The next Day a Messenger came from the King of _Dahomè_, whose Name was _Buttenoe_. He spoke very good _English_, and told me, “His Majesty having heard there was an _English_ Ship arrived in the Road of _Whidaw_, he had ordered him to go there and invite the Captain to come up to his Camp; (which was about forty Miles directly within the Land in the Country of _Ardra_) but being told there I was gone for _Jaqueen_, he had followed me to make the King’s Desire known to me: Assuring me in his Majesty’s Name, I should be intirely safe in all Respects, and kindly used.” To this I answered, “I would consider his Majesty’s kind Invitation, and he should know my Resolution next Day.” But perceiving I had some Distrust in my Mind, he represented to me, “That if I did not go, it would highly offend the King; that he feared I should not be permitted to trade, besides other bad Consequences might follow.” This black Messenger, as mentioned above, spoke very good _English_, having learnt it when a Boy in the _English_ Factory at _Whidaw_: He belonged to Mr. _Lambe_, and was with him at the time he was taken Prisoner by the King of _Ardra_. They both fell into the King of _Dahomè_’s Power, as related above, where he learnt the Country Language; and in this respect I had as capable an Interpreter as I could desire. So, upon considering the matter, finding the Interest of my Voyage depended on my going to the Camp to wait on the King, I resolved to undertake it, tho’ the many Barbarities I had been told his People had been guilty of, gave me some Concern. However, soon after, I had further Encouragement, by others offering to accompany me. For a _Dutch_ Captain’s Curiosity prompted him to it, whose Ship had been destroyed just before by the _Portuguese_: Moreover the _Dutch_ chief Factor proposed to send one of his Writers with large Presents to the Conqueror; likewise the Lord of _Jaqueen_ offered to send his own Brother, to pay his Duty, with great Presents to the King; not having done it before. So having prepared all Things for our Journey, which took us up three Days, we set out in the following manner. The eighth of _April_, at nine a Clock in the Morning, being accompanied with the aforesaid Persons, we went to the Side of the River that runs on the Back part of the Town of _Jaqueen_, having in our Retinue One hundred black Servants. We ferried over the River in _Canoes_, which are a sort of Boats, made of large Trees hollowed. The People of the Town attended us in great numbers to the water side, praying for our success: For they were under terrible apprehensions for our safety, amongst such barbarous People as we were going to: Especially they were highly concerned for the Duke, their Lord’s Brother, who was a Person endowed with the most amiable qualities I ever met with amongst Persons of his Colour.