Africa and the American Flag

by Andrew H. Foote

PROHIBITION OF VISITS TO VESSELS AT LOANDA—CORRESPONDENCE—RESTRICTIONS REMOVED—ST. HELENA—APPEARANCE OF THE ISLAND—RECEPTION—CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CHIEF-JUSTICE—DEPARTURE.

Soon after arriving at Loanda, it was ascertained that the masters of merchant-traders were forbidden to visit one another on board their respective vessels, without express permission from the authorities. This regulation was even extended to men-of-war officers in their visit to merchant vessels of their own nation. An application was made to the authorities, remonstrating against this regulation being applied to the United States officers; and assurances were given which led to the conclusion that the regulation had been rescinded.

Soon afterwards a letter to the collector, dated the 17th of September, stated that the commander of the Perry, in company with the purser, had that evening pulled alongside of the Louisa Beaton, and much to his surprise, especially after the assurance of the collector that no objection would in future be raised against the United States naval officers visiting the merchant vessels of their own nation, the custom-house officers informed him that he could not be admitted on board: they went on board, however, but did not go below, not wishing to involve the vessel in difficulty.

The report of this circumstance was accompanied with the remark, that it was the first time that an objection had been raised to the commander’s visiting a merchant vessel belonging to his own nation in a foreign port; and this had been done after the assurance had been given, that in future no obstacles should be in the way of American officers visiting American ships in Loanda.

In reply to this letter, the collector stated that he had shown, on a former occasion, that his department could give no right to officers of men-of-war to visit merchant vessels of their own nation when in port, under the protection of the Portuguese flag and nation. But in view of the friendly relations existing between Portugal and the United States, and being impressed with the belief that these visits would be made in a social, friendly character, rather than with indifference and disrespect to the authorities of that province, he would forward, and virtually had forwarded already, the orders, that in all cases, when American men-of-war are at anchor, no obstacle should be thrown in the way of their officers boarding American vessels.

He further stated, that the objections of the guards to the commander boarding the Louisa Beaton, was the result of their ignorance of his orders, permitting visits from American vessels of war; but concluded that the opposition encountered could not have been great, as the commander himself had confessed that he had really boarded the said vessel.

On the 19th of September, the Perry sailed for the island of St. Helena. Soon after leaving port, a vessel was seen dead to windward, hull and courses down. After a somewhat exciting chase of forty-two hours, the stranger was overhauled, and proved to be a Portuguese regular trader between the Brazil and the African coast.

Several days before reaching St. Helena, the trades had so greatly freshened, together with thick, squally weather, that double-reefed topsails, with single-reefed courses, were all the sail the vessel could bear.

On the morning of the 11th of October, a glimpse of the island was caught for a few minutes. Two misty spires of rock seemed to rise up in the horizon—notched off from a ridge extended between them—the centre being Diana’s peak, twenty-seven hundred feet in height. The vessel was soon again enveloped in thick squalls of rain, but the bearings of the island had been secured, and a course made for the point to be doubled. After running the estimated distance to the land, the fog again lifted, presenting the formidable island of St. Helena close aboard, and in a moment all was obscured again. But the point had been doubled, and soon afterwards the Perry was anchored, unseeing and unseen.