Part 4 (1/2)
At length we arrived, much fatigued, at Mr. Green's (at Ma.s.sou), with whom we rested for the night, receiving every kindness and attention in his power to bestow. I am indebted to this gentleman for a variety of useful information relative to a wide extent of country. His education and acquirements are of the first cla.s.s, and I could not view such a man, insulated from polished society, which he was qualified to adorn, and shut up in the wilds of Africa, among barbarians, without a mixture of pain and surprise; nor did I depart from him without sympathy and regret, after he had confided to me his motives, and the outlines of his life, which were marked with eventful incidents, and extraordinary occurrences.
It was my object to have proceeded from Ma.s.sou to Rocond, the princ.i.p.al town of Smart's residence, and from thence to penetrate to the falls of the river, which, from every information I received, exhibit a sublime scene; but, on account of the disturbed state of the country, and that chiefs absence, I was obliged to give up my intention, and return to Roch.e.l.l, from whence we rowed down the river to the town of our little hospitable chief, Billy Manshu; where we stayed the night. The following day we arrived safe at Miffare; and although Smart had given orders at Mahera to stop all canoes, we were suffered to pa.s.s; the chiefs observing, ”that they knew we would not tell their enemies, when we came among them, what we saw them do.” Had we been strangers, it is more than probable we should have fallen victims to the fury of these barbarians, who, in the towns we pa.s.sed, were excited to a savage fierceness, highly descriptive of the natural ferocity of the African character.
At Miffare, formerly occupied by Monsieur Berauld, as previously noticed, who had lately paid the common debt of nature, and who was here buried by his own desire, I had the opportunity of ascertaining a singular custom prevalent in this country towards the dead, and which strongly elucidates the prevailing ideas of its inhabitants, relative to the immortality of the soul and a future state.
After Monsieur Berauld's interment, his women, and the head people of the town, a.s.sembled round the grave occasionally, for a series of days, requiring every evening, from Mr. Hodgkin, a candle to light his grave, which they kept burning during the period of their mourning, under the idea that it would light him in the other world. In addition to this, a still more singular rite was performed on this occasion, by Alimami, of the Port Logo, and a numerous a.s.semblage of natives, who sacrificed a bull to the departed spirit of Berauld, who was held in great estimation among them.
From authority I cannot doubt, I am persuaded that when slaves have been redundant, human sacrifices have been offered to the manes of their favourite chiefs and princes. This horrid custom, which is even extended, in many of the districts of Africa, to the productions of the earth, is a most serious subject to contemplate, and a feature of barbarism, pregnant with melancholy consequences to that cla.s.s of beings, whom a late legislative act has abandoned to contingencies, and the uncontrolled power and avarice of other nations.
CHAPTER VI.
_Return to Bance Island.--General Observations on the Commerce, Religion, Customs, and Character of the Natives upon the Windward Coast.--An Account of the requisite Merchandize for Trade, the best Mode of introducing natural Commerce and Civilization into Africa, &c._
The morning after my last arrival at Miffare I returned to Bance Island; before I leave it, it may not perhaps be considered as inexpedient at this stage of my narrative, to submit to my readers an account of the present state of commerce upon the Windward Coast of Africa, the merchandize used therein, a general outline of the religion, customs, and character of its natives, and the system I conceive eligible, and consistent with the claims of humanity, by which their intellectual powers may be improved, and their enslaved state ameliorated; while our commercial ascendency may be preserved with this region of the earth, and our enemies excluded from those important advantages, which it only requires intelligence and enterprise to unfold.
In accomplis.h.i.+ng this important part of my duty I beg leave to state, that my reflections are the result of much deliberation upon the subject, derived from manifold sources of information, and that I am the zealous advocate of the radical abolition of the slavery of the human kind. The motives by which I am actuated are, a philanthropic feeling for my species, Christian principles, humanity, and justice: however I may differ, in the means I shall propose, from many truly benevolent characters, yet I trust that they will do me the justice to consider that my intentions are congenial with theirs in the cause of humanity.
I shall confine myself to a digested summary of actual observations on the trade, laws, customs, and manners of the people I have had occasion to visit; nor shall I attempt to enter into a minute detail on subjects already ably delineated to British merchants, and with which they are intimately conversant; but I shall treat of those branches of commerce which have been hitherto confined to local knowledge, and not generally known; submitting to the superior powers of the legislature, the incalculable advantages to be derived by their interference to promote the agricultural and commercial establishments upon the maritime districts of Africa, as the only appropriate measure to attain a facility of intercourse with the interior, and to enlarge the circle of civilised society.
If my endeavours tend to increase the commerce of my country, and eventually to emanc.i.p.ate the African, my design will be accomplished, and my fondest hopes will be gratified.
In pursuance of my plan, I shall first detail the present number of slaves, and dead cargo, annually exported, upon an average, from the Windward Coast of Africa, &c. from the information acquired from the traders of most intelligence in respective rivers, and from my own observation.
| | | | | | | |Amount | | | | | | | |Sterling | NAMES OF PLACES |A |B |C |D |E |F | |---------------------|-------|----|----|------|----|----|--------- |River Gambia, and | | | | | | | |Island of Goree . . .| 2,000 | 15 |-- |-- |150 |-- | 60,250 |Rio Noonez. . . . . .| 600 | 20 |-- |-- |-- |-- | 19,000 |Rio Pongo . . . . . .| 2,000 | 30 |60 |-- |-- |-- | 52,000 |River Sierra Leone, | | | | | | | |adjacent Rivers, | | | | | | | |and Isles de Loss, | 3,200 | 15 |200 |800 |-- |-- | 82,250 |inclusive . . . . . .| | | | | | | |River Sherbro . . . .| 500 |-- |200 |300 |-- |-- | 18,000 |---- Gallunas. . . .| 1,200 |-- | 80 |-- |-- |-- | 26,000 |Cape Mount to | | | | | | | |Cape Palmas . . . . .| 2,000 | 20 |-- |-- |-- |100 | 48,000 | |-------|----|----|------|----|----|-------- | |11,500 |100 |540 |1,100 |150 |100 |305,500
A-Slaves, B-Ivory, C-Camwood, D-Rice, E-Bees Wax, F-Malaguetta Pepper
Estimating slaves at 20_l_. each; ivory, 350_l_.; camwood, 25_l_.; rice, 10_l_.; wax, 100_l_.; and Malaguetta pepper, 10_l_. per ton, at first cost upon the coast of Africa; the whole produces the sum of 305,500_l_.
sterling; to which may be added a three-fold export to leeward, which will make an aggregate amount of nearly _one million_ sterling. In addition to the foregoing exemplification, we have to contemplate the great multiplicity of natural productions, abounding in this extent of region, namely, indigo, numerous plants for staining, cotton in wild exuberance, cocoa, coffee, and aromatic plants, &c. &c. Wild bees are so extremely numerous, that wax forms an important article of trade which might be considerably increased; substances proper for making soap are also to be found in great abundance, raw hides, more especially in the Gambia, and the countries insular to the Rio Noonez and Rio Pongo; gold is procured from Bambouk, and tobacco is found in every direction, which might be greatly increased by cultivation and an improved soil; cattle, poultry, Guinea hens, different species of game, fish, with other animals; fruits, and a variety of vegetable productions, calculated to satisfy every luxurious want and desire. To these objects of commerce may be added, the now important article of sugar, which might be raised to a great amount, in various districts of Africa, as the climate is propitious to the growth of the sugarcane, which, under proper cultivation, might be raised in great perfection.
The lands upon the banks of the Gambia, the Rio Noonez, the Rio Grande, the Rio Pongo, in the Mandingo country, Sierra Leone, Sherbro, &c. are universally allowed to be extremely fertile in many places, and abundant in vegetation and population.
These countries produce various hard woods, well adapted to cabinet work and s.h.i.+p building, and are singular in their qualites and properties.
The most remarkable are, 1st. the cevey, or kinney wood, which grows about the size of the oak, in England, and may be cut into planks of 20 feet by 15 inches. Its texture is something of the ash grey and mahogany, variegated with stripes, fancifully disposed, and is therefore adapted to cabinet work; its qualities for s.h.i.+p building are peculiar, having the virtue of resisting the worm and vermis, so destructive to s.h.i.+pping in tropical climates, and corroding iron; it grows in great abundance. Any quant.i.ty of this wood put into water sufficient to cover it, will, in a few hours, produce an unctuous substance floating on the top, resembling verdigrise, and of a poisonous quality.
Secondly, the dunjay wood, rather coa.r.s.er in the grain, but harder in quality than the Spanish Bay mahogany. It possesses the same peculiarities as the cevey or kinney, in resisting the worm in salt water, and corroding iron. It may be procured in any quant.i.ty. And, Thirdly, the melley wood, or _gris-gris_ tree, another species of mahogany, abundant in growth, having a more rare quality than the foregoing, resisting the worm in both salt and fresh water; it is extremely hard, and its juices so poisonous, in the premature state, as to cause instant death.
The manifold and neglected productions of this extraordinary continent require only to be developed, and when the useful arts of Europe are introduced here, ample recompense will attend the benevolent undertaking, natural history will be much enlarged, and mankind be greatly benefited.
The claims of humanity, the distinguished part it has taken in an unnatural and much to be deplored commerce, loudly unite with a wise policy, in one impressive appeal to the feelings of the more refined inhabitants of Europe, and to none more than those of Englishmen.
The goods adapted to African commerce are,