134 
THE GUM TRADE. 
exercises the same rapacity upon bread, sugar and every 
thing else that pleases his gluttonous palate. Sometimes the 
dealers, wearied out, attempt to dismiss the princes ; but 
they avoid coming to a quarrel, because, if a blovr should be 
struck, the right of trading vrould be suspended ; fresh ne- 
gociations must take place, and they would only terminate 
in the payment of a fine of several pieces of Guinea cloth. 
When the zenagues come on board to walk about, there is 
no such thing as getting rid of them without making them 
some present, or at least giving them a calabash of molasses 
and water. 
The traffic generally commences in the month of Janu- 
ary, and ends the 31st of July. Towards the end of May, 
the king comes to the port ; he sometimes lodges on board 
the station-ship, but more commonly on shore in a hut that 
the dealers have built for him. During his stay, which 
sometimes lasts two months, the dealers are obliged to feed 
all his attendants, and to pay a daily tax of two or three 
pieces of Guinea cloth ; this is called, as I said before, the 
king's supper. He visits one or other of the ships every 
day, receives presents, and never forgets to call for an enor- 
mous calabash of sugar and water for himself and his suite. 
He is always received with the greatest politeness on board 
all the ships, for he would break off the traffic if any dealer 
were not to behave well to him. In this way he is sure of 
obtaining whatever he desires. 
Whilst he stays at the port, he levies another tax, which 
has been established for some years under the name of 
a forced present.'* He requires from each dealer one hun- 
dred pieces or more of Guinea cloth, and if this quantity is 
not delivered to him within a fixed time, he breaks off the 
trade. The dealers then contribute each of them according 
to the tonnage of his vessel, and when the quantity required 
is made up, it is delivered to the king, who permits them to 
resume their traffic. A whim, or the slightest complaint 
