FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAN COLONY--EARLY AGENTS--MILLS, BURGESS,
BACON, AND OTHERS--U. S. SLOOP-OF-WAR “CYANE”--ARRIVAL AT THE
ISLAND OF SHERBORO--DISPOSAL OF RECAPTURED SLAVES BY THE U. S.
GOVERNMENT--FEVER--SLAVES CAPTURED--U. S. SCHOONER “SHARK”--SHERBORO
PARTIALLY ABANDONED--U. S. SCHOONER “ALLIGATOR”--SELECTION AND
SETTLEMENT OF CAPE MESURADO--CAPTAIN STOCKTON--DR. AYRES--KING
PETER--ARGUMENTS WITH THE NATIVES--CONFLICTS--DR. AYRES MADE
PRISONER--KING BOATSWAIN--COMPLETION OF THE PURCHASE.
In November, 1819, the Colonization Society appointed the Rev. Messrs.
Samuel J. Mills and Ebenezer Burgess as its agents; with directions to
proceed, by the way of England, to the west coast of Africa, for the
purpose of making inquiries and explorations as to a suitable location
for a settlement. They arrived in Sierra Leone in the month of March
following, and visited all the ports from thence to the island of
Sherboro.
At Sherboro, about sixty miles S.S.E. from Sierra Leone, the agents
found a small colony of colored people, settled by John Kizel, a South
Carolina slave, who had joined the English in the Revolutionary War,
and at its close was taken to Nova Scotia, from whence he sailed,
with a number of his countrymen, to the coast of Africa. Here he
became prosperous in trade, built a church, and was preaching to his
countrymen. By Kizel and his people the agents were kindly received.
He expressed the opinion, that the greater part of the people of color
in the United States would ultimately return to Africa. “Africa,” said
Kizel, “is the land of black men, and to Africa they must and will
come.”
After the agents had fulfilled their duties, they sailed for the United
States. Mr. Mills died on the passage. In a public discourse, by the
Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon, of New Haven, Mr. Mills is thus alluded to: “He
wandered on his errands of mercy from city to city; pleading now with
the patriot, for a country growing up to an immensity of power; and
now with the Christian, for a world lying in wickedness. He explored
in person the devastations of the West, and in person he stirred up to
enterprise and to effort the churches of the East. He lived for India
and Hawaii, and died in the service of Africa.” Mr. Burgess gave so
satisfactory a report of his mission, that the society was encouraged
to proceed in its enterprise.
The political friends of colonization, being desirous of affording aid
to the incipient efforts of the society, accomplished their object
through Wm. H. Crawford, one of the vice-presidents, who proposed to
the government, that recaptured slaves should be sent in charge of
an agent to the colonies in Africa. He called the attention of the
government to a number of slaves who had been received in the state of
Georgia, subsequently to the law of Congress, in 1807, prohibiting the
slave-trade. These slaves were to have been sold in payment of expenses
incurred in consequence of their seizure and detention by the state
authorities. The Colonization Society proposed to take them in charge,
and restore them to Africa, provided the government would furnish an
agent for the purpose.
Agreeably to the views of the Colonization Society, and to guard
against an occurrence of a character similar to that in Georgia,
Congress passed an act, on the 3d of March, 1819, by which the
President of the United States was authorized to restore to their
own country, any Africans captured from American or foreign vessels
attempting to introduce them into the United States in violation of
law; and to provide, by the establishment of a suitable agency on the
African coast, for their reception, subsistence and comfort, until
they could return to their relatives, or derive support from their own
exertions. Thus the government became indirectly connected with the
society.
It was determined to make the site of the government agency on the
coast of Africa, that of the colonial agency also; and to incorporate
into the settlement all the blacks delivered by our men-of-war to the
government agent, as soon as the requisite arrangements should be
completed.
The Rev. Samuel Bacon received the appointment of both government and
colonial agent, having associated with him John P. Bankson and Dr.
Samuel A. Crozer, the society’s agents; and with eighty emigrants,
sailed on the 6th of February, 1820, for the coast of Africa. The U.
S. sloop-of-war Cyane, also bound to the coast, under orders from the
government, accompanied the emigrant vessel, but parted company after
being a few days at sea. The vessels met at Sierra Leone, whence they
proceeded to the island of Sherboro.
The confidence of the new agents in Kizel was greatly impaired by
finding that he had given impressions of the place where he resided,
which were much too favorable. The fever made its appearance among
the people, who were loud in their complaints of every thing, and
their conduct was any thing but commendable. Many were detected in
petty thefts, falsehoods and mischiefs of a disgraceful nature. About
twenty or twenty-five of the emigrants died. The remainder survived
the acclimating fever, and in a few weeks regained their health. Mr.
Bacon himself fell a victim to it; but to the last his confidence in
the ultimate success of African colonization was unabated. He remarked
that he had seen ninety-five native Africans landed together in
America, who, the first year, were as sickly as these. And regarding
himself, he said: “I came here to die; and any thing better than death,
is better than I expected.” Lieutenant Townsend, one of the officers
of the Cyane, also died of the fever. After this disastrous attempt at
forming a settlement, Sherboro was partially abandoned, and several of
the emigrants were removed to Sierra Leone.
Had timid counsels prevailed, the cause of colonization would have been
no longer prosecuted. But the society determined to persevere, trusting
that experience and the choice of a more salubrious situation would
guard against a repetition of these disasters.
The U. S. sloops-of-war Cyane and John Adams in cruising off the
coast captured five slavers, which were sent to the United States for
adjudication.
In the year following Messrs. Winn and Bacon (brother of the deceased
agent) on the part of the government, and Messrs. Andrews and
Wiltberger by the society, were appointed agents, and proceeded to
Sierra Leone, with forty effective emigrants to recruit the party sent
out the preceding year. In a personal interview with Mr. Wiltberger,
and from some notes communicated by him, the author has derived much
interesting and reliable information relating to the colony during his
agency, extending to the purchase and settlement of Liberia.
The island of Sherboro was wholly abandoned, and the remaining
emigrants removed to Sierra Leone.
In 1822, Dr. Ayres was appointed colonial physician and agent, and
proceeded in the U. S. schooner Shark to Sierra Leone. Soon afterwards
the U. S. schooner Alligator arrived with orders from the government
to co-operate with the agents of the society at Sierra Leone. Captain
Stockton, her commander, with Dr. Ayres and seven of the emigrants,
proceeded on a cruise of exploration down the coast, and on the 12th of
December anchored off Cape Mesurado, in lat. 6° 19´ N., and long. 10°
48´ W.
“That is the spot we ought to have,” said Captain Stockton, pointing to
the high bluff of the cape; “that should be the site of our colony. No
finer spot on the coast.” “And we must have it,” added Dr. Ayres.
They landed without arms, to prove their peaceful intentions, and sent
an express to King Peter for negotiations. The natives collected in
large bodies, until the captain and agent were surrounded without the
means of defence, except a demijohn of whiskey and some tobacco, which
convinced the natives that no hostility was then intended.
King Peter at length appeared, and a long palaver took place, when the
agent informed him that their object was to purchase the cape and
islands at the mouth of the river. He strongly objected to parting with
the cape, saying, “If any white man settle there, King Peter would die,
and his woman cry a plenty.” The agents represented to him the great
advantages in trade, which the proposed settlement would afford to his
people. After receiving a vague promise from the king that he would let
them have the land, the palaver broke up.
On the 14th instant the palaver was renewed at the residence of the
king, whither, as a measure of the last resort, Captain Stockton and
the agent had determined to proceed. The first word the king said was,
“What you want that land for?” This was again explained to him. One of
the men present accused them of taking away the King of Bassa’s son
and killing him; another of being those who had quarrelled with the
Sherboro people. A mulatto fellow also presented himself to Captain
Stockton, and charged him with the capture of a slave-vessel in which
he had served as a seaman. The prospects now looked very gloomy, as
here were two men in the midst of a nation exasperated against them.
But by mixing a little flattery with threatening, Captain Stockton
regained his advantage in the discussion. He explained his connection
with the circumstances, and complained of their constant vacillation
of purpose in reference to the lands. The old king was at length
pacified, and promised to call some more kings, and have a meeting the
following day for the purpose of ceding the lands.
Several palavers of a more amicable nature were afterwards held, and
the kings at last consented to cede a tract of land, receiving as
a compensation goods to the value of about three hundred dollars.
The deed bears on it the marks for signatures of King Peter, King
George, King Zoda, King Long Peter, King Governor, King Jimmy, and the
signatures of Captain Robert F. Stockton and Eli Ayres, M. D.
The tract ceded included Cape Mesurado and the lands forming nearly a
peninsula between the Mesurado and Junk rivers--about thirty-six miles
along the sea-shore, with an average breadth of about two miles.
Captain Stockton then left the coast with the Alligator, placing
Lieutenant Hunter in command of a schooner, who, with Dr. Ayres and
the men, proceeded to Sierra Leone, and brought from thence all the
working men to Cape Mesurado. They disembarked on the smaller of the
two islands amidst the menaces of the natives.
It was ascertained on their arrival that King Peter had been denounced
by many of the kings for having sold the land to a people who would
interfere with the slave-trade, and were hostile to their old customs.
The king was threatened with the loss of his head; and it was decreed
that the new people should be expelled from the country. Dr. Ayres at
length succeeded in checking the opposition of the kings, and restored
apparent tranquillity.
The island on which the colonists first established themselves, was
named Perseverance. It was destitute of wood and water, affording no
shelter except the decayed thatch of a few small huts. Thus exposed in
an insalubrious situation, several of the people were attacked with
intermittent fever. By an arrangement with King George, who claimed
authority over a part of the northern district of the peninsula of
Mesurado, the colonists, on their recovery, were permitted to cross
the river, where they cleared the land, and erected a number of
comparatively comfortable buildings; when, in the temporary absence of
Dr. Ayres, a circumstance occurred which threatened the extinction of
the colony.
A small slaver, prize to an English cruiser, bound to Sierra Leone,
ran into the port for water. During the night she parted her
cable, and drifted on shore, near King George’s Town, not far from
Perseverance Island. Under a prescriptive right, when a vessel was
wrecked, the natives claimed her, and accordingly proceeded to take
possession. The English prize-officer resisted, and after one or two
shots the assailants hastily retreated. The officer learning that
another attack was meditated, sent to the colony for aid. One of the
colonists--temporarily in charge during the absence of the agents
to bring the women and children from Sierra Leone--regardless of the
admonition to avoid “entangling alliances,” and approving “the doctrine
of intervention,” promptly afforded assistance. The second attack was
made, but the colonists and prize-crew, with the help of one or two
rounds of grape and cannister from a brass field-piece on the island,
which was brought to bear on the assailants, soon scattered them, with
the loss of two killed and several wounded. On the following day, they
renewed their assualt with a greater force, and were again repulsed,
but an English sailor and one colonist were killed.
This interference on the part of the colonists, in behalf of the
slave-prize, greatly exasperated the natives; not merely from the loss
of their men and the vessel, but from the apprehension that their most
valued privileges were about being invaded; and especially that the
slave-trade, on which they depended for their gains and supplies, would
be destroyed. The natives, therefore, determined forthwith to extirpate
the colony while in its feeble and defenceless state.
In the mean time, Dr. Ayres, having returned, found the colonists
confined to the island; and as the stores had become nearly exhausted,
and the rainy season was about setting in--superadded to the vindictive
feelings of the natives towards the people--the agents proposed
to re-embark for Sierra Leone, and abandon the new settlement. Mr.
Wiltberger strenuously opposed the agents’ proposal, and, after
ascertaining that the colonists were disposed to remain at Mesurado,
Dr. Ayres cheerfully assented.
The kings then adopted the deceitful policy of pretending to be
conciliated, and inveigled Dr. Ayres into their power. He became their
prisoner, and in that condition appeared to consent to take back the
portion of goods which had been received towards the payment of the
land, but evaded their peremptory order for the immediate removal of
the people, by showing its impossibility, on account of the want of a
vessel for the purpose. They finally gave permission that they might
remain, until he should have made arrangements to leave the country.
In this dilemma, Bă Caiă, a friendly king, at the suggestion of Dr.
Ayres, appealed to King Boatswain,[3] whose power the maritime tribes
well understood, and with whom he was in alliance. King Boatswain
came down to the coast, and by a direct exertion of his authority,
convoked the hostile kings. He also sent for the agents and principal
settlers to appear before him, and explain the nature of their claims,
and present their grievances. The respective allegations of the parties
were heard. King Boatswain decided in favor of the colonists. He said
that the bargain had been fair on both sides, and that he saw no
grounds for rescinding the contract. Turning then to King Peter, he
laconically remarked: “Having sold your country, and accepted payment,
you must take the consequences.... Let the Americans have their lands
immediately. Whoever is not satisfied with my decision, let him tell me
so.” Then turning to the agents: “I promise you protection. If these
people give you further disturbance, send for me; and I swear, if they
oblige me to come again to quiet them, I will do it by taking their
heads from their shoulders, as I did old King George’s, on my last
visit to the coast to settle disputes.”
In this decision both parties acquiesced, whatever their opinion might
have been as to its equity. The settlers immediately resumed their
labors on the grounds near the Cape.
The Dey tribe (King Peter’s) saw that a dangerous enemy had been
introduced among them. King Peter, with whom we must have sympathy,
was impeached, and brought to trial on a charge of having betrayed the
interests of his people, and sold part of the country to strangers. The
accusation was proven; and, for a time, there was reason to believe
that he would be executed for treason.
Soon after King Boatswain had returned to his country, the colony
was again threatened. The agent called another council of kings;
and after some opposition to his claim for the disputed territory,
the whole assembly--amounting to seventeen kings, and thirty-four
half-kings--assented to the settlement; and on the 28th of April, 1822,
formal possession was taken of Cape Mesurado.
Dr. Ayres and Mr. Wiltberger now returned to the United States, the
former to urge the wants of the colony, and the latter from ill health.
Before they left, Elijah Johnson, of New York, one of the colonists,
who had on various occasions distinguished himself, was appointed to
superintend the colony during their absence.
[3] Boatswain was a native of Shebar. In his youth, he served in some
menial capacity on board of an English merchant vessel, where he
acquired the name which he still retains. His personal qualifications
were of the most commanding description. To a stature approaching seven
feet in height, perfectly erect, muscular and finely proportioned; a
countenance noble, intelligent and full of animation, he united great
comprehension and activity of mind; and, what was still more imposing,
a savage loftiness, and even grandeur of sentiment--forming altogether
an assemblage of qualities obviously disproportioned to the actual
sphere of his ambition. He was prodigal of every thing except the means
of increasing the terror of his name. “I give you a bullock,” said
he to an agent of the society, “not to be considered as Boatswain’s
present, but for your breakfast.” To his friend Bă Caiă, he once sent:
“King Boatswain is your friend; he therefore advises you to lose not a
moment in providing yourself plenty of powder and ball; or, in three
days (the least possible time to make the journey), let me see my
fugitive woman again.”