Although the affairs of Spain excite little interest, the insurrection in Valericia has been the subject of much conversation. Our ambassador does not draw a very flattering picture of the court of Madrid, and he insinuates that some change is on the eve of taking place.

The Pole who resided with Buonaparte in St. Helena, and two other persons, arrived a few days since in Spur-street, Leicester-fields. They were introduced to Sir Robert Wilson, and gave to him a lamentable account of the treatment Napoleon experiences from Sir Hudson Lowe; one of them (his valet) produced a highly flattering testimonial respecting character during a fifteen years' service. This man declared that he (Napoleon) wanted the common necessaries of life. The shoes he wore were mended by this informant, or he would have been destitute; he even borrowed the candles he used from the officers of the garrison; that he had pawned the last piece of plate ; at his last interview he presented his bare bosom to Sir Hudson, and said, “Strike! you had better put me to death than treat me thus! but if you suppose that I shall do the deed myself you are mistaken; you know me not !" Macerone has taken an outline and taken it to Lord Holland, who, it is expected, will bring forward a motion on the subject.

Two o'clock, p.m.-Government, I hear, have sent the Pole on board of an American vessel. Count Montholon has entrusted the valet with a letter occupying six pages, written by him to Madame Mère, in which is a request that she would allow him six thousand francs.

Lady Cra, the sister of Lord G, spoke in terms of high disdain, the other day, of our political relations. “Our beggarly allies! We are the sovereigns of the continent. We can do what we please.”

Lord Grey's speech last night in the House is said to have been the best he ever delivered.

A rumour prevails in the ministerial circles that the Lord Mayor will not long remain at liberty! They actually threaten to arrest. him. A most rancorous hatred has arisen from the great latitude he gave

his tongue at the last meeting at the Common Hall, when speaking of the Green Bag.

Sir Robert Wilson leaves town this evening for Maidstone, to attend a meeting called by Lord Thanet to move for the dismissal of his majesty's ministers. Sir R., being a freeman, is entitled to the privilege of speaking there.

Government having received an intimation of the proceedings of the Opposition with respect to Napoleon's valet, they attempted to seize his person—they were too late. W. Madocks, M.P., says he is removed to a place of safety until the motion is brought forward by Lord Holland ; this will be done as soon as a pamphlet now in the hands of a printer is ready to enter into life. R. publishes it.

Four o'clock.—“Government are alarmed beyond conception,” says a person

who is in their confidence. It is presumed that something new has arisen to torment our legislators.

JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO DAHOMEY; OR, THE SNAKE

COUNTRY.

IN THE MONTHS OF MARCH AND APRIL, 1847.

BY ARCHIBALD R. RIDGWAY, M.B., MEDICAL STAFF, GOLD COAST,

AUTHOR OF LETTERS FROM HONG-KONG, MACAO, ETC."

66

91

The kingdom of Dahomey is a powerful state of the interior of Africa, which has by conquest extended itself to the sea-coast at Whydah, a road from

which, running almost due north, leads to the capital, Abomey. The population numbers about a million, scattered over an extent of country of probably about the size of Ireland. The government is a pure despotism, the lives and properties of his subjects being at the absolute disposal of the monarch.

This kingdom has ever been the country that has supplied the greatest number of slaves, and during the existence of the slave-trade, a considerable degree of intercourse used to take place between the English established in the then occupied fort at Whydah, and the government of Dahomey; but since the abolition of the slave-trade few Englishmen have visited the country. Lately, however, the attention of the British

governo ment has been directed to the establishment of a legitimate traffic in palm oil, &c., and also to the making efforts to induce the king to discontinue the slave-trade, and these wishes have been in a great degree met by the king, who has long expressed a desire for a renewed intercourse with the English.

Some slight stir was made about these matters in 1844, but, from various causes, nothing resulted, and all remained in statu quo until the commencement of 1847, when his excellency, Commander Winniett, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Gold Coast, being deeply impressed with the great advantages to be derived by the carrying out of the above-mentioned objects, determined upon visiting the king, and having done me the honour of selecting me to accompany him, gave me the opportunity of making the following notes.

His excellency was also accompanied by the Rev. T. B. Freeman, a gentleman at the head of the Wesleyan missionary establishments on the Gold Coast ; and his experience, derived from a ten years' acquaintance with the coast, during which time he had made many journeys to the interior, including one to Dahomey, in 1844, rendered his assistance and companionship of the utmost value.

As might be expected, several days were spent in making preparations for our journey through a country as uncivilised as Dahomey, for it was absolutely requisite to take every comfort and necessary of life with us ; but having at last got stretchers, mattresses, eatables, drinkables, and every thing else together, we sent them on board the vessel that was to take us down the coast, and which, leaving Cape Coast two days before we should, was to wait for us at Annamaboe.

On Tuesday morning, March 16th, at half-past five o'clock, their excellencies Lieutenant-Governor Winniett and the Danish governor, who had been on a visit and was now returning to Danish Accra, embarked in a canoe for Annamaboe, accompanied by myself and some officers of the garrison, who intended to take leave of us after a breakfast given by Mr. Cobbold, a merchant of Annamaboe. The morning was delicious, and the shouts of the people who thronged the beach, the thundering and flash of the saluting guns through the murkiness of the morning, the strains of the band, several of whom were going with us to astonish the natives, the roar of the surf, and our own good spirits, made up an interesting scene, from which we were soon removed by the vigorous paddling of our canoe-men; and passing the romantic old fort at Moree, with the fishermen's mud huts clustered at its base, arrived a little before eight at Annamaboe, and were received by the whole population of the place under a salute from the very pretty and regular little fort, which must be ever regarded with interest by those who have read Mr. Meredith's account of the spirited and successful defence made in it by seventeen men against the immense force and desperate attacks of the Ashantees. At eight we sat down to an excellent breakfast, which, as parting breakfasts occasionally do, gradually and somewhat in the manner of a dissolving view, became changed into a dinner, and toasts were given and champagne drank with as much energy as if it had been 9 P.M. instead of 9 A.M. At eleven we got into a canoe to go on board, having shaken hands with some whom perhaps we shall never meet again, and upon whose kindness of heart our happiness had so much depended in a small garrison like that of Cape Coast. They were going to England; and good luck attend them.

The canoe in which we went off was very narrow, and as the fellows paddled sharply round the ship’s stern to their monotonous tune of “

“ By and by come again,” they nearly capsized her, and over we must have gone, but that, being fortunately all old hands, we sat motionless, and the canoe righted. On reaching the deck of the brig Oregan, of Salem, commanded by Captain Sims, up went the union jack to the main, the Danish flag to the fore, and bang went a small gun, the only one on board, which the sailors, however, managed to fire seven times in a very few minutes, not without apprehensions on my part of some accident, for such trifles as serving the vent, &c., were quite disregarded. under weigh in a few minutes, and, favoured by a good steady breeze, arrived at Tantum about four o`clock ; but a heavy squall, that came on immediately after our anchoring, delayed our landing for more than an hour, and, what was worse, increased the surf, which always, even in the best of weather, beats with considerable violence upon the whole extent of the coast, and renders communication between the shore and shipping a matter of some little anxiety. Mr. Robeson, of the first West India regiment, and myself, landed in a fine canoe manned by fifteen strong Cape Coast men in the employ of Mr. Freeman, but not being well acquainted with the landing-place, which lies between two large rocks, not more than three or four yards apart, they managed to send the canoe slap on the shelving side of one of them, and, after a few minutes' suspense, a monster surf settled the question by throwing us up on the beach, with no greater injury than a sound ducking, and we had the mortification of seeing the governors come on shore in a small Tantum canoe without the slightest mischance.

The head men of the town sent a message to the governor, begging

We were

him to remain on the beach until they had assembled a guard of honour to fire away before him on his way to Mr. Hughes's house. As some rain was falling the governor declined this honour, but told them he would be most happy to receive their compliments at Mr. Hughes's ; and accordingly in half an hour up came about forty cr fifty men,

armed with muskets, and accompanied by two standard-bearers, carrying English union-jacks, surrounded by fancy vandyked borders, and the poles surmounted by small looking plaices instead of spear-heads. After making obeisance, they began their

feux de joie, and it is difficult to imagine any thing more absurd than the way in which the natives of the Gold Coast manage these affairs. They pour handsful of powder into their immensely long guns, and then, while running about with the most ludicrous, childish, and extravagant gestures, fire without the piece to the shoulder. The large charge causes a pretty loud explosion, and excites our wonder at the few accidents that take place by the bursting of such muskets as they possess. A great mark of respect is to fire as near as possible to the person honoured, but as they are beginning to understand that Europeans do not consider the compliment as a sufficient compensation for singed whiskers and burnt clothes—which circumstances have actually occurred—they moderate their transports, and keep at a more agreeable distance now-a-days. Our gallant friends of Tantum exceed all I have seen upon the coast, and threw themselves on their bellies, backs, and sides, crouched, jumped, fired in the air and every other direction, waved the banners, shouted, yelled, and screamed, to their own utmost delight, for more than half an hour, when a heavy shower came to our relief, and they retired with the promise of a liberal “dash” of rum on the

morrow.

Wednesday, March 17th.—At ten o'clock this morning the head men of the town, ten in number, came to pay their respects to the governor, who, among other things, said he hoped they behaved themselves well and showed a good example to the people, to which a jolly-looking old boy replied that they did, excepting when they got into a debt-palaver. They all seemed to be much astonished when his excellency told them that they ought not to get into debt-palavers. These debt-palavers, as they call them, have long been a great curse to the country and the fertile source of the hateful system of slavery which exists disguised under the term “pawning.” After the head men retired we paid a visit to the fort, which had been uninhabited for some years until a few months ago, when some German missionaries took

up

their abode in it; and a wretched and desolate habitation they have indeed selected, for although they have taken and are taking measures to improve it, it is at present a complete ruin, and affords but little protection against the weather. Crumbling walls, half-buried cannon, roofless chambers, depressed our spirits, and we left the place with deep feelings of sympathy towards the wife of one of the missionaries. Mr. Freeman, who travels as far as Winnebak by land, in consequence of his duty requiring him to visit the various schools and chapels established along the coast, arrived just after an early dinner. We re-embarked at five, and happily got off without any mishap, and are now (at eight o'clock) under all sail with very light winds on our way to Accra,

Thursday, March 18th. The wind continued so light during the night that we had made but slow progress, and did not land at Accra

Oct.-VOL. LXXXI. NO. CCCXXII.

until 11 A.M., when the tide was fortunately low, and allowed us to have the advantage of the breakwater effect of the reef of rocks that in some degree protects the landing-place. The governor took up his quarters at the house of Mr. Bannermann, a well-known merchant, while I, declining the kind invitation of Mr. Bannermann, threw myself on the hospitality of an old friend in the fort.

Accra is considered to be the Montpelier of the Gold Coast, and has the advantage of a level open plain, stretching away for some miles into the interior to a somewhat lofty range of hills, which also act beneficially by drawing away a good deal of rain from the towns on the coast. These two circumstances combined render Accra much less subject to the dense fogs that are so unhealthy at Cape Coast during the months of August and September.

There are the forts of three European nations with towns around them within a distance of less than three miles. Most to the westward is the British fort, half a mile to the east of which is the Dutch fort, and two miles beyond is the Danish fort. The Dutch and English towns are close together, separated merely by a narrow strip of land called the neutral ground. This proximity gives rise to several rows, for the Accra people, more especially those of the Dutch town, are particularly turbulent. In May last a very serious disturbance took place; it commenced in a fight between two men, an English and Dutch Accra man, but soon became general, and a large portion of the Dutch town was burnt down, and the British soldiers were obliged to remain four days and nights under arms before order could be restored. On the Sunday before our arrival one of those dreadful occurrences, called in the Malay islands “running a muck," took place in the Dutch town. A man killed four people and mortally wounded four others. After he was secured and bound, one of the murdered people's relatives quietly came up, and, ripping up the assassin's belly with a knife, killed him on the spot; and a few days before this the resident officer of the Dutch fort was stoned and driven into the fort by the people, who would not disperse until he fired ball into the town.

Before dinner the governor and I took a ride in a carriage drawn by a fine set of young men belonging to Mr. Bannermann, and it was exceedingly agreeable to travel over excellent roads made through a fine open country, free from the everlasting “ bush” of Cape Coast ; it was pleasant, too, to see horses which manage to live here, and still more pleasant to be passed by an English horse and gig.

On our return home, we passed a small lagoon, separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land (there are several of these lagoons along the coast, as, for instance, one at Cape Coast), and we soon after arrived at a large house, which was built some years ago, for the senior naval officer on the station, and although now no longer used by him, still retains the name of “ The Commodore's ;" it is inhabited by the female portion of Mr. Bannermann's family, and is very extensive. ,

Friday, March 19.-As some rocks, at a little distance from the fort, form a sort of natural basin, into which our delightful friends, the sharks, do not venture, I this morning had the great luxury of a bathe in the sea : it is great fun to be knocked head over heels by the surf, and it gave me a capital appetite for breakfast. The middle of the day was devoted to writing letters to England, and at half-past four we all