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and yet effectually, from the hill country of the Pilgrims to the valley of the Mississippi.

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9. He wandered on his errands of benevolence from city to city, pleading now with the patriot for a country. growing up to an immensity of power, and now with the Christian for a world lying in wickedness. He explored in person the desolations of the West, and in person he stirred up to enterprise and to effort the churches of the East. He lived for India and Owhyhee [Hawaii], and died in the service of Africa."

10. Mr. Burgess gave so satisfactory a report of his mission, that the Society was encouraged to proceed in its enterprise. By an Act of Congress of the 3d of March, 1819, the President of the United States was authorized to restore to their own country any Africans captured from American or foreign vessels attempting to introduce them into the United States, in violation of law, and to provide by the establishment of a suitable agency on the African coast for their reception, subsistence, and comfort, until they could return to their relatives, or derive support from their own exertions. It was determined to make the station of the Government agency, on the coast of Africa, the site of the colonial settlement; and to incorporate in the settlement all the blacks delivered over by our ships of war to the American agent as soon as the requisite preparations should be completed for their accommodation.

CHAPTER XVIII.

EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA.-Continued.

1. In February, 1820, the Rev. Samuel Bacon went to Africa as principal agent of the United States.

He em

barked at New York in the ship Elizabeth, chartered by

Government, and was accompanied by John P. Bankson, assistant, Dr. Samuel A. Crozer, agent of the American Colonization Society, and eighty-eight emigrants, who, in consideration of their passage and other aid from Government, agreed to prepare suitable accommodations for the reception of the Africans who might be delivered over to the protection of the agent.

2. This expedition proceeded by way of Sierra Leone to the island of Sherbro; and the emigrants landed at Campelar, the place which had been chosen for the site of the proposed settlement, while the sloop of war Cyane, which sailed from New York in company with the Elizabeth, was ordered to cruise on the coast for the prevention of the slave trade.

3. Mr. Bacon, after encountering great fatigue and many vexatious delays in fruitless negotiations with the natives for the purchase of lands, found himself obliged to turn his whole attention to the care of the emigrants. Campelar proved to be very unhealthy, on account of the low marshy ground and bad water. These, with the total absence of accommodations, the want of proper regulations, and the continued fatigue and exposure incident to their situation, soon spread disease in a frightful form among the people. Almost the whole care of the sick, as well as of those in health, finally devolved on Mr. Bacon.

4. But, notwithstanding, he labored more, was more exposed to heat and wet, hunger and thirst, than any one, yet he continued in health until all the rest, except six or eight, had become sick. At length he was attacked by the fever, when there was no one to administer medicine or allay his sufferings by the kind and assiduous attentions which he had for weeks bestowed on others; and after an illness of about a fortnight he expired, a worthy martyr to the glorious cause of African regeneration.

5. A short time before his death he wrote in his journal, after describing his own labors and the sufferings of the people: "Is it asked, Do I yet say colonize Africa? I

reply, yes. He who has seen ninety naked Africans landed together in America, and remarked the effects of the change of climate through the first year, has seen them as sickly as these. Every sudden and unnatural transition produces illness. The surpassing fertility of the African soil, the mildness of the climate during a great part of the year, the numerous commercial advantages, the stores of fish and herds of animals to be found here, invite her scattered children home. As regards myself, I counted the cost of engaging in this service before I left America. I came to these shores to die, and anything better than death is better than I expect."

6. All the agents and more than twenty of the emigrants died; the remainder regained their health in a few weeks. Early in 1821 four new agents were sent out with supplies and a small number of emigrants. These, with the survivors of the Elizabeth, were established at Sierra Leone until a more eligible site than Sherbro could be selected. Messrs. Andrews and E. Bacon visited different points on the coast, but returned to Sierra Leone without having made permanent arrangements, where during the summer two of the new agents died, and one returned sick to the United States.

7. The total failure of their first effort to establish a colony in Africa, attended as it was with the sacrifice of so many valuable lives, and other discouraging circumstances, only tended to arouse the energies of the Society to more vigorous and determined action. In November another agent, Dr. Ayres, was instructed to visit Sierra Leone, and after ascertaining the condition of the surviving emigrants, to proceed down the coast in search of a suitable place for a settlement.

8. Captain Stockton, with the United States schooner Alligator, was also ordered to the coast of Africa, with instructions to assist Dr. Ayres in making proper arrangements for the emigrants. These gentlemen proceeded to Cape Montserado, about 250 miles from Sierra Leone, to

obtain, if possible, territory for the Colony. They urged negotiations for several days with the chiefs of the country, and by the address and firmness of Captain Stockton they finally succeeded in obtaining a valuable tract of land including Cape Montserado.

CHAPTER XIX.

EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA.-Continued.

1. AFTER the purchase of this territory was effected, Dr. Ayres employed two small schooners, belonging to the Colony, in removing the emigrants from Sierra Leone to their new settlement. In the mean time the Dey people, of whom the purchase had been made, began to show signs of hostility and of the insincerity of their engage

ments.

2. On the arrival of the first division of emigrants, consisting chiefly of single men, the natives forbade their landing. The smallest of the two islands at the mouth of the Montserado had been obtained by special purchase of John S. Mills, at that time the occupant and proprietor, on which the people and property were safely debarked, without any actual opposition.

3. Dr. Ayres attempted in vain to conciliate the natives (who seemed bent on expelling the colonists), and was so far deceived by their imposing offers of accommodation as to trust himself in their power, when they took him prisoner, and detained him several days for the purpose of compelling him to annul the bargain.

4. The island on which the people had landed was entirely destitute of fresh water and fire-wood, and afforded no shelter, except the decayed thatch of half a dozen diminutive huts; thus exposed in an insalubrious situation, sev

eral were again attacked by intermittent fever, from which they had but a few months before recovered at Sierra Leone.

5. Happily a secret ex parte arrangement was at this critical period settled with King George (who resided on the cape, and claimed a sort of jurisdiction over the northern district of the peninsula of Montserado), in virtue of which the settlers were permitted to pass across the river and commence the laborious task of clearing away the heavy forest which covered the site of their intended town. They pursued their labor with animated exertions, had made considerable progress in the erection of twenty-two buildings, when a circumstance occurred which obscured their brightening prospects and kindled around them the flame of war.

6. A small vessel, prize to an English cruiser, bound to Sierra Leone, with about thirty liberated Africans, put into the roads for a supply of water, and had the misfortune to part her cable and come ashore within a short distance of Perseverance Island. The natives pretend to a prescriptive right, which interest never fails to enforce in its utmost extent, to seize and appropriate the wrecks and cargoes of vessels stranded, under whatever circumstances, on their coast. The English schooner having drifted upon the mainland about one mile from the extremity of the cape, and a small distance below George's town, was immediately claimed as his property.

7. His people rushed to the beach with their arms to sustain this claim, and attempting to board the wreck, were fired upon by the prize master and compelled to desist. In the mean time the aid of the settlers was sent for, which, from an opinion of the extreme danger of their English visitants, they immediately afforded. A boat was manned and dispatched to their relief; and a brass fieldpiece, stationed on the island, discharged upon the assailants, when they hastily retired to their town, with the loss of two of their number killed and several disabled. The

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