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 Praise for
COACHING
ESSENTIALS
FOR MANAGERS

Sara Canaday’s Coaching Essentials for Managers is the ultimate

guide to retaining and engaging your employees. It’s packed with
valuable information, real-world scenarios, and practical exercises
that reinforce learning. Readers will walk away feeling fully prepared
to coach and inspire their employees to do their best and most
engaged work.
—Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach
and New York Times bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo,
and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

In Coaching Essentials for Managers, Sara Canaday demystifies the

coaching process and makes it accessible for any manager who
wants to play a significant role in employees’ growth and
development. She provides a valuable start-to-finish blueprint for
effective coaching with strategies that are easy to understand and
simple to apply. What’s unique about this book is that she doesn’t
just tell you how to be a successful workplace coach, she shows you
exactly what that looks like through case studies and dialogue for a
more powerful impact. This book should be required reading for
every manager who wants to develop a high-performing team and
retain top talent.
—Keith Ferrazzi, American entrepreneur, global thought
leader, and chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight
As a content strategist and former business book editor, my aim is to
provide learners with skills they can use to make their jobs easier,
more manageable, and increasingly rewarding. Coaching Essentials
for Managers from Sara Canaday does just that! In this book, Sara
highlights valuable insights from her experience as a corporate
executive and leadership educator that can help managers transform
their teams through the power of coaching. The practical tips and
helpful scenarios are exceptional resources. I highly recommend this
book for anyone interested in improving their coaching skills and
increasing their impact.
—Susan R. Williams, senior content manager, business at
LinkedIn Learning

While companies are scrambling to retain their employees by

offering stay-on bonuses and extended benefits, there is one thing
leaders can do to give employees what they really want: a chance to
learn and progress. Sara Canaday’s Coaching Essentials for
Managers is the handbook for how to accomplish that. This uniquely
compelling book provides readers with specific strategies and tools
they can use to help inspire their employees to achieve their best
and support their professional goals.
—Dr. Marcia Reynolds, author of Coach the Person, Not
the Problem and The Discomfort Zone

In Coaching Essentials for Managers, Sara provides leadership

wisdom that packs a powerful punch. I’ve always taken pride in
helping my employees reach their potential and fulfill their career
aspirations, and the strategies in this book have already helped me
do just that. Sara has a unique way of transforming leadership
principles and theories into actionable strategies, taking the reader
from “why” to “how.” She also uses authentic examples and
vignettes to drive home her key points with real impact. If you’re
looking for the shortest path to coaching excellence, this book is for
you.
 —Jennifer Webb, director of marketing at Dell
Technologies

In a time and world where coaching is the missing link for

leadership, culture, and engagement, Sara Canaday delivers the
definitive solution in Coaching Essentials for Managers. Sara is right
on the mark in stating that “coaching is a leadership superpower,”
and I’d go so far as to say that coaching is the leadership
superpower. Organizations and leaders have lost their way when it
comes to developing and growing their people. Thankfully, Sara
offers us a light to help us find our way back as leaders and
organizations, and that light comes in the form of Coaching
Essentials for Managers.
—Jeff Nischwitz, chief impact officer at CoreX Legal,
speaker, coach, and author of Snow Globe Leadership:
Shaken Not Settled

As an executive coach, I appreciate the key strategies and principles

in Sara’s book, Coaching Essentials for Managers. I’ve watched
hundreds of leaders shy away from taking a more active approach to
coaching because they were intimidated by the process or felt ill-
equipped to do it effectively. This resource is what they need. If you
are new to coaching or looking to strengthen your coaching skills as
a manager, you will find this book enlightening, easy to follow, and
full of actionable strategies you can apply immediately.
—Muriel Maignan Wilkins, cofounder of Paravis Partners
and podcast host of HBR’s Coaching Real Leaders
Copyright © 2023 by Sara Canaday. All rights reserved. Except as
permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of
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any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.

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 Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PART I
THE ESSENTIALS
1 Coaching Fundamentals
2 Your Five-Step Model for Coaching
3 Coaching Skills
4 Attributes of a Great Coach
5 Knowledge Check

PART II
THE ESSENTIALS APPLIED
Coaching Self-Assessment
6 Performance Coaching in Action
7 Developmental Coaching in Action
8 Common Obstacles for Coaches
9 Coaching in a Virtual Environment

PART III
 BEYOND THE ESSENTIALS
10 Effective Questions
11 Coaching for Cognitive and Cultural Diversity
12 Powerful Phrases
13 The Ongoing Journey of Coaching

Coaching Essentials Toolkit

Answer Key for Chapter 5 Knowledge Check

Index
 Acknowledgments

I’m immensely grateful to my friend and developmental editor

Susan Priddy for her tireless dedication to making this book come
alive. This is the third book I’ve written with Susan. In traditional
fashion, she brought perspective, structure, and flow to my material,
which will make this book easy to follow and worth referencing in
the years ahead.
On a broader scale, Susan’s impact on my work as an author,
speaker, and instructor has been enormous. I value her
extraordinary commitment to quality as well as her keen ability to
embrace and uphold my brand. I count myself ever so fortunate to
have her in my corner.
Special thanks and recognition also go to my editor at McGraw
Hill, Cheryl Segura. Cheryl has been an encouraging ally throughout
the process. She kept me on track and was clearly dedicated to
ensuring that my final work was exceptional.
I also want to thank the many leaders I’ve known and served
over the years. Both my colleagues and clients have been an
inspiration to me, and I have learned as much from them as they
have hopefully learned from me.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to my dear friends and family. They
influenced my decision to write this book and encouraged me every
step of the way. I will be forever grateful for their love and support.
 Introduction

Through the years, I’ve had the honor of coaching hundreds of

current and emerging leaders around the world. You probably won’t
find a more passionate champion for this process, and yet I’m still
constantly amazed by the results it can generate.
I’ve seen dedicated professionals completely transform their
careers by making relatively small yet targeted adjustments in their
behaviors and attitudes through coaching. It changed the trajectory
of their own futures, as well as the outlook for their organizations.
With that said, business coaching today is a far cry from what it
was even a decade ago. It’s a concept that has evolved dramatically
over time.
Before starting my own firm in 2005, I spent seven years working
as a senior leader in a large corporation. The concept of “leader as
coach” had yet to make its way into the leadership landscape. If you
were singled out for coaching in that era, the message was clear:
You had a performance problem. Something was wrong that needed
correcting. Maybe it was unmet objectives or lagging metrics.
Whatever it was, the emphasis was more on preventing the
continuation of a downward spiral rather than accelerating upward
progress.
Today, if you are selected for coaching, it’s a sure sign that the
company recognizes your potential and wants to invest in helping
you achieve it. Being coached is now perceived as a privilege and an
opportunity. Talk about a vast change!
Though I was always dedicated to evolving and expanding my
impact as a manager, at the time, I didn’t have the insight to adopt
this modern approach to coaching. I should have recognized that
showing a genuine interest in my employees’ career aspirations and
more actively supporting their progress would have made a world of
difference.
Like so many who are in leadership roles, I understood that my
primary role as a leader was to set the direction for my team, ensure
quality deliverables, and hold people accountable for producing
measurable results. Sure, I would provide candid and compassionate
feedback when approached by my employees, but there is no telling
what kind of impact I could have had if I consistently coached my
employees in the more contemporary sense of the word.
With the benefit of hindsight, I’m convinced that coaching is a
leadership superpower—and I’m confident you’ll feel the same way
after reading this book. You’ll also have a better understanding of
how to coach your teams.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

Because coaching is a crucial part of being a leader, understanding
this competency will help you develop the people who report to you
so they can take their careers to new heights. You’ll also be helping
to stock your organization with the very best talent so it can grow
and thrive. But I want you to hit pause on those ideas for just a brief
moment and allow yourself to be . . . selfish.
What’s in this for you?
That’s actually a very good question. There is something oddly
counterintuitive about focusing every bit of your energy to create a
powerful team that runs like a well-oiled machine, while actively
preparing your employees to move on. From that perspective,
coaching might sound like a self-inflicted wound waiting to happen.
They advance, and I’m stuck here recruiting and hiring and training
all over again.
My response? Yes, but . . .

Coaching Is a Deeply Rewarding and

Meaningful Experience
Leaders who practice and excel at the art of coaching will almost
universally tell you that it’s the most rewarding part of being a
leader.
I’ve heard this over and over again from thousands of leaders
I’ve worked with through the years. They tell me that coaching
stretches them in a uniquely positive way and reconnects them with
the reason many of them became leaders in the first place. It gives
them a clearly defined purpose that rises above the chaos of fighting
fires, making constant pivots, and even struggling through incredible
challenges (like a pandemic). Coaching allows them to plant the
seeds of success and watch them grow in real time.
Because leaders have to juggle so many roles, they often feel like
they’re swimming in a pool that’s a mile wide and an inch deep.
Coaching allows them to finally take a refreshing dive into one area
and really make a difference. Instead of directing, they get to
position themselves as collaborators. They get to be creative in a
way that’s completely separate from their usual focus on the
organization’s products and services. The benefits of that in our
current environment cannot be overstated.

Coaching Can Elevate Your Impact and

Influence
Leaders who establish themselves as excellent coaches become the
legendary rock stars of their organizations. That’s because team
members who know their leaders have their backs and genuinely
want them to succeed inevitably perform at unprecedented levels.
Their loyalty and commitment are off the charts. And, if a team
member does leave, other talented individuals are clamoring to take
their place and gain the opportunity to be coached by a legendary
leader.
The point is, by developing your reputation as a vibrant leader-
coach who repeatedly elicits a winning team response, you’ll
automatically expand your scope of influence and become more
valuable to the organization. That gives you an unbeatable
competitive advantage to accelerate your own career.

Coaching Is a Must-Have Skill to Fuel Your

Career Success
Leaders who fail to coach in today’s competitive business
environment often fall behind their peers in terms of career
achievements, recognition, and promotability.
For those of you who like the carrot but still need the stick, this
one’s for you. From a purely self-centered standpoint, you can’t
afford to consider coaching as an optional “maybe-someday-when-I-
have-more-time” activity.
Think about it this way. Your success as a leader is determined
by the success of your employees. Given that direct link, how do
workers today describe what they actually need to be successful?
Research from the Association for Talent Development (ATD)
published in September 2020 showed that 90 percent of companies
expect some portion of their managers to coach their employees,
and 75 percent expect all of them to do so.* Here’s why: When
managers coach their direct reports, the organizations get a bottom-
line bump. So if you want your career as a leader to flourish,
coaching is a must-have, expected skill.
 An earlier study by the coaching/consulting firm BetterUp
confirmed those findings as well. For this study, researchers asked
professionals whether they would rather have a 20 percent pay raise
or a manager who was invested in helping them find meaning and
purpose in their jobs on the way to greater success.
Believe it or not, 80 percent of the respondents picked the
supportive manager who would coach them and actively take part in
helping them get ahead. Again, that’s 80 percent. So, four out of five
would take a manager who supported their progress over cash.
What does that tell us? Employees want to be coached to help
them advance in their careers. They desperately want to do
meaningful work and feel connected to the purpose of their jobs.
When those two conditions are met, they have higher engagement,
increased job satisfaction, and elevated productivity.
The message for leaders is clear. Coaching isn’t a nice-to-have
skill; it’s a must-have leadership competency. If you want to create
exceptional teams and accelerate your own career success,
becoming an effective coach needs to be a top priority.

Coaching Keeps Companies More Vibrant and

Successful
Coaching requires a significant commitment of time and energy by
leaders and their team members. Consequently, everyone ends up
asking: “Is it worth it?”
In a nutshell: Absolutely! Let’s take a closer look at the business
case for creating a coaching culture within your organization.
If coaching didn’t produce concrete advantages, companies
wouldn’t even bother. But research consistently shows that it’s a
smart investment. Organizations that make coaching a priority reap
the rewards and enjoy enormous bottom-line impact.
According to Forbes, the Institute of Coaching discovered a
whopping 86 percent of companies that implement coaching cultures
report an outstanding return on the time and money they invest in
the process. In what ways? The Institute cites increased
engagement and motivation, greater accountability, a streamlined
path to identify high potentials, more targeted development
opportunities, and a clear demonstration of the organization’s
commitment to professional growth.*
All of that adds up to prove that coaching makes good sense
from a business perspective. It works, plain and simple. In fact, the
Institute’s studies show that more than 70 percent of professionals
who receive coaching demonstrate better communication skills,
stronger relationships, and increased performance. Companies can
leverage those improvements for a competitive edge.
As interest in coaching continues to grow, more and more
research is being done to quantify its impact. The results?
Overwhelmingly positive. Even dating back to 2014, a study
highlighted in The Journal of Positive Psychology set out to complete
a meta-analysis of coaching effects. The scientists tracked
significant, positive impact in five areas: performance/skills, well-
being, coping, work attitudes, and goal-directed self-regulation.†
All of those quantitative benefits stem directly from coaching’s
targeted effect on the employees. Plus, the “vote of confidence” that
comes from coaching makes employees feel a greater connection
with the company, as well as its vision and mission. They begin to
see a direct line between what they do every day and the company’s
success. That sense of ownership translates into loyalty, which then
improves retention and lowers costs for hiring and training.
While that has always been a compelling advantage, it’s never
been stronger than it is today.
In 2021 and 2022, a mass exodus from the workforce became
known as the Great Resignation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that a record-high 4.3 million US employees quit their jobs
in August 2021.
Why? The Covid-19 pandemic shook things up and, for some,
reinforced the idea that “life is short.” Workers are now demanding
better opportunities, more flexibility, roles that bring them greater
satisfaction, or a shot at starting their own businesses. If they aren’t
happy with their current employers, they feel empowered to move
on. All they need is an internet connection, and they can
theoretically apply for jobs anywhere around the world. The
competition for talent is fierce.
This creates a huge problem for companies that are left without
enough workers to support their business models. Beyond that, their
significant investments in recruiting and development evaporate
when people walk out the door.
The good news? Research shows that employees are much more
likely to stick around when they are actively being coached and their
talent is being developed.
A LinkedIn Learning report from 2020 states that 76 percent of
employees describe professional growth and career development as
“very important” to them.* (A Gallup survey done in the same time
frame found that number to be 87 percent for millennials!)† But
here’s the kicker: 94 percent of employees say they would stay with
an organization rather than leaving if the company invested in their
professional growth.
No wonder companies believe in coaching! Reams of research
prove that coaching is the essential ingredient required for
organizations to produce high-performing teams with loyal
employees who work together effectively and generate amazing
results.

Coaching Keeps Team Members More Loyal

and Engaged
As we saw with the results from the research from both ATD and
BetterUp, individuals who are coached are statistically shown to
exhibit higher productivity and increased engagement. The
cumulative effect? Enhanced drive and performance.
Focused on leadership effectiveness, The Ken Blanchard
Companies have promoted coaching to their global clients for many
years. Managers there have also thoroughly documented coaching
outcomes and client feedback from those who participated in the
process. Their findings, quoted in the following list, confirm the
personal benefits of professional coaching. Individuals who are
coached tend to:
• Establish and take action toward achieving goals
• Become more self-reliant
• Gain more job and life satisfaction
• Contribute more effectively to the team and the organization
• Take greater responsibility and accountability for actions and
commitments
• Work more easily and productively with others (boss, direct
reports, peers)

• Communicate more effectively*

No doubt about it, coaching is an enormous motivator.
When employees are selected to be coached, they aren’t just
gaining a chance to improve their professional skills. They also feel
like their talent is being recognized and their potential is being
respected. They think: If my leader sees something in me that’s
worthy of nurturing and growing, I need to step up my game.
The other interesting thing is coaching allows employees to
uncover a real excitement about their work that might have been
missing or just fizzled out over time. The one-on-one guidance helps
them better play to their strengths, and they end up doing more
work they enjoy. In that way, coaching measurably increases their
job satisfaction.
So, is coaching worth it? Yes! The business case for coaching is
definitive. Companies and leaders who make it a priority will reap
the benefits in lasting ways.

HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED

As you move forward, you’ll discover this book has three distinct
parts.
Part I, “The Essentials,” provides the foundation for coaching
excellence—the fundamentals, framework, skills, and attributes that
form the core of this important discipline. Understanding these
components will make you a stronger, more effective leader who is
ready to build talent in strategic ways.
Part II, “The Essentials Applied,” gives you an opportunity to
consider applications for coaching, including real-world challenges
and common obstacles you may face. You’ll gain valuable insights
that help you translate your knowledge of coaching into a powerful
leadership advantage.
And finally, Part III, “Beyond the Essentials,” includes helpful tips,
additional resources, and concrete tools that support your progress
toward becoming a highly influential leader who coaches.
Collectively, these sections create a step-by-step guide to achieve
coaching success. Everything you need to know. Everything you
need to set yourself apart as a world-class coach.
So, what are we waiting for?
My thoughts exactly! Thank you for joining me on this adventure.
Let’s get started!

* Association for Talent Development, 2020, https://www.td.org/press-

release/employee-performance-increases-when-managers-coach-direct-reports.
* Forbes, 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/carleysime/2019/03/28/how-does-
coaching-actually-help-leaders/?sh=4f7e57111645; BetterUp,
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/9253440/Asset%20PDFs/Promotions_As
sets_Whitepapers/BetterUp-Meaning%26Purpose.pdf; Harvard Business Review,
2018, https://hbr.org/2018/11/9-out-of-10-people-are-willing-to-earn-less-money-
to-do-more-meaningful-work.
† https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2013.837499.
* LinkedIn Learning, 2020, https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-
learning-report.
† https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236438/millennials-jobs-development-
opportunities.aspx.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 The Project Gutenberg eBook of Travels in
Western Africa in 1845 & 1846, Volume 1 (of 2)
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Travels in Western Africa in 1845 & 1846, Volume 1 (of 2)

Author: John Duncan

Release date: July 28, 2022 [eBook #68617]

Language: English

Original publication: United Kingdom: Richard Bentley, 1847

Credits: The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at

https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
generously made available by The Internet Archive)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRAVELS IN

WESTERN AFRICA IN 1845 & 1846, VOLUME 1 (OF 2) ***
 C. Durham, d.el. G. Cook, sc

Mᴿ. JOHN DUNCAN.

(Formerly of the 1ˢᵗ Life Guards.)
THE AFRICAN TRAVELLER.

London: Richard Bentley. 1847.

 TRAVELS
IN WESTERN AFRICA,
IN 1845 & 1846,
COMPRISING

A JOURNEY FROM WHYDAH,

THROUGH THE KINGDOM OF DAHOMEY,
TO ADOFOODIA,
IN THE INTERIOR.

BY JOHN DUNCAN,
LATE OF THE FIRST LIFE GUARDS, AND ONE OF THE
LATE NIGER EXPEDITION.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,
Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty.
1847.
 LONDON:
R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.
 PREFACE.

In presenting the following Work to the public, it may be deemed

proper that I should preface it by giving some account of my previous
career, and of the reasons and circumstances which led to my
Travels in Western Africa.
I was born in the year 1805, of humble parentage, on the farm of
Culdoch, near Kirkcudbright, in North Britain. I had, at a very early
period, a strong predilection for a military life, being of robust health
and an athletic frame. In 1822 I therefore enlisted in the First
Regiment of Life Guards, the discipline and appearance of which
are, I may say, universally admired. During the hours not devoted to
military duties, I applied myself to the cultivation of the art of drawing
and painting, in which I attained some proficiency, and acquired also
considerable knowledge of mechanics, all of which I found of great
service to me when I afterwards became a traveller.
After serving sixteen years in this distinguished regiment, I felt
anxious for a field of greater enterprise, and therefore obtained my
discharge, on the conditions of the late good conduct warrant, early
in 1839. In consequence of meritorious service, I obtained the
appointment of master-at-arms in the late expedition to the Niger. In
this unfortunate enterprise, I narrowly escaped the melancholy fate
of so many of my brave and talented countrymen. Of upwards of
three hundred, not more than five escaped! When at Egga, on the
Niger, I volunteered to proceed up that river, with a few natives only;
but, on account of the increasing sickness of the Europeans, the
project was abandoned. Before the Albert, indeed, had descended
the Niger nearly all of them were either attacked by the fever or were
dead! The season was declared by the natives themselves to be
particularly fatal, even to them.
 On my arrival at Fernando Po, I was myself attacked with fever,
which so seriously affected a wound that I had previously received in
my leg,[1] that gangrene commenced, and was only checked by the
application of a powerful acid, which destroyed the part affected. At
this time my sufferings were extreme; part of both bones of my leg
was entirely denuded of flesh a little above the ankle-bone. I strongly
desired to have the diseased limb amputated, but having already lost
much blood, and the climate of Fernando Po being unfavourable to
such operations, (in fact, it was considered that it might prove fatal,)
my medical friends, Drs. M’William and Thompson, promised to
perform it when I should arrive at Ascension. The climate of that
island is much superior to any other on the coast of Africa.
Fortunately, by the unremitting attention of the medical officers, and
the kindness of Commander Fishbourne, my wound and my general
health much improved during my stay there. From its serious nature,
however, I returned to England in an emaciated condition. Having
naturally a very robust constitution, I rapidly recovered; but my limb
never entirely regained its former strength.
This, however, did not prevent me from offering my services to the
Royal Geographical Society, to proceed to Africa and penetrate to
the Kong Mountains from the West Coast, the narrative of which
journey I now have the pleasure of submitting to the reader. I ought
to add that the Society provided me with the necessary instruments
and instructions; and that the Lords of the Admiralty directed that I
should have a free passage to Cape Coast. The country I traversed
had been hitherto untrodden by any European traveller, and reached
as far as 13° 6′ North latitude, and 1° 3′ East longitude.
In conclusion, I beg to state, that the Royal Geographical Society
and several other gentlemen liberally contributed funds in aid of my
enterprise, for which I cherish the warmest feelings of gratitude.
JOHN DUNCAN.
Feltham Hill,
August, 1847.
 FOOTNOTES:
[1] I was wounded at the Cape de Verd Islands by the natives,
while aiding my men, upon whom they were about to make a
murderous attack. On retreating, one of them threw a poisoned
arrow at me, which I parried from my face and body, but which
struck my leg.
 CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

CHAPTER I.
page 1
Departure—Arrival at Tangiers—Description of the Town—
Market—Price of Provisions—Method of Storing Grain—
Inhabitants—The Jews—A Jewish Dwelling—The Moors—Fruits
and Flowers—Desolate State of the Town—Moorish Market-
women—Gibraltar—Ascend to the Highest Point—A Pic-nic and
an agreeable Reconnoitre—Cleanliness of the Inhabitants—
Arrival at the Gambia—Bathurst—The Mandingos—Massacre of
the Crew of the Margaret—Encounter of the Crew of the Courier
with Pirates—Sierra Leone—Dr. Ferguson—Mr. Oldfield, his
Hospitality—Give Chase to a supposed Slaver—Cape Coast—
Governor Hill—Cape Coast Castle
CHAPTER II.
22
Attacked by Fever—Death of my Servant—Mr. Hutton—
Buildings in Progress by him—Indolence of the Natives—
Cheapness of Living—The Fantees—Their Superstition—
Description of their Idol or Fetish—Their Customs or Holidays—
Native Music—Rum, their favourite Liquor—Proceedings on
occasion of a Death—Mode of Burial—The King’s Custom or
Holiday—Character of the King—My Reception by his Majesty—
Comparatively neglected by the British Government—Fetish
Houses—Native Funerals—Want of Natural Affection—The Yam
Custom—The Fantees, the worst of the African Tribes—Their
Power of Imitation—Wild Animals—The Patakoo—Granite and
Sandstone—The Dutch Settlement of Elmina—A fine Field for
Botanists—State of Agriculture—Excessive Heat—Message to
the King of Ashantee—Cattle—Artizans much wanted—Murder
of an Ashantee Woman
CHAPTER III.
39
Annamaboe—State of the Fort—Indolence of the Natives, and
Difficulty in procuring Labourers—Domestic Slavery—
Missionary Schools—Want of Education in the Useful Arts—
Hints on this Subject—Vegetables and Fruits—Town of
Annamaboe—Soil—Natives—Reception of me by the King, and
Conversation with him—Mr. Brewe—Mr. Parker—Excessive
Heat—Little Cromantine, its impregnable Situation—The Fort—
Cromantine—The Market-place—Extraordinary Tradition—
Wonderful Dwarf—An Adventure—Accra—Wesleyan
Missionaries—Natives—their Habitations—Wives and Slaves—
Situation of the Town, and Soil
CHAPTER IV.
58
Strange Articles of Food—Native Cookery—The River Amissa—
Reception by the Caboceer of Amissa—Soil, Fruits, &c.—An
Adventure—Visit from a Hyena—The River Anaqua—Arsafah—
Soil, Fruits, &c.—Beautiful Birds—Moors and Arabs here—
Cattle—Return to Cape Coast—Hospitable Reception there—
Invitation from the King of Ashantee—My Reply—Visit the
Neighbourhood of Cape Coast—Coffee Plantations—Indolence
of the Natives—The Town of Napoleon—Eyau Awkwano—Fruits
Growing Spontaneously—Bad Roads—Singular Mode of
Carrying Timber—Cotton Trees—The Dwarf Cotton Shrub—
Scene of a Sanguinary Battle—Djewkwa—Native Houses—An
Intoxicated Caboceer—The Caboceer’s Presents—Account of
him—Return to Cape Coast—Sail for Whydah—Winnebah—
Method of Curing Fish—Natives—Stock—Neighbouring Country
—The Devil’s Hill—Soil—Yanwin (samphire)—The River Jensu
—Beautiful Birds—The King-fisher
CHAPTER V.
 78
Native Laws—Roguery of the Natives; White Men fair Game—
Superstition—Fetish-houses—Colour, Habits, &c. of the Natives
—Prevalence of Drunkenness—Disgusting Neglect—Fashion in
Shaving—Tally System—Population—Accra—Mr. Bannerman
and his Hospitality—Danish Accra, partly Demolished—
Occasion of this—Attempt to assassinate the Governor—
English Accra, its Trade much reduced by Competition with
Americans—Currency—Merchants’ Houses—Fruits and Flowers
—The Coromantine Apple—Natives most expert Thieves—
Population—Circumcision—Mode of Carrying Children—Sleep
in the Open Air—Manufactures—Fish—Difficult Landing—Salt
Lake—Soil—Gaming and Drinking—Population of English Accra
—Stock—Cruel Treatment of Horses—Want of Natural Affection
—Sail for Ahguay—Boarded by an English Brig—Mr. Hutton’s
Factory at Ahguay—A Drunken Caboceer—His Dress and
Attendants—A Principal Fetish-woman, her Dress—Dance
performed by her—Natives of Ahguay—Slave-merchants—
Cotton and Indigo—Markets—Treatment of Slaves—
Characteristics of Africans—Fish—Method of Dressing the Crab
—Alligators—Alligator-hunt—Plants and Fruits—The Velvet-
Tamarind—Popoe—Mr. Lawson, a Native Merchant—
Introduction to his Wives—Merchants, their Mode of Living—
Slave-Trade—Population—Manufactures—Gaming and Drinking
—Kankie—M. de Suza’s Slave Establishment—His House—His
Domestic Slaves—Noisy Reception by the Caboceer—
Treatment of Slaves
CHAPTER VI.
105
Gregapojee—Extensive Market at—Native Produce and
European Manufactures—Popoe Beads, their Value; probable
Origin of—Houses—Situation and Soil of Gregapojee—Fish—
Alligators—Population—Return to Ahguay, and thence to
Whydah—Toll-house—Fish-trap—Travelling Canoe—Beautiful
Scenery of the Lagoon—Oysters growing to Trees—Old
Ferryman—Gibbets of three Criminals—Murder committed by
them—The English Fort at Whydah—Character of M. de Suza—
Treatment of Slaves—Hints with reference to this odious Traffic
—Price of Slaves—Slave Hunts—Necessity for Education—
Cruelty in the Shipment of Slaves—Visit to Avoga—Account of
him—Reception by him—Mode of Riding—Bad Road—Reason
for not Repairing it—Market at Whydah—Native Manufactures,
&c.—Duties imposed by the King of Dahomey—His Enormous
Revenue—Head Money—System of Government—Severe
Laws, and their Result—Paganism—Abject Superstition of the
Natives—Dangerous to show Contempt for their Fetish—
Anniversary Offerings for departed Friends—Usual Termination
of such Festivals—Snake Worship—Houses built to contain
them—The Snake-Lizard—The Field-Lizard—The House-Lizard
—Vampire Bats
CHAPTER VII.
132
Locusts—The Winged Ant—Its Destructive Nature—Horse
attacked by them—Their Ingenuity in Building—Stock—Great
Want of Mechanics—Portuguese Whydah—Emigrants from
Sierra Leone—Their Deplorable Condition—English at the Fort
of Whydah—Military Resources of Dahomey—Polygamy—Mode
of Shipping Slaves—Brutality on these occasions—Porto
Sogoora—Mr. Lawson’s Slaves—Greejee—Toll imposed there—
Zahlivay—Yakasgo—Badaguay—The Cabbage Palm-tree—
Wooded Scenery—The Palm-tree—Exploring Visit to the Haho
—Misfortunes of Ithay Botho, Capt. Clapperton’s Servant—
Adventures—Curiosity of the Natives—Podefo and its Market—
Alligators—My Crew mutiny from fear—Hippopotami—
Superstition of the Natives—A party of Fishermen, and their
Fish-traps—Base Conduct of the Fishermen—My Punishment of
them and my Crew
CHAPTER VIII.
164
My lonely Situation—Akwoaay, its Population, &c.—Kind
Reception by the Gadadoo—Native House of two Stories—
Gigantic Cotton-tree—Etay, a Vegetable of the Yam tribe—
Voracity of the Natives—Soil, Manufactures, &c. of Akwoaay—
Natives of Porto Sogoora—Visit of the Caboceer—Mode of
catching Crabs—Great Heat—Visit from Native Women—Mr.
Lawson of Popoe—Character of the Natives—Attempt at Murder
—Nocturnal Visit—Superstition—Vicinity of a Fetish-house—
Flocks of Monkeys—The Monkey, an article of Food—
Disagreeable Situation—Cravings of Hunger—Visit to the
Greejee Market—An Alligator killed—Usual Notice to the
Authorities on such occasions—The Alligator used as Food—
Cruelty of the Natives to the Horse—Return to Whydah—Bad
Conduct of my Canoemen—Adventures—Arrival at Whydah—
Preparations for my Journey to Abomey—Country around
Whydah—Farms—Emigrants from Sierra Leone Slave-dealers
—Generosity of the King of Dahomey—Soil of Whydah—Corn-
mill—Ferns, Vegetables, Fruits, &c.
CHAPTER IX.
190
Manufacture of Salt—Death of Dr. M’Hardy—Falling Stars—
Manioc, the Food of the Slaves—Crops—Mode of storing Grain
—Superstition—Hospitality of Don Francisco de Suza—A
Tornado—Slave Auctions—Punishment for killing Fetish Snakes
—Slaughter of Dogs, &c.—Dogs used as Food—An English Dog
rescued—Thievish Propensities of the Natives—Falling Stars—
Murder of two Wives—Adjito—A heavy Tornado—Robbed by my
Servant—American Brig sold to Slave Merchants—Shipment of
Slaves—Sharks—Death caused by one—Preparations for my
Journey to the Kong Mountains—M. de Suza’s Liberality—His
Opinion of Englishmen
CHAPTER X.
205
Set out on my Journey for Abomey—Savay—Torree—My
wretched Condition—Azoway—Parasitical Plants—Aladda—
Cotton tree—Atoogo—Assewhee—Havee—A Butterfly-School
—Whyboe—Construction of the Houses—Native Customs—
Manufactures—African Character generally—Population of
Whyboe—Akpway—An extensive Swamp—Ahgrimmah—
Togbadoe—Scenery—Soil—Swarm of Locusts
CHAPTER XI.
215
Canamina, its Population—Adawie—Preparations for entering
the Capital—Abomey—My hospitable Reception—Visit from
Mayho, the Prime Minister—Message from the King—The
Palace—The Market-place—Dead Bodies of Criminals hung up
—My Reception by his Majesty—Ceremony on Introduction—
Conversation with the King—Perform the Sword Exercise before
him—His Approbation—Troops of Female Soldiers—The King’s
Person—Ceremony of the Introduction of Military Officers—
Dress of the Female Soldiers—Introduced to the King’s Chiefs—
Visits—The King’s Staff—Review of Native Troops—Feigned
Attack on a Town—The King’s Soldier-wives—Ashantee Prince
—His Majesty’s Opinion of England and the English—The vain
Boasting of the Ashantee Prince silenced by the King—Principal
Officers—The Dahoman Women formidable Soldiers
CHAPTER XII.
241
Visit to the King at his Palace—Description of it—Reception by
his Majesty—Gaudy Dress of the Attendants—Masks,
Ornaments, &c.—Occasion of the War between the Mahees and
Dahomans, and its Result—The King’s Walking-staffs—Dance
performed by his Majesty—Another Review of Female Troops—
Execution of Four Traitors—Horrible Occurrence—Disgusting
office of the Blood-drinker—Ludicrous Scene—The King’s
Mother and Grandmother—Dance performed by them—
Costume of the King’s Favourite Wives—I perform on the Jew’s
Harp—I dance with his Majesty—His Message to the Queen of
England—Ridiculous Customs—Court of Appeal established at
Abomey—Character of the King—Domestic Slavery—A Slave-
hunt—Military Distinctions—Want of Natural Affection in the
Natives—Roguery of my Servant—The King’s Commissions to
me—An Interesting Incident—Murderous Attack on me by my
Servant—Inquiry into the Occurrence—My Servant compelled to
accompany me
CHAPTER XIII.
272
Departure for the Kong Mountains—My Dahoman Guards and
their several Duties—The King’s Wife—Neighbouring Krooms—
Soil and Aspect of the Country—Varied Scenery—Cana—Bobay
—Illness of my Servant—Immense Blocks of Granite—Custom-
house—Duties imposed—Milder Laws established—Dtheno—
Travelling Traders—The Azowah—Destruction of the Shea
Butter-tree—Its Manufacture declared to be lawful—Description
of this Tree—Immense Mountains—Ruins of Managlwa—
Destruction of that Town by the Dahomans—Beautiful Scenery
—Markets—Setta Dean—Reception by the Caboceer—Dance
performed by him—Setta—Serenade—Supply of Provisions—
Custom of Tasting—The Caboceer’s Speech—The Natives
expert as Cooks—Variety of Food—Palm Oil—Occro—Presents
from the Caboceer—The Widow’s Mite—Harmless Deception—
Presents to the Natives—Dance performed by the Soldiers—
Situation of Setta; its Soil, &c.—Its Population
 ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE FIRST
VOLUME.

Portrait of the Author To face the Title.

Map of the Author’s Route p. 1

Wood Cuts.

Dahoman Weapons 226

DESCRIPTION OF THESE WEAPONS:—

No. 1.—A long straight dagger, with snake on the hilt, to

bite the Mahee people.
No. 2.—A large heavy knife, with imitation of tigers’ claws
on the back, to hook the Mahee people when running away.
This knife is about the substance of the English bill-hook.
No. 3.—A very broad, thin knife, with a Dahomey man in
the act of shooting a Mahee man. This knife is made of silver,
and is more for ornament than use.
Nos. 4 and 5 are King’s battle-sticks: the angle of the
handle into which the blade is fixed is the natural growth of
the wood.
No. 6 is a battle-stick, carried by all soldiers, male and
female. This stick is used to beat people to death, when
silence is necessary, as the report of a gun might give an
alarm. By examining No. 6, five large knobs of iron are seen
fixed to the under part of the head of the weapon.