Travels in Western Africa in 1845 & 1846, Volume 2 (of 2) comprising a journey from Whydah through the Kingdom of Dahomey to Adofoodia in the interior

The volume offers a travel journal that follows an officer as he leaves the coastal town of Whydah and penetrates the kingdom of Dahomey, pushing further into the interior lands of Adofoodia. Along the way he documents rugged mountains, dense riverbanks, and bustling market towns where traders haggle over guinea corn, indigo, and shea‑butter. His observations capture the daily rhythm of farming families, loom‑weavers, and cattle herders, while noting striking wildlife and towering trees that line the landscape. The narrative conveys both the curiosity of the locals toward a visitor and the complex protocols of hospitality extended by various cabos (local chiefs).

Readers will hear detailed accounts of mineral springs, granite peaks that echo Scottish scenery, and the elaborate ceremonies surrounding trade and war dances. The author records lively exchanges with cabos, their elaborate dress, and the tense moments that arise when misunderstandings surface. Through his eyes we glimpse the economic pressures of the slave trade, the ingenuity of indigenous craft, and the challenges of disease and travel in a land far from European comforts.