Travels in Western Africa in 1845 & 1846, Volume 2 (of 2): comprising a journey from Whydah through the Kingdom of Dahomey to Adofoodia in the interiorDuncan, John
History
Travels in Western Africa in 1845 & 1846, Volume 2 (of 2): comprising a journey from Whydah through the Kingdom of Dahomey to Adofoodia in the interior
Duncan, John
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Benin -- Description and travel
SUNDAY, July 13th.--Early in the morning the caboceer again sent me
plenty of provisions for myself and people, and showed great kindness
to Maurice, my white servant, using every means to induce him to
partake of some food, bringing amongst other dishes one made of
meal and water boiled together, sweetened with honey, and about the
consistence of thin gruel. This composition is used as we do tea in
England, but is of course much more substantial. I relished it very
much. My poor servant also partook of a considerable portion, but
he could not rally, having lost all the courage of which he had so
often boasted. The caboceer then desired us to proceed again to the
market-place, where we found two fine bullocks tied to a tree; one was
a present to the King of Dahomey, and the other to myself.
After going through the usual compliments on either side, we marched on
our journey till we came to the gates on the north-east of the town,
where several of the principal officers of the staff of the caboceer’s
household approached him, apparently in great anxiety, whispering
something to the caboceer. After this, the captain of my guard
communicated to me that the caboceer of Paweea begged that I would
honour himself and head men so far, as to enter their names in my book.
This is, in all places in the Dahoman kingdom, considered the highest
honour that can possibly be conferred upon them. To this request I
readily acceded; and in a short time had all their names registered in
my fetish-book, as they called it. After entering the names, as given
by the caboceer’s principal officer, I was very shrewdly asked to call
each individual by their name, as this was considered a puzzler for me;
but when they found that I called the roll correctly, they all seemed
surprised and delighted. A report to the same effect soon spread over
the greater part of the Mahee country. We now took our final departure
from the town of Paweea.
I here record the names of the head men according to my Journal:--
Caboceer’s name Terrasso-Weea.
1st Head man Adah.
2d do. Chaaoulong.
4th do. Daowdie.
5th do. Avamagbadjo.
6th Head Musician Hawsoo-Agwee.[2]
The names of Mayho’s traders from Abomey, who treated myself and people
with provisions and peto at Paweea[3] were:--
Tossau.
Yakie.
Bowka.
Adassie.
Howta.
Kossau.
Nookodoo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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