Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-04-27

from him few days after he had. left
he was at York, about 25 miles from
Sierra Leone, 1t seems quite difficult 10
obtain any satisfactory Information re.
speeding the Mendi country in addition to
what is already known; but Mr.. Ray
mond has obtained Though certain Mr..
Parker, who is well acquainted and has
traded much with them, and from other
sources, very definite knowledge of the
character Of the Mendian people.
They are represented as very warIike
and some Of the greatest slave dealers are
in that par: OF Africa. They even war
among themselves for the purpose of get
ting slaves. 1.-THE Mendians who were
in this country should return into the
the midst Of their own, it is feared they
would be Immediately taken aud sold
again. II is therefore deemed unsafe, for
the present at least, to GO back into the in
terror, and Grand Cape Mount, on the
borders of their country, is now supposed
70 be the most eligible site. as it respects
health, &c, for the establishment of the
Mission. Here their relatives can have
access to them and the mission can be
gradually working its way iuto the inte-
rior. Mr.. Steele's return however NAV
lead 10 different choice of location
Some of the Amistad Africans are found
10 be Mendians. and some belong 10 an
other tribe called Buloms, and there is
some disagreement among them respect
/ ing the question with whom the Mission
shall be identified Their eyes are turned
to different locations. This however il is
hoped will not be serious difficulty
Some Of them Indicate strong disposition
10 lay aside their clothing and return to
their former savage life of nakedness. One
strong incentive to this is The gree gree
marks as they call them, which are found
upon their bodies. These are marks OF
honor, diplomas which have great mean
ing with them. They receive them when
they pass through certain branches of
learning. or acquit themselves of feats Of
agility or danger, aud are then entitled to
change their names or adopt an addition
to them and not before.
! 1t will probably require great effort TO
restrain some of them from a1relapse into
their former habits With one or two ex-
ceptions they remain firm to their temper
ance principles. drinking nothing which
will in,oxicate. The Europeans gener-
: ally al Sierra Leone, drink wine, ale, por-
: ter and brandy so freely that it is not sur
prising they are frequently taken sick sud-
denly and that so many sink into prema-
ture graves. Te-me, the youngest Of the
three Mendian girls, joined Temperance
Society before she left America. She had
some palm wine (which is merely the sap
of the palm tree, and when pure, and free,
without any intoxicating tendency,) but
would not drink any of it until she had
asked Mrs. Raymond if it was proper
drink for tee-tolaler. Mr. r. states that he
never enjoyed better health, both of mind
, and body, though he finds he cannot en-
, dure near so much hardship as he could
in his own country Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson
} the colored assistant Missionaries, were in
good health.
Mr.. Raymond had hired house a
!, Sierra Leone Of sufficient size to accom-
g lmoda,e all the Amistad Africans and tht
d missionaries, and all their goods. Fol
a this house he gave four dollars week
Q So-ko-ma, one of the Amistad Africans
d had agreed TO cook fol the whole part,
G. at two dollars month, and have his cloth
n ing kept whole They consume dali,
0. about twenty quarts of rice and a shillin,
q worth OF fish. The clothes are carrid GU
s. of town for washing, at some brook, &C
lie cording to the custom of the place, as tn,
as town is too dusty to dry clothes in. \Mr
I'd r. is getting his tools ready for use, an
x will be fully prepared for entering upo
er- the performance of whatever carpentry
,rt &c. NAV be necessary when they hav
he selected location. The missionaries q
W no. seem at nil discouraged, but labor ;
men who expect to do great things
IN Should they settle at Cape Mount the
~ will be under the protection ofihe Cover
ad ment at Sierra Leone.
,ut Two or three slavers had been brougl
di into port by the British cruisers and CO.
of, demned. and numbers of the slave mar
is ALONG the coast have been recently d
,ut stroyed by British ships of war. tn
lie will do much 10 check this diabollc
ate traffic.
,n. These are the leading facts contain
led in the letters. Others will doubtless so
pg be received, giving US the result Of the
ad ploring tour and the spot fixed on for
ler location of the Mission. L. !.
to- New Y rk, April IL, 1912.
Jd- The Baptist General Convention.
red We have never found room to give IN de-
The The evidences which came out last summer she
,he inc the true position in which the Baptist Tn
NAL Convention placed itself with regard 10
az question of slavery. The documents wnicn y
ndi were carefully drawn, in order 70 answer the
red pose Of establishing truce between the SIN
slavery and its opposers, for the glory and re-
2 Of the denomination ;'-and SO skliul were
men appeals made to the spirit of brotherly love on
4 ~ IL. nrlf hea