Those we brought home were pepper, elephants
teeth, palm oil, cloth made of cotton very curiously woven, and cloth
made of the bark of the palm tree. Their money consists of pretty white
shells, as they have no gold or silver. They have also great store of
cotton. Their bread is made of certain roots called _Inamia_, as large
as a mans arm, which when well boiled is very pleasant and light of
digestion. On banian or fish days, our men preferred eating these roots
with oil and vinegar to the best stock-fish[313]. There are great
quantities of palm trees, out of which the negroes procure abundance of
a very pleasant white wine, of which we could purchase two gallons for
20 shells. The negroes have plenty of soap, which has the flavour of
violets. They make very pretty mats and baskets, also spoons of ivory
very curiously wrought with figures of birds and beasts.
[Footnote 313: It is obvious that the banian or meager days, still
continued in the British navy, are a remnant of the meager days of the
Roman catholic times, when it was deemed a mortal sin to eat flesh.
Stock-fish are, however now abandoned, having been found to promote
scurvy. - E.]
Upon this coast we had the most terrible thunder and lightning, which
used to make the deck tremble under our feet, such as I never heard the
like in any other part of the world. Before we became accustomed to it,
we were much alarmed, but God be thanked we had no harm. The natives are
very gentle and courteous; both men and women going naked till they are
married, after which they wear a garment reaching from the middle down
to the knees. Honey was so plentiful, that they used to sell our people
earthen pots of comb full of honey, the size of two gallons for 100
shells. They brought us also great store of oranges and plantains, which
last is a fruit which grows on a tree, and resembles our cucumbers, but
is very pleasant eating. It pleased God of his merciful goodness to give
me the knowledge of a means of preserving water fresh with little cost,
which served us six months at sea; and when we came to Plymouth it was
much wondered at by the principal men of the town, who said there was
not sweeter water in all Plymouth[314]. Thus God provides for his
creatures, unto whom be praise, now and _for ever more_, amen.
[Footnote 314: This preservative is wrought by casting a handful of
bay-salt into a hogshead of water, as the author told me. - _Hakluyt_.
The Thames water soon putrifies on board ships in long voyages; but
afterwards throws down a sediment and becomes perfectly sweet pleasant
and wholesome; insomuch that it is often bought from ships which have
been to India and back. Putrid water at sea is purified or rendered
comparatively sweet by forcing streams of air through it by what is
called an air pump. Water may be preserved sweet on long voyages, or
restored when putrid, by means of pounded charcoal. - E.]
SECTION XVI.
_Supplement to the foregoing Voyage, in a Letter from Anthony Ingram the
chief Factor, written from Plymouth to the Owners, dated 9th September,
the day of arriving at Plymouth_[315].
Worshipful Sirs! The account of our whole proceedings in this voyage
would require more time than I have, and a person in better health than
I am at present, so that I trust you will pardon me till I get to
London.
[Footnote 315: Hakluyt, II. 616. Astley, I. 202.]
Departing from London in December 1588, we arrived at our destined port
of Benin on the 14th of February following, where we found not water
enough to carry our ship over the bar, so that we left her without in
the road. We put the chiefest of our merchandise into the pinnace and
ships boat, in which we went up the river to a place called _Goto_[316],
where we arrived on the 20th, that place being the nearest to Benin to
which we could go by water. From thence we sent negro messengers to
certify the king of our arrival, and the object of our coming. These
messengers returned on the 22d with a nobleman to conduct us to the city
of Benin, and with 200 negroes to carry our merchandise. On the 23d we
delivered our commodities to the kings factor, and the 25th we came to
the great city of Benin, where we were well entertained. The 26th we
went to court to confer with the king, but by reason of a solemn
festival then holding we could not see him; yet we spoke with his
_veador_, or chief man who deals with the Christians, who assured us
that we should have every thing according to our desires, both in regard
to pepper and elephants teeth.
[Footnote 316: Goto or Gato is a negro town on the northern branch of
the Rio Formoso, about 45 miles in a straight line from the mouth of the
river, and about 85 miles short of the town of Benin. This branch or
creek is probably the river of Benin of the text. - E.]
We were admitted into the kings presence on the 1st of March, who gave
us like friendly assurances respecting our trade; and next day we went
again to court, when the _veador_ shewed us a basket of green pepper and
another of dry in the stalks. We desired to have it plucked from the
stalks and made clean, which he said would require some time to get
done, but should be executed to our satisfaction, and that by next year
it should be all in readiness for us, as we had now come unexpectedly to
their country, to which no Christians had traded for pepper in the reign
of the present king.
