1852.
On the 19th of June, 1852, while H.M. brigantine 'Dolphin,'
Lieut.-Commander Henry Temple, was lying in the river Congo, an
American brig, the 'Mary Adeline,' attempted the passage up the
river; but on reaching Sharks' Point, a position of great danger,
owing to the strong currents sweeping round it, she touched the
ground, and in a few minutes the stream and surf imbedded her fast
ashore. The danger of the brig was instantly observed by the
'Dolphin,' which at once made preparations for her assistance; but
while doing so, the master of the vessel in distress, seeing that he
and his crew could do nothing towards getting the vessel afloat, made
the distress-signal by hoisting the American ensign reversed. Within
half an hour of the disaster the brigantine's boats, with anchors,
hawsers, &c., were alongside the stranded brig; but the tide falling
at the time, rendered merely preparatory measures necessary for
heaving off the vessel next day. To the surprise of all, on the
following morning the river was crowded with canoes, from 10 to 40
natives in each, all armed, and at least two-thirds with muskets.
Their movements left no doubt as to their predatory and hostile
intentions. A boat's gun with ammunition was sent on board, and
fitted in the brig. The 'Dolphin,' as soon as circumstances could
permit, took up a position within gun-range for her protection. The
natives appeared determined not to lose their prey, and poured a fire
of musketry into the stranded vessel, and brought their
scaling-ladders in front, evidently determined on boarding. Under
these circumstances the 'Dolphin' opened a fire of shot and shell,
and in a little time cleared the beach of the assailants, whose
numbers must have exceeded 3,000. This being done, the next object
was to get the brig off, and every endeavour was made to do so. In
the evening H.M. steam-ship 'Firefly' arrived, and sent her boats to
assist. During the night the natives, who had merely retired to the
bush, again returned to the beach, and fired a few muskets on the
brig, but without injury. The next morning another movement took
place on the part of the enemy. They appeared to concentrate and
meditate a second boarding attack; but a shot from the 'Dolphin'
fortunately again dispersed them. The surf rolled in heavily during
the day, increasing considerably the difficulties and dangers of the
necessary operations; so much so, that the 'Dolphin's' cutter and
crew were capsized by the rollers, and one man seriously injured.
Finding it necessary completely to lighten the brig, the cargo was
transferred to the 'Dolphin,' and by great industry and exertion the
brigantine succeeded in heaving off the 'Mary Adeline' on the evening
of the 22nd.
ATTACK ON MEDINA, SIERRA LEONE RIVER, BY H.M.S.
'TEAZER,' LIEUT. RICH, AND 'LINNET'S' BOATS,
1853.
Medina, one of the largest and most regularly-built of the native
Mandingo towns, is situated at the mouth of the Sierra Leone river.
It stands on flat land, at an elevation of 150 or 200 feet from the
sea, and is surrounded by a strong mud wall and stockades, and
fortified by a battery of five small pieces of ordnance, placed in a
commanding position for defence. The town of Medina, and the country
for one mile inland, is within British jurisdiction, and the chief
had entered into a treaty for the protection of British interests,
and suppression of the slave-trade; but he is, nevertheless,
suspected of having connived at it; and on his refusal to deliver up
a British subject, who had been kidnapped and carried to his town, as
well as the perpetrator of the deed. Governor Kennedy made a
requisition on Commander Need to send the 'Teazer' either to bring
back the parties in question, or to destroy the town. The 'Teazer'
accordingly got up steam on the morning of the 11th March, 1853, and
proceeded to the Bulloni shore with the 'Linnet's' boats in tow; and
at 9 A.M. came to anchor one mile off the land. All the boats were
then manned, and, having effected a landing, the men were marched up
to the town, where Commander Need and Lieut. Rich were received by
Kelch Moodah and his headman, Sirreh Moodah. Commander Need then
explained the object of his visit, and desired to have a conference
with the chiefs. On this the tom-tom immediately beat for a war
palaver; and in less than 10 minutes numerous petty chiefs, with war
men, numbering about 500, all armed with spears, cutlasses, and
firelocks, and no lack of ammunition, flocked to their chiefs'
rendezvous. Having heard the governor's despatch, which Commander
Need read, they conferred together for some time; and having resolved
not to deliver up the captive and the accused, Commander Need retired
with his men to their boats, followed by the native warriors, who,
imagining that they had scared the white men, performed a war-dance
on the shore. In the course of half an hour a fire with shot and
shell was opened on the town from the 'Teazer,' supported by a
cross-fire from the gun-boats of the 'Linnet,' which was continued
for a quarter of an hour, when Captain Need again landed, and marched
up to the now-deserted town. The chief appeared after a little
delay, gave himself up to spare the town, and was brought off as a
hostage for the men demanded, who were given up in a day or two, the
chief having meanwhile been allowed to be at large, on giving his
word not to attempt to leave the colony. These measures were
necessary to impress on the chiefs the duty of adhering to the treaty
they had signed, as it appears that Kelch Moodah considered himself
too strong within his town to be made to feel the power of British
law.
CAPTURE OF SLAVERS IN THE RIO PONGOS, BY THE BOATS
OF H.M.S. 'LINNET,' COMMANDER H. NEED.
Information having been given to Commodore Seymour that two suspected
vessels in the river Pongos were being prepared for slaves, Commander
Need, of H.M.S. 'Linnet,' proceeded up the river on the 30th April,
1853, in her pinnace and two gigs to search for them; and on the
following morning learned from an English schooner that a large
Spanish schooner was lying in a small creek, about 5 miles up,
waiting for a cargo. They soon came in sight of her, with most of
her sails spread over her sides, and green bushes hanging around her
bows. The moment the crew perceived the boats they left the vessel
and got on shore. She proved to be the 'Bellona,' of Barcelona, a
fine brigantine, of about 350 tons. Having anchored her in a wide
part of the river, with the crew of one of the gigs in charge, the
pinnace and the other gig proceeded up the next creek, where a fine
schooner was soon discovered, without cargo or crew, but having her
beams laid, and the slave-deck piled up in her wings, ready for
laying when the slaves came on board.
DESTRUCTION OF BARRACOONS, BY COMMANDER J. STRANGE,
AFRICA,
1851.
The natives at the mouth of the Benin River have for some time past
borne a bad name. About the latter end of the year 1850 they were
guilty of several acts of piracy upon the long-boats of merchant
vessels entering the river for the purposes of trade. Early in 1851
Mr. Beecroft, the British Consul for the Bights of Benin and Biafra,
in consequence of the representations he had received from the agents
and masters of vessels trading to the Benin, visited the river in the
'Jackal,' a small man-of-war steamer commanded by Lieut. Norman B.
Bedingfield, with the intention of remonstrating with the chiefs, and
of settling the matter, if possible, by peaceable measures.
In order to put affairs on a permanently satisfactory footing, he
found it necessary to proceed to Warree, the seat of government,
about 100 miles up the river. On his return from thence, he learned
that during his absence the factory at the mouth of the river had
been attacked by the natives of Bonbee and Battary, and property to a
large amount plundered, the European residents having only escaped
with their lives by taking refuge on board a merchant schooner.
This audacity on the part of the natives, whom usually the mere
mention of a man-of-war was sufficient to overcome, determined the
consul to take stronger measures, and accordingly a schooner was
despatched to look for a man-of-war, with a letter addressed to her
commander, urging him to repair to the Benin as soon as possible for
the purpose of chastising the pirates.
On the 23rd March the 'Archer' anchored off the bar of the river, and
her commander, Captain Strange, having learned the particulars, left
two boats, a cutter and a whaleboat, with 20 men, to assist Lieut.
Bedingfield in the protection of the factory, while he proceeded in
search of his pinnace, which had been left watching Lagos during his
absence. On the 26th the 'Archer' again anchored off the bar, and
her remaining boats attempted to pass it, but finding the sea
breaking the whole way across, were compelled to return to their
ship. On the following day, however, they succeeded in joining the
'Jackal' off Factory Isle.
It was hoped that the increase of force would have a salutary effect
on the marauders, and that matters would be settled without having
recourse to hostilities; and in this hope Mr. Beecroft and Captain
Strange agreed that no offensive demonstration should take place that
afternoon.
The latter, however, with Lieut. Bedingfield, in their respective
gigs, proceeded to reconnoitre the mouth of the creek, where the town
of Bonbee was situated, and if possible, to find a passage deep
enough for the large boats to enter. On approaching the shore, a
number of men appeared armed with muskets, who after a preliminary
volley of abuse, opened a fire upon the two gigs. The distance was
too great for doing mischief, but the fire was returned while the
boats continued sounding, and succeeded in the object of finding a
channel.
This act of aggression on the part of the Bonbees now left no
alternative; but the tide was then falling, and any attack that
afternoon must have been indecisive, while it would probably have
been attended with much unnecessary bloodshed. The boats which had
come promptly up to the support of the two gigs, were therefore
ordered back to the 'Jackal,' and preparations were made for an
attack the following day.
The town was situated on a branch of the river running in a southerly
direction. Between the town and the river was a small creek running
parallel to the main stream, and divided from it by a narrow
peninsula of sand covered with brushwood about eight feet high, which
had the effect of masking the town and concealing any preparations
that might be making inside, while it afforded a most favourable
cover for musketry. The channel which had been sounded on the 27th,
approached the entrance of the branch above mentioned in a winding
direction, and compelled the boats to pass the peninsula in single
file, and so near as almost to touch it with their oars.
At 11 A.M. of the 28th, the 'Jackal' weighed from her anchorage off
Factory Isle, and took up a position abreast of the town, as near as
the shoals would admit of, in order to cover the boats with the fire
of her 18-pounder. The boats' crews took an early dinner, and at
noon (the tide being about quarter-flood), after an experimental shot
from the 'Jackal's' gun at long range, which was seen to throw up the
muddy water out of the creek, the force, consisting of eight boats,
viz., the pinnace, two cutters, and two whaleboats of the 'Archer,'
and the cutter, gig, and jolly-boat of the 'Jackal,' containing in
all 92 officers and men, including 14 Kroomen, started off on their
expedition.
On nearing the shore, the musketry with which the jungle was filled
opened upon the boats. Soon after the firing had begun, the pinnace
grounded several times, the tide having scarcely risen enough, and at
last it became necessary for the Kroomen to jump into the water to
shove her over the flats, the other boats closing round her to
protect them, during all which time a heavy fire was kept up on both
sides, but, as far as our people were concerned, a harmless one.
At length the intricacies of the channel being past, the boats made
for the entrance of the creek, the pinnace, under Lieut. Badge of the
'Archer' leading. The point of the peninsula above described, which
appeared from outside the most critical part, was passed without a
shot being fired, it having been well swept by the canister and
shrapnell shell from the pinnace's 12-pounder.
On rounding the point, five war-canoes, each holding about 40 men,
and armed with a swivel (about a 3-pounder) in the bow, were seen
drawn up across the creek. Three more small guns were planted in
front of the town; the whole in such a position as to rake the boats
as they entered. Their fire, however, as well as the musketry from
the town, although delivered at about 30 yards, did no damage.
A well-directed shot from the pinnace sent the canoes to the
right-about, and the town was taken possession of and burnt without
further opposition. In this affair the boats suffered no loss. That
of the pirates, at the lowest estimate, was about 40 killed. It is
impossible to say what number were engaged on their side, but 400
would not be over the mark.
The following morning the boats again proceeded into the creek, and
destroyed another town close to the one burnt on the 28th, but which,
from being concealed by the jungle, had escaped notice. The
resistance on that occasion was trifling, and no casualty occurred.
The effect of these operations upon the pirates and upon the natives
in general was very satisfactory. Several canoe-loads of stolen
property were returned immediately, and at a meeting of chiefs and
headmen of towns on board the 'Jackal,' the most powerful one was
unanimously elected chief of the Benin River, who was to be
responsible for the protection of trade in future.