After the Business of the Captives was dispatch’d, there came into the Court two Fellows, with a large Tub, that had in it at least six Gallons of Frumenty, or such like stuff, which they set on the Ground; and then falling on their Knees, they took with their Hands the Victuals out of the Tub, and threw it so fast into their Mouths, that tho’ there was such a quantity of it, they dispatch’d it in a few Minutes. The Linguist told us, this was their daily Practice; but that these Gormandizers lived not many Years, and then others took up their Trade; which is only in order to divert the King. After this we saw several other things, full as ridiculous as this, which would be tedious for me to relate, as well as to the Reader to peruse; so having been near three Hours in the Court, exposed to the great heat of the Sun, from which we had nothing but Umbrellas to defend us, we desired his Majesty’s Leave, to retire to our Tent, which was readily granted; accordingly we paid our Duty in a compliment to the King, and went away. Sometime after this, we sat down to Dinner in our Tent, being accompanied with a great number of Flies, as formerly mentioned. Just as we had dined, the Duke, Brother to the Lord of _Jaqueen_, came to us in so great a fright, that after he had sat down, he could not speak for some time: And tho’ he was at other times, of a comely black colour, yet now his Countenance was changed to tawny: For as he was coming to our Tent, he saw a great number of poor People going to be sacrificed; whose Lamentations had made such an Impression, that it had occasioned this great disorder in him. For the People of the Sea-Coast abhor such things; especially the eating their Bodies afterwards, as the _Dahomes_ do. And ’tis not to be imagined, what service the report of this did them, when they first invaded the Countries bordering on the Sea-Coast: On which I shall make a short Digression, to inform the Reader. Discoursing afterwards with some of the principal People of _Ardra_ and _Whidaw_, who had escaped the Conqueror’s Sword, and telling them, what a Reproach and Disgrace it was to the latter Nation to quit their Country to the _Dahomes_ in so cowardly a manner as they had done; they answered, It was not possible to resist such _Cannibals_, the very Report of which had extremely intimidated their whole Nation. Whereupon I observed to them, It was all one to a dead Carcase, whether it was eaten by their own kind, or by the Vultures, (of which there are great numbers in the Country) on which they shrugged up their Shoulders, saying, “The thoughts of being eaten by their own Species, were far more terrible to them, than the Apprehensions of being killed.” [Sidenote: _Human Sacrifices._]