would never be separated from Gelele, his brutish
court, his corpses and his vultures severely tried Burton's gravity.
Gelele, who was preparing for an unprovoked attack upon Abeokuta, the
capital of the neighbouring state of Lagos, now made some grandiose and
rhapsodical war speeches and spoke vauntingly of the deeds that he and
his warriors meant to perform, while every now and then the younger
bloods, eager to flesh their spears, burst out with:

"When we go to war we must slay men,
And so must Abeokuta be destroyed."

The leave-taking between Gelele and "Batunu" was affecting. Burton
presented his host with a few not very valuable presents, and Gelele in
return pressed upon his guest a cheap counterpane and a slave boy who
promptly absconded.

Whydah was reached again on 18th February 1864, and within a week came
news that Gelele, puffed up with confidence and vainglory, had set
out for Abeokuta, and was harrying that district. He and his Amazons,
however, being thoroughly defeated before the walls of the town, had to
return home in what to any other power would have been utter disgrace.
They manage things differently, however, in Dahomey, for Gelele during
his retreat purchased a number of slaves, and re-entered his capital a
triumphing conqueror. Burton considered Gelele, despite his butcherings
and vapourings, as, on the whole, quite a phoenix for an African.
Indeed, some months after his mission, in conversations with Froude, the
historian, he became even warm when speaking of the lenity, benevolence
and enlightenment of this excellent king. Froude naturally enquired why,
if the king was so benevolent, he did not alter the murderous "Customs."
Burton looked up with astonishment. "Alter the Customs!" he said, "Would
you have the Archbishop of Canterbury alter the Liturgy!"

To a friend who observed that the customs of Dahomey were very shocking,
Burton replied: "Not more so than those of England."

"But you admit yourself that eighty persons are sacrificed every year."

"True, and the number of deaths in England caused by the crinoline alone
numbers 72." [207]

50. Death of Speke, 15th September 1864.

In August 1864 Burton again obtained a few months' leave, and before
the end of the month he arrived at Liverpool. It will be remembered that
after the Burton and Speke Expedition of 1860 Speke was to go out to
Africa again in company with Captain J. Grant. The expedition not only
explored t