SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER R.N., G.C.M.G. London Published by Smith.Elder &Co. 15.WaterlooPUce. LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOYEK R.N., G.C.M.G. BY LADY GLOVER EDITED BY THE RIGHT HON. SIR RICHARD TEMPLE, BART. G.C.S.I., D.C.L., LL.D., F.E.S. WITH PORTRAITS AND MAPS LONDON SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 1897 [All rights reserved] PREFACE THIS Memoir cannot be given to the public without a word of explanation from me as to the circum- stances in which it was written. After the Ashanti War in 1874, there were various books written by people who took a part in the expedition : by Mr. H. M. Stanley, then War Correspondent of the 1 New York Herald ' ; by Mr. Henty, Correspondent of the * Standard ' ; by Sir William Butler ; and, more particularly, by Major (now Sir Henry) Brackenbury. There was a strong feeling at the Colonial Office, which was also entertained by a number of Sir John Glover's personal friends, that he should write a history of his share in the Ashanti campaign of 1874, and the Colonial Office intimated to him that they wished him to undertake it. He pro- ceeded to collect his papers and despatches with the view of writing the book. He had' got some way towards arranging them, and had finished writing the introductory chapter, when an appoint- ^52855 vi LIFE OF SIR JOHN IIAWLEY GLOVER ment to a new Governorship prevented him from continuing the history of his share in the war. This appointment was again followed by others, when the work of the colony in itself was more than enough employment for his time. Thus the book never was written. During his last illness, and shortly before the end, seeing by his face that he was pondering very deeply about something that seemed to be weighing on his mind, I asked what he was thinking of, and he answered : * Work that I have left undone ; that book will never be written now.' Since that day I have looked upon the writing of a book containing some account of the Ashanti War as a last wish, which it was my duty, if it were possible for me, to carry out. I knew that his intention had been to write a very full and detailed account of the war, and I saw the innumerable difficulties of writing the book as he would have done it, or wished it written had he given any directions or expressed any desires in the matter. But I thought that the memories of the life of a man who had worked so long in the service of his country would always be acceptable, and might help others in following in the footsteps of one, who, by his own hard work, energy, courage and endurance, had placed himself in the ranks of the foremost men of his day. PREFACE Vll An author was selected to write the book, but, from one cause or another, he, as well as others who subsequently undertook the work, was unable to carry it out, and thus his literary project remained in abeyance. At the earnest request of friends, and with the kind assistance of Sir Eichard Temple as Editor, I at last consented to put together the materials in my possession for the purpose of this Life or Biographical Memoir. Chapter VIII., l Native Expedition against the Ashantis, 7 was written by Sir John Glover, and is printed from MS. in his own handwriting. The Introduction to this book and Chapter IX., ' The Ashanti War/ is written by the Eight Hon. Sir Eichard Temple, G.C.S.I., C.I.E., F.E.S., from papers and despatches in my posses- sion, and I am also indebted for much valuable assistance to Sir Andrew Clarke, E.E., G.C.M.G. ; Sir Gilbert Carter, K.C.M.G., late Governor of Lagos, Captain Eardley Wilmot, E.N., and Captain Eobb, D.A.A.G., of the Intelligence Division of the War Office, who has kindly prepared the map on page 40. The map, which appears on p. 1, and has the signature of Sir John Glover and General E. W. Sartorius, V.C., was left in the keeping of the Haussas. It was subsequently stolen from them, and afterwards found, by Captain Davison Houston, in an old box forming part of the loot taken at Viii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOYKK Kumasi in 1896, where it had probably been for several years. I have long been accustomed to keep journals in considerable detail, but I have never written a book before. I have never been in Africa, nor was I with Sir John Glover during the earlier scenes described in his life, which took place long before I knew him. But I am well acquainted with all he thought and said and did since our marriage, and was with him in Europe, North America, and the West Indies. Therefore, what I state is either from my own knowledge or from my husband's graphic descriptions of events in his earlier life, and of things he knew and remembered of men and affairs in those earlier times. Indeed, I claim a knowledge which could hardly be possible to any- one else, even with the fullest access to papers and despatches which verify all that I state. What I write, therefore, may have a living force of its own, which no other hand could give. I have depicted the man, not as some might have supposed him to be from a study of papers, but as he really was in private as well as in public life, and I have searched out and selected papers and documents for this purpose. Not having the literary experience needed for writing an account of the Ashanti War, I have been assisted by those who have had practice in such matters, PREFACE ix My description, however authentic and life-like, may be very imperfect ; still it does show some- thing of the character of those who work in the Imperial interests of our country, and it may thus assist others who are striving for the good of the Empire. If this be so, I shall feel that I have not written in vain. In conclusion, I am the less inclined to regret the delay which has unavoidably occurred in the publication of this volume, because I feel that its appearance at this moment may be the more useful, as it synchronises with the re-emergence of the West African question into the sphere of practical politics. E. E. G. CONTENTS PAGK INTRODUCTION. By SIR RICHARD TEMPLE .... xvii CHAPTER I Early life of John Hawley Glover, 1829-1849 Descent His father, the Rev. Frederick Glover Important inventions Literary works Incidents of the New Zealand War Mrs. Glover's personality Early education of John Hawley Glover Appointment as first-class volunteer to H.M.S. ' Queen ' Mrs. Glover's death Mr. Glover's re-marriage Difficulties begin with respect to John Glover Reason for sending him to learn surveying Effect on his character of early influences Appointed midshipman Return to the Mediterranean Beginning of active career, 1847-1851 Mr. John Glover, midshipman Return to Mediterranean Life at Malta Constantinople Survey of coast round Athens Self-educa- tion First command Sport in the Archipelago Leave granted by Admiral Sir William Parker Stay at Bonn Re- appointed to command of ' Auxiliaire ' Survey round Crete and Cyprus Transfer to ' Victory ' Appointment to ' Penelope ' Return to Bonn Sojourn on banks of Rhine . 1 CHAPTER II Service in Burmah, 1851-1853 Steam-ship ' Penelope ' Com- mand of ' Teazer ' on the African Coast Promotion to rank of Lieutenant China Station Appointment to ' Sphinx ' at Rangoon Second Burmese War Command of paddle-box boats on the Irawadi Cholera Death of Admiral Austin Fighting at Pegu Landing at Donabew Fighting with the Burmese Severe losses Captain Loch killed Lieutenant Glover severely wounded Bringing ship back to England Receives public thanks from Sir George Lambert Recom- Xll LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER PAQH mended for promotion Baltic and Heligoland, 1854-1855 Russian War Appointment as Senior Lieutenant to the 4 Rosamond ' Sighting Russian cruiser Court-martial Sir Michael Seymour's opinion Promotion stopped Service off Scotland Command of the * Otter ' On special service Heligoland Despatch to Lord Clarendon Naval Review . 18 CHAPTER III Steam-ship ' Dayspring ' Extracts from Lieutenant Glover's journal Appointment by Foreign Office to survey of Niger Fernando Po Notes by General Davis Extracts from Mr. Glover's journal Madeira Cape Palmas Arrival at the mouth of the Niger Wreck of the * Dayspring ' . . .40 CHAPTER IV First survey of the Niger, 1857-1861 Account of the wreck by General Davis Interview with King Abo Rabba Good reception at Boussa Finding of Mungo Park's book Return from surveying the Niger Expedition to Lagos First experience with the Haussas Palavers with the Chiefs Return to camp Finish of survey Return to England Commendation by Lord Clarendon CHAPTER V 1861-1863 The Gold Coast of Western Africa Lieutenant Glover com- manding H.M.S. ' Handy ' Letter to Lord Alfred Churchill The Settlement of Lagos Neighbouring Tribes Porto Novo Egbas and Ibadans Departure of Mr. Freeman Lieutenant Glover acting Governor of Lagos His despatch to the Secretary of State on the Settlement His promotion to rank of Commander . . . . . . . .86 CONTENTS . x-111 CHAPTER VI 1863-1872 PAGE Life in Lagos The settlement of Lagos Expedition to the interior Burton on Government House An African love letter 'Gunner' The 'Victory' horse The Queen's birth- day receptions Death of the Governor's brothers Sir Andrew Clarke's Reminiscences Farewell addresses Return home . 102 CHAPTER VII MR. POPE HENNESSEY IN WESTERN AFRICA Captain Glover's return to Lagos Survey of the ' Volta ' Egba disturbances Mr. Goldsworthy's mission to Porto Novo Mr. Pope Hennessey arrives in Lagos Despatch to the Secretary of State Policy of the Hinterland Stoppage of roads Slavery question Letter to the Editor of the ' Manchester Courier ' Letter from Captain Glover to Mr. Pope Hennessey Sir George Berkeley appointed Governor Fresh disturbances on the Gold Goast 124 CHAPTER VIII NATIVE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ASHANTIS BY SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Causes of the Ashanti War Cession of Elinina Testimony of Sir Gilbert Carter and Sir Andrew Clarke Circumstances in which Captain Glover's Report was drawn up Interview of Captain Glover with Mr. Cardwell Description of country round the Volta Lord Kimberley informs Captain Glover his offer is accepted to raise native troops Sir Garnet Wolseley is given military command of Ashanti Expedition Captain Glover proceeds to Cape Coast to enlist Haussas and native allies 146 Xiv LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTER IX PAGE THE ASHANTI WAR, 1873-1874 . . .163 CHAPTER X 1874-1875 Travels in Europe Return from Africa Landing at Liverpool Thanksgiving Service in Chester Cathedral Award for services in Ashanti Visit to Europe Saves a French child's life Visit to Ireland Railway accident Severe illness of Sir John Glover Engagement Appointment to Newfound- land Letter from Sir John Cowell Arrival in Paris Departure for Halifax . . 223 CHAPTER XI 1876-1881 The Government of Newfoundland Arrival at St. John's Government House Trip into the interior Trappers Return to England Marriage Reception in Newfoundland Visit to Topsail Last remains of Sir John Franklin Seal fishery Irish society French fishery question Queen's birthday Placentia Arrival of Admiral Sir Cooper Key and his ships Trip to the mining districts Loyalty of New- foundlanders Departure for Halifax Visit to Canada Appointment to the Leeward Islands Departure from Newfoundland . 238 CHAPTER XII The Government of the Leeward Islands, 1881-1883 New York Arrival at Antigua Government House Political situation Sir John Glover's letters Nevis Halifax New York ' Nooya ' yacht Return to the West Indies St. Kitts The CONTENTS XV PAGB flood Antigua yeomanry Police force Barbados Mont- serrat Lime growing Guadaloupe Dominica Eoseau Valley Leper encampment Layou Valley Arrival of Com- missioners from Jamaica Beturn to Antigua Governor's illness Sir John Commerell Anxiety regarding the yacht Nurses and epidemics Governor obtains leave St. Thomas Eeturn to England . . . - 268 CHAPTEE XIII 1883-1884 Fishery Commission Eeturn from the West Indies Landing at Plymouth Visit to Germany Prince of Wales at Homburg Visits in England and Ireland Summons to Windsor Deputation to Paris regarding the Fishery Commission Ee- appointment to Governorship of Newfoundland Life in Paris and Compiegne Eeturn to England Departure for New- foundlandArrival in St. John's Last year, 1884-1885 The Queen's birthday ball Eeturn of Mr. Greely Life at Government House Departure of Mr. Ford and Mr. Pennell Eailway to Harbour Grace Opening of Sailors' Home The new graving dock Arrival of French man-of-war Cariboo shooting Illness of the Governor Drive to Topsail Applying for leave Eeturn to England Homburg Death of Sir Harry Ord Eeturn to London Illness and death of Sir John Glover Kensal Green 301 CHAPTER XIV IN MEMOBIAM Public Memorials in Kensal Green and St. Paul's Subscription to erect a memorial in Lagos Sir John Glover and the Haussas His farewell speech and gift of his sword The Haussas at the Diamond Jubilee, testimony of Captain Houston Sir John Glover's influence on the West Coast The Hinterland in 1896 The future of the Leeward Islands Testimony of the ' Times ' and of a Newfoundland news- paper 316 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES ....... . 327 a PORTKAITS SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER, E.N., G.C.M.G. . . Frontispiece GROUP: MAJOR-GENERAL E. W. SARTORIUS, V.C.,C.M.G. ; SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER, B.N., G.C.M.G. ; MR. LARCOM; GENERAL BARNARD, C.M.G., C.B. . . Tofacep.^ll MAPS A MAP REDUCED FROM A TRACING FROM A MISSIONARY MAP TAKEN AT AxROPONG To face p. 1 A PORTION OF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA . . ,,40 A MAP TO ILLUSTRATE THE ASHANTI CAMPAIGN 1878-4 163 INTRODUCTION BY SIK RICHARD TEMPLE JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER was born in 1829, and died in 1885, aged fifty-six years, his powerful constitu- tion having been prematurely broken by fatigue, exposure, and climatic suffering, undergone in the Imperial service of Britain. He belonged to the Royal Navy, and served afloat for twenty years. On land he showed the resourcefulness and adapta- bility, the enterprise, the aptitude for exploration, and the tact in dealing with various nationalities from coast to coast, for which British naval officers have ever been conspicuous. His African service began, in 1857, with the survey of the Niger, which then loomed large before the national eye. This gave rise to his West African career, which lasted for seventeen years. It comprised his greatest successes, founding his per- manent fame, and establishing his claim to public gratitude. But it was spent in one of the worst a 2 XVlii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER climates in the world. It was attended by malarial fever, which no precaution could avert. The cheerful excitement of action did, indeed, help him for many years in battling with this malady, and a brave front was preserved to the very last. For this African crisis of his life, some seven- teen years of instructive preparation had been allowed him. He had passed through the grades of midshipman and lieutenant in several ships and in various parts of the world. Primarily he was em- ployed in surveying the eastern coasts of the Medi- terranean, thus training his naturally fine eyesight, noting mentally all objects seen, learning how to delineate and portray, loving the beauties of nature, and through them becoming interested in the lands where he was to labour. Here, too, he first came into touch with races, wholly differing from himself, with whom he must cultivate friendship in order to obtain their co-operation in his work. Next he voyaged round the Cape of Good Hope to Eangoon at the mouth of the Irawadi, to bear a part in the second Burmese War, which added the Pegu province to the British Empire. In that region he disembarked with his brave sailors to join the soldiers on an inland expedition. Thus he prac- tised that art of fighting ashore, in which our naval officers have ever shown themselves readily pro- ficient. Severely wounded, he returned to England, INTRODUCTION xix but soon he resumed active employ, and saw some operations of the allied forces in the Baltic during the war with Eussia. Then he was engaged in a delicate and difficult service off Heligoland, for the purpose of receiving on board ship the recruits for the North German Legion, who were being enlisted by the British Government. In this work he dealt successfully with authorities whose susceptibilities might either be soothed into co-ope- ration or roused into opposition. When the British Foreign Office under Lord Clarendon chose him for the survey of the Niger, he was an officer of varied experience, though still young ; a man of dash and daring, strong in frame, so fond of riding and driving that he might almost be called a tamer of horses, a superb marksman, a competent draughtsman, a graphic word-painter, and a negotiator gifted with the power of ingra- tiating himself with strangers. This choice proved to be the turning point in his career. This career of his in West Africa, from 1857 to 1874, has a bearing upon British interests at that time and in that quarter, with a significance re- specting Imperial concerns generally. But these points cannot be understood without recalling the geographical features of the country where these services were rendered. The West Coast of Africa, though somewhat XX LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER rounded in shape, runs generally north to south, from Morocco down to Liberia. Then it turns with a bend or corner eastwards for some two hundred miles, till it approaches the mouth of the Niger, where it forms another bend or corner and resumes its course southward to near the Cape of Good Hope. The portion of the African coast, then, between Liberia and the Niger mouth, used to be called the Coast of Guinea ; in later times it has been known as the Gold Coast, to which has sometimes been added the name of the Slave Coast ending in the Bight of Benin. This shore is dotted from point to point with British settle- ments. The commercial capabilities of these settle- ments were for some generations undeveloped. Bub within this generation their development has advanced with great strides. Above the coast, on the north, lay the Ashanti kingdom a scene of victorious strategy, under Sir Garnet Wolseley, to w r hich John Glover materially contributed. The region now forms virtually a part of the British Empire. In this region, then, for John Glover, the scene of his life's drama is partly to be laid. Apart from the teachings of experience, and the familiar allusions to the l white man's grave,' any observer of atmospheric and terrestrial influences would surmise that the climate of the Gold Coast INTRODUCTION Xxi must be unhealthy. For those who come later, such a climate may be improved by civilised arrangements ; but on those who, like the hero of this story, came early, the climate acted with all its baleful potency. It is equatorial, being a little more than four degrees north of the equator. Con- sequently, though not without excessive heat in summer, it affords no bracing or invigorating air in winter. The coast lies, so to speak, in a corner, in an angle formed by the southerly and easterly trends of the shore, where they meet. In conse- quence, it has not the full benefit of the west oceanic winds, and none at all from the cooling north winds. Indeed, it fully feels only those which blow from the south-western main. This fact is, indeed, indicated by the local nomenclature, the western end of the coast, towards Liberia, bearing the cheerful name of the Windward. On the other hand, in so far as land winds may be objectionable, the coast has a double measure of them from the north and from the east, from the mountains behind Ashanti, and from the hilly region that dominates the lower course of the Niger. On the whole of the enormous coast-line of Africa there is probably no point so largely affected by land winds as this. The vegetable kingdom here displays barbaric magnificence. Thus, it attracts the moisture-bear- ing clouds from the Atlantic, and the rainfall on XXli LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the coast is heavy. Inland hill-ranges and moun- tain chains rise to arrest the vapours in their course. Hence the streams and rivers are charged with floods, which may flow rapidly to within a short distance of the sea ; but that fatal interval, consisting of alluvial deposit, will be flat. Therein has lain, and still lies, the danger to our settlers, pioneers, and administrators. The level surfaces, at the mouths of the streams and rivers, will be pestilential morasses, breeding malarial effluvia, not subtle but palpable to the senses. It suffices not for the visitor to avoid approaching them, inasmuch as the noxious gases may be wafted for some distance by the breeze. He may thus casually inhale them, and so take in poison with every breath. The germs may incubate in the human system for a while till malarial fever appears. Many evils may be, and are, mitigated or removed in the British settlements by clearance, by drainage, by sanitation generally ; but this plague of the river-mouths, if not incurable must be very hard to cure. It dogged the steps and hampered the proceedings of the strenuous career which is now to be described. Its effects probably closed that bright existence before the sands of the hour- glass had properly run out. It is well to recollect these phenomena, so that we may comprehend what our countrymen and INTRODUCTION XXiii many of our countrywomen, too have dared and braved, have faced and suffered. Despite it all, there is commerce to be extended, there are careers to be followed, and fortunes to be carved out. In consequence, there is patriotic duty to be done, and the protection of humanity to be vindicated. For the sake of all this, many of our people have succumbed while yet in their prime, never to return home ; administrators have laboured and striven ; the British Government has expended both blood and treasure. Such, then, in brief, was the region for which Lieutenant John Glover set out in ] 857, buoyed up with hope and vigour. He started from Liverpool in a little vessel, the ' Day spring,' which had been constructed for river service, but had only one hundred horse power, not nearly strong enough to withstand the Niger's current. This error proved fatal to the vessel afterwards, and might have spoiled the expedition, had it not been for his energetic perse- verance. As a surveyor and observer he was in a scientific rather than in a naval capacity, and he had scientific colleagues. Arrived at the mouth of the Niger, he, together with his companions, advanced up the mighty river. With them he passed up stream for five hundred miles, as far as Eabba, a place of some note in African story, surveying, XXIV LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER studying the physical features, and holding inter- views with the chiefs on either bank. Near this point he was suddenly roused by finding the ' Dayspring ' unequal to stemming the rapid current of the Niger, and driven backwards on a sunken rock to be wrecked. Then he showed that mastery of situa- tions, that inborn command over men, which dis- tinguished all the rest of his career. His party was encamped on the left bank of the Niger in comfort and safety, in the hope of obtaining the means for their return to the coast. But he under- took to ride on alone at least to Boussa (another place of note), a hundred miles further, and beyond that, as far as he might be able to reach, in the direction of Kibbi. He had by this time felt his way with the native chiefs, enough to feel sure that he could, by good humour and conciliatory manners, obtain their kind offices. A carefully kept journal of his proceedings at this time has been preserved. It is full of picturesque scenes of his interviews and dealings with the natives. It throws light on the social life in Africa at the end of the generation preceding our own. It is indeed worthy of separate treatment, as being the only record extant of one among the earliest, if not the very earliest, official explorations of the Niger by the British Government. Thus, haying penetrated, with surveys and INTRODUCTION XXV observations, for nearly seven hundred miles up the Niger, he returned to his party in camp at Babba, and found them as they were, still unable to move, and without prospect of obtaining the means for moving. He thereupon conceived a plan of characteristic boldness, which proved a turning point in his career. From a consideration of the geography which has been outlined, it will be evident that, owing to the bend of the West African coast, there was a short cut across the country to the lagoons of the Gold Coast, near the rising British station at Lagos. He resolved to pursue this route alone, and so procure the means for extricating his party from their situation. This adventurous march, over unknown uplands for about two hundred miles, carried him through the country of a Moslem tribe of Africans, the Yorubas a good and brave tribe, whose name ought to be borne in mind by those who care for the just interests of Britain in this quarter of Africa. He thus formed with them an acquaintance which enabled him thereafter to use their services on critical occasions of war and politics. Then and there, also, he fell in with the Haussas, members of a most remarkable though scattered tribe. He had previously studied their history, which was shrouded in some uncertainty, but was probably romantic, and sprang from the far- XXvi LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER off interior of the Dark Continent. He perceived that they had a physique and a morale which, under British leadership, might render them of real value as auxiliaries. Arrived at Lagos, he made a survey of its lagoons, little thinking that hereabouts the foundation of his fame was to be laid. Having collected the needful supplies and transport, he again crossed the Yoruba country to rejoin his party at Eabba on the Niger, and so ensured their return to the coast. He returned to England, and received the official thanks of Lord Clarendon for what he had done. In 1861 he was appointed to the command of the ' Handy/ which, among her other duties, was to be employed in surveying the Gold Coast ; and this proved one of the long list of instances wherein the employment of war-vessels in the survey of distant coasts has promoted British interests generally. Thus he returned to the neighbourhood of Lagos and its lagoons. This was the last ship in which he served; for, being appointed first Administrator, and then Governor, of Lagos in 1863 he resigned active employment in the Navy, and served under the Colonial Department of the British Government, with but short interruption, for the rest of his days. He found Lagos a humble and miserable place. Though destitute of fame, it had, locally, he knew, INTRODUCTION XXV11 a lurid notoriety as being the worst slave-market on the Gold Coast. This was the place he set himself to make, and actually made, until it came to be called the little Liverpool of the Gold Coast. There was, indeed, no warding off the malaria which the land breezes wafted from the lagoons and from the mouths of streams ; but throughout the island itself he introduced order with sanitation, and houses sprang up as trade grew. His Haussa friends were organised and disciplined as armed police, while, in fact, they became soldiers fit for any service. Remembering the Yorubas inland, their martial characteristics, their productive and comparatively healthy uplands, he opened commu- nication with them. His policy was to establish trade routes to their inland country from the coast opposite Lagos, and their co-operation was assured. But such lines had to pass through the territories of coast tribes, who, as owners of and traders in slaves, were hostile to the extension of British influence into the interior ; and with these tribes he had many troublesome negotiations. At length he overcame their resistance for the most part and for a time ; under his care the island of Lagos was converted from a mart for the captive, to a home of refuge for the free. One of the most independent and impartial narrators (Mr. H. M. Stanley, who collected infor- XXViii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HATVLEY GLOVER mation near the spot in 1873) wrote thus regard- ing John Glover's administration of Lagos : 1 His career, while in charge of this African Colony in the Benin bight, has established his fame as one of the wisest administrators the British Government ever sent to Africa ; he has endeared himself to the whole native population of Lagos and its dependencies ; his name is as uni- versally known among the tribes of the interior bordering the West Coast, as Livingstone's is known in Central Africa. He has enriched the country beyond belief, until, from a miserable settlement with an unenviable notoriety for fevers, its annual imports and exports amounted in 1872 to 5,432,310 dollars, and the port of Lagos is as healthy a place to live in as any town in West Africa. Its wharves, piers, drains, houses, public buildings, order, sys- tematic government, its local police, and its volunteers, mark the port of Lagos as having been under the fostering care of a man who took an interest in his work, and was possessed of the re- quisite energy and will to carry out his projects of reform and improvement. 7 In 187 3 he obtained leave to proceed to England, attended by the affectionate regrets of his country- men at Lagos, and the reverence of several tribes, among whom his name, translated into African as 4 Golobar,' had become a household word. INTRODUCTION XXIX Besides the natural need of health and rest, he had another reason for leaving Lagos at that time. Mr. Pope Hennessey had arrived as Governor-in- Chief of the British settlements in West Africa, including Lagos. That gentleman did not remain long at Lagos, or on the coast generally ; but his proceedings in respect of Lagos form an episode pregnant with instruction for all who desire the preservation of our Imperial interests in Africa, or in regions similarly situated. It is no exaggeration to say that Mr. Pope Hennessey not only reversed some of the most important parts of Captain Glover's policy, but did so straightway and sum- marily. The views of the slave-owning and slave- dealing tribes on the coast were to be adopted ; the communication with the Yorubas inland was to be suspended ; slavery in Lagos itself was no longer to be prohibited ; the titular king, pensioned by the British, was to be restored to his throne in short, the British position outside Lagos was to shrink almost to nothingness. All this may have been arranged by the Governor-in-Chief with the best intentions ; but it certainly was done without any inquiries from the British Governor on the spot, or his officers ; and, so far as can be seen, without the previous sanction of Her Majesty's Government in London. As trade was checked for the moment, and imperilled for the future, protests were raised XXX LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER in Manchester and Liverpool. Mr. Pope Hennes- sey's stay was not prolonged ; and soon the affairs of Lagos resumed their former course, in which they have happily continued. But such a change as that which was attempted offhand, without in- quiry, warning, or preparation must have, for the moment, endangered British interests, and lowered the confidence of friendly or allied tribes in the steadfastness and continuity of British policy. Of the signal and memorable services rendered by Sir John Glover in the Ashanti War of 1873, a detailed account will be found in Chapter IX. For the moment, however, it may suffice to say that on a comparison of his recorded achievements with the commission entrusted to him by Her Majesty's Government, and with the orders given to him in consequence by the Major- General, it was found that he had done all, and more than all, he had undertaken, or had been expected to do. This, too, he had accomplished, despite troubles with the Africans, and physical obstacles all greater even than had been anticipated. The generous and hearty recognition of his services by Sir Garnet Wolseley, on the spot imme- diately after the occurrences ; the further appre- ciation by Her Majesty's Government ; the thanks of Parliament ; the honour graciously conferred by the Sovereign stand recorded in history. INTRODUCTION XXxi Among the many public recognitions from bis countrymen after bis return to England, the testi- mony of Colonel, afterwards Sir Evelyn, Wood, may be cited, as given in the course of a lecture before the Koyal United Service Institution in 1874 : 1 It would be a mistake to value Captain Glover's gallant and successful advance according only to the number of Ashantis detached to watch the threatened roads. The Ashanti monarch was supported by powerful feudatories, and the war being unpopular with those chiefs who had fought with white men south of the Prah, they gladly seized the excuse of their territories being invaded to diminish their contingents ordered up to defend the capital. ... I wish to express the high admiration felt for him (Captain Glover) by those officers who, having led comparatively small bodies of natives with several Europeans, can appreciate his difficulties when the proportions of officers and men were reversed. It is improbable that the present generation will see on the Gold Coast any equal to Sir John Glover, whether we consider his determined courage, his abilities, his long experience of, and immense influence over, the natives, or the iron constitution which, with an indomitable will, has enabled him to withstand the evil influences of a detestable climate.' Sir John Glover had now quitted the African b XXXii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Gold Coast for ever, of which he might have truly said that it was regio nostri plena laboris. The rest of his active life alas ! too short was to be spent in another hemisphere. After seventeen years of exposure to the climate of the Gold Coast, with but slight intermissions, and with more than a full share of the sickness incidental to that region, he spent two years in the British Isles. This respite must have braced up his shaken health. But in the midst of it he met with a railway accident, which so injured him that he lay for some time between life and death ; very probably this mishap caused some shock to his already overtaxed nervous system. However, in due course he recovered sufficiently to be able to accept an offer from Lord Carnarvon of the Governorship of Newfoundland. He proceeded thither, assumed the government, and shortly afterwards came home again, in order to be married. Then he took the young bride to his Colony amidst the delighted acclamations of the colonists. As Governor of Newfoundland, with his power- ful frame and nervous force re-invigorated, he set himself to work in his old way, conversing with the colonists of all sorts and conditions, consulting all interests alike, and striving, with much success, indeed, to please everybody. From the first he was a peripatetic ruler. He still acted on his old belief INTRODUCTION XXxiii in the advantages of locomotion, in seeing every requirement with his own eye, in hearing what people had to say while on their own ground. He rode, drove, boated, sailed, and employed many picturesque methods of moving about among his fisher-folk. Soon he had penetrated to every creek and station of fishermen, to every rock-bound shore where, for some months in the year, men risked their lives for a precarious subsistence. Though their ills were but too often such as governors cannot cure, yet his outspoken sympathy, and his pains in searching out their rough abodes, did warm their hearts. The disputes regarding the rights of fishing reserved to the French were then becoming acute, and he mastered the controversy. Having had some dealings with the French in other lands, he knew how to adopt a conciliatory method with them here. Though, as governor of a colony pos- sessing responsible government, he only reigned, and no longer had the power once wielded by him on the other side of the Atlantic, still he soon exercised moral authority in many directions, and was able to give an impulse to many public improvements. During the spring, summer, and autumn he delighted in the life out of doors. But there followed the long winters, with deep snow and much confinement indoors ; and once more his XXxiv LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER health suffered. Indeed, some such consequence was but too surely to be predicted from the change to a northern extremity of America after a long equatorial residence ; there was already some doubt whether he would be able to withstand the effect of several winters in Newfoundland. At this juncture he was appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. With his eye long practised in observing nature, he could not but be struck by the loveliness, the grace, the charm of the scenery which, in spite of its boun- teous display, was unlike the rank luxuriance and overpowering abundance seen by him on the oppo- site shore of the ocean. The queen of his isles was Dominica, a veritable paradise, a gem set in the sea. His work here, though he performed it man- fully, was not to his liking. He had been com- missioned by Her Majesty's Government to carry out several invidious and troublesome changes. Consequently, he did not expect to find the loyal true-hearted service he had been wont to receive in regions where his agents were with him in spirit and sympathy. Though he procured the execution of various improvements, he still met with more im- pediments than of yore. Yet with his unfailing tact he had made some way for manliness in a ruler soon attracts friends everywhere in the British dominions when once more he was stricken down INTRODUCTION XXXV by his old enemy. He pathetically declared that this attack was worse than anything known in Africa. He lay desperately sick in his Government House while a ball (which he would not allow to be put off) was going on there. When the last hope had been abandoned by the physician, his wife, with happy presence of mind, applied ice in a manner which brought back the life that was on the point of extinction. Shortly afterwards he repaired to England on leave, and it is asserted that a high medical authority warned him to be very careful, but that he smilingly said he must go on working. At that time a mixed commission of English and French gentlemen was sitting in Paris to con- sider the questions relating to the fisheries in New- foundland ; and advantage was taken of his presence in England to depute him thither, in order that he might afford them the benefit of his local knowledge. In those days, his successor in the governorship of Newfoundland died suddenly. So he was directed to return to his former post there, to receive the Fishery Commissioners on their arrival from Europe, and, ultimately, to settle the pending questions. So he returned to Newfoundland, with all his old alacrity in obeying orders, but, inwardly, with some foreboding. At first, however, the heartiness of his reception by the colonists, on his return among XXXvi LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER them, the recognition of old friends and admirers, and the glorious weather, sustained his spirits. But the long, snow-bound winter, and the confine- ment indoors, came round again ; and his health, shaken by the West Indian fever, once more declined. No positive apprehension, perhaps, was felt till one day in the next spring when, after a long protracted sitting at desk-work, he felt very faint in the evening. The physician pronounced him to be suffering from a strained heart whatever that might mean. At all events, the symptoms were ominous, and he soon sailed for England, grow- ing daily weaker. He proceeded to a German health resort, but in vain ; and returned home to die. He had the ministrations of his devoted wife in London. Motionless, helpless, restless, he suffered without complaining. His mind re- mained clear as crystal to the last; but its working could seldom be followed, because breath- lessness rendered him almost inarticulate. One morning, his wife and child were struck by a strange brightness in his large open eyes. It was the last flash of vanishing life ; in a few moments they closed for ever, and the weary was at rest. The first words of condolence came from the Sovereign herself, and then from comrades in peace and brethren in arms scattered over the British Isles, and across the sea from Western INTRODUCTION XXXVii Africa, from North America, from the West Indies. These were followed by many tributes to the rectitude of his conduct, the charm of his conversation, and the unfailing courtesy of his manner. For his walk through life had been such, that around it bright-coloured recollec- tions had ever clustered just as flowers spring from the earth under the West Indian sun- light, or splendid creepers cling to the giant stems of the African woodland. Soon there was a movement among troops of friends to set up a permanent memorial. A bust was placed in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the ceremony of unveiling was performed by Sir Garnet Wol- seley, a most competent witness of the career which was being thus commemorated. This career alas ! closed too soon for his friends and for his country was devoted to the promotion of British interests across the seas, in the highest sense of the term. He strove ever for the extension of British trade ; he thought of his toiling countrymen at home, and searched afar to find markets for their industries. But he anticipated more than equal benefits to the natives from such intercourse. He not only thought, but knew with a knowledge which only travellers and explorers can have that such relations can rarely, if ever, prosper, without the influence XXXVlii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER of that flag which must be displayed in the right place, and at the decisive moment. He would not always insist on that being accom- panied by arms; but there must be a certainty in the minds of men, that such force, though out of immediate sight, exists somewhere irresistibly. He preferred to venture among strange nationalities, almost or quite alone, either with the slightest protection, or altogether unprotected. Before them he would bear himself in a mild yet masterful manner, indicating the unspoken belief that if he were struck down hundreds, or even thousands, of his armed countrymen would come to demand the reason why. His ambition was untainted by the lust of conquest or of domination ; it was the aspi- ration to rule over races for their protection against cruel tyranny and vile abuses, and to work for their welfare just as if they had been people of his own race. He held that European civilisation had, in these respects, a mission, which Britain alone among the nations had the will and the means to fulfil. For the sake of this mission, which was not only his day-dream but his fixed ideal, he shed his blood on necessary occasion, and unremittingly spent his nervous force. He was a type of the men who have built up what is now known as the Empire of the British Sovereign. They have always been found when wanted ; they have never INTRODUCTION XXxix failed when brought into action. Their conduct, too, has been exhibited in infinitely various forms, and in all sorts or conditions of climate or circum- stance. So long, and only so long, as she can rear and call out such sons, will Britannia rule the seas, the shores, the isles, the continents. Therefore, is she bound to note the deeds they have done for her sake, to honour them in life, and after death to keep alive their memory as an ensample to those who shall succeed them. His education was mainly in practical science ; but in literature he had to educate himself. He read the English classics with that affectionate attention which often affords to self-imparted instruction an effectiveness which could not other- wise be attained. In a dreamy and imaginative, almost a poetic way, he loved Nature in all her moods. He had been carefully and wisely brought up, and so, while wondering at the phenomena of creation he looked up from them to the Creator. He saw God in the storms of the Mediterranean in the tropical tornados in the cyclones of eastern seas in the mountainous billows of the North Atlantic. He planned churches in Western Africa. He saw the efficacy of Christian teaching upon those among the tribes whom it reached, arousing their conscience for the performance of duty in danger as well as in peace, and for evincing fidelity xl LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER of conduct amidst temptation. He exerted him- self in England to support the Protestant Mission whose efficiency he had witnessed. His genius, however, lay in dealing with men. This quality happened to be chiefly, though not entirely, exercised in contact with strange and wild nationalities. Still he was to some extent tried with other classes. Had his career been prolonged, and had he been engaged in matters of grave and urgent diplomacy, he might have rendered national service therein. As it was, he had argued, treated and negotiated with fishermen in Labrador, Prenchmen on the Newfoundland Coast, Germans on the Elbe, Greeks and Turks on the Levant, Creoles in the West Indies, Burmese on the Ira- wadi, chiefs on the Niger who had never seen a white man before, tribes warlike and unwarlike on the Gold Coast. His persuasive and commanding personality made up of eye, countenance, voice, diction, manner, stature was ever a factor potent on the British side. He was a humane man, feeling a manly grief for the manifold sufferings that came under his gaze. At first he was animated by a benevolent enthusiasm for remedy and reform. Ascending the Niger, he brooded over the blood-feuds, the human sacrifices, the fetish superstitions. He aspired to stop these things of darkness before many years should pass. INTRODUCTION xli To him the horror of slavery was ineffable, as he saw the canoes on the mighty river freighted with sorrowful humanity. He hoped that within his lifetime they might bear other loads, the products of European industry. Years of hard and chequered experience taught him that the full realisation of these hopes might yet be distant. Still he pertina- ciously contended with slavery in the interior to the last day of his African service. As Governor, he asserted his jurisdiction in the Coast settlements as the guarantee of human freedom. In his epitaph it might be truly inscribed that he was one of those who struck off the fetters from the slave. In moments of danger he was quick in suc- couring others ; from his own pains he turned instantly to the relief of those around him. He escorted the sick wife of a Christian missionary through a horde of menacing Africans ; with signal presence of mind he saved the life of a French child near Paris ; though blinded with his own blood he carried off one of his wounded sailors from the Burmese ambuscade ; in Ireland, when himself stricken sorely in a railway accident, his first thought was to help his injured fellow-passengers. His friends described him as a man among men, and a born leader of others ; indeed, the sum total of his character could not be better expressed. He was naturally endowed with, and had by practice Xlii LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER cultivated, the faculty of inducing men, whether of his own race or of divers nationalities, to follow him for better, for worse ; to cleave to him as a brother, even in extreme hardship and peril ; to work for his policy as if it had been for their own nearest interest ; to vindicate him loyally ever afterwards. He bore his honours and wielded his authority with unassuming quietness and sailor- like simplicity. And to crown his thoughts on national affairs, he had faith in England, and in her absolutely in her pride and power in her virtue, benevolence and philanthropy in her expansiveness and tenacity in her imperial destiny. In fine, of him it may be written he was a true Englishman ! LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEE I Early life of John Hawley Glover, 1829-1849 Descent His father, the Eev. Frederick Glover Important inventions Literary works Incidents of the New Zealand War Mrs. Glover's per- sonality Early education of John Hawley Glover Appointment as first-class volunteer to H.M.S. ' Queen ' Mrs. Glover's death Mr. Glover's re-marriage Difficulties begin with respect to John Glover Keason for sending him to learn surveying Effect on his character of early influences Appointed midshipman Return to the Mediterranean Beginning of active career, 1847-1851 Mr John Glover, midshipman Return to Mediterranean Life at Malta Constantinople Survey of coast round Athens Self-edu- cation First command Sport in the Archipelago Leave granted by Admiral Sir William Parker Stay at Bonn Reappointed to command of ' Auxiliaire ' Survey round Crete and Cyprus Transfer to ' Victory ' Appointment to ' Penelope ' Return to Bonn Sojourn on banks of Rhine. JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER, bom on February 24, 1829, at Yately in Hampshire, was the son of the Kev. Frederick Glover. He came of an old family distinguished in arms, who for many generations had given their blood and services to their country. Their descent is traced to Egbert, and through the Plantagenets to Charlemagne and Hildegarde I HA.WLEY GLOVER of Swabia. In the reign of Henry VI., Thomas Glover was warden of Rochester Bridge. His grandson Thomas bore the canopy at the corona- tion of Henry VIII. as a baron of the Cinque Ports. His grandson in turn, Eobert Glover, was the well-known Somerset Herald who died in 1588. In the ensuing century Thomas Glover was Ambassador at Constantinople, where he spent a hundred thousand dollars in redeeming three hundred Christian slaves. On October 13, 1614, a grant was made to him for life of the office of collector of fines in ecclesiastical causes. In 1617 Eobert Glover was clerk to the Farriers' Company. Mr. Frederick Glover's grandfather, Colonel Glover, was an officer in the Royal regiment which served in the Peninsular War. A story is told of him that when he was with his regiment at Gibraltar he considered it his duty to remonstrate with the Duke of Kent about what he looked upon as an unfair interference with his regiment. At first the Duke was angry, but on reflection per- ceived that the remonstrance was fair, and from that day onward showed special kindness to him and his sons. Many years afterwards, when George III. was at Weymouth, the Duke intro- duced Colonel Glover to him as an officer to w r hom 4 he owed much.' The subject of this memoir was the eldest PARENTAGE 3 son of Mr., afterwards the Rev. Frederick Glover, a very remarkable man in many respects. He was destined for the Army, and in due time passed through Sandhurst, joined the 1st Royals, and exchanged into the 69th Regiment, proceeding to Cape Coast to take part in the Ashanti War, which was concluded in 1826. Shortly afterwards he married Mary, the second daughter of Admiral Broughton. She was a lineal descendant of Queen Catherine Parr, the founder of the King's School at Canterbury, where two of her sons were educated. As founder's kin, her family have enjoyed the right of this privilege for more than two hundred years. 1 Three or four years after his marriage, Mr. Frederick Glover retired from the Army, to the regret of his brother officers, and entered Peter- house, Cambridge, with the view of taking Holy Orders. In due time he was ordained, during 1833 obtaining a curacy in Hampshire, which he shortly afterwards exchanged for a cure in Dorsetshire, and finally settled down at Charlton, near Dover. Here, in 1841, he lost his wife, who had borne him four sons and one daughter, who died young. 1 Catherine Parr, after the king's death, married Lord Thomas Seymour, elder brother of the Protector Somerset. Their daughter, who is stated in most English histories to have died an infant, actually grew up and married Sir Edward Birchall. This fact is alluded to by Miss Strickland in her Lives of the Queens of England. 4 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Soon after his wife's death he resigned his living, re-married, and went abroad, having accepted the chaplaincy of Cologne, where he remained till 1861, when he resigned on the death of his second wife. Then he gave up clerical work, and turned his attention to that of mechanical invention. He had a creative mind, and, possessing acute powers of observation, was able in this new phase to render much service to the cause of science and to humanity. Among the earliest of his inventions, which claims special notice, was an ambulance-car for conveying the wounded with greater comfort and despatch from the field of battle. The inven- tion, though offered to the British War Department, received no recognition until Napoleon III. had accepted it, and proved its utility. Another important invention was the ' anchor fall.' This ensured the immediate holding of the anchor, while it greatly facilitated the operation of weighing and securing it after it had been hauled up. To prove the value of this invention, Mr. Glover chartered a steam yacht and went round the English ports in it. Though it was universally approved, the Admiralty long refused to make use of it, and it was not until the mercantile marine had very generally adopted it that the Government gave way. ' He was always ready at a glance,' wrote one who knew him well, ' to offer a suggestion to improve or MR. GLOVER'S VERSATILITY 5 simplify the working of any machine.' Even during his last moments he was engaged in giving final touches to his invention for the raising and moving of invalids. It is impossible to pass from this remarkable man without noticing another aspect of his many- sided mind. He was an ardent supporter of the Anglican Church, and wrote several works relating to sacred subjects, and he laboured for the develop- ment of the Episcopal system abroad, having him- self held a cure on the Continent, and being interested in his nephew's work, who was then a Church dignitary at the Cape of Good Hope. 1 Further, he was a firm believer in the English people being < the remnant of Judah.' For the purpose of investigating this, he accompanied Mr. Piazzi Smyth to Egypt, and wrote several elaborate books on the ' Great Pyramid,' and made valuable discoveries in regard to it. When upwards of seventy he went to India to communi- cate the result of his researches, not only to the English but to the Brahmin students, and returned to England full of zeal and energy, which was only equalled by his faith and piety, till the close of his life in August 1881, in the eighty-second year 1 Mr. Glover's -four nephews were all Wranglers of their time at Cambridge, and some of them received College livings. One of them was Archdeacon at the Cape of Good Hope. 6 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER of his age. His genial manners, remarkable activity, and ready sympathy made him many friends, who still revere his memory. Besides the subject of this memoir he had three other sons : Frederick, who held a staff appointment, and died at Ottawa in Canada in 1867, and Eobert and Guy, fine young officers in the 43rd Kegiment, both shot the same day during the Maori War in New Zealand. They had already been mentioned in despatches, and their value was fully appreciated at headquarters, for on the first opportunity the Duke of Cambridge had of seeing their father after this sad event, he deplored their having been ' thus sacrificed.' The Duke added that he ' might well be proud of two such sons/ John Hawley Glover, like most eminent men, inherited the characteristics and qualities of his mother, a woman of great force and charm of character, in whose veins ran the blood of a long line of sailor ancestors. Her father, Admiral Broughton, had fought at Aboukir, when the English troops under General Abercrombie took that town from the French in 1801, and received the commemoration medal struck by Sultan Selim, bearing his imperial cypher. When leaving H.M.S. i Cornwall,' in 1813, Captain Broughton received a service of plate and a gold snuff-box in token of the esteem he was held in by the officers under his KIDNAPPED BY GIPSIES 7 command. Doubtless this great love of the sea and strong sense of discipline was transmitted through his daughter, Mrs. Glover, to her infant son, who at the early age of three was nearly lost to her by a singular adventure, while staying at Bath with his grandfather, Colonel Glover, then commanding the Volunteers. Walking with his nurse one day in that town the boy lagged behind, while the nurse's attention was occupied with his baby brother. Two gipsies approached and asked him if he would like a ride on a pony. This proposal was irresistible, so he went with them to the corner of the street, when one of them hoisted him on his shoulder and carried him off to their encampment. The nurse reported that her charge was missing. After fruitless attempts had been made to find him, and his mother had begun to despair of ever seeing her son again, a lady remembered having noticed a well-dressed child in company with some rough-looking men. This directed suspicion to the gipsies, and after some further search he was found in their camp, eating sausages, and perfectly happy with his new friends. From his earliest years the boy showed a strong inclination to enter the Navy and be with his grandfather Admiral Broughton, whose stories of sea life appealed powerfully to his young imagi- nation. His father, however, always intended him 8 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER for the Royal Engineers, and opposed his wish to become a sailor, seeing that he gave evidence of more than ordinary ability. He personally directed the boy's education, even during his hours of recreation, his object being to give an engineering turn to his mind. In after years, when the boy had grown to be a man of practical ability, he described how he obtained his first knowledge of surveying from the conversation and practical illustrations given by his father as they took their afternoon walks at Dover by the sea-shore. The father would draw maps on the beach with his walking-stick, making plans of outworks, lines of communication, and elements of fortification, by raising entrenchments in the sand. All this helped the son afterwards in the special line he adopted in the Navy. But though the father was determined, the son was still more so, and at last made up his mind to run away to sea. This project his mother discovered, and spoke to Vice-Admiral Sir Edmund Owen, who gave him a nomination, and took him on board his ship the { Queen ' as a first-class volun- teer on December 4, 1841, his grandmother, Mrs. Broughton, giving him his outfit, which his father refused to do, declining, indeed, to assist him in any way. The boy was then under twelve, and short for his years. An amusing story is told of his first meeting with a tall marine appointed to iiwif s a & s s llll^l :*4 M HIS FATHER'S REMARRIAGE 9 act as his servant. In looking 'through his outfit, articles of clothing were discovered which had been made by his grandmother, who had an anxious fear lest he should catch cold from the draughts on board ship, as he had at one time suffered from croup. Among these garments was a flannel dressing-gown, which the tall marine immediately appropriated to himself, with the remark that 1 such an article is quite unnecessary for a young officer.' He also volunteered to take care of his money. Soon after young Glover had left home his mother died, and during the following year his father married again. In announcing this event to his son, he desired that the boy should address the lady by that endearing name which is due from a son to but one being in the world. The boy declined to obey, having been passionately devoted to his mother, whose early influence caused him to cherish a life-long affection for her memory. His father, who had never forgotten nor forgiven the defeat of his intention with regard to his son's career, wrote to him saying that he would dis- continue the small allowance he had hitherto made him. This announcement was enough to stagger the bravest heart, for the yearly stipend of a lad in the position of young Glover amounted to 91. a year, and of this modest sum 51. went to pay the 10 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER naval instructor. But yet he was not daunted, for on this occasion, as on all others of importance in his eventful life, the directness of purpose which was his great characteristic asserted itself. In his dilemma he went straight to the captain, with whom he was a favourite, and told his story, saying he must leave and join the merchant service. The admiral, upon hearing this, sent for the boy and told him that he was too good to lose, and that they would manage to keep him in the service, that he was no longer to pay the naval instructor, but to work at surveying, which would bring him extra pay. With this and occasional presents from his grandmother he was enabled to continue his career. There must have been something winning in the boy's nature to have thus enlisted on his behalf the influence of his superiors. He was at the same time a great favourite with his comrades, their leader in the most daring pranks and practical jokes, which were ever the delight of his adventurous spirit, though these traits were combined with an unusually strong sense of duty and a scrupulous exactness in his work. On one occasion he took a header off the yard-arm of the l Queen,' striking the water at a distance of seventy-four feet. He was brought on board bleeding from the ears and nose, but not otherwise injured. At this time he felt very much cut off from all his family and IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 11 relations, which probably was the cause of the great reserve in his nature. Having to rely upon his own resources from such an early age, he acquired independence of character, and the very fact of his being obliged to take up this surveying branch of his profession was the means of getting his foot on the first rung of the ladder of his after success in life. Shortly after this he was transferred to the 4 Beacon,' then surveying in the Mediterranean, where he learned his work. This ship being paid off in 1846, he joined the surveying ship < Mastiff,' but did not remain long in her, for on the ' Volage ' (also a surveying vessel) being commissioned, he was appointed midshipman, and returned in her to the Mediterranean in 1847. His life had been in many respects hard and toilsome. It admitted of few holidays and fewer recreations, but he still dearly loved the sea and the profession he had chosen, and he now hailed with delight his return to the blue skies and waters of the Mediterranean. Like many sailors of a thoughtful turn of mind, his impressions were deepened by a constant obser- vation of nature. There was time for reflection during long dark midnight watches, while he listened to the wind tearing through the cordage on wild stormy nights, or when watching the angry sea and the sudden changefulness of the elements. 12 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER All this impressed him with a deep reverence for the Divine Being who l holds our destinies in the hollow of His hand/ Thus began to arise in his mind a longing to do some work in His service. When his day's work on board ship spent in making charts and maps was over, he would often go on shore for a long walk. Tired by the dust and heat and glare in some Eastern city, he would turn into one of the churches for a few moments' quiet and contemplation. Here, the solemn evening service in these cool dark buildings produced a calm and restful feeling which made a lasting impression on the thoughtful side of his nature. The opera house at Malta was his chief delight, for here, for a very small sum of money, he could indulge his love of music to the full. From Malta the ship moved to various ports that were then being surveyed. Cyprus and Crete were places of considerable interest, where he spent a great deal of his time as soon as he got an independent command. In the * Volage ' he also surveyed the coast round Athens ; the Acropolis with its historic ruins formed an education in itself, and became the subject of many of his sketches. Here he obtained his first command as mate of the tender to the ' Yolage ' named the ' Auxiliaire.' His work, indeed, caused him to visit all the most interesting and historic portions of the Eastern LITERARY TASTES 13 Mediterranean and the Levant. His cabin in this little vessel was well stored with books, and amongst these the English poets held an honoured place. In the midst of some of the loveliest scenery in the world and under the blue sky of the Mediterranean, lying lazily on deck, he would commit to memory long pages of Scott and Byron, while watching the compass and listening for the soundings being called out by the midshipman, his sole fellow officer on this little craft. The most profitable result of this life of com- parative solitude, arduous as it must have been in many respects, was the opportunity it afforded him of storing his mind with the knowledge which the circumstances of his previous life had combined to withhold from him. Up to the time of his depar- ture from his father's roof, he had little opportunity of acquainting himself with the great authors of English literature. His after life was largely in- fluenced by this mental training. Not only did it impart to his mind a poetic turn, but it softened his nature by awakening his sympathies. It aided him in another way to deal successfully in after life with the native tribes of Africa. For, little resem- bling the matter-of-fact sons of Europe, these races are remarkably susceptible to the influence of imagination. With them, where argument fails, allegory succeeds. So when the time came for him 14 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVEU to deal with them, this vital difference between the two organisations became at once apparent to his practical mind. It was then that his intimate acquaintance with the best poets of his native land enabled him to meet the natives with the one charmed weapon which always constrained them. He had taken with him a brace of pointers and a double-barrelled gun ; and when the cutter lay in port, it was his habit after the work of the day had been completed, to shoulder his gun, and taking his dogs to wander in quest of quail, which abound in the Archipelago. By constant practice he acquired a skill so rare, and an aim so unerring, that he was at last able not only to make certain of killing, but of killing in such a manner as to spare the plumage. The skill thus acquired was in later years employed with lasting effect in the service of his country ; for the birds which were brought to England as one of the results of his first survey of the Niger, and are now in the South Kensington Museum, fell to his unerring aim. His rifle practice was attended with equal success. In bad weather, and during the winter months, the little cutter would lie up in Malta harbour, and the day was spent in drawing charts the result of the summer's work in the Archipelago the evenings at the opera, where he was a constant MALARIAL FEVER 15 attendant. After a year spent in this manner he was transferred to the ' Volcano,' another surveying ship, but only remained in her a short time, when he obtained leave in December 1848 from Admiral Sir William Parker to return to England at his own expense, for the purpose of passing his examination for lieutenant. On his way home he went to Bonn, where his father then lived, and for the first time met his stepmother. On his return to the Mediterranean, he was again given command of the i Auxiliaire ' for another year's surveying, in which he visited Crete and Cyprus. It was here he experienced his first attack of malarial fever. In after years he used to say that, ' bad as was the fever of Cyprus, that of Africa was worse, but that the West Indian fever was the most terrible of the three ; ' and as each of the fevers was more severe than the pre- ceding one, they expelled the traces of the former. Possibly his constitution being so , severely tried by such frequent attacks was less able to resist the strain on its resources, and doubtless was at last completely undermined by the malarial poison. When he finished his work in the ' Auxiliaire ' as mate in command, she was paid oS in Decem- ber 1850, and he again came home, being borne on 16 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the books of H.M.S. ' Victory ' until transferred to the ' Penelope.' About this time, when staying with his father at Bonn, he made the acquaintance of a lady to whom he became sincerely attached, and this attachment continued to be a very power- ful influence in his life for many years. He had always a great respect and admiration for women, though, unlike most sailors, he was rather shy in their company, probably from the fact of not having sisters of his own, and also because his work on board ship prevented him from having much time for their society. This lady was older than he was, beautiful as well as clever and refined, also well read and versatile. No doubt the books they studied together and her softening influence at this period did much to brighten his life, and give a deeper and warmer tone of colour to his thoughts. The recollections of this visit were pleasant for him to look back upon during all the lonely years in Africa that were to follow. Thus the result of his time spent on the banks of the Ehine was that later on, when he was ordered out for his first expedi- tion to Africa, he went, considering himself engaged. His journals sent home to this lady are all the records we have of the great object of his life, viz., the opening up of Africa to civilisation. Doubtless the attachment now formed was a good influence in his life, as well as a protection against the many AN EARLY ATTACHMENT 17 temptations which beset young men, and materially affected his moral character throughout his life. Such was Mr. Glover's early life and training. His future was now before him, and that future depended mainly on the use he had made of the opportunities already afforded him. 18 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEK II Service in Buraiah, 1851-1853 Steam-ship ' Penelope 'Command of ' Teazer ' on the African Coast Promotion to rank of Lieutenant China Station Appointment to ' Sphinx ' at Eangoon Second Burmese War Command of paddle-box boats on the Irawadi Cholera Death of Admiral Austin Fighting at Pegu Landing at Donabew Fighting with the Burmese Severe losses Captain Loch killed Lieutenant Glover severely wounded Bringing ship back to England Eeceives public thanks from Sir George Lambert Kecommended for promotion Baltic and Heligoland, 1854-1855 Russian War Appointment as Senior Lieutenant to the ' Rosamond ' Sighting Russian Cruiser Court-martial Sir Michael Seymour's opinion Promotion stopped Service off Scot- land Command of the ' Otter ' On special service Heligoland Despatch to Lord Clarendon Naval Review. IN December 1850, as already mentioned, Mr. Glover's command of the cutter ( Auxiliaire ' came to an end. When she was paid of! he was appointed to the c Victory,' but almost immediately transferred to the steam frigate < Penelope,' bearing the pennant of Commodore Bruce, on the South Coast of Africa, and served in command of her tender c Teazer.' He was at this time expecting his lieutenant's commission. Here we find him on the threshold of his African career, having learnt the various duties of his profession seamanship, navigation, and surveying and having already assumed the responsibility of independent commands. During WAR WITH BUBMAH 19 his first visit to Africa he was still employed in surveying, and acquired some knowledge of the estuaries of the great African rivers. He visited St. Helena and the Cape, but did not remain long in South Africa. In October 1851, he was promoted lieutenant, and was then employed in surveying on the China Station until appointed to the ' Sphinx,' on the East Indian Station, the following May. This occurred on the outbreak of the second war with Burmah, for the cause of which the following brief account will suffice. The war itself proved to be of great political significance, for it ended in the annexation of the province of Pegu, which led subsequently to the establishment of British Burmah, and at last to the incorporation of the Burmese as a kingdom in the British Empire up to the frontier of China. At the beginning of the century the King of Burmah, viewing the increase of our power in India with uneasiness, had made repeated inroads upon our Eastern frontier, so that in the spring of 1824 operations against him were undertaken. These resulted in the surrender of Eangoon and the capture of other important towns. Peace was made in 1826, and not disturbed for many years. By 1851, however, the lesson the Burmese received twenty-five years previously was forgotten, and our c a 20 LIFE OF $IR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER traders in those parts complained bitterly of the treatment to which they were subjected by the Governor of Eangoon. Lord Dalhousie, who was then Governor- General of India, did not enter into protracted negotiations for redress ; but finding no peaceful means would suffice to procure satisfaction, declared war against Burmah on April 2, 1852. He sent a force of 6,000 men, under General Godwin, from India, while Bear- Admiral Austin, then Commander- in-Chief on that Station, furnished a squadron under Commodore Lambart of the ' Fox ' (40 guns). The towns of Martaban and Kangoon were attacked and fell. Bassein was also occupied. Our line of operations was marked out by the course of the Irawadi, and having been so successful in the former war they were repeated on this occasion. Consequently Commander Tarleton was sent up the river to attack Prome. In the meantime the ' Winchester ' (50 guns), commanded by Captain Loch, had arrived from China, and Lieutenant Glover joined the ' Sphinx ' (Commander Shadwell). At the end of August this vessel went up the Irawadi to relieve Captain Tarleton, and later on Lieutenant Glover took part in the successful expedition against Pegu which resulted in its capture. Prome had been taken previously, and our flotilla was constantly engaged LIFE AT RANGOON 21 in destroying defences which would harass our vessels approaching to or returning from Prome. Thus Mr. Glover joined the ' Sphinx ' as first lieutenant on September 15, 1852. Cholera had broken out in India, and the suddenness of the deaths from its ravages caused the greatest depres- sion. He often went out for a stroll in the morning with a friend, over whose grave he stood before sundown. The Irawadi is a broad river, with many shallows, which flows with great rapidity. The flotilla of river steamers had been the means of keeping off projected attacks from various quarters on Kangoon. Mr. Glover went up the river to survey and ascertain the proceedings of the enemy, in short, to feel the way and see what fortifications the Burmese were erecting, to get the depth of the water, and ascertain the disposition of the people towards us. He was in command of the boats of the ' Sphinx.' Towards the end of the month the weather became hot and sultry ; the mosquitos were abundant, while large black-beetles and other abominations did not add to the pleasures of Eangoon life. Steamers were constantly coming down the river to convey troops to Prome, the steam flotilla being engaged in destroying the defences which the Burmese had attempted to erect within range of their guns. The King of Ava was 22 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER still determined to consider all who dared to seek our protection in the light of enemies, when some of the steamers got aground through ignorance of the navigation of the river. Villagers hastened down to assist in getting them afloat, and seemed very eager for annexation, which would prevent them from ever again suffering by the cruelties of their oppressors. The river had risen to a greater height than it had been known to rise for many years, and they attributed it to the signal inter- position of a higher Power in our favour, in order to enable our steamers to navigate the creeks with- out obstruction. It was held that by the Irawadi we could have a direct route to China, which could only be rendered available by keeping the King of Ava under our influence, and nothing short of the possession of the province below Prome could effect this. Every day an attack on the village of Puyendon was expected, the object being that the Burmese wished to carry off the ex-Governor of Pegu. A sufficient number of sailors and marines had to be sent to ensure the security of the place. Just at that time, to the great sorrow of all who served under him, their commander, Admiral Austin, died in harness, in the service of his country, with his flag flying ' Thus the pride of British sailors and soldiers to die.' He had shortly before suffered from an attack of cholera in Eangoon. BURMESE ATTACK 23 Mr. Glover was then sent to protect Shank Shag Keence, and the sailors were indefatigable in defending him against the Burmese. On the evening of November 19, the l Sphinx ' boats were anchored a little below Pegu. The force landed at daybreak, in a dense fog, by noon sighting the first armed Burmese, with whom they exchanged many shots during the day. In the evening the Burmese came boldly down and fired on the steamers. Years afterwards, when describing the incidents of the day's fighting, Mr. Glover used to mention a little ' Middy ' he noticed on board the ' Sphinx/ a frail, delicate-looking child, apparently little over twelve years of age, who ought to have been at his mother's side. This boy was working hard carry- ing powder for the guns that were keeping up a heavy firing, crying bitterly all the time, his face blackened and besmirched by powder, but never flinching for an instant as he ran along the quiver- ing deck with the ammunition, not heeding the enemy's shots, nor the deafening roar of the guns. The river was found to be staked. It had steep banks where the landing took place the next morn- ing. A hard day's fighting was expected. By the time General Godwin and the attacking force had arrived at the walls of Pegu the men were suffering a great deal from fatigue and heat, but nevertheless the sailors were some of the foremost, and were 24 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER conspicuous that day in the storming of Pegu. There were three hearty cheers given when the first breach in the wall was made, and they rushed in over the crumbling debris. Mr. Glover was specially mentioned in despatches for his coolness and bravery. On February 3, 1853, there happened one of the darkest events which marked this war, viz., the expedition undertaken against a notorious robber chieftain called c Mya-Myati-toon,' who had won for himself an all-powerful name in Donabew and its vicinity. He had captured our boats in their progress up and down the river, and had proved himself a Dacoit so bold and resolute, that it was deemed necessary for the safety of the transports to send a considerable force against him. This consisted of 150 seamen, 60 marines and 25 officers. Mr. Glover was in command of two paddle-box boats which were sent up the Irawadi. The river was overhung by trees and bamboos growing to the water's edge, affording cover to numbers of the enemy, who kept up a heavy fire. Consequently orders were given that before dawn the boats should be manned and move silently up the river. Lieuten- ant Glover was in the leading boat, and passed as close to the high banks as possible in order that the brushwood and long grass might assist in conceal- ing him and his men from the enemy. The force A JUNGLE MARCH 25 was landed at six in the morning, and formed on the plains of Donabew. It consisted of 142 officers and men of the 'Winchester,' 20 from the 'Fox,' 20 of the ' Sphinx,' and about 300 men of the 60th Bengal Native Infantry, with three field pieces dragged by Burmese, and two Europeans to each gun. After about two hours' preparation they moved off towards the forest. When they had advanced about a mile through a thick jungle, composed of high trees and underwood, two musket shots were fired by the enemy, evidently as a signal ; and a few shots were interchanged with them by the advance guard. They continued to march com- paratively unmolested until three o'clock, when they arrived at an open space with a few deserted huts, and encamped there for the night. Some shots were fired during the night, but they were not aroused until five o'clock the following morning, when, after a hearty breakfast, the march was resumed through the jungle, the ground on each side showing evident signs of recent occupation. The guns were moved with great difficulty owing to huge trunks of trees having fallen across the path. On arriving at a creek the advance guard, led by Captain Loch, were received by a tremendous fire on both flanks and in front. The guns were dragged forward, but the Burmese attached to them dropped everything and ran off into the bush. The 26 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER force instantly opened fire, guided only by the flashes of the guns of the invisible enemy, many of whom were hidden in the branches of trees above their heads. The seamen and marines pushed on to the front, led by Captain Loch, but while he was rush- ing on, a ball struck him in the abdomen, carrying the broken fragments of his watch, which was dangling loose, into his body. The officers fell in numbers, fifty of the Europeans were killed and wounded ; and there being no prospect of crossing the creek, owing to its width and depth, a retreat was ordered. Lieutenant Glover, struck by a bullet, which entered close to the comer of the right eye, splitting the bone and coming out just above the ear, fell in- sensible behind some timber. Commander Lambert of the ' Fox,' upon whom the command then de- volved, endeavoured to save the guns, but found that if he did so it would be impossible to carry off the wounded, and in consequence, after dismounting and spiking them and blowing up the ammunition, they retired. Lieutenant Glover had been lying behind the fallen timber of a stockade over which numbers of Burmese had passed, apparently not noticing him, thinking he was dead. When recovering conscious- ness he was aroused by the doctor turning him over, saying, 'Poor Glover's gone too, there is no one left to command,' and on hearing this he staggered SUFFERINGS ON THE MARCH 27 to his feet. In spite of his severe wound and great loss of blood, he exerted himself in encouraging the men, who were greatly exhausted, in assisting the wounded and conveying them away from under fire. The enemy continued to press heavily on the rear- guard. Lieutenant Glover was supported by two of his c Sphinx ' men, his arms round their necks, the mortally wounded Captain Loch being carried by his side. About a mile from the scene of the disaster, as they were crossing the dry bed of a stream, the enemy again opened a heavy fire on both sides, which struck down two of the men who were carrying Captain Loch ; and the men of the i Fox,' being exhausted and unable to carry their captain, Lieutenant Glover ordered his bearers to raise Captain Loch, while he himself was obliged to stagger on without further assistance. After many halts to enable the rear-guard to keep up, the force came to a stream three miles from Donabew just before dark, having been harassed by the enemy the whole day. An indescribable scene of confusion here ensued. Every man rushed into the muddy water to quench his raging thirst. The wounded were dropped by the Burmese bearers, and there was great difficulty in getting them to convey the sufferers further; indeed, it was only by pointing muskets at their heads that they could be induced to move at all. 28 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Equal difficulty was experienced in getting the Sepoys to form a rear-guard, they having to be driven back by the flat of the officers' swords. An eye-witness says, f I specially noticed Glover of the " Sphinx," who, after lying on the ground insensible from a severe wound in the head, got up again, and was foremost in encouraging the men all the way. Carrying off the wounded was a most harassing duty, as the retreat to the boats had to be made for several miles through a thick jungle, the enemy following close. Though never showing, they kept up a galling fire, which had a very demoralising effect on the men already in retreat. The heat was also great, but in spite of it, and the weak state he was in, Glover never flagged for a moment in his efforts to save his comrades, whom to abandon, all knew was to leave to certain death and mutilation. At length, about half-past eight, they reached Donabew and embarked the wounded.' Thus ended this fateful day, in which there were eighty-one killed and wounded, the greater part of the loss falling on the officers, who were picked out by the Burmese sharpshooters. On Mr. Glover's return to the ship the doctor pronounced his wound even worse than was supposed. Fortu- nately, the sight of the eye was uninjured, but he suffered pain in it till the end of his life. He was also in a very exhausted condition from loss of AN EARLY PORTRAIT 29 blood, which had trickled down and filled his boots. But there was no time now to rest, as the i Sphinx ' was ordered to England and was short of officers, therefore, with head bound up, he was obliged to take command and navigate her home. A shipmate writes : ' I remember him perfectly as he was in those days, youthful looking for his age, but with a frame of iron, which he never spared at the call of duty, and which enabled him to get through more work than any ordinary man, and led him sometimes to expect rather more from others, not so gifted, than they were well able to perform. His zeal and energy were untiring, and had a most inspiriting effect on all who served with him. ... I can recollect how we midshipmen were roused by his example, and also how hard and cheerfully the men worked for him at a time when their endur- ance and temper were severely tried by the strain put upon them through the extra work and expo- sure entailed by the war. ... He was always a favourite with them, for though strict and exacting where duty was concerned, he had a pleasant, cheery manner, and they willingly shared hard work with an officer who showed a capacity for it himself. . . . During his passage home, on more than one occasion the doctor had to exercise his authority and insist on Mr. Glover taking more care of himself, for I remember his wound broke 30 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVEK out once or twice, owing to his over-exerting himself on the voyage.' On arriving in England he saw the l Sphinx ' paid off at Portsmouth on July 22, 1853. He was specially mentioned in despatches, and received the public thanks of Eear-Admiral Sir George Lambert for his services while in Burmah, and for his gallantry at Pegu and Donabew. Indeed, he was specially recommended for promotion for his signally good conduct, but for this he was considered too young by the Admiralty, being then in his twenty-third year. While these events were occurring in the East, a storm was brewing in Europe, which, the follow- ing year, involved us in what is now known as the i Crimean War.' In the beginning of 1853 there were indications that the Czar of Eussia considered the time had arrived when certain matters in which Turkey was directly concerned should be remedied, and our ambassador at St. Petersburg was sounded as to the view this country would take of any proposed action. One matter was that of the Christian subjects in Turkey, and the holy places in Palestine ; while the other was that of the Danubian Principalities Moldavia and Wallachia. In June 1853, the Czar invaded the Danubian Principalities, and Turkey declared war against Kussia. Events now proceeded rapidly, though negotia- ENGAGEMENT AT SINOPE 31 tions were still maintained between the British and Eussian Governments. England and France were acting in concert, and in October their fleets passed through the Dardanelles and anchored off Constantinople. This was a direct menace to Kussia, against which her ambassador in London vigorously pro- tested. Then occurred an event which caused great indignation in England, as well as other countries, though it was an incident of war justifiable under such conditions as prevailed between the two countries. A squadron of Turkish frigates were lying at Sinope in the Black Sea during November 1853. The commander was aware of, and had pointed out to the authorities at Constantinople, his dangerous position within a short distance of Sebastopol, where a powerful Eussian fleet was collected. No heed was taken of his warning, and the opportunity was not lost by the enemy. On November 30, a Eussian squadron under Admiral Nachimoff stood into the Bay of Sinope. Having anchored, they poured in a tremendous fire upon the Turkish frigates. In a little over an hour all were destroyed except one small steamer, which carried the news to Constantinople. To prevent a repetition of such acts the allied fleets entered the Black Sea in 32 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER January 1854, and war became inevitable. For a short time longer the diplomatists on both sides kept up negotiations in the hope of preserving peace, but this had become impossible, and, on March 23, Queen Victoria declared war against Kussia. It is unnecessary here to dwell further upon what took place in the Black Sea, for it was in the Baltic the subject of this memoir was destined next to see service. After returning home in the < Sphinx,' and being a short time on shore, Lieutenant Glover was appointed to the ' Koyal George,' in which ship he served in home waters till barely a month before the declaration of war with Eussia. He was still suffering from the effects of his wound, and the doctors did not consider it advisable for him to seek active service in a hot climate. It was not, however, likely that he would remain inactive while such stirring measures were in contemplation. For the navy, the chief expectation of glory in the coming war was in the Baltic. There lay the principal forts and arsenals of Russia and her most powerful fleet. The Government exerted all its energies to despatch thither a squadron which could not be surpassed, and which would be able to deal some severe blow to the enemy, either in the destruction of its fleet, should it venture to face ours, or in the capture of some important strong- WITH THE BALTIC FLEET 33 hold. To equip such a squadron was no easy task, for the navy had been suffered to decline for many years, both in ships and men. Admiral Sir Charles Napier was selected to command the Baltic fleet. Sir Charles Napier's flagship was the screw line of battleship ' Duke of Wellington ' (130 guns), and, placed under his command, were eighteen other ships of the line, eleven frigates, and a similar number of smaller vessels, the majority being screw steamers. Portsmouth, Plymouth and Sheerness had to furnish this force. At the last-named port the 6-gun paddle sloop l Kosamond ' was commis- sioned for the Baltic by Commander George Wodehouse, and Lieutenant Glover was appointed to her as senior lieutenant on March 3, 1854. It was three weeks before she sailed and proceeded to Dover, where she remained doubtless completing her crew until April 16. The ' Kosamond ' then proceeded to the North Sea and joined the Admiral, who had gone out in the middle of March with a portion of his fleet, leaving the rest to follow as they were ready. The 1 Eosamond ' met the fleet off Gottska Sando, a small island between Faro Sound and the Gulf of Finland, and she continued in that neighbourhood for some time to intercept any vessel that might pass down the Baltic. Little, however, of interest appears to have occurred as far as this ship is concerned, with P 34 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the exception of two incidents, which are described in a letter from a friend of Lieutenant Glover, who was well acquainted with the circumstances : 4 The " Rosamond " was steaming on her course when a smart -looking vessel was observed proceed- ing leisurely close in shore. Mr. Glover said they " might cut her off and capture her," but the cap- tain thought it would not be prudent to attempt it as the enemy was in force in the neighbourhood. Lieutenant Glover rejoined, " You don't know, you might be losing the chance of a lifetime by neglect- ing it." They watched the strange vessel, which presently passed out of gunshot distance, when the Russian standard was run up and a royal salute was fired. It turned out that the Emperor was on board ! ! ! Mr. Glover said he thought they might have effected the capture, and if so the war would doubtless have been brought to an early close.' Soon after this incident happened, some newspapers were brought on board containing an account of The wonderful escape of the Emperor from an English cruiser.' Mr. Glover's despair was even greater than when the captain refused to follow his advice, on which occasion he shut himself up in his cabin, and it was not safe to speak to him till he had got over his disappointment. ' The medical officer on board the " Rosamond " at this time was a very irascible man, who quar- COURT-MARTIAL 35 relied constantly with every shipmate. This officer one day spoke very disrespectfully of Her Majesty, when Mr. Glover said, "Wearing the uniform you do, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for so speaking of the Queen," upon which the doctor repeated the offence. Whereupon the lieutenant said, " If it were not for your uniform I would pull your nose." The doctor made a service matter of it, reported it to the Admiral, and called for a court-martial on Mr. Glover for using language cal- culated to lead to a breach of the naval regulations. But while he was under arrest the ship ran aground, and the only man to get her off again was the captive lieutenant, who was sent for from below. When the court was held Mr. Glover was formally acquitted. The president of the court was Ad- miral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.B., who was a personal friend of mine, and upon the return to England of the expedition at the termination of the season in the Baltic, I took occasion to express my hope that my young friend Glover had not suffered in his estimation through the court-martial, and he replied, " No, I think all the better of him for it, both for his outspoken loyalty and his manly re- sentment of an insult to the Queen." Nevertheless, it was in consequence of this that his promotion was stopped, and he went out to Africa.' On November 19, 1854, Lieutenant Glover, by P 2 36 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER order of the Commander-in- Chief, took active com- mand of the 'Kosamond,' on the promotion of Commander Wodehouse. She was then at Kiel, and winter approaching, it was necessary for the fleet to leave the Baltic before the ice set in. Acting-Commander Glover therefore brought the i Kosamond ' home, and on arrival, at the begin- ning of December, she was employed on the Scotch coast. This was not very congenial ser- vice to one of Mr. Glover's temperament. But early in the following year he was offered an appointment for a duty which, besides being of an exciting nature, required great discretion and ability. The particulars of this service cannot be given in their fullest detail. Indeed, he was unaware of them when receiving his orders from the Admiralty at Woolwich, in March 1855, to fit out the < Otter ' for i particular service,' the nature of which did not then transpire. In May he was despatched with ' sealed orders,' and found in them that he was to proceed to the Elbe for the purpose of conveying to Heligoland recruits for the British German Legion assembling at that island. In reference to the war with Eussia some general understanding or agreement had been formed between England and Germany, to the effect that Germans might of their own free will enlist in the British military service. Heligoland was a station SERVICE OFF HELIGOLAND 37 where recruits would be assembled. On his arrival at this island Mr. Glover found about fifty men in garrison. There was anxious vigilance on the part of the several lesser states bordering on the Elbe and Weser to prevent any exit from their territory to persons travelling to Heligoland, except in the strictest accordance with law. Consequently Lieu- tenant Glover's endeavours to take the recruits from the mainland to Heligoland were for a time checked. But after an interview with the German agent, finding he was jealously watched, Mr. Glover thought it advisable to act entirely on his own resources and effect the object for which he was sent by the aid of his own knowledge of the German language and such information as he could procure. It was an anxious time, by reason of the espionage continually exercised over his movements, and the difficulty of avoiding infringe- ment of the laws. That he succeeded in all this will be seen from the following letter from the agent at Hamburg to the Earl of Clarendon : 'I hope that I am not overstepping the bounds that I ought to observe in my official communication, if I venture to lay before you the testimony that I conceive is but justly due to the services of Lieutenant Glover, commanding H.M.S. steam-ship " Otter," who was employed during last summer, and until very lately, in conveying persons 38 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER who wished to take service in the Foreign Legion from the coasts in this neighbourhood to Heligo- land. Knowing as I did the anxious vigilance of the neighbouring Governments to obtain even the slightest ground for complaint, I was not without apprehension, when a vessel under H.M.S. flag first entered the Elbe, lest the officer in command might in his zeal for the performance of his duty be led to do anything that could be construed into a vio- lation of the law, and thus cause misunderstand- ing between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the States bordering on the Elbe and Weser. But I have great satisfaction in stat- ing to your lordship that, throughout, Lieutenant Glover acted, as far as came under my observation, with the greatest zeal and success in carrying out his instructions ; nevertheless, he, in no instance, committed any act which could possibly be deemed a breach of their laws ; while the services that he was engaged in were of an arduous and difficult nature, requiring much tact and discrimination. I therefore beg to submit this statement on behalf of Mr. Glover, with whom I was quite unacquainted before he arrived in the Elbe, trusting that if my doing so may not be strictly in accordance with my duties, yet, under the circumstances, I shall stand excused.' The island of Heligoland is a plateau with steep NAVAL REVIEW 39 sea-washed cliffs. The ' Otter ' would lie under the cliffs during the day and her commander could exercise his discretion in taking her into the waters of Germany at such hours as might best suit the purpose for which she had been sent by the British Government. In September 1855 she was withdrawn from this service. During a period of four months she had conveyed upwards of eight hundred recruits to Heligoland from the surround- ing country. After the withdrawal she took part in the great naval review when the Queen inspected the ships on their return from the Baltic and Black Sea. 40 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEE III Steam-ship ' Day spring ' Extracts from Lieutenant Glover's journal Appointment by Foreign Office to survey of Niger Fernando Po Notes by General Davis Extracts from Mr. Glover's journal Madeira Cape Palmas Arrival at the mouth of the Niger Wreck of the * Dayspring.' A CEITICAL point had now been reached in Mr. Glover's life. It may indeed be called a turning point in his career, for it really led to several steps in his subsequent advancement. He was now about to enter that region of the Niger which abounded in capabilities and possibilities, some of which have been and are still being realised for the benefit of the British Empire. He was to follow illus- trious explorers of his own nation and of other nations in that quarter. But he was to be the first person to make official surveys for England on the Niger ; and his work was to be the foundation for the charts and maps of the British Government in that extensive valley. At this time the attention of the scientific world in England was directed to the Niger ; and the Eoyal Geographical Society in particular, under the presidentship of Sir Eoderick Murchison, urged '> #U* * /..a - ^jb^^fe^ i^rahsu" S ^^Ak^H^FlE"? MA of a portion WEST COAST ( to illustrate th Sir J. H. Glover 3 Longitude W. 2 of Greenwich i i Longitude E. 2 of Green London: Smith, /ABE OKU, TJ 1 '. < \ Ijebu Kamos ' /' ''I j e,--'bl/u Waterloo Place. Walker NIGER EXPEDITION 41 the British Government to undertake surveys and other scientific operations there. These representa- tions had such weight with the Foreign Department, of which the Earl of Clarendon was then the head, that his lordship decided to despatch an expedition, of which the scientific head was Dr. Baikie, while the surveying work was entrusted to Mr. Glover, whose previous experience, as already described, gave him special qualifications. Mr. Glover left the < Otter ' March 3, 1857, and the next day was appointed by the Foreign Office to join the River Niger expedition. 1 He was employed in this service until 1861, during which he surveyed the lagoons at Lagos, and that portion of the River Niger comprised between Boussa and the sea. After receiving his orders in England for this service, he was during the next few weeks busily employed in gathering his outfit, guns, rifles, surveying instruments, and all requirements for a protracted stay in Africa. The yawl screw steamer 1 Dayspring,' specially built and fitted out for the expedition by Laird Bros., Birkenhead, was an iron vessel of 77 gross register tonnage, with engines of about 100 indicated horse-power, driving a screw propeller. The dimensions of the vessel were : Length, 76 ft. 3 in. ; beam, 22 ft. ; depth in hold, 1 For the geographical features and climate in this and succeeding chapters, reference may be made to the Introduction to this Memoir. 42 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER 5 ft. 8 in., while her figure-head was a dove bearing an olive branch. She carried, with Captain Grant, her commander, and the officers of the ship, in all sixteen Englishmen, who trusted to engaging a crew of natives to make up her complement at Fernando Po, where Lieutenant Glover was to meet Dr. Baikie, naturalist and chief of the expedition, and Mr. Davis, afterwards deputy surgeon-general. In a letter from the latter he says : ' Glover and I were warm friends from the first, and never had a difference or misunderstanding ; though nominally second, he was really chief of that Niger Expedition.' A few extracts from Mr. Davis's journal will describe the objects of this ex- pedition and the meeting at Fernando Po of those who took part in it. The ' Day spring ' sailed from Liverpool on Thursday, May 7, 1857 : 1 I have been asked to give some information regarding my late friend Sir John Glover, and I write with a deep sense of regret that he is no more. An Irish peasant once said of a departed friend, " The Lord be good to his soul, he was a whole man." This could be said of Glover: he was a whole man, truthful, generous, wise and brave, a naval officer like Peel and Goodenough a born leader of men. I first met him at Fernando Po, West Africa, June 22, 1857, when he arrived there in the " Dayspring " which was to convey the OBJECTS OF EXPEDITION 43 expedition under Dr. Baikie up the Eiver Niger. Two months previously Dr. Baikie arrived at Sierra Leone, and I was discharged from H.M.S. " Hecla " for service as medical officer of the expedition. We remained a month at Sierra Leone, making preparations and selecting men likely to be useful as interpreters, and then proceeded in the mail steamer to Fernando Po. The members of the Government party were Dr. Baikie in command, Lieutenant Glover, Mr. May (second master for surveying purposes), Mr. Barter (botanist), Mr. Dalton (zoologist), and Fisher, Mr. Glover's ser- vant. With Captain Grant and the officers of the "Dayspring," in all sixteen Englishmen, and a crew composed of Kroomen and other Africans, the total was 106. 1 The objects of the expedition were to extend geographical knowledge of Central Africa, to cultivate friendly relations with the natives, to make treaties with them, to select sites for future towns or settlements, and, broadly speaking, to further British interests and the civilisation of Africa. The Eev. Dr. Crowther (now Bishop Crowther) and the Kev. Dr. Taylor (since dead), both natives of Yoruba, joined our party, with some lay agents to work under them. 1 Dr. Baikie 's first exploration of the River Binue and Kwarra, published by Murray in 1856, should 44 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER be consulted, as no record of our expedition of 1857-58 was ever published, owing to the death of Dr. Baikie and absence of Lieutenant Glover.' The following extracts from Mr. Glover's journal describes the voyage of the ' Dayspring ' after she left Liverpool, and his life during the next few months in Africa, while he was engaged in the survey of the Niger, and in shooting a collection of birds for the expedition, which were sent home to the British Museum and afterwards placed in the South Kensington Museum. This journal was kept for and addressed to the lady mentioned at the end of the first chapter : 1 1 sent you a letter by the pilot last night telling you of our sailing and the fair promise with which we commenced our voyage. We have had a fine breeze all day from the S.S.E., and the little " Dayspring," with wings outspread, is speeding gallantly on her way to the warm south. We have been most fortunate in our start ; let us take it as a happy omen, and trust that the great Being, whose hand is in all, smiles upon our mission of mercy and peace, and that indeed our little vessel may be bearing, to those regions of ceaseless warfare and strife, the olive branch of peace. I did not write last night for, I believe, the first time for many days past ; I rested. Just as Fisher had brought some tea and I was lying down, I was wakened by A COLLISION 45 screams on deck. Bushing out of my cabin into the saloon, I felt a violent shock, which almost threw me on my face, at the same time the vessel's head was depressed. On gaining the deck I found that a large barque was under our bow. The little " Dayspring " bounded away some 20 yards, so light and buoyant is she on the water. The barque passed on, having knocked away our bow-sprit, jibboom and pretty figure-head, " the dove with the olive branch." Of course it has left us in a most crippled state, and it will detain us at Madeira while the defects are being made good. I went below again to assist the captain and crew to clear the deck. We are just off the Bay of Biscay, and the roughness of its waters seemed determined to compel our homage, for we had to reduce our sail before the freshening breeze, which soon increased to a gale from the south-west, with heavy seas and squalls of rain. I was at the helm all the forenoon, assisted by Fisher. We have only a few men, just enough to navigate the vessel to the coast, where we shall engage a regular crew of fifty men. There was not a dry bed on board. I slept on a sofa abaft, while Fisher found a dry place on the deck beside me, "Yen" (the dog) sleeping by his side. Most thankful was I to Him who rules the winds and waves when last night the storm broke. 1 Sunday. I have been thinking of all the plans 46 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER that must be carried out before I can return to England from this, our crusade against the Moslem, for so it really is, only, we will hope, a bloodless one. And while dressing, my eyes rested on my picture of the Saviour, and the thought came into my mind and the words to my lips : " That shall be the altar-piece for the first church in Central Africa, the seat at no distant time of the bishopric ; and I will build that church at our trading station, the very centre of this hitherto sealed land, with its great wide rivers wandering out east and west ; and all their small tributary streams which flow into them, north and south, and are navigable for the small canoes of the country, must bear from this central station the trade and civilisation of Eng- land, as the means to the end, that great end, for which I feel that God's blessing goes with us." ' At present all these regions depend entirely on caravans from Tripoli across the desert. Kano is the central emporium, the place where all the produce from all parts is collected before it is despatched to Tripoli, and where all goods are brought from Tripoli before being dispersed to all the countries of Central Africa. It takes fourteen months to get back the caravans from Tripoli with goods from Europe, while from our station, Kano, it is only thirty days' easy travelling, and that without risk. See what Laird's Town must THE HAUSSA LANGUAGE 47 become, with splendid rivers running out for six hundred miles and more. I want an altar-cloth and a bell, and the church, small though it may be, will be ready when they arrive. I mean to make this specially my work ; it will be the ground of a future great bishopric, and it will be something to have planted the first " mustard seed" in Laird's Town. 'May 29th. I tried to get the doctor to join me in a lesson in Haussa. I find it so simple when we are together, and so heart-breaking alone. There are no rules, and the formation of the plural is most whimsical ; for instance, " a great sheep " is " Baba Dunkia," the plural of which is " Maisaza Dumakia." We are sailing southward in such a summer sea, the tiny rippling waves glittering in the bright moonlight, just off Cape de Yerd Island, and fairly within the tropics. Strange things come to the ship's side to look at us, the monsters of the deep, sperm whales and porpoises. This morning we sailed through a whole fleet of the beautiful nautilus, with their delicate sails of silver silk dancing merrily over the tiny waves. I had never seen anything like it before; well might the imagination of our first voyagers delight to fancy that they bore the souls of deceased mariners. Last night, attracted by our light, enough flying fishes flew on board to give us a fresh 48 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER dish for breakfast. But the strangest of all sea monsters was the sea-serpent which was floating lazily on the top of the water. All at once it raised itself some feet out of the water and turned its snake-like head round to look at us. I flew for my rifle, but we had passed out of gunshot by the time I returned, arriving only to see the creature sink slowly back into the sea. To-night we have the Southern Cross shining in all its glorious splendour, and I have been gazing at it for hours. i Cape Palmas. Our decks have been all day covered with half-naked savages. We have not been very successful amongst them. They are somewhat grasping in their demands, as the bargain is for what they call " war palaver," not " palm-oil palaver," that is, instead of their being required to go on the rivers and load our ship with palm oil, we are taking them to the war-country. I hardly know whether to call the whole scene ridiculous or sad : perhaps the latter. They are nearly always at war with their neighbours on either side of them, and the fair sex are invariably the cause. They asked for muskets and powder, as they are at war at the present moment, and told us that they had killed six of the next town " this moon"; pretty well, considering that this is only the 12th, and their fighting is more demonstrative than sanguinary. The word " chop " with them means something to MAKING 'CHOP' 49 eat, and stands for breakfast, dinner, or supper, according to the time of the day. The captain asked them if they had made " chop " of the six ; upon which a tall gentleman, whose full dress consisted of six or seven ivory armlets reaching from the left wrist to the elbow, a piece of cloth round the loins, and an English beaver hat, covered with a coloured silk handkerchief to protect it from the rain, said, " No, sir, we gentleman, we kill, we no make much chop." c And now to give you as good an idea as I can of the hooting, screaming, fighting, and bargaining by which we have been surrounded these two days. At early dawn, about twenty or thirty canoes were seen coming from the shore, each bearing from four to seven men. The men sitting at the bottom of the canoe facing the bow propel it with paddles, which they use in the water as you may have seen a gardener use his spade while filling up a hole back-handed. Swarms of canoes come alongside and the crew climb up. The greater number jump overboard and swim to the ship, and come towards you shaking you by the hand, assuring you that p r j nce Albert " is glad to see you, or it may be "King Tom," "Jack Smoke," "Black Bill," "Sea- breeze," " Bottle of Beer," and such like dignified names which distinguish their head men. These are " gentlemen " who, having saved enough to buy SO LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER from two to four wives, are rich men, and have given up the sea. They came on this occasion to hire out their sons, who, when they are engaged, receive two months' pay in advance that is, two pieces of cotton cloth like pocket handkerchiefs, each piece containing fourteen yards, and five shillings. The whole of this these affectionate fathers take to themselves, and as soon as the bargain is complete, the sons are locked up until the canoes are gone, and the ship at sea, else they would jump overboard and be off. Such is the custom of the country. Once started they must remain with us, for if they were to run away the people amongst whom we are going would make slaves of them. 1 Fernando Po, June Yltli. At last, after forty- seven days' passage, we arrived at Fernando Po. Doctor Baikie carried me on shore to dine with the Spanish Governor, a Dutchman. I liked Mr. Crowther's [afterwards Bishop Crowther] appear- ance very much, as well as that of a Dr. Taylor, also black, who goes with us. i We walked beneath palms and cedars, orange, lemons, limes, and guava trees forming a mass of tangled underwood to the splendid forest of stately cedars and the rich cotton trees, looking such monsters of the wood. < 1 was up at daybreak taking angles and sights for our chronometers, and had a visit from Captain TROPICAL BAIN AND FRUIT 61 Close and one of his lieutenants, who was " mid " of my watch in the " Winchester." It has been raining as it only can in the tropics. I found Dr. Baikie with an attack of fever. I am the only one, out of a party of eleven, not sick ; even the captain is ill. 1 Sunday, July 5th. Our last day at sea, for to-night we get to the bar of Bio Bento in St. John's river, called by the English traders the Brass, by which we are to enter Africa. We have still large bunches of bananas hanging to the beams to ripen, while opposite to me are great baskets of oranges and lemons. It is so strange that I have come back to all this. I like it so much, this summer land of fruit and flowers. The harbour is very pretty, and the trees which grow quite into the water are most luxuriant. There are five English vessels taking in palm oil, and the English Cask Houses on shore, dotted among the splendid foliage, give an air of life and movement to this otherwise solitary and deserted scenery. Will it always be so ? This must eventually be the centre port of Central Africa. I have been busy all yesterday making a plan to send to Lord Clarendon for the ease of the many ships which we hope will soon follow us up the Niger. It poured most piteously the whole time, and I was away from early dawn and did not return till late in the evening. E 2 52 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER 1 July %Qth. We entered the creek which unites the two rivers, the Niger and the Brass. It is too narrow for vessels to pass in the channel. I must endeavour to give you an idea of the well, I can hardly give a name to it, for from the one river to the other I could find no spot of ground on which to land. The whole is one entire swamp, covered at high water and exposed at low water, about the width of five feet, of the most stinking mud the earth ever produced, so densely covered with mangrove trees as to be quite impenetrable. I believe this describes every feature of its scenery, and yet withal it is very pretty, sometimes even beautiful. The trees are of the most intense green, almost meeting overhead, their fantastically-shaped stems and roots, with the branches and many creepers, hanging gracefully into the stream, forming pretty vistas through which little vessels can make their way. Innumerable parrots overhead screamed in discord all their own, and the long-legged cranes and graceful white egrets were disturbed, perhaps for the first time, in their joint fishing preserves. I never go out of the ship without a gun or rifle, and seldom return with less than a brace of some new variety or pelicans, and hope to have a fine collection of tropical birds to send home. c From river to river is ten miles, and the lagoon stretches half-way. The entire country is one SLOW PROGRESS 53 delta, with its countless palms and large silk- cotton trees, but the scenery tires the eyes. ' Dr. Baikie was evidently most anxious to get into the open waters of the Niger, and asked if I would attempt the creek. I said "Yes," though I thought it just possible we should stick in the mud, which we did. The morning tide floated us again. How shall I describe the tortures of that night ! The mosquitos and sand flies devoured us, and, tired as I was, I walked the deck the entire night and smoked, by which I kept my face at least free from them. We started again early and found it, even in the daylight, difficult getting the vessel through this creek. After making a plan of the ditch, at high tide we got her off and proceeded up the river. Since then, my time has been occupied in one incessant chaining and fixing the various points and windings of the river as we ascend. We weigh anchor as soon as it is light enough for me to see, and I sketch till dark. ' On Saturday Dr. Baikie came to me and said that, owing to the lateness of the season, he wished to weigh anchor and go on after Morning Service on Sunday. I said " Very well " ; but if I had been chief I would not have done it ; so another Sunday passed working hard, and I have not found time to write, except for a few minutes when anchoring at a village yesterday, where we met his sable majesty 54 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER of Abo, a very tall man of about thirty-five, dressed in the scarlet coat like what is worn by a mail- coach guard, parti-coloured trousers, the whole surmounted by a cardinal's hat. The buttons on the coat had a crown with a " V.R.," as had also his sword, which was carried before him. He brought with him his favourite wife, a girl about sixteen, rather pretty, whose duties in public seemed to be to sit at his feet and fan him, and when he spat, which he continually did over her, she carefully wiped the deck clean. I had written thus far when his majesty made his appearance for a second visit, bringing this time seven wives, his brother's and his own, as well as his brother's suite. 1 August 16th. I have not had a single moment to write since July 26. I have had a sharp attack of fever and ague, accompanied by wretched sick- ness. Now I am much better, and do not feel greatly weakened by my illness. On our first stoppage on the left bank of the river, I received a message from Dr. Baikie asking me to bring my rifle and shoot a bullock which the king had given us. Presents are the custom all over Africa. Very nice, you will say, but a return is always expected, and you may put it down as a rule that it is a very expensive mode of buying things. These bullocks all run wild in the bush, and when they give you A SUSPICIOUS KING 55 one you must get it the best way you can. I have begged Dr. Baikie always to call me in on those occasions, as it gives me practice for nobler game. When the king gave the bullock he thought that of course we should not go to look for it, and when I, quite different in costume and appearance from those who had preceded me, entered his yard, rifle in hand, with half the town following at my heels, his majesty seemed not at all sure that I had not come to shoot him. His uneasiness appeared rather to increase when I said I had come to shoot the bullock, and there was some demur. At last, thinking it might be the easiest way to get rid of his visitors, he said he would show me the way himself, but assured me the bullock was a very wild one. This is a land of war, distrust, and rapine : you never take a cup of water without making the donor taste it before you. He led the way with the greatest distrust as we approached near the ground. I cocked my gun to examine the priming, and you would have laughed to have seen the start his poor frightened majesty gave. After all, I lost my sport. An eagle soared over our heads and my ball brought it to the ground. The people who were with me screamed and ran into the town, and when I entered it all avoided me as if I had the plague. They have not the slightest idea of attempting to 53 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER shoot a bird on the wing ; a bullock or any wild animal always takes about ten or twelve shots before it is brought down, so that I had performed a feat which, in their eyes, stamped me at once as a magician. ' September 9th. My trip up the mountain yesterday was very successful, the party consisting of Dr. Davis and Dr. Barter, the naturalist, with five blacks to carry my instruments and our neces- saries, and a guide, spear in hand. On landing, I shot a white vulture which was sent on board to be preserved. Our path lay over a pleasant upland country for about five miles, until we came to the base of the mountain, and after ascending about five hundred feet we arrived at a pretty little plain, nicely cultivated and studded with trees. A ditch and mud wall, loop-holed for shooting arrows, barred our further progress, and beyond it the top of some huts, comprising a town, peeped through the trees. I proposed staying for breakfast under a shady tree, and sending to tell the king of the mountains that we wished to call upon him. Before our repast was ended, a messenger came from the king bidding us welcome, and saying that he had never seen a white man, and was delighted that we had come. He received us most warmly, and seated on leopard skins we drank his country beer with great relish. This hut of audience was A FATAL RIVER 57 soon crowded, and nothing escaped the most scrutinising admiration. By this time I am almost mahogany in colour and certainly not a white man, while my two companions are. The greatest compliment which my guide and admirer Abdul Kader can pay me is that I am an Arab. But I am glad to say I am quite well, and rather more slim than when I left England, though I shall return with an old face and grey hair. We remained on the mountain until the setting sun warned me to put up my sketch book and descend. The view was grand, extending over 400 square miles we were then 1,300 feet above the sea-level. The river winding its way along brought some sad thoughts to my mind, since, from all its various sources, until its entrance into the sea, oppression, bloodshed, wrong, and darkness, mar with foul spots its splendid stream. A fatality seems to hang over it. May it please God that we shall aid in its removal, and that soon commerce, as a means to a greater end, may cover its waters with other burdens than slaves, and the results of war and depredation. 'Next day brought us to the mouth of the Kedisnia river where lives the dreaded Othanan Yacki, Dansatah, and Dando, three chiefs of the Fallanie or Fallana. The first of these was king of this country some fourteen years ago, but was 58 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER driven from it by his half-brother Dansatah. The Fallanie up to the end of the last century were wandering cow-herds, moving from place to place as their cattle required pasture, encamping always outside the walls of towns and villages, never mix- ing with the Kaffir or heathen people of the land. This was the history when Othanan Yacki sent messengers bringing us welcome and a basket of Kola nuts and an invitation to proceed to Bida. ' I had fever accompanied by ague for tw T o days, but would not give in, being able to hold out. Dr. Baikie being ill, I was obliged to go, as the king's messages were imperative. Mr. Crowther said he would come too, and I felt a gallop would cure my fever. The horses were fresh, and we had to wait for our lagging attendants before arriving at the huts the king had prepared for us. We found the chief hut twenty feet in diameter, the very picture of comfort. Large logs burnt clear and bright on the ground in the centre, beside it stood an earthen water-bottle holding a quart of hot water from which we were expected to wash like Mohammedans before prayer. On one side of the fire a platform was raised, made of bamboo a foot and a half high, on which was spread skins and mats to sleep on. Soon my saddle holsters and saddle bag were in their place, and the king sent a message of a hundred thousand welcomes AN AMUSING LEVEE 59 by men bearing smoking dishes of food. Mr. Crowther and I talked together till he fell asleep, heels up, head down. It was strange, hearing the night noises of the camp, the occasional voices of women and the cries of the children, or the neigh- ing of horses, as they stood tethered outside the hut, making music in my ears, while I, a sailor bearded and turbaned, was a guest in the camp of Othanan Yacki. The scene in the hut next day was amusing. There arrived a bevy of princes. Othanan Yacki has thirty children living, and his brother fifty. So my levee was a large and dis- tinguished one. They admired my saddles, bits, stirrups, and guns. After they were gone, two princesses came and begged for a looking-glass. According to a custom of the country they knelt down before me, bending their heads to the ground, and then placed themselves at the foot of my mat. I offered them a seat. It seemed that Abdul Kader had placed some writing paper for safety under the mat, as this is a great article for barter and much prized. He wished to get at it, and was most un- ceremoniously proceeding to push off my princess ; but I told him that for once in his life he must wait upon women ; this tent was England, and he must see how we treated women, and wait till they should go away. He replied, " Then in England you are fools." A train of dishes now appeared for 60 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the mid-day meal, sent by the king. After this we visited a tent to see them tempering a sword-blade. One of the princesses in passing to her father's quarters had caught sight of the white stranger. In her dismay she had thrown away her upper garment and never ceased running until she had reached her father's enclosure. My admirer, Abdul Kader, told her, " He is good, he would not hurt you." " And does he pray to God ? " "Yes." " And his arms ! look at mine, look at mine, and God made them both ; God is wonderful. But will not the sun melt him? Will he bear fatigue?" Abdul told her of the mountains we had ascended together, and that I had left him far behind. She only answered, " God is wonderful." 4 Gamp Jeso, October 3~Lst. Dr. Baikie has left the bag open for me. I have had fever for days, and then was busy examining the rocks to see if a passage is practicable. The " Dayspring " was wrecked the day after I last wrote, and I have been a heavy loser. I was ill at the time from ague. The vessel with her steam could not stem the current, and struck on a sunken rock. The ship filled, except the forecastle, and during the night went down. The captain was sick and the chief went off to save his dog. Somehow I found myself in possession, with a naked sword in my hand driv- ing the wretches who would save their rags instead WRECK OF THE ' DAYSPEING ' 61 of getting sails and provisions on shore. However, by dark we had pitched our tents and secured some of our things. < Dr. Crowther and I have sent for horses to make a journey up the river. I have been laid up for days with fever. So long as the excitement and work consequent on the wreck lasted I shook it off, and had I gone to Lagos the change of air would have done me good, but the horses are so long coming that I fear being ill again. We have no coffee, tea, sugar or chocolate, and of wine, flour, and all their attendant luxuries, we have none. We roast Indian corn and prepare it as a substitute for coffee without milk. We must wait for the arrival of the " Sunbeam " for more supplies. My object is to push up the river as soon as possible, accompanied by Mr. Barter, the botanist. Dr. Baikie expects me back in December, and has given me only a fortnight's provisions and presents for the chiefs.' 62 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEK IV First survey of the Niger, 1857-1861 Account of the wreck by General Davis Interview with King Abo Rabba Good recep- tion at Boussa Finding of Mungo Park's book Return from sur- veying the Niger Expedition to Lagos First experience with the Haussas Palavers with the Chiefs Return to camp Finish of survey Return to England Commendation by Lord Clarendon. THE following notes are taken from Mr. (after- wards General) Davis's journal : ' We left Fernando Po on June 29 and crossed the bar of the Brass river. Glover has been away all day surveying the bar. Our progress is slow, and the labour of the surveying officer most arduous. We had some shooting at crocodiles and hippopotami, and some weary nights watching for big game. The land became higher, and hills and mountains were seen on either side. To climb these and ascertain their altitudes and survey the surrounding country was a labour of love to Glover, and I often assisted. We got horses and rode to Bida, where Massaba the king was encamped with 20,000 soldiers and camp followers. Massaba is a scourge to the country around, but he was polite to us. We anchored off Eabba, the ruins of a fine town situated on high sandstone cliffs. The people ACCOUNT OF THE WRECK 63 came off confidently. The skull of Umora, lately overcome by Massaba, was a prominent object on a stake as we landed there in sun 149. Caravans from Kano, bound for Ilorin, were crossing the river, and the skull of Umora was stolen. At first the suspicion fell on the innocent people from Kano, afterwards on us, when we were shipwrecked above the sacred island of Ketsa. ' We left Kabba and steamed up the river. At nine we anchored, and Glover went away to sound. We proceeded, but could not stem the current, and were carried against a sunken rock. The ship struck her starboard side with great force. Warps were laid out and efforts made to haul her off. This only increased the inrush of the water. She heeled over and sunk gradually. At first there was a slight panic among the Kroomen, but order was soon restored by Glover and others. The boats were lowered and the officers and crew, with such stores as could be saved, were landed. A site for an encampment was selected, and, all hands working, three tents were built and a watch set. The ship's bell struck the hours, and our dinner was prepared by the cook. He was drunk, and nearly capsized the dingy with the sick, in which I was. I hit him over the head with the tiller, and he fell overboard, greatly to my relief. I found him on a sand-bank when I was* pulling back to the ship. Glover and 64 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Captain Grant were the last to leave. In the night a tornado came on. We were all wet through and in dull spirits, when Mackintosh, the mate, who had saved his flute, played " Cheer, boys, cheer, 7 ' and made us all laugh. Early next day we went to look for the " Dayspring." She had gone down.' When the ' Dayspring ' became a wreck, and the party were thus obliged to get on shore and camp, Mr. Glover had all his work to do, for the Krooboys, taking advantage of the ill-fortune of the expedition, became mutinous, and it was with great difficulty he could get their help to bring the stores from the foundered vessel. There the party were obliged to remain some months until relief was brought to them from Lagos. While waiting, Mr. Glover was engaged in surveying the country and in laying down charts of the Niger, being the first European who ever surveyed that renowned river. The king of that part of the country, the Emir of Nupe, took a great fancy to him, and gave him numberless presents as a mark of honour, and a bodyguard of his fighting men to accompany him in his excur- sions into the surrounding country. Mr. Barter, the botanist, went with him, and was engaged in collecting specimens. When at Peteska Island, the extreme northern possession of Warra, Mr. Glover says, ' I have discovered that our proceed- ings here are most jealously watched. The island TROUBLESOME NATIVES 65 is in a high state of cultivation, and supplies Warra with palm wine, which must prove a source of great profit to the people. Mr. Barter was prevented from collecting botanical specimens, but I battled it out with the king, and, on condition that he did not strip the bark from the large trees that are held sacred, he was allowed to continue his pursuits, al- though most strictly watched. I was constantly receiving complaints of his infringing the contract, which I need hardly say were entirely without foundation. The cause of all this annoyance was their belief in charms, and their fear of our pro- ficiency in the dark science made them keep this espionage on all our movements. Nothing could shake their conviction that if I put all their country down upon paper, and Mr. Barter took pieces of all their trees and shrubs home, we should make charms of these things to use against them, and then return and take their country from them. I found the people of Warra suspicious, captious liars and thieves, who asked for all that you possessed.' 1 Friday, 10th. Still very ill from fever. In evening went to see king and delivered message and presents. I found him seated outside the palace gates watching a dance by women dressed in strips of coloured cotton, a performance in honour of our arrival. The king and people profuse in compli- F 66 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAW LEY GLOVER ments, but we are little better than prisoners, as we are not allowed to move outside our huts without one or two of the head men of the town ; but it matters little, as I am too ill with fever to do more than crawl to the king's hut and back, and this knocks me up for the whole day, and I had no sleep at night. ' 14th. I packed up everything ready for a start, and moved all our belongings out of the yard under a large tree in the street, and waited for Bak (the chief told off to attend on strangers), who presently appeared, accompanied by the king's Ear and one or two others. They were much annoyed at our readi- ness to set out. It seemed that last night the king and all his court got drunk, and did not break up till four o'clock this morning, consequently their heads were rather heavy for travelling. After spending two hours in useless endeavours to persuade me not to go, they gave it up, and left to procure bearers. They had brought presents from the king and queen. By the queen is understood the chief amongst the wives, and she is generally chosen from the family of the late king. I tried to get, if possible, a plan of the town, and had partly succeeded, when we were brought back and told we must stay under the tree, a head man remaining with us. At last Mr. Barter started with five bearers, and I followed, being in no humour to say good-bye to the king. BOUSSA 67 The head man who had been my guard, and was the public executioner, escorted me out of the town. 1 The people here, as I found them, were nothing more than heathens, worshipping trees and rocks, and yet the name of God is ever in their mouths. They hope " that God will bring you safely on your journey, and that He will make you well," &c. I conclude they learn this from the Mohammedans scattered amongst them. They laugh at the idea of a future state. ' Wednesday, Z3rd. We started in good time, and found the predictions of yesterday as to the state of the road quite correct, it having been trodden down by elephants during the rainy season. About one o'clock we reached the site of old Boussa, and crossed the river, famous for its alligators. It had a few pools of deep water still remaining. There was no canoe at the usual ferry, and as that part is full of alligators, it would have been dangerous for horses and men. The country, just as yesterday, was entirely enveloped in fog, which has indeed been the case every day since I left the camp, preventing my seeing even the nearest objects, and the road lay amongst tall grass reaching above our heads when on horse- back. Two hours' riding brought us to the begin- ning of the Boussa farms, which lasted for some miles, till the new Boussa came in sight, standing v 2 68 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER on a gentle eminence about 500 yards from the river, and surrounded by fine large cotton trees. We dismounted to send a messenger to announce our arrival to the king. He soon returned with permission to enter the town. His majesty came out of his palace to receive us. ' Christmas Morning. Early came a large white cock from the king, with bowls of milk, fufu, and yams. Before I could get my breakfast came a message that the king wished to see me. I found his yard full of people, whom he was regaling with palm wine, from the effects of which many were already very drunk. He invited me into his hut, telling me that he was keeping company with his people, and wished his stranger friend to drink some palm wine with him. I took a meridian alti- tude, which brought on my fever of yesterday, and I was obliged to lie down for the rest of the after- noon. At five o'clock came another messenger from the king desiring my presence. I found him seated on an open space in front of his palace. The people kept flocking in until there could not have been less than 3,000, who then threw dust on their heads before him. Then came in six slave girls bearing on their heads calabashes filled with water. The ground having been plentifully sprinkled in front of his majesty, his band struck up. It con- sisted of six large drums, three smaller, and a brass A ROYAL DANCER 69 horn at least six feet long, a fiddle with one string made of horse-hair, and two boys with calabashes filled with peas. I was seated on the right hand of the king, and as the band was within five yards of him, was almost stunned by the noise. When this had lasted about half an hour, he pre- sented each of the musicians with a handful of coins and a Kola nut. The band having retired to a more agreeable distance, dancing began. This was of the rudest kind, kept up by single dancers. In the meantime a plentiful supply of palm wine was served out. The object of the dancers was to please the king and company, and to obtain cowries which were given by them to the band. The king asked me if " the Queen of England danced," and on my saying " Yes," said he would dance before me. In compliment to his majesty's dancing I sent him two handfuls of cowries, which act of mine was acknowledged by the surrounding crowd with shouts of applause. He then begged I should bring my revolver, which I did, and fired it off, and this closed the proceedings with eclat. The king seemed in love with his own dancing, telling me that he was going to dance home, which he accord- ingly did. At the gate of the palace he bade me good-bye, and said that he would visit me in the evening. I then paid a visit to his brother the " Dando." The king is a sociable man, always sur- 70 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER rounded by his people, and accessible to them. He is very abstemious, and indeed quite a gentleman. 'Early next morning came a large Muscovy duck, with yams, fufu, and bowls of fresh milk. Visitors all day, and in the evening the king came bringing palm wine and honey. He said " all that he had was at my service, and that I must inform him in time whether I wished for horses or a canoe." On my saying I wished for a canoe, he said I " should have a large and good one," and that I " might keep it altogether " if I liked. I told him the expedition would visit him at Sokoto, and would then bring horses. He showed me a fine stud of twelve, and said I might buy any of these, even the horse that he rode himself. c Monday, %8th. The king came early, before I had packed up. He was mounted on a splendid horse, the head covered with bells. I was obliged to tell him I was not ready, which, he said, did not matter, he would come again when I was. I asked for a private audience, which he immediately gave, telling me it was his wish that trade and a mis- sionary should come to him. I complained of the treatment I had received at Warra, and he said I must think nothing of it, as they were all fools, the meaning of the word Warra being " foolish." I told him that his gracious reception wiped out everything. He said " he loved me not a little, and A FRIENDLY PARTING 71 that the whole people of Boussa did the same," and that he had tried in every way to prove this. On my subsequent visit I found that this was correct, for they refused to let me wait outside the gate, and, to judge from the crowd that welcomed my arrival, my entry was quite triumphal. My visit ended, the king mounted his horse, and half the town accompanied me to the canoe. Our parting was most warm, and I told him " the Suaki was Suaki," he had been a father to me during my stay, and I was sorry to leave Boussa. He said he would not leave the wharf till I was out of sight, and remained till the point shut me from his view. I was much disappointed I could not follow the main channel of the river, as the Wassi people on the opposite bank are at war with Boussa. I visited old Boussa, and in vain tried to discover the wreck of Mungo Park's canoe.' The following extracts describe the journey from camp at Jeba to Boussa and back, from January 18 to February 4, 1858 : 1 January IQtli. We left the little village of Baha on the left, and came to the walled town of Qoom. It is of some extent, the Eiver Lofa passing through it. I waited outside the town while Abdul Kader went to Louchi, who is governor of the whole upper district of Nushi, to say I had arrived. He returned with a message of welcome, and I was 72 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER conducted to his own quarters, where I found huts already prepared. Louchi came to visit me with a large suite, and before I had an idea what he was about to do, seized my beard and kissed it. Soon I was in the midst of a long and loud controversy. Abdul Kader had discovered, on a woman whom he remembered to have seen at Warra, a piece of silk which he had lost at the time of the wreck. He immediately seized it, and the woman came to make her complaint. There was no doubt about the theft, but my friend Louchi, who is a great rogue, took the woman's part, and begged that because he loved me I should make Abdul Kader give up the piece of silk. This I refused, and because I was tired begged that the cause might be deferred till to-morrow. January 21s Louchi came early to inquire how I slept, and finding that I was going to buy horses of the King of Boussa, he insisted that I must buy them of him, because " he loved me." It was a poor stud, but I chose a small bay horse that pleased me. As I was going out of the yard in the evening a man slipped out of the crowd and offered me a book for sale. I saw at once that it was one that had belonged to poor Mungo Park. I asked the price, which was four hundred cowries, and offered half, upon which he indignantly carried off the book. I went for my ride, feeling quite con- MUNGO PARK'S BOOK: 7.3 tented that it would be brought to me again. Having by the purchase of the horse reduced my loads to six, I started in the morning to Boussa. Louchi had directed me by a long circuitous way in order that the chief of the town might have the pickings of the strangers' loads ; but being as well up in the geography of his province as himself, I refused, and requested I might be put on the straight road to Deako, where I wished to cross the Niger. We did not reach Edemogu till 2.30, travelling through an open and cultivated country. On the way I was overtaken by a handsome man on horseback, carrying a child on the pommel of his saddle, and the people as we passed all addressed him as "Dando," or prince. I wanted some fresh bearers, but the chief of Edemogu said it was too late, I must sleep there. This I refused to do, and with the assistance of Dando, and a small bribe, we were again on the road by three o'clock. Just as I was parting with Dando, who had presented me with a large calabash of beer, he produced from the breast-pocket of his robe Mungo Park's book, and asked what I would give him for it. Great value was evidently attached to this book, but as my apparent interest was very little, he begged that I would accept it from him. I thanked him, and in return gave him a spear-pointed knife, with which he was greatly delighted.' 74 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER The country now became hilly, and volcanic mountains rose out of a plain of stone. Their road lay up the steep side of an extinct crater five hundred feet high, under a peak which towered two hundred feet above them. Lumps of cinder and iron, bigger than a man could lift, cut the horses' unshod feet. At last they reached the village of Bale, where they found blacksmiths' shops and smelting furnaces. Here the bearers refused to go any further. An old Mallam came to their rescue and got them fresh carriers. 1 We travelled till dark and arrived at a river about fifteen yards wide. On the opposite bank we saw the roofs of a village in the bright moonlight. Visions of a smoking supper and rest arose from the peaceful scene, which were quickly dispelled. I sent one of my bearers to inform the head man of my arrival, and ask for shelter and a canoe to cross the river, which was deep and rapid. Suddenly there arose cries for help. My bearers took to their heels, leaving me with my servant to stand the brunt of whatever might happen. Above the shouts of men rose the shrill screams of women. It struck me at once this was the boundary of Nushi. c We removed the loads to the rear, and send- ing my servant into the bush out of sight waited for what might follow. Though the people were A RIDICULOUS SCENE 75 frightened, they did not know our number, therefore I felt quite sure they would not venture to cross the stream to molest me during the night. Had they done so, I should have had a very defensible position, with a revolver and double-barrelled gun, and my servant to load. I should not have feared the result, as this would have been their first introduction to English powder. In about twenty minutes some twenty men rushed down to the opposite banks with spears, bows, and arrows. In vain we called out " Bullisi, Bullisi ! " meaning "white man." They only vociferated, "Be off, be off, all Nushis are liars ! " At last, after both sides had bawled at each other till they were hoarse, they desired that " the white man should show himself." I went down, and by the light of the moon dis- covering that I really was white, they sent a man over to look at me. The scene became so ridiculous that I could not help laughing. There stood the man in the water, his head only visible, while I had to stoop down that he might see my face, which certainly was not a white one. Peeping out of the jungle in the rear were my frightened followers, while on the opposite bank spears gleamed in the moonlight and arrows were strung in the hands of men equally frightened. ' At last, after much questioning and answering had taken place between the man in the water and 76 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER his friends on the bank, shouts of delight told me that all was right. The man emerged from the river, and with many salaams hoped that I would forgive the manner in which they had received me, and begged that I should come to the village. Soon I found myself in a comfortable hut, and an old cock, which I fortunately had in my possession, was quickly boiling in the pot. They brought me corn for my horse, and I lay down at last, tired out. 1 25th. I found my friends of last night a rough set, but at last I got my bearers under weigh, and in a few hours saw the Niger, which seemed like an old friend. On the opposite bank stood the little Bangui village. A canoe was sent over, but being a small one would only hold half my loads and servant. While counting out cowries to pay my carriers, there arose another disturbance. They were not satisfied, and on my servant attempting to cross with my things they rushed down and seized the canoe. Taking the revolver from my holster, which was in the canoe, I explained to them that five barrels represented one for each, and then drawing my knife I showed its point to the sixth. They seemed perfectly to understand this mode of reasoning, for quickly taking up their cowries they walked off. The canoe returned for me and my horse, which, swimming by the side, at first struck out well, but when half way RETURN TO BOUSSA 77 over turned on his side, and I had great difficulty in saving him. The head man of Bangui received me most kindly. I found here a woman who had seen me at Warra, and appeared to have some influence in the village. She was of great use to me, sent boys to cut grass for my horse, brought me forward and took entire charge of my culinary arrangements. Leaving next day for Anapa I was now again on my old road, and arrived at Boussa, with an attack of fever. ' During my last visit the people of Boussa told me how much I pleased them, and I was now to find the truth of the Mallam's words. While waiting outside the town I perceived a stream of people issuing from the gates. They rushed towards me, and with loud shouts welcomed my arrival. It was in vain that I remonstrated. Seizing my bridle on each side they hurried me into the town, giving me quite a triumphal entry.' This concludes the extracts from a very careful and elaborate journal, which is too full to be produced in extenso. After Mr. Glover's journey to Boussa he returned by river to Kabba, shooting the rapids in a canoe, and found that Dr. Baikie and the remainder of the expedition had been unable to get any assistance during the time he had been away surveying. Kemaining here some further time without any 78 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER prospect of relief, he at last volunteered to go alone and bring the relief himself. He was given horses by a chief, and went overland to Lagos, being the first European who ever made the down journey, not the up one, be it remembered. It was on his way to Lagos that he passed Ibadan, where he made the acquaintance of the missionary and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Hindres. Here he was taken ill with dysentery, and Mr. Hindres acted as nurse till he recovered. He then went to Lagos, and from Lagos got ship to Sierra Leone. At Sierra Leone he came into contact with certain Africans who wished to return to their part of the country. These men bore the name of Haussas, a name evidently of German origin, and in many respects these Haussas resembled German soldiers. They would not venture to go back again by themselves, because of the risk of capture and slavery. There seemed to be for them no chance of getting a passage up the river. When Lieu- tenant Glover offered to take these poor fellows with his party they at once gladly accepted it. One, named Harry Maxwell, became much attached to him, and was faithful in his service for many years. At this time he also made the acquaintance of Selim Oga, an African, who had gained some little reputation for himself, and it is believed that, after being some time with Sir Richard Burton, he was ESCAPE OF THE HAUSSAS 79 at length killed while attending to the wounded after a tribal battle somewhere in Liberia. With the Haussas, Mr. Glover returned to Lagos. While waiting the completion of his pre- parations at Lagos to return overland to the camp on the Niger, he worked hard surveying the lagoons, and this occupation undoubtedly caused the fever which attacked him with great severity. Some exciting scenes took place at Lagos, when it became known that many of the natives of the Haussa country had joined the returning party. These men, who were in slavery, tried to escape from their masters. The Haussas would give notice that on such a night they would attempt to run away, and on trying to escape they were often pursued and captured. The horses to be used for the journey were sent from the island of Lagos to the mainland opposite, to get fit for work, and as soon as they were in condition the start was arranged. It then became known that the owners of the runaway slaves had formed a party to dispute his passage by force. Mr. Glover was, however, quite prepared to run the risk on the appointed day. The opponents of his passage did indeed assemble with a view to barring his path, but apparently thought they might get the worst of it if they fought, so let him go. In due time he arrived at Abeokuta, where the native authorities 80 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER were by no means disposed to give him a free passage. Considerable excitement occurred here, as a slave amongst his party was recognised and claimed by Madam Tinubu, who was a very in- fluential person in this town. But on his giving this sharp-sighted lady a large roll of cloth, she abandoned her claim. When Mr. Glover prepared to leave the next day the gates were closed against him. He had fortunately sent all his carriers and escort outside the walls before this was done. Hemmed in on all sides by armed men brandishing their weapons and thirsting for his blood, yet not daring to touch him, he remained sitting alone on his horse waiting for what appeared to be his doom. The animal he was riding was a powerful one, which had been given him by a chief, but as all the gates were closed, with armed men guarding them, there seemed little chance of escape. Just then he noticed a gap in the wall, where a number of men stood with spears. Some of the fighting men made a rush to seize his bridle. He drove his spurs into the horse's flanks and turned him to the break in the wall, the suddenness of the movement dispersing the crowd. But a row of spears barred his way, and there was nothing to do but to make a dash for it, and the horse responding to his rider broke over the formidable array of spears, and was out into the country beyond. This was one of the A TEST OF HORSEMANSHIP 81 most exciting of the many hair-breadth escapes in his West African career. Some years after he came back to this town and cut a wide road up to its gates to replace the tortuous paths which led to the settlement. At another halting place on his journey towards the Niger, he was anxious to purchase one or more horses, but the authorities for a long time refused to sell him an animal. At last a big white horse, with long flowing mane and pink eyes, was brought out, and he was informed that this animal could be bought provided he could ride it. Quite a scene took place over the matter. One of the chiefs sneeringly remarked as to ' the poor white man's ' ability to ride the animal around which they clustered, when < the poor white man,' suddenly seizing the bit and backing the horse on to the knees of the town authorities who were sitting close by looking on, dispersed them in affright. After this the chiefs agreed that he was a fit and proper person to ride it. A chief once said to him, f I know that happens to our poor country. First comes missionary well, he very good man ; he write book. Then come Consul ; he write home. Then come merchant ; he very good man, he buy nuts. Then come governor ; he well, he writes to Queeny, she send him back G 82 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER she send man-o'-war. Our country done spoil no more of our poor place left.' In his negotiations with the natives he had to communicate with them through the ' palaver,' which is the well-known and usual method of discussion between the native Africans, and in the course of his dealings with them he found the most effectual aid to his diplomacy was a medicine- chest which he invariably carried with him. It contained some lime juice and oil and some eau- de-Cologne. At night, when sitting round the camp fires engaged in the ' palaver,' he would pro- duce his chest, and with that delight in simple things which is so characteristic of the Africans, the natives would rub themselves with the oil till they fairly shone again. If he gave them lime juice and soda, their joy was unbounded when the compound in its effervescence bubbled over their faces. The eau-de-Cologne was for the use of his own hands and face. He pointed out to the natives that if he opened up their country they would possess these things in abundance. Certain it is that the natives literally laid the flattering unction to themselves, and his ' oily ' diplomacy led to their complete satisfaction with the white man. c He very good man ; he can take nuts and eberything,' was the opinion which the medicine- chest earned. DEVOTION OF THE HAUSSAS 83 While on this journey from Lagos to the camp of his shipwrecked party there was a conspiracy to murder him. He told the Haussas that in case of a sudden attack they were to lay down their loads so as to form a circular breastwork, and kneel behind them. He was struck with the ready way in which these men took his instructions and understood what he wished them to do, and it was from the opinion he formed of their capabilities as soldiers when on this march that in after years, when he was Governor of Lagos, he induced the Secretary of State to allow him to enrol a hundred of them as a beginning, and call them the Cape Coast Constabulary, now so well known in Western Africa. Perhaps the peculiar attachment to him of these Haussas was not only one of personal affection, but probably also caused by his insight into the character of the people themselves. Knowing well their Arab nature, he calmed their nomadic spirit, or rather quelled it by itself. He continually moved his men about the country, keeping them always occupied, and never long in one place. By a system of fines every fault received its punishment, and the money so obtained grew at length into a fund which was used for the benefit of any needy Haussa who wanted a grant from it. For instance, if a man had the authority from his fellows to build a new hut, and wanted G 2 84 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER money to help his enterprise, the fund was at his disposal, or when a birth occurred, or when any- thing of a nature happened that might require aid. In managing this force he fully identified himself with the interests of the people and endeared himself to them, which enabled him to get them to carry out his wishes and obey his will, earning for him the title of the c Father of the Haussas.' After a tedious and weary march, with these run- away slaves as his only escort, at length he regained the Niger, bringing with him supplies for the little camp where the men were anxiously awaiting his approach. In March 1861, Mr. Glover returned to England, after his long and zealous researches in various parts of the Niger, which was till then un- surveyed. He was looking thin and ill from the repeated attacks of fever which he had contracted while on this service. After his return he was employed till June in finishing the charts and maps for the Foreign Office, when he received the thanks of Lord Clarendon, for the able manner in which his work had been carried out, in the following terms : To Dr. BaiJcie * Foreign Office, January 14, 1858. c Sir, I have received your despatch reporting the loss of the "Dayspring" in the rapids near LORD CLARENDON'S LETTER 85 Jeba, and I have to express to you my great regret at this most unfortunate occurrence, which for the time has put a stop to the progress of the Ishadda Expedition. You will convey the approval of Her Majesty's Government to the officers of this expedi- tion, and most especially to Lieutenant Glover of the Eoyal Navy, to whose excellent conduct on every occasion, as well as his zeal and ability, I have had much pleasure in calling the attention of the Lords of the Admiralty. ' CLABENDON,' 86 LIFE OF S1E JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEE V 1861-1863 The Gold Coast of Western Africa Lieutenant Glover commanding H.M.S. ' Handy 'Letter to Lord Alfred Churchill The Settle- ment of Lagos Neighbouring Tribes Porto Novo Egbas and Ibadans Departure of Mr. Freeman Lieutenant Glover acting Governor of Lagos His despatch to the Secretary of State on the Settlement His promotion to rank of Commander. ON the completion of his work in connection with the Niger Expedition, Lieutenant Glover was ap- pointed to the ' Aboukir ' in the Channel Squadron, but was only borne on her books for a month. He then joined the ' Arrogant ' while waiting for the command of the ' Handy,' which was specially commissioned for service in the Lagos Lagoons, and took over his command of her in October 1861. This was the last ship in which he served, for soon after his promotion as commander, he received his first commission under the Colonial Office and was appointed Administrator of Lagos. It would appear from the following extracts from a letter to Lord Alfred Churchill, M.P., that the people on the West Coast of Africa were not aware that Mr. Glover was being sent out on special service to WEST COAST OPINION 87 them, but were anxious for this appointment : ' We desire further to interest your Lordship in Lieu- tenant Glover, R.N., well known in these parts of Africa through his indefatigable work for knowledge and civilisation. During his stay at Lagos and in the surrounding country he gained the love and confidence of every European resident, as well as the esteem of the native chiefs. When the late Consul died the residents of Lagos petitioned Commodore Wise to recommend Mr. Glover as Consul at Lagos, but then he went with Dr. Baikie into the interior of Africa for an uncertain time. At present Mr. Glover is in England, and your Lordship is in communication with the Govern- ment in respect of the Yoruba Consulate. We beg you to use your influence with the Government in favour of a man like Lieutenant Glover, whose appointment as representative of Her Majesty in Yoruba would doubtless be a boon to the country and to the prosperity of civilisation and commerce.' Before leaving England in the ' Handy ' he made the acquaintance of Mr. Freeman, who ex- pressed himself pleased to meet an officer who possessed such local experience as Mr. Glover, which would serve him in good stead in helping to establish the authority of the very crude govern- ment existing then. The reason for these appoint- ments being made were as follows : The Consul 88 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER at Lagos fearing an outbreak had sent off a despatch to Captain Bedingfield, of H.M.S. ' Prometheus,' then in harbour, by a black crew through a heavy surf to solicit his aid, as a rising of the black population under King Kosoko was imminent, and the lives of the small European population were in danger. The ship was with great difficulty brought through the surf, and lay off the King's Palace about two miles from Lagos, with her guns brought to bear upon it. This pre- vented the outbreak ; but on Captain Bedingfield's reporting the circumstance to the home authorities, it was thought advisable to send Mr. Freeman out as Administrator, and Lieutenant Glover was de- spatched in the i Handy.' After the arrival of the * Handy' at Lagos a war broke out between the Egbas and the men of Ikorodu. Abeokuta, the home of the Egbas, was a town of recent origin, and when driven out of Yoruba they chose it for their settle- ment. English missionaries and merchants vent among them, and as the Egbas increased in wealth and numbers they also increased in pride and presumption. Unfortunately, the English residents at Abeokuta, fearing to lose the influence they had acquired, took their side in every question, not- withstanding their adversaries had also a strong reason for believing themselves to be in the right. Thus arose the war with Ibadan, undertaken by the MISSION TO IBADAN 89 Egbas professedly to retrieve the town of Ijaye besieged by the Abadano, but in reality to obtain a monopoly of all the commerce by closing all roads from Lagos to the interior except by Abeokuta. They kidnapped numbers of people, and sent them to be sold as slaves on the coast. Lagos was then the most renowned slave depot in Western Africa. Mr. Glover was despatched on a mission to Ibadan to try and obtain peace. He was accom- panied by ten men of the West Indian Kegiment, besides an armed escort of carriers. He entered the first village without the slightest opposition. The old chief received him well, but, unfortunately, an Egba was discovered in his party and the whole place was in commotion. All the men turned out with guns, spears, and bows and arrows. During the night drums were beating and the young men called to arms, and it was with difficulty they saved the Egba's life. This was the beginning of their troubles in endeavouring to obtain a passage through the country to Ibadan. Here he heard that Mrs. Hindres was very ill, and it was necessary that she should be removed to the coast if her life was to be saved. He never forgot her kind atten- tion to him when he was suffering from dysentery the first time he visited that town. He managed with considerable difficulty to get some European food and comforts for her without creating suspicion, 90 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER by having them stowed away among the bales of ordinary merchandise, but, considering the warlike attitude of the tribes, it was almost impossible to undertake her removal with safety. However, he sent a detachment of natives to meet her party and escort them to a spot which he had previously arranged. Before Mrs. Hindres could arrive at the appointed place his second party got there, and were made prisoners by a band of Ikorodu spies and taken before the chief, who wanted to know if they were communicating with the enemy. The party forming Mrs. Hindres' escort arriving shortly after were thus enabled to pass unmolested down the river, and get her on board the steamer while the band of spies were engaged with their prisoners. Altogether this expedition was a risky affair, the whole country being in open revolt, while one white man and a few native followers were trying to pass through the most hostile tribes into the interior. Doubtless there were many plots to murder him, as there had been on his journey from Lagos to the Niger when bringing relief to the shipwrecked crew of the ' Dayspring.' Among his own followers there were none he could depend on in case of attack, nor trust that poison was not given in his food. Sleeping on a ram skin at night, with a revolver as his most trusted companion, the dark tropical sky his roof, a log for his pillow, and APPOINTED ACTING ADMINISTRATOR 91 a wide spreading tree for shelter, he could hear the beating of the tom-toms and the cries of the warriors at their war dances, preparing for the morrow, while he could see the dusky forms of the spies by the fire-light flitting from tree to tree round his camp, ready for marauding or bloodshed. But, notwithstanding these difficulties, his mission was a successful one. When he returned to Lagos he found that Mr. Freeman was obliged by ill health to leave for England. Lieutenant Glover was therefore appointed to act as the Administrator. Accordingly he was installed in Government House, and entered on a phase of his career more impor- tant than any he had yet passed through. Although Lagos was in those days the most notorious slave mart in Western Africa, it is now one of the most important centres of trade on the West Coast, being hailed by many as the ' Liverpool of West Africa,' and this was brought about mainly by his exertions. It was in those days a miserable place, struggling with difficulties. How he surmounted them may be seen by the following extracts from a despatch which he addressed to the Duke of New- castle, Secretary of State, setting forth the situation as it then existed. This is one of the first despatches of importance which he wrote, and it indicates the proficiency he had already acquired in dealing with political situations : 92 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER ( I would beg leave to represent to your Grace the position of affairs of this settlement at the time of my entering upon the administration of the Government. ' A feeling of discontent was arising from the stoppage of trade, consequent upon the war in the interior and the robberies committed on Lagos property by the Egbas. Great dissatisfaction existed against the local Government on the part of both Europeans and coloured residents, while the king, his chiefs, and party, still brooding over the loss of their power and consequence, had requested the French Admiral to do for them as they had done at Porto Novo. In the farms, and, indeed, beyond the circle of five miles, kidnapping, robbery, and transit of slaves were rampant, in defiance of a Government which had neither force nor organisa- tion to deal with the one, or to check the other. Part of Badagri was in a state of rebellion, having driven out the police, intriguing with Porto Novo, and openly declaring their right to French protec- tion, though receiving from this Government a pension in lieu of duties which they (the chiefs) formerly had levied. While in sight of the town was hoisted the French flag on territory which had belonged to the natives of Badagri, who were in favour of British rule, and who had remained true to this Government while the rest DESPATCH TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE 93 of the inhabitants were in open revolt. Such was the state of the settlement on the day of my landing, and our outward relations, as well as the state of affairs beyond the settlements, were in a great degree the cause of this internal disquietude. My object has been, while removing or subduing the effect, to carry out a policy which should also remove the cause, viz., to bring the war to an end. 1 The exasperation of Abeokuta at the check given to the slave trade by the occupation of Lagos, the wish of this Government for another road for commerce to and from the interior (besides that of Abeokuta), the non-rendering of slaves who sought protection in this settlement, their rejection of Her Majesty's Vice-Consul, and the murders and robberies committed by them on the persons and properties of British subjects, their reverses in the war with Ibadan, and our refusal to allow them to destroy the town of Ikorodu all these were causes sufficient in themselves to prevent any relations of close friendship existing between them and our- selves. A fine river, with a depth of four and a half fathoms, washed the banks of Oki Odun, the great slave market of the Egbas. The King of Pokra added his request to those of Addo and Oki Odun, and I visited those places to ascertain personally 94 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the feeling of the people, intending to report the same to Her Majesty's Government ; but I found that the French authorities at Porto Novo, were seeking to absorb all the surrounding country to their flag, and thus reduce Lagos to a mere town upon a sandy island, insignificant in itself, and contemptible for all time (as it was then) in the eyes of the surrounding tribes, to destroy its revenue, and cause it to be a constant burden upon the mother country. 4 After I had restored order at Badagri, and the people had returned peacefully, the French flag was introduced into the town, and large presents made to induce them to hoist the flag and declare for its protection. At the same time I received Monsieur Daumas' despatch, claiming not only Appa but eastward of Badagri ; and at a later date I was assured by Monsieur Baron Brossard that their claims extended to Beshi, nine miles from Lagos. At this time it was being discussed in Abeokuta to bring up the French from Porto Novo, and I hesitated no longer in accepting the Pro- tectorate, which shut off alike the French from Abeokuta and the Egbas from the coast. This, my Lord Duke, was the first impression that we have succeeded in making upon the Egbas, and they have left nothing undone to complicate our position at Oki Odun. I am happy to report to ATTITUDE OF THE EGBAS 95 your Grace that they have failed. It now became evident to them that a persistence in their present policy might at some future day induce Her Majesty's Government to put on a blockade, and for the first time they felt that a severe check could be placed upon them, for they had laughed at the last stoppage of their roads, as it only injured Lagos, they having a road by the Addo river, and through Addo and Badagri. A blockade I had no authority to put on, after receiving your Grace's despatch of March 20, 1863, but recent events in Lagos compelled me to prohibit altogether the sale of powder. 4 Consequently, the Egbas can procure no supplies, although it is not prohibited expressly on their account. < 1 explained at great length to Oyodu the opinion of Her Majesty's Government and their wish for peace between the Egbas and Ibadans ; their wish to be in friendly relations with the Egbas and all the surrounding tribes ; that within the settlement we intended to be strong ; that the increased armed force was intended for the protec- tion of the settlement, and in the event of Dahomey attacking Oki Odun (unless orders to the contrary were received from Her Majesty's Government) a force of 600 men would proceed to Oki Odun for its defence ; that they ought to be glad of this, 96 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER because if Dahomey again attacked Abeokuta, the Dahomians would have an enemy in the rear. ' If I have taken the liberty of expressing my feelings so freely and at such length, it is because of the near arrival of Governor Freeman, and this may be the last opportunity afforded me of placing before your Grace the state of affairs both within and without the settlement at the time of my arrival. If it shall be shown that I have restored confidence in the government of this colony where none was felt, if I have made Lagos and its position respected by timely interference, have suppressed two revolts, caused law and order to be respected and maintained, have brought the Egbas to listen to reason, and shortly to end the war without spilling one drop of blood, I would respectfully hope that I shall have shown to your Grace that, had I hesitated until I had obtained the sanction of Her Majesty's Government, I could have obtained none of these ends. Badagri lost to us, the French at our doors, our prestige gone, the discontent in Lagos might then have been well excused if they had thought that indeed the time had come when they (as they believed) are again to drive us to our ships. 1 Such, my Lord Duke, up to this time is the result of the policy which was forced upon me, first, by the French, and secondly, by King Docemo, LETTER FKOM SIR GILBERT CARTER 97 With all respect, I presume to remind your Grace of the only instructions which I remember to have received viz., we have got war, obtain for us peace. I cannot report to your Grace that I have obtained that peace, but the confidence of all European merchants, as well as the influential native traders, is strong in the belief that peace is at hand, if the measures I have adopted be adhered to, and they have one and all cheerfully assented to the stopping of their powder trade.' The foregoing despatch is of considerable interest, because it shows that from the outset in his colonial career Mr. Glover was obliged by circumstances, forced upon him at the moment, to act on his own judgment and resources. It is well known during his African experience that he never flinched in acting as he considered right for the good of the colony, even when he encountered a good deal of opposition. In a letter from Sir Gilbert Carter, the popular Governor of Lagos, in the year 1896, this is so well brought out that the following extract is given : * Government House, Lagos : April 8, 1896. 1 In Mr. Glover's time Ibadan was an unknown land, though he did not fail to preach the policy of opening up the Hinterland as the only means of properly developing the colony, but in those days H 98 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER there was no money, and colonial extension "was looked upon with horror in high places. If you will read the despatches you will find that Mr. Glover's advanced views earned him many a wigging. It is his policy that I have been carrying out, and I am very proud that it has been left for me to do.' After being relieved of his acting appointment on Mr. Freeman's return, Mr. Glover was promoted to the rank of commander, and thus was ended his naval career, which had been laborious, varied, and fruitful in results. He then proceeded to England, and while there, in March 1864, addressed a despatch to the Secretary of State. From that some extracts may be made in order to illustrate further the condition of Lagos and its surroundings. 1 Since 1860 a war has been raging between the Egbas or Abeokutans and Ijebus Odes on the one hand, and the Ibadans on the other, the result of which has been that no less than thirty towns and villages have been swept from the face of the country. One of these towns viz., Ijaye, con- tained upwards of 60,000 inhabitants. This town was in alliance with Abeokuta when the Egbas went to war with Ibadan. As the war progressed the Egbas sold their friends from Ijaye (who had sought refuge in Abeokuta) into slavery, in order, as they said, to purchase the means of continuing the war ; and when at length the greater part of the HOSTILITY OF THE EGBAS 99 young population had been sold, the rest were abandoned to the Ibadans. At the same time in like manner the smaller villages have disappeared, over- come by treachery rather than by fighting. Their chief offered up a sacrifice, and the entire remnant of their population was sold in the slave-market of the coast. ' One grievance alleged against us is our protection of Ikorodu, a town in which the remnant of the tribe of Ijebu Eamos have taken refuge, and only nine miles distant from Lagos ; another is our sympathy with the Ibadans, who are fighting in the cause of the Ijebu Kamos, and to maintain the road which, passing through the country of Ramos, would bring our markets the produce not only of the country of the Ibadans, but of all Yoruba, which extends northwards to the banks of the Niger. It is for this line of communication, so desirable for British commerce and the peaceable development of the resources of the interior, that the Egbas are now fighting. Up to the commence- ment of the present war they possessed the only road between Lagos and the Niger which was available for commerce. Since that time this road has been closed by them, not against their avowed enemies, but against us. They refuse to allow us to become mediators between themselves and the Ibadans, who are desirous to place the settlement H 2 100 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER of the war in our hands, and have, moreover, informed us that " they will make peace when the Egbas are tired of war." Under these circum- stances, my Lord, it is for Her Majesty's Govern- ment to consider, first, whether the object for which Lagos was annexed to the British Crown shall be obtained viz., to put an end to these continual wars and suppress the slave trade, or, on the other hand, to allow the attainment of this most import- ant object to be defeated by the opposition of the Egbas. Secondly, whether Lagos shall be allowed to become a self-supporting settlement independent of the Imperial revenue, a prosperous emporium of commerce, and the future Liverpool of Africa, or a deplorable failure like all our other forts and settle- ments on the Gold Coast, and a continual drain upon the Imperial treasury. Up to the present Her Majesty's Government has abstained from assum- ing any very decided tone or attitude towards the Egbas. And if the town of Ikorodu be occupied by the armed local force as a military demonstration to add weight to the communication of her Majesty's Government, I am convinced that the arbitration of the existing difficulties, and, indeed, the entire settlement of the war, will be placed in our hands.' Captain Glover remained only a very short time in England, returning as Colonial Secretary APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF LAGOS 101 to Lagos, and received very high praise from Lord Clarendon while acting in this capacity. Soon after this Mr. Freeman, being obliged to leave on account of ill-health caused by constant fevers, Captain Glover was appointed Governor of Lagos. 102 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAW LEY GLOVEU CHAPTER VI 1863-1872 Life in Lagos The settlement of Lagos Expedition to the interior Burton on Government House An African love letter ' Gunner The * Victory ' horse The Queen's birthday receptions Death of the Governor's brothers Sir Andrew Clarke's reminiscences Farewell addresses Return home. THIS part of Captain Glover's life was, perhaps, the most interesting, though the least known to the outer world. He was now Governor of a new Crown colony with a large native population, where there were few Europeans. These latter were merchants or officials, sent out, often to die in a few weeks or months, on this fever-stricken coast. There were no police, and only a small number of men belonging to a West India regiment to protect this young settlement, surrounded as it was on all sides by hostile tribes ; no roads except the tor- tuous tracks by which the natives carry their burdens and food from the interior ; no laws ; no ideas of sanitary arrangements ; no religion except Mohammedanism, heathenism, and ' Obeah,' which was conducted by the native medicine-men, who possessed secrets and undiscoverable poisons, and IMPROVEMENTS AT LAGOS 103 who held their superstitious witchcrafts and charms like a sword of terror over the people. About this time Dr. Eales, then surgeon of the i Prometheus,' surveying at Lagos, writes as follows : ' The loss of Mr. Freeman would have been a very great misfortune to the colony (which, by his tact and energy, he had done much to improve during his short sojourn) had he not been succeeded by a man so capable as Captain Glover. Now commenced in earnest the improvements of the town. A splendid esplanade was laid out the entire length of the settlement, about a mile long and eighty yards broad, parallel with the lagoon, and planted the whole way with trees. Long, broad streets were made through the native portions of the town. A fine court-house was built, a jetty thrown out into the lagoon. A colonial hospital, one Church of England and two large Noncon- formist churches erected. By this example public enterprise was awakened. Several fine houses, on European models, were constructed, and the colony, which only a couple of years before was, with trifling exceptions, a collection of native houses and a few better edifices owned by English, French, Italian and Portuguese merchants, became one of the chief settlements on the West Coast.' In 1863 Captain Glover was sent for to confer with the home authorities in England. On his 104 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER return to Lagos an expedition up the Niger was despatched in the ' Investigator ' (Commander Sands) with the object of keeping up friendly rela- tions with the kings and chiefs, and the usual presents were sent from the Queen to King Masaba velvets, musical boxes, pictures, etc. The king in his speech said : ' Tell the Queen that I am pleased with the beautiful things she has sent, which I shall present to my wives ; but that I hope in her next present she will remember that I am a warrior with a large army to keep up in the field, and that the best present she can send me is plenty of guns and powder.' On the way they stayed at Lokoja, a lovely spot at the confluence of the Binue and Kwarra, a tributary of the Niger, the object being to see the Consul, Dr. Baikie, and give him his orders to present himself before the Colonial Office. On their arrival Dr. Baikie came off dressed in native .costume, and on returning his visit they found him luxuriously living as ruler of his kingdom under the protection of King Masaba. It was with great reluctance that Dr. Baikie was compelled to return when he realised that he must proceed to England. When he left Lokoja he was a strong man in perfect health, but he took fever at Lagos and died before reaching Sierra Leone. A description of Government House, where Captain Glover spent so much of his time, is SLEEP UNDER DIFFICULTIES 105 alluded to by the late Sir Kichard Burton in one of his books, as an ' iron coffin with generally a dead consul inside.' It was made of iron, and was exceedingly hot. To obtain sleep at night in it was difficult, almost impossible. The consequence was that the Governor and his guests frequently met each other wandering from one part to another in quest of sleep with mattress and pillow in hand, having implicitly obeyed the scriptural instructions to c take up their beds and walk.' On one occasion his Excellency, as was his wont, having tried in vain to rest before the break of day, compromised the matter of sleeping either indoors or out by lying down with his head and shoulders in the passage and the rest of his body in the room. The dusky constable on duty as guard came across the Governor in that position, and attributing it to a physical inability to move, and alarmed lest his condition should become known, shook him roughly by the shoulders. The weary Governor vainly attempted to make him go away, but that zealous official, thinking only of the supposed cause of his Excellency's position, shook him till he thoroughly roused him up, and sleep for that night was impossible. The passage which sepa- rated the rooms was used as the armoury for the Haussa troops, and the presence of these weapons added much to the peace of this and the surrounding 106 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLE? GLOVER districts, as the native chiefs, on visiting Govern- ment House, were much awed by the fact of the Governor sleeping with arms all round him. Government House in the morning was indeed a busy scene. After breakfast for two or three hours * Obba Golobar ' (as his people called him) was to be seen sitting on the verandah smoking a cigarette and listening to their grievances. He had always a native interpreter, and patiently listened to both sides of the question being explained to him amid the loud clamour of the aggrieved parties. Here, as in the East, every native speaks in parables, and in the most extravagant poetical language. If a case of breach of promise of marriage was brought forward against one of these dusky-skinned warriors, his friends and also those of the disconsolate lady were loud in their expressions of disapproval, and on these occasions the love letters would be handed up for inspection. These remarkable epistles were always written by the wise men in the market-place seated under the tall palm trees, which were held almost sacred by the natives. Nothing short of the Song of Solomon can describe the language of an African's letter addressed to his dusky bride ; for example : ' Were the firmament my sheet of paper and the sea my ink, it would be inadequate to express the love and adoration I feel for thee.' After sending a number of these pro- MARRIAGE CUSTOMS 107 ductions the enamoured Komeo declines to pay the stipulated price to the father of his betrothed. This causes an exciting interview with the enraged parents, which ends with c We go to Governor,' and so next day the whole party present them- selves to have justice done. After hearing both sides, ' Golobar ' asked to have the young lady brought before him, and if he found that she liked the man, and that it was not a question of her being bought by the highest bidder, he pointed out her beauty and charms to the sulky bridegroom, and asked if he could for one moment desert such an adorable lady for the considera- tion of a few extra head of cattle. This gene- rally settled the matter, and all present cried ' Shame, shame ! ' and without further persuasion the youth handed over the necessary payment and carried off his bride. As a rule, these women were most faithful wives, and far better workers and carriers than the male portion of the com- munity. In a letter written by Mr. Glover to a friend, he alludes to witchcraft, which is such a common superstition among the natives. He says : ' I have been employed for hours in the morn- ing investigating a case of witchcraft with all the solemnity which would have been required five centuries ago.' The Government House at Lagos contained 108 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER many pets ; some of the ' Harness ' antelopes l were brought to England and placed in the Zoo- logical gardens. Besides an ostrich and a secre- tary bird kept for killing snakes, there was a curious bird called the l clock bird,' who used to march out regularly with the horses as far as the town gates, but was never known to go past them. The favourite companion of this bird was the cele- brated horse ' Gunner/ This horse was offered as a present to the Governor by the chiefs of Ikorodu on account of his having routed the Egbas, and ' Gunner ' was always known as a * Victory ' horse. Before accepting this present, the Governor wrote home and explained that it would be expedient to allow him to do so, and leave was granted him ; so 1 Gunner ' became an inmate of the Government House stable, and no one but the Governor was allowed to mount him. The animal remained in the stables after Captain Glover left the colony, as he considered the horse more of a present to the Government than to himself. A succeeding Governor relegated him to the brick-fields, which so enraged the natives that they made an appeal on his behalf to the new authorities, and he was bought by ' Obukiti,' one of the chiefs. As much entertaining as was possible in a 1 So called from stripes over their body, looking as if they were covered with a harness. UNEXPECTED GUESTS 109 small society went on in Government House, and there were many pleasant croquet parties and receptions, besides dinners and dances which were very popular. An amusing incident occurred at one of the Queen's birthday dinners, to which the Governor invited one of the native chiefs. On the invitation card the usual formula requesting c the pleasure of your company ' was printed. The chief duly arrived, but attended by fifty of his followers. As dinner was only laid for twenty the Private Secre- tary rushed to the Governor to know what was to be done, and some light refreshment was offered to the unexpected guests ; but the chief seemed a little hurt, and said, < You invite me and my company to dinner, and no ! not one man stay away when " Golobar" sends for him.' On one occasion the flag-ship from the Cape of Good Hope arrived off the roadstead, and Commodore Hornby, with some of his officers, were guests. A great native chief, c Bologun Kere,' was also invited. While at break- fast, in course of conversation, the Governor asked the chief how old he thought he (the Governor) was ? The Bologun answered ' A hundred years,' which remark was received with much laughter. He was then asked how old he thought the Com- modore was, and he replied ' Fifty years.' Being questioned as to his reason for thinking so, said that ' " Obba Golobar '* had beard and getting grey 110 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER from hard work, while the Commodore had no beard.' The Governor told him that the Com- modore was his senior officer in the navy, and had much care and anxiety about the men in the squadron under his command. The chief laughed and said, ' There is not much need to care for men, the greatest need is to care for women, because man is born of woman, and the governor had a greater care protecting men, women, and children ; men could fight for themselves, but women needed protection as they could not fight.' The chief was much applauded for his chivalrous sentiments. On another of these occasions the mail came in, bringing the sad news of the death of the Governor's two brothers in the Forty-third Light Infantry, who were both killed the same day at the Gate Pah in the New Zealand war, but the dinner went on as usual. The guests thought that the Governor had not had time to read his letters, and was unaware of the fact. After dinner one of them inquired if he knew of his loss ? He was greatly touched by the kind feeling expressed by all, and told them l He was well aware of it, but that they had died as brave soldiers for their country,' and he could not let his private sorrow inter- fere with his public duty ; he hoped his friends would not hurry away on his account, although HIS POWEKS OF ENDURANCE 111 he would retire from their society for that even- ing. A sum of money which came to him after the death of his brothers he devoted to the edu- cation of some natives at Lagos. One of his attributes which impressed the people was his great strength and capacity of enduring long marches and great hardships, with only country food to eat, and that often of a meagre kind. He wore no covering on his head except a small dark-blue forage cap, while other Europeans were obliged to seek protection from the sun. They were, also struck by his endurance in remaining for hours in the saddle by day, when by night he had only his black ram-skin rug to rest on, if not the guest of some chief. All the ' war palavers ' used to be carried on under the great palm trees, which are the principal feature in the market-place of every native village, and which are held sacred by the people. On one occasion, when < Golobar ' had much trouble with a hostile and warlike town in the interior, whither he had made a long and tedious march to put down a revolt and settle disputes, knowing that as soon as he had left for Lagos their i war palavers ' would begin again, he threatened to cut down the palm trees in their market-place. So great was the consternation of the chiefs and principal men of the town that they 112 LIFE OF SIB JOHN HAWLEY GLOVEK came on bended knees, throwing dust on their heads, to beg of him to spare their sacred trees. < Golobar ' said he would think it over ; and when they came to know his decision, replied : ' Yes, I will spare these trees ; but, mark you, I will put a white fowl's feather in the topmost branches, and when at night you sit by your firelight and talk of the Great White Queen in the North, and say that man's blood must flow, that your warriors will go forth on their war-paths, then this fowl's feather will whisper into my ear and tell me what you will do, and I will come, I and my chiefs, with the army of the " Great White Queen," and will wipe you out of the land, and there will be wailing in your camp.' After this, never again did the chiefs palaver under these trees. They knew that ' Golobar ' would come as he had said, and he had no further trouble with that town. It was his knowledge of their superstitions and their way of talking in parables, as well as his courage, that gave him such a personal power when dealing with the natives, together with a strong magnetism which few could resist. They seemed to be governed by what they called 'the power of the eye.' In his study of these natives he discovered the existence of a secret bond among them, which he concluded was a form of free-masonry as it had been handed down to them through the black Arabs NATIVE SYMBOLS whose legends lead us to the supposition that craft had its origin in the days of Solomon. Theii measures for grain are all of Hebrew origin, made in the form of conical baskets. After his return to England, Captain Glover was installed as a mason, with the view of proving how far freemasonry was known in these obscure tribes. Another of their peculiarities was their method of communication by symbols. For instance, a native envoy would arrive from the interior bearing a piece of stick with a cleft in it, or a joint of bam- boo, which would signify the hostile or friendly state of the country he represented. The tongs was symbolical that nothing is so hot that cannot be held by them, i.e., that, however difficult the treaty, the Ibadans will keep it. The gnarl or knot in the cane, that the understanding is from God, made by His will, and that man cannot untie it. A messenger bringing a bullet and flint in his mouth means 'War.' All this was perfectly in- telligible to the Governor, who respected such laws, customs, and manners of the natives, as were not repugnant to conscience and good feeling. Constant jealousy often breaking out into warfare was rife among all the neighbouring tribes, many of whom misrepresented the attitude of the Lagos Government, and there was but one effectual way of putting a stop to this friction, i 114 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER namely, by keeping the roads to the interior open with a firm hand, so as to allow the produce to come down to the coast. For this purpose the Governor caused a large market to be made at Lagos where all could sell their goods. As time moved on, there began to be a general desire among the chiefs for peaceable relations, but there was, as in all African palavers, the stumbling- block of ' who shall advance first ? ' It is difficult to say how long they would have continued in their state of hostility had not the Governor undertaken the office of peacemaker. Several chiefs were brought together, and the opening of the market at Ogudu was the occasion on which he succeeded in arranging matters. Afterwards, when the peace of the country was established, and the King of Dahomey had sent him a flag symbolic of allied friends, when the British subjects could travel anywhere in the interior without fear of molestation, the very name ' Golo- bar afrai ogun ' (Glover the mighty warrior) giving facility to all who used it, he induced the home Government to reward the kings and chiefs who had helped him to restore peace. Mr. Cardwell, then Secretary of State, sent him two swords with Arabic inscriptions, to be presented to Ex-King Kosoko and Chief Tappa, and also two others to be handed down in the Yoruba tribe, and held by PRESENTATION TO KING KOSOKO II 5 their representatives for the time being. The ceremony took place on the race-course, where a large crowd was assembled. With the thermometer at 130 in the sun, a company of the Third West Indian Kegiment was drawn up in line, while a company of artillery with three field-pieces, and two or three hundred Haussas were present, dressed in their dark blue tunics with red Turkish trousers, and close fitting caps, their band playing. Meanwhile King Kosoko arrived on the ground attended by a large retinue, and was escorted to a shed reserved for the ceremonies of < the day. His Majesty was arrayed in a robe of brocade, with a beaver hat trimmed with gold lace. The several chiefs approached and paid him homage. As soon as the Governor arrived and was seated, King Kosoko and the chiefs advanced and were placed on his left. After the salute was fired the companies marched past in review. The Ex-King was called and presented with a sword, bearing the inscription ' Presented by the Government of Queen Victoria to the Ex-King Kosoko in com- memoration of loyal services rendered by him to the Government of Lagos.' In handing it to him, the Governor sheathed the sword, saying, i There was now peace in the country, if there was still war he would have presented it drawn.' Among the chiefs one of the most powerful was i 2 116 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER 1 Tappa/ an Egba, and the war minister of King Kosoko. This chief was reported to be very rich, and a portion of the town of Lagos was named after him in which the people of his tribe lived. Tappa was always a great friend of c Golobar's,' and helped him on every possible occasion. When he was dying he sent to ask the Governor to come and see him once more, and during that last interview, while holding the hand of the dying man, the medicine-men came in with their idols to perform the last rites. Tappa turned towards the Governor and said, ' Send them away, I have done with all that, and I believe in the white man's God.' This was the only native he ever knew who, when death was approaching, demanded that the idols and medicine-men should be sent away. Tappa's death is supposed to have been caused by poison, and so subtle are these native vege- table extracts, that it is impossible to detect traces of the poison, even by a post-mortem examination. At this point it may be convenient to incor- porate in the narrative the following interesting reminiscences contributed by General Sir Andrew Clarke : ' In 1862 I was sent as Commissioner to the West Coast of Africa, especially to inquire into questions concerning the Ashantis. Captain Glover was then Governor of Lagos ; and was identifying SIR ANDREW CLARKE'S REMINISCENCES 117 himself with the interests of the Colony and the policy of developing the Hinterland. ' When I arrived at Cape Coast Castle I was struck with the sounds of yelling and shouting that was going on, evidently caused by natives suffering from some deadly panic. On inquiry I found the cause of this disturbance arose from the friends of a powerful Ashanti chief, who had been sent as an envoy to Cape Coast Castle, and who had been thrown into prison by Sir Benjamin Pine. They feared that I had come to cause the execu- tion of their chief. On my sending for the prisoner he proved to be a fine specimen of humanity, very intelligent, and quite an African gentleman. When interviewing him I found he had been put into prison because of his alleged cruelties to his people. On my investigating the matter, the chief turned to me and said, " I know the history of your coun- try ; you, too, put to death for evil deeds and for far less crimes than we do. Was it not at the be- ginning of this century, when George III. was your king, that daily two or three men were hanged for sheep stealing, poaching, or some other similar offences ? We keep all our criminals till some fes- tival or occasion when we can meet together, per- haps once a year, perhaps only once in two or three years, as it is difficult to collect in large numbers in our country, and then all the men 118 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER who have done wrong and who are condemned to suffer death, are brought out and executed for others to see and be warned. And there is not one of those men so condemned who is not worthy of death, over and over again, for the crimes that have been committed by them." 1 I found on inquiry into the matter that this was true, and I discovered that one of the reasons why Glover had such a strong hold over the natives was that he always inquired closely into every question, and could understand their difficulties, from a native point of view as well as from ours. He could thus treat them with fairness and justice, and he was not led away by the exaggerated stories which often reached England, or were believed by Englishmen who were sent out only for a short time to the coast. < I went on to Lagos, and there was taken very ill with fever and dysentery. Dr. Kowe, afterwards Sir Samuel Eowe, was the medical officer attending me, and I was staying at Government House with Captain Glover, who nursed me himself day and night, and hardly ever left me. On Christmas-eve I was lying on the bed in Glover's room, which he had placed at my disposal, while he was opening a parcel of pink spun silk vests which I had brought 1 This chief was afterwards killed by Sir Garnet Wolseley's force during the Ashanti War. A FRIEND IN NEED 119 him from Cape Coast Castle. This he did princi- pally to arouse my attention from the languor and inert state I was in ; and after trying them on to see and admire their fit, he went into the adjoining room to finish mixing a Christmas pudding. On this task being completed he proceeded to open a case of champagne for his guests. The popping of the corks awoke me from my dozing condition, and I heard him ask Dr. Rowe if he might give a glass of champagne to Clarke ? Dr. Rowe replied, " You may give him anything you like, he can't last till morning." At that moment a gun fired ; I knew it meant that H.M.S. "Investigator" had crossed the bar, and I said, in response to Dr. Rowe's remark, " I'll be d if I don't." Glover brought me a tum- bler full of champagne, which I roused myself to take, for that gun had brought me hope when all hope for life had gone. I called my boy, and told him that when Lieutenant Gambier, the commander of the gunboat, came on shore, he was to report himself to me, and I dozed off again. The next thing I was conscious of was the " click, click " of Lieutenant Gambier 's sword on the stairs. By a bit of luck he came into the room, followed by Glover, for the black boy had fallen asleep and for- got to give my message. I roused up on seeing them and said, " I want you to take me to sea to- night." Gambier replied : " Impossible, I must coal 120 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER first." Glover remarked there would be no impossi- bility or difficulty about that, for he would see to it himself. And he stayed up all the night to see the work was done and assistance given, otherwise it would not have been possible to go to sea by day- break. The last thing I can remember was finding myself on deck, and I afterwards heard that Glover had carried me onboard himself. By twelve o'clock we were out of sight of land, and the fever had left me. It was the energy and promptness he dis- played in getting the gunboat ready for sea to which I owed my life.' When the duties of his government prevented Captain Glover from leaving Lagos to visit distant portions of the Hinterland in that colony, he was continually employing natives to collect in- formation concerning the surrounding country, and thus we find a record of a journey from Lagos to Benin when the messenger was refused admittance into that city, though he was able to approach it and learn the distances to the various towns in the neighbourhood, and particulars concerning the kings, chiefs, or ' bales ' who governed the people around. The inhabitants of Benin were noted for their cruelties and the barbarity of their human sacrifices. A mystery hung over the city, and the gates were sealed to other Africans as well as to the ' white man's ' envoys. Still the information col- THE HAUSSA FORCE 121 lected was sufficient to enable maps to be made locating various places in this unknown district. A portion near Benin remained unexplored, but the route to the coast was developed. The formation of the Haussa force, called the Gold Coast constabulary, became one of consider- able importance. Nominally police, they are the local soldiers at Lagos. From the kindness that Captain Glover had always shown to this tribe, which he found in slavery during his first visit to that colony, there sprung up a deep respect and personal attachment towards him, and this enabled him to induce them to enlist. He found, under discipline, he could tame their Arab restlessness, which made them utterly useless as traders and agriculturists, because they were never happy long in one place. While not above cattle lifting and running away with the wives of the neighbouring tribes, they became valuable and steady soldiers with European officers to lead them, learning their drill quickly and well, and becoming good shots. The Governor's opinion of the capabilities of these men was fully justified, the Haussas having con- tinued to do good service from the formation of the force to the present time. In a London paper, dated February 5, 1896, speaking of the late Ashanti expedition, it says, ' The services rendered by the Haussa force are specially commented upon, their 122 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER obedience and soldierly conduct in general being most praiseworthy.' In these early days, when the colony was in its infancy, the office of Governor was no sinecure ; dis- cretion, judgment, and firm administrative qualities being necessary to keep peace among the neigh- bouring tribes. In addition to these demands on the mental and moral qualities of a ruler, there was constant hard work and worry, and malarial fever to contend with, in a climate which enervates the strongest men. The Governor encouraged all sports and outdoor games and gatherings, to prevent the depression which assailed new comers, and give as much recreation as was possible to those whose lot was cast on the West Coast of Africa. At the end of his five years 1 term of govern- ment he returned to England, universally regretted by the people of Lagos, and received many farewell addresses from its inhabitants. Soon after his de- parture they sent a petition to the Colonial Office, asking that he should be sent back again as Governor, and offering to pay a large increase of salary if he would accept a second term. The Colonial Office at once acceded to this request, and assented to his receiving an increase of emolu- ment. All his friends in England were strenuous in their efforts to dissuade him from returning to such a pestilential climate ; but their advice was RUNAWAY \VIVES 123 of no avail. It might be that he was influenced at that time by a disappointment, which had destroyed the hopes of many years, or that his love for Africa was stronger than any personal interest. Whatever his motive was, he accepted the Governorship for the second time, and returned to Lagos, where he continued the improvements he had begun. He received many addresses of welcome on his return, and among others, one from Akorodu, from the chief of all Egbas, saying i that during his absence he had had much trouble with his domestic affairs, in consequence of his wives running away with Lagos men, and refusing to return.' His letter was accompanied with the amusing request that ' the Governor should cause the return of the runaway wives.' What means Captain Glover employed to induce these ladies to go back to their lords and masters we have no record to prove ; but it is clear that he generally arranged the difficulties, and kept the Lagos men in pretty good order. 124 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER CHAPTEE VII ME. POPE HENNESSEY IN WESTEEN AFEICA Captain Glover's return to Lagos Survey of the ' Volta ' Egba dis- turbances Mr. Golds worthy's mission to Porto Novo Mr. Pope Hennessey arrives in Lagos Dispatch to the Secretary of State Policy of the Hinterland Stoppage of roads Slavery question Letter to the Editor of the ' Manchester Courier ' Letter from Captain Glover to Mr. Pope Hennessey Sir George Berkeley ap- pointed Governor Fresh disturbances on the Gold Coast. AFTEE the Governor's return for his second term of office, he again had occasion to take up his old work of surveying. The Eiver c Volta ' was till then unexplored for navigating purposes, and he was anxious to ascertain whether it would prove a suitable water-way for commercial purposes into the interior. Life at Lagos continued much the same during the next few years as was described in the last chapter. Trade had considerably in- creased. The town had been much improved by new churches, schools, public buildings, and private dwelling-houses. Feuds still continued among neighbouring tribes. The Egbas once more tried to prevent trade being carried on with Lagos, except through their country. Abeokuta, their EGBA DISTURBANCES 125 home, was the largest and most cultivated dis- trict beyond Lagos. Some sons of liberated Africans induced the native authorities of that town to drive out the white missionaries and mer- chants, so as to have it in their own hands. The result of the mismanagement of these semi-civilised Creoles was such that the rising Abeokuta bade fair to become a disgrace to Christianity and civi- lisation. From trade relations with Lagos the Egbas of Abeokuta gained control of several thou- sands of pounds belonging to the merchants of Lagos, which they refused to pay up, and used in the Ijaye war, where they squandered the whole of it, but were repulsed and beaten. Then, to retrieve their loss, they went to war with Ikorodu, which is near Lagos, and had they succeeded Abeokuta would have tried to invade Lagos also. Captain Glover realised this, and was determined to teach Abeo- kuta people to live and let live, and not to allow them to debar other tribes from direct communi- cation with Lagos by stopping up the roads, and capturing, killing, or making slaves of the people who passed through. He also saw that the best solu- tion of the difficulty would be to effect the open- ing up of a new pass through the rich and un- explored countries of the Ondos and Ifeis to Ibadan. Accordingly, Mr. Goldsworthy was sent by this route on a mission to the king and chief of 126 LIFE OF SIB JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the many towns in this extensive country, and the new route became more free and available for trade than the old one from the Egba country. This alarmed the Egbas, who made a solemn league to thwart our policy. More than a hundred Abeo- kuta chiefs got Awujale the king to enter into a compact, made binding by the blood of a human sacrifice, to stop trade coming to Lagos, their object being to upset the Government of Lagos, and use the port for themselves. In this case they would have been free to revive the slave trade. But some of the powerful Egba chiefs saw the futility of this scheme, and were anxious for peace, and to maintain their friendship with ' Golobar.' In consequence of its having been discovered that some of the letters to the Governor, sent from Abeokuta, accompanied by the usual symbol, the staff of the Bashorun, were not authorised by him, they made a law forbidding any sticks or staves to accompany letters representing the true sentiments of the Egba Government ; and they ordered from England a proper stamp and official envelope, bearing the inscription of the Egba united board of management, and a cross to represent the four united kings of Abeokuta. The following letter was sent to the Governor from the Abeokuta chiefs, of which a translation is here given : < In the name of God the Merciful. Praise be to God the LETTER FROM ABEOKUTA 127 Creator of the Universe. This epistle comes from the "Alatise," or he who makes kings good, to him whom the great God does bless on this earth. I am your friend as well as you are mine in truth. May the great God help you in all your under- takings. 1 1 received all the messages you sent to me, for which I am thankful ; experience shows me that your views are mine. May you have long life. Observe always that I shall hold to your words in the letter to me, as from my best of friends. The contents of the letter incline me to write to praise and thank you. I heard that you sent to Jebba. I am inclined to suggest that you should study the circumstances of the times, and act accordingly. ' I, however, will intreat that you will not allow powder to leave your territory for any other place than Abeokuta. ( It is said in the Koran that mankind comes from the same parent stock; whatever other foolish nations do ignorantly should excite the compassion of the wise, who should help to remedy that which went wrong. You should therefore make matters good for the Egbas, Ijebus, as well as other people. < 1 say the above to you from facts which are felt everywhere. Here, in the black man's country, your wise proceedings and plans make your in- 128 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER fiuence great, and all of us feel it ; therefore we con- sider you the Head, the power made to stop further troubles, and regulate our affairs. We feel that we had never had the like white man to deal thus with us before. I therefore send you salutations, which the above sentiments draw from me. ' Therefore, I say again, that whatever messen- gers, with whatever messages from the countries around come to you, use your great knowledge to make them go for the general good. ' Whatever good, however small, is done by any person will surely redound on the donor ; you must continue to do good, as surely reward is in life as well as after life. 1 It is not new to you that further in the interior peoples and towns allow no powder to go from them to other places. Lagos and Abeokuta are the exceptions. We in Abeokuta stop this now ; may God direct us all to do things in the right way. 4 1 ask you, my own friend, to use the great power you possess to put the country to rights. Forget not that we here are all brethren. You have power. There are many ungovernable ones among us in the surrounding countries, but you could put all things to rights. ' Continue to act as you are acting now, and God will help you. PETITION FROM PORTO NOVO 129 c I want to call to your recollection the differ- ence existing between Taivo and Captain Davies. Do make things right again between them. 6 Let God be with him who has power to make the world quiet and peaceful.' It will be seen by the above letter what strong personal friendship existed between many of the powerful Egba chiefs and the Governors, though some others were not so easily influenced. But while the younger men were restless and ready to fight, their elders recognised that in the end nothing was to be gained by adopting a hostile attitude towards a Government under whose protection they had secured peace and trade. Nor could they forget that the chief representative of that Government had, at the risk of his life, marched through a hostile country, with only a few natives, to make peace between two tribes whose constant wars interfered with the trade of the surrounding country. At this time Mepon the King of Porto Novo, a most cruel and barbarous monarch, had been ruling for nine years. Kapine, murders, and robberies were of such frequent occurrence that the native princes and chiefs determined no longer to submit to his rule, and sent a petition to Lagos, signed by all their most influential men, to beg the Governor to protect them from his tyranny. He sent the Government steamer ' Eko,' with some Haussas on K 130 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER board, under the command of Captain Goldsworthy, to see what state the town was in. He found things were even worse than was represented. In a despatch to the Governor, dated January 1872, he says : i I cannot but express my opinion that the Government should, in the cause of humanity, if not for political reasons, interfere and put an end to this continual sacrifice of human life. . . . The instances of the cruelties of King Mepon would be too many to enumerate ; but it is not too much to say that two or more human beings are sacrificed by his orders every day, and the mode of the execu- tions is as varied as are the pretexts on which the poor creatures suffer some for supposed witchcraft, another for attempt to escape from slavery, while others are tortured in such a way that death itself is preferable. If the British Government does not interfere and put an end to the barbarities practised in a town bordering on one of our own colonies, it will be a foul disgrace to a country which boasts of freeing enslaved Africa, and yet permits atrocities scarcely paralleled to take place on the borders of its territories.' The French had a strong footing at Porto Novo, and were not anxious for English rule. It was, therefore, a matter that required very judicious handling before the question could be finally settled. That every care was taken to avoid dis- CAPTAIN GOLDSWORTHY'S MISSION 131 turbing the friendly relations that existed between Great Britain and France, and that, at the same time, a firm front was shown towards the Porto Novians, will be seen by the orders given by the Governor to Captain Goldsworthy, when sending him on this mission. 1 Government House, Lagos : December 6, 1871. ' Sir, 1. It is my direction that you proceed to Porto Novo in the colonial steamer " Eko," which vessel is provisioned for thirty days, for the purpose of giving protection to the lives and property of British subjects and all others who may have occasion to pass on the Lagoon. ' 2. You will particularly pay attention to the Lagos market canoes, which have been instructed to keep together, and give them such escort from time to time as you may consider necessary, and to other canoes when applied for. 1 3. You will be careful to hold no communi- cation with the King of Porto Novo, and if the king wishes to communicate with you, refer him to me, offering to submit to me any communications he may send to you. You will understand that the present situation of affairs is not to be altered by any action of the king, the princes, or the govern- ment, until instructions are received from Her Majesty's Government.' K 2 132 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER A firm hand in this, as in all important matters, was needed, and before long the Porto Novians put themselves under the protection of the British Crown, and a treaty was made between the king and the Government. Thus slavery and cruelty was suppressed, while, on the other side of the country, the new road to the interior was kept open and the Egbas prevented from thwarting trad- ing facilities between Lagos and the surrounding tribes. Such was the state of the country when the Go vernor-in- Chief of the West African settle- ments came to visit Lagos. In May 1872 Captain Glover went on six months' leave to England, his term of govern- ment at Lagos coming to an end in November of that year. He did not return, owing to a still more important occupation to be hereafter described. There were special causes inducing him to take this leave, for both before and after his departure events occurred in Western Africa which I must, however reluctantly, recount. Mr. Pope Hennessey was sent by Her Majesty's Government, in the spring of 1872, to visit several settlements on the West Coast in the capacity of Governor-in-Chief. On coming to Lagos he made certain inquiries of his own, in consequence of which he proceeded first to impugn and then to modify Captain Glover's policy. Mr. Pope Hennessey only MR. POPE HENNESSEY'S VIEWS 133 remained two months at Lagos, but his visit caused a veritable interregnum in the British and patriotic policy which had heretofore prevailed, and which, after a cessation for a short time, greatly to the detriment of British interests, was happily restored. My object being to set forth Captain Glover's pro- ceedings, I am unwilling to say more than can be helped regarding Mr. Pope Hennessey; nevertheless, the attitude of the Go vernor-in- Chief towards the Governor of Lagos was such that an explanation cannot be avoided. He conceived the very erro- neous idea that Captain Glover entertained a personal hatred of the Egbas, and that they were a down-trodden and oppressed people. That this was untrue is self-evident ; but it has been neces- sary in the foregoing pages to explain the position of the tribes at a greater length than would other- wise have been necessary. In his letter granting leave of absence to Cap- tain Glover, Mr. Pope Hennessey writes : i Looking to your long and valuable service in the settlement of Lagos, and to the comparatively short time you have been away from the active discharge of your official duties, I have no hesitation in granting you the six months' leave you require.' The expressions are formally courteous, and may so far be appreciated ; nevertheless, he had, in a letter to the Secretary of State, impugned 134 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Captain Glover's policy, and was causing its re- versal on the spot. This is clear from an im- portant draft of a despatch written by Captain Glover to the Secretary of State. I have the ori- ginal draft in his own handwriting, stating the circumstances of the case, which, however interest- ing they may be, are too long to print. From this despatch it is clear that the trade of Lagos had been principally with certain tribes on the coast, notably with the Egbas and with Abeokuta their principal town ; but there was a far more important Hinterland, namely, that of the Yoruba's ; and the Governor's policy was to open up communication with the Yoruba country, partly to increase law- ful traffic, and partly to stop unlawful traffic in slaves. To this the Egbas and half-breed Egbas, from their narrow point of view, objected, and they induced Mr. Pope Hennessey to adopt their views. This he did without making any inquiries from the Governor or from the principal people at Lagos, ignoring his own countrymen, namely, the British representative and the principal officers who had been in Lagos for many years. Among the conse- quences was the marked and immediate diminution of British trade, which naturally caused anxiety in Lancashire, where there was a large and growing trade with Lagos. This feeling is displayed by the following LETTER TO THE 'MANCHESTER COURIER' 135 extracts from a letter written by Mr. Leigh Glair in the ' Manchester Courier,' dated November 5, 1872 :- ' Lagos, as you are aware, is the great port for cotton and palm oil in the West Coast of Africa. Situated in a Lagoon in the bight of Benin, it is the chief port for the large and rich country between the bight of Benin and the Eiver Niger. It has a British Governor and a Legislative Council, and it has hitherto been a prosperous and pro- gressive colony, as is shown by the following sta- tistics : 1864 the Customs revenue was 9,0392. 15s. 6d. ; in 1871, 33,2642. 4s. lid. In 1864 the value of its imports was 120,7962. ; and in 1871, 391,5532. In 1864 the value of exports was 166,0932. 8s. Id. ; in 1871, 589,8022. 9s. 6d. The great in- crease in its prosperity is owing to the judicious government of Captain Glover. He, to my certain knowledge, has spent not only his official pay, but also his private resources in furthering the prosperity of the colony. Lagos is surrounded by three coast tribes the Porto Novians, the Egbas, and the Ijebus who wish to keep all the trade in their own hands, and it is difficult for the vast Yoruba country, which extends to within a few miles of the Niger, to send down its produce to the seaboard, or to receive goods in return. This Yoruba country teems with wealth, and its people 136 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVEK are anxious to trade with England. Governor Glover, judging from years of experience of the country and its people, has constantly had before him the desirability of opening fresh roads into the interior. In 1869 he sent a messenger with instructions to pass through the Yoruba country, and make his way by the proposed new route to the coast ; this was successfully carried out, and the messengers were everywhere joyfully received by the king's " bales " and chiefs. He found the country rich with produce, which was lying rotting in the ground for want of a market to sell it in. Many of the tribes had neither seen or heard of a white man ; they said : " We are all thieves, and never at peace, because we cannot make trade and sell our pro- duce." All the tribes agreed that they did not want to buy and sell slaves ; all they wanted was trade with the white man. Directly it was known at Lagos that the road was opened and safe, caravans of slaves and refugees prepared to re- turn joyfully to their long-lost homes, taking with them the property they had accumulated by honest labour. The Governor in person then left Lagos for Odi, the river considered most desirable for the purpose, in order that, by his presence, he might insure the safe starting of the first caravan under a European, Captain Goldsworthy, the district magis- trate. He was joyfully received everywhere, even ATTITUDE OF THE EGBAS 137 by chiefs who he had supposed might not be friendly. All seemed a success, and Governor Glover then found that, taking advantage of his absence, the Egbas and the Ijebus, being roused by fear of losing the monopoly of the Lagos trade, had spread all sorts of reports with a view of pre- venting the new road being a success ; they said it would injure their trade, they would lose their slaves, and that the British Government would seize their country. The Egbas had already chosen their roads, and the Ijebus did the same, and the trade of Lagos came to a stand. The Egbas said the English had taken their country, and had interfered with the allegiance of their subjects, and they wanted the English sent away, and wished Lagos to return to the government of their native king. The Egbas shut their roads, on the plea that guns and powder were prohibited to them, and also because the Governor had insisted upon the use of a standard measure by which palm kernels should be sold, instead of the deceitful and uncertain sale by bag, which had given rise to endless disputes and trickery. Their real object was, however, to force the Government into allowing them the right to seize slaves at Ebuta-Mela, within half a mile of Lagos, on British territory, and they wished to replace the Government by that of a native king. The Egbas were assisted in their demands by the 138 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER worthless portion of the Lagos people people who have nothing to lose, and who have been everlast- ingly crying put against our laws and the abolition of the slave trade. A little firmness and patience would have righted all this, and the new law have become a success, as the markets in the interior were gradually becoming overstocked with produce, and the stock of goods was being consumed, and fresh supplies could not be got until the roads were opened ; in other words, trade would have forced the opening of the roads. Unfortunately, at this point, however, Mr. Pope Hennessey arrived upon the scene as Governor-in-Chief, and without knowing anything of the country or the people, listened to the idle statements of the party opposed to Governor Glover, and in a few days undid all the work it had taken Captain Glover years to do. He removed the steamer " Eko," which had been sent to Porto Novo to protect British interests, and, more particularly, the opening of the new roads. He withdrew the steamer protecting the Lagoon at Odi, and ordered the Government House built there to be destroyed. Guns and powder were already free, the brickmaking machinery was to be sold, the Government steamer sold, and the engineers and apprentices discharged, and all the expensive Government workshops allowed to be idle. Governor Glover, whose period of service was just expiring, DEADLOCK AT LAGOS 139 could not countenance these proceedings ; therefore he applied for leave of absence to come home. I now come to the result of all this. The trade of Lagos has been stopped since March, and the roads are still shut, although trade may force them open any day. Cotton, palm oil, and other produce, are locked up in the interior, and goods are lying idle at Lagos. A large number of English vessels have been lying months in Lagos roads without cargo, or have had to leave for other ports. The loss to merchants is large, and so is the loss of revenue to the Government. Strange to say, the new road established by Governor Glover is still open, and oil is coming down, although slowly, and this, in the face of difficulties, and the oppo- sition of Mr. Pope Hennessey and the present acting Governor Fowler. The slave trade is gain- ing ground, and the British flag is no longer a pro- tection to the slaves. Slaves have been allowed to be seized, lives have been sacrificed, and people have been thrown into prison, without trial, for preventing slaves being taken from under the pro- tection of the British flag. You will thus see how the hopes of a rising colony may be blighted by Government appointments made from political motives.' Some of the results of the revival of the slave trade at Lagos are lamentable to relate. More than 140 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER one poor woman drowned herself and her children in the river, preferring for them a watery grave rather than the bonds of cruel captors. A touching story is told by Dr. Kowe of the capture of the wife of a Haussa, who was sold for SI. She came to him to intercede on her behalf, with the tears rolling down her face, accompanied by her husband, a powerfully built man, who had armed himself with a knife, vowing he would kill her owner sooner than let his wife be dragged away into slavery. I have in my possession authentic letters from Cap- tain Goldsworthy, and other persons of undoubted veracity, describing many scenes like these, and others giving account of such barbarous cruelties committed at Porto Novo, that I consider them to be unfit for publication ; and yet it was to protect the people from such outrages occurring that the steamer ' Eko ' was sent by Captain Glover, which was withdrawn by Mr. Pope Hennessey. That Captain Glover had endeavoured to indi- cate to the Governor-in-Chief the reason for the policy that he had pursued, with the view of preventing an unfortunate change, will be apparent from the following draft in his own handwriting : LETTER TO MR. POPE HENNESSEY 141 To his Excellency John Pope Hennessey * Government House, Lagos : June 9, 1872. c Sir, (1) I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's despatch No. 37 of May 16. < (2) In reference to paragraphs 2 and 3, I must observe to your Excellency that the stoppage of trade by the Egbas and Ijebus was not occasioned by prohibition of arms by this Government, but on account of the slave question ; and that my inter- course with the interior tribes has been conducted wholly and entirely in the cause of peace, friendly intercourse, and the extension of commerce and Christianity. ' (3) In regard to paragraphs 4, 5, 6, and 7, all I have to observe is that the steamer " Eko " was employed for the protection of our trade on the Lagoon against the piratical acts of the slaves of the King of Porto Novo ; that I do not consider that she was intermeddling in the affairs of Porto Novo, and that the instructions, dated December 6, 1871, and given by me to Captain Groldsworthy (see inclo- sure No. 1) were in accordance with the concluding paragraph of Lord Kimberley's despatch of Feb- ruary 23, 1872, namely, " That you will quietly abstain from interfering with the affairs of that 142 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER town, without directions from home," my instruc- tions to Captain Goldsworthy being dated Decem- ber 6, 1871, nearly three months anterior to Lord Kimberley's instructions on the subject. I moreover abstain from endeavouring "to obtain redress" even " by peaceable means " for robberies committed on the Lagoon (see despatch, Downing Street, 137, of March 1, 1872) until your Excellency shall visit Lagos. (Keported in my despatch No. 31, of March 26, 1872). "That the presence of the steamer ' Eko ' caused great commotion and inconvenience " has no foundation in fact, and on further inquiry your Excellency will find my statement to be correct ; and, furthermore, I considered I was carry- ing out the instructions contained in paragraph 35, page 10, of the Colonial Kegulations on the subject of the suppression of piracy. ' (4) In reference to paragraphs 8 and 9, I am confident that when your Excellency shall have had time to go more into the affairs of Lagos than was afforded by your recent short visit, between the dates of April 25 and April 30 (one day of which was a Sunday), that your Excellency will not attach to me " the responsibility for a state of affairs brought about by the factious intrigues of a local clique." ' (5) On the subject of recruiting the Haussa force, I have to inform your Excellency that END OF THE CRISIS 143 recruiting has been going on since November 8, 1871 (see inclosure No. 2), and that upon the receipt of Lord Kimberley's despatch, February 12, 1872, I hastened to increase the force by inducing them to join for six months, when there was a hesi- tation displayed in enlisting for three years with a prospect of serving on the Gold Coast. i (6) In regard to the concluding paragraph of your Excellency's despatch, I am quite prepared to await the result of your Excellency's investigation on your return to Lagos.' I refrain from mentioning numerous unpleasant incidents connected with this period which must have been most galling to any English gentle- man in Captain Glover's position, as they were not of a purely political character ; nor could Government House be any longer a place for him when the Governor-in-Chief's committees, com- posed of half-breeds selected from the lowest class of people in the town, pervaded every room and relieved the Governor of any portable plate that might be within reach. Suffice it to say, that those who are cognisant of Mr. Pope Hennessey's career in Labuan, the Mauritius, and Hong Kong, will form their own estimate of the policy pursued by him on the West Coast of Africa. Numbers of letters and petitions were sent to England. At last 144 LIFE OF SIE JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Bishop Crowther, strongly supported by his own countrymen, came home to represent matters in the cause of humanity. In 1873 Sir George Berkeley became Governor of Lagos, when Captain Glover's policy was resumed, and, consequently, British trade revived. Lagos began to grow and flourish once more ; slavery was checked ; the coast tribes were kept in their proper place ; communication with the tribes in the interior was resumed. But the pro- cess was slow, and it was long before the country recovered the check it had received. While Captain Glover was still on leave in England, new complications arose in Africa, which led to war with Ashanti ; and it will be seen in the next Chapter how he was sent for by the War Office to advise the authorities with regard to raising native troops, and utilising the rivers and roads into the interior through which they must pass. 145 CHAPTEE VIII NATIVE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ASHANTIS BY SIB JOHN HAWLEY GLOVEK Causes of the Ashanti War Cession of Elmina Testimony of Sir Gilbert Carter and Sir Andrew Clarke Circumstances in which Captain Glover's Report was drawn up Interview of Captain Glover with Mr. Cardwell Description of country round the Volta Lord Kimberley informs Captain Glover his offer is ac- cepted to raise native troops Sir Garnet Wolseley is given mili- tary command of Ashanti Expedition Captain Glover proceeds to Cape Coast to enlist Haussas and native allies. [BEFORE proceeding to give the unfinished report of the Native Expedition against the Ashantis drawn up by Sir John Glover, it may be as well to indicate briefly the causes which led to the out- break of hostilities on the West Coast. There can be no question that the main exciting cause of the Ashanti War of 1872-73 was the cession by the Dutch to the British Crown of Elmina and their other settlements on the Gold Coast in April 1872. In spite of the fact that prior to the ratifi- cation of the Convention by which the Dutch sur- rendered their rights, the British Government had ascertained from the King of Ashanti that he 146 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER possessed no claim to Elmina, there is no doubt that the Ashantis strongly objected to the change of ownership. They had long been accustomed to Dutch methods, which they contrasted with those of the English in the. neighbouring settlement of Cape Coast Castle ; and there were many reasons for preferring the Dutch, who, from the Governor downwards, all had native wives, and made no secret of their existence. The Elminas themselves were by no means pleased with the change, and this feeling was greatly intensified by the indiscreet action of Her Majesty's Commissioner who negotiated the transfer Mr. John Pope Hennessey. This officer, with amazing ineptitude, immediately after the cession appointed a native, named Eminsang, to be the civil commandant of the fort and responsible head of the settlement. When it is considered that a Dutch officer of high rank had held the post of Governor, and that Admiral de Euyter's staff had always been held by the Governors of Elmina as a symbol of their office, it will readily be understood that the appointment of Eminsang was resented on all sides. Moreover, this man, who had held a comparatively minor office under the Dutch Government, was intensely disliked by the whole community. In these circumstances it is not sur- prising that almost immediately after the departure AFFAIRS IN ELMINA 147 of the Commissioner a serious riot took place, and an attempt was made to shoot Eminsang ; unfortunately the shot took effect upon a Dutch officer named Joost, who was killed. Eminsang, after this episode, ran away, and another command- ant was appointed, this time an European doctor, with no qualifications for the post except that he was an Irishman and a Roman Catholic. The official version made it appear that Joost had made him- self obnoxious to certain labourers whose pay had been withheld, and that in consequence his life had been attempted. Eminsang's sudden departure, however, is a sufficient answer to this allegation. This episode is only mentioned to show the feeling which existed in Elmina at the time of the transfer, and the Elminas were only too glad to encourage the feeling which existed amongst the Ashantis, to invade the Protectorate and to obtain a port, which had long been desired by the Ashanti authorities. The Ashantis undoubtedly were in constant com- munication with the disaffected Elminas, and from the latter they obtained information as to the proceedings of the British. The Ashanti army was dispatched from Kumasi in December 1872, and in January of the following year crossed the Eiver Prah and from thence spread over the Protectorate. In April it met and defeated L2 148 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER the Fanti allies at Dunkwa, and subsequently at a place called Jukwa, and from thence proceeded to Elmina, where it was defeated by the seamen and marines of the Fleet, combined with the Colonial Forces, under Sir Francis Festing, R. M.L.I. Mr. Carter now Sir Gilbert Carter to whom I am indebted for the foregoing summary of the pre- disposing causes of the Ashanti War, was at that time employed on the West Coast, and has assured me that he retains a very clear recollection of the events which occurred at Elmina in 1872. As one of the Commissioners appointed by Mr. Pope Hennessey to take over the stores left behind by the Dutch, he was present at the transfer. Curiously enough it was a descendant of the famous Admiral Van Tromp who told him the story of the riot, which was subsequently confirmed from other sources. Sir Andrew Clarke, whose intimate relations with Captain Glover eleven years earlier have been described in a previous chapter, was at this juncture in London. To quote his own words : i When fresh difficulties had arisen with Ashanti, in consequence of the new arrangement between England and Holland, which gave to Holland the control of Sumatra, in the Straits of Malacca, in exchange for Elmina and Dutch interests on the Gold Coast, I was consulted by the Colonial Office, and from my SIR ANDREW CLARKE'S ADVICE 149 previous experience of his character and his know- ledge of Africa I advised that Captain Glover should be appointed and given a free hand in dealing with the whole question. My advice was eventually only partly adopted, for Captain Glover was given the command of the expedition up the Volta, and subsequently it was decided to send a British force from this country. This, however, was an after- thought, and wholly unnecessary for the permanent pacification of the West Coast, as events have since proved.' The full story of the native expedition could hardly be elucidated except by Captain Glover himself, or by some one who was with him through that long and arduous undertaking. It was not fully told either by him or by anyone in his life-time. Thus it will never be adequately narrated. Indeed Captain Glover himself felt this, and on his death- bed said that the narrative was ' a work which he was leaving undone.' In 1875, after the conclusion of the war, the subject was much upon his mind. On June 27 in that year he wrote thus to the Colonial Office : < I believe no one can accuse me of either writing or talking about the proceedings of my force since my return from Ashanti if I except the occasion of the banquet at Liverpool, when I mentioned the cordial relations which had throughout the 150 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER campaign existed between the General and myself .... I think the time has come when our side of the Ashanti force shall have full justice done to it. Might I suggest that Captain Golds worthy or myself be authorised to draw up, under the authority of the Colonial Office, an official report or narrative of the Yolta campaign, which might be printed in the form of a Blue Book.' In reply, he was instructed to prepare such an account fully and categorically. He did accordingly begin the preparation of this report, but had advanced only a short way with it when he was appointed Governor of Newfoundland. After that he never found leisure to complete the work. The beginning of the draft report remains in his own handwriting, as a testamentary fragment. It has a value of its own as explaining how this im- portant affair began showing how he was first consulted by the two Departments of State which were concerned, and how, in consequence of that, he made certain proposals to Her Majesty's Govern- ment, and how he thereon received certain instruc- tions. All these things will be found to speak for themselves. With this view the draft is here given, so far as it goes, and exactly as he left it. E.K.G.] ' On July 16, 1873, came the news of the defeat of the Fanti army in Denkera. About this date Mr. Goschen, then First Lord of the Admiralty, sent for MEETING AT THE HORSE GUARDS 161 me, to give my opinion as to the possibility of get- ting stores up to the neighbourhood of Prahsu from the coast by the River Prah. My only know- ledge of the Prah amounted to the certainty that it would not be found practicable to get up even empty canoes from the sea to Prahsu. This led to a conversation on the subject of the war generally, and of the eastern portion of the protected terri- tory in particular, which had not been invaded by the Ashantis or its tribes called out for its defence by the Government. ' Some days after this interview I was sent for by Mr. Cardwell, then Secretary of State for War, and asked to repeat what I had said to Mr. Goschen. This resulted in my receiving a summons to attend a meeting at the Horse Guards on July 29 ; pre- sent, the Secretary of State for War, his Eoyal Highness the Commander-in- Chief, Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, General Sir Eichard Airey, Major-General Sir Charles Ellice, Sir Andrew Clarke, and others. 1 1 put before the meeting the necessity of rais- ing the eastern tribes and falling on the flank and rear of the invading force, and at the same time threatening Kumasi by a force to be assembled on the Prah in Western Akim, so as to compel the Ashantis to loosen their grip of Cape Coast Castle and its immediate neighbourhood, and thereby *L 4 152 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER enable us to raise up the beaten down Fantis, who were crouching under the protection of our forts, and the small force then holding them, and give us time to organise a forward movement against the Ashantis and drive them beyond the Prah. < To this was added an extended plan of opera- tions up the Volta river, to raise the Mohammedan tribes north of the Volta, in the neighbourhood of Salaga, and to endeavour to communicate with and send supplies to the Gamans on the north-west of Kumasi, a tribe hostile to the Ashantis, who had been for several years endeavouring to enter into friendly relations with the Government at Cape Coast Castle. c My proposal was to cause a diversion in the rear of the Ashantis and threaten Kumasi by a force assembled on the Prah in Western Akim. From Sir A. Clarke emanated the Volta proposition, to which I added Gaman and Salaga ; but this necessitated the clearing of the Lower Volta, and securing the right of an extended base, viz., to bring to subjection the Awunas, without doing which it would be in vain to hope the seaboard tribes of the eastern portion of the Protectorate would move. It should be borne in mind that no idea existed in the minds of either Sir A. Clarke or myself that European troops were to be employed. * The day after the meeting at the Horse Guards INTERVIEW WITH LORD KIMBERLEY 153 I addressed a letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated July 30, offering my services to carry out the suggestion of the meeting. 1 " The proposal to use the tribes of the Eastern district of the Protectorate in order to cause a diversion in the rear of the Ashanti army, and, at the same time, to threaten Kumasi," 1 suggested that the Haussa force of some three hundred and fifty men be increased to a thousand strong, to form a disciplined nucleus to the native levies. On August 2 I received a reply from Mr. Herbert, stating that Lord Kimberley was disposed to ac- cept my offer, and desiring me to call at the Colonial Office on the following Monday. At this interview, on August 3, Lord Kimberley informed me my offer was accepted, and the utmost confi- dence placed in me ; that I was to choose my own staff, and settle with Mr. Herbert my salary, and that every detail of the expedition was left to my discretion. I was to send in a plan of the formation of the force to be raised. This I submitted on the 6th, and on the* 7th I furnished the command- ing officer a list of the six officers whom I nomi- nated for my staff (Sec. 19 and 20, B.B. 2, pages 33 and 34.) Lieutenants Cameron and Barnard, of 19th Eegiment, were subsequently substituted for Captain Buller, of the 60th Eifles, and Mr. 1 No, 8, page 13, par. 2, B.B. 2, March 1874. 154 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER Tatham, late Quartermaster of 24th Eegiment. Eventually, Mr. Blissett, then serving at Cape Coast Castle, was attached to my force as the control officer, and after my arrival at Akra a subsequent addition was made to the staff by Lieutenant Moore, B.N., of H.M.S. "Druid"; Dr. Bale; Mr. Ponsonby, Acting Sub-lieutenant of H.M.S. " Active "; Mr. Adamson, late Acting Sub-lieutenant, B.N. ; Dr. Parke, Army Medical Staff, and Dr. Thompson, from the oil rivers ; native commis- sioners, and Mr. Edward Bannerman ; a native gentleman as my private secretary, and Mr. Banner- man in charge of postal service and local agency at Akra. I was instructed to procure a steamer, suit- able for the navigation of the Yolta, at Belfast, and purchased a steamer called the " Lady of the Lake," for 325Z., which subsequently proved admirably adapted for the purpose. On Friday, at an interview with Lord Kimberley, at which was present Major- General Sir Garnet Wolseley, I was informed by Lord Kimberley that Her Majesty had approved the appointment of Sir Garnet Wolseley to administer the government of the Gold Coast, with the chief military command. I asked Lord Kimberley if this appointment of Sir Garnet Wolseley would make any alteration in the programme marked out for me by his Lordship. Lord Kimberley replied, " None whatever." I then said, " Then it appears to me, DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND 155 my Lord, that the only difference will be this, that I shall be serving under a distinguished soldier, instead of under any casual officer who might be for the time being administering the government of the Gold Coast." As neither Lord Kimberley nor Sir Garnet made any observation, I imagined something further was expected from me, and continued, "All I have further to say is that I trust when Sir Garnet returns to England he may be enabled to tell your Lordship that I never failed him." It was then settled but against the wish of Sir Garnet that I should still have the Haussa armed police whom I might find embodied at Cape Coast Castle on my arrival ; but Lord Kimberley acquiesced in the request of Sir Garnet, that the 150 Haussas then at Lagos should be attached to the force under Sir Garnet. 1 On August 19 I left England, and having purchased at Madeira six horses and three mules, arrived in due course at Cape Coast Castle on Sep- tember 11, where I was detained until the evening of the 12th arranging for the withdrawal of the Haussas to Akra, and for the detaching of Messrs. Golds- worthy, Eowe, and Blissett to my headquarters at Akra. 1 The officers who had accompanied me from England proceeded to Akra on the llth, while I followed themin a steam cutter of H.M.S. " Simoon," 156 LIFE OF SIR JOHN HAWLEY GLOVER landing at Akra on September 13, and Captain Larcom was dispatched to Lagos on the 14th, to enlist Haussa and Yoruba recruits. * Colonel Harley had directed the civil command at Akra to summons the kings and chiefs of the Eastern district to meet me at Akra, and on my arrival I found that this order was only too con- sonant with the wishes of the two kings of Akra, who soon showed me they intended that nothing should be done without their approval and their means. Having had a taste of King Takia's obstructiveness during some active operations against the Ashantis on the Volta in 1870, I determined as much as possible to act directly with the separate kings and chiefs, and when I did succeed in getting them together, found that my determination met with general assent, and their satisfaction was loudly expressed when told that they would receive direct from myself or the Commissioners their several subsidies, arms, and ammunition. c To hasten the meeting of the kings and chiefs, and for the special convenience of the kings of Eastern and Western Akim, whom I was most anxious to get first in motion, I summoned them to meet me at Akropong, as a more central point than Akra, and wrote that I would be there to meet them on the 22nd. MOVEMENTS OF THE HAUSSAS 157 ' On Tuesday, the 16th, Dr. Eowe arrived from Cape Coast Castle, with 200 Haussas, and the native Commissioners set out to the respective tribes to which they were accredited to notify to the kings and chiefs that they should meet me at Akropong on Monday, the 22nd. The kings of Eastern and Western Akim could not be expected to be there, but I hoped to see the rest, and thus to save time. ' The presence of the detachment of Haussas in Akra caused a stir among the Haussas, not only in Akra itself, but in the surrounding districts ; and to the apathy of the kings and chiefs was added their opposition and that of the inhabitants generally to the enlistment of their Haussa slaves. c On the 17th Dr. Kowe had to return to Cape Coast Castle to make some final arrangements before permanently joining my force.