A RENDEZVOUS OF CRUISERS
[Sidenote: 1838. Jan. 1.]
Latitude 4° north and longitude 4° east on the first Monday of the
month was the appointed rendezvous for nearly all the cruisers.
On our arrival, we found _Pelican_, _Scout_, and _Fair Rosamond_
already there. Our old fellow-cruiser _Columbine_, Commander Thomas
Henderson, joined the following morning.
[Sidenote: Jan. 3.]
_Saracen_ and _Bonetta_ arrived; they had parted company with _Dolphin_
the previous night.
[Sidenote: Jan. 5.]
_Forester_ arrived from England to relieve _Columbine_. Being to the
northward, we were the first to notice a strange sail. The senior
officer, Commander Popham, of the _Pelican_, mustered the crews and
inspected the vessels of all of us, which he did with the pomp and show
of an Admiral. He invited the Commanders to dinner, and did the whole
thing very well. _Pelican_ was in good discipline, beautifully clean
and neat about the rigging.
We had no manœuvring; this coast is not the station for it. The climate
is bad, and the cruisers seldom have all their men on board. None of
them had points in their sails below the second reef, and sky-sails
seemed the order of the day.
_Scout_ loomed large in the Mosquito Fleet; she was clean and very nice
inside.
_Columbine_ looked as she always did--beautiful. I think her by far the
most perfect of Symonds’ craft. No man understood better how to fit a
sail than Henderson.
_Saracen’s_ Commander, Hill, is an active fellow, but his vessel is a
brute, and nothing could make her sail or look decent.
Some changes took place in the distribution of the squadron. We took
_Columbine’s_ station, to windward of the Bight of Benin, and had the
mortification of seeing her depart for old England before us, although
a shorter time in commission.
_Forester_ lost six of her crew on her way down from Sierra Leone.
Of the prize crew sent up by _Fair Rosamond_ with her Scotch prize, all
had died except the officer.
Of two prize crews from _Bonetta_, only four men returned alive.
_Curlew_ lost three men of her crew: last year she had been nearly
unmanned from deaths.
The _Raven_ cutter, surveying, was lying at Accra, so disabled from
loss of men and officers as to be unable to go to sea.
Popham decided to go to them at once.
[Sidenote: Jan. 7.]
Having obtained provisions from _Bonetta_, and put letters for England
on board _Columbine_, we parted for our station--latitude 4° north to
the land and the meridian of Greenwich. The weather was thick and hazy;
a Hamattan had just commenced.
[Sidenote: Jan. 11.]
Not having been able to get a correct observation, we were steering for
the land with leads both going, when I discovered through the fog a
vessel at anchor. Boats were hoisted out, manned, armed, and away in
a few minutes--in fact they were alongside the vessel before she had
seen us. In hoisting my gig from off the booms, the foreyard tackle got
choked, but cleared with a jerk, pitched Lathom across the gunwale and
broke his arm. We were obliged to invalid him home. He was a steady,
good man, and a born artist. The vessel proved to be the _Camoëns_, a
lovely brig of 180 tons under Portuguese colours. She carried one long
gun, and was nearly ready for taking a cargo of slaves. She was painted
with a white ribbon--the first slaver we had seen so painted. Her
commander called himself Feliz Cosme Mendil.
On the same day, just as the men had dined, a sail ahead was
discovered. The wind was light, and the boats immediately sent away. On
closing with her, we found she had two large canoes (such as are used
for embarking slaves) towing astern. Observing the boats’ crews had got
on board, and appeared inclined to remain, we concluded that we had
at last caught a prize. We sent on board and examined her. The canoes
astern were for landing her cargo. Found five negroes on board and
seventeen more in the boats astern, and I believe, had we sent her to
Sierra Leone, she would have been condemned, as the negroes, although
not part of her cargo, were the property of a slave-dealer, who was on
board for the purpose of purchasing. But, taking into consideration
the dreadful mortality among the prize crews lately sent to Sierra
Leone, as well as the small value of a nearly empty vessel, we did not
detain her. The slave procurer was sent on board the _Childers_ to be
examined, when he was immediately recognised by some liberated African
boys who were on board as part complement from _Columbine_. These boys
had been kidnapped or bought--one was bought for a keg of rum--by
these brutes and sold to the captain of a slave-vessel, which vessel
had been captured by one of our cruisers. They spotted him, and would
have torn the shirt off his back had they not been prevented. One boy
stated that this fellow had stolen him and buried him in the sand on
the beach for a whole day with nothing out but his head, over which the
fiend placed a calabash, and threatened to kill the boy if he made a
noise.
The African children captured in the slave-vessels are sent to school
at Sierra Leone, and, when big enough, are put on board men-of-war on
the station, and placed under artificers to enable them to learn some
trade by which to maintain themselves. The boys turn out very well, but
little is ever made of the grown-up negroes.
The vessel was another beautiful brig called the _Amigos_, with raking
masts and a white ribbon, which appears to be the fashion on this part
of the coast. She was 150 tons, and had a crew of twenty-five men. The
master was a Portuguese named Don Ferando José Canieras, an obliging,
civil fellow. Most of the captains of these slavers are superior men;
some belong to good Spanish and Portuguese families; generally young. I
believe many of them take command of these vessels for the excitement
of the service. Canieras appeared a gentleman-like fellow: above having
any personal dislike to us from the unpleasant duty on which we were
employed. He invited me to dine with him, and offered his services in
boats, and many other ways.
One of the slavers on the coast is commanded by a man from Barcelona,
who had been on board _Childers_ at a dance and supper I gave three
years ago.
From the _Dos Amigos_ we ascertained we were off Cape St. Paul’s, the
Hamattan having changed the direction of the current, which we found
setting strong to the westward.
[Sidenote: Jan. 13.]
Having been on salt grub for more than a month, sent pinnace into
Quitta for bullocks and water, intending to return in a day or two.
Stood to the eastward.
[Sidenote: Jan. 14.]
At daylight found ourselves close off Little Popoe, in which lay
three suspicious-looking vessels. _El Liberal_, master Don Francisco
Gonzalo, was a fine brig of 160 tons, mounting two guns, with a crew of
twenty-six men. She was not quite ready for her slaves, having still
part of her trading cargo on board.
The _Dulcinea_, a small schooner of 81 tons, and crew of 18 men,
appeared to be perfectly ready for taking her slaves on board. She,
too, was a rakish American-built craft. Her Captain, Don Fernando
Penez, was on shore.
The third, the _Louisa_, was a pretty brigantine of 120 tons, carrying
a crew of 24 men, commanded by Don Juan Fanara Amez. She appeared
nearly ready for a start.
Having examined each vessel, we ran along the coast to Quitta and fresh
beef.
About twelve miles to the westward of Little Popoe, a large canoe came
off to offer the services of the owner, a Caboceer, an independent
chief. He sported over his house a large white flag with a Dutch head
to it.
The coxswain of the boat, who brought off his master’s gold stick
of office for a bottle of rum, informed us that the slave schooner
_Dulcinea_, at Popoe, would embark between 200 and 300 slaves, and that
she would get under way at 3 P.M., and was cruising about to see if the
coast was clear. At 6 o’clock she was to embark her slaves. I promised
the fellow, in case of capture, $20 for his information.
In the evening we boarded a Brazilian polacca brig belonging to the
same owners as one of the slave vessels we had already examined. But
though not fitted for slaves, she brought from Bahia that sort of cargo
generally used in the purchase of them.
[Sidenote: Jan. 16.]
On arriving off Quitta, we found the _Dos Amigos_, whose Captain had
been kind in lending his canoes to get off our fresh provisions, and
before our arrival accommodated the officers and stewards with beds.
The only return we could make for his courtesy would be to capture him
when he had embarked his slaves.
We found here a Portuguese who called himself “John Thomson,” speaking
English, ready to give any information respecting slave vessels. Having
given him full directions and a promise, hoisted boats in and stood out
to sea as if going off the coast, and then proceeded off Little Popoe
to watch the movements of the _Dulcinea_.
On the afternoon of the appointed day we were all anxiety. The weather
was hazy, but we kept well in the offing, and at 5 P.M. bore up for the
land.
Just at sunset observed through the haze a sail to leeward. We made
sail, and were closing with chase when dark claimed her.
She being in-shore, we steered such a course as, in our calculation,
must have cut her off, but we shortly discovered breakers on the beach,
and no sail. _El Liberal_ being the only vessel there, we stood out
to sea again in hopes of cutting _Dulcinea_ off to the south-east, as
after dark she must have bore up and run along the beach to leeward.
[Sidenote: Jan. 18.]
The following day, at noon, we gave it up, and made sail for Quitta,
to see what news my new acquaintance “Mr. Thomson” might have obtained.
[Sidenote: Jan. 19.]
Next day, at noon, when steering towards Quitta, the weather hazy, sail
was seen on the weather bow, and we went in chase. We soon discovered
her to be a man-of-war brigantine, and it was not, owing to the
haze, until after we had pitched a shot somewhere near her that she
discovered us, when we exchanged numbers with _Dolphin_; she is the
nicest-looking vessel we have seen, and appears in very good order.
She had been about eighteen months in commission, and had captured
16,000 slaves--nine different vessels. But all the officers, with the
exception of the clerk-in-charge, and most of the crew had fallen
victims to the climate. Every one of her prizes had been taken by
falling upon them accidentally.
It took us the remainder of the afternoon to supply _Dolphin_ with
provisions. Just as we had finished, a small schooner was running past,
and, although we had our heads in the direction to cut her off, she did
not seem inclined either to shorten sail or show colours.
I directed a shot to be fired across her bows, which happened to fall
within a few yards of her; down came her sails.
It was the Portuguese schooner, _San Igual_, 87 tons, mounting two long
nines, carrying 24 men. The master, José Ferreira, with the usual cargo
of cloth and tobacco; only thirty-three days from the Havana. She had
been boarded by the _Hyacinth_.
_Dolphin_ parted for Prince’s Island and we for Quitta, where we got
water, not particularly good.
[Sidenote: Jan. 20.]
In the evening observed the vessels at anchor in Whydah Roads. Whydah
was formerly famous for slaves, but owing to the great Fernandez not
being so active as he used to be, the slave captains prefer Lagos.
[Sidenote: Jan. 22.]
We found the _Espartante_, a fine Brazilian brig, 250 tons, a crew of
17, mounting two long 12-pounders, belonging to Bahia; the _Julia_, a
Portuguese brig, Don Antonio Lavandeira, 94 tons, fitted for the slave
trade; and the _Feliceades_, Don José Iguanoda Costa, a fine brig, 176
tons, carrying 18 men, with two 12-pounders. She was flying Portuguese
colours, and fitted for slaves.
Finding nothing on which I could lay hands, ran to the limits of my
station and commenced working to windward, to try our luck about forty
miles off-shore.
[Sidenote: Jan. 26.]
Having got as far as Cape St. Paul’s, went on to Accra, the only
civilised place. Sent the pinnace to reconnoitre, and the cutter to
Occo, another likely place.
[Sidenote: Jan. 29.]
Arrived off Accra. As it was thirteen miles to the westward of our
station, did not anchor. We found no less than eleven vessels at
anchor; among them the _Triumphant_, a French corvette, 900 tons,
mounting twenty-four long 32-pounders. She could not sail, and was
attended by a schooner, looking as nice as paint and putty could make
her.
_El Liberal_ brought the account of our having boarded her in Popoe
Roads, about two hours after the departure of the _Dulcinea_ with her
cargo of slaves.
[Sidenote: Jan. 30.]
The next morning we met the brig _Enterprise_, under Portuguese
colours, the largest slaver on the coast. De Souza, her master, is an
intelligent, well-educated young Spaniard, whose father is the owner of
half the slavers on the coast.
In the evening at Senegal found two vessels, the schooner _Josephine_
and _Diligente_ brig, at anchor off Occo, both ready for embarkation
of slaves. We remained invisibly near for two days.
The time allowed for the provisions in the boats having expired, and
the time of rendezvous at hand, we were obliged to give it up.
Found the _Diligente_, a fine brig of 174 tons, with her slave deck
partly laid, water completed. By way of deception the first two
breakers that came to hand (and which are generally tasted by the
boarding officer to ascertain if they are filled with fresh water, if
for ballast with salt) were found filled with salt, the remainder fresh.
The same attempt at deception was practised by the _Joseph_ schooner.
[Sidenote: Feb. 3.]
Fell in with the _Fortuna_; she was coming to an anchor in man-of-war
style off Owye, as we were standing in towards Quitta to pick up the
boats.
From the description I had received of the vessel, I knew her the
moment we saw her, and went on board to see her Captain, José
Antinio Barbozo, being the same man who commanded the large slaver
_Velo_ when she fought the _Primrose_ in 1820. He is a handsome,
intelligent-looking man, a Biscayan. He bore the marks of the action
about him, having but one arm.
The _Fortuna_ is also a very handsome brig, in beautiful order.
Barbozo informed us of the _Saracen’s_ having chased a schooner off
Whydah, full of slaves, which, however, got away. The _Fortuna_
observed the _Saracen_ before the slaver, and made a private signal,
which enabled her to escape.
Don José was civil. He pressed me to breakfast; offered cigars, etc.
[Sidenote: Feb. 6.]
This being the appointed day for our rendezvous, we had no time to
lose. We got there during the night, and at daylight exchanged numbers
with _Scout_ and _Saracen_.
[Sidenote: Feb. 7.]
The senior officer not coming in, we parted, but not until _Scout_ had
beaten us in a royal breeze on a bowline, she being the same vessel
that three years ago we beat in the Mediterranean.
Having more guns than we were likely to use, six of them were sent
below, where they were suspended by chains on the lower deck to the
midship stanchions, to accelerate speed.
[Sidenote: Feb. 11.]
2 P.M.--A sail reported on weather-bow; breeze light and variable.
It being a likely place, we immediately gave chase, and, by tacking
and manœuvring, at sunset we had gained considerably on a fore-and-aft
rigged schooner, evidently trying to escape us. We were, however,
gaining considerably, but night came on and hid him from our view.
At Quitta we fell in with the _Mansfield_, a Liverpool palm-oil ship.
Her master murdered two natives in the Old Calabar river a few months
back.
All the trade for palm-oil and ivory is carried on with the natives by
means of barter, one merchant supplying the natives with rum, clothes,
etc.; not being particular, the rum is frequently watered.
The natives soon detected this, and thought they had equal right to
water their oil (forgetting it is more easily discovered), and took
alongside the _Mansfield_ two small casks of oil mixed with water.
Of course, when this was discovered, the casks were returned to them
with the usual allowance of blows and abuse, which is on all occasions
liberally bestowed by skippers and mates on the unfortunate negroes.
Unluckily for the two with the watered oil, brave Captain Lillie came
off from the shore, and got on deck from the opposite side of the
vessel before the canoe was out of hail, and being indignant that the
blacks should have attempted to play off such a trick on him, hailed
the canoe to come alongside.
The natives, knowing what they might expect, gave way like devils for
the shore. The skipper then discharged a fowling-piece, which, being
loaded with small shot, had no effect; he then deliberately loaded a
musket, and with one shot killed both poor fellows!
In this part of the world murders are far too often committed with
impunity, and complaints are made by the merchants that men-of-war
afford trade no protection.
Of course the natives retaliate, and, what with sickness and accidents,
our merchant vessels generally lose two-thirds of their crews.
[Sidenote: Feb. 14.]
Arrived in West Bay. Completed water; sailed the following day to join
the senior officer off Lagos.
On arriving on the coast station, look-out men are stationed at each
masthead, one of the crew and the other a Krooman, with the reward of a
doubloon for the one who should first see a sail that proved a prize.
We showed no lights at night; a small hole in the binnacle was all that
was allowed the helmsman. We had one of the smartest signalmen I had
met, whom I supplied with a glass worthy of him.
A sail to the north being announced, the signalman went aloft and
reported a square-rigged vessel before the wind. On deck he expressed
his opinion that she was a man-of-war. We expected none from that
direction. He judged from the squareness of her yards, and soon
described her as an 18 gun sloop. He had counted the cloths in her
main topgallant sail; later, when he could see the foreyard above the
horizon, he pronounced her as from home. I thought this a rather strong
assertion, and inquired: “How the deuce he could tell?”
He drew my attention to three mid-ship cloths of the fore-topsail being
discoloured.
“What had that to do with it?”
He explained that the look-out men were young hands, and their stomachs
could not stand the difference of motion in a swell.
She proved to be the _Modeste_, 18, commanded by Harry Eyres, just from
home.
[Sidenote: Feb. 20.]
Arrived at Lagos, having had but one chase since leaving West Bay, and
she proved to be _Fair Rosamond_.
Fell in with senior officer, and from him learned our orders were to
return home. What is very provoking, they had been out some six months;
I had been promoted December 5, 1837. There was also a letter from the
Admiral, desiring me to proceed to Spithead in October of last year!
We found _Scout_, _Dolphin_, and _Pelican_, with whom we remained a day
or two, to enable them to write letters for England.
[Sidenote: Feb. 22.]
Parted company, with orders from Popham to join the Commander-in-Chief
at Ascension.
Arrived at Accra, and took in stock and other necessaries. We got
pretty well filled with parrots, monkeys, tiger-cats, crown birds (a
beautiful species of crested stork), and all sorts of curiosities, dead
and alive.
Our chief object in calling here was to take leave of our friend
Bannerman, whose kindness and attention to the service nothing could
exceed.
The Danish Governor, Lieutenant Murck, paid me a visit, and returned
our parting salute.
The time between quitting Accra and crossing the “Line” was the only
chance we had of picking up a prize. South of the equator, if we found
slavers, we were forbidden to capture them.
Although ordered home in October of last year, and now a captain, I had
nothing to show for it, and was sent by Commander Brunswick Popham to
join the Commander-in-Chief at Ascension, in case he might have letters
for England.
We had toiled much and caught nothing, and were approaching the
equator, on the south of which slavers were free. On going below, I
thought how nice it would be if we could finish our commission by the
capture of one.
I was awoke just before daylight by the officer of the watch announcing
something to leeward. Followed him on deck with my Dollond, and took up
a position on the forecastle.
There could be no mistake--the rake of her masts, the small peak to her
boom mainsail, the perfect set of her sails.
We had made all sail in chase, and were gaining on her. Ordered an
officer and prize crew to be ready. At eight bells we had risen the
foot of mainsail. She altered course, which was in our favour.
The wind fell. With fire-engine and fire-buckets passed up, wetted our
well-worn sails. She moved slowly, with occasional airs; so did we.
Night fell calm and dark. Ten o’clock, out boats, and sent them in
chase, with water and steering compasses.
At 11.10 moon rose, bringing a light breeze. Our brig, being light,
skimmed over the water, as did our chase. Having to hoist in boats,
although we kept in sight all the next day, we lost our chance.
[Sidenote: Mar. 12.]
Called at Prince’s Island, watered ship, and took leave of Madame
Ferraz.
[Sidenote: Mar. 29.]
Came to off Ascension. Found _Fair Rosamond_ and _Raven_.
[Sidenote: April 1.]
Arrived _Thalia_, with flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Patrick Campbell, who,
after receiving our Kroomen, ordered us home.
It appeared to me that while cruisers are not allowed by treaties
with Spain and Portugal to capture vessels fitted for the slave trade
without slaves on board, we did more harm than good. Along the coast
negroes are brought from the interior and confined in pens, and, when
closely watched by our cruisers, are frequently starved to death.
If a slaver is captured with slaves on board, the price rises on
the other side of the Atlantic, which is immediately followed by an
increase in the number of vessels that come out. Some of these vessels
are owned by the sons of wealthy Spaniards, who purchase American
clippers, easily fitted as slavers, who come to the coast of Africa as
much on pleasure as business.
The little Spanish I picked up at Barcelona enabled me to converse
freely with these agreeable young roués, who, if they did not carry
slaves, easily kept our cruisers employed by drawing their attention
from the coast to chase these yacht-like slavers. They found matches in
our fifteen cruisers.
[Sidenote: May 20.]
Arrived at Portsmouth.
[Sidenote: May 21.]
_Childers_ inspected by Captain Dundas of _Britannia_.
[Sidenote: May 26.]
Visited by Rear-Admiral Superintendent the Hon. Duncombe Bouverie. Ship
paid off.
On _Childers_ going into dock, it was discovered that seven feet of her
false keel was partly athwart ships, which accounts for the escape of
several loaded slavers. I _thought_ she sailed better on one tack than
on the other.