The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-27

clay contrasting very well with The rest of the sur
face which was highly polished with palm ola
universal custom among them. Some Of the women
carried infants placed ON small stool sting across
their backs, and covered over with monkey skins to
keep them from falling out, and TO protect them from
the rains As they delight in the sun, and II was
clear day, these skins Were thrown back, and ex-
posed the infants; of whom were sleeping, and
others crying Another beaatifying process among
the men, is 10 hIe their upper front teeth to point
and pull out the Two lower front incisors.
We landed oil our force, consisting Of about 800
men, on the banks Of this river abreast Of the
town. After forming into some sort Of order--for
sailors not very particular about their manner OF
marching--we proceeded to the paaSer-house, with
our band In front playing a national air. The ma
lives were at first struck with awe at the music; but
seeing il was harmless, and indicated no warke
disposition on our part, they soon recovered their
surprise, and followed US at convenient distance
The Westinghouse of the colonsts, q comfortable
frame building, had teeh prepared for the palaver.
tsble, with neat white cover, was placed in front
of the pulpit for the commander-n-chief; on the
right the officers were stationed, all in uniform and
fully armed; on the left were the colonsis, and in
front the native kings and head-msn. The tribes
represented, wese.ihe sifi5@, fisnmen, Bloc Barra,
and Bobtaha. The object Of the paaver was to In
qure into and settle the diferenc that then exist
ed between the coonists and the natives, and to
discover the murderers of the mate and one of the
crew of an American vessel lrhe murder had been
committed about year before, by some of the
Fishmen.) This being stated a all, erect and
well,lormed negro, King Jack Davis, of the Snow
tribe, rose very deliberately and with considerable
dignity replied to the accusations made against his
people, and in their name asserted their innocence
he and his tribe having always been the friend OF
the colonists; that the crime of murder with the
Fishmen, and called upon old King George of that
L.. r. -aIA
ninety years OF age, and, 10 all sppesiance, so old
and decrepid, that he could hardly move. He re-
ferred himself to his son and heir-apparent, Jack
Smlth--he Smith family here, elsewhere, is very
ex,ensve--who was young and sprightly fellow,
with quick, sharp eye, eyer in motion. He eyaded
the questions put To him with great dextery, and
Rhally cGi1, That if he could be allowed 10 leave
the palaver-house, he would 90 to his village, only
short distance off, Git was in sght) and bring the
guilty man before the commodore This was
well-contrived ruse, and he permitted to leave
but accompanied by guard, consisting of an officer
and two marines, as he was suspected Of treachery.
On reaching his village he made d desperate attempt
to escape, and called his tribe to the rescue; but the
appointed oigna was made, and in an instant our
whole force was on the spot, and Prince Jack Smith
was secured and with another of his tribe who had
participated in the murder, sent on board ship as an
hostage. The old king, his father, who appeared
to be no decrepid that no one thought of watching
his people iii the confusion, and #aa never more
seen by Us. This little diversion broke up the
palaver for that day. The next day another was
held but the whole Fish nation had left their village
men, women, and children had disappeared during
the night, leaving what property they could not
carry away to be pundered by the others, who
revelled in the destruction of their town. They
were Bushmen, or people from the interior, who
had taken forcible possession Of their position and
had always, as the stronger party, been able to
maintain 1t and give the law until our arrival Their
huts were square, and built of wote bamboo COW
cred with palmetto leaves, with cane floor about
two feet from the ground; the caves projecting some
three or four feet, so as to allow of a seat being
placed under it, which generally consisted of log
rolled up TO the place for that purpose
On the following day we held another palaver
with the Bloc Barra tribe whose village is situated
near the cove already noticed the opposite side Of
the river. We marched to the town with half of
forces leaving the other half to protect the boats
The path was through, beautiful grove of trees.
We soon reached the royot peace of King Freeman
We had to be informed OF this fact, or we would
newer have suspected that it was the residence Of
royalty. As it was too small to accommodate our
party, we were presented each with seat consisting
OF round stone, which some of us with difficulty
could sit upon. The day ives exceedingly warm and
sultry, and the sun very powerful. We were sur
rounded by about eight or nine hundred men, women
and children, the exhalation from their bodies being
anything but pleasant. 1t was some time before
silence could be imposed; when an old man, a vete-
ran warrior, very much resembling Shakspeare's
Caliban, made his appearance, advancing to the
centre OF this great ring, with white fowl in his
hand, which he presented 10 the chief OF our party
WHIP accepted il in the spirit that il was given---as
pledge of peace, or they call it, 'tak palaver .
He then shook hands with our party After this
he made two or three Aourishes with his hands and
legs, and squatted down opposite TO us. He was a
very tall and welLformed old man. On his head he
wore black monkey skin, pointed in 'front.' and
gradually expanding as it fell upon the back OF
his head and shoulders in the shape of an open fan
HIS breast was covered with many magic charms Cor
grfgris, as they call them) suspended by leather
strings passed around the neck. He wore a num-
Der of knives, stuck in belt made of raw leather,
with broad sickle-shaped sword in a scabbard
made of the same material as the belt His arms
and ankles were covered with ivory, brass, and
iron rings. His loins were grded with cloth COW
cred with leopard skin, cut in slashes, and
hanging down to his knees. Around his girdle
five small bells were attached, which he seem
ed to take great delight in dnking. He carried
many honorable scars about his head and body, and
had lost the forefnger and thumb of his left hand
This palaver related to the murder already alluded
to. They also exculpated themselves; and when j,
was concluded, they offered us black bull, which
had been tied to a stake in the middle Of the ring
formed around us by the natives Having satisfac-
tory settled this ralaver treaty of peace and
ity having been signed proposed to fire vol
ley of musketry, in compliance with the desire Of
some of the warriors. As soon as the women and
children heard the click of the locks they stimuli
taneously scampered of in every direction, scream
ing and looking behind them with the most horror
stricken countenances. The bull broke loose from
his fastenngs, and, running at full speed among the
fugltives, mnde the scene truly comical A second
voey was fired; and as this was the warning-signal
for the party in the boats to come to us in the even,
of an attack, they all came rushing into the town,
expecting to find us engaged with the natives Their
countenances, flushed with running through the hot
sun, and their warlike appearance made confusion
worse COMPOUNDED among the natives; and il was
with difficulty we succeeded in quieng the fears Of
this irariike nation. f.. l.. D.,
United States Navy.
HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE AT AUCTION