Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-09-09
THE CAPTURED NEGROES IN THE
"ECHO."
Their SufferinSs and Emaciattd Condition.
fearful StQfI by a Eisilar.

The Charleston Mercury publishes the fol.
lowing communication from "a South Caroli-
MAN.
Mr. Editor: Your very interesting account
OF these people almost renders further descrip-
tiOn unnecessarily But as some of the recent
contributions to your paper presented pic
,urs altogether bright, I would be glad to show
both sides ... = F.. b.. tst .
Of those in health, or comparatively 50,
found about $50 Of whom some so were fe-
males There were about 30 others Il do not
pretend to exactness in fgures) in the sick
wards, in various stages Of disease. You have
already shown that the negroes are from almost
under the Equator-latitude $50 s., longitude
40 f. In the few books to which [ have
had access since saw them, have not found
them described. Bowen's explorations were in
Central Africa-LivingstOne's in the southern
part Barth's volumes, as far as he has gone,
are descriptive Of North and Central Africa
SO that am left somewhat at loss for refer
ences The negroes are of various ages, from
thirty years to a few months, or even weeks
some, L should judge, having been born on the
passage. Ii is wonderful how either mother or
infant survived such an event. nt.----...-.--
1t has already been stated that they belong
to various tribes. This is soon apparent from
the difference Of shades, from their being con-
gregated In separate groups, and the evident
inaDlllty toconverse generally with each other.
observed nothing like general concert of
thought or action between them, except in the
chanting and clapping Of hands In these all,
among them, united
1t has also been noticed that these Africans
are Tar below the size common to the same age
of negroes among US. This is understood to
refer to height; for, emaciated, as most of
them are, no one not better skilled in human
anatomy than 1 am, could conjecture what
their weight, in health, would be- Among the
whole number, it struck me that the man above
referred to may have been five feet eight inches
hlgh-a few more may reach FIVE feet six; but
besides these, there did not seem TO be any of
the men who were over FIVE feet two or three
inches Some few, half dozen, perhaps, Of
the men, and few more women, seemed in
good health and condition. 1t is supposed that
these exceptions Of the former were Of such as
were not slowed away in the hold, but were
employed in working about the SLAYER The
women, Tor some unex xplained reason, were un-
dOubtedly in better condition than the men
lou have already stated that the latter were
wholly nude, and the former nearly SO. One
OF the most singular of the exhibitions saw
was that OF a woman whose hands were adorned
by pair OF cotton gloves-almost her only
covering There was scarcely any comeiiness
among them and the only one whose appear
ance agreeably attracted attention was the go
styled Princess, whose tattoing Certainly gave
evidence OF great dexterity and skill in the art
L have no pretensions to science and must
leave the chronological questions to the learned,
who, trust, are engaged in their investga-
tons But, to even the casual observer, the
difference Of tribes is quite evident. was sur
prised that few or none exhibited the very thick
lips and fat noses which we are accus stoned to
see In the African. The hair would doubtless
be kinked, but, in accordance with the usage of
slsvers, 1t has been shaved, probably at the
time OF sailing from Africa. Our communica-
tons with them we're made In part by signs
which they understood readily, and i'm part
through an Interpreter. This man was one of
the slayer's crew, who did not profess knowl-
edge Of the negro dialect; but the principal
negro had q smatteIing knowledge Of POrtu-
guese, from having worked on ships, &c, on
the coast, and in this language he conversed
with the interpreter. 1t was evident they un-
derstoOd each other, for, upon our party asking
the sailor 10 show us the Congo tribe, the negro
brought three nlen, who took their places be-
fOreu Us, and distinctly heard him say Congo.
1 was struck with their teeth; some were even
a. usual. One tribe had the two central upper
tOreteeth cut out in a semi-circle; while ia an
other the front teeth were sharpened to point.
Many OF the negroes, especially with the aid of
an old flannel shirt, or trOwsers looked as ia
miliar as household or plantation slaves. In
may such, the feature and expression remind
ed Us OF familiar faces at home
The result of the whole visit was intense syu-
psthy Tor them; and indignation towards their
caPtors. fou nsy read Of the horrors Of the
. middle passage" but the half cannot be told
as one view Of these unfortunates will tell the
tale. Dysentery, dropsy and ophthalmia-all,
believe, the productions of contact want Of
ventilation and want IF exercise-are the pre-
yailing diseases. But even where these were
not visible, the spectacle was narrowing. A
skeleton taken down from the nail Of Doctors
closet, and presented TO your view, would
scarcely be more descriptive of anatomy than
many OF these living, walking specimens Of the
human frame. The effect was very startling
when you saw them squattins on their haunch-
es, with their knees drawn up behind their ell
bows, in an attitude common to apes and bab-
OOns, bat which human frame clothed in
fesh can attain. Some, when sitting and told
10 rise, did so with great difficulty, and moved
with step as tOttering as 1 ever saw after ILL
ness The very head seem but skull encased
IN black covering. Ii is common 10 speak OF
man being reduced TO skin and bones, but
one who saw these can scarcely use the express
sion again.
But if this is to be said of those compara-
lively IN health, what language can describe
tho SICK. L saw one poor creature swollen to
the most wonderful size with dropsy; and "a be
lay on his back, he moved his hands signify
ins TO one Of our party a request for his segar,
winch, when gwen TO him, he smok ed with the
greatest aYidity. Another manifested similar
wants, aud replied 10 beckonings to come
TO as by pointing to his leg, which we con-
strued into inability TO move. Two lay near
whose troubles here had ceased in DEATH while
another, the mos; affecting sight OF ala child
of six or eigst years-lay on its side in the sun
oa the stone wharf, with eyes closed and no
other evidence Of life than the slight motion of
the stomach indicating breathing 1he poor
creature, alone and unattended, had rested its
head on its little hand as naturally as our own
little ones do, and in this touching attitude of
suffering childhood was losing tho conscious
ness Of a life whose experience had been only
that OF sorrow aud suffering
One thing Impressed me forcibly-the com
plete dociity, amounting 10 mere mechanical
submission, OF all these creatures In the sick
ward the ply ysicians were applying caastie to
I've eyes VI Bus patents. When this painful
remedy WAS aPpiied-and poor creatures. thew
knew not that il was q remedy, or ANYTHING
but part OF the system Of cruelty to which
they had been subjected-they covered their
f1ess with their hands in pain and with their
heads all bowed in meek submission; and