The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-11 00:00:00

THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

DISCOVERY OF DR. BAIKIE.—ANOTHER
DAHOMEY MASSACRE.
LIVERPOOL, Scruansv.
The Royal Mail steam ship Eth;ope, with the
above mails, arrived here this afternoon, after a
very rapid passage from the Weet Coast. She
brings 1,400 ounces gold dust, a full cargo of palm
oil, ivory, /cc., and 31 passengers. Her dates are
—Benin, Sept. 24 ; Fernando Po, Oct 4 ; Came-
roon'', 2 ; Old Calabar, Eef,ta.r7 ; Brass, Nun
River and Bonny, Oct. 7 ; 10 ; Avers, 12 ;
,
Cape Coast Castle, 14 ; Cape alma*, 17 ; Sierra
Leone, 21 ; Bathurst, 25 ; Tenerife, 30 ; and
Madeira, Nov. 1.
By this arrival we are placed in possession of
news of the long lost African explorer, Dr.
Baikie, regarding whose fate there has been so
much speculation. It will be remembered that Dr.
Baikie was attached for some time to the Niger
expedition, and the last heard from him—until the
present time—was upwards of two years ago. Since
than the fate of himself and his assistant was a
mystery, bat it was generally believed that he had
either perished from the sickness and fatigue incident
on his explorations, or that he had fallen a victim
to some of the savage tribes of the country. We
are, however, glad to say that the adventurous
explorer and his assistant have at last been dis-
covered alive and well, after a residence of two
years amongst the natives, during which
time they were without communication with
Europeans. During his two years' sojourn
among the natives the doctor enjoyed tolerable
good health, and had likewise made some interest-
ing researches in connexion with the exploration of
the Niger. The last advices left Dr. Baikie at the
confluence of the river. The exploring steamer
Sunbeam, and the other vessels engaged in the ex-
pedition, had returned to the mouth of the Niger,
after having been up to the confluence. Her Ma-
jesty's ship Espoir accompanied the vessels for
protection, after which she railed for the Island of
Ascension.

Another of those diabolical massacres which is a
stigma on civilisation was about to be carried into
effect at Dahomey. The Cannibal King was going
to have another • grand custom." This sacrifice
is to celebrate the new yam season, and the prepara-
tions were to have been of the most complete cha-
racter. All the principal natives and traders at
Lagos had received invitations to be present to
witness the ceremony of cutting off the heads of
about 2,000 human beings. From this it would
appear that the protest lately made against such
acts of barbarism by the British government,
through the late Mr. Consul Foote, has had no
effect on the King of Dahomey, and the general
opinion appears to be that until "Ilia Majesty" is
disposed of by summary or other means, this reign of
terror will not abate. The cultivation of the
country around Dahomey, down to the very sea-
board, was neglected, in consequence of the ob-
servance of the cruelties. Hunting parties had
been sent out, to capture from neighbouring tribes
the unhappy victims for the sacrifices.
From Lagos we learn that a report was very pre-
valent at that place, that the ex-King Dosomu had
mustered about 2,000 natives under arms, for the
purpose of taking the Acting Governor of Lagos,
Commander Bedingfeld, It.N., prisoner, and
maasacreing the merchants. The plot, however, had
exploded, and the ex-King was said to have
vanished.

The King (Pepple) of Bonny was still ou board his
vessel, the Boyish, in the Bonny river. His sub-
jects were equally divided, some ready to support
his being reinstated ; others, and powerful chiefs,
determined to oppose him. The following declara-
tion had been signed by those chiefs who offer their
aid i❑ again placing him on the throne :
We, the undersigned chiefs, sod the people of the Bonny
dominions, on behalf of ourselves, our heirs and successors,
and of any chief or chiefs hereafter to be appointed, do
hereby declare that we have no right, title, or claim to the
revenuer, sovereignty, or government, past, present, or
future of the said Bonny dominions, ■od do declare that
the King William Pepple alone, and no other petson or
persons whomsoever, is our rightful sovereign, and that we
do not nor will accept or recognise any other person than
the said King (and his rightful heirs after him) to be sove-
reign of the said Bonny dominions, and that the said
King has the mole and exclusive right, at all times and from
time to time, to receive all revenue, and to makeaod carry
into effect, such good sod useful laws and regulations for the

rule and management of the country, and to make treatise
with any foreign powers, as he niay deem expeclieut.
Loos at Bonny this 24th day of August, in the year of
our Lord 1861.

The following are the names of the regents and
powerful chiefs who have signed their "marks" to
the above document : Manilla Pepple, let regent ;
Ads Allison, regent ; Sungey Allison, °limey
Brown, Bonny Face Jack Wilson Pepple, Captain
Hart, Will Cox, King Holliday, Dublin Green,
Dick Fullifur, Fine Country, Oco Jumbo, William
Banago, Long John, Long Jack, Tom Quaw, Wash
Brown, Ossaya.
The people brought out by the King of Bonny
from England are tired and disgusted with the
expedition, and anxious to leave him. Many have
already dune so.