By Guinea here, I mean all Negro-land, from about the River Senega Northward, to within a few Degrees of Cape Bon Esperance; because Ships bound to any part of this Extent, are said to be bound to Guinea; and because the People, without these Lines, alter to a dark Colour seen in the Moors at this, and the Hottentots at the other Extremity. The Name (Gordon says) imports hot and dry, and its Gold gives Name to our Coin.
The black Colour, and woolly Tegument of these Guineans; is what first obtrudes it self on our Observation, and distinguishes them from the rest of Mankind, who no where else, in the warmest Latitudes, are seen thus totally changed; nor removing, will they ever alter, without mixing in Generation. I have taken notice in my Navy-Surgeon, how difficultly the Colour is accounted for; and tho’ it be a little Heterodox, I am persuaded the black and white Race have, ab origine, sprung from different-coloured first Parents.
When we parted with the Weymouth off Cape de Verd, we steered S. S. W. to avoid the Shoals of Grandee, and in hawling in for the Land again, waited till we came into the Latitude of Sierraleon, some others laying on the N. Side that River. The Soundings in with the Cape are gradual, from 60 Fathoms about 12 Leagues off, to 13; when we get in sight of Cape Sierraleon, known by a single Tree much larger than the rest, and high land on the back of it. We run up on the Starboard side of the River, anchoring in the third Bay from the Cape; where is very commodious watering and wooding; and regular Tides, as in any part of the Channel of England.
Remark 1. The Trade for our African Company here, is carried on from Bense or Brent Island, about 5 Leagues distance from our Anchorage, by Factors, of whom Mr. Plunket is chief. The private Traders are about 30 in number, settled on the Starboard side of the River: loose privateering Blades, that if they cannot trade fairly with the Natives, will rob; but then don’t do it so much in pursuance of that trading Advice, (Amass Riches, my Son,) as to put themselves in a Capacity of living well, and treating their Friends, being always well pleased if they can keep their Stock at Par, and with their Profits purchase from time to time, Strong-beer, Wine, Cyder, and such Necessaries, of Bristol Ships, that more frequently than others put in there; of these, John Leadstine, commonly called old Cracker, is reckoned the most thriving.
They all keep Gromettas (Negro Servants) which they hire from Sherbro River, at two Accys or Bars a Month. The Women keep House, and are obedient to any Prostitutions their Masters command. The Men-servants work in the Boats and Periagoes, which go a trading in turns with Coral, Brass, Pewter Pans, Pots, Arms, English Spirits, &c. and bring back from the Rio Nunes, Slaves, and Teeth; and from Sherbro, Camwood for Dyers; a Sloop or two is the most that is loaded from the latter Place in a Year, and that with difficulty; being obliged to go far up the River, narrow and beset with Mangroves, which makes it sickly.
The Ivory here is of the Elephant or Sea-Horse, great and small; the former, sold at about 40 Accys per Quintal in Exchange; the other at half Price.
The Slaves when brought here, have Chains put on, three or four linked together, under the Care of their Gromettas, till Opportunity of Sale; and then go at about 15 Pounds a good Slave, allowing the Buyer 40 or 50 per Ct. Advance on his Goods.
As these Slaves are placed under Lodges near the Owner’s House, for Air, Cleanliness, and Customers better viewing them, I had every day the Curiosity of observing their Behaviour, which with most of them was very dejected. Once, on looking over some of old Cracker’s Slaves, I could not help taking notice of one Fellow among the rest, of a tall, strong Make, and bold, stern aspect. As he imagined we were viewing them with a design to buy, he seemed to disdain his Fellow-Slaves for their Readiness to be examined, and as it were scorned looking at us, refusing to rise or stretch out his Limbs, as the Master commanded; which got him an unmerciful Whipping from Cracker’s own Hand, with a cutting Manatea Strap, and had certainly killed him but for the loss he himself must sustain by it; all which the Negro bore with Magnanimity, shrinking very little, and shedding a Tear or two, which he endeavoured to hide as tho’ ashamed of. All the Company grew curious at his Courage, and wanted to know of Cracker, how he came by him; who told us, that this same Fellow, called Captain Tomba, was a Leader of some Country Villages that opposed them, and their Trade, at the River Nunes; killing our Friends there, and firing their Cottages. The Sufferers this way, by the Help of my Men, (says Cracker) surprized, and bound him in the Night, about a Month ago, he having killed two in his Defence, before they could secure him, and from thence he was brought hither, and made my Property.
Remark 2. Sierraleon River is very broad here, but in ten or twelve Miles rowing upwards, narrow to half the Breadth of the Thames at London, spread on both sides thick with Mangroves; Trees, or slender woody Shrubs, that spring from the low, watry Banks of Rivers, in warm Climates. From the Branches, the Sap descends again and takes a second Root, and so on, a third, fourth, &c. that the Ground is all covered; very difficult, if not impossible for Men to penetrate: This makes them fit Haunts for the Manatea and Crocodile (Sea-Cow and Alligator) which, with the Shirks, very much infest the River. A Story or two of these Creatures, may not be unacceptable.
The Manatea is about eleven or twelve Foot long, and in girt half as much; Teeth only in the back part of her Mouth, which are like the Ox’s, as is also her Muzzle and Head; with this difference, that her Eyes are small in proportion, and Ears you can scarce thrust a Bodkin in; close to her Ears almost, are two broad Finns, sixteen or eighteen Inches long, that feel at the Extremities as tho’ jointed; a broad Tail, Cuticle granulated, and of a colour and touch like Velvet: the true Skin an Inch thick, used by the West-Indians in Thongs for punishing their Slaves; weigh to five or fix hundred Weight; of a firm Flesh, that cuts fat, lean, and white like Veal: Boiled, stewed, or roasted (for I have eaten it all ways) it has no fishy Taste, but is as acceptable a Treat as Venison to Cockneighs.
The Negroes way of taking them, is in a Canoo, which they paddle towards the Manatea with as little noise as possible, (she being extreamly quick of hearing:) when near enough, a Man placed ready in the Boat’s Head, strikes in his Harpoon with a long Pole into her, and lets go. She makes towards the Mangroves immediately, and the Water being shallow, they now and then get sight of the Pole, and so follow, renewing the Strokes till they kill, or weary her, and then drag her ashore.
The Alligator answers in all respects, and doubtless is the Egyptian Crocodile; shaped not unlike the Lizard, but of two hundred Weight perhaps, covered with hard Scales that are impenetrable to Shot, unless very near; long Jaws set with sharp Teeth, two very large, and two small: Finns like Hands: A Tail thick and continuous; will live a long time out of the Water, being sold frequently alive in the West-Indies. They are not shy, but rather bold, and tho’ easily waked, will not make off presently, our Boats falling down with the Stream within a few yards of them, before they stir; laying basking to the Sun, in little muddy Nooks they form in their egress from the Mangroves. When they float upon the Water, they lie very still and like a Log of Timber, till the little Fry underneath come unwarily sporting about them and tempt their greedy Stomachs; they diving very quick upon their Prey.
One of these set upon a Man of Captain Masterton’s, a Sloop that put in here from Sherbro. The Sailor, to avoid walking round a Bay, and being mellow with drinking, would needs cut his way short by wading over a weedy part of it up to his Breast, where the Alligator seized him; and the Fellow having full Courage, ran his Arm down his Throat: Notwithstanding which, the Crocodile loosed, and renewed the Battle two or three times, till a Canoo that saw the Distress, paddled to his Relief, but he was torn unmercifully in his Buttocks, Arms, Shoulders, Thighs, and Sides; and had not the Creature been young, must certainly have been killed. The Man recovered of his Wounds.
Shirks very much infest the Mouth of this River; the most bold and ravenous of the watry Tribe: He never forsakes your Hook, till he is taken, and slights the Proverb,
Occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum.
We have catched three in less than half an hour, each 8 or 10 Foot long, the Livers of them making above ten Gallons of Oil. They have four or five Rows of short, sharp Teeth, one within another, and the Sides of them indented like Saws. Their Swallows 14 and 16 Inches over. In the Maws, we found Beef Bones, and what other Trash had been thrown over-board in the Day; for they are like the Parson’s Barn; they turn on their backs to take in their Prey. Our Seamen dressed and eat the Flesh, tho’ very strong; the fault of all carnivorous Animals.
These Shirks have generally two, three, or more pretty-coloured little Fish, the bigness of Herrings attending them, called Pilots: They go in and out at his Maw, or fasten on his Back, in familiar manner: They are supposed like the Jackall to the Lion, to be instrumental in procuring him Prey, and warning him of Danger in Shoals, for which he receives Food, and Protection from the Shirk.
I shall give an Instance or two within my own knowledge, to shew the Boldness and Rapacity of this Fish.
The Weymouth’s Barge rowing up Gambia River, a Shirk made to them, and notwithstanding the noise of so many Oars, seized one of them in his Mouth, and snapped it in two.
At Whydah, a very dangerous Coast to land at, having two Bars before it, and great Seas; a Canoo was going on shore from a Merchant-Ship with some Goods, and in attempting to land, overset: A Shirk nigh hand, seized upon one of the Men in the Water, and by the Swell of the Sea, they were both cast on shore; notwithstanding which, the Shirk never quitted his hold, but with the next Ascend of the Sea, carried him clear off.
In short, their Voracity refuses nothing; Canvas, Ropeyarns, Bones, Blanketing, &c. I have seen them frequently seize a Corpse, as soon as it was committed to the Sea; tearing and devouring that, and the Hammock that shrouded it, without suffering it once to sink, tho’ a great Weight of Ballast in it.
There are in the Bays of this River, variety of good Fish, that supplies the Scarcity of Flesh; Turtle, Mullet, Skate, [6]Ten-pounders, [7]Old-wives, [8]Cavalloes, [9]Barricudoes, [10]Sucking-Fish, Oysters, [11]Cat-Fish, Bream, and Numb-Fish; the most of which we catch’d in great numbers with our Searn; two or three Hours in a Morning supplying a Belly-full to the whole Ship’s Company.
The Oysters and Numb-Fish have something peculiar; the former growing, or rather sticking in great Bunches of twenty or thirty, upon the Rocks and Mangroves, to which they seemingly grow, very small and ill-tasted.
The latter, which is the Torpedo of the Ancients, is flat as a Skate, so very cold as to numb the Hands or Arms of those who touch him, but goes off again in few Hours; and with a Stick you may toss him about a Day together without any other Harm than losing your time.
Remark 3. The Country about Sierraleon is so thick spread with Wood, that you cannot penetrate a Pole’s length from the Water-side, unless between the Town, and Fountain whence they fetch their Water, without a great deal of difficulty. They have Paths however through these Woods, to their [12]Lollas, and [13]Lugars, which tho’ but a mile or two from the Town, are frequently the Walks of wild Beasts; their Excrement I have found up and down in walking here, white and mixed with Ossicles.
The Shores hereabouts, like those of Sweden, are rocky, and without any Cover of Earth almost; yet produce large Trees, the Roots spreading on the Surface: The chief of these are the Palm, the Coco, and the Cotton-Tree, described p. 198, in the first Volume of the History of the Pyrates.
Other Vegetables for Food are Rice, Yams, [14]Plantanes, [15]Pine-Apples, [16]Limes, Oranges, [17]Papais, Palm-nuts, wild Roots, and Berries.
This is their common Sustenance; the Gift of Providence, without their Care; they might abound, but prefer Ease and Indolence, he being greatest among them, who can afford to eat [18]Rice all the Year round. Kid and Fowl, they have a few, and were all the domestick Animals I saw.
Remark 4. On the Negroes here, their Clothing, Customs and Religion.
The Men are well-limbed, clean Fellows; flattish-nosed, and many with Exomphalos’s; the Effect of bad Midwifry, or straining in their Infancy to walk; for they are never taught, but creep upon a Matt on all Fours, till they have Strength to erect themselves; and notwithstanding this, are seldom distorted. These do not circumcise, but the Slaves brought from the Northward are frequently so; perhaps from bordering on Morocco.
The Women are not nigh so well shaped as the Men: Childing, and their Breasts always pendulous, stretches them to so unseemly a Length and Bigness, that some, like the Ægyptians, I believe, could suckle over their Shoulders. Their being imployed in all Labour, makes them robust; for such as are not Gromettas, work hard in Tillage, make Palm-Oil, or spin Cotton; and when they are free from such work, the idle Husbands put them upon breading and fetishing out their Wool, they being prodigious proud and curious in this sort of Ornament; and keep them every day, for many hours together, at it.
Their Houses are low, little Hutts, not quite so bad as many in Yorkshire, built with wooden Stockades set in the ground, in a round or square form, thatched with Straw; they are swept clean every day; and for Furniture, have a Matt or two to lie down upon; two or three earthen or wooden Dishes, and Stools, with a Spoon, all of their own making. They are idle, principally from want of Arts and domestick Employments: for as I observed, they are so cautious of planting too much, and wasting their Labour, that they are really improvident; smoaking all day in long Reed-Pipes together; unplagued with To-morrow, or the Politicks of Europe.
Whole Towns shift their Habitations, either when they do not like their Neighbours, or have more Conveniency somewhere else; soon clearing Ground enough for what Building and Culture they purpose. Seignior Joseph, a Christian Negro of this Place, has lately with his People left a clean, well-built Town, and removed further up the River. Their Huts are mostly orbicular, forming a spacious square Area in the middle, and in this, the doors paved with Cockle-Shells; two or three Crosses erected, and round about, Lime-trees, Papais, Plantanes, Pine-apples, and a few Bee-hives; the latter made out of pieces of old Trees, three foot long, hollowed and raised on two Poles.
In the middle of the Area was a great Curiosity, a large Tree with 500 hanging Nests at least upon it; this is a small familiar Bird, that builds thus about their Towns, upon the extreme slenderest Twigs, hanging like Fruit, and declares the Wisdom of Instinct, since it’s designed a Security for their Young, against Monkeys, Parrots, Squirrels, &c. Creatures of Prey, whose Weight cannot there be supported.
Anointing their Body and Limbs with Palm-Oil, is a daily Practice with both Sexes; some use [19]Civet, but all cast a strong, disagreeable Smell; this mending it much like as melted Tallow is by a Perfumer’s Shop.
Palaavers are their Courts of Judicature, where the principal or elderly Men amongst them meet in a Ring or under a Lodge, to settle the Differences that arise amongst themselves, or with the Factories; the frequentest are in relation to Trade. Each salutes the other at meeting, by a Bend of the Elbow, and raising his Hand to his Face. When they have heard what each Party has to say, they determine by Vote, who has the Reason of the thing on their side, and so punish, or acquit. For Fornication, the Party (whether Man or Woman) is sold for a Slave. If a white Man lies with another’s Slave, he is bound to redeem her at a current Price. On a Charge of Murder, Adultery, or if there can be any other more heinous Crime among them, the suspected Person must drink of a red Water his Judges prepare; which is called, purging the Criminal: that is, if the suspected be of ill Life, or had Envy to the deceased, so that the Surmizes against him are strong, though they want positive Evidence; they will give him so much of that Liquor as shall kill him; but if inclined to spare him, they politickly give less, or make it weaker, whereby his Innocence appears the better to the Friends and Relations of the deceased.
Panyarring, is a Term for Man-stealing along the whole Coast: Here it’s used also, for stealing any thing else; and by Custom (their Law) every Man has a right to seize of another at any Conveniency, so much as he can prove afterwards, at the Palaaver-Court, to have been defrauded of, by any body in the same place he was cheated.
Dancing is the Diversion of their Evenings: Men and Women make a Ring in an open part of the Town, and one at a time shews his Skill in antick Motions and Gesticulations, yet with a great deal of Agility, the Company making the Musick by clapping their hands together during the time, helped by the louder noise of two or three Drums made of a hollowed piece of Tree, and covered with Kid-Skin. Sometimes they are all round in a Circle laughing, and with uncouth Notes, blame or praise somebody in the Company.
During our stay at this Port, we paid a Visit to Seignior Joseph, about nine miles up the River. The Reason of his leaving the other Town, he told me was, the frequent Palaavers he was engaged in, on account of Differences between his People and the Grimattoes, and the great Expence he was at, in so near a Neighbourhood with the English. He has been in England and Portugal; at the last place he was baptized, and took in that christian Erudition that he endeavours to propagate. He has built a little Oratory for his People’s Devotions; erected a Cross; taught several of his Kindred Letters, dispersing among them little Romish Prayer-Books, and many of them are known by Christian Names. Those of the Country not yet initiated, never have but one. Mousi, or Moses; Yarrat, and Cambar, are very common Names to the Men; Baulee, and Kibullee, to the Women. Others take the Cognomen from their Disposition; Lion, Lamb, Bear, Hog, &c. like our Danish Ancestors. Seignior Joseph, who is very communicative, tells me, to the extent of his knowledge, the People are cleanly, of good Temper, and docible; all wishing some Missionaries would think their Conversion and Wants worth regarding: But the Poverty of their Country will probably keep them a long time from that Benefit. There is no Invitation in a barren Soil, scarce of Provisions and Necessaries, Danger of wild Beasts a mile from Home (especially Wolves;) and about their Houses, Rats, Snakes, Toads, Musquitoes, Centipes, Scorpions, Lizards, and innumerable Swarms of Ants, a white, black, and red sort, that build to 8 or 9 Foot high, dig up the Foundation of their Houses in two or three Years, or turn a Chest of Cloaths to Dust (if not watched) in as many Weeks. This Christian Negro, by the Advantage of Trade, has in some measure removed the Wants of his own Family (his Towns;) they are tolerably stocked with Guinea Hens, Fish, and Venison; while the Country fifty miles off, he says, have little to feed on but Honey, and Manyoco Root. He received us in a Europæan Dress (Gown, Slippers, Cap, &c.) and sent his Canoos out to shew us the Diversion of chasing the Manatea; they brought one ashore in two hours time, and we had stewed, roast, and boiled, with a clean Table-cloth, Knives and Forks, and Variety of Wines and strong Beer, for our Entertainment. The Flesh of this Creature was white, and not fishy; but very tough, and seasoned high (as are all their Dishes) with Ochre, Malaguetta, and Bell-pepper.
His Kinswomen came into the Room after we had dined, and to them other Neighbours, saluting those of their own Colour, one by one, by making a Bend of their right Elbow, so that the Hand comes nigh the Mouth; the other to whom she addresses, is in the same Posture, and mixing their Thumbs and middle Fingers, they snap them gently off, and retreat with a small Quaker-like Obeysance, decently and without Hurry or Laugh. They shewed likewise much good-nature towards one another, in dividing two or three Biskets, and half a Pint of Citron Water (we brought) into twenty Parts, rather than any one should miss a Taste. In conclusion, Seignior Joseph saw us to the Boat, and took leave with the same Complaisance he had treated us.
The Religion here, if it may be called such, is their Veneration to Gregries: Every one keeps in his House, in his Canoo, or about his Person, something that he highly reverences, and that he imagines can, and does defend him from Miscarriage, in the nature our Country-Folks do Charms, but with more Fear: And these things are very various; either a cleaved piece of Wood, a Bundle of peculiar little Sticks or Bones, a Monkey’s Skull, or the like. To these, every Family has now and then a Feast, inviting one another; but of this more, under the Word Fetish.