BOOKS.
FOOTE'S AFRICA AND WEE AMERICAN PL/.G.* This quain.t-looking title indicates the contents of the volume ex- actly. The book contains a geographical and historical sketch of Africa, or rather of Negroland, and an account of the doings of the American squadron on the Slave-coast. It is the result of much African experience, which infuses into the volume living knowledge, definite ideas, and a certain degree of vigour. A good deal of the matter is drawn from books; and even when the author is narrating his own services, the composition, (mainly abridged from his own official correspondence,) wears the air of com- pilation, rather than the results Of direct observation, because compilation is the turn of the author. In the rapid sketch of the early periods of African history, before the slave-trade, during its growth and in its palmy days, the materials must of necessity be drawn from books, and pretty common Woks too ; but the seaman has added hints of the pirates the trade drew to the African coast, and the piracy in whiCh the trade itself often merged, that perhaps only a seaman acquaiated with the coast could have written. The story of the proceedings since this country took up the suppression of the slave-trade in earnest, and the success which has attended it, is also freshened by personal knowledge, though upon the whole it is the least vivid part of the book. The geographical sketch of Africa is a condensed summary of the natural and social features. The two other subjects have more interest, and more of actual experience. They are the his- tory of Liberia, and of the proceedings of the American squadron on the coast, especially while the author was on the station. ' The early struggles and essential success of Liberia will have novelty for many readers; and it deserves a fuller exposition than it fell in our author's way to give. The idea of an African state consisting of civilized free men of colour was practically carried out in a small way by .ene John Kizell. He had been a slave of South Carolina, and joined the English during the Hevolutinnary war, and on its termination was sent to Africa with many others. He formed a settlement at Kerber°, about sixty miles-from Sierra Leone; prospered in 'trade ; built a Church, and inducted himself preacher. On this .foundation the American societies that aimed at Christianizing Africa by removing .free men, a colour from the States erected their superstructure. There was much, however; to be'done. A more' extended district than Sherboro was required ; and when with difficulty it was obtained, the bargain was repu- diated-by some of- the native chiefs, after they had received the purchase-money; and the philanthropists had to, go to war, by way of showing their love to man. Through difficulties not very dissimilar to those which beset the founders of Virginia and other colonies in the olden time, Liberia struggled on till the White governor,-coUld be superseded by the Coloured man. The topic, however, which ,requires exposition—and it can only be given by an actual-Observer—is the working of Republicanism and universal suffrage in such a society. it is true that there was little relom for destruction or overietting, as with the accumulated wealth or the various institutions of the old states in Europe. Still, it was a bold proceeding to combine into a federation several districts 01304- pied by native Africans in a state of crass ignorance and super- stition, with a sprinkling of Coloured men from civilized countries, where they were looked upon as a degraded race ; bolder still to give a -vote to " each adult male." The Negro institution of the "palaver" had indeed prepared the people- for the_ debating part of the business ; and perhaps their -very ignorance of an as- sembly's power might contribute to the success of the experiment. That it has thus far succeeded, seems certain ; but a knowledge of the actual working of the experiment in its details would be de- sirable, if it could be obtained, not only as a curiosity, but as a rare example in politics. This is the picture of the chief people and the capital, as drawn by Captain Foote. Notwithstanding the heterogeneous population of Liberia, a commendable degree, of order, quiet and cemparative prosperitv, prevails. With such men as President Roberts, Chief-Justice Benedict, -Major-General Lewis, Vice- President Williams, and manY other-prominent persons in office and in the walks of civil life, the government and society present an aspect altogether more favourable than a visitor, judging them from 'the race when in contact with a white population, is prepared to find. The country-is theirs—they are lords of the soil; and in intercourse with them it is soon observed that they are free from that oppressive sense of inferiority which distinguishes the coloured people of this country. A visit to Monrovia is always agreeable to the African cruiser.
"Monrovia, the capital, is situated immediately in the rear of the bold promontory of Cape Mesurado, which rises to the altitude of 250 feet. -The highest part of the town is eighty feet above the level of the sea. The place is laid out with as much regularity as the location will admit. Broadway is the main or principal street, running nearly at right angles with the sea. Besides this, there are twelve or fifteen more. The town contains not fat from two thousand inhabitants. Many of the homes are substantially built of brick or of stone, and several of them ate handsomely furnished. The humidity of the climate has greatly impaired the wooden buildings. The State-House, public stores, and the new Academy, are solid, substantial build- ings, appropriate to their Uses. There are five churches, and these OM well attended. The schools, will compare favourably with the former district
schools in this country : which is not saying muchintheir favour."
There is a good deal of- matter to be gleaned from the account of the American squadron and the author's owUdoings. Captaih Foote lays it down broadly, that sinless the ,American squadron' is efficiently kept up, the slave-trade will become as active as ever, under the .American 'flag: The best; iiibdevf,,proceeding is lot 'Africa-and tti6 lag. By conniiindAticdriiv'tt.foote; U.t Lieutenant Commanding IL S. Brig Perry on the coast of Africa; A.D. 1850-185 . Published by Triibner, London; and Appleton, New York. British and an Anterican ship to sail together, so as always to be within easy communication. In this way every-thing can be overhauled ; the Americfin itakinh_clessels sailing under the American flag—the British', edipis' or Itelr own or any other nation with which she has right-of-search treatiek ; for the Americans
only meddld With' The' CI% wing litether dis-
btsiñess ikilicuni,4.)Tlualiteq7twda Captain -Footalentin 0 ,„i„,„„,, A,„„: ,,111 A list of Arderitan,vessels,e Which had been rid the =A during the pre- „aing,year, waaptetsured, ,hlany;pf. these 2igsso,o;frow.I.Aieond.ad- joining ports, wi two .set.s of .pflpfirs. 4, Ra-letbir heerhgeRtodliyipre Consul, in good faith, according to.law, .qu g4e.o .a v.espei in a °reign port; the cargo corresponded EtVeLlobitilfesT.' rebrnitilar-lee Oath, crew list; port clearance; and alipaparativAiriinid'Ainni federal of theeotfeee, sets, after discharging, their cargoes, bisaageditheircflog,; ',the Americanocape becoming Invested with Spani0,, .ortugnesp, or 1354 ;auinmionali,cy. min and crew, Slag and kaging. the-ye sintlehe instantly :” By this arrangement, astlie l,r.itedStates MAI consented, Sind never Nicht to conseet" even on the African cbast, to g nt tdCrelit4littain or any other.poweri the right of'Searelt, a slaveri.1 en .falling' in with en American cruiser, weeld,be.prepanid to elude search and eapture'by -the dis- play of a foreign ensign enIpspers, 1:vell 114164 filiNtS on beard.. And on the other hand, she might ,the .same day fall us. witlra Ilritish:eruiser, and by displayin,g her flag, and 'presenting the register or sea=letter, vindicate her American nationality. Tins :illustrates the importante of 'racri-of-war, be- longing to eaollisation,. ertaiiiing in Ecompany.forltbe detesitlori ofelafers."' - "The papers of the secodd ilavercapturtiel bythe,Perry were in form, ex- cepting, the crew list, WhielishoWed,hetione American on hoard, who was master of the vessel. And in a letter of instructions from-the reputed owner, he was requited to leave whenever the Ttaliau supercargo directed him to do sc. This shows haw readily the nationality of a vessel may be. changed." The master of the first slaver captured by the 'Petry' stated that bad he not supposed she was an English cruiser he would have 'ben • prepared with a foreign flag, and otherwise to have, eluded, search and capture ; and. that on a former occasion lie bad been boarded by au English cruiser, when, to use his own expression, lie 'bluffed oil John 73 fill with that flag, '—referring to the American ensign. "Ihe Limy Ann, when captured, was boaided fifty or sixty miles to lee- ward or North of Leandii.,... She had an:American:4g flying, although her papers Lad been deposited in the Consul's office a; flio Tbe English . board- jug-officer, who wee not allowed to see any papers, suspecting her character, .,prolonged his visit for Some time. As he was about leaving the Vessel, a, cry or stifled groan was heard issuing 'from the hOld.. The main hatches Were iiiiptirently forced up from: beloW, although a boat was placed over them, add the.heads of many people appeared.• Five hundred and forty-seven slaves were foninlin the held, almost in a, state of suffocation: The, master than hauled down the American flag, declared the vessel to be Brazilian, and gave her iip,
- •a *
"At three o'clock in the afternoon a lame ship withAwe tiers of painted ports was made to windward, standing. in for the landAciivaide Arnbriz. At four o'clock the chase was overhauled, havhig the name: 4:Martha, ;New York,' 'registered on her stern. The Perry had no colours flying.. The ship when in range of the guns, heisted the American ensign, shortened sail, and backed her main-topseil., The first lieutenant, Mr. Rush, Was sent to board her, As he was rounding her •stern, the .people on board observed, by the :uniform. of the boarding-officer, that the :vessel:WaS an American cruiser. .1.11eAlait thealtattled down;the,Ametrican and hoisted Brazilian:cob:airs., The officer went on board, end asked for papers and other proofs of .nationality. The eaptairt-ddnied having papers, log; oranything else. At this .tims.seme thing wad 'thrown overboard; when anOther boat was sent from the 'Perry, and picked up the writing-desk of the captain, containing sundry papers and letters -identifying the captain:• as an American eitiien ;..also indicating the owner of three-fifths of the vessel to be an American. merchant resident in Rio do Janeiro. After obtaining satisfactory proof. that the ship Martha was a Slayer, she Was seized as a prize. "The captain at length admitted that the ship, Was fully equipped for the slave-trade. There were found Onboard the vessel due hundred and seventy- six mike :filled with water, containing from:one:hundred to one 'hundred and fifty gallons each ; one hundred an fifty.barrelkof farina for slave-food; several sacks of beans; .slave-deckdaid ; four iron hollers 'for cooking slave- provisions; Iran bars, with the necessary wood-work, for securing slaves to the deck; four hundred spoons for feeding 'them; between thirty and forty muskets; and a written agreement between the owner and the captain, with
the receipt of the owner for two thousand .• •
"There being thirty-five persons on beard this prize, many of whom were foreigners; it was deemed necessary to send a force of twenty-five rneti,.with the first and secondlieutenants, that the prize might be safely conducted to New York, for which place she took her departure that evening. *- * * '" The writing-desk thrown overboard from the Martha soon after she was boarded contained sundry papers, making curious revelations of the agency of some American citizens engaged in the slave-trade, These papers impli- cated a number of persons, who are little suspected of ever having partici- pated in such a diabolical traffic. A citizen of New York, then on the African coast, • in a letter to the captain of the Martha, says-r` The French barque will be here in a few days, and.as.yet the agent has no inetrections as to her taking. ebony [negmes, slaves,' . . From the Rio papers which I have seen I infer that business is pretty brisk at that place It is thought here that the brig Susan would bring a good ;mire, as she had water onboard. . . C., an American merchant, has /old the Flood, and she wee put under Brazilian colours, .and,,gone around, the Cape. The name of the brigantine in which B. came passenger Was the Sound; she was, as we are told, formerly the United States brig Boxer.' Other letters. found . with this stated, The bark Ann Richardson and brig Pusan were both sent !home 1) a United:States cruiser.. The Independence cleared for Paraguay ; several of the American vessels were cleared, and. had sailed for Montevideo, ballast,,, and as .I suppose beundmiggerly ; but where in hell they are, is the big, business of the matter. The sailors, as yet, hare not been near me. I shall give myself no trouble about them. I have seen them at a distance. I am told that they are all well, but they look like death itself. V. Z. tells me they have wished. a .hundred times an his presence, that they had gone in the ship.: for my part, I wish they were in hell, Texas, or some other nice place. B. only came down here to take in,' but was driven off by one of the English cruisers : he and his nigger crew were under deck, out of sight, when visited, by the cruiser:, " Indications frequently turn up . of the 'delicacy required in deal- ing with American vessels, and of. the difficulties springing from the lechinese, of their naval, officers, the low independence corn- witha look-out for damages of their skippers; entitle over-zeal of ,Britisli offieers, not always -free of a:desire to make prizes. The las4when.,deteeted, -should be promptly put down,' The zeal is not „so easy to deal with, for in checking that we may damp activity. The vulgar bluster of American merchantmen may be disregarded. when the a.meride is made. The promptness to take Offende„ithe;Aispositiou to stand upon dignity, the tendency to ,inagniiequenee and to " fending and. proving," whieh appear to oharacterize some of the American officers, raust be left t time. Whew an American is more satisfied- at heart with his country's Oestness, and the dignity it relledte;tipon hiinself,.'he will be less AISPosed to cavil about trifles and pick quarrels to assert his im- portance.
Previous page
