome's Letter, from Cabo-^Corfo, to
J. B. the 2jth of Fcbruar'j 1 69 1 -2.
TN theyeari688, M.DuCaJe, cameup-
on the coaft with four French men of war,
equipped at Rochefort, with great confidence
to make there feveral confiderable fettle-
ments, for the royal African company of
France, but efpecially at Cofnmendo, upon
the frequent former invitations of the Aquaf-
fou men, both king and people in order
to crofs the Dutch intereft at their coaft, and
in fome meafure revenge themfelves of the
infults they had received from the Hollanders
at Mina, for many years before ; fome in-
ftances of which you may fee in the prece-
dent defcription, and his people boafted fo
much before-hand at Roche!, of the great
exploits that were to enfue of this expedi-
tion, that the people there gave that officer
the title of petty-king of Guinea.
Du Cajfe made an attempt upon Cowz- French
mendo, where he fettled a fadory, and pro-
ceeded farther to Alampi and Fida, on the
fame defign ; but a few months after he had
failed from Commendo, thro' the inftigation
of the Dutch, a war happening againft the
Aquaffoes, in whofe country the French
fadlory ftood, the Aquaffoes were routed,
their king kill'd, all the French effefts pil-
lag'd, and the French-mtn, who kept the
faffory, forc'd to fly to cape Corfo caftle
for refuge : fince which time, there have not
appear'd any French fliips, nor have they
any. fettlement upon that coaft.
Bofman, p. 27.] That fame year Sweris,
the Dutch general at Mina ereded an indif-
ferent large fort, on the ftrand, at Little
Commendo, or Ekke-'Tokki, as the Negroes
call it, and named it Vreden-burgh : in re-
gard, he had entirely reduc'd the Co?nma-
nians to an honourable peace witn nis na-
tionj
in North and South-Guinea« 437
tion, as fhall hereafter farther be taken no-
tice of, after fo many years of a diforderly
war, continued at times, from the year
1 682. It was a fquare building ftrengthned
with good batteries, on which thirty two
guns may be conveniently plac'd, there
being fo manyembrazures in the breaft-work
for them. It is large enough for fixty men
to live in ; tho' at prefent, 1702, there are
not near fo many, but about twenty : not-
withftanding all which,it is fufficient not only
to defend it felf againft, but to repulfe a
great number of Blacks^ as was found by
experience, Anno\6^^^ when I commanded
Dutch /orfjihere. Our enemies attack'd us by night •,
attacked, j j-j^j. ^ ^^j-y forry earrifon, not full
twenty men, half of which were not fit for
fervice, and yet I forced them to retire with
lofs, after a fight of five hours. 'Twas
wonderful, and no fmall fign of divine pro-
teftion, that we loft but two men in this
adtion ■, for we had no doors to moft of our
gun-holes, and the Blacks poured fmall-fliot
on us, as thick as hail •, infomuch that thofe
few doors which were left to fome gun-holes,
were become like a target which had beeii
fhot at for a mark •, and the very ftaff v;hich
I our flag was faften'd on, tho' it took up
' fo little room, did not efcape fliot-free.
You may imagine what cafe we were in,
when one of them began to hack our very
doors with an ax •, but this undertaker being
kill'd, the reft fheer'd ofi^. The general,
\ to whom I had reprefented my weak condi-
' tion, ordered two fhips to anchor before our
fort, to fupply me with men and ammunition,
j Peter Hinken, the captain of one of thofe
1 veflcls, endeavouring to execute the general's
orders, the day before I was attack'd, fent
his boat full of men to me, but they were
no fooner on land, than the Blacks fell upon
them fo furioufly, even under our cannon,
that they kill'd feveral •, which tho' I faw, I
could not prevent : for attempting to fire
upon the enemy with our cannon, I found
\ them al 1 nail'd of which piece of treacherous
villany, according to all appearance, my
own gunner was the ador, whom I therefore
fent in chains to the general, at our chief
place of refidence, who fwore that he would
I punifh him exemplarily •, but inftead of that,
1 foon after not only fet him at liberty, but
I preferr'd him to a gunner's place of greater
i importance.
For this reafon I was forc'd to be an idle
fpedator of the miferable flaughter of our
men, not being able to lend them the leaft
afliftance : and if the Blacks had at that in-
ftant ftorm'd us, we were in no pofture of
refiftance ; but they going to eat, gave me
' time to prepare for the entertainment I gave
them, as I have before told you. Here I
cannot forbear relating a comical accident
that happen'd. Going to vifiC the pofts of
V o L. V. . f
our fort, to fee whether every man did his Ba t.
duty, one of the folciiers, quitting his poft, 'i/V^
told me, that the Blacks, well knowin"^ he
had but one hat in the world, had malici-
oufly fhot away the crown, which he would
revenge, if I would give him a few grana-
does. I had no fooner order'd him two,
than he call'd out to the Blacks, from the
breaft-work, in their own language, telling
them, he would prefent them with fome-
thing to eat ; and giving fire toliis gra-
nadoes, immediately threw them down
among the croud, who obferving them to
burn, throng'd about them, and were at
firft very agreeably diverted ; but when
they burft, they fo gall'd them, that they
had no great ftomach to fuch another meal,
Co7?imendo., an Enghjh fort, is large and Englift
fquare, with three large fquare flankers, ancl/'"'^
one round •, and within the fort is a large
fquare tower, all builc with ftone and lime.
It is fituated on a level ground, about fifty
paces from the fea-fide, between two Dutch
forts ; the one to the weftward, call'd
Sama and the other about half a mile to
the eaftward of it, call'd Uredenburgh.
It has twenty-four good guns mounted j
and is ufually guarded by twenty white men
and thirty Gromettoes, and has a tank for
water.
In the year 1694, fome miners being fent
from Holland to the Dutch general at Mina,
he order'd them to Commevdo, to make an
t^^^y 2iit\it\\\\\ht\nn<\ Aldea de Torres, weft
of the Dutch fort Uredenburgh \ that moun-
tain feeming to be well plac'd for their pur-
pofe, there being a tradition, that it was
very rich in gold ore.
This hill was at that time confecrated toBlacksw^f
one of their gods ; tho' there was . fcarc<'
ever any talk of it before: but this was ^"^^^*
really only a pretence they made ufe of to
declare war againft us. The miners began
their work •, but in a few days, fufpefting
nothing, were affaulted, miferably abus'd,
robb'd of all they had, and fuch as were
not nimble enough, kept prifoners for fome
time.
We immediately (continues the author)
complain'd of this ill ufage to the king of
Commany, or Commendo, who was villainous
enough to remove the blame from his own
door, and fix it upon John Kabes, a Black,
who liv'd near our fort Uredenburgh, and
with whom we always traded very confide-
rably ; alledging, that he had done it in
revenge, for the ill treatment he had met
with from our former chief, or general.
That this was only a feign'd excufe, was
very evident for John Kabes was fo arrant
a coward, that he durft not have ventur'd
on an attempt fo dangerous, without the
king's exprefs command ; but the king Was
refolv'd to break with us ; and becaufe he
.: 5 T could
I
438
Refnarkahle Occurrences
Barbot. could
^>VSJ this.
Ml
find no better excufe, made ufe of
wich-
to go to
the then Dutch gtntxdX,
out any farther enquiry, refolv'd
Commany in perfon, to require fatisfadion
of Job^ Kahes for that injury : to which pur-
pofe he took fome of the forces of Mina a-
long with him •, and being come to C0771-
vian^^ immediately detach'd a party to John
Kabes\ village, who came out to meet them,
leading a fheep to piefent to Mr , and
clear himfeif of what he wasaccus'd: but
feeing the Mtna forces fall upon his goods,
without giving him any warning, and be-
gin to plunder, as great a coward as he was,
he put himfclf into a poflure of defence j
and our people finding he was refolv'd to
ftU his effeds as dear as he could, the fkir-
mifli began •, and fome on both fides were
very well beaten.
After this, all our afiairs ran at random ;
it fhew'd the king o'i Commany our private,
and John Kahes our profefs'd enemy who,
to revenge the injury done him, invited the
E-figliJh into Com7nan)\ giving them a dwel-
ling-place about a league from our fort, in
one of his fait villages ; refolving to fettle
them, with the firft opportunity, in the old
ruin'd fort they had formerly pofTefs'd :
which foon after fucceeded according to his
Eni'lini ^^^^'^fi ^""^ ^^^^ fortify'd
^X'^^g-^ there, that it will be impofTible to remove
ad-vantage them, unlefs in time of war •■, their fort be-
Vain
Durch
General.
ing as large,and having four batteries as well
as ours : befides which, it has alfo a turret,
fic to be planted with guns, from whence
they may extremely incommode us ; confi-
dering that they have more and larger can-
non than ours : in fhort,we are there likely to
have a nice bone to pick. What injury this
neighbourhood has already done our trade,
every one knows who is acquainted with
this ccaft and how eafily it might have been
prevented. But Mr was too fiery to
think fedately, or hearken to wife counfels ;
and, contrary to all reafon, he defir'd no-
thing fo much as war, and the honour he
hoped to get thereby
himfeif, that he fhould
Mr. Swerts in 1687, who entirely con-
quer'd and fubdu'd the Commajiians^ after
they had in the war loft their king and fe-
veral of the greatefl men in their kingdom.
Notwithflanding all which, I dare averj
he might have fucceeded, had he not been
deluded by the too great opinion he had
conceiv'd of himfeif and his followers, and
his too contemptible thoughts of his enemies.
For he hir'd an army ofJufferiansandCabeJle-
rians for lefs than five thoufand pounds fter
ling.
conquer not onXyComman)^ but all the coaft ^
and accordinglyj very impudently threat-
ned the Fantynefe and Saboefei that after
he had correfted the CommanianSt he would
give them a difagreeable vifit.
Thofe two nations, confidering how much
they were indebted to us ; which, if they
endeavour'd to repay otherwife than by
their continual villanies, was not owing to
their want of will, but power; they foon
embrac'd this favourable opportunity of
joining their forces with thofe of Commany ;
to fupport which, they believ'd their un-
queftionable interefl, and by this means they
became flronger than our auxiliaries. A
fufHcient proof of this, is our firfl unfortu- ^,,,"1^^
nate battle •, in wffich we lofl all thofe auxi-
liaries, and the money they cofl us. The
fight was much more bloody than the wars
of the natives ufually are; for the greatefl
part of the men we mifs'd, were kill'd, and
the reft taken prifoners ; whereby we were
reduc'd to a miferable flate, not knowing
what meafures to take, as having made the
mofl potent nations of the country our ene-
mies. And indeed we fhould never have
been able to make any frelTi attempt, had
not the enemies themfelves feafonably given
us an opportunity by their intefline di-
vifions.
The king's brother, Tekki-Ankam now^^'^o'^^
king of Conifnany came over to our fide, and''*-'^**^'
was in a fhort time flrengthned by the A(io-
mians zv\d other auxiliaries; which occafi-
on'd a fecond engagement, fo warm on both
fides, that the vidory was long dubious, till
at lafl it feemed to incline to ours fo far, that
our army fell greedily to plunder ; which
being obferv'd by Abe 'Tecky, the Cofnmaman
king, who excell'd all his contemporary
Blacks, in valour and condudt, and had hi-
therto kept himfeif out of the fight, and laid
us this bait, he unexpedledly march'd to-
wards us, with frefh forces, carrying their
mufquets with the butt ends forwards to de-
ceive us: which fucceeded fo well, that we
taking them for our friends, continu'd our
, vainly promifing greedy courfe of plunder, till the king came
fucceed as well as upon us, and his men turning their mufquets,
fir'd fo brifkly, that they diverted us from
the prey, and oblig'd every man to fave his
life as well as he could : thus leaving the
Commanians a fecond compleat victory, thofe
who could efcapej made the befl of their
way to our fort.
Thefe were two pernicious lofles, the
greatefl part of which undoubtedly ought
to be charged on Mr . , . ., for had he been
fo prudent as to conceal his refentment, a-
gainfl the Fantyneans and Saboeans ; and in=
which were twice as flrong as that of flead of irritating, gam'd them by a bribe,
Commany^ and confequently might have as he afterwards was oblig'd to endeavour,
fubdu*d them : but he was ready enough to tho' in vain ; I do not believe they would
imagine, that, with this forces he could eafily have concern'd themfelves for the Comma-
• . , nianss
in North and South-Guinea.
Aivice H'
bout per-
jons to be
employed.
Story of the
Bl.ck,
Joha Ka-
bcs.
S/VD.Tho-
mzs'sletter
Nov. I .
mans ; whom by that means he might have
fubdu'd, and with the fame force have re-
duc'd the others to reafon.
It will not be amifs to proceed with my
Author's account, as an introduftion to the
tranfaftions of thole times, which have cau-
fed fuch confiderable damage to the Duicb
interefl: at Mina, as well as at Commendo ;
and have fo much depopulated the fine large
town of Mina ; now as little, as it was great
and fimous, in my time. It will not only
fhow the uncertainty of fublunary things in
general, but be a proper caution to the di-
redors of all African companies whatfoever,
to employ in the government of their affairs
in Guinea, both by fea and land, men of
known candor, probity, underftanding, true
courage, and experience-, attended with mo-
deft behaviour ; ^^c And when they have
found any fuch, not only to continue them
much longer in their employments, than is
commonly done ; but alfo to grant them
fuch competent falaries, and perquifices, as
may content them, and they may not be
tempted to commit perpetual breaches of
truft, and contrary to their moft folemn
oaths, and all the ties of confcience, to make
ha'j, while the fun fhines \ as it is too notori-
oufly and generally pradifed.
This I formerly propos'd, to the diredors
of the French African company, at a full
board, in Paris \ and it was, it feems, better
liked than pradlifed j and it is no wonder,
that they and our royal African company
at London, have not made fuch advantage
of their commerce, as might have been ex-
pelled, if rightly followed, and no regard
of perfons had, to the prejudice of the pub-
lic k : tor tho' the beft and wifeft endeavours
will not always anfwer the projefts, in point
of trade, which, of all human things is
moft liable to times and circumftances, efpe-
cially in confus'd revolutions, occafion'd by
war, yet it muft be allow'd, that a right
management is the moft likely means to
conduce to a profitable end.
Before I return to my author's relation, of
the revolutions happen'd at Mina, I think
it not amifs, to give an hiftorical account
of John Kabes, the famous Black at that
coaft •, who has been chiefly the fatal occa-
fion of that war, as far as I find it contain'd
in the memoirs I have by me, which will
fbew, how fmall a fpark can kindle a great
fire, and perfuade men in publick truft to
be circumfpedt, even in affairs of little mo-
ment.
This Kahes was formerly a fervant to the
Englijb at Cabo Corfo, and owing them
money, bafely went over to Mr Nw^jts^ the
then Dutch general at Mina % who not only
proteded, but encouragM him in his knave-
ry, inftead of keeping him in order, tho*
the villain had formerly cut off the heads
of about Haifa dozen Dutch men: but by Baibo-^,
means of a purfe of gold, efcap*d the pu- ^^'Y^
nifhment due to him ; which the Mina ge-
neral, before Mr Nwjts, had often threatned
him with.
John Kabes was allowM by the Dutch
general, to live in a village of his, near
their fort Uredenhurgh, at Commendo with
whom, fays the Dutch author, we traded
very confiderably, and he was in that con-
dition when attack'd by the Dutch general
in 1694, upon the king of Commendo' s tiy-
ing he was the chief author of the aflault,
made by the Blacks on the Dutch miners
at Conmiendo, as has been related : and by
the fame account you have feen how Kabes
went over to the EngliJJj again, and was
very inftrumental by his credit and power
at Commendo, to affift them in building the
fort there. Afterwards it feems ifrt-
bes, either through intereft, or difguft at the
Englijh, having fet up a trade there for him-
felf, with EnglifJj interlopers, or 10 per cent,
fliips, and aflifted by one captain Gladman, he
built himfelf a flanker, in oppofition to the
Englijh fort at Comjnendo ; Gladman having
fold him eighteen guns in 1702, and one
captain Ingle an EngliJ/3?nan, fold him fix:
out of the fame fhip, tht Shrewsbury Galley y
a ten per cent. Ihip, the laft voyage flie made,
all this being contriv'd to moleft and ob-
ftrucl as much as poflible the royal African
company's trade in their fort at Commendo.
How it went with Kabes and his flanker
afterwards, I do not hear, but only find irt
Sir Dolby 'Thomas's letters, that on the 2 2d
of April 1 707, he receiv'd advice from Mr
Pearfon, chief at Commendo, and from John
Kabes or Cabefs, that the Dutch were draw-
ing the Sama and Jabbah people, to wind-
ward of Commendo, together; as alfo thofe of
Mina people, and what others they could, to
attack John in his fort : and that the EngliJIj
chief there, wanted nothing but corn, and
a better gunner, in cafe they fhould be
block'd up or attack'd. Upon which, Sir
Thomas immediately difpatch'd one Mr.
Hicks, Mr Pearfon being weak and not well
in health, with a gunner, and corn, in Pin-
dar's long-boat, and a five-hand canoe, all
in arms, and the boat with two pattareroes i
left the Dutch fhould pretend to ftop them
as they pafs'd by Mina, as they had endea-
voured to do feveral Englijh canoes, which
Sir Dalby nomas had fent armed to Succun-
dee, for advice and necefTaries for the Eng-
lijh at Cabo Corfo caftle. From Mina they
fir'd three great fhot, and four from a fhip
in Mina road, and fent feveral fmall canoes
armed after her ; but finding that Ihe was
armed too, and the Englijh refolute, they
left her.
From this account of Sir Dalby I'homas in
1707, may be infer'd, not only that John
Kahes^
\
Remarkable Occurrences
rohh the
Blacks.
The Eng-
iifh dif-
turb it.
Barbot. iTfl^i'^ was again become a friend to the
li^^^^^J company's intereft, but alfo, that the Eng-
lijh and Dutch were then at variance next
to a war ; but what the iflue has been, I do
not hear as yet.
I refume now my Duich author's account
of the war, which has been fo pernicious to
their intereft at the coaft, from the place
where I left it.
Dutch Oar affairs, (fiys he, p. 34.) continued in
w.'5^e/>^^ce jl^is pofture till Mr. ..... expiring, left the
government to his iLicceilor Mr, .... who,
as new lords generally occafion new laws,
finding we loft by the war, by the advice of
thofe whom the company had entrufted,
prudently refolv'd, if poflible, to put an
end to it and accordingly brought the
Commaniam to fo good a temper, that we
foon became friends ; they not only obliging
themfelves to make good the damage we
had fuftained, but becoming as zealoufty
engaged in our Intereft, as the pofture of af-
fairs could encourage us to hope : and it
was very much to be wifhed, for the ad-
vantage of our company, that the peace
could have continued > which would have
confiderably advanc'd our trade, and fpar'd
the large fums we were obliged to difburfe
in the following war.
But the Englijh there envying our happy
conclufion of the war, and fearing it would
not much conduce to their advantage, con-
triv'd methods to break the peace. The
means they chiefly hit upon, and praftifed,
were to poffefs the king, that confidering his
two vidories, he ought rather to afk than
give fatisfa6lion which they enforc'd by in-
culcating our weak condition and his ftrength,
urging, that we were not in a pofture to ad:
ofix?nfively again, but would be obliged,
not only to beg, but to buy a peace, which
would furnilh him with an opportunity of
forcing his own conditions upon us.
The king being not only a Commiman by
birth, and confequently of their turbulent
humour, but fufficiently elevated by his
paft vidtories, foon liften'd to the Englijh
advice of breaking with us : to which he
was encouraged by their afllirance, that they
would make his caufe their own ; and ac-
cordingly fupply him with all proper ne-
cefuiri:;s : whereupon he renew'd his old
courfe, and did us as much mifchief as ever.
This we patiently fuffer'd for fome time,
vainly expeding relief by fair means but
our dependance on them ferv'd only to aug-
ment his outrages, and oblige us to have
recourfe to force, which was now become ab-
fol itely neceffiry to preferve our charader
among the reft of the nations of that coun-
try : and accordingly we began to think of
warmer meafures and in conjundion with
other perfons proper to be confulted, it
was jrefolved to bring a confiderable force
into the field, which fliould make flioft
work at once, and be able to chaftife the
Commanians ; we were therefore of opinion,
that fince the Fantyneans lived then ni amity
with us, it would be very eafy to gain them
to our fide, and by that means enable our-
felves to tame the king of Commany, Wc
treated with them accordingly ; and at laft, biIcS
in confideration of the value of nine hun-from the
dred pounds fterling, to be paid them, they Dutch,
oblig'd themfelves to fight the Commanians^
till they had utterly extirpated them. We
now thought ourfelves very fecure, daily
expeding the Fantyneans to take the field j
but here the Englifld quafh'd our defign, and
in order to keep their word with the king
of Commany^ or at leaft to throw an obfta-
cle in our way, one of their governors went
from Cabo-Corfo to Fantyn, and prevailed
with that people, for exadly the fame fum,
we had before given them, to ftand neuter:
which being only oppofed by the Braffo^
they foon difpatch'd him out of the way,
fubftiruting immediately another in his room.
To one who knows how common and trivial
a crime perjury is among the Blacks^ it will
not appear incredible, that they fhould ra-
ther ftand ftill for one thoufand eight hun-
dred pounds, than fight for nine. Thus our
hopeful negotiation ended with the irreco-
verable lofs of our money.
The Commanians for this reafon growing
more arrogant, began to infult us worfe than
ever : to remedy which, we agreed with the
Adomians to aflift us for lefs than five hundred
pounds,but they falling out about the divifion
of the money, as well as the Accaniftians and
CabefierianSy who were alfo by contrad
oblig'd to our aftiftance, agreed only not to
ftir one foot from home. Being thus dif-
appointed, we caft our laft anchor, and
agreed with the Dinkirafchians for the fum
of eight hundred pounds, to take our fide i
but were herein fo unhappy, that they fal-
ling into a war with their near neighbours,
were oblig'd to negled our caufe to defend
their own country they indeed were yet fo
honeft, as to return our money, except only
a fmall quantity, which ftuck to the fingers
of their mefiengers : we alfo got back the
greateft' part of what we had given to the
Adomians, but could not recover the leaft
part of what the Fantyneans had got of us.
Being in this defperate condition, we left no
means unattempted to redrefs our felves,
tho* in vain ; for we wei"e cheated on all
fides. We thought of making an honour-
able end with the king of Commany, but
how to compafs that, we could not imagine ;
fearing, as the EngU/Io had promifed, we
fhould be obliged to beg a peace, which had
certainly happened, if at this critical jundure,
a better and more honourable way had not
offer'd itfelf.
. The
/
in North and
Treachery The before mention'd brother of the king
of the Commwj. whoforfome piece of villany,
Englifh. js reported, had, together with his wife
and cnildren, been fent as flaves to Surinam,
by Mr but declared" free by the com-
pany, were brought; over hither again.
Upon his arrival^ we employed him to
found whether his brother was moft inclin'd
to war or peace /, by which means we found,
that he being tired with the former, would
be very willing to accept of the latter:
making ufe of this opportunity to our intire
fatisfadtion, we concluded a peace upon very
honourable and good terms ; neither fide
defiring any more than a lettled and lading
peace, as it had undoubtedly been if an ac-
cident as unexpefted had not interrupted it ;
for we had but juft began to relifli the
pleafure of our new tranquillity, and learn'd
to prefer a profperous eafe before a perni-
cious war, when the EngliJJo, being difgufted
at it, or growing jealous that the king
would adhere too clofe to us, we being his old
friends, and Hiake them off ; or, for fome
other unknown reafon j murdered him, in a
manner efteemed barbarous by all Euro-
pans^ when became to divert himfelf, and
make merry with them : thus ungratefully
rewarding the feveral years fervice he had
done them.
This barbarous ailion occafioned a great
alteration on the coaft. The Co?nmanians,
hitherto fo ftriclly allied to the En^jjh, be-
came their moft inveterate enemies, refolv-
ing at any rate to revenge their king's death :
1'ekiAnkan, on the contrary, became their
greateft friend and having a hand in his
brother's murder, fled from us, flielter'd
himfelf among the EngliJlD, and agreed with
them to fall upon the Comraanians with the
firft opportunity. They invited us to join
with them, but that was refufed, we not
being able to enter into a war on their ac-
count, and having but too long found how
fatal a war is to our commerce. They
however went on with their defign, hiring
the Blacks of Saboe, Accany, and Cabejierra,
with which auxiliaries, I'eki Ankan came
into the field, and engag'd the Comifiamans
j with fuch ill fuccefs, that notwithftanding
the number of his men was quadruple to
theirs, yet he was totally routed. The Com-
' manians ow'd this fignal vidory to their
1 general Amo Teki, a Black, who in valour
I equalled, if not exceeded their murder'd
I king.
i Notwithftanding we had been hitherto per-
j fe6llyneuter,theCo/«;«^«w;2generalfenta civil
I meffage to our governor, together with fe-
j veral of the fkulls of his vanquifh'd ene-
mies, in token that he had refolved to live
and die in the fervice of the Hollanders :
his meflenger was civilly receiv'd, and after
thanks and prefents from the general, dif-
VoL. V.
South-Guinea. 441
miffed. Were I to determine concerning this Bar-.^ot;
aftion, I muft own, we had then the faireft ^^'V^
opportunity in the world to obftrudl the
Englijh, and refent their former injuries, if
we had quitted 'Teki- Ankan, as he deferted us,
and joined with the Comnianians againft them :
but there v/as ixRemora in the way ; for one of
the greateft villains of this country being
then broker to tiie company, hadfogain'd
the ear of Mr our general, that he
looked upon all other advice as pernicious.
This favourite, whether encouraged thereto Perfidiouf-
by incereft, or prompted by an inveterate '^^T^"/^^^
hatred, is uncertain, was continually buz-
zing ftories in the governor's ears, in order
to irritate him againft the Cojnmanians : they
in the mean time <;iifcerning by his carriage
where it w,is likely to end, were not afraid
to offer us fome injuries; by which means
Akim, fo the broker was call'd, gain'd his
end, and had fome arguments to offer
for beginning a war againft them, and fuc-
ceeded fo well with Mr that without
confulting, or imparting it to the council,
he refolved upon an adlion equally perfidious
and deteftable ; which was to attack the
Fetuais, a people fubjeft to the Commanians,
contrary to the common faith of nations,
when they came under our protection to
market with their goods : accordingly this
was barbaroufly put in execution, and they
robbed of all they brought ; fome of them
killed, and eighty made prifoners.
Pray, Sir, be pleafed to judge imparti-
ally was not the law of nations herein vi-
olated in the higheft degree I cannot help
believing it was and that his excellency
cannot anfwer his a6ling in this manner,
without the advice or knowledge of the
council. Plad they d confented to this
bafe aftion, he might, as a pretext, have
alledg'd, that thofe of Felu were juftly
punifhed, for the murder of fome women at
Mina, as they were paffing by them ; tho*
that is very improbable, becaufe the Fe-
tuans protefted themfclves innocent of the
fad, and kept up a good correfpondence
with us nor is it to be imagined they durfb
fo far injure us, or offer fuch a piece of vil-
lany or that after, they fhould fearlefs
and defencelefs come to our market to vend
their commodities, is what can never be
believed by unprejudiced perfons. But fe-
veral boldly affirm, that the above men-
tioned murder of the women, was commit-
ted by the contrivance and command of
Akim himfelf, and T^eki Ankan, defignedly
to lay it to the charge of the Commanians,
in order to ferve as a fpecious pretext to
juftify our breaking, and interrupting all
commerce with them. Whether this be true
or falfe, heaven only can determine \ but ic
is certain, that the gentlemen of the coun-
cil, tho' they refented it as an abominable
5 U adion,
442- ■ ■ Remarkable Occurrences
Barbot- aftion, were not willing to difcover
v-«'V^ their fentiments, when paft, becaufe the
blame muft neceflarily fall upon Akitn,
whom they knew was villain enough to
revenge himfelf at the expence of their
lives ; for which reafon they paft it over in
filence.
By thefe unwarrantable practices, our
trade at Mina was immediately ftifled, and
the Commanians and Fetuans became our
profelTed enemies ; which fo animated the
Engli/h^ that inftead of making peace with
the Saboeans, the ftrongeft of the two, they
If rengthen'd themfelves to the utmoft, and
once more engaged the Commanians ; who,
with their fmall force behaved themfelves fo
well, that they had certainly got the day,
if their general, JmoTecki, had not been
obliged to retire out of the army by a wound
he received : which fo confounded them,
that after they had begun to put their ene-
mies to flight, upon miffing their comman-
der, they betook themfelves to their heels
in the utmoft dilorder leaving Teki Ankan
and his followers an entire victory ; their
general, and icveral of the moft confiderable
among them being kill'd and taken pri-
foners.
By this fuccefs "Teki Ankan became king of
Commany •, and we, as well as the Englijh,
had a lhare of advantage by it : cho' we
might, if other meafures had been taken,
have done our felves much more confiderable
fervice but not to lay down uncertainties
for undeniable truths, all men, whilfl they
are men, are liable to frailties ; and the ma-
nagers of this affair had their failings as well
as others. Thus I have faid enough of the
Commanian war, and its true fource ; by
which you may be better enabled to fpeak
of it on occafion : and tho' I have left blanks
for the names of our governors, you cannot
be ignorant who is there intended. I have
alfo handled the whole as tenderly as was
poffible, without prejudice to truth and
what is faid to the difadvantage of Mr
ought rather to be afcrib'd to his miflaken
opinion of his favourite Akhn, than to any
ill intention. But if you afk how he came
to be fo fond of him, it is reported, that
before he was preferr'd to the government,
that wretch ferv'd him with a fidelity uncom-
mon among the Blacks, which tin6lur'd him
with fuch a fettled good opinion of him, that
he never could believe any thing againft him.
However it was, 'tis certain that his fond
affeftion to that villain, was by him abufed
only to enrich himfelf,and render his matter's
government odious to all people : and thus
he is liable to be injur'd, who repofes too
much confidence in any one man, and de-
fpifes the good intentions of others to ferve
him.
By letters from Mejfieurs "William Ronan,
William Malrofs, <3«iNich. Buckeridge,
the three agents at Cabo-Corfo caftle.
By a deferter from Mina we are informed,
that the Dutch company have fent poficive
orders to fpare no coft to carry on the war,
and drive us out Commendo : and for that
end the general, with a large fum of money,
has corrupted the Braffo of Fanteen, and
captain of S^uaman to aiTift little Tagee^ to
whom we had lately given feveral Daffies,
to encourage them to be true to the EngliJJj ;
for which they had idkm Fetiffoes, or oaths,
to ftop that current. We are neceflirated
to be at a confiderable expence to your
honours, to affift the captain of yf^ra, kings
of Aquaffou, Fetu and Sahoe, who with us
are jointly refolved to depofe the Braffo of
Fanteen, and captain of ^«???i2;7, and make
the captain of Ahra, Braffo in his flead \
which, with the Danchaes afTiftance, who
fides vvith the king of .'f^a^jf^?, &c. and are
coming down rodifpute their differences with
the Arkojnes, doubt not but fliall fruflrate
all the Dutch dcfigns •, and in little time to
have the way fo open'd, as to have a confi-
derable trade. We hope your honours will
confider, and ufe fuch meafurts at home,
that thefe their defigns may be fruffrated,
otherwife it will prove very expenfive to
keep your honours intereftat Comtnendo, or
any where elfe for if they fhould ever get
the better there, they would endeavour the
deftru£lion of all your honour's fadlories on
the coaft.
Mina or Oddena.
nr HIS town is very long and indifferent Bofman,
broad ; vide the defcription. /'■4?- '»
About fifteen or fixteen years ago it was '7°'*
very populous, and eight times as ftrong
as at prefent, the inhabitants being then ter-
rible to all the Blacks on the coafl, and
might, under a good general, have fuc-
ceeded in great undertakings •, but about
fifteen years ago, the fmall-pox fweptaway
fo many, and fince by the Commanian wars,
together with the tyrannical government of
fome of their generals, they have been fo
miferably depopulated and impoverifh'd,
that it is hardly to be believed how weak it
is at prefent ; not being able to furnifh fifty
arm'd men, without the help of the fer-
vantsof the Europeans : and there is no place
on the whole Gold Coa/i, without fome of
the Blacks of Mina ; for fome of them who
were friends to the Commanians fled to them,
but mofb of them from the tyranny of their
governors, and our above mentioned Aklm,
who only kept them as fheep for flaughter.
When I firfl came upon the coaft, I have
frequently told five or fix hundred canoes
which went a fifhing every morning whereas
now
in North and South-Guinea.
Notable
fiory of an
elephant.
now fcarce one hundred appear, and all the
people fo poor, that their miferable cafe is very
deplorable, efpecially if we refleft upon their
former condition. So that indeed it is highly
neceffary that a governor fhould be quickly fet
over them, who by mild ufage would foon
recall the deferters, efpecially if he were fo
prudent as to banifh, or at leaft cramp^^m,
fo that he fhould not be able to go far in-
land, where he has at our coft, made him-
felffo many friends, that he would certainly
do more mifchief
Bofnian, p. ^i8.] In the year 1700, in
Dn-ember, at fix in the morning, an elephant
earns to Mwa, walking eafily along the
fhoar, under the hill of St. Jago. Some
Blacks were fo bold as to go againft him
without any thing in their hands, in a fort
to welcome and bring him in : he fjfifer'd
them to encompafs him, and very quietly
went along with them tojuft under the mount
St. Jago, where one of our officers belong-
ing to the fort, and a Black that came down
with him, fired on him, and the officer's
ball
following
hit him above the eye. This and the
(hot v/nich the Blacks pour'd on
him, were fo far from provoking him, that
they did not move him to mend his pace
in the leafl"-, he only feemed to threaten the
Blacks betwixt whiles, but fcill let them
alone-, only prick'd up his ears, which were
of a prodigious fize, and fo went on , and
laftly, ftept into our garden.
This extraordinary accident, and our own
curioficy, drew the direftor-general and my
felf into the garden, and we were foon
follow'd by fome of our people. "We found
him {landing in the midft of the garden ;
where, before our coming, he had broke
down four or five coco- trees ; which num.-
ber, either to divert himf;lf, or fhow his
ftrength, he augmented with five or fix
more in our prefence. The ftrength which
he feemed to ufe in breaking down a tree,
may very fitly be compared to the force
which a man exerts in order to knock down
a child three or four years old.
Whilft he ftood there, above an hundred
fhot were fir'd at him, which made him
bleed to that degree, as if an ox had been
kill'd. Duringall which he did not ftir, but
only fet up his ears, and made the men ap-
prehend that he would follow them,
A Black fancying himfelf able to
deal with the elephant, went foftly behind
him, catch'd his tail in his hand, defigning
to cut off a piece of it ; but the elephant,
after giving the Black a ftroke with his fnout,
drew him nearer, trod upon him two or
three times, and as if that were not fufficient,
made two holes with his teeth in his body,
large enough for a man's double fift to en-
ter : then he let him lie, without making
any farther attempt ; and flood ftill whilft
two Blacks fetched away the dead body, not BA;i^oT.
offering to meddle with them in the leaft. v-^V^
Ibid. p. 320.] After the elephant had been
about an hour in the garden, he wheeled
about, as if he intended to fall on us, as
we ftood about fixteen paces from him i
which made all that were in the garden to
fly, the greateft part making to mount
Sl Jago, but the animal follow'd no body
out of the garden, all flying out at the
fore door, and he took the back door : whe-
ther the wall ftood in his way, or the door
was too narrow for him topafs, he flung
it, tho* a brick and a half thick, a confi-
derable diftance, which! had the fortune to
fee a good way Ou, but could not obferve,
that in fo doing he very much exerted his
ftrength, but rather feemed to touch it
lightly. After which he did not only pafs
thro' the gap, where the door had been,
but forc'd through the garden hedge, going
very foftly by rdQum Sf. Jago towards the
river, where he bathed himfelf to wafh the
blood, with which he v/as befmear'd, or to
cool himfelf after the heat occafioned by fo
many fhot.
After having refreflied himfelf a little in
the river, he cam.e out and ftood under a
parcel of trees, where were fome of our
water tubs •, and there he alfo cooled him-
felf, and broke them in pieces, as he did
alfo a canoe that lay by them.
Whilft the elephant ftood there, the
Ihooting was renew'd, till at laft he fell
down, when they immediately cut oif his
fnout, which was fo hard and tough, that
it coft the Blacks thirty ftrokes before they
could feparate it, which muft be very pain-
ful to the beaft, fince it made him roar ;
and that was the only noife I heard him
make. After this he died under the faid
tree, and was no fooner dead, than the
Blacks fell on him in crouds, each cutting
off as much as he could fo that he fur-
nifh'd a great many, as well I^Fhhes as
Blacks., with food enough for that day %
who found, that of a vaft quantity of fliot
leveli'd at him, very few had pafied the
bone into his head ; fome remain'd betwixt
the fkin and the bone moftof them,and more
efpecially the frnall-fhot was thrown off by
his hide, as if they had been fhot againft
a wall, which made us judge the bullets were
too fmall: and thofe who pretend thorough-
ly to undcrftand the elephant fhooting, told
us, that we ought to have fhot iron bullets
fince thofe of lead are flatted.
C A P E C o R s o.
Mr. John Hillier'j letter, to Br
at Oxon, dated Cape Corfo, Jan. 3,
Bathurfl
1697-8,
T Thought the cuftom of deftroyingflaves
at the death of great people had been
abolifhed, and I was fo inform'd ; but we
have
Remarkable Occurrences
Barbot. have feen that it is not •, for Q^oher the third,
this year, died Ahen Penin Afhrive^ king of
Fetn^ here at cape Co/yt', where he liad been
long fick. The Fetifferos had done all they
could to fave his life, which was nothing
at all to the purpofe^ their phyfick fcarce
extends to any thing but the flux, and what
we call the French difeafe : his was a con-
fumption and an aflhma (if I miftake not
the word) of a great continuance, ib that
they fled to the aid of their religion and
according to the rules of that, they made
feverai pellets of clay, which they fet in
his room, in rank and file, all fprinkled
with blood •, befides the feverai muttons
which they eat to his good health, but
that was of too little force ; fo the man
died, having deliver'd his fword to the Dej ;
who in the interregnum was to be the princi-
pal man for the kingdom is eleftive, con-
trary to what we wrote before : and com-
manding him to be conftant to the EngiiJJo^
of whom himfelf had been a great favourer ;
v»?ith a threat, if he was not, to haunt him
Veofh after his death. He alfo appointed one of
hiWd at j^j^ wives, whom he thought worthy of that
ferl/f. " unlucky honour, to accompany him to the
other world.
The next day he was carried to Feton,
and buried there Novemher tht fecond, with
the poor woman we fpoke ofl^. Prefently
after, they that were confiderable, or had
a mind to feem fo, fent in thofe they had
a mind to murder in honour of the king :
hov/ many there were, is hard to fay ; the
higheft accounts give ninety, the loweft
fifty, the middle feventy. The Blacks do
not underfl:and arithmetick, fo the number
they give in all cafes is very uncertain : I
think there were above eight from this
town, which will not hold proportion to
the highefl: rate but it is like, near Feton
there might be more. They fay alfo, that
many more will follow half a year after
his death. The manner of the execution
of thefe poor creatures I have not yet learnt,
only, that they make them drink and dance,
with a great deal of bravery, all the be-
ginning of the day, and toward night cut
orF their heads ; but Vv'hether by that they
reckon the common way of their executions,
I am yet to feek.
EkHionof -^ft^cr the king's funeral, the next thing
a king. was to chufe a fucceflfor fo the people
were called together at Feton, (I fuppofeby
the authority of the Dr)') without inquiring
any thing of their freehold : they pitched
upon Mydy, tho' he were not of the blood
royal ; the reafon was, as they faid, be-
caufe he had power enough to do what he
pleafed, and they could do nothing againft
him •, but he refuled the honour, becaufe
of the charge it would put him to, and
propofed the brother ot the deceafed king ;
fo the bufinefs ftuck fome time, but at
lafl: it was accorded, and king AJImve'^
brother was declared king November the
eighteenth : his name is Ahenaco. 'Tis
wonderful how they could difpatch fuch a
bufinefs with fo little difturbance ; but I
fuppofe there was no confiderable number
that difiented otherwife it would fcarce
have been determined without bloodflied,
becaufe it v^as not eafy for them to poll.
I faid it was doubted, whether thofe fa-
crificed died after the rate of their ordinary
executions i if you would know it, the
creature that is condemned is made to drink
abundance of palm- wine, and to dance, every
body that v\'ill, all the while, fl:riking or
pufliing him : when that is over, he is
thrown down on his face upon the fand,
which whether it ftifles him or not, 1 cannot
tell ; then his legs are cut off^ below ihe
knees, and his arms below the elbows ;
afterward his thighs, and his arms below
the fhoulders ; laftly, his head.
A man would not expeft any thing more
barbarous than this ; yet there is a cufcom
which has fomething v/orfe : when any one
has new drums, trumpets or blowing-horns,
it is requifite that they be confecrated with
human blood. I have known but one hap-
pen of this kind, that was Januar'j the
feventh 1686-7, when after the man had
been executed after the former manner,
about eight in the morning, at one in the
after-noon they drank palm-wine out of the
upper part of his flcull, and this in the fight
of all the faftors at cape Cor[o. In Florida ■
the natives facrifice their prifoners to their
idols, and afterwards eat them, according
to M.ercator.
Ibid. p. 5 1 .] Under the EngliJJj fort you fomrful
may obferve a houfe not unlike a fmalj fort, Mulatto,
with a flag on it, and fome cannon ; this
is inhabited by an Engl'ijh Mulatto., by name
Edward Barter, who has a greater power on
the coaft, than all the three Englijh agents
together (in whom the chief command of
the coaft is vefted jointly) who by reafon of
their fhort ftay here are fo little acquainted
with the aftiiirs of this coaft, that they
fuffer themfclves to be guided by him, who
very well knows how to make his advantage
of them : he is become fo confiderable,
that he can raife a great number of arm'd
men ; fome whereof are his own flaves,
and the refl; free-men, that adhere to him.
Thus his interefl: is at prefent fo great, that
he is very much refpefted, honoured and
ferv'd by the principal people about him •,
and whoever defigns to trade with the Eng-
lijh, mufl; ftand well with him, before he
can fucceed. This Midalto pretends to be
a chrifi:ian, and by his knowledge of that
religion, which he has acquired by the ad-
vantage he has of reading and writing,mighc
very
in North and
very well pafs for one; but his courfe of life
is altogether contradictory: for tho* he is
lawfully married in England, he has above
eight wives and as many miftrefles. But this
the Englijh muft not condemn as difhoneft
and irreligious, lince moft of. their officers
and governors follow the Mulatto's exam-
ple ; for I believe two of the prefent agents
haveabout fix. This was about 1701.
By the following accounts I am apt to
believe this Mulatto was, upon the coming
of Sir Dalhj I'homas, out of place and cre-
dit at the Gold Coaft. Bofinaiuf.. 23.
Feh. 9, 1 701 -2.] Before the receipt of
yours, having notice of fome villanies com-
mitted by Barter^ being up in the country,
fent for him down ; but he being confcious
of our having the knowledge of his a6lions,
fied up into the country. We doubt his
underhand dealing with the 'Dutch, who take
his part, the' Mr. Peck went to Mina to con-
fult them, will put us to fome inconveniencies.
May 15, 1703, p. 24.] How much the
Dutch are your rivals in trade, your ho-
/ nour is a judge ; but it cannot be expe£led
ours fliould increafe, whilft they give Bar-
ter a protection under their caftle, to flop
any from coming in here. I can't tell what
courfe the gentlemen defign to take for the
future, to prevent fuch inconveniencies ; but
certainly, at prefent, we fufFer very much
by his villany.
Interlopers. At Cabo Cor/o caftle, Jpril 2, 1707. The
ten per cent, fhips carry'd all the trade,
perpets at five Akies. No people in the
world underfland their intereft better than
I the Blacks at the Gold Coali •, and could they
fupply their wants as cheap at the fa6lories,
I as they do aboard tender cent, fhips, one
would think they would not put themielves
to the charge of canoe-hire, and the hazard
of overfecting with their goods, as often they
do. Befides that advantage on the price of
goods, they have that on the price of flaves
alfo. The i^nper cent, fhips being upon the
coaft, and near flav'd, they difpofe of their
goods at prime coft, for difpatch ; and
give very extravagant prizes for flaves
efpecially when they are advanc'd to the lee-
ward as far as Winnebah. Another inconveni-
ency has appeared at Cabo Corfo caftle,
j that in the year 1703, three large fhips of
I the French company of the AJJiento, of about
fifty guns a-piece, and one of them a Dutch
man of war prize, call'd the Medenblick, be-
! ing trading about cape Corfo, and the Blacks
! not daring to go aboard of them with flaves
I or gold, the French drew their ihips in a line,
j at about half cannon-fhot from the caftle,
' the anchoring there very good, mud and
j fand, did fo warmly batter the caftle from
j that fide, notwithftanding its hot firing from
the water-battery and turrets, that in lefs
than an hour's time the garrifon was forc'd
to keep clofe fhelter'd, not daring to appear Barbot.
any longer, to play their cannon. The com- '--^'V^
mander found himfelf oblig'd to hang out
a white flag for a truce ; and to grant to the
Blacks of the town, and all others about, to
traffick freely with the French, who got
thereby a good number of flaves and gold,
for their merchandize.
Manfrou, or Danish Mount,
near C o r s o caflle.
OHN BLOOM E, Feb. 2y, 1691-2.31
Cabo Corfo.'] Fredertckfburgh fort, which
belonged to the Danes^ and was fold and
deliver'd by Mr. Hans Luck, their general,
in the year 1685, to Henry Nurfe Efq-, agent
for the royal African company of England,
is at prefent but a mean fortification, butEngHfh
defign'd to be built very ftrong : the royal^'''^-
African company has named it Fort Royal.
Reflex, p. 32.] Fort Royal is now bulk-, 'tis
a fquare fort, newly rebuilt of brick, and
has feven guns mounted on the caftle, and
eleven on the platform it is cointlantly
guarded, with about fix white men and
twelve Groniettoes. 'Tis feated on the top
of a hill, within lefs than a mile from cape
Corfo caftle, to the eaftward, and they are
very afTifting one to the other.
Bofman, p. 53.] The fort was begun in
1699, when the F^ngli/h entirely pull'd down
the old one ; the agents oblig'd me with a
fight of the model, by which that already
finifh*d is built, as the whole is intended 5
and by this I perceive, they do not intend to
take in a large compafs of ground, but when
finifti'd, it will be fo ftrong, that no fort
on the coaft will be to compare to it. The
form of it, and the natural ftrength of the
hill, which they intend to cut fteep, fo that
only one accefs lliall be left to it, will render
it fo ftrong, that if well ftor'd with provifions
and well garrifon'd, it cannot be taken with-
out great dilBculty ; which will be yet
augmented, if we confider that the enemies
being unaccuftom'd to the air, and appre-
henfive of the natives, can hardly beficge it.
They who would have it, muft take it by fur-
prize •, for I dare engage, when it is finifh'd^
the Engltfh may fafely depend on it.
Ibid. p. 33.] Queen yf;2?Zf's point, is a fort
lately built of ftone and lime, feated on a
hill, within lefs than a mile of Fort-Rojal,
to the weftward, and two miles off a Dutch
fort, to the eaftward of it ; has five guns
mounted, and is commonly guarded with
five White men and fix Groniettoes.
It feems by Bofman's letters, that this
Queen AnneS point, is at or near Congo, a-
bout half a league from the Damfh mount,
where the Dutch had formerly a fine ftone
houfe, divided and fitu:,ted upon two hil-
locks, as in the defcription you may farther
oblerve.
5 X Ana-
Remarkable Occurrences '
Barbot. Anamaboe.
Mr. Thomas Cooper, chaplain, writes from
cape Corfo cajlle, Sept. ig, 1701.
'TP HERE is war between us and the
^ Blacks at Anamahoe, and all things are
in diforder and confufion j as likewife it is
reported that the Dutch, contrary to the ar-
ticles agreed on, affift the Blacks with pow-
der and guns.
1'he three agents letter at Cabo €orfo caftle,
Novemh. 6, 1 701,
F.nglifh On the fourth of September, being Simday,
'b^Th '^ the Blacks in a tumultuous manner ap-
Bkcks proached towards the caftle of Anamahoe,
broke open the outer fpur-gate, and fet fire to
our ourwalls and corn-room, firing alfo at the
caftle •, but by our firing the great guns,
they foon quitted their ground, and falfe pre-
■ . . tenfions too. In requital, that night from the
caftle, we burnt the major part of the town;
this continu'd for twenty-two days, at which
time they requefted a truce, and that they
would compofe thofe matters to our defire,
the king of Sahoe being comie there for
that intent ; the which we granted. They
objected againft nothing that v/e propofed to
them, and for their fidelity they rook Fetlf-
foes, that is, their oaths, according to the cuf-
"torn of the country ; rendring up their fons
alfo, as pawns for their better performance
of this agreement, and payment of the da-
mage done to your honours fort. But fince,
by the encouragement of the ten per cent.
men, captain Benfon in a fhip, the /Imity of
L^^ndon, giving them all the affiftance he
could, which we hope your honours will take
notice of, they begin to play the old game
again, not regarding any agreement ever
made with them.
It appears to me by Bloomers memoirs, the
chief at Anamahoe, with fome of the other
principals, were fo aflaulted by the Blacks
at the time they attacked the caftle, on the
, 4th of September, 1701, that they fled to
cape Corfo caftle naked in their fhirts only.
The Negroes of Anamaboe, are the moft tur-
bulent reftlefs people of all the coaft.
P. 15.] By a letter from John Smith, da-
ted at Anamaboe, 6 February, 1704.
Since I came hither, I have done as much
as pofTible to oblige the natives, and in-
creafe as well as maintain your honours in-
tereft with them •, which at firft feem'd to
have a good efFc£t : but fince the arrival of
the ten per cent, ftiips, I have not been able
to keep the trade to the fort ; for there can
, . . be no limitation to the price of good flaves,
when other fhips out-bid us : which I am
- pofitive has been done by captain Prince, he
having given fourteen pounds a-head for men ;
as alfo by one captain Normanton, in a bri-
gantine bound for Jamaica, who firft fold
blue perpets for five angels each, and before
he went off, difpofed of feveral for fow
angels,
Agga, 3 March, 1707-8.] The ten per
cent, men ufing this place fo much, has
made the flaves exceflive dear. Four fliips
from Briftol and Barbadoes flaved here be
fore the battles were fought, and they gave
fourteen pieces current for men, and nine for
women, and fome fifteen pieces; or in gold
three ounces, three or four akyes a man-, a
woman two ounces, three or four akyes
a-head. At this place all the year round, one
year with another, men-flaves are dearer by
twelve akyes upon a head, than at any other
place of the coaft.
F A N T Y N.
AT the end of Fantyn, below Com^-w- Bofman.
tyn, the Englijh, two years paft, plan- p. fS. '
ted a flag and began to build a fort : whe-
ther their expeditions were not fatiffied,
or they could not agree with the Blacks.
is uncertain •, but at prefent, 1701, they
are endeavouring to remove all the mate-
rials from thence, which the native com-
mander in chief has hitherto hindered ; and
how it will end, time muft difcover. If I
miftake not, it appears that this was the
Shidoe faftory, which the author of the re-
fleftions, ^c. takes notice of in his cata-
logue of the Englifh fettlements at the coaft
of Guinea, &c. and fays, it is a very pro-
fitable ficlory, which makes good returns
to cape Corfo caftle.
A C R O N.
IN the middle of it, at the village Apam, id. -p, 60.
in the year 1697, we Hollanders began
to build a fmall fort, or rather houfe, now
fortified with two batteries, as the draught
will better inform you. To this we have Pi-ate i;.
given the name of fort Lydfae?nheyd, i. Dmcbfort
Patience % becaufe we met with fufficient
opportunity of exercifing that vertue in
building of it, by the frequent oppofitions
of the natives. Our chief fador there, by
the deadnefs of the trade, and the depraved
nature of the inhabitants, is fo perplexed,
that he has enough to do to keep his tem-
per. I never was fo deceived in my ex-
pedration as by thofe natives •, they ap-
peared fo well at firft, that by my ad-
vice the building of that fort was much
expedited ; but I foon enough repented it.
Upon the two batteries are eight pieces of
cannon but its greateft ftrength and or- ,
nament, is derived from a fine turret be- j
fore it. I
A N G W I N A or A G O N N A. |
ABOUT the middle of Agonna, theBofman, j
Englifh built a fmall fort in the yearp <>3 j
1694, a draught whereof fee. It is cove- Plate z/J
red with a flat roof, and has four batte-
ries
1
in North and South-Guinea,
ries fo large, that a man may eafily leap
over them without a ftick-, and the guns
are of a proportionable bignefs, one of them
difcharging a half-pound ball : in fliort,
it is like our forts, at Boutry^ Zaconde^
Chama, and Apam^ and theirs at Dickief-
choof, a fort which wants another to de-
fend it. The adjacent village to it is IVim^
ha, others call it Smpa, and the Englijh
Whinnebah. The Aq^uamhoes who dwell far-
ther inland made excurfions to Anguina, in
1693, and 1694-, which is very crouble-
fome to the inhabitants.
R?fl- P- 33- ^^-l 'T^'^^^ IVbinnebah is a large
fquare fort with four flankers, all built of
ftone and lime: there are eighteen guns
in it, is commonly guarded by about twelve
fFbite men and twenty-eight Gromettoes,
and has a fuitable tank, a pool or bafon
for water. It fcands about a hundred and
twenty paces from the lea, within three
miles of Sh'idoe, to the weftward, and thirty-
fix miles from Acra, eaftward.
Gold mine. P. 62.] Speaking of Monte del Diablo, in
tliQ Agon na counn-y, he fays, this hill is re-
ported to be very rich in gold, v/hereof the
Agonnafians are faid to gather a confiderable
value after violent fliowers, the rain wafli-
ing it off withthe fand. This year, 1701,
one Mr. Baggs died at Caho Corfo, who was
agent for the Englifh^ and entrufted with a
more ample commiffion than any of his pre-
deceffors, or the three who ufed to govern
together, had for feveral years. This exten-
five commiffion, if we may believe the Eng-
Vijh, v/as given him by the direftors of the
African company, becaufe he had inform'd
them of, and promis'd to dig gold, or gold
ore, out of this hill, and fend it over to them.
To this purpofe he brought all manner of
neceffary inflruments along with him ; but
i am certain, if he had purfu'd his defign, the
Agonnafians would have treated him and his
men as ill as the Comman'ians did us, which I
believe his fucceflbrs will wifely confider.
Sir Dolby Thomas at cape Corfo, May 13,
1705. p. 16.] The king Wh'ulah, and
the king of ^lamhoo, have a great many
fine guns. The king of Saboe has two. 'Tis
true thofe people do not at prefent under-
ftand how to ufe them, but how foon they
may, none can tell ; nor is it unreafonable
to think, that they may take it to be their
intereft to hire a White man to make them
mailers of gunnery j and there is very fel-
dom wanting a renegade White man to in-
ftruft the worft of enemies, when well of-
fer'd : and when that's done, farewel forts
and caflles, the trade of this coaft, and every
thing elfe but cruelty and inhumanity here.
Something is neceffary to be done, to pre-
vent the felling of great guns to the Blacks,
either by the Engli/Jj or Butch. I believe
there are feveral laws in both nations ; and I
am of opinion, that only the EngUfh do^^'^^'^'^-
this.
At Wtnnebah, without date, fuppos^d td
be February, 1706-7, from Nix.Seth Grof-
venorj] I have been told that the country
of Angwina was formerly entirely for your
honours intereft, as by contraft between you
and the queen of this country ; but tlie
Dutch, like treacherous undermining people, ^"fch /»-
have encroach'd fo, as to make a fettlement
at a place call'd Barracoe, where they have
ereded a fmall triangular fort of tv/elve
guns.
I find them very troublefome neighbours,
always incenfing the natives againfl us, to
interrupt us in our trade. The Dutch chief
at Barracoe, lately took feveral of your Jio-
nours goods from traders, which they had
bought here of me, telling them he fliould
alv/ays continue to do fo, if they came to
the F-ngUfj to buy goods : I fent a meffen-
ger to demand the goods, and he would not
return them ; but I have fince made him de- \
liver them to me, and he promised never to
take any more goods from our traders,
A -c R A and A q^u a m b o e ,
COME time fince, the government of theBofmasii
Aquamboeans was adminifter'd by two, P"
'VIZ. the old and young king, tho' the latter
is excluded on pretence of his minority, by
his father's brother, affifted by his own mo-
ther fo that the uncle reign'd in conjunftion
with the fathen This double government '
was found extremely prejudicial to the fub-
jeffs, who were fure to fuffer, as well from
the one as from the other tyrant, till the year
1699, when the old king dying, the young
one eftablifh'd himfelf folely on the throne,
utterly excluding the other, and reigning at
prefent.
The old man was of a wicked abje6l tem-
per, and an utter enemy to Europeans ; and
tho' he receiv'd from the EnglifJj, Danes, and
us, an ounce of gold, as an acknowledg-
ment, for the liberty given us by his prede-
ceffor to build in his dominions, yet he hor-
ridly plagued us, and that in fo unreafonable
a manner, that if he did but fancy any of us
had injur'd him, he was fure to oblige us all
three to make fatisfaflion, by fhutting up the
paffes fo clofely, that not fo much as a fingle
merchant could get to us. So that 'tis not to
be doubted, but that his death has, and will
contribute to the advancement of the Euro-
pean trade here; the prefent king being more
intelligent and rational, as well as a friend to
the Europeans, efpecially the Hollanders,
This plainly appear'd in his dangerous ill-
nefs, which his country phyficians could not
cure for then he confidently entrufted him-
felf in our hands, coming in perfon to our
fort with a fevi^ of his attendants, and refided
there fome time^ being roughly enough han-
. ^ died
44^ Remarkahli
Barbot. died by our barber, but luckily almoft cur'd^
L^'Y^ his diftemper being of that nature, that he
cannot expefb to be entirely freed frorri its
efFefts : and he is accordingly, at prefent,
not only incapable of procreating children,
but of the enjoyment of any of his wives,
of which he has a large number.
i-xcejjive Exceffive venery in his youth occafioned
luji. j-j-jg indifpofition % his wives who endeavour'd
to reftrain him, he rewarded with broken
heads, tho' he has too late repented it ; and
it is indeed a pity,for he is a clean well-fhap'd
man, and in the flower of his age.
In the old king's time we were very de-
firous to build a fort, and accordingly be-
gun it, at the village Ponni, at the end of
the Gold Coaft % but when our fhip with
building materials arrived ^cra, being in-
form'd that j^do was gone with his army
againft the enemies, for fear the old king
fhould too much impofeon us, wedefifted :
in which we were very fortunate, by reafon
we fhould only have put our feives to un-
neceflliry ciiarge ; for at this time we find the
trade not fo confiderable as was pretended,
and that a lodge with a man or two are fuf-
ficient: wherefore, without a very great al-
teration of the pofture of aflairs, I don't be-
lieve a fort will ever be built there.
Bofman^ p. 67.] The EngliJJi fort, Jatnes,
at Acra^ has been fome years fince my de-
parture from the coaft, repair'd to a better
advantage and convenience, than it was in
my time; and its walls made higher and
thicker, efpecially on the fide towards the
Dutch fort, Crevecoeur, fo that it is fome-
what thicker than ordinary, with four
flankers, built of fl:one and lime, and is
now furniOi'd with twenty five guns, but
molt of them fo fmall and flight, that if
they fhould be attacked, they would do
very well to exchange them for twelve good
guns. The garrifon alfo is very mean for
fuch a place, being but eighteen PFhite men,
and thirty Gromettoes ; as if it were fuffici-
ent to build forts, furnifli them with can-
non and neceflary provifions, without men,
in which refpedt the Englijh are at leaft as
deficient as any other European nation can
I be. They have alfo raifed the lodgements,
and made the dongeon higher than it was
in 1 682. It has alfo a tank, and is fituated
on a rock next the fea.
Bloomed Memoirs, chief at in 1693.]
The village Soko fituated under this fortrefs,
is alfo much enlarg'd ever fince, by a large
number of families of the people of the
neighbouring village Little Acra, under the
Dutch fort, who have fettled at the former,
after the devaftations of the Aquamboes at
the latter, they having burnt m.oft of it
others retired to other places of the coaft
eaft ward, as Lampa, PopoOi &c. ' thofe Blacks
being alfo, on the other hand, much diflatif-
fied at the Dutch proceedings towards them.
e Occurrences
This town of Soko is at prefent one of the Soko
fineft and largeft of the Gold Coaji, feated
on a level ground, and regularly built,and fo
much encreafed in buildings and inhabitants
fince the year 1692, that it has a very confi-
derable trade with the Englifi^ to the pre-
judice of the Dutch.
The Danijhhn at Acra, when I left the
Gold Coaft^ in 1682, was pofiTefied by the
Portuguefe ; but fome time after, the Danes
redeemed it for a good fum of money, by
mutual agreement, and fettled their trade
anew with the natives, and fo poflTefs'd it till
the year 1693, when Blacks furpriz'd it
in the following manner,expelling the DaneSy
and keeping poflTeflion of it for fome time.
Bloomers Memoirs.] This misfortune of theoanini^rr
Danes was occafion'd by the death of k-farpriz-dh
veral of their garrifon, and they having done Blacks,
fome infults to the king of Acra, that prince
ftudied revenge, and obferving the Danes
had much confidence in one AJfcmmi, a Black
who had a great intereft in that country,
procured them a very brilk trade, he en-
gag'd him to contrive how to furprize the
fortrefs. Accordingly, AJfemmi made the
Danijh governor believe, he would bring
him a confiderable number of merchants at
once, to buy fire-arms, which they wanted
much, and therefore advifed him to en-
haunce the price, appointing the day when
they fhould come.
On that day accordingly,/f^»?/;2i brought
about eighty bold Blacks along with him,
whom the Danes introduc'd into their fort,
in hopes of felling them a great quantity of
fire-arms, and not fufpedting the leaft
treachery. When the Blacks had agreed on
the price of the goods, and paid the value
in gold, they loaded their mufl<;ets with
powder and ball, which each of them had
brought with him, as if they defigned to try
them J but on a fudden fell all unanimoufly
on five and twenty or thirty Danes.) that then
compofed the garrifon, who prefently yielded
the fort to them. They immediately dif-
perfed the Danes into feveral parts of the
inland country 1 after which, the king of
Acra, and the Blacks entirely ftript it, and
took a booty of above feven thoufand pounds
fterling : the fort was given over to the
treacherous Affemmi in propriety, who gar-
rifon'd it with his own Blacks, and fo fettled
himfelf therein, trading with all the Euro-
pean fliips that came thither ; buying great
quantities of European goods of them, and
afterwards felling them again to the Blacks
of the country to a confiderable profit.
Bofman, p. 67, 68.] It was really divert- ^/^^y
ing, tho' the hard fate of the Danes was to cover ie.
be lamented, to fee what work the Blacks
made with the fortrefs. Their commander,
AJJemmi, drefs'd himfelf in tht Danijh go-
vernor's habit, and caufed himfelf to be com-
plimented by that name i in ading of which
part
in North and South-Guineaa
Reflea.
XIII.
part, there were feveral very comical fcenes.
He thunder'd at all the Englijh and Zealand
interlopers, by way of faluce, with his can-
non, as if there would never be an end of
the powder •, and remain'd in poffeflion of
the fore, till two Damjh fhips arriv'd at Acra,
which was above a year after it had been
furpriz'd when by means of a very conli-
derable prefenr, worth one thoufand pounds
fterling, in European goods, to the king of
Jquamboe, or Jcra^ but more efpecially by
the mediation of the Hollanders, it was re-
deliver'd to them : which fervice they after-
wards as bafely as ungratefully rewarded.
But they were no great gainers by it ; for to
garriion the fort, they were oblig'd to leave
their fhips fo poorly mann'd,that they became
a prey to the pirates in the fight of Guinea.
As the fort is at prefent, it would be too
ftrong for the united force of the EnqJ.iJh
and ours. It is a fquare building,ftrengthen'd
with four batteries •, and to the belt of my
memory, twenty guns. It appears very
beautiful, and looks as If it wete but one
continued battery, as it is really in effect
for the roof being entirely flat, the cannon
may conveniently be planted on all parts
of it. The DLiniJh agent that commanded
there in 1699, was one Mr. l!rawne q{ Co-
fenhagen, who had his wife there with him ;
the gentlewoman being of that fond tem-
per to accompany him to Guinea^ and live
with him during his commilTion, tho' Ihe is
of a very good family of 'Denmark \ and
might have been told, that European women
run much greater rifks of life in that intem-
perate climate than the men •, as we have
had inftances of it heretofore, in fome Da-
nifh ladies, that were foon fnatch'd away
by death at this coaft.
Alampoe, or Lampa^^j«J Ladingcour.
T AMP or Alampa^ is a confiderable
^ place for buying of flaves it has been
poffels'd by the EngliJJj African company for
feveral years, having had a fatlory there,
with about five IVbite men, and ten Gromet-
toes-, with fmall arms, £s?r. They made fome
fteps towards building a fort there but the
Dutch interpofed with the natives, and it has
been difcontinued for fome time: however
I underftand they are about re-fettling it
again, ^c. It is fituated near the fea-fide,
between Acra and JVhidah.
Bloomed Memoirs., 1701.] The king-
dom of Lampa, or Alampa, is at this time
a place where a great quantity of flaves is
purchas'd, by the Englijh, French, Dutch
and Portuguefe, and a cargo of them foon
compleated. The Europeans c^Lxry thither for
trade,almofl the fame forts of European mer-
chandize, as ferve for the commerce ziAcra j
but of all the European trading nations, the
French have the greateft: traffick on that coafl:,
from Ningo-mimry to Ningo-grande, iLndLay,
Vol, V,
This was confirm*d to me fome years agdiBARBor.
by a French officer of the AJJiento company, '•^'V^,
prifoner of war at Southamptoni who had
made three voyages to Alampoe fuGcefllvelys
for the faid company.
In order to follow the fanie method \ have
obferv'd in the defcription of the feveral
nations and countries of the Gold Coaft of
Guinea, \ muft, before I proceed any far-
ther in the account of the changes and re-
volutions that have KappenM in Guinea fince
the year 1682^ fiy fomething of the tranf-
aftions that have occurr'd in the inland
countries of the Gold Coaft.
DiNKiRA, or DunkirA.
natives have fubjedled three totin- g^^jj^jj^
tries to their dominion, each of which;.. 7 j. *
produces fome, tho' not much gold^ viz.
fVaJfah, Encajfe, and Juffer ; they bofder
orte upon another, and the laft: uport Com- '^f^l^f^
many. The gold of thefe countries, their „atien.
own, and what they brought from other
parts, fitisfied the demand of the whole
coafl: from Axim to Succundee about three
years ago, d\.\nn^z\\t Cotnmanian vi xrs % but
Iince our peace wjch the Commanians, the
roads being free and open to the merchants,
the diftance of feveral places from them,
makes them not travel firther at prelent than
to Chama, Commany, Mina, and Cabo Corfo:
wherefore the higher coall is not extraordi-
narily fupplied with gold for tho' there
are fome countries betwixt Dinkira and them,
which have gold mines •, to inft:ance in Egwi-
ra and Adorn, befides Abocroe and Ancober,
which alfo have a fmall fiiare ; yet all added
together will not amount to a quantity fuf-
ficient to fupply all the Upper forts* In the
year 1 694, I heard the Brandenburghers com-
plain, chat they could not receive two marks
of gold in a whole month's time \ nor did
we fare much better in our forts, trade being
extremely dull at that time.
The gold which is brought us by the;^^ ^
Dinkirans is very pure, except only that it ^^^^
is too much mix'd with Fetiches ; which are
a fort of artificial gold, compofed of feveral
ingredients, among which fome are very
oddly fliaped. Thefe Fetiches they cafl: in
moulds, made of a fort of black and very
heavy earth, into what form they pleafe ; and
this artificial gold is frequently mix'd with
a third part, and fometimes with half filver
and copper, and confequently lefs worth,
and yet we are pefter'd with it at all parts of
the coafl: ; and if we refufe to receive it, fome
Blacks are fo unreafonable, that they will cer-
tainly take back all their pure gold : fo that
we are obliged fometimes to fuffer them to
fhuflle in fome of it. There are alfo Fe-
tiches caft of unalloyed mountain gold, which
very feldom come to our hands, becaufe
they keep them to adorn themfelves % fo
that if ever we meet with them, thofe who
part with them are oblig'd to it by necef-
5 Y
4^0
Remarkable Gccurrences
BARBoT.fity,or they are fill*d with the mention'd black
heavy earth, with which the unfkilful are
liable to be bafely cheated, receiving inftead
of gold, frequently half the weight in this
fort of earth.
By what has been faid, you may irrtagine
how rich and potent the kingdom of Din-
kira was. But a few months ago it was fo
entirely deftroy'd-, that it lies at prefent de -
folate and wafte. Certainly it cannot be un-
pleafant to inform you, how fuch a fatal
and fudden deftru£lion fell upon this fo po-
tent a land, as Well as whence their ruin
proceeded, which I am oblig'd to take from
the report of fome of the natives ; and the
event has given me fufficient reafon to be-
lieve they told truth.
Dinkira, elevated by its great riches and
power, became fo arrogant, that it looked
on all other Blacks with a contemptible eye,
efteeming them no more than its Haves ;
which render'd it the obje6t of their com-
mon hatred, each impatiently wifhing its
downfill, tho' no nation wasfo hardy as to
attack it, till the king of JJfiante, injured
and affronted by its governor, adventured
to revenge himfelf of that nation in a fignal
manner.
Occafion of T^he occafion of which was this. Bofiante,
the rninofihe king of Dinkira, a young prince, whofe
Dinkira. valour was become the admiration of all the
Blacks of the coaft, fent fome of his wives
to compliment Zay, the king of JJJante ;
who not only receiv'd and entertained them
very civilly, but fent them back with feveral
very confiderable prefents, to exprefs his
fenfe of that grateful embaffy ; and being
refolv'd to return the favour, he a while
. after fent fome of his wives to compliment
the king of Dinkira, and affure him of the
great efteem he had for his perfon. Thofe
ambaffadreffes were no lefs fplendidly treated
zt Dinkira, being alfo loaded with prefents;
but the king caft a wanton eye upon one
of them, and hurried on by exorbitant luft,
gratified his brutal defire. After fatiating
of which, he fuffer'd her, together with
the reft, to return to their country, and
the injur'd hulband, who was informed
of this affront : but he took care to make
the king of Dinkira fenfible, that he would
not reft till he had wafhed away the fcan-
dal in his injurious blood. When he was
made fenfible of the king of AJfiante^% refo-
lution, knowing very well who he had to deal
with, he heartily wifhed he had not been
guilty of the crime ; but fince it was done,
he ofFer'd him ieveral hundred marks of
gold to put up the injury. The inraged
Za'j, deaf to all fuch offers, prepared for a
vigorous war, raiftng a ftrong army, in
order to invade Dinkira % and not being fufH-
ciently ftored with gun-powder, he bought
up great quantities on the coaft : the Din-
kiram being fooliih enough to aflift him
themfelves, fuffered his fubjedls to pafs with
it uninterrupted through their country, not-
withftanding they knew very well it was
only defigned for their deftrudtion. Whilil
lie was making thefe preparations, the king
of Dinkira died which might encourage a
belief, that the impending cloud of war
Would blov/ over. Whether the governors
of Dinkira were too haughty to implore a
peace of the injured Za-j, or whether he
was inftigated by the enemies of that coun-
try, is uncertain : but he ftill immoveably
perfifted in his purpofe, of utterly extir-
pating the Dinkirans : and about the begin-
ning of the year 1701, or 1702, I am not
pofitive, being compleatly ready, he came
with a terrible army into the field, and en-
gaging the Dinkirans, who expeded him,
worfted them ; and in a fecond engagement
entirely defeated them. The Blacks report,
that in thofe two battles, above a hundred
thoufand men were (lain : of the Blacks of
y^kim only, who came to the afllftance of
the Dinkirans, there were about thirty thou-
fand kiird, befides a great Caboceiro ot'Jkim,
with all his men cut off. The plunder
after this vi6lory took up the Affiantines fif-
teen days time, and Zaf^ booty alone a-
mounted to feveral thoufand marks of gold,
as is affirmed by one of our European offi-
cers, who was fent on fome embaffy to Zflj,
and fays, he has feveral times feen the trea-
fure. This meflenger of ours, who is now
in the Ajfiante camp, has orders to take an
exaft account of what he hears and fees
there. Thus you fee the tow'ring pride of
Dinkira in afhes, they being forc'd to fly
before thofe, whom they not long before
thought no better than their flaves, and are
themfelves now fold as fuch.
ACCANY, or ACANNY.
P O R three years paft, thofe Blacks have Bofman,
not much traded with us, (the Dutch;)P- 77-
for they, on what account I am ignorant, J"cany.
falling out with the Dinkirafis, were fo ^"
beaten, that all their governing men, and
no fmall number of the inferiour people,
were killed and taken prifoners; to redeem
whom out of flavery, they were obliged
to ftrip themfelves of all they were poffefs'd
of in the world ; by which means they were
reduced to the utmoft poverty and inability
to defend themfelves. But the Dinkirans
themfelves being now ruined as well as they,
and having declared for the king of JJJiante,
perhaps thefe may recover fome of their
ancient luftre. , . , .
A K I M, or A K A M,
S a fpacious country, having the king- p ^g.
dom of Gago on the north, that of Af-
fiante at weft, 'Tafou at eaft, and Ahnis or
Accan-^
in North and
Accanj at fouth, furnifiiing as large a
quantity of gold, as any land that I know,
and that the moil valuable and pure. It
was formerly a vaft monarchy, and now
a kind of commonwealth. The young fuc-
celTor being yet but young, and betraying
but too palpable figns of a cruel nature, has
not been able to make himfelf mafter of
the whole land, but is obliged to be content
with a part ; for the governing men of the
kingdom, fearing he will prove a great ty-
rant, to reftrain him, have taken a part of
the adminiftration into their hands, which
proves very well for Accan'j and Aquamboe.
We have always efteem'd D'mhra^ Acan-
n'j and Akim, to be the richeft countries in
gold i but that there certainly are feveral
more, is undeniable. Ajffiante is a convincing
proof of this, which being but lately known
to us, we find affords more gold than Din-
kira, as does Ananfe, a country fituate be-
twixt Affiants and Dinkira ; as there are un-
doubtedly many more, with which we are
yet utterly unacquainted. , ■ ;
AssiANTE, c^Inta,
T S, according to moft modern and correct
^ accounts, a kingdom, far inland, north
of Awine, and Iffeny^ where begins the
Gold Coajl. It borders at weft, on that of
Mandinga at eaft on Akat7i ; at fouth-eaft
on Accany., or Akinis ; and at north-eaft
by north on the kingdom of Gago^ from
which gold is fiid to be brought to Morocco,
by the caravans of Tomhut, which lies
north of Gago ; the country of Meczara. be-
ing betwixt both kingdoms, in the femicir-
cle the Niger, or the Senega river or /f<3,
makes there, bending northward, to fifteen
degrees and a half north latitude, near the
city of I'ombut. As I have obferved in the
defcription of Nigritia, I fhall alfo mention
hereafter in this Supplement, in treating of
the vaft trade drove from many parts of
Africa, at the city of 'Tomhut , the prodigi-
ous quantity of pure fine gold brought thi-
ther from Mandinga, and from Tidar. Thus
by confequence, this kingdom of AJfiante,
being fo near to other countries fo rich in
gold, it may be well fuppofed, to abound
in the fame metal, or to fetch it from the
others, to drive a trade towards the Gold
Coajl, of late years begun to be open'd.
A W I N E.
Awine T Take it to be the very firft on the Gold
ftibdu'd. Coaft, and far above Axim. From the
inhabitants of this country we formerly ufed
to receive abundance of pure fine gold ; and
they being the civilleft and faireft dealers of
all the Blacks, we traded among them with a
great deal of pleafure : but the Dinkirans,
who would lord it over all their neighbour-
ing nations, fubdu'd this ; fince which time,
South-Guinea. 4^ i
we have not receiv'd much gold from them. Barbot.
In the conqueft of this land, the Binkiram ^«^Y^
were very brave and obftinate, and had no
doubt been fubdu'd themfelves, if the na-
tives of Awine could have been unanimous :
for the Dinkirans in one battle with a gover-
nour of theirs, loft above two thoufand men,
and left the faid governour fuch an abfolute
viftory, that there was not a fingle perfon
left to carry the news to Dinkira ; they be-
ing all kill'd with poifon'd arrows, which
the Awinefe know very well how toufe. Up-
on this dtk3.t,tht Dinkirans got together a nu-
merous army, which the vidlorious Awinefe
underftanding, fent to his countrymen for
farther afliftance •, inftead of which, he met
with nothing but derifion, they accufing
him with cowardice j and replying, that he
was able to beat the Dinkirans: but if he
was beaten, it was their turn to come atid
fight them man by man. Thus fighting
one to one, they loft their country and
themfelves entirely, almoft in the fame man-
ner as the Chinefe were conquer'd by the
'Tartars whereas if they would have united,
they might eafily have beaten the Dinkirans.
A modern author mentions a kingdom
of Anguine, in which the Rio de Sueiro da
Cofta rifes; near the banks of which, he takes
notice of a town of the fame name, border-
ing it at north-eaft on that of AJfiante or In-
ta, before mention'd, v/hich perhaps may-
be the Awines country fpoken of in this pa-
ragraph : if fo, then it lies about eighty
leagues up the faid river da Sueiro da Cojia.
By what has been faid both here, and in
the precedent defcription of the gold coun-
tries, you may colled that the gold is
brought to the Gold Coafl moftly from the
inland countries, lying from the ninth de-
gree of north latitude, downwards fouth to
the Gold Coaft, in four degrees and a half, and
from the fifth degree weft, to the third
degree eaft longitude of the meridian of Lon-
don: befldes what gold may come likewife
through thefe feveral countries, from Man-
dinga and Gago, adjoining to them at weft
and at north.
It is not poflible to inform you better, as
to the fituation of the faid countries, than 1
have done it there : becaufe the Blacks can-
not give any certain account of them, nor
do any of the Europeans go fo far^
I return to the account I have undertaken
to give, of the moft remarkable changes and
tranfadions, that have happened at the coaft
of Guinea, fince 1682: which I interrupted
at the paragraph concerning Alampoe^
CoTosES Country^
tS a kingdom confiderable in ftrength, gg^j^g^^
-■■but abates daily by its wars with Popo,p.^z^/
which have continu'd for fome years fuc=
cefiively ; and they being pretty even in
force.
4^2 Remarkable Occurrences
BARBoT.force, unlefs they make peace^ their difpute
is not like to be ended before one of them
engages fome other country to their affi-
ftance : but Aquamhoe^ who would keep
them both on foot, takes care that neither be
deftroy'd, fending fupplies of forces to she
weakeft fide^
"When Aquamhoi was governM by two
chiefs, thofe of Popo had a ftrong fupporter
of the old, as they of Coio of the young
king i thus each fide was continually fur-
nifli'd with Aquamboean props.
But how it will go with them when the
old king is dead, time will fhow.
Thofe of little P(?/)o, in 1700, watched
their opportunity, and furprizing thofe of
Coto^ fell upon them, and oblig'd them to
quit their country ; yet I doubt not but the
Aquamboes vflW foon reinftate them, and clap
a bridle into the mouth of the Popoeans^
I found the inhabitants there verygood-
iiaturM and courteous, and receiv'd feveral
civilities from them, efpecially from the
king. When I told him, that after having
accomplifli'd my merchandize at Fida, I
defign'd to return by land^ he offer'd to
come himfelf with his whole force, to re-
ceive me on the borders of his territories,
and to conduct me beyond Rio Volta^ to
fecure me againfl: any mifchief from the
mmhle ftrolJ'Og robbers. I had accepted this kind
iesding. offer, had not thofe of little Popo^ who al-
fo promifed to conduft me through the ex-
tent of their land, caufed me to be diffuaded
from it by their ambafladors, under pre-
tence they were afraid I might be fet on by
the robbers, before they came to me.
This diffuafive was very faint, and the
faid ambaffadors underhand encourag'd me
to this land tour, urging it as their private
advice, which naturally difcover'd their vil-
lany which was, that they defign'd to mur-
der me on my journey, and confequently
to have ftoln all my goods •, befides which,
they would yet have clear'd themfelves, by
urging that they advifed me againft going
that way.
Little Popo.
'TP H E natives are not numerous, but ve-
-■■ ry warlike. Not many years fince they
had a brave foldier for their king, whofe
name was Afforri^ brother to the prefent
king. That prince, on account of his va-
lour, was very much fear'd and refpefted 1
but his greateft ftock of fame, redounded
to him, when the Fidalgo of Offra rebell'd
againft the king of great Ardra^ his mafter,
whofe yoke he fliook off, and kill'd our
chief fador Holwerf.
For to revenge thofe accumulated crimes,
* ^'"S Ardra, perfuaded king Afforri
Bhck, come againft him with all his forces;
which he didj and made fuch ftiort work
with thofe of Offra^ that he conquerM as
foon as faw them wafted their country, and
delivered the offender into his fovereign's
hands. Not content with this vidory, and
pufti'd on by the king of Ardra, he march'd
againft the people of Fida, and encamp'd
in their country ; but wanting powder, he
delay'd attacking the Fidaftansy in expefta-
tion of having it fent him according to the
king of Ardrd's promife : which he did not
fail to do in a large quantity under a good
convoy but the Fidaftans getting intelli-
gence of it, fell upon the convoy, with a
very ftrong party, defeated it, and feized
all the powder. Afforri being inform'd of
it, and finding himfelf, for want of ammuni-
tion, not able to ftand againft his enemies,
made a fpeedy as well as very feafonable
retreat ; for the Fidaftans intended to have
fallen on him with their whole force the
next day, when he and all his army would
probably have been very roughly treated.
The Fidaftans inform'd of his flight, were
not in the leaft inclined to purfue him, but
on the contrary rejoiced to be rid of fuch a
dangetous enemy.
Afforri being rcturnM into his own terri-
tories, was acquainted that his neighbours
of Goto were ready to have affifted Fida, if
he had ftaid any longer in their country ;
which he fo highly refented, that with the
utmoft animofity he took the field againft
them, and defiring nothing more than to
come to a clofe engagement, attack'd them,
tho' ftronger than himfelf : but they re-
ceiv'd him lb warmly, that they quickly
kill'd a great part of his army. Upon this,
furioufly enrag'd and defperate, and care*
lefs of himfelf, he flew among the thickeft
of the enemy ; where he was fo furrounded,
that it was impoffible for him to return,
and with feveral of his men, after a valiant
refiftance, was left dead on the fpot.
The prefent king, the' more peaceable
and mild, yet prudently reveng'd his bro-
ther's death on the Coiofansy always attack-
ing them in their weakeft condition ; which
meafures he purfu'd fo long, as to drive
them out of their country.
Great Popo.
'T^HE king of this litde country was^^.
■*• firft fubjed to Fida, but the prefent Popo
king being fet upon the throne by the king revolts,
of Fiddy now reigning in the room of his
brother whom he h.ad banifh'd, in return
for the favours of the Fidafian monarch, he
has withdrawn his allegiance, and thrown
off that yoke : at which the Fidafian was fo
much enraged, that he raifed a great army,
which he fent againft Popo^ together with
the affiftance and ammunition he receiv'd
from fome French fhips, that then lay before
Fida^ defigning nothing lels than to exdr-
pate
/;/ North and South-Guinea.
pate them; which he was alfo encourag'd
CO hope, becaufe the French fliips likewife
fail'd to fall upon that country by fea. But
Tofo being an ifland fituate in the midft of
the river, both the French and Fidafians
were forc'd to make ufe of floats to come at
them and that nation had put it felf in
fuch a pofture of defence, that it not only
receiv'd its enemies warmly, but after much
blood Ihed, put them to flight without the
lofs of one man on their fide : for they fir'd
very brifl<:ly out of their houfes, and unper-
ceiv'd of their enemies, by which means
they kill'd a great number of French and
F'Jafians ; and fo diforder'd their forces,
that throwing down their arms, they run
over one another to make their efcape and
if the Popoeans had follow'd their vidlory,
in all probability, not one French man
would have efcap'd alive, they not being
fo fwift as the Blacks.
Since that fo unfuccefsful enterprize, the
king of Fida has notventur'd on any frefh
attempt with his own forces ; but has been
endeavouring, even to this prefent time, to
hire other nations to engage in the quarrel.
But tho' it has already coft him large fums,
yet the only fuccefs he has met with, is to
be cheated on all fldes ; wherefore, much a-
gainfl: his will, he is oblig'd to fuffer the
king of Popo to remain in quiet poflTeffion
of his ifland, , , , .
Fida by the Englifh called W h i d a h,
and by the French J u y d a .
Bofman P \Kf ^ ^ ^ I vias there in the year 1698,
^o^man,?. y y ]-,ef^^es flaves there were five men lofl:,
viz. a Portiigiiefe captain, a clerk, and three
Englijlo failors as alfo two captains, who
were brought afhore for dead, and lived
but a very little while after.
This port has cofl: me, or rather the com-
pany, at feveral times, above two hundred
pounds ; and doubtlefs it muft; have been
more expenfive to the Englijh, and others,
who have not fo good rowers,
DangeroHi ^^''7 incommodious and dangerous,
eoaji. by reafon of the horrible breaking of the
fea but efpecially in April, May, June.,
and July. About that feafon, difmal acci-
dents are very frequent there greatquantities
of goods are lofl:, and many men drowned,
A few years after I left the coafl: of Gui-
nea^ in 1682, the French abandon'd their
lodge at Fida, becaufe of the changes that
happen'd in the affairs of their African com-
pany ; and feveral years after that, a new
African company being efl:ablifh'd in France,
they fettled a fadory at Fida, as have alfo
the Dutch, who in my time had none there,
only one at Offra, in the Ardra country; and
according to the following memoir, thofe
faftories are turn'd into forts, as well as the
Englijh lodge.
Vol, V,
Refl. p. 34. XIV.] Whidah is a fort aboutBA^Bor;
one hundred yards fquare, belonging to the ^-^sr>^
Englijh, with four large flankers, all o{T^'^
earth, having a battery with twenty one '
good guns mounted, and a trench about
twenty foot deep and eighteen foot wide a-
bout it ; and commonly guarded by about
twenty White men and one hundred Gromet-
toes. It ftands about three miles from the
water fide, between a Danijh fort at Acra, to
the weftward, and two forts belonging to
the French and Dutch, within half a mile.
About four miles from Whidah, in the
king's town, the company have a fa6tory- ^nBoms.
houfe, a place of very confiderable trade ;
but it is a wretched place, as well as all o-
ther European fettlements, to live in, by
reafon of the adjacent fwamps, whence pro-
ceed noifome ftinks and fach fwarms of
mofquettoes or gnats, as plague men night
and day in an intolerable manner. From
the EhgliJJj faftory to the king's town is
four miles, through very pleafant fields,
full of and Gz/i;?^ corn, potatos, and
ignames in great plenty, of which they
have two crops in a year, and along the
roads are feveral villages. This was in
1693 and 1694.
Thefe are the three principal places for
purchafing great numbers of flaves, about
half a mile diftant from each other.
Bofman, p. 366.] Our lodging here, which
the king caufed to be built for me, is very
large, containing three warehoufes and fe-
ven chambers, befides a beautiful court
within, adorn'd on each fide with a cover'd
gallery but the lodgings of the refl: of the
Europeans are very mean and inconvenient.
The Brandenburghers have alfo a fadlory
at Fida, fince the year 1684.
The fame king that was at Fida in my
time 1682, was lliU vigorous in 1701, and
then about fifty two or fifty three years of
age ; but as brifk and fprightly as a man at
thirty five.
I have been told by a French gentleman^
prifoner of war at Southampton, that this
king of JVIndah died in 1708, and that his
death occafion'd a civil war there. One of
the principal natives of the country, afpiring
to the fuccefllon, got together an army of
twelve or fifteen thoufand men, of his party,
to oppofe the former king's fon, then about
twenty eight years of age ; but the young
prince being fupportedby the Englipj and
French, who lent him about two hundred
European foldiers or mariners, foon forc'd the
d!fl:urber to retire, and was afterwards with
the general confentof the people enthron'd ;
and near one hundred and fifty of the princi-
pal rebels, who had been taken, were fold as
flaves to the French of the AJfiento, and
mofl: of them carry'd to Marlinico and fold
there. The young king diflributed about
5 Z one
4^*4 Remarkable
Barbot. one hundred of them among the French and
ti^W Englijh, who had fo generoufly affifted him
to afcend the throne of Whidah, and gave
other prefents to the men that were upon the
expedition.
That prince is a great favourer of all Eu-
ropeans refiding or trading in his country,
but leaft of the Portuguefe', tho' they are
allow'd a lodge there, as well as the others.
Thofe failories or lodges are now all en-
clofed with high mud-walls, like fortrefies,
and each of them has fome cannon, more
or lefs, to defend it, with a fmall garrifon,
, . befides fadlors and fervants, which the for-
mer king allow'd of upon the preffing in-
iiances of our European chief faftors there,
as the only way to prevent their faid fado-
ries being robb'd and pillag'd, as they had
been often before by the natives, notwith-
ftanding all their watchfulnefs ; which occa-
fion'd frequent difputes and contefcs among
them.
This new king adminiHers very impartial
iuftice, and will not fuffer any European
fador to abufe, or encroach upon another,
but will have them all live in unity.
A R D R A
Bofman, tpArther inland are yet more potent king-
p. 396. -T doms than this but I know nothing, or
very little of them, except that whilft I
was at F'ida, one of their ambaffadors came
to the king of Great Ardra^ to acquaint him
from his mafter, that feveral Ardrafian Blacks
had been with him to make their complaints,
and to advife him to take care, that his
viceroys treated thofe poor men more gent-
ly or elfe he fliould be oblig'd, tho' much
againft his wil^J^ come to their affiftance,
and take them into his protedion.
The king of Great Jrdra, infteadof mak-
ing a proper ufe of this wholefome advice,
laughed at it, and in farther defpight to that
king, murther'd his ambafilidor upon
which, he was fo violently as well as juftly
enraged, that with the utmoft expedition,
he caufed an army, by the Fidafians augmen-
ted to the number of ten hundred thoufand
men, to fill into their country •, and thofe
being all horfe, and a warlike nation, in a
fhort time fubdu'd half the king of Ardra's
Terrible territories, and made fuch a flaughter among
flaughter. his fubjefts, that the dead being innumerable,
they commonly exprefled it by faying, they
were like the grains of corn in the field.
This looks very fabulous, infomuch, that
tho' it is confirm'd to me by oaths, I do
not vouch it for a truth. But it is certain
that the flaughter was prodigious, and that
the general of that great army, contenting
, himfelf therewith, return'd home, expefting
to be very well receiv'd by his mafter, but
found himfelf miftaken •, for the king caufed
him to be hang'd on a tree, becaufej ac-
OccurreHces. ■
cording to his order, he did not bring the
perfon of the king of Great Ardra along
with him, on whom, and not on his fubjeds,
he had intended his revenge.
You may pleafe to obferve, what raif-
chiefs this prince brought upon himfelf, as
aifo that the law of nations is as well ob-
ferv'd among thofe Heathens as us Europeans:
for that great monarch did not think himfelf
fatisfy'd by the death of fo many thoufand
men, for the murther of his ambaffador,
but would rid the world of the particular
occafion of it. Which v/hether he after-
wards did, I have not yet heard.
Benin.
David van Nyendael's voyage to Benin.,
Sept. I. 1702.
T N the beginning of my letter of the city ^°^'"2^>P-
of Benin, (Oedo,) I inform'd you of its'^'^'''
mean ftate at prefent, and that the greateft
part of it lies defolate which indeed is de-
plorable, by reafon the circumjacent coun-
try is as pleafant as could be wifh'd, where
no interpofing hill or wood rudely interrupts
the agreeable profped of thoufands of
charming trees, which by their wide extend-
ed branches, full of leaves, feem to invite
mankind to repofe under their Ihade.
The ruin of this town and neighbourins;
land, was occafion'd by the king's caufing
two kings of the ftreet to be kill'd, under
colour that they had attempted his life, tho*
all the world was fatisfy'd of the contrary,
and thoroughly convinc'd, that their ex-
cefTive wealth was the true caufe of their
death, that the king might enrich himfelf
with their effe6ls, as he did.
After this barbarity, the king found alio
a third man that ftood in his way who be=
ing univerfally belov'd, was timely warned
of that prince's intention, and accordingly
took his flight, accompany'd by three
fourths of the inhabitants of the town: which
the king obferving, immediately aflTembled
a number of men from the adjacent country,
and caufed the fugitives to be purfu'd, in
order to oblige them to return j but his
troops were fo warmly receiv'd by this king
of the ftreet and his followers, that they
forc'd them to return with bloody nofes,
and give their mafter an account of their
mifadventure. He refolving not to reft
there, makes a frefh attempt, which fuc-
ceeded no better than the former nor was
that all, for the fugitive, throughly incenfed
and flufli'd, came diredly to the city, which
he plunder'd and pillag'd, fparing no place
but the king's court, and then retir'd ; bat
incefilmfly continu'd for the fpace of ten
years to rob the inhabitants of Great Beniny
till at laft by the mediation of the Portu-
guefcy a p.ace was concluded betwixt him
and the king, by which he was entirely par-
don'd
A Vot AGE to New Calaban > 45*^
don'd all that was paft, and earneftly requeft- red to honourable offices, in order by thofe Barbot.
ed to return to his former habitation : Howe- means to induce the reft to return which V^V>!^
ver he would not trufthimfelf there, but lives probably they will not do, as being very
two or three days journey from Benin^ where well contented where they are. Wherefore
he keeps as great a court and ftate as the kingo it is to be feared, that thegreateft part of
The returning citizens were affably and this town is ftill likely to continue uninha=
amicably receiv'd by the king, and prefer- bited.
An Abstract of a Voyage to New Calabar River, or Rio Real^ in
the year 1699.
Taken out of the Journai of Mr, James Bar hot ? Super-Cargo, and Part-Owner
with me, and other Adventurers of London, in the Albion-Frigate^ of
300 Tons and 24 Guns, a Ten J^^^T Cento Ship,
TP HE thirteenth of January 1698-9, we
fail'd from the Downs.
The third of February, we had fight of
Porio Santo, and of the ifland Madera,
The fifth, we faw the ifland Palma, one of
the Canaries, at fouth-eaft, a great diftance.
Tenth, we built up ourfloop, on our deck.
Thirteenth, faw cape Verdey diftant fix
leagues eaft fouth-eaft.
Twenty-third, cape Mefurado^ feven
leagues at eaft by north.
Twenty fifth, we anchor'd before Seftro
river there we ftaid till the twentieth of
March, getting in wood, water, rice, mala-
guetre, fowls, and other refreftiments and
provifions, &c.
King Pieter was ftill alive and well ; we
got but few elephants teeth, becaufe very
dear.
Twentieth of March, failed from Sejlro
river.
Twenty eighth, pafs'd by St. Andrew'^
river.
Seventh of April, came before Axim, the
firtt Dutch fort on the Gold Coaft of Guinea.
Eighth, anchor'd before the PruJJian fort.
Great Frederickshurgh, at T'res-Pontas.
The P ruffian general receiv'd us at his
fort very civilly, but told us, he had no oc-
cafion for any of our goods ; the trade being
every where on that coaft, at a ftand, as
well by reafon of the vaft number of inter-
lopers and other trading fiiips, as for the
wars among the natives, and efpecially that
which the Englijh and Dutch had occafion'd
on account of a Black king the Engli/h had
murder'd, which muft be the king of Com-
mendo before mention'd in this Supplement,
and that the armies had adually been in the
field for eight months, which ftopt all the
pafles for merchants to come down to the
forts, to trade ; that it was expefted there
would be a battle fpeedily, betwixt them ,
Dutch that the Hollanders, a people very jealous
arts to en- o{ their commerce at the coaft, were very
frTje ftudious to have the war carried on among
the Blacks, to diftra*^ as long as pofllble
the trade of other Europeans, and to that
eff^edt were very ready to aflift upon all oc-
cafions the Blacks, their allies, that they
might beat their enemies, and fo the com-
merce fall into their hands.
The ninth we came to an anchor before
the Pruffian fort. Great Frederickshurgh, a
very handfome fortrefs, mounted with a-
bout forty guns. The general told mCj
that fix weeks before in his return from
cape Lope to ^res-Pontas, he had been af-
faulted by a pirate, who was forc'd to let
him go, being too warmly receiv'd ; and
that there were two or three other pirates^
cruizing about that cape and St. 'Tome.
On the tenth, a fmall Portuguefe ftiip an-
chor'd by us, the mafter a Black faid he had
been but three weeks from St. Tome, and
that about three months before he faw there
four tall French fliips coming from the
coaft of Guinea, loaded with flaves, moftly
at Fida one of them commanded by Chr.
Damou. Thofe ftiips were fent by the French
king with a particular commiflion, to pur-
chafe flaves in Guinea, to indemnify the
freebooters of St. Domingo, for their preten-
fions to the booty taken formerly at Car-
tagena by Meff. de Poiniis and du Caffie^
in lieu of money ; and thereby engage them
to return to St. Domingo, and pufh on their
fettlement there, which they had aban-
don'd 3 it being agreed to fell them the
flaves, at no more than two hundred and
fifty livres, per each Indian piece at St. Do-
mingo, which accordingly has made them
return to their fettlements there, Thofe
fhips had been forc'd to give near fifty
crowns a piece, at Fida \ flaves being then
pretty thin at that place, and in great de-
mand.
The Blacks there, through malice, had
diverted the channel of the frefti water alhore,
to hinder us taking any, of which we com-
plain'd to the Pruffian general, who there-
upon gave orders to let us have water.
He lent us fome of his bricklayers, to fee
up our copper aboard, for our flaves before^
hando . The
4^6
A Voyage to
Barpot. The Portuguefe mafter begg'd our pro- The fifteenth, we arriv'd at Acra^ arrd
{^'VN^ te£lion to convoy him fafe to cape Corfo^ in anchor'd about a league and a half from fhore.
his way to Fida, fearing the Hollanders at Here we ftay'd to the twenty-fixth, trading
Mina^ who, whenever they can, force all for gold, flaves, and fome few teeth ; and
Portuguefe fhips to pay them a very high diverting our felves by turns, with the Eng-
toll, for the permiffion of trading at the U_fi>, Dutch^ and Darnjh commanders of the
coaft. forts ; but more intimately with Mr. I^rawne^
We have abundance of our men fick, and the Bamjh chief, who has his lady with him.
feveral already dead, the weather being in- The twenty-fixth, as we work'd our fmall
tolerably fcorching hot, and we can hardly
Interlopers,
C
get any provifions for them, but a few goats
very dear : we had from the Portuguefe, one
goat, one hog, and feven chickens, for five
Akies in gold.
Here we perceiv'd that above an hundred
pounds worth of horfe-beans, we had bought
at London., for fubfifting our flaves in the voy-
age, were quite rotten and fpoil'd, for want
of being well ftow'd and look'd after
ever fince.
On the feventeenth of April, we were be-
fore ATina caftle, and found feven fail in the
road, three or four of them tall fhips •, among
which two frigats, each of about thirty
guns, and a hundred and thirty men, cruizers
at the coaft % who had taken three inter-
lopers of Zealand, one of which carried
thirty-fix guns, who having made a brave
refiftance, the commander was to be try'd
for his life. One of the frigats having been
already two years at the coafl, was ready
to return home, with a thoufand marks of
gold.
The eighteenth, anchored at cape Corfo
road, where we rid by two EngliJJj fhips,
on eight fathom, muddy iandy ground j the
Portuguefe vefTel in our company was fet a-
drift, his cable breaking •, and fending his
boat to weigh the anchor, in very boif-
terous weather, from fouth-wefl, the boat
overfet, and three of his men were drown'd.
We found no corn there, every body tel-
ling us it was very dear at the coaff.
On the twenty-firft, we fet fail, faluting
the caftle with feven guns, and anchor'd at
Anamabow, where we purchas'd with much
trouble, and at a very dear rate, a quantity
of Indian wheat, and fold many perpets,
and much powder : we paid three Akies for
every cheft of corn, which is excefllve dear ;
but having loft all our large ftock of horfe-
beans, were forc'd to get corn at all rates.
Here the Blacks put a great value upon per-
pets, in painted wrappers ; oil-cloths with
gilt leads, with large painted arms of
England.
The tenth, we fent the boat to Anifchan,
at eaft, for fewel and bought her loading
of billets at three Akies for each hundred,
very dear wood.
The eleventh, we failed, and the twelfth
pafs'd by Apong, a Dutch fort, very advan-
tageoufly fituated came to anchor at Win-
niba, an Englijh fort, and went afhore.
bower aboard, both cable and buoy-rope
breaking, we were forc'd to fail, leavino-
the anchor behind, which was hitch'd a'^
mong the rocks at the bottom -, and havino-
purchas'd fixty-five flaves along the GoTd
Coajl, befides gold and elephants teeth, fa-
luted the three European forts, each with
nine guns; and fteered eaft fouth-eaft, for
four or five leagues, then fouth-eaft- by eaft
for twenty-eight leagues, towards New Ca-
labar, to buy more flaves.
The twenty-feventh, latitude obferv'd
five degrees four minutes north, moderate
weather, the wind at fouch-weft by weft,
being followed by our fmall floop under fail;
and at night it blew fo hard, that to keep
her company, we put out the fox-e-fail and
two top-fails only.
The twenty-ninth, we guefs'd we were
near cape Fermofo, flow fail, becaufe of our
floop having very rough fea, an heavy
gale and rains.
The thirtieth, had fight of land, fouth-
eaft by eaft of us, and came within two
leagues of it, in tenfithom muddy fand, the
fea carrying to land apace. Guefling we
had run already near one hundred and ten
leagues from Acra., and perceived then,
thatwemifs'd cz^t Fermofo, which we ex-
pelled to have feen at north of us ; that the
tide had drove us about fifteen leagues north-
weft of it, in thegulphof Bowi ; which was
a mighty furprize, as well as a difappoint-
ment of our voyage to Calabar, Our floop
not being able to work it up, fo well as the
fhip, becaufe of the rough fea and high fouth-
weft andfouth fouth-weft wind were forc'd
to come to anchor in feven fathom, muddy
ground, in hopes of a land-wind, to favour
us to the fouthward : this was on the thir-
tieth of May.
The thirty-firft, we eaft anchor again a-
bout a league and a half from land, at four
degrees fifty minutes of our obfervation.
This day the tide very fwift, to northward,
at half a league an hour the land lying
north and fouth, very low, flat, and all over
woody : by our guefs, fince we fail'd from
Acra, we thought to have gained thirty
leagues fouthward ; and confequently to be
in a proper latitude for cape Fermofo ; and
in all this time we had but two obfervations,
the weather being continually gloomy, and
great rains. This day we reckoned to b; fif-
teen leagues north north -weft of cape F.r-
mofo,
A Voyage to New Calabar. 4^7
"tnojoy wind high at fouth fouth-weft, the tide
at north.
Firft of June, good weather but the tide
violent to north, and rough fea, laying at
anchor.
Second, hazy weather at anchor, and
could not fee our (loop.
Third, the floop came up to us, with a
weft fouth-weft wind ; we were then under
fail, fteering fouth : but growing calm in the
afternoon, anchored in five fithom, muddy
ground, and heavy rain.
Fourth, fifth and fixth, ftill at anchor,
wind fouth fouth-weft and fouch-wcft, abun-
dance of rain.
Seventh, in the morning our cable broke,
and immediately let fall our ftieet-anchor,
the fea very high.
Eighth, fent both boat and pinnace to
take up our loft anchor ; but the boifterous
Weather could not allow the men to work
up the buoy-rope : our people tryed ngain
in the afternoon, but without effect.
Ninth, calm weather, the boats went to
work the anchor, but the buoy-rope broke,
and fo the anchor was loft ; which put us
into a confternation, having but one anchor
left aboard.
Thofe who fay the navigation in Guinea is
very eafy, at this time, to the month of Au-
gufty 'are ftrangely miftaken, and ought to
carry a double quantity of anchors ; for the
fea is moft days very high, and the wind at
fouth fouth-weft very frefli, blowing on the
land •, accompanied with very heavy long
rains, which ftrain upon a ftiip continually,
when at anchor ; and the ground is very
ftony, or rather rocky, in many places, as
at Sejtro-, Jxim, 1'res-Pontas and /^cra.
It is alfo thought that the heavy ftiowers
of rain abate the furges of the fea ; but we
find the contrary .-for during thefe five weeks
paft, we have had continually a high fea,
difmal dark, and very cold days and nighrs,
beino; as raw a cold as in the channel of £n?'-
land, m September '. our forry floop is pro-
perly the occafion of our misfortune and
retardment.
The twelfth, fiil'd again, fteering weft and
weft by north, the tide ftill ; in the after-
ternoon the wind being fouth-weft, we tack'd
to fouth fouth-eaft, a frelli gale ; at four
in the afternoon to fouth by eaft, in fix fa-
thom, in fight of a river. At night we came
to an anchor, in five and a half fathom, and
bent our new cable for greater fafety, hav-
ing only this one anchor left us.
The thirteenth, the tide to fouth-eaft, the
wind weft fouth-weft, and then weft by
fouth, a fmall gale ; we fail'd to fouth, hazy
rainy weather, along the fliore, and at fouth
we anchor'd in eight and a half fathomSj
fearing a tornado.
Vol, V„ ; - -
The fourteenth, rain, as cold as in Df-BARBorr
cetnber in England^ and raw weather : lay ^"^V^
ftill at anchor.
The fifteenth^ the fame weather at ten
we failed, but immediately dropt anchor
again, fearing a tornado.
The fixteenth, rain, fet fail, fteering fouth=
eaft on eight fathom, and nine, at eleven
a-clock we reach'd cape Fermofo, which
is not eafy to be known. Coming from the
north-weft at two a-clock, we pafs'd by
Rio Non, ftearing eafterly at four pafs'd by
Rio OdcJy, in feven fathom ; at fix at night,
anchored in fix fathom, north north-eaft
and fouth fouth-weft of Rio Tilana, or St.
Juan.
The feventeehth, failed eaft along the
fhore, on fix and feven fathom at nine^
we had Rio St. Nicholas, at north ; at eleven,
Rio St. Barbara ; at one a-clock, pafs'd the
river 6'/. Bartbolomeo ; at half an hour after
two, Rio Sombreirc ; and at three we came
to an anchor, betwixt the latter, and New
Calabar river, on five and a half fathom
muddy fand, by guefs north and fouth off
Foko point.
The eighteenth, by day-break, we fenc
our long-boat with three men to fail to land
for intelligence, and bring fome Black to pi-
lot us into Calabar, together with famples
of fome merchandize •, we fpy'd a fliip in
Bandy river, as much as we could fee it.
The tide running eaftward at ten, we moor'd
our fhip about four leagues from fliore, fup-
pofing we muft lie there, and drive our trade
in the river with our floop and long-boat,
thinking it impofllble to find a proper chan-
nel, to carry fo tall a fhip in, drawing four-
teen foot and a half Water.
The nineteenth, we fent one of the pilots
in the pinnace to found the bar ^ he returned
at feven at night with much trouble, the
wind and fea being fo high.
The twentieth, lay ftill, expefting the re-
turn of our lono;-boat from the river.
The twenty-firft, at day-light, our warp
broke, which was moor'd at fouth-eaft, be--
caufe it had l-)low'd very hard all night,
from fouth fouth-weft, and fouth-weft by
fouth, and the ebb very ftrong, the wea-
ther very cold. We find, as the Portuguefe
mafter had told us at 'Tres-Pontas, the month
of June hereabouts to be a Diablo, as he
exprefs'd it.
The twenty-fecond, rough fea atebb-tide^
wind fouth fouth-weft j we are much con-
cern'd for our long-boat not returning
aboard.
The twenty-third, moderate clear wea-
ther, wind fouth fouth-weft. At eleven
a-clock we fpy'd a boat near the bar ; but
being come aboard at one, found it was a
great canoe with nine Black rowers, befides
6 A other
A Voyage to New Calabar,
Barbot. other Blach^ and themafterof our long-
^-''V^ boat, who reported that on the twentieth,
being near the bar, and not poffible to get
out, he dropp'd his grappling, and a few
hours after the rope broke, and was forc'd
thus back to Bandy river, leaving on it a
buoy-rope.
The Ym^oi Bandy ^ William^ had fent us
two or three of his pilots in the canoe, with
certificates of feveral Englijh mafters of fiiips
they had piloted formerly fafe in, fome of
them drawing thirteen foot water •, in cafe
we were defirous to carry the frigat into the
river.
Our man reported, that the fhip we could
fee within the river was EngUJJj^ com-
manded by one Edwards, who had got his
complement of flaves, being five hundred, in
three weeks time ; and was ready to fail for
the TVejt-Indies : and that he would fpare us
an anchor of about eleven hundred weight,
which rejoiced. us much.
Good place re'ported firther., that as foon as the
to6uy Blacks could fee our fliip off at fea, they im-
/laves, mediately went up the river to buy flaves,
befides a hundred and fifty that were a;ew ^al.^llal•Town
( 'ninilry
II
o. O
'Iff , ll
PAIi'F^HF THE
By the/Englifli
Erarop
ttouly call'd
PH
A Voyage to New Calabar.
going to the river to drink, feme of them
were monftrous tall and large ; but the
Negroes durft not attack any, "'thole' animals,
making fuch a dreadful noife, th,at he w^s \
frighted at it.
Elephants. When the Blacks happen to kill' an ele-
phant, they cut him in pieces, and divide
the flefh among all the town's-people, who
approve of it as good food, and have a na-
tural hatred tor this bulky creature ; which
does them much mifchief, Ibmetimes entring
their villages, and overturning twenty or
I thirty houfes, and killing all fuch of the in-
habitants as are not nimble enough to make
their efcape betimes.
The river of Bandy falls into that of Dony :
the mouth of this latter being to the fouth-
ward of the town, difcharging it felf into
the great ocean^ This town is divided into
three parcels.
The town of Great Bandy is feated in a little
ifland, much as that Calabar, being a
marlhy fwampy ground, and fomewhat
larger, but like it in buildings, and the in-
habitants of the fame manners, temper and
religion, fo that it will be needlefs to fay
more of them *, but I proceed to fome general
obfervations concerning the river of New
Calabar, and the trade there... \
Map of the Whilft we were by degrees taking in our
river taken com^Wm^ni of flaves at Great Bandy, our
mates, with the affiilance and advice as well
of captain Edwards, and the Portuguefe
mafter that lay there by us for a time, as of
fome of the moft experienced native pilots
of Bandy town, employed feveral days in
our pinnace and canoes, to found the chan-
nels, and depths of the bar and banks, that
lie athwart the river's mouth, betwixt
zndBandy-'^o'mi ; with all necelTary exaft-
nefs and caution ; and drew a map thereof,
and of the rivers of New Calabar and Dony,
Plate 27. which is here annexed, for the benefit of
fea-faring men trading thither.
Fea/ihg. cuftomary here for the king of Bandy
to treat the officers of every trading (hip,
at their firfb coming, and the officers return
the treat to the king, fome days before they
■have their compliment of flaves and yams
aboard. Accordingly, on the twelfth of
jiiigujt, we treated the king, and his prin-
cipal officers, with a goat, a hog, and a
barrel of punch ; and that is an advertifement
to the Blacki afliore, to pay in to us what
they owe us, or to furnifh with all fpeed,
what flaves and yams they have contrafted
to fupply us with, elfe the king compels
them to it. At that time alfo fuch of the
natives as have received from us a prefent,
ufe to prefent us, each with a boy or girl-
flave in requital. According to thiscuftom
we treated the Blacks alhore on the fifteenth
ofAugiifi, and invited the Portuguefe mafter
to it, as alfo the Black ladies s the king lend=
ing us his mufick, to the noife of which we p ^, , ,
had a long diverfion of , dances and Iports W-y^
of both fexes, fome not unpleafing to be-
hold.
On the eighteenth, being fair weatherj
we fent; the floop to look for an anchor,
which captain Edwards had left behind, near
the bar, at his going out, his cable having
broke ; and at the fame time to found the ;
fkirts of the bar, and fet marks.
On the nineteenth, towards night, the .
floop returned, not being able to find Ed-
wards''^ anchor, but found a channel pretty
wide, that runs fouth-ealf, where there is no
lefs than three fathom, and three and a half
at low water, and not above two foot of -
fall •, which rejoiced us very much, being ?
near the time of our departure. ,
On the twenty fecond, we let fly our co=
lours, and fired a gun, for a fignal to the :
Blacks, of our being near ready to fail, and c
to haften aboard \»ich the reft of the flaves, t
and quantity of yams contrafted for. '
On the twenty fixth, came in a Zealand in-
terloper of fixteen guns and forty men, in
two days from Prince's ifland laft, with a *■
wefl fouth-weft and fouth-weft by weft \
wind ; and from Zealand in March before^ J
having traded at tht Ivory, and Gold Coajt,
and thence gone to St. Tome to fet his effedts ;!
there aftiore in truft, came hither to look
for teeth and thence, was afterwards to
proceed to traffick along the coaft of Gabon^ ■
Congo, and Angola, for more elephant's
teeth. " ' ■ : • : .. :
We got ah anchor of about eleven hun-
dred weight of him, for our floop, with
hermafts, tack -fills, A high extortion,
if ever any was *, for we could have got four
hundred pieces of eight for the floop at
St. 'Tome: but necefiaty forced us to comply
to fo hard a bargain, in the condition we
were reduced to, having but one only fmall
anchor left us in fo tall and rich a fhip.
And accordingly, on the twenty eighth we
exchanged the floop for the anchor, with
the Zealander, and at fix in the evening we
failed from Bandy with the tide of ebb, and
a fouth-weft wind, tacking and working the
fliip down, keeping conftantly near the fliore
of Bandy-poml, to avoid the banks that lie
weft of it, on which are fome rocks ; and
at ten at night we dropped anchor within
the faid point, in nine fathom water, having
Foko-pomx. weft by north of us, and that of
Bandy at north-eaft, about half a league
from land, and two Engtijh miles from the
breakings of the fea, through which are fe-
veral paflTages of channels. The channel at
fouth-weft and north-eaft of Bandy-po'mt i^'"' P^^^'^i
found, there being fifteen to fixteen foot at
low water ; but being very narrow^ it can-
not be well failed through, unlefs with a
land wind j and at this time of the year fuch
/
464 A Voyage to
BARBoT-are very rare. Wherefore we refolved to
^|^VV get out the next day through the channel
that ftretches to fouth-eaft ; which is wide,
and much more eafy to fail in with the
fouth-weft wind now reigning.
On the twenty ninth, at break of day, we
fet fail, the weather fair, and little wind from
fouth-weft, we tack'd three or four times
with the ebb. At feven in the morning we
came near to the breaking, the point of
Band'^ then being at north north-ealt, about
a mile from us ; and Foko point weft
north-weft, founding fix, five, four and a
half, then three and four and a half; four,
three and a half, and three fathom and three
quarters. Having brought Bandy^oinx. to
north by eaft, we got three and a quarter,
three and three quarters, and three fathom
on the (kirts of the bar Fo^o-point being
at weft north-weft, and Band)-^o\v\x. north
by eaft, half eaft, we found four, and then
five fathom water, *
It is to be obferved, that there are two
high grounds or bars to pafs over ; the firft
is betwixt two fhoals of a breaking fea, where,
when you have got Bandy^dxwi at north-
eaft, and Fo/^o-point weft north-weft, there
is no danger at all to range the banks of the
fouth-weft very clofe, the better to make
fure the channel ; which alfo is the deepeft,
for there you have four, four and a half, and
five fathom. Coafting along the faid bank for
fome time, and having got the fame aboard,
fleering fouth fouth-eaft for a while, to wea-
ther the breaking fea at larboard and then
proceeding to the fouth-eaft by fouth, until
you bring Bandy^dvoXlo bear north •, then,
in a very ftiort time you'll get three and a
half, three and a quarter, three, three
and a half, three and a quarter, three and
three quarters,yr. for a mile's courfe. And
when Bandy-i^Q\x\X. bears north, fomewhat
v/eft, you are paft the dangers, and may
boldly fteer fouth by eaft for a time •, for fo
then you'll come on three and a half, three
and three quarters, and fomewhat farther
four, five, fix, and feven fathom.
By this courfe it is eafy enough to carry a
fliip out or into this river.
To carry a fliip in, as coming from Foko-
point, on five and four fathom and a half, at
eaft and eaft by fouth ; and having brought
Bandy-point to bear north, and Foko-pomt
to weft north-weft in four fathom, if you
have an ebb, you muft anchor, if the fhip
draw above ten foot water : and at the be-
ginning of flood fail again, fteering to north
north-weft, which carries you dire<5lly be-
twixt the two banks, ranging that which
lies at weft ; the bottom there being level,
flat, hard fand.
We were aflfured here by the natives, they
had never (een fo tall a fhip, drawing near
fifteen loot water, get into their river : and
New Calabar.
really it is almoft a miracle we efcaped fo
well, and fo narrowly at our going in, as
has been obferved before*
Mr. Grazilhier^ who, fince his voyage in
the Jlbion frigat, has made three more thi-
ther, commander of Englijh and Dukhihips,
afifur'd me at Southampton^ in 1705, that
the Dutch then made nothing of fetching
flaves from Calabar, with fhips of three or
four hundred tuns burden, that nation hav-
ing now tlie greateft trade there of any Eu-
ropeans, as well for flaves as for elephants
teeth ; and that by the knowledge he has
acquir'd, by often failing to new Calabar
river, he will carry in a fliip of fix hundred
tuns, without any danger, having found a
paflTage of between four and a half and five
fathom at the loweft water.
In OBober 1 700, he fiil'd from the Downs
diredlly to this river, in two months time,
in a little Engli/Jj fliip, where he purchas'd
two hundred flaves at twenty-four and twenty Vrkes ef
fix bars a man, and proportionably for zf'^'""-
woman, becaufe of the great number of
fhips, fomecimes ten, or more together, that
were then trading, which quite drain'd the
upper markets ; and arriv'd at Barbadoes in
April following. He has fince made feveral
voyages in the fervice of the Dutch, being
of late marry'd and fettled in Holland.
In 1703, or 1704, the price of flaves at
Calabar was twelve bars a man, and nine a
woman.
The flaves got there, fays he, are gene-
rally pretty tall men, but wafliy and faint, by
reafon of their ill food, which is yams at beft,
and other fuch forry provifions. A very
confiderable number of them is exported
yearly from that river^ by the Europeans 5
he having, as has been faid above, feen there
ten fliips at a time, loading flaves, which
is the reafon the price of them varies fo
much, being double fome years to what ic
is others, according to the demand there is
of them ; the natives being cunning enough
to enhance the price upon fuch occafions.
He computes there are alfo exported from
thence yearly, from thirty to forty tuns of
elephants teeth, all very fine and large,
moft by Dutch fliips.
The moft current goods to purchafe flaveSGwd forty fix pounds, four
pounds making a bunch ; pewter tankards
fifty two •, bafonsN°. i. thirty fix ; N°. 2,
twenty fix j N^. 3. forty two •, N''. 4. forty
feven linen two hundred and twenty yards;
knives ninety fix ; brafs bells, N°. i. eight
hundred and forty one N°. 2. fixty two;
N°. 3. fixty nine ; N°. 4. fifty fix. Thefe
goods reduced to copper bars, as follows.
Copper Bars.
4
4
3
4
One Bar iron
One bunch of beads —
Five rangoes — - — =— .
One tankard — —
One bafon, N°. i. - — —
The other numbers lefs in proportion.
One yard of linen
Six knives — •• - — -
One brafs bell, N°, i, — —
The other numbers lefs in proportion.
Purple copper armlets, made at Loanda
de S, Paola, in Angola, are a very good com-
modity here, and at Rio del Rey ; and the
Portuguefe carry a great quantity of them.
Paid for provifions here.
Forty bafkets of plantains, fixty copper bars.
Twenty copper bars to duke Aphrom for
game.
Sixty to king Robin for the fame.
Twenty to captain Thomas, at Salt-Town,
for the fame.
Twenty to captain Thomas at the Vv'atering-
place, for the fame.
Twenty to Mettinon.
Forty to king Ebrero.
Forty to king John.
Twenty four to king Oyo.
Seventeen to William king AgbiJJjerea.
Seventeen to Robin king Agbijherea.
Twelve to duke Aphrom.
Thirty to old king Robin, at the waterings
place.
St. Tome.
'T™' H E principal perfon to be made ufe of Frkes of
^ there, in 1699, to contrad for provi- /""ow^ww^.
fions, i^c. was one Raphael Lewis, an emi-
nent Portuguefe merchant ; but at the time
when the Albion frigate was there, all forts
of provifions were cxcefllve dear, and Euro-
pe an ^oodisv try cheap, as for inftance.
A thoufand ears of Indian wheat four pieces
of eight, or four Akies.
Peafe two Akies a bufhel.
6 C Fa.
466
A Voyage to New Calabar,
Barbot- Farinha da Pao, or Mandioca meal, two
Akies arid a half a bufhel.
A hundred coco-nuts one Akie.
A middle- fized hog, four Akies j the
Jargeft, fix pieces of eight.
An ox, twelve pieces of eight, and a very-
poor one eight.
One Alkier of beans, one Akie, at that
time, by reafon of the great drought.
The prices of European goods were
One piece of fayes, ten Akies,
Perpets, four Akies and a half
Beads, three bunches two Akies.
Proportionably for other goods, being
fcarce the firft coft in Europe.
Note, That an Akie of gold is valued there
at one piece of eight.
The Albion frigate paid the following du-
ties in 1699.
To the governor for anchorage forty one
Akies.
To the captain of the fea, one Akie.
To Raphael Lewis, for his commiflion,
ten Akies.
In all fifty two ^^zVi.
Paris Gazette, November 9, 1709.] We
have received advice, that the fieur Parent,
commanding four frigates, arm'd for pri-
vateers, after having taken the Englijh fort
in Gambia river, in Africa, and a fhip loaded
with Black {laves, afterwards failed thence to
the ifland of St. Tome, belonging to the Por-
tuguefe, and had taken the town and the
caftle, defended by above three thoufand
men well arm'd, took there a great booty,
and carried away thence fix fhips of feveral
nations, richly laden.
A N N o B o
N.
I
N 1 70 1 , there were above a thoufand5/^?f/^j Grazil-
- in the ifland, on the feveral P or tuguefe ^"^^^'^
plantations, to cultivate all manner o{j<>"^»^^-
Guinea provifions, and breed fmall cattle,
which turns to a very good account to the
proprietor, who is a Portuguefe lord, that
owns the ifland. There we got in abun-
dance of water, wood, hogs, goats, tama-
rinds, Mandioca, meal, Guaiavas, oranges,
lemons, ^c. The ifland produces a very
great quantity of cotton. We anchored on
the north fide of it.
DESCRIPTION
O F
LOWER E
The P R
/Ended ibe defer ipt ion of the coajls o/Guinea
at Rio de Fernan Vaz, zvhkh is the
greateft extent of the coajls properl'j fo
called, according to the moft common and ge-
neral acceptation European travellers,
who at moft extend them no farther than cape
St, Catherine, fome leagues foiith of the river
Fernan Vaz.
Now in order to compleat the defcription of
the trading ports and coafts gf the Blacks,
both in Guinea, and the Lower Ethiopia, ad-
joining to It, for the fatisfa^ion and heneft of
fea-farhig men, and adventurers to thofe parts
of Africa, which has been the principal defign
of this work ; / will add to the aforefaid de-
fcription, a fhort account of the coafts of Bvu-
mas, Sette, Loango, Cacongo, Goy, Congo,
and Angola, as far as the coaft o/Benguella,
or the kingdom o/Butua •, all thefe, and other
regions eaft and fouth, being comprehended in
the Lower Ethiopia, or South Guinea,
ftretching out about a hundred and eigjot'j
leagues from north-weft to fouth-eaft, in a di-
reEl courfe, from cape St. Catherine to the river
de Moreira, which is in ten degrees and a half
of fouth latitude, about thirteen leagues to the
fouthw^''^
per; who continue there till May^ and then ^J/^'^^"*
depart, becaufe of the approaching dry fea- of the
fon : but by the unfkilfulnefs of the inhs. Country.
bitants, this copper is much debas'd, becaufe
they melt all metals one among another j
to prevent which, fome have been ient where
the mines are, to teach them to diftinguifh
and feparate the metals ; but they would
never permit them to do any thing, or
be perfuaded to alter their own ignorant
method.
The Europeans export alfo from this
country elephants tails, which the Portu-
guefe buy and carry to Loanda de St. Paolo^
where they prove very good and rich mer-
chandize ; that is, an hundred hairs put to-
gether, they value at a thoufand Reis, or
fix fliillings. This hair the Blacks braid
very finely, and wear about their necks ;
but the greateft and longert hair braided,
they wear about their waift, of which fifty
hairs are fold for a thoufand Reis.
Loango ufes to vend yearly abundance of
ivoryj but the quantity continually decreafes,
becaufe the natives fetch it fo far out of the
country, and carry it on their heads. The
chieftft place where the ftaple for this com-
modity remains, hcdWd Bakkame I e, or Buk-
kemeale, about three hundred Englifh miles
up the country ; fo that the Blacks are near
three months on their journeys, forwards
and backwards. But many of the elephants
teeth carried from Bukkemeale, are of thofe
which die naturally, and are found in the
woods ; and therefore look of a decay 'd co-
lour, as if they were rotten.
The commodities brought by thofe of
Loango, are fair, palm-oil, broad knives made
by themfelves, coarfe flezy ticking, black
looking-glafles, cufhion- leaves, and fome
other trifles, befides flaves, and elephants
teeth : they make ufe of thefe flaves to carry
their goods from place to place, to fave other
extraordinary charge of carriage.
The roads from Loango to Pomho, Sondy, Robbers.
Monfel, Great Mokoko, lying north-eaft and
eaft north-eaft, are much infefted by the J ago
man-eaters fo that it is dangerous for mer-
chants to travel that way, tho' they ufually
go in whole troops, or carravans under a
chief commander, who is very faithful to
them.
For obtaining of a free trade in Loango, vrefents
the Whites give prefencs to the king, and for liberty
his mother the queen, and two noblemen,
appointed overfeers of the fadory, call'd
Afi3«zl^'^, and MiJwi^zV/^^fl, and feveral others. ;
In trading, the Blacks ufe their own Ian- ■ '' /
guage •, yet fome fi flier men on the fhore
fpeak broken Portuguefe, and there commonly
ferve as brokers between the buyers and fel-
lers, as in Europe.
6E
The
j4 Description of
Barbot. The king of Loango has the reputation of a
^""'''V^ potent lord, being able to bring numerous
J^J'^y^^^rmies into the field and tho' not fo much
Loango. refpeded as dreaded, by the kings of Calongo
and yet he lives in friendfhip with them,
and holds good correfpondence with thofe
of Angola. His jurifdi6lion extends into the
country eaftward, almoft as far as on the
fea-coaft, being known by the general name
of Mmriffe or Maniloango,
This prince has a. great council to ad-
vife in matters of ftate, compofed of his
principal officers but particularly of fix,
who have the title of Mani, that is lord
and are governors of his fix provinces : but
it would be tedious to give all the par-
ticulars concerning thefe, as well as of the
king's pomp, both in his own perfon, and
ftate, in private or publick occurrences.
And therefore I refer you tothelargeaccounts
given by other authors i and fhall only fay,
it is more fumptuous and polite than what-
ever I have defcrib'd of any of the Guinea
monarchs, thefe Ethiopian kings appearing
better fafhion'd in their behaviour than the
former ^ which may perhaps be attributed
to their continual commerce with the Por-
tuguefe of Congo and Angola^ for a long time ;
- and perhaps their being nearer to Abiffinia.
I will here take notice of fome extraor-
dinary particulars of this Loango king's gran-
deur, and the Veneration paid him by all
his fubjefts, without any exception, as my
authors relate it.
The king commonly wears cloth, or fluff,
which the Portugueje or other Whites carry
him. He and his great officers have on
their left arm the Ikin of a wild-cat few'd to-
gether, with one end fluffed round and fliff.
mw the This prince has peculiar forms, and cuf-
kmg em. tomsin eating and drinking for which he
keeps two feveral houfes, one to eat, and
the other to drink in : and tho' he has many
houfes, yet by virtue of this cuftom, he
may ufe no other. He makes two meals
a-day, the firft in the morning, about ten
a-clock. when his meat is brought in co-
ver'd b;il]..ets, near which a man goes with
a great bell, to give notice to every one of
the coming of the king's diflies who, as
foon as he is acquainted with it, leaves the
company he is with, and goes thither. But
the fervants all withdraw, becaufe neither
man nor beafl: may fee him eat, but it muft
■ ■ die and therefore he eats with his doors
Ihut. How ftriftly they obferve this cuftom,
has appear'd in the two following inftances.
die A dog the king was extraordinarily fond
that fee of, not being Well wo.tch'd by his keeper,
^^f^*'^'""once thruft the dooi open with his nole,
and got in, looking at the king who in-
ftan':ly ( aufed the fervants to kill him.
Another time it happened, that a noble-
man's child about feven ot tight years x)ld.
being with his father in the king's ban-
tqueting houfe, fell afleep, and when the
king was drinking awaked; whereupon it
was inftantly fentenced to die, with a re-
prieve for fix or feven days at the father's
requeft •, that tim.e elapfed, the child was
ftruck upon the nofe with a fmith's ham-
mer, and the blood dropped upon the king's
Mokifies^ and then with a cord about his
neck was dragg'd on the ground to a broad
way, to which malefadtors are drawn, who
cannot bear the trial of the Bonde.
When the king has done eating, he ufu-
ally goes in ftate, attended by the nobility,
officers, and common people, to his ban-
queting houfe, the greateft" and raoft fump-
tuous ftrufflure in all his court, ftanding in
a plain, fenced with palm-tree boughs ;
wherein the moft intricate caufes are decided
and determined in his prefence.
This houfe has the fore-fide open, to re-DrMm
ceive all advantages of the air ; about^f^/^-
twenty foot backward is a flcreen, or par-
tition, made a-crofs one fide, eight foot
broad, and twelve foot long, where they
keep the palm-wjne, to preferve it from
the fight of the people. This partition has
hangings, from the top to the bottom, of
fine wrought, tufted or quilted leaves, call'd
by them Kumbel ; clofe to which is a Tial,
or throne, with very fine little pillars of
white and black palmetto-branches, arti-
ficially wrought in the manner of bafket-
work.
The throne is a fathom long, a foot and
a half high, and two foot broad on each
fide ftand two great baflcets of the fame
work, made of red and black wicker,
wherein, the Bkcks fay, the king keeps fome
familiar fpirits for the guard of his perfon.
Next him, fits on each fide a cup-bearer ;
he on the right hand reaches him the cup^^^^^^^^
when he is minded to drink: but the other
on the left, only gives warning to the Tpco-king,
pie to that end, holding in his hands two
iron-rods, about the bignefs of a finger,
and pointed at the end, which he ftrikes
one againft the other ; at which found, the
people, who are commonly as well within
the houfe as without, immediately hide their
faces in the fand, and continue in thatpof-
ture as long as the irons continue making
a noife, which is till he has done drinking :
then they rife up again, and according to
cuftom fignify that they wifh him health,
with clapping their hands, that being a fign
of refpcd:, as wich us in Europe the putting
off the hat.
As none may fee the king eat or drink
without incurring certain death, fo no fub-
jeft may drink in his prefence, but muft
turn his back to him : but the king feldom
drinks there, except for fafliion-flike, and
that not till about fix in the evening, or
haJf
\
the Lower Ethiopia,
half an hour later, if any difficuk controverfy
has been in debate. Sometimes he goes
thence at four, and recreates himfelf among
his wives.
About an hour after fun-fet, he comes the
fecond time to the afore mention'd place to
eat, where his meat is again made ready as
before. That ended,he vifics his banqueting-
houfe again, and remains there about nine
hours, fometimes not fo long, as he finds
himfelf difpofed or indifpofed. In the night
one or two torches are carried before him to
light him.
None may drink out of his cup befides
himfelf; nor any eat of the food he has tafted,
but the remainder mufl: be buried in the
earth.
The king never comes abroad but on ac-
count of an ambafllxdor from a foreign na-
tion, or when a leopard is taken in the coun-
try, or on the day on which his land is
tilled by his wives, or his chief nobility
pay him tribute. For this his appearance,
there is a place appointed before his court,
being an even and great plain, in the midft
of the city. He generally goes thither
about three a-clock in the afternoon, and
continues there till about four or five. The
ftool or feat he then fits on, is raifed upon
a foot-pace drefled with white and black
wickers, very artificially woven, with other
curious ornaments : behind his back hangs,
on a pole, a fhield, cover'd with divers party-
colour'd ftufFs, brought out of £2/ro/)(?. Be-
fore his feat is fpread a great cloth twenty
fathom long, and twelve broad, made of
quilted leaves few'd together,upon which none
may tread but the king and his children.
The cuftom of fitting in the open air at
publick ceremonies, or to deliberate on af-
fairs of ftate, or to hear caufes, may be de-
riv'd from the Jews, as we read iChron. xviii.
9. That the kings J of ap hat d.nd Achab fate
on their thrones in the place of Samaria,
near the gate. In ancient times the towns
were not fo large as our capital cities in
Europe, which can hardly befubfifted by the
produd of the lands for an hundred miles
about them. They were then fmall, in-
habited but by a fmall number of labourers
and hufbandmen, fufficient to till the ground
about them. Thence it is, that the fole tribe
of Judah reckoned a hundred and fifteen fuch
towns within its precinft, each of them
having fome villages depending on it. The
market was the general rendezvous for all
affairs, and at the town-gate all publick con-
cerns were managed, efpecially in the days of
the patriarchs. Gen. xxiii. 10, 18. and
xxxiv. 20. Abraham purchafed his burial-
place in the prefence of all thofe who en-
tered the gate of the town of Hebron. When
Hemor and his fon Sichem propofed to make
an alliance with the ^^^^/zV,?;, it was at the Bareot.
gate of the town. For publick ads tranfaded v^v^
at the town-gates, fee the hiftory of Boaz,
how he took Ruth, the M. abite, for his
wife, Ruth iv. It may be faid, that the gate,
among the Hebrews, was anfwerable to
the market-place among t\ic Romans. The
fame is ftill to be {t^n Sarum, where the
judges fit in an open place, in the great
market, under the city-hall.
The nobility fit in long rows, every one
with a buffalo's tail in his hand. Some fit
on the bare ground, others on cloths made
of leaves, and about them all the king's
mufick, confining of three forts ; wind in-
ftruments of ivory, or elephant's teeth hoi- ^^'^'^^^
low d, lii^e trumpets ; luch drums as they ments,
have on the Gold Coafi, and the third fort
refembles fuch a fieve as is ufed for meal,
but that the hoop is bigger and deeper,about
which there are long holes cut, two and two
together, each about the length of a finger.
In each hole they put two brafs bells, faften'd
to the wood with brafs pins : this inftrument
fhook, founds like the bells on wheels.
The noblemen and others dance there, Bmclne,
without any regard to civility or modefty, *
fliameleffiy difcovering their nakednefs, both
before and behind ; their dances being very
unfeemly and barbarous.
Before the king's cloth fit fome dwarfs of Bwarfs.
a pigmy ftature, but with heads of a prodi-
gious bignefs, who the more to deform them
have the fkin of fome wild beaft tied abouE
them. Thefe they call Bakke Bakke, or Mi-
nos indifferently 5 and fay, there is a wilder-
nefs, where none but fuch dwarfs refide,
who fhoot at elephants.
There fit alfo certain IVhite men by the Whie®
king, with (kins on their heads, and indeed at "'^^^
a diftance they look like our Europeans, ha-
ving not only great eyes, but red or yellow „
hair their eyes as it were fixed in their
heads, like people that lie a dying : their
fight weak and dim, turning their eyes as if
they fquinted, but at night they fee well,,
efpecially by moon-fhine.
Some are of opinion, that thofe Whit,e
men fprung from a great-bellied Black with
child, having feen a White as we read, that
a White woman, being with child, upon
feeing the pidure of a Black, brought forth
a Black child. However, thisfeems worthy
remark, if true, as reported, that thefe
Whites, of either fex, are incapable of ge-
neration.
The Portuguefe call thefe White rnen Abi- .,
noes, and have attempted to take forne of
them prifoners in their wars, and to carry
them over to Brazil to work ; for they are
very ftrong, but fo addided to idlenefs,
that they had rather die Eh^n do any toilfome
labour.
A Description of
Barbot. The like fort of men have been found by
'^"^^Y^ the Netherlanders and Portugitefe^ not only
in Africd^ but alfo in India, in the ifland of
Borneo^ and in New Guinea^ call'd the
country of PapoifSi fays Voffius.
The king ufes them in moft of his reli-
gious ceremonies, as in making Mokifies,
, from whence they have generally that name
among the natives, which in our language
properly fignifies field-devils. The king
has, as the Blacks report, near feven thou-
mvis. j-^j^^ mvts, for after the deceafe of one
king, his fucceflbr keeps all his wives, and
adds many more to them : thefe wives have
• no great refped paid them ; for they muft
. work no lefs than other women. Some
few of them he felecls for his amours, and
with them fpends much time ; the others
are fhut up like nuns in cloyfters.
TrM of When one of thefe proves with child,
thsttf. fome man muft drink Bonde for her, to
know whether (he has had to do with any
Other but the king. If the man who has
fo drank be well, they judge the woman
upright but if the man falls, fhe Is con-
demn'd and burnt, and the adulterer bu-
ried alive.
The king makes choice of one to be as
a mother, a grave matron of tried repu-
tation, whom they call Makonda \ and her he
Adoptive refpeds more than his own natural mother.
mether. This Makonda has very great prerogatives
at court, none daring to controul her, even
in fatisfying her own unruly appetite, as
often and with whom fhe pleafes ; and what-
ever children fhe gets by fuch means, are
accounted of the royal race: but if her
gallants meddle with other women, they
are put to death, unlefs they make their
efcnpe in time.
Women The feed-time being ufually every year
fix'd, from the firft to the fourth of Ja-
nuary, all the wives of this nation, the king's
not excepted, muft break their lands to be
fown, for the fpace of about two hours
going in length, and one hour in breadth ;
the Men being then moft of them under
arms, and in their beft apparel, going con-
ftan Jy to and fro, to warn the women to
work, and to take care that no violence
be done to any. There alfo the king Jfhews
himfelf at three in the afternoon, in his
higheft ftate, to encourage them to work ;
and in the evening they all eat at his charge :
fo that thofe days are accounted high
feftivals.
The adminiftration of juftice, and pu-
nifliing of vice, feems to be according to
Lex Talionis : for theft is not punifti'd by
death, except it beagainft the king •, other-
wife the thief being taken in the very aft or
afterwards, the things ftolen muft be made
good by him or his friends, and he expofed
bound, to publick fcorn and derifion in the
midft of the ftreet.
If any embafl'.idor or nobleman of speakhgt^
country defires to fpeak to the king, htf^^king.
muft firft give notice thereof by the found
of two or three claps with the hands, which
every one prefent anfwers after the fame
manner ; then the fuppliant cries out aloud,
Empoo laufan hiau Pongo, that is, hearken
for God^s fake ; whereto the people about
him anfwer Tiefamhie Ztnga, which fignifies
long live God. After which the petitioner^
begins his fpeech with the word JVag., ufual
among them, and ends with the words In
mama IVag, which is as much as to fay/
herewith conclude : whereupon thofe that
have any thing to fay againft it, begin
and end in the fame manner. And this
form of fpeech they ufe in all their mat-
ters of juftice, warrants, and orders of the
king.
When the inhabitants of Loango hctve Killing of
lodg'd a leopard in the woods, every oxxf^leopurds.
is warn'd by the found of horns or trum-
pets to be ready to attend the king at
the game ; if it be far off, the king is
carried in a fquare feat about two foot deep,
made of block-tin, and artificially wrought,
by four men, two before, and two behind,
holding two poles, on each fide one, co-
ver'd with blue cloth : when come to the
leopard's den, they inftantly befet it round,
every one being ready, fome with bows
and arrows, and others with lances and darts.
Before the king, who ftands a little rais'd
above the reft, they fpread long nets en-
compafs'd by the people, who, to roufe the
beaft, make feveral forts of ftrange and
uncouth noifes, with horns, drums, fhou-
ting, and the like ; and the leopard hav-
ing in vain tried all means to efcap:?, tired
out and over-power'd with multitudes, falls
a prey to his eager purfuers, who forth-
with bring him into the plain before the
king's palace, where the hunters triumph
over the carcafs with dancing, leaping, fing-
ing, and all kinds of revelling paftimes. Af-
terwards the king appoints divers noble-
men, to overfee the ftrippingof the ieopard,
and to bring the fkin to htm ; but the
flefh, together with the bowels, the gall
only taken out, they bury very deep in the
earth, that it may not be dug up again.
The gall, which they reckon to be a moft
venomous poifon, they cue up in the pre-
fence of many, and fling into the midft of
a river, that none may make ufe thereof
to the damage of another.
When any nobleman has fhot a leopard,
he brings, as a token of it, the tail to the
king on the top of a palmetto-pole, and
pitches it in the earth, without any noife
or further ceremony.
The
" the Lower Ethiopia.
477
Femeralsof The ceremonies at the funeral of a king
are thefe: Firft, they make a vault under
ground, where they place the dead king
in his richeft habit, on a ftool ; and by him
all manner of houfhold-ftufF, as pots, ket-
tles, pans, clothes and garments.
Then they make many little images of
wood, and red earth, and fet them round
about the corps as reprefentatives of his fer-
vants and houfhold goods. .
Next, the bodies of many flaves are fet
by the corps, either in the fame, or fonie
adjoining vault, to ferve the king, as they
believe, in the other world, and to fhew
when they ihall come to the great monarch,
what manner of perfon he has been here ;
for they believe after this another life, yet
in general deride the refurreftion of the
dead. They hold feveral opinions con-
cerning the foul : for thofe of the king's
family believe, that the foul, when any one
dies, is born again in fome of the fame
family ; others, that the foul and body
have one determinate end fome, like tiie
'Greeks and Romans, place the foul among
the heroes, or elfe bring it into the num-
ber of their tutelar Lares ; others give them
a common place of refort under the earth,
while another fort make for them little re-
ceptacles under the roofs of their houfes,
abouta fpan in height before which places,
when they eat or drink, they make fome
offering.
They further believe, that none can die
of a natural death, but all come to their
ertd by mifchance, or by the power of con-
juration ; and that the authors of thofe mif-
chances may make the deceafed to come
out of their graves, and keep them for
their fervice : thefe (as they fay) are fed
daily by the conjurers, with food boil'd
without any fait ; for if any -filt lliould
come in or near it, the bodies would fol-
low them openly.
Merolla fays, that in the year 1663, the
then king of Loango was converted to the
romifh religion, with his whole court, con-
fifting of above three hundred perfons,
by father Bernardino Ungaro, who in the
fpace of a year he liv'd there, had baptiz'd
upwards of twelve thoufand people •, but the
father dying, and after him the king, and
a tyrant fetting upon the throne, the mifli-
oners loft ground by degrees, and the Ca-
congojans are all returned to their former
condition, and the kingdom, as formerly,
bury'd in idolatry.
Religion, The natives of Loango, Cakongo, and Goy,
have no knowledge of God at all, or of his
* word, but only the bare name, which in
their language is Sambiano Ponge •, and nei-
ther care nor defire to learn any more.
All afts of devotion they perform to
the field and houfe-devils, reprefented under
Vol. V,
the lhape of idols, of which they have greatBARBor;
numbers, to each of which they give a par- W/VSJ
ticular name, according as they attribute
to them power, having their diftind jurif-
didion. To fome they afcribe the power
of lightning, and the wind ; and alfo to
ferve as fcare-crows, to preferve their corn
from fowl, and other vermin ; to one, they
give the command over the fifhes of the
fea ; to another, over the fifhes in the ri-
vers to a third, over the cattle, i^c. Some
they make protedlors of their health and
Safety; others, to avertevils and misfortunes :
to another again, they commend the charge
of their fight ; of fome, they beg to be in-
ftruded in the myfteries of hidden arts, or
magick, and to be able even to fore-judge
of deftiny ; neither do they believe them at
large, but circumfcribe them to limited
places, and fhew their figures in feveral
ftiapes ; fome like men others only poles
with fmall irons on the top, or elfe a little
carv'd image ; fome of which fhapes and
reprefentations they carry commonly with
them, wherever they travel to or fro.
Their greater idols are ftuck with hens
or pheafants feathers on their heads, and
with all forts of tafifels about their bodies : Variety of
fome make them in the falliion of long flips, ^Vo/i.
which they wear about their necks and arms-,
others of cords, trim m'd with fmall feathers,
and two or three Si/nbos, or little horns,
with which they adorn their middle, neck,
and arms fome are nothing but pots filled
with white earth •, others, buffaloes horns
ftuffed with the fame matter, and at the
fmall end have fome iron rings.
Another fort yet more ridiculous, is to
fill an ordinary round pot without feet,
with red and white earth kneaded together
with water, pretty high above the upper
edges which they mark on the out-fide
quite round with white ftreaks, and ftripe
it on the top v/ith variety of colours.
One of thefe idols, they fiy, is jealous
of another; infomuch, that when they have
made one, they prefently go to work on
another, and feveral times are neceflltated to
make many, left they fhould offend fuch
as feem to be negleded ; but ftill making
their addrefifes to all with equal indifference,
as their prote6lors and guardians.
They have particular mafters to inftru(5tM«»«fy 0/ "
them in the making thefe idols, and calif
them Enganga, orjanga Mohfie; whofe"'"'^*
fkill therein they much admire, and ac-
count them devil-hunters. When any one
requires the Enganga to dircft him in mak-
ing an idol, the petitioner invites his whole
tribe, acquaintance, relations, and even his
neighbours ; and they being aflfembled to-
gether, the Mokifie or folemnity con-
tinues for the fpace of fifteen days, in a
houfe of palm-boughs, nine of which he
6'F ■; - muft'
A Description of
^'^T. muft not fpeak, and during the whole
time, have no converfe with any-body. On
each fide of his mouth he wears a parrot's
feather, and may not clap his hands if any
one lalutes him but as a fign of greeting,
ftrikes with a fmall ftick on a block in his
Their
fnefts.
f^at Mo-
kiCie is.
or diabolical fpirit, having no particular
name for the devil, but calling all Mokifie^
where they fuppofe an overruling power.
And therefore even the king has the general
ftile, or additional title of Mokifie Loango^ Tomr nf
_ _ as a diftinfton, which admirably well ex-^"^'*^/*
hand, made floping narrow at the top, and preffes that unlimited power by which he'^^^'"^*
in the middle hollow, and on" the end a can with a word impoverifh, enrich, hum-
ble or raife, put whole countries into con-
fufion, deftroy men, caufe rain or drought,
good or bad weather, transform himfelf in-
to any fhape whatfoever, and many more
fuch like abfurdities invented by their Gan-
ga Mokifiei or priefts, to ftrike an awe in-
to the people, not only in favour of the
king, but even of themfelves as Mokifies.
To inftance in one of their idols, Likokoo
Mokifie is the chiefeft of them, being a
wooden image, carv'd in the lhape of a
man fitting, at Kinga^ a town near the fea~ "/
coaft, where they have a common burial-^"
place. They have a thoufand ridiculous
rhimes concerning this Likokoo-, as that he
preferves from death, that he faves from
hurt by Doojes, as they call forcerers that he
makes the dead rife out of their graves in
the night, and forces them to labour, help-
ing to catch fifli and to drive canoes in the
water, and in the day forces them to their
graves again with many more fuch fiftions,
which the old folks make the young believe,
commonly fits with his tools in the open and imprint in them from their infancy
middle hollow, and on" the end a
man's head carved : of thefe blocks, this
devil-hunter has three forts, of different fizes.
Much more might be faid of this man-
ner of conjurations, and witchcrafts, and
of other ridiculous and impertinent ftories
of men poffeffed by the devil by conju-
rations °, and the way of driving the devil
out of them, as alio of all their various in-
jundions of forbidding to ufe this or that
meat, or this or that liquor, or this or that
fort of garments, which thefe poor wretches
obferve as exa£lly as Recabites making it
an article of the higheft faith, that when
a Mokifie is offended, or when in junctions
or promifes made to him are not fully per-
form'd, he has power to kill. But I for-
bear adding more on that head, for fear of
becoming too tedious.
If a man at any time comes into a houfe,
and fits down unawares upon the corner of
a bed, where a man and a woman have
lain together, as foon as he is told of his
fault, he muft go inftantly co a fmith, who
air, and tell him the caufe of his coming;
he then blows up a fire, and taking him
by the little finger of his left hand, turns
it over his head then ftriking two or three
ftrokes with his hammer, and blowing with
his mouth upon his hands put together, he
pronounces fome words with a loud voice,
wherewith the fault unwittingly committed
is cleans'd. This ceremony they call Venipa
Mo'iiba, that is, a purification, or a be-
nediftion.
All priefts or conjurers, that is, their pro-
phets and divines, are call'd Ganga, or
Ganga Mokifie each of them having his par-
ticular denomination, as Ganga Tbiricko^
Ganga Boefj Batta, Ganga Kyzokoo^ Panfa
Pongo^ Manfi, (^c, and innumerable other
The lords or great men in the country
are alfo reputed to have their fhare of Mo-^^
kifies, which makes them honour'd and
efteem'd by the people ; and they have
more or lefs of it, according to their degree
of power, and their nearnefs to or diftance
from the king.
According to their Mokifie rules, the oifervM'
king's fitter's fon, whilfthe is an infant, lives"'-
at Kina^ and is forbid hog's flelh; whenpaft
his infancy, he is to refide at Moanza, and
to eat no Cola in company. Cola is a fruit
I have defcrib'd in the account of Guinea.
As foon as the down appears upon his cheeks,
he is put to the Ganga Simega^ a famous
prieft, who teaches him he is to eat no pul-
lets, but what he kills and dielfes himfelf.
fuch names, either given to, or afiTum'd by Afterwards as he advances towards the roy
them from the Mokifie they ferve ; and each al diadem, he obliges himfelf to other forts
Ganga is drefs'd after a feveral manner, and of abftinence and ceremonies ; till being
pradifes different <:eremonies, which are afcended the throne, he gives a full loofe
faid to be as comical, as ridiculous and apifli. into all the ocean of Mokifies and obfer-
By the word Mokife^ they mean a natural vances.
fuperftition ■^nd firm perfuafion they have of
fomething to which they alcribe an invifible
power, in working good ro their advan-
tage, or evil ro their prejudice and detri-
ment, or from ■^hxch. they expe6b to learn
the knowledge of paft or future things:
which induces fome authors to fay, it can
They here circumcife all the males, 'ca^'^Q- circmA-
ly out of cuftom ; being able to give no fwn.
other reafon for fo doing, than that it is of
ancient ufage, and has been deriv'd to th<"m
from one generation to another for many ,
ages.
.<,_y, The moft common and general weapons
not be properly call'd idolatry in them, be- of the Loangians, are bows and arrows, and ^ ^
caufe they have no knowledge of any deity, javelins.
Des-crip-
the Lower Ethiopia,
fmhci.
^ r ,7 s'- J r A , Their weapons, for they iove war, areBARBor,
T>t^cvt.iVT\ovi of the Kinp-dom of Ansiko« n^^. ,„„^j„„ u\ . >a • i j-
y «V^i«
call'd the Great Makoko., whom they report
to pofTefs thirteen kingdoms, making him
the moft potent in Africa^
The J ages have three governors, the firft jagos,
entitled Singe, the fecond Kobak, and the
The nobles and other women of quality third Kabango, each of which leads a diftindl
cover themfelves from head to foot with
mantles but the common women wear on-
ly a cloth hanging down, girt about their
middle, and go barefoot.
The habit of the men of the common
fort, differs nor much from thofe of Loango,
but people of rank have garments of filk,
or cloth, and on their heads red or black
caps, of their own making or elfe Portu-
guefe flannel bonnets.
They have neither houfes, goods, towns,
or fettled dwelling-places but rove like the
wild Arabs, or Scythians, from place to
place, neither fowing nor mowing, but Hv
army. They maintain continual wars a-
gainft other Blacks, and eat, as has been
faid, all the flain, but fell the prifoners ; and
for want of buyers, kill and eat them too.
Such as defire to lift themfelves in their
bands, muft firft receive the ufual marks,
■viz, knock out the two upper and the two
lower teeth before, and make a hole through
the middle of theirnofes, into which they
thruft feathers.
There are at prefent no Jagos to be found
of the firft race ; but thofe who now affume
that name, derive their extraftion from the
feveral countries where they have warr'd,
ingwho'ly by rapine and pillager eating the and been viftorious, and are yet far more
fruits of other mens labours, wherefoever favage, and worfe cannibals than the former i
they come, devouring and fpoiling all be- admitting none among them but what are
fore them, of a wild favage temper, whom - they train
■: .. •■ from
480
A Description of
BARBoT.from their youth to all incredible inhuma-
nity.
They poirefs not only this country of
Anfiko^ but wander almoft through all A-
frick, tho' they have now their chief refi-
dence there, and in the fouth of Angola.
Their language differs wholly from that
of Congo, which they endeavour to learn
and become very expert in, tho' they make
little ufe of it, by reafon of their favage and
unconverfible nature.
Defcription 0/ K a k o N g o. - •
*TnHIS is a jurifdiftion beginning in the
north at the river Loango Lovifa, in a-
boutfive degrees twenty minutes fouth lati-
tude ; borders fouth and weft, on the king-
dom of Goy, and ends at the river Sambo,
feme miles up the country.
The chief city is pleafant and well built,
abounding with all forts of provifions, and
the country yields great plenty of Talc,
efpecially about Ch'wvachianca, but it is not
allow'd under fevere penalties, to be carry'd
to other parts. About the year 1685, a
Black prieft, by name father Leonard, in a
few days, as Merolla reports, baptiz'd a-
bove five thoufand children as a recom-
pencefor which, he obtain'd a canonfhip in
the bifhoprick of Loanda, in the kingdom
of Dongo, or Angola,
From Cacongo fouthwards, all the coun-
try by the fea-coaft for thirteen miles, and
for two and a half northward of the before
mentioned river Loango Lovifa, lies very
low ■, but afterwards grows mountainous.
The Blacks call it Kajkah, and the Whites,
the high-land of Kajkais % about which
place, a mile to the fouthward, a great
water falls into the fea, and is the only good
river in the kingdom call'd alio Kakongo, in
five degrees thirty minutes fouth latitude,
and by the Portuguefe named Rio de Se, be-
ing in the center of the liaskais, gliding
eighteen leagues through the country.
Melimba A mile fouthward of v/hich river lies the
village, village Molemha or Melimha, upon a great
bay* making a convenient haven or road for
Ihips. The country thereabouts call'd little
Kaskafs, forms the bay of Cabinde, in five
degrees thirty-five minutes fouth latitude ;
being all along very rocky and full of clifts,
yet between felie chief city of Cacongo, and
the river Sonho, full of woods, pleafant
fields and high mountains, but cannot boaft
of any fertility, becatife for the moft part
untiird, tho' fo populous that it dares num-
ber inhabitants with Loango.
Natives. The natives are treacherous and revenge-
ful, turbulent and quarrelfome, and yet
Ihew but little fpirit in the wars all their
neighbours, efpecially thofe of Goy or An-
goy, continually infefting them, but that the
king of Loango interpofes in their behalf ;
whofe mediation in fuch cafes, prevails
much with all his neighbours.
Trade and handicrafts are common v/ith T>''^»-e.
thefe people and thofe of Loango ; fuch as
are hufbandry, fifhing, and dealing in
cloths, black ftitch'd caps, broad irons,
beetles, hammers, mattocks, tobacco, red-
wood or Takoel, and linnen ; which com-
modities they carry to Congo, Sonho, and
other places, and there exchange for flaves.
The commodities carry 'd thither, out of
Europe, and defir'd by the inhabitants, are
the fame with thofe fold at Loango ; but the
prefents given for the permiffion of trade,
are lefs.
Their cuftoms, fhape, clothing, riches,
adminiftration of juftice, inheritance,govern-
ment and religion, differ little or nothing
from what is already fiid of Loango only
this is remarkable, that the king of Cacongo'^'^^'^fioin
may not touch or wear any European wares,
nor dares any man who is cloth'd in them
touch him,becaufe it is foorder'd by the Mo~
kifte. In all other things they agree with
the former.
The kings of Loango and Cacongo conti-
nually keep a guard upon the river Sonho,
to receive the cuftoms of the travelling mer-
chants, and to obferve that none adt any
thing prejudicial to the country.
On the fide of the river Cakongo, lies the Serrc
territory of Serre Zarri, fubjed to the ^^''"''^7'
king of Cacongo; but was, for a mutiny and
rebellion againft him, in a manner totally
laid wafte.
On the edge of this, and near to Goy, is
a territory call'd Lemba, being a high land,
comprehending only one village of the fame
name, whither the Whites come to trade for
elephants teeth, flaves and copper the lafl
of which they bring from adjacent mines,
which every year yield no fmall quantities*
Defcription of the dominion of Goy or
A N G O Y.
y^A^'G 0 T, as Merolla reports, is a king-
dom rather in name than in dominions,
being but a very fmall territory. Here
formerly a certain Mani happening to mar-
ry a Mulatto, daughter to a very rich Por-
tuguefe, his father-in-law would needs make
him king of Angoy •, and for that purpofe
caufed him to rebel againft the king of Ca-
congo, his lawful fovereign. The manner
was thus. The king of Cacongo having fent
a viceroy to govern the kingdom of Lo-
ango, that perfon being rather ambitious to
reign abfolutely , than to rule under another,
got himfelf proclaimed king of all that
country ; and took in fo much more land,
belonging to his mafter, that his dominions
were much the larger, and wholly indepen-
dent of Congo. Cacongo lying in the middle,
between Congo and Loango, that Mani de-
clared himfelf neuter, and fet up for king of
Angoy, rebelling againft his lawful fovereign,
the king of Cacongo > It
the Lower
tt borders weftward on the Tea, fouthward
on the river Za'ir or Congo^ and northward
on Cacongo. The chief city, delightfully fi-
tuated on a plain near the fhore, has many
inhabitants; and there feveral fmall rivers
have their out-lets into the fea, whofe v/aters
both refrefli and fatten the foil they pafs
through. On the coaft, by the river Zair^
you difcover Ponta de Pahnerinha ; and fix
hours journey onwards the bay of Ca-
htnde, where the Portuguefe fhips take in frefh
provifions, paffing to Loanda de S. Paolo.
This is a good road for fhips, in regard
. . they may be plentifully furniflied with pro-
vifions, at reafonable rates, upon condition
that the governor be well prefented.
Both men and women give themfelves
wholly up to wantonnefs ; yet towards
ftrangers they are churlifh and uncivil ;
not only exacTting from them beyond rea-
fon, but defrauding them by many fubtle
and (ly methods.
Tmd' '^''^ country abounds in millet, beans,
and fifh but the Portuguefe have a ftore-
houfe to buy cloths, call'd Panos Sa?nbos,
the proper commodity of this place, be-
caufe made no where elfe made like our
pluflies, but without flower or imagery. To
barter for thefe, they bring out of Majimiha,
red-wood, which the natives chufe at the
higheft price, before the richeft European
merchandize, continuing in their original
fimplicity, without defiring to learn better
from abroad •, for they never travel from
home, but only when the king fends them
as agents to any of his neighbours, with
whom he is in amity.
This kingdom of Goy, in the year 1 63 1,
was entirely fubdued by the duke of Sonho,
who eftablifla'd his fon in the place of the
deceafed king, by whofe affiftance the father
afterwards got a great victory over the Ca-
congians, whofe chief city he ruined and
burnt. The king of Co72go takes upon him
the title of lord of both thofe lait men-
tioned, but has neither tribute nor fubjeftion
from them for each of them has an abfo-
lute and independent fovereignty within his
own dominion.
Defer ipion of I he kingdo^n of Congo.
Its extent. H E true extent is not exadlly known,
geographers being at variance about it •,
but the moft certain account that can be
given of it is, that it reaches a hundred
and twenty leagues up the inland, and
feventy two leagues along the fea-coafb, be-
ing every where cut by large rivers: that
of Zair on the north, Coango river in the
eaft, Rio-Berhrle at fouth-eaft, and Rio-
Coanza at fouth and bounded at weft by
the Ethiopick ocean.
The common divifion of it is into fix
dukedoms and earldoms, viz, Bamha, Songo
YoL. V.
Ethiopia. 481
or Sonho., Sundo or Sundi^ Pango.^ Batta, Barbot
and Pombo. v-^v^
The grand dutchy of Bamba., lying in the Bamba
north part, reaches weft ward to the h2.r^'i%<^nMom,
of the rivers Amaois and DanUs ; in the fouth
to Angola and borders at eaft, according to
Ptgafet^ on the lake Cbelande, or AquilandCi
in the territory of Sijfflna,
The lord of Bamba is very puifllmt, bear-
ing the higheft' command at the Congoian
court, being captain-general of all the forces
there-, yet holds his place ad placilum regis.
The inhabitants are chriftians for the gene-
rality, and keep among them divers jefuits.
Mulatto and Black pricfts, to ofHciate and
inftruft them.
The earldom of Scnl30 or SogViO, the fe- Sogno
cond principality in Congo, borders upon
the rivers Zair and Lebunde, on the fouth-
fide furrounded with a wood, call'd Finden-
guolla. Some extend it from the river Am-
boiSi in feven degrees and a half of fouth
latitude, to the red mountains, which bor-
der upon Loango ; fo that according to this
laft account, it reaches on the north to An-
fiko on the fouth to the river Amhris ; and
on the weft to the fea.
This territory comprehends many petty
lordftiips, heretofore abfolute, but now
made tributaries to Congo. The chief town
Songo ftands near a pretty large river.
A quarter of a mile from it is the village
Pinde, which the duke has lent to the Por-
tuguefe to trade at.
The dutchy of Sundo or Sundi, begin- Sundi
ning about eight m\\
^!v»s. nerally come by the lofs, unlefs aflifted by
the Portuguefe i for twenty Whites will rout
a thoufand of themo
Thofe of Songo are a proud, lazy, and
- luxurious peoples but have a winning be-
RIPtlON of
haviour, and a volubility of fpeech, be^
yond thofe that live on the north fide of the
Zair.
The people of Bamba are reckoned the Travelling.
beft foldiers. The gentry of Bamba travel
with abundance of attendants, and much
ftate fome of them follow'd by twenty or
thirty Mulattos^ who are bold fellows,arm'd
with mufkets and cymiters, and the Blacks
with bows, arrows, and lances j many mu-
ficians going before, making a great noife
with their feveral inftruments. The great
duke of this country has a greater retinue
in proportion. At night they build hutts,
and enclofe theun with thorns, to fecure
them againft the wild-beallis, which fwarm
about the country. Befides lions, tygers,
wolves, elephants and rhinoceros's, there
are pocalfes, which roar like lions, and are
white, with black and red fpors, very long
■ ears, and ftrait horns, much like the buffi-
loes. To drive away thofe creatures, the
Blacks fct fire to dry grafs ; which flame,
with their fliouts, makes them fly another
way. Sometimes alfo travellers climb trees,
with ladders of ropes, they have for that
purpofe, or otherwife, and thence Ihoot
them with poifon'd arrows but fometimes,
if not nimble enough, they become a prey
to thofe ravenous beafts.
The people, for the moft part, feed onp^^,^.
kidney- beans, and other kinds, which the
women fow, being very regardlefs of their
diet, and as merry after a meal of infipid
roots, which grow wild, as if they had
been at a feaft. At night the women re-
turn from the fields with their children,
light a fire in the middle of the cottage,
where they eat fuch as they have, and dif-
courfe till they fall afieep. This is the way
moft of the country people live, many of
them going ftark naked.
The country is prodigioufly infefted with^„^;,
ants, which are fo numerous and ravenous,
that they are faid to devour the carcafs of a
beaft in a night. When they get into a
cottage, the only way to rid them, is to
fet fire to ftraw on the floor, which de-
ftroys infinite quantities of them, but leaves
an intolerable ftench, and fometimes burns
down the hut.
They have a fort of fmall movkty^Menkep.
which drive the rats out of their houles,
there being a fort of antipathy between them.
Thefe monkeys have a mulky fcent, which
perfumes a room, are very tame, and will
learn any thing they are taught.
Several prime men, who are in difgrace Robbers.
with the king, fometimes lie in companies
on the roads to the cities of San Salvador
and Loanda, robbing all travellers, till they
are again taken into favour.
They are faid to be very guilty of poifon- TMmng.
Ingg buc perhaps it is more in talk than.
reality h
the Lower
reality *, for if difcover'd, they infallibly die
for it, without mercy, and fuch ftridt en-
quiry is made, that it can fcarce be con-
cealed.
XHothlng. People of any note, efpecially in the
ciries, are decently clad, in long mantles of
fine cloth, or black bays, under which they
wear white fhirts, appearing on the upper
part of the body ■■, and on the lower parts
they have long wide coats of fatin, or da-
mafk, with rich borders, or embroidery
about the edges. Some wiear a fort of cloth
made of the bark of the Maiojnhe-zr^ts,
and palm-leaves colour'd black and red, but
all bare-legg'd, and on their heads only
white cotton caps; but they adorn their
necks and arms with gold and filver chains,
or ftrings of the beft red coral.
Thofe of Songo wear coats from the navel
to the ankles, and mantles over the reft ;
but the women cover their breafts,
GarJ- They play at cards for pafs-time, flaking
^l^fng. little horns or Ihells, reckoned among them
as current money.
The citizens oiCongoXwc chiefly by trade,
and the country people by tilling the land,
and keeping cattle. Thofe about the river
Zair live by fifliing others by drawing of
^omle-v^\nt ; and fome by weaving.
When they travel from one place to an-
othjer, they do not ride, but are carried by
men in hammocks, lying down, others fit-
ting on aboard hanging to a pole, with one
arm over the pole, and their feet refting on
a fort of flat wooden ftirrup, holding in the
other hand an umbrella •, or elfe fitting on
a kind of bier, made faft with a cord to a
pole, refting on the Ihoulders of their flaves,
or of hir'd people. For expedition they
take many flaves, that when the firft grow
weary, they may be carried by the others.
Feafiiitg. There are two things very remarkable in
thefe Ethiopians, and worth obferving i the
firft is, in their eating and drinking at feafts,
which they commonly celebrate in great
numbers, and at night. A great company
being got together, they fit round in a ring,
on the grafs, then a large thick round wooden
platter is plac'd in the middle of them ; the
platter is called Malonga. The eldeft of the
company, whom they call Maculonlu, or
Cocolocangi, is to divide and diftribuce to
every one his portion •, which he does with
fuch exadlnefs, that if there happens to be
a bit better than ordinary, that is alfo di-
vided proportionably among the company,
fo that every one is contented with his ftiare.
When they drink, they make ufe of neither
: cups nor glaftes ; to the end, every perfon
may have what is judg'd fufficient for him,
I and no more. The judge is the Maculontu^
I who holds the Moringo or fla^k to the perfon's
1 mouth that drinks, and when he thinks he
has drank enough, he pulls it away. This
Vol. V,
Ethiopiae
IS pradifed all along to the end of the P -^ pot.
feaft. (✓VNJ
The other obfervable thing, is, that if ^rs^ admalit^.
perfon, man or woman, great or fmall,
tho' not known ro them, happens to pafs by
where the company is feafting, he or flie
thrufts into the ring, and has an equal fhare
with the reft, without making any compli-
ments, or fpeaking a word. If the ftn.nger
happens to come after the portions have
been divided, then the Macuiontu takes
fomething from every man's mefs, to make
up a fhare for him. If many uninvited
guefts come, they all have the aforcfaid li-
berty, and may eat and drink as freely as
if they had been invited. When the acci-
dental travellers perceive the platter empty,
they rife up and go their way, without
taking any leave, or returning thanks to the
company. And tho' the ftrangers have
ever fo great plenty of provifions along
with them of their own, as it very often
happens they have, yet do they forfike their
own for that of thefe people. Another thing
to be wonder'd at, is, that they never afk
thofe intruders any queftions, as whence they
come, whither they go, or the like but all
pafs in filence. This charity of theirs is very
commendable.
This fort of hofpitality was very common
among feveral of the eaftern nations, in the
firft ages of the world and particularly
among the Ifraelites, of which we have fun-
dry inftances in holy writ, as in Abraham,
Gen. xviii. in hot. Gen. xix. and in Judges
xix. 21. And St. commends hofpitality
in his epiftles to the Romans, and to the
llehrewsyi\\\. 1,2, Let brotherly love continue.
Be not forgetful to entertain ftrangers, for
thereby fome have entertaht'd argels un-
awares ; that is, Abraham and Lot. St.
Peter preftes it alfo as a virtue and duty, in
his firft epiftle, iii. 9. Ufe hofpitality to one
another, without grudging.
Thefe people before the coming of the^^^^^^
Portuguefe, who inftruded them in the chri-
ftian faith, had no particular or proper names \
but the common people call'd themfelves by
the names of herbs, plants, ftones, fowls,
beafts, and living creatures; the lords bore
the title of the lordfhip they commanded,
as the lord of Songo was call'd Mani-Soiigo^
that is to fay, lord of Songo, Mani fignify-
ing lord, and Songo the country : but at this
day both men and women, high and low,
even the king himfelf, commonly receives
a name in baptifm.
They feem fomewhat experienc'd in fe-
veral handicrafts, but do not care to take
upon them any hard labour.
Congo, Songo, and Bamba, vent few flaves, sUva^
and thofe the meaneft of all ; becaufe being
ufed to live idly, when they are brought to
labour they quickly die. The beft come
6 I thither
A DESGRIPtlON of
Barb^-^. thither from AmboiUe^ Gmgos, Jagos., Ca~
M'V^ feudaSf ^ilax^ Lemho^ and other territories
chereabouts, above MaJJignan in Angola.
Tmde. The Europeans drive a little trade with
S'mboes i but the chief dealing in Songo con-
fifts in .S^w^o-cloths, palm-oil, palmetto-
nuts, and fuch like. Formerly they brought
thence many, and thofe very large ele-
phants teeth i but of late that trade is fallen
to nothing.
The city St. Salvador is the ftaple for
the Portuguefe merchants in thofe countries,
of whom the natives chiefly buy Cyprus-
cloths or painted table-cloths, call'd Cape
de Verdura blue cans, Biramks or Surats,
copper bafons, Englijh cloth great Simbas
of Loanda, Baefier, and other inconfiderable
trifles, as rings, beads and the like. Their
wealth confifts chiefly in elephants teeth
and SimboSj or little Ihclls which pafs in-
llead of money.
The citizens of St, Salvador amount to
near forty thoufand, mofl; of them gentle-
men and nobles, yet wretchedly poor : for
among them all, you fhall fcarce find ten
or twelve that have a golden chain or fmall
jewel However, it may be faid of this
kingdom Congo in general, that it is very
rich, as having fo great a quantity of me-
tals I that tho" they fliould fpare much to
their neighbours, yet there would remain
enough to reckon it very wealthy as alfo
confidering the incredible number of ele-
phants there are in it, whofe teeth may
much enrich it : likewife the civet-cats,
which are very numerous, and may turn
to a good account •, whence it is eafy to
conceive that the prince o: fuch a kingdom
muft be very potent. It is not poflible to
exprefs what his revenues would be worth,
if the produft of metals, elephants teeth,
and other commodities were well minded ;
but for want of induftry, it is quite other-
wife. To fay fomething of this in general :
The king's revenues confift chiefly in
yearly tributes paid him by the dukes of
Bamba, Batla, Sundo, Nambanganga, Bumby,
Mujjulo^ Oando, ^dngengo \ and others un-
der the titles of earldoms, as thofe of Pem-
ho^ Pango^ and many more, which are
brought in on St. Jameses day, when the
king rewards them with fome fmali trifle,
as a mark of his favour.
Money. They have no coin, either of filver, gold
or copper % but as has been often men-
tion'd, make all their markets with little
fhells call'd Simboes^ and another fort call'd
Bonghi or Libanghi, which pafs current ; but
in other countries are of no efl:eem or va-
lue and the Portuguefe ufe them in their
paflage, when they or their PomberoeSy that
is, flaves, are fent with merchandize to
Pombo^ ar)d other places lying up the coun-
try fioni Angola and Loanda^ through Con-
go. They have no apothecaries or doftors, Pkjrjkk,
nor any phyfick but what themfelves make
of plants, barks of trees, roots, ftones, wa-
ters and oil, which they adminifter for z-
gues, fevers, and almofl: all other maladies.
Fevers, the mofl: common diflemper of
this climate, they cure with the beaten
root of fandal wood mix'd with the oil of
dates, anointing therewith the body of the
patient two or three times from head to
foot. The pain in the head, by letting blood
in the temples, with little fhells fharpened,
wherewith opening the fkin, they fuck with
the mouth till they draw the blood.
The pox or venereal diflemper, call'd
Chirangas^ rages among them extremely,
which they cure with the red-wood call'd
1'avilla.
The king appoints a judge in every psLV- yujiice.
ticular province, to hear and determine civil
caufes and differences that happen ; who,
tho' there be no fettled laws or ftatutes,
may imprifon and releafe, or impofe a pe-
cuniary mulft or fine upon them. But in
more weighty matters every one may ap-
peal to the king, before whom criminal
caufes are alfo brought ; and he, as fove-
reign, gives a definitive fentence.
In matters of ftate, and fuch as concern chmciL
peace and war, the king advifes with ten
or twelve counfellors, his favourites, who
conclude for the welfare of the kingdom,
and fet forth and publilh decrees by his
order and in his name.
Thefe fame punifli idolatry and witch-
craft with the greateft feverity, condemning
forcerers to the flames or to perpetu3.\ (la.- sorcerers,
very in Brazil, or other parts of America,
felling them to Europeans. However, there
are feveral of the meanefl: fort, who pre-
tend to forcery, and make the ignorant peo-
ple believe they can work wonders, as pro-
curing of rain or fair weather ; being con-
verfant in lions, tygers, ferpents, or other
mifchievous creatures can oblige croco-
diles to carry them over rivers ; are fa-
miliar with the devil, whom they call Ca-
rabomba, and many more follies, by which
they gain a reputation among the unthink-
ing multitude, and are much dreaded, par-
ticularly in the countries of Sogno and An-
goy •, and this, notwithfl;anding all the care
taken by the mifTioners, and the feverity of
the princes to deftroy them, whenfoever
difcover'd.
Whofoever kills a man, has his offence
openly read before him, and being convidled
by witnefTes, is condemn'd to die.
When an offender is put to death upon Forfeitures
fentence pronounced by the king, he for-
feits all his goods and flaves ; fo that no-
thing of what was his, delcends to his
relations.
When
the Lower
iiUms. When they march out with an army a=
gainft their enemies, the commanders wear
fquare caps or bonnets, trimm*d with of-
trich, peacock, and other feathers ; which
they look upon both as an ornament, and
to make them appear the more terrible.
The upper part of their bodies is then na-
ked ; but on their flioulders they hang two
chains, with links as big as a man's little
finger.
The common foldiers ufe great broad
fwords, which they buy of the Portuguefe ,
ponyards with hafts liiie knives j bows fix
Weupom ^P^"s long, arrows, muikets, piftols and
Ihields made of the barks of trees, and
eover'd with bufi^iloes-hides. The whole
ftrength of their battle confifts in their in-
fantry, for they have few or no horfe.
^^„t - They ufe little difcipline, either in the
dijcifme. onfet or retreat ; but upon the word of com-
mand, the drums beating and the horns
blowing, they move forwards not in clofe
order, but at a diftance from each other,
and fo advancing, let fly their arrows :
which done, they very dextroufly wheel
about, and leap from one place to another,
to avoid the enemies arrows. Some bold
youths commonly draw out before the front,
to encourage the reft, with abundance of
bells hanging about their middles, and ring-
ing. When the firft have fought till they
are weary, upon the found of one of their
horns diredled by the commander in chief,
they retreat, and others inftantly fupply
their places ; and this continues till one of
the armies is vidtorious.
If the general of the army happens to
be kill'd, they inftantly betake themfelves
to flight and leave the field ; no force nor
authority being able to make them rally.
They ufed to take little care to be fur-
niflied with provifions, fo that very often
they were forced for hunger to leave the
enemy, tho' half conquer'd, and retire into
their own country but now they begin
to take notice of thefe mifcarriages, and by
the inftrudlion of the Portuguefe^ to mend
their difcipline.
^^^^^ . Moft of the territories and lordOiips of
governors, ^^ngo have peculiar governors call'd Mani,
whereto they add the name of the province,
as Mani-Vamma^ that is lord of Vamma^
Mani-Coanfa, Mani-Hany, Mani-Kelle, and
feveral others: but Bambay Pembo and
Pango^ have the title of dukedoms, and
others of earldoms, wherein the Blacks
imitate the Portuguefe. When they ftiew
themfelves to the people, they appear very
ftately, fitting on great velvet chairs with
velvet cufhions, and fpreading on the ground
before them coftly carpets j which the Par-
tuguefe alfo taught them, in order to ftrike
an awful reverence into their fubjeds.
Ethiopia, 491
The titles the king ufes to exprefs his Bar nor,
greatnefs are thefe \ Mani-Congo.^ by the ""'^'"V^
grace of God King of Congo, Angola., Ma-
kamba, Okanga, Cumba, Lulla, Zouza ; lord
of the dukedoms of Batta, Sunda, Bamba,
Amboille, and the territories thereof j lord of
the earldoms of Songo, Angoy., Cacongo., and
of the monarchy of Ambondes % ruler of the
great and wonderful river Zair.
He has abfolute power and fovereignty The king
over his fubjedts, who never approach him, ^^filttte.
but in the moft humble poftures of reve-
rence ; and whoever fails of paying due re-
fpedl and obedience, is punifhed with per-
petual flavery.
When the king treats his nobility, it is iS« hmgi
thus: he caufes them to be numbered, and^''^'^^-
then all the pots are brought before them, one
with boil'd beans, another with flefh, and a
third with niillet, without any fpice, but
only fdt, and fome palm-oil. To the great-
eft lords he fends every one his part in a
wooden platter, with a fmal! flafl< of palm-
wine but thofe of lefs quality are by name
call'd up, and mefs'd by fix, feven, or eight
together, to whom the king direfts fuch a
great pot of millet, beans and flefh, accord-
ing to their number.
When the feaft is ended, they come all
into the king's prefence, and falling upon
their knees, clap their hands, and bow their
heads, in token of thanks and fubmilTion,
and fo depart to their own homes only fome
favourites ftay all the day, fmoaking tobacco,
and drinking palm-wine, till both king ^Lnd j)rinking,
nobles are fo drunk, that they cannot go
from the place.
When the king goes abroad, not only ihtcoing a-
nobility, but all thofe that dwell about the^'-W.
court, or happen to be there at that time,
attend him •, fome going before, others fol-
lowing •, but all dancing and tumbling with
antick poftures, to the mufick of certain ill-
tuned drums, and long ivory flutes like cor-
nets, till the king returns to his houfe.
At his going to church, not only his own Going to
grandees, who at all times are ready, butcW<-^„
the Portuguefe., as well laity as clergy, muft
wait on him \ and again from the church
to his palace ; but at no other time are the
Portuguefe oblig'd to fuch attendance.
When he fliews himfelf to the peoples
he is always attir'd in his richeft robes •, that
is, a great long mantle or cloak of filk,
velvet, or fine cloth, richly laced or em-
broider'd: on his fingers he has fome gold-
chains, intermixt with fine coral and on
his head a coftly cap.
He has in his palace above a hundred i^iBiw^,
waiters, who all have lodgings in the court.
He eats his meat after the manner of Europe^
at a high table, where he always fits alone,
with fome few pieces of plate for his ufe»
All
492.
A Description oj
Barbot. All his waiters are cloth'd in black mantles
''"tiTY^ of bays.
The chair on which he fits has covers of
red or green velvet faften'd on with great
gilt nails, and coftly tapeftry fpread before
him, andcufhions inftead of a foocftool.
zhe Hollanders, in the year 1642,
'W- came the firft time to the king Don Alvaro
as ambafladors from Loanda, immediately
after they had taken it from the Portuguefe,
they had audience at night, in the dark,
paffing through a gallery two hundred paces
long,fet on both fides with two ranks of men,
with wax candles in their hands, burning.
The king's apparel at that time was very
glorious and rich, being cloth of gold and
filver, with a long velvet mantle : he fat on
a red velvet SpaniJJ: chair, over his head a
canopy ol" white fitin, trimm'd about with
a deep gold fringe •, on his head a white fine
cap, and on his legs a pair of ruflet-boots.
On his right hand an officer, who forae-
times gently fann'd the air with a handker-
chief-, and on his left fide another, holding
a tin bow, and a tin fcepter, cover'd with
fine ftriped cloth in his hand ; and right
before him was i'pread a great Turkey carpet ;
and on the right fide, kneel'd his interpreter.
Whitecaps. This king commonly wears a white cap
on his head as do the nobility that are in
favour : and this is fo eminent a token
thereof, that if he is difpleafed at any of
them, he only caufes his cap to be taken
off from his head for that white cap is a
cognizance of nobility there, as in Europe
every order has a peculiar badge to difl;in-
guifh it.
When the king goes abroad with all his
nobles, adorn'd with white caps on their
heads, he fometimes puts on a hat, and at
pleafure lays that afide, and refumes his cap.
His wife is call'd Mam-Momhada, that is,
queen, and for her a yearly tax is gathered
through the whole kingdom, by them call'd
Pmtdjo i every houfe paying a certain rate
for their beds.
The rikccn. The queen hath her peculiar apartment
in the palace with her ladies, who ufe little
art to adorn themfelves % yet they go al-
mofi: every night abroad to take their plea-
fure, only Ibme fl.aying in their turns to
wait on the queen.
luneraU. Formerly when the king died, his rela-
tiorts perform'd his T" ambi, or funeral cere-
monies, putting the dead corps, call'd there
Affua, into the grave, in a fitting pofi:ure,
and a dozen of young maids ufed to leap
into it of their own accord, and were bu-
■ ry'd alive to ferve him in the other world ;
as believing, he fiiould not remain dead,
but go into that other world, and live there.
Thofe maids were then fo earneft and defi-
rous of doing that fervice to their deceafed
prince, that for eagernefs to be firft, Ehey
kill'd one another ; and their parents and
friends gathered all forts of coftly clothes,
and put them into the grave, to the intent
that when they arriv'd in that ftrange coun-
try, they might buy fuch things, as they
had occafion for.
The funeral of the king, inftead of
mourning, is celebrated eight days toge-
ther, with continual eating and drinking j
which they call Malala, and every year af-
ter folemnize it with an anniverfary meeting,
in the fame manner.
This cuftom of eating and drinking, is
not only ufed for the king, but alfo for the
nobility, according to their quality, and
continues to this day •, but chriftianity has
abolifli'd the burying of people alive.
The coronation is perform'd after this^,„„,,.^„
A 11 1 11 1 -.^ Coronation
manner. AH the nobles and Portuguefe
aflemble before the palace, in a fquare open
court, formerly built for that purpofe, en-
compafied with a flight ftone wall, about
five yards high ; in the middle of which,
ftands a great velvet chair and cufliion, with
a ftately carpet fpread before it, and a crown
wrought of gold and filver wire, as alfo
three gold armlets, aboui_the thicknefs of
a finger, and a velvet purfe, wherein is the
pope's bull, or letters of confirmation to the
new king •, who being come into the place fo
prepar'd, one ftands up, who in the nature
of a herald pronounces thefe words :
Toil who are to he king, mujl not rohy nor ^j^^ce te
he covetous nor revengeful ; hut he a friend the new
to the poor : you Jljall befiow alms for relea-^^'^Z'
fing of prifoners or flaves, and help the needy^
and he charitable to the churchy and always
endeavour to keep this kingdo7n in peace and
quietntfs, and fully ohferve and keep the fame^
without breach of league with your brother
the king of Portugal.
After this fpeech, the mufick begins to
play •, which having continu'd fome time,
the laft two noblemen go to feek him a-
mong the people, the reft of them fitting
on the ground. The two having foon found
him they fought for, and bringing him,
one by the right arm, and the other by the
left, place him on the abovemention'd roy-
al chair, and put the crown upon his head,
the gold armlets on his arms, and the ufual
black cloth, or bays cloak on his flioulders.
Then he lays his hands on a mafs-book, and
the gofpels, which the prieft holds to him,
having an alb on andi the king fwears to
do and keep all he has been forewarned of,,
by the herald aforefaid.
This folemnity being ended, the twelve
noblemen and the king go to the palace,
accompany'd by all thofe that were prefent
at the coronation, who caft earth and fand
upon him, in token of rejoicing, and as an
admonition, that tho' he be now king, he
ftiall be duft and afiies.
The
The king, after his crowning, ren:iairts
eight days in his palace without going forth j
during which time, all the Black nobility,
none excepted, and all the Portuguefe come
to vifit and congratulate him. The Blacks
do him a kind of homage on both knees,
clapping their hands, and kifling the king's
hand. The Portuguefe kneel upon one knee,
and fo the priefts and clergy by that hum-
ble pofture acknowledge his fovereignty.
When the eight days are paft, the king
appears in the market, and makes a fpeech
to the people, exprefllng his readinefs for
the performing of that which was propound-
ed to him ; with affurance to them, that he
will feek nothing more than the quiet and
welfare of his kingdoms and fubjedts, and
the propagating of the chriftian faith.
The people of Congo take the oath of
fidelity to their king, like other chriftians
befides which, there were formerly fundry
forts of oaths in ule among thofe Ethiopians-,
which were adminifter'd upon feveral occa-
fions but as needlefs to mention here, as ri-
diculous and extravagant in their nature and
defign. Among the many forts of them are
thefe chief ones, viz. Cbicongo, a draught
of phyfical purging wood j the Cbilmn-
hOf the Ganganzi, a fuperftitious oath
others call'd Orioncio, Oluchenche finally
the oath of Bulungo, adminifter'd to fup-
pofed traitors, by a wizard, or Scinghili ;
a draught compoled of the juice of herbs,
ferpent's-flelh, pulp of fruit, and divers
others things.
Of the Earh S o n g o, tr S o n h o, in
particular,
nn HIS earl is the moft potent in all Congo,
^ and was fubjed to the king ; but con-
fidering the woods of Ftndemguolla, which
furround his country like a bulwark, he
fortified, and made it almoft impregnable :
fo cafting off the yoke, he fcarce acknow-
ledges the king of Congo for his fovereign,
but only as a friend of Songo.
This province of Songo yields copper
much better than that of Congo, and fome
cotton, but they vend little of it.
In the year 1 63 6, the king Don Aharo of
Congo, affiifted by eighty Portuguefe, was
routed by the earl of Songo, who took Bon
Aharo prifoner, and he for his ranfom
was forced to give the earl two territories ;
the one a principality, call'd Mokata, a
great land of tillage, lying where the river
Zair borders neareft to Songo. Afterwards
Aharo renew'd the quarrel with the faid
earl, and again loft the day; but coming a
third time againft the earl with much fupe-
rior forces, as he has innumerable people at
command, he took fevere revenge of the
Sungos for the loffes before fuftain'd.
Vol. V,
Ethiopia, 49 1
The old earl being dead, in the yearBAT^Bor.
1641, there broke out anew and bloody ^--O/"^
war, between that king, and Bon Baniel da ^1^^^'
Siha^ the new earl, on account of the prin- congo
cipality of Mokata, he had made over, as «"<^ Songo.
has been faid, to the late earl and accord-
ingly invaded 5o«g<7, in confederacy with his ■ y-,-
(on Alfonfo, whom he had eftablifti'd in Mo-
kata, ufing all the extremities of war both
againft the fubje6ls and country. But the
Songos, a very warlike people, in the year
1645, on the twenty ninth of April, in a
pitch'd battle, defeated and put to flight the
king's army, and took the aforefaid prince
of Mokata, together with many grandees,
prifoners ; and, according to the cuftom ot
the country, chopp'd off all their heads,
keeping only Alphonfo prifoner, who was
his coufin, but would not fuffcr him to de-
part from him.
The king provoked more than ever by
this overthrow, came the next year into
the field, with all his nobility, and three or
four hundred Mulattos, having made the
duke of Bamba general of that army who
being come near the borders of Songo, was
unawares fet upon by an ambufcade out of
the wood Emtin da Guolla, on the laft of
and his army not only totally defeated,
but the duke himfelf neceffitated to yield
to the earl fome places and countries before
wrefted from him, for the releafe of prince
Alfonfo,
During this war the king fent embafladors
to Brazil, to count Maurice of Naffau, who
then had the government of that country,
for the ftates of Holland, with many flaves,
and a gold chain, for a prefent ; to defire
his afliftance to carry on the war againft
Songo: but two embafi'adors, fent at the fame
time to the faid count at Brazil, by the earl
of Songo, being alfoarriv'd there, intreated
him to give no afliftance to the king of
Congo, againft Songo ; to which the count
contented, and accordingly writ to their
governors in Congo and Angola, not to in-
termeddle in the wars of thele two princes,
for that they were both in league with the
Hollanders : and thus difmifled the faid re-
fpeflive embafladors with equal civilities,
and rich prefents.
Before the coming of the Portuguefe into Ancient
thele countries, and their converting them ^'^o^^^U
to chriftianity, the people of Congo had fe-
veral forts of idols, every man making to
himfelf a god, according to his own fancy.
Some worfhipp'd dragons, goats, tygers,
ferpents, and many other fuch living crea-
tures others ador'd fowls, plants, trees,
and the very (kins of the beafts ftufl^ed with
ftraw. Before thefe idols they paid their
religious worfhip, bending their knees, ly-
ing flat on their faces, daubing themfelves
with dirt, and facrificing to tiiem of the
6 K beft
Barbot. beft and deareft things they had. At length
'^''V^ they Vi'ere brought to light, out of thisdark-
nefs of idolatry, in which they had remain'd
for many ages, through the endeavours of
the Poriiiguefe^ who made the firft difcovery
of the river Za'ir in the year 1480, under
Jcon' o '^'^^ command of James Can. In 1 484, king
"'^g^- John the fecond of Portugal fent the fame
James Can with a fleet, to difcover the ealfern
coaft of Africa, and the Eaft-Indies. He
being come to the river Zair, fent agents to
the king of Congo, who not returning, he
took four of the natives, that came to fee the
fliips, and after fome time fpent in coafting,
return'd to Lisbon, where king John treated
thofe Congoians very courteoufly, and im-
mediately difpatch'd Ca^back to Congo with
rich prefents. He arriving on the coafb, ex-
changed the four Congoians for his four Por-
tiiguefe, vvho, during their (lay in Congo,
bexame fo intimately acquainted with the
duke of Songo, uncle to the then king, and a
man of a generous fpirit, that they inftrufted
him in the chriftian religion, and fo fully
convinced him of the error of their idola-
trous worfliip, that the faid duke went to
the king to give him an account thereof,
and to advife with him about changing their
religion. After feveral confultations, the
king agreed to fend one Zacuten, on an
embaffy to Portugal, with a great retinue,
defiring the king of Portugal to fend fome
priefts to inftrud; them.
ConverJIon. Zaciiten at Lisbon firft learnt the Portugiiefe
tongue, and foon after, with all his fol-
lowers, receiv'd baptifm ; which fo encou-
rag*d king John, that, purfuant to the re-
qucft of Zacuten, he difpatch'd him to Congo,
with fome priefts and church ornaments,
where they were received by the prince and
people, with an inexpreftible joy. The
duke of Songo was firft baptiz'd, with his
fon, in the year 1491, he taking the name
' oi Emanuel^ and his fon that of y^«/o;7)? i as
was afterv/ards the king by that of John,
his queen was c:\\\' d Eleanor ,?Ln<\ his youngeft
fon Alphonfo.
This good example prevail'd upon not
only the nobility, but many of the com-
mons, whofe number daily encreafed ; fince
when, the Portuguefe have not fpar'd any
hazards or labours to increafe and confirm
the new planted religion, which has met
with fuitable fuccefs.
Among the Portuguefe there are many
fchoolmafters, who, befides reading and
writing, teach the catechifm, wherein they
make their fcholars very perfedt, and they
are generally very fubmiflive to the rules of
the church.
The churches are built like their houfes,
and ferved by many priefts both Black and
Mulattoes.
RIPTION of
The Blacks of Congo call a Capucin friar
Gramga Fo7net ; the word Fomet being a
name of refped, importing flither or mafter.
A prieft they call Evanga, baptifm Mani-
7nuncu, and God Zabianhunco.
When the earl of Songo goes to church,
he puts on his beft apparel, adorn'd with
many gold chains, and ftrings of fine coral ;
before, goes the mufick : he is attended by
a guard of mufketeers, and follow'd by a
great throng of people.
Merolla, in his account of Songo, informs Ferfecutim.
us, that fome years before his arrival there,
oneF. Thofnas de Siflola, a Capucin miffioner
in Congo and Angola, with fome other miflio-
ners ot his order, underwent a cruel perfe-
cution from the then earl of Songo, who
lent them away to Angoy, ordering they
fhould be dragg'd out of his dominions,
for the fpace of two miles, which was exe-
cuted with the utmoft rigour ; the cruel
officers dragging them along by their own
cords, with their faces next the fands, all
the way reviling and infuking them, in fuch
manner, that one of them died foon after,and
the others with much difficulty furviv'd.
The occafion of that perfecution, he fays,
was, that a king of Congo defiring to be
crown'd,afl<:'d the affiftance of thePortuguefe
atAngola,pirom]i\ng to give them the country
of Songo, and two gold mines. The army
of Congo being join'd by fome of the Giaghi
and their European auxiliaries, eafily routed
the forces the earl of Songo had raifed to op-
pofe them, killing the earl, in whofe place
another was foon eleded. He having rais'd
new forces, inftrufted them how to behave
themfelves againft fire-arms •, exhorted them
to die a glorious death, rather than to live
a miferable life and caufed all the cattle to
be kill'd and eaten by his troops, as well
to ftrengthen them, as that there might be
nothing for the Portuguefe and Congoians.
Thefe contemning their enemies, fell into visiory of
their hands-, for marching without any order, earl of
they were led into an ambufti. The firft
that fled were the Giaghi, whom the Con-
goians foon follow'd. The flave, whom
they had before taken, finding an opportu-
nity to efcape, run in among their friends,
and being by them unbound, fell furioufly
upon the Portuguefe, who itill ftood their
ground who being over-power'd by num-
bers, were all kill'd but fix made prifoners,
and carried before the earl, who afk'd them,
whether they would rather chufe to die with
their companions, or live and be made
flaves. They refolutely anfwer'd, T'hat
Whites had never yet fuhuitted to he made
flaves to'2A'X(^%, nor would they. No fooner
were the words out of their mouths, than
they were all kill'd upon the fpot. All the
artillery and baggage was taken by the Songefe
armyj
army, the former of which, with forrle other
pieces of cannon bought of the Dutch^
ferv'd to furnifh a fort built of earth, at the
mouth of the river Zair.
Hh a^o- The ^og^^y^-i to juftify their proceedings
in this particular, alledg'd that the king
of Congo had no right to give away their
country to the Portuguefe, fince it was none
of his, but a fovereigniy of it felf ; there-
fore the Portuguefe^ who were no ftrangers,
fliould not have been fo unjuft as to ac-
cept of it, and to endeavour to fubdue it
by force of arms. They farther urg'd^
that when the Dutch fbme years before had
got poffieffion of the kingdom of Angola., a
great number of Portuguefe being expell'd
from thence, fled to Sogno, where they
were very courteoufly entertain'd by the
count, who gave them the ifland of Horfes
to live in, and furnifli'd them with all
manner ofprovifions gratis; therefore they
could not but admire, that thofe people,
whom they had fo hofpitably receiv'd,
fhould be fo ungrateful as to endeavour to
take their country from them.
The aforefaid count having receiv'd about
thirteen wounds in the battle, died within
a month •, and the new one chofen in his
ilead bore fuch hatred to the Portuguefe,
that he refolv'd for the future to have no
more to do either with them or the Ca-
jpucins, whom he look'd upon as belong-
ing to them. Sending therefore for fome
Flemijh merchants, who were returning home,
he writ by them to the pope's nuncio there,
to furnifti his dominions with neW priefts.
That prelate fent him two Francifcan priefts
and a lay-brother, with ftrift orders, that
if there were any Capucins in Sogno they
fhould fubmit to them as their fuperiors.
Thofe three religious men being arriv'd,
were receiv'd with all imaginable courtefy,
and conduced to the Capucin monaftery.
The count having thus got other priefts,
laid hold of feveral falfe pretences to fend
the Capucins away ; and not being able to
prove them guilty of any crime, had re-
courfe at laft to the moft barbarous courfe
that could be imagin'd, commanding them
to be dragged out of his dominions, as was
faid above.
Upon this inhuman adion of the count,
the Francifcans who were come from Flan-
ders v/ithdrew to Angola, and would not re-
turn to Sogno any more. Thus the Ca-
■pucin convent was totally abandon'd by re-
ligious men, for which reafon the people
arofe in a furious manner againft their prince,
feiz'd and fent him bound to an iftand of
his dominions in the Zair, and chofe a new
count. Afterwards, fearing left the former
ihould endeavour to reinftate himfelf with
the afliftance of other nations, as he was
then adlually contriving to do, they again
feiz'd and threw him into the fea with aBARhor.'
great ftone about his neck, wn/^
Some time after, one father Jofeph Ma-'
ria came from Loanda to Sogno, to carry
away the church utenftls belonging to the
miflion, but more particularly to found the
minds of the people who, as foon as he
arriv'd at cape Padron at the mouth of the
Zair, reforted to him in great numbers, re-
lating how they had difpatch'd the count,,
who had been an enemy to the Camcins^
and protefting to him in the moft folemn
manner, that they would defend them for
the future, to the laft drop of their blood.
This promife they again confirm'd by oath
at the altar, and fo tather J'feph remain'd
with them, and fent for fither 'Thomas to
return to Songo, which he did, and ever
fince the Capucins have liv'd there unmo-
lerted ; but the Portuguefe have no footing
in Songo to this day.
In the year 1647, at the reqaeft of Don M}g»?i;.
Aharo the fecond king of Congo, the pope
fent fourteen Capucins from Sicil'^ and Ca-
diz, who landed in Songo, and thence, with
leave, travefl'd to Congo ; only leaving fome
of their number, to propagate the faiih there.
In the reign of Aharo the firft of Congo^^
the chriftians receiv'd not only a check,
but underwent heavy perfecution *, but pro-
vidence never fuffering fuch raging impiety
to go unpunilhed, the Jagos, who had long
poflefs'd the kingdom of Anfiko, a favage
people refiding in huts and v^'oods without
prince or government, like the wild Arabs,
fell into the kingdom of Congo like an irre-
fiftible innundation, ruining the fame with
fire and fword. The province of Batta lay
firft in their way, Vv^here, on a certain plain
before the city of St. Salvador, the king
gave them battle, but v/ich the lofs of many
people ; infomuch thaC he was forc'd to re-
treat into the city, and afterwards fled for
fafety, together with many Portuguefe and
notable perfons of Coiigo,tollha dos Cavallos„
that is, Horfe-Ifand, leaving the city to the
Jagos for a prize ; who burnt it, together
with the churches, laying wafte the whole,
and carrying av/ay the inhabitants, whom
they killed and eat. The hufbandmen fled
to the woods and wilderneffes, chufing ra-
ther to die there with hunger, than to fall
into the hands of fuch inhuman cannibals :
nor was that calamity confin'd to the woods,
but the famine fpread over the inhabited
parts, fo that a flave, at that time worth
at leaft ten crowns, was given for a little
meal ; nay more, thoufands fold themfelves
for flaves to the Portuguefe of the ifland of
St. Tome, to preferve themfelves from ftarv-
ing ; amongft whom were fome of the blood-
royal, and many of the chief lords.
The king of Congo finding himfelf tOQ
weak £0 withftand his enemies, by the coun-
fei -
A Description of Lower Ethiopia.
Barbo-t- fel of the Portuguefe fent an agent to Don
'^■^'V^ Sehaftian then king of Portugal, praying aid
who immediately fent him a fupply of fix
hundred foldiers, many perfons of quahty
going as volunteers, under the command of
I)on Francis de Gouvea, a man who had of-
ten been in Afia and Africa \ and who, after
a fortunate paflage, arriving at the ifland of
St. Tome, where by order they put in for
recruits of ammunition, and to vidua! and
refrefh, they went over to Congo, and landed
at Horfe-IJland, where the king of Congo
then had his abode. Here the general hav-
ing receiv'd frefh fupplies of Portuguefe and
natives, went over to the continent and
fought the Jngos, defeating them in feveral
battles in fuch manner, that king Alvaro
after a year and a half's exile was reftored
chMi- l"*'^ throne, and defir'd that priefts might
anity le- be fent him to re-eftablifh the chrlftian re-
jlor'j. ligion ; and as an acknowledgement for the
aflTiftance receiv'd, obliged himfelf in wri-
ting to fend the king of Portugal a yearly
prefent of flaves, and to own him as his
Sovereign. The king of Portugal modeftly
refus'd it ; anfwering, that he look'd upon
the king of Congo as his brother ; but
affifted him in eftablilhing the chriftian
religion.
After four years refidence there, the ge-
neral departed, leaving behind him a num-
ber of Portuguefe as a guard to the king,
and to fecure the peace for the future.
Father Merolla reprefents the hardfhips
himfelf and other miflioners endur'd in la-
bouring to propagate chriftianity in the
Lower Ethiopia after this mannefo
HArdJh'ips Grievous, no doubt, are the fufferings of
undergone the miffioners in thefe parts, whether we
7nTr?' confider the length of their travels, their
frequent want of neceffaries", the various
climates of the countries they pafs through %
the fuflfocating and intolerable heats, efpe-
cially to us Europeans, who fry under our
coarfe cloth the travelling over rocks and
frightful precipices, the lying on the bare
ground, the being perfecuted by wizards
and fuch forts of wretches, and fometimes
by bad chriftians i and laftly, the lofing of
fo much blood as we are fain to do to
preferve our healths, and a thoufand
other inconveniencies which cannot be here
mentioned.
In another place, fpeaking of his journey
from Cacongo, and Cabinde to Congo up the
country, he fays thus :
On the feventh of March 1688, having
gone about two days journey by land, I ar-
riv'd at the Banza of Bomangois, where be-
ing very civilly receiv'd by the Mafuca, and
a canoe got ready to carry me up the Zair^
the voyage prov'd very uneafy to me, by
reafon of the exceffive heat of the fun then
in LeOi which is the lime of the rains. Ac
night I was oblig'd to lie afliore on the wet
ground, continually tormented with a mul-
titude of gnats, which rather deferve the name
of horfe-leeches, for they never quit their
hold till they burft, andfo drop off. Other-
wife I lay expos'd to the air in the canoe,
which was a much greater plague •, and to
add to my mifery, the Blacks who con-
duced me, having receiv'd money before-
hand for my maintenance, would not allow
me enough to fubfift for four days ; fo that
a little wine I had by me was all my fupport.
Some days after, he fays, he perceiv'd he
was poifon'd in fome broth, but recover'd by
the ufe of fome antidotes, as feveral other
miflioners have been before in other parts.
By this account and many other inftances,
we read in Merolla and other miflioners at
CongOj. it appears they have endured infinite
outrages and miferies in the execution of
their prieftly funftion among thofe Ethi-
opians y befides the many accidents and dan-
gers of the feas, rovers, tempefts, Sifc. in
their voyages from Italy ^ whence moftof them
are fent by the congregation de propaganda.
Fide to Congo, Sogno, Angola, and by the way
of Lisbon and Brazil : all which hardfliips,
Merolla fays, are fweetned to thofe who un-
dergo them, as being for the fervice of God,
who can and will reward them.
The following abftraft of the journals of
the voyage to the river of Congo and port
Cabinde in the year 1700, is not only new,
but contains many palfages of great ufe, to-
wards perfedling the intended defcription of
thecoafts of Guinea and the Lower Ethiopia %
and is of no fmall advantage to traders unto
thofe parts, as giving an account of the
coafts, the navigation, the proper commo-
dities, the feafons, winds, tides, duties, and
places of trade in the faid river of Congo and
at Cabinde,
■J
An
4i::
I. . ....
t
^Voyage to Congo-River.
Barbot."
An Abstract of a Voyage to Congo River, or the Zair-^ and to "^-"^v^
Cabindey in the year 1700.
By James Bar hot ^ junior, Super-Cargo; z.w(Xjohn Cajfeneuve^ Firft Mate, iii
the Ten per Cent. Ship T>on Carlos of London.
w
E fail'd from the Downs^ on the
eighth of April, 1 700.
Arriv'd before Madera ifland, the ele-
venth of May, and proceeded immediately,
after we had got fome wine and refrefhmcncs
aboard ; the profpe£l of the town of Fun-
chaU was drawn by Mr. Barhott as in the
Plate 2:8. print. The variation there three degrees
and a half weft.
Mrty the fourteenth, had the ifland Pal-
ma. one of the Canaries in fight ; the fouther-
ly point thereof at north-weft, about nine
leagues diftance from it, and fome hours
after brought the ifland Ferro, another of
the Canaries, to fouth-weft by fouth ; and
eafily perceiv'd the high mountain call'd el
Pico of "Teneriffe, at eaft-north-eaft of us,
over the ifland Gomera ; looking, as by the
Plate 28. ^^^stch drawn by Mr. Barbot, in the print.
The latitude obferv'd that day, being twen-
\ - ty-eight degrees fifty-five minutes, which is
that of Palma exaftly.
The eighteenth, wind north-eaft by north
and north-eaft, in the night-time a whale
gave a violent fliock to our fhip, rifing
from the deep, exaftly under our keel, a-
bout the middle of it ; as we difcern'd her
very plainly, and afterwards plung'd with
a great noife : the man at the helm affirm'd,
he could not move it any way for above a
minute.
The twenty-third, we caught a dorado,
Plate 19. of the form as in the print, drawn by Mr.
Barbot.
The twenty-fourth, in the latitude of
twelve degrees five minutes north, and in
one degree fixteen minutes longitude of F^'/'-
ro, the wind north-eaft by north, we faw
two fails, one at north-north-eaft, the other
at fouth by weft. In the afternoon we hail'd
one of them, who prov'd to be a Londoner,
one Fleet commander, who afterwards came
aboard us, and faid he had been three days
from the river Gamboa, fteering for the
Gold-Coafi of Guinea.
The twenty-ninth, a biiflc gale from
fouth-fouth-weft, in nine degrees four mi-
nutes north latitude, were furrourtded by
large flioals of porpoifes or fea-hogs, and
caught one with the cramp iron •, who was
no fooner wounded, but all the multitude
left us, as if thefe crea^tures by the ftain of
blood of their companion, had an inftinft
of danger to themfelves. Mr. Barbot drew
Plate 29. f^he porpoife exactly, as in the print.
On the ninth of June, the wind fouth-eaft
by fouth and fouth-eaft, in three degrees
Vol. V.
twenty minutes north, we found the tide
fetting to the northward. •
The nineteenth, wind eaft by fouth, v/e
crofs'd the line, the obfervation two mi-
nutes north : and on the twentieth, thirty-
five minutes fouth-latitude ; ia five degrees
two minutes longitude of Ferro, fteering
fouth by weft and fouth-fouth-v/eft, conti-
nu'd fouch-eaft v^'ind.
The twenty-fecond, we clean'd our fiiip,
which being grown foul, fail'd but heavily.
The twenty-fourth, in four degrees fifty-
five minutes fouth-latitude, and fix degrees
fourteen minutes longitude of Ferro, wind
eaft by fouth and eaft-fouth-eaft, were ex-
aftly in the latitude of Cabinde, our intended
port, but fix hundred leagues weft of it ;
the eaft-fouth eaft and fouth-eaft winds,
forcing us to go about to the fouth a great
way rough fea, various wind.
The third of July, in feventeen degrees
forty-fix minutes fouth-latitude, and twelve
degrees thirty-nine minutes longitude of
Ferro, fufpefting we were near the flioals
that flioot out from cape Abrolho in Brazil,
for fifty leagues to eaft ward at fea, we kept
good watch on the fore-yard and fore-
caftle. ; -
Winds continuing frorri fouth to eaft,
varioufly every day, and now and then at
north weft, for a fliort time we proceeded,
fteering fouthwardly ; and on the twenty-
fourth, by obfervation in thirty-one degrees
twenty minutes fouth latitude, and five de-
grees fifty-feven longitude of Ferro, wind
north by weft, faw many birds about us,
fome as big as turkeys, and others call'd
Pintados.
" They were then exactly in the latitude
" of the bay Oftnuros da Pedra, on the
" coaft of the Caffres in Africa, diftant
" three degrees north of cape de Bonne
" Efperav.ce ; ^and thus had run to fouth-
" ward about three degrees twenty -one mi-
" nutes, more than did the Dutch fleet, un-
" der admiral Jol, in 1641 ; which fail'd
" the thirteenth of May jrom Femambuco,
" in Brazil, to conquer Loanda in Angola,
" And two degrees twenty minutes more
" to fouthward, than father ^;7^i?/i? did, in
" failing from Fernambuco, for Congo in
" Africa. Father Merolla, in his voyage
" from Baya, in Brazil, to Congo, went
" fo far to the fouthward, that they had
" fight of the cape of Good Hope fo that
" it muft be concluded, that it is very
" common for fhips bound to Congo, and
6 L Angola,
A VoYA.GE to Con£0"River.
Barbot. " y^«^(5/i2, to be carried fo far away to
'-«f"V^ " fouth, before they can get the trade-winds
*' tofervethem forthofe countries."
The twenty fifths the wind changed on a
fudden from north-weftj and north by weft,
to fouth- weft by weft j and fome time after
fouth fouth -weft, variable to north- weft, a
frefh gale, rough fea, hazy, and then heavy
rains for two days together fleered eaft
north' eaft.
The twenty feventh, in thirty degrees fix
minutes fouth, wind weft north-weft, vary-
ing to weft fouth -weft, hail and rain, wich
lightnings, but cold weather.
From the twenty eighth ditto^ to the ninth
of Jiiguft, variable wind from fouth to
north-eaft and north-weft, hazy, drizling
rain. We had a great multitude of birds
about us on the ninth of Auguft^ being white
under the belly, the wingslong,fl'iarp-pointed,
about as big as pigeons, dark brown on the
back, either flying about or fwimming on
the fea, fonear theftiip, as almoft to touch
it, and then took their flight again. Ob-
fervation twenty three degrees twenty feven
minutes fouth latitude, longitude of Ferro^
thirty one degrees fifty four mintues. We
pafled the tropick of Capricorn-, wind eaft
by north variable to fouth fouth-eaft, and
frefti gale, by judgment not above fifteen
leagues from the land of Africa,
On the tenth, faw a floating palm-tree on
the fea, with a multitude of the fame birds.
The eleventh, the fame multitude of
birds, and another floating tree *, the fea-
water alter'd, wind fouth fouth-eaft.
The thirteenthjwith the fame wind,fteering
north-eaft by north, fomewhat eaft. Ob-
fervation fixteen degrees five minutes ; we
faw abundance of certain birds, call'd by
the French Garnets.) who keep always near
land, which we gueflfed not to be far off\,
The fourteenth, at half an hour after one
got fight of the land of Africa, extending
from fouth by eaft, to north-eaft by eaft,
about five or fix leagues from us j had much
floating wood about i the land in feveral
places doubling \ the ftjore as high as Berry-
head.
Mataman This land is the part of Africa, common-
i^omtr^. ly call'd Mataman, or Citnbebas, and fhows
fome white cliffs here and there. For want
of an obfervation, we concluded we had
been about fifteen leagues to the fouthward
of cape Negro, which, according to the moft
received opinion, is in fixteen degrees thirty
minutes of fouth latitude, for moft maps
differ therein fome placing it in fifteen
degrees fifteen minutes others in fixteen
degrees, and thofe reckoned the beft in fix-
teen degrees thirty minutes.
The laft two or three days we had a
great number of whales and grampuffes about
the fhip efpecially the night between the
fourteenth and fifteenth, three or four of
them kept at a fmall diftance from us, making
a prodigious noife, which we fuppofed were
then aifaulted by fome fword-fiflies, their
mortal enemies.
The fifteenth in the morning we were
about two leagues and a half, or three from
the land, fteering north north-eaft, the land
pretty high at the fhore, and double in many
places, having feveral ftiarp-pointed hillocks
on it, rifing fomewhat above the other land,
and four or five table-lands. In the night
founded twice, with feventy fathom line, and
had no ground.
About noon fpy*d a high, black, round
mount, about three leagues to the fouth-eaft
of us, which we concluded to be Cabo Negro,
The land here is about the height of that
between I'orbaj and Flymouth ; that next the
fhore the loweft, but very fteep, and of a
reddifti colour. We fail'd along it to north
north-eaft, at about four leagues diftance,
and it appear'd cut in many fmall bays,
with a fandy ftrand. The land flat, but
dry and barren, only fome fhrubs fcatter'd
about it.
" The kingdom of Mataman, had that
" name from its king, according to Pig^?/^^/^2 j
'* its proper name being Climbebe, or Zimbe-
" has. The moft noted places in it along
" the coaft are next the black cape, right
" eaftward, where may be feen the beginning
*' of the cold mountains,call'd alfo the fnowy
*' mountains, from the vaft quantity of
" fnow continually lying on fome parts of
them. Next are the cryftal mountains,
" v/hich flioot northerly ro the filver moun-
*' tains, and to Molembo near which the
" river Coari has its courfe, and is a boundary
" to the kingdom o^ Angola.
*' On the foutherly coaft of Cimhebas ap-
«' pears Cabo Negro, or the black-cape, fo
" call'd by reafon of its blacknefs, whereas
<' there is no other black land to be feen
*' from twenty one degrees of fouth latitude.
" On the top of that point ftands an ala-
" bafter pillar, with an infcription, but fo
*' defac'd by time and the weather, that it is
*' fcarce legible ; and formerly on the top of
*' it ftood a crofs, fmce fallen oft', and now
*' lying on the ground.
The coaft from hence ftretches a little
«* north-eaft,and eaft north-eaft; the country
" about fhowing nothing but barren and
" fandy hills, without any verdure, and
*' high fandy mountains without trees.
More to the fouthward, in eighteen de- cape Ruy
*' grees, you come to a point, by the For- Peicz.
" tuguefe call'd Cabo de Kuy Ferez to the
*' northward of which is a great inlet, with
«' fandy hills, and the fliore to the black
*' points but to the foutiiward is a high
■ ic, *' Lnd,
A Voyage to Congo-River. 4P5>
" land, altogether fandy, and reaches to
" nineteen degrees.
GoIfoFrio. " Farther ftill to the fouth, in nineteen
" degrees thirty minutes lies a gulf, call'd
" Golfo Frio^ with double land and full of
" trees. Next you come to the open haven
*' of in twenty one degrees. Beyond
that, ftill to the fouthward, thecoaft much
*' refembles that we mention'd in the north,
being high, with fandy hills, barren land,
*' and a bad fliore.
" A confiderable way to the weft ward of
*' Cabo Negro.^ or the black cape, is a great
" fand in the fea, in Portuguefe call'd Baixo
" de Antonio de Viana^ dangerous to failors,
being fometimes cover'd with water.
The air is temperate, and the foil, tho'
" fandy next the fea, yet affords all things
*' necefifary for the ufe of man. The moun-
" tains are rich, not only in cryftal, but
*' other minerals. To the northward it is
" more full of trees, as far as twenty two
*' degrees of fouth latitude, from whence
*' there drive into the fea a hundred and fifty
*' miles from the Ihore, certain green weeds,
call'd Sargojfa ; and ferve for a mark to
'* feamen to know how near they are to the
** main land of Africa. Abundance of
*' mews or fea-pyes are alfo feen at fome
*' diftance from lliore, with black feathers
*' at the ends of their wings, which is an ^f-
furance to feamen, that they are near the
*' African coaft.
" This country is governed by a king,
*' who is abfolute i yet fome great men,
who command near the fea-lhore, take
*' the title of kings, tho' they have neither
wealth nor dominions to give them any
*' reputation among ftrangers.'* I return to
the journal.
On the fixteenth.we held the fame courfe:
the moft northern land we could fee at noon,
bore north-eaft by eaft, dirtant eight or nine
leagues ; all the coaft there appearing very
barren, without any tree or bufti for a great
way up the inland. Laft night we had for
two leagues round us an infinite number of
porpoifes, driving to the fouthward for near
an hour, very thick and clofe together.
The night before we took aboard the ftiip
Mo(quito- a bird call'd a M(?/«fz-z;,^>;/^
tor to take five f rvants into his pay, lobW'dfor
attend the fervice of the fadory, and to be'^'^^''''^'''^'-
the keepers of the flaves we ffiould buy
there till they were fcnt aboard. Two of
thefe fervants belonged to the Mahgcve
himfelf, one to the Manchingue, one to old
Gitaar, and one to the Malebuche. We were
to pay them for their attendance one fa-
thom meafure in merchandize per week, for
the five men, but no vidtials ^ and they
promifed to make good whatever lofs or
damage we might incur, and to do all
manner of fervice a.s required : for it is the
cuftom there, that fucli fervants are to an-
fwer for whatever is committed to their
cuftody, and what flaves the Whites have,
they are to pay for, if ftolen or run away;
or be made flaves in their room, if not
able to pay. However, the Blacks having
a natural propenfity to ftealing, at which
they are very dextrous, it is requifite to
have a watchful eye over their behaviour,
and not truft them too far, under the
fpecious pretence of their fecurities; for if
they can lay hands on any thing they
like unperceiv'd, they will run away witii
it, and never return to the fadory.
The Mangove and the officers examined
all the merchandize we had in the houfe,
and lik'd it very well •, and afterwards re-
turning again to the lodge with a great pot
of palm-wine to drink with the fador, and
having given him new aiiurances we fliould
meet with a briflc trade of flaves and pro-
vifions, they went home, the Mangove be-
ing prefented by the failor with a fithom
of chints ; and all the other grand officers,
as they ftiled themfelves, each with two
knives and a dram of brandy : it being re-
folved by all thofe Blacks, that the fadtor
fhould wait on their king at Za,ir, the
next day with a prefent.
The twenty-fifth, Mr. CaJJ neuve fet out
by water in canoes, in company of thofe
officers, and being landed again at a place
three or four miles higher up the little ri-
ver of Zair, than Gitaar-po'mZ, they of-
fered to have him carried to Za:ir in a
hammock, as is the v/ay of travelling in that
country, but he chofe rather to walk it, being
fevenor eight miles diftant: and being ar-
y -'n 6 N ■■: . -.. ■• , ■ riv'd
r
^o6 A Voyage to Congo-River.
BARBoT.riv'dat ihe town of Zair^ refted a little at faithfully fay what the Whites had to de- i -
'«''V^ the houfe of one of the king's officers, where liver; the manner whereof was; The in-
he was waited upon by three of the king's terpreter rubb'd one hand on the earth fe- •
noblemen to welcome him, and at the lame veral times, and every time carry'd it to
time to complain, he, had not caufed the his forehead and rubb'd it; after which,
fmall arms to be difcharged at his coming he took one of the king's feet in his hands, M^»«fr of
into town, asiscuftomary there to do, up- fpit on the fole thereof, and lick'd it with/""^"""^-
on vifiting any perfon, and much more the his tongue. This formality being ended,
king; which he excufed, alledging his ig- the interpreter turn'd himlelf towards Caf~
norance of that cuftom, as he was a great feneuve, and required him to deliver his er-
ftranger: and added, for further fatisfaftion, rand; which being done, he interpreted it
that he was much afflided at the ill con- to the king in his own tongue. After which, .
^ dition one of his near acquaintance lay in he adjufted the price of flaves ; for a man
aboard the fliip, when he departed from eight pieces, for thofe the prince fhould fell
him; which anfwer feemed to fitisfy them, him ; and but feven and a half for all others
Audience At two in the afternoon he was condudcd had of private perfons : and fix and a half
given by to audience in this manner; the Mangove for a woman, and the king to have the
the king. p]a(-p(^ on his right hand, and behind fame meaiure of merchandize as all other
him a fervant covering his head with an private peopie, which is four fathom to
umbrello held to keep off the fcorching each piece, and each fathom to be fouf-
heat of the fun. They were preceded by foot and a half meafure. This done, the
four noblemen ; the other officers walking king told him he was well pleafed the
in their ranks, behind the Mangove^ with Whites had fettled a fa£lory at Gitaar ; and
many other inferior Blacks : and being come further afilir'd him there were many flaves
near the palace, they halted for a while, be- in his dominion. Cajfeneuve ^rtkntQAhnn
ing told the king was paying his devotions with two fathom of black bafts, and a
to his idols; which being over, they moved, cafe of Jqua-vitfE ; which he recc.'ved very
paffing through two enclofures or courts, gladly, and fell a finging fome verfes in
made after the fifhion of the country, into his language, which he repeated three times
a large one, beyond the two, where were fucceffively ; at each repetitio#the Blacks
above three hundred Blacks fitting on the about him clapping their hands as before,
fandy ground, being either the king's do- to teftify their approbation of his fine per-
mellicks, or the principal inhabitants of the formances. The king caufed Cajfeneuve \.o
town, whom curiofity had brought to fee tafte before him of all the flalks of the
the Whiles. brandy he had prefented him, as is their
The king fat at one end of this fpacious conftant pradice there, when they offer any
court, with his back to the wall, or enclo- liquor, or fell it to one another, to tafte
fure, on a feat raifed about fifteen inches firft themfeives, to prevent any fufpicion of
from the ground, and under his feet an poifon.
antelope's (kin carpet-wife ; he being drefs'd After the audience, he walked out of the
in a long fcarlet cloak, which had been pre- town, with fome of the king's gentlemen,
fented him fome time before by one Mo7t- who ffiew'd him nine or ten roads about
crijfzn EnqJiJJjman^ as was afterwards known: the country, leading to feveral large tov/ns,
his head, legs, and feet bare, with a clout of all plentifully ftor'd with flaves; as alfo
Matombe-hd.\\< about his middle, and belore the high way to the kingdom of CongOy by
him was a lance ftanding in the ground, he which vaft quantities of flaves are yearly
being an old man of a very indifferent mien, conduced to Cab'mde ; and that as loon as
Mr. Caj]eyieuve^z% made to fie down, a- thofe of Congo fliould be inform'd, as it is
bout ten foot diftance oppofite to the king ; not very diftant from Zair\ that the Whites
and by the king flood a woman having by had a factory at Gitaar., they would im-
her a large pot of palm-wine ; and about ten mediately flock to it from many parts v/ith
paces farther were ten or twelve Blacks in their captives, to fave them the fatigue of
a fitting pofture, arm'd with mufl^ets, and a journey to Cabinde^ which lies five and
in the midft of them one with a fcarlet twenty or thirty leagues farther down-
cloak, adorn'd with gold fringe, ftanding wards at the fea-fliore.
there fo richly drefs'd to honour their idols. The twenty-feventh two of the Black fer-
The woman prefented the old king with a vants of the fadory at Gitaar came to Zair,
cup of palm-wine, and every time he drank, and reported that the under-fadlor there,
all the Blacks there prefent clapped their had received an order from Mr. Barbot and
hands, in token of refpeft and veneration. the captain, to leave the fadory, and carry
In the fpace betwixt the king and the all the goods away down to the fliip, which
White., the royal interpreter placed himfelf waited only for their coming, in order to
on his knees, but nearer to the king ; and fail out of Congo-vv/er for Cahinde, where
an oath was adminiftredj that he would they had frefli aflTurances of getting their
, - compliment
A Voyage to
compliment of flaves in a fhort time; which
being reported to the king, he fent two of
his gentlemen to CajJ^neiive^ to know the
truth of the report, which he declin'd toan-
fwer pofitivcly, fearing fome ill confequences,
after the agreement he had juft made with
him the day before, out of fpight or re-
venge : and told them, the under- fidlorwas
a fort of lunatick at certain times, and he
could not rely at all on what he had faid.
About eleven a-clock he waited on the king,
and perfuaded him to give no credit to what
he had been told, about breaking up the
faftory at Gitaar, and after that took his
leave of him in order to repair thither,
taking along with iiim four flaves, viz. a
man, a woman, and two boys, the king
trufted him with, to be paid to his officers
at Ciiaar : but having found many incon-
venient places and waters to pafs through,
as he came up to Zair a-foot, being often
oblig'd to be fet on ibme Blacks iTioulders
to pafs thofe waters, he caufed himfelf to
be carried in a hammock, to the ncareft
landing-place in Z^/zV river, being attended
all the way by three gentlemen on the part
of the king •, and the flaves conduced a-foot,
by fome Black fervants •, who being all come
to the place where the canoes had fet him
afhore at his coming up, they were by the
fame carried down to Gitaar creek, and ar-
riv'd at the fictory about feven in the even-
ing ; where there were but two flaves bought
fince his departure.
As it is the ufual cuflom among Europeans
that buy flaves in Africa, to examine each
limb, to know whether found or not •, the
king of Zair obferving CaJJeneuve thus try-
ing the four flaves he had fold him, burft
out a laughing, as did likewife the great men
that were about him. He afk'd the interpre-
ter what was the occafion of their laughter,
and was anfwer'd, it proceeded from his
fo nicely viewing the poor flaves ; but that
however, the king and his attendants were
fo much aOiamed of it, that he requir'd him,
for decency fake, to do it in a private place:
which fhows thofe Blacks are very modeft".
The under-facftor having fliewn CaJJeneuve
the orders come from on board fhip to break
up the fadory forthwith i they refolved to
execute it that very night, while the Blach
were afleep. Accordingly at midnight they
caufed their goods to be carried out in
fmall parcels, thro' the roof of the houfe,
which was all of a piece, and fupported only
by forked poles, to the pinnace in the creek
and as all this could not be done without
the knowledge of our Black fervants, and
they had alarm'd all the people of Gitaar,
on account of our defign to leave the place ;
and feveral being come to the fadlory, we
appeafed them as well as we could, by tel-
ling them we had no fuch defign as they fuf-
Congo-River. 5*07
pedled, and fo went away each to hisBARBoT.
home and at break of day we had the reft *« =-= 4
Muflcets — ~--™ ^ 2
Coral ftring, - — piece i
, - ■ , ^ J7
And fo proportionably, of the fame fpecies
of goods, for the fees of the officers j as
above faid.
The fourth, we began to fend goods a-
ftiore, to fettle our fadory, paying before-
hand five pieces for the rent of the houfe,
for all the time we might keep it ; and Mr.
Barbot, affifted by two Whites, gave con-
ftant attendance there. Befides the Black
fervants we had hired to affift him, the king
gave us two of his own, and each of the
before-named officers one ; being in all ten
or eleven gromettoes or hired men, to
whom we are to pay one fathom in goods
per week for all of them, to buy their pro-
vifions ; and when we fhall break up the
fadtory, each fervant is to have three pieces
of goods: one of them is to ferve for an
interpreter, and is befides imploy*d to keep
off the mob, from inlulting us. This is
pradifed commonly here, as well as at
Zair,
We
A Voyage to Congo-Riven
II
Goods
in tra
Je
We did not ac3juft a fettled price fof the
fiaves, as is cuftomary at Sonho and Zair^
but bargain'd daily with the owners of
them, as they were brought either aboard
the fhip or the fadory ; fending alfo along
the bay, fome goods in the boat, to trade
with the inhabitants of the adjacent villages:
fo that Mr. Cajfeneuve, who had the care of
the commerce in the bay, and aboard fhip,
bought forty-five flaves, from the feventh
of October ^ to the feventeenth of November.
The twenty-ninth, he was fent to take care
of the fadory, Mr. Barbot being fick •, where
he purchafed to the fixteenth of December^
forty-eight flaves, making in all ninety-
three, VIZ. fixty-five men, fixteen women,
nine boys and three girls, for feven hundred
fevency-one pieces of fundry goods, the
iirft coft whereof upon invoice, amounted
to three hundred feventy-two pounds fix
fhillings fix-pence flerling ; and fo amount-
ed to four pound fterling a head, one with
the other.
ufed The particular goods were, Annabajfes,
brafs bafons, mufkets, powder, black bafts,
Tapfeils, Pintadoes, Gz/i;^^^ ftufFs, paper fle-
fia, Nicanees, knives but a fevv?, fcarlet,
coral, cafes of fpirits, black bays, black
beads, pewter bafons, fpoons of dilto ; of
thefe feven lafl mention'd forts, but very
few.
After this they were oblig'd to give one
piece more for a flave than before, becaufe
the Blacks faw five other Englijh fhips come
one after another, in the fpace of eight or
nine days time, to purchafe flaves and ele-
phants teeth •, and therefore brought no
more flaves to the faftory, but oblig'd us
to give them ten pieces for a man, and nine
for a woman. But by good fortune, we
had then got our compliment within thir-
ty or thirty-five flaves: which we had foon
after, and in all aboard, four hundred fe-
vent^en men, women, boys and girls.
Being fhort of provifions for our flaves,
we bought a hundred bafkets of Indian
wheat, tho' at an exceflive dear rate, viz.
at one piece of our befl forts of goods, brafs
bafons and Annabajfes, of an Englijh captain
Erifordy neceffity having no law •, which we
fetch'd aboard the thirty-firfl of December,
Mr. Cajfeneuve being ill fince the fixteenth
of December y as was Mr Barbot before him,
their journals contain but a very fliort ac-
count of this country and of the trade
there. Vv'hat they obferv'd, may be re-
duc'd to this following account.
For the better underflanding of the mea-
fure ufed here, to value European goods in
trade ; we mufl obferve, that it confifts of
three forts, call'd a piece, a fathom, and a
(tick. The flick is eighteen inches i three
fti.cks are accounted a fathom, and four fa-
thom make what is here call'd a piece.
'ures
The rate of flaves is uncertain, as de-BARBor;
pending on the fcarcity or plenty of them, '-OT*^.
and the number of foreign fhips trading
there together.
We efteem flaves here at a reafonablep^lfg
price, when they are at feven or eight pieces/*'*'^^"
a man, and fix or feven a woman, Indian
piece, as the French flile it.
Many of the Blacks of Cahinde^, who
dwell near the fhore, fpeak fome Englijh^
and are commonly call'd Porladors, being
a fort of brokers to the natives up the in-
land, to whom they repair, when any fhips
are in the bay, and bring merchants down
aboard or to the fadory, and there ufually'
buy and fell for them ; but very often taking
advantage of their not underflanding Eng-
lijh, make them pay a piece, and fometimes
two, above the price they contrad for with
Europeans, which they fetch off after they
are gone home again : for here, as well as at
the Gold Coafi of Guinea, the fadors mufl
in fome manner wink at their knavery, in
order to forward their commerce.
The bay of Calnnde lies very convenient , .
for trade, wooding and watering, on the^^^ ^
fea-fhore •, it is in fome places marfliy ground
and flat, but rifing gradually to about three
Englijh miles up the land, and then forms
it felf into a ridge of hillocks, flretching out
in length ; on the afcent of which is fituated,, ;
the king of Angoy's father's town. This
man, jufl at the foot of thofe hillocks, con-
flantly keeps a flock of wood, in piles rea-
dy cut, to fell to foreign fhips at a reafona=
ble rate, and will get it carry'd to the
beach afterwards, to be fhip'd off.
From thofe wood-piles, to fouth-wefl a-
long the bay, lie feveral flraggling fifhermens
huts, on each fide of a little frefh-water
river, that falls into the fea of the bay.
Thence we fetch'd all our frefh-water, roll-
ing the cafks a-crofs over the beachy point
of the mouth of it, to fill them, and re-
turn'd rhem full the fame way, to fhip off
in our boats at that beach, not far to the
eaflward of the road lying near the fhore.
The fadory flood to the fouth-wefl of
the road, at fome diflance, and north-eafl
from the village Cabinde, which lies on the
round point of the bay, looking to the wefl„
The Blacks fifh here at the beach with
drag-nets, as alfo in the bay j and have
good flore of fifh.
The frefh river is only to be enter'd with
a yaul, carrying a cafk or two, but it muft
be jufl at full flood.
As to the country, in feveral places i£
lies barren, the Blacks being naturally very-
lazy in point of tilling and fowing; tho'
the foil is very good. For which reafon,
provifions are often very fcarce, but fomei
other times, when there are few foreign
fhips in the road, they may be had at rea-
fonable rates.
^12
OYAGE iO
Barbot. They have no cattle except fome hogs^
of a middle fize, which are commonly fold
ac two or three fathom a head but poultry,
efpecially chickens, are plenty enough:
they have alfo parrots to be had for three
or four knives a-piece ; and a monkey for
half a piece, and fometimes for lefs. Mr.
Ca jfeneuve fays, he faw at Cahinde a fort of
baboon, that had been brought down from
above an hundred leagues up the inland
country, which much refembled a human
creature, his head and face being like an
old woman*s. It had long hair on the
back, but none at all on its hands and feet j
and when it cried, it was hard to diftinguifh
the noife from that of a child,
" The kingdom of Angola^ or Dongo, pro-
*' duces many fuch extraordinary apes in
the woods •, they are call'd by the Blacks
^ojas Morrow^ and by the Indians
Orang autang^ that is, fatyrs, or wood-
men. They are alfo found in the country
of the ^ojaSi as I have obferved in the
" defer iption of Guinea, to which I refer
^' for the reprefentation of this animal. I
" fhall only add, that fome of them have
*' been brought over into Europe, and I
have feen one in London, publickly fhow'd
" behind the Royal Exchange % which when
" it drank, lifted up the cover of the cann
with one hand, and afterwards wiped the
" wet from its lips, with a fingular dexte-
rity ; it laid itfelf to fleep,with itsheadon
^' a cuiTiionjand covered the body over with
clothes very decently % and when indif-
a Jhip - -
a gun * ' ^ .
tojleep
a fick perfon
to drink
to eat "] ■
to dance
come hither
nicanees
blue hafts
Hack hafts '
a powder barrel
pintadoes
fcarlet
tapfeils
paper-brawls
coral
Gumca-Jluffs
heads
black bays
a chicken
a hen
a goat
tobacco
a young lad
combe . ■. ■
itende
lala
bele
nova
lea
chyna
cui-fa
fanfefinginbe
boolbonge
bondefiote
pinpafoula
fongeer
fina
mongolabafia
longuemafagne
macolado
tofFo
mefango
bayeta
foufou
furfu
incubu
fumu
muleche
Numbers.
mofe
I
evoua
9
wale
2
coumy
IO
tatou
3
coumy mofe
II
quina >
4
coumy wale
12
tano
e;
coumy tatou
13
fambano
6
coumy quina
14,
fambouale
7
coumy tano
Innana
8
And fo of the reft to twenty, which is
Macoumy-mofe % twenty-one, Macoumy-mofe i
I fubjoin here fome Conghefe words, taken
out of Merolla, for the benefie of tra-
vellers.
pofed, held one hand very handfomely
*« on its forehead, fo that it might have
been taken for a man, and would point twenty-two, Macoumj-wale, ^c.
where hisdiftemper lay j it groaned like
a man, that is troubled with an intolera-
^« bie head-ach: foon after it died there. The
" Blacks in Guinea and Angola fancy, this
*' beaft is of human mixture with an ape j
" 'tis neither fat nor flender, but well fet,
" and proportioned, and very nimble, with
*' black hair on the back, but the ftomach
*' and belly of a white fkin.
" This creature feems to be the very a jloop or fmack
" fatyr of the ancients, written of by glafs-coral
" Pliny, and others, and is faid to fet upon
*' women in the woods; and fometimes upon
armed meno"
For the fatisfaftion of travellers, I have
annexed fome familiar words of the Angoy
language, fpoken 2Lt Cahinde-, and their
numbers, taken out of the faid journals,
hays fire
houp^ r,-j : umfo i
White mondelle
a Black , fiote ; .
a knife bele '■ ;
a woman . ■ . inquinte
a cutlace • ' bele tanfe '
amujket ■ tabonpoute
the earth
the fire
the water
a mother
a fon or daughter
a flajk
a wooden platter
a pot, or pipkin
a governor
a garment
a man
all forts of flejh or fijh
a cloth girt about
the waijt
eating
mill t-fl'wer
a wild-cow
}
toto
tubia
mafa
eguandi
muana
fomacca
mifangas
moringo
malonga
chinfu
mafucca
modello
accala
dongo
eutaga
guria
fuba
impamguazzc
On rhe firft day of January, Cnjfenewve s
journal cakes notice of their failing out of
Cabinds
A Voyage te Congo-RiVir.
1 1
't^ibinde bay, in the morhing, in order td»
proceed to Jamaica, and towards night, had
got the bay at fouth-eaft by fouth, about
five leagues diftant •, himfelf, the fuper-
cargo, Mr. Barhot^ the captain, and the
firft mate, with feveral of their men being
fick, and having buried here and at fea^ fix
of their crew and the third mate the air of
CaUnde being very unwholefome : which
gave an opportunity to the flaves aboard Eo
revolt on the fifth, as follows.
About one in the afternoon, after dinner^
we according to cuftom caufed them, one
by one, to go down between decks, to have
each his pint of water moftof them v/ere
yet above deck, many of them provided
with knives, which we had indifereetly given
them two or three days before, as not fuf-
pefling the leaft attempt of this nature from
them ; others had pieces of iron they had
torn off from our fore-caftle door, as having
slaves premeditated a revolt,and feeing all the fliip's
revolt. company, at beft but weak and many quite
fick J they had alfo broken off the fhackles
from feveral of their companions feetj which
ferved them, as well as billets they had provi-
ded themfelveswith, and all other things they
could lay hands on, which they imagin'd
rhight be of ufe for their enterprize. Thus
arm*d, they fell in crouds and parcels on
our men, upon the deck unawares, and
llabb'd one of the ftouteft of us all, who
receiv'd fourteen or fifteen wounds of their
knives, and fo expir'd. Next they affaulted
our boatfwain, and cut one of his legs fo
round the bone, that he could not move,
the nerves being cut through % others cut
our cook's throat to the pipe, and others
wounded three of the failors^ and threw one
of them over-board in that condition, from
the fore-caflle into the fea ; who, however,
by good providence, got hold of the bowlin
of the fore-fail, and fav'd himfelf, along
the lower wale of the quarter-deck, where j
(fays Cajfeneuve) we ftood in arms, firing
on the revolted flaves, of whom we kill'd
fome, and wounded many t which fo ter-
rify'd the reft, that they gave way, difper-
fmg themfelves fome one way and fome a-
nother between decks, and under the fore-
caftle ; and many of the moft mutinous,
leapt over board, and drown'd themfelves
in the ocean with much refolution, fhewing
no manner of concern for life. Thus we
loft twenty feven or twenty eight flaves,
either kill'd by us, or drownM ; and having
mafter'd them, caufed all to go betwixt
decks, giving them good words. The next
day we had them all again upon deck, where
they unanimoufly declar'd, the Menhomhe
flaves had been the contrivers of the mutiny,
and for an example we caufed about thirty
of the ringleaders to be very feverely
Vol. V*
whipt by all our men that were capable Barbot.
of doing that office. v^y^
I ftiall conclude the abftrad of the journalsj
of the voyage to Congo and Cahinde, with :
fome particular obfervations, on the nature
of the merchandize then of moft demand
at Cabinde, at the latter end of the year ■
1700, and of the cuftom of meafuring and
accounting them after the manner of the
Blacks there •, which I found noted in Mr.
Barhofs pocket-book, fent home to London.,
with his trunks from Barbadoes^ after his de-
ceafe there.
Blue-bafts, apiece cohtaining fix yards, gW^^*-
and of a deep, almoft black colour; and is '^''''''^ ^"-^
meafur'd either with a ftickof twenty feven'^"'"^^'''''
inches, of which eight fticks make a piece %
Or by a lefler ftick, of eighteen inches long,
twelve of which are accounted a piece,
Guinea ftuffs, two pieces make a piece.
Tap feils, have the fame meafure as blue=
baftSi
Nicanees, the fame meafure.
Black-bays, two yards and a half for a
piece, meafured by five fticks of eighteen
inches each.
Annahajfes, ten to the piece.
Painted callicoes, fix yards to a piece.
Blue-paper Slefia, one piece, for the piecei
Scarlet, one ftick of eighteen inches, or
half a yard, is accounted a piece. : .
Mulkets, one for a piece.
Powder, the barrel or rundlet of feveii
pounds goes for a piece,
Brafs-bafons, ten to the piece : we carry
thither the largeft*
Pewter-bafons, of four, three, two, and
one pound, the N°. 4, goes four to the piece j
and thofe of one pound, eight to a piece.
Blue-perpetuanas are become but of late
in great demand ; they are meafured as
blue bafts, fix yards making the piece.
Dutch cutlaces are the moft valued be-
caufe they have two edges ; two fuch go
for a piece*
Coral, the biggeft and largeft is much
more acceptable here, than fmall coral,
which the Blach value fo little, that they
will hardly look on it ufually one ounce
and a half is computed apiece.
Knives, with horn hafts, the blade very
broad and long, twenty four to a piece.
Memorandum : A whole piece of blue=
bafts contains commonly eighteen yards
and a half j however fome are fliorter^ others
exceed.
Pintadoes commonly contain nine or
nine yards and a half the piece.
Tapfeils^ the piece ufually holds fifteen
yards.
Nicanees, the piece is nine or nine yards
and a half long.
Thus far the journals, .7 vj.
6 P : , c'i
14
A Voyage to Congo-River.
Barbot, To conclude the defcriptioii of the king-
^"•'"V^ dom of CongOy I will add fomething con-
cerning the province of Pombo, and the
neighbouring nations,becaufe of the trade the
Portuguefe and Blacks have in thofe countries.
^HIS country lies above an hundred leagues
* from the fea-coaft. Some divide Pombo
into feveral kingdoms ; extending as far as a
great lake, between both the feas but the
certain fituation of this lake is altogether
unknown, as having never been feen by
any White : only the Portuguefe tell us, that
a certain Kaffe of Mofambiquei'who travelled
s-erofs the main land from Safola to Angola,
paffed by it.
Both the Portuguefe and Blacks who live
in hoango, Cdngo^ and Loanda S. Paolo, drive
a great trade here, by their fervants and
flaves, fent with merchandize •, who for
flaves, elephant's teeth, and Panos-Limpos,
give Canary, Malaga, and Madera wines,
great fimbos, boxes, and other commodities,
which they carry to inland-markets, by the
natives call'd ^ilomba, and the market-
places Pompo, . .
Thefe fervants, call'd Pombeiros, ha.ve
other flaves under them, fometimes a hun-
dred, or a hundred and fifty, who carry the
commodities on their heads up into the
country, as has been before related.
Sometimes thofe Pombeiros ftay out a
whole year, and then bring back with them
four, five, and fix hundred new flaves.
Some of the faithfulleft remain often there,
fending what flaves they buy to their mafl:ers,
who return them other commodities to trade
with a-new.
The Whites are neceflltated to drive their
trade after this manner, becaufe it is im-
poflible for them to go, by reafon of the
badnefs of the ways ; and to undergo fo
great hunger and trouble as attends that
journey, befides the unwholefomenefs of
the air, which caufes extraordinary fwellings
in the heads of the Whites.
Their journey from the fea-coafl: of Lo-
ango and Loanda San Paolo to Pomho, is
very toilfome to th^ Blacks themfelves, be-
caufe there are many rivers, which fome-
times, after the rain, grow fo deep j but
they prevent the other hazards often arifing
from the barbarous Jagos.
This province is fubjed: to the great Ma-
koko, beyond Congo, above two hundred
leagues j or, as others fay, two hundred and
fifty from Loavgo and Congo, lying north-
ward of the Zair, The inhabitants bear one
general name of Mo«/o/i?j, or Metic as, being
men-eaters, like the Jagos^ or rather them-
felves the right Jagos.
In Monfol\% kept a great market of flaves,
whither the Portuguefe of Loango fend their
Pombeiros with merchandize, who fome-
times tarry out two years ; when at laft,
having bought fome flaves, elephant's teeth,
and copper, they make the new-boughc
flaves carry all on their heads to Loango : (a
that they are at no charges to bring their
biggeft teeth or copper out of the country.
The treafure and riches of the great prince
of Makoko, confifts chiefly in flaves, Simbos
of Loanda, Boejies, or Cauris of the Eaft'^
Indies, and fome cloths things with the
Whites of a fmall value, but by them e-
fteem'd above the beft gold or filver.
North-eafbof Makoko lies the principality
of Giribuma, or Giringbomha,ihe king where-
of, who is very powerful, holds as his tri-
butaries fifteen other great lords ■, but
maintains a firm alliance with the great
Makoko.
The kingdom of Fungeno lies on the rivers
Zair and Coango, eaftward of Conde or
Po7nbo d'Okango : there the Psr/^^g^^y^- trade
for fluffs and bark, as I have obferv'd here-
tofore. This country of Fungeno has on
the fouth the Meticas and Jagos, a very
brutilh favage people; and on the north the
kingdom of Macoco, or Anzico, with the
marqui fates of Cama and Cuno-pango.
The Portuguefe trade here for a few flaves,
chiefly with a fort of fmall clouts, made of
the bark of the Matombe-irte, drawn out
long-ways.
Thofe clouts the Portuguefe always ufe at
Loanda, inftead of money ; and every thing
may be had in the markets for them nor
do the Portuguefe make a fmall gain of them.
They extend their trade yet farther to
the kingdom of Monimugo, by others call'd
Nimeamaye, whofe jurifdiftion extends to
the borders of the kingdoms of Mombafa,
^iloa, Sofala, &c. That country of Ni~
meamaye abounds in gold, filver, copper,
and elephants. The inhabitants are faid to
be white-lkin'd, and of bigger ftature than
the Europeans ; go naked on the upper part
of their bodies, but over their nether parts
wear filk or cotton. The correfted obfer-
vations of meffieurs of the royal focieties of
London and Paris, name this kingdom Ni-
meamalle, or Mono-etnugi ; the inhabitants
whereof live in tents by hords, difpers'd
and wandering abouf from place to place,
like Arabs : and it is probable enough
they are for the moft part of Arabiek
defcent, by their being of a whitifh com-
plexion.
The dukedom of Amhuila or Amhoille,
north-eaft by eafl: of Loanda de S. Paolo in
Angola, feveral days journey, holds in
fubjedion above fifteen dominions, whereof
the five chiefefl: are Matuy Nungo Pingue,
Hoiquyanhole, Ambuile,, and Loanda, ths
other not named.
This country affbrds many flaves, and the
trade driven there, is in Pombo. ■ < s
It
A Voyage to
It has many pleafant fields, trees, and
fruits, and abounds in cattle, as goats,
fheep, hogs and cows : it was never fubjedl
to Congo^ but vies with it for wealth and
magnitude.
The kingdom of Angola or Dongo.
Its name. HIS country, by the Portuguefe call'd
Angola^ lies between the rivers Danda
and Coanfa ; the name of Angola belongs not
properly to the land, but is the title of the
■ prince, wlio alTum'd and continues it from
the firft king thereof, who fell off" from
Congo, to whom it belong'd by right of in-
heritance : the right name being Dongo, tho'
formerly, and ftill by fome call'd Ambonde,
and the inhabitants Ambondes.
Extent. It ftretches along the fea-coaft about fif-
teen leagues, but runs about an hundred up
into the country eaftward. Jarik borders
it on the north with the kingdom of Congo \
in the fouth with that of Mataman ; in the
eaft with Mayemba or Malemba ; and in the
weft with the fea, near Cowes-hay i but
makes it extend thirty-five leagues along
the fea.
Rivers. It is water'd by divers rivers, as the Co-
anfa., the Lukala, and the Kalukala.
The river Coanfa is in nine degrees twenty
minutes of fouth latitude ; four miles and a
half from Sleeper's-h.avtn to the fouthward ;
or fix miles from cape Palmarinko, and five
to the northward of Cabo Ledo ; has an un-
certain original, for no Whites have ever been
fo far as its fprings.
The moft correfl geographers of this
age extend this river from the fea- fide, to
twenty-nine degrees of eaft longitude of
London meridian, in the country of the Zm-
has., which they fay are reported to be the
fame as thofe call'd the Gallas, bordering
at fouth on the kingdom of Nitneamalle or
Mono-emugi. This kingdom reaches eaft-
ward to the country of Melinda ; the coaft
whereof is wafti'd by the Indian or eaftern
ocean, and belongs to the Portuguefe.
It hath been liken'd to the river of St.
Lucar in Spain, being at the entrance about
half a league wide ; and at the north fide
deepeft to come in with ftiips. It has but
twelve foot in depth at high water, ebbing
and flowing about four foot ; but within
they find water enough, yet navigable no
higher than the village Kamkamba^ by reafon
of the ftrong water-falls.
It runs from eaft to weft, very full
of windings-, by reafon whereof, from the
mouth to Motahoama or Muchijna, is thirty
leagues failing, whereas the diredl way is
but twenty. In failing by it, the opening
can hardly be feen at fea, becaufe of a
black and woody ifland, lying right before
It. About a hundred and fixty-five leagues
up in this river, are the two iflands of
Coiigo»Riyer. ^i^
tonga, where is a garrifon of Blacks, in Barbot.
twenty three degrees eaft longitude of the ""^"V^
meridian of London.
There are feveral other iflands within \i;ipncls.
for about nine miles up it divides into two
branches, which form an ifland about four
miles long, and half a mile broad, call'd T^^*^ of
Majfander or Maffandera. derf^"^"
This ifland produces many forts of fruits,
efpecially the Mandioca, which planted
there, grows extraordinary thick ; great
quantities of wheat and millet, three
times a year ; befides palm-trees, and fruit
call'd Guajavas.
Ten or twelve miles above this lies ano- Motihia-
ther, call'd Motihiama, three miles long,
and half a mile broad, very low ground,
excepting two mountains, befet with all
forts of plants and herbs, and feeding many
goats, fheep, hogs and hens.
Some years ago five or fix families of
Portuguefe lived there, who had many flaves,
and maintain'd themfelves chiefly with Man-
dioca.
Lukala or Luiola river comes from Am- Luka'a
boille, having its head near the rife of the''^""'^'"'
river Panda ; and running fouth-weftward,
till about fix and twenty miles from the fea,
it joins the Coanfa, and fo lofes its name.
The fmall river Kalukala runs a-crofs the Kalukak.
territory of Illamba, with fuch extraordinary
windings and meanders, that there is fcarce
one of the two and forty dominions, into
which this kingdom is divided, that lie
above an hour's walk from it.
Some lakes appear at the points of the
Coanfa or Bengo, the chiefeft whereof are in
the lordftiips of ^uhailo, Angolof?ie, and
Chame.
Angola contains feveral inferior territories
or lordfhips, as Loanda, Sinfo, Illamba, L
kollo, Enfaka, Maffngan, Embakka, Kalam-
ba, each of which comprehends feveral little . • , ,
provinces, govern'd by particular Jovaffens
or rulers, viz. Loanda contains thirty nine ;
Illambas forty two , Ikollo and Enfaka divers,
but uncertain ; Maffingan twelve, which
fome bring under lllamba ; Kamkamba fixty
and Embakka fixty.
The Portuguefe, who have liv'd a long
time in Angola, divide it only into fix parts,
viz. Enbaca, Enfaca, lllamba, Libolo, Lom-
bo, and ^ifarna.
In Loanda ftands the city Loanda de S. Loanda
Paolo, on the rifing of a hill by the fea-"')' •
coaft : on the north fide of it appears ano-
ther mountain, call'd Mora de San Paolo, .y
fomewhat higher than that of the city, and
fo fteep that it is difficult to climb ; yet on
the fide thereof the jefuits have built a
monaftery, about which are three or four
houfes.
This city was built by the Portuguefe in
the year 1578, when Paul Dias de Nevaiz
was
^Voyage tt
BARBoT.was fenC thither to be their firft governor
^'^'V^ in that country.
The city takes up a great compafs of
ground, containing many fair houfes,
churches and monafteries ; but neither wali'd
nor fortified, only fome forts are raifed near
the water-fide, for the fecuring the haven„
churches. Before it was taken by the Dutch., in the
year 1 64 1 , the Portuguefe had fix churches
there ; two greater, the one call'd Santa,
Maria da Conception, and the other Corpo
Santo \ and four iefifer, one for the jefuits,
call'd Santo Antonio % one for the Blacks^
ftiled San Gofce ; one for the Francifcans ;
and an alms-houfe, with a church, entitled
Miferkordia. Over this alms-houfe, befides
the lodgings for the poor, are twenty four
chambers, for the governor and other offi-
cers, viz. a fleward, a do6lor, a barber, an
apothecary, ^c.
This houfe has fome revenue in finds,
which being but fmall, has been augmented
by a rate upon fhips, payable to the trea-
furers thereof
Sinfo ^'"fi country north of Loanda., up
country, the river Bengo.
Illamba. lUamba., or Elvama, is a large traft of
land, above an hundred miles in length, be-
ginning fouth-eafl, and eafl fouth-eaft, from
the territory of Ikollo., and ftrctching from
the river Bengo to Coanfa ; and from Kalumba
to Maffinga., flill growing wider the farther
up and every where fo well peopled, that
at every two or three miles diflance there
is a village % which proceeds from the na'
tives diftinguifliing themfelves from each
other by peculiar marks : fo that the whole
is divided into forty-two difhricts or domi-
nions, wherein may be raifed ten or twelve
thoufand fighting men^ arm'd with bows and
arrows ; the bows made of the branches of the
tree Ejnhotta., being very ftrong and tough,
Souaflen. The Souajfen Blacks keep the boundaries
of their territories fo exadly, that never
any complaint is heard of one wronging
or incroaching upon another, unlefs it be
in open wars ; and then the conqueror be-
comes wholly mafter of his enemy's country.
This province has neither artificial forts,
or natural faftneffes of woods, for defence
againfi: enemies fome little groves there
are on hills, but inconfiderablc) and fcarce
worth mentioning: yet they cannot eafily
■ i - be conquer'd, becaufe they are fo dexterous
at fhooting their arrows, either lying on
the ground or kneeling.
Ikollo. From Illamba north-weft, and wefl north-
weft, lies Ikollo.
Enfaka. Enfaka begins fix or feven miles eaft of
Loanda., and lies between the two rivers,
Coanfa and Bengo. It is but a fmall jurif-
di6lion, and may be travelled through in
half a day^
Here in fome few places the inhabitants
till their ground.
Two or three miles up the country, ori
the hill ftands a wood, enclofed about with
bufties and thorns, to the great accommoda-
tion and ftrengthening of the whole : for if
the inhabitants (hould retirie thither, it were
impofilble to force them out. fave only for
want of water.
Nine miles to the eaftward of, and above Mafllngar
the ifiand Motchiama^ in the province of"^-^'
Mijfmgan or Majfagan, ftands a fmall town
of the fame name, where the Portuguefe
have a fort, between the Coanfa and the
Sunda ; the laft of which fhuts it up on the
north, as the former does on the fouth :
and about two leagues from, thence, inter-
mingle their ftreams ; from which conjunc-
tion, the town derives its name of Mojfin-
gan, fignifying a mixture of waters. Ic
was at firft an open, but pretty large village,
and fince augmented with many fair ftone
houfes, whereby at length it is become a
city. The firft Portuguefe governor of An-
gola, in the year 1578 ^ by command of his
mafter, built this city of Loanda de San
Paolo, as alfo the fort there^ when by the
help of the Conghefe he warr'd againfi the
king of Angola in the country : and it is
now inhabited by many families of Portu-
guefe, befides Mulattoes and Blacks.
Kamkaviba borders upon Coanfa, where is
a village of the fame denomination, twelve
days journey from the fea-fide. This is
the Portuguefe boundary, beyond which they
claim no intereft.
This country of Angola or Dongo, is ren-
der'd very fertile by the induftry of the Por-
tuguefe, in cultivating it conftantly, for the
Blacks are of a very lazy idle temper, fo
that the lands of Loanda, which were
barren, are now very fruitful in moft forts
of plants, efpecially Mandioca, of which
they make bread •, having many large plan-
tations, with mills and v/ork-houfes, ferv'd
by a good number of flaves to work if,
which turns to good profit to their mafters.
They have alfo plentifully ftored the
banks of the river Calucala, with delicate f''"''''^
orange, lemon and pomgranate trees, and
vines ; befides Guajavas, pears, dates, Gegos,
Ananaffes, and fugar-canes, the extraft
brown, yet better than thofe of St. Thomas
to bake fugar-loaves : Maleguette or Guinea
pepper; Benies, a fruit refembling coriander,
and being dry'd turns black, little differing
in tafte from India pepper, but not fo hot :
Tamarinds, potatoes, coco-nuts, fome of
the leflTer fize, of the fame fort and nature a-
gainft poifon, as thofe of the Maldivy iflands
between Madagafcar and cape Kornoni in
India ; and therefore call'd by the Portuguefe^
Com de Moleva, They have alfo fmall and
V;.M t^^ ; : .M- rV ).77 s;i:i :./!;: ,-:; 'a ^nj S^eat
A Voir AGE to
^reat millet, whereof they make bread :
chefnut-colour beans, called Enkoffuy and
bananas. Both garden and field-fruit grow
here with little labour, viz. turnips, ra-
difhes, cabbages, but more open than thofe
with us •, coUiflowers, carrots, purflainj
fpinage, fage, hylTop, thyme, fweet-mar-
joram, coriander-feed, and the like, Be-
fides gum-maftich, which diftils from a
tree, and fmells like gum-elemi, being a
wholefome medicine for colds and bruifes j
and from a certain plant they extract aloes,
as good as that of Soccotara^ near the Red-
fea.
The woods breed almoft the fame beafts
as in Congo-, viz, tygers, leopards, lions, red
buftalos, bears, wolves, foxes ; very great
wild cats, and cat-a-mountains •, the bead
Makoko^ Empalanga^ civet-cats, rhinocerots,
wild-bears, and cameleons : befides
cattle for provifion, as fheep, goats, hogs,
and the like.
The land and houfes are rriuch infefted
with poifonous vermin, fcorpions,milIepedes,
otters, and ferpents ; among which, one by
the Blacks call'd Emhamma^ has a mouth
wide enough tofwallow a whole buck, lying
in the ways like a dead trunk of a tree :,
but falls upon beafts or men, as they pafs
by 4 Another fort of poifonous ferpent
breeds there, whofe back-bone they wear
about their necks, as an infallible remedy
againftthe king's evil.
tifh. The rivers Coanfa^ Lukala^ and Bengo^
yield great plenty of excellent fifh ; among
which, great crabs. And the fea affords al-
moft infinite forts, particularly Pergomu-
latos^ which the Portuguefe call Pellados, al-
moft like a roach ; Efquilones, ^ikouJJeSy
Kujfones, Syopost Dorados^ Bonitos^ Albaco-
Pergos de Morochermes^ Roukadores-,
Korvines ; as alfo mackarel, and fucking-
fifli, in vaft quantity, befides oifters and
mufcles*
The lakes alfo breed feveral creatures,
efpecially thofe of Angola, ^ihite, and An=
golm^ in the province of Majfingan ; where,
hisrmaid, among others, is taken a filh, by the inha-
bitants calrd Amhifangalo, and Pefiengoni\
by the Portuguefe, Peixe Mother^ or woman-
fifli ; by the French Syrette, and by the
EngliJhihtn\Qxmz\<\; both male and female,
fome eight foot long, with fiiort arms, and
hands, and long fingers, which they cannot
clofe together, becaufe of a fkin growing
between them, as is in the feet of ducks
and geefe. They feed upon grafs on the
fides of lakes and rivers, and only hold their
heads out of the water. Their heads and
eyes are oval, the forehead high, the nofe
flat, and the mouth wide, without any chin
or ears. The males have genitals like horfes,
and the females two ftrutting breafts ; but
in the water there is no diftinguiniing the
Congo-Rivet ^17
one from the other, being both of a darkBARBor.
grey. They do no harm, nor go aftiore^
The flefh of the upper part of their body
taftes like pork, the lower part is fome-
what leaner, but all reckon'd good food by
the natives, efpecially broil'd. They take
them in nets, and then kill them with harp-
ing-irons. In their heads are certain little
bones, which beaten fmall and taken in
wine, are faid to be an excellent remedy
againft the gravel in the reins or bladder,
but thofe of the males the beft. Of the
ribs they make bracelets in Angola, and
rtckon them to have a virtue to ftop bleed-
ing, efpecially thofe of the left rib next the
heart.
Merolla fays, the river Zair has plenty of
theie monftrous fifties or mermaids, refem-
bling a woman upwards, but the lower part
like a fifti, ending in a forked tail. It is
beft caught in rainy weather, becaufe the
water being then difturb'd, it cannot per-
ceive the fiftiermenj who commonly go in
canoes, paddling very foftly towards the
place they perceive them to lie in, by the
motion of the water, and fo ftrike them with
fpears ; and when hurt, they are faid to give
a cry like a human voice. If not very well
ftruck, they will often get away, efpecially if
the fiiherman be in a very fmall canoe, when
he is obliged to let them go with the ja-
velin fticking in them.
In the hiftory of Denmark, we have an
account of fome fuch creatures feen in the
fea about Greenland, both males and fe-
males, the male in the Norwegian tongue
call'd Hajlramb, a man-fifli, appearing fuch
to the waift •, being like a man in the eyes,
nofe, head, broad ftioulders and armSj but
without hands, and tranfparent as ice, never
rifing out of the water above the middle.
The female, call'd in the fame language
Margugwer, like a woman, with large
breafts, long hair, arms, and fingers join'd
with fkins, like the feet of a goofe ; they
catch fifh with thefe hands. The Danes
fuperllitioufly fancy they are the forerunners
of ftorms, and that if they appear with their
back to a fliip, it will inevitably perifli j
but if the face be to the veftel, it will efcape.
A fea-monfter, like a man, was feen at
Martinico, in the year 1671, as I fhall ob-
ferve hereafter in the defcription of that
ifland.
Navarre fpeaks of this fifti in India^ and
at Manila, and takes notice of the ftrange
virtue there is in its bones to ftop bleedings
efpecially the rump-bone, but even the
teeth partake of it.
Thefe creatures are alfo caught about
Sofala on the eaft coaft of Africa, and being •
faked J prove good food at fea, if quickly
fpent} butif kept ftale, grow rank, and are
dangerous iJieas for thofe who have foul
6 Q difeaffes^
^ Voyage to Congo-Riven
com.
BARBoT.difeafes, as the pox, or fuch like in their
v-nr^ limbs.
In thefe lakes alfo breed great numbers of
fea-horfes, crocodiles, and many other am-
phibious animals.
mtlves. In every dominion of Angola there are
four forts of people the firft noble-men or
Mokatas % the fecond cali'd children of the
dominion, being natives \ for the moft part
artificers or hufbandmen : the third ^nfikoSi
or fiaves, and fo appropriated to the lord,
as his other goods, and inheritable like
them: the fourth MoM^?;, being alfo fiaves
of the Souajfen^ gotten by war, or other-
wife.
Their clothing comes very near to that of
Congo, the ornaments of their necks and
arms, round glafs beads, they call Anzalos.
The Angolijh tongue differs from that of
Congo only in the pronunciation, yet that
makes it found like another language.
A woman, as long as her child has no
teeth, keeps from her husband butasfoon
as it has any,all the friends and acquaintance,
both men and women, carry it in their arms
from houfe to houfe, playing and finging,
to receive a gift for it, and feldom or never
are put off with a denial
Clmts for Inftead of money they ufe, as at Loanda^
the fmall cloths, calPd Libonges, and Panof-
fambos, above fpoken of. Of thefe fome
are fingle mark'd, with the arms of Por-
tugal, others double mark'd, and fome un-
marked. The fingle-mark*d cloths, or four
unmark'd tied together, go for a. Tejlon, or
eight pence, and one alone for two-pence j
but every double-mark'd cloth is worth
ten or eleven.
None of the Poriugitefe may bring thefe
cloths into Loanda, but only the factor of
the merchant who dwells at Lishon,znd is fent
thither to buy them up, whereof he makes
no fmall gain.
From Benin they bring hither blue cotton
cloths, by them cali'd Moupomqua, but by
the Portuguefe, Panos do regatta de Berre 5
they are five cloths together, and a yard
and a half, or two yards broad. There is
another fort in Portuguefe cali'd Panos de
Komma de Figura, blue and fome white,
mingled with figures, about fix or feven
yards long, and above a yard broad. Of
thefe forts the Portuguefe vend great quan-
tities, and at high prices in Congo^ Amboilk^
the kingdom of Gingo, and other places-
The like fmall cloths are brought from
the ifland St. Tome^ but the dye is not fo
good, and the fluff coarfer, Thefe they
exchange for flaves, to fend into Portugal
They have two forts of 5m^w,which ferve
in lieu of money, vix. pure Simbos^ taken
under the ifland of Loanda^ and ufed for
trade in Punto ; and impure, or Braziles,
brought from Kio de Janeiro^ and ufed in
Eongo and Plnda^ and in the countries of
Anna Xinga, beyond Majfignan j and among
the Jagos,
The Simhos of Loanda are alfo of two
forts, a finer and a coarfer, feparated by
fifting the latter they name Simboi-Sifados,
the other Fonda and Bomba : both thefe they
fend to Congo.) and are carried thither on the
heads of Blacks in facks made of ftraw, every
fack weighing two Arrobas,lh^l is, fixty four
pounds.
The Simbos of the other coafts of Congo
are the lelTer forts: all things are bought in
Congo with thofe fhells, even gold, filver,
and provifions •, and the ufe of coin, either
of gold or any other metal, is fupprefled and
forbid in all Congo, as it is in fome other
parts of Africa.
They ufe alfo in Loanda inftead of money
the red Takoel wood of Mayumba, and Pao
de Kikongo, brought from Benguella, and cut
into pieces about a foot long, of a fct value,
which every one knows.
It will feem ftrange to Europeans to hear,
that the people of Loanda, Congo, and
Angola fliould ufe fhells, pieces of wood,
and bits of cloth inftead of money ; but
we read of feveral other nations, which have
not valued gold and filver as we do, or at
leaft made other things to ferve inftead of
coin, to buy and fell.
In Peru, where the greateft plenty of gold
and filver has been found, thofe metals
were never ufed as money by the natives.
In feveral parts of Africa, befides thofe several
here mention'd, fhells of other forts pafs {^^"^^
current, as the Cauris and Bouges do at ^"■^^^'^
Ardra and Fida. In other parts, and par-
ticularly in Majfa, and the adjacent parts,
iron is the coin, the fmalleft pieces weigh-
ing about an ounce. At Melinde they have
little glafs balls brought them from Catn-
baia. In Calhay,vfc are told,a fort of ftamp'd
paper pafTes for money. In Ethiopia, and
other parts, cakes of fait. In Pegu every
man ftamps lead and copper, gold and filver
being look'd upon as merchandize. In Ben-
gala there is no other coin, but a fort of
fmall almonds : as in New Spain the coco-
nuts were the current coin ; and in feveral
parts of the Eaft-Indies, pepper, and coco-
nuts.
The chiefeft trade of the Portuguefe and j.^^^^
other Whites confifts in flaves, carried thence jiiives. .
to feveral ports in the Weft-Indies, to work
at the fugar-mills, and in the mines, the Eu-
ropeans not being fufHcient for that labour ;
and no men can do it fo well as thefe An-
golans for a time : and thus it is at the ex-
pence of the lives of thefe poor wretches,
that we draw fuch vaft wealth from A-
jnerica. It is affirm*d, that when the S^a-
niards were matters of Portugal, they tranf-
ported every year fifteen thoufand fl.ives
out
E
out of Angola^ into the hew world. And
the Portuguefe rtill tranfport a very great
number.
All thofe flaves the Pormguefe caufe to be
bought, by their Pomberroes, a hundred
and fifty or two hundred leagues up the
country, whence they bring them down to
the fea-coaft i have but little food by the
way, and lie on the bare ground every
night in the open air, without any coverings
which makes them grow poor and faint.
But the Portuguefe at Loanda, before they
Pq^j,j. are fhip'd off, put them into a great houfe
guefe take which they have built there for that purpofe^
care of and give them their fill of meat and drink,
fl"''""' as alfo palm-oil to refrefh and anoint them^
felves with. But if it happens that there
are no fhips ready, or that they have not
flaves enough to fend away, then they ufe
them for tilling the ground, and to plant
or cut Mandioca but at laft when they
put them on board, they take great care to
preferve them from ficknefs, and that they
may come fafe and found to their intended
ports, they provide medicines, efpecially le-
mons and white lead to ufe againft the
worms 5 and if by chance any fall fick, they
feparate thofe from the reft, and lay them
alone to be cur'd, where they are well pro-
vided for, with warm diet* In the fhips
they have mats to lie on, of which they
take great ftore with them, efpecially when
they go over to the Weft-Indies, to give
every ten or twelve days a frefh mat. But
the Hollanders and other Europeans take
no fuch care in tranfporting their flaves to
America^ but fhip them poor and fiinr,
without any mats, or other necefiaries,
which occafions many of them to die at fea^
The Portuguefe alfo caufe the flaves they
fhip oif to be baptiz'd, it being forbid un-
der pain of excommunication to carry any
to Brazil^ that are not chriftenedo How-
ever, it is pitiful to fee how they croud thofe
poor wretches, fix hundred and fifty or fe~
ven hundred in a fhip, the men {landing in
the hold ty'd to ftakes, the women between
decks, and thofe that are with child in the
great cabbin, and the children in the
fteeridge, which in that hot climate occa-
fions an intolerable ftench.
The voyage is generally perform'd in
thirty or thirty-five days, the trade-wind
carrying them, fo that they fail over in a
line but fome times they are becalm'd,
and then the paiTage is longer.
The Portuguefe deal for flaves at Kamkam •
ha, but not fo much as in Majfngan and Em-
hakkoi for there, when the adjacent Blacks
want any merchandize, they bring their
flaves to the Portuguefe colonies for ex-
change.
The commodities which the Portuguefe
and other Europeans carry thitherj are i
[vej
Cloths with red liils ; great ticking wlthBARBor.
long flripes, and fine wrought red kerfeys, U^^V^
Silefa and other fine linnen, fine velvet, ^""f^J'"'
fmall and great gold and filver laces, broad "
black bays, lurkijh tapiftry or carpets,
white and all forts of colour'd yarn, blue
and black beads, flitching and fowing filk, ^
Canary ys'ines, brandy, linfeed-oil, feamens
knives, all forts of fpices, white fugar, and
many other commodities and trifles, as
great fifh-hooks, pins a finger long, ordi-
nary pins, needles, and great and fmall
hawks-bells.
The Englifh compofe their cargoes gene-
rally, of brafs bafons, Annabajfes, blue
bafts, paper brawls, Guinea fluffs, mufkets,
powder, Nicanees, tapfeils, fcarlet, paper
flefia's, coral, bays, wrought pewter, beads,
Pmtadoes, knives, fpirits, &c. With an
aflbrtment of thefe fundry goods, amount-
ing to about fourteen hundred pounds fieri-
ing, it may be reafonably expefted to get
about three hundred flaves or more ; which
bring them to near the rate of five pounds
a head.
All forts of haberdafhery, filks, linnen
fhirts, hats, fhoes, (^c. wrought pewter
plates, diihes, porringers, fpoons, of each
a little afTortment, are alfo very profitably
vended among the Portuguefe.
The government of Loanda, and the reft Qovefn-
of Angola, fubje6l to the king of Portugal, ment.
is in the governor, two Veadores or in-
fpedlors, one Ovidor or chief juflice, for
matters criminal, and two other judges
call'd Juifes, with a fecretary.
The king of Portugal has great revenues Revenue.
from Angola, partly by the yearly tributes
of the Souaffen, and partly by the cuftoms
and taxes, fet upon exported and imported
goods and flaves. This latter revenue is
farm'd at Lijhon by one or more, who keep
their faflor at Loanda, and he has to at-
tend him, a fecretary, two notaries, and
two Pofteiros or door-keepers.
The Souajfen governors of ?A\ tht itvvito- SubjeBkn
ries which the Portuguefe hold in Angola, "f.^^^
by force of arms, are bound to pay a tri-
bute of flaves to them yearly, and to do
them other fervices under the title of vafTals.
And the Portuguefe governor of Loanda
farms the tributes of the Souajfen to fome
of their own nation, who are not content
with what was the fettled revenue of flaves,
but often take more ; which makes the na-
tives bear them a mortal hatred.
The Souajfen are alfo bound to appoint
carriers for the Portuguefe, When they travel
through the country, to carry them from
one place to another : for if a Portuguefe has
a mind to travel from Loanda to Majftngan^
when he comes in the evening to a village,
where he intends to lodge, he fends to the
^Qva to let him know, he has occafion for
A Voyage to Congo-River,
BARBoT.fo many of thofe carriers, who muft not fail
to provide them : and this they do every
evening, to have frelh men for the next
day's journey.
mtive Every diftrid has its refpeftive Sova, and
governors, he has a certain number of Makottes or
counfellors, who when they apply to him
fill down on their knees, clapping their
hands, with whom he confults of all weigh-
ty concerns. Thefe Souajfen live privately
in villages, inclos'd with thick hedges, and
have only a narrow entrance and the habi-
tations cannot properly be call'd houfes^
but flight huts, made of ruflies and ftraw,
after the manner of the country of Bongo,
Every Sova has a chaplain in his Bmtza
or village, to chriften children, and cele-
brate mafs.
churchgo- The church-government in Loanda is in
-vernment. a bifllop, who is fuffragan to hitn of the
ifland of^/. Tome, becaufethat illand pleads
antiquity, and claims the preference as the
mother-church in thofe parts.
King of The \i.\ngoi Angola., or Bongo, refides a
Angola, little above the city MaJJingan, on a ftony
mountain, feven leagues in compafs, in which
are many rich paftures, fields and meadows,
yielding a plentiful provifion for all his re-
tinue •, into which there is but one Tingle
pafRige, and that, according to their me-
thod, well fortified ; fo that he needs fear
no enemies, either from the queen of Sodefid's,
fide, of whom more hereafter, nor from the
Jagos.
This king, like him of Congo, keeps a
great many peacocks, which is peculiar to
the royal family, and of fo high efteem,
that if any one ihould prefume to take but
a feather from one of them, with a defign
to keep it, he would immediately be put
to death, or made a flave, with all his ge-
neration.
At prefent this prince acknowledges no
kind of fubjedtion to the king of Congo, tho'
formerly the country, when divided into
divers lordfhips, under feveral Souajfens, be-
long'd to that king. But about an hundred
and fifty years fince, one of the Sovas, call'd
Angola, with the afllftance of the Portuguefe
trading in his country, made wars with the
others, and overcame them one after ano-
ther, till he made them all tributaries, yet
left them ftill in poflTeflion of their lordfhips
or dominions.
This Angola afterwards became king, and
ftiled himfelf Incue, from the great multi-
tude of people under his fubjedtion 5 and
was not inferior in power to the king of
Congo, to whom, Lynjchoten fays, he fends
prefents, tho' he be hot his vaflTal.
After his death, in 1560, hhfon Damli
Angola, a great enemy to the Portuguefe,
was chofen king, who reignM till the year
*578» whenhedied, and his youngeft fon,
^ilonge Angola, or Angolaire^ that is, great
lord, fucceeded him.
Ele renew'd the ancient league with the
Portuguefe, and Paul Bias de Nevaiz, their
governor j_ but afterwards, without caufe^
cut off thirty or forty of them, on the way,
as they were going with merchandize to the
royal city: whereupon Df£?j made war upon
him, and took many places^ fiibjeding them
to the crown of Portugal, which ever fmce,
together with others, from time to time
fubdued, have remained under them.
The arms the Angolans ufe, are bows and Their mn-
arrows, and javelins, and have learnt to^""^'
handle the ax and cutlaces, but are not
well accuftomed to manage mufkets. They
always fight a-foot ; and their country be-
ing very populous, by reafon of the great
fruitfulnefs of the women, the king can
eafily raife an army of two hundred thou-
fand men, but they have no more courage
than thofe of Congo.
The king of Angola, who died in the
year 1640, left three daughters and a ne-
phew. The eldeft, named Anna Xinga, ot
Shiga, put in her claim to the fuccelTion of
the crown, as of right but the Portuguefe
favouring the nephew's pretenfions, fhewas
forc'd, with many of the grandees adhering
to her intereft, to fly into the inland coun-
try, keeping up her claim to the crown,
and looking upon the nephew as an ufurper.
After many rencounters and battles, in
which flie was worfted by the Portuguefe^
flie turn'd her arms againfl: the Jagos, whom
flie routed in feveral fights and afterwards
made peace with the Portuguefe, who ufed
to get a great number of flaves from her
dominions. That princefs was of fo mafcu- ^» Ama=
line a courage, that flie made a diverfion of Ionian
war : flie was of a fierce barbarous temper, 5"""-
and livM after the manner of the Jagos^
under tents in the fields, having quitted
chrifl:ianity, in hatred to the Portuguefe, who
had excluded her from fucceeding to the
crown of Bongo ; ftie gave herfelf wholly
up to idolatry, and ufed to facrifice human
vi(5lims to her idol, before flie would un-
dertake any war: yet this favage temper
did not exempt her from being fenfible to
love. She kept fifty or fixty young men
about her court, whom flie would have
drefled like women, and aflfume their namesj
whilft flie her felf was apparell'd like a
man, and bearing a man's name^ in order
to command with more authority. She was
very fortunate in all her wars, except againft
the Portuguefe, In the year 1 646, flie ran-
fack*d all the dwelling-places in the province
of Ovando, and carried the inhabitants into
flavery. The ^ifames, a people dwelling
about Coa7ifa river, paid her an annual tri-
bute. ;. . / .-. , , v-:/,n ' , ■ •
The
. i V?" £ ,
'■■■I
A Voyage to Congo-River.
The nephew, whom the Portuguefe had
fee upon the throne, being dead ; Angola
Sodefia, who fucceeded him, made them pre-
fents fecretly, to have their protection.
Al! the Blacks of Angola^ till of late,
liv'd in paganifm, ufing a dance, by them
call'd ^(bnhoara, in which they faid the
devil certainly enter'd one of them ; and
thro' him inform'd them of future and
paft events. Now, by the endeavours of the
Portuguefe jefuirs, they are brought to the
Roman Catholick religion. In the year 1584,
many thoufands receiv'd baptiim ; fo that
in 1590, there were about twenty thoufand
families in /f;/g(?/^ chriftians : the fame year
fifteen hundred more were converted ; and
the Portuguefe to this day labour very much
in tlie fame good work.
'The if] and 0/ L o a n d a ,
T lES before the cky Loanda, in eight
^ degrees forty-eight minutes fouth lati-
tude •, making a good and convenient haven
for ftipping : the whole about feven leagues
in length, and in the broadeft place not
above half a league over ; fo that thofe \v\vo
fail by, may eafily fee the fea run between
it and the main land.
Pigafetta fuppofes it to have grown up
from the fettlings of fandand mud, thrown
up there in heaps, by the force of the tv/o
great waters of Bengo and Coanfa ; framing
it a plain ifland, about a mile from the
city, behind which the fhips ride: the en-
trance into it is by two narrow paflages,
according to Merolla, at the extremities of
the nip.
The whole fpot is one level plain, but
very dry and fandy, only in fome places
may be feen a few bufhes and brambles ;
and on the north fide, here and there,
fome hawthorn flirubs. The land by the
fea-fide is fo fteep, that not above a mufl<:et-
fhot from the fhore there is twenty feven or
twenty eight fathom water ; and a mile
from thence a line of a hundred fathom can
reach no ground.
On this ifland are feven towns or villages,
by the inhabitants call'd Libar or Libata
the Portuguefe call the beft of them Santo
Efpiritu. There are two churches or cha-
pels, and the Portuguefe have divers gardens
and orchards, wherein grow oranges, lem-
mons, citrons, pomegranates, excellent figs,
bananas, coco-nuts, grapes, and other fruit i
but corn is fo great a ftranger to it, that
they are oblig'd to fetch fupplies from other
places.
It produces the great tree, by the natives
call'd Enfada by Clufius the Indian fig-tree,
by Linfchoten in Portuguefe^ Arbor da Raiz^
that is, the rooting-tree.
It fprings up commonly with one thick
body to a great height, at the top fhootins
Vol. V.
forth many branches, from which hangBARBoT.
down feveral fmall firings of a golden co- V-^VM
lour, which when they once touch the
ground, take faft root, fpring up again like
new plants, and in a fhort time^ increafe
to a large bulk ; from whence, as from the
firft, new firings hang down again, and
take root, ftiil fpreading : fo that fometimes
one fingle tree will extend its bounds above
a thoufand paces, and feems like a little
wood or thickeL
The great fprouts, with fo many clofe
boughs, entirely fhut out the fun-beams 5
and the cavities within repeat an echo three
or four times,
Moft of the citizens of Loanda have there
feveral little fuch verdant arbors, where
they come over to divert themfelves, and
which, together with the ever-green trees
planted about, afford a very agreeable
profped.
The leaves of the young boughs refera-
ble thofe of the quince-tree, being of a
whitifh green and woolly. The fruit with-
in and without red, fprings between the
leaves of the young branches like an ordi=
nary fig.
Very credible eye-witneffes report, that
three thoufand men may be fhelter'd under
one of thefe trees.
Within its outermoft or firft bark, they
find fomewhat like a thread or yarn, which
being beaten, cleanfed, and drawn out at
length, the common people make cloth o£
This tree grows alfo in Arabia, and India^
where the inhabitants, cutting away the
fmall boughs, make arbors under them for
coolnefsand lhade.
MeroUa fays, all the drinking water ufed
in the city is taken up in this ifland % and the
flrangefl is, that it is fweetefl at the floods
and fait or brackifli at the ebb.
The iflanders ufe canoes made of the
bodies of date-trees join'd together, in which
they fight at fea.
Formerly the Jagos dwelt here, but the
Portuguefe drove them out in the year 1578.
and purfued them to Maffmgan % at the fame
time raifing a fort there for their fecurity.
In this ifland the grey-colour*d are
taken up, which carried to Congo^ and other
places, go for current money % fo that this
place may juftly be term'd the mint of
Congo. For tho' other parts of the coafts
of Congo produce Simbos, yet thofe of Lo-
anda are the beft.
It is commonly the women who gather or
fifh thefe Simbos out of the fea, in this man-
ner : they walk to about the knees, or
their middle in the water, with certain baf=
kets, which they fill with the fand, among
which the Simbos breed, and returning to
the beach, pick them out. Thefe fhells are
of two forts, males and females, and very
6 R fmali 1
OYAGE
BARBoT.ifrnall the females are of the beft colour
•-d^'-y^" iind handfomCo
The two entrances into the port of the
city Loanda^ form'd, as. was faid before, by
this ifland, are on the north and fouth. ThaC
on the' fouth calPd Barra de Corimba^ where
formerly was about five fathom water, is
now almoft choak'd with land. The Por-
tuguefe had formerly two batteries on this en-
trance, but the water has almoft wafli'd
them away.
About two miles from Rarra de Corimha^
on the continent, is a little promontory, in
Portuguefe cali'd Ponta do Pabnerhiho.
A mile and a half fouthward of it is the
Sleepers haven, and the lime-kilns, where
the Portuguefe burn oifter-fhells to make
iime.
Four miles and a half from Sleepers haven
is the x'wtxCoanfa^ where formerly the Dutch
had a fort, cali'd Molle^ before fpoken of
To perfect this defcription, I have added
Plate 30. a map of the coaft of Angola^ from the river
Bengo to the Coanfa^ with the ifland of Lo-
anda, taken from that made by the king of
Portugal's command, often before men-
tion'd.
I have thereon given the figure of the
mermaid, in two feveral poftures, mark'd
A. B. having before defcribed it from Me-
rolla.
The fifh with a long fharp horn, repre-
fented in the fame cut, at the letter C, was
given me on the coaft of Guinea, by one
Mr. Gafcboty an ingenious man, who had
made fome voyages to the Eaji- Indies, who
took it from the life, which was four or five
foot long.
Soundin return to the charts, they lliow the
" depths and foundings along the coaft of the
Lower Ethiopia, from Rio das Arnafias, on
the fouth fide of cape Lope Gonzales, as
follows: from that river to cape St, Ca-
therine twelve fathom j thence to Serras do
Santo S/'irito twdve thence ioCabo Segundo
eight and nine •, thence to Porto de Ma-^om-
be twelve and ten % thence to Angra do In-'
■ dio twelve and fifteen i thence to Rio das
Moutas eight thence to Rio de Se fifteen %
thence to the bay of Cabin de four, five and
fix J in the mouth of the river Zair or Congo
feven •, from Barreiros Brancas to Rio do
Andrez eight to ten j and from thence to
Rio Bengo eight, fix and eight : where end
the obfervations of the depths along the
coaft fouthward.
The common trade- winds at the coaft of Traded
Angola blow from fouth- weft to fouth,
till about twelve degrees longitude from the
meridian of the ifle of Lundj, which is the
common meridian of the EngUJh. At fome
diftance from the ftiore, they are fometimes
a point more to the weftvvard, and thofe
who have been there fevera! voyages fay,
they found them always in the fame quarter,
and not fubjed to fhift, all the time they
ftaid at that coaft. The dry feafon there
has been obferv'd to be from the latter end
of April till Septetnher, tho' fometimes in-
termix'd with pleafant fhowers of rain. I
cannot be fo precife as to the wet feafon.
The true fea-breeze has been commonly Sea-hreezt^
obferv'd there to be from v/eft fouth-weft
to weft by fouth, if the weather be fair, and
the land-breeze at eaft by north •, but if a
tornado happens, it makes the winds fhift all
round the compafs, and at laft fettle at fouth-
weft, which is the true trade-wind, as has
been faid.
Thus I have run through all the parts of
the Lower Ethiopia, to the kingdoms of
Benguella and Mataman, both to the fouth-
ward of Angola, being the utmoft extent of
the trading coaft ; beyond which, is the co^^ ft
of the Cafres, a moft brutal generation,
where no fort of commerce has ever been,
I have extended fo far, that nothing might
be wanting to make this the moft compleat
defcription of North and South Guinea of
any yet extant ; hoping it may not only
ferve for the entertainment and inftruftioti
of thofe, who defire to be acquainted with
foreign countries, without the toils and ha-
zards of long voyages, but prove of ufe to
fuch as make trade and the fea their pro-
fefTion.
The END of the¥iK%T Boojc of Supplement.
j
J /u: :'^ivsiK\-L y/ Z,'n<\r Ldiu\'i\nd and irratLCJLL dt ulmit S or ^ ±-uc/uc's Jistd)u\'
iU7 . -f ,
.\ n- ^J^
Gratiofa,
^ ^ ' dd diid LdnCdr JUL .from ubi ^ ^£j/u.'s ikj banj at J. EJ
Ltotcdrou^sm C to D
rotn iiou
LdiiariJ at W S.ll'.
II 4..y.)l jr omA u'D ab! ^ j^cuj^s lutancli olTTI
f
JJ^^L^^^^ --'^'j/^t^'-f- dfid^ diL baih] on tkc Soidli Side of c
'/ Lanuri'
T H -E
N T
K II.
Seafon to fail for Guinea^
Am of opinionj that the propereft fea-
fon to render the Guinea voyages moft
profperous and fafe, is to depart from
Enrope'ihouz the latter end of September,
to enjoy the longer the good feafon on that
coaft ; and to have a fufficient time to carry
on the trade there, fo as to reach the Lee-
•ward iflands of America by the latter end of
April following, which is the time when
they make the fugar there ; that fo fliips
may have their full lading, and fail thence
for Europe again before the feafon of hurri-
canes there ; and arrive here before the
boifterous v/eather, which ufually reigns on
our coafts about the beginning of Ocfoher,
which the French ftile Coups de vents de la
St. Michel, or Michaehnas ftorms the fad
effefts whereof I fufficiently felt in OSlober
1 68 1, aboard the Jol^ man-of-war. Having
fail'd from Rochel road on the feventh of
OBoler for the coaft of Guinea, and after we
had fight of cape Ortegal, in Galicia, we met
with fuch a violent ftorm from the fouth-
weft, and variable, that we were fixteen
days toffed up and down in the bay, the
fea running mountain high, and dreadfully
breaking into our fhip, which fpoil'd abun-
dance of our provifions, and much difabled
us in our fails and rigging. However, being
a ftrong fhip, we kept fea j but our paflage
to Senega river lafted forty eight days ;
whereas, in a former voyage begun a fort-
night later, we made our paflage in twenty
four days.
In this manner we riiake ourGuinea voyages
without much hazard or fatigue being in
a manner certain, to have moft of the time
good fair weather, and no confiderable rem-
pefts at fea ; either at our departing from
Europe, during our paflage, or whilft we
carry on the trade on the coafts of Nigritia^
that is, at Senegal, Gan'boa, and Guinea %
nor in the voyage from thence to the main,,
or to the iflands of America, neither during
our ftay there: as likewife, in our return
thence to Europe, it will probably free us,
in fome meafure, from the tempeftuous wea-*
ther often reigning in Augufi about the Ber-
mudas iflands ; and on the coafts of Britany
and PoiSiou in October, if we do not reach
land fome time before Michaelmas.
Our courfe from Rochel to Guinea, was Courfe,
diredled for cape Finifterre in Galicia, fo as
to have fight of it, if poflible or twenty
to twenty-five leagues weft of it, according
as the wind ferv'd.
From that cape we lleeWi fouth fouth-
weft, diredly for Madera, if we had occa-
fion to call there ; or fouth by eaft, to
Gran Canaria. Others pafs betwixt this
ifland and Fuerte Ventura ; others, after
having touch'd at Madera, or otherwife,
coming from the northward, pafs by the
weft of Palma, fomerimes in fight of it i
and others yet more wefterly, as is thought
moft proper, or as the wind ferves. At my
firft voyage I pafled betwixt Fuerte Ventura
and Great Canary and at the fecond, be-
twixt the former and the main land of Africa °,
and thereby had the opportunity of draw-
ing the profpe6ts of Lancerota, Graciofa^
Fuerte Ventura, Great Canary, 1'eneriff dind
Go)7iera, as in the print here annex'd, forpj,ATE3a;
the advantage or fatisfaftion of travellers.
The other cut reprefents the two fmall Plate a8^
iflands. Las Defiertas, eaft fouth-eaft of
Madera, the town and road of Funchal, in
the latter •, with the profpeds of Gomera^
the pike of Teneriff, and Palma, drawn by
my nephew James Barbot, in his paflTage to
Congo, as mentioned in the firft book of
the Supplement,
0/
^24 ^ Descri
Barbot. 0/ M a d e r a and Porto Santo.
^«Or^hrHE ifland Madera, fo call'd by the
Spaniards, Madeira by the Portuguefe^
and by the ancients Cerne Ailantica, lies in
one degree thirty-nine minutes longitude
and thirty- two degrees thirty minutes of
north-latitude % being about twenty leagues
in length, feven or eight in breadth, and
forty-eight in circumference.
Some fay it was 6rft difcover'd by art
Englijhman, call'd Macham, anno 1344.
But the Portuguefe feem to claim the difco-
very thereof more fairly, under Joan Gon-
zalez and 'Tr'iftan Vaz, anno 1429.
The air is far more temperate than in the
Canary iflands, and the foil more fertile in
corn, wine, fugar and fruits, being much
better water*d by five or fix little rivers \
but is alike fl:or'd with the fime forts of
cattle, birds % plants and trees, from whence
is extracted Sanguis Dracoiiis, maftick and
other gums.
When firft difcover'd by the Portuguefe
in 1420, it was all over cover'd with woods,
and thence call'd Madeira, and thofe being
fet on fire, continu'd burning feven years-, af-
ter which, they found the Ibil extraordinary
fertile, but at prefent it is much decay'd.
Funchal The chief town is Funchal, an epifcopa!
te-^n. fee, fuffragan to the archbifhop of DJbon,
lying in the bottom of a bay, as the above
mention'd cut reprefents.
Befides which, there are two other towns,
Moncerico and Santa Cruce.) with thirty-fix
pariihes, a college and monaftery of jefuitSj
five other monafteries, four hofpitals, eighty-
two hermitages, and feveral fine feats and
caftles about the country. Funchal ftands
at the foot of a high hill, in a narrow long
form, defended by three forts or caftles.
This ifland is ten leagues weft from that
of Porio Sanlo, feven from the two little
defart iflands, and about one hundred and
fifty weft from the neareft main land of
Fez in Africa.
The king of Portugal's Adelantado^ or go-
vernor, generally refides at Funchal. The
road is very bad to ride in, tho' ftiips may
do it within piftol-fhot of the town, becaufe
the boifterous fouth-weft winds often force
. them from their anchors, and they muft
then of neceflity make out to fea, to avoid
the two iO.ands call'd Defiertas, All Euro-
pean nations trade thither, and receive in
exchange for their commodities wine, much
' ufed throughout all the American iflands,
as keeping beft in hot countries fugar,
wax, oranges, lemmons, pomegranates and
citrons,
Porto Santo was difcover'd by the lame
perfons as Madera, and is about eight
leagues in compafs, having on it fome vil-
lages and hamlets •, being alfo fubjed to the
crown of PortugaL
The Canary Iflands c
inyEST of the coaft of Biledulgerid m
^ ' Africa, are the iflands call'd Canaries^
after the name of the largeft of them,
thought td> be the fortunate iflands of the
ancients. They have been fubjed to the
crown of Spain, fince the year 141 7, when
firft difcover'd by John de Betancourt^ a
French man, in the fervice of the king of
Cajlile, who fubdu'd Fuerte Ventura and
Lanzaroie-, as others after him did the reft,
from that time to the year 1496,
In the days of Ferdinand king of Cafttle„
and Alfonfo the fifth of Portugal^ each of
them claiming a right to the other's domi-
nions, and aflTumirig their titles, there en-
fu'd a bioody war betwixt the Spaniards
and Portuguefe, till both fides being fpent,
a peace was concluded in 1479 at Alcobazas,
on the fourth of Sept'^nber 5 by which they
reciprocally renounc'd their pretenfions, and
it was therein ftipulated, that the Canary
iflands fhould entirely belong to the crown
of Caftile, and the commerce and naviga-
tion of Guinea to that of Portugal, exclufive
of the Caftilians.
There are twelve iflands in all, but only ijumber
feven of note. Lanzarote znd Fuerte Ven-rndfofi-
tura lie moft to the eaftward ; then Gran
Canaria, Teneriff, Gomera, Hierro and
Paltna, thefe two laft the moft wefterly.
They all lie betwixt the firft and the fixth
or feventh degrees of longitude, and be-
twixt the twenty-fourth and the twenty-
eighth degrees of latitude, or the twenty-
ninth, if we include the two call'd Salvages.
Gran Canaria^ which has communicated Gran Ca«
its name to the reft, is in three degreesnaria.
forty minutes longitude, and twenty-fix de»
grees thirty minutes of latitude, being thir-
teen or fourteen leagues long, and about
forty in compafs.
Teneriff, by the ancients calPd Nivaria, Teneriff,
is in two degrees thirty minutes longitudcj,
and twenty-feven degrees of latitude, and
about fixty leagues in compafs : it is famous
for the lofty mountain call'd the Pike of
'Teneriff, riling in the form of a fugar-loaf
to fuch a prodigious height, that I have
feen it plain at forty-five leagues diftance,
fliowing, as reprefented in the print herep^ATEj::
annexed.
Fuerte Ventura, in ancient geography Caf-Vnate
peria, lies in five degrees thirty minutes Ion- Ventura,
gitude, and twenty-fix degrees of latitude j
being about twenty-five leagues long from
fouth-weft to north-eaft, the breadth very
irregular 5 but the circumference about
feventy-five leagues round the coafts, which
form two bays, much like the ends of the
Malta crofs.
Lanzarotey formerly Centuria, is in five Lanza-
degrees forty-five minutes longitude, andi^ote.
twenty-feven degrees latitude j about thitreen
leagues
the Canary Iflands.
Gomera.
Hierro.
Graciofa
and Ale-
gria-
• Palma.
Ancient
inha-
bitants.
leagues long from north to fouth, nine in
breadth, and forty in compafs.
Gomeray the Theode of the ancients, is in
the firft degree of longitude, and twenty-
feventh of latitude, about twenty-two leagues
in circumference, having a pretty good
haven, and a town of the fame name, which
might probably be derived from the Go-
mereSy a people of Africa, living on the
mountains of the little Atlas, according to
Marmol.
The ifland Hierro, as the Spaniards call it,
tho' others more frequently Ferro, in an-
cient geography Pluvialia, is betwixt the
firft meridian and thirty minutes of longi-
tude, and in twenty-fix degrees forty-five
minutes latitude •, about ten leagues long,
five broad, and twenty-five in compafs: the
foil dry and barren in feme parts, for want
of water, which has given many authors oc-
cafion to tell a formal ftory of a tree fup-
plying all the ifland with water, which is
fince known to be a fable, and therefore not
worth mentioning. This ifiand is become
particularly famous, from the French navi-
gators placing their firft meridian in the
center of it.
Graciofa and Akgria have nothing in
them worth obferving •, but the firft was
by the ancients call'd Jimiona Major % and
the latter Juniona Minor.
Pahna anciently Capraria, lies in thirty
minutes longitude, and twenty-feven de-
grees forty minutes latitude, and is feven
leagues long, ten in breadth, and twenty-
fix in compafs t in it is the mountain of
goats, whence its former name and which
ufed to caft out fire and ftones.
The air of thefe iflands in general is good,
tho' hot •, and the foil fertile, producing
wheat, barley, millet, and excellent wine,
tranfported thence to moft parts of Europe
but more particularly to Great-Britain.
There are abundance of poplar, fig, pome-
granate, citron, and orange-trees : they alfo
yield fugar and dragon's blood, befides
fome other forts of gum.
Moft of the inhabitants are Spaniards ; but
there are fome remains of the ancient na-
tives, call'd Guanches, a very adive nimble
people, living on the mountains, who feed
moftly on goats milk, being a hardy bold
people, of a tawny complexion, now civi-
liz'd by the Spaniards living among them.
The Spanijh fleets returning from the
IVeft-Indies often make thefe iflands their
place of rendezvous. To conclude with them,
I have obferv'd that the high fouth fouth-weft
wind fwells the ocean's waves very much be-
tween the Canaries, but it feldom blows
there. From the latitude of the mouth of
the ftreights to thefe iflands, we had always
good fport, catching doradoes, fharks, fly-
ing fiflies, fea-dogsj and tunny-fifli.
Vol. V»
Voyage continued. Barbot.
O return to our voyage : Whether you ^•"'V^.
fail between Gran Canaria and Fuerte
Ventura, or between this latter and the con-
tinent of Africa, you are to make cape Bo'-
jador, on the coaft of the Zenegues, as the
Portugnefe call them, or Zuenziga, accor-
ding to the French ; which province is by
fome reckoned a part of Libia Interior, ex-
tending it to Cabo Branco, or white cape : tho*
other authors place its limits on the coaft
between cape Nao and cape Bojador, and
at thislaft commence thekinoidom of Giia-
lata, and thence to Senegal'Vivsv extend that
of Genehoa.
The ancient geography lays down a place ^„chn»
near cape Bojador fomewhat fouth of Chi- namts.
farus Fluvius, giving the name of Sirangis
to the people inhabiting that maritime part
of Africa, between the faid river Chifarus
and that call'd Salathus, which falls into
the ocean oppofite to Fuerte Ventura, one of
the Canary iflands above-men tion'd, exten-
ding them to the mountain Atlas Major,
which feparated the ancient GetuU from the
Autolotce and the Tingitana, now Morocco ;
and to the fouthward of the Sirang(B places
the Maufoli, extending to the river Ophidius,
now Rio do Ouro, or the golden river.
We ufually fail along this coaft, at about^
r -1 ■'•1 i-n -i- Coaltme.
feven,eight, or nine leagues diitance, in thirty,
thirty-five, forty, and forty -five fathom wa-
ter, fandy-ground, mix'd with fmall foul
ftones i but within two leagues of the fliore
the depth is eight and ten fathom. The
wind generally varies from north toeaft, and
very rarely comes to fouth-weft.
Cape Bojador is fo called from its running (-^^^ gg,
far out into the fea, which the name imports; jadot.
and has a bending, which makes a hollow or
fort of bay. The P or t ugu efe fovmtr\y dnr^
not fail any thing near it, for fear the tide,
which fets ftrong there, fliould carry them
upon the breakings and flioals that are about
the cape. For many years that nation would
not venture beyond cape Nao, fearing they
fhould not be able to return home and
therefore gave it that name, to denote there
was no going beyond it : but having at laft
furmounted that difficulty, they ftuck no
lefs at cape Bojador. Giles Tanez was the
firft of that nation, who had the courage to
pafs beyond that dreadful cape, which is by
fome fuppofed to be the mount of the fun,
of the ancients •, and by others, Ptolemfs
Arfinarium. Not far from it is the town
Bojador j and about eighty leagues eaftward,
up the country, begins the famous ridge of
mountains, called by geographers Atlas j^ouni
jor, lying between the provinces of Biledul- Atlas.
gerid and Zuenziga, and reaching with its
tops above the clouds ; whence the heathen
poets took the fiftion of Atlas's bearing the
heavens on his flioulders.
6 S Cape
A DteScRiPtiON of the
FiJJjes.
Barbot. Cape Bojador lies in twenty- fix degrees of
^-''V^ north-latitude, and three hundred fifty-three
degrees fifty minutes longitude eaft the
current about it fets fouth fouth-weft eight
leagueSi
The coaft all along from this cape to
Angra dos Ruyvos^a large bay, about thirty-
five leagues weft of if, is very hilly and
mountainous, but lowering as it draws nearer
to the bay, and has no place of any note be-
fides Penba Grande^ ten leagues fouth of
the cape.
Angra dos Rw^vos is a bay facing the weft,
and has but three fathom water between
the two points, and two within, and con-
fequently only capable of fmall fhips. Giles
Tanez^ who difcovered it in the year 1434,
gave it the name ; becaufe he found there
abundance of the fifh the Portuguefe call
Ruyvosj and the Englijh gurnets. Four or
five leagues farther to the fouthward lies
Porto de Meden : the fhore here is flat and
barren, producing nothing but large bul-
rufhes. On the fouth-fide of that bay ap-
pears a fteep high point, which at a dif-
tance fhews like a fortrefs.
The fea along this coaft affords an in-
credible quantity of Pargues and Sardes^
two forts of pretty large fifh, of an ex-
cellent tafte ; of which, in two hours time we
lay by in forty-five fathom water, we
caught above an hundred with lines and
hooks, amongft which were alfo fome fea-
dogs^ and another fort of fifh larger than
the former, called by the French captains ;
the figure whereof, and of the Pargues and
Plate ^z. Gardes, I drew, as reprefented in the print.
We cook notice of two forts of the Sardes i
the captain is the beft meat of them all, be-
ing very white, firm and favoury : the head
of it is much like that of the French Ro-
cbet-^fh, but not red, being of a bright
brown, and ugly to look at. I have had fome
account of a fort of fifh much like this, in
feveral parts of the IVeft-Indies, and in the
fouth-fca, efpecially about the ifland Juan
Fernandes., near the coaft of Chili and is
call'd in thofe parts the Snapper^ being of
the fliape -of a gurnet, but much bigger,
with a great head and mouth, and large
gills and fins the back of a deep bright
red, and its belly of a filver colour : the
fcales as large as a fhilling, and the flefh
very excellent to eat ; all which qualities
anfwer exaftly to this captain-fifti I have
mention'd,and am apt to believe it a fnapper.
The inhabitants of the Canary iOands and
of Madera^ come hither with a number of
barks and noopsyearly,to catch thefe fifhes,
which they fait like Newfoundland-hank cod,
and make a great trade thereof in their iflands.
We caught at another rime abundance of
this fifh, before a place call'd the Selie Mon-
ies , in forty fathom water^ ftony -ground
mixM with fmall fhells t thefe forts of fifhs,
like the cod, keep always near the bottom
of the fea in deep water, and require very
long lines to reach them. We made at firft
our baits of pieces of flefh, or of herrings 1
and when we had got fome of them aboard,
usM themj as better baits : the hooks mufl
alfo be pretty ftrong. 'Tis a very diver-
ting, but fomewhat laborious fport, becaufe
of the great depth of the water it muft be
hall'd out from.
We had alfo almoft every day the diver-
fionoffifhing for doradoes, fharks and dog-
fifh. We commonly caught doradoes with
an harping-iron darted at them, as they
happened to fwim near the fhip almoft on
the furface of the ocean t, and for fharks,
we us'd a long ftoUt iron -hook, the bait be-
ing a large piece of fait pork, of which that
rapacious creature feemed to be very greedy*
I will not here enter upon a particular de-
fcription of either of thefe creatures, the
dorado and the fhark, as being now fo well
known, by moft travellers or people of any
trading I fhall only in general take no-
tice, that the dorado is the moft beautiful
and nobleft fifh in the univerfe, whenjuft
come out of the fea. The French failors call
it improperly the dolphin: the name of
dorado was given it by the Spaniards or Borah
Portuguefe^ from the finepolifh'd, enamell'd,/A
tranfparent gold-colour, of its fcales about
the backj fo wonderfully intermix'd with
fhining, bright, filver, and emerald green
fpecks, which I have endeavour*d to paint
as near nature as I was capable, in minia-
ture and have thofe originally by me ftilL
The tail and fins are of a fine gold colourg
and the belly like filver, when in its ele-
ment it foon changes aboard, as we obferve
the fame fudden alteration in the mackarels
in Europe, The dorado fcales in the night-
time look of a fiery colour, the flefh of that
beautiful fifh is very firm, white, and of
an excellent relifh, efpecially broil'd on
brifk wood-coals cut in flices, about two
inches thick, and faked for an hour or two^
There are two forts of doradoes, and of ei-
ther male and female, of very different fize
and colour : that which I drew after the life,
was a cock-dorado, near five foot long j
which, as I was told by old travellers, is the
longeft it grows to.
The doradoes of the American feas differ
from thofe of the African^ in that their head
is longer pointed, whereas thofe of Africa
are generally flat nofed and round ; and for
that reafon, in fome refpeft not fo pleafing
to the eye. This fiOi is no thicker than our
falmon: the other fort varies from this,
in that the two extremities of its jaws ftretch
a little farther out, and that the fpecks in-
ftead of a fine deep emerald-green, are of a
lively azure, on a gold ground. Both forts
We fief n Coafis of Africa*
are very deiicious, and acceptable to travel-
lers, efpecially when not well furnifh'd with
a variety of frefli provifions, as it often hap-
pens in a home voyage, or return from re-
mote parts of the univerfe. Mr. Cherot^
a furgeon of St. Malo, in an Eaft-India voy-
age faw a dorado which he affirms was full
eight foot long, in the latitude of twelve de-
grees fouth in the feas of Madagafcar.
I have given fo large an account of the
fharks of the Guinean feas, in the precedent
defcription, that I refer to it.
We caught a great quantity, on thecoaft
of Zahara., of a fort of fifh by the French
called Chiens de Mer,ov Roi'.JJette : they were
generally females, each big with two little
ones ftiut up in a bag, faften'd to the fifh, by
a pretty long ligament, through which the
little twins were nourifh'd, by thefubftance
Plate 31. of their dam, as the figure reprefencs it.
That bag M^as full of a gloomy yellow foft
matter, which I fuppofe was to keep and
nourilli them till the time of being call out
by nature.
Thefe being taken out of the bag, and
thrown into a large tub of fea-water, did
fwim as nimbly and fwiftly, as if they had
been naturally brought forth at the proper
time.
This obfervation may convince fome per-
fons, who believe that all forts of fifh what-
ever are generated out of fpawn, and
not by aftual copulation, as with the quadru-
pedes : for befides the example of this filh
I now inflance, the whales, the north-
capers or grampuiTes, and porpoifes, cer-
tainly procreate by aftual copulation, and
bear and bring forth their young as the
beafts do. The fl<;in of this fifti being of
the nature of fhagreen, is ufeful to joiners,
and other artificers, to polifh wood, i^c.
Wewerealfo entertain'd every day during
our voyage along this coaft of Z^^sr^z, with
the fight of a multitude of fmall whales,
grampufles, porpoifes, and flying-fifh
which are common in the feas betwixt the
equator and tropicks, but more efpecially
infinite numbers of porpoifes.
One day we had, for fome minutes, a large
Panapana, or hammer-fifh, fwimming fo
(lowly on the furface of the ocean, and fo
very near the Ihip, that I had time enough
Plate 3 i. to draw its figure, as in the print. It ap-
pear'd to be near eight foot long ; and at
fome part of the coaft of Guinea^ I faw
another like it, fwimming by our fhip's fide
at a fmall diftance. The figure of the head
of the Panapana I have drawn after that
which is in Grejham college in London ; and
have feen another at a houle near the lant-
horn tower in RocheL
Tho* we fail'd[by this coafl: in November^
the weather was intolerably hot and heavy \
by day we navigated towards land, till in
twenty fathom water, and at night out to fea, Barbot-
to forty and forty-five fathom, when the ^^S^
wind was at fouth-weft but when north-
eaft, we kept at night nearer the land.
Twenty four leagues beyond Angra dos
Ruyvos is the place, where in 1435, Giles
Tanez^ above mentioned, found a multitude
of fea-wolves, or feals, many of which
his men kill'd, and return*d home with their
Ikins i and that was the greateft profit they
made of their voyage, thofe being then
look'd upon as a rarity. In 1440, An-
tony Gonzales fail'd to that fame place, to
load his fhip with thofe (kins. He landed
there, kill'd fome of the natives, and took
a few. This place is near Rio do Ouro, or
the golden river.
Angra dos Cavallos is a bay feven leagues Angra dos
fouth of Sette Monies ; in it is ten fathom Gavallos;
water, and without it, four leagues off, fif-
teen, twenty and twenty five, red fand mix'd
with little white tranfparent ftones. The
Portuguefe call'd it by the above name, fig-
nifying bay of horfes, becaufe when they dif-
cover*d,it they found nothing there but horfes.
Some leagues to the fouthward of theOtagedoc
bay, the coaft is hilly, and call'd Olagedo.,
that is, the rocky place, becaufe all fac'd
with rocks and fmall iflands next the fhore, *
We founded in twenty fathom water, and
found rough pebbles, and ftony ground,
R I O D o O U R o.
CTxteen leagues to the fouthward of Angra
^ dos Cavallos^ the great river call'd Rio do
Ouro-t falls into the fea, a fmall matter to the
northward of the tropick of Cancer j the
mouth of it lying in fuch manner, that the'
wide, it is not feen till got to the fouthward
of its weftern point, call'd cape Olaredo,
lying in twenty three degrees thirty minutes
of north latitude. About four leagues di-
ftance from the mouth of this river eaft
and weft, we founded in twenty-fix fathom,
large fand, mix'd with fliells.
About this latitude, juft in pafting the
tropick of Cancer, is obferv'd an ancient
cuftom, common to all European failors •,
which is, that thofe who have never been
under the tropick, are oblig'd to give the
fliip's crew a piece of money, or fomething
to drink, from which no man is excufed.
If any man happens to be fo great a u^ckin^
as to refufe paying of this duty, the failors,
drefled like officers, carry him bound before
a tribunal, on which a feaman is feated in
a long robej reprefenting a judge, who ex-
amines him, hears what he has to fay for
himfelf, and then pronounces fentence j
which is, that he be three times duck'd in
the fea, after this manner : The perfon con-
demned is tied faft with a rope, and the other
end of it ruii through a pully at the yard-
arm, by which he is hoifted up, and then
let
28
A Description of the
BARBoT.let run amain three times under water. It is
'^"OO*^ feldom that feme one fails to give the com-
pany this diverfion. The fame is pradlifed
with the utmoft rigor in paffing the line.
M$uth of '^^^ mouth of Rio do Ouro is three leagues
Rio do broad, moftly choak'd up with a bank of
Ouro„ fand two leagues broad, and running along
from the wefberly point to fouth-eaft almoft
three leagues, towards the eaftern fliore of
the river, leaving only a channel about a
mulket-fhot wide, and eighteen fathom deep,
between the main land and the point of the
fand. This bank at high flood has but two
fathom and a half water. Within the river
there is twelve fathom, near the fouth-weft
point of a long ifland, lying near the wef-
tern fliore; which is a peninfula, reaching
within five or fix leagues of Sette Monies^ the
river keeping a broad channel for near
thirty leagues up fouth-weft and north-eaft %
and thus with the fea forming the faid pen-
infula of the coaft of Angra dos Cavallos
and Otagedo.
The ifland above mention'd is four leagues
long, and one in breadth. Two leagues
above the ifland is the anchoring-place, in
twenty fathom water. The channel of
the river narrows gradually farther up the
country.
Ancient '^^^^ river in ancient geography is call'd
mme. Ophiodus Fiuvius, and the people inhabiting
the country on the fouth fide of it Rhahii.
Antony Gonfakz^ above fpoke of, returning
in 1442, to the place where he had two
years before taken away fome of the natives,
which was near this river do Ouro, or of
gold, exchanged thefe perfons for fome
f^hfl Afri- ^'^^^^^ flaves, and a parcel of gold-duft of
can goU. T'ibar, which was the firft gold ever carried
from that part of Africa into Portugal He
therefore believing, that either the country,
or the river which runs through it, afforded
much gold, gave it the name of the gold-
river ; which encourag'd the Portugueje to
proceed farther, in fearch of this metal.
T>efart Frooi cape Bojndor to Rio do Ouro, we
country, obferv'd the coaft in many places to be all
high cliffs, fome grey, others whitifti, and
the country, as far as we could difcern- from
our top-maft heads, barren, dry, fcorch'd,
and red fandy ground, overgrown with
ihrubs and reeds, but could neither fee men,
. • houfes, norbeaftSj in all that trad: of land.
Some leagues to the fouthward of the
gold-river, are the ports of Medaos and
Pra'ja, the latter of which is a reafonable
large bay, with a bar before it, where the
ftiips, defigned for the filhery, generally
anchor. Moft of our modern geographers
make the coaft of Nigritia to commence at
Rio do Ouro.
A very modern author names the land
from Rio do Ouro northward towards cape
Bojador, the country of Ludaya or ihtLudayos^
faid to contain fourfcore thoufand fighting
men, bordering to the fouthward on the
Dullim and Deveches Arabs, eaftward on the
Uled Arramena Arabs \ the Dervis Arabs
northwards, and the Barbas Arabs towards
the north-eaft.
Angra de Gonzalo de Cintra, a large bay Zanhaga
fo call'd from its firft difcoverer, in the
year 1445, lies about fifteen leagues fouth-
weft by fouth from Rio do Ouro. In former
ages the French ufed to refort thither to buy
gold of the native Arabs. The anchoring
in the midft of the bay is in feven or eight
fathom. The coaft from Rio do Ouro to it
is all hills, cover'd with coarfe fand ; the
depth all along, at about a league from the
land, is eighteen fathom. This is the pro-
vince of Zanhaga.
We had once good fport at catching of
Pargues and Sardes, forts of fifh before
fpoken of, without this bay, in thirty fa-
thom water ; the bottom a muddy fand,
which is the right ground for that fort of
filh.
From this bay of Gonzalo de Cintra, to
Cabo das Barbas, in the province of Gualata,
and in twenty-two degrees twenty minutes
of north latitude, the coaft is very high,
and therefore by the Portuguefe call'd Terra,
aha, forming at the cape the bay of St. Cy-
prian, by fome call'd Angra do Cavalleiro, or
the knight's bay, being eighteen leagues
fouth-weft by fouth of Angra de Gonzalo. In
ancient geography it is call'd Nuius Fluvius^
which fuppofes a river to fall into the bay
and the people inhabiting the country about
the bay, were named Macoces, as far as the
river of St, John to the fouthward.
Clofe by the bay of 5"/. Cyprian the coaft c«/>e das
winds about to north-weft for near three ^^'^'^^s-
leagues, forming the cape das Barbas at the
extremity of it, being a low table-head, and
the land from it to cape Carvoeiro much the
fame. About fix leagues from the cape
there is forty-five fathom water, grey fand.
The coaft there turns flat to fouth fouth-weft
for eighteen leagues to cape Carvoeiro, front-
ed all the way by a long bank of fand, com-
mencing at cape das Barbas, and growing
larger and larger, till it comes to cape Car-
voeiro, where it extends almoft fix leagues out
to fea in breadth, and fo continues along the
coaft to the weft of cape Branco, fifteen
leagues diftant, diredlly fouth from the
former. The Portuguefe fay this great bank
is left dry at low water.
Cape Carvoeiro \s in twenty-one degrees (j^^^Qj.^-
forty two minutes of north latitude. About voeiro.
fourteen or fifteen leagues to the weft ward of
it, we find forty-five fathom water, unfound
ground of pebbles and ftoncs.
I have annex'd an exa£t draught of the Plate 3?;
profpedt of the coaft of Gi^alata,from caipe das
jS^?r(^<3j to capeC^2^Tyf«>f, that coaft ftrerching
from north-eaft by north, to louth-weft by
fouth. At about the middle of that diftance
lies
Weflern Coafts of Africa,
lies a long narrow ifland, call'd Pedro da
Galla, which looks fwarthy at a diftance,
and cannot well be approach'd nearer than
two leagues, becaufe of the great bank
above mentioned, which lies out at fea be-
fore it
Two leagues north north*eaft from cape
Carvoeiro, is a hill call'd the little mount
of Sanfania and to the fouthward of that
cape are feveral little rocks out at fea,
Handing in a ring, call'd Sette Pedras, or
the feven rocks : and as far again to the fouth-
ward, is the ifland Lobos, or of wolves, as
near to cape Branco. Some leagues up the
inland is the great hill, call'd Monte de
Areia, or the fand mountain.
Cape Branco,
t>Etween the road that lies weft from cape
Branco^ fo named from a white fmdy
point, fhooting out into the fea to the op-
pofite fhore, the depth is from twelve to
ten, nine and eight fathom, to the point of
the faid cape. Some leagues to the north-
ward is a rock above water. The cape is in
twenty degrees three minutes of north lati-
tude ; the current fouth-weft by fouth four
leagues. Ancient geographers call'd it Sol-
ventia extrema. . ,,' ,
Digreffion from the direEf courfe.
Shall here interrupt the courfe of naviga-
tion from cape Branco to Senega-rivtv, as
ufually praftifed, fteering from this cape
weft of the great bank Secca da Gracia that
I may give fome account of the coafts of
Arguim and Anterote, to compleat the de-
fcription of this country, tho' now very
"little frequented by Europeans, fince the de-
moliftiing of thecaftleof Arguim in 1678.
It is to be obferv'd, that the coafting trade
to Arguim will be more conveniently carried
on in fmall fhips than tall ones, becaufe of
the fhallownefs of the water on that coaft.
Cape Branco, or white cape, was firft dif-
Qovtv^ dhy Nunho 'Trijlan, and Antony Gonfalcz,
in the year 1440. From this cape the land
turns away fhort to eaft, forming a bay
clofe by it, which faces the fouth, and be-
fore it is nine and ten fathom water. From
that bay the land bends to the north-eaft
five leagues, and then again on a fudden
turns to fouth fouth-eaft four leagues, form-
St. Anne'f ^ large bay, call'd Angra de Santa Anna,
hay. the bottom whereof is call'd Culata, where
is good anchoring at two places, in four, five
and fix fathom, as is another near the cape's
bay, in three and four fathom ; and in the
channel to it from cape Branco feven, eight
and ten fathom ; rather keeping along the
fhore of the cape than the oppofite point
of the great fand- bank, call'd by the Por-
tuguefe^ as has been faid, Secca da Gracia^
and by the French Banc d^Efiein^ which
Vol. V,
runs twenty fix leagues from north-weft to Barbot.
fouth-eaft, being almoft oval ; and there, l/V^
as well as at another little round bank a few
leagues eaft fouth-eaft of it, over againft
St. John's river, in the kingdom of Genehoa,
the Moors carry on their fifhery. The north
point of the bank is about a league and a
half diftant from cape Branco, leaving a con-
venient channel, which leads to the fouth-
eaft coaft of Arguim. The variation at cape
Branco is four degrees eaft.
V At .the fouth-eaft end of St, Anne^hzy ijiands.
are two fmall iflands, at a little diftance
from the coaft ; the moft northerly call'd
Ilba da Pedra, the other Ilha Branca, or
white ifland, from its white fandy beach.
Eaft fouth-eaft of them is good anchoring
in five fathom water, the place therefore
czWdSurgidouro, that is, the anchoring-place.
Beyond this again is another illand, call'd
Ilba dosCouros, or leather-ifland, fomev/hat
to the weft ward of Rio Para Bateis. When
cupe Branco bears fouth-eaft by fouth, dif-
tant eight leagues, there appears at fouth-
eaft, about five leagues off", a fteep white
ftiore, ftretching ftrait along, and before it
thirty-five fathom, grey ground.
From the weft point of the river Para
Bateis to Ponta Bateis, being the weftern
head of the bay of Arguim, the land tends
weft north-weft and eaft fouth-eaft about
five leagues.
The tide about cape Branco runs along the
above-mention'd coafts to the bay of Arguim^
and the channel betwixt that fhore and the
oppofite foutherly banks has nine, ten,
feven, five, fix, five, feven, fix, four, three,
and three and a half fathom water as far as
Ilha Branca,:iud thence to Pcnta Baieis, three
and three and a half at moft, Vv-ith good an-
chorage on the fouth fide of Jlha das Garzas,
or the ifland of herons, lying in the midft '
of the opening of the bay Arguim,
Arguim hay and ijlands,
TT was difcover'd in the year 1 440, by the slaves
^ above mention'd Trijlan Vaz, and Anto- from
n'j Gonjalez, together with the iflands des'^^^^'^^-
Garzas zndAdeget. In 1444, a fmall com-
pany was erefted in Portugal^ paying an
acknowledgment to the prince, to trade to
thofe parts newly difcover'd ; who fent fix
caravels to the ifies of Arguim, which took
there two hundred flaves, that turned to
good profit in Portugal.
The bay is two leagues wide, and three ipnJs,
in depth to the northward, there being three
other little iflands, north of that das Garzas,
which all bear the fame name of ifles of he-
rons, from the great number of thofe birds
breeding there. Thefe and the abovemen-
tion'd iflands, between the bay of St. Anne
and that of Arguim, being feven in num.ber,
two whereof call'd Nar and Fider^ have not
6 T been '
f
3°
A Description of the
Barbot. been yec fpoken of, now commonly go un-
der the general name of iflss of Argum.
They were formerly long pofieffed by the
Portuguefe, who to fecure their trade, and
keep them in fubjedtion, in the year 144.1,
by order of their king Alfonfo the fifth,
built a ftone fort on the chiefeft of them,
on a commanding point, and about four
hundred twenty-five foot in compafs, with
all neceffary accommodation \ but the Butch
Dutch with three fhips of war, fitted out by their
mke the j^^ji j^^j^ company, and the affiftance of
gud'e/orf. ^o"''^ °^ prime Moors, drove them, out
of it in the year 1633,
The Dulch being mafters of the fort,
added new works to it on the fea-fide, and
kept it till the year 1678, when the French
j'hg Senega company took it from them, with
French only onc hundred and twenty men, in three
take it fi^ipg . havins; carry'd off a confiJerable
fiomthem.^^^^^ of gum-^Arabick, flaves and other
goods, laid it level with the ground, to
oblige the Moors of the adjacent parts, to
repair Vt'ith their gum, flaves and oftrich
feathers, the principal commodities of that
country, to their factory at Senega ; where-
as they ufed to fell them to the Dutch at
.Arguim, which was a prejudice to the French.
The natives and Arabs have fo far comply'd
in that point, that the fadlory at Senega,
ever fincegets two hundred tons ofgum-/f-
rabick, and would have a much greater quan-
tity, were it not that the Dutch PFeft-lndia
company fends every year a fhip to the
coaft of Arguim and adjacent parts, and
particularly to the bay of Penha, a port a-
bout forty-five leagues to the northward of
Senega, of which more hereafter, to barter
with the Moors for gum Arabick, and by
that means leffens the trade of the French.
In the year 1685, the Brandenhurgh A-
Branden- frican company fettled a fa6lory at Ar-
burghers ^;^f/;j^ by confent of the Caboceiros or chiefs
guirn' of the country, feeing the French had blown
up the fort above mention'd, and carry'd
away with them the cannon, ammunition,
merchandize, and all other things they
found therein infomuch that they left nei-
ther lodge nor houfe or cabbin, nor any
body whatever belonging to France. The
Brandenburghers taking it for a total aban-
doning of the fort, rebuilt it out of its
ruins, and garifoned it, to fecure their own
people and trade. The French Senega com-
pany, finding their ^um-Arabick trade
leffen'd by this new fettlement, pleaded a
property thereof at the French court, as be-
ing their conqueft and within the bounds of
their conceffions and did fo much infill
upon their fuppofed right, that the French
plenipotentiaries at the conferences for peace,
at Rjfwick in 1697, prefented a memorial
to the mediators on that head ; which was
fo fully anfwer'd by another memorial from
Me fir, Schmettau and Danckelman^ embaffa-
dors of his late eledloral highnefs of Bran-
clenburgh at the Hague, that it was found,
the French had forfeited their right to the
country and fort of Arguim, by their for-
faking it totally and entirely, as is above
obferv'd ; and the property thereof devolved
to the Brandenburghers, by rebuilding it fo
many years after. Thus they pofi^efs it quiet-
ly to this prefent time, according to the
law of nations. This account is inferted,
in the book publifh'd of the conferences
for peace, held at i^^y/wzV;^ anno 1697.
I have not been able to hear, whether
the Hollanders, fince this poffefiion taken at
Arguim, and the French, do ftill trade there
for gums, i^c.
It is reported that the Portuguefe fort at
Arguim was in former ages pofiefiTed by a
MooriJIo nation^ call'd Schek Arabs, who
drove a trade there and apply'd themfelves
to fifliing and that the French in thofe
days ufed to fend fome fliips thither, in
January and February, to catch fliarks, on
the coaft betwixt Arguim and St. John's ri-
ver, about twenty leagues to the fouth-
ward, which they dry'd in the fun afhore,
and boiled the livers frefh, to extradt lamp-
oil, whereof they carry'd home confidera-
ble quantities.
The inhabitants of the Canary iflands,
and the Portuguefe, ftill repair thither tofilh,
as they do along the coafts of Zenegues,
Zanhaga, Gualata, and on the bank Secca
da Gracia, which laft is the chief ftation.
They take Pargues and Sardes, which they
cure and ufe at home inftead of other falt-
fifti.
The Portuguefe trade confifted in wool- Portu-
len and linnen cloth, wrought filver, coarfegu^fe
tapiftry, and moft of all in corn, which
yielded a confiderable profit, with the wan-
dring wild /^rabs and Moors ; bartering for
flaves, gold, oftrich feathers, and Barbary
horfes, for one of which they had twelve
or fifteen flaves in Nigritia.
On the eaft point of the bay of Arguim is
a hill, on the top whereof the Moors, when
they difcover a fail ftanding in, ufe to
make a fire, as a fignal to clefire the failors
toftay and trade with them.
At the fouth partof the great ifle of -^r- ^alt
guim, is a fait pond, which affords a great
quantity of fait, but mix'd with much fand.
The country about the iflands is low and
barren. The natives have fo little fuel, that
the Portuguefe garrifon formerly was oblig'd
to fetch it from fix leagues diftance up the
inland, to the fouthward.
The flaves the French took from the Dutch,
in thecaftle of Arguim, being there put a-^^^_
board a fmall fliip, to the number of oneyj^ij,^
hundred and twenty, all lufty people of both
fexes, for Sanio Domingo in America, having
privately
erate
Wejlern Coafis of Africa.
^5*
■privately provided themfelves with pieces of
iron, and fuch other weapons as they could,
on a fudden aflauked the few French there
were aboard, whilfb fome of them were
afleep but not being able to force the cap-
tain and fome others, who had fliut them-
felves up in the forecaftle and great cabbin,
whence they made a terrible fire on them
with their mufkets and feeing feveral of
their companions kill'd, forty of the molt
obftinate of them, men and women, leap'd
into the fea together, where turning on their
backs, they call'd to the French to obferve
them, and holding their mouths quite open,
fwallow'd down the fea-water, without
moving arms or legs, till they were drown'd,
to fhow their intrepidity and little concern
for death.
Arguim./j Argidm is a kingdom ofitfelf, in the coun-
UngAem. j;ry of Gudata, by many call'd Anterote ;
which name is alfo lometimes communi-
cated to the feven iflands above mention'd.
The river of St. John,
'T' H E coaft from the bay of Arguim to Rio
de San Joao, or St. Johi's river, runs
north and fouth, twenty leagues indifferent
high •, only five leagues from Arguim may
be feen at a great diftance the high mount
Medaon, oppofite to which weftward, about
two leagues diftant, lies Ilha de Sarpo, a
Imall ifland. The channel along the fhore
from Arguim to it, is three fathom deep near
the land ; and from the above ifland, be-
twixt it and the fand-bank commencing three
leagues to the fouthward, and advancing in a
femi-oval figure, above four leagues to the
weftward, and near to the ifland Branquinha,
in nineteen degrees thirty minutes north la-
titude, the depth is four, fix, five, four,
three, and two fathom, coafting the bank,
which leaves a paftage of two and three fa-
thom water between it felf and the ifland
Branquinha: but the other channel, weft of
this ifland, is five, four, and three fathom
deep. The bank fliows it felf at low wa-
ter, and ftretches from the laft mentioned
ifland fouth-eaft, to a hill call'd Medaon
grande do Tigre, lying a league or more to
the northward of St. John'% river. The
fpace of ground betwixt the faid river and
the mount is all falt-pits. The channel from
Branquinha to the river, coafting the flcirts
of the bank, has three, and two and a half
fathom water.
St. John'^ river, in ancient geography,
is call'd Majfa Fbmus, and the people from
it to Senega-v'wtr, Mandori Nigrita, At the
mouth of it, which is two leagues wide, is
harilar good harbour Tofia, and in the midft of
it is an oval ifland j about which there is
two fathom water. On the fouth point of
this river the natives have a large falt-pitj
extending eaftward to Porto San Joao,
^oins
rives'.
The famous town of Hoden, of which more Barhot.
hereafter, lies on the north-fide of St. Jobn'^ vfT^
river, five or fix days journey to the eaftward. ^^"^^"^
The people of Senega fay, they pafs from
their river into that of St. John, through the
other call'd dos Maringoins, being a branch
of the Senega. As a proof thereof, they al-
ledge, that the waters of the river dos Ma-
ringoins are fomewhat brackifh, which they
pretend proceeds from their mixing with
thofe of St. John^s river in the north, tho'
feventy leagues from the fea : and the more
to enforce it, they affirm there is no other
river between the Senega and that of Sr.
John.
Rio dos Maringoim rifes not far from it, Marin-
and runs thence acrofs the country of Ge-S^
nehoa, from north to fouth, with many
windings, into Senega river. There are abun-
dance of towns and villages on both fides of
it, among which the moft remarkable are
Samba, Lantech, and Ringuilion ; near its
head and to the fouthward 7~onde Jebe, Te-
be, Goleren, TValalde, Porrie, Patefau, Kil-
len, Sapaterre, Kocko, and Genehoa.
Beyond the falt-pits of St. John is a bav,
fouth of which are four fmall hills on the
coaft, calFd Medaos de Santa Anna, a league
or better to the northward of a place, call'd
Porto de Framengo, or the Flemings port ;
which is a bay of good anchoring, in four
and five fathom water, feven leagues fouth
of St. John^% river. About two leagues
weftward, out at fea, lies an oval bank of
fand, on which the fea breaks % and without
it weftward, there is five and fix fathom water.
CaboDarco is the north point of the bay ; p^^^j.
by the Portuguefe call'd Porto de Refgate, Darco.
where is anchoring on three fathom water :
the foutherly point of this bay lies two
leagues and a half fouth of cape Darco, which
I fuppofe had that name from its exa6l form
of a lemi-circle ; the bay is the mouth of
this port, the depth four and five fathom.
Some leagues fouth of Refgate, appear the
hills caird Sette Monies, being pretty high
land ; and fo along the fhore the coaft is full
of hillocks. From the Sette Mantes to Ar-
moroto, is about four leagues fouth •, and
from that to Penha or Rofalgate, three
leagues ftill to fouthward. Tht French reckon
Penha to be diftant from their faftory, (in
the ifland of 6"/. Lewis in 6'if//^^^?-river) forty-
five leagues north,
Penha is a ibrt of bay the anchorage
within a bank that lies before it. Hither
the Dutch refort every year with a fhip ;
trading at this coaft from port to port, to
purchafe gums, oftrich feathers, in ex-
change for their goods, with the Moors of
Genehoa which the French can hardly hin-
der from that diftance.
Here I conclude the courfe of navigation,
for the coafting trade from cape Branco to
this
' A Descri,
BARBoT.this place of Penha; and will now refume
L^/NJ the dire£t courfe we ufed, from cape Branco
to Senega~ro2idi^
Return to the courfe of the Vo y a g e.
R O M about the latitude of cape BrancOj
being twenty degrees thirty minutes, as
has been obferv'd, we fet our courfe fouth
and fouth by weft, till in feventeen degrees
forty minutes, and then fouth-eaft. In this
latitude we faw pafling by the fhip's-fide
a fifh of an odd figure, but prodigious large
and black, of the fhape and form of a thorn-
'^^'^'back, as reprefented in the print; differ-
ing in this, that it has two flefhy horns fhoot -
ing out at the head, which we judg'd to
be above thirty Toot in compafs. Our fai-
lors give it the name of the fea-devil •, it is
a gamefome fifh, and we obferv'd it once
took a leap pretty high, and falling down
again, tumbled over and over with great
force, making a mighty noife by which
motion we obferv'd, that it's under- fide or
belly was as white as the back was deep-
black ; and that it had as large a mourh, in
proportion to it's bulk, as our rays or thorn-
backs. This fea-devil, or fFhipray^ is al-
ways attended by three little fifties, about
nine inches long, of the figure as in the
print, ftriped all round with white and black
almoft of an equal breadth and largenefs,
which renders them very beautiful and re-
markable-, our French failors call them the pi-
lots of the devil of the fea„ Thofe fmall
fifties, as is fuppos'd, guide this monftrous
animal, and prick him as foon as they fpy
fome fifii near \ at which this enormous fifh
, kunches away very fwiftly. Commonly
thofe little pilots keep playing about his
headj, and chiefly betwixt his horns, and
fometimes under his ftomach. This TVbipray
had a tail four yards long at leaft. 'Tisa
very ftrong fifti, by what I could obferve
of its gamefome motions and leapings. Soon
after that fifti was gone, we were in thirty-
fix, and at night in thirty-five fathom wa-
ter, black fand and mud, about four leagues
from the land of Genehoa \ exaftly weft of
Penha, or Rofalgate before-mentioned.
In the day-time we fet the head fouth
from this latitude i and at night fouth fouth-
weft, founding every two hours. The next
day we found our felves on a fudden fallen
into feventeen fathom fine fandy ground,
which caus'd us to lie by for a while ; and
found by the fight we had of land imme-
diately, about three leagues at eaft fouth-
eaft, that we were got on the bank of fand^
which is eighteen leagues to the northward
of Senega-ro'^d % and exaftly weft of Ga-
r,ar, and of Petit-Palmit : the former a vil-
lage, the latter a remarkable palm-tree ap-
pearing on the downy-fiiore, fo named by
the French % and by the Dutch Mafi-Boom.,
which ufually ferves as a land-mark to fteer
'tioN of the
into the road aforefaid, at one league and a
half diftance from land, without crouding
much fail, for fear of overfliooting the Se-
nega-tozd'. the tide from about cape
Branco to that river, in the fummer feafon,
fetting very fwifr to fouth fouth-v^reft, and
fometimes to fouih-weft, and the wind north
north-eaft and north-eaft, always a brifk gale.
Other French ftiips bound to Senega keep
their courfe from cape Branco, on the ft Y fome call'd Guinea, by the African
merchants Gbeneva, and by the natives
Geuni or Genii, in the ancient geography
was nam'd Mandori.
It is bounded on the north by the king-
dom of Gualata, on the weft by the ocean,
on the foiith by the Senega river, and on the
eaft by Tombut.
This country, tho' of a large extent, has
nekher cities, towns nor fortrefles, but only
one, which looks more like a village, where
the king refides, and there is a fort of uni-^
verfity, for education of their priefts and
learned men. It is alfo the ftaple for all the
merchants of the kingdom : yet this place
of fo great refort has wretched buildings,
being only fmall thatch'd huts and hovels
of Joam, ftanding round j the doors fo low
and narrow, that they are forc'd to creep
in and out : which we may fupppfe are no Uving m
better built, becaufe they expert every year, hm.
in Jidy, Auguft and September, to be under
water, by the overflowing of the Senega^
when they retire into yeffels and boats made
• . . for
enef
ermtions m
BAR.BOT.for that purpofe, in which the king firft
loads his furniture and houfhold-ftuff of his
3ow-rooPd palace ; then the fcholars and
priefts their univerfity goods and next the
merchants and inhabitants their moveables
and laft of all, the water increafing, they go
aboard themfelves, as if they enter'd the arkj
and at the fame time the merchants of Tom-
hut zomt thither, and joining fleets, traffick
with them on the water.
This kingdom abounds in rice, barley,
cotton, cattle and fifli ; but their fcarcity
of dates, are fupply'd them from Gualata
and Niimidia.
The inhabitants according to their man-
ner go handfomely clad, in black and blue
cotton of which they alfo wear head fafh-
es : but their priefts and doctors are habited
only in white cotton, common alfo to the
Alfaquis, with white bonnets
Tombut
town.
Three miles from Tomhut^ on the bank of c^f^bre
the Niger, ftands another great town, call'd^"'^'*"
Cahra or Cambre ; a convenient place for
merchants to fet out for the kingdom of
Melli in Nigritia. \
The emperor of Tomhut has vaft domi-
nions, which yield him immenfe treafure, xo^^b{.
which he piles up in bars of pure gold of
T'^bar, fome of them faid to be of a prodi-
gious weight. He ftiles himfelf emperor of
Melli. His court is as well regulated as
any in Barbar'j., both in religious and tem-
poral affairs.
The cherifF Mahomet, in the height of his
profperity, had thoughts of conquering this
and other kingdoms of the Blacks, at the
inftigation of the people of L'^hia, as had
been done in former ages by the Lemptunes.
He fet forward by the way of Acequia el
Hamara, on the borders of Genehoa, with
Thefe people make great advantage of one thoufand eight hundred horfe, and aii
their cotton cloths, which they barter with
the merchants of Barbary, for linnen, cop-
per, arms, dates and other commodities.
Martnol fays, they have money of gold
that has never been melted ; as alfo a cur-
rent coin of iron, fome pieces whereof weigh
a pound, others four ounces.
The kingdom was formerly fubje6l to
the hunlines or Lumptunes, a people of Ly-
bia, who founded the city of Morocco, call'd
alfo Morabitines, of the race of the Almora-
vides, but was afterwards made tributary to
Soni-Ali king of Tombut, His fucceffor
Ifchia obtaining a fignal viftory over the
king of Genehoa, took and fent him prifoner
to Gago, where he died in captivity.
The king of Tombut thus grown mafter
of all Genehoa, reduc'd it into a province,
placing a governor there, and then caufed
a great market to be proclaim'd in the me-
tropolis of the country.
Marmot fays, the people of Genehoa were
call'd in Africa Morabitines, and the firft-
that embrac'd the Mahometan fuperftition,
in the days of Hechin, the fon of Abdel Ma-
lic, for before they were chriftians.
The Kingdom of Tombut.
T will not be improper to give fome ac-
count of this kingdom, as being the moft
noted among the more northern Blacks, both
for its riches and trade.
infinite number of camels loaded with am-
munition and provifions ; but being inform'd.
that the king of Tombut was marching to
meet him, with three hundred thoufand men,
he made hafte back to Tarudant. This
happened in the year 1540. Somechriftian
captives, that belong'd to the cherifF, at-
tending him in that expedition, the Blacks ""' •
reforted thither to look on them as a wonder,
believing thofe White flaves were not like
other men, and delighted to difcourfe with
them; the cherifFhaving induftrioufly given
out, that they were monfters, that ufed to
tear other men with their teeth and eat
them. Marmol, who gives this account,
was himfelf in the expedition.
When the king of Tombut takes a pro- ^^^^^ ^^j
grefs, he is attended by all his court Qvvarmy.
camels ; but in fight they all ride on horfes,
are bold foldiers, but obferve no order.
Their beft horfes come from Barbary, which
when arriv'd, the king chufes fuch as he
likes and pays well for them. Nigritia has
no good breed of horfes, but fome fmall
ones, which they ufe at Tombut to ride in
and about the town.
The people of Tombut are good-natur'd, inhabh
civil and pleafant, and fpend much of the tmts.
night in finging, dancing and revelling a-
bout the ftreets. They keep many flaves \
of both fexes.
There are great numbers of ftudents, ^.^^j,/^^^^
It takes the name from a city founded, as who are in great efteem and maintain'd at
they fay, by king Menfey Suley?nan or Soli- the king's charge, having abundance of ^■
man, anno izii. about thirteen miles from
an arm of the Niger, and one hundred and
thirty leagues from the country of Dara or
Segehnejfe.
This city was formerly famous for fump-
tuous buildings, but is now reduc'd to
plain huts and hovels, and has only one
ftately mofque and a magnificent palace
for the king, built by a famous architect of
Granada, who happen'd to come thither.
rabick books brought them froiri Barbary^
and purchafed at great rates.
There are alfo many tradefmen and ^v- trades.
tificers, cfpecially cotton-weavers, fliop-
keepers and handicrafts.
Their common diet is a difli compofed of ^^^^
flefli, fifti, butter and milk, ftew'd toge-
ther.
All the women, except flaves, qqHt ihtw Women,
heads and faces. ' They
the Kingdom
They have no ftamp'd coin, buc only
bigger or fmaller pieces of pure gold of
TAhar \ and fine pieces of mecal twifted like
a fnail faid co come from Perjia, four hun-
dred whereof make a ducat, fo than they
ferve for fmall change.
Water. The city of Tombut, confifting of thatch'd
cottages, is often fubje£l to be burnt. It is
plentifully fupply'd with water, not only by
channels drawn from the Niger, which runs
through the ftreets, but by abundance of
JaJ^es, wells. There are Alfaquis or judges, and
other doctors of the law of Mahomet.^ who
are maintained by the publick, and much
refpetted.
The merchants of Fez, Morocco, and even
of Grand Cairo, refort to T^omhut to trade
vlmty of for gold, which is brought thither by the
gold. people of Mandwga, in fuch plenty, that
fometimes the merchants having dilpofed of
all their commodities, that metal lies there
till another return, or is carry'd home again,
jews The princes of this country are fuch ene-
'huted. rnies to Jews, that they are abfolutely for-
bid the country; and fliould it be known,
that the native merchants had any corre-
fpondence with them, their eftates would be
confifcated.
"When any perfon fpeaks to the king, he
muft proftrate himfelf on the ground, and
throw duft on his head and fhoulders. The
Army. king is attended by feven thoufand horfe and
a vafi: multitude of archers a-foot, having
long bows, and poifon'd arrows. All pri-
foners of war are made flaves.
TroduB. The country abounds in corn ; and there
is fuch plenty of cattle, that milk and butter
are common. Salt is very fcarce, what they
have being brought them from the country
of Senega, a hundred and feventy leagues
to the northward.
The king has a commiffioner in the city
Cabra, who hears and determines all caufes,
either relating to the crown, or betv/een pri-
vate perfons.
^'he conrfe of navigation for the fouthern parts
of Guinea.
T F coming from Europe, we are bound
diredlly for the Gold Coaft, Fida, New
or Old Calabar, being arriv'd in the la-
titude of cape Branco, we fteer fouth j fo
that we pafs twelve or fifteen leagues weft
of Cabo Verde, and being in its latitude at
that diftance, we carefully avoid making up
'Double too near to the land, by reafon the tide
tides. thereabouts divides as it were in two branches,
but more efpecially about Rio Grande ; the
moft confiderable running from eaft to weft,
along the equinodlial line, towards the con-
tinent of America : the other, whirling a-
boutthe coaft betwixt cape Ferde and cape
Monte, afterwards runs eaft on the coafts of
Guinea In fuch a manner, that in the begin-
VoL. V. ,
of Tombut 5' 3 7
ning of the laft century, fome (liips bound BAnsoT.
for the Eaji-Indies fteering eaftward to pre- ''^^'V^
vent being driven upon the coaft of Brazil^
about cape St, Auguftine were infenfiDly
carry'd upon the banks, lying betv/ixt the
aforefaid cape Verde and Cabo Monte; and
others were into the Bigfot of Guinea.
Obferving the above-mention'd courfe,
and what I have before taken notice of in
the defcription of Sierra Leona, we came to
have fight of land at cape Monte, and hav-
ing brought it to bear north, rang'd the
fliore to Rio Seftro ; where, if occafion re-
quire, we may ftop to gee in wood, waterj
and provifions. But having no occafion,
we fteer'd our courfe fo as co get fight of
Seftro Paris, to take in fome Guinea pepper
or Malaguetie for our defign'd flaves. Next
we endeavour'd to have fight of cape das
Palmas, from four or five leagues diftance
at fea, to avoid the flioals that ftioot out
from it to the fouthward. Thence, withouc
coming near the Ivory coaft, as bound di-
reftly to the Gold Coaft, we came to anchor
before IJfeny, or Affniee, being the firft port
or town of that coaft. As for the remaining
courfe along ir, every man does as he judges
convenient, or as his occafions require, from
port to port, to the end of the fame.
But when we defign diredlly from cape
das Palmas to Lampy, Popoo, Fida and
Ardra, we fet our courfe to the fouth, till
in the latitude of cape l^res Pontas, taking
care, if poffible, to get fight of it and com-
monly to call in at Axim, if not at Tacorarv,
to provide a bar-canoe of fixteen to twenty
rowers or padlers. Thence bearing five or
fix leagues ofi^the Gold Coaft, we get in a '
fnort time to any of the above mention'J
places.
We obferv'd, during this navigation, the
tide to fet often to the eaftward, and to
north- eaft, from cape das Palmas to Fida
or Whidah ; and from Cabo Verdo to the
cape Pahnas, to the north-weft.
From the latitude of cape Branco to cape
Palmas, we had the diverfion of catchino-
fharks, doradoes, negroes or king-fifties j
bonnitoes, tunny-fifti, flying fifli, carangues,
remoras or fucking filli, machorans, and
many other forts, which are both pleafantand
ferviceable to travellers.
Twenty or twenty-five leagues weft ofmeJs m
Cabo Branco, we often fee the ocean almoft?^e fe^-
all over cover'd with a certain weed of a
yeflow-green colour, called Sargajfo, refem-
iDling that which grows in our wells, or
famphire, bearing a fort of feed at the ex-
tremities, which have neither fubftance nor
favour. No man can tell where thefe weeds
rake root, the ocean being there fo deep :
they are alfo feen thus floating on its furface
fixty leagues to the weftward of the coaft
of Africa^ for the fpace of forty or fifty
6 X leagues %
\
BARr.oT. leagues °, and fo clofe and thick together in
gs^'^V^J fome places, that a Ihip requires a very frefti
gale of wind to make her way through : and
therefore we are very cautious to avoid them
in our courfe.
'The ijlands of Cabo Verde,
A R E the Gorgades^ or Hefperides, or \vef-
tern iflands of the ancients. Some au-
thors mention twenty of them, but we com-
monly reckon but ten of any note, the reft
being very fmall and inconfiderable. They
r^^y are, beginning to the northward, 5"/. Anton'j,
names. St. Vincent, Si. Lucia, St. Nicholas, Sal, or
the Salt iiland, Boavifta, Mayo, Saniiago,
Brava» and Fuego ; this laft fo call'd from
a burning mountain in it, which fom.etimes
cafls out life.
Foni n Their ficuation is weft of Nigritia, betwixt
' three hundred fifty-four and three hundred
fifty-eight degrees of longitude and from
fourteen to eighteen degrees thirty minutes
of north latitude.
Santiago. The island Santiago, or St. James, is the
largeft of them, about forty-five leagues in
length, ten in thegreateft breadth, and ninety-
five in compafs.
St. Nicholas s.nd St. Lucia, are twenty-five
or twenty-fix leagues long, feven or eight
broad, and fixty about. The former lies
from north-weft tofouth-eaft, and the latter
from north-eafl" to fouth-weft.
St. Vincent and St. Antony are not above
half as big as thofe above, and the five o-
thers ftill fmaller ; the biggeft of them not
ten leagues in length, and near twenty about.
The air of thefe i Hands is generally hot
and unwholefome •, the foil in fome of them
rocky, as the Salt iftand, Boavifta and Mayo ;
the firft having nothing in it of value,
but fome wild horfes and mules, and very
Largeajfes.^'^^^ large red affes, which the Dutch and
French often tranfport to their plantations,
at Surinam and Cayenne in America and
when I was at Cayenne, a Dutch fliip carry 'd
over thither fixteen of thofe affes for fale.
The latter has alfo a great number of thofe
beafts, and more goats ; the Ikins whereof
and the fait it affords make it reforted to.
The other iflands are much more fertile,
FroduB. producing rice, Indian wheat, ignames, ba-
nanas, lemons, citrons, oranges, pome-
granates, cocoa-nuts, figs, melons, fugar-
canes, cotton, and wine ; of feveral of which
forts of fruit, they have two crops a year.
Bra'va and Fuego afford the beft wine. The
ifland Mayo has fait enough to load a thou-
fand fhips every year. It is made in Ja-
nuary, February and March., of the fea-
water let into trenches or ponds, made for
that purpofe. It kerns only in the dry fea-
fon, and they who go thither for it, take it
up as it kerns, and lay it in heaps on the
dry land before the water breaks in again.
It cofts nothing but the mens labour to take sdt.
it out of the pits, befides the carriage, which
is very cheap, the inhabitants having affes
for that purpofe, and being glad to get a
fmall matter by it. The pits are not above
half a mile from the landing-place. The
Englijh drive a great trade of fait there, and
have fometimes a man of war for a guard-
fhip, moftofitbeing iox Newfoundland.
There is great plenty of fifh in the bay o^Good
Mayo, which is a great help to failors, who^^""^-
fometimes have taken fix dozen of large
fiflies, moft of them mullets, from eighteen
to twenty-four inches long, atone draught.
There is alfo good ftore of cattle, poultry, ^rovijkns.
and all forts of wild fowl: but above all, a
vaft number of goats, which they fait, and
export in callus to the neighbouring ports,
or fell to fhips that touch there ; and they
drefs the goats fkins very finely, in the na-
ture of Turh leather.
About thefe iflands, the fea in fome places
is fubje6t to be cover'd with weeds like the
Sargajfo above fpoken of, which failors care-
fully avoid.
The iflands were all defert, when firft dif-
cover'd by a Genoefe, and not inhabited in
thirty years after ; when in 1440, the Por-
tuguefe began to fettle on them, and keep
the dominion thereof to this day, under the
direilion of a governour-general of their na-
tion, refiding in the town of St. Jago, in the
ifland of that name, that place being the
capital not only of thefe iflands, but alio of
all the places the crown of Por/z/_gr?/ poffeffes
on the coafts of iVor/Zj or High Guinea, whole
governors depend on this jurifdiflion : it is
alfo an epifcopal fee, fuffragan to Lifbon.
The French took and plunder'd it in the
year 17 12.
The bay call'd Praya, lies eaft of St.
Jago, large enough to contain an hundred
fhips fafe at anchor, on fourteen fathom
water, behind a fmall ifland.
The ifle St. Mary has a good haven on
the north- fide ; but that of St. Thomas is very
dangerous.
Ribera Grande has five hundred houfes,
and the beft of horfes, but the air is un-
wholefome, and the foil very barren. St. Lu-
cia has the moft people next to St. Jago.
There is fuch plenty of tortoifes in Tcrtoifes.
iflands, that at a certain time of the year fe-
veral foreign fhips refort to it, to catch and
fait them by whole cargoes, for the Euro-
pean colonies in America. In the wet fea-
fon, an infinite number of thefe creatures
make for land, to lay their eggs in the fand,
and bury them, and then return to their ele-
ment again, letting the eggs be hatch'd by
the violent heat of the fun.
The inhabitants go out in the night, and
turn the tortoifes on their backs with poles 5
for they are fo large, that there is no doing
of
the Ijlands of Cape Verde.
of it with their hands. The flefli of them
well cured is as great a fupply to the Ameri-
can plantations, as cod-fifh is to Europe.
Flamingos They have a fort of fine tall birds in thefe
birds. iflands, which they call Flamingos., or Flem-
mings, not unlike geefe the feathers on
their bodies white, and thofe of their
wings red, much admir'd in France, whi-
ther lome of them are now and then fent
from Cayenne, a colony of theirs in America.
There are alfo Guinea hens, and very large
curlieus.
To thefe iflands the French agents :iz Se-
nega and Goeree fend for provifions, when
there is any fcarcity in thofe parts of Ni-
gritia, and have them in exchange for fome
few flaves, and all forts of linnen and wear-
ing apparel for men and women. In the
year 1681, when I arriv'd at Goeree, there
being a great dearth in that country, one of
the company's (hips was gone to the iflands
for provifions.
Red fig. I have obferv'd, that in our courfe, be-
twixt the continent of Africa and thefe iflands
of Caho Verde, we had fometimes a thick
fog of a reddifli colour, which look'd to us
like a red fand, and gave our men violent
head-aches, fevers, and the bloody flux.
Another time, pafling by the coaft of
Zanhaga, we faw the ocean overfpread in
feveral places, with an infinite multitude of
very ugly red and wing'd grafhoppers, or
Ucufis. locufts, as big as a man's little finger, and
a long body, lying on the furface of the fea,
abundance of them yet alive ; which it is
likely were driven out to fea from that part
of the continent of Africa, by the ftrong
north-eaft gales : that country, as has been
faid before, being often infefted with whole
clouds of thofe mifchievous infedls, flying
acrofs the defarts of Africa, from Arabia,
Egypt, Numidia, (^c. and covering the land
for feveral leagues, according as the winds
fet to drive them.
In the year 1672, a plague of thefe ]ocufl:s
came into the province of Aulnix, in France,
where they devour'd all that was green to
the very roof, and being carry'd by the wind
to fea from Rochel towards the ifle of Rhee,
I faw a ridge of them dead, above a foot
deep, on the beach, for feveral leagues in
length, as they had been thrown up by the
\ waves, and left there at low water; which,
with the heat of the fun, it being then fum-
mer, caus'd a very ofi^enfive fliench. And I
remember,that beforethey were thus drown'd,
there was not a houfe in the province, but
what was peflier'd with them ; and I heard
abundance of the people fay, that for fome
days they could fcarce drefs any meat, thofe
infedts falling fo thick down the chimneys
into the fire. It was a difmal fight to behold
the country, without any the leaft green left
Ini its as all had been burnt up 1 whence
we may eafily judge how much Africa fuf- Barbot.
fers,which is fo frequently infefted with them, ^-•'V^
There is another fort of grafhoppers, f*"^-^'
1-1 • » J 1 5 ' hoppers
which are not wing d, and coniequently rt-and.flies.
main longer in a place, and deftroy all rhe
plants, Befides which, they are ofren plagu'd
with flies, no lefs hurtful than the others.
Monfieur Beauplan, in his defcription of
the Ukrain, gives a very notable account of
the flies, the gnats, and efpecially the lo-
cufl:s, and the infinite damage they do in
that country ; he lays, they are commonly
brought out of 1'artary by the eafl:erly
winds into the country about Novogrod, be-
ing as thick as a man's finger, and three or
four inches long. In Otlober, they make a
hole with their tails in the earth, in which
every one lays three hundred eggs, which .
they cover with their feet, and then die; none
of them living above fix months, or little
^more. The rain, fnow, and frofl:, do not
hurt the eggs, which lie there till April,
when the warm weather hatches them, and
theinfeds coming out, are fix weeks before
they can fly. If the rains fall when they
begin to hatch, and continue eight or ten
days, they are all defl:roy'd and the like
rain in fummer kills the locuft:s upon the
ground, becaufe they cannot fl^y away :
but if the fummer proves dry, as is mofl:
ufual, the country is infefted with them till
OEioher, The faid Monfieur Beauplan, who
liv'd in the Ukrain feventeen years, adds,
that the air is fo full of Iocufl:s there in the
fummer, that the houfes fwarm with them %
and to avoid them, he was forc'd to eat in
a dark room by candle-light, and yet many
times did cut the locufl:s with his meat •, and
a man could fcarce open his mouth, but
fome of them would get in : befides that,
there were clouds of ihcm to be feen flying
abroad five or fix leagues in length, and two
or three in breadth; infomuch, that the wifefl:
men were confounded at the fight of fuch in-
numerable multitudes as could not be ex-
prefs'd or even conceived, but by fuch as
had feen them. He concludes, faying, he
was told there by perfons knowing in lan-
guages, that on their wings were to be feen
in Chaldaick letters, thefe words, Boze In-
ion, fignifying in Englijh, fcourge of God \
for the truth whereof, he rely'd on thofe
who told it him, and underfl:ood the lan=
guage.
Whilfl: I was writing this, I receiv'd a
letter from hifoon, dated July twenty-fourth
N. S, 1 7 10. giving an account, that the
crop in Portugal would have been gene-
rally good ; but that in the province of Alen-
tejo, the befl: of that kingdom, the locufts
had defl:roy'd mofl: of the wheat, which had
rais'd rhe price of foreign corn.
To return to the graflioppers or locufts,
with which we found the ocean ^over'd on
the
'Cmrfes from Guinea
BARHOT. ^he coaft o^Zahara : I caufed fome of them
w-v^ to be taken up out of the fea in a bucket, and
kept one alive above three months, in a
cornet of paper, clofe in a trunk, fo that
it never breathed the leaft air all that
while, and fed on the very paper it was con-
fined in. When dead, I obferv'd the bottom
of the paper full of the ordure of the infedl.
I fhall fubjoin to the courfe to fireer for
the Gold-Coajl of Guinea, the following ob-
fervations, as deliver'd by the late Mr. Henry
Greenhill, whom I have niention'd heretofore
as my particular acquaintance, when he was
agent at cape Corfo caftle, and ever fince in
EngLmd being a very intelligent and ex-
Derienc'd gentleman, commiffioner of the
navy at Plymouth and Portfmouth^ and pro-
jedor and builder of the royal dock at Ha-
mozes.
Winds on the coajl.
*~r^ H E coaft of Africa from cape P almas
to cape Fer7nofo, lies eaft and eaft by
north ; and near thofe points the land-breezes
blow on that coaft, v^^hich commonly begin
about feven in the evening, and continue
all night-, till near the fame time the next
morning: during which interval, we are
troubled with ftinking fogs and mifts from
Ihore, which by return of the fea-breezes
upon the oppofite points, are all driven
away and we have the benefit of them in
a curious frefh gale, till about five in the
afternoon.
And here let me note it for a general ob-
fervation, that in thefe, and all other places
within the tropicks, as far as ever I took
notice, the wind is drawn by the land.
For if an ifland or head-land were inclining
tea circular form, the fea and land-breezes
fall in diametrically oppofite to that part
where you are fo that if you are on the
fouchfide, the fea-breeze fliail be at fouth,
and the land-breeze, when it comes in its
feafon, at north.
In getting on the coaft, we endeavour
to fill in with cape Monte or czpt Mefurado,
which is about eighteen leagues to the eaft
fouth-eaft thereof-, and after that, we double
cape Pahnai., whence, as afore faid, the land
tends away eaft by north, the current near
the ftiore fets upon that point down into
the Bight, The land-breezes between cape
St. Anne and cape P almas are at eaft, blow-
ing brifk four leagues off the fhore. The
fea- winds there, are atfouth weft.
The Tornados, fays he, ufually come in
the beginning of April, and feldom leave
the Gold Coaft till June commences, and with
frequent vifits make us fenfiblr of their quali-
ties. We have fometimes three or four in
a day, but then tlieir continuance is but
fhortj perhaps not above two hours, and
the ftrength or fury not above a quarter of
an hour j but accompanied with prodigious
thunder, lightning and rain, and the violence
of the wind fo extraordinary, that it has fome-
times rolled up the lead the houfes are cover'd.
with, as clofe and compadly as poffible it
could be done by the art of man. The name
implies a variety of winds, but the ftrength
of them is generally at fouth-eaft ; and by
ftiips that are bound for the coaft, they are
made ufe of to get to windward.
Of the pajfage from the Gold Coast to
Europe, or to America.
CUppofing we part from Conneniyn^ or
from Acra, for Europe, if we have all
neceffary provifions for fuch a voyage, and
have no occafion to call at any places or
iQands of the Bi^t of Guinea, or at cape
Lope, we keep as clofe as poffible to the
wind, to pafs at windward of St. Tome \
which, however, is feldom feafible, but in
the feafon of Tornados coming from the
north-eaft : for without fuch powerful affi-
ftance, it is very rare we can well weather
that ifland, the current almoft continually
fet ting eaft by north.
Thence we run to the fouthward of the
line three and a half or four degrees, keep-
ing ftill the luff and the farther fouthward
we go, the ftrongerv/e find the gales, and
more beneficial for getting off the African
coaft. In that elevation of three and a half
or four degrees fouth, we commonly meet
with the eaft fouth-eaft, or trade-wind,
which carries us to the northward of the
equator pretty faft.
If we get fo far to fouthward, we have
commonly fight of Annahom ifland. How-
ever, it muft be obferv'd, not to keep to
the northward of it, till we come between
twenty five to thirty degrees to the weftward
of cape Lope Gonfalez, or at the longitude
of Cabo Verdo ; and thence advancing gra-
dually northward, we come infenfibly to
get the north-eaft winds, which carry us to
the latitude of the Flemijh or A fores iflands,
if defigning for the bay of Bfcay, or the
BritiJJo channel.
It muft be obferv'd in this pafllige, that
when once we are to the weftward of the
faid cape Lope, and in fouth latitude, the
current fets northerly, and the wind, to
twenty degrees of latitude, is generally at
eaft fouth-eaft as to the like number of
degrees, on the oppofite fide of the line,
it blows at eaft north-eaft. Nor is there
any change of the current obferv'd, unlefs
in the Tornado feafon, when, during their
blowing, they fet to windward ; tho' per-
haps the moon, upon full and change, may
have the like influence there, as in other
places.
Another
to Europe,
Another obfervation in this paflage is,
that in the months of Ma'^^ June.^ July
and Augufti we carefully keep to the fouth
of the line fome degrees, till we crofs it,
in the abovefaid longitude of cape Verde ;
to avoid the calms, very frequent at that
feafon on the north of the line, which keeps
VIS much longer in our paffage. But in the
month of September vjq may fail continually
along the line, without inclining one de-
gree either to north or fouth. At that
time it proves fo cold there, at fo fniall a
diftance from the line, that the failors, who
are commonly more hardy than other
people, clothe themfelves warm ; the thick
weather and frefh gales, wholly obftrudling
the, heat of the fun, tho' it be then paffing
the line, and direftly over our heads.
The interlopers, and other Europeans,
who ufe a coafting trade in Guinea, when
they have run along it from one end to the
other, return to it again, fome of the ways
that have been above mention'd, according
to the feafon of the year ; rill they crofs
the line again to the northward, about the
longitude of cape P almas, and thence order
their courfe back to the ^aqua coaft, to
begin to trade along it, and the GoldCoafl.
The hilfory of navigation informs us,
that in the year 1 500, Vincent Tanez Pin-
%on was the firft Spaniard that cut the line,
and difcover'd cape St. Augufiin in Brazil.
The cuftom of ducking, before mention'd
in fpeaking of the tropicks, is obferved by
all nations in pafling the line : the French
ufe much pumping of them in a tub with
falt-water inftead of ducking. There are
many other fports ufed by failors, which
atFord pafiengers good diverfion. The duck-
ing is by the French call'd the fea-baptifm.
Experience has made it appear, that
keeping too near the equino6lial, and often
crofiing it between the fouth-eafb and the
north- weft, has occafion'd a paffage to laft
five months ; when others, who have kept
more to the fouthward, made their paffage
in lefs than ten weeks. It is true^ there are
fome inftances of fhips that have run it in
feventy days to the Britijh channel, often
traverfing the line ; but it is fo rare, that
it muif certainly be allow'd much better
to follow the moft general pra6lice of all
European nations, which is to keep to the
fouthward to the longitude of Cabo Verde,
as has been f\id before ; for a good failer
will, after that manner, run fixty or feventy
leagues in twenty four hours, the fea being
commonly fmooth and the wind frefh.
If it be defign'd, at parting from Fida,
or V/hidah, or from Offra for Cayenne, or
the Leeward iflands, to put in at Prince's
ifland in the Bight, that will prove a very
difficult matter from the windward, unlefs
a fhip will lie very clofe upon a wind, which
America, ^c. f 41
conflantly blows very frefh from the fouth Barbot.
and fouth fouth-weft, and the current fet- ii^V%^
ting very fwiftly eaft north-eaft and north-
eaft by eafl, according to the feafon of the
year and itations, which carry fhips violent-
ly on that point : we are therefore obliged
to work it along the coaft of Biafara„
which is the bottom of the Bight, to make
this Pnwif's-ifland, which fometimes proves
a work of twenty, and even of thirty days j
being forc'd to anchor moft part of the
day, and to fail in the night, by the favour
of the land-wind. It is true, I was once
fifty leagues weft of Prf^c^-'s-ifland, in the
fame latitude, coming from the road of Fida
in a floop, in the month of April ; but
the vefTel was. an excellent failer upon a
wind, and I had every day the afTiftance of
tornados from the north-eaft. Neverthelefs,
tho' I got fo far weft of that ifland, it was
with no fmall trouble I reached the port of
St. Antony •, for when I came in fight of the
ifland, tho' its foutherly point bore eaft
fouth-eaft, and it was then very calm, the
current drove us under the north point of
it,*and we had certainly miffed it, and fallen
into the Bight, had we not feafonably made
ufe of fix long oars we had aboard, and
hands enough to hold it out rowing from
morning till fun-fet, notwithftanding the
fcorching vehement heat of the fun, and no
air at all ; and by that means coafting the
weft fide of the ifland, gain'd the divifion
of the current, one branch of it fetting
north-eaft as cuftomary, and the other fouth
fouth-eaft round the land : fo I made this
paffage in ten days from Whidah road hi-
ther, which is extraordinary.
This Bi^t or gulf of Guinea fo often
mention'd, is a bending of the land, a little
to the north of the line, and from thence,
the land ftretches weft, parallel with the line.
It is much more difficult to get to 67. Tome
upon a tack, at parting from Whidah, if
not altogether impoffible, without falling
into the Bight ; which however, as unavoid-
able as it is, proves of dangerous confe-
quence to fuch fhips as have their compli-
ment of flaves aboard. And therefore I ad-
vife thofe, to ufe all poffible means to get
their neceffary ftore of provifions at Fida^
where they are fo plenty, in order to fail
along the Biafara coaft in the Bight, to cape
Lope dire(5lly, without being neceffitated
to call at St. Tome for provifions and only
take their ftore of water and wood at the
faid cape ; and if provifions grow fcanty^
then to make for Annobon ifland, to get
that there.
At parting from New Calabar river, if
the wind be weft fouth-weft, we lay the
head fouth by eaft, and with the fouth-weft
wind, to fouth fouth-eaft ; keeping as near
the wind as is reafonable to weather the
6 Y ifland
^42. Courfes frc
BARBoT.ldand of Ferdinand Po^ diftant thirty fix
^✓V^ leagues from Band^ point north-eaft by eaft-,
and having paft to the windward of it, fee
the courfe for cape St. John ; and thence or-
dering the navigation, according to occur-
rences, as above related, if we defign for
St, 1'ome., to wood and water, and for pro-
vifions, we may very well, in the month of
September, get our paffage from Bandy
point to St, f me's road in fifteen or fixteen
days. At that time of the year we find
the weather commonly fo cold, as we ap-
proach this ifland, tho' fo near the line, and
at the time of the equinox, that it may well
be faid to be as raw and pinching, as on.
the coaft of Brit any efpecially in the night,
every man aboard, tho' never lb hardy, is
glad to put on more clothes.
It will not be amifs, before we leave the
equino6lial line, to give warning, that in
this run it is requifite often to corredf the
courfe of fhips failing in longitude from eaft
to weft, which ihofe acquainted with the
azimuth-compafs will eafily do •, for if the
variation of the compafs be not allow'd,
all reckonings muft prove erroneous : and
in continued cloudy weather, or where the
mariner is not provided to obferve the vari-
ation duly, Mr. Edmund Halley's chart will
readily fhow him what allowance he muft
make for this default of his compafs, and
thereby redify his journal.
This corredlion of the courfe, fays Mr.
Halley, is in no cafe fo neceffary, as in run-
ning down a parallel eaft or weft to hit a
port °, for if being in your latitude at the
diftance of feventy or eighty leagues, you
allow not the variation, but fteer eaft or
weft by compafs, you ftiall fall to the north-
wards or fouthwards of your port, on each
nineteen leagues of diftance, one mile for
each degree of variation, which may pro-
duce very dangerous errors, where the va-
riation is confiderable. For inftance, fays he,
having a good obfervation in latitude forty-
nine degrees forty minutes, about eighty
leagues without Scilly, and not confidering
that there is eight degrees weft variation,
I fteer away eaft by compafs for the chan-
nel ; but by making my way truly eaft eight
degrees north, when I come up with
ScUly, inftead of being three leagues to the
fouth thereof, I fhall find myfelf as much
to the northward: and this evil will be more
or lefs according to the diftance you ftiall
fail in the parallel. The rule to apply it is,
that to keep your parallel truly, you go
fo many degrees to the fouthward of the
eaft, and northward of the weft, as in the
weft variation : but contrary-wife, fo many
degrees to the northwards of the eaft, and
fouthwards of the weft, as there is eaft
variation. To proceed on ourprefent fubjed.
m Guinea
As to the reft of the palTage, when bound
to the ifland Cayenne, a French colony on
the main land of America, in the province
of Guiana, being got three degrees and a
half or four degrees fouth of the line, to
meet the eaft-fouth-eaft and fouth-eaft
winds, as has been obferv'd •, we fet thence
the courfe weft, till we reach fo far that
way as one hundred leagues from the little
iflands Ponendo de San Paolo, which lie at
one degree forty minutes north, and three
hundred fifty two degrees of longitude, ac-
cording to the French and Butch maps.
Thence we make to north-weft, after-
wards north-north-weft, till we come into
four degrees north latitude, being that of
cape Cajfepourri, on the continent of Ame-
rica, and thus lay the courfe diredly weft
upon it, and not on Che north cape, which is
but two degrees more northerly, as fome
have done to their difadvantage ; having
thereby confiderably retarded their paffage,
it being a coaft where they were forc'd to
anchor every night.
We commonly make a fwift run along
that coaft of America, by reafon of the fwifc
current, and the gufhing out of the Maran-
hon and Amazons rivers ; which fet fo far
out, that at a great diftance from the land,
frefti water is taken up in the ocean.
We reckon our felves juft north-north-
eaft of that famous river of the Amazons,
when we have forty-eight fathom water,
and yellow fandy ground, mixt with very
fmall ihells.
Chriftopher ^ Acugna a Jefuit, who failed
down that river from its fource near ^ito
in Peru, in 1639, with Pedro Texeira a
Portuguefe general at Para in Brazil, who
had firft fail'd up it from Para to near ^i-
to, tells us that.
Twenty-fix leagues below the ifland of
the Sun, direflly under the line, this great
river of the Amazons is eighty-four leagues
wide, others fay fixty, and others but fifty,
bounded on the fouth fide by cape Zapara-
ra, and on the other fide by the north cape,
and here at laft difcharges it felf in the
ocean. It may be call'd a fea of frefh water,
mixing it felf with the fak water-fea. 'Tis
the nobleft and largeft river in the known
world, by the Spaniards call'd Orellana^
from its firft difcoverer, as alfo Maragnon,
and San Jiian de las Amazonas ; it falls here
into the fea, after it has water'd a country
of one thoufand two hundred feventy fix
leagues in length, and furnifh'd a multitude
of nations with its fruitfulnefs and plenty i
and in a word, after it has cut America in-
to two parts, almoft in the wideft of it,
and afibrded a great channel, into which
the beft, the richeft, and moft pleafant ri-
vers, that come down from all the moun-
tains
to the IJlands of America.
^4:
tains and coafts of that new world, dif-
charge their waters.
To refume our difcourfe of navigation •,
we are very careful when we make the land,
at this coaft of the A?nazons, to call the
lead very often ; for as the land is lOw, fo is
the fea lhallow. We can fcarce have fight
of cape Cajfepourri, at feven or eight leagues
diftance, and there is not above eight or
nine fathom water at that diftance.
It is of abfolute neceffity we get fight of
this cape, to order our courfe accordingly.
Cajfepourri has no other obfervable marks
but only two low round hills, appearing on
its point when it bears fouth-weft, as the
Plate 33. figure reprefents.
The water of the ocean, for three leagues
from Cajfepourri^ looks white, becaufe of
its fhallownefs ; but the coaft is very fafe,
as is that of cape Orange^ call'd alfo de
Conde and Cecil ; the firft being the Dutch,
the fecond the French, and the laft the E)ig-
lijb name, lying three leagues lower. The
current fets with great rapidity along this
fhore, two leagues an hour weft, without
the help of fails, by which means we foon
reach the little iflands, or rocks lying be-
fore the ifiand of Caynne, tho' almoft twen-
ty-five leagues diftant from the aforefaid
cape.
:Rochs be. Thefe iflands, or rather rocks, lie in a
fore the jj^e before the coaft of Cayenne. The firft
^QvjlSz of them is fome leagues eaft of the point of
Armire in Cayenne, by the Indians call'd
Hocaiary, and by the Dutch de Conjiapel ;
which muft not be come nearer to than half
a league, becaufe of fome fhoals running
out to fea from it, which are dry at low
water. Weft of it are two very fmall round
rocks, ftanding clofe together, by the Indi-
ans call'd Eponeregemere, and by the French
les Mamelles, that is, the breafts. The next
rock clofe by is call'd the mother, both by
the French and Dutch, and by the Indians
Sanawony. The next to that again is named
Epanafari or the father, and then the fon •,
beyond which fome leagues more to the
weftward, is fverloren Kindt in Dutch,
^Enfant perdu in French, both fignifying
the loft child. The French give fometimes
another name to the two rocks I faid they
call'd les Mamelles or the breafts, which is
les Filles the daughters ; and the other call'd
the fon, fome of them name r Enfant Ma-
Ungre, the fcabby fon. The jefuits have a
large ftock of wild hogs on the fmall ifland
Epinafari or the father, which turn to a
good account.
We pafs by thefe iflands at half a league
diftance, to proceed to the road of Cayenne,
under fort St. Lewis, where the river Cay-
enne falls into the ocean, and there come
to an anchor in four or five fathom water,
PiATE ii-fandy oufy ground. I here give the pro=
fpefl of the ifland, as I drew it at myBARBor.
voyage thither from Guinea. ^"O/^,
We are commonly forty or forty-five ..• . ^
days in our paflage, from the fight of cape • '
Lope Gonfalez in Guinea, to Cayenne in Gui'
ana in America ; having moft of the time a
favourable pleafant gale, fmooth fea, and
very feldom or never any tempeftuous wea-
ther, fetting afide fome 'Tornados, near cape
Lope and Annohon, and fome heavy fliowers
of rain, attended with high wind, near the
coaft of Guiana, by the French call'd Grains;
and very rarely one or two water-fpouts z.tspoHts.
a great diftance, by the French mariners
named Puyzeaux Trombes and Queues de
Dragon ; againft which we fecure our felves,
by lowering and furling our fails betimes :
for we generally know their approach, by
a little black cloud, rifing gradually from
the horizon, which in a few minutes, with
great rapidity, overfpreads the beft part of
the hemifphere, and immediately burfts out,
forming a vifible fpout, reaching down from .
the loweft clouds, to the furface of the oce-
an, as the figure reprefents very naturally. Plate 7.
And extrading the water through it to the
clouds, afterwards breaks into a heavy
fhower, attended with a vaft fpout and a
moft furious guft of wind ; which if it falls
upon any fliip with all its fails abroad, as
we often ufe to be in this paflage, will cer-
tainly overfet it, or at leaft bring the mafts
by the board. Generally when the figns of
the coming of fuch water-fpout appear, we .
lower our top-mafts to the top, and our
main and mizen yards to the deck, with
all pofllble fpeed.
As to the paflage from Loango and Congo
river, in the lower Ethiopia ; the former
having its capital city in four degrees thirty
minutes fouth-latitude, and eighteen de-
grees eight minutes eaftward from the me-
ridian of Lundy ; if we are bound to Jamai-
ca, and in the month of Oolober, when we
find the winds fouth by weft, and fouth-
fouth-weft, frefli gales, veerable to fouth-
weft and back to fouth ; we ftand off to the
weftward with larboard tacks on board, till
in fourteen degrees longitude, to the weft-
ward of Loango, and there we find the winds
veering from fouth-fouth-eaft to fouth-eaft,
frefli gales. When we are thirty-four de-
grees to the weftward of Loango, we are
then fixteen weftward from the meridian of
Lundy, the peculiar meridian of the Englijh^
and there we find the winds veering from
fouth-eaft by eaft to eaft by fouth and eaft ;
and fo they continue blowing frefli, as we
ftill run to the weftward, between the lati-
tude of three and four degrees fouth, till
we make the ifland Fernando de Noronha^
which lies in three degrees fifty-four minutes
of fouth latitude, and forty degrees fifty
minutes longitude weftward from Loango,
and
A Description o
BAREoT.and twenty-two degrees fifty-one minutes
^^^r*^ from the meridian of Lj/;z^i)'.
Ferdmana In this ifland appears a very high pyra-
dc Noron-midal or piked mountain ; and coming clofe
to it, the faid pyramid looks like a large ca-
thedral. On the north-weft fide is a fmall
bay to anchor in, but fhips muft come pretty
near the Ihore, becaufe it is deep water.
There is plenty of fifh and on the ifland is
fome frefli water, and low fiirubs of trees.
There are no other inhabitants but dogs: in
former times, it was inhabited by the Portu-
guefe ; but the Dutch, then in war with them,
ranfack'd the ifland, and carried the Poriu-
guefe all away.
The ifland may be about four miles long,
from north-eaft to fouth-weft. On the north
fi Je are fome rocks pretty high above wa-
ter; and many birds, as fea-gulls and man-of-
war birds, which are fomeching like our
kites in Great- Britain. The current fets
flrong to the north-weft; the variation
very little.
From this ifland we fteer north weft, with
frcfh gales at fouth-eaft and eaft fouth-eaft,
in order to crofs the equator, and defign-
ing to make the ifland Tobago weft ward, ly-
ing in eleven degrees thirty-three minutes
north longitude, weftv/ard of Fernando
twenty-eight degrees nineteen minutes.
In this pafTage between the faid iflands, we
find ftrange rippling and cockling feas,ready
to leap in upon the fhip*s deck, which in-
duces me to think the current is ftrong. To-
Tobago hago is a high ifland with a good fandy bay
ijltind. on the fouth-weft fide, where the Dutch had
formerly a great fort, till molefted by the
Englijh zndFrench by turns, and now deferted.
From this ifland it's well known how to
fet the courfe to that of Jamaica, the meri-
dian diftance from Tobago, being feven hun-
dred and fifty miles weft and in that paf-
fagc no land is feen, till we make the north-
eaft of Jamaica, lying in eighty-two degrees
fixteen minutes longitude, weft from the
city of Loango before mention'd.
We have commonly in the paiTage from
Guinea to America, the diverfion of catch-
ing bonitoes, albacores, doradoes, porpoifes,
fharks, flying fifh, and remoras ; of which
forts, fometimes great flioals keep us com-
pany, and we take them freih and frefli
every day, efpecially the bonitoes and alba-
cores, of which latter fort fome weigh fixty
pounds or more, being not only pleafant,
but very ufeful and refrefhing for travellers.
We are alfo often diverted with the fight
of a multitude of fmall whales or grampuffes,
lying ftill as if they were dead with their
fnouts above water, and fometimes playing
about the fhip, with a heavy flow motion
and a great noife and when in company
of other fhips, we vifit one another by turns
in our pinnaces or yauls, having commonly
good weather and a fmooth fea in this paf=
fage. Thefe grampuffes are fhaped almoft
like a whale^ but much lefs in bulk, andcaft
or blow up water like it, but only through
one paflTage or orifice, which is above its
fnout, whereas the whale has two there.
In the longitude of the ifles of St. Matthew Boh birds:
and the Afcenfion, we are often vifited by a
multitude of large birds of a dark brown fea-
ther, which in the night-time more efpe-
cially . perch on our flirouds and yards, and
even on the gunnills, and luffer themielves
to be taken up by hand \ for which reafon
the French fiilors call them Fom, that is
fools ; being of three forts : fome as big as
a young goofe, with large, thick, and long
bills, fhort legs, and feet like a duck ; their
cry very piercing. They are a fort of
fea-gulls the Portuguefe call them Alca-
traces, and give this farther account of
them. At night, when difpos'd to fleep,
they foar up as high as pofTible, and put-
ting their head under one wing, fupport
themfelves for fome time with the other ;
but becaufe the weight of their bodies mufl
needs force them down again at laft, as
foon as they come to the water, they take
their flight again, and often repeating it,
may in a manner be faid to fleep waking t
it often happens that they fall into the fhips
as they fail. Thofe who know the nature
of them add, that at a certain time of the
year, they alv/ays go afliore to build their
nefts, and that in the higheft places, whereby
they facilitate their flight. It has been ob-
ferv'd, that being fet at liberty upon the
plain deck, they cannot raife themfelves.
Some EngliJJo failors call this bird a booby,
and others a noddy. As they feed moftly up-
on flying fifh, they tafte very fifliy; and if
you do not fak them very well before you
eat them, will make you fick. They are
fo filly, that when they are weary of fly-
ing, they will, if you hold out your hand,
come and fit upon it.
The fecond fort are white, not near fo
large, and their feet red. The third fpe-
cies are lefs than thefe.
There are great multitudes of them in
thefe feas, preying on fhoals of flying fifh,
hunted by bonitoes and albacores ; who, to
avoid being devoured by thefe greedy filhes,
their implacable enemies, betake themfelves
to fly out of their element into that of the
air, a little above the fiirface of the oceanj
where they meet thefe other winged foes
falling thick upon them, as hawks do on
birds, and never fail to fnap many, and to
force the reft to plunge again into the fea,
and into the fame dangers they had en-
deavour'd to avoid. The fight of this fort
of conflid is fo pleafant, that I could not
forbear drawing a fketchofit, which I hope Plate 7.
will be acceptable.
The ■
Ijlands of St, Matthew, Afcenfion, ^c.
The ifland of 5"/. Matthew before men-
tion'd, lies in one degree fifty minutes fouth
latitude, formerly inhabited by xhtPortnguefe^
who difcover'd it on St. Matthew's day, and
gave it that name but they deferted it long
ago. This is v/hat is faid of it, how true I
knov/ not % for at prefent that ifland is not
to be found, tho- laid down in mofb Euro-
pean maps.
Afcenfion The ifland Afcenfwn lies in eight degrees
iji.and. thirty minutes of fouth latitude, difcover'd
by the Portuguefe on ylfcenfion'-dz.y^ whence
it derives the name. The land is very high
and fteep towards the fiiore ; the foil barren
without any green, appearing full of moun-
tains and craggy rocks cover'd with birds
dung, who make their nefts on the top of
them. The whole ifland may be about five
leagues in compafs, and is famous for the
tortoifes taken on it at a certain time of the
year, and carry'd faked to the American
colonies, by way of trade. This ifland is
uninhabited, but its Ihore is plentifully fl:ored
with mews, and many other fea-birds, and
an incredible quantity of flying fifli.
Captain Dampier reports, in his voyage to
New Holland, printed Anno 1703, that
himfelf and his crew, after his flaipwreck
thereabouts, with much difficulty got afhore
on the Afcenfion, where they liv'd on goats
and tortoifes and found, to their great
comfort, on the fouth-eaft fide of a high
mountain, about half a mile from its top,
a fpring of frefli water : contrary to the
general account given hitherto, that this
ifland was quite deflitute of frefh water.
Which information may ferve fuch perfons
in future times, as through necefllty may
chance to be forc'd thither.
On the weft fide of the ifland are two
high mountains, which have a little green,
being better moiftened by the frequent dews,
which caufes the ground all about to abound
with the largeft and beft-tafted purflain in
the world.
I am told, many perfons have crofs'd the
line, between the little iflands Ponendo de
San Paolo, and that of Ferdinand de No-
ronha. Others pretend it is not fafe to crofs
it there, alledging there are flioals of rocks
betwixt thofe iflands, which in fome maps
are call 'd Abrolhosov Vigia, that is, fee, or
open the eyes. In fuch uncertainty, I think
it much more prudent to follow the moft
general practice, as before obferv'd.
Ferdi- As to the ifland Ferdinand Noronha, of
nand which I have already given a fhort account ;
ronh^"' ^^^^ know our felves to
iflnnd. be about it, when we fee a multitude of
birds playing over the ocean, even at thirty
leagues diftance. It is eafily perceiv'd fif-
teen leagues off in fair weather, and mufl: be
approached when juft in its latitude ; fteer-
ing weft to it, to prevent overfliooting it, as
Ibme have done in failing towards it obliquely.
Vol. V.
not being able to find ground to anchor. B>» Br>T.
The road is when the peak, or pyramid, al-^^VS^
ready mention'd, bears fouth fouth-eaft ; it
is good fandy-ground very near the fhore,
The ifland feems to make a kind of fepa-
ration on the eaft-fide. '
In the beginning of the laft century, a few
Portuguefe were left there to cultivate the
grounds for cotton and Indian wheat, which
throve well. It has fome cattle and goats,
and fome Mandioca ; but little frefh water
in the fummer feafon. As for wood, there is
plenty of it ;fo that in cafe of neceflity, fhips
repair to it, for a fupply of thofe neceflfaries.
Thus far concerning our pafiage from
Guinea to America ; which, if obferv'd, will
not fail of making it eafy and expeditious,
and may reafonably be perform'd in fifty
days to any of the Caribbee iflands, or two
months at moft, to Jamaica : whereas, if
we keep our courfe near to the equator, it
may be much longer, becaufe of the great
calms we ufually meet thereabouts, which
is a great difadvantage to our flave-fhips ;
the tedioufnefs of the paflfage caufing a great
mortality among them, efpecially when
they are too m.uch crouded, and come from
any of the ports of the Bight of Guineay
which often fpend a whole month or more in
getting to St. 'Tome, or to cape Lope, and too
often the fhips are over-loaded with flaves.
I have obferv'd, that the great morta-
lity, which fo often happens in flave-fhips,
proceeds as well from taking in too many,
as from want of knowing how to manage
them aboard, and how to order the courfe
at fea fo nicely, as not to overfhoot their
ports in America, as fome bound to Cayenne
with flaves, have done; attributing the te-
dioufnefs of their paflilige, and their other *^
miftakes, to wrong caufes, as being becalm'd^^ obferv'd
about the line, &'c. which only proceeded
from their not obferving the regular courfe,
or nor making due obfervations of land when
they approach'd the American continent ; or
of the force and ftrength of the current of
the Amazons.
Others have been faulty in not putting
their ftiips into due order before they left the
Guinea coaft, a thing very much to be
minded ; and have not taken care before
they fail'd from Whidah, or cape Lope, to
fetwell their fhrouds and ftays, tarr them
well, with all the running ropes and blocks.
If the port or road will allow it, we clean
our fhips as low as is poflible, and tallow
them well, to give them the better way i
befides all this, during the paflfage, we take
care, in good weather, to have the fliips
well caulk'd without and within, as well as
the decks. The work of the outfide we do in
fair weather; and if bad, the carpenters work
within, and tarr all over, that every thing
within may be kept dry, aa well, for its pre-
fervation as decency.
6 Z As
General Ohfermtiom on
Barbot, As to the management of our (laves
'■«*'V^ aboard, we lodge the two fexes apart, by
means of a ftrong partition at the main maft j
M^mgs- lYiQ forepart is for men, the other behind
fllll/ '^'"'^ "^^^ ^^'^ women. If it be in large
fliips carrying five or fix hundred ilaves, the
deck in fuch fhips ought to be at leaft five
and a half or fix foot high, v/hich is very
requifite for driving a continual trade of
flaves for the greater height it has, the
more airy and convenient it is for fuch a
confiderable number of human creatures
and confequently tar the more healthy for
them, and fitter to look after them. We
build a fore of half-decks along the fides
with deals and fpars provided tor that pur-
pofe in Europe, that half-deck extending no
farther than the fides of our fcuttles, and fo
the (laves lie in lwo rows, one above the
other, and as clofe together as they can be
crouded.
T\\t Dutch company's fliips exceed all o-
ther Europeans in fuch accommodntions, be-
ing commonly built defignedly for thofe
voyages, and confequently contrived very
wide, lofty, and airy, betwixt decks, with
gratings and fcuttles, which can be cover'd
with tarpawlins in wet weather ; and in fair
uncover'd, to let in the more air. Some alfo
have made fmall ports, or lights along the
fides at proper diftances, well fecured with
thick iron bars, which they open from time
to time fot the air; and that very much con-
tributes to the prefervation of thofe poor
wretches, who are fo thick crouded to-
gether.
The Portuguefe of Angola^ a people in ma-
ny refpefts not to be compar'd to the EngUjh,
Dutch or French^ in point of neatnefs aboard
their (hips, tho' indeed fome French and Eng-
Ufi Oiips in thofe voyages for flaves are flo-
vingly, foul, and (linking, according to the
temper and the want of fkill of the com-
manders ; the Portuguefe, I fay, are com-
mendable in that they bring along with
them to the coaft, a fufficient quantity of
coarfe thick mats, to ferve as bedding under
the flaves aboard, and fliiftthem every fort-
night or three weeks with fuch fre(h mats :
which, befides that it is fofter for the poor
wretches to lie upon than the bare deals or
decks, mufl: alfo be much healthier for them,
becaufe the planks, or deals, contrad ibme
dampnefs more or lefs, either from the deck
being fo often wafti'd to keep it clean and
fweets or from the rain that gets in now and
then through the fcuttles or other openings,
and even from the very fweat of the flaves •,
which being fo crouded in a low place, is
perpetual, and occafions many difliempers,
or at beft great inconveniencies dangerous
to their health : whereas, lying on mats,
and fliifting them from time to time, muft
be much more convenient and it would be
prudent to imitate the Portuguefe in this
point, the charge of fuch mats being incon=
fiderable.
We are Very nice in keeping the places
where the flaves lie clean and neat, appoin-
ting fome of the fliip's crev/ to do that office
conftantly, and fevera! of the flaves them-
felves to be afilftant to them in that em-
ployment and thrice a Week we perfume
betwixt decks with a quantity of good vine-
gar in pails, and red-hot iron bullets in them,
to expel the bad air, after the place has been
well wafli'd and fcrubb'd with brooms : af-
ter which, the deck is clean'd with cold vi-
negar, and in the day-time, in good weather,
we leave all the fcuttles open, and (hut them
again at night*
It has been obfervM before, that (bme
flaves fancy they are carry'd to be eaten,
which makes them defperate ; and others
are fo on account of their captivity : fo that
if care be not taken, they will mutiny and
deftroy the fliip's crew in hopes to get away.
To prevent fuch misfortunes, we ufe to
vifitthem daily, narrowly fearching every
corner between decks, to fee whether they
have not found means, to gather any pieces
of iron, or wood, or knives, about the (hip,
notwithftanding the great care we take not to
leave any tools or nails, or other things in the
way : which, however, cannot be always fo
exadly obferv'd, where fo many people are
in the narrow compafs of a (hip.
We caufe as many of our men as Is con-
venient to lie in the quarter-deck and gun-
room, and our principal officers in the great
cabbin, where we keep all our. fmall arms
in a readinefs, with fentinels conftantly at
the door and avenues to it being thus
ready to difappoint any attempts our flaves
might make on a fudden.
Thefe precautions contribute very much
to keep them in awe ; and if all thofe who
carry flaves duly obferv'd them, we fhould
not hearof fo many revolts as have happen'd.
Where I was concern'd, we always kept ouf
flaves in fuch order, that we did not perceive
the leaft inclination in any of them to revolt,
or mutiny, and loft very few of our number
in the voyage.
It is true, we allow'd them much more
liberty, and us'd them with more tendernefs
than moft other Europeans would think pru-
dent to do ; as, to have them all upon deck
every day in good weather ; to take their
meals twice a-day, at fix'd hours, that is,
at ten in the morning, and at five at night ;
which being ended, we made the men go
down again between decks : for the women
werealmoft entirely at their own difcretion,
to be upon deck as long as they pleas'd, nay
even many of the males had the fame liberty
by turns, fuccefllvely; few or none being fet-
ter'd or kept in fhackles, and that only on
account of fome difturbances, or injuries, of-
fered to their fellow-captives, as will una-
voidablv
the Management of Slaves.
voidably happen among a numerous croud
of fuch lavage people. Befides, we allow'd
each of them betwixt their meals a handful
of Indian wheat and Mandioca, and now and
then fliort pipes and tobacco to fmoak up-
on deck by turns, and fome cocoa-nuts ,
and to the women a piece of coarfe cloth to
cover them, and the fame to many of the
men, which we took care they did wafh
from time to time, to prevent vermin, which
they are very fubje6t to ; and becaufe it
look'd fweeter and more agreeable. To-
wards the evening they diverted themfelves
on the deck, as they thought fit, fome con-
verfing together, others dancing, finging,
and fporting after their manner, which
pleafed them highly, and often made us
paftime ; efpecially the female fex, who be-
ing a-part from the males, on the quarter-
deck, and many of them young fprightly
maidens, full of jollity and good-humour,
afforded us abundance of recreation ; as did
feveral little fine boys, which we moftly
kept to attend on us about the fliip.
Biet of We mefs'd the flaves twice a day, as I
fi*'"^'' have obferved the firft meaJ was of our
large beans boil'dj with a certain quantity
of Mufcovy lard, which we have from Hol-
land, well pack'd up in cafks. The beans
we have in great plenty at Rochel. The
other meal was of peafe, or of Indian v/hcaz^
and fometimes meal of Mandioca ; this pro-
vided in Prince's ifland, the Indian wheat
at the Gold Coaft ; boil'd with either lard, or
fuet, or greafe, by turns : and fometimes
with palm- oil and malaguette or Guinea
pepper. I found they had much better fto-
machs for beans, and it is a proper fattening
food for captives in my opinion far better to
maintain them well, than Indian wheat,
dioca or yams •, tho' the Calabar flaves value
this root above any other food, as being ufed
to it in their own country : but it is not at
certain times of the year to be had in fo
great a quantity as is requifite to fubfift fuch
a number of people for feveral months
befides that they are apt to decay, and even
to putrify as they grow old. Horfe-beans
are alfo very proper for flaves in lieu of large
beans : there is good plenty of them in Great
Britain, which, as well as the other beans,
will keep, if well put up in dry fats or caiks,
"We diftributed them by ten in a mefs,
about a fmall flat tub, made for that ufe
by our coopers, in which their viduals were
ferved •, each flave having a little wooden
fpoontofeed himfelf handfomely, and more
cleanly than with their fingers, and they
were well pleafed with it.
At each meal we allow'd every flave a
full coco-nut fliell of water, and from time
to time a dram of brandy, to flrengthen
their fliomachs.
The Dutch commonly feed their flaves
three times a day, with indifferent good
viduals, and much better than they eat in Barbot<
their own country. The Portuguefe feed *«^V^.
them mofl; with Mandioca.
As for the fick and wounded, or thofe out^^^^ ^
of order, our furgeons, in their daily vifitS/^J^i
betwixt decks, finding any indifpofed, caus'd
them to be carried to the Lazaretto, under
the fore-caft:le, a room referv'd for a fore
of hofpital, where they were carefully look'd
after. Being out of the croud, the furgeons
had more conveniency and time to admi-
nifter proper remedies ; which they cannot
do leifureiy between decks, becaufe of the
great heat that is there continually, which
is fometimes fo excefllve, that the furgeons
would faint away, and the candles would not
burn befides, that in fuch a croud of brutifli
people, there are always fome very apt to
annoy and hurt others, and all in general
fo greedy, that they will fnatch from the
fick flaves the frefh meat or liquor that is
given them. It is no way advifable to put
the fick flaves into the long-boat upon deck,
as was very imprudently done in i\\tAlhion
frigate, fpoken of in the defcription of New
Calabar ; for they being thus expofedin the
open air, and coming out of the excefllve
hot hold, and lying there in the cool of the
nights, for fome time jufi: under the fill of
the wind from the fails, were foon taken fo
ill of violent cholicks and bloody fluxes^
that in a few days they died, and the owners
loft above three hundred flaves in the paf-
fage from St. 1'ome to Barbadoes % and the
two hundred and fifty that furvived, were
like fkeletons, one half of them not yielding
above four pounds a head there : an over-
fight, by which fifty per Cent, of the fliock
or outfet was loft.
Much more might be faid relating to the
prefervation and maintenance of flaves in
fuch voyages, which I leave to the prudence
of the ofiicers that govern aboard, if they
value their own reputation and their owners
advantage ; and fhall only add thefe few
particulars, that tho* we ought to be circum-
fpecl in watching the flaves narrowly, to
prevent or difappoint their ill defigns for
our own confervation, yet muft we not be
too fevere and haughty with them, but on
the contrary, carefs and humour them in
every reafonable thing. Some commanders,
of a morofe peevifh temper are perpetually
beating and curbing them, even without
the leaft offence, and will not fuffer any
upon deck but when unavoidable neceffity
to eafe themfelves does require i under
pretence it hinders the work of the
fliip and failors, and that they are trou=
blefome by their nafty naufeous ftenchg
or their noife which makes thofe poor
wretches defperate, and befides their
falling into diftempers thro' melancholyj,
often is the occafion of their deftroying
themfelves,
Such
A Description of
Barbot. Such officers fhould confider, thofe un-
w*v^ fortunate creatures are men as well as them-
felves, tho* of a different colour, and pagans ,
and that they ought ro do to others as they
would be done by in like circumftances , as
it may be their turn, if they fhould have the
misfortune to fall into the hands of Alger ines
or Sallee men, as it has happen'd to many
after fuch voyages perform'd. They ought
alfo to confider the intereft of their owners,
who put them into that employment and,
iinlefs they have laid afide the fenfe of gra-
titude and credit, it may be an inducement
to curb their brutifli temper, and move them
to a gentle humane carriage towards the poor
Haves, and to contribute as far as in them
lies, to keep them clean, healthy and eafy ;
to leffen the deep fenfe of their lamentable
condition, which many are fenfible enough
of, whatever we may think of their ftupidity.
Thefe methods will undoubtedly turn to the
advantage of the adventurers, their mafters,
and is the leaft return they can reafonably
expeft from them.
It alfo concerns the adventurers in Guinea
voyages for flaves, not to allow the com-
manders, fupercargo or officers, the liberty
of taking aboard any flaves for their own
particular account, as is too often praftifed
among European traders, thinking to hvt
fomething in their falaries by the month:
for experience has fliown, that the captain's
flaves never die, fmce there ai;e not ten
mafters in fifty who fcruple to make good
their own out of the cargo 5 or at leafl; fuch
licence-flaves are fure to have the be ft ac-
commodations aboard,and thegreateft plenty
of fubfiftance out of the fliip's flock : and
very often thofe who were allow'd to carry
but two flaves, have had ten or twelve, and
thofe the beft of the cargo, fubfifted out of
the general provifions of the fhip, and train'd
up aboard, to be carpenters, coopers, and
cooks, fo as to fell for double the price of
other flaves in America, becaufe of their flcill,
&c. And fuch commanders, when return'd
home, and required to account for fuch
licentious pradlices, and to reftore the pro-
du(5t of fuch flaves fo difpos'd of, allowing
them their firft coft, not only refufe to com-
ply with fo reafonable a demand, but know-
ing how many formalities the law in England
requires, to compel them to it, which re-
duces it almoft to an impoffibility, they
fall out with, and ungratefully abufe their
benefaftors and patrons. So that it were
infinitely better, in lieu of fuch grants, to aug-
ment the falaries,proportionably to the great
fatigues and imminent hazards of life in fuch
voyages, with this condition, that any per-
fons whatfoever tranfgreffing in this point,
, JTiall forfeit not only fuch flaves as he fhall
prefume to carry over without permifllon,
but alfo all his wages, ami pay a reafonable
line befides. Ali this ngo oufly executed.
would have a great influence, and deter
many from their ill pradtices for the future.
And thus I conclude the defcription of the
coafts of North and South Guinea, and of
Angola, in the Lower Ethiopia, and the par-
ticular obfervations for the courfe of navi-
gation to and from it, to the ifland Cayenne^
in the province of Guiana in North America.
I have thought fit to fubjoin a fliort new
defcription of that province of Guiana in
general, and of the ifland of Cayenne in par-
ticular s as far as I could gather from fome
of the principal inhabitants, and the go-
vernor, as well as from m.y own obfervations,
during the fliort ftay I made in that ifland,
in the year 1679; to which I will add a
fuccindt: account of the French Caribbee
iflands, Mariinico and Guadaloupe, and others
adjacent, inhabited only by Indians, toge-
gether with the draughts of thofe two laft
named.
Of the province of Guiana,
'TT HIS province may be call'd a large vojition
ifland, the rivers Oronoque or P aria, and extent.
and that of the Amazons, which join, cutting
it off from the body of the continent ; the
diftance between the mouths of the faid
rivers being above three hundred leagues
and all that tra6t of land by geographers is
call'd Guiana and Caribana, on which coaft
lies the ifland of Cayenne. The rivers Oro-
noque and that of the Amazons parr, ac-
cording toAcuhna,v/ho made thisobfervation
on the fpot, in the longitude of three
hundred and fixteen degrees. The native
Indians of that place call the Oronoque, Curi-
guarura ; but the Toupina^nbous give it the
name of Urama and Acunna, that of Rio
Negro or the black-river, becaufe its waters
are fo clear that they look black ; and U-
rama, in the language of the Toupinambous
fignifies the fame. Thofe Indians call the
river of the Amazons, Paianaciiris^ that is,
the great river.
Caribana is the name of the maritime ^^^^^^^^
part of Guiana ; others call it the country
of the Amazons, and others El Dorado : but
the Indian name of Guiana has prevail'd
fince the French have fettled there, and fome
of their authors have from them entitled it
Equinoctial France, as being near the equator.
This part of the continent of America is
water'd by abundance of rivers, fome of
which will carry fhips up a confiderable
way, and on the banks of them an infinite
number of plantations might be made, which
would turn to a very good account, as well
in refpe6t of the trade with the natives, and
the fifliing in the rivers and along the fea-
coafts, as of the produft of the land, if it
were induftrioufly cultivated, and the na-
tives well ufed ; for otherwife they are very
revengeful. The land of Guiana all along
the fca-coaft, and the banks of the river, is
commonly low.
The
the Pron)ince of Guiana.
S/Wi. The rivers of this country, to begin on
the weft of north cape, are ST oponowjny, Aro-
war)\ Arikar)\ Corro[uine^ ^.anaoueny^ Caf-
fipoure or Cafepouri^ whence the cape takes
name ; Arocawo^ weft of cape Orange \ and
nsar it V/iapoca or Tapoco, fVanary, Apor-
vmque or Aproaque^ in which there are
great dangerous water-falls after which is
Cawwo, and then IVia or Oida, Cayanni
or Cayenne, thefe two laft forming the ifland
Cayenne ; Macouriaque, Courora, Manama-'
nary, Sinamory and many more too tedious
to mention in particular, being in all forty-
one, which all fall into the north-fea. The
famous Oronoque is the laft of them all to
the weftward, and has feveral Indian names,
as Worlmque, Huria Paria, and Iviapari.
jy . Befides this great number of rivers, the
lake. imaginary lake of Parima has always been
plac'd in the fouth part of this country, as
may be feen in all our maps. I call it ima-
ginary, becaufe it could never be heard of
by the French, who were feveral years en-
quiring after it I ftiall have occafion to
fpeak of it again in the defcription of
Cayenne.
Fertility. This country has all diverfity of lands,
as hills, plains and meadows ; the very
mountains being capable of tilling, and the
foil fo fruitful, that one man may with eafe
get enough to maintain twenty.
According to fome, this province is in
many parts very wild and thinly peopled,
efpecially the loweft lands, which are often
overflow'd by the rivers ; but the upper
hilly countries are very populous, the foil
being water'd by fo many rivers, very com-
modious for travellers. The air in that up-
land country is much colder than towards
the coaft, and the hills are very rich in
mines of feveral forts.
TroduB. Fruit is very plentiful and good, and all
forts of grain grow there all the year about,
except wheat coming up in a ftiort time,
and with lit'Je or no diftinftion of feafons:
for there being no winter, the trees are al-
ways green and full of leaves, bloffoms and
fruit.
Tempera- Tho' this Country is between the line and
ture. the tropick of Cancer., that is, within the
torrid zone, the climate is pretty tempe-
rate, and the air wholefome ; the heats being
generally allay'd by a frefti eafterly wind,
Vv'hich reigns the greatcft part of the year,
during the day, and at night the land-breezes
prevail, but do not reach to two or three
leagues out at fca.
Water. The waters are likewife excellent, and of
fuch a particular nature, that they will keep
fv/eet and frefh during the longeft voyages,
as has been often found by experience.
On the fea-coafts, which, as has been
Jjlmdi. faid, are generally low, there are many large
iQands, fit, if improved, to feed cattle.
Vol. V.
The fea about the coafts abounds in fifh ; Barbot,
the moft common, is that which the French '^^V^
call Macboran, and the Etiglijh cat-fifli, """^
being of a yellow colour, and very large ; '
fweet mullets and thornbacks, lamentyns
and fea-tortoifes. Fowl is alfo very plenti-
ful, either tame or wild, and other game
with all which they fupply the European fet-
ilements at the fea-coaft, exchanging for
toys and wrought iron.
This country produces divers forts of
phyfical gums, woods and roots, very va- ^^^^^
luable in France ; as well as feveral forts of
wood for dying, and for making of cabi-
nets and inlaid works : among which is the
letter-wood, by the French call'd Bois de la
Chine, and which grows no where in the
world but here ; yet the natives cut and
carry it quite to the water-fide fo cheap,
that a tun weight of it does not coft above
ten fhillings ; and in France a tun of that
wood has formerly yielded fifty pounds
fterling or more ; and never was yet under
twenty-five or thirty pounds to this day.
There is ebony of a different fort from the
letter-wood, and one fort call'd Boi^ de Vi-
olet^ with feveral others very common ;
there are alfo prodigious large trees, where-
of the Indians make canoes, which carry
twelve or thirteen tuns in calks befides a
prodigious ftore of very lofty large trees,
the wood of them very hard, and even too
ponderous, but has the advantage of refift-
ing worms in fait water.
Guiana has vaft numbers of monkeys, ofji^^„^^^
divers forts, among which is that fort call'd
by the Indians and after them the French.,
Sapajous; a kind of little yellowilh ape, with
large eyes, a white face and black chin: it
is of a low ftature, and of a lively and ca-
refifing nature, but fo tender in cold wea-
ther, that it is with great difficulty we can
carry fome over to France alive, and they
are there much efteemed, and yield a con-
fiderable price among perfons of quality. I
had much ado to preferve one, whofe head
was no bigger than an ordinary goofe-egg.
The baboons are large, but very ugly.
There are tamarinds, Sagovius, parrots, ^i^j^
cameleons, Agontils, Arras, Ocos, Tocaus or beafts.
Toucans, Flamans, wild large ducks, with
red feathers at their head, but not in great
plenty, which eat very well, being ftew'd j
and feveral other birds, who have nothing
remarkable in them befides their feathers.
It likewife abounds in fmall tygers, deer,
pigs, little porcupines, large monftrous fer-
pents, and divers other forts of animals.
The Agontil is a creature of the fame big-
nefs as a hare, of a reddiih colour, fharp
muzzle, fmall ears, ftiort and very fmall
legs. The cameleon is like thofe of Guinea.
The ferpents, tho* fo large, are not very ve-
nomous", fome of them have fwallow'd siSerpms.
7 A whole
A Description oj
Barbot. v/hole deer at a time, being twenty-four
foot long the fkin of one was fhew'd me
Plate iG?-'^ C^z)i^/2W, fourteen foot long, of the figure
as in the print.
Their parrots are very fine, and foon
learn to fpeak the Indians pluck their fea-
thers to adorn themfelves, rubbing them
with the blood of certain creeping animals.
The Flamms are fea-birds, about the fize
of a hen, and fly in bands like ducks or
cranes ; their feathers fcarlet, and ferve the
Indians to make crowns, or garlands, for
their heads.
The Ocos are as big as turkeys, black on
the back, white on the breaft, a fhort yel-
low bill, a fierce gait, fmall frizzled fea-
thers ftanding up like a tuft on their heads.
The or 'Toucans., is a bird with
black, red, and yellow feathers, about as
big as a pidgeon, his bill almofl as thick as
his body, and of a very fingular make, be-
i^g all over black and white welts, or flreaks,
like ebony and ivory interlaid : his tongue is
alfo very remarkable, being a kind of plain
feather, very ftreight.
Fruits and As to fruits, befides fugar-canes, (which
$Unts, grow very well in Guiana,) the Cajfia, Pa-
paye^ ^cc^z/oz/ -apples, Banillas^ Tohacco^ Peet,
and Roccou ; it produces alfo Indian wheat,
mandioca, cotton, indigo, and the other
fruits common in Brazil, and feveral others.
Among the plants which the Indians cul-
tivate in their plantations, cotton is one of
f hofe that abounds moil ; and is ufed by the
women who adorn themfelves with it, and can
fpin it as fine as they pleafe. There is fuch
plenty of it every where, that if it were poffi-
ble to have women enough there to fpin it, to
fave the great charges and expence of tranf-
porting it in the wooll to ^/^ro/)^, which ren-
ders the profit very inconfiderableto the plan-
ters •, it might furnifh all Europe, without
cofiing the French at Cayenne, any other
trouble than purchafing it of the Indians, for
very inconfiderable toys and haberdafliery
ware of little value : the Indians efleeming a
grain of cryftal, to adorn their necks or
ears, as much as a diamond of the fame
bignefs is valued among the Europeans. And
if the diforders which have happened in the
European fettlements in Guiana„ at feveral
times, had not hinder'd the eftablifhing a
regular commerce, this advantageous trade
would have already been fettled, and a vafl
number of people enrich'd themfelves by it :
but in a more peculiar manner the inhabi-
tants of Cayenne^ becaufe of the fituation of
their ifland, their fea-port town, and great
intereft with the Indians.
The P.eet is an herb, that can be peel'd as
hemp and nettles with us ; but the threads
are finer than filk, and would have long
iince fupplanted it, if it had been allowed
to be tranfported into France.
The Banilla is a weed that creeps up trees,
as ivy does ; the leaves are of a bright green,
long, flrait, thick, and pointed at the ends.
When it has been feven years fet in the
ground, it begins to bear a kind of hufks, full
of an oily matter and feed, much fmaller than
that of poppy, which they ufe there to per-
fume liquors and tobacco ; and in France znd
other parts of Europe in chocolate.
The Papaye is a thick fruit, rafting fome-
what like a cucumber •, of a round fhape, the
ftem tall, but f ender, with large leaves
cleft like vine-leaves ; the tree is hollow,
and grows in a year fifteen foot high.
The ^r^^;W-app]e is long, thick, and of
an orange red; ic has a fnarp tafte, and is
commonly eaten bak'd. At the end of this
fruit, is a green nut, which tafles like Spamjh
nuts or our filbercs, much in the fliape of a
little fheep's kidney; the fhell whereof is
oily, the oil fi:aining the fkin black, fo as
it does not rub away in a long time ; and is
medicinal, and very laxative. The plant is
a round fort of tree like the chefnut-trec, and
the leaves in form and colour refembling '
thofe of the bay-laurel. The wood is very
fine, proper to make houfhold goods ; the
Indians make their long canoes, which they
call Piraguas, of it, tho' thefe are com-
monly forty or fifty foot long : it has been
obferv'd, that wherefoever the juice of this
apple falls, the ftain cannot be taken away,
till the feafon of the apple is quite over.
This province Guiana \s inhabited by Indian
fundry nations, or tribes of Indians, v^\\otions.
pretend to be defcended from the race of the
ancient Indian Taos, and from the JrowaccaSy
dwelling far up the inland beyond the equa-
tor ; of whom much cannot be faid, as to
their fituations or divifions in the country.
I fhall only take fome notice of thofe that
dwell to the fouth fouth-eaft, and eafl of
Cayenne,^ according to the difcoveries of fome
French jefuit miflioners in their travels, in
the year 1 674.
The nation of the Galibis dwells along
the fea-coaft about Cayenne, and in fome
parts of that ifland ; amongft whom, fome
few Maprovanes are retir'd from their
country, near the river of the Amazons„
to avoid the perfecution of the Portuguefe,
and of thofe Indians call'd the Arianes,
dwelling near the mouth of the Amazons.
South of the Galibis are the Nouragues,
being about fix or feven hundred perfons.
The Mercious are on the weft-fide of them,
equal to them in number. The Acoquas
are fouth of them, at two degrees twenty-
five minutes north latitude, and are a people
honeft, affable, and pleafant, very ready
and attentive to receive what is faid to them.
They are very ftudious to conceal their num-
ber from the Europeans; however, it is
guefs'd they may be about three thoufand 5
the Provmce of Guiana. f^f^i
a very warlike people, and ufed to eat men. great lake in their country, into which the Bart^qt.
A Nourague Luliau that had been amongft Oronoque flows through four feparate and l^V^
them, has reported to the jefuits of CiZ}i^;zw, parallel branches. The Cism^£>j call them-
that fome months ago he came from them, felves Callinago ; they lived in Guiana with
and that then they had juft made an end the Galibis, of whom they made a part •, but
of boiling in their pots and eating a nation fmce threw themfelves into the Caribbee
they had deftroy'd. iflands, the fartheft eaft in the north fea:
The Pirios are a nation of equal force with and thofe iflands, having been poflefs'd in
the Acoquau lying betwixt them and the the beginning of the laft century by the Eu-
Mercians. The Pirionaus join on the eafl: ropearis, it has oblig'd them for the mofl:
to the Pirios and Magapas •, and in the part, to return to the great continent of
middle of all thefe nations are the Morous, Amenca^ and into Guiana, from whence
a very barbarous people the Aracareis, they came originally ; others remain in the
the Palicours, the Mayes, and the Coujfades, Aniilles to this time.
whofe habitations fl:and more thick and dole The other Indian nations before men-
together than thofe before mention'd. tion'd, it is believ'd, retir'd from the ifland
Thefe nations fpeak all one and the fame de la Trinidad, or from the provinces of the
language, and are underftood by the C(2r^?mj Oronoque, from the Spaniards ^ who are at
who are enemies to the Nouragues. The In- continual war with the Caraibes living in the
dians fiy the Maranes., who are a very great inland, and at the fea-coa(l. They all live
people, underftand the f^me tongue. The under the jurifdiftion of their Caciques j they
Linguage of the Galibis has a great number have very little of religion, efpecially the C^-
of words that mufl: be pronounc'd with very ^'.a/fe-iwhoare without laws^and fcarce believe
rough afpirations, others cannot be pro- a deity : however, fome have their or
nounc'd without fliutting the teeth ■, at ano- priefl:s, and believe the immortality of the
ther time one mufl: fpeak through the nofe ; foul. And when any Cacique or commander
~and fometimes thefe three difficulties all oc- dies, they kill his flaves, to wait on and ferve
cur in the fame word. The Galibis idiom their mafter in the other world,
is not only underflood by all the nations, Thefe nations love war, for want of other
which the Spaniards on one fide, and the exercife. The Caraibes, when in the field, to
Portuguefe on the other, have oblig'd to make fome incurfions on their neighbours,
retire into Guiana, but alfo by the Caraibes, are fo very much afraid that any of their
who are the natives of the Aniilles, and ufe army fliould be taken by furprize, that
this language ; as alfo the Indians of St. they fend out detachments every hour, and
Vincent, and St. Domingo, and others : fo place guards in places of difficuk accefsj
that it may be faid to be fpoken, for the as ingenioufly as regular forces in Europe
fpace of above four hundred leagues on the can do. Thofe that live on the fea-coaft,
fea-coafl:s, and in many places far above have learnt of the Spaniards to ufe fire-arms,
a hundred and twenty leagues up the coun- Mofl: of thefe Caraibes feed upon human
try. On the fouth fouth-wefl: of the Acoquas fiefla broil'd. The Galibis are pretty la-
are the Aramifas, whofe idiom borders borious, and cultivate their lands proporti-
much on that of the Galibis, having a great onable to the wants of their families. Thofe
many of the fame words in it, tho' they are people do not put any great value upon gold
unacquainted with that nation. By there- or filver: they truck hamocks, aloes-wood,
port of the Nouragues, the Aramifas are a monkeys, and parrots, for fome hatchets,
very good fort of people. If there be a bills, knives, looking-glafles, and other
lake of Parima, this nation cannot be forty fmall wares ; but particularly for Tades^
leagues from it on the north fide but none that is a green fl:one, which they value very
of thefe nations can give the leafb intelli- much, believing it has a fovereign virtue a-
gence of it, not even the Arami[as, who are gainft the falling ficknefs, to v/hich they are
fituated towards the fource of the river Ma- very fubjeft. They have a temperate air,
roni, the mouth of which is about fifty and great abundance of maiz, ananas, plan-
leagues from Cayenne weftward, and thirty tains as large as an egg, and a finger's
from the river of Surinam, where the D^^/f/^ length, of an excellent tafle ; a great deal
have a fort and a colony and are in the of aloes-wood, brazil, balfam, cotton, filk,
fame longitude wherein the maps place the and fpices ; abundance of apes, and ba-
eafl:ern parts of the lake of Parima, boons with long tails, very large and flat-
The nation of iht Sap ayes dwells next to nofed. The turkeys have black feathers
the Galibis, at the mouth of the river yf/ro- on the head, as herons.
aque, which is fourteen or fifteen leagues The Guiana Indians are generally red, of
eaft of Cayenne. The Arovagues, the Aro- a middling, or rather low ftature, of a ro-
ntes^ the Taos, Arvaques, Caraibes^ and o- buft fl:rong conftitution, having black, long,
ther Indian nations lie towards the river and lank hair j going all naked, their privy
Oronoquey weftward of Cayenne i having a parts cover'd only with a little cotton-wek,
hanging
j4 Description of
Barbot. hanging down to the legs. The women are
fhorter generally than the men, and of a red
colour, but tolerably handfome their eyes
for the moft part blue, and very regular fea-
tures in their faces, and well framed. They
ufe a piece of cloth about fix inches fquare,
which they call Camifa, ufually wove in
ftripes of divers colours, and efpecially white,
which is the moft valuable among them.
The men cut off their beards, dye their
faces with RocoUy and cover their arms and
faces with feveral folds of the fore-men-
tion'd fort of cloth ; they wear by way of
ornament, a fort of crown, or garland, of
feathers of fundry colours, and bore a hole
between their noftrils, where they hang a
little piece of money, or a large knob of
green ftone, or rather cryftal, brought from
the river of the Amazons, which they put a
great value on : particularly one whole na-
tion of them make a large hole in their lower
lipi through which they put a piece of wood,
and to it they faften this cryftal. All the o-
ther neighbouring Indian nations have their
particular marks of diftihdlion after this man-
ner, differing fomewhat from one another.
Thefe Indians are generally of fuch robuft
conftitutions, and live fo long, that they
reckon a man dies young at a hundred years
of age.
They are endued with indifferent good
fenfe, their long lives ferving them to gain
experience, and improve their judgment in
fuch things as are within, the reach of the
light of nature.
They are induftrious, ingenious, patient,
and ikilful in fifliing and hunting ; fpend
the greateft part of their time in thofe exer-
/ cifes, and fpare no pains to get their liv-
ing, being more inclin'd to peace than war ;
which yet they engage, in either upon a juft
quarrel, revenge, or point of honour : they
obferve their promifes to each other ex-
adly 5 and will not do to others, what they
would not have others do to them.
It once happened that feveral of thefe na-
tions near the Amazons, entred into a league
againft another, and were about a year mak-
ing great preparations for war which at laft
ended in one night's expedition, furprizing
two or three Carbets, fo they call their ham-
lets, or villages, where they burnt about an
hundred perfons of all fexes and ages, and
returned home as proud and fierce, as if they
had conquer'd the whole country. Other
wars are feidom concluded till they make
forty or fifty of their enemies prifoners, whom
afterwards they either kill, boil in their pots,
and eat as the Noragues do or fell them
to the Europeans at the coaft for flaves,
This barbarity feems in them to be ra-
ther the efi^ed: of an ancient ill cuftom, to
eat the flefh of their enemies, than a natu-
ral difpofition for they feem to be afliam'd
of it, when an European reprefents to them,
in their language, that by the laws of God
we are forbid to kill an enemy when he is
taken prifoner, and much more to eat him v
and they do not offer to reply to it : and fome
of the principal Acoquas have appeared full
of indignation, when they heard that fome
Galibis infinuated we fliould be roafted by
them, if we, I mean the Europeans, Ihould
venture to travel through their country.
Whence it may be infer'd, that tho' this
barbarous inhuman praftice is fo much efta-
blifh'd and received among thefe Acoquas,
and the Norngues, yet it feems to be no
difficult matter to reftrain them from it.
The way of living among the Acoquas
and Noragues is very agreeable, and has
fomething more courteous in it, than that
of the Galibis : for infbance, among the latter
married men dine every one apart, and the
unmarried eat all together ; and all the wo-
men, maids, and little children go to ano-
ther fide of the hut to eat : in this parti-
cular like the Blacks of Congo, and other
parts of Africa. But the JSoragues do other-
wife, for the hufband eats with his wife or
wives and children, with great union and
agreement.
They are generally great eaters, and
drink little or nothing at their ordinary
meals, till they have done, and then com-
monly drink one draught ; but when they
affemble together for warlike enterprizes, or
to begin a canoe, or to launch it, or to ad-
mit one into their council, after they have
expos'd him to feveral hard trials ; they
make extraordinary rejoicings, which fre-
quently hold three or four days, continuing
till they havedrank up all their liquors,which
is what the ir^'^fij call, Fairemvin. For
thefe occafions they make three or four dif-
ferent forts of drink, fome of which be-
come very ftrong by fermentation as that
which they call Palinot, which they make
with Cajfabi, that is baked more than ordi-
nary.
Their common diet is that they call Caj-
fabi, being cakes made of the Mandioca
root, baked on the embers ; as alfo Indian
wheat, filh and fruit.
There is a root cali'd Cajfabi in feveral Caflabi,
parts of America, not much unlike a parfenip,
whereof there are two forts, the one fweet,
the other poifonous. The fweet fort the
natives eat roafted, as they do yams and
potatoes. Of the poifonous they make bread,
firft preffing out the juice, which is the
noxious part ; the reft they grate into pow-
der, and ftrew it on a ftone by degrees over
the fire, where it bakes into a cake, the
bottom of which is hard and brown, the
reft rough and white, like our frying oat-
cakes. Thefe they lay on the tops of their
houfes or hedges, where they dry and grow
the Province of Guiana.
crifp. In Jamaica they are frequently ufed
in (lead of bread, and fo in other American
iflands.
Pallnot Their liquor, cali'd PalinoU is made of
liquor. Cajfabi, baked more than ordinary then
they pile up pieces of it, one upon another,
whilft hot, and keep them fo till they begin
to grow mouldy: after which, they mix
them with potatoes, cut in fmall pieces, as
is the mouldy Cajfabi., and put them together
into great earthen velTcls or jars, pouring
a proportionable quantity of water upon
them, and fo leave all to ferment and work,
till the liquor is as ftrong as they defire,
which is commonly after fix days fermen-
tation. Before ufing, they commonly ftrain
it, and it is of the colour and confiftence
of beer-, but much better tailed, and more
intoxicating and heady.
Ouicou The Indians make many other forts of
Are.
Ct hu^t.:n Tira^uc^ of }\'ar ^ (? mctt itt aw k
the Pro'vince of Guiana,
k with a hatchet or adz, to the breadth of
l^^-J-'^ . half a foot, and about the fame depth, thro'
the whole length of it. This done, they
hollow the reft of it with a gentle fire ;
and this work, which goes on very flowly,
continues in proportion to the bulk of the
'Mr^r^- piece of timber, and to the length they have
projeJ dwelling three days journey from the place himfelf bound for Cayenne and Surinam^,
where they were, with whom they would and lodged them in a fmall ifland in the
have made an alliance. Their three guides river Aproague, at a pretty diftance from
grew infolent, fuppofmg it was to honour the fea ; where they ftaid two days, and
them that the Acoquas came in fuch great obferv'd that the tide rofe there eight foot i
numbers; when in all likelihood it was the and concluded thence, becaufe it covers the
curiofity of feeing Europeans^ that brought laft fall of the river, that it declines but eight
them together. One of thefe guides, a Mo- foot in the fpace of twenty-five leagues from
roUi did all he could to perfuade thofe peo- the fea,
pie, that the milTioners ought to leave them Departing froni this ifland, they went to
all their goods i and they, to put them in Co % the next day they faw the fea, and
hopes of their return, left an iron tool with many Piraguas of the Galihis on it, mak-
an Acoquas who had but one wife, upon ing towards the river of the Amazons^ and
condition he fliould give them a great ha- fome Indians of their company went aboard
mock when they came again, and they to vifit them. Then they proceeded coaft-
would give him a bill and a knife more, to ing along to Mahuri, the firft place to land
make up the value of it. That Indian very at in the ifle of Cayenne^ on the eaft of it,
well knevV the regard the miflioners had for which they got about with much labour,
lawful marriages, and promifed he would the fea being fo rough, that they could not
not take a fecond wife, during the life of well bear up againft it, to proceed beyond
that he had already liv'd with eight or nine Mahuri. Thus they perform'd a voyage j^^^^r
years, and had by her a daughter about fe- of a hundred and feventy leagues from the they t
ven years old. country of the Acoquas to Cayenne ; and the«^«''e-
yeurney of Thus agreed, they imbark*d on the river whole, out and home, was two hundred and
mi/jioners. Camopi in two canoes, and after having forty leagues in the fpace of about five
pafs'd dangerous falls, with fo much ha- months, fuffering many hardfhips and fa-
zard of their lives, that a young Nourague^ tigues, becaufe in thofe parts there is little
who had never run the like rifque before, or no accommodation to relieve them in
faid, God is good, and is not angry with us 5 their ficknefs j and the lefs one carries thither,
they came to the place where they were to the better : befides that the ignorance and
go by land, betwixt the river /a/pf and barbarity of thok Indian nations always
naporibo. Their guides being loaded with give a mifTioner juft caufe to fear any mif-
hamocks and other things, which they had chief upon the leaft difguft. They are al-
bought of the Acoquas, walk'd fo fail, as ways forc'd to carry with them fome Cajfa-
the Indians are wont to do when well load- hi and pafte of Ouicou, in hopes to find ei-
ed, that they left them five leagues from ther fifh or venifon, with the alTiftance of
j however, they got through with- their Indian guides, and here and there,
out lofing their way, by following a path huccaneed flelh and fifh. However, if mif-
in which their guides had thrown little fioners of a vigorous conftitution, of great
boughs in many places, where it was not virtue, and of a difpofition ready to fuffer
eafy to difcern the track, to fignify which thofe hardfliips, were fent over fiom Europe
way they went. Being by this time very in a fufficient number, to fettle for a confi-
ill of their diftempers, they made an agree- derable time, in each country or nation ;
ment with the firft Nourague, who had done it feems, there would be a great profpe6t of
them fome fervice at Caraoiibo, three leagues converting a vaft multitude of thofe people
from Aproague, he being of a very good to the chriftian faith, and a great field open'd
temper, and come thither with two other to the gofpel-labourers, that are willing to
Nouragues of the fame place, who were employ themfelves in it i as well as to dif-
willing to return home as foon as they cover many other Indian nations, which
could. Thus they went, fome in a canoe, probably might alfo be converted,
fome by land, to Camiatih cottage, and
thence taking in his abfence a fmall cheft ^f^^^ ^P"^ 0/ C a y e n n e.
they had left before with him, went to lie T Promis'd in my fhort defcription of the
at a cottage a little way farther % where Ca- large province of Guiana, whereof this
miati at his return from hunting with his ifland is a part, to give a particular account
hound, waited on, and offer'd to accompa- of it, as being a place famous, both for the
ny them to the mouth of the Aproague, to various adventures of the French at feveral
the cottage of the chief of the Sapayes^ times, in fettling themfelves there, and for
whom he had a mind to vifit, being his ve- the many battles they have fought, as well
ry good friend, with the native Indians as with Europeans,
Being come to the cottage of this chief to maintain their ground: wherein they have
of the ^a/j^rv^^s they were kindly entertain'd, been fo fuccefsful, that it is now one of the
and a chief of the Galibis arriving there the rnoft confiderable and advantageous colonies . .
they have in America, It
the Ifland of Cayenne.
It will be needlefs to fay much of the cli-
mate, the foil and produft of the country,
which are fhe fame as in the reft of Guiana ;
I (h Jl confine my felf to what is more pe-
culiar to the ifland, gathered by my own
obfervation, and the information of thofe
employ'd in the government, and of the
principal and moft ancient planters. To
Thetnaf, ^his I have added a moft exad map of the
Plate 3 J. ifland, which wasprefented me by Monfieur
de FeroHes major of the place, and a rela-
tion to the late duke de Noailles, and to the
count de Blmac^ as he caus'd it to be taken,
when he came into that poft, after the death
of the chevalier de Lezy which, according to
his direftion, I caus'd to be engrav'd at
Roche! in a large flieet, for the ufe of thecourto
mfition. This ifland of Cayenne has been a French
colony ever fince the year 1625. It lies
clofe by the continent of Guiana, and only
cut off and made an ifland by the rivers Ovia
on the eaft, and Cabana on the weft •, from
which laft it takes its name, as may be feen in
the map. The town and fort, where the
great road is at the mouth of the river Gui-
ana, are exaftly in four degrees fifty minutes
of north latitude, and three hundred thirty-
two degrees of eaft longitude from Ferro. It
is reckoned about eighteen or twenty leagues
in compafs, ftanding high on the coaft, and
looks at a diftance like part of the continent,
as appears by the profped in the print here
infertedj which I took as we fail'd along the
coaft.
Lengthmd The length of the ifland, from the river
breadth. Ovia to the river Cayana, is about feven
leagues, and the breadth about three.
Cayana The river Ca-jana falls into the north-fea
nver. on the wcft fide of it, dividing the country
of the Caraihes from that of the Galihis.
The ifland forms three principal capes or
promontories, being thofe of Fort-Louis, Se-
perou, and Mahuri. It has much meadow
and pafture ground in feveral parts the reft
is low and marfliy, efpecially in the middle,
fo as to be almoft impaflfable. The edges
of it are moftly cover'd with large trees,
which we call mangroves, having that pe-
culiar quality of growing in fait water, fo
thick, deepi and wide rooted, that from
thofe very roots other trees rife up without
end, fo wonderful clofe interwoven within one
another, that in fome parts of the ifland, a
man may walk leagues on them without
touching the ground.
About forty years ago the ifland was ex-
traordinary unhealthy, becaufe of the long
rains, which lafted above nine months in
twelve, but elpecially from December till
June; as alfo becaufe the ground was clofe
wooded, and fo marfliy, that it occafion'd
feveral forts of difeafes among the inhabit
tants, which in a more particular manner
affedted young infants^ infomuch, that ma-
ny died almoft as foon as born, and others Barbot;
at a very tender age : for which reafon the
moft fubftantial planters ufed to fend them
over to France very young, to preferve
them from the malignity of that bad air lUnhealth^
which is now nothing near fo pernicious to^^^^*^^"
thofe young babes, fince the land has been
grubb*d up : fo that they grow up healthy
and ftrong. Befides, the women are fafer
in child-bed^ and the generality of the in-
habitants lefsfubjedt to diftempers than they
were before the ifland was clear'd of moft of
the wood. However, it is ftill, and will
always bean uncomfortable place to live in,,
becaufe of the long rainy feafon every year,
the fcorching clofe air night and day, which
difpiritsaman J and the heavy fliowersand,
vapours, exhal'd from the fwampy grounds^
which ftill occafion difeafes in men and
beafts, tho' not fo much as formerly. Large
cattle particularly, can fcarce live there,.
They are alfo continually tormented with
gnats, flies, hand-worms, antSj bugs, and
other forts of vermin ; all which together
renders the place very difagreeal)le and un-
eafy ; for which reafon, feveral planters, when
grown rich, retire into France, and let their
plantations.
The foil of Cayenne, by reafon of the con- Soil and
tinual rains, produces plenty of fugar-canes jl"'<'<^«^<'
which, tho*fmall and fliort-jointed, yield very
plentifully : alfo of Mandioca or Cajffabi, In-
dian wheat, Rocou, cotton, y^ccajou-a.pples^
Banillas, Pete, Ebony, Letter and Violet-
wood ; Ananas, 'Tuber ofes, very fine and large %
Papaias, and feveral forts of American and
European grain and feeds, befides lemons j
oranges, indigo, and figs, ^c.
The country abounds in wild-boars, call'd -^ly^^
there Packs, deer, agontils, wood-cocks, bm^s,
ortolans, nightingals, arras, occos, toucans,
parrots, parroquets, and other birds only re-
markable for their feathers ; alfo Flamingos,
birds about as big as a hen, flying in fwarms
like ducks or cranes •, large wild-ducks with
red tufts on their heads lizards, cameleons,
and very large ferpents^ fome of them above ^^^^^^^^
twenty- five foot long, befides many fmaller.
I was ftiew'd the fl-j>*»?.
he meafur'd himfelf, and found to be forty-
S6o
A Description of
Barbot. two foot m length, and above four in circum-
'•.✓v^ ference and adds, the jefuit affur'd him,
as a known truth, that a young bullock had
been found in the belly of it almoft whole.
The fame monfieur Cherot afTur'd me, that
in the fame city of St. Salvador., he admi-
nifter'd to a Black, whofe flomach and belly
Proi%zo«i were monftroufly fwollen, as if he had been
■wortn in « in a dropfy, a dofe of a dram and a half of
mercury or qiiickfilver, which brought away
from him by ftool a prodigious dead, flat
worm, cover'd all over with thin fmall fcales
like a fnake, full fixty-fix foot long, and but
a quarter of an inch broad ; but wanting the
head, which had been diflblv'd in the pati-
ent's body. This worm he protefted he had
kept a long time in a bottle that held five
pints of liquor, and yet the worm with only
one pint of fpirits to preferve it, almoft fill'd
the bottle. After which evacuation, the pa-
tient recovered by degrees.
Leguat. in his travels, if they deferve any
credit, fays, there are ferpents fitty foot
lonp- in the ifland o^Java. At Batavia
they ftill keep the fkin of one, which tho'
but twenty foot in length, is faid to have
fwallow'd a young maid wholes I return to
■'Cayenne, where
They have fine tygers fkins from the In-
Mans, fome of which I caus'd to be made
into muffs at my return to Paris, and they
were there valued at ten Lonis-d'or each.
There are alfo feveral forts of monkeys, fa-
Sn^ajous. pajous, and fine Amazon parrots brought
from the countries about that river, eafy to
be taught to fpeak diftindly, but very dear,
for I gave ten crowns for' one of them my
felf, The parroquets are commonly about
the bignefs of an ordmary thrufh, all the
body of a lovely fhining green, a painted
head, and very long narrow tail of various
colours ; the feet and bill white, and fome
of them will talk a little. I have inferted
Flate 7. in the print the exad figure of the fapajous
and parroquets of Cayenne, drawn from the
life, and that of the female lamentins •, as
alfo of a rare creature about as big as a
little monkey, which I often faw in the pof-
feffion of Mr. Geo. d' Otin, drugfter in New-
gate-Sireeti London, about the year 1703,
who kept it in his fliop, and was prefented
with it by a traveller coming from the Red-
Sea who brought it from the ifland of An-
gouan, one of the Cameras, lying in thirteen
degrees of fouth latitude, between the coaft
of Zanguehar and the ifland of Madagafcar,
on the eaft fide of y^nV^z. This little ani-
mal's head was like that of a very young
lamb, only the muzzle fomewhat fharper-
pointed i the ears flat and open, the head
and neck all cover'd with a fliort curl'd
' wool as fine as filk j the body, legs, and
tail exaftly like a monkey, only that the
tail was more hairy. The noife it made
was like afv/ine, and play'd all the tricks of
a monkey. The wool on its head, neck and
body, was grey and brown ftriped. It fed
very greedily on walnuts, and was very full
offport, but died in 1704. The fame fort
of animal is alfo found in the ifland of Mada-
gafcar, and C'^.Wdi Chitote by the people a- Chitote,
bout the bay of Maffaly, facing the channel -^'■'^"^^
of Mozambique; where it breeds in the woods,
fkipping from one branch to another on the
high trees, as the monkeys do, and hanging
in the fame manner at the boughs by their
long tails.
The lea about Cayenne affords large tor- f^y/;,
toifes, mullets of twenty pounds weight.,
yellowiOi large Macborans or cat-fifhes,
thornbacks, and other forts of fifh and the
rivers are well ftor'd with fuch as belong to
the frefh water.
In my time there were not above fifteen
fjgar plantations, and four or five of Rocou
or Anoito in this ifland ; but there are at
prefent many more of the former, and few
or none of the latter, for reafons I fhall
have occafion to mention hereafter.
Money was alfo very fcarce then, but ^tSugAt.
free-booters who return'd from the South-
Sea, the meaneft of whom had at leaft two
thoufand crowns for his fliare, bought them
habitations there, increafed the colony, and
render'd money current among the inhabi-
tants ; and the foil of the ifland being foon
worn out by plandng of fugar-cartes, fome
have made plantations on the adjoining con-
tinent, to the weft and fouth-weft of Cayenne,
and thrive extremely wcil.
It is reported in Spanijh hiftories of the
difcovery of America, that tl:ie art of draw-
ing and refining of fugar, was perfected by
Lewis de Figueroa and Alonfo de St. John.,
priors of the order of St. Jerome, in the
ifland Hifpaniohi, ahno 1516.
The fugar made here is very good, both
white and Mufcovado of three forts , and
reckon'd at Lyons and 1'uiirs in France,
much more proper and laving for confeftio-
ners, than any other wharibever •, being both
very fweet and moift. The beft Vv'hite fu-
gars and Mufcovados, are commonly put up
in large and long cheft"s, made of Acajou
planks, after the manner of the Brazil
chefts, and the coarfcft in caflcs, for the
greater conveniency of ftowidge aboard
fliips. The fugar is the chief producfl of
this ifland, and has enrich'd feveral planters
in a fhort time, when they were well fup-
ply'd with lufty Black flaves from Guinea ;
for then a male flave did not yield above
one hundred crowns, or two hundred and
fifty French livres : about which laft price,
I fold a hundred and thirty flaves at my
pafTage thither. But the colony having
been lately neglefted, fome of the rich
planters being dead, and others gone away
into
the Ifland
into France^ which caufed them to make
but little fugar ; and Rocou becoming a
perfeft drug, fo that fhips of but an in-
different burden, waited fometimes near a
year for their lading : they had fo few
flaves carry 'd thither, that in the year
1697, a man-fl.ave yielded five hundred li-
vres the Indians not being able to furnifh
the colony with a fufficient number of A-
ftierican flaves, who befides are not altoge-
ther fo proper as the Blacks, to cultivate
the ground.
Few at prefent are ignorant of the man-
ner how fugar is made, but perhaps as few
know the manner of making Rocou, and
therefore I fhall here give an account of it.
Rocou or ^^'^ou is a red dye, or deep orange-colour,
Anocto ^""^ commonly ufed as a ground for other
dp. colours, in linnen cloth or filks. The name
is Indian, and it is call'd Anotto in the Spa-
nijh American countries, which perhaps may
alfo be deriv'd from the Indians of thofe
parts. At the firft planting of it in Cay-
enne, the natural Rocou got from the Indi-
ans fold in France from twenty to fifteen
livres a pound. This great price fet many
people upon cultivating the plants there,
and in a few years fo great a quantity was
made, that it became a drug ■, infomuch
that about the year 1686, it would not
fetch nine fols a pound at Rochel, one of the
fea-port towns of France, which had for
many years the moft fettled trade with
Cayenne, and from whence more efpecially
the garrifon of that ifland receiv'd its pro-
vifions and clothing ; having my felf been
commiffion'd into that fervice.
This dye is produced from certain very
fmall red berries, growing a great number
together in a fmall clufter, the form of
Plate 16. which is reprefented in the print. This
clufter, when the berries are almoft ripe, is
pUick'd from the trees, and as it dries, opens
fo as to drop the berries-, which are gather'd
and put into proper vefi^els or troughs, to a
certain quantity, and fteep'd in clean water,
which in a very fliort time wafties off" the
red colour from them, and fwims on the
furface, and the feed by its ponderoufnefs
falls to the bottom of the troughs, and is
good for nothing. This dye they take up
gently, and put it into other veflels, where
it coagulates in the fun, and grows thicker
and thicker, by lying ; and when it is come
to a true confiftency, like new cheele, they
mould it into fmall mafles, fome fquare,
others in long rolls, each weighing about
four pounds, and cover them with dry'd
palm-tree leaves, which help to preferve it,
and prevent its flicking together when
pack'd up in barrels, cafks or chefts : and
thus by degrees it grows harder and harder
as cheefe does. But the fmell of it is more
and more difagreeable to many people, be-
of Cayenne, %6i
ing very fl:rong. The dye ftains every Barbot.
thing it touches, but the Spanijh Anotto is '^-''V^.
far better and finer than that of Cayenne,
This fort of dye will keep many years, if
well preferv'd in proper moifl: and cool pla-
ces ; but in length of time it dries up al-
mofl; to dufl:, and loies its virtue. It is alfo
adulterated and mix'd with fome other in-
gredients, either in the country or in Eu-
rope, and moulded a-new into loaves buc
fuch dye is nothing near fo good as the
natural.
The trees commonly at full age do not
exceed fifteen or fixteen foot in height, ve-
ry fhady and ever green ; bearing a great
quantity of the bloflbm or flower of Anotto
or Rocou, which when yet young, are of a
fine pleafant red, and at fome diftance re~
fembles the pomgranate-tree when blown.
The Rocou planters formerly cultivated
large orchards of thefe trees, as we do of '
apples or cherries.
The chief town of Ca'jenne ftands on the
weft part of the ifland, in an advantageous
fituation nature and art having equally
contributed to the fortifying of it. It is of
an irregular hexagon figure. The fortifi-
cations of the town, as the plan reprefents,
were moftly caft up with earth by the Hol-
landers, after they had driven the French
from the ifland ; and have feveral batteries
mounted with cannon, and a dry ditch quite
round, befides rows of trees that furround
it in a triangle, which makes a handfome
profpe6t at a diftance. Within this flight
fortification, ftand above two hundred hou-
fes, difpofed in fuch manner, as to form two
indifferent ftreets or lanes, all built with
planks of a certain tree by the French call'd
Poirier, and of other fort of timber, and
thatch'd ; which is the reafon they are now
and then burnt down fo faft, that nothing
can be fav'd, to the great lofs and damage
not only to the owners, but of feveral inha-
bitants round the town. On the north-eafl:
part of it, towards the gate of Armire, the
jefuits have a little chappel, ftanding in an
open place by itfelf, and before it a grove
of lemon-trees, which afford a pleafant
fhade to walk under ; the chappel is adorn'd
with a fmall fpire of planks, with good
bells.
On a pretty fteep hill or eminence ftands
the fort of St. Lewis de Ceperoux, built
by order of Lewis XIII. king of France^
on the fea-fide, commanding every way,
mounted with forty-two iron guns ; the
garrifon whereof commonly confifts of four '
companies of regular forces, befides near
five hundred inhabitants moftly French, and
divers Indians, who retire into the ifland
with their canoes, and there make their
cottages and carbets living either in the
town, or on the ifland round about as far
7 D as
^6z D E S C R i
BARBOT.as mount Sifiery, becaufe of the goodnefs
^-^"V^ of the foil, and the wholefomenefs of the
air, as it lies much higher than the ifland.
Thefe^ upon the leaft alarm, are obliged
to ftand to their arms the fignal to give
notice to them to come together, being to
fire off fome cannons, efpecially in the
night-time. The weakeft places of this
ifland are alfo defended by fome batteries
and guns.
The next town in the ifland to this, is
Jrmire^ diftant about three leagues eaft-
ward, but fmall and thinly peopled •, where
the jefuits have a chappel alfo, for the con-
veniency of the inhabitants of that part of
the ifland: and about a league farther eaft is
the point Mahuri, and near it a very fine
plantation for fugar, belonging to a parti-
cular acquaintance of mine, Mr, FofUaine ot
Rouen, fince deceafed ; and is a fie place to
land at. Weft of this plantation frands an
Indian carbet. Thefe are all the remarka-
ble towns of Cayenne, except here and there
fome cottages, and plantations about the
ifland; the fouth part of which is ftor'd with
fine large meadows or pafture-grounds,
call'd after the Indians Savanas, and three
rivulets. They have ufually a watch-houfe
and a battery of fome iron guns at Arynire,
to give fignals, when they difcover fliips
coming from the eaftward.
Fort houh commands both the town and
thefea ; the anchoring- place for fhips is un-
der the cannon of the fort^ within muiket-
ihot from land, in three fathom and a half
muddy ground, fouth-weft of the water-
gate, which has four good guns to defend
the road.
The colony is partly fubfifted by pro-
vifions brought over from France^ in mer-
chants (hips by way of trade ; which com-
monly are wine, brandy, meal and pow-
der'd or fait meats : for beef is very fcarce
there, befides that they are not allow'd to
kill any, nor calves neither, without leave
of the governour or his fubftitutes, that cat-
tle may multiply in the ifland. All ibrts
of linnen, cloathing, ftuffs, filks, fhoes,
and other wearing apparel are alfo carry'd
thither from France, for the ufe of men,
women and children and all forts of iron-
tools and fmall wares, either for the fer-
vice of the colony, or for the Amazons and
Indian trade, are barter'd for fugar, Rocou,
Indigo, tortoife fhells, tygersfkins, and o-
ther inconfiderable curiofities of the country,
which did once turn to great profit to the
traders there.
The other neceffary provifions of the
produd of the ifland, are Mandioca or Cajfa-
hi, and Indian wheat , of which each planter
fows large quantities, both for the fub~
fiftance of their own families and flaveSj
and to fell to the other inferior inhabitants.
P T I O N ^/
The fea and river-fifli, poultry, pidgeons,
queefts or ring-doves, whereof there is great
plenty, and delicate turkey* venifon, hares,
agoncils, hogs, and Prtf^j,that is wild-boars,
are alfo a pirt of their lufibftance : but La-
mentyns and fea-tortoifes are their chief pro-
vifion, and may well be called the manna
to the poorer fort.
The Lamenhn is by fome call'd the fea- Manati
cow, and by others Manati, the head where- /f^-ww.
of is much like a pig's, except that its fnout
is not altogether lo long. The largeft of
them are about twenty foot long, having
no fins, but the tail, and two paws : the
body is pretty thick or round, till towards
the navel ; the tail like thai of a whale and
porpoife, has an horizontal breadth when
the animal lies flat on his flomach or belly.
Its fkin is blackifh, with fome thin hairs,
rough and hard, andfo very thick, that the
Indians cut it inco narrow long flips, which
they dry,and become as ftiff as a cane ; where-
with the Europeans chaftife their flaves.
Others make of the fi^in a fort of bucklers,
mufl
thers, and tygers fkins as alfo to pofl!els
l.xtmt. The governour of Cayenne claims ajurif- folely the benefit of the Cacao trade in that
didtion over the countries of Guiana, from
the great river of the Amazons on the eaft,
to the river Maroni at weft north-weft and
accordingly the late governour M. deFeroUes,
who was major of the fort and garrifon in
my time, begun a road by land to the river
of the Amazons, pretending to drive the
Portuguefe from the rivers Par on and Maca-
la, on which they have built three forts
for their fecurity. The French alledge, that
thofe countries belong to the crown France,
part of Guiana, on the weft fide of the
river of the Amazons, fo very advantageous j
the large country round about Macaha, na-
turally abounding in plants of Cacao, grow-
ing of themfelves, without any culture, in
the woods. They made no fcruple to fall
out with the French on that account ; fo that
at laft force of arms was ufed by the con-
tending parties reciprocally, as opportunity
offer'd : but the Portuguefe having been
quick at ereding a fmall fort at Arowary,
near
the IJland of Cayenne,
near cape Norths at the mouth of the river
of the Amazons, and a pretty large one at
Macaba, about fixty leagues up it, mounted
with fourteen guns •, and a little one at fome
diftance from it, with the arms of Portugal
on the gate •, maintain'd their ground for a
time, and very much molefted the French
trading that way, either by fea or land : and
many have been (lain or injur'd on both
fides, for the French llruggled againft their
antagonifts from Caynne and H^iapoco, as
much as they could.
Things being come to this pafs, and for
a long while to open violence among the
contenders, and their bufinefs being thereby
very much obftru£led •, at laft there was a
treaty fet on foot by the two kings, by
which it was agreed, that the Portuguefe
fhould demolifh their new forts, and with-
draw their artillery and garrifons, which
was executed about the year 1702, when
the govcrnour of Cayenne fent this officer
with a fmall fleet of barques and canoes, and
about two hundred men aboard, to Don Al-
biiquerque, chiel governour at Para^ with
the difpatches of Portugal but yet this was
not done by him without great reluftancy,
and to the great forrow of the fubjedts of
Portugal in thofe parts.
Thus this country was left to the French^
but not long at their difpofal ; for loon after
the crown of France, labouring hard to dif-
luade the king of Portugal from entering
into the grand alliance with the Emperor,
the Queen of Great-Britain, and the States-
general, for reftoring the intire monarchy of
Spain to the houfe ofAuftria, thought proper
to relinquifli its intereft in that part oiGuiana,
to the Portuguefe ; who lofing no time, took
pofTeffion thereof, and with great diligence
rebuilt the fort at Arowary and Macada, and
thus again peaceably pofTefs the beneficial
trade o^ Cacao. However, it is to be obferv'd,
that thofe nuts are nothing to the right Spa-
commonly known by the n2Lmeo'i Caracas
nuts, which are large and fweet ; whereas
thefe Portuguefe nuts are fmall and bitter.
Thefe nuts the Portuguefe convey in large
canoes and barks to Para, whence great
quantities are fent yearly to Lifhon.
The canoes the Portuguefe of Para make
to carry on their trade in the river of the
Amazons, are extraordinary fine and large,
all of one fingle tree, and fome of them
eight foot broad, and above fixty in length,
with cabbins, wherein they can hang three
hammocks in a row, and their Indians are
very dexterous at navigating of them.
The government of Para has above three
thoufand Indians, living in villages, about
the town of that name, and maintained
as a conftant, regular militia, to ferve upon
all occafions. Thofe Indians are all baptiz'd
and inftruded in the chriftian religion, with
Vol, V.
their whole families, by the labour of the Barbot.
jefuits, who have ere6led fine churches in the **-''V^
Indian villages, and employ thofe people in
hufbandry, when the government has no
occafion for their fervice in war.
The fame gentleman farther told me ^ Beautiful
that there is a nation of Indians on ihevftdi'^omen.
fide of this river, feveral leagues up it, whofe
female fex is exceedingly handfome, and go
ftark naked, plaiting the hair of their heads
very artificially ; and that he obferv'd, when
any of thofe women came into his prefence,
they feem'd to be afhamed of being naked,
but not at ail when return'd among their
own people. 7-r ; ■ .,
That in croffing the wide mouth of the
river of the Amazons, being near ninety
leagues wide, as has been obferved, he fpent
eight days with his little fleet, before he got
to the town of Para, on the eaft fhore : and
found much pleafure every evening at fun-
fetting, when failing thro' the Archipelago of
in.ands, he obferved the fweetnefs and fereni-
ty of the air, the beautiful, ever-green lofty
trees along the many channels, formed by
the fituation of thofe iflands the clearnefs
of the water refleding fo lively the form
and fhapeof them again in their cryfl:alline
furface together with the variety of beauti-
ful birds in the woods, and their fweet me-
lody. On the weft fide of the river, and as he
croflTed fome part of the province of Guiana,
he met with many profpeds of landfl now generally agreed
to be altogether fabulous and imaginary
the French from Cayejine having made all
imaginable fearch after it, as the Spaniards
and other nations hid done before : and for
the city Manoa, or El Dorado, it is of the
fame (lamp. For had there been any fuch
wealth, as many have reported to be in
that place, no obftacles would have been
fufficien: to ftop the progrefs of Europeans^:
but they would have reach'd it long ago :
and it is certain the Spaniards, who firft
heard the report of it, and v/ere able to iub-
due the moft valuable part of America,wo\Ad
not have been bafBed in the purfuit of fuch
treafure as that place was given out to con-
tain ; but that after fearching all that coun-
try, they Vi^ere fully convinc'd it was fairy
treafure, a meer chimzera or invention, and
therefore they gave over the purfuit of it,
being fatisfied thofe countries afforded no-
thing worth their toils. The Portuguefe after
them took no little pains to find out that
imaginary treafure, and to as little purpofe ;
the French, as has been faid, have follow'd
their example from Cayenne, with the like
fuccefs; and our Sir Walter Raleigh's, fo much
celebrated voyage toGmana^v/^s on the fame
account, and turn'd as little to his honour,
nor did he make any other profit than what
accrued by robbing of the Spaniards.
Since I am upon the defcription of this
part of America, and have had occafion
to mention the famous river of the Ama-
zons, it will not, I hope, bedilagreeable to
give fome farther account of the fiiid river,
from the beft Spani/lj authors, who alone
are able to acquaint us with what has been
difcover*d relating to it.
When Francis Pizarro had fubdued theorellani
empire of Peru, he gave the government/'j^ .f"*^
of ^tiio, and fome other northern provinces, ^J^J^^^^^g
to his brother Gonzalo Pizarro ; who refolv- Amazons,
ing to make farther difcoveries weftward,
in hopes of finding much gold, he fee
out with a good number of Spaniards, among
whom was Don Francifco de Orellana, a
gentleman of good birth and quality : after
many days travel, being in great want of
provifions, Pizarro fent this Or^//^;?^ in a
bark, with fixty men, down a river to feek
for provifions. He ran down with the
ftre^im
the Rher of the Amazons.
ftream for feveral days through a defarc coun-
try, till he came to another inhabited ;
when finding it very difficult to return up
two hundred leagues, to the place from
whence he he refolv'd to proceed ;
and was carry'd from the river on which he
had imbark'd into that of the Amazons, fo
call'd in reality from fome women they faw
fighting among the men: which gave occa-
fion to the fo much talk'd of fable of a coun-
try of Amazons, invented by fome men in
imitation of thofe formerly talk'd of in Afia,
a chimera much like that above mention'd of
the lake of Pdrima, and the city Mama ;
for never could this country be found any
more than that lake or city : fo that many go
onattefting fo manifeft a fidion, without con-
fidering the abfolute impofTibility of fuch
places being hid to the fearch of fo many
perfons, as have rang'd all thofe regions in
queft of them.
Orellana fail*d two hundred leagues far^
ther in nine days, and came to a country of
peaceable Indians, who fupply'd him with
provifions, and there he ftaid and built a
brigantine. He run almoft two hundred
leagues farther, without finding any Indian
towns ; and then was fupply'd with tortoifes
and parrots, partridges, and feveral forts of
fiih •, there he ftaid thirty-five days, and
built another brigantine. That place was
call'd Apaj'ia. Proceeding eighty leagues, he
found no warlike Indians in that fpace •, but
was afterwards forc'd to fight his way through
fleets of canoes full of arm'd Indians •■, and to
land and get provifions by force. The par-
ticulars of this relation are too long for this
place and therefore I fhall only obferve,
that atter many encounters, they fpy'd fome
women fighting defperately at the head of
the men ■■, and not underftanding the natives,
fancy'd they talk'd to them of Amazons, and
that there was fuch a nation : whereas there
was nothing but the favage fiercenefs of thofe
few women to ground the notion upon, as
has been obferv'd already. And therefore it
will be needlefs to infift longer upon a thing,
that has been long fince exploded by all
men of fenfe.
Acunna, Leaving that imaginary nation, 1 will
dfthe proceed to the account Aciinna gives of the
Amazons river of the Amazons, which is as follows.
nver. river runs from weft to eaft, continu-
ally on the fouth fide of the equinoftial, ne-
ver departing from it above two, three, four,
or at moft five degrees, in the greateft of its
I windings. This author makes it to rife in
the kingdom of ^lito, in the north of Ferw,
\ but the jefuifs living in that kingdom, fay it
rifes in the lake Lauricocha, near the city
Guameco ; and they being better acquainted
vvith that part, I fliall pafs by what Aciinna
farther fays of its original, -which he did noE
fee, and inferc ic afterwards from thofe je=
fuits, proceeding now to what Acunna faysBARsor.
of itscourfe, of which he was an eye-witnefs. '-'V^
He defcribes it thus : Its courfe is full of
windings, receiving a great number of other
rivers from both the north and fouth fides :
the breadth varies much, being in fome
places a league ; in others two, three, or
more \ but the mouth of it is eighty-four
leagues over. The narroweft place in all
its courfe from Peru, being a quarter of a
league, or little lefs, in two degrees forty
minutes of fouth latitude : the depth is fo
great, that in fome places we could find no
bottom •■, and from the mouth of it to Rio
Negro, or the black river, being near fix
hundred leagues, never lefs than thirty or
forty fathom water in the greateft channel 5
but from thence upwards the depth is un-
certain, fometimes twenty, fometimes twelve
and fometimes eight fathom 1 and up at the
higheft towards Peru, it has water enough
to carry the largeft vefi"els, which may well
go up it : for tho' the current be fometimes
fwift, yet every day, without fail, there are
eafterly breezes, which laft three or four
hours, and fometimes the whole day, and
check the ftream ; fo that it is not violent.
It is full of innumerable iflands of feveral
fizes, and fome of them ftanding very clofe
together. Some of them are four or five
leagues" in compafs, others ten, and others
twenty ; but that the Toupinambous inhabit,
is above a hundred leagues about : there are
alfo abundance of fmall iflands, all which
are overflow'd every year, as is much of the
large ones. There is fuch vaft plenty of fifn,
that if any one offers it to the natives, their
common anfwer is, put it into your own diJJj.
They take very much, without any other in-
ftrument but their hands. The Manati is
the choiceft of all their fifh ; and found from
the very fource to the mouth of the river.
Tho' this river lies all along fo near the
equinoctial, yet the heat of the fun is not
offenfive, nor the evening-air, notwichftand-
ing its being cold and moift, prejudicial :
for during our voyage down it, I frequently
pafs'd whole nights in the open air, without
receiving any hurt of colds, or pains in my
head or limbs •, and yet have felt the ill con- 1
fequence of being abroad in moon-fhine
nights in other parts. It is true, that moft
of our men, who came from cold countries,
had agues at firft, but were cured by bleed-
ing two or three times.
This fweet temperature of the air caufes
all the banks of the river to be cover'd
with a thoufand feveral forts of lovely
trees % the pleafant verdure whereof, is per-
petually preferv'd by the moderate nature
of the climate. We difcover'd every wher^
moft beautiful landflcips which convinced
us, that nature was abJf, where it pleas'd, tp
exceed arc. ,
. " " The
\
A Description of
Barbot. The ground is commonly very low neaf
^•^s^yr^ the banks, but rifes gradually at feme dif-
tance with little hills, adjoining to delight-
ful plains, all coverd with flowers, and no
trees among them. Beyond them arelOvely
vales, cloth'd with grafs and feveral forts of
herbs, preferv'd continually green, by the
many rivulets running through them. Far-
ther on ftill are hills, rifing one above ano-
ther, till they form thofe high mountains,
which run acrofs all South America^ and are
call'd La Cordillera^or the ridge of the Jndes^
There are many thickets producing all forts
of fimples, which the natives know how to
life for the cure of difeafes. Among them
are Cafia-tvees, bearing the bell CaJJia of
all the JVeJl-Indies ; as alfo excellent Sarfa-
fariiia, gums and rofins very good for
bruifes y and a prodigious quantity of ho-
ney, which is not to be exhaufted, being as
good to eat, as for the compofition of vari-
ous medicines and in proportion, of a fort
of black wax. There is balfam of Copayba,
the belt in America and in fhort, an in-
credible variety of herbs and plants, and
trees of a furprizing tallnefs and bulk.
Four things particularly abound on this
river ; i . timber for building, fine ebony,
and common wood 2. cacao-trees for mak-
ing of chocolate, covering the banks and
growing wild; 3, tobacco in infinite plenty;
and 4. fugar, as alfo Anotto or Rocoii^ and
Pita., being excellent thread, befides a thou-
fand other things. It is reafonable to be-
lieve there are gold and filver mines, be-
caufe I faw much gold among the Indians we
met in going dovm, and they afiiir'd us there
Were mines of both forts.
This great river receives the waters of the
richeft countries of South America : in many
parts along it, the country is extraordinary
populous, as appears by the huts being fo
thick together, tho' they are in continual
Wars, deftroying and making flaves of one
another in their turns. They feem bold
enough among themfelves, but will not ftand
before Europeans. Their arms are javelins,
darts, and flat heavy clubs. But enough of
this digrelTion, let us return to the account
of Guiana.
Europeans The coaft of Guiana, from cape Orange to
in Guiana. near the river Oronoque, was, about the year
1666, poflTefled by three European nations.
The Dutch were about the river Ap?-oague ;
the French had the ifland of Cayenne, and the
rivers of Ovia, Corrou, and Sinamary ; this
laft about twenty- five leagues north-weft
from Cayenne, and fifty-three eafl: from 5/^-
rinam \ and the Englijh had a fmall colony
and redoubt on the river Maronny, their chief
fettlement being then at Surinam river, which
is fo good and deep, that fliips of three hun-
dred tons run twenty leagues up it. The
Zealandersyrsre poflTefs'd of the river Berhiche^
and had repuls'd the Engiijh who attacked
them there, with confiderable lofs. The'
fame year 1666, the ftates of Zealand, being
provok'd at the Englijh having invaded, and
taken from them all the lands they had been
pofTefs'd of in America, except the river Ber~
hiche, fent thither commodore Creijfen with
four men of war, and three hundred men, to
attack Surinam. He faii'd from Zealand at
the latter end of January, arriv'd at Cayenne
in March, went thence for Surinam, faii'd
up the river under Englijh colours, and came
to the fort of Paramorho, three leagues up
the river, v/ithout being taken for an ene-
my j but being difcover'd there for want of
fignals, the fort began to fire on his fhips,
which he anfwer'd w'ith broad-fides from aii
the veflels, and inimediately landed his forces*
The Englifi who had liv'd long in profound
fecurity, found themfelves too weak, and the
fort in no pofture of defence on the land-
fide •, and their habitations being difperfed
along the river, for thirty leagues up, the
fort could not be fuccour'd but by water,
where the Zealande'rs were mafters : upon
which confiderations, they furrender'd it, ca-
pitulating for all the inhabitants of the river
of Surinatn, and thofe of Kamomieque ; ftipu-
lating, that all thofe who Ihould take the
oath of fidelity to the ftates of Zealand,(biOu\d
enjoy their eftates peaceably ; the habita-
tions of fuch as abfented themfelves, and
thofe belonging to the late lord IVilloughhy^
Ihould be forfeited to the faid ftates ; all fo-
f eignei-s, who had no plantations there, ftiould
remain prifoners of war, and all the Englijh
be oblig'd to deliver up their arms. When
the capitulation was executed, Creijfen put
aboard a fly-boat he had taken in the river,
the rrioft valuable part of the booty he found
in the places that were confifcated, and the
prifoners aboard a man-of-war, after caufing
the fort to be repair'd and put into a pofture
of defence; and leaving in it the fieur de Rame
with a hundred and tv/enty men, he faii'd for
the iflands.
The French colony at Cayenne, Was fourt- Cs/cwy at
ded in the reign of Lewis XIII. of France ; Cayenne,
but fo much negle6led, during the minority
of his fucceflTor, by reafon of the civil wars
in France, that the new company, which
had obtain'd of the king the propriety of
that ifland, and the continent of America
neighbouring upon it, made little or no ad-
vantage of it ; and therefore in the year 1 663
made it over to another company, which
had a patent granted by the late king of
France, dated in April 1 664, and fent over
governours and ofiicers, to take poflTefllon of
it in their name, forbidding the inhabitants
to trade with any other European nation ; hy
whom, efpecially the Dutch, they ufed to be
before fupply'd with flaves, provifionSj and
clothes.
The
the Ifland
The king of France, having declared war
againft England in January 1 666, purfuant
to his treaty with the ftates of the united
provinces, it was carry'd into the iflands
and continent of America^ notwithftanding
the good correfpondence •, which general de
la Barre had fettled between tiie Englijh at
Surinam, and the colony of Ca'jenne, du-
ring his government there in 1664 and 1665;
allowing, and even affifting them, to fifh
and trade with their floops and barks, about
the river IFi'ipoco, cape North, and the A-
ma%om : which liberty, the governour of
Cayenne the chevalier de Lezy, brother to
the before-mention'd general, had continu'd
them to enjoy, by a particular treaty of
neutrality for the coafts of Guiana, notwith-
ftanding the declaration of war, between the
French two crowns in Europe. Neverchelefs, on
H^^yM-tht fourteenth of Auguji 1666, IViUiam Bi-
^thEn^- F.ngUJIj commander at Surinam, fent
[ifl^. ^ a letter to colonel Noel, the French chief at
Sinamary^ to acquaint him, he was order'd
by the lord PFilloughhy, general of the Eng-
lijh colonies in South- America, to whom he
was fubordinate, to make void the neutrality,
agreed on between the two national colo-
nies in America, declaring that from thence-
forward the French on the coaft of Guiana,
were to look upon the Engliflo on that coaft,
as well as elfewhere, as their enemies, who
would a6l againft them for the future as fuch.
And about four of the clock the very next
morning, the French not fufpefting any
furprize from the Englijh of Surinam, which
was fifty-three leagues diftant, were affault-
ed by eighty Enqliflo and Indians of that ri-
ver, in their redoubt, unprovided of arms
and ammunition, and fifty of them made
prifoners of war, with colonel Noel ; and a-
bout twenty others made their efcape to the
woods, and brought the account of their
misfortune, and the breach of neutrality to
Cayenne.
Englidi '^^^ Zealanders of Berhiche fome time
take Cay- after took Englijh fettlements at Suri-
enne. fiam and at Sinamary: and about the twen-
ty-third of Septemher 1667, the EngliJJo un-
der Sir John Harman, having refolv'd to
recover Surinatn and take Cayenne, which
they knew the Weji-lndia company of
France had left unprovided fince the month
of Oolohcr 1666, of all manner of ftores,
by which the colony was become very weak
and fickly, and had order'd the chevalier de
Lezy, to difcontinue all the fortifications,
begun for the fecurity of the ifland, (jfc.
appeared before Mahuri point in Cayenne,
landed there two hundred men, before the
governour, with his few forces gather'd in
great hafte, could come up to oppofe the
defcent which being fuftained by feven or
eight hundred other men in floops and
boats, render'd the efforts of the French to
Vol. V.
of Cayenne. ^6^
repulfe them fruitlefs there. The chevalier Barbot.
de Lezy endeavour'd to rally his men about ^-O/^,
the chappel of Remire or Armire, but in • ,,,
vain ; and the confternation being great all , • -
over the ifland, he order'd all the inhabi-
tants to fliip themfelves in fome barques •
that were in the port, and to come to him ■ • '
to the river Macouriague,' five leagues from
Cayenne, whither he fled, to prepare the In-
dians there to aflift him, and fiielter the fu-
gitives. But feveral of the inhabitants forc'd ■ .
the mafters of the floops to carry them to
the river Alaronni, contrary to the direc- -
tions of their governour who having waited
twenty-four hours for them, on the banks
of the Macouriague, where he had appoint-
ed the rendezvous, and not receiving the
leaft intelligence of them, went thence, coaft-
ing the fhore, all along to the Zealanders .
Surinam, leaving admiral Harman and
his EngJ/iJIj in polTeffion of the whole ifland
of Cayenne, at a very cheap rate: but ic •■
was af"terwards reftor'd to the French, by
the treaty of peace, and the chevalier J^- Lfzy
to the government.
The French and Butch have had long Dutch
contefts about this ifland, and drove one ^^^^
another out of it fuccefTively. In the year
1677, xht Dutch then at war with France^
took the ifland of Cayenne from the French,
Jacoh Binkes, admiral of Zealand, arriv'd the
fourth of May 1 677, before Cayenne ; on the
fifth he landed eleven hundred men, with-
out any oppofition, fummon'd fort St^ •
Lewis to furrender, and being refufed, at^
tack'd it with fuch good fuccefs, that the
garrifon confifting of three hundred men,
commanded by the governour the cheva-
lier de Lezy, furrender'd themfelves the
fame day prifoners of war. Binkes in a few
days fubdu'd the reft of the ifland, and fent
to Holland for men to fetde there, look-
ing upon it as a better place than Surinain^
and as fruitful as the beft of Brazil. Whilft
an anfwer could come from Holland., he
fail'd thence on the twenty-third of May,
leaving a good garrifon for the Leeward
iflands, and on the firft of June took that
of Marigalante. But the French foon difap- French
pointed all Binkes'' s projefts ; the French recover it.
vice-admiral, z\\t conni d' EJlrees, recovering
Cayenne, and reftoring it to the proprietors,
who have ever fince continu'd poffefs'd of
and confiderably improv'd it, driving the
Dutch from Wiapoco and the river Aproague^
as has been faid before : fo that at prefent
they have no fettlements on that coaft, be-
fides Surinam and Berbiche ; and the F.nglijh
none, having by the treaty of Breda given
up all their pretenfions to the continent of
South- America to the Dutch ; and particular-
ly the river of Surinam, which is now a
large ftrong colony, very profitable to the
Dutcht among whom are alfo fome French
7 F refugeesj
TheCourfe of Namgation
no
Barbot- refugees, eminent for their traffick and
^^V^ wealth.
The Butch town ilands on a rifing
' ground environ'd with morafies, which ren-
ders the air unwholefome, but is neverthe-
lels pretty well peopled and fortify'd a
thing in which the Hollanders fpare no la-
bour or charges^ where they make a fettle-
ment : and fo they have built good forts at
- . • the entries of the rivers of Berbkhe and EJfe-
quebe, for the fecuriry of their colonies there,
All which neverthelefs were oblig'd by the
• ... French, under Monleur Caffart, to ranfome
themfelves, in the year 17 13.
Thus I have endeavoured to give a jfhort
account of the province of Guiana^ and of
the European colonies there, as they ftand
at this prefent time, in a much clearer way
and method than any yet extant, as alfo of
the feveral nations of Indians ; all upon the
beft authorities that can be had, from per-
fons of much credit, in regard of their can-
dour, intelligence and experiences in that
part of the new world: to which I have
added fome of my own obfervations, which
I have reafon to hope, will not be altoge-
ther unacceptable.
The Course of Navigation from Cayen?2e to MarttnicOi
AVING refolv'd to proceed on our
voyage to Martinico, we fet fail ac-
cordingly on the fourth of May ;
but had not gone a gun-fhot from the road,
before we were fo becalm'd, that it oblig'd
us to come to an anchor, on very bad
ground : whence however we got out with
much labour towards night, when we fell
fomewhat lower, and there anchor'd again,
to wait for the next morning tide. But the
rains falling very heavily all that day, we
tarry'd there till the day after, when we
faird with a very fwift north-eaft wind.
Being paft the point of the fort, we filuted
!t with five guns, and about two in the
afternoon, were to leeward of the great
rock, caWd I' Enfant perduy in four fathom
water •, but full of fear, becaufe it is not
the ufual courfe, and we could not juftify
it : for had we drop'd anchor thereabouts,
we had certainly loft the fliip. Which made
us refolve to give it into the hands of pro-
vidence, which was Indeed very propitious
to us in that extremity •, fo that at fun-fet-
ting we were three leagues to the windward
of the Devii^s IJlands, which lie weft of
r Enfant -perdu, near the coaft of Guiana j
and are fo call'd, becaufe of the great trou-
ble and hazard the French have commonly
been at, to weather them in calm weather.
The tide fet very fwift upon them, but
the frefh gale and good tide did us confi-
derable fervice 1 and it is obferv'd, that ge-
nerally all fhips which come out of Cayenne,
are very ftudiousto improve the opportunity
of wind and tide, fo exadtly together, as
they may fail to windward of this rock
lying out at fea about three leagues north by
weft of the point of the fort of Cayenne :
which being fo weather'd, leaves more room
to pafs the ifles au Diable with fafety. Thefc
jfles au Diable are three in number, fome
leagues off at fea from the mouth of the
river Caurord : the Indians call one of them
Erepice, and another Cauwerry % and the
Dutch, Duyveh Eylanden, or the devils
iflands.
We pafs'd by them on a Saturday towards
the evening, with a frefli gale at north-eaft,
a rough fea and eafterly tide, running weft-
ward along the coaft ; and the TVednefday
following we had fight of the ifland of Bar-
badoes, about feven leagues to the windward,
belonging to the crown of England; leaving
St. Vincent., another ifland, inhabited only
by Indian cannibals, to the leeward. And
all that night we coafted by Barbadoes,
which, as much as I could difcover of it in
the evening, when we approach'd it, is a
very fine pleafant country, all over full of
large buildings, windmills and plantations.
The eafterly tide, above mention'd, we
commonly meet, and it ferves us to come
from Cayenne to Martinico. It is not, how-
ever, fo fwift to weftward, but that from
the eaft end of 'Trinidad ifland it is poiTible
to beat it up with the land and fea-breezes.
The variation on the Guiana coafts is fixty
degrees eaft, and at Barbadocs fifty and a
half
The next rhorrting at break of day we
were about fix leagues from it, and about
ten fpy'd two fi;il, ftanding to north by
eaft : at noon we had a very good obferva-
tion, fourteen degrees twenty-three minutes
north latitude. At three in the afternoon
had fight of the ifland St. Lucia, to the lee-
ward of us, which all our failors aboard, ex-
cept the chief mate, would have to be Mar-
tinico, This occafioned long debates and
difputes among them, but the chief mate
having prevail'd in his opinion, we imme-
diately ftood to windward, till the next
morning : and well for us that we did ; for
at break of day we found our felves two
leagues off Cul de Sac Marin, at the Cabeflerre
of that ifland, on the eaft fide of Martinico,
which appear'd as in the print. After which, Plate 34.
fteering for the Cul de Sac Roycil, round-
about the diamond-point, a high round
rock.
Th.n>\rt Wall
.'i- S((ond Walt. ^aiiLraJ^d
.'(•■ ^'j3.tihjn onu tntrv cf CulJ^ SacTi.,>val
'h: U.-.y cut Jfwn . dt^ ! ^j^^aryc
.'i-ri.'iinu-r.'- huj-^
. k7mt ' J^frtVi^vj/ in u 3ay
ilisa£Tij pj puu'^ on V £ov
iiyujrj hoiij-e
. K- (jfrnfs or SouUirrj- hcuffJ"
i 'Jl". It'fjil
tnEirtk:n Battery of ^ tjunx
. 'v.fsifjer koufc
^•"hffnxcoL and Tttt
yjn,u\-J Works
^ht SanAv pavaaf land thai j.uns
\/<^np'C 1U am Island
'h:^iifro.r Tautt. at ab^ J ^ Leagued
''■'i:e j-eeiL over u Sandv "Point
L 'i ' d£ Sac Ji.n^al
from Cayenne to Martinico, ^71
r'ock, about a mile out from the idand, of
which more hereafter ; we arriv'd before
it about the evening of the twelfth of M^y,
and paid the ufual falutes to the fortrefs,
which fliows as in the abovemention'd print,
and got afhore, juftas the tattoo was go-
ing : having thus made our paflage from
' Cayenne hither, in feven days, without any-
remarkable accident. The flaves aboard,
being about two hundred and fifty, were all
very hearty, having loft only feven of them by
fickncfs, or otherwife, in all our voyage at
and from the Gold Coaft of Guinea, and
found the ifland in much want of them ;
and therefore to render them more valuable,
I refolv'd to difpofe of part of them at
Guadaloiipe, being inform'd that the planters
long'd there much for our arrival.
Accordingly the next day having waited
on count de Blenac, captain-general and
commander in chief of all the French Carib-
hee\^.inds, and brought our fhip about the
Negroes point, and Le Prefcheur, fome days
after, when it had been careen'd in the Cul
de Sac Royal, to the town of St. Peter of La
Bajjeterre or Martinico % after the ufual
compliments to the governour, we begun the
falc of our flaves, at about feven thoufand
pounds weight of brown fugar, the Indian
piece, as they term it there, to be paid at
farthefl within the month of June following,
upon a certain forfeiture agreed on. The
fale went thus on pretty brifldy, all our
Haves being Gold Coaft Blacks, which are
much more acceptable in the French iflands,
as I have obferved before, in the chapter of
flaves, in the defcription of Guinea. I caus'd
about fixty of them to be fhip'd off for
Guadaloupe, in a fmall fly-boat, of about
eighty tuns, which had been difpatch'd from
Rochel, with provifions for the frigate, the
fun of Jfrica, I was in, to help load off our
effects, and arrived at Martinico a month
before me.
slaves hovD Note Jih.zt theFrench imitate the Spaniards
-valned. in valuing (laves by the denomination of the
Indian piece, which the Spaniards czWPieza de
Indias. By which is meant, a Black from
fifteen to twenty-five years of age from
eight to fifteen, and from twenty-five to
thirty-five, three pafs for two. Below eight,
and from thirty-five to forty-five, two pafs
for one. Sucking infants follow their mothers
without accompt. All above forty-five
years, with the difeafed, are valued by arbi-
trators.
On the feventeenth of May I went aboard
the flyboat, the Hope, and proceeded for
Giiadaloupe ; having much ado to get up our
anchors, which were fafl in the rocky ground
of the road of St. Peter, At break of day of
the eighteenth we were no farther than the
point of Le Prefcheur, and continued fo
till ten, when by means of a frefh gale
we foon drew near the ifland Domimca,BAKBor.
where we coafled along all that day, and v^y^
the following night ; being there becalm'd,
as it commonly happens to all fliips failing
by, becaufe of the high hills in it.
That ifland is inhabited only by three
hundred and fifty to four hundred Indians^
men and women, and fome flaves runaway
from the neighbouring French colonies : the
Indians being all tall lufly people.
At break of day the nineteenth, we were
got to the weflward of the northerly point
of Dominica \ and about nine we brought
the fmall iflands Les Santes, fouth of Gua-
daloupe, to bear eafl. Afterwards we got
fight of Marigalante, at north-eaft, about
five leagues alow fiat ifland, and French
colony, and about noon anchor'd in Guada-
loupe road: where, after the ufual compli-
ments paid to the chevalier Hinjelin, the then
governour of the ifland, and he having forc'd
me to accept of his houfe, which ftands on
the water-fide of La Bajjeterre, near the
iron-gate, (a battery of fome heavy, large
iron guns, that point at the road, to fecure
the landing-place-,) I had all my flaves brought
afliore thither, and in a few days difpofed
of them all to the inhabitants and planters,
for about fix thoufand pounds of brown
fugar a-piece^ one with another^ the fugar
being there better than at Martinico. Ha-
ving before fent back the flyboat to that
ifland again, to help load the fun of Africa.,
with orders to return to Guadaloiipe, whither
he came to me again the tenth of July, and
fhip'd there all the produ6t of the flaves,
either in brown or white fugar, refin'd there
only with earth, and valued one hundred
for fix hundred of the brown •, when I had
taken leave of the governour, with whom I
was very familiar, and who did me confi-
derable kindnefs in recovering my effedts,
in a very fhort time, which is not eafily done
there, I failed again with the flyboat for
Martinico, on the twentieth of J///)? at mid- ■
night.
The twenty-firfl we were becalm'd all
day under Dominica, and faw a fail afar off
at fea, being a fhip bound for Rochel, as I
underfliood afterwards.
On the twenty-fecond, found our felves
five leagues to leeward of the point Le Pref-
cheur, Martinico, in a calm all day. At
night ply'd it with a good gale, and fo till
the twenty-fifth in the morning, when we
enter'd, with much difficulty, into the Cul
de Sac Royal of that ifland, where we found
fourteen or fifteen fail of fhips of all forts,
put in to winter, and among them the fun of
Africa; into which I order'd part of the fugars
and cotton I had purchafed at Guadaloupe,
to be remov'd out of the flyboat, lying fide
by fide with it, for the greater conveniency s
which having compleated the full lading of
. the
^2
Voyage
torn
Barbot. the frigate, we brought her out of that
^"^'W^ harbour, in order to fail forthwith to France,
leaving a fador behind, to load the reft of
our effe6ls in the flyboat, which was to fail
after us.
Vo\age frotn Martinico to France,
r\ N the firft of Auguft, at break of day,
^ we failed out of the Cul de Sac Royal,
and were becalm'd under the Morne aiix
Beufs i which oblig'd me, having fome bufi-
nefs at fort St. Pierre, to order the long-boat
to be mann'd, and v/ent there afhore, the
ihip plying to and fro before La Baffelerre ;
and about feven at night return'd aboard,
and proceeded on our voyage to Rochel, fa-
inting my friends in the ifland with fcvcn
guns. The frigate was very leaky, and
deeply laden, havingaboard near three liun-
dred tuns of fugar, cotton, and other goods.
The fecond in the morning, were three
leagues to leeward of 'Dominica \ at night
had fome fmall tornados.
On the third early, had very ftiff gales,
our top-fails almofton the tops, hazy wea-
ther, and the point of Gz/^J^z/o^'^^', callM Li?
^ji/Zy, boreeaft. As we proceeded, wefaW
the iflands Antegoa and Redonda, belonging
to the crown of England ; the latter appear-
ing only as a round large hill, and then we
paffed about three leagues to windward of
Monferrat, another Englijh\£\.^x\d.
The fourth, about eight in the morning,
we had fight of the foutherly point of the
idand of St. Bartholomew, belonging to the
French, diftant eight leagues weft by north
and at the fame time the Cahefterre of St.
Chrijlopher's, with a frefti north-eaft wind ;
fetting our courfe north north-weft,ahd north
by weft, hazy weather, and a rough fea.
The fifth, the dime weather, courfe north
and north-eaft, the wind at eaft north-eaft,
and no obfervation.
The obfervation the day following twenty-
one degrees forty-five minutes, the fun in the
zenith.
The feventh, in the morning, we fpied a
fail to leeward three leagues, fteer'd north,
and afterwards north by weft, to fpeak with
that ftiip, which proved to be an Englijb
pink ; afterwards order'd the courfe north
by eaft : our obfervation this day twenty-
three degrees eighteen minutes. At four a-
clock were exadly under the tropick of
Cancer ; the next night had loud claps of
thunder, and great lightnings % the wind
north-eaft, and eaft north-eaft ; the courfe
north, and north by eaft. For fome days
very apprehenfive ofahurrican, that being
the time of the year for them, but God fa-
vour*d us with a change of the weather
and fo we continued our voyage, without
any remarkable accident, only" our leaks in-
creafed very much, fo that we had much
to FrancCc
toil to keep up the fhip to the end of our
voyage, our two pumps going without in-
terminionday and night ; which extremely
fatigued our crew, tho' numerous, and made
us all very uneafy.
Being in the latitude of the Azores or Flemijh M/eeds iri
iftands, or 'Terceras, we every day faw abun- fi"'.
dance of weeds floating on the fea ; which
fome, who had been on the coaft of New
Spain, faid, came from the channel of j8^/j^-
ma, being carried thence into the ocean by
the rapidity of the currents, and fcacter'd
all about by the wefterly winds, which con-
tinually blow on the coafts of Virginia and
New-England.
Emanuel de Faria y Soufa, in his h.\^ovy statue in
of Portugal, takes notice, that in one ofT^^era
the Tercera idands, on the top of a mountain, ^^"'"''^
call'd del Cuervo, or of the crow, in the
days of king Alfonjo, the fifth of the name,
and twelfth king o'i Portugal, there was found
a ftatue of a man on horfeback, his head
bare, his left hand on the horfe's main, and
the right pointing to the weft. It ftood up-
on a ftone pedeftal, which, together with
the whole ftatue, was all of one piece, and
under it were certain characters cut in the
rock, but could not be underftood. By
this account it appears, that thefe iflands
had been known before, and had the name
of Azores, or of hawks, from the great
number of thofe birds feen there when dif-
cover'd.
At length, by God's providence, on the
fixteenth of September following,wefpy'd land
to the leeward of us, being part of the coaft of
the lower Poitou in France. At eight a-clock
we faw Olonf, and foon after the light-houfe of
the iQe of Rhee,c.\\W\ la T jur desBalkines, my
native country. At three in the afternoon
we came to an anchor \n Palijfe vod.d, before
the fort de la Free, a ftrong place on the
fouth-eaft fide of the faid ifle of Rhee, which
we filuted with five guns, having fpent
forty-fix days in our paflage, from the Ciil
de Sac Royal of Martinlco to Rochel \ and
eleven months and ten days in our whole
voyage to Guinea, out and home, bringing
all our effeds with us.
Another Voyage from Guinea /oMar-
T I N I C O.
A T my fecond voyage from Guinea to
Martinico direftly, in the man of war
VEmerillon, with a floop, in 1682, being
by that day's obfervation in fourteen degrees
five minutes of north latitude, and by efti-
mation in three hundred and ten degrees
forty-fix minutes longitude, the floop, which
was a confiderable way a-head of us, towards
the evening made a fignal that they faw
land, without being poficive whether it was
Martinico, or St. Lucia: for which reafon
we lay by all night, and by the n.xt day-
lijjht
Voyage from Martinico to Guinea, 5*73
light found the land was the eaft fide of
Martinico, and our felves in the Emeriilon,
nearer to the north point of Le Prefcheur,
than to the foutherly point of tht Diamond ;
andfo refolvM tofail north about the point
Le Prefcheur, to the great road of Si. Peier*s
town, and thence to Cul de Sac Royal to ca-
reen. The floop finding themfelves in the
morning firther to the fouthward than we,
held on their courfe that way, and failed by
the point of the Diamond to the faid Cul
■de Sac Roy ah
The next day about eight, as we made
the beft of our way to St. Peter's road, faw
the ifland Do?ninica, and being in a frefh
gale, put the head to the land, till about
three in the afternoon, when we were be-
calm'd under the point Le Prefcheiir ; and
foon after follow'd by a large flyboat, the
St. John, coming from Rochel, on board of
whom were fome of the chief planters wives,
coming from France, who delivered me fe-
veral letters from my friends at Rochel. We
continued becalm'd all the next night, with
only now and then fome gufts from the ifland.
However, the next morning, after abun-
dance of fitigues and motions, we had fo
work'd the fhips, that about nine a-clock
we reach'd the road aforefaid, and there
came to an anchor, near our other compa-
nion of the Guinea voyage, the Jolly, who
was arriv'd there twelve days before us,
and inform'd me, that at his failing from
Whidah road in Guinea, with the Emerillon
and the Pearl, as I have taken notice in that
part of the defcription of Whidah, he fell
to the leeward of the iflands Prince and
St. I'ome in the Bight of Guinea ; and after
feveral days fpent in turning and tacking,
at laft reach'd the cape Lope, where having
taken in wood and water, finding the offi-
cers and crew very fickly, and no refrefh-
ments at all at the faid cape, at that time,
even not fo much as a chicken, they had
projedled to fail for St. Tome ; but whether
thro' ignorance,or defign of the pilots aboard,
could not compafs it, and were neceffitated
to make the beft of their way for Martinico,
in the forry condition they were in. But by
a particular providence finding the trade-
winds of fouth-eaft, at two degrees fouth of
the line, they got their paffage in forty-
eight days, and had fold their flaves imme-
diately, the males at fix, the females at five
thoufand weight of brown fugar, the Indian
piece, to pay in July and Augufi following,
being the feafon when fugar is moft generally
made. The next day I caufed a hundred
and twenty of our flaves to be fliip'd off
for Guadaloupe, in xhtSuno^ Africa, and af-
terwards in the Ihip the Wonderful, confign'd
to the company's agent there-, and then
proceeded to the fale of the remaining flaves
in the Emerillon, which I had caufed to be
Vol. V.
removed into the Jolly, that the other might Barbot.
fail immediately for the Cul de Sac Royal, to "^^^sT^
careen and refit. Two days after this, our
confort the Pearl arrived from Cayenne, for
which place I had detached her, in the lon-
gitude of feven degrees thirty-five minutes,
and in four degrees ten m inutes fouth of the
line, on the fourteenth of May of that year,
as we proceeded from Prince's, ifland to A-
vierica, and had fold there near a hundred
flaves, at two hundred and fifty livres a-
piece, one with another, payable one half
in bills of exchange in Pans and Rochel,
and the reft in Rocou, or A not to, and fome
fugars and money ; Rocou to be taken at
twelve fols a pound •, the fineft fugar at
twenty-feven livres Tournois a hundred ; and
the inferiors proportionable, as M. deFerolles^
the then governor, inform'd me by his let-
ter : withal complaining, in the name of
the inhabitants, that I had not fent two in-
ftead of one hundred flaves, which they
very much wanted in that ifland, and the
company had promifed ; but the fending of
that number would have too much funk the
price of them.
A few days after, I receiv'd information
from the governour of Guadaloupe, and the
company's agent there, that the flaves I had
fent them by the Wonderful, were all fold,
at the fame price we had at Martinico, which
was yet more advantageous to the company,
the fugar of Guadaloupe being far better than
that of the former ifland.
The next day the French fquadron, under
M. de Gaharret, a flag officer, arrived from
Rochefort, and Rochel ; by whom I received
orders from the company, to take the firft
opportunity of fhips ready to fail for France.,
and come over, to give their board an ac-
count of affairs in Guinea and America : which
I very readily embrac'd, having great rea-
fon to fear I fliould be oblig'd to winter in
the iflands, where all things were in a fort of
confufion, by the ill management of the
company's agents, and their quarrels about
fubordination.
Accordingly, having refolv'd to go over
in the Rainbow, a twenty-four-gun fliip
that was half loaded, I caus'd her to take
in her full lading with all expedition, of
the eff^efts that had been begun to be put in-
to the Emerillon and the Jolly ; and whilft
it was doing, fettled and regulated feveral
diff'erences and accompts with the company's
agents. Which, however, could not be done
fo timely, as that I might embark in the Rain-
bow ; which being ready to fail, and to take
in fome more goods at that ifland, departed
accordingly ; and I follow'd three days after
in a forry brigantine of Martinico, when I
had taken my leave of the intendant, the
governour, and the marquis of Maintenon i
the fame gentleman whofe father was pre-
7 G vail'd
p^oy age from Martinico to Guadaloupa
Barbot. vail'd upon to difpofe of his eftate and
^^V^ title at Beance, near Chartres-, to madam
Scarron^ the renowned lady at the French
court. After which, the marquifs retir'd
hither with his lady, where he has fet up
a fine plantation, about two or three Eng-
lijh miles from the town of St. Peter^ call'd
there commonly La Motitagne, and is his
dwelling-place ; the road to which from that
town, is a large lane hedged all along, on
both fides, with curious rows of large orange
and lemon-trees, which makes it one of the
mofl. delightful walks that can be imagin'd,
for the pleafantnefs of the profpedl, and the
ravifhing fragrant odour of the bloflfoms of
both fruits. The trees are all the year full
of blofiToms and fruit, whofe pure white and
the lively red, together with the largenefs
of the oranges and lemons, naturally inter-
mix'd in a prodigious quantity among the
frefn fhining and ever-green leaves of the
trees, is extremely charming to behold, ef-
pecially in the cool of the morning •, befides,
the great quantity of fmall birds that fwarm
there : and more particularly, that fo won-
derful little creature call'd there Colibris, or
^ the humming-bird, fome of which are no
bigger than a cherry, with variety of fhi-
ning feathers, (and are ufed by fome for pen-
dants and other ornaments,) continually fly-
ing about and perching on the trees.
The oranges there are of that valuable
fort, which have a tafte betwixt the Chim
and Sevil, full of juice, and commonly ex-
traordinary large and refrefhing. Sometimes
not only the trees are loaded with them, but
the road is all ftrew'd with fuch as fall of
rhemfelves when over-ripe ; which I par-
ticularly obferv'd, having frequent occafion
to wait on the marquifs at his plantation : in
going thither, my horfe trampled many of
them under his feet. This fort of orange in
France is call'd Bigarrade,
Being ready to (ail for Guadaloupe^ I went
about a league from the town, where the
vefTel lay ready, expefting a pafs from the
count de Blenac general of the iflands, to
imbark there in the brigantine, and was de-
tain'd there all that day, by a fort of driz-
ling rain, attended with horrid claps of
thunder, and great lightning, which made
us very apprehenfive of an hurrican, that be-
ing the moft common feafon for them; and
occafion'd the fquadron under Mr. de Ga-
harret, before mention'd, to weigh and fail
away into the open fea with great precipi-
tation ; fome of the men-of-war, and our Sun
■% of Africa having already receiv'd damage in
their rigging by the lightning. The laft
mention'd (hip had her main top-maft all
Ihatter'd by it, every man ftill having frefh
in his memory the hurrican of the year be-
fore, which made fuch great havock at
Antegoa and of which I lhall fay' mote
hereafter.
The next day the intendant confented that
the brigantine fhould fail forthwith, tho' the
general's pafs was not yet come down, that
being a hafty expedition, for the fervice of
the company •, and accordingly about noon,
having got my trunks and portmanteaus a-
board, with fomebafkets of the feveral fruits
of the ifland, fent me by a lady of my ac-
quaintance from her plantation fliandingnear
this beach, 1 fet fail for the point Le Pref-
cheur., there to take in fome provifions and
refrelhments.
This fliort pafllige was very troublefome
and dangerous at the feafon of hurricans, in
a forry boat, ill mann'd, worfe rigg'd, and
deep laden. About middle way between
Martinico and Dominica^ the weather grew
fo boifterous, and the wind vary'd fo often^
thatv/e had good reafon to fear a hurrican ;
but providence protected us. Under Domi-
nica, we lay two whole days in dead calms,
andexcefiive fcorching weather, without any
fhelter, in the little vefTel, which made us all
fick ; and made me very uneafy fearing the
Rainbow, not having heard of me by the
time I had appointed, would have proceeded
on her voyage to France. However, the
fourth day of our paflgge, towards night,
we arriv'd fife in the road of GuadaloupCy and
found the Rainbow there, having alfo had a
long pafTage from Martinico and the day
before, loft two of her anchors in that road,
for which reafon fhe could not fail : but three
days after my arrival, provided other anchors
and necefi!arits for the voyage.
I fpentthat time in regulating the affairs of
the company, with her agents there ; and
vifiting my friends and acquaintance about
the ifland, as madam du Lion, the former
governour, the chevalier Hinfelin^^ widow,
the prefent governour and other perfons of
note, with whom I had much difcourfe con-
cerning the good of that colony, and the af-
fairs of the company, efpecially in relation
to the trade of flaves; all of them deflring
I fliould move the board at Paris, to order
that ifland for the future, to be more con-
flantly fupply'd with them from Guinea ; and
not to fend thither the refufe of the flaves of
Martinico, zs,\\d.d been pradfis'dto their great
prejudice, by the company's agents and com-
manders ; but that their ihips fhould alterna-
tively makedireftly for their ifland from the
coaft of Guinea. They alfo defired I fhould
pray the board to employ in their affairs
there, men of a good repute and vers'd in
trade, with many other particulars.
On the twenty-fecond of yz^/}", about eleven
in the morning, I went aboard the Ra 'nhw^
thinking to fiil ; but it blew defperatdy hard
all that day, fo that we could not get up our
anchors.
t>readful Thunder and Lightning.
anchors. The next morning, the weather be-
ing pretty favourable, we got under fail, and
proceeded on our voyage for Havre de Grace
in France, pafling in fight of Montferr^t, Re-
donda, Nevis., St. Chrijiopher's, and Jnte-
goay and arrived there fafe on the nineteenth
of September following ; nothing very re-
markable having occurr'd in all our pafifage,
befides what I am now to relate, as being
fomewhat Angular in it felf, and very ter-
rible to behold.
On the twenty-eighth o^Jidy, fix days after
our departure from Guadaloupe, the wind at
fouth-weft, we crofs'd the tropick of Cancer,
by our eftimation, fteering north-eaft by
north. The twenty-ninth we were becalm'd
all day, and fo the thirtieth ; by obferva-
tion this day, twenty-five degrees twenty
minutes north latitude we took a fhark, the
weather thick and rainy.
On the thirty-firfl we faw a fail a-ftern, at
break of day, Ifanding fouth-eaft, thick wea-
ther and exceffive hot, with great flafhes of
lightning being then by eftimation about
eighty-four leagues fouth by eaft of the fmall
iflands of Bermudas. Towards evening the
heat abated a little till near eleven at night,
when it increas'd almoft intolerably, and was
very calm. We hal'd up our fails at two in
the morning, being apprehenfive by the dif-
pofition of the weather of fome dreadful
ilorm, or other fatal accident ; and we had
fcarce done it, before on a fudden all the he-
mifphere appear'd in a flame, with frightful
horrid thunder all about the fhip, attended
v/ith a violent heavy rain like a flood, and a
tempefl:uous wind, which made us hope that
the ftorm would foon blow over : but inflread
Dreadful of it, the flafhes of lightning and claps of
florm. thunder increas'd and grew fo prodigious,
that the two elements of air and water feem'd
to be converted into fire, with fuch a dead
calm and fuffocating fulphureous fl;ench, that
we could fcarce breathe j which gave us all
caufe to apprehend fome difmal event. A-
bout three in the morning a flafli of light-
ning fell with a dreadful noife on the fore-
caftle, going in at one of the doors, and paf-
fing through the head, without doing any
other harm, befides flightly wounding a
little black boy, who lay there in the elbow,
and fome poultry, which cry'd after a hideous
manner and ftruck a mighty conftcrnation
among us all : it alfo fplinter'd a timber in
the fore-caftle. About half an hour after ,
the weather not only continu'd, but the vio-
lence feem'd to increafe •, and then a fecond
flafli of lightning fell upon our main-maft:,
with fo prodigious a noife, that the moft un-
daunted failors were feiz'd with horror, and
fome utterly fl:upify'd and void of fenfe.
When this happened, I was jufl: ftepping out
of the great cabbin into the fteeridge ; . and
diflrinftly faw, about four or five paces from Barbot.'
me, as it were a ball of fire, about as big ^-OT^'
as a man's fid •, which burft into many
fparks, much in the nature of flcy- rockets,
when they are at their higheft elevation,
giving fuch a monftrous report, that I know-
not how to exprefs it \ but it ftunn*d me as
i[ a great number of large cannon had been
exaftly fir'd the fime moment. This made
me fall down backwards on a trunk that
flood within the cabbin-door •, and in that
poflure I continu'd fome minutes quite be-
fide my felf V nor were thofe who ftood in
the fteeridge lefs frighted and amaz'd. That
which redoubled our conftcrnation, was the
hideous fhrieking and crying we heard at the
fame time from all parts of the fhip, both
above and under deck, as well from the men,
as feveral forts of creatures we had aboard j
as flieep, hogs, turkeys, hens, ducks, mon-
keys, goats, dogs, parrots, and geefe, fome
of which we afterwards found dead, their
heads, feet or tails carry'd away the unpa-
rallell'd thunder continuing all the time, and
the flafhes of lightning incefl^Iintly flying
about the fliip, as being the only body that
was any thing rais'd above the ocean ; and
lightning generally reputed to attack the
higheft places. The waves, tho' in motion,
did not break or rife very high, by reafon the
air had been fo long ftill-, and the fhip hav-
ing no fails out, or wind to keep her fteddy
roll'd about fo violently, that the men could
not ftand without holding by fomething.
Being in this dreadful condition, on a
fudden we were all in a thick fulphureous
fmoak, rifing from under the decks, which
made us all conclude the fliip had taken
fire, or that the lightning had pierc'd thro'
to the very bottom •, fo that we had no other
profpedl than being immediately devour'd
by the flames, or fwallow'd up by the mer-
cilefs fca : and the more, for that not only
the hold was ftow'd quite full of fugar-cafks
and barrels of indigo, but even between
decks, there was little ftirring for bales of
cotton ; fo that it was impoflible to come
at any leak to flop it. In this perplexity
a man was order'd to try the pumps, to fee
what water the fhip made % and others to
fearch all parts for fire. The few minutes
they were about it, feemM an age to us all,
our fate depending on their report but it
pleas'd the infinite goodnefs of God, that
they found no tokens of fire below, nor any
increafe of water by the pumps : which re-
port much cheer'd our drooping fpirits,
and made us conclude, it might be a true
opinion, that lightning never penetrates into
liquid bodies •, and that the ftinking fmoak
which encompafs'd us, was produc'd by the
violent agitation of the air, and the extra-
ordinary preflure occafion'd by thunder arid
■ w . lighcningi
^']6 Dreadful Thunder and Lightning.
Barbot. lightning, efpecially between the tropicks, either torn or fcorch'd and burnt j and
^-OT^ and near them ; the caufes and effefts of moft of the rigging was in the fame con-
which, are beyond our comprehenfion. dition. The lightning having cut the fpin -
This made us change our miferere mei Deus die, as has been faid, funk through the top-
into laudate Dominum otnnes gentes^ for fo gallant and top-maft, fhivering them as if
great a deliverance in fuch difmal circum- they had been hew'd in fplinters with tools ;
ftances ; and put us in mind of the words of then lhattering all the tops and the main-
the pfalmift, Ffalm Xxix. 3. and Ixxvii. yard, and finking down through the whole
18, 19. "The voice of the Lord is upon the body of the main-maft, till it came between
waters ; the God of glory thundereth •, the decks, where it burfl: a barrel of indigo that
hord is upon many waters. And again, The lay at the foot of the maft, fcattering all
voice of thy thunder was in the heaven ; the the indigo far about, tho' the place was full
lightning lighted the worlds the earth trembled of bags of cotton ; whence rifing again thro*
and fjdook. Thy way is in the fea^ and thy the fcuttle in the fteeridge, it broke out near
paths in the great waters-, and thy footjieps the great cabbin-door, and burfl with that
are not known. Thefe lofty exprelfions of dreadful noife, and in the manner before
the pfalmift, in fome meafure fpeaktlvena- mention'd.
ture of that tempeft, which no tongue or Another furprifing effedl of this ^oxm^ it affeBs
pen can defcribe, as it appear'd to us, for was, that it difabled all the compalTes which f"^-
fome hours, without intermiffion. I fhall were in ufe, fome of them deviating feven,?*-/^*
only add, that during that fpace of time the and others twenty-three degrees ; only the
lightning feem'd to run in that ferpentine fi- azimuth compafs being then difmounted
gure, as poets and painters reprefent Jove's and hid in its box under a bed, receiv'd no
thunderbolts ; and fo entirely fiU'd the he- hurt : which was well for us, we having no
milphere, that we could not but conclude load-ftone aboard the Ihip, to touch the o-
the time of the general conflagration, men- thers again and render them ufeful ; and
tion'd in the fcripture,was then come. Some- being fofc'd to make ufe of that one all the
times the whole horizon appear'd more light reft of our voyage.
than it does in the brighteft fun-ftiine day at About feven in the morning the wind
noon, and immediately we were left amidft ceafed, and a fmall rain follow'd it ; and in
the obfcurity of the darkeft night ; light and a ftiort time the weather grew difmal dark,
darknefs often fucceeding one another, as if and the fea rifing more and more, the thun-
they had ftruggled which fliould prevail up- der was renewed, attended with great flafhes,
on the ocean, which very much affedted our and the wind fliifting fuddenly from fouth-
eyes, occafioning much weaknefs in them. eaft to weft, and weft north-weft, and thence
After a confiderable time fpent in return- again to fouth-eaft, gave juft caufe to ap-
ing thanks to our great deliverer, the day prehend we were to expe6la hurrican; which
appear'd, its light by degrees difpelling the put us all into a great confternation and
noife of the thunder and the flafiies of light- dread, confidering the difmal condition our
ning •, when follow'd fuch a heavy fhower fhip was in. Having refign'd our felves to
of large and warm rain, as quite laid that o- the will of providence, and fervently begg'd
ther ftorm, with this farther advantage, its affiftance in the worft of extremities, we
that it much refrefli'd us, cooling the clofe fet all hands to work to put the veffel into
fuftbcating air, which was compleated by the beftpofture to refift the ftorm if it fhould
a gentle wind rifing gently with the rain, come; to this efi^ed; our top-mafts were
and carrying off that infupportable fulphu- ftruck, and the yards brought down to the
reonsftench, which had before almoft fuftb- gunnels of the fliip,
cated us. In that condition we waited four hours
strange ef- As the day-light increas'd, fo that we with great anxiety, what the event would
fi^of could fee things about us, it was very fur- be; after which, by degrees, we began to
lt£ tiling, p^j^jj^g behold the fliatter'd condition of conceive hopes of good weather again, by
our mafts, fails and rigging and our decks the fight of a little bright cloud rifing at
ftrew'd with the fplinters of our mafts and fouth-eaft, which brought on a gentle wind,
yards : but efpecially the main maft, on abated the furges of the ocean already very
which the fecond flafh of lightning, before high up, and at length cleared the air into
fpoken of, had fallen, and pafs'd almoft a calm.
from one end to the other: for it lighted This lafted not long for juft after dinner
on the iron fpindle of the fane, which it cut the wind began a-new to blow frefh at north-
afunder, as if it had been done by hand ; weft •, and as it ftill increas'd, fhifted on a
and we found it fticking deep in the planks fudden to the north, and then again to the
of the deck on an end, and ftill burning hot north-eaft, bringing on another ftorm of
to the feeling, tho' it was five hours fince it thunder and lightning, with a heavy rain,
had been done. Moft of the fails not being for two hours, which feem'd two years to
furl'd, but only drawn up in the brails, were every man aboard, looking upon it as a cer-
An Account of Hurricans.
^77
"tain forerunner of a hurrican. However,
it pleafed God to avert it at laft ; for then
the wind fhifted to the eaft, the ocean grew
more ftill, the weather clear'd up, the
thunder ceafed, and the flafhes vanilTi'd a-
way ; till the air became ferene and fettled.
Prayers being ended, our people grew
hearty, and fell to repair the damage in our
mails, fails and rigging, as well as it could
be done in our circumftances ; but it was
fo very great, that it could not be perform'd
in a fhort time : our main maft, particular-
ly, was fo fhatter'd, that it could not be
rnade ferviceable, without fifhing it ; for
which, by good fortune, we were provided
with fome fpare pieces of timber, Whilft
that was doing, we held on our courfe with
our two forefails, to north- north-eaft and
north-eaft by north, about a league an
hour, our pumps giving little or no water.
The following night was fair and cool.
- The next day, the carpenter had repair-
ed the main maft, fo that towards night the
main yard was hoifted up, in calm weather.
At night we had a brifkgale. That day,
our obfervation was twenty- feven degrees
three minutes north, and three hundred fix-
teen degrees forty minutes longitude eaft^
fteering north-eaft by north, the wind at
eaft-fouth-eaft and eaft by fouth.
The next morning we fpy'd two fail to
windward, ftanding north-eaft by north,
but our main-top maft and fail not being
up, we could not chafe them. • The obfer-
vation was, at noon, twenty-eight degrees
twenty minutes north ; at night hazy wea-
ther, and fome fliortgufts of wind, very .in-
confiderable : the variation feven degrees
and a half eaft.
The next day we were becalm'd in rainy
weather the two fail we^had fpy'd the day
before, ftood then to leeward, and put out
EngliJJo colours : obfervation twenty-nine
degrees twenty-five minutes, courfe north-
eaft by north, the wind eaft-fouth-eaft.
The next day little v/ind, but great fwel-
ling waves. The two following days calm,
obfervation thirty-two degrees five minutes,
three hundred and twenty degrees twelve
minutes longitude of Ferro ; we caught four
dorados, and the day after two more. And
thus being deliver'd from any more appre-
henfion of a hurrican, we held on our
courfe for Havre de Grace ; where we ar-
riv'd, as has been faid, on the nineteenth of
September following. I ftaid there fome days,
and was prefent at the publick rejoicings
for the birth of the duke of Burgundy, the
dauphin of France's eldeft fon. Among o-
ther illuminations made there on that nighty
that which the men of war that were in the
bafon made, was very fine, each ftiip that
was rigg'd, being every where from top-
Vol. V.
gallant fhrouds to the deck, the flays, bra- Barbot.
ces, ^ '
All
Ohjervations and Dif cover ies of
Herrera All this is not to the purp^fe, -for Se-
v^'-'W-; ^ecahviords did not anfwer, the difcovery
he propofed being to the northward,
whereas ours is to the weftward •, and the
coafting of Africk differs very much from
traverliiig the vaft ocean, as the admiral
Columbus did, and the Spaniards that after-
wards follow'd him. If any notice is to
be taken of ancient hints, that alone is
worth obferving, which we find in the
twenty eighth chapter of Job, where God
feems to have kept this new world concealed
from men, till in his infcrufable judgmenf^
it was decreed to beftow it on the Spani-
ards. Nflr is any account to be made of
what others fay, alledging, that the fcrip-
tureby 0/?Z?fr means Peru, believing it was
called Peru at the time of writing the Ho-
ly Text, as it is now ; for neither is the
name of Peru fo ancient, nor fo univerfal
to all that country \ it being a general
pra6lice among difcoverers to give names
to ports and lands as occafion offered j and
accordingly they called all that kingdom
Peru^ from a river the Spaniards firft put
into, or from a Cacique in thofe parts, as
will be obferved hereafter; and the likenefs
of words is too trivial a foundation to
lasuild smatters of mon^ent on. The mod
folid hiltorians affirm , that Ophir is m the
Eaft Indies -y becaufc So!omo}i*s fleet muft
of j^ieceflity Jiave run quite acrofs it, paf-
fed by China, and through the immenfe
ocean to come to the tF£ji Indies, whicli
eould not be-, ijothing being more certain,
than that they went down thei?^'^ Sea, and
the ancients were not acquainted with the
art ^f navigation now in uie, without which
they could not launch out fo far into the
main nor could thofe parts be fo well
known b)^ land. Befides that from Ophlr
they carried king Solomon peacocks, and
ivory, which were never leen throughout
the PFeJi Indies. It is therefore believed,
that the ifland 1'rapobana was the place
whence they carried all thofe valuable com-
modities to Jerufalem, and they called all
the new difcovery, the new world ; be-
caufe containing as much land as was be-
fore known, there was no better way of
expreffing its vaft extent, as alfo becaufe
the produd: of it differ'd from ours, tho*
the elements were the fame, and in this
appellation they followed Seneca, and St.
Jerome.
CHAP. II.
Of the Mother that induced Admiral Columbus to beHenje there were Countries
T
H E admiral Chriftopher Columbus had
many reafons to perfuade him, that
there were new lands to be difcovered ; for
being a great cofmographer, and well fkill-
ed in navigation, he confidered, that, the
heavens being circular, and moving round
the earth, which in conjunftion with the
fea makes a globe of two elements j what
was then known could not be all the earth,
but a great part muft be ft ill undifcovered,
according to the meafure of 360 degrees the
whole circumference contains, which being
reduced into leagues, allowing feventeen
and a half to a degree, make fix thoufand
All five three hundred leagues ; and that muft cer-
habirbl ^^'"'y inhabited, for God had not
^ ^' made it to lie waftej and tho' very many
queftioned, whether there was land, and
water about both the poles, yet it was rc-
quifite, that the earth ftiould bear the fame
proportion towards the Antartick pole, as
this part does to the Arotick and hence he
concluded that all the five zones were inha-
bited, and was the more confirmed in it,
after he had failed into 75 degrees of nort?h
latitude.
He alfo concluded, that as the Portu-
guefes failed to the fouthward, the fame might
be done to the weftward, where in all reaibn
there muft be land found j and for the more
1/5
fatisfaftion, he took notice of all the tokens
mariners obferved, which made for his
purpofe, till he became very pofitive, that
there were many lands to the weftward of Lands to
the iflands of Cabo Verde, and the Canaries, be found
and that it was prafticable to fail over the weftward.
ocean, and difcover them, becaufe the World
being round, all the parts of it muft of ne-
ceflity be fo to that the earth is fo fixed
it can never fail, and that the fea tho' fhut
in by it, preferves its roundnefs, without
falling away, with regard to the center of
gravitation.
Laying together many natural reafons,
and perceiving, that not above the third
part of the greateft circle of the fphere was
difeovered, being the extent eaftward, from
the iflands of Cabo Verde, to the fartheft
then known land in India, he concluded
there muft be much room for farther dif-
coveries to the weftward till they caone to
meet with rhofe lands the end whereof was
not yet known by failing eaftward. In this
opinion he was- much confirmed by Martin
de Bohemia, a Portuguefe, his friend, born
in the ifland of Fayal, and an able cofmo-
grapher.
Many more things concurred to encourage
Columbus to that mighty enterprize, among
which was, thatdilcourfing with thofe who
ufed
Char
2.
! America the Europeans.
$93
ufed to fail to the weftward, and particular-
ly the iflands Azores^ Martin Ficen!e zfCmed
him, that being once four hundred and fifty
leagues to the weftward of cape St. Vincent ^
he took up a piece of wood, artificially
wrought, and as was fuppofed, not with
iron whence, the wind having been ma-
ny days at weft, he inferred that piece of
wood muft come from fome ifland. Peter
Correa, who had married Columhui'% wife's
fifter, aflured him, that in the ifland of
Puerto Santo^ he had feen another piece of
wood, brought by the fame winds, and
wrought after that manner ; as alfo canes
of fuch a thicknefs, that every joint would
contain above a gallon of liquor. Colmn-
bus himfelf faid, he had heard the king of
Portugal affirm the fame, in difcourfeupon
fuch affairs, and that he had thofe canes,
which he ordered to be fliewed him ; and
he concluded to have been drove by the
wind, there being none fuch throughout
all Europe^ wherein he was confirmed by
Ptolemy, who in the firft book, and feven-
teenth chapter of his cofmography, fays,
there are fuch canes in India. Some inha-
bitants of the iflands Azores farther aflured
him, that when the wind blew hard at weft,
and north-weft, the fea threw up pine-
trees on the coaft of the iflands of Gra-
eiofa and Fayal, whereas thofe iflands pro-
duce none of that fort. The fea alfo caft
up two dead bodies on the ifland Flores,
whofe faces feemed to be very broad, and
their features different from the Chriftians.
Another time they faw two canoes, with
moveables in them, which might be drove
away by the force of the wind, in pafllng
from one ifland to another, and thofe boats
never finking, they at length came to the
Azores. Antony Leme, who had married a
wife in the ifland of Madera, declared,
that having run a confiderable way to the
weftward in his caravel, he fancied he had
feen three iflands near the place where he
was J and many inhabitants of Gomera,
Hierro, and the yfeom affirmed, they eve-
ry year faw fome iflands to the weftward-
Thefe, Columbus faid, might be thofe Pli-
ny fpeaks of in his natural hiftory, where
he fays, the fea to the northward did cut
off" from the land fome pieces of woods,
whofe roots being extraordinary large,
they drove on the water like floats, and
looked like iflands at a diftance.
In the year 1484, an inhabitant of the
ifland Madera afked leave of the king of
Portugal to difcover a country he fwore
he faw every year, and always in the fame
manner, agreeable to what the people of
the Azores faid ; and for this reafon in the
ancient fea charts, fome iflands were laid
down about thofe feas, particularly that
they called Antilla, which was placed fome-
VOL. V.
what above two hundred leagues weft from Herr6ra
the Canaries and Azores ; and that the Por- VOTN.^^
tuguefes believed to be the ifland of the fe-
ven cities, the fame whereof, and defire of
finding it has occafioned many to commit
great follies out of covetoufnefs, and fpend
much money to no purpofe. The ftory
goes, that this ifland of the feven cities was
peopled by them, at the time when Spain
was overrun by the Moors, in the reign of
king Roderick, when flying the perfecution
of thofe infidels, feven bifhops imbark'd
with a great number of people, and ar-
rived in that ifland, where every one of
them built a town, and left the people
fhould entertain any thoughts of return-
ing, they fet fire to their ffiips. That in
the days of prince Henry of Portugal, a
Ihip of that country was driven by a ftorm
upon that ifland, where the natives carried
the failors to the church, to fee whether
they were Chriftians, and obferved the
Roman ceremonies, and finding them to
befo, defired they would ftay till their
lord could come, but that the Portuguefes
fearing left they fliould burn their fliips and
detain them, returned well-pleafed into
Portugal, hoping to be confiderably re-
warded by the prince, who reproved them
for coming away with fo imperfe^YS&;
calms, both within and without the torrid
zone ; and fo hurricanes and fpouts are
more frequent near the land, as far as it's
exhalations reach, than in the broad ocean ;
but this within the torrid zone, for with-
out it there are both calms and hurricanes
out at fea.
As to the difference between the two
hemifpheres, the firfl which we live in
fcems to bear the preference beyond the
otlier, becaufe ours is fuller of ftars, which
are thick clofe about the ardlick pole,
whereas there are very few within 30 deg.
of the antarftick, within which diftance
is the cock's foot, being the loweft of the
four that compofe the crozier. Our con-
tinent extends more to eaft and weft,' and
is more proper to be inhabited than the
other which ftretches out too much to-
wards the pole, and is too narrow from
eaft to well, for that which lies fo from
eaft to weft is more temperatCj and the
other near the pole is fubjeft to exceifive
cold, and over long nights. The Mediter-
ranean is alfo a great conveniency lying
between Europe, Jfia, and Africk for the
trade and correfpondence between thofe
parts } but in the other hemifphere the fea
is too wide and confequently more dange-
rous, and troublefome. In the other he-
mifphere there were no dogs, affes, fheepj
goats, fwine, cats, horfes, mules, camels,
or elephants ; nor orange, lemmon, pom-
granate, fig, olive or quince-trees, melons,
vines, wheat, or rice, nor had they iron,
guns, printing or learning ; and navigation
did not extend out of fight of land; their
government was barbarous, their moun^
tains and woods not habitable, nor that
part which was inhabited fo populous as
ours. In fome of their woods the natives
lived like brutes, as the Chichimecas, of
New Spain, who had no head, no laws,
no fettled place of abode, but lived dif-
perfed, feeding on the produd of the
earth, as others did in Florida, and Para-
guay. When the Spaniards entered Pm/,
Cuzco was the only place that bore the
form of a city, and it is certain that
thofe who live in cities are more polite,
and civilized than fuch as dwell difperfed \
in woods, like wild beafts.
I cannot but take notice, that a difcreet
Indian being afked, what was the beft the
Indians received from the Spaniards, he
anfwered, the Spanijh hens eggs where-
of there is great plenty, and they are to
be had new laid every day, they are good
for young and old, either raw or dreffed ;
for the hen herfelf muft be either boil'd or
roafted, and does not always prove tender ;
whereas the egg is good every way. He
added
59^
Objervations and Dijcoveries of'
Herrera added horfcs and light: becaufe a horfe to burn ci], and this ferved to live part
^-''^V^NJ carries a man at his cafe, and his burdens of the night, and this he thought the moil
and light, becaufe the Indians never knew valuable thing,
how to make wax, or tallow candles, or
nidi
: ... c,..,.
■. ■ CHAP. IV.
How America was frfi peophdy and why the navM of Weft-Indies was
given to it.
■■] l Uf
ginal.
U C H enquiry has been, to know,
whence the inhabitants of the other
hemifphere paffed over thither, which they
muft certainly do from ours, and yet the
Indians of Peru did not fail thither defign-
ediy, for the ancients were no able navi-
gators, nor had they any ufe of the com-
pafs, wiciiout which there is no failing
over the main ocean. That was firft dif-
covered by Flavius, ox John Gioia, a native
of the coaft of Amalfi, in the kingdom
of Naples. The inhabitants of the vale
InJJan of Xanza^^ in Peru^ fay, they have it
opinions of |rj.Qj^ their anceftors, that they defcend
their on- r j , •'
rrom a man and a woman, who came out
of the fpring of Guaribalia. Thofe of the
vAt Andaba'jla, tell us they proceeded from
the lake of Socdococa ; thofe of Cuzco from
that of Titicaca. Others fay, that after
a deluge, mankind was reftored by fix
perfons that came out of a cave. But
laying afide all thefe follies, fince all the
race of man defcends from Adam and Eve,
it is plain they muft come from us ; but
we are fo little acquainted with the ex-
tremities of the earth, that nothing can
be pofitively aflerted.
Some fay, that to the northward Green-
land is the fame continent Vv^ith Efroiiland,
or the moPc northern regions of America ;
sndiffo, it is likely, that theAJiaticks and
Norwegians ftretching out their habitations,
by degrees fpread themfelves into thofe
new countries ; which feems to be in fome
manner verified by the fame cuftoms which
are common to the Japonefes, northern
Americans, and Norwegians ; for they all
live in forefts, and caves, and hollow-trees,
covering themfelves with the flcins of fifhes
and v/ild beafts; feeding on fifli, and fuch
fruit as the earth naturally produces, and
they diifer very little in complexion. Nor
IS there any thing known how far the land
runs out to the fouthward, tho' feveral
mTperfeft difcoveries have been made that
way, and confequently, whether people
might pafs over that way, no great fhips
having been ever feen in the IFeJl-Indies
before Columbus. The Americans are more
like the eaftern nations, than the Europeans^
and therefore it is moft likely that none
of the latter came among them before the
Spaniards. To imagine that America fhould
be peopled by perfons drove thither by
ftrefs of weather is very unlikely; nor 13
any account to be made of what the In-
dians lay, touching their antiquities; for
they know nothing worth regarding, as
having lived long without kings, or any
regular government; but wandered about
like the people of Florida. They were
all certainly wild, and under no dominion,
only chufing commanders to lead them
to war, fome of whom proving more po-
litick, and ftronger, began to fubdue the
reft, and by degrees laid the foundation
of the kingdoms of Peru, and Mexico,
which tho' ftill barbarous, yet were pre-
ferable to all the other Indians ; whence it
feems to be moft likely, that the Weft-In-
dies were peopled by degrees from the con-
tinent, extending themfelves in procefs of
time farther and farther.
The motive Columbus had for giving
the name of Indies to thofe new found
countries, was, that he might thereby the
more excite thofe princes he had to do
with, and render his projed of more weight,
as propofing to find gold, filver, pearls,
and other forts of drugs than our hemi-
fpere affords, and therefore he concluded
thefe his difcoveries might vie with the
Eaft-Indies, and this gave reputation to his
undertaking, Befides his defign being to
difcover the eaft by the way of the weft,
and the Eaft-lndies lying in the remoteft
part of the eaft, as that he fought in the
fartheft weft, it might as well be called
India as the other ; and then Peru being
difcovered after New Spain, the name was
made plural, calling them Indies, becaufe
divided into thofe two great pares.
'-■.J V.'.-.,
vy'jr; o:!
i'. Ji.. : : i iUi.
r V 'X ■ , • t
CHAP.
Chap. 5.
America hy the Europeans,
597
2id-3-bf.;d
Golumbus propdfes his De/gn to the King and C^een <7f Spain, md after ntan^
RepuJfes is admitted by the ^een.
T
lERRERA
H ES E Indies are the countries com- favourable hearing, being then taken up He.....„„
prehended within the limits affigned with the difcovery of the coaft of Afrkk^
to the crown of Caftile, and Leon^ con- along the ocean, did not think fit to engage
fifting of one hemifphere, or half of the info many enterprizes at once; but however
globe, being i8o degrees, commencing at referred the matter to the confideration of
a meridian at 39, or 40 degrees from that doftor Calzadilla known by the name 5f
ofthecityof Toledo, and proceeding weft- Don James Ortez, birtiop of Ceuta, who
ward fo that allowing 17 leagues and a was a Spaniard, born at Calzadilla, in the
half to a degree, this allotment contains mafterfhip of Santiago, and to mafter Ro-
'^'j 00 Spanijh leagues in breadth eaft and JmV/^, and mafter Jo/^j^^, J^w//?? phyficiansj
weft. To come to Chrijlopher Columbus, whom he entrufted in matters relating to
who he"^ whom the Spaniards, adapting the word difcoveries, and cofmography ; and th<>*
to their language, call Colon, he was born they declared they thought it a wild no-
was
in the city of Genoa, in which particular,
and that his father's name was Dominick,
all that write of him agree, and he owns
it himfelf As to his original, fome bring
it from Placentia, others from Cucureo, a
town on the fea coaft, near that city, and
ethers from the lords of the caftle of Cu-
caro, in that part of Itali, formerly called
Liguria, now the dukedom of Montferrat,
fo near the city of Alexandria de la Pagla
that they hear the bells of it. It appears
that the emperor Otbo the 2d, in the year
940, confirmed to the brother earls Peter,
John, and Alexander Columbus, the eftates
feodal and real, they poflelTed in the li-
tion,. yet having heard Columbus, the rea-
fons he alledged, and the courfe he intend-
ed to fteer, they advifed the king to fend Under-
a caravel, giving out it was bound for ji^ni deal-
Cabo Verde, to diicover the truth of that'?^
that kins.
imagination, according to the courfe laid
down. This velTel having run many leagues ' •'
at fea, and been beaten in ftorms, it return- ' ■
ed without finding any thing, and ridicu- j'-
ling Columbus's, notion, who was not igno- ' • •
rant of this practice.
This very much offended Columbus, and Cohmbus
gave him fuch an averfion for Portugal, in Spain,
that his wife being dead, he refolved to his bro-
, ^ go ■sc^z.-^ xxiiQ Spain, and left he fhould be '^^^
berties of the cities of Aqui, Savona, AJii, ferved there as he had been in Portugal,
Montferrat, Turin, Vercelli, Parma, Cre- fent his hxoxhtv Bartholomew Colu?nbus, at
mona, and Bergamo, with all the reft they the fame time into England, where Henr'j
held in Italy. By other records it appears the 7th then reigned. He fpent much
time on the way, being taken by pi-
rates, and ftayed there to learn the methods
that the Columbi of Cucaro, Cucureo, and
Placentia, were the fame, and that the afore-
faid emperor, in the fame year 940 granted
unto the faid brothers Peter, John, and
Alexander Columbus the caftles of Cucaro,
Cowzano, Roftgnano, and others, and the
4th part of Biftagno, which belonged to
the empire, and this demonftrates the an-
tiquity of the family.
Goes into came into Spain, and particularly
Portugal, to Portugal, very young, as other men do,
to feek his fortune, where he married
Donna Philippa Moniz de Pereftrelo, by
whom he had D. James Columbus, and af-
of that court, and how to folicice. D.
Chrijlopher Columbus refolving to propofe his
defign to kingFerdinand, and queen I/abel,
or Elizabeth of Spain, departed Portugal
privately, in the year 1484, for Andaluzia,
knowing that the king of Portugal, being
fenfible that what he had faid was well
grounded, and that thofe who went in the
caravel had not done their duty was enclined
to confult about that enterprize : He land-
ed at Palos de Moguer, whence he went
away to the court, which was then at Cor-
terwards by Donna Beatrix Henriquez, of dova, leaving his fon in the monaftery of
the city of Cordova, Don Ferdinand, a gen
tleman excellently qualified, and learned.
Being thoroughly convinced of what he
had been fo long revolving in his mind,
that there were new lands to difcover, he
refolved to publifti it; but knowing that
Rabida, half a league from Palos, under
the care of F. John Perez de Marchena,
the guardian of that houfe, who was a
piece of a cofmographer, and learned in
humanity.
He propofed the bufinefs at Cordova,
fuch an undertaking v/as only fit for fome and found moft encouragement from Alonfo ^""/f^^^
fovereign prince, or ftate, he propofed it de ^intanilla, comptroller of Cajlile, a ^//^
to that of Genoa, where it was looked upon difcreet man, inclined to great undert-ak- tertains
as a chimera ; and then to king John the ings, and who finding him a man of worth ^ini-
2d of Portugal, y/ho tho' he gave him a gave him his table, without which he could
'. Vol. V. 5 N mt
598
Ohjervations and Difcoveries o
Herrbra not have fubfifted fo long as he was fol-
V-Oi'Nix' liciting. It was prefied fo far, that their
catholick majefties giving ear to the pro-
pofal, referred it to F. Ferdinand de Tala-
vera, prior of Prado, of the order of St.
Jerome.^ and confefibr to the queen, who
was afterwards the nrft archbifhop of Gra-
nada. He called an aflembly of cofmo-
graphers, but there being few of that pro-
feflion then in Spain^ and thofe none of
the ableft in the world, and befides Co-
lumbus forbearing fully to explain himfelf,
for fear of being ferved as he had been in
PortugaU the refult was not anfwerable to
his expedation for fome faid, that fince
in fo many ages as were elapfed from the
creation of the world, all men who had
been perfedly fkilled in fea. affairs, never
knew any thing of thofe lands Columbus
perfuaded them they fhould find ; it was
not to be imagined that he fhould be wifer
than all of them. Others coming clofer
to cofmography, alledged the world was
fo large, that three years would be too
fliort a time to reach the far theft eaftern
Extrava- parts, whither Columbus faid he intended
gant opi- to fail ; and to confirm their opinion, they
r'ailift quoted Seneca, who tells us, that wife
^Ctlumh/. ^B^^^ whether the ocean was
not infinite, and queftioned whether it was
poffible to fail over it ; and fuppofing it
to be navigable, whether there was any
^and inhabited beyond it, and there was
any poflibility of going to it. They far-
ther urged, that no part of this globe of
earth and water was inhabited, but one
fmall parcel left in this our hemifphere a-
bove the water, and that all the reft was
Tea ; however, if it could be found prac-
ticable to go on to the fartheft parts eaft-
ward, it would alfo be granted the fame
might be done from Spain weftward.
Others pretended, that fhould Columbus
fail direflly weftward, it would be impof-
fible for him ever to return into Spain, by
reafon of the roundnefs of the globe ; for
that whofoever fhould go beyond the he-
mifphere known to Plolomy, muft defcend
fo much, that it would be impradlicable
to return, becaufe it would be like climbing
a fteep mountain ; and though Columbus
anfwered all thefe objedlions, they could
not comprehend him. Thus the aflembly
declared the projeft was vain and imprac-
ticable, and that it did not become the
majefty of fuch mighty princes to be pre-
vailed upon by fo trivial an information.
After much time fpent, their catholick
majefties ordered Columbus ftiould be told,
that being engaged in feveral wars, and
particularly theconqueftof Granada, they
could not then venture upon other ex-
pences} but when that was over they
would again examine the matter, and
fo they difmifled him. Thofe who look
upon it as a fable, that Columbus had this
fecret from a Portuguefe pilot, who difco-
vered thofe parts, being drove upon them
by a ftorm , urge in vindication of their
opinion, that had Columbus known it fo
certainly, he would never have put it to
be argued, or have hazarded being thus
excluded by their catholick majefties ; but
would have found fome way to declare ic
to them affirmatively.
Having received this anfwer, Columbus Cohmlut
went away very difconfolate to Sevil, after ''''^^ other
fpending five years at court, to no purpofe. Srwtraefe
He had his projedl propofed to the duke of
Medina Sidonia, and fome fay to him of
Medina Celi, and they alfo rejefting him,
he writ to the king of France, intending
to go over into England to feek his bro-
ther, from whom he had heard nothing a
long time, in cafe the French did not en-
tertain him. Having fet this refolution,
he went away to the monaftry of Rahida^
for his fon James, intending to leave him
at Cordova, and having difcovered his de-
fign to F. John Perez de Marchena, God
who had referved this difcovery for the
crown of Caftile and Leon, fo ordered,
that F. John Perez, perceiving Columbus^
who had lived fo long In Spain, as to think
himfelf in a manner naturalized, went un-
willingly to treat with other princes, pre-
vailed with him to put off" his journey j
and for the better underftanding of what
he propofed, aflbciated to him one Garci
Hernandez, a phyfician ; and they three
c©nferring together, Garci Hernandez as
a philofopher , was very well pleafed.
Hereupon F. John Perez, who was knowji
to the queen, as having fometimes heard
her confeflion, writ to the queen, who or-
dered him to repair to the court, which
was then at the new city of Santa Fe, or
St. Faith, before Granada, and to leave
Columbus at Pahs, with hopes of fuccefs.
When F. John Perez had difcourfed the
queen, ftie ordered 20000 maravedies,
\which, according to the prefent way of reck-
oning, is little above ten pounds, yet in thofe
days was a gift for a queen'] to be fent Co-
lumbus, by James Prieto of Palos, for him
to return to the court, and upon his com-
ing, the negotiation was again fet on foot.
However, the prior of Prado, and others
who joined with him, being againft the
undertaking, and Columbus demanding
great conditions, among which was, that
he fhould have the titles of admiral and
viceroy,; and they thinking he required
too much in cafe of fuccefs, and that in
cafe of failure, the granting of ic was d if-
honourable ; the treaty was again entirely
broke off, and Columbus refolved to go a-
to Cordova, in order to proceed to ■
FrancCi
way
Chap. 6.
America the Europeans.
599
France^ being pofitive not to go to Portu-
gal on any account.
^lonfo de ^intanilla, and Lewis de Sant-
angel clerk of the greencloth for the crown
of Aragon^ were much concerned that this
enterprife fhould be laid afide, and car-
dinal Don Fedro Gonzalez de Mendoza at
the requeft of F. John PereZy and Alonfo
de ^intanilla had heard what Columbus
propofed, and valued him as a man of
worth. However, the adverfe party ob-
jefted , that he venturing nothing of his
own in that difcovery, and requiring to
be made admiral of a fleet under their ca-
tholick majefties, it would not much con-
cern him, though the enterprife failed. To
which he anfwered. That he would be an
eighth part in the charge, provided it might
be refunded, with the proportionable fhare
of the profits at his return, and yet no-
thing was concluded. In Januar-j 1492,
he departed the city of Santa Fe^ for Cor-
dova^ in great perplexity, their catholick
majefties being then poffeffed of the city
of Granada. That fame day Lewis de
Santangel told the queen, he much admired
that her majefty, who had always a great
genius for extraordinary undertakings,
fhould fail when fo little was hazarded, and
fo much might be gained j for fhould
that enterprife be embraced by another
prince, as Columbus affirmed it would, if
Spain rejected it, Ihe might eafily refled
how great a detriment it would be to her
crown J and fince Columbus appeared to be
a man of worth, and defired no reward
but for what he fhould find; venturing
part of the charge and his own perfon, the
thing ought not to be thought imprafti-
cable, as the cofmographers pretended.
nor the attempting of it to be looked upon Herrera
as indifcretion, though it did not fucceed •, vnT^
fince it was the part of great princes to
difcover the wonders and fecrei^s of the
world, which had gained other monarchs
eternal renown ; befides that, Columbus de-
manded but a million of maravedies [which
is little above five hundred and twenty pounds
of our mone-jy according to the prefent com-
putation~\ to fit himfelf out, and therefore
he defired that fo fmall an expence might
not obftru6t fo great an enterprife.
The queen being alfo importuned by ;
Alonfo de ^intanilla, who had much ere-
dit with her, thanked them for their ad-
vice, and faid, fhe would embrace it, pro-
vided they would (lay till fhe had a little
recovered the great expence of the war
but in cafe they thought fit, the bufiinefs
fhould be profecuted out of hand , fhe
would confent to have the money raifed
upon fome of her jewels, ^intanilla and ,
Santangel kif^^ed her hznd, becaufe fhe was
pleafed at their requeft to undertake that
which fhe had before refufed, upon the
advice of many others and Lewis de Sant-
angel offered to lend the fum required of
his own money. This being refolved, the
queen ordered an alguazil, or mefTenger to
go poft after Columbus, and bring him back
who overtook him two leagues from Gra- .
nada, at the bridge of Pinos, and though
much concerned to have been fo much
flighted, he returned to the city of Santa
Fe, where he was well received, and the
fecretary John Coloma was ordered to pre-
pare the contrail and inftruftions ; after
he had fpent eight years in foliiciting to
have his projed undertaken, with much
vexation and uneafinefs. y„r ;
C HAP. VI.
'T'he ContraB between the ^een and Columbus, he jits out three Veffels^ fails to
the Canaries, and thence on his Difcovery.
cd to Co-
lumbus
Columbus and the fecretary Coloma hav-
ing conferred together about the con-
Conditi- ditions he had demanded from the begin-
ons grant- ning, they at length agreed on the follow-
ing articles, which were figned the ly'i^ of
April 1492.
1 . Admi- Imprimis, their highneflfes, as fovereigns
ral of the of the ocean, do from this time conftitute
Don Chrifiopher Columbus their admiral
throughout all thpfe iflands, or continents,
that, by his means fliall be difcovered and
conquered in the faid ocean, for the term of
his life, and after his death to his heirs and
fucceflbrs for ever, with all the immunities
and prerogatives belonging to the faid office,
in the fame manoer as they have been en-
joyed by their admiral Don Alonfo Enriquez,
and his predeceflbrs, within their liberties.
2. Their highneflTes do conftitute, and 2.V iceroy
appoint the faid Columbus their vice-roy, go-
and governor-general of all the iflands, or "^^^^^
continents, which, as has been faid, he "
fhall difcover, or conquer, in the faid feas ;
and that he fliall nominate three perfons for
the government of each of them, whereof
their highneflTes fhall chufe one.
3. That their highnefies grant to the faid 3. To have
Columbus the tithe of all commodities what- the tithe
foever, whether pearls, precious ftones, ^'^
gold, filver, fpice, or any other, bought,
bartered, found, taken, or otherwife had
within the limits of the faid admiralty,
the charges being firft dedu6led; fo that
he take to himfelf the faid tithe of the net
produd, to enjoy, and difpofe of at his
pleafure,
4. That
600'
Ohjermtions and^Difcoverks of
7%
Herrera
4. To try
c.iufes.
5. To be
an eighth
in allfhips.
Columbus
goes to
Pahs to
fit.
Co hi 'fib us
fail? on his
difcovery
An. 1492.
4'. That in Ciife any contfoverfies fliall'
arileon account of thecommodicies he fliall
bring from the faid iflands, or countries,
fo conquered, or difcovered as aforefaid, or
oil account of thofe here taken of other
merchants in exchange for thofe, in the
p]ac« where tiie faid trade fliall be fettled ;
if it fiiall of tigiit belong to the admiral to
try fuch caufes, he fhall be allowed to do
it himfelf, or^^byhis deputy, as was allowed
to the admiral Don Alonfo Enriquez^ and
his predeceflbrs, within their diftricls.
5, That it fhall be lawful for the faid
Calumhus, whenfoever any fliips are fitted
outfor that trade, to contribute the eighth
part of the charge, and accordingly to re-
ceive the eighth part of all the produce.
Tiiefe articles were figned in the city of
Santa Fe^ in the plain of Granada^ with
which, and the aforefaid fum of money he
departed that place on the 12^^ of May;
and leaving his fons at fchool in Cordova,
went away himfelf to the port of Pahs, in
order to expedite his voyage ; very few at
court believing he would perform what he
had promifed. Their catholick majefties
ftri6tly enjoined him, not to touch at Giii-'
nea, nor to come within an hundred leagues
of the Portuguefe conquefcs. They gave him
letters patents to all kings and princes in
the world, that they might honour and en-
tertain him as their commander. He went
to Palos, becaufe there were very able fea-
men, and he had many friends among them,
as alfo for the fake of F. John Perez de
Marchena, who affifted him very much in
this affair, difpofing the minds of the fea-
men, who were unwilling to venture upon
an unknown voyage. He had alfo orders
to that town, to furnifh him with two ca-
ravels, which it was obliged to ferve the
crown with three months every year. He
fitted out another fhip to be admiral, and
called her St. Mary •, the fecond was named
Pinta, commanded by captain Martin A-
lonfo Pinzon, and his brother Francis Mar-
tinez Pinzon mafler ; and the third la Pin-
na, which had latin, or triangular fails,
ox\f\\\c\\ Vincent Tanez Pinzon was captain,
and mafter, who much forwarded the e-
quipment, and laid down half a million of
maravedies {about two hundred fixty pounds)
for the eighth part of the charge, making
ufe of the family of the Pinzones, who were
men of the firft rank in that town, wealthy,
and able lailors, and all the common fea-
men feeing them inclinable to the voyage
were willing to undertake it.
A year's provifion being put into the
Chips, with ninety men, mofl of them in-
habitants of Palos, for there were fome
friends of Columbus, and of the king's fer-
vants, they fet fail on the 3^ of Augiift, this
fime year 1492, half an hour before fun
4
rifing, and got -over the bat of Saltes, fd
the river of Palps is called,' dire'ding theif,
courfe for the Canary iflands, all the men
having after the example of Cd'umhus con-«
feffed their fms, and received the bleffed
facrament. • On the 4'^ of Anguil the rud-'
der of the caravel Pi«/^?, where Martin A-
l&nfo Pinzon commindtd, broke loofe, and
it was fufpe^led to have happened by the
contrivance of Gomez Rafcon, and Chrijio-
pher ^intero the owners of her, and fea-
men , becaufe they went that voyage with
an ill will, and had endeavoured to difap-
point it before they fet out.' This obliged,
them to lie by, and the admiral made up
to the caravel, tho' he could not alTift her,
it being ufual fo to do, to encourage the
men. However Martin Alonfo ^Pinzon ht^^
ing an able failor, the rudder 'was fo faflen--
ed with ropes/ 'that they held on theif
courfe till the tuefday followThg, when it
got loofe again, thro' the violence of the
wind, and they were all obliged to lie by. '
This misfortune happening to the caravel
Pinta, at firft ffct ting out, might have ftart^
led a fuperflitious perfon, efpecially corl-
fidering how refraftory Mariiw- Alonfo Pin- Is, at the
zon afterwards proved towards the admiral j Canary
but having again made faft the rudder, the
befl they could, they difcovered the Cana-
ry iflands on the 11''' of Augufi, abouc
break of day, and not being able, by rea-
fon of the contrary winds, to reach Grand
Canaria in two days, Martin Alonfo was or-
dered, as loon as he could get to land, to
provide another fhip, the admiral going
himfelf vv^ith the other two to Gomera, with
the fame intent ; but finding none returned
to Canaria, refolding to make a new rud-
der to the caravel Pinta, and to change the
fails of the caravel Pinna which were latin,
or triangular into fquare, that fhe might
labour the lefs, and keep company with
more fafety. He failed again on the \ft of
September, after nOon, and returning to Go-
mera, took in fiefh, wood, and water very
haflily, in four days ; for being informed
that fome Portuguefe caravels ply'd there-
abouts to take him, he apprehended fome
misfortune, becaufe the king of Portugal
was much concerned when he heard that
Columbus had agreed with their catholick
majefties, fufpe<5ling he had miffed his for-
tune. On thurfday the 6^^^ he failed to the
weflward, and made little way by reafon of Sails weft-
the calms ; yet the next day they lofl fight ^ard.
of land, and many fighed, and wept, be-
lieving they fhould never fee it again, Co-
lumbus comforting them with the hopes of
wealth, and fuccefs. That day they ran
eighteen leagues, the admiral defignedly
reckoning but fifteen, thinking it conveni-
ent to fhorten the voyage, to leffen the ap-
prehenfion of the feamen. On the 1 1''' of
September.^
Chap. 7.
America hy the Europeans.
An exha
lation.
September^ being a hundred fifty leagues^
from the ifland of Ferro., they faw a piece of
a maft , that feemed to have been carried
by the current, which a little farther they
found fet very ftrong to the northward. On
the 14'^ of Septembei", being fifty leagues
more to the weftward, about night fall the
admiral perceived the needle varied a point
weftward, and fomewhat more about break
of day.
The faid variation had never before been
obferved by any man,which made him much
admire it, and more three days after, when
having run an hundred leagues farther upon
the fame courfe he found the needles varied
at evening two points, and in the morning
exaftly pointed upon the north ftar. On
faturday the i being near three hundred
leagues to the weftward of the ifland of
FerrOt in the night they faw a flame of fire
fall into the fea, four, or five leagues
fouth-weft fiom the ftiips , the weather
being calm, and the fea fmooth, and
the currents full fetting north-eaft. The
men in the caravel Ninna faid, they had
the day before feen one of thofe birds we
call water- wagtails , which they admired,
as being the firft they had feen, and a bird
out at fea. they fay does not fly above fifteen, or twen-
ty leagues from land. The next day they
were more furprized to obferve fome
fpots of green, and yellow weeds on the
furface of the water, and the more for that
it feemed to be newly broke loofe from
fome ifland, or rock ; and on monday they
faw much more, which made many con-
clude they were near land, and the rather
A bird
three hun
dred
leagues
Weeds.
Hf.RRE!IA
Other to-
kens ob-
becaufethey faw a live fmall graflioppef on
the weeds. Yet others thought they mighc
come from lands, or rocks lying underwater,
which made them fear and mutter againft
the voyage. They alfo took notice, that the
fea water, was but half fo fait as it had been
before, and that night they faw abundance
of tunny fifties, following fo clofe after the
ftiips, that the men in the caravel Ninna
killed one with an harping iron ; and in
the morning the air was temperate, than
It much delighted and pleafed them, the
weather being much the fame as it is in
Andaluzia about April. About three hun-
dred fixty leagues weft from the ifland
Ferro., they faw another water- wagtail, and
on tuefday the of September^ Martin '{lx\ii.
Alonfo Pinzon, who' was before, in the ca-
ravel Pinta., which was an excellent failor,
lay by for the admiral, and faid he had
feen a multitude of fowl, flying weftward,
which made him hope to difcover land that
night, at about fifteen leagues diftance to
the northward ; nay he fancy'd he had feen
it ; but the admiral not believing it, would
not lofe time, in going out of the way to
feek it, tho' all the men were that way in- '
clined, as not thinking that was the place,
where according to his notion it was to be
found. That night the wind frefliened,
when they had failed eleven days without
handing their fails, running always to the
weftward before the wind. The admiral
conftantly noted down all particulars, as
the winds that blew, the fifties, and birds
he faw, and all other tokens, continually
making obfervations,
and founding.
C H A P. VIL "
'T'he Voyage continued the Signs they obferved; JJjewing that there mujl be Landi
the Men grow mutinous ^ the Admiral endeavours to appeafe them.
AL L the men being unacquainted with
fuch a voyage, and having feen no-
thing but the flcy and water in fo many
days, began to mutter, as thinking their
condition defperate, and therefore diligent-
ly obferved all tokens they faw, none hav-
ing ever been fo far out at fea as they then
were. On the 19'^ of September a fea-gull
came aboard the admiral, and others ap-
peared in the evening, which put them in
More to- bopes of land, believing thofe birds were
kens ob- not gone far from it ; and hereupon they
ferved. threw out the lead with two hundred fathom
of line, and tho' they found no bottom, it
appeared that the current did fet fouth weft.
Thurfday the 20'^, about ten in the morn-
ing they faw two guls more, near the admi-
ral, and fome time after took a black bird,
with a white fpot on his head, and the feet
like a duck ; and they killed a fmall fifti,
and faw abundance of weeds, which the ftiips
Vol, V.
failing over, they began to be lefs afraid;
The next morning at break of day three
little land birds came aboard the admiral
finging, and when the fun was up, flew
away, which was fome comfort to the men,
as believing, that the other forts of fea
fowl might venture out farther, but thofe
little birds could not come from fo great a
diftance. Some time alter they faw another
gull, coming from the weft north weft, and
the nexr day after noon another water-wag-
tail, and a gull, and more weeds to the
northward, which was fome encourage-
ment, fuppofing they muft come from fome
land not remote. Yet thefe very weeds trou-
bled them, becaufe fometim.es there were
fuch thick fpots of them, that they hinder'd
the way of the ftiips, and therefore they
kept from them, as much as they could.
The next day they faw a whale, and on
the of September fome birds j and dur-
7 O ing
ervations
mgs.
Herrera ing thofe three days they met with fouth
^""'^'''^ weft winds, which tho' contrary, the ad-
miral faid were good, becaufe the (hips
having failed all that while before the wind,
the men believed it would be impoflible to
return home. Yet for all he could alledge
the men grew mutinous, and began to
flight him, and rail at the king for fending
them upon fuch a voyage ; whilft Columbus
fometimes fed them with hopes, and other
whiles threatned them with the punifhment
they muft exped from his majefty. But
on the 23'^, the wind came up at weft
north weft, with a rough fea, as they all
wifhed, and at nine in the morning a turtle
dove flew over the admiral, and in the after-
noon a gull, and- other white birds, and
they found graftioppers among the weeds.
The next day came another gull, and tur-
tle doves from the weftward, as alfo fome
fmall fifties, which they killed with harp-
ing irons, becaufe they would not bite at
the bait.
Murmur- ^j] j-j^gfg tokcns proving vain, the men's
fear increafed, who began openly to mutter,
that the admiral had proje<51ed to make
himfelf great, at the expence of their lives ;
and flnce they had done their duty, ventu-
ring out farther than any men had ever
done before them, they ought not to feek
their own deftruftion, by failing on to no
purpofe, till their proviflons were fpent ;
which though never fo fparingly managed,
would not ferve them back again nor
would the fliips hold out, being already
crazy •, fo that no man could blame them,
and the admiral having met with fo much
oppofition, they would be the fooner be-
lieved. There wanted not fome, who faid,
That to avoid all controverfy, it were the
beft way privately to throw him overboard,
and give out he had dropt accidentally, as he
was gazing on the ftars, and this would be
the fureft method to fave themfelves, flnce
no examination would be made. Thus the
men daily inclined more and more to mu-
tiny, which much perplexed Columbus, who
fometimes with good words, and then again
with menaces curbed their infolency ; often
inculcating the tokens they met with, to
afiure them they fliould foon find a won-
derful rich country, where all their toils
would be overpaid. Thus they continued
fo full of care and trouble, that every
hour looked to them like a year, till on
tuefday the of September, Vincent Tan-
nez Pinzon talking to Columbus, cried out,
land, land. Sir I demand my reward for
this news, and then pointing to the fouth
weft, fliewed a bulk that looked like an
ifland, about twenty five leagues from the
lliips, which tho' afterwards believed to be
a contrivance concerted between them two,
yet at that time was fo pleafing to the men,
4
covenes
that diey returned thanks to God ; and the
admiral pretended to believe it, till night,
directing his courfe that way a great part
of it, to pleafe his crew.
The next morning they all perceived
thofe were clouds, which often look like
land, and then with general diffatisfadlion
flood weftward again, continuing fo to do
as long as the wind favoured, and obferv-
ing the figns, faw a gull, a water- wagtail,
and other birds ; and on thurfday morning,
another gull flying from the weft to the
eaftward, they alfo faw many of the fifties
called gilt-heads, fome of which they
ft ruck with harping irons j another water-
wagtail pafled by very near the fliips, and
they obferved, that the currents did not
run fo ftrong in a body as before, but
turned back with the tides, and there were
fewer weeds. Friday following they faw
m^Dy dorados, or gilt-heads, and on fa-
turday a water-wagtail, being a fea fowl
that never refts, but purfues the gulls,
till for fear they mute, which the other
catches in the air, and lives on ; and of
rhefe there are great numbers about the
ifiands of Cabo Verde. Soon after abun-
dance of gulls appeared, as alfo numbers of
flying fifties. In the afternoon they found
many weeds ftretching out in length from
north to fouth, as alfo three gulls, and a
water-wagtail purfuing them ; the men
conftantly believing the weeds were a fign
that there was land near, but under water,
and that they ftiould perifti. On funday four
water-wagtails came near the admiral, and
they coming together, it was believed that
the land was not far off"i and many weeds
appeared lying in length from weft north
weft to eaft fouth eatt \ befides many of
thofe fifties they call emperors, which have
a hard fl<:in, and are not good to eat. Tho*
the admiral took notice of all thefe figns
below, yet he omitted not to obferve thofe
in the heavens. He perceived, that at
night-fall the needles varied two full points,
and in the morning they were exaft with
the north ftar, which much perplexed the
pilots, till he told them, that was occa-
fioned by the north-ftar's rounding the
pole, which fomewhat fatisfied him \ for
this variation made them apprehend fome
danger, be|ng fo far from land.
Monday the firft of O^ober, at break of
day a gull, and thofe there they fay are
like bitterns, came aboard the admiral ^
and others before noon, and the weeds then
fet from eaft to weft, many fearing that
they fliould come to fome place, where
the land was fo clofe to the faid weeds, that
they muft ftick aground, and be loft. That
fame morning the pilot told Columbus, that
they were five hundred eighty eight leagues
weft from the ifland of Ferro; the admi-
ral
Chap. 7.
America hy the Europeans.
ral anfwered, he reckoned but five hundred
eighty four; buc in reality his reckoning
was feven hundred and feven. The pilot
of the caravel Ninna, on wednefday fol-
lowing in the afternoon faid, by his com-
putation they had run fix hundred and
fifty leagues, and he of the Pinta fix hun-
dred and thirty, which was a miftake, for
Thisfecms they always failed right before the wind,
to be a However, Columbus faid nothing, left the
the^num" "^^^ being fo far from land fliould difmay.
ber of"' "^^^ fecond of OSiober they killed a tun-
leagues, ny fifh, and faw many other forts, as alfo
being fo a white bird and many grey ones, and the
much weeds looked withered, and almoft reduced
more than j xt u- j • i
Columbus powder. No birds appearing on the
had failed, third , they feared they had left fome
ifland on either fide, fuppofing all the
birds they had feen paffed over from one
ifland to another, and the men being of
opinion to turn off to either hand, Colum-
bus did not think fit to lofe the oppor-
tunity of the wind, which carried him due
weft, that being what he defired, and be-
caufe it would lefl^en his reputation, ftiould
he fail up and down to feek for that he
always faid he was aflured of This made
the men mutiny again, and no wonder,
confidering fo many were led by one, of
whom they had but little knowledge, and
run into fuch a vaft ocean, where for fo
many days they had feen nothing but the
Iky and water, without knowing what
would be the end of it. But it pleafed
God to provide frefti figns, wherewith
they were fomewhat pacified ; for on the
fourth of O^ober, after noon, they faw
above forty fparrows and two gulls, which
came fo clofe to the fnips, that a failor
killed one of them with a ftone, and ma-
ny flying fiflies fell into the fhips, with
which, and the admiral's fair words, they
were appeafed.
The next day a gull, a water-wagtail,
and many fparrows appeared near the ftiip
to the weftward. On funday the feventh,
there was fome fign of land to the weftward,
and none durft fay fo, tho' they all wifli'd
for it, in hopes of gaining an annuity of
10000 maravedies, which their catholick
majefties had promifed to him that firft
faw land j and left they fliould upon every
fancy cry, land, out of covetuoufnefs of
the rewards it was ordered, that whofoever
f]:ould pretend to fee land, if it were not
verified in three days, fiiouid be for ever
excluded from that benefit, tho' he after-
wards really difcovered it. Flowever, thev
in the caravel Ninna-^ which was foremoft'^
being the beft failor, concluding for cer-
tain that they had feen land, fired their
guns, and hoifted out their colours, but
the farther they advanced, the more their
joy declined, till it quite vanifhed. In this
difconfolate condition it pleafed God again
to comfort them with the fight of great
flights of birds, and amongft them feme
belonging to the land, which made to the
fouth-weft ; whereupon Columbus concluded
he could not be far from land, and there-
fore altered his courfe from weft to fouch-
weft, alledging, that the difference was
not great, and that the Poriuguefes had
difcovered moft of their iflands by fuch
flights of birds, and that thofe he faw
took the fame way he had always defigned
for difcovering of the land, for they well
knew he always told them he did not ex-
ped: to meet with it, till he had failed
feven hundred and fifty leagues to the weft-
ward of the Canaries, where he had faid,
he fliould find the ifland Hifpaniola^ which
he then called Cipongo, and muft certainly
have been upon it, but that knowing i'c
lay north and fouth in length, he had not
before turned to ihe fouthward, for fear
of being foul of it, yet he believed it lay
among other iflands to the left, the way
thofe birds flew, they being fo numerous
becaufe the land was fo near •, for on mon-
day the eighth about a dozen of fmall
birds of feveral colours came to the ftiip,
and after hovering a while about it, flew
away, many others making to the fouth-
weft. That fame evening many large birds
appeared, and flocks of fmall ones, com-
ing from the northward, and they faw ma-
ny tunny fifties j and the next morning a
gull, ducks, and fmall birds flying the fame
way the others had gone ; befides the air
was more frefh and fragrant, as it is at Se-
vil about April. But now the men were
fo eager to fee land, that they regarded
no figns, tho' on wednefday the tenth ma-
ny birds were feen both by day and night;
yet neither the admiral's encouragement,
nor upbraiding them with pufillanimity
could quell thofe people.
CHAP,
Ohjervations and Dijcoveries of
CHAP. V
Admiral Columbus difcovers the IJlafids of San Salvador, The Conception, Fer^
nandina, Ifabelia, and others ; the Defcription of thetn^ and of the Natives.
Herrera TT pleafed God that when Coktnhus was
^-'"'"V^' X no longer able to withftand the muti-
nous temper, and difcontents of his men,
on thurfday the ii^'' of O£loher 1492, in
the afternoon, he received fome comfort,
from the manifeft tokens there appeared of
the nearnefs of the land ; for thofe aboard
his own fhips law by her fide a green rufh,
and then a large green fifh of that fort
which is ufually near rocks. They in the
caravel Pinta faw a cane and a ftafF, and
took up another artificially carved, and a
bit of board, and many weeds frefh torn
off from the fhore. Thofe of the caravel
Ninna faw other fuch like tokens, and a
thorn tree branch with the berries on it j
which feem'd to be frefh broke off, all de-
monftrations of their being near land, as
was the fand they brought up with the
lead in founding •■, befides the unfteadinefs
of the wind then blowing was thought to
be occafioned by the land. Columhus con-
cluding that he was certainly near it, as
foon as it was night, after evening prayer,
he made a fpeech to his men, fignifying
the infinite goodnefs of God to them, in
conduding them fafe through fo long a
voyage, and fince the tokens hourly ap-
peared more certain, he defired they would
watch ail the night, fince they knew, that
the firft article of the inftrudions he gave
them, when they left Spain, dired;ed that
after failing feven hundred leagues, with-
out finding land, they fhould make no way
from midnight till day, but ftand upon
their guard, for he was moft confident they
iliould make the land that night, and that
befides the ten thoufand maravedies annui-
ty their majefties had promifed to the firft
that faw it, he would give him a velvet
doublet. About ten at night, Colm?ihus
fitting on the poop faw a light, and pri-
vately called Peter Gutierrez, one of the
king's grooms of the privy chamber, and
bid him look at it, and he faid, he faw it.
Then they called Roderick Sanchez of Sego-
via, infpeftor of the fleer, who could not
difcern it, but it was afterwards feen twice,
and looked like a candle that was lifted up,
and put down, fo that Columbus made no
^ doubt of its being a true light, or that he
was near land, as it proved, being people
going from one houfe to another. About
two in the morning, the caravel Pinta,
which was always foremoft, made a fignal
of land, which was firft defcried by Rode-
rick de "Triana, a failor, and but two leagues
diftant. However the reward of ten thou-
fand maravedies annuity, was by their ma-
jefties declared to belong to the admiral,
and was always paid him out of the revenue
of the fliambles at Sevil; becaufe he faw the
light, in the midft of darknefs, meaning
the fpiritual light they were bringing a-
mong thofe barbarous people ; God fo
ordering, that as foon as the war with the
Moors was ended, after feVen hundred twen-
ty years fince their firft coming into Spain.,
this work fhould be begun, that fo the kings
of Caftile, and Leon, might be continually
employed in bringing of infidels to the
knowledge of the catholick faith.
When the day appeared, they perceived Firft land
it was an ifland, fifteen leagues in length, difcover'd
plain, much wooded, with gOod water, a
frefh lake in the middle, and full of people,
who ftood full of admiration on the fhore,
believing the fhips to be fome monftrous
creatures, and impatient to be better inform-
ed, as the Spaniards were to go afliore. The
admiral went off in his boat well mann'd,
and the royal ftandard hoifted, as did the
captains Martin Alonfo Pinzon, and Vincent
yannez Pinzon with the peculiar colours of
the enterprize, being a green crofs with
fome crowns, and the names of their catho-
lick majefties. When they had all kifs'd
the ground, and returned thanks to Al-
mighty God, on their knees, for that his
mercy to them, the admiral ftood up, and .^^^^
called that ifland San Salvador, that is, St. (-^i]^^
Saviour, but by the inhabitants it was Saviour.
named Guanahani, being one of thofe af-
terwards in general called L.ucci'jos, nine
hundred fifty Icvaguesfrom the Canar-^ iflands,
and difcovered after thirty three days fail.
Columhus took poffelTion of it, with the
ufual formalities, for the crown of Caftile
and Leon, in the prefence of thel notary
Roderick de Efeovedo, vaft numbers\ of the
natives looking on. The Spaniards then
owned him as admiral, and viceroy, tak-
ing an oath to obey him, as reprefenting
the king's perfon in thofe parts, with all
the pleafure, and fatisfadion as may be
imagined for fuch fuccefs, all of them beg-
ging pardon for the trouble they had put
him to through their irrefolution and pu-
fiUanimity. The admiral perceiving thofe
Indians were a fimple peaceable people,
who ftood in admiration gazing on the
Chriftians, wondring at their beards, com-
plexion, and cloaths, gave them fome red
caps, glafs beads, and lijch baubles, which
they highly valued, the Spaniards being
no lefs furprized to behold thofe people,
theirypofture, and behaviour.
A. The
AP. 8. V' America hy
The admiral returned aboard his fhips
followed by the Indians^ fome of them
fwimming, and others in their boats, call-
ed canoes^ made of one entire piece of tim-
ber, like troughs, or trays, they carried
with them bottoms of cotton, parrots, and
javelins, pointed with fifh bones, and fome
other things to barter for glafs toys, hawks
bells, and fuch trifles, which they were
fo well pleafed with, as to put a high value
upon pieces of broke'ji earthen glazed plates
and porringers. Men and women were
all ftark naked, like people in their primi-
tive innocence ; the greater number being
under thirty years of age, though there
were alfo fome old. They wore their hair
down to their ears, and fome few to their
necks, ty'd with a ftring to the head, in the
nature of trelTes. Their features and coun-
tenances were good, tho' their extraordinary
broad foreheads were fome deformity.
They were of a middle ftature, well fliap-
ed, their flcins of an olive colour, like the
natives of the Canar-j iflands , fome were
painted white, others black, and others
red; moft of them about their bodies,
fome only their faces, eyes, and nofes.
They were totally unacquainted with our
weapons, for being fliewed fome fwords,
they ignorantly laid hold of the edge nor
did they know any thing of iron ; but made
ufe of lharp ftones found in the rivers to
work in wood. Being alked by figns, how
they came by fome fears the Spaniards
faw among them ; they anfwered. That
the people of other iflands came to take
them, and they were wounded ftanding up-
on their own defence. They feem to have
voluble tongues, and ready wits, eafily
repeating the words they heard. No liv-
ing creatures whafoever were feen there,
but only parrots. The next day, being the
13''' of O^ober, abundance of Indians came
aboard the Ihips in their canoes^ moft of
which carried forty, or fifty men ; and
fome fo fmall that they held but one. They
rowed with an oar, like a baker's peel, as if
they had been digging with a fpade. The
£anoes are fo contrived, that if they overfet,
the Indians fwimming turn them up again,
and lade out the water with dry'd calabafhes
they carry for that purpofe. They had
cotton to barter, and fome of them gave as
many bottoms of it as weighed a quarter
of an hundred weight, for the Portuguefe
centist being a fmall brafs coin, worth lefs
than a farthing. There were no jewels, or
other things of value, except fome little
gold plates they hung at their nofes. They
were never fatisfied with gazing at the Spa-
niards^ kneel'd down, lifted up their hands, as
it were to praife God, and invited one another
to go fee the men that came from heaven.
Being alked, whence they had that gold i
Vol. V.
the Europeans. 60^
they anfwered, from the fouthward, where HerrSra
there was a king, who had abundance of ^--^VN^
it, making figns with their hands. The
admiral underftanding there were other
countries, refolved to go feek them. The
fhips were never clear of Indians, who as
foon as they could lay hold of any things
tho' it were but a bit of a broken earthen
difh, went away well pleafed, and fwam
afhore; offering whatfoever they had for
any trifle they gave them. Thus the day
was fpent in trading, and they all went
away, their generofity in giving being oc~
cafioned by the value they had for what was
returned, looking upon the Spaniards as men
come from heaven, and therefore defiring
fomething to keep in remembrance of them.
On the 14th of O^lober, in the morning,
the admiral took a view of all the coaft
towards the north-weft, in the boats. The
natives followed by land, offering pro»
vifions, and calling others to fee thofe hea-
venly men, lifting up their hands in ad-
miration, and others in canoes, and fome
fwimming, by figns afked whether they
were not come from heaven, and defiring
they would go afhore to reft. The admiral
gave them all ftrings of glafs beads, pins,
and other toys, being well pleafed to fee fo
much fimplicity, till he came to a ridge of
rocks, where there was a fpacious fafe har-
bour, where a ftrong fort might have been
built, becaufe it was almoft enclofed by
the water. In that place there were fix
houfes, with abundance of trees about them,
which looked like gardens. The men be-
ing weary of rowing, and the land not fit
to make any ftay there, Columbus took fe-
ven Indians, that they might learn
and returning to the caravels, proceeded
to difcover other iflands, above an hundred
whereof appeared, all of them plain, green,
and inhabited, the names whereof the In-
dians told. On monday the came
to one, feven leagues from the firft, and
called Santa Maria de la Conceptione, or St. Concepiwi
Mary of the Conception, the fide whereof ifland.
next to San Salvador ftretches out fifty
leagues •, but the admiral ran along it eaft
and weft, where the extent is but ten leagues,
anchored on the weft fide, and went afhore.
Vaft numbers of the natives came down
immediately full of admiration ; and he
finding ftill the fame thing thought fit to
proceed farther. A canoe being aboard the
caravel Ninna , one of the feven Indians
brought from San Salvadof leaped over,
and fwam away, and though the boat pur-
fued, it could not overtake him ; another
had made his efcape the night before. An
Indian came in a canoe to barter cotton
the admiral ordered a red cap to be put
on his head, and hawkft^els about his arms
and legs, and fo he went away well pleafed
with his cotton, 7 P The
6o6
Ohjervations and Discoveries of
Herrera The next day, being tuefday, he pro-
'-^^"^ ceeded weft ward to another ifland, the coaft
whereof ran out eighteen leagues north weft
and Ibuth eaft. He came not to it till
wednefday the 17''^, afternoon, by reafon
of the calms. By the way they met an In-
dian in a canoe, who had a piece of fuch
bread as they eat, and fome water in a ca-
' labafh, or gourd, a litde black earth, fuch
as they ufe to paint themfelves, and dry
leaves of a fort of herb they highly value, be-
caufe it is wholefome, and fweet fcented,
and in a little bafketa firing of glafs beads,
and two vinteins, which is a fmall Portuguefe
filver coin, worth under two pence by
which it appeared he came from the ifland
of San Salvador, Aiad pafted by the Concep-
tion, and was going to the ifland which the
admiral now called Fernandina, in honour
of the king, and to make the Spaniards
known. The way being long, and the In-
dian tired with rowing, he went aboard
the fhips, where the admiral ordered he
fhould have bread, and honey given him
to eat, and wine to drink, and as foon as
he came to the ifland, caufed him to be
fet aftiore, with fome toys. The good ac-
count this man gave of his entertainment,
brought the people to barter aboard the
fhips, as had been done in the other iflands,
they being all alike. When the boat went
afhore for water, the Indians readily fliewed
it them, and helped to fill the pipes ; yet
thefe feemed to be fomewhat more under-
llanding than the others, for they ftood
harder in the exchange of their things, had
cotton blankets in their houfes, and the
women covered their privities with little
cotton wrappers, like fhort coats, reaching
from the navel half way the thighs, and
others with a fwathe of the fame fort ; fuch
as had no better did it with leaves of trees,
which was not ufed by the maidens.
Fenwnd't- This ifland feemed to have plenty of
ffrf illand. water, many meadows, and groves, and
fome plealant little hills, which the others
had not, with an infinite variety of birds
that fung fweetly, and flew about in flocks,
moft of them diff^crent from what Spain
affords, and there were many lakes ; near
one of thefe they faw a creature feven foot
long, which they fuppofedto be an alligator,
and having thrown ftones it ran into the
water, where they killed it with their fpears,
admiring its bignefs, and ftrange fhape;
yet afterwards experience taught them, that
the faid animal, being flead and fcaled is
good meat, for the flerti of it is white,
and moft valued by the Indians, and in the
ifland Hifpaniola they call them Tvanes. In
this ifland they law fome trees, that looked
as if they had been grafted, as bearing four
or five forts of leaves, and yet they were
natural. They alio faw fi flies of fine co-
lours, but no land animals, except large
tame fnakes, the aforefaid alligators, and a
little fort of rabbets, not unlike mice, which
they call Utias. Proceeding farther to-
wards the north weft, to view the ifland,
they anchored at the mouth of a ftately
harbour, having a fmall ifland before it ;
but went not in becaufe of the ftiallownefs,
nor would the admiral remove far from a
town, that flieltered them, having feen
none in any of the other iflands of above
ten, or twelve houfes, like tenrs, fome of
them roundi and others floping both ways,
with an open porch before, after the Flan-
ders fafliion, and thefe covered with leaves
of trees, handfomely laid on againft wind
and rain, with vents for the fmoak, and
handfome ridges, or ornaments at the top.
Within them there was nothing but what
they carried aboard the fhips to barter;
only their beds were of netty'd up to two
pofls , which they call hamacks. Here
were alfo fome little dumb dogs. An Indian
was feen, who had a little piece of gold at
his nofe, with fome marks on it like cha-
radters, which the admiral would fain have
had , fuppofing it to be fome coin •, but
it afterwards appeared that there was none
throughout all the Wejl-Indies.
Nothing more being found at Fernandina^
than what had been feen at San Salvador^
and the Conception, he proceeded to the next
iflands. The fourth was called Saomoto,
and he gave it the name of Ifahela, in ho- Ifabda
nour of her catholick majefty, taking pof- iA^n^. ,,
fefllon of it before witnefles, with a notary,
as was done in all the reft. The land ap-
peared as beautiful as the reft, looking like
Spain in April, and the people of the fame
fort. There they killed an alligator, and
as they were going towards a town, the in-
habitants fled, carrying away what they
had ; but the admiral having ordered that
no harm fhould be done, they foon came
to the fhips, to barter, as the others had
done, and he gave them toys, afking them
for water, that they might grow more fa-
miliar, and they brought it in gourds. He
would not lofe time at the Ifabela, nor any
of the others, which were very numerous,
and all alike, but refolved to go find out
one they told him was very large, and by
them called Cuba, pointing to the fouth-
ward i he fuppofing it to be Sucipango by
the figns they gave, and mighty things
they feem'd to fay of it. He fteer'd his
courfe weft fouth-weft, made little way
on wednefday and thurfday, by reafon of
the rain, and at nine in the morning
changed his courfe to fouth-eaft, running
eight leagues, and difcovering eight iflands
lying north and fouth, which he called del
Arena, or of find, on account of the
fhoals about them. He was told it was a
I ' tlay
Chap. 9.
\ America the Europeans. )
607
day and a half's fail from thence to Cuha^ Cula before night, yet becaufe it grew late Herrera
left them on faturday the 27''^ of October, and dark, would not draw nearer, but lay "^^C^
and {landing fouth fouth-weft, difcovered by all night.
Cuha
ifland.
CHAP. V^.
The Admiral dif covers^ and takes a view of the IJIands of Cuba, and Hifpa-
niola, and is forfaken by Martin Alonfo Pinzon. ^
ON funday the 28*1^ of OSlober, he
drew near the coaft, and called the
ifland Juana, or Joanna, which appeared
to be better than the others, there being
hills, mountains, various forts of trees,
plains, and waters to be feen at firft fight.
He anchored in a great river he called
San Salvador, or St. Saviour for a good
omen. The wood feemed to be very thick,
the trees tall, bearing bloflbms, and fruit,
different from ours, with abundance of
birds. The admiral wanting fome infor-
mation, fent to two houfes there were in
fight, the inhabitants whereof fled, bearing
nets, and other fifliing tackle, and a dog
that did not bark. He would not fuffer
any thing to be touched ; but went on to
another great river he called de la Luna^i
or of the moon •, another he named Mares,
or feas, the banks whereof were full of
inhabitants, who fled to the mountains,
which were covered with feveral forts of
large tall trees. The Indians he brought
with him, fignified, that there was gold,
and pearlSj which he thought was likely,
having feen muldes, and faid it was not
ten days fail f^om thence to the continent,
only upon a notion he had conceived, up-
on what Paul, a phyfician of Florence had
writ ; and though he was in the right, it
was not the land he imagined ; and believing
that if many men went afliore the Indians
would be the more fearful ; he fent only
two Spaniards, with one of the Indians of
the ifland of San Salvador, and one of C«-
ha, who came to the fliips in a canoe. The
Spaniards yftrt Roderick de Xeres; inhabi-
tant of A-jamonfe, and Lewis de 'Torres, who
had been a Jew, and fpoke Hebrew, Chal-
dee, and fome fay Arabick. He gave them
toys to barter, allotted fix days for their
Hay, and order'd what they fliould fay in
the name of their catholick majefl:ies j di-
redling they fhould go up the inland, and
enquire into all particulars, without doing
wrong to any man. Tn the mean while he
refitted his fhip, and found all the wood
they burnt had a fort of gum like maftick,
the leaf and fruit much refembling the
lentifli tree, but was much bigger. In
this river of Mares the fliip had room to
wind, and it has feven or eight fathom
water at the moath, and five within,
tliere being two fmall hills on the fouth-
weft fide, and a pleafant plain cape running
out to the weft north-weft, and this was af-
terwards the port of Barocoa, which the ade-
lantado, or lord-lieutenant Velazquez, cal-
led of the Ajfumption.
On the 5 th November, when the fliips what the
were ready to fail, the Spaniards returned, Spaniards
with three natives of the ifland, faying f^^^ "P
they had travelled 22 leagues, and found' '
a town of fifty houfes, built like thofe al-
ready mentioned, wherein were about 1000
inhabitants, a whole race living in a houfe ;
that the prime men came out to meet,
and led them by the arms to lodge in one
of thofe houfes, where they were feated on
ftools made of one entire piece of wood,
in the fliape of a living creature that had
fliort legs, the tail ftanding upright, and
the head before, with gold eyes, and ears.
That all the Indians fat about them on
the ground, and came one after another
to kifs their hands and feet, believing
they came from heaven, and giving them -
boiled roots to eat, which tafted like chef-
nuts, intreating them to ftay there, or at
leaft to reft themfelves for five, or fix
days, the Indians that went along with them, '
having faid much in their commendation.
Afterwards abundance of women coming
in to fee them, the men went away, and
thofe with the fame admiration kiflTed their
hands and feet, touching them, as if they
had been fomething holy, and offering
what they had. That many would have
come away with them, but they gave leave
only to their lord, his fon, and a fervant
of his, of whom the admiral made very
much.
They added, that both going and com-
ing they met with feveral towns, where
they were courteoufly entertained, but none
of them had above five or fix houfes to-
gether and by the way they met feveral
people, every one carrying a lighted fire-
brand in his hand, to make fire, and
fmoke themfelves with certain herbs they
took with them, asaifo to roaft roots, that
being their chief food. That the fire was
eafily lighted, for they had a fort of woodj,
which being rubbed one piece againft an-
other, as if they were boreing, foon took
fire. They faw feveral forts of trees,
which they had not feen along the fea
coaft, and extraordinary variety of birds
quite different from ours, and among them
partridges and nightingales ; but had found
no
Ohjervations and DiJcQveries of
Merrera no four-footed creature, except thofe little
'-''^VNJ cur dogs, that could not bark. That there
was much land fowed with thofe roots,
and that grain they called Maiz, which
v/as well tailed, either boiled whole, or
made into flower. They faw vaft quan-
tities of fpun cotton, in bottoms, and
thought there was above 12000 weight of
it in one houfe, for it grows wild in the
fields } and opens itfelf, when ripe, as the
rofes do: but not all at once, for there
were fome heads open, and others ftill
clofed, upon the fame plant j and they
„!, would give a fmall bafket full of cotton
' i !^ for a leather thong, or a piece of glaz'd
, . earthen ware, or looking glafs. They did
not ufe that cotton for cloathing, being all
naked, but to make nets to lie in, and
to weave fmall clouts, to cover their pri-
vities. Being afked for gold and pearls,
they faid there was plenty of them at Bo"
hio, pointing to the eaft.
The Spaniards made much enquiry a-
mong the Indians they had aboard for
gold, they anfwered, Cubanacanf and the
others thought they meant, the great Cham^
and that the country of Cathay was near,
for they alfo made figns to denote four
days journey. Martin Alonzo Pinzon was
of opinion, it muft be fome great city
that was four days journey off 1 but it was
not long before they underftood, that Ca-
lanacan was a province in the midft of
Cuha^ for Nocan fignifies in the middle, and
that there were gold mines. The admiral
having received this information, would
not lofe time but ordered fome Indians
of feveral parts to be taken, to carry them
into Spain, that every one might give an
account of his own country, as witneiTes
of the difcovery. Twelve men, women,
and children were fecured without giving
offence, and when they were ready to fail,
an Indian., hufband to one of the women,
and father to two of the children that
v/ere aboard, came and defired to be car-
ried along with them. The admiral or-
dered he fliould be received, and all of
them well ufed ; but the wind proving
northerly was obliged to put into a pore
he called del Principe, or the princes, in
the fame ifland, which he only viewed from
without, near a great number of iflands,
about a mufket fiiot diftant from one an-
other; and this place he called Mar de
I^ueftra Sennora, our ladies fea, the chan-
nels between the iflands being fo deep,
^ind well adorned with trees and greens, that
n was very delightful failing through them.
The trees were different from ours, fome
of them looking like maftick, others like
lignum aloes y others like palm, with the
items green, and fmooth, and others of
feveral forts. And tho' thefe iilands.
among which they went in their bdats,
were not inhabited, there were many fires
in them made by fifhermen, the people of
Cuba ufing to go thither to fifh, and fowl,
their numbers being infinite-, and there
they looked for other provifions, for they
eat feveral filthy things, as great fpiders,
worms breeding in rotten wood, and other
corruption ; and fifh half raw, whofe eyes
they put out as foon as taken, and devour
them ; and fo many other things which
would turn a Spaniard's ftomach. In thefe
employments they fpent feveral fcafons of
the year, fometimes in one ifland, and
fometimes in another, like people that
weary of one fort of diet, change for an-
other. In one of thefe iflands with their
fwords they killed a creature that looked
like a wild boar ; in the fea they found
fome mother of pearl, and among many
other forts of fifli they drew up in the
net, one was like a fwine, with a very
hard Ikin, and no part of it foft but the
tail. They obferved the fea ebb'd, and
flowed much more than in any of the other
parts they had feen thereabouts, which the
admiral attributed to the many iflands,
and the tide was contrary to what it is in
Spain, which he concluded fo to be, be-
caufe there it was low water when the moon
was fouth fouth-wefl:.
On funday the i8th of November , he
returned to Puerto del Principe, or the
prince's pore, and at the mouth of it ereil-
ed a crofs made of two large pieces of
wood: Monday the 19th, he made towards,
Hifpaniola, which fome called Bohio, and
others Babeque, yet as it afterwards ap-
peared Babeque was not Hifpaniola, but the
continent, for they called it by another
name Caribana. By reafon of the contrary
winds he fpent three or four days cruifing
about the ifland Ifahela, but did not go
up to it, for fear the Indians he had taken
fliould flip away, and here they found
fome of the weeds they had met with in
the ocean, and perceived it was carried
away by the currents. Martin Alonzo Pin-
zon underftanding the Indians faid there
v/as much gold at Bohio, and coveting to
enrich himfelf, left the admiral on Wenejday
the 2ifl: of November, without any ftrefs
of weather, or other lawful caufe, and his
fliip being a good failor got foremoft, till
at night he quite difappeared. The name
of Bohio the Indians gave to Hifpaniola
feemed to denote it was full of many Bo-
hios, which are their houfes or huts. The
admiral perceived that notwithfl:anding he
had made fo many fignals, Martin Alonfo
did not appear, returned to Cuba, with
the other two fliips, the wind being con-
trary, to a large and fafe harbour, which
he called Santa Catalina, or St. Catherines^
thac
Chap. io. - America the Europeans.
that day being the faid faint's eve. Here
he took in wood and water ; faw fome
ftones that had veins like gold on the
fliore there were tall pines, fit for mafts
of fhipsi and feeing all the Indians di-
redled him to Hifpaniola^ he failed along
the coaft 12 leagues farther, where he
found good fpacious harbours, and among
them a river, up whofe mouth a galley-
might conveniently pafs, and yet the en-
trance was not difcernible till near at hand,
the conveniency whereof invited him to
go up the boat's length, and found 8 fa-
thom water, and running up farther drawn
along by the clearnefs of the water, the
beauty of the trees, the pleafantnefs of
the banks, and the variety of birds, he
faw a boat with twelve feats for men to
row, under an arbour, and in fome houfes
clofe by they found a mafs of wax, and
a man's head hanging in a balket at a poft,
which wax they carried to their catholick
majefties, but never any more was found
in Cuba^ fo that it was fuppofed to have
been brought from Tucatan by ftrefs of
weather, in a canoe, or otherwife. They
found no people to enquire of, for they all
fled, but faw another canoe 95 fpans long,
which could contain fifty perfons, made of
one tree, like the others, and tho' they had
no iron tools to work them with, thofe
they made of flint ferved, the trees being
very large, and the heart of them foft
and fpungy, fo that the flints eafily made
imprelfion on them.
The admiral having failed 107 leagues
to the eaftward, along the coafl: of Cuha^
came to the eaftermoft point of it, and
departed thence on the 5th of December^
for Hifpaniola, being a paffage of 1 8 leagues
eaftward, yet could not reach it till the
next day by reafon of the currents, when
he came to the port he called St. Nicholas,
becaufe it was that Saint's day, and found
it good, fpacious, deep, furrounded with
thick groves, tho' the land is mountainous,
the trees not very large, and like thofe in
Spain 't there being pine, and myrtle, and
a pleafant river fell into the port, and
along the banks of it were many Canoes,
as big as brigantines of twenty five benches.
tlowever finding no people, he went on, Herrera
to the northward, as far as the port he ^^^'f^
called of x}c^t Conception, fouth of a fmall
idand he named Tortuga, 10 leagues from
Hifpaniola. Perceiving that this ifland of
Bohio was very large, and the land and
trees like thofe of Spain, and that in one
draught of a net, among other fifh, his
men had taken fkates, foles, and other
firties known to the Spaniards, which they
had not feen before, and had heard night-
ingales, and other European birds fing,
which they admired, in December, he called
it la Efpannola, that is, the Spanijh iQand,
which we corruptly write and pronounce
Hifpaniola ; becaufe the firft was called
San Salvador, or St. Saviour, in honour of
God ; the 2d the Conception, in honour of
our lady ; the 3d Fernandina, the 4th Tfa-
hella ; and the 5th Joanna from the king,
queen, and prince, and therefore the name
of Spain was thought fit to be given to
the 6th, tho' fome faid, it might be more
properly called Caftellana, that is the Caf-
tilian ifland, becaufe only the crown of
Caftile was concerned in that difcovery.
The Indians he had with him giving a
good account of that place, which he was
defirous to be certified of, and to know
whether it was fo wealthy as they repre-
fented, and the natives flying, and giving
one another notice with fires •, he refolved
to fend out fix armed Spaniards, who
having gone far, without meeting any
people, returned, telling wonders of thede-
licioufnefs of the country. He ordered
a crofs to be eredled at the mouth of the
harbour, on the weft-fide, and three fea-
men being in a wood viewing the trees,
to make it, they faw abundance of naked
people, who fled, as foon as they difco-
vered them, into the thickeft parts. The
failors purfued, and took a woman, who
had a little plate of gold hanging at her - .
nofe. The admiral gave her hawkfbels,
and glafs beads, ordered a fliirt to be put
upon her, and fent her away with three
of the Indians he brought with him, who
underftoodher, and three Spaniards to bear
her company to her habitation _ ..
C H A P. X.
7^e Jar t her Difiovery of the Ifland Hifpaniola, Simplicity of the Natives, kind
Reception of the Cacique Guacanagari, the Admiral lofes his Ship, and re-
fblves to fettle a Colony m this Country. ^
'"T^HE next day he fent nine Spaniards
X well armed, with an Indian of the
ifland of San Salvador, to the woman's
habitation, which was 4 leagues to the
fouth eaft. They found a town of 1000
fcattered houfes, anddefert, the inhabitants
being fled. The Indian was fent after them,
Vol. V.
who called, and faid fo much in praifc of
the Spaniards, that they returned, and
quaking with wonder laid their hands on
their heads, by way of honour and re-
fpedt, giving them to eat, and defiring
they would ftay with them that night.
Abundance of people now flocked toge-
7 then,
6io
ervattons
ifcoveries
Herrera ther, Carrying the woman the admiral
'.-'"'■V^J had given the fliirt to on their fhoulders,
and her hufband, who was going to give
him thanks. The Spaniards returned with
an account, that the country abounded
in provifions, that the natives were whiter,
more tradable, and better countenanced
than thofeof the other iflands, and that the
country where the gold was found lay
more on the eaftward ; befides that the
men were not fo large, yet brawny, and
wellfet, without beards, their noftrils wide,
their foreheads fmooth, broad, and no-
thing graceful, which were fo fliaped, as
foon as they were born, as a Beauty •, for
which reafon, and becaufe they always
were bareheaded, their fculs were fo hard
that they might break a Spanijh fword.
Here the admiral obferved the length of
the day and night, and found that twenty
half hour glaffes were run between fun
and fun ; but he believed there had been
feme miflake, through the negligence of
the failors, and that the day was fomewhat
above eleven hours. Having learnt thus
much, tho' the wind was contrary, he
refolved to leave that place, and pafiing
between Hifpamola-, and ^ortiiga^ found an
Indian in a canoe, and wondered that the
fea running fo high, had not fwallowed
him up. He took him and his canoe
into the ll:iip, and fet him afhore, with
fome toys, v/ho fo highly commended the
Spaniards, that many reforted to the fhips ;
but they only brought fome fmall grains
of fine gold hanging at their nofes, which
they freely parted with. Being afked,
where that gold was found, they made
figns that there was plenty of it farther
on. The admiral enquiring after his ifland
of Cipango^ they thought he had meant
Cibao, and pointed to it, being the place
that afforded moft gold in that ifland.
The Ca- admiral was informed, that the
co^mes ^^^"^ ^^^^ P^'"'- country, whom
aboard, they called a Cacique, was coming, attend-
ed by 200 men, to fee the fhips ; and tho'
young, he was carried in a chair, on men's
Ihoulders, and had a governor, and coun-
fellors. When he came near it was ob-
ferved that they paid him wonderful re-
fpecl, and he was extraordinary grave.
An Indian of the ifland Ifabela went afiiore,
and fpoke to him, telling him the Spaniards
were heavenly men. He went aboard,
and being come to the poop, made figns
for thofe that attended him to ftay behind,
except two men of riper years, who fate
down at his feet, being his counfellors.
The admiral ordered they fhould give
him to eat, he took a little of every fort,
which he tafted, then gave it to the other
two, and from them it was carried out
to the refti but when they gave him to
drink he only touched it with his lips.
They all obferved much gravity, fpoke
little, his men looked upon his mouth,
and talked to him. The admiral thought
thefe people more rational than thofe of
the other iflands, and it growing late the .
petty king, or Cacique went afliore.
The next day, tho' the v^^ind was con-
trary, and blew hard , the fea did not run
high, becaufe fheltered by the ifland Tor-
tuga, and fome feamen went a fifhing,
with whom the Indians were much pleafed.
Some men went to the town, and barter'd.
with glafs beads for fmall plates of gold,
which much pleafed the admiral, that their
majefties might fee he had found gold in
his difcovery, and that his promifes were
not vain. The king, in the afternoon,
came down again to the fiiore, and at the
fame time a canoe, from the ifland Tortu-
ga, with forty men in it, to fee the Spa-
niards, at which the Cacique feemed to
take offence •, but all the natives of Hifpa-
ftiola fat down on the ground, in token
of peace, and thofe in the canoe landed ;
but the king ftood up, and threatned them,
whereupon they went off again, and he
threw water, and fome ftones at them to
fiiew his anger, and gave the admiral's
Alguazil a ftone to throw at them, which
he did not, but fmiled. They in the ca-
noe returned very fubmifllvely to Torlugay
and the admiral ufed all means to find ouc
that place, where they faid, there was fo
much gold. This day, in honour of the
feafl. of the Conception, the admiral ordered
the fhips to be adorn'd, hoiiling the co-
lours and flreamers, arming the men,
and firing the cannon. The king came
aboard, when the admiral was at dinner,
and fat down by him, without fuffering
him to rife, the refpeil thofe naked peo-
ple paid to their fovereign being very re-
markable. He invited him to eat, and
the Cacique took the meat as he had done Second
the time before; and after dinner, they ^j^^"^""
laid before the admiral a gold girdle, which the Ca-
looked like thofe they ufe in Spain, but the eique a-
workmanfliip was different, and fome gold board,
plates. The admiral gave the king an
old piece of hanging that was before his
bed, becaufe he perceived it pleafed him,
and fome amber beads he had about his
neck, a pair of red fhoes, and a bottle of
orange flower water, which pleafed him
highly. He and his men feemed much
concerned that they could not underftand
one another, and offered all the country
afforded. The admiral fliewed him a piece
of Spanijh coin, bearing the heads of their
catholick majefties, which he admired, as
alfo the colours, with the croffes, and
royal arms. Then he returned afliore, the
admiral having done him much honour,
and
Cha?. I o. America the Europeans,
and was carried back to his town in the
chair, or bier. There was alfo a fon of
his, attended by abundance of people, and
before him they carried the things the ad-
miral had given him, held up fmgly on
high, that they might be feen by all men.
Next a brother of the king's went aboard,
whom the admiral treated, and fhewed
much refpeft to, and the next day he order'd
a crofs to be ereded in the fquare belong-
ing to the town near the fea, which the
Indians paid refpedl to, as they faw the
Chrifcians did, for the town the king lived
in, was 4 leagues off.
On tuefday night, the admiral being de-
firous to difcover fome of the fecrets of
that country, hoifted fail, yet could not
in all wednefday the 19th get out of that
little channel, between the two iflands,
or reach a port there was in it. He faw
abundance of woods and mountains, and
a fmall ifland he called St. Thomas, judged
that the ifland Hifpaniola had many capes
and ports, found the weather very delight-
ful, and the land pleafant. Thurfday the
£oth he put into a port, betwixt the little
ifland of St. Thomas, and a cape. They
faw feveral towns, and many fires, or fmokes,
for the feafon being dry, and the grafs
growing high, they burnt it to make ways,
becaufe being naked it would hurt them,
as alfo to catch the Utias, which they did
by means of the fire. The admiral went
with the boats into the harbour, and hav-
ing taken a view, faid it was a very good
one. They faw fome Indians, who were
fliy of the Spaniards, but thofe who came
in the fhips, bid them not to fear, and
then there flocked fuch multitudes of men,
women, and children, that they covered
the fliore. They brought vidluals, gourds
full of water, and good bread made of
Mayz, or Indian wheat \ nor did they hide
the women, as in other places, but all
flood in admiration to behold the Spani-
ards, and praifed God. They were a
whiter people, more cleverly fliaped, bet-
ter natured, and more generous, and the
admiral took much care that no offence
Ihould be given them. He fent fix men
to fee the town, where they were enter-
tained like perfons that came from heaven.
At this time came fome canoes, with In-
dians, from a petty king, who defired the
admiral to come to his town, and expedted
him with abundance of people, on a point
of land. He went with the boats, tho'
many intreated him to flay with them. As
foon as the boats arrived, the king fent
the Spaniards provifions, and finding they
received them, the Indians went to fetch
more, and fome parrots. The admiral gave
them hawkfuels and glafs, and other toys,
and returned to his fhips, the women
and children crying out to him to ftay^ Herrera
He ordered meat to be given to fome '^=«"'°V°><^
that followed him in canoes, and others .
that fwam half a league to the caravels,
and tho' the fhore v^^as covered with peo-
ple, abundance were feen going and com-
ing to and from the fhips, acrofs a great
plain, which was afterwards called la Vega,
ReaU or the royal plain. The admiral
again commended that port, and gave it
the name of St. Thomas becaufe difcover'd
on his day.
On faturday the 22.d, he defigned to go King G^/^-
feek out thofe iflands where the Indians ^""^g^fi
faid there was much gold, but was hinder'd [heldi^-
by the weather, and therefore fent out the rai.
boats a fifhing. Soon after came a man
from king Guacanagari to defire he would
go into his country, and he would give
him all he had, being one of the five
fovereigns of the ifland, and mafler of
mofl of the northern fide, on which the
admiral then was. He fent him a girdle
he wore inflead of a purfe, and a vizard
mafk, with ears, a tongue, and nofe, all
of beaten gold. The girdle was all feC ■ . .
with fmall fifh bones, like feed pearl, cu-
rioufly wrought, and four fingers broad,
he refolved to depart on the 23d, but firfl
fent fix Spaniards, with the notary, to
pleafe others, who were no lefs defirous to
fee them. They were well treated, and
bartered for fome cotton, and grains of
gold. Above 1 20 canoes came to the fhips
with provifion, and earthen pitchers of
good water, well made, and painted red,
and giving their fort of fpice, called Axi,
which they put into diflies of water, and
drank it off, fhewing it was wholfome.
The bad weather detaining the admiral,
he fent the notary to fatisfy king Guaca-
nagari, and two of his Indians to a town^
to fee whether there was any gold, be-
caufe having got fome coiifiderable quan-
tity of late days, he believed there was
plenty. It was certainly concluded, that
no lefs than 1000 men came into the fhips
this day, every one of whom gave fome-
thing, and thofe who came not aboard
from their canoes cried out to them to take
what they brought. The admiral by what
he had feen till then, guefTed the ifland
to be as big as England. The notary went
to Guacanagari, who came out to meet
him ; he thought his town more regular
than any of the others he had feen. All
the natives gazed on the Spaniards with
furprize, and fatisfliftion. The king gave
them cotton cloths, parrots, and fome
pieces of gold ; the people parted with
fuch as they had, and kept the trifles the
Spaniards gave them like relicks, and fo
the notary and his companions returned
to the fhips, attended by the Indians. Mon-
4 day
6 12 Ohjervations and Dijcoveries of
HERRERAday the 24th the admiral went to vifit king
^""^""^f^ GuacanagarU who was four or five leagues
from the port of St. 'J'bomas, and there he
diverted himfelf, till feeing the fea calm,
he went to bed, for he had not flept in
two days and a night. The weather be-
ing calm, the fteerfman left the helm to
a grummet, notwithftanding the admiral
had commanded, that whether the wind
blew or not, he who was entrufted with
the helm, fhould never leave it to another.
The truth is, there appeared no danger
of fhoals, or rocks, for on funday, when
the boats attended the notary to the C<^--
£i(liie, they had founded all the coaft, and
what rocks there were from the point to
the eaft fouth eaft, for three leagues, and
had obferved which way they might pafs
and therefore being now in a dead calm,
they all went to deep, and it happened that
the current carried on the lliip by degrees,
with fuch a mighty noife, that it might
be heard a league off, when the lad, who
was at the helm, perceiving the rudder
to ftrike, cried out.
Theadmi- The admiral hearing him, was the fir ft
hislhf^ that got up, then came the mafter, whofe
^' watch that was, whom he diredled, fmce
the boat was out, to heave out an anchor
a flern, that fo by help of the capftain
they might work off the fhip ; but when
he thought they had been executing his or-
ders, he perceiv'd that fome of the men
were flying in the boat to the other cara-
vel, which was half a league to windward.
Perceiving that the water ebbed, and the
vefTel was in danger, he order'd the mafl
to be cut by the board, and many things
eaft into the fea, to get her off ; but no-
thing would do, for the water falling off
amain, the fhip every moment ftuckfafter,
and lying athwart the fea, tho' it was calm,
the feams of her open'd, fhe heel'd to one
fide fprung a leak below, and was fiU'd
with water, and had the wind or fea been
rough, no man had efcap'd ; whereas had
the mafter done what the admiral order'd,
the fhip had been faved. The boat came
back to their relief, for they in the other
caravel feeing how the matter ftood, did
not only refufe to receive them, but were
coming with it to help but there being
no remedy, order was taken to fave the
men, to which purpofe the admiral fent
James de Arana^ and Peter Gutierrez afhore,
to tell the Cacique that he had loft his fhip
at a league and a half from his town, as
he was going to fee him. Guacanagari fhed
tears for forrow, and immediately fent out
his Canoes^ which in a moment carried off
all there was upon the deck, he coming
with his brothers, and taking great care,
that nothing fhould be touch'd 5 for he
ftay'd himfelf tofecure the goods, and fent
4 -
to bid the admiral not be concern'd, for he
would give him all he had, and the goods
were carried to two houfes he appointed
for laying of them up. The Indians af-
fifted with fo much diligence, and good
will, that nothing more could have been
done, had they been in S-pain ; for the peo-
ple were peaceable and loving, their lan-
guage eafy to pronounce and learn j tho*
naked they had fome commendable cuf-
toms, the king was ferv'd in great ftate,
was himfelf very fteady in all points, and
the people were fo curious in afking quef-
tions, that they would know reafons for
every thing they faw. They knelt down
at prayers, as well as the Spaniards., and it
did not appear at that time, that they had
any other religion, but worfhipping of
heaven, the fun, and moon.
Wednefday the 26th of Decejnber, Guaca-Cuacana-
nagari went aboard the caravel iVf««^, where^^r/goes
the admiral was, very much afflifted for ^'.^"^he
the lofs of his fhip ; he comforted him, of-^^"*"^^"
fering all he had. Two Indians of ano-
ther town came with gold plates, to ex-
change for hawkfbels, which they moft va-
lu'd, and the admiral was well provided
with fuch toys, knowing by the Portuguefes
how beneficial they were in Guinea. The
feamen alfofaid, that others brought gold,
and gave it for ribbons, and other trifles.
Guacanagari perceiving that the admiral
valu'd it, told him, he would have fome
brought from Cihao. Then going afliore,
he invited the admiral to eat Axi and Ca^
zabi^ which was their chief diet, and gave
him fome vizor-masks with ears, nofes>
and eyes all of gold, befides other fmall
things they wore about their necks, and
complain'd much of the Carihbees., who
carry'd away his fubjecls, and that, was the
reafon why he fled at firft, believing that
the Spaniards were Carihbees [whom we call
Canibals, or Man-eaters of the Caribbee
IJlands. ] The admiral fhew'd him his
weapons, and a Turkijh bow, with which
a Spaniard fhot very well, promifing to
defend him; but he was moft frighted at
the canon, for when that fir'd, all the Indians
fell down, as if they were dead. The ad-
miral finding all people fo loving, fo ma-
ny tokens of gold, and the country fo
fruitful and pleafant, concluded that God
had permitted the fliip to be loft, that a
fettlement might be made there, and the
preaching of his holy name begin in that
place 5 for he often permits that this fhould
not be done merely for his honour, and
the advantage of our neighbours, but for
the reward men exped in this world,_ and
in the next j for it is not to be believ'd
that any nation in the world would venture
upon fo many hardfhips as the admiral and
the Spaniards did, in fo dubious and dan-
gerous
Chap, ii
America the Eufopeans.
613
gerous an undertaking, were it not in hopes
of fome reward, which iias carry'd on this
holy work. The Indians went forwards
and backwards for hawkfbels, which was
the thing they moft valued, and as foon as
they came near the caravel, they held up
the pieces of gold, crying, Chuque, Chuqucy
fignifying, Take and give the bell. An
Indian alhore came with a piece of gold,
Pleafant weighing about half a mark [that is four
^\xiln- ounces] which he held in his left hand, and
dian. ftretch'd out the right, and as foon as he
had receiv'd the bell, he dropt the gold,
and ran away, thinking he had cheated
the Spaniard.
The admiral refolv'd to leave fome men
in this country, to trade with the Indians,
make difcoveries up the land, and learn the
language, that at his return from Spain he
might have fome to dired: him in planting
of Colonies, and fubduing it, and many
freely offer'd themfelves to ftay. He or-
dcr'd a tower to be built, with the timber
of the fhip that was caft away, and by this
time advice was brought, that the caravel
Pinta was in a river, towards the eafter- HsiirERA
moft point, and Guacanagari fent to gee ^■"""^^
certain information of it. The admiral
took much care to advance the flruclure,
and the more becaufe he had daily frefh
motives foto do : in regard xhziGuacana-
gari always exprefs'd much fear of theC^^-
rihbees, to encourage him, and at the fame
time give a proof of the effeft of the Spa-
nijh zrms, the admiral order'd a cannon
to be fir'd againft the fide of the fliip that
was caft away, which was pierc'd through,
and the ball fell into the v/ater beyond it.
He fhew'd him what execution our wea-
pons would do, and faid, thofe he intend-
ed to leave in his country, fiiould defend
him with them, becaufe he intended to
return into Spain, to bring jewels, and
other things to prefent him. Above all,
thofe people were fo fond of the hawkftjels,
that fome of them, fearing there ftiould
be none left, would come to the caravel
over night, to defire to have one kept for
them till the next morning.
CHAP. XI.
The Admiral affe^ionately receiv'd, builds a Fort in Hifpaniola, and difpofes dl
things j or his Return to Spain.
A canoe /-Tp H E admiral had fent a Canoe, with a
feek the ^ Spaniard in it, to find out the caravel
odicrca- Pif^^^i carry a letter to Martin Alonfo
savcl. Pinzon, kindly defiring he would join
him again, without taking notice of the
fault committed in leaving him ; but he
return'd with an account that he had gone
above twenty leagues without finding him,
and had he gone five or fix farther, he had
not loft his labour. An Indian afterwards
faid, he had two days before feen the cara-
vel at anchor in a river, yet was not cre-
dited, fince the others had not met with
. her, and yet he fpoke the truth as it after-
wards appeared, for he might fee her from
fome high ground, and made hafte to tell
his lord. The failor, who went in the
canoe, faid, that twenty leagues from that
place he faw a king, who had two great
gold plates on his head, as had feveral o-
thers who were with him, which as foon
as the Indians in the canoe fpoke to him,
he took off". The admiral fancy 'd that
Guacanagari had forbid them all felling
any gold to the Spaniards, that it might
all pafs through his ov/n hands. The build-
ing of the fort was haftned, and to that
cffedt Columbus went aftiore, for he always
lay aboard the caravel. As he went in
the boat he thought he had feen Guacana-
gari, who flipp'd into his houfe, perhaps
for the more ftate, having concerted to
perform the ceremony he afterwards did,
V o L. V.
which was fending his brother, v/ho re-
ceiv'd the admiral v/ith much joy and ci-
vility, and led him by the hand to one of
the houfes that were given to the Chriftians,
being the beft- and biggeft in the town.
There they had prepar'd him a place to Reception
fit in adorn'd with the inner rhinds or films of t'^<^
of palm-trees, which areas large as a great
calf's skin, and almoft of that fliape, ve-
ry clean and cool, and one of them covers
a man, and keeps the rain off him, as if
he had a calf's or cow*s skin over him,
and they ferve for many ufes, being by the
Indians call'd Taguas.
They feated the admiral on a chair, with
a low back to it, as the Indians ufed, being
very handfome, fmooth, and Ihining, as
if they had been of jet. As foon as he
was feated the brother gave notice to the
king, who came prefently, put a great
plate of gold about his neck, with much
latisfaftion, and ftay'd with him till it grew'
late, when the admiral return'd to lye a-
board his caravel. He had many motives
for fetling a colony in this place % the chief
whereof were, that when it was known in
Spain, that fome men were left there, others
might be inclinable to go over 5 and be-
caufe the one caravel he had left could noc
conveniently contain them all befides the
good will he found in thofe that were to
be left, to which they were much encou-
rag'd by the meeknefs and affability of the
7 R natives 5,
■\
\
Ol?fer vat ions and Dijcoveries of
Herrera natives as alfo for that, tho' he had re-
^-^■^"VJ folv'd to carry the king fome of the In-
dians, and fuch other notable things as he
could find in the country, as a teftimony
of his difcovery, it was requifite to give a
reputation to the aftion, that it fhould be
known fome men had ftay'd by their own
confent in thofe parts.
Thefiril ^j^g f^j.^ ^ and tho' made of
town°L wood, yet there being men to defend it,
the 7;/^;V/ the ftrength was fufficient againft thena-
call'd the tives. It was finifh'd in ten days, an infi-
JSativity. number of men working at it, and
he call'd it la Villa de Navidad, that is, the
town of the nativity, becaufe he came in-
to that port on Chriftmas-day. The next
morning, being the 29th of December, a
nephew of the king's very young but in-
genious, went aboard the caravel, and the
admiral being ftill eager to know where
they had their gold, afl^'d every body by
figns, and began to underlland fome words.
He enquir'd of this youth after the mines,
and underftood he told him, that four days
journey off to the eaftward, there was an
ifland he call'd Guarinoex, and thofe of
Macorix, Mayons, Fumay, Cibao, and Co-
ray., v/here there was abundance of gold.
Thefe names the admiral writ down im-
mediately, and thereby it appear'd that
he yet knew nothing of the Indian tongue ;
for thofe were not fo many iflands, but pro-
vinces in Hifpaniola, and lands fubjedl to fo
many kings or lords. Guarinoex was the
king of that vaft Vega Real, or Royal Plain,
above mention'd, one of the wonders of
■nature and the youth meant, that the
' province of Cf^rto, abounding in gold, was
in the dominions of Guarinoex. Macorix
was another province, which afforded lit-
tle gold and the other names were other
provinces, fome letters being omitted, or
added, becaufe the admiral not underftand-
' ing, knew not how to fpcll them and
thought the king's brother, who was pre-
' fent, had reprov'd his nephew, for telling
. I him thofe names. At night, the king fent
/ him a great gold mafk, defiring in return
I a bafon, and a pot, or pitcher, which per-
' haps were of brafs, or pewter, and were
immediately fent him, believing they were
for models to make others of gold.
On funday the 30th of December, the
admiral went to dine afhore, at fuch time
as five Caciques arriv'd there, all of them
fubjedt to king Guacanagari, with gold
crowns on their heads, and much ftate.
As foon as he landed, Guacanagari came
to receive, and led him by the arm to the
fame houfe he had been in before, where
the place of ftate was prepar'd with chairs.
He made the admiral fit down, with much
courtefy and refpeiSt, then took off the
crown from his own head, and put it on
the admiral's, who took off a ftring of cu-
rious glafs beads, of feveral colours, ma-
king a very fine fliow, which he had about
his neck, and put it on the king's, as alfo
a fine cloth loofe coat, he wore that day,
and put that on him, then fent for a pair
of colour'd bufkins, and caufed him to
draw them on; he alfo put upon his finger
a great filver ring, being inform'd, they
had feen a feaman wear one, and did all
they could to get it ; for they put a great
value upon any white metal, whether fil-
ver, or pewter. Thefe gifts extremely
pleafed the king, and made him think him-
ielf the richeft man in the world. Two
of the Caciques attended the admiral to the
boat, and each of them gave him a great
plate of gold, which were not caft, but
compofed of many grains, thofe Indians
being ignorant of the art of founding, but
batter'd out the grains they found, between
two ftones.
The admiral went to lye aboard the ca-
ravel, and found that Vinzent Tanes Pifizon
affirm'd he had feen rhubarb, and knew
its branches and the root ; which, they fay,
flioots out little fprigs above the earth, the
fruit on it being like green mulberries, al-
moft withered, and the ftalk near the root
is a very curious yellow, the root under
ground being like a great pear. The admi^
ral fent for the rhubarb, and they brought
him a frail full and no more, becaufe they
carried no fpade to dig it up, which was
carried to their majefties for a fample, but
did not prove to be rhubarb. The ad-
miral look'd upon that they call Axi in
this ifland, as good fpice, faying it was
better than the pepper, or grains of para-
dife they br4ng from the eaft, and there-
fore they imagin'd there might be other
forts of it.
The admiral being now fenfible of God's
bleffing in difcovering to him fo many,
and fuch happy nations, with fuch tokens
of gold, which feem'd to promife inefti-
mable wealth and thinking this an affair
of the greateft confequence, he coveted
nothing fo much as to make known to all
the world how much Providence had
profper'd him, and particularly to their
catholick majefties. The fort being now
finilh'd, he order'd to make ready for their
return, taking in wood, water, and all
other neceffaries. The king order'd he
fhould have as much of the country bread,
call'd Cazahi, as he pleafed} as alfo Axu
falt-fifh, and whatfoever elfe he had.^ Tho'
he would not willingly have return'd into
Spain, without firft coafting all along that
land, which he thought ran far to the eaft-
ward, that he might difcover more of its
fecrets, and find out the beft way to it,
for the better bringing of beafts and cattle,
I
Chap, i 2.
America the Europeans,
Her R ERA yet he durft not then attempt it, as having
f^y-NJ but one caravel, and might therefore be
in danger, fo that it was not reafonable to
venture farther on an unknown coaft. He
complain'd grievoully, that Martin Alonfo
Pinzon had forfaken, and thereby put him
to thefe inconveniencies. For to ftay in
the fort he made choice of thirty nine men,
the moft willing, and freely difpos'd,
ftrong, and of a good conftitution to en-
dure hardfhips, from among all his crew,
appointing James de Arana, a native of
Cordova^ for their captain, notary, and
Alguazil, with as full power as he had from
their catholick majefties in cafe he fhould
die Peler Gutierrez, groom of the privy
chamber to their catholick majefties was
to fucceed him, and after him Roderick de
Efcovedo, born at Segovia. Fie alfo left
one mafter John, a furgeon among them,
and a fliip-carpenter, a cooper, an able
gunner, well experienc'd in that bufinefs,
and a taylor, the reft being all able fea-
men ; furnifhing them with bifket, wine,
and fuch other provifions as he had for a
year, feeds to fow, all the commodities
he had to barter, being a confiderable
quantity, all the cannon belonging to his
own fhip that was loft, and her boat.
All things being in a readinefs for his
departure, he call'd them all together, and
made a fpeech to this effedt. He hid them
ferve God and fraife him^ for that he had
brought them into that countr'j to propagate
his hol'j faith j not to forfake him, hut to live
like good ChrifHans, and he would he their
fupport ; to pra-j for his good vo'jage, that he
might foon return with a greater force ; to
love, and obej their captain, which was ne-
ceffar-jfor their prefervation, and he required
it of them in their highnejfes names j to refpeSl
Guacanagari, and wrong none of his people y
or offer an'j violence either to man or woman,
that they jnight be confirm' d in the opinion of
their coming from heaven ; not to divide them-
felves, nor go up the countr'j, nor out of Gua-
canagari'i dominions, fince he fhew'd them
fo much affe^ion j to furvey the coaft in their
boat and canoes, with his confent, endeavour-
ing to difcover the gold mines, and fome good
port, not being well fatisfied with that where
they were, call'd the Nativity ; to endeavour
to barter for as much as they could, f airly y
without feeming covetous; and to learn the
language, that being fo neceffary to gain the
fr'iendfhip of the natives, and very ufeful ;
and he promised, fince they gave the king the
firft footing in that newfound ernpire, to begy
he would be pleased to reward them. They
anfwer'd, They would moft readily com-
ply with all he enjoin'd them. On wednef- An. \i
day the i^ of January, 1493, he went a-
Ihore to take his leave, din'd with Guaca-
nagari^ and his Caciques, recommended to
him the Chriftians, whom he had order'd
to ferve, and defend him againft the Carib-
bees ; gave him a very fine ftiirt, and faid
he would foon return with prefents from
the monarchs of Spain. The king return'd
a courteous anfwer, expreffing much for-
row for his departure. One of the king's
fervants faid, he had fent canoes along the
coaft to feek for gold and the admiral re-
ply'd. That had not Martin Alonfo Pinzon
left him, he durft have undertaken to round
the ifland, and carry home a ton of gold 5
and ftill he would have done it, did he not
apprehend that the caravel P/«/^z might get
fafe into Spain, and inform againft him,
that fo the captain might palliate his of-
fence. .
; CHAP. XIL
The Admiral fets out in order to return to Spaioo
An. 1493. /'^N friday the 4th of January, 1493,
The ad- \^ Columhus departing the port of the
miral's Nativity, fail'd to the eaftward, for a very
tomrds^^ high mountain, bare of trees, but thick
Spain. ofgrafs, and looking like a pavilion, or
tent which he call'd Monte Chrifto, or
Chrift's Mount, and is eighteen leagues
eaft from the cape he named Santo, or Ho-
ly, being four leagues from the port of
the Nativity. That night he anchor'd fix
leagues from Monte Chrifto. Saturday the
5'^ of January he advanc'd to a little ifland
clofe by, where there were good falt-pits.
He enter'd the falt-pits, and lik'd the
country fo well, and the beauty of the
woods and plains he faw, that he faid, that
muft be the ifland of Cipango, and had he
thought he had been fo near the mines of
Cibao, whence fo much wealth was drawn*
he would have been much more pofitive.
Sunday the he left Monte Chrifto, and
foon difcover'd the caravel Pinta, failing He finds
towards him, before the wind. They a- the cara-
greed to return to Monte Chrifto, where
Martin Alonfo Pinzon made his excufe, jj;^^"^*^
for leaving him ; and tho' it was not fatis-
f.iftory, the admiral conniv'd, andbeliev'd
he had barter'd for much gold, and taken
the one half for himfelf, allowing the other
to the failors. A great river falls into this
port, which he call'd Rio de Oro, or River
of Gold, becaufe the fand look'd like
gold, and there he water'd. Wednefday
the 9'"^ he hoift'd fail, came to Punt a Rox a,
or Red Point, which is thirty leagues eaft
from Monte Chrifto^ and there they took
tortoife^a
6i6 Objervations and Dijcoveries of
Herrera tortoifes, as big as bucklers, that went to any more, that they prepar'd to felze the
'^--^v-^ lay their eggs afhore. The admiral affirm'd Spaniards^ for which reafon they fell upon
he had thereabouts feen three mermaids, them, gave one a great cut in the buttocks,
which raifed themfelves high above the wa- and another a blow on the breaft, upon
ter, and were not fo beautiful as they paint which the reft fled, and they might have
them ; but had fome fort of human face, kilPd many had they purfu'd them. This
as he had feen at other times on the coaft was the firft time any hoftility was com-
of Guinea. He proceeded to Rio de Gra- mitted on this ifland, betwixt the Spaniards
da, or the River of Grace, where Martin and Indians. The admiral was concern'd at
Alonfo Pinzon had been trading, and was it, tho' on the other hand he faid ifpleaf-
always call'd by his name, and there he ed him, that they might know what the
order'd four Indians the faid Martin Alonfo Chriftians could do.
had taken by force, to be left. On monday the 14*'% in the morning,
Friday the nth, j-^g faipd on to a cape abundance of people appear'd onthefhore,
he call'd Belprado., whence there was a pro- Columbus order'd the men in the boat to
fpe6l of a mountain, which looking like Hand upon their guard •, but the Indians
filver, becaufe cover'd with fnow, he call'd came as if nothing had happened, and
it Monte de Plata, or Mountain of Plate, among them was the king of that province,
and the port at the foot of it Puerto de and the Indian that had been aboard the
Plata, that is. Port of Plate, being\in caravel, to which that king came with
the fiiape of a horfe-fhoe. Running on three of his men. The admiral order'd
all along the coaft, with the current, them bifket and honey to eat, red caps,
and fair weather, ten leagues farther, he bits of cloth, and beads. The next day the
found feveral capes, which he call'd del king fent his gold crown, and ftore of
Angel, or the Angel's j la Punta del Terro, provifions, the men that brought them
the Miftake- Point; el Redondo, the Round being arm'd with bows and arrows. Four
one; el Frances, the French one ^ el C oho fuch underftanding youths came to the ca-
de luen Tiempo, Fair weather Cape ; elTa- ravel, that Columbus refolv'd to carry them
jado, the Upright. Next faturday he ad- to Spain. They gave him an account of
vanc'd thirty leagues farther, admiring the feveral things, and from thence ftiew'dhim
extent of the ifland, call'd one cape dePa- the ifland of St. John de Puerto Rico. He
dre Hijo, of the Father and Son, a har- departed that bay, which he nam'd de los
hom Puerto facro, ^d.cyedi¥ovt, and a point Flechos, or of the arrows, on wednefday
of hnd Cabo de les Enamorados, the Love's the 16"' of January, not thinking fit to
Cape. Coming up to it he difcover'd an ftay any longer becaufe the caravels made
extraordinary large bay, three leagues wide, much water, failing on with a weft-north-
and in the midft of it a fmall ifland. There weft wind, and when he had fail'd fixteeen
he lay to obferve the eclipfe, which was leagues, the Indians he had aboard fhew'd
like to be on the 17''', the oppofition of him the ifland of St. John de Puerto Rico,
Jupiter and the moon, and the conjundion and the Caribbees, where the man-eaters
of the fun and Mercury, in oppofition to liv'd. Tho' he would willingly have
Jupiter. He fent the boat afiiore for water, taken a view of thofe iflands, yet to fatisfy
where they found fome men, with bows and the men, the wind frefhning, he order'd to
arrows} they bought a bow and fome ar- direct their courfe for Spain. Sailing on for
rows, and deiir'd one of them to go fpeak fome time profperoufly enough he faw
with the admiral ; he confented, was afk'd many tunny fiflies, fome gulls, and the
for the CmZ'^m, and pointed, that they were wind was very drying. They met with
to the eaft ward ; and to the queftion about abundance of weeds, but being acquainted
gold, pointed towards the ifland of St. with them were not apprehenfive, and kill'd
John de Puerto Rico, faying there was gua- a tunny fifli, and a large fiiark, which
■nia, that is, pale gold, which the Indians ferv'd them to make a^good meal, for they
highly value. He gave him meat, and had nothing left but bread and wine. The
tv^o pieces of green and red cloth, with caravel Pinta could not fail well upon a
fome litde glafs beads, and then fet him bouling, her mizen maft being faulty, and
afliore. Five and fifty naked /Wf^;7J, with therefore little ufe made of it 5 and the ad-
long hair, like women in Spain, great miral waiting for her, they made little
plumes of feathers, bows and arrows, way. Sometimes when the weather was
fwords made of hard palm-tree wood, calm, the Indians leap'd into the water,
and heavy poles, which bruifed grievouf- fwam about, and diverted themfelves.
ly where they fell, ky in ambufh in the Having fail'd fome days upon feveral
wood. The Indian made them lay down rumbs, becaufe the wind was unfteady,
their arms, they came to the boat, two of Vincent Tanez Pinzon, Sancho Ruyz, Pera-
their bows were bought by the admiral's lonfo Binno, and Roldan the pilots kept re-
order, and they were fo far from felling count of the leagues they ran, and making
their
Chap. 15.
America hy the Europeans. -
^1
their reckoning, concluded themfelves to
be to the eaftward of the Azores^ for they
allow'd more leagues than in truth the
caravels fail'd j fo that direfting their
courfe northward they would not have
come up with the iQand of St. Mary, which He RRERA
is the laft of the Azores, but would have ^^''VN.'
been five leagues from it, and have come
up, near Madera^ or Puerto Santo,
CHAP. XIII.
Hh?, Admiral profecutes his voyages, touches at the Azores, and is driven by Storms
into Lisbon.
T
HE admiral being fkilful in comput-
ing the leagues, found 150 fliort of
the others, and on tuefday the ii^^ of
February, the fea began to fwell with
fierce and dangerous ftorms, fo that he
drove all the night without any fail aboard,
yet afterwards let out a fmall matter. The
A dreadful f^a broke, and beat the fhips. In the
ftorm. morning the wind flackened a little, but
on wednefday night grew ftrong again, the
waves running fo high that the fiiip could
not work her way out. The admiral bore
his mainfail, without any bonnet, very
low, that it might only carry the veflel
through the furgesj but perceiving the
mighty danger futfered her to drive a ftern
before the wind, there being no other re-
medy. Then the caravel Pinta. began to
run from it, and vaniflied, tho' the ad-
miral carried a light all the night, and fhe
anfwered- On thurfday the 14'^'' of Fe-
hruary, the ftorm increafed, as did the
fear of perifhing, to which was added the
concern of thinking the Pinta was loft.
The difmal weather ceafed not, and the
caravel roll'd for want of ballaft, the
provifions being fpent. The admiral fee-
ing death near at hand, that their catho-
lick majefties might not mifs of fome in-
telligence of what he had done to ferve
them, writ down on a fkin of parchment
as much as he could relating to his dif-
covery, which he wrapped up in an oiled
cloth, and put it into a clofe caflc, throw-
ing it into the fea, all the men believing
.it was fome a6t of devotion, and imme-
diately the wind flackned. Friday the i cf-^
of February, they faw land a head, to-
wards the eaft north eaft, which fome faid
was the ifland Madera, others the rock
of Lijhon; but the admiral ftill perfifted
it was one of the Azores. They ply'd
backwards and forwards with much trou-
ble, and could not recover the ifland of
St. Mary. The admiral fuffered much
in his legs, having been out in the cold
and wet, and on the iS''^ with much dif-
ficulty, anchored on the north fide of the
ifland, which they found to be St. Mary's.
Immediately three men hailed the caravel,
the boat went for them, and they carried
the admiral fome refrefhment of bread and
fowl from the governor, whofe name was
: Vol. V.
John de Cojlenheda. On tuefday the 19th
of February, he ordered half the men to
go out in procefllon, to a chapel there was
near by, in purfuanceof a vow made in the
ftorm, and when they returned, he would
go with the other half, and defired the
three Portuguefes to fend them a prieft to
fay mafs. Whilft they were in their ftiirts
at prayers, the whole town, horfe and
foot, with their governor, fell upon and
feized them all. Their long ftay made
the admiral fufpedt, that they were de-
tained, or that the boat was ftaved, the
ifland being furrounded with rocks, and
there being no fight of it, becaufe the her-
mitage was covered by a point of land,
which juts out into the fea, he removed
with the caravel right againft the chapel,
and faw abundance of people, and that
fome went into the boat, and were com-
ing to the caravel.
The governor of the ifland ftood up^
demanded fecurity of the admiral to come
aboard, and tho' he gave him his word^
yet he would not venture his perfon.
The admiral aflced him, why he had fent
him frefh provifions, and thofe Portuguefei
to invite him afliore, and yet, notwith-
ftanding there was peace between the crowns
of Cafi'ile and Portugal, did fo bafe a thing,
as to detain his men ; adding, that to fa-
tisfy him of his being employed by the
king and queen of Spain, he would fliew
him his commiflion. The Portuguefe an-
fwered, we here do not know the king
and queen of Caftile, nor do we regard
their commiflion, or ft and in fear of them.
Some other words paflTed between them,
and the Portuguefe told him he might go
into the port with the caravel, for all he
had done was by his king's order, which
the admiral bid his men bear witnels to;
and told the governor, that in cafe he did
not reftore his boat and men, he would
carry an hundred Portuguefe prifoners into
Spain. Then he anchored again where he
was before, becaufe the wind blew frefli,
ordered the caflcs to be filled with fea
water, to ballaft the caravel, and the wea-
ther being foul, failed towards the ifland
of St. Michael, by reafon there are no good
harbours in thofe iflands, and therefore it
is fafeft to be out at fea. It blew a great
7 S ftofnl
(5i8
Ohjervations and Dijcoveries of
Herrera ftorni all that night, and miffing the ifland
'^'V^ of St. Michael, he returned to St. Marfs,
where the boat prefently came out with
two clergymen, a notary, and five failors,
and being promifed fecuricy they went
aboard, and required the admiral to fliew
them the king of Spain's commiflion, which
he did, they returned, and difmilTed his
boat and men, the governor faying, he
had orders from the king of Portugal to
feize the admiral, and would give any
thing to take him.
Having recovered his men, and the
weather being fit to fail for Spain., he
gave orders to ftand eaftward. The next
day a great bird, which the admiral judged
to be an eagle, came to the (hip. On fa-
turday the 2d of March there blew a dread-
ful ftorm. They drove without any fails
till four of the clock on monday, without
any hopes of efcaping, but then it pleafed
God they difcovered the land, which was
the rock of Cintra, or as our failors call
it of Lijhon, and to avoid the tempeft, he
refolved to put into the harbour, without
being able to lie at Cafcaes. He gave
God thanks for his deliverance, and all
men admired how he had efcaped, de-
claring they had never feen fuch ftorms.
The king of Portugal was then at Falparay-
fo, the admiral writ to acquaint him that
the king and queen of Spain, his fovereigns,
had ordered him to put into any of his
highnefs's ports, to get what he had need
ot for his money, and therefore defired his
leave to go up to Lijhon for his greater
fecurity, and to fatisfy his highnefs, that
he came not from Guinea, but from the
Indies. Bartholomew Diaz de Lijhoa, maf-
ter of a galeon well ftored with cannon,
came in an armed boat, and bid the ad-
miral come aboard him, to give an account
of himfelf to the king's officers, and the
captain of the galeon. Columbus anfwer'd,
that he was the monarch of Spain's admi-
ral, and therefore accountable to no man,
and would not go out of his fhip, unlefs
compelled by a fuperior power. The Por-
tuguefe bid him fend his mafter, which the
admiral alfo refufed to do, faying, he would
never confent, unlefs compelled, for it
was the fame thing for him to go, as to
fend another ; and that it was the cuftom
of the Spanijfj admirals rather to die ,
than to put themfelves, or their men into
the hands of others. The Portuguefe re-
plied, that fin.ce he was fo refolved, he
might do as he pleafed ; but defired he
would fhew him the king of Spainh com-
miffion if he had any ; and having feen it
returned to the galeon, and gave an ac-
count of what had paffed. The captain
of it, whofe name was Alvaro Daman, went
aboard the admiral's caravel, with kettle-
drums, trumpets, and hautboys, and of-
fered him all he ffiould defire. r,^ .
CHAP. XIV.
Whatpffed between the Admiraly and the King ^Portugal Co\i\mhus arrives
at Palos, their Majeflies prefs his coming to Barcelona, and the honourable
Reception he had there, the Pope grants thofe Countries to the Crown oj
Caftiie. ' V':-^ , r?,/ . , y,^~-, ,
AS foon as the report was fpread a-
broad in Lijhon, that the admiral
was come from the Indies, fuch multitudes
of people flocked to fee him, and the In-
dians he brought, that it was wonderful
to behold, and all men were amazed at it.
The next day he received a letter from the
king of Portugal, by the hands Don
Martin de Noronna, his majefty's fervant,
by which he defired he would come to
him, and he, not to fhew any miftruft,
complied. He lay that night at Sacavem,
and was well entertained, and the king
had given orders at Lifhon, for him to be
fupplied with all he had occafion for gratis.
The next day he arrived where the king
was, all the gentlemen of the king's houfe-
hold came out to meet, and conduced
him to court, where the king received him
very honourably, made him fit down, and
after expreffing much joy for his fuccefs,
and enquiring after fome particulars, faid.
he was of opinion, that according to arti-
cles with the crown of Spain, that conqueft
rather belonged to the crown of Portugal.,
than to that of Spain. He anfwered, he
had not feen thofe articles, nor knew any
more, than that their highneffes had di-
refted him, not to go to Mina, or Gui-
nea, which had been proclaimed in all the
ports of Andaluzia, before he fet out on
his voyage. The king anfwered, he be-
lieved there would be no need of any media-
tors to accommodate this matter. He or-
dered the prior of Crato, that is of the
knights of Malta, the prime man then
about the court, to entertain him. The
next day the king told him, if he wanted
any thing, he fhould be fupplied, and
making him fit, afked many queftions,
concerning that new voyage, the latitudes,
the people, and other things relating to
thofe parts, being highly concerned that
he had let flip that good fortune. There
were
Ihap. 14. America hy the Europeans.
were thofe, who offered him to murder
the admiral, that what he had done might
not be known but he would not con-
fen t.
On monday the 1 of March, the ad-
miral tookhis leave of the king, who was at-
tended by all the gentry about the court.
Don Martin de Norenha was ordered to
conduct him to Lijbon his majefty gave
him a mule, and another to his pilot,
and twenty Efpadines., worth about 20 du-
cats. He took Villa Franca in his way,
where the queen was, in the monaftery of
Si. Antony. He kified her hand, and hav-
ing given an account of his voyage, de-
parted, and was overtaken by a fervant of
the king's, who told him from his ma-
jefty, that if he would go into Spain by
land, he would order him to be attended,
provide horfes, and furnifh him with all
neceflaries ; but he failed for Sevil in his
caravel, on wednefday the 13*^ of March.
On thurfday before fun rifing he came to
cape St. Vincent, and friday the i c^^^ after
day to Saltes, where he entered about noon
with the tide, into the port he had fet out
from, on friday the 3^* of Augufi, the year
before, fo that he fpent fix months and a
half on the voyage. Being informed that
their catholick majefties were at Barcelona^
he had thoughts of repairing to them by
fea, in his caravel. He landed at Palos.,
was received with a proceflion, and ex-
traordinary rejoicing of the whole town,
all men admiring that mighty exploit,
which they never imagined he would have
performed fo fuccefsfully.
The admiral having refolved not to go
by fea to Barcelona, fent their majefties ad-
vice of his arrival, and a brief account
of his voyage, referring them to his own
more ample information, by word of
mouth. The anfwer met him which would be
agreeable to the brotherly affedion there
was between them, and troubles would be
prevented, and the preaching of the catho-
lick faith among thofe nations would not
be obftru6led. Lope de Herrera had alfo
inftru(5tions to reprefent the extraordinary
care their catholick majefties had taken, in
charging the admiral not to touch at the
gold mine , or Guinea^ or any other pare
difcovered by his predecefTors. Befldes this
compliment, he had other private inftruc-
tions, that in cafe he found that king had
either already fent out his fleet, or defign-
ed to fend it, he fhould not proceed as a-
bove, but deliver other credentials he car-
ried, and require him to ftop thofe pro-
ceedings, till publick proclamation there-
of were made in his kingdom. When Ruy
de Sande had delivered his embaflfy, as is
faid above, he defir'd leave to export fome
things the king of Portugal flood in need
of for the expedition he defigned to un-
dertake againff iht Moors in Africk, where-
with he difguifed the report of the difco-
very he intended to the weftward. He
7 T alfo
622
Ohjervations and Discoveries of
I 5i
HERRERAalfo demanded, that the S pa?7iards (hould
'-'"'"V^ be forbid going to fifh at cape Bojador,
,till it fhould be amicably decided, whe-
ther they might lawfully do fo, and their
highneffes anfwered. It fhould be done.
Lope de Herrera being fet out for Portu-
gal before Rw^ deSande reached the court
of their catholick majefties, and king John
being inform'dof the meflage he brought, he
fent Edward Galvan to give notice of what
' Rwj de Sande had in commiffion, relating
to Columhus's difcovery, and without per-
mitting Lope de Herrera to make ufe of
his credentials, or requiring what he was
dire(5ted, anfwered, that he would fend no
fliips upon difcovery in fixty days, becaufe
he intended to fend embarfadors to their
highneffes upon that point. Whilft this was
in agitation, he had complained againft
their catholick majefties at the court of
Rome^ faying, they interrupted the courfe
of his difcoveries and advantages, and pro-
tefted againft the bulls granted, alledging
many pretences of wrong, as that they
broke into his limits, and there ought to
be bounds affigned, to prevent the trou-
bles that might enfue between the fubjeds
of the two crowns. The pope anfwered,
that to obviate all occafions of complaint,
he had marked out what belonged to each,
ordering the meridian to be drawn from
pole to pole, as has been faid ; and again
granted to the kings of 6"/^/;? all that fliould
be conquered in the iflands towards the
eaft, weft, and fouth, not already poffef-
fed by any other prince •, and another bull
was expedited on the 26''' of September the
fame year. However, this did not fatisfy
the PortuguefeSt who pretended they were
wronged, and that the partition meridian,
ought to bedraw^n much farther weft ward^
..vj \(fnb
CHAP. XVL
The Admiral's InfinMions and Preparations ; he fets out on his fecond Voyage^-.
THE admiral being at SeviU with his or^
ders, declaring how far the liberty of
his admiralfliip and government extended,
which were as large as the pope's grant, and
having left his {ow^DonJ ajnes zs\d Don Fer-
dinand^ as pages to prince John^ he applied
himfelf to chufe the ableft pilots, and to
review the men. appointed for the fervice,
in the prefence of the controller Soria. All
perfons were prohibited carrying any goods
to barter, and it was order'd, that all things
belonging to their highneffes, as well as to
private perfons, fhould be entered at the
cuftom-houfe both in Spain and the Indies^
and whatfoever fhould be found not en-
tered, to be confifcate. The admiral had
direftions, as foon as he arriv'd at Hi-
fpaniola, to mufter his men, and fo at other
times as he thought fit, and to order their
pay and he had power to appoint Alcaldes
and Alguazils, that is , magiftrates in the
iflands and others parts, to try caufes, both
civil and criminal , from whom appeals
might lie to himfelf ; and when aldermen,
common-council men, and other officers
were to be appointed for the government
of the people, or any town that was built,
he fhould name three for every place,
out of which their highneffes might chufe
one ; but for the firft time he was allowed
to chufe them himfelf. All proclamations
made were to be in their highneffes names ;
as were all patents, injundions, and or-
ders, figned by the admiral, counterfigned
by the fecrctary, or clerk that drew them
and fealed with their highneffes feal on
the back. That as foon as he landed a
cuftom-houfe fhould be built, to lay up
■ 4
their majefties ftores, to be kept by their
officers, the admiral having the fupreme
command over them all, who was to carry-
on the trade, or the perfon by him ap-
pointed, with the affiftance of their high-
neffes infpeftor and controller. That he
fhould have the eighth part of all the
profit, paying the eighth of all the goods
carried over to barter, firft deducing the
tenth he was to have of all things, pur-
fuant to his contraft •, and that he might
fend out fhips to any other part, as he
faw convenient.
Whilft the admiral continued at Sevil at-
tending the difpatch of his affairs, he re-
ceived a letter from their majefties, dated
at Barcelona the fifth of September, direft-
ing, that before his departure he fhould
caufe to be drav/n a fea chart, with the
rumbs, and all other particulars for the
voyage to the Weft-Indies^ and preffmg
him to be gone fpeedily, promifing him
great matters, for as much as the impor-
tance of that difcovery appeared daily
to be of greater confequence ; and as yet
nothing was concerted with the king of
Portugah though it was hoped he would
hearken to reafon. The admiral caufed
abundance of plants to be fhipp'd, as alfo
wheat, barley, oats, rye, and all forts of
grain ; cows, brick, lime, and other ma-
terials. The men being fhipp'd, and all
things in readinefs, the fleet fet fail from
the bay of Cadiz, on wednefday the 25''^
of September^ before fun-rifing. He di-
reded his courfe fouth-weft, for the Cana-
ry iflands, came up with Gran Canaria on
wednefday the fecond, and on faturday the
^ fifth
Chap. 17.
America hy the Europeans.
3
fifth of OBoher to Gomera^ where he ftaid
two days, taking in wood, water and cat-
tle; as calves, goats, fheep, and eight
fows, at feventy maravedies each ; from
which all thofe there have been fince in
the Indies have multiplied. They alfo
took aboard hens, other creatures, and
garden feeds. There each pilot had his
inftruftions given him feal'd, diredlingthe Herrera
courfe he was to fleer, till he came to the <<.-or>«*
country of king Guacanagari, which they
were not to open unlefs feparated from
him by ftrefs of weather, becaufe he would
not otherwife have that voyage commonly
known, left it fhould be difcovered to the .- ;
king of Portugal,
CHAP. XVII J
'The Admiral profecutitig his Voyage, difcovers other IJlands
H'
"E departed the ifland Gomera on mon-
day the feventh of O^oher, paffed by
that Hierro, the laft of the Canaries,
fleering more to the fouthward than he
Jiad done the firft voyage , and on the
of the fame month, when he be-
lieved he had failed about four hundred
and fifty leagues, faw a fwallow come to
the fhips, and foon after met with heavy
fhowers of rain, which he fuppofed to be
occafioned by the nearnefs of fome land ;
wherefore he ordered to flacken fail, and
to look out fharp at night. On funday the
third of November all the fleet faw land,
IG their great fatisfa£lion, and it proved an
Dominica ifland, which he called Dominica, becaufe
ifland, difcovered on funday, in Spani/h called
Domingo. Prefently they faw two more on
the ftarboard fide, and then many others ;
and they began to fmell the herbs and
flowers ; and to fee flocks of parrots, which
always make a great noife as they fly.
There feemed to be no convenient anchor-
ing to the eaflrward, and therefore he paf-
fed on to the fecond ifland called by him
M^ima- Marigalante, that being the name of the
fante. fhip he was in. He landed fome men, and
took poflTeflion before a notary and wit-
nefles. Departing thence the next day, he
GuadaluH ^^^'^^ another ifland, and called it Guada-
lupe, fenc the boats afliore, found no in-
habitants in a fmall town there appeared
on the coafl:, and here they took the firfl;
of thofe parrots they called Guacamayas,
being as big as dunghil-cocks, of feveral
colours. The natives were fled to the
mountains, but in fearching their houfes,
they found that piece of timber failors
call the ftern poft, which furprifed them
all, not knowing how it ftiould come thi-
ther, unlefs drove by the weather from
the Canaries, or from Hifpaniola, if it were
that belonging to the admiral's fliip, loft
there. Men were fent afliore again on
tuefday, who took two youths, that by
figns gave them to underftand they be-
longed to the ifland of Borriquen^ and that
thofe of Guadalupe were Carihbees, and
kept them to eat. The boats returned
for fome Spaniards that had ftaid behind,
and found them with fix women, that were
fled from the Canibals, which the admiral
would not believe, and therefore gave
them hawkfbels, and fet them afliore. The
Canibals took away all that had been given
them ; and when the boats came again, the
women, two boys, and a youth begged
of the feamen to carry them aboard the
fliips. By thefe it was known that there
was a continent not far ofi\, and many
iflands, which they called by their names.
Being afked for the ifland Hifpaniola, in
their language called yfy//, they pointed '
towards the place where it lay.
The admiral would have held on his
way without flopping, but that they told
him, the infpedlor James Marque was gone
afliore with eight foldiers, at which he
was offended •, and becaufe he had been
long gone, and returned not, parties of
men were fent to feek him ; who could
not find him, by reafon of the thicknefs
of the woods, and therefore he refolved
to wait a day for him. He fent men a~
gain afliore, who fired muflcets, and found-
ed a trumpet, and he not returning, Co-^
lumbus^ who thought every day a year, re-
folved to leave them, yet bore patiently^
for fear they fliould perifli, and ordered
the fliips to take in wood and water •, and
then fent Alonfo de Ojeda, who was captain
of a caravel, with forty men to find himj
and take a view of the country, who re^
turned without any tidings of thofe men,
and faid he had feen much cotton, faul-
cons, haggards, kites, herons, rooks, pi-
geons, turtles, ducks, nightingals and par-
tridges ; and that in travelling fix leagues
he had waded through twenty fix rivers,
many of which came up to a man's wafte.
On friday the eighth of November, the in-
fpedlor returned with his men, and faid he
had loft himfelf in the mighty woods and
thickets, and could not fooner find the
way back. The admiral ordered him to
be put under arreft, and went afliore, where
in fome houfes that were near at hand, he
found cotton , both fpun and unfpun ,
and a ftrange fort of looms they wove it
in. There were abundance of men's heads
hung up, and baflcets full of human bones j
the houfes very good,' and better ftored
with
024-
Ohfefvations and Difcoveries o
H E R R E R. A
Ifl.inds of
Monfer-
rate, San-
ta Maria
la Redon-
dci, Santa
Maria el
Antif^ua,
St. Mar-
tin, Santa
Cruz.
with provifions than thofe in the iflands
difcovered the firft voyage.
On the lo^i' o( Nove?nber he coafted along
this fame ifland of Guadalupe, towards the
north'Weft , making towards Hifpaniola,
and difcovered a very high ifland, which
he called Monferrate becaufe it looked
like the rocks of that place. Next he found
a very round ifland, every way perpendi-
cular, fo that there feemed to be no getting
up into it without ladders, and therefore
he called it Santa Maria la Redonda, that
is. Round St. Mary ; to another he gave
■the name of Santa Maria el Antigua, Anti-
ent St. Mary, whofe coaft extended fifteen
or twenty leagues. Many more iflands
appeared to the northward, very high,
wooded, and green. He anchored at one
of them, and Eiamed it St. Martin ; and on
the 14'^ of Nove?nber, at Santa Cruz, or
Holy Crofs. There they took four vv^omen
and two children and the boat returning
met a canoe with four Indian men and a
woman, who ftood upon their guard, and
the woman fliot arrows as well as the men,
who wounded two foldiers, and the woman
fhot through a buckler. They boarded the
canoe, which overfet, and one of the In-
dians difcharged his bow very vigoroufly
as he fwam. Holding on their courfe, they
faw fo many iflands clofe together, that
they feemed not to be numbered, the largeft
of which he called St. Urjida, and the reft
the 1 1000 Virgins, and then came up with nooo
another great one called Borriquen, but he ^'rgim.,
gave it the name of St. John Baptift. (it is
and Puertp
Rico
now called St. Juan de Puerto Rico.) In fl^nds.
a bay of it to the wefl;ward they took feve-
ral forts of fifli, as fcate, olaves. Pilchards.
There were many good houfes, tho' all of
timber, and thatched, with a fquare to them
and a way from it down to the fea, kept
very clean and beaten j the walls of the
houfes made of canes wove together like
wattles, with greens on them very curioufly,
as is ufed at Valencia in Spain. Near the
fea was a fort of open gallery, or balcony,
that would contain tv/elve perfons, of the
fime fort of ftruclure ; but they faw no
living creature, and fuppofed they were
fled. On friday the 21^ of the fame month,
the admiral difcovered the firft land of the
ifland Hifpaniola, on the north fide, de-
parting the utmoft point of St. John de Pu-
erto Rico, which are fifteen leagues diftant.
We have here feen the firft difcovery of the
Carihbee iflands we defign to defcribe, but
fliall proceed fomewhat farther upon thefe
firft difcoveries, before we come to treat of
them.
' ' ■•. chap.' xviii. '-^k^Vo-I nvwj
Of the Negotiations relating to the Portuguefe Pretenjions-, the Admiral arrives in
the Ijland Hifpaniola.
T Hough the fixty days the king of Por-
tugal had afllgned were elapfed, their
catholick majefties fent Garcia de Herrera,
a gentleman of their family, to require them
not to commit any innovation. Prefently
after they fent the protonotary Don Peter
de Ayala, and Garci Lopez de Carvajal,
brother to the cardinal de Santa Cruz, with
inftruiflions, to thank the king of Portugal
for his good inclination to preferve the peace
between them, and to remove all occafions
that might difturb it ; letting them know,
that their intentions were the fame, and
that as to his pretenfion to that part of
the ocean, by grant from the fee apoftolick,
by poflefiion, and by the articles of peace,
they were willing to admit of all honour-
able means to continue the brotherly friend-
ftiip there was between the two crowns ;
where it was exprefly mentioned; that they
would not moleft him in the trade, com-
merce, or country of Guinea, and its mines,
or any other iflands already difcovered, or
to be difcovered, from the Canary iflands
forward towards Guinea ; this being all he
could fay he had been poffefled of and no
more. And that it plainly appeared he had
fo underftood it, when he heard their high-
nefles were fending Don Chrijlopher Colum-
bus upon difcovery, and he was fatisfied he
fliould fail all over the ocean, provided he did
not go beyond the Canary iflands, towards
Guinea, which was the place he ufed to
fend his fleets to ; and that when Don Chri-
jlopher returned, and went to wait upon
him at Valparayfo, he feemed to be well
pleafed with it.
Their catholick majefties fo far juftified
but that their highnefles were fully fatisfied, their proceedings, that they off'ered, in cafe
that nothing in the ocean belonged to king
John, but the iflands of Madera, the Azo-
res, thofe of Cabo Verde, and the reft he
was then poflfeflTed of, with what was then
difcovered from the Canary iflands, as far
as Guinea, with the gold mines there, and
all other commerce ; which was all that
belonged to him by the articles of peace,
4
king John was not fatisfied with thefe rea-
fons, they would be content to refer it to
the decifion of perfons nominated on both
fides, and if they fliould not agree, an um-
pire fliould be immediatelynamed, or power
given to the arbitrators to name one ; and
if the king fliould think fit to have ic
debated out of their dominions, in the
Roman
Chap. i8.
America the Europeans,
Roman court, or in any other indifferent
place, they would confent,and that any other
method might be found to have it fpeedily
determined equitably, their majefties never
defigning to invade the right of another.
They therefore diredVed, that the remon-
ftrance of Lope de Herrera fliould be rei-
terated, to the end there might none go out
upon difcovery towards thofe parts which
belonged to their highnefTes ; but to thofe
the Portuguefes had before frequented ; for
fhould they proceed into other parts of the
ocean, it would be intruding upon the
rights of others; and therefore he Ihould
order proclamation to be made to that
effedt throughout his kingdoms , under
fevere penalties, fince their highnefies were
the firft that had began to difcover that
way and the king of Portugal's predecef-
fors had no other right to hold that as their
own, which they were then poffelfed of,
but their being the firft difcoverers and
the kings of Cajlile and Leon had never
any way obftrudled thofe of Portugal, fmce
they took that courfe ; fo that he ought to
obferve the fame method as their predecef-
fors had done to one another ; the contra-
ry whereof would be a pofitive infringing
of the peace there was between them, no
lefs than invading their kingdoms, or than
as king John would refent it, fhould they
go about to take away any thing he was
pofiefTed of at the gold mines, or in any
other countries, or iflands.
When thefe embaffadors departed the
Portuguefe coxxxt of their catholick majefties, Peter
dors^ia' ^^"o of Pi?r/?(g^/'s judges,
^i^,!!^ and Ray de Pinna, a gentleman of his houf-
hold, were already come to it ; and dil-
courfing upon this affair, they propofed as a
proper method, that the ocean fhould be di-
vided betwixt the two crowns, by a ftraight
line down from the Canaries to the weft-
ward, and that all the feas, iflands, and
countries from that weftern line to the north-
ward fhould belong to the crown of Cajlile
and Leon, excepting the iflands the king of
Portugal was then pofTefTed of within thofe
limits ; and that all the remaining feas, if-
lands, and countries to the fouthward of
that line, fhould belong to the king of
Portugal, excepting the Canary iflands,
which appertained to the crown of Cajlile.
To which their catholick majefties an-
fwered. That it was no proper method,
becaufe nothing throughout all the ocean,
but what has been mentioned, belonged to
the king of Portugal, and fo the affair
remained undecided at that time, the king
of Portugal forbearing to fend to make Herrera
any difcoveries in that part their catholick '"-^V^
majefties pretended did belong to them
but the faid king of Portugal ftill prefling
that thefe differences might be adjufted,
the fame was afterwards done.
The admiral arriving on the ifland Hif- The A<3-
paniola, as has been faid above , made the "I! °"
firft land on the north fide, where he kt^'f^'""^''
afhore one of the Indians he brought out
of Spain, that being the province of Sama-
na, that he might tell the natives the
mighty things he had feen in Spain^ and
induce them to enter into amity with the
Chriftians. He readily undertook fo to do,
but was never more heard of, and it was
believed he died. Going on to point An-
gel, fome Indians went aboard in canoes
with provifions, and other things to barter
with the Spaniards. Anchoring at Monte
Chrijlo, a boat made to a river towards
the land, and found two men dead, the
one a youth, the other old, who had a
rope made of Spanijh Efparto about his neck,
his arms ftretched out, and his hands ty'd
acrofs to a flick ; but they could not dif-
cern, whether they were Chriftians, or In-
dians, which made the admiral conceive
much jealoufy, and troubled him. The
next day being the z6^^ of November, he
fent more men feveral ways to hear what
news there were of thofe at the town of the
Nativity. Many Indians went to talk with
the Spaniards in all fecurity. They came up
clofe to them, touched their doublet, and
fhirt, faying, tuhon, camifa^ that is, doublet,
fhirt, to fhew they knew the Spanijh names,
which fomewhat comforted the admiral,
and the more for that the Indians were not
afraid, imagining thofe he left in the new-
town were not dead. On wednefday the
2^^^^ he came to an anchor at the mouth
of the harbour of the Nativity. About
midnight a canoe came up to the admiral,
and faid, Almirante, that is, admiral; the
Spaniards bid them come aboard, for he
was there ; but they would not, till they
faw and knew him. They gave him two
well wrought vizor masks, and fome gold
they brought as a prefent from the Cacique
Guacanagari. Being afked, concerning the
Chriftians, they faid fome had died of fick-
nefs, and others were gone up the inland
with their wives. The admiral gueffed they
were all dead, but was fain to connive,
and fent back the Indians with a prefent of
brafs baubles , which they always put a
great value on, and other toys for the
Cacique,
Vol. V,
CHAE
626
Ohjervations and Discoveries of
CHAP. XIX.
'T'he Admiral lands ^ finds the Spaniards all killed, and goes to vifit King
Guacanagari.
Herrera 'TpHE thurfday following all the fleet en-
^>yy\J X ter'd the port i they faw the fort burnt,
and thence concluded all the Chriftians were
dead, which troubled them, and the more
for that no Indian appeared. The admiral
went afhore the next day very much con-
cerned, finding no body to aflc any quefti-
on of. Some things belonging to the Spa-
niards lay about, which was a melancholy
fight. Columbus went up the river with the
boats, and ordered a well he had made in
the fort to be cleans'd ; but nothing was found
in it, the Indians fled from their houfes, fo
that there was no man to enquire of, the'
they found fome of the Chrifl:ians cloaths,
and fo he returned. They difcovered feven
or eight men buried near the fort, and
others farther ofl^, whom they knew to be
Chriftians by their cloaths, and they feem-
ed not to have been dead above a month.
Whilft they were thus feeking about, a bro-
ther of Guacanagari's came with fome In-
dians, who fpoke fome little Spanijh, and
named all thofe who had been left in the
fort by whom, with the afliftance of one
the admiral brought back out of Spain., cal-
led James Columbus, they were informed
of the difafter. They declared, that as
foon as the admiral was gone, the Spaniards
began to difagree among themfelves, and
difobey their commander, going outdifor-
derly to feize what women and gold they
had a mind to that Peter Gutierrez and
Efcovedo killed one Jacome, and they with
nine others went away with the women
they had taken, and their goods to the
lands of a Cacique called Cannabo, who was
lord of the mines, and killed them all.
That fome days after Cannabo went to the
fort with a great number of men, there
being none then in it, but the commander
James de Arana, and five more that ftay'd
with him to defend it, which he fet fire to
in the night, and that thofe who were in
it flying to the fea, they wer^ drowned, and
the reft difperfed themfelves throughout
the ifland. That king Guacanagari going
out to fight Cannabo, in defence of the Chri-
ftians, was wounded, and not yet recover-
'ed; ;^- All this agreed with the acc-ount fome
Spaniards brought, who had been fent by
the admiral to get information, and com-
ing to Guacanagari^ town, found him ill of
the wounds he had received, which he us'd
as his excufe for not waiting upon the ad-
miral.
By what has been fiid, and feveral other
accounts, it appeared that there had been '
divifions among thofe Chriftians, which
were occafioned by the Bifcainers ; and that
had they been united among themfelves,
and obeyed the admiral's commands, they
would not have mifcarry'd. Guacanagari The Ad-
fent to defire the admiral to go vifit him, miralvifus
he not being able to go abroad by reafon ^'^'^f^'"'-
of his wounds. The admiral did fo, and'^'^'''*
the Cacique with a melancholy countenance
told him all that has been faid, ftewinghim
his wounds, and thofe of many of his men ;
which plainly appeared to be made by the
weapons the Indians ufed, being darts
pointed with fifti bones. When the dif-
courfe was ended, he prefented the admiral
with eight hundred fmall ftone beads, which
they fet a great value on, and call cibas, an
hundred of gold, a crown of gold, and
three little calabafties, or gourds, by them
called ybueras , full of grains of gold, the
whole weighing about two hundred pieces
of eight. The admiral gave him feveral
glafs toys, knives, fciflars, hawks-bells,
pins, needles, and little looking glafles,
which the Cacique thought a mighty treafure.
He attended the admiral to his quarters,
admiring the horfes, and how the men ma-
naged them. There were feveral in the ar-
my, and among them F. Boyle, who advifed,
that Guacanagari fiiould be fecured, till he
cleared himfelf better of the death of the
Chriftians, who had been left in his charge;
yet he thought it not convenient, fince
there was no remedy for what was paft,
and it v/as not proper at his firft fetling
in the country to ufe feverity, or pro-
claim v/ar ; befides that he defigned firft
to gain fall footing, fortify himfelf, and
plant colonies, and fo examine the matter
by degrees, and in cafe the Cacique were
faund guilty it would be feafona ble at any
time to punifli him, ..iu
'1.
CHAP.
(
Chap. 20.
America hj the Europeans.
627
CHAP. XX.
The Difference with the King Portugal adpfted; the Admiral biiiUs the Tou'n
of Kabela in the IJland Hifpaniola.
THE importunity of the Portuguefes
made their catholick majefties defirous
to put an end to that controverfy, to which
purpofe, when they were at 'TordefiUas
there came thither as embaffadors from
that king Ruy de Sou/a, lord of Sngre, and
Birenguel, Don John de Soufa his fon, head
regulator of the weights and meafures in
PortugaU and the Wctnii'Me. j^rias d' Amada^
judge of the houHiold, all of king Johti's
council. Thefe joining with Don Henr-j
Enriquez, his catholick majefty's loi:d high
dors*^^" fteward, Don Gutierre de Cardenas^ chief
Spain and commendary of Leon, and controller, and
Portugal dodior Roderick Maldonado, all of the king's
meet. council •, both fides being fufficiently em-
powered to fettle and adjufl: this matter,
by the points of the compafs, or by way
of latitude, or longitude, or as they fhould
think fit: After many debates, and con-
fulting of feveral cofmographers , admitted
to the congrefs, on the 7'^ of June this
fame year 1493 they agreed, that the line
of divifion fhould be drawn 370 leagues to
the weftward of that mentioned in the
pope's bull, from the iflands of Cabo Fer-
The diffe- de , and that all to the weftward of this
^^Ta i^^ri^^^" fhould belong to the kings of
^" ^ ' Caftile and Leon^ and all to the eaftward
to the kings of Portugal; fo that it fhould
be free for the kings of Caftile to fail thro'
the feas belonging to the king of Portugal,
following their diredl courfe. That what-
foever fhould be difcovered before the 20^^
of the faid month of June, within the firft
two hundred fifty leagues of the faid three
hundred feventy, fhould remain to the
kings of Pi^r/z^g^j/, and whatfoever was with-
in the other hundred and twenty to the
kings of Caftile for ever. That from that
time forward neither fide fhould fend fhips
out of thofe faid bounds to trade, or bar-
ter; and that within the term of ten
months an equal number of fhips, cofmo-
graphers, and feamen fhould be fent on
both fides, to mark out the line and limits.
Thefe articles being engroffed before Fer-
dinand Alvarez de Toledo, fee re tar y to their
catholick majefties, and Stephen Baez, fe-
cretary to the king of Portugal, were fign-
ed by the former at Arevalo, on the fecond
of Jul'j, and by the king of Portugal at
Ehora, on the 27^*^ of February, the follow-
ing year. Though their catholick majefties
on the 7'h of May that fame year, ordered
' " . , the cofmographers, and others who were
i.. . . to draw the line of feparation to meet, and
' perform it, within the fpaice of ten months
in cafe it was required of them ; it does notHERRERA
appear to have been performed, though it
is certain their catholick majefties endea-
voured it 5 but the Portuguefes, who at
this time had conquered little beyond the
ifland of St. Thomas, under the equinodial,
that they might not be outdone by their
neighbours, applied themfelves fo earneft-
ly to their bufinefs, that they foon pafTed
that cape fo dreadful to the ancients, called
of Good Hope, which juts outs fo far into
the fea.
The admiral was now in the port of the Columbus
Nativity, full of thought hojw he fhould fecks a
behave himfelf to give a good beginning '^s'ter
to what he had in handj and thinking ^'^^^j^
that province of Marien a very low coun- town,
try, and fcarce of ftone, and other mate-
rials for building, though it had good har-
bours and water; he refolv'd to turn back
along the coaft to the eaftward, to find a
convenient place to build a town. With;
this defign he failed out on faturday the
feventh of December, with all his fleet, and
anchored that evening near fome fmall
iflands not far from Monte Chrifto, and the
next day, being funday, under the faid
mountain ; and imagining that Monte^ de
Plata was nearer to the province of Cibao,
where he had been told the rich gold mines
were, which he, as has been faid, fancied
to be Cipango, he was defirous to draw
near to that part. The wind proved fo
contrary, after he left Monte Chrifto, that
he fuff^ered very much, becaufe the men
and horfes were fatigued, and could not
proceed to the port of Gracia or Grace,
where Martin Alonfo Pinzon had been, and
is now called the river of Martin Alonfo,
being five or fix leagues from Puerto de
Plata, or port Plate; and was forced to
turn back three leagues, to a place where
a large river falls into the fea, forming a
good port, tho' lying open to the north-
weft. He landed at an Indian town there,
faw a delightful plain up the river, and
obferved that the faid river might be
drawn out into trenches to run through
the town, and to place m.ills on, and o-
ther conveniences for building. He there-
fore refolved to ereft a town there, and
ordered the men and horfes, both much
fpent, to be landed. In this place he be-
gan to plant a colony, being the firft in
the Weft Indies, which he would have cal-
led Ifabela, in honour of queen Ifabel, or
Elizabeth, for whom he had extraordinary
refpect j and having found nece.ffaries of
4 . ' ftons
628 Ohfervations and Dijcoveries of
The publick build-
the others of timber
every man's abi-
to
The Spa-
niards fa
tigued,
ficken.
long
Herrera (lone and lime, with all elfe he could wifh,
as alfo the land extraordinary fruitful, he
applied himfelf very diligently to build
the church, magazines, and his own houfe
divided the ground, and marked out the
flreets and fquares.
ings were of ftone,
thatch'd, according
lity.
The men being fatigued with a
voyage, as not ufed to the fea, and now
toiled with the works, fhort allowance,
and none liking the country bread, they
began to fl^ll fick apace, by reafon of
the change of air, though the country is
of itfelf very healthy, and they died for
want of conveniences, and becaufe they all
laboured alike. Nor did it lefs afflidl
them to be fo remote from their native
country, without hope of relief, or of the
gold and immenfe wealth they had con-
ceited they Ihould immediately find. The
admiral himfelf did not efcape, for as
his toil was great at fea, having the whole
charge of the fleet, fo it was nothing lef-
fened afhore, being to difpofe and order
all things, that they might fucceed as had
been hoped from him, in an affair of that
confequence fo that tho' he kept his bed,
he preffed the building of the town, and
was defirous that no time might be loft,
or the provifions fpent in vain, to difco-
ver the fecrets of the country, and be
thoroughly informed concerning his Ci-
pango^ which he had fo much miftaken,
the Indians affirming that Cibao was near.
He fent out Ojeda to difcover all, with
fifteen men, and in the meanwhile applied
himfelf to fend back twelve fhips into
Cafiile, keeping five of the biggeft, two
fhips, and three caravels.
Alonfo de Ojeda travelled eight or ten Alonfo ie
leagues through a country not inhabited, ^j^'^'^ ^i'-
and being paffed a mountain, came into j^g^^j^^j^
the beautiful plain full of Indian towns,
where he was well received and entertained.
He came to Cibao in five or fix days,
though it be but fifteen or twenty leagues
from the place where he left the admiral ;
but he could not travel any faftcr, by
reafon of the entertainment he received
from the Indians^ and the many rivers and
brooks in thofe parts. The natives and
Indians that went as guides, gather'd gold
in the prefence of Ojeda^ and he returned
with as much as he thought fufficed to
fhew what plenty there was of it, which
proved very great, and gave the admiral
extraordinary fatisfaftion, as it did after-
wards to all the reft. With thefe famples,
and what had been given him by king
Guacanagari , all which he fent to their
catholick majefties, together with a full
relation of all he had difcovered till that
time, he difpatched the twelve ftnips, under
the command of Antony de "T orresy and thus
ended the year 1493.
XXI.
CHAP.
Of the Uneajinefs the Admiral had with his Men^ and his March towards the
Province of Cibao.
THE fhips being failed, and the admi-
ral recovering of his ficknefs, he was
informed, that fome who repented their
Confpira- having undertaken that voyage, had cho-
^LuePifa^^'^ -ScT/W de Pifa for their chief, and
contrived either to fteal, or forcibly take
away the five remaining ftiips, or fome of
them, to return to Spain. He ordered
Bernal de Pifa to be fecured, and fent
with the proceedings againft him in a fhip
to the king. Some of the other confpi-
rators he caufed to be punifhed, and tho'
It was not with the feverity their crime
deferved, yet his enemies took occafion
from thence to tax him with cruelty. For
this reafon, he caufed the guns, ammuni-
tion, and other ftores belonging to the
four ftiips, to be put aboard the admiral,
under the guard of fuch perfons as he could
confide in. This was the firft mutinous
attempt in the ^eji Indies, and the origi-
nal of all the oppofition the admiral, and
his fuccefibrs met with in thofe parts as to
their pretenfions. As foon as Bernal de
Pifa was arrefted , an information drawn Origin of
up in form againft the admiral was found commo-
in the buoy of one of the fhips, which he """^^j^j^^
alfo refolved to fend to their majefties. af^j|.al.
Having quelled this mutiny, he prepared
to go with the beft men he had, to vific
the province of Cibao, and to carry with
him labourers and tools to dig for gold,
and materials to build a ftrong houfe, if
it ftiould be requifite. Accordingly he fet
out with colours flying, drums beating,
trumpets founding, and his forces drawn
up, and fo he enter'd all towns, to gain re-
putation among the Indians, who were
amazed at it, and to fee their horfes. He
departed the town of Ifabela on the twelfth
March, leaving his hxothtx Don James
Columbus, a gentleman of a peaceable dif-
pofition, and regular behaviour, whom
he had brought over with him to govern
the new town. That day they marched He goes
three leagues, and lay at the foot of a to the
craggy pafs on the mountains ; and the of
Indian ways being only narrow paths, he ' ''''
fent
Chap. 22. America Europeads,
62P
fenr before the pioneers under the condudl
of fome gentlemen to level the way, for
Puerto de which reafon that was called el Puerto de
Hidalgos, los Hidalgos, that is, the gentlemen's pafs.
and Fega Qn thurfday from the mountain, they dif-
covered the great plain, which is one of
the fineft in the world, being eighty leagues
in length, and between twenty and thirty
over, and it appeared fo beautiful, green,
and delightful, that the men thought them-
felves in Paradife, for which reafon the
admiral called it Fega Real, or the Royal
Plain. Coming down from the mountain,
they crofs'd the plain, which is there five
leagues over, pafTing through feveral towns,
where they were kindly received.
Coming to the great river, by the In-
dians called Taqui, which is as wide as the
Ebro at T'ortofa, the admiral called it Rio
^^amas or Cannas, or river of canes, forgetting
Oro, or that the firft voyage, when he was in the
Taqui. mouth of it, he had given it the name of
Rio del Oro, or golden river, where it falls
into the fea near Monte Chrifto, They all
lay that night well pleafed, on the bank
of this river. The Indians they brought
with them from the country about the
town of Ifabela, wtm into the houfes of
thofe towns they pafled through, and took
what they found, as if it had been in pub-
lick, the owners being very well pleafed,
and they went to the quarters of the
Chriilians, and took what they liked, be-
lieving that had been the cuflom among Herrera
them. Having crofied the river, the next -^'"VJ
day, in canoes and floats, and the horfe
at the ford, a league and a half from it
they found another river, which they cal-
led ^/^-Z Oro, or of gold, becaufe they found j^^v^v/
fome grains in it ■■, but the Indians called it Oro, or
Nicaragua, into which three other brooks ^'"^^y^gue-
fall. The firft of them is Buenicum, which
the Spaniards named RioSeeo, or dry river;
the fecond, Coatenicu ; the third, Cibu, all
which proved extraordinary rich in the
finefl gold, and the prime wealth of Cibao.
Having palled this river, he came to a
tov/n, moft of the inhabitants whereof
fled, and thofe that remained, having fee
fome canes acrofs at their doors, thought
themfelves fafe. The admiral feeing their
fimplicity gave orders that no wrong ihould
be done them, which made them take cou-
rage and come out. He went on to an-
other river, which for its delightfulnefs
was called Rio Verde, or green river, the Rio Verde.
bottom and banks whereof were covered
with fmooth pebble-ftones, almoft round.
On faturday the 15th, they paflied by o-
ther towns, where they alfo thought it a
fufficient defence to crofs canes before their
doors. Next they came to a pafs, which
they called of Cibao, becaufe the province
of Cibao commences on that fide at the top
of it, .
CHAP. xxir. - ^ ^ =
The Admiral continues his Progrefs, builds the Fort of St, Thomas, and returns
to the To'ujn of Ifabela ; great Sufferings of the Spaniards,
vine
loneers were fent before to make way
thro' the pafs, and carriage horfes re-
turned from hence to Ifabela for provifions,
the men as yet not relifhing thofe of the
country. On the top of the pafs they had
again a delicate profpe6l of the plain, for
above forty leagues on both fides. In
Cibao pro- fine, they entered Cibao, an uncooth pro-
vince of high rocky mountains, called Ci-
bao, from Ciba, a ftone. It is full of a-
bundance of rivers and brooks, and there
is gold in all of them ; but there are few
green trees, the land being very barren,
unlefs in the bottoms on the rivers. It a-
bounds in tall fpreading pine-trees, which
bear no pine-apples, but fo ordered by na-
ture, that they look like the olive trees of
Axarafe at Sevil. The province is every
where healthy, the air temperate, the wa-
ters fine and pleafant. Little grains of
gold were found in every brook, though
fometimes large grains have been found.
The Indians came out at every town to
meet the admiral, with prcfents of provi-
fion, and grains of gold they had gathered
Vol. V.
after they underftood it pleafed him. He
was then eighteen leagues from Ifabela, and
difcovered feveral gold mines, one of cop-
per, one of azure, and another of amber ;
of which two there was but little : for
which reafon, and becaufe the country is
very craggy, fo that the horfes could not
well travel it, he refolved to build a ftrong
houfe for the fecurity of the Chriftians,
and that they might thence fubdue the pro-
vince. He made choice of a Ipot of ground
on a hill, almoft encompaflfed with a river
called Xanique, which tho' it yields not
much gold, is nearer many that have
plenty. The fort was made of mud and
timber, and a ditch was drawn where the
river did not enclofe it. The name of
St. Thomas^ fort was given it, becaufe the
men would not believe that ifland afforded
gold, till they faw it.
In the foundation of this fort they found
nefts of ftraw, which looked as if they Neftswith
had been laid there few years fince, and ^
in them, inftead of eggs, three or four
round ftones, as big as oranges. Don
7 X Peter
6^0
Ohjefvations and Discoveries of
Herrera PeterMargarlte^di. Catalonian gentleman, was
'-"'^"V'^ left governor of the fort, with fifty fix men,
and the admiral returned to the town of
Ifabela, where he arrived on the 29'^^ of
March, found the men much fatigued,
many dead, and thofe who were in health,
djfconfolate, fearing every hour to follow
them, and ftill the more ficken'd, as the
provifions failed, and the allowances were
fhortned % and this was partly occafioned
by a great quantity being fpoiled, through
the fault of the fea-captains ; befides that,
thofe which were landed in good condition
could not keep long by reafon of the heat
and damipnefs of the country. The meal
being near fpent, it was requifite to make
a mill for grinding of the corn, and the
labouring people being fick, the better
fort were obliged to work, which v/as
moft grievous to them, efpecially wanting
food/ This misfortune forced the admiral
to ufe compulfion, that the people m^ight
not perifli, rather than carry on the pub-
Diftrefs of ^'^^^ works, and this rendered him odious,
the Spani- Hence F. Boyl began to be incenfed againft
arJs. the admiral, charging him with cruelty ;
tho' others fay his averfion proceeded from
his not allowing him and his fervanrs fo
largely as he defired. Thus necefiTaries
gre^y hourly more fcarce, not only among
thofe that were in health, but among the
fick J for fometimes five of them that were
purged had but an egg apiece,, and a pot
of boiled Spanijh peafe ; to which may be
added the want of medicines ; for though
fome were carried over, they did not a-
gree with all conliitutions and whaf was
worfe flill, they had no body to help and
attend them.
Many men well born, who had never
undergone fuch hardfiiips, feeing no hopes
of redrefs, as being fick and ftarving, died
impatiently, and almofc in defpair; which
gave occafion, that after the town of Ifa-
hela was abandoned, it was reported there
were dreadful noifes heard in that place,
fo that none durft go that way.
Whilfb the admiral was under this af-
fiidion, he received advice from fort St.
Thomas, that the Indians abandoned their The Mi.
towns, and that the Cacique a certain '^''^'='«g'a
province, whofe name was Caonaho made^°"^^"
preparations to reduce the fort. He im-
mediately fent thither feventy of the heal-
thieft men, and the beafts of burden laden
with provifions, and arms, and as many
more of the other men as he could, leaving
.behind only the mechanicks, appointing
Alonfo de Ojeda for their captain, with or-
ders to him to ftay in the fort, and Don Peter
Margarite to take the field with the ftrong-
ePc he could, to march about the country,
and fhew the Indians the ftrength of the
Spaniards, that they might know they
were to fear, and obey them ; and this
particularly about the Vega Real, or Royal
Plain, where there was an innumerable
multitude of natives, and many lords, or
Caciqiies ; as alfo that the Spaniards might
ufe themfelves to eat the country provifions,
fince the Spanijh were near fpent.
C H A P. XXIII.
Alonfo de Ojeda marches to Fort St. Thomas, and the Admiral goes gut to dijcojuer
farther ort the Coaji of Cuba, a?id finds Jamaica.
Ahon[o de Ojeda departed the town of
Ifabela, on the (^th of ^pril, \yich
above four hundred mpn, and as fpon as
paft the river del Ore, or of gold, feized
the Cacique of a town, with his brother and
nephew, and fent them to Ifabela, and
caufed an Indian's ears to be cut off in the
market place. This he did, becaufe when
three Spaniards were going from fort Si.
Thomas to Ifabela , the Cacique gave them
five Indians to carry their baggage over
ttie river, who left the Chriftians in the
middle of it, and returned with their equi-
page to the town, for which the Cacique
was fo ftr from punifhing them, that he
kept the baggage. Another Cacique of an -
other town, feeing thofe above mentioned,
carried away prifoners , went away witii
them, believing he might prevail upon the
adm,iral in their behalf, on account of
fome good turns he had done the Spaniards :
He, as foon as they came, ordered their
4
heads to be chopped off in the market
place, a cryer proclarnjng their offences ;
but for the fake of the other Cacique for-
gave them. Juft then came an horfeman
from the fort, and faid, the Indians of the
prifoner Caciqu/s town had befet five Spani-
ards, to kill them, and that he with the
help of his horfe had refcued them, above '^^^ -^^^f^
four hundred of thofe people flying ^^-Ql^horL
fore him, whom he purfued, and wounded
feveral with his fpear.
Thus the commotions that were feared
in the ifiand Hifpaniola feemed to be pa-
cified for the prefent, and the admiral re-
folved to fet out upon difcovery, as he had A council
been direfted by their catholick majefties, to go^^''^'^
and his own inclination, averfe to idlenefs, WP"^'"-^
diftated. For the better government of
the ifland he conffituted a council, whereof
his brother Don. James Columbus was ap- ,
pointed prefident, the counfellors were
F, Boyle , Peter Ferdinandez Coronel ,
the
Chap. 23.
America hy the Europeans.
631
Columbus
fails upon
difcovery.
the chief Algnazil, or officer of juftice,
Alonfo Sanchez de Ca^^vajal, and John de
Lur,an. Don Peter Margarite with the
forces he had, being above four hundred
men, was ordered to march over all the
idand ; and the admiral gave them all fuch
inft.n;clions as he thought moft convenient.
Then leaving two fhips in the harbour to
ferve upon any exigency, he failed out to
the v/eftward , on thurfday the lA^th of
Afril:, with ojie great Ihip, and two cara-
vels. He proceeded to Monte Chriflo-, and
the port of the Nat'ivit'^., where he enquired
for Qiiacanagari^ but tho' they told him
he would foon come, did not ftay for him.
Then he advanced to the ifland 'Tortuga,
and the wind proving contrary returned to
anchor in the river he called Guadalquivir.
On the i<^th of April he reached port St.
Nicholas., whence hedifcovered the point of
the ifland Cuba, which he named Alpha
and Omega, but the Indians call it Bayati-
quiri.
He crofs'd the ft reight between Hifpanio-
la and Cuha ; which is eighteen leagues
over from land to land, and beginning to
coaft along Cula, on the fouth fide difco-
vered a large bay, which he called Puerto
Grande, or great harbour, the mouth of
it being a hundred fifty paces wide. He
anchored there, and the Indians came in
canoes bringing much fifli. On funday
the 7//j of May he proceeded farther, hour-
ly difcovering very notable harbours. He
faw high mountains, rivers falling into the
fea, and keeping clofe to the land, infinite
numbers of Indians referred to the fhips in
their canoes, carrying provifions gratis, as
believing the Spaniards came from heaven,
and the admiral always gave them toys
with which they went away extremely fa-
tisfied, thofe Indians he had with him who
had been in Spain, fpeaking kindly to
them. He refolved to turn to the fouth-
eaft, becaufehe there difcovered an ifland,
Jamaica ^hich was Jamaica, and fome believe it
difcover d.
Coafts a-
Xaxi'ifluba
Puerto
Grande.
that many canoes followed the fhips, ^^^"^^^
giving fuch things as they had, and re- '"'''''^^'^
ceiving what the Spaniards gave them with
great fatisfadion. The wind being always
contrary Columbus refolved to return to
Cuha, to be fatisfied whether it was an
ifland or continent. This fame day, being
the \ith May, an Indian youth came to
the fhips, defiring by figns they would
take him along in them ; and tho' his pa-
rents and kindred, with tears , intreated
him not to go, they could not prevail j
but he rather than fee them weep, hid him-
felf in the privatefi; parts of the fhip.
That fame day, the iS'i^ of May, he Cape ie
came up on the point of Cuba, which he ^^^^
called Cabo de Cruz, or cape crofs, and run-
ning along the coaft with much rain, thun-
der and lightning-, met many fhoals, which
perplexed him ; and the farther he advanced,
the more fmall iflands he met with, fome
of them all llmd, others full of trees. The
nearer they lay to Cuba, the higher, green-
ner, and more beautiful they appear'd, fome
being a league , fome two, fome three,
and fome four in compafs. The firft day
he difcovered them he faw many, the next
many more j in fhort they were number-
lefs, and there being no giving a name to
every one, he called them, el Jarden de la Jardin de
Reyna, the Queen's Garden. There were i'i ^^■^"'^
channels between them, which the fhips ^°
could pafs through, and in fome of them
they found a fort of birds like red cranes,
which are only to be feen in Cuba and thefe
fmall iflands, living only on the fait water,
and fomething they find in it i and when
any of them are kept in the houfe, they
feed them with cazabi, which is the Indian
bread, in a pan of fait and v/ater. There
were abundace of tortoifes, as big as large
bucklers. They faw cranes, like thofe in
Spain, crows and feveral forts of finging
birds, and the iflands exhaled fweet odours.
They difcovered a canoe full of fifliermen,
who ftood ftill without any tokens of fear,
expefting the approach of the Chriftians*
might be that the Lucayo Indians fo often
fpoke of by the name of Babeche, or Bohio. They fiflied on, and took fome fiflies they
Monday the \4,th gf May he came upon
the coaft of Jamaica, which he thought
the beautifulleft ifland of all he had yet
feen, and infinite numbers of canoes came
to the fhips. The boats being fent to found
and find out a port, abundance of armed
canoes came out to hinder the landing of
the Spaniards. The admiral went oft' to
anpther place, which he called Puerto bue-
110, or good port, where the fame oppoft-
tion was made, and therefore he fent a
volley of arrows out of the crofs-bows at
them, wherewith fix or feven being
wounded, the reft came peaceably to the
fnips. The next friday he failed along the
coaft to the weftward, fo near the fhore.
call reves, the largeft whereof are about Reves,
the fize of a pilchard, having a roughnefs 'mall fifb-
on the belly, which when
thing.
clung
to an^
es, catch
^1 - I r -r . y tortoifes.
they may be looner torn in pieces
than removed from the place. They ty'd
thefe by the tail, with a fmall cord, two
hundred fathom, more or lefs, in length,
and the fifh fwimming along on the fur-
face of the water, or near it, when it came
where there were any tortoifes in the fea,
clung to their under Ihell, fo that the men
drawing the ft ring took a rortoife, weigh-
ing an hundred weight, or more. In the
fame manner they take fliarks, moft fierce
and ravenous creatures, that devour men.
The fifhing being over the Indians came
aboard
Objervations and Discoveries of
Herrera a"board the fhips, the admiral ordered they
^•^'"''y^ fliould have toys given them, and was in-
formed there were many more iflands for-
ward. He held on his way weftward among
the iflands, with heavy rain, thunder, and
lightning every evening, till the moon was
up and tho' all imaginable care was taken.
yet the fliip often touched, and ftuck,
and caufed much labour to gee her off.
He found an ifland larger than the reft, and
called it Santa Marta^ in which there was
a town, abundance of fift, dumb dogs,
great flocks of red cranes, parrots, and
other birds \ and the people fled for fear.
CHAP. XXIV.
The Admiral tinderftands that Cuba is an ifland ; how much he fiffered during
this Voyagey and what happened to him with an old Cacique.
THE admiral wanting water, refolved
to leave the fmall iflands, and draw
Cuba. pgj^j. j-Q Cuba. By reafon of the thicknefs
of the trees, there was no difcovering,
whether there were any towns, or notj but
a failor going afliore with a crofs-bow,
met thirty men armed with fpears, and
mazanas., which are the wooden fwords
they ufed. This feaman faid, he faw one
among them who had a white tunick, or
garment down to his heels; but he could
not be found, tho' fought after, for they
all fled. Proceeding about ten leagues to
the weftward, they fpied houfes, whence
fome men came in canoes, bringing pro-
vifions, and calabaflies full of water, for
■ ■ which the admiral returned toys. He de-
fired they would permit him to take an In-
dian ^\ox\g to lliew him the way, and fome
particulars 5 and tho' unwillingly, they con-
fented. This man almoft fatisfied him
that Cuba was an ifland, and that the king
of it farther along the weftern coaft, only
talked to his peopled by figns, and was
obeyed by them. Holding on their way,
the fhips came upon a bank of fand,
which had one fathom water, and was two
Ihips length over. Here they were in
great anguifli, being obliged with much
difficulty to ply all their capftains, to wind
them over into a deeper channel. The fea
was all covered with mighty tortoifes. A
flight of fea crows, like a cloud, pafl"ed
Vaft over them, darkning thefun, coming from
k'^hi °!i ^""^ alighting on Cuba. No lefs
butterflies numbers of pigeons, fea-gulls, and other
forts of birds followed after them. The
"/ next day fuch multitudes of butter flies
came to the fliips, that they hid the light
of the fun, and held till night, when the
great rains carried them away. The In-
dian informing that the iflands continued
all along that way, fo that the danger
and toil would encreafe, when at the fame
time provifions began to fail, the admiral
thought fit to return to Hifpaniola. To fur-
niSi himfelf with wood and water, he made
to an ifland about thirty leagues in com-
pafs, which he called the Evangelift, and
feemed to be about feven hundred leagues
from Dofninica^ and is fuppofed to be that
4
they now call IJla de Pinos, or the Ifland
of Pines, fo that there was not much want-
ing to difcover the farther point of Cuba,
being but about thirty fix leagues ; fo that
he failed upon this difcovery three hun-
dred thirty three leagues. Computing his
voyage by aftronomical rules, from Cadiz
to the weftermoit part of Cuba he found
he had failed 75 degrees in longitude, which
amount to five hours in the difference of
time.
On friday the 13''' of he turned
to the fouthward, and taking through a
channel he thought the beft, found it unpaf-
fible, which difcouraged the men, feeing
fo much danger, and confidering they want-
ed provifions ; but by the admiral s con-
trivance, and refolution, they got out the
fame way they came in, and returned to
the Evangelifi's, ifland. He departed thence
to the north-weft, to view certain iflands,
which appeared a little above five leagues
off, where they fell into a fea that was full
of green and white fpots, looking as if it Several
were all flioals, though there were two colours
fuhoms of water. At feven leagues dif-
tance they came into a very white fea, which
looked as if it had been condenfed. Seven
leagues farther they found another fea, as
black as ink which was five fathom deep,
and failed thro' it till they came upon Cuba^
the failors being much amazed to fee fuch
changes in the fea ; which is certainly con-
cluded to proceed from the bottom's being of
that colour, and not the water, as the Por-
tuguefes aflirm of the Red -Sea ; and fuch fpots
have been feen in the fouth and north feas.
Among the windward iflands there are other
white fpots, becaufe the bottom is white,
fo that it proceeds from the tranfparency.
He departed Cuba to the eaftward, the
wind fcant, through channels full of fhoals ;
and on the 30''^ of June the admiral's fhip
ftuck aground, which when it could not be
drawn off aftern with anchors and cables,
was forced away ahead, by the admiral's
ingenuity. He proceeded, holding no re-
gular courfe, but as the channels and fhoals
would permit, through a very white fea,
and had great fliowers of rain every even-
ing. He drew near to the land of Cuba
about
Chap. 25. America hy the Europeans.
The admi-
ral hears
mafs in
Cuba.
An old
Cacique's
fpecch to
him.
about the place where he came on firft to
the eaftward, where they fmelt moft fra-
grant odours, as of ftorax, proceeding
from the wood the Indians burnt. On the
7th of July, he went afhore, to hear mafs,
and whilft it was faying, an old Cacique
came to the place, who obferved every
thing the prieft did, how reverently the
Chridians behaved themfelves, the refpe61;
they paid to the admiral when xht pax was
given him, and fuppofing him to be the
fuperior of all the reft, he prefented him a
fort of that country fruit, in a calabafh,
or gourd, called in that country yhueras,
ferving inftead of porrengers, and fat down
by him on his hams, for fo they do, when
they have not their low chairs, and dif-
courfed him as follows,
" You are come into thefe coun-
" tries, which you never faw before,
" with a mighty power, and have ftruck
" a great terror. You muft underftand,
" that according to the notion we have
here, there are two places in the other
*' world, which fouls go to j the one dark
" and difmal prepared for thofe who do
" ill ; the other is pleafant and delight-
" full, where they are to be entertained
" who promote peace among mortals. If
" therefore you believe you are to die, and
" that every man fhall be there rewarded, Herrera
" according to what he has deferved here, V^'^W
*< you will do no harm to thofe who do
" you none. What you have done here
" is good, for I take it to be a form of
" returning thanks to God. He faid, he
" had been in Hifpaniola, Jamaicay and
" the farther part of Ciiba^ and that the
'* lord of that country was clad like a
" prieft.
All this the admiral underftood by means
of the interpreters, and was amazed at the
old Indian" % ingenious difcourfe, to which
he anfwered, " He was glad that himfelf
" and the natives of that country believed
" the immortality of the foul, that he was
" fent by his fovereigns their majefties of
" Spain to view thofe countries, and fee
" whether there were any men in them
" that did v/rong to others, as he under-
*' ftood the Canibals did, and to curb them,
'< and endeavour they fhould all live in
" peace." The old Indian ftied tears
hearing thefe laft words, declaring he
would go away to Spain with him, had he
not a wife and children ; and having re-
ceived fome toys from the admiral, knelt
down, exprefllng much admiration, often
afking. Whether it was heaven or earth
where thofe men were born.
' CHAP. XXV. ' ■
The Admiral returns to Hifpaniola, and finds his Brother Don Baitholomew
Columbus there.
^HE admiral leaving that place, where
the old Indian difcourfed him, the
winds and ftorms of rain feem'd all to
have confpired to fatigue him-, and among
the reft, fo great a fpout fell upon him, as
almoft laid his deck under water, fo that
it feem'd to be a fpecial providence that
The admi- they could ftrike their fails, and at the
ral dif- f^me time drop their flieet anchors. They
trelTed. jn fo much water above the deck,
that they could fcarce difcharge it with
the pumps; nor was it the leaft part of
their trouble, to be now reduced to no
other allowance but a pound of rotten
biflcet a man , and half a pint of wine,
there being no other provifions, unlefs they
took fome fifti. Widi thefe difficulties he
came, on the x8th of July, to cape Cruz,
or crofs, where he refted three days, be-
caufe the Indians entertained him very lov-
ingly, carrying him of their fruit and pro-
vifions. On tuefday the 22^, the winds
being contrary, he returned towards the
otled '^^""^ °^ Jamaica , which he called Santi-
Znti.go. ^1°' ran along its coaft to the weft-
ward, admiring its delicioufnefs, and the
ports he- found at almoft every league's
diftance: abundance of Indians following
Vol. V.
in canoes, who freely gave their provifions,
which the Spaniards thought better than
thofe of the other iflands ; but he never
miffed every evening of heavy rains, which
he faid were occafioned by the many woods.
He faw a very beautiful bay, with feven
fmall iflands, on the edge of the fea, one
of which was extraordinary high land, and
had abundance of towns. The admiral
thought it very large, but afterwards it
appeared to be Jamaica itfelf, being eighty
leagues in length, and fifty in breadth.
The weather growing calmer, he turned to
the eaftward, towards Hifpaniola, and the
utmoft land of it, being a cape that ftretch-
es out towards Jamaica, which he called
Cabo de Ferol, or cape Lighrhoufe ; and on
v/ednefday the 20th of Augufi faw the weft-
ermoft cape of the ifland Hifpaniola, which
he named St. Michael's,, and is now called
cape Tiburon, being twenty five or thirty
leagues from the eaftermoft point of Ja-
maica. On faturday the 23d, a Cacique
came to the fhips crying, almirante, almi-
rante, that is, admiral, admiral, whence
he inferred that muft be the point of Hi-
fpaniola, for till then he knew it not. At
the end of Augufi he anchored at a fmall
7 Y iflands
Ohjefv4tiom
\coveries of
Herp rra ifland, which looks like a fail, becaufe it
'-^'7^' is high, and called it Jilo Feio, being twelve
limP^" l^^g^fis from la Beata. The other two
fhips being out of fight, he caufed fome
men to go up to the top of the ifland to
difcover ihem, and the fcamen killed five
feals that lay afleep on the fands, knock'd
down many birds with ftaves, and took
fome with their hands, for that part
not being inhabited, they fled not from
them.
La Be.'.ta ^f^er fix days, the other (hips came
' up } they proceeded to the ifland la Beata,
y/hich is fmall, and thence coaft it along
Hifpaniola to a river, on which lies a cu-
rious plain, very populous, now called
de Catalina, that is Catherine'^, from a la-
dy in belonged to. The Indians came
aboard in canoes, faid iht Spaniards Ifa-
hela town had been there, and were all well.
Cohanhus fail'd on eaftward, and difco-
vered a great town, towards which he fent
the boats for water. The Indians came
out armed, and their arrows were poifoned,
threatning to bind the Spaniards with cords
they fhewed, and this was the province of
Higuey Higuey, whofe natives were the moft v/ar-
warhke Hifpaniola^ and ufed poifon'd
province ■' c i i t
mHifpa- arrows ; yet as loon as the boats came
niola. up, they laid down their arms, enquired
for the admiral, and carried proviiions.
Sailing ftill on to the eaftward, thfy faw a
large filh, like a fmall whale, with a Ihell
as large as that of a tortoife on the neck,
and that is as big as a target. The, head,
which it held above water, was like a cafl<,
or pipe, the tail like that of the tunny
fifh, very large, and two vaft fins on the
fides by this fi^h and other tokens in the
fky, the admiral guelTed the weather would
change, and therefore endeavoured to put
into a fmall ifland, which the Indians call
^nona Adamanoy, and the Spaniards Saona, be-
ifland. tween which and Hifpaniola is a ftreight
little above a league over, and the ifland
is about two leagues in length. There he
anchored, and the other two fhips not
being able to get in, run great danger.
That night the admiral obferved the eclipfe
of the moon, and declared the difference
between that place and Cadiz w^s five hours
and twenty three minutes •, he ftaycd there
eight days, and the other fhips having
joined him, they failed away on the 24}^
of Septejnher and arrived at Cabo de Erga-
rio, or Cape Deceit, in Hifpaniola , which
the admiral called of St. Raphael; then
Ed. torched at the ifland Mona, ten leagues
from Hifpaniola, and eight from St. John's,
kkli fix in compafs, where mofl: delicious
melons grow, as big as a two gallon vefleh
Departing Mona, near S. John de Puerto
Rico , he was feized by fo violent a le-
thargy, that he quite lofl; his fenfes, fo
that it was concluded he could not live;
for which reafon the feamen made the belt
of their way, and all the fliips arrived to-
gether at the port of Ifahela, on the 1^^^
of September, without any more aflTurance
of Cuba's, being an ifland, than what the
Indian had told them. Here the admi-
ral underftood that his brother Bon Bar-
tholomew Columbus was in the town, and
that the Indians of the ifland were in arms
againft the Chriftians.
The admiral was wonderfully pkafed BartboU-
with the arrival of his brother, of whom ^^^^
it may be acceptable to give an account, t^eld^''
before we proceed, fince he went to offer JalVb™'
this difcovery to the king of England, ther.
He was long on his way to that kingdom,
and fpent much time in learning the lan-
guage, the manner of foliciting at court,
and gaining admifilon to the miniftryj fo
that after Icven years fpent, he agreed and
articled with king Henry the 7'^ then reign-
ing, and returned towards Spain, to find
out his brother, who having heard nothing
of him in fo long a time, concluded him
dead. At Paris he was informed, he had
made the difcovery, and was already ad-
miral, which was told him by king Charles,
called the headfl:rong, who gave him 500
crowns towards his journey j and tho' he
made hafte, his brother was gone the fe-
eond time, with the feventeen fail before
mentioned, and received infl:ru6lions left
him by the admiral. He went to kifs their
majefties hands, and to vifit his nephews
Don James, and Don Ferdinand at Vallado-
lid, v/here the court then refided, and
they were pages to ^nncejohn. Their ca-
tholick majefties did him much honour,
and ordered him to go to the Indies with
three fhips, that carried provifions for the
admiral. He arrived there in April this
fame year, and found his brother was gone
to difcover Cuba. The admiral thought
his brother would be fome eafe and com-
fort to him, and gave him the title of
Adelantado, being as much as lord lieu-
tenant, which their catholick majefties were
offended at, declaring it was not in the ad-
miral's power to make him fo, it belonging
only to them to give that title j yet fome
years after they confirmed it. Don Bar-
tholomew was a difcreet man, and as fkil-
ful in fea affairs as his brother, fomewhaC
harfli in his temper, very brave and blunt,
which made fome men hate him ; he had
other commendable qualities becoming a
refolute and wife man. ' •,
CHAP.
;
Chap. 26.
America the Eufopeafts.
C H A P. XXVI.
The Indians p'oisu weary of the Spaniards, and Alonfo de Ojeda fectires the
Cacique Caonabo.
T O return to the affairs of Hifpanlola^
the admiral having left the council
to govern there, and Don Peter Margarite
to command the 400 men abovementioned,
to the intent aforefaid •, he marched away
with them to the Vega Real, or iRoyal
Plain, 10 leagues from the town of Ifa-
Diforders hela, and quartered them in the towns,
ofDffwF^- where they lived without any order, or
ter Mar- difcipline, undoing the Indians, for one of
^""^'^ them would eat more in a day, than a
native in a month. The council reprov-
ing Don Peter Margarite for not curbing
the diforderly foldiers, he began to cavil
with them, refufing to obey their com-
mands, either in this particular, or in march-
ing about the ifland, as the admiral had
dire£led him ; and now fearing to be pu-
tt ifhed for his ofl'ences, he refolved to im-
bark on the three fhips which brought Don
He and F. Bartholomew Columbus, and return to Spain,
form'falfly ^""^ ^^"^^ ^^"^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Others of
mSpdin. that party. Being come to court, they
gave an account that there was no gold in
the Weft-Indies, and that all the admiral
faid was a meer fraud and fidlion. The
foldiers being left without their comman-
der, difperfed themfelves about the coun-
try, livirtg like men under no government ;
vvhereupon a Cacique, whofe name was Gu-
atiguna, and who had a large town on the
ba^hks of the great river, killed ten Chri-
ftians there, and privately fent to fet fire
. to a houfe, where fome fick men lay ; and
fix more were killed' by the Indians, in fe-
veral parts of the ifland, throughout all
#hieh the fame of their mifbehaviour was
fpread : fo that all the Indians generally
hated- them, tho* they had not feen them,
arid efpecially the four principal kings, or
^\^xioTin ^^'■H'^'^^-' were Guarinoex, Caonabo,
lv«ff° " B'^'^^^^-^^'^^i 3-ud Higuanama, and all thofe
that fided' with, and were fubjecfl to them,
being an infinite number, were defirous
to drive the Spaniards out of the country.
Only Guacanagari king of Marien made
no commotion, but kept 100 Spaniards in
his country, giving them fuch as he had,
and entertaining them friendly.
Some days after the admiral's return,
Guacanagari went to vifit him, exprefled
much concern for his indifpofition and
troubles, faid, he had no hand in the death
of the Chriftians, but was their friend,
and therefore all the natives bore him ill
will, and particularly thofe Who were in
-■' ' arms in the plain and other parts then
calling to mind the Spamards left at firft'
in the town of the Nativity, he wept, be- ^e'^'^^r^
caufe he had not been able to preferve '^^'^^""''^'^
them alive till the admiral's return j and
he being refolved to take the field, to dif-
perfe thofe natives, and pacify the ifland, "
Guacanagari offered to attend him with his '
fubjefts-, but before Columbus went out in
perfon, he fent others to make war on
Guatiguana, who had flain the ten Chri- Guatigua-
ftians, that the punifhment might not be routed,
delay'd, or he grow the bolder. The Spa-
niards killed many of his men, took ma-
ny more, feveral of which were fent into
Spain, and the Cacique fled. Caonabo was
the mofl: potent prince in the ifland, perfo-
nally brave, and had three valiant brothers,
being king of the province called Magu-
ana, of whom the admiral made mofl: ac-
count, and thinking it moft convenient to
reduce him by art, becaufe it would be
difficult to do it by force; he refolved to
fend Alonfo de Ojeda a horfebaok, with on-
ly mnt Spaniards, under colour of carrying
him a prefent. The Indians valued lattin Value the
above gold, and were much taken with Indians
it, and other metals carried out of Spain, P""^ "P°"
as if they came from heaveh and when ^euf/"'^
the bell of the church in the town of Ifa-
hela rang, and the inhabitants repaired to
the faid church, they thought it fpoke,
the fame thereof had reached Caonabo,
who had often thoughts of begging it of
the Adelantado, or lord lieutenant, that he
might fee the Bifca'j Turey, for they called
lattin Turey, fignifying heaven, and they
put fuch a value upon it and other me-
tals, that they called it by the fame name
of Turey, and the Spaniards added of Bifcay, - .
whence it was called T'urey of Bifcay.
Ojeda being come into the province of
Maguana, which was about fixty or fe-
venty leagues from the town of Ifabela,
the Indians wondering to fee hirn a horfe-
back, as believing the horfe and man to
be all of a piece, told Caonabo, there were
Chriftians come, fent by the admiral, whom
they called Guamiquini, and brought a
prefent, of that they called 'Turey of Bif-
cay, which he much rejoiced at. Ojeda Caonabs
was admitted, kiffed his hands, the refl: treache-
doing the like, andfliewedhim the prefent, roufly ta-
which was fetters and hand bolts fo curi- jjf."
oufly poliflied that they looked like filver.
He told him, the kings of Spain ufed to
wear them, becaufe they came from hea-
ven, and put them on at the Jrcitos, or,
balls, and it would be proper for him to
go along with them to wafli himfelf in
the
636
Ohjervations and Discoveries of
Herrera the river Taqui, which was half a league
^^^^"^ diftant, and there he fliould put them on,
and return a horfeback, and appear before
his fubjedis like the king of Spain. He
went away one day along with Hojeda, at-
tended only by a few fervants, to the ri-
ver, little imagining that nine or ten men
fhould attempt any thing againft him,
where his power was fo great. There
he wafhed and cooled himfelf, and
being very eager to fit on the prefent, the
Succefsful Indians being ordered to ftand off, tho'
villany is j-j^^y always took care to keep far enough
" ^ Se-^' from the horfes, he was fet up behind Oje-
da, and the fetters and hand bolts put on
him, the Cacique taking great notice of
what they did. Ojeda took two turns about
with him to difguife his defign, and at
the third made off, with the Spaniards
about his horfe, till the Indians loft fight
tue.
una.
of them. Then they drew their fwords,
and thrcatned to kill him if he ftirred,
whilft they bound him faft with ropes to
Ojeda., and making the beft of their way,
came fafe to the town of Ifabela., and de-
livered him to the admiral ; who kept
him in his houfe fettered, and he never
paid any refped to the admiral when he
came in, but only to Alonfo de Ojeda ; and
being afked, why he did fo? anfwered,
that the admiral durft not go to his houfe
to feize him, as Ojeda had done. The
admiral refolved to fend him into Spain.,
and when he was aboard with other In-
dians., there arofe fuch a ftorm that the
fliip was caft away, and he with the reft
drowned. Columbus ordered there fliould
be two caravels built with fpeed, that he
might not be without fliipping.
CHAR XXVII.
Jheir Catholick Majefties Letters to the Admiral; he routs a great Army of
Indians, and impofes a Tribute on them.
Whit
their ma-
jefties
writtoCff- thanked
lumbus. jj^gj^
THE return of Antony de 'Torres into
Spain., with the twelve fliips, was high-
ly pleafing to their catholick majefties,
which they fignified to the admiral by his
brother Bartholomew Columbus., giving him
their thanks for his toils, promifing al-
ways to fupport him, expreffing much
concern for the affronts offer'd him, and
ordering him to fend away Bernal de Pi/a
in the next fliips, and to put into his place
fuch a one as he and F. Boyl fhould think
fit. And their majefties defiring to give
fatisfaftion to the admiral, and to promote
the affairs of the TVeft-Indies., ordered the
dean John Rodriguez de Fonfeca, to fit out
immediately four fliips, with fuch things
as the admiral defired, and appointed An-
tony de Torres to return with them, to
whom they gave letters for Columbus dated
at Segovia the 16^^ of Augujl, wherein they
him for the pains he took in
fervice, promifing to fliew him all
favour, fince he had performed all he un-
dertook, as puncftually as if he had known
what he was to difcover. That they had re-
ceived the relation he fent them, yet they
could wilh he would particularize how
many iflands he had difcovered, what names
they bore, and thofe he had given them,
the diftance there was between them, what
every one afforded, how the feafons of the
year anfwered in thofe parts, every month,
and that fome faid there were two fummers
and two winters j that he fliould fend them
all the faulcons he could take, and feveral
forts of birds; as they fent him all the
things he had defired by his inventories and
that in order to receive frequent news from
him, they thought fit a caravel fliould be
fent from Spain every month, and another
return from thence, the controverfy with
Portugal being adjufted ; and as for the
government of the people there, their
highneffes approved of what he had prac-
tifed till then, and diredled he fliould con-
tinue the fame method, giving them all
poffible fatisfaftion, without encourage-
ment to commit the leaft diforder. Thac
as to the town he had founded, they had
no objedion to make againft it, for had
they been there prefent themfelves, they
would have taken his advice, therefore
they referred all to him, and fent him a
copy of the articles concluded with Por-
tugal, that he might know and obferve
them ; and as for the line of partition that
was to be drawn, in regard it was a dif-
ficult matter, and of confiderable truft,
there highneffes defired, if it were poffible,
that the admiral fliould be prefent at, and
fix it, with thofe the king of Portugal was
to employ to that purpofe; and in cafe
he could not come himfelf, he fliould fend
his brother Don Bartholomew, or fome other •
able perfons with inftrudions and draughts,
and his opinion of what was to be done,
and this to be with all expedition, to be
there in time, and not difappoint the king
of Portugal.
The imprifonment of Caonabo much An. 1595.
alarmed his brothers, who refolved to make
the moft vigorous war they were able upon
the Chriftians ; and the admiral, obferving
that great numbers of men began to ren-
dezvous, and all the country had recourfeThe Indi-
to arms; took the field with 200 foot, 20'»«^rifem
4 horfe, »™*-
Chap. 28. America hy the Europeans.
37
horfe, and 20 maftiffs : the reft of the men
being fick, and the dogs making great ha-
vock among the naked Indians. He marched
out on the 24th of March \S3S-> taking
along with him his brother, the Adelantado^
or lord lieutenant Don Bartholomew^ and
king GuacanagarU with his forces. They
entered upon the Vega Real, or Royal Plain,
and difcovered the enemies army, in which
king Manicatex had numerous forces, and
iooc5ooofthe whole feemed to amount to 100000
them n;ien. The admiral's brother gave the firft
routed, charge, and men, horfes, and dogs a(5led
fo vigoroufly, that they were foon routed,
great numbers flain, and the prifoners be-
ing no fmall number condemned to ferve
as flaves many whereof were fent into
Spain.) in the four fhips commanded by
Antony de 'Torres. The admiral ranged
about the ifland nine or ten months, fc-
verely punifhing thofe he found guilty,
and meeting with fome oppofition from
Caonaho's brothers, who made their utmoft
efforts, till finding themfelves too weak,
both they and Guarinoex, who were the
prime kings in the ifland, thought fit to
fubmit to the admiral.
He perceiving that all the towns were now
brought under their obedience to catholick
Firft tri- majefties, ordered they fhould pay tribute,
butc paid ^fj-gj. j-j^jg manner ; that all the inhabitants
mans, of O^ ^^y^^
and others near the mines, from, fourteen
years of age upwards, fhould pay a little
hawkfbel full of gold every three months ;
all other perfons a quarter of an hundred
weight of cotton each, and only king Ma-
nicatex gave monthly half a gourd, or ca-
labafli full of gold, which was worth 150
pieces of eight. A new fort of copper, Herrera
or brafs medals was coined every time the
tribute was paid, for every tributary In-
dian to wear one about his neck, that fo
they might know who had paid. At this
fame time Guarinoex, king of the Royal
Plain, offered the admiral to fow corn
fields for him from the town of Ifabela
to Santo Domingo, that is, from fea to fea,
being full 55 leagues, which would fuffice
to maintain all the people in Ca/lile, pro-
vided he would demand no gold of him,
becaufe his fubjedts knew not how to ga-
ther it ; but the admiral being a fingle
ftranger, and as fuch not acceptable to
their catholick majefties minifters, and
wifely concluding that he muft be fupport-
ed by the treafure he fent over, preffed
for gold: he was of himfelf a good
Chriftian, and feared God, and therefore
moderated the tribute, perceiving it could
not be paid, which made fome abandon
their houfes, and others range about from
one province to another. Thefe hard fhips,
and the want of hopes that ever the Chri-
ftians would leave the country, becaufe
there were no fliips in the harbour, and
they built ftonc and mud houfes afliore,
afflided the Indians, who afked, whether
they ever intended to return home ; and
having found by experience, that the Spa-
niards were much greater eaters than them-
felves, and thinking they only went thither
to eat, and perceiving many of them were
fick, and wanted provifions from Spain,
feveral towns refolved to find fome means
to put a ftop to thefe growing evils, con-
triving they Ihould all either perifli, or re-
turn into Spain.
CHAP, xxviir.
Their Catholick Majefties hearing fome Mtjinformations againft Columbus, fend
John Aguado to enquire into the 'Truth ; he behaves himfelf infolentlji and the
Admiral refolving to return into Spain, ere^s feveral new Forts.
'Tp H E beft expedient the Indians could
The Indi- X think of, to be rid of the Spaniards,
4ns de- was not to fow, that there might be no
harveft, they themfelves withdrawing into
^r^Lr/r^ the mountains, where tiiere is plenty of
' good roots to eat, that grow without plant-
ing, and vaft numbers of Utias, like rab-
bits, with which they might fhift. This
contrivance availed them little, for tho'
the Spaniards fuffered to extremity, through
hunger, and ranging after the Indians, yet
they went not away, but many died, hun-
ger obliging them to eat filthy and loath-
fome things ; fo that all the calamity fell
upon the Indians themfelves, through the
infcrutable judgments of God ; for they
wandering about with their wives and chil-
dren, pinched by hunger, without being
VOL.V.
allowed to hunt, fifh, or feek provifions,
lying hid in the damp grounds along and de-
the rivers, and on the m.ountains, a vio- ftroy
lent diftemper came among them, which, 'Y'""
together with the wars, by the year 1496
carried off the third part of the people
in the ifland.
F. Boyl, and Don Peter Margarite before
mentioned, as they agreed to go away to-
gether, without leave, fo they joined in I'>fo™ati-
fpeaking ill of the Indies, and difcrediting ^^mU
that enterprize ; becaufe they did not find raU
gold laid up in chefts to lay hold on, or
growing on the trees. They alfo gave an
account that the admiral did not behave
himfelf well, as not having been full four
months in the ifland Hifpaniola, after his
fecond voyage, till he returned from his
7 Z difcovery
Ohfervations and Difcoveries of X :
Herrera difcovery of Cuba i and there being other
^^^/"^ letters againft him, from thofe who went
in the four fhips under Antony de Torres^
for there never is want of malecontents
almoft at the farne time that the admiral
was taking the field againft the Indians
of the Royal Vale, their majefties difpatch-
ed John Agiiado^ a native of Sevil, their
page of the bedchamber, to go enquire
into what was doing in the ifland Hifpani-
cla, and under his command four fliips
with provifions, and other neceflaries for
the fupport of the people there.
JohnAga- John Aguado carried with him credentials,
ado fent containing thefe words. Gentlemen^ 'jeomen,
^^noikz^ Other perfom refiding in the Indies l"^
affairs of ^^'^ Command^ vje fend "jou our page of the
Eifpaniola bedchamber John Aguado, who will dif-
courfe you in our najne, we do command you
to give full credit to him, Madrid, April
the 9^^. pje arrived at the town of Ifa-
hela about O^ober, when the admiral was
in the province of Maguana, carrying on
the war againft Caonabo^s brothers i and
there he let fall words, and behaved him-
felf fo as to fignify his power and au-
thority was great, medling in the govern-
ment, imprifoning fome perfons, and re-
proving the admiral's officers, without any
refpedl to Don Bartholomew Columbus^ who
was left during his abfence to govern at
Ifabela. John Aguado refolved to go after
the admiral, taking horfe and foot along
with him, and they by the way gave
out, that another admiral was come,
who would kill the old one i and the na-
tives being diffatisfied, becaufe of the war
and the gold tribute, they were much
pleafed with the news, and fome of the
Caciques met privately in the houfe of a
king called Manicaotex, whofe lands were
near the river Taqui^ where they agreed to
complain againft the admiral, and demand
redrefs of the new commander. The ad-
miral being informed, that John Aguado
was coming to him, thought fit to return
to the town of Ifabela,, where, in the pre-
■~ fence of all the people, he received their
highnefles letters with found of trumpets,
Jlis '11 b ^"^^ other folemnities. John Aguado did
ha'viour ^' ^^'^ immediately to fhew his indifcre-
tion, intermeddling with many things,
without refpedt to the admiral, which gave
an ill example to others, and made them
not regard him, tho' the admiral honoured
and entertained him generoufiy, and bore
with him very modcftly. John Aguado
faid he had not received their majefties let-
ters with the due refped, and required
affidavit to be made of it fome months
after, requiring the notaries to come to
his houfe to make if, but they infifted
that he fliould fend them in his vouchers,
which he faid, he could not truft in their
2
hands, and at laft the affidavit was made
very favourable for the admiral,
John Aguado*^ example being fo preju-
dicial to the admiral, by reafon of the
threats he haughtily let fall, and the peo-
ple being diffatified, on account of their
fufferings and ficknefs ; for they had no-
thing then to eat, but the allowance given
them out of the king's ftores, which was a
porringer of wheat, everyone was to grind
in a hand-mill, and many eat it boiled,
and a raftier of rufty bacon, or rotten
cheefe, and a few beans, or peafe, with-
out any wine and they being all in the
king's pay, the admiral commanded them
to work at the fort, his own houfe, and
other ftrudures ; thefe things made them
like men in defpair complain to John Agua-
do,, and thefe were the fick men, for thofe
who were in health rambling about the
ifland fared better. Thefe complaints John
Aguado thought were fufficient for him to
lay before their majefties. At this time
the four fhips which carried him over were j^a"' '^'P*
caft away in the port, by thofe ftorms the harboui-.'"'
Indians call hurrancans., lb that he had no
vefTel to return in, but the admiral's two
caravels ; who obferving his difrefpeftful
behaviour, and that he bore him no good
will, befides that he was lavifh and faucy
in his expreffions, and being alfo informed
of what F. Boyl and Don Peter Margarite
had reported at court, where he had no
other fupport but his own virtue, he re-
folved to appear in perfon before their
majefties, to clear himfelf of fo many ca-
lumnies, and at the fame time acquaint
them of what he had found in his difco-
very of Cuba, and what he thought fit to
be done in relation to the partition of
the ocean, between the two crowns of
Spain and Portugal. That all might be
left behind the more fecure, he thought
fit firft to leave other forts he had begun
to eredl, befides that of St. 'Thomas, in a
good pofture, for the defence of the coun-
try, and were thofe of St. Mary Magdalen,
called the lower Macorix, in the Royal
Plain, and lands of the Cacique Guanazo-
nel, three or four leagues from the place ^^^^^ ^ ,
where the town of Santiago now ftands, refled in
the command whereof was given to Lewis HifpanioU
de Artiaga, another called St. Catherine was
committed to Ferdinand Navarro, native
cf Logronno ; another on the banks of the
river Taqui, towards Cibao, named Efpe-
ronza, or Hope; a fourth in Guarinoex's
kingdom in the Royal Plain, called the
Conception, commanded by John de Aya-
la, and after him by Michael Ballejter.
The Caciques finding themfelves much bur-
dened with the taxes, declared to the ad-
miral, that there were good gold mines to
the fouthward, advifing him to fend his
Chriftians
Chap. 29.
America the Europeans.
639
Chriftians to feek them, and the admiral
being concerned to find much of it, to
fupport his reputation, and this happening
opportunely, when he was about return-
ing to Spain, he fent Francis de Garay,
and Michael Diaz, with Tome men, and
the guides provided by the Indians. They
went from the town of Ifabela to the Mag-
dalen fort, and thence to the Conception, all
the way over the Royal Plain, then through
a pafs on the mountains, two leagues in
length, had a view of another Plain, whofe
lord's name was Bonao, went on fome
leagues along the ridges of Botiao's ImIIs,
came to a great river called Haya, a ve- Herrera
ry fertile place, where they were told there ^-"v-^
was much gold, and in all the brooks,
which they found true •, for digging in fe-
veral places it proved fo well, that one
labourer could take up above three pieces
of eight every day. Thefe mines they New rich
called St. Chriftopher''s, from a fort the ad- n^'^^--
miral left orders to build ; but they were
afterwards called the old mines. At this
time fome inhabitants of Sevil were at the
court of Spain afliing leave to make new
difcoveries.
CHAP. XXIX.
I have been very particular in thefe two
voyages of Columbus, and what was
previous to them for the greater fatisfadi-
on of the reader, and to (hew by what
ileps the difcovery of America, and of thofe
Caribhee iflands firft came on, and was
afterwards improved. It would fvvell this
volume too much to proceed in that man-
ner, therefore that we may not break off
abruptly the reft of that great man's ac-
tions fhall be briefly run over, that we may
return to our proper fubject, the above-
mentioned iflands, and draw to a conclu-
fion of this work.
Columbus, as has been faid before, hav-
ing left all things in the beft pofture he
could, returned to Spain, very fick, and
loaded with accufations ; but their majefties
confidering his mighty fervices and extra-
ordinary fufferings clear'd him in fpight
of all his adverlaries, only advifing him
to be kind to the Spaniards ; and having
heard his relation of all the new difcove-
ries, and the immenfe wealth of thofe coun-
tries, for proof whereof he brought a quan-
tity of gold, fent him back honourably
to Sevil, where eight fhips were provided
for his third voyage, two of which he
fent before to his brother Bartholomew Co-
lumbus, who had then begun to build the
city of Santo Domingo, capital of Hifpa-
mola, on the fouth fide of the ifland and
at the mouth of the river Qzama. The
admiral himfelf failed with the other fix
from San Lucar de Barrameda on the 19''*
of May, 1497 Handing to the fouth
weft till he came under the line, had fuch
dead calms and violent heat that the men
thought they ftiould all have perilhed ; but
the winds coming up he proceeded and
on the firft of Auguft difcovered the ifland
by him ca.]\ed la Trinidad, or the Trinity,
near that part of the continent now called
New Andaluzia, then ran along that coaft
trading with the natives for gold and pearls,
giving names to all places of note, till
thinking his prefence neceflary at Hifpant-
ola, he failed back the fame way to the
ifland of the Trinity, found that he cal-
led Margarita, and arrived at the new
town Santo Domingo, in Hifpaniola.
Several private adventurers fitted out fhips
in Spain, after this 3d voyage of Colu?nbus,
as particularly Alo?}fo de Ojeda, in 1499,
and with them went Americus Vefpufius, who
as has been faid gave his name to America;
but their difcoveries do not belong to this
place. To return to Columbus, at his re-
turn, the Indians all in arms, were fe-
veral times defeated by the Spaniards, and
particularly under the condud of Bartho-
lomew Columbus, who took fifteen Caciqiies
and their general Guarinoex, all whom he
releafed upon their promife that they would
be fubject to the king of Spain. Next
fome Spaniards mutinied and feparated
themfelves from the reft, which proved
more pernicious than all the natives were
able to do. The difcontented party fenc
complaints to the king of Spain againft
Colu?nbus and his brother his majefty fenc
over Francis de Bovadilla, knight of the
order Calatrava, who upon very flight
informations put the admiral and his bro-
ther aboard two vefTels, in irons, to be fo
carried over into Spain. As foon as ar-
rived in Spain, their majefties ordered them
to be fet at liberty and to repair to them
to Granada, where tho' they cleared them-
felves, the government of the PFeJl-Indies
was taken from them, and they fed with
fair promifes. Bovadilla was afterwards
caft away returning to Spain.
On the 9th of May admiral Columbus
failed again from Spain, upon difcovery
with four caravels fitted out by the king
and 170 men in them, and on the 29th of
June arrived before Santo Domingo, in the
ifland Hifpaniola, where the then governor
Nicholas deOvando would not permit him
to enter into the harbour ; whereupon on
the 4th of July he failed to the weftward,
and
64.0 Ohjervattons and
HERRERAand after ftruggling fome time with the
currents, in calms, had 60 days of violent
ftorms, and then difcovered the ifland Gua-
fjaja, northward of cape Honduras^ in 19
degrees of north latitude. He fent his
brother afliore, who met with a canoe, as
long as a Spanijh galley and 8 foot wide,
covered with mats, and in it men, women
and children, with abundance of commo-
dities to barter as long cotton cloths of
feveral colours, fhort cotton fhirts, or jer-
kins, without fleeves, curioufly wrought \
clouts of the fame to cover their pri-
vities, wooden fwords edged with flint,
copper hatchets, horfe bells of the fame
metal, broad flat plates of it, crucibles to
melc copper, cacao nuts, bread made of
Indian wheat, and drink of the fame.
Columbus exchanged fome commodities
and difmifled them, and having enquired
for gold, and they pointing to the eaft-
ward, made him alter his courfe and fteer
that way. The firfc land he came to was
Cafinas, in the province of Honduras^ where
his brother landed and took poflTelTion, the
natives coming down peaceably, wearing
fhort cotton jackets and clouts of the fame
before their privy parts and bringing plenty
of provifions. Sailing thence feveral days
eafliward againfl: the wind, he came to a
great point, and perceiving the Ihore there
run to the fouthward, he called it Caho
de Gracios a Dios^ or Cape Thanks to God,
becaufe the eaflerly winds would carry him
Dijcoveries^ 6cc. . > s k ■
down the coafl:, along which he ran trad-
ing with the Indians, and touched at Porto
Bslo, Nombre de Dies, Belen^ and Veragua,
where he heard of gold mines, and lent
his brother up the country, who returned
to him with a confiderable quantity of iCj
exchanged for inconfiderable toys.
On this encouragement he would have
left his brother there, with 80 Spaniards
and began to build houfes, but the Indians
oppofing and his own men growing mu-
tinous, he took them aboard again and
failed for Hifpaniola. His caravels being
fhattered with ftorms and all worm eaten,
could not reach that ifland, and he was
obliged to run them afhore at Jamaica ;
fhoring them up with piles, and building
huts on the decks for his men, all below
being full of water. There he lay near a
year, fufi^ering many hardfliips, till having
ient over to Hifpaniola in a canoe, he was
at laft tranfported to that ifland, and thence
into Spain. This was his lafl: voyage, after
which he fpent the fmall remainder of his
life at Valladolid and died on the 8'^ of
Ma^jy 1506, aged 64 years. His corps
was carried to SeviU as he had ordered in
his will, and there honourably interred, in
the church of the Carthufians called de las
CuevaSy with a epitaph fuitable to his
great a<5lions. Thus much of Columbus
and the firfl: difcovery of America^ or the
IVefi'IndieSy of which the Caribbee iflandSj
we are next to fpeak of, are a part.
A brief
A brief Defcription and hiftorical Ac-
count of the Caribbee Iflands in North
America, and their prefent State.
T may perhaps feem fuperfluous to
fome perfons, that I here add this
account of the Caribbee iflands, in re-
gard there has been much writ of them
already, both in French and EngUJh-y but
I muft defire any fuch firfl to read, be-
fore they pafs their cenfure, for in compar-
ing this with other relations they will find
here are many things which other writers
have not taken notice of, and which are
of ufe and inflruftion. I fhall not go
about to prepoffefs the reader any farther,
but leave him to the liberty of his own
judgment.
By whom The Caribbee iflands, by the French cal-
inhabited. led Antilles, lye in a bow, from the coafl: of
Paria to St. John de Puerto Rico, and are
at prefent inhabited by four feveral nations.
The firfl: being the original natives, who
are Canibals or man eaters, from whom the
iflands have their general name ; the others
are French, Englijh, Danes and Dutch, who
have fettled on them fince the year 1625.
as fliall be obferv'd hereafter, and fince then
are grown very numerous. The French are
poflTefs'd of eight of them, viz. Defeada,
Granada, Martinicc, Guadalupe, Santa Lu-
(ia, Marigalante, St. Bartholomew and San-
ta Cruz, befides part of St. Martin vmh the
Dutch, as they had alio part of St. Chrijlo-
pher with the Englijh, which is now yield-
ed up by the treaty of Utrecht. The Eng-
lijh are mafters of Barbada, Monferratte^
Redonda, Nieves, Antigua, Barbouda, An-
guila, and now all St. Chriftopher, as by the
treaty abovemention'd. The Dutch have
Saba, St. Euftachius, and part of St. Mar-
tin with the French, and had formerly Ta-
bago, which they have abandon'd by rea-
fon of the wars. The Danes are fettled on
St. Thomas, next the eaft fide of St. John
de Puerto Rico. The Caribbes, or Canibals
remain poflefs'd of the reft.
Produfl. The air in thefe iflands is fomewhat hot-
ter than in the great ones of Hifpaniola, Cu-
ba, &c. The foil is not altogether fo fruit-
ful, tho' it produces plenty of Indian wheat,
yuca, fugar, tobacco, indigo, cacao, man-
dioca, potatoes, ananas, accajou, lemons,
citrons, oranges both four and of a fort ht-
tween Sevil and China, of a very fragrant
fcent. Sugar, tobacco and indigo are fo
plentiful in fome of thefe iflands, that they
are commonly ufed by way of barter for
other neceflTaries, inftead of money.
The inhabitants eat a fort of very large Herrera
lizards, whofe flefli is delicious, as alfo tor- ^-'''VX^
toifes of a prodigious bulk.
They know nothing of ice, fnow or hail,
but there are frequent hurricanes and earth-
quakes, but for which they would be very
delightful places, by reafon of the perpetual
verdure, and are healthy enough when peo-
ple are once feafon'd to the climate j efpe-
cially in Barbadoes, MartinicOf Guadalupe
and St. Chrijlopher, the heats are not reck-
on'd to be much greater than in the fouthern
parts of France.
There are no enclofed towns in thefe Struftures
iflands, except Bridge-Town in Barbadoes,
and Cul de Sac Royal in Martinico ; but there
are fome villages, or boroughs. However
the planters generally build their houfes a-
bout the country of timber, and cover them
with palmito leaves, or barks of trees.
The houfes of fome governors are built of
fl:one or brick, like cafl:les5 a/id of late
fome fadlors and planters build after the
fame manner.
There are feveral forts, redoubts and Forts,
batteries on the coafts, generally fenc'd
round with double palifadoes.
In moft: of the French iflands they ufe water Mills,
or horfe-mills for their fugar j but in Bar-
badoes the Englijh generally have wind-mills.
The Indians, whom the Europeans there
call favages, live in large huts, whereof
there are twenty or thirty together in fome h'ges.
places, and thefe villages they call Carbets.
Thefe natives are bloody and inhuman man
eaters, and as fuch were dreaded by the in-
habitants of the great iflands of Cuba, Hif-
paniola and Jamaica, who were harmlefs
people, and on whom they prey'd, com-
ing over in their piraguas or great canoes
and carrying off many of them to devour.
The Spaniards having fuch a valt extent of
land to fubdue, as is from the north of
Mexico to the fouth of Chili, never had
leifure to think of thefe inconfiderable
iflands, at which they only touch'd fome-
times for frefli water, and fet afliore on them
fome fwine, which in procefs of time mul-
tiply'd prodigioufly. Befides, thefe Indians
being, as has been faid, Canibals or man
caters, all fuch as they could take of them
they fold as flaves.
About the latter end of the fixteenth
and the beginning of the fevenreenth cen^
tury, the Engli/h and French begun to fiiew
8 A them.
64.2
A hrief Defer ipt ion of
Herrera themfelves in thofe feas, which encourag'd
^''V^v ibme of their countrymen to think of mak-
ing fettlements there. Some Englifh and
¥\r?iFrench -^y Pvrates firft of all took up their
in the Ca- uvvcllings in the illand Martinuo^ which
any authority, or form of
In the year
the
ritbes.
was
^ in
without
adventurers,
the year 1625.
one a Frenchman
two
call-
ed d'Enamhuc^ of the family of Vaiide-
roques^ in Normandy., the other Mr. W'ar-
ner, an Englijhman., arriv'd on the fame
defign.
EngUjh
Nieves.
At
FIrJl
French
Colonies.
Wars with
the Cani-
b,ils.
on
day, upon the fame defign, and without
knowing of each other, at the ifland of
St. Chrijlopher., and both fettled there.
UEnamhuc had been before this at Marti-
nico^ where thofe outlaws abovemention'd
had promised, if he would return to them
with neceflaries for a colony from France,
they would join and fubmit to him, as
their commander. He propos'd his de-
fign to the cardinal de Richelieu., reprefent-
ing fo many advantages from his proje6l,
that in 1626. many perfons of worth form-
ed a company of the ifles of America., un-
der the king of France^ authority.
In 1627. the Englijh poffefs'd themfelves
of the ifland the Spaniards call Nieves^ and
the others corruptly Nevis. In 1632. when
they had a little recovered themfelves from
the blow given them by Don Frederick de
Toledo., with the Spanijh fleet, they fent co-
lonies into Monferratte., Antigua and Bar-
bauda, and from St, Chrijlopher to that of
Barbada, now corruptly Barhadoes, which
is fince grown one of the mofl: flourilhing
colonies in the world for its extent.
The French encourag'd by this exam-
ple, tho' but weakly aflifled by the com-
pany abovemention'd to have been form'd
in France, in 1626. for carrying of colo-
nies into America, refolve to enlarge their
poflTeflions in America. With this intent
the fieurs rOlive and du Pleffis failed from
Normandy, carrying a good number of men,
and peopled Guadalupe, afterwards fliretch-
ing out to the little iflands of Saintes, and
that of Marigalante.
Du Parquet, who was in St. Chrijlopher
and had intended to make himfelf mafl:er
of Guadalupe, being thus prevented, re-
folv'd to people Martinico, which he per-
form'd with fo much prudence and con-
du(5b, and govern'd his people with fuch
prudence and equity, that it became the
molt fiourifhing of all the French colonies
in the Caribbee iflands, and reduc'd thofe
of Granada and Santa Lucia.
The French and Englijh could not fettle
in thefe iflands without much oppofltion
from the Indians, and wars which laflied
feveral years; till the few Indians that fur-
vlv'd were oblig'd to withdraw themfelves
into Dominica, St. Vincent, Bequia, and o-
ther iflands, excepting fome few who vo-
luntarily were content to remain in Mar-
tinico and Granada : Thofe who retir'd
and their pofl;erity watching all opportu-
nities to annoy the EngUJJj, of whom they
have flaughter'd and eaten great numbers.
In the year 1635. Vanree, a Dutchman, Duubzo-
and company fettled a colony in the ifland loaics.
of St. Eujlachius and part of that of St.
Martin j and La7npfen of Middleburg, ano-
thef in that of Tahago^ by the Dutch call'd
Walcheren.
The hailly of Pointy, a French knight of More
Malta, fome years after, laid the founda- Fnncb:
tion of a French colony in the ifland of St.
Bartholomezv, and the other part of that of
St. Martin which the Dutch had not, divid-
ing it betwixt them ; and in 1650. began
to fettle that of Santa Cruz, which has
been hitherto maintain'd with much diffi-
culty but now gives hopes of anfwering
all expeftation, fince the French Wejl-In-
dia company has been careful to fupply it
plentifully with all neceflliries, fo that it
yields confiderable returns of its produdt.
After the French had ravaged the Eng-
lijh fettlements at St. Chrijlopher in 1666=
the Englijh that remained fettled themfelveS'
in the ifland Anguila.
The Danes have alfo fettled a colony of D^m:.
their nation in the little ifland of St. Tho-
mas, one of thofe call'd the Virgins near St.
John de Puerto Rico ; but this beingfucha
fmall fpot of ground, can fcarce afford its
inhabitants a comfortable maintenance, be-
fides that they are but forrily fupply 'd from
Denmark, and therefore not likely to be-
come very confiderable. However, as it
lies fo near the Spanijh iflands, the Danes
have had there a good underhand trade
with that and other European nations, efpe-
cially fince the late eledlor of Brandenburg
was allow'd a fliorehoufe there in the fort,
for the ufe of African company, which
has fent thither a confiderable number of
flaves yearly, from Guinea, and feverai
forts of goods from Europe, M. Barbot de
la Porte, a relation of mine, being then
chief agent there for the Brandenburg Afri^
can company.
The ebbing and flowing of the fea is ve- Ebb and
ry inconfiderable about thefe iflands, but F'oo'^-
greater at thofe which are nearefb the con-
tinent, and confequently more vifible at ' •
Granada than at Martinico, and more at
this laft than at St. Chrijlopher; for at this
the difference between high and low water
is not above a foot, whereas it is two foot
at Martinico.
It is tobeobferved, that in all tht French Remarks,
iflands the leeward fide is call'd bajfeterre,
and the windward fide cabejlerre. The
hills in general are named inornes, with
each its particular difliinftive name. The
little rivers they call ravines. Another re-
^ mark
the Caribbee Ijlandsl
mark is, that wherefoever there are fuch
mornes or hills to the leevs^ard, there
fometimes come from them on a fud-
den fuch fierce gufts of wind, that it be-
hoves all failors who pafs by any thing
near, to keep a watchful eye upon their
fails, for they may very well overfet a fhip,
and immediately follows a dead calm. This
the French call pezant or raphal.
Having given this Ihort account of the
firft eftablifliments of ihc Europeans in the
Caribbee iflands, I fliall now proceed to o-
ther particulars which are ufeful to fuch as
refort to that part of the world, being
their true pofition and extent, and the
diftance between them, beginning with
thofe which lie neareft to the continent, and
proceeding regularly along to the moft
diftant ; adding a geographical and hifto-
rical account of the wars and other tranf-
a<5lions of moment which have happened
there fmce they have been poffefs'd by Eu-
ropeans.
It AB AG A, iy the Dutch cali'd W a l-
c H E R E N, and by the French T a-
BAC.
In the year 1678. this ifland was taken
from the Butch by marfhal d^Eftrees^ after
two of the fharpeft ingagements that have
been known and is now abandon'd, and
only reforted to by birds. It is about twen-
ty eight leagues in compafs, the land on
the eaft fide low, and lies in 1 1 degrees 15
minutes north latitude to windward of all
the other illands, that is the moft eafterly
of them.
1'abago is encompafled with rocks and
flioals, which render the accefs to it very
difficult, and has no havens for fliips of a-
bove a hundred tons. The Country is ve-
ry marfliy, and therefore the air unwhol-
fome, and there is but little frefh water in it.
The incurfions of the Indians, as well from
the ifland of St. Vincent, as from the con-
tinent always, made it a place of little fafety,
and may hinder its being poflefs'd by Eu-
ropeans hereafter. The Zealanders, after the
peace of Breda, were at a great expence to re-
pair all the habitations the Engli/h had de-
ftroy'd, when they took the ifland from
them, and the French of the ifland of Grana-
da a year after drove out the Englijh ; but
not being able to keep their ground, they a-
bandon'd it, carrying away the beft move-
ables and fome cannon, having burnt the
little fort and houfes. However they ftill
claim the property of the ifland, as yielded
up to France by the treniy of Nimeguen',
but the Englijh pretend to the fame right.
The foil is very proper for tobacco, In-
dian wheat, indigo, feveral forts of grain
and Atnerican fruits.
Granada HERniRA-
Is forty leagues diftant from the conti-
nent, and lies in 1 1 degrees 50 minutes of
north latitude and about thirty leagues to,
leeward of Tabago-, being about twenty five
or twenty eight leagues in compafs ; a very
hilly country, every where watered with
brooks and rivulets. The hills are not very
high, pretty eafy of afcent, and generally
fruitful in moft parts. It has a very good
harbour againft all forts of weather^ and con-
tains twenty ftout men of war, having every
where five fathom water j befides another
advantage it enjoys, which is that this ifland
is quite free from hurricanes, which rage
fo violently in the other Caribbee iflands.
The French colony there begins to increafe,
and is like to turn to good account.
Formerly the French at Granada drove
a trade with the Indians on the oppofite
continent, by means of fome of the natives
of Dominica, whom they kept feveral years
in that fervice and who brought them from
the faid continent fome cochineal, bal-
fam of Tolou, capachu oil, parrots, and o-
ther rarities of the country. It has been
obferved, that the Caribbees of Dominica
and thofe of St. Vincent and Santa Lucia
fcarce underftand one another's language,
nor much of thofe other Canibals on the
continent over againft them, whence it is
fuppofed that they have little communica-
tion among themfelves.
. . . r fi
Granadilla
Lies north by eaft of Granada, with fe-
veral fmall iflands about it j betwixt which
there is fcarce any paflage, but for floops
and barks, and even thofe muft be well
acquainted with the channels. Their near-
nefs and the rocks and flioals about them
break the force of the current, which there
fets with the wind, and it is advifeable in
failing by them to keep to the windward,
■ ' t
■ . B E K I A ■ ■ ^
Lies betwixt Granadilla on the fouth and
St. Vincent on the north, having a defart
anonymous ifland on the north-eaft of it,
much of the fame bignefs and beyond that
again the Ifle of Birds, not half fo big,
but fo call'd from the vaft multitude of lea
birds reforting to it. The compafs ofBe-
kia is about twelve leagues, having a very
good harbour, but little frefli water, and is
inhabited by a few Caribbees.
- ■ ^ . St. V I N c E N .■■■■V-'-^:i
is fnoft of it one high round mountain
ten or twelve leagues in compafs, lying on
the
644
A hrief Dejcription of
Herrera the fame parallel with Granadilla, in 13
^^y^\r\J degrees 20 minutes north latitude, diftsnt
thirty two leagues from Granada. On the
lee fide of it is a very fine port, which
the Engli/h fome years fince would have
made themfelves mafters of ; but the In-
dians , who are wholly poflelTed of the
ifland, prevented their making a defcent,
with fliowers of poifoned arrows, and the
afTiftance of the Blacks, who then reveng-
ed themfelves for all the ill ufage they had
received from the Englijh.
Thofe Blacks being about twelve or
fifteen hundred, living on the coaft of St.
Vincent are fled thither from the neighbour-
ing iflands, and efpecially from Barbadoes,
whence they made tlieir efcape with a
fair wind in their mafters canoes. The
other fide is peopled by two or three thou-
fand Indians, who trade with thofe about
the river Oronoqucy on the continent, go-
ing over in their piraguas or large canoes,
as they do to any other iflands in the gulf
of Mexico ; and what is ftrangeft, they
feldom mifcarry by foul weather, but are
commonly aware of hurricanes a confide-
rable time before they come. Thefe two
forts of inhabitants being fo numerous,
take care to till their lands, that they may
afibrd them fufficient provifions, which
makes it look like a very fine country in
failing by, at about half a league diftance.
It abounds in fruit, fowl, goats and fwine.
Barbadoes,
So commonly called by the Englijh^ but
more properly Barhada, being the name
given it by the Spaniards f who were the
firft difcoverers lyes in 13 degrees 20 mi-
nutes north latitude, and is between twen-
ty and thirty leagues in compafs, twenty
five leagues difl:an£ caftward from Santa
Lucia-, and fomewhat more from Marti-
nico. The Englijh have been poffeflied of
it fince the year 1627, and fo well im-
proved the foil, that it is become the mofl:
wealthy colony they have in America, be-
ing extraordinary populous, and having a
very great trade, not only to Great Bri-
tain, but to ISIorth America. It is faid to
contain 10000 Whites able to bear arms,
befide 40000 Blacks employed about the
plantations of fugar, cotton, indigo, gin-
ger and other fruits, which make the wealth
of the inhabitants, many of whom are very
rich, and live very decently. There are
abundance of fine houfes built with brick
and ftone, well furniflied, and a confider-
able number of well furniflied fhops, ef-
^"■'J^f pccially in Bridge Town, otherwife called
St. Michael's, which is the capital, the re-
fidence of the governor, the magiftracyj
the garifon, and feveral eminent merchants
4
and fa.flors. The great refort from all
parts of England 3.nd North Afnerica makes
it abound v/ith all necelTaries and conve-
niences for life. The town is reckoned to
contain about 1500 houfes, and is built in
the form of a crefcent, or half-moon, with
good fortifications at both ends to defend
the road, where a confiderable number of
fhips rides all the year about.
There are three other towns in the ifland,
viz. Charles T'ouvn, James Town and Little
Briftol, each of them containing above two
hundred houfes, befides many fine ones all
about the country. All this, together with
the roundnefs of the ifland, the evennefs of
the land, which is pretty high, without
hills or mountains, the great variety of
trees, the curious hedges and the many
wind-mills, affords a delightful profpefl in
failing along the ftiore, as we did in our
pafliage from Cayenne. There are alfo fe-
veral forts on the coaft, for its greater fe-
curity.
This is obfervable, that there are no
rivers, and yet there is no want of frefii
water, v/hich is every where to be had
without digging very deep. There is a
fufficient ftock of cattel and poultry, A
prodigious quantity of fugar is yearly Sugar,
brought from thence, and better than that
of the French iflands near to it. Some is
refined there, of which there are two forts,
and three of the mofcovado.
The multitude of black flaves kept in
the ifland has feveral times brought the
EngliJIj inhabitants into danger of being
malfacred thofe wretches having feveral
times confpired againft their mafters, and
particularly a few years ago, when their
defign was difcovered but a few days be-
fore it was to have been put in execution i
feveral of the ringleaders were put to moft
cruel deaths, and fome hundreds made their
efcape to the ifland of St. Vincent, as has
been before obferved, where they continue
to this day among the Indian inhabitants.
Since then, fuch order has been taken, thac -
we have not heard of any mutiny.
The ifland is divided into eleven pariflies,
and has fourteen churches and chapels, be-
ing again fubdivided into many plantations,
fome great and fome fmall, the whole con-
tinent of it being reckoned about 126000
acres, naturally fortified with rocks and
flioals on the north and north-eaft, where
fhips can only anchor at two or three pla-
ces but for the fouth-eaft and wefterly
part, it is all a long road, where fliips
may ride, efpecially in four principal pla-
ces or bays. The chief of them is called
Carlijle bay, in the fouth-weft part of the
ifland, about the middle of it, a very good
road, where five hundred fliips of any bur-
den may be fafe, except from fouth and
the Caribbee IJlands.
Forts.
weft winds, which very feldom blow in
thofe parts, being generally eaft, inclining
either to north or fouth, and therefore the
eaft part of the ifland is called the wind-
ward, and the weft the leeward part.
There alfo lies St, Michael's,,, or Bridge
Town,, with the two forts at the points a-
bove-mentioned. The chiefeft of them
is czWtd Charles Fort, ^zudrngonNeedharn's
point, lying out in the fea, to the wind-
ward of the bay and town, fo that an ene-
my keeping out of command of it, can-
not do the town or lliipping any harm.
The fort is ftrong, built with lime and
ftone, and has feventeen great guns, with
room for more, fufficiently garifoned and
commanded by a captain.
The platform joins to the windward
part of the town, made for fifteen guns,
and the other fort is at the leeward part ca-
pable of fifteen great guns.
The fecond road and town is called
^Charkt Charles Town, ftanding on Oyjlon Bay, a-
bout two leagues v/eft from Bridge Town,
and has alfo two forts and a platform ; the
forts one to the windward and the other
to the leeward, and the platform in the
middle. Tho' this town be not much re-
forted to by fhipping, there are in it feve-
ral ware-houfes for trade.
The third is James Town, formerly cal-
led the Holl, about Lwo leagues to the lee-
ward of Bridge Town, and has only one
platform, but is otherwife well fortified
with breaft-works. Few Ihips come to it,
but it has a trade with the inhabitants of
the adjacent parts.
little- The fourth being Little- Br ijl ol , or
Brijiol. Spighfs Bay, is about four leagues to lee-
ward of Bridge Town, and has two forts.
Many ftiips refort to it, efpecially from
the city of BriJlol, and it is the fecond place
of trade in the ifland to Bridge Town.
The ifland is inhabited by Englijh,, Scots
and Irijh, and fome kw Dutch and French,
as traders and planters, befides fome few
Jews, and a multitude of Blacks and Mu-
lattoes.
All accounts are adjufted in Mofcovado
fugars, by which all other commodities
are regulated ; and the fame is done in all
the other Englijh and French Caribbee iflands.
The potatoes of Barbadoes are generally re-
puted the beft of all thofe iflands.
Santa Lucia ' '
Lies N. by E. of S. Vincent, that is, of
the point, called les Pitons, which is form-
ed by two very high fteep mounts like fu-
gar loaves, ftanding on the weftern part of
the ifland, whence a very ftrong current
fets to the weftward, and ought carefully
to be avoided, when failing thence for
. Vol. V.
Martinico. This ifland is in 14 degrees Herrera
of north latitude, and about twenty leagues
in compafs, high, and divided into plains
and mountains covered with v/ood; are
reckoned good , but fcarce habitable, by
reafon of a multitude of ferpents, of the
fame fort and as venomous as thofe in
Martinico. However, there are two or
three Indian carbets in it, and fome French-
men, who carry tortoifes from thence to
Martinico. On the fhore grow abundance
of manfanilla trees, not tall, but the wood Mnnja-
of them fine, the leaves like thofe of the
pear tree, the fruit a fort of fmaJl apples,
whence the Spaniards gave them the name •,
of fo fine a colour and pleafant fcenr, as
will eafily invite fuch as are unacquainted
to eat them j but containing a mortal poi-
fon, againft which no antidote has any
force. The very leaf of itcaufes an ulcer,
where it touches the flefii, and the dew on
it frets off^ the flcin ; nay the very fliadow
of the tree is pernicious, and will caufe a
man to fwell, if he fleeps under it.
Befides tortoifes, it fupplies Martinico
with many wild fwine and fowl, the for-
mer whereof is excellent food, and eafily
taken, there being great plenty. Several
fhips touch there for wood.
The pafiage between the two moft v/eft-
erly points of Santa Lucia and Martinico is
about eight leagues, but to the middle of
the latter, which is the Cul de Sac, is about
ten leagues.
Martinico.
By the Indians called Madanina , is
a large ifland, about fifty five leagues in
compafs, eighteen in length, and the
breadth very unequal in feveral places, lying
in 14 degrees 50 minutes north latitude ;
high land, efpecially in the middle, where
ftands the great high mountain called Pelecy
the top whereof rifes above the clouds, and
therefore there is always a gathering of
clouds about it, whence above forty rivu-
lets fpread themfclves all about the ifland,
fome of them navigable a confiderable
way up the land. It has the conveniency
of three ports, where above a hundred ftiips
may lade every year, viz. the Cul de Sac Ports.
Royal, the borough of St. Peter, by many
called Bajfe Ville, or le Mouillage, and the
Cul de Sac de la T finite, of which ports more
hereafter.
The ifland lies between that of Dominica
on the north and Santa Lucia on the fouth.
Its principal capes are thofe called des Tour- Capes.
mentes, facing the north-eaft ; des Salines,
at S. S. E, and Solomon's, at S. S. W, and
betwixt the two latter the diamond rock.
All Martinico is hilly, and the middle
part fo mountainous that it is not inha-
8 B ~ bitabb.
6^6
A hrief Dejcription of
Herrera bitable. However all the reft is very fer-
^OO^ tile in fugars, which are now refin'd there ;
cotton, indigo, caiiia, rocou, cinnamon,
cocoa, mandioca, potatoes, ranonas, plan-
tanes, ananas, accajou, apples, lemons,
oranges, and many other forts of fruits and
plants. The fugar, tho' very plentiful,
is brown. There is alfo a fine fort of wood
called gayac, of which they make pullies
and other things for fhips. The lemon
tree is no other than a large thick bufli,
very thorny, and grows every where wild ;
the fruit very fmall, but yielding much
juice, of which they prefs out great quan-
tities to fend abroad in cafks.
Cattel. Thefe and other fruits, tranfported thi-
ther from France, thrive there very well
and fheep, oxen and horfes multiply apace.
Cocoa. The cocoa-nuts grow no where but in
moift places, and fuch as are but little ex-
pofed to the fun. The tree is fmall, and
the fruit grows in a long cod, which when
ripe they gather and dry in the fun ; the
faid cod is a rind like that of the pome-
granate, and contains about twenty five
or thirty of thofe nuts, of which chocolate
is made.
Along the banks of the river of St. Pe-
ter^s town, of late years has been obferved
a quantity of rufhes, growing pretty thick
and round, about three feet high ; the
leaves whereof are long, narrow and fharp
pointed. The boughs of thefe bufhes be-
ing broke into many fhort pieces, there
runs out of each little ftick two, three or
Balfam. ^q^. (jj-Qps of a white, glutinous fap, or
liquor, much like that of unripe figs, which
has been found a fovereign medicine againft
all forts of intermitting fevers, taking two
fpoonfuls of it at a time, and excellent a-
gainft the country cholicks. Some fuppofe
it to be the white balfam fo much com-
mended by chemifts. The people there
gather it in fmall vials, and it is much va-
lu'd in France.
Its advantageous fituation, and great
number of fubftantial merchants and plan-
ters, give this ifland a great fhare of trade
Trade. at Bourdeaux, Rochelle Nantes. ^ Dieppe,
Marfeilles, and other fea port towns of
France, which fend thither yearly great
quantities of all forts of commodities, as
wine, brandy, meal, corn, fait- meat, cloth,
linen, filks, haberdafhery of all forts, hats,
Ihoes, paper, laces and houfliold goods, as
alfo all things requifite for rigging and fit-
ing out of Ihips, barks and boats ; whence
in return they bring away fugars, brown
and refined cotton, rocou, caffia, indigo,
cocao, gayac wood, and other produft of
the ifland and during the war they had
many adventurers in privateering, who dur-
ing the laft wars took abundance of very
rich fhips, as well Dutch as EngUJhf info-
much, that feveral of the inhabitants have Wealth
got confiderable eftates by that means, and •'^"'^.poljte-
the planters in the mean time have made a
very good hand of their fugars and other
commodities of their growth, the value
whereof has been much enhanc'd by the wars
and other cafuakies. Thus many families
there now make a very fplendid appear-
ance, being a very civil and affable ^peo-
ple ; and France may be known there by
the finenefs of the people, the women be-
ing as handfome as any' in Europe, well fa-
fhion'd and genteel, thro' the great num-
ber of well-bred perfons reforting thither
from France and other parts, this being the
rendezvous for the officers of men of war,
and of the garrifon, and the refidence of
the general, the governor, the intendants,
the magiftrates, and of the fovereign court
of judicature, on which depend the iflands
o't Santo Domingo, Guadalupe, Marigalantey
Saintes, Santa Crux and Santa Lucia. Here
are alfo the agents of the French African
company, and thofe of many fubftantial
merchants and factors in France.
In my time I knew there feme planters,
who had above four hundred black flaves
of their own, each of them to work in
their plantations.
The Bajffeville being the refidence of all BaffevUki
the moft fafliionable people, is a pretty
large and popular town, otherwife called
St. Peter, confifting chiefly of one wind-
ing fl:reet, an Englijh mile in length, all
in afcents and defcents, lying along the
beach, and in feveral places crofl^ed by
many curious rows of orange trees, towards
that part of the town called le Mouillage,
that is, the anchoring place, becaufe the
fliips ufually ride before it, about a mufkec
fliot from the fliore, in about thirty five
fathoms water ; befides the river which
crofl^s the middle of the town, and has
excellent water, over which is a little bridge,
and at the end of it the governor's houfe.
This river comes down from a great
valley that is behind the town, in which
are many plantations, affording a very
pleafant profped. At one end of the town
is the monaftery of the Jefuits, curioufly
built ; and at the other, towards the Mow
illage, in the midft of the orange tree walk,
which is eight hundred paces in length,
with double rows of orange and lemon
trees, and the finefl: perhaps in the world,
were it not for the continual fear a man
is there in of fome fnakes lurking about ;
and in the middle of this walk is the
convent of the Dominicans. There is alfo
a fmall nunnery of Urfelins ; befide an hof--
pital in the care of thofe they call the bre-
thren of the charity. Mofl: of the houfes
in the town are built with timber, though
there are fome of ftone, all of them very
, handfome, ,
1
• -r^'^f^'^r ■ - ^
f, X.anjtna plixoe
0 r4« J'i/ t rear- '
7 SlieHtaer aiidjiriil,, S' Paer
1 ThtMauiiUtii U T.-llcc
Sue J^rospi^ct of tiLcJoi/'/Laiid .fortS'. J^ele^?- tn^5sl^.%irtllllC(r
one of thcJ'irnchCarnheej of America. drawiLfroin tkeJLoad cali"^ Ic DiLoinlla>jtc tht
Jort S'U^ctcT oeu^ at 1\I.NE. . C
je J'hcCeni'etie of tke He^pttiditr^^^Hvnf
}! Tilt 3* art of the. Xown Call J U^Tithcur^
li.Che J'inrlin^ Oran^ rrec^ Walk
Whxte^^rvc*-^ £onvent
« Tfu PAftof ih^T'own Call I UJAomlUae,
jS J'hcPUnt'^tion. cf ^ar^uef^rjMaintencu.
'J. f--,l
if^^ Caribbee IJlands..
647
handfome, which together with the plow'd
Jands between the town and the mountain,
afcending gradually for a great diftance up
the land, renders the proiped of that part
of Martinico fo very delightful by the view
of the faid hills and the great variety of
woods, trees and greens, that I thought it
well worth prefenting the reader with a
draught thereof, as it appeared to me from
Plate aboard a fhip, riding in the road, the cut
35. here inferted reprefenting it to the life.
St. Peter's The fort of St. Peter., which in my time
%t. flood at the mouth of the river, to obftrudt
any defcenc that way, and hinder boats and
floops from running up the frelh water ri-
ver, has been fince ruin'd by hurricanes.
It was formerly erefted by the Sieur du
Parquet, and was as ill contriv'd to repulfe
an enemy from without, as to oppofe any
attempt from within, not commanding the
road, nor hindring the approach of fhips
to the coaft ; it was of no ufe againft an
enemy, befide that it was commanded by
a higher ground overlooking it, within
muflcet ftiot, fo that the defendants lay
wholly expofed, for which reafon it could
not hold out twelve hours, if attacked on
the land fide, and therefore it has not been
thought fit to be fince rebuilt. There are
ftill two batteries, one at each end of the
town, with other fortifications raifed there
€mcQ xh& Englijh, in 1693, with a fleet of
fixty fail, attempted to make a defcent at
the point du Prefcheur, a little above the
town, but were repulfed with confiderable
lofs by the inhabitants, who were feafon-
ably joined and fuftained by the count de
Blenac, their general, who march'd thi-
ther with two hundred men, from Fort
Royal in one night, the diftance being fix
leagues.
Cut de Sac (j^i Royal is a large bay on the
fouth fide of the ifland, at the bottom
whereof ftands a pretty town, containing
near three hundred families, where the ge-
neral refides, and the courts of juftice are
kept. The ftreets are flrait, and the hou-
fes regular, moft built with timber. The
Capuchins have a fine monaftery there.
FortRoyal, Fort Royal commands the town, being
veryadvantageoufly feated on a large, long
and high peninfula. It is no way acceflible
on the fea fide, but along the rows of rocks
which encompafs ir.There is no other avenue
to the town but by a long and very nar-
row caufeway, flank'd by a half moon and
two baftions, lin'd with good ftone work,
and defended by a wet ditch. There are
eighteen and twenty four pounders mount-
ed every way on it, and fix companies of
mariners in garifon. There is alfo a good
magazine of powder, and a ciftern, both
of them bomb proof, fo that the fort is
iiow in a good condition and may v/ith-
ftand a confiderable army, and even be- Herrera
fore it was brought to this perfedlion, ad- ^-^'^
m\rz\ de Ruyter, in the year 1674, attack'd
it in vain with three thoufand men, under
count Horn, and was forced to draw off
with great precipitation, leaving nine hun-
dred of his foldiers dead on the fpot. I
here infertthe cut of this fortfo ftrong by ^'late
art and nature, as it was in the year 1679. 34*
The trees which then ftood on the rifing
ground in the center of the fort, have been
fince cut down, and the fortifications con-
fiderably improv'd.
I have added a plan of the harbour cal- CuUeSac
led Ciil de Sac, which is the beft careening harbour,
place throughout the Carihhee iflands-, the
entrance into it is well fecured by the can- ...
non of the batteries in the fortrefs, and
by feveral rocks and flioals, fo ranged that
there is no other paflage for great fhips,
but within piftol-fliot of the water-battery.
This harbour can contain fifty tall fliips,
and is the common refuge of Fre^ich fhips
in the time of hurricanes ; the water in it ^
being always ftill, becaufe it is furrounded
almoft on all fides with high hills. About
the middle, or the latter end of July, the r :
general orders all commanders to carry
their fhips in thither for fhelter. The
royal magazine ftands almoft oppofite ro
the fort, on the other fide of the river.
Cul de Sac de la Trinite, ftanding on the C'iJde Sas
other fide of the ifiand, is a much fmaler ^'-l^^ -
harbour, and lefs frequented than thofe be-
fore fpoken of.
\ Cul de Sac Maria, at the Cahefierre and
feveral other fmall places along the coaft,
ferve only for barks and boats to take in
their lading of fugar and other goods of
the produft of the ifland, and fo to bring
it about to the fliips lying at Bajfeville, le
Prefcheur, or Cul de Sac Royal, which is
very troublefome, becaufe it muft firft be
carried from the fliore to the barks in ca-
noes, and the fea on that windward fide is
always very rough.
The Diamond Point, in the fouth part o^-Diamond
the ifland, has its name from a large, high, P"'"^-
round rock, lying out at fea, about a mile
from the point, becaufe perhaps at a great
diftance it look'd like a diamond. It gives
flielter to a vaft number of fea- fowl of fe-
veral forts, which increafe prodigioufly, it
being forbid to kill them. However, in
the year 1 67 1 , five perfons going from -
Martinico to this rock to catch thofe birds,
for above a quarter of an hour had a full
view of a fifli refembling human fliape,
or a mermaid, within piftol-fliot of the
flcirts of the rock, which they all attefted
upon oath, before the clerk of the council
of the ifland -, and feveral people dit Mar-
tinico aflferted it to me as a certain truth.
This might to be the fame fort of fifli I
mentioned
A hriej Dejcription of
Herrera
Inhabi-
tants.
Air.
Vermin.
Snakes.
Clergy.
Jitftice.'
mentioned in the fupplement, fo common
in the river Zaire^ of the kingdom of
Congo.
It is computed that there are now above
three thoufand Whites able to bear arms
in Martinico, and above fifteen thoufand
black (laves.
The high-lands make the air unwhole-
fome, and few fhips go thither, whofe
crews do not feel the efFeds of it ; fome
dying in a few hours, without any ficknefs
appearing. Befides they are much tor-
mented with ants, gnats and cbiques this
laft is a fort of worm, which cuts into the
heels and foles of the feet, and are the
more troublefome in that they are fcarce
to be got out, if they have had time to
lay their eggs there. I have feen fome
Whites, but much more the Blacks,
fo peftered with that almoft imperceptible
fort of vermin, that their feet have been fo
ulcerated and fwell'd, as not to be able to
go or (land, and others brought in danger
of their lives, a gangrene following the
ulceration.
Another great annoyance is from the
fnakes, which are fo common, that they
crawl into the houfes, and fometimes into
the very beds. There arc feveral forts of
them, and their fting is very dangerous,
but of late years the Blacks have difcover'd
fome fimples which cure it immediately.
Among them is a weed that runs up the
trees like our ivy, there called liafie. One
morning as I was fitting with the marquis
de Maintenon, in his hall, a large fnake
crept into his kitchen, and was killed there,
which he told me he would caufe to be
dreffed by his cook, throwing away the
head and entrails, and eat it as a delicate
difh. It is very dangerous walking about
the woody parts of the ifland, on account
of thofe creatures, or fo much as in the
beautiful orange-walk by the Mouillage-, or
anchoring-place, of whofe beauty I have
fpoken before.
As to fpirituals, there are both fecular
and regular clergy. The Jefuits and the
Dof/iimcans have their houfes, where the
former commonly keep four priefts, and
the latter two. The parilhes are ferved
by feculars. There is alfo a monaftery of
Capuchin friars at Fori Royal, and one of
nuns at Sl Peter de la BajJ'eterre.
_ As for judicial affairs, the general and
his twelve counfeilors decide all matters
cjvil and criminal, tliroughout the French
Caribhee iflands, an appeal lying from the
councils of all the others to that of Mar-
Jmico, as alfo from that of Santo Domingo.
This iQand is much hotter than that of
.Guadalupe, not only becaufe of its lying
more to the fouthward, but by reafon ir.
.is alfo more mountainous and woody, and
the ground dryer and more gravelly, whicH
alfo makes it more fruitful in tobacco and
mandioca. The fea affords abundance of
tortoifes, caouannes and machorans, or
cat-fi(hes, efpecially of thofe reprefented in
the cut ; befides other forts of fifh, as tre- Plate
zahar, bequne, &c. Some of the macho- 19, 20.
rans are unwholefome and dangerous to y^j^
eat, which is thought to proceed from their
feeding on the poifonous Manzanilla apples,
which drop into the creeks. There are alfo
feveral forts of fea-fowl, and among them
thofe two forts reprefented in the cut, Plate
called fregats a.nd paille en cul; the former 16.
of them is by the Englijh call'd a man Fowl,
of war, from their fwift flight and large
fpreading wings the other has its name
fignifying a ftraw in the britch, from one
long fingle and pointed feather, which is
all the tail it has, and at a diftance looks
like a ftraw ftuck in its rump. The men
of war naturally fly feveral leagues out at
fea, and are a mark for fhips to know when
they are near the ifland j but the paille en
cul commonly plies about the fhore.
This ifland is not fo fubjedt to hurricanes
as the others, and is the general rendez-
vous of all fhips coming from France, as
lying more to the windward than the reft,
and therefore they can fail thence to the
feveral iflands they are bound to.
Martinico was at firft inhabited by fome
French and Englijh, who reforted to it, as
well as to others, on feveral accounts, be-
ing generally fuch as fled thither for fhel-
ter for their pyracies. They lived there
fome time at peace with the favages, but
after the fettlements made by d^Enambuc
and Warner before-mentioned, on the
ifland of St. Chrijlopher, they refolved to
maflTacre thofe intruding guefts, and the
defign being difcovered, the flaughter fell
upon themfelves.
The old French Jfrican company, with
the king's leave, fold this ifland , Santa
Lucia, Granada and Granadilla, in the
year 1650, for 60000 livres, to the then
governor for the king, being a knight of
Malta, for himfelf and partners. The new
JVeft India company bought the fame again
of that gentleman's heirs in 1665. the two
firft for 120000 livres, and the others for
100000 livres of another gentleman, who
had bought them of the before mentioned
governor, and appointed governors of
their nomination in the fame, that very
year : but at prefent all the governors are
appointed by the king of France, who
claims the propriety of Martinico, and all
other French Caribbee iflands, where he has
erefted forts, and keeps good garifons,
and thev yield him a large annual income
by the 'tolls and cuftoms impofed on all
goods of their produd and maaufafture.
a Every
the Caribbee IJlands,
Every fhip that loads there being obliged
to give fufficient fecurity to the king's a-
gent there, under a great penalty, thatfhe
will deliver the faid lading at no other
ports in Europe but thofe of France ; and
upon a due certificate returned from thence,
. that it was performed accordingly, the
bonds are cancelled, and the fecurities dif-
charged ; and the fubjefts of France and of
thefe iflands are allowed to employ any
foreign bottom, efpecially fince the laft
war, Swedes, Danes or Dutch, for their
eommerce too and fro, which faves abun-
dance of men to the French nation, that
are otherwife employed by the govern-
ment. And it were to be wifli'd our aft
of parliament in England, for encourage-
ment of fhipping and navigation, which
perhaps was neceflary at the time it was
paffed , had been long ago repealed, ac-
cording to the opinion of fome able mer-
chants of Great Britain, which they prove
would have fpared many thoufands of our
Englijhmen^s lives, during this prefent long
and expenfivewar, to carry on our trade to
the Eaft and Weft Indies, which takes up
the beft of our mariners employed in thofe
long and hazardous voyages; one third
part, if not more, never returns home,
either by defertion or mortality, whilft our
fleets are often at a (land, for want of hands
enough to fit them out timely on emergent
occafions. Befide that it ruins abundance
of private adventurers and merchants, who
to get men enough to ferve in their vef-
fels, are obliged to allow indifferent failors
very extravagant wages, which has un-
done feveral good m.erchants in progrefs of
time, when voyages have proved long and
. . tedious through any unforefeen accidents,
and their goods come to a bad market.
It will not be amifs in this place to give
fome account of the behaviour of the French
towards their flaves in the Caribbee iflands,
to illuftrate what I have before faid in the
defcription of Guinea, of the particular
care that nation takes of their fpiritual as
well as temporal welfare, and at the fame
time to make out what I faid in the fame
place of the negled of Proteftants in that
refpedt.
Choice of ^'^^^ ^^^^ ^'P^ arrive at the
flaves. French iflands, the planters and other in-
habitants flock aboard to buy as many as
they have occafion for. The price being
agreed on, they fearch every flave limb by
limb, to fee whether they are found and
ftrong, and it is diverting enough to fee
the examining even of thofe parts which
are not to be named. This done, every
buyer carries away his own flaves, and
immediately provides for their nourifliment,
cloathing and health, which is done with
extraordinary care. The new flaves fel-
VOL.V.
dom mining in their mafter's houfes of Herrera
meeting with fome others, who are of their ^-OPy
own country and language j thofe have ]
commonly a particular charge given them
to look after their new fellow-fervants.
Next the Jefuits, who apply themfelves to Care of
the converfion of thofe poor wretches, make their con-
ufe of the old flaves to infufe the prin- ^^'^^'o"-
ciples of Chrifliianity into the minds of the
new ones. This is not done without much
labour and difficulty, in which they are fo
zealous, that fome of them often fuffer in
their own health, through the pains they
take in that pious work.
When thefe poor people have been often
infi:ru(5led, by the means of interpreters,
they are bap ti fed with much folemnity, and
foon after their mafliers take care to marry of marry-
them to their minds, giving them their ing them,
choice^, either at home or aboard thefliips
that come in and in this lafl: cafe, the mat-
ter buys the woman his man flave likes
befl:, allowing them full liberty to match
to their own liking ; infomuch, that it is
an eflrabliflied law in the French iflands,
that when one perfon's male flave has a
mind to marry another inhabitant's woman
flave, and flie approves of it, one of the
two owners is obliged to difpofe of his
flave to the other, by fale, exchange, or
otherwife, that they may cohabit in the
fame houfe.
This care of marrying and fettling them
together in a family, allowing them fome
little parcels of ground to till and make
gardens, endears them to their mafters, and
makes them add to their ordinary labour,
and to produce many things of ufe to the
inhabitants in general, and to themfelves
in particular, to add to the conveniency of
life and cloathing. Thus we fee among
the planters and mafl:ersof fugar-mills, two
or three generations of families of flaves,
who are very fond of one another, ob-
ferving as much paternal affedlion and filial
duty as any among us; and living as con-
tentedly in their bondage, as the peafants
in Europe. The mafl:ers, on their part,
are very careful not to feparate thofe fa-
milies, and to allow the parents the fatis-
fadlion of educating their children.
It is pleafant to fee their little huts, of
cottages fl:anding about their mafter's fu-
gar works, like little villages, each cabbin
feparated from another by a little garden Goverss-
belonging to it and appropriated to the mcnt.
ufe of the flaves inhabiting it. Thefe vil^
lages are under the infpedlion of a French
overfeer, called there Commandeur des Ne-
gres, or Commander of the Blacks, wh6
is to take care they obferve good order a- '
mong themfelves, to fet them to work as
the mafter has occafion, and tochaftife thofe
that are faulty j the punifliment being more
8 C or
650
j4 brief Description of
Inftruai-
Good
ufage.
Herrera or lefs, according to the offence, but al-
ways fevere, they being naturally difor-
derly and flothful. The greateft punifh-
ment I once faw inflifted on a flave, who
had feveral times run away from his maf-
ter's houfe, was chopping off both his
feet on a block in the publick market-
place at la Bajfeterre of Guadalupe.
The Jefuits do not only apply themfelves
to convert the new comers but go daily
into the gardens and grounds, where they
are at work, and having procured half an
hour's relaxation from their labour,
catechife them, enquire into their wanes
and intercede with their matters to grant
them what is moft neceffary. They alfo
take care on fundays and holy days to
affemble them in publick places, where
they keep their little markets, that they
may hear mafs, which is celebrated on
purpofe, and therefore at Martinico called
la Mejfe des Negres, or the Mafs of the
Blacks. In the afternoon they are again
obliged to come to be inftruded, and no-
thing is omitted that may confirm them in
the belief and exercife of religion.
In fliort, it is impoffible to exprefs the
joy and fatisfadion thofe poor flaves con-
ceive to fee themfelves fomewhat tolerably
dreffed on fundays and feftivals, afllfting
at the fame mafs with their mailers, equal-
ly well treated by the priefls, when they
go to confeffion, admitted without diflinc-
tion to communion, to fee their fellow
flaves, when they die, decently buried,
and in fine, to perceive that religion makes
no difference between them and their maf-
ters, which the Jefuiti make good ufe of
to work upon their heavy capacities, info-
much, that it is not poffible to exprefs
more zeal for the precepts and ceremonies
of religion than thofe flaves generally do,
and they value themfelves much more a-
mong the French than thofe do who live
among the Dutch and EngliJJj ; the former
admitting them indifferently with them-
felves to communion and all other fervice
of the church, and the latter excluding
them from the religious equality, which
keeps them always dejeded and brutal.
This may be faid to be the reafon there
never happens any fuch defertion of flaves
from the French iflands, as we have often
heard among the Englijh, efpecially at Bar-
hadoesy as was mentioned in the defcription
of chat ifland.
To conclude with Martinico^ I think
proper to warn travellers to be very cauti-
ous of eating two forts of fifli, at this or any
other of the Carihbee iflands, viz. The cat-
fiJJj., above fpoken of, and that which the
French commonly call hequene. Thefe two
forts before they come to be well known,
did much harm, fuch as did eat them be-
Poifonous
lilh.
ing generally afflicled with painful fwelling,
or elfe kized with vomiting and rackins; ' - ■
colicks, fuppofed to proceed from thofe
fiflies feeding on the poifonous man-zanilla
apples, which fall into the fea, as has been
hinted before. It has been alfo found by
experience of lace years, that the teeth of
thofe fiflies which have fed on the manza-
nillas are black, and therefore they always
look into their mouths and fuch are always
thrown away but thofe whofe teeth are
white are eaten, as not being infefted with
that poifon, and very good food. The
wood of the manzanilla tree is proper to
make tables, chairs and other houfliold
goods.
The large and delicious oranges this if- Oranges,
land produces, in great plenty, deferve to
be taken notice of. Moft of them grow
between the town of St. Peter and the hill
called la Montagne, the road to it, afcend-
ing for three miles, being all along fet on
both fides very thick with thofe fine orange
trees, intermixed with lemon trees, grow-
ing wild, always green the whole year a-
bout, with the bloffom and both green
and ripe fruit hanging at the fame time.
The curious green of the leaves, the milk
white leaves and the lively red of infinite
numbers of oranges , make a delightful
mixture to the eye, and the fragrancy of
the bloffoms perfuming the air ravifhes the
fcent, in riding along that fhady lane, ti- •
pecially in the morning early before the
heat of the fun comes upon it. The horfes
often tread on thofe excellent oranges,
which fall from the trees.
Another diverting obje£l is the vaft
number of thofe very little birds, by the
French called colibris, but by the Englijb
hum7?iingh\vAsy flying about from tree to Humming
tree. They have a charming fine plumage,
and are thought to feed on the dew that
lies on the orange and lemon flowers. An-
other opinion concerning them is, that
they fix themfelves on the boughs about
October and there fleep without waking
till Jpril following, which I cannot affert.
The common fort of women and girls hang
them in their ears for pendants. . ; ,
■Dominica.
Another of the Caribbee iflands, is eight
leagues diftant from Martinico., between
point and point. Columbus gave it the name
becaufe he difcovered it on a funday. It
lies in 15 degrees 40 min. north latitude,
N. by W. and N. N. W. from Martinico and
has Guadalupe N. by W. of it. The whole
compafs of it is about eighteen or twenty-
leagues , and in it are very large high
mountains, which occafion the great calms
fliips frequently meet with under it, thofe
that
the Caribbee IJlands.
I
that ply to the northward iflands being ob-
liged to coaft as near the (hore as conveni-
ently may be, to prevent a more tedious
paflage, if carried out to fea by the N. E.
winds which generally blow there.
This ifland is inhabited by none but na-
tive favages or Indians, and it was afligned
them, together with Si. Vincent and Behia,
to retire to from the other Caribbee iflandsj
in 1660. It has not much ground proper
for plantations, but a great bay in the
weftern part of it, affords a good fafe
road.
The Indians inhabiting this ifland con-
ftantly trade with the French Martinico
and Guadalupe., where I have feen many
piraguas full of them, and they have fo
great a kindnefs for the French., that when
they are at war with the Englifi., thofe fa-
vages will kill and eat the latter, becaufe
they are enemies to their good friends the
French, who cannot prevail with them to
give the others quarter.
The Jefuits., and other religious men
fettled in the French iflands, do from time
to time go over to thofe Indian iflands, to
inftrudl thofe people in the principles of
Chriftianity, which they hear with great
attention, but do not profit much^ being
naturally tenacious of their ancient fuper-
flition.
Their language is the fame as that of
the Galibis in Guiana., whence it is believed
thefe iflands were firft peopled, and there-
fore it will be needlefs to fay any thing of
their manners, wars, ^c. being much the
fame, as defcribed in fpeaking of thofe
' people in Guiana. But thefe natives of
Dominica are reputed the moil warlike of
any of the Caribbee iflands.
The land crabs of Dominica are much
efteemed in the French iflands for their
fweetnefs and excellent meat, and there is
great plenty of them about all the woods,
which cover the greateft part of the ifland.
The natives carry abundance of them to
market in the neighbouring French iflands,
and fell them cheap enough, for feveral toys
of very fmall value, as they do alfo ana-
nas, figs, parrots and monkeys. The ana-
nas there are eflreemed the bell of all the
iflands.
Los Santos, hy the French Les
S A I N TE s :
That is the Saints.) are feveral little iflands
iying five leagues north of Dominica., and
three leagues fouth of Guadalupe., xo whofe
government they are fubjedt. They are
no way confiderable, on any other ac-
count than that they form by their fitu-
ation an indifferent good harbour, to flielter
fhips in bad weather, fome of the largefl:
being inhabited by a few poor people, Herrera
fifliermen and mariners, but their produtl ^>->''°'>^^
is inconfiderable. Thefe iflands have been
famous fince the remarkable expedition
of M. du Lion their governor, in Augujl
1666, who after feveral attacks made 500
Englijh foldiers and officers prifoners thercj^
as has been mentioned before. -
Marigalante
Had its name from the fhip Columbus
was in, when he difcovered it, at his fe-
cond voyage to America. It lies in 16
degrees 20 minutes of north latitude, N.
N. E. and N. E. by N. of Dominica.^ and
E. of Guadalupe., has no mountains, but
raifes itfelf in a heap in the middle, and
thence defcends every way towards the fea,
which makes it look at a diftance like a
flat.
There are few fprings and brooks, but
many fl:anding pools of frefli water, which
are of great ufe to the inhabitants. The
foil is good, efpecially for fugar canes^
which is the reafon the number of inha-
bitants daily increafes but it has no man-
ner of port, fo that the fliips trading there
ride in open roads. The whole compafs
of it is about 18 leagues, the diftance
from Dominica 8, and from Guadalupe 6
or 7. The French have had it ever fmce
the year 1648. Jacob Sinks, admiral of
Zealand, took it from them on the firfl:
of June -1677, but the French foon reco-
vered it, and have fince eredted a fort there
for its fecurity. The colony, which is in-
differently large, is under a French gover-
nor. The late marques de Maintenon.,
mentioned by me in the defcription of
Martinico, was one governor of it. The
Carmelite friars attend the fpiritual func-
tions.
'La D e s s e a d a
Is another French ifland and colony^
6 leagues eaft of Guadalupe, tho' not very
large, fertile and well cultivated by the
French inhabitants, producing fugar and
all forts of American fruits. Chrijlopher
Columbus gave this ifland the name of la,
Deffeafa, or the Defired, or wifli'd for,
at his fecond voyage, it being the firft of
thofe iflands he difcovered.
Guadalupe
Is a French ifland in 16 degrees 10 mi-
nutes north latitude, and 315 deg. 40 mi-
nutes longitude, about 70 leagues in com-
pafs, is divided into two iflands, almoft
of an equal bignefs, by a channel, or
fmall arm of the fea, called The Salt Ri-
6^2
A brief Dejcription of
Herrera wr, which overflows an ifthmus of about
^•^'"VNJ 5 leagues in length, from end to end, fo
that barks may pafs up, when the tide is
in.
The greateft of thefe two parts of the
ifland is that which xhe French call la Grande
^erre^ being about 50 leagues in compafs.
This is the true Guadalupe, fo named by
the Spaniards, when they difcovered it, be-
caufe its mountains refemble thofe of Our
Lady of Guadalupe, in the province of Ef-
tremadura in Spain. Its Indian name is
Karukera, or Carucueira. The French cor-
rupting the Span'ijh name call it Guarde-
loupe.
Whether the French have found the foil
barren, or for what other reafon I know
not, but it is thinly inhabited, there being
fcarce an hundred families in it. Moft
of it is taken up with high inacceffible
mountains, excepting only on the fide of
Cahefterre^ befides that it wants frefli wa-
ter.
The other part of the ifland, which lies
to the S. W. is about 40 leagues in com-
pafs, and fubdivided into two parts, or ter-
ritories. The middle is taken up with
high mountains, on fome of which are
boiling hot fprings, and wholefome mine-
ral waters. Among the other mountains
Burning jg Q^e called la Souffrere, or the Sulphureous,
mountain, ^^j^h cafts out thick fmoke fometimes
mixed with flames, at the mouth or open-
ing there is on the top. The Blacks ga-
ther fome fmall quantity of brimflione
thereabouts, which they fell for a fmall
matter to failors, but it is very foul and
full of drofs, which were eafily remedied,
if they knew how to refine it.
The foil is fertile in fugar, which is bet-
ter than that at Martinico, but not fo fine
as that of St. Chrijlopher, alfo roccou, or
anotto, tobacco, indigo, yuca, cotton,
caffia, cacao. Fruit and fowl are very
plentiful, efpecially turkeys, much cheaper
than at any other of the Caribbee iflands.
There is a fort of birds about the ful-
phureous mountain, which they call dia-
boUns, very large and as good as chickens.
They live altogether upon fifh and fetch
them up out of their craw to feed their
young. The Blacks commonly catch them,
but are themfelves fometimes fo pierced
by the fharp cold air of that mountain,
that they languirti and have much difficul-
ty to furmount it.
In the two Cul de fais, or inlets of the
fea, which feparate la Grande Terre from
the other part of the ifland more pecu-
liarly called Guadalupe, they take tortoiles,
manaties and all forts of common fifh.
Bafeurre The town, called la Baffeterre, lies on
the weft fide o[ this part of Guadalupe,
where we ufually come to an anchor, tho'
I
the ground is very rocky, and it is a very
indifferent open road for fhips, which ride
there about a mufket fliot from the beach,
or little more. It is the moft confiderable
town of the ifland, pretty large, feated on
a rifing ground and along the reach, fome-
what ftraggling, leaving a large place of
arms in the middle, at the eaft end whereof
ftands the governor's houfe. The houfes,
which as has been faid ftand fcattering, are
moft built of ftone, only fome few of tim-
ber. At the north end of the town is a
large fugar-bake- houfe, all of free ft-one,
where much work was done, when I was
there, and near it runs a fmall river athwart
the town, coming down from the fulphu-
reous cavity above fpoken of About the
middle is a battery of eight pieces of can-
non, which commands all the road, and
is called the Iron Gate. At the fouth end
of the town, on the bank of a rapid
torrent, ftands a little fort, mounted with
eight pieces of cannon and lined with good
ftone work. There are chapels of Jefuits,
Dominicans, and Carmelites, befides two or
three parifli churches ferved by the fecular
clergy. The Jefuits and Dominicans have
confiderable fettlements. There are alfo
fome Irijh families about la Baffeterre^
and elfewhere in the ifland.
The other town of Guadalupe is called
leBailly, ftanding two or three Englijh miles
from la BaJJeterre, where in my time was
a fugar-bake-houfe. This town is incon-
fiderable, as having no great number of
houfes, but there is a chapel at fome dif-
tance for the private ufe of a confidera-
ble planter, and the landing place is pretty
eafy, being a fmooth flat gravelly ground,
not of large black pebbles, as is ufual at
moft places where the wind perpetually
beats upon the fhore ; the fea rowling up
thofe ftones, and at fuch places it is dif-
ficult to land without being wet, and much
fugar is damaged or loft in fiiipping oft',
which often retards the difpatch of trading
ftiips.
The Englijh made a defcent at la Baffe-
terre, in 1691, burnt the town, deftroy'd
the battery that ftood in the middle of
it, and only the fort beforementioned was
made good by the inhabitants, till Mr.
D' Uragny , then general of the iflands ,
came with three or four men of war and
fome merchant ftiips, fitted up in hafte to
raife thefiege: when the Englijh reimbark-
ed with precipitation leaving near 200 of
their men in the woods, to the mercy of
the French.
The inhabitants of the fide of Guadalupe;
have the advantage, on occafion of an in-
vafion, from enemies, to fecure their beft
goods, furniture, cattle and even their per-
fons in the mountains, where among the
woods
the Caribbee IJlands
woods they have prepared a fufficient quan-
tity of clear ground to fubfift for a time:
the avenues of which on all fides are fo
well fecured by the thicknefs of the wood
and the many trees lying ready cut to fill
it up, that it is inacceflible, much in the
fame manner as it was formerly pradlifed
at Santa Cruz, as I fhall hereafter obferve.
There is a little Cul de Sac^ or inlet
which affords a pretty fafe harbour, in the
worft weather, to fliips retiring into it.
I have taken notice before that the ifland
is fubjedt to frequent hurricanes, and that
about the year 1656, it felt three of thofe
raging tempefts, in the fpace of 1 5 months,
the laft of which was extraordinary as was
there particularly mentioned however the
air at Guadalupe is far lefs unwholefom.e,
than at Martinico : the inhabitants whereof
fend their fick people thither for change
of air, and many foon find benefit by it.
The country all round the town is grubbed
up and open, in the fhape of an amphi-
theatre from the foot of the hills down to
the beach, and contains feveral good plan-
tations of fugar and other private houfes
a frefh breeze blowing all day till fun fet.
Fifh, fouls, poultry and fruits of the cli-
mate are much cheaper there than at any
of the French iflands, as being very plen-
tiful, and confequently the inhabitants live
more comfortably, there being feveral plan-
ters who keep very good houfes ; and I
may freely fay the late Chevalier Hinfelin'i
table was as plentiful and fumptuous, as
any nobleman's table in England \ having
always twelve coverts and three courfes,
each of three and fometimes four diflies,
and as good and nice a cook as can be
imagined. The publick eating houfes, are
alfo very well ferved j and good chear at
half a crown a day, dinner and fupper
with good claret.
This ifland with Marigalante, the Def-
feada and Saintes , were fold for 61500
livres, to a private perfon, by the directors
of the firft American company, with the
king of France" % approbation. One of the
diredlors, who was brother-in-law to the
purchafer of thefe iflands, went half in
that purchafe-, but the former happening
to die, and the latter being at variance
with the nephews of the deceafed, the king
of France being informed of their diffe-
rences, ordered the contradls of acquifition
to be brought to the council, as alfo thofe
of all the other purchafers of the iflands
made by the compan'j, to be reimburfed
their money. The heirs of the firft ac-
quifitor yielded up their half fliare of Gua-
dalupe, Marigalante and DeJJeada to the
new company, for 120000 livres, which
were not payed till the year 1668. But
the other having declined to fell his half
Vol. V.
fhare of Guadalupe, the new company ne- He
verthelefs took from him the government
he had obtained of it, and fet up a go-
vernor of their own in the year 1665.
Formerly they had in this ifland five
or fix fmall forts, at ptefent there are but
three, and five or fix churches and chapels,
or parifhes. There are feveral good plan-
tations about the ifland, which yield a
good quantity of fugar, indigo, cotton, i^c.
yearly ; enriching feveral of the planters,
who as they grow wealthy, make remit-
tances to France-, and at laft retire thither
with their families, which hinders the ad-
vancement of the colony, and yet it is
pretty confiderable. At the firfl fettling
of it, which was about the year 1535,
the chief produ(5t of the country was to-
bacco, and fometime after it was much in-
creafed, by the breaking up of the Butch
colony of Arrecife in Brafil by whofe affi-
ftance they fell to cultivating of fugar canes,
which has turned to much better account
than tobacco did before.
The Spanijb hiftories make mention of
two Spanijh miflioners, who pafllng to the
Philippines to preach the gofpel, were mar-
tyred in Guadalupe in 1603, and the fol-
lowing year fix others, who were to have
gone to China and Japan, by the way of -0
AcapuUo.
The woods are full of fmall land-crabs,
as alfo of very fmall lizards, very trou-
blefome to the inhabitants, entring their
houfes in the night time and even into their
beds. I found one night by the moon-
fhine a crab ftuck faft with both claws
to my fheets, which weighed above a pound
and a half But what is yet a much greater
annoyance, is an incredible multitude of
large ants, crawling in multitudes about
the houfes, which obliges the inhabitants
to contrive convenient cupboards to pre-
ferve their provifions from them. The
rats do much mifchief to the fugar canes
and other plants, as well in Martinico
as the other iflands. The fnakes are not
fo venomous or troublefome as there.
The inhabitants are fubfifted partly by
provifions of their own growth, and part-
ly by others from Europe, as zx Martinico :
fugar, cotton and indigo being there, as
well as in all the other iflands, the ftaple
commodities to deal with fliips by way of
exchange.
I have before given a fliort account of
the wreck of the lord Willoughbfs fleet,
betwixt Marigalante and Saintes, by a fierce
hurricane, about the beginning of Auguft,
1666, after the lofs of St. Chrijlopher's,
which I fliall mention in another place. A
little Englijh fliip, having efcaped the fury
of that hurricane, foon after put into the
port of Antigua, and informed lieutenant
8 D general
A Mief Defcriptm oj
Herrera general of the , differ beMen
W''~V^ his uncle's . fleet, pf the four veffels
that were droM? VipQn Ramies ; whereupon
he refoived to p^fs over thither immedi-
ately, to reinforce or bring off the EngUJJj
there and to h&^X farther concerning the
fate of the reft of the fleet. To this eife6t,
he fitted out feyen fmall veflTels, putting
aboard them wh;it forces he could gather,
and imbarked far Sdntes ; fteering his courfe
to the leeward of Guadalupe. Four French
fhips that lay in the road of that ifland,
fpying him off at fea, took fome foldiers
aboard and falling in with that little En-
giijh fquadron the next day totally defeated
it: taking four of the yeflels, with 230
iTTten iji them j but lieutenant general WiU
ioughby feeing his fliips taken and difperfed,
in^de his efcape in a bark.
- ■ ' - Mo NS E RR AT Ej
Is an EngUJb ifland, confifting of one
very large mountain, and refembling the
famous mountain of the fame name in the
province of Catalonia in Spain, about a
league diftant from Manrefa, and nine from
Barcelona, much reforted to on account of
the devotion pay'd to our Lady there, in
a monaftery of Benedi£fine monks, ftand-
ing in the middle of the mountain: and
from that refemblance the ifland was fo
Galled.
It is about eight leagues in compafs,
almoft round, in 17 degrees of north lati-
tude, N. N. W. from Guadalupe, and dif-
tant from it eight or nine leagues. It is
obfervable, that in the trad of fea between
thofe two iflands, the current fets fwiftly
to the weftward for the moft part, only
fome odd days it turns back to windward,
the reafon for which extraordinary motions
no man has been yet able to find out.
This is one of the moft extraordinary things
to be taken notice of about thofe iflands.
Monferrate has no port or harbour, and
but a very bad road for fliips j nor does
it afford any great quantity of fugar, or
other commodities for trade.
In the year 1 667, the Erencb general de
la Barre, with 26 fiiips and 2500 men,
took this ifland and ranfacked it, after a
vigorous refiftance made by 900 inhabi-
tants. The French fent away 300 Englijh,
fit to bear arms to Jamaica, and permitted
500 Irifi, who were there and with their
wives and children made 2000 fouls to re-
main, taking an oath of fidelity to the king
of Fnance. The general carried off from
thence fixteen pieces of cannon, a great
number of flaves, and abundance of horfes
and cattle, which he diftributed among
bis men. He alfo deftroyed about forty
fugar mills and houfes, and burnt feveral
warehoufes full of valuable cpmrnodiiies.
All this -was done in -fix days. The French
had with them fome Carihbee Indians, with
whofe help they drove fome hundred En-
gUP from a very high and almoft inaccefll-
ble hill, which is the laft refuge of the peo-
ple in all thofe iflands, when beaten from
their fojts ;^nd intrench ments. The Indians
^re ithe propereft for ftich entenprifes, be-
ing bred in the woods, and ufed to iclimb
the mountains like wild beafts. * r rmv/
The fouth eaft ipoinc of Monferrate is ve-
ry found and deep all about, fo that fiiips
rnay fail by within piftol fhot. The fort
is on the weft fide of the ifland. The French
landed in a little bay about a muflcet fiiot
to the windward of the fort. The ifland
was reftored to the Englijh by the treaty
of peace concluded at Breda, July 31-,
Santa- Maria Re don da,
So named by admiral Columbus, when he
firft difcovered it, in the year 1493, in
rnemory of the church fo called at Rome^
is a little EngUJh ifland, lying N. N. W.
af Monferrate, being only a little round
mount, as it appeared to me in failing by
it at a diftance, and therefore Columbus gave
it the name. It is very rocky, overfpread
with weeds, and therefore of no confider-
abie produft, nor well peopled, and moft
of the inhabitants are Irijh. It abounds in a
fort of fea fowl, by the French called Eoux^
that is Fools, becaufe they were formerly fo
ftupid as to fuffer themfelves to be taken
by hand, on the yards and mafts of fhips
at fea, and fome of them ftill continue fo
very tame, as I have obferved in the ac-
count of the navigation from Guinea to
America, where the figure of the bird is
annexed.
N I E V E S, ■..
By the Englijh, to whom it belongs, cor-
ruptly called Nevis, is a great high moun-
tain of an eafy afcent every way ; fo that
it has all round about three miles of im-
proveable land, which the inhabitants in-
duftrioufly cultivate for fugar and other
American produdions, being very fertile.
It lies N. N. W. of Monferrate, about 7
leagues diftant, and the fame number of
leagues in compafs, but has no other port
than a good road, on the fide next St,
Chrifiopher. The colony was firft fettled
there in the year 1628, fome of the inha-
bitants being Irifi. It is in 17 degrees,
20 minutes of north latitude, well peo-
pled, and has a good trade with En^.and
and New England, for fugar, rum, ginger
and other American commodities, in ex-
change for which it receives all forts of
I provifions,
fhe Caribbiee Ijlmds. ^
provifions, cloathing and other neceflaries.
The fugar ic affords is indifferent good.
The coaft being eafy of accefs, it has
been often invaded by the French, and thiere-
fore there are forts and batteries erefted in
feveral parts, to prevent the hke attempts.
In May ^ 1666, the irm^^ having conquer-
ed the Englijh part of the ifland of 5"/. Chri-
ftopher, of v>?hich I fhall fpeak in its place,
and received a fupply of ammunition and
fome forces, by four large (hips, the French
company had furnifhed at Rochel^ and be-
ing joined by a little fquadron of Zealand-,
under the command of Creijfen, they re-
folved in a council of war to feek out
the fleet commanded by the lord Willoughby,
which was then before Nieves, expeding
Sir John Harmont with a reinforcement of
fhips, and men from England. To this
purpofe they laboured day and night at
Mariinico, and having imbarked 600 men,
fet fail the 15^'! of the aforefaid month.
The 16''' they came to Guadalupe, where
600 men more were put aboard, with
Monf. du Lion, the governor and Chevalier
Hii'^^/m, his lieutenant. The* 18"^'^ at night
they left Guadalupe, being thirteen French
and four Zealand Ihips, with two firefhips.
The 20*^1^ at break of day, this fleet being
between Redonda and Nieves, fpied the En-
gliJJj guard fhip, which being an excellent
failor, got clear of them and retired under
the fort of Nieves, giving notice to the
Fight be- Englijh fleet, by continual firing, of the ap-
twixt En- proach of the French, who were advanc-
f/^^^f^ ing to get about the W. S. W. part of the
ifland and found the Englijh ft:anding out
full fail from under that point and con-
fifliing of 17 fiiips, the admiral whereof
carried 52 guns, the vice and rear admirals,
48, the other 12 from 28 to 36 and 2
firefliips. General de la Barre was aboard
the Lilly of 40 guns, as admiral the vice
and rear admiral 32 each, the other French
fhips from 18 to 3 2 each •, befides a flyboat,
a galliot and feveral barks, laden with all
fores of provifions, to throw into St. Chri-
fiopher's, during the ingagement, which was
done accordingly. The French admiral,
having given the fignal of battle, the En-
glijlo made a line from the point of Nevis
wefl:ward, in order to cut off the pafTage
to St. Chrifiopher. The French formed their
line fhorter than their enemies to cue
through their fleet, and by that means put
one half to the leeward, betwixt St. Chri-
Jiopher" s and thdr own fecond diviflon. The
Englijh admiral made his fignals, after
which, part of his fleet ranged Nevis nearer,
to keep the wind and fall the eafler on the
firft divifion of the French, when ingaged,
which obliged general de la Barre to alter
his firft order of battle, to prevent the
enemies defign ; and inftead of failing up
direftly to them, he caufed his fhips to Herrera
fill, ranging as near as he<:ould the Cayes, v^OT^'
or fhoals of Nevis, thus keeping the advan-
tage of the wind. In this manner the two
fleets ingaged fbr fome hours, both ad-
mirals being for a time in great danger ;
but at length, the French forced one of
the EngliJiD frigats agrownd and blew up
another, a fhot having fallen into its pow-
der room. They both kept a fort of
running fight far into the bay of Nevis,
continually cannonading each other, till
the Englijh tacking on a fudden, flood to
the fouthward : whereas before their heads
were to S. E. as if they would all have
run aground under their forts, and at the
Cayes of the weft point of Nevis. The
French and Zealanders tacked at the fame
time; but fearing to be aground, cam^
not up fo near the fhore as the Englip,
who ran into three fathom water: both
fleets endeavouring to gain the wind, but
ftill within fhot of one another ; but the
Englijh being the beft- failors, the French
perceived it was impoffible to get the wind
of them : and therefore the niglit drawing
on they made for the ifland of St. Cbri-
jiopher, having gained their point, which
was to fupply that ifland with men and
provifions : the flyboat, galliot and barks
being fafely arrived there, and the whole
French fleet anchored at ten at night in
St. Chrijlopher's, road. The fight lafted
from eight in the morning till three irl
the afternoon. Above 600 fhot were made
at the French admiral, of which 50 reached
his fliip, which killed and wounded feve-
ral men, not one man being killed in all
the reft of the fquadron, and only fixteen
wounded. The Englijh, befides the two
fhips loft, as was fa id above, owned they
had eighty men killed or wounded. The
French give out, that had it not been for
the ill working of two of their fhips at
the beginning of the ingagement, they
would certainly have gained the wind up-
on theiF enemies, and having cut off their
retreat towards Nevis, their fleet had been
quite deftroyed, and Nevis taken without
any oppofition.
Antigua.
This ifland was by Chrijlopher Cokmhs,
the firft difcovefer, called Santa Maria la
Antigua, in honour of a church of the
fame name in Sevil ; the Englijh to whom
it belongs calling it only by the laft word.
It is about 20 leagues in compafs, ftretch-
ing out eaft and weft, in 1 7 degrees, 20 mi-
nutes north latitude, and about 10 leagues
to the eaftward of Nevis. The length ^
of it is 7 leagues, the breadth very un-
equal, the aeeefs to it is very difficult,
becaufq
6^6 A hrief De
Her R ERA becaufe of the many rocks and fhoals a-
^-J bout it, but has feveral good harbours a-
.•••A- gainft all weather, among which is that of
f .•. Sl John of Pope's Head. The colony there
is pretty confiderable, tho' much incom-
moded by want of freih water, there being ^
no fprings, and only two fmall rivulets.
The inhabitants take care to fave all the
rain water they can and fell it to one ano-
ther upon occafion. A fador's wife of that
iQand told me, flie had fold much rain wa-
ter at nine pence the pail. They alfo ga-
ther water in holes they make in the earth,
or ponds, for the ufe of their cattle. How-
ever the ground is very fertile, divided
into plains, hillocks, and fmall mountains,
and producing abundance of indifferent
good fugar, indigo, tobacco, ginger, cot-
ton, and other commodities of the produd
of America, which afford them a brifk trade
with the dominions of Great-Britain both
in Europe and north America, efpecially
with Bojlon, from which places it receives
in return all forts of provifions, apparel
and other neceffaries.
Among the inhabitants are feveral Irijh
families, defcended from fome of thofe the
ufurper Oliver Cromwell fent over from that
kingdom to the Britijh colonies, making
flaves of many thoufands of thofe unfortu-
nate people.
Taken by In the year 1666. the French general de
t[it French la Barre invaded Antigua. He enter'd
the port of the feven illes with his fquadron,
founding all the way, and turn'd it up by
diredion of fome defer ters, making himfelf
mafter of two forts, whereof that on the left
hand had fix pieces of cannon, and the o-
ther in the middle of the harbour feven, all
eight and twelve pounders. He anchor'd
within piftol fliot ot them, and with his
cannon ruin'd their batteries, whereupon
they were abandon'd by the Englijh. Next
. he attack'd a large houfe built with, free-
::\;v fcone, ftanding about five miles up the
country, in which colonel Carding the go-
vernor had Intrench'd himfelf with his gar-
rifon, which made a vigorous refiftance,
but in the end moft of them fled, and the
governour and about twenty officers were
made prifoners of war. The next day the
French attack'd another parcel of the
g/f/?) at another ftrong houfe, and after fome
oppofition enter'd the houfe by force, put-
ting to the fword moft of thofe that were
initi only colonel ^^y?j and about twenty
v. five others remaining prifoners. Then they
ruip'd all the batteries and took away the
giinVv^!. The whole iQand fubmitted upon
arti'Glek!, Qne:Of which imported, that where-
as the lilmd Barbuda^ diftant from this ten
leagues north by eaft, being dependent on
Autigua, the one half of it (hould remain in
propriety to fuch inhabitants as would take
kription of
an oath of fidelity to the king of France.
Antigua was reftored to the EngliJJj by
the treaty of peace concluded at Breda, the
31''' of July :i66y. ■ • .
• Barbuda, ,
An Englijh illand, as well as Antigua and
Barbadoes^ lies fomewhat out of the chain
of Carihbee iflands, about ten leagues north
by eaft from Antigua, and depends on its
government, being in 18 degrees of north
latitude. It is flat and level, but wants
frefti water, and was almoft abandon'd du-
ring the wars between the Englijh and French
in 1666. but has been fince peopled from
Antigua. The accefs to it is dangerous,
being all befet with banks and fhoals, efpe-
cially on the eaft fide, which makes all thofe
avoid it who fail about thofe parts.
St. Christophe R, 'v^i.
So call'd by Chrijlopher Columbus, the
firftdifcoverer of it, in the year 1493. from
his own name, lies about three leagues
north- weft from Nevis, in 17 degrees 30
minutes north latitude, and 314 degrees 53
minutes longitude from the meridian of Fer-
ro or Hierro, ftretching out from north-
weft to fouth-eaft about nine leagues in
length, the breadth unequal, but all toge-
ther makes about twenty or twenty five
leagues in compafs.
The native Caribbee Indians call'd it Lia-
maiga. It has been for many years divided
between the French and Englifi, the for-,
mer poffefling the two ends of it, at north-
weft and fouth-eaft, the latter the middle
part between them, whereof only about one
league in breadth and four along the coaft
are inhabited. This intermixture of quar-
ters was occafion'd by the French and Eng-
lij]} arriving there on the fame day, in the
year 1625. to fettle colonies of their fe-
veral nations, as has been mention'd before.
The middle part of the ifland is not habita-
ble by reafon of the fteep mountains, with
dreadful precipices, feparating the other
parts from each other, and in thofe moun-
tains are hot fprings and mines of fulphur
and alom.
The form of the ifland is almoft oval,"
if we take from it that which is there call'd
les [alines, or the falt-pits, being a trad
of land, about a cannon Ihot in breadth,
and a league and a half in length, jutting
out towards Nevis. The oval part is cut
in two in length by the aforefaid ridge
of high mountains of difficult accefs,
taking up but little ground in breadth,
From the fliore to the place where thefe
mountains begin to be impaffable for carts,
the ground rifes gently for the fpace of
three
the Caribbee IJlands.
Hi
three quarters of a league in the broadeft,
and half a league in the narroweft part.
That fpace is divided by feveral rivulets
form'd by the waters falling from the moun-
tains, and contains the dwellings of thofe
who have fettled on the ifland. The French^
as has been faid, pofTefs the two points,
and the Englijh the middle parts. The
French quarter of the fouth-eaft end is cal-
led la Bajjeterre^ where is the bed road ;
the other at the north north-weft end la Ca-
hefterre. Thefe quarters have no commu-
nication without palTing through the Eng-
lijh quarters, who being under the fame in-
conveniency on their fide, becaufe of the
mountains feparating them, have made a
foot road over the hills, not pafTable for
horfemen without extraordinary difficulty
and danger.
The principal quarter of the Englijh,
call'd the good road, looking weft fouth-
weft, being the ufual refidence of the go-
vernor and the only anchoring place they
have, is alfo the place where they generally
aflemble their auxilliary forces from the
other adjacent Englijh colonies in time of
war. The river Cayonne parts the French
from the Englijh territories ; the defcent of
it on the French fide is pretty eafy, and the
afcent on the Englijh fide more difficult.
Bcfides the Ca'jonne laft mentioned, the
moft confiderable river in the ifland is that
of Fentecojl, the others fcarce worth taking
notice of.
The air is more temperate here than in
Martinico or Guadalupe, but the ground
not more fertile. At the firft fettling it
yielded a good quantity of tobacco and gin-
ger, but they have now left off planting
thofe two forts, and now employ all the
ground in fugar, mandioca, potatoes, and
other forts of fruit and roots for the fupport
of life. The fugar is better than at Gua-
dalupe, tho' that is alfo better than at Mar-
tinico.
There are three good ports, but the
ifland is much more fubjeft to hurricanes
than the others, and they fometimes make
mighty havock in it, which does not how-
ever obftruft its being well peopled by
French and Englijh, fome of both nations
being very wealthy, and living in plenty
as do alfo the inferior fort of inhabitants in
proportion to the richer, there being in the
ifland a good number of genteel, fafliion-
able people, and driving a confiderable
trade to England, France, Ireland, and
feveral ports of New-England , and o-
ther Englijh colonies of north America ;
which in exchange for its fugars, indigo, and
other produdl, fupply it with all forts of
eatables, liquors, cloathing, i^c. It would
have been far more rich and beautiful, had
it not been fo often invaded and ranfack'd
Vol. V.
during the wars that have happened fince it Herrer-a
began to make a figure, betwixt the two ^-''''V^
nations that poflefs it in common,
I will here give the reader a brief account
of the war in that ifland between the Englijh
and the French, in the year 1666.
The Lord Willoughby, Englijh general at Wars be»
Barbadoes, had no fooner information that
the war was declar'd between France and ^^^1%^,
England, but forgetting all thoughts of ujh.
neutrality he had flatter'd the French with,
he wholly apply'd himfelf to make all ad-
vantages of the weaknefs they had reduc'd
themfelves to, by too much relying on his
word, and fuppos'd it would not be diffi-
cult for him to drive the French out of the
half of St. Chrijlopherh they poflfefs'd joint-
ly with his nation. He fent away to colo-
nel Watts, governor of the Englijh part, to
be inform'd by him of the ftate of the
French and EngliJJo in that ifland, and of
the number of forces requifite to carry on
his defign. Watts being of a covetous tem-
per and poor, thought this an opportuni-
ty to enrich himfelf with the fpoils of the
French, concluded it an eafy matter to fub-
due them, and fent word to that lord, that
he could never mifs in this proje<5l, and that
he had occafion for no other forces but what
he might draw from Nevis, and St. Eujta-
chius ; which laft had been of late taken
from the Dutch, and where three hundred
Englijh, moft of them Buccaneers, had
been planted ; and, that whilft his lordfliip
provided for his projedt he would difpofe
all things for the execution and fuccefs of
that enterprize.
As foon as Watts had retum'd this an-
fwer to the lord Willoughby, he refolv'd
himfelf to furprize the French before his
general fent him any forces from Barbadoes,
fearing he would employ fome other to ex-
ecute this defign, and thereby deprive him
of the booty, with which he hoped to en-
rich himfelf. Following his firft thought,
he entertain'd the French of the ifland of
St. Chrijlopher, efpecially the commander
de Sales their governor, with great hopes of
neutrality ; whilft to compafs his projeds,
he advifed Rujfel governor of Nevis, what
number of forces he fhould want from^ that
ifland, and fent word to cohnelMorgan, then
commanding the new Englijh inhabitants in
St. Eujtachius, to hold himfelf in a readinefs
to come over to him with his beft men.
He was fomewhat thwarted in the execution
of his enterprize which he had communi-
cated to feveral of the chief of the Englijh,
fome of whom would not confent to break
thus with the French ; which obliged him
to write to colonel Rentes, commanding in
the north quarter of the ifland, to fecure
thofe who ftiould be againft his defign,
Whilft he was thus contriving in St. Chri-
8 E Jto^htr\
658 A brief Dejcription of
Her^^v- A Jiophc/ 5 i the lord Willoughhy caufed the
^^■'^'"y^ drum to be beaten in Barbadoes^ and hav-
ing there lifted feven or eight hundred men.
appointed his nephew lieutenant general
Henry Willoughhy, to command in the en-
terprize of St. Chrijlopher's, and ordered
vefTels to be got ready for tranfportation.
At the fame time the governors of Nevis
and St. Euftachius., purfuant to their advice
from Watts., had fliip'd off and fent the
beft rrien of their refpedtive iflands into
that of St. Chriftopher.
The French governor de Sales being in-
formed of thefe tranfadlions of the En-
gUJh., by a Frenchman who had been at Ne-
vis fome weeks before, and acquainted him
he had much trouble to come out of that
ifland, where the French were already treat-
ed as enemies ; and that there was no other
difcourfe, than of the preparations made
to invade the French quarters in St. Chri-
ftopher ; for which effe6t the lord Willough-
by, their captain-general, made levies at
Barbadoes, took the alarm, and refolv'd
to prevent them, notwithftanding the frefh
aflurances/^«//5 had lately given him when
he fent him the printed copy of the decla-
ration of war by the king of England a-
gainft France, that he was refolved to ob-
ferve the neutrality fettled betwixt the two
nations, as it had been praClifed during
Cromwell's ufurpation, when no manner
of hoftilities had been committed in thofe
iflands on either fide ; the lord Willoughby
himfelf having alfo fliewed a great incli-
nation to entertain that neutrality in Ame-
rica which he had renewed with him, and
promis'd that whatever rupture fhould hap-
pen between France and England, they
fhould not make war in that ifland, with-
out firft having refpedively informed each
other of the refolution they fhould take,
purfuant to what fliould be tranfaded in
Europe.
To this effed, de Sales having confer'd
with the fieur de St. Laurent, who was his
lieutenant, he ordered about feven hundred
of the beft forces of the quarter of the
ifland he was in, to keep themfelves in a
readinefs ; and on the i p'*^ of April was
informed that nine floops had been feen
pafling by in the night loaden with foldi-
ers from Nevis to St. Chriftopher'' who
were landed there at Palm 'Tree point, one
of the Engliftj quarters •, and immediately
he received another advice, that the day
before two hundred and fifty Englijh buc-
caneers , with colonel Morgan at the head
of them, from the ifland of St. Euftachius,
with fome foldiers from Barbadoes, were
alfo arrived at the Englijh quarter called
la Grande Rade.
De Sales being convinced by all thefe
preparations of the EngUftj, that the lofs
of his ifland was unavoidable, and that he-
had no hopes of faving it, but by pre-
venting them : that he might do what he
had refolved with the more right and ju-
ftice, he fent his aid -major with an officer
to colonel Watts the Englijh governor, to
know of him on what defign he gather'd
fo many forces, contrary to the agree-
ments made between the two nations : the
anfvv'er was, that he had fent to him to de-
clare war, and that he allow'd but three
days to prepare himfelf.
This anfwer did not only determine the
commandeur de Sales to attack the Englijh,
but to do it fo fpeedily that he might fur-
prize them before they had given their or-
ders, either for an attack upon him or
for their own defence. To this purpofe he
difpatch'd an exprefs to the Jieur de Poiney^
commanding in the quarter of the point
de Sable and Cabefterre, to inform him,
that on the night betwen the 21ft and 22d
he would attack the enemy on their north
quarter, next Cayonne, and that he fhould
do the fame then on the fide of la Cabe-
fterre, that the French forces of the two
diftant feparate quarters might join buc
the exprefs could not pafs.
This order fo given, he judged it necef-
fary to deceive the enemy by a ftratagem,
and therefore, on the 21ft he caufed all
the forces of la Bajfeterre to aflemble on
the heighth of the river Pentecofte in the
fouthern quarter, where he drew them up
in battel, in the fight of the enemy ; and
juft at night, having caufed feveral fires to
be lighted, and left in that place about a
hundred of his weakeft men, with a num-
ber of Blacks, and moft of his drums, to
cover his defign and amufe the enemy in
that place, he marched towards Cayenne
with all his forces, being about fix hundred
and fifty foldiers, and fifty volunteers.
I fhall not mention all the particulars of
the difpofition he made of his forces, and
of his attacks ; but think it fufficient to
fay, that the firft engagement was at the
river Cayonne , which feparates the French
from the En^ifto quarters, as has been ob-
ferved, which is near a church, 1200 paces
higher up the land ; after which they pe-
netrated into the Englijh quarter, and the
Blacks fet fire to all the fugar-canes, hou-
fes and fugar- works of the Englijfj. Next
they paflTed the deep rivulet of Nicholfton
without any oppofition, and having gain'd
the upper end of the rivulet in the plain,
that lyes betwixt it and the five comUes,
they halted to breathe a little, having al-
ready fuffer'd very much by the heat and
the fmoak. After a little reft, they march'd
along a road, hemm'd in on one fide with
a great ditch and a hedge, and on the o-
ther with fiirubs and canes very clofe and
thick.
the Caribbee IJlands,
6^9
thick, which leads to the place of arms
before the aforefaid church of the five
comhles^ and by it found an ambufcade in
the ditch and fhrubs, lying at the entry of
that place, which ftopp'd them awhile, till
being reinforced, they charged the Englifi
mufqueteers fo warmly, that they retired
to the place ot arms, where they were
fuftained by the fire of two companies of
EngUJh that had not yet engaged, polled
within and without the church. There
the commandeur de Sales w2lS killed by a fhot
in the head, and fome other officers wound-
ed : his death diforder'd the French forces,
but the chevalier de St. Laurent coming up
and heading them afoot, with iword in
hand, overthrew the Englijh, and purfued
them to the end of the rivulet. The road
being then free for the joining of the for-
ces of la Cahejierre, they marched dire^l:ly
that way, and found the French of that
part of the ifland of the Lance a Louvet
having been attack'd by the EngUJh, led
by colonel Remes, had fo vigoroufly re-
pulfed them, that they were forced to re-
tire towards the mountains, after eighty of
their men had been killed on the fpot.
The runaways, as well of the north quar-
ter as of this place, gaining a pafiage acrofs
the mountains, which leads to their quar-
ter of la grande Rade, got away to their
governor Watts ^ who was aftonifh'd to
hear of the progrefs the French had made,
and refolved to take revenge. To that
effeft he fent orders to the EngUJh of the
two frontiers of the Palm Tree Point, and
that of de Sable, to hold themfelves ready
to afiault the French 5 and being arrived
with their body on the banks of the little
rivulet of the Sandj Point, which divides
them from the French, found their men
there fldrmifhing with them in a favanna
or pafture ground, on which ftands the
houle of L'EJperance, captain of that quar-
ter, and caufed them to march by the
heighths, and thence fending their detach-
ments, they attack'd the advanced guard
of the French, pofted in a little favanna at
the head of thofe huts, fuftained by three
hundred men under de Poiney, and drove
them from that poll, retiring to the firft
houfes there-, but being aflifted by the
two fmall batallionsofPomt'ji's, they charg-
ed the EngUJh, and repulfed them beyond
the poft they had juft taken of the French.
Here de Poiney was mortally wounded.
The EngUfi being there fuftained by
frelh forces, renew'd the charge very fu-
rioufly, and retook the houfes; but were
foon beaten from them by the French, who
had the advantage of the ground, and
could make two difcharges for one, be-
caufe the EngUJh were above them.
The EngUJh governors, Watts z.ndi Mor-
gan, feeing their forces repulfed from thofe HERRERi
pofts, refolved to make a general attack
with all their troops, being about 1200
men. Accordingly Watts put himfelf on
the right, and Morgan on the left, filling
up all the front of the rifing ground of the
huts and favanna's of the fieur V EJperance 3
moving thence orderly to all the places
where they judged they might be attack''d
in front, in order to face and charge the ene-
my every way •, but the French perceiving
by this difpofition of the enemy, that
they Ihould infUlibly be forced from thence
if they did not advance fome fmall forces
before them, to fuftain the firft brunt;
they Aided fifty fuzileers along a defile
which the EngUJh had not obferved , on
the left of their firft attack, and behind
fome trees ftandlng along the great road,
caufing them to file off by ten at a time'
with orders not to fire till within piftol-
fhot, and then to retire to their body if
they were prefs'd. This was executed fo
exadlly, and the EngUJh received their
firft volley fo fully, that Watts their chief,
with three of his captains, fell down dead,
and colonel Morgan mortally wounded,
which ftopp'd the motion of the EngUJIj
troops, and gave time to the French to
make a fecond difcharge ; and to the two
fmall batallions to come out of their pofts,
and charge the enemy with fo much fuc-
cefs, that being difmay'd by the lofs of
their chiefs, they betook themfelves to
flight, and were purfued by the French a
great way up into their territories.
About ten at night an EngUJh trumpeter
came to demand the body of their gover-
nor, but it was rather to obferve the pof-
ture of the French ; for though tliey had
obtain'd the permiftion of taking him a-
way, they did not do it.
The next morning when the officers were
making the difpofition to attack the En-
^ijb quarter of the great road, where they
had formed a body of two thoufand men ;
an officer came from them, defiring to
fpeak to the chevalier de St. Laurent, who
then commanded the French in chief upon
the death of the commandeur de Sales, and
propofed to him an accommodation, which
obliged de St. Laurent to aflemble his offi-
cers, who knowing their forces wanted
powder, were of opinion to propofe to the
EngUJh feven articles; the firft of which St.Chri-
imported, that they fliould immediately de--^f
liver up their torts, cannons, arms and x\zFrench.
ammunition ; the third, that the inhabi-
tants, who fliould take an oath of fidelity
to France, Ihould live and enjoy their e-
ftates ; the fixth, that they fhould have
liberty of confcience, but no publick ex-
ercife of the Protejlant religion ; and not
be allowed any arms, nor fo much as
fwords. The
66o
A hriej Defer ipt ion of
Herrera The officer was fent back with thefe
^^>^y'\^ conditions, and the Englip allowed only
four hours to accept of .them, which they
did, and figned them within the timej and
hoftages were deliver'd for the execution
of that fliameful capitulation, purfuant to
which, the French were made mailers ot
the EngliJIj forts and arms. Many of the
Englijh withdrew from the ifland, and the
French allowed but a few of thofe that
were fit to carry arms to retire into Nieves-,
Monferrate and Antigua j the moft were
fent to Jamaica, Carolina, Virginia, Ber-
mudas, the Azores, and fome to England.
"Whilft this was tranfadting at St. Chri-
Jlopher's, lieutenant general fFilloughby was
on his paflTage with eight fhips from Bar-
hadoes to Nevis , and betwixt the great
land of Guadalupe and Antigua, met a
French bark going from Marigalante to
St, ChriJiopher\, which he foon took, and
was ftrangely furprifed, when afking the
French crew. What news ; they told him
they had heard of none fince the conqueft
their nation had made of the parts of St.
Chriftopher\ belonging to the crown of En-
gland ; only that the fieur de Chambra-j,
agent general of the French IVeji India com-
pany, was gone over to that ifland with
three large fl:iips, to carry away the En-
gliJJj to other parts. This account made
him refolve to throw the forces he brought
from Barbadoes, into Antigua and Nevis, to
' defend thofe iflands againft the attacks of
the French ; and as to himfelf, to expedb
at Antigua frefli orders from the lord JVil-
loughhy, his uncle.
The eight hundred men this lieutenant
general was bringing from Barbadoes, were
in their paffage to be reinforc'd by about
five hundred more from Antigua, and all
to be join'd to thofe prepar'd in St. Chri-
ftopher^ by Colonel Watts, in order with
that number of forces, which were to ex-
ceed five thoufand men, to undertake the
attack of the French quarters at St. Chri-
Jlopher's with the greater fuccefs ; but they
who defign'd to take, were taken them-
felves.
In June following, the lord Willoughby
having projeded not only to recover the
Englip Engtijh quarters in the ifland of St. Chri-
attempc ftop.ber, but even to difpolTefs the French of
on St. theirs, came before it with his fleet, aboard
^her^"' which were three thoufand men of regular
troops and militia, detach'd from Barba-
does, Antigua and Nevis, commanded by
his nephew Henr'^ Willoughby and lieutenant
colonel Stapleton. The fleet pafl:ed by the
fort at point Pabn Tree at break of day,
and made fuch expedition, that before the
chevalier de St. Laurent, who then com-
manded in the ifland, could oppofe it ; the
Englijfj boats landed above fix hundred
4
men on the beach at the river Felan, ?t
quarter of a league above the Englijh fort,
tho' the place was not very convenient for
making a defcent ; for notv/i':hfl:anding it
was eafy enough to land on the beach, yet
the entrance into the river was defended
by a little fl:eep clifc, about twelve feet
high, enclofed with fmall thorny buflies, . ,
acceflible only by a little narrow footpath,
which a fingle man had enough to do to
fcramble up between the buflies, with two
rivulets full of rocks at the two ends, very
difficult to pafs. The Englijh, inftead of
gaining that heighth, drew up in order of
battel on the beach, and by that means gave
time to tlie chevalier de St. Laurent, with
about twenty five horfe to place themfelves
before that little foot path, and to repulfe
the detachments fent from the beach to
gain the heighth, notwithfl:anding the fire
of the main body that was on the beach,
and that from the men of war and barks,
riding within piflol-fhot of the fhore.
The Englijh being repulfed from that
road, extended themfelves to the risht and
left to advance among the rocks and flrones
in ihe mouth of the river Pelan ; but the
French forces by that time increafing there,
charg'd them in front and flank, whilft
feveral boats continually landed more
men to fufl:ain the former-, fo that there | -
was a continual fkirmifliing for feveral
hours, and many men killed, the particu- Defeated,
lars whereof being tedious ; but in conclu-
fion, the Englijh were fo prefl'ed, that they
reimbark'd, after having canonaded a long
time from their fliips, leaving eight hun-
dred of their befl: men, either killed or
drowned, among whom was the lord Bel-
lamont and feveral officers, befides five
hundred and fifty prifoners, of which num-
ber was colonel Stapleton, who command-
ed the defcent, colonel Bonely and colonel
Colter, and twenty other officers. The
Englijh fleet returned to Nevis.
By the peace of Breda, concluded July
31, 1667, their quarters in the ifland of , .
St. Chrijtopher were refliored to xhQ Englijh ^
who in a few years put their colony into a
good condition again but were again dri-
ven out of it by the French in 1690, and .
refl:ored by the peace of Ryjwick in 1697,
when they once more re-efl:abli{h'd all
things , but were fince expell'd again dur-
ing the lafl: war ; but by the peace, con-
cluded at Utrecht in 1712, France has yield-
ed up the whole ifland to the Englijh.
Befides the frequent calamities of war,
the ifland is more fubjedl to hurricanes and.
earthquakes than any other of the Carib-
bees, as has been hinted before; but for -
which it would be a very pleafant and ad-
vantageous place.
■■'"^ "'■^ '■■ •• The
\
the Caribbee Ijlands
The Conmandeur de Souvre ^ with the
king's permiflion, bought the propriety of
the iflands of St. Chrijlopher, Santa Cruz,
St. Martin, and St. Bartholomew of the
French American company, for the fum of
40000 crowns. The king ratified the trea-
ty in 1653, and yielded up all the right to
them to the order of Malta, they only
paying an acknowledgment of a gold
crown, worth 3000 livres, to every king
at his acceflion to the crown of France, and
the great mafter was obliged to fend no
other perfons governors of thofe iflands,
but French knights.
The new Weft India company redeem'd
the faid iflands from the knights of Malta,
for the fum of 500000 livres in 1665, fend-
ing over thither the Sieur de Chamhray,
their agent-general, to take poflTefllon of
them in their name, who fettled their go-
vernors in them, that fame year ; not-
withftanding the Cornmandeur de Sales, go-
vernor of thofe iflands for the knights of
Malta, made fome oppofition. The in-
habitants were alfo fomewhat uneafy at
this change, and the prohibition of com-
merce with the Dutch was as little agree-
able to them, as to thofe of Guadalupe and
Martinico. Thefe difcontents were height-
en'd by the apprehenfion of a rupture be-
tween France and England, when they
fhould be expofed to all the mifchiefs of
war whereas if they had continued fubjed:
to the knights of Malta, they would have
been out of all danger, as being neu-
ters. • \
St. E U S T A C H I U S,
Is about nine leagues in compafs, lies in
17 degrees 40 minutes north latitude;
three leagues N. W. from St. Chriftopher^
and to the fouthward looks like a high
mountain, but ftretches out to the north-
ward in an indifferent good country. It is
poflTeffed by a Dutch colony, as has been
obferved before, fince the year 1635. The
chief produ(5t is cotton, befides fome fugar
plantations. It has no harbour, but a
good road. The land is mountainous and
wants water.
The Engli/b from Jamaica, took it from
the Dutch in 1665, and having fent them
away, repeopled it for the molt part with
buccaneers, under the command of colonel
Morgan, who was killed the next year at
St. Chriiftopher, as was faid above.
The French having, as is there alfo re-
lated, pofleflTed themfelves of St. Chrifto-
pher in 1666, invaded St. Euftachius, to-
gether with the Dutch ; and being landed
with little or no oppofition from the new
Englijh pofleflbrs, who retired to their
fort, advanced under their commanders
Vol. V.
the Sieur Dorviltiers of xkit French, and Van^
derburg of the Dutch to ftorm that work ;
but the Englijh fent out colonel Sedborough
to capitulate, and they were allowed to
depart the ifland without any arms ; only
to carry off their equipage to Jamaica,
without landing on any of the EngliJJj
Caribbee iflands, which was executed ac-
cordingly} and to prevent their retiring
to any of the neighbouring iflands, the
Ihip lent to carry them oft had no main
top-mafb. The confederate forces took
poffeffion of the faid fort, in which they
found fixteen pieces of cannon mounted,
a brafs mortar, twelve bombs, a hundred
and fifty muflcets, fome ammunition, and
a confiderable number of Blacks. The
ifland being at that time of war look'd
upon by general de la Barre, as very fer-
viceable to fhelter the little fhips, that
fhould have occafion to go to St. Chrifio-
pher by the fide of the Cabefierre; and than
it would be a great annoyance to Vat French
there , if the Englijh fliould be mafters of
it again and keep fome fmall frigats there,
to hinder the refort to St. Chriftopher with-
out being expofed, as they mufl: be 2i\.Ne-
vis; he relolved to keep a good garifon
of French in St. Euftachius, to fecure the
fort, which, tho' but of earth, is one of
the befl: in the Caribbee iflands ; and to
leave in it a governor of refolution and
experience. The Sieur de Rofe was
pitch'd upon for that employment, with
eighty men of regular troops ; and all
the flaves the Englijh had left, who were
employ'd at repairing and improving of
the works. Afterwards, by the treaty of
Breda, the ifland returned to its firft pof-
feffors.
In 1689, the French took it again from
the Dutch, but reftored it by the peace of
Ryjwick, in 1697.
St. Bartholomew,
So call'd from Bartholomew, brother to
Chriftopher Columbus, which laft difcover'd
it in the year 1493, is ten leagues in com-
pafs, lyes in 18 degrees north latitude,
eight leagues N. N. E. from St. Chrifto-
pher, and belongs to the French fince the
year 1648. The colony is not confide-
rable, having but a few inhabitants, be-
caufe it wants frefli water and the foil is
none of the beft. However it abounds in
fowl, as hens, turkeys and ducks, and
alfo in flieep and goats, which the inhabi-
tants trade with to St. Chriftopher. It alfo
produces plenty of mandioca, whereof the
cajjabi, or ordinary bread of thofe iflands
is made.
This mandioca is a bufh, full of crook- Manihie.
ed knots, and feldom grows quite fix foot
8 F high.
662
Jt J?ruj J^ejcriptdm of
high. There are fix or feyen forts of ir,
the violet colour is the beft. It is re-
duced to a fort of - meal, as has been faid
elfewhere, - and they bake it in large flat
cakes.
This ifland produces plenty of tobacco,
and has a prptty good harbour for veifels
under a hundred ton burthen.
< :^7 St. Martin,
- Belongs to the French ever fince the year
1645, is in the fame longitude as the for-
mer, in 18 degrees 25 minutes latitude;
its compafs about twenty five leagues, di-
ftantfrom iS/. C^ri/?^/'^^'^ nine leagues north,
and is feated between St. Bartholomew on
the fouth, and Jnguila on the north.
It is inhabited by French and Dutch
one Vanree, a Hollander, having enter'd
upon it, as well as the French in 1635, and
each nation has its feparate quarter. Be-
fore the wars in 1666, it abounded in cat-
tel and had fome fugar mills j but having
been almoft abandon'd, it will not be eafily
reftor'd, as well on account of its unwhole-
fome air, as of the diftempers thought to
be occafion'd by the badnefs of the v/ater,
which is alfo fcarce, and taken out of a
lake there is in it befides that the land is
barren. It lyes alfo too much to leeward,
which renders the commerce with the wind-
ward iflands the more difficult. Nor has
it any harbour •, and the fouth Ihore, being
the pafiage from it to that of S. Bartholo-
tnew, is very rocky and dangerous.
.1
'■^ • A N G U I L A, ■ ' ■
Is a long flat ifland, north of St. Mar-
tin, in 18 degrees 30 minutes north lati-
tude; eight leagues long, and but of a
fmall breadth, whence the name of An-
giiila is deriv'd, fignifying an eel in Spa-
nijh. It is inhabited by Englijh, feveral
families having retired thither after the
French had conquered their quarters in St.
Chrijlopher in the year 1666. Their chief
product is tobacco, which has not enrich'd
them, but they continue generally poor.
The accefs to the ifland is very dangerous,
and many fliips have been lofl: about it,
nor has it. any harbour to flicker them.
^ ^ ^ Saba,
Is a fmall ifland, confifl:ing of one great
mountain, lying N. W. from St. Eufta-
chm, in 17 degrees 50 minutes north la-
titude, inhabited by the Dutch; but is a
colony of fmall value and thinly inhabited,
though there are now fome Englijh on it,
as^ well as Dutch. It is not fa large as
Eujlachiu§. , . =
S A N T A C -R U Z,
By tl'ie Indians called A'j Ay, ; is about
thirty leagues in compafs, in 17 degrees
40 minutes north latitude, forty leagues to
the weft ward of St. Chrijlopher, confifliing
altogether of fmall hills j of good accefs
even for carts, and proper to produce all
things of American growth. The foil in
fome places is nitrous, for which reafon the
water is not every where fit to drink, as
tafl;ing of that mineral, which defeft is
fupplied by cifterns for the ufe of man-
kind, the cattel drinking that of the wells,
which ferves alfo for other common ufes.
It has been obferved, that the deeper they
dig the wells, the fweeter the water is.
That of feveral rivulets is alfo very good,
and ferves thofe places through which they
pafs. The ifland being no higher in the
middle than in other parts, as mofl: of the
Carihhees are, feveral of the little rivers
fl:agnate towards their mouths, for want
of a defcent. They abound in fifh, but
the water fometimes ftanding fl:ill there,
occafions infedlious vapours and exhalati-
ons, which render the place unhealthy, as
I fhall again obferve.
This ifland, ever fince the year 1650,
has belonged to the French, who have
there a little colony. The air was reckon-
ed bad for many years, but it has been
obferved to grow more wholefome as the
woods are cut down, and the inhabitants
live pretty well in it, and have good pro-
vifions, which makes the number of peo-
ple increafe ; and it is like to become a
confiderable colony, there being feveral
fugar-mills on it already. The foil pro-
duces plenty of tobacco, fugar and indigOj
and there is good pafl:ure ground for feed-
ing horfes, cows and ftieep. In the year
1680, it was reckoned to contain 800 in-
habitants. It formerly belonged to the
knights of Malta, as was obferved before,
but now to the new French Weft India, or
American company. The Dominicans have
the charge of fpiritual affairs : The king;
appoints a governor.
There are three ports in it, the befl: in
all the Caribbee iflands, efpecially one of
them, which is a very fafe harbour, but
fomewhat difficult to get in, having two
very narrow channels among the rocks, not
above fix fathom broad, and the one fifteen,
the other fixteen foot water. Within thofe
narrow channels the depth increafes to four
and five fathom, all within the port very
clofeto thefliore, the ffiips commonly lying
fo near a fmall ifland there is within it,
that they make ufe of the trees growing on
it, to bring them down on a fide and ca-
reen.
There
the Caribbee IjlcmAs}^
There is a little fort, mounted with can-
non j befides which the inhabitants have a
fafe retreat, in cafe of being attacked by
too great a power, which they provided
in the midft of the woods, in the year
i'666, when they apprehended being at-
tacked by the Englijh % the place being
big enough to breed and maintain cattle,
with other conveniences for themfelves,
their families and effedts. That natural
fortrefs is fecured on all fides either by
the thicknefs of the trees ftanding, or by
many others cut down and lay'd athwart
to ftop up the avenues, fo that 20 men
who were well acquainted with the place,
may keep off 500 in thofe parts which are
eafieft of accels.
Thofe woods are full of qdeeils and ring-
doves, very good to eat, beiides abun-
dance of land crabs. They alfo fwa[rm
with gnats, chikas and other trou'blefdme
infeds, which much annoy the inhabitants
at certain times of the year. The crabs
are of fuch a nature, that if trod on, or
otherwife cruHied, they fill the air with a
loathfome ftink : befides they fpoil all the
frefli water of the wells or brooks they re-
fort to, in incredible multitudes, at a cer-
tain time of the year, when they go down
from the inland hills to the fea fide to
fpawn ; after which they return again fe-
veral miles up the country, crowded fo
clofe that they take up half a league in
breadth, crawling over one another. The
gnats caufe violent pain and fwelling knots
where they fling, and it is difficult to fleep
quiet for them in the houfe, and impoffible
to avoid them in the woods.
' ■ - T'he Virgin s,
Are feveral fmall iflands in 18 degrees
50 minutes north latitude, lying in a clufter,
north of Santa Cruz, of feveral fizes, their
foil barren, and therefore very thinly in-
habited by Danes, who live there very poor-
ly. The nearell of them to Santa Cruz is
10 leagues diftant, and the moft wefterly
of them, within a few leagues of the great
Spanijh ifland of St. John de Puerto Rice.
This is the chiefelt of them all, where the
Danes and Prujfians have a tolerable fet-
tlement, to carry on an underhand trade
of flaves from Guinea and fome European
commodities, with the other Caribbee iflands,
and with the Spaniards, as I have obferved
before.
A N E G A D A,
Is a defert ifland, in 19 degrees north
latitude, about twelve leagues to the north-
ward of the Virgins, very difficult of ac-
cefsj by reafon of the ffioals lying about
4
it, and therefore carefully avoided by all
fhips coming from the windward iflands to
proceed to Europe, many fliips having been
formerly loft there. It is about as big as
the ifland of St. Bartholotnew, or perhaps
fomewhat larger. There is no account of
its foil or produdl. . . - -
- - - - - • - ■ ■ ^
r ■ ' Sombrero,
Is a little ifland lying bfetWixt the laft
IpOken of ahd Anguila, ferving for a land-
mark to get out iafe from among the Ca-
ribbee iflands.
The gfeat iflands St. John de Pk-
erto Rico, Hijpaniola und Cilba belonging to
the Spaniards, and Jamaica to the Englijh
are not of the number of the Caribbees, and
therefore nothing fliall be faid of them.
.■-I. Bermudas. • ■ .-^ '
Thefe iflands are not of thofe we have
above fpoken, but very remote, yet in re-
gard they lie in the way for fliips return-
ing from Guinea and the Caribbee iflands,
and are often reforted to upon accidentSj
ftrefs of weather, or want of provifions,
it may not be improper to fay fomethirig
of them.
They are in 32 degrees, 25 minutes
north latitude, and 270 degrees longitude
from the meridian of London, about 300
leagues diftant from Carolina, which is the
neareft continent. Their firft difcoverer
was John Bermuda, a native of Galicia in
Spain, whofe name they retain, about the
beginning of the 16^'^ century. In 1552,
the king of Spain had refolved to fend
thither a colony of his fubjefts, becaufe
it is a place convenient for the fliips re-
turning to Spain, through the channel of
Bahama, and accordingly granted great
privileges to Ferdinand Camelo a Portuguefe,
but that defign took no eff'ed:.
In 1593, Barbotiere z French captain was
fhipwrecked on them, through the over-
fight of his pilot, twenty fix of his men
got afliore, among whom W2.s Henry May,
who afterwards publiflied an account of
that fliipwreck. In 1609, S\r George So?n-
mer an Englijhman was drove thither by
the violence of the winds, and fome of
his men returning into England, fo much
commended the iflands, then called Sofu-
mer's iflands, from Sir George Sommers ^
that in the year 1612, a fociety of En^ijh
gentlemen and merchants, having obtained
a grant from king James the firft, fent
over fixty men to begin a colony, under
the direction of Richard More, who bulk
eight forts in feveral places.
More was fucceeded in the government,
anno 161 6, by Daniel Tucker, who fet his
men
(564
A brief Dejcription of &c.
men to cultivate the ground, to plant trees
and tobacco. In 1619 Butler fucceeded
backer, having carried over above 500 in-
habitants, and found as many there. He
divided thofe iflands into parcels, which
were foon peopled, for in 1623, there were
above 3000 Englijh inhabitants.
There is but one large ifland, four or
five fmaller, and feveral little ones : all of
them furrounded with rocks, fhoals and
fands, which render the accefs extraordina-
ry difficult, and are their greateft fecurity,
there being only two clear channels, with
good fortifications to fecure them. The
rocks may be feen at low water, but not
at flood, when the water rifes about five
foot. May^ in his defcription of thefe
iflands fays, the biggefl: is about fifteen
Englijh miles long, and fix or feven in
breadth all over fl;ocked with trees and
plants of feveral forts. The cedars there
are very beautiful, with which the inhabi-
tants build houfes and veflTels, the timber
being the befl: in the world.
The fea affords tortoifes of a prodigious
bulk. The prickly pears grow all the year
about, and there are red and white mul-
berries, and filk worms. There are alfo
abundance of a fort of palm trees bearing
a fruit like acorns, which ferve to feed
fwine, whereof there are great numbers.
The fea alfo yields fome good pearls and
ambergreefe. Indian corn comes twice a
year, a fingle grain producing a pound
weight each time. The firil fowing is in
March, and the harvefl: in Jz^/)? j thefecond
fowing in Augiiji-, which is reaped in 'De-
cember. There are abundance of whales
all round the iflands, of divers forts and
other fea monfl;ers, which play about the
fliores from January till May, and are a
profitable fifhery.
The air is clear, temperate, moift and
moderately hot, which renders the foil fit
to produce any plants or feeds, and tho*
the trees lofe their leaves, they are always
green. Frefli water is fomewhat fcarce,
for which reafon the Englijh have dug many
wells, which fupply them.
The worfl: of thofe iflands is that they
are very fubjefl to horrid ftorms of thun-
der and lightning, except in the months
of April and May, when the weather is
very delightful. It is obfervable that few
fliips pafs by the iflands without meeting
fome tempeft, tho' at 70 or 80 leagues
difl:ance. Notwithft:anding which boifl;e-
rous weather, in the year i6i6, five men,
in an open boat of about 3 tons burden,
ventured to fail thence to Ireland, at
the mofl: tempeituous time of the year,
and arrived there fafe, after a pafl"age
of feven weeks, and efcaping infinite dan-
gers.
The arms of Bermudas are, a fliip fplit-
ting againft: a rock in the fea, to denote
how thofe iflands were made known to the
Englijh, by Barbotiere and Sir George Som-
tners being fliipwrecked on them, as has
been mentioned. , , , .
End of the Account of the Caribbee
- •: ,!•. JJlands. , ■ . ., .
I have thought fit to fubjoin the fol-
lowing difcourfe, taken out of the refledti-
ons upon the confl:itution and management
of the trade to Africk, through the whole
courfe and progrefs thereof-, from the be-
ginning of the lafl: Century, to this timej
as it was off^ered in print, to the Houfe of
Commons, by the Royal- African-Company^
annot 1709.
An Account of the Rife and Prosrefs
of our Trade to Africa, precei
the Year 1697/ ;; :
ABOUT the latter end of queen
Elizabelb's, and in the beginning
of her fucceflbr kingjames's reign,
fome London adventurers made fe-
veral attempts feparately, for carrying on
a Trade to the coaft of Jfrick, call'd Gui-
nea ; yet all that can be found any of them
ever gain'd thereby, was merely a bare
difcovery, and dear bought experience,
that probably an advantagious trade might
have been carried on thither, provided
they had had a ftock and power fufficient
for that end, and had known how to pre-
ferve their men from the danserous in-
fiuence and effedls of the peftilential air
of that ftrange climate j and from the
barbarous cruelties of the treacherous na-
tives : but thefe adventurers wanting pro-
per means for the aforefaid purpofes, and
meeting with fom.e fevere rebukes upon
that account, did by degrees lay afide all
thoughts of making any farther attempt
that way.
Whereupon Ym^James in the 1 6th year
of his reign, granted a charter under the
great feal of England^ to Sir Robert Rich,
and other citizens of London therein men-
tioned, together with fuch other perfons as
they fliould think fit, to afiume and in-
corporate into one body politick, for raif-
ing a joint ftock, to carry on a Trade to
Jfrick ; and that exclufive to all his ma-
jefty's other fubjefts, under no lefs penalty
than the forfeiture of both ihip and cargo,
to the ufe of thofe joint adventurers for
their encouragement.
But fcarce had that infant company of
joint adventurers made the experiment of
two or three feveral voyages, when fome
other private merchants envying their fellow
citizens apparent view of fuccefs, would alfo
needs try their fortunes, by interloping
clandeftinely upon the fame coaft upon
difcovery whereof fome difputes arofe be-
tween them and the company, which pro-
ceeding foon after to an open rupture,
the company infilled upon the privileges
of their charter the others on their natu-
ral right : and both parties at laft growing
weary of fuch debates^ as well as of their
mutual loffes, withdrew the fhatter'd re-
mains of their feveral and refpeftive ftocks •,
by which means that trade was again
wholly negleited for fome years.
V o L. V,
In the mean time fome other European
nations, but more efpecially the Dtitchj
ftill purfuing their defign of fixing and
fecuring to themfelves the trade of Jfrick^
by cultivating a friendfhip with the natives,
building of forts, and fettling of fadtories
on the coafts of Guinea, and by fupplant-
ing the Portuguezes^ who were fettled long
before them : Some of our moft intelli-
gent merchants reprefented the fame to
king Charles I. as alfo the confequencea
which they thought might naturally attend
the fupine negledt of that trade. Where-
upon his majefty did, in the feventh year
of his reign, grant a new charter under the
great feal of England, to Hu?nphrey Slanej^
Nicholas Crijp and company, with fuch
ample privileges, exclufions, prohibitions
and penalties, as in the former charter
were contain'd : which laft charter was, in
the year 1651, confirm'd and exempli-
fy'd to Rowland Wilfon and company, by
the governing power at that time.
But confidering the many convulfive
fits and diftradions which in thofe days
embroil'd and confounded the govern-
ment both of church and ftate through-
out this ifland, we need not wonder that
our trade to Africk fell at the fame time in-
to very great diforders ; forthe unreftrain'd
liberty which interlopers afium'd for trad-
ing as they pleas'd, without any regard to
the rights of the company, fet them and
the company together by the ears ; and
then the Dutch and Danijh companies lay-
ing hold of the opportunity which our
domeftick commotions and divifions did
adminifter to their advantage, they in-
creafed the number of their forts, fado-
ries and ftiips of war on the coaft of
Africk ; by which they not only encou-
rag'd, advanc'd and defended their own
trade and navigation, but alfo wholly ob-
ftru£led that of their neighbours ; info-
much, that befides demoliftiing the forts,
and quite ruining the ftock of that com-
pany, they took the fhips and goods of
other private Englijh traders to the value of
about 300000 /. as appear'd by their Peti-
tions to the parliament, after the reftau-
ration of king Charles II.
How far thefe lofles were any ways con-
fider'd or repair'd by that parliament, I
know not •, but upon a reprefentation
8 G made
An Account of the Rife and Progrejs
made foon after to king Charles II. that
the BrltiJId plantations in America were by
degrees advancing to fuch a condition as
neceffarily required a greater yearly fup-
ply of fervants and labourers, than could
be well fpared from hence, without the
danger of depopulating his majefty's na-
tive dominions •, his majefty did, for the
fupplying of thofe plantations with Blacks,
publickly invite all his fubjedls to fubfcribe
to a new joint ftock, for recovering and
carrying on the trade to Africk and the
then defign'd fubfcription being compleat-
ed accordingly, his majefty did, in the year
1662, grant a new charter to the fubfcrib-
ers of that joint ftock, by the name of the
Company of Royal Adventurers of England
for carrying on a trade to Africk ; with the
fame exclufions, prohibitions, penalties,
forfeitures and immunities, which were
contain'd in the feveral charters formerly
mention'd *.
But fcarce had that new company put
themfelves into a condition of trading,
when a war breaking out with the ftates
of Holland in the year 1664, the Diitch^
who feldom or never negledled. the taking
hold of any opportunity for engroffing to
themfelves as much as they could of ei-
ther that or any other beneficial trade,
did, in the very beginning of the war, fend
orders to their admiral de Ruyter, lying
then at Gibraltar with a fquadron of thir-
teen men of war, to fail for the coaft of
Guinea, and to fet upon the EngUfh there ;
which he fo efFeftually perform'd, that in
the year 1665, he not only deftroy'd moft
of their factories, took Cormentyn Cajlle,
'Tocoravy Fort, and the other places on
that coaft, but likewife feifed on feveral
fliips and goods belonging to the Englifh
company, infomuch that their lofs there-
by was computed at above 200000 /. by
which means that company's ftock was fo
much reduced, that they were quite dif-
courag'd, as well as difabled, from making
any farther con fiderable efforts for retriev-
ing and carrying on that trade to any pur-
pofe, without fome new help.
Whereupon his majefty confidering, that
the faid trade was in imminent danger of
being wholly loft to the nation, and con-
ceiving, that the eftablifhing a new com-
pany, and a new ftock, upon furrender of
the former company's charter, would be
the moft eftedlual means for recovering
and carrying on that trade, did, in the
year 167 1, publickly invite all his fubjedis
refiding in foreign plantations, as well as
here at home, to fubfcribe what fums they
pleafed towards carrying on the aforefaid
trade ; and thereupon many of the nobi-
lity, gentry and merchants having, in the
* Note, The African Companf% Patent contains fj
compafs of nine months, fubfcribed and
compleated their defign'd ftock his ma-
jefty granted a new charter in the year
1672, to thofe new fubfcribers, diftin-
guifti'd by the denomination of the Royal
African Co?npany of England ; with the
fame exclufions and privileges which the
former company had : it being prcvioufly
ftipulated, that out of this laft ftock, fa-
tisfaftion fhould be given to the former
company, for the eftimated value of the
remains of fuch caftles, forts and fettle-
ments, as were then in their poflelTion on
the coaft of Africk: which was done ac-
cordingly.
The trade of Guinea being thus fettled
again, and carried on by the uniform in-
fluence, direction and management of a
fociety of perfons, who had the counte-
nance and protedlion of the government
at that time ; they introduced and encou-
raged the making of feveral forts of wool-
len, and other goods, proper for the trade
of Guinea, not formerly manufadtur'd in
England, and reduc'd the making thereof
to a ftaple and fettled goodnefs ; they
exported yearly above feventy thoufand
pounds worth of the faid woollen, and
other manufadures , and gave far better
prices for the fame, than what ufually is
now given for the like •, they furnifh'd the
weftern plantations with frequent fupplies
of con fiderable numbers of flaves, at very
moderate rates ; and in fo encouraging a
manner, that they fometimes trufted the
planters to the value of a hundred thou-
fand pounds and upwards, till they could
conveniently pay the fame j they imported
befide, elephant-teeth, red-wood, and other
goods, fit for being manufadur'd at home ;
fuch quantities of gold-duft from the coaft
of Africk, that they frequently coin'd
thirty, forty, or fifty thoufand guineas at
a time, with the elephant on them, for a
mark of diftinflioni and in effed they
managed matters fo, as that, for feveral
years fucceffively, that trade did not only
produce an annual dividend of certain pro-
fits to all the particular adventurers in the
joint ftock, befide an increafe of their capi-
tal but alfo feveral other publick and
national advantages to the whole king-
dom, and the Britifh plantations in ge-
neral.
But fome time after the late revolution,
feveral private traders, then properly call-
led interlopers, afiuming again a liberty of
trading feparately to Africk, without any
regard to the conipany's charter, few or
none of them had any other confideration
in view, than barely the ready difpofal of
all fuch cargoes as they carried along with
them, no matter to whom or which way,
and
m the Straight i mouthf to the Cape of Good-hope.
. \ of our Trade to Africa,
and the fpeedy procuring of Blacks, or
any other commodities which they could
get on that coaft, whether by purchafe or
otherwife, fo as not toftaylong there: for
accomplifliing of which defign they ftuck
at nothing-, but were too frequently guil-
ty of fuch fmifter pradtices, as proved not
only very injurious to the private intereft of
the company, but likewife difgraceful and
pernicious to the Br'itijh intereit in general
among the natives ; infomuch that the
company's agents were frequently oblig'd
to vindicate the company, by making the
natives fenfible, that they were none of
the company's fhips or fervants. And as
the impunity of fuch praftices did en-
courage the authors to perfevere for fome
time in fuch like courfes ; fo others tak-
ing their views and meafures from the feem-
ing fuccefs of the former, without any
regard to the confequences of trading in
that manner, join'd in an out-cry againft
the privileges of the company, as a mono-
poly inconfiftent with the liberty of the
fubjeft, and not eftablifh'd by ad: of par-
liament; and that therefore they would
exercife their natural right of trading to
AJr'ick^ as well as the company.
Thus they went on for fome time \ and
to give the more colourable title to fuch
their proceedings, they never fail'd to
magnify and improve any accidental lofs
or misfortune which happened to the com-
pany, during the late war ; as if that had
been the natural e{fe6t of trading by a
joint ftock •, infomuch, that whofoever
could contrive the moft effedlual methods
for leffening the company's credit and in-
tereft, either at home or abroad, whether
by detradion or otherwife, was among
them accounted the braveft adventurer.
Nor were the agents of other nations,
particularly thofe of the Dutch Wefi- India
Compan'j, ever wanting in cheri filing, upon
all occafions, the authors and fomenters of
any divifions in the 'Brilijh interefb on the
coafb of Guinea ; but endeavoured with all
their art and skill, to make fuch improve-
ments thereof, as they thought might beft
ferve their ends with the natives upon
that coafb.
Whereupon, after long forbearance, the
company at laft addrefs'd the parliament
by petition for relief : but fome others, at
the fame time, alledging very confidently,
that if the trade to Africk were laid open
to all fuch perfons as had a mind to trade
thither, the fame would not only be more
agreeable to the natural liberty of the fub-
je6t, but alfo, that thereby feveral new
difcoveries would be made, many places
then unknown traded to, much greater
quantities of the Englijfj manufactures ex-
ported of courfe ; and that the plantations
would be furnifh'd with flaves in greater
numbers, and at cheaper rates, than could
be expefted from the company alone- By
which alluring fuggeftions* and plaufible
pretences, the parliament was, in the year
1697, induced to make an experiment, by
giving permiflion to all perfons whatfoever,
as well as the company, to trade to Afrkk,
for the term and fpace of thirteen years \
they paying to the company a duty of ten
■per cent, towards defraying the charges
of their forts and caftles, for the defence
and prefervation of that trade to the na-
tion.
The co??ipany in the following chapter
gives an account of the progrefs of the
trade to Africk, fince the year 1697, and a
view of the ftate thereof, which I ihaii
briefly abftradl.
The novelty of laying the trade to Africk
open by ad: of parliament, fays the com-
pany, induced many to trade thither, who
ibon repented it. Page 8.
Several particular abufcs are reprefented
as committed by the feparate traders. Ihid,
The Dutch Cotnpanfs agent cajole the
private traders, and inftigate the natives
againft the Royal African Company. Pagecj,
The Royal African Company raife and ad-
vance 180000 /. of additional ftock. lUA,
The natives advance the price of flaves,
and beat down the prices of our Brilijh
manufadures ; the merchant impofes thefe
flaves on the planters at exorbitant rates ;
and the planters muft advance the prices of
fugars, iSc. Page 10.
In the year 1707, the Royal African
Company petition'd the queen to recom-
mend their cafe to the lords commiflloners
for trade and plantations, who prepar'd ft
report thereupon. Page 11.
That report was laid afide j but copies
of it being fpread abroad, finifter ufes,
fays the company., were made thereof. Ibid.
The third chapter contains a detedipa
of the falfe notion inculcated by the fepa-
rate traders ; with a continuation of the
ftate of the African trade.
The fourth. Some confiderations on the
nature and uncommon circumftances of the
African trade.
The fifth chapter has fome arguments,
fhewing that the conftitution of the Turkey
company pleaded by feparate traders, or
any other regulated open trade, cannot be
fuited to the nature and circumftances of
the trade to Africk.
The fi^th brings feveral arguments to
prove that the trade to Africk cannot be
preferv'd and carry'd on effedually by any-
other method than that of a confiderable
joint ftock, with cxclufive privileges.
The feventh lays down fome popular ob-=-
jedions againft' fettling and carrying on
3 th«
668
An Account of the Rife and Trogrefs, &c.
the trade to Africk by an exclufivc joint
ftock, fairly ftated and anfwer'd.
The eighth contains fome reafons hum-
bly offer'd for committing the manage-
ment of the African trade, to the Royal
African Company, as having an equitable
claim to it preferable to that of any other
pretender.
At the conclufion of thefe refledions,
p. 27. the company brings in an ellimate of
the charge of building the thirteen forts,
caftles and fadories, they have aftually
ere6led, and maintain on the coaft of
north and fouth Guinea^ viz, James Fort
in Gambia, and Sherbrow Fort in north
Guinea, Dickie's Cove, Succiindee, Com-
mendo, Cape Corfo Cajlle, Fort Royal An-
nijham, Annamaboe, Agga, JVinnibah, Ac-
cra, and Whidah, in fouth, or Guinea-pro-
pria, with the number of men, and the
time requifite for building of them.
The company adds, that as to materials
for building, there are to be had in Gui-
nea oyfter fhells to make lime, tho' bought
of the natives at great rates ; as alfo tim-
ber and planks : But out of Europe is car-
ry'd lead, tarras, iron-work, provifion,
ftores, and all other necefiaries ; as alfo
artificers of all forts, with working tools,
i^c. The continual charge whereof, with
that of tranfport fhips, and the needful
recruits of men to fupply the places with
fuch confiderable numbers as commonly
die there, by reafon of the contagioufnefs
of the climate, together with the expence
of great guns, fmall arms, ammunition,
Cfff. muft needs amount to very great fums
of money, far exceeding the 1 50000 /.
at which the company very moderately, as
is there faid, eftimated their prefent forts
and fettlements, as the foundation of a
new fubfcription ; provided the wifdom of
the parliament think fit now to fettle the
trade to Africk, upon the foot of a con-
ftitution fuicable to the nature and circum-
ftances thereof. It fays flirther. In mak-
ing an eftimate of the charges of thofe
forts, regard muft be had to the having
about 600 officers and foldiers for man-
ning them, 200 artificers of all forts, be-
fides labourers, for keeping them in repair,
and four or five vefiels conftantly on the
coaft, fubfervient to the aforefaid ends.
All this concludes with fome general
refledions on the damages accrued to the
company, by the prefent war France ;
as likewife by means of feparate traders
abroad, under the denomination of pirateSy
buccaneers, interlopers, and fuch like: the
under-hand dealings of the other European
nations fettled at the coaft of Guinea, but
more efpecially the Butch, and the crafti-
nefs of the native Blacks. And finally, the
company faith, that from the foregoing
accidents and occurrences, opportunity
and importunity have made many rogues
and thieves in their fervice for twelve years
paft ; feveral of their fervants having been
tempted to prove treacherous to the truft
repos'd in them, being feduc'd and de-
bauch'd by temptation and example, with
an afiurance of impunity, without regard
to rules of Cbrijlianity, or morality, every
one doing what feemeth good in his own
eyes ; not only tranfporting their perfons,
but alfo fuch of the company's effedls as
they call'd their own, and altering the
property thereof in fuch manner, that the
company can fcarcely ever expe6t to get
any fair or tolerable account of them, and
commonly picking groundlefs quarrels with
the company, as a pretence for not adjuft-
ing or clearing with them : fo that indeed
the company concludes they can have no
hopes of ever raifing their head again, fince
their ftock is adually fold and bought
daily at three per cent, nor the trade of
flourifliing, but by fome uniform manage-
ment, under the happy influence and pro-
tedlion of the queen and parliament.
ARE-
- ; A RELATION of
A O U R N E Y
CONSTANTINOPLE;
Giving an Account of divers Occurrences ; how far the King of
xS'ie^^^a^^^^'s Commiflion was executed there; as alfo of the State
of the Turkijh Monarchy at that time, being a Report made
to the moft Potent Prince,
V; CHARLES GUSTAVUS -
King of the Swedes, Goths^ and Vandals.
■ BY ' - ■ ; , . . -r--^
Mis faidiful Servant and Subjeft Nicholas Rolamb, Baron of By (lad.
Lord of La?i}ia, Broo, Biorkwiik, Beatalmid and Traan-nos^ his Majefly's
- Trufty Senator, Counfellor, and Prefident of his Court of Juftice of Gothia-
; at yonkioping^ formerly Envoy Extraordinary to the Ottoman Porte.
Tranflated from the Copy printed in SwediJJj at S t o c k h o l m\
V o L. Y.
THE
THE
HE reputation and ejleem which your Majefly s hereditary
kingdom of Sweden hath obtain d^ by the long war in Ger-
many, a7td by the C07iquejls made i?i it^ have fiirred up
the envy of the chief eft Princes iii Europe, fo that they have let flip
no opportunity to dtfturb its reft and peaceable ftate^ and to trouble
it both from withijt and without with many difficulties ; but chiefty
they were jealous of feeing the government of Sweden i?t your Ma-
j^ftys hands^ whofe valour they had before felt in Germany to their
■forrow ; and now again muft look upon your Majeftys viBorious
arms in the ki^igdom of Poland with anger and envy. 'They alfo
have raifed againft your Majefty the houfe of Auftria, the Pope^
and other new etiemies ; and not only meddled with the affairs of
Poland, but alfo endeavoured to infpire all neighbouring Princes^
even the Ottoman Porte, with wro?ig 7totio?is of your Majefty s aSii-
o?iSf which was the more eafy for them to do, becaufe the report of
your Majefty s great p?^ogreffes in Poland were already fufpeBed by
the Ottoman Porte, on account of its bordering on that country^
and therefore fearing your Majefty s too great power. To prevent
thefe and other inconve?nencies^ and to make an end of the diffe-
rences with Poland, for the glory of your Majefty and your domi-
7iionSy as alfo for the fecurity of the proteftant religion fftnce your
Majefty was obliged to enter into allia^tces with foreig?i Prijices that
were in its intereft, efpecially with the Pri?ice of Tranfylvania, and
with the Cofaks, to remove all the jniflruft the Ottoman Porte
might have of your Majefty s fuccefs in Poland, to the end that that
pote7U oriental empire anight not obftruSi the forefaid Princes.^ or^
as it appeared to be defignd-t might not carry any forces into Po~
land, and fo take an advantage againft the Chriftians, by weaken-
i7tg their power there ) your Majefty fent a7i e77ibaffy * to the Otto-
man Porte ; and havi7ig been pleafed to 7nake ufe of my perfon in
this buft7iefs.f my duty requires to give a full account as well of
what happen d upon my journey to and frofn a place fo far diftanty
as how the affairs were executed^ a7td in what condition I found
the Ottoman empire. All which is moft hujnbly prefented to your
Majefty in the followi7tg lines.
* N. B. The occafion of this embafly, with feveral other circumftances relating to
the hiftory of the negotiation itfelf, may be feen more at large in PuffendoJ'f de rebus a
Carolo Gujlavo Suevia Rege gejlis, lib. iii. fed, 71. and 1. iv. left. 23.
A RE-
( <57i )
A RELATION of
J o
U R N E Y
TO
CONSTANTINOPLE, &c.
2zi- Fehr.
1657.
Report
concern-
ing this
journey.
prudently
provided
againft.
25 Febr.
Berlin.
28 Fehr.
Leipzig.
WHEREAS your majefty in
the month of September 1656,
being near Frauenhurg in Pruf-
fta, difpatched me with your
gracious commands, that I fhould wait at
Stetin for your majefty's further orders ;
iikewife for the anfwer of Mr. Kley.> your
majefty's refident at the Roman emperor's
court, concerning the paflport your ma-
jefty had defired for me of the faid empe-
ror, I was obliged to tarry at Stetin for
thefe and other reafons beft known to your
majefty,tillthe 22^* of February i6^y. Then
I fet out with the Berlin poft at eight a
clock in the evening ; and becaufe my ftay
at Stetin had occafioned a general report,
that your majefty was fending me to the
Porte i and yet it being very necefiary for
me to travel incognito^ if I would pafs
through the emperor's dominions, they
ufing their utmoft endeavours to know
when I would fet out, and which way I
would take, fmce not long before, a gentle-
man of the ele6loral court at Drefden, had
fhewn to one of your majefty's officers,
viz. lieutenant colonel Taub, a letter dated
at Stetin, in which my perfon and ftature
were defcribed, and the time of my depar-
ture named : I gave out eight days before
my fetting out, that your majefty had
fent for me to come to PruJJia, in order
to fend me that way through Poland ; fo
no body, even my own fervants, knew no
better, than that I went to PruJJia, except
the government of Pomerania., of whom
I took a paffport as a ftudent, with which
I could pafs through the cities in Ger-
many. From Berlin I went with the heip-
zig poft through Wittenberg., where I met
with two Swedijh ftudents, that were at
table with me where I lodg'd, but wearing
a black perriwig, I was unknown to them.
At Leipzig I ftayed one day to receive the
money I had ordered to be remitted
me from Hamburg hither for my journey :
here I alfo provided myfelf with a pafs-
port of the commandant of the garrifon,
to whom I gave myfelf out to be a ftu-
dent, that had ftudied a while at Leipzig.,
4
and was now refolved to fee other places Rolame.
in Germany. This paflport was afterwards -'''V^
of great ufe to me in Bohemia and Aufiria.
It was very troublefome at this time to
travel, the roads being fo very deep, that
often the waggons ftuck in the clay, and
we were obliged to draw them out with a
great deal of pains, which continued till
we reach'd Vienna. Although my right
way was to go to Drefden, yet I would
not venture to pafs through that place, by
reafon of the ftrid inquiry made there, and
the information they already had of my
coming, but went within fomewhat lefs than
a mile of it, to a town called Serkowitz ;
from whence I fent my fervant to Drefden., Confe-
to Mr. Steen Bielcke, and acquainted him rence with
of my arrival, who in the morning came S'^efi
to me ; and after a fhort conference with
him, I purfued my journey, turning on
the left hand about the city, to a ferry
call'd Lofchewitz, where I pafted over the
river Elbe, and ftiould have gone the di-
re6t road to Pir«(3. But the commandant
of Drefden having alfo command there,
and for fear of being difcovered, I turned
on my right hand to a market town call'd
Dohna ; afterwards I follovv'd the direct Dohna a
road to Praag, Igelaw and Vienna. In market
Bohemia and Moravia I was in fome dan- town,
ger of being attack'd by highwaymen,
that keep in the forefts, and in their lan-
guage are called Petrofsky : befides thefe,
the foldiers that were quarter'd thereabouts,
robbed the travellers in the country, and
committed great violence. Both forts ap-
pear'd to us, but being four coaches to-
gether from Praag, and all well armed, Pratig>
they had not courage to come near us
though juft before they had murder'd fome
travellers ; and again, fome of them had
been killed by other travellers, as we found
in pa fling by.
The 1 of March, at nine a clock in 1 5 Mar.
the morning, I arrived at Vienna, and yienna,
lodged in the fuburbs, in an inn call'd the
Golden Fleece, where 1 ftay'd till after din-
ner, after which I changed clothes, and
went into the city unknown, and without
any
672
A Relation of a journey
Concert
with Mr.
Klcy.
RoLAMB. any examination, as if I had been no
ftranger, and concerted with Mr. Kle-^ the
refident about Ibme necefiary affairs or
other. I flayed in his houfe with one fer-
vant, and gave myfelf out to be Mr. Steen
Bieleke^s gentleman of the horfe, that was
fent by him to buy fome Hungarian horfes :
the next day I let my other fervants come
into the city, and lodged them feparately,
as I had fent notice to Mr. Kley before-
hand of my coming by letters from Leip-
zig and Praag^ and he had thereupon wrote
to Jonas Midnansk'j, minifter of the prince
of 'Tranfjlvania^ about an honeft man that
might conducft me to him I flayed three
days at Vienna expedting him ; but he not
19 March, coming, I fet out for Prejburg the 19*'' of
Tresburg. Mareh^ being holy Thurfday, under the
pretext, that I, like all other proteftants,
was come on account of the approaching
Eafter holy-days to attend my devotion.
I alio got thither unperceived, and by the
help of two proteflant citizens, named
Michael Schrembfter and Chrijlopher Snolfchiy
I hired a coachman to Eperies, who did not
know better, than that I was a merchant j
thofe of my retinue gave themfelves out to
be alfo either merchants or tradefmen
and for the better difpatch, I was obliged
to fee Midnansky, who lived in a citycall'd
Belzkou, that lies far from the high road
to Eperies : To prevent my coachman's mif-
trufting any thing, I told him I had by a
; fervant already bargain'd for a great quan-
tity of leather at Travjhia^ a place trading
in that commodity, which I needs muft
fee before! could fend it to Vienna^ which
contented him, and he carried me whither
I would go. Half a mile on the other fide
of Tirnaiv, I went through a valley, where
a merchant from Vienna had jufl before
been robb'd of 5000 rixdollars, ready
money, by the Htijfars^ who alfo appear'd
' to us ; but finding us arm'd with long
guns, let us go in peace. When I was
come within a mile of Betzkou^ where
prince Ragotzky'^ minifter Midnansky liv-
ed, I firfl intended to go only with one
Hungarian fervant thither, to confer with
him about the fecurity of my voyage, ac-
cording to direftion by his letter, and to
leave the refl of my retinue behind me in
the village 'Tfachkowitz, where I lodg'd the
night before at an anabaptifl's, and was
already provided with horfes. But it com-
ing into my mind, that I might eafily
meet with fome Hujfars^ who for the fake
of a tolerable fuit of clothes, which I
wore, and the cloak-bag, in which I kept
his majefly's orders, and which I never
left out of my fight, might affault me,
and thereby his majefly's defign be hin-
dred, I thought it the furefl way, rather
to lofe one day's journey, than to hazard
his majefly's orders for which t-eafon Ifent
one of my fervants alone with a letter to
Midnansky^ and drefTed him in a ragged
Hungarian cOat when he had gone about
half a mile, he met with five Hujfars, who,
after exchanging a few words, and fearching
him, but finding nothing, let him go fo
that I had good luck I did not go my felf»
Midnansky fent me one of his fervants^
an Hungarian, that fhould conduft me to
a caftle call'd Roune, belonging to prince
Ragotzky, where Midnansky defign'd to
meet me the next day ; becaufe at Betz-
kou there lived feveral Roman catholicks
that were in the emperor's interefl, and that
I therefore hardly could come undifco-
vered thither, nor flay there. When
Midnanskfs fervant arrived, I was in a
worfe condition than before, becaufe he
underflood no other language than Hunga-
rian, and my coachman being curious to
fift him, il took him afide, and by figns
made him underfland, not to tell where
we intended to go, the coachman having
already perceived that I defign'd to go to
Roune, which was quite out of his way ;
and he making words about it, I could
hardly have made him be filent, if he had '
not been a Lutheran, and a good man:
fo that at laft he was content.
The next morning after I was arrived at 24^?^'/^,
Roune, Midnansky came alfo thither, with
whom I conferr'd about all necefTaries of^^nsky L'
my journey, and our correfpondence. And bouc the
the Polijh crown marfhal Luhomirsky, be- journey
ing upon the road to Moran, to fee the
Hungarian palatin and chancellor, who dcnce»
was arrived at Eperies from prince Ra-
gotzky, in order to go from thence to Vi-
enna ; fo that the meeting either the one
or the other wasalmofh inevitable, I took a
paflport of Midnansky, as if I was an offi-
cer by him taken into prince Ragotzky's
fervice, to make ufe of it, if I fhould " ,
meet the chancellor but in cafe I fhould ' .V,
meet Lubomirsky, I defign'd to pretend to '
be a merchant, who, on account of his
trade, was going to Eperies.
The following day, I, with two more, 25 M^inh,
and Midnansky's fervant that fhould go
with me to Zaros, fet out on horfeback ;
my other fervants and baggage went the
right road, with whom, for the better fe- ..;
curity, Midnansky had alfo fent two Hey
ducks. After one day and an half's jour-
ney by the mountain Fatra, which is a
part of the mountain Carpathus, I came
again into the right road, where I found
the ordinary poll. The way between • "
Roune and the mentioned pofl, went along
the river TVagh, a paflijge fo terrible to Paffage by
look upon, that it made my hair Hand on the river
end : for at the left hand was a precipice J^lf^j^'^"^"
many fathoms deep, to the flrand of the j^^j. ^^^^
river
to Conftantinople.
^73
J 6 March,
Rofenberg,
a market
town.
The poft-
maller at
Luchyuna
inquifitive
The place
where Ga-
moisky was
taken by
the Poles.
27 March,
Leutfcb
one of the
CixGerman
free towns
in Hunga-
river, and at the right hand fharp and
high rocks, and the way itfelf very nar-
row. To get over the mountain Fatra
was very troublefome, it being not only
extraordinary fteep and high, viz. half
a German mile up, and fo much down
again, but alfo covered with ice, fo that
we were obliged to climb up on our hands
and feet.
In a market town called Rofenberg., I
was informed that the Hungarian count-
palatine Francifcus Vejfelini was alfo on the
road from Moran to Vienna '■, wherefore I
haftened to pafs that place, where perhaps
he might come in my way, which was
three miles from thence, and accordingly
I did not meet him. But inftead of him,
I met near a town called Hybe fixteen Po-
landers of Lubomirjkf % people, that told
for certain that he was upon the way, and
immediately would follow after : wherefore
I took lodging in a village called Laufen-
herg, and did not go to the poft-houfe,
which was a mile farther, and where I
Ihould have ftay'd that night, to the end
that he might pafs by me, which alfo
happen'd. In the faid village I ftay'd till
midnight, and went from thence in the
dark to the next poft-houfe, which was
in a Polijh market-town called Luchyuna.,
neither could I go farther being obliged to
take frefti horfes there wherefore I ftay'd
again till all were afleep, came alfo thi-
ther and went from thence without being
perceived by any body except the poft-
mafter, who was fly enough to afk quefti-
ons, viz, whether we were envoys, or if
the Swedi/h envoys that were expefted
would foon come, and other things that
did not concern him •, he alfo endeavoured
in a very complaifant manner to make us
ftay fome hours, pretending the badnefs
of the roads that were very difficult to
pafs in the dark, and offered if we would
ftay till fun rifing, to give us his coach,
with which he only favoured his particu-
lar friends. But as I perceived well enough
he was ordered to fpy, and fome roguery
Was hid under his complaifance, I gave
him thanks for his offer ; and to confirm
him in his opinion that I was a merchant,
I took out fome knives, and offered them
to fell to him, which made him believe
me : fo that he gave me fome commiffions
to execute for him at Eperies., and bring
him an anfwer when I returned. Near this
market- town Gamoijky and the Turki/h
Chiaus that were in PruJJia with the king,
had been taken by the Polanders a little
before our arrival.
"When I came to Leutfch, which is one
of the fix German free towns in Hungary,
I would not venture to go farther with
the poft, there being in that road feveral
Vol. V.
caftles and towns where they ufed to ex- -Rolamb.
amine, among which was the town of'-^''^^^
Wolvar., where the year before fome wag-
gons belonging to the eleftor of Saxony's,
envoy that was fent to Tranfyhania., were
ftopt by the Polanders ; but I took a wag-
gon and went two miles on the left hand
through a valley call'd the M-^olff's T>ale^
by reafon of the danger of robbers that
attack the travellers like wolves.
About nine a clock in the morning I
came to the town of Leutfch, and becaufe
I could get no waggon I was forced to
ftay there that day, which happened very
well for me, being fo weary of riding poft,
that I vv^as not able to fet a foot over
the threfliold without the help of my hands,
having rid the three days and nights be-'
fore, and in fo troublefome a manner, that -r.^^
if I had had my feet in the ftirrups one •
mile, I was forced to carry them in my
hands the next •, and he that does not know Trouble-
what it is to be fatigued, may only ride f^'"^
poft m Hungary for fome days, without ^^J*^^
his own faddle and furniture. "
Midnanjky had given me a direction to R^com-
the bailiff of Leutfcb, who was to ferve ^^^^^
me if I had occafion, but when I de- J^^^J^
fired him to provide me with waggons, the bailiff
he gave me a furly anfwer, faying, He of Leutfch
was not fo far obliged to Midnanfky., as
to put himfelf in danger for his fake, after
he had caufed his difgrace with the Pala-
tin for having furthered fome Swedi/h en-
voys, viz. Mr. Sternbach and Welling.^
though they had had a pafsport of the
emperor wherefore I might fee hov to
provide for my felf: as for his part he
dared not meddle with it, for fear of be-
ing difgraced. I judged from this anfwer,
and becaufe I could get no body to carry Thebai-
me, it might have been contrived fo, to ''^'^ ^"'''>''
force me to go to the aforefaid Polifh places, o"crfions
or to make me ftay till they had fent thi- fofpicion.
ther, and given notice of my being here ;
therefore I refolved to go out of the town
on foot along with Midnanjkfs Hungarian., .^-^
to the next villages, where we might get , .
horfes, or quite to the town of Cibin., four
miles from thence, and to leave my fer-
vants behind in the inn, that it might
feem as if I was only gone to dine fome
where in the town. But juft as I was going
to take the cloak-bag, wherein I had my
letters and orders, upon my ftioulder, one
of my fervants came and told me he had
got a country waggon with four horfes, 1% March,
into which we got in the morning by day- Zaros, a
break, and went the aforementioned way "^'^ ^"J^
to the town of Cibin, that lies a mile from longing to
Zaros, a caftle and town belonging in com- princei?^?-
mon to prince Ragotjky and his relation ^"^^-^^'^a^d
Ladifaus Ragotfky. And becaufe the faid hjsrelati-
Ladiflaus, who was a Roman catholick, and
8 I in
^74
A Relation of a yourney
Alarm
from the
Huffan
RotAMB. in the emperor's intereft ufed to refide
^-'''VN*' there I fent Midnanjkfs Hungarian before
hand, to inquire whether Ladijlaus Ragotjky
was there or not, and fent a letter with
him to the prince's governor, Martinus
Halapi by which I acquainted him of my
arrival, defiring him to keep it fecret,
(but yet I did not tell him otherwife than
that I was an officer, as I have mentioned
before, neither did Midnanjkf% Hungarian
know better:) and to forward me as foon
aspoflible. This Hungarian mztrnt again
half a mile out of the town, and told me
that at that inftant the above mentioned
Ladijlaus Ragoljky was coming along with
the biftiop of Cracow^ befides forty Polijh
noblemen wherefore I flayed in the val-
ley till it was dark, and then went into the
29 March, town : and in the morning early from thence
to Zaros Parak^ fo that neither Ladijlaus
Ragot/ky nor any of the Polanders did per-
ceive me. In the village called Giorcke,
where I lodged the night before, five HuJ-
Jars that had followed us, expefting fome
booty, made an alarm, but we being got
into the inn before they came, they went
to and fro, under the window all the night,
and difcourfed with one another, whether
they fhould attack us in the houfe: But
finding us well armed, and having like-
wife four Heiducks, whom the governor of
Zaros had fent with me, befides four mer-
chants, who were come to lodge there the
fame evening with their fervants, in all
ten perfons, they went off in the morning.
What grieved me mofi: was, that I thought
they were fent by the Polanders at Zaros,
or by the Hungarian chancellor Georgius
Zelepzini, who lived but a little mile from
thence at Cajfou, but hearing afterwards
what party it was, I did not mind it, but
fet out in the morning early for Zaros Pa~
rak. When I came there, the PrceJeBus
Michael Inxed'^ was not at home, where-
fore I was obliged to ftay there for him
three days.
This Zaros Parak is an eftate of prince
George Ragofjky's mother Catharina Lorant-
phi^ on the river Bodrack, and hath a fine
little caftle with a town well fortified, ex-
traordinary well fituated and of great re-
venue ; it lies clofe by the famous town of
Tokay., where there grows the beft wine
in all Hungary. At Tokay the river Ti-
bifcus and Bodrack join, both full of fifh
ot many forts, very large and fat. They
never take more of them than what is
fufficient for one meal, the reft they fling
into the riVer again, being fure of catch-
ing at any time as many as they pleafe.
Every body has liberty to filh, whether he
has land there or not. They have wood
enough ; wheat, (for of other fort of corn
they fow very little m all Hungary and
2
Zaros
rak.
Pa-
Tokay, 1
town fa-
mous for
!he belt
Hungary
wine.
and Bo-
drak, full
of fifh.
Tranfylvania) cornfields and meadows in.
abundance 9 vineyards likewife, game and
wild-fowl more than in any place in ail
Hungary, the great and large plains of the
Heidones that are full of all forts of game
extending to the town. But all this the
people do not mind, for they value no-
thing more than a glafs of ftrong Hungary
wine, garlick and fat bacon, v/hich makes
them relifh their wine the better; and one
may fee there herds of hogs and oxen^,
like flocks of fheep in Germany, by a thou-
fand at once.
The third of April I went from Zaros
Parak to Tokay, and there I pafled over
the river Tibifcus. Tokay lieth on the Ti-
hijcus, where the Bodrack falls into it; the
Tibijcus is one of the four capital rivers in
Hungary, (the others are the Savus, Dravus
and Danube) and in goodnefs and bignefs
next the Danube. The cafl:le fliands upon
the point that is between both rivers. The
garifon belongs to Tranfylvania ; but of
the garifon in the city, one half belongs
to the emperor, and the other to Tranfyl-
vania. The town is open, and without
any fortification more than the advantage
of its fituation ; on one fide of it pafleth
the river Tibijcus, and on the other it is
furrounded with very high and fl:eep
vineyards, that leave on both ends of
the town only a fmall avenue by the
flrrand. Thefe vineyards are about three
leagues in circumference, and produce the
Hungary Tokay wine fo well known in Po-
land. The inhabitants lamented very much
the circumftances of Poland, becaufe they
could not fell their wine, of which all their
cellars were fo full, that they had no room
left for the product of future vintages. In
thefe vineyards I was ftiewn fome feparate
pieces of ground, of about i ^ tunneland
l^a Swedifli meafure of land'] that were ge-
nerally fold for 30, 20, or 15000 gilders^
on account of the particular quality they
have of producing better wine than thole
that are adjoining, which is owing partly
to the ground, and partly to their fituation,
as they lie towards the eafl: and fouth. I
cannot forbear mentioning here in what
manner the Hungarians keep their corn and
wine , which is, by digging holes in the
ground, in which they keep their feed and
wine, and know of no other cellar or gra-
nary: thus all their flireets, and almoft
half their fields are undermined. In thefe
holes the corn will keep ten years and lon-
ger without any damage.
Near Tokay I pafl^ed over the river 27-
bijcus, and went tlirough the counties or
comitatus of Zapolia and Bihor, a diflirift of
three days journey in length, and feven
Hungarian miles broad, all plain fields,
without any bufh i and there being many
bogs.
Plenty of
the couji-
The four
capital
rivers of
Hungary.
Defcripti-
on of 2e-
How they
keep their
corn and
wine in
Hungary,
to Conftantiiidple.
Multitude
of wild-
fowl.
Heidones
QtUeiduks
bogs, there is fuch a multitude of cranes,
wild-geefe, buftards, ducks and other
fmall wild fowl, that they almoft cover
the earth, and fly in great flights like
clouds ; hares are there alfo in abundance,
likewife meadow and cornfields, which
they need not dung, it being fat enough
of itfelf Infl:ead of wood the inhabitants
burn reeds that grow in the bogs. In thefe
countries live none but Heidones or Hei-
duks, who are fubjed to the prince of
Tranfjhania, in number about 40000, and
dwell in large boroughs, which they call
cities, about 1000, 2000, or even 4000
in one town. They are free from all du-
ties and impofl:s, and only obliged to ferve
the prince in his wars whenever they are
fummon'd ; and then they take three, four,
and more fervants with them. They are
divided into regiments, each city making
one, which hath its colonel, whom they
call capitaneus, and each regiment ought
to confift of the fame number, and ail
have one general over them, which at
that time was Baccus Gabor. Their traf-
fick confifl:s in cattel and horfes, which
run wild there: the cattel are tended like
as in our country, but run in the fields
winter and fummer, and the calf always
follows the cow, as the colt alfo does the
mare.
It is remarkable, that in all Hungary, ef-
pecially in this difl:rift, quite to JVaradin.,
no cattle is to be feen but what have hair
of the colour of elks, oxen as well as
cows ; the calves are all red, but when
they grow older, they become of the fame
colour. Commonly a Heiduk fells two or
three hundred oxen in a year, which the
Hungarian merchants buy, and fell them
again in Italy zndAuftria. One day's jour-
ney from Waradin in the county of Bihor,
free tow'n^ I pafled through a town call'd Debrens,
'^^ ° ' where there live no Heidones, tho' it lieth
in this diftridt, becaufe it is a free town,
and only one thoufand Heidones are quar-
tered there. The inhabitants of that place
deal in Turky commodities, and pay con-
tribution to the Turks, the king of Hun-
gary, and the prince of 'Tranfylvania, by
whom in time of war they are always al-
Remark- ]ow'd to be neuter. This place is only re-
Their
traffick in
cattle and
horfes.
able for
its nalli-
markable on account of its nafliinefs, it be-
nefs. ing a conftant dunghiL Crofs the mar-
ket is laid a bridge of timber, over which
people pafs on foot and on horfeback, and
whoever goes befide it is fure to fall into
the dirt, to which they are fo v/ell recon-
cil'd, that they befm.ear their doors with
it infl:ead of paint.
As I travelled through thefe countries,
I was condufted by Heidones, who were
relieved in every city, and had their ban-
ners and colours, which look'd at a di-
flance as if a fleet of fhips came to meet Roiamb.
me. In W iradtn I was very well received WOT^^
and treated by the capitaneus Francifcus
Gyuleus.
The ninth April, in the evening, Ig Jpn/
arrived at Claufenburg in Tranfylvania ; the Claufen-
young princefs and the young prince her ^^J//^
fon were there, but haying no miniflrer yamL °
with them, except their mafter of the
houfhold, a man of a mean character, I
was not received with any folemnity ; how-
ever, the next morning the princefs fent
to me to my lodging, and bid me welcome,
defiring me to excufe my not being re-
ceived as flie defired, and that I would
have patience for fome days, till the old
princefs, mother to the then reigning
prince, came with the ftadtholder, to which
I returned a proper anfwer.
The 11'^ of April the old princefs ar- wAprik
rived with the fliadtholder Ach alius Bar dzai ^'^^ ^''^
and fome other minifters. About an hour a^rWed^
after her arrival, flie fent two noblemen to
me to complement me, and invited me to
an audience the next day, which was per-
formed as follows :
The I I'll of April at feven in the morn- nAfriU
ing, two coaches drawn by fix horfes came ceremo-
before my lodging, with a great number "'^V^"^'^^
of halberdeers, which they call carnaks, and ^^^^
footmen cloathed in Hungarian livery^ viz,
flieepflcins. The mafl:er of the horfe went
before the coach with a fliick in his Iidnd, ■ -
and one of the princefs's miniflers, Sebeci
Ferens, who the year before had been en-
voy to his Swedijh majeflry, and was taken
prifoner by Warka, came to receive me.
In the cafl:le from the gate to the fl:airs,
where I went up on both fides where the
coach pafled, flood the princefs's guard
with guns, which they held upon their
flioulders, and not before them as is ufual
in our country, when the foldiers ftand in
arms. At the flrairs I was received by
both princeflTes marflials, that conducted
me thro' three chambers (full of all forts
of perfons of diftindion, who were come ■ '
to attend) to the old princefs Catharina
Lorantphi, who received me in the middle
of the apartment. I made your majefl:y's
compliments to her in Latin. Having
concluded my harangue, they were all fi-
lent, looking upon one another, and then
difputing who fliould anfwer, for none of
them was vers'd enough in the Latin
tongue. When they had thus fpent about
half a quarter of an hour, the princefs her
felf at laft was obliged to anfwer in the
Hungarian language, and her marflial
interpreted it in German as well as he ■
was able. The princefs defiring after- '
wards to talk with me in private, bid her ' "
people as well as mine retire, and there A
fliay'd only the ftadtholder Achatius Bard- -
6^6
A Relation of a Journey
RoLAMB. xai a counfellor, and the marflial : a cliair
^"""''v^ being fee for the princefs, and another for
me, (he difcourfed with me concerning
prince Ragotfkfs intereft at the Ottoman
Forte, which flie recommended to me in
many words, to which I returned a proper
anfwer ; and having taken my leave of
her, went into another apartment to the
young princefs and the young prince Ra-
gotjky Ferens, i. e. Francifcus Ragotfk'j, whom
I likewife faluted in your majefty's name,
and delivered to the princefs the letter I
had from your majefty, for prince George
Ragotjkj ; after which I was reconducted in
the manner as before, into the city to my
th'e'ld ^° lodging. From Clattfenhiirg I wrote to
ofZ-riS's Monfieur de la Haye the king of France's
embaffa- embaffador at the Ottoman Porte, defiring
dor at the to acquaint the vizir with my coming,
Ottoman excufe my not bringing prefents
from your majefty. The next day the old
princefs fet out for Zaros Parak, and I, in
company with the ftadtholder, went to
Jlba Julia or IVeiJfenhurg. He {hewed me
upon the road as well as at fFeiJfenhirg,
all civility •, his difcourfe was very fenftble
and pleafant, and among the Hungarians
he pafied for a good foldier. Among all
the Hungarians I ever converfed with, he
was the beft and the moft humane ; for
Way of the greater part of them are conceited, un-
lifeofthe reafonable and ill-bred, defpifmg others,
Bungari- ^nd undervaluing every thing in compari-
Jlba
Julia,
fon of their own ruftick and filthy way
of life ; thinking when they have but fowls,
bacon, garlick and ftrong Hungarian wine
with it (which they rather fuck than
drink out of dirty common ftone or wooden
mugs, that have narrow necks, and are
ftopt up with naftinefs) they have the great-
eft pleafure the world can afford. No man
how great foever hath any plate or glafs,
nor even pewter upon his table ; but nafty
trenchers that are not fcoured but once a
week, which when they have thrown the
bones off, they lay before you again.
When I came x\t2kX Alba Julia, I was re-
ceived by four companies of horfe and con-
duced to my lodging. As to this place,
it has the name of a great city among us,
but when you fee it, is very ordinary, fo
that one may well fay of it, minuit ■pra-
fentia famam. There is not one tolerable
houfe in all the town, except the princefs's ;
the reft are all fmall huts, and the win-
dows of fkin, which is ufed all over 'Tran-
fjlvania among the gentry as well as the
common people.
i\ April, After having wrote from hence to your
Wrote to niaiefty, and fettled a correfpondence with
the ftadtholder, 1 went the ly'*^ or Jpril
to the Saxon cities and villages, the chief
of which are Hermanjladt and Cronftadt.
Wherever I lodged with the Saxons I was
his Ma-
jelly.
Herman-
Jiadt and
Cronftadt,
well received, and treated with all good the chief
will and civility: but the road was \tx^ Saxon d-
bad, all mountains, water and mire j I had ^^p^^^^
efpecially a foreft to pafs, called Sayden- calle?^
wald, which is three leagues long ; all the Sayden-
roads were laid over with bridges of round ^"J^-
timber, and were befides very deep, by ^'^^ .
reafon of the fnow's melting upon the high fJparatT^
mountains which feparate Wallachia and Wallacbia
Tranfylvania. At fome places the bridges ^ran-
being carried off, we could not pafs with--^^^"*^^^"
out great danger ; and where the water did
not hinder us, the roads were fo deep that
although I had ten horfes before the
waggon, we weie hardly able to get
through.
I ftiall pafs over in filence how thefe^^^w// ia
Saxons at firft came into 'Tranfylvaniay and "^^""fyha-
how they have obtained their privileges,
referring for that to hiftory. I fliall only
mention here, that the Saxons poffeffing
the bcft and moft fruitful part of the ^^^^P^^"^-
country, and having great privileges, are
hated and very much opprefted by theAtprefent
Hungarians. And though the princes, be- '""^^
fore their acceffion to the government, are ^ "
obliged to promife to maintain them in
the enjoyments of their privileges, yet
that promife is little minded. They com-
plain in particular very much of the prince
now reigning, George RagotJIcy, who op-
preffes them more than any of his prede-
ceffors, and makes uie of all manner of
pretences to feize on their houfes or farms
forces them to forward, to lodge and to
defray all travellers, which none of the
other inhabitants of the country are ob-
liged to do. One of their ancient privi-
leges was, that none but a Saxon was al-
lowed to buy any houfe in their towns :
this they are now about to abolifh, under
the pretext that, if an Hungarian ftiould
offer the value for a houfe to be fold, the '
Saxon ftiould be obliged to let him have it, " " '
or the feller fhould forfeit his houfe, and
fo much money befides, as the buyer had
offered. This they fay was refolved by
the two ftates, viz. the Nobilitas and Si- The ftates
culi, which, by reafon of a majority of^^^**'
votes, ought to prevail, notwithftanding^'"^'
the third ftate, viz. the Saxons who were
prejudiced by it, neither were prefent nor
confented to it. Many other burthens are , ' . •
laid upon them, fo that in all likelihood
they will lofe their liberty in time, efpe-
cially as they have but few men of under-
ftanding among them, the reft being all
fimple people. As for the Hungarians.^
they would willingly fee the Saxons de-
ftroy'd, though they have more reafon to
proted: and carefs them ; for wherever
there appears any culture in 'Tranfylvania.,
it is owing to the Saxons, the reft being a
meer Barbary. ^
Hermanjladt
to Conftantinople. k
677
Bennan- Her)nanftadtv
ground, that looks as ir it were a country
by itfelf, the land being low like the Fru[-
fian werders {marjhlands) feparated on ail
lides from the reft by high mountains,
and in no part like the reft of Tranfjlva-
nia ; it has alfo its particular name, viz.
JVurtzland, containing thirteen large Sax-
on market-towns, that well may pafs for
good towns all belonging to Cronjiadt. It
is a fine fruitful country, but of no great-
er extent than what one may look all over,
there being neither woods nor hills to hin-
der the fight. A river runs through it.
Hath 3 called Barlza, in Latin, Burcia. Cronjiadt
great fub- ^^.th three great fuburbs, one is inhabited
Brbs. by PFallachians, the fecond by Saxons.^ and
the third by Hungarians. Here I was ob-
- • liged to tarry three days for horfes 'and
-• ' other neceflaries. During my ftay here,
one of the princefs's couriers arrived from
Conjlantinople whom I could not get to
fpeak with, for he avoided me for fear I
might queftion him how it fared with the
prince of Tranfjlvania's affairs at the Porte,
which however I ought to have been in-
... formed of, as I was chiefly fent upon their
account. But fo fufpicious is that nation,
that they truft no man, nor (hew any con-
fidence or friendfhip , but where it is for
their own in tereft. -.
23 April. The 23d of April I went in company
with prince i?<2^o^3i's envoy from Cronjiadt
over the Wallachian mountains into Wal-
th?rSe and arrived the 26th at ?^?r^owf/Z',
\iWaUa' prince of Wallachia's refidence ; we
thia's re- paffed the mountains with great trouble,
fidence, on account of the fnow, and the river
Dombvifza with great danger, there being
no bridges where we paffed over, and as
- • it winds much betwixt the mountains, we
were obliged to crofs it very often it is
foon filled up wich water, according as the
fnow upon the mountains melts fafter or
flower, fo that at one hour it is eafy to get
over, but at another it overflows all its
banks : for in the morning when firft we
paffed over it, it was not very deep, but
before eight a clock that fame morning,
the horfes and waggons did almoft fwim,
and one of the Humarian envoy's fervants
Vol. V, ■
with his horfe narrowly efcaped being Rolamb.
drowned. We ufed hands and feet to get ^'-''''VN-^ ^
over as well as we could, and let the wag-
gons go at a venture : before night it was
fo high, that no body could pafs that way
after us for a fortnight.
A good diftance from Targowijb the Reception
prince fent me his coach with fix fine '^5^°''^ ^^-^
I'urkiJ/j horfes , two hundred noblemen on
horfeback, all finely equipp'd, and about
thirty companies of horfe, all which made
a fhew like a little army. The prince him-
felf was prefent incognito, till his marfhal
and fecretary had bid me welcome, the fe-
cretary complimenting me in Latin. Here
we faw the fineft lurkijh horfes, the ofH- Fi^eTurk-
cers dreffed different ways, fome in coats ^-^
of mail , others in panther, leopard and
whole tiger fkins, others with fpotted
wings like thofe of eagles ; their mufick
were pipes and kettle-drums, for neither
the Hungarians, Wallachians, nor Turks ■ .
know how to ufe trumpets, and in this
manner I was conduced to my lodging.
The day following I had audience of the Audience
prince, which was done with a pomp fuit- of ^^^
able to your majefty's dignity, and the P""*^^*
prince's refpe£l for you. At the audience
was a great number of people, moft no-
blemen, fome dreffed in fable and other
rich furs ; among others was alfo their
archbifhop prefent. The audience-room
was hung with damafk, and had glafs
windows ; all other chambers where I paf-
fed through, about eight or nine, were
not hung, and had but paper windows.
The prince met me in the middle of the
room J after I had in a proper compli-
ment affured him of your majefty's affec-
tion, he condudled me towards two chairs,
on one of which he fet himfelf down, and \
fat in the other. But after a little difcourfe
and enquiry after your majefty's health, I
went with him, according tohisdefire, into
his apartment, where I flay'd about two
hours, and having on his requeft given him
an account of the ftate of affairs in Poland.,
he not only feemed pleafed but even fur-
prifed at it. He afterwards hung about
me a Caftan of gold brocade, which I re-^
fufing to accept of, he faid it was the
cuftom of the country, and the greateft
mark of benevolence, which obliged me
to take it ; after this I went in the fame
procefllon to my lodging again in his
coach drawn by fix turkijh horfes, that
were much finer than thofe the day be-
fore. ,,,, ■ V , ' • '
The next day I was for proceeding in , \ J'-.-''^
my journey, but was detained by the
prince who invited me to dinner, that was Dinner m
to be in his orchard. Coming in his coach the or-
to the gate of the orchard, five marfhals chard,
met me wich filver ftaves in their hands,
8 K and
ARelatian of a "Journey
RoLAMB. and the prince himfelf met me in the door
'•"'''V^' of his fummerhoufe, where the table was
laid. Before the fummerhoufe flood his
miniftersand courtiers with fome companies
of German foldiers. As foon as I was en-
ter'd, he conduced me to the table, where
he and I fat upon two raifed chairs-, the
envoy of 'Tranfjhania fat upon an ordinary
bench. Upon the table flood only four
filver difhes, but the covers were of iron.
After we had fat and difcourfed a little
while, the fecond courfe was brought in,
then thofe of my retinue, that ufed to
dine at my own table, and the prince's
miniilers fat down alfo. Firft there were
always four or fix filver difhes brought in j
the prince and I were ferv'd in plate, but
the others in pewter. The viduals were
well drefs'd, and of a good tafte, and
changed continually from the beginning
Drinking jj^g of j-^g dinner. When the healths
^ ^' went round, that of the grand fignor was
drunk firfl, the prince having firft made
fome excufe for fo doing, your majefly's
health came next, which the prince drank
twice, whereas he had drunk that of the
grand fignor but once ; after thefe came
the health of prince Ragotjky of Cmelnici^
and the prince of Moldavia. At every
health there was mufick of harps, violins,
pipes, drums, kettle-drums, and feveral
other 1'urkijh inftruments. Upon drink-
ing the prince's health (which I began im-
mediately after that of Cmelnici) two cufhi-
ons were laid upon the floor where the
prince fatj for his miniflers, who rofe from
the table, went thither two by two, kneel-
ing down upon the cufhions j and after
having drank, kifs'd the prince's hands,
wifhing him profperity, and then took
their places again. Before dinner was half
over, two great bears were laid before the
door of the fummerhoufe, which had been
kill'd by the prince's huntfmen, to whom
he himfelf made a prefent of a handful of
afpers. Near the fummerhoufe was pitch'd
a tent to retire to upon occafion ; and fe-
cretary Klingen once rifing up, he was re-
ceived by two marfhals with their filver
flaffs, who conduced him to the tent with
great ceremony, and ftayed before the
door till he came out again then one pre-
fented him a bafon with water and after
he had wafhed himfelf, the marfhals con-
duced him again into the fummerhoufe.
The dinner continued from half an hour
Takinf P^^ ^^"> '^^^^ feven o' clock at night, when
leave of I took my leave of the prince who fhewed
theprince. mt no lefs civility on this occafion than at
dinner, embracing and kiffing me twice;
.-'i t:. after which I went in his coach to my lodg-
ing again, conduced by all his courtiers
and muficians. At dinner he often expref-
fed his devotion and veneration for your
majefly's perfon and great aclions, wifh-
ing that Wallachia was as near as
Tranfylvania, not doubting but his fbate
would then be better; wifhing your ma-
jefly would allow him to levy 500 Swedijh
foldiers for his own money. The next
morning he fent me by his mafler of the
horfe a very fine pacer, and fome compa-'
nies of horfe to conduft me part of my
way ; where, whenever I came to a town, I
always met fome companies of horfe, who'
received and conducfled me.
Wallachia is, by reafonof its fituatiori, Wallachia
and goodnefs of the ground, to be count-
ed one of the befl provinces in Europe, countries
The foil is extraordinary fruitful, io xk\^x.'m Europe.
the inhabitants need not give themfelves
much trouble in plowing it ; for if they ■ v
only cover the wheat with the ground, it
bears plentifully. The befl of the land
lies uncultivated, and is quite unpeopled,
the inhabitants living all along the moun-
tains, in order to be protected by the moun-
tain guards, againfl the invafions of the
Tartars and Turks. The middle of the
country is all champaign, and not the leaft
hill to be found ; and as the land lies un-
cultivated, it produces numbers of oak
forefls, that fland here and there like little
iflands in a fea. Along the Danube is the Beft culti^
mofl culture, and paflure every where ^^'^^^ ^-
enough ; fufficient fifhing ; plenty of Wine, '^"f j]'/
honey, wax and fait ; as alfo veins of gold
and filver; but none dare fearch them, for
fear of making the Turks long after it;
out of the earth runs alfo pitch ; there is
as much game and wild fowl as one's heart
could defire. The prince may yearly raife -pj^g
in Wallachia 6 or 700,000 rixdollars or- prince s
dinary revenue ; but he cannot lay extra- yearly re-
ordinary taxes on the inhabitants, unlefs
by their good will ; in which particular
the Wallachians are freer than the Molda-
vians., whom their prince may tax as he
pleafeth. A traveller finds no conveniency E'-
there ; for along the road, there is not a
village to be feen in fome days travelling, .-y.,.,,^,.,,^-^
except every two miles a hut covered with ^M-irls/^
flraw, where he finds a barril of wine, of - "
which he may have for his money what he
defires, but provifions he muft bring
along with him. The inhabitants in the Temper
country, efpecially the nobility, are hand- of the m-
fome, civil and friendly, but of no great l^^^)"^"'^-
courage ; they are inconflant and feditious
with regard to their princes. Matthias
Woywoda that had governed them forty
years peaceably, and defended them with
great bravery againfl invafions of Turks,
Moldavians., Co jacks and Tartars, feic
their treachery in his old age, which he
had great difficulty to overcome. The
prefent prince Confiantin Sorban, by the
help of the prince of Tranfyhjania^ appeaf-
ed
to Conftantinople.
^79
Sedition
appealed
by the pre-
knc
prince.
Out of
Chripn.
iom into
1 May.
Audience
of ttie
bajfa of
Siiijiria.
Ceremo-
nies.
ed their fedition, and eRablifhed himfelf
in the government. Juft before my arri-
val, he had defeated before the town of
Targowijh 300 mutineers of his own horfe,
whofe heads I faw upon flakes round the
city. The prince is obliged conftanily to
keep foldiers upon the Turkijh frontiers, to
hinder their invafions, from which he is
notfecure, notwithftanding he pays a great
contribution to the grand fignor, viz. 300
purfes, amounting to 150,000 RixdoUars
for which reafon he had a garrifon in Pife
of 2600 men, in Breila 6000, and in Wa-
divai 4000, to guard the frontiers.
The 28''' of ApriU I came ioi\it Danube,
over againlf a town call'd Silijlria Dreftor
or Silijtra, where the faid river feparates
Wallachia from 'Tiirky. I crofied it in
ferry boats, and fo fet my foot out of
and behaviour were at finl pretty rough ; Rolame.
but feeing that I made no account of it, ^^/^
but returned proper anfwers to all his ob- .
jedions,, he began to foften ; and turning
about to an emir of Mahomefs relations,
who fat a little from him, faid in Turkijh,
No wonder we hear the Swedes fo much His faying
talked of for foldiers, look upon this young of
man here, how boldly he fpeaks ; after-
wards he began to be good humour'd with
me, and asked, why I did not let my beard
grow? fent for coffee, and fhewed me
how I muft drink it without burning my-
felf, and invited me to come the next day
to dine with him before my fetting our ;
afterward he hung a caftan of gold bro-
cade about me, which with them is rec-
koned a particular honour ; fo I took my
leave, and went to my lodging again,
Chrijiendom into Turky; I was there lodg'd where I was foon after complimented by
in a little dirty houfe (there being no bet-
ter) in which lived Grecians. I was con-
veyed to the river fide by four companies
of the prince's Hujffars with flying colours.
The following day I was fetch'd to the au-
dience of the hajfa of Sihftria, who re-
fides in this city, and is one of the fevea
vizirs, named Melech Achmet bajfa, he is
called Melech, i. e. Angel, by reafon of his
fine fhape •, his wife is daughter of Sultan
Murat, uncle of the emperor now reign-
ing. Being come to his Seraglio, the chi-
aus that conduced me flopped, and pre-
tended I fhould alight from my horfe be-
fore the gate ; but as I thought this dero-
gatory from yourmajefty's honour, I rode
dirediy into the court up to the flairs,
•where two Capuci Bajfi, i. e. chief door-
keepers with filver ftaves met me, and con-
duced me through a large antichamber to
the door of the audience room, where I
was defired to take off my fword, which I
refufed •, the baffa fending three times to
infifl upon it ; i anfwered at laft, that I
was refolved not to part with it ; had I
been told of it in my lodging beforehand,
perhaps I might have complied with his
demand but to make me take it off be-
fore his door, was neither civil, nor con-
fiflent with the dignity of your ma-
jefly my gracious king ; befides, I was not
fent to him, but to the Turkijh emperor ;
and if he would not admit me in a manner
agreeable to the honour of my mafter, I
liad no bufinefs with him. When he heard
this, I was at lall conduced into the au-
dience room, which was fpread over with
fine carpets, and near the walls were laid
cufhions ; in the middle flood two chairs
oppofite to one another ; upon one of
which I fat down, then the bajfa came out
of his apartment, and after his falutation,
which was but a nod of the head, we fat
His expreffion
2 Mity.
Dinner
with the
baffa of
Silifiria.
The
whole
compli-
ment, a
nod of the (5own cachupon his chair.
head. *
his muficians, caputfis, pages, cooks., iSc.
to whom I was obliged to give money for
their coffee, as they call it.
The next day he fent for me to dinner,
which paffed in the following manner.
The baffa himfelf with the effcndi of Ma-
homeC':^ family, fat upon the floor, each
in a feparate corner of the hall ; in the
middle upon the floor flood four lowlquare
flools, one in the middle that was white,
and the three others round it. When I ,: ; !
came in, I was conduced to the faid .
flools to fit down, and the white flool be-
ing the time upon which I had fat at the
audience the day before, I was going to
fit down upon it again ; but it flanding
in the middle, I had fome doubt or other
about it, and pitched upon one of the
other three ; accordingly it appear'd after-
wards, that the white one was defign'd for
a table. Being fet down, the bajfa came
and placed himfelf upon the other flool,
upon the third fat the envoy oiTranfyhania,
the forementioned effendi fat by the baJfa
upon the floor, another aga alfo upon the
floor at his other fide ; after this came the
buttler to lay the cloth, he laid over our
knees a linnen towel of divers colours,
long enough to reach round ; he next laid
a round cloth with coloured flowers upon
the flool that flood in the middle, and
ferved for a table, which alfo covered all
our knees; behind each perfonwas a Turk
upon his knees, holding the cloth faft on
both fides with both hands, then the but-
tler laid bread round upon the table, which
was thin, oval, and baked in hot afhes
(for they have no ovens in thofe parts, but How the
towards the time when they are going to bread is
eat, they prepare a dough, of which they
make a cake, and fet upon the hearth in
the chimney, that is fwept clean, and then ^ '
throw a great heap of embers upon it, and ■ ' ■
fo the bread is baked, but how wholfome
ic
68o
A Relation of a Journey
ROLAMB.
Rice the
beft viftu-
als with
the Turks.
Leave of
the ba£a.
4 .May.
Vet us By-
•x.antium.
it mufl: be, is eafy to prefume.) He then
laid upon the fame cloth before each of
us a handful of wooden fpoons, great and
fmall I for my part got fix, afterwards
he fet upon the ftool, that ferved for a
table, a large flat pewter difli, like a wafh
bafon, into which he flung for every one
three green grafles of a bitter tafte ; but
as they pretended wholfome for the fto-
mach, and by it a little China difh with
pickles ; this done, they placed in the
middle of this table a difh of roafted meat,
call'd cahab., of which every one fnatch'd
a bit with his fingers ; but the hajja flung
a piece for me upon the border of this
large pewter difh, (for they ufe no other
plates) and lent me his knife. After
having eat between us two or three bits
of this difh, it was taken away, and
another put in its place, and fo they con-
tinued till there had been ferved up about
forty difhes, fome of which were well
tafled ; but there were divers forts of frit-
ters and puddings, dreflfed with honey, not
very pleafant to eat. When rice, boil'd
with broth and melted fat was ferved up,
there was at the fame time fet before every
one a porringer with milk, which they
mixed with the rice, and fo eat it toge-
ther; this diih they call pilou., and is by
them reckoned one of the beft, rice being
the beft viftuals among the Turks. The
defers confifted of preferved fruit. After
dinner there was brought water and a
towel ; thereupon we drank coffee, after
that we wafhed our hands and face with
rofe water ; at laft there was hung a piece
of red filk over every one's head, and our
faces were fmoak'd with all forts of frank-
incenfe, and fo dinner was done. Thofe
of my retinue dined upon the floor, fitting
in a circle. After a fhort difcourfe with
the haJJa., I took my leave of him, and
immediately purfued my journey •, but
about two mufket fliot from the city, I
had the misfortune to be overturn'd, and
to bruife my left leg and foot fo much,
that for three weeks I could not ftir any
further than I was carried. However, I
continued my journey in this troublefome
condition, there being nowhere any con-
veniency for flopping a few days, the coun-
try being utterly impoverifh'd by the
marches of the Turks ; we came to many
places where we could not get the leaft bit
to eat, and the greateft trouble was to ap-
peafe the hungry ftomachs of my peo-
ple.
A third day's journey from Silijlria,
about a mile on the other fide of a place
call'd Shumna, is a hill, upon which, as
the Turks fay, Vetus B'yfantium ftood for-
merly, the Pontus Euxinus reaching then
; up to it, though it is now many miles dif-
:^ , 4
tant from that place, neither is there any '
other water, but a large valley of flat
fields of a long extent. It is true indeed,
that upon the mountain there are ruins ofRuJn^
old walls to be feen, with great iron rings upon the
walled in, on which they believe fhips and '"o"'^^'''-
boats were faflned in former times. There
may have ftood of old a city, but that
it was Byzanlium, and that the Pontus Eux-
inus came up to it, is like other fables told
by the Turks.
The fourth day I pafs'd the mountain 5 May,
H^emus, by the inhabitants call'd Noak,'^^^
from a great robber Noak Bela, who once
Jived upon this mountain, as they Jay, called No-
and did great damage to the Turks; on ak.
the place where his caftle ftood, lives now
conffantly a Turk, who beats the drum,
fings a fong of the forefaid Noak., and
fhews the rudera of his caftle to travellers, '
who ufe to give him a few afpers. It is , ^. •
one day's journey to pafs over thefe moun-
tains, they are fteep, high, and the road
is bad and dangerous, by reafon of rob-
bers, of whom ten in number appear'd . ' ';
to us, yet durft not attack us, but fled " "
into the wood; the Turkijh chiaus I had
with me fliot at them, but miflTed. Thefe
mountains feparate Bulgaria Minor from
Major., and go from Pontus Euxinus to
Macedonia., all of an even height; there they
divide themfelves, and as it were, incom-
pafs with two arms Macedonia and Greece.
Being pafs'd thefe mountains, we had for
the greater part even and flat fields through
all Bulgaria., an admirable country, like
an orchard; afparagus, collyflowers, tu-
lips, and other fine herbs and flowers grow ,
in the fields : wild tortoifes were lying on
the road, thirty or forty in a heap. Be- ■
tween this and Conftantinople we had only Two
two troublefome forefts, one call'd Faky., trouble-
one day's journey long, at the end of which ^°J"^
runs a water that feparates Bulgaria Major^^
from Romania ; the other foreft is call'd De-
bletikoak^ i. e. Dives Syha, likewife one day's
journey long, and two days journey from
Conftantinople. In both thefe forefts rob-
bers ufe to lurk, who march with flying
colours, foot and horfe ; two days before
my arrival, a company of thirty Turkijh
travellers had been attacked by Jome rob-
bers from the latter foreft, who kill'd
twelve of them, the reft narrowly efcap-
ing, who met us, and told us the ill fuc-
cefs of their journey ; thofe that were
wounded lay in channas or inns in a city
call'd Sarair., where we lodg'd at night ;
the following day we pafs'd this foreft;
-without any danger, being convoyed by ,,; f
Turks. _ .'r ■'
Being now come fo ntz.v Conftantinople, ; '
I fent an exprefs into the city, and by the ./ ,
Hungarian minifters refiding there, ac- ''
quainted
to Coiiftantinople,
quainted the grand wzfr of my coming; I
alfo wrote to the embaflador of France for
neceflary information concerning feveral
matters mean time I ftayed in a town
Kutziu- call'd Kutziukcek Mefe, three hours jour-
kcek three ney from Confiantinople, where the mini-
hours £^gj.g q'ranfjlvania came to me, with
from"cf»- whom I confuked about my entry,
jianti- which was performed in the following
nople. manner.
The 14''^ of May, at fix o' clock in the
morning, I fet out from the above men-
tioned Kutziukcek Mefe. About half way
between this and the city, I met the am-
Entryin- bafiadors of "Tranfjlvania^ that brought a
10 Con- horfe for me with very fine trappings:
jianti- but being not able, on account of my foot,
to mount a horfe, it was led before my
coach in vv'hich I went ; my Hungarian
commiflTary, with two of his fervants,
went alfo before. At the ufual place,
that is a good way from the city, I was
received in the name of the Turkifi empe-
ror, by a Turkijh aga or officer called Ali
Aga, who had with him 24 chiaufes on
horfeback, and conducted me into the city
to my lodging in a procefTion, according
to the cuitom there, viz. Firft of all went
the 24 chiaufes, after them All Aga by
himfelf, then the minifters of 'Tranfylva-
nia and their retinue ; next, the horfe
defign'd for me was led by two grooms of
the ftable ; I followed in a coach drawn
by fix horfes, which the refident of Tran-
fjlvania had lent me ; after the coach fol-
low'd fix of my retinue on horfeback, and
at laft my baggage waggon drawn by
four horfes. My lodging was order'd by
The lodg- the vizir, in which two rooms were fur-
ing order- nifii'd after the 1'urkifh fartiion, with car-
ed by the pgrs upon the floor, and cufliions of many
colours next to the walls the others were
exprefly furnifhed with tables and banks,
otherwife not in ufe among the Turks.
I was no fooner arrived in my lodg-
1 5 May.
ing, when fome of the French embaffa-
Welcom- dor's fervants came, whom he had fent to
ed by the meet me out of town ; but they having
minifters ^^'"^^^ '"^^ wrong way, had miffed of me.
^tConJian- ^^^V ^^^^ gone, the fecretary
tinopk. and fervants of the EngliJJo embaffador came
to bid me welcome ; and the fecretary
entring'with me into a long converiation,
my chiaus grew uneafy at it, faying, it
was contrary to cuftom to converfe with
the foreign minifters, before I had audi-
ence of the vizir. I excufed it in the beft
I manner I was able, faying. That among
the minifters of the Chriftian powers the
cuftom was fo, and to negle6t it would be
look'don as an incivility : befides, on fuch
occafions nothing material was treated of,
but all confifted in compliments, nor could
he take amifs any thing that paffed be-
VoL. V.
tween the minifters of thofe two crowns, Rolamb.
who being in fo ftrift an alliance with his '-"'"W
Swedi/h majefty, and all three being inti-
mate friends of the Ottoman Porte, he had
no reafon to miftruft them, they having
not the leaft thought of any thing difad-
vantagious to the Ottoman Forte; which
fatisfy'd him. After dinner, the refident
of the emperor fent fome perfons with his
compliments ; but a fpahi that was order'd
to be my door-keeper, would not let them
come in, but fent them away unknown to
me. Immediately after, others came from
the refident of Holland on the like errand,
who would have been fent av/ay likewife,
had I not prevented it. The next day I fent 16 May
meffages to return my compliments to the
forefaid minifters, and excufed myfeif to that ^g^'i^^^nea
of the emperor, that his people were not
admitted, and he afterwards fent to me
with better fuccefs. It is the cuftom in
Confiantinople, contrary to what is obferved
in chriftian countries, that the minifters /
who refide there, fend firft to him that )
arrives ; they give the title of illuftrious, \
even to the refidents; and in vifiring treat
one another with fweetmeats and wine.
However, they converfe but little toge-
ther, and live retired, notwithftanding
their principals are in friendihip.
The 1 7^*^ of I had audience of the /j/^^,
great vizir Copryli Meheniet hajfa, which Audience
by reafon of the indifpofition of my foot,
I fain would have defer'd fome days ; bat
the vizir infifting upon it- notwithftanding
it was Whitfunday, I was allowed no farther
excufes. Befides that, the envoy of 'Tran-
fylvania defired me to make a begin-
ning, and enter upon bufineis for fear of
the vi7j.r, who was a rigorous man, m^ighc
make him fufferfor it. I went in the morn-
ing half an hour pafl' feven on horfeback
from my lodging to the Strand, where I went
into a boat, and was rowed to the har-
bour next to the emperor's Seraglio, call'd
Bafs Capi ; there I mounted a horfe again,
which I had borrowed of the refident of'Tran-
fylvania, and went to the vizir's houfe, that
lay a good way from the water. Firft rid Proceffi-
my chiaus by himfelf, he was followed by on.
half of my retinue on foot two and two, af-
ter that my janizaries in their drefs, viz. a
high cap of elk fkin, trim'd with a gold
lace a hand broad, and in the forepart a
fcutcheon of filver gilt, half a yard high,
in the hand a great cane with an ivory
head ; after the janizaries went my inter-
preter, I on horfeback came next, and be-
hind me the reft of my retinue. Being
come to the ftairs of his houfe, I alighted
from my horfe, and v/as as good as carried
into a room that was hung, Vv'here I v/aited a
little till I was call'd into the vizir's room
for they never allow any perfon to go di-
8 L redly
682
ARelatian of a Journey
RoLAMB.
The vi-
z/r's au-
dience
room.
The vi-
xir's di-
vers quef-
ftions.
Anfwers
to them.
re6liy in to them, but let them firft wait
a while it even is a great honour to be
brought into a feparate apartment, moil
people being obliged to wait in the anti-
charnber or hall.
In the audience room there were two
chairs placed, a little fquare one for the
vizir, and an arm chair of red velvet for
me. I was introduced by chiaus Pajffi, and
immediately after I had entered the room,
the vizir came alfo out of his chamber ;
we fat down each upon his chair over
againfc one another ; the vizir began firft
to fpeak to my interpreter, asking hov/ I
came by that accident on my foot, with
fome expreffions of compaffion ; then I
made him a compliment in your maje-
fty's nams, delivering him your letter,
which he received with m'Cd.1 veneration,
and gave it to the chancellor, by them
call'd reis effendi. After this I fpoke
concerning my commiffion in general,
referring myfelf to a memorial I had with
me, containing the particulars, together
with the proper arguments drawn up in
Turkijh, which I delivered at the fame
time yixih. a tranllation of the letter. The
reafon why I delivered it in vvrriting, was,
1. Becaufe the interpreters do not exaftly
keep to one's words, but either ufe other
exprefiions, or add fomething of their
own, which in a matter of fuch ' .rqoment
might eaiily have done prejudice. 2.' The
Ti{rks^rQ much wandering in their thoughts,
fo that they do not take things fo well
only from difcourfe. 3. They have no
patience to hear a long fpeaker, but one
muft make few words in fpeaking with
them. 4. Foreign minifters have their
fpies at publick audiences. 5. It is cuf-
tomary with them to do bufinefs in writ-
ing ; for even the vizir himfelf, when he
is with the emperor, tranfafts all in writ-
ing, and talks but feldom with him. Af-
ter having delivered the writings, iht vizir
began to ask, i. How your majefty did?
2. Where you were? 3. How ftrongiv<2-
gotzky was ? 4. About the defign and in-
tention of your majefty 's conjunftion with
him. 5. What towns and fortreffes your
majefty had in poffeffion in Poland. To
all which I returned proper anfwers. Af-
terwards he aflved, whether your majefty
had defeated the enemy fince that conjundli-
on? I thereupon firft mentioned in a few
words the chief encounters that had paf-
fed before ; but that after the conjunftion,
whilft I was there, no decifive aftion had
happened^ king Cafimir not having a fuf-
ficicnt army for offering battel ; he replied.
Why did not your majefty march your
army back again into your own country,
fince they were not able to refift you?
Upon which I gave him an account of
the tranfaflions of laft year, how the
ftates of Polafid furrendred themfelves,
how they renounced Cafimir, and how at
the pope's inftigation the Poles had broke
their oath and promifes. Your majefty
therefore was now about purfuing and pu- "
nifhing thofe rebels, and bringing them
to reafon. \ farther acquainted him, how
through the pope's intrigues the had ' '
made an alliance with the Cz^r of RiiJJia, " '
and confented to have his fon for their '■
king. To this he anfv/ered in great paf-
fion, this the Pi?/i?i will never coiifent to; '
he laid feveral other things on that fub- ;^
je6l, too long to be related here. As for i ■
the reft he ufed me with great civility in ' V:
his difcourfe, in receiving and difmif-
fing me •, fo that all who were prefent
could not but exprefs their great furprize, 'I
as being quite contrary to his cuftom, \
which is to give every body furly and
ftiort anfwers. After the conference, he
hung a coat upon me, and gave alfo to
each of my people one fo v/e went away
like mafs priefts, keeping the coats on till
we got on horfeback, then I took off
mine. When I was got out of the outer
gate of the vizir's feraglio into the ftreet,
my chiaus, and another of the vizirh fer-
vants, that begg'd fome money, coming
too near my horfe, he kicked twice, and
threw both their horfes with the riders to ' "
the ground, their white turbans rolling
along the ftreet ; my chiaus that was an
old and an heavy man, fell upon the other
'Turk, and as it happen'd, received no
harm, but the other was fo bruifed, that
the blood guilied out of his nofe and ears,
and the next day he died. This at firft
occafioned laughter, but afterwards it was
look'd upon as ominous, that a Swedijh .
horfe at one ftroke had thrown down two
Turks, this nation being very fu per ft itious.
Befides, they have a particular fufpicion
againft the Swedijh nation, it being writ in
their prophecies, that their empire fhall^Fop^«-
be deftroy'd by a northern nation, of which theT°f2
I fhall make farther mention hereafter. concern-'
The 1 9'!^ of Ma'^ being the third feftival ingacer-
of Whitfiintide, I had audience of the empe- tain "or-
ror Sultan Mehemet, which was performed
as follov/s. In the morning about three ,g May,"
o' clock, I went from my lodging by wa- Audience
ter to the abovementioned harbour, near of ^'^^
the feraglio, where my horfe ftood ready,
which I mounted, and rid to the empe-
ror's feraglio in the following proceffion.
I. Rode chiaufes. 2. The refident o'iTran- Proceffi-
fylvania, and a fecretary of Tranfjlvania,
Jacohus Hanzani. 3. The envoy o^Tran-
fjlvania, Tordai Ferens alone, he had de-
fired his own audience might be put ofl:,
in expeftation of this opportunity, when
he knew he would be treated with greater
honour.
The inner
court,
The Di-
van, or
council
chamber.
Money
not count
ed but
weighed.
Audience
ufually
given to
foreign
emhaffa-
dors,when
the militia
is paid.
to
honour, than if he had had audience by
himfelf. 4, I rode by my felf. 5. Be-
hind me my retinue on foot, confifting of
about 40 perfons, many of the French tm-
baffador's people, and French merchants
attending among my retinue, partly at my
defire, partly out of their own curiofity.
In this order I went through the firil pa-
lace-yard of the feraglio to the fecond gate,
where I alighted on a high bench of marble
made for that purpofe, call'd BeckgitaJJoi,
for none are permitted to ride into the in-
ner court 5 afterwards I went on foot in
the aforementioned order through this in-
ner court, which is four fquare, and very
large, fet with laurel, cyprefs, and other
trees, more like a park, there being a
great many red deer and harts in it. Along
all the four fides are porches, or fheds of
boards fupported by marble pillars ; un-
der the porch on the right hand flood the
janizar aga with his officers, who had high
and large bunches of feathers upon their
heads, and were drefs'd in gold brocade of
many colours •, behind them flood the ja-
fiizaries in four ranks, all along that fide
of the court •, they v/ere, as I guefled by
eye-fight, about 10 or 1200, all v/ell
drefs'd, with furr caps upon their heads.
On the left hand flood a long row of chi-
mifes, with their high white tiirham upon
their heads in the middle of the lafl row,
in a large room, call'd Bivan^ which is
their council chamber, was the great vizir
fatting in the front, drefs'd in a white fattin
coat lin'd with fable, to whom I bow'd in
pafTing by j on the right hand in the front
towards the court, fat a row of about 60
or 70 hajfas, all drefs'd in filver brocade,
and high white turbans upon their heads ;
I and the envoy of Tranfjlvania were con-
duded to the left hand fide, where we and
our retinue fit down. Immediately after,
a great heap of bags of money were laid
down before me, with which the empe-
ror's fervants and troops were to be paid.
This money was not counted but weigh'd ;
neither is it ufual among the 'Turks in talk-
ing of money, to reckon by hundreds or
thoufands pieces in number, but by fo
many bags or purfes, each purfe contain-
ing 500 rixdollars fo if you hear 100
bags mention'd, there is 50000 rixdollars
meant by it-, they always take care to
fix the audience of foreign embaffadors,
upon a day when the forces are to be paid,
to make a lliew of their grandeur. Before
they began to diflribute the money, the
tefi:erdlu\ i. e. treafurer, came to ask my
name, which he took down in writing, it
beign cullomary to regifler at whofe au-
dience the pay was made. Then the grand
vizir wrote a note to the emperor, ac-
quainting him with my prefence, and de-
'83
firing his orders about the audience \ that^oLAME.
note was carried to the emperor by a capiici ^-'-'V^
hajfi, who had a filver flafF in his hand ;
the emperor fent his orders to the vizir like-
wife in a note, which the capuci hajfi carried
aloft in his right hand, and where he paf-
fed by, the people rofe up and made a
refpedtive bow to the paper. After this,
I wasdefired to come to dinner in the room Dinner in
where the vizir was, which pafs'd in the thez'/z/r's
following manner. In the vizir^s place room,
(who abfented himfelf, becaufe he fafled)
{a.t yu/fuff bajfa, one of the feven vizirs;
over againfl him flood a chair of red vel-
vet, upon which I fat down, and the en-
voy 'Tranfjlvania by me on my left fide
then came he that laid the cloth, fetting
a fmall fquare flool between us, and a flat
round filver difli upon it, in the fhape of
a large water bafon, which ferved for a
table, upon which the cloth was laid. The
refl of the manner of dining; being like
that of the bajfa of Sili/lria, I fliall refer
to it : There were in all five fuch tables in
the room, one in the front, at which I fat
with the mentioned vizir, and one in each
corner ; at that on the right hand fat Jch-
met hajja, alfo a vizir, by ' himfelf ; at
the other on the left hand fat two judges
of Afia and Europe, call'd Cadi les Kieri ;
out of which' always one is taken to be
7nufti: on the left fide of the room Nifan-
fk'j Mujlafa bajja dined with the refident
and fecretary of Tranfjlvania, and two of
my retinue; on the right fide of the room
fat the high treafurer, call'd tejlerdar,
who is a bajffa, by him liit fecretary Klin-
gen, and another of my retinue ; the rcfl
of my people dined in another room.
There was fuch a filence during dinner, with fuch
that not one word was fpoke, nor the filence,
leaft noife perceived -, the attendants ferv- ^^^^
ing at table, going to and fro in very good °" 3 7po-
order and quietnefs. All that were pre- ken.
fent fat like images looking down before
them, becaufe the emperor himfelf was
upon the roof, and look'd through a glals
window upon us, wherefore none durfl
look up on pain of death. Only fome
chiaufes run to the other tables, where they
had viftiials given them, taking fome in
difhes, fome in their hands, and fome in
fmall bags, which they carry about them,
to put up all fort of eatables roafled and
boiled, even foups, all together ; for the
Turks look'upon it as a fign of grandeur,
when fuch people come to beg fbmething
from their table. Dinner being over, and
the tables taken away, the grand vizir
came in again, and fat down by me in the
place of Jujfuff baJfa, who, upon the yenerati-
other's approach, got out of the way, as on (hewn
if he had been turned out of doors ; fuch to the
is the veneration they fhew the grand vizir. S''^"'!
(58^
on 0] a
t Journ
The audi-
ence
room.
The em-
peror's
charadler.
RoLAME. He fpoke very friendly to me, inquired
-■"'''VNJ how I was in health, afterwards he defired
us to take our places again, and to pre-
pare for the audience. Thereupon I with-
drew, and being come to my former place
again, I, and thofe I had with me, had
long coats of gold brocade hung about us,
according to cuftom. The great vizir,
and three other vizirs being gone into the
emperor firft, I was foon after conducted
into his prefence. The room where he
ufes to give publick audience, call'd Di-
van Hane^ is but little and dark, and you
go two fteps down into it. The emperor
fat upon a throne raifed a yard from the
ground, which had four pillars, with cur-
tains above and below, round about ;
within were laid long cufhions, which
made it almofl; look like a Frenchbtd the
pillars were covered over with gold ; the
knobs fet with diamonds, the cufhions and
curtains embroidered with pearls ; the floor
was fpread over with red velvet, richly
embroidered with gold, which we walked
upon. The emperor was eighteen years
of age, his face tawny and long, of a pu-
fillanimous and ftupid phyfiognomy, he
wore a white turban, with two black
plumes of hern feathers, one hanging down
on each fide, and a filver brocade coat of
many colours ; the grand vizir flood next
by him, and three other hajfas on the other
fide, who ftood fo immoveable, as if they
had been nailed to the wall. In the anti-
chamber ftood Capi Jga an eunuch, who is
head of all the white eunuchs, and of
what men there are in the emperor's fe-
raglio likewife Kijlar Aga a moor, and
an eunuch, who is head of all black eu-
nuchs, 200 in number, and of all women
in the feraglio. By thefe two ftood alfo
fome other white and black eunuchs and
mutes, who are much employed by the
I'urkijh emperor j for by them he gives his
moft confiderable orders by figns, for two
reafons, i. That it may be kept fecret.
2. That he may talk what he pleafeth
without any notice. At the door of the
audience room ftood two capuci bajfas in
gold brocade coats, who took me under
the arms, and fo led me in before the em-
peror, to whom I made a bow •, after
which I was brought fome fteps back
again, and there they left me •, then they
took the envoy of Tranfjlvania, and
brought him in to the middle of the room,
where they pufiied him down upon all
fours ; from thence they carried him back
again towards the door, by the wall ; my
retinue were brought in one after another
in the fame maner, and fome ^that did not
take care of themfelves, werepufh'd down
to the ground that they quaked for there
was a long row of them, and the cere-
4
hurry=
The em-
peror
gives his
orders by
eunuchs
and mutes
mony was to be difpatch'd in great
After me fix of my fervants had the fa-
vour to be admitted, who had alio coats
given them. All this made the faid r^z/z/ci
hajfas fo warm, that the fweat run down
their faces, partly from working, partly
from fear for had they committed the
leaft fiult, they had been undone at the
leafl" wink from the emperor.
All being now quiet, I faluted the em- Compli-
peror in your maiefty's name in Latin., af- ^°
furing him of your friendfhip in as few (.qj..
words as poffible j but when I began to
talk of the fubjecl of my embaffy, the
vizir interrupted me, faying, he had ac-
quainted the emperor with it already,
which obliged me to ftop there, I then
delivered his majefty's letter, wrap'd up
in blew gold brocade, which a capuci hajfi
took from my hands, and gave it to the
vizir, v/ho laid it down by the emperor.
As foon as this v;as done, the capuci baf-
fas took me under my arms again ; and af-
ter having made a bow to the emperor,
condu6led me out again, where I mounted
on horfeback, but was obliged to flay till
all the janizaries with their officers were
paffed by, to march before me: after this
I went in the fame proceffion as before to
the harbour, where I flept into a boat,
and returned to my lodgings.
The next day after the emperor's au- 20 May^
dience, I fent to the mufti, to wait on him Noaudi-
with your majefty's letter ; but he return- ^^g^^S^^
ed an excufe, pretending, as he was but
lately come into his office, (for he had
indeed been in it but eight days) he would
inform himfelf about the affair, and af-
terward fend me word. However, though
he was not altogether in the wrong fo far,
for he was nor only unexperienced, but
alfo of no great parts ; yet the main point
was, he knew I was not come ftocked with
prefents ; and therefore the honour of re-
ceiving your majefty's letter and compli-
ment was of no account with him j and
although I afterwards got him underhand
put in mind of it once or twice, yet I had
no notice of any audience-, nor did I
think it necefiary to force your majefty's
letter upon him, he having no credit nor
authority, but fiving in a fervile depen-
dence on the vizir, who had placed him
in that office, with a defign of eftablifhing
himfelf the better in his own : for when
the emperor defigns to make away with
fome vizir, or make any other confider-
able change, he never fails to confult the
mufti about it, who is the chief of their
lawyers, and whofe opinion has great
weight with the emperor and accordingly
theie views of the vizir had the intended
effed: for in the expedition againft the
Venetians, which the vizir commanded,
things
to Conftantiiiople.
685
things looked at firll with a bad afpedlfor
the Turks, fo that the emperor even was
twice refolved to fend him a cord, but the
mufti prevented that ftoriTi both times by
his interceffion.
1 1 May. The day following the vizir fent to me
MclTage to filute me, to ask after my health, and
from the jj-jg Qf gj^ear (their exprefllon is
the faf^daoln., i. c. be merry) the emperor
di/h en- having declared himfelf favourably upon
voy. your majefty's deflre, and refolved to dif-
patch me, before his departure to the
army, with all honour, and to your ma-
jefty's fatisfaftion. I fent him an anfwer
with a compliment, and as I found it
neceflary to give him a true notion of the
affairs, and to clear up certain doubts he
had raifed about fomeof the articles, which
I had delivered to him in writing ; at the
fame time, to get an opportunity of bring-
ing him to a firm refolution with relation
to the Tartars, and to gee favourable or-
ders to be returned for them by a courier
lately arrived from the chatn of Cri7n,
who fent notice by him, that he was rea-
dy with his forces, and only expeded the
emperor's orders. I fent my chiaus to
defire leave to wait on him once more be-
fore my departure. He fent me a civil
anfwer by the chiaus, appointing me for the
next day to Terfano, where we could talk
more at liberty, his houfe in town being
22 May. too much frequented. I went accordingly.
Final au- and notwithftanding he was full of bufi-
the^'z^/r nefs, he fent every body away, and ad-
mitted me immediately. Being now ac-
quainted with their way, I forthwith,
without any previous difcourfe, entered
upon my bufinefs, and asked him, whe-
ther the Porte was refolved to accept of the
offer of your majefty's friendftiip upon
the terms propofed ? he anfwer'd very ci-
villy, with affurances of reciprocal good
offices i I then tpuched upon the three
points of my commiffion, as being the
effeds intended by that union, and defired
to know what anfwer I had to exped ? He
replied. That the Porte had long had
friendfhip with Poland ; and the Poles hav-
ing committed nothing contrary to it, it
would be wrong in the Porte, to abandon
that old friendlhip for the new one with
your majefty, which was as yet to beefta-
bliftied, and to confent, out of regard for
this new friend, that their fubjeds fhould
Friendlhip h^^P ^0 diftrefs their old friends. I there-
between upon remonftrated to him, that the friend-
the Otto- fhip offered by your majefty was not new,
^"l^iT^ but had begun in the time of king Gujla-
^Giifiavfs "^^^ y^dolphus, was continued by queen
Molphus, Chrijlina, with good offices done in favour
and queen of the Porte againft the Roman emperor,
tcf be^r''^ and was now confirmed by your majefty ;
newed.^* confequendy this was no new tranfadion,
Vol. V.
but a continuation and'fequelof the old Rolamb.
friendlhip, only with this difference, that ^-'OT^
your majefty was willing to ftrengthen the
old union, for which the Porte ought to think
themfelves fo much more obliged. Upon
this he anfwered. Valla (which is a great
oath with them, fignifying as much as, fo
help me God) all this is very reafonalDle,
adding, that I might depend upon it, that
the Ottoman Porte would never be deficient
in good offices and fincerity towards you
majefty, and would now particularly com-
ply with your majefty's defire as to the
three points propofed he alfo promifed
immediately to write to the cham, not to
affift the Polanders againft your majefty ;
and to enquire of him at the fame time
whether he had not perhaps newly made
an alliance with Ruffia, which if not done,
he would order him to fall upon the Ruf^
fians. I thereupon defired an order to the
cham in writing, which he promifed to
give me. In order to have full refolution
upon every thing, I fpoke concerning the The
prince of Tranf'^lvania in particular ; he prince of
fell into fomepaffion, and asked, why your '^'"'^"fyf'
majefty had that affair fo much at heart? concerns
As I knew the reafon why this conjundi- recom-
on or alliance was fufpeded to the Porte, mended.
I enlarged a little on the reafons for it, re-
futing on the other hand with plain argu-
ments the pretended caufes of their mif-
trufting him, protefting withal, that your
majefty's intentions and defigns were fin-
cere towards the Porte, without having
the leaft thoughts againft their intereft or
advantage. He fwore the fame oath again,
that if thofe were his majefty's intentions,
the prince of Tranf^lvania fliould not only
be forgiven, but even the grand fignor's
own troops ftiould be at your majefty's
fervice, if defir'd. He concluded with
this general promife, that your majefty's
defires fliould be complied with in every
refped, and I fliould be difpatch'd to my
fatisfadion before his departure.
Two days after, being the 25''' of Ma'j, 25 Ma^.
the vizir fent me word by my chiaus, that
my recredential letters were drawing up,
that he had appointed the next Wednefda'j, 27 May.
being the for my expedition, and
that I might keep myfelf in readinefs for
it, he intending to fet out the day after for
the camp, which was about a quarter of
a league from the city. However, the
appointed day being come, I was not cal-
led ; wherefore I fent my chiaus to the vi-
zir, to know the reafon of this delay, and Remem-
to put him in mind of his promife, the ^';'"g
time of his departure being i'o near. His j^-f p^o^*
anfwer was, that having learned from Si- mife of
lifiria and Wallachia, that a folemn em- difpatch-
baffy from your majefty was on the way '"S
hither, my expedition was deferr'd tiii its
8 M arrival.
V
686
A delation of a Journey
RoLAMB. arrival. I was apprehenfive, that if the
'•-OTN-/ vizir was once arrived at the Dardanels^
he would be fo overloaded with other bu-
finefs, that thefe and fuch like affairs might
be poftponed to your majefty's prejudice ;
befides, that thofe people are of an incon-
ftant mind, and do not long ftick to one
refolution, but are rather apt to take con-
trary impreflions fuggefted to them by ill
affected perfons. A minifter wasalfo daily
expefted from Poland, who was not like
to promote your majefty's intereft i but
what I was moft afraid of, was, left fome
encounter, or any other accident concern-
ing Ragotjky might happen, that might
make the 'Turks waver, to the prejudice of
your majefty's intereft. Thefe confidera-
tions put me upon trying once more, whe-
ther it was not poffible to get a confirma-
tion of their refolutions, at my taking
leave, before the vizir proceeded on his
journey ; for he was already in the camp,
3. June, where he ftay'd eight days: accordingly I
fent to defire another audience of him,
but he excufed himfelf, pretending multi-
plicity of bufinefs, and that he had refer-
The cat- red my affair to the caimakam, (who is the
maliamt\is. vizir^s deputy or lieutenant at Conjianti-
z^z/r's nopk,, during the vizir's abfence, and go-
Deputy. ^gj.j^3 [j^g whole ftate) who would fatisfy
me in every thing. I therefore immedi-
ately defir'd audience of the caimakam ; who
excufing himfelf alfo, I infifted that I
might at leaft fend fecretary Klingen to
him but he anfwered he durft not admit
anyftranger, nor meddle with any bufinefs,
v^hilft the vizir was fo near, but that as
foon as he was gone he would give me no-
tice of it ; he did fo, and fent for me pre-
8 June, fently after the vizir's decamping. I told
Audience him in a few words, what the vizir and I
of the i^^fj agreed upon, and acquainted him
eatma am. ^j^.^^ ^^^^ majefty's progrefs in Poland,
fince the conjundion with Ragotjky, of
which I had received advice a few days
before from Mr. Kle-y your majefty's refi-
dent at Vienna. He received me with all
civility, and anfwered, the vizir had ac-
quainted him with his refolution, and all
fhould be done to your majefty's fatisfadi-
6n, but only my expedition was deferred
till the arrival of the other minifter.
This was the fituation your majefty's
affairs committed to my care were brought
to before the vizir's departure ; and as
there could nothing more be done, but to
wait for the promifed expedition, I em-
ploy'd the reft of my time in vifiting fo-
reign minifters : for before this time, as
there was a great number of troops in the
city, the vizir had advifed me to keep at
home, left I might receive fome affront,
he not being able to prevent their info-
lence. This I alledged to the French and
Englijh embaffadors, when I fent fecretary
Klingen to excufe my delay in vifiting.
As for the emperor's minifter Mr. Si- The em-
mon von Reninge, I expeded the firft vifit peror of
from him, he having but the charafter oi^^^'^'^^f*
refident. Befides, there being no great [jf^^JJ/^^
confidence between our mafters, and he ^^^^
not feemingverydefirous to come to me, I Porte.
kept my vifit back alfo, and remained with-
in the terms of thofe compliments we had
exchanged by our fervants at my arrival.
In other refpeds he is faid to be an ingenious
and difcreet man, who has a good charadler
among thofe that converfe with him, and
is well beloved at that court, fince the
prefent vizir has a great regard for the
houfe of Auftria \ partly on account of _
the Venetianvfzr, which as the Turks would o?^J)J"]"*
willingly be rid of it with reputation, the L great"*
wzwr^ thinks might eafily be ended by the credit
Roman emperor's (whofe authority he ima- ^"'^ ^^'^
gines to be the fame in Chriftendom, as his P^^'^'^^"^
own is in the TurkiJJj empire) obliging the
Venetians to make peace with them on fuch
terms as they fliould propofe; or by per-
mitting their army to march through the
emperor's dominions into the Venetian ter-
ritories ; partly alfo to prevent the Roman
emperor's undertaking any thing againft *
the Ottoman Porte, while that war lafts.
For thefe reafons the houfe of Auftria is
much carefs'd by the Porte \ and their re-
fident is fure to effectuate what he will, by
the means of his interpreter Panejotti, who Panejotti
is a Greek by his religion, has learning, and interpre
is endowed with quick parts and good ^° '^f
fenfe, above any other dragoman at this^|J[°j''
court, and is much trufted by the vizir j ^ '
fo that what Panejotti fays, almoft paffes
for an oracle j (for among thefe barbarians
and ignorant people, a flender tindture of
knowledge pafi^s for the higheft wifdom)
for which reafon he has penfions from
Tranfjlvania, Wallachia and Moldavia, and
many other quarters, to fijpport their in-
tereft, when confulted by the Porte, which
often happens. But as he takes money
indifferently of them allj fo he equally
impofes upon them all. What makes his
credit ftill greater, is, that the vizir im-
ploys him to tranflate all Latin letters that
come to the Porte, there being no other
dragoman that under ftands Latin. '
The French embaffador Mr. de la Hay, The
was about 80 years of age, and had been French.
20 years embaffador ; a capricious man, ^mbafii-
who for a pundilio would fet afide all con-
fideration, even in matters of confequence,
and was at that time upon ill terms with
the vizir, who had bid my chiaus diffuade
me from vifiting him. However, I would
not be wanting in what I owed him, and
went to pay him a vifit at the time he had
himfelf appointed, but he let me come
within
to Conftantinople.
687
within his gate into his orchard, where I
was met by his fecretary, who was to
make an excufe, as if he was indifpofed ;
but the truth was, he had taken amifs my
vifiting the Englijh embaflador before him
though he had no reafon for it ; i . Becaufe
the Engli/h embaflador had vifited mefirit,
and he not. 2. There was the fame good
underftanding between your majefty and
his mafter. 3. The Englijh embaflador
had invited me that day to dinner. 4. He
had the fame morning been with the mufti
about your majefly's affairs, and was to
bring me an anfwer i and as he was to go
next morning to the caimakam on the fame
errand, he wanted my information. 5. Hav-
ing already heard of the French embafla-
dor's capricious temper, I had left him the
choice of his own time, either in the fore-
noon or in the afternoon, and he appointed
afternoon. But waving all this, as he did not
greatly afte6tyourmajefl:y, or the common
caufe, this occaflon fhewed what was to be
expeded from him. For altho' I had wrote
to him from Tranfylvania, and defired him
to acquaint the Porte of my coming, and to
excufe my bringing no prefents with me, he
had indeed done it but fuperficially, having
only fent his dragoman to the vizir j who be-
ing a proud and fcornful man, was not a lit-
tle provoked at it. After my arrival,
- when an aiack divan (that is, a general
council) had been held, concerning my
commiilion, and the writing I had given
in, after the breaking up of which, the
vizir fat down and difcourfed on that fub-
jed ; among others, one call'd Salt -pajfa
began to fpeak of your majefty and your
exploits, much in the fame terms he had
heard me talk the day before, and turned
his difcourfe to this conclufion, they ought
by all means to lay hold of this opportu-
nity of embracing your majefty's friendfhip.
tJpon this M. la Borde the French embaflTa-
dor's oldeft interpreter, who had been fent
thither prepared, began to caution them,
faying. They fliould be aware of the
Swedes i for it is a nation (thefe were his
ills er- expreflions) who, if they can get a hole
preflion big enough to put a finger into, they will
concern- not give over, till they can follow with
mg the jj^gir whole body ; Poland they have
fatiof' al'"e^<^y brought under their yoke j if they
are allowed to keep it, they will foon long
for Moldavia and Wallachia alfo : and at
laft extend their defires even beyond the
Dannie; you have better neighbours of
the Poles confequently it is more advif-
able for you to afllft them in driving the
Swedes Q\Jii of Poland. I had delivered to
the vizir on the 1 5'^ of June a paper, in
which I mention'd the alliances and friend-
fhip that were fubfifting between his ma-
jefl:y and France, ^c. The vizir having
fent to enquire concerning that matter Rolamb.
among the foreign minifters, the French ^^"^V^
embaflador fent his interpreter to the vizir^
to tell him for anfwer on his part, that
formerly there had indeed been an alliance
between France and Sweden, but that was
now at an end, and France had no further
concerns with Sweden. Nay, when I de-
fir'd him to ftir and fpeak in behalf of the
common caufe, he excufed himfelf fome-
times he pretended it would found too
harfli, and look like threatning, to men-
tion that France and Sweden flood in fo
clofe an union, that to comply with the
one, was obliging the other alfo ; at other
times he was too tender to give umbrage to
the emperor's refident. Both which ex-
cufes were but Ihifts too eafily feen through ;
for on the other hand, he cultivated a
great intimacy with the emperor's refident,
carefl!ed the internuncio of Poland exceed-
ingly ; and in fhort, was indefatigable in
obftrufting your majefty's afi^airs and the
common caufe. As for the reft, he kept
too much company with monks, and was
a great promoter of their interefts, a man
of infinite intrigues, efpecially in the af-
fairs with Venice, in which he had meddled
very much, and for which he was fuf-
peded and hated by the Tirrks, who inter-
cepted fome of his letters to the Venetians^
and by that means were come to know what
fums had been paid him by that republick.
The Englijh embaflador, lord Thomas The Eng-
Bendyjfe paid me the firft vifit, on which ''i/^ e'"-
occafion, as well as before in his frequent
meflfages to me, heaflTured me in many and
ftrong expreflions of his veneration and
good intentions towards your majefty and
the common caufe, offering himfelf moft
readily to afllft me in all that could be for
your majefty's fervice. Upon my arrival, he
had call'd all the Englijh merchants ai Con-
Jiantinople together, reprefenting to them
the great friendfhip that was between your
majefty and the protedor, and acquainted
them with the ftrid orders he had from him
toefpoufe his Swedtjh majefty's intereft at this
court. Therefore, feeing your majefty's
envoy was now arriv'd, he exhorted them
to negled no opportunity of giving to all
the 'Turks with whom they converfed, fuch
imprefllons as might tend to your maje-
fty's advantage, and to the promoting of
the common caufe. He himfelf at my
requeft went in perfon to the caimakam,
the mufti, the bujlanci pajft, and others of
his acquaintance, fetting forth to them the
reafons that were moft conducive to the
ends propofed. To fiim up all, he left
nothing untried to give real proofs of all
that can be defired of an ally and friend ;
and this not only in the beginning, bun
alfo during all the time I was obliged to
continus
688
A Relation of a Journey
RoLAMB. continue it Conjiantimple for your maje-
^'"^V^ fly's Tervice ; he was otherwife a man of
great civility and good underftanding, and
has moft credit at the Ottoman Porte of
any of the foreign minifters of this time,
both on account of the refpeft they bear
to his mafter, and for his own fmcerity.
The The Dutch minifter Mr. Varner was firft
Dutch re- appointed refident by the Ottoman Forte.,
and afterwards confirmed by the States ; a
Well verf- man well verfed in the oriental languages,
cd in the but fitter for a profelTor, than for a pub-
onental Y\c\i miniftcr ^ for his whole delight arid
anguage*. j^yi^pefg confifted in reading Rahin^Sy and
all forts of other oriental writings ; for
which purpofe he kept Hebrews, that at
certain hours of the day went to inftru6t
him; he himfelf had publiflied a treatife
Author of of coffee, its nature and ufe. This is a
a treatife kind of a pea that grows in Egypt, which
of coffee, t-fje 'Turks pound and boil in water, and
take it for pleafure inftead of brandy, fip-
ping it through the lips boiling hot, per-
iuading themfelves, that it confumes ca-
tarrhs, and prevents the rifing of vapours
out of the ftomach into the head. The
drinking of this coffee, and fmoaking to-
Tobacco bacco (for though the ufe of tobacco is
o°n^'a1?of fo^t)idden on pain of death, yet it is ufed
deaSi!" ° in Conjlantinople more than any where by
men as well as women, though fecretly)
makes up all the paftime among the Turks,
and is the only thing they treat one another
with ; for which reafon all people of dif-
tindion have a particular room next their
own, built on purpofe for it, where there
ftands ajar of coffee continually boiling.
The Dutch refident never having paid me
a vifit, the refpedt due to your majefby,
did not allow me neither to fee him ; and
though I gave him all manner of reafon
and opportunities to live confidently toge-
ther, yet he kept himfelf retired, and
avoided all commerce with me, except
the compliment he fent me at my arrival.
Whether he did this out of jealoufy againfl:
the Swedijh nation, agreeably to the fen-
timents of his mafters, or to pleafe the
emperor's and the French minifters, with
whom he had a very good underftanding, is
what I do not know. Befides, thofe that were
no minifters in ordinary of foreign powers at
the Porte, for thofe of prince Ragotjky, of
Moldavia, Wallachia, of the Tartars^ and
of Ragiiza, were not reckoned among the
foreign minifters, forasmuch as their ma-
fters are tributary to the Porte. The Ve-
netians ufed to have one here in time of
peace, but he was recalled upon the war's
breaking out ; and their hailo, who had
been fent envoy extraordinary half a year
The refi- ago, was then in prifon at Adrianople.
dent of I lived in confidence, as I was direded
Tranfyl- by your majcfty, with Mr. Stephen Tija the
refident of Tranfilvama, and Mr. Jacol
Flartzanius prince RagotJkf% fecretary, who
aflifted me in tranflating my writings, and
was my interpreter at the audiences.
I enquired underhand, whether the Tar-.,, -a
^ ■ ^ . , ., . • 1- , • . , Minuter
tarian capi chihaja v/as inclined to join and ^^far-
converfe with me ; but I found him fo tary.
much in the FoUJh intereft, that he did all
he could ro defeat my defigns, and avoid-
ed my compahy for this reafon, I judged
your majeffy's dignity might fiiffer by
making an attempt, and meeting perhaps
with a difhonourable repulfe, a thing one
might well apprehend from fo polite a
nation.
There were alio two envoys from the Envoys
Zaporovian Cojfaks, but they lived retired. tl^eC^/"-
I fent to compliment them, and acquaint--/^^'^^'
ed them with the orders I had from his
majefty to efpoufe their intereft: they only
returned a civil anfwer, but were ftiy of
converfing with me, for fear of giving
fufpicion ; for their aim was to make the
Ottoman Forte believe, the Cojfaks had no
lefs abfolutely fubmitted themfelves to
them than the Tartars, without having
their eyes turned for fupport any where
elfe, and that they maintained great friend-
Ihip with the Tartars. The end, which
the envoys intended, was, not to be long
detained, but they thereby mifled their true
intereft.
In this ftate and condition were your
majefty's affairs, which I was gracioufly
entrufted with on the fourth of June, on
which day the vizir broke up with the
camp from Conjlantinople.
The King of Sweden'5 Letter to the
Grand Signer.
NOS Carolus Gustavus Dei gratia ^
Suecorum, Gothorum, Wandalo-
rumque rex, magnus princeps Finlandi^^
dux EfthoniEE, Carelise, Brehmas, Verdas,
Stetini, Pomeranias, Cafilibize, & Vanda-
lise, princeps Rugiae, dominus Ingrise &
Vifmarise ; nec non comes palatinus Rheni,
Bavarias, Juliaci, Clivise & Montium dux
&c. Sereniflimo, celfifllmo, excellentif-
fimo, potentiflimo, magnanimo, & in-
vidifTimo principi, domino Soltan
Mehemet, eadem Dei gratia Turcarum
imperatori, &c. Amico noftro charilTimo
falutem, profperos rerum fucceifus & mu-
tui amoris incrementum.
SerenifTime, celfifTime, excellentiffimie,,
magnanime, & invidiflime princeps, a-
mice charifTime. Quemadmodum in fu-
perioribus noftris literis ad ferenitatem ve-
ftram d. xvi. Junii proxime pr^teriti anni
hie Marienburgi perfcriptis, atque cum
ferenitatia veftrae fideli aulico & internuncio
Mufta-
to Conftantinople.
689
Muftapha aga tranfmiffis amice fignifica-
vimus. Nos conftituiflemittere adferenita-
tem veftram aliquem noftrorum miniftro-
rum, qui eandem de flatu rerum noftra-
rum, aliifque connexis negotiis informaret,
& cum primis noftro nomine amorem &
affedlionem noftram erga ferenitatem ve-
Itram conteftaretur : ica nunc fupra dic-
tarum rerum caufa ad ferenitatem veftram
ablegamus noftrum aulicum & militias
confiliarium, generofum, nobis fincere
fidelem, Claudium Rolamb, hasreditari-
tim in Byftad & Lenna, ut ferenitati ve-
ftrse exponat, non modo quibus ex caufis
bellum quod nunc cum rege & republica
Polonise gerimus, primo fit ortum, & de-
inde nunc aperta hoftilitate, nunc fufpen-
lione armorum continuatum: fed etiam
quare ultimis induciis nondum finitis, nu-
perrime ad armorum confli6lum utrinque
ventum fit. Largitus nobis eft Deus feli-
ces rerum fuccefifus contra noftros hoftes,
& fpem, etiam aliquam mediaque nobis
oftendit, componendi & fopiendi diutur-
num & cruentum hoc diffidium. Cui in-
tentioni dum illaboramus, inventi func
quidam, qui non ferentes sequis animis
noftram profperitatem, novas nobis turbas,
novofque hoftes excitare annifi funr. In
his eft ma gnus Mofcovise dux, utpote qui
nulla jufta de caufa, fed excogitatis fri-
volis quibufdam querelis, contra padla
perpetuje pacis, nos bello lacefTere coepit.
Adjunxere fe etiam Polonis contra nos
chami Crimenfis copis, nofque proelio
cum Polonico exercitu, licet infelici illis
cventu adorti funt. Et quia communes
funt rationes, quse nos & ferenitatem ve-
ftram ad confticuendam mutuam, firmam
& utilem amicitiam correfpondentiamque
invitare videntur, fperamus fore, ut fere-
nitas veftra, cognito rerum in hac parte
Europae & cum primis noftro ftatu, e
fua re futurum judicet, ut mutuis ani-
mis in communem rem confulamus rati-
onefque ineamus, quibus utriufque partis
vicini, quandoque extra juftitise veftigia
exorbitantes, ad juris & squitatis nor-
mam redigantur. Quod fi ferenitas veftra
velit permittere & autcoritate fua ita diri-
gere, ut chamus Crimenfis nobifcum armo-
rum focietatem contra magnum Mofco-
vis ducem inire poflic ; & fimul alia non-
nulla, quffi ferenitati veftrze nofter extra-
ordinarius ablegatus pluribus exponet, pro-
curatione fua promovere, fecerit quidem
hoc ipfo nobis rem gratam, fed fibi cum
primis proprioque fuo ftatui nunc & in
futurum valde proficuam & pene necef-
fariam. Quam rem totam & quibus fun-
damentis du£ti, confidamus ferenitatem
veftram infupradi'fla noftra poftulata condef-
cenfuram, depromet etiam fsepe jam nomi-
natus nofter confiliarius. Quare ferenitatem
. Vol. V.
veftram amice requirimus, velit eundem no- Rolamb.
ftrum extraordinarium ablegatum, Clau-'^''^'^
dium Rolamb, benevole coram fe admit-
tere, & fermoni deduftionibufque ejus in-
dubiam fidem tribuere, non alicer atque fi
ipfi prsefentes eflemus ; eundemque deinde
ad nos cum optata & arnica refolutione
quantocius dimittere. Quibus finientes,
ferenitati veftrfE amica noftra ftudia & of-
ficia deferimus.
Dabantur Frauenburgi in Boruflla
d. xxiii. Sept. An. M.DC.LVI.
CAROLUS GUSTAVUS.
M. Biornklou.
"The Infcript'ion.
SereniJJimo, CelftJJImo, Excelkntijfimo, Mag-
nanimo ^ Inv'iEliJJlmo Principle Domino
SoLTAN Mehemet, 1 wcarum
Imperatori, amico mjlro charijjimo.
As for the ftate of the Turk'ijh empire, state of
it was at my arrival ahnoft in a crifis; ihtTurk-
for although there was fome appearance ^^^'''^P"'^-
of its recovering in the time of fultan .
Amiirat from the fliock it had fuffered,
during the unfkilful adminiftration of the
fultans Mnjlafa and Ofinan^ yet f],nce the
unexpefted demife of Amurat^ and till
my time, it always was in a ftate of decay,
which then was fuch, that it either might
be re-eftablifhed or utterly unhinged. Buc
as it is neceflary for the fetting thefe af-
fairs in a better light, to give an infighc
into the tranfadions of the time immedi-
ately preceding, I fhall begin my relation
from the time when Mr. Strajhurger^ who
wasfent by king Gujlavus Jdolpbus of glo-
rious memory, was at the Ottoman Porte,
and refume the thread of his account from
the troubles that happened at fultan Atnu-
rat's accefiion to the throne, and the re-
volt of Babylon where he leaves off.
Although fultan Miirat at the begin-
ning of his reign appeared only of an ef-
feminate and voluptuous temper, particu-
larly given to poetry and mufick, and in
love with an Armenian young man called
Mufa Cielebii for whofe fake he renounced
all converfation with women ; yet this
youth being afterwards forcibly and with
threatnings taken from him by the janiza-
riesy and cut to pieces before his eyes, he
fell into melancholy, to drive away which
he was advifed to drink wine, to which he
was not a little inclined before from the
praifes he found of it in the poetical writ-
ings which he read every day. And hav-
ing the beft forts of wines brought him To wine,
from all places, he gave himfelf up to
8 N drink-
Strasbur-
ger's rela-
tion of the
affairs of
Turkj.
Soltan
Murat
given to
voluptu-
oufncfs,
poetry and
muficic.
690
A Relation of a "journey
RoLAMB. drinking to fuch excefs, that ic wrought
li/V^ ^j, entire change of his mind, to fuch a
degree, that he would often go privately
to taverns and fpend there half the day
in drinking nor would he mind any
thing but looking at the exercifes and
fhann fights of his young favourites called
Izoglans and Mujkab'js, or even getting on
horfeback himfelf, mingling with them,
and fighting with a kind of fpear, which
they call girid ; and then his greateft di-
verfion was to run it into their eyes, or
to cut Oif the heads of thofe who came in
To cru- his way. Thefe daily pra^Hces raifed his
elty. thirfl after blood to fuch a degree, that in
the night time after he had drank himfelf
out of his fenfes, he went about the ftreets
of Conftantinople with fome executioners
behind him, climbed with ladders up into
the windows, to fearch whether he could
perceive any fmell of tobacco, and then
to have the fmoakers dragged out of the
houfe and hanged up. Whomfoever he
met in the ftreets in the night time, inno-
cent or guilty, he ordered their heads to
be cut off and thrown into the water ; fo
that no morning paffed without finding
twenty or thirty dead bodies without heads
here and there in the ftreets. Thefe ac-
tions as they rendered him terrible, fo
they brought him into credit among his
fubjefts j for no quality in an emperor is
higher valued among them than that of
cruelty for which reafon fulran Amurat\
memory is in high efteem with them to
this day. His fili£lar-aga, i. e. his armour-
bearer, named Muftapba ToJJa^ who was
in great credit with him, encouraged him
in this notion of raifing thereby an opinion
of bravery among his own forces and his
neighbours \ and in order the better to
refrain the infolency of the army, advifed
him to undertake an expedirion againft his
enemies the Perfians or Poles. And al-
though Amurat inclined more againft Po-
land^ yet the mufti endeavoured to per-
fuade him firft to recover Bah'jlon, it be-
ing an eternal difgrace for the Ottoman
Porte to give up fo famous a city, whither
the Turks make as folemn pilgrimages as
the Chriftians do to Jerufalcm. But ful-
tan Amurat had a higher fpirit, and re-
fol ved to attack both thefe enemies at once j
nor would he flip the opportunity of king
Vladijlaus of Poland'^ being in war againft
the Ruffians. Accordingly he fent the
vizir Tahani Bujuk over into Afia to raife
an army againlt the Perfians., at the head
of which Hufref Paffa-j^^s to march againft
Babylon ; Amurat himfelf went to Adria-
nople^ from whence he defign'd to march
in perfon againft Poland however he fent
Ahaffa Mehemet Paffu before with fixty
thouiand men to take Kaminieck Podoljky,
The Tur-
kijh empe-
rors are
valued for
no qujlity
more than
for cru-
elty.
The Turh
chief pil-
grimages
to Baby
Ion.
but the faid general was totally defeated
by Konitz Polfki nor had Hufref Pajfa
better fuccefs againft Babylon. Sukan
Murat having thus mifcarried in one of
his defigns, he was perfuaded by Szahin
aga to make peace with Poland \ after
which he marched in perfon v>^ith four hun- '
dred thoufand men, firft againft Jhrevan,
and then againft Babylon., both which pla-
ces he took by capitulation ; the former The Turks
in the year 1045. in the month of Seffer ; chrono-
the latter in the year 1048, in the month ^°&Y-
of Szaban, according to the Turkijh v/ay
of computation (who begin to reckon their
time from Mahomet's flight from Mecca,
called by them Hetzira, and according to
the change of the moon from new moon
to new moon.) During thefe expeditions
he had given orders by one of his eunuchs
Befjier aga to the vizir Bairam baffa to
make away with two of his brothers fultan
Soliman and fultan Achmet, as alfo with the empe-
the late emperor fultan Muflafa, who was ror's bro-
in prifon, left they might occafion fome 'jj^j.^''^^
infurredtion during his abfence ; fulran ""S^ •
Muflafa died the night before this order The late
was to have been executed. The vizir emperor
being gone in to the two others to difpofe j^'j^e.
them willingly to fubmit to death, the ex- fore the
ecutioner came in foon after and laid the intended
cord firft about the vizir's neck (by mif- execu-
take for want of knowing him ;) and if
thofe that ftood before the door had not
known the vizir by his voice, Vi^hilft he
was ftruggling and calling out, he had
been ftrangled firft •, but having efcaped
in this manner, the two youths were put
to death. After this was done, the vizir
Kara Muflafa Paffa was left before Baby-
lon with three hundred thoufand men but
fultan Murat himfelf marched home again
through Mefopotamia to Conftantinople with
a hundred thoufand men, whereof up-
wards of thirty thoufand periftaed by the
way, partly of hunger and thirft, partly
being torn to pieces by the lions.
With the remainder fultan Murat re-
turned in the year 1049 viflorious, and in
great triumph to Conftantinople., and at his
arrival , caufed two of his remaining
younger brothers fultan Bajazet and fultan Two
Kafim to be ftrangled ; the third, fultan more of
Ibrahim., who was the only one left, was J^^.^'^br?-'
fpared upon his mother's intercefTion, he ^^^^^
being fimple and of no fpirit, only given ftrangled.
to love, fo that there was nothing to be
apprehended from him. • '
Being now returned to Conftantinople in His con-
peace, he gave himfelf up to drinking after
night and day ; during the night in com- "'^ return,
pany with one of his concubines an Italian
woman, and in the day time with his fa-
vourites Mucio Buftangi Paffh Deli Huffein
Paffi^ Silichter Pafcha, and his phyfician
I Hakin
to Conftantinople,
Hakin Pajfa. Since the expedition of
Babylon he had got a Perfian with him
named Emirghione Ogli a good poet and
mufician, who accuftomed him to drink
brandy and flrong waters, the exceffive
life of which threw him foon after his ar-
Dies at rival into a fever, of which he died after
the age of thirteen days illnefs in the 30'^'^ year of his
tl7con- age. When he faw death approaching,
trafted he Called before him all his favourites, and
by drink- made them promife, that as foon as he
ing too fhould have breathed his lafl, they would
brand make away with themfelves and all the
"^^^ ^' fervants of his hbufhold, that he might
not go alone into the other world, but be
waited on by them there alfo 5 but when
he was dead, none of them cared to make
good their promife.
In the room of fultan Murat^ his bro-
Sultan ther fultan Ibrahim was fet up for emperor,
Ibrahim ^ho was naturally ftupid •, but as fultan
naturdly ^^^^^^ j^^j j^^^ ^^^^ himfelf, and had
' made away with his other brothers, there re-
mained none of the male line of the Ottoman
family to fucceed, but he, however unfit
he was for government, and Kara Mufiafa
PaJJa the vizir being a prudent man, and
refieding on the new emperor's incapacity
as well as his inclination to women and all
forts of pleafures, and fearing leil his fol-
lies might prove obftrudions to his carry-
ing on the adminiftration, he fupplied the
emperor with ftore of beautiful women,
muficians, and other pleafures to which
the emperor addicted himfelf fo entirely,
that he never thought of the government,
but left it to the vizir's care. He had
nine women given him for his lawful and
principal wives, who were called hajfaki
fultanas, and were to ferve him alternately,
among whom was one named, on account
Szeker- ofher beauty and agreeablenefs, Szekerpara
fara his (as much as to fay a bit of fugar) who
chiefwife. gained the emperor's heart preferably to
all others ; and being a quick and cun-
ning woman fee the emperor upon many
Her in- extravagancies. She brought it about that
irigues. J^JP^f capitan bajfa, who returned vido-
rious from Candia^ loft his life, merely be-
caufe he had brought her no prefents •,
Jhe made the emperor wafte upon her and
the other women the whole treafure which
fultan Murat had heaped up, and diftri-
buted all offices in the empire among her
favourites. And as their minds were al-
ways fet upon fomething or other that was
not to be had in the feraglio^ they per-
fuaded the emperor to oblige the vizir to
get it, which not only was very difficult,
but fometimes even impoffible for him.
The vizir The vizir at laft remonftrated this to the
endea- emperor, and brought him fo far, that he
re°medy ^ turned fome of the women off, and only
kept thofe whom the vizir recommended
to him. But it was not long before the Rolame,
emperor, wrought upon, partly by his |;''''Y^.
former love, partly by their intrigues, ^^f^^^'^^
took the fame women again, who full of
revenge gave the emperor all forts of ill
impreffions againft the vizir^ fo that he
often treated him with very rough lan-
guage ; but dared not touch his life on ac-
count of the authority and credit he had.
The women perceiving this tried another by reafon
method, and made the emperor believe, °*
that the vizir had fome negromantick cha- J^iTJe,'"'
raders under his gown of fable fur, where-
by he enchanted the emperor fo as to be
formidable to him. Some days after the
vizir appeared in that gown again before
the emperor, who fell into a great paffion,
called out and ordered Bujlanci PaJJi to
difpatch him. The vizir hearing this got
on horfeback, went out of the feraglio in
full gallop, and as he went by the people
that were gatliered together on account of
the divan., cried out fire ! fire ! to conceal
the true reafon of his flight, which fright-
ened every one, and made them haften
homevi^ards but Bujianci Pa (fa purfued and at lafl
him to his houfe and had him killed there, lofes his
So this wife and able minifter fell by the ^^^^
intrigues of thefe women, a man v/hom
they ftill talk of with praife, in whofe
time not one bad afper was to be feen in
Confiantinople, which otherwife is but too
common.
Snltxn Ibrahim\ mother tried all pofTible The em-
means to reftore him to his fenfes by the peror to
help of phyficians, but that proving in- reflor-
effeclual, fhe employed a forcerer called J^'^
Hujfein Gingi Hogia ( HnJJein means a ma- phyfici-
fter of fpirits.) This was the man who ans, but
fhould make the emperor wifer, and for groweth
that reafon was night and day with him, ^g^'^'^he"'
which brought him into great credit and i^nds of a
authority. But the emperor grew rather forcerer,
mad than better, and let this man govern
according to his wild fchemes, v/ho depo-
fed and fet up vizirs as he liked, he taking
for himfelf the employment of cadi Pal- '
kieri of y^fia, which is a great dignity a-
mong the Turks. But the emperor fell
into ftill greater debaucheries and excefles Commits
with women ; he was carried with his con- great es-
cubines in fedans all about the ftreets of
Conftantinople in broad day light, attended
with pipes, drums, and all other forts of
noify mufick : he ordered the vizir to take
care that no waggon fhould be feen in the
ftreets that might hinder him in his furi-
ous rambles. The vizir accordingly made
all poffible regulations notwithftanding
which, it unluckily happened one day that
the emperor met a country waggon in his
way, laden with wood, which put him in
fuch a fury, that he immediately fent for
the vizir and ftabbed him in the ftreet
with
692
A Relatian of a Journey
RoLAMB. with his own hand, leaving the corps na-
-^■^"V^ked for feme days expofed to publicic
view. He made great and fumptuous
nuptials for his daughters, whom he mar-
ried one after another to fome ba£es, tho'
they were but two or three years of age.
All diamonds, pearls and other jewels
that v/ere to be had in Conjlantinople he
bought up, and gave them to his women :
he fen t to the fhops of chriftian andjewifli
merchants for gold brocade and other pre-
cious goods in great quantities, without
paying for them. All the amber that was
to be found in Conjlantinople he bought up
and eat it for a provocative like bread,
which made that drug fo dear in the city,
Ahundred that a hundred drachms of it coft above
drachms a thoufdnd rixdollars, and at laft grew fo
fcarce that none was to be had •, for the
tkneTooo ^'^"^^ purpofe he fent all over the country
rixdollars. to catch fparrows, of the brains of which
he had pyes made.
If one wanted a great employment, an
infallible way to obtain it, was to prefent
the emperor with a handfome woman
flave, but then the purchafer could keep
it no longer till another gave him one
more handfome, and fo every month pro-
duced a fhifting of places and employ-
Heclothes ments. At laft the emperor took it in
all his his head to have all his concubines (who
concu- were fome thoufands) clothed in fable,
bines m j.^ i^ang even his apartments with that
fable furs. . r ° • a ^ ^ 1 • l u
pretious lur ; in order to which he com-
manded the vifir Achmet Pajfa to get a
fufhcient quantity of it ; the vizir obeyed,
and ordered that every body in Conjlanti-
nople^ who had a fable fur coat, fliould
fend it to the emperor. This falling hard
upon the chief men of the empire, parti-
cularly on the officers of the janizaries^
who would not vv^illingly part with theirs,
they grew mutinous •■, and one Murat aga
who had lately been difguiled by the vizir,
and depofed from his office of janizar aga,
took the refolution to remonftrate to the
Remon- emprefs dowager, to the mufti, to Abdu
Itrances Ratim Effendi, to Mulki Kadi a favourite
2Ti?de to j,^^ emprefs dowager, and to
the em- ^ ^ o '
prefs dow- -^'^^'^A aga, lately made janizar aga,
ager, how unfit the emperor was for govern-
ment, and what would be the confequen-
ces of his continuing longer in it. This
had fo much effect, that it was refolved
by the forefiid perfons, in conjundion with
He is de- ^'"^^ janizaries, to dethrone fultan Ibrahim,
throneJ, and to raife his eldeft fon fultan Mehemet
andhisfon to the imperial dignity in. his ftead ; who
as he v/as but a child, the emprefs dow-
ager his grandmother by the father's fide
was to have the guardianlhip over him till
he was feventeeii yjars of age. And tho'
the fpahis of Conjlantinople oppofed this
dcfign, yet the janizaries being ftrongeft
maa
pcror
in number, and having the emprefs dowa-
ger and the mujti on their fide, the latter
party prevailed. So they proceeded to exe-
cution, and firft depofed the vi%ir Achmet
Pajfa, filling his place with jophi Mehemet
Pajfa, otherwife called Kogia Vizir. They
next went into the feraglio, and upon a
fentence pronounced by the mufti, feized.
Sultan Ibrahim, and put him into an iron
cage, the fame in which formerly Tamer-
Ian had kept fultan Bajazet. This was P"* '"^"^
done the more quietly, becaufe Abdu ^" "^""^
Rahman Capi Agafi had been alfo brought
over, and confequently the Izoglans, and
others of the court fervants, were kept in
awe in their own rooms. The women
feeing their protedor fallen from his gran-
deur, and prognofiicating but too v/ell L:imenta-
what would be their fate, raifed heavy tions a-
cries and lamentations; accordingly 8oo"°"Si'^=
of his concubines, befides the women who are
flaves were turned out of doors at once, involved
fome of them were ftrangled, and others in the ex-
exiled Szekerpara was fent to Grand
Cairo, where fhe died miferably. Their
gold, jewels, and all their precious fur-
niture, of which they had not only chefts
but even whole rooms and houfes full,
were fold at Conjlantinople for half the
value.
This made fultan Ibrahi?n, who before Urahm
was but ftupid, at length run quite mad ; runs at laft
he roared and cried night and day, that 'l""^"'*'^-
no body in the feraglio could have reft,
till fome days after the vizir took him out
of the faid cage, brought him into a room,
fo as he was, without a cap, breeches, and
barefooted, and had him ftrangled there ftran-
by two old feamen, of whom there are 242^^^°
in the feraglio, who being by age difabled
for rowing, are employed there in fweep-
ing the rooms, his corps being afterwards ,,
carried out, and laid in the palace yard, : "
all the eunuchs came, according tocuftom, ....
to fling their turbans upon and about the
corps, which was at laft carried into So-
phia church, and buried there near that Buried ia
of fultan Mujlaja, who in his time had Sophia
been no wifer than this emperor. church.
Sultan Mehemet hearing that his father g^j^j^
was ftrangled (for it was done unknown louebmit,
him) wept and lamented very much, till
at laft the emprefs and the vizir with much
ado comforted him.
He was afterwards brought to the
mofque of Eiub, in the year 1058, accor-
ding to the 'Turkijh chronology, and there,
after many prayers, and burning of frank-
incenfe, the mujti hung to his fide the
fword of their prophet Ali, and_ ftuck a ^^^^^^
hern feather in his turban, which is all the j^j^j^^^jje
ceremony of their inauguration. Thus q-urkip
fultan Mehemet Plan i'ucceeded his father, emperor's
who for his extravagancies and luft was ""auS'^'-*-
taken
r. to Conftantinople.
Tumult
betwixt
the jani-
zaries and
^pain's.
A fiiarp
fight.
The em-
prefs
dowager
governs
two years.
taken off the fame year, ih the imperial
dignity, in the year of his age, his
grandmother Biijuk Valide, fultan ^ch-
weC^ dowager, and mother to fultan Mu-
rat and fultan Ibrahim being appointed
his guardian, and regent of the empire.
Immediately after this change, a tumult
arofe between the janizaries and the Jpa-
hi's of Conftantinople ; the latter alledged
that they had not confented to fultan Ibra-
bitns, death y and having engaged in their
party all the Izoglans out of the two imperial
feraglio's at Pera and Atmeidan, they called
loudly for having all thofe punifhed who
had been the caui'e of fultan Ibrahim's death ;
the janizar officers endeavoured to ap-
peafe the tumult by fair means, but in
vain •, and one of their forhaci^ i. e. colo-
nels, who fet up for mediator, was killed
by the fpahi's. Theconfequence was, that
both parties at laft came to a pitched bat-
tel near Jtmeidan, in which, after a fharp
engagement the fpahi's were put to flight,
and upwards of one thoufand men kill'd
on both fides, but moft on that of the
fpahi's^ fome of whom were cut off even
in fultan Achmefs, mofque, whither they
had fled j and others wherever the jani-
zaries met with them. Thus Was this
emotion appeafed for this time, being the
firfl: fince fultan Mehemefs accefllon to
the government. But the fpaWs were ra-
ther irritated herewith than fuppreflfed ;
for thofe of Afia and Europe were not con-
cerned in this aff'air, but only thofe of
Conftantinople •■, on the other hand, the au-
thority of the janizaries increafed more
and more, and the old janizar aga mentio-
ned before, who was the author of fultan
Ibrahim's death, was made vizir.
Now the fl:ate was in peace for two
years, and the emprefs dowager being a
woman of fpirit and fenfe, both on ac-
count of her own natural parts, and of the
long experience of her years, governed
during that time well and peaceably, till
the young dowager Seni Valide (i. e. the
emperor's mother) began to fufpeft, that
ihe would confent to the death of fultan
Ibrahim her own fon, might at lafl: praftife
againft her grandfon's life alfo; for which
there was the more appearance, becaufe the
old emprefs had a good underfl:anding with
the janizaries., and bore an ill will to the
;^oung emprefs dowager, whilfl: on the other
fide (he much carefled the mother of the
emperor's younger brother fultan 6'o//?«(2;z, a
youth of a much better look and fhape
than the eldeft, Thefe confiderations
made the young emprefs dowager feek her
fecurity and fupport among the fpahi's of
Afia., who were eafily drawn into her inte-
reft, as being highly provoked at the dif-
graceful rencounter with the janizaries ; fo
Vol. V.
that they only waited for an opportunity
to be revenged. For the main power of
the 'Turkifh empire is in the hands of thefe
two bodies, which keep one another as it
were in balance ; fo that if one begins to
outweigh the other in credit, the oppofite
party immediately fets up for a counter-
balance. An emperor's greateft flcill and
fecurity confifl:s in keeping this balance 5
and in cafe both parties grow too power-
ful in playing one againft the other to both
their ruin j which maxim indeed has been
tried, but feldom with fuccefs before this
prefent vizir's time, of whofe artful ma-^
nagement in this point mention fliall be
made hereafter.
The young dowager therefore endea-
voured to gain over to her intereft the fpa-
hi's, and fome baffas and begs, who had
formerly beenimployed in the leraglio, by
reprefenting to them the infolence of the
janizaries, and infinuating, that they in
concert with the fultane Valide, were fee
upon deftroying the fpahi's, unlefs they
took care to prevent them in time. This
wrought fo readily upon the fpahi's, that
they rofe up in arms, and marched with a
great force under the conduft of an old
renowned commander of theirs Gurgi Nebi
to Scudari, a city fituate over againft Con-^
fiantinople on the Afiatick fide, under the
pretence of revenging fultan Ibrahim's
death: But as all thofe who were the au-
thors of it, maintained a good underftand-
ing with the janizaries, and that the vizir
Murat pajffa's credit among them was al-
moft abfolute, this revolt of the fpahi's wzs
foon fupprefs'd, through the vizir's capa-
city, and the power of the janizaries,
without much bloodftied. For tho' the
vizir met them near Scudari with a great
army of janizaries, yet he firft fent the
Cadi I'Afkieri, or chief judge of Afia, to
diflTuade them from giving occafion to the
fpilling of Muffulmens blood, and to en-
force bis admonition with threats, in cafe
they perfifted. Accordingly this method
proved effedlual ; for after fome flight
Ikirmiflies in which the fpahi's were wor-
fted, they relented, and every one went to
his own home again. This fuccefs raif-
ed the fplrits of the janizaries ftill more
and more, and particularly increafed the
infolence of their commander Be^afz aga,
who befides, was the old emprefs's favou-
rite, and of his adherents Kut Khiahaja and
Kara Chiaus, who were rich men, and of
great credit. The hatred alfo which the
old emprefs dowager bore to the younger,
grew the more violent, as flie was inform-
ed, that the latter had been the occafion
of the late tumult, in order to ruin her*
She therefore began to contrive how to de-
throne the emperor by the help of the ji?-
8 O mzariesy
Rolamb:
The main
power of
the Tur-
ki[h em-
pire is irt
the hands
of the fpa-
hi's and
janiz.a-
ries.
Cadi I'Af-
kieri the
chief
judge of
Afta.._
Beaafz:
aga, com-
mander of
the jam-
xaries'
^94
A Relatian of a Journey
RoLAMB.
10
His info-
lencies.
Coins bad
afpers.
Which
occaiions
tumult
and com-
plaints a-
gainft him,
his ruin
intended.
nizaries, and to fet his younger brother
fultan Solhnan upon the throne, in order
the better to fecure her own authority,
without being any more controuled by
any one ; for fultan Solima}i's mother
being lately dead, the infpe£lion over
him feemed to devolve upon her alone.
To bring this about, fhe thought the
more eafy, becaufe the fpahi's being re-
duced fo low, the janizaries carried all
before them, and with them fhe could do
what fhe plcas'd by the means of Be£iafz
their aga, whofe infolence was come to
that degree, that he pretended to overrule
even vizir; and as Murat hajfa above-
mentioned, who otherwife was in high
eiteem, had refufed him fome fmall re-
queft, he, by the help and authority of
the old emprefs, had him turned out of
that high pofl, and Melech Achmet pajfa
put in his room, who was a quiet and
fimple man, whom he could lead at his
own will. But this invincible power of
theirs which they imagined fo well rivetted,
that Be^afz ufed publickly to fay, that
before any man fhould take off his head,
fo many other heads fhould fly firft, as
would make a heap as high as Sc. Sophia's
church, fuffered a terrible fhock from a
quarter where it was leafl expedled. For
Be^afz making his credit fubfervient to his
avarice, had bad afpers coined at Belgrade,
which he forced upon the common peo-
ple, by making them change the adulte-
rated coin for their ducats, which he put
into his own coffers. This caufed an in-
furreflion, which began at Conjiantinople
in a quarter of the town call'd Sarabechana,
where their taverns are the common peo-
ple of the whole city having gathered
there in a few hours, went to the mufti,
and to I^akib effendi, (the head of Maho-
met's family, a great dignity among them)
whom they forced along with them to the
feraglio, defired to fpeak with the emperor,
made their complaints to him, and infifted
on another vizir's being named, he who
then filkd that poft not being fit to go-
vern, as being a tool and underling of
BeSafz aga.
Capi aga and Kiflar aga, the chief ofH-
cers of the emperor's houfhold (the latter
hath the com.mand over all women and
Moors, and the former over all men in the
feraglio) found this fair opportunity to ruin
Be5iafz aga, and to eflablifh the emperor
upon the throne, and therefore encouraged
the emperor, not to let it flip, but to get
the common people on his fide, and fet
them on againfl the janizaries. Accor-
dingly the vizir Melech Achnet pajfa v/as
fent for, and immediately depofed from
his office in the fight of the people, and
Chiaus pafja put in his place, who former-
ly had been fultan Murafs armour-bearer, ■
a man of good underftanding and cou- ,.
rage. So the people were for this time
appeafed and fatisfied. But Be^lafz and
his adherents perceiving too well, that
Chiaus pajfa would not be a man for their Which he
turn ; and yet not daring to oppofe thefe Secretly
meafures for fear of the people, diffem-
bled, in hopes that either they might gain ^
him over, or find out means to put him
out of the way. In order therefore to
hinder the vizir from ftirring up the peo-
ple again, and fubjefting the old emprefs
together with himfelf to the fame peril, he
ordered his janizaries carefully to hinder
any further meeting among the inhabi-
tants ; fo that whenever any two were
found to talk together either walking or
flanding, they were clapt up in prifon,
and the moft eminent among them were
fecured on various pretences, in order to
frighten the others from affifting the new
w'zzV upon occafion. . , ■■^ i
The emperor afTifted by the vizir on •- '
the other fide, defigning infenfibly to re-
move out of the way thofe three heads
of the janizaries, ordered Bujianci pajfa.,
that when Cutchia Hajafi fhould come to
the divan, according to cuilom, he fhould
meet him and difpatch him at any rate :
But the old emprefs having information of With the
this defign, terrified Bujianci pajfa, fo
1 1 J J . -'•^ of the old
that he dared not to put it in execution, emprefs.
With thefe cabals the animofity between
the two empreffes was carried to the higheft The ha-
picch •, and as the younger, together with ^''^.'^ °f' ,
\ . . , , ■'j twixtboth
the vizir, laboured to maintain the em- empreffes
peror's perfon and authority, the elder encreafes,
with the aga of the janizaries endeavoured
with all their might to eftablifh their own,
which could not be done, unlefs the em- .j.,.,. ;,
peror was dethroned, and his brother
fultan SoUman fet up in his place, as I
mentiojied before. In order to bring this
about, BeBafz call'd a divan together, to BeStnfz
be held in Orla Giami, i. e. the janizaries convokes
mofque, where there was a numerous af- ^
fembly of their clergy, as well as laymen,
who made appearance, fome as being of
Be^afz's party, others as being awed by
his credit, who durft not ftay away: Only
the vizir Chiaus pajfa was yet wanting
but he was fent for at midnight, with an
intent either to make him confent to their
fcheme, or, in cafe of refufal, to kill him
there on the fpot. The vizir, though And fends
fully fenfible of the great danger he would for thzvi-
expofe himfelf to if he went, and of the ^ir, who
. r. • rr- 1 I • r 1 1 u" otherwile
indignity offered to his perfon, he by his ^j^^
employment having folely the power of fole power
convoking a divan, and this no where ex- of calling
cept in the feraglio, or in his own houfe : o"^-
Neverthelefs, being a man of fenfe, and
of an undaunted fpirit, he went with a
fmall
to Conftantinople.
fmall attendance to the faid affembly,
where he found loooo janizaries drawn up
in arms before the mofque, with burning
matches. However, he proceeded and
entered their affembly, tho' Be£fafz neither
met him, nor yielded the upperhand to
him j of all which he took no notice, but
temporized. Having heard their propo-
rtion, concerning the eledlion of fukan
Soliman, he returned an anfwer, as if he
was very well pleafed with it, commend-
ing them for the zeal they fhewed for the
welfare of the Mujfulmen, and took an
oath upon their alcoran, that he would
always be true to their party, and aflift
them in the execution of their defign.
With this Beolafz was fatisfy'd, not fo
much that he really gave credit to the vi-
zir's promife, and relied on his friend-
fliip, but rather in confidence of his own
power, imagini'hg, that though the vizir
might have a mind to oppofe him, he
would not be able to do it in fo fhort a
time ; for the next day was appointed for
the execution of the refolution they had
r • , : taken in the Kalaba divan. Towards even-
' ; ; . ing the vizir left them, and repaired
to his own houfe ; where having ftayed
fome houis, he, with two perfons more,
went to the emperor's feraglio through a
back door called Iron Gate^ having had
information, that the old emprefs intended
to retire that night out of the feraglio, on
account of the difturbances that were to
be expe£led the next day, and to fecure
her own perfon among xht janizaries. The
vizir coming to the faid gate, found it
open, contrary to what is ufual, Bujlanci
fajfa having ordered it fo, at the old em-
prefs's direction ; iDUt the vizir had it fhut
The vizir "P' ""^ '■^^ emperor's bed-cham-
acquaincs bcr (called Haram) where
he
what paf-
fes.
met Solei-
the empe- man Kijlar aga, who perceiving a candle
xor with burning in the old emprefs's apartment,
contrary to cuftom j and being at a lofs
what to think of it, was not gone to bed :
His fears increafed, when he faw the vizir
coming fo privately, and in the dark.
But upon the vizirh acquainting him with
the whole tranfadion, and his own inten-
tions, he foon recovered his fright, and,
at the vizir^s defire, went in, and ordered
the young emprefs and the emperor to be
waked, and conducted by fome eunuchs
out of their own rooms into the old em-
prefs's apartment, where fhe was fitting
and amufing herfelf with vocal and inftru-
mental mufick. Her chief door-keeper
Bafz Capa Oqlan endeavouring to lock the
him, he killed him with his
and with his eunuchs
who had their daggers alfo drawn (for
thofe are the ufual arms of the 'Turks.,
who wear no iat?res, except in war, or
2
door againft
ganzar or dagger.
on their travels) ruflied in upon the old Rolamb.
emprefs, feizedher, and put her into a fafe ^-'^V^
room under a clofe guard. This being ol?
done, the vizir and the faid Kijlar aga emprefs.
went into the emperor's apartment, and
by figns bid the women who watched
there, to wake the emperor and the em-
prefs which accordingly they did, with-
out fpeaking one word, alfo by figns only
(for at the 'tu.rkijh court it is the general The con-
cuffcom to converfe chiefly by figns •, one verfation
feldom hears a word fpoken, and they ^^^^^^-^
are fo perfed in this pradice, that they court is
are able to tell ftories, and to underftand by figns.
one another, as well as if they talked to-
gether, thinking that this filent way of
converfmg adds to the veneration of the . .; .
place.) The emperor and his mother hear- :.
ing of the defign that was upon the an-
vil, were extremely difturbed, particu-
larly the emprefs, who having but lately
loft her hufband, was now feized with new
apprehenfions what would become of her
fon; the emperor being but a child, was
frighted at his mother's defponding beha- ,
viour, and fell crying, and lamenting at •
the Kijlar aga^s feet, fiying, ha, la., la., -'f.-^ /;:. '
Kiirtar hen., i. e. My guardian protecfl me. - ^
The vizir comforted them the beft he '
could, and took the emperor with him to Provides
a part of the feraglio call d Hazoda., where ,
his gentlemen of the bedchamber have f^^^^t^'^"'^''^
their room ; there are forty of them in ^
number, who are afterwards advanced to
the dignity of paffas, and other high offi-
ces, and are called Hazodali, from the
place where they dwell. In thefe mens
hands it was that the vizir and Kijlar aga
put the emperor, from whom he had in
the mean time taken an order, by vertue ^
of which he deprived Bujlanci pajfa of his '
office (which is the infpedlion over all buf~
tanciS and Jeraglios) and appointed another
in his place he farther fent for all buf- •,
Jlanci's, of whom there are always about ri' -r- .
500 in the feraglio, who take care of the
gates and apartments ; thofe he put under
a new oath of fidelity, and fent them back
t-o their pofts, to guard ail avenues and
gates. All thefe precautions having been
taken with fo much tranquillity, that all
the people of the houffiold, who lay in . ■
the adjoining rooms, knew nothing of
what paffed, the vizir gave orders to Capi
aga to roufe and arm all the Izoglans., who
are about 1000 in number, all young and
ftout fellows. He himfelf went to all the
other rooms, where any of the court's at-
tendants lay, had them all armed, and v ' ' '
ordered them to keep in readinefs, yet . ;
every one in their refpedtive rooms, and ]-Ju'^~.
without any noife. The emperor conti- >,sv;I v
nuing his cries and lamentations, as
not knowing but that he was to be fa-
crificed.
6^6
A Relation of a journey
Comforts
him.
Summons
all pajfas
and begs
to the fe-
raglio.
Aik Met
dan the
horfe mar
antient
columns
ftand.
RoLAMB. crificedi the vizir had him carried before a
window of the faid room to fhew him
how all the people were ready for his de-
fence. But it happened contrary to his
intentions, that an /zog/^;? feeing him from
one of their rooms, call'd Bujiik Oda,
knew the emperor, and immediately cal-
led out Hakla da padifza himafe, &c.
which is their Vive le roi, or, God fave
the king, to which all the others anfwer-
cd, allab, allab ; and this cry running round
through all the apartments of the feraglio,
was the beginning of the alarm and con-
fufion that enfued.
The vizir had overnight immediately
fent orders into the city of Conftantinople^
to all the pajjas and hegi^ to appear in the
feraglio with as many men as they could
gather, each of them provided with pro-
vifions for three days ; which was done ac-
cordingly : So that before day break, not
only both outer palace yards, but even
the gardens and the ftreets adjoining to the
feraglio, as far as the large place Aik Mei-
dan, i. e. horfe market, where the three
ancient columns ftand, were filled up with
iicet, where t^oopS) and all night long the feraglio
the'threc was fupplied with ammunition by water,
from Galata and Toptfana. About day-
break the janizaries alfo grew aware of
what paffed in the feraglio, and therefore
with Be8afz at their head prepared them-
felves alfo. When it was day-light, and
they faw a multitude of citizens, and of the
mob gathering towards the feraglio, know-
ing that they had not called them, and
confcious of the ill will they muft bear
them on account of the infolencies they
had for fome time fufFered from them, the
janizaries made large promifes to the
Greeks, Albanians and other Chriftians,
that if they would fide with them, they
fhould be freed from. the haradz, (i. e. the
tribute which the Chriftians pay to the
which the cj'^^^^-j ^^^^ j^g admitted to employments,
Chriltians ., ■ -it r c
the diftnbuting withal great lums or money
among them. By thefe means the jani-
zaries gained a great many people over to
their fide fo that even the city itfelf be-
came divided into two parties, one holding
with the emperor, and the other with the
janizaries. All that was done hitherto in
the feraglio, had been conducted with
good order and quietly, all the different
ranks of the houfliold keeping in their
rooms, only waiting for the emperor's
orders, and leaving the reft to the vizir's
and the Kijlar aga's difpofition : But after
The r^^r/^i they had faid their firft morning prayers,
firft morn- which is always done at break of day, and
ing pray- jg call'd Sabanama/t, the Ballazi's (who are
ers IS at ^]jq^^ 2.00 in number, all choice men.
The tri
bute
pay to
■Turks.
The city
divided
into two
parties.
djy-break.
ftrong, brilk, and of a full fize, who are
armed with battle-axes, and ferve as a
guard for the women) began an alarm,
calling the Izoglans to come out of their
rooms and follow them. The Izoglans Repartiti-
are divided into two partitions, one is of 5 on of the
or 600 men, whofe quarters are called Bu-
juk Oda, the other confifts of 400 men,
and is called Kutzuk Oda, Thefe iiTued
forth immediately, and went with the Bai-
taz?s diredly to the hall of the forty Ha-
zodali'sy where the emperor was. There
they met one of the old cmprefs's favou-
rite eunuchs, whofe name was Has Odabajfi, h^is Oda-
whom they firft attacked with words, and i>ajji the
upon his ofi'ering to reply, went to feize emperor's
him \ he efcaped however, and haftened
to fave himfelf among the Bujlanci's, but
they cut off his pafTage, and were going
to difpatch him, v/hen upon his requeft
they allowed him as much time as to be
brought firft before the emperor, in order
to deliver to him his feal, and the key of
his wardrobe. He had fcarcely given
both to the emperor, and was going to
fay fomething in his own defence, when
one of the Izoglans lifted up his battle-
ax, and cleaved his head in two, that he His head
fell before the emperor's feet then the fpHt in
others fell upon him, and cut him into fo
fmall pieces, that even a watch and fome
ducats he had in his pockets were cut to
bits ; the pieces of the corps were after-
wards gathered upon a carpet, and car-
ried away. The emperor being young,
was fo extremely frightnedat this proceed-
ing, that he cried but thefe people being
once grown furious, nothing was capable
to check or awe them, amidft the con-
fufed noife of fo many different languages,
for they were all renegadoes of divers coun-
tries, Albanians^ CircaJ/ians, Bofnians, Ita-
lians, Frenchmen , Poles, &c. It is to be obfer-
ved here by the way, that in the emperor's
feraglio native Turks are feldom employ- furh fcl-
ed, but only foreign renegadoes, ever dom em-
fince fultan Soliman's time, who made ployed in
this regulation on a trifling occafion, Lig/""
which was, that one of his pages a Turk,
ferving him drink in a cup, kept the handle
in his own hand, no other being left for
the emperor to take hold of ; another page
who was a renegado immediately prefented
another cup to the emperor with the handle
turned towards him, which pleafed the The chief
emperor fo well, that he would never af-reafonof
ter employ any Turk in his fervice at court,
which maxim prevails to this day ; though
the chief reafon of it is, perhaps, becaufe
the Turks are too infolent, high fpirited
and feditious to be trufted. To pro-
ceed, this medley of nations however agreed
in one point, which was the making away
with the old emprefs. The mufii chanc-
ing to get among them, wifhed himfelf
indeed far off, being unwilling to pronounce
2 the
.11
to Conftantinople.
6p7
The em-
peror's
mother
gets
among the
mutineers.
The muf-
tPi fen-
tence a-
gainft the
old em-
prefs.
Who be-
ing Ihut
up in a
room.
hid her-
felf among
bolfters.
the fentence over her (which in the like
cafes is always neceflary to precede) but
they threatned him, that if he would not
pafs the fentence immediately, they would
ufe him in the fame manner as they had
done another, whofe corps they had juft
before carried away.
During this parley with the mufii, the
emperor's mother being under the greateft
apprehenfions for her fon's life, came run-
ning out of her room in a mafk, and re-
proved the mutineers for their infolence ;
but they in their madnefs and rage, taking
her for the old emprefs, were going to lay
violent hands on her, and would certainly
have deftroyed her, had not fhe faved her-
felf by falling at the emperor's feet, who
thereupon made figns to them with his
handkerchief, crying out, Gheri duriniz^
gheri duriniz, i. e. fall back •■, and fo the
mutineers finding who fhe was, kept off.
This alarm, being thus over, they re-
turned upon the mufti, who thought it not
advifeable to ufe any more delays ; but
faid, it was the will of God, that the old
emprefs fhould be delivered into their
hands which fentence he wrote upon a
paper, and gave it to them ; with this and
the emperor's orders in writing, they fent
fome of their own party to the room where
the old emprefs was fliut up, who went
thither, carrying both papers aloft before
them. Going through the apartments,
they met the emprefs's fool, a woman,
who being aflced, whether fhe was the old
emprefs.'' anfwered. Yes-, and at the fame
time fired a piftoi at them, which did but
fiafli in the pan ; with this they feized on
her, and would have ftrangled her for the
old emprefs, had not Kijlar aga chanced
to come in, and told them who fhe was ;
after which he himfelf condufted them in-
to the room where the old emprefs was ;
but they not finding her there immediately,
(for fhe had hid herfelf in a loft among a
heap of bolfters) they were near killing
the faid Kijlar aga-, for having deceived
them as they thought. But he defiring
them firft to look better about, one of the
Izoglans climbed up to the loft, and there
found her hid in a bolfter among the cot-
ton, with which it was ftufFed. When fhe
faw herfelf difcovered, fhe took her
hands full of ducats, and threw them on
the ground, in hopes, that he who was got
up in queft of her, would leap down after
the money, and leave her an opportunity
of flipping out of their hands. But the
faid Izoglan, named Deli Dograndit little
minding the money, pulled her by the
feet down upon the floor, where his com-
panions, like fo many birds of prey, fur-
rounded her, tore off" her clothes, which
fhe had all over fewed full of gold, pearls
Vol, V.
and diamonds, particularly a gown of fable Rolamb.
fur, which fhe had fluck full of ducats j
all which they cut into pieces, and divid-
ed among themfelves. She had a pair of
diamond ear rings about her, which herHerdia-
late lord fultan Achmet had given her, be- mend ear-
ing bought for a year's revenue of Grand "ngs
Cairo, thefe one of the Izoglans named AU "^""Sht for
Boftanci got for his fhare; there were likewife revenue
necromantick charaders found upon her, of Grand
and among others a padlock of a particular Cairg.
make, with the interwoven names of fultan
Murat and fultan Ibrahim ; by the means
of which fhe was faid to have inchantcd thof e
princes. After they had flript her quite
naked, even without leaving any linen upon Stript na-
her, theydragg'd her by the feet into the pa- ^ed, drag-
lace yard, and there flrangled her. Whilfl: g| ^nt^^
the fellow who was to perform the execu-
tion, was flruggling with her, fhe fnatch- yard and
ed his finger in her mouth, and bit k with ftrangled.
her gums (for age had not left one tooth
in her head, fhe being then 80 years old)
with fuch force, that he was very near lo- °
fing it. "When they had thus made an end.
of her, as they thought, feeing no farther
figns of life in her, they all left her,and ran to
acquaint the emperor with this expedition.
But they v/ere hardly gone a few fteps ofi^,
when fhe reared herfelf up again, and
look'd about where to fly to, which being
obferved by fome others, they call'd the
Izoglans back, and fhewed them that they
had but little fkill in that trade; where-
upon they fet about it a fecond time, and
did not give over till they were fure there
was no life left in her.
Thus the emperor's greatefl enemy,
who was the caufe and fpring of all thefe
difturbances, aiming at no lefs than the
taking away his crown and his life, was
put out of the way ; and confequently the
fadlion of Be^lafz and his janizaries, as
good as half quafhed. To finifh all, the
vizir immediately fent for Mabomefs, ban- Mahomet's
ner out of the treafury, where it is kept t>3nner
as their palladium, and a facred relick ; it
, . ,. . , , . out of the
being a tradition among them, that it was treafury,
brought by the angel Gabriel to Mahomet,
at a time when he was engaged in a heavy
war againft the Chrifbians, for a prefage of
vidlory: it is never made ufe of, except
in the greatefl extremities, on which occa-
fion, all that are above feven years of
age, and will be reputed good Mujfulmen,
1. e. faithful, ought to repair under this
banner, on pain, in cafe of failure, of be-
ing deemed Giaur, i. e. infidels, who are
fallen off from their belief. This banner
was delivered to the baltazi's, who carried
it to the populace, and fet it up among
them, calling out Allah, allah. The vi-
zir zMo fent heralds through all the ftreets called th«
of Conftantinople, to proclaim the heavenly heavenly
8 P banner''*"""-
698
A Relation of a Journey
ROLAME.
Repartiti-
on of the
janizaries
BeBafr.
makes
counter-
preparati-
ons.
without
fucccfs.
banner (as they call it) being fet up,
and to fummon all Muffulmen to repair to
their duty. This caufed fuch a concourfe
of people, even of children and decrepit
old men, that it was with much difficulty
they could keep their women at home 5
thofe who had no arms took flicks, ftones,
and what elfethey firft could feize on, and
went to range themfelves under the banner.
The report of the old emprefs's death,
as well as of Mahomet's banner being fct
up, foon reached alfo the ftreets where the
janizaries were afifembled : they are divid-
ed into two quarters, the firft is called elki
odalar, i. e, the old houfe, where one half
of their body was then with their officers ;
the other is called jeni odalar^ the new
houfe, in which was the other half with
Be£iafz himfelf and his counfellors. He
and his fadlion made no account of that
pretended religious duty, but knowing
that his life was at ftake, advifed his fol-
lowers to fall upon thofe who had ranged
themfelves under the banner, before their
number encreafed too much, and after
having defeated them, to attack the empe-
ror's feraglio ; the better to forward which
defign, they might fire the city in different
places, which would draw the inhabitants
from the banner, in order to fave their
own houfes and goods. This fcheme might
have fucceeded, had it not been for thofe
of the old houfe, who, fwayed by a reli-
gious principle, made a fcruple of con-
fcience to let private intereft prevail o-
ver the duty of their belief and the con-
cerns of their fouls, and thus to render
themfelves for ever unworthy of the name
of Muffidmen't befides that, their wives,
children and goods were difperfed in feve-
ral parts of the city \ fo this proje(5t of
fetting it on fire was rejedled. Be£lafz how-
ever with his party was preparing himfelf
for an attack, and had fent orders to the
fame effefl to the old houfe, to be enforced
with diftributing money among them,
when he received advice, that the janiza-
ries of the old houfe had thrown down
their arms, and were gone over to Maho-
met's banner, after having returned for an-
fwer to thofe who were come with BeBafz's
orders and money j Verenda kiafir alanda
kiafify i. e. he that fends them is an infi-
time arrived a chiaus
fent by the vizir to
Be5la[z and his followers, who in the name
of the emperor faid: Hazratin fangi aghi
altuina git meien kendi kaifir we awreti bq/z,
1. e, he that does not repair to the holy
banner is an infidel, and his wife is divor-
ced from him. The chiaus having pro-
nounced thefe words and thrown a paper
before their feet, haftened back with all
poffible fpeed. Upon reading the paper
1.
del. At the fame
from the feraglio.
they found thefe words : Thee, Be^af^^
aga^ I have appointed paffa of Burcia,
and thee Kara chiaus I have appointed
capitan paJJ'a^ and thee Kutchiiihaja 1 have
appointed pajj'a of Temifwar, and thee Kara
Hajfan I have appointed janizar aga, on
penalty of death and confifcation of all
goods, if every one of you doth not im-
mediately repair to his employment. At
this all the janizaries of the new houle ■ ^.
called out, Daima emizpadis zah ijn olfun,
i. e. the emperor's reign be for ever ; and
fo they all to one man and without any
order ran to the faid banner. Kara Hajfan
who was named for janizar aga, went to
the feraglio to the emperor, and received
of him his kaftan in confirmation of his
new employment ; after which he proceed-
ed to hh janizaries under the banner. Thus
the great power of Be^afz being vaniflied His great
in one moment, and he finding himfelf power is
with his two collegues Kutchiahaja and
Kara chiaus quite deftitute, confcious at ' : ,
the fame time what deftiny would attend '
them, they were trying to fave themfelves
by flight. But Be^iafz was forthwith fci- jg feized
zed, fet upon a mule, and in fcorn and andftrang-
derifion carried to the feraglio and there
ftrangled after he was dead, they pluck-
ed out his beard, and fent to every one of
his friends in the city a hair of it for a
prefent, and a memorandum of their tri-
umph. The other two were alfo overta- ; ; -
ken in the country and killed. The reft
of the ill affeded who had any credit, be-
ing thirty eight in number, all of them
czorbadzi and odabafft, i. e. colonel-like
officers among the janizaries^ were after-
wards alfo privately and in the night-time
made away with by the vizir's order.
Thus this fedition, which feemed very The ftdi-
near overthrowing the whole Ottoman efla- tion ap-
blifhment, was through the vizir's pru- ^-^^^^
dentcondu6t quafhed, without great blood- ^j^j^^ the
fhed, the emperor with his mother were Ottoman
faved, and the pride of janizaries crufli- itate feem-
ed, fo that there was all reafonable prof- ^^j^^'^'^''''
pe6t of a lafting tranquillity. However,
it v/as not long before zpajfa-, named Ipfir ^-^^
fajfa, began a new alarm in Natalia with begins a
an army of the fpahi'sof Afia confifling of newalarnu
thirty or forty thoufand men, v/hom he
had gained over to his fide, and roved
with them over the country, laying one
town after another under contribution, and
even Aleppo^ which place he blocked up
for fome time, till it fubmitted alfo. Many
and heavy complaints were brought before
the emperor againft him, but there was
no remedy to be expeded from main force ;
on the contrary, the emperor being at laft
apprehenfive left Ipfrpajfa might turn his
arms againft himfelf, was obliged to carefs I? care^e^
him ; and. in order to fofcen him, fend bytheem-
' * , . peror.
him ^
(; to Conftantinople.
> him his feal with the offer of the title lala^
1. e. guardian (which in effedl was making
him vizir guardian., being tlie ufual term
the emperor makes ufe of in talking with
hxsvizir.) This off'er took with Ipfir paffa,
who came to Conjlantinople and took pof-
the^em ^^^^'^ "^^^ vizir^ and foon
ployment began to make away with one ^^j^ after
of vizir i the other, part of whofe eftates he con-
veyed into the emperor's coffers, and the
reft into his own j in which proceedings
none durft oppofe him, he having the
fpabi's near him and at his beck, all the
. , . ftreets and corners of Confianiinopk being
filled with them. However, the grandees
of Conjlantinople combined a.t laft, and on
a certain evening having every one invited
his company of fpahi's to his houfe, they
told them fo much, as at length to talk
them into an averfion to the vizir ; from
thence they went and offered the dirediion
of their defign to Mural., capitan pajfa,
who being upon ill terms with the vizir
readily accepted of it, and managed the
bufinefs fo dexteroufly, that the next day
the fpahi^s znd janizaries having made an
infurreftion, the emperor was forced to
but foon give them the vizir Ipfir pajja\ head,
killed. chough niuch againft his will, the vizir
having greatly infinuated himfelf into the
emperor's favour by furnifhing him with
i . money •, and as it feemed to them that the
L mufti had been in thewzzVs intereft, they
^ ftript him of all and pillaged his houfe,
obliging the emperor to fill the vizir's
Mural place with Murat pajfa. But after three
pafa in months it was over with him too, and he
his Head vvas fent to Damafcus and poifoned on the
made j-/- ^oad.
afterwards This tumult was hardly appeafed when
banifh'd to another arofe, which was occafioned by
Damafcus. the mifmanagement of the emperor's own
muir^cca' trufty minifter : for foon after
fioned "y' fpahi's znd janizaries reunited and made
bafc coin, a common caufe in complaining among
themfelves, that their pay was made to
. , . them in bafe money, the emperor's trea-
furers caufing bad afpers to be coined un-
. ■ derhand, when the troops were to be paid,
putting them in purfes filled more than
half with that bad coin \ this wrought at
laft a ftri6l union between thofe two bo-
dies, who chofe an old renowned fpahi
Affan aga for their leader, and unexj-ed-
edly went to the feraglio, demanding to
fpeak with the emperor himfelf. He was
. obliged to comply and fliew himfelf from
-', . a high room near the outermoft gate of
the feraglio, called ali tiojk., when the faid
jijfan aga., in the name of all, reprefented
their grievances to the emperor. The
blame was laid upon Kiflar aga, as alfo on
fome Moors and eunuchs, who were the
emperor's greateft favourites (called mujha-
I
Bp) whom they infifted to have delivered Rolakb,
out for punifhment ; how gratingly foever
this might found in the emperor's ears,
yet there was no denying them; accord-
ingly he ordered Kiflar aga to be ftrangled Appeafed
firft, and then with feven others to be the ex-
thrown over the wall to them ; their bo- ^^e^'"" °^
dies they hung all together on a tree, and
m.angled them with cutting the flefh from
their bones ; nor would this fatisfy them
yet, but they demanded alfo a lady, called
Mulkikadin the emprefs's favourite, who be- and of
ing delivered alfo, they hung her by the ^"ihika-
feec on the fame tree. Though by the J^^^,^
death of thefe perfons the tumult was fo favourite,
far laid, yet Affan aga with his followers
ftill went on to commit feveral other out-
rages, and took it in his head to turn all
the Jews out of Conflantinople (where there
were above twenty thoufand) and to divide Above?
their goods and daughters atriong them- 20000
felves. But this defign was prevented by j^^l^^
fome of the moft difcreet among them ; li^jfle'
and after the abovementioned vizir Chiaus
paJfa was come to Conflantinople., the em-
peror by his advice fent for yjjfan aga to
the divan., as if he intended to fpeak with
him, who prefuming that all former tranf-
adions were now forgotten, went fecurely
thither, but ended his life there under the
fabres by the emperor's order : and fo there
was alfo an end of thisfedition.
After this manner, one fedicion being rpj.^„b;es
quelled, another broke out during the mi- i/°uitan
nority of fultan Mehemet ; and though Mehemet'%
fince that time he was free from tumults m'noritv,
and rebellions, yet upon the whole, the
Turkifh empire ftruggled with great fata-
lities during his reign, not only with rela-
tion to the abovefaid revolts, but alfo ever
after through a continual feries of difafters
in the war with the Venetians ; for be fides Continnai
the feveral battels ihtTurks loft from time loffesfrom
to time at fea, imrtlenfe numbers of their '^e Fent-
men perilhed in Candia, they were forced
to fuffer the Venetians to come almoft
within fight of their capital, and take
from them one ftrong ifiand after another
in the Archipelago, whereby all communi-
cation with, and fupplies from Egypt and
other parts of Africa were cut off". This
began to occafion a mean opinion of ful-
tan Mehemet, to whofe ill fortune they at-
tributed all their adverfities, and at my ar-
rival the publick talk ran very hard againft
him upon that account, fo that upon the
leaft unlucky turn and newdifgrace in their
publick affairs he ftood in great hazard of
a revolution. However, the treachery of r ,
occulionsQ
the 1'urkiflj miniftry was the true caufe of the
the good fuccefs of the Venetians, of whom treachery
they took bribes and managed aff^airs ac- ^'^^
cordingly to the advantage of the enemy. '^^^^^^^
This management went on during thead-T'"^ ^"^^
miniftration
JOO
A Relation of a Journey
RoLAM?. miniftration of the feveral vizirs, who were
^-'""^'^^ corrupted one after the other by the in-
trigues and management of the French
Remedied embafiador, till this prefent vizir Coprili
by this Mehernet pajfa, who being pofTefled with
vizir. a frue zeal for his fovereign's reputation,
and the intereft of the Turkifi empire,
fcorns to be tempted with their money.
His manly The emperor till now had been a child,
aaions, -jnd confequently was not able to judge how
publick affairs were managed j but the
vizir let him into the reafons why the Ve-
netians had till then made fuch progrefs
againft his empire ; after which he had
the corrupted minifters difpatched out of
the way, and highly affronted the French
embaffador, for having made himfelf fo
mean as to be employed by them, calling
him publickly a traitor, and fending his
interpreter to prifon for fome months. He
next went and aflifted at the campaign of
laft year in perfon, recovered the iflands
in the Archipelago, which the Venetians had
made themfelves mafters of, and took fuch
meafures that their numerous and power-
ful fleet was obliged to return home with
fhame. This condud had the effed, that
the emperor was reftored to a better opi-
nion among his fubjeds, and has now as
much eftablifhed his throne, as it was tot-
tering before on the leaft unlucky incident.
For the bad afped affairs bore laft fum-
mer, occafioned thofe frequent and unu-
fual devotions at Conjlantinople, every time
the vizir near the Dardanels was on fome
enterprize or other, when the emperor
himfelf went either to EjuFs mofque, or
to Okmeidan, to pafs whole nights in de-
votion, attended thither with exceffive ac-
clamations, whilft fome hundreds of boats
that went up and down the canal, anfwer-
ed v/ith an equal noife. As to the vizir,
his credit with the emperor grew to fuch
a height, that he now refpeds him as a
father ; and indeed he is a man of good
and good natural parts in their own way, and of
qualifica- great cj^pericnce by reafon of his age ; but
tions, his behaviour is rough and tyrannical,
which is what creates him the efteem of
iht Turks. The readinefs of his wit makes
him govern well, and his cruelty awes
thofe who might otherwife plot againft his
life. When he came into the adminiftra-
of which tion,the fpahi's had great authority, which
he gives ^j^^^ ^^^^^ with fuch licentioufnefs, as may
thefplbr^, be judged from the abovementioned tranf-
' adions ; he therefore made it his firft care
to infmuate himfelf with the janizaries,
and then to make away with about four or
five hundred of the chief men among the
fpah?s, who he was afraid were preparing
new broils , and this he had executed in
the night time, as privately and with as
little noife as was poiTible. But laft fum-
mer when he was going to take the field,
he grew apprehenfive of their revenge, and
with reafon, for they had already feveral
times mutinied in the camp before Conftan-
tinople, which once went fo far, that they
feized and carried him before the emperor,
demanding his life, which however was ' .
fpared at the emperors own interceffion :
he therefore tried another method, which
was to reconcile himfelf with part of them
by dint of money, and to fend the greater
number, viz. the [paUCs of Afia to their own
homes, in order to manage the reft the
better. On the other hand, as the jani- as well as
zaries began to rear up again after the on the ja-
fpahi's were cruftied, he turned about to the ni'^^ries ;
latter for help to keep tht janizaries down,
and near the Dardanels, caufed moft of
their officers, even feventeen forbaices, i. e.
colonels, and the chihaja beg himfelf, to
be put to death in one day, befides many
hundreds of janizaries, on pretence that ^
they had failed in their duty in the adion,
which executions he chiefly committed to
the fpahi's.^ with a view of rooting up all
confidence between them. Thus he laid
the fpirit of thefe two formidable bodies
of the Turkijh empire by playing one a- ■
gainft the other, fo that neither the fpahi*s
nor the janizaries were ever fo low as they
are at prefent.
Befides this he degraded or killed feve- on feveral
ral pajfas and vizirs. He depofed caima- P"/"/ ^^'^
kam Frenk Achmet pajffa fo fuddenly, that
no body knew of it till it was done, not the
caimakam himfelf ; for when he v/as fitting T
in the emperor's feraglio holding a divan, V
his employment was given to another, for
whom he was to make room that moment. ..,
He alfo removed the capitan paffa, the v
beglerbeg of Buda, the pajfa of Silijiria, ■
who had been vizir once, and twice caima- ''"r ; '
katn ; moreover, he degraded the mi/fti ['I
and the nakib effendi, which are their high- .•
eft dignities, and facred among them, and - ' ■ '
put his own favourites in their places. He
ordered the patriarch of Conjtantinople to and on the
be hanged, and kept another of Jerufalem patriarchs
for fome weeks in prifon, as he did alfo °^
innum.erable begs and officers, even once-^^'J^^j'^J^
all the captains of the fleet, whom he jaiem.
terwards either turned out of the fervice,
or made away with. To fum up all ; by
thefe rigorous and cruel proceedings he has
compaflTed his ends fo far, that the Tiirkijh '
army, which before him had their minds
fet only upon mutiny and uproar at home, Reforms
and fliewed no fenfe of honour nor brave - the army,
ry againft the enemy in the field, are now
fo far broke of that rebellious humour,
that laft fummer they not only made a
brave ftand againft the Venetians, but even
recovered the two iflands Tenedo and L€??i-
«w out of their hands : for they were be- '
come
to Conftantinople,
70 r
The Tur-
kifi? Empe-
ror be-
comes of
age when
17 years
old.
Adriano-
fk the an-
tient feat
of the em-
pire.
The em-
peror
makes a
journey
from Con-
Jtantittopk
to Adria-
nople.
The chief
reafon of
it.
The em-
peror na-
turally ea-
fy and in-
jclined to
melan-
choly-
come fenfible that either they muft con-,
quer the enemy, or choofe inevitably to
perifli by the hands of the vizir^ the for-
mer of which appearing more preferable,
they now begin to accuftom themfelves to
notions of victory.
During my ftay at Conftantinople fultan
Mehemet entered into his 17''' year, at
which time a 'Turki/Jo emperor becomes of
age, and the mother's guardianfliip deter-
mines. He is then by their law obliged
to repair to Adr'ianople^ the antient feat of
the empire, and to undertake fome expe-
dition, to entitle him to a third feather to
be put into his turbant by the vizir for
before this he may wear only two, and
thofe hanging down before ; but after he
has performed that journey, he may fee
thofe two feathers upright, and add a
third as aforefaid, which however mull
alfo be turned downwards, till he has con-
quered fome province, and then he wears
them all three upright, and is acknowledg-
ed by his fubjeds, and deemed to have
full authority. In conformity to this cuf-
tom the emperor, by the vizir's advice,
fee out from Conftantinople the 23'^ of
September 1657, and after a ftay of a few
days in his camp with Daut fafti marched
to Adrianople. The vizir was as yet taken
up near the Dardanelsy but followed fome
weeks after, and was received by the em-
peror with great demonftrations of favour
and honour. There were indeed divers
conjeftures concerning the views intended
by this journey, but the true and chief
reafon of it was in reality no more than
what I mention. Yet in other regards
this vizir is forming great and deep de-
figns J he was formerly in the fervice of
two famous and able vizirs, during fultan
Amurafs time, one named Tabani Bujuk,
and the other Kara Muftafa pajfa, which
latter was alfo in the adminiftration for
fome years in fultan Ibrahim's, time. Hav-
ing ftudied the maxims of thofe minifters,
he Itridly follows them : as Tabani Bujuk
did always prefs fultan Murat to under-
take fome expedition, in order to gain to
himfelf reputation in the world, the pre-
fent vizir obferves the fame condud with
refpe£l to fultan Mehemet now reigning.
And notwithftanding he is from his nature
eafy and inclined to melancholy, yet the
vizir's, difcourfes have wrought fo m.uch
upon him, that laft fummer he imitated
the example of fultan Murat, and with the
view of making himfelf more refpe£led
and feared, began to range up and down
Conftantinople in difguife, always attended
by his executioners, whom he immediately
orders to difpatch whofoever is furprized
in fmoking tobacco or any other irregula-
rity i on which occafions he hath already
fliewn feveral infliances of cruelty : the
vizir hath likewife done all his endeavours
to infpire him with an inclination to war,
fo far that upon his fetting out from Con-
ftantinople on the faid expedition, the em-
peror gave his mother to underftand he
did not intend to fee Conftantinople again
within the firft feven years, but to employ
his younger years in extending the borders
of the empire of the Miijfulmen. For it
is an article of their conftitution, that no
emperor fhall be allowed to build a mofque,
unlefs he has conquered fome province or
other and this building of a church is
thought the more meritorious, becaufe
they have a fuperflition, which makes it
doubtful for an emperor, who has not
built his church, whether he fliall go to
heaven or no. But this v/arlike refolution
foon abated, for while I was at Adrianople,
his mind was already much fet upon re-
turning to Conftantinople again ; and it was
with great difficulty the vizir could keep
him with the army till they broke up. If
this vizir fhould live long, he will cer-
tainly put him upon fome remarkable en-,
terprize againft fome part or other of
Chrifbendom, Every thing looked then
towards an Expedition againft lia^ ; how-
ever, the vizir would willingly abate in
fomething to have thofe troublefome af-
fairs adjufbed, in order to carry on his o-
ther and more important defigns. The
reports of an intended expedition againft
the Venetians have turned the heads of the
Turhfto budalates, whom they look upon
as faints and prophets, but in reality are
errant fanaticks, that wherever they are
feen in the ftreets, they bawl out, Cicil
Alma, Cicil Alma, i. e. Rome ; for in their
muhamedys (a book of prophecies) it is
faid, that the 'Turkiftj emperor fhall come
as far as Ro?7ie, and take it, that he fhall
make the pope patriarch of Jerufalem,
who fome time after (hall profefs the Ma-
hometan faith ; then Christ fhall come
and ftiew the Chriftians their error in not
having accepted the alcoran, and inftrudt
them that the dove which came down
from heaven was not the Holy Ghoft, but
was Mahomet, who (hall be thirty years
upon earth, and confirm the alcoran by
new mJracles. After that time the power
of the "Turks fliall decline, till they retire
into defert Arabia, and then there fhall be
an end of the world. This their over-
throw fliall come from that people north-
ward, which in the faid prophecy is called
caumies fer, i. e. yellow haired fons. But
the ruin of Conftantinople fliall happen in
one fultan Mehemefs, time, and then the
Turks fliall be reduced to fo few in number,
that fixty Tiirkijh women fliall have but
one huft)and among them. Now as the
8 Q__^ prefent
RoLA
MB.
Has given
inftances
of cruelty.
A particU"
lar fuper-
ftition.
Intended
expediti-
ons againft
Ital^ and
Venice-
Their pro-
phecies
concern-
ing a nor-
thern peo-
ple.
702
AReUtian of a Journey
ROLAMB.
Having
now feen
of that fort
of people,
they fear
their pro-
phecy
fulfilled.
The en-
creafe of
the Turk-
ijh empire
owing to
military
difcipline.
Their mo-
deration
in eating
and drink-
ing.
Their
truth and
tiood faith.
Choice in
beflowing
employ-
ments.
prefent fultan's name is Mehemet^ when
they heard of your majefty's progrefies in
Poland, they were extremely affedted with
it, fearing the accomphlhment of thofe
prophecies was now at hand. For tliey
call the Swedes sfed^ and fay that between
ifed and sfer there is fo little difference,
that a miilake might eafily have happened
in writing sfer inllead of sfed, for their r
is written 1 and their d "I. But above all
now that they have feen of that fort of
people in Conjlantinopki of whom they
took no notice before, that prophecy mull
needs be fodn fulfilled. And indeed our
arrival here has fo raifed the attention of
the "Turks, that whereas they ufe to call
all thofe who wear hats and their own hair,
by the name of frenk or franks, yet I had
fcarce been a week at Conftantinople, but
they had learned fo well to diltinguilh,
that they not only called me and thofe of
my retinue, but alfo every man who had
yellow hair, no longer frenk hxizsfed.
It is true, if one narrowly examines
their prefent Hate, and compares it with
the following national character, to which
their monarchy owes its former encreafe, it
feems that vail machine is near its down-
fall. For I ft, They formerly cultivated
military arts and exercifes, and avoided
nothing fo much as a lafting peace j where-
as now they are difpofed tor nothing lefs
than war, and fond of nothing more than
peace, being grown effeminate to a degree
hardly to be believed. 2dly, They did
not give themfelves up to luxury, but
were temperate both in eating and drink-
ing, and with this view their law forbids
them the drinking of wine, and refrains
their being too long at their meals, pre-
tending that two angels are waiting on
each Mujfuhnan at table, whom they ought
not to detain long the true meaning of
which is, that Mahomet would not have
them indulge themfelves in long and dainty
meals. Contrary to this precept, gluttony
and other excefies are no where more
common now than among them, and thofe
who are above others in rank and dignity,
drink fecretly in their own houfes, ftill
careful of their reputation, which would
fuffer was it publickly known. 3dly,
There was once truth and faith among
them ; but it is otherwife now, and one
Turk will not truft the other, but relies al-
moft more on a Chriftian and for this
reafon the chief employments are filled with
renegadoes or their children, nay the em-
peror's whole houfliold is compofed of
none elfe. 4thly, The moft important
employments were beftowed only upon
Turks who were the moft capable ; whereas
at this time they are not given by choice,
butdiredly fold by the emperor's eunuchs,
4
•without diftin£l;ion or regard to capacity.
5thly, Formerly the ftrength of their mo- The
narchy confifted in thofe two bodies of^''«^"§'Ji
forces, the fpah'Cs and the janizaries, for
which not only choice men were picked empire i
IE
out all over the empire, but even hardly their y^^-
any admitted, who were not from their ^''^
childhood brought up and well exercifed
among the Azamoglans in three different
feraglios, on purpofe appointed for that
ufe. At prefent they are promifcuoudy
taken out among all forts of people, and ;
to become a janizary cofts no more than ' '
the expence of an ocka of fugar or coffee ;
yet they have no pay, but only the name, _ i. .,
which exempts them from tribute, which ; : i
makes it that there never were more jani^
zaries in Turkey than at prefent ; and yet
their empire never wanted foldiers more
than even now, for they have neither life
nor fpirit ; fo that a janizary and a dog
are at this lime almoft valued alike.
6thly, Their veneration for the emperor Venerati-
was very great ; they refpedled him like on for
a god i his commands were without con- ^n^-
troul ; nay, he who was to die by his or- P^''*^'^*-
der, was reckoned among the blelTed. At
this time one hears not only every year of
a tumult or rebellion, but even they have
killed fliltan Ofenan, dethroned fultan
Mufiafa, made away again with fultan
Ibrahim, and would have done fo likewife '
by fultan Miirat, had he not prevented ' ' "
them ; how often this prefent fultan Me-
hemet was in danger of his life has been
related above. Formerly, when the em-
peror fent a cafuci paffa (of whom he has . ;
two hundred at his court) to any -pajfa to '
take away his life, he was received with
great veneration, and the difgraced per-
ibn fubmirted to the execution with pro-
found obedience, but now when a capuci
pajfa fets out on the like errand, he is
often met on the road and made away
with, or is feized and tortured till he for-
fwears undertaking ever the like commif-
fion again. ythly, They are fallen off Refpeft
from their former veneration of Mahomefi for Maho-
laws and ftatutes ; and their mufties, who "''^^^^^^^
are the guardians and interpreters of thatj^^g^ *'
law, and whofe perfons formerly were
reckoned facred among them, are now,
for reafons of ftate, depofed and changed
on any emergency nay, fultan Murat ,
even took away one tnuftt's life. 8thly,
Juftice is not adminiftred by the prefcrip- ^dmini-
tion of the law, but according as avarice ftration, of
prompts their wzzVi and who force juftice.
the cadis or judges to pronounce fentence
as they are bid, though it be diredlly op-
pofite to the law ; nay the fountain of it,
the mufti himfelf, when fome revolt pre-
vails, is forced to pronounce any fentence,
how contrary foever to his confcience,
which
to Conftantinople.
703
revenue.
which is dictated to him by the vizti^ or
other leading men. pthly, To compleat
all, fome of the late emperors laid intirely
Care afide all care and enquiry, how the go-
about the vernment and the revenues were admini-
govern- ^j.^^ ^j^,^ or^yg themfelves wholly up to
mentand 1- u- j
their plealures among their concubines ana
eunuchs, which has opened a door to the
covetoufnefs of the courtiers, who think
of nothing but filling their own purfes by
breach of truflr, and open violence, fo far,
that as foon as a man is known to be well
in his affairs, his neck is in certain danger,
let his merits and capacity be never fo
great. Thefe methods not fufficing, bafe
At prefent coin is ftruck in vaft quantity, with which
bafe coin. j.|^gy. ^heat the army, till they mutiny and
rife in arms. And the prefent vizir ex-
cepted, I cannot fay, that in my time any
one of the Turkijh minifters Ihewed the
^"^reft ^^^^ concern for the common-weal, but
ambition Other regards gave way to their felfifh
and ava- views of ambition and avarice. This con-
rice duft proved very pernicious to the Turk^
ijh affairs for fome years pall, in the war
■ againft the Venetians, and cannot fail to
end in the utter ruin of their empire. For
a nation's falling off from its antient cha-
rafter, and giving into new cuftoms, is
ufually reckoned a certain forerunner of
fome remarkable change in the govern-
ment ; and according as that turn of tem-
per inclines a nation towards virtue or vice,
fo the change of their ftate will be for
^ ' their advantage or detriment. Now,
fccm to whereas there appears at prefent in all their
forebode ^ff^jj-s a violent bent of vicej it is not un-
i eir rum. thence to foretel their impen-
ding ruin, unlefs they recover by the di-
. vifions among Chriilians, which as they
have at firft highly contributed to their
encreafe fo they will in all probability
have the fame effedl again, if it fhould
■' , " r pleafe almighty God any longer to make
. "- ufe of that nation to fcourge his own dif-
obedient people.
Of the Among the feveral matters that deferve
emperor's ^-q j^g related concerning the ftate of the
^nd^^arti '^'^^^'fi empire, the emperor's feraglio,
cular^*^" {fepum magni domini) with his particu-
houflwld. lar houftiold, is very remarkable ; not fo
much on account of its ftately and fump-
• tuous architefture, as becaufe neither Chri-
ftians nor the emperor's neareft fer-
•■ ■ vants excepted, are permitted to come
into it j and it is death for any body only
to peep in, and fee any of his women;
confequently there are few or no ftrangers
who ever could have true information con-
cerning the ftate of it. But I had the
good fortune to receive a moft particular
account of it whilft I was there, from a
renegado Albertus Bobovim, a man of
account learning, well verfed in the French^ Ita-
of it.
lian, German, Latin, Greek, Turkijh and Rolamb*
Arabian tongues, who fince his being ta- ^-^^'Y^
ken prifoner in the Venetian war, had ferv-
ed ten years for a mufician in the ferag-
lio, but was lately fet at liberty, and re-
ceived yp^^z's pay, yet lived in the EngUJh
embaffador's houfe, in hopes of getting,
by his help, out of 'Turky, and among
Chriftians again, being in his heart ftill
addi£led to his former religion of the re-
formed profeflion. I ftiall impart the fub- ' '
ftance of his account in a few words.
Its fituation is upon a point of land that
reaches out into xht Bofphoriis, waftied with
the fea on three fides, and by the Turks
call'd Sarai Burnu, the property of which
piece of ground, with the palace, and all
buildings ftanding upon it, belong to The place
Mecca, the emperor holding the ufe of it where-
for a certain rent or acknowledgment, "^^^^y^^
which is yearly paid into the temple at ftands°be-
Mecca. The whole building confifts of longs to
three large yards built round on all fides, Mecca.
all which is compaffed with a great or-
chard.
In the foremoft palace yard are the ar- The fore-*
fenal, the hofpital, the habitation of the "^"'^ P^'
wood and water-carriers, the baking- ^'^^^^'^ *
houfe, and the dwellings of thofe who make
and take care of all forts of mats, which the
y«r/^^^"- '
All the perfons now mentioned are oblig- jj^efe
ed night and day to attend in the empe- aremife-
ror's feraglio, where they are lodged and rably diet-
dieted, but very miferably ; they have
wretched bread, and a fmall piece of meat
half rotten given them once a week ; now
and then fome beans, fruit, but feldom a
fpoonful or two of rice ; their drink is
water. All thefe attendants are taken . -
from among the children gf Chriftians, or
, are
to Conftantinople.
70
The pri-
foners arc
firlt ufed
£0 fit.
2dly, Per-
fuaded to
turn Ma-
homttans.
jdly, In-
ftrafted in
their law,
reading
and writ-
ing.
Azamo-
glans the
firft horn
children
of the
Chriftians.
are prironers brought out of Chriftendom.
The prifoners when they come into the em-
peror's feraglio are trained up in the man-
ner following. Firft, they muft ufe them-
felves to their cuftoms, efpecially their man-
ner of fitting, which they find the hardeft
of all J and many of them, for want of
being able to learn it, are turned out of the
feraglio again, and fent to the gallies. For
during the firft month of their ftay in the
feraglio, they are taught to fit all the fore-
noon upon their knees and heels with their
fhins under them at length, and their toes
touching the ground ; in the afternoon
they change their pofture, fitting upon
their legs crofsways like taylors. Thofe
that cannot hold it out, which indeed is
the cafe of moft of them, but from that
continual and conftrained fitting have their
thighs and legs fwelled, are removed into
the hofpital, where they are anointed and
taken care of till they are better then
they return to their fitting as before, till
their legs fwell again ; and this trial is re-
peated three times. If after all they can-
not bring themfelves to it, they are lent to
row in the gallies, or to fome other labour
out of the feraglio. If it happens fo that
they overcome it at laft, and are able to
fit, the fecond thing to be done is, to per-
fuade them to the Mahometan faith and to
be circumcifed. If they fhew any reluc-
tancy, they are put into a particular room
for the night, where they are fcourged,
and by all forts of torment kept from
fieeping : in the day time they are brought
back to their own room, where certain
perfons are appointed to perfuade them by
fair means, and all forts of inducements ;
■which method is continued till they yield,
and conform with their religion. This
ftep being gained there remains a third,
which is, to inftruct them in their law,
and in reading and writing after which
they are put among the body of the ho~
glans, in thofe two large houfes, where they
pafs their time in the miferable condition de-
fcribed above, and in time are advanced to
fome of the forementioned employments.
Thofe from among the azamoglans who
are taken into the fervice at the emperor's
court, are firft inftrufted. They are the
firft born children of Chriftians, which
the fubjedls are obliged to furnifti by way
of tribute ; for whofe education their em-
perors have appointed three large houfes
at Conftantinople., two at Pera^ and one at
Adrianople, where they are inftrufled till
they are come to a proper age, when they
are taken from thence, and during the firft
fix years are called azamoglansy waiting by
turns in the feraglio, one hundred at a
time, to carry wood and water, and be-
ing at other times employed in the moft
Vol, V.
abjecl- fervices, as occafiort offers Within Rolame*
the city of Confia7itinople\ there is an offi- 'v-OT^
cer fet over them, who is called Stambol
aga, who alfo in the janizar aga's. abfence
commands thofe janizaries who are left
behind. When thefe azamoglans have held -: y.
out their fix years, and are inured to hard
work and fatigues, they are ranged among
iht janizaries bujianci^s or izoglans.
There are befides thefe other fervants .,
alfo who belong to the houdiold, and wait
indeed every day at court, but they have
their turns nor do they live in the fera-
glio, but in the city. Such are the capiiciT\\tcapud
bajjlsy two hundred in number, whofe of-
fice is to wait at the door of the emperor's
innermoft chamber, being always four at
one time, and are often fcnt with import-
ant commifTions. Another fort are the
mujlafaraka-, two hundred in number alfo ; The muf-
who are to follow the emperor and wait on ^''f^raka.
him, and on fome great folemnity or other
to carry the difties to his table. Six hun-
dred chiaufes-, with their chiaus pajfa at the ThQchiaus.
head, make up a third fort, who are like- p^Jpt-
wife employed in embafties, difpatches
abroad, and other commiffions of lefs
confequence, and are daily waiting on the
emperor, the vizir and the caimakam.
It would be too tedious to enter into an Of other
account of all the employments in the civil <^iyil and
as well as military eftabliftiment, accord-
ing to their feveral degrees I fhall there- °
fore pafs that over, and only in a few
words give the fum of the belief and doc- The TurU
trine of the Turks, which chiefly confifts ifi> belief
in fix articles. ^nd doc-
ift. They believe that there is a God, ^"q/g^jJ,
to whom none is equal ; to whom none *
of the epithets of Father, Son or Holy
Ghoft do belong ; who neither begot, nor
is begotten himfelf; has neither beginning
nor end ; is the creator, protedor and ' ' . ,
preferver of heaven and earth, and of all
that has life. For the reft they give him
the attributes of being all-wife, alf know-
ing, fo that (according to their own ex-
preflion) he fees the way of a black anc
upon a black ftone, all prefent, with other
like attributes without whofe will and
permiftion nothing happens whether good
or evil.
2dly, They believe that there are an- 2. Of an-
gels good and evil, that the good angels S^'^-
are God's fervants, and are by God em-
ployed in feveral fervices both in heaven
and upon earth. Among them Gabriel is
the greateft and the moft powerful ; Efrail
receives the fouls of the dead, and is cal-
led the angel of death ; Ifrajil fliall found .
the trumpet on the approach of the laft r
day, holding therefore the trumpet conti- :,. - i
nually before his mouth, to be ready when ■
God commands him to found. They call < • ■
8 R the
yo6
A ^ektion of a journey
i
RoLAMB. the evil angel Iblis^ who for his difobedi-
^'^'Y^ ence and pride was call out of heaven*
and begot many fons fince, which are the
evil angels, who lay all forts of fnares for
mankind.
Of four sdly. They believe that there are four
oly holy books written and fent down by God,
viz: the books of Mofes, the gofpel of
Christ, the pfalms of David, and the
The aL alcoran., which are all worthy to be credit-
tgran. ed i but that the three firft are falfified,
and were therefore fet afide by the alco-
ran, which was fince fent down by Gob
for a rule, and fhall endure till the laft
' ■ day without poffibility of being falfified.
■ This book is in fo high veneration among
them, that none who has not wafhed his
hands and his body may read or handle
it, unlefs in cafe of neceflity, if it fhould
happen to fall down, or on fuch like oc-
cafions, and then they muft firft put a
cloth about it j if one who is reading in
it fhould chance to turn his back upon it,
he commits a fm not to be atoned for.
Their ve- Thofe who are fkilful in writing neat co-
neration pies of the alcomu (for printing is not fuf-
who'^can f^i^^d among them) are called hifet, and
copy it or ^""^ ^^^Y m^ch refpefted others who can
fay it by fay it by heart, are called huffa, and are
heart. worfhipped like faints they ufe to copy
certain pafTages and fentences out of it,
and wear them about their necks to charm
away all dangers of the body as well as
the foul.
4.. Of pro- 4thly, They believe that God fent pro-
phets and phets and evangel ifts to preach and teach
m"°^" truth, of whom Jdafti was the firft,
' ^' and Mahomet the laft j to which latter the
law contained in the alcoran was given to
publilh, and that God gives to the people
who follow it, the preference above all
other nations in the world. This is the
ThcTurks caufe of the great conceit the Turks have
conceited of themfelves i fo that there is none of
them, how mean foever his circumftances
be, who does not value himfelf fo much
above any king among the Chriftians, that
he fliould reckon it an injury only for to
be compared to him.
t;. Of the 5thly, They believe a laft judgment and
Ia(t judg- a refurredion, but are of opinion that the
Sfurreal buried with the body; but that
on of ^^''^ of the bleffed have a little win-
iouls. dow through which they can fee all that
pafTes in heaven. They farther believe
Of the ^w- that there is an anticbrifi whom they call
.•■.'J^;-//?, deggiaU; alio that Christ fliall defcend
from heaven and deftroy him that a di-
rector general fhall be born of Mahomefs
delcent, who ftiall agree with Christ and
give him his daughter for a wife ; after
Of the end which heaven and earth fhall be no more ;
world^ that God fliall lay a bridge over the hell,
Of hell, fmaller than a hair and fliarper than a
2
bf them
felves.
fvvprd, over Nvhich all paen fljall try ro
pafs ; the bleffed only fhall get over it, . , . . .<
but the wicked fliall fall frpm it into he'll.
Of the heavenly joys they imagine, that of hea-
£hey are to con fi ft merely in fenfual plea- ven. '
fures, magnificent habitations, plenty of
perfumes, jewels, eating^nd drifiking, hxxi
chiefly and above all the poffef|ipri ofbeau-
tiful women.
6thly, They believe a predeftination, 6. of pre-
and that every thing both good and evil deiiinati-
happens by an inevitable decree and deter- on.
rnination of Gop.
Thefe are the fix articles of their be- Pradiicai
lief, for confirmation of which they are '^"^'^s in
enjoined the praftice of the following du-
ties. I. Of the confeffion itfelftobemade this'bdief.
when afked : I believe that there is a God ; i.Confef-
that there are angels, books, prophets, a
laft judgment, and a decree of God con- ^^^^^^
cerning all that happens both good and
evil. 2dly, Of prayers: thofe are of two 2. Prayers,
forts : farza, as commanded by God
himfelf in the alcoran, and funna, as or-
dered by their Mahomet. Five times a
day they are called to prayers from their
church fteeples, which is with them in-
ftead of ringing of bells. Before they go
to prayers they are enjoined to wafli their Waftiinj,
hands, face and arrns up to the elbow, their
feet, their neck and nape, as alfo their
armpits % which wafhing is with them
what baptifm is with us. But their cir- /;
cumcifion is performed with particular ce- cfrcum-
remonies of their own, which it would be cifion.
too long to relate here. When they fay
their prayers, they range themfelves as if
they were to be muftered, and one who isi
the moft learned among them, being pla-
ced in the front, the reft fay after him, all
turning themfelves to that fide, which
looks towards M(?futch. Smyna, and many other places in Afia
and Africa. However, England enjoys its
trade thither on much more advantageous
ftipulations with the Otto?nan Porte, than
any other of the forefaid nations and the
Dutch are oflate but upon indifferent terms
with them, fince many of their fhips were
laft fumrner found out among the Venetian
fleet. The confidence with the emperor
With the G'^^'w^^z}' and the houfe of Aufiria has
emperor hitherto not been very great ; however,
and the peace was maintained during the late reigns,
^aTit' °" account of the incapacity of the feveral
■^jrta. who filled the O//0OT^j^ throne one
after another. But now it feems the houfe
of Auftria is in better correfpondence and
greater credit with the Turkijh court than
ever before ; for the prefent vizir careffes
the emperor and his fon the king of Hun-
gary^ making fhew of embracing their in-
terefts ; though this condu£l proceeds ra- Rolamb,
ther from his own political views of ob- ^-^''^
taining leave for the Turkijh army to pafs
through Dalmatia. The king of Spain With the
has no communication with this court, by '^'"S «f
reafon of his minifters not being treated in
point of the ceremonial agreeably to the
Spanijh grandeur, which is not fatisfied - -
with the ufliaj honours paid to the mini-
fters of other chriftian powers. The pope ''^'^^^
avoids all commerce with a people whom
he treats as the enemies of Chriftendom,
to keep intercourfe with whom would pro-
fane his holinefs ; yet he has three convents
at Galata, one of Jefuits and two of Capu-
chins, whofe relation with the Venetians is
more than publick. Poland had formerly With pe-
little credit here ; but that kingdom beina land,
now reduced to fuch a condition as not to
give them any apprehenfion, they fhew more
regard for itj and having been infpired
with fufpicions againft your majefty's pro-
greffes and power in Poland, they encou-
rage the Polanders to make refiftance. Be-
fides this, the cham of the T artars being- With the
gained over with Polijh money, and the 'tartan.
profpeft of the ufual plunder he gets every
year in Poland, fills the Ottoman Porte.
with favourable impreftions in behalf of
Poland y fo that at leaft in outward ap- , , ■.
pearances Poland is now m.ore favoured
than ever it was before. The old jealoufy
between the Mufcovite and the Ottofnan WuhMuf-
Porte not only continues, but even daily ^'f^'j'-
increafes againft him, on account of the
piracies committed by the Don-CoJJacks or^
the Black-Sea, as alfo of the miflruft thsj
Ottoman Porte have of their own fubjedls
of the Greek religion, that they are fe-
cretly promoting the intereft- of Mufcovy.
This was the caufe of the death of the
patriarch of Conjlantinople who was hanged
laft year, and the patriarch of Jeru/alem's
being caft into prifon for fome weeks.
The Zaporovian Cojjacks lay under the With the
fame fufpicion at the Porte, who do not Cojfacks.
much rely on their pretended devotion,
by reafon of the good underftanding they
keep with the Ruffians, and that they al-
ways were found in company with the
Don-Cojfacks on the Black-Sea, particularly
laft fummer in July, whenr they together
did great damage to the Turks near Pan-
gala, a tovjn in Bulgaria, by plundering the
pajfa of Silijiria's camp, and fetting fire to , -.
the town itfelf. , ,.. ;.. - 1'
Towards the eaft the Ottoman Porte hasj-,^' jj^^
a great and powerful rival, which is theEaft with
king of Perjia ; but fince the Turks, have the king
recovered Babylon out of his hands, and
he the year after had fent a magnificent
embaffy to compliment their emperor, a
good underftanding is now reftored between
the two courts. In return the Ottoman
Porte
70
A Relation of a Journey
RoLAMB. Ports has fent Kiofe Ifmael pajha on an
^•''^VNJ embafiy- to Ferfia^ both to confirm the a-
greement lately made, and to accommodate
the differences between the Ferfian and the
Indian courts.
There was alfo at my time at the Otto-
In India man Forte an embalTador from the Great
with the Moguls whofe commiffion was, both to
Great renew the former friendfhip, and to engage
^2"'° the Turkijh emperor to fall upon Perfta in
conjundion with him, and to divide the
Reafon of conquefts between themfelves. This ani-
the Indi- mofity againft Perfia, among other rea-
hatred ^q^^^ proceeded from the king of Perfia's
againft [saving lately taken the city and province
^'J'^' of Kandahar from the MoguU with the
{laughter of great numbers of his forces.
Iniien The faid Indian embaflador was received
cmbafla. and treated with the utmoft magnificence,
^Porty^A '■^^ vizirs and pajjas had orders to
his dif- entertain him with all poflible marks of
patch. honour. But in anfwer to his commiffion
he was told, that the Porte was engaged
againft the Chriftians, and that any hoftile
enterprife againft Perfia would be an open
violation of the treaties lately concluded
with them ; that however the Porte^ in
teftimony of its friendftiip, would endea-
vour to mediate an amicable compofition
of the differences depending between them
The true and the Perfians. But the true reafon was
reaibn of the mufti's difluading the Turkijh court
this an- from ruining the king of Perfia, and ra-
ther advifing to afTift him, he being a
king, with whom theOitoman Porte would
always be able to cope ; and his domini-
ons by their fituation ferving the Turkijh
empire for a barrier againft the Mogul and
Great T artary ; whereas, Ihould the king
of Perfia be ruined, thofe two powers
would become neighbours to the Ottoman
Porte ; and being both of the fame reli-
gion, and befides of a more ancient def-
cent than the Turks, might pofTibly lay
claim to the protection of Mecca, of which
the Ottoman Porte is at prefent in quiet
pofTeflion. Accordingly the Indian em-
baflador was difpatched with the above-
faid anfwer, and accompanied back by
Hujfein Manoli, whom the Porte fent their
embaffador to the Mogul
The third power of the eaft, for whom
The king Ottoman Porte has great refped, is
of Zaga- Husbeck or the king of Zagathai, the moft
thai the powerful in Great Tartar^, who receives
moft pow- great marks of love and veneration from
^CreatT'ar '^^^kijh emperor, becaufe they both
f^^y^ are of the fame religion, and defcended of
Mahomet himfelf but the kings of Huf-
beck being of the elder branch, value them-
felves fo high, that they do not deign the
Turks to have any communication with
them, and look with envy on the protec-
tion the Ottoman Ports exercifes over
Mecca, as belonging to them for the faid
reafon. However, as their dominions do
not border immediately on any part of
the Turkifh empire, butarefituate between
Perfia, the Great Mogul's dominions, and
thofe of RuJJia, and have on a fourth fide ' I
the Cafpian Sea, they have no opportunity J--':-'-"!'
of doing the Turks any harm, but are ^"'^^
obliged to leave them in the quiet enjoy- '^" '^
ment of that protedion.
A fourth fovereign in the eaft, or rather The Ung
to the fouth, whom the Otto?nan Porte muft of Myffi-
have an eye upon, is the king of AbyJJinia, f'^'''
called by them Padefia Jahejh, of whom
being a Chriftian as well as his fubjeds,
the Ottoman Porte entertains a perpetual
jealoufy. Sultan Amurat took two pro-
vinces from him, one of which, called
Jemenia, the king of JbyJJinia has fince
recovered, but the other is ftill in the pof-
feftion of the Turks, who fend thither every
year a paffa from Grand Cairo, This
Neighbourhood is indeed very difagree-
able to the Turks, but hitherto they have
not ventured yet to break with him, for
as it is a very remote expedition, where
the climate does not at all fuit with their
Afiatick and European forces, they feldom
before had any great fuccefs to boaft of
againft the faid AbyJJinian empire.
This is in a few words the ftate and
fituation of the Turkijh empire with rela-
tion to its neighbours in the eaft.
Thus much may fuffice for an account The fe-
of the prefent ftate of Turky, and its re- quel of the
lation to the neighbouring powers j I negotiati-
think it my duty next to refume my re- ^"/"^
r-\ - - T ■' ^ . Ottoman
port of the negotiation I was entrufted pone.
with at that court.
Since your majefty's commiflion had Surmifes
been fo far negotiated with the emperor of the
and great vizir, as is mentioned above, I'urkscon-
and that the anfwer intended to be given
tome, together with my difpatch, had ^ffjirs!"^ *
been deferr'd, the great vizir fet out the
28''' of May from Conjlantinople for Daut
PaJJi, a place half a quarter of a league
from the city, to join the army there,
with which he proceeded on the fourth of
June to the Dardanels, leaving ray negoti-
ation in the hands of the caitnakam, Frenk
Achmet pajfa, a reafonable man, by nation
an Italian, and entirely for our intereft.
But the 'vizir was hardly gone, when in : '
began to be whifpered among the Turkifh
minifters, that your majefty's affairs could
not be in fo good a condition as they had
been reprefented ; but that fome extraor- •
dinary diftrefs muft have forced him to
court the Ottoman Porte's friendfhip with
fuch eagernefs ; and that all I had told
them was only with a view to miflead them,
and to gain time 5 at length their own
ficklenefs,
to Conftantinople.
ficklenefs, as v^ell as the odious infinua-
tlons of others, made them break out in-
to unguarded expreffions againft your ma-
jefty and your alliance with Ragotzkj, and
to fay publickly, they ought to retraft
their firft refolution, and let the whole af-
fair lie dormant, till they had heard what
the other envoy had to propofe, who was
expedled from your majefty, and then to
hold another council concerning it, but
that in the mean time the 'Tartars fhould
be ordered to advance into Poland., or
Tranfylvania.
Reprefen- On the Other hand, I was not wanting
tations reprefent to them both myfelf in an
^at fub- ^u^^^'^c^ I ^"^"^ caimakafn, and by
jeft, with the means of the Engli^j embaifador, what
the rea- was the true reafon of two minifters being
fons of a fent, which ftep ought to convince them
^^'^Tff more of your majefty's fincere and
good intentions towards them. Mr. Wel-
ling being alfo arrived on the ninth of June,
I delivered a memorial in writing, con-
cerning the whole negotiation, which had
fo much efFe6t, that they grew eafy again,
and laid afide their former diffidence and
V - prejudices. And whereas both the empe-
ror and the vizirs as well as the other
Turkijh minifters, were already fully in-
formed of your majefty's defire •, and
that the objedions they had made of them-
felves, were removed, by clearing up all
doubts, and giving them all poflible light
and fatisfadion, but efpecially whereas the
' main point was already obtained on the
' ^ :, good terms granted by former refolutions,
(unlefs they fhould now alter thofe refolu-
tions again, as was then intended) there
remained only for me to prefs our dif-
patch, which accordingly I did with great
application, and infifted upon it with the
caimakam feveral times, both in writing,
and by word of mouth •, but he wanted
authority to difpatch us of his own ac-
cord and the orders he expefted from the
vizir were retarded by the occupations he
had at the Dardanels, For he was not only
very hard .prelTed by the Venetians, but
alfo had mutinies every day among the
troops under his com.mand, the fuppreffing
of which employed almoft all his thoughts.
And fo our difpatch was deferr'd from one
week to another, notwithftanding all our
felicitations •, and at laft one contrary in-
cident came upon the neck of the other.
Theaf- Firft, there arrived a Polijh envoy, who
fairs ob- being affifted by Roman catholick mi-
b'^^the'^ nifters, very much obftrudled our affairs ;
FoUptxx- ye'^ we defeated his intrigues after much
voy. labour, and brought it at laft fo far, that
orders came from the vizir to difpatch us,
21 July '^'^^ which the caimakam acquainted us
Audience himfelf in the audience we had on the 21ft
of the of 'Jul'j. Our converfation on that occa-
caimakam, VoL. V.
fion was as follows. Firft, I took notice Rolamb.
of our being fo long detained j to which V.^-^'V^
he anfwered with making feveral excufes^
particularly with laying the fault on the
multiplicity of bufmefs occafioned by the
prefent war, but that now he had fent for
us, to acquaint us with the good news, that
we fhould be forthwith difpatched with a
good and agreeable refolutioni I anfwer-
ed, that we were indeed glad to hear v/e ■
were at laft to be difmifled with a favour-
able refolution, and thatfoon; but fmce
we had been put in hopes of it fo often j
we fhould be ftill more glad, when we fav/
the effed itfelf. As to their war, it was
true, that did furnifli them with occupa-
tions of the higheft confequence ; however^
they ought to confider, that our commif-
fion was of no lefs importance, and of
fuch a nature, as rather to leflen than to
increafe their other cares. For it could
not but ftartle and difcourage their ene-
mies, to hear that they had eftabliftied
friendfhip with fo powerful a king as the
king of Sweden ; and I concluded with pref-
fmg him to let us foon fee the etteds of
his promifes. Secondly, I told him, that
indeed we had been always ufed by the vi-
zir, as well as by himfelf, with much ci-
vility, and received many good promifes,
but that now we were furprized to fee their
outward behaviour contradided by the ef-
fed itfelf, being informed, that the chafn of
Crim 'Tartar'j was marched into Poland^
which did not look like a flgn of the Ot-
toman Porte's friendfhip towards your ma-
jefty ; and as we were not able to recon-
cile this ftep with their promifes, we de-
fired hehimfelf would explain, how it was
to be underftood ? He anfwered, the cha7n
was not gone to Poland to affift the Po- Therea-
landers, but only to the frontiers, to v/atch ^/^'^'^
the motions in Poland, left the emperor's
. , ^ , ^ J r ^ 1 marching
provinces might be expofed to fome dan- into Pa-
ger ; for fince there was a war in Poland, land,
the 'Tartars certainly could not but have
an eye upon it. I anfwered, what bufinefs
had the Tartars with Poland? that I never
heard yet the kingdom of Poland had put
itfelf under the tr/^c/^w's proredion, neither
had he any jurifdidion in Pohmd, which
obliged him to obferve our motions there 3,
and as for the guarding the Turkijh provin-
ces, there was no occafion, they being not
infefted by any body befides, that it
was injurious to miflruft your majefty's
fincerity, and good intentions. He an-
fwered, they indeed confided in your ma-
jefty, but did not know how far they
might truft the prince of Tranfylvania,
who had fo enormoufly fwerved from his prince of
duty, as to march into Poland, without 'franfyha-
taking any notice of it to the emperor.
I anfwered, your majefty and the prince
8 S had
7IO
'A Relation of a Journey
His maje-
fty's em-
bafiy to
the cham.
RoLAMB. had one and the fame intention, which was
-''"V^ rather for the Ottoman Porte's advantage
than prejudice. And if the prince had of-
fended in point of formahty, the Porte
might eafily overlook that flip, in confi-
deration that the main defign was good.
1 thereupon defired the emperor's
orders to the cham, to keep himfelf with-
in his boundaries. He anfwered, it fhould
be done, and an exprefs fent to him imme-
diately. He then afl^V^
paffable, to the town of Baba on the 30th
of January, and got into a houfe that liad
neither windows nor doors, and where the
fnow lay piled up againft it on one fide
(all channes or inns being full of travellers
that were ftopt by the fnow.) There fell fo
deep a fnow that night, that it was impof-
fible for us or any body elfe to get thro'
and fome that tried to force a way through
it with the help of buffaloes or oxen, were . -.^
obliged to lie that night in the open fields,
and to come back the next day, leaving
one of their companions behind, who pe-
rifhed of cold. Near Adrianople \h& weight
of fnow had borne down above forty hou- 40 houfes
fes (which in thofe parts are flat at the broken
top) and a fountain head that ftood in the 1°^'^" •'^u
field, the walls of which were eight ells of the''
high, was covered over with fnow, with fnow near
which the ftreets of the town were filled ^^iriano-
to fuch a degree, that for fome days there
was no going from one houfe to another,
till they were cleared by the Chrijlians
and Jews, who were obliged to make
way.
On the third of February we had dread- Thunder,
ful thunder and lightning, attended with i'fd'railf
heavy rain, which indeed melted a great and after-
deal of the fnow ; but when we as well as wards in-
other paffengers were fet out, we found "ndations.
the waters rifen to fuch a height, that they
overflowed the very bridges that they could
not be feen. A Turk being confident he
knew the way beft of any, went before us
into the water, but was carried off by the ■ '
ftream, with his horfe j another who fol- ■
lowed him was alfo feized by the ftream, ' , ,
but was faved by the ftrength of his horfe,
which fwam with him on fnore. Cauti-
oned by the misfortune of thefe tv/o we
turned back, after we had travelled one
mile to no purpofe, and lay by at Baba
aforefaid till the ninth day, and ufing all
forts of hardfliip, fuch a number of tra-
vellers coming in every day from Conftan-
tinople, who were forced to ftop there alfo,
that all the houfes in the town were filled
with them, and at laft neither bread nor
meat was to be had for any money. The
waters falling a little, we fet out again on
the feventhof February, and reached Adri-
anople with the utmoft danger of our lives,
having croffed feveral waters, in which
hundreds of travellers periflied about that Many
time on the fame road from Conftantinople hundred
thither, among whom. was the Englifi em- perfons
baffador's janizary, who being lent with p"!^^*^
a letter to Adrianople, was by the ftream waters,
carried off with his horfe from a bridge.
Between Adrianople and Pl/dippopoliyft had
a tolerable journey, and began to hope
8 T the
A Relation of a "Journey
RotAMB. the beft as to the roads and the weather
^-OT^ but t!ie very day we fet out from Philip-
popol'i it began again to fnow, which con-
tinuing for three days, we rid all the way
thirough the fnow almoft up to our liorfes
bellies, till we came to Sophia. Upon the
fnow's melting, all the brooks and rivers
were fo fwelled up, that we were many
times forced to fwim our horfes over, efpe-
cially over the fmaller ones, and in crof-
ling after this manner a water between
iir- „ Sophia and Draqoman, the ftream drove us
we were ,^ r c <
driven by above feventy paces out or our way ; there
the ftream being no poffibility of getting the waggons
above 70 over, wc left them at the waterfide till the
ofourwT'"^^^ morning, when the water abated,
ourway. 'pj^^g travelled on under continual rain
and fnow, till we arrived at Belgrade on the
z^Manh. 25th of Alarch with our horfes, which by
toiling and labouring through the deep
roads, fnow and water were become as bare
about their bellies and legs as if they had
been fhaved. From Belgrade., where the
river Savus and Danube join and feparate
Hungary from Bofnia, we found the roads
tollerable.
Arrived at the fifth of j^pril we arrived at Buda,
Buda. the vizir of which place Kenan pajfa lent
four chiaufes to meet us out of town in
the fields : he was already marched out
from thence to the camp that had been
formed on the other fide of the Da?tube,
near a fmall town called Pefie ; and as he
was to proceed the next morning to Te-
mefwaer, to command a body of troops
that were marching againft Ragotjki., we
Audience were immediately called to have audience,
of the vi- Being come to the place, the firft thing
ztr of that defired was to fee our recredentials,
which I flatly refufed, telling him, they
were to be opened by none but your ma-
jefty, with which anfwer he feemed fatif-
fied. Being come into the audience room
he fat himlelf prefently down and began
to talk to us, without offering us any
chairs ; but I let him know I was not ufed
to talk with any body {landing ; nor ought
he to prefume fo much upon his own gran-
deur, as to exped the king of Sweden's em-
baiTador Ihould talk with him Handing ;
at the fame time I turned my back upon
him, which they reckon a great affront.
At this he was much out of countenance,
and forthwith ordered chairs to be brought,
which indeed ftood near at hand, but had
been kept back to try us. After I had
fate my lelf down, I told him he might
fpeak what he pleal^d, and he fhould have
His extra- 3^ anfwer. He thereupon began to talk
vagancies extravagantly, blaming your majefty for
checked, making war againft their friends the Poles.
1 replied, not without fome emotion, that
your majefty was a fovereign king, who
needed not afk the Ottoman Porte., nor any
power whatfoever, if he had a mind to
make war or peace, but acTted on thefe
occafions entirely as he judged proper, c.u v..; • ,
And to let him know your majefty's fenti- '■■ " '"^ ■
ments, I could acquaint him that your 'r'-
majefty employed your arms to purfue i
thofe who were evil-minded, whoever they
were, and on the other hand loved and
honoured his friends, and for fo doing was
accountable to none but himfelf. He next Concem-
talked of Ragotjki and your majelly's al- ing Ra-
liance with him, that this certainly was
friendly ftep, Ragotjki being a fubjed of ^1];^^^.^^
the Ottoman Porte ; how your majefty could with him.
condefcend fo far as to enter into an union
with one who was but a IVaywode, it now
would foon appear where it would end
with him. I explained to him the reafons
of this alliance ; that as all the world had
views towards Poland, your majefty was
willing to alTift one in going thither, v/ho - .
was in fo near a relation with the Porte,
left fome of their own rivals might get a
footing there, and afterwards prove a dan-
gerous neighbour to them. Confequently
that your majefty's uniting your felf with
the friends of the Ottotnan Porte, rather r . - .
than their enemies, was an evidence of
your majefty's affedion ; ftiould he enter
into engagements with Rujfta againft the
Porte, wliat would they fay then ? With
this he was down in the mouth, and faid. He begins
let us talk of fomething elfe ; but yet ad- change
ded, if your majefty would be friends with
the Ottoman Porte, you fhould have your
own refident at their court, I replied, I
had nothing to fay to that point, as abfo-
lutely depending on your majefty's own
will, to whom they might apply for it.
We difcourfed next of our journey, howTalkabouf
we might fafely proceed on as far as Co- our jour-
jnorra ; he alfo afked how we intended af- "^J'-
terwards to get through Germany. Hav-
ing fufHciently concerted with him what
related to our departure, he concluded
with faying, your majefty had beft remain
a friend to the Ottoman Porte, as you had
been hitherto ; and ib having obtained his
promife for providing what was necelTary
for our journey, we took our leave of
him, and returned to our quarters ; but
by his order were led back another way
than we came firft, the Turks taking it as
a bad omen for a man to come and return ; ;
by the fame v.fay. He ordered two ; i
and two j^j^zizisnVj to attend us ; but after 1
he was broke up with his camp, we were
fo ftridly kept by his caimakam, whom he
had left behind him, that none of our re-
tinue were allowed to go farther than be-
tween our own houfes (for we were lodged
in four different houfes) except only fome-
times
to Conftantinople.'
times they permitted us to go to the warm
baths thai are in the fuburbs. The day
after our arrival, the vizir's letter to count
Buchein relating to our fafe conduft was
dilpatched. The day following we alfo
Secretary fent our letter to the faid count, and the
fVailich^^^^ regency of Hungary by fecretary JVallich,
whom the vizir had provided with a paff-
a letter to r^, aiii
count Bu- port and orders ror relays. And though
chein. the council of war at Vienna had immedi-
ately iffued orders for our paflage, of
which fecretary Wallich had fent us notice
by letters, yet the faid caimakam kept them
from us, merely with the defign of forc-
ing us to make him prefents, and thereby
made us ftay, and wait at Buda twelve
days without the lead information, thofe
at Comorra wondering at the fame time
what was become of us. At laft on the
Acaptici 1 6th of April there came a capuci bajjl,
bajji re- who had been fent to Vienna to defire a
fomV/ P^^^S^ Turkijlo army through D^z/-
Inna, fnatia he had a letter with him from
where he Wallich^ but far from intending to deliver
had de- it to US, he had opened it, in hopes of
fired paf- meeting with fomebody who could read
thT ^urk- '^^ ^"^^ ^^^"^ ' finding none, and yet be-
ifi, army i^g curious to know the contents, he fent
through for my interpreter and fecretary Klingen^
Dalmatla. defiring them to read the letter and inter-
pret it tb him. By this means we had at
laft information how things ftood, and
how deceitfully we were dealt with by the
caimakam •, for which we immediately fent
to expoftulate with him, which had fo
much elfed, that he difpatched us the
next day, and provided us with orders for
a convoy and other neceffaries to the heg
who commanded at Gran ; fo we travelled
from Buda by the way of Gr^;/, and on
1% April the 1 8th of ^/)n7 arrived on the borders
return in- of Chriftendom, near a village one mile
to Chrift- on this fi(je of Comorra^ where the Turkijh
cndom. convoy, confifting of a company of Huf-
fars halted, with their colours flying, at
one end of the village ; at the other end
were drawn up two companies of German
CuraJJiers^ fent by the king of Hungary to
Taking "^^^^ Having taken our leave of
leave of the 1'urks, we returned among Chriftians,
the Turks, being received by an Hungarian commif-
fary, who in the name of the command-
ant welcomed us with a Latin compliment,
being attended by fome Hungarian Huffars^
with whom he condudled us through the
village to the place where the CuraJJiers
were drawn up, under the command of a
major, who received us with great civility,
and conduced us to the Palanka^ which
lies on this fide of the Danube., over againft
the town and fortrefs of Comorra., where
we were welcomed by the officers of the
place, and brought to the lodgings pro-
vided for us. Tliofe officers fhewed us all
imaginable honour and friendlhip, and an •
obliging readinefs toaffift us in all we could
want. But the commandant or governor The com-
of Co7iiorra himfelf Gabriel Boffani an Hun-
garian, was a rude and ill bred man, and '^^ Comor-
had not the leaft complaifance for us even
in trifles, which we made him fenfible of, reafonaUe
by fending him a fitting compliment. The
next day the commiflary, who was ap-
pointed by the council of war at Vienna
to attend us, came to wait on us, and we
inftiantly fet out with him. We pafled
over the Danube in a faiqtie to the town of
Comorra., being faluted with two guns at
our embarking at the Palanka., and two
more at our landing near the fortrefs.
There we took horfe and travelled on, be-
ing provided all along the road with re-
lays, and defrayed in mofl: of the inns.
On the frontiers of Hungary^ where zi, April,
were to enter into Moravia, we were re- h-on-
ceived by a judge, who was brother to the Vf*"^
vifcount of the county of Tranci., attended
by fome of the Hungarian nobility, and
40 Heiducksi who convoyed us one day's
journey to the firft town in Moravia ; in
Moravia and Silefia we were treated every Moravia,
where with civility, and had afliftance, Silt/ia,
except at Brejlau., where the chancellor of ^^^-^^^^^
the regency received our commiffary very
roughly, without fhewing the leaft refpedfc
for the paffport we had from the king his
mafter, merely becaufe there had been
fome miftake in point of formality, no
notice having been given to that regency
depending on the government of Bohemia.
This incivility made us pafs by the city to i May.
the next inn, half a quarter of a mile far-
ther, where the prince of Ligniiz, who is
prefident of the regency, fent the mafter
of his houftiold after us, to order our
horfes back with the drivers, who were
his fubjeds, promifing us others in their
ftead •, I took that opportuninty of refent-
ing in fitting terms the uncivil ufage we
had met with. The mafter of the houf-
hold returned with this meffage to his
prince, but was immediately lent back
again to us with the prince's excufes,
which we fent our fecretary to receive in
the yard, without admitting him before
us. And as he was not able to get o-
ther men and horfes, he was obliged all
night to look out for his own peafants
we had before, and fend them to us,
whom we kept as far as Neumark., where Receptioa
we were tolerably well received by one at Neu-
Hunoltfiein mafter of the ordnance, enter- ^^"rk.
tertained at dinner, and provided with a
new commiflary and all neceffaries for our ip^'*^;'
journey to the frontiers of Silefia. Butnerfea-'
the Hunoltfiein had feafoncd his dinner fonedwith
with frnart dif-
owrfe.
'A Relation of a Journey^ &c.
MB. with a good deal of fmart and poignant
difcourfe, to which he had as lively replies
from me ; but as he carried it too far,
and began to grow impertinent with afk-
ing quellions, I cut him fliort with fay-
ing, I was come to dine with him, and
not to be examined, and therefore defired
he might fufpend that fort of converfa-
tion. This not only took him down a
little, but alfo made him change his note,
drink your majefty's health, and ufe us
with civility.
Thus we travelled through the midft of
the dominions of your majefty's adverfa-
ries and enemies without being hurt by
them, but even with their help and aflift-
ance ; which though it was by no means
owing to any good will of theirs, yet the
refped they had for your majefty's va-
lour and arms, wrought fo much upon
them, that they could not help doing us
all good offices, and aflifting us, though
much againft their natural inclinations.
So far the account of that remarkable and,
important embaffy^ in which that gentleman
was employed by his majejty at the Turkifh
court.
F INI S.
I N
^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^
To the Fifth VOLU ME.
ABbiany village
Aboera
Abonee
Abroby village
Acanimtna village
Acarady
Accany
Achombene village
Acra or Acara
Acron
Adja village
Adorn
Page 147
190
ibid.
15-3
147
190
188, 4J0
149
181,447
170, 446
177
188, 436
Adriample the ancient feat of the Turkijb Em
peror 701
village 177
Agonna 180,446
Akam 190, 45-0
Alampoe 449
Alcaviak bird 2,9
Alcoran 63
Ale kingdom ... 16
Alegria f^S
Alligators ' 30, 210
Ambergris ' 49
Ambozes kingdom 3%
America difcovered 59 ^
Anamaboe , 1 76, 446
Ananas 31? ^99
Angra river 388, 389
J>. Andrevj% river 139
Anegada 663
Angola S^S
Angoy ■ 480
Anguila 662
Angmna^ or Augwina ; 1 80, 446
An I can village 176
Animal unknown 28, 487
Annobon ifland 411,466
Anfiko kingdom , 479
Ant a kingdom ' lyi
Village ij-2
Antelopes . 211
S. Anthony fort , 1 49
Tow^n 400
Antigua 6sf
Ants - - 488
Ape-tree 31
Apes 212
S. Apollonia Gape 147, t 48
Apples , 200
Ai^ua . . : 190
Aqiiada river 109
Aquaffo 436
Aquamboe 188,190,447
Arabs 68
Ard^a 327, 34i'> 346> 45-4
Habit of the natives 347
Polygamy and marriages ibid.
Funerals 348
Commodities ibid.
Soldiery "' 35'£
Commerce and flaves 35-2
Adminiftration of juftice and religion ibid.
Little Ardra 345"
Arebo 360
Arguim 5-29
Arompo 214
Arvoredo river ~ lil
Afles 216
AJJiante 4fi
A^my ,. 429
Atlas J2J-
188
Audiences had by the Svjsdip minifter at the
Porte 712
Awerri 3 5*6
Awine 45" I
Axim kingdom 148
River 149
B.
BAboons
Baffa village
Bagnons
Baixos de S. Anna
Binale
Banana
Bandy
Banque river
Baool kingdom
Burbcidoes
das Barbas river
Barbecins kingdom
Barbuda ifland
S. Bartholomew
Baye de trance
Beans
Beavers
Bees
Wax
Bekia ifland
Belli Town
iiSj 212
136
82
3^
32, 201
3S0, 45-8, 460
106
16
644
140
16
6s6
66i
22, 99
198, 329
487
221, 487
49
643
380
Kins
3P
Belly^ the name of a religious fociety in Soutk-
Guinea ^25*
Benguella JO I
Benin 4f4
Courfe to it ' . 3f4
River defcribed '• 3SS
Kingdom 3y6
Pro duct 3n
Trade 35'9
Goods imported and exported 361
Markets 'bid.
Habit of the natives 36a
Marriages and Polygamy ' 363
Circumcifion
Handicrafts, diet, priefls, phyficians ibid.
Funerals ^3^'^
Inheritance ^bid-
Government 3^7
King's prerogative _ 3^^
8 U
Revenus
Index to the Fifth Volume,
Revenue, wars, army
Appearing abroad
Audience to Europeans
Burial
Enthroning
Mufical inftruments
Punifhment
1 'rials
Religion
S. Bento river
Berby village
Bermtidas
Blguba kingdom
Billagoh-txte
Birds of the gold coaft
Nefts curioufly form'd
Bijpjs iflands
Biffy-tree
Bitterns
Blackfmiths of Nigritia
Boere village
Wild Boars
Boededoe
Boetroe village
Boguinda river
Bollo town
Bomma illand
Bonde-XxQQ.
BondoU'txcQ
BoKgia-tTes
BoKoe
Boqu village
Borba river
Boroa river
Borfalo kingdom
River
King
Boulm kingdom
Brak king of Senega
Branca ifland
Branca cape
Brezalme river
Buccaneers
Buffaloes
Buramos iflands
B^'rrow'ttzs
Byhurt-toww
369
.370
ibid.
371
ibid.
37 i
ibid.
373
374
387
139
663
86
112
146, 219
86, 428
112
218
42
15-2
210, 393
35-9
^S^y 433
■ 483
112
113
112
, 190
147
.587
ibid.
16
25"
16
97
S7
387
j-29
5'J3
iop, 393^486
82
IT2
26
188
c
c.
Cabra ifland
Cacheo town
Cahovar, a fort of plumb- tree
Calabar town
0/^2? Calabar river
Goods imported
Calandars (religious men)
New Calbary
Trade of Haves
Money, canoes
Camaroae^s river
Cam-wood
Cameleon
Camiaa
Carnr/ianach
Canary iflands
Canoes
Cantor kingdom
Capot-tres
Capraria
Carache ifland " ^
Caribbee iflandl
Cafperia
Cajjabi bread
Cajfan
Ca/fangas people
j-ii
404
83
22
380,461
382
383^ 465-
61
379»45'5'
381
382
386
396
214
^3
190
41
76
89
641
5-M
401
7^
Si
114,
S. Catharine cape
Cats
Civet
. Wild
Cayenne
Centuria
Cerbero river
Charnafcian river
Chilongo
China idol
Chitdte
S. Chriftopher
Cigarras
Cilia Vandoch
S. CAzr/i cape
Clofy fon Kgbojfy
Cobra river
Cocks ■ .
Coco-trees
Cola fruit
Commendo kingdom
Conception ifland
Congo
114,
loi, 113,409.
.468
216
210, 487
211
106, 429
436
84, 88
5-60
65-6
221
114
I4S
217
202
See Kid.
King's death 336
Not good foldiers ■ - i^'d.
Weapons ibid.
Adminiflrationcf juftice 337
Contrafts 338
Funerals i^/^.
Money ibid.
Accompts , . 339
Language - ibid.
Religion
Fifli of the gold coaft
At Fida
Flying
Strange
Fifhermen in Nigritia
Fogs unwholefom on the gold coaft
Foko town
Folgias, a people of South Guinea
Fondy-kong-ixQZ
Forcado river
Forties kingdom
King Sillatlck
Fowl tame and wild
Fredericksburgh
French difcoverers of Guinea
Frefco or Frejb river
Frogs
Fuerte Ventura
Funerals of the Blacks
Abo
n river
Gago kingdom
Gala-vy
340
146, 222
330
227
30
41
193
379,
122
113
37^
25-, 27
SI
2I7j3^9,33o
172
160
22
221
J-24
3S7. 390
189
III
Galinhas ifland
River
Gambia river
Gamboas river
Garwai village
Gazello
Gelofes. See Jalofes.
Genehua
S. George'' s caflle at Mina
Ginger
Goats
Goeres ifland
Taken by the Engllp
Re-taken by the French
Gold coafl
Its fcafons and unhealthinefs
Gold trade
Mines
Several forts of gold
Fallifying of gold
How to difcover falfc gold
Goljo Frio
Gomera
Gotton
Government of Nigritia
Goy
Goyava village
Grace river
Graciofa
GrampuflTes
Granadilla ifland
Grande river
Grigi or Charms
Growa village
Guadalupe ifland •>
Gunffo town
Gualata
Guarda lake
Guard of dogs
Guiana
Guinala kingdom
Guinea fatal to Europeans
Seafon to fail for it
Guirivts
Gum Arabic
Guongain village
H.
' TEmus^ a great mountain
1 Hares
Harmatans
Hens
Herons
Heyduks., their number
Hides
Hierro
Hippopotami
Hifpaniola
Hondo . ■
Hoquella-txZQ
Horfes
Honour paid to them
La Hou cape
Hungarians defcrlb'd
Hurricanes
I.
Aaja-trtc
yaboe
_ Jabs country
yackals
Jaktn town
Jalofes., their country
Their king
Kingdom
89
107
72
ic6
137
114
5'35'
iy6
199
21^
20
4^3
191
93
228
230
ibid.
231
499
360
SS
480
137
24
643
84, 89
60, 104
, 137
623, 6sx
534
85"
194
3-5-
83
680
214
ibid.
67s
73
609, 624
HI, 123
112
21^
$i
- 140
6y6
S77
"i
.37<5
JfS
209
479
34^
iS
16
26, 27
Jam
r
Index to the Fifth Volume,
Jam town
Jamaica difcover'd
Fort yames
'James ifland
Icon
Idolos iflands
Jews in ConJimtlno^U about 20000
Ignam fruit
Igvjira kingdom
Incaffan
Incajfia Iggma
Indigo
Infiama
Infoko
Infefls
Inta ^
S. John's river
bird
Ifabella ifland
IJfabo kingdom
IJeny village
Jtiula kingdom
Town
Junlona
Junk river
Ivory coaft
Juyda
K.
_ Kakaton fruit
Kakongo
Kampaen cliff
Kayor kingdom « .'
Kine
King-fifii
Kingdoms at the gold coaft
Kings of the gold coaft ekaed
Enthron'd
Their revenues
Polygamy
Officers
Vifiting
Feafts
Covetoufnefs
Wars
Treaties
74:
3^'
8z
631
182
76
174
94
699
113
187
ibtd.
ibidc
433
190
220
189, 45'i
43^' :?3J
116
606
37?
247,42^9
10
24
525-
iio
138, 430
4S3
112
31
480
22
16
223
28^,299
286
ibid.
287
290
ibtd.
291
292
Locufts
Zio/'e Gonzalves cape
King and prince
Towns and villages
Natives
Religion
Lory village ' ,
Santa Lucia
Kites
Kola fruit
Kolach-Wt
Komma bird
E.onde ^ojas
Kquiggelo
Kuahoe
Lahade kingdom
Ladingcour
La Hoe cape
Lamp a
Lanzarote
Lataby
Lay village
Lele-Atterenna
Lemon-trees
Leopards
S. Lewii ifland
Liahor
Lions
Lizards
Loanda ifland
Loango-mongo
Loangiri
293
298
219
See Cola.
Ill
116
III
114
190
449
240? 430
449
SH
190
386
J16
204
486
18
76
,;Agpies
X Mahomet
Mahometan tenets
Four fedts
Maiz
Makoko
Malr.guette COaft
Mamo-Xxzt,
Mamu river
Mandanaza fruit
Mandinga town ' _ .
Kingdom
Mandioca root
Man-eater
Manfrou town
Cape Manoel
Marabouts
Mirigalante ifland
S. Martin
Mart in ICO
Majfa fiuvius
Cape
Mataman country
Matombe-Xxt^S
Matto Fermofo . ..
Mavah river
Mayomba port ;
Mecca
Meiborg
Water-melons
Menoch river
Mermaid
Cape Mefuradd
Mews
Mice
Millepedes
Mille-tree
Millet
Mma
Taken by the Dutch
Minia (vaft ferpent)
Mitomba
Mokifte
Moko territory
Mompa
Monkeys
Monferrats
Cape Monte
Monte del Dtahh
Moors of Genehaa
Morocco emperor
Mofqaito hawk
Moucheron iflands
Mourec
Malattoes
33
396
ibid.
397
398
if4
645-
2lS
63
64
65"
30, 328
486
112,
■ 148
22.
72
168
214
i7^» 44?
20
60
623, 6j£ •
662
570, fT^) 645-
f3i
23
. ■ . 49^
47 £
: . S3
i09
468
^7
360
204
S09
517
109
218
216
2,21
ira
40,197^ 3^9
ij6, 44Z
478
188
488
6H
108
180
46
71
499
212,
N.
213
470
Najfaw fort
A'rfA'.'fOKjy-tree
(a female fockty of
Nteves
Niffo village
. 3t
174
112
South'Gumea) 126
642,645-
137
Niger
Index to the Fifth Volume.
Niger rivet .90
Nigritia ox North-Guinea " ij-
NUe 91
Ni»go kingdom • ' 1%$
Nivaria ' . ; 5Z4
Nom^atas ' ' ' ' 31
■■ O. , '■■ ■
ODdena
Oedo (capital of Benin)
Oedoba
Offra
Olibatta river and bay
Ooegvja town
Ophtodus fluvtHs
Orange-trees
Oftrich feathers
Ouro river
Ouivere or Oveiro kingdom, its fituation,
tropolis, climate
Trade, produdt, natives, king, religion 377
Coaft 37S
44J
3^8
376
34'5
394
168
5-28
204
49
me-
37<5
Almas cape
Palm-oil
Palm-trees
Palm-wine
ifland
Papat fruit
Papayes
Pa/f/j Blacks
Parima lake - '
Parroquets „....•.
Parrots
Partridges '
Peacocks
Pedras river ' ' - '
Pembn territory
Pepper
Pei-v village
Phcaiknts ,.
Pigeons • - ^
Pintados
Piraguas
Piri
Pifmires - ■ -
P!Za»g
Plantans
Pluvialia
Plyzoge river .. . . ' ■
Pokkoe
Pomegranates
Pongo illands
Little Popo
Great Popo
Porcupine '
Porpoife
Porto d''Ali
Novo
Portmueze^ their trade at Gamhi*
Difcoverers of Guinea
Potatoes
Potters in Nigritia
Povoafao de Brancos
Power of the T urkijh empire is in the
the Spahi's and Janizaries
Pay era village
Princes ifland
Puuta ferena ;
137
112, 204
400
177
31, 200
83
5-66
220
ibid.
218, 487
487
94
4%
199
139
217
ibid.
29
42
470
487
201
ibid.
109
ii9
200
390
321, 4J'i
322, 45'2.
114,
226
^3, 4^^"
83
1985 329
41
hands of
693
lf2
399
24
I. .". {;
.^fa^iy-tree
J|^«fla-trec
Qieefts
^fonfoo bird
^intaila ifland
^oja-berkonta people
Their policy, reception of embaflfadorV,
vour to Europeans^ fuperftitions about
departed and ceremonies
^ojas-Morroft
Ouulma
112
ibid.
218
116
483
lit
V'Fora
122
114
18S
RAmy feafon dreaded by the Blacks 5-2, 25-7
Ramadan (^(^
Rats ^^'^
Field
^ea/ river
Sar.ta Maria Redonda . . ;
Remora
Reptiles
Rey river ^ i . .
J?^<» river
Rice
Rio de Angra
d^Aqnada
Camarones
Cerbera
Corfo
Fermofo
Frefco
Forcado
Gabon
de la Gracia
Grande
de S. 'Juan
Junk
Menoch
do Ouro
de S. Paolo
das Pedras
Real
del Rey
Sejiro
da Volta
River-horfes
Ofiflands
Rock-falt
Roe-bucks
216
214
45"^
6j-4
227
-. 220
; 384
81
197
388, 389
109
386
106, 429
III
22
., 37^
- . 387
24
84 89
43<5, j-31
110
■ . X09
5-^7
109, no
94
: > 4^5-
;;.384
,128
319
i|
487
Rolamb^ the envoy extraordinary from the king
of Sweden^ his reception and audience of the
prince of IVallachia 677
His entry into Confiantinopk ibid.
His audience of the vizir d8i
Uabee-monous (a people of South-Guinea)
124
■ ^tikoe 190
Rofas ifland
Cape Roxo
Rufifco
Ruy Perez cape
SAba
Sahoe kingdom
Sabrebon village
Sacunde village
Sadlers in Ngritsa
Salamanders
Salt how made
San Salvador ifland
Sama village
Sanglet
Sangwin village
Sanqaay
Santa Cruz
Los Santos iflands
Sapajom
S.
■M
459
66z
174
136
JIJ2
=^
. so
136
190
€62
^argajU'u
Index U the Fifth Volume,
Sitrgajfo
Savi town
Sea-Mews
Senega river
French fkdory ' ''i'V
Kingdom
Trade
King Brak . ^ ■
Serpents
flying
Seftro river
^eftro Crou village
Grand Sejlro
Setema village - - ■ • -
Sharks
Sheep
Sherbro river
Sierra Leona
Sillatick (king of the Foules)
S'tno village
Slave coalt
Slaves hovsr made
Sluggard
Snakes
Worlhip'd at Fith
Snipes
Soko village
Kingdom
Sombrero
Songo
Sorcerers ifiand
Soweraboe village
Sparrows
State of the T urkip empire
Succundee
Sugar-canes
Sun-fifh
Superftition of the Blacks
Swallows
c) 1."
326
16
18
- 43
SI
213.487
28
128
136
137
\~ 136
v-.V 2,2$"
ziS
106, 429
56, 428
^7
. 136
■r. 47
.1. 212
213
341
218
182, 448
319
663
J-03
89
136
218
689
434
199
499
5-1
218
493:
Sweden^ the king, his letter to the Grand Seig-
nior
Swedijh envoys, return into Chriftendom
Swine
Sword-fifli >
,0
■ T.
TJbac or Tabago ifiand
'tabea
Tah village - ^-^'i^^.- ^ v-;?r
Taba Dune village -'^I'-i---'-^'
Tacorary town
Tahoe vWhgc ' '
Tamarinds
Tambakumba
Tebbo village
Teneriff
Theode
S. T/6o»7a/s ifland, otSt.Tome
Thruflies
Thunder dreaded by the Bktks
Toads
Toccaradoe , • ,
Toglow-IX^Q
Tokay wine
To/^ajr defcrib'd - ,
Tombut
Tarnadoes
6b
7IJ
215-
^43
187
' 139
ibtd.
iPj 433
190
139
329
'47
524
161,404, 465-
218
P>3o6
221
r^/'r,:'. 433
^ -'v - 5*36
Torrjr country
Trade of Nigritia in genera!
Of the French in particular
At Commendo
Travellers frozen to death
Trees wild
Tres Pcntas cape
Turkeys
Turks intereft with relpe£l to EngLmd^ France
Holland and other nations 707
The Turks value their emperors for their cru-
^elty 690
Turks feldom employ'd in the feraglio, and the
Us
43
.
/ J
20/
IP,43^
217
reafon
Turkijb emperor at age at 1 7
Turkijh empire its ftrength
Turktp belief and dodrine
Turtle-doves
Tygers r ■ •;.
696
701
702
705- & feq,
. 2?S-
^5.09, ^8$
VAnqul
Cape F^r^tf
S. Vincent ifiand
Vines
Virgins iflands
JJlkamy kingdom
1S8
. • 200
35^
Vocabulary of the principal languages of Gmnca.
da Volta river
Ufa
Vy-berhma people
413
III
W.
"f Alcheren ifiand ■^^^^^t-"'*^'"-^^^^^
IVallachia, one of the fined countries 'm
Europe 673
Wappou village 135
Wars of the Blacks j-g
Waffahs ^ ... :^8S
Weavers in Nigritia 40
Whales 498
IVhidah . 4.5-3
Witchcraft of the Blacks ,=
Wives, concubines and women flaves of the
emperors 704
Woey ; .. . .
Wolves
Woodcocks \:
Worms in the flefii .
Wotoe village ' - jv; ; %
218
3i
140
X
Averius S. Francis fori
<;iiii<:. lit i;.'
Zairmei
Zebra
4^3*497
486
■ , , I
i
Date Due
lA's i 0 '49
IIP 2 9 50
'FEB 1 Gl|
FORM 335 45M 10-41
■■■It,
.7ft-' .
1