Our ship overhauled recently an American brig, with slave deck laid; but her papers were in order. The captain at first sent a lieutenant and men on board of her, and was going to send her to the United States as a prize, no doubt being entertained of the intention of running off a cargo; but upon reflection and advice, he abandoned the project. If she was not condemned at home, the owners would come upon the captain for all the damages, and his private funds would be taken to pay for it. The government does not assume the responsibility. If commanders do their duty, they must put their property out of their hands, and have nothing to lose. They can then take suspicious vessels and send them to the United States—but they may have judgments hanging over them all their lives. It is an undisputed fact, that the slave trade is carried on by American vessels mostly, and to the shame of our northern and New England states, whence come the constant cries against the South. A ship which I once made a passage in to Havre, has been fitted out as a whaler, with all the appliances, for the purpose, without doubt, as a decoy, and instead of catching the black whales, they intend to capture another kind of animal of the same color. Her papers are all in order. Captain Goudon, of the new war steamer Mohican, whom I visited on this station, boarded her. She is just out from the United States, and is in suspicious waters, where there are no whales. His excuse is, they wanted some fresh water. She can take a thousand negroes, and is here under the garb of a whaler; but no American officer dare take her without the negroes on board, unless he is made liable for personal damages. The whole thing is a farce. If our government was honest in the suppression of the slave trade, and would take the responsibility of loss in case of failure of confiscation, the trade would soon be lessened.
We have a squadron of four vessels now on the African coast, and three are off active duty. The flag ship is at Madeira, the Portsmouth has just started for that place, and I met the San Jacinto at Teneriffe, going to Cadiz for repairs.
We are expending large sums to keep up a squadron of eighty guns, according to the Ashburton Treaty, and are hunting up the game for the English to bag. They watch and wait, and have their spies; and when the vessels are filled they seize them. The captain, under threat of being handed over to an American man-of-war, and tried for piracy, makes a bargain for his life and the lives of his crew, probably saving some property, hauls down his flag and throws his papers overboard. The Englishman gets his bounty money, and turns over the negroes for colonists for seven years, which probably often means life.
The bay of Loando is deep and tolerably broad; the water close to town is shallow from the washing of the high clay banks, which extend along the coast, and form the upper town. This is the oldest settlement (Portuguese) along the coast, and I notice some old dates, of the year 1600. The slave trade built it up. The Brazil markets were supplied from here. Some fifty thousand were supplied annually. That has ceased, and the town and country become commercial. The soil in the interior is fertile, and produces excellent coffee, which rivals the Mocha in quality. There is a Governor-General, a custom-house, police and military force. The lower town is very sandy and hot. The negro population is large. Slavery continues, but will expire by limitation in ten years. Fever prevails to a considerable extent; the only safeguard is, to sleep on shipboard. No hotels or restaurants are to be found. The merchants who have vessels trading with the United States, Portugal, and other countries, have as large and comfortable houses as possible, and frequently invite friends to their table. The English have a consul and adjudicator for condemned vessels.
The American Consul is connected with a business firm in Salem, who have trading vessels and factories on the coast. At Quecimbo, a bartering point along shore, we found four factories, or bungalows, English, Dutch, and American. They are constructed of reed and palm, large, light, and airy, inclosing courts or yards by picket-worked fences, and there they are without protection from the natives, other than a few fire-arms. An important event occurred there a few days before our visit. A Congo prince, who had been educated in Portugal, wishing to make some reform in the negro administration of matters, was pursued, and took refuge in the English factory. He was demanded by the natives, who surrounded the establishment in thousands. Finding that the building would be sacrificed and given up to pillage, he gave himself up, and was killed within thirty feet, his body cut in pieces, and scattered about. We were surrounded by a group of these black, dirty, and naked subjects—two were called princes, but the only distinction was they wore a sort of cap, while others disdain every covering but the wool.
CLXIII.
On board Portuguese Steamer Estaphania, Province of Angola, April 24, 1860.
Being so far down on the south-west coast of Africa, my full intention had been to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, if by any possible conveyance I could get there; but it appears I have run out the end of the chain, and no opportunity offering, I must get back by the best possible means. This steamer is my only chance, direct to Portugal, and, if nothing presents itself, I must turn my face again towards Europe, with the prospect of a thirty-five days’ passage, touching along the African coast at Ambriz and the Island of San Tomé, and thence up to the Cape de Verdes.
The captain of the English gunboat Lynx, now bound to the island of Ascension, has kindly offered to take me, through the recommendation of the English consul, but the chance being less of getting away from there I declined.
This is the province where the African traveller, Livingstone, came out when he returned to England. The captain of the Lynx met him recently, on the east coast of Africa.