clapperton's second journey. 175 



observed ; and the flourishing state of the people showed 

 clearly the absence of all severe oppression. The horrid 

 and bloody customs, which produce such dark scenes in 

 Ashantee and Dahomey, were mentioned here with detesta- 

 tion. At the death of the king only, a few of his principal 

 ministers and favourite wives take poison, presented to them 

 in parrots' eggs, that they may accompany and serve him 

 in the invisible world. The first question asked by every 

 caboceer and great man was, How many wives the king of 

 England had ] being prepared, it should seem, to measure 

 his greatness by that standard ; but when told that he had 

 only one, they gave themselves up to a long and ungovernable 

 fit of laughter, followed by expressions of pity and wonder 

 how he could possibly exist in that destitute condition. 

 The king of Yarriba's boast was, that his wives, linked hand 

 in hand, would reach entirely across the kingdom. Queens, 

 however, in Africa are applied to various uses, of which Eu- 

 ropeans have little idea. They were seen forming a large 

 band of body-guards ; and their majesties were observed in 

 every part of the kingdom acting as porters, and bearing on 

 their heads enormous burdens ; so that whether they should 

 be called queens or slaves seems scarcely doubtful. 



The Eyeos, like other nations purely negro, are wholly 

 unacquainted with letters or any form of writing ; these 

 are known only to the Arabs or Fellatas, who penetrate 

 thither in small numbers ; yet they have a great deal of ex- 

 temporary poetry. Every great man has bands of singers 

 of both sexes, who constantly attend him, and loudly cele- 

 brate his achievements in poems of their own composition. 

 The convivial meetings of the people, even their labours and 

 journeys, are cheered by songs composed for the occasion, 

 and sung often with considerable taste. Their houses are 

 mere clay-built cottages, yet studiously adorned with carv* 

 ing ; the door-posts and every piece of furniture are co- 

 vered with well-executed representations of warlike proces- 

 sions, and of the movements of huge serpents seizing their 

 prey. They have also public performances, which do not 

 indeed deserve the name of dramatic, as they consist of mere 

 mimicry and buffoonery. The first act of a piece witnessed 

 by the strangers exhibited men dancing in sacks, who per 

 formed their part to admiration. One of the bags opened, 

 and there came forth the boa constrictor, fourteen feet long 



