St. George de ELMINA.
During our Stay in the Road, an Officer or two of us took an Interval to wait on Mr. Butler, the Director-General for the Dutch at St. George de Elmina, three Leagues to Windward; he received us so much the more kindly, that in eighteen years which he had resided on the Coast, he had seldom been visited by his Countrymen, and of late, not at all, which he imputed to the Misunderstandings that were frequently happening between him and his Neighbour, Mr. Phips, on account of Trade; they could not pay him this Compliment without offending the other. His Table had ten Dishes of Victuals, an extraordinary Shew in a part of such Scarcity, with variety of Beer and Wine, and an attendance of six Negro Servants, each a gold Chain about his Neck, the largeness distinguishing Grandeur, as fine Cloth or Lace does a Livery.
After Dinner, Mr. Butler gave us four gold Rings a-piece, (the Make of the Country) a Trifle, he said, to remember him, and then shewed us their Apartments and Store-houses, large, and well stocked.
The Castle, taken from the Portuguese in 1638, is a Quadrangle, like that of Cape Corso, but has a double Ditch round, cut out of a Rock, which like Basins hold the Rain-water, and give additional Strength; a populous Negro Town at the foot of it, under their Protection.
From hence, we retired for the Afternoon to a Summer-house in his Garden, and in the Evening his Officers attended us to the Boat, where we were still followed with Marks of undeserved Respect, three or four Rooves of Brasil Sugar, (then a Commodity) and at putting off, a Salute of nine Guns. The worst part of our Fare came afterwards, when we could not commend this Hospitality and Generosity of Mr. Butler, without indirect Reflections upon our own Castle.
On the 1st of May 1722, we left Cape Corso, (for my own part, I hope till Doom’s-Day) and on the third, came down to Whydah. Here we took a Sailor out of a Portuguese Ship, that had been a Confederate in seizing Captain Rowry’s Vessel, as mentioned before at St. Thomas’s; he, on the Reflection of his Crime, and a Fear of worse Evil, cut his Throat, and died. About this time I was appointed Purser to the Weymouth, (a Bursier, the Officer in Colleges, that takes care of their Accounts) every body being dead almost, that could do it: and with Reluctancy in me, because not skill’d in the Employ, and neither Cooper, Steward, or Necessaries on board; but the Indulgence I expected on these accounts from a worthy Commander, and some little Advantage in quitting the Surgeon’s Employ, were Persuasives.
From Whydah, both Men-of-War steered away for Cape Lopez, to wood and water, in order for the West-Indies.