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Robert Quarme, Esq.
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The Right Hon. Lord Rawdon The Right Hon. Lord Rivers, 2 copies Lieutenant General Rainsford Reverend James Ramsay, 3 copies Mr. S. Remnant, jun. Mr. William Richards, 2 copies Mr. J.C. Robarts Mr. James Roberts Dr. Robinson Mr. Robinson Mr. C. Robinson George Rose, Esq. M.P. Mr. W. Ross Mr. William Rouse Mr. Walter Row
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His Grace the Duke of St. Albans Her Grace the Duchess of St. Albans The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of St. David's The Right Hon. Earl Stanhope, 3 copies The Right Hon. the Earl of Scarbrough William, the Son of Ignatius Sancho Mrs. Mary Ann Sandiford Mr. William Sawyer Mr. Thomas Seddon W. Seward, Esq. Reverend Mr. Thomas Scott Granville Sharp, Esq. 2 copies Captain Sidney Smith, of the Royal Navy Colonel Simcoe Mr. John Simco General Smith John Smith, Esq. Mr. George Smith Mr. William Smith Reverend Mr. Southgate Mr. William Starkey Thomas Steel, Esq. M.P. Mr. Staples Steare Mr. Joseph Stewardson Mr. Henry Stone, jun. 2 copies John Symmons, Esq.
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Henry Thornton, Esq. M.P. Mr. Alexander Thomson, M.D. Reverend John Till Mr. Samuel Townly Mr. Daniel Trinder Reverend Mr. C. La Trobe Clement Tudway, Esq. Mrs. Twisden
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Mr. M. Underwood
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Mr. John Vaughan Mrs. Vendt
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The Right Hon. Earl of Warnick The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Worcester The Hon. William Windham, Esq. M.P. Mr. C.B. Wadstrom Mr. George Walne Reverend Mr. Ward Mr. S. Warren Mr. J. Waugh Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. Reverend Mr. John Wesley Mr. J. Wheble Samuel Whitbread, Esq. M.P. Reverend Thomas Wigzell Mr. W. Wilson Reverend Mr. Wills Mr. Thomas Wimsett Mr. William Winchester John Wollaston, Esq. Mr. Charles Wood Mr. Joseph Woods Mr. John Wood J. Wright, Esq.
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Mr. Thomas Young Mr. Samuel Yockney
CONTENTS
CHAP. I.
The author's account of his country, their manners and customs, &c.
CHAP. II.
The author's birth and parentage--His being kidnapped with his sister--Horrors of a slave ship
CHAP. III.
The author is carried to Virginia--Arrives in England--His wonder at a fall of snow
CHAP. IV.
A particular account of the celebrated engagement between Admiral Boscawen and Monsieur Le Clue
CHAP. V.
Various interesting instances of oppression, cruelty, and extortion
CHAP. VI.
Favourable change in the author's situation--He commences merchant with threepence
CHAP. VII.
The author's disgust at the West Indies--Forms schemes to obtain his freedom
CHAP. VIII.
Three remarkable dreams--The author is shipwrecked on the Bahama-bank
CHAP. IX.
The author arrives at Martinico--Meets with new difficulties, and sails for England
CHAP. X.
Some account of the manner of the author's conversion to the faith of Jesus Christ
CHAP. XI.
Picking up eleven miserable men at sea in returning to England
CHAP. XII.
Different transactions of the author's life--Petition to the Queen--Conclusion
THE LIFE, &c.
CHAPTER I.
_The author's account of his country, and their manners and customs--Administration of justice--Embrenche--Marriage ceremony, and public entertainments--Mode of living--Dress--Manufactures Buildings--Commerce--Agriculture--War and religion--Superstition of the natives--Funeral ceremonies of the priests or magicians--Curious mode of discovering poison--Some hints concerning the origin of the author's countrymen, with the opinions of different writers on that subject._
I believe it is difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape the imputation of vanity; nor is this the only disadvantage under which they labour: it is also their misfortune, that what is uncommon is rarely, if ever, believed, and what is obvious we are apt to turn from with disgust, and to charge the writer with impertinence. People generally think those memoirs only worthy to be read or remembered which abound in great or striking events, those, in short, which in a high degree excite either admiration or pity: all others they consign to contempt and oblivion. It is therefore, I confess, not a little hazardous in a private and obscure individual, and a stranger too, thus to solicit the indulgent attention of the public; especially when I own I offer here the history of neither a saint, a hero, nor a tyrant. I believe there are few events in my life, which have not happened to many: it is true the incidents of it are numerous; and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great: but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a _particular favourite of Heaven_, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life. If then the following narrative does not appear sufficiently interesting to engage general attention, let my motive be some excuse for its publication. I am not so foolishly vain as to expect from it either immortality or literary reputation. If it affords any satisfaction to my numerous friends, at whose request it has been written, or in the smallest degree promotes the interests of humanity, the ends for which it was undertaken will be fully attained, and every wish of my heart gratified. Let it therefore be remembered, that, in wishing to avoid censure, I do not aspire to praise.
That part of Africa, known by the name of Guinea, to which the trade for slaves is carried on, extends along the coast above 3400 miles, from the Senegal to Angola, and includes a variety of kingdoms. Of these the most considerable is the kingdom of Benen, both as to extent and wealth, the richness and cultivation of the soil, the power of its king, and the number and warlike disposition of the inhabitants. It is situated nearly under the line, and extends along the coast about 170 miles, but runs back into the interior part of Africa to a distance hitherto I believe unexplored by any traveller; and seems only terminated at length by the empire of Abyssinia, near 1500 miles from its beginning. This kingdom is divided into many provinces or districts: in one of the most remote and fertile of which, called Eboe, I was born, in the year 1745, in a charming fruitful vale, named Essaka. The distance of this province from the capital of Benin and the sea coast must be very considerable; for I had never heard of white men or Europeans, nor of the sea: and our subjection to the king of Benin was little more than nominal; for every transaction of the government, as far as my slender observation extended, was conducted by the chiefs or elders of the place. The manners and government of a people who have little commerce with other countries are generally very simple; and the history of what passes in one family or village may serve as a specimen of a nation. My father was one of those elders or chiefs I have spoken of, and was styled Embrenche; a term, as I remember, importing the highest distinction, and signifying in our language a _mark_ of grandeur. This mark is conferred on the person entitled to it, by cutting the skin across at the top of the forehead, and drawing it down to the eye-brows; and while it is in this situation applying a warm hand, and rubbing it until it shrinks up into a thick _weal_ across the lower part of the forehead. Most of the judges and senators were thus marked; my father had long born it: I had seen it conferred on one of my brothers, and I was also _destined_ to receive it by my parents. Those Embrence, or chief men, decided disputes and punished crimes; for which purpose they always assembled together. The proceedings were generally short; and in most cases the law of retaliation prevailed. I remember a man was brought before my father, and the other judges, for kidnapping a boy; and, although he was the son of a chief or senator, he was condemned to make recompense by a man or woman slave. Adultery, however, was sometimes punished with slavery or death; a punishment which I believe is inflicted on it throughout most of the nations of Africa[A]: so sacred among them is the honour of the marriage bed, and so jealous are they of the fidelity of their wives. Of this I recollect an instance:--a woman was convicted before the judges of adultery, and delivered over, as the custom was, to her husband to be punished. Accordingly he determined to put her to death: but it being found, just before her execution, that she had an infant at her breast; and no woman being prevailed on to perform the part of a nurse, she was spared on account of the child. The men, however, do not preserve the same constancy to their wives, which they expect from them; for they indulge in a plurality, though seldom in more than two. Their mode of marriage is thus:--both parties are usually betrothed when young by their parents, (though I have known the males to betroth themselves). On this occasion a feast is prepared, and the bride and bridegroom stand up in the midst of all their friends, who are assembled for the purpose, while he declares she is thenceforth to be looked upon as his wife, and that no other person is to pay any addresses to her. This is also immediately proclaimed in the vicinity, on which the bride retires from the assembly. Some time after she is brought home to her husband, and then another feast is made, to which the relations of both parties are invited: her parents then deliver her to the bridegroom, accompanied with a number of blessings, and at the same time they tie round her waist a cotton string of the thickness of a goose-quill, which none but married women are permitted to wear: she is now considered as completely his wife; and at this time the dowry is given to the new married pair, which generally consists of portions of land, slaves, and cattle, household goods, and implements of husbandry. These are offered by the friends of both parties; besides which the parents of the bridegroom present gifts to those of the bride, whose property she is looked upon before marriage; but after it she is esteemed the sole property of her husband. The ceremony being now ended the festival begins, which is celebrated with bonefires, and loud acclamations of joy, accompanied with music and dancing.