Chapter Four Summary

When Francisco lands at Ouidah, he is the only one to go ashore, because the crew is afraid to set foot in Dahomey. His meets the Yovogan, who is the Dahomean Minister for the Slave Trade. Francisco visits the old Portuguese Fort, which is in ruins. The lieutenant has died of fever and the king's soldiers have looted the fort, marching the troops off to the king's palace at Abomey. Only a freed slave named Taparica the Tambour of the Black Militia has survived, and he joyously welcomes his rescuer, the new Lieutenant da Silva. Next morning, the Yovogan demands Francisco's presence, but Taparica counsels him that the king needs guns, so he should come to Francisco. The Yovogan arrives and asks for gifts for the king, but Francisco says he has nothing, which angers the Yovogan's entourage. That afternoon, the...