Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-15

The Friga,e Niagsrs-seensso on board
The officers ON board the U. 5 Frigate Nj
soar, which touched at New York from
Monroyia direct, on Saturday, have furnished
oai,e an Interesting log Of their voyage. We
quote as follows.
STRANGE lIABIrs.--The strange habits and
custom. Of these poor crea .ures were Coz
stan, study and theme of remark among the
officers and men. and at times afforded no
little amusement durlug the voyage. We
had on board, as ar interpreter, one OF the
crew of the Echo, Portuguese, named Frank,
by whom alone we were able to hold con-
munication with them; be talked In Portu-
guese, which some portion OF the Africans
appeared to understand pretty we'll.
Each morning, when the decks were wash
ed down, the occasion was improved to give
the whole party "a cold bath, by playing the
ship's hose upon them, which they appeared
70 enjoy in a high degree, shouting, yelling,
Jumping and laughing with delight. They
appeared to have spirit OF clanship, and d.
yided themselves into partIe, tor mutual pro-
lection; this vas particularly the case among
the boys, who would not tolerate any Invasion
of their rights; their blankets, food and cloth
ing they guarded with great jealously. %
sccouot of their thievlng disposition, however,
there were frequent wrsngles, but the sentry
always prevented them from assuming serl.
Gus form. At uight, old sails, hammocks and
loose bedding were spread upon the deck,
when tbey would roll themselves IN their
blankets, and the whole party crowd into a
compact mass for mutual warmth, with &C.
casionslly black face or wooliy head pro.
truding, and sleep until reused up by the
morning watch.
ArrEupr ID Dawn WITCH. Ca one oc
casion woman, W no bad the only two infants
that were in the party. found that one OF her
children was sick, and she conceived the no.
ton that another woman was q witch, and
was killing il by her sorcery. She according.
ly combined with secersl others OF her friends
to throw the witch overheard. They got into
a furious light, and hustled the witch towards
side port, and had nearly pushed her into
the sea, when The sentry seized and pulled
her back. Toe child lived uutil it was land.
ed, and then died Future pitched battles
we're only prevented by placing hsudcutfs up
on the strong minded women. The redeem
ing feature of this contest as the evidence
which it at ,risd of strong maternal attec-
ton in the race.
CONTEMPT OF DEATH.--There were no religi-
Gus rites celebrated among the Africans dur
log the 50 days they were on board, and
nothing in their conduct which indicated toe
idea OF God or q future state. The usual
religious rites which were uniformly observ-
ed by the commander hen one of their num-
Der died and was buried, excited do atten-
ton from them whatever; but as one after
another Of their comrades wasted away the
stronger would watch Tor the last breath, and
then snatch biz blanket, and appropriate it to
bis own USE Upon the occasion OF death,
the body-sometimes two sewed up in one
bianket-was placed upon plank in one Of
the gun ports, the shi p's company assembled
upon the quartordeck ,wheo Captain Chsun-
cey read the burial service, the inboard end
VI the plank was raised, and the body, with
heavy splash, disappeared beneath the Wa.