Bacon, E.-Abstract of a Journal.
DT
632
WN
313
1822
A 651395

ARTES
LIBRARY
21837!
VERITAS
E PLURIBUS UNUS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
ULLUR
SCIENTIA
OF THE
CIRCUMSPICE
SI-QUAERIS-PENINSULAM AMOENAM
MASSA
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16.
2
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DT
632
B13
1822


PRESENTED TO
THE ENGLISH LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
BY

the Class in Spoken Engliſt
1897
ABSTRACT OF A JOURNAL
{\
i
OF
1
E. BACON,
ASSISTANT AGENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
TO
AFRICA:
WITH
AN APPENDIX,
CONTAINING
INTERESTING ACCOUNTS
OF THE
EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE NATIVE AFRICANS.
WITH CUTS,
SHOWING
A CONTRAST BETWEEN TWO NATIVE TOWNS,
One of which is Christianized and the other Heathen.
SECOND EDITION.
PUBLISHED FOR THE BENEFIT OF AFRICA.
PHILADELPHIA:
Clark & Raser, Printers, 33 Carter's Alley.
1822.
Price 25 Cents.
J

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THE public have been already informed of the strenuous exer-
tions of the United States government, in enacting numerous laws
for the purpose of suppressing the slave trade; and of the success-
ful vigilance of our naval officers, in detecting those desperadoes,
the slave-traders, and bringing them to justice.
''
PREFACE.
The public have also been informed of the benevolent operations
of the American Colonization Society, in endeavouring to form a
settlement on the western coast of Africa, composed of those free
people of colour who choose to emigrate thither. It is moreover
known that this settlement, if established, may prove an asylum for
those Africans, who shall be recaptured by the United States'
cruisers, and sent to the coast.
There is reason to hope that these acts of mercy will contribute
to meliorate the sufferings of a large portion of the human race, by
the final abolition of the slave trade, that scourge of Africa and
disgrace of the civilized world; by introducing the arts of civili-
zation and the blessings of the Christian religion, among a race of
beings who have hitherto lived in heathen darkness, destitute of
the light of the gospel, or knowledge of a Saviour, by teaching the
children of Ethiopia to stretch forth their hands unto God.
Having been employed as an assistant agent of the United
States, along with J. B. Winn, Esq. principal agent in transporting
to the coast of Africa a number of recaptured Africans and free
people of colour; the author has had an opportunity of witnessing
the degraded state of that section of the earth, and feels it a duty
he owes to the souls of his fellow creatures, to lay before the Chris-
tian world a plain statement of facts in relation to the subject,
which he doubts not will be interesting to all, and confidently
trusts useful to many.
It may be proper to mention, that Mr. Winn, and the author,
were accompanied in the expedition by the Rev. J. R. Andrus,
principal, and Mr. C. Wiltberger, assistant agents of the Coloniza-
tion Society, together with Mrs. Winn and Mrs. Bacon, in the brig
Nautilus, Captain Blair.
N. B. The author's return was caused by ill health, from which
he has recovered, and is desirous to return to that injured country,
and spend the remainder of his days for the benefit of its inhabi-
tants.
|
14.
2 5 5
CONTENT
8-17-51 CAL
}
ABSTRACT, &c.
WE left Norfolk on the 21st of January, 1821, and on the 23d
sailed from Hampton Roads. For about thirty days we encoun-
tered head winds and strong gales, and made slow progress. Du-
ring this time I was very sea-sick, as were also Mrs. Bacon, and
the Rev. Mr. Andrus. The other agents were less afflicted; some
of the colonists suffered from the same malady. Our captain was
remarkably kind and attentive to those who were sick, and parti-
cularly to Mrs. Bacon and myself, when we were unable to wait
upon ourselves, for which kindness I shall always feel myself under
very many obligations to him; and I think I speak the sentiments
of my colleagues. Nothing uncommon occurred during our voyage,
except that we experienced a very severe gale of wind, accompa-
nied with a snow storm, which our captain told us was more vio-
lent than any he had known during the preceding twenty years.
It was indeed a time to try our faith.
At the commencement of the voyage, we established morning
and evening prayers in the cabin, as well as in the steerage, where
the coloured people were; in these we enjoyed the consolations of
the religion we profess.
We had all recovered from sea-sickness, and having arrived
within the tropics, where the weather was fine and the wind favour-
able, our passage was more agreeable. Nothing uncommon occur-
red during the remainder of our voyage. But a continuation of the
mercies of our heavenly Father were daily bestowed upon us. On
the morning of the 8th of March, we had a distant view of the
mountains of Sierra Leone, which was really animating to us after
crossing the Atlantic. We felt ourselves approaching towards that
much injured country, where we expected to labour, and to suffer
many and great afflictions. We were cheered with the hope, that
through the assistance of Divine grace, we should be, in a greater
or less degree, useful among the degraded children of Africa. The
wind was fair but rather light, as is not uncommon in the dry sea-
son. We soon hove in sight of Cape Sierra Leone, when wę dis-
covered, for the first time, several native canoes approaching to-
ward us. These excited our curiosity. They were manned by the
native Kroomen, in a state of nudity or nearly so. When I speak
of naked people, it may be always understood that they wear a cloth
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about their loins, and that the men generally wear hats. These
hats are manufactured out of a kind of grass. The chiefs and head-
men often wear common English hats.
We soon discovered a fine English barge approaching us, rowed
by natives. In this were the harbour master, George Macaulay
and S. Easton, esquires, (of the house of the honourable K. Macau-
lay) who very politely gave us much interesting information, rela-
tive to our American blacks at Sherbro. As we approached near
the harbour, they gave the American agents a friendly invitation
to go on shore in the barge, and take lodgings at their house. As
the principal agent concluded to remain on board, Mrs. Bacon and
myself thought proper not to slight their politeness, our accommo-
dations in the brig being somewhat circumscribed, and the transi-
tion from Norfolk, where the cold was excessive, to Sierra Leone,
where the degrees of heat were at noon day from 85 to 87 in the
shade, making a visit to land desirable. Moreover the services of
all the agents were not required to attend to the wants of the peo-
ple. We accordingly went on shore, where we were politely and
hospitably entertained for several days.
The agents of the United States, together with those of the So-
ciety soon had an interview with the Rev. Daniel Coker, by whom
we learnt the condition of the American settlers at Sherbro. He
informed us that the mortality, although severely felt in the loss of
our valuable agents, and Mr. Townsend, commandant of the United
States schooner Augusta, together with six of his men, and a boy,
was not so great as at first reported. The whole number of blacks
who died, did not exceed twenty-three, out of the eighty-eight sent
out in the ship Elizabeth. Several of these deaths were not caused
by the prevailing fever. The actual number of blacks who died
with fever, did not exceed eighteen or nineteen, all of whom died
at Kizzell's Place. Although very many of the settlers were ex-
tremely ill when they left Kizzell's Place, and removed to Yonie,
a more healthy part of Sherbro island, and the time of their re-
moval was the month of August, in the midst of the rainy season,
still no deaths by fever occurred at Yonie; but on the contrary, a
general recovery took place, notwithstanding there was no medical
aid. The sickness at Kizzell's Place was evidently in a great de-
gree owing to local causes: the water alone is said to be sufficiently
bad to create malignant disorders, though Kizzell was base enough
to assert that it contained peculiar qualities highly conducive to
health. That, and other false assertions, induced the former agents
to receive his offer of friendship; pretending, as he did, to un-
bounded influence among the native chiefs; an ardent desire to
further the benevolent objects of our government and the Society;
to benefit America; to meliorate the condition of the African race,
and propagate the glorious gospel of God in a heathen land.
P
After making other necessary inquiries of Mr. Coker, and of
those gentlemen in Sierra Leone, with whom we were most conver-
sant; also of some of the American blacks who went out with Paul
Cuffee, and of Nathaniel Peck, who accompanied the first expedi-
5
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tion: we were fully satisfied that Mr. Coker had managed the bu-
siness of the expedition, after the decease of the former agents, in
as judicious a manner as the circumstances of the case would
admit.
We lost no time after our arrival, in communicating with the
acting governor, his honour John Grant, upon the subject of our
mission.

The American agents received a polite invitation breakfast
with him at the Government House on Saturday morning, the 10th
of March. We there met his excellency, together with his honour-
able council, after partaking of a sumptuous breakfast of great va-
riety, served up in elegant style.
The several benevolent objects of our government, and those of
the Society were fully explained; and an open and candid exposi-
tion of our instructions made after this friendly interview; his ex-
cellency gave us a very polite invitation to dine at the Government
House, on Tuesday the 13th of March; which we did accordingly,
and partook of an elegant dinner, served up in much splendour.
There were at table a number of the principal gentlenen, officers
of the colonial government, Spanish commissioners, English mis-
sionaries, and several ladies.
The very friendly disposition which the colonial authorities mani-
fested towards the objects of our mission, may be seen by a refer-
ence to the Sierra Leone Gazette.
A meeting of all the agents, together with Mr. Coker took place,
when it was unanimously agreed to relinquish the idea of miking
any further attempt to negotiate for lands in the Sherbro country ;
and that two of the agents should cause the United States schooner
Augusta, which was lying at anchor in the harbour at Sierra Leone,
to undergo some slight repairs for the purpose of exploring the
coast in search of a suitable site for an American settlement; more-
over, it was resolved that no time should be lost, as we were taught
by our instructions to regard the acquisition of lands for a settle-
ment, as a matter of primary importance.
Having a discretion on this subject, it was determined after ad-
vising with the English missionaries and agents at Sierra Leone,
that the Rev. Mr. Andrus and myself should be deputed to the ser-
vice of exploring the coast, and entering into negotiations with the
native chiefs. At the same time it was arranged that Messrs.
Winn and Wiltberger should disembark the people and goods from
the Nautilus, after a suitable place for their temporary location
should be determined upon, by and with the consent of the colo-
nial authorities, who had politely proffered to provide such place,
as soon as it could be selected. It was also agreed that Messrs.
Winn and Wiltberger, should attend to the business at Sherbro—
supply the wants of the people there, or remove them as should be
found most expedient; so that as nearly as possible an equal par-
tition of duties was made.
TRA
A suitable place was found about two weeks after Mr. Andrus
and myself had sailed on our hazardous excursion. We had been
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taught to expect the arrival of the Alligator, which was to accom-
pany us. But it was not deemed adviseable to wait, but to proceed
immediately to execute that part of our instructions, which di-
rected us to explore the coast; in this determination we were in-
fluenced by the following reasons:-
1. The assistance of all the agents was not necessary to admi-
nister to the wants of the people, circumstanced as they must be
during ther continuance at Sierra Leone; and some of us, unless
employed n obtaining the lands, must have remained almost or
quite unoccupied.
2. The period of the arrival of the Alligator on the coast was
entirely uncertain. But little more than six weeks remained be-
fore the rans.
The busness of exploring, therefore, must be commenced imme-
diately or not completed until the rainy season; and as the event
showed, had we waited for the arrival of the Alligator, it could not
have been legan before the commencement of the rains.
3. But our principal reason for embarking in the business imme-
diately, was the certainty that the presence of an armed force
would hinder rather than assist our negotiations with the natives.
In this opinion we were confirmed by the unanimous judgment of.
all ou English friends consulted on the subject. It will be seen,
by a reference to dates, that we had concluded our contract for
the lands, and returned to Sierra Leone, two weeks or more before
the arrival of the Alligator.
The vessel in which we were to sail not being ready, and some
information concerning our route being necessary, Mr. Andrus
and myself visited the Rev. Mr. Johnson, a minister of the
Church Missionary Society, at Freetown. We found him just re-
covering from ill health. He gave us a polite invitation to visit
Regent's town, and appointed Saturday the 17th of March; on that
day he furnished us with horses, and accompanied us with his lady
and several other missionaries. Mrs. Bacon not being accustomed
to ride on horseback, was carried in a palanquin, by some of the
captured Africans. At about 7 o'clock, A. M. we left Freetown,
and arrived at Gloucestertown about 9 or 10 o'clock, where we
took some refreshment with the Rev. Mr. During. Under his care
is a fire flourishing town of captured negroes; in which have been
erected and are nearly finished, a large stone church, a commodi-
ous parsonage house, and a school house.
At about one o'clock, P. M. we arrived at Regent's town. Mr.
and Mrs. Johnson had been at Freetown, where Mr. J. was sick
several weeks; on our arrival great numbers of his people came to
shake hands with him, and inquired affectionately after his health;
even the expression of every countenance bore strong testimony of
their ardent love for him, and the joy which filled their hearts on
his recovery from sickness and safe return to his flock. The peo-
ple generally came and shook hands with us, and said on seeing
Mrs. Bacon, "another white Mama come! another white Mama
come !"
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We had previously been informed by Mr. Johnson of a mission-
ary tour, performed by Mr. Cates, an English missionary from
Sierra Leone, in an overland journey to Grand Bassa, a distance
of about 400 miles, accompanied by William Yamba and William
Davis, native missionaries.
We had also been advised to select the Bassa country as the most
eligible for the location of our settlement; the natives having ma-
nifested not only a willingness, but an ardent desire to receive in-
structions, and the king and head-men having entered into a cove-
nant with Mr. Cates to receive and protect any missionaries which
should be sent from Sierra Leone. We had moreover had an in-
terview with Tamba and Davis on the subject, and came to a con-
clusion to explore the coast to the southward and eastward. Mr.
Johnson politely proposed that Tamba and Davis should accom-
pany us as interpreters. These men were able to speak all the
different languages of the tribes as far as the Bassa country.
At six o'clock on the evening of our arrival, the bell at the
church rang for divine service. The people were immediately seen
walking from different parts of the town; the parsonage house
being so situated that there is a fair view of almost the whole set-
tlement, and it was delightful to observe the eagerness which peo-
ple manifested to hear the word of God. A prayer meeting was
held by the communicants after the usual evening prayers, it being
expected that the LORD's Supper would be celebrated the next day.
Sunday morning the 18th of March.-At six o'clock, the bell
rang for morning prayers, when the church was again filled. O!
how pleasing to behold hundreds of those who were once wretched
inmates of the holds of slave-ships, assembled in the house of God,
on the morning of that holy day on which our blessed Saviour rose
from the dead and ascended up to heaven! With a 100 copies of
the Holy Bible spread open before their black faces, their eyes
were fixed intently on the words of the lesson which their godly
pastor was reading. Almost all of Mr. Johnson's people who can
read the blessed book, are supplied with Bibles from that best of
institutions the British and Foreign Bible Society. Surely Chris-
tians ought to feel themselves encouraged in the support of mis-
sions, when such cheering fruits present themselves to view.
At 10 o'clock the bell again rang, though the church was nearly
filled before that hour; the members of the well regulated schools
which passed in review before the parsonage in regular succession,
were all clad in clean decent apparel. When we arrived at the
church there were no vacant seats to be seen. The greatest atten-
tion was paid during divine service. "Indeed I witnessed a Chris-
tian congregation in a heathen land-a people fearing God and
working righteousness. The tear of godly sorrow rolled down
many a coloured cheek, and showed the contrition of a heart that
felt its own vileness." There were three couple married, and one
child baptized. After the sermon, Mr. Johnson, with the assist-
ance of brother Andrus, administered the communion of the body
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and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ to nearly four hundred com-
municants. This, indeed, was a feast of fat things to my soul.
At 3 o'clock, P. M. the church was again filled, and the most de-
vout attention was paid to the reading and hearing of the word. It
seemed that the whole congregation were eager to catch every word
which fell from the pastor's lips.
Again, before the ringing of the bell, at six o'clock in the even-
ing, the people were seen from the distant parts of the town, leav-
ing their homes and retracing their steps back toward the house
of God, which was builded with their own hands, and illuminated
with palm oil.
There we again united in praising that God who hath wrought
such wonderful things even among the mountains of Sierra Leone,
where the praises of Jehovah resound, not only from his holy sanc-
tuary, but from the humble mud-walled cottage-from the tongues
of those children of Africa, who have been taken by the avaricious
slave-trader, dragged from parents, separated from brother and
sister, and perhaps from wife, or husband, bound in chains, hur-
ried on board the slave ship, crowded in a space not exceeding
their length and breadth, nor even allowed to breathe the vital air.
These persons after being recaptured by order of the British go-
vernment, have been put under the charge of a faithful minister
of the gospel, whose labours have been accompanied by the Holy
Spirit. These are the mighty works of God. [For a further de-
scription of Regent's town, see Appendix.]
Monday morning the 19th of March.-At six o'clock prayers
again in church. After breakfast it was concluded that it was ex-
pedient for Mrs. Bacon to remain in Mr. Johnson's family during
my absence with Mr. Andrus exploring the coast. Although pain-
ful to the flesh, yet duty required it, and my dear wife readily sub-
mitted after uniting with good Mr. Johnson in commending us to
God in solemn prayer.
We left Regent's town and arrived at Gloucester, where we
took some refreshment with the Rev. Mr. During, and arrived at
Freetown about 10. We found that the schooner Augusta was
still undergoing repairs. We commenced making the necessary
preparations for our departure. Contracted with William Martin,
a yellow man, to navigate the vessel, and John Bean as mate-Mo-
ses Turner, three native sailors, and five Kroomen.
Wednesday evening the 21st of March.-Having been much en-
gaged in making preparations, I had not time to write to my
friend; and expecting not to return until after the sailing of the
brig Nautilus, (although the disembarkation had not yet com-
menced,) I wrote a letter approving of the judicious management.
of the Rev. Daniel Coker, in conducting the affairs of the first ex-
pedition after the decease of the former agents, and recommending
him to the friendly notice of the Board of Managers of the Ameri-
can Society for colonizing the Free People of Colour. This letter
was signed by J. B. Winn, J. R. Andrus, C. Wiltberger, jr. and
E. Bacon, agents.
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Thursday morning, the 22d of March. The schooner is expect-
ed to be ready to-day; we are preparing for our departure, and
hope to sail this evening.
At one o'clock we are much fatigued; and have much trouble in
getting the captain and crew on board, some of them after receiv-
ing a month's advance pay, are spending their time in dissipation ;
and indeed, despatch of business is not common in Africa.
At 5 o'clock, P. M. all hands are on board, some of the sailors
intoxicated; the captain appears to make unnecessary delays, and
I fear we shall have trouble with him. But I expected to find
trouble in Africa. At length we set sail. After doubling the cape,
we stood out to sea, far enough to clear all the head lands and
islands of the coast; and then proceeding coastwise, we made
Cape Mount, about 250 miles distant from Sierra Leone, on the
27th. This part of the coast we had previously learned to be in
the occupancy of King Peter, one of the most powerful and warlike
chiefs of West Africa, and more deeply engaged in the slave
trade than any of his neighbours. The known hostility of his
views to the objects of the American government and Society, dis-
suaded us from incurring any loss of time or expense in procuring
an interview with him. We accordingly proceeded onward to the
mouth of the Mesurado river, about 50 miles south of Cape Mount,
where we came to anchor the next day, before two small islands,
owned by John Mills, a yellow man, having an English education,
and Baha, a black and native African. Both of these men are slave
dealers, and it is supposed that their islands are mere slave mar-
kets. Every appearance went to justify this suspicion. The neigh-
bourhood of Cape Mesurado having been indicated as a part of
the coast favourable to our purpose, we were induced to make the
most particular inquiry and observations in our power, relative to
the advantages and disadvantages that would attend a settlement
here.
The appearance of this part of the left bank of the Mesurado
river, which terminates in the cape of the same name, is sufficiently
elevated, and inviting. The natural growth is luxuriant and abun-
dant; many of the trees attain to a large size, and present every
indication of a strong and fertile soil.
The head-man is a dependant of King Peter, and has the same
name. We attempted to obtain a palaver with him, and for this
purpose went on shore with a present. He was not ignorant of the
object of our visit, and sent by a messenger declining an interview
and refusing to receive our present, though we had reason to be-
lieve that if we had been mere missionaries, he would have received
us readily.* While we were at anchor, a schooner under French
colours appeared, laying off and apparently waiting for an opportu-
nity to come in and receive a cargo of slaves. We saw a great
number of young Africans, who appeared as if intended for that
vessel.
* This cape has since been negotiated for, together with a large tract of fer-
tile country, and the American colony are settled on it.
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On the evening of the 29th, we got under way, and following the
direction of the coast, which here stretches south-easterly, we had the
prospect of a delightful country the whole distance to St. John's river..
The coast presents a sandy beach; in the whole of this extent, the
country is gently elevated from the coast, and has a surface agree-
ably diversified with moderate inequalities. Most of the land visi-
ble from the sea either has been, or now is, in a state of cultivation.
The soil is prolific in the most substantial articles of food produced
in tropical countries. The neglected parts of the land are covered
with a thick growth of brush wood. The mountains in the interior
are here about twenty or thirty miles from the sea, stretching in
the direction of the coast, and come more distinctly into view, than
at the northward of the Cape. Their elevation must be consider-
able. On the evening of the 31st we were becalmed, and obliged
to anchor opposite the mouth of the St. John's river, at the distance
of between two and three leagues. This river is nearly a league over
at the mouth. About six leagues from the sea, it is one mile wide,
and has in no part of the main channel, less than nine feet water.
Salt water extends but six or eight miles from the sea; there is a
rapid at six leagues distance from the mouth of the river, which is
however passable with canoes. Above, the batteau navigation ex-
tends to a great distance in the interior. Five miles to the east-
ward of the mouth of the St. John's, and discharging its waters into
the same bay, is the Grand Bassa river, small in comparison with
the St. John's, and very shoal at the bar-but of considerable length
and navigable for light batteaux a number of leagues.
On the first of April, we brought the schooner to anchor off the
mouth of the latter river, at the distance of three-fourths of a mile.
We were soon surrounded with canoes, which brought on board a
large number of natives. By one of them we despatched a small
present to the king. This prince's name is Jack Ben, lately ad-
vanced to the supreme power, from the rank of principal head-man,
in consequence of the death of King John, which occurred about
four months before our visit.
Monday Morning, April 2d, Grand Bassa.-We were visited by
ten or fifteen native canoes, bringing from two to five men each,
who came to trade; their articles were fowls, fish, oysters, eggs,
palm oil and palm wine, cassada, yams, plantains, bananas, limes
and pine apples, for which they wanted in return tobacco, pipes,
beads, &c.
Fowls are sold for one leaf of tobacco or one pipe each; oysters
are very large and fine; half a pound of tobacco will buy one hun-
dred; they are larger than the Bluepoint oysters.
J
Mr. Andrus and myself went on shore in our boat, below the
mouth of Grand Bassa, to take a view of the point of land which
projects out into the sea. A fort, erected on this point, would com-
pletely command the whole harbour. After visiting the point, it
was necessary to cross the Grand Bassa a short distance above its
mouth, as the surf was turbulent below the bar. Our conductor
was a Krooman, by the name of Bottle Beer. When we came to
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the left bank of the river, we saw no canoe or other means of cross-
ing over as we thought; but Bottle Beer proposed to carry us
over, and placed himself in a suitable position, and told one of us
to sit upon his shoulders, when Brother Andrus seated himself
with one leg over each shoulder; then Bottle Beer walked deli-
berately through the river, carrying his burden safe to the other
bank, and returned back and proposed to take me. I told him I was
so fat and heavy that he would let me fall into the water; he put
his hands upon his arms and legs, and said, "Me strong, me carry
you, Daddy." At length I seated myself likewise upon Bottle Beer,
and though he was not as heavy a person as myself, he carried
me safe over without wetting me; it was necessary, however, that
I should hold my feet up, as the water was about half a fathom
deep. After this we walked about 300 yards, to Bottle Beer's
town, a little cluster of cottages inhabited by Kroomen, of which
B. B. is head-man; several of these people can talk broken Eng-
lish; the King placed B. B. at this town as a factor or a harbour
master, as it is a place for vessels to water. The population is
perhaps from 60 to 100; we were conducted to the palaver-house,
where the people soon gathered together, and shook hands with us.
After remaining a short time, we were conducted to another town
(so called) where the people were boiling sea-water for salt, as they
do at all the towns near the beach; this is called Salt-town; through
this we passed to Jumbotown, which is about one mile from Bottle
Beer's town, and much larger.
In Jumbotown there are from 30 to 40 houses, and several hun-
dred people. There is also a large palaver-house, to which we
were conducted. There we were accosted by Jumbo, the head-man,
and the natives, and shook hands with them. The land is prolific
beyond description; the people have plenty of peas, beans, &c. In-
dian corn grows luxuriantly and is in the ear. Indeed the country
is beautifully variegated, and the water is good and plenty.
About 1 o'clock, P. M. we returned back to our boat, which was
at B. B. town. After the boat was in readiness, one of the Kroo-
men took me in his arms and carried me above the surf to the boat,
and likewise Mr. Andrus, so that we were not wet; and all this
kindness without being solicited. Indeed they are very kind and
hospitable; they gave us water to drink, and palm wine, and made
us welcome to such as they had. As is customary, they begged
for tobacco, of which we gave a small quantity to the head-men,
who always distribute among the people.
After returning on board the schooner, we dined on fish and oys-
ters sumptuously. We then went in our boat over the bar, into
the mouth of the St. John's river, about four miles distance from
the schooner, when we sounded on the bar, and found not less than
nine feet water at ebb-tide. The river is about three miles wide
at the bar: there is plenty of water and good anchorage: vessels
of two or three hundred tons burden, may lie perfectly safe. It
being nearly dark, and the tide beginning to make, which was
against our returning in the boat, over the bar, it was thought most
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:
prudent for Mr. Andrus and myself to go on shore and return by
land to Jumbotown, which we did accordingly. There was no path
on the shore but the sand beach, which was fatiguing, as the sand
was so loose that a great part of the way our shoes would sink two
or three inches every step. Moreover, being exposed to the night
air, is thought in Africa to be dangerous to foreigners; however,
we arrived at Jumbotown about 8 o'clock, and waited for our boat,
which soon came. The natives again carried us through the surf,
and we returned on board much fatigued, having been in a profuse
perspiration and exposed to night air, until 9 o'clock. I was very
weary. After having taken some refreshments, we had prayers
and retired to rest. Heard nothing from the king, the Krooman
not having returned.
Tuesday, April 3d.-This morning brother Andrus was not in
very good health, and did not go on shore, but took medicine. We
were again visited by natives, with a great variety of fruit, vegeta-
bles, fowls, fish, &c. &c.
We this day sent another message to the king. At 10 o'clock
I went on shore, in company with Tamba and Davis, and walked
about one mile into the country, where I found the land remark-
ably good. We passed through four or five towns, as they called
them; the houses as in other towns appear at a distant view more
like the same number of stacks of straw or hay, as they are covered
with a kind of grass. Davis and Tamba improve every opportunity
to talk with their country people upon the subject of our mission.
Davis saw some of the head-men to-day, who appear to be suspi-
cious that we had some unfriendly object in view; but as he can
speak their language fluently, he is endeavouring to remove their
doubts.
Returned on board with not only my locks but my flannels
drenched with perspiration; even while I am writing, if my hand-
kerchief were not in my hand to wipe it from my face, I should
be compelled to discontinue. No prospect as yet of seeing the
king. I fear that we shall not succeed in getting land in Bassa.
This evening brother Andrus's health is better. We commend-
ed ourselves and the cause in which we are engaged to God, who
alone can accomplish all things, according to his purpose, and re-
tired to rest.
-
W
-
Wednesday Morning, April 4th.-At six o'clock, according to
our arrangements made yesterday, we started in our boat, with
four boatmen and our interpreters, making eight of us; and five
natives, two of which were head-men, in two of their canoes. We
ascended the river St. John to the first island. The banks of the
river are rather low, but suitable for cultivation. This island was
formerly occupied by a slave factor; but since the English and
American cruisers have annoyed them, the traders have abandon-
ed this and all the other islands. In this river their gardens are
to be seen; in them is a variety of fruit. We breakfasted here
upon some smoked beef and bread, which we brought from the ves-
sel. Thence we proceeded on to another island, to which Davis
13
:
SELEC
said he was brought, and on which he was sold to an American
slave factor.
It was with great difficulty that we prevailed on the natives and
our boat's crew to proceed any further, because they said, "White
man never live above that place." It appeared that they doubted
the efficacy of their gregres, which they never fail to wear when
exposed to danger. We passed two other islands, formerly oc-
cupied by the same kind of desperadoes. We still proceeded on-
ward until we came to rapids, which are from 15 to 20 miles from
its mouth. The land as we ascend the river becomes more ele-
vated, with a fine growth of timber, admirably situated for settle-
ments. We saw several small towns and farms, where rice and
vegetables are cultivated. Davis read the 20th chapter of Exodus,
and spoke to the people upon the state of their souls. In one of
those towns, people were very attentive; their reply to him after
he had ceased speaking was, " Very well, we hear you, all very
good what you say, we think 'bout it, we no sabby white man fash,
we sabby gregre."
""
We saw very fine goats, and sheep, and poultry. All the peo-
ple wear gregres or charms; some of these are brass rings, which
they wear around their ancles and wrists-one is a feather tied
with a string around their neck-and what they consider more
valuable, is the horn of a goat or a sheep, which the Dibbleman
(as they say) prepares by filling it with a kind of glutinous sub-
stance, intermixed with pulverized charcoal, or black sand; some
wear a little ball of clay tied up in a piece of white muslin.
At 3 o'clock we put our company in motion on our return. At
7 o'clock, the boat arrived at the mouth of the river, and before
crossing the bar, brother A., myself, Tomba and Davis, went on
shore, where we had a most fatiguing walk down the beach to
Jumbotown; our boat not being able to go over the bar before
daylight, as the tide did not favour; therefore we had no boat in
which we dare venture, as the native canoes were small and un-
safe for us. Having been twelve hours exposed to the scorching
rays of the sun, and having walked four miles in the damp of the
evening, with our clothes drenched in perspiration, and being
obliged to lay down supperless upon a floor composed of bamboo
sticks, without any covering, but our wet garments-having no
door to our cottage, and several hundred natives within twenty
yards, drumming and dancing, until one or two o'clock in the
morning, it could not be expected that we should oversleep our-
selves. Indeed there were times that the secret ejaculations of
the heart, ascended up to the throne of the Heavenly Grace, for
grace to help in that hour of need. Nor was the ear of Jehovah
heavy, that it could not hear; nor his almighty arm shortened,
that it could not save; for we found ready help through our Lord
Jesus Christ, strengthening us.
Thursday Morning, April 5th-We arose and felt somewhat
the worse for our hard lodging, after our extreme exposure in that
climate, in which, it is said, foreigners are subject to fevers and
+
14
Plant de pe peretes, a, ukamnamazan verd
¡
agues; our boat came to the beach for us, and we went on board
the schooner. Having heard nothing from the king, we concluded
to send Davis with one of the head-men, to seek his majesty.
Davis was despatched with a present. We this day learned from
a head-man, that we could have land, but that we must go to the
king's town to-morrow.
We admired the friendly disposition of the inhabitants, but dis-
covered their fears, that we were connected with some ship of
war. After commending ourselves to God, we retired to rest.
Friday Morning, April 6th.—We went on shore, and went to
the king's town, but could not see him; it was said that he was
not at home. The distance is from two and a half to three miles;
the land is most excellent, elevated and dry; we saw very fine
rice fields: this town was recently built, the houses are much bet-
ter than any I have hitherto seen in the Bassa country.
We returned back to the schooner, without seeing Davis, and
sent Tamba to call him, but he remained. We are full of doubts
and fears about obtaining a palaver with the king.
Saturday, April 7th.-This day Tamba and Davis returned; it
appears they have been labouring to convince the head-men, that
we have not come with any hostile intention. O Lord help us; in
vain is the help of man.
Sunday, April 8th.-Brother A-, and Davis, went to old King
John's town, for the purpose of holding a meeting. Returned in
the evening, and said that they had seen King Ben, and that he
would meet us in Jumbotown, in palaver, the next morning.
They saw the body of King John, who had been dead four
moons, yet not buried; he was laid in state in a palaver-house,
dressed in a fine robe, with a pair of new English boots on the
feet: a brisk fire is kept burning in the room. His grave is dug,
which is eight feet square, for the purpose of admitting the body
and the form upon which it lies, together with bullocks, goats,
sheep, tobacco and pipes, as sacrifices! O Lord, when shall these
superstitions cease.
Monday, April 9th.-This morning the sea very rough. At 11
o'clock, we went on shore, with a present to the king, (as it is im-
possible to get a palaver with the authorities of the country, with-
out a respectable present "to pay service" to the king, his prin-
cess and his head-men,) we met his majesty, King Jack Ben of
Grand Bassa, together with several of his head-men in Jumbotown,
in the palaver-house, with a large concourse of people. After
shaking hands with them, we laid down our present, which con-
sisted of one gun, some powder, tobacco, pipes, beads, &c. His
majesty said in broken English, me tanke you," and caused the
articles to be removed, and placed under the care of a sentinel,
so that his people might not get them before he had divided them.
equally, as is their custom. This division takes place, that all
may "taste of the good things," and a contract is made: all who
have partaken of the present, are pledged to fulfil on their part.
CC
The king asked us what we wanted, although he could not have
h
ید
15
-2
*
:
been ignorant of our wishes. We stated our object to be "to get
land for the black people in America, to come and sit down upon
[to occupy]. We told him that the people were very many, and re-
quired much territory; that a few white men only would come
along, to assist and take care of them; that we should make a town
where ships would come and trade with cloth, and guns, and beads,
and knives, and tobacco, and pipes; and take in return, their ivory,
and palm oil, and rice, and every other thing growing in the fields;
that they would not then need to sell any more people, but might
learn to cultivate the ground, and make other things to sell for
whatever they wanted."
We at last succeeded in making a favourable impression on
their minds; and convincing them that we had no unfriendly mo-
tive in visiting Bassa. The palaver was adjourned until the next
day. It indeed requires much patience to deal with these chil-
dren of the forest. We returned on board weary and faint: after
partaking of some refreshment and having implored the divine
blessing of Him who has promised to give to his Son the heathen
for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his
possession, retired to rest.
囓
​Tuesday, April 10th.-This day is expected to be a day of im-
portance, as the palaver will be much larger, and a certain con-
dition will be discussed, which they have urged from the begin-
ning; therefore, we look earnestly for Divine assistance. A small
present will be necessary as there will be more head-men than at
any former palaver. At 10 o'clock we were convened. The pre-
sent was placed before the king, and the usual ceremonies were
performed. The king rose up and spoke to the case in the Bassa
language, with great energy; his naked arm presented to view
from within his robes, which were made of the country manufac-
tured cloth, something in the form of clerical robes. After him, a
Krooman by the name of Brown, rose and spoke with much spirit;
his speech was interpreted by Yamba; the substance of it was,
that we were emissaries from some slave-ship in the neighbour-
hood, and that we were not friends to them; on which the king
and his council withdrew to the shade of a large silk cotton tree,
in conclave, for the space of twenty or thirty minutes. They
then returned and proceeded in discussing the condition, strenu-
ously urged from the beginning by the king, as the basis on which
alone he could accede to our wishes in relation to the lands. We
had stated, that we came not with any hostile intentions, and that
the character of the settlement was to be unwarlike and agricul-
tural. They demanded of us a positive stipulation, to make book,
as they term it, that the settlers and agents should act in consis-
tency with this character, and in no way assist the armed ships
sent to the coast to suppress the slave trade, by communicating to
them any information that might prove injurious to the Bassa peo-
ple. We represented to them the advantages which would attend
their relinquishing the trade altogether; stating that in a very
short time it must cease, as so many ships of war would be sent to
16
✪
the coast, as to catch every slave vessel, and put an end to the
exportation of the people; still they insisted on the condition; and
at the breaking up of the palaver, told us we should have the lands,
provided we agreed to insert the condition in the contract [book].
They directed us to explore the country, and (as the king said,
"lookem straight," laying down his palaver brush in a straight
position,) and fix upon the tract best adapted to our purpose, at
the same time indicating the quarter where those lands lay, which
they could best afford to spare. We returned on board the schooner
somewhat encouraged, but still we felt dissatisfied with the con-
dition upon which they insisted; however, considering that it could
have no practical operation, inasmuch as if, while in our infant
state, we were to show a disposition to use any other means than
persuasion in urging them to abandon the traffic in slaves, we
should incur their displeasure, and cause the destruction of the
whole of our expectations of future success, we were tolerably
content. After asking the merciful aid of Divine grace, we re-
tired to rest.
Wednesday, April 11th.-This day went on shore, when it began
to rain. There has been a little rain every day for six or seven
days past. It appears that the rains are setting in. The king
sent a servant to us, with a message, informing us that he would be
ready to receive us after the rains had ceased. We arrived at
the king's town. We had a short palaver, after ascertaining that
we could not obtain land upon any better terms. It is, however,
probable, that at no distant period the natives may be induced to
abandon the slave trade altogether, without any coercive measures
being used, as they will see other sources of trade present them-
selves to view.
The king directed some of his head-men to accompany us, to
look at the country. We walked in various directions, and re-
turned to the schooner, having previously explored the St. John's
river as far as the rapids, and viewed the country in various direc-
tions. We fully determined upon the territory which would be
suitable for our purpose. We are more and more pleased with the
appearance of the country and its inhabitants. The king took one
of his boys by the hand, who was about 13 or 14 years of age, and
gave
him to us to learn Book. We took him on board, and put a
pair of domestic pantaloons upon him, which pleased him very
much.
Thursday, April 12.-This morning the king sent two of his head-
men on board to go with us and fix upon a place to build our town.
We sent back a message that he had fixed upon the place, and that
we were ready to meet him in palaver, at any time he should
appoint, at Jumbotown. He did not send us his answer until even-
ing, when two of his head-men arrived with a present from his sable
majesty, which consisted of a fine fat goat. His answer was that
he would meet us at 8 o'clock the next morning at Jumbotown, in
grand palaver. We are very anxious to know the final result.
O Lord! further us with thy most gracious aid.
M
..
17
Friday, April 13th.-We met in palaver; there were more head-
men and princes, as well as people, than at any time previous. Our
present, of course, was much more valuable than before. We thank-
ed the king for his present, and he returned the same civility for
our presents. These people being ignorant of extent of territory,
or of distances by measurement, we directed our interpreters to
tell them that we wanted a large tract of land, and they described
it thus: Beginning at a certain tree on the beach near Jumbotown,
running due east by compass to the top of Saddle Mountain, or
two or three days walk, either of which would be a distance of from
40 to 60 miles; from thence northwardly to St. John's river, a dis-
tance of perhaps from 50 to 70 miles; from thence down the St.
John's river to its mouth; from thence along the sand beach to the
aforesaid tree near Jumbotown, inclusive: supposed to be 30 or 40
miles square of territory. To our having this tract, they readily
agreed, and directed their names to be set to the instrument, the
conditions before mentioned being included. They all took hold
of the pen and made their marks; then they cried aloud, "Palaver
set! Palaver set!”
C
The agent of the Colonization Society, engaged in behalf of said
Society, to give certain stipulated articles annually, which will not
cost more than 300 dollars. Pledges of mutual friendship were
interchanged, whereby each party agreed to cultivate peace and
harmony, and not to make war or trouble each other.
Thus we at last succeeded in convincing them that we were
their friends. This, we were assured we could not have done, had
it not been for the presence of Davis, and the entire absence of
any display of military or naval force. We regard it as a most
favourable providence that the Alligator did not bring or accompany
us to the Bassa, and that no naval officer was present at the nego-
tiations.
A
-
The king was much pleased at seeing his son with trowsers on;
the people said, "He gentleman all one white man :" the king pro-
posed to give us an elder son in lieu of the other, as he said if the
younger went away, his "Mama make palaver on me."
We ac-
cepted his proposition, took the elder on board, put a suit of clothes
on him, and gave him the name of Bushrod Washington. His
father was very much delighted to see him clothed.
The king,
princes, head-men, and people, went with us to the tree on the
beach near Jumbotown, one of the aforesaid boundaries, and a boy
climbed up it, and cut off some of its branches, leaving one branch,
which ascended considerably higher than the rest: to this he tied
about six yards of an American pendant, which the people consider
a white man's gregre or fetish, and according to their prejudice,
regard as sacred. Near this spot it was thought proper to make our
settlement. The king's son will go with us to Sierra Leone, where
he will be put to school and taught to speak English. The king
and people are all anxious that we should return immediately, even
before the rains fully set in; but we do not give them any encou-
ragement of our speedy return.
C
ma
18
•
WALANG WA
These people are very kind, but are in a dreadful state of hea-
thenish darkness; they worship the "Dibbly man" and dedicate
daily a part of their food to his satanic majesty. They profess to
believe that there is a good and merciful Deity, who can and will
do them good, and not evil: but that the devil is all powerful, and
that it is necessary to appease his wrath. Every town has its pe-
culiar devil. [See Appendix.] The people, like all other natives,
are in a state of nudity, except that they wear about one and a
half yards of narrow cloth about their loins; the men often wear
hats, while the children are not burdened with any kind of clothes,
but frequently, like the adults, wear many beads. Leopard's teeth
are thought to be very valuable ornaments.
The king, when in general palaver, was clad in his robes, which
covered his whole body; he had on also an elegant cap; at other
times he wore a drab-coloured broad-cloth great coat, with a num-
ber of capes. His head-men were partially clad, some with blue
cloth roundabouts, with military or naval buttons. They wore no
shirts. Many of them had belts of beads, which contained one or
more pounds each.
:
Sk
There are many Kroomen in the towns along the coast. They
are employed as agents or factors for the authorities of the country,
who monopolize all the trade. [See Appendix.] These agents
have each a number of certificates from masters of vessels who
have employed them. They wished us to give them books, like-
wise, but we had no occasion to employ them as factors. Bottle
Beer required us to pay for the water with which our vessel had
been furnished. With this demand, we did not comply, as we had
not come "for trade." We informed the king of the demand, and
he revoked it. The people all live in villages or clusters of cot-
tages, in each of which is a head-man, who has a plurality of wives.
If a native have but one wife, he is indeed very poor. The head-
man is a slaveholder, he owns all the people in his town. The
inhabitants of each town cultivate in common. The men seldom
do any labour except fish a little, and hunt. The females and small
boys cultivate the land. The men trade and direct those who are
under them. I saw a fine looking female with iron fetters on her
feet, which fetters, no doubt, were brought from a slave vessel,
as we observed one under French colours, lying in the harbour
at the same time. I made inquiry concerning the cause of her
confinement, and was told that she was taken in adultery. It is
said by the natives that "Wife Palaver, very bad Palaver." It is
punished with death, red water, or slavery, and most usually the
latter. These people are indeed in gross darkness, depending upon
their gregres and devil worship. A town is not complete which
has not a Palaver House, and Devil House. The latter has a small
post standing near it, six or eight feet high, with a strip of white
muslin about three-fourths of a yard in length, and two or three
inches wide, tied around the top. There they daily offer sacrifice..
The Bassa country is situated between five and six degrees north
latitude, and between ten and eleven west longitude, in the centre
Th
19
of the Grain Coast, which is about an equal distance from Sierra
Leone and Cape Coast, where the English have commenced a set-
tlement. Swine, herds of neat cattle, sheep and goats are bred
here.
At evening we took an affectionate leave of the king and some
of the head-men; the old king appeared to be much affected, and
said, "You have my son, you take him Sierra Leone learn book,
when rain done you come Grand Bassa, then king Jack Ben give
you plenty boys learn book." The people are all apparently very
anxious to have us return; they seem to have great confidence
in us.
Grand Bassa, Saturday morning, April 14th.--Many natives
were on board with fruit, rice, fowls, eggs, and vegetables to sell,
which we bought, chiefly for tobacco. It was with some difficulty
we got them off our decks, they were very sorry to part with us.
One of the head-men sung a song of his own composition, thus:
"Whiteman gone, whiteman gone, whiteman gone-gone whiteman,
gone sabby-one, gone, gone, gone!"
We have had much trouble with captain Martin; he appears to
endeavour to protract our departure; he is an unprincipled man,
and a bad seaman. If we had not a more skilful mate we should
be in great danger. At twelve o'clock we set sail on our return
to Sierra Leone. We made slow headway; the wind is light. At
six o'clock we are not more than three or four leagues from Bassa.
We are turning our attention to the state of our settlers at Sher-
bro, and those at Sierra Leone. We think of visiting Sherbro as
we return. We are very anxious to hear from our friends.
We feel grateful to God for his mercy, in preserving us, and
enabling us to accomplish our wishes in some degree. Still, how-
ever, we have continual need of Divine assistance. Our vessel
leaks and requires much attention; but our trust is in God alone,
who has hitherto mercifully preserved us, so that "the sun hath not
smitten us by day, neither the moon by night." The pestilence
which walketh in darkness hath not come near us; therefore, we
are under renewed obligations to praise the Lord for his goodness,
and for the wonderful works in the great deep.
Sunday morning, April 15th.-At sea with a fair wind, we have
just discovered Cape Mesurado. Had worship this morning as
usual, and found it good for us to call upon the name of the Lord,
to read his most holy word, to meditate upon his blessed promises,
to praise him for past mercies and implore the continuance of his
most gracious aid. Our people having yesterday evening slaugh-
tered the goat which the king presented us, it is necessary to cook
some of the flesh, though it is the Sabbath day. It is very fine and
fat, and quite a luxury, notwithstanding we have had plenty of
fowls, fish, and oysters, fruits and vegetables.
Prince Bushrod is a little sea-sick; he appears to be much
pleased with his dress, and has been persuaded to take off his gre-
gres, Davis having told him if he wore clothes, he must not wear
gregres. His head was shorn when we took him on board, except
K
20
a little space above the left ear, where the hair was platted; he
was also induced to shave it off entirely, so that the wool might
grow out equally. We calculate to let him go to Regent's town,
and stay with Davis and attend school, under the superintendance
of the Rev. Mr. Johnson, where he will have the benefit of asso-
ciating with some of his own countrymen, who are pious and use-
ful people.
Monday, April 16th.-Last night there was a tremendous tor-
nado, with much rain; at the appearance of a tornado it is neces-
sary to take in all sail immediately, as the wind generally blows
powerfully.
Our Kroomen are easily intimidated in bad weather, they have
on their gregres, those which they think contain the most virtue
and are best calculated to preserve them from the greatest danger.
I endeavoured to persuade them that their gregres were useless,
and advised them to throw them into the sea, but my entreaties
were in vain; one had his gregre tied with a twine around his
head above his ears; I took hold of the string and broke it. On
examining it, I found it was composed of a ball of clay, tied up in
a piece of white muslin, with a small feather in the end; he was
angry and sorry for his loss. One gave me his gregre, that I might
view its contents: they consisted of nothing more than a kind of
black sand tied up in a piece of rag. I threw the gregre into the
sea, which grieved him very inuch.
""
The Kroomen were all alarmed at their loss; and expressed
fears that "tornado catch us," or that some other accident would
happen to us. They said that they "make bad palaver on me,'
when we arrived at Sierra Leone, and that I should have to pay
twenty barrs (equal to twenty dollars). They are poor creatures
indeed, in every sense of the word. They appear to be very affec-
tionate to each other. When we are visited on board by other
Kroomen, they beg food for them, or divide their own portion
among the visiters. They prefer rice, which they boil and use with
palm oil, to animal food. They sit down around a large dish of
rice, and make use of their hands instead of spoons.
Tuesday morning, April 17th.-We were off the Galinas with a
light wind, proceeding on towards the Shebar, which is the en-
trance into Sherbro Sound, near the eastern part of Sherbro island.
We wished to cross over the Shebar, which is difficult without a
skilful pilot. A native who resides at Bohol within the bar, on
discovering a vessel, generally goes out in his canoe to meet her.
We hoped to be discovered by him, so that we might pass over in
safety. Our object was to visit our people at Yonie, a native
town on the island, opposite Bohol, which is on the main. At even-
ing we heard the surf roar as its waves rolled over the Shebar; it
is heard several leagues; the wind was ahead, and we made slow
progress. Our vessel appeared to leak more than she had done,
and the inexperience of our navigators gave us great anxiety;
but our trust was still in God alone.
Wednesday, April 18th.-Still we were off the Shebar, but had
1
sp
T
#
A
21
made little progresss during the night; at twelve o'clock there
was a tornado; the wind blew powerfully twenty or thirty minutes,
and was accompanied with considerable rain. These tornadoes are
nothing to be compared with the hurricanes which are common
among the West India islands.
-
Thursday morning, April 19th.-We were within sight of the
Shebar, and had a delightful air after the rains. Laying off and
on with our vessel, hoping a pilot would come off to our assistance;
several guns were fired as signals for pilots, but none came; there-
fore, we had but two alternatives, one was to sail round the island,
which as the wind is light requires seven or ten days; the other
was to send our boat over the Shebar for a pilot. As our sailors
were unwilling to go in the boat, I prevailed upon them by pro-
posing to accompany them. After approaching as near the Šhebar
as was thought prudent, the vessel was brought to anchor at four
o'clock, P. M. The boat was manned with the mate of the vessel
and three natives, one a sailor, the others Kroomen. The mate al-
though a tolerably good boatman, apprehended more danger than
I did, for I had not had much experience in crossing such bars. At
length we started in the boat, and approached near the bar. It ap-
peared dangerous indeed. The mate being at the rudder, gave di-
rections to the oarsmen to obey him promptly; he told them he
should watch the motion of the waves, and that, when he ordered
them to pull at the oars, they must pull for their lives. We soon
found our boat first soaring over the turbulent waves, then plung-
ing into the deep, while the waves were rolling in quick succes-
sion after us, each appearing as if it would envelop us in the ocean.
One wave poured about sixty gallons of water into the boat, which
caused me active employment in lading out the water; the boat
having been brought quartering to the waves, it required quick ex-
ertion by the men at the oars, who were somewhat frightened, but
were enabled to bring the boat to its proper position before the suc-
ceeding wave came, which wafted us over the greatest danger; by
that time I had nearly laded out the water. Indeed, it was mercy
to us that we were not swallowed up. Not unto us! not unto us?
but unto thy name, O GOD, be all the glory, both now and for
ever!
-
S
We soon after arrived at Bohol, where we obtained a pilot. The
boatmen remained until the tide favoured us the next morning.
Lewis Tucker is head-man at Bohol; he has many people, and it
is feared that he and his brothers have not wholly abolished the
slave trade, though they do not carry it on as publicly as at former
times.
I obtained a passage to Yonie, in one of Tucker's canoes that
evening, where I arrived at nine o'clock, and found the American
free people of colour who had survived of the first expedition. I
went to the house where Nathaniel Brander resides; he had the
people and goods in charge. I was very much fatigued, from hav-
ing been wet in the boat, and afterwards exposed to the damps of
the evening. I soon learnt the condition of the people, and found
22
1
L
.
they were in good health; they had previously received some small
supplies from Mr. Winn, at Sierra Leone. After partaking of
some refreshment, which Brander caused to be prepared, I read a
chapter in the Bible, and returned thanks to Almighty God for the
great mercy and deliverance of the past day.
O Lord!
"When waves on waves, to heav'n uprear'd,
Defy'd the pilot's art,
When terror in each face appear'd,
And sorrow in each heart,
To thee I rais'd my humble pray'r,
To snatch me from the grave!
I found thine ear not slow to hear,
Nor short thine arm to save!”
I consider my preservation that day as one of the most extraor
dinary manifestations of Divine grace to me during my life.
per-
Co
Fonie, Friday morning, 20th April.-I arose somewhat indis-
posed from the fatigues and extreme exposure of the preceding
evening. I visited Prince Cong Kouber; he is a fine healthy man,
well formed, handsome featured, and his very countenance indi-
cating shrewdness. He speaks English so as to be understood
tolerably well; is a man of but few words, with much observation,
and is indeed possessed of more power than the king, although the
latter is acknowledged by his subjects: Kouber is prime minister
and manages as he pleases. The kings on the Main are not well
pleased with king Sherbro, who resides at Yonie; so that that
haps was one cause which prevented Mr. Coker from negotiating
with them for lands. But the principal reason was, Kizzell having
caused the agents and people to make a temporary stay at his
place. The authorities of the whole country consider him a
stranger," (an intruder,) and, as he was employed in assisting
Mr. Coker in endeavouring to negotiate for lands, they thought
that he would monopolize the presents: moreover, he had already
the trade with our people. Even while they were sick, and were
in want of fresh provisions, Kizzel established himself as a huck-
ster, and bought cheap and sold dear; and Mr. Coker being at the
palaver, they were compelled to submit to the imposition. Having
seen all the American people who are at Yonie, and found that
notwithstanding sickness and death had occurred, and other diffi-
culties as might have been expected from the decease of their
agents, and their having been left under the authority of a man of
colour, they being unwilling to be governed by one of their own
race, yet they were much pleased with the country, and with the
intelligence that lands had been negotiated for, and the expecta-
tion that they should soon be in possession of a suitable portion.
which they could call their own.
-
At 4 o'clock, P. M. our schooner arrived and anchored in the
bay of Yonie. We had more trouble with our captain, who un-
mercifully beat some of the sailors and the Kroomen, which had
23
been extremely unpleasant to brother Andrus, and our native mis-
sionaries, who were heralds of mercy and peace.
A
We feared that we should have trouble with the king and na-
tives at Sherbro; that when our people should remove from there,
they would extort very much for cottage rents, notwithstanding
they have received large presents, and have given nothing in re-
turn: it having been known to them that Kizzell had charged sixty
dollars per month for one single hut, while it was occupied by our
people.
Saturday morning, 21st April.-We left some small supplies
which we could spare from the schooner, as the people would soon
be in need, unless they were removed. We then made the ne-
cessary preparations for our departure: we bought a sheep of
Kouber, for which we gave eight pounds of leaf tobacco.
Despatch of business appears to be quite out of practice; it was
near night before we could prevail on our captain to weigh anchor
and get the vessel under way. We proceeded on to Kizzell's
Place, which is from 15 to 20 miles distance. At 7 o'clock, P. M.
we arrived at York island, where Martin, after anchoring the
schooner, went on shore to visit his wife, who is a native. We
obtained from the natives, who came on board, four or five gallons
of honey, which cost about as many pounds of leaf tobacco; like-
wise, several mats and some cocoanuts, fowls, vegetables, &c.
Sunday morning, 22d April.-We concluded that it was a duty
for us to proceed on, as the wind and tide were in our favour, and
as moreover, we had been informed that the winds were very va-
riable in Sherbro Bay, and that frequently vessels were detained
there one or more weeks on that account.
Brother Andrus, Tamba, Davis, and myself, attended religious
duties. At 4 o'clock, P. M. we arrived at Campelar (Kizzell's
Place). I probably did not go on shore without possessing some
prejudice against Kizzell. But, indeed, I was very much sur-
prised at his malignant conduct. After we had made ourselves
known to him, he appeared somewhat disconcerted at seeing the
successors of our deceased friends. He, doubtless, felt some com-
punctions on account of his baseness. Our intention was to tarry
but a short time on shore. We asked him to show us the ground
where our predecessors and people were buried, and we expressed
a wish to see his "meridian," [spring] as he sometimes denomi-
nates it. At length we walked to his spring, and in the very ap-
pearance of the water saw an indication of its impurity; it appear-
ed to be in a state of fermentation, and, I must confess, I did not
wish to taste it.
After we returned, we passed by his church, as he denominated
it. It was built in the native style, and would contain about one
hundred people. There was a kind of desk on which lay a Bible
and hymn book. But if the life and conduct of the speaker, were.
as humble as the appearance of the house, they would better cor-
respond. May the Lord give him grace to repent; and may he be
forgiven.
:
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24
"
We also visited the graves of our friends, and found them so
situated that the spring tides overflow them. Indeed Kizzell was
under the necessity of building a mud wall along the beach, to pre-
vent the water from flowing quite into his cottages. The island
is low, bad land, literally a mangrove swamp, unfit for cultivating
with any degree of comfort or profit. The exhalations from its
soils, renders the atmosphere very unpleasant. This made our
return on board the vessel desirable. It is indeed unpleasant to
dwell upon Kizzell's conduct, though it may be deemed necessary
to make some exposition of his baseness. While viewing those
solitary abodes of our friends, I said to Kizzell, I conclude you
have no objections to those corpses remaining here, as a removal
would be inexpedient, and the ground is of no value? His reply
was, that the Rev. Samuel Bacon agreed, at the burial of Dr. Sa-
muel A. Crozer, and Captain Townsend, that he would cause
them to be removed after lands should be obtained, and the set-
tlers located on them; and he seemed to expect a fulfilment of
that agreement. I then put the question thus: do you expect an
equivalent if those bodies should remain? He seemed to endeà-
vour to evade a direct answer, and said that they ought to be re-
moved. I then said to him, are you willing that they should re-
main here, if you have pay for the ground? His answer was in the
affirmative. He had at the same time already sent an account to
Sierra Leone, to Mr. Winn, principal agent, amounting to almost
$800 dollars; and yet his avaricious appetite was not satisfied.
We left Kizzell, with our prejudices increased rather than les-
sened.
NỘ
•
Monday morning, April 23d.—At six o'clock, we weighed an-
chor, but we had not proceeded far, before a canoe which Tamba
had purchased, and which was tied slightly to the vessel with a
rope, parted, the wind blowing powerfully, and we sailing very
fast. This caused us to anchor, having previously manned our
boat and sent for the canoe. Martin was told that the canoe was
unsafe in her present situation. But we had reason to think that
he was willing to protract the voyage on account of his being pro-
fitably employed. He knew if the wind continued, and we pro-
ceeded on without obstacle, we should soon arrive so far down the
bay as to have the benefit of the sea breeze, which prevails after
ten o'clock A. M. and thus reach Sierra Leone, in a short time.
At 8 o'clock, P. M. we anchored near the Plantain islands. We
were very anxious to hear from Sierra Leone. Brother Andrus
had concluded to return to America, and we were in hopes that
the Nautilus had not left Sierra Leone, but that he might avail
himself of the opportunity of returning by her. If disappointed in
this resolution, he had resolved to go by the way of England, which
must necessarily increase both the time and expense.
He was induced to yield to this determination by the probabi-
lity that the American blacks would not be removed to the Bassa
country, until after the rainy season; and that, therefore, the as-
sistance of all the agents would not be necessary to administer
-1
25
to their wants. Having discovered the want of missionaries in
Africa, and the ardent desire of the natives to receive them, he
had formed the resolution to resign his appointment as agent to
the Colonization Society, and return to these shores in the capa-
city of a missionary, and here spend the remainder of his days in
his Master's service, as had been his wish before leaving America.
Tuesday, April 24th.-Having as usual come to anchor last
night, we got under sail this morning, at six o'clock. At half past
eight o'clock, A. M. brother Andrus and Tamba, left the schooner,
and went in our boat, in company with two Kroomen in a canoe,
which Tamba had bought for the purpose of leaving us. His ob-
ject was to go and labour as a missionary, in the Sherbro country.
He had determined to do so before our arrival at Sierra Leone;
but Mr. Johnson, learning that we were in want of interpreters to
explore the coast, proposed, that he should accompany us on our
excursion, and that he should stop at Sherbro on our return. The
wind was very light, and we made slow progress, and soon came
to anchor. At 2 o'clock brother Andrus met us, after our vessel
had got under way.
He was much pleased with his visit to the Plantains, and said
the islands were delightfully situated and very fertile. He was
agreeably entertained by the owner of them, George Caulker, who
was a native African, educated in England. He found him em-
ployed in writing, his table being well furnished with papers. He
learnt that he had translated the liturgy of the Church of England
into the Bullum language, and was engaged in translating the
Bible, and had made considerable progress in the book of Genesis.
O! how cheering is the thought that the time is fast approaching,
and near at hand, when the Bullum people will read and hear in
their own language, of the wonderful works of GOD; and this too,
through the instrumentality of one of their own kindred and tribe,
who hath, perhaps, been concerned in that bane of Africa, the slave
trade; but who, after having acquired an English education, and
received the influences of the Holy Spirit in his heart, has been
induced to commence the laudable work of translating the pages
of the Book of Life.
-
Mr. Andrus found Caulker to be a man of talents; and obtained
from him much useful information. Caulker professed an attach-
ment to the Protestant Episcopal Church of England, and is
thought to be a pious man. Mr. Andrus informed him of the sub-
ject of our mission, and that we had negotiated for lands in the
Bassa country. Caulker stated that he had travelled into the in-
terior of that country, and that he deemed it the most eligible
situation for our settlement of any on the coast, being as it was
situated in the centre of the Grain Coast. He said that its inha-
bitants were unwarlike, and less hostile than any of the neighbour-
ing tribes-that the coast was accessible to small vessels, and that
large ships might lie at anchor within two or three miles distance;
and moreover, that its soil was equal, if not superior, to any other
on the western coast, and its herds far preferable. Caulker ex-
D
26
hibited some neat cattle and swine as a specimen, they having
been brought from the Bassa country. Mr. A. said the swine were
equal to those in America in general, and the neat cattle superior
to any he had ever seen in Africa.
Caulker's house was furnishsd in English style; his dress ac-
corded with it, and he had an English school on his island.
Before he left the Plantain island, brother Andrus inquired of
Caulker whether the lime trees were growing on that island,
which the Rev. John Newton planted, while a slave in Africa.
Mr. Caulker said they were still growing: and showed them to
Mr. Andrus. Mr. A. plucked some branches, and brought them
to Sierra Leone.
Caulker, like all others who have had any intercourse with Kiz-
zell, consider him an unprincipled man and "a stranger" in the
country, and that our people could not have stopped at a more un-
suitable spot than Campelar. Tamba commenced his missionary
tour among the Sherbro (Bullum) people, with two Kroomen to
paddle his canoe.-Tamba and Davis are supported by the Church
Missionary Society in England, and they appear to be useful good
men.
O that the Lord would incline the hearts of Christians in Ame-
rica to send over labourers, who are willing to take their lives in
their hands, and go to the help of the Lord! to the help of the Lord,
against the mighty!
C
Wednesday morning, April 25th.-We were between the Ba-
nana islands and Cape Shilling, and had a fair view of each; Cape
Shilling is the place where the late Rev. Samuel Bacon died.
He left Campelar (Kizzell's Place) about the last of April, 1820,
in an open boat, for the purpose of going to Sierra Leone, in order
to procure medical aid. He expected to fall in with an English
vessel, but he was not in time. Therefore, he directed his men to
proceed on in the boat; he arrived at Cape Shilling on the first of
May. Cape Shilling is an English settlement of recaptured Afri-
cans. A Captain Randle was the English agent, residing there.
He received the Rev. Mr. Bacon into the mission-house, and hos-
pitably administered to his wants, as did also Mrs. Randle. They
affectionately acted the part of the good Samaritan, and render-
ed him every assistance in their power-For which I gave them
my most hearty thanks; as I visited them at Freetown, soon after
our arrival. And I pray God Almighty to bless and reward them
in this world, and in that which is to come.
Alas! the extreme anxiety of mind, of my dear brother, and
his most arduous labours among the American people of colour, at
Kizzell's Place; being as he was constantly employed with the
sick and dying both day and night, while sick himself, with the
use of that bad water, which it was said Kizzell did not use even
in his own family of native Africans, proved too much for him.
On the third day of May, 1820, he departed this life; and we have
good reason to believe he is with Christ, which is far better. He
27
was buried in a decent manner. Mr. and Mrs. Randle, paid him
the last acts of benevolence.
In him 'I lost an affectionate and dear brother, and a brother in
Christ, a counsellor, teacher and friend. O Africa! O Africa!
Thou hast lost a benefactor! Thou hast lost a bright and a shining
light-a preacher of righteousness! And the church of Christ on
earth, has lost an evangelist!
O Lord! I beseech thee to give me grace, so to live, and so to
labour, and so to glorify thee, that when thou shalt call upon me
to give an account of my one talent, I may not say, "here, Lord,
is the one talent which thou gavest me," &c. but may say, here am
I Lord, and those souls whom thou hast given me.
I did not go on shore at Cape Shilling; therefore, I could not
visit the grave of dear Samuel. The wind was fair which wafted
us along.
Thursday, April 26.-We had a head wind, and many difficul-
ties to encounter. We caught, however, an abundance of fish. Our
greatest difficulty was, as we came into the harbour of Sierra
Leone. Captain Martin, (as if he had not caused us sufficient trou-
ble) managing the vessel, to bring her into port, did not take in sail
in time and let go the anchor, but let her run against the wharf, and
it was with great difficulty that we got her off again, and brought
her to an anchor.
Indeed our troubles have been neither few nor small; sometimes
I have thought they were enough to exhaust the patience of a Job,
or appal the faith of a Moses. But the Lord had hitherto blessed
us, therefore we give him all of the glory both now and evermore.
Sierra Leone, Friday, April 27th. We had learned that the
Nautilus had sailed on her return to America, so that brother An-
drus resolved to return by the way of England.
At 10 o'clock, we visited Foura Bay Farm, which is about two
miles from Freetown. There we found Mr. Winn, conveniently
located with the blacks who accompanied us from America, together
with some of those from Sherbro. There is a large mansion-house
and several out-houses, and tenements, sufficiently capacious for
the accommodation of the people, and the storage of the goods, pro-
visions, &c. which Mr. Winn negotiated for about two weeks after
we sailed down the coast. We found our friends in tolerable
health, though there had been some slight cases of illness, accom◄
panied with fever, but they had mostly subsided, and the coloured
people said they were well pleased with Africa: they had lands
suitable for cultivation, and had made some progress.
After informing our friends of our obtaining lands, &c. Mr. An-
drus and myself, went back to Freetown, where he went on board
the schooner, and I visited the Rev. Samuel Flood, chaplain of the
English colony: after I had dined with him, he very politely fur-
nished me with a horse, on which I rode to Regent's town, where
my dear wife was sick of a fever; she had the attack on the even-
ing previous, but it was not very violent. We had abundant rea
95%
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28
son to be thankful to God, for his mercy, in sparing us to see each
other again in this world.
Mrs. Bacon was very politely and hospitably treated at good
Mr. Johnson's: she, morning and evening, enjoyed in the church,
the sight of the children of Ethiopia, stretching out their hands
unto God, and united with them in praising his most holy name.
Mr. Johnson was delighted to hear that we had made a contract
for lands in the Bassa country; he is very much interested in the
accomplishments of our several designs for the improvement of
the African race.
He is a faithful minister of Christ, and labours
to save the souls of his fellow men. We found it good to unite
again with those who daily offered up their supplications in our
behalf at the throne of grace.
Regent's town, Saturday morning, April 28th.-My dear wife
is just able to walk by leaning upon my arm; anxiety of mind
perhaps was one cause of her illness. At one o'clock, P. M. she
appears to be worse; she had a physician, who daily attends Miss
Johnson, who is also sick; four o'clock, there is not much alteration,
rather worse; O Lord, help us! At six o'clock, P. M. the people
are assembled in church, where there is reading, praising and pray-
ing: it is indeed gratifying to see the improvements which are
made here; the very hills resound with the praises of God, and of
the Lamb. O that the Lord would cause his word to extend from
the rivers to the ends of the earth!
:
Regent's town, Sunday morning, 29th April.-Mrs. Bacon is
very ill she is attended by Dr. Macauley Wilson, a native of the
Bullum tribe; he was educated in England, is an assistant surgeon
in this colony; a decent, well-behaved man; and is considered
skilful in his profession. This morning the church was filled at 6
o'clock, as is usual, and a lesson was read, together with singing
and prayers: after which we breakfasted, and then had prayers in
the family. Mrs. Bacon appears to be worse. O Lord, the issues
of life and death are in thine hand; spare my dear wife, if it be thy
will.
At 10 o'clock the people were all in motion, coming to the
church from all parts of the town. O! these are the fruits of the
labours of a faithful missionary, accompanied by the blessings of
that God who has said, “in the morning sow thy seed, and in the
evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not which shall
prosper, this, or that.”
It is enough for us to know that we are in the path of duty, and
endeavouring to do it by God's grace assisting us, without which
we can do nothing acceptable.
At 2 o'clock, P. M. the physician arrived; he thinks that Mrs.
Bacon will not have the fever very severely. At 3 o'clock, the
people are again flocking together to hear the word of life. Their
very countenances show that they are anxious to learn of HIM who
is meek and lowly of heart. "These are times which kings and
prophets desired to see," but did not see them; and as I walk
!
I
29
around the house in the piazza, I can see all parts of the settle-
ment, and there is scarcely an individual to be seen-all are at
church. Indeed "these people live a life of prayer and praise."
At 6 o'clock this evening the goodly shepherd again brake the
bread of life to his flock, whose appetites seem to crave more of
that, which, if a man eat thereof, he shall live forever. Thus the
labours of the Rev. Mr. Johnson are perpetuated; he preaches twice
or thrice every Sabbath, and has prayers in church morning and
evening, besides prayer meetings and lectures.
At 9 o'clock Mrs. Bacon appears no better; the fever seems to
increase this evening. O Lord, sanctify these afflictions to us;
may they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory.
Monday morning, 30th April.-Mrs. Bacon was worse last night
than at any time previous. I remain with her while the family are
at prayers, but it is deemed necessary that we should separate for
a short time. As we know every thing which could tend to melio-
rate her sufferings would be undoubtedly done; and as there was
business to transact at Foura Bay, discharging the schooner's crew,
and consulting with the agents upon the propriety of removing the
people from Sherbro, or sending them some necessaries of life;
therefore, my dear wife and myself deemed it expedient for me to
go, and leave the event to GOD, who doeth all things well. After
imploring God's blessing on us, I left Regent's town, with an ex-
pectation of visiting it again on the Wednesday evening following.
These are times which are calculated to try me, of what spirit I
am. As I walked from Regent's town, it was a time of self-ex-
amination. I inquired whether I was, or was not sorry that I came
to Africa; but I had expected sickness to occur, and perhaps death;
and I concluded if we were to die in endeavouring to benefit the
heathen, and destroy that most detestable traffic, the slave trade,
it would be in as good a cause as we could desire. I was fully
confirmed in the opinion, that Africa presented an ample field for
the exercises of benevolence, and that the Christian world owed
her a debt of gratitude; therefore, left the event to God alone, and
endeavoured to seek his direction.
I arrived at Foura Bay at 10 o'clock, A. M. and found some
slight illness among the people of colour, but nothing alarming,
except the case of one woman, who was in a decline before she
left America. I discharged the crew from the schooner in the bay,
and placed some of our men on board to take care of her.
Tuesday morning, 1st May.-A messenger arrived with a note
from Mr. Johnson, which informed me that Mrs. Bacon had less
fever than on the morning I left her; I immediately despatched
the messenger. Having exerted myself overmuch, and suffered
considerable anxiety of mind, and having moreover drank too
freely of water, which is thought to be prejudicial to the health of
white people in Africa; at 11 o'clock, A. M. I felt somewhat indis-
posed; perspiration ceased; I was attacked with pain in the back
30
1.
F
part of the head, neck, and back. I immediately went on board
the schooner, where brother Andrus and myself still had our lodg
ngs; took some medicine and retired to my birth. I soon found a
chilliness to pervade the whole system. I even found it necessary
to use flannel blankets. After about two hours, the chill was suc-
ceeded by fever, which continued until nine in the evening, when
it intermitted, the medicine having had its desired effect. The
stomach being in a state for the reception of tonics, and brother
Andrus having a small treatise of practice, by Dr. Winterbottom,
which directed bark to be given in as large quantities as the sto-
nach would receive, brother Andrus followed that plan during the
night, and attended to me very kindly.
Wednesday morning, 2d May.-No fever, and continued to use
the bark until 4 o'clock, P. M. Dr. Macauley Wilson arrived; after
he had been informed of the course which had been pursued, highly
approved of it; he then gave me two calomel pills, which had the
desired effect, after which the bark was continued.
Dr. Wilson had visited Mrs. Bacon, who is very much debili-
tated. This was the evening which I had proposed to visit her;
but, O Lord; thou knowest all things; the issues of life and death
are in thy hands, give us grace to bear afflictions. Thou wilt not
lay one stroke more upon us than will be beneficial; therefore, we
pray for grace to sustain in time of need.
Thursday morning, 3d May, Foura Bay. At four o'clock a chill
came on again, succeeded by fever, which continued until three
o'clock, P. M. After it had intermitted, brother Andrus again
gave me the bark, two or three teaspoonfuls once an hour. I had
become very much debilitated for so short an illness. A message
came from Mr. Johnson, saying that Mrs. Bacon had not as much
fever.
-
Monday morning, 7th May.-Being a little better, I went on
shore for the purpose of remaining. Mrs. Bacon who had heard of
my illness, was brought as far as Gloucester, where she became too
ill to proceed. These were trials of my faith; but during my
whole sickness, that peace was experienced which "passeth know-
ledge."
!
During the following days, I received several notes from the
Rev. Mr. During, at Gloucester, by one of his servants, which in-
formed me of the low state of Mrs. Bacon's health, and kindly
stated that every means should be exerted to make her as comfort-
able as the circumstances of her case would admit; however, her
anxiety about me was so great, that it was thought by her physi-
cian, that a removal to Foura Bay would probably be beneficial.
Mr. Johnson, therefore, again sent six or eight of his captured peo-
ple with a palanquin, accompanied by Dr. Wilson, who caused
her to be removed, although she was unable to sit
up. Those
Those peo-
ple were very affectionate; they would frequently remove the veil
of the palanquin and view her with tender compassion, saying,
"Poor mama sicke! white mama sicke!" At length the company
}
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:
31
*
arrived. Our heavenly Father permitted us once more to meet in
this world, and unite our thanksgivings to Him who is all in all to
those that love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday morning, May 13th.-About two o'clock, two of the offi-
eers of the United States schooner Alligator arrived at Foura Bay,
they having anchored off the harbour of Freetown the preceding
evening. We were much rejoiced to see them so ardently en-
gaged in the laudable work of annoying the detestable slave trade.
On Sundays there are meetings in the settlement, at which the
coloured preachers generally officiate, and they often meet for
prayers in the evenings during the week.
Monday, 14th May-We had the pleasure of seeing lieutenant
commandant Stockton, of the Alligator, by whose politeness we
received a number of communications from the United States:
Mrs. Bacon was so ill as not to be able to read her letters from her
friends; my health appears to be improving gradually.
Tuesday morning, 15th May.-The Alligator sailed on a cruize
to the south-eastward in search of slaving vessels. Mrs. Bacon still
remains very ill.
Mr. Winn and myself deemed it expedient to repair the schooner
Augusta, for the purpose of removing the people from Yonie, to the
Bassa country, as soon as the rainy season subsides, or sooner if
thought best. It was determined that I should cause the schooner
to be examined.
Wednesday, 16th May.-Brother Andrus is preparing to leave
us, on his return to the United States, by the way of England; very
little can be done during the rains, except attending to the wants
of the people.
Thursday morning, 17th May.—This day I walked to Freetown,
a distance of about two miles, for the purpose of procuring a ship-
carpenter, to examine the schooner and ascertain her condition,
and succeeded in obtaining one: I visited Mr. Justice Crage, who
very politely proposed that I should ride back, and lent me his
horse for that purpose. This day's exertion nearly proved fatal.
On my return, I also found Mrs. Bacon very ill, so that our
hopes of speedy recovery were blasted, and the prospects of future
usefulness clouded; however, we still continued to look for help
to God alone.
Friday, 18th May.-From this date not having kept a regular
diary, I shall only mention occurrences of the most importance.
The ship-carpenter examined the vessel and reported her worthy of
repairs; he was therefore employed to repair her as speedily as
possible; but despatch of business being uncommon, we were taught
to expect that probably six or eight weeks would be required to fit
her for use.
June 1st. For the past two weeks, Mrs. Bacon and myself have
been unable to attend to very little business of any kind. Mr.
Winn has been ill a few days. Mr. Andrus has engaged his passage
for England, and expects to sail in about ten days; he is much
----
32
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¡
pleased with the prospects of being useful in Africa, and appears
to be extremely well calculated for a missionary as well as an
agent; the climate agreeing with his constitution; his health,
hitherto, has been better than that of any of the agents.
June 11th, Monday.-Mrs. Bacon and myself are still rather
worse, more debilitated, particularly myself. We are so ill that
brother Andrus has suggested to us the propriety of his remaining
in my stead, and Mrs. Bacon and myself going to the United States,
it being supposed a sea voyage would prove beneficial to our healths.
Having been at Freetown for the purpose of making some arrange-
ments concerning his passage to England, and learnt that a schoon-
er, which was a prize vessel, but had been purchased by the ho-
nourable K. Macauley, is about to be sent to Barbadoes for sale,
and in this schooner he has been offered a passage free of expense.
On his first making the offer, I told him I did not feel disposed to
go, as I had not thought of returning; but, after further reflection,
I consulted my physician, who advised our taking the voyage.
consulted also Mr. Winn on the subject, and finally I concluded
to embrace the opportunity, provided Mrs. Bacon and myself could
obtain a passage. Mr. Andrus went again to Freetown, and ob-
tained a passage for us in the same schooner, being politely and
gratuitously offered by the honourable K. Macauley. Thus Mr. An-
drus very kindly consented to remain and assist Mr. Winn, if he
desired it, in my stead; for which kindness, as well as for making
the necessary preparations for the outfit, I feel much indebted to
him.
I
A
mg
1
-
Wednesday, 13th June. Our baggage was removed to the boat,
and we were by the assistance of our friends supported to walk to
the boat. We arrived at the schooner about six o'clock, P. M.
very much exhausted; we rested but indifferently during the night;
the next morning brought with it troubles long to be remembered,
but I hope never to forget the goodness of God in sustaining us by
his grace: : at about 9 o'clock the heat became oppressive; Mrs.
Bacon was taken extremely ill, and had she not obtained immediate
aid would probably have survived but a short time. But the timely
assistance of Dr. Riche, an English surgeon, by the blessing of God,
rendered her relief; at the same time I became worse myself.
Thus situated, neither of us able to help the other, just embarking
on a voyage of five thousand miles, a voyage too which we had re-
cently found very irksome, when we were enjoying the best of
health, it was by no means pleasant. When we came on board,
the time of our departure was not fixed; but as there was every
day more or less rain, our healths required that we should avail
ourselves of the first opportunity to get on board, that we might be
in readiness to sail at any moment, when the vessel should be pre-
pared. During the time of our laying in the harbour, we were both
more ill than at any time previous; we were situated in the cabin
in opposite births, one on each side, unable to assist each other, or
to help ourselves; the coloured man who was to accompany us was
!
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33
employed in procuring the necessary supplies, so that he could be
with us but little. Brother Andrus visited us occasionally, which
rendered our situation more agreeable; still, however, we were
often under the necessity of calling on the captain, and S. Easton,
esq. the supercargo. When they were on board they were very
obliging to us. These were solemn hours. As we viewed each
other, it appeared probable that the time of our separation was
near at hand. Still our hope was in GOD.
At length we took leave of our friends on Saturday, the 16th of
June, and sailed out of the harbour of Sierra Leone with the morn-
ing tide, but did not proceed far before evening. In the evening
I was much worse; indeed it was a time long to be remembered, I
had no expectations of surviving; accordingly I gave directions to
my wife, and commended her, together with the cause in which we
were engaged, to HIM who has promised to be a father to the father-
less, and the widow's God. Death appeared fast approaching, and
I must say that grim messenger had lost his terrors, and I could
then exclaim, "O grave, where is thy victory!" It was solemn
but interesting to behold the dear wife of my bosom, though unable
to help herself, making what appeared to be the last effort to render
my last moments comfortable. The exercises of my mind, under
these circumstances, I am unable to describe. The happiness of
which I then enjoyed a foretaste, was unspeakable; not that I had
merited any thing of myself, neither was I worthy of the comfort
with which I was favoured; Christ was all in all.
I soon
Sunday morning, 17th June.-I awoke, and was astonished to
find myself in this troublesome world. I was exercised with dread-
ful pains, which pervaded my whole system. For a considerable
time I was unable to speak. Discovering our family Bible lying
near, I made signs for it to be given to me, which it was.
spoke; I had no distinct recollections of the exercises of my mind
during the night, but I imagined that I had arisen from the bed of
death. I then thought I esteemed the Bible much more highly than
*The Rev. Joseph R. Andrus departed this life on the 28th July, 1821, after
a short illness, at Sierra Leone, on the coast of Africa. By the death of this
pious and worthy man, the church and the cause of humanity have sustain-
ed an additional loss. "When the glories of the mightiest and proudest con-
queror that ever dazzled the world with the splendour of his exploits, shall
have faded away, and have been rolled in that oblivious tide which sweeps
away all that man calls good and great, the names of Andrus, and Bacon, and
Mills, shall shine bright in the philanthropic page. The sons of Africa shall
tell to their latest descendants, how these men of God left father and mother,
and brother and sister, and all the sweet endearments of friendship and of home,
to cross the wide ocean, and dwell beneath the burning sky, and the blasting
heats of her inhospitable wilds, and counted not their own lives dear unto them,
that they might preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Their infants shall
be taught to lisp the names of these benefactors of their race, to lift their
hearts in gratitude to Him who inclined these servants of the Most High to go
forth in order to prepare in their desert a highway to the Lord."
Since the death of the above, we have to record the melancholy intelligence
of the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Winn, who died at the same place in the month
of August, 1821.
E
!
34
.
}
I had ever before; I considered it holy indeed, and that almost a
touch would pollute it. Probably the change of air, and the motion
of the vessel caused the fever to form a crisis, which the constitu-
tion, by Divine assistance, was enabled to endure.
After this, a gradual recovery took place; my wife was my phy-
sician, and constant attendant and directress. Still we found diffi-
culties which were unpleasant. The captain and mate were Eng-
lishmen, and several of the crew; but several others were Spaniards,
beside which there were some negroes. To these the Spaniards
took a dislike, from the time of embarkation: several rencounters
took place, the Spaniards not unfrequently threatened the lives of
the negroes; but Mr. Easton (the supercargo,) the captain, and
sometimes Mrs. Bacon, dissuaded them from executing their horrid
threats. We were, however, fearful that murder would be com-
mitted, as the Spaniards were of that class of perpetrators taken
from the slave-ships, and were permitted to leave or rather were
banished from the English colony.-There was great danger of
their raising a mutiny, so that the captain, supercargo and mate
were always on the watch, having their arms near at hand, even
when they retired to rest. Those fears rendered our passage not as
agreeable as it otherwise would have been: the officers were very
obliging at all times. At length we arrived at the island of Barba-
does, the windward island of the West Indies, on the 10th of July,
with our healths somewhat repaired. This island is situated plea-
santly, under a well regulated government, established by the Brit-
ish. Mrs. Bacon and myself were just able to walk from the wharf
to the boarding-house, about forty or fifty yards distance. There
we remained four days, after which we took passage in an English
vessel for Martinique, where we arrived in about twenty-four hours.
We remained in Martinique until the 29th of July. This island
we found to be very sickly, and we were more debilitated when we
left it than we were when we arrived. We took passage from
thence in an American schooner, commanded by J. Pennington, of
Great Eggharbour, and for about eight days we had a delightful
passage; after that we were almost becalmed, and at length a storm
came on, the wind N. E. which carried us into the Gulf stream; we
arrived within a short distance of Cape Lookout, then tacked ship
and lay to under a short-reefed foresail about three days, the greater
part of the time in the gulf, which caused me to be very sea-sick.
At length the storm abated, and on Monday, the 13th August, we
had a brisk wind, which wafted us into Hampton Roads, and on
Tuesday we arrived at Norfolk, in a convalescent state of health.
C
1
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Notwithstanding our troubles have been neither few nor small,
yet more abundantly has been the grace of God afforded us;
therefore we give Him all the glory, both now and for ever.
}
APPENDIX.
An Abstract of Proceedings of the Church Missionary Society for
West Africa, published in London, 1819-20.
By the latest intelligence, therefore, which has been received,
it appears that ten stations in the colony are occupied by missiona-
ries and teachers connected with the society. The colonial schools
in Freetown are under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Beckley and
Mary Bouffler; assisted by George Fox and Mrs. Fox, native
teachers. In the eastern part of the colony, bordering on the Tim-
manees, at Kissey, the Rev. G. R. Nylander, the minister, has
under him Stephen Caulker, a native usher; and Mrs. Wenzel
has charge of the girls' school-at Waterloo, the Rev. J. G. Wilhelm
and Mrs. Wilhelm are just stationed; as Mr. and Mrs. Lisk are
at Hastings. Crossing to the south-western part of the colony, at
Kent, Mr. and Mrs. Randle are placed in charge of the inhabi-
tants; and, returning to the stations to the southward and west-
ward of Freetown, and in its more immediate vicinity-at Char-
lotte, are Mr. and Mrs. Taylor; and, at Leopold, the Rev. Mel-
chior Renner, Mrs. Renner, and William Allen, a native assistant
B
-at Regent's Town, the Rev. William Johnson is assisted by Mr.
Bull, by his sister Hannah Johnson, and by the three natives be-
fore mentioned, Tamba, Davis, and Noah, who are here under prepa-
ration for labouring among their countrymen, and, in the mean time,
employ in visiting them whatever time they can spare from their
own preparation-at Gloucester, are the Rev. Henry Durang and
Mrs. Durang; and, at Wilberforce, the Rev. Henry Charles Decker.
In these stations there are, therefore, twenty-eight Christian la-
bourers; from whom many thousands of negroes, recently liberated
from slave-ships, hear the truths of the gospel; and under whom,
upwards of 2000 scholars, adults and children, are in a course of
constant instruction.
The Rev. Thomas Rock Garnsey, and the Rev. Samuel Flood,
have been appointed by government, on the recommendation of the
society, to succeed Messrs. Garnon and Collier, as first and se-
cond chaplains. They embarked for the colony on the 29th of
January, on board the " Catalina ;" and, after encountering some
danger in the Gambia by the oversetting of a boat, reached the co-
lony about the middle of March. They will render every assist-
ance in their power to further the society's designs. The Rev.
Melchior Renner and the Rev. G. R. Nylander had been appointed
by the governor, to the temporary supply of the duty of those
offices.
For the regulation of the affairs of the mission, meetings of the
36
chaplains and missionaries are held in Freetown, on the first Tues -
day in January, April, July, and October. A prayer meeting, like-
wise, is held every second Tuesday in the month, to implore the
Divine blessing on all missionary efforts, and to pray for the main-
tenance of unity and brotherly love: this meeting was suspended
during the months of August, September, and October, by the ex-
cessively heavy rains, and the sickness which accompanied them;
J
but it was afterward resumed.

PRO
Am
Make me m
JET
VIEW OF REGENT'S TOWN.
C
Mr. Johnson's return to this country afforded, as has been be-
fore stated, an opportunity of obtaining much more accurate in-
formation on the nature and success of his labours among the
liberated negroes at Regent's Town, than could have been derived
from correspondence with him. In frequent conferences, he en-
tered largely into the subject; and disclosed, with Christian sim-
plicity, the whole course of labour through which it had pleased
God to lead him.
Your committee will venture to say, that the history of the
church has scarcely afforded so striking an instance of the power
of Christianity in civilizing and blessing savage man. The state
of the negroes when brought together in Regent's Town, the effects
produced on them by the blessing of God on the care and kind-
ness of the governor and on the ministry of the gospel among
them, and the manner in which these effects disclosed themselves,
are of such a nature, that, though various circumstances relative
thereto have been reported on former occasions, the committee are
-
37
persuaded that the members will be gratified by hearing the state-
ment communicated by Mr. Johnson while in this country.
--
When brought together at this place in the year 1813, the ne-
groes were, as on the first settling of them in other towns, in the
most deplorable condition. In 1816, the assistant secretary, then
on a visit to the mission, found about 1100 liberated negroes as-
sembled at this spot. They consisted of persons from almost all
the tribes on that part of the continent. The efforts of those who
had been placed over them, under the vigilant and anxious inspec-
tion of the governor, had meliorated the condition of such as had
been there for any length of time. Every measure in his power
had been resorted to, for this end, by his excellency; and a church
had been erected, in preparation for the regular administration of
Christian ordinances among them. His excellency felt that a
powerful stimulus was wanted, to rouse the negroes to diligence;
and that an energetic principle was required, which might harmo-
nize their jarring feelings, and unite them as one body. That sti-
mulus was found in the sense of duty and of gratitude which
Christianity inspires; and that uniting principle, in the healing
spirit of the gospel.
At the desire of the governor, Mr. Johnson, then just arrived, was
placed, by the assistant secretary, at his excellency's disposal; and
was, in consequence, appointed to the care of Regent's Town, and
immediately entered on his charge, in the month of June, 1816.
;
On looking narrowly into the actual condition of the people en-
trusted to his care, Mr. Johnson felt great discouragement. Na-
tives of twenty-two different nations were here collected together;
and a considerable number of them had been but recently libe-
rated from the holds of slave-vessels: they were greatly preju
diced against one another, and in a state of continual hostility,
with no common medium of intercourse but a little broken Eng-
lish. When clothing was given to them, they would sell it, or
throw it away: it was difficult to induce them even to put it on;
and it was not found practicable to introduce it among them, till
led to it by the example of Mr. Johnson's servant girl. None of
them, on their first arrival, seemed to live in the state of marriage:
some were soon afterwards married by the late Mr. Butscher; but
all the blessings of the marriage state and of female purity appeared,
when Mr. Johnson arrived among them, to be quite unknown. In
some huts, ten of them were crowded together; and, in others,
even fifteen and twenty: many of them were ghastly as skeletons:
six or eight sometimes died in one day; and only six infants were
born during the year. Superstition, in various forms, tyrannized
over their minds: many devil's houses sprung up; and all placed
their security in wearing gregres. Scarcely any desire of improve-
ment was discernible: for a considerable time, there were hardly
five or six acres of land brought under cultivation; and some who
wished to cultivate the soil, were deterred from doing so by the
fear of being plundered of the produce. Some would live in the
woods, apart from society; and others subsisted by thieving and
38
E
plunder: they would steal fowls, ducks, and pigs, from any who
possessed them: in the first week of his residence among them,
Mr. Johnson lost thirty fowls: they would eat them raw; and not
a few of them, particularly those of the Ebo nation, the most sa-
vage of them all, would prefer any kind of refuse meat to the ra-
tions which they received from government.
Of this nation of the Ebos it may be right to give some particu-
lars. About forty of them having been drawn, on their liberation
from the slave-ships, to serve in the African corps, they were
placed under a course of military instruction at Bance island; but
were discharged as intractable, and were sent to Regent's Town.
Here they soon gave proof of almost incredible brutality. A ne-
gro, of another tribe, had a sow, which, three or four days before,
had brought him a litter of nine pigs: some of these people stole
his young pigs, and threw them all, while alive, into a large pot of
boiling water: there the man found them, when, on returning home
and ascertaining his loss, he had obtained Mr. Johnson's authority
to search for them among his suspected neighbours. From ano-
ther were stolen his dog and his iron pot, and he found both among
the same depredators, who were preparing for a repast on the poor
animal, by boiling him in the pot which they had stolen. A sick
dog had been killed, and buried: it was afterwards discovered
that some of these people had dug up and made soup of the carcase.
These are repulsive details; but they set forth the greatness of
the change which has been wrought in these men. Placed under
the care of one of the natives-himself but recently liberated from
the hold of a slave-ship, and as yet but little influenced by Chris-
tian principle-he exercised over them what appeared to him to
be unavoidable severity; but, when his own heart became power-
fully affected by the gospel, he would retire to the woods and pray
for them-they formed a strong attachment to him-he prevailed
on them to attend church-and was made an instrument of incal-
culable good to them. The word of God was blessed to many of
them. They are all now civilized and married: they are steady,
sober, and industrious; and several of them regularly communi-
cate at the Lord's table: all are become clean and decent, and at-
tend the public worship of God. They are active and serviceable
men.
G
The change in the Ebo people has been mentioned as illus-
trating, in a remarkable manner, the efficacy of Christian instruc-
tion, under the Divine blessing, in civilizing and elevating the most
abject of mankind. No human wisdom or eloquence, no secular
hopes or fears, no coercion or inducement of man, ever produced
such a change! It has been the act of that same divine power,
which wrought, by the same divine truth, that mighty change in
our own barbarous ancestors, in the older times of our country,-of
that divine power, which softened their ferocious minds, stripped
the skins of beasts and cleansed the savage daubings from their
persons, staunched the blood of human victims, exposed to shame
the cruelties of their pagan idolatry, brought rude man to feel the
ید
39
blessings of social life and of all the meek and heavenly tempers of
the Christian, and gave birth to those laws and institutions, which,
reacting with a benign influence on the minds and manners of this
whole people, have rendered us, with all our crimes, a real blessing
to the world! And now, in these latter days, we have a renewal
of the moral miracles of the primitive age, and have the honour
put on us, by sending the gospel to the most degraded of mankind,
of quickening and rendering efficacious, in an incalculable degree,
the efforts of our country to remunerate Africa for her wrongs.
But the improvement in the whole body of the liberated negroes
assembled at Regent's Town is truly surprising. The greater num-
ber were not, indeed, sunk into a state of degradation so low as
that of the Ebos; but the description already given of them will
sufficiently show, that, on all human calculation, but little success
could be expected; and that little but by slow degrees.
With what melancholy feelings Mr. Johnson surveyed the de-
solation around him, the members heard from his own lips, when
he took leave of the Society, at the special meeting, held in this
place, in the month of November.
But what was the condition of these people when Mr. Johnson
left them, for a season, after the labour of about three years? A
full return had been made for the wise and benevolent measures
of the governor, and for the unwearied labours of their pastor.
The eye which beheld the people and their town but a few
years
before, would now witness a scene that would bespeak the energy
of some mighty principle.
The town itself is laid out with regularity-nineteen streets are
formed, and are made plain and level, with good roads round the
town-a large stone church rises in the midst of the habitations—
a government house, a parsonage house, a hospital, school houses,
store houses, a bridge of several arches, some native dwellings, and
other buildings, all of stone, are either finished or on the point of
being so. But the state of cultivation further manifests the indus-
try of the people-all are farmers-gardens, fenced in, are attached
to every dwelling-all the land in the immediate neighbourhood is
under cultivation, and pieces of land even to the distance of three
miles-there are many rice-fields; and among the other vegetables
raised for food, are cassadas, plantains, coco, yams, coffee, and
Indian corn-of fruits, they have bananas, oranges, limes, pine-
apples, ground-nuts, guavas, and papaws,-of animals, there are
horses, cows, bullocks, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, and fowls-a daily
market is held, for the sale of articles; and, on Saturdays, this
market is large and general. It has been already said that all are
farmers; but many of them, beside the cultivation of the ground,
have learned and exercised various trades: 50 of them are masons
and bricklayers-40, carpenters-30, sawyers-30, shingle-makers
-20, tailors-4, blacksmiths-and 2, butchers. In these various
ways, upward of 600 of the negroes maintain themselves; and have
been enabled, in this short space of time, by the fruits of their own
productive industry, to relieve from all expense, on their personal
40
་
A
account, that government to which they pay the most grateful alle-
giance.
The appearance and manners of the people have improved in an
equal degree. They are all now decently clothed; almost all the
females have learned to make their own clothing-about 400 cou-
ple are married-they were accustomed to spend their nights in
dancing and drumming, after the heathenish fashion of their coun-
tries: not a drum is now left in the town-in six months, only six
deaths occurred; while, in three months, forty-two children were
born-not an oath had been heard in the town, to Mr. Johnson's
knowledge, for the last twelve months; nor had any drunkenness
been witnessed the attendance on public worship is regular and
large, three times on the Sunday; on an average, not less than 1200
or 1300 negroes, while Mr. Johnson's first congregation amounted
but to nine: at morning and evening daily prayers, not less than
500 are present-the schools, which opened with 90 boys and 50
girls with 36 adults, now contain upward of 500 scholars.
J
These were great encouragements to Mr. Johnson in his labours:
but he was not satisfied with the reformation of the manners of his
people: he prayed for indications of a change of heart, and the in-
fluence of a living principle. Nor did he wait long. One and
another began to visit him, burdened by a sense of their sins, to
ask what they were to do to be saved; disclosing to him the gracious
influences of the Holy Spirit on their hearts, in the most simple
and touching manner. He saw persons, in every direction, before
they came to attend morning and evening daily worship, kneeling
in private prayer behind bushes and houses. All, without excep-
tion, wish for baptism: but Mr. Johnson admits none to that ordi-
nance till he is satisfied of their intelligence and integrity. All
have abandoned polygamy, gregres, and devil worship. The bap-
tized are in the habit of regularly partaking of the Lord's Supper,
unless prevented by illness; and when Mr. Johnson left, in April
of last year, the number of communicants amounted to 263. The
converts are earnest for the salvation of their country people, and
are continually going to them to persuade them to embrace the
gospel and they are equally anxious for their mutual edification;
Mr. Johnson seldom visiting a sick communicant without finding
some of his Christian brethren or sisters there, employed in offices
of devotion or charity. So striking and remarkable, indeed, has
been the influence of the Divine word, that Mr. Johnson has with-
held from the Society many of the indications of grace among
negroes, lest they should appear incredible.
his
And it has been the plain and simple preaching of the mercy of
God, as displayed in Christ Jesus, which has been rendered the in-
strument of quickening and giving efficacy to the benevolent mea-
sures of government, and of producing this mighty change-brought
home, indeed, as this preaching was, by the patient labours of an
affectionate servant of the Lord. In negro towns, where this word
of salvation has been, for want of ministers, but unfrequently or
irregularly preached, the natives are far behind in civilization and
T
Vi
41
!
in all the benefits of social and domestic life. Mr. Johnson's course
of labour was-to preach Christ as the Saviour of sinners-at morn-
ing and evening daily worship, to set forth to the people the simple
truths of the gospel-to follow up these instructions and prayers,
by visiting from house to house-to reprove sin wherever he wit-
nessed it-to open to the people the miserable estate of a sinner,
and the way of escape and deliverance by the grace of the gospel.
The testimony of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jesty to the state of Re-
gent's Town is truly gratifying. They visited it in the beginning of
April.
Of the attendance on public worship, on Sundays, Mr. Jesty
writes-
"At ten o'clock, I saw a sight which at once astonished and de-
lighted me. The bell at the church rung for divine service; on
which Mr. Johnson's well-regulated schools of boys and girls walk-
ed, two and two, to the church.
CC
The eagerness of the inhabitants to hear the Word, will appear
from their early attendance on the means of grace. It is true,
there is a bell in the steeple of the church; but it is of little use at
Regent's Town; for the church is generally filled half an hour be-
fore the bell tolls. The greatest attention is paid during the service.
Indeed, I witnessed a Christian congregation in a heathen land-
a people fearing God and working righteousness. The tear of
godly sorrow rolled down many a coloured cheek, and showed the
contrition of a heart that felt its own vileness.
"At three o'clock in the afternoon, there was again a very full
attendance; so that scarce an individual was to be seen throughout
the town; so eager are they to hear the Word, and to feed on that
living bread that came down from heaven!
-
"At six we met again; and although many had to come from a
considerable distance and up a tremendous hill, I did not perceive
any decrease of number, or any weariness in their attendance on
the means of grace.
"Never did I witness such a congregation, in a professing Chris-
tian land; nor ever behold such apparent sincerity and brotherly
love."
Of the monthly meeting, held on the following evening, Mr. Jesty
says-
•
C
Mr. Johnson and myself entered the names of subscribers and
received their mites: and I cannot but notice, that, in one minute
after Mr. Johnson and myself were ready to receive the money and
names, we were surrounded by several hundred humble friends to
missionary exertions, crying, as it were with one voice, Massa,
take my money; Massa, Massa, take mine; Eight coppers, one
moon.' It was, indeed, a pleasing sight, to behold a people, once
led captive at the will of satan, devoted to gross superstition and
folly, embracing their gregres and trusting in them for defence,
and once expending all the money that they could spare in the pur-
chase of these false gods, now conquered by the love and power of
Him that taketh away the sin of the world; and now, with cheer-
F
A
42
ful and renewed hearts, giving of their little substance to aid those
means which, by the blessing of God, will communicate the privi-
leges of the gospel to their countrymen also.
"From these few poor and once injured and despised Africans,
we collected that evening about 21. 7s. Oh, my countrymen, fellow
Christians in highly favoured England, you who have multiplied
and daily renewed comforts and blessings, Go and do likewise!
เ
FROM LONDON MISSIONARY PAPERS.

I
#pem
CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,
In this engraving you have a picture of one of those frightful
figures which the Africans make of the devil.
The Bassas live about 400 miles below Sierra Leone. Mr. Cates,
one of the Society's teachers in Sierra Leone, travelled down the
coast, and visited the Bassas. He had with him, in this journey,
two negroes, who had become Christians in Sierra Leone. They
were, William Tamba, and William Davis; William Davis came
from the Bassa country. They had both been taken, with thou-
sands more, out of the ships which were carrying them into slavery,
and were set free in Sierra Leone; where many of them, by the
blessing of God on the labours of Mr. Johnson and others, are be-
come Christians.
The chief man of the Bassa country is named king John; he re-
ceived Mr. Cates and his friends in a very hospitable manner. The
aged chief listened attentively while the scriptures were read and
explained to him and his people. They were very willing that
William Davis, who is a native of the country, should settle among
them as a teacher.
And greatly do these people stand in need of the blessings of
Christianity. Superstition reigns here, as on other parts of the
coast, with cruel tyranny over the minds of the multitude. It is
customary, as among other tribes, to dress up some terrific figure,
*
43
I
which the poor creatures are taught to believe is the devil of their
country, able and ready to inflict on them all kinds of injury, if he
be not propitiated and obeyed.
You see this strange figure in the engraving. In the person sup-
posed to be holding a conference with this figure, the engraver has
given a tolerable likeness of the late excellent Mr. Cates, in the
light dress in which he travelled down the country; his native
friends stand behind him. In the back ground are the natives, re-
presented at those noisy revels which accompany the appearance
of the demon.
The nightly roarings of this demon, with the drumming and noise
of the people, had broken the rest of Mr. Cates and his friends. On
the morning of their departure they got a view of him.
The man who acts the part of devil is dressed up in the manner
shown in the engraving. A garment of dried grass or rushes covers
him, and reaches to the ground; his arms and feet are concealed;
a white country-cloth covers his shoulders; round his head, and
tied under his chin, are two or three cotton handkerchiefs; the
face is frightful; the mouth and nose are black; two large teeth
project far beyond the lips; a row of coarse shells is bound round
above the eyes; on the head is a red cap, which reaches four or five
feet in height, and is surmounted with a plume of feathers.
Sometimes this figure would move about in a stately style; and
at others it would turn into all sorts of postures, and strike the
plume of feathers on the ground, uttering a noise like that occa-
sioned by blowing through a pipe, the mouth of which is immersed
in water.
Mr. Cates offered to the king every inducement in his power to
obtain possession of the habiliments of this terrific figure, that he
might carry them out of the country; but could not prevail. The
king said that the devil belonged to the people, and that they would
kill him if he let it go. He was evidently embarrassed by the re-
quest, and Mr. Cates, therefore, dropped the matter. We trust
that the light of the gospel will, ere long, expose to shame these de-
lusions of cunning and superstition.
NEGRO MISSIONARY MEETING.
THE light of the gospel has already shone on many Africans.
They have been delivered from the power of darkness, and trans-
lated into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
Some account was given, in the Quarterly paper for Christmas
last, of the formation of a Missionary Association among the ne-
groes who had been set free from slave-ships, and are now living
under the care of the Rev. W. Johnson, one of the Society's mis-
sionaries, who is minister of Regent's town, in Sierra Leone. Hun-
dreds of these negroes give their pence and two-pences. They
raised in the first year, to help the Society which had been the
means of blessing them, the sum of 33l. 7s. Id.
And
44
And no wonder! Read the following account of the speeches of
some of these Christian negroes, at the first annual meeting of the
Association; and you will see that it was the love of Christ which
constrained these men and women to love the souls of their coun-
try-people.
I recollect," said one, "how we went on, at first coming, in
sin and wickedness, and did not know what was told us. But the
Lord sent his missionary, who brought us to pray, which was for
our good. When we were sold, we thought we should die, but God
had mercy upon us. If we have two, three, or four coppers, we
must give them. Suppose a man be blind, and go walk in the fire,
we must stop him. Our country-people are the same-they are
ignorant, and know not God; so we must pray for them, and for
the Society, that they may send missionaries to teach them the
right way. If we had been left in our own country, we should
have been ignorant still; and we did not come by our own strength,
but by the will of God, for God led us."
Another liberated negro thus followed his countryman :—" I
stand not in my own strength, but come to serve the living God.
When man or woman first converted, they think they find no more
trouble. I have trouble-but Jesus is the same, yesterday, and to-
day, and for ever! Our country -people are in darkness; but Jesus
knows the worst, and is able to save the worst; so all must pay
coppers for missionary. No man can do good by his own strength;
and suppose we give coppers, it is no great thing, it is Jesus who
must send missionary to preach."
A third native, of the same class, added:-"I have great reason
to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for his goodness and mercy, when
I think of what sin and misery I was in. My father die, my mo-
ther die, and I had nobody to take care of me; then they sell me,
but it pleased God to bring me here. At first I was sick, and like
to die; but God had mercy on me, and I thank him for his long
suffering: then I used to beat the drum, and talk bad when the
moon shone, and do all manner of evil, and did not know what was
preached. Afterwards I hear that Jesus Christ came to die for sin-
ners-I feel it, and it pleases God to enable me to hear it now:
but they say a big hole is God, and worship it. Though we cannot
save their souls from hell, yet we can give coppers to send mis-
sionaries, as there is no way to be saved but by Jesus Christ; for
except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Stand not still, and say, we can do nothing:' but try to pray and
send missionary. Suppose you go to jail, you soon come out again;
but if you go to hell you never come out."
The address of a fourth liberated native cannot be read without
surprise at its strength and cogency:-"I thank God for what he has
done for me! When I was sold, at first I thought they would eat me,
but I knew not that Jesus Christ had put me in the good way; as
he
says, I will lead the blind by a way that they know not, and by
paths which they have not known. We ought all to consider how
few live here now that came in the same ship with us-hardly half.
!
ܚ
45
1
事​。
They are dead; and what place are they gone to? When I first
came I knew nothing, and laughed at prayer; and should have been
in hell, if God had not spared me, and opened mine eyes.
"Some people say, ' How do you know that any body go to hell?
Did ever any one die and come back? We must not trust to that;
we do not see every thing; we do not see God, but we see the sun
and moon, the trees, and all the other things. Did ever any person
see a mountain or a stone make these things?-then we know that
God made them.
"Some say, 'Suppose me go to hell, me soon die there-big fire
soon kill me; then me no feel:' but God says you no die in hell.
Suppose you put stone in the fire, he can't be burnt! No-fire can't
burn him he always live there! God says the wicked have hearts
of stone, and fire will not melt them.
"We must believe that Jesus shed his blood for sinners, and
pray for our country-people: if we cannot speak English, we must
pray in our country tongue; Jesus can hear, for he knows our
thoughts. Suppose we work not for the king, and have but little
money, we must give little. When we go to Freetown, suppose
we have a few coppers, we want not more-we no want houses and
plenty things there, because we no live there; so we are strangers
in the world, and should trust in the Lord, and be easy with little,
that we may spare some for send missionary to our country-people.
Suppose we don't believe, we must give an account of every word
we hear, and then we shall have nothing to say; but if we belong
to Jesus, he waits to take us to heaven, where there is no sickness,
nor sorrow, but we shall sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.”
A collection was made, which amounted to 5l. 10s. 8d.
Extract of a Letter from Mr. Cates to the Secretary of the Church
Missionary Society, dated April 19th, 1819.
After experiencing manifold mercies for ten weeks, we have
been brought back in health and safety. The prospect of success
you will learn from my Journal.
In several places there is a willingness to receive missionaries,
particularly in the Bassa country, of which William Davis is a
native. During four days that we remained at the King's Town,
I was called on, three or four times in a day, to read and explain
the word of God to them; while they heard with marked atten-
tion, and devised every means that they could to retain it in their
memories. The head-men from the different towns, in King John's
dominions assembled, and consulted on the propriety of receiving
teachers. There was not a single dissentient voice; but, on the
contrary, many (among whom the king was foremost) were anxious
that we should speedily send some person to them. The king wil-
lingly acquiesced in a proposal which I made to him, to place Wil-
liam Davis among his countrymen as a teacher; and, though he
WOR
...
46
would have been glad to receive an European, acknowledged the
propriety of commencing the mission with an African. Should
the people show the sincerity of their desire to receive instruction
by a diligent attendance on him, it would be an encouragement af-
terward to send an European.
There are many other places where missionaries would be glad-
ly received, but they do not appear so well suited to begin with an
African; as the principal men have, from long acquaintance with
Englishmen, made such progress in civilization, as to possess gene-
ral knowledge superior to any of our Christian negroes. This is
the case particularly at the Galinas, where there are some families
who received a liberal education in England, during the triumph
of the slave trade: they are still much addicted to this nefarious
traffic; but are so far convinced of the advantage of education,
that they would receive a white missionary, though they would
treat contemptuously any attempt to send a liberated slave to them.
FROM THE ROYAL GAZETTE, SIERRA LEONE.
DREADFUL OCCURRENCE.
In further accumulation of the horrors incident to the slave
trade, we have to notice the fate of the Spanish slaving schooner
Carlota, which sunk a few days since off the Galinas, with a full
complement of slaves on board.
This vessel was one of several brought in here collectively,
somewhat above twelve months since, by H. M. ship Myrmidon,
Capt. Leeke, and H. M. ship Morgiana, Capt. Sandilands. The
Carlota was in some ambiguous situation, as a kind of prize to a
kind of cruiser, carrying Artigas colours. After some investiga-
tion, both were allowed to sail hence; and the Carlota, it appears,
returned to the Havana, to refit for another slaving voyage, on
which she was permitted to proceed, notwithstanding the expira-
tion of the time limited by treaty for the total abolition on the part
of Spain, on the ground that the preceding voyage had been ren-
dered abortive.
The Carlota sailed from the Havana, and was found at the Ga-
linas by Sir George Collier, in his voyage down the coast. The
cargo of the Carlota was on shore with every appearance that it
was in the course of barter for slaves. The commodore took her
down as far as Cape Coast, and after authenticating some papers
to show the illegality of her voyage, allowed her to depart. She
returned, it appears, to the Galinas, and there took in two hun-
dred and fifty slaves, with whom she sailed from the coast; but
dreadful to relate, before she had proceeded far, she was taken
unprepared by a tornado, overset and sunk, and all on board pe-
rished, with the exception of twelve! The intelligence of this hor-
rid event has been brought to the colony by three Spanish sailors
belonging to the vessel, who arrived a few days since in a very
7
47
}
small boat in a wretchedly exhausted condition. They were im-
mediately placed in the military hospital, where, notwithstanding
the greatest attention and kindest treatment, one of them has since
died; the other two continue still in a very weak state.
N
FROM NILES' REGISTER.
THE MURDEROUS TRAFFIC.
We observe that two vessels have been captured at Bonny, ou
the coast of Africa, by the boats of the British vessels, Tartar and
Thistle. One of them was a schooner of many heavy guns, and an
abundance of small arms, manned by about fifty of "the most des-
perate fellows unhung," as the account says; and great address,
as well as some very severe fighting, was necessary to take her.
She had Spanish colours, but her crew, by their language, were
chiefly American or English, who appeared to be excessively
alarmed at their condition, after capture, fearfully looking to their
well earned reward, the gallows. On board this vessel there were
450 slaves, among whom the dysentery already prevailed, by which
many had died, and the dead and dying were mixed together.
The other was under the Portuguese flag, and having only just
commenced business, had only about 100 slaves on board. In the
former, the women, who were said to be comfortably stowed, com-
pared with the men, had a room four feet high, sixteen feet long,
and nine feet wide to sleep in. One hundred of them were cram-
med into this place, wherein the thermometer stood at 100°. We
pray that in some of the captures made, evidence may be had to
commit some of the principals in this nefarious trade. The exe-
cution of a dozen or two of persons living in the United States
would do much to check it, and save hundreds of lives in a year.
From the New Monthly Magazine, for Sept. 1821, p. 455.
Accounts from Africa have been received from Sierra Leone.
They relate to the mission of a Mr. O'Beirne, who had been sent to
form friendly commercial relations with some of the native powers.
It appears that he entered the Limba country by Laiah, a town
about 20 miles from the river, which bounds the Timmanee coun-
try. The chiefs treated him kindly; and the chief of Port Logo
especially, who accompanied him to Woolla, and sent his brother
with him to Kookoona. From the latter place he proceeded to the
Foulah frontier, but was stopped for a few days at a place called
Berricouri, on his route. The difficulty surmounted, he passed
from Berricouri to Teembo, six days' journey, where he was
most favourably received by Almamy Abdool, and his subordi-
nate chiefs. The Foulah people held a palaver, and agreed to
trade with Sierra Leone, by the direct road to Port Logo. While
at Teembo, Mr. O'Beirne gave up his intention of penetrating
further into the interior, in consequence of the arrival of a Sela-
Va
48
colet messenger from Dacha, king of Sego, on his way to the go-
vernor of Sierra Leone, with a letter inviting the visits and trade
of white men to Sego. Dacha also requests the king of Teembo to
protect any travellers who may pass through Foutah-Jatton to Bam-
bana, as his (Dacha's) strangers. The messenger was attended by
three men of the late Royal African corps, one of them said to be a
European serjeant, who accompanied Dr. Dockard to Bambarra.
It is probable that some light will be thrown upon African geogra-
phy and customs by these individuals, and it may be that the Niger
will be explored in this direction.
-
+
From the National Gazette, Nov. 27.
In the Memoirs of Granville Sharp, lately published, the follow-
ing anecdote is recorded of the young African prince Naimbanna.
"The name of a person having been mentioned in his presence,
who was understood by him to have publicly asserted something
very degrading to the general character of Africans, he broke out
into violent and vindictive language. He was immediately re-
minded of the Christian duty of forgiving his enemies; upon which
he answered nearly in the following words: "If a man should rob
me of my money, I can forgive him; if a man should shoot at me,
or try to stab me, I can forgive him; if a man should sell me and
all my family to a slave-ship, so that we should pass all the rest-of
our days in slavery in the West Indies, I can forgive him; but,"
(added he, rising from his seat with much emotion) "if a man takes
away the character of the people of my country, I never can for-
give him." Being asked, why he would not extend his forgive-
ness to those who took away the character of the people of his
country, he answered,-" If a man should try to kill me, or should
sell me and my family for slaves, he would do an injury to as
many as he might kill or sell; but if any one takes away the cha-
racter of black people, that man injures black people all over the
world; and when he has once taken away their character, there is
nothing that he may not do to black people ever after.
for instance, will beat black men, and, 'Oh, it is only a black man,
why should I not beat him ? That man will make slaves of black
people; for when he has taken away their character, he will say,
That man,
C
Oh, they are only black people, why should I not make them
slaves? That man will take away all the people of Africa if he
can catch them; and if you ask him, But why do you take away
all these people? he will say, 'Oh, they are only black people—
why should I not take them ? That is the reason why I cannot for-
give the man who takes away the character of the people of my
country." p. 369.
1
t
The author is induced to believe that no country presents a
fairer field for missionary labours than Africa, and he takes this
opportunity of declaring that both himself and wife, are not only
willing but anxious to enter upon that field as soon as a mission
can be established.
'
41

Chatfequr pores
Ahmed
WE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
3 9015 01029 6971