The English acquisitions in Guinea & East-India containing first, the several forts and castles of the Royal African Company, from Sally in South Barbary, to the Cape of Good Hope in Africa ... secondly, the forts and factories of the Honourable East-India Company in Persia, India, Sumatra, China, &c. ... : with an account of the inhabitants of all these countries ... : also the birds, beasts, serpents and monsters and other strange creatures found there ... : likewise, a description of the Isle of St. Helena, where the English usually refresh in their Indian voyages by R.B.

IV. Dickeys Cove.

THis Fort hath Ten Guns, very good Saker, and Minion. It lies on the Southern Part of Guinea, and hath four Palankers strongly built of Lime and Stone: VVith a Garrison of Thirty white men, besides Blacks and Mulattoes. There is a Place called Cape Miserado by the Portugals, either because it is incompassed with Rocks that lye un∣der water, and would inevitably destroy any Ves∣sel which should come nearer than half a League, or because the French who were formerly Massacred here, cryed out Misericorde, Misericorde, Mercy, Mercy; Besides the Natives of this place being very cruel, they have denominated the River, and cal∣led it Duro, as being hard and fatal to the Europe∣ans. The Government of this Countrey is absolute and unlimited Monarchy; so that the King is the only and sole Judge in all Causes; and though he admit his Councellors sometimes to give their Opi∣nions, yet he follows his own single resolved deter∣minations; This absolute Power makes him jea∣lous of his Honour, of which he will not endure the least diminution; His Highest Pomp consists in sitting upon a Shield, whereby he signifies that he is the Protection and Defence of his Countrey, and the Manager of all VVars, pacifying Civil In∣surrections, and other weighty matters belonging to him alone; His Title is Dondagh, which is as much as Monarch. VVhen any Nobleman is Disobe∣dient, and will not appear upon Summons, he sends this Koredo or Shield, as if he would upbraid∣ingly say, Be thou Lord your self, and bear the bur∣den of the Countrey. This peremptory command by the Shield is sent by two Drummers, who when they come near the Offenders Habitation, begin to beat their Drums, and so continue without ceasing till they have delivered the Shield, upon receipt

whereof, he must speed to Court without delay, carrying the Shield with him, which he presents to the King, begging forgiveness for his miscarria∣ges, and so taking up the Earth before the King, humbles himself.

Those that Address to the King for any favour, make their way with Presents of Ribbons, Elephants Teeth, or such things, which he must deliver at the House of the Kings chiefest Wife, who carries it to the King, requesting that the Person may be admitted into his presence; If the King accept it, the Person hath leave to enter, otherwise if any complaints be brought against him, he sends it back, yet so as the Presenter dares not receive and carry it away, but continues his Suit by Friends without intermission; by whose frequent and re∣newed Mediations, the King at last seeming a lit∣tle pacified, remits his severity, takes the Present, and calls for the Suppliant, who entring the Royal Presence, goes bowing all along toward the King, who sits on the ground upon a Mat, leaning on a Stool, when he approaches within two steps, he bows himself to the Earth, kneeling upon one Knee with his right Elbow on the ground, and names the Kings Title, Dondagh, whereupon the King if pleased Answers, Namady, I thank you, if not he sits silent. If it be a Person of Quality and his Sub∣ject, the King perhaps causes a Mat to be spread on the ground, upon which sitting at some distance, he moves his request; But if a Forreigner, who comes only to salute the King, he is conducted to him without any further Ceremony, and receives an immediate dispatch; If the Person have any Proposition, Petition, or Complaint to make, an Interpreter is called, who coming with his Bow in his hand, opens the whole matter to the King, sentence by sentence, whereto according to the quality of the Affair he receives Answer, with pro∣mise, if upon complaint, that when he hath heard

the other party, he will forthwith give Judgment according to Right.

If any man come to thank the King for doing Exemp•…•…ary Justice in a difficult Cause, after his Presents rec•…•…ived, he divests himself of all his Cloths and Ornaments, saving a little Cloth to cover his Virilities, and so casts himself backward upon the ground, and instantly turning again, rises upon one knee, takes up Earth with his hand, and lays it upon his head, then leaning with one Elbow upon the Earth he says three times Dondagh, where∣upon the King answers sometimes Namady, I thank you, and sometimes otherwise as he thinks fit: The first Address is usually performed in his own House in the presence of •…•…is chiefest VVife; but such as concern Justice, or the State of the Countrey he hears in the Council House in the presence of his Lords. VVhen some Eminent Person sent from a Neighbour King, desires Audience, one of the Kings VVives goes with a Present, and tells him who sent it, whereupon the Person appears before the King and takes up Earth.

VVhen an Ambassador sent from another Great Prince approaches the Borders, he gives notice of his coming; whereupon he is ordered to remain in the next Town till all be made ready which is re∣quisite in the Kings Town, There he is received with great Triumphs, which consist in exercising with Bows, Arrows, Lances and Shields, as if they were fighting against Enemies, with great Drum∣mings and Songs of VVar; The Sport ended, the King retires to the Council-House, where after a little stay, inquiry is made if the King may be salu∣ted; having permission, the Ambassador enters, and kneeling down with his back to the King, and his Bow in his hand bent to the utmost, he allu∣sively implys, that he will set himself to the ut∣most against his Enemies: Mean time the Ambas∣sadors Followers chant forth his praises, as before

the Kings Servants sung Elogiums to his Honour: These Encomiums they always begin with Polo, Polo Sammach, and then add, His handy-work is not to be equalled by another man, and then, I will stick as close as Pitch to him that opposes me. The Council-House is open on all sides, with great Attendance round about, where he receives this first Address; After which the Ambassador desires leave to relate his Embassy, but is put off till next day, so reti∣ring, he diverts himself till the appointed time in Feasts and Recreations. The Ambassador receives Answer by the Kings directions from an Interpre∣ter, and then is shewed the Apartment for him and his Retinue, where the Kings Slaves bring them Water to wash, and the Kings VVomen being neat∣ly dre•…•…t, in Dishes set on their heads bring Rice and Flesh, after which the King sends for his VVel∣come, VVine and other Presents, as a Kettle, Ba∣son, or the like. If any European Merchant bring the King a Present, he is invited to eat with him, but with no Black of what Quality soever will he eat out of the same Dish, but sends their Meat to them by his VVomen.

Once a year he makes a Great Feast for the Com∣mon People, buying up for that purpose all the Palm-VVine, and Herds of Cattel, the Heads of which are painted and hung up in the Kings Cham∣ber, in testimony of his Bounty: He inviteth also his Neighbour Kings, Captains and Gentlemen, and then prays and sacrifices to his Fetisso, which is the highest Tree in the Town. The King comes little abroad; morning and evening, his Slaves blow Trumpets made of Elephants Teeth, while his Wives anoint and wash his Body: He sits in state holding in his hand the Tail of an Horse to drive away Flyes, adorned with Rings of Gold on his Arms, Neck and Legs, and Coral Beads wherewith he se•…•…s off his Beard. The Kings Children must main∣tain themselves when of Age, the People not liking

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to maintain them idle; the King only bestows on them a Marriage-Gift and a Slave; when he dies, his eldest Brother succeeds in the Throne, and en∣joys his Rice, Fields, Slaves and Women. These People believe that the Almighty whom they call Kanuo, will punish all their misdeeds, and reward well-doers, and therefore when oppressed, call for his Aid to do them Justice, continually inculca∣ting, That there shall a time come when all ill men shall receive their deserts. They imagin that their Friends after death become Spirits, whom they call Iannanen, and know all Transactions here below, with whom therefore they hold familiar Collo∣quies, acquainting them with all their troubles and adversities; When they go into the Woods to hunt Elephants, Buffles, or upon any other dange∣rous Enterprize, they go first and offer to the Spirit of their deceased Parents, either a Cow, Wine or Rice, which they leave on the Grave; They sup∣pose them to reside in the Woods, to whom they address themselves with great complaints and la∣mentations when in affliction; where likewise their most Solemn Acts of Devotion are performed, where no Women nor Children are permitted to come; The King calls upon the Souls of his Fa∣ther and Mother in every difficulty.

If a Woman be suspected of Adultery, the com∣plaining Husband desires she may be delivered up to Iannanen, or the Spirits of his Ancestors, and brings her in the Evening before the Council, where cal∣ling the Spirits to her, she is blindfolded, admoni∣shed to forsake her evil Life, and not to go to any but her own Husband, and presently a great noise or murmur is raised, as if Spirits did appear, with some unintelligible (though articulate) sounds, which are interpreted aloud to the whole Congre∣gation, with threatnings, that if ever she commit the like offence again, she shall be punished accor∣ding to her demerits, and with her Paramour, be

carried away by Iannanen, to whom yet none are de∣livered up but upon clear evidence of their Guilt; to which end they have a Water of Cursing or Di∣vination wherewith they extort the Truth in all doubtful matters, compounded of Barks and Herbs boiled together, which when it is enough, the Priest repeats secretly the names of the suspected persons, or other matters to which the Witchcraft must be applied, and then washes the Legs and Arms of those accused with fair Water; after this he puts his Divining Staff, which is bruised and tus∣ted at the end, into the Pot, and drops or presseth the Water out of it upon the Arm or Leg of the suspected Person, muttering these words over it, If he be guilty of this or that, then let this Water sc•…•…ld or burn him till the very Skin come off. If the Party remain unhurt, they judge him innocent, and pro∣ceed to the Trial of another till they have discove∣red the Criminal, who being found, the Executio∣ner instantly leads him bound and blindfold into a Field or Wood, and placing him on his Knees with his Head bowed down, he first runs him through the Body with a Scimetar, and then c•…•…ops off his Head with an Ax, for they do not believe he is dead till his Head is off; The Carcase cut into four quarters, after great lamentations, they leave in the Field as a Prey to the Beasts and Fowls, but the Friends take away the Head as a great Present, and boiling it in a Kettle, drink up the Broth, hanging the Scull by their Fetisso or Idol. The like Trial is made of other offences among the Blacks, so that every one had need be very careful to pre∣vent suspicion.