AS SEEN FROM
THE DECK OF A MAN-OF-WAR.
___
BY THE LATE
COMMANDER HUGH McN. DYER, R.N.,
H.M.S. “TORCH”
[NOTE: Because of the time in which the book was written, it contains some outwardly racist, ethnocentric material. I am posting the book here not only because Hugh was my third great-grandfather, but also because it contains both historical and anthropological data.]
[PAGE 84] ON the 6th August [1872] Mr. Molenaar and Captain Hoare left Axim in hammocks for Blay’s town of Assama. The hammocks were carried by Captain Hoare’s Kroomen, the Axims being afraid to cross the Ancobra. The hammocks are slung from a bamboo, and are shaded from the sun by an awning. They were borne by four men, other bearers following with the baggage; and the same bearers will travel at the rate of four miles an hour for twenty miles. It is not an uncomfortable mode of travelling.
Doctor Johnstone and I left in the Torch on the 7th and arrived off Assama at 11 a.m. that day. A large red English ensign was flying over the town. There was a heavy sea, breaking far off shore, and a mist rose from the breakers which is locally termed “the smokes” rendering it difficult to discern anything distinctly on shore, although we were less than a mile from it. The rolling of the ship was very disagreeable. Doctor Johnstone was anxious to land, so we determined to see what the surf boat could do. We took the precaution of putting on cork jackets, and I took [PAGE 85] two good Kroomen in case of an accident. But we reached the shore safely, and found our colleagues comfortably housed in a clay built dwelling of several rooms, and furnished with a table or two, some chairs, and two bedsteads and mattrasses [sic]. They reported great enthusiasm along the road at the prospect of peace; no difficulties in travelling, except at the Ancobra, where the Axim boatmen were afraid to ferry them across, and boats had to be taken and pulled across by the Kroomen.
The house prepared for our reception was the best in Assama, and the furniture was all that could be collected in the town.
A palaver with Blay was arranged for the morrow. We were taken round the town and shown its defences, and told in what manner the Axims and Ashantees had been repulsed in their last attack. The stockade extends in a semi-circle from the sea by the rear of the town to the sea again. It consists of stout young palm trunks driven into the ground, and bound together with withies. At intervals of 100 yards are projections which are roofed over and thatched, and have two stories. The stockade is loopholed, and the men in these bastions are able to prevent an enemy getting near the stockade without great loss. Blays [sic] men said that the Axims lost more than a thousand men in one of their attempted assaults. The troops were drawn out for our inspection and went through some [PAGE 86] skirmishing drill, but before the palaver next day we had a grand review.
I had to return to the ship, but the rest of the party remained on shore that night. On landing again I was surprised to find a guard of five men in ragged red coats, caps of various colours and shapes, and trowsers [sic] of no colour of shape at all, who saluted me by presenting arms, giving the English words of command. I found they were troops belonging to the “Fantee Confederation,” who had been sent to protect Blay! They were Cape Coast men, armed with percussion muskets, for which they had no caps. They appeared as if they had been near a rum cask that morning. One of them called himself “Colonel,” and gave himself great airs, and us some trouble, and in the evening came for a “Dash” for his salute to us.
At 11 a.m. on the 8th we took our seats under some shady palms between the town and the stockade, a Krooman bearing the Union Jack before us; and our party was augmented by the Elmina boatmen and Captain Hoare’s Kroomen who stood in our rear.
The troops, which yesterday were paraded and exercised on the sea beach, to-day defiled before us in companies of about 100 men strong, bearing “trade” guns, - flint-lock arms turned out at the rate of about five shillings each from Birmingham. They marched a few paces forward, when they had to halt to correct the formation, which was from three to six men deep.
[PAGE 87] The officer was assisted in this work by a “fetish” man or two, who ran along the ranks kicking or striking the shins of those out of place, or touching them up behind as the case might require. The commander of each company carried a skull in his mouth or by his side. The “fetish” man was whitewashed all over and wore a white cloth. Fetish women were also present, but did not take any active part in the performance. They wore white cloths, and were daubed over with white and red wash. Before each company was carried a small English flag, the staff of each being ornamented with the jawbones and fingers of fallen enemies. Each company acted independently. They were ordered to show us how they fought their last battle against the Axims.
Skirmishers were thrown out, by each company sending five front men at a run fifty paces to the front. These then threw themselves on the ground, and crawled cautiously forward. At a signal from one of their number, they raised their bodies, held their guns straight before them with both hands, shut their eyes and fired! They then scampered to the rear of their company as hard as they could go, and completed their loading. One squad of five, was quickly followed by another, until at length, with great shouting, beating of tom toms and sounding horns, a general firing took place, in no particular direction, all formation was lost, the poor fetish men became black again from [PAGE 88] perspiration, and the battle ended with the entire consumption of the stock of powder in Assama. Some few warriors, either better provided with ammunition, or slower in their movements than the others, continued the action on their own account for an hour after the main body had finished.
King Blay and his chiefs took their seats under trees 100 yards distant from us, and the male population of the town, and the warriors, formed a vast circle, the King’s party and our party being at opposite ends of its diameter. Women and children crowded in the rear. The “Fantee guards” who had not condescended to take part in the review, helped to get people into their places, and the fetish men busied themselves doing the same thing near the king.
The ceremony opened by the King sending his orator and two stick bearers to bid us welcome, and say he would pay us a visit. We sent our stick bearer to say we should be glad to see him. He then crossed over to us followed by fifty chiefs or more. He wore a tall black hat, a very handsome silk cloth, and sandals.
He was a middle aged man, with an intelligent face and pleasant manner.
He shook hands, and all his staff followed, with whom we shook hands. Most of them then said “How do!” or “Welcome!” (which grand word the “Fantee guards” taught them), or “Berry well.” After this we paid the [PAGE 89] King a visit, and more shaking hands took place. Then the King sent his “stick” as before, to ask if we had a message for him.
Mr. Molenaar, proceeded to give it, and took with him the presents. The quantity of each article given was pronounced aloud and repeated to the people, who cheered loudly at each announcement.
It was quite two hours before we could get to real business. We then requested the King to move near us so that we could speak face to face as friends. This, after consultation with the chiefs and Fetishmen, was agreed to, the people remained where they were, but the orator informed them from time to time, what matter was being discussed, and how business proceeded, The natives appeared to have good and accurate memories and some of our long addresses in English were, Molenaar said, translated readily without any part being forgotten.
Blay expressed himself quite ready to open the road and anxious for peace, but said that his neighbours were great rogues and it was their fault the roads were stopped. He complained of the Axims murdering his men who had accompanied Governor Ussher’s stick, and impressed upon us that he had ever been loyal to the British flag, and had never fought under any other. He received a new flag from us with gladness and kissed it amid great cheers from his people.
He told us that he had been four years without [PAGE 90] means of trading, as the Dutch had isolated his territory, and that his people had only native made cloth to clothe themselves with.
His cattle, sheep, and fields, had been destroyed by his enemies. He now looked for our Governor’s favour, and vengeance on his enemies.
We promised to inform the Governor of what he had told us; but informed him that even if his wishes were not acceded to, he must not close the road by the beach from Assini to Axim to travellers of any nation, and as he and his nation had suffered so severely by war, we recommended him to forget what was past, and now that they were under one protectorate, endeavour to live peaceably with their neighbours.
The people received this speech with applause. They were evidently tired of war.
The King promised to send an embassy to Cape Coast to settle small palavers, and after some little trouble, promised hammock bearers to carry our party to Appolonia if the Torch went there first, to warn Amakee not to hurt them.
The “Colonel” of the “Fantee Guards” was very anxious to turn our mission to his own account, by asking us to insist that Blay should pay him better.
We recommended Blay to send him and his gallant army home to Cape Coast; but Blay said the King of Winnebah had sent them to him as a token of friendship and he must keep them, although they must be [PAGE 91] content with what pay he could afford. I believe this consisted of a daily ration of Kanky and a few bananas. To day the “Colonel” had been treated by the new comers, or he had been looting during the sham fight, for he was very drunk, and he was about the only coast native I ever saw so.
These “Fantee guards” are a body of soldiers raised by the confederated Fantee chiefs for defence of their country against the Ashantees. The scheme for a Fantee army, officered by educated natives, armed with rifles and drilled like European soldiers, was a very plausible one on paper. This is what it came to, in fact. A few Cape Coast scapegraces got together, with the knowledge of some words of command and how to “stan at ease” and “present ups” like the sentries at the Castle gate, and persuaded the native chiefs they were trained soldiers. A subscription list was sent round, and money enough raised to buy a few rifles. Their funds then failed. An appeal was made to our government for assistance - our government declined. The Governor was then requested to establish an export duty on oil to support the Fantee army, but this he refused to do. I have been informed, that in the proposed scheme so much of the money to be raised was allotted to the generals and staff-officers that little was left for the rank and file! We can now tell very clearly what the Fantee army would have been worth, from the wretched behaviour of the tribes, [PAGE 92] educated and uneducated, in face of their Ashanti invaders.
Our palaver closed, with Blay again shaking hands.
He visited us afterwards at our quarters and presented us each with a gold ring of rough workmanship.
In the evening he paid us a private visit, and talked confidentially on political matters, told us we should find Amakee a great liar, and warned us not to believe a word he said. We said the Amakee would probably say the same thing of him, which produced a laugh.
He assured us that Amakee was in constant communication with Ashanti, that he had sent the whole of our Governor’s late present to him and thirty female slave to Ashanti, and that the king of Ashanti had sent 300 warriors to guard Amakee who were with him at the present time. He told us also that the king Axim was in treaty with Ashanti.
We slept very comfortably, with very little trouble from mosquitoes. The morning was quite chilly, and the natives wrapped their cloths closely round them and looked frozen.
We were up at daylight, and while we took a stroll round the town, our followers provided us a sumptuous breakfast, at which were one or two native luxuries, roasted plantains, kankee, and ground nut soup, the latter not at all bad.
The commissioners embarked in the surf boat [PAGE 93] immediately afterwards; the rest of the party starting in hammocks for Appolonia, 20 miles by land, and 12 miles by sea. There were more volunteers as carriers than could be employed, and the impression produced on our minds by the conduct of the people was that an immense load of care had been removed from their shoulders.
Trade began briskly with goods from the Alligator, and I saw our Elmina boatmen were prepared for a trading expedition, and had small quantities of goods to sell for gold. Every native appeared to have a pinch of gold dust wrapped up in some part of his cloth, and they were anxious to exchange it for tobacco, cloth, or powder.
Before leaving, Blay asked us to give him back the powder his troops fired at the review as he had none left. We consented.
We were much amused at the caution taken by the gold buyers against fraud. Captain Hoare informed me that it was very dangerous for a white man to buy gold on his own judgment.
He, and nearly all traders on the coast employed native assayers, who are held responsible that nothing but the pure metal is purchased. These men put the gold offered for sale into a copper pan, then shake it about and blow it to remove all dust and dirt, then with a feather they remove such particles as do not please the eye, and return them to the seller, as it is [PAGE 94] possible they are of pure gold, but much oftener they are brass filings; then the assayer rubs the rest of the dust on a stone, and unless it produces a certain colour on that, the whole lot is rejected. In this manner traders are seldom imposed upon with rubbish, but without proper precautions they are certain to be.
The gold for sale all consists of dust. Nuggets are obliged to be sent to the chiefs. It comes in very small quantities, often only an “akie” or two at a time. An “akie” is an acacia seed weighting a few grains. Accounts with natives on this coast are all kept in “ounces.” That is, ounces of gold. The value given is about £3 an ounce in goods, but of course this is only nominal. Captain Hoare called it a “clean trade,” but said there was not such a large profit as is sometimes derived from oil.
If permanent peace was established the whole country between the Ancobra and Assinie is likely to become wonderfully productive.
Click here to return to the book’s contents page.
Click here to go to Chapter VI (6).
E-mail Val with your comments!
Return to Family Profiles Page
Return to Val's Family Photos Page
This FREE homepage hosted by 