A Voyage Round the World, Vol. I (of ?) by James Holman

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I might also advert to the facilities which the situation of Fernando
Po, at the estuaries of so many great rivers, together with its
insularity, holds out for extending and protecting our commercial
relations with Central Africa, and probably extending the blessings of
civilization amongst its inhabitants; these, however, although
important, were minor considerations with the British Government.

To carry the proposed object into effect, an expedition was fitted oat
in the early part of the summer of 1827, under the command of Captain
William Fitzwilliam Owen, of His Majesty's ship _Eden_, who received
the appointment of superintendent of the colony, and than whom no one
could be better adapted to fulfil the important duties which were to
devolve upon him; Captain Harrison, a highly meritorious and
indefatigable officer, received the chief civil appointment under him.
A number of appropriate artificers, with an abundant supply of the
requisite stores, including several framed wooden houses ready for
immediate erection, were embarked in a transport; and it was arranged
that a body of troops, with an additional number of workmen and
labourers from Sierra Leone, should be attached to the expedition on
its arrival at that settlement.

On first approaching the island, its mountains were shrouded from view
by heavy clouds and a hazy atmosphere; which, however, gradually
dispersed as we neared the shore, and revealed to the eyes of my
companions a magnificent display of mountain scenery, closely studded
with large trees, and thick with underwood, whose luxuriant foliage of
various tints and hues, blending with the scarcely ruffled bosom of the
ocean, and the retiring clouds, making the sky each moment become more
lucid and transparent, formed such a variegated picture of natural
beauty, that we unanimously hailed it as the land of promise.

It was not long before the scene began to assume an aspect of
animation, the immediate consequence of our arrival; for, in less than
half an hour after we anchored, a number of canoes, with several
natives in each, who had already been trafficking with the Diadem,[30]
approached us for the purpose of bartering the productions of their
island, namely, yams, fowls, palm-wine in calabashes, fish, some boxes
made of split cane, monkey and snake skins, with other trifling
articles; for pieces of iron hoop, a few inches long, which we
afterwards found they made into two-edged knives, by beating them
between stones, until they succeeded, in shaping the blade to their
purpose, when they fitted it into a wooden handle, from four to six
inches in length. In the first instance, however, they evinced
considerable doubt and timidity, as they did riot venture to come
alongside, but kept the stern of their canoes directed towards us, to
be ready to paddle away on the first show of hostility, while a man
remained in the forepart to carry on the barter. We in vain attempted
to induce them to come on board, for, pointing in reply to their
Fetish, they gave us to understand that this was either prohibited or
imprudent. It was easy to perceive that the natives were fine-looking,
active, middle-sized men, with an agreeable and animated expression of
countenance. The natural colour of their skin was not ascertainable,
the whole body being painted, or rather daubed over with a composition
of clay, or ochre, mixed up with palm-oil. The prevailing colour was
red, which seems to belong more exclusively to the lower classes: some
few, however, had used a yellow, and others a grey pigment, probably as
a mark of distinction, and which we afterwards found appropriated to
the kings, or chief men. The faces were much seamed or scarified, while
other parts of the body, and particularly the abdomen, were more or
less tattoed. It is curious to remark, among the African savages, the
variety of delineations on their skin, tattoed in lines, figures, or
tropes, by way of ornament, fashion, or distinction, in nation and
rank, which, perhaps, cannot be better described than in the words of
the poet:--

Prince Giolo and his royal sisters,
Scarr'd with ten thousand comely blisters,
The marks remaining on the skin,
To tell the quality within:
Distinguish'd flashes deck the great,
As each excels in birth or state;
His oylet-holes are more and ampler;
The king's own body was a sampler.

Their weapons were wooden well-barbed spears, with their points
hardened by fire, each individual being provided with three or four.
We afterwards, however, found that these were not the only means of
defence, as they are possessed of slings, in the use of which they
acquire no inconsiderable expertness. The canoes appeared to be from 15
to 30 feet in length, and each capable of carrying from three to twelve
persons; these were provided with sails made of a kind of split rattan
matting, of an oblong square form, the longer side placed
perpendicularly, and some of them had a staff erected in the bow, with
a bunch of feathers at the top of it.

When our muskets were fired at sunset, the whole immediately shoved
off, being evidently much alarmed at the report; and most of them,
hoisting their sails, endeavoured to reach the shore with all possible
celerity.

_Sunday, October 28_.--Notwithstanding it rained heavily this morning,
a great number of the natives came off to us at an early hour for the
purpose of renewing their barter, to exchange their articles for pieces
of iron, a metal which they appear to hold in the highest estimation,
and which became the almost exclusive medium of our traffic with them.
This metal they wisely prefer, nay, almost worship, for its usefulness;
knives, hatchets, and iron-hoop, rank first in their good opinion,
scissors and razors holding a secondary place; for they deem six inches
in length of old iron-hoop, a quantity which would purchase
half-a-dozen yams, varying from six to twelve pounds each in weight,
far more valuable than the best razor you can present them with; in
short, the _ferri sacra fames_ may here be well substituted for the
_auri fames_ of more civilized nations. We may safely aver, that in our
intercourse with these people, we have the 'love of iron' the chief
exciting principle of their more generous, as well as malignant
passions,--an opinion which many subsequent anecdotes in this narrative
will prove.

The natives had to-day gained an evident accession of confidence, as
some of them ventured on board, not, however, without many symptoms of
timidity. A boy of twelve years old allowed himself to be conducted
over the ship, and was shewn a variety of articles, of course entirely
novel to him. With these he was, as may be supposed, exceedingly
astonished, but more particularly with a looking-glass, and by the
ringing of a small bell.

In the course of the day, Captain Owen landed at various points for the
purpose of investigating the localities of the neighbourhood, and with
a view of selecting the most eligible situation for our intended
establishment. Lieutenant Robinson also went on shore to take sights
for comparing the chronometers. Several natives approached the latter
gentleman, offering him yams in barter, but were careful not to come
too near, so long as his men remained armed with muskets. As it was
evident from their signs that they wished these to be laid aside,
Lieutenant Robinson, in order to inspire them with confidence, directed
his party to ground arms, while he and Mr. Jeffery advanced towards
them. Satisfied with this demonstration, their whole anxiety now
appeared to be, how to dispose of their yams, which they professed, by
signs, and with affectation of fatigue, to have brought from a great
distance. They were not a little disappointed that our party, being
unprovided with the necessary medium for payment, hoop-iron, were
unable to effect the purchase.

_Monday, Oct. 29_.--The natives, who have visited us in great numbers
to-day, are evidently increasing their stock of confidence, and,
indeed, beginning to be, not a little troublesome, as we have no small
difficulty in preventing them from coming on board. At seven o'clock in
the morning we changed our anchorage to the opposite side of the bay,
near the Adelaide islets, and close to Point William. A party went on
shore for wood and water, in the procuring of which they were assisted
by the natives.

_Tuesday, Oct. 30_.--Captain Owen, having now thoroughly investigated
the vicinity of this place, determined upon the site of our future
settlement. For this purpose, Maidstone Bay, in consequence of its
capacity, (being about four miles and a half from Cape Bullen, its
north-western limit, to Point William); the excellency of its
anchorage, and the smoothness of its water, offered peculiar
advantages; to which may be added, its reception of the waters of the
Baracouta river, with other smaller streams, and the abundance of its
fine fish of various kinds, including two or three species of turtle.
On the south-eastern side, adjoining to coves which have received the
respective names of Clarence and Cockburn Coves, two necks of land
project into the bay, the one named Point Adelaide, with two small
islands off it, bearing the same name; the other Point William. It was
on the latter, constituting a kind of peninsula, projecting nearly six
hundred yards into the sea, that Captain Owen decided upon fixing the
infant settlement, which is probably destined to become the future
emporium of the commerce, as well as the centre of civilization of this
part of the globe,--giving it, out of compliment to His Royal Highness
the Lord High Admiral, the name of Clarence. Besides the above named
peninsula, the new settlement comprises other adjoining lands, which
were afterwards respectively known by the appellations of Bushy Park,
Longfield, Paradise, and New-lands, with some which have not yet
received any name,--the whole constituting an elevated plain, lying
between one and two hundred feet above the level of the sea, and at
present thickly covered with timber and jungle. In Clarence Cove, there
is an excellent spring of water issuing from a cliff, about sixty-six
yards above low water-mark, well calculated to supply the exigencies of
the settlement, and which it is intended to conduct, by means of
shoots, down to the beach.

[Illustration: SETTLEMENT OF CLARENCE, ISLAND OF FERNANDO PO]

The above situation having been finally decided upon, Captain Owen
determined to lose no time in commencing operations, and, in the course
of the day, notwithstanding it proved rainy, a party of a hundred
Kroomen and other black labourers, were landed, under the command of
Mr. Vidal, the senior lieutenant, and immediately began to clear a road
through the jungle, to the spot selected for the new town.

Accompanied by Mr. Morrison, I also went ashore at Baracouta, for the
purpose of inviting the supposed king of the island, but who, we have
since reason to believe, is only the chief of a tribe. His Majesty
would have accepted our invitation, had not his attendants offered a
strong opposition: all we could gain was a promise that he would visit
us early on the following morning. Our interpreter was a black soldier
of the Royal African Corps, named Anderson, who professed to have some
acquaintance with the language of the islanders. We found afterwards,
however, that his Fernandian vocabulary was scarcely more copious than
a sensible parrot might acquire in a month: his knowledge of the
English, at all events, was so exceedingly defective, as to make
another interpreter necessary, to explain what he meant to express, in
our language. This man was left to pass the night at the royal
residence, in order that he might avail himself of opportunities to
inspire his Majesty with confidence, and be ready to accompany him on
his visit in the morning.

_Wednesday, Oct. 31_.--The steam-vessel (_African_) arrived to-day, and
brought in two vessels under Brazilian colours, which Lieutenant
Badgeley had boarded and detained, under strong suspicion of their
being engaged in the slave-trade.

At nine o'clock, the King of Baracouta, accompanied by his brother and
five or six other chiefs, came on board according to promise, and
without betraying any symptoms of timidity. The party were immediately
conducted to the captain's cabin, and entertained with wine and
biscuit, which they appeared to partake of with considerable relish.
His Majesty, however, had not come unprovided, his canoe having been
stored with some calabashes of palm-wine, which he sent for and
distributed freely. We partook of this wholesome beverage, but some of
the natives mixed it with Madeira. I must not omit to mention that,
whether as a point of etiquette, or intended as an expression of
gratitude for the attentions they were receiving, the King, and his
Chiefs, were particularly desirous of rubbing their long beards against
those of our party who happened to be possessed of a similar ornament.
Amongst other circumstances which gave them satisfaction, they were
highly gratified by sitting on our chairs; and we have since learned,
that, in their own residences, they are in the habit of using logs of
wood for this purpose, a custom differing from many of the African
nations.

A description of their dress, which was in the most fanciful savage
taste, cannot fail to be interesting. In the first place, the body was
completely smeared over with the kind of paint I have before described:
His Majesty's colour, like that which distinguishes the imperial family
of China, being yellow, while the livery of his attendants was dark
red. The hair of the head was dressed in long small curls hanging down
behind, and which, instead of hair powder and pomatum, were well
stiffened with ochre and oil: in front, similar curls dividing from the
forehead, hung down on each side below the ears, somewhat in the style
of Vandyke's female portraits of the age of Charles I. The forehead was
generally round, sufficiently elevated to give phrenological
indications of a fair portion of intellect, and, perhaps, unusually
well displayed by a custom which prevails of having the hair shorn in
front an inch beyond the line of its natural growth, so as, in
conjunction with the peculiar disposition of curls before described, to
leave the part fully exposed. In some instances, seven or eight strings
of beads, in imitation of the natural curls, were adjusted with much
care over the forepart of the head, and conducted separately behind the
ears, the end of each string reaching down to the shoulders. This
singularly ornamental head-dress was surmounted by a flatfish
low-crowned hat, with a narrow brim, the whole shape not a little
resembling that of Mambrino's helmet; the frame-work, constructed of
loosely wove split rattan, was covered over and ornamented with leaves,
the bones of monkeys and other animals, and a few white, and
occasionally red, feathers; the latter of which appeared to have been
dyed in the blood of some animal. This hat was secured to the head by a
skewer, which passed through the crown, and penetrated a tuft of hair
collected above the vertex. The neck, arms, body above the hips, and
the legs below the knee, were encircled by ornamental bands, in the
form of bracelets, which were, for the most part, composed of strings
of beads, or the vertebrae of small snakes; to the girdle, which thus
surrounded the body, was appended, hanging down in front, the only
article of covering which they can be said to wear, consisting of the
skin of some animal, and which, in many instances, was decorated with a
bunch of herbage. His Majesty, however, as a mark of distinction, wore
also a similar covering behind.

After having been entertained in the cabin, we conducted the party
along the main-deck, and shewed them our horses, oxen, pigs, &c., with
the whole of which they were highly gratified, especially with the cow,
whose tail was a source of ineffable delight to them, each of them
handling it in succession, plucking out its hairs, and shaking it with
every indication of astonishment. The band was directed to play for
their amusement, and delighted them to such a degree, that they could
not restrain themselves from running into the midst of it. The King's
brother was so enraptured, that he capered about with excess of joy,
making the most uncouth gestures in accordance with the music.

"So play'd Orpheus, and so danced the brutes."

Our more difficult task was yet to be encountered--the distribution of
presents. His yellow Majesty was in the first place complimented with
the whole of an iron hoop straightened out for the occasion, and also
with half a dozen fishing-hooks; to his brother we gave half the
quantity: while the minor chiefs received about a foot in length each.
Some squabbling occurred during this arrangement, which was, at length,
happily concluded, pretty much to the satisfaction of the whole party,
and they left the ship in apparent good humour, evidently highly
gratified with their visit.

_Thursday, Nov. 1_.--A heavy fall of rain disappointed us in an
arrangement to visit the chiefs on shore.

_Friday, Nov. 2_.--Notwithstanding it continued to rain heavily at
intervals, I went on shore in company with Messrs. Galler and Morrison,
for the purpose of arranging with the King for the establishment of a
market. On landing, we were surrounded by a number of natives, who
treated us with more kindness than on our preceding visit, not
forgetting, however, both male and female, from the youngest to the
oldest, to importune us incessantly for iron; it was almost dangerous
to take particular notice of any individual, for they immediately
assumed it as an indication of a disposition to make them a present,
and began to double their importunities. Not finding the King or his
chiefs on the beach, we sent to announce our arrival, yet we had to
wait two hours before they condescended to appear. During this time,
Mr. Galler amused himself with shooting monkeys; which appeared to
afford some interest and amusement to the natives, who assisted in
pointing out _the game_, and laughed heartily whenever he missed his
aim.

At length the King arrived, and we explained as well as we could the
object of our visit, to which he listened with great attention,
appearing to comprehend, so as finally to accede to our wishes. He then
proposed, in order to preserve a mutual good understanding, that, in
the event of any breach of faith on the part of their people, we should
immediately communicate the same to the chiefs, who would take care to
have the delinquent properly punished; while, on the other hand, if any
of our people were guilty of improper conduct towards them, they would
represent it to our chief. This proposal, after a deliberate
discussion, was agreed to on both, sides, the contract confirmed by
drinking palm-wine, and a mutual exchange of presents, as follows, we
tendered an axe to the King, and he returned the compliment by
presenting us with a fowl.

We now proposed to accompany his Majesty back to his village. With this
he appeared perfectly acquiescent, taking me by the hand, and leading
me forward, as if he were conducting me to the point proposed; but we
soon found that his real intention was to lead us to our boats. We
still, however, imagined that this was only with the view of taking us
some nearer way home; but when we wished him to enter the boat, with
the intention of coasting it to another part of the shore, he
positively declined, giving us to understand that his house was not
good enough to receive us, and that it contained nothing in the shape
of refreshments sufficient to do honour to the visit. We were, however,
predetermined, and, as our interpreter was acquainted with the way,
proceeded with Captain Smith and Mr. Jeffery, in addition to our former
party. When we arrived, we were ready to admit that his Majesty had
some reason not to be over-anxious for our company: for neither was the
road, nor the accommodations of his hut, calculated either for a visit
of pleasure or ceremony; in many parts the path was not only slippery,
but interrupted by roots of trees and pools of water; added to which,
it lay through a thick jungle, which swarmed with myriads of ants. His
Majesty's hut was a mere thatched roof, the eaves of which nearly
reached to the ground, supported by posts, and with only one end
protected from the weather; the chief articles of furniture were logs
of wood, as substitutes for stools, and an inclined plane of wood, five
feet in length, to serve the purpose of a bed, the pillow of which was
a round bar, three or four inches in diameter, supported at the proper
height by two brackets. The king's brother, who had arrived first,
received us with much good humour, but regretted that he had nothing to
entertain us with. In a short time, however, a calabash of stale
palm-wine was handed in, which, having first tasted, according to the
African custom, with a view of proving that it contained no poison, he
presented to us. After resting a short time, we returned to our boats.

In order to prosecute the formation of the now colony with the greatest
energy, every hand which could possibly be spared, was sent on shore. A
better approach to Point William, the acclivity being more gentle, was
discovered this morning, and a large party immediately employed in
clearing away the timber and brushwood, for the purpose of making a
broad road through it.

_Saturday, Nov. 3_.--The Eden was moved nearer to Point William and the
Adelaide Islands, for the greater convenience of landing the working
parties, stores, &c. The steam-vessel and her prizes also left their
anchorage in the bay, and moved into Clarence Cove. Not a single canoe
was visible on the water, and very few natives on the shore; we were
informed by our interpreter, that they were occupied with the funeral
of a chief, but suspect that the different tribes were assembled in
council to discuss the subject of our arrival, and our evident
intention to form a settlement among them.

_Nov. 4_.--Some native chiefs were much delighted with sitting in our
chairs; but, when the Captain presented them with a few knives, small
looking-glasses, and other trinkets, their delight was raised to
rapture, expressed by clapping their hands and singing certain short
sentences in a high tone of voice, at the same time bowing their heads,
as if to indicate their readiness to admit our superiority. We were
afterwards informed, that these songs were in our praise, and implied
the following meaning:--"Truly you are come to do us good." We
entertained them with palm-wine, Madeira, biscuit, fish, and yams; we
found, however, on this, as on all other occasions, that these
unsophisticated people preferred their native viands to our European
delicacies. They appeared much interested with the three European
females we had on board; but, whether they had sufficient taste to
prefer them to their native beauties, I shall not pretend to determine.
After remaining two hours on board, they took their leave, and returned
to the shore.

_Monday, November 5_.--Anderson, who had been absent two days, returned
this morning in a large canoe of seventeen paddles, accompanied by the
same party of chiefs who had visited us yesterday, with, however, an
addition of the king's son. Before coming alongside, they pulled round
the ship, singing most loudly and merrily. Though Captain Owen was on
shore, they were taken into the cabin, and entertained until his
return, after which he gave a present to each of them. Notwithstanding
this liberality, the principal chief fixed his covetous eye upon an
axe, and expressed a most eager desire to become possessed of it.
Captain Owen, however, notwithstanding his wish to conciliate the
natives as much as possible, did not think proper to gratify his
cupidity; but he promised, that it should be presented to the King at
the next interview with him. In the afternoon, a tornado arose and
drove most of the canoes away; the chiefs, however, remained on board
until it was over, and then left us under an arrangement that the
Captain should pay a visit to the King on the following Wednesday.

_Tuesday, Nov. 6_.--We had a wet morning, succeeded by a fine day. Many
canoes, full of natives, came alongside. About noon, a native was
discovered, by the master-at-arms, to have stolen an axe, which he had
secreted in a piece of canvas that he had picked up and tied round his
waist in the manner of an apron. On taking it from him, he made a
desperate attempt to escape, by running down the ship's side into a
canoe, from whence he made his way over several others, with a view of
reaching his own, but he was arrested in his progress. A warm
discussion now arose among the chiefs present, as to the punishment he
ought to be subjected to, having been taken _flagrante delicto_, under
their own eyes. Captain Owen, to evidence his high displeasure at the
transaction, cut the matter short, by ordering them all out of the
ship. This gave rise to another commotion and discussion, the result of
which was, that the culprit was assailed on all sides by his countrymen
with their paddles; even a boy in the same canoe inflicted several
blows, and he was finally severely injured about the head and body,
when, with the blood streaming from various parts, he was compelled to
leap into the sea, in order to wash it away, before they would allow
him to re-enter his own boat. His punishment, however, did not
terminate with the above discipline; for as he assisted in paddling his
canoe ashore, his countrymen followed him with every denunciation of
vengeance. On landing in the neighbourhood of our market, he was
seized, conducted a short distance from the beach, and surrounded by an
immense crowd of the natives. Mr. Jeffery, who happened to be near the
spot, penetrated into the midst of them, with a view of ascertaining
the nature of the affair, when, to his surprise, he was immediately
laid hold of, and tied hand to hand with the bleeding prisoner. It may
be imagined that this proceeding excited considerable alarm in Mr.
Jeffery, who was led to infer that the wounds of the prisoner had been
inflicted by our people, and that the natives were about to retaliate
upon himself. A soldier, who was passing at the moment, lost no time in
giving an alarm at the camp, when Capt. Harrison came with a party of
soldiers to the assistance of our comrade; but Mr. Jeffery had, by this
time, contrived to disengage his hand; and, our people appearing, the
natives desisted from farther attempts upon him. It turned out that
their object in offering this apparent violence, was merely to secure
an evidence on our side of the final punishment of their countryman,
which they now proceeded to carry into effect in the following
extraordinary manner:--the poor wretch was, in the first place, tied
hand and foot with his back to a tree, after which a discussion took
place, between the chiefs and a man, whom we conceived to be a priest.
This being finished, one of the chiefs, who, in consequence of the
prominent part he played in this dramatic scene, was ever after known
among us by the honourable name of Cut-throat, very coolly stepped up
to the prisoner, the whole of the natives at the same time falling on
their knees, and was proceeding with great deliberation to cut his
throat, when Captain Harrison and Mr. Jeffery hastened forward, and
prevented the perpetration of the act by holding back his arm, and
making signs that our chief was coming. Fortunately, Capt. Owen was
actually coming on shore at this juncture, and, having passed to the
centre of the assembly, by means of signs succeeded in explaining that
it was not his wish to have the man so severely punished. He then took
him by the hand, led him through the crowd, and thus liberated him from
the sanguinary vengeance of his own countrymen. During the whole of
this trying occasion, the prisoner neither shrunk from the numerous and
severe blows inflicted upon him in the earlier part of it; nor, in the
latter part, did he indicate the slightest symptom of fear. This is one
of the many traits we met with of either the great fortitude or little
sensibility of these islanders.

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