Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

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Title
Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...
Author
Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.
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London :: Printed by Tho. Johnson for the author ...,
1670.
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"Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A70735.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 13, 2024.

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THE KINGDOM OF FANTYN.

FAntyn, a populous Countrey, borders Westward on Sabou; Northward, * 1.1 on the Dominion of Atty, Aqua, and Fonqua; Eastward, upon Aguana; and Southward, on the Sea.

The chief Town of the In-land is Fantyn, the Regal Seat of the King, * 1.2 being four miles into the Countrey.

The chief Town upon the Shore is Kormantyn, * 1.3 the principal place of Trade for the English, scituate two miles Eastward of Moure, upon a very high Mountain. It shews the fairest and most delightful prospect upon the whole Coast, inhabited by as many people as Moure, and appeareth coming by Sea out of the South, reddish: Near which the English have a Castle for∣tifi'd with four Bulwarks.

In the Year Sixteen hundred sixty and five, on the eighth of February, this Kormantyn was surreptitiously attaqued by the Dutch; the manner thus:

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The Holland Fleet coming to Anchor February the sixth, * 1.4 between the Fort of Cape de Kors and Moure, Westward of Kormantyn, the next day got four or five hundred Canoos with Negro's from the Castle De Myne; with which well Mann'd they departed from the Fleet, intending to Land at Anemabo; but were upon their approach near the Shore saluted by the Negro's of Kormantyn, who lay hid behind the Cliffs and Bushes, with Musquets and great Ordnance, playing from the Fort with such fury and violence, that they were beaten back, and forced to retreat without doing any thing.

The Enterprise was afterwards twice re-attempted, * 1.5 upon the hopes of ha∣ving brought the Negro's to side with them; but neither time brought along with it any better success: however, resolving not to quit the Enterprise, they came to a more close agreement with the Blacks; who, as an assurance to per∣form their Undertaking, deliver'd into their hands several Hostages: the De∣sign they laid to be put in execution with the first opportunity. At last having pitched upon a time, at night came a Negro call'd Antonio, with a Canoo, sent by the Fantyns, declaring, that the People about Anemabo and Adja could not be ready at the appointed hour, but in the morning they would not fail them with their promised help and assistance; adding moreover, that early in the morn∣ing, at the new cast-up Fort of Adja, the Princes Flag should be set up; at which sign the Dutch might go with their whole Power, and Land. Affairs thus concluded, the chief Commanders of the Fleet resolved the following morning to re-attempt the Onset; yet beforehand sent a Letter to the English Commander in chief, thereby requiring the surrender of the Fort without any opposition. Accordingly at eight of the Clock in the morning the Princes Flag being rais'd upon the new-erected Fort of Adja, * 1.6 they Lanched through with much hazard near the same new Fort, and thence marched in good or∣der along the Shore with the Negro's, to the number of three thousand, every one with a Linnen Cloth about their Necks, to distinguish them from the Enemies Negro's: they came about noon to Anemabo, and drew forth about Musquet-shot Westward of Kormantyn, * 1.7 to a Hill planted with three Pieces of Ordnance; where they found stout opposition: but at length over-power'd they fled, and then the Hollanders entred the Town and set it on Fire; which by the flame and smoke made the Garrison in the Castle suddenly amazed: * 1.8 for as soon as they saw the Soldiers with Scaling-Ladders, Hand-Granado's, and other Utensils of War under their Walls, they took down the red Flag from the Tower, and immediately, as it were without a stroke, deliver'd it up.

Into this Castle were instantly some Soldiers out of the Garrison of the Castle of Myne and Moure, put to guard and defend it.

To the subduing of this Fort, * 1.9 the Hollanders were not a little animated, by the promise of help and assistance from the Braffo, and his Kabo Seros of Fantyn; which they purchased of them, * 1.10 as we hinted before, for two and fifty Bars of Gold, amounting to about two thousand five hundred pounds English Money.

Half a mile Westward off Kormantyn, * 1.11 and a mile and half Eastward from Mowe, stands Anemabo, divided into two sorts, whereof one half is inhabited by the Fishermen of the Myne, and the other by the Fishermen of Fantyn; both which, for all that they take, pay to the Braffo once a week a small Custom. The Road here is very commodious and safe for Shipping.

At Canon-shot distance Westward of Anemabo, * 1.12 lieth another Town call'd Adja, * 1.13 where the Dutch had a small Fort taken by the English, in the Year Six∣teen

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hundred sixty four, and by them kept till the Attempt upon Kormantyn, * 1.14 where they blew it up with Gunpowder, not without using a subtle Strata∣gem: for they had laid a heap of Earth at the Mnye, whereon when any came with hopes of Plunder, they intended by Springing the Myne to have Blown them up likewise: But little harm was done, however the English in the mean time left the place, and Retreated to Kormantyn.

Between the Town Aja and Anemaby, lieth a Town call'd Janasia, where the English have a Fort.

The chiefest Places of Trade lying near the Sea, * 1.15 and frequented by the Whites, are Kormantyn and Ademabo.

The former having been the chief Place of the English upon this Coast for some years, where they got the best sort of Goods, and enjoy'd most Friend∣ships: For the support whereof, they built that Fort, Planted with two and forty Pieces of Ordnance, and Fortifi'd with four Bulwarks.

The principal Goods Traded for at Kormantyn and Moure, are, * 1.16 Sleisie-Lin∣nens, Copper, Iron, Searges, and old Linnen-Sheets; which bring very advan∣tageous returns: And these places are the more frequented, because of the convenient going in and out to Sea.

The King keeps his Residence in the Town of Fantyn, * 1.17 and extends his Ju∣risdiction about ten or twelve Miles round, being able in time of War, to bring eight or ten thousand men into the Field.

His Revenue consists in Tributes, brought to him by the Inhabitants, * 1.18 and in Customes of all Goods, which the Akarists come to buy there, especially of Salt.

The Government is mixt, and made up of many Inferior Braffo's, * 1.19 yet all submit to one Supream, the King of Fantyn, in which respect 'tis an absolute Monarchy.

Notes

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