Africa and the American Flag

by Andrew H. Foote

“The desperate measures also adopted by the slave-dealers in the last few months to get rid of their slaves by the employment of small vessels, formerly engaged in the legal and coasting trade, as marked by the capture of several (named) slavers, prove the difficulty to which they have been driven.

“The barracoons, however, along the whole line of coast, are still reported to me to contain a great number of slaves, to ship whom, I have little doubt further attempts will be made.

“Most satisfactory, on the whole, as this state of things may be considered, still I hope it will not lead to any immediate relaxation either of our efforts or of our co-operation; but that a vigilance will be observed for a time sufficient to enable a legal trade to replace the uprooted slave-traffic, and to disperse the machinery (I may say) of the merchants connected with it, and prevent any resumption of it by them.”

Leaving Loango with a fresh supply of monkeys and parrots, the Perry retraced her course to the southward, and on reaching the Congo, crossed that river in a few hours, close at its mouth, showing this to be practicable, and altogether preferable to standing off to the westward for that purpose. After crossing the river, the first lieutenant, Mr. Porter, who had seen much service in other vessels on the coast, was requested to draw up a letter addressed to the commander, containing the following information, which, after having been endorsed as fully according with experience and observation on board the Perry, was forwarded to Lieutenant Maury, in charge of the National Observatory, under the impression that it might be available in the hydrographical department. It has since been published in “Maury’s Sailing Directions.”

“In the season of February, March, April and May, there is no difficulty in making the passage from Porto Praya to Ambriz in thirty days, provided the run from Porto Praya takes not more than eight days.

“The direct route, and that which approaches the great circle, leads along the coast, touching the outer soundings of St. Ann’s Shoals, thence to half Cape Mount, to allow for a current when steering for Monrovia. From there, follow the coast along with land and sea breezes, assisted by the current, until you arrive at Cape Palmas. Keep on the starboard tack, notwithstanding the wind may head you in-shore (the land-breezes will carry you off), and as the wind permits, haul up for 2° west longitude. Cross the equator here if convenient, but I would not go to the westward of it. You will encounter westerly currents from thirty to fifty miles a day. In the vicinity of Prince’s Island, the southwest wind is always strong. In the latitude of about 1° 30´ north there is a current: should it not be practicable to weather the island of St. Thomas, stand in, approach the coast, and you will meet with north winds to carry you directly down the coast.

“Our vessels, after arriving at Cape Palmas, have generally gone upon the port tack, because the wind carried them towards the coast or Gulf of Guinea, and seemed to favor them for the port tack the most, which, on the contrary, although slowly veering towards the southeast, was hauling more ahead, and leading them off into a current, which, under a heavy press of sail, it is impossible to work against. The consequences were, that they had to go upon the starboard tack, and retrace the ground gone over. On the starboard tack, as you proceed easterly, the action of the wind is the reverse, and it allows you to pursue the great circle course.

“It employed one man-of-war eighty odd days to Kabenda, a port two hundred miles nearer than Ambriz, to which port (Ambriz) from Monrovia, in this vessel (the Perry), we went in twenty-three days; making thirty-one from Porto Praya. Another vessel was occupied ten to Monrovia, and forty-six to Ambriz, by the way of Prince’s Island, about ten of which was lost in working to the south of Cape Palmas. In standing to the eastward, north of the equator, the current is with you—south of the equator, it is adverse.

“The practice along the coast in this vessel (the Perry), was to keep near enough to the land to have the advantage of a land and sea breeze, and to drop a kedge whenever it fell calm, or we were unable to stem the current. Upon this part of the coast, near the Congo, the lead-line does not always show the direction of the current which affects the vessel. On the bottom there is a current in an opposite direction from that on the surface; therefore, before dropping the kedge, the better way is to lower a boat and anchor her, which will show the drift of the vessel. Between Ambriz and the Congo I have seen the under-current so strong to the southeast as to carry a twenty-four pound lead off the bottom, while the vessel was riding to a strong southwest current; but the under-current is the stronger.

“In crossing the Congo, I would always suggest crossing close at its mouth, night or day. Going north, with the wind W. N. W., steer N. N. E. with a five or six knot breeze. When you strike soundings on the other side, you will have made about a N. ½ E. course in the distance of nine miles, by log from 11½ fathoms off Shark’s Point. The current out of the river sets west about two knots the hour. With the land-breeze it is equally convenient, and may be crossed in two hours. In coming from the north, with Kabenda bearing N. E. in thirteen fathoms, or from the latitude of 5° 48’, wind southwest, a S. S. E. course will carry you over in four hours, outside of Point Padron; and by keeping along shore the current will assist you in going to the north. Vessels which cross to seaward, from latitude of 5° 45’ south, and 9° west longitude, are generally six days or more to Ambriz: by the former method it occupied us (the Perry) only two days.”