BEN 



CENIBOURD, a mountain of tlic HigWands of Scot- 

 lami, probably higher than Caringorm, wliich is 4060 feet. 



I5ENICARLOS, a town of Spain, in Valencia, cele- 

 brated for the wine made ia its neighbourhood ; 3 miles 

 north of Penhifcola, 



BENIDORME, Maun/ and dipt, lie about b. b.W. 

 from cape St. Martin, on the fouth point of Altca bay, pro- 

 jecting eaftward from the town, which gives it name; to the 

 fouth of which ia the ifland Bcnidorme, 2 miles ofT ; at the 

 north-caft end of Alicant bay, on the eail coall of Spam, in 

 the Mediterranean. 



BENIFAJO, a town of Spain in Valencia ; 5 leagues 

 from Valencia. 



BENILET, a town of Afia, in the Arabian Irak. ; 145 

 miles N. W. of Baffora. 



BENIMERINI, the denomination of an African dynafty, 

 which fucceeded that of the Almohedes, which fee. 



BENIN, an extenfive kingdom of weft Africa, compre- 

 hending the (lave coall, bounded on the well by Guinea pro- 

 per, or, more particularly, the Gold coaft ; on the north by 

 Gago, Nigritia, and a chain of mountains ; on the call by 

 Mujaac and Makoko, and part of Congo, with the Ethiopia 

 ocean, on the fouth, where it extends about one degree be- 

 vond the eqninoftial line. It is commonly divided into three 

 parts, viz. Whydah and Ardah, containing the Slave coaft, 

 and Benin proper, which has the fame boundaries with the 

 former on the north, call, and fouth, and is terminated on 

 the well by part of the gulf of Guiiiea and the Slave coaft. 

 its extent from weft to eaft is about 600 miles, but from 

 north to fouth it is not afcertained. From the river Lagos, 

 where it commences, its coaft forms a g\df or bight, 

 ending at cape Lopez, in which are the trading places, or 

 villages, feated on fevcral rivers, of Benin, Bonny, Old and 

 New Calabar, Camaron, and Gabon. Benin is watered by 

 fevcral ftreams, of which fome are confiderable rivers. To- 

 wards the fea-coaft the laud is low and marfliy, and of courfe 

 the climate unhealthy ; but at a greater diftance from the 

 fea the land rifes, and the air is more pure. In fome diftrids 

 of the country, water ii fo fcarce, that often travellers are 

 fupplied with it for money by officers, to whofe department 

 it belong?. The rivers teem with crocodiles, fea-horfes, a 

 particular fpecies of torpedo, and various kinds of excellent 

 ijfh. The country abounds with elephants, tigers, leopards, 

 wild boars, afTes, civet and mountain-cats, horfes, hares, 

 and hairy (heep ; and among its birds the principal are paro- 

 quets, pigeons, partridges, ftorks, and ollriches. The foil 

 is generally fertile, and produces a great variety of trees and 

 plants, fuch as orange, lemon, and cotton trees. The pep- 

 per of this countiy is not fo plentiful nor fo good as that of 

 the Eaft Indies. The native negroes are in general mild 

 and good humoured, civil to ftrangers, and yet referved, 

 eafily wrought upon by gentle means, but inflexible and re- 

 folute in rcfifting harfh treatment. In the conduct of buli- 

 nefs they are expert; but attached to their ancient cuftoms 

 and' manners, which renders them flow and tedious in their 

 negotiations. Honeft and faithful in their dealings, they 

 fcldom or ever difappoint the confidence that is repofed in 

 them. Their trade is carried on by a kind of brokers, called 

 mercadors, or fiadors, who treat with ftrangers about all 

 merchandize ; but all their contracts arc made with great 

 fecrecy, through fear of exciting the jealoufy or avarice of 

 their governors; and the richeft perfons exhibit the appear- 

 ance of poverty, in order to efcapc the rapacious hands of 

 their fupcriors. 



The population of Benin is diftributed into three clafles 

 •f perfons. The firft is compofed of three perfons, called 

 great lords, who attend the king, and prcfent petitions to 



BEN 



him. Such 15 the influence of thcfe, that the fupi-eme go. 

 vcrnment may be faid to be lodged with them. The next 

 claf3 conlifts of thofe petty princes called " ares de roe," or 

 ftreet kings, of whom fome prefide over the commerce, 

 others over the flaves; fome over military affairs, and otheri 

 over every thing pertaining to cattle and the fruits ot the 

 earth. Out of thie clafs are chofcn the viceroys and gover- 

 nors of provinces, who are refponhble to the three great lords, 

 to whoie recommendation thty owe their appointment. 

 Each of them is prefented by the king with a ftring of coral 

 as a badge of office, which he is obliged always to wear 

 about his neck, under the penalty of degradation, and even 

 death. The third order confift of the fiadors, the merca- 

 dors, or merchants ; the fulladers, or pleaders, and the vcil- 

 les, or elders, all of whom are refpcftivcly diftinguidied by 

 fome peculiar mode of wearing the coral chain. Thelowcft 

 clafs is formed by the plebeians, who are generally indolent 

 and poor. The whole burden of labour, futh as tilling the 

 ground, fpiniiing cotton, weaving cloth, and even cleaning 

 the ftreets, is devolved upon the women. The chief work- 

 men are fmiths, carpenters, and leather-drefTers ; but in every 

 occupation of this kind they are extremely ankward and art- 

 lefs. The common diet of the natives is beef, mutton, or 

 fowls, and their bread is made of yams, beaten into a fort 

 of cake. The meaner perfons fubfiil on fmoked or dried fidi, 

 and bread made of yams, bananas and beans, mixed toge- 

 ther. The drink of the poor is water, and that of the richer, 

 water mixed with European brandy. The king, and per- 

 fons of rank, fupport a certain number of poor, felefted 

 from the blind, lame, and infirm ; the lazy, who will not 

 labour, are luffered to ftarve; and by this excellent police, 

 not a beggar or vagrant is to be feen. The natives of Benin 

 are diftinguiftied by their liberality ; but in the exercife of 

 it they are extravagantly vain and oflentatious. The drefs 

 of the natives is neat and ornamental ; that of the rich, in 

 which they appear in public, confifting of white callico, or 

 cotton drawers, covered with another fine piece of callico 

 plaited in the middle, and bound under a fcarf, the ends of 

 which are adorned with a handfome lace or fringe. Tiie 

 upper part of the body is mollly naked. The ladies of bet- 

 ter fafhion wear fine callico, beautifully chequered with vari- 

 ous colour?. The face and upper part of the body is covered 

 with a thin veil, and the neck adorned with a ftring and 

 chain of coral. Upon their arms and legs they wear bright 

 copper or iron bracelets, meanly wrought. T)]C perfons of 

 the women are not difagreeable. The children go naked till 

 the age of ten or twelve years ; their whole drefs, before this 

 period, confifting of a few ftrings of coral tied round the 

 waift. The men neither curl nor adorn their hair; but thty 

 form part of it into locks, to which they fufpend a bunch 

 of coral. The women drefs their hair with great art in a 

 variety of forms, and occaiionally apply to It a kind of nut- 

 oil, which deftroys its black colour, and in time changes it 

 into green or yellow. 



The men marry as many women as their circumftanccs 

 allow ; but they have fcarcely any nuptial ceremonies. Jea- 

 loufy is very prevalent, and adultery is feverely punifh-d; but 

 the violation of the marriage-bed is lefs known in Benin than 

 in any other country. Male infants, as foon as they are born, 

 are prefented to the king, as rightfully belonging to him ; 

 but the females, being deemed the property of the father, 

 are left wholly to his care and difpoial. Both male and fe- 

 rnale children are circuracifcd, v.'hen they are about a fort- 

 night old ; and they are marked over their bodies with vari- 

 ous incifions, that expref? certain figures. In fome parts of 

 Benin twin births are reckoned a happy omen ; but at Aerbo, 

 they are reputed a bad omen, and both the twins and thoir 



mother 



