When the Landers arrived, Clarence establishment consisted of the superintendent, or acting governor, Mr. Becroft, who was generally known by the t.i.tle of captain; Captain Beattie, the commander of the Portia, colonial schooner; Mr. Crichton, a naval surgeon; Lieutenant Stockwell, with a party of five or six marines; a mulatto ensign of the royal African corps, with two black companions from Sierra Leone, and some carpenters and sail-makers, besides a mulatto, who filled the office of clerk or secretary to Mr. Becroft; an English merchant of the name of Lloyd, in the employment of Mr. Smith, whose residence has been already mentioned.
No place, in point of convenience, could have been better selected for a settlement, than that on which Clarence is situated. The bay affords safe anchorage for shipping, from the furious tornadoes, which are common in this part of the world, and is sufficiently capacious to shelter as many vessels as are likely to visit the island; it abounds with fish, and is free from sunken rocks, and the sh.o.r.e is steep and easy of access to boats. There is another bay, called George"s Bay, on the western side of the island, but it has the disadvantage of being open to that quarter, and consequently affords no safety to shipping. The proximity of Clarence Cove to the coast of Africa, is also another important point in favour of the object for which the establishment was formed.
The natives of Fernando Po are the filthiest race of people in the whole world. They are different in their manners and appearance from their neighbours on the coast, to whom the Landers had of late been so much accustomed, and possess no single trait of character similar to them, except that of pilfering. In point of civilization, to which the natives of Bra.s.s Town have not the most distant pretensions, these people have even still less; their language is totally different, and they have no resemblance whatever to them. This in itself affords a tolerable proof of the little intercourse they have had with the world, for while the other islands of the gulf are plentifully stocked with the same race of people as those of the coast, Fernando Po which is so much nearer to it, is inhabited by a totally different cla.s.s. They are, generally speaking, a stout, athletic, and well-made race of people, and peculiarly harmless and peaceably inclined in their dispositions, although each individual is generally armed with a spear about eight feet in length, made of a hard wood, and barbed at one end. They appeared also to be a healthy race of people, for although here and there one or two might be less favoured by nature in their persons, no signs of the diseases so common among the natives of Africa were to be seen amongst them.
They have already been described as a filthy race, but no words can convey an idea of their disgusting nature. They have long hair, which it is difficult to distinguish, from being matted together with red clay and palm oil. The clay and oil are so profusely laid on; that it forms an impenetrable shield for the head, and the long tresses, which descend to their shoulders, are generally in a moist condition.
Although this covering is a complete safeguard to all inconvenience from without, they still further adorn their heads with a kind of cap, made of dry gra.s.s, ornamented round the border with the feathers of fowls, or any other bird, carefully stuck into it apart from each other. Some are so vain as to affix the horns of a ram in front of this cap, which gives them a most strange and ludicrous appearance.
Finally, the cap with all its ornaments of feathers, horns, sh.e.l.ls, &c. is secured in its place with a piece of stick, which answers the purpose by being forced through it on one side and out on the opposite, after pa.s.sing underneath the hair. Sometimes this elegant pin, as it may be called, is formed of the leg bone of some small animal, and is pointed at one end for the purpose of penetrating more easily. The expression of their countenance, scared and marked as it is, and surmounted by the cap already described, is wild and barbarous. They smear their faces entirely over with red clay, mixed with palm oil, sometimes a kind of grey dust is used instead of the clay, and this preparation being equally distributed over their whole persons, renders their presence scarcely tolerable. It is difficult to find out the colour of their skin under the filthy covering of oil and clay by which it is concealed, but it is believed not to be so dark as the African negro, and more resembling a copper colour.
The natives make use of no other dress than the cap, which they wear on their heads, but a few leaves, or a bunch of dried gra.s.s, are usually secured round the middle by the people of both s.e.xes, while the younger, naturally unconscious of indecency, go entirely naked.
The vertebrae of snakes, the bones of fowls and birds, as well as sheep, broken sh.e.l.ls, small beads, and pieces of cocoa nut sh.e.l.l are put in requisition by the natives, for the ornament of their persons.
A profusion of these strung together hang round the waist, which it seems to be the princ.i.p.al care to decorate in this manner, while their necks are scarcely less favoured with a proportion of these articles. Strings of them are also fastened round the arms and legs, but not in such quant.i.ties as round the waist. The pieces of hoop they have obtained from the ships which have visited the island, are formed into rude knives, or polished, and worn on the arm, in a kind of band made of straw, and are much valued. In their first intercourse with Europeans, the natives were very shy, and displayed much fear, but this gradually wore off, and they now venture boldly on board for the purpose of obtaining knives, hatchets, or any thing they can get. They have a few canoes of small dimensions, capable of containing ten or twelve people, but are not very expert in the management of them, although they are so far advanced as to make use of a mast and sail, which latter is constructed of a sort of mat.
They seem to be little addicted to the water, and none were seen amongst them; who could swim. In their fishing excursions, the natives are generally very successful, and those who pursue this mode of obtaining their livelihood, are compelled to adhere to it, and allowed to have nothing to do with cultivating the land. They exchange their fish for yams, and thus the wants of the fishermen and the cultivators are both supplied.
On the first visit of ships to this island, very considerable aversion was shown by the natives to any of their people attempting to go to their huts, or even to their endeavouring to penetrate into the woods, although only a short distance from the sh.o.r.e, from a fear perhaps of their plantations being plundered. Their huts, which are of the rudest construction imaginable, may be distinctly seen amongst the trees in small groups, surrounding a clear s.p.a.ce of ground, in which they cultivate the yam, and are formed of a few stakes driven firmly into the ground, thatched over with the palm leaf, the sides being completed with a sort of wicker work. They are about ten or twelve feet long, and half that in breadth, and not more than four or five feet in height. Their only furniture consists of some long flat pieces of wood, raised a few inches from the ground, and slightly hollowed out, to answer the purpose of sleeping in.
Numerous instances have occurred, of the thieving propensities of the natives, and it required, at first, a considerable degree of vigilance to prevent them from being successful, but it is due to the chiefs to say, that since the establishment of Clarence, they have invariably taken an active part in putting a stop to it. Whatever may have been their habits previously to the formation of the settlement, they seem to be little improved by their intercourse with the settlers. Their princ.i.p.al chief has received the formidable appellation of cut-throat from Captain Owen, a name, by which he will be known as long as he lives. This fellow is a most determined savage, and seems to have lost none of his natural propensities by communicating with the settlers. He has received innumerable presents from the English, of clothes, and a variety of things, which are all thrown away upon him, and he goes about as usual, wearing his little hat, with feathers stuck in it, and the long gra.s.s about his waist, disdaining such useless coverings as he imagines them. This is not to be wondered at, for accustomed as he has been all his life time, to the unrestrained freedom of his whole person, it would be rather a matter of surprise to see him make use of them, particularly in the climate of Fernando Po, where one almost wishes to follow the example of the natives, excepting in the use of their clay and palm oil. No doubt Cut-throat thinks this quite a sufficient covering.
The natives pay frequent visits to the colony, and, however they may deal out justice amongst themselves, are by no means backward in seeing it administered among the free negroes and Kroomen of Clarence. It frequently happens, that in the scarcity of live stock, some of the former, unable to restrain their desire for more substantial food, and tired of their Indian corn, venture to help themselves to what the natives will not bring them; parties of these people are accordingly formed, who find their way to the huts of the natives in the interior, and steal their yams, goats, and sheep, or whatever they meet with. These depredations are sure to bring the unfortunate owners to the colony with complaints of their losses, which are laid before the governor. The negroes are then mustered before them, and the native who has been plundered, is allowed, if he can do so, to point out the thief. If he should be successful, which is frequently the case, he is allowed to witness the punishment, which the offender is sentenced to receive, and generally gets some recompense for his loss. On the Sunday after the arrival of the Landers at Clarence, a party of four Kroomen set off into the interior, with the full determination of plunder, let the consequences be what it might. They had not gone far before they met with a goat belonging to a native, which they immediately shot, and returned with it carefully concealed, that they might not be discovered. Their precautions, however, were of little avail, for the owner of the animal accompanied by a party of his friends, made his appearance at Clarence the next morning, and preferred his complaint in strong terms against the luckless Kroomen, whom, it appeared, he knew perfectly well. The Kroomen were accordingly mustered, and the very four, who had gone on this unfortunate expedition, were pointed out with exultation by the natives. The law took its course, the Kroomen each received one hundred and fifty lashes from the African drummer, usually employed on these occasions, while the natives stood by, to see that the punishment was duly performed. This they did to admiration, by counting the number of lashes each received; and having witnessed the last punished, with eyes sparkling with brutal satisfaction at the tortures of the unfortunate sufferers, they went away quite satisfied. The place where this disagreeable operation is performed, is in the barrack yard, on Point William, between the officers" house and the hospital. The culprit is tied up to a kind of strong gallows, erected for the purpose. Two stout pieces of timber, about seven or eight feet high, are driven perpendicularly into the ground, about four feet apart from each other, a piece is secured firmly across them at the top, and another at a short distance from the ground. The hands of the man who is to be punished, are tied at each end of the upright pieces, and his legs are secured to the same on each side below, in which position he is exposed to the merciless scourge of the drummer, which is a common cat-o-nine-tails. It is painful even to think of such scenes as these, and when they take place at the mere whim and caprice of the hardened slave merchant, such a picture is revolting in the extreme. Here, however, severe as it may appear, it must be looked upon in a different point of view.
The punishment is great, but with the certainty of receiving it, if discovered, the negro will run the risk of incurring it, by what may be termed the breach of the first law of civilized society. In addition to the tendency it has to keep the free blacks in control, such a proceeding convinces the natives of the island, that their depredations are not sanctioned by the colony. Were some punishment not inst.i.tuted to curb the restless, pilfering propensities of these people, no order could be maintained; they would return to a worse condition, than that which they were in at first, and the colony would no longer be secure; for the natives of the island, finding their homes invaded, and their property carried off, unable to obtain redress, would soon take the law into their own hands, and would either murder the colonists, or drive them from the island.
Therefore, although a severe one, it is a salutary measure, and it has no doubt done much towards keeping the natives themselves honest.
What punishment is adopted by the natives, the Landers were not able to ascertain. The chiefs appear to possess considerable authority over them, and it is not improbable that the custom of the settlement is imitated in some shape or other.
The only weapon used by the natives, excepting the knife before mentioned, is a spear, of about eight feet in length, made of iron wood, and barbed at one end. The nature of the wood is so hard, as not to require the protection of iron at the end, and they did not see any pointed with it. They are very plentiful amongst the natives, who do not appear to attach any particular value to them. The Landers during their stay had no opportunity of witnessing their expertness with them, but they are said to use them for killing monkeys and other animals.
The resources of the island, in point of provisions are exhausted, or the natives are determined to reserve what are left for their own purposes. On the first formation of the establishment, they gladly brought to market all they had to dispose of, in the same manner as they had done to any vessel that chanced to visit the island. These consisted of a few goats, sheep, and fowls, of a very poor quality, and plenty of yams, which were all readily exchanged for pieces of iron hoop, of about six inches long. A piece of hoop of this length would purchase a goat, three or four fowls, or a large bundle of yams, weighing about twenty pounds. As their stock became exhausted, so the iron hoops became less valuable; more were demanded, until the natives could no longer supply the settlement, and had enough to do to provide for themselves, when they discontinued their supplies, and the settlement, not yet able to provide for itself, is dependent on supplies from the Calebar, and other rivers near it. Bullocks are stated by the natives, to be plentiful on the hills in the interior, but the Landers did not hear of any having been seen by the people of Clarence, and they are generally obtained from the Calebar River.
Deer are also said to be on the island, abundance of wild fowl, and a great number of monkeys, some black and others of a brown colour.
Parrots are also innumerable, and the natives are particularly partial to them and monkeys for food. Turtle have been caught in the bay, as well as fish, but these supplies are uncertain, and, therefore, not to be depended upon. The island is entirely mountainous, and contains a fine rich soil, capable of producing any thing required of it. Several small mountain streams fall into the sea, the largest of which are the two, named Hay and Horton Brooks, before mentioned. The princ.i.p.al vegetable cultivated by the natives is the yam, with which they are particularly successful. The best yams of the island are said to be those of George"s Bay, which are very large, and of an uncommonly fine flavour. The supply of these at Clarence is now very limited, and not to be depended on always, which may be probably to a difference in the season for growing them. This deficiency has been in some measure remedied by the construction of a government garden, from which some men of war have received supplies, but these are not sufficient to supply the wants of the colony, and recourse is had for them to the Calebar River.
Palm wine at the colony, as well as on the coast, is the common and favourite drink of the natives. It is easily procured in any quant.i.ty, and is used in either an unfermented state, when just fresh from the tree, or after it has been kept some days. It seems peculiarly intended by a bountiful providence for the untutored and dest.i.tute Indian, who is unable to supply himself with those beverages which are the result of art. The palm tree affords him a pleasant drink, a valuable oil, a fruit from the nut, and besides food, it furnishes him with a material to construct his hut, and is always ready for any immediate purpose. The juice, which is called "wine," is obtained by making a hole in the trunk of the tree, and inserting a piece of the leaf into it, so as to form a spout; the liquid flows through this, and is received in a calabash placed beneath it, which probably holds two or three gallons, and will be thus filled in the course of a day. It shortly a.s.sumes a milky appearance, and is either used in this state, or preserved till it acquires rather a bitter flavour. The produce of the palm tree, fish, and yams, form the princ.i.p.al food of the natives; they devour monkeys when they can get them.
This method of obtaining the juice of the palm tree is exactly similar to that which is adopted by the Indians of North America, with respect to the maple tree. A hole is made in the same manner in the trunk of the tree, and a piece of birch bark inserted into it as a spout, which, from its peculiar nature, answers the purpose remarkably well. The juice of the maple instead of being preserved is converted into sugar by evaporation. There are various sorts of timber at Fernando Po, amongst which the African oak is very plentiful, and particularly so in George"s Bay, where it grows close to the sea side; satin wood, ebony, lignum vitae, yellow cam wood, and several sorts of mahogany, besides other wood of a very hard nature, grow in profusion all over the island, and may probably hereafter become valuable.
The Landers had the good fortune to arrive at the island during the season of fine weather, but they had not enjoyed much of the sea breeze, which about noon, sometimes set in from the north west quarter, The harmattan is said to be experienced here, although it extends not to the other islands of the gulf. This wind, which pa.s.ses over the sands of Africa, would be almost insupportable, were it not for the sea breezes. While the harmattan lasts, the dryness in the atmosphere produces an unpleasant feeling, although it is said not to be injurious to health. The atmosphere is filled with a fine light sand, which prevents objects from being distinctly seen; the sun loses its brilliancy, and everything appears parched and suffering from a want of moisture. The effect of the harmattan after the rainy season is said to be most beneficial in drying up the vapours with which the atmosphere is loaded, and it has been observed, that on the return of this wind at the end of the rainy season, the recovery of invalids commences. The harmattan has also the effect of drying up the skin of the natives in a very extraordinary manner. After an exposure to it, the skin peals off in white scales from their whole body, which a.s.sumes an appearance as if it were covered over with white dust.
The islands in the gulf of Guinea, with the exception of Fernando Po, have each a capital town of some consequence, and although they produce sufficient supplies for ships that visit them, and carry on a small trade, it is much to be doubted, whether they are not more indebted for their importance to the slave trade than any other source. With respect to Prince"s Island and St. Thomas, they are known to be the receptacles for slaves from the coast, from whence they are re-embarked and conveyed away as opportunities offer; and the natives of the small island of Anna Bon, appear to be living in constant fear of the same, from the effects of their former treatment by the Spaniards.
The natives of Anna Bon, have a tradition that they once belonged to the Portuguese, and exhibit proofs of their having been formerly initiated in the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion. They are said to be particularly careful, when any stranger visits their settlement, to let them see their church, which is appropriately situated for this purpose immediately opposite the landing place. At present, by all accounts, they are living in a state of natural simplicity and ignorance of the world. Some idea may be formed of the condition of their minds, by a story that is currently related of them, in which the effects of their former tuition are apparent. The king once gravely told a visitor, with an idea of impressing him with his importance, that a short time previously to his arrival, he had held a conference with the supreme being, from whom he had learnt the cause of a recent sickness which had visited them, and also that he had approved of his being the king of the island. Other stories, equally nonsensical, are told of them, such as might be expected from people in this half-informed condition. But the old king"s word was sufficient for his subjects, and this a.s.surance was quite enough to satisfy the harmless, inoffensive creatures, that he was their legitimate king. Although Anna Bon is a healthy island in comparison with any other in the Gulf of Guinea; it is too far removed from the coast to be of use in putting down the slave trade, unless it were made a rendezvous for half a dozen steam vessels, which would do more than any other cla.s.s of vessels towards effecting this object.
Favourable as the situation of Clarence is for the purpose for which it is intended, it is much to be regretted that it is so unhealthy for Europeans. During the stay of the Landers on the island, four deaths occurred; these persons were the sail maker, one of the carpenters of the colony, a seaman of the Portia, a colonial schooner, and one of the crew of the Susan, an English brig that they found there, on their arrival. The Susan was in the Calebar, waiting for a cargo, when her crew were attacked with fever, which quickly carried off her captain, mates, and left only one person alive. The vessel thus reduced, was without her crew to bring her out of the river, much less to complete her cargo, and she might have remained there till the last had died, but for the watchful attention of Mr.
Becroft, who brought her to Clarence with a party of men, and after putting a new mast into her, and doing all in his power to set the vessel in order, supplied her with provisions and fresh people, and sent her to sea. The Landers were offered a pa.s.sage in her to England, but declined accepting it in consequence of the condition in which she had been. She was afterwards obliged to stop at Cape Coast, in consequence of the fever having broken out afresh on board of her.
The most melancholy account of the effects of the climate here, which came within the knowledge of the Landers, was in the family of Lieutenant Stockwell, the officer commanding the party of marines, whose name has been already mentioned. This gentleman had brought his wife and a large family with him from the island of Ascension, who were residing with his brother officer in a building called the Waterfall House, which had been erected by Captain Owen. Mr.
Stockwell successively lost five of his children, and five servants, the latter of whom successively died, as they came into his service.
His brother officer also died, making eleven in number, and Mr.
Stockwell and his wife narrowly escaped with their lives. The house was in consequence deserted by them, and since been occupied by the black people. The fever, which attacks Europeans at this island, is said to be similar to the yellow fever in the West Indies. The symptoms are the same, from the commencement to the end of the disease, and it is equally as summary in its effects. George"s Bay, is said to be far healthier than Clarence, and being on the western side of the island, receives the full benefit of the sea breeze, while at Clarence, the wind is later, and is interrupted by land to the westward of it. In addition to this, the sea breeze pa.s.ses over a long and disagreeable swamp in its progress to Clarence, which no doubt charges it with all kinds of noxious vapours. George"s Bay, besides having the benefit of a pure sea breeze, has a good deal of clear land about it, and equally as good a soil as Clarence.
It is more than probable, as the Landers had now ascertained, that a water communication may be carried on with so extensive a part of the interior of Africa, that a considerable trade will be opened with the country through which they had pa.s.sed. The natives only require to know what is wanted from them, and to be shown what they will have in return, and much produce that is now lost from neglect, will be turned to a considerable account. The countries situated on the banks of the Niger, will become frequented from all the adjacent parts, and this magnificent stream will a.s.sume an appearance, it has never yet displayed. The first effects of a trade being opened, will be to do away with the monopoly near the mouth of the river, which has. .h.i.therto been held by the chiefs of the lower countries. Steam boats will penetrate up the river even as far as Lever, at the time of year in which the Landers came down, and will defy the efforts of these monopolists to arrest their progress. The steam engine, the greatest invention of the human mind, will be a fit means of conveying civilization amongst the uninformed Africans, who, incapable of comprehending such a thing, will view its arrival amongst them with astonishment and terror, and will gradually learn to appreciate the benefits they will derive, and to hail its arrival with joy. In this case, Fernando Po will become of still greater consequence, and will no doubt be a depot of considerable importance.
It was, however, the opinion of Richard Lander, that much expense would be saved, and above all, many valuable lives, if it were possible to adopt George"s Bay, as the place for the princ.i.p.al establishment. Of the different parts of the coast, Accra is the most healthy, and were it nearer, Lander would recommend it for such a purpose, the soil being good and clear of underwood for many miles round. But the distance at which it lies from the mouth of the river is too great for such a purpose.
On the 23rd December, Mr. Becroft, the superintendent, invited Richard Lander to accompany him in the Portia, to the Calebar River, whither he was going to procure stock for the use of the colony. The place from which this is obtained, is called Ephraim Town, where it appears to be very plentiful. Being tired of Fernando Po, Lander accepted his invitation, in order to pa.s.s away the time that they would still have to wait before they could get away, notwithstanding all their anxiety to reach home with the news of their discovery.
John Lander, being very ill, was unable to accompany them. Richard, therefore, left him at Clarence, and embarked with Mr. Becroft in the evening. They departed from Clarence with a fine breeze, but found it necessary in going out, to be particularly careful of being drifted by the tide, either on Point William, or on the Adelaide islets at each extremity of the cove, as the tide always sets either towards the one or the other. In leaving the cove, it is best to keep, as near as possible, midway between the two extremes, and not to approach either the one or the other, nearer than can be possibly avoided. The currents in the Gulf of Guinea are stated to be very variable, although they are most generally from the westward, obeying the direction of the sea breeze. The harmattan generally produces a very strong westerly current in direct opposition to this, and the want of knowing it, has frequently proved fatal to vessels; the masters of which, imagining that they were under the influence of an easterly current, have been actually drifted many miles to the westward in the course of a single night, and have found themselves on sh.o.r.e the next morning; the violence of the current from the westward when the sea breezes are strong, is so great, that it is scarcely possible to believe, that a day or two of the harmattan would overcome it, but the effect of this is so powerful, that it is well known, to those, who have frequented the gulf, that the current produced by the harmattan, will even continue against the westerly winds, after they may have again set in. A remarkable instance is related of the velocity of the currents in the gulf, to the southward of Fernando Po. In the month of June, a vessel performed the pa.s.sage between Prince"s Island and St. Thomas in twenty hours, which generally occupies from eight to ten days. The distance is about ninety three miles, and the vessel must have averaged from four to six miles per hour. The harmattan is said not to extend to the southward of Fernando Po, but this has not yet been fully ascertained.
The pa.s.sage through the gulf from Fernando Po to Sierra Leone, is generally extremely long and tedious, owing to the prevalence of calms and the different currents. It is usually made either by running to the southward and getting into the southeast trade, or by keeping in sh.o.r.e, as far as Cape Palmas, so as to benefit by the landwinds. The former method is generally recommended by the merchantmen as being safer and quicker, for a vessel adopting the latter, is more under the dangerous influence of the currents, besides being obliged to keep close to the sh.o.r.e; it is also adopted by the merchantmen in their homeward voyage. Sometimes vessels by taking a mean between these two methods, get between two different winds, by which means they lose the benefit of both, and are delayed by calms and rains. This part, according to accurate information, is at the distance of sixty miles from the land, so that vessels should pa.s.s either far without or else within that distance on leaving Fernando Po.
In this part of the Gulf of Guinea, between Fernando Po and the Calebar River, the rainy season is stated to commence in the month of July, and to be at the worst in August and September, accompanied by tornadoes of the most terrific description. The rains continue during November, and cease in the month of December, but the coast is said to be seldom many days together without a tornado. During the other months of the year, dry, hot weather is experienced, excepting about May, when slight rains take place. These rains are looked upon as the winter of the natives, and are considered by them equally as cold in their effects, as our winters in England are by ourselves. They are equally alive to the change of the seasons as in northern countries, and prepare themselves against the cold weather during the rains, comparatively with as much care, as we do against our winter"s frost.
The chief peculiarity of this climate, which distinguishes it from all others within the tropics, consists in the furious storms of wind and rain, accompanied by the most terrific thunder and lightning it is possible to imagine. These storms are known by the name of tornadoes, and one would be almost inclined to think that the ancient"s belief of the torrid zone being of a fiery nature, and too hot for mankind to live in, originated in the exaggerated reports of them, which might have gradually found their way into the part of the world then known, and from which they were not very far distant. The Landers witnessed three of these tornadoes, but they were trifling in their effects, compared with those which take place in the rainy season. They are described as being most violent, but happily of short duration; nothing can withstand the fury of the wind while they last, but they give sufficient indications of their approach, to enable the experienced mariner, who is ever on the watch for the changes in the weather, to reduce his sail on the ship, and put her head in that position, in which she is best able to withstand its effects, by running before the wind. This awful period lasts generally about a quarter of an hour, when the wind subsides rather suddenly, while the rain falls incessantly; shortly afterwards, the wind shifts round by the south to its old quarter, the west, until another tornado comes to disturb it. There are several peculiarities attending the tornadoes, which are rather remarkable. It has been remarked by experienced navigators, that they are much influenced by the different phases of the moon, that they generally commence with the full or new moon, at which time they are the most violent, and that they even come on at the time that the moon sets. The influence of the moon on the weather In other countries is doubted, but this is an extraordinary fact, relating to the tornadoes, which has been proved by experience.
On Sat.u.r.day December 25th, after a pleasing pa.s.sage, Richard Lander, in company with Mr. Becroft, anch.o.r.ed off Ephraim Town, in the Calebar River. The distance from Fernando Po to the north of the Calebar River, is about sixty miles, and Ephraim Town is distant about fifty miles, on the eastern bank. On their way up the river, the attention of Richard Lander was attracted by something of a very extraordinary appearance, hanging over the water from the branch of a tree. His curiosity was excited by it, and he was at a loss to conjecture what it was. He did not remain long in suspense, for they soon pa.s.sed sufficiently near it to enable him to discover, that it was the body of one of the natives suspended by the middle, with the feet and hands just touching the water. So barbarous a sight quickly reminded him, that he was again amongst the poor deluded wretches on the coast, although he had not seen any thing so bad on his way down to the Brig Thomas, in the River Nun. The natives of this place are Pagans, in the most depraved condition, and know nothing of Mahommedanism, nor any other creed. They believe in a good spirit, who they imagine dwells in the water, and sacrifices of human beings, such as that which has just been mentioned, are frequently made to him, with the idea of gaining his favour and protection. The object selected for this purpose is generally some unfortunate old slave, who may be worn out and incapable of further service, or unfit for the market, and he is there left to suffer death, either from the effects of the sun, or from the fangs of some hungry alligator or shark, which may chance to find the body. The circ.u.mstance of the hands and feet being just allowed to be immersed in the water, is considered by these deluded people as necessary, and they are thereby rendered an easier prey.
It is usual with ships on their first arrival in the river, to be visited by Duke Ephraim, the chief of the town; a personage who is well known to the numerous Liverpool traders, that frequent the river. The reason of this visit is, that the duke may receive his present, which consists generally of cloth, muskets, rum, or any articles of that description, and he always goes on board in great state, in his canoe, for this purpose, previously to which, no one is allowed to leave the ship. This regulation, which is a method of securing the port dues, affects those only, who come to the river for the purpose of trade, and as the Portia was a government vessel, they were not included in the number of those, who had the port dues to pay. As soon as they had anch.o.r.ed, Richard Lander accompanied Mr.
Becroft on sh.o.r.e, and proceeded with him to the duke"s residence, for the purpose of paying their respects to him. A walk of about ten minutes brought them to his house, and they found him in the palaver square which belongs to it, busily engaged in writing, and surrounded by a great number of his princ.i.p.al people. It was something unusual to find a native chief thus employed, but the large dealings which Duke Ephraim appears to have with the Liverpool merchants, accounts in some measure for this accomplishment, and the smattering of English which he has obtained. His only pretensions to dress, consisted in a smart, gold laced hat, which he wore, and a handsome piece of silk tied round his loins. His chief officers, who were next to him, also wore gold laced hats, while those next in rank wore silver lace, and the lower cla.s.s contented themselves without either.
They arrived at council time, but Mr. Becroft being immediately recognized by the duke, he received them very cordially, and made them sit down. Duke Ephraim bears the character of being always very civil and attentive to the English, and of making himself very active in supplying their wants of live stock. He has formed a favourable opinion of them, from the fine things they bring him, but his discernment goes beyond these; for the circ.u.mstance of slave vessels having being captured and taken out of the river, by the boats of the English ships of war on the station, has impressed him with admiration of their boldness and courage, and given him a very exalted opinion of their power. Vessels of war formerly came up the river in search of slaves, and he has always received their commanders with much kindness, and a.s.sisted them all in his power; a trait in his character, which is rather extraordinary, when their object is considered, as he is the princ.i.p.al agent by whom supplies of slaves are furnished from the interior. None, however, are allowed to come up now, in consequence of the deaths that have occurred.
After a short time, they were desired to go up stairs into his best room, and they accordingly ascended about thirty or forty wooden steps, and entered a s.p.a.cious apartment, when the sight that presented itself was of the most extraordinary description. The room, which was about thirty feet in length, by about twenty in breadth, was literally crammed full of all kinds of European furniture, covered with cobwebs and dust about half an inch thick. Elegant tables and chairs, sofas of a magnificent description, splendid looking-gla.s.ses, and prints of the princ.i.p.al public characters of England, as well as views of sea and land engagements, set in handsome gilt frames, beautifully cut gla.s.s decanters, and gla.s.ses, gla.s.s chandeliers, and a number of other things, too numerous to mention, were all mixed together in the utmost confusion. A handsome organ attracted the notice of Lander, and a large, solid bra.s.s arm-chair, which from an inscription upon it, appeared to be the present of Sir John Tobin of Liverpool. The inscription, or rather raised characters upon it were, "Presented by Sir John Tobin of Liverpool, to his friend Duke Ephraim," and vain enough is the chief of his present. He exhibits this chair with the rest of his presents to the people, or any stranger who may happen to visit him, and allows them to feast their eyes, as he imagines, on the goodly sight, but such are his care and pride of them, that he will not allow them to be touched by any one, and his attendants are not permitted to approach them, even for the purpose of cleaning off the dust which has acc.u.mulated since their first arrival. The whole of this miscellaneous a.s.semblage of goods, are presents which have been made to the duke by merchants of Liverpool, as well as French, Spanish, and Portuguese traders, and are the acc.u.mulation of a considerable length of time.
Duke Town, or Ephraim Town, as it is known by both of these appellations, is situated on rather elevated ground, On the left or east bank of the river, and is of considerable size, extending princ.i.p.ally along it. From the appearance of it, it may be concluded that its inhabitants amount to at least six thousand people. The houses are generally built of clay, like those of the Eboe people.
The breadth of the river opposite to it, is not quite so wide as the Thames at Waterloo Bridge, and the opposite bank is not so high as that on which the town stands. The houses are built in an irregular manner, leaving very little room for the road between them, which at that time was exceedingly wet and dirty. The duke"s house is situate in the middle of the town, and like the rest is built of clay. It consists of several squares, round each of which is a verandah, similar to the houses in Yarriba. The centre square is occupied by the duke and his wives, the others being the abode of his servants and attendants, which altogether amount to a considerable number.
Immediately opposite to the first square, which forms the entrance to his residence, stands a small tree, profusely decorated with human skulls and bones. This tree is considered by the people as fetish or sacred, and is supposed to possess the virtue of preventing the evil spirit from entering the duke"s residence. Near the tree stands the house, which is inhabited by their priests, a cla.s.s of beings, certainly in the most savage condition of nature that it is possible to imagine. The fetish priests of Bra.s.s Town, chalked themselves from head to foot, besides dressing after a fashion of their own, but these fellows outdo them far, and make themselves the most hideous and disgusting objects possible.
Whether it may be with the idea of personifying the evil spirit of whom they are so afraid, Lander could not learn, but they go about the town with a human skull fastened over their face, so that they can see through the eye-holes; this is surmounted by a pair of bullock"s horns; their body is covered with net, made of stained gra.s.s, and to complete the whole, and give them an appearance as ridiculous behind as they are hideous before, a bullock"s tail protrudes through the dress, and hangs down to the ground, rendering them altogether the most uncouth looking beings imaginable. Sometimes a c.o.c.ked hat is subst.i.tuted for the horns, and the skull of a dog or monkey used, which renders their appearance, if possible, still more grotesque. Thus equipped, they are ready to perform the mysteries of their profession, which Lander had not sufficient opportunity to inquire into, but which are quite enough to enslave the minds of the people. They seem to believe in a good and evil spirit; that the good spirit dwells in the river, which accounts for their sacrifices being made on it, and that the evil spirit dwells in a tree, which being full of human skulls, keeps him away from them.
On the morning of the 26th, the duke"s princ.i.p.al man came on board the Portia to receive payment for some bullocks, which Mr. Becroft had purchased. There was something in his appearance which attracted the attention of Lander, and he fancied that he seemed to be much dirtier than any that had been seen on the preceding day. On a nearer inspection, his head, and the whole of his body were found to be covered with ashes, and a very dirty piece of sackcloth fastened round his loins; besides this he appeared to be suffering great distress of mind, and presented a most wretched and woeful appearance. Lander asked him the cause of his grief, and why he had covered himself with ashes in such a manner, when he gave the following relation of the cause of all his distress. It appeared that he had possessed six wives, one of whom was gifted with a larger share of personal charms than the rest, the consequence of which was, that she received more attention from him and was loved more than any of the others. This partiality naturally excited the jealousy of the other ladies, and mortified by his neglect of them, they were determined on revenge, and was resolved to get rid of their favoured rival by mixing poison with her food. They had just succeeded in effecting their purpose, which had caused the poor fellow much distress, and he had not recovered the effects of his loss on the morning on which he came onboard the Portia. His tale was simple and unvarnished, and while he was relating it to Lander, the tears were trickling down his face. Lander never before saw a black man feel so much for the loss of a wife as he did. This remarkable custom of mourning in sackcloth and ashes, appears to be peculiar to these people, and it was ascertained that they do not cease to cover their bodies with them as long as their sorrow lasts. They do the same on the death of a relation, and it is the only instance of the kind that Lander met with in the part of the country through which he had travelled.
Great uproar and confusion prevailed the whole of this day throughout the town occasioned by an adventure of the doctor with the duke"s most favourite wife, which is likely to end tragically to the parties concerned. This person, who is the doctor of the town, it appears was the bosom friend of the duke, in whom the latter had the greatest confidence, and allowed him to visit his wives _professionally_ as often as he thought proper. The gentleman"s visit had lately become so frequent as to excite suspicion and a look out was accordingly kept on all his movements. The poor doctor was soon caught in the snare; the motive of his visit was found to be of an illegal nature, and the enraged duke has ordered both to be bound hand and foot and thrown into the river on the following day.
Lander found seven French vessels lying in the river, one Spanish, and two English. One of the latter, named the Caledonia, a ship of five hundred tons burden, was the property of Sir John Tobin, of Liverpool, which, with the other, the brig Elizabeth were taking in a cargo of palm oil.
The river Calebar is very serpentine, and there is scarcely any other tree but the mangrove to be seen on its banks. The right bank is intersected by numerous creeks, well known to the natives, who frequent them in their canoes; they communicate with all the rivers that fall into the Gulf of Guinea, between this river and that on which Benin is situated. The natives go as far as Benin in their canoes, but there is no communication by water with the Camaroons river, which seems to be totally distinct from the Calebar. The canoes of the natives are the same sort as those of the Eboe people.
The river is full of crocodiles which are generally about twelve or fourteen feet long, and are very daring in their search of prey. A short time previous to their arrival two deaths had been occasioned by them. Sir John Tobin has a large store close to the river side, in which palm oil is kept for shipment on board the Liverpool vessels, and one evening an unfortunate native boy, tired with his day"s work, fell asleep on the sh.o.r.e. In the course of the night an alligator attacked him, and was awakened by finding himself in the jaws of the monster; his struggles and cries were all in vain; the powerful creature lacerated him in a dreadful manner, and tore off one of his legs, with which he retreated into the water, and the remains of the unfortunate boy were found the next morning shockingly disfigured and weltering in blood, the death of the other was occasioned by his losing an arm in a similar manner.
Provisions are generally dear at Duke Town. Bullocks fetch twenty dollars each, and those not of a very good quality. Goats and sheep are valued at three dollars, ducks at half a dollar each, and fowls at half a dollar a pair. Yams are cultivated by the natives very successfully, and are considered the best flavoured and finest of the country. There are no cleared portions of ground on the banks of the river, and their cultivation of the yam and other vegetables is at a distance in the woods.
Since Lander"s first return to Fernando Po from the Calebar river, he accompanied Mr. Becroft twice to Duke Town in the Portia. In this interval the Carnarvon, an English vessel had arrived with government stores from England for the establishment, and as she was going to Rio Janeiro for a cargo to take back, and there seemed to be no prospect at present of their getting away from Fernando Po by any other means, the Landers requested Mr. Becroft to conclude an agreement for their pa.s.sage to that place, from whence they hoped to be more successful in finding their way to England. About a week previously, the brig Thomas, in which they came from the river Nun, touched at the island on her way home from the Camaroons, her commander, Lake, supposing that they would take a pa.s.sage with him.
They had now been upon the island seven weeks, and they would have preferred staying seven more, rather than put themselves into his power again. They had experienced quite enough of his care and kindness, and therefore declined his offer of taking them. After waiting three days at the island, he sailed about six o"clock in the afternoon, and had not got more than a mile from the anchorage, when a large vessel with long, raking masts, suddenly appeared from behind a part of the island, and was seen in pursuit of him. They observed the vessel to fire several guns at him, which at length made him take in all sail and wait. No doubt was entertained that this vessel was a pirate, and their suspicions were confirmed the next day by seeing the two vessels lying becalmed close to each other. There were no signs of them on the following day, and they saw nothing more of the Thomas. Nor, indeed, was this vessel ever heard of again, in fact, the Landers considered it a most providential escape, that they did not take their pa.s.sage in her. No doubt rested on the minds of the people of the settlement that the stranger vessel was a pirate, and that when his people had murdered the crew of the Thomas, with their captain, or had compelled them to walk the plank, as they usually do, that they sunk her after taking everything out of her which they wanted. "Walking the plank," is literally walking into the sea. A plank is placed across the side of the ship, so that one end projects some distance over it while the other remains inside. The person condemned by these ruffians to this mode of death, which is generally chosen to avoid one of a more dreadful nature, is placed on the inner end of the plank, and compelled to walk along it till he reaches the outer end, which immediately yields to his weight, and he falls into the sea, never to rise again. To make shorter work of it, he is sometimes loaded with a large shot, which quickly carries him down.
These fellows have another method of disposing of any unfortunate vessel that may fall into their hands; after having got rid of the captain and crew as above, they fill her with slaves, and send her across the Atlantic, should the vessel be met with by any ship of war, she escapes examination, as her appearance when in the hands of her own commander was known, and therefore no suspicion is excited.
Everything being prepared for their departure they embarked on board the Carnarvon,--Garth, commander, for Rio Janeiro. The Landers speak in terms of high commendation of the conduct observed towards them, during their stay at Fernando, by Mr. Becroft, Mr. Crichton, and Mr.
Beatty. Everything was supplied them which the place could afford, and it was always a source of gratification to them to reflect on the time that they pa.s.sed in their society.
Having taken leave of their friends, they embarked and bade adieu to the island of Fernando Po. Mr. Stockwell, the officer of marines, accompanied them on board, having taken his pa.s.sage like themselves to return to England. Their crew consisted of seven European seamen, two free negroes and one Krooman, besides the commander of the vessel and two mates. So great, however, was the mortality amongst them, that before a week had elapsed, the two Landers with the three black men were all that were left to work the vessel, and one of them only knew how to steer. Richard Lander was obliged to take the helm until twelve at night, and every morning after four, having only a few minutes allowed him to take a hasty meal, and in addition to their troubles, the vessel was so completely over-run with rats, that it was quite impossible to stay below with any comfort, and as for sleeping there, it was wholly out of the question.
On the evening of the 14th March, the Krooman fell into the sea. This poor fellow, whose name was Yellow Will, called loudly to them for help, and although the vessel was not sailing at a great rate, he missed every thing that was thrown overboard to save him. To have altered the ship"s course would have endangered the masts and sails, and their small boat was so leaky that it would not swim. They had therefore no alternative, but were obliged to abandon him to his fate with the most painful feelings, and they heard his cries nearly an hour afterwards. [Footnote] There is nothing more distressing than an accident of this nature. To see an unfortunate man grasping in vain at any thing which is thrown to him, as the ship pa.s.ses by him, to see him struggling against his fate as he rises on the distant wave, which frequently conceals him from view, and to be unable to render him the least a.s.sistance, whilst his cries die away in the breeze, raise sensations which it is impossible to describe. This man in the condition in which they then were, particularly, was a great loss to them, and was the best amongst the black people.
[Footnote: We have given this as it is stated in Lander"s Narrative, but there is something highly improbable in the circ.u.mstance of the cries of a man, who could not swim, being heard for an hour after his immersion in the sea, and yet that during that time no effectual means could be devised for his deliverance.]
On the morning of the 15th, the weather was very hazy, which prevented them seeing the land, although they knew it to be at no great distance from them. They were becalmed during the whole of the day, but found by the decrease of the depth, that they were drifting close on towards the sh.o.r.e. At five in the afternoon, the ship was about a quarter of a mile from the land, discovered by three large hills of a sugar loaf appearance being close to them. Finding by pieces of cork and other things that they threw into the water, that they were drifting fast on the breakers, which they could distinctly hear, they made an attempt to get the long boat out to save themselves, as they expected the ship would be very soon wrecked, but they found that they could not muster sufficient strength to lift her over the side. At this critical moment, a breeze of wind from off the land saved them from destruction, and enabled them to get the vessel under command.