King Guezo of Dahomey, 1850-52: The Abolition of the Slave Trade on the West Coast of AfricaTim Coates In order to bring an end to slave dealing the British Navy went in search of the final traders and offered them large sums of money in exchange for firm promises to give up their lucrative business. Guezo, King of Dahomey had an army of 3000 women, to each of which he was married, having sold all the menfolk as slaves. For entertainment he indulged in the sacrifice of trespassers from neighbouring West African countries. He welcomed the approach of the naval officers, declaring Victoria and Albert as his closest friends. |
Common terms and phrases
Abbeokuta Abbeokutians Abomey acquaint Akitoye Amazons arrived attack Badagry Benin Bights Bights of Benin blockade Bloodhound boats Bonetta British Government Cabooceers canoes Captain Jones Charchar Chief of Lagos coast of Africa Commander Forbes Commander Wilmot commerce Commodore Bruce Commodore Fanshawe cowries cruizers Customs Dahomians desire despatch dominions Duncan duty Egbas Enclosure endeavour English fire Gollmer guns H.W. BRUCE honour Hutton instructions JOHN BEECROFT King and Chiefs King Guezo King of Dahomey King of Lagos King's Kosoko land letter Lieutenant Forbes Lord Palmerston Lords Commissioners Lordships Majesty's Consul Majesty's Government Majesty's ship Majesty's steamer Mayo messenger Ministers mission missionaries muskets native October palaver palm-oil Popo Porto Novo present proceedings Queen of England received request residents river Sagbua salute sent Sierra Leone Slave Trade slave-dealers slave-merchants soldiers Souza subjects suppression Teazer tion told town treaty vessels Vice-Consul Viscount Palmerston Whydah wish Yoruba