Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-11-12


indurence ON board he vessel, and ell frightened
half to death, first By the prompt demonstrations
Of the officers Of the Washington. and neg.
x. prison sns to see them B.s they have been we'll
fed and treated with great Kindness, and have entire
ly recovered their animal spirits and are getting
sleek, fat, and sauey. Col Pendleton began the
work Of renovation by causing them TO be physcked
and scrubbed, and has perfected it by compelling
them to keep clean, and giving them wholesome food
and pure air.
When first saw them, they inspired feelings
Of disgust that it was impossible TO conceal or
control They seemed devoid OF all the essential
attributes Of humanity dirty, sullen stupid brutes,
insensible to Kindness and regardless Of every sur
rounding object But they have improved SO much
under the purifying process and healthful regimen
Of the prison, and the constant attentions OF the
pretty women, that 1t is impossible to look at them
without interest, and an anxious desire TO learn
something Of their personal history and the habits
and customs Of the country from whence they came.
have obtained some authentic information touch
ing the different districts of Africa where they
lived, and Of the modes in which the inhabitants
seized and sold into slavery. / find the blacks
uniformly cheerful generally patient in trying to
answer inquiries and OF them are really quite
docile. They all great beggars and have already
become adopts In the ar. OF coaxing money from the
visiters.
My investigations have necessarily proceeded
slowly, and have been surrounded with embarrass-
ing difficulties, but have obtained some valuable
facts, and i have no doubt, that the blacks Cd
vance in knowledge OF our language, they will
communicate intelligence respecting many Of the i'm
terror tribes Of Africa that has heretofore been in
accessible to civilized man.
With respect to the particular sections OF c0un-
try from whence the Africans came, il is extremely
difficult to ascertain the fact with absolute certainty
They are obviously Of at least, nine different tribes.
About twenty of them insist that they Mandings,
but several Of these speak different dialects, and
understand each other with difficulty, aud very i'm
perfectly. am induced to believe, therefore, that
Manding is generic term applied to large extent
of terri ory, embracing numerous tribes, many OF
them unlike each other in appearance and habits,
and speaking different languages This supposition
accounts for the inability Of the Mandingo interpre
cate with any Of the Africans. This interpreter is
a man Of integrity, and would not lend himself 10
the purposes Of the abolitionsts, and he of
was net available to them. The Buzzard negroes,
dingo language, much of any other, pretend that
they are not Mandings, and undertake to tell more
Of the blacks than they know Of themselves.
The original or native country Of the Msndngoes
lies between the Senegal and Gambia rivers, and ex.
tends farther eastward along the upper of the
Joliba This country stretches from the 18th to the
10th degree ef south latitude, and occupies the de-
clivity Of the mountain region between the Gulf Il
Guinea and the great desert. The Mandngoes
capy large portion Of this extensive tract and they
live mingled with the Yalos, Foulahs, and others.
The Mandingoes said by Mungo Park to be dis
tnguished among the negro tribes by their superior
c.
well shaped, strong, and capable Of great endu-
rance. Their features regular, their pro-
mincnt, with the nostrils rather fattened. Their
lips are not thick as in most of the African tribes
but their hair is woolly. Their color is clear black
inclinng to yellow. Park thinks they resemble the
Hindoos or blacks Of India, than the other
gre tribes Of Africa The language Of the Mandin-
goes is more widely spreas than any other spoken
in that part Of Africa. Some Of them are Mahom.
medans, but the greater part retain many Of the
usage Of fetichisn pnciised the coast Of Gui
nea. They cultivate small spots q ground with
and the products Of the chase Their habftxioee pre-
mere novels. Some Of them apply themselves to
trade in small way, and show much shrewdness
and activity in prosecuting their business. The
idea that might makes right is practised upon
throughout al central Africa. Physical superiority
alone confers authority, and is TO this that Jnqua
owes his consequence among his companions.
With a view to establish the hypothesis that j
have above suggested, that Mandisg refers to
tensive tract Of country and not to any particular
tribe Of savages, win give you brief and hasty
sketch Of two blacks, each of whom insists that he
il Manding.
Mornur is a. least feet 10 inches high with large
fiat head, low forehead, deep set eyes, with great
depression between them; short nose, fattened down
TO level with his cheek bones astonishingly thick,
unctuous and protuding lips; short and receding
chin with his head set bis shoulders, without
apology for neck His chest 10 full, arms long. and
his hands long and disproportioned. His legs are
short and msshapen, cali, and the ance set near
ly midships in his foot the hollow Of which makes
hole in the ground. He belongs TO small interior
tribe the Jobs river, probably the Gallinas, and
never saw white man until he was captured in q
battle with the inhabitants Of neighboring village
and sent down 10 Badagry, on the Blight OF Benin,
where he was sold TO Portuguese SLAYER, about
half full Of slaves which went round TO Cape Lopez
and took In the rcmainderof her cargo. Mornur is
apparently about 30 years Of age, and black enough
TO warrant the belief that he dipped twice after
the color set.
Kinnah Is about five feet three inches high, with
yellow and bright complexion, long, narrow head,
full forehead, prominent and almost crooked nose.
His upper lip is thin, and his chin full and round
long neck, hollow chest, and small round arms and
legs. His hands and feet slender and delcately
formed He belongs 10 warlike tribe living on the
borders Of the river Yson, near lake Tchad. He
sold TO relative for debt, and shortly after dis
posed Of to an neratng negro dealer in slaves who
carried him, in company with a great number Of
others, over the mountains Biafra, where he was
shipped board . large vessel, with crew Of /
thirty white men.
But Mr.. Bennett, this letter is expanding beyond
the limits which had prescribed to myself To
morrow, IL agreeable to you, will give you short
pne, and show, conc lusivsly, as l think, that the
stories Of the abotionsts. about these Africans and
he afidavits of the blacks themselves, are only a
part Of scheme conceived at the outset Of this bu-
,iness to make political capital, at the expense Of
he rights OF the Spanish owners, and in total disre
yard OF our treaty stipulations with Spain.
United state. III. srics Cesrs.
Before Judge Belts.
Nov. g-The United States sirfy.ics packages
IF oiass: Marriott y Company, claimants. The
riot Attoruey stated the facts that he