some that told me that there was such a sort of Trees but that they never furnish'd such prodigious quantity of Water which was spoke of Tuesday the 5th we continued our Course to the South being in 27 Degrees 40 Minutes Northern Latitude and in 360 Degrees Eastern Longitude About Six a Clock in the Evening being full South off the Grand Canary we kept East North East for about 7 Leagues Wednesday the 6th it blew so strong an Easterly Wind that the Tackling of the Top-Sail and the Main-Yard broke in pieces and the Main-Mast buckled so much that it was in danger of breaking This Wind ceas'd in a quarter of an hour afterwards and the Vessel began to be Steady and Trim. Thursday the 7th at Noon being in 20 Degrees Northern Latitude and in 28 Minutes Easter Longitude we cut the Tropick of Cancer It was not forgot in this place to keep up the Ceremony that is us'd by all Sailors they call it the Baptism 't is put in practice upon all those who never yet pass'd the Tropick See here the whole Description of it They set a great Tub of Water at the foot of the Main-Mast with a Stick laid a-cross it Then those that have been Initiated in former Voyages having Grimâ—c'd their Faces with Smut walk in Procession a-round the Deck one carrying a drawn Cut-lash another a Frying-Pan and the rest several of the Kitchen Utensils The Pilot to distinguish himself turns his Coat and Displays some tatter'd Rag instead of a pair of Colours The Procession being finish'd which is always perform'd in great State with Trumpets Sounding and Drums Beating they proceed to Baptizing of the Ship flinging several Peals of Water about the Deck till the Captain gives the Ship 's Crew some Drink-Money They go then first to the most considerable of the Ship whom they make to sit one after the other upon the Stick I already mention'd The Mob gets about him presenting a Bason to receive his Baptismal Offering holding the Cymeter a cross his Neck Then the Pilot brings his Book of Charts and makes the Patient put his Hand upon the Tropick Line and Swear to observe this Ceremony in like manner at any time for the future to those that were fresh Travellers At length they mark him with a black â—â—â—â—â—s upon the Forehead and fling a little Water upon his Head which follow'd by a Present flung into the Bason they dismiss him tho' if it be a Person of Common Rank they draw the Stick from under him Sousing him into the Tub flinging Buckets of Water upon him and thumping him at a good Rate with the Stick he sat upon There is a necessity of undergoing this Ceremony nor is an Admiral himself exempted though they use him in a more Civil manner than ordinary Friday the 8th we drew near the Coast of Barbary being at Mid-day in 21 Degrees 47 Minutes Northern Latitude the Wind blowing a fresh Gale at North North East we were satisfied that it was impossible to reach Cape-Blanc within Day-light being 4 Leagues off from Land having 28 Fathom Water with a Sandy bottom we kept our bent East South East and on Saturday the 9th about Eight a Clock in the Morning we found our selves but a League from shore We Coasted along to Cape-Blanc and Anchor'd there in 14 fathom Water to the North-West being about a League from the Point of the Cape which is according to our Account in 20 Degrees 30 Minutes Northern Latitude and 359 Degrees 10 Minutes Western Longitude When the Portuguese discover'd this Cape about the Year 1454. they gave it the Name of Cape-Blanc by reason of its barren white Sand insomuch that nothing of Green appears in view It lies almost as flat as the Sea on which Account 't is call'd the Sea of Sand. From Cape-Cantin to this place which is 300 Leagues nothing is to be seen but a Flat of Sand by the Ancients call'd The Desart of Lybia and by the Arabians Zaara It 's not Inhabited save only with Wild Beasts such as Lions Tygers Ounces Leopards and other like sort of Creatures These Desarts are bounded on the North by Mount Atlas and to the South by the Country of the Negers they are of that extent from East to West that they can't be cross'd on Horseback under the space of 50 days Over these Sands the Caravans pass from Fez to Tombut Melly Borneo and other Kingdoms of the Negers When any Storm arises in these Desarts the Sands overwhelm both the Passengers and their Camels often smothering them to Death at other times filling up the standing Pits of Water so that they perish by Thirst The Caravans for want of any beaten Track are oblig'd to make use of the Compass as tho' they were at Sea At the Point of Cape-Blanc there is form'd a certain Gulf which takes its Name from the Island which it makes and is call'd Arguin This Gulf shoots up more than 15 Leagues within Land by which the prospect of it is lost having once pass'd the Point The Portuguese had formerly a Fort in this Island where they Establish'd a Commerce with the Azoaghes Arabs or Moors who Traffick'd with them for Gold Gum-Arabick Ostridges Plumes which are there in great Plenty by reason of the abundance of those Birds 'T is said-of this Animal that they are so far destitute of Memory that they forget where they lay their Eggs and that they brood over the first they chance to meet withal I much doubted the Truth of the Report that one of these Eggs were sufficient to satisfie the Appetite of eight Men of good Stomach To the rest they bring these Merchandises from Hoden which is four days Journey into the Main Land and is the place where the Caravans arrive from Tombut Gualata and other Inland places of Lybia and the Country of the Negers These People are Disciples of the Precepts of Mahomet they never continue long settled in a place but wander in the Desarts from one part to another according as they meet with Pasturage for their Horses Camels Cattel Sheep and Goats by whose Milk they are nourished They are divided into Tribes or Lineages they own no King or Superior by any legal Right though he that has the greatest Stock is voluntarily obey'd as their Captain or Conductor Their Traffick with the Negers consists in Horses and Camels they receive for a Horse 6 8 or 10 Slaves but for a Camel only one or two may be sometimes three The Fort of Arguin was taken by the Hollanders from the Portuguese and taken from them again during the War in 1672. by Monsieur Ducas a Captain of the Royal Affrican Company He had but 120 Men in this Expedition of which he lost but three The Supine Negligence of the Dutch Governor contributed much to this easie Conquest for there had been nothing more practicable than to have prevented it Our Artillery consisted but of 6 small Pieces the largest being only an 8
Sing their Praises They make their Acknowledgments at so great a rate that I have seen them strip themselves to reward these false and fulsom Flatteries When these Varlets miss of their expected Fees they fall a railing and publish in the Villages as many base things as they can rip together against them contradicting whatever they had said good of them which is look'd upon to be the grandest Affront imaginable 'T is esteem'd a very great Honour when the King's Guiriot Sings any ones Praises and he never fails of a good Reward they sometimes giving 2 or 3 Bullocks and often the best part of their Goods These Guiriots do not omit the Singing the same stuff to us crying That we are Great and Rich Lords of the Sea but they scarce find it worth their while amongst us since we are not such senseless Boobies as the Negers The Habits of the Blacks are very plain The poor People have nothing but a piece of Linnen or Cotton of about half a Foot breadth to cover their Nakedness 't is fasten'd to a Cord which serves them for a Girdle and they let the Cloth hang down before and behind them which they look upon as a great Ornament The Gentlemen and Men of Quality are something better Equip'd They have a Cotton Frock made in the shape of a Franciscan's Gown with long and large Sleeves they are not Plaited at the Neck for they only have a slit to put through their Heads like a European Smock they have them of all Colours some have blue yellow brown c. Since these Jackets reach but half way down their Thighs they have Breeches of the same Stuff that reach from the Girdle place below the Knees These Trowseâ—s are so large that they take up five Ells of Cloth they resemble Womens Petticoats-Sew'd together at the bottom leaving only 2 places to put the Legs through the largest are the most fashionable They wear upon their Heads a sort of Bonnets streight at the entrance but large at the bottom something like the Hood of the Jacâ—bins The Common People go with their Feet Naked but the People of Quality have Sandals made of a piece of Leather cut into the Shape of a Shooe Sole fasten'd at the top of the Foot with Thongs alter the manner of the Sandals of the Ancients Their Hair tho' short yet is tress'd up very prettily and adorn'd with Gris-gris Silver Leather Coral Copper c. They wear at their Ears Rings of Tin Silver and Copper Those that are Born of a Race of Slaves are not allow'd to wear their Hair The Maids and the Women go Naked from the Girdle upwards unless the Cold obliges them to fling over some Covering the other part of their Body they Cloath with a Paign which is a piece of Linnen or Cotton strip'd after their fashion about the bigness of a Towel which reaches to the half Leg. Their Hair is also deck'd with Coral and other little Baubles their Head-Dress makes a Crest upon the Head half a Foot high the higher they esteem the handsomer The Girls and the Boys go Naked till Eleven or Twelve Years old Men and Women adorn their Legs and Arms with Coral Bracelets of Silver Gold Tin and Copper according as they abound in Wealth Cotton with which these People Cloath themselves would be produc'd amongst them in abundance would they bestow labour to Cultivate it but they content themselves with what they have a Necessity and very often want even that The Women Spin the Cotton and the Men make the Cloth nor has their Pieces above five Fingers in breadth for want of necessary Employments for the making broader otherways they would make as good Weavers as in France They are forc'd to join ten or twelve Pieces together to make a small breadth Mill is the ordinary sustenance of the Western Negers the Women that prepare it make thereof Sanglet or Couscouse which are their terms that signify two manner of Victuals They begin at break of day to make their Sanglet for it requires full six hours for the preparing it Two or three go about this Work then taking all the Mill they are to make use of at this time they Pound it in deep Mortars made of Wood having not the practice of any Mills When the Mill has lost its Husk they winnow it with Fans made of Leaves of Palms to cleanse it afterwards they Boil it in Milk or with Butter or Meat Broth or with dry'd Fish or with Water The Couscouse which is their best Victuals is also Mill well beaten and clean Sifted When 't is well cleansed a little of it is put in a Bowl and sprinkled a little Water upon the Meal After 't is well turn'd by Hand some more Water is put in and then 't is to be well Moulded again then 't is to be made up in little Balls They are then to be dry'd when they are well dry'd they are set in a Pot full of holes upon another Pot where Meat has been Boil'd season'd with Selpiment and Palm-Oyl when any is to be had This Ragou is well enough when 't is rightly prepar'd and the Sand well Dress'd out which is seldom done When they go to War they take along with them a little Bag a Foot long and the thickness of a Man's Arm full of Couscouse ready Boil'd Since the Women have this Handy-work for their daily Employ they are not a little busied Should the Women of France take such constant pains for their Husbands I fear the Men would lead but sorry Lives For their Beeverage they have Palm-Wine and Water out of some stinking Ditch or from a worse place they make use of Milk when they can get it As Ambition is a Passion unknown to these People they give themselves no trouble of Building Towns Castles or Houses of Pleasure but however they have neither Industry nor Materials They Inhabit only in Villages in Houses as I have already describ'd There are several made according to their Quality or Sufficiency those that are nearest the Palm-Trees are the handsomest though they be also without either Doors or Windows The House of a great Lord will be compos'd of perhaps 30 Pavillions which they call Combettes sometimes of 40 or 50. A Poor Man will have but two or three and the King above a Hundred but cover'd with Straw as the others Those of Persons of Quality are encompass'd with Pallisades of either Straw or Thorns propt up with Stakes These Combettes communicate one to the other by ways laid out in the form of Labyrinths within the Precincts of the House are very sine Trees according to the Capacity of the Owner though they be scatter'd and without any regularity as the place has by Nature produc'd them The Building of the Palace of King Damel surpasses all the rest in Magnificence Before you come to the Gate of the Pallisades which makes the first Enclosure there is a spacious open Field where
them but little trouble for they leave them naked upon the Sand where they crawl about the whole day Those which cannot walk themselves they carry upon their backs with their legs to their sides bringing their feet before them and tying them off with a Cloath which they fix about them Whatever work they do they keep those Bantlings at their backs even when they beat their Millet from whence comes that their Bellies are always large and their Noses flat for their Mothers in slooping and rising again by jerks bruise their Noses against their Backs and so these Children for avoiding the blows which however they still meet withal draw themselves back and set out their Bellies which makes them large I believe this to be the sole Reason that the Negers are flat Nos'd and big Bellied I do not find it true that they have the greatest esteem for Noses that are the most flat or for Lips that are the largest They have the same consideration for the matter of Beauty as we have they love a fine Eye a little Mouth handsom Lips and a Nose proportionable excepting their black colour There are Negresses as well made as any of our European Ladies they have a better Genius than the Men and are extreamly smooth The Caresses of White Men please them wonderfully but in the mean while these Dames being very Mercenary they will not grant their favours for nothing The Men take it for an Honour to have the Frenchmen Lye with their Wives Sisters or Daughters they very frequently making the first offers It is not the same amongst themselves for should this at any time happen they would certainly Revenge the Fact with either their Sabre or their Knife however their Gallantry is not limited to their Concubines whose falseness they will not suffer willingly The Women have always Pipes in their Mouths they are very brisk and Galliard and love Dancing in the Evenings especially when the Moon changes They Dance in a Ring clapping their Hands and not budging from their place except those in the middle Singing what next comes in their thoughts without having any regard either to Rhyme or Sense Their latter in Dancing hold one Hand upon their Heads the other upon their Back sides thrusting out their Bodies forwards beating their Feet against the Earth Their Postures are very Lascivious and Infamous especially when a Boy Dances with them a Calbasse or a Kettle serves for Musick for they are great Lovers of noise The Men Exercise themselves in Wreffling and approach each other in very ridiculous Postures holding up their Finger Fist or Foot On these occasions they always have one that plays the part of a Guiriot rattling upon the bottom of a Kettle or upon a Drum to excite their Courage as they are Naked they have much ado to fling each other upon the Ground When one is down the Guiriot Sings and extols the Valour of the Conqueror and exhorts the rest to play their Parts against the Champion better than he that engag'd last They give each other very rude Jolts and fall very heavy Most of those that live near the Rivers are Fishermen and breed their Children to that Trade whilst they are very young They make use of Canoes which are small Boats made of the Trunk of a Tree hollow'd for that purpose all of a piece the largest of which may contain 10 or 12 Men being 30 Foot in length and not above two and a half broad These Canoes go with both Oars and Sails and they often over-set when the Wind is high and the Water rough tho' they do not much matter it being all excellent Swimmers and never sink to the bottom They turn it right again with their shoulders and get in as unconcerned as if nothing had befel them and so Row away as swift as an Arrow from a Bow the nimblest of our Shalops not being able to reach them When they go a Fishing generally two of them go into the Canoe and take a compass near 6 Leagues into the Sea Their Fishing is for the most part by Angling but as there are great Fish which will not bite at the Hook they strike them with Harping Irons something like broad Arrows which are fix'd to sharp Sticks of the length of a Half-Pike and fasten'd to â—â—â—e with which they draw back the Cramping-Iron after they have Darted it They dry their small Fish such as Sprats and slit the large ones such as Green-Fish since they do not Salt them they are almost ever putrified before they are dry 'T is then when they approve of them as the most Dainty not at all esteeming them whilst they continue fresh and sweet They sell these Fish to them who live farthest off the Sea and would thence make a prodigious profit would they give themselves the trouble to carry it to the Villages for the Inhabitants are as much too Lazy to come and fetch them as the other are for carrying them thither and by their unaccountable Idleness it becomes at length spoilâ—d and good for nothing Besides the Commerce they have with us they keep particular Markets amongst themselves but of so little consequence that I have been amaz'd to see them come 6 or 7 Leagues to bring thither a small parcel of Cotton a little Linnen some sorry Pulse as Beans and Fitches little Wooden Dishes and Palm Mats Another time I saw a Man that had come 6 Leagues to bring a Bar of Iron of half a Foot in length Notwithstanding sometimes very precious Merchandises may be here met withal for example Rings of Gold Beads for Necklaces call'd by them Dougaret of the same Metal but these are so few that in the whole Market there is not to the value of five Pistoles Formerly they us'd to make Exchanges in all their Markets but since their Commerce with the Europeans they make use of Rassade and small Bawbels of Glass and little Bars of Iron What they bring of greatest consequence to these Markets which are held at the ends of Villages are Elephants Teeth Bullocks Hides and some Slaves all which they brought to fell at Goree for which the Members of the Company give Iron Strong Waters Rassade Indian Linnen and Coral by which they reap an unaccountable Advantage Their Government is Monarchical and Hereditary though they are not the King's Children which succeed but his Nephews the Sons of his Sisters This Custom which however fantastical it seems has this for its Ground and Foundation That it is not certain whether the Children brought him forth be really his own but it is incontestable that the Sons of his Sister are hers and consequently more certainly of Royal Blood than his own When the Prince makes his Accession to the Sovereignty every body comes to Congratulate the Felicity he has obtain'd above the rest of his Brethren for generally they being many the Empire becomes always Contested and falls to him that has the greatest Force or the best Success None
can approach the King without a great deal of trouble and circumspection and very few are admitted the Priviledge to see the innermost Recesses of his Palace When a great Lord even though he be one of his Relations has procur'd an Audience he puts off his Frock at the entrance of the Court being quite Naked from the Girdle upwards When he draws near the place where the King is he falls upon the Ground on both Knees Then he bows down his Head and with both Hands he often besprinkles Sand upon his Head and Face afterwards rising up repeating the same Ceremony still as he advances from one distance to another till he has reach'd within two Paces of the King When he is arriv'd so near as that he keeps his Ground and discloses the Motives which he had to demand an Audience having finish'd his Compliment which is made kneeling he arises without daring to cast the glance upon the King resting his Hands upon his Knees and from time to time flings Sand upon his Forehead The Prince very slighting of his Subjects seems not to regard what was said to him diverting himself some other ways however he does not omit at the end of the Harangue to answer his Demand with an extream affected Gravity and afterwards the Supplicant intermingles himself with the rest of the Courtiers that are paying their Attendance I believe there are no Princes in the whole Universe more Rever'd and more Absolute than these Neger Kings which Deference is an effect of their severity for upon the least transgression of any of their Subjects at which the King is displeas'd an Order is immediately issued out for taking off their Heads all their Goods are Consiscated and all their Family made Slaves The ordinary People are less miserable than the Grandees being only Subject to Captivity on the like occasions The Azeaghes the Maraboux and the French have a much greater freedom than the Negers and we the greatest of any When the Europeans accost him they make their Reverence and he reaches out his Hand to be put upon theirs When this is done he either sits or lies according to the Custom of the Negers upon a Bed deck'd with a Quilt cover'd with red Leather having a Pipe in his Mouth He then makes them sit down by him and asks what they have brought along with them Whereas we never have any of these Audience but when we are to interceed for some favour or to make Complaints of his Officers and of Insults made upon some White Men we never come empty handed our Presents consist for the most part in 10 or 12 Pots of strong-Strong-Water a little parcel of Sugar some Birds Heads 5 or 6 Ells of Linnen and some pieces of Coral When an Envoy has any thing about him which pleases the King as a Coat Stockins Shooes Sword or Hat he requires to make Tryal of them I and â—ys them on one after another This he did soon after we arriv'd to an Envoy of Monsieur Dancourt and took from him a Brocade Wastcoat his Stockins Hat and Shooes so that he had return'd to us stripp'd Naked had not he by good Chance taken another Suit with him of a lesser value than the other As long as the Brandy Bottle lasts the Prince is Drunk thus you must expect no Answer till it be all off When he grows Sober he gives his Audience of Congee presenting him with two or three Slaves which he sends to have taken up in the first Villages Unhappy are they who at that time fall into the hands of his Guards for they stay to make no Choice the first at hand serves the present turn Whatever care is taken for carrying Provisions when you become a Sollicitor to this Court yet whilst you are there you are ready to Dye with Hunger since the King requires your Stock and for his share does always eat the best half He gives you in Recompence a quarter of a Camel which is very course Food a little Couscouse and some Palm-Wine During my stay in this Country a very pleasant passege happen'd which will sufficiently discover what powerful effects Presents have upon these Princes and what small regard they have either to Justice or Equity Two Petty Tributary Kings to Damel had a Contest about the Succession to a sorry sort of Sovereignty they were Unkle and Nephew that is Son of the Deceased King and they maintain'd their Pretensions by divers Arguments too long and too frivolous to be here inserted They propos'd to terminate their difference either by Force or by the King 's final Judgment This Prince having interdicted all other means they were oblig'd to refer themselves to his Decision The day being appointed in which Judgment was to be given the two different Parties assembled themselves in the great space before the Palace accompanied with very numerous Attendance who form'd two Battalions distant from each other about 30 Paces they were all Arm'd with Darts Arrows Zagayes Javelins and Moresque Knives The King follow'd with 600 men Accoutred with their Gris-gris appear'd mounted upon a fine Barbary Horse and so plac'd himself betwixt the two Rivals Though they all spoke the same Language yet they made use of Interpreters who repeated to the King what they had heard The Son of the Deceas'd King finish'd his Harangue in demonstrating That since God had before given those Dominions which were in Dispute to his Father they must of necessity belong to him as his Right and that thus he hop'd from His Majesty the Confirmation of the Title which could not be Disputed without palpable Injustice The King having hearken'd to him very attentively told him with an Air full of Gravity God gave it you and after him I give it you again Such a peremptory Answer soon dispers'd the Unkles Party who fairly retir'd by himself The Guiriots with their Instruments and their Drums Celebrated the Praises of the Victorious saying to him You Merit this Dignity far beyond the other and the King has done you nothing but Justice You are by much the finer Man more Rich more Potent and more Valiant c. Whilst this wretched Prince Dream'd of nothing but enjoying his Happiness he was wholly surpriz'd the day following to see himself stripp'd of this Authority with which he was but newly Invested for his Unkle not missing the opportunity made the King so acceptable a Present that it defac'd the remembrance of those he had before receiv'd from the Nephew so that he in the Morning dispossess'd him that he had Enthron'd in the Evening and Install'd the other in his place This Reverse of Fortune soon chang'd the Notes of the Guiriots and they began to Extol him they had before Decry'd Such is the Perfidy of the Prince and the Instability of his Subjects To return to what concerns the King more particularly I shall tell you That when he takes the Field he has no occasion for Vivandiers for he is provided for