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

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

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[17] All the headmen understand enough of English to perform any
labour under the direction of Englishmen, and the Kroomen are a
hard-working body of men.

[18] Fenao Gomez, a Portuguese, was the first person who rented a
monopoly of the trade of the Coast of Guinea, on consideration of
his paying 300 milreas per annum for five years; and he was to
discover 100 leagues of coast per annum, beginning at Sierra Leone.
He finished his discoveries at Cape St. Catherines.

CHAP. V.

Cape St. Ann--Dangerous Shoals--Old Sailors--Liberia--Origin and History
of the Colony--Failure at Sherbro Island--Experiment at Liberia--
Difficulties Encountered by the Settlers--Differences with the Natives--
Final Adjustment--Improving State of the Colony--Laws and Morals--
Remarks on Colonization

_Friday, October 5th_.--There was a moderate breeze from the westward,
and fine weather. At eight o'clock, finding, by our calculation, that we
had rounded the shoals of Cape St. Ann, we altered our course more
towards the land, intending to run along the Gold Coast, within sight of
the shore. These shoals are the most dangerous part of the west coast of
Africa; and there is good reason to believe that many vessels have been
wrecked on them, particularly in former times. There is but little doubt
that H.M. (late) ship Redwing was lost here, for there has been no trace
of her since the day she sailed from Sierra Leone, (the afternoon of
which was very squally) excepting a small mast that was picked up on the
coast, to the northward, with her name on it; and as she was bound from
Sierra Leone to Accra, she had occasion to go round these shoals, which
commence about 30 miles from Cape Sierra Leone. But there is an
additional cause for apprehending that such was her fate, for I was
informed by an officer, that he heard Captain Clavering say, that he did
not believe in the existence of these shoals; it is not improbable,
therefore, that, with an idea of shortening his passage, he might have
attempted to have gone nearer to them than prudence would justify, and
thus tempted the danger which he held to be apocryphal. They might also
have neglected to sound sufficiently often, an error which I have
frequently witnessed, and which arises from a mistaken wish to save
trouble and time--a poor excuse for risking the loss of lives and
property. I am sure this will not be the case with Captain Owen, for I
believe he knows the ground under water where his ship is in soundings,
as well as that which he sees above it; and among the jokes of the crew
of his ship, there was one on his late surveying voyage, uttered by an
old sailor, who said, that as soon as he was paid off, he would set up a
public-house in Wapping, with the sign of The Bag and Nippers,[19] and
the words "Watch, there, watch!" written underneath. Notwithstanding
this poor fellow's joke, he entered a second time with Captain Owen, on
board the Eden, for an equally hazardous voyage, which he did not
survive. I was near him in his last moments, when the fatal signal of
ebbing life--the rattles in the throat--fell on the ear like the
melancholy sound of the muffled drum in a dead march.

_Sunday, 7th_.--Light airs and variable, with rain at times. Cape
Mesurada in sight great part of the day. Under the eastern side of this
Cape is the American settlement of Liberia. The origin and progress of
this colony present so many points of interest, that I am induced to lay
before my readers a succinct account of its early history. I am chiefly
indebted for the materials of this sketch to a pamphlet, which I
procured in Sierra Leone, published a short time before in Washington.

The first efforts of the American Colonization Society were directed to
Sierra Leone in 1818, when two Agents were sent there to purchase land
for a new colony; on their arrival at their destination, two men of
colour, well acquainted with the coast, accompanied them on a voyage of
exploration. Having examined all the places which appeared suitable for
their purposes, they finally made arrangements for forming the new
colony on Sherbro Island, about 100 miles south of Sierra Leone, when
one of the agents returned to America, the other having died on his
passage. The Society now resolved to fit out an expedition immediately,
in which they were greatly aided by the President, the object seeming to
be well calculated to promote the political advantages of the United
States. The first colonists left America in February, 1820. They
consisted of two government agents, one from the society, and
eighty-eight persons of colour. These emigrants were very unfortunate:
they arrived just at the commencement of the rainy season, the _damps_
of which were much increased by the unhealthiness of the low, marshy
ground of the Sherbro. The result was that all the agents, and a great
number of the colonists died; the remainder wisely abandoned a
speculation so fruitful of risk. Those people remained at Sierra Leone
until new agents were sent out, and another spot selected lor
colonization. The new scene of operations was Liberia.

The territory on which the first settlement, of the colonists of Liberia
was made, forms a tongue of land of twelve leagues extent, in no part
more than a league in width, and in some parts contracted to half that
distance. This peninsula is so connected with the main land, as to
represent a scale beam, the narrow isthmus answering to the pivot; which
isthmus is formed by an acute angle of the Junk river on the eastern
side, that falls into the sea at the S.E. extremity of the peninsula
and an acute angle of the Montserado river on the western side, which
falls into the sea at the N.W. extremity. Thus the N.E. side of the
peninsula is washed by the above rivers; and the whole of the S.W. side
by the sea. The north-western termination of this linear track of
country is Cape Montserado, which towards the extremity rises to a
promontory, sufficiently majestic to present a bold distinction from the
uniform level of the coast.

The town of Monrovia is situated on the inland side of the peninsula, on
the S.W. bank of the river Montserado, about two miles within the
extremity of the Cape. The original settlement approached within 150
yards of the water, and occupied the highest part of the spiral ridge,
which traverses a large part of the peninsula, and rises at this place
to about 75 feet. At the time this territory was purchased by the agents
of the American Colonization Society, in December 1821, this tract of
land was covered by a dense and lofty forest, entangled with vines (a
very large description of parasitical plant, so called) and brushwood,
which rendered it almost impervious to new settlers.

Opposite the town, are two small islands containing together less than
three acres of ground. The largest of these islands is nearly covered
with houses built in the native style, and occupied by a family of
several hundred domestic slaves, formerly the property of an English
factor, but now held in a state of qualified vassalage (common in
Africa) by a black man.

This little community lives so entirely within its own resources, that
the individuals composing it are little known by their neighbours; their
utter indifference to whose politics, however, does not preserve them
from their dislike and envy, which, without the protection of the
American colony, would soon be converted into acts of oppression.

There are four tribes in the neighbourhood of this coast, viz. the Deys,
who extend along the coast twenty-five miles to the northward of
Montserado, to the mouth of the Junk about thirty-six miles to the
south-eastward. Next, towards the interior, the Queahs, a small and
quiet people, whose country lies to the east of Cape Montserado. The
Gurrahs, a more numerous and toilsome race, occupying the country to the
northward of the upper part of the St. Paul river. And further into the
interior, the Condoes, whose warlike character renders them the terror
of all their maritime neighbours.

On the beach, one mile to the north of the new settlement, there is a
small hamlet belonging to the Kroomen, a people entirely distinct in
origin, language, and character, from all their neighbours. They
originate from the populous tribe, whose country is Settra Kroo near
Cape Palmas, and are well known as the pilots and watermen of the
country. The number of families belonging to this hamlet, scarcely
exceeds a dozen, and may comprehend fifty individuals.

The purchase of the Montserado territory being effected, it was first
occupied by such American emigrants as could be collected early in the
following year, at which time the indications of hostility exhibited by
the Dey people, demonstrated but too distinctly the insincerity of their
engagements with the new settlers, the first division of whom,
consisting chiefly of single men, were met with menaces, and positively
forbidden to land. This purpose they, however, effected upon the small
island of Perseverance, situated near the mouth of the Montserado, where
they were kindly received by Mr. S. Mill, an African by birth, who was
at that time occupant, and from whom the island had been purchased by
Dr. Ayres on behalf of the Society.

After many ineffectual attempts to conciliate the friendship of the
Deys, the ferment of opposition seemed to have subsided, and Dr. Ayres
received an invitation to meet the chiefs at a friendly conference in
King Peter's town. This amicable appearance, however, proved to be a
mere _ruse de guerre_, and the doctor found himself a prisoner in the
hands of his faithless allies. Nor could he obtain his freedom until he
consented to receive back the remnant of the goods, which had been
advanced to the natives the preceding month in part payment for their
lands, but, in according this enforced compliance to their wishes, he
contrived eventually to elude their purpose of ejectment, by pleading
the impossibility of removing the emigrants until vessels could be
procured for their use.

The individuals at this time upon the island of Perseverance, did not
exceed twenty persons. The only shelter for them and their store was
that afforded by half a dozen diminutive native huts; the island itself
was a mere artificial formation, which being always becalmed by the high
land of the Cape, was extremely unhealthy; it was also entirely
destitute both of fresh water and firewood--which circumstances, added
to the insalubrity of the air, and the closeness of their dwellings,
soon produced a sensible effect upon the health of the settlers. Happily
at this critical juncture a secret arrangement was concluded with King
George, (a monarch who claims the right of jurisdiction over the
northern district of the Peninsula) and by virtue of his authority the
settlers were permitted (in consideration of certain presents,
consisting of rum, trade-cloth, and tobacco) to cross the river and
commence clearing the forest for the site of their intended town. Being
stimulated to exertion, by the union of interest and self-preservation,
their labours proceeded with surprising rapidity, and in a very few
weeks presented the skeletons of twenty-two dwelling houses, ranged in
an orderly manner to form the principal street of their town.
Unfortunately, at this period, so promising to their hopes, and so
honourable to their assiduity, a circumstance occurred that interrupted
their avocations in the most painful manner, and plunged them into a
disastrous war with the natives.

A small vessel, the prize of an English cruiser, bound to Sierra Leone,
and having on board about thirty liberated Africans, put into the roads
for water, and had the misfortune to part her cable and run ashore below
George's town, where she was in a few hours beaten to pieces by the
heavy surf. She was immediately claimed by the natives on behalf of
their king, whose alleged rights they came forward to maintain by the
force of arms.--In attempting to board, however, they were opposed and
beaten back by the prize-master and his crew. The American settlers,
perceiving the extreme danger of their English visitors, hastened to
their relief, bringing with them a brass field-piece, which they turned
against the assailants, who, terrified by so unaccustomed a mode of
warfare, hastily retreated towards their forest-bound hamlet, leaving
the English officer, his crew, and the Africans at liberty. The damage
on both sides was, however, considerable; on that of the natives it
consisted of many wounded men and two killed; on that of the strangers,
in the total loss of their vessel, with most part of their stores and
property; but on that of the settlers the injury sustained was fatally
severe, it consisted of the destruction by fire of their most valuable
and requisite stores, amounting in actual worth to three thousand
dollars: a loss incalculably increased by their necessities.

The accident arose from some mismanagement of the fusee, used for the
cannon, a spark from which communicating with the thatch of the public
storehouse so rapidly spread into a flame, that it was only by the most
daring courage that the powder, some casks of provisions, and a few
other stores were rescued from the devastating element.

The natives meanwhile, exasperated at the interference of the settlers,
and maddened by the sight of their wounded and dead brethren, were only
restrained from taking summary vengeance by the dread of the artillery.
Even this fear could not prevent their occasionally venturing near
enough to fire upon the settlers and their new allies,--these furtive
and for the most part futile indications of malignity, were, however,
always easily repelled by a single shot from a four or six-pounder,
which usually put the assailants for the time being to an immediate
flight. But it was not to this mockery of warfare with King George's
warriors that the annoyance of the settlers was limited. Many and
various were the vexations to which the hostility of the Deys subjected
the unhappy adventurers; in the mere act of obtaining water (for which
purpose they had to pass through the enemy's town) their obstacles were
endless. While the demolition of their unfinished houses, secretly
accomplished by their persecutors, and similar injuries constantly
practised, ultimately compelled them to discontinue their principal
work. At length the vigilant hatred of their savage enemies, resolved
itself into a mode of attack which robbed the settlers of all present
means of resistance.--Watching their opportunity when the boats went up
the river Montserado, in search of water, they sheltered themselves
beneath the large trees and rocks which overhung the narrowest parts of
the river, from whence they fired upon the boats at pleasure, alike
without the possibility of receiving any injury, or of their victims
avoiding the danger by a hasty retreat. In this adventure, one colonist
and an English seaman lost their lives, and two other persons were
slightly wounded.

The recurrence of such events did not fail to keep up a spirit of
animosity between the Dey tribe and the colonists, whose principal crime
in the eyes of the natives, was their aversion to the slave trade; an
aversion which struck at the root of all the interest, fears, and
prejudices of the Deys. Old King Peter, the venerable patriarch of the
nation, and with whom the first treaty for the purchase of the ground
had been negotiated, was capitally arraigned and brought to trial on a
charge of betraying the interests of his subjects, by selling their
country. The accusation was substantiated, and it became doubtful
whether the punishment of high treason, would not be executed upon a
monarch, whom they had been accustomed to venerate and to obey for more
than thirty years.

Under these circumstances the settlers became seriously alarmed
respecting the nature of the intercourse which might become necessary to
the policy of Bacaia, the king of the larger island, and from whom they
had received many proofs of friendship, in secret supplies of fuel and
water. But as his plantations, with numerous detached bodies of his
subjects, were entirety exposed to the power of the Deys, it seemed
absolutely requisite that his friendship with that tribe should not be
affected by any further acts of kindness to a people so inimical to
their views. Hence the suspicions of the colonists became naturally
excited against Bacaia. It appeared that the considerations which had
been so painfully entertained on the part of the colonists, operated no
less powerfully upon the mind of the chief; for he immediately summoned
to his aid one of the most powerful and famous chiefs of the Condoes, by
whose protection he had for many years been sustained in his dangerous
contiguity to such quarrelsome neighbours.

King Boatswain, whose political influence over the maritime tribes of
the country was nearly absolute, and whose name had long been the terror
of his countrymen, replied to the request of his protegee with that
prompt alacrity which characterized all his actions, almost immediately
arriving in person, accompanied with an armed force sufficient to carry
into effect any measure that might seem most desirable to their chief.
He, with that apparent modesty in which extreme pride delights to dress
itself, and which is but another way of exhibiting innate confidence,
assured his allies,--that he came not to _pronounce sentence_ between
the coast natives and the strangers, but _to do justice to all_. He next
convoked the head chiefs of the neighbourhood to a meeting with the
American Agents, who were but just returned to the settlement, having
been absent during the last mentioned events, and principal settlers,
who on their part were required to set forth their grievances and the
nature of their claims. These complained of the dishonesty of the Deys,
in withholding the possession of lands which they had sold, and of the
hostile acts committed against the colonists by King George's people.
These charges were followed by a clamorous discussion on the part of the
accused; which the haughty judge having heard, as long as his patience
served, at length closed, by abruptly rising, with the remark, that, "as
the Deys had sold their country, and accepted a part payment for it,
they must abide the consequences of their indiscretion; and that their
refusal of the balance due to them could not annul nor affect the sale.
Let the Americans," said he, "have their lands immediately. Whoever is
unsatisfied with my decision, let him say so."--Then turning to the
Agents, "I promise you," said he, "protection. If these people give you
further disturbance, send for me. And I swear, that if they oblige me to
come again to quiet them, I will do it effectually, by taking their
heads from their shoulders, as I did that of old King George on my last
visit to settle their disputes."

The necessity of an acquiescence in this decree, being by common consent
allowed, no farther opposition was offered by the natives, and the usual
interchange of presents having been effected, the colonists resumed
their labours with increased zeal and confidence.

On the 26th of April, the colonists took formal possession of the Cape,
but unfortunately so much time had been lost in contesting with the
natives, that, notwithstanding all their industry, the rainy and tornado
season set in while the dwelling-houses were still roofless. In the
island sickness began to make terrible ravages; both the Agents were
among the sufferers, and it was soon evident, that unless a removal from
their insalubrious situation should be speedily effected, the
consequences would be finally fatal. Nor was this their only trial, for
in the midst of this appalling visitation, the gaunt spectre famine
reared its ghastly head, and threatened them with new terrors. In
circumstances so dispiriting, where despair seemed about to crash the
weakened energies of the labourers, and where nothing but activity could
preserve them from the loss of life; it was perhaps more honourable to
Dr. Ayres' benevolence than to his policy, that he proposed to convey
the settlers back to Sierra Leone. It is, however, a fact worthy of
record, as well as of admiration, that only a small part of the
emigrants embraced this proposal. The rest, consisting of twenty-six
persons capable of bearing arms, with a few women and children, together
with Mr. Wiltberger, the Society's assistant agent, remained to combat
the difficulties of their situation; thus nobly affording a pledge to
find for themselves and their brethren a present home, and for the
oppressed African, or the captured slave, a safe asylum on this once
hostile coast.

The settled rains of the season now set in with unusual violence, and
the struggles and hardships endured by this little band cannot be easily
imagined. However, so great was their persevering industry, that before
the first of May several dwelling-houses had been rendered habitable,
with a small frame-house for the Agent; and a storehouse sufficient for
their purposes had been constructed of servicable materials.

In the beginning of July the colonists completed their removal from the
island, each took possession of the humble dwelling that was henceforth
to constitute his home. The Agents had meanwhile both sailed for the
United States, leaving the settlement under the management of one of the
emigrants (Elijah Johnson of New York), who acquitted himself so much to
the satisfaction of the settlers that he now enjoys one of the most
respectable situations in the municipal government, conferred upon him
by the people.

Still the most economical division of their rapidly diminishing store of
provisions, could not enable them to exist through more than half of the
rainy season, and as no present produce could be derived from the soil,
their prospects continued dark and dispiriting, circumstances which
derived no inconsiderable addition from the fact that their stores had
been reported to the managers in the United States as sufficient for a
twelvemonth's consumption. But, as though fortune, at length won to
admiration of their heroic fortitude, had determined to recompense their
sufferings, a vessel arrived, unexpectedly, with a moderate supply of
stores, and thirty-seven persons patronized by the Colonization Society.

This vessel had encountered many difficulties on her passage, but she
arrived safely off Cape Montserado on the 8th of August, being the
middle of the rainy season; here Mr. J. Ashman, who had with a truly
philanthropic feeling undertaken the direction of this expedition,
received the first accounts of the departure of the Agents, and the
disasters of the colony. A fresh difficulty now arose in providing
dwellings for the newly arrived emigrants, as well as a larger and more
secure storehouse for transport stores. And it was not until after four
weeks of incessant labour that Mr. Ashmun had the satisfaction of seeing
the passengers and property all safely landed, and provided with shelter
to secure them from the rains of that inclement season.

He next lost no time in ascertaining the external relations of the
settlement with respect to the temper of their neighbours, and for this
purpose proceeded to conciliate those kings whose alliance he deemed
most desirable. He encouraged them to trade with the colony, and sought
to establish them in amicable bonds, by receiving their sons and
subjects for the purposes of instruction in all those points which form
the basis of civilization. Yet, notwithstanding these pacific measures,
a hostile and malign spirit on the part of the Deys, could not be wholly
concealed. These symptoms rendered it advisable that measures of
permanent defence should be adopted, and on the 18th of August the
present Martello tower was consequently planned and the building
actively commenced.

Their military force was, meanwhile, extremely slender, consisting of
not above thirty men capable of bearing arms. They had forty muskets,
but out of six guns attached to the settlement, one only was fit for
use, four of the remaining number being without carriages. There were no
flints, and but little ammunition. It was soon perceived that a system
of defence was to be originated, without either the materials or
artificers usually considered requisite, but undaunted by obstacles like
these, each difficulty seemed to stimulate the ingenuity of the
colonists to fresh activity and untried resources.

With immense labour the guns were transported over the river, and
conveyed to the height of the peninsula, where they were mounted on
rough truck carriages. Thirteen African youths (attached to the United
States Agency) were next exercised in the daily use of arms. A master of
ordnance was also appointed to repair the small-arms, and to make up a
quantity of cartridges, as well as to arrange minor details for service.

But their chief difficulties arose from the necessity of clearing the
heavy forest from the neighbourhood of the town, and of keeping a
constant nightly watch: a duty which required no less than the services
of twenty men; but, arduous as these were, they were carried on with
unremitting diligence by all whose health remained unaffected by the
climate.

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