Information having been received by Commander William Allen, now the
senior officer of the expedition, that Mr. Carr had been murdered by
the natives on ascending the river, and that the people at the
model-farm were in danger of an attack, he resolved to proceed at
once to the Nun.
Several officers on board the 'Wilberforce' volunteered to renew
their services up the river, and thus again to undergo all the
dangers they had lately escaped. Accordingly Lieut. Ellis was
appointed to command the 'Soudan,' and under him were Lieut. Webb,
Messrs. Sidney and Fairholme, mates, and J. B. H. Thomson, surgeon.
She had been left at Fernando Po, where, after much labour, she was
got ready for sea. Just, however, as the expedition was about to
sail, H.M. steamer 'Driver' arrived on her way to China; and though
she brought no despatches to guide Captain Allen, a newspaper she had
on board contained a speech of Lord Stanley's, in which he remarked
that it was not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to renew
the exploration of the river on account of the risk to the white men.
Captain Allen, therefore, determined to await instructions from
England before he commenced the ascent of the river. Meantime the
'Wilberforce' and 'Soudan' were employed in surveying the coast, in
visiting places for the purpose of inducing the chiefs to suppress
the slave-trade, in endeavouring to win their affections, and in
encouraging commerce. All Captain Allen's plans were formed, and his
officers and crews had resolved cheerfully to undergo the terrific
dangers they had before escaped in the execution of their duty, when,
on the 24th June, H.M. steamer 'Kite,' Lieut. Gooch, arrived with
despatches, stopping all further proceedings. Captain Allen was,
however, directed to send one of the steamers, with a black crew, and
only the number of white officers absolutely necessary to navigate
her, to bring away the people and property from the model-farm. For
this service the following officers at once bravely
volunteered:--Lieut. W. H. Webb; Mr. J. H. E. Webb, clerk, Mr.
Hensman, acting assistant-surgeon; Mr. J. Waddington. boatswain; Mr.
Henry Davey, carpenter; Messrs. W. Johnston, Cross, and H. Collins,
engineers. Mr. Webb selected 40 of the best Krumen to follow him,
and among them was Captain Allen's faithful Jack Smoke.
On Sunday, the 26th, the captain performed divine service for his
crew, and his officers dined with him afterwards; and on the 2nd
July, having embarked in the 'Kite,' he saw the 'Wilberforce' over
the bar, when she was lost to sight in a storm of rain. The
remaining officers and crews who had composed the expedition then
sailed in the 'Kite' for England.
Arrangements were made that a ship-of-war should be off the Nun, to
afford any assistance to the 'Wilberforce' which she might require.
The difficulties of the navigation were considerable, and as the
'Wilberforce' ascended the river she grounded several times, and was
not got off without much labour. The most serious accident happened
on the 12th of July, when she struck on a reef, which penetrated into
the boatswain's storeroom. It was found necessary to send for the
'Amelia,' which had been left at the model farm, that some of the
stores might be removed to her. After several days' labour, the
damage was repaired, and she proceeded towards the confluence.
Sickness, however, now began to show itself, Mr. Davey, carpenter,
and Mr. Johnstone, chief-engineer, were first attacked, and Mr.
Cameron, the second-engineer, was next taken ill, so that Mr.
Collins, at last, alone remained to work the engines.
On reaching the model-farm, Lieut. Webb found that about twenty acres
had been got into cultivation, and twelve mud huts and part of the
model-farm-house had been erected. The settlers had, however,
behaved far from well.
Mr. Hensman, acting assistant-surgeon, offered to remain six months
to govern the settlement; but, Lieut. Webb, feeling that little
permanent advantage would be derived from continuing the model-farm
for so short a time longer, resolved to remove the people and their
property, and to abandon it. This was accordingly done. On the way
down, an attempt was made by a black chief, King Obi, to entrap
Lieut. Webb, while visiting the shore. This was providentially
frustrated by his courage and presence of mind. Some blacks had come
on board, to lull suspicion, at the time, and these being captured,
from their confessions there remained little doubt that Mr. Carr had
been murdered on his way up, for the sake of the clothes and other
property he had with him. On the 17th May, the 'Wilberforce' happily
crossed the bar of the Nun, and proceeded to Fernando Po. All the
whites were suffering from fever, and two fell victims to it--Mr. J.
H. Webb, clerk in charge, a most enterprising young officer, and Mr.
Waddington, boatswain, a noble specimen of a British seaman--active,
daring, and good-natured. The 'Wilberforce,' in consequence of the
injuries she had received, proceeded at once to England, and arrived
at Plymouth, 17th November, 1842.
The conduct of Lieut. Webb, whose proceedings had been marked with so
much energy, courage, and zeal, was approved of both by the Admiralty
and the Foreign Office, and will probably not be overlooked in future
service.
Thus terminated an expedition, which, had not the most deadly of
climates opposed itself to it, must, from the determination and the
zeal of all concerned, have been fully successful.