CLXI.
Mayumba, South Africa, April 3, 1860.
I abandoned the good staunch ship, which barely escaped leaving her wreck upon the bar. I there found a little steamer called the Rainbow, which formed a part of the Niger Expedition, but she was not in running order at present. I came down with the Retriever, a small steamer acting as tender for the old one I had left, and we proceeded to the island of Fernando Po, about forty miles from the main land, after getting out of the Gulf of Guinea. The island is fertile, with high mountainous country, and is very gratifying to the eye after the monotonous scenery already passed through. It is occupied by a different race of negroes from those of the African coast, called Boobies, and whose habits and manner are milder and more harmless. They daub their bodies, faces, and wool with red clay, and one of their belles squatted on the ground before a small mirror, adorning herself, her only garment being a strip of a handkerchief, would certainly be considered a droll sight in a civilized country. They differ from all the negro races of the African coast, whose reputation for chastity is not remarkable. The crime of adultery is punished there with the loss of the right arm, and in some cases is enforced.
Tornadoes are not infrequent in the Gulf of Guinea. We experienced one on our way down from Bonny. I was awakened past midnight by terrific peals of thunder and forked lightning, the howling of the winds, and the cry of officers upon deck. Looking out, I perceived amid the vivid flashes of lightning, the naked stalwart figures of the Kroomen, or African sailors. I could only compare the reality of what occurred with the faint efforts of some dark and wild demoniacal scene upon the stage. Our ship did her duty, and we came out safe.
On the African coast one sees many strange phenomena. One evening the whole sea seemed a sheet of phosphorescent brightness, lighting up the night, so that one could almost read. The crest of the waves was tinged with silvery light, and the vessel seemed ploughing through quicksilver. On another occasion, one hundred miles from land, the fine dust and reddish sand covered the deck, the wind bringing these particles from the parched and burning south.
The Spaniards are in possession of the island of Fernando Po, for the second time, having once abandoned it. They are now attempting the re-occupation of the country. The insidious fever is making sad work, and a large part of the colonists have already died. The Governor’s family is on board of a war vessel, and will go back to Spain. It is a singular fact that white females cannot live there. The only lady is the wife of the English Consul, who suffers much from ill health. Quinine is the most valuable article here as an antidote and cure for fever. One of our commanders paid ninety dollars for twenty-nine ounces. When I arrived at Fernando Po, I had reached the terminus of communication by English steamers, and unless I could fall in with some man-of-war, I must retrace my steps. I fortunately found the United States war steamer Mystic, Capt. Leroy, whose brother I had made voyages with in California and Oregon, and his first Lieutenant, Haxton, whom I had known intimately years since. When we met at the English Consul’s house, they expressed their great surprise at meeting one whom they had spoken of recently, in this barbarous part of the world. My desire being to continue down to St. Paul de Loando, and all along the cruising ground of the American squadron, Capt. Leroy kindly offered me the half of his cabin.
We proceeded to Princess Island, one of the group of several, including Fernando Po, which are of volcanic origin. There we made a connexion with the sloop-of-war Portsmouth, to put on board three officers recently from the United States by the war steamer Mohican.
We paid Capt. Calhoun and his ship and officers a visit. They are bound to Madeira, to communicate with the flag officer, Commodore Inman of the Constellation. A day spent in taking in wood and water, and getting supplies of chickens, oranges, limes, bananas, alligator pears, and other fruits, and looking at and admiring the freaks of nature in the formation of peaks, pyramids, domes, cones, and every conceivable feature in scenery, with the richest and most exuberant growth of tropical forests and fruits, we then left for this point, to meet the United States steamer Sumpter, and transfer the correspondence for the vessels on the station below. The discipline and order on board of the Mystic are of a high character, perfect unity and good feeling existing between officers and men, which is so desirable, especially on stations so much exposed and so remote. The Sabbath is strictly observed, with religious exercises. The health of those on board of the ship was remarkably good, which is much to say on this fiery coast, with upwards of one hundred and fifty men.
We have just spoken the British war vessel Archer. This is the fourth English ship cruising for slavers that we have met on the coast thus far. We expect soon to see the Sumpter, when I shall be transferred to her, to proceed down to the Congo River—a great point for the shipping of slaves, and from thence by a schooner to the Portuguese city of St. Paul de Loanda, in latitude eight deg. south. It is the most important settlement of the coast south of Sierra Leone.
We have now crossed the equator, and proceed south. You can imagine the heat, as this is the height of summer. Awnings, umbrellas, fruits, and refreshing drinks, would at times be abandoned willingly for a pound of ice. The African station is the hardest and most wearing upon the constitution of our naval officers. It is withering and weakening, and were it not that they are almost constantly on shipboard it would make sad work with them. Those of the men who are imprudent enough to sleep ashore and expose themselves, suffer the penalty of fever. The crew never have the privilege granted in these latitudes, but occasionally a sailor on shore duty gets astray, and has to suffer the consequences. During a two years’ cruise, if a vessel goes to Saint Helena or Madeira, then the captain avails himself of these healthy points to give his men, in rotation, such hours of liberty as may be deemed prudent.
The British steamer Pluto captured, not long since, the American bark Orion, with seven hundred and fifteen slaves on board, composed of men, women, and children; one hundred and fifty-two had died on the passage, as she started with eight hundred and seventy-one. She was taken to St. Helena, and condemned—the negroes apprenticed as usual. The officers having hauled down their colors and thrown their papers overboard, would have escaped, but this steamer went in pursuit and secured the officers, and sent them to the United States; whether they will be convicted or not, remains to be seen.