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As we live in a country where nature is prodigal of her favours, our
wants are few and easily supplied; of course we have few manufactures.
They consist for the most part of calicoes, earthern ware, ornaments,
and instruments of war and husbandry. But these make no part of our
commerce, the principal articles of which, as I have observed, are
provisions. In such a state money is of little use; however we have
some small pieces of coin, if I may call them such. They are made
something like an anchor; but I do not remember either their value or
denomination. We have also markets, at which I have been frequently
with my mother. These are sometimes visited by stout mahogany-coloured
men from the south west of us: we call them Oye-Eboe, which term
signifies red men living at a distance. They generally bring us
fire-arms, gunpowder, hats, beads, and dried fish. The last we
esteemed a great rarity, as our waters were only brooks and springs.
These articles they barter with us for odoriferous woods and earth,
and our salt of wood ashes. They always carry slaves through our land;
but the strictest account is exacted of their manner of procuring them
before they are suffered to pass. Sometimes indeed we sold slaves to
them, but they were only prisoners of war, or such among us as had
been convicted of kidnapping, or adultery, and some other crimes,
which we esteemed heinous. This practice of kidnapping induces me to
think, that, notwithstanding all our strictness, their principal
business among us was to trepan our people. I remember too they
carried great sacks along with them, which not long after I had an
opportunity of fatally seeing applied to that infamous purpose.
Our land is uncommonly rich and fruitful, and produces all kinds of
vegetables in great abundance. We have plenty of Indian corn, and vast
quantities of cotton and tobacco. Our pine apples grow without
culture; they are about the size of the largest sugar-loaf, and finely
flavoured. We have also spices of different kinds, particularly
pepper; and a variety of delicious fruits which I have never seen in
Europe; together with gums of various kinds, and honey in abundance.
All our industry is exerted to improve those blessings of nature.
Agriculture is our chief employment; and every one, even the children
and women, are engaged in it. Thus we are all habituated to labour
from our earliest years. Every one contributes something to the common
stock; and as we are unacquainted with idleness, we have no beggars.
The benefits of such a mode of living are obvious. The West India
planters prefer the slaves of Benin or Eboe to those of any other part
of Guinea, for their hardiness, intelligence, integrity, and zeal.
Those benefits are felt by us in the general healthiness of the
people, and in their vigour and activity; I might have added too in
their comeliness. Deformity is indeed unknown amongst us, I mean that
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