But to return to the King of _Dahomè_. He was so politick as to send to the _Europeans_, then residing at _Whidaw_, to assure them, if they stood neuter, and were not found in Arms they should receive no Damage in their Persons or Goods, in case he proved Conqueror; and that he would ease their Trade, and remove divers Impositions laid on it by the King of _Whidaw_: On the contrary, if they appeared against him, they must expect his Resentment. But they were in a Dilemma; for tho’ the King of _Whidaw_ did not desire otherwise, yet they would gladly have retired from _Sabee_ to two mud-walled Forts, belonging to the _English_ and _French African Companies_, which are within three Miles of the Sea side. However, finding it would have been resented by the King as a Discouragement to his People, they were obliged to remain in the Town, never suspecting the Inhabitants would have run away in the cowardly manner they did; or that they should share the Fate of War with them. The Pass of the River being, as I have related above, wholly left to the Care of the Snakes, whom the Enemy little feared; and they having observed for several Days, that the _Whidaws_ kept no set Guard there, it encouraged the King of _Dahomè_’s General to send two hundred of his Soldiers to ford the River: Which having done without Opposition, and being bold Fellows, they marched towards the Town of _Sabee_, sounding their musical Instruments. This was about three a Clock in the Afternoon, and the Outguards of the Town were almost all asleep; but being roused by the Noise of the Enemy’s Musick and Shouts, they fled into the Town, reporting, that all the _Dahomè_ Army was got over the River: Which soon reaching the King’s Ear, he immediately fled, with all his People, making no Resistance. I was informed by the white People, then in the _English_ and _French_ Forts, that about five a Clock the same Afternoon, they saw such Numbers of People flying from all Parts of the Country towards the Sea side, that it was very surprizing: For the Fields were covered with them many Miles round, and their black Colour made them the more conspicuous in a clear sunshiny Day, on a fine flat champaign Country. The King, with a great number of his Subjects fled to an Island on the Sea Coast, which was parted from the main Land by a River, having ferried over in Canoes; but a great many that could not have the same Benefit, being hurried on by their Fears, were drowned in the Rivers, in attempting to swim to the Islands lying near _Popoe_; which was the next neighbouring Country to their own, on the Sea Coast to the Westward; and where they might have been secure from their Enemies, had they escaped. Moreover, many thousands of these poor People that sheltered themselves up and down the Country among the Bushes, perished afterwards by Sword and Famine.