ADAMs's NARRATIVE 
475 
even the king and queen possess a spoon, a knife, 
or a fork. The only distinction which they enjoy, 
is the use of a little butter made from goat's milk, 
which is considered as an article of extreme de- 
licacy. 
There are no physicians except old women, who 
cure external maladies by the application of sim- 
ples. Some of them appeared to be upwards of a 
hundred years old ; nor did Adams see any blind, 
unless from extreme age. None of the negroes 
apparently could either write or read, but kept 
their accounts by notching sticks. The only tools 
which they possessed were hoes, chisels, knives, 
and small hatchets, with which they cut their tim- 
ber ; with a few other rough instruments of iron, 
which they procured from the Moors. 
The government of the king was despotic, but 
apparently mild ; he could call upon his subjects 
to take up arms, but did not consider or treat them 
as his slaves. The only punishment for the greatest 
crimes was slavery ; but Adams saw only twelve 
condemned to it during his residence at Tombuc- 
too. Smaller, misdemeanours were punished by 
beating with a cane, seldom very severely. Adams 
saw no appearance of any outward form of reli- 
gious worship, except something like a prayer at 
funerals. 
The only form of marriage, among the higher 
ranks, consisted in the bride going to the king's 
