*272 HISTORY OF THE [book. iv, 
means of an interpreter, to let him know that I 
was present; but I could not understand what he 
said in return. I remember, that both he and his 
fellow sufferer laughed immoderately at something 
that occurred,—I know not what. The next 
morning one of them silently expired, as did the 
other on the morning of the 9 th day. 
The courage, or unconcern, which the people of 
this country manifest at the approach of death, arises 
doubtless, in a great measure, from their national 
manners, wars, and superstitions, which are all in 
the highest degree, savage and sanguinary. A pow¬ 
er over the lives of his slaves is possessed, and exer¬ 
cised too, on very frivolous occasions, without com¬ 
punction or scruple, by every master of slaves on 
the Gold coast. Fathers have the like power over 
their children. In their wars they are bloody and 
cruel beyond any nation that ever existed 5 for all 
such of their captives as they reserve not for slaves, 
they murder with circumstances of outrageous bar¬ 
barity ; cutting them across the face, and tearing 
away the under jaw, which they preserve as a tro¬ 
phy, leaving the miserable victims to perish in that 
condition. I have collected this account from 
themselves. They tell me, likewise, that when¬ 
ever a considerable man expires, several of his 
wives, and a great number of his slaves, are sa¬ 
crificed at his funeral. This is done say they, that 
he may be properly attended in the next world. 
This circumstance has been confirmed to me by 
