Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-02-16
Letter from Africa.

other letters from abroad, as that is to be
one of the features Of the paper.
Departure Of '52-Commg cf '53-Voycqe
.trom Porto Praya to Gonee-Description Of
.t.at Island-Pecultarities ofMs French Naral
srvlcs-1he main lond-Size Of the people,
Stock Of chi2dren-V erdure Of the Portuguese
Further Correspondence.
UNITED STATES SHIP JOHN ADAMS,
Bathurst, Rive~ Gambia.
Vest Coast Of africa, January l, 1853.
A happy New Year to you and yours, my
dear father! l had the watch last night
from 8 to midnight as luck would have it,
and saw the old year slowly crawl over the
Stern and the fresh New Year come bound
ing in with vigorous strides over the bows.
Young 1853 giving old 1852 kick by way
CT helping him on and fastening his tardy
movements.
We sailed from Porto Praya ON the 9th Of
December, last year, took it easy and COM
Portable, joggled along by slow stages, for
We were not in hurry, and reached the
island Of Gomez, just this side of Cape
Verde, the most western point of the CONT
ncnt of Africa. on the 18th of the same
month having contrired to lengthen the
passage out to six days.
Gomez is French colony. IL 1909 it
vas captured by the English and remained
with them until 1916, when it was restored
10 the French by the treaty of Paris, TO-
sether with their neighboring colony on the
river Senegal. It-has remained in their
lands ever since
The Island is two miles from the main
Land, the peninsula of Cape Verde, the most
western point Of the Continent of Africa
The French have made it the head quarters
OF their African Squadron, and heavily for
tiled it. The island is quite small about
Gle mile long and she quarter of mile in
w;dth-every foot being occupied with
houses, having scarcely a vestige Of vegeta-
ton. There are one OF two trees eking out
a miserable existence-like Col. Benton
''5litary and alone" The population Of
G.nee is ABOUT three thousand, OF which,
sc.ae one hundred only are whites Tie
Governor is Naval oficer-a captain Of
"a in the French Navy. The French grades
of captain are ranked differently from those
Of our service, as they have captains Of "A,
captains of frigates, and captains of COR
vettes and Lieutenants command vessels
of smaller armament. The houses Of Gomez
are all whitewashed, two stories high, with
fat roofs, on which there is a promenade
Viewed from the water the town has quite
pleasing appearance, particularly is this
the case when one sees it about four or five
miles distant. From the anchorage by moon
light the town shines splendidly.
! visited the mainland twice during our
stay, making an excursion for amusement
and sightseeing, to the villages of Dacar
anu Ham, separated some FIVE miles. The
bay is very extensive, and all the Navies of
the earth could readily maneuvre in its
smooth quiet waters. On the mainland
saw hundreds Of men, women, and children;
and passed through an immense pa'ch of
peanuts, in which l encountered hundreds
Of women and children gathering the nuts,
then ripe and ready for storage.
The men and women were quite tall the
males being over six feet two and three
inches high, and scarcely woman much
shorter. 1t was surprising, indeed, to see