Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-05-04

ty river to its unknown sources-to sow the seed
of civilization in the great region watered by its
tributaries--to supplant barbarism, misery and
paganism, with knowledge. intelligence and
Christianity, have long been favorite objects
with philantropists. We may concede the in
caleaiable good to Re attained by the civilization
of Africa-we may acknowledge the vast impor-
tance of spreading the Gospel among the be-
nighted savage tribes who dwell between the
Coast and Mountain of the Moon-we may con-
cede with the Chinese insurgents in declaring
that
The Devil has injured man
In the most outrageous manner"
we may admit that in no region of the globe
does groveling, bloody superstition raise high
er hecatombs of slaughter than upon the banks
of the Niger but still we shall steadily main
tain that expeditions to plant the arts and sci
cnces upon the banks of that aqua incognita are
utterly iruitless-mere sacrifices of brave and
gallant men to the chimerical and impossible de-
sign of enthusiastic but deluded philanthopists.
A little information about the last expedition
planned and sent.up the Niger by "the gentle
men of England who live at homo at ease"
may enable us to comprehend the difficulties to
be overcome before any good can be achieved,
and the suiferings to be undergone by the devo-
ted martyrs of such project.
The last expedition gotten up for the purpose
of exploring the Niger river, was the bantling
of certain philanthropists, at the head of whom
were Prince Albert and SirThomas Powell Bux-
ton. The good to be accomplished by the ex-
petition was not very limited, according to the
plans of its projectors and the instructions de-
livered to the captains of the ships. They were
to do many things, desirabls enough in them
selves, but unfortunately utterly impracticable
in the estimation of all sensible men. They
were to lecture Kings, Potentates, Chiefs, and
Headmen of the savage regions they explored,
upon politics-they were to teach them sound
principles of political economy--to instil into
their minds sentiments of benevoence and phi
lant!lropy-to impress upon them the manifold
advantages of employing free hborers in place
of slaves--to initiate them into all the mysteries
of fnance-to make treaties with them for the
instant and entire abolition of the slave trade
to purchase and establish model farms at suitable
places-to abolish all human sacrifices forthwith
and finally they were to accomplish the tri-
fling little matter of converting those barbarous
idolaters to the true faith.
About the beginning Of May, three small
steamers, the Albert, the Wilberlorce and the
Soudan, were reported as ready to proceed upon
the expedition and the excitement among the
promoters of this notable scheme was intense.
Visits of inspection were made on board by
Prince Albert and the serious nobility; by Mis-
sion Societies, African Societies, Church Mis-
sion Societies, and Anti-Slavery Societies. For
some days there was high spring tide, per-
feet ebb and food of Exeter Hall Saints to and
from the vessel. On the 18th of May, amid the
cheers of the men-of-wars men, and the rever-
berations of laundering guns from the line of
battle ships, the gallant little steamers steered
out of Plymouth Sound, bound for the "Gate Of
the Cemetery" as the mouth of the Niger was
afterwards ezpressively named by the sailors.
In June the Interpreters were taken on board
at Sierra Lone, together with some Africans who
were to be located on the model farm under Mr.
Carr and four score Kroomen, race of hardy,
tractable and intelligent men, as is well known
to those who have been upon the coast, were al
SO shipped to assist in the navigation of the
vessels From Sierra Leone the steamers pro-
ceeded to Cape Coast Castle, well known as the
burial place of the gifted "L. E. L." After
receiving some valuable information from Gov.
Mclean, her surviving husband, the vessel
steered for the Nun branch of the Niger, the
gloomy g Gate of the Cemetery"
After steaming up the river for fourteen days,
the territories of King Boy and King Obi were
reached and the grand diplomatic work of the
expedition began. 1t was afterwards said that
the delay Of holding "palavers " caused the
failure of the expedition, by detaining the ves-
sells in the Delta Of the Niger, but there ia nc
proof that the river is any more healthy towards
its sources Indeed, there is more fever among
the natives higher up than among those of the
Delta. A fortnight's sail from the mouth of the
great river of Ethiopia, the vessels now lay OIL
the broad flowing Niger. All around were the
savage nations of the interior of Africa, theil
monarchs gittering with grotesque fnery, and
displaying ferocious cruelty with ludicrous for
mality and barbaric pomp. The loamy water,
Of the fatal river laved the Shiny banks of thu
fat soil and among the pestilental mangroyt
swamps near the banks, reptiles and aligators
coiled round the trees, Or basked hideously upor
the rocking mud. The rank vegetation of th'
tropics was spread over the earth as a rich gar
ment, but it covered the sloughs and morassc
from which rose the vapors of death.
Among the native chiefs, the white men fount
some common sense, a good deal of rapacity
and an extraordinary degree of roguery and Gun
ming Obi came on board to hold grand pa
laver, clad in suit of old uniform. The trea
ty-making was conducted with much solemnit,
by the white men.--but the statute savage an
pears to have been aware that it was all Joke
And in the breast of the white men there mus
have been sad suspicion that they were engag
! cd upon ghastly FOOLS esrand, Imagination