RETURN TO THE SOUTH COAST--COMPARATIVE COURSES AND LENGTH OF
PASSAGE--COUNTRY AT THE MOUTH OF THE CONGO--CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE
BRITISH COMMODORE--STATE OF THE SLAVE-TRADE--COMMUNICATION TO THE
HYDROGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT--ELEPHANT’S BAY--CREW ON SHORE--ZEBRAS.
On the 19th of February, the vessel having been reported ready for
sea, the commodore issued orders to proceed on a cruise south of the
equator, under former orders and instructions, stopping at Monrovia
and at the island of St. Helena; and returning to Porto Praya when
provisions should be exhausted.
The vessel sailed at daylight on the following morning, and after a
passage of eight days, during which she had a long chase after an
English brig, arrived at Monrovia. Five days were spent in wooding and
watering ship. On Sunday, a colored Rev. Dr. of Divinity in the Baptist
church, preached to a large congregation, giving his own rendering of
the text from the original Greek. The effort was perhaps unusually
elaborate, in consideration of several officers forming part of the
audience.
In running down the coast, a great number of canoes, filled with
natives--_sans culottes_ and _sans chemises_--pulled off to the vessel.
By one of these, a note addressed to the missionaries was sent into
Cape Palmas, expressing regret that orders to the south coast prevented
the vessel from touching either at the Cape or at the Gaboon River.
The former passage to the south coast had been made on the port tack,
by standing out into the southeast trades, and forty-one days had
expired on reaching Benguela. This passage was made on the starboard
tack, in-shore, and occupied but twenty-two days to Ambriz--a run of
four days from Benguela. The great advantages of the in-shore passage
will be made manifest in a letter hereafter to be referred to. Greater
alternations of weather, pleasant and squally, with now and then a
strong tornado, occur in-shore; but a good look-out will enable a
man-of-war to encounter all these with safety. Besides a number of
legal traders, on the passage down, several British cruisers were
boarded, who reported the slave-trade as being exceedingly dull.
Three days were spent in Loanda, and then cruising for the same length
of time, with the new commander of the British southern division, was
resumed off Ambriz. Thence the vessel proceeded down the coast towards
the Congo River, where the new commander of the steamer Fire-Fly
boarded the Perry, when at a distance of four miles from his own
vessel. Passed the Congo, after encountering a tornado.
This river is more than two leagues broad at its mouth. At the distance
of eight or ten miles seaward, in a northwesterly direction, the water
preserves its freshness; and at the distance of fifty and even sixty
miles, it has a black tinge. Here are often seen small islands floating
seaward, formed of fibrous roots, bamboo, rushes and long grass, and
covered with birds. The banks of the Congo are lined with low mangrove
bushes, with clumps of a taller species interspersed, growing to the
height of sixty and seventy feet. Palm-trees, and others of a smaller
growth, are seen with a rich and beautiful foliage. In going up the
river, the southern shore, where there is plenty of water close in
with the land, should be kept aboard. The current is so strong--often
running six miles an hour off Shark’s Point--that an exceedingly fresh
sea-breeze is necessary in order to stem the stream. The greatest
strength of this current, however, is superficial, not extending more
than six or eight feet in depth. The Congo, like all rivers in Africa,
except the Nile, is navigable but a short distance before reaching the
rapids. The great central regions being probably not less than three
thousand feet in altitude above the sea, these rapids are formed by a
sudden depression of the surface of the country towards the sea, or by
a bed of hard rocks stretching across the basin of the river.
The slave-trade has been extensively pursued in the Congo. A British
steam-cruiser, for many years, has been stationed off its mouth, making
many captures. Under American nationality, however, several vessels
have entered, taken in a cargo of slaves and escaped. The natives, near
the mouth of the river, have been rendered treacherous and cruel by the
slave-trade; but a short distance in the interior, they are represented
as being civil and inoffensive, disposed to trade in elephants’-teeth
and palm-oil.
After crossing the Congo, the Perry communicated with Kabenda, and the
day following anchored at Loango, in company with the British cruiser
stationed off that point. The British commodore arriving the next day,
a letter was addressed to him, dated April 4th, asking whether any
suspected vessels had been seen on the south coast, by the cruisers
under his command, since the capture of the Chatsworth, on the 11th of
September, 1850; also requesting that he would express his views of the
present state of the slave-trade on the southern coast of Africa.
In reply, the British commodore made the following communication:
“I beg to acquaint you that the only report I have received of a
suspected vessel, under American colors, having been seen on the
south coast since the date you have named, was from H. M. steam-sloop
Rattler, of a schooner showing American colors having approached the
coast near Old Benguela Head; which vessel, when Commander Cumming
landed subsequently, was reported to him, by the people on shore, to
have shipped slaves near that place.
“Your inquiry applies only to the south coast; but it will not
be irrelevant to the general subject and object for which we are
co-operating, if I add that the schooner Bridgeton, of Philadelphia,
under the American flag, was visited by Her Majesty’s steam-sloop
Prometheus, off Lagos, on the 22d of August, under circumstances
causing much suspicion, but with papers which did not warrant
her seizure by a British officer; and that I have since received
information from Her Britannic Majesty’s consul at Bahia, that the same
vessel landed three hundred slaves there in October.
“I also take this opportunity of bringing under your notice another
American vessel, which I observed at Sierra Leone under the American
flag; and which was reported to me, by the authorities there, as being
to all appearance a legal trader, with correct papers, but whose real
character and ultimate object I have since had much reason to doubt.
“I inclose a copy of the formal entry of this vessel, ‘The Jasper,’
at the port of Sierra Leone, from which you will observe that her
cargo was shipped at the Havana; and that in the manifest are shooks
and heads of water-casks, and that she had on board three passengers:
these passengers were _Spaniards_. The Jasper staid a short time at
Sierra Leone, disposed of some trifles of her cargo for cash, and left
for Monrovia. On proceeding a few days afterwards in the Centaur (the
flag-ship) to that place, I found that she had disposed of more of
her cargo there, also for cash, and was reported to have proceeded to
the leeward coast; and I learned from the best authority, that of the
passengers, one was recognized as being a Spanish slave-dealer who
had been expelled from Tradetown, in 1849, by President Roberts, and
that the others were a Spanish merchant, captain and supercargo; and
that the American captain had spoken of his position as being very
indefinite.
“On the second subject, my view of the present state of the slave-trade
on the south coast: It is formed on my own observations of the line of
coast from Cape St. Paul’s to this port, and from the reports which I
have received from the captains of the divisions, and the commanders
of the cruisers under my orders, as well as from other well-informed
persons on whom I can rely, that it has never been in a more depressed
state, a state almost amounting to suppression; and that this arises
from the active exertions of Her Majesty’s squadron on both sides of
the Atlantic, and the cordial co-operation which has been established
between the cruisers of Great Britain and the United States on this
coast, to carry out the intention of the Washington treaty; and
latterly from the new measures of the Brazilian government.
“Factories have been broken up at Lagos, in the Congo, and at Ambriz;
although of this I need hardly speak, because your own observation
during the past year must satisfy you of the present state of
depression there.
“The commencement of last year was marked by an unusual number of
captures by Her Majesty’s cruisers, both in the bights and on the south
coast, and also by those by the cruisers of the United States. This
year, the capture of only one vessel equipped in the bights, and one
with slaves (a transferred Sardinian), on the south coast, have been
reported to me--a striking proof of my view.
“The desperate measures also adopted by the slave-dealers in the last
few months to get rid of their slaves by the employment of small
vessels, formerly engaged in the legal and coasting trade, as marked by
the capture of several (named) slavers, prove the difficulty to which
they have been driven.
“The barracoons, however, along the whole line of coast, are still
reported to me to contain a great number of slaves, to ship whom, I
have little doubt further attempts will be made.
“Most satisfactory, on the whole, as this state of things may be
considered, still I hope it will not lead to any immediate relaxation
either of our efforts or of our co-operation; but that a vigilance will
be observed for a time sufficient to enable a legal trade to replace
the uprooted slave-traffic, and to disperse the machinery (I may say)
of the merchants connected with it, and prevent any resumption of it by
them.”
Leaving Loango with a fresh supply of monkeys and parrots, the Perry
retraced her course to the southward, and on reaching the Congo,
crossed that river in a few hours, close at its mouth, showing this
to be practicable, and altogether preferable to standing off to
the westward for that purpose. After crossing the river, the first
lieutenant, Mr. Porter, who had seen much service in other vessels
on the coast, was requested to draw up a letter addressed to the
commander, containing the following information, which, after having
been endorsed as fully according with experience and observation on
board the Perry, was forwarded to Lieutenant Maury, in charge of the
National Observatory, under the impression that it might be available
in the hydrographical department. It has since been published in
“Maury’s Sailing Directions.”
“In the season of February, March, April and May, there is no
difficulty in making the passage from Porto Praya to Ambriz in thirty
days, provided the run from Porto Praya takes not more than eight days.
“The direct route, and that which approaches the great circle, leads
along the coast, touching the outer soundings of St. Ann’s Shoals,
thence to half Cape Mount, to allow for a current when steering for
Monrovia. From there, follow the coast along with land and sea breezes,
assisted by the current, until you arrive at Cape Palmas. Keep on the
starboard tack, notwithstanding the wind may head you in-shore (the
land-breezes will carry you off), and as the wind permits, haul up for
2° west longitude. Cross the equator here if convenient, but I would
not go to the westward of it. You will encounter westerly currents from
thirty to fifty miles a day. In the vicinity of Prince’s Island, the
southwest wind is always strong. In the latitude of about 1° 30´ north
there is a current: should it not be practicable to weather the island
of St. Thomas, stand in, approach the coast, and you will meet with
north winds to carry you directly down the coast.
“Our vessels, after arriving at Cape Palmas, have generally gone upon
the port tack, because the wind carried them towards the coast or
Gulf of Guinea, and seemed to favor them for the port tack the most,
which, on the contrary, although slowly veering towards the southeast,
was hauling more ahead, and leading them off into a current, which,
under a heavy press of sail, it is impossible to work against. The
consequences were, that they had to go upon the starboard tack, and
retrace the ground gone over. On the starboard tack, as you proceed
easterly, the action of the wind is the reverse, and it allows you to
pursue the great circle course.
“It employed one man-of-war eighty odd days to Kabenda, a port
two hundred miles nearer than Ambriz, to which port (Ambriz) from
Monrovia, in this vessel (the Perry), we went in twenty-three days;
making thirty-one from Porto Praya. Another vessel was occupied ten
to Monrovia, and forty-six to Ambriz, by the way of Prince’s Island,
about ten of which was lost in working to the south of Cape Palmas. In
standing to the eastward, north of the equator, the current is with
you--south of the equator, it is adverse.
“The practice along the coast in this vessel (the Perry), was to keep
near enough to the land to have the advantage of a land and sea breeze,
and to drop a kedge whenever it fell calm, or we were unable to stem
the current. Upon this part of the coast, near the Congo, the lead-line
does not always show the direction of the current which affects the
vessel. On the bottom there is a current in an opposite direction from
that on the surface; therefore, before dropping the kedge, the better
way is to lower a boat and anchor her, which will show the drift of
the vessel. Between Ambriz and the Congo I have seen the under-current
so strong to the southeast as to carry a twenty-four pound lead off the
bottom, while the vessel was riding to a strong southwest current; but
the under-current is the stronger.
“In crossing the Congo, I would always suggest crossing close at its
mouth, night or day. Going north, with the wind W. N. W., steer N.
N. E. with a five or six knot breeze. When you strike soundings on
the other side, you will have made about a N. ½ E. course in the
distance of nine miles, by log from 11½ fathoms off Shark’s Point.
The current out of the river sets west about two knots the hour. With
the land-breeze it is equally convenient, and may be crossed in two
hours. In coming from the north, with Kabenda bearing N. E. in thirteen
fathoms, or from the latitude of 5° 48’, wind southwest, a S. S. E.
course will carry you over in four hours, outside of Point Padron; and
by keeping along shore the current will assist you in going to the
north. Vessels which cross to seaward, from latitude of 5° 45’ south,
and 9° west longitude, are generally six days or more to Ambriz: by the
former method it occupied us (the Perry) only two days.”
The vessel then proceeded to Loanda, and after remaining one day in
port, beat up the coast as far as Elephants’ Bay, in 13° 14’ south
latitude, communicated with four British cruisers, anchored _en route_
in Benguela, and there supplied a British cruiser with masts, plank
and oars, for repairing a bilged launch. During a walk on shore, a
Portuguese merchant was met, who spoke of the slave-trade being in a
languishing state. On calling at his house, a yard in the rear was
observed, capable of accommodating some three or four hundred slaves.
On entering Elephants’ Bay in a fresh breeze, the vessel was brought
down to her double-reefed topsails.
Elephants’ Bay may be termed the confines of the Great Southern Desert,
and the limit of the African fever. A very few wretched inhabitants,
subsisting by fishing, are found along the shores. None were seen
during the Perry’s visit. The soil is sandy and barren, and rains very
scanty, seldom occurring more than once or twice during the year. The
climate is exceedingly invigorating. The crew were permitted to haul
the seine, and take a run on shore. A brackish spring was found, and
around it were many tracks of wild animals. Several of the men, armed
with muskets, while strolling a few miles from the shore, started up
a drove of zebras, but were unsuccessful in their attempts to capture
even a single prize.
The day after arriving in this bay, while one watch of the men were
exercising the big guns at target-firing, and the other watch on shore
familiarizing themselves with the use of small-arms, a large barque
was discovered in the offing; and not conceiving any other object
than that of slaving to be the business of a vessel on that desert
coast, a signal-gun was fired, and the comet hoisted for “all hands”
to repair on board. The Perry was soon off under full sail in chase of
the stranger. As night closed in, and the sea-breeze became light, two
boats, in charge of the first and second lieutenants, were dispatched
in the chase; the vessel and boats occasionally throwing up a rocket
and burning a blue light to indicate their relative positions. The
strange vessel was at length brought to, and boarded. She proved to be
a Portuguese barque in search of ochil for dyeing purposes.