"On the 3rd of October," writes the undaunted Dr. M'William, "our
hopes of penetrating further into the interior received a finishing
blow. Our arduous, enterprising, and kind chief, who was complaining
yesterday, has now unmistakable symptoms of fever. Commander Bird
Allen lies in a very critical state, and upwards of 20 others of our
companions are completely prostrated; in short, of the whites at all
fit for duty there remain only one seaman, the serjeant, and one
private of marines; John Huxley, sick attendant; John Duncan,
master-at-arms; Mr. Willie, mate; Dr. Stanger, and myself. Mr.
Willie, I fear, is not altogether well. How unfortunate is this! To
be arrested, as it were, at the very threshold of this fine country,
where the mountain ranges--tabular, rounded, and of all forms--seen
afar, rising majestically on the clear horizon, invite us with all
the interest and attraction that belong to unknown regions.
"Those only who were with Captain Trotter from first to last in the
expedition, and had an opportunity of observing with what unceasing
zeal, what untiring energy, he devoted himself to its grand objects,
can form an idea of the painful sacrifice stern necessity compelled
him to make when he issued the order to turn the vessel's head
downwards, and relinquished designs which his benevolent mind had so
long and so ardently cherished."
On the 5th communications were opened with the King of Buddah, to
interest him in stopping the slave-trade. On the 6th Mr. Willie was
too ill to take any charge on deck, so Dr. Stanger undertook to work
the engines, with some assistance from Mr. Brown, the only engineer
able to move; while Dr. M'William attended to the navigation of the
ship, in addition to his duties with the sick. Captain B. Allen and
Lieut. Stenhouse were both dangerously ill. Several times the vessel
touched the ground, but got off without injury. Our narrative is
melancholy, but it is instructive. It affords a fine example of the
undaunted and persevering spirit which animates the bosoms of both
officers and seamen in the navy.
On the 8th of October Dr. M'William writes, "Last night, about twelve
o'clock, while snatching a few minutes' sleep on one of the gun-room
lockers, I was awoke by a splash in the water, followed by a loud
scream. Hushing on deck, I found, to my horror, that Mr. Wilmett,
one of the sick officers, who had been delirious for some days, had
contrived, notwithstanding that he was watched by two black men, to
push back the slide of his cabin-window and to jump overboard. While
the boat was being lowered, William Guy, a Gambia man, and Tom
Osmond, a Kruman, leaped into the river and swam after him. Every
one who could manage to crawl was instantly on deck. It was
pitch-dark, and the cries of the poor fellow becoming more and more
feeble as he was being carried rapidly down the river by the force of
the current, broke dismally the dead silence of the night, and filled
us all with the most fearful anticipations as to his fate. No one
moved or spoke; the attention of everyone was kept painfully on the
rack as the hollow sound of the oars in the rullocks, gradually
becoming more distinct, denoted that the boat was returning. At
length, after being kept in a state of torturing anxiety for 20
minutes, we again began to breathe freely when she came alongside
with our shipmate, whom we had all but given up for lost. The
Africans, guided by Willmett's cries, had followed him close, but did
not come up with him until they were a mile below the ship. They
contrived to hold him on until the boat dropped down and picked them
up." We are glad to say, that the two brave Africans received the
diploma and honorary silver medallion from the Royal Humane Society
of London.
The following day another sufferer from fever, Mr. Lodge, the second
engineer, in a fit of delirium, unfortunately succeeded in evading
the observation of the sick attendants and the officers near him,
and, jumping overboard, was drowned. In this manner, day after day,
the numbers of the hapless crew continuing to thin, the vessel
descended the stream under the anxious guidance of the two medical
officers. On reaching the model-farm, all the Europeans were found
suffering from sickness on board the 'Amelia,' and even Mr. Carr was
ill on shore. Captain Trotter, therefore, took all the whites on
board the 'Albert,' leaving the 'Amelia' and the farm in charge of
some intelligent negroes. On sailed the death ship! How she was
found we shall have to recount.
We left the 'Wilberforce' on the 21st September, about to part
company from the 'Albert,' and to follow the plague-stricken 'Soudan'
down the river. Captain William Allen being very unwell, Lieut.
Strange took charge of the navigation of the 'Wilberforce,' which he
conducted with great skill, and the vessel rapidly descended the
river. Among other difficulties the Krumen had to contend with was,
obtaining wood sufficiently dry to burn in the stoves, and sometimes
it was so green that it would hardly get up the steam.
How different were the feelings of the crew on their return through
the narrow and winding reaches to those they experienced on their way
up. Then the elasticity of health and hope gave to the scenery a
colouring of exceeding loveliness. The very silence and solitude had
a soothing influence, which invited to meditation and pleasing
anticipations for the future. Now it was the stillness of death,
broken only by the strokes and echoes of the paddle-wheels, and the
melancholy song of the leadsmen, which seemed the knell and dirge of
their dying comrades. The palm-trees, before so graceful in their
drooping leaves, were now gigantic hearse-like plumes.
At length, on the 25th, they anchored just inside Cape Nun, where
they might enjoy the advantage of the sea-breeze; but on the
following day, Sunday, poor Mr. Cyrus Wakeham breathed his last, and
of the whole ship's company fourteen only were able to attend divine
service, performed in the captain's cabin.
On the 30th, on their way to Fernando Po, Mr. Green, the second
master, and a stoker, were taken ill, and they had now only one
officer, Lieut. Strange, and one engineer, doing duty. The little
'Soudan' was there found in even a worse condition. It had been
Captain Trotter's desire, that as soon as she had landed the sick on
board, she should return to his assistance. On leaving the
confluence on the 19th September, she had on board sixteen cases of
fever from the 'Albert,' and six from the 'Wilberforce,' making with
her own crew on the lists upwards of forty cases. Lieut. Fishbourne
had charge of her, and Assistant-Surgeon Stirling was sent on board
to assist Mr. Thomson. At this time nearly all the white men, and
even some of the coloured West Indians, were laid down with fever,
leaving only Mr. Sidney and four men able to do duty. Of this number
fortunately two were stokers, and had some little knowledge of the
management of the engines. Every place on deck and below was crowded
with sick, either worn out and exhausted by the continuance of fever,
or in the more active and excited stages.
In the commander's cabin were two officers, Lieut. Ellis and Mr.
Marshall; in the gun-room, Lieut. Harston and Mr. Waters, clerk in
charge; forward were two engineers in their cabins, and Mr. Belam,
master, in the small midshipmen's berth; while the foremost
compartment and decks were hung over with the cots and hammocks of
the sufferers the latter under proper awnings, but so thickly stowed,
that when administering remedies and food, it was necessary to pass
or step from one over the other. On the 20th, the only remaining
executive officer, Mr. Sidney, a quarter-master, and a marine, were
added to the sick-list, so that all the duty of the ship fell on
Lieut. Fishbourne. On the 21st Mr. Marshall, the acting surgeon,
died, and Mr. Waters and Lewis Wolfe soon after followed him. Lieut.
Strange was now put in command of the 'Soudan,' with orders to get
her ready for sea as soon as possible, in order to proceed to the
assistance of Captain Trotter. Fortunately a small merchant steamer,
the 'Ethiope,' commanded by Mr. Beecroft, an old veteran of the
coast, came in, and was engaged to proceed in search of the 'Albert.'
On the 9th of October, the 'Wilberforce' put to sea, bound for
Ascension, more like a wreck than a ship-of-war, with her coals yet
not stowed away below. Her only officer was Commander W. Allen, and
an engineer lent from the 'Pluto,' assisted by one of the remaining
stokers, who was fortunately able to work the engine; and there were
only two seamen, and a very few marines or idlers, able to do duty.
The 'Pluto,' however, kept them company. Death had not yet deserted
them, and Serjeant Cuthberton, of the Marines, expired on the 12th.
At the island of Annobone they spent a week, and most of the crew
recovered sufficiently to do duty. Lieut. Fishbourne and Mr. Bowden
were now sent back in the 'Pluto' to rejoin the 'Albert,' as, should
they succeed in falling in with her, Captain Trotter would find their
services of use.
The 'Soudan' meantime, under command of Lieut. Strange, sailed on the
9th for the river Nun. Having but one person on board who understood
the engine--a stoker from the 'Pluto'--and his knowledge being
superficial, the machinery often came to a sudden stand-still, and
against a head-sea and wind the vessel made but slow progress.
On the 13th there was a long delay on account of some derangement of
the engine; however, after the loss of some hours, it was put in
order, and on the morning of the 16th the 'Soudan was just going over
the bar into the Nun, when the 'Ethiope' and 'Albert' were perceived
coming out. It was a lovely morning, and the scenery about the river
looked very beautiful, affording a sad contrast to the dingy and
deserted look of the 'Albert,'
Many were, of course, the painful surmises as to the fate of those on
board. On approaching, however, the melancholy truth was soon told.
The fever had been doing its direst work; several were dead, many
dying, and of all the officers, but two, Drs. M'William and Stanger,
were able to move about. The former presented himself, and waved his
hand; and one emaciated figure was seen to be raised up for a second.
This was Captain Trotter, who, in his anxiety to look at the 'Soudan'
again, had been lifted out of his cot. Little more than two months
had elapsed since the 'Albert' entered that river with an
enterprising crew, full of life and buoyant with bright hopes of
accomplishing the objects in which all had so ardently engaged, and
now, alas! how changed those brave and gallant spirits!--many in
their graves, others dying, and all suffering from disease! If any
of the few who afterwards called in question the enduring courage of
those employed in the expedition had been there, such a picture might
have repressed their unfeeling expressions.
Those two brave medical officers, Drs. M'William and Stanger, were
almost worn out when the 'Albert' was met with by Captain Beecroft,
to whose prompt and noble conduct their preservation was, under
Providence, owing. The 'Albert' reached Clarence Cove, Fernando Po,
in safety; but, alas! here several more of her officers died. The
first was Mr. Willie, mate. The fever had seized him when all the
other executive officers were sick; and feeling how much depended on
his exertions, he continued at his duty in spite of the remonstrances
of his medical friends, and it was only when strength and reason
forsook him that he yielded. On the 25th, to the deep regret of all,
died the brave and persevering Commander Bird Allen; and on the 28th
Lieut. David Hope Stenhouse breathed his last. Many other brave men
followed them to their graves.
Captain Trotter continued much debilitated, while anxiety for all the
past distressing events preyed on his mind. Yet he never lost sight
of those intrusted to his care: his own sufferings seemed to be
altogether forgotten in his anxiety for the welfare of the
expedition, and in the hope of yet being able to carry out the great
design of its originators. The medical officers, however, were of
opinion that on his return to England depended the preservation of
his life. Accordingly, on the 22nd he embarked in the 'Warree'
schooner, to the great regret of all he left behind.