The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-15
Letters from the African sauadrop.

The town OF Monrovia has agreeable situation on
APPOINT of elevated land extending into the sea- and COM
monty known as Cape Mesurado. II is doubtless the
best site which could have been selected every breee
CHANGING TO blow felt by the inhabitants and its APP
pearanee from the little river quite picturesque and
beautiful The irreguarity of the houses-the profu.
sion of fowers-the dark back ground-ths CLASSY
stream, meandering through the low level marsh land
beneath-the steeple Of occasional churchthe mer.
ry laugh Of chdrenhe Of the distant surf and the
SOFT low song ofthe Kroo girl in the valley all tend
to fill the mind with multiplicity of pleasing and poetic
fances On the day ofour VISIT after strolng about for
some time, ndugng in tramp on terra frma again
found ourselves at the house of the renowned Colonel
H. who, by the by u.s. Independent of his abilities as
host specimen Of the human species His extreme
politenesshs nexhaustibe fund OF conve rsa,oD ming
led with the most brilIian, scinatiOns Of genuine wit
and sarcesm-his volubility oil toernbly bad French
his inimitable store Of racy expressions-in n
a word, his tome ensemble were only equalled
by his powers Of divinstion; so, Of course rea.
Oily guessing ourSants flourish Of the colonel hand
10 modest looking little negress and the jingle Of glas
In adjoining room, speedily brought forth bottle
of palatabe ale. and luncheon, which we leisureiy
despatched and then ordered dinner.
noon, we again sailed forth and losns our umbrellas
bent our steps down circular pathway leading 10 the
brink othe river and towards the southern part Of the
settlement Here we found canoe at disposal and
after hauling II upon the beach, to a safe
seated ourselves and gently launch
forward when aloat leaped in at the instant and
shot swiftly across the stream without further
sxeron running high and dry upon the opposite shore
Turning angular clump Of trees we suddenly found
ourselves in the centre OF kroo village, Numbering
some twenty huts) the proximity OF which were
led to imagine by tho loud chatter Of female voices
ediately upon landing was forcibly struck with
tho appearance Of their habitations, Indicating
at glance, evident inclination TO native
originality, and the total absence of every thing
like approximation to civilized life. A group OF
females surrounded u.s. whose simplicity OF charac
ter aud modesty OF demoanor far exceeded similar
trait in many OF the Colonial women. and perhaps ON
that account made quite favorable impression Their
dress consisted simply Of strip Of coon cloth
secured around the waist and extending nearly or quite
to the knee; generally wearing in addition trifing
ornament on the head We found them inveterate
smokers and natural consequence the most ipcor
rgible beggars OF tobacco On enquing the reason OF
so many speaking English, TO surprise we learned
that in lieu Of being the reiult OF missionary labor or
the tuition OF those employs for that purpose Il
trbutable 10 the force Of decidedly creditable cir
umsence; that Of all being either the wives asnced
brides OF tho Rroomen employed board the cruisers
and trading vessels the coast Their countenances
were peculiarly expressive OF contentlnent with their
mode OF living except aud then methought could
trace CLEAN of eaouy In the eye Of some less favored
spouse The internal arrangements Of their huts were
necessarily few, but extremely neat, and devoid of
every thing like supefauity The articles Of furniture
and personal properu, consisted generally Of wooden
bowl rude mortar aud pestie small earthen lar and
commonly black nnk bottle, but invar ably pine and
razor. The hutswero built entirely OF the leaves and
branches Of the palm neatly matched and in many re
spects bearing strong resemblance to the wigwams OF