A pilgrimage to my motherland/Chapter 1
A Pilgrimage to My Motherland.
CHAPTER I.
LIVERPOOL TO LAGOS.
Bathurst—Sierra Leone—Malignant Fever—Cape Palmas—Cape Coast Castle—Acra, English and Dutch.
ON the 24th June, 1859, I departed from Liverpool on board the African S. S. "Ethiope," Capt. French. On the 2d of July we arrived at Funchal, Madeira; the 4th was spent at Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, four days after leaving which we came in sight of Cape Verde, Africa; the next day we anchored in the port of Bathurst on the Gambia. This little town is built on one of those great deposits of sand commonly found on the Deltas of large rivers. It is said to be surrounded by very unhealthy influences, although the American Consul, with whom I enjoyed an hour's conversation, assured me that he had not known a case of fever among the white inhabitants of the place for six months. The trade is chiefly in ground-nuts, (Arachis Hypogea.) Except perhaps Freetown, there is not a better looking place on the West Coast. The largest houses are built along the river-side, and present a handsome appearance, heightened by some fine large trees growing before them, and a fine avenue is left between the trees and houses. The streets are wide and regularly intersect at right angles, with sewers for draining; the town, which from being low would otherwise be swampy, is thus kept dry. The white inhabitants, including the officers of the garrison and the missionaries, comprise about thirty persons. There is another small town about one hundred and fifty miles up the Gambia, called Macarthy's Island. The settlements on this river are British, and are garrisoned by African soldiers from the W I. Regiment. The natives are chiefly Jolofs and Mandingas. Many of the latter, who are Mohammedans, read and write Arabic; both comprise some very active and successful traders.
On the 12th we were at anchor in the harbor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, lat. 8° 29' N., long. 13° 14' W., said to be the best harbor on the West Coast of Africa. Affairs were in a bad condition, the yellow fever, or as some say, a malignant form of bilious fever had appeared there, and swept off more than a third of the white inhabitants, while the small pox was busy among the natives. During the two days that the ship continued in the port I bad frequent opportunities of conversing with several of the natives, men of respectability, and in some instances of education; they complain bitterly of some of the Europeans, on account of their laxity of morals and unblushing disregard of the demands of decency. It is fortunate that the number of this class of persons is small compared with the number of high-minded, worthy men who are deservedly much esteemed.
On the l7th, Sunday, we arrived at Cape Palmas. Our stay there was short. I contrived to spend about three hours on shore, and was fortunate in meeting the Reverend Alex. Crummell, who conducted me to the two or three places of interest which could be visited in that time; amongst the rest he took me to the church in which he sometimes officiates. I was much gratified to witness more than one hundred natives, including an old chief, listening with deep attention to the word of God. I regret exceedingly not being able to accompany my Reverend friend to Mount Vaughn, his school and dwelling a little way from the town, where he is doing efficient service in training some promising native boys, a few of whom I met in his company. Here I received intelligence of the arrival of the barque "Mendi" at Monrovia, with my colleague Dr. Delany on board.
On the 19th July we arrived off Cape Coast Castle, situated in lat. 5° 6', N., long. 1° 5' W The town is not so low as either Bathurst or Lagos, but at the same time not more healthy than either. It was originally founded by the Portuguese; the British became its owners in 1672. The immediate site of the town wears a very rugged and barren aspect, but there are some beautiful green hills in the background where Indian corn and other products are cultivated. Gold dust is the principal article of export—the gold is chiefly brought from the Ashantee country in the interior, but the women procure small quantities after rain by washing the black sand scraped from the sea-beach and water-courses. The landing is bad, although the native canoe-men manage so well as seldom to wet their passengers. The inhabitants experience great want of water, relying for their supply on wells and pools which are frequently dry, and the latter sometimes muddy and unwholesome. The natives are very industrious, and manufacture tolerably fine articles of jewelry. The women both of this place and of Acra wear a strange-looking appendage to their dress immediately at the base of the lumbar region. Bustle would be hardly an appropriate term for it, as, although worn in about the same position, the appearance is different; and though used as a support for infants, which African women universally carry on their backs, it is evidently not intended solely for that purpose, as the women in other sections of Africa carry their children without such support, and many use it who have no children to carry. The women are generally very tastefully attired, displaying about their persons many trinkets of pure gold.
Early in the morning of the 20th we found ourselves anchored in the roads off Acra. This place is remarkable for being both British and Dutch; it is in fact simply two forts, one owned by each party, and the people's allegiance being thus divided, there is considerable confusion in collecting taxes, etc. There were some disturbances at the time of my visit, growing out of this cause.