Journal of an African cruiser: comprising sketches of the Canaries, the Cape de Verds, Liberia, Madeira, Sierra Leone, and other places of interest on the west coast of Africa

Horatio Bridge, Nathaniel Hawthorne

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• África
• Bridge

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• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 6
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

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n* JOURNAL
AFRICAN CRUISER:
COMPRISING SKETCHES OF THE THE CAPE DECANARIES,
ANDSIERRAVERBS, LIBERIA, MADEIRA, LEONE,
PLACES OF INTEREST ON THEOTHER
WEST COAST OF AFRICA.
BY HOKATIO BKIDGE,
U. S. NAVY.
EDITEn BY
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
NEW YORK:
& PARK PLACE.GEORGE P. PUTNAM CO., 1^
185J^.
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to Act of Congress, in the laS,Entered, according year by
& do.O. P. PUTNAM
the District Court for the Southern District 'AIn the Clerk's Office of
New York.
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PREFACE
The have afforded forpages manyfollowing occupation
which else have been wasted in idle amuse-hours, might
or embittered still idler at thements, by regrets destiny
which carried the writer to a so little seductive asregion
and him there so He now offersAfrica, themkept long.
to the after some labor bestowed in correction andpublic,
but their that of aamendment, form,retaining original daily
which better suited his lack ofJournal, literary practice
and constructive and was in fitter withskill, thekeeping
humble of the than a onwork,pretensions re-arrangement
artistic At various of the narrative,principles. points
he has introduced observations orhowever, disquisitions
from two or three which hebooks,common-place kept
with the Journal and in a few in-; thus,simultaneously
remarks are inserted as been made instances, having early
the in were the ultimatecruise, while, reality, they perhaps
result of his reflection and the dis-judgment upon topics
cussed.
in of the the author tobook,If, any portion may hope
the attention of the it will be inengage public, probably
ofthose which treat of Liberia. The value his evi-pages
as the condition and of thattodence, prospects colony,
must not acuteness of observa-upon anydepend, singular
tion or of but his freedom fromreflection,depth upon par-
tizan and his to a certainbias, consequent ability perceive
of to Aand inclination ittruth,degree express frankly.
northern but with the slave institunotman, unacquaintedPREFACE.
—other countries neither an Aboli-tions of our own and
—without as withouttionist noi: a Colonizationist prejudice,
—he felt himself thus far to examinequalifiedprepossession
he in He en-the which beheldgreat enterprise progress.
the of asLiberia,moreover,joyed, advantage comparing
saw with a observation of its conditionhe now it, personal
and could therefore mark its onward orthree before,years
and the better what wasjudge perma-retreating footsteps,
or accidental. Withand whatnent, merely temporary
least to have sothese he atqualifications, may hope spoken
to neither the friends normuch of truth as entirely gratify
of thisenemies interesting colony.
The West Coast of Africa is a fresher field for the scrib-
Fewthan most other of the world.tourist, partsbling
and still fewer arevisit unless driven stern ;it, by necessity
the influence of thetodisposed struggle against enervating
and even so much of intellectualclimate, keep up activity
suflfice to fill a diurnal of Journal orCommon-as pagemay
Book. In his of the settlements of thedescriptionsplace
that and ofvarious nations of thecoast,Europe, along
their trade and intercourse withnative and thetribes,
the writer the idea that he add awhites, mayindulges
trifle to the information of the Hepublic. putsgeneral
forth his with no claims than as awork, however, higher
in which hecollection of felt himselfsketches,desultory
bound to tell all that it be desirable tonowise know,might
but to be accurate in what he does teil. On such
only
there is no interms, perhaps very reprehensible audacity
the of a and he smiles to find;undertaking history voyage
and with so little aso titlehimself, labor,simply acquiring
to be enrolled the authors of books !among
Apkix. 1645.5,CONTENTS
^PF Page.
CHAPTER I.
— — —Mother Chickens The Gulf Stream Pro-Departure Carey's Rapid
— — —The French Admiral's Cook Nautical Musicians The sickgress
— — — —Man The Burial at Sea Arrival at the Canaries CruzSanta
— —Love and Crime Island of Grand near LasCanary Troglodytes
Palmas. 1
CHAPTER n
— —Nelson's Defeat at Santa Cruz The Mantilla Arrival at Porto Grande
— —of the Inhabitants Exiles at the dePoverty Portuguese Cape— — —ofVerds Porto Author's Submersion Green Turtle 8City Praya
— —AnchorSeason at Mesurado. ....Rainy Cape
CHAPTER III.
— —Visit of Governor &c. Arrival at Palmas AmericanRoberts, Cape
— —of the Catholic MissionMissionaries Freeman,Prosperity King
— —and his Robe Customs of the Condition ofRoyal Kroo-People
Women 14Native
CHAPTER IV.
— — —to Monrovia Sail for Porto The Union Hotel Remi-Return Praya
—niscences of Famine at the de Verds Frolics of WhalemenCape
— ——^Visit to the Island of Antonio A Dance of the IslandFertility
— — ——A Yankee Clockmaker A Mountain Ride of PoversonCity
— —Point de Sol Kindness of theWomen The handsome Command-
ant—A Dinner 20Portuguese
CHAPTER V.
— —Return to the of Africaof theMacedonian CoastArrival Emigrants
— — —Tornadoes in Liberia Nature of its Gov-to Liberia Maryland
— — — —Perils of the Bar Mr. Russwurm The Grebo Tribeernment
of of their Dead. . . 33Manner .disposingvi CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
—Settlement of Sinoe—Account of a Murder the Natives Arrivalby
—of Townat Monrovia— the Law-SuitsAppearance Temperance—
and the St. Paul's River—Remarks onPleadings—Expedition up
of of thethe Cultivation Coffee-culture in Libe-Sugar—Prospects
— observations on 39ria . ...Desultory Agriculture.
CHAPTER VII.
Character of Governor Roberts— Slaver—High Suspected DinMj^n
Shore—Facts and Remarks relative to the Slave-Trade—^^WEh
— — —cost of a Slave Anchor at Sinoe Peculi-OriginalPhilanthropy
arities and distinctive Characteristics of the Fishmen and Bushmen
— —The of and the Na-King AppoUonia MoralityReligion among
— Women 49tives Influence of the
CHAPTER VIIL
—aPalaver at Sinoe— of Horde of Fishmen Palaver atEjectment
— — to the of Mission-Settra Kroo Mrs. Sawyer Objections Marriage
Arrival at Palmas—Rescue of thearies—A Centipede— Cape Sassy-
— between the Natives and Colonists.wood drinker Hostilities . jJH
CHAPTER IX.
with Freeman—Remarks on the Influence of Missiona-Palaver King
——ries Palaver at Rock-Boukir Narrative of Farwell'sCaptain
——murder Scene of Embarkation the Surf Sail for Littlethrough
Berebee . . 71
CHAPTER X.
—Berebee Death of the and BenPalaver at Little Interpreter King
—of the Town Battle with the andCracko and Natives,burning
— —of several Towns Buzzards Love-LetterA.Conflagration Turkey
—— —Moral Reflections of Grand Berebee Prince Jumbo andTreaty
——his Father Native of of the Natives. fSsystem Expresses Curiosity
XI.CHAPTER
*•— — —— V*of the Island Annual races Hail ColumbiaMadeira Aspect
— —and Peasants Dissertation Wines TheLadies, Cavaliers, upon
— — of Pine-Clerks of Funchal of the Wine-Trade CultivationDecay
— ——Trees A in the Streets Beautiful Church A Sunday-even-Night
— of Madeira. 8?Currencying Party
CHAPTER XII.
—back to Liberia—Coffee Plantations—Dinner on shore Char-Passage
acter of Colonel Hicks—Shells and Sentiment—Visit to the Coun-