capital of a kingdom of the same name, is the residence of their kings, and is seated pretty far in the country: it stands in a plain, and is about four miles in compass. The streets are long and broad: and there are markets twice a-day, where they sell cows, cotton, elephants teeth, European merchandises, and whatever the country produces. The houses are large with clay walls, and at a distance from each other; they are covered with reeds, straw, and leaves. The women in this place are the greatest slaves; for they go every day to market, manage the household affairs, take care of the children, cook the victuals, and till the ground. The king's palace makes great part of the town; and its great extent excepted, there is nothing worth taking notice of, it being only a confused heap of buildings, made with boards and clay, without regularity or neatness. In the middle, there is a wooden tower, about 70 feet high, made like a chimney; and on the top is a brazen serpent, hanging with his head downwards; this is pretty well made, and is the most curious thing in the town: there is a gallery of statues, but so wretchedly carved, that there is no knowing what they represent without being told: behind a curtain there are 11 brazen heads, with an elephant's tooth on each; these are the king's idols: his throne is made of ivory, on which he sits in a pavilion of India stuff. The king shows himself but once a-year, on the day of a certain festival; and then he is surrounded with his wives and a great number of his officers, who walk out in procession to begin the feast by sacrificing to their gods; this done, he bestows victuals and wine among the multitude, which is imitated by his officers. All the inhabitants of this town and country go under the denomination of the king's slaves, and some relations say, that none of them wear any habit till given them by the king: but this seems to be only a falsh to account for the great number of men and women that are daily seen naked in the streets; for if it be true, that the king of Benin can bring 100,000 fighting men into the field, his subjects must be very numerous; and probably his majesty is not rich enough to bestow garments upon them all. The Europeans resort hither to purchase slaves. E. Long. 5. 4. N. Lat. 7. 40.

Benish-days, among the Egyptians, a term for three days of the week, which are days of less ceremony in religion than the other four, and have their name from the benish, a garment of common use, not of ceremony. In Cairo, on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, they go to the bathaw's divan; and these are the general days of benishes. Fridays they stay at home, and go to their mosques at noon; but though this is their day of devotion, they never abstain from benishes. The three other days of the week are the benish-days, in which they throw off all benishes and ceremony, and go to their little summer-houses in the country.