Sketches taken during ten Voyages to Africa, between the years 1786 and 1800; including observations on the country between Cape Palmas and the river Congo, etc

Appendix

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE EUROPEAN TRADE WITH THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. BY CAPTAIN JOHN ADAMS. LONDON .- PRINTED FOR G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER, AVE-MARIA LANE. 1823.

Introduction

. I am not aware that the western shores of Africa have yet been visited by any travellers for the avowed purpose of making discoveries, at least in those parts situated between Cape Palmas and the River Congo; and the few works published relative to these countries, have been written by men (what ever their education or powers of dis crimination may have been) who had duties of a higher personal interest to perform, and which left them but little time to make scientific researches. In

INTRODUCTION.

. IV this part of Africa, therefore, as well as in the interior, there is a wide field for the enlightened traveller to explore; and should these sketches be found serviceable to him, in the pursuit of objects valuable to science, part of the author's intention of laying them before the public, will be answered. In the selection of a place for co lonization in Africa, the members com posing the African Institution, it is too well known, have been peculiarly un fortunate. The insalubrity of the air of Sierra Leone is almost become pro verbial, and those going there are considered by many as embarking for the next world ; it is therefore much to be apprehended, that one of the benevolent purposes for which that settlement was originally founded, will

INTRODUCTION.

. V be frustrated. Hence, in the course of these remarks I have endeavoured to point out a place suitable for esta blishing a colony of the negroes cap tured on board of contraband slave ships. In fact, there is not along the whole line of coast, extending from Cape Palmas, where these remarks commence, to the River Congo, em bracing an extent of five hundred leagues, one place that has come under my observation, so peculiarly well adapted for that purpose, as the one to which I allude, and for the reasons adduced in the course of this work. The trade in the productions of the soil of Africa, having of late greatly increased, more especially in conse quence of the final abolition of the VI

INTRODUCTION.

. slave trade on the western shores of Africa, north of the equator, I have given, in the appendix, a statement of such articles, both of Indian and Eu ropean manufacture, as are suitable to barter for gold, ivory, and palm oil; as also the current prices, for which they are generally bought in Europe, and bartered in Africa. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Cape Palmas — Coley's Rock, and opinion respecting it— Bereby — Drewin— St. Andrew's — Cape Lahoo, town and river — Bassams, great and little — Assinee — Appolonia — British forts on the Gold Coast — Fantees, their customs — Chambas, or Duncos, their character.

Chapter II

Dahomy — Grewhe, the trading town — Forts : French English, and Portuguese — Governor Abson — King of Dahomy — Miraculous escape of a French sailor from drowning — Country surrounding Grewhe, described — Fisherman and alligator — Ants — Hyenas : mode of taking them — Bats — Singular Customs — Ardrah ; the road to it : the country described — Tammata, a wealthy trader — Markets — Manufactures- Industry of the inhabitants — Hio : its extent — The Hio people described — Natives of Houssa — Badagry — -Lagos — Cradoo lake — Trade of Lagos ; customs ; population — King Cootry : his levee ; his fetiche— The devil's visits to Lagos : its policy — Hippopotami ■—Alligators : a large one killed by a watering party — Medium of exchange — Jaboos : their country and industry.

Chapter III

Benin — Gatto creek — The capital of Benin ; interview with the king ; dancing women ; customs of the na- CONTENTS. tives ; population ; affinity to the Heboos ; their na tional mark — The Creek, or Jo people : salt — New Town — Warre; journey there; manufactures; population ; audience with the king, his dress ; relics of Catholicism; a peep into the king's seraglio ; houses — Bonny ; great market for slaves — Heboos ; num ber exported ; fairs where they are sold ; their cha racter — King Pepple — New Calabar — Fetiche, or Jew Jew — John Africa — Old Calabar — Camaroons — Gaboon — Climate — Smokes — The island of Fernan dipo — Princes — St. Thomas — Annabona — Majumba ; singular appearance of the natives — King Cole — Ma lemba; the town; comparative salubrity of its climate : local advantages for colonizing — Natives : their character.

Chapter IV

Seasons — Harmattan : theory concerning it — Trade and productions of Africa — Language — Religion — Climate — Civilization of the inhabitants : opinion concerning it — Niger : remarks on the various opinions concerning its termination — Geological observations — Rivers — Quadrupeds — Birds — Insects.

APPENDIX.

. General observations relative to the African trade — Description of a vessel suitable for the palm-oil trade, and outfit — Goods suitable to barter for gold and ivory on the Gold Coast, extending from Palmas to the river Volta — Ditto for ivory, palm-oil, &c. at Popo, Wydah, Ardrah, Badagry, and Lagos — Ditto for ditto, CONTENTS. IX at Benin and Warre — Ditto for ditto, at Bonny — Ditto for a small cargo of ivory and barwood, at Am brize, Cabenda, Malemba, Loango, and Majumba — Abstract of a cargo suitable to purchase 100 tons of palm-oil, at Calabar, at 14/. per ton — Camaroons for one ton of ivory, valued at 200/. — At Cape Lahoo, and neighbouring places, to purchase one ton of ivory — Remarks on goods suitable to barter in Africa : India Cotton goods, viz. Blue Bafts; Bejutapauts, blue and red; Chelloe; Niccanee; Photaes; Tapsail; Negani pauts; Abbaphotae, or Tom Coffee Romal; Bonny Blue Romal; Tape Romal; Abang Romal; Quaducker Romal; Asshantee; Hair Romals ; Red Dane Ro mals; Allijars, Sastracundies, and Calawapores; White Bafts, or Gurrahs ; Hoo-hoos ; Chollets ; Chintz, Patna, and Devalgree ; Guinea Stuff — In dia Silks, viz. Taffity ; Cuttenee ; Sarry; Bandanna; Lungee Handkerchiefs ; Pullicat ditto — English Ma nufactured Cotton Goods, viz. Chintz : Photaes, Cushtees, and Romals; Blue Bafts; Allijar Cottons Silesias — Woollen Goods, viz. Half-Says ; Green and Yellow Ells ; Moor Blue Cloth ; Baize, blue ; Worsted Caps ; Hats — Spirits, viz. Rum ; French Brandy — Gunpowder; Guns; Tobacco; Ditto South American, or Brazil ; Salt ; Iron ; Lead Bars ; Brass Pans, Neptunes, and Kettles; Cowries; Beads; Hardware, and Earthenware.

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Chapter I

Cape Palmas — Coley's Rock, and opinion respecting it— Bereby — Drewin — St. Andrew's — Cape Lahoo, town and river — Bassams, great and little — Assinee — Appolonia — British forts on the Gold Coast — Fantees, their customs — Chambas, or Duncos, their character. Cape Palmas lies in latitude 4° SO' north and longitude 7° 30' west of Greenwich. Off the cape there is a reef, in the inside of which, and near the shore, small vessels may anchor. To the westward of Cape Palmas, a rock was discovered by Captain Coley, of the ship Queen, of London, in the year 1794, and the account which he gave of it and its bearings, is as follows: "Two high trees above Garraway, bearing north five leagues, B CAPE PALMAS. pitch of Cape Palmas, E. N. E. six and a half leagues. On the top of the rock I found ten feet water, and it tapers down to seven fathoms, as close as you can chuck a biscuit.

The depth of water, after clear ing the rock is thirteen fathoms.*" The natives of the Cape are poor and in- * The distance which captain Coley has estimated this rock to be from the land, must certainly be errone ous, because neither Garraway, nor Cape Palmas, would be visible from the quarter-deck of his vessel, at the distances which he has given; and it is to be presumed ) that he took the bearings of the land from his boat, when sounding on the rock. From Garraway to Cape Palmas, including both these places, the land is so very low, that, in approaching it from the sea, the trees growing on it are first visible above the horizon, and have the appear ance of a fleet of ships. Therefore, if he took the bearings and distance of the rock from the boat, a line drawn from his eye, and terminating at the distance of five leagues, would require an object to be 160 feet high to be seen at that point; and at the distance of six and a half leagues, an object 180 feet high would be requisite for the same purpose, supposing the atmosphere to be unusally clear, which is by no means common on this BEREBY ST. ANDREW'S DREWIN. 3 offensive, and live principally by fishing.

They sometimes bring off to vessels a small quantity of ivory, and Malagetta pepper. Bereby is situated on the margin of a bay, in which boats can generally land, as there is a projecting point of land which breaks off the sea. The natives sell a little ivory. St. Andrew's and Drewin. The people here have a small quantity of ivory, for which they always wish an exorbitant price. The town of Cape Lahoo is built on a narrow peninsula of sand formed by the sea and river, and may consist of 150 houses, containing a population of seven or eight hundred souls. The Dutch, at a former period, carried on here a considerable trade in slaves and ivory, particularly in the latter, in which article the Lahoo people have always dealt largely. As the trade with Europeans is carried part of the coast of Africa ; and the highest trees here have not an apparent altitude exceeding fifty or sixty feet.

B CZ CAPE lahoo. on on board their vessels, but few of them ever go on shore, and I was in consequence anxious to pay the town a visit. On making my intention known to the natives, they seemed much gratified, and placed me in one of their best canoes for that purpose; from which we landed, without being much wet, the surf on the shore being moderate. I was taken to the chief's house, who treat ed me with much attention, kindness, and hospitality: but the beautiful tropical pic ture which the river at this time presented, would have amply repaid me for my trouble, if I had had no other cause for being pleased with my journey. This little river, after bending its course from the north to the back of the town, runs to the eastward a few hundred yards, parallel to the sea shore, and then joins the sea.

Its mouth is narrow, and choked with hard sand, on which the sea breaks with great violence, so as to render it very dangerous, either for boats or canoes to approach its entrance. CAPE LAHOO. 5 It was now the dry season, its stream almost pellucid, and its surface so tranquil, that the graceful palms which adorn its banks were reflected from its surface as from a mirror; and a few canoes, in which people were employed fishing, gave animation to the scene. The town formed the fore ground, and a cluster of large ceiba and other trees, the screen to this interesting tropical picture. A boundless expanse of ocean placed within a few hundred yards of it, on which I had toiled many years, and a foaming surf rolling in upon the shore, formed a striking contrast to the tranquillity and beauty of the landscape spread out be fore me, which gave it charms that, in my eyes, it might not otherwise have had.

Men, women, and children, accompanied me when I went to view the entrance of the river, and I was much surprised to see many of the females approaching the adult age, in a state of nudity, as compared with those of their own sex and age living CAPE LAHOO. on the Gold Coast, and without seeming at all conscious of the indecency of their appearance. The form of government is patriarchal, although a man named Antonia appeared to exercise the greatest authority ; he was at this time labouring under a diseased sto mach, in consequence of having taken a dose of the tincture of cantharides, admi nistered to him by the surgeon of a vessel, to whom he had complained of impotence. After spending a few hours on shore, I embarked in a canoe, was upset in the surf, and swam through it to the boat, lying a few yards outside the breakers; an old man, apparently seventy years of years, swam alongside of me, to secure me from the danger of being drowned ; and as soon as he had seen me safe in the boat, immediately returned to the shore.

These peo ple, like those of the windward coast, are almost amphibious. The places of trade lying between Cape BASSAMS ASSINEE APPOLONIA. 7 Lahoo and Appolonia, are Jack Lahoo, Great and Little Bassam, and Assinee ; at the latter three places much gold and ivory is obtained, the former of a very superior quality. The trade in gold is also consi derable at Appolonia, where the most west ern British fort is situated. Small cattle ale sometimes to be purchased very cheap at Jack Lahoo, and also, at Jack-a-Jack, besides yams and palm oil. The latter place is a few miles to the eastward of the former. The British forts on the Gold Coast are Dixcove, a few miles to leeward of Cape three-Points, and near a small break in the land, which may be called a cove, and from which no doubt the name in part origi nated.

It is capable of sheltering a few boats of fifteen or twenty tons burthen, and is valuable as being the orily place on the Gold Coast where craft can be repaired. Much gold, of a fine quality, is also obtained here. BRITISH FORTS ON Succundee and Comenda are insignifi cant places, and of no value for either military or commercial purposes. Cape Coast Castle is the residence of the commander-in-chief, and is in lat. 5° 6' north, and 1° 3' west of Greenwich. Annamaboo, Tantum, Winnebah, and Accra, constitute the remainder of the British settlements, or forts on the Gold Coast. Annamaboo is ten miles to the eastward of Cape Coast, and is the great mart on the Gold Coast where the trade in slaves has been carried on for a long period. Here is a fortification, the defences of which are good, and which is entrusted to the care of an officer next in rank to the commander in-chief, and who is also vice-president of the council.

The fort, which is quadrangular, is built on the extreme margin of the shore, the sea washing the foot of the southern boundary wall, and the town of Annamaboo, taking THE GOLD COAST. the form of a crescent, embraces it ; the horns of which come close to the sea, one to the east, and the other to the west, of the fort; a ledge of rocks lying immediately in front of it, and a few yards from the shore, forms a good break-water, which enables the natives to launch their canoes, and also to land merchandise from them with tolerable safety, except when the sea runs very high. The population of the town may amount to three or four thousand persons, many of whom have become opulent in consequence of their extensive commercial dealings; and among them are a number of men denomi nated gold-takers, who claim a kind of he reditary right to act in such capacities on board all vessels that arrive for the purposes of trade.

This right is founded on the long established custom, of the traders who first visit a vessel becoming the gold-takers for that vessel, whether the number be two, three, or six ; except in the case of the BRITISH FORTS ON captain having before traded at Annamaboo, either as cabin-boy or captain, when the gold-takers of the ship in which he besore sailed become the privileged persons, and claim the distinction and emoluments as gold-takers, on the present, as wellas on all future, voyages he may have occasion to make on the Gold Coast. The duties of their office are to settle all disputes arising in the course of trade between the natives and the captains ; and they are also responsible for the quality ofthe gold received in barter, which is weighed and examined minutely by persons deputed by them, and who constantly reside on board the vessels for that express purpose.

The emoluments arising to them for these services, consist of a quantity of merchandise, of the value of 51., denominated their sea-cloth's, which is given to them immediately on the vessel's arrival ; and when her lading is completed, they are paid one acky of gold for each slave received on board. Their deputies THE GOLD COAST. also receive monthly pay and subsistence whilst officiating. Some of these gold takers are sagacious fellows, and keen ob servers, who soon find out the weak side of a man, and treat him accordingly. They have always a bye name for each European, arising from what they conceive to be a moral vice, or a physical deformity. One man they call cheegwa, or red head; an other, pockum-pockum, or long chin ; a third, amphiteshu, or, don't spit upon deck ; a fourth, cocroco, or big ; and a tall thin man, tsin tsin lan, or long fellow ; a hypo crite, dada ; an avaricious man, acacumma, or, a little more.

One day, a vain, consequential captain was giving himself airs, and abusing one of his gold-takers, a sly old fellow, who hap pened to know by report something of his family connexions in England, one of whom was a plumber. The old man, after look ing at him with the most ineffable contempt, said to him, with great emphasis — " Who BRITISH FORTS ON you ? You father no make lead bar.* You be big man? You no big! You family nobody!" Then, snapping his fingers in his face, coolly marched over the ship's side into his canoe. Some of the officers and ship's company were present, and very much enjoyed the mortification which their ostentatious commander suffered on this occasion, and who was rendered mute by the unexpected and energetic retort of the old man. But the Africans often say in a few words that which is very expressive.

A female slave, who attended a family coming from Jamaica to England in a ship where I was, was asked, one morning, why her master (a very big man) was so much alarmed the preceding night ; for he had run upon deck in his shirt, screaming vio lently, " we shall all be lost! we shall all be lost!" merely because there was more bustle upon deck than usual, in consequence * Lead bars, as articles of trade, are held in the lowest estimation by the traders of Annamaboo. THE GOLD COAST. of taking in sail in a squall which had come suddenly on. Her reply was, " Massa big for noten ;" meaning to say, her master was big for nothing, or, in other words, that Nature had made him large beyond the ordinary stature of man, without en dowing him with courage, or self-command. Mr. Brian Edwards relates, in his History of the West Indies, an anecdote of a boy, who had made a fatiguing journey in order to convey a letter to him, that required an immediate answer.

The boy arrived in the middle of the night; and whilst Mr. Ed wards was engaged writing a reply, he gathered himself into one corner of the room, and fell into a sound sleep. When Mr. Edwards had completed his letter, he called to the boy two or three times, who not answering, his own servant, who was near, came into the room, and shaking vio lently the fatigued and sleeping Quamina, asked him sharply, " You no hear Massa call you?" when the yawning boy answered, FANTEES. peevishly, " Sleep no hab massa," or, sleep has no master. What could possibly be more expressive than the spontaneous an swer of this tired and sleepy child of na ture! and how few sailors are there, but who have felt the full force of the expres sion, and which is ably described by our immortal bard, Shakspeare : — Canst thou upon the high and giddy mast, Seal up the ship-boy's eyes, and rock his brains In cradle of the rude, imperious surge ?

And, in the visitation of the winds, Who take the ruffian billows by the top, Curling their monstrous heads, and hanging them With deafening clamours in the slippery shrouds, That with the hurly, death itself awakes ; Canst thou, O partial sleep ! give thy repose To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude ? And, in the calmest and the stillest night, With all appliances, and means to boot, Deny it to a king ? — The form of the Fantee government is republican. A number of old men called Pinins, at the head of whom is Amooni- FANTEES. 15 cummy, are arbiters in common disputes which occur between the natives of Anna maboo, or between them and Europeans ; but disputes of a more serious nature, such as may affect the liberties, or properties of men of wealth and consequence, are gene rally referred to the lawyers of the Brafoo country, who, like their brethren of the long robe in civilized Europe, generally contrive to strip both plaintiff and defend ant of their property ; and he, whose purse holds out the longest, saves perhaps his liberty, while his less wealthy antagonist and family are often doomed to slavery and exile.

To be rich, and ostentatious in the display of it, is, in Fantee, as certain ruin to the individual practising it, as in the territory of the Grand Seignor : cunning men, therefore, as they become wealthy, affect great moderation and humility ; strengthen themselves by family alliances, and use every stratagem to keep out of pa lavers, and elude the vigilance ofthe Pinins, FANTEES. who are generally on the alert, and watch for prey, as the petty-fogging attornies of commercial towns in Europe do for batteries and assaults. The advantage which a man, possessing sagacity and prudence along with riches, has over one who combines with wealth a vain and ostentatious parade of it, is strongly exemplified in the two following characters. Yellow Joe and Tom Coffee are both natives of Fantee, resident traders at Annamaboo, and long-established gold-takers.

The former, both in colour, person, and features, is more like an Egyptian than a native of the Gold Coast ; except, that his hair is crisp and woolly, like that of his countrymen. He has a most penetrating eye, and much gravity in his demeanor, particularly when he is in the society of Europeans, with whom he is reserved and cautious, seldom smiling, or saying much; although, when he does speak, it is always to the purpose. If a dispute arises between a captain and a FANTEES. native of consequence, he invariably sup ports the cause of the latter, knowing well, that it is from that quarter only he has to apprehend injury : he is cautious, there fore, never to make an enemy who might, out of revenge, involve him in a quarrel, which would bring inevitable ruin on him self and family ; for being reputed rich, the blowing awry of a feather would almost be a sufficient pretext to excite the cupidity of the lawyers belonging to the Fantee Court of Chancery.

He treats with condescension, and much apparent humility, persons of all ranks who visit him, either out of courtesy, or for advice ; and whatever his house affords, his guests are treated with. His dress is simple, and of little value; and he never wears about his person much gold, as is the practice with wealthy natives of the Gold Coast. His chief residence is at An namaboo, where he carries on his commer cial pursuits, and pays and receives visits of ceremony. At Annishan, one mile to the c FANTEES. westward of Annamaboo, and which is called his croom, or village, he has a residence, and where, it is said, he indulges himself in the contemplation of his wealth, unobserved, and occasionally distributes to his sons some portion of it ; for Tacky Mensa, who is his nephew and heir-at-law, would deprive them, at their father's death, of that, which, in England, would be their lawful inheritance.

Tom Coffee, both in colour and features, is a complete African. To a portly person is added much amenity of countenance ; and in his disposition there is something of a hearty generosity : but Tom, unfortunately, was known to be rich, for he took no pains to conceal it, but rather courted observation, by a vain and ostentatious dis play of his wealth. He acquired his pro perty chiefly by trading with Europeans, and was a great favourite both with them and the native traders of remote countries, whose cause he generally espoused in any FANTEES. 19 disputes that occurred between them and his townsmen ; for it was through their instrumentality he had become rich, and this was the way in which he showed his gratitude. His house was more splendidly furnished than those of any of his neighbours, having many articles of European luxury in it ; and the number of his domestic slaves and retainers was princely.

Himself and wives dressed in very costly apparel ; and he often wore about his person many pounds weight of pure rock gold: this was the fatal talisman. "If," said the Pinins, " Coffee can afford to wear so much gold, his strong box must be full." He was too rich a prize to escape their fangs, and too incautious a man not to be entrapped into a palaver, which soon plunged him into the bottom less pit, or Court of Chancery in the Brafoo country. The Chancery, unfortunately for Tom, was at this time without a suit, and the lawyers without a brief; he, therefore, was soon stripped of his wealth ; and the c FANTEES. last time I saw him, he was living at Cape Coast, in great poverty and obscurity, happy in having escaped with his liberty, while his more cautious contemporary and townsman was enjoying at Annamaboo, unmolested, that property which was the fruit of his industry, and which his superior sagacity and prudence had been the means of preserving.

The Pinins of Annamaboo are well pleased when they can involve in a palaver an European ; for they expect a rich har vest, and prompt payment. This experiment they tried upon us, though, fortunately, without effect. Being anxious not to be entirely dependent on the natives for a supply of fish, some nets were purchased for the use of the vessel, and which were set every evening, and examined every morning, to receive their produce. Taking or disturbing the net of a fisher, is con sidered a heinous offence by the Fantees, and, when detected, is punished by a heavy FANTEES. fine being imposed on the offending individual. A number of nets had been stolen, and as ours were purchased at Cape Coast unknown to the natives of Annamaboo, we were supposed to be the guilty persons. Accordingly, a few days after we had com menced using them, we were surprised by a visit from the Pinins, or elders, who came on board in full costume, to demand repa ration for their injured countryman.

In dependently of the advanced age of these gentlemen, they have in their dress some distinguishing marks, and, like Quakers, always wear their hats wherever they may be, and which have forms peculiar to their calling, by which they are as readily known in the villages where they reside, as coun sellors are by their wigs in Courts of As size. These hats are made of straw, have broad brims, perfectly circular, and shallow crowns, with tufts of dried grass in the centres, and which are probably used to cover pericraniums as naturally acute and FANTEES. sagacious as those immense, powdered, hairy, three-bobbed wigs are, that seem to give importance, and apparent wisdom to the logical nobs of English barristers. The Pinins, with much gravity in their countenances, took their seats in the cabin, and, being supplied with half a pint each of neat brandy, swallowed it, glass after glass, in quick time, and gave increased zest to this their favourite beverage, by making their mouths receptacles for it, instead of their stomachs, where the brandy remained until more was ready to replace it, when it was allowed to pass into its natural depo sitary.

Having performed all due homage to their favourite god, Bacchus, Obeky, the senior of the eight, opened the case, and addressed me as follows : — " You be old man for dis obuntry ; you all same Am moonicummy son ; you all same Fantee man ; you do bad nobody ; you owe one leaf tabac, you pay ; all poor canoe man like sell you fowl, duck, yam, fish too. You FANTEES. 23 no want fish now ; you catch 'em all same black man : you hab black man net too. Agar man, name Quacoo, lose net ; some man tees him ; we no say you tees him ; you hab for ship, Brinny onto (white man bad), no know we custom. Suppose he be tees for Aberrikirry (England), he no be tees for dis water: suppose black man tees, he catch palaver ; Brinny tees catch palaver too." In this strain of Fantee eloquence, Obeky continued his harangue during a period of fifteen or twenty minutes.