Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-12-23
The Rescued Africans of the
Echo.

Ine RESCUED Africans Oh the
Echo.
DR.. Rainey who accompanied the res
cued negroes of the SLAYER Echo to Liberia,
gives a very interesting account of the
voyage. The suferings Of the negroes
from their diseases were terrible. Seventy
one of the two hundred and seventy-one
died before the Niagara reached Monrovia.
He saws:
at was the custom to turn large hose
on them twice every week when in the
warm lalitudes, which, became indispensa-
bic to the sanitary condition of the ship
1t was exceedingly ;ficult to induce the
men 10 wear a restige of clothing. The
women were far more modest and decent.
All wore strings of beads, or charms, and
gregres; some around the necks, and 9TH
ers around the arm or ankle. Every one
bore the unmistakeable brand of their for
mer owner, which is generally about an
inch and half square, and somewhat in
the shape of G. Nearly every soul was
tattooed some all over the chest, shoulders,
cheeks, and forehead. Many had the flesh
raised in half cords quarter of an inch
high, half an inch wide, and, in the va
rious windings, probably foot, and even
two feet long. One, remarkably modest,
quiet, distant, and apparently intelligent
girl, whom they called the Princess" was
marked all over the chest and abdomen,
and from the neck over the shoulders and
back to the hips. 1t was one continued
figure of flowers, stars, clusters, &c, such
as would be wrought on lady's collar, if
it presented surface of three square feet.
She was evidently conscious Of some supe-
rioriiy, and conducted herself like a lady.
Singing was daily and really delight
full amusement, especially when the sun
shone out warm, and by some common
consent their strifes about blankets, bread,
pans, and pouches ceased for about an
hour; which, however, was really very sell
dom, not only while living, but actually
while dying. Their leader was little
fellow about thirty inches high, with a big
head, nearly blind, whom we knew only as
"Maintop." He led the music with grace
and fervor that would have pleased Julien.
They sang in perfect time many wild and
highly awakening songs, and especially
pleased us in their choruses, which at times
wound up with wild and really thrilling
effect. They constantly got, into fights,
but never gave blow. 1t was sense
less pull and tug for hours together, while
the parties to the fray would cry and com
plain like children. They seemed by no
means destructive in their propensities."
ga most singular case, however, occurred
on board. We had just been reading DR..
Livingston's account of the numerous Or
deals for witchcranft, when at the break
fast hour we heard scream and scuff1e on
deck. 1t proved to be the only contest
for life and death which came under our
notice, and was between two women. One,
the mother of a very sick and lingering
babe, accused the other of having bewitched
her child, and, determined to kill her, was
actually choking her to death. The sail
ors found it difficult to separate them
The mother wept frantically, and demand
ed the 'ordeal test of the witch, averring
that both her babe and herself would have
to die. Nearly all of them sympathised
with the mother, as, according to their
theory, no one can die a natural DEATH
The captain had her Immediately put into
irons, and il was not until night came on
that she begged to be relieved, and prom
ised that she would no further modest the
WITCH As soon as the witch stepped on
shore in Monroyia she recognised in a
large, tall, black man her Congo brother,
who had been stolen and shipped on the
Pons, and finally sent to Liberia in 1s45.
The meeting was positively touchingly af-
fecting.
He states that Liberia is in prosperous
condition, and says:
Liberia is evidently advancing, and if
she can only be protected by Christendom
from the outrages which France is practi-
sing on her, and which cause nine-tenths
of the interior wars that weaken her, she
will rapidly assume position of interest
to us and to the world, in trade as well as
in the progress of civilization. l have no.
where else seen place on earth so well
fitted for the hopeful development of the
colored man as Liberia. A general re-
mark to me by colonists was, This, sir, is
a great country for darkies.'. l was most
forcibly impressed with the fact, especially
after leaving the poverty-stricken and beg
ging population of the Cape Verdes, that
but one single soul asked me for aims du-
ring the nine days that I was on shore"