Chapter XXI (2)

At ten in the morning the vessel was got under way, and we dropped down the river. At noon the breeze died away, and we were obliged to let go an anchor to prevent our drifting on the western breakers at the mouth of the river. A few minutes more would have been fatal to us, and the vessel was fortunately stopped, although the depth of water where she lay was only five fathoms. The rollers, as the large high waves are called, which came into the river over the bar, were so high, that they sometimes passed nearly over the bow of the vessel, and caused her to ride very uneasily by her anchor. We had been obliged to anchor immediately abreast of the Pilots’ town, and expected every moment that we should be fired at from their battery. Time was of the greatest importance to us; we had made Boy our enemy, and expected, before we could get out of the river, he would summon his people and make an attack on us, while our party amounted only to twenty men, two thirds of whom were Africans. The pilot also, whom Lake had offended so much, is known to be a bold and treacherous ruffian. He is the same person who steered the brig Susan among the breakers, by which that vessel narrowly escaped destruction, with the loss of her windlass and an anchor and cable. The fellow had done this merely with the hopes of obtaining a part of the wreck as it drifted on shore. Another vessel, a Liverpool oil-trader, was actually lost on the bar by the treachery of the same individual, who, having effected his purpose by placing her in a situation from which she could not escape, jumped overboard and swam to his canoe, which was at a short distance. The treatment of the survivors of this wreck is shocking to relate; they were actually stripped of their clothes and allowed to die of hunger. It would be an endless task to enumerate all the misdeeds that are laid to this fellow’s charge, which have no doubt lost nothing by report; but, after making all reasonable allowances for exaggeration, his character appears in a most revolting light, and the fact of his running these vessels on the bar proves him to be a desperate and consummate villain. This same fellow is infinitely more artful and intelligent than any of his countrymen, and is one of the handsomest black men that we have seen.

Not long after we had dropped the anchor we observed the pilot, with the help of a glass, walking on the beach and watching us occasionally. A multitude of half-naked suspicious-looking fellows were likewise straggling along the shore, while others were seen emerging from a grove of cocoa-trees and the thick bushes near it. These men were all armed, chiefly with muskets, and they subsequently assembled in detached groups to the number of several hundreds, and appeared to be consulting about attacking the vessel. Nothing less than this, and to be fired at from the battery, was expected by us; and there is no doubt that the strength and loftiness of the brig only deterred them from so doing. The same people were hovering on the beach till very late in the evening, when they dispersed; many of them could be seen even at midnight, so that we were obliged to keep a good look out till the morning.

_Thursday, November 25th._—The vessel rode very uneasily all night, in consequence of the long heavy waves which set in from the bar: these are technically called by sailors _ground-swell_, being different from the waves which are raised while the wind blows; the latter generally break at the top, while the former are quite smooth, and roll with great impetuosity in constant succession, forming a deep furrow between them, which, with the force of the wave, is very dangerous to vessels at anchor. Our motions were still closely watched by the natives. About eleven we got under way, but were obliged to anchor again in the afternoon, as the water was not deep enough for the vessel to pass over the bar. The mate sounded the bar again, and placed a buoy as a mark for the vessel to pass over in the deepest water.

_Friday, November 26th._—The wind favouring us this morning, we made another attempt at getting out of the river. We had already made some progress when the wind again died away, and the current setting us rapidly over to the eastern breakers, we were obliged to let go an anchor to save us from destruction. We could see nothing of the buoy, and have no doubt that it was washed away by the current; our anchorage was in three and a half fathoms water, and the ground-swell, which now set in, heaved the vessel up and down in such a frightful manner, that we expected every moment to see the chain-cable break. As soon as we dropped our anchor, the tide rushed past the vessel at the rate of eight miles an hour. After the ebb-tide had ceased running, the swell gradually subsided, and the vessel rode easily.

The mate was again sent to sound the bar, and in about three hours afterwards returned with the information that two fathoms and three- quarters was the deepest water he could find. The bar extends across the mouth of the river in the form of a crescent, leaving a very narrow and shallow entrance for vessels in the middle, which is generally concealed by the surf and foam of the adjacent breakers. When the wind is light and the tide high, and the surface of the water smooth, excepting in a few places, the bar is then most dangerous. We observed several fires made by the natives on the beach, which were supposed to be signals for us to return.

_Saturday, November 27th._—We passed a restless and most unpleasant night. The captain and the people were much alarmed for the safety of the brig. The heavy ground-swell which set in increased by the strength of the tide, caused her to pitch and labour so hard, that a man was placed to watch the cable, and give notice the moment it complained, a technical expression which meant the moment it gave signs of breaking. Daylight had scarcely dawned when the pall of the windlass broke. The purpose of this is to prevent the windlass from turning round on its axis against any strain to which it may be subjected, and consequently it was no sooner broken than the windlass flew round with incredible velocity, having nothing to resist the strain of the cable which was passed round it. The chain cable ran out so swiftly, that in half a minute the windlass was broken to atoms. My brother and I with our people rendered all the assistance in our power to prevent the ship from drifting. We succeeded in fastening the cable to ring bolts in the deck, until we got sufficient of it clear to go round the capstan, which we had no sooner effected, than the ringbolts were fairly drawn out of the deck by the strain on the cable.

About eight A.M., a terrific wave, called by sailors a _sea_, struck the vessel with tremendous force and broke the chain cable. ‘The cable is gone!’ shouted a voice, and the next instant the captain cried out in a firm, collected tone, ‘Cut away the kedge!’ which was promptly obeyed, and the vessel was again stopped from drifting among the breakers. The man who had been stationed to look out on the cable came running aft on deck as soon as he had given notice of the danger, calling out that all was over.—‘Good God!’ was the passionate exclamation of every one, and a slight confusion ensued. But the captain was prepared for the worst; he gave his orders with firmness, and behaved with promptness and decision.

We were riding by the kedge, a small anchor, which, however, was the only one left us, and on which the safety of the brig now depended. The breakers were close under our stern, and this was not expected to hold ten minutes,—it was a forlorn hope—every eye was fixed on the raging surf, and our hearts thrilled with agitation, expecting every moment that the vessel would be dashed in pieces. A few long and awful minutes were passed in this state, which have left an indelible impression on our minds. Never shall I forget the chief mate saying to me, ‘Now, Sir, every one for himself, a few minutes will be the last with us.’ The tumultuous sea was raging in mountainous waves close by us, their foam dashing against the sides of the brig, which was only prevented from being carried among them by a weak anchor and cable. The natives, from whom we could expect no favour, were busy on shore making large fires, and other signals, for us to desert the brig and land at certain places, expecting, no doubt, every moment to see her a prey to the waves, and those who escaped their fury to fall into their hands. Wretched resource! the sea would have been far more merciful than they.

Such was our perilous situation, when a fine sea-breeze set in, which literally saved us from destruction. The sails were loosened to relieve the anchor from the strain of the vessel, and she rode out the ebb-tide without drifting. At ten A.M., the tide had nearly ceased running out, and the fury of the sea rather abated, but it was quite impossible that the brig could ride out another ebb-tide where she lay, with the kedge anchor alone to hold her: the only chance left us, therefore, was to get to sea, and the captain determined on crossing the bar, although there appeared to be little chance of success. At half-past ten A.M. he manned the boat with two of our men, and two kroomen belonging to the brig, and sent them to tow, while the anchor was got on board. This had no sooner been done, than the wind fell light, and, instead of drifting over to the western breakers as yesterday and the day before, the brig was now set towards those on the eastern side, and again we had a narrow escape. With the assistance of the boat and good management, we at length passed clear over the bar on the edge of the breakers, in a depth of quarter- less three fathoms, and made sail to the eastward. Our troubles were now at an end; by the protection of a merciful Providence we had escaped dangers, the very thoughts of which had filled us with horror; and with a grateful heart and tears of joy for all his mercies, we offered up a silent prayer of thanks for our deliverance.

The bar extends about four or five miles from the mouth of the river in a southerly direction, but is by no means known. This river is by far the best place on the whole coast at which small vessels may procure oil, as it is the shortest distance from the Eboe country, where the best palm-oil is to be had in any quantity. The Eboe oil is pronounced to be superior to that of any other part of the country which is brought to the coast. The river is not much frequented, owing probably to its being unknown, and the difficulty of crossing the bar, for not more than five English vessels have been known to come to it, two of which are stated to have been lost and a third to have struck on the bar, but being a new strong vessel, she beat over it into deep water. I would recommend the master of any vessel going to the river for palm-oil to provide himself with two good strong six-oared boats for towing, and a double complement of kroomen. The expense of ten or twelve kroomen would be trifling, as they only require a few yams and a little palm-oil to eat, and they are always ready to perform any laborious work which may be required of them. If masters of vessels coming to the river would send a boat before to sound, and have two good six-oared boats towing, I think there would be no danger of any being lost, as has been the case with some from being weakly-manned. Vessels are got under way with a fine breeze, and when they arrive in the most dangerous part, it dies away, and if there are no boats ready for towing, nothing can save them from destruction.

Vessels going out of the river are usually recommended to keep as near as possible to the western breakers, but I should think this very dangerous, unless there is sufficient wind to keep command of them. When a vessel leaves her anchorage in the river, she will be set by the current over to the western breakers, and, when half way to the bar, will be set over to the eastern, as we were. The river in the month of December and January would, I think, be safest, as the rains in the interior will then be over, and all the extra water will have been discharged, which it has received in the extent of country through which it runs. When no English vessels are in the river, the people of Bonny come and purchase the palm-oil from the Brass people, probably for the purpose of supplying the ships in their river, as well as for their own uses.

_Sunday, November 28th._—This morning we discovered a strange vessel on our starboard beam, which directly made sail in chase of us. After firing a gun to make us stop, or bring us to, as the sailors expressed it, she sent a boat on board of the brig, and we found her to be the Black Joke, tender to the British commodore’s ship. We reported ourselves to the Lieutenant commanding her, in the hopes of his taking us on board of his vessel and landing us at Accra, from whence I thought it would be easy to find our way by one of his Majesty’s ships to Ascension or St. Helena, from either of which places an opportunity would offer for us to get home without delay. His orders, however, were to run down the coast as far as the Congo, and he recommended us to go to Fernando Po, where we should find every assistance and a vessel about to sail soon for England. Having obtained from us the intelligence that the Spanish slaver was lying in the river Nun ready to sail, he immediately altered his course for that river for the purpose of capturing her. Captain Lake agreed to land us in his boat at Fernando Po, as he passed the island on his way to the river Cameroons, and we again made sail to the eastward.

_Wednesday, December 1st._—The last two days were employed in making the passage to Fernando Po, and this morning, to our great satisfaction, we discovered the island. We were glad to get out of this vessel, for the unfeeling commander, notwithstanding that our men had rendered him every assistance in getting his brig out of the river, and had done everything required of them, afterwards employed every means he could think of, to annoy us and make us uncomfortable while we were with him. At night, while the people were sleeping, he would make his men draw water and throw it over them for mere amusement. There are many commanders as bad as he is on the coast, who seem to vie with each other in acts of cruelty and oppression. The captain of the palm-oil brig Elizabeth, now in the Calebar river, actually whitewashed his crew from head to foot, while they were sick with fever and unable to protect themselves; his cook suffered so much in the operation, that the lime totally deprived him of the sight of one of his eyes, and rendered the other of little service to him.

In the afternoon we were happily landed at Clarence Cove, in the island of Fernando Po, where we were most kindly received by Mr. Becroft, the acting superintendent. This worthy gentleman readily supplied us with changes of linen, and everything we stood in need of, besides doing all he possibly could to make us comfortable. The kindness and hospitality we received from him, and Dr. Crichton in particular, we shall be grateful for as long as we live.

Accustomed as we had been during the last month to the monotonous sameness of a low, flat country, the banks of the river covered with mangroves overhanging the water, and in many parts, in consequence of its extraordinary height, apparently growing out of it; the lofty summit of Fernando Po, and the still loftier mountains of the Cameroons on the distant main land, presented a sublime and magnificent appearance. The highest mountain of the Cameroons is a striking feature on this part of the coast, being more than thirteen thousand feet high. The land in its vicinity is low and flat, which renders the appearance of this mountain still more imposing, as it towers majestically over the surrounding country in solitary grandeur. It divides the embouchures of the spacious rivers old Calebar and Del Rey, on the west, from the equally important one of the Cameroons on the east. The island of Fernando Po is detached about twenty miles from the coast, and appeared to us, when we first saw it, in two lofty peaks connected by a high ridge of land. The northern peak is higher than the other, which is situated in the southern part of the island, and rises gradually from the sea to the height of ten thousand seven hundred feet. In clear weather the island can be seen at the distance of more than a hundred miles; but this is not always the case, as the summit is most frequently concealed by clouds and fogs, which are common at certain seasons of the year.

As we approached the island in fine weather and with a moderate wind, we had ample time to observe it. The shore is formed mostly of a dark- coloured rock, and covered with trees which reach down to the water’s edge. The whole of the lower part of the island is covered with fine forest trees of various descriptions, extending about three-fourths up the sides of the mountain, where they become thinly scattered, stinted in their growth, and interspersed with low bushes and a brown dry grass. In various parts patches of cultivated ground may be seen along with the huts of the natives, presenting, with the luxuriant foliage of the trees, a mass of verdure in the most flourishing condition. Nature has here done her utmost; the whole appearance of the island is of the most beautiful description, and fully justifies its title to the name of _Ilha Formosa_, signifying ‘Beautiful Island,’ which it first received. As we approached it still nearer, the stupendous precipices and wide fissures near the summit of the principal mountain became more distinct by the contrast between their dark recesses and the lights on the projecting rocks, until, by our proximity to the shore, the whole became concealed behind the lesser heights next to the sea.

Until the year 1827, the island lay forsaken and neglected in its primitive condition, neither the Portuguese nor Spaniards having thought it worth their consideration. At length the attention of the British government was directed to it, in consequence of its favourable position for putting a stop to the slave-trade in that quarter of Africa. Situated within a few hours’ sail of the coast, in the immediate vicinity of those rivers, commencing with the Cameroons on the east, and extending along the whole of the Gold Coast, where the principal outlets of this unlawful traffic are found, Fernando Po presented advantages which were sufficient to authorize a settlement being formed on it, and Captain W. Owen sailed from England for this purpose in his Majesty’s ship Eden, with the appointment of Governor, and with Commander Harrison under his orders. Captain Owen had been previously employed on an extensive and difficult survey of the coasts of Africa both in the Atlantic and Indian oceans, in which the shores of this island were included; and therefore, having visited it before, he was no stranger either to its nature and resources, or to the climate in which it is situated. Previous to the arrival of Captain Owen, the island had been occasionally visited by some of the ships of war on the African station, for the purposes of obtaining supplies of vegetables and water; and perhaps now and then a Liverpool ship would be seen there waiting for palm-oil, or recovering the health of her crew from fevers obtained in the rivers on the coast. As the natives reside at some distance in the interior, the arrival of a ship of war at the island was announced to them by the discharge of a cannon on board, which was sufficient to bring them to the sea-side with whatever vegetables, poultry, and other articles they might wish to sell. The articles most demanded by them in return were pieces of iron hoop, knives, and nails. At first a piece of iron hoop about six inches long would purchase a pair of fowls or four yams, so much value being attached by the natives to iron.

The business of forming a new settlement is a species of service that requires the exercise of certain qualities of the mind which it is not the good fortune of every one to possess. In addition to the pernicious effects of the climate on European constitutions, there were people on the island who, although they might be unable to offer any serious impediment to the progress of the settlement, it was necessary to conciliate rather than to treat with hostility, and for this no one could have been better calculated than Captain Owen. Whatever may have induced him to relinquish the appointment of governor, no measures for gaining the friendship of the natives, and thereby securing their good will towards the colony, could have been better than those which he adopted, and the chiefs even now frequently mention his name.

The part selected as the site of the proposed settlement was on the northern side of the island, on the borders of a small cove formed by a narrow neck of land projecting out from the shore on the eastern side of it. This was named ‘Point William;’ and the cove, together with the whole establishment, was called ‘Clarence,’ after his most gracious Majesty, who was then Lord High Admiral of Great Britain. Point Adelaide, with two small islets off it connected by a sand bank, forms the western boundary of the cove, and is distant about half a mile from Point William. Goderich Bay lies to the east, and Cockburn Cove to the west of Clarence Cove. Under the able directions of Captain Owen, the various buildings were planned, while the operation of clearing the ground was going forward. A flagstaff, which formerly stood on the extremity of Point William, has been removed to the governor’s house, and a large commodious building, with a few solitary palm-trees near it, is the first which attracts attention. This building is assigned as the hospital, and is judiciously situated here, as it is the most exposed to the sea-breeze, and stands completely isolated from the rest of the settlement, both which precautions are of no small importance in the climate of Fernando Po. A small round-topped building at a short distance from the hospital, with a few huts near it, and surrounded by stakes, was formerly the magazine; and near it is another large building used as the marine barracks. The officers’ quarters and those of the African corps are next in succession, and announce their military character by a piece of artillery mounted close to them, and pointed towards the cove. The governor’s house, a large, spacious building, stands eminently conspicuous on the precipice of the shore beneath, which is the landing-place. From hence a fatiguing walk leads immediately to it up an ascent of about one hundred feet. A battery of seven guns were landed for this purpose from his Majesty’s ship Esk, which are placed in a very commanding situation in front of the governor’s house. The house of the mixed commission for the adjudication of captured slave-vessels stands in an unfinished condition at a short distance from the governor’s; various other buildings occupy Point William, which are diversified by a few trees, that give it a pleasing and picturesque appearance from the sea. This remark is generally made by those who first visit Clarence Cove, and all are pleased on first seeing it. In addition to the buildings we have enumerated, Mr. Lloyd has a tolerably good house just finished, and the surgeon of the colony, who is a naval officer, has one also assigned for his residence. The Kroomen and free negroes, who amount to about two thousand in number, have a collection of small neat huts at a short distance from Government-house, which are constructed of wood and thatched with palm leaves. They are very careful of them, and have a small garden in the front as well behind, in which they cultivate Indian corn, bananas, and peppers. These huts form two small streets, but they are daily receiving additions from new comers.

The work of clearing the ground is constantly going forward, and is performed by the free negroes, the African troops, and the Kroomen. The principal disease among these people, which arises from accidents in cutting down the trees, is ulcerated legs, and sixteen of them were in the hospital from this cause alone. The Kroomen are a particular race of people, differing entirely from the other African tribes. They inhabit a country called Settra Krou, on the coast near Cape Palmas, their principal employment being of a maritime nature. Their language, as well as their general character, is also different from that of their neighbours. A certain number of these men are always employed on board of the ships of war on the African coast, for the purpose of performing those duties where considerable fatigue and exposure to the sun is experienced. In consequence of their roving employment, they are to be found on all parts of the coast, and are sufficiently acquainted with it to serve as pilots. It is customary with them to establish themselves on various parts of the coast for this purpose, and to leave the elders of the tribes in their own country, unless their presence should be required by any war that might take place. They are said to return to their country after an absence of several years, when they have amassed by their industry sufficient to maintain themselves, and some among them are intelligent and active, but they are not always to be trusted, although they are a very superior class of people in comparison with other African tribes.

Besides a watering-place at a short distance to the right of the governor’s house, two small streams, Hay Brook and Horton Brook, run into Goderich Bay, affording plenty of excellent water, and capable of admitting boats. The watering-place above-mentioned is generally frequented, from the convenience with which the water is obtained, being conducted to the sea-side by a wooden aqueduct, under which boats may lie and fill their casks very easily without removing them.

Clarence establishment when we arrived consisted of the superintendent, or acting governor, Mr. Becroft, who was generally known by the title of Captain; Captain Beattie, the commander of the Portia, colonial schooner; Mr. Crichton, a naval surgeon; Lieutenant Stockwell, with a party of five or six marines; a mulatto ensign of the Royal African corps, with two black troops from Sierra Leone, and some carpenters and sailmakers, besides a mulatto who filled the office of clerk or secretary to Mr. Becroft. An English merchant, by the name of Lloyd, in the employment of Mr. Smith, we also found here, whose residence we have just mentioned.

No place, in point of convenience, could have been better selected for a settlement than that on which Clarence is situated. The bay affords safe anchorage for shipping from the furious tornadoes which are common in this part of the world, and is sufficiently capacious to shelter as many vessels as are likely to visit the island: it abounds with fish, and is free from sunken rocks, and the shore is steep and easy of access to boats. There is another bay, called George’s Bay, on the western side of the island, but it has the disadvantage of being open to that quarter, and consequently affords no safety to shipping. The proximity of Clarence Cove to the coast of Africa is also another important point in favour of the object for which the establishment was formed.

The natives of Fernando Po are the filthiest race of people in the whole world. They are different in their manners and appearance from their neighbours on the coast, to whom we have been so much accustomed of late, and possess no single trait of character similar to them, except that of pilfering. In point of civilization, to which the natives of Brass Town have not the most distant pretensions, these people have even still less; their language is totally different, and they have no resemblance whatever to them. This in itself affords a tolerable proof of the little intercourse they have had with the world, for while the other islands of the Gulf are plentifully stocked with the same race of people as those of the coast, Fernando Po, which is so much nearer to it, is inhabited by a totally different class. They are, generally speaking, a stout, athletic, and well made race of people, and peculiarly harmless and peaceably inclined in their dispositions, although each individual is generally armed with a spear about eight feet in length, made of a hard wood and barbed at one end. They appear also to be a healthy race of people, for although here and there one or two might be less favoured by nature in their persons, no signs of the diseases so common among the natives of Africa were to be seen among them.

We have said that they are a filthy race, but no words can convey an idea of their disgusting nature. They have long hair, which it is difficult to distinguish, from being matted together with red clay and palm-oil. The clay and oil are so profusely laid on, that it forms an impenetrable shield for the head, and the long tresses, which descend to their shoulders, are generally in a moist condition. Although this covering is a complete safeguard to all inconvenience from without, they still further adorn their heads with a kind of cap made of dried grass, ornamented round the border with the feathers of fowls or any other birds, carefully stuck into it apart from each other. Some are so vain as to fix the horns of a ram in front of this cap, which gives them a most ludicrous and strange appearance. Finally, the cap with all its ornaments of feathers, horns, shells, &c., is secured in its place with a piece of stick, which answers the purpose by being forced through it on one side and out on the opposite after passing underneath the hair. Sometimes this elegant pin, as it may be called, is formed of the leg bone of some small animal, and is pointed at one end for the purpose of penetrating more easily. The expression of their countenance, scored and marked as it is, and surmounted by the cap above described, is wild and barbarous. They smear their faces entirely over with red clay mixed with palm oil; sometimes a kind of grey dust is used instead of the clay, and this preparation being equally distributed over their whole persons, renders their presence scarcely tolerable. It is difficult to find out the colour of their skin under the filthy covering of oil and clay by which it is concealed, but we believe it is not so dark as the African negro, and more resembling a copper colour.

The natives make use of no other dress than the cap which they wear on their heads; but a few leaves, or a bunch of dried grass, are usually secured round the middle by the people of both sexes, while the younger, naturally unconscious of indecency, go entirely naked. The vertebræ of snakes, the bones of fowls and birds as well as sheep, broken shells, small beads, and pieces of cocoa-nut shell, are put in requisition by the natives for the ornament of their persons. A profusion of these strung together hang round the waist, which it seems to be their principal care to decorate in this manner, while their necks are scarcely less favoured with a proportion of these articles. Strings of them are also fastened round the arms and legs, but not in such quantities as round the waist. The pieces of hoop they have obtained from the ships which have visited the island are formed into rude knives, or polished and worn on the arm in a kind of band made of straw, and are much valued. In their first intercourse with our people, the natives were very shy, and displayed much fear, but this gradually wore off, and they now venture boldly on board, for the purpose of obtaining knives, hatchets, or anything they can get. They have a few canoes of small dimensions, capable of containing ten or twelve people, but are not very expert in the management of them, although they are so far advanced as to make use of a mast and sail, which latter is constructed of a sort of mat. They seem to be little addicted to the water, and we did not see any among them who could swim. In their fishing excursions the natives are generally very successful, and those who pursue this mode of obtaining their livelihood are compelled to adhere to it, and allowed to have nothing to do with cultivating the island. They exchange their fish for yams, and thus the wants of the fishermen and the cultivators are both supplied.

In the first visits of ships to the island, very considerable aversion was shown by the natives to any of their people attempting to go to their huts, or even to their endeavouring to penetrate into the woods, although only a short distance from the shore, from a fear perhaps of their plantations being plundered[2]. Their huts, which are of the rudest construction imaginable, may be distinctly seen among the trees in small groups, surrounding a cleared space of ground, in which they cultivate the yam; and are formed of a few stakes driven firmly into the ground, thatched over with the palm leaf, the sides being completed with a sort of wicker work. They are about ten or twelve feet long, and half that in breadth, and not more than four or five feet in height. Their only furniture consists of some long, flat pieces of wood, raised a few inches from the ground, and slightly hollowed out, to answer the purpose of sleeping in.

Numerous instances have occurred of the thieving propensities of the natives; and it required, at first, a considerable degree of vigilance to prevent them from being successful; but it is due to the chiefs to say, that since the establishment of Clarence, they have invariably taken an active part in putting a stop to it. Whatever may have been their habits previous to the formation of the settlement, they seem to be little improved by their intercourse with the settlers. Their principal chief has received the formidable appellation of Cut-throat from Captain Owen, a name by which he will be known as long as he lives. This fellow is a most determined savage, and seems to have lost none of his natural propensities by communication with the settlers. He has received innumerable presents from the English, of clothes, and a variety of things, which are all thrown away on him, and he goes about, as usual, wearing his little hat, with feathers stuck in it, and the long grass about his waist, disdaining such useless coverings as he imagines them. This is not to be wondered at; for, accustomed as he has been all his lifetime to the unrestrained freedom of his whole person, it would be rather a matter of surprise to see him make use of them, particularly in the climate of Fernando Po, where one almost wishes to follow the example of the natives, excepting in the use of their clay and palm oil. No doubt Cut-throat thinks this quite a sufficient covering.

The natives pay frequent visits to the colony, and however they may deal out justice among themselves, are by no means backward in seeing it administered among the free negroes and Kroomen of Clarence. It frequently happens that, in the scarcity of live stock, some of the former, unable to restrain their desire for more substantial food, and tired of their Indian corn, venture to help themselves to what the natives will not bring them. Parties of these people are accordingly formed, who find their way to the huts of the natives in the interior, and steal their yams, goats, and sheep, or whatever they meet with. These depredations are sure to bring the unfortunate owners to the colony with complaints of their losses, which are laid before the governor. The negroes are then mustered before them, and the native who has been plundered is allowed, if he can do so, to point out the thief. If he should be successful, which is frequently the case, he is allowed to witness the punishment which the offender is sure to receive, and generally gets some recompense for his loss. On the Sunday after our arrival at Clarence, a party of four Kroomen set off into the interior, with a full determination of plunder, let the consequence be what it might. They had not gone far before they met with a goat belonging to a native, which they immediately shot, and returned with it carefully concealed, that they might not be discovered. Their precautions, however, were of little avail, for the owner of the animal, accompanied by a party of his friends, made his appearance at Clarence the next morning, and preferred his complaint in strong terms against the luckless Kroomen, whom it appeared, he perfectly well knew. The Kroomen were accordingly mustered, and the very four who had gone on this unfortunate expedition were pointed out with exultation by the natives. The law took its course; the Kroomen each received one hundred and fifty lashes from the African drummer usually employed on these occasions, while the natives stood by to see that the punishment was duly performed. This they did to admiration, by counting the number of lashes they each received; and having witnessed the last punished with eyes sparkling with brutal satisfaction at the tortures of the unfortunate sufferers, they went away quite satisfied. The place where this disagreeable operation is performed, is in the barrack-yard on Point William, between the officers’ house and the hospital. The culprit is tied up to a kind of strong gallows, erected for the purpose. Two stout pieces of timber, about seven or eight feet high, are driven perpendicularly into the ground, about four feet apart from each other; a piece is secured firmly across them at the top, and another at a short distance from the ground. The hands of the man who is to be punished are tied at each end of the upright pieces, and his legs are secured to the same on each side below, in which position he is exposed to the merciless scourge of the drummer, which is a common cat-o’-nine-tails. It is painful even to think of such scenes as these, and when they take place at the mere whim and caprice of the hardened slave-merchant, such a picture is revolting in the extreme. Here, however severe as it may appear, it must be looked on in a different point of view. The punishment is great; but with a certainty of receiving it if discovered, the negro will run the risk of incurring it by what may be termed a breach of the first law of civilized society. In addition to the tendency it has to keep the free blacks in control, such a proceeding convinces the natives of the island that their depredations are not sanctioned by the colony. Were some punishment not instituted to curb the restless, pilfering propensities of these people, no order could be maintained; they would return to a worse condition than that from which they were in at first, and the colony would be no longer secure; for the natives of the island, finding their homes invaded, and their property carried off, unable to obtain redress, would soon take the law into their own hands, and would either murder the colonists or drive them from the island. Therefore, although a severe one, it is a salutary measure, and it has no doubt done much towards keeping the natives themselves honest. What punishment is adopted among the natives we have been unable to ascertain. The chiefs appear to possess considerable authority over them, and it is not improbable that the custom of the settlement is imitated in some shape or other.

The only weapons used by the natives, excepting the knife before- mentioned, is a spear, of about eight feet in length, made of iron wood, and barbed at one end. The nature of the wood is so hard, as not to require the protection of iron at the end, and we did not see any pointed with it. They are very plentiful among the natives, who do not appear to attach any particular value to them. We had no opportunity of witnessing their expertness with them; but they are said to use them for killing monkeys and other animals.

The resources of the island, in point of provisions, are either exhausted, or the natives are determined to reserve what are left for their own purposes. On the first formation of the establishment, they gladly brought to market all they had to dispose of, in the same manner as they had done to any vessel that chanced to visit the island. These consisted of a few sheep, goats, and fowls, of a very poor quality, and plenty of yams, which were all readily exchanged for pieces of iron hoop, of about six inches long. A piece of hoop of this length would purchase a goat, three or four fowls, or a large bundle of yams, weighing about twenty pounds. As their stock became exhausted, so the iron hoops became less valuable; more were demanded, until the natives could no longer supply the settlement, and had enough to do to provide for themselves, when they discontinued their supplies; and the settlement, not yet able to provide for itself, is dependent on supplies from the Calebar, and rivers near it. Bullocks are stated by the natives to be plentiful on the hills in the interior, but we have not heard of any having been seen by the people of Clarence, and they are generally obtained from the Calebar river. Deer are also said to be on the island, abundance of wild fowl, and a great number of monkeys—some black, and others of a brown colour. Parrots are also innumerable, and the natives are particularly partial to them and monkeys for food. Turtle have been caught in the bay as well as fish, but these supplies are uncertain, and, therefore, not to be depended on. The island is entirely mountainous, and contains a fine rich soil, capable of producing anything required of it. Several small mountain streams fall into the sea, the largest of which are the two named Hay and Horton, brooks before mentioned. The principal vegetable cultivated by the natives is the yam, with which they are particularly successful. The best yams of the island are said to be those of George’s Bay, which are very large, and of uncommonly fine flavour. The supply of these at Clarence is now very limited, and not to be depended on always, which may probably be owing to a difference in the season for growing them. This deficiency has been in some measure remedied by the construction of a government garden, from which some men-of-war have received supplies, but these are not sufficient to supply the wants of the colony, and recourse is had for them to the Calebar river.

Palm-wine at the colony, as well as on the coast, is the common and favourite drink of the natives. It is easily procured in any quantity, and is used either in an unfermented state, when just fresh from the tree, or after it has been kept some days. It seems peculiarly intended by a bountiful Providence for the untutored and destitute Indian, who is unable to supply himself with those beverages which are the result of art. The palm-tree affords him a pleasant drink, a valuable oil, a fruit from the nut; and, besides food, it furnishes him with a material to construct his hut, and is always ready for any immediate purpose. The juice which is called ‘wine,’ is obtained by making a hole in the trunk of the tree, and inserting a piece of the leaf into it so as to form a spout; the liquid flows through this, and is received in a calabash placed beneath it, which probably holds two or three gallons, and will be thus filled in the course of a day. It shortly assumes a milky appearance, and is either used in this state, or preserved till it acquires rather a bitter flavour. The produce of the palm-tree, fish, and yams, form the principal food of the natives of Fernando Po, although they do not hesitate to devour monkeys, when they can get them.

This method of obtaining the juice of the palm-tree is exactly similar to that which is adopted by the Indians in North America, with respect to the maple-tree. A hole is made in the same manner in the trunk of the tree, and a piece of birch bark inserted into it as a spout, which, from its peculiar nature, answers the purpose remarkably well. The juice of the maple, instead of being preserved, is converted into sugar by evaporation. There are various sorts of timber at Fernando Po, among which the African oak is very plentiful, and particularly so in George’s Bay, where it grows close to the sea-side; satin-wood, ebony, lignum- vitæ, yellow cam-wood, and several sorts of mahogany, besides other wood of a very hard nature, grow in profusion all over the island, and may, probably, hereafter become valuable.

We had the good fortune to arrive at the island during the season of fine weather, but have not yet enjoyed much of the sea-breeze, which, about noon, has sometimes set in from the north-west quarter. The harmattan is said to be experienced here, although it extends not to the other islands of the gulf. This wind, which passes over the sands of Africa, would be almost insupportable were it not for the sea-breezes. While the harmattan lasts, the dryness in the atmosphere produces an unpleasant feeling, although it is said to be not injurious to health. The atmosphere is filled with a fine light sand, which prevents objects from being distinctly seen, the sun loses his brilliancy, and everything appears parched and suffering from the want of moisture. The effect of the harmattan immediately after the rainy season is said to be most beneficial in drying up the vapours with which the atmosphere is loaded; and it has been observed that, on the return of this wind at the end of the rainy season, the recovery of invalids commences. The harmattan has also the effect of drying up the skin of the natives in a very extraordinary manner. After an exposure to it, the skin peals off in white scales from their whole body, which assumes an appearance as if it were covered over with a white dust.

The islands in the gulf of Guinea, with the exception of Fernando Po, have each a capital town of some consequence, and although they produce sufficient supplies for ships that visit them and carry on a small trade, it is much to be doubted whether they are not more indebted for their importance to the slave-trade than any other source. With respect to Prince’s Island and St. Thomas, they are known to be the receptacles for slaves from the coast, from whence they are re-embarked and conveyed away as opportunities offer; and the natives of the small island of Anno-Bon appear to be living in constant fear of the same, from the effects of their former treatment by the Spaniards.

The natives of Anno-Bon have a tradition that they once belonged to the Portuguese, and exhibit proofs of their having been formerly initiated in the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion. They are said to be particularly careful, when any stranger visits their settlement, to let them see their church, which is appropriately situated for this purpose immediately opposite the landing-place. At present, by all accounts, they are living in a state of natural simplicity and ignorance of the world. Some idea may be formed of the condition of their minds by a story that is currently related of them, in which the effects of their former tuition are apparent. The king once gravely told a visiter, with an idea of impressing him with his importance, that a short time previous to his arrival, he had held a conference with the Supreme Being, from whom he had learnt the cause of a recent sickness which had visited them, and also that he had approved of his being the king of the island. Other stories equally nonsensical are told of them, such as might be expected from people left in this half-informed condition; but the old king’s word was sufficient for his subjects, and this assurance was quite enough to satisfy the harmless inoffensive creatures that he was their legitimate king. Although Anno-Bon is a healthy island in comparison with any other in the gulf of Guinea, it is too far removed from the coast to be of use in putting down the slave-trade, unless it were made a rendezvous for half a dozen steam-vessels, which would do more than any other class of vessels towards effecting this object.