JOURNAL OF AN AFRICAN CRUISER.

TEM volume contains the revised journal of an American officer, who was employed in cruising on the Western coast of Africa, nominally to assist in stopping the slave-trade, but in reality to countenance the authorities at Liberia and sustain the interests of American commerce, by visiting the different trading stations and settlements. The time em- ployed in the cruise was nearly eighteen months—from June 1843 to Qctober 1844; and besides the outward voyage and passing notices of the Canaries, Cape de Vend, and Madeira islands, the cruising-ground extended from Sierra Leone to the isle of St. Thomas on the Equator; involving visits to British, Dutch, and Danish settlements, though the head-quarters appear to have been Monrovia, the capital of Liberia The subject has the advantage of novelty ; as, although an extensive commerce is carried on along the coast by British merchants, the captains they employ are not exactly of a literary turn ; neither do the officers of our Royal Navy appear anxious to give the public the result of their expeeience,—weighed down, perhaps, by the pestiferous climate and the arduous character of their labours ; whilst the dreaded pestilence effec- tually stops the tourist in search of the picturesque. To our recollection, the last dozen years have only produced three books touching upon Western Africa; that of Holman, the blind traveller, who called at Sierra Leone and Cape Coast Castle, but of course sato nothing ; Ranken's White Alan's Grave, which was confined to Sierra Leone, and which preferred the attractions of literary effect to solid accuracy; with Dr. Madden's semi-official reports, which were obnoxious to the same remark with a bias snperadded. Hence, the Journal of an African Cruiser is not only fresh in its subject but informing in its matter, especially in relation to the experiment of Liberia. It has the further advantage of giving us an American view of the slave-trade and the Negro character, without the prejudices of the Southern planter or the fanaticism of the Abolitionist.

Indeed, in that species of judgment which springs conjointly from man- ners and morals, the journal is rather a favourable specimen of American Character, and confirms the opinion of Maryatt and others in the supe- riority they assign to the professional men of the United States, especially the officers of the army and navy. The composition of the journal has snore simplicity than is often found in American productions ; and though passages may be picked out which smack of sentimentalism and fine writing, these are few in number, and more sober in taste than those of the writer's countrymen in general, or for that matter of Europeans. The experience of service in the Mediterranean and other places has given the cruiser a larger view of men and things than can be attained in a home society which is as yet of necessity provincial ; and what is more, lie has acquired sounder and more catholic ideas of morality. He does not determine everything by its American bearings. The presence of a sentinel squadron more than once turned the scale on what was perhaps the side of might ; and on these occasions he passes a fair enough opinion upon the matter. Owing to the murder of the captain and crew of an American vessel and the plunder of the cargo, one of those " wars which powerful civilization wages against the helpless savage was under- taken against a petty district ; and though our author assisted with unction at the burning of villages and so forth, he indulged in some com- punctious visitings when it was all over. He has also the moral courage to own a weakness that he might easily have concealed touching the sub- ject of caste and colour.

" When the White man sets his foot on the shore of Africa, he finds it necessary to throw off his former prejudices. For my own part, I have dined at the tables of many Coloured men in Liberia have entertained them on ship-board, worshiped with them at church, walked, rode, and associated with them, as equal with equal, if not as friend with friend. Were I to meet those men in my own town and among my own relatives, I would treat them kindly and hospitably, as they have treated me. My position would give me confidence to do so. But, in another city, where I might be known to few, should I follow the dictates of my head and heart, and there treat these Coloured men as brethren and equals, it would imply the exercise of greater moral courage than I have ever been conscious of possessing. This is sad; but it shows forcibly what the Coloured race have to struggle against in America."

The author's account of the present state of Liberia is favourable ; his hope of its success more sanguine than his facts seem to justify. There appears to be no export-trade of consequence ; from want of capital and managing skill, with the high rate of wages, the cultivation of such Tro- pical productions as sugar and coffee cannot be carried on to compete with American or West Indian produce. Even such skill and conduct as exist appear to be exotic ; acquired by the free Coloured man, or even the slave, in the United States, and thence transplanted to Liberia, where they have not stamina enough to successfully maintain themselves, and will be apt to dwindle in each generation, until they become extinct, un- less supplied from abroad. All history shows that the inferior race cannot civilize itself, but must be raised, if it be raised at all, by the presence and example of a superior people. We have not done much to elevate the native African, and what we have done has not been very judiciously attempted; but the following specimens at Dix Cove seem to us the most encouraging examples, because they have spontaneously originated in surrounding circumstances, and are more likely to grow and flourish than forced transplantations.

"The Native houses here are quite large; three or four being two stories high, with balconies, built of stone, in the Spanish style. They are furnished with sea', bedsteads, and pictures. One elderly Native received us in a calico surtout, and gave us ale. Another wore the native garb, with the long cloth folded around him and resting upon his shoulder, like a Roman toga. He offered champagne, Madeira, gin, brandy, ale, and cigars, and pressed us to partake, with a dignified and elegant hospitality. This was Mr. Brace. He had a clerk, (of Native blood, but dressed in cap, jacket, and pantaloons, in the English style,) who spoke good English, and was very gentlemanly. It is interesting to meet the Natives of Africa at so advanced a stage of refinement, yet retaining somewhat of their original habits and character, which is of course entirely -lost in the Liberian colonists.* From some remarks of our author it would appear that the American Abolitionists have been raising an outcry against the United States navy for not capturing slave-vessels: but this, he says, is not probable, or in- deed possible under existing circumstances. Denying the right of search, the American Government cannot claim it. Hence the slave-trade is not carried on under the American flag although American vessels have been sold for the purposes of this trade, and even sent to the African coast. They have, however, such regular papers that the vessel cannot be seized : when she has shipped her slave-cargo, she hoists Portuguese, Bra- zilian, or Spanish colours and is provided with their national papers. An- other reason which according to our author prevents the American flag from being Used to carry an actual slave-cargo, is the risk. If Americans were taken in the fact, they would certainly be tried as pirates, and most probably executed; whereas' whatever the law of Portugal, Spain, or Brazil may be, no one ever dreads being hanged under it. He also attributes the reports against the Americans to the jealousy of trade arising from competition and the questionable character of the English skippers employed on that riskful coast in a low kind of commerce. The masters, [the English traders,] so far as we have had opportunity to observe, have generally been hard-drinking, unscrupulous men. Few of them hesitate to avow their readiness to furnish slavers with goods, equally with any other purchasers, if they can make their profit and get their pay. There is great jealousy among the traders, and much underhand work to get the business from each other. They have native trade-men in their interest all along the coast, watching their rivals, and preparing to take any advantage that maToffer. Pro- found secrecy is observed as to their movements and intentions. The crews of some vessels are seldom allowed to visit the shore, lest they should give informa- tion about the affairs of the master.

"Not a few of the reports about American slavers spring from this jealousy of trade. The masters of English merchant-vessels, jealous of the Americans, and desirous to engross the trade to themselves, report them to the British cruisers as suspicious vessels. The cruiser, if he give too ready credence to the calumny, will probably overhaul the American, and perhaps break up his voyage; he being, nevertheless, as honest as any trader on the coast. But the ends of the English man are answered: he sells his cargo, and cares little about the diplomatic corre- spondence that may ensue, and the possible embroilment of the two nations."

All which may be true; but we must say that we find in the volume no thought given to the subject of slave-captures, no look-out or specu- lation upon the matter, such as takes place when men's minds are directed towards an object of interest but of uncertain attainment. It might also be added, that a country earnest in the subject could pass a law confiscating vessels obviously designed for the slave-trade ; though, from the difficulties involved in questions of intention, and the power it gives to zealous officers, perhaps more mischief is done than evil prevented by legislation that proposes to punish on conjecture. According to the experience of this voyage, the climate of the Western coast of Africa is not necessarily so deadly as is usually supposed, if strict precautions are adopted. The officers and crews of the American squadron, it seems, are never allowed to sleep on shore; and they run frequently to the Madeiras or Cape de Verd Islands for change of air. In the case of British cruisers, the former precaution is impossible ; their duty continually leading the officers and men into the rivers, where they are exposed to the malaria in open boats for several days ; and our

author thinks it a good enough plan, in the British service, to get sea- soned at once. This seasoning is necessary with Africans coming from the interior, and even in the case of animals. But the real deadliness of the night-air on shore may be inferred from two facts.

"A lieutenant, a surgeon, and six men belonging to our squadron were detained on shore at Cape Mount all night, after being capsized and wet. What were their i,recautions I am unable to say but all the officers and men were attacked by

ever, more or less severely, and in one instance fatally." • * •

"While revising these sheets for the press, the writer hears of an example which may show the necessity of the health-regulations imposed on the American squadron. The U. S. ship Prebla ascended the river Gambia to the English set- tlement of Bathurst, a distance of fifteen miles, to protect the European residents against an apprehended attack of the natives. Although the ship remained but one or two days, yet, in that brief space, about a hundred cases of fever occurred on board, proving fatal to the master, a midshipman, and seventeen of the crew."

We have hitherto confined our extracts to what may be considered the informing or business part of the Journal of an African Cruiser; but we will close with a few miscellaneous extracts. The following is one of the strongest instances of fine writing in the volume. The subject indeed admits of rhetoric ; but the writer overlooks the fact that L. E. L. was buried in the burial-ground, whose site was probably chosen to obvi- ate the effects of African animals or Tropical vegetation.

"The first thought that struck me was the inappropriateness of the spot for a grave, and especially for the grave of a woman-' and, most of all, a woman of poetic temperament. In the open area of the fort, at some distance from the castle-wall, the stone pavement had been removed in several spots, and replaced with plain tiles. Here lie buried some of the many British officers who have fallen victims to the deadly atmosphere of this region; and among them rests L. E. L. Her grave is distinguishable by the ten red tiles which cover it. Daily, the Tropic sunshine blazes down upon the spot. Daily, at the hour of parade, the peal of military music resounds above her head; and the garrison marches and countermarches through the area of the fortress, nor shuns to tread upon the ten red tiles, any more than upon the insensible stones of the pave- ment. It may be well for the fallen commander to be buried at his post, and sleep where the reveille and roll-call may be heard, and the tramp of his fellow-soldiers echo and reecho over him. All this is in unison with his profession; the drum and trumpet are his perpetual requiem; the soldier's honourable tread leaves no indignity upon the dead warrior's dust. But who has a right to trample on a woman's breast? And what had L. E. L. to do with warlike parade? And wherefore was she buried beneath this scorching pavement, and not in the retired shadow of a garden, where seldom any footstep would come stealing through the grass and pause before her tablet? There, her heart, while in one sense it decayed, would burst forth afresh from the sod in a profusion of spon- taneous flowers, such as her living fancy lavished throughout the world. But now, no verdure nor blossom will ever grow upon her grave."

It will be inferred from the strain of the following proposal, that the author has to some extent adopted the foreign idea of our objects in Emancipation, and the Missionary view of importing free labour to the West Indies.

"I am desirous to put the best construction possible on the conduct as well of nations as of individuals, and never to entertain that cold scepticism which ex- plains away all generosity and philanthropy on motives of selfish policy. But it is difficult to give unlimited faith to the ardent and disinterested desire professed by England to put a. period to the slave-trade. If sincere, why does she not, as she readily might, induce Spain, Portugal, and Brazil, to declare the traffic piratical? And again, why is not her own strength so directed as to give the trade a death-blow at once? There are but two places between Sierra Leone and Accra, a distance of one thousand miles, whence slaves are exported. One is „Gallinas; the other, New Seaters. The English keep a cruiser off each of these rivers. Slavers run in, take their cargoes of human flesh and blood, and push off. If the cruiser can capture the vessels, the captors receive 51, per head for the slaves on board, and the Government has more ' emigrants ' for its West India possessions. Now, were the cruisers to anchor at the mouths of these two rivers, the slavers would be prevented from putting to sea with their cargoes, and the trade at those places be inevitably stopped. But, in this case, where would be the head-money and the emigrants ?"

BLACK LOGIC.

The Natives are generally favourable to the slave-trade. It brings them many comforts and luxuries, which the legitimate trade does not supply. Their argument is, that "ifs man goes into the Bush and buys camwood, he must pay another to bring it to the beach; but if he buy a slave, this latter commodity will not only walk, but bring a load of camwcod on his back."

A TEMPERANCE TAVERN-KEEPER.

Three years ago, a tavern was kept here in Monrovia by a Mr. Cooper; whose handbill set forth, that "nothing was more repugnant to his feelings than to sell ardent spirits"; but added, "if gentlemen will have them, the following is the price." Of course, after such a salvo, Mr. Cooper pocketed the profits of his liquor-trade with a quiet conscience. He used to tell me that a little brandy was ;pod for the" suggestion": but I fear that he made in his own person too large a demand upon its suggestive properties; for his house is now untenanted and ruinous, and he himself has carried his tender conscience to another settlement.

AFRICAN CURRENCY.

I have procured some of the country money. It is more curious, than conve- nient. The "Meanly," worth a dollar and a half, would be a fearful currency to make large payments in, being composed of old brass-kettles melted up and cast in a sand-mould. The weight is from two to four pounds; so that the circulation of this country may be said to rest upon a pretty solid metallic basis. The "Buyapart " valued at twenty-five cents, is a piece of cloth four inches square, covered thickly over with the small shells called cowries, sewed on. The other currency consists principally in such goods as have an established value. Brass kettles, cotton handkerchiefs, tobacco, guns, and kegs of powder, are legal tender.

* • •

Coin is almost unknown in the traffic of the coast; and it is only those who have been at Sierra Leone or some of the colonial settlements who are aware of its value. One "cut money," or quarter of a dollar, is the smallest coin of which most of the Natives have any idea. This is invariably the price of a fowl, when money is offered; but a head of tobacco or a couple of fish-hooks would be pre- ferred. Empty bottles find a ready market. Yesterday, I "dashed" three or four great characters with a bottle each ; all choosing ale or porter bottles in pre- ference to an octagonal-sided one, used by "J. Wingrove and Co.," of London, in putting up their "Celebrated Raspberry Vinegar." The chiefs must have con- sulted about it afterwards; for this morrang no less than three kings and a go- vernor begged, as a great favour, that I would give them that particular bottle, and were sadly disappointed on learning that it had been paid away for a monkey- skin. No other bottle would console them.

CASTE DISTINCTIONS. Many of the Natives look with contempt on the [Liberian] colonists, and do not hesitate to tell them that they are merely liberated slaves. On the other hand, the colonists will never recognize the Natives otherwise than as Heathen. Amalgamation is scarcely more difficult between the White and Coloured races in America, than it is in Africa between the " Black-White " colonist and the un- adulterated Native.

NEGRO EXPRESSES.

20.—Anchored at Cape Palmas, The Natives here were alarmed at the return of the three ships; and many of them carried away their moveables into the woods. News of the destruction of the towns below had reached them several days since. They have a simple but very effective system of expresses. When in- formation of great interest is to be conveyed from tribe to tribe, one of their swiftest runners is despatched; who makes what speed he can, and when tired, intrusts his message to another. Thus it is speeded on, without a moment's delay. Should the runner encounter a river in his course, he shouts his news across; it is caught up on the other side, and immediately sent forward. In this manner, intelligence finds its way along the coast with marvellous celerity.