CHAPTER VIII
JOURNEY TO YOKUBA.
Our Caravan—Atadi—Extortion of Carriers—Ilugun—Peter Elba—Open Air Accommodation—Articles left by the roadside for sale—Ijaye—Kumi—Telegraphic drums—Interview with Chief—"Pala-ver with the water"—Great Market—The Drivers—Carriers—Value of a Shirt—Departure for Oyo—Fever again—Visit to King Adelu—Exchange of Presents—Tax collecting—Snake-Charmer—Ade-neji—Small Pox—Ogbomishaw—Dr. Delany, Fever still again—Scarcity of Water.
HAVING completed our business at Abbeokuta, we began to prepare for a journey through the entire extent of the Aku country, terminating at Ilorin, but were unable to carry out our intention for several weeks, owing to the illness of myself first, and my colleague next. At last we both found ourselves well, and after two or three days spent in purchasing horses, employing servants, carriers, and effecting other provisions, we finally left Abbeokuta at mid-day on the 16th January, 1860, for Ijaye. Our little caravan consisted of twelve persons, namely, of ourselves, two boys, one to the care of each horse, an interpreter, a cook, six carriers, besides several natives met on the road, who kept with us, as they were journeying in the same direction. The same evening we sojourned at Atadi, a small Egba town, where we were kindly accommodated by the "visitor" of the Church Missionary Society, a worthy, pious man, whose example and teachings are effecting much for those among whom he labors. He possesses a neat little house, which is very comfortable though built of mud and in the native style.
By daylight the next morning we expected to resume our journey, but were unable to obtain a relay of carriers for several hours; not that there were not several to be had, but finding that we were compelled to employ them, or be greatly incommoded, they seized the opportunity to exact more than three times the sum usually paid. Besides, they soon discovered that our interpreter, into whose hands all these things were committed, was a native of the coast, and therefore unacquainted with the manner of proceeding. There was no alternative but to submit to their extortion. No where are people quicker to perceive an advantage, and more ready to use it. We left Atadi about ten A.M. The road was exceedingly busy, as there were thousands of persons bearing palm-oil and other commodities to the coast for sale.
The next town at which we encamped for the night was Ilugun. When we were within five or six miles of it, one of our boys, Peter Elba, an intelligent sharp boy, who speaks English and reads and writes well, began to break down, his feet becoming sore and swollen, as he had never walked so much before. Tired of riding, I dismounted and placed the poor fellow on the horse the rest of the way. This was intended as much for my own accommodation as for his relief; nevertheless I never heard the last of it, as the poor fellow, deeply grateful for the act, told it to every body he met, either the interpreter or cook being generally near, to confirm or exaggerate his statements.
The headman of the little town having treated some missionaries unkindly, whether designedly or not I am unable to say, we were advised not to sojourn with him, but to pass through the town and put up at the house of an old man, living a short distance beyond the wall. We did so, as it is sometimes wise to take the advice of the missionaries. As soon as the headman learned that strangers had arrived, he sent a messenger desiring us to come to see him, which I did, accompanied by our interpreter, and was very kindly received. He could not present us a lamb or kid, because, said he, the young persons are not at home to catch them. This was equivalent to asking for a present, which I granted in the form of a tin box of matches, and a small looking-glass. He complained that both ourselves and other civilized persons passing through his town, had treated him ill, by not stopping at his house. I frankly explained the reason, namely, his unkind treatment of missionaries who had sojourned with him before. He protested that he had never designed any ill himself, and would not suffer his people to inflict any if he knew it. After all, I believe the whole matter was the result of misunderstanding, as he did not seem like one who would willingly harm any body, much less civilized people. Although the party with whom we sojourned had a large house, he really had no accommodation within it for travellers, so that we were compelled, as we have repeatedly done before and after, to sleep on a mat in the open air, where, however, being tired, we enjoyed a good repose, without any serious consequences. So much for the "pestilential night air of that baneful clime."
The next morning when we were ready to leave, poor Peter could not walk; so leaving some cowries for his expenses, we were obliged to leave him to come on with the mail-man, who was expected to pass in a few days. He reached Ijaye before we departed for the next town, Oyo, but was unable to accompany us further. We never saw him again, as on our return from the interior we were unable to enter the city which was surrounded by hostile forces. His abode with the missionaries is, however, a guarantee of his personal safety.
On the road to Ilugun we met in several places fruits and other articles exposed for sale, without any person near to watch them. There were several little heaps of cowries left by those who had purchased. A few cowries were also deposited near each article to indicate its price. It is incorrect to suppose, however, that these articles were entirely unprotected. Suspended from a rod there is a small bundle of dried grass—Shango's torch—hanging always over the articles for sale, which is an appeal to the god that he should set fire to the house of any one wicked enough to steal them. This is even a greater protection than the presence of a person could be, for there are those expert enough to elude human vigilance, who would never expect to do likewise to Shango.
Crossing what was then, in the dry season, a gentle brook, but which at other times is a river of considerable magnitude, we entered the gate of the city of Ijaye, and were conducted to the station of the American Baptists by a boy whom we met at the gate, dressed in a shirt of civilized manufacture, a sure indication that he was belonging to the "mission family." The occupants of the station, Messrs. Phillips and Stone, and the wife of the latter, were out at the time, but soon arrived, and invited us into the house. In a few minutes we were provided with as fine a supper as we ever enjoyed in Africa.
Ijaye is one of the largest of the Yoruba towns, containing not less than eighty thousand inhabitants. It is ruled by Kumi, entitled Arey, a man, intelligent, active, haughty, cruel, ambitious, stubborn and despotic, yet an excellent ruler, if we judge from the decorum of his people and the respect which they show him. By the people of the surrounding towns he is much hated, and will not be permitted to maintain his position longer than they can help. The town is a part of the Toruba kingdom, but Kumi has for several years disputed the legitimacy and defied the authority of the king at Oyo, and has actually set up himself as his rival.
Accompanied by the missionaries mentioned before, we made his excellency a visit, a day or two after our arrival. He was not at home when we reached his palace, but his officials received us kindly, and promised to call him immediately, which one of them did by making a loud peculiar noise with a drum, which, with its drummer, is kept for this and similar purposes. These drummers can, we learned, communicate, nay, converse with each other at any distance within the sound of the instrument. After we were seated a few minutes the chief entered, attended by a large retinue, at the head of whom he walked with much grace and dignity. He seated himself in a piazza, the old men and officers of his court betook themselves to the left, the right side was reserved for us and our party, and the general crowd seated themselves promiscuously in front of us in the yard. Our interview was very cordial. We mentioned the object of our visit to the country, and obtained his consent, joyfully accorded, that our people should come to live in peace in his town, and he promised that they should have all the land they required. About to depart, I presented my hand to shake, which, forgetting himself, he was about to do, when the surprise of the missionaries and some other individuals of the crowd arrested him, and he drew back his hand. From superstitious motives, he never shakes hands With "Oyibos," but would have shaken ours, had it not been for the sensation exhibited at the time.
Several of the people of Ijaye lost their lives in the river, while fishing, which induced the Arey to make a law that no one should ever fish in that river again. He said that the river was angry because its children were killed, and therefore revenged itself by killing his children, as he calls his people. Liking the sport, but unwilling to break the law, the Rev. Mr. Phillips sent to request his permission to fish in the brook. He replied, that as long as neither he nor his people make any palaver with the water, the water could make no palaver with them, white man could do as he liked, but when the palaver came, he must keep it to himself.
The most noticeable feature of Ijaye is its market, covering an area of over twenty acres, and attended three times per week by from fifteen to twenty thousand persons. In it are found, besides native produce, commodities from almost every section of the globe: swords, sandals, silk-yarn, otto of rose, paper, beads, etc., from Egypt and other Mediterranean States of Africa; and cloths, cutlery, tin and earthen wares, guns, gunpowder, rum and tobacco, from England, the United States, France, Germany and the Brazils. Among the principal articles of native produce were sheep, goats, fowls, butter, Indian-corn or maize, rice, yams, (Dioscorea Bulbifera,) casava, (Jatropha Jan-ipha,) sweet-potatoes, ( Convolvulus Batatas,) Guinea-corn, (Sorghum vulgare,) beans, several varieties; cotton, raw and manufactured; clothing; mechanical and agricultural implements of iron, (native smelting;) brass, pewter and glass rings, and other trinkets, etc. As large and populous as is the market, it is conducted with the greatest order. There is a particular place appropriated for the sale of each class of goods: thus in one place may be seen spinners offering their yarn to those who weave; in another, weavers offering their cloths; then those who sell iron-ware, sitting in their own quarters, and next to them the dealers in beads and other ornaments: here is the meat-market, and there the wood-market, and the clothing-market, and the place for the sale of live-stock, etc. etc. One man manages the entire affair with the greatest ease. The same characteristics exist in all the other markets we visited from Lagos to Ilorin, but no where else were they so extensive.
We continued at Ijaye for a fortnight, spending the time in visiting the objects of interest in the neighborhood, taking photographic views, and otherwise making ourselves as comfortable as possible. On account of threatened hostilities between Ijaye and Oyo, the next town, we were unable to procure carriers when ready to resume our journey, and our interpreter, participating in the fears of the natives, would do little to help us in procuring them. We were finally obliged to go to seek them ourselves, in which we succeeded by lending each carrier a shirt, for so great is the respect entertained for the civilized, that even the assumption of the garb affords protection and the liberty of passing unmolested through a hostile country. We were favored while at Ijaye with some fine opportunities for observing the peculiarities of the notorious drivers. These creatures are neither more nor less than ants, resembling nearly the black ants of this country, and identical with those of the West-Indies, where, however, they are less numerous. They are usually seen in countless myriads, marching in line with great order and apparent discipline. They never attack dwellings, except vermin or the like are suffered to accumulate; then they come, and usually again retire in a few hours, entirely ridding the place of the objects of their attack. Of course before these visitors the occupants of a room must retire: the only inconvenience is, that one is sometimes obliged to do this at midnight. The bite of a single ant is not very painful, but of course the same can not be said of twenty or thirty simultaneous nips on different parts of the person. The inducement to dance is then irresistible. They never leave their line of march to attack an object not molesting them. I have myself stooped over a large train for an hour, watching their progress. The instant you touch them, however, fifty or sixty of the largest and most formidable dart off towards you, when a retreat is prudent. Immediately they return to the line again. It is curious to observe their tactics in attacking larger animals, a rat for instance. A single ant attaches itself to it: the poor creature naturally stops to rid itself of the paltry aggressor, but this delay enables others to join in the attack: for a few minutes a desperate combat is waged, and many an ant, persistently retaining its grasp on the flanks of the victim, is parted asunder by the effort to detach it. Overcome chiefly by fatigue from its own vigorous exertions, the rat at length passively resigns itself to the voracity of its assailants, making now and then only a convulsive effort indicative of the extreme torture to which it is subjected. An effectual way of ridding an apartment of them is to fill the mouth with salt, and when it is moistened with saliva, to blow it over them. They then hasten away with great precipitation. It is not the salt, but the saliva, I think, which is offensive to them, for once at Ijaye, unable to procure salt, I took water into my mouth, and after it was well mixed with the secretion I blew it out at them with the same effect as if salt was used.
It is obvious that while these curious creatures are occasionally the cause of some inconvenience, they are also the instrument of much good, in destroying vermin, which in such a climate might otherwise become intolerable. I never saw or heard of a bed-bug in Africa, their absence being doubtless due to the aggressions of the drivers.
On the 4th February we left Ijaye for Oyo, from five to seven hours' journey, in a north-eastern direction. For the two or three days preceding I was troubled with an attack of bilious fever, from which I fancied myself free, but in less than two hours after leaving, it returned with great violence; nevertheless I continued the journey, but was exceedingly ill when I reached Oyo, so as to have given our kind friend the Rev. Mr. Reed, of the American Baptist Mission, whose house was our home, a great deal of trouble. The next day I was better, and by a timely administration of remedies continued well all the rest of our sojourn in Africa. Here we met Mr. Meeking, of the Church Mission Society, a very worthy young man, whom we must here heartily thank for his many kind offices. Accompanied by these gentlemen and interpreters, we made a visit to Adelu, the king of the Yoruba nation, who welcomed us very cordially to his town. There is not another chief or king in the whole Aku country who is surrounded by more of the circumstances befitting his rank, than this man. His compound, or if you please, his palace, is the largest in the country, accommodating over fifteen hundred persons—wives, children, slaves, etc. The number of his wives is said to be fully one thousand. Many of these, however, are only nominally so, for according to a custom among them, the wives of a father at his death become the wives of his son, and frequently we find very old women calling themselves, on account of the position in society it gives them, the wives of one or other of the kings or chiefs, who in reality were only the wives of the grandfathers of such.
It was necessary to send a messenger the day before, to announce to Fufu, the king's lieutenant, our intended visit to his majesty, as, because we were strangers he would only receive us in state, and required due notice to effect the necessary preparations. He was seated under an acabi, one of the turret-like arrangements already mentioned, surrounded by his wives, his head reclining on one, his feet resting on another; one fanned him, another wiped the perspiration from his face; one held an umbrella of many colors over his head, and another a small vessel care-fully covered up, in which his majesty occasionally de-posited his salivary secretions,[1] which accumulated fast in consequence of the quantity of snuff he takes in the mouth, in common with all the native adults, and often even the children of this region. His dress consisted of a costly tobe and shocoto of the same pattern, both nicely embroidered, a cap of red silk-velvet, and Mohammedan sandals. On his wrists he wore massive silver rings, and a strand of large corals about his neck.
In front of the acabi, on both sides of a passage, left by which to approach his majesty, were several of his slaves, the principal officers of his house-hold, several men with long trumpets, on which they blew loud blasts, applauding those points of the conversation deemed wise or witty, and several eunuchs.
As usual, we explained the object of our visit to Africa, with which he was as much pleased as any of the other native authorities with whom we had before treated. We made him a small present, and received according to custom a return present of a fine sheep and three heads of cowries. Our interview was an exceedingly pleasant one, and every day we continued at Oyo after that, a messenger was sent to inquire after the health of the king's relatives, as he ever after called us.[2]
A tax was being collected for the expense of the war which the king was preparing against Ijaye, the manner of collecting which we had an opportunity of observing. It was very simple. At each of the gates, which are only wide enough to suffer a horse to pass easily, there stood two men, one on each side, elevated on blocks of wood, who as the people passed through returning from their farms, abstracted from the baskets a few yams, ears of corn, or of whatever else their loads consisted.
One day in going through the market we saw a man sitting by the way-side, to whom many people as they passed gave a few cowries. As we approached nearer we found that he was one of the celebrated snake-charmers, and had at the time one of these reptiles about his neck and body as large as a man's arm: of the length we could not well judge, as much of it was coiled under his garment.
My other boy, Adeneji, here took the small-pox, and of course could not accompany us further. We left Oyo on the 8th February, and two days after arrived at Ogbomishaw, at which we sojourned only one day. We visited the chief, informed him of the object of our visit, exchanged presents, took an excursion over the town, and left early the next morning. Except a fine park, we found no object of interest peculiar to this town. Although a large place, of fully fifty thousand inhabitants, there were no missionaries. The American Baptists have a fine station there, but no missionary has occupied it for more than a year. There is no impediment whatever, and it seems a pity that it should be left thus uncared for.
Early in the morning of the 10th February, we left Ogbomishaw for Ilorin, the terminus of our journey. On account of the difficulty of procuring carriers, we were compelled to wait at the gate until nearly four in the afternoon. In the mean time Dr. Delany began to experience symptoms of returning fever; nevertheless, as it was necessary to hasten our journey, he persisted in going. We had not left two hours when the symptoms became so aggravated that he was obliged to dis-mount and lie by the road-side. Leaving our cook with him, I rode on as fast as possible, to find a place at which we could sojourn for the night, and fortunately found a small farm village about four miles further on. I then rode back, and met him about two miles from where he was left.
It was, fortunately for us, the dry season, when it is really more comfortable to sleep in the open air, Which notwithstanding the Doctor's health we were obliged to do, as there were no accommodations for us under shelter. We left early the next morning to reach Ilorin, one long day's journey from this village. It was perhaps the most uncomfortable day's journey we ever had, as we could not procure a draught of clean water, the brooks and springs being almost all dry, except here and there a little pool so stagnant, dirty and nauseous that only severe thirst induced us to touch it. This was, however, a trouble that could easily have been provided against, by each party taking a small bottle of this necessary liquid for his own use.
Within three or four miles of Ilorin we rested at a farm-village to change carriers, etc., and take each of us, horses and all, a long draught of water, under such circumstances an invaluable luxury.