THE WESTERN COAST. 
299 
ferocity than courage. Their government is 
the purest despotism ; every subject is a slave ; 
and every slave implicitly admits the right of 
the sovereign to dispose of his property and 
of his person. " I think of my king," said a 
Dahoman to Mr Norris, " and then I dare en- 
" gage five of the enemy myself. My head be- 
" longs to the king, not to myself : if he please to 
*i send for it, I am ready to resign it ; or if it be 
44 shot through in battle, I am satisfied— if it be 
" in his service." This attachment continues un- 
shaken, even when their nearest relations become 
the victims of the avarice or caprice of the king, 
and his enormities are always attributed to their 
own indiscretions. With this devoted spirit, the 
Dahoman rushes fearless into battle, and fights as 
long as he can wield his sabre. In 177*5, when 
the viceroy of Whidah was disgraced, one of the 
military officers declared, " that it was his duty to 
" accompany the general to the field ; and if ever 
" he betrayed the least symptom of cowardice, or 
" shewed the soles of his feet to the enemy, he 
" hoped the king would have his cutlass ready to 
" behead him, at the moment of his return. But 
" this," said he, " will never happen ; for, should 
" I ever suspect that I am accused of treachery, 
" of turning my back on the foe, or giving cause 
" of complaint, I shall never afford the prime mi- 
" nister an opportunity of asking impertinent ques- 
" tions, or of interfering between me and my so- 
