New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE FROM BOSTON TO TIKI
WEST COAST or AFRICA By j. A. CAsSES. I'm
pp Gs. Boston John ?. Jevett Co.

ample opportunities for observation, the author
records a variety of incidents which occurred in
his dealings with the Africans, Illustrating their
modes of trade, their religion, their government,
their domestic habits, and their social and intel
lectual character. Excepting few occasional at
tempts at fine writing, when the author had moth
ins to say, the narrative is marked BY proprety of
fiction, and more than common liveliness of de-
scnption. Mr.. Carne's first acquaintance with the
African coast was made at the island Of Goree,
situated within mile or two Of Cape Nerd.
This island is almost solid rock. 1t is mac
cessible on all sides, except that which faces the
continent, where good harbOr is found with con-
venient anchorage. At the time of the authors
visit, it had population Of about two thousand
souls, consisting Of Englishmen, who were there
temporarily for purposes oftrade, permanent [ cole
residents, and natives from the Continent. These
last supplied the people of the town with delicious
fish. and fruits aud vegetables from the main land,
none being produced on the island on account Of
the .terility of its soil. The houses of the Afri-
cans, which were quite unique in their constrdc
ton and arrangements, soon attracted the stten-
ton of our intelligent traveller. These were Al.
built on the same model. From eight to ten feet
high in the center, cle walls were composed oired
clay mixed with sand and PEBBLES, the roof being
matched with the leaves of the cocoa or palm.
We quote a description Of the interior of one Of
these primitive habitations:
Curiosity 80 natural 10 youth induced me % vis,
or OF these African haDltRu0ns, aud the graulca
ton received amply compensated me for t. | entered
one where there wss man, a woman with yoang ia
fbnh 4 fhrap N
perhaps five six years OF age. the African and
his dear consort had each piece Of coarse CLOTH the
nufacmre Of their country, around the wait, falling
nearly ~ the knees, while the chdres OF both sexes,
or "piccaninncs, were entirely naked. The man, as
entered smoking his pipe seated upon mat Just
within the door, the longest diameter OF the howell being
about twelve feet The oOr, rather the ground, (Or
there such thing as a plank was neatly covered
over with mats of native fabric made from the leaves
OF the palm and were very smooth and even. There
ascending into upper rooms for there were no
second stories, no chambers no bedrooms or dOrmi'
tories; paTlOrs, sitting rooms or Kitchen Oae roo
oHly. spread with mats upon the ground, comprised
them all. was welcomed very hudly In broken Eag-
sh by the simple African, and seat was furnished me
consisting OF block of wood with mat thrown over
it A IRE was burning In one corner Of the dwelling,
directly under the aperture or chimney through the
roof Of leaves, whence the smoke escaped and In
kind Of earthen pot there was quantity OF rice boiling
The heat TO me was almost insuterabe, although yhe
man, woman aud children seemed not to be lncom
NODDED 10y II IN the least notwithstanding the mercury
In Fair. nheits Thermometer could risen less
than hundred degrees II being upward OF ninety
degrees In the shade without in the coolest place 10 oa
found in the open air startled several times fro
my seat by the lizards, which were very numerous
and frequently across my legs as they sought their
holes places OF retreat in the mud walls OF the nut
aiterward thousands of them In every part Of the
island and learning that they were perfectly harmless
soon became recOn0ed 10 their proximity. | was
much pleased at seeing the children partske OF hearty
meal OF the rice that saw boiling over the fire. large
half calabash was placed by the Ia the middle Ot
the hut and the rice taken from the seaming pot was
emptitd into the caa0ash. IL was boiled so dry tnai
the moisture nearly eyaporsted, and the particles
grains Of rice separated from each other While the
steam was rising from H. (idding In no small degree to
the heat which before this almost insufersble,
causing the persprauonto fall from my face in large
drops the mother took small gourd and dipped itino
large caabash Of palm oil, which stood In part OF the
howell and poured ii the rice till 1t became su.
hcienty cool Upon this the little ebones inmsdiasely
sqUsited round the vessel containing the nutritious food
and set to" Sans ceremonie by hrusng their hands
into the midst at once and graspng as much as they
could carried IL 10 their mouths and thus continued
eating fast they could grasp handful At the same
time soldering themselves over with the pal OIL TIL
every particle of the rice had disappeared II
tanly novel and interesting sight to see these itse
naked children of Africa thus employed
After remaining short time at Sierra Leone,
the vessel pursued its course toward the equator,
for the purpose of opening trade with the natives
Arriving opposite a town which appeared thickly
settled, it anchored near the shore, and was sson
surrounded by the African canoes which dotted
the water in every direction. A grand palaVer at
length came off with the king, who took an early
opportunity to visit the vessel bringing with him
a large quantity Of ivory. The particulars OF the
trade as given by Mr.Carnes, are emnently sug-
gestive."
All the ivory, amounting to about tun and halt or
two tuns was paraded upon the deck In conspicuous
rosaibla The iarge feefh nj them
weighing nearly one hundred and fifty pounds, were ar
ranged by themselves The smaller ones, schVellts
likewise arranged In separate parcels according
10 their different sizes When the whole quantity
thus displayed 10 the satisfaction Of the king grand
consultatiOn "palaver held by his majesty and
suite to the price that should be asked for large
small tooth. The shrewdness evtnced BY this Of
Anica really surprised US. In order to com nence a
trade hs selected Of the smallest scriyellas for
which he demanded exOrbitant price justly csnciu
ding that II he succeeded in dsposing of his at great
price the larger being still more valuable he
might obtain SUN In proportion for them.
While the articles were being selected which we in
tended to give for this tooth OF Ivory his royal hghness
strobe the deck in regmentals dressed" bis white
ostrich plume waving gracefully at every step and his
red being about foot too short In the skirts
sequenuy falling but little below the middle OF tue
back the pahtaloons light as a drInhead upon him.
and scarcely reaching the calf of the lag which
stockngless and OF ebony blackncss snguarly CON
trsHed with his red and lgh colored pants The
tout ensemble Of this African king the reader may
suppose, was tue suOuuc OF tue FldculOub. livery
thing being finally arranged considerable display
made by Of the goods upon the deck In order make
them appear the best advantage mean the commO
dlties had selected for the purpose OF purchasing
small tooth or scriyea Although the articles selected
were Of considerable bulk their value 10 mere
rhe consisting they did Of few yards of blue India
cotton variety Of inkets such glass beads Of di
ferent sizes and colors, few pewte medaons, small
quantity OF powder and two or three junk bottles Of
New. En- gland rum.
All these articles being pretty eonspicuou,y arranged
upon the deck opposite toe tooth otiyoy for which We
were negotiating las the custom this coast made
tolerable show when contrasted with the solitary
seriyella belon ging bis African majesty However
no sooner did his sable kin yshp glance MS eyes upon
the goods thus displayed than apparent satisfaction was
manifested in his counenance For turning 10 his cour
tiers. who stood near he addressed few words 70 them
IN brief palaver and then Immediately assen,sd 10 dis
pose Of the single tooth In question, for the trnlng s