The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African | Page 6

with cow-dung, to keep off the different insects, which annoy us during
the night. The walls and floors also of these are generally covered with
mats. Our beds consist of a platform, raised three or four feet from the
ground, on which are laid skins, and different parts of a spungy tree
called plaintain. Our covering is calico or muslin, the same as our dress.
The usual seats are a few logs of wood; but we have benches, which are
generally perfumed, to accommodate strangers: these compose the
greater part of our household furniture. Houses so constructed and
furnished require but little skill to erect them. Every man is a sufficient
architect for the purpose. The whole neighbourhood afford their
unanimous assistance in building them and in return receive, and
expect no other recompense than a feast.
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 of shape. Numbers of the natives of

Eboe now in London might be brought in support of this assertion: for,
in regard to complexion, ideas of beauty are wholly relative. I
remember while in Africa to have seen three negro children, who were
tawny, and another quite white, who were universally regarded by
myself, and the natives in general, as far as related to their complexions,
as deformed. Our women too were in my eyes at least uncommonly
graceful, alert, and modest to a degree of bashfulness; nor do I
remember to have ever heard of an instance of incontinence amongst
them before marriage. They are also remarkably cheerful. Indeed
cheerfulness and affability are two of the leading characteristics of our
nation.
Our tillage is exercised in a large plain or common, some hours walk
from our dwellings, and all the neighbours resort thither in a body.
They use no beasts of husbandry; and their only instruments are hoes,
axes, shovels, and beaks,