Note 113 — Chapter XVI

The following list of chiefs who appeared this day is banished to a foot-note:—

1. Advance guard representing royalty, 4 umbrellas, 40 men and boys escorting Agugun and Ayohi, custodians of the palace. 2. The three great ministers of the crown; a large chair, a parrot or fetish image and stick, 3 flags, fancy umbrella (lappets with knives and heads of many-coloured cloth), and 50 men were the “place” of the Min-gan, who was sick. 3. Seven deviced flags, 2 red and black shields, 2 big chairs, 1 blue striped umbrella accompanied the Meu, riding his white nag. Two large chairs, an English and a French flag, a pony, mats, calabashes, 4 men with boarding-pikes, attitudinising an attack, a white umbrella, drums and band, with 4 deviced flags accompanying the Yevo-gan, who danced before us. Then came Addo-kpon, the Bush King’s “place,” a heavy line of razor and musket-men preceding an unridden horse, 2 men and 2 umbrellas, with two flags. Behind Addo-kpon marched the King’s brother and great dignitaries. 1. The new Ajyaho, preceded by fetish sticks of iron, followed by huge stools, 1 flag brown and tattered, 1 deviced, and 1 white and blue, a white umbrella, and an old brown ditto. 2. The Akpulogan, or governor of Ahada, whose escort was very mean, many of his men being absent on service; a head and knife flag, 2 white banners, a horse, and a big stool. 3. The So-gan, with a noisy band, and 1 umbrella, buff and deviced. 4. The Ganze, with similar escort: he is a young man, having been lately promoted. 5. The To-metti, with 2 flags, one white, the other white and blue, and some 50 men; he also has lately succeeded his father, who was one of Gezo’s brothers. 6. The Afarigbe, own brother to Gelele; in his suite 5 men, with hair tightly bandaged in calico, like Fetishmen. 7. The Anlin-wa-nun, with an English flag, his party passing at the double. 8. The Tokpo, with knife and head umbrella. 9. The Bokovo, captain and brother to the late king. 10. The Adanejan, with a party of 150 men firing lustily, red flag and fancy banner, a horse, and in the rear 2 white umbrellas, 1 white pennon and 1 red. He sent compliments to us by one of his slaves, an Ishaggan captive, who looked the personification of mirth. 11. The Bin-wan-ton, with a small party, and umbrella knife and head. 12. The Bi-na-zon under a white umbrella, and a large party, amongst whom were sundry of the present King’s young sons, who fired before us. 13. The Gwe-be-do, or second eunuch. 14. The Buko-no, or King’s magician, attired en militaire—blue drawers, tunic with cowries on black ground, straw cap dyed red and supplied with chin-strap, and a small sword stuck in belt, and tomahawk in right hand. He asked me if I had ever seen such a gun (i.e., firing) at Abeokuta, and took place by my side. 15. The Attirive, brother to the late king, with 2 umbrellas, 1 white and 1 head and knife. 16. The Aho, another of the blood-royal, followed by three of the princes; he had a blue umbrella, and a fancy blue flag. 17. The Voda, brother to the present king, with a white umbrella. 18. The Nonnovo, who is said to be a woman passing as a man, the eldest daughter of Gezo, and, but for the Salic law of Dahome, his heir to the kingdom. 19. The Tokunonfisan, captain and subject, with an English Union-Jack. 20. The Gofle, a son of the old Meu, also with British flag. 21. The Chyudaton, with a very small party. 22. The Kwenun, before an akhi-gan, or “king’s merchant,” now promoted to captaincy of all traders at Whydah. He is a large fat old man, grotesquely Silenus-like, but not unintelligent. 23. The Men-jo-ten, second caboceer of Ahada, with white umbrella and fancy. 24. The Asogba-hosen, brother to the present King, with a bluish umbrella, and a few attendants, chiefly boys. 25. The Awonyon, with a white umbrella, a fancy flag, an iron stick crescent-topped, and 2 fetish images, one of them black, with a long white unicorn-horn. 26. The Toja, a white umbrella, son to a brother of the late king. 27. The Ahopwe, brother of Gezo, with a head and knife umbrella. 28. The Assogba’u, with very few attendants. 29. The Enekpehun, another brother of Gezo, with a blue and white umbrella. 30. The Nuage, a brother of the present king. 31. Bosu-sau, on horseback, with white umbrella and bluish flag. 32. The Nuase, a knife and head umbrella. 33. The Metokal, a white umbrella. 34. The Vinyi-hun-to. 35. The Ajewanun, a French tri-colour. 36. The Khwechiri, a Whydah captain. 37. The Nolufren, ditto. 38. The Mecho-nun. 39. The Bokpwe, a white flag. 40. The Ganzu. 41. The Adan-vokun. 42, 43. Two new captains, names unknown. 44. The Jogbwenun. 45. The Honjenun. 46. The Agbado. In the arrière came the high military officers, preceded by their escorts, firing hard. 1. The Gau, with an awful flag, a crimson man sprawling on a white ground, a blue and white flag, and smaller blue pennons, a black stool, and a pair of blackened and tattered umbrellas. 2. The Matro, or second Gau, passing at a run, with two white umbrellas and 1 head and knife. 3. The Po-su, a white flag, with 2 pink and 1 buff umbrellas. 4. The Ahwig-bamen, or assistant Po-su, with his band playing and his men firing, 1 white flag with green beasts eating one another, and 2 tattered umbrellas, one of them head and knife. 5. The Agbwi, with 2 white and 1 blue flags, and 2 white tattered umbrellas. 6. The Allohan, another tattered umbrella. 7. The Ahwesi, 1 plaid umbrella, and 4 white. 8. The Aovi, 1 white umbrella, and 8 flags preceding. 10 (sic in first edition). Very tattered umbrellas, showing where the servants of the king were. 11. Fetisheers, with Bo-chio images. 12. The royal “place,” with 9 flags, 2 huge stools, 2 red and blue shields, 1 head and knife umbrella, and another striped, with blue lined valances. Thus the total number of parties was 58.