Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-20
MORNING LEADER.
The Echo Negroes--Llberia News.

at Charleston during the 4s days trip to Monro
via. DR.. Rainey, the Government agent under
whose charge they were sent out, states that
the two hundred living were delivered to the
Colonization SOciety's agency, and were well
taken care of. Four of the number landed had
died before the Niagara left.
DR.. Rainey gives some account Ofthe appear
ance, habits, conduct and superstitions of the
wild negroes, of interest. He says the negroes
were so filthy and beastly in their habits, that
they needed more room than could be given in
the ship, and that they should have had special
nurses, medical attendants and some recruiting
before starting. They appeared generally stu
pid and listless set of heathens. A few mani
tested signs of sprightliness, and were very ae-
tive. Most of them wsuld lie from day to day
like cattle upon the deck, unmOved even by the
death of companions and brothers all around
them. Except in few cases, they manifested
no sympathy, no tenderness, no appreciation of
anothers woes, and never so much as turned
their hands over in relief Some few of the girls
especially the half-breeds and mulattoes, of
whom there were, however, very few, seemed
generous and humane, and somewhat refined in
their feelings.
Singing was their daily and chief amusement.
They sang wild and animating songs, especially
when the sun shone out warm, and Dr. R. de-
scribes their choruses as given with thrilling eff
feet. Though they frequently got into fights
with each other, they never exchanged blows.
The quarrels resulted in pulls and tugs which
would last for hours, while the parties of the
fray would cry and complain like children
Dr. R. relates the following singular case on
board:
We had Just been reading DR.. Livingston's
account of the numerous ordeals for witehcraft,
when at the breakfast hour we heard scream
and eeuffie 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 very sick and lingering babe, ac-
cused the other of having bewitched her child,
and determined to kill her, was actually choking
her to death. The sailors found it difficult to
separate them. The mother wept frantically,
| and demanded the "Ordeal" test of the witch,
averring that both herself and her babe would
have to die. Nearly all of them sympathiZed
| with the mother, as, according to their theory,
no one can die a natural DEATH The captain
had her Immediately put into irons, and it was
not until night came on that she begged to be
relieved and promised that she would no further
molestt the witch. As soon as the witch stepped
on shore in Monrovia she recognized in large,
tall, black man her Congo brother, who had been
stolen aud shipped on the Pons, and finally sent
t. Liberia in ls45. The meeting was positive
ly tOuchingly affecting.
1t was the custom in the warm latitudes to
turn hose upon the negroes twice week, and
give them a thorough washing off. The health
of themselves and the ship required it. DR..
Rainey says:
1t was exceedingly difficult to induce the men
to wear vestige of clothing. The women
were far more modest and decent. All wore
strings of beads, or charms and cTegrcS some
around their necks, and others around the arm
or ankle. Every one bore the unmistakable
brand of their former owner, which is generally
about an inch and half square, and somewhat
in the shape off G. Nearly every soul was ia.
tooed; some all over the chest, shoulders, cheeks
and forehead. Many had the flesh raised in hall
cords quarter of an inch high, half inch
wide, and, in the various windings, probably Z
foot, and even two feet long. One, a remarka
bly, modest, quiet, distant and apparently intel
4 ligent girl, whom they call the princess" wal
marked all over the chest and abdomen, anC
from the neck over the shoulders and back II
the hips. 1t was one continu ed figure of flowers
, stars, clusters, DC, such as would be wrough
, on ladys collar, if it presented surface o
e three square feet. She was evidently conscious
: of some superiority, and conducted herself hk
t lady.
5 Dr. Rainey speaks very favorably of Liberia
: No one. he says, can enter any part of tn,
q Republic of Liberia without being forcibly i'm
$ pressed with the mighty change which tn
!. American Colonization society have made i
benighted Africa, in redeeming 600 miles c
c coast, the former favorite slaving ground. frOr
the curse of the slave trade, except so far as tn
,, French are concerned, who conduct veritabl
y slave trade under the guise of legal emigration
protected by their national armed vessels II
r adds:
n Monrovia is a city of three thousand inhab
d tants, population as virtuous, orderly and we
N conducted ds can be found in any county,
= The city is not healthily located, and hene
: bears but little of that impress of prOsperit
Il which is everywhere discernible throughou
le other portions of the republic. made shol
e visit up the fine St. Paul river. The first fe'
a miles are covered with a low, dense growth
Of mangroves, from which the most nOxious efhT
via arises, generating intermittents, and couple
with other causes, producing also the muc
dreaded malignant African fever. The stat
- ments, however, which we have regarding thos
diseases are ndiculously exaggerated. General
tn speaking the fever is simply an epidemic mall
re rious intermittent, Of type by no means a
lg deleterious or of half so rapid culnination Z
"A the eongestive fever of the Missouri river bo
toms Beyond seven miles, however, the cour
:, try becomes hig Oh and rolling on both banks, a
~ fording good water and healthful drainag
oil while it is covered with rich and very produ,
" tive soil over stratum of ferruginous sanC
V. stone, and in places hornblend, in which lin
& largely predominates.
l inspected the banks closely for twent
-. miles, and passed through some large and fou
- ishing coffee and sugar estates, and throug
li m fields of very large corn. l examined tw
v. large steam sugar mills, made in Brooklyn =
Of One of them is erected at the expense of th
in Government, and grinds corn and manufacture
sugar and moasses, and makes corn meal, o
a shares with the people. The cane is of an el
= cellent quality. The coffee tree bears a larg
berry, and far more profusely than any that
have seen in Brazil. One man, Mr.. Hooper
a prctegc of our late lamented Downing, ha
ne eighteen thousand trees in bearing But q
lis money, especially specie, is scarce in the cOur
try, he told me that he would be able to gathe
from only five or six Thousand trees, thus losin
many thousand dollars, as the coffee is exceed
!! ingly high priced, and readily commands tweu
ne ty cents per pound in Monrovia.
,h The river is most denselY populated. Th
u whole district is high and healthy. Fine brio
D. houses appear all along the stream, in Caldwell
at New Georgia, Clay, Ashland, Virginia, Louis
"A lana, and the many other fourishing sentiment
- which Ipassed The settlers seem to be thrii
ty and happy, notwithstanding several tribes O
9, the colonists complain of caste, and say tha